Side Story: The Great Space Spirit on a new world

In the days since he’d been on the world, the great space spirit Ogilt, going by the name the great earth spirit had helped him pick, had spent that time doing as little as possible.

He moved when he was asked, helped when he was asked and answered whatever questions he was asked but that was it and if not for the overwhelming guilt he lived under compelling him, he would have preferred to do even less. To never move or act again, lest the choices he’d make doom the world like he’d already doomed the galaxy and perhaps even the entire universe should the demons manage to bridge the greater gaps within the void. He was crippled under the weight of consequences with each day free only making it worse.

For even though he stayed within the home of the great earth spirit, who he was struggling to call the name Abrus when it came so unnaturally to their kind, he wasn’t sealed away from the world he’d helped make. Every part of him was powerful and that extended to his senses. He knew he didn’t perceive reality in the exact way mortals would but no walls could stop him from taking in the environment through the ripples that buildings and plants and people left in space itself, all of it giving him a glimpse of the world he’d caused.

From what he’d gleaned, he was actually in an unusually safe city for the planet, kept that way by the rest of his kin who made their home there but even then the people were concerned. They were still on the edge of an invasion point, something that until only a few days prior had been maintained partially through his power, and in a mere matter of months, more demons would come through to flood the world once more, ending that one like they had every other in their mad quest for conquest, something he’d been a participant in for millennia.

He curled farther into himself as he thought it, the mortal form he’d picked wavering briefly before stabilizing as legs he wasn’t used to having were brought to his chest, wanting to keep the shape while at the same time feeling the urge to shrink himself down to nothing more than a dense point of mana as the world around continued to scream at him.

He considered it to at least be a small mercy he was alone. He knew that the various spirits who lived in that world were all eager to see and greet their lost great one but the others had asked them to hold off, even going so far as to fill what should have been his role of managing the space spirits as well.

Spirits who’d followed him on his adventure that had led to their kind’s capture, spirits who had to be just as tortured by it all as himself who he was letting down by not going out to talk to and help, but how could he? After so long, how was he supposed to help anyone?

A question he had no answer for, nor was he expecting to get one. There was no fixing things, no turning back the clock or undoing all he’d done and it was only as he felt himself begin to spiral that his solitude was broken, with the great light spirit joining him.

“Oh, uh, Lut.”

“Lux Ogilt, while on this world I go by Lux. Of course, if you’d rather speak through your mana then I have no problem with that.”

There was no need for names when it came to spirits, their mana told everyone around them who they were but while he appreciated the offer, he declined.

“No, I… I need to get used to this. But what brings you here?”

“If you wanted privacy you picked the wrong place, this one’s a living room, a gathering spot for the residents who live here.”

“Ah, I didn’t… It was quieter.”

Lux didn’t say anything for a moment, just looking at him. While her senses weren’t the same as his given the differing nature of the manas that made them up, they existed at a similar scale. She knew that if he wasn’t blocking anything out then he’d picked a room that would let him reach slightly less of the surrounding city and given she didn’t think any of the greats had begun suppressing their senses to any extent until they’d begun living on the world, it seemed like it was a talent he’d still need to develop in his own time as she brushed past to asked what she’d actually come for.

“So how are you?”

“Fine.”

An obvious lie but she let it slide. “Adjusting well? Or even trying to adjust?”

“I don’t even know how to begin trying that but really, you don’t need to worry. I won’t be taking the life spirit’s suggestion.”

She felt herself grimace as he said it, not bothering to tell him the name she went by on the world to drop the matter of Vividus altogether and focus on the main point.

“You could start by going outside with me for a bit, seeing some of the world?”

“...You’re right, I shouldn’t get to live in ignorance of what I’ve caused. Give me just a little time, I’ll make sure I go soon.”

“That wasn’t what I was trying to say,” She sighed. “Regardless of how it happened and what’s waiting in the future, I love this planet Ogilt, it and the people who call it home. Something beautiful’s been built here, if you took the chance then maybe you’d be able to see that too.”

“And is one world of beauty a worthy trade for a quintillion deaths and millions of murdered worlds? I was able to tell what was happening to them, you know, at least in the beginning. Demons may prefer meat but that comes from their sadistic nature, once that’s all gone then they’ll eat any scrap of biomatter they can, be it plant or fungi or any of the more exotic structures the galaxy holds. Or held, I suppose.”

It was probably the most he’d said since coming back and Lux had no response to give. She wanted to help him but there was no easy fix to the damaged mind of an immortal, nor was there any potential chance he’d be able to noticeably improve in the time they had left, but she wanted to at least begin the path with some baby steps.

“For what little it’s worth-”

She was cut off by the door opening once more, her husband and toddler coming in to join them with the latter rubbing his eyes as Seren made his way over, crawling up the couch in an attempt to go to sleep in one of his favourite nap spots which just so happened to be occupied by his newest uncle.

The child didn’t mind though, curling up in comfort on his lap while Ogilt looked at Lux for help.

“Um, your… daughter doesn’t seem to be moving.”

“Son, and yes, because it looks like he’s decided to go to sleep there. You’ll have to sit still for a while.”

“...Very well.”

“And it leads perfectly to my point. For what it’s worth, no matter what happened your family is happy to have you back.”

“Not all of them.”

“The ones that matter. You’ve been missed this entire time Ogilt and regardless of what happened, myself and Abrus and so many of the other spirits are all just so happy to have you back.”

It was nothing but a flicker of comfort in a sea of despair but it was something to hold onto amidst his overwhelming guilt and without another word they sat in each other's company, watching the child sleep.