Ultimate Level 1 - Chapter 220a - Strengthening a Thread (Patreon)

Wekime’s presence upset the five watchers as they turned to face him.  

A smile was on his jaw as he saw them take the same shape as he was right now.  A dragonkin, as some might call it, one that allowed him easy access through the halls of this place without having to show off the immense size of his natural form.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to shed this shell and watch as they transformed also…

Chuckling slightly, his eyes watched the blank looks on the watchers as they shifted ever so slightly.

“It has been a while since you have visited us,” one of the female watchers said. “Tell us, are you here to break the agreement?”

Shaking his head slowly, Wekime stood there with his hands behind his back, slowly flexing his fingers as he continued to consider what they must be thinking and wondering.

“I have not.”

For creatures of immense power, almost as old as he was and gatekeepers to the system and all that controls it, they seemed relieved at his reply.

How many years has it been since I have been here? Forty thousand? Fifty thousand?

Lost in his thoughts for a moment, Wekime allowed himself to reflect on how that had gone.  A rift in the peace had been broken, and the movement of the others had resulted in something scorching planets and killing hundreds of gods.  

The last time all three skills fought.

“I won’t waste time or words.  I have come to invest power in the threads of one.”

“One moment,” the same watcher replied, and he watched as all five went silent, knowing they were communicating in secret.

Worlds, solar systems, galaxies, and more flew by across the landscape of this room’s ceiling.  He recognized so many of them, having been there when they were formed.  Watching and not getting to play the game had left him bored. Occasionally, all he could do was wait for those who asked for his wisdom or guidance.  

Being a god and bored is a dangerous thing. That is why the demons moved as they did. Rumors of their mischief have been going on for so long across all the worlds.  

“Tell us the name of the one you want to adjust the thread on.”

The male watcher's voice was one he knew too well. Focusing his gaze upon the dragonkin at the end, they locked eyes, and those bright white eyes shined back at him.

“Max Hoste.”

As one of the five shifted, his smile grew as they glanced at each other momentarily.  The black stone chairs they chose to sit in reminded him of a material he had created.  Each time he came, they had used it for their chairs, and at first, it felt like a slight, telling him that it was nothing more than a place for their celestial ass to sit upon.  

In time, he saw it as a compliment. That they would choose to show his creation in this room was a testament to his power.

“That name is not one you should know.  How have you come about it?”

The sound of his laughter echoed around a room with no walls. Every star, planet, and the vastness of the heavens surrounded him, yet his voice filled it all.

“One does not rise to my power and position without having ways of finding fun things to play with.  Now tell me, I am still allowed to impart power back into the system, am I not?”

“You are.”

The short reply told Wekime everything he needed to know.  For those who were supposed never to give away things, his simple act and their response confirmed that many were attempting to find the young man or already impart power to his thread.  Even the fact that simply saying a name that could be known multiple times in so many different worlds and getting that response meant the watchers were focused on this life.

Someone had originally decided to give him this power, for whatever reason. Whether it had been specific or simply a random act, the thread of this young boy's life was undoubtedly now weaving itself through so many things that it would be unable to hide in time.

“Then I would like to impart some blessings upon his journey.”

Silence seemed to stretch on for eternity as the five said nothing. If it wasn’t for the threads of power that ran from the cosmos and into them and back out, he might have thought time itself had frozen.

“Very well.  Choose how much you wish to give to help this one.”

Nodding, Wekime moved to the metallic pillar that rose from the floor and set his three-fingered scaled hand upon it.

Oh, Phiaus… using your own gift to help this boy seems like the greatest irony of it all.

As the planet's power left him and the watchers felt it enter the system, Wekime sensed the boy briefly on a young world.

“The price has been paid.  How would you like his thread to be adjusted?”

“Increase his chance of acquiring better items. Maybe even an artifact.”

The female watcher who spoke first leaned forward slightly.  A single finger pointed at him, and her tone sounded shocked as she spoke.

“You would ask for one of those to be given? You have not paid near enough for such a prize!”

Waving his hand, the metallic pillar rose again, and he put his hand upon it once more.

“Then tell me the cost. As you all know, there is no limit to what I can pay.”