Hold over Myriad of Worlds

The skies all over the mortal realm turned golden, and a figure of [Yggdrasil] manifested, its branches interweaving between different heavens hidden between stars. At the same time, the world celebrated the birth of a new Pantheon. Flowers were blooming all around as the monsters howled to the skies.

As if responding to those howls, five roars sounded around the world, and soon, five Dragon Aspects took to the skies. The five dragons flying over everyone's heads caused no small commotion, with many people wondering if this was the end of the world.

~"It's been some time since we worked together."~Elune appeared next to me.

~"It was not that long, Elune."~Winter also showed up.

~"Well, the last time the three of us worked together like that will be before I was banished from Life Realms."

~"Right. After that, I cooperated with Elune while you took care of Elves."~Winter recalled.~"If you don't count that, then indeed, it's been some time."

~"Oh? Those are?"~Elune noticed the gods present.

~"Loki and our 'allies'."

~"I see. I can't understand why you tolerate them riding all over you. Even back then, you always endured those weaklings' offenses."~Winter scoffed after seeing those gods.

~"It's tiring to always confront people. If you ignore them, they'll get bored after some time."

~"Didn't work well on Azshara."

~"She was... Special exemption."

~"Heh."

~"OK, let's focus. Despite each Pantheon being located in a different realm, there are close to no walls and barriers dividing them. We need to amend that."

~"None of us is an expert in the Laws of Space."~Elune reminded us.

~"I'll use Asgard of my Nine Realms to help us with that. This world will also assist me in accordance with our agreement. Our job is to ensure no one interrupts the process while establishing our prestige in the meantime."

~"I'll take my Wild Gods and Ancients to keep the mortal world stable."

~"Then I'll assist Dragons with my Wild Hunt against other Pantheons."

~"Just try to restrain them."

~"Sure."

As there was no need for any more words, the three of us started mobilizing our powers. Instantly, both Ardenweald and Garden of Eden manifested in the world, bringing armies with them. At the same time, the skies in every realm started to crack as the roots of my [Yggdrasil] broke into them.

To say that it alarmed the gods would be an understatement, as not even a second later, a multitude of Divinities flared everywhere. In response to this, Winter ordered Wild Hund to march, resulting in the sound of hooves echoing all around. Similarly, Elune made Wild Gods and Ancients descend to the mortal world, making them watch over it. Dragon Aspects also sprung into action, each heading in a different direction with their flights and supporting them Dracthyr.

While this was happening, goddesses of the Oracle finally recovered from their stupor.

-"This..."-Gaia seemed to have something in mind but was interrupted.

-"What have you done?!"-Nyx screamed.

~"What I should have done long ago."

-"You! You have now offended all gods. Let alone a small war with Ragnarök, even another Divine War between all Pantheons is not impossible now."

~"War? No. But indeed, I'm now enemy of all that Divine."~I smiled slightly.~"Wasn't that your plan?"

-"..."-Nyx looked at me with a three-point angry, three-point annoyed, and three-point speechless gaze with an extra point of shock.

~"I admit that I'm rather annoyed with you, but I still wish for our cooperation to continue, so I will extend an olive branch to you. I will create a trial for gods and mortals, akin to dungeon and monsters, but more aligned with my Path. I want you to assist me with that."

-"A trial?"-Atropos quickly focused on that point.-"The world asked you to create a trial?"

-"More importantly, monsters are the trial of the world?"-Clotho also caught important information hidden in my words.

~"Not fully. The world indeed cooperated with Ouranos and formed a dungeon so that monsters could be controlled, turning them into trial, but they were never under the world's rule. Similarly, now, the world invites me, an outside power, to test creatures of this world, strengthening them in the process."

-"So, similarly to how Ouranos keeps monsters in check, you want us to control your trial?"-Gaia asked me.

~"I want you to act as an assurance for gods. My trial won't need anyone to control it."

-"What will that trial even be?"-Nyx finally seemed to calm herself.

-"Yue's Path, Ordination, is about one's Fate, Destiny, and Karma. What was its description again?"-Loki tried to remember.

~"Fuli's and Nous' record on Ordination stated: Those who follow the "Ordination" Path admire self-determination, stability, and autonomous behavior."

-"Exactly."-Loki nodded and, after a moment of thought, spoke again.-"So you will most likely deny those principles to make people realize their importance and fight for them. Adding the Oracle to that... You will create a prophecy, am I correct?"

~"Bingo. Soon, the walls will divide all realms. Only those with limited life will be able to cross and ultimately break them, but, to achieve that, Divine power will be needed."

-"Then both sides will need to cooperate."-Gaia grasped the main point.-"Because of that, gods will have to cooperate with mortals so as to not perish in their cages."

-"More importantly, mortals will be the ones with power in that relationship."-Nyx continued Gaia's words.-"While it's gods who bestow power when someone crosses the point of achieving Divinity, they will leave control of gods."

-"The great equalizer."-Lachesis spoke for the first time.-"I'll help you."

-"Sister?"-Atropos was surprised by Lachesis' action.

-"So many threads were cut short because of gods' whims... I hate this."

-"Sigh..."-Clotho also shared her sister's view on the subject.-"What makes you believe him?"

-"He changed his thread."

-"What?"

-"I saw his thread when I looked at Orario long ago. Back then, I could see it, but now... I feel my own thread in his hands."

-"What do you want us to do?"-Nyx returned to the main subject.

~"Same as you did before, give hints to mortals. The only difference is that you should lead them in the opposite direction."

-"Give them correct directions, but lead them to the wrong outcome."-Loki smiled mischievously.

~"Mortals of this world need to learn how to think for themself. The boundary between dependence and cooperation is something that has to be established. I want you to make everyone see gods' faults, kick them off their pedestals."

-"Good. We will help you, but how will your Pantheon fit into that?"-Nyx restrained her animosity to see the bigger picture.

~"We will remain neutral for the most part, acting in the interest of the world."

-"We can work with that."

As my conversation with Oracle was ongoing, the world continued to change. The control that gods were so used to got taken from them, while the heavens they prided themself in became their gilded cages.

This was met with opposition from almost all gods, who started fighting against my power. At first, they were able to stop the encroaching roots fully, but when the forces of Spirit Empire stepped in, their divided attention allowed me to continue with my task.

While the fights were going on in the background, I noticed some Divinities were actively assisting me, guiding my roots to speed up the process. One of those Divinities I recognized as belonging to Ouranos, while the rest appeared to come from the dungeon itself.

Quickly grasping the intent behind Ouranos' assistance, I allowed my roots to fill in gaps in the dungeon's seal, reinforcing it and reducing pressure on Ouranos.

Because of his assistance, the mortal realm was the first to be fully separated from the heavens. The only method of connection between them was Ouranos' ritual of descent. The gods who lived in the mortal realm felt their connection to Divinities left in the heavens being heavily restricted, and even their Arcanum was reduced to power around level 4, meaning they no longer had the power to kill stronger adventures.

Slowly but surely, the heavens were sealed from other realms, and half a day later, the whole world turned eerily quiet. If one were to see what the space between realms looked like, one would see a labyrinth of twisted roots with nothing else in sight. With this done, I was free to look around the world.

By now, not only have various Pantheons ceased their resistance, focusing on keeping the roots from entering deeper into their heavens, but even gods in Orario gathered to get answers from Ouranos. Among them was Astraea, who, as she was kept mostly in the dark by Loki and me, was as surprised as other gods.

Many gods present were visibly worried, some outright terrified by the sudden changes, so even Ouranos' insurance that nothing was going to happen fell on deaf ears. Seeing the degrading situation, I knew this was the time to act on the second part of my plan.

Mobilizing a big part of my power once again, I used my Path of Ordination to look at this world's Fate and began to forge an optimal path forward with the knowledge and context I had at the moment. Under my careful operation, a powerful prophecy was soon formed.

This prophecy was not a simple divination but a spell that would ensure that the Fate formed by me would occur. After getting the world's will cooperation, I began to speak. My words echoed around the world, carried by its will's power.

 "All that divine is not holy,~

 not all the evil was undone,~

 mortal life will not remain lowly,~

 like father's legend, like hero son.~

 When the heavens are asunder,~

 as the praise is yet unsung,~

 the child born with a thunder,~

 first to speak in the god's tongue.~

 Lead by a wish and luck,~

 he shall settle world's plight,~

 despite goddess' love running amock,~

 prevent tragedy born by dragon's might.~"

As I was speaking, the roots started to recede back to [Yggdrasil], leaving walls and seals behind, and when I uttered the last word, everything seemed to return to the norm. Only gods were still deeply dumbfounded by what had taken place.

Understanding that what they just heard was a prophecy, many Pantheons started to use their means to confirm it, while the divine meeting in Orario turned to Ouranos for confirmation. Before they could receive it, another change occurred that not only proved the words of prophecy were true.

World's will descended to bestow Astraea with the position of guardian, tasking her with ensuring the world's safety in upcoming disasters along Ouranos. Seeing that everything was done, I left the rest in the hands of Loki and Oracle, who also began to act.

I spent the rest of the day within Spirit Empire to ensure no problems occurred with our presence in Astraea's world, and the next morning, after family breakfast, I gathered with my four wives to talk about our next plans.

-"Thank you, Yue."

~"There is no need for those between us, Astraea."

-"That may be, but I still wanted to thank you."

-"OK, let's not waste time."-Ningguang spoke after we sat down in my office.-"Yue, how are the preparations for taking over the Second Mortal Worlds?"

~"All done. I can start as soon as Elysia and Flame-Chasers are ready."

-"Then Elysia."

-"Hmm... I believe we can go tomorrow."

~"Good."

-"Then please do so. Do you need someone else to join you?"

~"Fuxi and Nuwa will help me there, so I believe that there is no need for more people this time."

-"Then I won't meddle more. Just give me a heads up when to step in."

~"Who will be responsible for this world later?"

-"All mortal worlds will be under Tingyun jurisdiction, as this is the basis of our future economy."

~"Looking at her working so hard, I'll have to find some time to take her and rest somewhere."

-"She will surely be happy to do so."

-"After you return, I will start the expedition."-Nobunaga spoke as the subject started heading elsewhere.

~"Is the modernization and restructuring of Domination fully completed?"

-"We are done over 90%. Only 'your' Yuque that just returned is still undergoing the changes."

-"If Yaoguang was to hear you, she would riot."-Elysia smiled.

-"Heh, if she were under me, she would know how to behave. You are too lenient, Yue."-Nobunage sneered.

~"That might be, but she is not harmful, so just let her be."

-"If you say so. Anyway, we are fully prepared to act, and as Yuque will be acting in supporting roles during our operation this time, we can go without it fully upgrading."

~"Delay the beginning by a week."

-"You sure? We will have only twenty days before Festival of Hope then."

~"Twenty days is enough. Finishing the modernization is more important as later it might impede Astraea's own restructuring."

-"Sure, no problem."

-"On the subject."-Astraea joined the talk.-"The administrative side will be fully operational soon, so I plan to start restructuring the Champions of Hold into a more cohesive force after you start your operation."

-"How long will everything take you?"-Ningguang asked to make her own plans.

-"We will be done before the Festival."

-"Then I'll be third to make internal changes."

~"To restructure Hope, we will need to stop exploration for some time, so let them go first. Astral Express is already in the terminal, so it's better to start with them."

-"Won't it be too much right after their festival?"

~"Festival is mostly done by artists, not explorers and combatants, so they should be OK."

-"Ganyu, Welt, and Shen Meng already told me about some of their plans, but I forgot what they were..."-Elysia spoke quietly, especially the last part.

~"Sigh."

-"Right... I'll contact them later, then."-Ningguang looked at her 'sister' speechlessly.-"Anything else?"

~"Yes. I recruited Yae Sakura as my Guard."

-"I heard about that, but you would bring it up if it wasn't important."-Nobunaga urged me to continue.

~"She will be the executioner."

-"So you finally decided on that, huh? Good, a position like that is necessary for the future."

-"Do you have any target?"-Astraea asked worryingly.

~"No, but what is going on with our vassals makes me worry that some unsavory elements might join Hold in the future."

-"Right, the mess of Soul Society."-Nabunaga understood what I was referring to.

-"Them... After Duty is done modernizing, I'll deal with that issue."-Astraea spoke after thinking for a moment.

~"It would be best."

We spoke about some other less important subjects, but not even five minutes later, we were finishing the talk.

-"Last thing. We need to call Court in the near future."-Ningguang reminded us.

~"I will do so after the operation and Festival are finished."

-"Then I'll prepare everything by then."

With this, we finished the discussion, and everyone left to do their jobs. I quickly dealt with a few documents on my desk before moving my focus to the avatar next to the world I was about to visit.

As there was no need for detailed preparations this time, I simply made some identities of us while preparing the world for our trip. An hour later, I was done, so I waited for Elysia to be ready before bringing everyone in while sealing our powers and removing the world from the [Myriad of Worlds] Timeline so that no time passed outside.