Some time later after Lud's disastrous proposal, Mercy rises up from her chair and says to Lud "Before I mold your being, I need you to know a few things first."
Lud stands up to face Mercy and inquires "What is it now?"
Mercy explains "If I am to stabilize you in the way that I currently plan to, you need to understand that you can no longer leave the three realms."
Lud asks "What do you mean?"
Mercy explains "To use a metaphor, bone piercing an organ once its formation is damaging to the body."
Lud interprets this with words "So what you are saying is… the only way to make sure that she… they don't mess with me anymore… is to become bones of this world like you."
Mercy applauds "Quite close. To use a metaphor, you will become A bone of this world, not all of the bones."
Lud interprets this saying "So… I will become part of you?"
Mercy ponders a moment and says "Not… exactly. You would become like… like a hyoid bone. A bone that isn't connected to the other bones like the rest."
Tifa comments "An interesting metaphor. Where did you learn that?"
Mercy closes her eyes for a moment in triumph and says "Though I have rested for a long time, I am aware of many things. For example, did you know that your power leaves traces of your memories behind that your victims can 'scour' if they have strong mental fortitude."
Tifa puts her hand to her chin and thinks "I didn't know about that."
Mercy shrugs "Well you don't know many things about yourself. You can even say that I know some parts of you better than you do yourself."
Tifa crosses her arms again and says "That is highly debatable. If that were the case, you'd interact with me in a much different tone."
Mercy says "Be as it may, the fact remains I know many things that you don't expect me to know. But back to Lud's situation."
Lud asks "Right. So if you do the thing where you make me a 'bone of this world' and I can't leave the three realms, does that mean I can't enter the abyss or the god realm?"
Mercy explains "Well, you would have died anyways if you entered the god realm, but yes. Leaving the three realms becomes much more difficult for you. The only ones that can send you to the abyss are Maumar and maybe even me, but doing so would have disastrous consequences."
Toki asks "But wait, if he cannot enter the abyss, does that mean he cannot become the next host?"
Mercy explains "It is impossible to say. Only Maumar knows the true process."
Toki says "But when he did try to make me the next host, it was in the abyss."
Mercy says "I know, but who is to say that the Mobius Hole cannot be brought to the three realms."
Tifa says "That is impossible. How would the bottom of the abyss be transferred to the top?"
Mercy says "Well… Maumar made it possible for YOU to exist."
Tifa is taken aback by this and falls into deep thought.
Mercy continues her explanation to Lud "Also, this would also hinder the little hope you have in returning to your old world."
Lud is surprised by this and asks "You mean that there is still a possibility to do so?"
Mercy says "I cannot say. Only Maumar knows if it is possible. But for what I can see, he did connect you to your father's dream."
Tifa is so surprised by this that she stands up and asks "What?!"
Lud comments "You weren't lying. You DO know a lot of things we didn't expect."
Tifa says "So it is true. All this time…"
Lud asks "You… have some unfinished business in our old world?"
Tifa falls silent for a moment before saying "It… just… The possibility of return never occurred to me."
Lud says "I would be saddened if you decided to go back."
Tifa asks "Why? Wouldn't you come with me?"
Lud answers "At this point, I don't think I can do that."
Tifa asks "Why? We could live the life that…"
Lud gets to it before Tifa and says "That I robbed us both."
Tifa falls silent again.
Mercy goes back to her explanation and says "As I said, making you a bone of this world would make your return to your old world even harder than it already may be. And once you become a bone, even I'll have a hard time unmaking that process."
Lud inquires "So you think it is still possible?"
Mercy answers "It isn't impossible, but I cannot see the consequences of that possibility."
Lud says "I see. Well then. Go on ahead."
Tifa shouts "Wait!"
Mercy asks "Having second thoughts?"
Tifa says "I… I didn't have all the pieces back then, so…"
Mercy says "But your darling doesn't see the future where he would leave Lutah."
Tifa falls silent.
Mercy says "And in the first place, it isn't a decision that you can make. It his Lud's."
Tifa stays silent.
Mercy says "Granted, your opinion would be valuable to Lud, but from what I see, the scales are already set."
Tifa stays silent for a while more, and then says "Go ahead."
Mercy nods and extends her palm at Lud. She asks "Are you ready?"
Lud asks "Will it hurt?"
Mercy answers "Most likely."
Lud takes a deep breath and says "I'm ready."
Then Mercy says "May this existence be molded by me. Ludwig Freigner!"
And then a sudden pain envelops Lud's body, although he cannot move or make a sound. Like millions of tiny needles picking at every part of his body. The unbearable heat that envelops his body is making Lud manage to make a single peep.
But this is nothing to him. The convergence felt much more painful than whatever molding Mercy is doing to his body. The time is but a blink compared to the time he had to suffer in convergence.
And soon, the pain subsides. Lud can finally move again and he feels lighter than before. He asks Mercy "Is it done?"
To which Mercy replies "Yes. Congrats on becoming a true demigod. The abyssal energies are now in harmony with the aether and there are no longer tremors that the chaos god and the star god had on you. You are, as far as I know, the only successful demigod in Lutah."
Lud asks while checking his body "So how does a demigod differ from other races?"
Mercy explains "Well since you are the first one, everything you do will become your race's statistic. Meaning, if you like rice, then 100% of demigods like rice."
Lud jokes "Hah! So 100% of demigods in Lutah have eaten grasshoppers!"
Mercy laughs a bit and says "Sure. Whatever you say."
Lud then asks "But seriously. What is the difference between a demigod and a god?"
Mercy says "Well, for starters, while gods generate aether that leaks outside, demigods body keeps consuming most of the aether, making you able to live in the three realms without the need of the Mythril Tower."
Lud asks "Well do I have any special abilities?"
Mercy answers "For what I can see, you are at the same strength which you were before all Altair's intervention."
Lud says "I see. So I'm a weakling again."
Mercy laughs a bit "No worries. At least on top of your magic, now you have power to fully manipulate aether like gods do."
Lud asks "So what does that translate to?"
Mercy ponders a bit and then says "Well, for starters… creating life."
Lud is too stunned to speak and Mercy continues "Also there is some capacity to manipulate memories like showing your memories to someone or see someone else's memories, but I don't think that you can reach Tifa's level."
Lud mutters "I can fucking create life."
Mercy laughs a bit and says "You still on that? Well you also can move across the three realms, but I'd ask Altair for advice before you attempt to do it yourself."
Lud asks "Isn't a demigod supposed to be weaker than a regular god?"
Mercy answers "That is true. Your capacity to manipulate aether is much more limited than what gods can do. While you might be able to make a quite big hill, gods can create multiple mountains with a flick of a finger."
Lud says "Is… is that so."
Mercy also says "Well, they'd have to enter the three realms the regular way and not the Mythril Tower way in order to do something as big as that."
Lud asks "Wait. Why did you say that I'm at the same level I was before Altair made me drink that weird stuff? Aren't I much more powerful now?"
Mercy is a bit puzzled and says "But compared to your mana pool, the aether at your disposal is but a drop in the bucket."
Lud asks "But… with aether I can create life, right?"
Mercy answers "Yes, but with the amount of mana you always had, you could have done it as well if you had the know how."
Lud asks "But… wait, how much do I need to know about human anatomy in order to create a human using aether?"
Mercy says "If you know how the liver deals with toxins and how the brain waves work, you have no problem."
Lud falls to his knees and says "So I basically have to become a doctor."
Mercy says "No worries. You can always ask Tifa to look through her medical know-how."
Lud looks at Tifa with hopeful eyes and says "Really?"
Tifa then drops a bombshell and mentions "Doesn't he have to understand the concepts himself first? Even if he looks through my memories, that doesn't mean he will remember and learn from them any differently than look through a tutorial."
Lud's head drops and Mercy says "You are right, but with aether, the understanding that the other person has is transferred a bit to him as well."
Lud doesn't even try to hope that he will ever be able to create life with the snap of his fingers.
Lud mutters "Maybe I can build a house with ease at least. I was a construction worker after all."
Toki comments "But… didn't you just do whatever you were told and not think too much about that?"
Lud is falling even deeper into despair and mutters "So this is how it feels to have to start the game all over again from scratch after hundreds of hours of playtime."
Tifa comments "Don't act like your build is trash. If you are ever in danger, you can just summon whoever you choose in your legion. Heck, you can summon multiple people who can kick any god's ass."
Lud mutters "But how can I act like a hero when I just sit in the back?"
Tifa asks "Since when did you dream of becoming a classic hero?"
Lud mutters "I was getting all pumped up because of the abilities I gained during my time in Lutah that I was hoping there would be a good chance to try them out. But now I can't do that. I'm sorry Mätuk. Your teachings have gone to waste."
Mercy tries to comfort Lud by saying "Well look at the bright side. As long as I let you, you cannot die."
Lud comments "I have come to understand from multiple people that it isn't necessarily a good thing."
Mercy still tries to comfort Lud by saying "Well… you have two barriers to resist poison. Aether and abyss."
Lud get even more disheartened by as he says "So I can't even get drunk anymore."
Mercy, trying to find a way to comfort her future husband, says "I… heard that the god of debauchery Perkele has alcohol that can get even gods drunk. I'll ask if the gods could bring some to the banquet."
Lud gets a little motivated, rises back up and asks "Really? We have a god like that?"
Mercy explains "Yes. There are gods that dabble into the negatives. In fact, when the world was first formed, the gods didn't 'feel' like they do now. It was only after a god manifested and brought that concept into the world. The god of chaos is the best example of this."
Tifa says "Well, 'best' is a bit of a stretch. What is life if it is preordained?"
Mercy says "That might be true, but that is how we understand the world BECAUSE there is a concept known as chaos. I don't know how it worked in your world, but that is how it for us. Perhaps… there are many worlds that somehow follow the same schematic of the world. Perhaps there are some worlds that have skipped some concepts. But that is a topic for another day. We don't know how existence works. We can only guess.
But back to the topic. There are gods that brought negatives to this world. Such as the god of war Jyqbolos, the god of terror Avarumedel, the god of death Mors and so on and so forth."
Lud says "Might as well learn more about the gods if some of them will come to the banquet."
Tifa says "Well since we are talking about gods when Mercy is here, I have to mention the god of pestilence Betherlov."
Lud asks "Wait, weren't they the creator of true vampires?"
Mercy says "Yes, Betherlov's concept of 'true vampire' was downgraded to 'vampirism'. Which in turn, changed quickly into the concept of 'disease', which then raised to the concept of 'pestilence'."
Lud says "Wow. Is there many such stories when it comes to gods?"
Toki says "Well Jyqbolos was first the god of conflict, but as the concept grew, she became the god of war."
Lud asks "Wait, didn't Mercy mention earlier that gods bring the concept into existence?"
Mercy says "That is true, but if the scale of something becomes greater, the concept that a god carries can evolve one way or another. So in other words, gods can become different kinds of gods with the chaos and time of the world."
Toki says "For example, the god of ice Otzal changed his concepts over time from 'cold' to 'frost' and then 'ice'."
Mercy says "The same happened with the god of flame Werluum. First he was the god of heat, then the god of fire and then the god of flame."
Tifa clarifies to Lud "Just so you know, the fact that we might think the sun as a big ball of flame, which it is, but the sun's primary function was to distribute aether to the world. Heat became second."
Lud says "I see, I see. Anything else to add?"
Tifa says "Well, if you paid attention in the science class, you know that fire is the result of something burning. And burning means changing how material is. But in this world, there was once the god of burning which later changed into the god of change. What was their name again?"
Mercy says "Well, if you ask for their true name, it is Ferqu. But who knows what it is now or what they identify themselves as."
Lud concludes "This world seems to have their science a bit backwards sometimes."
Tifa says "Language can change the meaning of the word by the culture of the users. To blow your mind, the only reason we hear things in these words is because Maumar made us perceive the world how we understand it."
This takes a moment to settle in for Lud, but when he grasps what Tifa said, his mind was blown.
Lud asks "So… we aren't speaking english?"
Tifa says "For us, the language here known as common is translated to us in english."
Lud asks "So wait, does that mean that people in Elysium speak something completely different and we just happen to hear it as english? Or since the game was in english for me when I played, they also have the translation done in english?"
Toki says "According to what gramps said, it is something we aren't supposed to know."
Lud gets heated up "What does he MEAN by something we aren't supposed to know?!"
Toki says "I asked about it as well, but he just said 'it is more interesting to not know in some instances' or something like that."
Tifa says "That does sound like that bastard."
Lud sits back to a chair and says "I… I think I need a moment to grasp what I heard just now."
Mercy says to Tifa all casually "I see that Lud was great at sex according to your memories, my friend."
Tifa says "Well he was my one and only partner, so I can't really compare."
Mercy says "At least he made you cum."
Tifa says "True that."
Lud didn't pay any attention to what the other four were talking about.
Tifa asks Mercy "For what I gather, you are still a virgin."
Mercy says "I have never tried any of that stuff before. Haven't even masturbated before."
Tifa says "I would say that you are missing out, but it makes me a bit icky to even think about it."
Mercy questions "Because you've grown out of it?"
Tifa answers "Not necessarily. Don't fancy thinking about other people having sex, let alone masturbate."
Mercy asks Toki "Does that translate to your timeline in any way, Toki?"
Toki says "I don't want to be part of this conversation."
Meanwhile Lud mutters quietly "Hold on a second. What the fuck it is like for Toki? Is it english? Common? Or whatever fuck the Odysseium people may or may not be speaking."
Tifa says to Mercy "I understand that you don't have to drink blood to survive."
Mercy responds "Your understanding is correct."
Tifa asks "So when was the last time you drank blood?"
Mercy says "Oh that is a hard one. Fresh or from the glass?"
Tifa asks "Does it make a difference?"
Mercy says "Well, unlike those who have contracted vampirism, true vampires don't need to drink blood. It used to revitalize us and even grant more power depending on the blood, but there was never a true need to drink it. Drinking fresh blood from the source was considered an intimate act between the people akin to sex. Well that is if we didn't try to suck their life essence away."
Tifa jokes "So you felt horny every time you consumed one of your kind, huh."
Mercy says "Well for what I understand it, it is similar to how eating can be a mindless process instead of an enjoyable experience. But even saying that, there isn't a good way to describe it to other races."
Toki says "I do hear that regular vampires can have a blissful time drinking from the source."
Mercy says "Is that so? So that part of it did get across to vampirism. Or maybe it is the thrill those monsters have when."
Tifa says "Calling the legacy of your race monsters is kind of poetic."
Mercy says "I do get that there are those unfortunate to contract vampirism and hate it to the point of suicide sometimes. But I'm sure there are those with vampirism that enjoy the act of draining someone's life essence to themselves. It was similar with true vampires as well, but I've seen other races relish the act of killing as well. It goes to show that the god of murder exists for a reason."
Tifa says "The Bloodstained One. Murderer of the god of peace."
Toki says "It exists in most timelines unfortunately. Perhaps it is why the killing of gods became possible in the first place. Ironic how many of it fell at the hands of The Swarm."
Tifa says "And to think that piece of shit erases many gods from across timelines but that one gets a fucking pass."
Mercy says "You don't get to say much."
Tifa retorts "Neither do you."
Mercy responds "In that, we both agree."
Zimel says "At least peace can exist for short periods of time."
Toki responds "While eternal peace sounds great and all, a world without conflict can easily become a stagnant one."
Tifa comments "For once you sound like me."
Zimel says "According to my connections, The Bloodstained One and Perkele do get along quite well."
Tifa says "He wouldn't be the DDD of savagery otherwise."
Toki retorts "God of Debauchery, Depravity and Defilement. Are we sure we don't want to tell dad about it?"
The four look at Lud who isn't listening in the slightest. They can faintly hear him mutter "But if I hear some of the languages in a way that I don't understand, do they sound that way to others as well or does Maumar's thick make those sound different when compared to the natives?"
Mercy says "Perkele may be deplorable, but that doesn't mean there isn't a problem asking him to share some of his alcohol. As much as I recall, he is quite honest and barely ever lies to people. He also knows how to keep his mouth shut from what I understand."
Toki asks "You aren't thinking of inviting him, are you?"
Mercy answers "While I don't plan to, there is a chance that he will come if he gets enough details."
Toki asks "But still. Should we tell dad?"
Tifa says "If anything goes wrong, me or Mercy can make him regret it."
Toki says "You didn't answer my question."
Mercy says "It'll be fine. He was looking down just a few moments ago, so let's not make him worry about something so minor."
Zimel says "We are talking about the DDD of savagery here. The patron god of bandits."
Tifa shrugs and says "Well it is not like he is the only one bandits worship."
Toki says "That doesn't make it better."
The four stay silent as Lud keeps muttering to himself.
Then Toki asks "Should we tell dad about other darker gods?"
Tifa wonders out loud "Were there more?"
Zimel says "I can think of six at the top of my head."
Toki says "If there was a god that Nemesis liked, it has to be Fein, the god of ruin, regret and ashes."
Mercy says "Lord of ashes. The ember that devours memory. His priests are historians gone mad, who burn their records as they write them. Not that Nemesis ever let those priests even attempt to make records."
Toki says "And a god that I'm well acquainted with is Ötä, the god of Stillbirth, Barrenness, and Lost Futures. Mom in my timeline wanted to strangle her all the time."
Tifa says "I'm not even surprised that I feel that way. I suppose when I go back to the abyss, I'll feel those feelings for myself."
Zimel says "A god that most pregnant women fear. Worshiped often when someone doesn't want to see a family prosper out of hate and jealousy."
Mercy says "I have come to understand that there is a god that Perkele openly dislikes. Wuauo, the god of Secrets, Lies, and Unseen Hungers. The Veiled Maw. There is a famous story where Perkele asks in a drunken stupor the Bloodstained One to murder Wuauo."
Tifa laughs a bit "HAH! I have heard versions of that story where Wuauo even was present and dared Perkele and Bloodstained One to do it."
Toki says "I'm sure Tear has been glanced at by him a few times by now."
Mercy remembers something and says "I was reminded of the story that Wuauo tried to hide in secret and Perkele god mad. A story where Perkele and Bloodstained One had a contest of some sort. Then the god of beauty Lovana got interested in it somehow and low and behold, she also became the god of Pain and Obsession.
Tifa comments "Sounds like an interesting story. Do you know any details?"
Mercy answers "That is why Perkele is often so mad and Wuauo. The details of that story have been lost to time. I heard Fein also had a hand in it, but according to what I know, Perkele doesn't know about it."
Tifa says "That reminds me for some reason, the cryzalin king, whatever his name was, when I was having fun with him, I came across Emer."
Toki says "Figures. Why wouldn't the God of Tyranny and Betrayal, be interested. The King of Nothing loves power and those who seek to take it by force. His position as the god of Power also fits him.
Zimel says "To be frank, I'd expect him to be plotting something against Elysium."
Mercy laughs a little "When he hears of my engagement to Lud, he wouldn't dare to lay a finger on Elysium."
Zimel says "I'm not so sure about that. There are ways he can make moves from the shadows."
Mercy retorts "If he, or anyone else can pull others into conflict with Elysium, then I have failed to uphold the protection I promised."
Toki says "No worries. I think dad understands that nothing is ever that certain."
Tifa says "Speaking of your protection and the talk of dark gods, Betherlov is also considered one of them."
Mercy says "While I can see where you are coming from, she has a purpose in the nature of this world I think."
Zimel says "Betherlov, mostly known as the god of pestilence, is more of a sorrowful echo of the past. A divine curse for the world known for her old diseases that last till the ages. She isn't the one I counted in my six though."
Toki says "So you meant Blosmeth. I can see that. Hit kind of close when you think about it."
Zimel says "Yes, a rotting flower that bloomed from the blood of Betherlov in the great battle against the abyss. There, many gods shed their blood, fermenting the soil, and so the rotting flower started to sprout when the once proud vampire god became the god of disease. There the rotting blood still deep in the soil of Lostwood, the rotting flower bloomed and spread plague, rot and decay across the world. Thus, a new god was born. The Pale Gardener Blosmeth. The god of Plague, Rot, Renewal and Decay." Stories are told that he calls for his mother in his dreams, echoing to the everchanging infliction that is nowhere as divine as the pestilence his 'mother' represents."
Mercy says "While he originates from that forest, plague that does not spread is a plague that is doomed to wither and decay away."
Tifa asks "Was that finally all of them? Don't tell me we missed someone."
Zimel answers "Those were the ones that I had in mind."
Tifa sighs in relief and looks at Lud who is still deep in his own mutterings. She says to the rest of the group "You know, we started to talk about the different gods because of him, but he just completely missed arguably the more interesting ones."
Toki asks "Should we just go and have lunch or something? It's been a while."
Tifa says "I thought that you no longer feel hunger."
Toki says "I don't, but… I think dad still needs some time. Maybe he even subconsciously listened even if he didn't react to any of it."
Tifa scoffs and says "You expect too much from him. Look at him. He is still muttering to himself about something that should be of no concern."
Mercy says "Maybe to you it is not, but what I can see, his little mind that has converged many of himselves thinks he needs to solve this somehow. But as Toki suggested, let's go have some lunch while we wait for Lud to snap out of it."
Tifa says "Fine, but by the time we are done eating, I'm going to slap the back of his head if he is still not done."
Toki replies "Not if I beat you to it."
Tifa gets a little motivated and says "Oh game on girl. Game on."
Zimel opens the door and says "This way, ladies."
Mercy says "Go ahead. I'll catch you soon."
Zimel leaves with Tifa and Toki to prepare food that Zimel somehow can prepare in mere moments. She is the top butler of esteemed Everrest castle.
Mercy looks at Lud for a moment and mutters to herself "Hopefully I can save lives this time. May the banquet in our honor be forever in our memories, my dear sanguine."
And with that, Mercy leaves the room, only glancing at her future husband with a smile for a moment before closing the door.
A deep weight heavy on her shoulder, she steps to the next phase in her life, hoping it won't be filled with blood and tears.