Adelheid 0: The Foreign God (Patreon)

Within a realm devoid of light existed a monolithic throne not of mortal make. Upon the throne sat a being, one whose very existence caused the surrounding to warp endlessly. The figure was a woman and appeared to be a lady either in the prime of her life, a lively teenager, or other times, a child full of innocence. The only similarity in all three forms was the ink-black hair that shimmered with countless stars like the night sky, skin so white it seemed to be carved from ivory, and the wedding dress not of white but black.

The being was not– could not be mortal. Her sense of existence was far too heavy, far too ominous. The being opened her eyes, revealing her pupil-less eyes that resembled the abyss. Just a single glance could cause anyone who looked into them to lose their sanity.

"Hm?"

The being's mouth did not move, but her voice resounded throughout the distorted realm that she existed in. Her gaze penetrated through the layers of space towards the soul that was approaching her.

It was a new member of her kin.

Her eyes moved with interest and seemed to shine in the dim realm. She raised one of her delicate fingers up before tapping her throne. There was no sound, no vibration, but the space trembled, and a hole appeared in the boundary.

Stretching her hand out, an orb of black light flew into her hand from the hole. She frowned when she noticed a smaller orb of violet light attached to the black orb. Under her control, the violet orb of light detached from the black orb. Letting the violet orb float to the side, she brought the black orb to eye level.

"Beautiful," the being said aloud, the first time she had spoken in eons. Her voice was crisp and bell-like, melodic to the ears, but the whole realm trembled under the soft-spoken word.

The orb emitted light of pure black. Instead of illuminating all things, the orb shrouded everything like a devourer. To the being, it was a beautifully pure soul. After admiring the black soul, she allowed it to return, content to allow it to grow to its full potential. Then she turned her eyes towards the straggler.

The violet soul was cloudy, full of impurities, unlike the black soul before it. Its light was dim and seemed to flicker in and out of existence. Had the violet soul not latched onto the black soul earlier, it would have long perished.

The being wasn’t interested in the violet soul, but on a whim, her gaze penetrated through layers of space. The soul's history, past and present, were easily read by her. A hint of amusement flashed through the being's eyes.

In chess, if the black soul were a queen, then the violet soul was but a pawn. But even a pawn had its uses.

The being cupped the violet soul in her hand. Delight flashed through her eyes as the violet soul trembled as if to resist her. However, the soul was far too weak, and she was more than divine. The violet soul's form solidified, not to the point of the black soul, but to the point that it no longer seemed liable of extinguishing at any moment.

At the same time, a scarlet light appeared within the center of the soul. The violet soul shivered as the scarlet light began to spread out like veins and encroached on it, dyeing it in a blood-red glow.

The being felt amusement. If the violet soul was a mosquito, then she was a god. She wouldn't care for the thoughts of a human, much less a bug, and if it buzzed too much, she would squash it. The same for the black soul. Their continued existence was something she could alter at a mere whim.

The violet soul petrified as if sensing the being's thoughts. The being gave the impression of a smile despite her lips not moving, but it was only a slight smile as she continued to alter the soul. When she was done, the soul resembled a glass marble with fractured insides. It was still violet, but now red veins intersected throughout.

The violet soul flew out of the hole that it arrived in with the black soul. The incomprehensible being stilled for a few moments before she gave a few parting words.

"If you resent being shackled by the will of others, then become stronger. Become more powerful than you can imagine and transcend the limits of mortality, for if you fail, then all that awaits you is a fate worse than death."