An Audience

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As had happened before, Ahsch stood without sensation, adrift, yet rooted to the spot. All awareness of his three companions had vanished, leaving him alone. And yet, the impossibly large presence that was before him, that surrounded him, that watched him. Waiting.

Hello, Phashak, he said politely.

There was a vibration in the infinite nothing as the goddess chuckled. Hello, little godling.

Ahsch blinked. When she spoke, it was no longer the paralyzing, all-consuming press that it had been before. That it had been even as recently as his meeting with Kakais. Another rumbled laugh. Why so surprised? You’ve grown, even since your encounter with the Dead One. There was an acute sensation of being examined, his mind inspected. Bold of the human to return. The statement was made in a casual manner, as though it was of little interest.

I’m sure you know the reason why she’s made the risk, Ahsch replied.

I’ll withhold my judgment until my conversation with her concludes. At the very least, conversing with her is of marginal interest now, her mere presence not being filled with pathetic arrogance and spite any more.

For a brief moment, Ahsch was surprised that Phashak made it sound like she was talking to Kirasiel at that very moment, but it passed quickly when he considered the level of power and complexity he had - briefly - sensed when he’d scanned the portal to this place. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Draconic Goddess of Magic was capable of holding multiple conversations at once.

Your familiar is a rowdy sort, Phashak continued, still with that bored affect. I must admit, I’m surprised you haven’t given in to some of the ideas bouncing around in her head.

I like to think I have a decent level of self-control, Ahsch said. And that I’m more of a man of reason than instinct.

Your angel is quite intriguing. The abrupt change of topic caught Ahsch off-guard. Such a simple construct, yet so… intricate. And growing more complex by the day.

Ahsch sat on the snarky response that bubbled up inside him, blaming Avery for even thinking of it, then tried a more measured approach. Is there a reason we’re discussing my companions?

When Phashak responded, the first hints of real engagement showed, a quiver in the void indicating her excitement. Because they are your companions.

Ahsch waited for Phashak to elaborate, then asked into the emptiness, Meaning…?

They intrigue me. Or rather, your relationship with them intrigues me. I have never had the opportunity to observe a god ascend this closely, and your path is quite different from my own. Are these bonds you’ve forged a strength? A weakness? Something else? What would you do for them, and they for you? So many questions…

And what about our own questions? Ahsch prompted. I know you’re aware of them, given how you like to sift through our minds.

The void seemed to contract, or perhaps expand - a sigh. I suppose you think you deserve those answers, don’t you? And the advice I know you seek.

_I would like to think that we’ve earned the answer to Rwnil’s question, yes. Whether or not the other questions we might have, or the advice I’m hoping for will be an option, I’m hesitant to bet on._

Smart. There was a shifting in the nothingness, and Ahsch could practically picture both the draconic beast making itself comfortable between mountain peaks, as well as the draconic monster settling into her seat. _The unfortunate truth is that I have few answers, at least of the definitive variety. The period of time following Behgle’s defeat was one of great strife, and in the aftermath many of us older deities - among other beings - largely withdrew from worldly affairs. It was during that time of chaos that the hrafthi were diminished. However, I cannot say how or why… despite my many, _many attempts.

There was a sick feeling in the bottom of Ahsch’s stomach at the idea of something confounding such an ancient and powerful being. Or at least, he imagined that was what he was feeling, if he had a body in this nothingness. I assume you were able to find out something?

Through deduction and a few key discoveries - and rediscoveries - yes, I was. Whatever caused the fall of the hrafthi did more than just that - a number of other such ‘outsiders’ were diminished at the same time, though I cannot name or describe them - the knowledge is… distorted. I believe that the cause of these falls is a singular entity, or at least is driven by a singular intelligence; further, it either wildly outlasses not only myself, but numerous other old gods, or - more likely and intriguingly - it operates in alien ways.

Ahsch almost asked what it could be after, but remembered that she’d already said she didn’t know why it had done what it had done. _You said you and the others had withdrawn from the world… so I assume your investigations were of the magical sort. Were there any _physical leads that haven’t been followed? Even as he asked it, he answered his own question: with her daughters free to roam Euphoria, it was highly unlikely that any and all leads hadn’t been…

None of the physical leads were investigated. Phashak’s answer caused Ahsch to freeze in shock. _My daughters are not ‘daughters’ in the sense you may think. While separate from me, they are formed of fragments of myself, and therefore carry a spark of my essence - a spark that the entity presumably can locate, avoid, and even confound. We spent centuries attempting to explore certain locations, but were turned aside each time. The weight of her attention finally bore down on Ahsch in a way more similar to his first visit. But you…_

I’m not a god yet, nor a part of you, however distant, he concluded.

Precisely. And as such, the price of this information is a cost I believe you will be more than willing to pay.

Explore those locations you were unable to, and keep you informed.

Indeed, the nothingness almost seemed to purr. And, as an additional gift for that payment, I will provide you with something more… though be warned, advancing a soul in this way is quite painful.

What do you- Ahsch began to ask, but froze as indescribable agony ripped through him, preventing all thought, motion, or sound. Preoccupied with the pain as he was, he was yet aware of the process that Phashak was enacting upon him: as she had said, the expansion of his soul, the ethereal, amorphous essence of his existence, which he had been aware of twice before during his reincarnations. If imagined like a flame, the goddess was adding fuel to the fire, or increasing the intensity; if imagined as a sort of complicated, layered sphere, she was adding additional layers with the most rudimentary etchings to guide each layer.

The analogies were far from accurate or perfect, as Ahsch simply lacked the vocabulary to properly speak about souls. And aware as he was of the process, the pain overwhelmed any true attempt to consider and think about what was going on. Instead, time seemed to pass both instantly and across an eternity, after which the hrafthi found himself deposited back at the Temple’s door, standing facing away, and he instantly collapsed and blacked out.