Nightling's Story

Nightling

The blood of the battlefield ran into the earth, the blood pooled into two holes the smaller one was a bowl shaped of obsidian and a trench of stone. The obsidian pool of godly blood bubbled and a ugly small hairy man popped his head out of the pool and as he walked out the blood dried in to an armor that was as light as leather and as hard as the dragon gods scales. He walked to the trench and started slobbering because he was hungry and the blood pooled in the trench smelled good. As his slobber touched the blood new life took form, a small humanoid started leaving the pool but the new god unhinged his jaw and swallowed the mortal. The next three met the same fate, but the fifth one poked him in the eye and got out of the blood, the next one that escaped was killed and removed from the blood by the mortal. The cycle continued, of the three hundred that tried to escape only thirty were alive at the feast on their brothers. After they ate they wanted more so they decided to dig alongside the blood waterfall to the place where more was. As the days went by the nightlings, was what he called the small meals that followed him, he had named them after himself, and they started to change ones that ate the stone grew a hard outer coating, the ones that snacked on gems had developed a shiny shell. They found a dead dragon and they fed on it, one started burping fire, another grew scales, two or three grew wings one even functioned. They could see in the dark, smell the heat and blood, and becase the blood had been mixed with chaotic and unchaotic blood they could eat chaos creatures for a few days before they were corrupted, and they tasted terrible. Three of them popped there head out and the sun fried them they were dragged back in and consumed, Nightling felt in his pockets something and as he removed the items there were some goggles and he wore them and could see in the light the same. They waited and the few creatures that entered the hole were eaten. The god and his mortals waited for the darkness that would come. When the sun set they exited the tunnels, the moon did not kill them but it hurt their eyes so Nightling had to lead them. As they traveled they saw a large creature moving slowly they dug holes easily though the dirt, while another group ran after a minute to rip it apart, but as they got close they felt the pressure of a apex predator and stopped. Nightling screeched ordering his mortals to eat the creature, and they went for the tree creature’s roots.

Gorgon
She awoke on the planes of the inferno, the last thing she remembered was seeing father destroyed by the girl, she was still alive Gorgon remember the girl father had talked to her when the armored one was still here after the armor and the girl had disappeared father had gone mad and destroyed the land. But she also remembered that father had made a deal with her. If she killed her father then the only ones who could stop her were the ones father hated, she slithered to the palace where the woman had herself queen and entered the room looking for the new queen or one of the other of her father’s enemies to tell of the girl that had escaped from the inferno just to kill her father.

The pair had been arguing for a while now. Even as they were walking, they seemed truly incapable of agreeing. Indeed, even now, they were arguing about where they were going. It was an argument that started nearly three steps into their journey, when the female half of the twins wanted to go in the opposite direction of the male half. It was soon settled that they would head in a third direction, but now the argument had evolved. After all, it seemed like they were going slightly more towards the male’s direction as opposed to the female’s direction. It was indeed an argument of no significance, yet, to the pair, it was momentarily the most important part of their so far short lives.

So Important was their conversation, that they didn’t notice it had become night, or that there were now foul predators nearby. In fact, only when the ground beneath their feet moved did they notice these new presences, too late perhaps to properly evade their vicious attack. With a single bite a part of the male half’s feet was torn off before the pair could jump to a safer distance, their attention suddenly on the new arrivals. ”Ya feel that?! Sheesh, talk about a jerk. I like their style though.” The female half said, chuckling at the wound her brother had suffered. A sigh escaped from the male half as tree and plants regrew, covering up and replacing the area that was lost by the bite of the creature. ”Of course, you would. But what are these things?” He said, turning to his sister. ”Who cares! I wanna know who send ‘em!” The female retorted.

As if suddenly beckoned by the god that had sent the creatures after them they looked back to where they were standing and said in perfect unison: ”That was most rude. What are you and what do you want?”

Nightling
The tree creature spoke his blood allowed him to remember the speech “me hunter, you prey, die so that I may live.” He made a screech again and while a few of his creatures retreated, one breathed fire on the tree god. The two that had eaten the roots had started to glow; they collapsed and exploded because the god flesh was too powerful for them. Thirteen of them ran to hide in the hole, judging this beast was too much; he would eat a few of them later for their impudence. “we will meet again, I shall feast on you there will be more of my children, follow me in the hole I shall feast on you flesh and my children shall grow stronger.” he then screeched and he and his children ran into the hole.

Gorgon
As she slithered she saw two of the gods but as soon as she saw them, something started to pull at her mind. Her love for her father was equal to the pull that was leading her away from the god then she saw something flying in the sky, a white crow one of the two other servants of Kreios that had been alive during the final battle. Her brother was probably somewhere wormed into a new body, feeding on anything that got in his way. The sight of the crow gave her strength to yell one thing before the pull was too strong “the girl that killed father, she was here before father was king of this land” then she slithered with full speed towards the jewel.

The pair frowned slightly as the strange creature spoke, his voice piercing the gloom and darkness around them. ”Me hunter, you prey, die so that I may live.” The screech that followed the creatures few words made the twins grimace, closing their eyes as the strange creatures accompanying the screeching creature set fire to part of the male half before rushing into a hole of sorts.

The female half’s laugh was hysterical as the male half desperately attempted to put the fire out, slapping his arm until charred pieces of wood fell to the ground, only to form small black beetles upon reaching their destination. ”Do it again, do it again!” The female half shouted as she clapped her hands together. The male half could only shake his head, a pained expression on his face. ”I Like that guy. Let’s follow him and become friends!” The female half said, smiling madly as she looked at the hole the creature disappeared in. ”I do not think doing so will be beneficial to us at this time. I believe we would be better served finding some other creature to converse with.” The male half responded, the pained expression now fading as the charred pieces of his arm made way for new and healthy wood. ”I guess…” The female half retorted as their body swung round and left the area with some haste.

”But at least we are not alone.” They suddenly said in unison as they walked off into the distance, once more travelling to meet others like themselves.

Of the twenty five that had survived the battle five of them were eaten by the one who stayed to fight. When he was above the ground he had smelled more apex predators but he had sensed some enter his territory. It would take time to get there but there must be more things to eat on the way there but fighting more of the apex he would need more men, he led his remaining nightlings back to the birth pit somehow he sensed that he would need the bodies of the dead so they dragged the dead chaos beasts to the pit and threw them in, the last ingredient was his drool. Again the cycle started at the end his numbers were at sixty and when the tunneling began he smelt dead bodies, a few pit stops to increase the power of his mortals wouldn’t hurt.

Nightling was leading his children to the first of mass graves he had smelled a swamp full of death, what Nightling didn’t know was that it was the plague swamp where the gods had killed the plague beasts. He ordered his children to stop digging because it wasn’t safe to tunnel but some of the young ones kept digging when the tunnel collapsed on them killing five of them, another of the younger ones dug up into the light of the sun his hole was at an angle where the light would of killed half of them lucky one that was riddled with gem all over shot a cloud of darkness out of his mouth saving them all but the stupid young one. Nightling saw that the cloud had saved his mortals and looked at his creatures already there were four that were as tall as him he decided to call them Dragon’s Breath, Dragon’s Skin, The Gemed One, and The Winged One they had shown that they were the alphas in this group. He communicated with The Gemed One for hours waiting for the sun to set, the cloud of darkness that had covered the hole had hardened into a fluffy wall, and the six bodies split between the mortals to eat, somehow with the grunts, squeaks, yelps and other sounds they had discovered that he was one of only three that could use this kind of skill, a memory from the blood that made him gave him the word magic. When night came they hunted, jumping from tree to tree ripping the bodies from the sludge, chewing on the trees leaving tree with chunks ripped out and what ever was floating gone like some king of giant locusts had eaten the forest. The next morning they had enough food for weeks and went to store it in the blood pools, but by half way twenty had collapsed from the sickness in the bodies, at the end of the trip back to the blood pools the sixty that had left there were only forty-three alive with eight rendered useless, the bodies including the eight that were still alive were thrown into the pit along with some of the food from the swamp. The four alphas had all survived though Dragon’s Skin had developed a rash and when he breathed some kind of powder came out it had hit one of the smaller ones and caused him to die. Nightling had ripped part of his clothes off making a kind of vale to cover the mouth, he then ripped three more pieces off and gave it to the other three alphas as proof of their leadership, Dragon’s Breath wore his as a bandana, The Gemed One wore his like a necklace, and The Winged One wore his on his arm. At the feast of the newborn they discussed the dangers of prey how the wood creature was too dangerous to fight and how the swamp had killed them from the inside. They weren’t sure if the mistake that were being made again and again was good, but they finally decided the rule was you could not tell all the dangers till they had finished their first hunts. They then led their numbers up to the next of the stops before they attacked the creatures in their territory.

Nightling was leading his men when he felt one of the other like him the apex life sniff out, he told the others to head to the monastery ruins ahead of him. He dug as fast as he could going to this dead beast before another could eat him. He got to the body but smelled other apex nearby so he dug a hole where the body would fall straight down. He dug it and the body fell down he quick unhinged his jaw carrying the ash away as fast as he could ignoring the sounds of pursuit down here in the darkness was his element and this body was his alone, his children could gorge themselves on mortal meat but this meat is what he lived for.

The figure in orange suddenly disappeared down into the earth, leaving the young immature God all alone once more, thoroughly confused as to how she managed to pull off such a feat. He started to dig into the ground with his open hands in the belief that she was far down below but after a short while, he remembered and still felt the second presence still lingering in the air. After standing up straight from the little man-hole Splendy made, he turned towards the direction that where he could feel it coming from, but stopped just as he was in the middle of his step.

The presence of a God was like the heat of a sun's radiant light. Splendy never felt so cold before almost like someone had just switched the sun off.

It took a few moments before the young god could move again and move towards the direction which he last felt the presence. No bells rang, no thoughts coursed through his head, and he hadn't thought of even breathing. Even for a god of immaturity, he could tell something happened, though the question of what coursed through his mind with haste. His footsteps quickened as an overwhelming sense of curiosity overpowered the unusually silent God.

The heat of the sun came back on, the presence finally back, stronger even! He started to run, the bells of his tendrils ringing, and a colour path following his path but he hadn't need to run so far to come in the clearing and look at the four figures. Splendy couldn't help but be unable to know what had happened but he could, in a primitive mindset, understand the gravity of the situation. He was hesitant to see so many beings at once but he approached them with a slow walk, towering above them all, racked with nerves. He was uncertain whether he should just turn around and run or stay.

"H-Hello?" The newborn stuttered for the first time, a single bell only managing to ring, and the gaze of eight eyes upon him. His sight however, fell on the beast that had the ashes of the one on the ground in his mouth, his head turned to the thing's direction as it ran off into the tunnels below.

Mathias did even react to Adarani when she appeared. He words just made Mathias sink to a depression...the lost of the one he called Brother...it was almost too much to bear. Cragin was one of the things he cared most in this world. All they have been through all they have done....he could never have felt more lost and alone than he did now. Mathias was on the verge of tears and when Acanthus came he knew he would cry the same. The combined sorrow of Adarani and Acanthus was almost enough to bring upon his tears until an unexpected even occurred.

A creature he had not seen before came up from underneath them and took a mouthful of Cragin's ashes. Stunned, Mathias could not act until the beast burrowed away. Furious Mathias lept from his sitting state and had such a look, it could burn right through steel. Mathias in anger unleashed a form of Magic he knew not he possessed. His fist glowed with righteous fire, like that Justice used during the Cataclysm, sorrow and fury clouded his mind and he sent a golden ball of flame down the hole. He had no way of knowing if he would hit anything, it was pretty much a crap shoot considering the complexity of the tunnels. Still Mathias had no reasoning in his mind and he kept shooting the righteous fireballs one after another down in the tunnels. Explosions could be felt underneath them, while it was just destroying the underground soil, it did nothing to stop whatever beast had stolen the ashes.

"GIVE THEM BACK!!" "GIVE THEM BACK, GIVE THEM BACK!!!" Mathias repeated as tears began to flow from his enraged eyes. He kept throwing the fireballs recklessly down the hole caring not if he even did hit the creature. His pent up emotions was giving away and the once sturdy and calm Mathias was now angered and his wrath was directed on the ground below. Unfortunately all it seemed to do was ensure the creature's escape with Cragin's ashes. "DAMN YOU!!" Mathias shouted at the ground as if blaming it for Cragin's death. He kept raining the fire down in the hole. Mathias didn't even noticed the tall being walking up and giving a shy hello.

Sairis' eyes snapped open as memories flooded his mind. The God of the Wilderness, Cragin. He remembered curing Kreios' corruption with him, all the times Cragin had bravely stood against any god that dared tarnish the wild, an old friend, though he shouldn't be to Sairis. He didn't care though, whether it was him or something else in his mind, he felt Cragin's life fade away, and was utterly crushed.

"Another memory I don't want to have. Why do so many awful things have to happen?" his head dropped into his hands as he said this, thoughts swirling around inside his head. Suddenly, a nudge. Something encroaching on the edge of his senses. Darkness, Cragin's ashes had entered into darkness. How though? Did it have something to do with how he died. He turned his focus upon what exactly was happening that he was sensing, and he saw it.

Ripping Kylian's sword out of the ground as he stood, an inky blackness formed around it and slowly collapsed to form a cross charm around his wrist. And instantly he dashed straight at the nearest tree's shadow, rage filling his mind. The memories of a thousand angers all urging him towards an action he'd have already taken. Reaching the shadow, he slid right into it. He found himself in darkness, without form, without warmth. This was a place where light had never been invented. But all darkness is one and the same, all places without light brought together in this place. So all he needed do, is reach forward.

"I found you!" he growled out as he dragged the god with Cragin's ashes out of the darkness he was in. A single step, and he dragged him right back into the field he had just ran away from. Straight out of a shadow reaching across the ground, he saw Mathias kneeling on the ground, and with a rather forced smile called out, "Looking for this?" as he tossed the god completely out of the darkness and into the meadow.

Mathias was taken aback from Adarani's and Ahuv's words. Mathias had absolutely no idea how to respond to such a thing. Love? What is love to him? It was a strange sensation, one that Mathias doesn't seem to mind. While words could not express what he was feeling he struggled to speak. "I...I-I am glad your well...," Mathias felt bashful as he paused, "...I thank you for...stopping me from doing anything more stupid....than what I have already done." Mathias spoke not sure of what else to say.

What does this mean to him? Mathias would need time to contemplate these matters, considering he just lost not only his brother but his most closest friend. Before more could be spoke a new figure stepped from the shadows and Mathias lept to his feet defensive of this new face. Mathias stared at the darkly clothed man as he presented him with the most coincidental boon. It was that of the creature that stole Cragin's ashes mere moments earlier. Mathias had no inkling of how he could have found him. Then it donned on Mathias, was he the one that made that rumbling? Mathias looked at the young man.

"Well this is an...interesting turn of events." Mathias spoke as he looked the beast. "Where you the one that made the ground rumble earlier?" Mathias asked the shadowy man. "I hope I did not harm you during my rage...you made the most agitated echo, I am truly sorry if this caused you any trouble..." Mathias spoke to him, unsure if this is the one he should be apologizing too. He knows the powers here are that of gods and most are new to him. Which could make him confuse as to who that power belonged too. Mathias had an inkling that the echo did not belong to the man before them but still doesn't hurt to be safe.

Mathias stared at the burrowing monster, earlier Mathias would have burned it's hide but now...he only wishes to have the ashes. "You beast!" "Release my brother's ashes and you may go." Mathias spoke to it. Mathias wasn't in the mood for giving sound judgement. He only cared about retrieving the ashes.

Nightling had not seen what had grabbed him, and he had been super surprised when he appeared by the hole again. He had thought he had got away when none of the fireball had hit him he had not been happy when it had awakened an apex predator that was above him in power. He quickly swallowed the ash, his eyes change to become wolf like but he spat a branch into his hand. “Dead feed living, weak feed living, that is the natural order of meat-eaters. You fire-tosser me powerful under earth, you awoke something not even me try to hunt there. Why cry over fallen predator more food for you to hunt, me die if me fight too many apex predators to fight” he held the stick in his hand and it started to glow he had consumed all the ash at once and was paying for it. “I unleash the power of the dead” slammed the stick in ground and a tree formed around him protecting him from the stick while leaving a patch of dirt for him to dig through, and wolves with mouths foaming with Lycanthrope came out of the trees and the trees grew twice their size. He quickly dug down at full battle mode ready to rip, tear, and die if he was dragged back.

Adarani was content with Mathias' answer, at the moment. What happened rattled his mind and heart, and she was not about to do anything to hurt him further. The predator God surprised her when he displayed the instancts that she saw in animals that the Vitaiim would fight as part of their training regimen. She decided to speak on Mathias' behalf, even if it was too late. "If you would just look at it from Mathias' point of view, you would see why we would all be upset. Cragin was very dear to us, even when he was hostile to some of us. He stood up for us many times before he died. He was a brother to Mathias, more than you can imagine. I, personally, am hurt by this, too, because now I will never be able to settle matters between Cragin and I. I shall never be able to see the day that we would finally forgive and forget. You do not have to fight us, just understand why we are mourning him."

Mathias watched as the beast god began to dig himself in. This god acted like the beasts of the wild, predatory only understanding survival. While Mathias has no understanding of such primitive ways, it doesn't change the fact that he wants those ashes back. The remains of Cragin deserve a better resting place. Mathias was not in the mood to go through the ordinary customs, he didn't even feel like giving out punishment. Despite his ways...the pain of losing Cragin...not all gods are beyond feeling. Mathias cared not about what reputation he may tarnish...it did not matter in light of this. Honoring his brother Cragin is more important than that.

Mathias drew his spear and in one powerful slash he knocked the tree away covering the animalistic god. Mathias noticed it dug itself in and was prepared to fight, like any other cornered beast. Mathias drew a heavy sigh as he looked around him and then back down. "Look here, I am in no mood for fighting or for games." "I am giving you the opportunity to give me my brother's ashes and leave here without any repercussions." "This is a once in a lifetime chance and I suggest you take it." Mathias spoke to Nightling. He knows he probably doesn't understand but there is value to those ashes and being swallowed and digested isn't a proper burial. Not for one as the likes of Cragin. "Please, just give them back." Mathias spoke as pain and sorrow filled his plea. Mathias could only wait and see if he will comply.

"No brother, you awakened something in the deep. But not I. Something younger, yet at the same time older. Hmmm," his eyes furrowed in thought as the odd feeling of the thing stirring came to him. It was young, without memory, yet felt old. Older than him by far, it was odd, and he didn't know what to make of it. He shoved the thought from his mind, he'd find out eventually.

Sairis watched silently as Mathias demanded the ashes of the god before them. But he wasn't really paying attention. Instead he was thinking, well brooding really, over his reaction to the matter. Without a moment of hesitation he had fought for Cragin's remains as an old friend. Someone he didn't know. He let out a small sigh as he realized the hilarity of the joke. The God of Memories, depressed because he had memories, truly even he couldn't ever remember hearing anything funnier. It still didn't make him laugh though.

He was distracted from his musings when a new god walked up to him. With lightning in his eyes and a mighty hammer in his hands, he was an impressive visage. A young one as well, someone who had not yet made many memories upon this earth. What was most interesting though, was the familiar feeling of War. This man had a similar aura to Genocide. His hand twitched as that thought occurred to him, wanting to reach around his back for his sword, until the god met Sairis' eyes. A nod was all it took, and Sairis knew that this one was different, a proper warrior. So he nodded back, but when lightning fell from the sky to surround the new god, he flinched away from it, the bright light making his skin crawl. The light soon faded and Sairis let out a dry chuckle.

"Affected so strongly by mere lightning. What a joke." he sighed yet again, memories threatening to overwhelm him once more. He shook his head and once more tried to focus on the god he'd bought here. He heard the god's speech, and honestly, there was truth within it, but only some. Suddenly the god did something and a massive tree formed around it, with wolves jumping out at the gods assembled. Sairis showed no reaction other than to snap his fingers and watch as the wolves shadows jumped up from the ground and bound them. The wolves now lying helpless on the ground, he turned his attention to the tree, just in time to see it survive a hit by Mathias' spear. No easy feat. Then he heard Mathias talking to it, urging the god within to return the ashes.

"Don't bother with that Mathias, the animal isn't there anymore. It's dug back down into darkness. Of course, that means it's completely at my mercy. If you wish, I can find it again, or kill it." he said, his voice becoming colder as anger at it's actions flashed through his mind. He took a deep breath and continued, "But though I call Cragin an old friend, you and he were like brothers, so I say the choice is yours. But know that a beast won't let itself be captured twice. One way or another, we won't capture it alive long enough to question it again." Sairis waited, perfect calm etched into his face as he waited for Mathias' answer.

Splendy was ignored by the twist of dramatic events that took place. The one known as Mathias was enraged, flinging fire down the hole, and the tinier one otherwise known as Adarani dropped to the ground and looked like the first God who turned to ash. The young God watched as Ahuv, Adarani's blue-crane creation, explained to the God of Justice that it was a display of love. It was ever so entertaining to watch, a grand spectacle of a show, as the tiny God rose from the ground and kissed Mathias.

Intrigued by everything, Splendy was on his tip-toes in anticipation, and nearly jumped in excitement as another being came out of the woodwork, and threw the beast that took the ashes out into the open. Captivated by the primitive God's guttural speech and the power he commanded, he watched as he stuck a glowing stuck into the ground and the tree erupted to protect him. Wolves morphed themselves from the trees into existence, vicious, and dangerous, ready for combat.

Some of the wolves rushed forward to attack the young God, their primitive pack passing the rest, teeth barred and ready to tear the newborn God flesh apart. Splendy barely moved and suddenly a flash of purple and red blinded Nightling's creations. They recovered their sight quickly, lost sight of their primitive pack order, but not their taste for flesh. They began to eat and fight among each other, descending into anarchy. Others dealt with with the wolves in different ways as Mathias gave a mighty swing and sent the tree protecting the God flying. The tree crashed into the forest, breaking multiple forests, and creating small quakes. The young God was very much entertained at the sight of mayhem and walked a bit closer as the powerful God trying to negotiate with the bestial God who was curled up in the darkness and readying his claws. Splendy awkwardly looked at Mathius as he's filled with pain and sorrow, almost pitying the man. Begging was not amusing to watch, no, not at all. Even when Sairis spoke beside Mathias how boring talking was indeed!

Deciding to take action, Splendy's tendrils extended into the manhole, the bells ringing and imprinting a cacophony of colours inside, the light reflecting the colour and partially illuminating the darkness inside. Nightling fought to the teeth and bone as he was faced with six tendrils, slashing, biting, pain running up Splendy's body, the sound of laughter the only indication of pleasure from the pain the primitive God inflicted and the ringing of the bells echoing from the manhole. Lest he should have been surprised when discovering that Splendy's blood was of the same rainbow brew, it took a while before Splendy was able to wrap a tendril to each limb, including his head, restraining him, and forcibly pull out Nightling from his hole into the open air, a few feet above the ground in front of the young God.

"You were amusing." Splendy told him in his childish voice before abruptly shoving his free tendril down Nightling's mouth and into his stomach as the primitive God tried to reply back. His teeth drew more of Splendy's flesh and as pleasured as he was, he started to slowly pull each of Nightling's limbs, amused at the concept of being pained and hurting someone, giggling as he did so, his laughter growing louder and louder. The ringing the beast's stomach was dulled but still audible as the tendril moved inside, gathering what of the ashes inside before pulling out, the end of the tendril shaped into something of a shape resembling a ball, the entire thing covered with saliva, bite marks, stomach acids, and Splendy's own colourful blood.

Nightling's restraints were lightened before he was thrown back down into his hole the opened tree surrounded. The young God turned to Mathias and opened up his badly damaged tendrils to reveal the damp ashes that was inside. "Here you go." He said in an eerily childish voice again.

Amares

After the Catclysm the Amares had been quite shocked, their once peaceful, happy lives were turned chaotic quite abruptly. Now, after much of their population had died they were quite sparse. Many arguments began between the dwindled numbers, ranging through many things but mostly, the cause of the Cataclysm, what happened during it, and what they were supposed to do next. Soon, other arguments began questioning the validity of Gods. Many Amares hadn't seen a God, only the elders of their tribe able to tell them about the Gods. Eventually, after being nomadic for quite some time to learn more about their new surroundings and having many more offspring, the Amares had enough of arguing so they split up into two opposing sides. The first group of Amares called themselves the Beta Amares. They wanted to keep the ways of the Amares how they were before the Cataclysm, even going to far lengths as to greatly emphasize what they stood for. They believed and followed Gods and the most important things to them were simply survival, pleasure, and sexual intercourse. They went to the South side of the islands in the Blessed Isle. As for the other group, they dubbed themselves the Alpha Amares. They decided to stray away from the ways of the old Amares, most became Atheist and some became asexual, abandoning the Gods and the idea of having sex for pleasure, many would only have sex to continue having offspring. The most important things to them were survival, philosophy, art, and scholarly works. They decided to take the North side of the Blessed Isle mountains. The Amares were now divided, and tended to isolate themselves from each other, but their was still a fierce rivalry and possibly even hatred between the two groups.

Cyrenas

The brother and sister gracefully swam through the ocean, enjoying every second of life they had. There were many sea creatures for them to interact with, but it was quite obvious they were the dominant figures. They named themselves Dawn and Turlak. Dawn and Turlak did have many children, who soon had children as well. Dawn was beautiful and elegant, but quite deadly and used her beauty almost magically to make others do as she wished. On the other hand, Turlak was noble and refined, he had slight power for controlling water, like magic. They realized that these powers they had were within them due to them being the children of Gods. Though they weren't Gods, they were still blessed with very minimal godly power. Dawn soon became narcissistic, her ego grew exponentially. Soon, she began tricking the other sea creatures to coming to her so she could devour them. Eventually, she became greedy, she decided that she deserved to rule the sea. Turlak was surprised at his sisters ways, shocked really. Though he was a good person, he too had a slight ego, and so he banished his sister to the bottom depths of the sea, many of their children took his side, dubbing him their king, but a few joined Dawn in her hiding, plotting their revenge. Turlak and his followers changed the name of their species, to Merranos, just to greatly differentiate themselves from Dawn and her followers. Turlak hoped that soon, his mother Nylia would come to stop this madness, however, Dawn wanted revenge, and wished that her mother Nylia would assist her in achieving it...

Nylia

Nylia flew around the Inferno, searching for either Jute or Laska, the two of them were still quite suspicious, if she found Jute, quick action would be took and she would engage in combat, however, if she found Laska she would first have to determine if she truly was Jute, which would prove quite troublesome, seeing as the Jute girl was the Goddess of Deception. Nylia slightly wished to be free of the Inferno, to communicate with other Gods...but she had work to do, duties to fulfill, she couldn't just abandon them and make Cragin's efforts in the Middle Realm useless. After searching for a while she heard a voice "Nylia, come to me. Take me, use me for yourself. I will help you find the girl" Nylia swooped down to the artifact...it appeared to be a crystal amulet of sorts...the fact that it was in the Inferno did make it quite suspicious, seeing as the Inferno was a place of evil...but she did have to find the girl...but how would an artifact help a Goddess in achieving what they wished? Nylia was about to leave until she felt something...remorse filled her heart as she dropped to the ground.

"Cragin," Nylia whispered as tears poured down her eyes. She had always been able to maintain the image of a fearless, heartless warrior but now...now she couldn't stop her tears. He was dead...Jute Jute must have known that he was searching for her and had him killed...it's the only viable explanation that she could come up with at the moment. He seemed odd before he left the Inferno...if whatever that was killed him, then it was her fault for not noticing. If it was Jute that killed him, then it was her fault for sending him out to find her. She couldn't believe what happened, she just couldn't...she was entering a state of depression until she thought of something, "Wait...I control the Undead...I can save him, can't I?" Nylia asked herself, stuttering as tears poured onto the fire filled ground of the Inferno...but he was a God...it took so much out of her to save her two children...if she saved Cragin...she would die wouldn't she? But the amulet...the amulet could give her enough power to survive couldn't it? Nylia rose up and turned to the amulet, even if it didn't give her enough power she could still use it to find Jute and avenge the death of Ulmo, Braun, Kylian...all the Gods who died in the Cataclysm...and Cragin, she could get revenge for all of them and set things right. She wan't sure though...what if the amulet was dangerous...no...it wouldn't be able to directly kill her, even if it was made by Jute, it would need the full power of a God. Nylia grabbed it, feeling a surge of energy already, and she placed it around her neck. Once she was done she left the Underworld, knowing the barrier was still around it to keep it protected from people trying to enter without her clearance.

She entered the Middle Realm and began flying, hoping to find Cragin, she searched for any form of Godly energy she could, hoping to find his remains and any other God that might be with him. Eventually she found a group of Gods, including Mathias, Acanthus, Adarani, and some Gods she was pretty sure she didn't know. She couldn't see too clearly so she swiftly moved down to them, what was going on was quite horrifying, there was a God that she didn't know with tendrils wrapped around another God she didn't know, and then he...stuck one of his tendrils in the other Gods mouth to what appeared to be retrieving something. Nylia watched in the background as the God handed what seemed to be moist ashes to Mathias after throwing the carnivorous God into a hole. Nylia ran closer, over to Mathias. "What's going on?" She asked frantically, her usual calm and vindictive complexion no longer evident "Is...is that Cragin?" she asked him as she glanced at the ashes on the Gods tendril, a tear or two rolled down her cheek as she spoke, showing a whole other side to Nylia that not even she knew that she had...a vulnerable, quite defenseless side overrun by sadness at the event and not anger.

Mathias was all bet felt even more depressed by the beast's refusal to return the ashes. Even when the Darkness God spoke up he wasn't much inclined to speak to him. Still his offer...Mathias contemplated his words. Mathias thought hard about what should happen to the creature. Mathias wasn't at all entertained with the idea of more death at the moment. He's had his fill of the stuff. Mathias just wants the ashes back, perhaps he could ask him to find him again and this time...he will remove them himself. Mathias turned to speak his answer until the unexpected happen.

A god whose more imbalanced than The God of Madness appeared to stretch at inhuman lengths and sent a tendril down the hole. Mathias worried at the being's gesture, no matter how nice it was. He didn't want more people harmed because of him. Mathias spoke up, "Please stop!" "I don't need more of my kin harmed because of my actions!" Mathias spoke to Splendy, but the cartoonish being was lost in some fit of ecstasy. Apparently the being enjoyed the pain it was being suffered at the claws of the beast. Mathias worried more about the being's mental health than it's physical. What kind of school of thought believes pain is pleasurable? Such a creature disturbs Mathias greatly. Seeing Splendy retrieve Nightling though, gave Mathias hope. That was until he brutally shoved his tendril down it's throat.

The pied being was hurting the tunneling monster and Mathias did not like it. "Stop!" "Can't you see your hurting him!?" Mathias spoke outraged that the being enjoyed hurting him. Yet, Splendy showed no signs of stopping until he reclaimed the ashes. Splendy let him go once the mission was completed.

"Here you go." He said in an eerily childish voice again.

Splendy spoke to Mathias as it handed him the ashes of Cragin. Mathias despite his complaints was really grateful for what he had done. Mathias used his magic and a golden light enveloped the ashes. The ashes from Splendy's tendril drew the remaining ashes from the ground and the combined and soon, the golden light transformed into what would be called an urn. The urn was golden and inside it contained the ashes of Cragin. The urn floated into Mathias' arms. Mathias noticed Nylia appear and ask if that was Cragin. Mathias looked at her and then back at the urn. Mathias had the most sorry look anyone could see. Mathias said nothing to her he knew words didn't need to be spoken. His eyes said it all and they said I'm sorry. Mathias looked at the tall and more than a little disturbing being. While Splendy's appearance and his ambiguous intentions gave Mathias bad vibes, he was undoubtedly grateful. Mathias looked at the tendrils. Mathias felt guilty for Splendy being the victim of apparent assault. Mathias turned to Adarani.

"I know your weak but could you heal this being?" Mathias asked. "It will be my sign of thanks to it." Mathias then turned to Splendy. "I apologize for the pain I have caused you." Mathias spoke apologizing to Splendy. "Thank you." Mathias the said to Splendy as he turned and began to walk away with the urn. Before he left the company of the others he placed his hand on Sairis's shoulder and gave him a friendly pat. "I thank you too for all that you have done as well." Mathias will remember the kindness these new kin have shown him. "I will not soon forget what you and you have done." Mathias spoke as he pointed to Sairis and Splendy. "What all you have done today...I can not express my deep gratitude, you've done an honorable thing." Mathias spoke addressing all of the gods before him.

"If you all don't mind I'm going...I need to time...just need some time..." Mathias then turned from the group and began to walk away. The suddenly his body buckled down and Mathias dropped to his knees again, in exhaustion. Mathias let go of a pained gasp. Mathias nearly dropped the urn but managed to clutch on to it tightly. If anyone were to take it from his grasp, it would be out of his cold dead fingers. The constellation of Cragin, is nearing completion.

(((Crap! Ninja'd let me edit))

Blood lots of blood, the creature that dragged him away its blood tasted good and his blood gave him a little power. He split into two bodies more like re was replaced by a fake him and kept running allowing the fake to keep fighting. As the fake was dragged out and the ashes removed, he said two things to the gods that had captured him “you have captured me therefore you may eat me like I ate the other, but know this this one’s blood was tastier then the dead one and I liked it more beware, because it allowed me to do this” the fake exploded into confetti.

Sairis saw Mathias getting ready to answer when suddenly a god ignored so far made it's presence known rather, forcibly. As a tendril made it's way down the creature's throat Sairis considered telling them the thing they caught had no memories, and so was fake. But seeing what was happening to it, he decided maybe it'd be better to let it get away. The fake seemed to have the ashes anyway, so it was all alright. It might try and hurt someone in the future though...but it might not, so best save the heroism for a time that it's actually needed. He thought, annoyed that he couldn't get a handle on his own mind. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Nylia land, tears rolling down her cheeks. As Mathias formed an urn for the ashes, she asked if it was Cragin, obviously dreading the answer. Amazing, how silence can be such a solemn answer.

Sairis walked up to Nylia, hesitantly putting a hand on her shoulder, an uncomfortable expression on his face. "I don't pretend to know just what you're feeling Nylia, but I understand the need to mourn. But never forget what Cragin fought for, never forget the friend he was. Because he's only really died, once all you remember is that he's gone." he brought his hand back, very uncomfortable with trying to comfort a mourning person. Then Mathias walked up and gave Sairis a pat on the shoulder, thanking him and Splendy for their help in recovering the ashes. "It bothers me, someone defiling the remains of a friend. So there's no need to thank me for acting in my own self-interest." Sairis watched as Mathias walked away, suddenly dropping to his knees is exhaustion written in his expression and the droop of his shoulders. At that moment, the ground shook and rumbled. Sairis, with a completely deadpan expression, said to Mathias, "Mathias, about that thing that you may have woken up?"