[h2][b]Legio, God of Mankind[/b][/h2]
For years now, Legio had been considering what was to be done with the Throne of the King of the Gods. The former King, rather; Ephra’s death had been unfortunate, and perhaps avoidable if he hadn’t separated War and Life, but it stood that it was his death that left it empty nonetheless. And whilst Legio had felt himself content to let sleeping dogs lie, as the phrase went, he had been struck with ever-increasing awareness that for as long as the throne went unoccupied, the more likely it was that… unsavoury forces, he could say, would make a move to take it for themselves.

And that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing on its own. Only, if a god rose to supremacy who did not have Man’s best interests in mind, it’d almost certainly mean their suppression for a very, very long time. Knowing the nature of gods, it could well be eternal - though his father’s reign was supposed to be essentially eternal too, and that didn’t pan out. Nor would it, when Mankind finally achieved their utmost… if, should a deity with bad opinions of them make themselves ruler.

And alas, that could be any of them. In truth, Legio lacked many enemies - though he’d certainly never forgive himself if Sylendre somehow managed to crown herself Queen - but many deities had views of Humanity Untainted that were, to put it lightly, neutral at best. And in truth, even those who held positive opinions of them now might change their minds if they perceived a threat. Even Telios, a staunch companion with no reason to see humans as dangerous now, might well decide later on that they needed to be put down. And for what? Achieving what was in effect their birthright as a race, pulling themselves up when all other races were handed the laurels to sit upon by the deities who formed them?

Or, perhaps he was being paranoid. Over-thinking things too much, and admittedly giving his allies less credit than they deserved. Yet… humans had achieved so much in such a short time. It was his very purpose to guide them, to greatness if he were to be asked. What sort of god was he if he allowed them to squander the abilities he knew they possessed, the tools they had already produced and those they might yet create?

This train of thought was processed but slowly, for it was a matter that required careful thought to avoid any missteps. In the end, though, Legio came to his conclusion.

And so it was that he appeared one day in the grandest cathedral of Ephrum, armed and armoured in his full splendour, to hover before a congregation of worshippers and priests who had not expected him to appear to their cries of “come before us, O Master of Mankind”, and who were justifiably awestruck by his appearance. The words he spoke to them and to the city as a whole, laced with grandeur that would be unnecessary in the presence of another deity, and in time in the presence of humanity itself, were thus:

‘Heed me, my children, for I have come to a decision about the future. Mine, and indirectly yours. I do so charge ye, to let it be known throughout the world, in the settlements and cities alike of the human race: Legio, the Emperor of Mankind, seeks to claim the divine throne once held by Ephra, to become King of the Gods, that I might better serve the human race who I was created to protect, and to ensure Mankind as a whole can bring themselves to ever greater heights. Spread this message, and ensure all of humanity is united in this, what might be the single most important endeavour of your race to date. Succeed, and the glory of Mankind shall be eternal.’

The god of Man had never been one for subtlety. He knew full-well that word would spread relatively quickly to the lands of the other gods, who of course may take exception to his announcement. That is, if they didn’t learn it from Legio himself first; the human masses were ever active, and so too must he be if he was to succeed in his quest. The most likely places he’d succeed would be those he currently considered allies, of course, and once they were persuaded, he’d have the support to extend his diplomacy to other, less amenable deities… and then, beyond.

His first stop, the most likely ally of his, would assuredly be Koritomo. The Goddess of War would be invaluable, should it come down to war in the end. And since he could, he decide to fly himself to her lands rather than teleporting directly; he felt the scenic route might be nice for a change. It wasn’t often he got the opportunity to gaze over the landscapes of the world as he soared above them, after all, and if what came next was as time-consuming as he imagined it would be, he might not get another chance.