204 Education (1/2)

The portal itself was a swirling circular mass a few meters tall and wide. It interrupted and distorted the temple around it, even though it floated in an empty portion of the temple. The portal was composed of both divine and arcane energies and particles composed of such energies visibly infused the water surrounding the portal, creating an area that would have been difficult for a mortal or other lesser being to look at for a long period of time.

On the other side of the portal was a tiny house that was painted a tame burgundy color. It was a quaint dwelling, perfectly suited for families of two or three people. It was a single-story building, and I had plopped my portal down right in front of its front entrance. I knew, due to my immense detection abilities, that Saoirse and her boyfriend were currently eating breakfast.

As I closed in on the portal I mentally inspected myself, specifically for the abilities I had activated. I was going to visit a worshiper of mine and I wasn't about to hide from or understate my own powers. Especially since I wanted her to serve me in a more direct capacity than she was at the moment. I wanted to make a big statement and show her the power and glory that came with serving me.

I had activated my peace aura, my absolute beauty power, and even utilized my power over pheromones to ensure that no one near me would be capable of violence. I also layered a few of my divine presence powers onto myself as well. I wanted the mortals to make the choice to come to me willingly, but I wasn't about to allow them to be violent towards me, nor was I about to allow them to be violent towards each other which was far more likely given what I was asking Saoirse to do.

I grabbed the edges of the portal and pulled myself through it silently, my eyes aglow with delight.

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With but a single forceful pull I found myself on the other side of the portal. I turned around, faced the shimmering thing, and closed it with but a glance. The portal vanished from existence, closing in on itself and making a gentle popping sound as it winked out of reality. For a moment I wondered if other gods at my level of power had as much control over portals I currently have, or if this had something to do with my powers over freedom and chaos. But I only allowed myself to be distracted for a moment, turning back towards the small house I had appeared in front of refocused and ready to go.

The closer I got to the door, a solid slab of wood with no visible peephole, the more I began to think about a number of different things. One of the biggest ones was the nature of magic itself.

”Magic grants mortals a remarkable power.” I mused internally, finding its very existence peculiar given the multiverse's apparent leanings towards order and structure. Magic gave mortals a tool with which they could edit and modify reality in very unorderly ways. As I mused on this I began to hear a scattering of soft chuckles from within me, or rather within the portion of myself where domains and subdomains seemed content to dwell. It was at that moment that I heard a powerful voice speak, its words echoing and reverberating throughout my mind.

”How nice of you to finally devote some serious thought about me!” The voice said, sounding annoyed which was odd given just how powerful the voice itself was. It wouldn't have taken a genius to realize that the voice belonged to the domain of magic.

”I am the product of chaos! I am a recurse by which mortals can rise up against an unfair cosmos and challenge their destinies.” The domain declared, proudly. I chuckled internally at this haughty explanation. That said, magic being the product of the domain of chaos made sense. Though I suspected that there was more to that story than there appeared to be at a glance.

”If you're the product of the chaos domain then how come there are classes that revolve around magic? The class system is a product of order.” I pointed out, curious to hear it's explanation for that discrepancy. I heard it gasp and had to suppress a smile.

”Well... If you MUST know,” The domain began, speaking indignantly. ”I am the product of a deal that was struck between the domains of neutrality, chaos, and law. I and my children are direct products of chaos but we have restrictions imposed on us by the other two domains. The classes and the entire concept of 'schools' of magic are products of order.” The concept told me, speaking passionately.

”The idea of spiritual energy being used as fuel for my power is a particularly clever product of the domain of neutrality, as a way to ensure that even abuses of my power must be done creatively.” The domain confessed, revealing significant facts underpinning the nature of at least this universe, if not the entire multiverse. And then I heard a chuckle.

”You are not learning great secrets you know. This is information that gods can readily learn.” The magic domain revealed, and I could hear a snarky smirk in its voice. There was an irritating smugness in its words that annoyed me. That said, in response to its smugness I had a question that might succeed in taking the smile out of its words.

”Oh? I'm not learning 'great secrets' by gaining an understanding of the fundamental structures and order underpinning the universe? Fine, in that case maybe I'll learn a 'great secret' right now. Why does my 'details' page about you say that there are twenty schools of magic but then only outline the basics of 17 of them?” I asked, questioning a discrepancy I was first exposed to when I was only two days old. And this question actually did cause the domain to exhale a sigh of annoyance.

”So... You noticed?” The domain asked, evidently caught off guard by my question. I chuckled and nodded while sending the energy of the action to the domain in the form of mental and emotional energy.

I knocked on the door while the domain readied a response to my nodding. The sound of my fit on the wood of the door resounded loudly throughout the small house in front of me. I was initially met with silence, or rather silence for mortals. I was capable of hearing the furtive whispers of the couple in the kitchen loud and clear, and the hammering of their hearts as they wondered who was paying them a visit early in the morning. While the couple wondered who was at their door, the magic domain spoke again.

”I am glad you noticed, but damn you waited a long time to try and follow up on that... Not at all becoming of a god of knowledge.” The domain complained. It annoyed me but I couldn't fault the remarks as they were factually correct even if and in some ways especially since I was annoyed by them.