Eleven elite paladins walked with Benea. Behind them marched three-hundred and eighteen paladins. Altogether the group had marched out from Node 1, the land of high meadows and recent construction, and then through Node 6, the cradle of order, and into Node 7, the friendly land owned by Dzallitsunya. There the sun was shaded under a thick mist that the land of Tsunya was known for. For the most part, such a change didn’t bother the paladins, having trained in Maelite, the arctic or in the shade of the mountains. The biggest issue the paladins had with Node 7 was the people, and their judging stares.

On the whole, the people of Benean lands had great trading relationships with the dusklanders, but as of late a sense of isolation seemed to permeate the dusklander culture and marching an army through wasn’t going to help. Unfortunately, Benea didn’t have much choice, but did send advance notice and then decided to stick to marching around any major settlements so as not to worry any sensitive locals. In the letter Benea offered to meet with Tsunya before entering Node 13 herself and so when the Goddess made it to the spot she had envisioned in her plan, she and Jermane split off from the columns.

With promises to reunite with the army before they made it to Node 13, Benea and her bodyguard made swift work of the Dusklands, eager to reach the designated meeting area. The way station between Node 7 and 8 proved itself to be the most logical meeting point, a woman in a cyan uniform welcoming the goddess before guiding her to a side-path, avoiding the area with most mortal travelers and instead moving to a quiet wing of the building, entering a spacious room that overlooked the Mirror Marches.

Dzallitsunya waited there, looking a bit different from last time they met, with longer hair, skin a bit more olive but still pallid and most notable of all, a bump in her midsection, as she was in the later half of her pregnancy. She nodded in acknowledgement of Benea and pointed to a nearby chair.

“Greetings Benea.” she half-smiled. “I hope this journey wasn’t harsh? I tried to deliver supplies to you, but it seems you have avoided my towns in the later half of your journey.”

"Woof," Benea let out a puff of air as she deflated into the seat and threw a hand over her face. "Take no offense, darling, it was to keep tensions down. No one likes an army."

The goddess peaked through her fingers. "My, my, you're showing."

Tsunya tilted her head, narrowing her eyes as if thinking deeply but quickly giving up, “Showing?” she questioned.

Benea let her hand fall to the side and sat up straight. "Your baby bump, dear."

A hit of pale pink flashed on the pale goddess’ cheek. “R-right. I got married since we last met! I forgot to mention it in my letters. Uhm... Twins too! A bit impressive that mortals can produce offspring with gods, no? From what I can feel though, they will be much, much closer to mortals than whatever I am.”

“I’m delighted for you dear, truly I am,” Benea gave the goddess a smile. “Although, I hope you understand the dangers of such a journey.”

“I do not think it will be too relevant. My lands are not a kingdom, they will be part of a house like any other, and follow the same rules as all others.” she said with weird confidence. “Or do you mean some more biological threat? In that aspect I do not feel worried either.”

“I mean to say, dear…” Benea trailed, her smile fading as it turned to a pensive thought. Her own heart skipped a beat as she continued. “If you wouldn’t mind me asking, rhetorically of course, but have you ever outlived someone you care about?”

Dzallitsunya shook her head. “Well, death is death, it comes to all. When I got married I did it with that question in mind, and sincerely, I would be at peace if my husband left me after a fulfilling life. Children, well, who knows, ultimately however…” she stopped for a moment, measuring her words. “I embark on this to kill my mortal self. I lived with humans, in their village, and that created a me that simply cannot exist, it is not the place for a god to be. But it is not bad either, there is much to learn from these little short-lived chaotic beings. So… I decided to give myself one mortal life to live, when that evening dream ends and the sun rises bringing me back to reality, then I will truly commit myself to godhood.”

She took a deep breath. “Did that make sense to you? Or did I just sound like a complete fool?”

Benea gave a pitiful face and leaned back in her chair as she rolled her jaw in thought. “You’re young — which is to say we are both young. We are bound to be complete fools as we grow, dear.”

The Calla Lily Goddess waved a hand and a pink porcelain cup formed in her fingers, she sipped at a black liquid. “At the very least you have a plan.” A pause. “And if nothing else, you’ll always have me for support.”

Tsunya stood still for a moment then nodded, probably as soon as Benea’s reply was understood. “That is good to know. I have to say… I expected things to be a bit… uhm… more peaceful than they are now, especially in the sunny lands beyond, one which is now mine, as you requested.”

“Oh trust me I had high hopes for peace,” Benea looked up at Tsunya. “You know I appreciate all you have done, though, darling. Have a seat with me, I owe you some explanations, don’t I, sweet Tsunya?”

The other goddess nodded and moved closer, placing her chair by Benea’s side. “I must confess that indeed I have been a bit confused about current events.” Each euphemism forced the goddess of dusk’s eyes to dart to the side.

Benea held out a palm towards the dusk goddess. It was flawless, with not a mark on it — not that anyone in the room besides Benea or Jermane would know how cut up it was days prior. The Calla Lily goddess cupped her hand, as if asking for Dzallitsunya to take it.Tsunya was confused at it, but soon enough extended her hand to meet Benea, who gingerly grasps it.

Flicking her stare into the dusk goddess’ visage, catching her eyes, Benea spoke slowly. “Do you know about the poison in the nodes? I’m sure you at least felt it, dear; the addiction, the desire it gives.”

Tsunya glanced to the side at first, but at the mention of the addiction she found herself staring back with wide eyes. “Oh. Of course. It is a… feeling of power unlike anything else, but also a feeling of limitation too, it promises you infinity but quickly halts, wilting back. Like a blooming flower.” she then stopped, gulping and adjusting her stance. “I can understand why other gods may have fallen to the trap, ultimately though, there is no such way. It is as I said when this world began, we must work together to survive.”

“Well that’s also why I warned everyone about weak wills, dear,” Benea squeezed Dzallitsunya’s hand and maintained eye contact. “When I went to go talk to Anak’thas he was defensive, avoidant, and all too eager to get rid of me. I was a threat to him, my plans were a threat to him, the alliance was a nuisance to him — now how could that be? He only wanted nodes. Even with how he treats the people who live in his lands, he strips them of everything that would interfere with his advancement, even names. He is maddened and poisoned by the Crucible, so I detained him. I won’t see the sickness spread.”

A pause.

“I know I asked a lot of you, sweet Tsunya, and for that I am truly sorry — but at the same time you have my deepest gratitude.” Benea slowly let go of the other goddess’ hand. “I’m afraid sometimes that I am all alone, having you is a comfort.”

“The people… In node 13 truly were something else. I had to stay my hand to extreme levels to avoid tragedy there. I think my average subject has gained quite a bad impression of the sunlands thanks to those experiences. That said, it also offers unique things, there are qualities in it that cannot be found in the dusklands, or in Xavior’s realm. I wish Anak’Thas had not been so reckless, so that his land could have developed freely.” the dusk goddess then bit softly at her hand, an aura of anxiety. “Which brings up two things I wanted to ask about. First… you are aware Anak’Thas is free again, correct?”

“Hence the army, dear,” Benea leaned back in her chair and crossed a leg. “His followers slaughtered their own countrymen and then three of my loyal companions in the attempt, going so far as to poison volunteer guards picked from their own cities. I was wrong to assume the madness was isolated to Anak’thas alone… but you had a second question, darling?”

“How… How is Xavior? I mean… If I were to ask him for a meeting, do you think he would be willing to? See… my lands and his lands are very… different. We have completely different ideas of how to run a country. In our borders there has been some tension, smugglers, lawbreakers, it is harsh for me to punish my own people and even harsher to deal with people from his land, which I have just been sending back, but often do they return. So uhm, I would like to create some sort of… common agreement between us, laws for the borders if possible, but I have no idea what he is like.”

“I’m sure he will see you. He is amicable — though perhaps not exactly fond of myself at the moment. I intend to talk to him myself, but there is a chance you’ll get to him before me.” A pause before a sudden snap from Benea. “Oh! I just had a delightful idea, sweet Tsunya. We should do a diplomatic exchange of a sorts, wherein Dusklanders go to live and learn the culture of my lands and the people of Node 6, 2, and 1 come here to learn the ways of the Dusklanders. I’m sure it will only sweeten interactions between the pairs.”

Dzallitsunya nodded. “I would love a chance to talk with outsiders about the ways of the night. The people of Node 13 have not been the most receptive to our ideas since we did come down there as invaders, in their perspective. Increasing the connection of our lands will surely be good for the alliance too.”

“Precisely, dear,” Benea agreed. The Calla Lily goddess tucked a slant into her cheek suddenly and leaned forward. “You don’t… resent me for any of this, do you?”

“Sincerely, there was some primal annoyance at first. To be taken into plans that are not mine, to have my resources stretched and possibly being involved in a war. If I said I did not mind that I would be telling you a lie, and I prefer to be honest. But that said it was no fault of your own, we are not perfect and the world is full of chance and chaos, so from this whole regrettable situation I resent no one.”

Benea patted Tsunya’s hand. “I appreciate that, dear.”

“I should probably let you go soon, to accompany your soldiers. But before that..” the goddess stood up, moving to a nearby cupboard and taking out what looked like an ornate metal lamp, except past the black there was only darkness. Moving back to Benea, she tapped the glass, causing the insides to clear out, revealing a caged shard of umbrium.

“I have been absolutely fascinated with this little thing. As one would expect from the goddess of shadows, I guess!” she smirked. “The issue is, I have been holding back on studying and experimenting with it, because I wanted to talk with dear Monica before. But alas, she is always away, always hard to find, and her lands are so troublesome to traverse, especially when I must zeal for the health of the children I carry. And yet, waiting so long has also caused some trouble, the most clever of mortals within my realm has recently passed and it is hard to think of all the good work he could have done with it but that now is lost to us. So… I wanted a second opinion from you, if… it would be fine and not too rude, to just take a bit of this here and there, study it a little bit too...” for once in this entire meeting Dzallitsunya seemed truly energetic about the matter.

Benea tilted her head and tapped her cheek. “Sweetheart, I’m not too sure what you’re asking of me, but I don’t see anything wrong with you satiating your curiosity.”

“Nice!” now she felt free of guilt, if Benea could vouch for it, there was little to worry about. “This is good. Such a productive meeting, much like the last. I have had my magistrates prepare provisions for your soldiers both at the exit of this province as well in Node 13, it should help with your campaign and to appease the locals, as it cuts the needs to take from their stock to feed your band. I can only wish you good luck on what is to come.” Tsunya bowed gently.

“Thank you, dear.” Benea shrugged and smiled. “Just be careful regarding whatever your cooking up in that head of yours.”

The Calla Lily goddess stood up. “And if you meet with Xavior, be sure to give him my best as well.”

“I will.” The Twilight goddess also stood up, giving the other a sudden hug before letting go. “Stay safe, ok? If you ever need help, call for me and I will answer.”T

A laughing snort came from Benea and she pulled Dzallitsunya back into the hug, giving the dusky goddess a surprising squeeze. “Take care of yourself, dear… and if you’re going to hug, always give your best.”

Brey

Brey decides he will leave the new Node lands to the wilds. He recreates the forest, hill, mountain, plains and streams biome of his original Node. He bothers to raise the people out of barbarism to at least have simple cavern dwellings and flint napping, with abundant wild life to hunt and perhaps large gardens. He has more important plans to attend to. His headquarters needs sprucing up. When he makes his way home, he has something quite important to do. Unfortunately his renovations for Node 23 will have to wait.

The end of the golden road that cut through the darkness of node 11 was not the end of danger that its southbound travelers hoped it would be. After tracking across the smooth luminous pathway, where every moment was a gamble on if something truly horrifying would come out of the darkness, the wall of trees found at the node 12 end of the road seemed like it might hold safty.

There was none to be found.

Deep within, a mass of muscle under gray fur sat atop a mound of bones. Bones of the wild made up the mass of it, but they were joined by the bones of livestock, the.bones of herders, and freshest and most prized of all, the bones of foolish travelers. Before this throne of bone the wolf king’s subordinates bowed down, each one no less grand and savage, and each and every one filled with the final spite of chaos crackling through their nervous systems and behind eyes too clever for mere beasts.

One was standing among them, barking and growling in crude communication.

Two legged prey had come. Packs of them blundered through the forest till they reached seemingly random spots, where they were cutting at the trees, piling sticks and setting down large strange smelling seed things.

Ripe for the pickings, just as all the others, growled some.

Strangeness, requires caution, whined others. Cowered. The voracious nipped at them and they were silenced.

The wolf king of the north was pleased his court agreed with the choice he had already made.

---

The howl of war ripped through the woods.

“You hear that” one of the woodcutters said, as he paused his work to look fearfully through the thick dark woods “Wolves. Sounded close too”

“All the better reason to keep chopping Jack. Faster we get this done, faster we can get out of here and can get paid” retorted Erin, the leader of their 20-something sized work crew, as she worked to reduce a previously felled tree to splinters which they piled up around the barrel they’d been told to place here, deep in the woods.

Jack did that, but the howl stuck in his mind for a long while before asked “Do you think they know?”

“Know? Ha. They’re animals they don't know jack, Jack” Erin retorted with a well worn joke. The target of it just rolled his eyes, but the familiarity of it put him at ease.

Just how the predators stalking through the underbrush wanted him.

Simple beasts followed the order of their pack-lord as they snuck into position, just as many of their ilk were doing around the other isolated herds of prey. They inched closer and closer, waiting for a signal. They were impatient, hungry, and overconfident. They got closer. Closer still. And then one stepped on a twing.

“Hmmm?” Jack hummed, glancing over his shoulder towards the noise. He squinted, but saw nothing and after a moment got back to work, Erin’s words in his mind's ear.

The beasts relaxed, the stupid prey’s dull senses having not alerted the foolish one among them. Unfortunately for them, the working humans had not entrusted their watch to themselves or even others of their own kind. No, instead that duty had gone to a waist high bundle of colorful feathers which tilted its fang filled mouth and tapped forwards on feet each of which was sporting an oversized claw.

It sniffed, tilted its head to the side.

Then it saw them.

The tamed velociraptor let out a shrill alarm call and at once the woodcutters dropped what they were doing to respond. But they did not drop their axes. Instead they shouted at each other and moved to form up into a defensive posture as their watch dinosaur ran back to them, twittering with alarm.

“Maybe it was-” Jack began to say, right before a howl ripped through the woods and the wolves ripped out of the undergrowth, barrelling towards them as their leader’s howl was picked up across the woods and the attack began before it was ready. It was joined by screams from the human and one more sound. A horn, calling loud and low, was blown by Erin for as long as it could be blown before she had to drop it and heft her ax at an incoming wolf.

She caught the first, but then the second leapt over the skull split corps of its fellow and savaged her before she could recover. Several others fell before a stalemate began, the wolves circling the beleaguered humans (and their feathered pets) darting in to nip at them.

Then their lord stood from its hiding spot and began to lope towards them. A towering beast it was, tall as a man in his prime and several times the mass. It walked towards them with a leisurely pace at first, seemingly drinking in their fear as it stepped into the light of the small clearing the mortals had felled.

Only then did it pick up speed, coming at them at a breakneck pace, enough to simply crash through them. Closer. Closer.

Then a shadow passed across the humans and it was like the sky was falling as a blue mass slammed down in between them and their doom.

Annie, the first demon, a titan of muscle, screamed a wordless battle cry as she slammed a two handed warhammer of silver gray metal forwards and left a creator where the wolf lord had been before it dodged to the side, eyes confused. The wolf lord had not known the two legged prey had those like its own kind among them.

The demon met its look with a sharp toothed smile before she lunged, hammer raised and swinging again in an instant as great blue wings bore her forwards with unexpected speed. Yet still, the woman, who had not been a warrior before her ascension, missed again, cursing as she did so.

The wolf lord lunged at the clumsy titan, jaws snapping, only for its fearsome growls to be turned to yowls as Annie grabbed it by the throat and choke slammed it into a tree. Bones snapped and blood spilled, and the stunned wolf lord could do naught as the demon raised her hammer for a third and final time, and reduced the beast to a red smear.

Silence reigned in the clearing for a moment from human and beast alike, before a shout of rage and victory burst out as the woodcutters charged the remaining wolves who turned to fee, only for several to be pounced by raptors and then brought low by axes.

In a moment it was all over. The surviving wolves lead leaving only the victorious humans and fallen bodies behind. Some of those bodies were groaning in pain, quiet sounds that were nearly drowned out by the call of horns coming from other parts of the woods.

“Stabilize your wounded! I’ll be back to transport the worst to safety once the attack is resolved” Annie ordered, before taking wing once more.

---

The wolf king growled from atop his throne of bone at his subordinates. Failures, all of them.

They whined about humans with wings and great size.

Another growled that they were liars. Winger prey had been barely larger than the norm. It had slayed that which came for it and, true, fled afterwards when the retreat howls came, but that was the cowardice of others. Not it. Cowardice of the king.

The king growled back, stepping down from its throne to meet this challenger. And then stopped. All stopped. And sniffed the wind.

And smelled smoke.

---

The unhurt woodcutters had hurried out of the woods, while their wounded comrades had been borne out on leather wings. Now those same leather wings returned bearing torches. They flew over the clearings of kindling and barrels of oil, dropped their flaming loads, and then they too fled as the forest began to burn.

---

Wolves and their kings alike panicked. Ran. and found only fire.

The spots the prey had been in had not been at random. They had been in a circle. And now they were surrounded by all sides by an inferno. It would be a slow death, hemming them in, suffocating them and scorching them, making them turn on eachother in panic.

The king thought it was an impressive cruelty.

He was wrong. The end was quick.

When the forest fire reached a peak a ritual began at the fire’s edge. A great circle of runes within which hundreds of humans, many of them the same woodcutters who had survived the wolf attacks, stood surrounded by priests, one of whom declared

“You shall be guardians! Protectors of all who travel here, and through the darklands! This you have sworn, and for payment for your labor given in the name of this task, now and in future we gift you ascension!”

The woods raged with fire, incinerating all the remaining fuel in the blink of an eye, be it tree, wolf or beast alike and then it swept forth from the forest, plunging down onto the ritual circle, birthing swaths of demons. Guardians of the road of light, who would found the town of Twilight Rest on the ashes of their ascension.

---

To the southwest, the plan was the same, to burn a hole before the narrow pass between node 18’s north mountains and the sea. However here the wolves were smarter still. They knew humans better because their king ruled from that same sea all the way up to stone lake, where many human settlements sat, clawing at forest and mountain alike. They did not let the fuel be set, and instead came at the humans as they approached. They fought not just with teeth and claws, but also stolen weapons gripped in strong jaws.

Wolven warriors and mortals promised coin and glory, fought, spilled blood, and burned pyres of ascension.

The stink of it all wafted south, the scent of the blood and rot and ash of god touched mortals and chaos touched beasts drifting over the valley. Tempting the very thing the humans had come to guard against.

---

In his temple home Xavoir set down the last of his gifts to mortals, and turned to the node to once again eye the potential shimmering there that had given him the wisdom of steel. The connection to a distant land. It called to him. Reports from humans who had seen Monica and the unknown god meet, and seen the hunger of the blighted abomination that had been made, sat discarded on a table.

“Is this a trap Monica? Surely not? Who would be so foolish as to step blindly across the world to the side of one who had declared me her enemy? Who stood by as a monster created an abomination that threatens the people and all we have built here” he asked no one but himself.

“Yet perhaps I have been too paranoid by half? Look at me! I have not even left this node since I claimed it, as if looking away for but a second will cause me to lose it” he shook his head “as if I could not trust them with it for but a moment, even when I say I trust them to manage themselves”

He sighed, and then, after a long moment, reluctantly raised his hand to the node.

“You had better give me straight answers this time”

The sky was a pale white, the world shaded in black, and the goddess stood ready as her enemy made one more attack to defend its node. Twenty or more serpents of living crystal darted all around her, it may look like many beings but much like the hydra it was one beast, in fact, these were not even heads, but arms and claws, cutting at them felt useless as soon they would regrow, still, they made it impossible to approach the beast.

The serpents surrounded the goddess and started to strike at her, at first in a shy manner, one at a time, to learn her movements as she slashed and cut off each lunging arm, then, they prepared to strike at once, but the goddess launched herself up before they could, she cast fort a spear and released a rapid slashing cut all around her, severing the majority of 'heads' at once. Using her cape she cancelled the momentum of the jump, falling back to the ground and floating about, finishing off the last arms, then, she raced for the core of the beast. But as she approached, a new set of heads had been born, like a wave of claw and teeth they swarmed her, she ditched her spear for a knife and cut them off as she could, and while she succeeded it also pushed her back, finally, a serpent broke past her defences and delivered a cut to her neck with its crystalline fin.

The goddess fell back in pain, falling to the ground, a spray of red against the white and black, the snake swarmed her again and there was little she could do now. "Damn it. How careless." she complained in a calm tone, and then the world was enveloped by the sound of ringing bells and broke down like a fragmented mirror before reforming.

The sky was a pale white, the world shaded in black, and the goddess stood ready as her enemy made one more attack to defend its node. Twenty or more serpents of living crystal darted all around her, it may look like many beings but much like the hydra it was one beast, in fact, these were not even heads, but arms and claws, cutting at them felt useless as soon they would regrow, still, they made it impossible to approach the beast.

The serpents surrounded the goddess and started to strike at her, at first in a shy manner, one at a time, to learn her movements as she slashed and cut off each lunging arm, then, they prepared to strike at once, but the goddess launched herself up before they could, casting many knives in her hand which threw down to pin the serpents before using her full momentum to pounce forward, a whistle in the air as she dove down at a great speed straight at the core of the beast. She let the full force of her dive hit the beast with a dropkick then, with sharp and sudden movements, she was already upon it with a sword in hand, striking at it as the serpents rushed forth to save their core.

They were too late, the dark scarlet blood of the beast started to spray and the serpents fell limp just before reaching the goddess. The beast slain, the node was free for the taking. The goddess nodded in acknowledgement of that. "Now Mirori, bring forth a humanoid enemy, equal to my fellow gods." then the world was enveloped by the sound of ringing bells and broke down like a fragmented mirror before reforming.

...

Dzallitsunya sighed as she stood against a tall totem-like structure in the middle of a salt-flat of the mirror marches, standing up after multiple controlled dreams. Although she had not moved, her muscles felt tired and her mind was equally exhausted. Still, she smiled.

The truth was, this world was a dangerous one. To learn to fight for herself was key to her survival, and although Benea was an ally, the mere fact another god such as Anak'Thas had been taken down so easily proved to her that she was for more vulnerable than she felt. For that purpose, she had cast for the Mirori. This relic of divine might was a simple one, it was able to cast forth dreams on those who stood under its shadow, living dreams that transformed the peaceful salt flat around it into an illusory battle zone. It was able to simulate all sorts of dangers, from fellow gods to the chaos beasts and provided the goddess with realistic training against such threats.

The next real fight she got into, against the chaos beast of the 5th Node, some sort of fish-like beast that could dive into the rock as if it was water, she found herself making exemplary quick work of it, using her new sword, the warped branch-like Kukabutzu, to pierce the creature's thick scales and strike at its core before it could truly muster up any harm to her.

Then she approached the node, one more to be taken by the shadows, away from the questionable influence of the sun.

Dzallitsunya IV

Taking a node was never a casual matter to Tsunya, each time she wanted to test it further, see how much she could change, and now, with the knowledge of the wondrous aspects, other nodes were granted she too wanted to push it further than ever before, releasing fully the shackles of conventional physics and biology. The world around her shook and almost screamed as the land was raised further and further, Dzallitsunya reaching as high and as low as she could, bringing forth rare elements and imbuing some new ones with new elements.

The result was the land of the Starry Shores, the vertical archipelago. A massive mountain province, a rough land where only a few areas were fit for a comfortable human life.



Half the shores of this land were made of rough, rocky, gravel coasts, and very dry locations. Some pockets of green were made on the shores or sometimes as little islands in the flat gravel expanses, in here the ground was muddy and humidity almost average, allowing for plants to form, all adapted for the harsh cold winds from the North. The other half has no shore, instead, the tall cliffs and mountains from inland crash against the sea, being suddenly cut off, forming massive rock wall, though their creation was so rough that many had entire sea-side chambers that interconnected forming tunnels across much of the coast.

Inland, with the exception of a green valley or two forming around a river flowing to the sea, there is only a rocky dry land, where even snow struggles to form at the mountain tops thanks to the harsh high speeds of winds as the air flows between the spires of rock.

About half and a bit more of the land is covered by tall mountains and rocky plateaus that from the perspective of other nodes may be seen as tall but in these lands, they form the lowest of the mountain biomes. The valleys with their dry sparse vegetation is mostly home to owls, rodents, goats, and great lizards. The plateaus see larger fauna, such as bears and dear, as well as ferrets and armoured mammals, such as the pangolin and giant armadillos.

This was a harsh land, unfit for human habitation without technologies and public works far beyond what mankind could perform upon this world, yet, it was also a rich land. Though lacking in certain metals like tin or iron it included materials that would be first found by the dusklanders here, green marble, lapis lazuli, as well as ores rich in Zync, Electrum and Rubidium, the latter becoming a fever among dusklanders for its ability to produce purple flames. The most famous one however would not be that common, instead, it would be a natural alloy similar to Auricupride, which is an ore of copper and gold, but richer and with a look that some would describe as "charged", to foreigners this would be known by the name a later scholar gave it, Auri-Chalcum, or the more vernacular Orichalk, to the dusklanders however, this would be known as Tzurkortze, sea copper.

The lands higher still, however, were far richer but far more inhospitable. The Ultra Tall mountains were so far from the ground that pressure became weaker, oxygen was rarer yet the winds only became stronger. Fauna and flora meanwhile only became weirder, it was as if life became derived from the silica membranes of the Diatom algae instead of the carbon-based life found in most of the crucible. Sponge-like creatures grew from stone, creating coral-like structures in elements more similar to colourful glass and diodes, other twisted trees grew with blooms in blue or red, land-dwelling gastropods almost similar to nautilus squids, centipede-like beings in geometric crystalline carapaces that fought over gemstone trilobites. The skies had the gelatinous jelly-flies with their bags of helium and the quickly emigrating flying fishes, the Tonnikala, who just found the place pleasant and full of nutrients, the two other notable vertebrates of this land were the large thunderbird, a clever relative of the ferret, which had learned to hold its breath and sneak grab prey before diving back down to more proper lands and a large animal that could be best described as a mole with the size and temper of a pig, burrowing and feeding off scraps.

Among one of the mesas of this ultra tall region, a shallow but striking lake of pure flowing mercury is among the biggest examples of the weird and unusual geology of the area.

And yet, one mountain stills stood higher, one from which the clouds became much like a sea and the low oxygen and pressure and lack of protection was so severe that without divine help or cutting edge technology a mortal could never dream of exploring the land.

It was also a gentle land of breathtaking (if there was any air) beauty. Grasses with burgundy hues, tall trees with gentle white leaves, and flowers of ultraviolet and infrared colours and palm trees with blue leaves covered in hexagonal shapes. Insects, more like those found on the ground than the unusual ones of the mountain, except made slightly translucent. All life here fed off the radiation of the cosmos, so instead of building thick opaque skins to save themselves they instead had slimy and translucent skin to bask in on those glorious rays, the frogs on a lake were similar but the mammal-like animals not so much, there was a dog-ish creature with a smooth purple or blue fur-coat, the goddess called them Llikas, then there were the monkeys, short, thin and green, with big black eyes.

And, of course, in the middle of it all was Dzallitsunya and the node pillar. She was proud of her work, but also tired, that there were not-dogs and not-monkeys in her tallest garden was to her proof of that, after all these were among the least likely animals you would expect in the stratosphere... right?

The one thing that made her sad however was that for most of the day this land was dormant. With how much she had to focus on the land to imbue it with unusual characteristics, she found herself unable to manipulate sunlight. Even if she had the power, she usually messed with layers of cloud and elements in the air for that, layers which were beneath her mountain. So, from the sunrise to the sunset, this land morphed, unlike the gentle radiation of the stars, the sun was still too much, so the animals and insects hid, the flowers closed up and even the trees would twist and morph to protect their leaves. That left nothing but a barren rocky landscape where once stood the garden, only the palm trees did not hide, instead following the sun like sunflowers, but as soon as darkness returned, the whole land bloomed again.

There were not many mineral features up there, though some elements too unstable for the world below did find themselves allowed to exist up there. Chief among them was Astratine, a geode that when met with the oxygen and pressure of most of the crucible would ignite in tiny sparkles and turn to rusty dust. To the goddess this was little but a curiosity of her land, but to mortals, this would change the night sky.

These geodes were light, small and abundant, naturally growing from certain shells and salts, animals and plants, in their daily habit of hiding and returning, would get bits of it thrown into the air or stuck into them, some of the space monkeys even liked to throw it off the edge for no reason at all.

This mineral would then be carried far and wide by strong winds, starting to heat up and ignite, forming a trail of gold or silver in the sky before fully disintegrating. This little cosmological event would be given a far too ambitious name by the mortals, who called it a "Falling Star"

---

Node 33 was illuminated by the presence of both shimmering snails and a circle of pale luminous trees; as a single sort-of seen structure in what otherwise seemed an endless sea of shadows swirling undulating all around, aside from the lonely goddess who waited closeby for something to occur while carrying a curled up umbral creature in her arms. The light could not banish the truly black shroud that surrounded and enveloped the being she held, as though she were burdened by a sudden gaping abyss in the cosmos that chose the form of a small sphere and wanted to be carried. Though Monica could not comprehend why her children appeared so, why she was compelled to create them this way, she still loved them.

“There is no need to be afraid, little one. The shells shall not hurt you, as you are protected by my presence.” She whispered to the black ball in her arms, bringing it close to her cheeks and snuggling with it. Monica could feel a swell of laughter within her, enough to cause her to slightly smile, as she thought upon the irony of how the harmless snails and their scintillating shells frightened her much more dangerous and violent children into submission like the one she held now. She recalled how often others among the ones she attempted to cuddle within the world she created in the north had shredded her apart with mandibles and fangs, until the Shepherd of Shadows had struck them enough times to get them to behave properly.

There were no visible cycles in this realm, so she could not track the passage of time, though strangely the presence of time was something she feared despite her immortal nature and was glad to get away from it. However, she felt foolish because she could not discern whether she was being too patient or restless by remaining here and awaiting the potential arrival of Xavior, should he choose to heed her weird words. So far, since stabilizing the land and accessing the node; she had eaten a watermelon, paced back and forth, and acquired with the assistance of the shimmering snails another one of her smaller children to play with while she waited. Concern for her once-companions; kind Xavior, beautiful Benea, and all the wondrous humans that traveled with them caused the goddess to contemplate happenings in the world beyond Maelite, and the yearning to go became overwhelming.

Then with the words “ah, so that is how that works” that world came to her.

The node shimmered, and suddenly it and a distant sibling were linked so tightly that the space between them became naught at all. A red skinned hand pressed through the gateway for a moment, and then snatched itself backwards in surprise, rejoining its owner in the divine workshop surrounding node 12.

Then there came a sigh, and finally Xavior stepped through the nexus and across most of the world and was there. The horned god was clad only from the waist down, where he wore sturdy unadorned trousers. Trace amounts of soot marred his features, especially his hands, which were worn from work. Or as worn as a god’s hands could be that is.

The god, who had pushed through with his decision to come before he could prepare or have second thoughts, gasped as he saw what Monica made of her lands up close for the first time. He was transfixed by its strange alien beauty for a few moments, before he ripped his gaze away from the land and turned it to its creator.

“Monica” he said, with tentative weariness and concern both in his tone. His words halted whatever she was doing, seizing her before she slowly lowered the rolled up creature she held in her arms to a section close to the edge of the illuminated ground, proceeding to gently nudge it into the darkness and out of sight with her foot.

“So my gracious foe has finally come… It brings me joy to see you. Faith brings us together once more, as the cruel fate of the Crucible leads us apart. Welcome to Maelite wherein sorrow spreads like a bleak blanket over the land. I, um, these trails of light will let you navigate this realm allowing you to reach the two farther nodes that remain unclaimed. They belong to you and Benea.” Monica intoned, turning her gaze from him to the shimmering snails that left lingering streams of light in their wake. Though she remained impassive throughout her deadpan delivery of ominous prophecy, she struggled to stay composed at the end of her speech, and cradled herself with her arms as she involuntarily shivered even in the warmth provided by the glowing ivory life that resembled trees without leaves.

In response to this Xavior clapped his palms together, held them in front of his mouth as he took a deep breath and then tilted them forwards to point at Monica, who he looked at with a frankly exasperated expression while he asked “Look. First thing’s first. What in the creator’s name is this calling me your enemy and then only doing helpful things… thing. I do not understand it one bit and would appreciate a clarification because it has caused quite enough confusion already”

“Dichotomy… I am seeking to understand myself and the world through the contrast offered by comparisons and contradictions. The Ume theory that I must explore, though I have no desire to harm you or others. I am also confused… confused by the puzzle that is the Crucible. Xavior, whatever happens, should the world come to an end, it was never my intention to betray you or Benea. We are enemies, though I cannot explain why, nor did I ever wish to be such. It is suffering.” She answered sullenly as she gracefully glided around the node, increasing the distance between them, though the stark lack of a horizon line and a visible sky caused some difficulty discerning how far apart they were from each other, she seemed to change size as she floated across the fathomless void that was the background behind her.

Xavior stayed close to the node. Just in case. Just because he was trying to put some of his paranoia down did not mean he’d simply let it all go. Still he was at the moment more confused than threatened and it showed on his expression, his eyebrows scrunched up and his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find a response.

“I suppose that makes two of us” he managed at last, running through her words again in his head and then at last asking “What is the ‘Ume theory’ you said you wished to explore?”

“The universe and me theory… where the center and the perimeters can be found between both. This world which shall end unless there is one with will strong enough to prevent the calamity… but what is the difference between one and many when the boundaries between us can be theoretically transcended? Why did our predecessors perish? The divisions that make us enemies, and our alignment that seems to share the same space on the spectrum, or at least resonates… I want to reach either endpoint and embrace it momentarily to cause a change. I have contemplated and chosen death. I will surrender my immortality and slowly spread out my being until the forces holding me together are torn apart, and I am scattered. Forgotten. However the contradictory feelings of wanting to cherish and abandon my yearning to be with my family leaves me further confused. Do you want my death, or do you want my soul?” She asked after she had repeatedly glanced at him as she spoke, averting her gaze whenever their eyes locked for too long.

Xavior had to take a seat, so he made one, a simple yet comfortable wooden folding chair which he set down on with the backrest facing away from the node. Then he sat down on it and leaned his arms on the backrest as he kept his gaze on her as she spoke. Or at first he did that anyway. By the end of he words he had picked up on her dislike of eye contact and had started looking past her, keeping her in his peripheral vision.

He drummed his fingers on his arm and tried to dissect her words as best he could, and then decided that here and now only the final part mattered “I do not wish for you to die.” he said simply, before going on “I will not force you to live either Monica, it is not my place to do so, but I urge you to cling on. I have seen what death does to those left behind. Have had them beg for me to bring back those whose lives have ended. Wail in anger when they learn I cannot do so. Rage at me for being unable to protect all their lives… call me selfish, but I do not wish to be like them, or at least avoid that anguish for as long as possible”

He knew it would come to that eventually. Mortals were frail, and though the safety of the city he had made had prevented the loss of any close to him, it was only a matter of time. He dreaded that day. But that was, as he said, selfish, and though he had said those things, he did not think it wise nor healthy to use guilt alone to change the goddess’ mind.

“All I can say against it from your perspective is that… Yes, you are suffering, and yes, death will end that. But it will also end everything else. End the chance of things getting better” he said, “The world may seem dark and fruitless to you here and now, and it will end one way or another, most likely after much bloodshed. But that does not mean that there are not things worth living for. That there is no happiness to be found here, even if it is only from simple pleasures.”

Then he stood suddenly, tipping the chair over as he held out a hand to her while saying “Come home with me. We can start again, without fear clouding my judgment. We can walk the gardens together. Discuss our creator’s fall and the nature of the world and the self over a fine meal served with glasses of wine. Enjoy a bath in the hot springs. Wander the markets. Read some books of poetry and philosophy. Pet a goat. Simple things, yes, but I think you should try them before fading away. Those and so much more.”

“At least let me try to show you the little things that make life worth living, that is all I ask”

She closed her eyes as he spoke, silently listening until she heard him rise from his seat. When she slowly opened her eyes, she stared at his hand outstretched, offering acceptance and potential solace. “Being with you brings me pain because we hurt each other... When Benea told me to claim that node long ago, I was so afraid. So scared. I thought I was trapped between the sacred and the profane; as a goddess that lacked the unrelenting spirit, the continual devotion and patience our predecessor demanded of us. I am still sundered, seeking to eternally experience the beauty of life, the miracle that it is, and yet fleeing from it with the promise of one final ultimate sacrifice to atone for my sins. You… are never being selfish for wanting to avoid anguish, Xavior.”

Monica never needed to breathe before, yet she felt herself choking upon everything, struggling to stay sane and awake to see and hear it all. The beauty of Maelite was its profuse suffocating shadows, how it was akin to the awaiting abyssal night that injudiciously swallowed the sinking sky and the lingering lights of the dying stars, blissfully pure and peaceful in its already broken slumbering state. Yet there remained a hesitation to embrace this eternal night, an act of defiance that moved against its allure and instead sought out the memories of a painful past. A proverb: It is always brightest before the night comes, Monica mused to herself as she reluctantly reminisced until she cautiously came closer to Xavior and held his hand. “I will come with you… so that we may clash again, I suppose. I did not intend to leave you immediately, there is still much to discover and I wish to bid farewell to my beloved family before I am finally forgotten and fade away. Even if it is a foolish wish, I think.”

“Then let us be fools” Xavier replied with a sad smile, before he softly drew her back into the light.

Birds chirped, rays of sun filtered through the canopies of solitary trees, and little critters scampered through the overgrowth. There, in the tall grass hugging the narrow dirt paths, hid a group of beastmen.

The group’s leader and recruiter, Bitall, was the one closest to the path. His eyes were closed, with his ursine ears turning and tilting at every single sound, especially the sound of approaching footsteps, footsteps which any beastmen worth his weight in Xas could tell were coming from the soft, leather-sandal covered feet of Silvans.

The group’s tracker Jackal, hidden under a fallen tree just a few paces behind Bitall, took a couple of sniffs at the air and barely managed to bite back a low growl. He tapped Dima the Trainee’s shoulder in a sequence that meant the approaching Silvans carried prey with them and wielded his adze.

Some people were definitely not blessed by the Bronzed Bloom in terms of looks, and Dima was one of them. That was the main reason behind his acceptance of Bitall’s offer of employment, which saw him receive a nice chunk of Xas as well as a set of incredibly well-crafted furs. So that’s how he ended up under the service of the Strongteeth, the two beastmen known for supplying most of New Daman high society with Silvan servants. His job was simple, to whack all armed people over the head and leave the rest to Bitall and Jackal.

The footsteps were right next to them. Something popped on the other side of the dirt path, hidden too by the tall grass, and made the Silvans freeze in their tracks. The women huddled together and shielded the children while the men exchanged looks. Then the sound came again.

“Rrrraaaaargh!” Roared Dima. He jumped out of his spot with a club in each hand and struck one of the men in the back of the head. He huffed and puffed at the other shocked Silvans, eyes narrowing as he saw the women and children back away. The two remaining men leveled their shiny spears at him, and he grunted.

The two men charged. The closest one Dima barely managed to parry, feeling the cold metal tip slice his side as it missed him narrowly. He saw the other man charging at him still, even as he still struggled with the first one, trying to wrestle his spear away, and his heart skipped a few beats.

Until Bitall crashed into the man, a sickening crack echoing through the sparse woods, followed by the sounds of a wild animal feasting and a man screaming.

The sounds distracted Dima’s opponent long enough for him to land a single blow on the man’s neck, sending his crumpling into a heap on the floor.

It was at this point that most of the women and children turned to run, only for the foremost one to set off a tripwire making a massive sickly green net fall on top of them, making them all trip and land over each other. Children cried, women screamed. One of them pulled out a knife and cut a piece of the net and their screams rose to a peak, then fell silent.

Jackal walked out of his hiding spot, whistling. “Whew! These things ain’t even trying no more.” He said as he looked at the dozen or so Silvans caught in his net, a glint in his eye. “And what a catch, huh? We even got some pale ones this time... And look! Golden hair, sheesh!”

“EASY, EASY, EASY!” Bitall’s loud voice came from the tall grass, with him emerging from the grass soon after with a shower of blood dripping from his maw, little bits of flesh stuck in between his teeth being painfully noticeable with the way he was grinning. “Can’t believe it! So easy!”

Dima felt the colour drain a little from his face. He panted, bringing a hand to cover the bleeding gash on his side. Bitall noticed Dima’s wound and patted him on the shoulder. “Good. Good, kid! Don’t you worry, the Strongteeth will take care of that for ya! Now get the collars and ropes, we got a long walk back to camp, and these Silvans ain’t gonna keep themselves in line when they wake up.”

Brey, Back Home
It would now be time for Brey to create what would be his somewhat most powerful creation so far. A Ring. No. The Ring. The Ring Of Archmagi. Brey decided that he needed to weaponize his knowledge. Knowledge is power. So knowledge as a weapon would be powerful indeed. "Ah naal nathrack, uthe bebethutte, doth el envay." Brey cast this spell, a strong spell.
Moments passed, Brey's enchantment infused the metal ring with an unusual energy. This power would allow it's wielder to utilize spells with greater ease and less effort expended.
Brey was not quite a warrior god yet, so he may have been smart to create an amplifier for his magical powers. Perhaps with this new found strength, Brey could protect his people.

Meanwhile, before Brey would have to fight, however, he would respond to the letter he had just received from Xavior. "I am unfortunately unable to respond to your offer for now. I have just returned from a little journey from home and cannot fulfill my obligations in this matter, yet."

Makeshift horns heralded Anak’thas’ approach. Even before he entered the area of Node 14. His army marched all around him. Many in what could be described at best as makeshift weapons. Despite the visual, his army was not lacking in zeal. Many of them were almost eager to retake their former home. Anak stopped at the border with his previous node. Two cypress trees were flanking the never finished Silver Road here. If he stepped between the two trees, he will have brought war to his own people. In his mind he went over all the other things he could’ve done. He could’ve gone further east. He could’ve sent a messenger to Benea. He could’ve simply obeyed Benea when she asked him to come.

And then he stepped onto the stones of the road. A great cheer erupted from the army. The line had already been crossed, Anak’thas realized. It was crossed when Benea decided to cripple him. The choice was out of his hands. With renewed certainty Anak’thas and his army marched on. In the next couple of days bands of self-declared warriors joined from nearby villages. The faith of Anak’thas was still strong here. It was fueled by the tiny miracles brought about by the Silver Faith.

After so many days of marching, Anak’thas crested that final hill and sawn Tanaäth, that beautiful city. Except he was disgusted to see what had become of it. A few shacks were “growing” on the edges of the city. Like tumor up civilization. Without Anak’s orderly guidance it would have never happened of course. He gave a signal and the horn blowers all throughout the army blew their horns again. Announcing the arrival of the army.

---

The afternoon sun was warm and the black material of the node seemed to radiate that warmth and more. Benea stood on top of the flat cylinder of power, letting the heat of the node pulse in through the bottom of her shoes. Her arms were crossed and a pensive look knit her brow as she stared off into the distance. A lot of thoughts fought for control over her consciousness and tugged at her heart.

If she were a military woman, or even a strategist of war and battle, she would have stopped Anak’thas on the road, or ambushed him in Node 15 itself. She would have used the resistance forces that were growing under her name to do something, or even lure him into a trap using the city. But she didn’t plan any of that, she wasn’t a person of war, but what she did plan weighed heavier in her heart than she imagined.

She stood on the node in the afternoon sun, not as alone as she wanted to be. Jermane and one-hundred paladins stood around her location, eager to protect their Queen if not from the enemy than from her own decisions. It pained Benea to know they were there, but she couldn’t stop them. A blue orb of light appeared over her shoulder and she nodded her head in the direction of Anak’thas’ army. The tiny messenger light zipped away, sending one of Benea’s last hopes for dialogue with it. Benea needed to know if it was too late, if she had already failed everybody.

---

“We are taking the city as we speak.” A warrior, one of the more disciplined ones, said. “So far nobody has resisted us. It’s a clean sweep.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Anak’thas grumbled as he looked over the city from the hill. If Benea was there, he would give her the time to get close. Not after what she did with her power. To feel so disconnected from the world was pure horror for Anak’thas and he would do anything to not relive the feeling.

The warrior swallowed deep. “There is… some resistance. Nothing much. Mostly grumblers believing the lie of your madness. They see us coming for the city as a clear sign that Benea is right.”

Anak’thas sat on his chair hunched over. The hearts of man were truly so quick to corrupt. He gave them a place of peace and prosperity, and when someone else disturbs it they are mad with him. After all this he would have to hold a Council on what to do with the traitors… the unbelievers, the heretics. For now though, he had to reclaim the node.

“Continue our advance. Try to not engage a Paladin with less than fifteen people.” Anak’thas ordered. The warrior gave a curt bow and left the god. Of course, some zealous fools would attempt to fight a Paladin for glory. Either personal glory or in the name of their god. Either way he would disapprove it. The search for personal glory leads down a path to an early grave.

His brooding thoughts were interrupted by a mote of light flashing across the air until it reached him. A messenger, from Benea? Anak absorbed the information. She wanted to talk? After the indignation she made him suffer? Never. Still, it confirmed Benea was in the city and Anak’s heart did drop to see it confirmed. He created his own messenger of golden light and imbued it with his own message: He bid her to flee.

When the mote of light streaked across the air towards the city Anak’thas got up. “Everyone into the city. We take back Tanaäth now!”

---

Benea looked down at the golden speck of light. She shook her head and turned to Jermane, who stood at the foot of the node loyally. “Jermane, darling.”

The man looked up at his Queen.

“You and the others need to leave.”

Jermane narrowed his eyes. “You know we will not. We will not allow doom to overtake you or the Crucible.”

Benea closed her eyes. “There is only one way for me to confirm the sickness, and if he has it, then this place will not be safe for you. I will not allow the innocent to be slaughtered.”

“What about yourself?” Jermane argued back. Benea pursed her lips.

“This is one of those instances where I hope I’m wrong, dear,” was all she said in response. Jermane scoffed and looked away from his Queen.

“He clearly has it; he’s killing his own people.”

Jermane’s words sank into Benea and she let out a shaking sigh. “Please leave, Jermane.”

---

“What?” Anak’thas said. The one mote peered at the shaking soldier. He was just a kid but he was the fastest one they could find.

“The paladins.. they are retreating from the node.” The kid said. He was clutching his spear close. “And the goddess… doesn’t seem to be amongst them.”

“It could be a ploy.” One of the more experienced veterans, and Anak’thas’ advisor, said. The Lantern-God was inclined to agree. What game was Benea playing? What ruse was she using? He couldn’t trust her, obviously. Not after she cut him off from the world from the back. After that, why would he ever have any faith in her words?

“Wait until the Paladins left the city.” Anak ordered. “Don’t fight them.” That was more a precaution. The paladins of Benea far outmatched his own troops. Even now he saw the tears and cracks forming in his force. They were far too undisciplined and discordant. He’d solve that once Tanaäth was his again. “Then seal the city. No one enters. No one leaves. Then I will talk to her.”

“You can’t!” One of the veterans exclaimed.

“I have to. She is my sister still. A treasonous snake who locked me in a box and left my realm for carrion perhaps, but she is still a goddess and still my sister. I’ll give her the respect she is due.”

“She might not return it. What if she uses that weapon of hers again on your my lord?” Another zealous veteran asked.

Anak’thas smiled. “Then I know I’ll be in safe hands. For I will be surrounded by my faithful.”

---

Karlene stared at the backs of the paladins. The group had gathered outside the city after the order to withdraw came through. Some blood splattered the bronze armor of a few of her comrades, but in total the fighting had been light compared to what the chaos lands had offered. In her left hand she held the spear of Eleanna, it’s primeval tip caked in the blood of an unfortunate enemy.

The settlement seemed calm at the distance they stood at, but karlene knew that inside the city, zealots of Anak’thas and locals who didn’t take Benea’s offer to flee were fighting to the death. It didn’t sit right.

“Karlene.” Larissa’s voice came from the side and Karlene looked over at the Axe of Benea.

“Hm?”

“Where’s Jermane?”

“Didn’t he withdraw with your group?”

“I thought he withdrew with your group.”

Both warriors blinked and turned to Renault, who was standing there with a soapstone in one hand and his recently used sword in the other. “Hey, I thought he was with Karlene’s group as well.”

A pause. Karlene dragged a hand through her hair. “At least that gives us an excuse to help some of those locals.”

Renault rolled his jaw. “You don’t mean?”

“Well we can’t very well leave him in there,” Larissa hefted her mighty axe from her shoulder. “On me.”

---

A soldier of Anak’thas stood between two buildings. The chokepoint was picked to keep any stragglers from leaving the city or any bold paladins from returning. The man himself stood proud and with zeal in his heart as he looked over the outskirts of the city. Sure, the bodies of some of his comrades littered it where paladins once stood and perhaps his weapon was crude in comparison to the enemies, but he had a god — perhaps the god.

A hand came and grabbed his shoulder, causing him to spin to meet the face of one of his comrades. She stabbed a thumb behind her at a group of soldiers. “We’ve come to reinforce this point.

“I don’t think we are going to need it, to be honest,” The unnamed soldier responded. “The paladins left pretty quickly.”

He smirked, about to say something else when he noticed his comrade’s eyes grow into saucers. Hand shaking, she readied her crude sword and so the original soldier spun to meet her fear. A golden streak cut through the street as soon as he did and before he knew it, the largest woman he ever saw was in front of him and his comrade, the biggest axe imaginable already midway through its swing, a horrible back spike arcing towards him.

It punched through his chest with an eruption of pain, sending him off his feet. His body collided with the comrade who was next to him, the spike impaling her side and sending her into the arc as well.

Larissa swung her axe in a complete circle, taking her two victims with the swing before launching the corpses at the horrified reinforcements. The bodies knocked two over and before the others could react, Renault appeared above them, seemingly shifting into existence, rows of needles and knives in between his fingers. With a quick flick of his wrists, a shower of death rained down.

Seeing the massacre, the final Anak’thasian soldier dropped his weapon and began his retreat. Eleanna’s spear came blasting through the air, slamming into his back and carving through his lung before stabbing into the ground before him. He let out a gurgle and fell to his face. Karlene ran past, ripping the spear free and back into her hands.

The others quickly jogged behind.

They would carve an escape route for their comrade.

---

Benea sat on the edge of the node with her eyes closed. Even still, she could feel Jermane’s stare dig into her.

“Won’t you please leave, dear?”

“You know I won’t. I made an oath.”

“That you did…” Benea sighed. Slowly she cracked her eyes open, and just in time. Filtering through the alleyways of the city was a dark mass. Anak’thas’ army was upon the node site. Benea dropped from her seat and made her way down the steps that lead to the structure until she stood in a small courtyard of sorts. Jermane stood to her right, sword drawn.

The pair stood between the node and those who had come for it, eyes worn with anxiety. Benea stood tall, like a queen despite it all and kept a calm and composed look now that the enemy was staring her in the eye. Jermane, contrasting her, started to shake, his sword hand flicking with adrenaline.

“Stop fretting,” Benea cooled, her voice more compassionate than demanding.

“How can I?” Jermane answered. “When I know who I might lose?”

“And who you might not.” Benea said, her eyes flickering over to a gap in the enemy lines, no doubt where Anak’thas would emerge. “Don’t fret, Jermane.”

There was an eerie tension amongst Anak’thas’ troops. They looked ready to pounce but were held back for now. Like a sea they did part as Anak’thas’ light passed them. Until he reached the edge of the troops. Though he was still a fair distance away from the courtyard.

“She can approach you now, my lord.” Said one of the warriors beside Anak’thas. In the last few days the man – whose name Anak’thas would never know – had become a great advisor. “Wait here. Let her step away from the protection of her paladin. You already came to her. It is time that she comes to you.”

Amongst purely human tensions the man would be right. This was a war between gods, however. “Things are different. I’ll go. If only as proof that I am not the mad god she says I am.”

“She won’t care.” The man said. “Your madness gives her power. It gives her the right to keep this node. Should she admit you are sound of mind she would lose that right.”

“It’s not to her that I must prove myself.” Anak’thas replied as he walked forward. Alone. It was his brothers and sisters that could still be convinced. After Benea’s treason he would never trust her again. Not like before. But she did drag at least Tsunya into this fray. Reports told him that she claimed Node 13. If there was any hope he could regain Telum’Velik without bloodshed he would take it.

“You wished to speak,” Anak’thas said as he stopped approaching. He was still about twenty feet away from Benea and showed no inclination to get closer. In fact, with his hands on his back he was already weaving the zealous faith in him into a trellis that would appear and stop Benea the second she’d take a step closer to him. “So speak.”

"How many nodes have you touched?" Benea asked abruptly.

“Three.” He answered. It was a simple fact, easy to verify. Still, the Lantern-God did dearly hope his sister would not waste his time with inane questions.

Benea's face seemed relieved, "do you know why I am asking?"

“You want to know if it is enough for me.” If it sated his maddened thirst for conquest and land, more likely. Though she would never word it like that.

Shaking her head, Benea said. “I’m asking because a dormant infection lies in the nodes, and I have no reason not to believe your mind is already being altered by it. That’s why I detained you, but your friends took you from me before I could examine you, and now look how you’ve returned.” She gestured behind him.

“You’ve claimed nodes too, have you not?” Anak’thas asked.

“Many have,” Benea pursed her lips. “You would not hear me if I told you why not everyone has become infected but you have.”

“Awfully convenient, isn’t that? I refused your wish once and I turn out to be the only one infected by this mysterious disease. And when I come to you willing to talk you tell me I would refuse to hear your reason. So why did I come here then?” To be blinded and bound again? The trellis weave was ready to be cast. It would take but a moment to cast it around himself instead of before Benea.

“You’re not the only one and certainly not the first,” Benea hissed, a hurt look in her eye. “Don’t be so egotistical to think you are the only one to be shadowed, but you are the first one I think I could have truly helped.” She looked at Jermane for a moment then back at Anak’thas.

“But I was the first one you deigned to put in a box!” Anak’thas shouted. For the first time in his life he shouted.

“I give you a choice, and you can pick either option freely,” Benea recollected herself. “Either you can sit down, call off your army, and return with me to Node 1 without touching this node, or you can slaughter me and take node 14 for yourself and continue on your plans.”

Anak’thas did not move. He did not speak for five whole minutes as his divine mind ruminated the offers. He could take neither, of course, but he wanted to dig deeper. Did she truly believe that he would come with her after she betrayed him? If so then she was at best naïve. And to kill her and take Node 14 would only confirm the accusation she raised against him.

“Neither are options I would take. It hurts me that you believe I would wish to harm you.” Even after everything she did to him. “But you also know that this node, and node 13, are both my lands by duty. I swore their denizens that I would guide them. So knowing that, what will you do now?”

Benea made a face.” Dear, you have no rightful lands and nothing in this Crucible belongs to you except the choices you take. You have two, follow me to node 1, or kill me here and complete your ‘duty’. You won’t be able to take me as a prisoner.”

“I won’t kill you.” Anak’thas formed the trellis of gold in front of him. “My soldiers! Tanaäth is ours! Take the goddess!” His voice boomed across the city and the army charged forward.

Jermane flinched, stepping between the horde and his Queen. Benea didn’t move, however. Her skin started to peel away and her dress began to grow in brightness and then with a woosh of air, she combusted into a white flame, the shadow of her old form hidden under the wreath of divine heat. Her voice came from the ignition. “You can either follow me, or kill me. The decision is yours to make, not for those who believe the poison.”

“Then it is to me capture you.” Anak’thas expanded the trellis weave. Straight lines of gold began to wrap around Benea and Jermane. It was a test, it had to be a test. Those faithful enough stopped as they saw their lord create the weave and began to add their own meager strength to his. A secondary, silver trellis began to form around the golden one in an attempt to seal Benea within.

“I said you have two choices,” The goddess stood inside the trellis. “Whether or not you take it now won’t change the outcome. You’ll find your sickness will consume you in time, and that I myself and all the others being alive is simply in your way. You’ll kill us then, likely starting with me — since the one who cares the most tends to be the closest to your knife.”

The trellis sealing in Benea was complete. The silver one would soon be as well. Despite the perceived victory Anak’thas let out a weary sigh. The conviction by which she believed he was sick was too strong. “You hurt me.” He said. There was only sadness in his voice. “But if you truly believe that I am sick then write damn it. Write everything you know about this sickness. I swear to you, upon my duty as a guide to humanity, I’ll give it due consideration.”

With that said he started walking around the circular prison he and his faithful had made. He had to claim node 14 first.

“It hurts because I’m only telling you the truth. You likely believed this to be a ploy by me, to discredit you and take power. Paranoia feeds into it well, I’ve seen it before. Even now you’re walking past me to collect the node. Nothing I can say will help you right now, but I do sense that you are not completely gone. Not yet, dear.” Benea tapped her staff onto the ground. “If hurting you is telling you the truth, then I will always be there to be the one to do it — that’s my love for the others.”

With that, a great white flash devoured the city.

Benea’s voice came cutting through the nothingness. “Stay in node 14. Do not spread your illness beyond its borders. I will find your cure.”

---

A few hours later and Anak’thas slumped back into a chair that his followers so dutifully put beside him as he was conquering the node. The city, nay the land as a whole, was his again. Though the whole ordeal left him disillusioned. Could his own siblings be trusted anymore? Had Benea gone mad? No sooner did Anak take back the node that the troubles were already flowing in. Some still resisted him and chose to believe Benea and her mad tale. Then there were the worrying reports from the north. Humans but animalistic in form were raiding the villages. There was so much to do. The first thing Anak’thas did though was elevate the minds of his followers.

After that, he called to gather his wisest warriors.

Preparations were being made to mount an expedition. Given the information Monica had relayed, the Northern region appears to have a majority rule. Marching up there alone with an army would put an end to young Grym too quickly. He was selfish, not suicidal. To contend as a player in the game he’d have to play a bit of catch-up. The map told him the South remained mostly unchecked. Some Gods continued pushing deeper into the chaos while others hunkered down to develop their lands. It was uncanny how differently the two regions had developed. Without unity, a surprise attack from the central node would surely grant him a bounty. To do so, he needed an army and the Cradle would provide.

To provide the numbers he needed, it took a few weeks for the Cradle to birth a full force by itself. Grym could have infected mortals to accelerate the process, what few didn’t flee, but he had a point to make. He hadn’t addressed even a single mortal yet, but for the few who stayed he wanted them to understand they weren’t under threat. Even as the number of offspring grew exponentially, they remained explicitly close to the Cradle. Not a single mortal had been harmed. These were the denizens of his realm after all. Grym could be unreasonable and flippant, but ruthless? No; at least, not indiscriminately.

While Grym waited for his army to amass he wanted to introduce himself to the remaining denizens of node 18. Most that remained were either too weak to flee or afraid to take the chance. So few had stayed that they gathered within a single settlement to the southern tip of the node. It was as far away from the Cradle that they could manage without leaving. A group of able-bodied volunteers had opted to defend the vulnerable population. Such defiance in the face of assured destruction, captivated him. Mortals had all the heart and mind of a God, but without their power. Their determination was endearing as well as admirable.

To approach them, he shrouded his rusted plate and rotted flesh with a long overcoat. He also fashioned a pristine helmet with a neckguard. During one of the group’s excursions for food and materials, Grym managed to snag the buck they’d been stalking as a show of good faith during his introduction. He wasn’t received as warmly as he’d hoped, however. A scowling woman heading the group had her expression fixed on the deer, and then Grym as he grew close.

“Who the hell are you? And why did you take our quarry?” The woman, Nea, barked before Grym even began.

“Name’s Grym, lover of melons and fun. I stopped this from fleeing, so you’re welcome.” Grym consoled, seemingly deaf to the point Nea was trying to make.

She furrowed her brow in disbelief, and then disbelief turned to frustration. Nea exhaled slowly through her nose and composed herself enough to speak through gritted teeth.

“He wasn’t going to get away. And if you were going to take the kill anyway, why the hell didn’t you do it before we spent an entire day?!”

Grym audibly clamored in response to the accusation. He hadn’t a good answer. All that came out was, “Y-you knew I was following you?”

A man by the name of Dorian, who’d been lingering toward the back till now, piped up. “Mate, you’re 7 feet tall and clatter like a full kitchen. Of course we heard you. You’ve been eyeing the village for days.”

“Really? But how did you know it was me?” Grym couldn’t recover at this point. Not only had he underestimated these mortals, but his perspective was completely disconnected from theirs.

“Your opinion of mortals must be 'dumb as bricks' if you thought a coat and helm would do the trick.” Nea remarked. “That or you’re simply lame in the brain.” She tacked on, nodding agreeably at her own summation.

He was no match. Playing at benevolent provider really wasn’t his strong suit anyway. A defeated silence consumed the meadow. Grym rid himself of the fabric and tossed aside his helmet, his ego completely deflated. The mortals had bested him, but most importantly had humbled him. He still insisted they take the deer from him, as he had no use for it, and properly introduced himself as a supposed divine. None of them accepted the revelation after such an embarrassing display, though they couldn’t deny that his unfinished body could not human. Warily, Nea agreed to permit his company back to the settlement.

It was here that Grym regained himself slightly and re-entered the interaction in a more transparent manner. Nea, Dorian, and a few other trusted humored Grym’s request for conversation; out of curiosity and desperation.

“These lands and its recent circumstances are results of my actions.” He began earnestly. “I am Grym, of divine nature and influence, but I would not harm or subjugate you. The creatures to the North that you fled are of my creation and it isn’t a coincidence that you’ve gone unbothered.”

The conversation continues with Grym detailing the Cradle and the nature of its offspring. He regales the state of the Crucible, what the appearance of divine beings means for the future, and what his own goals are regarding the Crucible.

“So, what; you intend to kill every other God because you can’t trust them?” Nea inquired. “Why would we trust you, then?”

“I’m not decided yet. I certainly don’t trust any one God to rule the Crucible. I want a world where Gods are not chained to destiny and the world isn't chained to Gods.”
“So why should we trust you?” Dorian insisted.

“You don’t have to, but I’m asking for your help because I need it. I wouldn’t ask without offering something in return. Accompanying the risk you’d take there will be plenty to gain and I will guarantee the safety of your kin.”

The group of 50 or so went quiet, their minds caught in deliberation. Nea requested three days for each of them to decide individually whether to follow him. Grym agreed, returning to the node for the time being to organize his assault force. Peninal and the Hydra had assumed commanding authority in his stead. His army was just about ready to march. The remaining days were spent preparing his horde to march, totaling around a thousand offspring and counting. The Cradle would continue to reproduce in Grym’s absence and would be granted the autonomy to defend itself or advance within reason. Node 13 to the north would probably be the Cradle’s first stop once it could produce a smaller splinter force, but Grym would take the current standing force with him to the Southern region now.

On the dawn of the third day Grym marched his force Southward, with him soaring ahead on Akky to reconvene with the mortals. Roughly 30 of the 50 fittest had elected to join him. Some outright decline while many maintained their commitment to assisting the vulnerable denizens of their village. Nea and Dorian led a group of volunteers to where Grym stood with Akky at the edge of the settlement.

“Glad to see you both.” Grym mused.

“Can’t leave an idiot like you to his own devices.” Nea paused, giving Grym a once-over. “ You are a him, right?”

“We would be fools to sit idly by while the rest of the world moves toward this triggering event. Unfortunately you’re the God we’re stuck with. Don’t disappoint me, ay tin man?” Dorian added.

Grym acknowledged their statements in a rare display of solemn respect. The half-man stepped toward them and had his disciples line up. The ground shook, cracking beneath them, as an aura of fierce fiery light crept up from these fissures.. Blood erupted from their bodies and intertwined with the divine energy to singe their skin, burning permanently into various patterned markings. These innocuous scars were auburn in color, resembling dried blood, and had no contrasting texture compared to ordinary skin. From here on, these men and women were blessed as his faithful. Grym had used the rest of his pooled might to do this and arm them with suitable equipment.

“You are now officially patroned by yours, truly. Those markings recognize you as Warriors of the Blood Oath, as well as the power you’ve been granted. Now, we head South. Just one more detail you should know before we go.”

Grym explained his late arrival to the Crucible left most Gods unaware of his existence. The one God he’d met, Monica, only had relations with Gods in the north. He intended to hide his identity for as long as possible during the campaign, instead taking Monica’s appearance to stir up Southern politics. With a legion of offspring on the horizon, Grym joins them with his faithful to march into node 23. All one could hear was the thumping of marching as the great force made its way into the heart of node 23 essentially unchallenged. This node he knew to be neglected and unattended by the God who claimed it. It was rather similar to node 18, a stabilized land and nothing more than that. Peninal accompanied Grym at the front with the vanguard at the rear, as they approached the node. Claiming it was a formality in this forgotten land, though he had exhausted his divine influence so this was currently as much he could muster. Despite how simple it was to capture a second node, Grym elected to rest some. He’d been pushing himself over the edge just to get to this point so he’d decide his next move cautiously. Not to mention, something had been bothering him about Pops. Grym felt an unusual change from him ever since the reanimation. If the head had been taken for a reason by the other Gods, then it must have some value. It could be that something lies inside Peninal’s body as well, but who knows what?

The crowd watched with bated breath. Those lucky enough to be seated at the front were nearly falling off their benches, and those that had arrived later all held onto the haphazardly constructed railings of the auditorium as if their lives depended on it, leaning out to watch for every slight movement behind the massive curtains that covered the stage.

Out of nowhere, a raspy, deep female voice rang out throughout the auditorium and into all of the spectators’ earpieces.

“WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEBEASTS, TO…”

Drums started to roll. A row of bonfires lit up between the audience and the stage.

“... THE RED LEAF!”

A shockwave swept through the crowd, echoing in their lungs and beating against their hearts.

People cheered. They jumped, they screamed in excitement. Wolfkin howled, their wagging tails swatting away all the smaller kin. Lionkin roared, while Apekin beat their chests or vandalised their immediate areas.

Suddenly, the auditorium had fallen into pure chaos and as quickly as it had happened, everything fell silent as the bronze curtains lifted off the stage, revealing a great gathering of dozens of Chariots of all shapes and sizes and colours. Piloting teams stood on top of their vehicles, with one calling particular attention from the crowd. The foremost chariot, bronzed in colour and sporting a ruthlessly streamlined form, hissed as its cockpit opened and its pilot stood up to smirk at the crowd.

The crowd erupted again. Some hollered, others laughed, and a minority booed… Because there, in the forefront of the whole Red Leaf Race, stood their Goddess dressed in a rather flattering Chariot Jumpsuit.

Eleanna’s smirk turned into a grin, and then she waved at the crowd. From her place, it seemed like the auditorium reached up into the stars and the number of people crammed into every last square metre of the place was unbelievable. She loved the attention, and she loved the way the other racers’ eyes were glued to the back of her head. Jealousy, admiration, hatred, love. At that moment, she was alive!

Soon, the announcer began to speak once more, stepping out onto the stage. It was a rather short Mousekin, who had only inherited her clan’s ears, tail and voracious appetite, and yet her voice was deeper and more powerful than even Eleanna’s.

“BE PREPARED, FOR TODAY WE ARE WITNESSING THE BEST OF THE BEST… THE MOST INTENSE, MOST VIOLENT, CRAZIEST EVER CHARIOT RACE IN THE HISTORY OF THE DAMAN LANDS!”

The crowd’s cheers rose to a peak, and they started throwing rice, corn and sand at the stage.

All the Chariot pilots put on their goggles and jumped into their chariots, cockpits of all kinds sliding and closing.

“SPEED! DANGER! CRASHES! EXPLOSIONS! BLOOD! ALL OF THIS AND MORE ON THE LONGEST, HARSHEST ROUTE THAT WE HAVE EVER DEVISED, RUNNING STRAIGHT FROM HERE, OVER AND UNDER THE DUNES OF THE GREAT DAMAN DESERT, PAST THE SILVAN-RICH LANDS OF THE LAMP, THROUGH THE CHAOTIC LANDS OF AN UNCLAIMED NODE, AND FINISHING AT THE TALLEST PEAK IN THE WORLD – MOUNT SUNYA!”

The crowd went crazy, as fire spewed from the metallic chariots and light and wind came from the wooden ones.

“AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST – HOPE YOU’VE ALL GOT YOUR EYEMEMS WITH YA! ‘CAUSE WE’LL BE BROADCASTING THE WHOLE RACE THROUGH YOUR EARPIECES. YES! YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT, THE WHOLE RACE! SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, AGAIN…”

Eleanna’s chariot trembled, a bright glow enveloping all six of its wheels as white smoke rose from its back two wheels.

“WELCOME TO THE RED LEAF RACE! PILOTS BE READY…”

A cacophony of screaming metal and wood overtook even the cheers of the crowd, all kinds of spiritual energy flooding out of the stage as the pilots poured their beings into their Chariots.

“SET…”

The crowd fell silent, breathlessly.

“GO!” The Announcer shouted, jumping off the stage just in time for the sandstone edifice to shake as dozens of Chariots burst forth, crashing down onto the avenue cutting right through the centre of the auditorium and shooting off into the course.

The last thing Eleanna saw and heard before exiting the Auditorium was the resumed hollering and cheering of the crowd as both children and adults bid the pilots, including her, goodbye.

With a last smirk purely to herself, she switched up the grip on her steering bar and carefully modulated the amount of Soul she was feeding into her Chariot. It was going to be a long, difficult race.

East of the Stormfall an unusual group watched what could be vaguely called a battle. The group was composed of multiple servants carrying baskets on their back and/or holding up parasols of black gilded cloth, a few guards wearing armor of either shiny bronzer or the opaque turquoise orichalcum, all of them wearing dark cloth beneath the metal and wielding lances. Finally, two paper-white skinned women in blue uniform and a young man of olive skin and dark hair decorated with a contrasting platinum diadem. Around them laid the bodies of many wolves, their blood staining the raised lances.

One remained however, locked in a fight away from the others, a fight it could not win, because it had found itself facing the goddess of the dusk. With precision strikes, the goddess had been outright trimming its fur, fully humiliating the beast as it tried to pounce and bite at times, to reposition or retreat at others, but was always outmaneuvered, snapping at the air or finding itself facing the goddess in what was an empty escape route a moment ago. The strikes continued, either taking bits of fur or striking the ground around it, not allowing the beast to rest for a single moment. Finally, it collapsed, patting on the floor with not a whisper of energy left on its body.

At that, Dzallitsunya approached, sat down and patted its head. ”You are a clever and dangerous beast, more so than all of your fallen comrades.” she told the animal. ”I spared your life so that you may serve me. Do you accept this contract? You followed that Wolf King before, and he was weaker than me, no?” she smirked, her words made so that the beast could understand them.

It was not really a choice, the wolf had little option but to stand up, its body healed by the goddess’ touch, and ‘nod’ to the divine. Dzallitsunya smirked and with one more pat, marked the wolf with the symbol of her rulership, to symbolize to whom it now bowed.

---

The group made it to the city of Eunomia by nightfall, some of the warriors had a certain tension in their movement as they had memories of Dzallitsunya’s last visit to a “sunlander” city, this time however, the eyes were not of animosity but of curiosity, at the parasols and odd metal work, at the white hairs and the presence of a goddess.

“If we are to set up an embassy, I would love something by the lake, perhaps into the lake, atop stilts.” the young man with the gilded outfit said.

”We will accept what Xavior can offer. This isn’t Tellum, this city has divine leadership which you will respect.” the goddess warned.

With no one stopping the group’s advances, she found herself walking all the way up to the temple in search of her fellow divine.

She drew looks, of course, but unlike how it was with Monica the people did not recognize this goddess on sight, so she and her delegation merely drew gazes and glances of curiosity, while her newly acquired wolf companion drew a mix of ire, fear and respect for one who could bind one of the beasts that plagued the outskirts of the 12th realm to her will. For the most part however, the city’s residents got on with their lives, working away at trade or domestic labor, or doing business using coins of various metals, all stamped with a bust of Xavior on one side and a national animal on the other, such as Goat, a Velocoraptor or a soaring Tonnikala. They came in various hues and shades, including some unnatural blue and red tinting found on low level demons who were mixed within their masses of mundane mortals, and who used their gifts for everything from heavy labor to vanity to rushing deliveries and messages across the winding streets.

The open gateway through the wall standing before the temple provided little resistance other than a polite nod from a bored looking guard dressed in steel armor, after which they found themselves in the gardens surrounding the city’s sprawling central complex. Finding who they sought within would likely have taken some time required a guide if their target hadn’t been conveniently located in the gardens themselves. Specifically the horned god was in the middle of lunch, sitting casually at one of a number of tables laid out on a veranda overlooking the gardens.

The god was in the midst of consuming a set of bread wraps containing spiced meat and vegetables, served with a small glass of wine, while sitting opposite to his table companion, the angelic Monica. The two seemed to be in the midst of discussing something called the Ume theory, but broke off when Dzallitsunya approached alongside her delegation.

“Dzallitsunya? What an unexpected pleasure,” Xavior greeted her after getting over his surprise of seeing her “I was made aware that someone of interest was coming, but had I known you were coming I would have prepared a reception. Would you care to join us” he asked, before glancing at her entourage and briefly frowning a little at the wolf before asking “or is this a more official visit?”

The dusk goddess was quite surprised by the presence of Monica, her senses and her scouts had been searching far and wide for her, to find her casually sitting in a table was ironically quite shocking. ”Sorry if this is sudden, I was in enough of a rush to not send anyone ahead.” the goddess explained with a smile, bowing and extending her cape to both divinities present.

”I recently met with Benea as she marched her troops east. While talking to her, I realized that it would be best to re-establish contact with you and Monica. After all, our peoples are doing it already, I saw some products from my lands in the markets of your city and my lands have also had access to the uhm… surplus, of your civilization.” she tilted her head to the bronze armor of one of the guards in her party, it bore markings that made it clear it was crafted at this very city. Remembering the request from Benea’s side, the goddess advanced and hugged Xavior very briefly.

The god was again taken by surprise by the hug, but again adapted well enough, giving her a hug back in return, before breaking of and getting back to business “ah, well… ah yes, I believe there was mention of trade occurring in the north in one of the council meetings” he cupped his bearded chin and tapped a cheek a few times before he recalled “ah, of course. The issue with it being considered ‘Smuggling’ by your people and complaints about altercations that had occurred as a result has come up if I recall correctly.” he recalled, leaving out that their response at the time had amounted to ‘stop getting caught’ and instead added diplomatically “We have attempted to discourage the antagonizing of your people in such a manner, but I think finding an official medium for exchange would benefit both civilizations. Though I am sure that discussion can wait for a more official meeting of our peoples rather than at a lunch table“

“Can I offer you and your delegation anything in that regard? Light refreshments at least after your long journey?” he then said, gesturing to a few seats by their table and a few unoccupied ones that sat around them on the veranda.

“I think a few of them would be very pleased with some shade and something to drink.” she turned to her group and simply signaled for them to take seats away from the table of the gods. ”And ah, some good news for once, it's good to see that your proposed solution is the same as mine. I will admit that I have my reservations to the systems of this land, the same way you must have towards mine. Similar inventions appeared in my lands, and I suppressed them in fear of certain issues. And while your land is one of creativity and skilled craftsmen, to the far east I have reports of things being done that fulfilled my fears. Namely, slavery.” she shook her head, noticing how she derailed her point. “Ah, but that is irrelevant. The solution is what matters, and I am sure it will work best for both of us.”

As her group settled to the margins, the goddess found herself a chair in the main table. ”Wish I had brought more food, perhaps some coconut chips or a bit of fire tea to share, oh well, when you are in my palace I will serve you both properly with the riches of the dusklands.” she sighed. ”And should Benea find success in her campaign against Anak’Thas, that should be soon, she seemed eager to have us all together, setting up this alliance properly.”

“Coordination has been a touch haphazard in that regard so far that is for certain” Xavier replied as a server wandered over and gradually worked his way through the group to find out what they all wanted to eat/drink. They hadn’t quite invented the concept of menus yet, but otherwise the setup was very much like that of a restaurant.

“So I look forward to having a proper meeting, and to setting up solid lines of communication. There’s a messenger from Anak’Thas running around the continent trying to deliver a message to Benea, likely unaware that the two are at war, the poor fellow.” he shook his head in sympathy at Finley's ordeal while taking a sip of wine, before expressing that “We really need something faster and more reliable than that”

“I also look forward to enjoying your hospitality. I’ll cover the costs of this of course” he said, that last directed mainly at the server who approached to see if the goddess wanted anything on her own part, “and anything else you might need during your stay. Within reason anyway”

”Indeed. If my scouts were not pinned in Node 13 keeping the order and the law I would have them start poking in the east after the rumors of half people half birds. If civilized, those would be great couriers. This wolf too could be quite helpful but I fear he would just chew on the mail.” she took a deep breath, and then picked up a folded up blanket of a dark textile. ”And since I just mentioned poking around. I have to confess that there is one reason above all why I came here. I am planning an expedition to the extremes of the crucible, namely, Node 34, it's on this crescent shaped island, yes?”

“I am afraid in that regard Monica has already beaten you to the punch, haven’t you sister?” Xavior replied, turning to and addressing the so far silent goddess.

“I have claimed a node upon the southern island, and there are two that remain unclaimed. It was my intention to aid Xavior and Benea by providing them with those two nodes.” Monic replied impassively after awkwardly setting down the wrapped up meat and vegetables she had been nibbling on while the other two deities spoke. “Hmm… have you spoken with Benea prior regarding your planned expedition?” She asked, tilting her head with a hint of curiosity.

Tsunya shook her head. ”Unfortunately no, the idea came a bit after she left.” the goddess had been caught by surprise again, she did consider the possibility of someone being there, probably one of the southern gods, but not a nearby god making such a far journey. ”It's important to me to have that node in specific. Enough to be willing to make a deal for it. Furthermore, with my plan to supply the area, it would be easy to guarantee other nodes for both Benea or Xavior and their people along the coastal provinces.

“I have no qualms with letting you claim the node you desire, and I would even aid you, if you would accept such… but I do not speak for Benea and Xavior. Would you be kind enough to inform us of why it is important for you to claim that particular node?” Monica inquired after a lingering moment of contemplative silence, glancing between Xavior and Tsunya before focusing her attention upon her cup of wine.

”It is the farthest of provinces, as far from the origin point where we first woke up as one can get. I am curious about the boundaries of The Crucible and its shape. Another advantage is that it's quite far, allowing me to experiment with the land as I wish.” The other goddess answered immediately, waiting before continuing as she was being served her first ever cup of sunlander tea by the temple staff, pleasant but with a taste far too soft. ”That you are already there Monica makes it even better, I am not perfectly familiar with Maelite, but Umbrium is such a peculiar material, if a bit volatile.”

“Forgive me for this presumption, but we seem to be kindred spirits; guided by our curiosity, sister. We share similar ambitions, and as I have said before, I would be willing to impart my aid in this endeavor.” Monica murmured meekly, withholding her hesitant gaze and idly playing with her drink now, swirling the contents within the ornate cup. “Even though we are enemies, I remain fond of you…” She said, briefly peering at Dzallitsunya with a forlorn look.

This froze the dusk goddess in place, tilting her head with an almost distant look of utter confusion. ”U… uh? … Huh? Enemies? Huh?” from the background of her last interaction with Monica this was entirely out of nowhere, her mind racing for whatever she had done to deserve such a moniker from Monica.

“I would not worry too much about being declared Monica’s enemy at this hour. The philosophical logic behind it is… complex shall we say, but I can assure you it is not derived from malice or hate, nor has it prevented cooperation so far” Xavior supplied, giving an apologetic smile in acknowledgment of how confusing this state of affairs was.

The goddess turned to Xavior and then to Monica, blinking rapidly a few times. ”Oh. I see?” she turned down to stare at her tea instead.

“Though we have spoken a mere few words to each other, our fates and the destiny of the Crucible brings us all together. We are a forged family, united and divided by the coming calamity, so I must muster all of my love and all of my hatred when we confront each other in the end, even as we confront each other now, I think.” Monica mused aloud, before she resumed eating her meal.

Dzallitsunya stared at Monica again, before simply nodding. Indeed? she sipped her tea, trying to brute force her mind out of all the words she had just heard and their implications, given enough time she looked at the fabric she had bought and turned to Xavior. ”So yes. Uhm. With no objections, I would like to create an expedition on the sea to the island. Something that can carry mortals. I have no good ports in my land yet, nor the people able to craft such a delicate device as an ocean-faring boat, but yours have both, Xavior. In return, I have materials that make sails of extreme quality.”

“I’d be willing to negotiate for my claim for a nominal fee if you are interested. It is only a claim after all” Xavior had to say on the node situation, before turning to the more practical one “As for the exchange of sails for a ship, hmmm, I would have to bring in some experts in on that one to see if it is a fair deal. We are in the midst of experimenting with new ship designs as we speak” Xavior explained, and indeed the goddess had seen half built ships in the docks during her approach to the city “so I expect there will be interest on the mortal side as well for this improvement.”

Xavior took a long drought of his wine to finish it off and then continued by saying “It does not do well to presume, of course, so if we are to speak more of affairs of state, we should move this discussion to the council chambers. Once you are refreshed and ready, that is.”

”That would be fine by me, it seems so much of our discussion needs their presence, I would like to meet them and make my points for a possible deal.” already being refreshed the goddess stood up and signaled for some of her followers, the ones in uniform and a few of those who had baskets of goods.

“To business then” Xavior replied, and stood up to lead the way there, though it was a little more complex than simply traveling to the chambers. Everyone else was, after all, also out on lunch break. Fortunately none had gone too far, and so after only a short wait, Dzallitsunya and her guests were welcomed into the council chambers.

The large and spacious room hosted as its centerpiece a large table off of which documents, including Brey’s disappointing response to their request for magic, were cleared, leaving only their imperfect map of the known world sat at its center, outlining various claims as well as cities, resources, and so on and so forth. Among all of these, two features of the state of the board stood out. The first was that node 18 had a sculpture of some kind of strange mass on it, and the second were stylized models of snarling wolf heads squaring off against numerous human pieces on the western edge of the border between the 12th and 18th realms.

The guests had a bit of time to examine this, along with the other occupations of the chamber, a group of well dressed humans from various walks of life (and interestingly no demons), as Xavior quickly filled them in on what had been discussed so far.

“Well, ships are at a bit of a premium after someone burned all of our timber stores a few weeks ago” Argus, a well muscled man who had been quite furious about that at the time, said once it was they were up to speed “But we’ll take a look at these sails your offering,” he nodded towards a tanned women in sailors garb wearing a wide brimmed hat and a necklace of spinosaurus teeth, who moved to inspect the darklander’s wears, “and I’m sure we can help get you a good pierce in the name of good relations, yeah? It’ll be good to get this whole trade/smuggling situation worked out too after all”

The goddess talked with her own group before becoming distracted with the mass on the representation of node 18 on the map. ”So it's spread out from east to west huh? We will need to address it later.” she commented aloud but to no one in particular while the man wearing the fanciest of clothing in his own group took the special sail and readied himself to make his sale to the sunlanders of Xavier.

”It is good to finally meet the council of this realm. I heard so much of you, typically a trader or another saying they would complain about their expulsion to you. I am sorry for all the troubles caused by me, and indeed, I do hope to regularize the transfer of goods.” the goddess initiated cordially. ”For our commission of both a proper harbor and a ship we would be more than willing to bring wood from our jungles, with surplus. Now, Tallon, would you explain the sail to them?”

The young man nodded, picking up the black cloth and going to the side of his goddess. “So. This sail is made from a type of cotton, a fibrous plant not unlike flax, that grows in the salty plains of the mirror marches. Initially we started collecting and growing it because the color black of its threads was pleasant, however, we soon found out it has many qualities that are desirable.” he spread out the canvas.

“If you ever sailed with wet sails you would notice they are simply more efficient, that is because they are denser, wet sails are however also heavier, which paradoxically slows a vessel. This cloth however, is denser yet also lighter. Flexible and durable.” he picked up a bit of water he had previously requested in the temple and dropped it over the canvas, instead of being absorbed by the cloth as one would expect, the droplet simply traveled down and fell to the floor. “We treated it with a type of wax from our lands which brings out these qualities and also makes the sail impervious to water. Meaning that when it rains or the waves batter the ship they will remain light and dry. Why, our soldiers even use this same cloth in their own uniform, if you noticed the black weave they wear beneath bronze and tzurkortze, of course it's the lighter and unwaxed version, but it should tell something about how much we trust the durability of it.”

The council looked a combination of mildly interested to skeptical at the prospect of being offered this in exchange for a whole ship, all except for the behatted sailor who’s eyes darted to and fro as she thought over the implications of these materials before they lit up at prospect. Seeing as she was the expert in this area on the council, the other’s listened as she spoke quietly to them about her interest, before she asked a few questions of her own.

“Captain Delilah, pleasure to speak with you” the woman quickly introduced herself, before getting to the point “How often does this wax last until it needs to be reapplied? Also do you know if it works on materials other than clothing? Such as, say, wood?”

Tallon smiled at the captain, but had to spend a short but noticeable moment pondering on his answer. “So far in our land it has lasted about, hmm, seven lunar cycles? From the wear down of it I think it can last five to seven more. The dusklands are however quite damp, being a swamp.” he kept his hands back as he observed Delilah and the council. “As for other uses of wax, well, bee-keeping is quite new on our land, we only use it on cloth and candles at the moment, among other minor uses. I do not think we have ever used it on wood, but if normal wax works, then so too would this wax. Why, perhaps we could even bring a few hives of them and…”

He was cut off by one of Dzalli’s people, one of the weirder ones, a girl with paper skin and irises as dark as ink, she had been quiet and still, being easy to forget she was there despite her being the weirdest person in the room. “That is impossible. These are not normal bees. They are Node attuned bees. They produce honey and wax unique to each node. The wax of Node 7 is the one used here. It is dry and malleable. The honey is dream inducing. When the same bees were brought to Node 8 and Node 3 however the characteristics and effects were different. This also limits our supply. But that should not be an issue yet.”

Tallon nodded at the magistrate and then looked back to the council a bit embarrassed. “Well, there it is. But if you want to test the Node 7 wax on wood we could arrange it.”

“The need for reapplication may stymie its use on ships themselves, which I had hoped it might be of use in, but for keeping good dry and very small vessels perhaps it may still be of use” Delilah mused, a touch disappointed that her initial idea was not going to work, while also but still seeing uses for this wax

“They change what they produce based on the node they are around? Now that is interesting. How did you set that up, or was it an unintentional boon?” Xavior, from his seat at the head of the table, asked his fellow divine even as his council murmured to each other about how that fact would inconveniently make them reliant on node 7 should they start making use of this substance. When he added “Or is it simply environment based rather than node based?” that certainly got the council’s attention.

Noticing this was a matter directed at her, Dzallitsunya spoke up, after being lost in observing the map for quite a while. ”Their origin captured my curiosity as well. They just showed up, I built a garden atop the volcano in Node 7 and I noticed the bees there.” she explained with a sincere sense of wonder over the topic. ”And it's definitely node based, wax and honey production is always the same in each node, in 7 for example, be it in the jungle or in arid mesas, they seem to produce the same thing. Furthermore, they like nesting close to the node. It's notable in Node 3, since it's centered so high up a mountain that the air is thin and impossible to breathe. And yet, when put there, they thrived.” Dzalli showed them a piece of fluorescent wax, always emitting a soft low light.

”And if brought to this zone, they would start producing a new, never before seen type of wax and honey, unique to these lands.”

“Fascinating. I’d thought of the nodes as all the same, but this suggests there are some slight differences… I suppose the chaos monsters being different was a hint at that in retrospect. Regardless, I am glad your spontaneous addition was more beneficial than the one I got” his eyes flicked to the wolf before getting back on track “I’m sure it would be interesting to spread them far and wide, even if just to get more data on the differences that occur”

”I share that curiosity, which is why I offer them freely, no paybacks required." she bowed gently, extending her cape.

Tallon soon stepped forward again, eager to have the business back on the table over gift exchanging. "What we would like to propose going forward is to establish a trading zone in the entrance to the river that flows from the northern parts down to here. Somewhere we could establish either a river port to avoid the wolves or a small garrison of our guards to guarantee the safety at the crossing? Trading isn't the way of our people, but we are willing to concede licenses to dusklanders to trade using the local currency in the zone, and also to request goods and services in exchange for said currency we have gathered." He looked at his fellow mortals again, now it was the part he really wanted, a chance to leave the dampness of his homeland. "Furthermore, our goddess would like to set up a communication bridge with this city. An embassy, it seems to be called. Me and a few magistrates would inhabit it and directly send the concerns of the council to the dusklands. We would share maps and display the latest discoveries from our land."

That certainly got the council muttering among themselves about the ideas. The second part did not need much deliberation “We would be more than happy to welcome some of your people’s officials to live in this city. Communication and cooperation can only strengthen both our people” Argus paused there, and there was some more murmuring before the council resolved on the first point “and in that same vein, so too would opening up safe and direct passage between our lands. A port would be most suitable for trade, though a small garrison will still be needed, at least while the settlement grows, to prevent any raids. We can provide our own guards to assist in this task of course. It would be a useful exercise in learning how our peoples fight together, should it come to that.”

”Good. My military capable population is very thin at the moment so any help would be more than welcomed.” and the quality and quantity of equipment also seemed not to match it either, if they were willing to oversee the security it was just one less worry. ”And on the matters of the ocean expedition? Can we establish a price for the ship, perhaps?”

“We’d need to sort out the details with the design specifics you require. If I understand it right, the sheer distance you desire to travel is not something that has been attempted before, so that may take some time,” Delilah said, rolling though the numbers through her head but knowing she would need to sit down with some shipwrights and other captains to really get a handle on what would be needed for this task “However I can assure you that we accept payment for it in the form of your miraculous wax and cloth.”

“And if you would leave the door open for some of our people to join you on this voyage, that would be appreciated as well” Xavior added “you will likely want their expertise in this matter regardless”

“That is for certain, the seas can be harsh, and at most we have clipped around to the 22nd and 6th realms. To go further is a daunting task, particularly as it will be passing by unclaimed lands where no forage can be found. You’ll need a good crew and experienced captain if yer to make it” Delilah informed the landlubbers, while pondering in the back of her mind about if she could pawn off her duties here on someone else in order to captain on that historic journey herself.

”And a good crew would need the help of a god to make it too, no? Ah, and a payment in wax and cloth, sheesh, if I knew I would have kept these heavy baskets of gemstones and silver back home. Oh well, I guess they can be part of the gifts, alone with the lamp oils, fruit and wine” the goddess chuckled gently. ”And absolutely, it would also help the matters of my promise to Xavior since the Node I am to take was originally meant for him. As I said, you have my support in scouting and claiming new lands. So having a person of your trust and capable of taking notes onboard will help.”

”Be noted however that my plan is to make the route to 34 to go south then east, the route back north then west. A full circle around the known world. It will be quite a task. Mastery of the seas will be crucial if we want to maintain the peace in the crucible. Why, just look how we have been cut off from the southern gods by whatever that creature in Node 18 is,”

The mention of (one of) the current crisis plaguing the council landed heavily among them. Thought of grand adventures, profit and friendship were set aside. Now it was time to talk of war and strife.

“The work of a god, Grym, who was born late. I fear it is only the beginning of the chaos he will bring” Xavior said dowry, as some of the papers and files that had been put away were brought back out, which included among them artist impressions of the hive and its spawn.

“Monica has met him” he said, prompting the goddess to speak for the first time in the meeting.

“I have seen and spoken with him… he was a combination of cordial, capricious, and cruel, akin to the sea and sky and their wild temperament. He stated that he will free every node and oust every god from their post, and was kind enough to let me look at the map when I sought to claim another node for myself. I am curious to see what he does, considering his chaotic, ambitious, and supposedly selfish nature.” Monica said softly, before she gave a solemn smile and averted her contemplative gaze.

”Eugh. This does not give much prospect for a more peaceful solution. Not when he himself says he is against all gods.”

“Nor does it when his first act is to defile out creator’s corpse and create these vile… things” Xavior said, gesturing over the drawings of the various offspring of the hive that had been seen by the refugees, with notes about their presumed or observed capabilities “they area threat to all life, and cannot be allowed to spread”

“This is, we should note, why we did not send you reinforcements to secure the 13th realm as Benea requested. We were mustering them, but they have had to be directed south where they have run into some… complications when trying to secure the pass leading to the 18th realm” Council Argus explained. It was a convenient lie. They, like Xavior had dithered on the prospect of openly supporting the takeover, though unlike their god who had his misgivings over Benea’s personality, the council had worried more about how that act would upset their trade routes with the east.

“That said, once we have raised funds for more troops, they will be heading east. We want to station garrisons on both passes to prevent the spread of this abomination, so that would require building on the southern border and support from the population” interjected a more military minded council member, before Argus took back over to add “If you consent, of course”

”My magistrates have warned me early of this issue and I too have been acting on it. Currently, I am trying to empty the farms and villages on the south of the 13th to make it possible to take extreme measures to avoid spread, but they obviously don’t take kindly to a foreigner god asking to burn their lands and salt the earth. This ties my hands on the matter until the situation is solved, but I will try to send both Benea and Anak’Thas some clear image of what is happening so perhaps they will try to avoid spending their people and resources against each other.” the goddess sighed. ”But I do approve of your ideas, and having a lot of safety in my own lands, given enough time I should have a surplus of men and resources to spend in the security against this threat.”

“At least people can be reasoned with” one of the council members murmured, but that was all that was said regarding their own problem of natives on the boarderlands. Instead they focused on what could be done, with Argus saying that “We will take all the help we can get, we’re only going to get through this if we work together”

“I do hope we can find a way for the conflict between Benea and Anak’Thas to be resolved, or at least put on hold so we need not worry about war at our backs when annihilation stands before us, but I do not know how feasible that is?” Xavior said, before asking “You have met Benea more recently than I and are closer to the area of conflict, while we have Benea’s note and hearsay to go on for the most part. Do you have any more insight as to the state of affairs in the north east, and the specifics of the core of the conflict that you might enlighten us with?”

”The issue is that I have never talked with Anak’Thas, so I cannot attest for his character, but Benea seemed very sure he had gone mad with the power of the nodes, that he would try to take all that was available and given the chance seize what was ours. He also refused to cooperate with our group and showed signs of paranoia. That said, Node 13 is not truly hellish, at worst a bit peculiar, with how people are not allowed names and zealotry to Anak is absolute. Benea mentioned them killing their fellow countrymen over their faith in Anak” in her view it was different from what she herself did in her own lands, but even she struggled to explain how. ”Ultimately, what will test Anak is his response to this issue and should Benea not succeed in containing him, his actions upon Node 13 and upon our lands. If he is as dangerous as Benea says, he might want to advance upon the dusklands and this very land. I really do dread this scenario, not because I fear him, I do not, but because I will be forced to be the judge of a situation that has been poorly explained to us both.”

“So no one has his side of the story then it seems. Though at this point I wonder if it’s because it can't get out or if he simply has no interest in telling it. Ultimately it is as you say, we can only go off of his actions and they do not reflect well on him” Xavier had to agree.

“If he does not cease this squabbling war when he learns of the infestation then to the depths with him” Delilah added, which got a round of nods and “hear hear”s from the rest of the council. None of them wanted to be worrying about if war of human vs human was going to spill into the 13th realm when there was a battle for humanity vs annihilation going on.

Dzallitsunya agreed with them, while her own people seemed to miss the seriousness of the situation just yet. ”I will be going back to my lands to set it up for journey, securing it. While there I will also make sure both Benea and Anak'Thas will hear of this situation and relay any answer to you by the embassy. I may potentially even relinquish the 13th back to him if he promises to help and integrate with our group. On the sea journey I will also try to establish contact with the southern gods and see if they too have been struggling with this danger. An attack from both sides would be ideal, more ideal would be to take this situation as a clear example of why we should work together." she smiled. ”So again, on the staff that will come with me on the planned travel, a few diplomats to represent you would be good, Xavior."

“I’m sure we can find some people both interested and suitably talented for the task of accompany you home and setting up our own office in your capital” Xavior agreed without any naysaying from the council, several of whom were weighing up the costs and benefits of sending people or clients of theirs as part of that mission.

As they pondered and chatted Xavior looked around and then said “Well then, I think that’s all of the broad strokes taken care of” before retrieving a quill and ink and concluding “now let’s get into the numbers” a thing that took several more hours, interspersed with a few brakes, as everything from ship prices, to reinforcements, building sites and bartering for Xavior’s node claim was hashed out till all where, more or less, satisfied.

A man was struck in horror. He stared up from the forest floor at a group of bandits. His wife gurgled next to him, her throat still spilling what blood remained in her throat, pushed forward by only the excess air pressure from her dead heart. His knuckles were bloody and dirty, his leg cut open and fear draining his mind. Already, the bandits took all his money. Already, they took all he cared about, and yet they still smiled at him with wicked grins.

Greed had shaped the men holding the swords, greed had turned them into monsters and this man was now paying the price. The forest around him didn’t care, tranquil as it was, with golden green leaves and shoots of sun threading through to a dainty Autumn road. Birds still chirped and squirrels still bickered and yet nothing lifted a finger to save his wife, save his children, to save him.

“But now, the fun is over,” teased the lead bandit, his sword swaying in front of the man’s face. “We’ve spent all we can spend, and you no longer amuse us. You know what happens next?”

Of course he didn’t. His mind was in a state of animalistic horror.

“Blood comes ne- What the hell!”

There was a flash and the forest shook. The birds stopped, the squirrels scattered, and a red stain of gore was piled behind the lead bandit, right where his men used to stand. On the heap stood another man, one neither the victim nor the killer recognized. He stood three heads taller than both of them, and wore the pelt of a wolf king casually over his shoulders, the skull acting as a helmet. An iron sword more fit to brace a wall than cut a man was hefted over his shoulder, muttered red. Below his neck he wore a bronze breastplate, the mark of a chamomile flower on the right shoulder and a calla lily on the left.

Two. Now two men laid on the forest floor, struck in horror. They stared up at the tower of a man.

“Who are-”

The sword came down, splitting the bandit’s head in half with a fruit-like squelch. The swordsman’s voice boomed.

“Run ahead to your god-king and let him know that Frederick the Sword of Benea has cleaned his roads and now approaches with words from the Northern Queendom of Nodes. I humbly request his audience.”

The man squeaked.

Truth be told, compared to the almost endless battle of Node 27/The Ashen Planes the march through the chaos wastes of Node 25 were laughably easy for Vatarr. There had been a small period of discomfort when something tried to get close without his knowledge, but that had resolved itself with a noise that sort of sounded like pouring water on top of a stone that had been resting in the middle of a fire… If stone was a gas and the water in question was ice. Either way, whatever it was disliked the encounter with the mists of Death and ceased trying to bother him.

He had actually been making some pretty good time towards the Node itself when suddenly the world changed. Where once there was a chaotic mess of possibilities and alternative realities competing for dominance and existence all in the same moment, now the world of Node 25 was a stable realm of metal plants and giant trees.

For a moment Vatarr paused, looking around at this new realm and feeling a moment of disappointment that he had been beaten to this prize. But with a small shrug he continued on towards the Node of this now stable land. If it turned out that Brey had decided to come south then the chance to catch up with him would be nice. If it turned out to be a new deity… Well, there was no harm in finding out who it was and having a conversation. Get an idea of how the future was going to unfold and all that.

Yellow moss crumbled to dust before Vatarr and grew thick in his wake. As he neared the node a land constructed tame itched at the presence of the god and the power he wielded. Prickly lizards and colourful birds watched from hovels and branches, in the first moments of their existence transfixed by someone they knew to be other and different. They were not alone in the observation.

Before the node and in Vatarr’s path stood a sapling. A silver tree akin to the others in its substance, but itself different in that it truly did stand on its own two legs. The young tree born anew in the shape of a man faced off against the intruder, a god armed with the power of life and death itself, and managed to only shake a little as it raised its ‘fists’. The tree spared a glance back at the node where, coiled around the monolith, the violet scales of its apparent creator rose and fell in the steady rhythm of sleep. Facing Vatarr again the tree seemed to settle on an idea as it began backing up slowly as it could manage.

For his part, Life and Death had their respective mists turned off as it became clear that the land wasn’t inherently hostile to travelers and Vatarr didn’t wish to make a bad impression. Of course, sooner rather than later he arrived at the Node itself to discover the telepathic snake deity from the original awakening, as well as its relatively tiny guardian.

There was a moment where Vatarr considered just striking down the guardian with the intent of killing the slumbering god, removing them as a threat and claiming their lands for his own but doing so felt… wrong to him. At least not until it was clearly the only option anyway.

Turning his skull head towards the guardian in question, there was a surprisingly polite inquiry as Vatarr asked “Could you kindly wake him up? I would leave him to rest and talk later but I’ve come all this way and I would like something to show for the effort. Even if it is just knowledge.”

At Vatarr’s words the tree froze. As if in panicked thought its head whipped back and forth between its creator and the interloper until it seemed to decide. Without words, for the tree had no mouth with which to speak, the young sapling turned and sprinted back to the node as quickly as its newfound legs would carry it.

When it reached its creator it jumped up onto the vast serpent’s head and, rather uncertainly, began trying to pull open the sleeping gods eyelids. The tree only managed to get hold of one before all six of the serpent’s eyes fluttered open. The god shuddered as it woke and began to shake the little creature off of its head as it extricated itself from the node and rose to regard the being that had woken it from its slumber.

Words reverberated in the minds of all that thought in the forest as, unaware of Vatarr, the serpent god questioned the young sapling, “A... Tree? What are you? I was asleep-”

As if silently warned by the sapling the serpent’s eyes suddenly fixed on Vatarr, and so too did its thoughts, “Ah, you. I have yet to perish, despite appearances. Take your maggots elsewhere.”

“Oh I’m aware you’re not dead. Congratulations on surviving so long by the way. I was actually on my way here when you beat me to the Node so… I decided that now was as good a time as any to have a chat.” Vatarr began, looking at the larger serpent with… well, not a smile on his face because deer skulls can’t really smile, but with a positive tone in his voice all the same.

“What is it you want? If you’re the last deity standing, what does your ideal world look like?” Might as well start with the important question after all.

“I see you’ve still not found your sight,” The serpent’s thought came steeped in contempt, “You witness chaos, peer into the nodes, and ask what I want as if our creator didn’t lay dying in shame and failure when he delivered his lie. What any of us want is irrelevant, worm-king.”

Just a one of the serpent’s eyes glanced down at the sapling that’d woken the deity and a thought as foreign as it was determined echoed in Vatarr’s mind, “What I- What we who see will do, is endure. If I am the last one standing it will be because the rest of you have destroyed each other in ignorance and the callow belief that this world and its nodes will not betray you at the end.

The response that Vatarr offered… likely wasn’t the one that the serpent was expecting. Tilting his head slightly to the side, Vatarr gazed into the eyes of the snake and answered “And? You say that as if any of us are going to live forever.” A small chuckle actually escaped him at the very idea. “Nothing is or can be truly immortal and to pretend otherwise is to invite hardship and disappointment as the lie fails to live up to reality.”

“Of course, as is the nature of the Cycle… who says death is the end?” The deer-headed god teased, seeing if he could peak his counterpart’s interest.

“How very early it is to speak so confidently of nature,” The serpent slithered forwards and curled around a towering ironwood, pulling itself further up to glare down at Vatarr as it spoke, “But perhaps you are right, and all things must end in time whether that be at death or beyond it. If that is so then we are fortunate. For this cycle has run its course, its victims beyond counting or memory, and more than I alone will see to its own ending. If our doom is destined then destiny itself must be broken.”

There was a brief pause… before Vatarr just sighed a little. “Look brother. Myself and Brey… who’s claimed the nodes just south of where Node 18 is… I like to believe that we’re coming to an alliance of mutual understanding since what we want for the world to be can be combined into the same bigger picture. I would like to offer you the chance to join this arrangement and make this alliance a trio rather than a duo.”

“It appears that rather than unite the nodes under your influence, you’re more interested in understanding the nature of the world upon which we have come and the cycle of deities that seem to be a part of it. That’s fine. If anything, I suspect you and Brey will have a lot of fun puzzling out such mysteries together. But war is coming… while I suspect those who traveled north together will likely start fighting each other first before the survivors turn their attention south, but sooner or later they will come and I would prefer all three of us to be united in defending ourselves.”

Taking a few steps, Vatarr moved a few paces from where he had been originally standing as he put his arms behind his back. “Of course, I’m sure you’ve considered the idea of being attacked by some of our kin and have made diplomatic moves towards Brey in much the same way that I did.”

The violent serpent withdrew in kind as it answered slowly, “I asked for a message to be delivered to him, yes.”

“And we do share an interest in peace,” Six eyes met Vatarr’s two and the serpent finally introduced itself as it agreed, “I am Asvarad, and on my name and the safety of my people you have my word that me and mine will brook no interference from the fools that set out north. If you seek more than that... I would require assurances. I will not grant you the power to endanger those under my protection unless I am certain you would not interfere with our work. We won't share our creators fate.”

Vatarr shrugged his shoulders just a little. “A peaceful agreement and a willingness to support either myself or Brey when trouble comes around is more than enough for the time being. I am Vatarr. May this be the start of a beneficial arrangement Asvarad.”

Hm, very well. Asvarad thought back with a tinge of caution.

“One thing,” The serpent god added gravely, “I mean to leave a piece of this world to chaos, and I ask you respect that if we are to be allies. Even ones of convenience. I do not believe it wise to banish what may well be the true nature of this world when we’ve yet to begin understanding it. Do you?”

There was a small shrug. “Considering that there are two nodes further west of here, part of our arrangement would be to leave them in your care to do with as you wish. I will focus my attention elsewhere.”

There was a small clearing of the throat before Vatarr added “With all that said, if there is nothing else that needs to be discussed in the here and now, I will let you get back to your slumber.”

“That will not happen again,” The serpent Asvarad spoke for the first time, his voice a low reverberating growl that served as reminder of the hundred feet of muscle trailing behind. He half turned to the silver sapling that’d watched the two gods meet and thought to it as much as Vatarr, “It seems none of us have time to waste.

Turning from the serpent, there was little fanfare to Vatarr’s departure. They both had things to do and first on that last a couple of days of hiking through a metal forest in order to get back to his own territory. Still, a combination of a non-aggression pact and a vague defensive alliance was nothing to sneeze at.

Anak'thas

Hundreds of people stood in neat rows and columns in the field. Before them stood the hastily erected pavilion, under which the Lantern-God stood. The hour was almost here. The people before him were those chosen from the first round of recruitment. In the past weeks they have proven themselves in faith, body and mind. From the group that did not give up, the first three legions would rise.

With a small nod towards a veteran the ceremony began. Anak’thas stepped forward.

“Second Legion! Present!”

As one whole the center group moved into attention. They wielded large shields painted with the brightest green pigment that could be found. In their other hand they held their long spears, the perfect tool to keep the enemy away.

“Second Legion! Do you swear to defend the Verdant Realms?” Asked Anak’thas. His voice boomed across the field so all could hear it.

“We swear it!” Said the whole of the Second Legion in unison.

“Second Legion! Do you swear to protect the people against the dangers from beyond?”

“We swear it!”

“Second Legion! Do you swear to guard the nodes I have from any and all?”

“We swear it!”

“For your oaths I thank you. In return I grant you unity and a name. Hence forth you will be known as the Emerald Shields. The protectors of the Verdant Realm.” In Anak’thas’ hand a banner appeared. It depicted a gleaming, emerald shield upon a field of golden wheat. The commander of the Second Legion stepped forward and took the banner. As it was taken, a bright light shone from the eyes of the Second Legion, as each soldier’s mind was bound not just to each other, but to the metaphysical concept of the Legion. There was a brief moment of confusion, but the whole legion fell back into line immediately.

Then Anak’thas’ mote-eye fell upon the soldiers to the right of the Emerald Shields. Their number was smaller. One-third of the other two legions, in fact. However, they were vastly better armed and armored. The warriors wore a full set of bronze-scaled armor, and on their arm they carried a shield so well polished that it reflected the sun.

“First Legion! Present!” Barked their commander, and they fell into the same move as the Second Legion had just a moment ago.

“First Legion! Do you swear to protect me?” Asked Anak’thas.

“We swear!”

“First Legion! Do you swear to uphold my reign?”

“We swear!”

“First Legion! Do you swear to be ever faithful?”

“We swear!”

“For your oaths I thank you. In return I grant you unity and a name. Hence forth you will be known as my Chosen. All of you are my right hand.” Another banner appeared in Anak’thas hand. This one showed only a fraction of a rising sun upon a bloody red sky. The commander of the First Legion stepped forward. But Anak’thas spoke before he gave him the banner. “You I name Arakaes. After the man who gave his life to free me. Go forth, and be worthy of such a name.” The commander nodded in understanding, then took the banner. Again bright light shone from the warrior’s eyes, as each warrior was mentally linked to each other and the legion as a whole.

Anak’thas moved towards the last legion. They were less armored than his chosen, but held their spears at the ready, with khopesh swords on their back.

“Third Legion! Present!”

“Third Legion! Do you swear to uphold righteousness?”

“We swear!”

“Do you swear to fight the enemies of your god?”

“We swear!”

“Do you swear to shatter your foe wherever he is?”

“We swear!”

“For your oaths I thank you. In return I grant you unity and a name. Hence forth you will be known as the Dawnblades.” Again a banner appeared. Depicting a raised blade, with behind it the full sun in its glory, upon a field of green. Anak’thas looked at his soldiers. Out of all those who were recruited, the Dawnblades were most at risk for seeking personal glory. Most of them were ready to fight for their god, of course. But Anak’thas could see the lust for war in their eyes. Some men were born cursed to ever only want to fight. The Lantern-God was not blind to this reality. Though the legion’s blessing should help in taming that. The Dawnblades’ commander stepped forward and received the banner. With that act, the warriors of the Third Legion were bound together.

An alpine breeze snaked over a short meadow, mixing the smell of flowers into the air. Olipha shivered and sank deeper into her wooden throne. Only her face was exposed as she pulled her thick cloak tighter around herself, eliciting a laugh from Garravar.

The man sat on the throne to her right, icy blue eyes studying the Queen. Unlike Olipha he wasn’t dressed for the nip of autumn but rather boasted a simple leather vest tied across his broad chest and matching dark trousers. Long silken hair as bright as a daffodil flowed freely from his scalp, occasionally obscuring his view of Olipha.

“Too cold for your liking?”

Olipha couldn’t help but smile back at the man, his grin as infectious as ever. “No, no, I like it! I think this is a great idea.”

“Well I hope so, I only carved every throne with my bare hands you know.” Garravar sat back in his seat. “Besides I thought maybe a little fresh air would help clear any jumbled thoughts we may be having here and there.”

“Oh?” Olipha sat up. “Are you having jumbled thoughts, dear?”

Garravar’s smile shivered for a second before he looked up at the sky. “Well, no. I just thought…”

Olipha shook her head. “It was a wonderful thought, darling. I’m sure all the others will absolutely love it.”

---

Grym sat against the node with a sliver of another prized melon dribbling chunks over himself, in Monica’s form. Cathartic. He grinned to himself. Whether he could taste the succulent nectar of the perfectly ripe wedge, he’d never directly admit. The view of his expanded realm had him pondering loose ends. Bulldozing the shut-in wizard was a given, but what of his realm and what of Peninal? Being alone had forced him to over-extend himself. It was nothing more than luck that the mortals had chosen to follow him. His blessing did not bind them, even if he had made it sound differently.

Grym was less worried about his success than he was about the longevity of his efforts. He had acted on the assumption that the South wasn’t unified in the same way that the North was, but there wasn’t any way for him to know that. What distracted him more than the rest was Peninal. Grym never took dad at his word from the very beginning and the missing head further ingrained this hypothesis. Whatever the reason, Peninal’s form retained unique value even after the “reset.” Without the head, Grym was left to wonder what he had instigated with the revival of Peninal’s flesh.

Even now Peninal lingered next to him while he pondered. His body was a strange mixture of accelerated decay due to a particular antlered god’s meddling, as well as a pus-ridden canvas for the cradle’s infection… but there was something more to it. Squinting with Monica’s (usually tear-saturated) eyes, he couldn’t help but feel like something was different about the body, as if somehow it felt colder to be around.

It was ridiculous to think, the body being dead and all, of course it’s cold, and yet it felt unusually cold. As if on cue, a stiff breeze snuck by, pushing that phantom chill from Peninal and right into Grym; he couldn’t enjoy his melon like this, this was too much. Grym pulled the rind away from his (Monica’s) face and reached out towards Peninal.

A flash of blue ice cut across Peninal’s chest before Gyrm could even tap the cadaver. His fingers retreated in surprise, but in that split second the crack of bones and the rending of flesh sounded, hidden behind a blue flash of light. A sharp pain tugged in Grym’s stomach and when his vision fuzzed back together, Peninal’s body was laying on the ground with a large burn covering half of its form, but more importantly, a large spear of ice was poking out from his gut.

A voice not unlike a winter chill sounded from behind the god as the spear slowly was pulled out of Grym’s body, squirming pain through every inch. “Don’t move just yet, it will hurt more if you do.”

If Grym had a brow to arch in response to the ghosty, yet intimidating, voice he would have. “I don’t really get hurt, but I suppose the sudden chill has hurt my ability to enjoy a certain summer fruit.”

Another tug and the spear was free. Uniquely, there was no indication in Grym’s stomach that it was ever there, except for the aforementioned chill.

“Good.” The voice answered

Grym turned toward a figure of immaculate stature [and good looks] towering over him. He cupped his jaw, clearly aware of a familiarity he should be shaken by. “You’re um, wait don’t tell me, I know this. Ga-... Gandalf, Gary, Gallahad, Ghirhadeli…” The trail of incorrect affixations continued on and on.

“Garravar,” he answered. “And you are Grym, defiler so it seems.” The blonde man turned from the other god and looked outward over the host of cradle infections and blessed mortals. He pinched a chin and slammed the butt of his spear into the ground to lean on. “Which node is this?” He didn’t turn around to look at the node behind him.

“23.” Grym answered thoughtlessly. “You killed Pops, didn’t you? From the old Crucible.” He hesitated. “From the old Crucible..” Grym repeated, shifting his gaze to directly meet Garavar’s. Gears were turning and Grym couldn’t quite fathom it all yet, but an immense sum of expectation welled up in the God’s mind; so much so that there were no words to adequately communicate it.

Garravar on the other hand seemed to regard Grym with a lazy look, as if his thoughts were elsewhere. “Peninal killed himself. Is the eighteenth node still accessible?”

Nothing could be more exciting right now. Everything that plagued or consumed space in Grym’s mind amounted to ash in comparison to the development before him. He was a child in the face of a real life dream. “Node 18 is mine, along with the map; for now. Why?” Gods, he wanted to know why. Every bone and bit of flesh yearned for what Garavar could provide to him. How could he have been so lucky?

Furrowing a brow like the answer was obvious all along, Garravar answered, “I want to consult my map.”

“Wait!” Grym pleaded more than asked. He composed himself enough to formulate an avenue of dialogue. “You must know why I am shocked. There are no words to explain your being, nor my surprise. You’re an obvious anomaly. All I can say is I do not abide by Peninal’s words or his dictation of Crucible law. Please enlighten me. Indulge my ignorance, Garavar.”

The winter god sucked in a breath before looking over Grym, as if acknowledging him for the first time. After a long pause he flicked an empty hand forward. “Why?”

“Because the Crucible is a farce and I wish to break it. Your being is proof it can be done, proof Pops was wrong.” Grym dissolves the illusion of his being for now, presenting his true self to Garavar as a means of transparency; even if his identity had already been deciphered. “I want to know.” Grym insisted.

Garravar shot half a laugh through his nose. “You contradict yourself. If it’s a farce, then what is there to even break. If you want to escape the cycle, however, then the first thing you have to understand is how real the Crucible is.”

“I knew you had a sense of humor,” Grym wagged a playful finger. “I had an idea, but I wasn’t quite sure. Pops lied… or he was wrong, or both. I want more than the struggle, I want it all.” Grym stated plainly, if not vaguely. “I’m eager and impatient, you see. You couldn’t have revived next to a more willing idiot.”

“Peninal was a failure, to put it plainly,” Garravar was already back to being stern. “But he wasn’t much of a liar. Every node must be captured before the triggering event, that much is true and I would like to see my map.”

"What will you do with the map? What do you gain by coming back like this?" Grym felt like he was being dismissed when there were so many questions. Garavar's revival was as fascinating as it was unpredictable and it had drawn doubt in Grym's mind that he hoped to quell. There isn’t a Crucible where he marched on in ignorance, letting the God with the answers walk away; it would drive him mad.

The man dropped the iron look of his visage and the corner of his mouth tugged into the smallest grin. If it was to put Grym at ease, it was doing a terrible job — the smile looked more menacing than inviting. “You want to know everything that I know, don’t you?”

He nodded in earnest, meeting Garavar’s oppressive gaze. From within the void between those two gaping sockets a lively flicker briefly gleamed. His response teetered between bubbling excitement and obsessive curiosity. “What fun is a game if I don’t know how to play it properly?”

“Find a god who already has claimed a node and kill them,” Garravar said as if he was talking of something simple. “After that, I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

“It’s settled then. You aren’t really asking what isn’t already an inevitable result of the Crucible as it stands. You’ll find your map buried in a gargantuan hive near node 18. I’d request you avoid destroying the hive if possible — that would set me back a few weeks.” Grym climbs aboard his steed and whistles to signal his vanguard to ready the offspring. It was time to move. “Where will I be able to find you afterward, G-man?”

Garravar turned away from Grym, his eyes scanning the north. Slowly, little shards of ice began to prick over his skin. “I’ll find you.”

With that, a stiff breeze hit the man, his body shimmering into a cloud of frozen dust.

“What a dangerous fellow.” The God thought aloud before taking to the air toward node 22.

A short horned woman in dark robes that bore the symbol of Xavior’s preisthood peered up at the titan of a man that was Frederick, one armed with a titanic blade and wearing the skull and fur of a Wolf King large as any had ever seen, and nervously adjusted her (freshly minted) spectacles.

“His ah, lordship will see you now” she informed the man, who had been offered refreshments while he sat and waited to be seen on the same veranda where Xavior met Dzallitsunya a few days earlier.

“If you would, ah, follow me please?” she added before turning to go.

With a hand the size of a brick, Frederick grabbed the tiny ornate cup he had been given, the vessel hiding behind his knuckles as he walked behind the steward.

The priest led the man through the halls of the temple, some of which had recently been expanded vertically such that they provided even the giant of a man with ample headroom. They passed by a few of the various scholars, pupils here to learn the new arts, bureaucrats and councilors who managed the state’s affairs, who filtered in and out of corridors. The main group they met, however, was a tide of the day’s supplicants who had come to barter or beg for the resident god’s divine aid, all of them flowing out of the temple and back into the streets of the city, a mix of joy and disappointment on their faces.

All made way for the warrior and his priestly guide.

Once past that river of humanity they reached the chamber they had come from. It was a grand chamber, at the end of which sat an artfully made throne, made of a fine wood and covered in intricate carvings depicting events and achievements of the god and the state, upon a dais. Its owner, clad in fine robes with a purple cloak that covered one arm and which was secured with a golden brooch on the other, was not however found upon the throne at that moment.

Instead he was in the midst of putting the finishing touches to a mechanical arm made from Ambroisen Fibres to a scared caravan guard, while the Merchant who had acquired the fibers at great expense and whose life had been saved by that same guard looked on with nervous energy. As Frederick entered the god stepped back front he warrior, who was flexing the arm experimentally, and then glanced towards the new arrival

“Ah, I see my next appointment is here, so I am afraid this will be all the time I can spare for now” Xavier said to the grateful pair before adding “thank you for the opportunity to try working with this new material. Given her conduct at our genesis, I am amazed and hartnened that Eleanna has turned out to be the kind of person to make something like this. I hope she lives up to the good sign that this is” before the pair bade their farewells and made their way out of the room. The priestess dismissed herself as well, leaving only Xavior and Frederick in the room… for all of a few moments before a titan of a woman with blue skin and who sported grand horns and wings stepped in behind him, carrying with her a table and two chairs.

“Ah excellent, thank you Annie” the god said to her as she set up the seating in the throne room, before saying to Frederick “Thank you for waiting, Frederick. Please. Do take a seat” while gesturing at an appropriately large chair before moving to do so himself in the smaller one opposite him.

Annie, notably, did not leave the room, and instead leaned against one of the walls of the throne room, her arms crossed and her eyes never going far from their guest’s massive blade. Frederick only spared her a quick look before sitting in his assigned seat. The legs of the chair creaked dangerously as he laid his weight into it.

“Thank you for agreeing to see me, your majesty,” Frederick started.

“It is my pleasure. I always have time for someone who has done so much to rid my lands of those blight-some beasts” the god replied, nodding at Frederick’s grizzly trophies, before continuing “especially when he comes bearing word from our dear sister.” The ‘dear’ was a little strained, though the god found he meant it more than he would have in the days after she and he went their separate ways. Absence truly did make the heart grow fonder it seemed.

Frederick shook his head. “My achievements here were less than selfless, but rather a show of force. I am a single paladin, and I alone have done all you heard of. To speak plainly, the paladins wish for official endorsement from you to operate in the 12th node. As it stands, we do collect recruits from this area, but have no official quarters or staff. With the growing turbulence the crucible is hosting and the encroachment of doom, I implore you to consider such a proposal post-haste.”

“That- hmmm. Straight to the point I see” Xavior said, sounding not entirely pleased but getting over his initial reaction relatively quickly as he leaned back in his chair, stroked his beard, and considered the ramifications that would have.

One the one hand, with the threat of the cradle in the south and the wolves growing ever more bold/desperate, they sorely needed professional warriors.

On the other, letting them operate in the 12th realm would all but cement his position as on Benea’s side of the war. Plus did they really want forighn troops camped in and around the city? One man alone was bad enough, but a legion of them? That would rankle both him and the people to say the least.

“I’ll have to put this before the council to get a final stamp of approval, but let’s iron out some of the details for when I bring you’re proposal before them” he explained, fairly convinced that he could get them onboarded with whatever was agreed here, before moving swiftly along to those details “Your martial prowess would be of great help, of that I am certain. However” he paused for a moment to decide how best to phrase his concern before deciding on, simply: “It would be good if you could clarify how you intend to operate in the area.”

“We will use funding from direct donation as well as from logistics from the northern Queendom. Recruitment will be both passive and active, with volunteers joining the ranks of the Paladins to successfully support their local area as well as, ultimately, the crucible as a whole.” Frederick gave his speech as if he had rehearsed it before falling into a different tone. “I am more than willing to prove the effectiveness of the training by besting each and every doubting council member in hand to hand combat. Just show me who you would like me to perform against first.”

Annie shifted slightly at her position on the wall, but Xavior kept a calm face “I’m sure that won’t be necessary” he assured the warrior. Had it been anyone else, the god might have put money on the muscled Argus taking such a challenger by surprise, but Frederick certainly made a strong point in that regard.

“Believe me, I do not doubt the effectiveness of your people’s martial prowess. It is mainly the” he waved a hand vaguely as he said “logistical and political aspects that might prove troublesome”

He tapped his fingers on the side of the table a few times thoughtfully and then decided that avoiding beating around the bush any more would work best with this man when he said “I’ll get right to the point. How willing would you and your organization be to operate under the patronage and guidance of the Eunomian state instead of the Queendom’s, at least when it comes to operating within our borders?”

“Would you like the simple answer or do you wish for an honest explanation, your majesty?” Frederick sat up, somehow making sitting down look more exhausting than standing up. His chair protested.

Even as Annie stirred, the god looked up at the towering human from where he sat and said simply “By all means, be honest with me.”

“While myself and some of the other original paladins haven’t forgotten the time we walked beside you as you claimed node 12, the younger generations and recent recruits only know you as the god who never showed up during the battles in the east. I know you had your reasons, but it cost a lot of lives. Now as the quarantine builds, we are still doing it alone with our Queen, whose life was nearly forfeit. As it stands, the organization will not find you a suitable patron, but hopes that this can change through continued official contact in node 12.” Frederick’s brow dropped. “This is for the good of the original alliance, especially as doom taints the crucible so freely now. I hope you can see from my own words that the paladins as a whole wear our faces on our faces and not under the table. As for political concerns, frankly, we are in good standing with every healthy god in the north — unless you are hinting at a friendship with Anak’thas, of course.”

“Yet it is the people of the 12th realm you will be working among and recruiting from. To them you are an alien force who are known for your proficiency at killing other humans. If you want to operate here you need official endorsement, and to be at least partially integrated with our own military. This… false narrative of my lack of involvement in the north will not sit well with people who as we speak fight and die to keep the land safe from inhuman monstrosities”

Frederick blinked. “Excuse me, your majesty, but first I would like to remind you that you had asked for my honest report on the feelings prevalent among the ranks. Secondly, I would like to remind you that the good people of node 12 have been in constant contact and in healthy trade with the Queendom since the opening of the road of light to merchants and regularly interact with the paladins who escort the traders along the way. Lasty, I would like to report that the Commander of the Pristine Palace has authorized me to mobilize over five-hundred paladins to secure your southern border should you agree to your official endorsement of the recruitment process. The stories of your merchants have met our ears well, sire.”

The god raised an eyebrow and glanced at Annie, who nodded.

“My apologies, I was unaware that you had also begun patrolling the northern road” He admitted

“It’s where I learned the best way to decapitate a being with a hard carapace,” Frederick chimed, which got a grin from the so far stoic Annie, who noted that “I find blunt force is best for cracking those things open, but that’s mighty impressive”

“I’m sure” Xavior said, before sighing and leaning back in his chair “However it is one thing to be protected by forighn soldiers in neutral lands, it is quite another to have them setting up residence around your own home. It is something that needs to be handled delicately. Your reinforcements, for example, would be welcome, because you are sorely needed.”

“but if an unchecked force as strong as yours, funded by forighn powers, sets up camp inside the city or near a town and starts operating mainly in the interests of itself and said power? There is a potential for there being unfortunate parallels to your actions in the north. Justified actions in that case, of course, but still” Xavior explained “I’d like to have some level of influence within your local chapters such that those kinds of fears and concerns need not arise. Influence that will also allow us to better support you in your worthy and welcome endeavor of making the lands safer for all humankind of course.”

Frederick blinked, as if he didn’t quite understand some of Xavior’s words. Shaking his head he added. “As the King of this realm you will be given the responsibility of approving specific locations for our buildings as well as setting the occupancy maximum. In short, you decide where we officially set up and how many Paladins can be present in your realm at a time.”

“Excellent, I knew I could bring you around. Now” Xavier said in a blatantly self declared win before he snapped his fingers and caused a scroll sitting among other documents near his throne to wisk its way over.

It clattered down onto the table and unfurled, revealing itself to be a map even as conjured tokens and playing pieces plonked down onto it to mark out cities, armies and foes.

“Let me give you an outline of where those places will be. First off the simplest of these is here,” he pointed a finger and a figure with a sword held in two hands with the blade planted in the ground appeared in the north at Twilight’s rest, the settlement on the other end of the road that wormed through Monica’s realm “Based on what you said earlier, I take it there is already something of an ad hoc presence in the area. Paladins resting before going home and so on?”

He glanced at Annie, who nodded, and then continued that “we might as well make it official, and add a permanent wing to the local barracks. I should ask if you would be willing to do the same on your side for our local forces, so as to at least make an attempt at integrating them into one patrolling force with an overall commander at each posting? One of yours and one of ours, naturally”

“Sure.” Frederick leaned forward, causing the blade on his back to violently rub against the wooden chair he was in. He plopped an elbow on the table and held his chin. “So you agree with the official endorsement, then?”

“If you keep to the place and numbers we set, as you said, and also agree to keep to our laws, I don’t imagine there will be much trouble getting an endorsement” Xavior said while still ruminating over the map.

“I don’t see why not,” Frederick agreed. “A minimum operational number will have to be devised regarding the troop maximum to prevent the structure from caving in should the number be rolled too low, but I feel that can be hashed out between the logistics corps and your own.”

“I’m sure I’m sure. Speaking of which, how centralized is your structure? I ask primarily to know how feasible it would be to have you set up an emissary that could properly facilitate relations between our government and your order” Xavior asked while setting down another paladin piece

“Easily done. Benea had the wisdom of creating a precursor to a proper embassy structure after her last visit with Queen Dzallitsunya. I can relay your desire to the Pristine Palace.”

“A touch roundabout… we would welcome representatives from the queendom itself of course, but will you have a… regional commander, say, who could send representatives, or have an office in the capital?” another piece went down

Frederick perked up. “Oh! Yes, I misunderstood your question. A regional commander will be introduced to the area to oversee and represent the Paladins of Node 12 in all matters. Of course this means you will have a direct connection to the infrastructure whenever you need it.”

“Good good. We can get them something down by the lakeside, perhaps, maybe make something of a diplomatic district” Xavior said as he popped down the final paladin. Joining the one in the north were two at the passes leading into node 18, one by Stone Lake and a final bastion on the far side of Lake Bulwark, close to but not in the capital city.

“There we go. We’ll need to bring this before the council, of course, and there's the issues of numbers, local funding, military collaboration and so on and so forth to hash out, but I think this will make for a good basis for the proposal” Xavier said, while Annie noted that each and every paladin garrison was in a place it could be checked by local forces in terms of influence. “If you agree?”

“Looks good to me.”.

“Marvelous,” Xavier said, dismissing the tokens and picking up the map as he stood “then let's get this all sorted out and onto paper then, shall we? I’ll set up a council meeting as soon as I can, and then you or a messenger can be on their way with a formal invitation to the Paladins… within the day let’s say?”

Frederick stood up as well, casting his shadow over both the table and the god. “It shall be done, your majesty.”

“Good good. Annie will show you somewhere to wait for the meeting” The god replied, and then with a “I’ll see you there” he made his way out of the room while the demoness stepped forwards, casting her own shadow over the human and table. She grinned a fang filled grin and then asked “So, want to show me how you decapitate a being with a hard carapace?”

Vatarr: Preparing for War.

With the various tribes and peoples of the Ashen Planes and Fungal Marshes uniting under the leadership of a pregnant Oxana, both due to her status as the first of their people to unlock the full knowledge of the copper bound guide to life and death alongside her status as the chosen mother of the deity Vatarr, news could travel a lot quicker then it could during earlier days. So when Vatarr had returned to his realm, the messengers found him quickly. They didn't find him in order since some discovered him faster then others (some were simply faster and better at traversing the land then their peers as well), but after a while a picture of events started to form that could be deciphered.

The start with, some kind of hive came into existence in Node 18 that created monsters. The hydra, that had since the dawn of the world been there to protect Node 18, had been corrupted by whatever was at the heart of this hive. A great many humans from Node 18 had fled from the region into neighboring areas as quickly as possible, with some arriving at the Fungal Marshes or pushing on to the Ashen Planes. Recently, this army of monsters had invaded the realm of Node 23, causing the humans of that region to flee as well. The newly united people were preparing weapons and armor on an unheard of scale and were fortifying the border with possible plans to invade Node 23. Messengers were being sent to Brey and his people to look into the situation there... possibly even to the realm to the west as well, since there were people in that direction as well.

To say that the situation had quickly developed would have been an understatement, but even as this information filtered in Vatarr kept his head level. Oxana was not asking him for his direct intervention: This was as much a challenge for the leadership of herself and their child as anything else. Her concerns as far as Vatarr were concerned was the possible involvement of another deity. From his own point of view, this was a valid concern to have; A hive that spits out an army of corrupt creatures generally doesn't come out of nowhere after all.

So Vatarr left a message that he was going to secure a safe place for those who weren't interested in fighting the coming conflict before he started to run.

---

In the early days, when Vatarr had originally sort out Node 26, he had crossed the chaos wastes at a jog. The battle for Node 27 had been a slug-fest, slowing his progress down considerably but never fully stopping him. Even the failed attempt at Node 25 had been at a relatively reasonable pace for a deity. This was the first time that Vatarr had felt the need to push himself to the limit. The Fungal Marshes came and went, the Ashen Planes passed by soon after... until at last he crossed over into the chaos region of Node 30.

Of all the chaotic waste regions he had witnessed so far, Vatarr had to admit that Node 30 was a devious bastard of a landscape in the fact that it looked stable. In fact it almost looked like a deity had come through and made it an idealistic, subtropical paradise complete with bountiful plant-life and a coastline so beautiful as to be utterly captivating... If strangely devoid of life. The trick was that it didn't stay like this. Simply at random the land shifted from its near ideal form for a grand total of four and a half seconds before returning to its subtropical self.

While this didn't sound that bad, so far these little 'shifts' in reality had resulted in Vatarr wading through knee deep magma, so deep underwater that he actually got a bit of a headache from the pressure and being blasted by sub-arctic winds blowing so harshly that even with only four and a half seconds of being exposed, a mortal would likely be in a lot of trouble. During the journey, Vatarr couldn't help but ponder the nature of the chaos around the nodes before stability set in... and why some of it seemed to process a malevolent will.

Regardless, Vatarr arrived at the Node, gave it that stabilizing tap so that it would remain a subtropical realm that could now be expected to support life and started north-west to Node 28

---

Node 28 was, by and large, uninteresting.

It was just the standard flavor of chaos compered to the interestingly cunning chaos of Node 30, complete with an unremarkably remarkable two headed giant zebra that surged with lightning and unleashed torrents of lightning bolts. It died within the opening strike of Life and Death and so Vatarr had continued onward in relative peace.

Reaching the node, he took a little more time in deciding what form this realm should take. The results however, spoke for themselves.

While the Ash Planes had some volcanic activity, this realm was nothing but rock, ash, poisonous gas and molten fire. What few rocky paths that were relatively safe to walk upon often found themselves so close to the lava streams that the heat alone would cook a mortal... provided that the stream didn't wash over the rocks at some point. The air itself was a mixture of poisonous fumes belched froth from the deep places of the earth. This was not a place for life... and yet, life existed anyway.

In rare pockets where the fire couldn't reach could be found a variety of stubborn, ugly and almost certainly poisonous plants with their roots embedded deeply in the dirt and rock. Creatures made of stone and crystal could also be seen scampering around, clearly unbothered by the heat if not actively wading through shallow pools or steams of lava as they went about their existence.

A hostile land... and a barrier to all but the most specialized of creatures from passing through. The Fungal Marshes would not need to worry about their defenses being flanked if the deity being this tide of monstrous creatures tried to claim this region as their own.

Xavior appreciated the time between meetings and other business even more these days. You had to, in his opinion, enjoy the little moments in life when you got them.

For instance, he was spending some time with Monica today. Specifically, he and she were up on the roof of the temple in a lovely little overservation room from which you could watch the sky and the city go by. Down below the city hustle and bustle, and in the garden people strolled, studied, tended to the plants or practiced bug decapitation together, while above the flocks of Tonnikala swam through the ocean of air. It was a common sight to the people of the 12th realm, but sometimes you just had to stop, look up, and be awed by the absurd beings.

Little swooping minnows flead their horse sized kin while indifferent to it all the titanic sky whales lazily drifted, filter feeding the skies.

Deck chairs were set up in the observation room with the specific intent to tilt the sitter’s view up so they could take it all in while they relaxed and let the stress of the day wash away.

“Ah, now this, this is one of those little things that makes it all worth it” Xavior, clad in light garb and wearing a pair of darkly tinted spectacles, sighed as he leaned back and sipped on a drink made from lemons, dates and blue fruit (which tasted incredibly sweet on its own but made for a nice mixer), within which some ice he had made floated, “don’t you agree sister”

“I am afraid I cannot ascertain the value of such… that way of thinking does not come easily to me. However this sight brings me both joy and sorrow. Hmm… It is a world that is beautiful and grotesque in every aspect.” Monica replied from where she was seated upon a large plush cushion, letting her wings extend and embrace the warmth emitted from the bright sun while she sipped from an ornate cup filled with another mixture of fruits and sweeteners. She held out a hand and summoned a set of scales with various weights for measuring. “Worth it…” She softly repeated, staring at the implement with an impassive gaze.

“Xavior darling, you wouldn’t believe what your steward just said to me,” Benea crowed as she walked into the observatory, her staff fizzling with kickback. Jermane followed quickly behind her, his hands still over his eyes and shaking his head clear of incessant ear-ringing. “Something about needing to tell you before she could admit me, can you believe it? …Dear?” Benea let go of her staff (Jermane catching it before it fell to the floor) and put her hands on her hips.

The god was covering his nose, having most certainly not had any incident involving surprise and fluid spraying from said nose. “Benea. What an unexpected surprise” he managed, noting to himself that he really should invent some kind of long range god detection system at this point “and I assure you she was only following…” the god, having now recovered from his shock, glanced first at the fizzling staff and then at the half dazzled paladin and asked “what did you do to her?” with a mix of exasperation and concern.

Benea opened her mouth to explain but her eyes fell on Monica so instead only a small squeak escaped. “Monica!?”

Monica arose from her seat and faced Benea with a demure smile. “Benea… it has been a long time, beloved sister.” She murmured while she averted her gaze and held herself as anxiety kept her still. The beating of her heart thundered in her chest, and she repeatedly glanced at the other goddess with melancholic longing shimmering in her silver eyes, her mouth occasionally moving as if to speak but nothing except for further silence left her lips.

A certain look overtook Benea’s face, curling a sudden smile and with one swift movement she held out her arms wide and demanded. “Come here.”

Monica momentarily contemplated the words before approaching with hesitation, stepping within reach of her sister and struggling to enact the embrace herself. Without warning, Benea’s arms closed in on Monica, pulling her right into Benea. The Calla Lily Goddess at first gave Monica a gentle squeeze. “I’ve missed you so much, dear.”

“I have yearned to see you again as well.” Monica mumbled, her quiet voice almost lost in the fabric Benea’s dress as she spoke still enveloped in the hug. Her arms tenderly wrapped around Benea as well, and all of the time they had been apart wherein fear plagued her mind with endless macabre thoughts seemed akin to a distant dream.

Benea’s embrace tightened and Monica could hear her clenching her jaw just a little as she further engulfed the winged goddess. “Um, Monica dear, why didn’t you respond to my little messages?” Her arms flexed. “I was very worried about you, darling.”

“I have only recently received your messages… and I have yet to finish composing my response… Hmm… it seems strange to continue writing to you now that you are here. I apologize. I did not intend to cause you concern.” Monica explained, muffled and barely audible by Benea’s chest. Her white wings folded and covered Benea as well separating them from the rest of the world with a curtain of pristine feathers.

Flexing even more and slightly lifting Monica off the ground, Benea continued, “next time, darling, please just tell me you’re alive immediately.” With a huff, she clapped Monica back onto the floor and pulled her at arms length to look past her and at Xavior.

“And what was your excuse, sweet Xavior?”

“My messengers can never catch up with you” Xavior said, from where he was standing at the doorway next to the bespectacled steward who was still blinking the light out of her eyes, before insisting that “Now apologize for blinding Lissandra, because that was entirely uncalled for”

“Oh no no!” Benea pulled Monica back in as if she were some sort of doll and started to pat the top of her head idly. “I will not apologize, and don’t you be changing the subject so quickly. I have only just reunited with my little sister as well as yourself, I will not let it be soured by Cassandra.”

“By a who?” Xavior asked, this going over his head before he pointed out that “If you did not want to sour the mood you could have done without attacking someone for doing their job”

“No one was hurt, darling, I don’t think you can very well call it attacking — oh fine very well but just this once.” Benea let go of Monica and walked over to the recovering Lissandra, turning her head to look at Xavior. “And only because I’m in such a good mood.”

She put her fingers under Lissandra’s chin. “Cassandra dear, please look up at me.”

“Oh, no its fine um… wait that’s not my na-”

“Cassandra really, you already have Xavior in a fuss we misewell get this over with,” Benea’s voice was thin on patience.

The poor steward just swallowed and then accepted her fate. And her new name. Benea leaned down so the pair were eye to eye as she said. “I’m sorry, dear.” A whisper following. “But I do hope you’ve learned your lesson.” And with that, the smudge and blindness was taken from Lissandra’s eyes.

“All better!” Benea announced with a wide smile. “Isn’t that wonderful, Xavior dear?”

Xavior frowned at the speed at which Cassandra swiftly exited with a “yes ma’am, thank you ma’am” but with no mortal remaining to clear things up there was little but his suspicions to go on when it came to accusations.

So he sighed and said “Thank you for apologizing. Shall we start again?”

“Yes, of course.” Benea smiled and held out her arms. “You come here as well, dear.”

The god looked a little put off for a moment, then accepted his fate as well, stepping in to give Benea her mandatory hug. Benea gave Xavior a squeeze. “I did miss you as well, Xavior, especially these last few weeks. I hope you got notified about the node I shared with you as promised? See? I will never forget a promise, especially not to someone I hold so dear.”

The hug had yet to end.

“Yes? I have already put it to use in advancing technology once more… something, along with linking up with Monica, that took president over returning the gesture, which is why it took quite a while to occur” Xavior replied, getting very uncomfortable very quickly in the non-ending hug.
From Xavior’s position, all he could see was Benea’s growing smile. “Oh don’t worry about that dear. I’m alive and here, and that’s what counts.” Finally she let go. “Though there are some serious matters at hand, is there not?”

“Yes…” Xavior said as he stepped back, out of hugging range, before coughing and trying to regain a professional demeanor and asked “are you about to add more to the pile?” referencing a littoral pile of all the things currently going wrong that existed in his office.

Benea cocked her head back and forth as if jumbling a thought. “I know you recently spoke with sweet Tsunya so you likely already have a pile or two about the Anak’thas situation, but I’m afraid it is worse than I initially theorized.”

“Worse than war?” Xavior asked simply “or has it entered some kind of new level of tragedy?”

“At first I assumed he was simply mad, but from our last encounter I realize he has been diseased by the nodes. He isn’t completely gone, he refused to kill me — but I don’t know how to bring him back yet so I ordered his quarantine to node 14… but now I don’t know what to do.”

“Diseased?” Xavior asked, tilting his head and furrowing his brow thoughtfully.

“Yes,” for once, Benea seemed unsure of herself, and her eyes flickered to the chairs. “Perhaps we can all have a seat and discuss it, darling?”

“Oh of course of course,” Xaviro replied, a touch embarrassed to have not been the perfect host, before he led them over to one of the more standard sets of tables and chairs set up in the rooftop space. He waved a hand and the chairs pulled themselves out from under the table for their guests.

“Can I get you anything to drink? Tea, juice, wine, or so on?” he asked Benea even as he went to collect his own half finished one and set it on the table.

Benea sat down and looked up at Xavior curiously. “What kind of juice do you have?” Looking past the god she spotted Monica still standing where Benea had released her. “Monica dear, please come sit with us.”

“If you like” Xavier added for her as he wandered over to what was basically a bar and found a bowl of fruits left up here for juice making purposes “As for juice there’s some apples, dates, a coconut, grapes, blue and raspberries an… eggplant for some reason… oh and there’s a lemon or two left as well. I’m having those and some dates myself.” he explained after going over the fruits, all while preparing a glass with some divinely chilled water with added ice, into which he was already squeezing one of the bluefruits as a base for the drink. Benea waved a hand as if saying ‘yes yes, that’ll do fine.’

Rather than seat herself at one of the chairs, Monica conjured another large cushion beside the table upon which she perched herself and continued enjoying her prior cup of juice while watching her two companions with a contemplative gaze. Benea gave the young goddess a pitying smile (in contrast to Xavior’s warm one) and tapped her hand before continuing.

“You see,” she started as she took a cup from Xavior (the other god finding a seat shortly after). “I believe Anak’thas may be infected with a disease that hides in the nodes.”

“Hides in the nodes?”

“Yes, remember when we all first met I mentioned the need for a strong will? I’m concerned that Anak’thas has been interacting with the nodes too freely and didn’t have a strong enough will, allowing the infection to seep into him. It’s contagious, too.” Benea started rambling, a worried look in her eyes. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it corrupts the god, takes them away from peace or even contentment. They want more, they need more, and anything that gets in their way is forfeit. Interacting with such a diseased god will only shift your own emotions, potentially spiraling you down your own destruction. Everything was perfectly in line, it only took one crack to shift the balance and — damnit.”

Benea sat back in her chair, her look of paranoia turned to one of frustration. “Damn it all.” It was unusual for her to be so expressive, even Jermane stared on with bewilderment.

“I…” Xavior was equally shocked by this sudden breakdown “We can work through this, I’m sure” he tried, before asking “could you clarify how you know this is a… on the diseased nature of this issue. Who else has been infected by it, how does it transmit? Anything and everything you can tell us would help”

Benea held out a palm and from it five orbs spun out, each of them a bright cyan. Slowly they all began to spin in the same direction, orbiting over her palm in a perfect circle. “So long as they all go the same way, the circle will remain — but if one gets an inkling of something different…” One of the balls stopped, causing all the other balls to crash into it. “It disrupts the original design. It’s no longer orderly. One becoming diseased can interrupt a healthy individual. The Crucible will look for these cracks and the more we are exposed to these cracks, the more our own will form. If no one is without doubts, without worries, without greed and without regrets and the like by time the triggering event unfolds, then who is to say what our will shall manifest as. It is a disease, dear. It should be cured before the other gods begin to break the orderly way. We all have to move in the same direction.”

Xavior furrowed his brow, fingers tapping on the table as he considered this, not liking some of the vagueness found within it. “Then we should, perhaps, define exactly what the orderly way is with specifics rather than.. Inclination,” he eventually suggested, “Order requires rules. Laws. Structure. If we cement those in writing instead of them being a more nebulous idea, then we have a solid foundation from which it will be harder to be swayed by this… infectious idea that has caused Anak'thas to strife with you.”

“No,” Benea frowned, clearly frustrated. “That’s not how it’s supposed to work.” Not even a dear or darling. She stood up and let out a puff of air. “I think I might be… stressed, Xavior. Perhaps I should retire for now.”

As she looked down at the god, a flake of snow landed on the tip of her nose. Slowly her eyes looked up, the sky empty of Tonnikala. Benea froze.

“Then how is it supposed too-” Xavior began to retort frustratedly, only to stop at the sight of Benea’s sudden panicked face. Looking up after her, he saw through the empty sky. Small brushes of snow were falling and above even where a cloud would be, in the distance, hovered a figure silhouette by the sun.

“Motion in a singular direction does not equate to necessity in this scenario…” Monica murmured to herself as she adjusted her position as well, adopting a serene stance as she gazed skyward and tilted her head with curiosity. “A familiar face in an unexpected place has graced us, it seems.” She said with a hint of bemusement in her quiet voice.

The god stood just as quickly when he saw what she was looking at, and then took off his sunglasses to try and see the figure more clearly, before shouting up to the distant figure “Who are you!”

The figure was too far away, too far away to be heard and too far wreathed in the shadow of the sun to be seen, but even still, Benea’s eyes were like saucers and the others could feel a sharp smile beaming down from the distance. Straining, a laugh could almost be heard in the wind and then all at once, the figure disappeared.

The snow stopped.

“I need to go lay down,” Benea murmured.

“Only 20 paces left in the first stage of this year’s Red Leaf Race! Against all expectations, the Bronzed Bloom Eleanna herself is still in the lead! She’s heading straight for the finish line at the Southern Temple in her Chariot, Bronze Spear!” The announcer’s excited voice came through Rac’s earpiece.

He grunted as he swerved, barely evading a rock in the middle of the sandy road. Tall dunes stretched as far as the eye could see on either side of the road, with the only evidence of other Chariot Pilots being nearby being that of the massive cloud of sand that had been kicked up by their wheels and the constant roar permeating the air.

“Right on the Bronzed Bloom’s tail is last year’s Red Leaf champion, The Wolves’ MASTEKEN, riding his world-famous Fang; who’s in turn being followed by The Lampseekers’ Mysterious Silvan Star riding their prototype Chariot Anak’s Thas! Finally, we’ve got The Daman Lands’ most despicable, most hateable, most handsome villain, the Strongteeth’s Bitall catching up to the Silvan Star, riding his aptly-named Bone-Grinder.”

Rac’s heart skipped a beat as he saw a set of huge shadows emerge from the sandcloud. “Fuck!” He shouted, swerving and evading the falling and tumbling Chariot pieces, all coloured either black or red with white smoke trailing from them.

“WOW! The second group’s lead, The Toothfixers’ Dr. Smiles, has just gone up in pieces! Was it a rock that did him in? A fault in his Chariot? Or perhaps… A pothole?!”

Rac furrowed his brow, sweat trailing down every wrinkle and dripping down his chin. In the distance, he heard the roars of what undoubtedly was…

“No! It’s the First Stage’s Surprise Element, none less than The Ruler of the Sands, the Eater of Pilgrims, the Desert Sun himself, The Bronzed Maw!”

Rac gulped and evaded yet another Chariot that flew through the sandcloud. This one was unmistakable. The blue and white colours of MASTEKEN’s Chariot trailed through the air and crashed down unceremoniously onto the sandstone road behind Rac. One of the Chariots following Rac had one of the bigger pieces fall on top of it, sending it swerving right into a sand dune.

He could feel his body running dry, but he was so close!

He grit his teeth and reached for the Soul-Burner limiter, pulling it so hard that the whole cockpit shook. He blackout out for a split moment, and the next thing he knew was that he had emerged from the sandcloud and could see the tails of the three leading Chariots, Bronze Spear, Anak’s Thas and Bone-Grinder. In the middle of the three Chariots was a massive, ape-like Werebeast with a golden coat of hair and horns covered in countless scratches and chips. It was the Bronzed Maw, and it was chasing the Chariots.

“The Shrubs’ Rac the Righteous, riding his Second-hand Jermannic Shield, has just caught up to the leading group after an impressive Soul-burn! Will he be okay?!”

Something shot out of Bronze Spear’s top and at the Bronzed Maw. It roared as blood sprayed everywhere, coating the Chariots.

“It has begun! Bronzed Bloom has fired the first shot of her wrist-mounted ballista, and at the Maw no less! It’s only a matter of time before-”

A gigantic arc of lightning came down from the heavens right onto the Silvan Star, and redirected immediately at the Maw, who caught the lightning with his horns and threw it at Bitall’s Bone-Grinder.

As the thunder and the shockwave reached Rac, he saw Bitall fall behind with a singed coat, banging on his steering bar.

As he was distracted another wail came from the Maw followed by a spray of blood that reached even him at the back, covering half of his cockpit screen.

“And yet another bolt from the Bronzed Bloom herself!”

Suddenly, the Maw turned around and jumped at Rac, its roar cracking his screen.

He fed his Soul-burner as much of his soul as it would take, feeling himself being pushed back into his seat as the Chariot shot forward. As he passed below the airborne Maw, its sharp toenails tore off his Chariot’s roof and cockpit dome. The wind struck him so hard he nearly lost consciousness, but he managed to keep awake even with blood flowing freely from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

With Rac out of the range of the Maw, the beast decided to focus on attacking the pilots further back in the race, leaving the three leading chariots to their own devices.

It was too late for self control, Rac thought, it was do or die. So he kept burning his soul and shot past the smoking Silvan Star and right up to the Bronzed Bloom’s side, exchanging a bloodied gaze with the Goddess sitting in her cockpit, who was bleeding just as much as him. She scoffed at him and aimed her ballista at him, only for him to bump into her Chariot and force her to miss her shot.

“You’ll have to listen to my request now, Bronzed Bloom!” Shouted Rac, with Eleanna grimacing and coughing up blood. Rac grinned madly as his eyes set on the finish line coming into view just as the Southern Temple came into view atop one of the dunes.

“AND… THE FIRST TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE, AND THE FIRST TO BE GRANTED THE RIGHT TO DEMAND ANYTHING FROM THE BRONZED BLOOM HERSELF IS RAC THE RIGHTEOUS, THE PALADIN SPONSORED BY THE SHRUBS!”