The Rise to Godhood
Chapter 56: Glory or Sacrifice.

As Gaia opened her eyes, she saw herself frozen in time. It was the moment when she and Thorax touched the Zeto Crystal simultaneously, which caused the blast that had made her fall unconscious. The True Maker approached her and spoke, “This, my daughter, is one of the most momentous moments of this Milky Way Galaxy iteration.”

Gaia looked at True Maker, nodded, and spoke with an afterthought, “Let me guess, I need to choose because you cannot?”

“Yes,” True Maker replied.

“Is Thorax’s claim true? Is this world a simulation?” Gaia asked.

“I cannot answer that question with certainty. I woke up on this day a trillion years ago. As you know, this is the 1000th iteration of the Milky Way Galaxy. Perhaps there is a higher force than me in this world.” True Maker speculated.

“Is that why you can’t make choices?” Gaia asked.

“Yes, for one reason or another, only mortals can affect the outcomes of their lives,” True Maker stated.

“So, tell me about the choice I need to make,” Gaia said.

“I’d rather show you,” True Maker replied and put her hand on Gaia’s head.

Gaia closed her eyes, and visions of greatness appeared. She saw herself possessing the seven Zeto Crystals with all the sentient species of the galaxy bowing to her. There were monuments of her carved into every mountain, and life was ubiquitous throughout the universe.

“Wow, what was that?” Gaia asked.

“That was the outcome if you choose to claim the corrupted Zeto Crystal for yourself. The Xenos will bow to you, and you’ll use them to subjugate the other sentient species for the greater good. All sentient species will interbreed in your galactic empire until there are only one species left, and they’ll worship you like their living deity.” True Maker explained.

“I understand. Please show my other options, mother.” Gaia replied.

True Maker touched Gaia’s head again, and she felt like a free spirit. Gaia saw Adan and Ava raising their children. Time passed until they were dead, and their lifeforce flowed through their descendants. She felt at peace, but no one was aware of her role in saving the galaxy.

“That is the outcome if you choose to sacrifice yourself by using your lifeforce to restore the Zeto Crystal. You’ll die and be forgotten, but life will go on, and free will shall continue to exist.” True Maker explained.

Gaia nodded and replied, “What if I choose another option? You haven’t described every possible outcome.”

“What do you mean?” True Maker replied.

“What if I choose to neither sacrifice myself nor claim the corrupted Zeto Crystal?” Gaia asked.

“That scenario doesn’t make any sense. Someone else will claim the corrupted crystal, do the same things Thorax did, and your entire existence will be for nothing.” True Maker replied.

“Yet, sometimes people choose to make the meaningless choice. But I assume you already know what choice I will make?” Gaia asked rhetorically.

“Yes, I know your spirit,” True Maker replied.

“Then bring Gromvir back. I promised Areela to keep him safe.” Gaia requested.

“Are you negotiating with the Supreme Deity?” True Maker asked.

“Yes, mother,” Gaia replied and smiled.

“Very well, I’ll bring Gromvir back to life if you restore the Zeto Crystal,” True Maker replied.

“We have a deal,” Gaia said, and time resumed. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

***

Gaia felt immense pain as she returned to her senses. Thorax and Areela were dead; the former came as a relief and the latter as a sorrow, yet Gaia knew that she had made the right choice. Gromvir would have a future if he came back to life, while Areela wouldn’t. Gaia grabbed the crystal, and she heard how the Xenos were approaching. It was now or never, she could either rule or sacrifice herself, but she had to choose. As Gaia grabbed the crystal to sacrifice herself, she felt angst as she feared dying alone. Gaia held Areela’s still warm hand and let go of her divine energies to restore the crystal. There was a burst of light, and everything turned black.

***

*Whoosh*

Gaia woke up with a twist as many fearsome Xenos looked at her in silence. She looked at the Zeto Crystal. It looked restored, and she felt strange; she had lost the ever-present contact with her mother.

“Eeeek!”

Gaia looked to her right, where Areela screeched in terror. Gaia grabbed the hand of her lover, squeezed it, and whispered. “Don’t fret, my love. Everything is going to be alright.”

“How do you know?” Areela whimpered.

“Because we are still alive. Let’s go home.” Gaia said, got up, and helped Areela back to her feet. On the way back to their portal, they joined Gromvir and Gunnar, the only surviving dwarf in their entourage. They left Xenora, never to return.

***

The True Maker watched as Gaia and Areela rose to life and shivered. Something had gone wrong, and the world was still in danger. When Gaia sacrificed herself, she gave up everything for her loved ones. Yet Gaia loved Areela more than life itself, so her subconscious had diverted some of her divinity to keep her and Areela alive. While the godhood that Gaia surrendered into the crystal made it seem pure, it still contained enough of Thorax’s taint to pose a threat in the future.

The True Maker tried to contact Gaia. It was to no avail, as she had given up her divinity to be with her loved ones. True Maker looked at the crystal again. For now, the world was safe, and she would have to stay vigilant to stop any new threats to the integrity of the Milky Way Galaxy.

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