A deal for blood

In the dark black depths of Theferis where Maleficus’ blood oozed slowly, The Remover hovered just above its surface. He drifted at a slow pace, heading for his next appointment. He referred to them like that because it helped to frame the encounter as a necessary business transaction. The foul stench of his goddess’s blood soaking the deep interior of this relic warship almost forced a gag from him. The need to breathe from his nostrils as a necessity had passed with his ascent to immortality.

He knew of some who still indulged in the senses, opting for those shards of memory that spoke to who they once were. But for him? They were just the trappings of being weak. Useless habits to be shed like reptilian skin.

The oppressive aura of his next appointment writhed angrily ahead. A corrupted dragon tainted by the dark blood. He could almost barely sense the air magic it was born of. The blood had so thoroughly soaked the creature it was now more void dragon than not. It was young and strong for its age. When it caught sight of his aura, it lashed out at him reflexively, talons crashing into a protective ward.

“Ah, so there is still a mind left in there. Good.”

He wove a complex morph spell that forced the dragon into his humanoid transformation, startled to find that he lacked the telltale wings and tail. It was rare for dragons to develop such mastery of thier morphed form. If he had to list off how many he’d known capable of the feat, he wasn’t sure he’d use up one whole hand. Before him, a shivering human with jet black hair cowered in the blood.

“You’re him!” The humanoid dragon said, trying to backpedal in the muck.

He arched a brow, fighting back the urge to grin. Introductions were such curious things. Impressions needed to be made, so you eliminated the need to posture. It always excited him when his reputation preceded him. “Go on,” he encouraged.

“The Remover. His herald of darkness.”

He chuckled, a lighthearted affair that looked and sounded out of place for someone as large, imposing, and clad in ebon armor as he was. Good. Now they could begin.

“Since you know who I am, that saves us both a lot of time. I know who you are Helios. I know that this is not your true reality. That you were brought here from a different one. One slaked in darkness and blood.”

Suspicion immediately colored Helios’ expression. All fear and anger immediately overcome. So, there was still some warrior left in the dragon. Good, he thought. That was precisely what he needed. One final nudge and all the required pieces would be poised.

“I propose an offer.” He said simply.

“An offer? Anything you offer would be tainted with darkness. I have enough of that already.”

He sighed, his trunk swished side to side casually. “Yes, I’m well aware. I can sense it in you. Her dark touch. The corruption. The power. You can’t return home. Not as you are. And there isn’t a mage around who could cleanse you completely.”

Helios looked confused. This much lucidity was clearly a rare thing for him. Trapped in all this blood after being tainted by it. The willpower to resist it all must be immeasurable.

“Exactly. So why should I take anything you offer? I’m already a lost cause, and Thalara is safe now.”

“Is she really, though? Can’t you sense that unsettling hum just at the edge of hearing? An elder god stirs. Close to awakening. If left unchecked, Suaridius will shackle the entire sector and bend it to his will.”

Helios sighed wearily. “If it’s not one threat, it’s another. I’m tired of fighting.”

He nodded, drifting in a lazy circle around Helios. “Perhaps. But a lack of action on your part will mean certain doom for the sector. And your sister will just become another puppet for Sauridius.”

Helios scoffed weakly. Centuries and millennia of struggle displayed plain in his tired features. “So, what do you propose?”

“A simple this for that arrangement. A time will come when you will be capable of doing something for me. Do it, and I’ll see to it that a ritual to cleanse your sister of the black blood succeeds.”

Helios’s eyes focused, and an ember stoked into a tiny flame. Hope rekindled in the young corrupted dragon’s eyes. Followed quickly again by suspicion.

“Why wouldn’t it work with your help?”

He tsked at Helios’ question. “Come now, do you honestly think we designed the dark blood to be so simple and weak and that a run-of-the-mill purification ritual would cleanse her completely? Are you willing to take that risk?”

And there it was. The uncertainty that he enjoyed preying upon all too often. He found Sauridius’ reputation as a master manipulator to be grossly overblown purely because the elder god relied too much on bindings and shackles. He preferred to do things the old-fashioned way, with action, leverage, and words.

“What must I do?”

“Nothing too complicated. The occupants of this ship are vital for events to unfold as I need them. You will help them accomplish this. An offer will be made to join them. Do so. They will promise to help your sister, but without my help, their efforts will be worthless. In this fashion, we all get what we want.”

Helios hissed out a long breath. He ran a hand through his grimy hair. Black blood dripped between his fingers to splatter into the inch deep pool of it coating the deck. He stared down into the inky black muck covering the deck, the walls and dripping from the ceiling. His eyes narrowed and menacing black axes teleported into his hands.

“What’s your name?” Helios asked.

“The Remover.”

He shook his head. “No. Your name. Not your title or nickname or any other monicker. Your name.”

Stolen story; please report.

He drew in a slow breath through his trunk, contemplating his response. Weighing the pros and cons. Typically, he avoided using his name outside of his master’s immediate presence. But this was a rare instance he felt was an exception, not the rule.

“Ganeshti.”

“Alright Ganeshti.” Helios said, rising from the floor. He placed the axes on leather loops at his belt. “I’ll do it. I’ll help the ants that took this ship.”

The bargain made. All that remained now was for them each to live up to their side of it. He bowed his large head in acknowledgment to Helios. “The bargain is struck. As a show of good faith, I will ensure your sister receives the proper blessing for purification. But a Caveat Helios. Betray me, or betray my trust, and I will see that she is so corrupted by the black blood that my goddess could use her as a vessel to reincarnate within immediately. Am I clear?”

Helios nodded solemnly. “Crystal clear.”

A pleased smile creased Ganeshti’s features, and he leaned back. “Then our business is concluded. I shall take my leave. Remember Helios. Your sister’s fate depends on the choices you make.”

And then he was gone. It was likely to look dramatic from Helios’ perspective. In an instant, the corrupted dragon would just see Ganeshti disappear. The truth was far less insidious. He’d simply used a divine ability that allowed him to instantly move himself any distance to any location. It was an ability all divine beings gained access to, even demigods. Though it was a double-edged weapon with a heavy cool down timer. He would need to wait an hour before he could use the ability again if he wanted. Fortunately, for now, he didn’t plan to move for the time being. His laboratory was underway, producing more of the dark blood that Helios’s reality had been overrun with.

In the vast distance, he could almost feel her presence. The weight of her divine soul waiting to reclaim a place within the light plane. But now was not the right time. He still needed to cultivate resources and build an adequate pool of worshipers.

“All in good time Ganeshti” a raspy voice said from behind him.

The Ehfant archmage whirled, spell stave at the ready. A trio of fire rubies swam around a midnight onyx diamond. Void magic writhed around the stones as Ganeshti’s aura flared in agitation.

“It is unwise for you to be here now.” Ganeshti growled. “Tominadara.” he added pointedly. Normally, the Ascilonian favored anonymity. He studied Tomin closely for a response. Tomin’s black robes had gothic, almost tribal like designs trimming the cuffs and edge of his hood. The red mask looked similar to an artistic interpretation of a skull mask.

Tomin offered the tall Ehfant a smile before calmly striding around the pointed weapon. He kneeled down to inspect the growing pools of dark blood as if inspecting it.

“How much longer until you have enough?”

Ganeshti frowned. He’d not erected any significant wards. They would be vulnerable to divine sight if one knew where and when to look. And yet Tominadara was being far too cavalier.

“We’ve waited a long time for your master’s return, Ganeshti. Nurturing events in the background. Moving pieces about like a game of Darstrix. Just as you yourself have, but on a grander scale.”

“It won’t be much longer now. Events are unfolding as foreseen rapidly. Soon Sauridius will awaken, and in the chaos that ensues, my master will return. And when she does, darkness will reign.”

“Good. We’re counting on it Ganeshti. Because if you fail? You will answer to him.”

A cold shiver raced up his back. The Devourer himself? “You needn’t worry.” He replied after clearing his throat.

Tominadara rose and faced him again, always with that warm smile. “Good, because the reunion will happen. Another Calamity must transpire.”

Ganeshti had lived through enough of those to know that Calamity was much worse than they sounded. Not only was it a horrific event in the prime reality, but it also meant the absolute collapse of a branching reality. With all its energies crashing back into the source. These violent confluences weakened the barrier between the Umbral and Astral planes. Soon the darkness would come flooding into the light.

“Of course.” Ganeshti intoned with a bow. Avoiding the fate that was due to all who opposed the darkness meant serving its needs. Everyone had their game. His master, himself, the Ascilonians. Plans within plans, and schemes within schemes. Allies of happenstance.

“In the meantime, there’s someone I’d like you to meet from the Mage Federation. He hails from the Artificers of Aeryn.”

His curiosity piqued, Ganeshti allowed a thick, ridged brow to arch. “Oh?”

Tominadara continued casually strolling about the lab, making a play at inspecting things. “Yes. We believe he’ll prove invaluable to your future endeavors.”

“And what role is he to play?”

“He will be an artisan of unrivaled genius. Forging a body for your goddess that proves most difficult to destroy. When she returns? You will find victory most assured.”

“As you say.” Ganeshti said, bowing his head.

“In the meantime, we’d like for you to go rouse more Icon’s from their slumber. It’s time the sector remembered to fear them again.”

“Of course. Preferences?”

Tominadara stroked his exposed chin for a moment thoughtfully. “Perhaps the Lord of Souls.”

“You mean to let Hades loose upon creation again?” Ganeshti asked.

Tominadara turned and studied Ganeshti. The Ehfant sensed wry amusement from the black-robed figure. “He’s served his purpose many times in the past.”

Ganeshti pondered at that statement. Did they have a titan chained up to act on command? Tominadara chuckled, drawing his attention.

“Relax. This would be an Icon. A mere shade of the true titan.”

“And where shall he be set free?”

Tominadara tapped his chin thoughtfully again. All a show, of course. Ganeshti knew he already knew where. He wished the black robes could be less dramatic.

“The New XinJia colony. We’re going to overrun it with the souls of the dead under Leviathos’ watch.”

“You support his bid to return Sauridius?”

“My dear friend, we support all bids for chaos.”

Ganeshti nodded. That was enough then. Troublesome to be sure, but he would simply have to work around the Ascilonian’s plans. And then when the time was right, tear their little order down around them.