Dragon-kin
The discovery of what seemed to be a wholly new deviant of their race earlier that season had forced the clan elders into action, but after the sky had boiled as it had back in the old days they began to gather the young warriors: The wounded angelic messenger that had hysterically spoke of Melevar's return was the final straw. Caimbar, elder of Clan Tierra, had ordered Vispa and her hunters to find the wayward Dragon-kin claiming to be Melevar. The old dragon had been shocked to see a strange creature wearing a dark god's armor that brought phantom pains to Caimbar's battle scars, and though she'd brought it back in chains they'd been forced to continually pacify the creature as it attempted to free itself. As the returning hunters shared the story of how Vispa handily captured the mad creature the elders held a secret council among themselves to discuss what they'd do with the creature.
The Clans referred to the group of four ancient dragons as The Wisen Council, but that day Caimbar saw irrational fear in place of their usual wise calm. The elders of Tierra, Aere, Vraz, and Aquil had each been young dragons when Melevar had been defeated, but they'd been told stories of the terror Melevar would cause should he ever return. "We all know what needs doing today, and wasting our time with deliberation only puts the inevitable at bay for so long." Frovi lead Clan Vraz with strength for countless years, and Caimbar held his contemporary in high regard for that fact alone: So why then did he find himself agreeing with Vispa when the she argued against the elder. Strange as it would seem for an elder to be rebuked by a young warrior the four had long since agreed on listening to Vispa as she'd been chosen to take up a newly recognized fifth spot on the council.
"Destroying the one who drove Rhestus and The Twelve away from their golden city would waste the gift Emera has given us." Caimbar heard the reflexive intake of air each of the elders had pulled when Vispa invoked the unspoken name of her. "The Weaver of Paths has sent us a gift, a weapon, one we're meant to use against the lying gods no longer safe in another Realm." Kreishta waved a hand covered in pale blue scales through the air to cut Vispa off before she contained. "Do you believe that mad thing is the solution we've all sought after for ages? Child your youth might be a blessing, but it might also be your greatest downfall." Kreishta's creaking voice held an exasperated tone to it as her watery eyes examined the passionate young dragon. "The first generation of our people thought the same when Melevar first awoke. Finally a dragon had been born that could truly challenge the mightiest of gods, and he swept up our people in his self righteous fervor: A mistake that we pay for with every passing moment."
Vispa's visage changed to one of somber defeat as her elder continued to berate her over the "lack of wise judgement" in her suggestion. After a moment of silence Caimbar decided to speak in his usual calm, low tone that sounded like heavy boulders slowly rolling down a hill."You're both not wrong, Kreishta in pointing out our past failures, and Vispa in her want to seize this opportunity we've been given. Melevar's revolt was...wrong in many ways too brutal to be considered honorable, but that path was one many believed necessary to take back the freedom stolen from us. Our predecessors handed their power over the Clans to Melevar knowing he'd only been given reasons to hate the gods, but they saw the power they'd been searching for and gave themselves over to it. Likewise we've been given a new opportunity here, but where the forefathers bowed to the power we will bend it until our means our met, and in the end only the next generation will be able to judge us for it."
Caimbar left them without another word, each step heavier than the other as they stared at his hunched back. When Vispa offered to join him the Hunter was surprisingly quiet as the two of them walked beneath Mount Iravid. Hidden within the mountain was a prison close to the world's molten heart, and it hadn't been used since before Vispa was born. An unnatural chill that felt like the tip of a blade moved down Caimbar's back when he saw the pale arms of a shade cradling the bound creature's head as it hung limp in its chains. Vispa continued to march towards the creature, but when she'd turned back to see the look of fear frozen on Caimbar's face she turned back to see a figure floating behind the creature in a wispy cloak.
A darkness quickly spread around them that sapped the heat from the air, and all light from the torches before the figure spoke. "See me, and know that I see your schemes baby dragons; know that every pain this one experiences for your grand plans will be given back beyond measure when your final day comes. This one is mine, and the promise made between us can't be broken." Caimbar knew who this being was, and that knowledge took what strength his old legs still had forcing him to his knees: Vispa in her ignorance summoned blades of blue flame to her hands in a futile act of defiance. With a wave of their pale hand the weapons blew out leaving Vispa's hands empty, and all the while the giggling of a young child rang out all around them until it reached a screaming pitch that pained their ears. The goddess left them then taking the cool darkness with her leaving the three there alone in complete silence. Caimbar began to rise on shaky legs while Vispa gazed down inquisitively at her palms only looking up when the aged dragon spoke behind her. "Alert me as soon as it wakes again Vispa, and if keep it awake even if it screams." Caimbar left her there in confusion with a surprising quickness, and it was fine really she preferred to be alone when practicing: If nothing else this strange meeting had taught her that more practice was needed.
Hex Starlight
[ Warning! The Player has built up an abnormal amount of energy inside their Engine, and upon reaching full consciousness that energy will be released. Individuals around the Player will be placed in the most immediate danger. ]
I'd lost my sense of reason when Nek had taunted me, but it had been too soon with Xerilla's body still being warm. Omega, Rhestus, and the rest were all out of my reach at the time; Nek provided a necessary outlet, but I'd given in falling back to that place I'd experienced in The World Below. I gave the beast control, and as satisfying as it was a beast lacked reason leading to an easy capture. When my consciousness returned I was greeted with a pair of voices a little ways away from where I hung suspended by my arms. "Let it down then, and let's see what whether or not this thing is really The Great One." A deep voice spoke in the Dragon-kin's tongue, but I understood it as clearly as if Astorian or Reshi had been spoken. An unknown ache that had formed between my shoulders eased as my feet touched solid ground. "Vispa told us to let her know when he starts moving Belrym! If you do this you'll-" Whatever the younger voice had been proposing was cut off when my eyes were forced open after I felt a stabbing pain just above my navel. A bright flash of crimson light filled my vision for a moment while a thunderclap took my hearing before the system sent another message to me.
[ Due to Realm restrictions the Player's companions have been left with the other members of your pantheon. ]
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Beyond the message a green scaled warrior laid in a smoking heap while the smaller of the group had already turn to flee. The chains still held me in place, but my feet were on the ground: My armor though still intact the black carapace was beginning to break where my wrists were bound, and the red handle of a dagger was protruding from my abdomen. The pain should've been the only thing on my mind, but was barely in the back of my mind as I finally felt the emptiness in my head. The usual clutter of minds was gone, and though there were disadvantages to never having a quiet mind I soon found out that the advantages far outweighed them. With them gone my sense were sharper than ever and I was forced to squint my eyes as the torches light burned my eyes, and I could hear the faint sound of the Dragon-kin running up the stairs. Forcing myself to quiet the world around me took time, but after what felt like forever I'd done it with the only noise around me being the soft hum of the Engine's pulse beneath the armor.
When I opened my eyes there were seven Dragon-kin in scaled armor varying in color examining the charred body of my dead attacker. The only one watching me had been the smaller that had fled to get the others, and when he saw my opened eyes he cried out drawing their attention. A tall woman with red hair and a toothy smile was the first to approach me while the others summoned weapons of flame in their hands. When she spoke a few stepped forward feigning bravery as their hands clutched the weapons. When she attempted to speak her words never reached my ears as the system sent me a message that forced me to cut her off.
[ The Engine has detected hostile forces near the Player, and will soon take actions to protect the Player; any within 5 meters will be at risk. ]
"You need to get away from me unless you want to end up like your friend." The woman laughed with fake mirth in her tone while a few of her companions looked back nervously towards the fallen Dragon-kin, and the small green scaled one had already began making their way to the room's only exit. There'd been a slight warmth forming at the center of my chest, but as tense moments passed it became an unbearable heat that spread throughout my body. Impossibly it was worse than what Melevar had put me through, but my cry of anguish startled even the bold leader enough for her to begin stepping back. Suddenly through the cracks of the armor thin streams of dark crimson energy shot out through the room: They fled then, but the energy moved too unpredictability before the carapace finally gave deafening my ears while a blinding crimson light stole my sight.
When my eyes could see again a few of my captors were dead, but the woman and a few of the smarter of them had managed to run a safe distance away before the explosion knocked them unconscious. I took the partially singed green scaled armor from the Dragon-kin that had rudely awakened me though I was forced to leave most of it as it barely fit. For a moment I thought about killing the remaining Dragon-kin, they'd been ready to do the same to me after all, a message from the system made my decision for me and I began the long run up the stone staircase.
[ Alert! >Forced Realm shift< will start in less than 4 minutes. The Player is advised to reach the surface before the shift completes. Due to •redacted• the Player's Proto-system will be deactivated during, and after the shift for a period of time.]
The thought of another forced trip through another hostile Realm filled my legs with much needed strength as I ran, but I couldn't help but worry about losing the system now too: It was a silent voice, but the prospect of losing it scared me. I had seconds left when I finally saw the glimmer of daylight above, and when I reached the surface I only had time to glimpse the surrounding forest dotted with small tents for a moment before a bright light surrounded me. "The last Watcher is dead for your sake wayward god, and now the Abyss will unleash her chained hoards onto the Realms. All for your sake, and in my vast knowledge I've still failed to understand why Xerilla went to such lengths." A cool voice with an almost disapproving tone behind it called out from behind the veil of white surrounding me, and when it faded I saw a figure standing in front of me in a white robe.
We stood a few meters apart standing above a star filled void similar to when I'd spoken to Below, or Phaarus according to my absentee dragon. The Engine softly glowed as the figure began to walk closer towards me, and with each pulse of crimson light I noticed small clusters of light go out beneath our feet. Their head inclined slightly before they stopped to look at the glowing gem. "You wield my creation like a child Hex, but it's expected really for all who attempt to control Chaos fail eventually." When they finished speaking two orbs of crimson light appeared beneath the hood that shrouded the figure's face from me, and the Engine stopped completely: Atop that my entire body stopped and I was barely able to breathe. "You may call me Outsider young god if a name will help you remember what I say. Our short meetings have a predetermined time that I won't waste answering your questions, and though Xerilla named you heir to her throne you remain heir in name only. Your mana control is laughably in need of adjustment, you've no clue the mayhem you unleashed after leaving countless reborn dragons unchecked in the First Realm, and the mortals will soon fight among themselves for a chance to become like their gods. In short you've done exactly what I warned Xerilla of but she'd never listen."
They began to pace around me as they spoke sometimes stopping to stare at me with the emotionless crimson light of their gaze. "Soon after one of your grislier deaths she came to me with the idea of using the Abyss to mix tainted soul fragments together in an attempt to hide your sleeping soul. Xerilla was...a true friend who'd never asked me for anything in the eons the first of us existed, and it's for her sake that I haven't expunged you from the realms. Heed to my words Starlight for I am the Outsider, the Grand Architect of the Realms, the one who discovered a way to direct Chaos itself, the Ageless Watcher of Realms, and I grow tired watching you fail at simple task I hand down." There'd been a friendliness in the Outsider's voice when they'd started speaking with me, but as they continued it slowly faded leaving only malice in its place; the stars around us all winked out as well leaving only three crimson orbs providing light.
"I'll properly educate you on mana here and now for the sake of my own sanity, but until you show the understanding that of a simple mortal child you'll remain here in my...Realm above Realms: Your physical form will be held in a special stasis, but even after you've begun to understand I'll not allow you to roam untethered any longer." A great weight suddenly pressed down on my shoulders when the Outsider stopped speaking; it forced me to my hands and knees barely able to keep myself up. From the void beneath me two crimson orbs formed, and after what seemed like a span of eternity the Outsider spoke again while the two orbs began to orbit the other.
"Originally mana was as uncontrollable a primordial element as Chaos, but where the latter could destroy and possibly contort the Realm mana would mold the Realm in erratic yet habitable ways. After a time I found the means to guide the energy in purely beneficial ways, and with the First Generation's assistance I reshaped the vast primordial wasteland into the Three Realms as they are. Mana flows through them all in a way that makes it extremely vital to the Realm's stability, and depending on where a the first generations of mortal beings were born their ability to manipulate the mana around them would be more aligned with the...proper portion of mana. I divided mana into six categories four of which I deemed safe for mortal use. The first is Air, second Earth, third Fire, and fourth was Space; each of these categories cover broad spectrums of the Realm's reality. Your rather unique heritage allows you to not only toy with mana in the simple ways a mortal might strive their whole life to achieve, and thanks to Xerilla's ignorance you're also naturally aligned with the Deviant categories that I had no hand in creating."
As they spoke a semi-transparent film shimmered between the orbs, and after a time I saw a crying woman holding a newborn babe in her arms while an elderly midwife smiled to the side of the two. The moment was strangely warming until my self appointed teacher spoke again. "Once you've finally manipulated the mana around you enough to stand I'll consider teaching you what I observed when the first dragons took a divergent path to mana control. Until then I'll hold you here, but I'll let you watch the Fate-touched mortal I've chosen to be your future avatar: Allowing you back into the Realms without limits would see them all destroyed."