Aozaki Aoko Case File [472] (Patreon)

In a moment that was both infinitely brief and endless, Aoko arrived at an indescribable place.

It seemed like the universe itself—pinpoints of starlight in the dark, representing the birth and death of countless worlds.

But it wasn’t the universe. Aoko felt the fragment of the Weave inside her resonate, like a dying fish returning to the water, a wounded bird soaring again.

This was the deepest part of the Weave, unreachable by ordinary spellcasters.

Aoko floated in this infinite space, feeling a profound sense of home.

She nearly forgot her original purpose; she just wanted to stay here forever.

“That won’t do, my child whom I’ve never met,” a voice—young and old at once—spoke cheerfully. “You still have much to do. Staying here isn’t a good idea.”

Huh? Who’s this old woman, spouting nonsense? I’ll stay as long as I want—“Ow!” Aoko yelped as someone slapped her butt. Annoyed, she shouted, “Who hit me! Come out and say it if you dare!”

A beautiful woman abruptly appeared before her: long black hair, lovely face, graceful figure—but most of all, she radiated an indescribable light so dazzling that Aoko had to squint.

“Who are you?” Aoko asked. “Could you dim the light? You’re blinding me...”

“You probably aren’t seeing with your eyes here, dear,” the woman replied merrily. “Think: why do you find my light so dazzling?”

Her words reminded Aoko of her deep Weave meditations, where she sometimes encountered ineffable things that briefly impaired her vision. But it was just a matter of adjusting to the rules of the deep Weave.

Aoko adjusted, reflected, and gradually recovered her sense of self. The woman’s glow became less glaring.

“You adapt fast,” the woman observed. “Now, do you remember who I am?”

“...You’re the goddess of magic?” Now clear-headed, Aoko quickly deduced she was in the Weave’s deepest layer.

And across all crystal spheres touched by the Weave, there was but one such deity—the goddess of magic.

She was nothing like the gods of the Nasuverse, but more like a fundamental, all-encompassing force.

“That’s me,” the goddess said calmly. “Although this is the first time we’ve met like this, I must say, it’s been a long time since our last meeting.”

“Last time?” Aoko asked, confused. “We’ve met before?”

“Of course,” the goddess said. “Last time I saw you, I was creating you. That’s why I call you my daughter.”

What’s going on? Why do I suddenly have a mother?

Aoko’s big eyes were full of confusion. Was there something she didn’t know?

“Words alone might not be enough,” the goddess extended a finger and tapped Aoko’s forehead. “Let’s see together.”

A flash of white, and Aoko found herself floating in the real universe, with the goddess beside her, looking in a certain direction.

“Look, that’s you in the past.” The goddess pointed at a meteoroid glowing with blue light, streaking magnificently through the void.

“That’s a rock,” Aoko grumbled. “How could I be a stone?”

“That’s you,” the goddess patiently explained. “Not all of you, not the current you.”

Another image of the goddess appeared, vast beyond measure. She extended a hand, and a fragment of the Weave shot from her palm, merging into the meteoroid.

A change Aoko couldn’t describe occurred. Suddenly, she felt that blue stone was deeply familiar.

“See, that’s how you were born,” the goddess said happily. “You were pretty cute then.”

“Why did you do it?” Aoko asked, troubled. “A Weave fragment is important. What’s special about that stone?”

“Because that meteoroid—your origin—came from a world unimaginably distant from the realm of the gods,” the goddess said. “As the goddess of magic, my job is to manage the Weave and extend it to new worlds.”

“That meteoroid, with its vast, strange power, was an opportunity. It would travel to places even I didn’t know. So I sent a fragment of my essence into it—a piece of the Weave,” she continued. “That act led to your ultimate birth.”

“So… you weren’t worried your investment would go to waste?” Aoko sighed, accepting her new“mother. “My Earth is really far from here.”

“As long as that fragment is in your soul, you’ll return here someday,” the goddess smiled. “All mages can’t resist the urge to explore.”

“Alright, I get it,” Aoko said, then teased, “So what should I call you? Mystra, or Midnight?”

“Both, and neither,” the goddess answered kindly. “I embody Mystra, Mystryl, and Midnight—all three concepts.”

“If you must, most of what you see now is Midnight,” she continued. “The old Mystra has merged with all things.”

“I see,” Aoko replied. “So, did you summon me just to acknowledge me as your daughter, or is there something else?”

“You’ve passed my test,” Mystra said. “So I’ll give you some rewards, to help you face coming challenges.”

“What challenges?” Aoko frowned. “The Red Wizards of Thay are strong, but not enough to need the goddess of magic.”

“The Red Wizards aren’t really an issue,” Mystra said cheerfully. “Their leader’s worship of the god of tyranny annoys me, but it’s not enough to warrant my attention.”

“Normally, I wouldn’t intervene—it’s not my job,” Mystra continued. “But since you’re here, I need to set you some difficulties so I can reward you in good conscience.”

“Fine,” Aoko muttered. “So stopping Sofina and the Thayans is just a side quest?”

“Exactly,” Mystra replied. “If you’d arrived another time, I’d have chosen different challenges for you.”

“So, what’s my reward? It can’t just be that old staff, right?”

“Making it here means you already have part of your reward,” Mystra said, winking. “There’s more: besides reward, there’s a duty.”

“What duty?” Aoko asked warily. “Back home, I only worked when I felt like it—”

Mystra’s finger touched Aoko’s chest, sending a surge of power into her—not magic, but something higher, like what she had felt in the Root.

It was true divine power.

“You’re now my cleric,” Mystra said happily. “So? Feel a sense of mission?”

“Just a cleric?” Aoko was a little disappointed. “Since you’re my mom, shouldn’t I be your Chosen? At least give me some silver fire to play with?”

“That depends on your future performance,” Mystra smiled. “Granting spells to a non-believer is already an exception. If you want more, try believing in me a little! I won’t even charge you, you know?”

Aoko’s mouth twitched. She thought this Mystra was very different from the one in her previous life’s memories. Did she know that other goddess of mischief?

“Come on, you know I’m from Earth. Maybe not the same Earth, but Elminster told you?” Aoko said helplessly.

“Yes, on any Earth, the gods era is long past,” Mystra sighed. “In your universe, in some ways, you’re more like a true god than those so-called deities.”

“By the way, is it you limiting my Fifth Magic on Toril?” Aoko asked.

“No, of course not,” Mystra shook her head. “In fact, what you wield isn’t Weave-magic per se. He would never let you do that in his garden.”

Aoko knew who “he” was, but just wanted confirmation.

“Alright, your time’s up,” Mystra said. “Just keep following your own plans. If you want to see me again, just pray a bit, okay?”

“What kind of prayer?” Aoko joked. “If you’d grant me some epic spells, maybe I’d be more devout—”

Before she could finish, she found herself back in the Arcane Tower basement, dumbly holding the staff.

Her companions hadn’t noticed anything; her experience in the deep Weave had lasted only a moment in the real world. Truly worthy of the god of time.

Aoko felt her body—her magical sense surged, meaning she could now gain a level of Archmage, and also a cleric level, with access to corresponding spells.

These included three cantrips: Cure Minor Wounds, Resistance, and Guidance.

Three first-level spells: Bless, Cure Light Wounds, and Entropic Shield.

She also received the ability to turn or rebuke undead, with level limits.

From the knowledge in her mind, Aoko understood that if she wanted more spells or higher cleric levels, she’d need to complete Mystra’s trials or pray to her.

So troublesome, Aoko thought, examining the staff. Gaining divine magic was nice, but suddenly having a mom felt a little weird.

Simon’s curious voice came over. “Did you find the tower master’s staff? What spells are on it?”

“It’s a staff used by a cleric of Mystra,” Aoko replied, her feelings complicated. “By touching it, I just became the goddess’s cleric.”

The end of the universe really is the Weave, Aoko thought. Now that I’m officially on the mission, I’d better make the most of it!