ULTRAMagic Eon 2 - Chapter 25
Previous | First | Next
Master Post - Patreon
Blood-Wraith and Damien were guided to a chamber of impossible proportions within The God of Death’s castle. The chamber was beyond comprehension, consisting of what could have been an entire realm in and of itself of celestial, white light and marble temples suspended above an infinite abyss. Wind whistled all throughout, and the mere essence of the chamber felt like it was singing a heavenly chorus. The God of Death explained that the chamber intersected with The Ennead and the Heavenly Spheres, allowing one to travel there if they saw fit. Of course the chamber had very few if any guests on account of how off the beaten path The God of Death’s castle was. In recent times he had reflected upon guarding the entrance as anyone who dared trespass would face his wrath. And anyone who made it past would find themselves in the direct light of God. Blood-Wraith countered this potential lapse in duty with a supportive anecdote of his knightly duties, and how Theobold would never let him hear the end of it if he was sleeping on such an important task.
The God of Death was thoroughly impressed in that despite Blood-Wraith being dead, he still maintained his sense of self and purpose in life. That was not to say the boy was not on edge, but he also had a score to settle with Karnage. Leif had certainly made a good choice in his successor and that faith was about to pay off for the late dragon. After crossing a series of marble platforms that hovered over to the three as they walked, Blood-Wraith and Damien beheld a magnificent and colossal mirror atop a great temple in the center of the chamber. Its sterling silver glass was a sight to behold and began swirling in an entrancing dance of light that soon expanded into a portal to a realm just like the one they were in. Blood-Wraith was ready to go despite his nervousness, but Damien hesitated. Was it right for him to just walk through like that? He had done a lot of awful things in life and it felt like he was not worthy. The God of Death would not have any of this, reminding Damien that God forgives all who welcome the light into their life, on top of the fact that he had made it that far to begin with.
Blood-Wraith held Damien’s hand and comforted him. Despite the fact that Damien had enabled awful people like Karnage and Audoin, there was nothing to be mad over. He deserved a second chance and Blood-Wraith was not one for holding grudges… assuming the individual in question was not Karnage Dethgrave or Rick Dirrt. There was also the fact that Damien’s old power had gone to Blood-Wraith, who used it for great good. That had to count for something amidst all the trouble the two had gone through. Damien thought about it for a second further, then found himself at peace. It was of no use to dwell on the past like that. The two boys stepped through the gateway and were immediately greeted by a feeling of bliss and euphoria, like they had just come home from a long journey. For Damien it was nostalgia of the soul, but for Blood-Wraith it was anemoia. This was his first time entering the Heavenly Spheres and it was an experience like no other.
The Ennead was a beautiful realm bathed in eternal, celestial light that consisted of the grandest of marble temples, forests that would have been truly sublime to rest in, and pastures where those returning from their time in the sphere of man relaxed and watched the fluffy clouds pass overhead before they headed off to The Ogdoad. Damien felt his eyes tear up as the droplets began to run down his cheeks. He was overwhelmed by the feeling of being enveloped in light and love, and any doubt he had felt about his arrival there was completely gone. The two boys then heard music in the distance and ran to see what it was. A crowd of souls had gathered to listen to a band of gods performing a happy and triumphant composition consisting of violins, flutes, bagpipes, drums, and horns. The musicians were flawless in their performance and the music was like honey to the ears. And upon the finale of their music they were given a round of applause, followed by a quick rest and the start of the next tune.
The two boys then continued their walk down the clean, stone pathways, albeit they were not exactly sure where they were supposed to go. “This is the happiest I think I’ve ever been, Blood,” Damien noted as they made their way past a grove of fruit trees being tended to by a group of happy gardeners. The scent from the flowers was incredibly pleasing and enticed the senses. “I have to admit this is different from what I thought it would be though.”
“How so, Damien?” Blood-Wraith wondered.
“Well, it’s not quite like the Heaven I was told about as a kid. That was a realm of clouds, angels, and harps. This place is different, as it feels like Heaven, but it also feels like this is where we’re supposed to truly be.”
Blood-Wraith contemplated that notion as they stopped on the corner of the pathway. “You know, I have read about the differences between Heaven of the sphere of Man and The Heavenly Spheres. Apparently that Heaven is temporary, existing as a place for souls to go until a universe collapses in on itself and starts anew. When that happens, souls head to The Ennead instead.”
“Wait, why not just cut out the middleman and come here?”
“I… I’m not sure, Damien. I suppose it’s just something we’ll have to figure out on our own in due time. There’s a lot of things I still don’t understand despite discovering that I’m actually an ar’ton.”
And then a warm laugh could be heard as a great, stone entity approached them. “Don’t worry, boys, that confusion comes with the territory. As above, so below can be tricky to wrap your mind around at times.”
“Madman!” Blood-Wraith exclaimed as he went to greet him. He paused, however, as The Madman of Old looked different. His body was purely classical in appearance rather than the brutalist form he usually sported, on top of being the size of a regular man. “Hey, you look different…”
“Indeed, Blood! The sphere of Man is a bit rough on my body, ha. It’s only places like here where I can take the form of what I’m truly supposed to be. I’m happy you were able to find your way here, my boy. No going back, you’re bound for great things just on the horizon…”
“Wait, what’s going on back in The Unlight?!” Blood-Wraith interrupted. He looked like he was about to start hyperventilating.
The Madman knelt down and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Blood, everyone’s holding on and fighting the good fight. Speaking of which, I came here to get you as there are some important people you need to meet.”
Blood-Wraith seemed to relax upon hearing that, but was still a little on edge. “Alright, let’s go then…” As they started to walk, Blood noticed Damien had stayed behind at the corner. “Oh, Madman? Can Damien come along?”
Stroking his chin, The Madman stepped over to Damien and visually inspected him. “Hmm, Damien Ackerley, a former Audoan Knight… hmm…”
The anticipation was nerve wracking, but Damien would be lying to himself if he felt he did not deserve a little of it. “It’s the fact that I lead the mission to harass Clyde’s village, isn’t it?” Damien asked with guilt in his voice.
The Madman chuckled. “You’ve got quite the record on your hands, but I think we can put it behind us, lad. Come, see what’s really going on behind the scenes…”
“I can?!” Damien exclaimed with excitement. “Sorry, I mean it’s an honor, Madman…”
“Haha, given that you were dragged through the flames by Karnage and are so intertwined with Blood here? Of course you deserve to know why it all happened in the first place.”
“So who are we meeting with, Madman?” Blood-Wraith inquired as they all began walking.
“That’s a bit of a surprise, Blood,” The Madman assured with a chuckle. “What I can say is that it will blow your mind…”
Arriving at a spectacular mansion, The Madman’s home to be precise, Blood-Wraith and Damien were amazed by the classical decor and the vast amount of paintings depicting The Madman’s past adventures and missions. They ranged from scenes of him fixing the Cosmos itself to victories over rogue gods to discovering realms one would have never seen before. There was a sense of humble pride conveyed through them that showed that The Madman took his job seriously and was not afraid to shoot the breeze about his travels. Damien was humbled beyond belief, as all of it made it clear that he had made the wrong decision to bully Audoin so long ago. On the other hand, he would not have been there to witness such majesty and prestige had he not embarked on his troubled past. Such musings weighed on him, but he resolved to make up for them-If not for the Cosmos, then at least to repay The Madman of Old and Blood-Wraith for the honor of being given a second chance.
The lounge the three had entered was quite big and wide, with a second floor balcony that held an expansive library. All of it was quite beautiful and comfortable looking given the luxurious furniture and decor. There were several people already there, and one of the first Blood-Wraith noticed was a familiar king in obsidian armor and wearing a crown of black and orange metal. “Your majesty!” he said as he hurried over.
“Blood-Wraith, there you are!” The Vermillion King replied as he shook the boy’s hand. “You can’t even begin to understand how relieved and happy I am to see you here…”
Blood-Wraith had to laugh a little, despite the frustration he felt. “Your majesty, you have a lot to explain…”
“I know, Blood, and trust me when I say you will get the answers you seek.”
“Exccelent, he’s here…” Ozymandias stated with unease in his voice. “Not to hurry you, Blood, but we do need to keep this meeting to the point…”
“Wait, Ozymandias?” Blood-Wraith replied. “What do you mean by that?”
“We had to temporarily leave The Tyrant War to be here to speak to you, Blood-Wraith,” Tereza added as she stepped away from the windows.
“Thankfully Leonard is quite the capable Discordant God and The Colossus showed up as we left, but that’s not going to stop me from worrying…”
“Well surely more reinforcements have reported in to help,” The Vermilion King reasoned.
Ozymandias crossed his arms and gave a concerned groan. “Yes, but Karnage’s arrogance knows no bounds, as we all know by now.”
Tereza nodded along and then noticed Damien. “Oh my, who’s this darling here?”
Damien was amazed at Tereza’s body of metal and water which was beyond his comprehension, but maintained his manners. “Damien Ackerley, former Audoan Knight…”
“Oh, oh my…” Tereza then gave the boy a hug. “Well It’s a pleasure to meet you regardless, Damien. Don’t worry, I fell in with the wrong crowd too. I know how you feel.”
“Interesting,” Ozymandias commented. “Did you run into him on your own, Blood-Wraith?”
“Yes, Ozymandias,” he answered. “Given all the trouble he’s gone through, I wanted him to come with me. He deserves to move on.”
Ozymandias nodded, then handed Damien a delicious-looking scone from a platter on a nearby coffee table. “Well given my past I am in no position to say no to a fellow light-seeker. Perhaps this little chat of ours will help keep him on the right path…” The others chuckled as Ozymandias was yanking Damien’s chain a little.
“Now now, Ozymandias,” another voice said as a strange entity turned from the fireplace on the far end to address them. It was a distorted looking entity whose orifices were black voids and his fingers were stretched, with sets of giant hands over his shoulders and on his waist. “Let’s not get on the boy’s case too hard.”
“Ah, Blood, this is The Virus God,” The Madman said as he brought him over to shake hands. “A close friend of The Tyrant God and a leading expert on Threrth’s Cosmos.”
“Threrth’s Cosmos?” Blood-Wraith questioned. “There’s more than just our Cosmos?”
“Indeed, as it appears Threrth used Ertheval as a testing ground for his own take on the Cosmos,” The Virus God answered. “As for myself, I am a god of ideas and thoughts, the ones that worm their way into your mind and structure your everyday life.”
Blood-Wraith felt a strange thought go into his head, one he could not immediately identify as he nodded and went to sit down. “It’s nice to meet you, Virus God. So are we waiting on anyone else?” he asked as a butler filled his teacup, then did the same for Damien.
“Well there are three that still need to show up, but they’re running late…” The Vermilion King noted as the rest took their seats. “Father, should we start without them?”
“I’m sure they're about to show up at any minute now,” a reassuring man’s voice called out from the library. “Sir Blood-Wraith Andrew Raynot, I must say it is truly an honor to meet you,” he said as he began to walk down the metal, spiral stairs.
Blood-Wraith’s ghostly, non-existent blood ran slightly cold for a second as he saw who was descending the steps, and the surprise left him at a loss for words. “GENERAL ANTON BLOODTHRESHER?”
Next: Chapter 26
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
Blood-Wraith and Damien were guided to a chamber of impossible proportions within The God of Death’s castle. The chamber was beyond comprehension, consisting of what could have been an entire realm in and of itself of celestial, white light and marble temples suspended above an infinite abyss. Wind whistled all throughout, and the mere essence of the chamber felt like it was singing a heavenly chorus. The God of Death explained that the chamber intersected with The Ennead and the Heavenly Spheres, allowing one to travel there if they saw fit. Of course the chamber had very few if any guests on account of how off the beaten path The God of Death’s castle was. In recent times he had reflected upon guarding the entrance as anyone who dared trespass would face his wrath. And anyone who made it past would find themselves in the direct light of God. Blood-Wraith countered this potential lapse in duty with a supportive anecdote of his knightly duties, and how Theobold would never let him hear the end of it if he was sleeping on such an important task.
The God of Death was thoroughly impressed in that despite Blood-Wraith being dead, he still maintained his sense of self and purpose in life. That was not to say the boy was not on edge, but he also had a score to settle with Karnage. Leif had certainly made a good choice in his successor and that faith was about to pay off for the late dragon. After crossing a series of marble platforms that hovered over to the three as they walked, Blood-Wraith and Damien beheld a magnificent and colossal mirror atop a great temple in the center of the chamber. Its sterling silver glass was a sight to behold and began swirling in an entrancing dance of light that soon expanded into a portal to a realm just like the one they were in. Blood-Wraith was ready to go despite his nervousness, but Damien hesitated. Was it right for him to just walk through like that? He had done a lot of awful things in life and it felt like he was not worthy. The God of Death would not have any of this, reminding Damien that God forgives all who welcome the light into their life, on top of the fact that he had made it that far to begin with.
Blood-Wraith held Damien’s hand and comforted him. Despite the fact that Damien had enabled awful people like Karnage and Audoin, there was nothing to be mad over. He deserved a second chance and Blood-Wraith was not one for holding grudges… assuming the individual in question was not Karnage Dethgrave or Rick Dirrt. There was also the fact that Damien’s old power had gone to Blood-Wraith, who used it for great good. That had to count for something amidst all the trouble the two had gone through. Damien thought about it for a second further, then found himself at peace. It was of no use to dwell on the past like that. The two boys stepped through the gateway and were immediately greeted by a feeling of bliss and euphoria, like they had just come home from a long journey. For Damien it was nostalgia of the soul, but for Blood-Wraith it was anemoia. This was his first time entering the Heavenly Spheres and it was an experience like no other.
The Ennead was a beautiful realm bathed in eternal, celestial light that consisted of the grandest of marble temples, forests that would have been truly sublime to rest in, and pastures where those returning from their time in the sphere of man relaxed and watched the fluffy clouds pass overhead before they headed off to The Ogdoad. Damien felt his eyes tear up as the droplets began to run down his cheeks. He was overwhelmed by the feeling of being enveloped in light and love, and any doubt he had felt about his arrival there was completely gone. The two boys then heard music in the distance and ran to see what it was. A crowd of souls had gathered to listen to a band of gods performing a happy and triumphant composition consisting of violins, flutes, bagpipes, drums, and horns. The musicians were flawless in their performance and the music was like honey to the ears. And upon the finale of their music they were given a round of applause, followed by a quick rest and the start of the next tune.
The two boys then continued their walk down the clean, stone pathways, albeit they were not exactly sure where they were supposed to go. “This is the happiest I think I’ve ever been, Blood,” Damien noted as they made their way past a grove of fruit trees being tended to by a group of happy gardeners. The scent from the flowers was incredibly pleasing and enticed the senses. “I have to admit this is different from what I thought it would be though.”
“How so, Damien?” Blood-Wraith wondered.
“Well, it’s not quite like the Heaven I was told about as a kid. That was a realm of clouds, angels, and harps. This place is different, as it feels like Heaven, but it also feels like this is where we’re supposed to truly be.”
Blood-Wraith contemplated that notion as they stopped on the corner of the pathway. “You know, I have read about the differences between Heaven of the sphere of Man and The Heavenly Spheres. Apparently that Heaven is temporary, existing as a place for souls to go until a universe collapses in on itself and starts anew. When that happens, souls head to The Ennead instead.”
“Wait, why not just cut out the middleman and come here?”
“I… I’m not sure, Damien. I suppose it’s just something we’ll have to figure out on our own in due time. There’s a lot of things I still don’t understand despite discovering that I’m actually an ar’ton.”
And then a warm laugh could be heard as a great, stone entity approached them. “Don’t worry, boys, that confusion comes with the territory. As above, so below can be tricky to wrap your mind around at times.”
“Madman!” Blood-Wraith exclaimed as he went to greet him. He paused, however, as The Madman of Old looked different. His body was purely classical in appearance rather than the brutalist form he usually sported, on top of being the size of a regular man. “Hey, you look different…”
“Indeed, Blood! The sphere of Man is a bit rough on my body, ha. It’s only places like here where I can take the form of what I’m truly supposed to be. I’m happy you were able to find your way here, my boy. No going back, you’re bound for great things just on the horizon…”
“Wait, what’s going on back in The Unlight?!” Blood-Wraith interrupted. He looked like he was about to start hyperventilating.
The Madman knelt down and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Blood, everyone’s holding on and fighting the good fight. Speaking of which, I came here to get you as there are some important people you need to meet.”
Blood-Wraith seemed to relax upon hearing that, but was still a little on edge. “Alright, let’s go then…” As they started to walk, Blood noticed Damien had stayed behind at the corner. “Oh, Madman? Can Damien come along?”
Stroking his chin, The Madman stepped over to Damien and visually inspected him. “Hmm, Damien Ackerley, a former Audoan Knight… hmm…”
The anticipation was nerve wracking, but Damien would be lying to himself if he felt he did not deserve a little of it. “It’s the fact that I lead the mission to harass Clyde’s village, isn’t it?” Damien asked with guilt in his voice.
The Madman chuckled. “You’ve got quite the record on your hands, but I think we can put it behind us, lad. Come, see what’s really going on behind the scenes…”
“I can?!” Damien exclaimed with excitement. “Sorry, I mean it’s an honor, Madman…”
“Haha, given that you were dragged through the flames by Karnage and are so intertwined with Blood here? Of course you deserve to know why it all happened in the first place.”
“So who are we meeting with, Madman?” Blood-Wraith inquired as they all began walking.
“That’s a bit of a surprise, Blood,” The Madman assured with a chuckle. “What I can say is that it will blow your mind…”
Arriving at a spectacular mansion, The Madman’s home to be precise, Blood-Wraith and Damien were amazed by the classical decor and the vast amount of paintings depicting The Madman’s past adventures and missions. They ranged from scenes of him fixing the Cosmos itself to victories over rogue gods to discovering realms one would have never seen before. There was a sense of humble pride conveyed through them that showed that The Madman took his job seriously and was not afraid to shoot the breeze about his travels. Damien was humbled beyond belief, as all of it made it clear that he had made the wrong decision to bully Audoin so long ago. On the other hand, he would not have been there to witness such majesty and prestige had he not embarked on his troubled past. Such musings weighed on him, but he resolved to make up for them-If not for the Cosmos, then at least to repay The Madman of Old and Blood-Wraith for the honor of being given a second chance.
The lounge the three had entered was quite big and wide, with a second floor balcony that held an expansive library. All of it was quite beautiful and comfortable looking given the luxurious furniture and decor. There were several people already there, and one of the first Blood-Wraith noticed was a familiar king in obsidian armor and wearing a crown of black and orange metal. “Your majesty!” he said as he hurried over.
“Blood-Wraith, there you are!” The Vermillion King replied as he shook the boy’s hand. “You can’t even begin to understand how relieved and happy I am to see you here…”
Blood-Wraith had to laugh a little, despite the frustration he felt. “Your majesty, you have a lot to explain…”
“I know, Blood, and trust me when I say you will get the answers you seek.”
“Exccelent, he’s here…” Ozymandias stated with unease in his voice. “Not to hurry you, Blood, but we do need to keep this meeting to the point…”
“Wait, Ozymandias?” Blood-Wraith replied. “What do you mean by that?”
“We had to temporarily leave The Tyrant War to be here to speak to you, Blood-Wraith,” Tereza added as she stepped away from the windows.
“Thankfully Leonard is quite the capable Discordant God and The Colossus showed up as we left, but that’s not going to stop me from worrying…”
“Well surely more reinforcements have reported in to help,” The Vermilion King reasoned.
Ozymandias crossed his arms and gave a concerned groan. “Yes, but Karnage’s arrogance knows no bounds, as we all know by now.”
Tereza nodded along and then noticed Damien. “Oh my, who’s this darling here?”
Damien was amazed at Tereza’s body of metal and water which was beyond his comprehension, but maintained his manners. “Damien Ackerley, former Audoan Knight…”
“Oh, oh my…” Tereza then gave the boy a hug. “Well It’s a pleasure to meet you regardless, Damien. Don’t worry, I fell in with the wrong crowd too. I know how you feel.”
“Interesting,” Ozymandias commented. “Did you run into him on your own, Blood-Wraith?”
“Yes, Ozymandias,” he answered. “Given all the trouble he’s gone through, I wanted him to come with me. He deserves to move on.”
Ozymandias nodded, then handed Damien a delicious-looking scone from a platter on a nearby coffee table. “Well given my past I am in no position to say no to a fellow light-seeker. Perhaps this little chat of ours will help keep him on the right path…” The others chuckled as Ozymandias was yanking Damien’s chain a little.
“Now now, Ozymandias,” another voice said as a strange entity turned from the fireplace on the far end to address them. It was a distorted looking entity whose orifices were black voids and his fingers were stretched, with sets of giant hands over his shoulders and on his waist. “Let’s not get on the boy’s case too hard.”
“Ah, Blood, this is The Virus God,” The Madman said as he brought him over to shake hands. “A close friend of The Tyrant God and a leading expert on Threrth’s Cosmos.”
“Threrth’s Cosmos?” Blood-Wraith questioned. “There’s more than just our Cosmos?”
“Indeed, as it appears Threrth used Ertheval as a testing ground for his own take on the Cosmos,” The Virus God answered. “As for myself, I am a god of ideas and thoughts, the ones that worm their way into your mind and structure your everyday life.”
Blood-Wraith felt a strange thought go into his head, one he could not immediately identify as he nodded and went to sit down. “It’s nice to meet you, Virus God. So are we waiting on anyone else?” he asked as a butler filled his teacup, then did the same for Damien.
“Well there are three that still need to show up, but they’re running late…” The Vermilion King noted as the rest took their seats. “Father, should we start without them?”
“I’m sure they're about to show up at any minute now,” a reassuring man’s voice called out from the library. “Sir Blood-Wraith Andrew Raynot, I must say it is truly an honor to meet you,” he said as he began to walk down the metal, spiral stairs.
Blood-Wraith’s ghostly, non-existent blood ran slightly cold for a second as he saw who was descending the steps, and the surprise left him at a loss for words. “GENERAL ANTON BLOODTHRESHER?”
Next: Chapter 26
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Comments
Post a Comment