ULTRAMagic Chaos - Chapter 7
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Ealdhelm gathered everyone in the monastery’s main hall the next day to explain his plan of action. His idea was to address each god one by one. An all out attack was a fool’s errand and the arbiters needed to maintain the appearance that they were continuing the stalemate. Teams would be sent out to confront each god in question. Up first was Kelitos, the god of knowledge, learning, research, organization, and philosophy. He was the least likely to start a fight and most open to diplomacy.
The first team to be sent out was Tusk, Razor, Mizuki, and Maxima. Dragutin and Mayhem would keep watch from the skies. Kleitos’ realm was rocky and mountainous, darted with rain and flowing rivers. Many archives, libraries, and museums were all over the place. Despite them being reasonably spaced out, a simple day’s walk would allow them to be reached with ease. Moving past a rather large library, the group observed the intricate architecture and eerie lighting that invoked Kleitos himself.
“Kleitos seems to be pretty proud of himself,” Razor pointed out as the rain fell on the group.
“Wouldn’t you do the same if you were a Discordant God?” Maxima asked.
Razor steadily nodded. “Fair enough.”
“While certainly impressive, we need to get to his castle” Tusk pointed out, unphased by the rain.
“I admire your fortitude, Tusk,” Mizuki complimented. “I was never big on rain. Having to travel to the city in the middle of a downpour is miserable.”
He chuckled, as the nuance of being a tree was lost on her. “While I’m intent on completing this task, I’m also used to rain. As an aside, I think being a tree for so long made me prefer ground water to regular water.”
Pressing on, the group temporarily entered an archive to dry off. It was fairly busy, with archivists moving various objects all over the ornate, intricate shelves and cases. The wood and stone furniture was truly elegant and paintings depicting the history of the Realm of Chaos adorned the ceiling far above everyone. As for the archivists and librarians, some looked like regular humans while others were old and decrepit. They all wore blue and gold robes, befitting of their roles. The archivist at the entrance went to greet the group. He looked incredibly ancient, but seemed just as lively as the others.
“Welcome, travelers. Have you come to partake in the vast wealth of knowledge bestowed upon us by Lord Kleitos?” The archivist’s voice was well aged, almost sounding like he was wheezing his words.
“Don’t mind us, we just needed to get out of the rain for a moment,” Maxima replied.
The archivist quickly realized who he was talking to. “Ah, I see. Then you may rest before your audience with our lord.”
Tusk tapped Razor’s arm. “So much for the element of surprise, ha.”
“I must ask if that mage over there is with you by any chance?” The archivist pointed to Audawarks, who was at a table eagerly reading and laughing in a slightly unhinged manner.
“While he did heed Ealdhelm’s call, he’s not with us,” Tusk answered. “Hey, where’s all of the women that were following him?”
“We sent them off to Delphine’s realm as they were fairly vain and narcissistic. They had no place here, save for one who desired to study.”
An attractive yet modest, blonde haired woman with olive-colored eyes walked over, carrying a rather old book. “Master Aeron? I couldn’t find where this book on swordsmanship should go.”
Aeron inspected the aged tome. “Fret not, Helga. It appears we have something foreign to our vast collection.”
Helga then noticed the guests. “Hi there, welcome to the Northwind Archive!”
Tusk shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. How’s glitter cape doing?”
She sighed. “I think he may have lost his mind a bit. I was hoping to get some insight from him, but I guess not. After learning who he truly was, Master Aeron and I agreed he should just stay there and read. I’ve been giving him a steady supply of books to keep him occupied.”
“Well one less Milosh lackey the better,” Tusk remarked. “Sorry for the trouble, Master Aeron.”
He raised his hand to quell Tusk’s worry. “It’s better that he’s in here reading rather than causing trouble outside. It may take a long time, but he’ll reach enlightenment eventually.”
“Huh, this place is a lot more orderly than I figured it would be,” Mizuki observed.
Aeron laughed like a kindly grandfather. “It is the irony of the Cosmos, my dear. The Realm of Chaos is content with itself and needs order to define its existence. Purgatory, on the other hand, obsesses with order to such an extreme degree that it becomes the antithesis of itself.”
Helga took the group to a cozy, warm lounge where they could sit until the rain passed. As she gathered some food and drinks for them, she mentioned how a part of her wanted to go with the other women to Delphine’s realm. The newly appointed archivist had an admittedly wild side that wanted to do nothing but pleasure herself. Ultimately her quest for knowledge won out in the end.
“I still wouldn’t mind being sealed up in one of those sleek, armored bodysuits Delphine dresses some of her servants in…” Helga noticed she was getting distracted and that the others were giving her slightly incredulous looks. “For the looks and duty, not anything else!”
Maxima chuckled. “I can relate. I was full of untamed energy before I became a Spiritus Magni. I heard Vita was the same way too. My advice? Study first, then have fun.”
“I take it you’re single, aren’t you, Helga?” Tusk asked.
“Well, yes…”
“That’s all I needed to hear.”
“Tusk, how do you know this stuff?” Razor wondered.
He ate some of his food and cleared his throat. “Everyone has specific behaviors that give away their nature. You just have to pay attention. People who are single or unfulfilled have a dash of desperation in their lives. They look for satisfaction wherever they can get it and are not picky. Me? I don’t need to do that as I have Donia and she has me.”
Helga then had a realization. “I mean, I’ve always wanted a man of my own, but I was too much of a nerd to get one…”
“Nonsense!” Tusk immediately replied. “Men love smart, pretty women. Not to toot Donia’s horn…”
She blushed a little. “Oh, why thank you…”
“Helga, your best bet is to be true to yourself. You choose to stay and study and I think that says a lot about you. The fact that you didn’t go off with the others to Delphine’s realm means you were meant to be here. Find that special someone and you’ll be vastly more happy in life.” That last part stuck with Mizuki without Tusk even realizing it.
Helga paused for a second. “Well, there is a really cute archivist named Cadogan who works with alchemical manuscripts and occult artifacts…”
“Then go up and talk to him,” Maxima encouraged. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
After taking another second to think about it, Helga slapped her fist into her hand. “You know what? You’re right! Albeit I need to tend to all of you first.”
The group took a moment to discuss what they were up to to Helga. She was not sure how to handle it, but Tusk and his cohorts seemed like nice people. Helga explained that she was actually Helga Gerturde Arlotti, a descendant of Sir Gideon Arlotti. Her Great Aunt Gratiana had asked her to go to the Realm of Chaos somewhat recently to see if she could find something that could help knock Milosh off of his high horse, if not get rid of him outright. Suffice it to say that Helga was having trouble with that task.
“Don’t worry, Helga,” Tusk assured. “Barna and Dunja are on the case. They’ll be heading to Shadowland soon enough.”
She was quite surprised by this. “Goodness, Dunja has changed sides?”
Tusk nodded. “She’s back where she belongs. Truthfully I was wondering when she’d say screw Milosh. Occasionally she sat under me back when I was in my tree phase. I couldn’t sense a single bad bone in her, despite the disaster and a half that was the shadow orb.”
There was a pause, so Mizuki spoke up, wanting to satisfy a curiosity she had. “Helga, how do you feel about us going to confront your lord? I just figured I’d ask since we’ve been so open about it.”
She took a breath and thought about it. “I mean it’s a little early to fully call him my lord, I’ll admit… but you four aren’t rampaging through the realm, so that’s a good start. Lord Kleitos has been incredibly gracious so far, but I am curious to see where this goes.”
“I’d imagine he’s not looking for a fight, given his nature,” Maxima noted. “We probably can’t say the same for Wulfric if what Eladhelm told us holds true… or who knows? Maybe things will change. It can happen.”
“Master Aeron has informed me about the current conflict,” Helga pointed out. “He doesn’t think it’s worth it and feels the Discordant Gods should be working with the arbiters.”
Tusk tapped Razor’s arm again. “Just as a heads up, I think Driskoll is going to be the only other one in the same probable boat as Kleitos.”
“Duly noted, Tusk,” Razor replied. “I was kind of hoping for some action, but I don’t mind something easy, like this.”
Helga looked a little nervous. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Magus Percival is undoubtedly looking for all of you.”
“Percival?”
“Kleitos’ champion, Remember?” Maxima reminded him.
“Oops, right, sorry,” said Razor. “This realm has my mind all over the place.”
As much as Tusk and Maxima would have liked to keep talking, they needed to get going as it sounded like the rain was starting to ease. Helga went and acquired a map for the four from a dusty case, with the hopes that they could avoid Percival. Master Aeron saw them off, wishing them the best of luck. And as thanks for their excellent manners, he gave Mizuki the swordsmanship book. She accepted it with a respectful bow and the group was on their way again.
The rain had cleared up and the sun was shining off the puddles and drops, causing them to glisten. A rainbow could even be seen, despite the lack of rain. Tusk was a bit skeptical of this sudden peace. It was almost like they were being expected and invited. Kleitos most likely knew they were there, so it was Percival that held Tusk’s concern.
“It’s too quiet…”
“You think so, Tusk?” Razor questioned.
Tusk frowned at him, disappointed. “Boy, aren't you supposed to be a wolf?”
“Right! On it!” Razor assumed his wolf form and sniffed about. He quickly whined and returned to his humanoid form. “You’re right, something’s off…”
“Well let’s not panic, we’re nearly there,” Maxima said as she pointed ahead.
Tusk snapped his fingers a few times. “How does the line go? Let’s figure out what we’re dealing with, then we’ll panic?”
Mizuki laughed. “Well that’s an interesting way to look at it, but I agree. If we back away now, we won’t accomplish anything.”
Kleitos’ castle was a marvelous sight to behold. It was an immense keep castle that was made out of the finest stone and bricks possible. The architecture was immaculate, carved with the finest attention to detail intended to capture the essence of the greatest castles the Cosmos had ever seen. All of it appeared to be well maintained and looked as if it had just been put together. An interesting quirk of the castle was that parts of it appeared to be shifting. This was the most notable when the towers moved in a counterclockwise rotation. The great grinding and rumbling of the movement made it truly awe inspiring to witness.
Tusk cracked his knuckles. “Well, here we are. Let’s head in…”
“Not so fast!” a proud voice declared as magical barriers stopped the group from moving forward.
Having dropped down from the castle wall with a graceful landing, the man in question wore magnificent blue and gold robes that bordered on being armor. His dark, brown hair was well kept, light gleamed from his cerulean eyes, and he stood tall and mighty. The group was a bit intimidated by his awesome presence, but they were not going to back down. Maxima approached him as he stood in front of the moat.
“Magus Percival, I trust?” she inquired.
“Indeed I am, fair madam. Magus Percival Clair Dan Beuamont, champion of Lord Kleitos and keeper of the crystal archives.” He planted his feet firmly in the ground and crossed his arms, with pride radiating from his very being. “I am well aware of who you four are. You cannot just waltz your way into the castle of his lordship without proving yourselves to me first.”
Tusk nudged Razor and whispered. “Psst, I think he’s a little bored.” Razor chuckled.
“Very well, what task shall we complete?” Maxima asked. Whatever it was, she was sure they could handle it.
“You must face me in combat. Win and I will let you pass.” Percival cast a spell that summoned a beautiful, jewel-encrusted longsword.
Maxima smiled, pulling out a rapier from a portal. It looked as if it was made from black and white Damascus steel. “Very well, may the best combatant win. En garde!” She proclaimed as she elegantly swished her sword around.
Mizuki readied her sword, grabbing the hilt. “Honki de iku ze.”
Razor could feel his blood pumping as his body bulked up, causing him to appear more muscular. “Now this is what I’m talking about!”
Tusk took a calming breath as his stone arm lit up with arcing electricity. He pulled a large, stone greatsword from the ground and transmuted it to steel. “Alright, let’s do this. You want to call for help, Percival? 4 on 1 is a little…”
“Do not patronize me, Mr. Willfort!” He cut off, pointing his sword at the treeman. “I am more than capable of handling the four of you.”
He shrugged. “Alright then. Just as a warning: The last one I fought like this was The Lich of Old.”
Next: Chapter 8
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
Ealdhelm gathered everyone in the monastery’s main hall the next day to explain his plan of action. His idea was to address each god one by one. An all out attack was a fool’s errand and the arbiters needed to maintain the appearance that they were continuing the stalemate. Teams would be sent out to confront each god in question. Up first was Kelitos, the god of knowledge, learning, research, organization, and philosophy. He was the least likely to start a fight and most open to diplomacy.
The first team to be sent out was Tusk, Razor, Mizuki, and Maxima. Dragutin and Mayhem would keep watch from the skies. Kleitos’ realm was rocky and mountainous, darted with rain and flowing rivers. Many archives, libraries, and museums were all over the place. Despite them being reasonably spaced out, a simple day’s walk would allow them to be reached with ease. Moving past a rather large library, the group observed the intricate architecture and eerie lighting that invoked Kleitos himself.
“Kleitos seems to be pretty proud of himself,” Razor pointed out as the rain fell on the group.
“Wouldn’t you do the same if you were a Discordant God?” Maxima asked.
Razor steadily nodded. “Fair enough.”
“While certainly impressive, we need to get to his castle” Tusk pointed out, unphased by the rain.
“I admire your fortitude, Tusk,” Mizuki complimented. “I was never big on rain. Having to travel to the city in the middle of a downpour is miserable.”
He chuckled, as the nuance of being a tree was lost on her. “While I’m intent on completing this task, I’m also used to rain. As an aside, I think being a tree for so long made me prefer ground water to regular water.”
Pressing on, the group temporarily entered an archive to dry off. It was fairly busy, with archivists moving various objects all over the ornate, intricate shelves and cases. The wood and stone furniture was truly elegant and paintings depicting the history of the Realm of Chaos adorned the ceiling far above everyone. As for the archivists and librarians, some looked like regular humans while others were old and decrepit. They all wore blue and gold robes, befitting of their roles. The archivist at the entrance went to greet the group. He looked incredibly ancient, but seemed just as lively as the others.
“Welcome, travelers. Have you come to partake in the vast wealth of knowledge bestowed upon us by Lord Kleitos?” The archivist’s voice was well aged, almost sounding like he was wheezing his words.
“Don’t mind us, we just needed to get out of the rain for a moment,” Maxima replied.
The archivist quickly realized who he was talking to. “Ah, I see. Then you may rest before your audience with our lord.”
Tusk tapped Razor’s arm. “So much for the element of surprise, ha.”
“I must ask if that mage over there is with you by any chance?” The archivist pointed to Audawarks, who was at a table eagerly reading and laughing in a slightly unhinged manner.
“While he did heed Ealdhelm’s call, he’s not with us,” Tusk answered. “Hey, where’s all of the women that were following him?”
“We sent them off to Delphine’s realm as they were fairly vain and narcissistic. They had no place here, save for one who desired to study.”
An attractive yet modest, blonde haired woman with olive-colored eyes walked over, carrying a rather old book. “Master Aeron? I couldn’t find where this book on swordsmanship should go.”
Aeron inspected the aged tome. “Fret not, Helga. It appears we have something foreign to our vast collection.”
Helga then noticed the guests. “Hi there, welcome to the Northwind Archive!”
Tusk shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. How’s glitter cape doing?”
She sighed. “I think he may have lost his mind a bit. I was hoping to get some insight from him, but I guess not. After learning who he truly was, Master Aeron and I agreed he should just stay there and read. I’ve been giving him a steady supply of books to keep him occupied.”
“Well one less Milosh lackey the better,” Tusk remarked. “Sorry for the trouble, Master Aeron.”
He raised his hand to quell Tusk’s worry. “It’s better that he’s in here reading rather than causing trouble outside. It may take a long time, but he’ll reach enlightenment eventually.”
“Huh, this place is a lot more orderly than I figured it would be,” Mizuki observed.
Aeron laughed like a kindly grandfather. “It is the irony of the Cosmos, my dear. The Realm of Chaos is content with itself and needs order to define its existence. Purgatory, on the other hand, obsesses with order to such an extreme degree that it becomes the antithesis of itself.”
Helga took the group to a cozy, warm lounge where they could sit until the rain passed. As she gathered some food and drinks for them, she mentioned how a part of her wanted to go with the other women to Delphine’s realm. The newly appointed archivist had an admittedly wild side that wanted to do nothing but pleasure herself. Ultimately her quest for knowledge won out in the end.
“I still wouldn’t mind being sealed up in one of those sleek, armored bodysuits Delphine dresses some of her servants in…” Helga noticed she was getting distracted and that the others were giving her slightly incredulous looks. “For the looks and duty, not anything else!”
Maxima chuckled. “I can relate. I was full of untamed energy before I became a Spiritus Magni. I heard Vita was the same way too. My advice? Study first, then have fun.”
“I take it you’re single, aren’t you, Helga?” Tusk asked.
“Well, yes…”
“That’s all I needed to hear.”
“Tusk, how do you know this stuff?” Razor wondered.
He ate some of his food and cleared his throat. “Everyone has specific behaviors that give away their nature. You just have to pay attention. People who are single or unfulfilled have a dash of desperation in their lives. They look for satisfaction wherever they can get it and are not picky. Me? I don’t need to do that as I have Donia and she has me.”
Helga then had a realization. “I mean, I’ve always wanted a man of my own, but I was too much of a nerd to get one…”
“Nonsense!” Tusk immediately replied. “Men love smart, pretty women. Not to toot Donia’s horn…”
She blushed a little. “Oh, why thank you…”
“Helga, your best bet is to be true to yourself. You choose to stay and study and I think that says a lot about you. The fact that you didn’t go off with the others to Delphine’s realm means you were meant to be here. Find that special someone and you’ll be vastly more happy in life.” That last part stuck with Mizuki without Tusk even realizing it.
Helga paused for a second. “Well, there is a really cute archivist named Cadogan who works with alchemical manuscripts and occult artifacts…”
“Then go up and talk to him,” Maxima encouraged. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
After taking another second to think about it, Helga slapped her fist into her hand. “You know what? You’re right! Albeit I need to tend to all of you first.”
The group took a moment to discuss what they were up to to Helga. She was not sure how to handle it, but Tusk and his cohorts seemed like nice people. Helga explained that she was actually Helga Gerturde Arlotti, a descendant of Sir Gideon Arlotti. Her Great Aunt Gratiana had asked her to go to the Realm of Chaos somewhat recently to see if she could find something that could help knock Milosh off of his high horse, if not get rid of him outright. Suffice it to say that Helga was having trouble with that task.
“Don’t worry, Helga,” Tusk assured. “Barna and Dunja are on the case. They’ll be heading to Shadowland soon enough.”
She was quite surprised by this. “Goodness, Dunja has changed sides?”
Tusk nodded. “She’s back where she belongs. Truthfully I was wondering when she’d say screw Milosh. Occasionally she sat under me back when I was in my tree phase. I couldn’t sense a single bad bone in her, despite the disaster and a half that was the shadow orb.”
There was a pause, so Mizuki spoke up, wanting to satisfy a curiosity she had. “Helga, how do you feel about us going to confront your lord? I just figured I’d ask since we’ve been so open about it.”
She took a breath and thought about it. “I mean it’s a little early to fully call him my lord, I’ll admit… but you four aren’t rampaging through the realm, so that’s a good start. Lord Kleitos has been incredibly gracious so far, but I am curious to see where this goes.”
“I’d imagine he’s not looking for a fight, given his nature,” Maxima noted. “We probably can’t say the same for Wulfric if what Eladhelm told us holds true… or who knows? Maybe things will change. It can happen.”
“Master Aeron has informed me about the current conflict,” Helga pointed out. “He doesn’t think it’s worth it and feels the Discordant Gods should be working with the arbiters.”
Tusk tapped Razor’s arm again. “Just as a heads up, I think Driskoll is going to be the only other one in the same probable boat as Kleitos.”
“Duly noted, Tusk,” Razor replied. “I was kind of hoping for some action, but I don’t mind something easy, like this.”
Helga looked a little nervous. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Magus Percival is undoubtedly looking for all of you.”
“Percival?”
“Kleitos’ champion, Remember?” Maxima reminded him.
“Oops, right, sorry,” said Razor. “This realm has my mind all over the place.”
As much as Tusk and Maxima would have liked to keep talking, they needed to get going as it sounded like the rain was starting to ease. Helga went and acquired a map for the four from a dusty case, with the hopes that they could avoid Percival. Master Aeron saw them off, wishing them the best of luck. And as thanks for their excellent manners, he gave Mizuki the swordsmanship book. She accepted it with a respectful bow and the group was on their way again.
The rain had cleared up and the sun was shining off the puddles and drops, causing them to glisten. A rainbow could even be seen, despite the lack of rain. Tusk was a bit skeptical of this sudden peace. It was almost like they were being expected and invited. Kleitos most likely knew they were there, so it was Percival that held Tusk’s concern.
“It’s too quiet…”
“You think so, Tusk?” Razor questioned.
Tusk frowned at him, disappointed. “Boy, aren't you supposed to be a wolf?”
“Right! On it!” Razor assumed his wolf form and sniffed about. He quickly whined and returned to his humanoid form. “You’re right, something’s off…”
“Well let’s not panic, we’re nearly there,” Maxima said as she pointed ahead.
Tusk snapped his fingers a few times. “How does the line go? Let’s figure out what we’re dealing with, then we’ll panic?”
Mizuki laughed. “Well that’s an interesting way to look at it, but I agree. If we back away now, we won’t accomplish anything.”
Kleitos’ castle was a marvelous sight to behold. It was an immense keep castle that was made out of the finest stone and bricks possible. The architecture was immaculate, carved with the finest attention to detail intended to capture the essence of the greatest castles the Cosmos had ever seen. All of it appeared to be well maintained and looked as if it had just been put together. An interesting quirk of the castle was that parts of it appeared to be shifting. This was the most notable when the towers moved in a counterclockwise rotation. The great grinding and rumbling of the movement made it truly awe inspiring to witness.
Tusk cracked his knuckles. “Well, here we are. Let’s head in…”
“Not so fast!” a proud voice declared as magical barriers stopped the group from moving forward.
Having dropped down from the castle wall with a graceful landing, the man in question wore magnificent blue and gold robes that bordered on being armor. His dark, brown hair was well kept, light gleamed from his cerulean eyes, and he stood tall and mighty. The group was a bit intimidated by his awesome presence, but they were not going to back down. Maxima approached him as he stood in front of the moat.
“Magus Percival, I trust?” she inquired.
“Indeed I am, fair madam. Magus Percival Clair Dan Beuamont, champion of Lord Kleitos and keeper of the crystal archives.” He planted his feet firmly in the ground and crossed his arms, with pride radiating from his very being. “I am well aware of who you four are. You cannot just waltz your way into the castle of his lordship without proving yourselves to me first.”
Tusk nudged Razor and whispered. “Psst, I think he’s a little bored.” Razor chuckled.
“Very well, what task shall we complete?” Maxima asked. Whatever it was, she was sure they could handle it.
“You must face me in combat. Win and I will let you pass.” Percival cast a spell that summoned a beautiful, jewel-encrusted longsword.
Maxima smiled, pulling out a rapier from a portal. It looked as if it was made from black and white Damascus steel. “Very well, may the best combatant win. En garde!” She proclaimed as she elegantly swished her sword around.
Mizuki readied her sword, grabbing the hilt. “Honki de iku ze.”
Razor could feel his blood pumping as his body bulked up, causing him to appear more muscular. “Now this is what I’m talking about!”
Tusk took a calming breath as his stone arm lit up with arcing electricity. He pulled a large, stone greatsword from the ground and transmuted it to steel. “Alright, let’s do this. You want to call for help, Percival? 4 on 1 is a little…”
“Do not patronize me, Mr. Willfort!” He cut off, pointing his sword at the treeman. “I am more than capable of handling the four of you.”
He shrugged. “Alright then. Just as a warning: The last one I fought like this was The Lich of Old.”
Next: Chapter 8
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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