Odys's thoughts continued. Soon, he realized that, at least in theory, he could "express" every ability from every Pathway that did not involve authority.
But he could not do that.
Because if he did, the "Original Creator" would very likely awaken within him.
Moreover, this was ultimately only theory. Even with the help of the "Gus Staff," he should currently be able to express only some Sequence 4 abilities, because many abilities required not only Divinity, but also the corresponding Pathway's Beyonder Characteristics.
Next, he began considering the abstract aspect of Divinity, which included its influence on intelligent creatures.
Take Odys's advancement as an example. On one hand, this influence modified and strengthened his body to a certain extent. On the other, it affected his thoughts.
Odys had never understood what this influence was based on before, but now he did.
The process went like this: the Sequence 4 Beyonder Characteristic altered Odys's body to a certain degree, and that altered body then possessed Divinity.
Because this alteration was ultimately an alteration in the direction of the "Oldest One," Odys possessed Divinity because he now bore an extremely slight resemblance to the "Oldest One." Divinity thus appeared within his body.
Saints, Angels, Gods, and Great Old Ones possessed increasingly greater amounts of Divinity because they drew ever closer to the "Oldest One."
And the reason Divinity affected Odys's thoughts was because it covered part of his emotions.
The part it covered was the Mental Residue of the "Oldest One."
Odys even believed this was why the "Oldest One" could ensure it would never truly perish. As long as every Beyonder became a Demi-God, each subsequent advancement would bring the "Oldest One" one step closer to resurrection.
It was only because the "Oldest One" was currently asleep that it would not