Dusk came again and Moyo stood in the dimming light of the district, all around him, under the banners of his ever-watchful guard his troops trained, submersed in his aura they struggled with battling each other, Moyo pushing them to the extreme. Watching them as he stood in his clan robe given to him for occasions such as the one he wanted to attend, he turned to Idris who stepped close to him,
“lord” Idris said,
“Ready?” he asked,
Idris nodded, Moyo tearing a pathway open to appear on a broad street, Moyo marvelling at the details that had gone into building the world around him. All around him different ascenders moved, rushing around as they carried weapons and supplies, all preparing for the great war coming.
It contrasted with the calm and immaculately dressed Moyo and his champion Idris, he glanced in the distance as he saw an oval construct ship that looked built for luxury descend from the night skies above that reflected the stars outside the planet itself.
Building as tall as skyscrapers floated in the air, a silent hum filling the air all around him, the planet was in every way an advanced piece of technology. Arms folded, the black craft floated down to his side, shimmering as it opened up to reveal Ashira dressed in a black gown, Moyo smiling as he got in, Idris behind him also. He kissed her forehead, someone clearing their throat drew his attention to a middle-aged bald-headed man who sat opposite them, stern eyed as Ashira rolled her eyes,
“Moyo, meet Rhys hydra touch of clan Utur, diamond ranker and troop commander of my planetary force, also my chaperone for the night it seems” she said with a huff,
The diamond ranker gave a curt bow to Moyo who gave him a tight smile,
“Meet Idris Geb hand, peak gold ranker and troop commander of my planetary force also” Moyo said to the man who glanced at Idris, nodding at him,
Leaving the two commanders to assess themselves, Moyo turned back to Ashira who smiled at him coyly,
“So, commander titan blade, know what you’re walking into?” she asked,
“Moyo shrugged, I’m sure there’s some reason behind Altair inviting me to this banquet, I’d had asked Ajax or Killian, but I get the feeling I might like the surprise” he replied
She chuckled,
“the powers that be would be attending, most of the upper ones, the two factions and if my intel is right, we might just meet the harbingers of the supreme beings” she said,
“Those are big names” he said nodding,
“This banquet might be the only time most of these powers might see for a long while, the war taking us through different routes before we converge on the main system itself” she said,
“Everyone wants to assess their rivals’ strengths then?” he asked as Ashira nodded,
“Precisely, a bit crude seeing as we honestly can’t say till the war itself starts, but rest assured, I’m pretty sure we’d be seeing a fight or two tonight” she said as Moyo smiled,
They felt it then, the aura blazing towards them with pinpoint accuracy, the troop commanders moved first. Moyo and Ashira calmly watched as the aura attack tore their vessel apart, Rhys morphing into a scaly green appendage that took the brunt of the attack. Idris blitzed forwards towards the position of the attack, conquerors might flashing as he sent a force punch imbued with aura and intent towards the direction of the attack.
Explosions rang in the air as the attack was deflected with a blood-red shield that manifested, that was the cue for the titan blade and the chimera to move. With one step of Ogun Moyo appeared next to the attacker who turned, white hair and blood-red eyes blazing as two short crystalline blades went for the jugular of the titan. His mantle snapped in place, Ashe coating his body as the weapon clashed with his Ashe and rebounded, Moyo was impressed by the durability of the weapon however, he had no mercy for the would-be assassin.
Titans might on the fist of the titan crashed against the blood-red armour mantle of the assassin, shattering it and sending him spiralling down towards where Ashira waited, talon drawn. Skewering the diamond ranker that groaned before he could utter a word, Moyo watched as the assassin shattered into different parts that coalesced together just as quickly,
“Android!” Ashira hissed,
Evident her toxins had no effect whatsoever, Moyo was suddenly there, hand gripping the head of the android and slamming it into the mithril-built road below. The android was strong, that Moyo could feel, however, his skull was nothing to a 3 feet thick floor of mithril hence it shattered, the body shuddering. Ashira was there, one clawed hand diving straight into its chest to rip out its mechanized aura crystal heart that pulsed. Moyo stared at it, feeling aspect power within it but not recognizing the pattern.
It meant it wasn’t Iteq, was there another primordial android?,
Idris shouted as he manifested the weapon of the titan, slamming it against a projectile that had been aimed at the head of the titan,
“there’s more” Rhys hissed as his body began to grow bigger, long talons tearing free from his hands as he took two steps and shot towards where the second assassin was,
Moyo grunted in annoyance as Ashira brought out her bow, drawing it and firing a shot at the position of the assassin. Moyo saw the killer phase in and out of reality as he cloaked himself, dodging Rhys and the arrow that exploded at his former location, he rolled right into the hands of the titan blade that had appeared in front of him, hand gripping his throat,
“Hello” he said,
“filthy imposter” the android groaned at him,
“nice to meet you too, who do you work for?” Moyo asked,
The android grinned as his body began to glow blue and exploded right in the face of Moyo, the explosion rocking the very platform they stood on, shattering the structures around him and blasting him backwards. Moyo coughed as he stood up, aura coating his body at the last minute to prevent his attire from exploding,
“nasty” he muttered,
However his plan had worked, in that moment before the explosion Digi aye had activated, showing him the aether and aura in the air and its connection to the shrouded figure floating above them. Nonchalantly Moyo whipped dominion out, sending the blade in a straight line for the figure above. Having to drop the shroud cloaking itself, Moyo saw a bluish metallic android shimmer into existence, master-ranked aura suffusing its entire body as it twisted just out of the way of the blade and directly into the line of sight of the titan blade.
Fists cocked back with aspect bubbling to life, Moyo prepared to crush the defence of the master ranked android before reality twisted and the creature was nowhere to be found. Activating Digi aye immediately again, he glanced around and realized the master had done just that, disappeared. Floating in the air, he glanced around, Ashira floating up to him with Rhys and Idris behind her,
“This was an intentional attack, notice the sudden absence of any brigade member?” she said as Moyo glanced around the destruction they had left in their wake,
Small robots shimmered to life as they began fixing the damage, one coated in white with pincer-like arms floated down to them
“greetings master titan blade, master chimera, please, as honoured guests of the omnidroid, we employ you to please desist from destroying public properties and putting the lives of fellow lower ascenders at risk” it droned,
“We were attacked, by a master no less” Moyo said with a frown,
“Apologies master titan blade, did you perhaps get a glimpse of the crest denoting the house or clan of this master?” it asked,
“No, we were accosted and fought for our lives, the paths were also unknown” Ashira replied,
“Your complaints will be sent to the brigade for a thorough investigation, have a good day” it said as it zipped away,
“This close to war and they’re playing games” Ashira said with an edge to her voice,
Moyo serenely floated down, Ashira behind him,
“I have my suspicions as to where that came from” he said calmly,
She glanced at him,
“You think it’s an android from either the empire or the alliance?” she asked,
“Doubt it, I have nothing against the omnidroid and the alliance would be foolish to come against me, infact, I doubt they know anything about me” he replied,
“don’t sell yourself short, after the swordsmanship tournament your name has been spoken in powerful circles, perhaps the omnidroid decided to test out your worth?” she suggested,
“not with a master assassin with no powerful access to aspect, I felt its power, whatever or whoever that android was, it was simply there to test my abilities, I could had easily ended its existence had I tapped into my aspect” Moyo said thoughtfully,
Another construct vehicle slowed down next to them, summoned by Rhys who opened the door for them to enter,
“Another test?” she asked,
“Seems like it, but I suppose we’ll find out soon enough, I have a feeling we would see whose crest it wore” he replied,
Ashira scrunched her face in confusion as he brought out a torn piece of cloth, something he had snagged from the master as it phased away. Ashira stared at it,
“smart” she said as he nodded,
“Recognize it?” he asked,
“No, but the creature emblazoned on it, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked,
Moyo stared down at the crest, a lone serpent coiled around a bright star, he frowned again,
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“I really hope it’s not who I think it is, but only one name comes to my mind” he said softly,
She glanced at him and then back to the crest, eyes widening at what he meant as he nodded,
“Retribution?” she asked softly,
“No, like your dad said she couldn’t care less about her offsprings, I believe she’s feeling me out” he said as Idris adjusted,
“Another primordial?” he asked, Moyo nodded,
“And I have a feeling a lot of interesting guests will be coming to this event” Moyo said as he closed his eyes, reclining back and using his aura to encapsulate the entire craft, better safe than sorry in his opinion.
***************
The banquet as promised was held in the district belonging to the thousand blades himself, taking a public tele hub to the location itself, they arrived to see the banner of the thousand blades snapping in the air. The construct came to a stop as Moyo got out, purple eyes glowing in the night as servant ascenders snapped to attention, bowing as he and Ashira led their companions Rhys and Idris through the security line. Eyes glancing around, Moyo could feel the charged aura in the air, the gold rankers of house thousand blades recognizing the both of them and bowing lower with respect.
He nodded as they opened the large mithril gates into the obscenely large banquet chamber itself located within the building, entering the large room with sky-high domes and banners of different houses and clans invited, Moyo folded his arms behind him as an ascender cried out in a loud voice,
“Introducing lord master titan blade of clan titan blade, ally of lord ancient Altair thousand blades and lady master Ashira chimera, heir of the great house of Kairos, offspring of the great maw and the great mother!” he said as all eyes turned to them,
“I must say, your titles sound way better than mine” he whispered, surveying the crowd that had turned their attentions to him, whispers breaking out,
Ashira hooked her arm with his,
“Comes with the territory” she replied as he chuckled,
Everyone at the banquet was in one way or another related to either an ancient or a primordial, that much he could gleam from the aspect rich power that filled the air. A loud clap drew the attention of everyone as Moyo glanced in front and smiled. Ajax death blade, dressed immaculately in a black robe with the crest of house thousand blades emblazoned on it in trimmings of silver clapped as he smiled, holding on to his arms was none other than the master of house Garuda herself, Fiona blazing phoenix. Dressed in a red shimmering attire that gave off the impression of being on fire, they walked closer to the titan blade and chimera,
“the living legend in the flesh” Ajax said as he smiled, aware there were eyes on them,
“Hardly a legend, just a master” he replied as the death blade laughed,
“Ashira Kairos herself, the one who wreaked the brat of house Dracon, I see you’re now a planetary commander as well, your future looks bright in the archailect for the heir of Kairos” he said as Ashira rolled her eyes,
Moyo glanced around,
“Save a seat for me?’ he asked,
The looks from the crowd were a mixture of curiosity, plain nonchalant looks and pure anger, the last coming from a group of people in a corner, shooting him looks of plain disgust,
“what’s their issue with me?” he asked,
“ah, the house salamanders, allied house of the Dracons” Ajax said as he stared at the group who turned away,
“There’s been rumours about you being a primordial” Ajax said turning back to Moyo with a grin,
“Everyone in this room is indeed curious to know if it’s true or not, the first primordial in recorded existence from the time of the old age, surpassing even the ancients and not yet a ruler, some feel it is a plot to undermine the fire lizards” Ajax said as Fiona slapped his arm gently,
“Stop antagonizing the Dracons” she chided, turning back to Moyo, flaming eyes looking him over,
“Although I must say you are one mystery titan blade, from a shattered core to putting one foot in the realm of the pinnacle” she praised, smiling at him,
Moyo felt Ashira’s arms tighten against his as he smiled and nodded at the blazing princess,
“I thank you for the praise, determination and a bit of luck has gone a long way on my path” Moyo replied,
“As humble as ever” Fiona said with a smile,
“Where is master Killian?” Moyo asked,
“the stellar blade and his brother accompany the patriarch of the house, they will appear when he does, for now taste the delicacies, mingle, you and I have a lot to discuss later on” Ajax said as Moyo nodded,
With the exit of the death blade and the blazing princess, Moyo glanced around, feeling awkward as the eyes on them slowly turned away,
“Ten diamond coins and a relic weapon says someone will do something as stupid as challenge you, coins on the salamanders” Ashira murmured,
Moyo snorted,
“Please no, I’ve had enough tests for a long time” Moyo replied,
A loud blare echoed as the doors opened again and a banner Moyo hoped not to ever see in a long while entered, groaning and cursing softly to himself as the same ascender announced,
“Introducing, master Mathol burning blade of house Dracon and his daughter, lady master Nerla burning blade of house Dracon, heirs of Hagan scorching claw!” he said,
“The second ruler of house Dracon” Moyo murmured as Ashira nodded, both of them watching as the father and daughter made their way to a table with their banner planted next to it,
Moyo noticed then that no table had the banner of his clan,
“No table with my banner, something’s afoot here” Moyo said,
Ashira glanced around, noticing a table raised higher than those around,
“And there’s my father’s spot, house Kairos” she said looking in the direction of a set of twelve tables, each with a different banner that flew above them,
“I’m guessing those are the seats of the primordials, quite empty, are none around?” Moyo asked,
“They are simply in honor of them, to see a primordial is considered a boon, no one even remembers the faces of most of them” Ashira said,
Glancing at him,
“Now you understand why the fact that the thought of a master ranked primordial sounds absurd?” she said with a smile,
“I could care less” Moyo replied as she chuckled,
He suddenly felt a presence next to him, Digi aye subtly being activated as he turned, mantle locked in place beneath his attire. A man in a black and red robe and a red plain mask with no features with the crest of a serpent coiled around a star, the same as the assassins. Having half a mind to attack he held back as he realized no one could see the ascender and a master ranked at that,
“Come to complete the job?” he asked as Ashira turned to him, somehow being able to see the master too,
“Apologies, but I come at the behest of the council, they request your presence” he said bowing,
“What council?” Ashira asked softly, her hand straying towards her waist where talon lay,
“The primordial council” he replied as Ashira froze, eyes wide,
“I see, and whom do you represent?” Moyo asked,
“The cosmic dragon” the man replied bluntly,
Perhaps the dragon had gotten tired of the games she played, or perhaps something else was afoot, either way Moyo stared at this master and realized the power he held for no better words rivalled his, this was no ordinary master and the aspect he wielded felt so strong Moyo was honestly confused why the others couldn’t feel it. He glanced at Ashira,
“Might need to step away for a minute, see what this is all about, want to come along?” he asked as she shook her head vehemently,
“Whatever this is about, I want no hand in it, way above my realm” she said,
He nodded, turning to the man,
“Well?” he said,
The master snapped his fingers as reality shattered and rearranged itself into a black and white shadow of itself, starless skies with light emanating from a silver ground,
“The nethervoid” Moyo said as the master nodded and pointed to the horizon where Moyo saw fourteen thrones and twelve beings sitting on it,
“They await you lord primordial” he said as Moyo glanced at him,
Without a word he used his step of Ogun, appearing close to them as he glanced at them all, some he recognized, others he didn’t,
Typhon Kairos the king of monsters,
Viaris the slumbering sands,
Rieus the bright scourge,
Those were the three he recognized, the rest he had no idea of, but judging by the way they sat, he immediately knew what side he was on. Calmly taking a seat as the primordials stared at a board filled with crystalized forms that sat on it, their gazes firmly on the board,
“So, we number thirteen now” a woman said softly eyes still on the board as Moyo glanced at her,
To describe the sheer power he could feel from them would be impossible, the very void around them blistering with aether from their mere aura, it pressed down on him wrongly. With a finger Moyo unsealed his aspect, adding his power to the mix as Rieus glanced up, pure hatred in his eyes. Moyo at that moment wished he could take back his threat to the bright scourge, for the power he felt in that moment transcended what his aspect could quench,
“indeed Eses, the balance has been shifted, perhaps you would deem it necessary to call off your hounds from the frontlines?,” Kairos said, glancing at him as he winked,
Moyo glanced to his side as a being made of metal and yellow eyes sat up straight, the soft sound of mechanical parts whirling to life,
“greetings titan blade, how do you like your stay so far in my domain?, excuse the rather abrupt incursion by the dragon” it said in its mechanical voice,
“omnidroid” Moyo said in greeting to Iteq, the primordial android,
“Well met” it replied,
He glanced at the woman who stared at him with cold blue eyes, white hair and the looks of a woman in her early twenties,
“Cosmic dragon” he said,
“Please, call me Eses, we’re peers now” she replied,
The power he felt from her was unlike nothing he had felt from a dragon, it wasn’t the burning feral flames of ego and domination. It was a cool, still but terrible power that simmered beneath her skin. It screamed eons of existence, its very presence intermingled with reality even in the infinite expanse of the void,
“Show off” Kairos snorted as the woman grinned, sharp white canines on display,
Moyo glanced at the crest behind her head, the crest of a serpent clutching a star and turned back to her,
“I saw your gift” he said darkly,
“I was merely curious as to what you could do, I suppose sending diamonds after a master albeit a primordial at that was foolish” she admitted,
Moyo silently stared at her, purple eyes on the being that unnerved him,
“Perhaps we can discuss why we summoned this…aberration before we resume our game?” Rieus said,
Eses glanced at the bright scourge,
“you’re one to talk, neutered as you are by the supreme beings for assaulting and failing to take a single planet from a new primordial no less” she said as Rieus glowered as wukong laughed,
“Perhaps we let the titan in on the game?” Viaris said, glancing warmly at the titan,
“Perhaps, but once he joins, the burden isn’t something he can drop, perhaps after this scuffle with the abyss?” wukong said, nodding at Moyo in greeting,
“I look forward to it” a shadowy being with silver eyes said, its voice a deep baritone,
“You all take the threat against the archailect lightly, why?” he finally asked, it struck him as odd that the entire archailect mustered together, viewing the threat Rohan represented as one that necessitated the need for them to drop all feuds and come together, yet the strongest beings in the archailect viewed it as nothing but a phase,
“Rohan is but one piece of the great puzzle, perhaps it is due to your rank. Perhaps your aspect hasn’t begun to resonate with reality as a whole, but we all can sense what’s coming, something greater than Rohan” Kairos said,
“The great being behind the abyss, the one who reforms” Moyo replied as all attention honed in on him, smiles wiped away,
“Interesting...” Iteq said,
“The young primordial isn’t so weak after all” Eses said,
“He glimpses more than we do, this does not bode well” a large eye that floated on a chair said, green wisps of aspect floating from its form,
“Nothing ever bodes well for you Ynas, honestly, stop being so pessimistic” wukong said,
“Tell us, what do you see?” Kairos said, staring at Moyo,
Caution warned him not to mention anything about the titan, his aspect or its history, but he was here, within monsters that scared monsters and despite their subtle brutal nature, they had answers. He adjusted on his chair,
“I saw a dark shape, moving deep within the abyss, something my mind couldn’t fathom, something that defied size or shape, whose very presence tore at my existence” he said,
“I take it this was during your ascension to primordial status?” the shadowy being asked as Moyo nodded,
“Then perhaps Essen, you could ask your masters what it is exactly they hide from us hmm?” Kairos said turning to the cosmic dragon who raised one perfectly painted fingernail,
“Careful there maw, there’s so much insult I am willing to take from you” she replied with a thinly veiled smile,
Moyo suddenly began to sweat, whatever would bring those two to clash, he wouldn’t even want to be in the same galaxy as them,
“But you answer to them, don’t you?” wukong asked, looking relaxed, his head resting on his knuckles,
“I may be a celestial, but I am no chained beast like the bright scourge, I answer to no one” she replied, blue eyes alight,
Moyo suddenly had this weird realization that blue flames burned the hottest, a column of red flames suddenly burst forth in the distance as a man clad in lightning that had oddly been quiet all the while sighed,
“Alright, who invited him?” he asked, his thick voice rumbling like the peals of thunder,
Xerxes Tarrengazer, sun-burner and leader of the brigade appeared, flashing towards them as he flicked his hand, a red throne made purely of life-giving flames appeared next to Eses,
“godmother” he said,
Moyo choked, eyes wide, Xerxes glanced at him furrowed his eyebrows and turned back to them,
“Who invited the kid?” he asked,
“Careful there sun-burner, he has a greater say than you, after all he is a legitimate primordial” the shadow said,
“Technicalities Metar, now, I believe you know why I’m here?” he asked,
“Enlighten us oh harbinger of the true dragon” Kairos replied,
Eses pouted,
“And I thought you viewed me as the true dragon” she said as Kairos shook his head,
“The shadow in the abyss” Xerxes said, picking at his nails nonchalantly,
“What shadow in the abyss?” wukong asked,
Xerxes reclined back on his chair,
“By the order of the supreme beings and by the will of the true dragon, I hereby unseal the truth” he said as a golden scroll appeared in front of him.
Grasping the scroll, he sighed
“let’s get this over with” he said,