ULTRAMagic Chaos - Chapter 18
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The following day was set aside for everyone to relax and catch their breath. There were plans for a meeting between the Discordant Gods, The Arbiters, and the city council, but that was being saved for the next day. Tusk was taking it easy at the monastery, trying to get his wedding plans in order. Sigmund hung around as he wanted to attend the big meeting. Razor and Mizuki approached the two in the courtyard, with the former having a slight spring in his step.
“Hey, Tusk? Can I go back home now that we’re done?”
He looked up from his notes. “I don’t see why not.” Tusk smiled. “Feeling a bit exhausted?”
Razor nodded. “I think I’ve had enough fun for one week…”
Sigmund chuckled. “Go ahead and take a rest, Razor, you’ve earned it.” He then shook Mizuki’s hand. “Also a pleasure to meet you, Mizuki Kitagawa. The Forest has been telling me about how you’ve been helping my son.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Chief Sigmund, but how did you know… how did the forest know?”
“The Forest of Old is vastly more expansive than it appears. Not only that, it can speak with entities you wouldn’t think possible. And since Tusk and I are grown from it, it can communicate with us no matter where we go.”
“Subarashī…” Mizuki remarked. “Is that how you were able to show up to help us?”
“Indeed. The Forest was panicking, so I checked my divination crystal and nearly had my heart stop. And if I may say, Tusk, you realize how dangerous taking on Gratiana was, right? And taking on the form of the Ancient Tree Titan? By the Source, my boy…”
Tusk sighed. “I know, but I had to give Torunn and the others a fighting chance.”
Sigmund shook his head, then chuckled again. “No more grand scale adventures, my boy. You’ve earned your redemption and then some.”
“No promises, dad.” The two laughed.
“I had no idea Lady Gratiana was so powerful,” Mizuki admitted after going over what had happened the day prior in her head. “Um, pardon my saying…”
“Aye,” Sigmund replied. “Those ties go all the way back to Feuerland, back when the Arlotti family had power. They were one of the founding families of the kingdom and cemented their status by offering the first child of every generation to Leonard for good fortune. Oddly Sir Gideon Arlotti rejected this tradition, causing the honor to go to Gratiana. Given the blasphemy and the fact that each champion was supposed to be a man, It makes me wonder if the family didn’t incur some form of misfortune over that upset.”
“Ha, funny how the irreverent always stub their toes,” Tusk pointed out. Sigmund cleared his throat, causing Tusk to groan. His father chuckled.
“That battle yesterday really put into context what Torunn’s team have had to deal with,” said Razor. “I feel really bad for them.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much, Razor,” Sigmund assured. “Torunn is no slouch on the battlefield and Weaver knows how to fight.”
Mizuki thought about her skills for a moment, realizing she could have done more. “Chief Sigmund, would Torunn take me on as a student? I feel as if I need to learn more.”
“Of course she would. Just hold off until The Eternal Church is gone as things are about to get messy over in Shadowland. You are more than welcome to stay in the village as long as you like.”
“Arigatō, Chief Sigmund.”
“Oh, Razor?” Tusk interjected. “Tell my mom everything’s alright before she has a conniption, ha,” he requested as Sigmund opened up a calm, green portal.
Razor laughed. “Will do, Tusk. Follow me, Mizuki. You’re going to love the Tree People village” he said as they vanished, the portal closing behind them.
Tusk gave a massive sigh of relief. “Do you know how worried I was about those two?”
“Understandable. It was a bit out of the blue for Magnus to spring that upon you. I think you did a great job regardless.”
“Thanks, dad.”
After a couple minutes of writing things down, Randalph paid the two a visit. “Tusk, Chief Sigmund!”
“Oh, hey, Randalph,” Tusk replied.
“Randalph, good to see you again!” Sigmund gave him a hug. “How have you been doing? You haven’t visited the village in a while.”
“I’m doing fine, chief. Got my staff fixed, Grendel’s doing fantastic with his alchemy, and dad and the Thundee Council are considering moving the city to The Unlight.”
“Well that last one is a surprise,” Sigmund remarked. “What prompted that decision?”
“The Gods of Order. They’re causing Limbo to become unbelievably unstable. We’ve had multiple poor footing incidents in recent times with the city, more than what we would deem acceptable.”
Sigmund nodded. “That would do it. Where are you planning to put the city?”
“It’s up in the air at the moment, but The Iron City region is a strong contender. Near the Valley of Eons is also on our radar, but that might be a no go. It sucks because I love that place, but we have to concede that it is a heritage site.”
“A good call if you ask me regardless of where you settle down, Randalph,” Tusk complimented. “I never did trust Purgatory…”
“Oh, Tusk; recently Lucanus and Lilach’s domains stabilized, making them explorable. Would you like to come along with me, Mayhem, and Faustus to explore them?”
“I guess so, but who’s Faustus?”
“He’s a fire devil I met recently who’s been looking to explore beyond his Inferno. I’m aware of his affinity, but I think you’ll like him regardless.”
“Alright then, as long as things don’t get too hairy.”
Sigmund tapped his staff on the ground. “Call for help if anything serious pops up, you two.”
“Don’t worry, dad, we will,” Tusk reassured.
Randalph checked his watch. “Tusk, want to go shopping for your wedding? I spied some stores full of stuff Donia would love. Good stuff at that.”
Tusk got up, stretching with a yawn. “Alright then. See you later, dad.”
“Best of luck to you, son,” Sigmund said as he began to walk off. “If you boys need me, I’ll be speaking with Master Ealdhelm.”
Once Tusk and Randalph were in the city proper, Tusk realized something was missing. “Hey, Randalph? Have you seen Maxima? I wanted to thank her for the help she provided.”
“She said she wanted to go check out The Magician’s Labyrinth, but I believe she may have accidentally gone to the wrong time.”
“Oh, well that’s not good…” Tusk stated. “Well it can’t be all bad if we’re still here.”
The rest of the day was spent getting Tusk all squared away. Many passersby were asking if he was okay due to the missing bark, to which he replied with slight groans and assurances that he was alright. All of the ruckus with the Discordant Gods had kept him distracted, but Randalph and Mayhem had managed to get him back on track. Donia was going to love her presents and Tusk could finally sleep easy. It was a bit funny that he was more concerned about his wedding than the fate of the Cosmos itself.
Everybody was up early for the big meeting the next day. Seeing a great deal of the Discordant Gods in one place was surreal, but the addition of the arbiters made it a grand sight to behold. The citizenry present were eager with anticipation while everyone else watched their televisions with utmost attention. Presiding over the meeting was Mayor Rubenn Mattsonn, an older yet sharp man of the law.
“Alright, everyone settle down,” Rubenn called out as he took his seat at his desk. “It’s been a long time coming, but we are finally at the end of our conflict with the Discordant Gods. Would you like to speak, Ealdhelm?”
“Actually I’ll let my brother speak first. Wulfric?”
He cleared his throat and stood up. “Thank you, Ealdhelm. Now I know all of you are probably fairly annoyed at me and I don’t blame you. As a Discordant God and a leader, I apologize for how boneheaded I’ve been up until now.” There was a round of applause for this. “Now I don’t want to sound militarant, but that attack we dealt with tells me we need to work together. Driskoll, could you take it from here?”
“Of course, brother. Wulfric is not suggesting we conquer the Cosmos, rather we need to be ready for the threat Karnage and the rogue gods pose. Kleitos and I have looked into it and we’ve concluded that The Running God and The Crimson God are in league with The Eternal Church and Order, further under the leadership of The Sepulcher God”
“That is very serious, Lord Driskoll,” Rubenn agreed. “What are your reactions, Ealdhelm?”
“It is certainly troubling. The Arbiters and I have resolved to start looking for ULTRAMagic neophytes again. The quicker we can bolster our numbers, the better.”
“That’s easier said than done…” Wynnstan interjected.
“Boy, have some faith in your uncle,” Wulfric replied in rebuttal.
Delphine nodded. “The finest gemstones don’t form overnight.”
“I’ve been keeping tabs on the Unlight through Gratiana,” Leonard pointed out. “It sounds like The ULTRAMagic Guild has us partially covered, aye, Tusk?”
Everyone looked at Tusk, causing him to laugh out of nervousness. “Er, yeah, um… talk to Ultimatum here.”
Ultimatum gave him an incredulous look, a little annoyed that the buck was being passed to him. “But you’ve been recruiting the most people so far.” Tusk tapped him on the arm. “Oh, alright” he said as he stood up. “Given the steps Achasiah, Deimos, and I have been taking in combating The Lich of Old and Milosh Proch, we are moving ahead with the guild. It’s still in its infancy, but we are making progress.”
“Will you be working with the Arbiters?” Rubenn asked.
“Well obviously given that our enemies are working together and our similar goals.”
“Very good. Now Wulfric, you realize that for the longest time Karnage has been under your command, right?”
He nodded. “Yes, Mayor Rubenn.”
“How do you plan to deal with that fact?”
Wulfric sighed, reflecting for a moment. “Karnage has left a massive stain on my honor and I am not happy about that. I created that ungrateful little…” He finished that sentence with a growl. “I feel like saying sorry isn’t enough. Ealdhelm and I have talked about it and the two of us are going to duel. No ‘to the death’ nonsense, no ‘winner takes all,’ just a friendly bout between brothers.” The audience was whispering amongst themselves.
Ealdhelm continued. “This will also be accompanied by a festival tomorrow. Everyone is welcome and there will be food, music, and activities for all ages. We figured after all of that conflict, everyone needs a fun, happy fair of sorts to wind down and whatnot.” The audience clapped again.
“The duel thing worked for Englehart and Dunja, so hey, why not try it out ourselves?”
“Well then, that’s quite the pleasant surprise,” Rubenn stated. “If you feel that is the right thing to do, then Droomopolis would be more than happy to assist you.”
Adelheid stood up. “I would also like to announce that after this festival, Ealdhelm and I shall be getting married.” The applause resumed with some cheers.
Kleitos laughed in excitement. “Wow, I think this is the most orderly we’ve been in some time,” he said to his kin.
“Fine with me,” Ulrich replied. “It’s about time we all came together as one big happy family.”
“We just have to face off against the rogue gods, no pressure,” Rahela commented with a nervous chuckle.
Leonard patted her on the back. “Don’t worry, kid, we got this.”
Wulfric made his finishing remarks followed by Ealdhelm’s. Droomopolis was excited and very proud that day. The conflict was over and they were all united. The Discordant Gods could not shake their worries though. Karnage being so brazen was an ill omen. And what Audawakrs had revealed did not bode well with Tusk and Ultimatum. Only time would tell what would happen. Thankfully they all had a festival to attend to ease their nerves.
Next: Chapter 19
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
The following day was set aside for everyone to relax and catch their breath. There were plans for a meeting between the Discordant Gods, The Arbiters, and the city council, but that was being saved for the next day. Tusk was taking it easy at the monastery, trying to get his wedding plans in order. Sigmund hung around as he wanted to attend the big meeting. Razor and Mizuki approached the two in the courtyard, with the former having a slight spring in his step.
“Hey, Tusk? Can I go back home now that we’re done?”
He looked up from his notes. “I don’t see why not.” Tusk smiled. “Feeling a bit exhausted?”
Razor nodded. “I think I’ve had enough fun for one week…”
Sigmund chuckled. “Go ahead and take a rest, Razor, you’ve earned it.” He then shook Mizuki’s hand. “Also a pleasure to meet you, Mizuki Kitagawa. The Forest has been telling me about how you’ve been helping my son.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Chief Sigmund, but how did you know… how did the forest know?”
“The Forest of Old is vastly more expansive than it appears. Not only that, it can speak with entities you wouldn’t think possible. And since Tusk and I are grown from it, it can communicate with us no matter where we go.”
“Subarashī…” Mizuki remarked. “Is that how you were able to show up to help us?”
“Indeed. The Forest was panicking, so I checked my divination crystal and nearly had my heart stop. And if I may say, Tusk, you realize how dangerous taking on Gratiana was, right? And taking on the form of the Ancient Tree Titan? By the Source, my boy…”
Tusk sighed. “I know, but I had to give Torunn and the others a fighting chance.”
Sigmund shook his head, then chuckled again. “No more grand scale adventures, my boy. You’ve earned your redemption and then some.”
“No promises, dad.” The two laughed.
“I had no idea Lady Gratiana was so powerful,” Mizuki admitted after going over what had happened the day prior in her head. “Um, pardon my saying…”
“Aye,” Sigmund replied. “Those ties go all the way back to Feuerland, back when the Arlotti family had power. They were one of the founding families of the kingdom and cemented their status by offering the first child of every generation to Leonard for good fortune. Oddly Sir Gideon Arlotti rejected this tradition, causing the honor to go to Gratiana. Given the blasphemy and the fact that each champion was supposed to be a man, It makes me wonder if the family didn’t incur some form of misfortune over that upset.”
“Ha, funny how the irreverent always stub their toes,” Tusk pointed out. Sigmund cleared his throat, causing Tusk to groan. His father chuckled.
“That battle yesterday really put into context what Torunn’s team have had to deal with,” said Razor. “I feel really bad for them.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much, Razor,” Sigmund assured. “Torunn is no slouch on the battlefield and Weaver knows how to fight.”
Mizuki thought about her skills for a moment, realizing she could have done more. “Chief Sigmund, would Torunn take me on as a student? I feel as if I need to learn more.”
“Of course she would. Just hold off until The Eternal Church is gone as things are about to get messy over in Shadowland. You are more than welcome to stay in the village as long as you like.”
“Arigatō, Chief Sigmund.”
“Oh, Razor?” Tusk interjected. “Tell my mom everything’s alright before she has a conniption, ha,” he requested as Sigmund opened up a calm, green portal.
Razor laughed. “Will do, Tusk. Follow me, Mizuki. You’re going to love the Tree People village” he said as they vanished, the portal closing behind them.
Tusk gave a massive sigh of relief. “Do you know how worried I was about those two?”
“Understandable. It was a bit out of the blue for Magnus to spring that upon you. I think you did a great job regardless.”
“Thanks, dad.”
After a couple minutes of writing things down, Randalph paid the two a visit. “Tusk, Chief Sigmund!”
“Oh, hey, Randalph,” Tusk replied.
“Randalph, good to see you again!” Sigmund gave him a hug. “How have you been doing? You haven’t visited the village in a while.”
“I’m doing fine, chief. Got my staff fixed, Grendel’s doing fantastic with his alchemy, and dad and the Thundee Council are considering moving the city to The Unlight.”
“Well that last one is a surprise,” Sigmund remarked. “What prompted that decision?”
“The Gods of Order. They’re causing Limbo to become unbelievably unstable. We’ve had multiple poor footing incidents in recent times with the city, more than what we would deem acceptable.”
Sigmund nodded. “That would do it. Where are you planning to put the city?”
“It’s up in the air at the moment, but The Iron City region is a strong contender. Near the Valley of Eons is also on our radar, but that might be a no go. It sucks because I love that place, but we have to concede that it is a heritage site.”
“A good call if you ask me regardless of where you settle down, Randalph,” Tusk complimented. “I never did trust Purgatory…”
“Oh, Tusk; recently Lucanus and Lilach’s domains stabilized, making them explorable. Would you like to come along with me, Mayhem, and Faustus to explore them?”
“I guess so, but who’s Faustus?”
“He’s a fire devil I met recently who’s been looking to explore beyond his Inferno. I’m aware of his affinity, but I think you’ll like him regardless.”
“Alright then, as long as things don’t get too hairy.”
Sigmund tapped his staff on the ground. “Call for help if anything serious pops up, you two.”
“Don’t worry, dad, we will,” Tusk reassured.
Randalph checked his watch. “Tusk, want to go shopping for your wedding? I spied some stores full of stuff Donia would love. Good stuff at that.”
Tusk got up, stretching with a yawn. “Alright then. See you later, dad.”
“Best of luck to you, son,” Sigmund said as he began to walk off. “If you boys need me, I’ll be speaking with Master Ealdhelm.”
Once Tusk and Randalph were in the city proper, Tusk realized something was missing. “Hey, Randalph? Have you seen Maxima? I wanted to thank her for the help she provided.”
“She said she wanted to go check out The Magician’s Labyrinth, but I believe she may have accidentally gone to the wrong time.”
“Oh, well that’s not good…” Tusk stated. “Well it can’t be all bad if we’re still here.”
The rest of the day was spent getting Tusk all squared away. Many passersby were asking if he was okay due to the missing bark, to which he replied with slight groans and assurances that he was alright. All of the ruckus with the Discordant Gods had kept him distracted, but Randalph and Mayhem had managed to get him back on track. Donia was going to love her presents and Tusk could finally sleep easy. It was a bit funny that he was more concerned about his wedding than the fate of the Cosmos itself.
Everybody was up early for the big meeting the next day. Seeing a great deal of the Discordant Gods in one place was surreal, but the addition of the arbiters made it a grand sight to behold. The citizenry present were eager with anticipation while everyone else watched their televisions with utmost attention. Presiding over the meeting was Mayor Rubenn Mattsonn, an older yet sharp man of the law.
“Alright, everyone settle down,” Rubenn called out as he took his seat at his desk. “It’s been a long time coming, but we are finally at the end of our conflict with the Discordant Gods. Would you like to speak, Ealdhelm?”
“Actually I’ll let my brother speak first. Wulfric?”
He cleared his throat and stood up. “Thank you, Ealdhelm. Now I know all of you are probably fairly annoyed at me and I don’t blame you. As a Discordant God and a leader, I apologize for how boneheaded I’ve been up until now.” There was a round of applause for this. “Now I don’t want to sound militarant, but that attack we dealt with tells me we need to work together. Driskoll, could you take it from here?”
“Of course, brother. Wulfric is not suggesting we conquer the Cosmos, rather we need to be ready for the threat Karnage and the rogue gods pose. Kleitos and I have looked into it and we’ve concluded that The Running God and The Crimson God are in league with The Eternal Church and Order, further under the leadership of The Sepulcher God”
“That is very serious, Lord Driskoll,” Rubenn agreed. “What are your reactions, Ealdhelm?”
“It is certainly troubling. The Arbiters and I have resolved to start looking for ULTRAMagic neophytes again. The quicker we can bolster our numbers, the better.”
“That’s easier said than done…” Wynnstan interjected.
“Boy, have some faith in your uncle,” Wulfric replied in rebuttal.
Delphine nodded. “The finest gemstones don’t form overnight.”
“I’ve been keeping tabs on the Unlight through Gratiana,” Leonard pointed out. “It sounds like The ULTRAMagic Guild has us partially covered, aye, Tusk?”
Everyone looked at Tusk, causing him to laugh out of nervousness. “Er, yeah, um… talk to Ultimatum here.”
Ultimatum gave him an incredulous look, a little annoyed that the buck was being passed to him. “But you’ve been recruiting the most people so far.” Tusk tapped him on the arm. “Oh, alright” he said as he stood up. “Given the steps Achasiah, Deimos, and I have been taking in combating The Lich of Old and Milosh Proch, we are moving ahead with the guild. It’s still in its infancy, but we are making progress.”
“Will you be working with the Arbiters?” Rubenn asked.
“Well obviously given that our enemies are working together and our similar goals.”
“Very good. Now Wulfric, you realize that for the longest time Karnage has been under your command, right?”
He nodded. “Yes, Mayor Rubenn.”
“How do you plan to deal with that fact?”
Wulfric sighed, reflecting for a moment. “Karnage has left a massive stain on my honor and I am not happy about that. I created that ungrateful little…” He finished that sentence with a growl. “I feel like saying sorry isn’t enough. Ealdhelm and I have talked about it and the two of us are going to duel. No ‘to the death’ nonsense, no ‘winner takes all,’ just a friendly bout between brothers.” The audience was whispering amongst themselves.
Ealdhelm continued. “This will also be accompanied by a festival tomorrow. Everyone is welcome and there will be food, music, and activities for all ages. We figured after all of that conflict, everyone needs a fun, happy fair of sorts to wind down and whatnot.” The audience clapped again.
“The duel thing worked for Englehart and Dunja, so hey, why not try it out ourselves?”
“Well then, that’s quite the pleasant surprise,” Rubenn stated. “If you feel that is the right thing to do, then Droomopolis would be more than happy to assist you.”
Adelheid stood up. “I would also like to announce that after this festival, Ealdhelm and I shall be getting married.” The applause resumed with some cheers.
Kleitos laughed in excitement. “Wow, I think this is the most orderly we’ve been in some time,” he said to his kin.
“Fine with me,” Ulrich replied. “It’s about time we all came together as one big happy family.”
“We just have to face off against the rogue gods, no pressure,” Rahela commented with a nervous chuckle.
Leonard patted her on the back. “Don’t worry, kid, we got this.”
Wulfric made his finishing remarks followed by Ealdhelm’s. Droomopolis was excited and very proud that day. The conflict was over and they were all united. The Discordant Gods could not shake their worries though. Karnage being so brazen was an ill omen. And what Audawakrs had revealed did not bode well with Tusk and Ultimatum. Only time would tell what would happen. Thankfully they all had a festival to attend to ease their nerves.
Next: Chapter 19
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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