Lord Zee
Vec
JFK
Fetzen
Thayr
BingTheWing
<Snipped quote by Cyclone>
I have yet to read it, but at what post did Slag show up?
Slag first appeared in the Char post a really long time ago. He made a reappearance in part 3 of the collab, which I posted about 20 minutes ago.
Cyclone
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Bio
Back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, I got started with writing online on the Spore forums. Man, those were the days. We're talking like 12 years ago 2010-ish!
I've been here on and off for almost as long, and have GM'd a bunch of different things to varying success.
I've been here on and off for almost as long, and have GM'd a bunch of different things to varying success.
Word of my splendor:
Most Recent Posts
Slag first appeared in the Char post a really long time ago. He made a reappearance in part 3 of the collab, which I posted about 20 minutes ago.
On another note, what was the point of the child sacrifice within the post? Was it supposed to parallel the main character? Because to be frank, I find the concept extremely edgy in practice.
Edgier = better-ier
We're all a bunch of edgelord hipsters here!
...
...
Randomly reminds me of a dumb joke this guy form middle school once told me: Why did the hipster get burnt? Because he drank coffee before it was cool!
Hey guys, this most recent IC post is kinda of new to me. I'm trying to switch up the way I write abit. Instead of having Amartía be he focuse all the time, I'm trying to use others to convey feelings and sights that Amartía can't.
I think it worked well. I left alot to the imagination, but if anyone is confused to what happened; Amartía basically found Occult Magic to be extremely interesting and desides to experiment by attacking the Village and rounding up its occupants. Then he has a Priest preform a ritual and kill each an every one of them. Amartía creates stone golems in which he binds thier souls to. Basically turning them into stone marionettes.
Would like some feedback, anythung that would help me grow.
I quite liked the style you experimented with. Actually, I think it's been your best posts yet.
In other news, the original giant three part Luna collab between Vec and I is over. What did you guys think of it?
It'll probably transition into something new and move into the current timeline, dealing with the Realta invasion.
A Wolf's Fate
The Sorcerer King
&
The Twilight Queen
Level 5 Hero
35 Khookies
Nothing. Another concussive blow fell upon the dormant body of Yang'Ze, and still there was only stillness. Nothing.
Luna's body shifted inside the small boat as she slowly started waking up.
Satisfied, Ommok willed Luna to desist. The muscles of her body stopped with an unnatural abruptness and her fist stopped midway through another swing. Ommok sat in simle contemplation, and so his vessel was still as her master's sleeping form.
She raised her head and looked around her. "This..." Luna was dumbfounded with what she was witnessing. "Is this... my consciousness? B-but how? How did I get in here without wanting to?"
Above the avatar's body there hovered an unassuming staff. Ommok willed Luna to gingerly reach forward, wary as he was of whatever power kept the thing suspended. As Luna's hands touched the cold metal shaft, a flash of blinding light filled the cave. After the staff had registered that Luna was in possession of the Uthkrein, the light died down.
While the werewolf was trying to sort out the confusion in her mind, the small boulder engraved with Ull'Yang's symbol shined a brilliant light, illuminating the small corner of her mind where the boat was. Luna watched in awe as a portal-like apparition appeared above the boulder, and a fuzzy image was shown. "What?"
Ommok felt its cool handle through the flesh of her hands. With her arms, he tested its balance and at once marvelled at the flawlessness of the thing's craftsmanship. It was simple and uninspiring in design yet everything about it was perfect nonetheless. Still, immortality had taken away the Sorcerer King's appreciation for aesthetic and so he cared little for the trinket.
"Why am I holding master's staff? Huh? WHY CAN'T I CONTROL MY BODY?" Luna was beginning to panic as she found out she was practically a cast away inside her own mind. She tried to calm down and after a few moments, she closed her eyes and activated her spirit sense, prodding her surroundings.
The dark sorcerer felt her consciousness stirring, and so he concentrated and once again bludgeoned it into submission. Luna's spirit form immediately blacked out once more when suddenly, a giant thunderbolt fell down from her mind's skies, striking her. The bolt would have completely annihilated this sliver of consciousness that was left if it wasn't for the small boulder shouldering the majority of the impact.
Even after so many years of honing his powers, he occasionally struggled to keep control of a being as it left his immediate proximity. Luna, unfortunately, was already in his clutches, and he gripped his slaves tightly.
In one hand, he had Luna bear that staff. It was a fine specimen of a weapon if only a plaything for a creature of his size. With her other hand, Luna supported the back of Yang'Ze as she slung his limp form over her shoulder. Slowly, the emburdened wolf made her way back to the cave's entrance where Ommok waited.
The echo of her footsteps rang out through the cavernous depths. Eventually, Ommok began to hear those steps twice: once from Luna's ears and once from his own. He lifted his Stone once more and from it there came a glow that illuminated the being before him. Strange, it was; he had barely taken the time to examine this wolf-creature at first.
Deciding that such curiosities could be sated later, his gaze wandered towards the staff in Luna's hand. She outstretched her arm to present it to the king, and Ommok roughly grasped the thing.
The moment Luna released the staff, a tremendous force was applied to it as the weight enchantment activated, and the stone floor itself shuddered as the staff fell to the ground. The ground upon which it rested began cracking beneath the sheer weight, and Ommok's already broken hand was unable to move from beneath the shaft, so it only continued to bear down upon him.
With a mighty strength that could have bent rods of iron, his arm thrashed in vain to free itself. The Sunderer's weight did so much as shift, and genuine fear crept into Ommok's heart for the first time in many decades. Desperation's icy touch brought clarity to his mind, and so through the stifling pain, he managed to issue one simple command to Luna: lift the staff. She did so effortlessly.
Heaving for breath, he brought his maimed hand in contact with his Stone and cradled it like a mother might her child. Its glow grew ever stronger, and with an audible crack the dislocated and broken bones in his hand were snapped back into place. The injury would heal in time, but its pain would stay with the king as a reminder for many months to come.
He grimaced now at Luna and the staff that she bore, and with an enraged brutality he forced himself into her mind and forcibly recalled what memories he could, searching for knowledge of that staff and its dormant guardian.
Suddenly, countless memories flowed from Luna's mind towards Ommok. The name of the Sunderer, its abilities, the identity of its creator, and who exactly Luna was. As her spiritual form that represented her conscious self - the one that had control over her mind - was incapacitated by Ommok once more, the Ogre King had free reign over all the memories regarding what she was. However, even with his powerful mental abilities, Ommok found himself unable to break through certain pockets of memories in Luna's mind.
Unknown to him, everything that had anything to do with Cygnea, Ull'Yang, and the small boulder were enveloped with a strong barrier that scorched everything that dared touch it.
≈≈≈≈≈
By Ommok's will, Luna marched faithfully at his heels. Days passed, and eventually, they were at the seat of his power. He had spent many restless nights on the journey studying the staff and Yang'Ze. Try as he might unravel the mystery of who that guardian was (for he sensed its divine power) and why he remained unable to wield the Sunderer, he found no success. The answers were within Luna's mind, he knew, but the relevant sections of her mind had been barred by another being more precise in its manipulations than the ogre.
So he was left with the taunting knowledge of the Sunderer's powers, and nothing else! What little information he managed to ascertain about this 'Luna' was similarly limited by his inability to access her memories of Cygnea. Regardless, he was determined to unlock the Sunderer's power. He had Luna bring it to the foot of his throne, where it was under the protection of countless of his most loyal warriors and just as many ogres that he had mentally enslaved. Those that proved themselves loyal and those that openly rebelled and had their minds broken were the only ogres that Ommok truly trusted; his paranoid mind saw only treachery within those that walked the line between. It had driven him to tyranny in past years.
As in for Luna, he kept her alive and close. On occasion, her consciousness stirred once more, but each time he suppressed it once more; she remained as mindless a servant as the rest of Ommok's many slaves. Until he understood the mechanism by which the staff could be wielded or until he found another being capable of lifting the staff, her presence was necessary.
On the other hand, Ommok could ascertain no particular use that he might have for the staff's guardian, and Ommok knew that if the dormant guardian's aura was strong enough to catch the attention of himself then it would be sure to bring others. He would have to be rid of it soon.
Fortunately, he would make for a fair bartering chip indeed, for a being that held the power and thirst to consume divine energy.
It was only after a few days of rest within his fortress that Ommok set out once more. He clasped the Stone. 'Come,' he bid Luna, and her body obeyed. Delicately, she lifted the staff and followed. Ommok found his way to Gormon, his greatest and largest soldier, his loyal ancient. "Gormon," he began, "have the guards bring out the Sleeper. It is high time that we visited our ally, and I think that he will find a suitable offering in that worthless shell."
Gormon grunted in acknowledgement of his orders and moved to obey.
Ommok walked on through the halls of his stone fortress and came across one of many ritual chambers. There, a few of his sorcerers were at practice; some honed their Astartian magic upon some of the more feral war wolves brought from the kennels, whilst other manipulated flames under the guidance of a watching fire djinn.
"Come, students," Ommok commanded, "we go to the mountains once more, to ask our ally for knowledge and offer him our gifts."
Eagerly, they obeyed and fell into the retinue at Ommok's heels. The King led the procession out the great doors of his fortress and into the great city that had grown around it. Everywhere there were training grounds and spears; his kingdom had grown strong in the last few years, and they had made use of all the knowledge of weaponry and toolmaking that their King had seen in his travels.
They left the city behind and made for the Venomweald's edge, then followed a narrow trail deep into the heart of the jungle. It was a trail that few dared walk without the King, for it was only through the magic of his Stone that the jungle was made tame and the horrors within were kept at bay.
Past the carnivorous trees and great pools of corrupting green sludge they marched, always in the darkness beneath a thousand trees. At last, they came to the slopes of the Ironheart mountains, the ground here so rocky that not even the choking jungle vegetation could take root. Onwards they walked, across ledges and narrow mountain trails until at last, they came to a great mountain that smouldered and spewed out ash. Into a gaping wound within the mount's side they walked, and the cavern's winding passages finally brought them to the end of their journey: the heart of a volcano.
Ommok stood at the precipice of a ledge that led down to a great magma chamber below. Something sensed his presence, and the magma stirred.
Luna stood beside Ommok, a blank look plastered on her face, indicating that Ommok's influence over her was still strong. However, inside her mind, something had once more stirred. Luna had already woken up many times before, and all those times she prodded the giant black thunderclouds above her with her spirit sense, trying to find a way to wrestle back control over her body from that strange being that possessed her.
Yet, each and every time she was struck down by the sheer force of the creature's powers. If it wasn't for Ull'Yang's symbol on the small boulder, Luna would not have been able to survive under the ruthless oppression of Ommok.
While on their way to the Ironheart mountains, Luna opened her spirit eyes. The boat rocked back and forth due to the turbulent currents of her spiritual sea, but it didn't capsize. Above the small boulder, an image appeared. At first, it was fuzzy, just like the first time she had seen it. Now, it was clearer.
Luna felt the being's control wavering like it was distracted by something. A thought passed through her mind to attempt to take back her body but she knew that she was too weak, and the moment the creature realised what she was doing, it would once again throw a thunderbolt at her and make her pass out. Thus, Luna decided to observe silently through the window above the boulder.
From the volcano's fiery heart emerged a magmatic being of titanic proportions, its great hands gripping the stone walls to pull itself up. Its body was formless, flowing, and terrifying cascade of Galbar's blood. That rising mass of molten rock coalesced into a visage, or perhaps that head had been lurking beneath the lava all along.
The giant of seared stone and liquid fire loomed over all, its breath a sulfurous haze of ash
"So you return, Ommok, in person no less," the giant spoke with a harsh and grating voice like the rumble of a landslide, so deep that it seemed to wash over all like a wave of fire. Where the volcanic tunnels had already been stiflingly hot, the aura of that being was like being burned alive; were it not for the sweat that already drenched all the mortals upon the ledge, they might have been immolated.
"With tribute, great Firelord Slag, and desire for know-"
"Silence," the fire djinn interrupted, and the normally prideful king snapped shut and obeyed. "...I am Firelord NO LONGER! The wretched djinni highlords of the lesser elements have taken to bestowing upon themselves ever higher titles, lest they be like the other pitiful and lowly 'lords', and so I too have claimed a title. You shall name me Baron Slag henceforth, lest your warm ashes fall from the skies like snow.
...Now, what are these beings that you dared bring before me unnanounced?"
Although her eyes were glued in front, Luna was able to sense her surroundings through the illusionary window. At first, she scanned her body from head to toe, checking if there were any injuries. Fortunately, it seemed that the being that had taken control of her body found some use in her, and hadn't mistreated it. Luna sighed in relief, as she wouldn't have to worry about any injuries impairing her escape, should she find a way to rid herself of its control.
Then, she turned her attention to the group of creatures surrounding her. With tall, muscular physique that was filled with strange symbols, the ogres struck Luna as brutish at first. However, she could not deny the fact that she could sense a kind of power emitting from within their bodies. It wasn't like the spiritual essence that flowed through her nor like the divine essence Ull'Yang unconsciously emitted. It was different... and very interesting. "I definitely have to ask master about this strange power once I reunite with him..."
As she was thinking that, an enormous amount of heat surged from within the depths of the volcano. Rumbling sounds were heard from beneath and two giant lava geysers erupted upwards. The lava coalesced into the form of hands that gripped at the mouth of the volcano as they dragged an even bigger mass of lava out of it. Luna simply stared at the beast as it took humanoid form and started conversing with a creature much like those that surrounded her, yet completely different at the same time.
Back at the cave, the werewolf had only managed to see the silhouette of Ommok in the darkness, right before she was struck unconscious by his power. Hence, it was her first time seeing the Ogre King in all of his glory. Luna eyed the creature, instinctively knowing that it was he that had attacked her and seized control over her body that day.
Even if she could only see his back, his towering figure, near twice taller than others of his kind, was able to instil a sense of fear into her that made Luna even more cautious about picking the right time to try and escape.
However, at that moment Luna felt a string of warm essence flow through her body. Inside her spiritual sea, her consciousness, a dim golden glow appeared beneath the boat that carried her. Luna immediately sent her spiritual sense to follow the string of essence, and she followed it all the way to her hand where her master's weapon laid.
The moment her mind touched the Sunderer, all the information about its abilities and potential uses that had previously flowed inside Ommok's mind entered hers as well. "So this is master's weapon, Ull'Yang's weapon!" Luna's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "With this in my hands, I can at least protect myself from these creatures." Luna's spirit form stood up inside the boat. She extended her hand in front of her and the Sunderer appeared in it; albeit semi-transparent and incorporeal, inside her consciousness, the divine aura the staff radiated was greatly amplified.
Meanwhile, the conversation between Slag and Ommok went on. "That one? It is some sort of divine; I sensed a presence deep within the Venomweald and found him at its source. It seems dormant. Do with it what you please; it is my gift to you, Baron Slag," Ommok answered, his speech delicate but quick.
Slag's brazen visage looked on impatiently as its burning gaze turned to face Yang'Ze, the hapless avatar still slung over Gormon's shoulder.
"Gormon!" the King snapped.
The brute simply grunted in acknowledgement.
Seething in frustration at the guard's stupidity, Ommok roared, "Bring it forward!"
Gormon grunted and began to slowly trudge closer to the precipice.
"As in for the other one, back there, I know not what it is; I found it attempting to enter the cave where I found the Divine. It is simply my vessel, for it can carry that staff. That staff is a strange artefact, one that I was hoping you mi-"
Slag's petrifying gaze remained locked on the approaching Gormon, and even that giant ogre was transfixed in fear. The fire djinn paid no heed to Ommok's rambling, for he was captivated by the sight of Yang'Ze. A divine, and one hapless at that? Such a thing was a feast unimaginable; its power would be his!
Ommok realised that Gormon had stopped, and once again seethed in silent anger. He stormed over to his ensign and roughly seized Yang'Ze, then carried the limp body over to the precipice's edge. As Luna was watching through the portal, she felt her captor's control over her waning even more. She could sense the feeling of anger slowly well up inside him, surely because of the mental link her had created between them. Luna grinned and clutched the essence-Sunderer with both of her hands.
"Take this offering, then, Baron Slag!" the Sorcerer King's voice resounded as he hefted Yang'Ze and made to cast him into the infernal pit. A simple fling was all it took for Ommok to hurl Yang'Ze from the ledge. The avatar, limp as ever, fell towards the bubbling lake of magma below, but his descent was stopped by an updraft. A cloud of superheated volcanic gas lifted Yang'Ze up to where Slag's face loomed, and the terrible djinn took a moment to examine his offering more closely.
"Right now!" she shouted and with a mighty heave, struck the small boulder in the centre of the boat, yet instead of shattering, the boulder remained still, like an ancient iceberg.
"Oooooooong~"
The moment the staff made contact with the boulder, waves of sound echoed throughout Luna's spiritual sea. At the same time, in the outside world, the Sunderer started vibrating and emitting rays of light.
"Oooooooong~"
Wherever the sound waves travelled, the ocean would revert to its previous calm state, the thunderbolts would cease, and the ominous black clouds would part.
"Oooooooong~"
Right behind the soundwaves, a scorching light washed over everything in its path. The light, a combination of the essences from the Uthkrein and the Sunderer, was able to purify and rid Luna's consciousness of Ommok's control.
In that instant, Ommok fell upon his knees and he too nearly plunged off the precipice. Though Slag took it for nothing more than simple grovelling, the proud king hadn't tried to kneel. It was a splitting headache that brought him low, for without warning a shockwave of force had travelled through his mental link with Luna and assaulted his mind. Just like that, his tether over her had snapped and she was free once more.
Clutching his head, he rose to his feet once more and spun around, only to see her clubbing one of his minions in the head. As the ogre fell over, she swiftly jumped on it and using it as a stepping stone, leapt towards the Yang'Ze's levitating body. Power surged through her fingers and the Sunderer suddenly shapeshifted, changing its form into that one of a red hook attached to a long, golden chain.
While in mid-air, Luna shot the hook forward towards the avatar's body. The hook coiled around Yang'Ze's leg, and Luna immediately pulled the body towards her with great force.
A gargantuan hand of molten rock swung out as if to swat a fly, but instead, it grabbed the golden chain. It was like trying to grasp a single thread of a spider's web, but nonetheless, Slag's grip was iron. His semi-liquid hands flowed through and around the chains, so there was no breaking his grasp. Luna did not expect such a huge being like Slag would possess such swift speed, to be able to grab at the chain right before she had retracted it.
Unfortunately for her, she did not have wings and could not fly. As such, Luna suddenly found herself swinging all over the place as she held on to Sunderer's chain. Slag lifted the chain and looked at the dangling body of Yang'Ze, and on the other end, the little wolf that still clung onto the Sunderer's shaft.
A faint howling was audible in the distance.
"Let go you vile beast!" Luna shouted, but deep inside she knew that there was no way something like that would happen. Her mind started racing. Using the power of the Uthkrein put an immense stress on her mind, and if Ventus could deflect its blow, then Luna was sure that the elemental in front of her would not so much as feel a sting.
A deep, diabolical rumble resounded from within Slag's chest: laughter. A cloud of fine volcanic ash and brimstone poured out from his maw. Luna coughed as the fumes invaded her nostrils. Although she was finally in possession of the Sunderer, she was no expert when it came to staff techniques and its abil-
"Wait! Abilities! Yes, I can do that!" Luna's eyes darted to where Yang'Ze's body hanging. She then looked over at Slag and a sly smile appeared on her face. Luna circulated her essence and the Sunderer emitted a dim light. Suddenly, Yang'Ze's body disappeared, sucked inside the Sunderer's own storage space.
The nearly inaudible howls had grown, and now it was like a hundred screams echoed inside the cavernous walls, and yet there was no discernable source.
The dazed ogres and Slag alike had a look of confusion about them for one long moment, and then there was havoc. A mighty gale billowed down from the vent above, and amidst the writhing, winds were distorted patches of air: wind djinn.
A dozen streaks cut through the air in a dervish around Slag's colossal body, and the air itself cackled and shivered with static energy for a moment. Then, in unison, they hurled spears of lightning at the baron.
"Submit, Firelord!" rang out the voice of Cyclonis from amidst a great vortex above.
Slag watched as some foreign magic stole the avatar away from his grasp and then a dozen flies manifested to assault him. In an instant, his temper was gone, and the volcano itself trembled at his ire when he roared.
With callous and tremendous force, he hurled Luna down to the cleft where the ogres stood. Luna let out a scream and crashed down, but fortunately, the ogres were there to cushion her fall. She manoeuvred herself to land with her feet on one of the ogres. Cracking sounds of bones were heard and the ogre beneath her was pinned face down on the ground. Luna borrowed the rebounding force and somersaulted a few feet away.
The Sunderer in her hands changed its form to that of a spear, and Luna - trying to balance herself as the tremors from Slag's outrage shook the mountain - shoved it on the ground with force and held on to it.
"YOU DARE BRING THESE INTERLOPERS HERE, OMMOK? YOU THOUGHT THAT THIS PLOY WOULD WORK ON ME?"
Slag bellowed with a wild and primal rage, and from his breast there surged a plume of fire that writhed and shrouded him. The ravenous flames sucked in and devoured the air, and the dozen wind djinn about him only barely managed to escape. They retreated to the very edges of the magma chamber, but Cyclonis surged forward.
Ommok choked out some explanation or plea for mercy down below, but it went unheard over the djinn. Cyclonis, unfazed and arrogant, proclaimed, "It was the Council that bid me extinguish a rogue flame, and it will be to the great Vizier Ventus and the Conclave of Winds that you swear fealty to!"
Once again, Cyclonis commanded, "SUBMIT!" From the djinni lord's fingertips there came a gale that would have flattened a village and scattered mortals like leaves upon the wind, but to Cyclonis' horror, it did nothing to Slag. If anything, it only fed his flames, for Slag seemed to glower even brighter from it.
"YOU CAN'T CONTAIN ME, WRETCH!"
A gargantuan hand flew through the air in a backhanding motion, though Cyclonis dodged it easily. Striking him was not the purpose. Slag brought his other hand up, and in the superheated region of air where he had waved his hand, there was suddenly born a flame. With unimaginable swiftness and raw power, the flicker of fire grew into a raging torrent and Slag channelled the inferno towards Cyclonis.
The wind djinn darted and soared through the air in evasive patterns, but Slag only cackled as the river of fire flew from his fingertips, recoiled upon the walls, and rained down to scorch and incinerate everything below. Two of the dozen greater djinn under Cyclonis' command were caught in the flames, and their harrowing screams rattled through the magma chamber as they were devoured by fire.
Luna watched as the chaos around her unfurled. Through the booming sounds of explosions and the mountain rumbling, she heard the familiar voice of Cyclonis shouting something at Slag. Luna did not give it a second thought. "Huh, why should I care for those that refused to aid me? They deserve to be similarly abandoned as much as anyone else..." she thought.
"It's not like they need help, they outnumber him completely..." However, that thought was immediately scraped when she saw how easily Slag deflected the collective might of the djinn. As his fires consumed two of the bigger humanoids amongst the wind djinn, Luna started having second thoughts. She looked at the tunnel behind her and then looked at djinn in front of her that were currently battling with Slag, and a great dilemma arose in her mind. Willingly put herself into a dangerous position in order to help the djinns, and potentially obtain a powerful ally, or escape and live another day?
As if oblivious to the raging heat below, a small brush clinging to the side of the volcano rustled in the cool breeze. A peculiar patch of dense, moving fog left some dew upon the plant's leaves.
Synnefos scoured the bleak mountain slopes; he had been on Luna's trail once more and had tracked her thus far, but here he was at a loss. He had smelt that particular aura of Ull'Yang up to this point and he felt it nearby, but hours of searching the mountain had led to nothing. Surely Luna, the aura's source, was not within the volcano? Synnefos dared not battle the plume of ash to enter the volcano's chimney, and he similarly doubted that any being of flesh would be so foolish.
After some time he eventually discovered a hole in the volcano's side that led into a seemingly expansive cavern. That was his best bet, and so the rolling cloud of fog drifted inside. Quickly Synnefos became lost in the labyrinth of tunnels, and the stifling heat was anathema to him. Nonetheless, he pressed on and soon came across an alarming sight: a panicked ogre charged down the tunnel, making its way to the cave's entrance. Synnefos moved in the direction that the ogre had come, and quickly saw more; it seemed that was not the only one fleeing from whatever awaited.
As he drew closer, a confusing cacophony of sounds became clear. Synnefos flew swiftly, for now he feared that Luna might be in danger.
Chased by Slag's flames, Cyclonis wove back and forth with all his swiftness, deftly evading it and awaiting the end. Slag only laughed on and on, and there was no end to that torrent of fire. Never before had Cyclonis seen a djinn of such power; defeating him would take all his skill.
In one agile manoeuvre, he darted laterally before predicting the path of Slag's flames, ducking below it, and flying straight for the Baron. Cyclonis tightened an ethereal fist and conjured a shroud of cackling energy, then delivered his blow. With a fist of lightning and at devastating speed, he struck Slag straight in the chest. Nothing.
So shocked was Cyclonis that he failed to evade Slag's grasping hand, and so he was clutched by a hundred amorphous fingers of fire and lava.
"At last, I have you now," Slag rumbled. His hand tightened around the djinni's essence, his own essence holding it in place. Djinn were intangible to mortals, but they had a way of grabbing hold of one another.
Slowly, tortuously, Slag tightened his grip, superheating and killing Cyclonis. "BURN! SUBMIT!" he jeered and mocked.
Cyclonis unfurled his physical form and exploded outwards as a mere Flicker, only barely managing to escape. He pulled together the air about him and coalesced into a physical form once more. Weakened and utterly defeated, he let out the command, "Retreat! Fall back to the skies!"
The ragged remnants of his cohort were only too ready to oblige.
Slag roared and threw great globs of magma at the fleeing wind djinn. Insects. They were nothing before him, fit only to be crushed and burned!
His attention turned once more to the ledge before him. Ommok still stood there, trembling in panic, but there nonetheless. That was more than could be said for the most of other ogres. Slag felt the heat within each of the worthless fleshlings as they ran through the tunnels. There was only one ogre remaining by the King's side: Gormon. The ancient lazily yawned as he awaited his master's next order, either brave beyond belief or too stupid to realise his own danger.
Baron Slag inhaled deeply, seeming to calm if only slightly. "OMMOK!" he roared, "Bring that one back to me." Luna's whole body trembled, her hair standing up straight as the elemental's gaze locked on her. She had made a mistake. She hesitated, and now she would pay for that mistake.
The Baron pointed one massive finger towards Luna's minuscule form, and Ommok quickly spun and raised his Stone. The thing was pulled straight from his clutches, by a cloud of mist no less.
Synnefos cast the Stone towards the precipice, and with a yelp, Ommok dived after it and only barely managed to knock it back onto the ledge. He scrambled after the Stone as it rolled across the floor.
Meanwhile, Synnefos swept right around Gormon (who welcomed the unexpected respite of a cooling mist) and into Luna. Though she did not perceive him with her sight, Luna yelped as she felt a chilly current sweeping her up with surprising force and making for the tunnels behind her. His voice hissed out, "Bite not the hand that rescues you; I come as your salvation." Luna at once realised that it was a djinn that had rushed in to save her, and although she was suspicious of the djinn, she wouldn't refuse the help it offered.
With a terrifying roar that dwarfed all those before, Slag awakened the sleeping volcano and made it erupt in a violent explosion. The magma below welled up and surged upwards, flooding the entire cavity. Synnefos, Cyclonis' cohort, and the fleeing sorcerers raced through the vents and tunnels as fast as they could, though the lava outran an unfortunate few.
In his fit of rage Slag did nothing to spare his incompetent ally. Fortunately, the Stone was more forgiving to Ommok. The Sorcerer King muttered an enchantment and then clutched onto the Stone for dear life. Using that magically buoyant stone as a float, he bobbed atop the lava as it bubbled out of the volcano's crater and slowly flowed down the mountainside. So terrified was he that the fireproofing enchantment might fail, he hardly noticed Gormon clinging onto his back to share in the Stone's protection. Gormon grunted in thanks for his master saving him from the scary-red-hot-water, then fell asleep.
The volcano's low rumble sounded over the Venomweald as Slag raged on.
@Kho
I still draw objection to the Mangrove's sheer size. Haven't read the new IC posts yet to know what's up with oceans, but I'll take your word for it and update the map collection. Sometime. Probably in no sooner than a week or two from now, if I keep with precedent.
I still draw objection to the Mangrove's sheer size. Haven't read the new IC posts yet to know what's up with oceans, but I'll take your word for it and update the map collection. Sometime. Probably in no sooner than a week or two from now, if I keep with precedent.
<Snipped quote by Cyclone>
Also, that's low swamplands, like asked for.
I think that swampland was supposed to be by the tiny strait to the Metatic Sea.
As is, it's like there's a swampland spanning from Brazil to Africa across the Atlantic.
The Sparkling Sea also connects to the Fractal still, so far as I know. I don't think the Mangrove is a literal isthmus that crosses the entire ocean.
ed: also
i was wondering where the first strike target by mother suprema and the sisterhood should be when the Lovecraftian rainbow apocalypse happens eventually
...
should i just
ed ed: On second thoughts, it's such a stronghold that it's probably best left for last, if at all. Also Teknall might get mad.
The scheming goes on elsewhere.
In the works:
1. Part 3 of the Luna collab I have going on with Vec
2. A collab involving Zeph himself that explains what the hell he made on his little world and all that
3. A single post with Ventus organizing his djinn and interacting with the mortals
4. The elementals fighting Vestec's horde, which will happen whenever Stand is finally done
We can chuck a collab of elementals vs. Change Eaters somewhere into that pile if you want.
To Inherit
Vizier Ventus, Majordomo to Zephyrion
Level 7 Hero
36 Khookies
The Great Artisan, Divine Mason, Builder of Civilisations
Level 4 God of Crafting (Masonry, Carpentry)
21 Might & 2 Free Points
The Muse. Weaver of Dreams.
Beauty (Stories, Colors, Aesthetic)
Might: 22
Free Point: 2
==--``~~~~``--==
Ventus soared back to the alcazar of his master, and as the palace's spires came within his sight he could not help but notice how dull they looked. In times past he had oft marvelled at the sheer brilliance of the dawn's gleam upon those pearly walls, but now it seemed that life had lost its luster for him in more ways than one.
Something was amiss at the Celestial Citadel; Ventus could hear a great tumult, and it mirrored the inner turmoil that plagued his thought. Drawing closer, a strange feeling of wrong seemed to hang in the air. Vizier Ventus arrived neither early nor late, but precisely on time to witness Zephyrion's banishment. The colossal figure of Fate and the smaller (but equally daunting) ones of Amul'Sharar and Vowzra were all to be seen, though the djinni did not recognize any of them by appearance.
It was in a mere instant he understood well enough what had happened, if not why. With that final, vengeful roar Zephyrion disappeared into nothingness and so too did those other Divines that had seen fit to judge him. The shout of a god was forceful indeed, and so it was for many impossibly long moments that Zephyrion's scream echoed in the wind. At last there came a time when the sound ended. Silence reigned in the soaring palace.
Numb, you could say Ventus was, though by virtue of his form the feeling was more mental than physical. In an instant he had been stripped of a sense of self and a purpose, both things so integral to him and taken for such granted that he felt devoid of life itself in their absence. For one sunrise and one sunset, he stayed suspended in the sky gawking at the distant Celestial Citadel. Upon the wind he heard many murmurs; it was the talk of djinn, and there was confusion and the seeds of chaos already.
The Vizier blinked, and was whole again. As abruptly as he had snapped back to his senses, he rocketed through the sky towards the Citadel. Already it was crowded with all manner of djinn come to see for themselves what had happened; where before Zephyrion and the Skylords did not allow such a rabble, now every bleak and empty hall was a wirthing storm filled with countless elementals. Through the throngs Ventus fought, seeking to find Ilunabar and her Divas in their quarter.
Ilunabar had strengthened the barriers around her quarters from the moment she noticed the blinding presence of Fate and Amul'Sharar. At the first instants of their appearance she feared that the portal she opened with Belvast's help had not been appreciated, but quickly she discovered that it was, in fact, Zephyrion the one being judged.
This bothered the muse; he was not only a good friend, but his force had been positive to the beauty of the universe since the beginning. She knew not why the god was being judged, but it also made it clear how vigilant the greater deities were.
Ilunabar, however, was one that always thought about what was to come than about what was happening. She could not lose her time being mesmerized and instead ordered the Divas to barricade and protect the quarters. Without Zephyrion, things were surely getting messier.
By the time of Ventus' arrival, the Quarters was mostly sealed off from the Citadel, with the exception of a small passage, which the goddess opened as soon as she noticed. The visage of the quarters was very different from the usual, doors were sealed, the light was dim, and most of the artwork and schematics being exposed had been stored away.
Ventus was hardly surprised to see that Ilunabar's quarters were barricaded. When a small passageway was opened for him, he quickly darted through the door before any others make their entry. The dismal apparance of the chambers stood in stark contrast to what he had seen before, and it would seem that their artworks and possessions were already being packed away.
As a gust of wind Ventus billowed through the drafty hallways until he found his way to Ilunabar in person. He wasted no time on formality, something that stood in stark contrast to his usual demeanor. "Ilunabar, from how your artworks are gone I take it that you intend to leave? What has happened here?"
"Dearheart, first it was Zephyrion getting punished by Fate, now there is a typhoon of elementals raging across the halls of the Citadel; simply put, the place took a sudden turn for the worse."
She walked around a bit, checking her surroundings to make sure everything was getting packed correctly.
"I will not leave, for now, I have many ongoing projects here, like a certain very strong beverage, but overall I think it is time for me to search for more interesting places to store my things. One without the chance of a storm spirit entering my quarters and turning everything into charred paper."
Ventus inhaled, and like a roaring fire his breath seemed to pull in the entire room's air. He exhaled with a deep sigh. "Fate? Zephyrion oft spoke of that entity with disdain."
He rested in deep thought, then spoke once more, "Some of those djinn outside drift in and out only to satiate curiosity, but even now I hear others clamoring to seize the palace for themselves."
"As I imagined, and that could become troublesome for me. I imagine most of them won't have the courteousness to respect my personal space like Zephyrion did."
She deliberated for a few moments "I would like to avoid a conflict with the elementals. I assume that as I fend off invaders from my quarters the overall opinion of the others will go down too. On the other side I cannot leave right now as there are still many tasks that I can only perform here."
"Kindness and respect you have shown to me, and so I personally shall strive to return so much. But in this aspect I cannot speak for all others.
Though satisfaction may evade some so long as you rest here, they be powerless to intrude if you simply keep your quarters barricaded as they are now. Perhaps a compromise can be reached, or they will forget about your presence in time. Or you could vow to leave at some point in the future, and that may satisfy them for now. It is hard to say," he mused aloud.
The ruckus in the Celestial Citadel had drawn the attention of another individual. A goblin with a leather apron descended into a portico and walked through the halls of the Citadel. He was unaffected by the buffeting of the elementals, as unyielding as a mountain to the winds. Clearly disgruntled by the trespassers he advanced deeper into the palace, heading towards Ilunabar's quarters.
This goblin needed no doors to get in, for he owned the walls themselves. Teknall stepped through the stone barrier and emerged inside Ilunabar's quarters. He looked to Ventus, Ilunabar and the Divas. Finally he settled his gaze on Ventus. "Let me see if I understand the situation correctly. When Zephyrion was banished, all these djinn thought that the Celestial Citadel was open to be claimed, yes?"
Ventus recognized Teknall at once even behind the mask that was his goblin body; after all, when they last met Teknall had been in the shape of a humble Hain. "Claim? No, they would say inherit. Reclusive as he was, the question of Zephyrion's will is rather ambiguous. It would seem an open question whether these halls pass to myself, all of Zephyrion's children, we of the sky and storm who were his favorites, or perhaps simply remain in the hands of these Skylords that have long guarded the sacred palace.
I suspect that by Good Zephyrion's wishes these halls should be consigned to my ownership alone, though I know not whether I have the heart to quarrel or fight over mere brick and mortar."
Teknall scoffed. "Mere brick and mortar? You forget one thing, Ventus." He sweeped his arms at the masonry of the room. "I own these walls. I created them before your kind even existed. Even now my power rests in them. Zephyrion might have spent more time here, but my right to ownership of this place is equal to his own. If anyone is fit to 'inherit' this place, it is myself, although the term doesn't quite fit since I have always owned it. Understood?"
A disappointing reaction was Teknall's, though hardly surprising. Ventus' mind at once conjured memory of his master comparing the only gods to flies and carrion birds, all prepared to descend upon whatever they could steal. It seemed a fitting metaphor; where before Zephyrion's cynicism had seemed absurd, now it was truth.
Ventus stiffened and found some of the resolve that he had only just claimed to lack. "Is a fishmonger entitled to the entire sea? These walls were hewn by your hand yet built for Zephyrion, and though your power simmers still in those walls, it is drowned out a thousandfold by that of your dear brother, for these were where he spent near his every moment. In my time here I have seen the creation of mortals and this planet and witnessed Slough's power a dozen times, and yet in all those eons you walked these halls...perhaps thrice?
I remember too Zephyrion welcoming you as a guest, to no objection on your part then. Yet here you stand now, come to claim our home. You realize that in His absence, it is we whose power holds this citadel in the sky? Fight the djinn of storm and wind in those halls then, and witness your triumph lead to this palace shattering upon the earth below."
"Oh please do not crash the citadel into the ground. That is where I store most of my things."
"I threaten nothing, merely warn that forcing out myself or my kind will have dire consequences."
Ilunabar sighed. "Teknall, Ventus, as much as I find this rivalry kinda endearing, I do need to question the why of such behavior. On one side a god who spends most of his time very far away from here, on the other, an elemental who doesn't even need most of these rooms. In fact, most of the rooms have been empty since Lifprasil left, no?"
Teknall grunted, and his temper simmered a little longer. Although he may have only visited occassionally, he still held an equal share of the divine power within the Citadel. He could easily drive every elemental out by force, have the very walls fight against them, but what would that gain? The majesty of the Celestial Citadel would stand just as well regardless of whether it was occupied by himself or the djinn.
"The traces of Zephyrion's presence may drown out my own a thousand fold, but that is transient. The Celestial Citadel intrinsically contains equal parts of Zephyrion's power and my own." He paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain an abstract concept. "Ilunabar, as a fellow diety you would understand the concept that this place, the Celestial Citadel, forged by the divine power of myself and Zephyrion, its very presence and splendor... reinforces our divinity. It is intrinsically tied to our very essence. That is my claim to this place, one much deeper than any measure of time spent here."
Teknall thought a little longer and took a breath. His temperament had cooled somewhat. He continued, "But perhaps I am being rash. As the architect, whoever takes up residency here does not impact my connection to this place. I maintain that I still own this place, but Zephyrion owned it too, so it would make sense for someone to take care of the Citadel in his stead."
"Beyond simple residency, understand that in Zephyrion's absence it falls to us to maintain Change, carry out Nature's Decree, and enforce the Natural Hierarchy of the djinn. These halls will no longer rest empty; I would claim this palace as the seat of power for myself and the djinn.
"By Zephyrion's grace he allowed guests, but now, having seen the horrid machinations of Toun and Vestec and Jvan, I have no desire to suffer the meddling of divines. The uppermost levels of this Citadel, at least, I ask to be ours alone."
"As Zephyrion's self-claimed hiers, you can claim what Zephyrion had," Teknall replied, "so you can use it as a palace, or seat of power, or whatever, just as Zephyrion did. Zephyrion already had the upper levels as his own private space, so that would continue. Aside from these rooms here the Citadel is presently unoccupied anyway, so that makes little difference. The physical structure is still mine, as it always has been. Just as Zephyrion was never the sole owner of the Citadel, neither can you. But you are free to do as you see fit in the Citadel, provided neither you nor your djinn disturb Ilunabar, our resident. Of course, if Zephyrion returns, which is a possibility, he will likely want the Citadel back, but that is your problem, not mine. Is that fair?"
The Muse was just happy her home wasn't going to be blown up today. Thought she also took the event as a sign that it was time to look for a new area to set up her atelier.
"This arrangement shall do," the Vizier answered, "for now."
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