Lily May was dead. It had changed everything, and yet so much felt the same even if it was not. She was still close to Biyu, through her blessing. Their minds were intertwined, but now that she was dead all her power came from Biyu. Being dead, May had no power of her own. But, she could make a mortal body, or rather a thrall body, at any time with the power Biyu granted her. Before Biyu regained her power, May had been stuck in either the netherworld, or Biyu's domain.

  The netherworld was a strange place. At first glance, it was like a tarnished mirror. The colors were washed out and the edges fuzzy. Not just that, the netherworld had its own geometry. Going from point 'A' to point 'B' was sometimes as simple as walking from one to the other. But, sometimes, 'B' remained far away no matter how many steps she took. Even if both places existed in the living world.

  Sometimes the distance between two points was vaster than they appeared, like the twisted spaces Biyu created in her own domain. Sometimes point 'B' did not exist, leaving one to navigate around land that could not be traversed because despite being able to see it, it was not there. Worse, sometimes one had to go the opposite direction to progress to their destination. May wouldn't, couldn't, say she was learning the rules, but the longer she navigated the netherworld the more her intuition improved. It was like developing a sense of direction.

  In the netherworld, mortal Humans appeared like reflections of reflections; faint images, ghosts, insubstantial to both the eye and touch. Passing through the image of a Human burned her, as the fire of their soul touched her. Those she passed through reported the opposite: a feeling of intense cold.

  Knights were more substantial, their ghosts filled with blazing fire. The flames reminded May of the eyes of angered guardian spirits. However, rather than white flames, the flames of the Knights was colored by their aspect. Not just that, but with Knights May could get a sense of the character of a Knight from their flames. Sir Stuart was a notable example, as he gave her the impression of old worn stone. Old and worn, but still solid. It had been weathered by aged, but still it stood, and it would stand for ages to come. If she were to characterize Sir Stuart, it would be as steadfast and unbowed.

  Blessings were the opposite of Awakenings. Instead of a flame within the ghost of the bearer, they were flames in the aspect of a person's benefactor that haloed their silhouette. Those who were both Awakened and blessed bore both a flame within and without. Lady Anya's Awakened flame was a different shade of purple-black from the blessing that wreathed her from Biyu. The purple-black should have made her think of a bruise, but to May thought it was a rare and beautiful shade.

  Biyu was different from all others, in that she was the same in the netherworld and the world of the living. She was herself within the realm of the dead, where Lost Souls appeared as glowing wisps, and ghosts were faded simulacra of who they were in life. Biyu existed simultaneously in the netherworld and the living world at the same time. The strange geometry of the netherworld did not affect her, as her mortal form walked forward easily, except when it was to her advantage to walk the twisted ways of the netherworld. In the mortal realm, she would slip out of sight, only to appear somewhere unexpected. Biyu could also speak to the living and the dead at the same time, leaving her audience confused as both sides found themselves missing part of the conversation. Most of the time, May found it easier to remain incorporeal near Biyu rather than taking on a thrall body. When she was in the netherworld, it was easier to convince herself she was still alive. Among the living, she could not help but remember she was no longer one of them.

  Lily May also spent some of her time in Biyu's domain, where one of Biyu's avatars ruled. This Biyu was always working. Either she was speaking with Bruce about new arrivals and policy, holding court so the dead bargain with her, ensuring the dead who had been tasked were working on their tasks, or other duties May was only vaguely aware of.

  The once pleasant camp that had once been her domain had been replaced with a town. Row houses that were larger on the inside than out housed thousands in a space that should only house a dozen. People seeing to their duties bustled throughout the town. May knew that a some souls had been granted enough power to brave the netherworld to shepherd Lost Souls back to the domain and Judgment. Those who denied the Heavens, or elected to remain, were taken to Bruce and his staff for tasking, or requested an audience with Biyu to negotiate service for boons.

  May tried to convince Biyu's domain avatar to take a break, but while her Master would reply with a grateful smile for her concern, she continued to work without rest. "My other self is my break," Biyu told her when pressed, "so I am always on break. Therefore, I do not need one. Do not worry. She and I regularly swap places, so that I rest while she sees to our duties."

  May knew what Biyu said was true, but only a little true. There was nothing May could do, for if she pressed Biyu too strongly she would avoid her. Giving chase would only irritate her Master, so May left her alone. She was a respectful retainer as well as dutiful.

  Lily May was keeping close to Biyu in the netherworld, listening to a conversation among the caravan through her blessing. She could hear the voices of the living in the netherworld, but only as whispers. It took concentration to catch them, and some of the words were always lost. So, she relied on her connection to Biyu to follow the conversation without investing in a thrall.

  They were two weeks away from the heart of Shadow Gate. The lands they passed through were part of Shadow Gate province, and the people from Shadow Gate told them that they were technically already in the city, but not yet in the heart. The lands reminded May of the Southlands, full of well irrigated farms. The wheat was a hardy, stunted grain they had seen on their way here.

  The weather this far north was warmer, given how many in the entourage wore lighter clothing. Lady Anya was barely modest by Southland standards. Even Lady Chelsea was wearing a short-sleeved tunic and short pants. Just, not as short as Biyu wore.

  "I should go," Sir Stuart said, for the second time. "I'm the lowest ranked among us, and I am part of Lady Chelsea's escort."

  "My Knights are lower ranked. They're basically just Initiates. One of'm, Kai, should be the one to run ahead. Besides, ya know they're messengers."

  "They're too low ranking to represent Lady Bringer," Sir Leon said. "Lady Chelsea, too. Although, it should be a representative of Lady Bringer's who goes. She is higher ranked, being a god."

  "This is Lady Chelsea's triumphant return from her journey as a Knight-Errant. I do not wish to interfere," Biyu said. "We should wait in a nearby town or city, until she has had her celebration."

  Lady Chelsea gave a brief smile, then shook her head. "You shouldn't have to wait on me, Lady Bringer. You should enter the city with me as a guest of honor."

  "I am coming to fulfill an obligation. There is no need for me to rush into the city. You said there is a city of temples?"

  "Temple Town, yes. That's where most of the city's temples are."

  "I will stay there. We will say I am paying respect to my peers. Lily May can attend to the Oracle as my agent."

  "Why don't we send her?" Bert asked. "I mean, Master's the fastest one here, right? She's the perfect herald, isn't she?"

  Lily May appeared to volunteer for the task. The transition from the netherworld the world of the living was like surfacing from water. Not in the sense of being able to draw breath, but just like water dulled hearing and sight, the netherworld felt much the same to her. The world rippled a little at her transition. May doubted anyone but the one transitioning could feel it.

  "I'll go. I'm fine with being Master's herald," Lily May said. The words resonated with her as she spoke them, and Lily May found herself forced to reflect on what she had said. It was true. She was a herald. An agent who comes before. A bearer of her words and will. The thrall she inhabited unraveled. The world around her shuddered…

  Chelsea stared at the spot where May had just been standing. She'd suddenly disappeared in a thunderclap. Lady Bringer was doubled over in pain, and for an incoherent moment she thought Biyu was suffering from cramps. The world shuddered, and her absurd thought was cast off. Chelsea's vision fuzzed as she saw what should not be seen. A misty realm she assumed was the netherworld overlapped with the world she knew. Lady Bringer was in the center. A third world, one full of buildings and bustling souls, overlapped the first two, and her mind swam trying to reconcile the impossible sight. Whatever was happening, for a moment the three realms were merged into one. The people around her fuzzed, faded, and turned into twisted versions of themselves full of flames. All but Lady Bringer, who remained doubled over and trembling as the world around her did something it should not have been able to.

  May started out as an ethereal being, a ghost, wreathed in purple-black fire. The flames were sucked in, filling Lily May rather than wreathing her. The faintness of her form turned solid, the woman becoming as solid as Lady Bringer. While Biyu writhed in pain, Lily May was stumbled around, disoriented. There was a thunderclap, and the world returned to the way it should be. The nether realm and Biyu's domain were gone. Humans were Human once more. Sir Leon had emptied his stomach, and the rest of the entourage looked no better.

  May stood there, proud and nude, heaving as she inspected her hand in shock. Biyu collapsed to the ground, rolling onto her back to stare up at the sky above her, her breath heaving. Healer Franklin, before he fully recovered, ran to check on her.

  Chelsea, unsure of what to do, approached Lily May. She touched the naked woman's shoulder, and was surprised at the feel of her. She'd felt thralls before, and there was always something off about the sensation of touching them. Instead, Lily May felt alive.

  May flinched, then looked at her with wide eyes. "I'm… alive?" she asked.

  Chelsea blinked. "You can't be. You died. I was there when we burned your remains."

  "I did," May agreed, looking at her hand again. "But, I don't think I am anymore."

  Healer Franklin was busy with Lady Bringer, so Lady Anya came to inspect May. She took May's pulse, and her eyes widened in shock when she found it. "You have a heartbeat," she said. "You're breathing. And…" Lady Anya's eyes colored like Biyu's did, when she looked into the world of the dead. "You aren't like you were. You're… I think you are alive."

  May inspected herself. Not a lot had changed, even though she knew it had in a crucial way. If she wanted to, she could return to the world of the dead like she could as a thrall. Even now, as a supposedly living being, she could see the realm of the dead. The way Biyu and Lady Anya could.

  May could also enter Biyu's domain without effort. Before, May had to enter Biyu's realm from the 'border', near where Biyu was in the netherworld of living realm. Now, she could enter at any time. In fact, she could feel a part of herself in Biyu's domain now. And she could feel a part of Biyu within her. Not quite like the blessing, but instead as though Biyu and her were parts of each other. Separate, but part of a whole.

  May continued to explore the bond between them. With it, she could draw on Biyu's power as though it were her own. She could also hold it, but once she let go it flowed back into Biyu… or Biyu's domain. May wasn't really sure where the power originated from. What she did know was that she had access to more than just mana. She could call on Biyu's Divinity, and that scared her. She had Biyu's knowledge of blessings, but she didn't know how to use it. There was a sudden fear of having power she didn't know how to use. The fear was eased by Biyu's presence, assuring her that she would guide May when she needed to use it. Not if. When. In fact, Biyu urged her to use it now.

  Nervous, but following Biyu's guidance, she replaced the blessing Biyu placed on Bert with her own. It wasn't as powerful as she had been when she first Awakened, but he now had enough power to use [Wind Walk]. Not just that, but she included Biyu's blessings of healing and health too. Now her apprentice would be able to practice her signature technique before he Awakened.

  Biyu had recovered enough to stand, with Healer Franklin urging her to drink water. She caught May's eye, and gave her an approving smile between sips.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "What happened?" Sir Leon asked, breaking the wary silence in the wake of the shuddering of the world.

  "May has become my Herald. A part of my pantheon. She is now a god who serves me."

  "A god," May whispered to herself, while others shouted it. Sir Leon the loudest of them all.

  "How?" Lady Chelsea demanded.

  "May has always surpassed the first step to godhood. Knowing herself. Putting her truth into words, with my power to support that truth, has allowed her to Ascend." Biyu's smile faded. "Is it Ascension, if you do not Ascend to the Heavens?"

  "She died," Sir Leon argued weakly.

  "I am a god of the dead. She is my retainer who dwells within my domain and enjoys a portion of my power. I think she is overqualified."

  "Gods," Sir Leon cursed. "It's that easy?"

  "It is not easy," Biyu said. "Knowing the step makes it harder. Trying to understand yourself makes it easier to lie to yourself about who you are. Self-reflection without knowledge of this step is a steadier path to godhood."

  "You know who you are?" Lady Chelsea challenged Biyu.

  Biyu shook her head. "I do not, but my path started on the path of a demon. I can advance without the same self awareness. At least, further than a petty god would."

  May, bored with the conversation, tested how [Wind Walk] changed with her. Before she was a gust for just a moment, the time it took to reach her destination. Now she no longer set a destination and turned into wind to blow from one point to the other. No. Now she became the wind, and blew as she pleased. She enjoyed the freedom of rushing across the land faster than most Knights could run. She danced and capered across the fields, watching the grass bend down before her. As she passed, the entourage exclaimed at the power of her gust. A moment's thought, and she was a wind blowing through the netherworld. The people shuddered as she passed through them, a freezing wind that did not touch them.

  In the netherworld, her intuition of the land let her pass over large distances in moments. Miles away, she returned to her mortal form in the living realm. Rustic villagers stared at the nude May as she suddenly appeared among them. Smiling unperturbed, she waved to them, and then burst into wind once more.

  May returned to the caravan in moments, moving through the realms of the living and dead to speed her way. Lady Chelsea, returning to herself after having a moment to process the revelation, forced clothes onto May for her to dress in.

  Smiling at the entourage, May bowed to her Master. "I shall announce you, as your Herald, Lady Bringer."

  Biyu sighed softly as she looked at May. "You are completely mine now, May. The Heavens are forever beyond you, for you are a god of the world."

  "I'm a god of you, Biyu."

  "I am a god of those yet to face Judgment, and those who remain afterwards. My Ascension will be different from yours, May."

  "Am I Ascended?" May asked. She wasn't entirely convinced.

  "I think you are a fully Ascended god, May."

  May blinked. "But, I have a body again? Do gods… I mean, shouldn't I be immortal?"

  Biyu was prepared to reply, but she pursed her lips. I should not speak of it before others. Ascension is for most gods about becoming a part of the world. Intrinsic to it. Like Arliss, but in reverse. However, your Ascension was becoming a part of me?. Your Ascension is stunted, because I have not yet Ascended. As I grow, so shall you.

  Ah. I see, Biyu. May considered it for a moment. Nothing really changes?

  You are alive, May. At least, as much as any Ascended god can be called alive.

  I suppose I am. Biyu, send me to announce you and Lady Chelsea. It is my duty, as a Herald.

  "May, go inform Shadow Gate that we are coming."

  May saluted, fist to chest. Then, she was gone.

  Glen wiped the sweat from his brow. Early fall it may be, but only on the calendar. This far north it wouldn't be cool for another month. With the cooler weather came the dry season. Winter was the season of dusty windstorms. Sometimes there would be ice or a dusting of snow in the dark hours, but it never lasted past the rising of the sun. He wore a loose gambeson from under a canopy to protect him and the other guards from the hot sun.

  People crowded near the gate, like they did every day. It was another busy day, with a line a quarter mile long along the road to the fortress city of Shadow Gate.

  An ill wind suddenly blew. He shuddered, and looked around startled. It was too cold for a day like this. The entire crowd had quieted, as unsettled by the wind as he was. That's when he realized the wind had not blown. His hair and clothing hadn't rustled. The grass was steady. He had felt a wind that was not there. He shuddered again, while the crowd muttered and looked for an explanation.

  A woman stood in front of him, bearing an improbably long sword upon her back. Some kind of Knight for certain, given she wore mail and a surcoat despite the hot weather.

  "Was that ill wind your doin'?" he asked her.

  The woman smiled an easy smile. "Ill wind, eh? Yeah, that works. Need an epithet, now, I guess? Yeah. I'll take it." Her eyes took on a far off gaze, and he had a sense she was talking to someone he couldn't see. It unnerved him, and he lowered his spear just a bit. Not enough to threaten the Knight, he couldn't do a thing to her, but it made him feel better. It was a bit of a shame, though. Her freckly face was cute, in a way, even if she was too tall for his taste. The crowd waiting to enter the city shook off their disquiet, and started cursing him and the guards to let them into the city. That's when he realized she had skipped the queue.

  "Here now," he said, getting her attention. "You gotta get to the end of the line."

  The woman straightened herself up. Formally, she addressed him. "I am the Herald of the Bringer of Judgment, Lily May Illwind. I have come to announce the coming of my Master, and of Lady Chelsea Stoneshield."

  Glen felt his stomach sink. He'd heard the rumors of the Bringer of Judgment, including the one that said she was coming to Shadow Gate. He hadn't entirely believed it. Now, her herald was here. Those complained about her skipping the queue turned their faces away, pretending they'd never said a word.

  "Right, Lady Illwind. I'll have a messenger bring you to the Palaces," Glen said, giving her a bow. He turned and waved. A servant started his way, but he waved him off. "Knight!" he called. A Knight lounging under the canopy scowled at his call. Her surcoat marked her as coming from the Order of Severing Twilight. She was an Initiate of the Order.

  "This is Lily May Illwind, herald of the Bringer of Judgment. Escort her to the Palaces." He glared at the Knight, even though he was merely a guard. "Take her straight to March Shadowgate."

  The Knight straightened up, looking at Lady Illwind curiously as she nevertheless bowed politely. Glen watched them enter the city. Lady Illwind paused at the threshold, a look of concern on her face, before she entered the city.

  Lily May was in awe of the city. It was a large, bustling place. Lonely Knoll didn't compare. People walked the roads, making way for oxcarts that regularly rumbled along the broad roads. The city was built with straight roads and square blocks, centered around the fortress they called the Palaces. Unlike typical estates, the Palaces was a fortress with two tall towards, called Citadels. The tops of the towers were crenelated, and she could just make out soldiers on watch. While guards watched in all directions, most were posted to watch the Shadow Gate in the east. In the distance, she could just make out the top of the tall arch that marked the trail down into the Shadowlands.

  As much as she wanted to enjoy the sights of the grand city, she was distracted by the crowds of the dead wherever she looked. There were too many. Far too many. She suspected the resistance she felt entering the city was the reason why. Still, she needed to look around to be sure. "I'll meet you at the palace," she told her escort. Before the befuddled Knight could say anything, she was gone. She did not step. That wasn't necessary anymore. She was the wind, and she flew.

  Traveling the city, she found Lost Souls and ghosts wherever she looked. She found a funeral, and the soul following the smoke east to Judgment was stopped at the city walls, unable to pass. Lily May granted passage to Biyu's domain, and she felt the thanks of the barely cognitive soul. Other souls, following the same smoke, entered Biyu's domain. She wished the souls good fortune. More souls came, blown by the east wind responding to passage to Judgment in Biyu's domain. Regretting the need, May closed the passage. Biyu could only accept a few new souls at a time.

  Continuing her inspection of the city, she found the slums full of the dead. So full she flew over the crowds to avoid being crushed in the press of bodies. There was not an inch of the street that did not have soul lights, vengeful spirits, or ghosts. The rich quarter was no better, but she did find a guardian spirit driving off vengeful spirits. A brief word with the ghost, while people watched her mortal body converse with someone who was not there, and she was satisfied her investigation was complete.

  Lily May met her escort at the gates to the Palaces. The woman gave her a dirty look before leading Lily May into the fortress. The towers called the Palaces were part of a true fortress, which was also a part of the Palaces. The great fortress of Shadow Gate, the heart of the city, was a huge stone building, unlike anything May had seen before. It had courtyards, but it couldn't be said to be walled in estates like those she was familiar with. It was a thick walled, massive keep. Most of the fortress was the palace of Defender Shadowgate. The taller of the Citadels was the home of March Shadowgate, while the shorter was the governor's palace. A magistrate-governor of the prefecture was also in residence in the city, but he had a palace in Decision, a subordinate city to the west.

  May was to a Hall where the masters of the Palaces had hastily assembled to meet her. The Knight arriving first had been to the Palaces' benefit. Lily May took in the people arranged to meet her. At the top of a raised dais was March Shadowgate. To one side was the Governor of Shadow Gate. To the other was the Fortress Lord of Shadow Gate. The least of them, the Magistrate-Governor, stood beside his sister, the Governor. Lily May took in the ghost of a bald old man dressed in elaborate robes. It was embroidered with the symbol of Shadow Gate, an arch over a road. He stood protectively beside March Shadowgate.

  Stepping forward to announce herself, earning another dirty look from her escort, Lily May proclaimed, "I am Lily May Illwind, the Herald of the Bringer of Judgment. I have come to announce that Lady Chelsea Stoneshield, my Master's companion, comes in triumph from her journey in two weeks time. My Master, who accompanies her, will stay in Temple Town for two weeks, so that Lady Chelsea may be celebrated as she deserves, before arriving in the city herself."

  March Shadowgate rose to greet Lily May. "Greetings, Lady Illwind.". He bowed to May. The others with him followed suit by decreasing importance, so that the Magistrate-Governor was the last to bow. May returned their bows, lowering herself slightly more than them. They looked at each other uneasily at her show of deference.

  March Shadowgate proceeded to introduce those assembled to greet May. "I am Lucius Malcolm Shadowgate. This is my cousin, Jerald Malcolm Palaces. This woman is Princess Delilah Zelia, Governor of Shadowgate, and that is her younger brother Prince Xavier Zelia, Magistrate-Governor of Shadowgate. We have received your words, Herald, and will prepare a welcome for Lady Chelsea, and your master. May we make a suggestion?"

  "Pardon, but I need one more name." She turned to the ghost. "Who are you, who haunts March Shadowgate?"

  March Shadowgate blanched, turning to look at the spot beside him. May reached out with Biyu's… no, with the power she shared with Biyu, and cast their domain so that the living could see the ghost. The ghost was surprised as he became visible with a body of mist.

  "Father?" asked March Shadowgate, surprised.

  The ghost straightened his robes, looking embarrassed. "Greetings, son. Yes, I am Lucius Malcolm Shadowgate Brightlord."

  May gave the ghost a bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Brightlord."

  "Why aren't you in the Heavens, Father?" March Shadowgate asked. Wearily, he answered his own question. "It was all the whores, wasn't it?"

  "What? No! I couldn't get out of this damn city. So I figured I should stick around, try to help you in any little way I could."

  "Help how?"

  He sighed. "Mostly by yelling very loudly while you can't hear me. I can't do much like this. Still, you've done good, son."

  "I'm glad this has come up," Lily May said. Her statement caught all their attention. "Along the city walls, you have carved in charms to prevent the undead from entering the city. I know that Shadow Gate attracts the undead seeking passage further east. Unfortunately, those charms also prevent souls from leaving the city. Remove them. The streets of your city are choked with the dead."

  Pale faces met her proclamation. Lily May gave them time to consider her words before she finished the commandment passed to her from Biyu. "Do not do it yet. Wait until my Master comes to the city. We shall hold a procession to open a Festival of the Dead, where Biyu will invite the dead to Judgment and hold court for those who failed to achieve the Heavens in this life."

  "What must we do for this festival?" Lord Brightlord asked. His son looked at him askance. "Sorry. Old habit, and no one used to notice." He brushed off his robes, embarrassed.

  "As Father asked," March Shadowgate said once his exasperation played out. "What must we do for this festival?"

  "Think of it as being a city wide funeral. Lady Bringer will march in procession throughout the city to call the dead. Feast, party, and make a place for Lady Bringer to hold court throughout the night."

  "She won't come to greet us?" asked Defender Shadowgate.

  May smiled. "Of course she will. She will also need to hold court."

  The Governor was about to ask a question, but May anticipated it. "She has avatars. One will greet you. Another shall hold court for the dead." The Governor pursed her lips, miffed at not getting to speak.

  "May I suggest your Master come during the second week of Lady Chelsea's triumph?" March Shadowgate asked.

  "Lady Bringer does not wish to detract from Lady Chelsea's victory."

  "I understand. However, it would be inconvenient for the city to celebrate for so long." The Princess nodded her head, supporting March Shadowgate.

  "My Master only asks for a day for the Feast of the Dead. That is all. She is a modest god."

  March Shadowgate frowned, discomfited at the refusal of celebration for the god. Princess Delilah, a dark skinned woman with gray eyes, pursed her lips. "I will come to visit her in Temple Town, then. My younger brother shall accompany me." The younger man, dusky rather than dark, nodded his head in agreement. March Shadowgate glowered, but did not gainsay them.

  Lily May bowed. "Your words have been delivered, and Lady Bringer shall greet you at your leisure, so long as you grant her two days to recover from the journey."

  The others hesitated, so Defender Shadowgate was the one to ask, "What do you mean, she has received our words?"

  "Lady Bringer is with me wherever I go," May said. "I am her Herald." They could hear her inflection, and eyes subtly widened. Heralds were known, but rare. Few gods dispatched agents to act in their stead. An avatar was often more convenient, but legends told of Champions and Priests raised up to gods incarnate under the banner of their patrons.

  "If I may be excused, I have messages for the Order of the Stone Circle and Temple Town I must deliver."

  "A moment," March Shadowgate called. He turned to a servant, who passed him a scroll. "Take this to Defender Temple. It is authorization to grant you a guest estate, in my name." He handed it over, and the Imperial siblings looked on unhappily at his outmaneuvering them.

  Lily May turned and disappeared, leaving behind a windless chill in her wake. The Knight bowed her way out of the room, while the rulers of the city started to squabble.