"Often it is spoken of the duty of mortals towards their Divine Patrons, but what of the inverse? What does the God or Goddess out there have to offer to us mere mortals for our worship that empowers them and their sphere? "Faith Given is Faith Rewarded" is often spouted about! But we still have war and strife! Unfair rulers and pain! Must we live in this mire of adversity to find meaning when the Divine themselves can languish in plenty? In the fruits of our prayers and hopes?"
High Priestess Amanda Üupallas's sermons, non-redacted version.
Deep within the Forges of the Academy reserved for Lucrezia's Magi-Tech was a sight to behold, smiths and arcane forgers together with Engineers and no less than a full cadre of Magi-Tech priesthood anointed a young woman. Her entire body was clad in silvery armor with hints of golden crystals and blood-red streaks of unholy metal touched by the Rage-that-Dwells, shipped from where the Gods of the world felled the beast that became it.
Incense, chanting, and the brass sound of pipe organs meshed together with the hammering and grunting, the sizzling and grinding of both mortal and mineral. Living and Unliving forged into a singular purpose.
The woman moved towards the center of the grand altar, a thing of brutish iron and rock as she poured enough energy to fuel an entire city. First, it was Ki, mana and life force intertwined and the most primal of essences a mortal had, that which granted the means of primeval men to fight with teeth and claw, then it was Mana the raw magic energy that permeated everything and everyone which emboldened mortals to reach Godhood, as it was His plan.
At last, it was the Divine, the ichor of the Gods that powered their Holy work. Mana and Divine Essence were born out of the progeny of His and Her Flesh. This one was of the purest and strongest kind, their Firstborn, shamed and nameless and yet lurking in the shadows of the Universe. With crude iron tools, symbolic and teething with meaning the Woman forged a Warhammer, based off the spectral form she had used long ago against her greatest enemy.
"It needs more" She spoke out loud and the chanting grew in power, Heresy would be the final ingredient for this woeful weapon wrought in desperation and fear and above all else secrecy. In her hand was an eldritch dagger forged by cosmic powers beyond her ken but very much aligned with her in the protection of the one she held most dear in her heart. Purple energy flowed binding the energy and the metal as one as the Woman used her tools to shape the weapon with its last details.
Hope had many weapons, she had a God Killing Spear, the Sacred Sword of Vermilion, the Shifting Blade granted by Lucrezia, and even a spectral form of Auguriou's Warhammer, but this would be the one she would be using in the upcoming fight for she knew something was going to happen. Arthur and Richard were doing their preparations as well and Vivienne...
"May she succeed in her plan" Hope muttered a small prayer as she finished her new weapon, Rising to the air as the audience finished their part of this ritual with awe and cheers, followed by prayers and incantations to their God. Armor forged out of Divine and Rage energies, a Weapon of Blasphemy and Desperation and the Power to wield it in defiance of what was to come.
The moment washed over Hope like spring rain, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She was Hope Morgan Fritz, Daughter of the Crimson Yeagers, Future Queen of Vermilion, and Chosen of the All-Father Faal. And she would not be found wanting when the most dire of moments came crashing against her and her people.
----------------------------------------
"Rise, Son of Vermilion, Keeper of the Oath" an ancient voice croaked above him, the stillness and power of it betrayed a possession from a higher, stronger being which no doubt was happening right now.
"Rise, Son of Vermilion, Scion of Blood and Steel" it spoke to the young man beside him who had a smile on his face, Richard looked at Arthur and once again couldn't shake the fact he really did have a strong bond of Friendship with the Prince of Vermilion and now both of them would be fighting together once again to safeguard their future and the lives of the people they loved.
Both rose and beheld the Ancient Orc now possessed by his Goddess "Soon you will face an important battle that will shape what kind of person you will become in the far future, both of you will make hard choices and feel grieve and anger but you must not lose that of which you hold most dear. Fight for it even if you must commit High Treason against Order, and when the end comes I will be there for you two, united now in the Blood of the First King of Vermilion, and with the Essence of my Champion you two will not falter" She spoke and Richard felt the power flowing through her words.
Arthur bowed but the Goddess raised her hand "You will face greater adversity still my child, it is a pity that such an honest and loving soul such as yourself must be put to the fires of what is to come but know this. I will be there for you via my Champion and so will your closest allies so do not despair Arthur even when the blackest of night snuffs out all but the ambers of your will, do not despair" Then she was gone, and Richard moved to hold the Sage, as the ancient Orc was heaving for air.
"...Too much power, She is a cruel mistress making me work my old bones like this..." He gave both men a weak smile "...No go my children, face your destiny. One of the many you will face for you are what you are and the Enemy will never cease to work against you, in whatever form it can take shape, go with our blessing our power, and our will to endure and fight even when all is lost" he fell into a deep slumber as Richard and Arthur dragged the Orc towards a secluded part of the chapel they were in.
Acolytes rushed in to tend to the Sage, smiles and prayers flowing from them as well "Forward young masters, Forward until only victory remains!" one of them clasped Richard's hands while uttering the prayer, leaving the chapel Arthur turned to Richard and asked "Ready?" it was many questions all bolted into a single word, the Third Prince of Vermilion looked resolute and calm for once.
"Ready" Richard replied and both disappeared in a flash of light.
----------------------------------------
Vivienne stood in deep meditation within the Castle that Lucrezia had fought dearly to take over, her mind and soul floating into the recesses of the ghost that haunted her every day. Every night was a fight and every night she vowed to always fight, forevermore.
Profane Avenger, Wielder of the Sword of Heresy, Amaranthine Berserker. Names granted by those who saw her in action in the field of battle, once she never thought capable of feats of warfare, of the grim work needed to shed blood of men and beast. But now she was more she was powerful and with the Aid of her most trusted friend, she had broken free of the yoke of iron that held her back.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Another force aided her so, in her dreams that small boy remained and she had vowed to figure out who was He, even the forces from beyond the cosmos remained tight-lipped about it when she got them to talk at least. She knew that Lucrezia was involved with it after all Hope also had a weapon forged by the same forces that granted her the sword she was using.
Did it matter? In her heart of hearts, she knew it didn't not anymore. Whoever or whatever had worked through or via Lucrezia to save her was her ally and had they wanted to do Ill, then the situation would've gone bad far sooner than anyone could expect. Alas Vivienne knew something was up with this bout of combat the Queen had enrolled them into and so she once again sought these profane powers.
"An ocean of blood A basin for ..." She focused and summoned the Sword, Ascalon shone with purple fire and a great roar boomed above Vivienne. She felt small and weak for but a moment before the pressure washed over her and vanished.
She felt a question, a hint of amusement, and a sneer in equal measure before an overwhelming sense of zeal and righteousness locked into her person "..."
"Today I seek anointment! I seek power beyond mortal ken and Divines that reside within my plane of existence! Lucrezia lies at the threshold and WE MUST stand with her! In life or death!"
"-...--..."
Vivienne crashed into her knees, her entire soul quaked and trembled as if the very frame powered by the Divine might of the All-Father would burst into raw mana and matter. She screamed in pain, rage, and above all else the dogged will to live, with a snap that clicked she felt stronger, ready for the battle that was coming. She rose from the ground and roared.
"NO MERCY" the skies spoke and she roared in agreement.
She was ready.
----------------------------------------
Not contented with the show that this thing would become, Lady Lucrezia had deployed her entire fleet of flying ships, Knight-Commander Muriel Morgoth and her Elites stood atop a hill, all staring at the hoovering armada that made no sound at all, the flagship that once made quite the entrance on the battle that shook these lands stood proudly at the center.
Centre-Fi's upper mandibles showed his intense displeasure at such a sight: "Commandeer... Thy sister has made a most fearsome opponent. If thou believe in true deliverance, I would advise beseeching succor from thy Patron Deity, for today we will be tested." The Spider-Kin man was getting anxious, and she knew it. He was hardly this forward whenever he spoke after all.
Muriel sighed, "Sicar, care to share any pearls of wisdom with us?" She was stalling for time. Her dunderhead of a sister and that accursed woman she kept as friends were delaying the start of the engagement for no good reason!
Sicar Almendes grinned "Nevermind the ships, she has an entire base worth of personnel at the castle. I paid good money for intel on it and the things I got were not looking good Commander" The man summoned a tablet made out of silver and channeled some mana into it "These armors are not the ones we saw at the previous battle, they are bigger and slower but pack way more weapons and can effectively halt an entire platoon worth of Knights" he pointed to the weird and in Muriel's personal opinion dishonorable weapons Lucrezia had created "Remember how they only had a single team with a weapon capable of automatic fire? bad news now every single grunt has one of those, less potent and smaller but..." Sicar didn't finish, the weight of his revelation pressing down on everyone near them.
"This will change many things" Centre-Fi spoke.
"The good news is, the ones we will face won't be using any of that, melee combat and spell fire, Ki attacks as well" Sicar continued after a pause "Maybe we did get lucky after all since the Arch-Mage's son isn't joining in this" they all knew this already but it was good to speak it again, raise morale "Commander, our charges are coming" Sicar pointed towards the blinding flash of light signifying a powerful teleportation spell being fired, out of it two women came walking in ritual battle plate, one wielding a pitch black staff and the other an ornate bow.
Muriel muttered a silent prayer to Morugarius, Goddess willing she and her family would not lose their honor today.
A spell form blossomed upon her ear "Sister, ready your men We ride for battle within five minutes" Muriel narrowed her eyes, something wasn't right with the way her sister was speaking. Morugarius be good her fears were right! There was meddling by profane powers in this.
That's when she saw the Sacred Bow, once ornate with golden inlays now coated in sickly green and purple, it pulsated like a heart, and soft miasma was released every time it pulsed, red streaks of foul mana pooled around the quiver as well, the sight of such defilement towards the relic made the Knight-Commander tremble with righteous fury and even her men could not hide their displeasure upon having the duo reach their position.
"Despicable cur of a woman, you dare defile the sacred relic?! I swear upon the name of our house that you will face consequences!" Muriel barked with power borrowed from her blessing, her form shinning, and her face morphing into a scowl.
The staff-wielding woman, Mava O'Xav turned towards the gumming Knight-Commander and spoke, her voice full of arrogance "Watch your tongue, Knight you speak to the future Queen of Vermilion, ready your men and dare not speak again unless spoken to, for we fight under the blessing of Queen Malphas herself and will put to rights the wrongs committed by the Vile Northern pretender"
Lyndell's face morphed into a smile as she grabbed Mava's hand "Yes...Yes, today we will be anointed as Future Queens Mava, that which is rightfully ours will no longer be denied and the pretenders will be put to the sword, the true sword and arrow, House Morgott will be Royal in blood and fire! with the Blessings of our Gods!" Lyndell looked half crazy as she finished the rallying cry.
Muriel and her men stared, silence stretching into minutes as the dire reality of what they had gotten themselves into.
----------------------------------------
Lucrezia stared at the enemy formation up on the hill, a smile forming upon her lips as she beheld the cursed variant of the Sacred Bow, a memory from her better half popping into her mind as the game events played and made it so that the emotions he felt were none too pleasing.
Bullshit, an entire chapter as some NPC? and I don't get to control the build? For fuck's sake I should've spoiled myself ugh!
I hope this plan works Lucrezia smiled as she finished reminiscing about the game memories, there Hope would be the one falling for what that duo of insane women had cooked up, now...
"Are you sure the judges are also collaborating with Mother?" Arthur asked as he fiddled with his armor, a polished plate bearing ancient Sigils of the Royal House, and a staff and shield made by Hope as a gift in his hands. Father has increased surveillance around her; we haven't seen a suspect move yet. " He then heard the opposition's mad-looking woman belt out Malphas's proclamation of anointment and blessings.
Arthur's face was pure stone, Richard and Vivienne staring at him and Hope, who herself had closed her eyes in exasperation. "Sometimes Lucrezia, sometimes I wish you would give me the order, or you Vivienne, or even Kaine" Venom dripped out of Arthur's mouth as he laid his feelings bare to his closest allies "Just...say something godsdamnit, anything"
Lucrezia knew deep in her heart of hearts he would do it, either to clear the shame brought by her actions, or his own shame for not noticing Vivienne's agony, but she also did not want to damn him to Kinslaying as she had done...
It was Vivienne who broke their standstill "Queen Malphas must be sanctioned, I... We will not demand you to commit Kinslaying Arthur, but it is time to cut her political power. Anything more and..." There was hesitation in her voice.
"Then we Kill Her, and nail her head to the walls of the Palace" Hope spoke and that was that. A promise born out of shame and regret from Arthur, made real by her words that commanded power beyond her years.
What Lucrezia didn't catch was Arthur's slight pause after the words were uttered, later she would realize he was contacting Kaine, and his own Father King Jason for what would be quite a fight inside the inner chambers of the Royal Palace, but now? now she could only behold the corrupted form of the Sacred Bow, and wonder if the Spirit inside was already dead, or worse.
A horn blew from afar, and Lucrezia saw the shimmering form of the Judges who would "minister" this group engagement for some unknown reason, she had her theories of course but the time was nigh for her craft of war and rage to be finely applied to these miscreants. Today she would give all a show to be remembered and All-Father willing she would live to tell the tale of it to her daughter.