It was morning on the city of Imrith, its inhabitants having just woken up, ready to start their daily activities. It was quiet nowadays on the large trading hub, its port sparsely filled with trading ships, its merchants barely managing to sell their wares on the streets that usually are bustling with activity and the air filled with various foreign tongues. It was quiet, too quiet.

Though no one admitted it since Imrith’s citizens were too proud to do so, but the city was beginning to fall apart. Poverty was raging rampant on the city which usually had a large middle-class, and along with it came hunger and sickness, slowly choking it.

The sudden loss of the trade that made it the most important city in the region was devastating. Nobody knew what to do, nobody knew why. Everything had ground to a halt in the last few months. Information that was usually brought by foreign merchants was now very scarce. Reports of evil and darkness, of gods come down to punish them for their deeds, of the end of the world filled the desperate atmosphere of the city. It didn’t matter to them. You didn’t gods to suffocate the city, whatever was happening in the far east that lead to trade grinding to a halt in Imrith was enough.

Nevertheless its proud citizens tried to carry on, waking up on the early hours and doing everything just to get enough food on the platter for the evening. It was hard, but there was nothing else they could do, they didn’t know a different way of life on Imrith, trade was everything they had lived on for centuries.

But this morning wasn’t destined to be like any other. The fate of the rest of the world has finally caught up with them, fate that was beyond their understanding has conspired against them and their city to be destined as part of a game for the amusement of gods, or rather, one god in particular, and another unwilling one.

Soon enough, the inhabitants of the city noticed the rotating winds that gusted through the roads and alleys of the city, the ghastly chill that filled it, the sense that something was wrong, terribly wrong. And soon enough the tension was answered with a blinding light that filled the city and all its surroundings, causing everyone in the area to instinctively protect their eyes with their hands.

Just like in Tarthaghast and Talmin, when the blinding light and its effects finally faded, the citizens of Imrith were greeted with an awe-inspiring sight of colossal proportions.

Her body was very difficult to take in on its full glory from anyone’s vantage point in the city. Only those that were sailing out on their fishing boats could somewhat wrap their heads around what they were seeing.

Her presence was paralyzing, filling the streets with an eerie, unnatural silence, halting every activity. The gaping expressions of everyone in the vicinity made their confusion and fear apparent as a certain level of understanding slowly creeped on the back of their minds. Everyone thought of the same thing. Can it be really true?

The goddess lowered her head, regarding the city that spread out in front of her. As usual, her ever so small movements broke the captivating stares and sent the city down below into sheer panic. But she wasn’t going to go on a rampage today. No, she had other plans in mind.

“Hmmm, this will do. I think.” She said with a booming voice.

Her hand moved, slowly, down along her crotch to her sex, planting her fingers on either side of it. She slowly split her sex open, parting her pink flesh to reveal the dark cave behind. Suddenly, motion could be seen inside of it, something moving down, out of her sex, as if she was giving birth, but it was too small, at least compared to her.

It was difficult to comprehend for anyone who dared to look back, their minds not trained to logically have the sight make sense. The thing fell out of her and crashed down on some buildings beneath. Then it moved, standing up, revealing itself as another human being, another woman. Her wet body turned and she arched her head up, looking at the gigantic goddess that straddled her form.

“I think this will do, my pet.” The huge goddess said. “Let’s see what you can do.” She smiled.

The smaller one nodded and moved her head back down, regarding the city in which she has been born into, at least from the perspective of the citizens. Her form was puny compared to the presence of the huge goddess and even though she had just fallen out of the sex of the bigger one, she still was at least ten times bigger than any normal human being.

“I have to go now.” The giant goddess boomed. “I’ll be back in a few days to see your progress.” Then she vanished just as she had appeared, blinding everyone for a second time.

---

On the other side of the world it was still the middle of the night. And in the middle of the night, the emperor of an already lost empire sat on a bench atop a lonely hill just outside of a castle at the edge of his former empire, looking at the clear and cloudless sky, regarding the stars in some profound way.

“Do you suppose there are other worlds out there, master Giedon?” Arham asked.

The old, tired scholar sat next to him, looking at the sky too, but with distant, unfocused eyes.

“I don’t know, emperor.” he answered with a worn out voice. “I don’t know anything at all anymore.”

Arham moved his head, looking at him. He felt sorry for the old master. He still couldn’t forgive himself for all that was happening. He still felt it was his fault, his fault alone. Arham knew otherwise, but it was difficult to convey it to the old master. He wasn’t himself anymore.

He moved his head back towards the sky. “There have to be.” He said. “It would only make sense. What do you think, Kal?”

The emperor’s son was with them too, the small energetic boy would never pass the chance to go outside with his father, losing sleep didn’t bother him for some reason. He looked back towards Arham, smiling childishly.

“I hope so, father.” he said. Arham too smiled.

The emperor was in a good mood. He may have lost everything he has build during his entire life, but the fact that the world he knew was barely just the tip of the iceberg fascinated him. And the goddess... Aria, she was incredibly captivating to him. Somehow he felt that all this wasn’t in vain.

Then his thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the whole world turned as bright as a thousand lightnings striking at the same time. For a split of a second, he saw light materialise into a form, a familiar form, right above him. And then it all faded away.

Everyone was startled, most still having their hands protecting their eyes, but Arham looked up, into the darkness above him that obscured all the stars. You wouldn’t be able to see it unless you knew what you were looking for. He suddenly felt so puny, so insignificant, helpless. She was there, right above them, straddling them, towering above them like a true god, but nobody seemed else seemed to notice, they all just looked around as if expecting something.

And then the world turned into day again, revealing her form for just enough time so that Arham’s eyes could take it in, leaving him in pure awe. And then she was gone.

“What was that!?” Somebody screamed as other people finally noticed what was happening, one of the few guards that accompanied him, Arham judged.

The emperor himself suddenly lowered his head, looking for Giedon, looking for his son. He could see anything in the darkness. His eyes hurt from the blinding flashes of light.

“Kal, are you alright?” He shouted.

“I’m fine, father! I’m right here.” the boy answered, calming Arham.

The emperor sighed, clearly relieved that nothing had happened. But what had just happened? He was confused. He knew it was her, but why did she come and go like that?

“I’m sorry about that.” A feminine voice suddenly spoke. A very familiar one. Arham shivered, hearing steps coming from behind, he turned around, trying to make her out in the darkness, his eyes still not used to the darkness. Then he saw it, the barely recognizable form slowly walking towards them.

“I forgot to adjust to my normal size before beaming here.” she said, giggling.

Arham’s eyes finally focused just as she reached him, standing in front of him. Everyone stood there, stunned, not daring to move. One of the guards then lowered his spear, followed by a few others. Arham turned at them, angered.

“Stand down you fools!” he said.

“But emp-”

“I said stand down!” he shouted, silencing them. “As a matter of fact, get out of here, now!” The guards didn’t dare defy his orders, and they were swiftly off to the castle. Only master Giedon remained together with Kal. The little boy hid behind the master, clinging to his robes, looking frightened. Master Giedon himself stood firmly, looking defyingly at Aria. But Arham said nothing to him and turned towards her, and bent down.

“Mother goddess.” he said.

Aria laughed. “Stand up, emperor. I’m way past needing such formalities.”

Arham obeyed, and stood up, facing her directly. He regarded her body for a moment, transfixed by her beauty. Aria seemed to notice, and lingered in the moment, letting Arham dream for a bit.

“So, what are you doing up here, dear emperor?” She asked, breaking Arham’s gaze.

“I...” Arham didn’t really know how to respond to that for a moment. “I’ve been watching the stars, thinking about our last conversation.”

Aria raised an eyebrow. “Wondering what’s out there? Aren’t we?”

Arham didn’t respond to that. “Why have you come?” He asked instead.

Aria just smiled, and moved forward, towards the now empty bench and sat on it, crossing her legs. “Can’t I just come for a visit?” She asked, looking innocently and teasing Arham.

She moved her head towards master Giedon, and caught a glimpse of the young boy hiding behind him who was watching her fearfully.

“Is that your son?” she asked Arham.

“Yes. That’s Kal, my only son.”

“He’s cute.” she winked at Kal, who then hid entirely behind the master’s frame. Aria giggled.

Then she moved her gaze at the master itself. “And this is...?”

“Master Giedon, goddess. This is the one who solved your riddle.” Arham said.

“The one who unleashed destruction and evil upon our world.” master Giedon added, still looking at Aria with a spiteful expression.

“Ah. That must be a heavy burden you’re carrying there, old master.” she said. “But don’t worry, this world has met its fate long before you were even born.” she waved her hand at him. But the anger inside the master blinded him too much for him to understand.

“Forgive me, goddess.” Arham moved in to take her attention away from the old master. “But I must honestly ask why you are honoring us with your presence.” he bowed down again.

“Well, dear emperor, if you insist.” she said. “This world has quickly become a very interesting one. Usually I’m quickly bored of playing with my typical worlds. Exciting things are happening in a very consistent basis. And I’m here to investigate something.” she looked at the emperor directly.

Her gaze always had a very powerful effect on him, stirring every inch of his body. And words like playing with worlds sent another wave of shivers down his spine. But he was curious too, what could she possibly want to investigate here? Surely there’s nothing interesting for a goddess to turn her attention to such a remote part of the world, so she is probably interested in him.

Then she suddenly stood up, moving towards Arham. “Yes, it has something to do with you.” she smiled.

“What...?” Arham was confused, and Aria burst out laughing.

“Don’t worry emperor, I can’t read minds, I’m just a good judge of character.” she said.

She quickly reached him, and moved her right hand on his chest. It startled Arham a little but he did not dare move.

“You see, “ she said. “I’ve noticed something the last time I visited you at that ball. I never really gave it my full attention, but recently some things have been happening that made me think a little more. But first, I must show you something.”

She turned her head around towards master Giedon. “Wait here, we will come back soon.”

Suddenly Arham felt a tingling sensation all over his body. “What is ha-” he tried to say, but he couldn’t finish his sentence as he lost voice.

His entire surrounding suddenly changed, and he found himself inside a room, a very unfamiliar one with strange shapes lining the walls and magical lights shining out of the ceiling. Aria was still there and moved her hand back.

“Where are we?” he asked, his imagination running wild.

“Look behind you.” she said.

Arham turned, and was immediately wonderstruck. He was looking at a large window, beyond of which was a majestic sight of a curving landscape, but too far away to be real. He could see land, water, and most importantly, clouds. He couldn’t see it all because the window was simply too small, but somehow he could understand what he was seeing, he was just lost for words.

“That’s your right. Arham. That is your world” Aria moved her hand in a waving gesture, and the whole room started to magically fade away. Arham watched, gaping, as the walls around the window simply retreated, becoming invisible. They moved too quick for him to react as they reached his feet. He expected to simply fall and held his breath, but he didn’t, he could still feel the ground, although its sight was replaced by what was beyond.

Arham exhaled slowly, trying to comprehend the sight. He was standing on an invisible platform and looking down at his world as if he could hold it in his hand. He regarded every detail of it, the slowly shifting clouds, the darkness that engulfed part of it which he concluded to be night, and somewhere in the back of his mind he noted that Giedon had been right, it was round.

“This is just...” he was still lost for words.

“Beautiful.” Aria completed the sentence, watching his expression. “How I would love to feel the way you do, dear emperor.” She shifted her gaze at the planet below. “But alas, I’ve seen this sight and so many others too often to be excited about it.”

“But goddes, “ he turned at her. “why have you brought me here?”

“Ah. Right.” She moved her hand on Arham’s face, and leaned forward, kissing him.

Arham was lost. The kiss felt like eternal bliss to him. He closed his eyes, trying not to melt from the inside. It felt like all the frustration, all the pain, all the desire that he had locked inside him suddenly burst out, freeing his soul. And just like that, it was over.

Aria moved back, smiling broadly.

“I-, wha-, why?” he babbled, “I don’t understand!”