Hematic Revelations

     I rubbed my fingers together, having been wetted by something that I, thankfully, couldn’t see. I could feel that it was slimy and sticky, and that was enough for me to be glad that I couldn’t smell anything unwanted thanks to the demon suit.

     I couldn’t sense anything moving anymore, no disturbances in the Flow, nor any sounds, just stillness. I formed a metal propeller and shaft, dipping it into the ocean and forming a part of the boat for it to push into. I wished I knew how to make an electric motor, but considering I didn’t have any kind of lubricants, it’s probably for the better, I’d use my metal control to make the propeller spin and push the boat along.

     The propeller made a messy slopping and smacking sound as it ripped and churned through the ocean, signs that it was certainly something more thick and vile than water, but the air blowing over me signaled that I was undeniably moving. Was I moving straight? Turning? Going in a circle even? I couldn’t tell any of that, I could only hope that I was going somewhere different from where I already was.

     There were two things I could tell, however. The first: I was within that massive territory that I had sensed before. It formed a continuous layer above and below the ocean and spanned beyond the reach of my senses. The second: I could sense the territories of lesser demons up above the layer I was within and could at least use those for navigation, allowing me to tell if I was moving closer or further from any particular spot.

     As I sailed aimlessly, I pondered about how to gain sight. I knew light bulbs used electricity and metal, but I didn’t know anything about which metals produced light and knew that some sort of gas was involved. Glass was out of the question, of course. I could create some kind of tesla coil, but arcs of electricity weren’t always the brightest. There was one thing that was undeniably bright though: lightning.

     I kept enough power in Durus to keep the propeller turning while shifting the rest to Sero, then called forth indiscriminate bolts of lightning from the skies. It worked to some degree, as each lightning strike gave me a brief glimpse over the surface of the ocean. I could see its color, a dark, brownish red with other disgusting yellows and greens streaking through it. I tried not to look too closely at it and scan the surface of the ocean for anything that stood out.

“Venia.”

“Show respect human. I am a goddess.”

“You call yourself a goddess, but Siti calls you a divinity. Is there a difference?”

The goddess was silent for a moment and I could feel her discomfort with the question, but she answered honestly.

“Divinities are our true titles. We are not truly gods, only pretenders seeking the faith and worship of believers...In that respect, we are no different from the depravities, ones you call ‘demons.’”

“Is there a need for faith and worship? Aren’t you strong without it?”

“The Divine Realm is immense, but finite, much like the Depraved Realm, what you call the ‘Demon Realm.’ However, rather than fighting, killing, and taking from one another like these savages, our territory and our authority are determined by the number of our believers and the intensity of their faith. As well as that, the stronger the faith, the stronger our connection to where our believers reside. Though our true bodies remain in the Divine Realm, strong faith allows us to manifest our abilities within the Great Realms, unlike the depravities who must form their own bodies.”

“I guess you divinities can’t hear the prayers of the Hidden Realm.”

“Are you certain of that?”

“Yeah. My world would be a pretty different place if even a single god could hear anyone’s prayer. Without the Flow, any demon or god would probably garner everyone’s faith overnight.”

“What an intriguing place. Your humans pray even though gods do not answer?”

“Yep. Well, the most devout ones will just claim they get answers, or attribute anything good happening as a blessing and anything bad happening as being tested. Some call it the work of god, some call it luck, others just call it coincidence. Some even believe that our universe, our Hidden Realm, is all just a simulation inside a computer.”

“What incredible piety. Even in some Realms, humans may witness a god’s power and still not feel the slightest faith or reverence. The first Great Realm even shows hostility to depravities and divinities alike and actively exterminates any intrusions of such beings.”

“I can imagine that. There are some who so fervently believe that gods DON’T exist that they seem hostile to believers.”

“Did you speak my holy name only to tell me of your world?”

“Ah, no, I actually wanted to ask if there was anything else you knew about the middle strata. I can tell we’re in someone’s territory, but I haven’t seen any demons since reaching the ocean’s surface. I’d expect some kind of terrible sea monster or something with all this lightning I’m creating.”

“Indeed, it is said that the Demon God of Knowledge, Curson, resides down here. You need not feel endangered. They are, from what I’ve been told, the only Demon God that can be reasoned with. Though their desire to acquire knowledge can be fanatical, they also seek to maintain balance balance within the Demon Realm, for they understand the consequences of disturbing it.”

“I’ve got a lot of questions about that, but one I need to ask first: do you think they might be willing to help us? Sero said that when they gain access to the Hidden Realm, it would give them the power to take over the Demon Realm, the Divine Realm and take on the God of Creation? Or something like that?”

“Foolishness. Naivety spouted by a young and insolent demon who knows nothing of the ancient times.”

I could feel Sero’s mind stirring in the suit in agitation.

“As for Demon God Curson, I cannot say for certain. It would depend on whether there is merit to the threat they pose. If Curson knows more about the plausibility of such a plan than we do, they will most likely reject us.”

     I wanted to inquire further, but as the lightning storm continued, I noticed something in the distance. It was a black speck that I could hardly see, but enough for me to notice. I directed the boat to get a closer look. There, a single demon sat atop the floating corpse of another, legs crossed, elbow on knee, and head resting on its wrist. Through the flashes of lightning, I could make out its appearance.

     It was a humanoid ant-like demon, not much taller than myself. As my boat came closer and slowed to a stop, he called out in a strange accent,

“’Ey buddy! Can I catch a ride?”