EPISODE 176: INHERITANCES 2
— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR 7291. SEASON: COLOR FADING.
She , WE —were still mortals, still humans, and we provided her with our faith, our worship, when she still needed to do the same. A Saphen, and God, are two entirely different creatures. And, the burdens of expectations, of Faith, can affect both in different manners.
I did not realize the burden we placed on Her, but no matter, it is far too late now. When she rose to the Astral Above—the very first God of a Golden Age—a Broken Age —She came to learn something that eventually set me down the path of [Chosen of Madris].
Even now, I know not of what she learned—not entirely. But it must have eaten at her when carrying this burden alone. Her companions, God El, and others quickly arrived behind her. The first of the Saphen mutations—gnomes, goblins, and the like appeared more and more in Union. And, eventually… the cracks in our unity spread.
For the next few years, Femi and his sponsors, continued various approaches to get Madris’s Chosen’s attention. Nothing drastic, but with each failure, a budding sense of hopelessness grew. It was here their situation changed. The [Chosen of Madris] called for a change—a change that broke the restrictions placed upon them and would change the country of Edryan forever. Both Tunde and Amara pushed forward Femi—pushed him forward to be the [Prime Overseer] and enact their plans for change. To Femi, it was like the [Chosen of Madris] finally heard their prayers, no matter if the Gamal House blocked such attempts or not.
Femi gazed at the crowd surrounding them in the Hall of Heroes. An opportunity for change on a grand scale had never been so near, so close that he could nearly reach out and touch it. And, standing between him and his opponent was the reason for that change.
There were always signs, but I ignored them. The Saphen mutations were treated as lessors and forced into crowded, less savory parts of Union. Not even the Light of the Sun noticed, nor did I as the Light of the Moon. Nay, we were too caught up in the passion of levels, and the ecstasy we brought one another. Experiencing the power of Demigodhood brings your understanding of the realm to an entirely new level—a new perspective—and it shows you just how fragile this world truly is.
Lawruthian paused here, the sounds of fireworks interrupting his readings. A grand celebration was underway—a [Prime Overseer] had been selected. Shortly, they would begin to set up this new government. He was certain his decision to bring forward the CBCM was correct. He shook his head and returned to the journal.
Minister Livia Abara stood on Madris’s Chosen’s left—she was tall but did not reach the same stature as her opponent. Livia wore a modest suit with a form-fitting skirt that just revealed her knees. A stern, but pleasant look was on her face as she waited for the decision to be made. Magi removed their [Mark of the Citizen] and used it to vote. Injecting their mana within and controlling the device.
Livia Abara grew up in a time that directly experienced the death of Princess Carina. She was older—well into her hundreds, and such age gave her a wealth of experience. She watched Edryan go through a period she’d deem the Great Depression—a factor set about by King Titan and what little desire he held for leadership, for ruling. The Ducal Houses became dogs without a present master. And, what happens to dogs that have no master?
It was here that She asked me to be Her representation upon the Mortal Realm— for Her gaze was set elsewhere, beyond this realm—the Out Realm. Yet, she could not leave the magi without guidance, without representation. So I inherited her responsibilities on the Mortal Plane— I led the magi, Her children, I became the Shepard—the one who confronted the darkness and showed the magi that there is nothing to be afraid of. Oh, we humans are so fragile, so weak compared to the fantastical tales Mother told me of Her Father’s, Her Creator’s realm. Gods and Dragons could walk the land with ease and interact with the mortals. Phoenixes, Rocs, and more divine beasts served as guardians and protectors to our Saphen race—symbols we, they , worshiped alongside Him. In those days, Aspects were plenty and Titans expanded the realms, helping them grow more resources and become prosperous. They invaded other realms in the Out Realm, conquering their Laws and changing them to suit our own. Perhaps that is what She is searching for—perhaps that is what she misses.
They become feral— wolves —hungry for larger pieces of meat their master once ate. Livia was a young minister in King Titan’s court—her thoughts were different then, brighter , as she swore to serve Edryan to the best of her abilities. She oversaw resource allocation for a small region under the monarchy’s control. Her job was pleasant, simply ensuring the royal family received their share from the mines and farms of the territory. Of course, she was able to take a small piece of the benefit as well.
Things changed as King Titan became more and more withdrawn—his mother’s death hit him the hardest of all his siblings, yet he was the most brilliant and claimed the throne in the end. Minister Livia Abara served through those latter years and when the conflict erupted, they failed to impress {Greed} upon the first princess and later queen. The second princess was far too young, and the system protects youths from certain actions. Minister Livia hid in that territory, ensuring she kept her head down and continued to allocate the appropriate resources—fearing they, too, may attempt to convert her.
She came to me one day, through our intimate connection that goes beyond words. She told me to Shatter Union, our home, and symbol that the creations of Elrunian still existed, still thrived. Her words simple: “They have become foolish with power and obstinate against change—against removing the false sky, false stars—and showing what truly lies above our heads. Ashaka has left a door, but they refuse to open it—thus, you must open their eyes upon the Mortal Plane. Shatter Union and help me reveal The False Sky.
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He sat there in silence, contemplating the end of this page. He’d gone through several pages in the journal, and with each, his understanding of Madris’s first Chosen grew. “Light of the Moon—Demigoddess of the Moon, Alidra Edryani. And, Light of the Sun—Demigoddess of the Sun, Quinarax Indrius,” he sighed, a complicated expression on his face. “What strength—what belief possessed you? What is it the Goddess is after—so much so that she is willing to break her friendships, the Pantheon of the New Gods, and so much more for it? What favor am I fulfilling for her?”
He spoke aloud and mentally asked the questions congruently—probing that intimate connection he held with the Goddess Madris. There was no response, and her presence felt distant, her gaze was not on him. He sighed once more and glanced to his left, where his System Quest lay open. The screen updated, marking half of his task done. He’d only read a fifth of the opening, but it was enough as it revealed many things—through it, Lawruthian could put many connections together and deduce some truths.
The Gods Above were afraid of something, of confronting something that lay in the sky beyong them—Madris was not. But, she was a minority against a majority. She tasked Alidra in Shattering Union to open the eyes of not just Her fellow Gods, but the realm itself. A task that ultimately failed twice since Lawruthian was present. This only opened up more questions for Lawruthian. How was Earth involved in all of this? Once he completed his task… what would happen next? Would the Gods truly follow whatever agreement they held, or would they not? What would…?
“There’s always more questions than answers,” Lawruthian shook his head. He opened the book to continue to the next part, only this time, a purple magic construct emerged as he flipped the page. Lawruthian spent a few moments analyzing it. “A lock…? Then… where is the key?”
It seemed there were more hidden requirements to this inheritance Alidra Edryani left. Lawruthian put the journal down, the construct dispersing as he closed its lid. There was a celebration underway, and it wouldn’t do if he didn’t show his face. Besides, there were things to announce to the public, and a task he was preparing to accomplish.
Minister Livia learned many things during her youth. She learned the value of patience, of observing without acting until the moment was right. In a court where loyalty shifted like sand, she became a master of staying invisible—neither too ambitious nor too passive, balancing the tightrope of court politics. But, most importantly, she learned when action was necessary to get the things she desired. Her neutrality wasn’t born out of fear but of strategy. Livia positioned herself as a mediator, someone who could be relied upon by every faction because she never gave the appearance of allegiance to any one side. She knew that if she played her cards right, each would owe her favors. And when it was time to collect, she would ensure her position grew stronger.
And, stronger, she became. In Queen Titiana’s court, Minister Livia Abara quickly rose as a mediator between the Old Power, the Royal Faction, and those still neutral. Each time she mediated, she became more indispensable, securing a reputation as the one who could balance the interests of Edryan’s most powerful. Her hands stayed clean, while others dirtied theirs in the constant struggle for influence.
Now, when the Old Power needed a representation—needed someone to put forward as their choice for the [Prime Overseer]—Minister Abara quickly leveraged her reputation to become that figurehead. She wouldn’t fully align with them, as her neutrality had served her too well, but she never hesitated to strike beneficial deals both sides could live with.
Lawruthian hesitated, his body already at the door of his study. He glanced down at his wrist in contemplation. Part one of the quest was done, and Alidra’s journal held restrictions on it that prevented further reading. He held no idea what the key could be, and Lawruthian hadn’t decided whether he should show someone else or not. He felt like this was a private thing between him and his predecessor—someone in the same position as him. To open it beyond them was to have someone pry into his most intimate parts of life—an option he just couldn’t agree with.
He turned his back to the door and the ongoing celebration that centered around the new [Prime Overseer]. He would be in attendance soon, just… not yet. Lawruthian sat back at his desk, comfortably sinking into his office chair. Around his study were plenty of things that would make this room no different from one on Earth. His office chair rolled, and the golem figurines he crafted as a child lay scattered in various positions on the back of his desk. Portraits that appeared like posters decorated his walls. He recreated his office back home in the image here. He sighed for the third time today.
“Enough stalling…, let’s get this done.”
Would you like to activate Carno Edryani’s inheritance?
Yes.
No.
“…yes,” he whispered softly.
Three figures stood surrounded by hundreds of magi—nobles who traveled from the furthest reaches of Edryan to participate in a change that would affect all of Edryan—perhaps the realm itself.
Archbishop Femi Zubair stood tall. He represented a part of the church long dissatisfied, but no longer in a position where they could be ignored. He stood as the hope of Templar Tunde and Inquisitor Amara, who believed in their interpretations of the Nine Principle's and their mandates.
He grew up in the church, and Archbishop Femi held plans of dying within it as well, before he, too, would ascend to the Promised Land. She saw a time of strife and conflict that threatened to break the country apart. It's wounds sown together by Queen Titiana, but they remain just that, wounds . He believed that, her child the [Chosen of Madris], was the nurturing ointment that would seal those injuries and bring their level to a new high. He was just entering his prime as a magi-human, and held a positive outlook toward the future. Should he become the [Prime Overseer], then this look would be his basis.
Minister Livia Amara stood disciplined. She represented an older, more conservative mindset that didn’t stray far from those she worked with daily. She stood as a partial representative of many interests, but ultimately, her own . Livia served as an ally to the Old Power, but not their puppet who would do their bidding.
She entered her prime during a time of intense conflict, which she watched develop from its earliest stages, reach its peak, and be brutally snuffed out by the [Iron-Blooded Queen]. Livia saw the Queen’s ruthlessness, in slaying not only her enemies but family as well. She was present in the capital during the birth of Madris’s Chosen, and watched the subsequent changes he brought to Edryan, uncaring of whom he offended. Livia liked that, surprisingly… or perhaps not, for one with her views and interactions with those with power. She wished she could be like that and shape Edryan into a more prosperous whole—this was her home, and no matter the conflict it went through, she still loved it. Should she become the [Prime Overseer], then that motto would be her basis.