Refusing My God’s Advances

We arrived at a grand hall, the heart of the palace, where the walls expanded upwards into a dome of interstellar beauty. The dome was a live canvas of the universe, with galaxies spinning and stars being born before my eyes. In the center of the room stood a table made from a material resembling the night sky, with constellations glowing softly.

Luminara gestured for me to take a seat, and as I did, chairs of light formed out of thin air for both of us. The table was already set with teacups that seemed to be carved from moonstone, their surfaces reflecting the ethereal light of the room.

"As promised, tea," Luminara said, pouring a liquid that shimmered with a spectrum of colors into my cup. The scent was otherworldly, a blend of cosmic dust and celestial blooms, and I found myself eagerly anticipating the taste.

"Now, to the matter at hand," Luminara began, her tone shifting to one of seriousness. "My realm is in danger, and the balance of souls I've guarded for eons is under threat. A darkness, one that not even the light of the stars can pierce, has begun to encroach upon the borders of Lumina. This darkness is not simply a lack of light; it is an entity, a malevolence that seeks to devour the very essence of what makes our universe vibrant and alive."

Luminara paused, allowing the gravity of her words to sink in. The tea in front of me seemed to pulse with a light of its own as if reacting to the dire nature of our conversation.

"This entity, known as the Voidshade, has the power to corrupt the souls that pass through my realm, turning them into twisted versions of their former selves. These corrupted souls spread the darkness further, like a disease, threatening the delicate balance between the realms of life and the afterlife."

As she spoke, the lights in the palace dimmed slightly, and the constellations above us seemed to flicker as if the very cosmos were responding to the threat she described.

"The reason I've brought you here, and why I believe you can help, is because of your unique ability to manipulate time and restore things to their original state. Your skill, Full Restore, could be the key to reversing the corruption caused by the Voidshade and restoring the souls to their unblemished forms."

Luminara leaned forward, her eyes reflecting the myriad lights of the universe, filled with a mixture of hope and desperation, but I put up my hand to stop her. There was a misconception about my ability.

"Not going to work, at least not the part about using my ability. It only targets me, but I might be able to do something with my Drill of the Abyss, but I can't make any promises. As for this Voidshade, what is it exactly? A monster? Or a spirit like Kandora?" I asked after bursting her quick-fix bubble.

Luminara's expression shifted from hopeful to contemplative as she absorbed my clarification. "I understand," she replied, her voice carrying a tinge of disappointment that quickly turned into resolve. "The Voidshade is a corrupted radiant-rated spirit about eight to ten times as strong as Kandora in strength. Unlike Kandora, the Voidshade does not possess a physical form that can be easily confronted. It exists more as a pervasive force, a blight that spreads through shadows and feeds on the spiritual essence of realms like mine."

I nodded, taking in the information and weighing my options. This was definitely not something I wanted anything to do with right now. It was probably something I should avoid at all costs, but something told me I could gain a few important souls if I stuck my nose into this.

"So, let me get this straight," I said, swirling the cosmic tea in my cup, which seemed to form miniature galaxies as it spun. "You want me, a guy who accidentally punched a divine spirit into the stratosphere for trying to kiss me, to take on a shadowy doom-bringer that's basically the boogeyman's overachieving cousin?"

Luminara nodded solemnly, but the corner of her mouth twitched in a failed attempt to suppress a smile. "Precisely. Though, when you put it like that, it does sound rather... unconventional."

"Unconventional?" I laughed. "It's like asking a squirrel to do your taxes. Sure, it'll be entertaining, but you won't like the results. If I am to help, and I am not saying I will because this sounds pretty daunting, I had planned on coming here to make you something, not solve an interdimensional crisis, even before you gave me your approval. This feels like jumping the gun on things."

Luminara nodded. "I will give you my approval if you can promise me that you will come and help deal with this problem in the future. I am aware that you are still not strong enough, but I believe you hold the potential needed to rid my world of the Voidshade once and for all. Besides, I am quite curious to see how you handle such a unique challenge, given your... unconventional methods."

I raised an eyebrow, considering the proposition. "You're banking a lot on potential here, Luminara. But alright, if you're willing to bet your celestial tea cups on me, I suppose I can give it a shot. But only after you help me with a little project of mine. Deal?"

Luminara's eyes twinkled like the stars above us. "Deal. But may I ask, what is this project of yours?"

I grinned. "I would like to know more about souls and forging them. To make Vaedos into something amazing, I need to understand how my skill, Soulforge Artisan, works and how I can shape souls properly."

Luminara's smile broadened at my request, a spark of intrigue lighting up her gaze. "An admirable pursuit," she acknowledged, her voice carrying a note of respect. "Understanding the nature of souls is a complex journey, but given your unique abilities and perspective, it could lead to unprecedented discoveries. I can provide guidance, share the knowledge that has been accumulated over eons within this realm, and perhaps, together, we could explore aspects of soul forging that even I have yet to fully grasp."

The prospect of delving into the mysteries of soul forging with this goddess suddenly made me feel like that void-what's-it-called was no biggy. Such knowledge could bring potential benefits not just for Vaedos but for all of my creations going forward into the future.

"Then it's settled," I said, the decision firm in my mind. "We'll tackle your Voidshade problem, but first, you help me master the intricacies of soul forging. I have a feeling that understanding this could be key to not just improving my own skills, but possibly even confronting the Voidshade itself."

Luminara nodded, her expression serious, but her eyes still shining with an ethereal light. "Very well. Let's begin with the basics. Souls, in their essence, are the amalgamation of life energy and consciousness. They are not just the memory of a being's existence but the core of their identity, strengths, weaknesses, and potential. In your realm, souls are often seen as a finite resource, to be guarded or even feared. But here, in Lumina, we view them as seeds of possibility."

This new perspective on souls was fascinating. The idea that each soul possessed the potential for infinite growth and transformation resonated deeply with me. It aligned with my experiences of constantly growing, but this seemed much different, more vast, and a limitless pool to tap into. I needed to let the knowledge feed the fire that was stroking inside me and just listen.

"As for the Soulforge Artisan skill you possess," Luminara continued, "it is a rare and powerful ability that allows you to interact with souls in a way most beings cannot. You can shape them, yes, but more importantly, you can imbue them with purpose, direction, and even new life. However, the process is not without its risks. Each soul is unique, and the act of forging them can lead to unpredictable outcomes if not handled with care and understanding."

I couldn't help myself and raised my hand. When Luminara nodded to me with a smile, I asked, "What do you mean imbuing them with new life? While I can understand how the rest might be possible, adding life to a soul seems like double-layering something. If you can add new life, what not just create souls?"

Luminara's expression softened, a mixture of amusement and admiration in her gaze as she addressed my question. "Creating souls outright is beyond the capabilities of most beings, even those of us who dwell within the divine realms. In its purest form, the act of creation is a mystery that lies at the very heart of existence itself. However, when I speak of imbuing a soul with new life, I refer to the process of rekindling its latent potential, reshaping its destiny, or even merging it with another to create something entirely new."

She paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle. "Think of it not as creating a soul from nothing but as guiding an existing one to evolve beyond its current state. Your Soulforge Artisan skill, therefore, is not just a tool for manipulation but a conduit for transformation. With it, you have the potential to unlock depths within a soul that were previously unreachable, to foster growth or change in ways that even the soul itself might not have imagined possible."