While she cleaned the first mountain site of the Eldritch distortion, Amdirlain’s surveyors discovered another contaminated site a thousand kilometres north. The crystal plate display showed the stray entities in enough detail to allow her to capture them at a distance. As she imprisoned each, Amdirlain presented them to those celestials who had lingered to observe the cleanup. Their appearance by the score, especially another mature pair, drew hisses and gasps of shock from the celestials who’d stayed to observe her work.


    "The ground where they were seems only mildly infected. I''ll take care of it after I''m through here," decided Amdirlain.


    The wind tousled the elven Celestial’s dark green hair, and Daechir sighed. "You seem so matter-of-fact about this situation."


    "It doesn''t help to get nervous. They''re contained, and this infestation is resolvable in the short term," replied Amdirlain. "We''ll discuss the issues to look out for after I''ve completed the cleanup."


    Amdirlain returned her attention to the massive pit where the forest had been, and Daechir was left with his question unasked.


    Four days into the task, the local celestials started to leave. While a few had returned to the heavenly planes, most had dispersed to help the communities whose priests had summoned them. Daechir kept Silpar, Rana, and Goxashru company while Amdirlain methodically extracted the contaminated columns of dirt and stone. Though Rana and Goxashru had sparred and conversed, Silpar remained motionless except when directly addressed.


    When Amdirlain had restored the last strip of bare ground at the second site a week after she''d begun, Daechir spoke up. "You said there were other things to watch out for?"


    Amdirlain clicked her tongue and considered what explanation to give. "There are engravings the Eldritch leave behind. As they''re just carvings, I''ve not determined a way to detect their presence. They blend into wood grains and normal rock formations, that sort of thing. The symbols can leave impressions in the mind of those viewing them and attune their thoughts towards the Eldritch," explained Amdirlain.


    "What happens to those so afflicted?" enquired Daechir, his mouth tightened with the question.


    "They can become drawn to the Eldritch in their nightmares and eventually waking thoughts," said Amdirlain. "They can then serve as a medium for similar entities to gain entry into the realm. One needs spells to remove the memories of the sigils while avoiding being infected themselves. I’ve not heard of a Blessing path that can cleanse them."


    Daechir groaned. "Will we ever be completely rid of them?"


    And you don’t ask how to help anybody the sigils infested? If you don’t trust mortals with the Wizard Class, maybe you need to give them better examples.


    "The problem you have is they didn''t stay in just this site. Since they travelled through the cave system to the other location, they could have left an impression anywhere between. Or, being honest, somewhere else completely if it took them lots of exploration before they decided on the second spot," clarified Amdirlain.


    "What would you advise?" asked Daechir, and he glanced at the others to see if they’d offer recommendations when Amdirlain hesitated.


    Amdirlain sighed and had to bite her tongue over how some of the celestials had viewed Silpar’s Lizardfolk appearance. "I can''t give you answers, and I''m trying not to interfere with your world''s choices. I have my preferences, and I try to remember that''s all they are, as I don''t know your local situation or history. My only suggestions are that your celestials should learn not to judge by appearances and that the arcane is merely a tool."


    I could give them tools similar to what we Ieft on Qil Tris, but they’re ignoring options they already have available.


    "The Elf and Lizardfolk communities have clashed many times, and tales have spread. Those petitioners that become celestials keep some ideas from life," replied Daechir.


    "That''s rather harmful in the long run. I’d point out that Silpar isn''t from here, yet they chose to believe his association with me was problematic and so doubted my help," said Amdirlain.


    Daechir grimaced. "I’d hoped you hadn’t caught their attitude. Those who transition from mortals don’t always leave their biases behind. Will you not aid us if we have need again?"


    "I didn''t say I wouldn''t, so why make that assumption? I''m talking about a problem your Pantheon will have in the future if you react based solely on appearances," replied Amdirlain. "If there is more trouble with the Eldritch, you can get word to me through the Summer Court."


    With the last contaminated material incinerated and on a path towards their sun, she sent all the orbital gear to a demi-plane and closed the Gate. Planar Shift took Rana, Goxashru, and Silpar with her to the Outlands, and Goxashru grunted at the slight drop in temperature.


    "Do you need anything further from me, Elder?" asked Goxashru.


    "Not presently, Goxashru. Thank you for supporting the bond with Silpar and me this last week," replied Amdirlain.


    "Whatever you require, Elder. The bond with you is most pleasant, and the energy that comes through it is like a warm desert sun," reassured Goxashru.


    "Then I''m sure mine doesn''t fare so well in contrast," said Silpar.


    Goxashru''s tongue flicked out to taste the air. "It is like smelling ash on the wind and not knowing in which direction the fire comes. While it set my heart racing initially, it didn''t feel like it harmed me."


    "It didn''t. Otherwise, I would have brought it up," said Amdirlain. "Your theme shifted momentarily each dawn and then returned to normal. I had thought it was my energy that distracted you."


    "Then perhaps I don''t have as far to go as I still fear some days," said Silpar.


    "As you say, Elder. Shall I await your call at Xaos, or should I continue to help Rana with the forest Goddess''s work?" asked Goxashru.


    "If you''re enjoying helping Rana, please, by all means, continue," replied Amdirlain.


    Rana nodded. "Plenty of worlds where communities need aid."


    "If your lady would like my help with the Taur? forest on Veht?, just let me know," offered Amdirlain.


    "Do you believe you could stabilise the forest’s environment enough that her Avatar’s presence there would no longer be required?" asked Rana after a brief hesitation.


    Amdirlain winked. "I believe I could, and we’ve ways to reinforce it with True Crystals, after all. Then it wouldn''t depend on her singular presence and, if nothing else, it would ease her effort to hold the forest stable."


    "I''ll leave the decision up to my Lady," replied Rana. "We''ll let you return to your other work."


    "Of course," acknowledged Amdirlain, and she gave them a nod before Rana and Goxashru disappeared.


    "Let''s go back to my hidey-hole," said Amdirlain, and she shifted herself and Silpar to Foundry and placed them precisely on its central platform. Sarah, sprawled on her treasure pile, lifted one eyelid to consider the pair’s arrival.


    Silpar regarded Amdirlain when they reappeared near Foundry''s pavilion. "Despite all that work, you appear relaxed."


    "It was delicate more than a strain," explained Amdirlain.


    "Throwing that much material skywards was delicate?" asked Silpar, his talon tapping against his thigh. “You caused some interesting reactions in the clouds.”


    Amdirlain shrugged. "I already had the song to handle it that way and didn''t have to do much. The carving towards the planet''s core was harder. Getting rid of it only required me to isolate the material from the planet''s gravity and give it a push to set things in motion. It might have been more efficient to put a Gate towards the core with a threshold closer to the sun and drop them. I could have eliminated the atmospheric disruption by placing a seal at ground level, so that’s an approach to try next time."


    "I think we each have very different beliefs about what delicate involves," offered Silpar.


    Sarah lifted her head slightly and laughed. "Am has her unique definition for many terms."


    "Precision work then?" proposed Amdirlain before she poked her tongue out at Sarah, who snorted in response.


    Silpar nodded politely to the lounging Sarah before he sat on one of the pavilion''s benches. "I noticed the material approached closer to the device you created in orbit as time passed."


    "Practice makes perfect," quipped Amdirlain.


    "Their world is all better, I take it?" enquired Sarah.


    "I left them some devices to detect Eldritch contaminants and explained the dangers of the sigils they can leave. Unfortunately, some had spread from the initial site, so I don''t know if they left traces anywhere in between."


    Sarah transformed into her willowy brunette Human form, wearing a nearly sheer red silk dress, and joined them at the pavilion’s table. "Did you do any exploring after cleaning up?"


    "There were too many things I wanted to poke my nose into, so I went with the avoid temptation route," replied Amdirlain.


    The mock gasp Sarah gave earned her a flat look from Amdirlain.


    "Wow, they must have annoyed you," commented Sarah. "I have some good news to cheer you up regarding those mortals rescued from the Abyss. The last of them has finished treatment and returned home."


    "That is good news," agreed Amdirlain. "I don''t suppose they''d be open to future arrangements?"


    "What did you want to offer them?" enquired Sarah curiously.


    "I''m sure that is the wrong way to bargain with gem dragons. What would they like for a retainer to be available to help mortals I rescue?" asked Amdirlain.


    Sarah grinned. "I might have enquired with them about the possibility of future healing being required. Would you be against supplying some demi-planes?"


    "That''s such a hardship," laughed Amdirlain.


    "Just because it helps you to create them doesn''t devalue the uniqueness of your abilities," said Sarah.


    Amdirlain wrinkled her nose. "I''ll make them a playpen each as my top offer."


    "I would be curious to see these giant creatures you created to oppose Sarah," remarked Silpar.


    "You can tour her playpen any time you’d like,” replied Amdirlain.


    Silpar shook his head sharply. “I said I’d stay close unless my presence posed a greater danger. I had more meant that if you intended to create some more, can you manifest them in sight of us.”


    “Are you sure you don''t have something better to do besides guard me?" asked Amdirlain. "I could let you practise your fighting skills in a playpen."


    Silpar shook his head again, but his gaze never left Amdirlain. "Your safety is my priority. The only reason I didn''t accompany you into that demonic city is I likely would have increased your danger by doing so."


    Persistent fellow.


    "Someone else putting you first, I approve," declared Sarah.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "It''s going to get boring," warned Amdirlain.


    "Why are you intent on pushing yourself so fast and hard?" asked Silpar.


    Amdirlain shifted and rolled her shoulders. "I constantly feel like I''ve got problems looming that I''ve not even got a hint about yet and need to be stronger."


    "That’s because you’re justifiably paranoid," offered Sarah.


    “Since it is justified, I’d best get to work,” replied Amdirlain, and she lifted into the air.


    As Amdirlain considered all the gates she needed to open, she moved into the open air, away from all the obstacles. However, before opening the gates, she placed four points into skills.


    [Dance [S] (199) -> [G] (1)


    Devouring Cacophony [S] (199) -> [G] (1)]


    The change was almost minuscule, easing tension in some muscles and ligaments while tightening others. The minute changes in her melody drew Amdirlain’s attention to her posture''s increased power and flexibility. However, the adjustments being so small made it clear the last insights had been nearly within her grasp.


    The sharp notes vented a touch of her frustration, and the gates to thousands of worlds snapped open to form a large sphere around her. When the thresholds stabilised, Amdirlain spun through a blistering combative dance. One after another, the complex symphonies Gideon had requested soared from her flesh. As the first hints of fatigue bit in, Phoenix''s Rapture caused flames to rage from her body, casting massive shadows over the pathways and platforms near and far. Amid the primordial flames, Ki Flight held Amdirlain aloft as she danced to bring new life and resolve issues upon thousands of worlds simultaneously. The pulse of the Ki within her form added a carrying strength to the ongoing songs.


    Though Amdirlain was enraptured in delivering multiple performances, she heard the others come and go throughout her performance. Amdirlain sought to improve with every song, adding emphasising motions into every melody. With her mind racing in review of each song at first, they were a calculated and precise choreography, like the stage performance during concert tours on Qil Tris. As she ramped up the pace, they became wild, spontaneous performances, the effort consumed by Pain Eater, leaving them to contain only her wonder of the music running through her.


    The list had been longer than Gideon’s original one, yet Amdirlain completed it on the first day. As notifications of improvement came and went, the renewing flames of her aura knitted her flesh together.


    On tens of thousands of worlds, new plants bloomed, species evolved, forests rose from the ground, seas swarmed with new species that might seek out niches upon the land, and other dying species found a new footing as adaptions took hold. More than one melody caused a spark of evolution that gave a new direction to a species at a dead end or sealed the fate of problematic species that had not yet developed sentience.


    The climb through the Power''s Senior Master levels became a torturous cliff climb, with each progression taking double or even triple the effort required by the one prior. Each time the capacity of True Song Genesis increased, Amdirlain stretched her control over additional songs or pushed more energy into those she supported to hold herself at the limits of physical dissolution. When she was on the cusp of Grandmaster rank, Gideon''s list came out with a single location and a challenge. Amdirlain opened the Gate to view a yellow star and a mostly water-covered planet in orbit around it.


    The sheer magnitude of the effort involved in the task finally gave her reason to pause. She grumbled at Gideon and rechecked the worklist, only to get the same result.


    [Start at the beginning and create an entire oceanic ecosystem with at least thirty biomes to provide the cradle of future planetary life.


    Note: Since you''ve ignored another source of help, you''ll need to plan it properly so you can do it in one go and avoid die-offs.]


    I worked with Roher.


    With no need for its renewal effect, Amdirlain turned her aura off.


    Sarah appeared beside her in Human form and bumped shoulders with Amdirlain. "You finally came up for air."


    "I''m at level 200," explained Amdirlain, waving a hand towards the open Gate; she repeated Gideon''s request.


    "That''s progress, right? They''re trusting you with the lot and not holding your hand. Your dance moves looked pretty hot too," added Sarah.


    Amdirlain slowly shook her head while regarding Sarah reproachfully. "That''s such a bad pun."


    "Well, you did have that aura burning like a star for a full year now," laughed Sarah, and she bumped Amdirlain''s shoulder again. "Take a break, maybe kill some demons, and think about it. You''ve got plenty of planetary songs to copy. Though Gideon is crazy—how much energy would it take to create the foundations of life?"


    "Too much, since they want it done all in one go. Gideon''s note said they''ve ensured I''ve got plenty of templates to use," said Amdirlain, and she double-checked that only Silpar was present with them in the demi-plane. "Do you know what''s in that container I got from Claughuthruuazex?"


    "I''m pretty sure I do," admitted Sarah. "Are you sure you want me to tell you? I don''t know if I know everything about them, and they''ll likely be useless until you can get past the concealments."


    "Yes, please," said Amdirlain.


    Sarah folded her arms beneath her breasts as if she were hugging herself. ''The harp is Ori''s world harp. Her name is Gilorn, from an elven dialect where it meant Star Tree.''


    The unusual nervous gesture gave Amdirlain pause. ''I don''t remember her using a harp to create worlds.''


    ''Ori used it when she created multiple systems, not just a world,'' advised Sarah. ''She didn''t take it easy when the Anar and Lóm? went off in a huff. Ori spent years frantically continuing the project they''d abandoned. She relaxed only when she was sure the aspects were up to continuing.''


    ''How long would it take her to create a star system?'' asked Amdirlain.


    ''Minutes,'' murmured Sarah.


    ''Why so secretive about it?'' asked Amdirlain.


    ''I remember the scent of all the anger and pain. I hope you''ll not use that as a challenge to push yourself harder,'' projected Sarah.


    Amdirlain snorted in disbelief. "I was pleased that Gideon''s challenge would only take me decades of planning."


    "Never mind, you''re still a little hatchling," quipped Sarah.


    "Meow," grumbled Amdirlain, only for Sarah to laugh. "What about the orrery?"


    "Each crystal contains a galaxy''s worth of melodies, and you can let the orrery display a random solar system or specify," clarified Sarah before she retrieved a crystal from its niche.


    "Going to demonstrate?" asked Amdirlain. "I''ve already seen Isa do it by accident."


    The corner of Sarah''s mouth twitched in a suppressed smirk before she put the crystal by the outer planet in the current display. When the crystal was set atop the device''s plate, it reconfigured itself to display a new star system. Sarah repeated the exercise twelve times in rapid succession without a single system being shown twice. Then she spoke a name in draconic before she placed the crystal, and it displayed a system with eight worlds; Sarah continued the exercise but alternated random star systems with the same eight-planet system by naming it.


    I thought I knew how much of a workaholic Ori was. Even with the Anar and Lóm? helping, it''s hard to envisage they had created so many galaxies.


    Amdirlain frowned. "As long as you know the system''s name, you can recall its details. I don''t understand; Ori had a perfect memory, so why would she need a record to remember them?


    Sarah winked. "Guess the record wasn''t for her lifetime or maybe not even for her. However, I''ve no idea how she locked them down."


    "She wouldn''t want anyone else to have them," breathed Amdirlain. "There is so much I don''t know yet."


    "Your True Song Architecture is lagging, for one thing," noted Sarah.


    "I need to push harder," agreed Amdirlain.


    Sarah narrowed her gaze suspiciously. "Do you think it''ll be good for anyone if you fry your brain? You''ve been pushing hard, but you''ll still need to work on various resistances and get more levels."


    "No," muttered Amdirlain. "The levels are easy. Once I qualify for the Prestige Class, I still need more demi-planes to set up the Qil Tris training facilities, could do some for other places."


    "By getting your True Song Architecture higher, you might figure out a more efficient approach to creating life throughout a planet''s oceans," proposed Sarah. "You''re going to need it in the Grandmaster ranks anyway. Just because a song is efficient doesn''t mean you can''t stretch your ability to support it over a wider area or compress its performance to challenge yourself."


    "You have a point," admitted Amdirlain.


    Sarah grunted. "I didn''t want to disturb you, but how hard did you push Phoenix''s Rapture?"


    "What can I say? Burn, baby, burn," laughed Amdirlain. "It''s by far my most advanced Power or Skill."


    "Because you rip yourself up so much, or the sigil?" asked Sarah.


    "Both, maybe," replied Amdirlain with a shrug. "What if instead of only the challenge Gideon set me, I plan it out and handle continents'' biomes as well?"


    "You just fell right into Gideon''s trap by thinking about it. You''re such an overachiever," jeered Sarah, her tension tightening the skin around her eyes.


    Amdirlain nodded glumly. "They likely set that trap knowing it would push me back to developing my compositions, either from opting for it myself or because of you heckling me."


    "Are you going to schedule time with Roher?" asked Sarah.


    "I should unless you think I should put all my points into it at once," replied Amdirlain.


    "No!" exclaimed Sarah sharply.


    Amdirlain smirked. "That will teach you to heckle me. I''ll contact him, but I worry about taking time from his children."


    "Isn''t it good I spoke to Roher while you were singing and got him to prepare more crystals," said Sarah, releasing a dozen memory crystals on the pavilion''s table.


    Amdirlain reached for the closest one and got her hand promptly smacked.


    "Naughty girl," huffed Sarah. "We''re talking. You can consume those shortly."


    "Meep!" squeaked Amdirlain, her gaze lit up with amusement.


    Sarah''s firm glare fixed on Amdirlain, who suddenly transformed into a Catfolk cub barely tall enough to peer over the table in return.


    "And you called me a brat," huffed Sarah.


    "Rawr," lisped Amdirlain.


    "That''s not going to save you," growled Sarah, keeping amusement from her gaze. "We also need to push your primordial and cold resistances higher."


    "Don''t forget mundane materials," interjected Silpar, and he extended his claws to tap them on the pavilion''s table. "With that demonstration of creativity, are you sure the Magic rating of a being like that Demon Lord is a risk to you? Possessing skills from Mana Manipulation onwards increases the effectiveness of someone''s Magic rating, and I would have thought you''d have obliterated him."


    "I could and did do that. Yet my Analysis Skill doesn''t tell me every Power and Skill someone possesses, and an unrecognised threat could be my undoing. If I don''t need to take the risk, I''ll play it safe," replied Amdirlain, and she changed back into her Wood Elf form and brushed auburn locks away from her face. "I don''t want to get locked to my home planes with everything else I need to do now."


    "With training, someone can punch through a glass window, but they still risk opening up their arm on the shards left behind if they’re not careful," said Sarah.


    Amdirlain nodded. "And Moloch''s got hundreds of demon lords. Why risk it on that one?"


    Sarah smiled viciously. "Are you going to destroy more of his lackeys soon?"


    "If Roher''s estimate of how long it will take me to push True Song Architecture to Grandmaster is right, I''ll go on a killing spree once it''s done," said Amdirlain.


    Amdirlain''s hand hovered above the memory crystals Roher had provided, and she glanced back at the orrery in the still-open container. Far Hand delivered the crystal Isa had popped free into Amdirlain''s grasp.


    "What are you thinking?" asked Sarah.


    "It might not be able to recognise me because of my Hidden state," replied Amdirlain. "Isa could hear me when I used a suitable Power."


    With the crystal in the palm of her hand, Amdirlain activated Universal Life. As the golden energy wrapped around the crystal, its concealment vanished. Countless songs were suddenly audible in the crystal''s interior. Still, each was arrayed in precise layers of exquisite sound, becoming increasingly more complex the deeper within the crystal they were set. Amdirlain strained Resonance unsuccessfully to make out any details of the item''s depths.


    "It''s not a teaching tool. It''s a record. I can make out the edges of the more complex melodies, but they''re behind so many layers of simpler ones they naturally obscure the details," murmured Amdirlain as she lowered her hand to the table.


    Sarah picked the crystal from Amdirlain''s palm, and the songs vanished when separated from the golden light. "And now?"


    "Its concealment is back in place," advised Amdirlain, and she deactivated the Power.


    "I didn''t know she''d set them up that way, so many secrets," grumbled Sarah.


    "Why keep a record like those?" asked Amdirlain.


    Sarah shrugged. "In case the worst happened. What made you try that?"


    "Hidden are protected from scrying, even against greater deities. It was a hunch it would know me without that protection. Ori must have expected to die," replied Amdirlain.


    "Ori always knew it was a risk. She had other contingencies in place. I know you remembered the conversation with her husband about her daughter''s coming of age," reminded Sarah.


    "Ahh, I hadn''t thought about that for a while," admitted Amdirlain.


    Sarah smiled. "Perfect memory, but you still have to want to remember things. It was an unpleasant conversation to bring up, so I''m not surprised you''ve not dwelt on it. It looks like Roher''s present got outbid. I''ll admit I wasn''t expecting that at all."


    "Roher''s crystals are still useful. The record crystals will take lots of investigation and an improvement in my Resonance, plus they''re not set up to teach," said Amdirlain, and she turned her attention back to the container. "There is one thing: the harp also might react to my Ki."


    "It has a personality," cautioned Sarah. “I don’t know why it didn’t speak before.”


    "Will it tell me to improve my harp playing first?" laughed Amdirlain, and she moved to the harp.


    When she activated Universal Life, golden Ki poured across the harp. The Mediterranean blue of the harp''s crystal became saturated with a sea of stars, and a rapid run of notes sounded from the strings, only for it to twitch back into a musical yawn. "Oh? Lady Orhêthurin, you broke the stasis. Wait, what have you done to yourself?"


    The last words came out in a clash of strings that affected a matron’s reproving tones.


    "Gilorn, unfortunately, the Lady Orhêthurin you knew died," advised Amdirlain. "You can call me Am."


    Gilorn’s deepest strings thrummed in a tenor range, and its words came out sharp with grief. "Reincarnated; no wonder your Soul feels so wounded. So you require me as a teacher. I never thought that would come about, despite your words. Well, let''s get you back in tune at once. Tell me the status of all your True Song-related powers and skills."


    Amdirlain tilted her head at the shift in the harp''s tone from matron to drill instructor. The mental presence within the crystal had a strength that rivalled Claughuthruuazex.


    Why am I surprised at the strength? Gilorn aided Ori in making solar systems.


    "Don''t delay. You’d best be prepared to push yourself hard."