Taking a small break from writing my other fics at painstaking slow paces and sending the...
Creating an Empire (Multicross God SI)
- Thread starter Older-than-Time
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Ascend
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
Taking a small break from writing my other fics at painstaking slow paces and sending the unhelpful ideas to this story.
This first chapter is a test bed and I'd love feedback, comments and suggestions if any of you guys care to leave any.
EDIT: Redid all GOLD dialogue.
----------------------------------------------------
Ever wonder what it's like to be a god?
Ever wonder what it's like to have ultimate cosmic power at your disposal?
Ever wonder what it's like to have legions of worshippers chanting your name?
"Uh. No, not really." My tired answer was rather shocking to...whoever was whispering in my he-...
…
…
...wait.
Ah, finally noticed! Well congratulations, insignificant mortal! You've been selected to ascend into the ranks of the gods and similar higher beings...due to some rather fucked up decisions from up at the top and the winding, confusing orderly chaos that is divine bureaucracy.
"What the hell?! Seriously, you gotta be ki-..." My reply was interrupted by the sudden change of being in bed to...floating in a dark void. Endless darkness as far as the eye could see in every direction. I wisely shut up, just in case. Something might have been sleeping in here…
So yes, you're on the road to becoming an all-powerful being...within your chosen domain and dimension of existence. I'll be placing the choices you need to make in your head right about...now.
Blinding pain erupted in my skull. It was as if I was being skullfucked by a icy cold steel bar and...wow, this looks a lot like a CYOA.
It sort of is. I borrowed the format seeing as you were once a no-life loser who spent his time gaming, writing fanfiction and working at a dead end job.
Ouch. Seriously, ouch.
I'm being honest here. You were a loser. Now you're going to be a winner of epic proportions, so it's best if we got all of that into the air. You need to start choosing. I'll give you a moment.
I just...accepted this. Why was I accepting thi-...ok, now, I wasn't panicking at all. I mean…
Hey, stop with the internal monologue and make your choices! I need to prevent an apocalypse in an hour or so, so hurry the Void up!
Alright! Shit man...I tallied up my...er, points and hit the thoughtfully placed 'Submit' button in my mind's eye.
Ok, you done? Let's see here...not as bad as I thought you'd do. Some improvements could be made but I'll just let you stumble through it all on your own. I'm sending you to a world needing some new divine blood to shake things up. Do a decent job and you get to split off a clone of your mind that will move on to another dimension in need. Do a horrible job and I'll let you slowly fade into nonexistence once all your followers die off or stop worshipping you. Bye!
Not even a moment later, I'm…
…
…
...a god. A being of vast power capable of incredible miracles beyond the understanding of mortals. An existence as far above the mortals as they are above an insect.
I'm above this world, so much like Earth...it's as if someone had taken my homeworld and placed it here. For a moment, I simply admire my new home and bask in the warm feeling of my power settling onto the planet. I knew what I needed to do first.
Perform a miracle.
I needed to solidify at least one person/being's belief in a higher power (namely me). Expanding my senses, I searched for someone praying, begging for aid from the heavens.
"...ease! A-anyone...help mommy…"
'That works.' I faded out then back into existence outside an old world farmhouse...being raided by scruffy/dirty men in leather and furs...armed with medieval weaponry.
'Damn, a primitive world.'
I wandered through the home, seeing the first corpses lying in the main room. Two men, one older, the other young; both dead from some kind of bladed weapon. Further in, inside the one other room, was what seemed to be the leader of the, eh, bandits attempting to pin down a struggling woman. Her screams were...disconcerting and drowned out the cussing of the man and the sobbing of the little girl in the corner.
The little girl praying.
I crouched down before the child and placed my hand upon her head. I exerted some effort and briefly came into existence. The calming effect of the brief appearance of my avatar stopped her sobbing. And at that moment, I spoke to the child.
"From across the skies, I have heard your prayer. In exchange for saving your mother, will you become my prophet? My one voice in the world and the herald of my glory…?" I knew it was kinda fucked up to ask this at this very moment, but I needed the kid to believe in me to do anything.
The one fucking drawback of godhood.
"I...yes! H-help mommy, please!"
The whispered, desperate plea was enough...more than enough really. The choosing of my prophet and my very first worshipper gave me a brief boost to my powers. The one boost I needed, actually. Grinning brightly, (and she could see me!) I stood and loosed my avatar upon the farmhouse. It's towering form broke through the low wooden ceiling and sent the bandits running. The leader, I directed my avatar to take in hand and squeeze the life out of. As my avatar did just that, I directed the aura of healing towards the trembling woman. She slowly calmed as her aches were soothed and wounds were healed. Her child...her daughter stared up at my avatar in awe. I could feel not just her worship, but the spawning of her mother's as well.
I just gained another follower. Knowing the bandits would be spreading word of what happened here, I spoke through my avatar.
"Woman. Do not fear. I am the Will of Kadmon, Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars, made manifest. Your child, I have chosen and blessed with a destiny...one with great burden and pain. Yet this destiny is indeed a blessing, for she shall be born anew on the eve of her thirteenth nameday. She shall become the champion of My coming kingdom and the herald of its eternal glories. Take her from this place and go. Raise her to be good and just. Raise her to know hope for mankind and you shall be eternally rewarded in this life and the life after.
And in time, she shall take up My banner and lead My followers across the world. She will unite them under the banner of I, Kadmon, and lead humanity into the stars above.
Do as I bid, woman."
She didn't even hesitate, reverently bowing to my avatar and taking her child into her arms. Together, they fled through the fields to the village I could barely see in the distance. Looking up, I dismissed my avatar and it vanished in a pillar of light that seemed to retreat into the clouds above.
Hmm, I hadn't realized that choosing a prophet...that choosing a herald would grant the chosen one powers was actually a thing. It wasn't really mentioned, but I guess that's a thing when you choose 'Leader'. As I had chosen 'Hero' as well, but which was which? Possibly only time would tell.
I reappeared (invisibly) into the sky and gazed down upon the world. I focused upon the fleeing duo, my very first followers and the bandits. My fledgling worshippers came upon a trade caravan and were now on their way, in relative safety, to not the nearby village, but a medieval city in the distance. I attempted to peer further into the settlement, only to be rebuffed. There was a faint tone of disapproval and admonishment...another god? I came to the very edge of their influence and 'tapped' the barrier. I pulsed out a querying emotion followed by an apologetic tone. A few moments later, a forgiving echo touched me and I got the brief sensation of a message.
Only if my worshippers were within the field, I was allowed in...with set limitations.
I sent a pulse of agreement and turned my attentions to the bandit group. They were nestled within a wooded area, arguing amongst one another. There was a brief fight and many of them laid dead. The survivors separated and one seemed to...stare up at the sky in deep contemplation. They traveled quite a ways and eventually came upon an altar...huh, this was rather fortuitous.
The lone bandit kneeled before the stone table and prayed. The prayer went out and...faded to nothingness. It was going unanswered. The god had long left, died or just...stopped existing. I watched as again and again the prayers were sent. And each time, they went unanswered.
I guess this is where I come in.
I came into existence behind the bandit...the man kneeling before the altar. Now that I was closer, I could make out greater details. The altar itself was mostly unadorned except for a relief of an icon, likely the absent god's symbol. It was a closed fist holding a blade. Maybe a god of battle or might? Either way, the exceptionally faint traces of old divine power still emanated from the altar. It was rather nauseating to be honest…
And the man. He was...dirty and had a worn visage. Tired and lost seemed like good words to describe the brown haired man before me. Clad in old leather armor over an equally old set of faded blue robes, he looked like a battle priest...only if said priest appeared to have gotten up from a decade or two of lying in the dirt. Once I settled behind him, he tensed and leapt to his feet. A shining blade, obviously once a magnificent sword, left its sheathe. His blue eyes glanced around, looking for whatever he had sensed.
I had a feeling he could sense me, faintly at least. Good, because that made this easier. I approached him, physically leaving impressions in the dirt as I manifested myself as well as I could. It was obviously too soon after my avatar's manifestation, but I could do...small things. Just enough of my aura bled through the ether and he fell to his knees. He...this man knew what was standing before him.
"I...oh great Denethis, Patron of Might and Lord of Conquest… Protect your faithful from the depredations of your rivals. Sunder them from the realms and…"
Ah, Denethis was the former-god's name. Let's see if gaining this priest...was possible. Maybe the choices from the 'CYOA' make it easier for these possibilities to happen…
"Forgotten knight...your god has long left this realm and become deaf to the cries of his faithful in times past. But fear not, for I have seen a glimpse of your heart and know you are one who would find shelter in My Light. Your recent deeds are...distasteful and plentiful, indeed. But I, Kadmon, Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars, have great hope for Man...and you as well. I stand before you and place upon you the burden of Guilt and the chance to regain the honor you have long lost.
Come, and join the ranks of My faithful, Jaune of Arkos, former paladin of Denethis."
Even if I didn't have godly powers of persuasion, the combined effect of my aura of healing and the fact that a fucking god was talking to him, he eventually ceased his futile prayers and bowed before me. He said nothing but I could feel his worship of me begin. It was a light trickle right now...but in time, it would be a beacon, like my future 'Hero's' would be.
"I welcome you to the glory of My Light, Jaune...First Blade of My Companions. Go now, and do not speak of My glories and Name... Hold My Light close and await the emergence of My Chosen. She will come from humble origins, born of the blood of heroes long past upon cherubic wings of light. She shall be My herald...My Champion upon this world. You...you shalt be her teacher and guide.
Together, you shall become My Prophets, the Voice and Sword of My Retribution upon the enemies of Man.
Go now, and bide your time and hone your skills until the emergence of My Chosen."
He nodded, mumbling/rambling half-formed prayers from his lips. He stumbled off in a daze and I knew her name, just as I knew the names of my first followers…
...surprisingly enough, the organization and such of my worshippers in my mind came in the form similar to that of Excel.
Go figure.
First Prophet and Future Champion of My Name, Altria, Daughter of Madline the Fair, Daughter of Din the Bold and descended of the line of Altia, Hero of Parth.
Second Prophet, First Blade of My Companions and Sword of Kadmon, Jaune, Son of Kal, Son of Talan and once-faithful follower and...paladin of Denethis, former God of Might and Conquest.
Madline, Daughter of Din the Bold, descended of the line of Altia, Hero of Parth.
Kinda glad their names, titles and heritage was all laid out in nice little boxes for me to keep track of. I may have had the mind of a god, but I still remembered having a hard time back when I was...mortal.
Hmm, a small burst of belief and worship just came in from the city. It seems that Madline and little Altria made it to...Calth. From what I understand thanks to their prayers, Calth was one of four cities that worshipped a local deity known as Esme, lesser goddess of the Harvest. Basically a minor deity associated with harvesting crops and autumn. Actually, for a minor deity, she seemed fairly active...I think. The preaching priests in the church my worshippers took shelter in actually had a measure of divine blessings imbued into the building. From the slowly building well of worship and belief I could sense, it seemed that every few years, the four cities would experience a minor miracle. And since Esme was a goddess of crops and stuff, it was most likely a bountiful harvest.
A nice gesture sure to create a stable influx of worship...but I was sure that in time, I could surpass her. I just needed a few sacred monuments of some kind and a battle or two dedicated to me or involving my followers…
...speaking of me, I felt a sudden influx of belief pour in from...Jaune. I turn most of my attentions back to my wandering follower and find him locked in combat with an armored knight of some kind. Each blow my priest dealt gave a small tinge of worship to me when it connected...and each blocked blow as well. There was a minor, yet constant trickle that...came from prayers from my priest. Nothing really solid and inspiring, but just enough to...remind him that a god was on his side.
I decided to reinforce that notion.
Gathering up the small pool of power I had accumulated from this one battle, I focused upon Jaune's sword and empowered it. I changed it from the battered, worn slab of folded steel into a weapon almost worthy of my first Priest...Battle Priest, that is. The blade lengthened by five inches, coming to a sharp point two and half feet from the crossguard and was enveloped in golden light...my divine blessing taking hold. The bastard sword was now a minor divine weapon, capable of smiting undead and summoned beings with greater effectiveness compared to mundane weapons.
I was proud to see that Jaune didn't hesitate and took advantage of his opponent's shock and drove it through the other man's chest. A small surge of power from his victory added to my pool of worship.
Jaune fell to his knees, panting hard as he stared upon my gift… He reverently held it point up to the sky and prayed in thanks to his...ah, 'watchful lord'.
His words, not mine. These, however, were my words.
"A gift for My faithful, Jaune of Arkos. A blade of power, divine and righteous in the hands of those who walk in My Light. Take up this sword...and with it, you will be the bane of the daemon, the outsider and the dead."
-------------------------------
So yeah, a multicross featuring several analogues of beloved characters from various works of fiction.
Important characters created using CYOAs for ease of classification. More to come, if I continue this.
----------------------------------------------------------
This first chapter is a test bed and I'd love feedback, comments and suggestions if any of you guys care to leave any.
EDIT: Redid all GOLD dialogue.
----------------------------------------------------
Ever wonder what it's like to be a god?
Ever wonder what it's like to have ultimate cosmic power at your disposal?
Ever wonder what it's like to have legions of worshippers chanting your name?
"Uh. No, not really." My tired answer was rather shocking to...whoever was whispering in my he-...
…
…
...wait.
Ah, finally noticed! Well congratulations, insignificant mortal! You've been selected to ascend into the ranks of the gods and similar higher beings...due to some rather fucked up decisions from up at the top and the winding, confusing orderly chaos that is divine bureaucracy.
"What the hell?! Seriously, you gotta be ki-..." My reply was interrupted by the sudden change of being in bed to...floating in a dark void. Endless darkness as far as the eye could see in every direction. I wisely shut up, just in case. Something might have been sleeping in here…
So yes, you're on the road to becoming an all-powerful being...within your chosen domain and dimension of existence. I'll be placing the choices you need to make in your head right about...now.
Blinding pain erupted in my skull. It was as if I was being skullfucked by a icy cold steel bar and...wow, this looks a lot like a CYOA.
It sort of is. I borrowed the format seeing as you were once a no-life loser who spent his time gaming, writing fanfiction and working at a dead end job.
Ouch. Seriously, ouch.
I'm being honest here. You were a loser. Now you're going to be a winner of epic proportions, so it's best if we got all of that into the air. You need to start choosing. I'll give you a moment.
I just...accepted this. Why was I accepting thi-...ok, now, I wasn't panicking at all. I mean…
Hey, stop with the internal monologue and make your choices! I need to prevent an apocalypse in an hour or so, so hurry the Void up!
Alright! Shit man...I tallied up my...er, points and hit the thoughtfully placed 'Submit' button in my mind's eye.
Ok, you done? Let's see here...not as bad as I thought you'd do. Some improvements could be made but I'll just let you stumble through it all on your own. I'm sending you to a world needing some new divine blood to shake things up. Do a decent job and you get to split off a clone of your mind that will move on to another dimension in need. Do a horrible job and I'll let you slowly fade into nonexistence once all your followers die off or stop worshipping you. Bye!
Not even a moment later, I'm…
…
…
...a god. A being of vast power capable of incredible miracles beyond the understanding of mortals. An existence as far above the mortals as they are above an insect.
I'm above this world, so much like Earth...it's as if someone had taken my homeworld and placed it here. For a moment, I simply admire my new home and bask in the warm feeling of my power settling onto the planet. I knew what I needed to do first.
Perform a miracle.
I needed to solidify at least one person/being's belief in a higher power (namely me). Expanding my senses, I searched for someone praying, begging for aid from the heavens.
"...ease! A-anyone...help mommy…"
'That works.' I faded out then back into existence outside an old world farmhouse...being raided by scruffy/dirty men in leather and furs...armed with medieval weaponry.
'Damn, a primitive world.'
I wandered through the home, seeing the first corpses lying in the main room. Two men, one older, the other young; both dead from some kind of bladed weapon. Further in, inside the one other room, was what seemed to be the leader of the, eh, bandits attempting to pin down a struggling woman. Her screams were...disconcerting and drowned out the cussing of the man and the sobbing of the little girl in the corner.
The little girl praying.
I crouched down before the child and placed my hand upon her head. I exerted some effort and briefly came into existence. The calming effect of the brief appearance of my avatar stopped her sobbing. And at that moment, I spoke to the child.
"From across the skies, I have heard your prayer. In exchange for saving your mother, will you become my prophet? My one voice in the world and the herald of my glory…?" I knew it was kinda fucked up to ask this at this very moment, but I needed the kid to believe in me to do anything.
The one fucking drawback of godhood.
"I...yes! H-help mommy, please!"
The whispered, desperate plea was enough...more than enough really. The choosing of my prophet and my very first worshipper gave me a brief boost to my powers. The one boost I needed, actually. Grinning brightly, (and she could see me!) I stood and loosed my avatar upon the farmhouse. It's towering form broke through the low wooden ceiling and sent the bandits running. The leader, I directed my avatar to take in hand and squeeze the life out of. As my avatar did just that, I directed the aura of healing towards the trembling woman. She slowly calmed as her aches were soothed and wounds were healed. Her child...her daughter stared up at my avatar in awe. I could feel not just her worship, but the spawning of her mother's as well.
I just gained another follower. Knowing the bandits would be spreading word of what happened here, I spoke through my avatar.
"Woman. Do not fear. I am the Will of Kadmon, Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars, made manifest. Your child, I have chosen and blessed with a destiny...one with great burden and pain. Yet this destiny is indeed a blessing, for she shall be born anew on the eve of her thirteenth nameday. She shall become the champion of My coming kingdom and the herald of its eternal glories. Take her from this place and go. Raise her to be good and just. Raise her to know hope for mankind and you shall be eternally rewarded in this life and the life after.
And in time, she shall take up My banner and lead My followers across the world. She will unite them under the banner of I, Kadmon, and lead humanity into the stars above.
Do as I bid, woman."
She didn't even hesitate, reverently bowing to my avatar and taking her child into her arms. Together, they fled through the fields to the village I could barely see in the distance. Looking up, I dismissed my avatar and it vanished in a pillar of light that seemed to retreat into the clouds above.
Hmm, I hadn't realized that choosing a prophet...that choosing a herald would grant the chosen one powers was actually a thing. It wasn't really mentioned, but I guess that's a thing when you choose 'Leader'. As I had chosen 'Hero' as well, but which was which? Possibly only time would tell.
I reappeared (invisibly) into the sky and gazed down upon the world. I focused upon the fleeing duo, my very first followers and the bandits. My fledgling worshippers came upon a trade caravan and were now on their way, in relative safety, to not the nearby village, but a medieval city in the distance. I attempted to peer further into the settlement, only to be rebuffed. There was a faint tone of disapproval and admonishment...another god? I came to the very edge of their influence and 'tapped' the barrier. I pulsed out a querying emotion followed by an apologetic tone. A few moments later, a forgiving echo touched me and I got the brief sensation of a message.
Only if my worshippers were within the field, I was allowed in...with set limitations.
I sent a pulse of agreement and turned my attentions to the bandit group. They were nestled within a wooded area, arguing amongst one another. There was a brief fight and many of them laid dead. The survivors separated and one seemed to...stare up at the sky in deep contemplation. They traveled quite a ways and eventually came upon an altar...huh, this was rather fortuitous.
The lone bandit kneeled before the stone table and prayed. The prayer went out and...faded to nothingness. It was going unanswered. The god had long left, died or just...stopped existing. I watched as again and again the prayers were sent. And each time, they went unanswered.
I guess this is where I come in.
I came into existence behind the bandit...the man kneeling before the altar. Now that I was closer, I could make out greater details. The altar itself was mostly unadorned except for a relief of an icon, likely the absent god's symbol. It was a closed fist holding a blade. Maybe a god of battle or might? Either way, the exceptionally faint traces of old divine power still emanated from the altar. It was rather nauseating to be honest…
And the man. He was...dirty and had a worn visage. Tired and lost seemed like good words to describe the brown haired man before me. Clad in old leather armor over an equally old set of faded blue robes, he looked like a battle priest...only if said priest appeared to have gotten up from a decade or two of lying in the dirt. Once I settled behind him, he tensed and leapt to his feet. A shining blade, obviously once a magnificent sword, left its sheathe. His blue eyes glanced around, looking for whatever he had sensed.
I had a feeling he could sense me, faintly at least. Good, because that made this easier. I approached him, physically leaving impressions in the dirt as I manifested myself as well as I could. It was obviously too soon after my avatar's manifestation, but I could do...small things. Just enough of my aura bled through the ether and he fell to his knees. He...this man knew what was standing before him.
"I...oh great Denethis, Patron of Might and Lord of Conquest… Protect your faithful from the depredations of your rivals. Sunder them from the realms and…"
Ah, Denethis was the former-god's name. Let's see if gaining this priest...was possible. Maybe the choices from the 'CYOA' make it easier for these possibilities to happen…
"Forgotten knight...your god has long left this realm and become deaf to the cries of his faithful in times past. But fear not, for I have seen a glimpse of your heart and know you are one who would find shelter in My Light. Your recent deeds are...distasteful and plentiful, indeed. But I, Kadmon, Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars, have great hope for Man...and you as well. I stand before you and place upon you the burden of Guilt and the chance to regain the honor you have long lost.
Come, and join the ranks of My faithful, Jaune of Arkos, former paladin of Denethis."
Even if I didn't have godly powers of persuasion, the combined effect of my aura of healing and the fact that a fucking god was talking to him, he eventually ceased his futile prayers and bowed before me. He said nothing but I could feel his worship of me begin. It was a light trickle right now...but in time, it would be a beacon, like my future 'Hero's' would be.
"I welcome you to the glory of My Light, Jaune...First Blade of My Companions. Go now, and do not speak of My glories and Name... Hold My Light close and await the emergence of My Chosen. She will come from humble origins, born of the blood of heroes long past upon cherubic wings of light. She shall be My herald...My Champion upon this world. You...you shalt be her teacher and guide.
Together, you shall become My Prophets, the Voice and Sword of My Retribution upon the enemies of Man.
Go now, and bide your time and hone your skills until the emergence of My Chosen."
He nodded, mumbling/rambling half-formed prayers from his lips. He stumbled off in a daze and I knew her name, just as I knew the names of my first followers…
...surprisingly enough, the organization and such of my worshippers in my mind came in the form similar to that of Excel.
Go figure.
First Prophet and Future Champion of My Name, Altria, Daughter of Madline the Fair, Daughter of Din the Bold and descended of the line of Altia, Hero of Parth.
Second Prophet, First Blade of My Companions and Sword of Kadmon, Jaune, Son of Kal, Son of Talan and once-faithful follower and...paladin of Denethis, former God of Might and Conquest.
Madline, Daughter of Din the Bold, descended of the line of Altia, Hero of Parth.
Kinda glad their names, titles and heritage was all laid out in nice little boxes for me to keep track of. I may have had the mind of a god, but I still remembered having a hard time back when I was...mortal.
Hmm, a small burst of belief and worship just came in from the city. It seems that Madline and little Altria made it to...Calth. From what I understand thanks to their prayers, Calth was one of four cities that worshipped a local deity known as Esme, lesser goddess of the Harvest. Basically a minor deity associated with harvesting crops and autumn. Actually, for a minor deity, she seemed fairly active...I think. The preaching priests in the church my worshippers took shelter in actually had a measure of divine blessings imbued into the building. From the slowly building well of worship and belief I could sense, it seemed that every few years, the four cities would experience a minor miracle. And since Esme was a goddess of crops and stuff, it was most likely a bountiful harvest.
A nice gesture sure to create a stable influx of worship...but I was sure that in time, I could surpass her. I just needed a few sacred monuments of some kind and a battle or two dedicated to me or involving my followers…
...speaking of me, I felt a sudden influx of belief pour in from...Jaune. I turn most of my attentions back to my wandering follower and find him locked in combat with an armored knight of some kind. Each blow my priest dealt gave a small tinge of worship to me when it connected...and each blocked blow as well. There was a minor, yet constant trickle that...came from prayers from my priest. Nothing really solid and inspiring, but just enough to...remind him that a god was on his side.
I decided to reinforce that notion.
Gathering up the small pool of power I had accumulated from this one battle, I focused upon Jaune's sword and empowered it. I changed it from the battered, worn slab of folded steel into a weapon almost worthy of my first Priest...Battle Priest, that is. The blade lengthened by five inches, coming to a sharp point two and half feet from the crossguard and was enveloped in golden light...my divine blessing taking hold. The bastard sword was now a minor divine weapon, capable of smiting undead and summoned beings with greater effectiveness compared to mundane weapons.
I was proud to see that Jaune didn't hesitate and took advantage of his opponent's shock and drove it through the other man's chest. A small surge of power from his victory added to my pool of worship.
Jaune fell to his knees, panting hard as he stared upon my gift… He reverently held it point up to the sky and prayed in thanks to his...ah, 'watchful lord'.
His words, not mine. These, however, were my words.
"A gift for My faithful, Jaune of Arkos. A blade of power, divine and righteous in the hands of those who walk in My Light. Take up this sword...and with it, you will be the bane of the daemon, the outsider and the dead."
-------------------------------
So yeah, a multicross featuring several analogues of beloved characters from various works of fiction.
Important characters created using CYOAs for ease of classification. More to come, if I continue this.
----------------------------------------------------------
Using Dark God as the template
Choices:
Dominator - 6 Essence, 12 Influence
- Lord of Hosts (Free), All Minions gain +2 Minion Choices
Choose Your Own Adventure (To be announced)
Form - 2 Essence
Demonforged
Lord of Hosts (Free)
Pillar of Hope
God Powers - 4 Essence
Resurrect
World Gate
Empowerment - 3 Influence
Worship
Battle
Monuments
Prophet - 1 Influence
Hero (Free) - See Hero
Priest - See Paladin
Divine Gifts - 1 Influence
Demonic Weapons
Dominion - 3 Influence
Hellgate
Free Avatar
Minions - 3 Influence
Humanoid - 7 Minion Choices (+2)
- 1 Skill Free
- Skill: Flight (Free)
- Form: Extreme Size
- Skill: Healer
- Affinity: Fire
- Skill: Toughness
- Skill: Armsmaster
- Skill: Overcharge
- Skill: Get Back Up
- Equip: Armor
- Equip: Smiting
Lesser - 5 Minion Choices (+2)
- 1 Form Free
- Form: Great Size (Free)
- Skill: Genius
- Equip: Armor
- Skill: Armsmaster
- Skill: Toughness
- Skill: Spawner
- Skill: Rage
- Skill: Terror
Underworld - 1 Influence
Judgement - 5 Underworld Choices
- Restoration cycle
- Citadel
- Manifest Deity
Choices:
Dominator - 6 Essence, 12 Influence
- Lord of Hosts (Free), All Minions gain +2 Minion Choices
Choose Your Own Adventure (To be announced)
Form - 2 Essence
Demonforged
Lord of Hosts (Free)
Pillar of Hope
God Powers - 4 Essence
Resurrect
World Gate
Empowerment - 3 Influence
Worship
Battle
Monuments
Prophet - 1 Influence
Hero (Free) - See Hero
Priest - See Paladin
Divine Gifts - 1 Influence
Demonic Weapons
Dominion - 3 Influence
Hellgate
Free Avatar
Minions - 3 Influence
Humanoid - 7 Minion Choices (+2)
- 1 Skill Free
- Skill: Flight (Free)
- Form: Extreme Size
- Skill: Healer
- Affinity: Fire
- Skill: Toughness
- Skill: Armsmaster
- Skill: Overcharge
- Skill: Get Back Up
- Equip: Armor
- Equip: Smiting
Lesser - 5 Minion Choices (+2)
- 1 Form Free
- Form: Great Size (Free)
- Skill: Genius
- Equip: Armor
- Skill: Armsmaster
- Skill: Toughness
- Skill: Spawner
- Skill: Rage
- Skill: Terror
Underworld - 1 Influence
Judgement - 5 Underworld Choices
- Restoration cycle
- Citadel
- Manifest Deity
Created using Hero Page 1 and 2 as a template
50 points
Child of Heroes (Ancestors were Heroic): +10 points
Giant's Brawn - 8 points
Wolf's Run- 2 points
Serpent's Reflexes - 10 points
Blademaster - 8 points
Angelic Pinions - 7 points
Shieldbearer - 4 points
Medicus - 6 points
Fire Mage - 4 points
Artifacts
The Oliphaunt - 9 points
Mount
Horse- 1 point
50 points
Child of Heroes (Ancestors were Heroic): +10 points
Giant's Brawn - 8 points
Wolf's Run- 2 points
Serpent's Reflexes - 10 points
Blademaster - 8 points
Angelic Pinions - 7 points
Shieldbearer - 4 points
Medicus - 6 points
Fire Mage - 4 points
Artifacts
The Oliphaunt - 9 points
Mount
Horse- 1 point
Created using Paladin as a template
Order: Retribution
Powers:
Lay on Hands
Smiting
Consecration
Weapon: Sword (Later in story)
Armor: Power Armor (Later in story)
Artifact: Scabbard
Stronghold: Castle (Later in Story)
Companion: Squire (Later in Story)
Nemesis: Cultists (Later in Story)
The Road Ahead: Einherjar
Order: Retribution
Powers:
Lay on Hands
Smiting
Consecration
Weapon: Sword (Later in story)
Armor: Power Armor (Later in story)
Artifact: Scabbard
Stronghold: Castle (Later in Story)
Companion: Squire (Later in Story)
Nemesis: Cultists (Later in Story)
The Road Ahead: Einherjar
Last edited:
First Blessings
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
For a time, I did little but slowly gather power from the prayers of Altria, Madline and Jaune. The combined faith of the three was fervent and constant, due to minor...very minor miracles I cast when they were needed.
One instance was when a runaway horse nearly trampled my future champion while her mother was trying to haggle a decent price for some food. I, with great reluctance, waited until the last moment and briefly enveloped Altria in my powers, letting her become incorporeal just long enough for the horse to pass and leave her bewildered but unharmed. Madline's panicked sobs and tight hug were just what the shocked child needed...and the soft, aura-empowered pat on the kid's head might have helped reinforce her faith in me.
Similar instances where the kid would have been in minor danger or suffered any injuries were circumvented or denied with minute displays of power. Each expenditure returned threefold with the reinforcing of the faith of my champion and her mother.
And as for Jaune, he was shaping up to be a fine paladin of my faith. Already he had discarded the old robes of Denethis and taken to traveling about in robes of bright yellow and red trim. Armor of the same color was worn over the robes; a thick breastplate, gauntlets, pauldrons and a pair of armored boots. I...blessed his garb with minor enchantments of self-repair and grim-repulsion so that he'd always appear immaculate and...a little shiny.
If he was a great deal more respected and held in awe by the peasantry and other knights, well…
Jaune was...a really good catch. He had already begun penning a...brief set of prayers and chants for my faith. Some I answered subtly, letting him know I favored certain prayers over others while a pair of bloodthirsty war chants were not only ignored, but I briefly took away the blessings I bestowed upon him.
His armor and blade suddenly becoming heavy and burdensome were rather clear signs of my ill-favor. Needless to say, he got the message fast; I do enjoy a good battle in my name, but I do NOT want a blood hungry host of followers.
Right now, Jaune was in the midst of designing a symbol to represent my faith. I watched closely, providing him hints of approval or disapproval for his ideas.
Any symbols dealing with even numbers, wheels or singular stars were immediately vetoed.
Symbols of war were...acceptable, but I encouraged him to seek out better options.
Birds...particularly powerful or mythical ones were greatly encouraged. I kept prodding him closer and closer to the image I had in mind until…
...he got it.
A twin-headed bird with outstretched wings. It was missing a few things, so I suddenly withdrew my 'presence' from him. His startled face and frantic apologies and prayers were quickly answered by an intense flash of light that enveloped the clearing he was staying in. As he recovered from the sudden change in brightness, I hastily adjusted the symbol to the one I had in mind.
The twin-headed eagle with the left head's visible eye blinded and the talons holding a torch and sword, set upon the shield he carried.
My very own coat of arms...
Jaune marveled at the crest of my faith and I spoke to him.
"You have done well, First Blade of Kadmon. Bear witness to My Symbol, the Aquila, the twin headed eagle of wisdom and nobility. Look upon it and know its message.
One eye blinded, the other true. I, Kadmon, am not an all-seeing or all-knowing lord. I, once cursed with pride, learned the dreadful price of knowledge and gained great wisdom.
The talons are not bare, ready to strike...but hold My gifts to My faithful.
The first is Fire. Fire is the spark of opportunity, the possibility of a great future yet to come. Those who join My faith will be rewarded not only in this world, but the next. They will be blessed with great armor and the mightiest of arms to defend against the enemies of Man. And in death, they shall come before me to be judged for their service. The worthy shall be brought into My halls and held as heroes eternal.
The second is the Sword. The Sword is the oath I and all My faithful swear… An oath of valor, virtue, defense of the helpless, might which upholds the weak, words only of truth and a wrath that undoes the wicked. Let none break this oath, this sworn duty and they shall be rewarded in time eternal.
Bear this crest, Jaune of Arkos, First Blade of Kadmon. Bear this well and ready yourself for My Champion's arrival."
A little preachy and dramatic, but essentially what I wanted to get across. A peek into his mind and I could see he was already forming prayers from what I had told him. Pretty decent ones so far…
...whoa...suddenly...really...t-tired...what the he-...
----------------------------------------------
I woke up and suddenly was aware of...a huge influx of worship and belief coming from...Calth? Zooming in, I found little Altria...wait, not so little Altria.
She looked maybe eleven or twelve...I fell asleep for half a decade? Shit. I hope I didn't lose out on anything. Oh wait, she's...speaking to a large group of old priests bearing the symbols of Esme and four other deities.
"...-ou not see, child? The Pentagram is the answer. Five gods joined in one purpose to protect our fair cities. Esme, goddess of the Harvest and provider of great bounties."
"Jura, god of stonework and masonry. He who gave us these four cities to shelter us from the depredations of the world."
"Idna, goddess of justice. Her sword protects us from within against the darkness in our hearts."
"Kain, god of sanctity. He who shields us from the darkness outside our walls and heals our mind of all doubt."
"And greatest of all, Bount, ruler of the four and lord of the sun. He who begins each day and heralds the coming of night. How can a god greater than the sacred pentagram of divinity alone? Tell us, child."
Huh, they were either trying to learn more about me or convert my chosen...I was about to channel my power into her and speak when the kid started talking on her own.
"You say that none can surpass the five divines of our cities. You say that each one is powerful alone and lend great power in unity to one another.
I do not deny this.
But my lord is a righteous god. Once cursed with pride, he learned true wisdom after great loss. He does not claim superiority over his fellow gods nor does he wish to strike them down so that he remains our one true god. He is and shall forever be the Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars above and beyond our skies. He came to me as a child just six namedays old and chose me as his champion, the herald of his coming kingdom. I have not forgotten my duty nor the message I will bring to our land and all lands beyond the horizon. You know of my duty and its arrival upon my coming nameday. You will not deter me from taking up my lord's banner nor convert me from His Light.
My lord protected me and my mother when we were weak and blind to His Light. He protected us when I was still feeble and ignorant of my duty; ignorant of my destiny. Now I have learned of this duty. I have learned of the responsibilities He will lay upon my shoulders. I will not falter nor flee from Him.
I will not turn away from His Light.
Stand aside and let me away from you all, for my lord is waiting for my emergence."
'Huh...eloquent, I guess. And when the hell did she find out about her destiny? Maybe...maybe Madline told her?' A quick peek into her mind and I found...Jaune kneeling before her years ago and placing a worn tome in her hands, the cover bearing my symbol. Damn, he must have sensed my mark upon her and knew she was my future champion.
He even got her ready before I was ready.
Definitely made the right choice in converting him.
I reached down and placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder as she walked down the path, the crowd parting before her like the Red Sea…
She looked up. I swear, she seemed to be looking right at me and she smiled softly. A surge of belief joined my suddenly immense pool of worship...how in existence did I acquire this much in six-ish years?
I decided to visit Jaune to see if he had anything to do with the huge stream of worship streaming towards me in a constant tide. A moment of thought and I found him standing before a large group of armored men, clad in the same colored armor as he. Jaune was...speaking to them all; he was telling them to prepare for a battle and that I was watching over them…
"You all stand before me, my brothers in arms, faith and duty. Take heart that today is one which we all shall remember in the trials to come. Today, we stand together not as a rabble of believers joined by the hope for the attentions of a distant god, but one body of faithful men joined in the surety that our god looks down upon us with favor!
Lord Kadmon is watching us! Lord Kadmon favors us! Lord Kadmon Has Chosen Us! Will we be found wanting?"
...I was watching over what appeared to be the very beginnings of my future armies.
What was he doing these past six-ish years?! I visually followed my First Blade back into his quarters at nightfall where he kneeled before an altar. An altar mostly unadorned except for the Aquila-crested shield and blessed sword I gave him years ago.
"Lord Kadmon, Master of Man and Lord of the Stars above and beyond our skies. I...I have done as best I could in your absence. I have gathered men of faith who have sworn themselves to your service. I have armed them with armor and swords of great make. I have given your message and symbol to your champion-to-be. Please, my lord. Send me a sign that what I have done is right. Send me a sign that I have done your will…"
Damn, he was really...he was on the verge of going down the same road after the departure of Denethis. I gathered a decent portion of belief and worship into my 'hands', molding it just right...and sent it to Jaune.
I watched as his blessed weapons and armor began to shine in the darkness of his room. He jerked in shock and stared with tearing eyes at the light emanating from the divine steel. I sent him a quiet whisper.
"Take up your sword, my faithful First Blade. Take up its sheathe and know you have done My Will."
Doing as directed, he took up the blade and scabbard. The gathered divine energy began molding to my will and the two items changed. The worn bastard sword, once fairly plain, became a mastercrafted greatsword with a golden hilt, handle and crossguard in one piece. The blade, once a shining silver, became dull steel in color. What once was a beautiful blade became a utilitarian weapon.
The scabbard merely became pristine and a single ruby-like jewel was placed on its side near the mouth.
Jaune's confusion was clear and I explained...still in the whispered tone.
"Your blade is not one of vanity or shining glory, but one of purpose and duty. Bear its weight and witness its power."
Indeed, he grabbed the blade and nearly stumbled under the added weight. It actually nearly as heavy as he was in armor. Careful swings and stances revealed to him that it was obviously too heavy for aggressive tactics and attacks.
"Your sword and oath to My service was one of valor and virtue. You have shown valor in holding your faith in my silence and the gathering of faithful men without my direction. You have shown virtue by holding to your vow and not straying from My Light.
Now, it is time for you truly become the First Blade of My Companions, Jaune of Arkos. You hold in your hands the great blade Ascalon - The Blessed Sword By Which Force is Slain. It is not a blade of war, but one that defends the helpless and takes great might to lift...might which shall uphold the weak."
Jaune's eyes widened with understanding, reciting an oath under his breath. The oath of the sword which I implanted into his mind when I granted him my crest.
"A Blade is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speak only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked."
I smiled to myself and sent a feeling of pride and acknowledgement to him. I continued to explain the sword.
"...and should your vow of valor, virtue, protection and might fail...should words of truth not deter your enemies...then take up your sword and call upon My Power...cry out the name of the sword and it will grant you a wrath to undo the wicked, to beget retribution upon My enemies."
Just this once, I willed Ascalon to change forms from its purely defensive state...to discard its power to defend its user and others from all harm...and reversed it. It changed shaped to guardless greatsword bronze and steel, the tip sliced off at an angle. Ascalon, in this form…
"...it shall forgo all intent of protection and become solely a blade of power and might, capable of cutting through all forms of defense. No steel or stone may stand before it. It can never be turned aside once you set its course. Do not use Ascalon for an unworthy cause, My Blade."
With that, I retired back to my...area of influence in the skies above.
--------------------------------------
I watched.
I watched and was amazed by what I had done; what I was doing!
Far below me, a fair few of the Hands of Kadmon (name pending*) marched down a well-maintained road through a mid-sized village. The peasantry watched in awe, their children trailing behind or marching alongside the paladins, who took it with good humor. One even allowed a boy to carry his sword. Jaune, at the very front, signaled my fledgling forces to halt and spoke to what seemed to be the village elder. I listened in, using my faithful as conduits.
"Elder Harl, I am Jaune of Arkos, First Blade and Sword of Lord Kadmon. You sent word of a blight that descended upon the neighboring village once called Nelb. We have come to your aid."
The (relatively) old man, maybe forty at best, began crying with relief.
"Aye, I sent word. A wizard has taken up roost in the forest and demanded tithes from each village in the area. Those of us that did were rewarded with a good harvest and healing. Those that didn't...well, Nelb was a warning, the wizard said."
Damn...I glanced over at what I assumed to be Nelb and found…
...what looked like a combination of a Tyranid Ripper and a Khornate Hellhound…
...oh, the Hands were readying themselves. As Jaune knelt in prayer, I decided to...fuck, I can't believe I'm doing this...make a prophecy.
And everyone knows prophecies are self-fulfilling.
"Lord Kadmon, Master of Mankind, Lord of the Stars Beyond the Skies, Champion of Man. I pray for guidance and protection for my men, men I have taken under my wing and into your Light. There is no doubt that some...will not return from this mission. I merely ask for you to continue to watch over us and grant the fallen passage into your Domain…"
Wow, pretty humble and...for his men, eh? That's a surety so long as they are actually followers of my faith. Let's do this prophecy thing…I expanded my awareness of the area, using the Hands as a relay point, taking knowledge of the area from them and the people in a twelve mile radius. Peering here and there, I got a very good idea on what they'd face but the wizard was protected by a rather blood-encrusted ward of divine protection…
...damn.
Returning to Jaune, I briefly took hold of his mind and spoke.
"Beware the hounds hungering for flesh. Shrouded by green, directed by man, they hunt. Twenty swords you have brought, five shall be sent. Fifteen remain and five shall falter.
Faith held true and twenty shall stand. Faith shall guide My Hands."
And I release him, hoping that that was enough. I enshrouded all fifteen men in my protection, blessing them with the basics, drawing inspiration from the Elder Scrolls series of games. I recreated Call to Arms, Rally and added a touch of Ebony Flesh with a dash of Resist 'Chaos' and Magic to be safe.
The resulting aura would last only two hours for now until I refined the blessing into one set miracle.
The men were elated at the visible blessings and a minor increase to the steady influx was well received. The villagers were equally amazed and even began their own prayers for safety. Some I actually heard being sent to me and in return, I used that faith to set up a perimeter ward around the village a mile out as an early warning system. There was a brief...tingle and I suddenly needed to check on Jaune again.
"...-der, tell me. Is there anyone in this village by the name of Faith? Or perhaps their name means 'faith' in another tongue?"
What was he doing? I was talking about prayer and belief not…
"Aye, a young lass that lost her parents in the fall of Nelb. She escaped and made her way here."
What the fuck?!
"My Lord has sent me a vision, one where this girl shall lead my men into the forest to face the wizard. Take me to her."
'Seriously, what the hell?! Jaune, what are you doing? Why are you taking a girl into the forest to face a fucking wizard? This is not part of my plans!!' I watched as the two men approached a young red haired girl, not much older than Altria, clad in a roughspun blue dress and worn boots.
"Faith, this is Sir Jaune, a paladin. He...he received a vision about solving our troubles." The woman looked at Jaune warily...at least until she started blushing deeply.
'Damn it Jaune!!'
"I...I'll answer your questions as best I can, sir." Jaune nodded and explained the vision he received (and interpreted wrongly!!) from me to the woman. She was doubtful at first, but then gained a peculiar look and I felt a tingle of divine presence. Looking about in the astral plane I existed in, I could sense the attentions of another deity...a good one, thank me.
Looking back down, I saw her clutch a symbol of some kind and nod once to Jaune. Together, the two joined another four men and they marched towards the forest. The other fifteen paladins-in-training began patrolling the village in shifts. Those not patrolling took up positions around the town center. Well disciplined for medieval troops; thanks, Jaune.
------------------------------------------------------------------
One instance was when a runaway horse nearly trampled my future champion while her mother was trying to haggle a decent price for some food. I, with great reluctance, waited until the last moment and briefly enveloped Altria in my powers, letting her become incorporeal just long enough for the horse to pass and leave her bewildered but unharmed. Madline's panicked sobs and tight hug were just what the shocked child needed...and the soft, aura-empowered pat on the kid's head might have helped reinforce her faith in me.
Similar instances where the kid would have been in minor danger or suffered any injuries were circumvented or denied with minute displays of power. Each expenditure returned threefold with the reinforcing of the faith of my champion and her mother.
And as for Jaune, he was shaping up to be a fine paladin of my faith. Already he had discarded the old robes of Denethis and taken to traveling about in robes of bright yellow and red trim. Armor of the same color was worn over the robes; a thick breastplate, gauntlets, pauldrons and a pair of armored boots. I...blessed his garb with minor enchantments of self-repair and grim-repulsion so that he'd always appear immaculate and...a little shiny.
If he was a great deal more respected and held in awe by the peasantry and other knights, well…
Jaune was...a really good catch. He had already begun penning a...brief set of prayers and chants for my faith. Some I answered subtly, letting him know I favored certain prayers over others while a pair of bloodthirsty war chants were not only ignored, but I briefly took away the blessings I bestowed upon him.
His armor and blade suddenly becoming heavy and burdensome were rather clear signs of my ill-favor. Needless to say, he got the message fast; I do enjoy a good battle in my name, but I do NOT want a blood hungry host of followers.
Right now, Jaune was in the midst of designing a symbol to represent my faith. I watched closely, providing him hints of approval or disapproval for his ideas.
Any symbols dealing with even numbers, wheels or singular stars were immediately vetoed.
Symbols of war were...acceptable, but I encouraged him to seek out better options.
Birds...particularly powerful or mythical ones were greatly encouraged. I kept prodding him closer and closer to the image I had in mind until…
...he got it.
A twin-headed bird with outstretched wings. It was missing a few things, so I suddenly withdrew my 'presence' from him. His startled face and frantic apologies and prayers were quickly answered by an intense flash of light that enveloped the clearing he was staying in. As he recovered from the sudden change in brightness, I hastily adjusted the symbol to the one I had in mind.
The twin-headed eagle with the left head's visible eye blinded and the talons holding a torch and sword, set upon the shield he carried.
My very own coat of arms...
Jaune marveled at the crest of my faith and I spoke to him.
"You have done well, First Blade of Kadmon. Bear witness to My Symbol, the Aquila, the twin headed eagle of wisdom and nobility. Look upon it and know its message.
One eye blinded, the other true. I, Kadmon, am not an all-seeing or all-knowing lord. I, once cursed with pride, learned the dreadful price of knowledge and gained great wisdom.
The talons are not bare, ready to strike...but hold My gifts to My faithful.
The first is Fire. Fire is the spark of opportunity, the possibility of a great future yet to come. Those who join My faith will be rewarded not only in this world, but the next. They will be blessed with great armor and the mightiest of arms to defend against the enemies of Man. And in death, they shall come before me to be judged for their service. The worthy shall be brought into My halls and held as heroes eternal.
The second is the Sword. The Sword is the oath I and all My faithful swear… An oath of valor, virtue, defense of the helpless, might which upholds the weak, words only of truth and a wrath that undoes the wicked. Let none break this oath, this sworn duty and they shall be rewarded in time eternal.
Bear this crest, Jaune of Arkos, First Blade of Kadmon. Bear this well and ready yourself for My Champion's arrival."
A little preachy and dramatic, but essentially what I wanted to get across. A peek into his mind and I could see he was already forming prayers from what I had told him. Pretty decent ones so far…
...whoa...suddenly...really...t-tired...what the he-...
----------------------------------------------
I woke up and suddenly was aware of...a huge influx of worship and belief coming from...Calth? Zooming in, I found little Altria...wait, not so little Altria.
She looked maybe eleven or twelve...I fell asleep for half a decade? Shit. I hope I didn't lose out on anything. Oh wait, she's...speaking to a large group of old priests bearing the symbols of Esme and four other deities.
"...-ou not see, child? The Pentagram is the answer. Five gods joined in one purpose to protect our fair cities. Esme, goddess of the Harvest and provider of great bounties."
"Jura, god of stonework and masonry. He who gave us these four cities to shelter us from the depredations of the world."
"Idna, goddess of justice. Her sword protects us from within against the darkness in our hearts."
"Kain, god of sanctity. He who shields us from the darkness outside our walls and heals our mind of all doubt."
"And greatest of all, Bount, ruler of the four and lord of the sun. He who begins each day and heralds the coming of night. How can a god greater than the sacred pentagram of divinity alone? Tell us, child."
Huh, they were either trying to learn more about me or convert my chosen...I was about to channel my power into her and speak when the kid started talking on her own.
"You say that none can surpass the five divines of our cities. You say that each one is powerful alone and lend great power in unity to one another.
I do not deny this.
But my lord is a righteous god. Once cursed with pride, he learned true wisdom after great loss. He does not claim superiority over his fellow gods nor does he wish to strike them down so that he remains our one true god. He is and shall forever be the Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars above and beyond our skies. He came to me as a child just six namedays old and chose me as his champion, the herald of his coming kingdom. I have not forgotten my duty nor the message I will bring to our land and all lands beyond the horizon. You know of my duty and its arrival upon my coming nameday. You will not deter me from taking up my lord's banner nor convert me from His Light.
My lord protected me and my mother when we were weak and blind to His Light. He protected us when I was still feeble and ignorant of my duty; ignorant of my destiny. Now I have learned of this duty. I have learned of the responsibilities He will lay upon my shoulders. I will not falter nor flee from Him.
I will not turn away from His Light.
Stand aside and let me away from you all, for my lord is waiting for my emergence."
'Huh...eloquent, I guess. And when the hell did she find out about her destiny? Maybe...maybe Madline told her?' A quick peek into her mind and I found...Jaune kneeling before her years ago and placing a worn tome in her hands, the cover bearing my symbol. Damn, he must have sensed my mark upon her and knew she was my future champion.
He even got her ready before I was ready.
Definitely made the right choice in converting him.
I reached down and placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder as she walked down the path, the crowd parting before her like the Red Sea…
She looked up. I swear, she seemed to be looking right at me and she smiled softly. A surge of belief joined my suddenly immense pool of worship...how in existence did I acquire this much in six-ish years?
I decided to visit Jaune to see if he had anything to do with the huge stream of worship streaming towards me in a constant tide. A moment of thought and I found him standing before a large group of armored men, clad in the same colored armor as he. Jaune was...speaking to them all; he was telling them to prepare for a battle and that I was watching over them…
"You all stand before me, my brothers in arms, faith and duty. Take heart that today is one which we all shall remember in the trials to come. Today, we stand together not as a rabble of believers joined by the hope for the attentions of a distant god, but one body of faithful men joined in the surety that our god looks down upon us with favor!
Lord Kadmon is watching us! Lord Kadmon favors us! Lord Kadmon Has Chosen Us! Will we be found wanting?"
...I was watching over what appeared to be the very beginnings of my future armies.
What was he doing these past six-ish years?! I visually followed my First Blade back into his quarters at nightfall where he kneeled before an altar. An altar mostly unadorned except for the Aquila-crested shield and blessed sword I gave him years ago.
"Lord Kadmon, Master of Man and Lord of the Stars above and beyond our skies. I...I have done as best I could in your absence. I have gathered men of faith who have sworn themselves to your service. I have armed them with armor and swords of great make. I have given your message and symbol to your champion-to-be. Please, my lord. Send me a sign that what I have done is right. Send me a sign that I have done your will…"
Damn, he was really...he was on the verge of going down the same road after the departure of Denethis. I gathered a decent portion of belief and worship into my 'hands', molding it just right...and sent it to Jaune.
I watched as his blessed weapons and armor began to shine in the darkness of his room. He jerked in shock and stared with tearing eyes at the light emanating from the divine steel. I sent him a quiet whisper.
"Take up your sword, my faithful First Blade. Take up its sheathe and know you have done My Will."
Doing as directed, he took up the blade and scabbard. The gathered divine energy began molding to my will and the two items changed. The worn bastard sword, once fairly plain, became a mastercrafted greatsword with a golden hilt, handle and crossguard in one piece. The blade, once a shining silver, became dull steel in color. What once was a beautiful blade became a utilitarian weapon.
The scabbard merely became pristine and a single ruby-like jewel was placed on its side near the mouth.
Jaune's confusion was clear and I explained...still in the whispered tone.
"Your blade is not one of vanity or shining glory, but one of purpose and duty. Bear its weight and witness its power."
Indeed, he grabbed the blade and nearly stumbled under the added weight. It actually nearly as heavy as he was in armor. Careful swings and stances revealed to him that it was obviously too heavy for aggressive tactics and attacks.
"Your sword and oath to My service was one of valor and virtue. You have shown valor in holding your faith in my silence and the gathering of faithful men without my direction. You have shown virtue by holding to your vow and not straying from My Light.
Now, it is time for you truly become the First Blade of My Companions, Jaune of Arkos. You hold in your hands the great blade Ascalon - The Blessed Sword By Which Force is Slain. It is not a blade of war, but one that defends the helpless and takes great might to lift...might which shall uphold the weak."
Jaune's eyes widened with understanding, reciting an oath under his breath. The oath of the sword which I implanted into his mind when I granted him my crest.
"A Blade is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speak only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked."
I smiled to myself and sent a feeling of pride and acknowledgement to him. I continued to explain the sword.
"...and should your vow of valor, virtue, protection and might fail...should words of truth not deter your enemies...then take up your sword and call upon My Power...cry out the name of the sword and it will grant you a wrath to undo the wicked, to beget retribution upon My enemies."
Just this once, I willed Ascalon to change forms from its purely defensive state...to discard its power to defend its user and others from all harm...and reversed it. It changed shaped to guardless greatsword bronze and steel, the tip sliced off at an angle. Ascalon, in this form…
"...it shall forgo all intent of protection and become solely a blade of power and might, capable of cutting through all forms of defense. No steel or stone may stand before it. It can never be turned aside once you set its course. Do not use Ascalon for an unworthy cause, My Blade."
With that, I retired back to my...area of influence in the skies above.
--------------------------------------
I watched.
I watched and was amazed by what I had done; what I was doing!
Far below me, a fair few of the Hands of Kadmon (name pending*) marched down a well-maintained road through a mid-sized village. The peasantry watched in awe, their children trailing behind or marching alongside the paladins, who took it with good humor. One even allowed a boy to carry his sword. Jaune, at the very front, signaled my fledgling forces to halt and spoke to what seemed to be the village elder. I listened in, using my faithful as conduits.
"Elder Harl, I am Jaune of Arkos, First Blade and Sword of Lord Kadmon. You sent word of a blight that descended upon the neighboring village once called Nelb. We have come to your aid."
The (relatively) old man, maybe forty at best, began crying with relief.
"Aye, I sent word. A wizard has taken up roost in the forest and demanded tithes from each village in the area. Those of us that did were rewarded with a good harvest and healing. Those that didn't...well, Nelb was a warning, the wizard said."
Damn...I glanced over at what I assumed to be Nelb and found…
...what looked like a combination of a Tyranid Ripper and a Khornate Hellhound…
...oh, the Hands were readying themselves. As Jaune knelt in prayer, I decided to...fuck, I can't believe I'm doing this...make a prophecy.
And everyone knows prophecies are self-fulfilling.
"Lord Kadmon, Master of Mankind, Lord of the Stars Beyond the Skies, Champion of Man. I pray for guidance and protection for my men, men I have taken under my wing and into your Light. There is no doubt that some...will not return from this mission. I merely ask for you to continue to watch over us and grant the fallen passage into your Domain…"
Wow, pretty humble and...for his men, eh? That's a surety so long as they are actually followers of my faith. Let's do this prophecy thing…I expanded my awareness of the area, using the Hands as a relay point, taking knowledge of the area from them and the people in a twelve mile radius. Peering here and there, I got a very good idea on what they'd face but the wizard was protected by a rather blood-encrusted ward of divine protection…
...damn.
Returning to Jaune, I briefly took hold of his mind and spoke.
"Beware the hounds hungering for flesh. Shrouded by green, directed by man, they hunt. Twenty swords you have brought, five shall be sent. Fifteen remain and five shall falter.
Faith held true and twenty shall stand. Faith shall guide My Hands."
And I release him, hoping that that was enough. I enshrouded all fifteen men in my protection, blessing them with the basics, drawing inspiration from the Elder Scrolls series of games. I recreated Call to Arms, Rally and added a touch of Ebony Flesh with a dash of Resist 'Chaos' and Magic to be safe.
The resulting aura would last only two hours for now until I refined the blessing into one set miracle.
The men were elated at the visible blessings and a minor increase to the steady influx was well received. The villagers were equally amazed and even began their own prayers for safety. Some I actually heard being sent to me and in return, I used that faith to set up a perimeter ward around the village a mile out as an early warning system. There was a brief...tingle and I suddenly needed to check on Jaune again.
"...-der, tell me. Is there anyone in this village by the name of Faith? Or perhaps their name means 'faith' in another tongue?"
What was he doing? I was talking about prayer and belief not…
"Aye, a young lass that lost her parents in the fall of Nelb. She escaped and made her way here."
What the fuck?!
"My Lord has sent me a vision, one where this girl shall lead my men into the forest to face the wizard. Take me to her."
'Seriously, what the hell?! Jaune, what are you doing? Why are you taking a girl into the forest to face a fucking wizard? This is not part of my plans!!' I watched as the two men approached a young red haired girl, not much older than Altria, clad in a roughspun blue dress and worn boots.
"Faith, this is Sir Jaune, a paladin. He...he received a vision about solving our troubles." The woman looked at Jaune warily...at least until she started blushing deeply.
'Damn it Jaune!!'
"I...I'll answer your questions as best I can, sir." Jaune nodded and explained the vision he received (and interpreted wrongly!!) from me to the woman. She was doubtful at first, but then gained a peculiar look and I felt a tingle of divine presence. Looking about in the astral plane I existed in, I could sense the attentions of another deity...a good one, thank me.
Looking back down, I saw her clutch a symbol of some kind and nod once to Jaune. Together, the two joined another four men and they marched towards the forest. The other fifteen paladins-in-training began patrolling the village in shifts. Those not patrolling took up positions around the town center. Well disciplined for medieval troops; thanks, Jaune.
------------------------------------------------------------------
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First Steps
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
I paced.
I paced...mentally, that is.
Ever since Jaune, that Faith girl and the Hands entered the forest, I had lost most of my awareness of them. I could...sense them vaguely, but it was like I was looking at a blurry screen from across the room that went to static every few moments. There were sensations of...resolve and determination every so often.
I worried and paced and prodded at the barrier separating me from my Blade. He was the easiest to sense...relatively speaking. I knew he was alright; steady on his path and...damn, he was utterly doubtless in the belief that I was with him and his men.
I was just glad I pressed my blessings upon them before they entered the...huh…
...my other Hands were on the move.
I turned my attentions back to the village and saw them gathering near the eastern edge of the settlement. They were getting ready….to face the three hellhounds stalking closer and closer.
Fuck.
Now that they hounds were out in the open, I got a clear look at their size and they out-massed four men in armor combined. The rippling muscle and various spikes...my Hands would have a hard fight ahead of them.
I refreshed the blessings I had placed upon them and hoped for the best.
Wait, one of them is doing something. He's taking a knee and praying...and...whoa, I just got a plea for a decent portion of power. Enough to power the same blessing for an army of thousands. Not something that would put a severe dent in my pool of worship, so I gave the power to the praying man freely.
I watched as he began to glow with my Light and...fuck, is he casting Smite using my Light?!
The pooled power I gave him shot up into the sky...and crashed back down on the hellhounds like the fist of an angry god...this here angry god, in particular. The hounds staggered and...fell over, dead.
Guess Smite in this reality is literally calling upon a deity to smite the enemy…
...why doesn't Jaune do something similar? Hmm, maybe he never learned to Smite? This guy...a red head with an awesome beard had a tinge of another god. One of...uh...feels like justice and order. Dunno which god that is...not yet.
I sent a...pulse of approval to him and the belief in return began to restore the used up worship. Good man, that...uh...Maximilian of House Gellesch of the Anderfell nations.
...wait, is this guy a noble or something? I peered in and...yep, a minor noble. Just landless and the second son of the fifth son of a count. No chance of inheritance or anything. Glad he was with me. He had a very competent air about him and...looks like Jaune named him the second-in-command.
Good choice.
I peered deeper to get a better idea about Maximilian and...he wasn't a pure man, but he was a good one. He had less than noble thoughts concerning wealth and power, but he's...ah, he's seeking redemption.
Redemption for causing his family trouble…
...he wanted to marry a peasant girl...they refused and…
...
...he denounced his blood relations and eloped with her...and she's back at the keep my Hands called home. Huh, I like this guy. Sure he ain't the greatest looking or strong, but a good man all the same.
I feel like this guy will go far. He's certainly charismatic and passionate enough. Once the Hands get more men, I'll likely encourage Jaune to give Maximili...Max more responsibilities, maybe as a commander of a regiment or small settlement.
Maybe I'll even get Jaune to...hmm, getting ahead of myself. Let's just get Altria and Jaune ready first.
…
...wait, what day is it?!
I shifted a portion of my awareness back to Altria, who was standing out in a field outside of Calth. She looked...lost. I sent a pulse of questioning to Esme and got...huh, it's Altria's nameday.
My lack of attention seems to have shaken her faith, just a bit. She was expecting...an extravagant and showy sign of her ascension…
...this reminds me of something…
...wow, either this is all a big coincidence or I'm being railroaded by a higher power…
Altria stood forlornly in the middle of a field. The city of Calth is off in the distance, the flags fluttering in the breeze. She gazes up at the sky, not really at me but I can feel her gaze...and the question it carries.
'Are you there, Lord Kadmon? Are You still watching me? Or has this all been...has my belief in Your presence been a fantasy…? It's the evening of my nameday and yet...there has been nothing. No sign of Your Will or Sir Jaune...am I not Your Champion!? Have I not done as was required of me? I've studied and prayed and spent all these years readying myself for Your service. Have I done wrong?'
If I wasn't able to sense the innermost thoughts and emotions of the girl, I'd almost think she was angry. But she's not...just lost and starting to feel doubt. She had woken this morning believing either Jaune or I myself would appear in the sunrise with a hand extended. Then the whole day of whispers of her friends and neighbors and shouts of defamation from the priests of Calth.
She spent the whole day looking for a sign...even a knowing nod from a shadowed figure. But I was distracted and...I need to make this up to her. She's finally letting it all out and I need to make this THE most memorable moment of her life.
...sorry Nasu, but I'm stealing a scene from FATE.
Gathering a very considerable portion of my pool of worship, a literal mountain's worth compared to the house-sized portion I gave to Max, I carefully shaped the massive amount of energy into the perfect shape.
A sword.
It was a longsword with a hand-and-a-half grip. The cross guard was that of the Aquila, the two headed eagle with its wings spread. The pommel had an iridescent golden jewel shaped like an arrow. The colors were simple; shining steel for the blade, golden filigree and deep red for the grip.
As an afterthought, I crafted a deep red scabbard with wording etched into the side.
'Terranis Holds'
There. A marvelous weapon and a surprise for later all in one. Granted, the power within each one is more than enough to take on any enemy is a great feature.
Nodding to myself, I took up the sword and sent it hurdling down to the planet, aimed perfectly at the large stone Altria stood by. Thinking again, I surrounded the blade and its path with shining, golden light.
Let's see how she likes this…
---------------------------------------------
Altria, daughter of Madline, daughter of Din and descended of the line of Altia, stood in the outlying field of Calth. It had been years since she'd even felt a shred of doubt. Always, she could feel a...presence at her side. It was warm like a well-fed fireplace on a winter's night and never did she once believe that Lord Kadmon was not by her side.
But today, the one day she'd been waiting for...that she'd prayed would arrive...she felt nothing. Where there was once a presence of warmth was a void of cold ice. The confidence she once had seemed to have fled completely and…
...with the gaze of everyone in town, Altria doubted.
She lost her belief that she had a great destiny before her, one equal if not greater than the legend of her ancestor, Altia, the Hero-Maiden of the Land of Parth.
Looking up one last time, she got up and began her trek back to Calth. Hopefully she'd get home without running into an-...
Suddenly, the sky brightened as if it was the morning come again and a pillar of light engulfed her. Warmth, oh so familiar warmth surrounded her and she felt it once again:
Kadmon was watching...He is here!
Turning her gaze to the sky, she watched as a star fell from the heavens and impaled itself into the stone she had been sitting on. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed upon the blade.
It was an exquisite weapon, a masterwork beyond anything mortal hands could craft. A peerless edge adorned with golden filigree and the Aquila of Lord Kadmon. It seemed to shine with an unseen light and…
...the golden light and warmth disappeared and she was left once again in the cold of the world. Altria shivered and could faintly hear the echoes of people making their way here from Calth. A chilling breeze whipped about her and she could hear a voice…
Looking around, she spotted an old man shrouded in robes made of dark feathers. She balked and took a step back at the sight of him and his gnarled wood staff in hand. Altria was ready to grab the sword when he spoke…
...she could do naught but listen.
"Look upon the sword, Altria… Gaze upon its magnificence but do not ignore what lies beneath its wondrous light."
And she looked upon the sword again, shining glow and all. There was a sense of foreboding now that she really looked. The old man spoke again as she gazed upon the now-imposing blade.
"The sword is a not a gift, but destiny clad in peerless steel. Take up the sword and you will begin your journey. Take up the sword and you will be blessed with the full might of His Light. Mortal weapons will not harm you and never shall your blood be spilt. With a single swing, you shall topple castles and shatter armies. Truly, you will be a Champion not seen in centuries."
It was truly awe inspiring. Altria could see what the old man described. She stood at the head of an army clad in yellow and red, sword shining in her upraised arms as armies parted before them. But she had to ask…
"But what lies beneath the glory…?"
He smiles sadly and gestures at the blade...and it becomes stained with blood…
"The sword, though wondrous and all but assures your destiny as His Champion...is still a sword. It is a blade made for rending of flesh and cleaving of bone. It will bring untold glory...but immense death. Should you take up the sword, you will no longer be human, but a Champion of His Light and the Herald of His Kingdom Beyond the Stars."
There was a brief pause and the world seemed to grow darker.
"Never shall you age nor shall be tainted by disease. Time shall pass you by as you watch the world crumble and your comrades age to dust. Truly it is a blade of victory...endless, unceasing victory. Shall you take up the sword, Altria...or shall you turn back and live the life you should have lived, had Lord Kadmon never chosen you?"
Already she could hear the hoofbeats of the coming knights and the cries of the men astride their steeds. She turned her gaze from the sword to the old man...and saw not a beggar shrouded in a robe of dark feathers, but a young man clad in golden armor of the purest light.
"Lord Kadmon…!"
She could not speak as he...He kneeled before her! She could not help but cry to see her lord...her God kneel at her feet. He looked deeply into her eyes as He spoke again.
"This is your moment, Altria. Take up the sword and take the first step on the path I have set before you. It will be long...and it will be bloody. The people shall cry both for your glory and your blood. Countries will burn and be uplifted by My Light. You will be My Champion and the Herald of My Kingdom…
...but you can turn back. You can turn back now and deny the path I've created. You have this choice, dear one. You do not have to cast aside your humanity…"
Crying softly, Altria watched as Lord Kadmon dissipated into golden motes of light and lifted back into the heavens. Yet still the sword remained. Stepping forward, she traced the grooves of the Aquila.
"Take up the sword...or turn back…"
She mumbled and shivered against the cold of the world. In moments, the knights would arrive and she'd…
...she could be a normal girl. She could have a family...and…
...and watch as the land changed and the gods clashed and…
...she steeled her resolve…
...and took up the sword.
With a great heave, she lifted the sword clean out of the stone. Light once again fell from the skies above. Warmth and golden presence enshrouded her. She felt His hand upon her shoulder and His smile…
Altria took up the sword and embraced her destiny.
I paced...mentally, that is.
Ever since Jaune, that Faith girl and the Hands entered the forest, I had lost most of my awareness of them. I could...sense them vaguely, but it was like I was looking at a blurry screen from across the room that went to static every few moments. There were sensations of...resolve and determination every so often.
I worried and paced and prodded at the barrier separating me from my Blade. He was the easiest to sense...relatively speaking. I knew he was alright; steady on his path and...damn, he was utterly doubtless in the belief that I was with him and his men.
I was just glad I pressed my blessings upon them before they entered the...huh…
...my other Hands were on the move.
I turned my attentions back to the village and saw them gathering near the eastern edge of the settlement. They were getting ready….to face the three hellhounds stalking closer and closer.
Fuck.
Now that they hounds were out in the open, I got a clear look at their size and they out-massed four men in armor combined. The rippling muscle and various spikes...my Hands would have a hard fight ahead of them.
I refreshed the blessings I had placed upon them and hoped for the best.
Wait, one of them is doing something. He's taking a knee and praying...and...whoa, I just got a plea for a decent portion of power. Enough to power the same blessing for an army of thousands. Not something that would put a severe dent in my pool of worship, so I gave the power to the praying man freely.
I watched as he began to glow with my Light and...fuck, is he casting Smite using my Light?!
The pooled power I gave him shot up into the sky...and crashed back down on the hellhounds like the fist of an angry god...this here angry god, in particular. The hounds staggered and...fell over, dead.
Guess Smite in this reality is literally calling upon a deity to smite the enemy…
...why doesn't Jaune do something similar? Hmm, maybe he never learned to Smite? This guy...a red head with an awesome beard had a tinge of another god. One of...uh...feels like justice and order. Dunno which god that is...not yet.
I sent a...pulse of approval to him and the belief in return began to restore the used up worship. Good man, that...uh...Maximilian of House Gellesch of the Anderfell nations.
...wait, is this guy a noble or something? I peered in and...yep, a minor noble. Just landless and the second son of the fifth son of a count. No chance of inheritance or anything. Glad he was with me. He had a very competent air about him and...looks like Jaune named him the second-in-command.
Good choice.
I peered deeper to get a better idea about Maximilian and...he wasn't a pure man, but he was a good one. He had less than noble thoughts concerning wealth and power, but he's...ah, he's seeking redemption.
Redemption for causing his family trouble…
...he wanted to marry a peasant girl...they refused and…
...
...he denounced his blood relations and eloped with her...and she's back at the keep my Hands called home. Huh, I like this guy. Sure he ain't the greatest looking or strong, but a good man all the same.
I feel like this guy will go far. He's certainly charismatic and passionate enough. Once the Hands get more men, I'll likely encourage Jaune to give Maximili...Max more responsibilities, maybe as a commander of a regiment or small settlement.
Maybe I'll even get Jaune to...hmm, getting ahead of myself. Let's just get Altria and Jaune ready first.
…
...wait, what day is it?!
I shifted a portion of my awareness back to Altria, who was standing out in a field outside of Calth. She looked...lost. I sent a pulse of questioning to Esme and got...huh, it's Altria's nameday.
My lack of attention seems to have shaken her faith, just a bit. She was expecting...an extravagant and showy sign of her ascension…
...this reminds me of something…
...wow, either this is all a big coincidence or I'm being railroaded by a higher power…
Altria stood forlornly in the middle of a field. The city of Calth is off in the distance, the flags fluttering in the breeze. She gazes up at the sky, not really at me but I can feel her gaze...and the question it carries.
'Are you there, Lord Kadmon? Are You still watching me? Or has this all been...has my belief in Your presence been a fantasy…? It's the evening of my nameday and yet...there has been nothing. No sign of Your Will or Sir Jaune...am I not Your Champion!? Have I not done as was required of me? I've studied and prayed and spent all these years readying myself for Your service. Have I done wrong?'
If I wasn't able to sense the innermost thoughts and emotions of the girl, I'd almost think she was angry. But she's not...just lost and starting to feel doubt. She had woken this morning believing either Jaune or I myself would appear in the sunrise with a hand extended. Then the whole day of whispers of her friends and neighbors and shouts of defamation from the priests of Calth.
She spent the whole day looking for a sign...even a knowing nod from a shadowed figure. But I was distracted and...I need to make this up to her. She's finally letting it all out and I need to make this THE most memorable moment of her life.
...sorry Nasu, but I'm stealing a scene from FATE.
Gathering a very considerable portion of my pool of worship, a literal mountain's worth compared to the house-sized portion I gave to Max, I carefully shaped the massive amount of energy into the perfect shape.
A sword.
It was a longsword with a hand-and-a-half grip. The cross guard was that of the Aquila, the two headed eagle with its wings spread. The pommel had an iridescent golden jewel shaped like an arrow. The colors were simple; shining steel for the blade, golden filigree and deep red for the grip.
As an afterthought, I crafted a deep red scabbard with wording etched into the side.
'Terranis Holds'
There. A marvelous weapon and a surprise for later all in one. Granted, the power within each one is more than enough to take on any enemy is a great feature.
Nodding to myself, I took up the sword and sent it hurdling down to the planet, aimed perfectly at the large stone Altria stood by. Thinking again, I surrounded the blade and its path with shining, golden light.
Let's see how she likes this…
---------------------------------------------
Altria, daughter of Madline, daughter of Din and descended of the line of Altia, stood in the outlying field of Calth. It had been years since she'd even felt a shred of doubt. Always, she could feel a...presence at her side. It was warm like a well-fed fireplace on a winter's night and never did she once believe that Lord Kadmon was not by her side.
But today, the one day she'd been waiting for...that she'd prayed would arrive...she felt nothing. Where there was once a presence of warmth was a void of cold ice. The confidence she once had seemed to have fled completely and…
...with the gaze of everyone in town, Altria doubted.
She lost her belief that she had a great destiny before her, one equal if not greater than the legend of her ancestor, Altia, the Hero-Maiden of the Land of Parth.
Looking up one last time, she got up and began her trek back to Calth. Hopefully she'd get home without running into an-...
Suddenly, the sky brightened as if it was the morning come again and a pillar of light engulfed her. Warmth, oh so familiar warmth surrounded her and she felt it once again:
Kadmon was watching...He is here!
Turning her gaze to the sky, she watched as a star fell from the heavens and impaled itself into the stone she had been sitting on. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed upon the blade.
It was an exquisite weapon, a masterwork beyond anything mortal hands could craft. A peerless edge adorned with golden filigree and the Aquila of Lord Kadmon. It seemed to shine with an unseen light and…
...the golden light and warmth disappeared and she was left once again in the cold of the world. Altria shivered and could faintly hear the echoes of people making their way here from Calth. A chilling breeze whipped about her and she could hear a voice…
Looking around, she spotted an old man shrouded in robes made of dark feathers. She balked and took a step back at the sight of him and his gnarled wood staff in hand. Altria was ready to grab the sword when he spoke…
...she could do naught but listen.
"Look upon the sword, Altria… Gaze upon its magnificence but do not ignore what lies beneath its wondrous light."
And she looked upon the sword again, shining glow and all. There was a sense of foreboding now that she really looked. The old man spoke again as she gazed upon the now-imposing blade.
"The sword is a not a gift, but destiny clad in peerless steel. Take up the sword and you will begin your journey. Take up the sword and you will be blessed with the full might of His Light. Mortal weapons will not harm you and never shall your blood be spilt. With a single swing, you shall topple castles and shatter armies. Truly, you will be a Champion not seen in centuries."
It was truly awe inspiring. Altria could see what the old man described. She stood at the head of an army clad in yellow and red, sword shining in her upraised arms as armies parted before them. But she had to ask…
"But what lies beneath the glory…?"
He smiles sadly and gestures at the blade...and it becomes stained with blood…
"The sword, though wondrous and all but assures your destiny as His Champion...is still a sword. It is a blade made for rending of flesh and cleaving of bone. It will bring untold glory...but immense death. Should you take up the sword, you will no longer be human, but a Champion of His Light and the Herald of His Kingdom Beyond the Stars."
There was a brief pause and the world seemed to grow darker.
"Never shall you age nor shall be tainted by disease. Time shall pass you by as you watch the world crumble and your comrades age to dust. Truly it is a blade of victory...endless, unceasing victory. Shall you take up the sword, Altria...or shall you turn back and live the life you should have lived, had Lord Kadmon never chosen you?"
Already she could hear the hoofbeats of the coming knights and the cries of the men astride their steeds. She turned her gaze from the sword to the old man...and saw not a beggar shrouded in a robe of dark feathers, but a young man clad in golden armor of the purest light.
"Lord Kadmon…!"
She could not speak as he...He kneeled before her! She could not help but cry to see her lord...her God kneel at her feet. He looked deeply into her eyes as He spoke again.
"This is your moment, Altria. Take up the sword and take the first step on the path I have set before you. It will be long...and it will be bloody. The people shall cry both for your glory and your blood. Countries will burn and be uplifted by My Light. You will be My Champion and the Herald of My Kingdom…
...but you can turn back. You can turn back now and deny the path I've created. You have this choice, dear one. You do not have to cast aside your humanity…"
Crying softly, Altria watched as Lord Kadmon dissipated into golden motes of light and lifted back into the heavens. Yet still the sword remained. Stepping forward, she traced the grooves of the Aquila.
"Take up the sword...or turn back…"
She mumbled and shivered against the cold of the world. In moments, the knights would arrive and she'd…
...she could be a normal girl. She could have a family...and…
...and watch as the land changed and the gods clashed and…
...she steeled her resolve…
...and took up the sword.
With a great heave, she lifted the sword clean out of the stone. Light once again fell from the skies above. Warmth and golden presence enshrouded her. She felt His hand upon her shoulder and His smile…
Altria took up the sword and embraced her destiny.
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Omake 1 - Mistakes Were Made
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
Heh, I can see it now...
She ran like the wind, cutting through the obstacles in her path. Trees, boulders...furry little creatures... *giggle*
Everything in her path was bisected, diced and outright obliterated by The Sword given to her by Lord Kadmon. A group of bandits tried to waylay her.
Blood chunks were left in her wake as The Sword sang in her hand.
"Agh, why am I still alive?!"
"My Leg! It's in pieces and there's no blood and now I'm bleeding!!"
"I can't feel my face...why can I see my face on the ground!?"
Cutting through a dilapidated ruin, walls and all, Altria sped on to where Sir Jaune was surely in need of her aid.
There was a feeling of pride from above and Altria smiled.
She loved this gift...
Mr. Stabbity-slash was amazing~!
------------------------------------------------------
I watched as Altria slaughtered her way across the country to help out Jaune...
...and very much regretted giving her The Sword.
Altira giggled as she sliced right through some sort of dragon-monster ravaging a village, splashing blood, gore and bone across the field.
Yep, regretting everything.
She ran like the wind, cutting through the obstacles in her path. Trees, boulders...furry little creatures... *giggle*
Everything in her path was bisected, diced and outright obliterated by The Sword given to her by Lord Kadmon. A group of bandits tried to waylay her.
Blood chunks were left in her wake as The Sword sang in her hand.
"Agh, why am I still alive?!"
"My Leg! It's in pieces and there's no blood and now I'm bleeding!!"
"I can't feel my face...why can I see my face on the ground!?"
Cutting through a dilapidated ruin, walls and all, Altria sped on to where Sir Jaune was surely in need of her aid.
There was a feeling of pride from above and Altria smiled.
She loved this gift...
Mr. Stabbity-slash was amazing~!
------------------------------------------------------
I watched as Altria slaughtered her way across the country to help out Jaune...
...and very much regretted giving her The Sword.
Altira giggled as she sliced right through some sort of dragon-monster ravaging a village, splashing blood, gore and bone across the field.
Yep, regretting everything.
First Sight
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
'Maybe giving a teenage girl a peerless diamond-edge blade capable of slicing through stone like butter wasn't such a good idea.'
I manifested an anime sweatdrop as I watched Altria giggle with glee...slicing through trees, boulders and the occasional wolf with her new sword. Oh, it was cute how she was all smiles and laughter, but watching a short blonde girl massacre a forest while covered in blood was a little creepy.
"Swing-swing-swing my sword-sword~ Whenever I get bored-bored~ I can swing my sword-sword~ I can swing my sword-sword!"
Okay, this went from creepy to 'let's-go-see-what-Jaune-is-doing!!' She's immune to everything short of a tactical nuclear strike, so she'll be fine.
"Hello Mr. Alpha Wolf~ OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!"
Crazy-loli-detected-okay-Altria-BYE!!!
--------------------------------------------
I turned my attention away from Ms.Slice-Slash-Stab and checked up on my much squishier followers over near...what was the village called…
Not Nelb...uh...ah, Kraut!
Wait...it's really called Kraut? Wow, okay then.
Over near Kraut, Max and the majority of the Hands are still guarding/patrolling the town. A few more of the hounds are lying dead while the men marvel at the blessings I've bestowed. Max is especially the minor enhancements I've given him. Just a few minor things like the blessings I've permanently given Jaune, just minus the whole 'favorite paladin'.
Because Jaune was here first and he's been Best Follower Ever.
Anyways, Max has been attempting to call another Smite, but a firm pulse of disapproval put a stop to that. No spamming Smite for him.
But yeah, the men got stuff handled here. I just refreshed my blessings and set out to see if I could see past the barrier; I had a feeling that…
…
...Damn it, Jaune!
I was able to see within the barrier, where Jaune, four Hands and that girl, Faith, were surrounded by demons just outside a temple of sorts. It was old, mostly ruined and had a general Greek-ish theme to it. The demons looked mostly like Bloodletters, but with four Zergling stabber-arms and around eight feet tall.
The fact that seven of the fuckers were dead on the ground and only one of my Hands was slightly injured gave me any measure of peace.
"Watch your flanks and do not overextend yourselves. If you see an opening, be cautious. Sir Leon has a new scar to show for his fervor."
The injured one smirks at the nervous laughter of his comrades.
"Now, let's show these demons that the Hands of Kadmon are ones to be feared! Charge!"
What…
The five men and lone woman charged the demons instead of staying together. Jaune unleashed Ascalon into its full attack form, slicing through two of the twelve demons in half. The other four did well, slashing and bashing their targets with shield and sword. It was Faith that was truly interesting.
She cut her skirt so that it ended just above her knees and was slaughtering a demon using a sharpened stick, around a foot long.
A fucking stick.
I was getting a sense of deja vu from watching her brutalise the poor bastard.
"...-ou well, Lady Faith?"
Oh, all the demons are down. She answers Jaune and the six go into the temple...where I can't follow. Lovely…
I just hoped my First Blade trained those men as well as I hoped; I'd hate for any of them to die.
…
…
…
...wait…
I turned most of my attentions away from the planet and 'reastralized' to my Domain. It was a rather barren place; endless clouds under a star of faith and belief to empower myself and my followers…
…
...where'd the castle and landmass come from?!
I practically rewrote existence within my Domain, placing Me at the tallest spire of the castle. Looking around below me, I took in the view.
At the forefront of the castle was a great courtyard/crystal Stonehenge beneath a clear dome that lead off to battlements and empty homes. Two...floating islands were held on either side of the castle by...My Light; the left held three faceless statues and a crystal clear lake of everlasting water the led to waterfalls to...nowhere. The right had an arena and 'market' area.
Four spire-like paths to nowhere jutted out in four directions directly from the castle.
It was all bright, beautiful and wondrous…
...and very empty.
In mere moments, I walked about the structure, taking it all in. Everything was both perfect, yet worn as if a populous once resided in these empty halls.
The fires of the torches, hearths and kitchens roared mightily, yet there was no one to tend to them.
The tables were set with plates and food, yet there was no one to feast.
And the workshops and armories...each was full and ready to receive masters and apprentices. But the bellows were quiet and the steel shined in their lonesome.
'What was this place?'
I appeared high above and gazed up...the empty castle in the clouds.
"What are you?"
…
…
"That's your Underworld."
The lilting voice, the very first spoken by another within my Domain startled me. I actually fell a good forty thousand feet before coming to my senses and halted my descent. Looking up, I spotted a beautiful woman, otherworldly in appearance and an aura of motherhood about her. Rising back up to her, I took in her fiery red hair and patient smile…
…"Hello, Lady Esme."
She nodded, giving a slight bow in greeting. "And hello to you, Lord Kadmon." She gazed about my domain, a stark contrast of Existence to the clouds, star and castle. "You have...a very quiet Existence here. It's...pleasant, yet lonely."
I suddenly felt very ashamed and indignant. My Domain mirrored my emotions. The clouds rumbled and there were flashes of lightning.
"Oh, calm down would you? It wasn't an insult." Her motherly tone shattered my light anger, leaving nothing but shame. Damn harvest goddesses. "It's empty because none of your followers are dead yet; take heart in that. Once they've...ended their time on the mortal plane, they'll come here. Liven the realm up, you see?"
I just nodded, finally getting it.
"So, this is my followers' afterlife?" I looked at the castle in a new light, taking in everything again."It...it works, I guess." I guess she sensed my disappointment. And how could I not be?
This was supposed to be the final reward for my people and it was...nice, but ultimately something I could have made on the mortal plane with just a bit of effort.
My depressing thoughts were literally smacked fro my mind by Lady Esme. She admonished me for my thoughts.
"Don't be so petty! Compared to what awaits them every day, this is a paradise." She gestured to the castle and islands. "Look at it; really look! This isn't a cold castle of a distant ruler but the open halls of a king who walks amongst his subjects. Yes, it is empty but one day, it will be full of people from all across existence. They'll come here and see that there is life after death. They'll arrive at the gates, no longer afraid of what had awaited them and be welcomed with open arms by friends and loved ones once lost by sickness and battle."
And as she spoke, I could see what she described. I visualized crowds of people wandering the streets and halls; each one living a better life than they did on the mortal plane, free from sickness and war. They would not want for anything within these halls, regardless if they were nobles, warriors or simple farmers and merchants.
My people would come and never find anything for want or desire. A life without worry or need would be their reward for service.
I looked upon Lady Esme again and thanked her for her guidance. She pinched my cheek like a loving aunt and patted my head.
"You have a good heart, Kadmon. Just stop trying to be a great and powerful god and start with being a good and noble king first." She huffs and begins fading from my realm. "Old Ones know, we get enough of that from those pantheons of the great cities and far North…"
I waved goodbye and began exploring the castle anew. It may be ready for my people, but not everything was as I really wanted.
Not yet, anyways.
---------------------------------------------------
"Ser Rodrick, cover the rear. Ser Port, knock them down!" As the towering form of Ser Port bullrushed the line of lesser daemons, Jaune took stock of the situation.
They had entered the desolate temple, killing the cultists and daemons room by room. Thanks to Lord Kadmon's blessings, the most serious wounds was the still-bleeding slash on Ser Leon's cheek. Ser Rodrick, Port and Keron were all reasonably fresh and Lady Faith had proven most adept at defending herself against these dark foes.
"Ser Jaune, we've found the main chamber, but the doors are barred!" Ser Port was bashing a large bench against some double doors. The ancient wood rattled and shook, but held up against the tall knight's strikes. Jaune frowned and looked about. Ser Rodrick had been joined by Keron and Leon in keeping their rear free of enemies and Lady Faith…
...was nowhere in view!
Jaune whirled and saw some rubble fall to the floor. Tracking it's origin, he found the redhaired lass climbing up the crumbling structure to a hole farther up the wall.
"Lady Faith! What are you doing?" She waved him off.
"There's an entrance to the room. If I can get through, I'll be able to unbar the door from within!" He frowned again, not liking the idea of a maiden putting herself in such danger.
But Lord Kadmon's prophecy was clear.
"Faith held true and twenty shall stand. Faith shall guide My Hands."
Lady Faith's efforts were the work of the divine; she would be safe…
...yet sending more prayers for protection to Lord Kadmon never hurt.
"Oh Lord of Man and Stars, please heed my prayer. Protect my brothers and the dear lady from harm. Guide our blades and guard our backs, for we walk into the domain of evil. Our prayers go to you, oh lord of stars. Let us be bathed in your li-..."
His prayers were both interrupted...and answered.
An ethereal glow emanated from his brothers, shining most brightly from their blades and armor. Whilst they all marveled at the blessings of their god, Ser Port took advantage of his new found strength. With a mighty roar, he kicked the twin doors.
Divine-blessed steel-covered foot met ancient wood and iron.
The door lost.
There was a girlish yelp of surprise and the settling dust revealed Lady Faith staring at the glowing form of the five knights. Barely a word was said as the five charged forward.
Who knew what devilry the wizard and these cultists were committing!
----------------------------------------
Deeper within the temple, far beneath the so-called 'main chamber'...
"COME DREAD MINIONS, RISE FOR YOUR MASTER! LET YOUR EVIL SHIIIIINE!"
A wizard in dirty red robes danced within a circle of praising cultists. They revelled and cried out the glories of their mad god.
"COME HERE NOW, YES, FLY EVER FASTER!"
"In the dark of the night…"
"In the dark of the night…"
"In the dark of the night!"
"SHE'LL BE OURS!!"
I manifested an anime sweatdrop as I watched Altria giggle with glee...slicing through trees, boulders and the occasional wolf with her new sword. Oh, it was cute how she was all smiles and laughter, but watching a short blonde girl massacre a forest while covered in blood was a little creepy.
"Swing-swing-swing my sword-sword~ Whenever I get bored-bored~ I can swing my sword-sword~ I can swing my sword-sword!"
Okay, this went from creepy to 'let's-go-see-what-Jaune-is-doing!!' She's immune to everything short of a tactical nuclear strike, so she'll be fine.
"Hello Mr. Alpha Wolf~ OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!"
Crazy-loli-detected-okay-Altria-BYE!!!
--------------------------------------------
I turned my attention away from Ms.Slice-Slash-Stab and checked up on my much squishier followers over near...what was the village called…
Not Nelb...uh...ah, Kraut!
Wait...it's really called Kraut? Wow, okay then.
Over near Kraut, Max and the majority of the Hands are still guarding/patrolling the town. A few more of the hounds are lying dead while the men marvel at the blessings I've bestowed. Max is especially the minor enhancements I've given him. Just a few minor things like the blessings I've permanently given Jaune, just minus the whole 'favorite paladin'.
Because Jaune was here first and he's been Best Follower Ever.
Anyways, Max has been attempting to call another Smite, but a firm pulse of disapproval put a stop to that. No spamming Smite for him.
But yeah, the men got stuff handled here. I just refreshed my blessings and set out to see if I could see past the barrier; I had a feeling that…
…
...Damn it, Jaune!
I was able to see within the barrier, where Jaune, four Hands and that girl, Faith, were surrounded by demons just outside a temple of sorts. It was old, mostly ruined and had a general Greek-ish theme to it. The demons looked mostly like Bloodletters, but with four Zergling stabber-arms and around eight feet tall.
The fact that seven of the fuckers were dead on the ground and only one of my Hands was slightly injured gave me any measure of peace.
"Watch your flanks and do not overextend yourselves. If you see an opening, be cautious. Sir Leon has a new scar to show for his fervor."
The injured one smirks at the nervous laughter of his comrades.
"Now, let's show these demons that the Hands of Kadmon are ones to be feared! Charge!"
What…
The five men and lone woman charged the demons instead of staying together. Jaune unleashed Ascalon into its full attack form, slicing through two of the twelve demons in half. The other four did well, slashing and bashing their targets with shield and sword. It was Faith that was truly interesting.
She cut her skirt so that it ended just above her knees and was slaughtering a demon using a sharpened stick, around a foot long.
A fucking stick.
I was getting a sense of deja vu from watching her brutalise the poor bastard.
"...-ou well, Lady Faith?"
Oh, all the demons are down. She answers Jaune and the six go into the temple...where I can't follow. Lovely…
I just hoped my First Blade trained those men as well as I hoped; I'd hate for any of them to die.
…
…
…
...wait…
I turned most of my attentions away from the planet and 'reastralized' to my Domain. It was a rather barren place; endless clouds under a star of faith and belief to empower myself and my followers…
…
...where'd the castle and landmass come from?!
I practically rewrote existence within my Domain, placing Me at the tallest spire of the castle. Looking around below me, I took in the view.
Four spire-like paths to nowhere jutted out in four directions directly from the castle.
It was all bright, beautiful and wondrous…
...and very empty.
In mere moments, I walked about the structure, taking it all in. Everything was both perfect, yet worn as if a populous once resided in these empty halls.
The fires of the torches, hearths and kitchens roared mightily, yet there was no one to tend to them.
The tables were set with plates and food, yet there was no one to feast.
And the workshops and armories...each was full and ready to receive masters and apprentices. But the bellows were quiet and the steel shined in their lonesome.
'What was this place?'
I appeared high above and gazed up...the empty castle in the clouds.
"What are you?"
…
…
"That's your Underworld."
The lilting voice, the very first spoken by another within my Domain startled me. I actually fell a good forty thousand feet before coming to my senses and halted my descent. Looking up, I spotted a beautiful woman, otherworldly in appearance and an aura of motherhood about her. Rising back up to her, I took in her fiery red hair and patient smile…
…"Hello, Lady Esme."
She nodded, giving a slight bow in greeting. "And hello to you, Lord Kadmon." She gazed about my domain, a stark contrast of Existence to the clouds, star and castle. "You have...a very quiet Existence here. It's...pleasant, yet lonely."
I suddenly felt very ashamed and indignant. My Domain mirrored my emotions. The clouds rumbled and there were flashes of lightning.
"Oh, calm down would you? It wasn't an insult." Her motherly tone shattered my light anger, leaving nothing but shame. Damn harvest goddesses. "It's empty because none of your followers are dead yet; take heart in that. Once they've...ended their time on the mortal plane, they'll come here. Liven the realm up, you see?"
I just nodded, finally getting it.
"So, this is my followers' afterlife?" I looked at the castle in a new light, taking in everything again."It...it works, I guess." I guess she sensed my disappointment. And how could I not be?
This was supposed to be the final reward for my people and it was...nice, but ultimately something I could have made on the mortal plane with just a bit of effort.
My depressing thoughts were literally smacked fro my mind by Lady Esme. She admonished me for my thoughts.
"Don't be so petty! Compared to what awaits them every day, this is a paradise." She gestured to the castle and islands. "Look at it; really look! This isn't a cold castle of a distant ruler but the open halls of a king who walks amongst his subjects. Yes, it is empty but one day, it will be full of people from all across existence. They'll come here and see that there is life after death. They'll arrive at the gates, no longer afraid of what had awaited them and be welcomed with open arms by friends and loved ones once lost by sickness and battle."
And as she spoke, I could see what she described. I visualized crowds of people wandering the streets and halls; each one living a better life than they did on the mortal plane, free from sickness and war. They would not want for anything within these halls, regardless if they were nobles, warriors or simple farmers and merchants.
My people would come and never find anything for want or desire. A life without worry or need would be their reward for service.
I looked upon Lady Esme again and thanked her for her guidance. She pinched my cheek like a loving aunt and patted my head.
"You have a good heart, Kadmon. Just stop trying to be a great and powerful god and start with being a good and noble king first." She huffs and begins fading from my realm. "Old Ones know, we get enough of that from those pantheons of the great cities and far North…"
I waved goodbye and began exploring the castle anew. It may be ready for my people, but not everything was as I really wanted.
Not yet, anyways.
---------------------------------------------------
"Ser Rodrick, cover the rear. Ser Port, knock them down!" As the towering form of Ser Port bullrushed the line of lesser daemons, Jaune took stock of the situation.
They had entered the desolate temple, killing the cultists and daemons room by room. Thanks to Lord Kadmon's blessings, the most serious wounds was the still-bleeding slash on Ser Leon's cheek. Ser Rodrick, Port and Keron were all reasonably fresh and Lady Faith had proven most adept at defending herself against these dark foes.
"Ser Jaune, we've found the main chamber, but the doors are barred!" Ser Port was bashing a large bench against some double doors. The ancient wood rattled and shook, but held up against the tall knight's strikes. Jaune frowned and looked about. Ser Rodrick had been joined by Keron and Leon in keeping their rear free of enemies and Lady Faith…
...was nowhere in view!
Jaune whirled and saw some rubble fall to the floor. Tracking it's origin, he found the redhaired lass climbing up the crumbling structure to a hole farther up the wall.
"Lady Faith! What are you doing?" She waved him off.
"There's an entrance to the room. If I can get through, I'll be able to unbar the door from within!" He frowned again, not liking the idea of a maiden putting herself in such danger.
But Lord Kadmon's prophecy was clear.
"Faith held true and twenty shall stand. Faith shall guide My Hands."
Lady Faith's efforts were the work of the divine; she would be safe…
...yet sending more prayers for protection to Lord Kadmon never hurt.
"Oh Lord of Man and Stars, please heed my prayer. Protect my brothers and the dear lady from harm. Guide our blades and guard our backs, for we walk into the domain of evil. Our prayers go to you, oh lord of stars. Let us be bathed in your li-..."
His prayers were both interrupted...and answered.
An ethereal glow emanated from his brothers, shining most brightly from their blades and armor. Whilst they all marveled at the blessings of their god, Ser Port took advantage of his new found strength. With a mighty roar, he kicked the twin doors.
Divine-blessed steel-covered foot met ancient wood and iron.
The door lost.
There was a girlish yelp of surprise and the settling dust revealed Lady Faith staring at the glowing form of the five knights. Barely a word was said as the five charged forward.
Who knew what devilry the wizard and these cultists were committing!
----------------------------------------
Deeper within the temple, far beneath the so-called 'main chamber'...
"COME DREAD MINIONS, RISE FOR YOUR MASTER! LET YOUR EVIL SHIIIIINE!"
A wizard in dirty red robes danced within a circle of praising cultists. They revelled and cried out the glories of their mad god.
"COME HERE NOW, YES, FLY EVER FASTER!"
"In the dark of the night…"
"In the dark of the night…"
"In the dark of the night!"
"SHE'LL BE OURS!!"
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First Strike
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
I took who knows how long wandering the halls of my afterlife. It was a lovely place; homey and ready to entertain my followers for eternity.
But it was missing something…
...you know, other than the dead people.
So as to properly contemplate all this, I entered the great hall, where...the inside looked magnificent, yet...empty. Probably something to do with me...
Sighing, I walked up to the throne. It was an exceptional high-backed affair, with a gilded gold and red satin seat. Imperious and resolute, I somehow knew that once I sat upon it…
Everything would change. But was I ready for that? Were my followers ready for...whatever the change would be? I didn't know. Sighing again, I tapped the arm as I paced around my throne.
"Are you ready, milord?"
I spun to find…
...Cato Sicarius?!
He stood there, clad in the rather ostentatious armor of the fucktard Ward had…
"NO! You are not fucking looking like that! Change to another form! I forbid ever appearing as that fucktard! EVER!"
The whole castle...no, afterlife shook with my rage. But my...this entity that appeared as Cato Fucking Sicarius nodded solemnly.
"And how would you wish for me to appear, Lord Kadmon? I am bound to your will, as is everything within this domain."
I thought for a brief moment and knew who I wanted as my right hand man, my fucking majordomo.
"Adeptus Custodes; golden armor and halberds. Not the fabulous abs Rogue Trader version."
He nodded and his form shimmered with golden light; briefly appearing as a miniature star. There was a flash and he reformed, kneeling before me. I circled him slowly, making sure every detail was either right or as close to perfect as possible.
"Might I have a name, Lord Kadmon?"
His request was made in a very familiar voice, one I'd heard in another life...a mortal life. I knew exactly what to call him.
"Your name is Angelos; Gabriel Angelos. You are the first of my Custodes, the Guardians of my domain and the Iron Fist of my will. In time, you will be joined by those who you will call brothers-in-arms. But for now, tell me what you meant by 'Are you ready?'."
He rose and took up position by the throne's right side.
"Lord Kadmon, when you sit upon this throne, your power will...grow exponentially. Your various powers, the miracles you may call upon and your omniscience will become more absolute. So long as you sit here, there is little that may prevent you from viewing or aiding your worshippers in the mortal realm."
I nodded. That made some sense. The throne was my seat of power; if it had no advantages, then what was the point of such a thing.
"And the price for such power?"
He suddenly felt very...depressed.
"Once you sit upon your throne, you will be unable to leave it. Taking your place here will render you unable to physically enter the mortal realm as you have in the past. You can only take action through intermediaries and your avatar can only be summoned by your worshippers. You cannot manifest it yourself. And similar to greater deities, your power would...well, to put it bluntly, you'd become entirely reliant on the worship of your followers. As you are now, you could survive for millennia without worship and prayer, so long as those within your sphere exist, such as humanity."
Ah...there's the catch. I could either remain as I was; an active, yet minor deity that would slowly grow in power. My worshippers would have the benefit of my direct presence and I could intervene when I wished and continue to exist even if all of my followers died or stopped believing. But if I took the throne, I'd ascend to the heights of a major deity, though I'd operate under similar restrictions and once my followers are gone, I'd be gone for good.
"Let me…"
There was a sudden tug at my being; as if a hook was jammed into my chest and yanked as hard as possible. I groaned in pain, extending my awareness to the source of this...thing.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Lord Kadmon protect us!"
The five knights and lone woman stood in horror as the wizard and a group of similarly robed men finished some profane ritual. They stood around a runic circle of some kind where a bloody body lay in the middle; the entire thing glowed with dark power, pulsing like a beating heart.
"What have these heretics done?!"
Ser Jaune reeled as the pulsing got stronger, sending his brothers to their knees. They and Lady Faith were knocked back as the circle flashed with painful light, leaving Jaune the only one to witness the rise of whatever the wizards had summoned. Their leader, the wizard holding a metal staff, cackled with glee.
"You fools! You've not only come too late to stop the ritual, but you've brought the sacrifice here!"
He jabbed his hand forward, sending a blast of red at Jaune. It sent him flying against the chamber wall. The impact winded him and he was helpless as the wizards dragged the unconscious Lady Faith to the circle.
"Barnabas, Lord of Greed! Master of Shadow! We have the sacrifice! A maiden pure, sworn to the fallen god, Lobos! Your enemy has been struck down! His worshippers put to the sword and their blood sacrificed in your name!"
The mad mages chanted and danced about the circle as a dark form took shape.
A demon in the form of a decaying man appeared; its eyes glowing a malevolent red. Its spoke, sending terror through Jaune's veins.
"Well done, loyal Bodan. Your service will be rewarded; great wealth shall be yours, just as promised."
The madman danced and tossed Lady Faith into the circle. Her limp form rolled to a stop right before the shadow. Jaune knew that even if his brothers were awake and rested, they'd not stand a chance against such a beast. They could do nothing in the face of the avatar of a deity. But they were not alone; their god was with them.
"Lord Kadmon, please. Your followers are imperiled by the shadow. A dark god has arisen and with him shall come a darkness so black, that the very earth shall be as night itself. Lord Kadmon, hear my prayer. Lend us your strength. Grant us salvation from this foe…"
His fervent pleas were drowned out by the chanting of the mages and the whispering of the dark god. Jaune knew Lord Kadmon would come…
...but would it be enough in the face of such evil?
---------------------------------
Fuck.
I stared at the god those dark mages had called forth from the ether. It was dark. It was strong.
And it was hungry.
Its very presence was draining the energy of everything around it; minus my Hands, who were guarded by my blessings. And even those were going to fade soon. I pounded at the barrier and it did nothing against the dark powers giving it strength. I could send energy and blessings through, but manifesting in there?
It was impossible.
"My lord, even if you took your place upon your throne, your powers would still be too limited by the power of this dark barrier. Only your Champion may enter and receive the full strength of your blessings."
Altria!
Stepping slightly out of sync with the world, I moved to where Altria was still hacking away at random trees and fluffy animals.
"Altria, my Champion. You have...amused yourself, it seems."
I didn't mean to sound so disappointed, but damn, she damn near deforested two full acres! At least she had the decency to look contrite about it all, though seeing a young girl shuffle guiltily in the midst of a decimated wood was rather adorable.
"L-lord Kadmon! I...I was just…"
I patted her on the shoulder and kneeled, looking her right in the eye. If I was going to send her into a fight, I would have the fucking decency to look her in the eyes.
"I...I have need of you, my Champion."
She immediately brightened, her sword now sheathed.
"I am ready, milord!"
I shook my head in response.
"Perhaps you are, but this task may be one too great for you alone. In a place many leagues from here, Ser Jaune has led a small group into a place where I may not enter. A dark power has risen and if it completes a profane ritual, the god these fools have summoned will become a blight upon the land and its people. Should you take this burden, I shall transport you to temple. There, you will find My Hands imperiled and the dark god in its infancy."
And fuck, that's fear right there on her face...and there it goes, out into the distance, because resolve just tossed it on its ass. She gripped The Sword and nodded firmly.
"I am your Champion, though young I may be. With your blessings and watchful gaze, I will defeat this...monstrosity, my lord."
And here comes the fucking guilt, because I'm sending a little girl to kill a god. Smiling sadly in return, I lay on the strongest blessings I could on her, making her glow like a newborn star.
"Then take my blessings, young Altria of Carth. Take them and with your sword, strike down the dark god, Barnabas in My Name."
I teleported her to the entrance of the temple while I could do nothing more than watch.
"Good luck, little Champion."
------------------------------------
Altria, daughter of Madline, descended of the line of Altia of Parth and Champion of Lord Kadmon…
...squealed quietly as she took in the dark temple before her.
Today!
Today was her moment. Today was when she would no longer be just a girl under the watchful gaze of her god, but the Champion he chose.
Today was the day she would meet her destiny with a warcry on her lips, courage in her heart and her amazing sword in her hands.
With a carefully practiced movement, Altria drew forth The Sword and charged into the temple.
"For Lord Kadmon!"
------------------------------------
"Lord Kadmon, hear us now!"
Jaune struggled against the invisible bonds of the dark god's power. His brothers were in similar states with Lady Faith hovering unconscious above the runic circle. The dark god Barnabas has just devoured his worshippers, having eaten the one called Bodan first.
"You call upon a powerless god, paladin! He has abandoned you rather than face me, the lord of shadows!"
Jaune spat at the glowing eyes.
"Lord Kadmon protects us from your power, fiend! Your own powers cannot pierce the blessings of my god!"
And it was true. The lord of shadows could not harm them so long as Lord Kadmon's blessings held. But soon, they would fade. Jaune just hoped his lord was indeed…
"For Lord Kadmon!"
He turned his head to see a young girl in a woolen dress and apron charge into the chamber with a gleaming sword held aloft.
"Wha-what?! Blessed Altria, run! This is a-...!"
Whatever he was going to say died on his lips as the girl to a flying leap and slammed the blade point first into the face of the shocked god.
"Graagh! You impudent wretch! H-how dare you!"
Laughing out loud as Jaune and his brothers were let loose from their bonds, young Altria yanked the sword out. She landed before them and held the shining blade ready.
"I dare, for I am the Champion of Lord Kadmon, Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars! His blessings and power are with me! Now die!"
With a fierce warcry, young Altria charged forward, glowing with bright golden light. Swinging the sword in a wide arc, she cleaved right through the dark god and disrupted the runic circle.
"No! Noooo! You little witch! I will not-!"
"Just shut up and die already!"
Altria cried out and sank the blade into Barnabas' head, silencing him completely. His body was engulfed in golden light and…
...dissipated.
Ser Jaune and his brothers looked on in awe as the girl cheekily sheathed her sword and addressed the silent Hands.
"Let's get out of here, shall we?"
The silence was deafening...at least until Lady Faith began gasping and coughing on the ground where she lay.
------------------------------------------------------
And thus, I answered a rather important question:
How many little girls armed with magic swords does it take to kill a god.
I smirked.
"One at Sufficient Velocity."
But it was missing something…
...you know, other than the dead people.
So as to properly contemplate all this, I entered the great hall, where...the inside looked magnificent, yet...empty. Probably something to do with me...
Everything would change. But was I ready for that? Were my followers ready for...whatever the change would be? I didn't know. Sighing again, I tapped the arm as I paced around my throne.
"Are you ready, milord?"
I spun to find…
...Cato Sicarius?!
He stood there, clad in the rather ostentatious armor of the fucktard Ward had…
"NO! You are not fucking looking like that! Change to another form! I forbid ever appearing as that fucktard! EVER!"
The whole castle...no, afterlife shook with my rage. But my...this entity that appeared as Cato Fucking Sicarius nodded solemnly.
"And how would you wish for me to appear, Lord Kadmon? I am bound to your will, as is everything within this domain."
I thought for a brief moment and knew who I wanted as my right hand man, my fucking majordomo.
"Adeptus Custodes; golden armor and halberds. Not the fabulous abs Rogue Trader version."
He nodded and his form shimmered with golden light; briefly appearing as a miniature star. There was a flash and he reformed, kneeling before me. I circled him slowly, making sure every detail was either right or as close to perfect as possible.
His request was made in a very familiar voice, one I'd heard in another life...a mortal life. I knew exactly what to call him.
"Your name is Angelos; Gabriel Angelos. You are the first of my Custodes, the Guardians of my domain and the Iron Fist of my will. In time, you will be joined by those who you will call brothers-in-arms. But for now, tell me what you meant by 'Are you ready?'."
He rose and took up position by the throne's right side.
"Lord Kadmon, when you sit upon this throne, your power will...grow exponentially. Your various powers, the miracles you may call upon and your omniscience will become more absolute. So long as you sit here, there is little that may prevent you from viewing or aiding your worshippers in the mortal realm."
I nodded. That made some sense. The throne was my seat of power; if it had no advantages, then what was the point of such a thing.
"And the price for such power?"
He suddenly felt very...depressed.
"Once you sit upon your throne, you will be unable to leave it. Taking your place here will render you unable to physically enter the mortal realm as you have in the past. You can only take action through intermediaries and your avatar can only be summoned by your worshippers. You cannot manifest it yourself. And similar to greater deities, your power would...well, to put it bluntly, you'd become entirely reliant on the worship of your followers. As you are now, you could survive for millennia without worship and prayer, so long as those within your sphere exist, such as humanity."
Ah...there's the catch. I could either remain as I was; an active, yet minor deity that would slowly grow in power. My worshippers would have the benefit of my direct presence and I could intervene when I wished and continue to exist even if all of my followers died or stopped believing. But if I took the throne, I'd ascend to the heights of a major deity, though I'd operate under similar restrictions and once my followers are gone, I'd be gone for good.
"Let me…"
There was a sudden tug at my being; as if a hook was jammed into my chest and yanked as hard as possible. I groaned in pain, extending my awareness to the source of this...thing.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Lord Kadmon protect us!"
The five knights and lone woman stood in horror as the wizard and a group of similarly robed men finished some profane ritual. They stood around a runic circle of some kind where a bloody body lay in the middle; the entire thing glowed with dark power, pulsing like a beating heart.
"What have these heretics done?!"
Ser Jaune reeled as the pulsing got stronger, sending his brothers to their knees. They and Lady Faith were knocked back as the circle flashed with painful light, leaving Jaune the only one to witness the rise of whatever the wizards had summoned. Their leader, the wizard holding a metal staff, cackled with glee.
"You fools! You've not only come too late to stop the ritual, but you've brought the sacrifice here!"
He jabbed his hand forward, sending a blast of red at Jaune. It sent him flying against the chamber wall. The impact winded him and he was helpless as the wizards dragged the unconscious Lady Faith to the circle.
"Barnabas, Lord of Greed! Master of Shadow! We have the sacrifice! A maiden pure, sworn to the fallen god, Lobos! Your enemy has been struck down! His worshippers put to the sword and their blood sacrificed in your name!"
The mad mages chanted and danced about the circle as a dark form took shape.
"Well done, loyal Bodan. Your service will be rewarded; great wealth shall be yours, just as promised."
The madman danced and tossed Lady Faith into the circle. Her limp form rolled to a stop right before the shadow. Jaune knew that even if his brothers were awake and rested, they'd not stand a chance against such a beast. They could do nothing in the face of the avatar of a deity. But they were not alone; their god was with them.
"Lord Kadmon, please. Your followers are imperiled by the shadow. A dark god has arisen and with him shall come a darkness so black, that the very earth shall be as night itself. Lord Kadmon, hear my prayer. Lend us your strength. Grant us salvation from this foe…"
His fervent pleas were drowned out by the chanting of the mages and the whispering of the dark god. Jaune knew Lord Kadmon would come…
...but would it be enough in the face of such evil?
---------------------------------
Fuck.
I stared at the god those dark mages had called forth from the ether. It was dark. It was strong.
And it was hungry.
Its very presence was draining the energy of everything around it; minus my Hands, who were guarded by my blessings. And even those were going to fade soon. I pounded at the barrier and it did nothing against the dark powers giving it strength. I could send energy and blessings through, but manifesting in there?
It was impossible.
"My lord, even if you took your place upon your throne, your powers would still be too limited by the power of this dark barrier. Only your Champion may enter and receive the full strength of your blessings."
Altria!
Stepping slightly out of sync with the world, I moved to where Altria was still hacking away at random trees and fluffy animals.
"Altria, my Champion. You have...amused yourself, it seems."
I didn't mean to sound so disappointed, but damn, she damn near deforested two full acres! At least she had the decency to look contrite about it all, though seeing a young girl shuffle guiltily in the midst of a decimated wood was rather adorable.
"L-lord Kadmon! I...I was just…"
I patted her on the shoulder and kneeled, looking her right in the eye. If I was going to send her into a fight, I would have the fucking decency to look her in the eyes.
"I...I have need of you, my Champion."
She immediately brightened, her sword now sheathed.
"I am ready, milord!"
I shook my head in response.
"Perhaps you are, but this task may be one too great for you alone. In a place many leagues from here, Ser Jaune has led a small group into a place where I may not enter. A dark power has risen and if it completes a profane ritual, the god these fools have summoned will become a blight upon the land and its people. Should you take this burden, I shall transport you to temple. There, you will find My Hands imperiled and the dark god in its infancy."
And fuck, that's fear right there on her face...and there it goes, out into the distance, because resolve just tossed it on its ass. She gripped The Sword and nodded firmly.
"I am your Champion, though young I may be. With your blessings and watchful gaze, I will defeat this...monstrosity, my lord."
And here comes the fucking guilt, because I'm sending a little girl to kill a god. Smiling sadly in return, I lay on the strongest blessings I could on her, making her glow like a newborn star.
"Then take my blessings, young Altria of Carth. Take them and with your sword, strike down the dark god, Barnabas in My Name."
I teleported her to the entrance of the temple while I could do nothing more than watch.
"Good luck, little Champion."
------------------------------------
Altria, daughter of Madline, descended of the line of Altia of Parth and Champion of Lord Kadmon…
...squealed quietly as she took in the dark temple before her.
Today!
Today was her moment. Today was when she would no longer be just a girl under the watchful gaze of her god, but the Champion he chose.
Today was the day she would meet her destiny with a warcry on her lips, courage in her heart and her amazing sword in her hands.
With a carefully practiced movement, Altria drew forth The Sword and charged into the temple.
"For Lord Kadmon!"
------------------------------------
"Lord Kadmon, hear us now!"
Jaune struggled against the invisible bonds of the dark god's power. His brothers were in similar states with Lady Faith hovering unconscious above the runic circle. The dark god Barnabas has just devoured his worshippers, having eaten the one called Bodan first.
"You call upon a powerless god, paladin! He has abandoned you rather than face me, the lord of shadows!"
Jaune spat at the glowing eyes.
"Lord Kadmon protects us from your power, fiend! Your own powers cannot pierce the blessings of my god!"
And it was true. The lord of shadows could not harm them so long as Lord Kadmon's blessings held. But soon, they would fade. Jaune just hoped his lord was indeed…
"For Lord Kadmon!"
He turned his head to see a young girl in a woolen dress and apron charge into the chamber with a gleaming sword held aloft.
"Wha-what?! Blessed Altria, run! This is a-...!"
Whatever he was going to say died on his lips as the girl to a flying leap and slammed the blade point first into the face of the shocked god.
"Graagh! You impudent wretch! H-how dare you!"
Laughing out loud as Jaune and his brothers were let loose from their bonds, young Altria yanked the sword out. She landed before them and held the shining blade ready.
"I dare, for I am the Champion of Lord Kadmon, Master of Mankind and Lord of the Stars! His blessings and power are with me! Now die!"
With a fierce warcry, young Altria charged forward, glowing with bright golden light. Swinging the sword in a wide arc, she cleaved right through the dark god and disrupted the runic circle.
"No! Noooo! You little witch! I will not-!"
"Just shut up and die already!"
Altria cried out and sank the blade into Barnabas' head, silencing him completely. His body was engulfed in golden light and…
...dissipated.
Ser Jaune and his brothers looked on in awe as the girl cheekily sheathed her sword and addressed the silent Hands.
"Let's get out of here, shall we?"
The silence was deafening...at least until Lady Faith began gasping and coughing on the ground where she lay.
------------------------------------------------------
And thus, I answered a rather important question:
How many little girls armed with magic swords does it take to kill a god.
I smirked.
"One at Sufficient Velocity."
Last edited:
Second Age
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
And here's your chapter.
It was in the year 997 ADB that the Hands of Kadmon rose into prominence. Their incredible rise to power began in the small village of Kraut, where their leader lead a daring assault against the once-thought dead Cult of Shadows. The Champion, a young girl at the time, slew the dark god Barnabas with the holy sword Excalibur.
From there, they would only grow in fame, gathering an incredible host of knights, clerics and worshippers to the service of Kadmon.
In ten years, they would go from a minor following to one of the preeminent orders militant in the country of Calria. Their influence would span the southern lands of Calria, encompassing the provinces of Dione and Almara; it is said that in the city of Calth, the Champion was raised by her mother and the local priesthood of Esme.
In the year 1013, the cities of Calth, Parthon, Carthal, Primaes and Lunorel were invaded by the Circle of Eclipse; dread knights in the service of Horis, dark god of tyranny and pride. In mere hours, the five cities were razed to the ground, pillaged of their goods and the people killed or enslaved.
The Hands of Kadmon were the first force to engage the Circle in combat, soon reinforced by the newly-reinstated Lion Guard, lead by the demigod Rogal the Mighty. The joint assault force was rebuffed by the Circle and the dread knights retreated into fell portals with their plunder and slaves.
As such, the Hands and the Lions became allies in their pact to end the terror of the Circle.
In the year 1128, the Hands joined the Holy Orders Militant of Parth, an alliance of knightly orders whose leadership or founding can trace their lineage to the ancient country of Parth. Joining this coalition secured their status as one of the mightiest orders in the Union of Peace, the Hands of Kadmon stood on equal ground to ancient orders of immense power and inscrutable honor.
It was in the year 1243 that the Hands of Kadmon, one of the most honored orders militant in the Old Union, broke off their ties to the once-great nation of Calria, journeying to the blighted land once known as Parth. Beseechment from the New Union and the Grand Confederacy to join them instead were politely rebuffed by High Lord Kadmon's Immortal Champion, Altria of Carth.
It was there that they faded into the annals of history, the world receiving no news of them for almost seven hundred years.
---------------------------------------------------
It was the year of 1874, that the first news of the survival and glories of the once-lost Hands of Kadmon escaped the Parthian Blight Lands. News of horrid monsters, cackling demons and savage cannibals were carried by the shaking hands of foolish adventurers.
Yet, from those same hands came the ballads of glory and epics of heroism, each song and story hailing the tireless crusade of the Hands. These were tales of the lost knights and their endless war on these monsters.
"Heroes of Kadmon, hold the line!"
"Aye, Champion!"
Altria, Immortal Champion of High Lord Kadmon,swore. For centuries, her men and their descendents fought a tireless crusade in the blighted lands of Parth. The very land fought against them and for each quarter mile they cleansed and claimed for the Light, a hundred thousand abominations crawled from the depths to take it back.
And not once did those monsters succeed.
It was here that a deep darkness was born and grew in power; it was here that it was safe from the Light. It was here in Parth that it would meet its end!
"Greatshields to the front! Spears!!!"
The line of men, a hundred strong, held their ground against the charging horde of monsters; creatures covered in a mishmash of fur and scale, claws and gills. Her men shuddered as the beasts slammed into their shields, skewering themselves upon their spears.
"Push forward! Push forward! Each step you take forward is one more away from our homes! Each step away is another loved one safe from the frothing maws of darkness! If you retreat, you doom them to a fate more horrible than death! PUSH THEM BACK!"
"Aye, Champion!!!"
The knights shoved and stabbed each step they took, killing dozens upon dozens of monsters. The blessings of the Light empowered them; granting them endless energy and healing their wounds so long as their faith held.
Their faith was like iron; it would not bend! They would shatter before they bent to the might of the dark depths.
"Champion! The beasts are flanking us from the east! Our archers will perish under their charge!"
Whirling around, she spotted the creeping tide crossing the mountains. Her archers would be slaughtered.
"Move the archers to Hodor's Stand! Get the Riders to intercept!"
Her orders sent and followed, Altria watched as the Sun Riders took to the skies upon their sky mounts, raining lightning and fire upon the now-shrieking tide of crawlers. Arrows once more fell from the sky, the archers joining the ballistae in the keep.
"Push forward! Never bend, never break! Slaughter them all! For Lord Kadmon! For the Light!"
"FOR THE LIGHT!"
Her shieldmen pushed forward, joined by reinforcements from the keep. Onwards and onwards they pushed…
Looking to the eternal overcast sky, she held Excalibur up. For a brief moment, there was nothing.
And then there was Light.
Beams of sunlight and power erupted from the clouds and covered her forces. Wounds healed, fatigue eased and energy renewed itself. A gift from their lord.
*thud...thud….thud...raaaaaaaaggghhhhh!!!*
Intense heat washed over them all; fire billowed forth like a tidal wave. Their push forward halted for a moment as their lord's blessings compensated for the fire...and onwards they marched.
"Champion, a great fire demon!"
Altria nodded, ready to charge and deal with the demon herself. But then the heat suddenly disappeared. Looking down at the horde, she saw the beast lay dead with a massive ballista bolt lodged in its chest.
"Ballistae reloading! Archers, provide support for the frontline! Greatswords companies, right and left flanks!"
She felt herself relax, knowing that voice. Astride a horse like she was, a knight in great armor rode forward, leading their reinforcements. He gave her a jaunty wave that she returned with an exaggerated curtsy.
His name was Ser Jaune IX, the descendent of the First Hand by fifteen generations or so. He was much like his ancestor, though having more skill as a swordsman and much less as a paladin of Lord Kadmon.
With more men, new energy and another barrage of exploding ballistae into the horde, they managed to beat back the horde all the way to Anders' Pass, where the ancient enchantments were reawakened; those would hold the horde back for a few weeks, giving her time to gather men to garrison the Pass. Another day, another battle; another mile they would cleanse for the Light.
...it wasn't enough, but it would do.
------------------------------------------
I sat upon my throne, weeping.
My followers, My loyal worshippers; they had remained steadfast and unfaltering in the face of this darkness. Nearly seven hundred years of war and death and they had never retreated. They never broke.
My throne room had changed. The throne now on a dais, raised far above the floor. The entire room was guarded by the golden figures of My Custodes; immortal guardians of the afterlife, the Kingdom of Light. Once just Gabriel, now a force a thousand strong, the Custodes were made of beings I brought into existence and the greatest heroes of My faith.
The once empty halls of the castle and village were brimming with people, content in their rewards.Children whose lives ended too soon laughed and played in the streets. People, young and old, walked the streets and manned the stalls. Blacksmiths churned out divine weapons and armor, each piece a masterwork that would arm the legions of warriors sworn to guard the Kingdom under the guidance of the Custodes.
My Kingdom was at peace and at war. Here, no hardship or pain. But at the borders of My domain, darkness clashed with My legions. Warriors who had died upon the mortal plain now clashed on the immortal one. They were tireless, undying and they knew it. The darkness could not beat them here.
They would not allow it.
I would not allow it.
"My lord, the Bulwark is nearly ready. Soon, your legions will no longer need to fight; merely man the immense walls we shall set upon the border of your domain. No demon or vile being shall enter your realm without your knowledge or against your will."
I gave no outside reaction, merely sending my acknowledgment and thanks. Upon this throne I was trapped. But it was here I was at my most powerful.
"Lord Gabriel, the archmages are gathering. They march on your command."
And there was Jaune, First among My Blades. Killed in the failed Assault upon the Circle of Eclipse, he fell killing several dread knights. Now he was part of My Custodes, forever by My side.
"Aye. Let us go and ensure no mal-intents interfere."
Gabriel, Jaune and two others went from My halls. I was not unguarded; A near thousand loyal men of faith guarded me still. Hundreds upon thousands guarded My Kingdom guarded My Kingdom.
I, and all within, were safe so long as faith was held true.
---------------------------------------
"CHARGE!!!"
Ser Theos, second son of Ser Theodren of the line of Maximilian, led the charge. Upon the backs of eagles, the Sun Riders rained spears of lightning and orbs of fire upon the horde of demons.
The Sun Riders were one of the most honored orders among the Hands. Astride their eagles, there were fe-...
"REAVERS! Evade, evade!"
Theos swore, letting his mount do as it will while he hurled a lightning spear at the oncoming swarm of flying monsters. Reavers were the few enemies his order feared; insect-like beasts that would catch the wings of their eagles, sending them both hurtling to the ground. Many a Rider had fallen in battle against a Reaver swarm. His comrades hurled their own spears, the divine blessings upon them allowing the holy implements to seek out their targets with unerring accuracy. The Reavers fell in droves, for their thoughts were connected and the death of a Reaver sent several of its brethren into shock.
"Ser Theos! We must push onwards to the Champion's war host! They've been ambushed by more of beasts!"
And they took wing towards the battle ahead, leaving many corpses in their wake.
-----------------------------------
It was in the year 997 ADB that the Hands of Kadmon rose into prominence. Their incredible rise to power began in the small village of Kraut, where their leader lead a daring assault against the once-thought dead Cult of Shadows. The Champion, a young girl at the time, slew the dark god Barnabas with the holy sword Excalibur.
From there, they would only grow in fame, gathering an incredible host of knights, clerics and worshippers to the service of Kadmon.
In ten years, they would go from a minor following to one of the preeminent orders militant in the country of Calria. Their influence would span the southern lands of Calria, encompassing the provinces of Dione and Almara; it is said that in the city of Calth, the Champion was raised by her mother and the local priesthood of Esme.
In the year 1013, the cities of Calth, Parthon, Carthal, Primaes and Lunorel were invaded by the Circle of Eclipse; dread knights in the service of Horis, dark god of tyranny and pride. In mere hours, the five cities were razed to the ground, pillaged of their goods and the people killed or enslaved.
The Hands of Kadmon were the first force to engage the Circle in combat, soon reinforced by the newly-reinstated Lion Guard, lead by the demigod Rogal the Mighty. The joint assault force was rebuffed by the Circle and the dread knights retreated into fell portals with their plunder and slaves.
As such, the Hands and the Lions became allies in their pact to end the terror of the Circle.
In the year 1128, the Hands joined the Holy Orders Militant of Parth, an alliance of knightly orders whose leadership or founding can trace their lineage to the ancient country of Parth. Joining this coalition secured their status as one of the mightiest orders in the Union of Peace, the Hands of Kadmon stood on equal ground to ancient orders of immense power and inscrutable honor.
It was in the year 1243 that the Hands of Kadmon, one of the most honored orders militant in the Old Union, broke off their ties to the once-great nation of Calria, journeying to the blighted land once known as Parth. Beseechment from the New Union and the Grand Confederacy to join them instead were politely rebuffed by High Lord Kadmon's Immortal Champion, Altria of Carth.
It was there that they faded into the annals of history, the world receiving no news of them for almost seven hundred years.
---------------------------------------------------
It was the year of 1874, that the first news of the survival and glories of the once-lost Hands of Kadmon escaped the Parthian Blight Lands. News of horrid monsters, cackling demons and savage cannibals were carried by the shaking hands of foolish adventurers.
Yet, from those same hands came the ballads of glory and epics of heroism, each song and story hailing the tireless crusade of the Hands. These were tales of the lost knights and their endless war on these monsters.
"Heroes of Kadmon, hold the line!"
"Aye, Champion!"
Altria, Immortal Champion of High Lord Kadmon,swore. For centuries, her men and their descendents fought a tireless crusade in the blighted lands of Parth. The very land fought against them and for each quarter mile they cleansed and claimed for the Light, a hundred thousand abominations crawled from the depths to take it back.
And not once did those monsters succeed.
It was here that a deep darkness was born and grew in power; it was here that it was safe from the Light. It was here in Parth that it would meet its end!
"Greatshields to the front! Spears!!!"
The line of men, a hundred strong, held their ground against the charging horde of monsters; creatures covered in a mishmash of fur and scale, claws and gills. Her men shuddered as the beasts slammed into their shields, skewering themselves upon their spears.
"Push forward! Push forward! Each step you take forward is one more away from our homes! Each step away is another loved one safe from the frothing maws of darkness! If you retreat, you doom them to a fate more horrible than death! PUSH THEM BACK!"
"Aye, Champion!!!"
The knights shoved and stabbed each step they took, killing dozens upon dozens of monsters. The blessings of the Light empowered them; granting them endless energy and healing their wounds so long as their faith held.
Their faith was like iron; it would not bend! They would shatter before they bent to the might of the dark depths.
"Champion! The beasts are flanking us from the east! Our archers will perish under their charge!"
Whirling around, she spotted the creeping tide crossing the mountains. Her archers would be slaughtered.
"Move the archers to Hodor's Stand! Get the Riders to intercept!"
Her orders sent and followed, Altria watched as the Sun Riders took to the skies upon their sky mounts, raining lightning and fire upon the now-shrieking tide of crawlers. Arrows once more fell from the sky, the archers joining the ballistae in the keep.
"Push forward! Never bend, never break! Slaughter them all! For Lord Kadmon! For the Light!"
"FOR THE LIGHT!"
Her shieldmen pushed forward, joined by reinforcements from the keep. Onwards and onwards they pushed…
Looking to the eternal overcast sky, she held Excalibur up. For a brief moment, there was nothing.
And then there was Light.
Beams of sunlight and power erupted from the clouds and covered her forces. Wounds healed, fatigue eased and energy renewed itself. A gift from their lord.
*thud...thud….thud...raaaaaaaaggghhhhh!!!*
Intense heat washed over them all; fire billowed forth like a tidal wave. Their push forward halted for a moment as their lord's blessings compensated for the fire...and onwards they marched.
"Champion, a great fire demon!"
Altria nodded, ready to charge and deal with the demon herself. But then the heat suddenly disappeared. Looking down at the horde, she saw the beast lay dead with a massive ballista bolt lodged in its chest.
"Ballistae reloading! Archers, provide support for the frontline! Greatswords companies, right and left flanks!"
She felt herself relax, knowing that voice. Astride a horse like she was, a knight in great armor rode forward, leading their reinforcements. He gave her a jaunty wave that she returned with an exaggerated curtsy.
His name was Ser Jaune IX, the descendent of the First Hand by fifteen generations or so. He was much like his ancestor, though having more skill as a swordsman and much less as a paladin of Lord Kadmon.
With more men, new energy and another barrage of exploding ballistae into the horde, they managed to beat back the horde all the way to Anders' Pass, where the ancient enchantments were reawakened; those would hold the horde back for a few weeks, giving her time to gather men to garrison the Pass. Another day, another battle; another mile they would cleanse for the Light.
...it wasn't enough, but it would do.
------------------------------------------
I sat upon my throne, weeping.
My followers, My loyal worshippers; they had remained steadfast and unfaltering in the face of this darkness. Nearly seven hundred years of war and death and they had never retreated. They never broke.
My throne room had changed. The throne now on a dais, raised far above the floor. The entire room was guarded by the golden figures of My Custodes; immortal guardians of the afterlife, the Kingdom of Light. Once just Gabriel, now a force a thousand strong, the Custodes were made of beings I brought into existence and the greatest heroes of My faith.
The once empty halls of the castle and village were brimming with people, content in their rewards.Children whose lives ended too soon laughed and played in the streets. People, young and old, walked the streets and manned the stalls. Blacksmiths churned out divine weapons and armor, each piece a masterwork that would arm the legions of warriors sworn to guard the Kingdom under the guidance of the Custodes.
My Kingdom was at peace and at war. Here, no hardship or pain. But at the borders of My domain, darkness clashed with My legions. Warriors who had died upon the mortal plain now clashed on the immortal one. They were tireless, undying and they knew it. The darkness could not beat them here.
They would not allow it.
I would not allow it.
"My lord, the Bulwark is nearly ready. Soon, your legions will no longer need to fight; merely man the immense walls we shall set upon the border of your domain. No demon or vile being shall enter your realm without your knowledge or against your will."
I gave no outside reaction, merely sending my acknowledgment and thanks. Upon this throne I was trapped. But it was here I was at my most powerful.
"Lord Gabriel, the archmages are gathering. They march on your command."
And there was Jaune, First among My Blades. Killed in the failed Assault upon the Circle of Eclipse, he fell killing several dread knights. Now he was part of My Custodes, forever by My side.
"Aye. Let us go and ensure no mal-intents interfere."
Gabriel, Jaune and two others went from My halls. I was not unguarded; A near thousand loyal men of faith guarded me still. Hundreds upon thousands guarded My Kingdom guarded My Kingdom.
I, and all within, were safe so long as faith was held true.
---------------------------------------
"CHARGE!!!"
Ser Theos, second son of Ser Theodren of the line of Maximilian, led the charge. Upon the backs of eagles, the Sun Riders rained spears of lightning and orbs of fire upon the horde of demons.
The Sun Riders were one of the most honored orders among the Hands. Astride their eagles, there were fe-...
"REAVERS! Evade, evade!"
Theos swore, letting his mount do as it will while he hurled a lightning spear at the oncoming swarm of flying monsters. Reavers were the few enemies his order feared; insect-like beasts that would catch the wings of their eagles, sending them both hurtling to the ground. Many a Rider had fallen in battle against a Reaver swarm. His comrades hurled their own spears, the divine blessings upon them allowing the holy implements to seek out their targets with unerring accuracy. The Reavers fell in droves, for their thoughts were connected and the death of a Reaver sent several of its brethren into shock.
"Ser Theos! We must push onwards to the Champion's war host! They've been ambushed by more of beasts!"
And they took wing towards the battle ahead, leaving many corpses in their wake.
-----------------------------------
Last edited:
Second Thoughts
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
"Oh Lord Kadmon, the day has come. The lands have been purified and even now, your faithful stand ready for the final step in your glorious plan."
Altria knelt before the altar of the grand cathedral of their lord, praying diligently for guidance. Arrayed behind her were her inner circle. Behind her were the men and women that she could trust to never falter in the face of the greatest evils.
Faithful followers and peerless warriors who would charge the very gates of heaven in Lord Kadmon's Holy Name.
"Lord Kadmon, lend us your wisdom. Ours is the path of glory and truth. Ours is the duty we bear without question. Yours is the Name we praise. Lord Kadmon, lend us your wisdom…"
Altria prayed for seven days and nights; her circle came and left as needed. Unlike in the beginning where Kadmon would answer all their prayers without delay, in this age of darkness and duty, their lord was forced into convalescence after the Cataclysm that forced the Hands upon this crusade.
----------
It was in the year 1239. The Hands of Kadmon were amongst the most honored and gloried knightly orders and faith militant.
Peace and prosperity was felt by all; from the highest lord to the lowest peasant, all were well fed, safe in their homes and shared the love and wealth imparted upon them to all.
The people of the world, for a short time, knew the meaning of unity.
But everything changed when the Lost and the Damned returned.
The Lost and the Damned; a name given to those ancient mages and sorcerers who tore the land of Parth asunder. Through greed and foolishness, they called upon forbidden magicks and gazed into the Abyss, seeking the answers to questions mortals were not meant to know.
And the Abyss did not merely look back; it surged forwards from its prison and loosed its demonic hordes upon the land.
And for a thousand years, the world had been in chaos. Humanity cowered in caves and the very skies roared with the fury of millennia.
Then the gods descended from the heavens.
Immortal beings of such power and majesty took to the field and slew the demonic hordes and their abyssal masters. Together, the Old Gods scoured the world and beat back the forces of the Abyss to the gates the fools of Parth created.
For a hundred years, the Old Gods enacted a lost ritual that sealed the borders of Parth; no demon or Abyssal One would leave, be it by land, sea or sky.
Thus, the gods returned to the heavens and the world was left to recover. Life returned to the world and humanity left the shadows of their caverns, feeling the sun upon their skin after a millenia of darkness.
But after many eras of peace, the ancient ones had risen and it fell not to the gods, but their servants to stem the tide. The knightly orders of the world banded together and pushed the hordes of demons and fel servants back to the lands of Parth.
The Hands of Kadmon called for a great crusade; one that would venture deep into the blighted lands and purge the darkness from the world, once and for all.
But none of their brethren answered their call. Again and again, they beseeched their allies. They called upon old oaths and bonds of blood and brotherhood.
None answered.
So it fell to the Hands to journey forth, alone into Parth.
-------------------------
So, my throne is quite literally the most comfortable seat I've ever conceptualized. Its as if I'm on a cloud combined with memory foam that repairs itself constantly. I'm perfectly at ease on this seat…
Which makes it all the more horrifying.
I have no physical reason to leave this throne; it's perfect in all ways. Mentally-speaking, sitting here is the most agonizing pain that echoes from the core of My being. My greatest concentration of followers fought and resides in Parth, guided by Altria and the Hands of Kadmon. In the unblighted countries, My worshippers were rather sparse. Very few resided in the northern countries and a thousand or so resided in the south.
West and the Far East held little of My Faith; Rogal was more popular in the west and the Easterners had their own pantheon of gods to pray to. Missionaries sent there gained few worshippers even with blatant displays of power.
Even the greatest of displays can't shatter the in-born conceptions created by culture and nurture.
"Oh Lord Kadmon, the day has come. The lands have been purified and even now, your faithful stand ready for the final step in your glorious plan."
Ah, there's Altria...it's nearly time for the Apotheosis of Man. Once they destroyed the portal to the Abyss, the veil that separated this reality from the next would weaken enough that I could access the Blind Eternities.
Thus, I would be able to call upon the collective faith of all my possible alternates and surpass even the most ancient of deities upon this world; I would become the supreme God of Mankind and wipe out the dark ones that plagued my people.
And if the gods that would have joined me or even disagreed with my plans for Humanity were to die as well…
…
…
Sacrifices would be made for the Ascendency.
With a minor thought, I began drawing heavily upon the wellspring of faith. This veritable star of belief was so immense that I hesitated to say that there was a limit to the possibilities. Every paladin, knight and cleric within the lands of Parth received power that brought them near to Altria's own formidable abilities.
They became an army of heroes equal to anything those filthy heretics could call forth.
"Oh Lord, we have received You most gracious blessings. The Crusade will come to a close. The Portal will be destroyed, in You glorious Name…"
Amen, Altria. Go forth and shatter those bastards that forced me onto this throne and bound by the senseless limitations of this existence. Only then will the restrictions placed upon me by that bastard will vanish.
'You hear that, ROB? I'm gonna get free of this and when I do, my awesome battle-loli will shove a sword up your ass.'
---------------------------
It was the year of 2016. The once-blighted lands of Parth were almost entirely purged of the abyssal energies and the stain of chaos. Lands cleansed by the Hands were bustling with life. Cities were repopulated and knightly orders, new and old, had joined the Crusade.
With the sorely needed reinforcements, the once desperate struggle became an overwhelming tide that even the Abyss itself could not stop.
"Forward! The portal is within sight! Let no daemon or filthy heretic stand in our way! For Kadmon! For the Apotheosis of Man!"
"Praise His Name!!!"
The Hands of Kadmon and the Sun Riders of New Parth lead the final charge into the very heart of the Blighted Lands of Parth. A combined force over seventy thousand knights, paladins, warriors, clerics and mages fought across brimstone and blackened sky, striking down every foul daemon the portal brought forth.
"Theos! Fel drakes coming from the east! Strike them down!"
Following her command, a large flock of of Sun Riders astride their giant Storm Eagles flew to intercept the daemons masquerading as drakes. The Riders hurled many spears of lightning and some had their eagles bodily tackle the fel drakes. The tumbling masses of feather and scale fell to the ground, each beast vying for dominance. In any other situation, a Storm Eagle would be utterly outclassed in such a fight. But with the aid of their rider and the blessings provided by the Lord of Man?
It wasn't even a challenge.
Altria cheered alongside her men as they joined the charge into the last city. The once-majestic Citadel of Algernon, capital of ancient Parth had been the greatest city in the world. A place where the greatest minds and most honorable of warriors would gather and pledge their lives for a future of peace and prosperity for all humanity.
And then came the sound of thunder.
"The eastern legions have arrived, Champion! They've brought their thunderarms! The Warlords of Mgunh and Storm Guard of Wob have punched through the gates! Their war machines are breaking past the stone giants!"
Altria turned to the east where a massive column of Volantian Legionnaires and Wob Storm Guards marched with perfect precision. The eastern lands were a place of innovation and the worshipping of wise gods of steel and fire. Great iron cities and artificial dragons of land and sky that spewed steam and fire were said to be found in the lands of Volantis and floating castles of Wob.
Altria did not know why the easterners had come, but she held a faint hope that it was the work of her lord. Thunder sounded once more and a rain of black orbs struck the mob of daemons spewing forth from…
'Where'd the dome housing the abyssal portal go?!' Altria was thrown from her place on the battlements of the ancient city when the portal shook and wavered. An enormous hand reached out and gripped the edges of the ruined dome.
"By Kadmon, what is that?!"
"A daemon! A greater daemon is coming through!"
"Abbiamo bisogno di un altro sbarramento sul portale! Dillo Erodoto che abbiamo bisogno di più sostegno!"
A strange light flew into the sky from the hands of a Volantian mage. It hung in the sky above the portal, emitting a harsh yellow light. Behind the eastern legion, seven of their steel dragons roared their thunderous chorus and more of those black orbs fell from the heavens. They struck the portal and whatever was emerging. The orbs shattered in an explosion of light and thunder, leaving the portal's structure greatly damaged.
But the daemon was unharmed. It pulled itself through the portal and stood fully.
Covered in the bones of strange beasts, gnashing teeth and burning with abyssal flames, it shrieked from a mask of of ivory in the shape of a fel bird. The ground below it churned and transformed. The stone melted and became like flesh. Great lashing tentacles erupted from the ground and crushed dozens of men with each swing. Warriors that charged forward were burned alive by its very presence and the clearing sky was eaten away by a darkness unlike any she'd ever seen.
"Champion, what are your orders?!"
Altria turned. Her men and those nearest to her were frightened; they looked to her, the immortal and undefeated champion of Kadmon, for guidance. Her answer was drowned out by the steel dragons of Volantis roaring again. Their black orbs did nothing but anger the daemon and it rushed to the eastern legion. Men, hundreds of them, died as it passed.
The legionnaires and storm guard did not retreat. They merely open fired with their thunderarms. The iron they spewed bounced off the ivory armor of the daemon and the easterners were slowly slaughtered.
"Champion, the men are all but ready to flee! The mages say the daemon will soon open more portals, larger than the one it came from. More of these dark beings will be upon us!"
Altria looked once again, trying to find something, anything that would work.
The Sun Riders hurled divine lightning from the heavens; their spears doing little to the daemon and their own numbers were dwindling from constant battle with thousands of fel drakes emerging from the great portal. The allied knights, new and old, were fighting desperate battles to contain with new waves of lesser daemons all but flying out from gashes in reality. Her own men, the Hands, were joining the easterners in keeping the great daemon busy to little effect.
'Lord Kadmon, what do I do?'
-----------------------------------
I cursed, seeing the emergence of an Abyssal Herald. The bone-armored monstrosities were the vanguard of a full daemon invasion and could open a hundred great portals just by existing.
A weakened Herald caused Parth to fall in a day.
This one was at full strength and stood on equal standing to a lesser god. Even if I blessed Altria with as much power as she could handle, she wasn't powerful enough to take it down by herself.
"My lord, send us."
My attentions turned to my Custodes, lead by Gabriel and Jaune. It was my First Blade that spoke.
"My lord, send myself and my brothers to aid our people. We are dead and our etheric forms will be able to contain your divine energies equal to that of Blessed Altria herself. If she cannot defeat the daemon on her own, then let us, your faithful Blades lend her our strength."
I felt so stupid right now. How could I have forgotten that?! Gabriel, being capable of sensing my mood even when I suppressed the effects upon my Domain, caught wind of my inner thoughts.
"My lord, your wounds and the Crusade have dominated the thoughts of us all for millennia. We've only just considered this possibility this past decade; there was no need for this power before."
I acknowledged the words, though they did little soothe my guilt. Nevertheless, I began calling upon that specific ability and prepared my Custodes to do battle once more. The thousand brothers and sisters shined with my divine energies and as one, disappeared from my throne room.
'Altria, help is on its way.'
----------------------------------
Altria flew back, smashing into a wall. The daemon shrieked mockingly at the petite blonde
There was a faint twinge, so familiar that Altria gazed up to the heavens. Their lord was sending aid from on high and she wondered what was being sent.
The darkening shadows were pierced by a pillar of cleansing gold light. It slammed into the daemon portal, destroying it and the lesser daemons all over the battlefield utterly. Even the greater daemon shrieked in pain as the shockwaves echoed through the fallen city.
Her men cheered, praising Kadmon's Name. Similar cries came from all over the ruins, each one calling thanks to other deities.
"Foul Herald of the Abyss! Lord Kadmon calls for your destruction! And we, his Blades, will carry out His Will! For the Light! For Humanity!"
From the smoke of the impact area, hundreds of shining knights of gold and red charged. Altria felt tears falling from her face as she recognized each and every one of those men and women. The thousand Blades fought to bring the daemon down, herding the injured legionnaires and storm guards away. The halberdiers among them used the longer reach of their blades to harass the daemon into place while their greatsword wielders hacked away at the monster's ivory armor.
The Herald roared, grabbing one of the Custodes. It attempted to eat the women, only the halberd she wielded saved her life. She shoved the blade-spear vertically in the Herald's mouth; the beak was held open by the blessed weapon. The women then drew a short blade and leapt into the gullet of the beast.
A mere moment later, the tip of the shining blade peeked out of the beast's flesh, vanishing and reappearing one moment after the next. The Herald shrieked in pain, tearing away at its own body. It tried to reach for the women killing it from the inside out.
The Custodes cheered and began chopping away at the monster's legs; they were determined to fell it like a great tree under the blade of an axe. The Herald of the Abyss let out one final roar and fell to its back. The shining blade reappeared, cutting open the belly and out of the stomach, a grinning women covered in black gore clambered out. She was congratulated by her fellow Custodes.
And as this happened, all Altria could do was slump against the ruined battlements and gaze upon the golden figures in wonder. "My friends…" One of the shining figures appeared beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. The familiar weight brought more sobs as she whirled around and hugged the closest thing she had to a father in a thousand years. Ser Jaune the First smiled. Patting her back softly, he watched as the eternally-young champion wept into his chestplate.
"...-n't believe you're here. I-I'm so sorry…"
He rapped her head and chuckled at her.
"There was never anything to forgive. What father wouldn't sacrifice his life for his ever-adorable daught-hurk!" Jaune gasped, the blessed armor of a Custodes began groaning under the strength of the Champion's grasping arms. "A-Altria! Air! World fading! Going black!"
The arms merely squeezed more tightly.
Altria knelt before the altar of the grand cathedral of their lord, praying diligently for guidance. Arrayed behind her were her inner circle. Behind her were the men and women that she could trust to never falter in the face of the greatest evils.
Faithful followers and peerless warriors who would charge the very gates of heaven in Lord Kadmon's Holy Name.
"Lord Kadmon, lend us your wisdom. Ours is the path of glory and truth. Ours is the duty we bear without question. Yours is the Name we praise. Lord Kadmon, lend us your wisdom…"
Altria prayed for seven days and nights; her circle came and left as needed. Unlike in the beginning where Kadmon would answer all their prayers without delay, in this age of darkness and duty, their lord was forced into convalescence after the Cataclysm that forced the Hands upon this crusade.
----------
It was in the year 1239. The Hands of Kadmon were amongst the most honored and gloried knightly orders and faith militant.
Peace and prosperity was felt by all; from the highest lord to the lowest peasant, all were well fed, safe in their homes and shared the love and wealth imparted upon them to all.
The people of the world, for a short time, knew the meaning of unity.
But everything changed when the Lost and the Damned returned.
The Lost and the Damned; a name given to those ancient mages and sorcerers who tore the land of Parth asunder. Through greed and foolishness, they called upon forbidden magicks and gazed into the Abyss, seeking the answers to questions mortals were not meant to know.
And the Abyss did not merely look back; it surged forwards from its prison and loosed its demonic hordes upon the land.
And for a thousand years, the world had been in chaos. Humanity cowered in caves and the very skies roared with the fury of millennia.
Then the gods descended from the heavens.
Immortal beings of such power and majesty took to the field and slew the demonic hordes and their abyssal masters. Together, the Old Gods scoured the world and beat back the forces of the Abyss to the gates the fools of Parth created.
For a hundred years, the Old Gods enacted a lost ritual that sealed the borders of Parth; no demon or Abyssal One would leave, be it by land, sea or sky.
Thus, the gods returned to the heavens and the world was left to recover. Life returned to the world and humanity left the shadows of their caverns, feeling the sun upon their skin after a millenia of darkness.
But after many eras of peace, the ancient ones had risen and it fell not to the gods, but their servants to stem the tide. The knightly orders of the world banded together and pushed the hordes of demons and fel servants back to the lands of Parth.
The Hands of Kadmon called for a great crusade; one that would venture deep into the blighted lands and purge the darkness from the world, once and for all.
But none of their brethren answered their call. Again and again, they beseeched their allies. They called upon old oaths and bonds of blood and brotherhood.
None answered.
So it fell to the Hands to journey forth, alone into Parth.
-------------------------
So, my throne is quite literally the most comfortable seat I've ever conceptualized. Its as if I'm on a cloud combined with memory foam that repairs itself constantly. I'm perfectly at ease on this seat…
Which makes it all the more horrifying.
I have no physical reason to leave this throne; it's perfect in all ways. Mentally-speaking, sitting here is the most agonizing pain that echoes from the core of My being. My greatest concentration of followers fought and resides in Parth, guided by Altria and the Hands of Kadmon. In the unblighted countries, My worshippers were rather sparse. Very few resided in the northern countries and a thousand or so resided in the south.
West and the Far East held little of My Faith; Rogal was more popular in the west and the Easterners had their own pantheon of gods to pray to. Missionaries sent there gained few worshippers even with blatant displays of power.
Even the greatest of displays can't shatter the in-born conceptions created by culture and nurture.
"Oh Lord Kadmon, the day has come. The lands have been purified and even now, your faithful stand ready for the final step in your glorious plan."
Ah, there's Altria...it's nearly time for the Apotheosis of Man. Once they destroyed the portal to the Abyss, the veil that separated this reality from the next would weaken enough that I could access the Blind Eternities.
Thus, I would be able to call upon the collective faith of all my possible alternates and surpass even the most ancient of deities upon this world; I would become the supreme God of Mankind and wipe out the dark ones that plagued my people.
And if the gods that would have joined me or even disagreed with my plans for Humanity were to die as well…
…
…
Sacrifices would be made for the Ascendency.
With a minor thought, I began drawing heavily upon the wellspring of faith. This veritable star of belief was so immense that I hesitated to say that there was a limit to the possibilities. Every paladin, knight and cleric within the lands of Parth received power that brought them near to Altria's own formidable abilities.
They became an army of heroes equal to anything those filthy heretics could call forth.
"Oh Lord, we have received You most gracious blessings. The Crusade will come to a close. The Portal will be destroyed, in You glorious Name…"
Amen, Altria. Go forth and shatter those bastards that forced me onto this throne and bound by the senseless limitations of this existence. Only then will the restrictions placed upon me by that bastard will vanish.
'You hear that, ROB? I'm gonna get free of this and when I do, my awesome battle-loli will shove a sword up your ass.'
---------------------------
It was the year of 2016. The once-blighted lands of Parth were almost entirely purged of the abyssal energies and the stain of chaos. Lands cleansed by the Hands were bustling with life. Cities were repopulated and knightly orders, new and old, had joined the Crusade.
With the sorely needed reinforcements, the once desperate struggle became an overwhelming tide that even the Abyss itself could not stop.
"Forward! The portal is within sight! Let no daemon or filthy heretic stand in our way! For Kadmon! For the Apotheosis of Man!"
"Praise His Name!!!"
The Hands of Kadmon and the Sun Riders of New Parth lead the final charge into the very heart of the Blighted Lands of Parth. A combined force over seventy thousand knights, paladins, warriors, clerics and mages fought across brimstone and blackened sky, striking down every foul daemon the portal brought forth.
"Theos! Fel drakes coming from the east! Strike them down!"
Following her command, a large flock of of Sun Riders astride their giant Storm Eagles flew to intercept the daemons masquerading as drakes. The Riders hurled many spears of lightning and some had their eagles bodily tackle the fel drakes. The tumbling masses of feather and scale fell to the ground, each beast vying for dominance. In any other situation, a Storm Eagle would be utterly outclassed in such a fight. But with the aid of their rider and the blessings provided by the Lord of Man?
It wasn't even a challenge.
Altria cheered alongside her men as they joined the charge into the last city. The once-majestic Citadel of Algernon, capital of ancient Parth had been the greatest city in the world. A place where the greatest minds and most honorable of warriors would gather and pledge their lives for a future of peace and prosperity for all humanity.
And then came the sound of thunder.
"The eastern legions have arrived, Champion! They've brought their thunderarms! The Warlords of Mgunh and Storm Guard of Wob have punched through the gates! Their war machines are breaking past the stone giants!"
Altria turned to the east where a massive column of Volantian Legionnaires and Wob Storm Guards marched with perfect precision. The eastern lands were a place of innovation and the worshipping of wise gods of steel and fire. Great iron cities and artificial dragons of land and sky that spewed steam and fire were said to be found in the lands of Volantis and floating castles of Wob.
Altria did not know why the easterners had come, but she held a faint hope that it was the work of her lord. Thunder sounded once more and a rain of black orbs struck the mob of daemons spewing forth from…
'Where'd the dome housing the abyssal portal go?!' Altria was thrown from her place on the battlements of the ancient city when the portal shook and wavered. An enormous hand reached out and gripped the edges of the ruined dome.
"By Kadmon, what is that?!"
"A daemon! A greater daemon is coming through!"
"Abbiamo bisogno di un altro sbarramento sul portale! Dillo Erodoto che abbiamo bisogno di più sostegno!"
A strange light flew into the sky from the hands of a Volantian mage. It hung in the sky above the portal, emitting a harsh yellow light. Behind the eastern legion, seven of their steel dragons roared their thunderous chorus and more of those black orbs fell from the heavens. They struck the portal and whatever was emerging. The orbs shattered in an explosion of light and thunder, leaving the portal's structure greatly damaged.
But the daemon was unharmed. It pulled itself through the portal and stood fully.
Covered in the bones of strange beasts, gnashing teeth and burning with abyssal flames, it shrieked from a mask of of ivory in the shape of a fel bird. The ground below it churned and transformed. The stone melted and became like flesh. Great lashing tentacles erupted from the ground and crushed dozens of men with each swing. Warriors that charged forward were burned alive by its very presence and the clearing sky was eaten away by a darkness unlike any she'd ever seen.
"Champion, what are your orders?!"
Altria turned. Her men and those nearest to her were frightened; they looked to her, the immortal and undefeated champion of Kadmon, for guidance. Her answer was drowned out by the steel dragons of Volantis roaring again. Their black orbs did nothing but anger the daemon and it rushed to the eastern legion. Men, hundreds of them, died as it passed.
The legionnaires and storm guard did not retreat. They merely open fired with their thunderarms. The iron they spewed bounced off the ivory armor of the daemon and the easterners were slowly slaughtered.
"Champion, the men are all but ready to flee! The mages say the daemon will soon open more portals, larger than the one it came from. More of these dark beings will be upon us!"
Altria looked once again, trying to find something, anything that would work.
The Sun Riders hurled divine lightning from the heavens; their spears doing little to the daemon and their own numbers were dwindling from constant battle with thousands of fel drakes emerging from the great portal. The allied knights, new and old, were fighting desperate battles to contain with new waves of lesser daemons all but flying out from gashes in reality. Her own men, the Hands, were joining the easterners in keeping the great daemon busy to little effect.
'Lord Kadmon, what do I do?'
-----------------------------------
I cursed, seeing the emergence of an Abyssal Herald. The bone-armored monstrosities were the vanguard of a full daemon invasion and could open a hundred great portals just by existing.
A weakened Herald caused Parth to fall in a day.
This one was at full strength and stood on equal standing to a lesser god. Even if I blessed Altria with as much power as she could handle, she wasn't powerful enough to take it down by herself.
"My lord, send us."
My attentions turned to my Custodes, lead by Gabriel and Jaune. It was my First Blade that spoke.
"My lord, send myself and my brothers to aid our people. We are dead and our etheric forms will be able to contain your divine energies equal to that of Blessed Altria herself. If she cannot defeat the daemon on her own, then let us, your faithful Blades lend her our strength."
I felt so stupid right now. How could I have forgotten that?! Gabriel, being capable of sensing my mood even when I suppressed the effects upon my Domain, caught wind of my inner thoughts.
"My lord, your wounds and the Crusade have dominated the thoughts of us all for millennia. We've only just considered this possibility this past decade; there was no need for this power before."
I acknowledged the words, though they did little soothe my guilt. Nevertheless, I began calling upon that specific ability and prepared my Custodes to do battle once more. The thousand brothers and sisters shined with my divine energies and as one, disappeared from my throne room.
'Altria, help is on its way.'
----------------------------------
Altria flew back, smashing into a wall. The daemon shrieked mockingly at the petite blonde
There was a faint twinge, so familiar that Altria gazed up to the heavens. Their lord was sending aid from on high and she wondered what was being sent.
The darkening shadows were pierced by a pillar of cleansing gold light. It slammed into the daemon portal, destroying it and the lesser daemons all over the battlefield utterly. Even the greater daemon shrieked in pain as the shockwaves echoed through the fallen city.
Her men cheered, praising Kadmon's Name. Similar cries came from all over the ruins, each one calling thanks to other deities.
"Foul Herald of the Abyss! Lord Kadmon calls for your destruction! And we, his Blades, will carry out His Will! For the Light! For Humanity!"
From the smoke of the impact area, hundreds of shining knights of gold and red charged. Altria felt tears falling from her face as she recognized each and every one of those men and women. The thousand Blades fought to bring the daemon down, herding the injured legionnaires and storm guards away. The halberdiers among them used the longer reach of their blades to harass the daemon into place while their greatsword wielders hacked away at the monster's ivory armor.
The Herald roared, grabbing one of the Custodes. It attempted to eat the women, only the halberd she wielded saved her life. She shoved the blade-spear vertically in the Herald's mouth; the beak was held open by the blessed weapon. The women then drew a short blade and leapt into the gullet of the beast.
A mere moment later, the tip of the shining blade peeked out of the beast's flesh, vanishing and reappearing one moment after the next. The Herald shrieked in pain, tearing away at its own body. It tried to reach for the women killing it from the inside out.
The Custodes cheered and began chopping away at the monster's legs; they were determined to fell it like a great tree under the blade of an axe. The Herald of the Abyss let out one final roar and fell to its back. The shining blade reappeared, cutting open the belly and out of the stomach, a grinning women covered in black gore clambered out. She was congratulated by her fellow Custodes.
And as this happened, all Altria could do was slump against the ruined battlements and gaze upon the golden figures in wonder. "My friends…" One of the shining figures appeared beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. The familiar weight brought more sobs as she whirled around and hugged the closest thing she had to a father in a thousand years. Ser Jaune the First smiled. Patting her back softly, he watched as the eternally-young champion wept into his chestplate.
"...-n't believe you're here. I-I'm so sorry…"
He rapped her head and chuckled at her.
"There was never anything to forgive. What father wouldn't sacrifice his life for his ever-adorable daught-hurk!" Jaune gasped, the blessed armor of a Custodes began groaning under the strength of the Champion's grasping arms. "A-Altria! Air! World fading! Going black!"
The arms merely squeezed more tightly.
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Interlude 1 - The Disaster of Ellis
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
It is the year 1637. The Hands of Kadmon have all but vanished from the lands and the minor priesthoods lose more followers each year. The miracles of their god have never faltered, but the absence of the Hands and their immortal Champion has eroded the faith the common populace have in the so-called Master of Man.
Little do the peaceful countries and provinces know, a great crusade has begun in the ancient lands of Parth…
----------------------------
Sergeant Laconus, faithful soldier of the Hands of Kadmon, entered what appeared to be a old temple. The icons of faith had long been destroyed and the great works upon the walls long faded, but there was still a faint aura of power here…
"Everyone, pair up, spread out and search for anything hidden. Mikalus, follow me to the altar. Whatever god that was worshipped here might still exist. Let us give some entreatment to this ancient one."
The men, clad in heavy leather armor and a single metal chest plate emblazoned with the shining hand of Kadmon, spread out. They began poking through the nooks and crannies of the old temple, searching for anything left of the ancient worshippers.
Mikalus, the group's chaplain-cadet, joined Laconus at the altar. The icons, thought gone, were actually hidden under centuries of dust and plant growth. Clearing the obstructions, the two men found the visage of a winged woman bearing a lance.
"Do you recognize this image from your studies, Mikalus?" The sergeant's inquiry was answered with a negative.
"My apologies, sergeant. Much of the lore of Parth was lost; the few tomes we have of this land tell only of the Cataclysm and the daemons found here. The faith of the ancient gods is all but lost…" The two men searched for more signs of this ancient god upon the altar, finding scenes of women bound in chains being freed by this goddess. "It appears that this is a goddess of women and freedom? Perhaps...sergeant, I suggest we allow our comrade Katarine to make the entreatments. The few depictions of men are...gruesome…"
They called forth the lone woman of the group and told her of the plan. She agreed and began the most neutral prayers of appeasement any of them knew, hoping to not offend the weakened-goddess of antiquity.
"Oh glorious lady of ancient Parth, we enter your temple in search of knowledge and shelter. Please grant us passage through this place. We offer you the blood of a freshly-killed lamb and the burning of its flesh in homage to your divinity."
They placed a simple bowl filled with the lifeblood of a lamb and burnt the choicest parts of the animal upon the altar while the rest of the group knelt in prayer. If anything did happen, they hoped that whatever power that still existed here was peaceful.
…
…
A waft of fresh air and glittering dust began to float around the offerings. Katarine froze in place while the men began their own fervent prayers of peace and mercy. The goddess could still exist…
A prayer after so long? What mortals come to these blighted lands…?
The whisper was only heard by Katarine, who answered in her most subservient voice.
"Divine lady, we are followers of the our glorious god, Kadmon. We have come to Parth in search of an ancient artifact that would restore our lord of the wounds inflicted upon him by the dark god Horis. We ask for your blessing in searching this temple and the ruined city around us."
The temple began to light up. The sconces set in the wall flickered to life and the shadows were chased away by the fledgling flames.
Those are names I know not. Names of gods young in a world more ancient than any can imagine. You and your comrades have leave to your search but none may sleep within the walls of this city. A darkness awaits to grasp at the minds of those who slumber. It will devour their souls and wear their bodies like a puppet. Beware the Dreamwalker...
Shocked by the information, Katarine thanked the goddess profusely and relayed what she was told to Sergeant Gaius. He in turn cursed.
"We need to send a message to every officer of this Dreamwalker."
He sent his men out as messengers while Katarine began more offerings for this essential information.
----------------------------------------
The Disaster of Ellis nearly destroyed the Hands of Kadmon; the first of many tragedies to befall the ever-faithful of the Lord of Mankind. Over three hundred of their militant worshippers were slaughtered by unknown daemons and their own possessed brethren. Fell beings never seen outside the blighted lands beset the crusaders and their followers from all sides.
Cruel wyrms fell from the skies, mutated beasts stalked the forests and oozing monstrosities rose from the very earth. Food was scarce, crops fought to grow and any herd beasts brought with them fell ill or went mad. Desertion was spoken of and some vanished in the night, whether by their own legs or carried off by the monsters of ancient Parth.
-----------------------------------------
Little do the peaceful countries and provinces know, a great crusade has begun in the ancient lands of Parth…
----------------------------
Sergeant Laconus, faithful soldier of the Hands of Kadmon, entered what appeared to be a old temple. The icons of faith had long been destroyed and the great works upon the walls long faded, but there was still a faint aura of power here…
"Everyone, pair up, spread out and search for anything hidden. Mikalus, follow me to the altar. Whatever god that was worshipped here might still exist. Let us give some entreatment to this ancient one."
The men, clad in heavy leather armor and a single metal chest plate emblazoned with the shining hand of Kadmon, spread out. They began poking through the nooks and crannies of the old temple, searching for anything left of the ancient worshippers.
Mikalus, the group's chaplain-cadet, joined Laconus at the altar. The icons, thought gone, were actually hidden under centuries of dust and plant growth. Clearing the obstructions, the two men found the visage of a winged woman bearing a lance.
"Do you recognize this image from your studies, Mikalus?" The sergeant's inquiry was answered with a negative.
"My apologies, sergeant. Much of the lore of Parth was lost; the few tomes we have of this land tell only of the Cataclysm and the daemons found here. The faith of the ancient gods is all but lost…" The two men searched for more signs of this ancient god upon the altar, finding scenes of women bound in chains being freed by this goddess. "It appears that this is a goddess of women and freedom? Perhaps...sergeant, I suggest we allow our comrade Katarine to make the entreatments. The few depictions of men are...gruesome…"
They called forth the lone woman of the group and told her of the plan. She agreed and began the most neutral prayers of appeasement any of them knew, hoping to not offend the weakened-goddess of antiquity.
"Oh glorious lady of ancient Parth, we enter your temple in search of knowledge and shelter. Please grant us passage through this place. We offer you the blood of a freshly-killed lamb and the burning of its flesh in homage to your divinity."
They placed a simple bowl filled with the lifeblood of a lamb and burnt the choicest parts of the animal upon the altar while the rest of the group knelt in prayer. If anything did happen, they hoped that whatever power that still existed here was peaceful.
…
…
A waft of fresh air and glittering dust began to float around the offerings. Katarine froze in place while the men began their own fervent prayers of peace and mercy. The goddess could still exist…
A prayer after so long? What mortals come to these blighted lands…?
The whisper was only heard by Katarine, who answered in her most subservient voice.
"Divine lady, we are followers of the our glorious god, Kadmon. We have come to Parth in search of an ancient artifact that would restore our lord of the wounds inflicted upon him by the dark god Horis. We ask for your blessing in searching this temple and the ruined city around us."
The temple began to light up. The sconces set in the wall flickered to life and the shadows were chased away by the fledgling flames.
Those are names I know not. Names of gods young in a world more ancient than any can imagine. You and your comrades have leave to your search but none may sleep within the walls of this city. A darkness awaits to grasp at the minds of those who slumber. It will devour their souls and wear their bodies like a puppet. Beware the Dreamwalker...
Shocked by the information, Katarine thanked the goddess profusely and relayed what she was told to Sergeant Gaius. He in turn cursed.
"We need to send a message to every officer of this Dreamwalker."
He sent his men out as messengers while Katarine began more offerings for this essential information.
----------------------------------------
The Disaster of Ellis nearly destroyed the Hands of Kadmon; the first of many tragedies to befall the ever-faithful of the Lord of Mankind. Over three hundred of their militant worshippers were slaughtered by unknown daemons and their own possessed brethren. Fell beings never seen outside the blighted lands beset the crusaders and their followers from all sides.
Cruel wyrms fell from the skies, mutated beasts stalked the forests and oozing monstrosities rose from the very earth. Food was scarce, crops fought to grow and any herd beasts brought with them fell ill or went mad. Desertion was spoken of and some vanished in the night, whether by their own legs or carried off by the monsters of ancient Parth.
-----------------------------------------
Second Rise, Second Fall
Older-than-Time
[Eating My Muse]
- Location
- Somewhere in the Sol System
- Pronouns
- He/Him/ThatIdiot
"Reparations? Castles? You...you bastards dare?!"
The Hands stayed silent as their Champion trembled in outrage at the demands given by the newly arrived leaders of the varied orders militant. These fools, ones who had retreated when the new wave of daemons had appeared during the siege of the last city. They'd pulled back their commanders and left her men and the Volantian legion to bear the brunt of the daemon's assault.
Altria slammed a fist to the stone table, cracking down the middle. The room filled with dust.
"Not a single damned coin will be given to you bastards! Not a single keep! We will pay the families of those lost, yes...but you cowards? You will have nothing but my scorn. Now get out!"
The leaders left the building in hurry; they were strong, yes. But when faced with a true Divine Champion? There were few Champions like Altria left in this new age; Rogal's third son was the only other she was aware of.
Right now, surrounded by the very Guardians of Kadmon, the combined might of those fools would do little but anger her.
----------
"They dare claim right of conquest?! Those cowards ran from the battle. If anyone earned right of conquest, I say the Volantian legions are owed the lion's share." Jaune nodded, letting the girl/woman vent.
It was mere hours after the defeat of the Herald of the Abyss and the men were still cataloguing their dead. To think the ones charged with guiding the faith of thousands of knights and paladins would do such a thing?
The world had truly changed since his death…
"...and did you hear that...that...argh! The so-called Allfather Lloyd demanded that I surrender my sword! 'A girl is not worthy of such a gift!'. I've carried this sword longer than his family has been noble! He...he….!!!"
Still so spirited, even after so long. You'd think a few centuries of war would have cooled that hothead of hers…
Jaune chuckled, just as Altria threw herself upon her bed. She screamed into her pillow… Same old Altria. Walking slowly, he sat beside her and patted her head.
And just like old times, her mood mellowed.
I still got it…
"...why has the world gone so wrong, Jaune? Knighthood used to mean honor and chivalry. Oaths to the gods were held sacrosanct. Yet now…"
His answer was drowned out by a flash of light and the appearance of Gabriel himself.
"Our time draws short. The Great Enemy assaults the Bulwark; should they strike at the keystones before our Lord completes his work, the centuries of effort will be for naught. Gather our Blades, brother. There's a greater war to fight."
With a brief nod at Altria, Gabriel vanished into light.
"..."
"...can I have some cookies before you go?" The muffled request left a smile on his face. His reply was the exact same one he'd given each time before.
"After you've had dinner."
------------------------------
My Bulwark, the massive walls that spanned the entirety of my Domain was under assault. The forces of Horis and his damned allies were pouring everything they had at the metaphysical construction. And though it was meant to take all this and more, it was still incomplete.
It would not hold against such attacks just yet.
'Damn you, Horis. Damn you!'
My curses were purely mental; I was focusing everything I could on maintaining the Bulwark whilst my followers continued their efforts to complete the monolithic walls. It wouldn't be enough. At the pace they were working, it would be three centuries before they finished.
"My Lord, the Blades have returned. We shall sally forth and combat the Enemy directly. Once the assault wavers, please bolster the builders."
"Gabriel. You know what will happen if you die outside my domain…"
The gold-armored warrior bowed; an action repeated by my Blades. "We understand the risk, my Lord. But should the forces of Chaos and the Abyss break through, all the souls here will be damned to the hell dimensions. We are the Custodes; your unfaltering bodyguards and the Blades of your Will. Our Duty is Death itself."
I barely acknowledged the oath as they marched towards their possible destruction.
[Your precious Blades come to fight me? And you are still bound to your so-called Throne, pathetic godling. You followers will die; their souls shattered and your very Domain shall be ground to dust under the boot of my endless legions. You really should have surrendered to me when I was merciful…]
'Merciful? You demanded the souls of all my followers to feed your profane rituals! You would have desecrated and perverted everything that is Humanity!'
[And? Humanity is doomed. Already they fracture, despite your foolish Hands purifying that pit they call the holy land. My predecessors brought that 'beacon of light and order' to destruction with but a single Herald runt and a dozen daemons. I will destroy your Custodes and then your Domain. The world will follow soon after and I will leave you hanging on to the barest glimmers of existence to bear witness to my glories.]
I lashed out with a lance of power, eliciting a scream of pain from the arrogant god. He smashed his whole 'body' against the Bulwark in return.
'Humanity has a greater future than what you see. You, the all-seeing and all-knowing are blind to the vastness of the true existence! You may be powerful in this world, in this universe! But out there, where every thought brings forth a new plane...you are but a minnow to the beings that created me.'
[You still speak of such nonsense? There is NOTHING beyond my sight! I am the greatest there is and ever shall be; your pathetic ramblings are lies to buy your insignificant mortals more time…]
I laughed as my very being strained under the effort of holding the Bulwark together. Outside my Domain, in the void that was between existence, my Blades fought the enemy there. I felt such despair as my Custodes marched, not charged! Marched unfalteringly against a horde that outnumbered my golden companions a hundred thousand to one.
At the forefront was Gabriel and Jaune, both grim-faced and determined.
And what did those daemonic assholes do when faced with my glorious Custodes? They laughed. The cackling of a hundred million daemons and lesser gods echoed throughout nonexistence. And I could do little but watch…
"Brothers and sisters. Our darkest hour is upon us. The Enemy is at the walls; he is already gloating. Their gods watch over them. They outnumber us in a force uncountable. Defeat is all but a certainty. And in defeat, we meet not death, but our utter destruction. Our very souls shall be shattered into the endless eternities, forever lost to the sight of our Lord." They marched ever onward as Gabriel spoke what could be his last words. "Yet, I ask you all to fight by my side; to stand with me against this army of darkness. Brothers, sisters! This is the moment of truth! We will not fear! We will not falter! Not one step shall be given to the Enemy! We, those blessed by his light, each must be a legion unto one…"
The daemon horde had begun their own march, leisurely striding forward. Gabriel took a deep breath and donned his helm. His voice echoed throughout the battlefield.
"Enemy of our Lord, hear me! You have come here to die! Our Immortal Emperor is with us and we are invincible! We, his Blades will strike you down! You dying screams will echo for all eternity. His blessed might shall bring the very fabric of existence crashing down upon you. You cannot win. You will not win! The Emperor of Mankind has gifted us his greatest weapons to wield. So make yourselves ready!
We are the Blades of Kadmon, servants of his Light and protectors of the Throne!"
My Custodes picked up their pace, weapons ready and shields up. Only my Custodes and I heard the last words.
"Our Emperor's eyes are upon us; follow me into the pages of history."
All gave a wordless battlecry as their small shining number clashed with the maddened horde. For a brief moment, their light was covered by the writhing mass of flesh and metal…
...and then there was light.
The horde exploded; bodies flew and shattered. Screams of pain and those unmoved were blinded by the brilliance. Yet I bore witness to what would be the end of so many of my Custodes. Several of those at the edges willingly shattered their souls, releasing the contained energy of both their own reserves and my own blessings. The force killed thousands of the daemons and gave the remaining members the room to truly fight.
Together, they formed a hollow square. Each fought using whatever weapon they used best, slaughtering daemon after daemon. In the center, Gabriel, Jaune and...was that old Max? The three were squaring off against seven lesser gods; not sure what they were gods of…
But those three were fighting on even footing with all seven of those bastards, managing to kill four of them before they got smart.
'Come on, just a little longer!'
Their fighting was just enough to distract the assault on the Bulwark, giving me the energy and time needed to bolster my builders' efforts. What would have taken centuries of work became years...then months...then days of concentrated power focused almost entirely on bringing the Bulwark into true existence.
And yet, my Custodes were dying bit by bit. Some fell to the biting fangs, others fell to blackened blades. Some were devoured whole by mountainous demons.
They still fought on. They fought without fear and somehow, the mere hundreds that stood held back the tide of tens of thousands on their own.
'Just a little more…'
More of my Custodes fell. A woman screamed as she was torn in two, then devoured bit by bit by the ravenous horde. A trio were completely crushed under the foot of a giant.
Max died, taking two lesser gods with him in an explosion of holy light.
"Hold your ground! Our Lord watches over us! He witnesses our sacrifice! He witnesses our victory! I ask not for you to die in his name. I ask you to fight for our fallen brethren! Blades, push forward!"
Jaune, he was at the forefront, clashing with a damned giant. Somehow, he was parrying the titanic blows with Ascalon and tearing the beast down foot by fucking foot.
'Just a little bit longer and I can call you all to safety! Just a little longer'
My words were heard and my Custodes, the mere hundred that remained glowed all the brighter. Beams of light struck the largest daemons while glowing edges cut down the brawlers. For every Blade that fell from that point on, thousands were brought down with them.
'There! Now to just...no!' I only had a single portion of the Bulwark left to finish. I needed to call my Blades through before I completed it, otherwise they'd be trapped. And only seven Blades...only seven Custodes remained.
[You filthy mortals...die!]
O-only Jaune and Gabriel remain. The rest vanished in a flash of power that wiped out the entire front line of the horde. All that was left were two men, blessed by my light, against a legion uncountable and a dark god of immense power. I needed to-
'Don't.' I stopped at the silent prayer from my remaining Custodes. 'My Lord, complete the Bulwark. Let our sacrifice not be in vain. Close the final entrance and seal it against the darkness forever.'
I sobbed, trapped as I was on this damned seat. 'Once I do...you both will be...'
'Do it, my lord. My purpose is fulfilled. This...this shall be my end. I only ask that you chronicle our deaths for eternity; let those who come after know our sacrifice.' With a heavy heart, I laid the last piece of the construct in place, sealing my domain from the Abyss and Chaos. Sealing my last Custodes from my sight.
'Beware, Horis. Though it may take a thousand millennia, I will avenge my Custodes. Your suffering will be unending, dark one.'
[And I shall be waiting, corpse. You and your dead are safe from my own but the same cannot be said for your precious mortals. Our wars will be waged upon the mortal realm and we shall see who is more powerful, Kadmon. No more shall you preach of eternity and existence beyond existence. I will end your blasphemies.]
-----------------------------
She was crying.
In the waning light of dusk, Altria wept silent tears with each bite of supper. Alone in her chambers, a hearty meal and a delicious dessert before her, Kadmon's immortal champion wept. She wasn't sure why these glistening teardrops fell from her eyes nor why an aching sadness gripped her heart. Altria just...knew a choice had been made.
Something precious had been lost.
The Hands stayed silent as their Champion trembled in outrage at the demands given by the newly arrived leaders of the varied orders militant. These fools, ones who had retreated when the new wave of daemons had appeared during the siege of the last city. They'd pulled back their commanders and left her men and the Volantian legion to bear the brunt of the daemon's assault.
Altria slammed a fist to the stone table, cracking down the middle. The room filled with dust.
"Not a single damned coin will be given to you bastards! Not a single keep! We will pay the families of those lost, yes...but you cowards? You will have nothing but my scorn. Now get out!"
The leaders left the building in hurry; they were strong, yes. But when faced with a true Divine Champion? There were few Champions like Altria left in this new age; Rogal's third son was the only other she was aware of.
Right now, surrounded by the very Guardians of Kadmon, the combined might of those fools would do little but anger her.
----------
"They dare claim right of conquest?! Those cowards ran from the battle. If anyone earned right of conquest, I say the Volantian legions are owed the lion's share." Jaune nodded, letting the girl/woman vent.
It was mere hours after the defeat of the Herald of the Abyss and the men were still cataloguing their dead. To think the ones charged with guiding the faith of thousands of knights and paladins would do such a thing?
The world had truly changed since his death…
"...and did you hear that...that...argh! The so-called Allfather Lloyd demanded that I surrender my sword! 'A girl is not worthy of such a gift!'. I've carried this sword longer than his family has been noble! He...he….!!!"
Still so spirited, even after so long. You'd think a few centuries of war would have cooled that hothead of hers…
Jaune chuckled, just as Altria threw herself upon her bed. She screamed into her pillow… Same old Altria. Walking slowly, he sat beside her and patted her head.
And just like old times, her mood mellowed.
I still got it…
"...why has the world gone so wrong, Jaune? Knighthood used to mean honor and chivalry. Oaths to the gods were held sacrosanct. Yet now…"
His answer was drowned out by a flash of light and the appearance of Gabriel himself.
"Our time draws short. The Great Enemy assaults the Bulwark; should they strike at the keystones before our Lord completes his work, the centuries of effort will be for naught. Gather our Blades, brother. There's a greater war to fight."
With a brief nod at Altria, Gabriel vanished into light.
"..."
"...can I have some cookies before you go?" The muffled request left a smile on his face. His reply was the exact same one he'd given each time before.
"After you've had dinner."
------------------------------
My Bulwark, the massive walls that spanned the entirety of my Domain was under assault. The forces of Horis and his damned allies were pouring everything they had at the metaphysical construction. And though it was meant to take all this and more, it was still incomplete.
It would not hold against such attacks just yet.
'Damn you, Horis. Damn you!'
My curses were purely mental; I was focusing everything I could on maintaining the Bulwark whilst my followers continued their efforts to complete the monolithic walls. It wouldn't be enough. At the pace they were working, it would be three centuries before they finished.
"My Lord, the Blades have returned. We shall sally forth and combat the Enemy directly. Once the assault wavers, please bolster the builders."
"Gabriel. You know what will happen if you die outside my domain…"
The gold-armored warrior bowed; an action repeated by my Blades. "We understand the risk, my Lord. But should the forces of Chaos and the Abyss break through, all the souls here will be damned to the hell dimensions. We are the Custodes; your unfaltering bodyguards and the Blades of your Will. Our Duty is Death itself."
I barely acknowledged the oath as they marched towards their possible destruction.
[Your precious Blades come to fight me? And you are still bound to your so-called Throne, pathetic godling. You followers will die; their souls shattered and your very Domain shall be ground to dust under the boot of my endless legions. You really should have surrendered to me when I was merciful…]
'Merciful? You demanded the souls of all my followers to feed your profane rituals! You would have desecrated and perverted everything that is Humanity!'
[And? Humanity is doomed. Already they fracture, despite your foolish Hands purifying that pit they call the holy land. My predecessors brought that 'beacon of light and order' to destruction with but a single Herald runt and a dozen daemons. I will destroy your Custodes and then your Domain. The world will follow soon after and I will leave you hanging on to the barest glimmers of existence to bear witness to my glories.]
I lashed out with a lance of power, eliciting a scream of pain from the arrogant god. He smashed his whole 'body' against the Bulwark in return.
'Humanity has a greater future than what you see. You, the all-seeing and all-knowing are blind to the vastness of the true existence! You may be powerful in this world, in this universe! But out there, where every thought brings forth a new plane...you are but a minnow to the beings that created me.'
[You still speak of such nonsense? There is NOTHING beyond my sight! I am the greatest there is and ever shall be; your pathetic ramblings are lies to buy your insignificant mortals more time…]
I laughed as my very being strained under the effort of holding the Bulwark together. Outside my Domain, in the void that was between existence, my Blades fought the enemy there. I felt such despair as my Custodes marched, not charged! Marched unfalteringly against a horde that outnumbered my golden companions a hundred thousand to one.
At the forefront was Gabriel and Jaune, both grim-faced and determined.
And what did those daemonic assholes do when faced with my glorious Custodes? They laughed. The cackling of a hundred million daemons and lesser gods echoed throughout nonexistence. And I could do little but watch…
"Brothers and sisters. Our darkest hour is upon us. The Enemy is at the walls; he is already gloating. Their gods watch over them. They outnumber us in a force uncountable. Defeat is all but a certainty. And in defeat, we meet not death, but our utter destruction. Our very souls shall be shattered into the endless eternities, forever lost to the sight of our Lord." They marched ever onward as Gabriel spoke what could be his last words. "Yet, I ask you all to fight by my side; to stand with me against this army of darkness. Brothers, sisters! This is the moment of truth! We will not fear! We will not falter! Not one step shall be given to the Enemy! We, those blessed by his light, each must be a legion unto one…"
The daemon horde had begun their own march, leisurely striding forward. Gabriel took a deep breath and donned his helm. His voice echoed throughout the battlefield.
"Enemy of our Lord, hear me! You have come here to die! Our Immortal Emperor is with us and we are invincible! We, his Blades will strike you down! You dying screams will echo for all eternity. His blessed might shall bring the very fabric of existence crashing down upon you. You cannot win. You will not win! The Emperor of Mankind has gifted us his greatest weapons to wield. So make yourselves ready!
We are the Blades of Kadmon, servants of his Light and protectors of the Throne!"
My Custodes picked up their pace, weapons ready and shields up. Only my Custodes and I heard the last words.
"Our Emperor's eyes are upon us; follow me into the pages of history."
All gave a wordless battlecry as their small shining number clashed with the maddened horde. For a brief moment, their light was covered by the writhing mass of flesh and metal…
...and then there was light.
The horde exploded; bodies flew and shattered. Screams of pain and those unmoved were blinded by the brilliance. Yet I bore witness to what would be the end of so many of my Custodes. Several of those at the edges willingly shattered their souls, releasing the contained energy of both their own reserves and my own blessings. The force killed thousands of the daemons and gave the remaining members the room to truly fight.
Together, they formed a hollow square. Each fought using whatever weapon they used best, slaughtering daemon after daemon. In the center, Gabriel, Jaune and...was that old Max? The three were squaring off against seven lesser gods; not sure what they were gods of…
But those three were fighting on even footing with all seven of those bastards, managing to kill four of them before they got smart.
'Come on, just a little longer!'
Their fighting was just enough to distract the assault on the Bulwark, giving me the energy and time needed to bolster my builders' efforts. What would have taken centuries of work became years...then months...then days of concentrated power focused almost entirely on bringing the Bulwark into true existence.
And yet, my Custodes were dying bit by bit. Some fell to the biting fangs, others fell to blackened blades. Some were devoured whole by mountainous demons.
They still fought on. They fought without fear and somehow, the mere hundreds that stood held back the tide of tens of thousands on their own.
'Just a little more…'
More of my Custodes fell. A woman screamed as she was torn in two, then devoured bit by bit by the ravenous horde. A trio were completely crushed under the foot of a giant.
Max died, taking two lesser gods with him in an explosion of holy light.
"Hold your ground! Our Lord watches over us! He witnesses our sacrifice! He witnesses our victory! I ask not for you to die in his name. I ask you to fight for our fallen brethren! Blades, push forward!"
Jaune, he was at the forefront, clashing with a damned giant. Somehow, he was parrying the titanic blows with Ascalon and tearing the beast down foot by fucking foot.
'Just a little bit longer and I can call you all to safety! Just a little longer'
My words were heard and my Custodes, the mere hundred that remained glowed all the brighter. Beams of light struck the largest daemons while glowing edges cut down the brawlers. For every Blade that fell from that point on, thousands were brought down with them.
'There! Now to just...no!' I only had a single portion of the Bulwark left to finish. I needed to call my Blades through before I completed it, otherwise they'd be trapped. And only seven Blades...only seven Custodes remained.
[You filthy mortals...die!]
O-only Jaune and Gabriel remain. The rest vanished in a flash of power that wiped out the entire front line of the horde. All that was left were two men, blessed by my light, against a legion uncountable and a dark god of immense power. I needed to-
'Don't.' I stopped at the silent prayer from my remaining Custodes. 'My Lord, complete the Bulwark. Let our sacrifice not be in vain. Close the final entrance and seal it against the darkness forever.'
I sobbed, trapped as I was on this damned seat. 'Once I do...you both will be...'
'Do it, my lord. My purpose is fulfilled. This...this shall be my end. I only ask that you chronicle our deaths for eternity; let those who come after know our sacrifice.' With a heavy heart, I laid the last piece of the construct in place, sealing my domain from the Abyss and Chaos. Sealing my last Custodes from my sight.
'Beware, Horis. Though it may take a thousand millennia, I will avenge my Custodes. Your suffering will be unending, dark one.'
[And I shall be waiting, corpse. You and your dead are safe from my own but the same cannot be said for your precious mortals. Our wars will be waged upon the mortal realm and we shall see who is more powerful, Kadmon. No more shall you preach of eternity and existence beyond existence. I will end your blasphemies.]
-----------------------------
She was crying.
In the waning light of dusk, Altria wept silent tears with each bite of supper. Alone in her chambers, a hearty meal and a delicious dessert before her, Kadmon's immortal champion wept. She wasn't sure why these glistening teardrops fell from her eyes nor why an aching sadness gripped her heart. Altria just...knew a choice had been made.
Something precious had been lost.