[h1][center][color=gold]Once Upon A Chronomancer[/color][/center][/h1]
[h2][sub][center][color=gold]Saving The Hopeless With Hero-Making[/color][/center][/sub][/h2]
[h3][sub][center][color=gold]The Great Wall Of Sylia[/color][/center][/sub][/h3]

[center][h2]Longsight[/h2] 
[b]&[/b] [h2]Badboy[/h2][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Kskn8GF.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/pcXVo2n.png[/img][/center]
[hr]
Inside the Goblin Underground’s city, deep underground, Galaxor was busy watching over the pilgrims or, better said, novices that made their way down to the Library. It wasn’t an easy trip, it was hard and gruelling. 

A voyage that only the toughest and most determined even attempted to make and only a fraction of those would reach it. Different challenges awaited those that went down, from single combat to survival in a massive tunnel that the dreaded Viscor worms called home, to a test of wits. 

And each novice would bring with them new stories, information about the outside world or tales they’d heard from their families of Maxima or the others. Each novice sought the same thing: more knowledge. More wisdom. The good majority of novices were goblins but from time to time a human, elf, dwarf, or beastfolk would make the journey. 

That was when he heard an interesting story. A few novices, human survivors of the Outer Gods’ attack and the rampage that followed them, were talking about a massive wall that appeared down south. An army, commanded by Sylia, killing any Outer Beasts they came across and then raising a wall to keep the others contained. 

Appearing before the humans, Galaxor asked for more details and after a few minutes where the humans showered Galaxor with praises and words of thanks for allowing them to make the journey, Galaxor found out all that he needed to know. One of the humans even managed to catch a glimpse of the Goddess herself as she raised the wall…but not before killing thousands of Outer Beasts. 

Thanking the humans, Galaxor smiled to himself. A place such as what Sylia created would be a perfect place for heroes to grow and any survivors inside would prove more than heroic; they’d be legends. In a breath, Galaxor appeared high above the wall and surveyed it, taller than tall, wider than wide. Taking his eye patch off, briefly, the Time God peered into all the potential futures of the wall and what he saw, made him laugh with joy…but he did frown at the future where the wall fell due to someone allowing the Outer Beasts inside, only for that person to be stabbed by his fellow guardsmen while shouting something about a watch. 

And that’s when he noticed two humans killing an Outer Beast. Quickly and with no harm brought upon themselves. Again, Galaxor watched their futures and shook his head. Things weren’t looking good for those two. Dead within the year no matter what, out of the millions of different futures, they wouldn’t survive. 

With a smile, Galaxor decided to test them before deciding whether he should change their fate or not. Transforming into a small goblin, he grabbed the attention of an Outer Beast and made it chase him. Close enough for the two humans to notice him but not close enough for the Outer Beast to notice them and run or call for backup. There was no need to kill every single one of them…yet. The ruckus caught the attention of the two, and they watched hesitantly for a few moments. The one smeared with blood hefted his massive blade in one hand, clearly eager to swing the great thing into yet another monster, but a tap from the other lad tempered his enthusiasm. They both placed the hide they were carrying down and, squatting low and fingering their weapons, watched the goblin’s flight from the beast. Whatever they might have known or seen of goblins before, this one seemed to give them reason for pause.

At last, the blood-smeared boy rose to his feet and slouched forward, keeping low. With an exasperated sigh, the other followed him. They were rather fleet of foot and were able to close most of the distance between them and the beast, but it noticed them before they were upon it and made an about turn to meet them. It was quite different from the pinniped monster they had hunted earlier. This one had the horned head and form of a great lion, the wings of a giant bat, and a tail that ended in a scorpion’s stinger. It dwarfed the two boys - they looked barely pubescent. Still, they seemed quite adept at hunting together and were quick to fan out around the creature. It was bigger than them, true, and likely quicker too and in every way stronger. But it remained the case that there were two of them, and only one of it. The blood-streaked boy swung his great bludgeon of a sword here and there, and the other hefted his war hammer, now turning the vicious pick towards the monster and now the hammer.

A heavy tension fell upon the three, the beast snarling and turning its head now this way and that as the boys circled around it. With a growl and lightning speed, the monster shattered the tension, its scorpion tail snaking for the blood-streaked boy. For whatever reason, he had seemed to unnerve it far more than the other. A scream cleft the air as the boy, blood-kohled eyes bulging, struck. A severed head flew threw the air, blood streaking behind it, and it landed a few feet away from the boy with the war hammer. He gulped, and his eyes slowly homed in on what had fallen by him. It was the beast’s bulbous stinger head. 

The blood-streaked boy’s laughter swept across the sands even as his companion rushed in and struck the beast a glancing blow across its now-defenceless flank. Even as it turned to deal with this new threat, the blood-streaked boy struck, cleaving one of its wings away. The beast roared in fury and leapt away, flapping its one wing uselessly. They watched as the beaten monstrosity, far too quick for the two boys for all their speed,  made a rapid escape. They checked one another, laughing and swinging their weapons about in triumph. The blood-streaked one whooped and leapt, bashing the stinger head with the flat of his bludgeon sword. As he did so, the other lad approached the goblin and looked at it cautiously. He was obviously unsure whether he could trust it; his grip on his war hammer remained tight, his eyes wary.

While the two made short work of the Outer Beast, Galaxor pretended to be scared, his hands over his head as if to protect himself from any incoming blows. The two worked well together, like a team, no talking between one another yet they knew exactly what each other would do. A hero party to be! 

Standing up, Galaxor pointed a hand towards the fleeing Outer Beast, causing the boy to glance behind him in confusion. From high above, The Cosmic Destroyer flew down, killed the fleeing beast and started circling around the area and killing any Outer Beasts that might choose to disturb them. This happened, of course, out of sight of the two humans, and so the boy turned back to him with a brow raised in confusion, clearly unsure what the goblin was playing at pointing at nothing. How was he to know that the trials weren’t done yet and that being disturbed would just not do?

Noticing the grip on the warhammer, Galaxor jumped up in the air with a yelp and screamed once or twice for good measure. “[color=gold]No, no! No hurt me! Roxalag friend! Me lost, far-far nest. Big BADADADA and poof, no nest.[/color]” said the goblin Galaxor mimicking the story he once heard from Rajesh, his voice sounded like a child’s and the tone reflected his fearful nature. The blood-streaked boy came up behind the unstreaked one and observed the goblin with a grin. Once the goblin had stopped blabbering, he quickly squatted in front of him, holding his bludgeon-blade over one shoulder and patting the goblin’s little head with his free hand. It was obvious that they were not unfamiliar with goblins.

Galaxor pulled back almost immediately after that and laughed. “[color=gold]Yooz good humies. Yooz save Roxalag! Brave humie, good fighty. But iz humie smart too? Roxalag reward, if humie answer three questions![/color]” he said while eying the unstreaked one… Longsight. Just a look from his chrono-eye, Galaxor could see that between him and the blood-streaked one, Badboy, it was Longsight who would’ve survived the longest in this place, even if he’d die in the end. As if to prove that, Badboy slouched down, his interest in the goblin’s words clearly dissipating swiftly. Longsight lowered his war hammer at last, his suspicious glare giving war to one of mild interest. He raised three fingers, then raised an eyebrow. [i]Three?[/i] He smiled slightly and looked at the goblin expectantly. [i]Go on then.[/i]

Galaxor jumped from one foot to another and rubbed his hands together. “[color=gold]Good, good! Me yap wit'out gob, listen wit'out lugs. No body, but roar to life in da wind. What am I?[/color]” said Galaxor, an easy riddle that anyone with a bit of brain could answer. It was something they would’ve heard in the desert, after all. Echoes. As Longsight frowned, clearly struggling to understand, Badboy looked over at the dancing goblin and laughed, clearly quite entertained. He clapped for it and gestured with his hand in a manner that indicated he wanted it to dance more. 

Suddenly, Longsight perked up and turned around. He poked Badboy with his foot to get the distracted boy’s attention and gestured towards their hide bag. Badboy leapt to his feet as Longsight barrelled off towards it. Pausing, he looked back at the goblin and a grin grew across his bloodied face. With little courtesy, he grabbed the little goblin and, hoisting him under an arm, ran off after Longsight. All the riddling was forgotten by the time they reached the bag. Depositing the goblin in the bag, Badboy hoisted it from his side and both boys continued their journey - and a long journey it was to that far off sheer cliff.

With a yelp as he was grabbed and deposited in a bag, Galaxor settled in for the journey. He could’ve killed them both for the impudence of touching him and treating him like that but in this case, he laughed it off. The two weren’t very smart, that was obvious but damn if they weren’t brave. As he was carried away, Galaxor decided it’s a good time for him to take a nap. Godly business was tiring after all and breaks were always welcomed, for everyone knew that heroes need long hours of training and even more hours of peace and quiet to fully comprehend what they’ve learned from their training. 

Eventually, after about half an hour of travel, Galaxor woke up and noticed he wasn’t too far from where they left. These humans were moving too slow for his liking and as such, decided to teleport out of the bag and just a bit further up the path out of sight, enough for the two humans to see him after a few more steps.

As soon as they saw him, Galaxor laid on the floor and shook his head. “[color=gold]Kidnapping goblins. That’s not very nice, y’know? Anyways, you didn't answer the first question correctly.  Second question. What is more important, your duty to the tribe or your friends and family? [/color]” he said, this time speaking differently than before and he was speaking the same language as the humans. The two boys were frozen in place for a while. Eventually, Badboy glanced into the bag to confirm what both of them were thinking. Longsight did the same. Gulping audibly, they both looked back at the [i]goblin[/i], wariness stripping them of any weariness they may have suffered. Badboy was tense, his grip on his weapon tight, but Longsight placed a calming hand on his shoulder and bit his lip. The two boys shared a knowing look, and Badboy relaxed.

Taking a careful step towards the goblin and, with the but of his war hammer, drew a circle in the sand. It was large enough for him to draw some ten loosely humanoid figures crouched around what looked to be an attempt at a campfire. Their postures looked relaxed, happy. It was a tribe, and the tribe was itself nothing but the extension of one’s family. The tribe was where friends were made, joys were had, protection was found, safety, warmth, camaraderie - all of that, and more, he drew.

Puzzled, Galaxor studied the two humans. Were they not capable of talking? Was that the issue? Waving his hand, as if to swat away a fly, he revealed the energy of the universe, the very essence that divine beings drew power from and noticed the two small threads of power linking the two humans to Sylia’s HQ at the wall. Somehow these humans managed to meet not one but two divine beings already and somehow annoyed one of them already.
 
When Longsight drew the picture, Galaxor looked at it inquisitively, studying it from all angles as he did. It was crude, very crude but they answered correctly, nonetheless. Both are important because they aren’t two separate things, but one thing combined. 

Clapping a few times, Galaxor nodded at Longsight. “[color=gold]Well done, human. You’ve answered correctly. One out of two, one more correct answer and you’ll get a reward. Now, if you’re ready for the third and final question…[/color]” said Galaxor before stopping, taking a few steps back and staring right into Longsight’s eyes. “[color=gold]Do you think you can take me in a fight? [/color]” The boy stared back into the goblin’s eyes. His jaw was fixed with determination, but his eyes betrayed his fear. Badboy rose up behind him, a scowl on his face. A loud slap cracked the air, and Longsight released the breath he had been holding. He glanced back at Badboy, who gave him his [i]to fucking shit with monsters[/i] face. Taking a deep breath and tightening his grip on his war hammer, he turned back to the goblin- demon- god- whatever- and opened his mouth in a silent warcry. By him, Badboy raised his bludgeon-sword and beat at the black sand before him with it. Cracking their necks, the two boys advanced on the goblin.

Putting a finger forward towards Badboy, Galaxor shook it. “[Color=gold]Aaaa. Not you. Him. Alone. [/color]” 

That gave both boys pause, and they glanced uncertainly at one another.  Before they could come to a decision, however, Galaxor moved forward towards Badboy and, before he could react, put a hand on his chest and threw him up in the air where he'd find himself suspended in air by an invisible force. The boy struggled and swung his bludgeon-sword about, screeching silently, his face blackblood-streaked face livid. But there was nothing to be done. Seeing this, Longsight wasted no time and struck out at his quarry.

Dodging the attack from Longsight, Galaxor took a few steps back and laughed at the group's bravery. In a flash of bright light, Galaxor transformed into his usual godly body with his golden-blue-purple-ish aura radiating strongly. 

“[Color=gold]Hey-ho human. While in presence, you may speak. I, Galaxor, God of Heroism, Knowledge and Time, give you permission. Now, before your friend ill advised you, what was your answer to my question? Not your current answer, your previous answer. Not knowing what I am, even if you were suspecting it. [/color]”

Blinking quickly and backing away from the god’s bright aura, Longsight raised a hand to his eyes and squinted at the mighty being. “I-” he began, his voice a croak, “it’s a bad idea.” He said. “We can’t defeat gods- or demons, whatever that thing from yesterday was. And… well, you didn’t seem like you wanted us harm, so I thought there was no need to worry- even if you were a god after all. What would I do?” He paused for a few moments, “if I could avoid fighting a foe I had no hope against, I think I’d do so. But if I had no choice, say if Badboy was in danger or if the fight was for some other reason forced on me - and it was forced on me when you challenged me; what man of honour would flee when challenged? - then there is no choice but to fight bravely and die. As they say, the brave are remembered in the songs of harvest while the coward has no song- but is perhaps cursed by the hearthstone of winter.”

Galaxor laughed out loud at Longsight’s explanation and answer but still shook his head in the end.

“[color=gold]While you do give a good, honest, answer for it, something that I appreciate, there is something you’ve missed. I didn’t challenge you to a fight, a fight requires both parties to be equal or similar in power to make it fair. Even if I’d fight you without any of the many powers in my arsenal, I still have aeons of combat experience and the knowledge of all the universe. It would be less than fair. What I did, was to ask you a simple question, “Do you think you can take me in a fight?”. The answer was obvious, no and that’s it. It ain’t cowardice if you accept that one adversary is more powerful than you, it’s stupidity.  What do you do when you meet an adversary more powerful than you? Retreat, train to get better and return. Trust me, there’s more than enough time for everything…if one plans it right. [/color]” said Galaxor before half-remembering that Badboy was still suspended in air.

Waving his hand, he gently let him touch the ground but still banned him from speaking. “[color=gold]Badboy. A fitting name. You should learn how to think before acting. Being brave doesn’t do you any good if you end up dying for those you try to protect. Now, stay silent while I talk with your friend and before you try something, remember that I’m a divine and I don’t wish to have to kill your friend because you’ve done something rash and had to send you in a den of Outer Beasts. Alright? [/color]” The boy scowled at the god, picked himself and Headsplitter up, walked five purposeful steps away, and plopped himself down on the meatbag.

“He’s been a bit off it since we got here…” Longsight explained, looking at the god, “I reckon he just misses Rockpetter.” A small smile hovered on his lips, and then his eyes grew hooded. Breathing whatever dark thought had beset him away, a certain curiosity overtook him and glimmered in his dark eyes. “I don’t mean to sound unduly curious- or, heaven forbid, ungrateful- but… you are the second god - though I still don’t know if that thing from yesterday was anything such!.. But you are the second great being to take an interest in us in so many days. And you certainly don’t seem so keen on punishing us, else you would’ve done so already I think- certainly that demon punished us for far less! Anyway, I ramble, but what I mean to say is this: what is your purpose with us? What is the reason behind all this that you’re doing? That beast, that riddle, these questions, these… tricks? Puzzles? Are you just toying with us or is there something more to it? I mean, I’m sure a being so powerful as you could just about toy what whatever he likes- there’s nothing we can do to stop you- but indulge my curiosity, if you will.”

“[color=gold]Rockpetter. Interesting name, maybe I’ll pay her a visit. Tell her how bad, Badboy was. [/color]” said Galaxor initially with a wink towards Badboy. The boy gave the god a sidelong glance, his pretence at nonchalance breaking momentarily before he straightened himself and returned to idling on the sack.

“[color=gold]I’m not sure whom you’ve met yesterday, be it an aspect of the Goddess Sylia or herself, but it was related to the person who put up the wall behind you. If I were to guess what happened by how you’ve reacted to me…did you try to attack her? ‘Cause if you did, you’re lucky you’re here and not dead. As for why I took interest in you. Hmm. [/color]” continued Galaxor while making a few chairs appear and a table with a few bottles of RALK. Longsight’s eyes widened on seeing it, and even Badboy on his sack looked over in surprise. It was clear they recognised the drink.

“[color=gold]Take a seat, drink up. It’s quite a divine drink. Now, where were we? Ah. Yes, Why I took an interest in you. Very simple. I didn’t. Some humans that reached one of my temples told me a story about a wall and the Goddess Sylia. Thought I might see it for myself and then I saw you two. Let’s say I looked into the future and neither of you survive out here, Badboy dies first always…and it ain’t a nice death. Decided to see if you’re worth something. Call it curiosity. [/color]” 

Having taken a seat, Longsight eyed the god across him and chewed at his lip upon hearing the revelation. “I… well…” he seemed crestfallen momentarily. He glanced over at Badboy, who was looking over at him, having clearly heard. If the blood-streaked boy was fazed by the words, he didn’t show it. Anger glimmering in his eyes, Longsight turned back to the god. “With all respect- and I mean it, I’ve no business offending any gods- but your words mean nothing to us. If in every future we are to die, then… then…” he tried to chalk up the words that would illustrate his anger, resolve, “then to shit with every future- Badboy and I will make our own. We’re getting out of here, we’re returning to our clan- to Reaper and Donkeywhacker and Rockpetter and Lifedancer and Herbsprinkler, to everyone! And when we get back to them, we’re going to Fort Skybreak and we’re finding all the others. That’s our future uh- Gacks- Galakser. It’s the only one that matters- you don’t see it ‘cause we’ve not bashed it into existence yet!” A grin, reminiscent of Badboy’s, if less crazed, spread across his face. “We’re Revenits; we traverse the sandracked wastes and live against the odds, it’s what we do.”

“[color=gold]I applaud your bravery again but, as I said, I did see all potential futures. Not saying there isn’t a chance one of you escapes this place but not both of you. Never, both of you. As for disrespect, don’t worry about it. I, for one, can understand that mortals care about their lives and in times of fear…they bash out. It’s normal, just your nature. [/color]” replied Galaxor before drinking a whole bottle of RALK in one gulp and throwing it behind him, only for it to reappear on the table, full once more.

“[color=gold]In every future where you two are left alone, you will die. Unless Sylia decides to forgive you or any other divines intervene to save your lives, you’ve got no chance. Yet, here I come in. I find myself in need of an aide. My Goblin Underground has more than enough to handle. You, Longsight, hold potential for greatness. That’s obvious to anyone and in all my predictions, you always fight to survive. When you’ve lost an arm, a leg…when your whole lower part was being eaten by an Outer Beast you clawed yourself out of the pool of your own blood, killed it and somehow still survived to kill another one. [/color]” 

The boy’s face was a picture of horror and…a certain galvanised animation. He had no desire- or intention- to be consumed on this beast-blasted shore, and yet the idea that he would fight so indomitably, unbreaking despite the breaking of his body, stirred the fire of his browned coal eyes. He leaned forward. “I’ve spoken my piece. I’ve no desire to die here- but if my future is, as you say, to die so bravely, then so be it! Such a death can hardly be called death anyway- that is ascendance into glory and eternal life!” he paused, calming his excited breathing, “but… an aide, you say? You mean… you need me? Or, rather, you want me? I don’t understand. What for?”

“[color=gold]Gods, Longsight you remind me of myself when I was but a mortal. Brave as for 10 people and dumber than 20 but before I say anything else, let me show you both what I’m talking about. Fair warning, you might get a headache after this. [/color]” said Galaxor with a smile before taking off his eye-patch and revealing his chrono-eye. Immediately both of them were drawn to look into it.

As the two humans looked into his eyes, they found themselves transported back to where they were just seconds before Galaxor showed up. From there, they continued on their journey and survived for a few weeks, only for Badboy to be killed by an Outer Beast. Longsight managed to survive a few more days after.  The moment they were killed, they were transported back to the original place and so it went on until twenty different futures were shown, all in which they died…and then they were back, looking at Galaxor.

“[color=gold]That’s all you can handle currently. If I showed you more your brains would turn into dust…think for a second of what you’ve seen and believe me when I say, all your futures end like that. I selected the ones that aren’t too gory so they only get worse from there on. [/color]” Galaxor finally said before giving them a few minutes to think things through. Satisfied, he turned to Longsight.

“[color=gold]Aye, you’ve got the stuff of heroes even if you’re not the sharpest tool. No one is, that’s why one needs to study more. As [i]for what[/i] I need you…It’s quite an important task. I’ve seen the fate of this place and it doesn’t end well for it. Time is fickle, easily manipulated. You’ve been stuck in the sandwaves for a long time but back at the Goblin Underground, you only spent a few days. I know it’ll be hard for you to understand but know that if things go on like this, [b]bad[/b] things will happen. Very [b]bad[/b] things. I need someone to handle any and all discrepancies in time. [/color]” Longsight blinked at the god, not fully understanding what was meant. Perhaps the strange visions he had shown them were still addling their minds, but it took Longsight many long seconds to process and reprocess what the god had said. 

[i]At the Goblin Underground… 
only a few days… 
time is fickle…
stuck here a long time… 
but back at the Goblin Underground…[/i] 

He reeled back, eyes wide.

“I… don’t know what- how.” He frowned, and his eyes grew wide. Time is fickle. They had awoken to beasts long thought to be the stuff of myth. [i]Ancient[/i] myth. They had awoken to find them upon them in peaceful, sleepy, happy Renev. And escaping that carnage northward towards Fort Skybreak they had found not Fort Skybreak but… desert. Endless desert. Desert as was whispered of sometimes in the most ancient epics relaying the beginning of all things- mad stuff that only brain-addled monks and ascetics passing through the village on their endless voyages blabbered about. A mad hellish desert with divine wheels rolling across to deliver the people of the world from the plains of hell to the promised riverlands. All mad nonesenes, he had always thought and been told, conjured up in the mad ravings of wandering loons. And yet… [i]time is fickle[/i]. His heart beating loud and fast, he gasped for breath and would have fallen had he not been seated on the chair. Their troubles… everything that had happened to them these last five, six, seven- gods only knew - years: it was all the fault of fickle time. His eyes saw it now. He could not see it otherwise. With those coals of brown, he SAW it. 

His hands shaking and mind still reeling from the epiphanic unveiling of the truth and simultaneous breaking of all he understood of reality, he looked at the god. “I’ll do it.” He said simply, without any explanation.

Galaxor gave the two a minute to calm down and come to terms with what they've seen, it wasn't easy to know what awaited you. It wasn't easy knowing you'll die a horrible death and seeing your death. It wasn't easy knowing that all you've known to be a myth and mad sprouting of lunatics to be true. Meeting divine beings was [i]never[/i] easy and almost always illuminating. 

With a glimmer in his other eye, Galaxor studied Longsight. There was no hesitation, no fear. Just determination. Cold and strong as divinium determination, yet he had to be sure.

“[Color=gold]Are you sure, mortal? You'll [i][b]never[/b][/i] be able to stop being my aide. I'll always know where you are and what you're doing. I'll always be with you in a sense. Your duty won't, ever, stop. So, I ask you again. [/color]” said Galaxor, channelling his Aspect of Heroism as his voice became commanding, his golden aura outshining the other two. 

“[Color=gold]Are you sure?[/color]” 

The boy rose, the chair falling back behind him. “If it’ll help me understand, and if it’ll help set things aright, then of course.” A gleam of mischief lit up his eyes. “I can’t promise that you won’t be the one with regrets, though! If I can never stop, that only means you’ll be stuck with me!” Badboy had dallied over as they spoke and now stood by Longsight, a smirk on his face. “I’ll do as you bid, but I’ll do it my way.” For a person not in a position to haggle, he knew how to push his luck.

Galaxor laughed out loud at the sheer bravado of Longsight and with a wink, replied: “[color=gold]I can always kill you, you know? As for you doing things your way? I wouldn't want it any other way. If I guide you at every step, you won't learn anything. Now…[/color]” 

Galaxor closed the distance between him and Longsight and after taking his time-slowing artefact, The Egrioth’s claw, drew on Longsight's chest arcane runes in languages not known to this universe. Blood poured down his chest but as it did, it changed colour to a bright blue and shone with chrono-magic.

When Galaxor was finished with Longsight’s chest, he took some blood on his finger and tapped one of Longsight’s eyes which immediately turned the same colour as Galaxor's chrono-eye.  Later on, Longsight would find that the runes would disappear from his body but his blood would remain blue-ish. 

A surge of divine energy flowed from Galaxor as the runes activated and Longsight fell on the ground as his body was attuned to the timelines. 

“[Color=gold]And it's done. You'll feel the power coursing through your veins. Stronger, faster - more charming and intelligent too. All things that come with being a hero of Galaxor. The powers I've bestowed upon you will take [i]time[/i] to get adjusted to. Your life will never be the same. Your friends will seem boring in comparison to who you are now. Your destiny has been changed forever and don't forget, when I call…you gotta answer. No choice in the matter.[/color]”

The boy was quiet as the god’s powers worked their way into his form and altered the fundamentals of his being. Even if he wished to say something witty or snarky in response, the weight of what rushed through him made that nigh impossible. His long brown hair was saturated with power and stood rigid, blue veins streaked across his form, seemed to split his very skin and carve themselves into it in pulses. The blood in his heart boiled and gurgled, shedding forever its crimson hue for that cool, all-seeing blue. It would be difficult to correctly call the boy ‘human’ after this; he was now a being almost at one with the chronoflows. His sight would be irreversibly changed- whatever long sight he might have had before this will be nothing but the scramblings of a field mouse in a hole. 

It was a while before the energies grew calm and the veins of blue light faded until nothing remained of them but his right eye, now of milky blue, and a few angular vein-like runes that speared out from the epicentre of his eye up his brow and down his cheek, pulsing gently. Badboy gazed at him in curiosity and awe. Then he grinned, and Longsight knew what that mischievous look meant. [i]You’re in the shit now.[/i] He had no doubt about that - but maybe it would be some good shit. He looked up at Galaxor. “Now with that… we’ll survive right? Both of us. We’ll return to our people- with that, none of those visions will be, right?”

“[color=gold]I don’t actually know, not even I can see your future anymore Longsight. You've been removed from the timeline but, what I know is that you won’t be alone. As soon as I leave, your voices will be taken away from you. If you’re to survive in this place, hero of mine, you’ll need multiple things and one of them is the ability to communicate more than through…looks and signs. Give me a moment. [/color]” said Galaxor before teleporting away but not before making some food and more RALK appear on the table. The two boys glanced at one another, their stomachs rumbling audibly, and launched themselves at the veritable feast.

After about twenty minutes Galaxor reappeared and with him, four goblins. Two of them were the small type of goblin and two were massive, each two metres tall. Out of them, one of the smaller ones and one of the bigger type, wore long robes that covered every inch of their body but their face while the other two, were dressed in diamond armour. 

“[Color=gold]And I'm back. These four are Fee, Fie, Fo and Fum. Guards and novices at my Library back in the Goblin Underground. They'll keep you safe and they will teach you the art of writing. Any command you have, they'll follow it…Longsight. Only your commands. They won't listen to anyone but you. [/color]” said Galaxor as he pointed at each goblin, which did a small bow towards Longsight, as he named them. Badboy eyed the goblins with pursed lips, fiddling with the handle of Headsplitter, as Longsight acknowledged the four. “I’ll remember that - there’s safety in numbers, no doubt, and a way to talk to one another will be good. Heaven knows this whole gesticulating stuff is wearisome.” Badboy nodded glumly at his words, then flashed the god an annoyed glare for not removing the curse if even for a moment. He did not stay angry too long, however, for he got to grabbing whatever undrunk RALK and uneaten food remained on the table and delivered it into their meatbag for later.

Looking at Badboy, Galaxor shook his head and then nodded at him, giving him permission to say exactly 20 words.

“[color=gold]You’ve got 20 words, Badboy and then back to silence, use them smartly. Two of the guards are experienced in survival underground, maybe you’ll find yourself a nice cave. In a year or two, you might even reach some place below the wall somehow. The other two are smart. They know many things. Ask them and they’ll answer to the best of their ability but don’t expect much, you need to show that you [i]want[/i] to learn.[/color]” 

RALK and foodstuff in hand, Badboy looked up at the god. “Look here bossman, if anyone should get any sort of powers here, it should be ME.” Satisfied that he had made his position abundantly clear, he continued. “Is Rockpetter doing alright?” He asked. He had spoken swiftly, true enough, but had managed to say everything he wanted exactly in those twenty words. It was likely nothing more than sheer dumb luck. The blood-streaked boy did not wait for an answer, but turned around and hobbled towards the meatbag to drop more of his haul into it.

“[color=gold]I’ve given you the power of being alive, as you’d be dead otherwise. If you want me to retract my power, let me know and I will. [/color]” said Galaxor while teleporting right in front of him, staring him into the eyes with the Aspect of Heroism. The one that managed to intimidate divine beings with. The boy dropped what he was holding and fell onto his bottom, clearly shaken.

After a second or two, Galaxor burst out laughing. “[color=gold]I’m kidding. Don’t worry, but I suggest that you keep your mouth shut if you meet other divine beings or at least try to show some respect to your betters.. As for Rockpetter? She’s alive. I can’t take you there but here. [/color]” added Galaxor as he stared once more with the chrono-eye into Badboy’s eyes. This time, Badboy would feel time go backwards even more than before, back to when he was with Rockpetter. 

[i] “Argh!” Badboy screamed, throwing his axe to the ground. “Look what you did, Rockpetter! You held me up and I missed all the fun!” He glared at the girl, and she frowned back. “Don’t shout at me!” She shouted, whacking him with her stick, at which he yelped and ducked behind Longsight. “I told you not to come with us! You just slow me down!” He insisted, barely managing to avoid another strike from her, which instead caught Galloper on the buttocks. The bigger man swore, but the girl had already disappeared after Badboy.[/i]

On the black sand, Badboy shook himself from the vision, a smile on his face. She sure knew how to whack a lad. He looked up at Galaxor and slowly ascended to his feet. Giving the god a thumbs-up by way of thanks, he rushed back to the table - magically full again! - and grabbed what he could. It was going to be a long five years after all, they had to stock up.

“[color=gold]You’re welcome, Badboy. Actually, fine, you may speak until I leave. [/color]” said Galaxor before turning to Longsight. Badboy whooped in the background, running in circles around the waiting goblins even as his great food heist continued.

“While I’m here,” Longsight said to the god, “that is, while serving this wholly unjust prison sentence, is there anything you’ll need me to do as far as the duties you mentioned go? Other than surviving, of course, and learning what Fee, Fi, Fo, and Fum have to teach.” He glanced at the goblins uncertainly.

“[color=gold]If you acted like you did with me…it isn’t unjust. She could’ve killed you both and yet, here you are. Alive. Or she could’ve cursed you and your kin or many-many other horrific ways to torture you. As for what I want you to do. It’s quite simple. I need you to master your new powers or at least reach a level of proficiency with them that is acceptable. You won’t be able to do much at first but with time, you’ll be able to stop time for short periods of time, revert the passage of time over objects or people or use your eye like I did and see visions of the future or the past. It won’t be an easy task, that’s guaranteed and don’t try to overdue it. The strain on your body will kill you if you try to use your powers too much, generally stopping when you feel “out-of-time”, when past present and future are the same to you, that’s when you stop and don’t continue until the feeling is gone. No matter how long it takes. Trust me, you don’t want to end up a timeless spectre. [/color]” explained Galaxor with a calm tone.

Longsight nodded in understanding. “So be it. In that case, it is best we make a move now. It will be sunset soon and I don’t like the idea of spending another night out in the open. We need to walk quickly if we’re to get to the cliff before dusk.” Moving over to the now overstuffed bag, he called out for Badboy to come help him with it. “Let this big fella do it!” The boy shouted back, gesturing at Fo, one of the two great-goblins. “I’m not some ox!” The blood-streaked boy continued. Longsight glanced at the two great-goblins, then at Galaxor. Without complaint, Fo moved across and, with remarkable ease, hefted the bag over one shoulder. RALK bottles and assortments of food fell helter-skelter to the sand, to the protestations and profanities of Badboy.

Ignoring him as he lectured Fo, Longsight turned back to the god. “We’ll be going now, if you’ll allow us.” He paused for a few moments. “It… it’s been a pleasure. Far more than our first encounter, that’s for sure - and though we can no doubt disagree on the justice or otherwise of this state of affairs, you’ll not catch me being ungrateful. I - we - owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Waving a hand at them, Galaxor appeared in front of the group. “[color=gold]You plan on walking there? Blah. Let me give you a small push forward and yes, you do owe me. Both of you. I’ll come and collect soon enough. Especially the debt Badboy owes me. That’ll be fun to collect. [/color]” said Galaxor with a laugh before waving his hand as if to “shoo” the group away, teleporting them close to the cliff, about five minutes away from it in fact. Badboy looked at Longsight, wide-eyed and dazed. Longsight turned away and placed one foot on a nearby rock, and gazed silently into the endless red waves.

[list][*][hider=Summary]Galaxor, deep in the Gobling Underground, receives word of Sylia’s great wall and decides to go see what’s going on. From atop the wall, he observes Longsight and Badboy killing that walrus-beast and, seeing potential in them, decides to TEST THEM FOR HEROISM. The tests include fighting a manticore outer beast (they pass!), answering riddles (they fail), prioritising social groupings (they pass!) and seeing whether they can beat up a god (they sorta fail-pass). Galaxor shows the lads that they will die on their own. He also helps Longsight realise that THEY’RE FROM THE FUTURE AND TIME IS A MESS. At that point, Galaxor hooks Longsight in with talk of needing him to be a glorious HERO OF TIME; protecting the timeliness and preventing chaos. Longsight agrees and is HEROIFIED. Galaxor additionally assigns two goblins and two greatgoblins to assist them on their questing and help them learn to write AMONGST OTHER THINGS.
Badboy, knowing what to prioritise, conducts a successful heist on the magically-replenishing food table Galaxor had conjured while they chatted. By way of farewell, Galaxor teleports the heroic party closer to the cliff they’re journeying towards. (Which leaves us with the question: why didn’t the eagles just carry the hobbits to Mordor?)

Characters featured or mentioned:
Galaxor: The glorious god of heroes, knowledge, and time. Ever on the search for HEROISM wherever it may be found.
– Longsight: our lil hero. After running his mouth at Sylia and being imprisoned beyond the wall, he is now a glorious war hammer-swinging chronomancer hero of the lord of time!
– Badboy: our very own blood-streaked, headsplitting madboy. Longsight’s close friend and co-conspirator.
Rockpetter: Badboy’s shadow. Whacks him silly for running his tongue at her, but adores him really. Now she’s been parted from him! Oh the heartbreak.
Sylia: Glorious goddess of crafts and earth, slayer of the outer beasts, builder of the wall, warden eternal, and punisher of naughty little kids who can’t shut the hell up.
Fee: A goblin librarian who now joins Longsight and Badboy’s heroic party!
Fi: A goblin librarian who now joins Longsight and Badboy’s heroic party!
Fo: A greatgoblin who now joins Longsight and Badboy’s heroic party! Destroyer of much RALK.
Fum: A greatgoblin who now joins Longsight and Badboy’s heroic party!
[/hider]

[*][hider=MP]
Available - 3
-1 MP to turn Longsight into a HEROOO
-1 MP (1 MP bonus from domain) to create Chrono-Magic. Magic which as one practises its use, will allow a user to see and alter the flow of time. Slowing it down, speeding it up, stopping it, turning time back/forward on small areas, seeing the past of objects and people and even potential futures. Importantly, it allows one to act as something of a time guardian and so prevent especially destructive collisions between possible futures and possible pasts, such as occurred with Longsight and his people. This type of magic is a genetic gene as well which will always be passed forward to any children that Longsight might have in the future. 
Remaining - 1 MP[/hider][/list]