It took two more days for the celebration to cease, and by the end, there was significant headway in the rifts around the capital.

  Because all ten Realms were at least partially connected to each other, when Dei caused ripples in each, the space became violent. Not only from each burst of energy rebounding off the other and amplifying its sister waves, but also from the fact that Dei hadn’t really gone out of his way to make it easier on the boundary between Realms. He’d effectively torn a hole in reality ten ways over, all the energy from each coursing through in ways that shouldn’t be possible. After all, what was the Realm of Dreams supposed to do when it intersected with the Realm of Reality? Dei wished the answer would be something cool, such as creating a new, smaller Realm, but the true answer was “Break everything.”

  Yet, with each passing day, the boundaries healed themselves, the Realms repaired the damage, and the fabric returned to normal.

  Still, there was planning to be done before anything, and Justin was the chosen liaison to approach Dei, as they were most familiar with each other.

  They met in an intricately decorated building, one of the few in the city with free-standing walls rather than being carved directly from the stone around them.

  Walking in, he saw that Justin was in a rather jubilant mood, and took it as things going very well behind the scenes, which made him happy.

  “Please, come in!” He said to Dei and his group, ever so slightly too energetic. “Take a seat, grab a bite, and let’s talk business.”

  He let the smile appear on his face and sat down on the fur-covered couch, Perumah sitting a hand or so away. He found that she did not particularly care for public shows of affection, choosing to remain aloof.

  Dei looked over the small table of snacks- much similar to what Luke had given him back on Earth, funnily enough- and took a few, noting that the cuisine matched what he’d tasted in Gate City for what underground dwellers would eat.

  “First,” Justin started, “I want to tell you that it’s about time the Gem Dwellers migrate once more.”

  “Like, for winter?” Dei asked, surprise coloring his voice.

  Justin laughed, “No, no. You see, the Gem Dweller defense hinges significantly on staying hidden. Because Shamans cannot surpass level five hundred, we are well aware there is a very real ceiling of power, a maximum threat level we are capable of handling. Finding the Gem Dweller population is borderline impossible, even to those stronger than us. The villages you were sent to tended to lean towards ‘Worst-case scenarios,’ so you did not see most of it, but even thousands of demon-kin together with elite and divine among them were unable to pierce our stealth. They simply get the general area from watching where Gem Dwellers hunt, then flood the tunnels until the village is found.

  “Still, no matter how they did it, we now have a lot of discovered villages, and there isn’t enough space in the area to settle without squishing the people too closely together to be safe. No, it’s time we migrate, somewhere else, and this is what I’ve called you here to discuss.”

  You can just leave?” he asked, “I assumed… well, the surrounding area might be claimed by some other authority, and moving to them would put the Gem Dwellers in a vulnerable position.”

  “Ehh… not really. Even aboveground, there are significant stretches of unclaimed land between kingdoms, but underground? With us? We’re bordering what is safely livable. Any further down, and issues start to arise.”

  “How large is Avium?”

  “Hm, about a hundred and fifty thousand kilometers across?”

  “A HUNDRED AN- Like, in diameter?”

  “Yes.”

  ‘DAMN, converted to miles, that’s like ninety thousand miles! That’s slightly larger than the fuckin JUPITER. How are we not crushed by gravity… Well, the answer is probably magic, if I had to hazard a guess.’

  “Okay, I suppose that would leave a lot of room,” he conceded, keeping his thoughts to himself.

  “Yes, space will not be an issue, but I and the other council members were thinking of trying something new this time, something that will potentially hide us from another demon-raid in the next century or so, considering how unpredictable it is. The plan cannot leave this room,” Justin told him with grave seriousness.

  Dei looked at the stone walls. ‘Are those thick enough when superhuman senses are brought into the equation?’

  “He’s casting upwards of a hundred spells right now to disguise our conversation,” Perumah whispered in his head.

  “Ah,” he responded mentally, but physically said “Understood. I will die before allowing it to be pried from me or my companions.”

  Justin simply nodded, like that was the bare minimum dedication for something like this, and he was correct. “It’s simple, but starts with you; what are your plans after the capital opens again?”

  “Settle down somewhere with the people close to me, relax for a bit, and flush out my Skills. There are many I’ve been neglecting because of time constraints.”

  “That’s good, because a part of our plan hinges on you settling down. Specifically, the Council of Shamans wants you to be our spearpoint into the deeper layers of Avium- we want you as something of a guardian.

  “You see, a large issue with deeper layers is the tendency for powerful monsters to move around, sending thousands fleeing, which push others out, and result in waves of monsters crashing into anything that even tries to remain stationary.

  “If we already had a powerful beast in our midsts though? And it was non-hostile to us? The Shamans believe you can scare away anything else. You’re already rather accomplished, and your bestial nature is something they can understand- a Presence of absolute, uncompromising brutality, so used to punching above his own level that even those of the divine variety would hesitate. And if they do still challenge you? I’m positive your party together is more than enough to bolster your power. Perumah especially, and I do not mean this offensively, but Perumah is likely more dangerous than you.”

  Perumah smirked, and he rolled his eyes but didn’t disagree. He Identified her again, admiring the fruits of her efforts.

  [Blood-Queen - Level 418]

  The new Race she’d pioneered were called blood queens, and she was still exploring their capabilities. Dei’s favorite part, though was the name itself. Perumah meant Blood Queen in whatever phonetic naming style monsters used, so the Race itself were simply Perumahs. She was Perumah, mother to all Perumahs.

  It was a bit silly.

  When Justin said she was more dangerous, Dei had to agree but only because she was fifty levels above him, with an entire new Class Evolution.

  More on that, the moment Perumah had become a Sapient, her Race had become her Class, and she was given a Profession slot.

  In other words, her name? Perumah. Race? Perumah, her Class? Also Perumah, and she had a lot of room to grow, along with the abilities of her Celestial Parasite.

  Dei was a calamitous force of nature, Perumah was a pinpoint assassin.

  Either way, he began to ponder Justin’s offer. He would be placed somewhere deeper down, with all Gem Dwellers above him, and used to ward off monsters.

  “What if monsters come from the side, rather than down? A spearpoint is only good for the end of the spear. How will monsters be scared away if they never even cross my path?”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Justin seemed ready for the question. “Similar to what we did for the Raid, your Presence will be worked into a network that will broadcast it over a massive area. Rather than a simple sphere around you, it will be something of a smoke-signal, that broadcasts itself up and over the settlements.”

  “And… where will my family and I live? I don’t believe this will be very… stealthy in the context of Gem Dwellers. You’re making it sound like I won’t be living in a village at all.”

  Justin smiled, “Well, the truth is, you won’t. Not an official Shaman village anyway. The council and I were discussing, and you’re a bit too strong to simply be some random villager. No matter what you do, you’re going to cause waves in your community, and that would be disruptive to the Shaman who would preside over you.

  “It was then that we decided to instead make you an authority figure, for a lot of reasons, but we can go into that later. With you as the acting ‘Shaman,’ though, it cannot be considered a Gem Dweller settlement- the ancient rules of law are very clear about that. Any settlement headed by something other than an official Shaman is not a part of the Gem Dweller system.

  “Still, there is precedent on Gem Dweller allies- namely, your own God, Aloran. The council wants you and those under you to form an allied city-state.

  “If you’re a recognized “Ruler,” then any land you personally influence with your authority and ensure is rendered safe from beasts is legally yours, meaning that other countries cannot accidentally stumble upon our cities, as they aren’t really allowed inside; it’s not foolproof of course, with mistakes and sabotage and… well, that’s all for another time. All you need to know is that we wish to make you the head of a new country.

  In summary, we wish for you to settle down, broadcast your presence and claim the area according to bestial laws, then have the Gem Dwellers push for legal recognition from other countries, followed by us hiding within the area you protect.”

  Dei leaned back thoughtfully, considering the outcome. He had to admit, it wasn’t the worst idea.

  He wasn’t particularly averse to leadership, but he also couldn’t imagine being very good at it. Considering his party, Fendrascora would likely benefit from a place to settle down and cultivate her garden and she’d enjoy watching the village grow, Clever was a very ponderous individual who enjoyed thinking and contemplating to earn his powers- exactly how he’d earned his new draconic spells- and Perumah would benefit from literally setting down roots, as she’d be able to set up a hive of “Lesser Plants,” as she called them, to her own benefit.

  “What happens if I say no?”

  Justin gave him a sly look, “Then I’ll convince you, mainly by saying it’s about time you take some responsibility for your actions.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, Dei… just about the entire bureaucratic world has heard of your foray outside of quarantine.”

  Dei’s expression froze.

  “Dei, there are tens of thousands of people coming to Avium already asking you to answer their scientific questions, and they’re squishy. These are researchers, Dei. Only a few of them are soldiers, and each of those aren’t strong enough. These people are not ready for a demonic world.”

  He grimaced, “I, uh, I sort of thought they’d be more cautious. Bring more tools and resources.”

  He’d forgotten. How could he have forgotten about his stunt with the wider multiverse? Of course they’d spread the word of his existence and his supposed Impossible Class.

  Justin looked at him sympathetically, “They brought a lot, but they are getting bullied out of them. They are a people without a homeland or defenses with valuables. While it isn’t too bad now, it will only be exacerbated over time. A few of them are dangerous, but not enough. They don’t have enough defenders, and when the reward of taking their stuff outweighs the price paid, people will pounce on the opportunity. You need to bring them under your wing, and a country is exactly how you do it. Not only will it provide a defense against those poking into your business considering all your newfound fame, it’ll give a home to all the new, weak and overly friendly people. Truly, Dei, if I did not know your parents personally, I’d assume Aloran was your true father, as you’re about to lead a broken people down into the Gem Dweller caverns, and the only other instance of that in our history was from Aloran himself.”

  Dei’s mind raced as he went over everything about the people- soon to be his people- but he just couldn’t account for all the possibilities. Still, one major thing popped up over and over.

  ‘They aren’t of Avium. They don’t have the selfish desires native to here… could I start a culture actually based on Kindness that I can spread to the rest of the world? It’s one thing to just kill corrupt nobles to harken change, but if a people don’t know what kindness is, they’ll never emulate it properly.

  ‘These people… they could be my ticket to fixing this horrific world.’

  “Okay,” he said, “I’ll do it. I don’t know how to lead, but I can certainly try.”

  Aloran nodded at him, “Good spirit, but I’m positive this will be a group effort. From his time here, I’ve seen that Clever would be much better at running the actual show than you.”

  Clever looked surprised, “Me?”

  “Yes, you. Dei and Perumah can be the muscle and figureheads, but gray sky above knows that they’d be terrible at paperwork. Fendrascora as well will be better at running the required governmental social services- such as the town hall, banks, schools, orphanages, and a proper adventurer’s guild.”

  Fendrascora seemed to vibrate in excitement through his bloodstream, telling him she was a fan of the idea at least.

  Dei knew he was going to do this, but more details needed to be ironed out.

  “What about placement? We’re incredibly deep underground, how will the surface dwellers react? And what about how we get them down here?”

  “We, the Gem Dwellers, will help set everything up when it comes to the city. We can make a false sky, and set up the required crystals to redirect sunlight down to you, as well as form some kind of mirror image of a sky. As for getting them down? That’s all you, Dei. If you held the Space affinity, it would be much harder, but Void? You’ll have to take multiple trips, but I don’t doubt you can bring them all. Long-term, you’ll need to set something up at the seam, a way to automatically catch people who arrive here because of you; a temporary, desperate solution can be implemented now though. Honestly, we should probably get on it immediately if we don’t want further complications.

  “So Dei, wanna become a king?”

  A brief check with his friends told him everything he needed to know: an excited, ambitious “YES” from each.

  ‘Not much of a choice for me, honestly. I kind of did this to myself.’

  * * *

  Justin said they would meet again tomorrow to begin scouting out places for him to set everything up, so for now, they left the meeting with resources to utilize and contacts to meet. Clever and Fendrascora quickly went their own ways to receive training for their respective roles, but Dei and Perumah were told they couldn't get everything they needed to know in a short timeframe. They’d be set up with advisors of the Council’s approval for a few years, or however long it took for them to live up to their names.

  Right now, though, they walked towards their temporary home in a companionable silence.

  They held hands and, despite nothing happening, Ashvorn still shrunk back from the sensory layer of his soul.

  He sighed, this was a somewhat common occurrence. Dei and Perumah were taking things very slowly, but Ashvorn still wanted out of the third-wheel position, even if nothing had actually happened.

  Sending a manifestation down to attempt comforting it, he paused when he felt the receding presence of a higher power.

  ‘Huh?’

  Mere seconds later, he felt something Ashvorn vanish from inside him, followed by the sudden appearance of a small, shadowy figure before his very eyes.

  It was somewhat depthless, but he could make out the general figure- a small humanoid figure wearing a dress, perhaps nine years old.

  It glanced up at him, and while the rest of the darkness was static, the eyes were two swirling pits.

  The figure, Ashvorn he presumed, turned and ran down the street, away from him.

  He moved far faster than it could, picking it up under its arms and hoisting it eye level.

  “Woah woah! Where are you going?” he asked, smiling.

  “Grandma’s,” the figure said shyly in a small, squeaky voice, and he felt the sudden urge to hug her. He didn’t fight it, wrapping Ashvorn in a hug and letting out a relieved laugh. He knew how much Ashvorn wanted to move around on her own.

  “Come on! Let’s go together, and you can tell me about how the heck you did that!”

  Although, he did have something of a hint. He could tell that she’d followed Perumah’s advice and taken on the “Female affinity,” as his bestial communication pinged her as a woman.

  Did she perhaps use that to create a proper body for herself? He didn’t know, but Ashvorn was seeming more ‘Person-like’ than ever, so he wouldn’t have been surprised.

  “But you and Perumah were going home…”

  A few people glanced at them as they made something of a scene, but Dei didn’t pay them much mind. He did talk quieter though. “Yes, but this is huge, Ashvorn! You finally got yourself a way to be independent, you think I wouldn’t want to hear all about it? Come on!”

  He set her on the ground and held her left hand with his right. Her body felt solid, but icy and warm at the same time; her version of body heat was slightly tingly, but not painful.

  They started down the road, and Perumah moved to the other side of Ashvorn, offering her own hand with a smile; Ashvorn hesitantly took Perumah’s, and they walked down the street as Dei could only laugh inwardly about how his mom was going to react.