DESTINY;DIVINE

# Chapter 2: Preparatory Class

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It only took a few days to convert all of my energy through my divine spark. Holding my apotheosized form was much easier, and I didn’t need to switch out of it anymore. 

In this form, my dreadlocks were pure white and my eyes glowed softly. Along with my diamond-shaped, solid black third eye, I really did look like a deity. 

“How do you feel little brother Aeon?” Rhea asked.

“I feel incredible. I won’t have an issue staying in this form anymore.” I said, stretching out.

“Good, good, let’s get started. I want to show you around a little bit before your first class.” 

“I’ve signed you up for a preparatory class that’s designed to help Tier 0 deities cross over into Tier 1. After, I’ll pick you up and take you to your new lodging.” She said, nodding to herself.

“Okay, I’m ready. And thank you again. I would’ve been completely lost if not for you.” I said, giving a martial salute.

Her eyes filled with mirth. “No, no. Thank you for sharing your story and allowing me to be a small part of it.”

She grabbed my hand and we took off into the sky. 

Her walled garden was connected to a large villa,  part of a sprawling array of other villas. The mountain she lived in had an entire town reserved for staff and faculty.

“Classes aren’t required to attend the seminary, but they are strongly suggested. Aside from acquiring information about resources and secret realms, they are a great place to network.” Rhea said, flying with a trail of sparkling purple light.

“Networking? I’ve never been the best at making friends.” I said then immediately regretted it.

“What? Friends are a necessary part of life, especially in high places. The clans rule everything in this realm, being on good terms with a powerful clan is only ever  a good thing.“ 

“Hmm, I’ll try,” I said, determined to be more than what I used to be.

“Good, good. You’re an amazing person, just be yourself and they’ll love you.” She tapped her chin. “I was going to say your story is amazing but you can’t share it.. Just say the Ivy clan brought you here from a distant realm.” 

“Okay, big sister Rhea.”

The grandeur of the mountain formation was truly awe-inspiring. 

The sprawling campuses were a showcase of magnificent divine architecture. 

Enormous temples, towering pagodas, and grand spires dotted a landscape that was encompassed in golden clouds and flush with majestic, pink, and blue waterfalls.

I was speechless at the staggering amount of glittering white stone and precious metals on display.

Each window was adorned with intricate mosaics depicting divine beasts, interplanetary battles, lavish landscapes, and various meaningful scenes in motion. 

These mosaics seemed to encapsulate incalculable divine concepts, and simply gazing at the windows here could lead to profound insights and enlightenment.

No building, structure, or walkway contained any imperfections, cracks, or signs of aging.

All of the campuses were interwoven with an abundance and lush plant life. 

Every building was surrounded by meticulously manicured and diverse nature, adding to the mysterious and hidden ambiance.

Nothing here fell within the realm of mortal comprehension.

During the tour, I witnessed a full spectrum of divine energy trails streaking in every direction as deities from various walks of life departed and returned to and from their respective destinations.

Taking it all in, I had my big ‘this is it’ moment. I was really a god in an upper realm filled with other gods.

My excitement was soaring as I nervously fidgeted with my dreads.

Soon enough, we landed in front of a marble pagoda, and Rhea led me inside. 

“The professor is Damion Astrape, they’re a branch family of the Bronte clan, but he’s normally harmless. Just ignore his angry face.” Rhea explained, guiding me in.

I felt kind of like a toddler on his first day of preschool. I supposed I was a preschool god in a sense.

“Yes, yes. We’re here!” Rhea chirped, stopping in front of an open archway.

The stone auditorium contained a podium and six small tables. 

The first three tables faced the podium, with the next two positioned behind, in the spaces in between. The final table was placed in the middle of the very back.

A stern, straggly-looking, old man stood at the podium, glaring at Rhea.

“Hey, Damian! I’ve got one more for you—this is Aeon, sponsored by the Ivy clan. Please take care of him,” Rhea exclaimed cheerfully.

“Ms. Ivy, my title is Professor Astrape. And if I may remind you, you’re late; class is about to begin,” he replied dryly.

“Of course, of course! Thanks, Damian. Bye, bye!” Rhea sang as she breezed out the door.

“I can only hope you’re nothing like that flippant woman,” he said, grimacing. “Take the empty table.” He gestured to a vacant seat in the second row.

The class was small, with only five other deities present—two gods and three goddesses.

A stunning blonde goddess with amber eyes and almond skin sat next to a pale, dirty-blonde god, while a tan, dark-haired god with sharp features completed the front row. 

In the second row, there was a wild-looking goddess with long, curly red hair, and in the back, sat a caramel-skinned goddess with pink afro puffs.

I quickly took my seat in the second row, eager to learn the steps to become Tier 1.

“Mielikki,” whispered the red-haired goddess, handing me some seeds she was snacking on.

“Ah, what?” I asked, accepting the seeds without thinking.

“I’m Mielikki, you’re Aeon,” she said, pointing at herself and then at me.

“Oh! Hi, Mielikki. Nice to meet you,” I replied awkwardly.

“Gross,” the blonde goddess at the front interjected. “All these forest and hillbilly deities invading my space.”

The dirty-blonde god chuckled. “What do you expect from the Ivy clan? They’re all weirdos.”

The blonde goddess wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Don’t speak to me so familiarly. You’re sponsored by the Bronte clan, you’re not an actual Bronte like Xane.”

“I’ll be a Bronte soon enough, and then you, Amara, will be begging to be my woman,” the dirty-blonde god shot back.

“What’s happening?” I whispered to Mielikki.

She shrugged, continuing to munch on her seeds.

Amara laughed exaggeratedly. “The Charis clan doesn’t beg; we reject beggars.”

“Alright, young deities! Today, we’ll cover the different types of godhood, but I know what you’re really eager to hear about—how to reach Tier 1 as faith gods,” the professor announced, cutting through the low murmurs in the room.

“As you all know, here at the Golden Place Seminary, we focus on faith godhood. Faith gods draw their power from the belief and worship of their followers.”

He paused for effect, then continued, “In contrast, we have fear gods, who gain strength from the fear of their believers. While they wield comparable power, fear gods are generally frowned upon, and their practice is outright banned at this seminary.”

The professor scanned the room, making eye contact with a few attentive faces. “There are also other types of godhood: self-belief, personification, principle, virtue-sin, and taboo.”

“Self-belief gods derive their power from their own conviction. But beware—any negative thoughts or insecurities can sever your connection to your divine energy. It’s a tough path.”

“Next, we have personification gods, who embody ideas or abstractions. Their strength comes from how well they represent what they embody. But there’s a catch: if a personification of light enters a realm that has never seen light, they’ll be powerless.”

“Principle gods, on the other hand, gain their might from deep understanding or enlightenment in specific subjects. Some of the best divine craftsmen and scholars fall into this category.”

“Then there are virtue or sin gods, who draw power from their deeds. They embody their respective virtues or sins and need to actively perform related deeds to maintain their strength.”

The class began to shift, some gods leaning forward with interest. The professor smiled faintly before continuing, “Now, taboo gods..”

“Boo! Get to the good part!” interrupted the dirty-blonde god.

The professor paused, fixing a stern gaze on him. “Interrupt me again, Endymion, and I’ll ensure the main family hears about it.”

Endymion smirked. “Like they’d listen to you! The main Bronte family doesn’t care about the branch families. Everyone knows that. Only the strong matter to the Bronte.”

The professor sighed. “You have so much potential, yet so much anger. I worry that your quest for recognition from the Bronte will lead you astray.”

Endymion slouched back in his seat, muttering, “What do you know? I just need to tier up, and they’ll accept me. You’ll all see.”

“Anyway,” the professor resumed, “taboo gods gain power from abstaining from specific actions or items. They’re typically formed through covenants with more powerful gods, making them quite rare.”

He glanced at the class, then continued, “I won’t delve into the various evil gods or those who consume the divine cultivation of others, so let’s focus on the main topic.”

“To become a Tier 1 faith god, you need to follow two key steps. First, you must ignite your divine energy into a divine source. Second, you’ll create your soul realm.”

“Step one is fairly straightforward. Most of you come from powerful clans, so you should’ve been given divine sparks. A divine source is formed by fusing your energy with these sparks. Typically, deities wrap their energy around the divine sparks and compress until they ignite.”

The professor’s tone grew more serious. “Creating your soul realm is the most crucial step to becoming a powerful faith god. Your soul realm is an entire world birthed within you, one that you create and control.”

“It can take on any appearance or operate in any way you desire. Just remember—it’s where your denizens will live, worship, and gain strength. The concepts, laws, and principles of your soul realm must be carefully defined and curated to ensure the safety and happiness of those who reside there.”

“Once you’ve established a divine source and a soul realm, you’ll officially be considered Tier 1 faith gods. Your clans will likely provide your first denizens, but don’t forget that the seminary organizes expeditions into hidden realms for gathering resources.”

“Now, let’s dive into some of the fundamental concepts required for your soul realm to function effectively,” Professor Astrape said patiently.

He continued for the rest of the class teaching us to consider the building blocks of reality and the necessary steps needed to create a world.

Making a planet wasn’t necessary, nor was using known principles, but they were the easiest because you didn’t have to define other relationships and could just adapt what already existed. 

The first thing I thought of was the forest inheritance I received from the providence system. I had no idea how I would use the seeds and beast templates, but it was clearly for my soul realm.

The entity that ran the system intended for me to become a faith god, but compared to the other types of godhood, it seemed like the best fit.

None of the other types of gods Professor Astrape mentioned matched my aesthetic.

Once class ended, all the deities separated in tails of divine wispy divine light. 

Mielikki waved goodbye before taking off in a bright green flash. 

Amara had her nose turned up and flew away in a blue flash.

Endymion grimaced at everyone before leaving in a dirty yellow light. 

I hadn’t learned the name of the last two, the pink-haired goddess, and the black-haired god. They both left silently without speaking.

Rhea picked me up to head to my new lodgings. 

***

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Students and faculty lived in separate towns on the same mountain, each with their own spacious one-bedroom, one-bathroom residences. 

These homes included living rooms and kitchens, and each had its walled-off courtyard and garden with divine koi ponds. 

Noticing the absence of rainbow trails near us, I consulted Rhea and discovered that it was considered impolite to fly directly over the residence of another deity.

We made a stop at villa number 477, which would serve as my abode for the foreseeable future. 

I entered through the gate and surveyed the surroundings. 

It was spacious and made of divine stone, the garden had been neglected, but the koi pond appeared healthy. 

Regardless, I was happy to have a place to call my own in the golden sea realm.

“Learn anything good today brother Aeon?” Rhea asked me happily.

“Yes, the concept of a soul realm is interesting. I’m not sure how I want mine to look yet. I need to meditate on what concepts I want to employ or alter.“ I said, my mind reeling.

“Yes, yes the fundamental concepts are important, but don’t forget about your denizens.”

“It’s tradition for your family, clan, or sponsor to provide your first denizens, so big sister Rhea will take care of you.” she chirped, flashing her irresistible smile.

“It’s so exciting to watch a new god grow. I can’t wait to see what you do with your soul realm and pantheon.” 

“So, you also have believers, why do you call them denizens?”

“Yes, yes, denizens are just believers that reside within you, the faith energy they create is much more powerful than believers in the natural world. Faylee, come, come.” She said, turning her head to the side. 

A tiny, purple pixie materialized out of thin air, leaving a trail of glittering purple dust behind her. 

After meticulously inspecting every corner of the courtyard, she descended to my face and sat on the tip of my nose.

Her two enormous eyes blinked slowly at me before she smiled in an adorable, jagged-tooth smile.

All of her teeth were sharp and pointed, like knives, and she possessed two sets of translucent dragonfly wings that shimmered and refracted light.

Dressed in a simple tunic without shoes, she resembled an insect fused with a doll.

“This is Faylee,” Rhea stroked Faylee’s back with her finger. “She’s the leader of my pixie clan and one of my oldest friends.”

Faylee soared around us a few more times before vanishing once more.

I uncrossed my eyes and turned to Rhea. “How many denizens do you have?”

“At this point, I have a few billion. I also have dryads, some nature spirits, a divine tree, and several types of Nymphs.”

My eyes widened in surprise at the sheer number. “Billions? That’s crazy. Where do you even find billions of believers?”

“Reproduction mostly, but also in different realms and planes, as well as various dimensions. Don’t worry; it’s simpler than it seems. The seminary offers numerous methods to enhance your follower count.”

“I noticed you didn’t mention humans as believers. Is there a specific reason for that?” I asked curiously.

She smiled brightly. “Very good question, brother Aeon. Believers aren’t just faith batteries; they can also aid, create, and fight on behalf of their deity.”

“In my experience, humanity excels at building things and war. Your big sister Rhea isn’t a craftsman or combat god, I’m just a simple mystic healer who can defend herself.”

“When deciding who to accept as believers, consider the type of faith god you want to be.”

“Mythical creatures possess potent faith energy but low combat strength. Magic and supernatural creatures could be suitable for you, just as much as combat-focused species.” She explained thoughtfully.

I wondered if it were possible to find valkyries or some sort of shield maiden. I had always had a fondness for powerful women.

“Remember, it’s a two-way street. A good god helps their believers mature and grow, providing resources for better living and cultivating power.” Rhea continued. 

“The most devoted believers become intrinsically connected to your divine source and have the potential to be elevated into your pantheon and become gods themselves.” 

“Hold on, big sister Rhea, there are some people I want you to meet,” I said, reaching into my soul space. “Ladies, would you like to join us?”

Pandora and Eve stepped out. 

“Greetings.”

“Tidings.”

They spoke simultaneously. 

“My, my, how intriguing.” Rhea tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“Big sister Rhea, this is Pandora and Eve. They are..”

“Immortal souls bound to you. Yes, yes, I see. You are simply full of surprises, brother Aeon,” Rhea interrupted. 

“Uh, thanks. So, I wanted to ask if I could make them believers and goddesses of their own.”

Rhea studied Pandora and Eve intently. “An immortal void elf soul and an immortal celestial fairy soul. To put it simply, brother Aeon, I don’t know.” 

“Ah, what!?” Eve, Pandora, and I were taken aback. 

A Tier 4 goddess should be aware of this, shouldn’t she?

“I’ve never witnessed such a feat before, but that doesn’t negate its possibility. It depends on the concepts you use and share in your soul realm.”

“You will need to create physical bodies for them based on natural concepts, share your divine embers, and elevate them in your pantheon.” She said, tapping her chin. 

“Keep in mind that any god you have as a believer must be at least a single tier below you in power, but now that I think about it, I’m sure you can do it.” She chirped applauding herself.

After giving me more information about the villa and ensuring I was settled, she bid farewell, leaving me pondering how to design my soul realm in a way that ensured Pandora and Eve could become the goddesses they deserved to be.