Divine Vessels

Deities were ideas or concepts that came into existence and ultimately took forms.

This pantheon of deities was worshipped by mortals, invoked in rituals and ceremonies, and revered for gifting Divine Language to the world, an infinitely complex grammar used by the gods that humans adapted to be able to wield magic. They ranged in importance based on their time of conception, starting with Creation and Destruction as the two Omnipotents; then the Precedents, who presided over elements; and the Transcendents, the other manifestations of the same beings as the Precedents, each of whom governed a specific domain.

Aya remembered the gods were a major part of the fundamentals of magecraft, but she never fully understood the scope of their influence. It was likely because she learned magic by herself. The books she read were simply guides and manuals. In fact, she knew only one proper spell.

“A goddess? Is it the only female Precedent? Or is it one of the Transcendents?” she asked the rabbit.

“It is Her Divine Majesty, Lumaianeia, the Goddess of Darkness.”

Her eyes shone with intrigue. She’s fond of sacred texts and lore. She'd even memorized every god.

Lumaianea was the Goddess of Darkness, the sole female deity among the six Precedents. Her Transcendent forms were Nalia, the Guardian of Night; Aunea, the Harbinger of Dusk; Maui, the Mistress of Shadow and Mist; Leia, the Ensign of Beauty; and Elaine, the Governor of the Dead.

She never would've imagined that this rabbit was a subordinate to one of the highest beings. But then again, Sageflame was directly connected to the God of Fire, Rhomignische. She should’ve expected she would cross paths with more lifeforms of their kind.

“What do you mean by ambassador?” Instead of answering, the rabbit pointed at the gate. “Ah, right, let's get out first.”

It would be better for her to leave soon, indeed. As interesting as this was, she was exhausted, and she had to treat some injuries from when she fell off the stairs. It would be bad if she collapsed, too. She tended to get sick easily for some time now.

“So, I need to make you open the gate for me. Threats won't work…”

“Why are threats the first you thought of?”

“...I can't threaten you with illusions anymore. Maybe this, then!”

Aya twirled and swung her arms, pouring colors all around.

Before them lay tufts of meadow grass, where clusters of wildflowers bloomed. Groves of trees surrounded a brook with sparkling, crystal water. Sunlight enveloped the greenery in a warm, peaceful glow.

The rabbit peered at the scenic illusion from above the gate.

Aya swept both arms with a flourish, channeling an over-the-top stage performer. "Oh, dear rabbit. Why hide in the shadows when paradise is waiting?" The illusion brightened, playing along with her theatrics. "Look, the meadow beckons! No foxes. No hawks. Only warm sunshine, soft earth, clear water, and…carrots!”

Then, there was a mountain of carrots. 

“Now, dear rabbit…” Though an illusion, Aya was confident it would draw in the creature, with it shaped exactly to its animalistic instincts. “...Let us explore the outside world together! Come-”

“You know,” it began, “I may appear like this, but I’m not really a rabbit.”

“What?!”

“I am spirit-like—bodiless. This animal only serves as my receptacle.”

She stared at it incredulously, her brow twitching.

If neither intimidation nor enticement worked, she didn't know what else would. She couldn't burn down the gate or blow it away. In the first place, she could do little with her magic in this situation.

“Ugh… I can't think…” Aya groaned, dispelling the illusion as her head started throbbing in pain. “Please let me out… I just wanna see Dad…”

The rabbit frowned, concerned. “Are you unwell? This ought not to be another act. I shall open the gate, but heed my words.”

Cradling her aching head, she listened to the goddess's ambassador impart wisdom.

The Calling consisted of two stages, involving the Sageflame in the first, which she knew already. The Called would then head down the Evertread next, which she also knew. What she didn't know was that it led to two different exits.

“One is an open gate that takes you back to where you came from, and reaching this exit means the Called is not a Divine Vessel,” the rabbit explained. “Another is a closed gate that must be opened, and reaching this exit means the Called is a Divine Vessel.”

‘Divine Vessel?’ Aya stopped breathing. ‘That's what the royal family members are called!’

“At the closed gate, an ambassador of the god that you now represent awaits. Yes, that is I, and I am to open the gate in case you cannot. However, you must return and try again after you come of age. Know this, Mistress Aya. If, and only if, the gate opens with your own power, you will receive a most special gift!”

By this point, she was close to fainting. Her mind blanked out the very second realization struck. Now, at last, it all made sense to her.

The origin of the kingdom told of the eyes and voices of the realm. It did not elaborate how they were chosen—just that they were those who held the crown. This pertained to none other than the royal family.

Unlike nobles, royalty was nonhereditary, meaning the status was not passed down to descendants. How the members were decided wasn't explicitly stated in the books, but implied, as Aya realized from Lorenz's history lesson. Even during the selection itself, it was not announced.

Apparently, this was it. The purpose of the Calling was to find the eyes and voices of the realm, which were the Divine Vessels.

These individuals had rights to the throne regardless of their status. They were adopted into the royal house and raised as princes or princesses. After all, one couldn't be a good leader with divine judgment alone. The royal title provided education and legitimacy. Even though it was not inherited, most nobility were, and all in high society were expected to behave befitting their rank and prestige.

Truth be told, Aya already knew, but she refused to believe it.

“Rejoice, Mistress Aya!” The rabbit threw its paws up in celebration. “You are chosen by the goddess, and I shall be at your service from this day onwards as your… Mistress Aya?”

It turned back to Aya, only to find an empty space. Its brow furrowed in confusion.

It hopped off the gate to search. Even still, there's no trace of her. It found itself all alone.

The rabbit glanced up at the stairs. “Did she go back? No, that's impossible. The only exit here is-”

Its eyes flicked back to the gate, then widened in surprise. It had opened at some point, and now, it was about to close again.

“Mistress! Please wait!” In a hurry, it bounded towards the gate, but it was too late. “Have I crossed you somehow? Don’t leave me, I implore you!”

There was no response. The rabbit flattened its ears, dejected.

Left with no choice, it lifted a paw and opened the gate again. As it was about to enter, a gust of wind blew past it. A playful giggle followed.

“Gotcha!”

The rabbit jumped out of its furry skin, astounded as Aya made herself visible once more.

Without it noticing, she had cast the single proper spell she knew—the invisibility spell. By creating an illusion of the gate while invisible, she had tricked it into thinking that she'd entered. As it was forced to chase her, it opened the gate for real, and she finally succeeded.

“You deceived me!”

“Like you're one to talk,” she huffed, “You said you'd open the gate if I couldn't. So, I really didn't have to persuade you, did I?”

“I simply wanted to test you. Forgive me.” It bowed in apology.

“It’s fine. We're even now, and I can go back home.”

It perked up, beaming. “Before that, please accept the goddess's gift!”

“Huh? You’re the one who opened the gate, though?”

“Not at all! You used your magic, your own power!”

“But that's… Oh?”

Inside the gate, a mystical sight welcomed Aya.

A staff hovered above the ground, crafted from polished silver that gleamed with ethereal radiance. The handle was adorned with brilliant diamonds, glimmering like stars in the night sky. Atop its slender shaft was a finely sculpted crescent moon.

“That looks…divine,” Aya whispered, captivated.

“Well, that is the Divine Insignia of the Goddess of Darkness, Her Divine Majesty's gift.”

“Wow… Wait, I'm not bringing that outside, am I?”

The rabbit blinked. “What else are you supposed to do with it?”

“N-N-No, thank you! It's pretty, but it looks heavy, and others might think I stole it.”

Aya feared there's no turning back if she accepted it.

All her life, she wished to go on adventures of her own, like in novels. She studied magic for that reason, but reality eventually taught her how those ambitions were better off as illusions—how fighting monsters and the like were better off imagined. While she enjoyed living her fantasies, she learned to also cherish the safe, mundane world.

And now, in the face of these magical phenomena, she couldn't help but think of her stepfather, who had always been her anchor to all that was true and present.

‘If I really am a Divine Vessel, then… No, I can't.’

“Mistress! You must take the staff! Mistress!”

With a silent apology to the goddess, Aya walked away, leaving behind both her ambassador and her gift.