Chapter 205: Release

After she's done shaping Oblivion into the world that she needs, Ari draws different runes on the world.

Rune of rain.

Rune of air.

Rune of trees.

However, gods can't be replaced by runes.

She has no interest in inviting gods. Sometimes, the world creates gods out of the supreme consciousness. Faces of other gods might appear here. Then again, they might not come since this is the world for forsaken ones. 

It's better if they don't come.

She has changed the permissions. If anyone wants to come or leave this world, they need her permission. She doesn't want forsaken ones wandering to other worlds.

It will take a long time before those creatures learn discipline.

Ari opens her eyes and stands up. Oblivion is endless. So, Haven is also endless. It's fine. Haven is also alive. 

"It's time for all of you to come out." She presses her hand on her chest, closing her eyes again. When she was in the river, they devoured her. But she has always been a goddess. She used the power of names and her own will to overpower them. There was a long struggle. When she promised them that she would give them a new free world, they gave in to her. "Release."

Countless shadows emerge from her body. None of them are complete. Some have lost a part or all of their true names. The creatures are not soul or demons. Just dense foul energy with a consciousness that refuses to fade away. They are like her. 

The desire to survive cannot be wrong.

Some of these creatures have desires for destruction. Some are just miserable. No matter what, none of them can go back to who they were.

Just like her. 

When Ari starts singing, the creatures become still. Aren feels sleepy. It sounds like a lullaby. He sits down on the ground, trying his best to keep his eyes open. 

Scias and Ai aren't sleepy. Instead, they watch everything with admiration in their eyes.

The creatures dance around Ari, screaming as their bodies morph into a definite shape. Some of them merge together, complimenting each other as they take a new form. Their screams start to fade out as they follow the rhythm of her song. 

By the end of the song, there are forty-nine names. Each creature takes a name.

In the beginning, there were countless shadows. Now, there are only forty-nine forsaken creatures in front of her. 

Including Scias, there are fifty forsaken ones in Haven.

All of them have silver eyes and chalky skin. Dressed in simple black robes, they are sitting on their knees, panting for breaths with their heads lowered. 

Among the fifty forsaken creatures, four stands out 

"Anik," Ari utters quietly.

A man reacts to that name. He has dark hair and silver eyes. He raises his head and peers at her. "Goddess."

"Take some people and go north." Ari wants them to live as normally as possible. Of course, the number will increase. These forsaken ones will give birth to more. There might be creatures who come from another world. She's missing a lot, but she's in a hurry at the moment. She will fix this after she comes back. 

"Sesiela." 

A woman looks at her. She has pale orange hair. 

"Go West," Ari contemplates. Oblivion is big enough. How far west would this woman go? "Take whoever wants to follow you."

Sesiela gives her a nod. 

"Suluk." Ari looks for a reaction. A teenage boy with messy brown hair looks up at her. Ari smiles at the boy. "You shall take east. Pick anyone you like."

He accepts her command with a slight nod.

Before she could say the fourth name, another teenage boy stands up. He grins at Ari. 

"Goddess of the forsaken one." The boy has curly cobalt blue hair and a round chubby face. He seems to be around thirteen at most. "Do you recognize me?"

While the forsaken creatures around him tremble when they hear that jubilant voice, three forsaken leaders show different expressions. Anik frowns but says nothing. Sesiela shrugs nonchalantly. Suluk peers at the boy with distrust. 

"Pestilence." Ari narrows her eyes on him. This boy is a horse of an apocalypse. Pestilence's birth from the foul and rotting creatures in the river of death isn't a surprise. This thing was already taking a form before she fell into the river. It's just that the creature didn't expect to get overpowered by a goddess. 

Unfortunately, she needs to bring this creature to her peaceful world. 

"I felt you using me earlier." Pestilence steps toward her. "Whom did you give one of my seeds to?"

He's been bothering her earlier, nearly driving her mad. So, she did send his seed to someone. It was none other than a human who is a blood bank for a vampire. 

Ari doesn't feel any regret. She has manipulated the seed. The seed won't affect the human. It might affect the vampire who drinks from him.

She's sure that vampires can't get sick. 

"Does it matter?" Ari chuckles. "You can't affect anyone here without my permission."

"To think that you would bring me to a prison…" Pestilence heaves a sigh. "You turned me into one of your people… even going as far as shaping me to your needs."

She can't turn evil into a good. But shaping did lock his powers. How could she allow this apocalyptic horse to cause problems in her new world? She wants to create a safe world for her children. Nevertheless, Pestilence is going to be the necessary evil in this world. "Go south. Take whoever wants you."

"Hmm…" Pestilence looks at the remaining forsaken ones. There are only four left. Even if they want to follow him, he's not satisfied. He eyes Scias. The corner of his lips curls up into a cunning smile. He points at the boy. "I want him."

Scias scowls at Pestilence. He's never going to follow this weirdo. 

"Do you want to go with him?" Ari questions Scias calmly.

"No," Scias refuses strongly. "I want to follow you, Lady Ari."

"No, you will stay here." Ari turns her head toward Pestilence. "I will seal the South. You can do whatever you want in that place."

Maybe she will bring other apocalyptic horses and throw them in the south. 

"Don't regret it later." Pestilence whistles as he heads off. The three forsaken creatures trail behind him.

She has a feeling that she would regret it later. However, Pestilence isn't the type who would listen to other forsaken creatures.

Since she knows his true name, there's no way that he can ever be out of her control. 

"Lady Ari, I want to follow you." Scias nudges her hand. "I want to meet Misaki."

"How do you know about Misaki?" She furrows her brows.

"Brother Aren told me." Scias gestures toward the red-headed man snoring on the floor. "Misaki is your daughter."

"I can't take you with me." She pinches the boy's cheek. "I don't know where she is. It will take some time to find her." 

Misaki could be in any world.

To find her, she needs to track down Chaos.

Scias doesn't ask again. "Are you going to bring her here?"

"I will." She bends down and kisses his forehead. "Until then, help the three leaders build this place. They need all the help that they can get."

"I will." Scias nods enthusiastically. 

Seeing that the boy is so obedient, Ari gives him another kiss on his forehead. She sends him off with Anik.

After that, she seals the southern lands. 

"What should we do about him?" Ai glances at his brother, Aren.

"Let him stay here." Ari opens a portal to another world. "Come with me."

Ai follows her into another world, hoping to see Misaki again.