Chapter 129: The System or The Mark

I stand there, mouth open and gawking.

I knew something was fishy. Why in the hells would Anera, a Goddess, meet with a Lich and let her go scot free after wreaking havoc on her people?

Turns out they weren't her people then, they were Frozia's. The land was covered in snow and this Kingdom was called Saia.

It's likely those people, the so-called army of the Synagogue that trailed behind Anera as she went down to meet the previous Necromancer actually never existed. I doubt such did, not with the land being so split and wrecked with pain and strife from the actions of the previous Necromancer.

It'll be all the more terrible if she was actively supported by Anera, a bonafide Goddess.

I sigh, clenching my fists. Like always, after sampling a minutia of the truth more and more questions begin to pop up.

"Why?" I utter, thoroughly confused. 

It's the most confusing truly; why would Anera do such? If she's the sort of powerful deity, one that transcends all existence, one that will always remain like Lotar and even Frozia have said then…then she doesn't need active worshipping.

Not like Frozia did, not like she so obviously craves.

So why would Anera do it?

"As of this very moment, I still do not know the answer to that. It is a question that plagues me as well, but I have come to terms with the fact that I can never understand the workings of those far above me, even if they are like her."

I shake my head, reeling at the words the snowflake has humbly offered, "Wait, you mean you don't even feel angry? You understand?!"

The flake spins, "Of course I feel undone. If I didn't, I wouldn't be consulting you at the moment, would I? However, that does not take away from the fact that the Goddess of Light and Life operates on a scale far larger and complex than even I can comprehend, perhaps the only other one who can understand her would be the All or her twin."

I raise my eyebrow at this, it sounds all like bull but that isn't as interesting as what she's just said. "The All? What's that?"

I know who Anera's twin is and have apparently met with the God, although for what purposes I still don't know. More mysteries to be unravelled like this All.

"That is not for you to worry about."  She comments off-handily dismissing my curiosity.

"You merely need bother yourself with the offer I have for you."

I scoff, "You want to be my Patron? What sorts of punishments will you burden me with? I've already got hunger down."

"Patron?" The snowflake says with an undertone of amusement, "I am not at such a lowly level I need to have you stricken with contracts and bonds to carry out my will, Child, I see we have a common goal and I am willing to help you realize it."

Well, I can't say that isn't a relief. Wouldn't want to feel unbearable cold unless I kill some guy or another every freaking week.

"So, what deal do you have for me? I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just help me 'realize our common goal' without my knowledge?"

"Yes, it would, and I have already taken the appropriate steps towards such." The snowflake thrills.

"Wait what?"

"Yes, there is a purpose for you and for your companion Anselm in my plans."

"Anselm too? Did you force him into this?" I narrow my eyes at the bopping snowflake.

"I simply told him the truth, and he chose to serve my will of his own volition."

"And what truth is that?"

"The truth you have long suspected; that a human, no matter how powerful in magic, cannot restore life."

Gritting my teeth, I keep silent. There isn't anything to say, it's true, even after promising to bring Anselm back again back at Carbina after I heard Surgies story about the previous Necromancer, I couldn't believe blindingly in the power of the System anymore.

I knew there ought to be limits, limits to what I as a human can do. I thought for a moment that was why the previous became a Lich, an undead endlessly seeking and mastering magic for whatever cryptic goals.

I thought she would bring back her child through the power of a Lich, and I began to prepare myself mentally for the time where I would have to turn myself into the being to do the same.

But it seems all my preparation and psyching up was for naught.

Such a being of power cannot restore life. Only a God can and only a god will.

I bit the inside of my cheeks as I, for the first time in this world accept the powerlessness facing me. There's no sneaky way out of this way, there's no convenient spell the System will create, there's no amount of proficiency that'll save me.

Save Anselm.

My only option is to give up entirely, or go ahead with what this snowflake has in mind.

"And what plan is that?"

I can all but see the large grin that'd spread across the snowflake if it had a face.

"Anselm will be my…knight, as he wishes to be called now, even though he always was. However, acolyte aside, I'll need a living human, you, to act in my interests down there, and that includes spreading my religion."

"I don't do propaganda, I'm not some priest or Diviner." I scowl, "If you're looking for someone to preach your greatness then you ought to find someone else, besides, I don't exactly like what you're selling either, snow eternal?"

I shiver at the thought. I can't begin to imagine living in a world of eternal winter, the sun is scalding at times but I appreciate it.

"You mistake me for the type of Goddess that preaches, I prove my worth to my followers with action."

"Yes," I drawl uninterested and frankly worried for the world, "Leon told me about how you made your priests. Gifting them with Cyromancy out of the blue is something but the terrible experience they go through to get it is…something else."

"You wouldn't understand the harsh nature of Ice and Winter, it is fortunate that you don't need to, remain ignorant all you please but simply increase my strength by enforcing my worship in the territories you are conquering."

A smug, small smile pulls on my lips as I watch the twirling snowflake.

"You're dying off aren't you?" I pronounce. "It's all starting to make sense. You're a Goddess, but even the city named after you doesn't worship you any longer because, well, because you haven't the power to continue the things you used to do."

I snort as the snowflake stills, "No more priests, no more cryomagic. You must have taken a big hit after Anera took over, actually, you must have started suffering the moment my predecessor started killing cities at large."

Still, the Goddess says nothing.

"Speaking of which, why didn't you do anything to stop her? Why didn't you smite her with hail and storm? Why did you let her kill you?"

By the time I'm done speaking a cold wind had begun to pick up the snow all around us. A storm was forming.

And I could feel the cold again.

"Did I get you mad?" I poke some more, "Just tell me why you couldn't do anything about my predecessor, why couldn't you touch her?"

The snow begins to billow and spin over me, I spit it out and crawl out, "I know I can't be killed here, you told me so, and I'm sure you're not one that lies. That's why I'm asking you now, what's keeping you Gods, the Deities from touching me? And what kept you from touching my predecessor!" I have to yell out from over the building snow.

Finally, the wind stops and the feeling of dead cold disappears. Good, I was nervous there for a second.

The snowflake still floats in that single position, still as an ice sculpture.

Then her voice permeates through my head once more, "The Deities are watching you for more than just the fuss to riled up at Ferth's domain. We're watching you because you have the Mark of the All." 

There's that word again.

"The Mark of the All, what's that, what's the All?"

"The All is the being above even us Deities, above everything, surpassing all understanding. We deities refer to it as the All because it is all. It is all around us and no where at the same time, it possesses power beyond comprehension, the power to make or unmake the universe, the reality we exist in. The All is our Father."

"And…I have it's mark?" I gulp, not sure I want such a thing on me. This feels like one of the moments where the truth is worse than living believing a lie.

"Yes."

"And what does that mark mean? Does he want me for something?" A lot of theses Deities seem to be terribly interested in me; I wouldn't be surprised if this…everything wanted a piece of me as well.

"It is the sign of promise, of potential and ability. The Mark has only been set on a handful of beings in the past…including your predecessor. This mark, should it reach maturity, should all the conditions set by the All be met by the being, then that being will become a Deity. I believe you call the Mark, the System."