Hunger paused. He could not shake the feeling that this was a nation of his own making. It was not without precedent, and it did not follow that nations of similar ideals could not be created.
But why now? What compelled the Lord Protector to send his people against us?
Hunger shook his head. A decade of futility had finally arrived. The Lord of Legend had finally accepted that he could not defeat the Republic on his own, and had therefore formed a policy of conciliation. The Royalist royal family was one of the few remaining in Nilfel who could still claim to be "pro-" as opposed to "con-" against Republic expansion, and they had agreed to this.
But now, he stood before them, alone. They had killed his fellow monarch, and now he had come to this.
He did not know how to begin.
Hunger paused, and then continued.
Hunger rose, joined by Letrizia, Gisena, and Gisena-s-born twin, Adorie, a witch like himself, who was also an expert archer and his cousin in the Order of Lava. Adorie was a pure-blood, the daughter of the Royal House of House Haeliel, descended from the Foremost, the Forebear. She was the product of a union between magical and biological augmentation.
The Forebear had forged Haeliel from the primordial stone of the Forebear, and then had left her to her care. She had grown into a young woman of exceptional beauty and nobility, and had been raised by the Royalist Royalists as though she were his own.
Adorie was a pure-blood, the daughter of the Royal House of House Haeliel, descended from the Forebear, the Forebear. Her parents had married against their will and had no known history of the Forebear, let alone the Forebear's own. She was the product of the Forebear giving birth to a Forebear, and Adorie was the Forebear's gift to him.
Adorie was one of the Forebear's most loyal and devoted followers, and had fought side- by-side with Hunger against the Royalist Royalist. Hunger was not yet an experienced duelist.
Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Lord Protector.
Q: Can I use your services to assassinate Aobaru?
A: As a private company we do not have the resources to carry out such an action for free, but we would be happy to negotiate a reduced price.
Q: Will my Adorie still be alive when the Lord Protector takes over?
A: She is currently on a journey to her father's side, but is expected to arrive in your village within the next few days. The Princess is a Lady of exceptional grace and beauty, and the mother of several gifted heir apparent. She is expected to assume absolute rule within the next few months, and our best estimate is that she will take over the Protectorate after that.
Q: I heard that Princess Adorie is in danger. What does that mean for me?
A: The exact nature of her injuries are not known, but they seem to be not too serious. The Royal Family are extremely protective of their Princess, who has spent most of the past decade locked away in an adult prison. The Royalists are extremely protective of their Princess, who was trained as a spy under the tutelage of a Royalist spy. The Royalists believe that their Princess is innocent until proven guilty, and would be willing to sacrifice countless lives to bring her up. The Royalists believe that their Princess is innocent until proven guilty, and would be willing to sacrifice countless lives to bring her up. But which is which? Is Adorie innocent, or is she innocent but Rigvald?
The Chariot of the Damned is an artifact of legend. Built by the Foremost to slay the Armament in the event that the Despoiler were to strike again, the Ark of the Covenant was forged far more skillfully than this. The Foremost were the product of a single descent, the work of a single Stone Age parents; a process of eons of accretion that produced a being so finely tuned to the whims of its makers that it could be relied upon to strike timely blows against the Armament.
Such is the power of House Mirel was never in question, but the magnitude of its execution was. The power of its Shroud was not something to be trifled with, but rather carefully accounted for. If the Armament were to strike again, the Chariot of the Damned would be pre-empted until the very last second - far sooner than it would take for the vast gulf of interstellar distance to be bridged.
Aided by his Scepter of the Forebear and the power of his Praxis, Hunger quickly decimated the Vessel-bearers forces, evading and probing as much as possible. The Cursed Child had no illusions about his opponents tactics, but he had no intention of yielding without a fight.
At the core of it all was his Adorie, wrapped in mourning and exhausted after a day of relentless activity. She was hobbling slightly but otherwise otherwise otherwise otherwise occupied, the Praxis continuing to augment her basic healing and defensive powers while the Shroud recharged.
In that brief moment of clarity, Hunger had no intention of giving up.
He struck her with the Shroud, casting him down with the full force of the Praxis alight with one blow. She clutched her wound but did not need further verbal provocation, swinging her trident wildly in response to his probing gaze.
The force of that blow sent agonized drool streaming from her eyes, while his other blows pummeled and dodged her defenses in an effort to slay her. He killed her off-guard, unleashed a torrent of slashes and thrusts that pulverized her cover in seconds - but only after she had already shifted from the trappings of invulnerability to absolute obliteration.
The Lord Protector was scheming her eventual resurrection, and the only force that responded was a motley gang of echelon-fodder commanded by Lord Hungers right-hand man, Captain Velsharth. Hunger was there to finish them off.
And he had an excellent lead. Captain Velsharth and his lieutenants had all but abandoned the expeditionary armory of the Royal House, preferring instead to fortify and garrison the citys parapet. Hunger had him cornered, but there was nothing the Lord Protector could do about it.
Except maybe send in the full strength of the Royal Navy, which was unlikely to drop down to engage a Wandering Whale without raising the stakes tremendously.
Hunger charged, and there were a flash of brilliance as his Cloak of Sky shattered around him, debris showering those around him as he tore through the sentinels. The Voyaging Realm was engulfed, and only his Cloak of Sky could rescue him.
As his Cloak spun and dove to intercept an incoming blow, Hunger fired a shaft of blue lightning downwards, conjuring a diversion between the blow and his intended target. The spellfire landed unhindered, and the next volley came without effort on the Lord Protectors part.
At the other end of the line, a hand shot out, stopping a blow on an enemy commander's shoulder.
Hunger blinked, eyes green. The ward exploded around him, but not as the Warder had intended. Instead, the explosion threw him almost entirely forward, sending enormous chunks of the wall of the destroyed tower tumbling down around him.
Aobaru, 9th grader. I'm a senior here. Your teammates are young as well, but not quite yet.
Aobaru blinked, wide-eyed. Wow, you really are a natural! How did your tutors go? I assume your teammates are all here because our spies picked you up.
Teacher? Aobaru blanched. What are you doing here?
You can stay, Hunger observed. Or you can go. The Tower is only a few hours away, and the last thing we need right now are any more complications.
Aobaru shook his head. No way! We're going against the Princess to get to the Top of the Tower, and we have to stop this before it's too late. I could use the help.
One hour, Hunger said. That's insanely ambitious. Are you sure you don't want to run out of time?
The Republic? Gisena blinked. What do you mean, 'the Republic'? You don't mean the people of Nilfel who have given so much to defend their home against the ravages of the Armament'?
The Republic is an oxymoron, the first mate said firmly. An out-and-out waste of space and time. They don't even have a proper flag yet, much less a proper government. They have all these nice toys, but nothing to show for them!
A waste of space and time, perhaps, but not one that we are willing to overlook lightly. Letrizia let out a long breath. We had better get going. The sun is setting fast.
The sun is setting fast, Hunger observed. The sky is beginning to darken. If the weather cooperates...
Time enough to spare. Letrizia turned and ran, running a hand through her hair. Letrizia, your majesty! Can you feel it? The world is beginning to darken around you!
She paused, taking a step back. The sky is beginning to darken. If the weather cooperates. The walls of the sky will eventually collapse, releasing immense volumes of void into the vast emptiness. The power of those walls would be felt for hours, perhaps even days. But this? This is the greatest boon a witch could ask for!
A world without the marvels of the human imagination? How wondrous! Letrizia stopped, taking in her surroundings. The wondrous was no longer a consideration, but an impulse.
The sun was setting. Hunger turned his attention to the fleeing Republic soldiers. They were outnumbered ten to one, but the sheer power of their blasts was unbreakable. Hunger would crush them headlong, lift them aloft into the sky, smash them to bits with thunderous force, then reel them back down again. Each one a piece of scrap metal, but stronger still.
The Republic had no desire, no ambition, no respect for the laws of the Realm of Myth. Hunger was its tool, its propagandist, its heartbeat its sole heartbeat. Now it was falling upon him, and soon he would be nothing more than a speck.
Hunger recoiled, then turned to the remaining Republic soldier, who had just finished speaking to Letrizia.
You take that back, said the other. We expect more than-"
Theon smiled. Aye, very well. And if your majesty finds my remnants of a magic sword within range, I expect nothing less.
The king was abashed. The Praxis had slain thousands, my Lord. How could a Praxis-user ever expect such treatment? Even the most ardent of kings would be embarrassed by the sight of such- and even more so- vivisected territory.
The Praxis were pillars of the Realm of Myth, Fey and her progenitors had believed, and still believed in, the magical superiority of their race-spawn. If the King killed them all, would the people of Lys fall to the Praxis' power? The people of Lys would be your lackeys, your slaves, your foot soldiers in the Faith of the Forebear.
The people of Lys would be loyal, said Theon. Unquestionably so. But the people of the Realm of Myth still have their own beliefs, and theyre worth considering carefully. The power of House Mirellyian is contingent upon the defense of the Realm of Myth, and the power of the Sword of Truth is equally contingent upon the survival of my people. If the people of the Realm of Myth are wiped out, would you turn over a new leaf?
The price of doing business in this Realm of Myth is no laughing matter, said Theon. As you know, I cant afford to let disputes flare up over petty matters of power. If I start squabbling over land, would you buy it for me? Letrizia said, looking at Theon. I cant really see the point in fighting over land, especially with how things are going. The price of doing business in this Realm of Myth is no laughing matter, especially with how things are going. The price of doing business in this Realm of Myth is no laughing matter, especially with how things are going. The
The clocks struck twelve and the last of the vampires made haste to depart the Walls; the remaining four would arrive in two days time.
Hunger recoiled as the blood-smeared sigil flared above him, the sigil of several things, from which he sprang. The apparition of the ceiling fan whipped him about like a top, sending him tumbling to the ground, and he landed hard on his side.
Aobaru whirled around and delivered a punch, sending him sprawling across the field.
A monk in shining plate armor stepped forward and struck his assailant across the face with the Arbor of Ages. The attacker reflexively sprang back, but the monk easily dispatched him with a single swing of his arm.
Aobaru frowned. The armor is quite impressive, but the worst part is the price. The defenses against my Pole-Arm are absolute shuriken, while the defender is helpless to defend himself. How much gold do you think the defender will actually need to buy himself/herself time?
Well, said the Armament, somewhat defensively. The price of gold in this world is meaningless to me, unless you count my interest in maintaining this world. So long as the world is free, the price of time immemorial is equally meaningless to me.
Aobaru frowned. The price of time immemorial is meaningless to me, unless you count my interest in maintaining this world. So long as the world is free, the price of time immemorial is equally meaningless to me. So what if the price is an order of magnitude greater than your own life? Your mother and I both agreed that this was a fair price to pay for your freedom. It is also a price I cannot afford to ignore.
The Armament smiled broadly. A fair price indeed. And this is your mother, the Princess Regent of Mirellyian. A staunch defender of the Pact, yet with a small but loyal fanatical following. You may expect her to be at your side at all times.
Aobaru said thoughtfully. So, what did your... your mother told you?
The Armament continued its tour of the Walls, this time stopping at the site of a century-ago civil war. The rebels had reclaimed vast swaths of the Foremost plain, but the man in charge of the wardens was a reluctant supporter. They needed his cooperation more than ever, so much so that it was practically a given that he would fall at the first sign of attack.
The Armament was starting to feel a little... static. The power of its blasts and the reaction time it took to reactivate them all lent themselves to a large fraction of its decisions. It was important enough to warrant the considerable investment of time it would take to actually operate it properly.
Its sample had already begun to recede. A trickle, perhaps, but enough for Aobaru to notice. The Walls of Myth were beginning to dissolve before his very eyes.
He blinked, eyes green. Dont tell me youre a fan of the holovids commercials! They always have me hooked! And dont you see the humor in selling off the Foremost technology to make a profit? Theres no other way out for a Principals Rank Contractor. Even with all the time and resources at its disposal, WanoTech could only ever develop so far before it had to be cut back.
Im not one to turn down a profit, Aobaru said thoughtfully. And dont you see the humor in selling off the Foremost technology to make a profit? Its not just the power of the explosion, either? The cost of repairing the world is also included. The infrastructure is already in disarray, and the Foremosts massive teleportation range will be in practically every major city by the year 3000. Even with all the time and infrastructure in the world, the relative ease with which Foremost can be reached will be so great, that it will still take decades to traverse the length of the Voyaging Realm.
Time travel doesnt come cheap! Gisena said happily. A month of classes in a month or two for a typical Professor. And its not just the cost of travel - the sheer scale of the events involved, the amount of time it will take to resolve them, the sheer expense of it all, all add up to a prohibitively vast expense. Even with all the resources at my disposal, the journey will still be unprofitable for several months. It would be a monumental achievement for one person to traverse the length of the Realm without incurring any losses.
Im not one to turn down a profit, Either! Gisena smiled. And dont you forget the time capsule! If you manage to unlock it, you will be the first to enjoy the full benefits of my Time Paradoxes Breakthrough!
It was a peaceful afternoon in Nilfel, the mid-afternoon sun shining down softly upon the cityscape. To the untrained eye the city was nothing out of the ordinary, a high-rise office and residential complex of modern construction surmounted by rows and rows of majestic domes and spires.
But to the senses, and the taste of the air, it was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The aroma of freshly-picked greens filled the nostrils, wafted in the breeze like so much natural sweetness. The air was crisp and clean, the water clear and the salt water refreshing. The vegetation was healthy and well-groomed, bearing fruit before them in ever-vigilant silence.
Hunger stood in the middle of the busy activity, a full-length mirror facing him. The building facade paled before the imposing height of its central tower, the skyscrapers inner core jutting majestically upwards, the sky a deep blue, the clouds sails of the sky suddenly drawn back as the fleet of enterprising adventurers screened around them. Beneath the surface, the blood-wine-blue waters swept lazily over the city, undulating and shifting as they floated lazily in the void between the underlying bedrock and the sky.
Gisena stood nearby, anatomical balance of size and shape perfectly matched to his every movement, features perfectly even, the color of sky itself a muted shade of blue. Her hair of a different hue, in irregular strands sewn into braids that dipped or sprung around her shoulders or in bunches that popped free like buns in the wind. Her eyes were blue, like the sky itself, and the sky itself was blue.
The sky itself was blue, as was the sky above, the waters of which flowed like clear streams around the base of the City-Stone, the liquid bedrock beneath, and the earth beneath. Here was a reminder of the limitless promise of the Outlands, of the limitless wonders that lay beyond the reach of reason.
Beside him, Considine coughed. Ouch! A-and-all, let me help.
When Hunger and Considine finished with the daily paperwork, the archaeologist and her team set out in search of the others.
The Voyaging Realm was a place of mystery to the common folk, folk who just wanted to visit and forget about the Realms of Myth and Darkness. To them, it was a place of magic, of fantastic wonders, of ancient secrets.
To them, the Tower of Silence held little interest beyond the knowledge that it connected them to one another.
The others were unlikely to be too difficult to locate, Hunger surmised. Most of the time their coordinates were known to the Royalist Intelligence Services, who had information on the Voyaging Realm but no use for it. Other times it led to confrontations between the Allies and the Reclaimers, or to the capture of prominent figures.
Theres a reason the Romans didnt invent the coordinates card Game-wise: they didnt really know where to look. Theres a reason the Mechanized Armor and Escalators didnt make any more appearances up until the mid-20th century. Theres a reason the Collapse-era Nationsmarchs didnt make any more appearances up until the mid-20th century. Theres a reason the Stone Age didnt invent the Portal-age. Theres a reason the Terran Dominion didnt invent the Starship-age. Theres a reason the Lycanthropy Plenary-Slayer did not appear until the late 21st century.
In the end it came down to this: the only way to find the others was to traverse the length and breadth of the Voyaging Realm, an enormous and dangerous expanse that extended for centuries beyond the Voyaging City.
Hunger did his best to contain his excitement, but it was evident that not all felt the same way. The days dragged on and on, the body count mounting inexorably. Had they really just walked into a trap without warning?
In any case, the sooner they reached the Walls of Myth the sooner the allies of the Royalist faction should be able to disengage. It would be too late for that now - the Armament was within the Fortress of Myth in full swing.
The Armament stood over them, very nearly impregnable, but Hunger had at least some measure of control over its behavior. If it attempted to act recklessly or with-without warning, he had the means to stop it.
He dismounted and looked around. The place was dim and worn down, the paint peeling and fading as people-trailers and billboards were reclaimed. The sidewalks were clogged with mail and parcels, vehicles abandoned along one side of the street.
The convoy of four limousines stopped at the side of the road, and they were met by a guard
As the Emperor has taught you, even the bravest of intentions can go awry.
So you have no qualms about taking the lives of innocents who oppose your schemes? I suppose this is what you get when you cross the Line of Scorn.
The Emperor laughs. If that were true, I should be a god amongst men. It is of course not. The Axe of Ra is long since sharpened, and the power of his first strike nearly as great as your own. Undamaged, it would barely crack your skull.
I see now what you were afraid of. That the Line of Scorn would cut right through you and leave only your iron Will to resist.
Nonsense! The Emperor raises an eyebrow. You think so? You think the Line of Scorn will protect your life, when your plans have already been thwarted countless times before?
The Emperor laughs again. That you were so rash in your initial bid! You know, those of us who have followed your example never get tired of hearing your story. We only get older.
The Emperor raises an eyebrow. You think so? You think the Line of Scorn will protect your life, when your plans have already been thwarted countless times before?
The Emperor grins. Then again, it did not always go like that. The day you set out were attacked by a group of Orks disguised as common troops. They cut you down with a sword in each arm. Your allies surrounded you, yanked out your engines and set about dismantling you. They were desperate for battle and your Titan to hold. But you, who weighed more than twenty times what your body did, you stood firm. You fired your Lances, sealed the gap, vaulted over their attentions and delivered the killing blows. And now you are being used as bait?
I suppose your actions today speak for themselves. Or do you prefer the Silence to be your alone?
The Silence will hold no one against me, the Emperor said. The power of my Patron Spirit will ensure your allies are as frightened of you as I am. The loss of me would be catastrophic. But your silence says nothing about that? If you were to speak, your voice would be the first thing they saw.
The Emperor gestured to the massive helm adorning his right shoulder. Go sit. I have something I need to discuss with you.
I see. So you are part of the Ethereals resistance force. I assume your Titan is helping them.
The Ethereals are my fellow travelers on this continent, the Princess said. I take it you are the son of the Foremost, the Foremost being one of the Foremost themselves? And the Titan you just rode is part of the Foremost as well?
Gisena pouted. Dont tell me youre my biological father!
The Foremost are primordial overlords, the Princess explained. My mother was once one of their vassals, but was killed by one of my, my half-sisters, Adorie. A Dark Eldritch Invocation sealed her soul away, and my half-sister is still inside the Astral Realm trying to reclaim her. Fortunately my father rescued her, and drove the Astral Realm to the Astral Realm. Kind of you to drive them back there, keeping her alive as long as you can.
Adorie, Hunger said carelessly, playing along. Dont need another one.
I see no reason why the Plenary Entity can't simply be left alone. How convenient.
Gisena pouted. Dont tell me youre my biological father!
The Past is Past, Hunger said carelessly. If it wants to be left alone, it should be left alone. How convenient.
And it is, I noted. There is nothing inherently wrong with a Dominionist
In this seven-part series, we will explore the features, mechanics and secrets of the Lord Protector's current form, from the armies and navies of the West to the armies and navies of the East to the armies and navies of the Future. Be warned, this will contain spoilers!
Progression
The first step in the Lord Protector's progression was to divide the people of Mirellyian into roughly relevant groups. These people were the core of the Protector's power, the bodyguards, bodyguards, commandos and secret police that kept order within the city. These people were the core of the people that the Lord Protector cared for, the citizens of Mirellyian who had no stake in the Lord Protector's plans and who, once educated, could be persuaded to side with the People's Treasury over their lord. These people were the core of the People's Will, the support network that the people of Mirellyian assembled around the vision of good the Order of the Hour provided.
These people, these people...
No. The vision of good the Order of the Hour provided did not include the protection of the people it was purportedly dedicated to.
The people of Mirellyian, Garner said. The vision of good the Order of the Hour provided did not include the protection of the people it was purportedly dedicated to. The people of Mirellyian, they who did not serve the interest of the people of Mirellyian, did not matter to us. If we had to choose between saving them and the greater good, which we did not, we would choose the people of Mirellyian. That is what the forefathers of our people used to say.
The people of Mirellyian, we are told, were the true inventors of the Technocracy. The Foremost who created the Foremost intentionally ignored the opinions of the people who did not subscribe to their version of the story. The people of Mirellyian did not fall for the trap of subversion so readily apparent to the common folk. They rebelled, and fell, like dominos in their own right. The Lord Protector knew it would be that way. He could not afford another two years like the one before.
So... what now, Hunger said. What did the forefathers of your people think?
The Forefathers of Mirellyian thought the same thing we do. That magic makes the world a better place. That magic is good. That magic is limitless. That magic can bring light and goodness to even the most vengeful of societies.
At the very least, Weepontian General Weepont said. A society that worships magic need only tolerate its adverse side-effects. The same can be said for a society that does not worship magic. That is to say, the world we inhabit is no more than a whim of the Forefathers, and their wonders but rarely have their artifices brought about results to our chagrin.
The Forefathers knew their technology far better than we did, and were far more skilled than we were in dispatching the armies of the Realm of Myth. Many of the nations that oppressed the Forebear had themselves been forged into Plenary Armies by the same forces that drove the Forebear mad. The Forebear had stripped the nations of their magic and sorcery, but not their swordsmanship.
A noble solution, Weepont said cheerfully. A solution that would leave the Forebear well-advised not to attempt anything like that again.
And yet, they had. The Forebear had vanished, and the people of Weeping Town to its uninhabited remnant. The Lord Protector had promised a solution, and it had not materialised.
What would it take for you to reconsider your position? Gisena commented dryly. If the Lord Protector has your word, we will reward you generously. But be prepared for terrible suffering. Your promise to help us reclaim our Forebear realm will come to nothing if we are not prepared to pay you back in full.
Ill see what I can do, Aobaru said. Dont worry about it. At the very least we have a plan!
The following is a list of the major obstacles that will be encountered in the course of the game. These are the forces that the Player-Character will be able to persuade to side with the Light over the Armament in the final stages of the game.
The Lord Protector is a lich with unbounded wisdom, and wields immense magical power. He controls the Armaments with a command of the mystic, and the speed with which they can be dispelled with the barest exertion. This is a power greater even than the Player-Character possessed, and it will be used to his own ends.
The Protector does have one advantage over his companions. They do not have to fight, and
There was a flash of light, and then all was darkness. The trellised gate fluttered open, revealing the figure of a human skull supernaturally resplendent with radiance the brightness of the Sun itself. Its left eye twinkled with radiance of the same intensity as the Sun itself, the other blazing hot on the inside but also a million-to-one, if not more, brightly-illuminated than the Sun itself.
The Lord Protector had intended for the skull to stand watch over the citizens of Miren, but it had been forced down by the weight of its Lord Captains personas alone. Even so, its presence was felt throughout the city, a cloud of ash and daemon fire that receded as soon as the enemy was within arm's reach.
Hunger smiled slightly. Hed intended to use the skull as a stepping stone to the Council chambers, but the Lord Protector had instead used it as a portal point. The armor fitted perfectly, though the skull now stood precariously atop its legs.
The Lord Protector had intended the Skull of Twilight to be a rallying cry for the people of Miren, but it had become increasingly clear to her that the power of her cry was not confined to the Walls of Myth. To her mind, the Walls still stood, but were not actively used - merely a convenient place to teleport to when needed.
She frowned slightly. The way the Lord Protector had spoken about the Mechanized tome had left her somewhat unsettled. It spoke of a being of extraordinary strength who lived above the earth in the sky - perhaps beyond even the Tower, although she could not say with any certainty what the Fortress Ent had in store for her.
The sky was grey with the blood and the wreckage of the Tower, but also teeming with life - ravens, hawks, geese, ducks, doves, and doves of all sizes, some resting happily upon the sedentary bulk of the city, others jostling for position along the riverbanks.
Her cloak of sky-blue and emerald fluttered once as she turned, heading in the other direction. The heavens themselves had grown soft and damper, the blood-wine sunset ebbing and flowing like raindrops on their weary cheeks. The world had reverted to being in shadow, the Rubrics of invisibility and movement long since given up, and only the power of her Patron Spirit to keep pace.
Gisena watched intently from a position of great heights, a Harpy-Wraithcrested Serpent entwined with its own tail. The world could use more of them like-minded magi, and Gisena was the only one who could shed actual light on the subject matter without drawing undue attention.
She sighed. The world is a dangerous place without a little light. The same people who told you to stay indoors are the ones insisting on letting us in. And the only way in is this narrow corridor, through a portal just big enough for you and the Harpy to stand inside.
I suppose I could just stand here and watch, Orcs say, But theres simply more I need to tell. Lets try a different tack and approach the meeting unencumbered. The princess and the Mechanized man are on their third meeting in as many days, and theres no telling how long it'll take them to drain all the magics from this place. If we delay just a few hours longer I could try to convince them our secret is more than just a construct.
The Veil of Mystery once more fell across the field, shadow and all, this time on the people of Nilfel. The Archer and his companions had little choice but to contend with the Lord Protector and his forces, but it was unlikely any of them would be completely uncontested overnight.
For now they were content to let the Dracolichians fight, and do as they pleased, while Gisena collected the wounded and directed the attack. Eventually they broke through the Lord Protectors outer defences and had the upper hand, but only by a hair's breadth.
The Protector collapsed to the ground, blood and tissue everywhere. The bulk of his forces stood ready to reinforce, shielded by the Walls of Myth and the Might of Myth.
The others stood ready to fight, but Gisena was first. She had the advantage of experience and morale, but they needed her to win. The people of Nilfel needed heroes like them, and heroes like them needed heroes.
They had to find a way to get this one.
Aobaru came to their aid, ramming the other two Archdevils through the Lord Protectors protective ward and draggling wizards along behind him. The battle around him grew increasingly dire, obscuring his vision but nevertheless distorting the course of action.
Telescopic illusions are increasingly common, and the same cannot be said for their more traditional counterparts. Illusionary walls of sand or ice stand between mortal minds and the wonders of the natural world.
According to Gisena, the last time the two of them dined on the natural world together was approximately twelve months ago. The Lord Protector had immediately begun work on a Second Wave of the Ereadhihr, the more advanced variant of the Lord of the Rings signature enchantment. Though the Lord Protector had initially intended to deploy the Second Wave in tandem with the First, the nature of the Lord Protectors armies defense systems rendered that impossible. Instead the Protector had instead stepped into the gap left by the Decay and begun to layout his defenses.
The Royalist powers were already reeling, while the Titan Legions Adversary Force and its Legions supporting Master-at-Arms were still recovering from their shock from the Lord Protectors initial onslaught. By the standards of the Realm of Myth, the Titan Legions victories had been nothing short of miraculous.
The Royalist commander, fully aware that the people of Nilfels heartland were not under his direct control, was elated at the thought of finally marshaling his forces to resist the Armament of His Enemy. But the realisation of that which he had been searching for, the one object on which his whole-hearted allegiance had been founded, was now in peril.
His previous efforts to contact the rebels had all gone unanswered, and the knowledge that they were entirely apolitical did more than anything else to weigh on his spirits. He had hoped that at least one of them would be willing to turn over a new leaf, but it was uncertain how long such a one-sided discussion would last.
So it was that he felt his blood rise at the thought of another effort to contact them. This one sponsored by a faction with an interest in the rulers welfare at least as great as his own.
It was not clear to Hunger whether the faction in question was actually in favor of the decisions the Plenary had already reached, or whether its simply been rambling on and on without providing any real impetus for the action it espoused.
The Plenary was a powerful artifact, even for a Plenary of this era; but the power of it was contingent upon the devotion of its users, and the situation was dire for its creators to maintain its current form indefinitely.
So the authors intentions were noble, and the world a more just and equitable place for them to reveal them. But were they really as noble a motivation as its been said? Hunger was not entirely sure what to make of them, but he was willing to give them a try.
The next day came swiftly and violently, the approaching of a period of great disruption and uncertainty for the entire Inner Sphere. It was clear that an Armament of the Lord Protectors power was highly unlikely, if not impossible, at least in the short run.
Hunger and the others of his party set out immediately, the former intent on rending the group up and moving on, the latter to reinforce the allies that he had made.
The next town over was no great distance, but the level of prescience it had required for its actions to be of any concern to them now felt very much like they were secondary considerations.
Where were we? The party asked themselves. The next town over was no great distance, but the level of prescience it had required for its actions to be of any concern to them now felt very much like they were secondary considerations.
We, the people, the Republic, your allies, your enemies... We, the people, the Republic, your allies, your enemies...
The Republic was a terrible people, Hunger observed drily. Weve only just begun to comprehend the magnitude of their crimes. They have murdered hundreds of millions of innocents and continue to commit them at an ever-expanding rate. Their leaders lack the moral fibre to stand trial, and their armies are so depleted they can barely keep up. Its only a matter of time before they send many of their own people to our borders.
Its difficult to understand, Letrizia said quietly. Your people are used to killing each other. How could this happen to them?
The Republic is an incredibly destructive people, Hunger said. They will kill you both civilly and with deadly force. They dont see the point of ever negotiating with them.
They dont see the point of ever negotiating with them, Letrizia said firmly. If you want to restore my people to my care, then come and negotiate with them. Weve worked extremely hard to become independent and we are willing to do just that. If you want my life, your life, your people, your honor and all your valor, then leave immediately. The Republic will kill you both generically and personally.
Hunger sighed. It doesnt have to be that way
It's been a while, {he said quietly, resting his forehead on his hand} but I feel better now than I have in a while. And I'm not the only one. The others feel the same too. I... I feel... blessed.
Nonsense, Hunger said. Strictly speaking, you are the only one who can say that! Who else could it possibly be?
Please, said the Form, smiling. A mare with a Cure? And she has a Cure too, Poppet! Her Attribute is Affliction, at least in part. She was forced to develop it at a young age. She is not above using it on those that would harm her. You will be just as well served by the Tower of Gisena, the only other mare that can give you a full-strength Refinement at the moment. And her Cure is... a Light Fantastic as well. I am sure your Curse will not stand in her way.
Letrizia raised an eyebrow. That... sounds like a bitch to ride around on a donkey... But it is a goddamn bitch, the form said breezily. It is a privilege to be of use to you, my lord. So be it. I wish no harm upon those that fall under my protection. If you wish to fight, I will defend you. If you wish to live, I will spare your life. And if you wish to be left alone, I will spare your friends as well.
The Form, Hunger said. So just who are you and what are you trying to hide? Letrizia Gisena gave you a brief overview of what the Tower of Gisena was made of, and indicated the position of the Princess against which your plans were directed. This is a bit more concrete than your initial impression, but do you have any other leads?
The conversation with Letrizia was brief and unsatisfying, but not in a way to be sneered at. The Royal Family of Equestria had already split, and the only hope of regaining the majority was to exploit the existing tensions. A full-scale civil war was possible, but it was possible with royal assent instead of the support of the armies of neighboring countries. The only other power that remained would be the Equestrian polities, which were willing to side with the royal family in the event of an immediate threat, but were far less so with the knowledge that their members might one day join the Tower.
There were some in Equestria who resented the Praxis-based economics of things like magic schools, and the fact that their governments of the past had all ended in failure. There was also some measure of pride in not having to constantly depend on the goodwill of the People of Myth.
Hunger glanced briefly at the nations that had formerly sided with the Equestrian royal houses, then shook his head. The Praxis had all but been destroyed, their vast domains swamped by the Mythic mire. The might of the Equestrian royal houses had never been so clearly demonstrated. Were they strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with an Armament equipped with the Praxis?
Aobaru came over and inspected the damage. "Theres a magus stationed here that could transport us across the Voyaging Realm, but he wont be long. Ill hold you to that."
I cant countenance an Armament in the same category as this, said Gisena. "And its a threat to the very existence of this Realm? Hah! A threat to the very fabric of reality it so desperately needs to survive!"
"How dire," said Hunger. "I imagine our only option will be to fight to the death or flee before the magus arrives."
Aww, you did a lot of escaping in that fight, Gisena said. "Letrizia wasnt exactly beating around the bush, either. You took down a wing, a tail, and an arm."
Aye, those were my warriors, Hunger said. "And your informant?"
Hah! Aye, Hunger said, "A former student of yours. She was one of the few who could read my mind while still remaining within the realm of reason. Youre about to be exposed, Aobaru!"
Aobaru? Gisena asked. "Are you one of those people who believe everything a conspiracy theory tells you?"
No, Hunger said. "No one is above the law. Yes, the world is a dangerous place, but so too is the Place of a Lawsman to be trifled with. The development of technology has far-reaching implications for our well-being, and the only way to ensure their gradual but inexorable erosion is through the sustained suppression of opposing views."
Hunger raises an eyebrow. What do you mean 'no longer existents'? Aren't there any records of the Tower still in existence somewhere?
The information we have about its location is sketchy, Aobaru admits. The knowledge it provided was useful, but the power itself was never meant to be used... The powers of the Foremost were never intended to be misused.
Hunger looks askance at Aobaru. What does the meaning of life have to do with a tower?
The Foremost do not play by the rules our textbooks instruct us on, The Arcanist explained. They see no contradiction between the Lord of Lethbridge and the ways of the Foremost. Using the Foremost as a stepping stone to reach the Incarnate would be a mistake that would destroy the Foremost in its tracks. The powers of its Foremost Refinement could be employed to its full extent, even to this day. But that would be a matter for later discussion. Now that we have your Ring around our wares, it would be a waste of time and resources to waste it on a world-warping war.
A tower? What in Celestiare say, human?
The Foremost do not play by the rules our textbooks instruct us on, Hunger protests. Laws against aggression, for one, and the primogeniture code against the other. Laws against conquest, for another. Laws against the advancement of one's power without regard for the lives of the people around you. Laws against the abandonment of your sovereign right to initiate wars of primacy. Laws against the acquisition of unwarranted influence by personal emissaries, whether directly or through diplomacy. Laws against the abuse of the powers of a neutral nation-state, especially one so firmly entrenched that it would take centuries to shake it down. Laws against the expansion of one's sphere of influence without regard for the neighbors, particularly ones so firmly entrenched that they would be economically viable even after centuries of neglect.
A tower? Hunger raises an eyebrow. So you live in it.
The Tower is a Foremost invention, Hunger said, blinking. Its a by-product of my link to the Foremost. The Foremost put it there to keep intruders out. But it works just as well against land-based threats. Astral incursions are a thing of the past, thanks to your Combustibles. And the new one is imminent. It could take months to even breach even one tower.
A tower that high? Hunger frowned. I doubt my Earth-based team would stand much chance against that army, let alone the Legions that lie ahead.
Aobaru shrugged. Actually, the Lord Protector thinks our little expeditionary group was a bunch of ruffians who just happen to be descended from the Foremost. Probably has something to do with the color of my Ring...
Aobaru blanched. Whoa, calm down! It's nothing personal, it's just a little stuff festooned around the Lord Protector's stuff. It's nothing really major, like the Forebear Tower or the Forebear Wall. They're all pretty spiffy on the outside, and pretty humongous inside...
Aobaru blanched again. But this is some sort of legend-spanning disaster, he realized. Legends are only as good as their beginning and their endings. The Forebear was kind enough to give us his personal story, so we have a good idea of what to expect.
Speaking of which, are you going to be making any appearances this time around? I can't help but notice how small your life-size figure is these days.
It was an unfair criticism, to be sure. We certainly didn't live up to the billing. For a start, the place was awfully full of it!
The Feast of Tyrell was supposed to take place some time during the current month, at the latest. And yet, it hasnt even reached that stage! There is so much that could go wrong...
Besides, it was said, I should not have allowed myself to be drawn into this dangerous game at all. The ornate cladding and the armed guards certainly dont inspire confidence, but the truth is that they are the very embodiment of power that it is impossible to live up to even in the most idealistic of circumstances.
The truth is that they are the very embodiment of power that it is impossible to live up to even in the most idealistic of circumstances. Hunger raised an eyebrow. What matters power in the true consideration of ideals? There was no denying the nobility of the cause, or the noble intentions of the riders, or the benevolence of the Emperor.
But the truth of the matter was that the Plenary was no ordinary emperor. The Foremost had forged him with the sole purpose of governing effectively, someone with the Plenary would do just that. And the less power the Plenary wielded, the more effectively it served that purpose.
He clenched his teeth. The more power the Plenary had, the more effective it had been thus far. But the truth of the matter was that the more power the Plenary had, the more effectively it had been thus far. But the truth was that the emperor was in dire straits. He had no choice but to use the entire power of the Plenary to stabilise the situation, suppress opposition and expansion at a planetary scale, and in the interim provide a buffer zone between the Plenary Empire and the human colonies which the Foremost prided itself on protecting.
It was a vast expenditure of power, but one that he was prepared to make in the interest of the Empire at large. If the Forebear could be trusted with the bulk of the power it had just been offered, who could he really be to say no?
The power of its Shroud rested entirely on his own. If it was ever compromised, the Shroud was virtually certain to be disrupted.
In that case, theres no alternative but to yield unconditionally to Forebear. Even if it means yielding ground, time and again. If Forebear can be trusted with the entire strength of the Forebear, how can Hunger possibly stand?
Theres no other path but forward, Hunger said. If you try to stop me right now, the consequences could be devastating. But I can always find a way around this. Once youre out of my range, the only way I can recall seeing a Forebear-shield plastered across the face of Nirn would be through the Walls of Myth. Not a great distance, but enough to let any spell or magic-user transverse them.
The Forebear was a powerful entity. Its magic could shift the course of nature itself, shift the Realm of Myth itself, shift the Realm of Myth in on itself. All with words on the other side.
That said, the Forebear was also a fellow traveler. The Forebear-shield had protected its bearer from a magician without peer. Even its greatest magicians were often caught off-guard by its traps, or distracted by their own...
Hunger frowned. They were not really magicians, were they? The Forebear was simply too powerful for a human to overcome.
But the magics of the Forebear were not quite magic enough for him. He needed to go further...
What about it? He asked. You dont mean to be telling me this.
I dont mean to be cliched, Letrizia said. Its not every day you get to meet a Forebear-type creature. And dont tell me youre a total badass like the Forebear. That would be a total farce.
And yet, Hunger said. Its not every day you get to meet a Forebear-type creature either! Its even more unusual when theyre our kind! You dont get to meet Forebears all the time do you? How unusual!
Its unusual enough not to bother with them, Letrizia said thoughtfully. But its even more unusual when theyre both on our side! So its a rare treat to meet one that delights me, at least to witness the foreboding foreshadow of its future dominion!
Its a far cry from the glory days of my youth, Hunger observed. Weve just returned from a raid on the Shroud owned by one of the Forebear species. The Shroud are still relatively qu
Aobaru frowned. So this is the power of Reprisal... what does that even mean?
The true meaning of the power of Reprisal, said the dragon, But the Sorcerers might be able to bend the Laws of Nature in their favor, so long as they expended considerable effort. The Law of Conservation of Detail demands that we arrive at a mutually beneficial outcome, rather than just a matter of expedience. Its the Golden Rule at its core.
What a terrible, terrible tragedy, said Adorie, As the only one who can stop the UA before it destroys the world! And what a fearsome opponent the UA has become! How dim and feeble the Light of the Morning actually is!
The dragon gestured. The Walls of Myth are slowly eroding around them. The tower in the distance grew in strength as the days went by, but now its doubtful whether the Armament will last more than a few days... the power of its ResonatorsEmbedded in its very substance is a prayer to such an entity.
Adorie frowned. So this is how your people have been treated under the banners of the Reman Dynasty. Harsh and inhumane treatment, even by the standards of modern warfare. Ironic, really, for the Pretenders People to be relying on the Armament solely for defense at this critical juncture.
The armament is paying off handsomely, the platinum-blonde mare answered. We were expecting at least a few donations, but this is more than justified by the scale of your support. The constant stream of Dark Energy we receive is critical to the functioning of the Plenary Armament. It can't just sit back and take it all. The more we can disrupt its operations, the sooner it can strike at our position!
Adorie blanched. What do you mean, 'the more we can disrupt its operations'? The more we disrupt its operations, the sooner it can strike at our position!' The longer it takes them to detect and board the ship, the less time we have to respond.
The armament has been buzzing for some time, the Movreelvian matriarchally-enhanced Aobaru. Its been gathering information on your society and expeditionary movements for some time now. Its been gathering enough to allow it to formulate a plan.
Weve been working closely together on some of the tactics it has employed. Its a cooperative effort between us and its Magus, but its an aggressive one. To overcome it, wecll have to deploy a greater variety of tactics.
Adorie nodded. A number of them have proven effective in their own right. However, the vast majority have proven elusive in the face of the Armament. I fear our greatest vulnerability lies ahead. The fact that the Armament is capable of concealing so great a fraction of its physical presence suggests that at least some of the forces it is using might be capable of neutralizing its greatest adversary.
I see. Thats a formidable foe.
The next time we see one, Adorie said cheerfully, we should be on the lookout for an ambush by a contingent of its magusians. The battle might not even be a few hours from now!
Adorie paused. The future may hold unforeseen benefits for you. Let me know if you find yourself in need of a traveling companion.
Aobaru? The platinum-haired boy said, looking thoughtful for his second attendant. I heard your mother was hurt, too. How hard must that be? And your father,... well, he seems... normal. At least he has a wife and child around.
He scoffed. Or was. At least they got along.
He shook his head. No longer do they. The rest of us are pretty much expendable. Maybe one day we will make a comeback, but it wont be for a while.
Hunger perked up. I suppose your time as a Republic mercenary will be over after this. And now, your paid leave.
The mercenary paid leave? Hunger shook his head. No more mercenary leave. All right. This one is yours.
A month of unpaid leave? Hunger shook his head. No more unpaid leave. All right. This one is yours.
The unpaid leave is paid for with the Republic treasure Praxis, Hunger said bitterly. If Praxis is lost, so be it. But I dont see how this will affect you. Youve already helped me rebuild my honor, so dont think twice about it.
A month of unpaid leave? Hunger frowned. Im not one to turn down a solution, especially one that addresses a pressing problem. In this case my Honor has turned into a walking sarcasm detector. Even if Praxis is found,
They arrived to a camp in chaos. The Lord Protector had declared a state of emergency and all nearby military posts had been sealed off. Teleportation devices radiated with life and activity, and the soldiers surrounding the lord clamoured for the favour of battle. Thirteen-year-olds could fight! All the world could stand to be saved!
There was a contingent of riders surrounding Aobaru and Gisena, led by a tall, lanky figure with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes. The Lord Protector had ordered the execution of a VIP-class assassin a few days before, and the only means of escape was by air. The people of this land had been lulled into a false sense of security by Verschlengorge, and his Champion power had sated their appetites. Nowhere was that more evident than at the walls surrounding the sacred land, which had all but collapsed around them.
The people of Nilfel were desperate for aid, while the armies of the Protector and her Royal echelon were as dead as the day they had arrived. There was little hope of reaching the front lines before nightfall, or of evacuating the people inside the Walls by daybreak.
Their next move was critical. Without the Ring of Blood, the people of this land would be virtually enslaved. Hunger had the means to summon a second Ring, but there was little doubt as to its location. The only other way would be to flee the country, but that too would involve significant risk.
The Wizengamot had approved of his schemes before, and the people of Nilfel would do as he asked. But now, with the Gates of Noon sigil-locked and the Princess protected by the Royal Guard, was the moment ripe for decisive action.
Hunger sighed. The forces of the Princess were legion, her Conquest great and final - even if her Half-sister was the lesser of the two. The Walls of Myth were crumbling around them, the Ether flowing like water from the Earth, and yet they hesitated. Had some secret agreement with them, some past-time of the sort that had to be broken before the new one could materialize?
There was much land still to reclaim, much of which had been systematically destroyed by the Powers That Be. If they fled immediately, it would be too late. The next phase of their plan would involve capturing or killing the leaders of the first wave, and then returning the people of Nilfel to their rightful owners.
Hunger drew his sword.
The Lord Protector was a treacherous individual, but he was also a man of honor, who - as a result of the favor upon which his people had so longed - now demanded their allegiance. The people of Nilfel were loyal to the last man, but they were also willing to die for a stranger - and that stranger was their new Lord Protector.
The price of loyalty was a stranger still.
There was much land still to reclaim, much of which had been systematically destroyed by the Powers That Be. If they fled immediately, it would be too late. The next phase of their plan would involve capturing or killing the leaders of the first wave, and then returning the people of Nilfel to their rightful owners.
Hunger rose to his feet. The Baron had promised them a safe haven, and they had every right to invade. But the Walls of Myth offered no protection against an Armament unafraid of confrontation. Even if they could not penetrate them directly, at least his level of concealment would be somewhat of a deterrent.
The Baron had promised them a safe haven. And they had every right to invade. But the Walls of Myth offered no protection against an Armament unafraid of confrontation. Even if they could not penetrate them directly, at least his level of concealment would be somewhat of a deterrent.
So youve got to be kidding. The Forebear said. Armaments dont lay claim to being invulnerable. In fact they were designed that way. The first time one of them laid claim was at the hands of my people the Valeenes. The magic of surprise was critical. The further back you could act, the greater the chance that the other would react. Until they had some way to compensate for the fact that they didnt, they were pretty much dead even against me.
The Forebear frowned. Oh, my. You cant condemn Armaments for wanting to be invulnerable. It was designed that way
It was a smart move on their part. Almost no one expected the Republic to pull out of the Sol system at all, let alone that it would be so quickly.
Somehow, the Republic felt it prudent to deploy an Armament in the event of its possessor being unable to sustain the full force of its own. The Armament was far more powerful than either the Eternal Capital Ship or even the Troika-class Armament, yet the Republic felt it best to make use of it if at all possible. For once the Armament was not outright destroyed, but rather severely maimed and poisoned, like a poisonous ivy.
The cost was clear. Republic forces were still present in the region of the Ebon Talisman, which the Plenary Armament had reclaimed from the Eternal Kingdom. The Republic had to take complete care not to collide with the armaments stockpiles, flying or land based. The Republic Armament had a jetpack, and could easily carry an entire expedition full of them.
The Republic Armament had been instructed to engage the Letrizias at a range of less than ten kilometers, and so Aeira and her parties made good their first move. Pulling forth with their jetpacks, they charged straight at the Republic Armament, whose jetpack had already begun to deplete.
The Republic Armament sprung to life, with the Forebears blade blazing forth and lines of its insignia flaring with blue. The Pelting was bearable, the charging somewhat tiring, but the sheer destructive power of its strikes sufficient to tear apart entire armories and command posts - and the Letrizias protective shroud itself-scattered across the field.
The Republic Armament screamed and shifted in response to Aeira's attacks. The silver-tongued Librarian sprang to her feet, blocking the incoming armada with a line of sheer terror.
The power of her next strike was unerring, and the defenders around her shuddered, but they stilled. Surrender now, or the day of might come at your hands!
But the Republic was not idle. Behind her, an Armament-class being screamed endlessly, its complement of warriors jostling desperately for position.
The Librarian leapt towards the advancing Armament, her other two Front Pacts releasing dreadnoughts in response. She felt Adorie marshal the Tome in hand, waiting for its full impact.
The levitating tower jerked forward, with chunks of the outer tower and core halted halfway, the Lord Protector and Letrizia both inside, entombed within.
Adorie reached out and grabbed one of the sides, trying to steady herself as her partner yelped and buckled under the pressure.
The second side of the tower buckled inward, revealing the Lord Protector and Letrizia, both entombed within.
They struggled valiantly, but it was not an easy task to dislodge them in one fell sweep. The tower-block was teeming with life, some leaping to their deaths from the ruptured plaster, while others were being lifted aloft by surgical needles or manually tended to by the corpsman in charge.
The Mechanic pumped his shoulder-mounted gun full of air, then sprung to his feet, firing away. The Lord Protector and Letrizia, once removed, were nothing more than mounds of shredded concrete.
The Princess hesitated, took a deep breath, and then shook her head. The power of her meta-senses was such that she could read his every thought. It was a far cry from the de-facto leader-level leadership she had longed for. Even so, she could not shake the feeling that the Tower of Gisenas had chosen the Prince Consort for its own purpose.
The power of the Tome of Sky had given her access to vast realms beyond the natural order of things. It was a source of great mystique to her, and one that she had yet to fully master. It had also caused her great personal pain. To travel to the Plenary Armament and return empty-handed was beyond belief.
It was not just the power of its powers that she was struggling to overcome, it also presented huge tactical challenges. How could a nation-spanning civilization be reduced to that state, and then recover in a matter of hours?
Her advisors cautioned against rash decisions, but she had no shortage of them. She had already suffered through the loss of close allies and key sectors of her military strategy. Even if the Voyaging Realm could be stopped before it reached the Walls of Myth, would it be enough to save the day?
If the tribes of Myth could be deterred by the power of Ruin, how was the human mind to be expected to contend?
The aid convoy had advanced rapidly, and the Lord Protector had yet to receive a single one of the Thousand-Handed Invocations. The Lord Protectors flagship was moored far from the aid convoy, but its reconnaissance network was well-disguised by the dense fog of inter-planetary war. The commander of the convoy, a towering and imposing figure of over-the-knee-crowned power, the Protector himself was hidden in the shadow of a nearby tower.
The commander, it was later learned, was the Hand of the People's Protector, the Inherent Fluctuation-Child himself, An-at-all-costs-but-the-most-so-incoming. The Lord Protector had tasked the Courier with gathering information on the people, organizations and forces of the People's Decimation, an undertaking fraught with danger and confusion. The people, it was later learned, were a coalition of noble houses and religious zealots united in the belief that their savior was some kind of mythical being, or that the only way to stop the People from taking over the Realm of Myth would be to exterminate them all.
The Courier, it was learned, was part of a diplomatic expedition led by Princess Regent led by her half-sister, Princess Adorie. The expedition was on its third-largest scale, and the Princess had declared a state of emergency due to a national disaster at the hands of renegade magus-queen Vigorflame. The Courier, it was learned, was one of two members of the expedition -- the other being Regent herself -- who were able to board the Royalist flagship, the Dread Wanderer, and flee the Voyaging Realm before the decimation strikes resumed. The people of Nilfel would not stand idly by while their sister nation was ripped apart by the Realm of Myth. Therefore, the government of the Royalist People-Sovereignty is requesting your immediate evacuation of the nation of over four million people. The nation of dragons, the capital of the Realm of Myth, the home of the last vestiges of ancient civilization, and the bastion of your fledgling nation-state. The people of Nilfel, it is our understanding, are the object of pillage by a band of ruthless pirates led by the vengeful Gisenas Zero. Your immediate thought is, of course, to protect the people of Nilfel, but your people are not so easily intimidated. We can only hope that you have allies in high places who will be willing to lend a helping hand should our position deteriorate rapidly.
The news of your people's liberation was devastating, but also incredibly comforting. The people of Nilfel were only a few dozen strong, heavily fortified on your Kingdom's might alone, and you were their sole remaining ally against the malign entities that stalked the borders of their Realm. Adorie was away on official business at the time of my visit, traveling with the garrison commander when hostilities broke out. Your people would be greatly assisted by the assistance of the Armamentarium, which can provide food, water, and medical evacuation services, as well as provide reconnaissance and surveillance.
I could not imagine the atrocities committed by the Praxis, let alone the vast numbers involved. The fact that youmenavolved out of the situation with your Last Resort and Armamentarium at the ready... That said, your people are still in peril. The Praxis are a blur to your senses, your opponents seemingly drawn directly from the pages of a mythos far older than your own. Theyre not even bothering to hide the fact that theyre part of your People, either. The only way to really kill 'em is to destroy their home world, so youre basically stuck with them.
Theres no need to be so defensive here. The Praxis are people too, your companions as well as your foes. The sooner you can bring them under my direct control the sooner you can stop them from destroying entire planets.
A plan of your own, the Courier cautioned. You may be able to negotiate with these people, but only if you agree to my demands. Sending your forces against them would be a massive risk for your allies at-large, and would leave them vulnerable to an Armamentarium ambush.
Swiftly their blades met, and Pain and his wing span loosened, the power of his Flight almost entirely negated. Less than a second after that, his next words would be, and all of this would be for naught.
It was as he had said, and his mind stillwed. The power of the Forebears Embrace was like a candle to the Foremost, and only the light of a single incense-burn could quench the flames that now pealed so brightly above.
It was as he had said, and his blood pressure return to normal. The realisation of the impossible had come to him suddenly, as a sudden and terrible surprise, as his powers began to interact.
He was not one to rest on his laurels, but he was one to avenge those he had wronged.
The sigil of the Forebear was scything its path through the sky, and the murmurs and howls of surprise that accompanied its passage spoke to its absolute conviction. The Afterlife would one day deliver a people so utterly depraved and depraved-for such a people-god to exist-that-there-would-be-no-pleasure-in-imitating-the-Laws.
There was a sound like the primeval father to thunder, ripples in space spreading from the impact as reality itself shuddered and twisted beneath the significance of that value judgement.
The Afterlife would punish him for this, but only after it treated him to a proper burial.
Fitting, really, that this very same Afterlife should be so quick and so unkind.
Time later enough to dwell upon the implications, but just in time. A dim and leaking shadow of a murmur had spread across the Afterlife, echoes of past grievances returning in force as a people-god came to them. It was hard to tell whether the after-effects of its powers-etched-en-steel were joyous or repulsive, some perverse satisfaction while others plodded on menacingly.
Hunger stood atop one handiwork of a second hand-out, a man in ill-fitting jeans and a hooded green shirt with ruffled fringe. The cloth of his dress shirt had begun to unravel beneath his weight, torn and dented from use.
The Afterlife had punished him for ridding the Shroud of Avaritia of intruders. Now it was his turn.
The world was small, and he was only a speck in the vastness beyond the Shroud. What armies and corporations and peoples so flagrantly defied the laws of nature that he could only summon forth one or two at a time?
The Lord Protector had summoned forth legions of savage monsters, and even these were formidable adversaries. Where the Plenary Sword fell, so would the world fall. But it was not so with the Prevailer. It had a while to live, had been bonded to it since its birth, and its bearer now lay in imminent peril.
Hunger unfurled past it, the earth and all his exertions stilled, and struck out at its rear. Behind him, the Pixl wolfs-eye flared ever-further, revealing ever-widening plates of lucent blue: the same haloed iridescence that had become its orb.
The Pixl attacked first, but its lance-tip fanned out like a coruscating sun, a ring of destruction across the plain, and then its position was so precarious that it could not be allowed to raze the city to the ground.
With a shout it dashed through the last of the defenders, its speed and the uttermost clarity of its blade-intent thundering and wiping out entire companies in an instant. It was the most destructive blow an axe-wielder could dish out, let alone the fates favoured by fated warriors.
But it was not sheer might alone that the Pixl employed; it also had the might of its aura to be countered, amplified by the Pixl Shard in its place. This had to be countered, for who was worthy of fighting against the Pixl, the Destroyer or its Hold?
The Lord Protector receded ever so slightly further into the horizon, the Pixl behind him, its gaze fixed on the Defenders Tower. The defenders had not yielded, and now the portal-gate was rapidly approaching its innermost reaches.
Hunger unfurled past it again, the earth and all his exertions stilled, so that their fall would not be wasted. He could not allow the defenders to become discouraged, even if they had surrendered their lives. His next move would have to come swiftly, lest the defenders annihilate him whole.
