The great black tree fell, and when it fell a great storm of celestial aura swept through the land. A storm so fierce that one could almost believe it capable of turning the entirety of the heavens upside down. Fortunately it was brief but even then, there were many who’d died and much of the local segment of the heavenly plane was destroyed. With the sky above it, pierced and opened, revealing, a brief glimpse of the realms that lay beyond the heavens. The sky that lay beyond the sky.
*****
Looking at it from the perspective of an immortal, ten thousand years wasn’t all that much time. For a mortal man it was unfathomable time span. For a mortal race it was just long enough for a proper civilization to arise be it from the ashes of a past civilization or from basic primordial stew.
For a god however, for those beings that cosmos made stewards over broad expanses of space and time, ten thousand years wasn’t that long a span of time at all.
Those who have been set to watch the sentient races might see several peoples rise and fall over the span of a few hundred thousand years. Those who have been set to watch the worlds might watch a world form and coalesce from the chaos, with proper planets only appearing after several millions of years had passed. Those who had been set to watch over the universes might preside over a particular branch of the multiverse for several billions of years before even half of them have entered heat death.
The point being that to an immortal, be it an angel, a demon, or a god, a mere ten thousand years wasn’t that long a time span at all.For the “common folk” of the heavens it was just barely long enough to get to know some one. Just barely long enough to hold a position and have it be worth reporting the experience in ones resume. For the heavenly elite, it wasn’t even that, ten thousand years was just barely long enough to put something on the stove and step away to make a brief phone.
Still, as even the mortals knew, such moments were dicey things. Be it ten thousand years, or ten minutes, it only took a brief moment of distraction for things to go awry.
*****
After ten thousand years of campaigns, the higher ups of both Twelve Thrones Faction and the Eight Million Gods Faction finally looked back during all their scheming and duel to find something amiss.
There were reports of armies and campaigns that had quite literally been lost. Simply going missing during a freak celestial storm or under the attack of swarm of strange new immortal beasts. The accounting books spoke of grievous losses, the likes of which even they, wouldn’t be able to easily make up for, even with their power and pooled wealth.
Worse yet were the losses to their ranks, the inexplicable absence of several of their number. Valiant beings who’d till now, almost never seen a defeat without several hundred worlds being destroyed in the process. Divine powerhouses who had fought through countless wars, who’d now simply just disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rarely, if ever, leaving a whole body to confirm their deaths.
Finally they were forced to see that was something wrong. Though it wasn’t a fatal loss, it was bad enough for the heads of each side to look away from the grand chessboard that they were playing on and take stock of their current situation. Turning their attention to their present for the sake of the assuring the futures that they were working towards.
At first both sides believed that the other was responsible. This belief was short-lived however. Diminishing as they realized just how badly they’d been hurt, with their enemies failing to take advantage. A quick consultation with the spies that they had placed within the opposition's ranks confirmed what they had suspected. The other side was equally wounded. With that confirmed there was only one assumption to be made.
It was now very clear that there was a third party swimming in their waters, a third player in the game. Most of the members of each faction were greatly incensed, a few of the wiser, more clever members were just curious. In anycase, a great effort was put into discovering.who this third player was. Unfortunately whoever it was had been too clean, too clever and the heavens themselves were too broad and self-interested. Everything happened as if almost by coincidence or accident. And what god, celestial or demon would admit to playing tricks on the two great factions of the section of the heavenly plane. The only wild cards were the angels and the house of antipodes.
But it was well known that the angels’ only concern was with keeping the cosmic order and tending to the lower worlds. As for the house of antipodes, they were to dangerous to question and were simply ruled out by virtue of the fact that any intervention by their sort would have been much more….”dramatic.’
This elusive third player might well have remained a mystery but then one hundred days after their discovery of this individual or group’s existence, the heads of both the factions each got an invitation for a banquet held a certain open plain. The site of the first battle of the heavenly war. A banquet that troublingly enough was held in the honor of a great peace treaty between the two factions.
*****
Edna and Elena sat in the grand hall of a building that Tamra had quite literally willed into being. Making it over night through her expert use of celestial energy. They and the five hundred or so members of the Thousand Ghosts had now finally been gather. Joined up and readied for a final confrontation with the two factions.
When the first guest arrived they felt it, Zenith of the twelve thrones bore an air that’d make even the greatest mortal kings feel compelled to bow. He strode into the building as if it were his, his manner arrogant, but in a way that almost convinced you that he was rightly so. Tall broad, and radiating light and power, he was the very image of what it meant to sit at the apex of existence. What it meant to be a man amongst men, a god amongst men. Only the mighty Alceus, who’d ascended from the mortal world Monde had been able to shine any brighter.
Behind Zenith trailed two other senior members of the Twelve Thrones. The first was a woman with multicolored hair, and who came dressed in a black. Her lips pressed together. Her look making it apparent that she was still mourning the death of her old friend, whose absence was the cause of this war. Vega, Empress of the four doorways.
The second was, a child with eyes that were filled with a bleak and empty void, his breath made of frost. His pale skin, a light shade of blue. Dagny, the child of Winter’s End. Around his neck he wore a chain made out of dead worlds. Which he idly touched rolling them like they were mere beads, as he took in the place. Noting that weakest of their hosts was at least at the King Rank. While Dagny himself was a god bearing the rank of an aeon, just as the rest of his peers in the upper echelons were, the sheer number of Immortal Emperors and Kings present in the room was worrying.
Even more troublesome was the group that sat in the center of the hall. A group of Aeon rank men and women. Celestials who would likely be no weaker than the heads of the Twelve thrones were.
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To make things more complicated, it wasn’t just the agents of the BTC who were present. The hall seemed to be filled with various other personalities of the heavenly plane. Personalities such as ancient warrior of the sea and master chef Shui Kai and his wife. There was also, former Dark Lord Evil Moon, caretaker for the youngling of the twelve thrones.
Others were present as well, people that should have belonged to factions. Such as a very disgruntled looking, freshly resurrected Commander of the Winter’s Legion Mercenaries. Dagny wasn’t sure but he was pretty certain that he’d even spied his clownish sister Trix amongst their number.
There were even a few members of the house of antipodes present, though Dagny was careful to not pay too much attention to them. Hoping against hope, that if the worst happened they and their house would not get involved.
Dagny’s gaze shifted towards the leader of their little entourage. Zenith’s expression was as haughty as ever, as if he was unconcerned with their oppositions strength. He smiled broadly as if he sauntered up to their hosts’ table arms held wide.
“My, my...and to think we’d excluded the Bone Tree Company from investigations, believing you just another trade company.”
Elena, coquettishly winked as she answered.
“No, worries, milord. There’ve many who’ve done the same.”
Chuckling, Zenith sat down, as if he still believed that he had the entire situation well in hand. To be fair, that was usually the case. His compatriots sat down with him and as one they waited for their counterparts in the Eight Million Gods Faction. Gently exchanging small talk. Using innocuous questions to try and feel out of the their mysterious hosts.
They, arrived a few minutes after, lead by Ko, a stately woman with silver hair, and twelve luxurious fox tails trailing behind her. She was accompanied by a golden furred monkey in monks robes, and a old dark skinned man who sat on a spider.
Ko and Company made their way to the group, idly scrutinizing their environs just like their counterparts had. By the time Ko arrived at the table she had severe look on her face. Hands on her heaps, she glared at Edna and Elena as if picking them out amongst their peers and with a sneer, she said,
“Just the who the hell do you think you are? Getting in the middle of a fight between gods?”
Again it was Elena who spoke.
“Elena Maddoc of Monde suing for peace because when gods fight mortals die.”
“Oh? And you’re an advocate for the mortals now?” said Ko. One brow raised.
Edna spoke, her eyes narrowed, her tone sharp.
“We are, when it’s “our” world in danger of being destroyed.”
“Alright, alright. Let’s try and keep it civil shall we.” said the Monkey. Cutting in as he felt tensions rising. Having come to the same conclusion that Dagny had, that a fight in this place would be troublesome.
“First of all, who are you?” said Vega. Starting with the question the six gods had come to ask.
“My colleague already answered that. We ascended from the mortal world Monde. Having ascended for the express purpose of keeping you from destroying our world.”
“Oh, newcomers are you? How long ago was it that you arrived.” said Vega.
“Just a few thousand years.” said Jermaine. Speaking up from the other end of the table.
Dagny frowned, it was eons ago, when he and his allies surpassed mortal bounds ascending into the heavens. He knew it was possible but after the assent from mortal to immortal came the assent demi-god or half-step to full-step and beyond. A path that was even rockier for celestials, spirits and demons, those immortals who couldn’t rely on their worshipers to help ease the way for them.
Thus a group of celestials like themselves would have had to have been around for billions of years, if not longer, to attain their current level of strength. Dagny himself hadn’t become an aeon till he’d seen his sixth septillion year in the heavenly plane and even that was considered fast progress.
The old man on the spider’s back scoffed.
“Tch...You expect us to believe that?!”
Ko cut in, looking no less skeptical.
“Even if that’s so what gives you the right to interfere with the battle of the throne of the gods? Or are you saying that you’d dare seek the throne for yourselves.”
Matthew opened his mouth, but was swiftly elbowed by his wife Cindy and Angelo’s wife Annais, who’d both grown used to stopping him from finding trouble for them, during their time in the band.
Alphonse was the one answered, his expression somber and humble as he shook his head.
“Perish the thought. We’re but humble folk of the mortal realms. We only seek to save ourselves and our people from destruction.”
“In that case there was no cause for you to interfere as far as you had. No one was even paying any attention to your little world. No worlds have been destroyed because of war.”
“And yet, here we are...having ascended out of necessity. And if no worlds have been destroyed by your war its “because” of our interference.” said Ophelia.
Ko frowned, clearly not appreciating being talked to so, by a former mortal. Spirits like herself, could tetchy about such things once they began to walk the path of godhood.
“Hmph...even if a few worlds were destroyed what would it matter. You matters die like ants and are easily reborn. The heavens need stability.”
Dagny frowned, glancing at the white haired man, Alphones, a former human that he was now slowly recognizing as someone who’d been one of his former worshippers. The recognition hitting just as the last of the man’s faith in Dagny and his kin broke away.
“Ah...that might be true, but dying is scary, dear goddess and we’d rather not just be broken as collateral damage of your unsightly conflicts.” said Alphonse.
“You dare~!” snarled the Old Man on the spider.
Edna opened her mouth to speak but then the entirety of the heavens seemed to shake. The corner of her mouth hiked up into a expression that faintly mirrored the cheshire cat grin that Elena wore at her side.
“Yes I dare. Like we were saying all we want is peace. That’s why we invited you here, to help facilitate the end of the war.”
Zenith snarled.
“Just you?,..On whose authority?! I understand wanting to protect your world but down overestimate your-”
The whole of the heavens shook again and Dagny looked up. Glancing towards the outer edges of the room he was now doubly convinced that his sister Trix was present watching. He met her eye and she waved at him. He waved her over but she indicated that he should come to her. Exasperated, he tried to force her to come with a bit of celestial force. Unfortunately she had always been the stronger between them, as far as brute force and pure power was concerned and they ended up at a stalemate. With his comrades at the table peering at him with concerned expressions, having clearly felt the fluctuation of his power.
Zenith felt silent as Vega placed her hand on his arm.
Dagny stood speaking up, to say his peace quickly so that he could go and see what his fool sister was up to.
“Now I understand your reasoning. And as former ascended myself I can respect it. And while I to would wish for peace, the fact remains that the heavens need a king.”
“And we’re not arguing against that point, all we’re saying is that however you decide to pick your king you shouldn’t decide through a war.”
“There you go again...Foolish child, who are you to dictate terms to the gods?” sniffed Zenith.
The heavens shook a third time and then they shattered, for a brief impossible second the space-time continuum of the heavens simply collapsed on itself. With all the immortals in the room, exercising the celestial energy stores just to keep from being sucked into the void that lay beyond.
Then just as soon as the gulf opened it closed again, and seated in one of the chairs was dull eyed boy, with eyes that were emptier and colder than Dagny’s.
His voice was flat and soft as he spoke, but everyone in the hall very clearly heard his words. Understanding that they were in the presence of an existence that exceeded the rank and boundless power of an Aeon.
“I suppose, 'Who' we are doesn’t matter...Now, 'what' we are however….”