Nylia's Story

Acanthus

The wind was chilly at the top of the mountain. Acanthus stood up, leaning heavily upon his staff. Snow whipped his cloak and his grey beard glittered with the powder. He looked at the others standing with him. The faces showed a wide variety of shock and awe. Acanthus felt much too tired to even react. They had pushed back the army but at what cost? What had happened to the world they had known?

But there was no doubt about it. The Middle Realm looked beautiful. For miles in every direction there was clear blue skies. The land seemed a flush with life. Acanthus wavered on his staff. "I am weary, even with all of the lives it took to as I cast it, that spell has drained much from me. But, look at the world my brothers and sisters. We have stopped that menace." He looked out at the glistening sea. It felt to him as if Paradise had descended to the Middle Realm.

He sighed, "All thanks to Laska." He turned to thank her. "Where did she go?"

After determining that she had vanished from the mountaintop Acanthus stroked his beard. He sent a spell of communication to Adarani. "Adarani, do you have any more of your reviving fruit? I fear that some of our number may be wounded or winded as the case may be. But we have succeeded. We have won. And that is enough for now."

Nylia

Nylia was in shock throughout the whole battle, but she didn't let it effect her, she just fueled herself on rage and didn't think, just killed. But now...when it was all over she was in shock. All of those revolting things happened, it was horrible. It seemed that not many Amares were killed, luckily most of them ran or stayed in hiding. Quickly, logic flowed back into her mind her disbelief and worry left as she zoomed into thought...throughout the whole battle she never sensed a Divine seed growing to created this new Goddess, Laska...maybe she just didn't sense it because they were in the midst of battle...no, there was something about Laska...something sneaky...Nylia was the Goddess of Manipulation, she could usually tell when someone was lying...it seemed whoever Laska was was hiding something. Memories flowed into her mind about the Inferno, someone told her about a horrible, violent Goddess..."Jute" Nylie muttered, loud enough for someone to hear only on pure luck. The name brought different ideas to her mind...Snakes, Greed, Malice, Deception. She was unsure...she wondered if she should tell the other gods...if she did Acanthus, Adarani, and Mathias would probably push for them to partake in another trial...the last one didn't turn out well...the only person she could trust to help her with this Laska/Jute situation would have to be Cragin, maybe even Aspestis. She definitely had to get Cragin in private though, she had to tell him about her theory, even if it was wrong. "Cragin, I know this isn't the best time but can you go to the Inferno with me?" Nylia asked with a calm facade, "It's quite important," she stated, showing her pleading face only to him so the other Gods wouldn't be suspicious. She believed Mathias was powerful at the start of the trial, but after Kreios got away she lost her trust in him...in Acanthus...maybe...maybe even in the All Father?...Why would he let so many people die? Nylia shook the thoughts out of her head, she had to focus.

Cragin could not concentrate, on Nylia, with her soft voice, or anything. He felt only pain, coursing through every fiber of his being. His body would quiver silently, nothing escaping his hood, but the sudden understanding that he had lost so many of the things he loved, the things he cared for. He broke then, in the deathly silence of the mountain, the wind whipping at them all. He grabbed desperately at his chest, falling back, to the ground, his body would convulse in utter rage, shock, and despair. An empty "No!" Would ring out in the very air, the voice choked and resounding throughout the Middle Realm. As a sobbing was not heard but rather felt, and then wicked laughter, resounding in booms across the sky. He would roll about with the screams bringing his elbows back in fierce strikes carving the mountain below him. He felt beyond tired, weak, but only this broke his will.

Images of those he once loved flooded his vision, and suddenly the booms stopped and he resolved himself to watching the sky. "Nylia, my sister." His voice would be slow as he suddenly realized what had been said. "We will go to the Inferno, then." For he too, in the back of his mind had suspicion of Laska, her sudden appearance and disappearance, the simple attack that kill Kreios when Braun had not. He was skeptical, as they all should be. His voice now, was noticeably struggled, and the silence he bore was now cold as it never had been before.

Cragin had died after the events, but the one thing he thought about, and his heart beat desperately over, was the one thing he had yet to discover fully and truly, the strange spell he was under dictating his mind even in the darkest moments to affection. Love'lyn Joye, and her life was enough to bring him at first to his knees and then his feet, though noticeably he swayed in his weakened state. "Let us go, then."

Mathias stood like a statue, immobile, stout, and unemotional. Mathias just gave a deep, blank stare out into the endless horizon. Mathias was at a lost for words. Nothing, in all of his existence could have prepared him for this moment. The fire and vigor he had, was gone now that Justice has all but made himself scarce after the battle. It's not like Mathias wished to speak with the ancient spirit anyways. Mathias could only feel the pain of loss and pity for his kin. Still this left a huge task to be undertaken. Such a threat...there must be precautions. One thing that Mathias wants to know is how Kreios came to escape and cause this in the first place? How did he become so much stronger as to escape and resist his sentence? He was sure the spell Justice cast upon him would make Kreios more restricted to do such deeds.

Something didn't add up about all this mess, and Mathias wants answers. His mind wandered to the others and their troubles. Acanthus was weary, Cragin was greatly upset, and the others seem to be lost in shock. Nylia seemed to snap Cragin out of whatever he was feeling. They seemed to plan to go some where, perhaps assess the damage? Still whatever it is, Mathias has more to worry about. Acanthus mentioned that goddess "Laska" who was she? Her appearance didn't add up either, it seemed too much of a coincidence. Still, Mathias shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, without her Kreios wouldn't have been stopped. Still she could have stayed around, what was her hurry? The Cataclysm wrought death and destruction what else could be more important than that? Or more specifically what is LEFT to do?

Mathias stood unstirred with his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel that something needs to be done. It's time to pick up the pieces....

As he stood there, he noticed the situation shifting ever more. As if he wasn't uneasy enough, new sparks have been unleashed, as new gods begin to populate whatever is left of the Middle Realm. Mathias has no idea what to think of them and this makes him unsettled. Are they good, bad? What are their intentions and personalities? Mathias, despite the care he feels for his kin, can't help but feel suspicious of all new comers. Even if they are his kin, all gods are capable of great care or great destruction. Even with the death of, what we considered to be the evil deities, it still felt like they missed something. It ate away at Mathias and sudden urge to catalog every god felt just right. Did he really have to place his kin under the letter like so?

Mathias didn't like it, but he didn't feel safe without doing it either. Is scrutinizing them, the best approach? It is for the greater good, he can't allow any more death and destruction to occur, the pain is just too great. Mathias finally moved as he turned towards the others.

"I am certain each of have sensed new gods on the horizon, yes?" Mathias asked his rhetorical question. "I am going off to find these gods, they will most likely be confused of their surroundings." Mathias spoke as he turned towards the horizon. He would seek out the new gods and...anticipate who they are and see what threat they could posses. Hopefully, they are kind enough. Mathias decided to take his leave of the mountain and entered what remained of the Middle Realm.

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.

Nylia

Nylia opened up a port to the Inferno, bringing Cragin down with her. Once there she turned to him, a serious expression still blatantly on her face. "Alright, I have high doubts and concerns of Laska, I don't believe she is who she claims to be. I believe she's truly a Goddess of Deception, Greed, Snakes, and Malice, a Goddess named Jute," Nylia stated. Letting that off her chest felt good and saying it out loud made her lack of trust for Laska firmer. "One of the inhabitants of the Inferno told me about her, I intend to find her and enact justice myself, the whole court system Mathias created may be decent, but it's still to new to work efficiently and sufficiently. So, I ask that you help me, try finding her in the Middle Realm, I'll try finding her in the Inferno, if you think you can trust someone to help us tell them, their help would be wonderful," Nylia finished. With that she hugged her brother and waited for his response, she had a lot of business to attend to after the Cataclysm, personal business. She thought she saw something slithering around, she felt as though she never saw it before. She decided after speaking to Cragin, she would consult the mortal before continuing her plans.

((Sorry if I'm making some form of a mistake in this post and everything, if so tell me. If there's anyone/thing in the inferno that I should be addressing please tell me. The slithering thing is a Gorgon. Um...that's pretty much it >-<))

Cragin would respond awkwardly to the hug the hood shifting as if slightly alarmed, his mind obscured by the tantalizing feel of her body so close. As if his words weren't labored before now he nearly tripped over them several times before managing his speech. "I-- Uh, Nylia." A low growl would escape the hood, one of frustration before he collected his bearing, his mind fading to Love'lyn as if to free him of a natural pull he could not break. "I too, am skeptical." He would nod suddenly his voice coming from the hood with a nonchalant authority with the tone of a young man addressing something necessary. "How could one appear from the air and in a moment vanquish a God and his armies that not even the strongest of us together could fight-" He would pause and hesitate as the extended speech began to weigh heavy on his chest.

And he'd pull himself gently from her before continuing. "Our brother Braun could not defeat him with his might.." And though the sentence seemed unfinished he would resolve himself to leave it be. "I will hunt this Jute by the signature you proclaimed, in the Middle Realm." And with that a mortal face that brought sadness to him would appear from the depths of the hood as he gave her a crooked smile. The rest of his body following suit to fit a form he wished to procure, as it had been right before the confrontation of Kreios, this mortal bore the same handsome face though, noticeably the ghastly outline of the features of it's skull would be fragmented in parts, the leather armor torn and altered to a wicked manner, the form was noticeably altered in ways that were unbeknownst to Cragin. He looked on at Nylia and the pull in this form was thus harder and he regretted immediately the choice.

Following her gaze to the slithering creature about, he would raise an eyebrow looking at it. "If that's all, sister. I'll be going." His gaze would darken suddenly as he realized the work before him, the trials and tribulations.

He would trust her to her own affairs holding his hand to his chest, in a array of green light he would be gone, appearing in the dense, yet savagely heated forests of some land he didn't quite know. And immediately he felt the presence of something far more powerful than a mortal, but noticeably less powerful than that of his kin. He would look about the forest as if struggling with the idea of going to it, or first finding out the manner of this new world.

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.

((Sorry that it's so much longer this time, I decided to cut out some dialogue from my new mortals and the Amares that will come later in my next post.))

Nylia

Nylia nodded...she didn't know what to expect from Cragin...it seemed as though he longed to have something...but was fighting against it. She noticed it after hugging him, after he gently comforted her, after he transformed, sometimes even after she only spoke. Was it her that was causing him all of this frustration? After he left Nylia's eyes drooped down as she was quite melancholy...something about her was causing Cragin to drift the two of them apart but what was it? Nylia shook her head, dismissing her thoughts, she had business to attend to.

“the girl that killed father, she was here before father was king of this land” Nylia turned around to hear the Gorgon, and after it said what it had to, it slithered away. Nylia eyed it oddly as it left, wondering what it could have been doing..."Father...king of this land...killed...by a girl..." Nylia thought, putting the pieces together...could that creature be a child of Kreios...and the girl that killed Kreios was Laska..."If Laska was in the Inferno before Kreios then maybe she was born before I was..." Nylia thought to herself. "But Jute was also here before Kreios," Nylia thought rubbing her temples, if anything the Gorgon made things a bit harder. Nylia decided she would stick to working on finding the location of Jute and/or Laska. She called upon her royal guards, beasts left by Kreios and Jute that she appointed as her elite. "I need you to locate Jute," she said seeing the fear in their eyes. "Don't fret, you don't need to confront her, just find her, escape, and tell me her location," she stated, calming them down a bit "I also need you to find a Goddess named Laska, who may very well be Jute as well," Nylia stated describing the Goddess she saw during the Cataclysm. After her guards moved out she went onto her next order of business...her children.

Nylia moved to a different location of the first level, where many unborn mortals were. Nylia searched for the two specific souls of her unborn children. Eventually, she found the two children...they were beautiful...she had to stop tears from coming, she was so happy to see them. When she grabbed them, something crazy happened. Black aura swirled around the two souls, red sparks surrounded them, statically, they changed form, becoming more tangible, until they were completely revived, mortal once again. Nylia was quite tired resting on her knees as she panted, reviving them took quite a lot out of her. She hugged her two children, they had her beauty and aspects of Ulmo's sealike qualities, while still holding dark features from her new undead powers. She would call them Cyrenas. "Go forth my children, propagate, and rule as you wish, I plan on seeing you again," Nylia stated letting her children into the Middle Realm, but before they did she warned them of Laska and Jute, telling them to tell her if they ever saw either of the Goddesses. After she told them, the two children left where they basked in the glory of the sea. Nylia then began searching for Jute and or Laska in the Inferno as well.

Acanthus

The wise god smiled. "A party then? Our little brother Torsc-" Here he looked at Ahuv for confirmation. "-the half-god is creating some mortals?" He thought to himself for a second and grinned. "I'd be happy to join you. Here, I shall cast a portal spell to bring us there." He then took his staff, which shrunk to the size of a small stick. He drew a rune into the air and it rippled and crackled with magical energy. The rune pulled into itself and the portal opened, showing a large cavern. Cold air flowed from the portal giving an odd feeling in the heat of the desert. "If you will. Gentlemen?"


The Crystal Heart

With the Gorgon dead, she sucked the remains into herself adding to her own essence. the Crystal felt Nylia searching for her. She sent out a quick pulse but hid most of the godlike energy she possessed. Once again the crystal would just feel like a powerful artifact and nothing more.

Acanthus

The Elder god nodded to all of the new arrivals but remained silent. Intent on seeing what technology could do, he sat completely still but alert, grasping his staff with both hands. He watched as each type of mortal exited from their separate containers. While the process did seem to lessen their individual values, in the end the mortals that had been made numbered in the thousands. Acanthus was astonished. Technology was interesting indeed. He stood and bowed to Torsc. Then he began clapping.

"Well done little brother!" He said, "Even with diminished power you have shown yourself more than capable with the Technology you control."

He turned to Adarani, "I met your bird, Ahuv. I do believe he has a present from me to you."


Jute

As quickly as he had come, he was gone. "Just like the wind." Laska said thoughtfully. Perhaps he suspected her, but he had said nothing accusing so she took her leave. This one was not to be trifled with. She turned away from the mountain and landed on the ground. She was getting nervous. The amount of gods that suspected her had escalated exponentially. She needed allies. She needed scapegoats and tools. She pulled her wings back into herself. Now just a small girl, she began to wander. She began to think and plan.


The Sword

It felt him. He had been born from a sword. He had been nearby but was far away now. It was no matter. The sword grew sharper and wiggled just a bit. It popped out of the ground that had been holding it, and rent a tear into the side of the volcano. The lava poured down, taking the sword with it. As the flow pushed its way downhill it flowed into a nearby town. The town was empty and the buildings burned with no one to stop them. At last the sword stopped moving, right outside of a well furnished and up-kept house. It was the only one of its kind in the village. The sword stuck itself into the quickly solidifying lava. It waited for the newly born god to come back home.


The Crystal

She pulsated again. Nylia, come to me. Take me, use me for yourself. I will help you find the girl. She wanted to be found and used. She would take out this threat without lifting a finger.

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?"

Acanthus

The Old god was taken aback as Craigin's ashes were stolen. Mathias suddenly seemed to brake as he began throwing fireballs into the earth. Acanthus stepped back. Such rash actions...such full disdain for wisdom or even forethought...it was too much for him. He turned away from the struggle that was happening behind him. No matter what happened to his remains, Craigin was gone, and not even Paradise awaited him. Acanthus shed another tear before he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A metallic messenger came through the brush. It began to speak but Acanthus stopped it. "You are much like my Prachians. Before they all perished in the Cataclysm." He sighed a little but shook it off. "But you have urgent news, I can tell. Tell me where I need to go."

The mechanical being did and Acanthus opened a portal. He stepped through, not very far from where he had been. There on the ground before him was a broken and unconscious god. Scratch that. This was a half-god. He bent down and spoke a few Words of healing before he gently lifted her. He opened another portal and stepped back into the realm of Torsc. He laid her down on the dais before the throne of Torsc. "I brought her as soon as I could. She is unconcious and hurt, but I will do what I can to help, if you wish."


The Crystal Heart

Nylia had picked her up in her desperation. The Crystal was overjoyed. Now that it hung like a pendant from around her neck, the Crystal began forming a bod with her. It used all of the powers of greed it possessed to gradually make Nylia want to keep it. I can help you gain all that you desire. You lust for revenge, I will help you get the power you need to attain it. With any luck, Nylia would never want to let the Crystal go.


The Emerald Sword

It felt him approaching. The god that would be its tool for malice. It slid itself easily from the ground as Hanriot pulled on it. Thank you for saving me. I am the Sword Crysalis. Wield me, and we will adventure to your heart's content. And who are you?


Jute

Laska, far away from any other god, laughed. Another one of her enemies had fallen. She grinned. The crystal and sword both were performing to the highest of their abilities. They both had found a god to control. She needed more allies and those two would be interesting indeed. Nylia was going to be tricky but Hanriot, he would be simple indeed. Now she needed to find an ally of her own.

Nylia

It seemed like Mathias hadn't heard her...maybe he was too deep in sorrow...the ashes he was holding...they had to be Cragin's...she could bring him back to life...couldn't she?...

"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." Nylia jumped at the sound of a new voice, she was too busy contemplating to remember that there were other people around her. She turned to see a God dressed in black robes with long white hair. She was unsure of who he was...but she guessed that someone told him who she was while she was in the Inferno, as he apparently knew her name..."Um...thank you..." Nylia said to the man, for one of the first times she was at a loss for words, she didn't know who he was but she felt close to him, "What's your name?" Nylia asked, perhaps his name could give her some insight as to why.

Before Sairis could respond, Nylia heard another voice. Nylia felt the crystal pulsate warmly on her chest. I can help you gain all that you desire. You lust for revenge, I will help you get the power you need to attain it. Nylia was unsure...how did the crystal know that she wished for revenge? Did it know she was the Goddess of Revenge? If so, then how did it find out? Nylia rubbed her head in frustration...she was so tired after all of the work she was doing, all of this external pressure was bringing her to her limit..."Can you give me the power to revive Cragin from the dead without killing myself?" Nylia whispered to the crystal so Sairis couldn't hear. Nylia turned her head back up to the surroundings around her...so much was going on so quickly, it was hard to bear...

Finally...


With the completion of Cragin's constellation, visible over head, became a catalyst. Finally it was enough for his coming, the death of one so beloved, so cherished gave way for the birth of force so deadly, it threatens to consume all. The best of them dies and now the worst begins to live....

A divine spark made it's way far to the north, so far the Wilds can be seen as those turbulent clouds of darkness sit so foreboding. Threatening any who come near it. Staring at this perpetual abyss sat a Divine Seed, waiting so patiently to come into existence. The ebb and flow of the universe did center around the powers of life and death, as all experience these two things, at one point or another. The spark so did invade the seed as it gave it life and sprout forth would soon be a god of dark intent. The ice began to shake and crack as the wind began to howl so angrily at the event unfolding. Power began to sweep out of the cracks and evaporate into the air, such dark power would most certainly cause lesser beings to cower in fear.

Suddenly an explosion occurred one that would shake the very foundations of their world. Dark power would hardly go unnoticed to all and from the violent birth, spawned a new god. The God of Death.....

Afterwards the power subsided as Othuma stood floating above a crater. He stared at the world....there was nothing but ice and chaos from the Wilds. Othuma dared not venture towards the sounds of chaos coming from the warped Wilds. Instead Othuma turned his direction else where. Who was he? What was he? That sudden burst of power...so unshakable....could not be found from him. Othuma was noticeably weak, too weak for anyone to detect. At this point of time his power would seem equal to a mortal's. Othuma floated away from the crater, hovering ever so slightly off the icy ground. Othuma could not help but stare at his hands. It was nothing but white bones. Othuma was curious as to what he fully looks like. On his journey of self discovery, Othuma would aimlessly hover about the frozen wastes, becoming loss in the sea of white. Soon he would disappear from perception....as if he was dead.


Mathias

Mathias immediately jerked towards the north. Something wicked was born...and it made Mathias shutter. What just happened? A new god was born but what's surprising is that the amount of power felt, just suddenly vanishes...into thin air. It was as if a God was born and then inexplicably died. What a curious and disturbing matter indeed. Mathias would investigate but in the state he is now...he hasn't the strength to undertake such tasks. Throwing the balls of fire drained him more than he previously believed. He needs time to recuperate and he hoped that whatever was born would stay it's hand from destruction.

"Did the rest of you feel that just now?" Mathias asked in an obviously tired voice.

The Crystal Heart

Nylia was already asking for more than she could chew. It was interesting how grief could power greed. She decided that she would try and help Nylia. Craigin was a god. He was not something that could be restored to life. The Divine seed that had created him had probably already dispersed. And bringing him back from the dead would not necessarily bring him back. Nylia was the god of the Undead. Jute wondered mischievously what an undead god would look like. Yes. I will try to help you. The Crystal gave her energy, as much as she needed, and disguised the fact that the power stemmed from her malice and greed.


Crysalis


A fucking pacifist! Of all the idiots she could have chosen to wield her, she'd chosen the one that wouldn't kill. The emerald blade sat still, silently fuming. Hanriot, god of adventuring indeed. But, patience...patience was a virtue. She would change this god. No matter how long it took. I am here when you need me then. When next he wielded her, she would give him a little dose of what malice feels like.