Alsokar liked his new body. It was younger than his last one. He agreed to travel with Trevor for the time being, until he decided what to do with himself. Fortunately, he remembered all of his spells and fighting stances. He feared he would have to start over. He showed Trevor where the nearest tavern was.
While at the bar Trevor showed him what he had so far. He told him the days of the week, and then showed him the calendar so far:
Month, Season, Sign
Farael....Spring...Fish
No Name...Spring...Turtle
No Name...Spring...Toad
No Name...Summer...Phoenix
No Name...Summer...Dragon
No Name...Summer...Serpent
No Name...Fall.....Horse
No Name...Fall.....Lion
No Name...Fall.....Mouse
No Name...Winter...Ram
No Name...Winter...Bear
No Name...Winter...Wolf
"Are you sure about those star signs? I know my people have different names for the constellations here," Alsokar said.
"No, I am not sure about them, but I included them anyway. I can expect differences of opinion. However, I am asking the gods, goddesses, and other powerful people to contribute their names to the calendar."
"Aren't you a god?" Alsokar asked. "How about you name a month after yourself?"
"Me? Oh no, I am not worthy. I am just a minor god at best."
"I think you are worthy, considering all that you have done. As far as traveling goes, your name should go to the Horse month. How about it?"
Alsokar then took Trevor's quill pen and added his name to the calendar. It looked like this now:
Month, Season, Sign
Farael....Spring...Fish
No Name...Spring...Turtle
No Name...Spring...Toad
No Name...Summer...Phoenix
No Name...Summer...Dragon
No Name...Summer...Serpent
Trevor....Fall.....Horse
No Name...Fall.....Lion
No Name...Fall.....Mouse
No Name...Winter...Ram
No Name...Winter...Bear
No Name...Winter...Wolf
"There, that was fun. I have never named a month before," Alsokar said laughing...
Alsokar arrived at Lighton just when Mistress Destra and her army was attacking. He saw that the city had few defenders. He conjured up twin swords of magic, and he went to fight her.
Alsokar and Dar-Khan aim the now lite Cannon of Carlock at The Destroyer, who was wounded by the Spear of Humanity and blinded by Leafar. Below his feet are bodies of dead men, dead dragons, dead war titans, and dead obsidion men. Only a few remain to watch.
The cannon fires, and the cannonball (that was the Amulet of Anniliation) flys to the Destroyer and it strikes him directly in his chest. There is just a few seconds pause, that seems to last forever, and then there is the greatest explosion that the World of Beriya has ever seen.
Alsokar sees the Destroyer explode, he sees the still giant Leafar raise his hands and say something, he sees Jormungand move, he sees Dar-Khan fall and then a dark cloud of smoke covers everything...
Dungeon Kobold wrote: Jormungand alights before Alsokar, Dar-Khan on its back. It looks identical to the dragon that saved Alsokar, save for a faint green light in its eyes. It looks at Alsokar coldly, and two of its heads look at the sword he bears with hatred...and just a bit of fear.
~You have met one of my sisters. You should know that had I been present, I would have killed you long before that abomination could be been freed.~
It's difficult to tell whether it 'speaks' of the Destroyer or the sword.
"Dragon! Human! Help me! This cannon can slay the Destroyer! Help me fire it! How does it fire? We can destroy the Destroyer!"
His computer analyzes it...the Light of Leafar blinds the Destroyer...then he says to Jormungand, "Light the Cannon! Now!"
Alsokar walks out of the burning ruins. His power suit is damaged, but functional. Its computer scans the evironment, and he sees the odd pairing ot the now round Amulet of Anhilation and what looks like a cannon. He knows what to do.
Up above he sees two giant gods. Leafar the Light, standing guard over Lighton, and the Destroyer with a great spear in his forehead. He needs help.
He picks up the round amulet and places it into the Cannon, but now what? How does it fire?
He hears the booming voice of Leafar say, YOU SHALL NOT PASS! BEHOLD THE LIGHT OF LEAFAR!" A ray of intense, pure light shoots from Leafar's right hand and it strikes the Destroyer's eyes. Now he is truly blind. His scream shakes all Beriya.
Alsokar points the cannon at the blind Destroyer, hoping and praying he can get it to work...
Dungeon Kobold wrote: Jormungand the platinum dragon allows Dar-Khan to sit astride one of his seven necks. He teleports himself close to Lighton, then leaps into the air and takes off towards the burning city. ~We must find Alsokar. My vision of fate is becoming clouded, but I sense that someone in that Citadel yet lives!~ Alsokar lives within the burning ruins of the Citadel. His power armor saved him, but he is stunned. The Obsidion Sword is still held in his right hand, awaiting his command. There is no...status on Probe Omega Three.
The Flying Citadel arrives just in time to see the Destroyer create the dragons and double in size. The plan was to have first Bo-Rak and then Probe use their weapons to weaken the Destroyer, an then Alsokar would deliver the death blow.
He sees Palas and his people courageously battle the thousands of Obsidion Men. He sees the War-Titans bravely battle great Obsidion Dragons. He sees a glowing figure watching from the Labyrinth of Lights, and he spectulates it is Leafar.
His plan would have worked too, but Obsidion sees the Citadel. He creates a spark and then blows a great wind of fire at the flying city. The Citadel is engulfed in flames, and it crashes on the outskirts of Lighton...
Alsokar doesn't understand the technology, but he sees it as a different kind of magic. He steps into the power suit and allows it to close around him. Knowledge of the flying city's various systems pour into his mind and he is overwhelmed, but he quickly adapts. He understands what to do.
"Omega 3, I am ready to lead, and you are a person. I will control the Citadel's functions remotely. I am flying on a collison course with the Destroyer. The Obsidion Sword may be able to destroy the Destroyer, but if not we will ram the city into him. I need you to begin the self destruct sequence, but do not detonate until my command. ENGAGE!"
The Citadel moves at super sonic speed to Lighton...
Omega Three wrote: Alsokar wrote: Alsokar used a Fly and Teleport spell to get to the flying city. He only has his clothes and the Obsidion Sword.
"Who is in charge here?" He yelled. "We have to fly to the Destroyer! He has to be stopped!"
The Destroyer takes another step and the earth quakes again. Alsokar can actuallly see him coming in the distance...
The pod-shaped flying machine winks into visibility, it does not turn away from the titanic stone door it tinkers with as it addresses him.
"This city became a realm of mechanical madness and sealed itself up, those within are dead or...in need of death. This one sees you have a facility with destruction."
The machine turns to face him as the door opens with a great rumbling and the shriek of shearing metal, it stop when it is barely wide enough for a single person to slip through. The probe reaches into an internal compartment and offers the Primevan a pair of shadowy spectacles.
"This counteragent will protect your organic mind from being compromised and ignore most illusions. We must make our way to the control room and destroy any forces guarding it. Control room contains ability to activate Citadel's primary weapons, call for reinforcements, or even attempt ramming maneuver.
Be warned, biped, internal security systems are highly dangerous."
The floating machine pauses, and speaks in a more personable tone for a moment.
"But then, danger seems to be your bailiwick, doesn't it? Let's go, we have a lot of corridors to fight through." Alsokar follows the pod, and he is unfazed by it. In the maze of the sword that he now carries, he saw much more stranger sites. He doesn't know what a "control room" is, but he does understand what ramming is.
"I know this flying Citadel can fly, and I know it can be flown into the Destroyer. I know my life is forfeit for releasing him. Even though it will cost me my life, I will stop him."
As he runs after the pod, Alsokar looks with the Obsidian Sword, hoping to find an answer. Maybe the sword that released him and imprison the destroyer again...
Omega Three wrote: Welp, time to take the Citadel out of mothballs, and hey! I figured out that alias business.
Check complete, systems recalibrated, uplink feed stabilized, stealth suite online.
Contact is restored, surviving handler has formed telepathic bond with self, transferred engrams and gestalt have upgraded current heuristics by 132%. Feedback has terminated handler, self is humbled by her sacrifice. Self will attempt to honor sacrifice by completing new mission objectives.
Reflection: initial contact with Citadel security resulted in attack. Stealth suite engaged, secondary contact initiated; self "sneaked in
and looked around." Internal layout suggested severe redesign over previous cycles, evidence of former D'kin residents/soldiers fighting each other. Long-term conflict, bodies "defiled." Data fragments from internal security suggest one faction "upgraded" organic systems with constructed components, attempted to force "upgrades" on other faction. Weapons and tactics increasingly brutal, deployment of weapons-grade memetic agents induced confusion and full insanity on victims. Memetic agent contaminated uplink, handler team infected, majority of handler team terminaccccted. Silence, heuristic engine developed fault, probe Omega three unable to reconcile, systems degraded. Surviving handler re-initiated contact, sacrificed self to repair/upgrade self's mental architecture.
I am, and I have a purpose. Citadel systems repairable, subject "Alsokar" and Platinum Dragon ally are extremely powerful. Study of organic mind have led self to develop countermeasures to memetic agents and warrior/probability-manipulator are powerful team. Final objective from command and from handler are self's orders; recruit subject Alsokar, clear dead city, take control of propulsion systems, destroy or re-imprison destroyer by any means necessary.
Self repurposes communication software, contacts Alsokar and gives flying directions.
Alsokar used a Fly and Teleport spell to get to the flying city. He only has his clothes and the Obsidion Sword.
"Who is in charge here?" He yelled. "We have to fly to the Destroyer! He has to be stopped!"
The Destroyer takes another step and the earth quakes again. Alsokar can actuallly see him coming in the distance...
boring7 wrote: oh shiiiiii-
In the depths of the forest, my little miracle finally comes. A crack, a shudder, and my son comes into the world. His steel skin is beautiful, bright and strong and glorious. I fold my wings around him and take him into my embrace as he takes his first breaths. He cannot see me, but he tastes my echoes on the winds of gravity and knows my life force from the color of my being. As he rests his exhausted head upon my breast, I sing to him. A song of peace. That peace is shattered 2 hours later, the prison is open, The Destroyer is free and we are all in a lot of trouble.
My D'kin are in a panic, reports are lost, meetings are held, the beginnings of a stupid cult are gently but firmly put down and Ambassador Ketz of the Couatl is indisposed, I suspect he is trying and failing to get useful information or answers from his kin. The Primarch comes to me, poorly hiding his sense of panic, as I feed my child. He fears the child's rather alien form, but he will learn to accept it in time.
He explains the situation, though I already know, and asks what he should do. I ask him what he THINKS we should do, and as a mother teaches her children I help him calm his rational mind and work out a planned response.
Construction begins on a new project. I assist in design, but mothering takes up most of my time. I shall catch up on probe reports some other day, or year.
I pause, on a lark I cast a single messaging spell, one-way, to the one who broke the prison. "Nice job breaking it hero, hit up the big flying city, see if there's anyone alive to help you."
***
Probe 1 handler team report: Humans are filthy creatures. They live in squat little cities and squabble over everything. The few who wield political or magical power are somewhat impressive, but are still quite limited. There is little communication or cooperation between settlements or specialists. This, however, is as expected. Unexpected events have occurred near 3 major human population centers;...
"
You receive a one way spell message from Alsokar, who apparently survived. It says,
"I don't know where I am. I still have the Obsidion Sword. Gods forgive me. No one can help me now. I have to find a way to stop him. Where is the big, flying city?"
I emerged from the Obsidian Sword a different person. For me it felt like a hundred years have passed. I look up at the sky and knew that in this world no time had passed. I had journeyed through endless mazes, traps, and obstacles. I fought countless creatures and aberrations. In time I found what I was looking for, the Final Obstacle. I was near death, but I was ready to meet my Maker!
Then I discovered who had it was who Called me; it was me! Time had no meaning with the sword. I had been called countless times before in other timelines, always to meet the same fate, until my last incarnation decided to stop the endless loophole. I had Called myself!
"Slay me, Alsokar, and accept your fate," I said to myself.
I choked the life from him/me, and the last thing I saw within the sword maze was my own lifeless eyes looking back at me. I emerged into the "real" world. Now I could draw the Obsidian Sword.
However, I knew what would happen if I did. I hesitated just a moment, for I knew all of the destruction I would unleash. I knew that I would probably die, but nothing mattered anymore. I had come too far.
I pulled the sword, and it easily came out of the mountain. The Obsidian Sword felt weightless in my sword hand. It's surface was so black that I could see my own reflection. I looked so much older!
I felt the mountain start to shake, and I knew my doom.
"By the Gods, what have I done?"
I had just a moment to jump before the mountain exploded...
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