My mind churns with ideas and schematics as I go back through the flux rift and return to the tower. "Leviticus, put tower security on maximum. I will be in my study for a few days." He obliges, sending praetors running to their defensive positions. I open the door to my study. "I will be in deep study for several days. Neither of you are to disturb me." Julius nods, but Winter unsurprisingly starts making as much noise as possible to annoy me. He’s still acting like a child. I unplug his communication device and get to work.
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From my encounter with the three gods of the second Excursion, I learned that planes are stacked; the higher planes are somehow above the lower planes in some sort of cosmic hierarchy. If each dimension has its own set of planes, I can impact one plane from another since they’re in the same dimension. I’ve also learned planes get smaller the further they are from the central plane; that is, the one I’m in when I first arrive. It’s not something noticeable. Think of it like converting inches to centimeters. Everything stays the same relative distance away from each other, so it’s not observable. Which means… eureka. My theory-crafting complete, I get to work on the device, scrounging loose materials to construct what might be my magnum opus of Thaumaturgy.
After a day of tinkering, the device is complete: The Deity Hammer. It’s about as tall and wide as me. It’s shaped like a pyramid, made of various metals, and has a hole down the center. Finally, there are two palm-shaped grooves in one side for the power source. "It is complete."
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I assemble two more golems to carry the Deity Hammer into the other dimension for me. Although my taint physiology means I can easily exert forces of over 10,000 pounds, I find it too awkward to comfortably carry. I bid farewell to the crimson cultists and travel back through the flux rift, the golems following behind me with the Deity Hammer. As we return to the savanna, I notice we will have the cover of night to assist us.
The golems set the Deity Hammer down in the dirt and I place my gloved hands into the grooves, beginning the charging process. The Deity Hammer will siphon my soul’s energy and my body’s natural flux to open several flux rifts to the higher planes while simultaneously firing a beam of similar composition to my Doombolts, only the power of the beam is nearly 200 times greater than the power of my Doombolts. My soul’s natural energy should recuperate about 3 days after I use this device. The beam should grow large enough to encapsulate all of the planes above this one since they grow smaller and the beam grows larger. Fortunately I was able to tune it to only damage noble souls. The charging process is not fast; it will take almost a whole day to fully charge the Deity Hammer with my natural energies.
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About 20 hours into charging the device, I notice that the elephant-like creatures I saw a few days ago have vanished. I soon see the reason: several silhouettes of horse-mounted warriors ride towards me. No matter.
They reach me after about three minutes. They stop about ten feet from me. One of the horses steps forward, its master a grizzled man in chain armor wearing some sort of insignia on his shoulders. "Put your weapons down and submit!" He shouts. "The Church of God demands you be taken into custody for investigation!"
"How did you even know I was here? And why are you trying to arrest me?"
He smirks. "That’s the power of God!" He jovially declares. "Scared? I would be, too! As for the reason for your arrest, the Voice of God itself told us your location and to arrest you!" This god must have some limited form of omniscience if they know what I’m trying to do.
"What if I told you that your god is a fraud and I intend to kill them?" His face morphs into one of pure rage. Looks like a fight is inevitable now. There about twelve of them. If I use my Victus (Life) Conductor, they pose no threat.
"I’ll give you one chance to walk away." The horse riders look at each other and laugh heartily.
"You’re one arrogant son of a bitch, I’ll give you that!" Bellows their leader. "You heard him, boys! In the name of God, chop him up!" They all draw their swords and charge at me. Then again, why end it so quickly? Let’s try something new.
I place my hand on my grinning mask and remove it slowly. All their horses stop in their tracks, terrified. My face, because of my taint body, looks like a churning tumor of pure malice, purple and amorphous. The lead man chokes on his words. "What the— what the hell are you?"
"You don’t even deserve to know." The dampener removed, I allow the warp to flow through my body and focus it into an attack. Several black beams appear from my face and expand and fade into each of my would-be assailants. I can feel their life force being drained by my warp as they clutch their chests and fall over. They cough up blood as my solidified madness drains them of their last will to live. "I think I’ll call that one my Deadly Gaze."
I quickly replant the mask onto my face before losing myself completely. This is bad. It seems my warp has gotten so bad my sanity is now completely reliant on my grinning mask. Well, it can’t be helped. Back to charging the Deity Hammer.