500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

As Tallia healed me, I watched women funneling into the stairwells that were down the wall, but some of them had to be carried. The screams of the Undead Riftwalker were already starting to incite madness and paralyzing fear in them.

"Thank you, but what are we supposed to do about this?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes to the south.

The hundred-foot-tall four-armed creature was using its mass of bone tentacles that it used for legs to clear the rest of the summoning circle. It would be coming this way as soon as it was done, but the Undead Riftwalker was in no hurry.

"We are going to have to defeat it. There are really no two ways about this. We can't let it get past this wall," Tallia said, and I turned back to her with an exasperated look.

"You had to have seen me just get hit like ten miles by that goddamn thing, right? It can disrupt my magic with its screams, the touch breaks my magical connections, and that is only because I was covered in enchantments! I would have died without them! This is not something that we can fight with magic; they directly oppose it," I declared, and Tallia nodded.

"Yes, normal magic will not work, but you have not lived four hundred and ninety-nine lives for nothing, Galio. Close your eyes, and try to think of a plan. This is not your first time dealing with these creatures, and you have defeated them before," Tallia explained.

Four Hundred and ninety-nine times? That was the number of times that I had lived and died before this?

"That many times? Have I been chasing Nemoria around this entire time?" I asked, feeling confused.

"Not to my knowledge. They have not shown up in every lifetime, but you had pushed them back each time before you died," Tallia said as Morgana started to stir.

"What… Where am I?" Morgana asked as she slowly sat up.

"Safe, but I need to put you to sleep. Someone is controlling you, but I don't have time to break the hold. My name is Galio, and I will explain everything after," I said as I raised my hand.

Morgana looked at Tallia, and she nodded, so Morgana laid back down.

"If this is what is needed, then please put me to sleep, but don't make me wake up alone again. The last time I went to sleep was so long ago, and I awoke on the temple steps," Morgana said, and I moved over beside her, taking one of her hands.

"When you wake back up, I will be holding your hand, okay?" I asked, and Morgana nodded with a smile.

"Galio… I like that name. I have been waiting for someone like you," Morgana said slowly and then closed her eyes.

I placed my hand on her face, and Morgana's skin was cool but soft and smooth. She had probably been here for a long time, not knowing the burden that she carried.

I cast a sleep spell, but because I had her permission to do so, I locked the spell to place her in stasis. I wanted to keep true to my world and be there for her when Morgana opened her eyes.

"You are always so kind when you need to be," Tallia said, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

I wanted to enjoy the sound of her words; I needed Morgana out of here.

"Can you take her to the manor in the city? If the monster reaches that far, it's all over anyway. Can you do that?" I asked, picking Morgana up and turning to Tallia.

"I can, but it will take some time. Are you going to be fine?" Tallia asked as she took the Lich Queen from me, careful not to touch me.

I still didn't understand what that would do, but the Goddess had warned against it, so I followed her request. As much as I wanted to know what our connection was, this was not the time, and this world needed me.

"I Have stopped these monsters each time before, right? Then I will do it again. If you say that I have the answers, I will believe you because you are the one person in this world that I trust explicitly. I somehow know that you are someone that has always been with me. I promise that I won't die this time. Five hundredth time is the charm, right?" I laughed, but my heart pulled just looking into her swirling eyes.

"Galio… There is so much that I want to tell you…." Tallia said, and I nodded.

"One day, when this world is safe, I will take your hand. Until then, another world needs my help, as usual, it seems," I said as I looked away.

"I know this is hard, but I don't control what happens. This is the first time that I have been able to directly help you, and I want to make sure that you don't lose your way," Tallia said, and I nodded as I turned and sat down, facing the far-off Undead Riftwalker.

"Yeah, I am working on that part, but you need to leave so I can focus, and you can get back," I said as I closed my eyes.

----

Tallia looked back at Galio and wished that things could be different for them right now, and she had decided that she wasn't going to wait. The Goddess was tired of waiting and just wanted to be in his life again and forever like it was always supposed to be.

The appearance of the Riftwalkers had destroyed all her plans, and it almost felt like she had caused this, but Tallia knew that was foolish thinking. This was the result of a failed Ascendance, but the question was who that was.

Tallia stepped through a portal to the manor into an empty room, sealing it off from the outside so no one could enter. There was no way to know how far the Blood Witch corruption had spread again, but it was clear that almost half of the council was working for Nemoria, Queen of the Riftwalkers.

There were too many questions and not enough answers right now. The fact that she herself had not seen this coming bothered Tallia more than anything.

She was Galio's partner, guide, and so much more. Tallia had always known what he would be facing, but this time she was part of the world.

"Why are you still testing him? Hasn't he already given enough?!" Tallia asked the voice that never answered.