[h3] Of the Mind and Chaos, Part 1. [/h3]
 
[color=violet]Vulamera, Goddess of the Mind. 12 MP 2 FP[/color]
 
Vestec, God of Chaos. 11 MP, 3FP
 
Strange visions of scholars or voices came to an end, as the Goddess of Knowledge awoke from her fainting. Vulamera's head buzzed round and round like a spin-top. If she had feet, she would no-doubt be as stumbling as a drunkard. [colour=violet] "That. That was rather interesting, Varkarlon." [/colour] The Scribe said what was certainly the understatement of the universe. 
 
Then she cleared her voice, shook her unreal self of any lingering confusion, and took on a more formal tone. [color=violet] "I'll have to study what I learned, as will you, I am certain. We can meet up again to speak another time, for this adventure of ours had unleashed what is sure to be a wave of enlightenment through all the deities willing to listen."[/color] She glanced out to Galbar. [color=violet]"Much has changed since we were last conscious. New creatures populate this world, new landmasses have taken form... I will have to study it all in turn.
 
"Furthermore, should you ever find yourself in need of aid with the defeated God's ghost, I will never be further than a message away. You have earned an ally this day: one who's powers of the Mind could potentially suppress the lingering will of Serandor."[/color]
 
She did not wait for his response. A flashing of lightning resounded through the air and struck the earth, bringing Vulamera with it. She appeared deep within the Shattered Plains. Such a desolate land, inhospitable to life. 
 
It may have been the Chaotic influence of this ruined, scorched place, but Vulamera did a very un-Vulamera thing: she took on a body. Not just the solid black sphere she had come to favor, or even the distordedly deformed creature she had mutated into up on Cogitare. No, instead she took inspiration from the truly humanoid configurations of her siblings. She also took inspiration from the vision that was still replaying itself, over and over, in her mind- not that it was a bother; she could keep track of many million trains-of-thought at any time.
 
The cloud that was Vulamera shrunk down, turning into a fleshy substance along the way. The flesh was molded and cut- reminding her of Jvan's strange art- into a human. An old woman. To be specific, it was the dying scholar from her inter-universal memories. She was now a decaying, wrinkled hag, dressed in moth-eaten robes of sea-green trimmed with black. Underneath her left arm was a book, but not just a book, but [b]The Book[/b]: the encyclopedia of all this universe. The Codex of Creation was neatly tucked under the deceitfully feeble arm of the Scribe. Wielded in her right hand was the most powerful weapon of them all: a quill, for which to write her will for all to know. 
 
Sitting atop her wide-eyed and otherwise kindly face was a severe injury. The upper-right quarter of her head, from her temple to the edge of her eyes, was exposed right down to the bone. Buzzing flies swarmed around it, always emitting a dizzying drone that confused the minds of anyone who drew too close. It would forever serve as a reminder of memories long-forgotten, and how they waste away like a corpse.
 
She bent down, her age having no effect on her range of movement, to run her fingers along Galbar's skin. It was clear to her now, that things had changed. She sensed through the earth all that had transpired since her meeting with the Chancellor of Chance, Vakarlon.
 
Perfectus, she knew already, had fallen. She did not care. It meant nothing. Perfectus was a barren and empty world from the start, made partially as an inspiration and partially as a mockery to Toun. Even if she had been conscious at the time, there was nothing Vulamera would have done to stop her creation from wiping out Galbar's life. It was not her place to interfere in the destructive nature of children. If Vestec wants to waste his life kicking over sandcastles, he may do so, much to his own unacknowledged loss.
 
She also saw that the animal God, Slough, had adapted an extraordinary capability to call up the souls of great beings. Fallen Gods and their fallen heroes came like willing dogs to her aid. Once more, Slough proved herself as the least intelligent but, perhaps, most powerful of their divine little family. The Transcendent Mother would soon have to do something about the Rottenbone's inflicted idiocy.
 
[color=orange]"I thank you, Vulamera, for your gift, and I accept it. I hope that in the future I may give you something as well."[/color] The strong intonation of Kyre pushed into her mind. She was vaguely pleased that he was pleased by the moon, but she was much further pleased that she had pleased him enough to further solidify an alliance between her and the powerful War God. Every mind needed a muscle to back it up, afterall.
 
Ah, but the most miraculous of the additions had now arrived! Toun's dreams were perfect only in their nonsensical, transparent absurdity, but his desperation for the unachievable made him strive for a greatness other deities could scarcely reach. He had become the first to create sentient life. She would need to study them in much detail later, possibly spending years on the configuration of their thought-patterns, or the beauty of their memories.

But right now, she had another agent to speak to. Her excursion into the mind of deities had left her with a need for more. Vestec had been the first to offer her a look into his skull, so then he would be the first- aside from Vakarlon- to have it.
 
She expected a diplomatic call would bore a God of Chaos, especially one so evil as Vestec. In contrast, she had a strong suspicion that a challenging message would amuse the fool to no end, thus soliciting a quick, efficient summons. She called to him with a harsh voice, one that almost implied aggression. [color=violet]"Vestec! We must speak, it is important. Come. Now."[/color]
 
Vestec was yanked by his observations and planning (after all there were more and more things to play with now that the world was being populated with creations. He was even ignoring Niciel's little watches, blatant as they were to his senses.) by Vulamera commanding in his mind. He giggled, amused at her attempt to be forceful with him. "The mind thinks it can just control chaos. Foolish. Impertinent." Nonetheless he showed up in a heartbeat, orbiting around Vulamera. He even took Niciel's two Wisps with him, so interested as she was with is movements. Vulamera surely had something interesting for him if she was even contacting him.
 
"Vulamera! Dear sister. To what do I owe the dubious pleasure of your summons?" He suddenly flipped upside down, stopping in front of her, staring at her wrinkled visage. "Is this because of your moons? If you must know it was to see which of our brethren would leap to the defense of the planet, and which would require more...pushing. Of course, that was before Vowzra ruined everything." Vestec crossed his arms, his colors flashing a sullen red as he pouted.
 
Vulamera smirked mysteriously, her etched lips creasing further from the strain. She was right in her suspicions: the Child God was as easily manipulated as to be expected. She was almost concerned for him. If Chaos Incarnate came so easily to the call of potential amusement, it would be no challenge at all for a more intelligent God to lure him in to any manner of nasty traps. [color=violet][i]He is a moth to a flame.[/i][/color]
 
[color=violet]"No,"[/color] she said, [color=violet]"you misjudge my nature. The moons were only a test, to reveal the personalities of each God. It would be difficult to explain, but suffice to say, I do not care what becomes of them now. I have learned what I needed, [b]especially[/b] of you."[/color] Indeed, his insatiable desire to cast down what another had so wisely created revealed more about who he was than even Vestec himself may realize. She built slowly, he destroyed quickly, without thought or remorse beyond a passing instinct to do so. A bully, throwing rocks on anthills.
 
Suddenly his colors returned to their normal chaotic flashing, only brighter and far more rapid. "Or is this because of my offer a short time ago?" He ignored what Vulamera commented, instead focusing on the far more interesting prospect before him.
 
[color=violet]"Yes. I intend on looking into the minds of each of my siblings in turn, but you were among the first to grant me this chance. Other than chance himself."[/color] Her smirk turned to a shy smile, although she was unsure of whether Chaos Incarnate would know who she meant.
 
She was no fool. She knew the risk she was taking by coming back to the being that had driven her before to the edge of sanity. But there was no other choice. There are some people who, when an obstacle arises, can painlessly give up and go home. Vulamera is not one of those people. When an obstacle comes between her and knowledge, she simply shuts her eyes tight and hopes it won't hurt too much when she comes barreling through said obstacle. Even if she exposed herself to danger by making contact with Vestec, it would be worth it for the insights gained.
 
Furthermore, she had a creeping feeling that the other deities would not take kindly to sudden attempts to poke around in their heads. She had already been invited into Vestec's, and she had seen inside it before- she knew the geography of his deluded brain enough that she could avoid falling back into insanity. Or at least, one would desperately hoped so.
 
"Well, what are we waiting for then? If Vakarion gets a free session, I should too." Vestec gave a low bow. 
 
"After you my dear."
 
[color=violet]"We cannot do it here. There is inherit risk in what we're attempting. Much to your certain disappointment, I will not be responsible for blowing another moon into orbit because I couldn't contain your mental energy. We will have to create a safe place, where nothing done by us will impact Galbar."[/color]
 
Vulamera lifted her black quill to eye-level. In one large, sweeping motion, she drew a blood red circle into the air. It hovered there without paper or solid medium. A smaller, darker circle was drawn within that one, and a darker one within that, so on and so on until almost a dozen came together to form an eldritch symbol. The spaces between each circle were quickly etched with indecipherable runes. It was beautiful, in it's own way, even though it looked like something out of Mammon's dreams.
 
[img]https://blogdojuniorhard.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/arcane_rune_circle_by_thy6sins6of6lust.jpg[/img]
 
The Codex of Creation then vanished once more into Vulamera's subconscious, to be hidden from Vestec's greedy eyes. With her newly freed left hand, she gave the floating rune a single, surprisingly swift open-palmed strike. It cracked like glass. The runes seemed to suddenly lurch within, caving in on themselves. The air around became distorted as the universe itself began to break under Vulamera's might. A screeching sound penetrated the plains, a deep mist like that on Cogitare lifted up from the ground... and space-time shattered. Left in it's place was now a ten foot by ten feet hole in the universe: a rip in reality. 
 
Inside the portal was Vulamera's flawed but functional replication of the void-before-world. Nothing existed there but darkness, if one could call it darkness. [i][color=violet]True emptiness. A safe place to experiment.[/color][/i]
 
The old scholar lifted her dress up above her ankles and stepped in. Without looking back, she aristocratically gestured with her hand for the Son of Chaos to follow.
 
"Where's the fun in not taking any risks? A controlled life is a boring life. Why do you think Zephyrion and I get along so well? We both recognize the importance of change. Even if I focus on violence and struggle and he focuses on general change." Vestec colors grew even brighter as he saw her pull the Codex of Creation out. [i]The things I could do with that.[/i] He mused. However, he had promised Vulamera a free visit into his mind, and that meant he wouldn't be attacking them. Promises were promises after all.
 
Vulamera watched as Vestec entered, and as the portal shut behind him with a snap. They were alone, now. [b]Truly[/b] alone, so that not a single fellow divine, nor a single living creature, nor a single shaft of light, nor even a single speck of matter interrupted their aloneness.
 
The Scribe sighed. Her last adventure into a God's mental realms had exhausted her almost beyond measure. Yet, here she was, about to try it all over again. [i][color=violet]I take far, far too many risks. After I have completed my task here, I must learn to practice not just intelligence and science, but wisdom and prudence as well. I will seek to find Vowzra. Of all my siblings, he is perhaps wisest. If I could touch his mind, I may absorb a fraction of his foresight. Once I have it within me, I may grow and expand on it myself, using the Codex as a catalyst for my growth. This process could then be repeated as many times as necessary, using the essence of various Divine Incarnations in tandem with my own essence of conscious. From Vestec, I may learn insanity; from Jvan, creativity; from Slough, sentience..."[/color][/i]
 
She felt a growing impatience within her guest. At first it made her irate, but she quickly realized that Vestec was correct in this. They should not linger.
 
She raised her shaky hands into the void above, calling her fog to began tentatively swirling out from the fingertips. It gathered up in heaps around the Lady of Mind and Lord of Chaos, starting at their feet but gradually finding its way to their heads, so it could wrap itself around each of their eyes and ears, taking with it all senses beyond those which internal to the Mind. Shy points of light flickered deep within, as they had with Vakarlon, giving the inescapable impression of rainbow-shaded fireflies hiding in the fog. Also as before, the shrill buzzing of insects leaped into her subject's ears, growing louder and louder and louder still with each repetition. Vulamera knew, soon it would reach the point of becoming unbearable. Then the work could finally began.
 
And with every increase in volume, reality became more blurred. What is real and what is not-real mixed, fusing together like spilled paint. Vulamera entered Vestec's mind, and the thought's of God's slowly unfurled themselves in that place...
 
"Finally." A voice decreed. It wasn't Vestec's normal voice. It was cool, elegant and controlled. "Do you have any idea how dull it is being trapped in his mind with only these three to keep me company? Emotion could be good company, but she despises all of us." A man stepped from the fog, dressed in elegant black clothing. He had noble features, with black eyes that seemed to weigh and judge you like a piece in a game. "I am Corruption, the first of the four Gods that make Vestec. A pleasure, Goddess of the mind."
 
[color=violet]"A strange mind you have."[/color] Vulamera thought so not out of insult, but because it was honest. She could feel the innermost corners of Vestec's mind. Mountains of Violence's rage towered out from the shifting sands of Discord, which were eternally crashed against by the sorrowful oceans of Emotion. Corruption's black skies over-watched them all, laughing with thunder at their imprisonment. Only he was free, the others were caged like animals.
 
Now was not like last time. Before, the moment Vulamera had touched, Emotion and Corruption were both so insatiably desperate to escape that they had simultaneously launched themselves at her, leading to the Insanity that- even today- still haunted the Scribe. [color=violet]"You,"[/color] she spoke accusingly to the Black One, corruption, [color=violet]"[b]you[/b] are the detestably foul being that dared to plague me! I came here to learn of your nature, not to converse with you. Unless you aid me, speak not!"[/color]
 
Corruption chuckled softly. "I dared to plague you because I didn't want to be in this," he gestured to the crashing landscapes, "hellish hole. I can only watch while he tramples over everything in his path in a childish attempt at being relevant. He lacks...subtly. When he DOES decide he wants to use some degree of finesse, he lets me have some control. Those times are rare. And you should know best of all, Goddess of the mind, the way to learn someone's nature is to talk with them."
 
[color=violet]"Maybe. Fine, probably. I should not let my angst interrupt my learning. Despite this, I believe I have studied you sufficiently. It is your fellow prisoners I am most interested in."[/color]
 
"As you wish." Was the only comment from Corruption.
 
The clouds of Corruption thundered and shook, but let loose no rain. Vulamera descended from them. She touched ground on the coast of Discord, bordering the sea. Underneath her, the very sand seemed to grab, pull and grope at her feet. They clung to her hungrily, making each step she took in this 'hellhole' a painful struggle that no mortal could understand. But she could not stop walking, for pausing- even a moment- would allow her to sink beneath the sands. If it could, she knew, Discord would gleefully bury her here. 
 
At length, the Goddess's journey found her a very, very active sinkhole in the sand. She attempted to skirt around it's edge, but it seemed that every inch of earth in this forsaken land was rapidly pouring into it's apparently bottomless maw. The sands began to move faster, pulling Vulamera with them. She stumbled, she fell, and she was pushed closer to the pit. She opened her mouth to scream, but sand poured into her throat, choking her and finally shoving her off the edge. 
 
She fell, half-awake, down into the sinkhole. After what felt like an eternity, Vulamera hit the sandy ground. At the speeds she had plunging, the sand felt harder than reinforced steel. A human would have been reduced to a puddle.
  
The Mind shook herself. She stood up shakily on her own two legs, attempting to find balance in this unstable world.
 
The she saw Him.
  
To her left, on a blackened board, lie Discord. Vulamera saw now that he was chained to the wood, only able to move his head, while sand poured down forever upon him. She walked unsteadily over to his prison, and examined the chains. They were weak, and growing weaker every moment. Rust coated their surface. If she yanked with enough might, the chains would break and Discord would be free from Corruption's torture.
 
But she couldn't. She wouldn't. If Corruption was evil, Discord may well be worse. [color=violet]"I'm sorry,"[/color] she whispered to him, [color=violet]"I can't free you."[/color]
 
Hissing laughter escaped the being attached to the board. "Don't worry, Goddess of Curiosity. My time will come soon enough." His voice changed with every word, tones and voices clashing painfully against each other. His form was in constant change and shifting, as if nothing fit together properly. "The four of us make up Vestec, and we will all be free in the end. Even if Emotion longs for death. I assume you came here for a reason. What would you like to know?" His head tilted in expectation, sand being ignored. 
 
[color=violet]"Why?"[/color] Vulamera's brow furrowed. [color=violet]"Why do you fight yourself, Vestec? As you are now- chaining eachother up, biting and snarling like a pack of wolves- you will always be naught but a delinquent, when it is in fact your destiny to be infinitely more. You each claim to be Chaos, but even Chaos requires a modicum of harmony, or it will collapse in on itself, like this sinkhole has. A crippled body cannot fight. A house divided cannot stand."[/color]
 
Laughter echoed from four sides. The hissing laughter of Discord, the reserved chuckle of Corruption, the booming, hateful, laugh of Violence, and the bitter, mocking, laughter of Emotion. Discord was the one who replied. "We are not Vestec, and Vestec is not us. Let me give you a history lesson, Goddess of Curiosity. In the beginning, when we were all called forth, we were too weak. Failures, rejects, flawed creations, whatever you prefer we were all doomed to be drawn back in and destroyed. Violence, Corruption, and I took offense to this. We combined our essences to give us strength. It worked, after a fashion, but we were still too weak."
 
"So we turned our combined strength on Emotion, and forced her to bind with us. When we were all together, there was a struggle for power. You see, none of us meshed together well. Not in domain wise, we worked perfectly well there, but our [i]personalities[/i] do not allow us to work together. We fought, struggled, and clawed from each other. From our struggle, Vestec was born. We created him, and he subjugated each of us. Corruption was the first to break free." Discord shrugged. "I don't know who is next, but each of us is being freed. You see, these chains aren't Corruption's doing. They are Vestec's. He is controlling and binding all of us."
 
Vulamera knew the history of Vestec's creati
on. She had been semi-present during it all. She had watched the savage rape of Emotion at their hands, and she had been disgusted. She still was, by Vestec himself, with all the creatures inhabiting him.
 
[color=violet]"Fascinating."[/color] She meant it. Her voice picked up in excitement.[color=violet]"Astounding! I had no idea that several foreign minds could come together as one, to create a separate personality. I must wonder- if I stayed here long enough, would Vestec absorb me as well? I certainly hope not. Or perhaps I would accidentally contribute to him in some way? Perhaps I already have?..."[/color] Her voice trailed away, as it often does, and her gaze became the far-away stare of a daydreamer. 
 
Corruption's disdainful voice filtered down. "I doubt it. He'd have to put conscious effort into capturing you. He's busy now, ignoring us. Though you may have contributed to him already. More if you want to expend power here. I don't think you realize what position of power you're in. You are inside the mind of the God of Chaos. The chief problem causer in Galbar. With enough power expent, you could nudge him in a direction of your choosing. Think about it. The Sands of Discord, Mountains of Violence, Sea of Emotion, Clouds of Corruption...and the temple of the Goddess of the Mind."
 
She felt Corruption's power in each syllable spoken in that smooth voice. He was tempting her. [color=violet]"I fully realize the power I hold in this realm. I could release you all, or strengthen your chains. I could create a representative of myself to work my will within Vestec, or cast down fury. I'm afraid I will do nothing of the sort, however. Do you count me as a menace, like yourself? I am a scientist, not a soldier. To change that which I study would defeat the purpose of studying it. Until I learn everything about Vestec- every thought, every emotion, every memory- then I will do nothing to harm or alter him. Anything that I do here to shift the balance, or lack thereof, will be entirely accidental. He is the principle object of my journey here."[/color]
 
She soared away from the Pit, seeking out the one aspect of Vestec she felt fundamentally connected to. Emotion. This would-be Goddess was different than the Transcendent Mother in many ways, certainly, but Emotion is also an aspect of the mind- one which Vulamera almost entirely lacks. She is cold and calculating, distant and divisive. Perhaps, however, if Vulamera could steal the Emotion away from Vestec's iron grip, then she could infuse the Blue One into herself, granting her much which she lacks.
 
No. She could not do it. Or, rather, she wouldn't. Oh, she wanted to desperately, but it would mean breaking her own code of non-influence. She would not become a hypocrite for the sake of Emotion, or anyone for that matter.
 
Like a stone, Vulamera plopped into the endless sea. Waves of feeling bombarded her from all sides: fear washed over her, shaking her to the bone with worry; sadness seeped into her eyes, running down her cheeks like tears; fury struck her in the stomach as if it were a hammer, making her spit up air and allowing the waters to fill her lungs. She fought to expel the living liquid from her body, only to find that she could not. It had taken up root inside her, and it was dragging her kicking, clawing body down deeper into the waters. At once, she knew what it must feel like to be a mortal: helpless to greater forces. The Shadow of Revelations was cast down from the surface to the immeasurable depths of Emotion's thoughts.
  
From the pinnacle to the pit she sunk, as she had in the Grave of Discord, until she gently came to rest at a rock-strewn seabed. She opened her weakened eyelids to discover that, directly in front of her, a coffin lay. Practically forgetting her divine powers in the grasp of this fearful world, she swam to it instead of hovered.
 
 Once she arrived, however, she realized that it was hardly a coffin at all, though it may as well been one. Drowned beneath this horrid ocean was laying a rust-coated torture device: an [url=http://previews.123rf.com/images/NewAge/NewAge0912/NewAge091200011/6154561-Iron-Maiden-medieval-torture-device-isolated-on-white-background--Stock-Photo.jpg]iron maiden.[/url] It was mockingly shaped into the visage of a dying woman, but gazing into it's screaming mouth, Vulamera could spy the fair face of Emotion.
 
Emotion gave a slight twist of her mouth, almost approaching a smile, at the sight of Vulamera. "Hello, Sister Vulamera. You already know how Vestec came about. What more do you want? Do you want to hear how they pinned me down and forced their essences upon me, dragging me from the sweet abyss of death into this foul creation they call Vestec?" Rage shook the seas, sweeping through them like a hurricane. The cruel contraption shook with fury, but remained shut. "Or how I am doomed to be trapped inside here, until Vestec dies?" 
 
Sorrow pressed on all sides. The seas rushed towards Emotion, attempting to crush the prison, to no avail. "Or maybe you are here for simple conversation? Corruption tries, but he is terribly predictable. 'Manipulate' this and 'Manipulate' that. Something, something, free ourselves through corruption." Hopeful joy spread throughout the sea, calming it. The waters rushed around Vulamera almost playfully, tossing her hair and clothing. 
 
 "So, Sister Vulamera, what is it? What do you want?"
  
[color=violet]"The answer to that question is always knowledge. Except for now. Because now, I... for the first time since our birth, I don't know what I want. Although, it is most likely that I came here because of my clear sympathy for you. Indeed, of all the aspects of Vestec, you are the one who least belongs here. I would set you free..."[/color] She extended a hand to the lid of her Iron Maiden.
 
The ocean was suddenly still as a mirror. It seemed as if the ocean itself was holding its breath with Emotion as she watched the hand approaching her lid.
 
[color=violet]"...but it would be against my nature to interfere..."[/color] Vulamera's fingers possessed a will all their own, wrapping themselves around the cold metal of the prison's handle. Even under the water, that cage felt as heavy and as unbreakable as Galbar itself.
 
A tremble went through sea, anticipation and hope streaming through.
 
[color=violet]"...with a mind not my own..."[/color] The Transcendent Mother pulled ever so lightly on the handle. The lid of the Maiden squeaked, rattled and eased forward by a hair's breadth.
  
Carefully, ever so carefully, water began to rush in through the gap, attempting to widen it. Emotion pressed her hand against the other side, beginning to push.
 
But then the Curious One stopped. Coming to her senses, she slammed the door shut without a second to spare. [color=violet]"I cannot. I am truly sorry. Forgive me, sister. You will be free someday, and on that bright day, please bear me no ill will."[/color] Tears welled up in Vulamera's eyes, causing her to look back towards the surface. Forcing her eyes to be cleared, she shot for the air above like a cannon. She did not dare to look back.
 
A scream of pure rage and despair tore through the ocean, turning the placid waters into a raging storm. It rose up and tried to smash the Goddess of the Mind into the sea, but Vulamera was just out of reach. "Your apologies are useless lies! You are not the one trapped in this hell! You are not the one who had freedom dangled before her only to be yanked away!"
 
Vulamera escaped the attacks, but felt no pride in doing so. This was the first time she felt guilt and possibly the only time she would.
 
Corruption chuckled, following Vulamera. "My, my, Goddess of the Mind. I didn't think you were that cruel."
 
[color=violet]"I will not dispute that, for it is true."[/color], she spoke to Corruption. [color=violet]"Know this, though, all of you- I never intended to taunt her so. To change Vestec from the inside-out is against every belief that I hold dear. I simply let my emotions- ironically- gain control of me for a moment. My objectivity faltered, so that I almost made the mistake of letter her loose before her time. I am truly sorry, Emotion. I should not have teased you. If you will hate me, so be it. I deserve your hatred."[/color] 
 
Corruption opened his mouth to reply, as Emotion spewed curses and Discord laughed, only to close it and frown.  "What is that fool up to now?" He seemed to stare off in the distance, watching something that Vulamera couldn't see. "Why are you...Goddess of the Mind, perhaps you can make sense of this." He gestured with a hand, and the clouds formed in front of Vulamera, providing a window into the world of Galbar. Vestec was flying around, capturing various creatures in a ball of pure chaos energy. 
 
One of the wisps watching him were taken. A Hain and the Ashling about to kill it were captured. A fibreling tried to run, only to be sucked into the ball. A Herakati attempted to attack Vestec, only to land inside the ball. A White Giant was forcibly beaten down into it. A Djinni was drawn in, gust of wind by gust of wind. A piece of Teknall's mountains were thrown in. One of Mammon's worms were taken. Many of Slough's accidental lifeforms were added, until finally Vestec was floating above the world with his ball of chaos and lifeforms and essence. "I think that's...everything!"
 
[color=violet]"Vestec himself is a fusion of many conflicting components. Would it not stand to reason that what he creates follows that same pattern? Judging from these pieces, he plans on creating a semi-living creature, formed partially from organic and partially from inorganic material. Most likely kept alive by magic, because I highly doubt that any combination of those bits could truly live on it's own. But all of this is just a guess."[/color]
 
The God of Chaos focused, putting his power into the ball and molding it into the four lifeforms of the same race he desired. When the first of the Rovaick were created, he darted towards the center of Teknall's Mountains, clearing out a hollow and dropping the first of the Rovaick there. "Have fun dearies." With that, he disappeared and left the Rovaick to their own devices.
 
[color=violet]"I'm glad to know my prediction was correct, and I'm even more glad to see he's created what appears to be a sentient, or semi-sentient, lifeform! I must examine them in great detail, when I leave this nonsensical land."[/color]
  
Vulamera, being excited by the creation of Rovaick, teleported to the Mountains of Violence. 
 
 Vulamera landed in a valley. Rock and shattered rubble was strewn everywhere, as if something had attacked the very mountains themselves in a brutal rage. The Curious One might have been terrified, had she possessed the emotional range to be. A man was chained to the ground by thin rusty chains around his wrists, huffing in exhaustion and futile rage. He suddenly looked up as the Goddess approached. His body seemed to be constantly covered in a layer of blood, constantly dripping onto the ground, his eyes were blindfolded, and he sniffed. "Goddess of Meddling, what brings you to me..." He growled, before trailing off. 
 
[color=violet]"I have come at the offer of Vestec, to expl-"[/color]
 
Her polite words were cut short as Violence took another sniff, and his body went ridged with rage. "You reek of the whore Emotion's scent! You released her! You broke the pattern!" He gave a howl of fury, yanking at his rusted chains.
 
In shock, Vulamera's eyes seemed to grow many times their normal size. [color=violet]"No! You misunderstand!"[/color]
   
The chains snapped and he lashed out in Vulamera's direction, a wave of pure violence heading towards her and carrying rubble with it.
 
The 'Goddess of Meddling' just barely managed to hold on to her wits as that foul beast-of-a-divine flung his very [b]domain[/b] at her in an inept fit of rage. Unfortunately for her, wits are scarcely enough when not coupled with agility or strength. The wave of violence barreled on, striking Vulamera like a cannonshot. She tried, but couldn't even hold her balance. Pain lighting every inch of her body, she fell to the floor of the valley in a crumpled heap. A scream of fire issued from her lips.
 
Having been hit with a bit of his own divine being, the essence of violence began to mix itself deep within the Goddess of Intelligence, reaching itself down at her soul. It filled her with a rage- a passion for bloody vengeance that she never before could, never [b]should[/b], feel. Her rotted body reformed itself into another shape entirely. Six smooth white wings sprouted from her back, each flawlessly etched like paper with holy knowledge that a lumbering ape like Violence could never comprehend. She stood up on her own feet again, and showed that she was grown above twelve feet tall. A sword made from blue flames appeared in place of the quill, while her eyes split into six narrow slits of a matching colour. 
 
Encasing those piercing eyes was an exoskeletal, triangular and featureless face, without a mouth or any more detail than a blank mask. Her thin body, also, had lost all signs of age or humanity. It was as distorted, hard and shady-grey as smithed iron. She wore no clothes, because her skin already resembled a twisted and melted suit of armour.
 
All around her, translucent orange triangles would appear at odd angles just briefly, then vanish. They incased magical runes that matched the symbols adorning her wings. 
 
[color=violet]"I judge you now, Child,[/color] her voice was an insectoid chorus of deep but female tones, [color=violet]"and find that you are guilty, as am I. I have erred, broken my own code and inadvertently caused your release, so now I shall repair my damage by imprisoning you once again. Your resistance is your defeat."[/color]
 
Vulamera did not hesitate. She lifted her blade high into the air, efficiently slicing it down for the enemy's skull. If he did not defend himself, Violence was soon to be carved in two.
 
Violence reached up and caught the blade in his own hand, fresh blood oozed from his palm, mingling with the blood already on his skin, but aside from a snarl, Violence showed no reaction. "Foolish whore! You are in [i]my[/i] domain, fighting me on [i]my[/i] ground!" His fingers tightened around the blade, seeking to keep it there, while his other hand grew bloodred claws and lashed out at her stomach, seeking to disembowel her. 
 
The strange creature that was now Vulamera did not avoid the attack. She did not even attempt to. Violence's claw ripped right into her metallic stomach, letting loose a gelatinous red-yellow substance. Then... she laughed. It was not a natural laugh, nor even the forced laugh Vulamera typically allows. This was a cold and hateful chuckle, dripping with malice. [color=violet]"Violence."[/color] Her voice shifted to a singular whisper. [color=violet]"This is not your territory. Do you know who I am and where you are, or are you so selfish as to have never taken note? This is a Mind, child. This is my domain. This is your prison."[/color] To confirm her words, the gelatinous liquid hardened around the intruding claw, to hold it in place.
 
Violence merely snarled in reaction, shifting the direction of his arm and pushing forward to do more damage.
 
Vulamera knew that what she was about to do was a rushed decision, knew that she was allowing this beast to take away her devotion to logic, and she knew that it was too late to stop now. Gripping him on the shoulder with her free hand, she looked past the blindfold and into his eyes with a resolved stare. In a burst of power, she entered the mind of Violence, so that she may cripple him from the inside. 
 
The battle never ceased, but they both stood still as ice. Every personality imprisoned with Vestec- and indeed the God of Chaos himself- could clearly feel the mental struggle between them. Many moments passed like this. The whole of that disturbed plane seemed to be focused on the two wrestling for internal dominance.
 
The Sands of Discord swirled in an agitated storm, upset at the war going on so close to him. The Clouds of Corruption thundered in anger, as he witnessed his best chance at freeing himself getting impaled. The Seas of Emotion swirled in confusion. On the one hand, she hated Violence. But on the other, she hated Vulamera for the lies.
 
Then the silence shattered like glass. Vulamera grunted in pain. Neither one was able to defeat the other, and both were left injured. 
 
Her head radiated with voices as before, each whispering or yelling or commanding in a million different ways. All reasonable thoughts abandoned their Goddess in her panic, leaving her to wallow in insanity. She was confused. She was scared.
 
Out in the physical reality, that insect drone started up again while a thick mist spread itself over the environment, giving clear warning to Vulamera's arrival. Only this time, something clearly tainted it. Just as any skilled cook could easily identify an overripe ingredient by the slightly "off" scent, a certain untraceable corruption hung in the mist. Instead of the grey, rainy colour that normally accompanied the Goddess's fog, the mist came as a rotten black, and the firefly-lights all a haunting blue.
 
The Goddess of Mind solidified before the God of Chaos, still in her winged form, with a gaping hole ripped into her flesh. She was gasping for air, each breath a slow rattle. [color=violet]"Help..."[/color], she stared at him, not expecting any aid but knowing that he was her only option.
 
She fell to her knees. The chaotic essence of Violence and Vestec was destroying her from the inside. With another Goddess, it may have simply been absorbed into them. Vulamera, however, was too lawful to be changed unwillingly, so thus the chaos became a curse that would slowly rot her if she did not receive a cure.
 
"My my." Vestec giggled as Vulamera suddenly appeared in front of him. He caught her as the Goddess began to crumple, gently laying her on the ground. His colors pulses slowly as he examined the damage done to her.
 
Herds of chaotic voices trampled within her. Her insanity was growing by the minute: her mind was dying. For an entity like Vulamera, loss of sanity had the potential to be fatal.
[color=darkred]"...knowledge is unachievable..."[/color], spoke one in a harsh whisper.
[color=darkred]"...You are no beacon of wisdom, you are a flickering flame..."[/color] This came as a masculine, deep-throated shout.
[color=darkred]"Pathetic."
"Consort of Chaos, Friend to Tricksters."[/color]
The one that hurt her most of all: [color=darkred]"Liar."[/color] Memories of Emotion punctuated the accusation. Bringing the Blue One so close to freedom, only to steal it away in an instant- was that not a lie on its own?
 
Shaking her head, she accepted the reality that Vestec would not heal her in the least bit. Even if he wanted to, if he felt a modicum of mercy for the afflicted, Evil cannot drive out Evil. He cannot heal her of himself.
 
[i]Tsk. Fighting Violence like that. A foolish decision for one who prides herself on logic. Not uncommendable. It was still brave. Just foolish.[/i]  "I cannot heal you, I'm afraid. You're fighting yourself. You cannot resist chaos, and you cannot purge it. It is in everyone, it is what we were born from. You may have subdued it, but now it's too powerful. Now, you have to come to terms with it." 
 
She grunted. [color=violet]"No. I will not allow myself to be defeated by this. I am stronger, I am smarter, than to fall to a tiny bit of corruption."[/color]
 
He removed her hands from covering her wounds. "He did do a nasty bit of work on you, didn't he?" Vestec commented, casually, as he layed a hand down on her wound. It wasn't gentle, but it wasn't malicious either. A small snort escaped him. "Tiny bit? You're disembowled and bleeding all over Galbar's surface. I'm afraid to see what a large bit is to you." His hands shifted slightly,covering more of the wound.  "I can bring the Chaos in you to balance. You'll never be free of it, but you won't die either. However. You have to let me in to bring it to balance. Deeper than the mind. You have to let me into your essence. Your soul. It is your choice, Vulamera. Let me in and allow me to bring balance, or die."
 
A maddening howl-of-a-laugh sounded from her to the Firewind Desert. [color=violet]"You're what a large bit looks like!"[/color] She giggled, which gradually grew into another howl. [color=violet]"Huh. I am starting to sound insane. And no, I will not let you "balance" me. I do not dislike you, Vestec, but I cannot trust a being of pure Chaos. I know that you are telling me the truth, friend, and I know that you intend fully on helping me- I have been within your mind, afterall- but I would not allow even one with the best of intentions to access my soul. Do not fear, however. I have a plan. I always have a plan!"[/color] The Goddess was only mildly aware of how arrogant her words were.
 
She raised her blood-dripping claws into the air. The way she spun them wildly might have reminded one of a tribal chieftain preforming a ritual. Red light coated her claws, and it grew brighter by the second. 
 
Then with a truly tormented gaze in her eyes, she forced her hands down into the desert, burying them feet into Zephyrion's domain. The sand literally boiled up like water. [color=violet]"Forgive me, Zephyrion, Lord of Change."[/color] It took every ounce of her will to speak coherently as the Chaos pumped in her veins. [color=violet]"If I do not transfer this energy to another host, I will surely die. We have been enemies in the past, this much can be refuted by neither you nor me, though I do honestly wish that you would hope for no death upon me. Vestec has infected me. I must cure myself. Take what happens now as a gift to your creation- as a testemant to the powers of Chaos, Change and Mind linked together. Linked together. Linked together. Linked together."[/color] The Chaos quickly consuming Vulamera was unable to break itself from those last two words. Her speech moved faster with each repetition, so soon it blurred together and she was consumed with only that thought: [b]link together.[/b]
 
So link together she did. Her Intelligence merged seamlessly into the environment of heat and the Chaos of Vestec. Together, the intense elements gave birth to life. The bubbling sand became animated, faces drawing making themselves from dust, limbs and legs molding out of the earth. The powerful impression of the humanoid divines around them pushed their shapes onto the developing life. These creatures became human-like, with double arms and legs, two ears, a mouth... and three eyes. Two were humanoid, typical ocular organs containing black pupils orbited by red irises. 
 
Levitating suspiciously above and between them, however, was a paranoid eye of deep blue. It's startling sapphire shades felt out of place in this world of sand-tan and sky-grey. This was the Mark of Vulamera: a psionic eye that would enable its wielder to gaze beyond the physical world and into the mental, that their Goddess of Mind so often favored. It was not truly telepathic in nature, certainly- this species would not read the thoughts of their enemies- but it allowed her creations to see the psionic, semi-magical energy that always resulted from the art of telepathy. A useful tool.
 
Vulamera struggled to pull her hands from the sand. She did not free herself until a few moments of difficulty had passed. 
 
Now, able to rear up to her grand full height, the three sapphire eyes of Vulamera pridefully surveyed her unwanted spawns. 
 
More in sync with the desert color scheme was their skin, she noted. It was two-toned. Not spotted or stripped, but two-toned, partially bloody red and partially nighttime black. She noticed one of the creatures was split almost right down the middle, black on one side and red on the other, while a nearby brother was painted with angular, geometric patterns. Both brothers had a five-feet-and-several-inches, very smooth body from the head to their ankles, rough around their hands plus feet, and hairy on the head. 
 
Vestec giggled as he listened to Vulamera. "We all need to let go and go a little...mad, once in a while." He watched, his colors pulsing excitedly, as Vulamera used the sands and her own control to manipulate the Chaos inside of her to create someting...new. 
 
As he felt Vulamera healing herself, he stood and examined these new creatures, idly walking around them. "Interesting. I am taking a portion of them, with a portion of the Hain, Elementals, Rovaick, and portions of whatever else has been created while we've been so delightfully busy, with me to the Shattered Plains. I have plans for such fun in the future..." He giggled mischeiviously. "You'll see, Vulamera dear. You'll see."
 
[color=violet]"Wherever you take them, Vestec, promise me something. Do not let them forget me. I do not truly approve of them, but I see potential. They are at least as intelligent as any other race thus far, of that I am certain, and they are far more clever and cunning. I can see into their minds, and in those minds I find a natural tendency for creativity, expression, cunning, cleverness and lies."[/color] She ran her hand almost tenderly across one the skull of the closest creature to her. It recoiled slightly, a stare of fear in its eyes, but did not resist. Even a youngling to this world new the presence of its God. [color=violet]"They will forever remain a part of my domain, as well as yours. Do not let them forget."[/color]
 
"They won't my dear. They won't forget you at all." Vestec replied cheerfully. "I'll make sure you don't forget them either. Indeed. It'll be difficult to."
 
Vulamera's eyes shot daggers at him. She opened her mouth to reply, but stopped. An unfamiliar pain was rising in her torso, moving up to her chest, then finally consuming her entirety. 
 
Her eyes snapped shut, to focus mental energy. She moved her hands along her stomach, psychically searching for any source of lingering corruption. She found one. The sensation is nigh-impossible to describe, but suffice to say that a strange source of power was "knotted up" in her stomach. It was not of her, nor of Vestec. Foreign. It was reminiscent of the Emotion's tantalizing temptations, but mingled closely with another domain...
 
Her eyes shot open. They were suddenly both blood-shot. The realization had come to her. This new power [b]was [/b]hers, [b]was[/b] Vestec's. The remaining strands of inner Chaos had latched on to her soul, accidentally [b]conjoining both Vulamera and Vestec into one new being.[/b]
 
It was a child. It was a Demigod. It was her son.
 
[color=violet]"No!"[/color] She did not shout at any particular thing, but rather at the universe itself for levying this unbearable fate on to her weak shoulders. The desperation radiating from her frightened the new species into scattering away. They were right to do so. 
 
Gathering up yet more might into her claws, she prepared to jab her stomach open. She would kill this unholy bastard before it had a chance to reach maturity. A divine abortion.


[hider=Summary]Vulamera takes Vestec up on his offer, and takes them to a personal plane so she can enter his mind and they can be safe. As soon as she does, Vestec promptly leaves and creates the Rovaick.

Vulamera visits all of the four Gods that combined to make Vestec. (Corruption, Discord, Emotion, Violence.) She chats with each of them, learning of their imprisonment and history.

She visits Violence, and in a fit of rage he escapes and attempts to kill her.

Vulamera is injured in the fight, and throws herself at Vestec's mercy, them both crash landing in the desert. She asks him to help her. He agrees to balance the Chaos in her. This leads to the creation of the Empire race. 

Vulamera is pregnant. And is trying to abort the child.[/hider]


[hider=Mighty Summary]
 
Vestec creates the Rovaick (-1 might)
 
Vestec incorporates Violence into his portfolio (-3 might)
 
Vulamera levels up to 3 (-4 might)
 
Vulamera creates Sanctum of Memories (-1 might)
 
Creation of the Empire race. (-half a Might each) 
[/hider]