In a large ornate clearing that overlooked a vast stone forged citadel the mortals call Ozoufhous, Montum was the first to appear. He manifested from a pocket within the earth, rapidly shifting and sculpting the land around him how he pleased as he traversed, till he fully emerged from the depths; his black marble skin glittered with faint hints of peridot in the light of the high day. Molding the land about was no more than taking a breath of air for the earthen Acolyte and it could help him move through the land at the blink of an eye.
Ventum, the next, began to solidify. Starting out as a gust of wind that whipped across Montum, then beginning to settle into his true form. “What a grand celebration down there! And you, Montum, to say these mortals have turned away from needing us.” The Air Acolyte said as his vibrant blue eyes faded to brown. The active air essence use went passive. He was now entirely formed looking no different than his chosen race except silver highlights streaking throughout his otherwise dark hair. The two stood in front of the clearing raised above the citadel’s valley, while below swarmed with worshipers cheering.
“If history is to be a good judge of the character of humanity, I would say House Ozouf begs a boon. It must be a particularly large boon to aggressively insist we all gather today, through the devotions of his entire nation.” Montum said dryly gesturing towards the growing crowd of spectators below, a tithe of the Norrænn empire. Many of the citizens were clad in tattered, lackluster clothing. Their frames slightly, if not noticeably, emaciated. Yet, their appearance carried an undeniable eagerness and extreme vigor regardless of their circumstances.
A cylindrical void in the air a few steps from Montum opened, revealing the view of a green pasture overlooking a castle in the distance. Coleus, the acolyte of space and time, purple skin laden with glowing black runic markings covering his entire body and Ignis strolled through the void to stand beside Montum, before the void dissipated and there was no view of the foreign landscape remaining, the runic lights fading off on Coleus as the essence use ended.
“Still hitching rides Ignis?” Ventum mockingly jested to the red crimson skin hued fire acolyte, her movement liken to flowing lava.
“At least I ask, I bet Flo is making the run from shore as we speak and late as usual, I may add” Ignis said.
Overhearing the complaint, the group then heard a reply. “Ahh, you know I don’t move as quick on land as you all! Just way too much resistance up here” Flo’s aquamarine skin glistening in the daylight like the sparkle of the most brilliant diamond catching the smallest of light as she hurried to meet the other four from the distance. “What is tardiness to mere humans anyways.”
“It would actually be a much greater deal to them than us, should they think of time in the relativity of their circumstance. They are not gifted with immortality as we.” Montum’s stoic nature unwavering, as was his usual demeanor.
“Yes, yes, but look, they are overcome with elation at our appearance!” Ventum said, the thunderous roar of the crowd in the distance as he raised his hand, slowly rising in decibels as the crowd caught sight of the action. Deciding to play a joke on the crowd he lowered and raised his a few times as they hummed in tune, enthused to play along.
The Acolytes all overlooked the ostentatious citadel resting above the mouth of the bay of Jarls, crevassed along a mountain plateau. The plateau housed an array of a similar architectural building known to the Norrænn Kingdom. The style outside of the main compound of the citadel, left little room for ornate luxuries. All the buildings were designed for consistency, one would only know the difference of a shop or dwelling by the wears inside and the sign out front. Norrænn culture was a strict and uniform life for the non-aristocracy. The design of the structures was meant for a purpose. They were sturdy stone crafted buildings anchored to the bedrock, meant to endure the harshest of sea storms; Or, for the second line of defense to quell any invasion should the outer walls fail and street to street combat was needed to protect the palace. The Norrænn empire thought of war and battle tactics before any other need, and if needed they could turn the outer city into a maze of booby traps and ambush points.
At current, the city streets were lined in dense rows of frantic Norrænn citizens all braced back as well as the outnumbered city guard could contend, leaving only enough of the main mercantile road exposed for a single horse pulled cart to venture down. The long road stretched deep into the city till it ended directly in front of the citadels inner palisade. A palisade now open, whispered amongst the crowd as if it was a rarity for the isolated belligerent king.
“I can’t seem to feel premonitions in this land, of any sort. Should we have any apprehension?” Coleus opened his eyes from a meditative state.
“Worried about mere mortals?” Montum harrumphed a similar agreement amongst some of the others. “Though that is something you and I will discretely investigate tomorrow.” The comment seeming to relax Coleus as he seemed to disregard any further worry.
A procession of single filed horses began parading out of the gates, down the thoroughfare towards the clearing. “To think, Erik doesn’t even make the procession himself, decides it’s better to send his son. Is he still scornful you think?” Flo asked no one in particular.
“He is down there, first in line. Do you not remember his face? You looked upon his face every day since he was first born, your favored up until we had to preside judgement over cross-cultural affairs, for the sake of mortality on Thoubose.” Coleus replied curtly.
“I know what he looks like, but how could that man be the same man of four decades ago?” Flo looked puzzled. “I thought that was one of his sons, for Erik should be brittle and frail barely able to gallop on a steed; soon to replenish Thoubose given the time he has walked. I fear they haven’t learned a thing if he still is at the helm.”
“You know Flo has not stepped foot on the portion of land we moved from the rest, banishment isle. Heartbroken, she selflessly relinquished her favor for them and has not glanced back since.” Montum gestured towards the sapphire shielded wolf banner posted at the edge of the overlook that represented the Norrænn kingdom and their deity’s color, who they still honored. “The banishment stands today because they attempted genocide of non-purebloods. Where would it have ended? I also worry they haven’t changed, seeing him unfazed by time.”
“Genocides are a bit tough to get over.” Ignis interrupted in a dry tone, not moving her glare from the old king. “They almost got away with it, waiting for them to violate the Five-Empire-Acolyte accord almost killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people.” her voice hinted at a foul play they used to push their desired course. “Thank Thoubose we had a way to link Valeria with an auxiliary nation to enact the proper blood alliance, allowing us to get involved, a fine loophole indeed.”
“Aye” Flo nodded in agreement. “Feels odd to be back here after so long. Outside making sure boats don’t come or go from this place, I haven’t wanted to get close enough to see more than the shoreline.” She looked out at the coast. The storm wall in the distance visibly crackling with lightning even from this far away, firmly in place with the aid of Ventum. It’s foreboding darkness left only the most daring to try to pass through. She signed in discontentment trailing off into a whisper, “I gave them everything, only for them to never have enough in return.”
Montum’s eyes narrowed as to get a better view of the few kilometers distance that separated them from the growing procession. “Now that I care to take notice, he seems not withered by a day since we placed him here. If not more youthful in essence. Perhaps they have unlocked an unknown secret of the sapphire monarch gem. The depths of the treasures are not even fully known to us. The Ozouf line is known to be overtly obsessed with self-preservation.”
“We’re here to celebrate, plenty time for inquiry when there isn’t drinking to be done.” Ventum said with a mischievous smile pursed across his lips. “Infuriating… We have to wait here, don’t we? I suppose it’s not proper to meet them halfway within the crowd?” a pouting face soon greeted Montum.
“Waiting for them to come to stand before us is a respect they must show us. I ask, till we are within the halls away from the prying eyes of the masses, would you provide us the courtesy to wait to indulge in your cups.” Montum said, without a hint of caution.
Ventum looked around at the others, seeing an agreement in the eyes of the other four, nodded in embarrassment. “Fine, if you are going to be that way, it was only those few times.” he trailed off as a few of the others riley smiled, Coleus shaking his head subtly.
“With you constantly overindulging, it would be better if you never learn how to get inebriated” Montum murmured.
The others, sensing the rising tension, decided to change the topic and the group started to catch up about less important matters while waiting for the king’s procession.
…
As the parade grew near, a trumpet sounded, followed by the affirmation from the king’s herald “His esteemed majesty Lord commander of the high seas, valiant crusader for the unification of Thoubose, ever repenting with a newly found mercy and love for all life, King Erik Ozouf of the imprisoned and impoverished Norrænn Kingdom.”
Ignis and Coleus made muffled grunts at the proclamation.
King Ozouf rode up as the herald finished, his long blond hair captured by the wind’s movement. He bowed his head before the five deities, his larger than average frame standing out amongst his vassals, he visibly hadn’t had to miss any meals. His sapphire monarch gem, a fist sized gem ornately shaped into a perfect sphere by all of the acolytes themselves, adorned on a thick chain massively hanging from his neck; its omniscient power radiating passively with specks of the five elements shimmering within.
He bowed down before the group. “We mean no disrespect; I have no problem groveling and begging for a commuted sentence for my people. It has been too long we have been without any of your aid. Our people suffer with famine and disease. Our land slowly becomes more and more infertile by the season, and our legacy is slowly fading. We wish to have you all walk among us once again, as you did before our mistaken ways. We are here to ask for forgiveness, not to be united back to the mainland – though that would be a boon we hope to deserve once again in time, hopefully my lifetime. But, to have you once again walk among our people. To help us by replenishing the nutrients of this land, and to help us grow and thrive for Thoubose once more. That would be more than anything we could ever hope for.” Erik Ozouf choaking up, his head low in sorrow, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
“You have much to prove mortal king. It has been a long time, but not long enough for a few generations to not know of the plight of the Ozouf’s. I fear your soul can’t change, but we will see. We are pleased to be invited with such hospitality, perhaps the suffrage of the people should be taken into our consideration moving forward. It may no longer be acceptable to continue to punish your people and land by cutting off all support. Let’s go forth, to this feast you have graciously prepared and discuss much, as we haven’t shared an audience in ages.” Montum, gestured to the others to lead the way towards citadel and the massive gathering that lined the streets which continued to swell with exciting onlookers.
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The procession made their way back through the street, toward the citadel. A vast majority of the gathered crowd, adorned with sapphire garments, relentlessly cheered extra loudly if Flo as much as looked in their direction.
“The underprivileged seem to have not dampened in spirits have they Erik?” Montum questioned. Montum could sense a large amount of water essence dissipating in waves around the crowd curing ailments and diseases of the onlooking Acolyte supporters. He looked over to see Flo, who winked mischievously. No doubt there would soon be a lot less commoners to need healing for the short term. Montum always concerned about the macro and micro impacts of aid, especially in a place in such need.
“They’re encountering your group after four decades,” he stammered, trying to convey his thoughts. “You have a knack for connecting with all kinds of people, elevating their lives,” Erik cleared his throat, as if to regain composure. “I mean ours, naturally, when your group visits. I'm grateful they prayed fervently when I asked for their help to summon you five. We have toiled to build something of grandeur, in order to hopefully start to mend our relations going forward. It might not be much to true primordial beings, but the weight of the cost to us hopefully will shine through.”
“I am a big fan of gifts!” Ventum replied distractedly, his eyes thoroughly inspecting the attractive people among the onlookers, blasting bursts of wind here and there provocatively when he didn’t think the others were noticing.
“All he had to do was let you parade around with a few of his servants for a night and that would have been plenty a gift for you Ventum.” Montum said. “I have yet to see a gift of the humans that could repay a tithe of our generosity” he gestured to the sphere on Erik, “or recompense the plight, but we are always interested in the advancements of the various races.”
“Yeah, you lot often make toys we find endearing” Flo added encouragingly.
The group made their way through the palisade and into Ozoufhous’ magnificent hall where a feast fit only for kings and acolytes awaited.
…
The Acolytes feasted and celebrated life and themselves with all the Ozouf court, till the food and drink became too much for most and the chamber began to slowly empty of guests.
…
Amidst the opulent ballroom, a captivating enchantress conversed with Ventum, her tresses an ethereal cascade of stark white, a mesmerizing distinction against her flawless ivory complexion. With an air of beguilement, she leaned sinuously into Ventum’s presence, her lips igniting a symphony of sensations as they danced passionately upon the canvas of his neck. A sultry murmur escaped her lips, carrying secrets only meant for his ears.
“Ah,” her voice was a silken caress, weaving tendrils of intrigue around him, “Do I have all the Ventum’s here or are you also galivanting elsewhere?”
“My entire attention is ffully ffocused honey! You ffed me tttooo many drinks ffor me tto focus on more tthan one.” He smiled slyly at the woman.
“Wonderful! Did I hear whispers of a wondrous gift escape your lips?” Her fingers, adorned with jeweled finery, wove a playful dance, twirling strands of his hair as if conjuring magic from the very strands that connected them. The ballroom’s corner transformed into their private realm, a stage where desire pirouetted and anticipation hung like gossamer threads, shimmering in the luminous tapestry of the night.
“Oh rright! RRRight, right you are my darling.” Ventum stammered to his feet, gently pushing aside both the women that found themselves seated comfortably on his lap during his past few hours as excitement gripped his inebriated state more than the beauties he was with. “I thh-ought thh-ere wass going to be a grand gifttss t sshhow!” he shouted across the room to where Erik was conversing with Coleus, who embarrassingly put his head in his hands after hearing his brother’s shout.
“Of course, of course my all mighty Ventum.” Erik gave a reassuring pat to Coleus’s shoulder before he turned back to Ventum. “I did not want to bestow gifts upon you till it was more appropriate. Now, it has cleared out a bit, I would say it’s as good a time as any. Come, come, please my masters, I have quite a treat.” A childish gleam appeared in Erik’s distant eyes. He stumbled barely noticeably out of the ballroom and into a hallway adjacent without hesitation or to look back to see if his guests followed.
“Be right back my lovesss” Ventum winked towards the woman who in turn replied with a playful giggle.
“What a grand feast!” Montum said, a slight raise of his eyebrows and a bit of pink in his cheeks being the only thing that would let one know he was truly thrilled for once in ages. “Yes, yes, of course. Come all, let’s see what other gifts besides grand food, merry drink, and entertaining company Erik can bestow upon us before we make our unburdened exit.” He shot Ventum a stern glance as the others gathered and followed Erik through the hallway.
Erik led them into a chamber, within which sat five ornately decorated thrones. Each stylized to represent a specific deity. “My masters!” he began with slightly slurred speech. “I know this is nothing to what you all have access to or could build in a moment, but this is some of the riches that make up a large portion of our wealth. The rare ornate stones and designs; ores of all types, mined throughout all our reaches within the Norrænn existence, all forged together now. Meticulously crafted for you. We hope the sheer expense and rarity of this gift would be enough to help you walk our land again. You may take these wherever you please, but we ask that we get at least a single glimpse of all of you sitting in the lavished thrones fit only for you acolytes.”
“I left those enchantresses for an assembly of ore and rocks?” Ventum questioned under his breath before getting a stern look from Montum.
Montum gestured to show respect, nodding to the others at their new gifts as they approached. Montum sat back on the chair, elated by the thoughtful nature of the gifts. Its comfort seemed to be a major factor in its construction. He was elated until something strange and unexpected started to happen. The earthen essence for the first time ever, felt to drain from Montum. As Montum tried to stand he was powerless to leave the chair, paralyzed from the neck down. “What is this? Don’t sit on the chairs!” To late he said it, the others already thrashing their heads about trying to come free.
A maniacal chuckle filled the room. “It worked!” Erik exclaimed giving another few seconds of hesitant looks at the bindings. “The enchanters told me it SHOULD have the power to bind an acolyte, and I decided to go big on that idea or die trying. Too long have we been banished and cast aside from the rest of humanity. Too long have you all meddled in the proper power structure.” He gazed at the ornate chairs. These chairs were adorned with binding runes of various types and strengths. A slender, almost emaciated man entered the fold, with a focused thought and the power of the gem used, he unveiled the secret hidden beneath the ornate facade. Before the eyes of everyone present, the runes on the chairs began to glow with the milky-blue energy, the same energy that had ensnared the Acolytes moments before. “We found a sixth and new essence gem, deep in the core of our mountain range.”
The man next to them showed them the milky blue crystalline stone. The gem was a perfect cube, no larger than a playing dice. Something that would have had to have been cut with advanced tools or power the Norrænn’s surely lacked. The gems would become inert should they be shaped incorrectly. If it would even be allowed by the gem to be handled in such a nature, to begin with.
“We discovered this particular gem not long after our banishment. The person who initially found it called it Beryl. It took three generations within that family's lineage to realize it harbored an essence type because it had an unconventional method to access it. Personally, I prefer to refer to it as Titan's Bain, Basil hopefully is resting in peace after everything. When you shifted our land, it seems you unwittingly unearthed this ancient enigma. Montum, you probably didn't detect it due to its unique properties or perhaps your little acolyte territories couldn't extend here. Regardless, even our most skilled sages can't sense its presence. When we craft specific runes infused with the Titan Bain's essence, it can immobilize the essence within any essence attuned person we've tested it on. Only the gem's localized energy can counteract this effect.”
“What plans do you have? Will you just keep us sitting here forever? We cannot die, grow hungry, or weary. We will stay here as strong as the day you left us, and we will wipe your civilization off the existence of Thoubose before you can blink as soon as we free ourselves.” Montum said, as stoic as always.
“Well how is that for motivation to free you?” Erik hissed with a wry smile.
A door beyond the throne chamber burst open. “Sire!” an out of breath guard stammered as he grasped to catch his breath, eyes bugging out as he saw the display in front of him.
“Nothing, NOTHING! Was to disturb me! I thought I made myself clear.” Erik stared at the arriving man with malice. “More often than not, when one is in the midst of committing errant most foul and interruptions happen, the tables turn before the job gets complete and all goes into the chamber pot! Now what is it? It better be good!” Erik shouted in rage.
“Your…Your..” the soldier nervously tried to find the words.
“Spit it out, else your blood will fill this chamber!” Erik demanded. He started to walk towards the open door.
“Your concubine Agatha my liege, she is in labor.” The soldier stammered as he delivered the news.
“Ah what a celebration today has brought indeed! Good for her! Now boy, what would you have me do? Should I go stand there for hours? Can’t you see I am busy? If it is another son, the news can come tomorrow.” Erik walked up to the soldier casually drawing his sword from the sheath resting at his side and dispatched the soldier’s head clean from its shoulders in a single motion, his monarch gem quickly infusing the blade with iridescent glow, before throwing the blade aside. “Clean that Skulpin, I told you no interruptions. We can’t have just anyone witnessing this.” he called to his second in command who was at the other side of the doorway, now in attention.
“Where were we, ah yes, you cannot free yourselves. Not that it matters... That brings us to the element we had stored away. This one not so recent. My great grandfather found this although you knew of it. It is something you all tried to cull from existence.” Erik walked before the five and pulled a sharpened black stone. It was shaped into a crude blade and attached to a makeshift ivory handle from a sheath at his side. A stone so black, it seemed to pull in and distort any light that tried to reflect off it.
“Obsidian!” three of the others shrieked at the same time. Ventum working to sober up, his expression still dumbfound.
“But you were the ones to turn it over to us when you found it, you helped us discover its potential. How did you have any? We researched it together! I removed it from existence!” Montum said, a slight quiver overtaking his normally confident tone. He looked down to trace a faint scar on his left thumb.
“My ancestors had this when you culled obsidian from Thoubose. You think we would just tell you we found all of it and not keep a failsafe stashed away?” Erik casually began making his way towards the Acolytes. “The only thing I can use to harm an Acolyte, other than if I was an acolyte of course. We found that out with your help, or more what you accidently alluded to when you were cut. Then you had to cull it from all ends of Thoubose, because you feared not being immortal. I guess you didn’t think my father caught that little paper cut and the rashness of the reaction.” He looked over towards Flo. “For you my dear, we had something great, and you betrayed us. We could have ruled the world together. It is time we take care of ourselves.” Without hesitation he plunged the crude obsidian dagger into the neck of Flo.
The four screamed in agony as they could feel the soul of their sister torn from existence. Blue water essence pouring to the ground from the wound in her neck till it became a thick dense cloud, her body evaporating completely. Despair and agony, all that could be seen from the remaining four as they watched the pool collect and start to shift about in raw concentration. It gathered, then slowly started to flow through the open door and down the hallway.
“Interesting, the shard was supposed to absorb the essence like how we extract youth from the attuned peasants. What is this Skullpin? Is she dead or did we make a mistake she will smite us from? Let me follow it and see if we can collect it or stop it somehow.” Erik said as he tossed the dagger to Skullpin. “Kill your choice next but play with them a little while I figure this out.” A wicked smile quickly crossing the two men’s faces.
Erik followed the essence down the hall for some time till he found it collecting outside the door the soldier was trying to get him to earlier, he guessed from the sounds of the horrific screams that were emitting from the inside. The essence was slowly flowing through the cracks in the door. Erik opened the door, to see to his horror the essence leaching into the woman’s abdomen as an aquamarine-colored head was crowning from the exposed woman, the nurses and other staff were shocked and frozen in place from the supernatural display unfolding before them.
“No!” Erik cried as he turned quickly and rushed back down the hall to where the acolytes sat.
Upon his arrival, thick air essence pooled around the windows, seeking any crevice to escape through the cracks in the mortar and window fixtures. Ventum’s body was in the final stages of disintegration over his ornate throne, transforming into a flowing river of raw air essence. Skullpin was pretending to stab left, then right, executing dance-like movements before halting in place, grinning as if he were preparing to present Montum his final strike, then repeating as Montum looked on unfazed by the display before Erik’s entrance cry froze him in place.
“We cannot kill them, Stop! They are re-incarnating! Initiate the plan early! We need to find that stream before it becomes a thorn in our master plan!”
The storm barrier crumbled in the distance with a violently loud shockwave; the two acolytes that empowered it no longer alive to keep the menial barrier up.