Chapter 272, 1/2

Chapter 272, 1/2

Erick woke as he usually did; all at once, and with his senses unfurling across everyone and everything.

Quilatalap lay on the other side of the bed, the two of them sharing in the small warmth of each other on the rare occasion that both of them wanted to actually sleep. Other activities were more common. As Erick woke, Quilatalap woke up, too. The big guy smiled, showing off his big lower fangs, as he breathed deep and rolled over to Erick.

Hey.

Hey.

Quilatalap grinned more. And then he came in for a small kiss, and the two of them got up.

Whats your plan for the day? Erick asked, as he put on some glowthread robes. Im expecting more big meetings.

Quilatalap dressed in his own clothes, which were not glowthread. Erick had wanted to give him some, but he wanted to make his own. He already had some glowthread spiders growing in ten different dungeons, and also in the Grand Benevolence Dungeon of Candlepoint. He had started to keep some real clothes here, though, in the cloud castle, now that the Red was removed from Veird and he could live outside of the dungeons.

The Red had tried to Erase him several times already.

As if Erick needed another reason to kill Nothanganathor.

Quilatalap said, Still working on that reson-training dungeon.

Erick chuckled. Im surprised you had any success at all.

The Dark isnt the Fractal, thats for sure. Quilatalap said, I managed to make the dungeon able to see my own resons, though.

Erick paused. Really?! Thats amazing!

Quilatalap smirked, and allowed himself a blush. I had to move a phylactery there, but Ive started cultivating resons now.

That was big news.

Erick grabbed Quilatalap in for a hug, holding him tight, saying, Congrats!

Quilatalap laughed a little as he hugged back. This old lich can learn a few new tricks now and then.

Erick waggled his eyebrows. This calls for a celebration.

Breakfast wasnt happening for hours, anyway.

Erick put up a little [Hasted Shelter] to give them a bit more time.

- - - -

Erick entered the dining room and breathed in the scent of cinnamon pancakes. He smiled, and said, I love those pancakes, Teressa.

Teressa smiled as she set down a massive tray of cinnamon-swirl pancakes, her silver [Bracelet of Memory and History] glinting on her wrist, as she said, I cant believe I forgot about them. Dariok loves them too.

A faint silver outline and an empty voice sat upon a chair to the side, next to Teressas seat. So far the only one who could see Dariok fully was Teressa, but she certainly saw him. Erick was pretty sure he saw some sort of smile upon Darioks ghost, though, at the attention that Teressa gave him.

Lenitha had taken to pretending that her father was alive and well, too, just as easily as Teressa had. She bounced in her chair next to the faint glow of Dariok, saying, I love them more! Can I have ten?!

Soon as everyone else shows up, Lenitha, Teressa said, as she sat down. Can you help with the sausage, Erick? We sort of ran out.

Erick easily copied the sausage patties on the table

Poi and Rizala entered the room together, mind tendrils wrapped up in each other as they spoke of whatever. Poi joined the physical conversation, too, saying, Ill go to the store later.

Variol, Rizalas incani husband, walked in right behind them, saying, I got that, Poi.

That works, too, Poi said.

Rizala looked around And then she ducked down, to look under the table. Kenni, honey. You gotta eat at the table, sweetheart. Come sit in your chair.

Kenni was a little older than Lenitha, but he was a dragonkin born of dragonkin and incani parents, so he was kinda really small compared to everyone else. He was whip smart, though. He said, I am fine here, mother. I am playing monsters with Ophiel and this is the safe space.

Erick smiled at that. He opened a tiny portal to Benevolence, only letting his voice through the opening, as he said, Ophiel. Its breakfast time. You can play later.

Ophiel popped out of a different portal, saying, Fiiiiiiiine.

Rizala coaxed Kenni out from under the table, saying, You can play later, too.

Poi asked, Quilatalap didnt want breakfast?

Nope, Erick said, Too busy with the reson dungeons, though I am glad he decided to spend the night. Im amazed that hes making progress with resons at all, but if anyone can get that working, he can.

Kenni said, Quilatalap is a hermit.

Erick laughed. Yeah. He is. He looked around. And then he opened a tiny portal to Yggdrasil at the lake, and said, Breakfast.

Yggdrasils avatar popped out of a portal. No girls and boy?

Erick smiled softly at that. The more things change, the more they stay the same; the girls and boy are all doing their own things. I think Jane is with Sitnakov right now.

Ophiel almost said something, blurting it out, but he stopped with his mouth open. He reconsidered. Erick looked at him a little bit. Ophiel pulled back.

Lets eat! Erick said, deciding to leave Ophiels trouble alone.

Teressa chuckled as she started dishing out breakfast, setting the very best swirled pancake in front of Darioks silver outline first, before moving on. Everyone helped themselves to the other stuff, as they wanted. It was delicious. Small conversations soon started about this and that

Evan is with Zorik! Ophiel blurted out.

Erick froze, the bit of pancake on his fork dripping onto his shirt. He set down his fork and cleaned himself off, asking, Evan is dating Zolans grandson? The paladin of Rozeta?

Ophiel rapidly added, Great grandson!

Yggdrasil eyed Ophiel, then said, It started 8 months ago, shortly after you came back. Theyve been circling each other at the House for a while now, but they went for it.

Erick was kinda miffed to learn that his kids were in relationships without them telling him about it, but he moved on, saying, Good for them. He asked, Whats everyone else up to, today?

Teressa said, Dariok and I are taking Lenitha to the movies.

Lenitha almost leapt out of her chair. WERE REALLY GOING?!

Teressa nodded, beginning to say something

But Kenni blurted, I want to go too! He looked to his mom. Mom?!

Rizalas eyes went a little wide with a little worry, and then she put on a smile and said, Well look into it, honey.

Erick smiled to see the drama play out in front of him.

Breakfast was nice.

As for the drama of Ericks own kids, Jane hadnt spoken about it, but she was getting pretty serious with Sitnakov, from what Erick had heard; none of which he heard from Jane, herself.

Oh well.

- - - -

Erick stood upon a familiar black volcano caldera where mist flowed softly through the space. Rozeta and Phagar stood with him, but Erick wasnt quite sure what this was about, and the mist was empty. It was just the three of them. They had called him here, but they hadnt said much; just that they wanted to talk in an official capacity.

And so, Erick casually asked, Whats up?

Rozeta said, There has been a development with the un-Sundering Project. Specifically, through a confluence of events, a person was ripped out of my Heaven.

Phagar said, And a day before that, Solomon brought back a person who had chosen the End.

Oh.

Well.

Hmm.

So that was a problem of a difficult nature.

When people died, a lot of different things could happen.

Most normally, when a person died, they usually went to a god of their choice, unless something happened along the way. Then, after a long time in that heaven, that person either remained themselves, becoming a paragon of themselves in that afterlife, or they chose to simply become one with that heaven; that specific gods domain. It was like becoming a part of the god, but more like becoming a part of that mantle of godhood. The difference between being a part of the gods domain or mantle was academic and religious, but probably more philosophical than anything. Becoming a paragon left a person as themselves, of course.

In the vast majority of other cases, where a person just didnt care about an afterlife, or if they had no plans for after death, they went to Phagar, who shepherded them on to the afterlife of their choice, to see if they fit in with that afterlife, or they offered the person The End; a soft oblivion of eternal rest. Dead babies and children too young to understand anything usually ended up shepherded to Atunirs heaven, to be reborn to parents wishing most solidly for kids, though that was mostly a the same things used to make two different people sort of situation. It was not a [Reincarnation].

Phagars The End was a definite End, though, with the people who chose that End likely being those who had vehemently chosen the End. Phagar did not offer the End lightly, but it was always there, calling people to their ultimate rest.

Everyone had suspected that Solomons Un-Sundering Project was capable of undoing The End, and they knew it was going to be an issue, eventually...

And now that issue was here.

Erick took a moment, then said, So he really can undo The End. That was kinda expected, eventually.

And now we are at eventually, Phagar said, I dont mind immortality, but I am against pain, and the End is chosen by people who have chosen that for themselves. The person who chose the End was brought back by a great granddaughter who thought she was doing good, but the Ended person instantly chose the End again.

Erick sighed. So thats bad.

Forcibly pulling someone out of heaven is not ideal either, Rozeta said.

Erick said, Pulling someone out of Heaven is not ideal, either. Erick paused in thought And then he looked around. He looked back to Rozeta and Phagar. Why are we here?

Rozeta said, Technically, what he has done is a blasphemy of the highest order, but we have bigger problems Technically. And Solomon has already proven himself as an ally. If anyone else would have desecrated the afterlives of our people, then the Paladins would get involved.

Understood. Erick said, So lets solve this problem.

Rozeta nodded, her worries vanishing slightly, now that Erick had agreed to do something.

Thank you, Erick. Phagar said, We want you to talk to him, and incorporate some sort of prayer into the working of his next iteration of this magic. A clearance-request, if you want to frame it that way.

Sure? Erick said, I see no problem with that.

But if that was everything, then they wouldnt be here, in this ritual space.

Erick asked, But theres a lot more?

Rozeta said, Sitnakov Ignited to Wizardry this morning, and we need you to talk to both him and Killzone before they kill each other.

Ericks eyes went wide

Phagar said, Ideally, if you work this confrontation right, then it is possible for both of them to Ascend to True Wizard at the end of it.

Which is what we will be hoping for, Rozeta said, Because Ill pull the Script back from that spot and let whatever happens, happen.

Erick focused. Thats a lot. Now I actually do need to know what is going on with that relationship.

Rozeta said, Were not done yet.

Today is a big day, Erick. Phagar said, Because were also thinking of asking Melemizargo to raise Solomon to God of Knowledge. It would solve a great many issues coming up with the Un-Sundering Project, and provide a better framework for all of that happening. He wouldnt need to have prayer systems set up, and he could just act as the prayer system himself.

Rozeta said, With such a power, he could actually get Debby back and solidify his spellwork into a True Working of Divinity, as well as provide Veird with a God of Knowledge that would be able to directly fight against the Reds anti-memetic effects.

Ericks brain broke a little.

And then he said, Ah. Yes. This is a big day, I see.

Big day. Potential to be a catastrophic day. Lots of moving parts, and were only at the initial blush of the solutions to our burgeoning problems. Rozeta said, But we believe it might be a very good day. You might need to do a lot of Time Magic to get it all falling down in the correct ways, but maybe not.

Phagar said, Its all connected. None of them know this is happening. But were here, because were hoping that Melemizargo will choose to show, and lend a hand. Depending on how he reacts, we will have to react accordingly.

Erick looked around. Melemizargo?

Shadows swirled.

Melemizargo halfway appeared out of the gloom, only really showing the whites of his eyes, as he said, You would need to release the dead Goddess to me.

Rozeta looked to her father.Unravel the Unknown, Unleash the Unimaginable: N♡vεlB¡n.

A moment passed; eternal and deep.

Rozeta spoke with a voice that sounded almost like that of a lost daughter, asking her demented parent, Are you really there, father? Are you really the Dark God that I grew up knowing?

Melemizargo materialized more. No. I am not.

For the first time that Erick had ever seen the two of them together, Rozeta seemed both crushed, and actually hopeful.

I am diminished, just like all that remains of the Painted Cosmology. I am barely myself on some days, daughter of mine. But I am still enough of a god to see this through, and to act as I should, especially for events as large as this. The only real question is if you truly believe Solomon is worthy of Godhood. He is, after all, born of me.

Rozeta looked soft for a moment, like she wanted to believe, and so, when she spoke her request was deeper than her words, He cant have the Script, and yet he will try for that. Ask him not to take it from me.

He wont try for the Script, Rozeta, because my goal in taking the remains of the Goddess is not to hurt you, or to damage what we already have. I would take the remains of the Goddess of Knowledge and make a Mantle of Wisdomfor Solomon, to make him a demigod of you, for I would rather grant you the full power of Knowledge that I did not grant you at the beginning of our voyage in this Fractal Cosmology. I would enhance your Mantle of Ordered Knowledge into the Mantle of True Knowledge. Melemizargo added, But if you do not want this, then I will attempt to resurrect the Erased Goddess. All Solomon needs is to be a demigod, and that is easily achieved.

Rozeta breathed deep. She closed her eyes.

No one spoke.

Rozeta opened her eyes

The entire black land of the volcanos caldera turned from cooled, black obsidian, to rippled, almost-invisible glass. Erick stood upon that glass, looking down at the remains of a body that was not a body at all. It was missing too much to be called anything other than a collection of parts. What remained of the Goddess of Knowledge was broken crystal at every edge, almost colorless, all affixed in the general shape of a person laying on their back, with their hands at their sides. It was also easily half a kilometer large.

What remained of the Goddess of Knowledge was a finger, a foot, a pelvis, half a head which was mostly just the right eye. The torso, right shoulder, and left leg were the most intact; they were connected to each other, except for a break at the spine, just above the pelvis. Long, white hair lay draped under the remains, originating at what had been the head and then vanishing off into the mists far to the edges of the caldera. Erick imagined that the Goddesss hair was the mist.

The Goddess of Knowledges right eye was open.

The depths of that dead eye glittered gold, even now, 1453 years after the Goddesss sacrifice.

Rozeta spoke, I accept the Mantle of Knowledge.

Darkness flashed.

The Goddess below began to crumble, her body turning into motes of power that evaporated under the glass. She closed her eye. Though she had no mouth, Erick felt she was finally at peace, and that everything that had come before had been a torture

Rozeta breathed deep, and the world flowed into her. Her white wrought human body gained something deep in that breath and she gained a few inches of height, as well. Her white pantsuit turned into something ever slightly more elegant

It was over.

That was it.

The Goddess of Knowledge was dead, and the Goddess of Knowledge lived again.

Rozeta breathed out. Rozetas eyes glittered gold; her right eye perhaps a bit more than her left. Rozeta blinked, and the discrepancy of gold glows vanished, both her eyes flickering brilliant before she blinked again and hid her power behind mundanity. And then she reached up and undid the clasp on her hair bun, her metallic white hair falling down into a soft flow of white, all the way down to mid-back.

Melemizargo said, Welcome to true godhood, daughter.

Rozeta did not answer Melemizargo for a moment. And then she looked up at his face, and said, I expected more.

Melemizargo hummed. Acclimation will take time but you are already making this universe easier for meto understand. I suggest you appoint a few demigods before you take the full brunt of Infinity. Solomon can be Wisdom, but you should appoint Natural Laws, Magical Laws, Governance, and The Unknown.

Rozeta winced a little as Melemizargo spoke, her eyes darting left and right as though the knowledge growing in her head was too much. Erick felt a spike of worry, both at Rozetas sight, and at Melemizargos words. If the original story of the Sundering was even a little bit true, the original Goddess of Knowledge had been catatonic from the influx of new knowledge from this New Cosmology.

But then Rozeta breathed deep. She calmed.

And Erick reminded himself that the original Goddess of Knowledge had surely already known of the Fractal Cosmology, and all those attendant facts. There was absolutely no reason for her to go catatonic at the beginning, except because that suited Nothanganathors plan.

Rozeta said, I locked down my Knowledge base to a few ten-thousand side-realities. Ill be appointing those demigods later to further solve the problem.

I didnt. I loved him anyway.

Erick whispered, Aloethag. Please take the Rage away.

A Carnage voice echoed in Ericks ears, Sure. Sumtir and I wish to speak with you later.

Agreed.

Erick had already had a few conversations with them about various war efforts and plans, but today was a big day, and plans would need to be updated. After Veird got two more high-tier Wizards, though and maybe more. Could these two Ascend? Erick wasnt sure, but he was pretty sure that Rozeta was doing something in the background to help them. Or at least she was going to do something, eventually.

Erick was sure he would notice whatever she did when she actually did it.

Sitnakov tried to Rage, but he just roared and attacked Killzone.

Killzone countered with a storm of palm strikes.

Five minutes of fighting and three rewinds later, and the guys looked pretty bad off, according to the numbers.

Killzone: 46% Health, 46% Resources, 25% Resons

Sitnakov: 35% Health, 41% Resources, 19% Resons

It wasnt that surprising to see Killzone as a little stronger than Sitnakov, considering Killzone fought Shades for most of the last 350 years and Sitnakov was kind of a playboy. Still, their wounds were extensive, and Sitnakov wasnt a slouch at all.

On the broken land to the left, a legless Killzone hovered in the air and flexed his silver aura to replace his lost legs.

Sitnakov was on the ground to the far right. He stabbed the stump of his right arm into a block of adamantium that Killzone had created through Genesis. Sitnakov flexed, and then he pulled out a freshly healed arm and another sword from that hunk of abandoned adamantium.

Sitnakov glared at Killzone, saying, Youre good for making resources, but we dont need two Genesis Wizards. Now let me cut off your arm and take my brother back before you fuck him up again, betrayer.

Killzone glared, and this time the hate was real. He spoke softly, Ive known you as an enemy longer than I knew you as a friend. All cooperative diplomacy between Titanite and Stratagold stopped when the Dark took Kosomov. Has it ever occurred to you that that is what Melemizargo wanted?

The Dark is a crazy fucking bastard. No one should take him into consideration when living their life. Sitnakov took to the sky again, declaring, But youre a man who stole my brothers heart and then his body, and now youre trying to reclaim his soul. You have no right, Kosomov.

The silver apparition beside Erick stage-whispered, Technically I stole Kosomovs heart, but Sitnakov never understood that.

Huh.

Erick didnt react much, but he had a reaction, for sure.

Killzone and Sitnakov obviously did not hear, because both of them went right back to fighting.

Sitnakov used explosion magic that Erick had never seen him use before. The noise was incredible.

Killzone was getting serious, too, filling the air with fists and even a few feet, swinging at Sitnakov from all angles. Some of those limbs were massive, some were small, like bullets, and moving faster than sight could track. Killzone was moving about that fast, too, flickering around the battlefield, dissolving where Sitnakov exploded the sky and then reappearing with one of the fists trying to connect to Sitnakovs head, or chest, or other parts.

Erick almost reacted largely to the sound of Chernoms voice. It was so much like Killzones voice that Erick almost believed that it had come from Killzone himself. But that was definitely Chernoms voice. Chernom was still a silver ghost, but he had a substance to him that was more than illusion.

Erick helped Chernom along, talking with him, Sitnakov is rather hard headed.

Chernom smiled and his face was Killzones face, or rather, it was the other way around. Chernom said, Im glad that Kosomov got my body. Its nice to see me beat up my older brother some. I never could manage that. I was always the more artistic, magic guy.

Erick raised an eyebrow. You were? What kinda magic?

All kinds of stuff that wasnt war, Chernom said, soft as a whisper from three rooms away, as the sky ripped apart in explosions and screaming metal. Organizational magic, which is really just the discipline of Book Magic. Light Magic, for Illusion work and artsy stuff. Pretty shit at it, though. He laughed. When I tried to sell it outside of Stratagold under a different name, I got no buyers. Not everyone goes for artistic nudes of people just being comfortable, or dancing at Bright Tea. The Bright Tea stuff didnt get shown outside of the Geodes, of course. Maybe I should have tried more to get father to allow that, but he said no, and kings are kings. Chernom looked up at the sky, at Killzone, saying, Kosomov liked all of my stuff. He bought so much of it... He sighed. Gods. Look at how much better he is with that body! I could never move like that. Thats how a Son of Stratagold should be.

Erick grinned. Killzone is a pretty good Punch Wizard.

Chernom laughed, and it was louder than his whisper. He spoke in a volume that was more real, I cant believe that we actually have a wrought Wizard! And two of them! You had something to do with that, didnt you?

I did. Erick said, With any luck, theyll both come through this better than before, and be able to actually fight against the real enemy.

Chernom looked at Erick. His voice was a normal volume, as he said, Kosomov spoke about the real enemy some. Says his whole life was a lie.

Not a lie. A deception. Everyone was deceived. Even Melemizargo didnt know what was happening, exactly.

Moments passed.

Am I a lie? Chernom asked. I dont feel real.

Youre a Truth that has yet to fully manifest. Erick looked at the man, and he was vaguely translucent, but as Erick looked at him, Chernom turned opaque, the silver vanishing under black densities. Erick saw his Lightning Path connect. He asked, Want to help them be friends again?

Yes.

Erick nodded, and then he spoke to the air, Melemizargo? Rozeta? Can we get some cooperation going here, please? A reenactment and an enabling of Ascension?

A moment passed in an eternity.

Erick imagined Melemizargo and Rozeta speaking in the shadows, and in the clouds.

Killzone and Sitnakov struck each other and separated as they had a hundred times since Erick started talking with Chernom, but each one was running on fumes and resons.

And then it was time.

A blue pulse pulled back from the battlefield, from the contact of the two warriors.

Killzones Script-empowered silver aura and all of his [Fist Storm] suddenly failed. He reoriented fast. He managed to stay afloat. His conjured weapons did not. Fists pattered onto the ground like the final rush of a great rainstorm.

Sitnakovs Script-empowered wind faltered. He did not manage to stay afloat. He hit the ground in a controlled-crash.

The fight paused, for now.

And then Blue rippled away from the fight, twisting Genesis to rapidly create something real as the Script left the land, revealing a great land of white stone pillars with lines of gold all throughout. All of Killzones scattered metals vanished. The sky turned into more crystal towers. Up there, sky bridges connected everything to everything else, but down here, a blue river flowed between towers, between crystal shores laden with mosses and garden paths.

The participants in the battle were repositioned.

The Script would be back, but later, when the memory was done.

The memory was the set for a wedding, taking place at the bottom of the deepest parts of Stratagold. The wedding was not for today. It was some other day, in the near future. All that existed right now was a white arch of metal and a platform and some lightwards that marked out some seating arrangements. The chairs were nowhere to be seen. The tables that would hold the banquet were empty, without any table cloths.

Erick watched the memory from far away. He was alone. Chernom had relocated, too.

Chernom stood like an adamantium orcol wrought, stretching his black hands up and shaping some lightwards over the white arch where the ceremony would take place. He made light, and then erased light, forming letters and then erasing them, trying to get it right. He looked like Killzone, but there was a softness to him that did not exist in the man who would become Killzone. Chernom was an artist, making a series of triggering lightwards that would unfold and twist and then change as the ceremony went on.

Killzone set down on the ground at the end of the aisle that led up to Chernom. He still looked like himself, but also like Chernom, if Chernom were to hold himself in a completely different, harder sort of way.

Sitnakov set down to the far side, where he somehow ended up leaning against one of the giant white pillars.

Killzone and Sitnakov both had a surreal moment, because both of them knew that this was real, but also not.

Sitnakov stepped away from the pillar, his eyes going wide, as his body began to exude Air Mana. He was a disturbed breeze right now, for he was feeling disturbed himself. He had no Script-granted power at the moment, and though he had likely trained to fight in such a situation, considering dungeons existed for that exact reason, Sitnakov was still running on empty.

Killzone effervesced platinum, almost ready to resume the fight

And then he locked sight onto Chernom, and his glow pulsed. Whatever was happening, whatever this was? Chernom was real.

Killzones voice cracked, Chernom?

Chernom turned, then scowled, though there was a hint of mirth in that scowl. He shouted, Kosomov! Youre not supposed to be here before the ceremony. Im still working on the designs.

In a deep, soft sort of way, Killzone walked forward, speaking lines lost to history, You could work on them for a year and still not be happy.

Yes yes yes Chernom said, rolling his eyes. Done is better than perfect.

Sitnakov spoke his part, I still cant believe I have to be out here chaperoning The Artist. This is supposed to be your job, Kosomov. This could have been avoided if you would have denied his proposal. You two could be gallivanting off into Rozeta knows what places, living in sin like is proper for adventurers.

Chernom sarcastically said, How droll for me to want to make Kosomov an honest man.

Im glad we agree! Sitnakov said, So you can call this whole thing off, yeah?

Fuck off, Sitnakov, Kosomov said, without any real anger, like it was a thing he said all the time.

Sitnakov pulled one of his swords out from his hip, saying, Make me. Prove your worth as someone who can actually protect my brother, and not just as some hanger-on from Titanites impure Heavies, trying to get into real royalty.

The air flickered with Darkness all around the ceremony grounds, far away from Erick.

Upon the hill where Erick stood, Darkness also coiled.

Melemizargo whispered to Erick, Ill show you how its done this time. You get to do the next ones.

Erick nodded.

Killzone and Sitnakov didnt notice the Darkness all around themselves. They didnt notice Chernom eyeing the sky. Whatever spell had been cast, was slowly leaving the two of them. They eyed each other, and realizations came forward, all the way. They hated.

Chernom made a show of looking up and all around, trying to stick to the script of the past, Whered the light go?

Killzone and Sitnakov glared at each other. To call what was in their eyes something as simple as hate was to miss centuries of companionship and memories and fights fought together and stories that went on to get sung in bars, or written down by Knowledge Mages. And then a souring of all of that, all because of one horrible day.

Killzone glared at Sitnakov, If you wouldnt have been an asshole, talking about my heritage and driving me to fight, then maybe we would have noticed Melemizargo staring at our gathering.

Sitnakov pulled his other sword out of his other thigh, to hold them both, as he said, And if you would have been a better man, maybe I could have trusted you with my brother, betrayer.

Melemizargo appeared out of the Darkness, looming above the battlefield, his wings and body and tail flowing around the massive pillars like a primordial ooze. He was an event horizon, upon which all the world collapsed into focus, and that focus was upon his face, directly above the ceremony space, his white eyes glaring down at the participants. He made a show of his white eyes focusing on Killzone, then Sitnakov, and then landing squarely on Chernom, though that whole action had passed in less than a flicker of time.

And then Killzone and Sitnakov noticed Melemizargo.

They noticed.

Erick witnessed the moment that Killzones entire being fractured with ancient pain, and then he focused.

Sitnakov had a similar moment of panic and then calm.

Chernom became a real person.

Melemizargo spoke his lines, I prefer Titanite and Stratagold as enemies.

And then Melemizargo opened his jaws and descended, his serpentine neck curling behind his head, wide as all the pillars all around. His teeth were the size of mansions surrounding an open hole in the world. He would devour, and never stop.

Sitnakov and Kosomov became as they had been, and so much more. Without looking at each other, Sitnakov knew to head high, which he did. He became a slashing tornado, aiming to clip Melemizargos jaws aside. Kosomov headed low, aiming right for Chernom, grabbing him in a tackle that brought him far away from the battlefield.

But Kosomov hit nothing but platinum illusion

And then the illusion became real in a flashing instant.

Many things happened all at once. Erick did not catch them all, because many of them happened outside of his sight, for the very first thing to happen was an explosion of resons from both Sitnakov and Kosomov, obscuring most mana senses. Erick did what he could to adjust his sight to little portals he opened to directly view the land.

Killzone held Chernom in his arms, rushing the two of them outside of the descent of Melemizargos jaws. Chernom held an arm around Killzones neck as they flew, and he kissed Killzone on the cheek. Killzone smiled. He flashed platinum, and suddenly he was kilometers away from the battle, and he was no longer black. He was fully white and almost iridescent, and his entire body had stopped effervescing silver.

Erick was reminded of the Curse of Adamantium at that moment. That Curse is what turned adamantium black, because Melemizargo did not like black being associated with evil.

Killzone slowed because he noticed the change, too.

Chernom kissed him again, and then patted his shoulder. You can let me off here. Go save Sitnakov.

Killzone held tighter, I dont ever want to let you go again.

Go save him, or Im not marrying you.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Sitnakov tore through Melemizargos jaw and out the other side. He came out covered in blood that rapidly fell away, along with all of the black of his own adamantium body. He turned pure white, too. Even his swords were white. He was amazed at himself for a moment, because he knew he shouldnt have been able to hurt Melemizargo like that at all, and yet he had. He had dived into the jaws of death, and come out a few tens of god-teeth richer.

And also Ascended.

Melemizargos top jaw crashed into the ceremony space, but his bottom jaw was not there to close the gap. Instead of eating the whole ceremony ground, he merely broke part of it, and then he vanished back into the gloom.

Sitnakov laughed at the God of Magic, You fucking bastard! I got you that time.

Melemizargo was nowhere to be found, but several teeth and scales littered the area. His lower jaw simply wasnt there.

Erick rubbed his own jaw, wondering if when Killzone had struck there, he had been trying to replicate what he had been unable to do oh so long ago. And he had, a little. Sitnakov might have done the most damage to the God of Magic, but even Killzones rapid extrication of Chernom had broken several teeth. Both of them had saved Chernom. Killzone, by taking the guy directly out of there, and Sitnakov, by delaying the descent of those jaws by a half-second.

A moment passed, as Sitnakov hovered over the battlefield, and at the gore covering the ceremony grounds.

Killzone showed up. He grinned at Sitnakov, speaking in a drawl, Theyre gonna have to call ya the White Wind, now, ya fuck.

Sitnakov turned and paused, taking in Killzones new look, his eyes going wide. And then he looked down at his own hands and swords. Wha

A blue wave collapsed inward, from far beyond Ericks senses, down into the battlefield. The white pillars of Stratagold vanished as that wave rushed in

A tiny blue box appeared in front of Erick.

Would you like a Wizardly Connection to the Script, Erick Flatt?

Yes / No

Note: This connection is optional.

No thank you. Erick added, Maybe later.

The blue box vanished, just as the entire battlefield ahead vanished; as though it never existed. The marriage grounds were gone. So were the teeth of Melemizargo.

The crater-marked battlefield did not come back. Instead, a continent of green grasses spread out ahead in every direction, both on the lower continent, and in the sky, on the upper continent. The light returned in the middle layers.

The land was at peace But what about the warriors?

Killzone and Sitnakov stood in the middle of a field of flowers, beside a stream that had not been there before. Killzone no longer had the [Shackle of Memory and History] upon his wrist, but he was full-iridescent-white, so it was easy to tell him apart from Chernom. Sitnakov had no iridescence to him, but he was still full-white, too. Both of them were slightly crystalline. Both were different.

Most notably, Erick couldnt mana sense them at all the way he could mana sense normal people, like Chernom. Chernom had a soft silvery cloud for a soul, which was more or less normal, but it was still in tatters here and there. He had just come back; of course there was soul damage. Sitnakov had a white soul that was dense and strong, and completely fake; normal souls did not look like that. He looked like a crystal on the inside, and the outside. Killzone was a void that was not a void; it was a space of mana that was completely indistinct from the normal manasphere. If Erick didnt have eyes and rather extreme senses, he would have thought Killzone was an illusion. Killzone was rather adept at being soft and hidden when he wanted to be he had been fighting Shades for 350 years, after all so it did not surprise Erick that the man had Ascended like he had.

The two men looked at each other, and at the sky and the land

And then Chernom, far away on a hill, waved and shouted. He looked like how Killzone used to look, but softer. Happier.

Killzone went to Chernom.

Sitnakov followed, though he purposefully lagged behind.

Erick allowed them several private moments of quiet words and hand holding, while Sitnakov desperately wanted to throw an arm around Chernoms shoulders and have his own time with his brother, away from Killzone, but Sitnakov stuck with just a quick hug. They could be a family later.

Before they got too into it, Erick stepped through a [Gate] to stand among the three wrought, forgoing all introductions and simply asking a question he could already see the answer to, You True Wizards are done fighting amongst yourselves, right? Training time is over. Nothanganathor awaits, and we need your swords and your fists.

Killzone was the fastest to reorient. He said, Ive gotten a blue box from Rozeta to help me solidify my True Wizard nature. Ill be taking care of that first, and then Ill be ready.

Sitnakov asked, How much time do we have?

Erick said, Rozeta became Goddess of Knowledge and the Script today. You two will need to work on your whatever-you-haves to make yourselves further immune to Nothanganathors influence, but youve been noticed. Big things are happening. We might have a day before initial probes start, or whatever happens. We might have hours. The Shelter is coming down, soon; one way or other unknown ways. He looked to Chernom, then to all of them, as he opened a [Gate] to Stratagolds Yggdrasil beach, saying, See your family. And then prepare.

Chernom smiled wide, then patted Killzone on the ass, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, saying, You wear that body better than I ever did. Go prepare, for real. Ill be waiting. And when youre done preparing, we can talk about everything, and how none of us are the same people we used to be. And then Chernom walked through the portal.

Killzone watched Chernom go, but he also looked at the air. He breathed hard, and said to Erick, Rozeta is calling for a meeting with me and Sitnakov. Well get there from Stratagold. And then he went through the [Gate] He turned. Thank you.

He went.

Sitnakov went with them, saying, Wait up!

Erick watched them for a moment. They looked happy, but weirded out, which was just about the best way for them to be. Erick watched some guardians of Stratagold step out of invisibility and the area, looking shocked as they saw what appeared to be Killzone and some white wroughts in the shapes of Killzone and Sitnakov. Erick smiled at that. Sitnakov started to explain everything in his usual, brusque manner, which looked like it would get him in some sort of initial trouble

Erick closed the [Gate].

And then he took a [Gate] to the Silver Surface.