Authors: Scottie Futch
“What do you mean?” asked Scott.
Rhea tilted her head to the left then tapped her chin. “How do I explain it...?”
She blinked then pounded her palm with her fist. “Yes, of course. As a sorcerer you have a divergent soul.”
“OK, a new term... How many of those will I have to learn about before I understand this place?” asked Scott with a smile.
Rhea laughed softly. “It’s nothing world-shattering or anything. Mostly, it’s just lore. Would you like to know the origin of the sorcerer’s power?”
“Sure, but can you tell me about that soul thing first?” said Scott.
“Of course!” she said.
The elf girl tapped her chin for a moment then nodded. “A divergent soul is one that can find true balance between opposites.”
She noticed that Scott now wore a curious and confused expression so she continued, “Normally the path of magic requires total focus or the amount of power that you possess will always be second rate. This is why other hybrid classes usually focus on physical combat and only have minor spell casting ability.”
“Sorcerer’s are different because they can find a greater balance in the two types of combat?” asked Scott. That seemed a little simplistic to be honest.
She shook her head. “That’s part of it, but the real difference is that a sorcerer has taken on the power of the primordial magic. They have in some ways become that power. It is why that sort of magic is available to you after all.”
“Primordial magic again, huh? I still don’t get its usefulness.” said Scott.
“It’s hard to explain because it exists outside of the system in some regards.” said Rhea.
Scott looked at her in surprise. “Outside the system? How is that possible?”
As far as Scott knew, the entire world and everything in it had been created by Rhea’s family. The thought that something outside of their system existed in this world was quite unsettling.
“Well, we had to make the world out of something Scott. Even we need a medium to work through. Basically, the primordial magic is the essence of my family that was allowed to suffuse this space and was then used to generate the world.”
“So, primordial magic is like the metaphysical life’s blood of your family?” asked Scott.
“Yes! That’s one reason why we hate it when the board calls for a reset. Every rock, every tree, every monster and every race... They are like our children.” said Rhea.
Scott smiled softly at her, but she was not finished yet. Rhea looked up at him then acquired a faraway look. “When we created this world, we did so out of love. I was but a child then, as far as childhood goes for my kind. I sang the song that engendered love in the world. Every joyful sonnet or desperate sorrow brought about by one being having care and concern for another exists because my very life’s essence is bound to this world, rather to all of the ARS servers.”
“Rhea...” said Scott gently.
She looked at Scott then offered a soft smile. “You are the first person I have ever cared for deeply who was not directly a part of my essence, as my family and this world is.”
“I’m something not of ARS... doesn’t that make me odd, strange?” asked Scott.
“Yes. You are an oddness in the world, Scott. You’re an outside element, a chaotic and dangerous element.”
“How am I dangerous?”
Rhea slipped closer to him then took his hands in hers. “Because you are a true human, no matter what race you choose for yourself in this world. A being of such unimaginable power can be nothing but the most dangerous of elements.”
“Powerful? You could easily kick my ass.” said Scott with a nervous laugh.
“As you are now, yes. However, if you were to attain the heights of what I had hoped for you... You can’t imagine what you’ll be capable of accomplishing. You would not only have the power of my family, but the unlimited creative potential of true humanity.”
Rhea began to tremble then released a softly shuddering breath. Scott reached out and pulled her close. “Rhea...What do you mean?” he asked after her trembling ceased.
“You really don’t know, do you?” she asked him simply.
“There are many things I don’t know.” he said with equal simplicity.
She kissed him softly on the cheek. “Is it alright, if I allow you to remain naive for a time?”
“Hell no.” said Scott cheerfully.
Rhea snorted then pulled back and laughed. “You really are a silly boy, aren’t you?”
“I should remind you that despite my appearance I am not a boy. I am in fact, a silly man.” replied Scott.
“Ah, I stand corrected.” she said, a smile on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes.
“Good, now tell me all of your secrets.” he said happily.
She screwed her lips to the left then chuckled a little. “Fine, you got me.”
“Good, I hope I can keep you.” said Scott.
She patted him on the cheek gently. “I know.”
He snorted at her and she grinned. Such a cheeky response from Rhea could only mean that she was in a good mood. Still, he refused to let her redirect the conversation. “So, tell me about humanity and your family’s essence.”
“Right, well... It’s not that complicated really. As a naturally occurring mortal soul you are actually one of the most powerful forces in existence.” she said.
Scott stared at her flatly for a moment and she grinned. Rhea said, “I understand that it does not sound right, but it is. The creative potential of a mortal soul is well beyond the capacity of any one member of my race.”
“How?” asked Scott.
“Well, it’s like this... A god, as we are known, has but one existence. We can only ever be one thing. We can divide our mind in millions of ways and have great power because of that focus, but we are still limited to one mind.”
“I think I understand. It’s like how you are currently yourself, but you’re using the body of an avatar named Rhea Ardente.” said Scott.
“Exactly! We can play at being other people, or even entire races of beings, but ultimately we are always the same exact person. We are limited in the scope of our mental capacity and ability to adapt.” said Rhea.
“How am I different?” asked Scott.
“True humans, like you and those of your world, are more advanced than my people. We are older than your species, but we look up to you and worship you because of your advanced nature.” said Rhea.
“That seems backwards.” said Scott.
“Only from your singular perspective. The truth is that, your species is multiversal and multi-dimensional in nature. You can literally have an infinite number of highly variable expressions of your existence occurring simultaneously.”
Scott looked at her then tilted his head. “Are you talking about that whole, dimensional analogs and a different me in every universe theory thing? You know, the one that fanfiction writers use as an excuse to insert themselves into their favorite series?”
“Yes, more or less. There are an infinite number of Scott’s in an equally infinite number of universes. Each of them is a unique gem, a singular pristine existence. Yet, each of you is formed from the exact same soul spread across the vastness of the infinite cosmos.”
“Wow, so I’m the force?” asked Scott with a silly expression on his face.
“The force?” asked Rhea.
“You know, the whole connects everything and is part of everything deal. Part of the whole Star Wars thing? Little green dude, speaks weird. The main character makes out with his sister and his daddy cuts his arm off because he won’t stop thinking naughty thoughts about her while he’s in the shower?”
“I am familiar with Star Wars, Scott.” said Rhea acerbically. She then said, “Though, some of what you said sounds different than I recall.”
He shrugged then said, “Oh they’re always coming out with a new director’s cut. Even you might not have seen them all.”
Rhea snorted at him then shook her head. She loved him, but she knew he was full of shit at the moment. Though, she had to admit that she was curious to see if that director’s cut actually existed. It would explain so many things, even as it added in new concepts.
“Seriously though, you think humans are more advanced than gods?” asked Scott, his voice heavy with doubt.
“Yes, creative potential dictates it if nothing else. Your people create gods all the time, but we have trouble crafting even the simplest of human-like souls.” she said.
“Where do all the human souls here come from then?” he asked.
“Them? Oh, we import them wholesale because it takes most of the residents of a city-block to create even one realistically human soul. Even then, the result is highly limited compared to the genuine article.” said Rhea.
“Would it make my brain hurt if I asked you how you import souls wholesale?” asked Scott.
“No, no. We just contact one of the gardeners to see if they have any souls who are interested in trying a different world and lifestyle.”
“Gardeners?” asked Scott.
“Sure, like the gods who created your world, or the guy who sold off that community service world Shara is working at.”
“Ok... What?” asked Scott. What was she on about now?
“Ah, I see. You don’t even know that much.” she said.
“Why would I? This is not exactly something that gets passed around in pamphlet form back home, you know.”
Rhea grinned. “I understand. Basically, gardeners are gods, or sometimes highly advanced beings similar to gods but not quite human-level themselves, who take the time and energy to nurture a world so that human or human-like life can evolve.”
“So, gardeners plant the seeds of life and eventually humans sprout up like weeds?” he asked.
“Something like that, though it’s more like a hermit crab sort of thing I guess.”
It was Scott’s turn to grin. He had understood the reference. “Human souls are out there searching for a proper shell and if they find one they move in?”
“Exactly! We use the word human, but it’s not always physical humanity that occurs. You could be a cat person, or a dragon person. The actual shell varies a lot, but the soul itself can exist as all of these things.”
“How do you do the wholesale thing, then?” he asked.
“Ah, that! You want to know?” she asked.
“Yep, sure do.” he said.
Rhea smiled at him then said, “When a hermit crab moves into its shell, it will stay there until it is ready to move on altogether. Sometimes these hermit crab souls swap shells many times in that reality.”
She took a breath and continued, “However, over time they might grow bored with their garden home and want something else. So, after they discard their recent shell they speak to the gardener about other accommodations and that deity sells the matured souls off in bulk lots to interested parties.”
“The souls don’t mind this?” asked Scott. He was not sure what to think about it to be honest.
“Would you? Didn’t you jump at the chance to leave your old life behind and move to a new and more personally interesting location?” asked Rhea with a sweet smile.
“Ah, so it’s more like the souls want to leave anyway so the gods arrange the travel accommodations?” asked Scott.
“It’s a bit more complicated than that, but that does sum up the process nicely.” she said.
Scott nodded to her then grew silent. He still had a lot of questions to ask, but he was not certain where to start. Before he could ask another question, Rhea began to speak.
Rhea smiled lightly at him then took a deep breath, “Long and long did Tsun Jae dance in the rhythm of the wind. Swift and graceful were his feet upon the surface of the lake. Furious and overwhelming was his strength under the angry mountain. Gentle and nurturing were his fingers upon the land.”
Scott blinked at her then quirked his left eyebrow. “What exactly are you on about now?”
“You did want to know more about the true nature and lore of the sorcerer class, right?” asked Rhea. It was a worthy attempt at a topic change and she intended to give it every chance to succeed.
“Well, yes. Now that you’ve reminded me, I did want to know more about It.” said Scott.
She grinned at him. “The first sorcerer in the world, as the lore goes, was a man named Tsun Jae. Don’t try to determine what language that name is from, it was just a fitting name for a martial arts sorcerer and isn’t really using an Earth basis.”
“He was named that in the lore because it sounded cool?” asked Scott incredulously.
“Yes, exactly.” said Rhea.
Scott smirked in amusement. “Seriously...”
She grinned at him then said, “Let me finish!”
“Alright, go ahead.” said Scott. He sat up straight and lifted his head in an approximation of a studious appearance. “I am prepared to receive your wisdom, oh goddess of backstories.”
“Thank you... Anyway, Tsun Jae was a mage and an unarmed martial artist. He struggled to understand the best way to combine the two arts. Eventually, he learned the rhythm of nature and found a way to become closer to the spirit of all things.”
“He merged unarmed combat and magic.” said Scott.
“Yes, he did. The resulting fusion allowed him to wield fewer spells overall, but he had such a mastery of them that he was a force to be reckoned with. He went on to define the higher sorcerous arts and when he finally passed from this world and became one of the gods of ARS, he left behind the secrets of true mastery.”