This man named Gaunt Odium was unremarkable in appearance, his only noteworthy feature being his deep brown eyes, which seemed to possess a magical ability to see through people's hearts. This made him incredibly effective when using his words to tempt the discontented men and women into making pacts with him.
As Tika had expected, this devil, who appeared so distinguished, had already been shaped by the laws.
It was only natural that the cunning laws would not allow this outsider to run rampant, and had dealt with him early on, signing an unequal contract. Now, this devil who could stop time with a wave of his hand was no different from a slave. Even the Hellriders, who were being exploited, were in a better position than him; he looked like a slave of the laws.
Tika's arrival was not concealed in any way. Gaunt Odium, with a grim expression, said, "Saint, from wherever you may have come, what news do you seek from me?"
"The news I truly wish to know, I doubt you can tell me," Tika said, appraising Gaunt Odium with a half-smile. "What is your true form? A Hag?"
Hags were a very peculiar type of devil, often playing both sides between the demons of the Abyss and the devils of the Nine Hells, frequently seen peddling shoddy goods on the battlefields of the Blood War.
"Oh, I wouldn't be so lucky as to encounter a countryman."
Gaunt Odium's expression grew even more unpleasant. A devil who cheated souls now worked for free. If this news were to spread back to the Nine Hells, he would become a laughingstock for all beings.
The aura of the Weave subtly emerged, and the dejected devil shivered, looking up to meet Tika's gaze.
"Mother of Magic? You are still alive!"
The silver fire flickering in Tika's eyes was the unique mark of Mystra, the goddess of magic. This flame, capable of directly drawing primal energy and converting it into magical energy, confirmed Gaunt Odium's identification of the person before him.
"To survive the merging of worlds, what layer of the Nine Hells does your true form command?"
Flicking the long hair that fell onto her shoulders, Tika began her performance. Her aggressive demeanor was perfectly normal in Gaunt Odium's eyes; it would be strange indeed if the lawful good goddess of magic were friendly towards a lawful evil devil.
"Alright, let us not dwell on pleasantries."
The silver light in Tika's eyes flared. "I do have some things I wish to ask you. Would you tell me, or should I see for myself?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
With that, she reached out to touch Gaunt Odium's forehead, preparing to pry into the devil's memories.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! I will tell you everything you wish to know!"
Only then did Tika's hand stop.
"Then let us begin with how the gods were resurrected!"
In Gaunt Odium's account, the Overgod Ao had reversed the world-ending cataclysm, but this creator god had consequently fallen into a deep slumber, unable to maintain order. The other gods, however, did not remain quiescent during this critical juncture, plotting to seize the divine portfolios of other deities!
"As you were not among the resurrected gods, the absence of the Weave caused a great disturbance. The gods of magic sealed the Moon Door, refusing all visitors. The evil pantheon, led by Talos, God of Storms, seized the opportunity to strike at the followers of the good-aligned gods. The human kingdoms fell into chaos, with cultists summoning demons and devils everywhere."
"What about Shar? Did she make any moves?"
Tika immediately pressed for information about Shar, the culprit behind this disaster who had created the Shadow Weave.
"The Goddess of Darkness?"
The unfortunate Gaunt Odium was somewhat bewildered. "She seized much power during this time. Hoar, the god of vengeance, died at her hands, and she also snatched the shadow portfolio from Mask, the god of thieves. Goddess Shar also gained portfolios such as Winter, Torment, and Intrigue. Including her original portfolios of Darkness and Night, this goddess now possesses over twenty divine portfolios. Even Bane must make way for her; she is quite formidable."
Tika narrowed her eyes. Both Talos, the God of Storms, and Shar, the Goddess of Darkness, were powerful evil deities. There was no reason why Shar wouldn't have seized magical authority and suppressed her sister, Selûne, the Moonmaiden.
On the contrary, Winter was the domain of Auril, the Frostmaiden, a subordinate deity of Talos. Why would Shar seem to be hindering Talos?
There must be some hidden reason she was unaware of; it seemed the goddess of magic had not revealed everything.
"What about the Dead Three? And Kelemvor, the Recorder of Souls, did they make any moves?"
Bane, the God of Tyranny, Myrkul, the God of Death, and Bhaal, the God of Murder, had inherited the portfolios of the ancient dead god, Kelemvor, becoming the new immortals. The power abandoned by this silent ancient god gave birth to two powerful deities and one intermediate deity, collectively known as the Dead Three. The original god of death, Kelemvor, became the Recorder of Souls with a portfolio of lesser power.
However, Tika dared not underestimate these ancient deities. Kelemvor's era of birth was only slightly later than that of the goddess of magic, occurring just after the two creator goddesses Selûne and Shar, and the earth goddess Cha, who was born during their battles. He was born almost concurrently with Talos, the God of Storms.
"The Dead Three also participated in this melee. Lord Kelemvor has been reclusive since abandoning his portfolio, and we have heard little of him."
This was becoming increasingly strange, Tika mused, narrowing her eyes. The ancient gods had their own unique ways. Tika suspected they had private alliances, and that even the animosity between Shar and Selûne was a charade! But why would they do this? Was it because of Ao?
After a moment of thought, Tika pulled herself out of her confusion. The answers to these questions, perhaps, could only be found by meeting them in person.
With a wave, she dismissed the cautious devil and opened a portal, returning to the sorcerer's academy on the Blue Mountains. The building was complete, with groups of spellcasters seen everywhere. The ancient oak tree provided energy for the sorcerers, and Tika could clearly see the protective shield, anchored by the oak, enveloping the academy. The biting cold wind outside contrasted sharply with the warmth within.
The faith in magic had taken root. The goddess of magic, under the alias Mystra (miss.real), had been accepted. As the very essence of the Weave, she did not require pure faith. As long as spellcasters used magic, a portion of the magical energy would transform into her power, becoming an anchor that pulled her from the Astral Plane.
The witchers of Kaer Morhen were in hibernation. Although their reputation among the populace could not be changed, Tika had done everything within her power for these brave warriors who hunted monsters. At the very least, they no longer had to worry about their source of income, allowing them to be selective when accepting contracts.
The Weave's access was opened to the witchers. Their lifespans far exceeded those of ordinary humans, and perhaps with the help of the Weave, they could become spellcasters no less formidable than sorcerers.
After bidding farewell to the witchers, Tika arrived beneath the World Tree at the periphery of the world. The true form, having gained the portfolio of Entropy, was slowly wearing away the white frost and completing this portfolio with the cooperation of the World Tree. Tika, of course, would not work for the world's laws for free; she obtained all the knowledge from the laws, and the world's unique potions and alchemy were acquired by Tika.
The laws had also promised to provide the location of Middle-earth and grant freedom to the treants and elves who wished to return. Tika felt she had not lost out.