Fiction:Law of Gods and Men

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Deal or No Deal?
It was not long after, , Norrigan, and  returned to Dar-Nahalant after the events in the Sea of Sand - and, whilst a certain sense of satisfaction did pass over them knowing that an evil was removed from the world, it did not remove the gloom they suffered during it, nor was the situtation within Talmyr improving whilst they were gone. It was now nearing the end of spring, and it was nearly a year since they had first discovered Dar-Nahalant in the first place. At this point in time, they all had remembered a warning that they were told nearer the start of their endeavours by - they only had two years at the most to prepare for the 's move against the world, and now it was only one year left.

It had suddenly crossed their minds that, with the siege and destruction of Talmyr, that the Shiarchon were closer to their goal than they were closer to their goal of preventing the Adversary from being released - it seemed now that a bloody war at the Archipelago was inevitable. That was perhaps what they knew from the start, but a battle of such a magnitude will have meant nothing if the Adversary was allowed to rise. With Kaicaiusarin now free from her imprisonment in Talmyr, the sense of urgency among the team rose significantly. They knew they were coming to the end of their journey, although at this point, their journey was going to end in the worst way imaginable if they did not act.

In the time the war against the went on, those at Dar-Nahalant overwent multiple possibilties as to how to combat Kaicaiusarin. A deity of such horror was almost impossible to fight by themselves, and they were somewhat glad they lived through every day that Kaicaiusarin was present. They became aware that most of Koldenwelt, southwards and eastwards were now aware that Talmyr was under siege of a demonic presence, and many civilisations between there and Abyssus, and Abyssus included armed themselves accordingly. In the late evening of the ending spring, the number at Dar-Nahalant had sat in the great hall - countless books and manuscripts written down by hand stacked up on one another, trying to find some piece of knowledge they may use to help against the Simulacrum of Nightmares.

Septimus had sat in one of the seats, lazily so as even the Orichalcum Elf - with seemingly boundless energy had become tired. Septimus himself had not slept in weeks, going to endless lengths to find all sorts of books written on the topics of weapons and lesser known knowledge of the ancient age of the Orichalcum Elves. Longinus seemed less tired, although, sitting amid all of them, he perched one hand to support his head. Hachi, incapable of reading the ancient texts himself and unsure of how to lend any contribution to the efforts of the group, had merely curled into a ball one of the tables positioned throughout the great hall and fallen asleep, attempting to take his mind off the dire situation that they were at the centre of with a rather soothing nap. Lekren, on the other hand, attempted with all his strength and knowledge to contribute, even though his competence at the field was very much limited.

Clothovera made an effort to read through the books, using Alhazred to translate parts she did not understand while the Sea Witch just threw a book up and down out of boredom as she slumped into a chair. Pelagrios was asleep, as per usual - and Riad was passing the time by playing a board game with Mhor. Mhor was in fact the more intellectual one of the two when it had come to board games, and even though Riad was a strategic hunter due to his customs as a species, could not find away to get the better of his Dalmiric opponent. Taihadrae had assisted in reading up some books - however, the methods within her own textbooks were dangerous in comparison, and she was failing to find a comparatively rational solution through dark magic. Esulus was nowhere to be seen - he was most likely asleep within the large basin of the fountain that stood deeper within the fortress. Khaadun was absent as well - at this time of night, he was most likely outside in some deep state of meditation.

At the far side of the hall, the elderly Lagosi swordsman, Kanna, had been sat down by the dwarven monk that had recently arrived to Dar-Nahalant, Kvo Eirik of the Bheldaral Sect, to undergo breathing exercises in an effort to cope with and relieve the pains that his age and continued injuries in battle have been causing him, whilst Khadya watched the group from afar, her mind seemingly having drifted elsewhere; since the return of the members who had been called to the Sea of Sand, she had been uneasy and strangely distant, perhaps shaken by the news that her mutual rival, the late Inquisitor Stonesoul, had returned to Isiris. Hathgar, however, was notably still intoxicated from a night of heavy drinking, although at least he had grown sober enough to walk and talk properly enough by the time the day had rolled into the evening.


 * Mhor - Checkmate.
 * Riad - ...What? I just -- what, how did I not just see that?
 * Mhor - I might be slow, but I have the brains to back it.
 * Sea Witch - Heavens above, this is boring. These books are worthless.
 * Lekren - How can you say that! These books are unique repositories of knowledge... granted... I can't understand most of them.
 * Septimus - On the contrary. These would sell for a king's ransom in wider civilisation. Although none of them particularly contain any value for dealing with the likes of a Simulacrum.
 * Hathgar - Maybe they'll die of boredom if we throw them at her. Certainly works on us mortals.
 * Alhazred - In ancient times, Simulacra have only been bested by either Colossi or other Simulacra. We are planning to confront an actual god, not just a demon.
 * Kanna - Don't let the kid hear you speaking like that, else he might go on another tangent about how he "defeated" that Blood God bastard. Gods know I've heard enough of him talking about it.
 * Clothovera - I agree and I was the damsel in distress both times.
 * Mhor - If what Alhazred's saying is the case, why are we looking through these books?
 * Kanna - Oh, yes, good point. Let us just make contact with a Simulacrum or Colossus and see to it that we can get them to fight on our behalf. Because that's within our scope of abilities.
 * Alhazred - Because most Simulacra would rather watch us die in Kaicaiusarin's hands or are unable to do what we intend to do.
 * Riad - We could beseech Nalashtannylor. That is the only...proper one we could ask.
 * Longinus - The reasoning behind searching through ancient encyclopaedias of knowledge is that perhaps, within reading an ancient encyclopaedia, we might find some knowledge.
 * Kanna - Hmph. We're finding knowledge, sure, but from the looks of things, none of it is relevant to our situation. ... I doubt that Almonohuim would go out of his way to do stuff for us again considering that this Nightmare bitch doesn't concern him.
 * Septimus - I am not even sure the Colossus of Sand is aware that Kaicaiusarin exists. If I am right, Kaicaiusarin had been underneath Talmyr for longer than the duration of recorded history.
 * Eirik - Hmm... Perhaps I should take up pilgrimage once again to the Hammer Throne and consult with the Thunderous Hammer to request his assistance.
 * Alhazred - Thunardormir is as unaware of Kaicaiusarin as Almonohuim. The Colossi of the East know nothing of what happens in the West.
 * Septimus - Logically...as Alhazred said. It would only take the word of a Simulacrum or a Colossus to fight another.
 * Lekren - That seems quite illogical. Wouldn't such divine entities be aware of one another?
 * Alhazred - The Colossi are not omniscient. They only know other Colossi they have come across. And there are very few Colossi at the West, some not even intelligent enough to tell a man from a piece of meat.
 * Longinus - Once again; all rests upon your wisdom. What would you suggest we do? As knowledgeable as my ancestors were...the ability to combat the Insomnolence or Kaicaiusarin herself was out of our hands.
 * Alhazred - I have no knowledge on the Void, as you should all know by now. Our best alternatives are keep looking through these books and hope for a miracle, or contact Nalashtannylor like Riad suggested.
 * Khadya - ... We've no other choice than to consult the Nine-Faced God. Sitting around with our heads trapped between book pages shan't do much to quell the Puppeteer.
 * Kanna - Fantastic. More dealings with dark gods to combat other dark gods.
 * Lekren - I expect danger.
 * Septimus - All things considered. This actually a war of gods, and we're the middle-men. ...Nevertheless. How do we gather the attention of Nalashtannylor? I doubt blood magic is within our possibilities.
 * Clothovera - Wouldn't Riad know? He's his people's god.
 * Riad - That's like asking Septimus to summon his goddess. I have no clue.
 * Clothovera - ... You mean he can't either?
 * Norrigan - Naive girl! Only I have the power to speak to my goddess directly! Praise Isiris.
 * Kanna - ... Go ahead, then.
 * Norrigan - Huh?
 * Kanna - Talk with Isiris and see what She has to say about our situation. There's a massive, bitchy outsider currently tearing Her world a new one, so She's probably not going to be too happy about it.
 * Norrigan - ... You know what, I should do just that.

The knight threw his arms up and begun yelling, much to the chagrin of Earath who was right next to him.


 * Norrigan - Great Eye in the Sky! Please give us a sign!
 * Sea Witch - But it's night time though.
 * Norrigan - Don't jinx it!

With that, the great hall suddenly became clouded in darkness. The fire that had been roaring behind them was snuffed out, and the blackened ceiling gave way to a number of celestial lights as if it were the night sky within the room itself. The heat of the room suddenly left, leaving only an icy sensation within them. It was nowhere towards the malice of the Void, but it was not entirely benevolent either.


 * Norrigan - ... Wow! It actually worked!
 * Lekren - I do not believe that it was Isiris.
 * Earath - Agreed. This ain't the human's god reacting.
 * Hachi - ... Huh? What's going on? Did Clothovera manifest an army of Sanguinaries again?
 * Lekren - Sanguinaries? Pardon me if I am not versed enough in Deiwos physiology, but... is it that time of the month already?

Kanna stood and reached for his swords whilst Hathgar drunkenly knocked back his chair as he drew an axe, electricity running through its metal frame as he eyed the enigmatic presence that had suddenly overcome them. Glancing upwards to observe the ethereal lights, the younger Lagosi fell off the table and swiftly crawled backwards, both in awe and shock of the attention that the Aynachian knight's chanting had seemed to garner, although it was evident to all present that such was not considered a typical manifestation of the presence of the Goddess of the World throughout both continents.

Pelagrios slowly awoke from his slumber - noticing the room became colder, he tugged his coat over his head and turned away, trying his best to go back to sleep. It appeared that even divine interventions did not have much effect on his sleep, although he found it difficult to rest nonetheless. Khadya kept her blades in hand, clasping them tightly as she looked towards the ceiling where the celestial lights made themselves manifest, while Eirik merely stared, holding a hand over his eyes so as to not allow too light to traverse into them and make them ache.


 * Mhor - Please tell me that isn't Kaicaiusarin.
 * Kanna - Knowing our luck...
 * Sea Witch - I'm getting too old for this.

Suddenly, a voice emanated from the light within the projection. It was both calm and harsh, and no particular warmth or coldness to it.


 * Nalashtannylor - Idle discussion does not lead to a fortuitous outcome.
 * Kanna - Finally, someone is speaking my language.
 * Lekren - ...Not Kaicaiusarin. But... not really that better.
 * Nalashtannylor - You seek for assistance.
 * Alhazred - Indeed. If we are to stop the Adversary's return, Kaicaiusarin must leave our world.
 * Kanna - Yeah, if you could go ahead and just do your thing to either put that bitch back in the ground or remove her from existence, that would be great.
 * Nalashtannylor - I do not possess the necessary ability to do that.
 * Lekren - That is logical. Barring Laknaggr, the Outer Gods are equal in power. One cannot overcome the other.
 * Sea Witch - Bloody hell. Can't you do anything? Remember we went through the effort of putting you back together.
 * Nalashtannylor - Lekren is correct. No Simulacrum of the Void can be banished without the power of two against them. You must require the word of another.
 * Hachi - ... Clothovera, you can still contact Zran Kar, right? That guy owes me after I beat his ass in battle twice now--
 * Clothovera - Y-you can't be serious! Out of the question!
 * Kanna - What about that Asv-Aldz guy? We can sell him a couple of our souls and get him to help us out. I mean, I'm already dead inside anyway so it's not like I'll be needing mine. Could give him the kid as well.
 * Hachi - H-Hey!
 * Lekren - That is a possibility. But Asv-Aldz is the master of... should I say, art of the deal. How can we be certain our small loan to him shall not doom ourselves?
 * Alhazred - We cannot, and it probably will. Besides, Asv-Aldz is the kind of entity who would rather persuade someone else to do this kind of thing for him anyway.
 * Riad - Him and Pelagrios are two of a kind, then.
 * Alhazred - We cannot call for Mortium's aid, for he is both healing the damage of the Underworld and preparing for the battle against the Shiarchon. Harstag is beyond our reach, and the Simulacra of the Outworld are unlikely to be concerned about this entire incident. Too busy fighting each other to care.
 * Khadya - Hmph, we are exhausting our options for Simulacra that we can contact to aid us. I would rather not have to consult with the likes of the Feral God to put Kaicaiusarin to rest.
 * Alhazred - I'm afraid we have no choice but to contact Zran Kar.
 * Clothovera - But-but he's like, obsessed with turning me into his slave! He's as bad as the Void demons! Did you all forget he literally took over my mind a couple months ago?

From behind, Kanna rested a hand on Clothovera's shoulder, before sighing deeply as Hachi watched in confusion; he had not seen Kanna acting so sympathetically or affectionately before.


 * Kanna - If anything happens to you, you can count on us to protect you. I wouldn't let him control you like that again if I can help it. ... But we all have to do things we don't like if it means saving everyone else.
 * Earath - Oddly nice of you.
 * Kanna - Yeah, well... Let's just say that our little adventure in the desert gave me a bit of a new look on life.
 * Lekren - How can we interest the sanguine god, however?
 * Alhazred - We will have to summon him and ask.
 * Hachi - ... Do I have to cut my hand again?
 * Alhazred - No. I will call him myself.

Alhazred closed his eyes and begun murmuring to himself in the tongue of the Sanguinaries for several moments, until the group could notice a large number of bats conglomerating at the windows of the room. They took flight and begun combining into one body, resembling that of Zran Kar. The Simulacrum of Knowledge could use a number of means to create avatars in the mortal realm, and this was one of them. As the Blood God manifested before them, Kanna stood in front of Clothovera, shuffling her behind him.


 * Zran Kar - ... After all I have made you... go through... you would ask for my aid... Mortals always find new ways... to amuse me.

The projection Nalashtannylor had manifested remained on the other side of the room, invisibly glaring at Zran Kar as the Simulacrum had made his own avatar parallel to him.


 * Kanna - Yeah, well, it's not like you were our first option. We didn't feel much like chatting with the Huntsman or the Feral God, so we had to turn to you instead.
 * Zran Kar - You want me... to battle the Lady of Nightmares by your side... Yet, I see no reason to do that. You mortals... are a rather annoying thorn in my side.
 * Hachi - You have servants in this world! And think about all the knowledge you could lose if you don't step up and fight Kaicaiusarin. How would you carry out all your experiments then?
 * Zran Kar - Servants... Keheheheh... My servants are expendable. So is your race. And all of your races... But the world gone, would prove displeasing... But I will not help you... for free. You must make me worth your while.
 * Kanna - We'll give you Hachi.
 * Hathgar - Aye, we've had enough of his talk about you. The kiten does not go a day without mentioning his supposed "victories" over you and we've all grown tired of it.
 * Hachi - H-Hey, wait! N-No, I'm not w-worth anything! You won't e-even get a horse or camel for my soul!
 * Zran Kar - No... You, boy, are worthless to me. Hand me young Clothovera... and I will consider it.
 * Clothovera - Go to hell!
 * Zran Kar - I live in hell, so will you soon, dear child...
 * Kanna - I'm afraid she's not for sale. And neither is the book; we need the book, for now.
 * Norrigan - What in Isiris's name is wrong with you people, offering your allies to the demon as if they were cattle?!
 * Kanna - We can give you that guy at a discount.
 * Lekren - I confide she is willing to pay the price.
 * Clothovera - How about you shove those potions of yours up your-
 * Lekren - Evidently I was mistaken.
 * Zran Kar - You are not willing... to take me seriously. Find another Simulacrum to bother...
 * Hachi - N-No, wait! ... How about you and that bird guy over there talk things through, since he can negotiate better than any of us can. ... We really don't want our world to be destroyed. ... I'll even apologise for getting in your way all those times.
 * Lekren - Friends, let us not lose dignity here and degrade ourselves before demons. Winning the war with our honour besmirched would be a poor excuse for a victory.
 * Norrigan - Indeed. I am deeply ashamed of you all.

Zran Kar's avatar of bats turned to Nalashtannylor, the creatures which composed his form squeaking and squirming as he did so.


 * Zran Kar - Speak, Nalashtannylor. What can I gain... from all this?
 * Nalashtannylor - A greater probability that the Adversary does not awaken. With Kaicaiusarin upon this earth, such chances are great.
 * Zran Kar - I know the stakes already... yet none of you can offer me what I truly want... So I must name my price myself...

Zran Kar's avatar turned back to the ground, taking a step foward.


 * Zran Kar - Knowledge... Bring me knowledge of the Void...
 * Lekren - At least he did not demand our souls. That is something of a relief.
 * Kanna - ... Longinus, all those books have stuff about the Void and the Adversary in them, don't they? They were written by your ancestors after all.
 * Longinus - There is a difference between what is written of the Void and what the Void writes.
 * Zran Kar - Your mortal books are worthless to me... I have a copy of every book ever written in my domain... No. Bring me knowledge of a Void Fortress. Knowledge of those... elusive Void Matrices...
 * Hachi - ... Fuck. We shouldn't have destroyed that one Fortress all that time ago.
 * Longinus - ...There is still one fortress that we know still stands.
 * Alhazred - Ah yes. Akharavzund. We have gone there before.
 * Zran Kar - If you are unwilling to part with the girl... bring me knowledge on Void Matrices... deliver it to my sacred shrine... and summon me to your world. Then, the Lady of Nightmare will learn to fear the God of Blood...
 * Mhor - Well...alright then...I guess.
 * Kanna - Well, I'd like to say it's been nice doing business with you, but... We'll speak again later. Maybe. If we don't all meet a terrible fate and die horribly or worse, that is.

A laugh came out of Zran Kar as the bats which composed his avatar dispersed, flying away back to whence they came. Kanna huffed and placed his hands on his hips, before glancing at Clothovera and attempting to smile as he placed his hand on her shoulder once again in an effort to comfort her.


 * Kanna - Told you I wouldn't let anything happen to you.
 * Alhazred - Need the book "for now"? I will remember that, Kanna.
 * Hachi - Grr, you actually tried selling my soul there, didn't you?!
 * Kanna - Hey, I didn't say I was going to protect you two! You two can protect yourselves!
 * Norrigan - Shameful!

Kanna could feel Norrigan's armored fist against the back of his head as the knight delivered a punch at him, before he turned to the side and did the same to Hathgar. The elder collapsed and groaned, whilst the inhuman force of the knight's punch caused the dwarf to fall on his rear and struggle to get back up, becoming disorientated.


 * Kanna - Yeah, I... kinda deserved that.
 * Sea Witch - Okay, so we gotta go to Akharavzund. What should we expect now that the place's owner isn't around?
 * Lekren - A particularily bloodthirsty chap, isn't he?
 * Longinus - It is not a place fit for our powers. We must acquire a method to enter those halls and not be cast into the cold flames of the void on the spot.
 * Earath - Well, you got sun magic, which's like the best thing against the Void.
 * Longinus - All well and good. Nevertheless, Akharavzund is a citadel full of these denizens. It would be as if it were one man set in the path of the entirety of the armies of the Shiarchon.
 * Clothovera - How do we even get the knowledge Zran Kar wants? Do Void Denizens write books? ... Can they even write?
 * Septimus - Architecture from the void usually has some form of writing on it...knowledge on a Void Matrix however. That kind of knowledge would be within only the most guarded of chambers.
 * Hathgar - As would a Void Matrix itself, I suppose.
 * Lekren - Hieroglyphics. We would just require a cipher of some sort to perform the translation.
 * Norrigan - If only we had a machine that could create portraits of the things it is pointed at! That's one idea for you Klaxxa folks.
 * 'Lekren - I suppose that vain young ladies in Ar-Klith would waste its usage solely on creating autoportraits of themselves.
 * Clothovera - ... Maybe.
 * Riad - I suppose...we would need some form of magic to actually survive against Void Denizens. Sun magic and storm magic are the only real defences against it.
 * Norrigan - We would have sun magic, but Lyra crushed the thing back in the place when we were doing the thing.
 * Lyra - Hey! It was an accident!
 * Septimus - There are still surviving methods of arcanising materials with sun magic. It does require some...mining initiative, however.
 * Sea Witch - Mining, eh? Good thing we got dwarves with us then. They, like, mine all the time.
 * Hathgar - Do I look like a miner to you? I am a proud dwarven prince and military commander; not a mere manual labourer.
 * Sea Witch - Dwarves all look like small hairy humans to me.
 * Septimus - I was the crown prince for a time. And here we are, talking about mining. I doubt we have many other alternatives than for finding a particular material used in forging.
 * Hachi - Septimus, aren't you friends with a bunch of Bronze Elves? Those guys that live underground? Might they know where to gather stuff like this?
 * Septimus - Indeed. In fact...I believe that Ormec had operated a number of mining outposts within there. I know not of whether Aurelian Platinum ores exist within there.
 * Earath - Well, only one way to find out. Time to head off.
 * Sea Witch - In the morning. Now is sleep time.

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