December | Lexus Dominiel
Written in collaboration with @Stern Algorithm
"It is well that the beast of destruction has been stopped then," Lexus Dominiel declared, coming to the conclusion that the beholder being destroyed was all part of December's divine plan. "But then, are the beings of this world forgiven, or do you desire a different end? Or perhaps do you wish to have the beings of this world relearn you Name and your Laws? Shall I call the other gods together to hear your commands?" Lexus Dominiel placed the head of its hammer towards its chest and lowered its gaze in a floating bow of reverence.
The golem's personality was troublesome, behaving much like an young child eager to please its parents and gain their approval. She found herself pitying him a little. His ignorance was understandable though. He wasn't originally meant to be some harbinger of the apocalypse. That due to was IYamWhatIYam's meddling. She tried pulling up the NPC details menu, thinking she might be able to change his NPC parameters, but it was a vain attempt. Few of her other menu options appeared either when she tried. December didn't have too many regrets in life, but Not stopping her former guild mate from tampering with Lexus was now on that short list.
Perhaps with Lexus's newfound intelligence, she might be able to correct a few of his misconceptions. "The beings of this world have not done anything that requires my forgiveness. You have to understand The Apocalypse was supposed to be an end for us too... us Gods I guess." She hated calling herself that, but she feared it was the only way Lexus would understand. "After the world ended, we were supposed to return to the world we came from. But nothing happened the way it was supposed to."
She looked forlornly at the ruins of the guild hall.
"Destroying the world isn't likely to solve any of our problems. The fact is I'm trapped here, Lexus. And so are the other gods. How or why doesn't matter as much as finding a way for us to return. Whatever it takes, I have to see Khang again."
"Would you help me?"
Lexus Dominiel was shaken by December's admission. To Lexus, she was the creator of the Heavens and the Earth. December was supposed to be omnipotent, all-capable, all-knowing. For things to not go according to her every whim was unthinkable. It took a moment of quiet whirring and clicking as Lexus attempted to process this new information. "Some...unknown force...perhaps a Great Enemy...bars your return, our return to Heaven...? Lexus Dominiel wondered if one of the other gods had somehow betrayed December and usurped her divinity. The Angelic construct also wondered if it should use its gravity magic as a means to return to Heaven; some say that at the furthest extremes of gravity, the fabric of the universe tears and new world's open up.
When she asked if Lexus Dominiel would help her, it immediately replied, "Absolutely! I am eternally in your service." Lexus bowed deeply.
Although her features were monstrous and inhuman, December's expression was one of obvious satisfaction and relief. Lexus seemed to understand her situation, even if his ideas were misguided. "We need to secure a new living space for the time being."
She looked at the snow-capped mountaintops and, even thousands of meters distant, she could sense the frigid winds gusting around their peaks. The longer she looked at the glacial drifts blanketing the slopes of the mountain the more she felt the need to go there and experience it. Some primal instinct of hers was responding to the winter scenery. It gnawed at her and filled her with longing--a dire, pressing need to be surrounded by virgin snow and feel the nip of cold winds on her nose. Eventually she regained her senses and disjointed memories of her adventures into the Frostfell Mountains played in her mind. In YGGDRASIL, snowy mountains were often home to frost dragons.
"I used to help them fend off Frost Giants raids...." She spoke softly to herself, but the words rubmled out like a low growl. She quickly recovered and turned to her servant. "I used to be on good terms with the frost dragon tribes. If any live in these parts, they might be willing to help us. What do you think?"
"Dragons are not only powerful, but wise as well. They will no doubt be honored to be among your worshippers," Lexus Dominiel agreed. "Might I also suggest that we seek out the humanoid races? If this world is anything like ours, then they should be the most populous. Humans in particular are prone to large civilizations, organized religion, and cities; cities with universities and mage towers full of stockpiled information."
Cities? December hesitated. If it had been before the shutdown, she wouldn't have had any reservations at all, but with all the changes, she wasn't sure how the human populations would react. She could still distinctly remember being barred from a few NPC vendors due to her appearance alone. However, Lexus has a point. There would be a wealth of information available to them, even if she didn't particularly want to go.
"That's true as well..." She mused. "We should be discrete, however. Until we can figure out who or what caused all this. I should be able to change my appearance to blend in with them, but you..." Her voice trailed off as she concentrated on shapeshifting into her humanoid form.
Her body shrank quickly. Thick fur receded beneath smooth, pale skin. The horns and wings seemed to grow in reverse until they too disappeared. Muffled cracks and shudders echoed quietly in the air as her form shifted into a more human appearance. December found that clearer she could visualize what she wanted herself to be, the easier her magic took effect. It became apparent that drastic transformations caused her stomach to do somersaults and the instinctive sense of alarm associated with falling wracked her mind. If this was going to happen every time, frequent transformations were off limits.
Water droplets condensed into a thin sheet of ice beneath December's feet as her wings withered into feathery tufts on her back and gravity tried to pull her to the ground.
"...how do you feel about being a bit smaller?" She asked hesitantly, her voice having returned to the soft, pleasant timbre and sweet aria it had before.
It would be easier if both of them could blend in, but with Lexus's personality, she wasn't so sure he would appreciate having his body manipulated by her transmutation magic. Regardless, she had to convince him. She admired his loyalty, blind though it may be, but his ideology chaffed against her own. She hated the idea of being put upon a pedestal to be worshiped. She hoped that with a little more personal freedom of choice and a little guidance, he might slowly change his thinking.
"I can temporarily transform you into something that won't draw too much attention. But I want you to know that you have the option to refuse. You can stay as you are now, if you like."
"Given a choice, I cannot relinquish this glorious form that you have created me in," Lexus Dominiel declared. "Besides, while your full splendor may be more than their mortal eyes can take in, and thus require a disguise, my reduced divinity should be enough for their feeble minds to digest. The sight of me will act as a sign, a miracle, and proof of your divinity. Without a clear sign, humans may allow doubt and arrogance to creep into their hearts and they may deny you, or take another as their Lord."
December held down the urge to sigh.
"If that's your wish, I will respect it. However, our investigation is more important than my divinity right now."
"As for the other gods..." She looked at the ruins of the guildhall and noticed a few small gatherings of people on the slopes of the mountain. She strained her eyes to see and her transformative powers responded. The dark color of her eyes became like molten gold bisected by a single dark slit. Her vision zoomed in rapidly; the other guild members, at first distant specks, quickly became well-defined and animated as her new hawk eyes focused on them. "Fortunately, they seem to be organizing themselves without my help. Would you like to join them?"
Lexus Dominiel was starting to take the hint, "If you desire to keep your divinity a secret, so that you may better observe the mortals as they are, then I will willingly take on another form."
In response to December's other question, Lexus Dominiel added, "I would rather remain by your side. From what I can tell, some of them are of the...'infernal'...variety. Though they are gods, I do not care to rub shoulders with them." Lexus looked to December, wondering if she was going to force a disguise or transformation spell upon itself.
December found herself giggling for the first time since incident. "I appreciate your honesty." Lexus' reaction towards the other players reminded of her of Khang's hatred for the all-too-common bland, nutrient paste you could buy at the market. It was cheap and healthy, but awful and unsatisfying, and he always looked at it like it was some kind of vicious animal ready to bite him. If Lexus had a nose, she was sure it would be wrinkled derisively.
"I know it may not be what you want, but it will be much easier for us to gather information this way. I just don't want us to be the cause of a mass panic when we walk into town. In any case, you have my word that I will change as little of you as I possibly can. " She walked through the air, each step landing on a transparent platform of ice that formed beneath her feet.
Placing her hand on the cold metal of Lexus's shoulder, she started the long incantation of the high-tier transmutation spell she used for sculpting new golems. When she used it last, a menu with all kinds of options would appear, but the world fell away leaving only her and Lexus in a empty space with a dim ambient light stretching in all directions. A hyper-real image of Lexus's body in displayed in her mind, finely detailed and incredibly intricate. She instantly knew she could freely change its form with a mere thought, as if the magic were an old memory stirred up by nostalgia.
"Just... don't move." She whispered.
A strange tension played on her fingertips as Lexus' innate resistances pushed against the influence of her spell; She felt her blood quicken as the magic pulsed through her arm to surge and overwhelm it. She envisioned Lexus as an armor clad knight; the intricate designs of his current form reflected in the design of the knight's armor. The helmet became a smaller replica of Lexus's head. Although a vaguely humanoid face formed behind the visor, it was little more than a facade. December wasn't comfortable transmuting Lexus into an organic creature, at least not yet; the rare star metals that made up his body were nearly impossible to find in YGGDRASIL and she had no idea, if she could transmute him back afterwards. Ultimately, she fashioned him into an exquisitely carved statue of solid metal, like a suit of armor standing on display in an ancient castle. A safe choice she thought.
A shroud of molten light covered the living construct as the 'template' December had imagined manifested into reality, and Lexus Dominiel adopted a new form.
"Your resistance to magic is so high, you could probably dispel this at anytime, maybe even accidentally. Please be mindful of that." Her tone was stern, but not harsh, as if calmly warning a child to watch for traffic before crossing the street.
"I understand, and will maintain this facade as long as you deem necessary. But if I engage in combat for whatever reason, I will shed this disguise," Lexus Dominiel replied, inspecting it's new form. Just then, they were approached by a harpy, but Lexus thought it best to let its master parley with it.
"That's okay-"
"So, you're the guys who destroyed our guild, huh? Himitsu, by the way".
December winced at the harpy's comment. She didn't have a strong attachment to guildhall itself nor was she at fault for its destruction, but she still felt guilty for not doing more. "December..." She ignored Himitsu's first statement outright, hiding behind a smile and a polite bow. "This is my friend Lexus Dominiel, an intelligent construct." She said, gesturing to the animated armor besides her.
"I saw that the others had started to wander off or form groups. I was just beginning to wonder, if anyone would join us." She lied about the last part, but small talk was a welcome distraction to the recent disaster still fresh in her mind. "What did the others decide?"
