"Much was done to learn about where the Entity that created the Rage-that-Dwells came from, the battle shook both material and immaterial, Gods perishing by the swipe of its hand and legions of mortals being turned to dust when it turned its gaze on them if there is a reality or universe out there where more of these monsters live then I propose that we establish a fiercer blockade on it, Terra is bad enough already with its many leaks into our planes of dominion, I will not have a world full of entities that can put this much pressure on us out and about"

The All-Father to the Alliance of Higher Beings.

Malphas paced around her room, fury, and rage seething under her skin like a python ready to strike at its prey. More news from her sources in the academy confirmed the worst of her predictions.

Her son had fallen for a peasant, an exceptional peasant but peasant nonetheless, worse still was that the girl had the rage at an advanced stage AND the blessing of All-Father, but all of that could be waved away as a youthly vigor, misplaced and just a phase.

Being friendly with the whore that killed her son? that she could not forgive.

When called to attend to this, Arthur kept to himself, not even acknowledging her at the table, once again, she felt the blood boil but at the behest of her husband, Malphas let the matter go.

"He's a grown man now, only the gods may judge his actions" Jason spoke in that tone of his that always meant he didn't want to talk about it later, no doubt he was as angry as her since his son was buddy-buddy with the killer of his eldest but Jason always favored free will and choice over it all, a staunch believer in the All-Father he was the first to break away from tradition and take the adventuring life openly instead of doing on the shadows as many royals were known to do.

Thus arriving at the current juncture Malphas found herself in, unable to enact revenge and to see her oldest have his name tarnished beyond repair as the news spread like wildfire among the populace while the Whore's stock rose as an unlikely anti-hero who was willing to do the right thing even at the highest of prices, Kin-Slaying and all.

"Hehehehe, look at you Malphas. mighty beyond the reach of men and unable to even touch her hair! how you seethe and writhe in sheer anger and can do nothing about it! While she gathers powerful allies by the dozen, unearthed secrets even the gods weren't privy to, and grows stronger by the second! your revenge slips from your fingers by the minute whelp!"

"Silence! begone with you foul entity" Malphas barked at the air, her face red hot in a fury.

"HA! as if you had any hold over me whelp! you and your kind are but leaves in the wind compared to my full might! It is my power that you borrow my knowledge and my skills! "

Malphas was quiet, the entity had been very talkative these last few weeks and it was only getting worse, the reports told her when it was whole it never really spoke that much, and the fact she was hearing voices meant either her mind had been enthralled or something far worse was going on in the background, alas not much was known about the sea of rage, that plane of existence that permeates the material world ever since the entity was killed.

"And guess what Malphas? more will rise now, two with the same level of power you have, and they will fight united against you!" the entity laughed in pleasure, its eery voice booming in the Queen's head "All thanks to her, she who can barely tap into my essence and yet is stronger than many, so full of secrets, so full of mystery that even your gods aren't privy, oh yes whelp you will all fight, in a battle that will shake the very grounds of this mud rock you call home and the stars above it"

"You have many powers foul beast, but divination is not one of them" Malphas spoke, why was the entity trying to rile her up so? something was at a play here, something no doubt foul whenever that thing deigns to speak to her, it was no secret she was the strongest user of the Rage-that-Dwells in all of human history, none had the mastery and skills she had and not even gods could take on her without sufficient prep.

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The ones that did were killed by her own two hands after all.

In her adventuring days, the killings of demi and full-blown gods were the highlights turned into a song and then into legend, her name marked down in the collective consciousness of the world as the strongest woman of her age. And all that glory was nothing but useless, for she was without her son and the person that took his life was being hailed as a hero.

"When the final battle comes, you will be pushed to the brink, by kin and kith you will fight, you will bleed and you will rage until all it is spent, and when the blade of the enemy draws blood call for me, call my name and undo reality!"

"For your son Malphas, and as revenge for the world that took his life"

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"Your mother is not pleased" King Jason spoke to his son who was at his desk, writing something on paper, and didn't even raise his head to welcome his father inside his room.

One of the many many changes Lucrezia had brought it seems, Arthur had finally grown a backbone, when his sister tried to make fun of his peasant girlfriend he was quick to shut her up with actual necromancy, taught no doubt by Kaine and Lucrezia.

Jason didn't mind, he was a fervent believer in free will and all the teachings the All-Father had given to his creations, but Gods above couldn't it be in a better time? he had his people contact Lucrezia's spymaster and they managed to hash out agreements but his wife sure wasn't pleased about it.

He'd have to ask the dragon for a new battle arena, work out that stress with her was always the right option he found in the many years they had been together.

"I know father, I know" Arthur replied as he finished whatever he was doing, when Jason came to take a look he found it was schematics on...weapons and armor.

Of Magi-Tech design.

"I didn't take you to be interested in the arts of forging son, what is this?" Jason asked, genuinely curious.

Arthur sighed and spoke, his voice low and tinged with shame "Hope went to the godsforsaken dungeon and mom had me dragged to the godsdamned castle a day before! I was meant to be their father! fighting with her shoulder to shoulder just as you did ages ago! but no, I must do some inane ritual now that Galius is dead and mom wouldn't hear otherwise, How petty can someone be, she already knows Galius was a thrall to the powers of the beyond" He dragged his hands into his hair, clearly incensed about the whole ordeal.

Jason couldn't help but smile, due to his innate necromancy Arthur was a quiet boy much of his life, only truly making friends with Kaine and...Viviene, shy and prone to running, it was those two that made him grow a backbone when a kid, if only a little.

But now that love was involved? now he is outspoken, loud even, full of vigor, and with a drive to do things with his loved one, fighting the gaze of his mother who made god and men tremble head-on.

And it was all thanks to her, the ever-present thorn in his side.

Lucrezia Wulfgren.

Out of his many spies, Jason had one called Fia, now Fia had a special set of skills meant to gauge hidden motives out of people Jason sent her after, and for the very first time in his life, he sent her after his son.

Fia was Greater blessed by Saal'Xhir, and her skills let her understand her marks at a deeper level that even mind mages on his employ couldn't do it (too much of his annoyance as the mages, in particular, were very sour on the fact they were outdone by Fia) and the woman told him clear as day, while the love between Hope and Arthur were genuine as it gets, it was Lucrezia who thanks to her actions brought the two together.

Lucrezia was also blessed by the same Goddess, was there divine hands in this pot Jason thought to himself? or was it just something Lucrezia wanted to happen? he couldn't know and asking the woman outright would put him in the veritable dog house for a long while.

"Oh this is embarrassing" Arthur spoke out loud.

"It is ok my son, trust me I know how you feel, once your mother was forced to fight in a tournament to save our party and we had to watch in shackles as she fought for hours of intense combat, by the end of it she could barely lift her sword arm but still she fought on and won the damn thing, freeing us in the process" Jason smiled at the fond memory.

"Don't be harsh on your mother Arthur, she always was one for holding grudges and emotions, It will be hard but in time she will come around and welcome Hope with open arms" Jason slapped his son on the back and for once in his life, Arthur didn't shy away from it.

"You know she has the Rage right? and her blessing as well?" Arthur asked his father.

"Indeed, those alone will be enough to bar any would be noble trying to befoul your union with the young lady" Jason spoke and saw his son smile, a bit of peace sitting with him for once, he gave his farewells and walked to the throne room.

Sitting on the throne, Jason picked a piece of paper he had on him for the entire day, brought by the spies who were in charge of talking with Lucrezia's spymaster, in it was a small note written by the woman herself, his hands trembling as he read the thing once again for the third time today.

"Your son has the rage, on the same level as your wife"