Originally uploaded Apr 4, 2024
Oliurk Pov
"Are you sure about this?" I asked as Vago returned to lucidity from conversing with the Highlord below. He gently shook his head, making the ornaments on his headpiece jingle like bells in the wind. He turned his head, his runes still glowed a faint purple as he released his hold upon them.
"Don't tell me the great warrior Oliurk is getting cold feet now? After all we have done, this is what makes you question?" Vago jested as he ascended the steps up to my elevated dais.
"A good solider follows orders. I am merely a tool of the Emperor. But this..." I said as I motioned vaguely around me.
"This seems more like a personal grudge I'd rather have no part in."
Vago now stood directly in front of me. His image of a frail old man who had to lean on his staff for support couldn't have been more misleading. Even with him heavily suppressing his own strength the stench of mana and aether hung around him like a potent disease.
I was a battle-tested warrior first and foremost. I was raised to work in metal forges crafting tools and infrastructure. All my life I had used my physical prowess to gain a edge against my enemies. And the reason why the Emperor came to me to lead his armies. But even in the most optimal state I doubt I could extinguish Vago in a direct confrontation.
Vago clicked his tongue as he turned swiftly around on his heels and pointed out of the viewing deck to Neoth's realm that lied below us. The surface wasn't very remarkable, a empty desert of sand that reflected the dim moonlight. Making the grains shine like small stars.
No, the secretes of Neoth's realm was hidden deep below its surface. A massive museum of artifacts, relics, and even living beings he had gathered in his years when he awoke early. Or perhaps he ever did slumber, the old man did love to play his cards close to his chest after all. Even Vago didn't know its full extent but it could very well span the size of a whole continent for all we knew.
Entire eras of time the rest of the Djinn knew very little about. The wealth of knowledge Neoth could have in his possession made this attack a risky one at best.
If I were in full command I would have mustered an entire fleet to glass his entire world from high above the clouds but Vago had reassured me to only bring a single company. At my disposal were my flagship and a mere three escort vessels. Fighting at a disadvantage was something I had grown accustom to during the Great Scouring against the legions of dragons but this was a pitiful force and disrespect going against a Highlord in his own realm.
"You would rather have this traitor who sided with a dragon run around free? Wasn't the Emperor's dream to free our race from our struggles and lead us onto a golden path of the future? If so, should we not deal with any defects that plague our race so it may not be a hindrance?" Vago spoke.
"And you truly believe Neoth has turned traitor? Even if he did so is invading him directly on his own realm a -" Before I could finish my point Vago interjected.
"Do you wish to know why the Emperor called for the heads of the Highlords originally?" Vago coyly asked, knowing I yearned for an answer. I had always disliked the never ending disputes of the other Highlords. Always trying to find a way to climb over each other in a desperate grasp for power.
Their struggle for more political power began more frantic as rumors of the Emperor's return began to float around conversations. Seeing this as their last good chance to advance their power within our empire.
I simply stood silently as I waited for the old man to answer.
"With the absence of the Emperor the Highlords were given free rein. And I don't need to tell you that they grew restless, leading to constant infighting. The Emperor has no need for such insolent fools who only care for their own power. Hence the reason why he called for the culling." Which did make logical sense but I had a hard time imagining the once smart and compassionate Emperor order for the culling of so many of our own race.
"You say that but you willingly gave them away to Demeptah. And now his armies outnumber ours. Did the Emperor order for that as well?" I bellowed. Demeptah was always an ace I kept hidden. Only to be unleashed upon my foes when absolutely necessary.
While he was a master strategist, the finest of our generation. I feared awakening him would only lead to political unrest, and the reason why I kept him in slumber. Until of course Erurda with delusion of grandeur awakened him.
Vago only looked back at me with a smirk. "All in due time my friend."
"When will you little games and tricks end Vago? I remember our Emperor being a honorable warrior who fought for our entire race." I sneered. My trusty glaive in my hands crackled with purple tendrils.
Vago's aura matched mine as the air grew heavy. All of my servants who manned my flagship turned quietly to watch, none daring to make any sudden movements to not draw attention to themselves.
"Watch your tone Oliurk. You may hold the title of Highlord but that title commands very little these days. You are a warrior at the end of the day. A tool, a weapon of the Emperor as you said. And I act in his stead as Imperial regent." Vago hissed, each word laced with tremendous intent that they each felt like a punch to the gut.
I couldn't help but scoff at his words. "And you say the other Highlords grew power hungry and mad. You should look in a mirror once in a while."
I could tell Vago wanted to continue our verbal dispute but a sudden explosion that shook my entire flagship drew both of our attention.
"Report!" I barked at one of my helmsmen.
"Orbital defense units, lord. Impact on our port flank." One of the men said in return.
"Route main power to our void shields and power up the lance batteries. We shall blast an opening for a ground invasion force." I commanded as I fell into the familiar movements of commanding a fleet.
With a mental connection to the other escort vessels in my fleet it made giving out orders quick and easy. Allowing me to focus most of my mental prowess on formulating a plan.
Neoth's realm was entirely hidden deep beneath all of this sand and stone. Bombardment from ships overhead will never fully destroy anything. And it would give him too time chances to create a counter-plan of his own. No, the best way would be to confront him directly when his numbers are low.
The entire ship hummed with aetheric might as the generators spun up to maximum capacity. A thick layer of hazy purple surrounded the outside of my ship as the shields created a bubble of protection.
"We are ready to fire, my lord." One of my underlings saluted.
I peered back over my shoulder at Vago. He leaned on his staff as two Imperial Custodians stood with their halberds in their hands. They stood perfectly still, even their presence was barely there. The only confirmation of their existence was visual. Vago stared back at me with a small smile growing on his face and nodded.
I nodded in return as I turned to face my crew. I couldn't say why but there was a growing sense of unease that dwelt deep within in my mind. An uncertainty of my actions and the repercussions it will bring. I shook the feeling away, now of all times wasn't time for doubt to cloud my judgement. Spellforms near my ears glowed warm as my mind connected to Filliaus who was onboard one of our escort vessels. A sleek craft meant for her own personal uses provided by the Empire. I had chosen her personal for her special weapon imbued with vivum aether arts that should in theory be able to destroy Neoth's soul if it came to down to it.
"Highlord Oliurk." She answered my hail.
"Ready the forces for landfall." I ordered.
Disconnecting the mental relay I stood tall in my command bridge. As I issued the order. The order that will have our own guns and weapons held against one of our own realms. I took a deep breath as mana filled every muscle of my body.
"Fire!"
A vision filled my eyes as a head pounding pain rang in my head.
My feet came to rest in a barren wasteland. The soil was the color of death itself. The pain in my head still continued and I couldn't help but wince as the pain grew slowly.
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I reached down, grabbing a handful of the soil that was bleached of color. The grains of dead dirt flowed through my fingertips as I rubbed them together. It felt so real but I knew it was impossible.
I quickly stood back up as my voice bellowed. "Is this some kind of trick!?"
My words were met with only silence as I turned my head, only to see the empty plains continue on far into the horizon.
The pain in my head sharpened into the point of a blade as I held my head in my hands, afraid that it would explode.
The ground rumbled as a large shadow loomed over me, casting the entire world in darkness.
Through my fingers that still held onto my head peered upwards and saw it. A massive landmass floating in the air. Large streams of water cascaded off its edge as it bloated out the sun.
"Ephetous." I said with amazement. The mythical land of gods, brought into the mortal world. I have only heard of it in legends and stories, never have I had the privilege of staring at its magnificence. I couldn't help but lose my breath as the pain inside my head disappeared for a moment.
From the flying continent I could barely make out a mass of flying creatures. They reflected the light and glimmered like little stars or gemstones as they came swooping down in well organized formations.
Dragons, so numerous that from this distance they more resembled a flock of birds than the tyrannical beast they truly were.
Ephetous laying bare to the material world. And unleashing an army of dragons. Just what could have been the cause of all of this?
Almost as if responding to my question my visage morphed and shifted.
This time I stood in some sort of underground laboratory. I couldn't quiet make it out as the darkness surrounded me. My breath came out in white mist as the temperature of this place touched me with frost.
The only source of light was before me. My hands covered my face as my eyes struggled to adjust to such a sudden change of brightness.
It was a chamber of some sort. An interfacing device molded into the shape of a throne of sorts. Surrounded by large bars of blackstone, as if it was built to keep the person upon the throne imprisoned.
The device was of Djinn technology, at least some parts of it. Varactor was more accustomed to analyzing new technology than me. But I could tell it was of great extent. Masses of cables and wires all connected to the throne in the center of the chamber extended far beyond into the darkness.
Some sort of arcane mixture of different technologies I presumed as I drew closer without thinking. Almost as if I was hypnotized by the light.
The pressure and intensity of the light only grew as I approached closer. Until I was finally able to peer into the figure who sat upon the throne.
Its body was the only thing I could see for certain. A well built body of a warrior who has seen countless battles sat with its hands dug deep into the throne's armrests. Like the being was in great stress or pain. Armed in blackstone armor of unusual design, I wasn't sure of its model or purpose. Only that it was based on our own armor patterns but far surpassed them in every other metric.
Then I came to its face. And this was what I couldn't understand or directly see. I saw several faces. The dark face of an ancient man who was of desert descent with black, almost void like eyes with long flowing locks of black hair. A face of a young man with piercing gold eyes that reminded me far too much of the Indrath clan. An old man, wrinkles running up and down his face like great lakes and rivers of a continent. His eyes portrayed a sense of great knowledge but also that of great regret.
All these faces overlapped each other. Appearing as one being but at the same time as separate figures. All who now sit upon this device. There was only one thing in common that all these figures shared.
Their mouth open in a silent scream. The pain of their efforts ageing their faces centuries in mere seconds.
I snapped out of my vision as one of my ship underlings called out for me.
"Sire?" He asked as he approached me with a worried look on his face.
I simple waved him off as I closed my eyes, trying to recall what I had just seen. But just as suddenly as the vision overtook me they left me. Evading my fingertips as I tried to remember what I had just born witness to.
I peered over my shoulder only to see Vago with a small knowing smile as his golden eyes stared back into mine.
A shiver traveled up my spine as I returned my gaze to the battlefield. But there was a feeling, a certain emotion that I didn't fully understand that hung around me like a cloud.
'Just what have I gotten myself into?'
***
Neoth Pov
"Well well well. I never thought I would see this." Vago voiced dripped with mockery as I was brought before him upon the bridge of Oliurk's flagship.
He stood upon a raised dais in the middle of the bridge, dressed in ornate ceremonial garbs I have never seen. Runes and markings lined his cuffs and collar, retelling his great deeds along with protective wards that shinned a subtle purple.
Flanking him were two of the Emperor's custodians. Each encased in blackstone armor trimmed in the finest gold. It was said every about the custodians, from their weapons and armor, down to their physical and spiritual bodies were reforged and handcrafted by the Emperor himself. They were demigods, created for warfare. Created within the forges of war to be perfect beings.
They only heeded the Emperor's words, so them being present truly meant this was ordained by the warlord himself. And if so, I didn't have a chance to being with.
Vago took measured steps as he descended the steps of the raised dais, approaching me. Being forced down to my knees I only looked at the floor, my core ached as it was on verge of backclash. The chains around me ankles and wrists were still sapping away the minuscule amount of mana that still lingered in my core.
As the cold flames of Filliaus' doomscythe hung inches away from the back of my neck, I didn't dare turn my head to look back at her. For the fear that any sudden movements would end in my permanent death. Not that she needed the vivum powered weapon anyway, with hardly any mana within my system I doubt I would be able to cast my soul fast enough from my body before my body was killed. I was truly trapped here.
"Please, lower your weapon Filliaus, while he may still be a traitor he is still an acquaintance of mine." Vago said.
"But my lord-" Filliaus tried to rebute but Vago quickly shut her down.
"Do it, now." He said, putting force into his voice that shook the whole room. It took a few seconds but Filliaus quietly lowered her weapon to her side.
Taking the opportunity I stretched my neck as I turned to look up at my old friend.
He smiled back at me, and I couldn't help but sneer.
"How have you been Neoth?" He asked as he lifted my head up higher to meet his gaze with the end of his staff.
I spat in his face, only for my spit to stop midair. Vago couldn't help but laugh at my measly attempt at dishonoring him.
Vago clicked his tongue in pity. "Without your little part tricks this is what you are reduced to? No honor, no spine. I should have killed you a long time ago."
Without warning the blow knocked my off the ground as my face was buried into the ship's deck. I could taste the iron of my blood as the sound of bones shattering ringed out like a bell.
Vago brought my face back up as he held my by my hair. He smiled back at me, but deep within in his old eyes that shined gold I could see the flames of hatred burning.
He slammed my face down onto the hard floor again, and again. The pain shoot throughout my entire body, without any protective aether spellforms or even mana to reinforce my body I felt it all.
I could sense mana flaring up within Vago's body as his strikes became more violent. I could feel bones snapping and organs rupturing as he continued his assault.
I was sure I would die. Without any of my runes or tricks I was no better than a feeble lesser. Vago brought my up again as he sent a blast of concentrated aether directly into my midsection. The blast sent my flying as my ragged body hit the ship's walls with a wet smack.
I winced in pain as my body tumbled back down to the floor.
"Without your little party tricks you are nothing. You have no honor or faith. I once offered you a chance to join us. The Emperor himself even personally invited you and what did you do?!" Vago shrieked, his rage barely contained now.
I dragged myself up as my entire body roared with pain. Through bloodied lips and a broken jaw I managed to form audible words.
"I remember telling you to go burn int hell." I wheezed.
Vago instantly appeared before me. His usual weak man persona was completely gone. Replaced by the raging animal that he truly was. He was once an old man like me back when our race still existed. But underneath all of that there was a mask he rarely showed anyone.
He would rather choose to channel that fire that burned within him to fuel his ambitions. Pushing himself forward in aether research, so much so that he far surpassed me in the fundamentals.
But no, his true self was one of unending desire for strength. To reign on top. No wonder why he was so eager to work under the Emperor. He saw it as his big moment for him to truly live up to his full potential. And looking at him I would say he says.
The pressure he emitted was staggering. It drew the breath out from my already collapsed lungs. Looking at him now, he had more in common to the asuras we harbor a mutual hatred towards than a Djinn. A being of great power, who isn't satisfied with what they have.
A being that wants to control, a being that wants to grow beyond. If this was what the leadership of the decaying Empire that represents our race is than perhaps it is better i don't live to see it eventually fall.
Vago raised his staff as it glowed with ethereal light. I only closed my eyes as I waited for the inevitable. Flashes of my life filled my mind as I waited for the blow that would end it all.
'A real shame. Even I was curious as to if Grey's plan would work out.'
Yet I wasn't met with a force that would rip apart my body and soul. Instead I heard a stern voice.
"That is enough Highlord Vago." His voice boomed with authority and power.
My eyes opened to see one of the Custodians standing above me. His halberd held in his hands as he stood protectively over me.
"The Emperor's own guardians protects the traitor?" Vago shouted with disbelief.
"The Emperor has decreed for the traitor to stand trial before him." The Custodian said.
"You dare go against-" Before Vago could finish his sentence a large armored hand grabbed his shoulder. In such big hands the man looked old and frail once again.
Vago looked over his shoulder as a Custodian without his helmet stood tall. His face was large, matching his immense body. A face marred by scars of battle and time, he looked like the definition of an ancient warrior. His head was shaven clean as his deep dark brown eyes stared out with an unwitting focus. But the stranger thing was that his skin was free of any spellforms or runes our race possessed.
"The Emperor's orders are absolute. Your words are mere suggestion in front of Him." He said as Vago lowered his own staff in response. I couldn't help but feel a little bit a joy at Vago being talked down to like this. Even he isn't dumb enough to challenge the Custodian's authority.
"Take him to the cells and have his injures taken care of." The guardian ordered to one of his own. The Custodian that stood above me nodded as he hoisted me up like I weighed nothing.
The hulking demigod of war carried me like a sack of grain and walked out of the main bridge of the ship. But my mind at this point was having trouble focusing.
And as the darkness embraced me I couldn't help but feel an reassuring feeling despite my coming fate. Maybe I was just yearning for the sweet release of death at this point.
I was sick of it all. Sick of dealing with our race's own politics and dealing with Grey's insane plans. I wished for a peaceful life I once had. To return to that, oh what I couldn't give to return to those times.
I allowed myself to dream of my calm childhood as unconsciousness took me.