Galarn sat at a white marble table on the balcony of her Marble Palace, her favorite place in the entire realm. It extended from the palace in a broad half-circle, overflowing with life.

  The center was a large garden containing flora from all around the world, somehow existing peacefully despite the disparate plants that would never be found even close to one another.

  The marble walkway that extended around the circumference of the half-sphere was lined with trees and flowers and created an effect like walking through a tunnel to a different world. There were tables and chairs at the apex of the circle that she liked to sit at, as they had the perfect view of her realm.

  Forests bloomed with unnatural abundance. Swamps and marshes, filled with flourishing life, met deserts, grasslands, and jungles. All biomes of the world were represented, with the stunning palace of marble at the center. Galarn sighed as she examined the view she’d spent an uncountable number of years watching.

  Galarn herself was a woman of average height, with long brown hair that flowed down her back like a liquid. It was adorned with flowers and vines and many other plants, with two pointed ears poking through.

  Her golden brown skin contrasted the deep green eyes beneath her thick brows. She wore a gown of green, as though all the plants in the world had conspired in its creation. Flowers and vines and bulbs blossomed from her, perfectly converying her place in this world.

  She suddenly felt just as much as saw a hole tear itself into space, beyond which, a great, violet eye lurked. The eye had swirling colors and shapes she couldn't recognize. They hurt both her eyes and her mind to look upon.

  “Uncle…if you’re going to visit, must it be looking like…that?” she sighed, averting her distressed eyes.

  The eye shifted into a humanoid figure made of star stuff. Stars and nebulae glittered and glowed in its shape, always changing. Unfortunately, this sight was also distressing to the eyes. A dark robe of blackest night formed around the figure, covering it completely.

  Only a head-hole remained through which to glimpse the starry expanse, but even that was diminished now such that looking on it didn’t cause harm—as though an invisible veil now separated that expanse and this realm.

  “Apologies, Gala. My physical form has been destroyed, and there’s only so much I can do about…this,” he explained, motioning toward himself, as he floated down to stand on the ground—the tear in space sealing shut behind him.

  “Can’t you just…make a new one?” she asked, confused. It seemed like he could do anything, so she didn’t really see what the problem was.

  “My physical form is a product of both my own and ?rune’s work. Getting her help on a project takes…a long time, and a great deal of convincing. I have no idea when I might get another,” he said. She motioned for him to take the seat across from her, and he sat down heavily, as though exhausted.

  “Long day?” she asked with a smile. She always liked when he came to chat. She had so little to break up the monotony nowadays.

  “Long week,” he sighed. “Another incursion. That’s why I now lack a body. This one is…different. Intelligent. We defeated it handily outside the Veil, but it retreated…I’ve never known any creatures of the Abyss to retreat. Makes me a little nervous, suggests that it might have some higher cognitive function. Don’t like that at all.”

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  “So, you’ve lost it? Why couldn’t you just…chase after it?” she asked, sipping on her tea.

  “Can’t pierce the Veil without pissing ?rune off. You know, our relationship is functionally just a compendium of vague threats and negotiations. Things will have to get really bad before she’ll let me, or even any of my forces, assist within the realm. That would technically be another incursion, regardless of the motive behind it, after all,” he sighed.

  Realization began to dawn. “I see. So, hundreds of years without so much as a word, and now you show up because you want something from me?” She wasn’t actually mad, but he had only come because he wanted a favor, so she felt some light ribbing was in order.

  “...you’re right. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Sorry, I hadn’t thought of it like that. When I have a physical body, time gets…weird for me. I guess it has been a long time…” he admitted, guilt evident in his tone.

  Now she felt bad. She just wanted to tease a little. “It’s fine, I understand one’s sense of time becoming strange. Tell me, N?rèn, what would you ask of the Goddess of Life?” she said a little more formally and ceremoniously than was strictly necessary—attempting to lighten the mood a little.

  “I’ve got a daughter that I’d ask you to look after, Julia. The creature went after her—this is specifically why I am lacking a body right now,” he said with what sounded like regret.

  “...another? Is that really wise?” she blurted before she could stop herself. The temperature lowered noticeably in the room. She waved her hands back and forth and corrected herself. “Uncle, I don’t mean anything against the girl, Julia. I’m sure she’s wonderful. I just meant…I know how hurt you were after…after the other.”

  The temperature returned to normal, and he bowed his head to her. “Sorry, my emotions are a little out of sorts at the moment. Letting them influence reality is a rather embarrassing mistake—particularly in your realm.”

  “It’s alright. It’s not like you destabilized it or anything. And even if you did, oh no. My realm destabilized and now I have to leave and interact with the world again no matter what ?rune thinks or wants,” she said with faux sadness.

  “Well, the only reason I can talk to you right now is because we’re in your realm. ?rune largely leaves the rules of each God’s realm up to them, so she can’t really force me out of here or say anything about it. If you go back to the world, we wouldn’t be able to communicate as effectively,” he chuckled.

  “Sure, but I’d be free. I wouldn’t be trapped in here forever, guiding the precepts of Life in the world,” she pouted.

  “Well, as you can imagine, Julia means everything to me, so I would be willing to help facilitate something for you, if you help her. There are, perhaps, things you and I can do specifically because you govern the domain of Life,” he concluded. She could just hear the up-and-down motion of his eyebrows.

  “I’m in,” she said immediately. “Of course, I would help you look after my dear cousin, but dangle the promise of escape from this beautiful prison occasionally, and I’m all-in. What exactly does she need help with? Are you worried the creature will come back for her?”

  “I doubt it, but…unfortunately, Julia has become the best person for the job of finding and combating it. It tried to corrupt her, but I got there in time to stop it…not in time to stop her from obtaining a connection to the Abyss, though,” he explained sadly.

  It took Galarn a moment to realize why he would be sad about his daughter’s potential. “Ah, I see. I’m sorry, Uncle N?r. You wanted to avoid getting her tangled in Abyss business and putting her in danger.”

  He nodded sadly. “Her connection to the Abyss itself makes her resistant to corruption from other Abyssal creatures. She’s already—at least partially—declared herself…which means she’s primed to do what only I could do previously: hunt down creatures of the Abyss from within the Veil. She’s so brave and strong, and I’m 100% sure she would if I asked her to, but she’s only a teenager…”

  Galarn smiled. “It’s hard watching a chickling fall from the nest, but they’ll never learn to spread their wings if they don’t. Don’t worry, Uncle. We’ll be there to catch her, but only if it seems she will hit the ground. Who knows, as she learns to fly, you might find that she’s destined for the sky.”