So, I Transmigrated Into The Heavenly Realm

4. Let's Not Get Noticed by the God Of War

4

No-one is born a Deity. They exist simply because humans exist.

Humans, who look up at the sun that brings them light and warmth. Who, pray it rises again tomorrow, as it slips down over the horizon and who follow charismatic leaders who promise them the prospect of a better life. Humans who believe in myths and legends passed down from elders and who find magic in the small places.

Things exist because they are believed in, for better or for worse.

Belief can do a lot. It can make the sun sentient, it can make a pink semi-precious rock lucky and it can make legendary heroes of people once unremarkable. Unfortunately, it's not purely the 'good' things they can manifest into being. The monster beneath the bed waiting to grab your bare feet and drag you under with it, really is waiting for you. It's long sharp claws tapping against the bed frame. The misfortune you subvert by knocking on wood... well now you really do have to do that because you believed too hard that it was saving you. Tree spirits warding off the fate you tempted in error.

For terror is not weaker than devotion.

The things we fear have just as much control over us as those which we venerate.

Enough concentrated belief can cause even the once most benign of objects to manifest a human form and walk the path of the Gods. Similar faith had once made a famous general down in the human world a deity in the War Department. A long and strenuous journey that wasn't for the weak of heart. The prayers of believers were heavy to carry on the shoulders of even the greatest of the residents of the Heavenly Realm and not everyone made it up there.

The War Department was well known for being overstaffed at the best of times. Humans really like fighting each other and everyone had at least one deity they believed was on their side. You really had to do a lot to stand out and there were very few days off.

At least the nature deities could take most of the winter off. War could happen at any time of the year.

There were many pitfalls that could arise along your path to ascension as a Heavenly Being. Belief does far more than just create them, it's the power that keeps them alive.

A God without believers is no longer a God.

It was easy to fade away leaving behind nothing, not even a memory.

~

The deities of Heaven all have residences in the Heavenly Realm in Heavenly City. Voted top realm to live as a God for the past 5000 years. From the tiny cramped rooms in the overcrowded lower city to the opulent mansions surrounding the glittering palace of the Heavenly Emperor on the hill, anyone who was anyone had a place here. Whether you lived in a windowless basement bedsit rooming with four other minor deities, or you were basking in your palatial estate with a built in heated swimming pool and live in staff, was up to your believers.

The more believers the more real estate potential, the more power, the more offerings and prayers but also the more responsibilities.

That's why the truly famous deities up here in the Heavenly Realm needed a staff. Usually lesser gods, goddesses and deities willing to do the real day to day grind of the job, often just for exposure. Hoping that being part of the crew would get them a mural in a prominent temple.

Working for one of the elite could really rocket you into stardom and everyone had to start somewhere.

That somewhere is often the lower city's spaghetti of narrow lanes and high rise apartment blocks where you never know who is going to be the next big thing. Today's intern could very well be tomorrow's 'Goddess of Finding the Right Lid that Fits this Fucking Plastic Food Storage Container'. It paid to be friendly and make connections encase someone did strike out big and remember you.