Chapter 279, 2/2

Chapter 279, 2/2

Erick stepped down onto volcanic glass. The edges of the caldera were obsidian knife edges ripping at mist.

Hello everyone, all Relevant Entities of the Script, Erick said, Calling out to everyone listening. Id like to speak about some things happening on Fenrir right now, and in the near future. Its time to air some grievances, and Im going first.

Rozeta, Phagar, Koyabez, and Melemizargo appeared, along with Atunir and her Champion Yetta, Champion Nirzir next to Phagar, and then Champion Fallopolis by Melemziargo. The other Relevant Entities stayed in the mist, seeming scared by Ericks declarations.

That told Erick a lot. Why were they scared?

Erick wasnt sure, but everyone here seemed wary, like they were expecting Erick to pull some shit or something.

And then Fairy Moon and Shadow appeared, looking grim. Worried. Even more worried than everyone else.

Yeah. It had been time to have this conversation, before anything bad actually happened.

Erick said, I am sure you all have seen some questionable actions on my part. I will not be accepting criticism at this time. I will, however, be giving criticisms, and yes, that seems unfair, but hear me out.nove(l)bi(n.)com

I have heard some disturbing things. I have seen some questionable actions.

I feel that I am the only one truly invested in this coalition right now, because every time any one of you looks at me I can tell you are somehow frightened. I will not go into details, because to nitpick is to pull apart the weave that holds us all together.

We all want different things, but we also all want the same thing.

We have all seen information out there that has twisted what we thought was real and revealed secrets we thought hidden.

Im here to say that literally none of that stuff matters, and we should institute a Forgotten Campaign against all of it, and against Nothanganathor, too. Erick said, History must be remembered, but it must also be worked through in times of peace, and we are not in a time of peace at all, and any of us listening to Nothanganathor at all is just poisoning the chances we have of pulling this off. Nothanganathor started off as an anti-meme to all of us, and we must return him to that.

He should be recorded in side-ways, and never directly. His own words should not be allowed to exist and spread. We will know of him, but no one else will.

He should be spoken about in the past tense, and in how we can make sure it never happens again.

The ability for something to affect our unity should be reserved for those who desire to belong, or for those who we bring into compliance. Nothanganathor is none of that. We will ensure he has nothing, and especially not the ability to divide us and affect us at all. He is nothing, and he will have nothing. Erick finished with, That is why I say I will not be accepting criticisms, and why I only gave out the barest criticisms myself.

The faces of the gods were careful things, but they all relaxed, as far as Erick could tell. Melemizargo looked quietly smug. Shadow and Fairy Moon were unsure but they decided to believe.

Shadow waved a dismissive hand, saying, I didnt hear anything that needed to be spread.

Fairy Moon added, I wish a return to conversations of bountiful conclusions at your convenience, Rozeta.

Rozeta looked at Fairy Moon and nodded. Well speak more later. She said to Erick, I want my son cured, Erick, and soon But beyond that grievance We cant actually Forget him.

We certainly dont have to listento him either, Rozeta, Melemizargo said, No matter how many Truths he speaks.

Every single person here had been exposed to the Red and to Nothanganathors lies. Every single one of them had had their own horrors shown to them, in order to twist them. Like at that fungal Last Good Continent, Nothanganathor had seeded the very air to be destructive, while the faces of the people and the natures of the societies had been crafted to draw the gods and powers of Veird in, and then twist them while they were there.

Like with that Necromancer of Deaths; the gods had been forced to confront evils they had thought long dead, which injured them in their reprisal.

Like with the trauma that Quilatalap felt he had needed to simply erase from himself, and thus become someone he was not, everything here had been a trap.

Ten million traps might not kill a god, but they still left scars. They still sensitized.

In order to heal that hurt, and move on, Erick said, I would like to speak of two things, and the first need not be talked about right now, while the second is more important for moving forward.

First, I would like to discuss what a Forgotten Campaign would look like against Nothanganathor, for I feel that is one of the best ways to End this threat forever more. We can all think on that for a little while.

Secondly, let us speak of Cascadio. I told everyone here that I was inviting him if I saw an opportunity, and I saw an opportunity, and he has been incredibly helpful in empowering the Valkyries to clear away the threats out there. He is a good guy, and yes, hes a fractal god, but most gods in this universe are fractal gods.

Melemizargo spoke first, You keep speaking of him as a person, Erick, but he is not a person. He is a collective delusion. I understand how rich that is coming from me, when I used to say that about everyone here, but I can safely say that I was confused back then. I had mixed up some facts about the Pantheon, with their Dark-given Mantles, and the gods of the Fractal, and their similar-yet-different power. The fact that the Pantheon couldnt even seeMalevolence is what made me so crazy back then. Cascadio cant see Malevolence, Erick, not if Malevolence doesnt want to be seen.

Ah, Erick said, looking around the caldera, at all the concerned faces, and at a few faces that were just now getting concerned. Demon King Dinnamoth was unaware that Cascadio couldnt even see Malevolence. He made the connections between Melemizargos words and unsaid concerns just as fast as Erick, though. Erick said, Youre all worried that he cant see the Red in the sun and it is affecting him or his people.

Rozeta said, That is just one possible interpretation, though that is the main avenue through which we expect him to be turned into a weapon against us.

Erick had what felt like a brilliant idea, so he asked, Then how about we help him and help ourselves by attempting a ritual to help him help everyone who worships him? It would be a good way to strike out against Malevolence out there in the universe, and here on Fenrir. Weve done a lot to clean up the space, but we can always make it better. Stronger.

In fact, that might be one of the best exports of this land. Large rituals to grant favorable outcomes to the rest of the universe. Maybe through something Benevolence aligned? I still need to help out against corruption out there in the rest of the universe after we win this war, and this seems like a good way to do all of that at once.

We could do a great many things to assist all the rest of this universe, and thus gain power for ourselves in turn. Erick said, We can even pick and choose the societies we wish to raise up, and the gods that sit upon those societies. When we can open the path back into the Dark, we can do so knowing we have allies everywhere out there.

The room was stunned to silence.

Melemizargo grinned.

Erick said, Anyway! War with Nothanganathor first. Well be ripping him out of everywhere. How should we best proceed?

Fairy Moon spoke up, We must make managed words, good Wizard Flatt, outside of outside observers, before you beckon the Ending of this Epic.

Erick said, That sounds fine to me. Nothanganathors shit doesnt need to be spread around at all, but I can see the value in smaller discussions. Anyone wish to join us for a smaller talk?

- - - -

On an illuminated moonsun hanging somewhere far away from Veird, Erick appeared amid the light pointed away from Fenrir. This particular moonsun was on top of a column of moonsuns, each of them glowing brightly, each of them made of white eternal stonewood towers and layers of land and ocean with waterfalls and life everywhere. Mostly light slimes. They drifted through the air like jellyfish, crowding out the sky and the land in flowing rivers of illumination. Beyond those slimes was the star-filled sky. For a normal person, that sky would be blocked by too much light, but Erick could see it just fine.

It was quite beautiful.

With an easy cast, Erick [Eternal Stonewood Shape]d a few of the nearby towers into a large platform, fit enough for a few tens of people.

Fairy Moon stepped out of swirling pink/green/white Springtime, and where she touched exploded with greenery and flowers. She was dressed normally, in her pink/green/white sundress and corset, her eyes a heterochromatic neon pink and nuclear green.

Shadow stepped out beside Fairy Moon, and the world was a little dimmer. The stars appeared in the sky, and the shadows deepened all around. She wore her Benevolent Dark Queen outfit, but trimmed down for more personal settings, with less ornamentation than usual.

Melemizargo lifted his draconic head on the side of the platform, casting the world into an illuminated sort of darkness. The light and the slimes were still there, shining like sunlight, but now there were shadows and dark, and even a normal person could have been able to see the land all around them. It had been too blinding before. A normal person might even appreciate this land in a blacklight-rave sort of setting, with radioactive-like mushrooms popping up here and there with floors and walls that glowed white. Melemizargo shrunk down, but not much. He hung on the side of the platform, floating lazily like he was swimming in water.

Erick smiled, and said, It all looks a lot prettier when a whole bunch of different people gather here, bringing with them different ideas of what reality should be.

None of his present company were appreciative of Ericks call to pleasantries.

Shadow said, I wish to air the first grievance: You will never love me, Erick.

Never is a long time, so I doubt that assertion very much, Erick easily and instantly replied.

A moment passed.

And then Shadow looked mollified. Her greyish features pinkened a little. Oh. Well. Of course. Obviously nothing will happen between us right now. Obviously. I drop my grievance.

Erick nodded. Whos next?

Fairy Moon asked, Would you prevent us from purposing our population of people into the declaration of the New Dark?

Nope. Not at all. Erick said, I dont want to know why you feel I would want to stop that.

Fairy Moon nodded with understanding.

Melemizargo stared, asking a hard question, Do you have designs upon my Mantle, Erick?

No.

Melemizargo breathed, and then said, Not a good enough answer.

Erick frowned a little. I dont want to be a god. I want to be me. I believe my track history has made that clear.

You could be both. I am both, all the time. You could easily live a life, and then return to your past and deal with all your godly duties. Or you could elevate Shades to power to do all of your duties for you. You might not be a physical god in this new world you are trying to create, but when you speak of us working together to sellritual services to phantom gods and gain power across an entire universe, you are speaking as though you are already a god. Melemizargo looked at him. Which you almost already are. Melemizargo allowed no reply. He continued, Are you aware that your woman, Teressa, is trying to contact the Dark and make inroads on yourbehalf? Or that Poi is trying to become an avatar of you, to help you deal with everything coming down the road? Or that Shivraa is a spiritual leader, and the Valkyries could easilyraise you to godhood with a simple request from you?

Are you aware that people are worshiping youas though you are me?

Erick had known some of that.

He had not known that Melemizargo was much more than concerned. He was verging on fury.

Erick discarded his initial reaction to be mad that Melemizargo was thinking like this at all. Erick started tackling Melemizargos points, saying, I have heard that Teressa is trying to contact the Dark through her Mark, through her Personal Script, but I have not heard her make any progress on that. She intends to ask the Dark to not let Nothanganathor win. This seems normal to me. If this is unacceptable, then please let me know. I had no idea this was unacceptable.

Poi is trying to find himself, as far as I understand, through collective cultivation. His goal is to become an Ascendant Mind, through himself from all side realities. He is going to discard his body soon. I worry for him, because bodies seem important, but it is what he wants and I am supporting him in that.

Shivraa does worship me, but in an idolized sort of way. I dont believe it is true worship. Is a call to community the same as worship? Or do I misunderstand Shivraa?

I was aware that some people are confusing you for me, but I have never facilitated this belief

You arent doing enough to stop that belief, either, Melemziargo said, way too strongly.

Ah.

Erick saw it now.

Melemizargo was starting to spiral.

Erick had assumed that Melemizargo had made peace with his death, for that is how it appeared the last time they spoke.

The dragon had not made peace with his death at all. He had been hiding his existential terror. He was worried, terrified, furious, and then back to worried, for he was not able to do a damned thing to stop himself from feeling those things. He had no power

Oh.

Shit.

He was probably losing power, too, wasnt he.

Nothanganathor had thrown off his Curse of Obscurity, according to him. He had become True Wizard, and then fae, and now he was waiting to be assigned God of Magic by the Dark. Just that; waiting. Not even actively pursuing power. His star was on the rise.

Melemizargos star had to be fading.

Melemizargo had finally come out of the trap, of the cage that Nothanganathor had made for him out of Veird, in the Sundering, but now the trap had become a death bed.

Erick asked, What do you want me to do about it?

Melemizargo said, You fight him, now. If we fail, then we try again. No more preparation. No politicking with the Red reflections of your people of Veird. No determination of right and wrong, and threading needles and designing compromises between morality and necessity.

We go.

We kill.

And then you fix what comes next so it doesnt happen that way.

Erick had no fucking clue how to make Melemizargos demand a reality, but he felt his Dark Mark sing to him and his Lightning Path tell him something very important. He chose not to speak about the making of universes from living sacrifices, as they had done to The Prince, and also the Goddess of Knowledge at the start of the Script, and instead said, Then [Witness] a war for the fate of it all, Dark God of Magic.

- - - -

All of Veird was a veined mass of power that collected in certain ways, and one of those ways was known as the Heart of Melemizargo, or the Well of Darkness.

Just like how Elemental Exalted and Vile collected into places that then collected the souls of angels and demons, thus making a heaven for those creatures, Darkness gathered inside the hearts of every Marked person on the planet, and in the universe. That power flowed where it could. And when it could, it flowed here.

The Valkyries feasted on that corpse, too.

- - - -

Evan had been feeling uneasy all day long. He had gone through reports from every Problem Area of Fenrir, and the steps being taken to solve those problems, but the job was literally too large for him and House Benevolence. They did what they could, though. Mostly they analyzed possible solutions to this Area or that Area and then put those solutions into the outgoing box in fathers office.

Those reports vanished the very second they were laid down. Sometimes they vanished before that, as the analyzer walked with the finished report in that direction.

Evan had attributed his unease toward the chaotic, absolute necessity of the job ahead of them.

But then the alarm went off while Evan was in the middle of working on Problem Area 187 with his team.

Zorik, Castellan Zolans grandson and Paladin of Rozeta and Evans boyfriend, startled. His eyes flickered Script-blue as he read instructions from Rozeta. Thats when Evan started to panic, and then his panic gave way to utter certainty.

He already knew what was happening.

Ophiel opened a portal in the middle of Evans offices, among his team. He fluffed out his iridescent black wings and said, I need you. I already got the girls and every other dragon I could find. Dad is moving on Nothanganathor right now.

Evan nodded.

Yup. Thats what Evan had expected.

Even grabbed Zorik, kissed him once, said, Love you. See you later.

Zorik was still in the middle of receiving instructions from Rozeta, his eyes still clouded with blue.

Evan followed Ophiel onward, into Benevolence Itself, where ten thousand other portals were open into ten thousand other lands, and people were moving fast. Yggdrasil was already directing people this way and that with rainbow streamers in the air, directing people and moving them at the same time, but people mostly knew where to go on their own.

Most of the people were Valkyries.

Zorik called out, Love you, too!

Evan twisted back, grinned, and

The portal closed.

Ophiel said, Sorry. Dad can do time tricks. I cannot. Go there. He pointed at a portal in the sky. It was one of the closer ones, where the Valkyries were not headed at all. Youre on a diplomatic/violence mission to help them fight the Red beasts that are appearing right now. Its the Crystal Forest but Bulgan killed dad at the start of Candlepoint. Dad killed Bulgan and a few other bad people this time, again, but left them pretty much alone because they told him to go away because he looked like Melemizargo. Some people accepted his Personal Scripts, but not many. Ophiel spoke much faster, Theres 175 million people in that Crystal Forest for some reason! Tell them the basics or frighten them into believing you! I suggest the second option for expediency's sake! Go go go!

Evan moved, flying fast, kinda awed at how much Ophiel knew and understood, and at how much organization his little brother was doing right now. The entirety of Benevolence Itself was filled with portals, like dark stars leading from light into anything else besides light

There, in the far, far distance, and in a way Evan only caught a glimpse of, was a sky full of black stars. Valkyries flew up through rainbow roads, traveling in the millions, so dense they looked like lines of blackgold fire. Those werent stars up there. They were portals into some other place. Some dark land.

The big battle.

Evan wanted to go, but he knew where he needed to be, and it wasnt in the middle of a Wizard War. Evans place was anywhere other than a Wizard fight. Those Valkyries were probably dying just as fast as they were flowing into that other space. Evan imagined they got pulped and then reborn on Fenrir, near their [Spellsurge Weave]s, and every single Valkyrie would be making that flight to the final battle multiple times.

Evan flew toward his own portal, catching glimpses of all the true organization happening behind the scenes, and he was awed by Ophiel again. He glimpsed Ophiel yelling at Jane and Candice that they couldnt go to the battle with Nothanganathor. The argument didnt last long, thankfully. Just some yelled words. And then Candice and Jane went through the same portal, to some other necessity out there in Fenrir.

Wherever they went was likely a semi-Wizard fight. Maybe against Oozy? Who knew.

And then Evan flickered through his portal, and the portal closed behind him.

He floated above the Crystal Forest, on Fenrir. Or at least a version of the place. This one was on the exterior, so the sky was full of sunmoons and stars. Evan smiled as he saw this Crystal Forest. It was partially green. In this version of this world, Dad had probably started throwing out rain everywhere.

But then Bulgan had killed him at Candlepoint.

Welp!

Evan turned into a 50 meter long magenta dragon, and then he started Air Stepping around, getting a look at the place.

Red tears in the air started to appear almost right away, and Claws started to poke into this space.

Evan organized his thoughts. He still had access to mana through his Personal Script. Who to contact?

Did Poi exist in this world?

Evan focused on Poi, and then sent out a mental request to whatever passed for the Crossroads around here, Hello, Poi. Is this Poi?

Some Mind Mage grabbed his thoughts and wrangled them. This is Rizala Fulisade! How do you know my brothers name?!

Evan focused, Im going to send you an information packet. I also need to start organizing the defense of this land. Youre being attacked by anti-memetic beasts. Here.

Ten very, very long seconds later, and Rizala sent back, Fuck! Okay. I have no mana. I consumed half of that package just to be able to read it. Im only able to communicate with you because you have the connection open and some people have these Personal Scripts to make a mini-Crossing. Where are you?

Evan floated, gigantic and draconic over a different version of Spur. A few things were different, but the city was still orange rock, just like Evan remembered back when he was Jane. The Farms still existed, which was nice. The whole place looked quite desolate, though.

The people of Spur panicked, as was expected, though they mounted no defense. How could they, without the Script? Without mana?

Evan sent, Im the magenta dragon with the wings.

Yes. I see.

I am willing to use violence to save you. I am archmage level and my magic wont unravel in this space like yours is unraveling. Those among you who have a Personal Script might be able to survive contact with the enemy, but the enemy is already attacking. Put me in touch with them. I will be directing combat and fighting the main Claws that come.

You really are his son.

I am.

This is what needs to happen...

- - - -

Zooming across Nothanganathors back, dodging twists of dragonspines as the former-leviathan twisted, trying to catch him, Erick cascaded spill after spill of reson-empowered [Luminous Beam]s. Light burned through five layers of flesh at once, carving continent-sized wounds in Nothanganathor. Blood and bone appeared in those wounds, and then Erick tore deeper, and Nothanganathor twisted. Bone and blood blasted away, but this time it revealed scales underneath.

Nothanganathor sloughed off the damage exactly like a snake shedding his skin, becoming smaller now, but in the way that an ocean was smaller after it evaporated for a day.

Nothanganathor tried to collect his discarded flesh, that matter turning into Malevolence that then twisted back to him, but Valkyries feasted, roasting dragon meat with blackgold fire and drinking it down before Nothanganathor could take his power back.

Parasites! Parasites all of you! Nothanganathor roared.

His voice was an echo that blasted apart 1,248 valkyries that were too close and injured another 3,551. The first ones reformed somewhere back beyond the distant portals, while the second group merely regrew broken limbs and missing torsos with a rush of Carnage and Blood magic.

Several of them turned into actual parasites, though, and Erick sent a flicker of [Grand Reincarnation] lightning at those unfortunate people, sending them off to live other lives, in other parts of the universe, removing all of Nothangnathors influence and ensuring it wouldnt come back. Erick had taken lesser measures to remove some of Nothanganathors wizard tricks earlier in the battle, and that was how he had lost a million Valkyries to Nothor Beasts and Claws ripping up the backlines, out of Ericks sight, attacking the [Spellsurge Weave]s that held together several Valkyrie groups.

Hed get them back if he could, but

Nothanganathor twisted. The fabric of reality pulled inward. Valkyries got closer, even though they didnt mean to, because Nothanganathor had turned time on an axis, pointing it toward himself, declaring himself Inevitable in that action. It seemed like a test of his nascent and approaching Mantle of the Dark God of Magic.

The Valkyries could do nothing but get closer to him, and that is when he shot out Red Lightning and turned ten thousand Valkyries into splashed blood that slipped into that Lightning and then drowned into Nothanganathors wounds.

He was restored, just a little, in the way that an ocean was deeper after the sky rained for an hour.

That right there seemed to be a common use of his Sign of Power; the thing he had twisted Margleknots Mark of the Fractal into, in order to Sunder the Painted Cosmology.

It would have been another million Valkyries gone into his Sign of Power, but Erick stepped through time and prevented that particular disaster.

Nothanganathor turned his eyes toward Erick, watching him with orbs the size of moons, as Erick moved through Time itself. The bastard was watching and organizing an attack, so Erick stopped moving in that way, returning to strafing runs of [Luminous Beam]. Nothanganathor roared out hate, his flesh blasting away as he once again twisted around to mitigate the damage, to aim claws at Erick, or to try and carve Erick from flight with any number of spines lining his body.

Erick dodged them all and blasted away continents of flesh.

It looked impossible. It looked like too much for any one fae to deal with. And it was. Nothaganathor had prepared countermeasures that he pulled out of Red Lightning like he was pulling out bazooka cannons in a fist fight. But Erick stepped in from the future and dismantled magic. He cast Nothanganathors tricks into Infinity, shoving those tricks into the sun, and when that didnt work, he swallowed sun-ending trinkets with well-timed portals opened to the Whirlpool. The Whirlpool was still active over on that other slice of infinity, after all.

Stuff that was worse than Annihilation splashed this way and that, eradicating Nothanganathors trinkets and magic, for the Whirlpool was utter destruction. It was hard to predict when a splash of that destruction was angled in a useful way, to produce a rush of power that Erick brought through one portal, annihilated a trinket, and then swallowed that splash of Whirlpool right back where it came from, but Erick had a lot of time on his hands.

The battle was going well.

Erick and his Valkyries were winning. Veird was winning.

They could win this.

Erick dodged Red Lightning, and when he failed to dodge it, he pushed away those Futures where he died. When Nothanganathor Established deaths, Erick Established escapes from death.

Nothanganathor was just a wizard; a proto-fae. A single man with a lot of tricks, most of which burned away with his body on the sun. Erick and his people were a lot more than that.

And yet

And yet, Erick blasted away continents worth of flesh, Mana Siphoning all the power that came his way and allowing the Valkyries to collect what remained. Nothanganathor attacked and struggled, and Erick evaded in all the ways he could, getting away from every counter attack.

Erick had stopped using normal magic a while ago, for Nothanganathor could suck that up with his Sign of Power, and Nothanganathor did the same, using trick after trick to attack Erick, every way he could.

Nothanganathor seemed to have endless tricks, but high-energy Particle Magic seemed to be the best thing to use against him, since it was the only thing he couldnt siphon away with his Sign of Power. Erick was well equipped to do that, and it barely cost any mana at all. He was spending resons like water, though.

Wait.

Was Nothanganathor spending any resons at all?

Why hadnt Erick realized that earlier

Nothanganathor suddenly erupted in laughter, the sound of it coming from every angle, like an echo that surrounded

Erick was inside of a stomach. He didnt know how he had gotten there, but he was inside of a world-sized stomach. Acid burned the void all around like caustic corruption, twisting reality into digestible mana. Erick Stepped out of the trap, into the void, lit by the Red Sun. Nothanganathor swallowed a few thousand more Valkyries while Erick reoriented

Nothanganathors belly sealed back up, the wound Erick had exited healing in a flash of Red.

Almost got you with that one! Nothanganathor said, as he whipped his head back around to glare at Erick, his eyes shimmering Red. You should have prepared more!

Erick had prepared enough, for he had tricks he hadnt used yet, too. The big ones.

He decided to use one trick, though.

Erick punched Nothanganathor.

They were both human in that throwing of that punch, each floating in the void. Erick knocked out teeth and Nothanganathors brain rattled as blood went flying. That blood turned into Valkyries that flew away as fast as magically possible. Erick punched the dazed bastard in the stomach again, caving in bone and breaking spine.

And then Nothanganathor recovered, twisting into the punch like a swallowing maw of his true self, rapidly returning to full size and snapping down on Ericks still-human body.

Erick wasnt in that maw at all. He was by Nothanganathors eye.

Erick raked dragon claws across Nothanganathors eye, for Erick had become a dragon again, and much bigger than before. Nothanganathor was still the size of several Jupiters, but Erick was bigger, now. Almost as big as one of Nothanganathors eyes.

Nothanganathor pulled away, one eye closed, blood seeping.

Erick held up a red gem. Got your eye!

Resons poured out of Erick as the gem became a real eye, sized to Ericks fist. He crushed the eye and Nothanganathor raged. The white serpent wasnt really blinded at all, but he wouldnt be getting that eye back without actually trying for it.

The fight resumed.