As Alyssa move away, Qillion makes her mind up and makes her own way to the being known as The Vulture King. As she walked up she bows once and address The Vulture King
"They call you The Vulture King, and you healed and helped the hurt here. So you have good intent, could you give me some of your time Vulture King. I would like to know what is going on here and where I am?"
She stops in front of him and any with him and waits to see what The The Vulture King says.
"Absolutely they do. Sir Roderick will be leading the reconstruction efforts, but I feel you should help the people get back to their daily lives. From what I've been able to figure out, the citizens of Al'lamar have been living under a rather unpleasant ruler. They need to know that there's a better, happier way of life."
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Alyssa nods thoughtfully. "Ok, I can make that happen. We do need to know it's safe first. Shall I see if I can round up a team to wander, check for skeletons? I ran into a Knight- Captain earlier; if I find them, I can have them check to see if it's safe."
She pauses, and clears her throat. "There's one more thing you need to know, John," she says softly. "The young woman who was with me, earlier- I think she may be from the future. Our future, on Earth. Would you speak with her? I can't help but think this event may be important, somehow."
As Alyssa move away,
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Lir arches an eyebrow at Alyssa's comments "And you believe her? You pretty much refuse to admit this world is real, and continue to call me by my earth name. Yet some woman shows up out of nowhere, claiming to be from the future, and you just go along with it?"
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Alyssa crosses her arms. "I'm not saying I believe her. I'm saying that it's odd. All of us, who awoke together, seem to be from the same year, the same time. Where I come from, we call that a statistically significant cluster. Now, she claims to be from at least 100 years ahead, if not more? Why the deviation? I don't like coincidences, John, and I'm telling you, this isn't a coincidence."
She reads John's skeptical expression, and huffs. "Would you just talk to her? See what's going on? I kinda promised her we'd explain everything."
The Vulture King nods, but narrows his eyes somewhat suspiciously, "I give my gifts to those that give proper diligence. My will is good to those who prove themselves. In any case, we have found ourselves in this new world, former prisoners in the case of most, of an ancient civilization. Earth was constructed as a form of...prison dimension designed to keep dangerous beings away from the civilization. I do not know the exact nature of this world or what imprisoned us, but I am planning on finding Thoth, a deity from old Earth. He should have answers if I am correct."
Lucas perked up a small bit at the mention of Thoth's name, "Speaking of Thoth, anything we should know about interacting with him? What all is he the god of, how do we address him, would he be willing to impart knowledge or does he tend to hoard it? Things like that."
Qillion listened intently as The Vulture King talked.
Earth, she new earth she had been... No she was a shopping with her morther.. she was not a...
Her mind raced again, as Lucas talked her head spun.
She had been sent to this Earth but too... But there where blocks there, just a jumble of images. A city large and wide, in bay. A meeting, with so many people. A pop song about a yellow underwater craft, and the smell of bagels. It was all fragmented, a date, time split into 60s and 12's 2111.
She could not get a hold on the memories.
"This being Thoth, if it known what is going on then would it be possible for me to come with you, to find this Thoth and hear what it has to say. Have no fear in me travailing, I can do so with out a vehicle if needed"
She says
Zaidel is walking the major city streets, moving wreckage and debris as he goes. He also shouts into ruined homes in hopes of finding living survivors.
As the group was deciding what to do, Kei started checking on the survivors: bringing them blankets, helping to triage the wounded, and all making sure that they didn't have to see the ruined bodies of their countrymen. Gathering up anyone who could cook, he led them to the keep's kitchen and set them making food for people. He then got everyone else up and helped them to make places for people to eat.
Once the meal was served, Kei would slip outside and see how the planning was going.
The Vulture King concentrates for a moment, before a message can be heard in the minds of all the party members, ”Qillion, Lucas, and I will venture to the realm of Thoth, a god of knowledge. I expect to be able to find quite a few answers there. If you wish to join us, come to me.”
Upon hearing the avain god's call, Zaidel tosses the large burnt remains of a wagon into a corner, and runs back to V.K.
"Holy $#|+!" the god-blooded huffs. "Thoth! Fricking Thoth! He's a Father of Magic, I think! Wow! Thoth!!"
Kei will reply with a mental "Help me with these people, and I will help you with this Thoth."
Almost immediately after Vulture King sends his message, a young, blonde girl covered in the dust of the road, comes up to the minor deity in a rush.
"Mighty Vulture King, I have seen visions of your coming, and I have traveled many miles to offer my services to you, as your first high priest!" She says loudly, prostrating herself before your glorious personage.
Overhearing this declaration, a throng of Al'Lamar citizens make their way over to where you're standing, and all begin to follow suit, yelling out that they will serve you, that you need a temple built in your honor, asking for you to cure the sick or heal this or that wound. Before long, there's several dozen people all spread out before the Vulture King, bowing and offering up prayers.
The Vulture King studies the girl for a moment before saying, ”I shall take you as my first priest on this world, and while you shall know my teachings more deeply than others, and that shall give you status among my followers, know that in my eyes all who follow me are equal. Treat them such, and I will reward you. Abuse your status, and judgement will be passed.” He raises his hands, and two items coalesce in them. One is a dagger carved from stone, the hilt wrapped in leather with inscriptions of mighty and ancient beasts. The second is a bone disk with a carving of a vulture's talon on it, accentuated with red ochre. He then hands them to the girls and says, "Take these. One shall be the symbol of your faith, to channel my power. The other you shall use to protect your pack. I should hope you know to which to use."
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Kamii sneezed as a trickle of dust fell from the cavern roof and teased his snout.
He was in a sour mood, the elation he had felt when Kanzen and Kammella had destroyed each other fading a bit when he discovered, searching the camp and nearby cave system, that the artifacts that were Kammella's treasure trove, including his own confiscated artifact dagger, were nowhere to be found.
His mood had really sank when he felt Kanzen's powerful aura returning already, seemingly fully renewed and he had been forced to hide in the caverns to avoid getting slaughtered. She had simply raised her goblin servant from the dead then left but he hid still on the off chance she was waiting in ambush.
She had simply left without even trying to follow his trail which, on the one hand he was grateful for, but still pissed him off on some level.
Did she consider him so inconsequential?
Also; Kamella's physical form had been slain but her spirit was almost certainly intact and she would not forget Kamii's slight. He let out a bull like snort, clearing his nostrils, and considered.
The simple fact was that he was completely outmatched by those two, he didn't stand a chance, it would take a freaking god to defeat them...
Kamii smiled. "It comes full circle..." He considered, thinking of a certain Key in the possession of a group of heroes that would grant him access to a true divine apotheosis.
But how to get it? The party outmatched him and Kammella had stolen all his resources and allies...except for one group, one group so foul even Kammella, who enslaved Demons, wouldn't deal with.
Kamii's toothy grin widened to his ears.
Follows the Vaulter King But says nothing. keeping an eye on what is going on.
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The new Priestess of the Vulture King reverently takes the offered gifts. Shaking, her hands reach outwards, grasping, unsteady at first, but growing stronger as their weight brings her back to the reality the Vulture King offered. She smiles, and steps back, bowing low once again.
"Thank you, my beloved," she answers him. "I shall keep them, and fulfill your works here, in Al' Lamar, and from wherever you shall send me. I have already journeyed so far. To stand here, it is a dream."
She shuffles her feet for a moment, stepping back into the crowd, unsure of herself. She then steps forwards again.
"My deity, perhaps I should have spoken this earlier. I am uncertain. A bird deity, I do not know his name, asked me to relate to you at the end of my journey that he wished to meet you, and greet you upon your return to this world." She mumbles the last bit, head down, clearly ashamed and afraid.
V.K. nods at the priestess and says warmly, "Do not be ashamed young one. I had thought to seek him out. I am glad that he is expecting me. Now go, enact my will. I expect great things." He then turns to his companions and says, "My friends, shall we venture to the realm of Thoth? My followers are working to aid the city."
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A knock at the door. The knocker waits, then raps again.
A silent rush, and suddenly the door opens. A quiet whisper echoes through the night. "Raegos? What do you want? Go away."
A man, well- built and bull strong, with a sword strapped to his hip, steps into the doorway. Peculiarly, he wears a blindfold, tied around his forehead, and obscuring all vision. He quickly feels the doorway, and rasps.
"Another attack, Lucerna. They got Jalcen. It's just me and you, left. They're targeting us, and soon, we'll die."
A young girl, barely old enough to maintain, let alone own, a home, preens her oddly slanted eyes at the man. "Undead don't target! They don't plan. They're dead, Raegos. It's just a coincidence. Let it go." A moment passes, and then she adds "And take that stupid blindfold off."
The man shakes his head, and stops. "I've seen three, Lucerna. If I take this off, I'll turn into one of them, sure as day."
The girl scoffs, and turns around. "You're superstitious, old man."
The man is only 4 or 5 summers older than the girl. Despite this, he holds back, saying nothing.
The girl continues. "Raegos, please. We did it. We snuck in around the priests, looted the temple, and were well paid for it, like normal. No one knows, and those who do, will never tell. We were careful. It's no different than anything we've done before. " She pauses, and collects a knife.
"Now, if anyone did take the time to track us down, well, there's only one person responsible for that. I'm going to go pay him a visit." The sound of a backpack being tied shut echoes. "I'd appreciate it if you came along."
The man pauses, and considers this. A moment's hesitation is too long, however, for suddenly, a whoosh sounds, and she's gone. He ruefully smiles, knowing the impetuous young thief for what she is.
And with a casual whistle, he heads down to the street, nervously hugging the sides of the buildings.
V.K. nods at the priestess and says warmly, "Do not be ashamed young one. I had thought to seek him out. I am glad that he is expecting me. Now go, enact my will. I expect great things." He then turns to his companions and says, "My friends, shall we venture to the realm of Thoth? My followers are working to aid the city."
The big warrior runs up to meet with the avian god. "All set." Zaidel stops and adds, "No pun intended."
Zaidel notices the retreating woman looking adoringly at V.K.
"New friend?" asks Zaidel.
::"Environment Mode"::
She sends to her odd suit.
A sheen covers head head, almost like send skin.
::"Environment mode active"::
Then look at the large powerful night she nods at his words.
::"I am also ready as well, Vulture king"::
She sends to their minds.
”An ally and a student certainly. A friend perhaps, but certainly not one such as you. “
Zaidel smiled at the compliment, and reached out his hand to shake hands with the new student.
"Congratulations!"
As Alyssa takes over caring for those in the city, Kei moves back out into the courtyard and says "Okay, I'm ready to go. Also, I would appreciate it if you just spoke to me from now on. I don't like it when people talk in my head."
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Zaidel smiled at the compliment, and reached out his hand to shake hands with the new student.
"Congratulations!"
The priestess slowly holds out her hand, uncertain she is worthy to be speaking to this guest who is held in such esteem by her god.
"I am called Kekara Enna-Psametik Ankhsamtaui. My devotion needs no congratulations. I have been serving, and will continue to serve, my whole life."
She bows low, though not as low as she did for V.K.
Zaidel smiles and returns the bow. "Then I wish you good luck to you and your future."
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The girl eyes light up, and dance as she smiles at Zaidel's manners.
"I wish you the best, too." she replies. Suddenly, her eyes go dark, and she turns away. Then, just as quickly, she turns back.
"Be careful," she intones quietly. "Things have been strange, around the world. Where I'm from, the elementals were agitated for months, and a new pyramid had suddenly risen out of the sand from nowhere. It is not safe times." She pauses for but a moment.
"I am glad he has returned to fix all of it." she says wistfully.
At Matsuhiko Kei words Qillion looks at Kei confused for a moment, then as if realisation dawns on her.
Then she nods her head politely,
"As you wish, I will cut you out of any direct mind to mind communication I instigate from this moment on. I respect your views as a Nill-animotraice"
She says
"Be careful," she intones quietly. "Things have been strange, around the world. Where I'm from, the elementals were agitated for months, and a new pyramid had suddenly risen out of the sand from nowhere. It is not safe times." She pauses for but a moment.
"I am glad he has returned to fix all of it." she says wistfully.
Blinking, Zaidel nods, "Okay. Thanks for the fair warning. We'll keep that in mind."
Lucas follows slightly behind VK, merely keeping an eye on their surroundings as the people around them fall into their tasks and everybody makes their choice regarding the detour to Thoth's domain. "I know we put a pause on the question in order to gather everyone together, but before we do leave, I would like to go over things we should know about interacting with Thoth. What all is he the god of, how do we address him, would he be willing to impart knowledge or does he tend to hoard it? Things like that."
"He is a god of knowledge, magic, and the moon. I believe he would be willing to share knowledge if proper respect is paid or there is an exchange of knowledge. I can take the lead when speaking to him. I believe most gods would wish to be greeted by an equal. That said, I do not know a tremendous amount beyond that." He looks about at the assembled party members and says, "If we are ready to go, I would ask that you clasp hands and form a circle. I can then begin the ritual to transport us to his domain."
Holds out her hands for others to take.
Zaidel steps forward to take Quillion's hand and others.
Kei will also take up hands.
The Elf King shakes his head as he joins his companions. "It's just like a god to abandon his people just when there's hard work to be done. I should stay behind, and help, but I don't exactly trust you, your godliness, so I think I'll tag along, and make sure everything goes smoothly."
The big warrior is shocked by Liriiestil's outburst.
"At least they're people to leave behind, and not a city of corpses", Zaidel states.
"While I am rather taken aback by your outburst, I must say that my followers are an extension of my will. I sacrifice a portion of my power so that they may aid those I have sworn to protect. No matter. We must find Thoth." V.K. stands in the center of the circle and closes his eyes. He begins to chant in an ancient language, one that is by now at least familiar to the party members. He finally raises his hands and says, "Thoth, I should greet you, and request access to your divine realm!"
Lir turns to Zaidel "I'm guessing you haven't had many experiences with deities, have you? Well, I have, and this behavior is pretty common. 'Show up', perform a miracle or two, and then disappear when their flock truly needs them. As for them not being corpses, he is not the only able to heal the dying and wounded."
"I can too, for some reason."
Zaidel nods at the elven lord. True. Earth had numerous gods and goddesses from all over the world. Sadly, none decided to show up in modern times."
"One of the popular ones was a bronze age Overgod. He decided to send his god-blooded son to the mortal realm about 2000 years ago. His chosen people killed him to rid themselves of the 'original sins of their ancestors'. Hmm", thought the big warrior, "I guess I can see why the gods wanted to keep their distance."
"I to am able to bring stop biology back into function if needed. As for Gods, they tend to be in really just higher levels of being. To you Vulture king is a god like being, because he is a 5 Dimensional being, Able to move in time and more then one dimension. But that is only a single point in time and in one dimension at a time. A being that can be in 1 dimension but all points of time would be a god to the Vulture king, and a being that can be in all dimension and all times would a god to that god, and who knows what that gods god would be able to be or do, If that helps."
She smiled at the girl trying to be helpful.
"Hm, travelling through time. I was not aware I could do that. Perhaps I should try that some day." He then turns to Liriiestil and says, "I must ask, what prompted this? It seemed as though we had gotten along. Why now, do you revoke the trust you placed in me?" He pauses for a moment before saying, "My followers, as it stands now, are a single young girl who has proclaimed herself my high priest. The others of the city I granted my divine protection, and they gave me worship in return. I have yet to see if that worship will continue, or if I was simply used for my power in a time of crisis. If they do prove to truly be my followers, then I shall fight with claw and wing and divine might to protect them. Besides, I cannot work such miracles as a did on a regular basis. Rather, my power is currently limited and I rely on my priests to carry out my will."
The village's hot burn had been reduced to embers through time and lack of fuel. Patches of blue glass interspersed the sandy ground, a side effect of the searing light that had been a byproduct of Kammella's focused beam; a shimmering, fulgurite-akin substance that glittered brightly in the sun.
A small figure in red robes entered the village and looked around. She was a young human girl of around the age of eight, or at least appeared to be, with curly blond locks and a relatively flat affect.
She wandered slowly through the devastation, noting that Kammii's demonic aura was now absent as well, the village was empty. Reaching a point near the epicenter of battle she looks at the ground and says;
"There you are little one." Her voice is soft, dreamy. "Don't run away now, do you know how valuable you are to Kammella? She can use you for all sorts of grand things! I'm going to take care of you now and pet you while we extract your power and I promise it won't hurt."
The little girl picks a long object off the ground and cradles it.
"You're going to do such great things with us!" She declares.
Kanzen's severed arm twitches slightly in the girls cradling hug, a bit of life still in it.
Helen was his secretary but she made him pour his own damn coffee, that was fine, the old b!#&# had a talent for organization that he absolutely needed in his start up. He was considering keeping her even once the money really started pouring in, while a pretty young thing who would fetch him coffee without attitude and impress clients with a flashy smile would be a nice touch Helen honestly did the work of five different people doing five different jobs and did it well.
"It's done and filed, I checked it over when Mark finished, it's fine." Helen said, adjusting her hornrimmed glasses to better sit on her wide face, her grey hair and wrinkles making her look like an archetype of a happy grandmother, despite her stern demeanor.
Gorden ran his right hand through his red curls as he considered, his pale freckled face relaxing at his secretary's assurance.
Their office space was small, entered through an easily missable door around the corner from a Mongolian grill in downtown Ann Arbor, a large college town in one of the parts of Michigan the bad economy hadn't managed to completely ruin. The furniture looked like it was from the eighties while the yellow shag carpeting reminded Gorden of the times before even that, though not in a good way. He would replace it all once the money started flowing.
That was his mantra these days, get the money flowing and everything would be all right.
"You have a client waiting for you on the phone." Helen told him in an off handed way. "It's you know who."
Gorden instinctively straighten up then straightened his tie. He quickly entered his office and closed the door.
His personal office was a bit more impressive than the rest of his off-putting office space, showing off a bit of the wealth that had once been his when he worked for his old company. Though honestly the desk was too big for the space and he had to keep the room's single window open when the weather was at all fine to prevent claustrophobia.
It was open now, and the lazy sounds of life in the city drifted in, as well as a cooling breeze he found quite pleasant.
He took a deep breath and stared for a long moment at the big black rotary phone sitting on his desk, an ancient antique in the age of iphones, but it could send and receive calls to places typical phones could never reach.
Everything faded into the background for Gorden, his framed degrees on the walls, his bookshelves filled with huge and dry legal and scientific texts. He squirted some hand sanitizer into his palm from a pump bottle on his desk, rubbing it in with his hands as his eyes stayed locked onto the heavy black phone. He then put on a heavy red oven mitt incongruously lying next to the bottle.
His hand so protected, he lifted the receiver of the phone and held it a good two inches away from his face.
There was a voice on the other end.
"Mister Kamii." Gorden said with his best sales mien. "What can I do for you today?"
"Tell me old man, how did Kammella come to be? Refuse to answer and you will die." Kanzen stated with a matter of fact attitude and her typical cold demeanor.
The Old Man laughed. "I will tell you want you want to know, I am here to help all beings." As he laughed his floor length white beard swayed back and forth, brushing the staircase landing, like a broom sweeping off the dust of a favored front porch.
"The truth is simple, if a bit hard to understand; Kammella is the spiritual leavings of the one known as the Seer of the Apogee Society, when said Seer went off on her spiritual journey. Though the Seer was ultimately sealed away as she meditated she was able to remove the fouler parts of her conscious mind and expel them into the Abyss." The Old Man freely and cheerfully informed Kanzen.
Kanzen raised an eyebrow in response while Ak'Gak just looked confused.
"It wasn't just the dark parts of her soul that got expelled however, she also removed many integral parts of her psyche; her anger, her desire, her fear, her stubbornness, her selfishness, her sentimentality, even many parts of her soul she considered very positive if they made her weaker in the face of the ultimate sacrifice to give birth to the next beautiful stage of the Omniverse. In essence, she conceptually folded her soul like a sword maker removing the weakness from a pig iron blade, expelling what she considered to be the limiting impurities for the sake of a stronger weapon with each iteration."
Kanzen was silent. The Old Man gave a knowing giggle and continued;
"What she ultimately cast into the Abyss didn't really belong there, it wasn't spiritually aligned enough to the plane to be absorbed so a cyst formed over her spirit in a similar way to the way a body isolates a foreign object like a splinter when it's jabbed into flesh. The imprisoning cyst itself then gained consciousness and somehow managed to evolve through the demonic ranks, likely with Kammella's secret guidance, to become the monster you know as Kamii..."
"And?" Kanzen calmly demanded in a flat voice after a long pause.
"Uh... I guess that is all I really know..." The Old Man says after a moment, scratching his beard.
"Are you really a sage or just a vehicle for limited exposition?" Ak'Gak demanded, angerly pointing an accusing finger at the Old Man.
Kanzen interrupted Ak'Gak's breaking of the fourth wall with a question of her own as the Old Man laughed heartily.
"I see...I guess all I really want to know now is; How do I kill her?"
The Old Man responds;
"Well the main way to slay transcendental beings is to drain them of all their power so they dissipate like a fart in the wind but that is difficult, as the main way they lose power is when they overly exert themselves, though Kammella seems to already be doing that, so I guess you could just wait and/or trash her stuff to bait her into using up more of her life force. The Pool of Causality has altered her spirit in a way that makes her very strong but limited in uses of her power, when she expels it all she should fade away...But then, there might be other ways to drain her power, though I personally don't know them."
Ak'Gak is about to angrily say something more but Kanzen steps on him with her left leg and smooshes his face into the ground where he yells incomprehensibly.
"You were clear with me and didn't give me the run around with riddles and the like, so you are a fine sage in my book." Kanzen tells the bearded elder. "And I won't kill you today."
The Old Man nods sagely, though at what it isn't clear.
"One last thing before you go." Says the elder. "I know you are tough, but in the future; be very careful about just leaving your severed body parts around..."