Lord of Mysteries: Goddess of Origin

Arriving at the docks, lined with warehouses clustered by the coast. Stacks of crates and soggy container bags littered the surrounding cargos.

After alighting from the carriage, Selina offered the coachman ten pence for the fare. 

Seeing the ten pence from the cloaked man. The coachman accepted without responding.

Seeing that the carriage still remained by the road, Selina asked herself, Didn't he received the fare with silence? Shouldn't it indicate that it is the right amount?

Wariness made her hand reached the gun holster strapped over her thigh.

Seeing the her quiet stance. The man enlightened, "Ten pence equates to five hours of rent. I can wait here idly for your return."

Is that so? Heaving a sigh of relief. She replied, "You can leave me here. I'll be fine."

The man briefly nodded before the carriage disembarks.

Taking a whiff of the refreshing breeze, she proceeded forward.

A few minutes later, she arrived at the entrance of Evil Dragon's Bar.

Entering the warehouse and descending a level of stairs. Selina reached the lobby, inside features a set of tables at its corner and a small arena at the center. Noisy drunkards crowding its edges, spectating a rooster duel with only difference being that the animal participants are replaced with roaches.

The gamblers anticipate their rooster ,or in this case, roaches to win. They either wished to become their chosen roaches themselves for a swift execution or desired to just stomp the stage, ending their waste.

Why? Why roaches? Selina was stunned by the bizarre way of this world's gambling.

Feigning ignorance, Selina made her way from the congestion of the drunkards to the counter ahead.

Occupying one of the high stools, she noticed that the bartender is absent at the moment. With her free time, she decided to spectate the arena from the counter, intending to wait for the bartender's return.

Wasted drunkards and gamblers brazenly yelled at one another. Some would occasionally raised their half-emptied beer, complaining gibberish topics to their company while others fell like flies after.

A sigh of resignation escaped from her breath. 

After at least fifteen minutes, a muscular and burly man returned from across the counter, carrying a crate filled with bottles of alcohol.

He have a pair of blue eyes, messy brown hair, arms thick and brawny, with a firm muscles wearing a stained lightly grey shirt and baggy jeans, with bearings of a military officer.

The burly man turned his attention to Selina over the counter. With a deep voice he asked, "What do you want?"

For inquiring intel, Selina learned from her experience with the bartender of Oysten Bar, that it is mandatory to order a well-known beer before delving into insidious discussion.

Selina replied, "A glass of Southville Beer." 

Southville beer is one of the most requested drinks by the townsfolk of Milo. They describe it as white foam and frosty beer, bitter and fragrant once tasted but the flavor of malt bursts afterwards with a mild sweetness aftertaste.

Although Selina haven't experienced drinking, their expressive descriptions made it memorable for her, though she would never intend to drink any type of beer for as long as she live, a vow she made herself after seeing some people descend into total disorientation as the result.

The man remained silent amidst the laughter and voices of the bar.

He turned his back to Selina. After a minute, he procured a glass of a foamy white and blue liquid, serving it infront of her.

After taking the beer, she began caressing its surface with her finger, as she inquired, "Mister, do you know who's Mr. Swain?"

The man maintained an unbothered poise.

Did he heard me?

Worried if her words didn't reached the man, Selina intends to rephrase again.

But before she could open her mouth, the burly man turned to face her and replied in an intimidating tone, "What business do you have with me?"

Swain's eyes briefly flicked over her concealed figure—not with interest, but calculation. Like weighing whether she was a problem.

So he's Swain. The manager of Evil Dragon's Bar, Adjusting her posture, she asked affably, "Excuse me, may I know where is the entrance to the underground market?"

Swain extended his hand towards a stairway and said with indifference, "There, go help yourself. Don't cause trouble."

Selina offered a brief nod, veiling her unease with composure, "Thank you."

Just as she stood, her gaze glanced over the untouched drink "Ah how much for the beer?" 

"You clearly don't drink... " Swain gave a dry snort

Sensing she'd been seen through. Selina gave a sheepish smile.

"Just go." Swain shrugged her expression before directing his gaze onto the littered glass over the counter.

Proceeding towards the stairway, she paused once more. Turning to face Swain, she asked, "Ah, also, do you know anyone who's a document forger?"

Swain glanced at Selina from the corner of his eye, fingers wiping the glass cup with a towel. He replied, "There are. But they're not available."

"How so?" 

"They've been commissioned. Details are undisclosed" He enlightened, tucking the cleansed glass cup back to the rack.

They've been commissioned? All of them? Selina echoed the thought, a small crease forming between her brows, Are they perhaps, doing a mass operation?

After thanking Swain. Selina quietly left the bar and headed back to the road. 

Her purpose was to only gather intel about document forgers and to commission one. She doesn't intend to visit the underground market, less a trouble might occur.

The road was deserted, with only the dim lights of the tall lamps illuminating the path. Her steps gradually became quicker in response to unease from the silent environment.

Holding her cloak, she soon returned to the boundary of the harbor. Flickers filtered from the majority of windows.

Navigating the streets, it didn't take long for her to board another trackless carriage, intending to return.

...

Arriving back to Pole Oysten Bar. The rowdiness have only escalated from before, due to the increased of customers. With deliberate steps, she ascended a flight of stairs, heading back to her room.

The corridor was lit with walls lamps, bathing the room with dim glow. 

Upon entering her room, She quickly unbuttoned her cloak, throwing the garment onto the bed before she trudge to its soft embrace.

How exhausting... She mumbled, letting go of herself in the soft fabric of the bed's cover.

After a moment of rest, she hesitantly tidied the cloak back into her suitcase and taking out a towel afterwards, making her way to bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, drying her hair with the towel, she walked out of the door and back to the bed.

The suitcase which was left open contains a stack of neatly arranged clothes. Producing a white piece dress, she intends to use the garment as her pajama for tonight. 

Changing into a much comfortable clothing, she then sauntered to the table.

After finishing her dinner of Desi Pie, Marmalade and Cheese Cake. She made her way back onto the bed frame and sat on its edge.

Recalling her next goal. Anxiety rose within her as she muttered, I don't even know where to start searching for the Apothecary potion's Sequence 8... 

Beyonders are unknown to the public, with only the minority through fateful encounters are knowledgeable of such secretive information. If she aims to obtain the name and the formula of the Apothecary's Sequence 8, she'd have to consider involving herself within the underground market.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll visit the bar again... With her thoughts resolved, Selina turned over her side and contemplate deeply once more.

Tomorrow is also the day where the inspection ends. I haven't even brought a fake identity... Selina creased her brow in dismay before relaxing them immediately.

I don't have a problem with staying here. But the tenants... Recalling the elder couple by the room, one more before hers. She added, Deimsfel deemed me to be too important to be left behind. If the cult behind him truly intend to bring me back, living here would cost the lives of others...

The cult behind Deimsfel would use everything in their arsenal to bring her back, resulting in mass casualties of innocent lives.

We'll leave tomorrow and find a different place to stay. They can track me here if I lingered for too long, Settling her mind, Selina slumped onto the draped mattress, savoring the soft and comforting fabric.

Her eyelids gradually shut as she fell into a deep sleep amidst the serenity of the night.

...

The illusory realm filled with inaudible murmurs shattered in an instant. Across the deserted land of filth and grotesque, writhing mass of flesh began to form a mound.

The mound reformed into a person with slender body, long silver hair and crystalline blue eyes.

After the deafening voices receded, Selina woke up from the shackles of the darkness. She returned to that dream, a dream of the world made of eviscerated organs and flesh that covers the land of its pulsing veins.

I'm here again... Eyes darting in the distance, Selina felt a faint recollection of the manor. Once more, the world contorted into a desolate land, in which instantly sprout a luscious greens and blossoms.

The same mural of spiraling vines returned in her presence and the ravings that pestered the still air weren't as deafening from her first arrival.

Quiet, too quiet.

Not a single cricket noise nor a distant sounds can be heard in this secluded world. If one were to prolong their stay, it would result in a lost of sanity.

Yet for Selina, it was comfort. Like a mother cradling her child after a long day of exhaustion.

Retracting her attention, she began to ponder a certain mystery that had just began to elude her.

Why did I only dream of this when yesterday, I dreamt of nothing?

During her journey in the steam train, not a single fragment resurfaced from her sleep. The serenity of the night continued and prevailed.

Maybe certain requirements were needed to be met?

With this in mind, Selina began to recall her first encounter with this mysterious dream. In those moments, dread consumed her. In the company of the black cat, Falacy, she was able to sleep peacefully. Faint tears formed on her face unconsciously. Like a maternal warmth, the filthy world embraced her.

Maternal warmth... Is that it?, Settling her thoughts. Selina decided to attempt such theory later. It wasn't certain that the dream would manifest after she simulated that vulnerable sensation, but attempting to redo would even give her an edge against this world.

Since I'm already here, I might as well try some things...

The world clearly heeds her will and whatever she imagines manifests in an instant once she desires it. With this in mind, she began to recall the row of buildings and littered streets of Tingen, in hopes that the same landscape would appear before her.

But after a few moments, the world still remained.

Was that too much? Selina began to become skeptical of her authority over the world. Hmm... But it reformed from my image of the pasture in Milo...

After awhile of contemplation. Selina took a mental list of what she's capable in the dreamy landscape.

I can make the world simulate a natural environment and beings. Like trees, rivers, grassy field and mountains, Recounting her thoughts through her fingers. She became curious of another variable.

Humans are also apart of natural beings right?

Considering her thought as a mere comical, she amusingly imagined the young newsboy she met at the city board.

There's no way... right? I mean... the man before did have conscience, but that was when I reached my hand onto a distant line of vines...

Let's see... With her vivid image. The surrounding grass contorted into a ground of flesh that have gradually gathered into a mound and into limbs, body, and head.

It formed into a small young boy with black hair, brown eyes, and stained face. The boy's eyes were blank, not a soul contained.

Selina felt an achievement, but with a slight resignation. She let out a sigh before saying.

He's naked... 

After recalling the boy's clothes of a gray cap, shawls around his neck and a thin, prominently sewn jacket and brown pants. Selina examined him once more.

He looks somehow identical to the boy I've seen before, are they brothers? While inspecting, her fingers reached her chin and her head tilts slightly.

In the next fifteen second, the boy returned into a pile of filthy flesh that have seamlessly integrated with the environment.

So the replica can only last for a few moments... Feeling a bit disappointed, Selina dismissed her thoughts before she began to compile her discoveries.

The ability to terraform the environment, able to traverse is an instant, summon a single person through the vines and command the land into forging a replica of someone from her recollection, even for a short while.

My authority can only reach so far, will it change as I advance through sequences?

Wait, how do I know that my pathway has direct influence over this dream? Silently gazing at the horizon, the previous plain landscape have now formed clear rivers, small hills, valleys and luscious greenery trees beneath the pleasant sun.

After awhile, her eyes began to trace the spiraling vine on her feet that extends into multiple segments. 

Last time, I encountered that guy ahead of the vines. If it were another segment, will the person be different this time? Curious, Selina simulated the sensation of proceeding towards a line of vine, slightly to her right.

At that moment, she phased out into multiple flesh and organs, erasing from existence.

...

Mists began to cloak the world in a grayish veil.

Across the grassy plain, at a distance from Selina was a man wearing a grey vast over his one piece deep-blue coat. He stands at a height slightly higher than her, with white strands of hair and dull wrinkles, one can assume he's a middle age.

After seeing Selina, the man began to tremble. His frozen limbs and shivering eyes are discernable from the thin veils.

In a state of horror, the man said with a vocal tremor. "C-Child of God!?"

Startled, Selina echoed the man's involuntary words, Child of God?

The world consists of seven orthodox deities, apart from them, other entities at their level can be considered as evil deities that once come into contact would result in unintended consequences.

The name Child of God have also been mentioned by Selina's parents or the replicas during their conversation. Thinking that it was just a seamless name, the previous Selina disregarded it as an adults-only topic.

You think of me as that evil goddess? Suppressing her anguish, she still kept a measured poise on the onlooker. 

Her reason for summoning another person was to see if there's a pattern of selection that the dream world adheres. Previously, the man she first encountered seems to be in a state of horror and dread, as if he knew who or what Selina is.

Seeing that the man is about to collapse. She let out a silent breath before hesitantly severing her connection with the vine.

Phasing her out of existence once more and causing the man's silhouette to gradually vanish from the dream world.

Returning to the spiraling mural of vines. A slight disappointment surfaced within her, If I keep him for too long, he might passed out in a dream...

Letting out a faint laugh, she recalled how the man referred to her. Due to this, she began to examine herself thoroughly, in case she missed something.

Only now did she noticed that her clothes were the exact corset dress she wore from her first encounter of this mysterious world. 

So they perceive me as a goddess? Do I even look identical to her?

With this in mind, using her image of a river. The flowing stream of water surged the land, passing Selina few inches beside her.

Crouching over the clear water. The gushing reflective surface displays a woman with pointed ears, braided white hair and her face a twisting mass of flesh shaped like thorned roots.

Half-obscured by a blinding, divine light.