[b][color=ed1c24][center][u]Why am I the only one who didn't get to grope our dead dad?[/u][/center][/color][/b]

[i][color=ed1c24]It sure is cramped and dark down here.[/color][/i] Grym thought to himself. The only reason he had a semblance of down was the numerous voices chattering above him. His best guess told him he had come into being inside of the earth itself, though the how and why remain a mystery. Other than the voices that told him where he wasn't, there weren't any other clues to determine where he instead was. So, at first, he chose to listen. Despite his predicament, the voices of his predecessor along with those of fellow deities came through clearly. Enough was said to grasp the gist of what had happened and what will happen in the future. The caveat to this was all of the... curious touching of dear old dad once he died. Not sure what that's about, but the "ooh's and ah's" implied some modicum of importance. The chatter did eventually die down and an agreement had been loosely accepted among the divine before a gradual departure. 

An indiscernible amount of time passed before Grym had the sense to think. They had left him, didn't even notice him, and he never agreed to nor had a say in their treaty. They even locked up dad, making it very difficult for him to cop a feel like everyone else. Imagine groping your dead dad and locking him up so no one else can; unbelievable. If his skull weren't vacuum-sealed by bedrock right now he'd be shaking his head in disapproval. Luckily, he wasn't one to hold a grudge. Who would expect a deity born stuck underground, after all? All of this gave Grym an idea to make the best out of his circumstances. Whether they had asked him or not, he'd never have agreed to a pact of neutrality right off the bat. The others had only gone along out of self-interest to prevent an all-out war from the jump. Fair enough. Boring, but fair.

Grym could feel the node resonating with his divine essence. It guided him toward the surface. No concept of time yet existed for him so there was no way to keep track of how long it took him to reach the node. Eleanna's attempt as well as the other's intervention gave him a rough idea of how the nodes worked. They took time to capture and were imperative to the world as well as the Gods. That was enough for now. The compacted earth took time and effort to loosen and burrow through but became easier to do so the more ground he managed to loosen around him until a membrane of loose gravel allowed him to traverse properly. 

Between his superior physical prowess and a notable lack of sensory feedback, Grym was able to tirelessly advance underground until the light of the node validated his efforts. He was aware that even one of the guardians above would probably best him right now. Even if he could somehow manage one, the idea of undermining such a monumental effort to protect the node in this fashion was one that got him giddy with excitement. [i][color=ed1c24]Imagine their faces when their mighty beasts are defending MY node. Hah![/color][/i] 

In a not so graceful manner, Grym burrowed a bit further until his body was pressed against the node to activate capture progress. A reactive luminescence emitted from the node making it evident that it had begun. There were inquisitive hisses from the hydra up above and the shifting of stone that soon dampened. Grym's gamble had paid off. While he wasn't sure exactly how far underground he was, Grym had tried to remain far enough below that the sentries wouldn't detect nor be able to reach him once the process began. Had he a brow to sweat, there would have been anxious beads along it. Hours passed uneventfully if somewhat restlessly, as the guardians above shifted cautiously about.

Then it happened. The resonance of ethereal power culminated in the creation of a new domain, the domain of Grym. A plethora of ascendant knowledge became known at once. The power to shape one's domain and the might to reshape existing ones. The node he'd stolen had a pre-existing landscape and Grym could muster the resources necessary to change it, but that wasn't necessary. It would be a waste even. No, no, there was barely time to lose. The power and the node didn't even matter. The best part would be the faces of those silly Gods once they see the node taken despite their efforts. Priceless.

Grym goes into overdrive, burrowing to the surface with reckless abandon now that the node was his. A skeletal hand clad in an iron vambrace burst from the earth in the fashion of a classic zombie uprising, followed by his shoulder which thrust the rest of his upper body out from below. A gasping and triumphant cry erupted, cut short by a harsh cough as pounds of gravel fell from the skull's agape jaw. He wasn't really coughing, as he hadn't a throat or lungs to choke, but it made for a dramatic scene. The beast and the guardian stood in shock for a moment as Grym swiveled his sockets between them. 

[color=ed1c24]"I'm sure we can settle this peacefully."[/color] 

The stone guardian rose its unwieldy blade to swing. 

[color=ed1c24]"I suppose not,"[/color] Grym keenly evaluated before leaping to avoid the strike.

In avoiding the guardian's blade Grym was not so lucky as to avoid one of the Hydra's many heads latching onto his midsection and flailing about until launching the God toward the tomb. Grym's body crashed against the exterior of the tomb. The iron plate blanketing his body had dented, ribs cracked, yet this did not seem to inhibit him much; to his own surprise as well. He quickly scurried into the tomb to shelter himself and devise a method of escape.

Peninal was inside. The name wrang in Grym's mind as if the cadaver were a forlorn friend. 

[color=ed1c24]"Hey dad," The tomb shook as both creatures bore down onto it. Grym laid down next to the Old God. "Don't got a lot of time. I'm just gonna touch you and uh.. leave. Cool? Cool."
[/color]
The stone shook violently again. This time light pierced through a forming crevice, mirroring the introduction of the vast knowledge that Peninal's corpse bestowed. It all became clear and Grym shook his head. [color=ed1c24]"Oh, pops.. that won't work. You're evidence of that."[/color]

Hellish red light plumed from the battered stone, giving cause for the siege to briefly pause. Before the beasts could resume their barrage a blur shot from the ruins of the tomb. It zoomed past the two before circling back into the sky above. Treading in the sky well out of reach was Grym aboard a pegasus, black as coal. Grym gave the guardians a brazen wave and then flew South. He'd remain within this zone just far enough to not be bothered by those guardians in an abandoned cave. The cave appears to have been inhabited until recently. Now that the node had been claimed it was time to get an idea of what's transpired. Grym hadn't the faintest idea how long he'd been out of the game after all. The disruption may draw some back here. He'd wait and see for now.


[hider=Summary]
Grym woke up with the other Gods, albeit dozens of feet below the ground for some reason. Unnoticed, he was left to fend for himself. He heard everything that transpired above. After the Gods left he devised a plan to capture the node from underground before emerging and hopefully escaping the enraged guardians. He managed to succeed, as well as touch Peninal's corpse to gain the same knowledge as the other deities, before summoning a spectral steed to escape the hydra and stone guardian. He is now contemplating his next action in Croll and Zed's old cave.
[/hider]


[hider=Might]
[b]Trusty Steed, Akasha [[u]-2 Might[/u]]:[/b] Spent on creating a spectral black pegasus of extraordinary speed, allowing Grym to traverse great distances in a short time. She does not tire and does not require feeding. She can be summoned or dismissed at will, though Grym often keeps her around for her company. She understands all languages that Grym can and is able to travel great distances without Grym. [i.e. To deliver messages] She is not able to be killed necessarily, but fatally injuring the creature will cause her to vanish and prevent Grym from summoning her for 24 hours. Grym does become aware of the severed connection if this occurs, but will not be granted details of the event.

[u][b]3 Might remaining[/b][/u]
[/hider]