“The gate runes and launching Lylan were all done in desperation,” Ruwen said. “My only contribution was finding terrible situations.”
Sift nodded. “He’s like a bad luck magnet.”
Before Ruwen could respond, Tremine spoke up. “Speaking of bad luck, we encountered Naktos and Haffa Scouts on the plains. The poor Cultivators are as trapped as you.”
“Let’s head back to the city,” Ruwen said. As they walked, Ruwen wondered about the Cultivators. “Are the Cultivators fighting?”
Tremine shook his head. “They’re just protecting themselves. They’re mostly nomadic, so they don’t have cities to defend, but they’ve run out of places to hide and are grouped north of here.”
Ruwen hadn’t given the Cultivators much thought, but now the area they’d inhabited for thousands of years had returned to Uru’s Blessing. That meant Uru’s followers would soon arrive to farm and build cities. If that wasn’t bad enough for their culture, an invading army was putting their lives in danger.
If Ruwen could talk to the Cultivators, maybe he could convince them to help. Perhaps for an area of their own they would help Ruwen defend the southern border. He thought of Phoenix and Willow and the other Cultivators he’d met in the Spirit Realm. Powerful allies like that might make a tremendous difference.
But the Cultivators probably saw little difference between Uru and Naktos or Haffa. Those who Ascended were all the same, and they tended to treat Cultivators poorly. The Priests especially didn’t like Cultivators and referred to them as the Unbound. High Priest Fusil had threatened to cast Ruwen out to live with the Unbound on Ruwen’s Ascension day.
Ruwen wanted to offer the Cultivators a deal, but he didn’t know how much authority he had. Did his control just cover New Eiru?
Rami? Will you listen in on this conversation, please.
Sure.
Lir? Ruwen asked, not sure if the temple could hear him.
Yes, Architect Starfield.
Ruwen took a moment to be as specific as possible, knowing Lir took everything literally. Earlier, you told me you spoke with the other temples. What did you tell them about me?
Your oxygen levels, weight, bone density, blood pressure, chem—
Stop. Let me try again. Do they know my name?
Yes.
Ruwen stepped around a pine tree and swallowed a groan about the revelation of his identity. Sift was interrogating Bliz on the last two months of Step Tournament matches. Sift had removed Io from his sheath and spun the dagger as they talked. Ruwen knew Sift had removed Io just so the dagger could hear Bliz’s responses.
Have they given my identity to anyone else? Ruwen asked.
Of course not. Protocol requires me to inform my siblings of your Role. The Architect’s word is law, so proper identification is paramount.
Ruwen felt a wave of relief. That makes sense. I don’t want my identity revealed to anyone. Can you tell the other temples?
I can. Do you wish to speak with them yourself? I can connect us all.
No! You’re good for right now. There are already too many people in my head.
Lir’s words sunk in. Did you say my word is law? Like whatever I want?
Correct. You are the Architect, and Divine authority is yours.
Divine authority? Like I’m a god?
Correct. Although a severely handicapped one as your body remains in the Metal levels.
What does that make Uru now?
Uru is a Divine Harvester and the current figurehead for your domain, but her authority has been transferred to you. Do you wish to alter the figurehead to one that more resembles your form?
No! Leave everything as she had it, and tell me if a decision I make alters her choices.
As you wish. I’ve updated my siblings.
Ruwen had started this conversation to understand if he could make a deal with the Cultivators in good faith, and now he knew he could. In fact, he could do anything he wanted.
The idea of being a god had never occurred to Ruwen. His goals had centered around knowledge and magic. A surge of adrenaline accompanied the realization that he now held ultimate power over everything in Uru’s domain.
Thoughts of punishing High Priest Fusil immediately came to mind. Ruwen could have the man killed, or punished, or whatever he wanted. Justice for his parents and for the misery Ruwen had endured was just a command away.
New swords cause the most harm, Rami said.
Ruwen flashed back to his years of training with Rami. When she wasn’t teaching him Step Forms, she taught him strategy, and this was one of her favorite sayings. He’d thought she meant new swords were better because they caused the enemy more damage. But he’d quickly learned she meant the opposite. New weapons were unfamiliar, and they, more often than not, injured the owner who used the weapon too soon.
Thanks, Rami.
Ruwen wouldn’t make any changes right now. He’d wait until he had more experience with this new power.
Bliz and Sift were still discussing the Step Tournament in front of Ruwen, and Tremine walked beside him.
Ruwen turned to Tremine. “Do you think I could convince the Cultivators to fight with us? Maybe for some land of their own?”
Tremine nodded. “It’s a good idea. They will be desperate soon. As desperate as we are.”
“I know,” Ruwen said. “There’s an army here ready to be revived, but we need a lot of some critical resources.”
Tremine pointed at Bliz. “I assume that’s why she wanted me to bring him along.”
The emphasis on “she” confirmed what Ruwen had guessed. Uru had sent Tremine here.
“There’s something else,” Ruwen said and swallowed hard. “My parents are here. They’re reviving now.”
Tremine stopped, and Ruwen did as well.
“Thank, Uru,” Tremine said, his eyes glinting. He stepped forward and hugged Ruwen. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks,” Ruwen whispered.
They started walking again.
“That simplifies things a lot,” Tremine said. “Maybe we do have a chance.”
“Simplifies what?” Ruwen asked.
“Finding the terium to revive that army in the temple queue. I worried Bliz and I needed to treasure hunt, but now we’ll have guides.”
Ruwen’s stomach knotted. “What do you mean? My parents didn’t take that terium. They didn’t kill that party!”
Tremine’s face paled and Sift
