For all the fantastical things I've already done in my brief tenure as Jubileus, I've remained at least mostly conscious all the while that I'm not actually her. I'm a substitute, a stand-in, a soul unwittingly thrust into the position of Highest in Heaven for no reason that I've yet been made aware of. For all the holy splendor and authority now being ascribed to me by others, at my core, I remain merely human.
...and yet, here and now, bathing in the light of creation manifest, I feel almost like genuine divinity — as though I really were God herself, in truth. I can literally feel the energy at the center of the space wanting to rejoin with me, even as a large portion of it is continually siphoned away into the pipes all around it. Though, it never truly dwindles, the amount it loses in each instant simply replenishing itself in the next. It is the proverbial infinite engine; an endless, eternal fount of pure celestial power, limited only in how much it can produce and output in any one moment...
And it is mine.
My hand reaches out-
Forgive me, Creator, but do you intend to remove this facility's heart?
I swivel around to find the Hosanna looking up at me from below, having evidently followed me into the chamber.
I do. I confirm for it, slightly annoyed by the interruption.
That established, I turn back around to once again face the isolated shard of divinity-
I mean no discourtesy, the Hosanna again speaks up, but to do so would discontinue the vast majority of this facility's functions.
...does it seriously think I don't already know that?
I am aware. I say, twisting my neck just enough to glance at the angel out of the corner of my right eye. It shall not be an issue.
Despite the overall neutrality of my response, the Hosanna flinches, its knees seeming to almost buckle beneath it — even though it isn't actually standing on anything.
I... do not doubt you, oh Wise and Merciful Lord... it says with incredible hesitance, betraying its own words with the next half of its statement, but are you... certain, of that?
I frown. Awfully skeptical for an angel. Wasn't I supposed to not be questioned on my actions so long as I made my intentions clear? Though, I suppose I didn't actually say what I planned to do when we got down here, and it's a very valid concern for any angel stationed in this facility, so fair enough, I guess. Still, you'd think it'd have a bit more faith in me.
Quite certain.
The moment the words exit my mouth, the very certainty I'm claiming begins to waver. I did actually plan ahead for this scenario, since it's not like I didn't ask the Right Eye what this fraction of Jubileus's power was even doing on/in Venus before showing up here... but I wonder if the solution I have in mind will be viable in practice as well as theory.
It should be, at least. True, this refinery requires an enormous amount of power to function, and I'm planning on removing what amounts to its primary generator. However, there's an easily-accessible alternative not even an astronomical unit away in the form of the Sun. Sure, I'm still not certain exactly how to go about implementing that transition, but the basic idea seems solid, and I even made sure to confirm beforehand that even a relatively small section of the local star should be able to easily power a facility of this size, albeit not indefinitely like my own energy can... although, come to think of it, I don't think I ever directly asked the Right Eye if such a substitution would actually work.
Which it won't, because the Celestial Refinery isn't designed to use non-spiritual energy as a power source, and the conversion process requires direct exposure to specifically angelic essence.
...well then. Damn me.
Needing a moment to think, but not wanting the Hosanna to necessarily realize as much, I promptly activate God Speed again. The world around me grinds to a near halt as I begin rapidly evaluating my options, torn between trying to figure out a solution for a problem I'd thought already solved, and silently berating myself for not double-checking my work.
What a stupid oversight... I did that back at Rodin's bar too, focusing too much on certain subjects and possibilities while neglecting others entirely. All the knowledge in the world at my fingertips, and I'm still somehow failing to show proper foresight.
I sigh internally, ceasing my mental self-flagellation. Regardless, it seems it was foolish of me to think I could put off addressing this refinery's continued existence until another day. If just for sake of convenience, I suppose I'll have to commit to shutting this place down after all-
I forcibly apply the brakes to that train of thought before it can go any further. No, wait — as I've just been reminded, I need to make certain there's no obvious issues with that plan before actually acting on it. As such, Right Eye? Were I to permanently shut down the Celestial Refinery, the biggest potential problem that doing so would cause is that the forces of Inferno will inevitably come to outnumber Paradiso's, and eventually overrun the heavens- wait WHAT?!
Despite having only personally belonged to the realm of the angels for a short time, the information shakes me. Overrun Paradiso...? How the hell does that work with demons apparently not even being able to enter it?! Numbers shouldn't make any difference, so... how?!
I wait for a moment, but receive no response. Ugh, it doesn't really even matter, honestly — while it's possible this is a trick, I can't really take the risk that the Right Eye is lying about this. Apparently I'll need to keep this place running in at least some capacity... but I hardly want this entire endeavor to have ultimately been pointless either. If I'm going to take back any of my power from here at all, then I need some sort of alternative, or workaround, or something...
I run through a rapid litany of ideas.
Can I make the refinery more efficient, and thus require less energy to remain in operation? Yes, but it will require dismantling and remaking the vast majority of the facility's equipment and mechanisms, as well as the assistance of a master celestial artificer. Which apparently isn't something I qualify as myself, despite being "The Creator"? Something feels wrong about that, but as I don't have a so-called "artificer" on hand at the moment, and the process would presumably take a considerable amount of time that I wasn't planning to spend on this, I guess that's out for now.
Can I simply create an equivalent replacement for this portion of my power? No — eternally replenishing energy such as this cannot truly be created, even by me. Which I suppose only makes sense, else I wouldn't need to be doing this to begin with, and it really only seems logical for what is essentially a literal piece of God to be impossible to reproduce anyways. Not really sure what I was expecting, asking that.
Okay... well, even if solar energy can't be used to run this place on its own, can it be used to power any portion of the refinery at all? There's precedent, in that the energy of the Sun is used to power and heat the Immortal Forge — another of Paradiso's facilities? — but solar energy is purely of the physical realm, and cannot be converted to a spiritual form, which I already know is all this place was built to run on. While it could probably be reconstructed in such a way that such energy would be able to operate at least part of it, that runs into the same problem where I'd need to basically remake this entire place first in order to do so.
My eyes narrow behind my mask. I am NOT letting this all have been for nothing, especially when this facility is not even using most of the energy this piece of me can output, and has never used more than half of what it is capable of perpetually yielding-
...oh.
I smile. Well, alright then.
Bringing God Time to an end, I press the fingers of one hand together, before slowly, almost theatrically raising it over my head- only to immediately swing it right back down, as though to cut the space in front of me with its edge. Which is, in fact, basically what happens — despite my not being even remotely close enough to touch it, the massive well of power at the center of the chamber abruptly splits straight down the middle, as though chopped in half by a blade the size of a battleship.
I hear the Hosanna let out a strangled screeching noise, accompanied by the same many-bells-ringing sound I heard when it first approached me, but ignore it, watching as one of the construct's halves begins coalescing back together. Within a few seconds, it's reformed into roughly the same gyroscope-esque shape it possessed before, albeit significantly smaller... yet the flow of energy from it into the surrounding pipes continues, unbroken for even a single instant throughout.
At the same time, the remaining half of the construct appears to rapidly melt, the titanic bands of solid metal breaking down and dissolving until they appear more akin to a floating river of molten gold. I beckon, and the lustrous energy obediently streams forth, making contact with the circular ornament embedded in my chest before flowing down and into me-
I gasp without meaning to, not only from the not-quite physical rush of elation that taking the power into myself seems to bring, but from the overwhelming feeling of rightness that surges through me alongside it, the sensation perfectly incomparable to anything I've ever felt before. I bask in the glow of it; of myself, and feel my ribbons exultantly flaring outwards practically of their own accord, every part of me suddenly completely, utterly, impossibly certain...
~This is as it should be.~
Even as the energy finishes reintegrating itself into my being, jubilation continues to pulse through me in slowly-dwindling waves. Only once the feeling has completely faded do I break from the minor trance I'd fallen into, shaking myself slightly as I regather my thoughts.
...woah. That was... something. I really didn't expect that process to feel like anything at all, let alone that. Though, I can't exactly say I'm complaining...
Absently noting that the enchantment constraining my dimensions to human-sized seems to have come undone, I brush a finger over my mask. Unfortunately, the fragment of divinity I just reabsorbed is not enough to keep me functional on its own, or at least so says the Right Eye. Though, I wasn't really planning to risk extracting said Eye from myself just yet anyways, as I'm fairly certain this piece of my former power — er, Jubileus's former power, that is — was only one of many, and I don't personally think I'll feel comfortable with the idea of removing the Right Eye until I've got considerably more of that power back. Especially since, when I do eventually ditch the Right Eye, it's entirely possible I'll end up having to fight its original owner via his still-possessed proxy... but that's a problem for another time.
I turn back to the Hosanna. With my deific form's true height restored, it's back to seeming almost tiny.
I am finished here. I declare.
The Hosanna tears its gaze from the now much-reduced "core" and stiffly bows its head to me.
...and... the refinery...? it falteringly asks.
It remains, and will continue to remain fully operational.
Though it restrains itself from visibly reacting to my statement, the Hosanna's relief upon hearing that comes through fairly clearly to me anyways, as its bearing nigh-instantly reverts to something at least approximating normal.
Understood, Creator. it replies, the dread audibly draining out of its voice. Do you require anything more of me?
I start to say no, then stop to actually think about it for a moment. While Temperantia is technically in charge of it, the Hosanna, alongside several other first sphere angels, is the one actually managing the Celestial Refinery's continued function and upkeep. As such, I could order it to begin retrofitting this place to make use of energy sources beyond my own... but I'm fairly certain it possesses neither the knowledge, nor the capacity for creation and innovation necessary to do so. It'd be like abruptly demanding that a bureaucrat become an architect, and given that a "master celestial artificer" would still be required for the process, and I imagine I'd want to personally oversee any such renovation anyways...
Not at the moment. I decide. Return to your duties.
The Hosanna once more bows its head in acknowledgment. Relatively satisfied with what I've accomplished here, I prepare to teleport away, more than happy to leave this place behind for the time being-
Oh High/est Ho/san/na-!-!-!
-and then a trio of Enchants suddenly come hurtling into the chamber, calling for the very same angel I was just speaking with. Upon spotting the Throne in question, the wheel-like angels quickly align in front of it, rims spinning rapidly, almost frantically around their central faces.
High/est Ho/san/na, the Enchants begin, speaking alongside each other in such a broken, discordant manner that I can barely understand what they're saying, the sup/ply ch/ai/n h/as bee/n-
White-eyed fools! the Hosanna interrupts, its words thundering out over the chamber. Show proper deference in the presence of the Creator!
The Enchants' collective gaze turns to me, prompting them to all but shriek in panic. Pleading apologies and beseeching acknowledgments begin pouring from the trio's mouths rapid-fire, their oddly-metallic voices somehow de-syncing even further such that that they begin almost literally grating against each other, and within just a couple of seconds, I find myself utterly fed up.
ULS
(Cease.)
Silence instantly, blessedly falls. Once I'm fairly certain the Enchants aren't just going to start right back up again, I nod, then gesture to them with a ribbon.
Continue.
Seriously, what was that they were saying about a supply chain, before they started trying to shred whatever I now have in place of eardrums?
The Enchants, albeit rather hesitantly, rotate back towards the Hosanna.
The supply chain has been am/bushed. they repeat, considerably more intelligibly this time. Support from the Celes/tial Refine/ry is requested in excelsis.
The Hosanna seems to almost sigh.
Again? it asks, sounding resigned.
Again. the Enchants confirm, each one spinning ninety degrees to the right in what appears to be their equivalent of a nod. We apolo/gize, but we can do naught but bring such matters to your at/tention, ourselves.
I raise an eyebrow at the exchange. Ambushed? And- hold on, in this context, wouldn't the supply chain be...
Frowning, I turn to the Right Eye once more, using it to mentally pinpoint the location of the ambush being spoken of. With that information in mind, I wave my hand, and a multicolored portal forms in its wake...
Which promptly opens up to chaos.