Ascending the tower with my SSS class

"You know, young Uriel, I must admit that watching your struggle in my world was, in fact, somewhat refreshing in a certain sense. Even I enjoy revisiting the past and observing possibilities from time to time, but when you possess power like mine, doing so for too long is dangerous."

Uriel did not interrupt her. He let Soliel reveal fragments of the history of her world—of her mortal time.

"In truth, what really happened in that world is far more hopeless than you think. That light my younger self sought never actually existed in my world. There was never any hope for tomorrow, never any salvation; we were doomed long ago."

It struck him as a profound tragedy. The image of that determined Soliel striving to save her people was still vivid in his mind.

"I was alone on my journey. I ascended from the depths to the very surface of my world, and there I found the truth spoken of in ancient texts: a world in eternal darkness, drifting endlessly through the universe, beneath a sky that was always changing. We were a wandering star."

A star... that could be interpreted in many ways. Yet if it were literal, the implication was simply terrifying.

"Tell me, young Uriel, what do you think the real me did once I reached the surface of the world?"

Uriel could think of a few possibilities; however, he could not give a precise answer. He could not be so arrogant as to believe he knew what a deity would do in Soliel’s situation, but at least he could answer what he himself would have done.

"Did you return to your people and protect them?"

The lights froze for a moment, then resumed their usual rhythm.

"Sometimes you are a bit naïve, young Uriel... no. What I did was continue searching on the surface. By that point, I was fully aware that I was the last of my kind left alive in the world, so I devoted myself to searching the remnants of that world for anything that could help me become a true light for it."

So if the light she had sought never existed, she would become the light that illuminated the farthest reaches of her world...

"Yes, something like that—but not so romantic. My species lives a very long time if not killed, so I spent thousands of years traveling the world in search of knowledge... and not only that, but also power, Uriel. Power to change the fate of my doomed world. I faced powerful creatures and continued growing stronger until I transcended and became a divinity."

A sense of loneliness washed over him. Soliel must have been utterly alone during that time—always traveling, realizing she was the last hope of a world where no one of her kind remained to accompany her.

"Exactly. So when I created that world to reignite your spark, I made certain adjustments so it wouldn’t be such a dreadful place. I gave my younger self a clear goal..."

Soliel fell silent. Uriel understood that when that happened, it meant she was thinking. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Very well, look... I can’t leave you there; it wouldn’t make sense. But I believe it benefits your growth, and in a way, it amuses me—which is valuable in its own right. So let’s do this."

The lights flared up once more, and it was clear that her own idea excited her.

"I cannot simply send you back as you are. Your mental state is far too deteriorated, and it will take time to stabilize before you are no longer a danger to yourself or others. So what I will do is cloud part of your memory so that this entire period feels like a vague recollection—something difficult to recall, like waking from a lucid dream."

That sounded terrible to Uriel in every possible way.

"Wait a moment, let me finish. Obviously, this is not a perfect solution, or I would have done it from the start. There will still be issues with your consciousness: hours—even days, if you are not careful—will pass in the blink of an eye."

...That was dangerous. How long had he been in that unconscious state for his mind to end up in such a chilling condition?

"So here is my idea, Uriel. At present, the mortals are struggling to clear the first floor in the third zone. They attempted to pass through it but have reached a stalemate. Many died in the final battle, and their morale is broken."

They had already reached the third zone? Hadn’t Soliel told him everything would remain as he left it when he awakened?

A sense of frustration rose within him, while the lights moved in agitation.

"Of course I could have awakened you—but what would have been the point? Your body is still a wreck in that place. If you had awakened, you would have been nothing more than a talking corpse. Think before you complain."

Even though Uriel had not spoken in quite some time, Soliel continued invading his privacy, reading his thoughts without pause.

"Let me finish!"

The lights took a moment before finally calming down.

"You will undertake a pilgrimage through both the underground world and the tower. In both, you will search for my light—and it will be my light that ultimately opens the way for mortals, not those weak gods of death, duality, life, lightning, or the others."

For a moment, Uriel sensed a faint trace of rivalry among the deities, but he was relieved that things seemed to be moving toward a resolution.

"And once you find these fragments, you will be able to return again to the underground world, where, once you fall asleep, you will return to the tower. What do you think? You help me spread my name among mortals, and I will give you what you desire."

Uriel, however, felt that the one who gained the most from this pilgrimage and arrangement was, in the end, Soliel. After all, hadn’t she herself admitted that watching his journey amused her?

"Do you accept or not?"

Uriel did not need to think much about it. If this would help him in the end, then so be it. He would fulfill Soliel’s will.

"Very well. Go, Uriel, and always remember: follow your heart and never betray it. I will be watching your progress in both worlds. Farewell... and good luck."

Once more, Soliel’s light spread throughout the place, and Uriel’s consciousness began to fade.