47 Deeper Darkness (1/2)

[Understood. Aborting unification. For now.] The system's more automated mode ominously replied, seconds after I told the thing to shut down what I had mistakenly set up. If I could have looked at the system and glared I would have. I sent a message to it that I hoped made it feel like I was shouting.

”Hey! What was that? What is 'unification'? I thought that if I used my 'Hivemind generation' power that it wouldn't subsume the wills of those in it.” I asked the system two questions while I snapped, annoyed at the fact that what I had just learned contradicted what I thought would have been the case regarding my thus-far limited understanding of hiveminds.

[That power's description was created under the assumption that the god themself wouldn't be part of the hivemind. Hiveminds are dominated by single individuals, the ones with the highest intelligence or willpower and in literally any instance wherein you are a member of a hivemind you have the strongest will by a considerable margin.] The system revealed, sounding a bit annoyed itself.

I took a few seconds to sigh and then consider what to say next. And then I realized that the system only answered one question.

”What is 'unification'? You didn't answer that.” I reiterated, curious to hear what it was, but well aware that it probably wasn't good. Or at least good from my point of view, as someone who doesn't have an interest in subsuming wills and thus becoming some sort of godmind.

[Unification is the process by which a group of mortals becomes one with their god. By undergoing unification a mortal sheds their will and becomes a beacon of the glory of their god and their most devoted servants. This was a fate many pious mortals sought out in the mythic age. Some gods lauded it as the highest of honors.] The system explained, telling me a bit about the state of mind of the gods of old.

”Yikes. That's... dark.” I reacted, not being a fan of that at all. I heard a robotic chuckle emanate from the system, and sound off in my mind.

[There are absolutely some domains and subdomains that adore hiveminds and godminds. The domains of light and darkness both have godmind abilities, as does the domain of law, and the subdomains of order and fungi. Though all of theirs are a bit different.] The strange entity revealed to me.

”I'll have to form hiveminds with me in them one day won't I?” I asked, coming to that conclusion in the wake of the new information I had just received.

[Oh absolutely. But if it makes you feel better, gaining influence over the domains of light and darkness are both easy enough. And you've earned the right to complete the quests for both of them if you wish. They are interested in you, particularly the domain of darkness.] My companion revealed. I chuckled at that revelation.

”Of course they are. I'm afraid of the dark and so the darkness domain is interested in me. How fitting.” I mused, and then heard the system itself echo my chuckle.

With that I continued my walk into the darkness, deeper and deeper into the earth itself. And without the distraction of the conversation I was having, I quickly became unsettled by the eerie journey I was undertaking, even though I could see perfectly and had near-absolute power underground.

”Why can't fear be rational?” I asked myself, knowing that my being afraid of the dark didn't make any sense.

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A few minutes after I and my servants, living and dead, began our trip into the darkness I closed my eyes. In doing so I came to a profound realization: the dark only scared me when my eyes were open in it. Using tremorsense not only allowed me to see even more than my own, presumably god-powered, natural ability to peer through darkness could, I also began to relax more easily.

I studied the map, and realized something strange: the earth underneath the island didn't really seem to stop. The tide of ants I was following through a handmade tunnel was diving deeper and deeper into the world under the island, and that world was getting wider somehow.

Upon realizing this, I was filled with questions. Some of which I could even get answers too. It was intriguing. But it didn't keep me from noticing things. One thing, in particular, stood out to me. Deep in the earth, there was a kilometers wide cavern with a single inhabitant. A lone black dragon.

That said, I quickly focused on my objective: figuring out where we were going. And to start figuring that out, I sent a mental message to the queen I had met before.

”What do you and your fellows plan to do?” I asked, mentally messaging the creature I had spoken with earlier. She was at the front of the swarm of ants, over ten thousand strong, that I was currently following closely behind. I received a response not long after I transmitted her my question.

”We plan to go home.” She informed me, revealing that there was a plan in place. That made me sigh in relief. It felt nice to be in a conversation with someone with a goal.

”Where is home?” I asked her, as I scanned ahead of us in the tunnel she and her allies had created while heading towards me. I only had a rough idea of where their homes were, as ants modified the earth, and in many cases, the ants I had made aware of my presence weren't exactly near their homes when I made myself known to them.

”Not much farther from here Creator. Some steps away.” She replied, after a few moments of careful thought. Her response was odd though. It made me think of a question that wouldn't be answered if I asked her, but might be if I asked someone else.

”So when I bestow blessings that increase someone's intelligence, what am I actually increasing?” I asked.