by Marcus Sloss
“We do not have time for your childish antics. There are gods that were delirious in fright. They were broadcasting in the open in ships that passed me by while I was trying to study the portal. They spoke of one thing. A harbinger of fables was here in this mini verse. A being so vile and powerful they were able to close portals. They were near mad in their flight to the upper universe. The cried for all to flee now before the portal was forever closed and this universe destroyed. I thought you were lying about being able to shut portals.” Maurta said swiftly. As he talked I had killed a dozen portals. I had been distracted when he showed up. “It is as foretold. I choose to stay here with Aroxa… I yearn for a quiet life without more war. Even if it means I have to end my crazy obsession. No matter how hard I try I achieve something different I always deduced the same result. Maybe Lily can help me? More than likely I need a break and to let it go.”
“Stop rambling Maurta. The white will drop in moments and then a fight will happen. I do not have time except for you to be direct.” I said angrily. The enemy was desperate to get more troops here and I was working rapidly to ensure that did not happen.
“You need to close the portal to the upper universe. In my studies, I learned a few occasions where the lower universe poses a risk to the upper one. They always destroy the portal. Some theorize that destroys the actual universe inside that portal. Not just the gateway. Do you understand?”
“They may kill everything in this universe if I am deemed too great of a risk. Got it. How much time do I have?”
“Days, possibly hours. Time moves differently up there. There is no perfect conversion.” Maurta was packing anxiously. When Virtue arrived he did so with Aroxa who tackled her father in a hug. It was all very touching but I needed to focus.
“Well, that helps at least. I will clean up this battle, then head there immediately. King Aves, Lord Nova can you hear me,” I said.
“We are close, you will see us on the horizon soon.” Lord Nova said directly. Silly Aves simply refused to talk direct.
I realized now that everything was timed perfectly. The lack of defenses had lured all these gods in. They were trapped and in a few moments the flank would hammer down.
The white from our nonexistent talks dropped. Both sides had been waiting for this moment and the battle erupted
“Fire!” I barked. The drums pounded to send the formations forward. Both sides volleyed at each other and I saw air shields flicker on both sides. The tree line to the west revealed King Aves and the flank of the few hundred griffins that had left from Ooney Bay. They circled around the shields protecting the enemy demigod and gods. I watched as vole blood allowed the griffins to allow torrents of plasma onto the outer shields. The assault was too much and forced shamans and cyclops to collapse. A laser beam erupted from a god's hands and cut a griffin in two and continued to dice into the griffin ranks. Ice projectiles smashed into shields until griffin cast ice blocks and dropped them. More shields faltered and the distance was closed until it was a melee. Only the dozen leaders were encased in the thickest shield.
Arrows, ballista, and rocks were lobbed both ways only to hit shields protecting units. Our magic was swiftly carrying the battle when it happened. Magic escaped me to swirl around my body. My core went white and no matter how hard I tried I could not get the magic back in to cast. An enemy god had cast a nullifying spell against magic.
The battle rapidly shifted. “OPEN FIRE!!!” I commanded.
Our ballista, arrows, and catapult round decimated enemy formations. I always thought the ballista were a bit of a waste besides for big targets. Every round I saw either carved through a stegoele or tore into a salamander formation. The result was more death and destruction. The dvaren were masters of battle and we were winning more around the formations with our ranged. The melee scrum was going poorly though. There was no healing happening for the griffins. As fast and as mighty as they were they still received damage. I watch the dozen actual warrior assault the griffins to drive back the lines. King Aves called on reinforcements as more griffins fell in the melee. All the griffins on the walls of Riza were called down since there were no shields needed. I was still on Gaius’ back and we dove for the enemy champions.
As we neared the fiercest of fighting I saw a shaman trying to flee. I fired my two crossbows at her from over two hundred feet. She realized too late her spells were ineffective from a blocker. I saw her keep trying to cast a portal until my bolts sunk into her chest killing her. I wanted to land and go sword and shield with the enemy but I was in noble clothes. Gaius scooped a cyclops from the ground and flung him far into the air. I was almost too late to notice a volley of arrows that rained into us and I barely got my shield up in time. Gaius received a lot of damage and faltered. So much for staying in the air. We landed in a circle of elvath archers on salamanders. This was a horrible place to be. Our fast charging cavalry saw me go down and spun formations to get here. That was the last thing I noticed before we tumbled into the dirt.
I tried to pour purple aura into my legs to get space from his body and nothing happened. I leaped desperately off his back. Gaius saw me to his left and rolled himself trying to consume as many arrows flying our way as possible. I could tell he was dying. The last thing he did was cover me with his wing. I felt the griffin breath his last as I was tucked against his side. I heard the marching dvaren charging our way and the sound of arrows landing into the wing of Gauis stopped. A for the emperor call out rang across the battlefield as cavalry clashed with cavalry. I dared not poke my head out though. I cowered like a coward. I was out of position, out of armor, and out of magic.
There was a cry of death and the spell canceling all magic shattered. I cast a mighty air shield thicker than any before and removed myself from protection. I had been patient and too easy on my foes. I should have ended this earlier with my magic and was determined to now.
I froze everything around me at the foot level including allies. They could be healed and I was willing to take the risk. I saw the salamanders crash into the ground as they broke off their legs with the forward movement while being locked to the ground in my frozen spell. I spun to face the enemy elvath that had killed Gaius and flame erupted from my hands. Their screams of a slow burning death gave me joy. Healers were working our lines and I saw griffins begin healing each other. I killed all the portals suddenly populating.
Any advantage the enemy had died in the moment magic was allowed again. The enemy gods were thinning as they tried to stop the onslaught of vole plasma in their ranks. They were melting in death as all but the most powerful shields remained.
The outskirts of the fight were being cleaned up by the human mages in the dvaren lines. The enemy was being blocked from firing forward while they were fired upon freely. Victory was ours. It was inevitable at this point. I extended a slave contract and it was accepted by the majority of the fighting forces.
The enemy gods did not accept in stubborn defiance. As if some hidden force would save them. Griffins dive bombed sideways into the remaining shielded enemy. As they smashed into what little protection that remained for the foe our griffins were healed of their damage. I saw the fright in the enemy's eyes. There were merely two dozen left. Huddled in a circle.
“ENOUGH!” I commanded and the griffins let off the damage.
I rose hundreds of feet into the air as I created a dome of thick clay with earth magic. The griffins figured out my strategy and helped build a cavern over our foes. Moments later the roof birthed stalagmites. As soon as we could drop building sized spikes on the dome we did. The enemy gods were powerful, I had the power of a planet stuffed with magic though. I let loose a lava flow so big it encircled the shield until it finally broke. Stalagmites fell and lava consumed. I poured more and more into the area. I then broke the dome and had it crash down in a crumbling that sent dust waves pluming. I hastily tucked the extra clay under the dirt by opening the land besides where I sense remaining foes. When I finished it left nine enemy go
ds alive above the ground. Most of this had hidden in the earth somehow away from the main core of enemies. I saw one cowering behind me.
I walked to the nearest mangled god. She muttered for forgiveness. “This is my last offer! The rest of you will die,” I said and extended the slave contract. Only four rejected it. King Aves and Lord Nova were pacing eagerly around the defeated enemy not willing to surrender.
I walked to the first set of defiant eyes that stared at me. The enemy was trying to unleash bolts of lightning that were ineffectively hitting shields. You could see his aura struggling. I bounded forward with a lot of aura to cross our distance in a flash. He smiled as I clutched his throat. He burnt my shirt off from the static discharge that he rationalized would be my doom. I was expecting him to unleash on me so I was already healing myself. When I did not die he grew confused and then he became frightened.
“What are you?” He screamed at me. I decided to give the best answer I could. I was death.
I crushed his neck with my aura enhanced grip. I then squeezed so hard the only thing left was mush. I tossed his body up and with a quick swipe of my sword, I removed his head. When his body hit the ground I cut out his heart. There was a disintegration as his body fluttered away as tiny carbon particles. This time murdering a god or demigod was different than the others. A round glowing orb replaced his heart had been. It thudded to the ground and rolled to my feet. I picked up the crystal circular container and studied it. Inside the center, I saw a dancing image of lighting. It cracked, cascaded, and struck at the sides of the inner walls. It was as if a massive thunderstorm had taken up residence inside this clear ball. I did the logical and safe thing then. I pulled at the inner orb to bring it into my body.
A cascading power erupted from the orb to join my core. Suddenly I wobbled and crashed to my knees. I saw allies grow concerned but I placed palms out to show them I was fine. I tinkered around with my inner core and found it now had an addon. It was not a core magic like colored tendrils that danced around my center. Instead, it was a swirling ball in sense like what Sion was when I had seen him on his plane. It orbited my core like a planet orbits a sun. I looked at the next defiant god who failed to surrender.
“I will be your…” Was all she got out.
I blasted her with lighting so intense she exploded. Uh… Sion reserves combined with new magic was overpowered. Where she stood an orb dropped from where her heart used to be in her body. This confirmed a few things. Those gods I incinerated with lava technically had their heads and hearts removed. Therefore they were dead. The question was did they drop more orbs. I desired the orbs.
The last two divine females pleaded. I closed the distance and with two rapid swipes and decapitated both. “I said to surrender, you dumb bitches! Too proud to kneel when you were defeated.” I then cut their hearts out. Neither dropped orbs. Well shit, I didn’t mind slave prisoners. I could always use them until I decided to kill them. The gambling rate on them dropping orbs made me glad that decision making over. I fully intended to take them as slaves until I thirsted for more orbs. The whole fact that was an option was tugging at a darker side of my soul. Those gods and demigods who had already become slaves were tempting me. I let out a long exhale. I walked over to the other orb and picked it off the ground. It was a tree growing rapidly inside. Neat. I digested the skill. A quick inspection at my core and I now had two planets orbiting my inferno of a core. Now, this could get addicting.
“Scour the battlefield. Dig into Vin if you have to. Ensure all these balls of skills are found. I am going to free us of the upper universe. Make certain all these slaves are properly put to work.” I said and Maurta appeared beside me from a portal. He removed the one that sent him to my side and created a new one. We both went to white and I stepped in.
∞∞∞
I stood on a tiny orbital not even a hundred feet from a portal so gargantuan it could have swallowed solar systems. It reminded me of some of the massive black holes we studied back on Swan in high school. Ships flew in and out as trade flowed both ways. There were all different sizes but most were boxy rectangular shaped vessels for maximum cargo. I saw no warships or patrol ships here. The other side maybe. This side was free flowing traffic. I saw a lot more ships than I expected. Tens of thousands at least soared across the void to hundreds of orbitals. There were no planets or burning suns to illuminate the sky. Instead artificial light beamed across space. It was easy to deduce good were portaled to these planet sized orbitals and then ferried via ships.
I smiled at my achievement. I was finally here. I scanned my surroundings and noticed that Maurta liked to live sparsely. There was little to this place. There was an open square lounging space with a couch with a cushion to rest your feet on. There were some dead potted plants that probably died before humanity was even a thing. I saw paintings of Aroxa at varying ages achieving various things. The orbital was barely big enough for the portal that the two of us arrived through. I saw there was an exterior airlock with a shielded cover. If I had to guess by the mess that was where Maurta spent most of his time trying to master the intricacies of the universal portal.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” I asked Maurta as I studied the magic of the gateway. Yup I could easily close it. It was not that different from a regular portal. The difference was there was no mage on the other side keeping it open. It had a self-feeding loop that used collision to produce instead of consume. It took me seconds to learn what he spent eons failing to understand. “Once it is closed I do not think it can be reopened. I am not certain about that because there is so much unknown about it. I would need a few more hours probably in front of this to create my own. That and the power of Sion, which I am lacking here. The way it is flowing suggests it started as a stream of energy from upper to lower verse. You were never able to create your own because you need to make a way to down flow the energy and then let it feed on itself. Not replicate it. Not sure if that makes sense.”
“I tried. I tried everything. I finally am ready to let go. I missed so much of Aroxa’s life and the joys of living while trying to please Warg. That asshole is gone, he is up there in the master universe. He knew you would win. He told none of us.” Maurta said with disdain.
“I figured as much. It will be nice to see the gods transition to a more stable universe. I still expect conflict. You can never make everyone perfectly happy right. Do you want me to show you how to make your own or are you done? Last chance before I close this,” I said and Maurta shook his head no.
I saw tears streaming down his eyes as he removed himself from the orbital via a portal.I could understand him not wanting to be around the resulting destruction of his beloved project. I also was not going a step further until I had a way home. A new portal opened where Maurta was and Virtue stepped through.
“They are celebrating already. Many orbs of power and skills were found. I was given this to hand you before you closed the way. Icandria said they were important for you to have. I don’t know Gryff… Something is off. The tone… There was a sadness to the gods, it should be happiness. It is almost one of loss. That makes me worry that we will not survive this.” Virtue said as he looked me in the eyes. I kept drifting my focus to the five orbs he cradled between his arms.
“Virtue my friend. If saving trillion and trillions of lives this universe holds is how we die… Then ours was a worthy sacrifice, certainly one of legend. Also, fret not my friend, they did give us powerups. You do not give orbs of might to people doomed to die right. Cheer up!” I said as I shifted through the orbs he held.
There was one for creating tools from rocks. What was that guy doing trying to conquer Vin? There was one for creating water. I could already do that. I handed it to Virtue to consume. There was an orb with static electricity in it. It was not a powerful lighting, more like a portable battery skill. I set that one with the tool creator skill. The next was growing plants. Wonder why they sent two of the same type? The last was a small creature inside. The be
st way to describe it was an orb holding a hydra. Now that was epic. Could I summon hydra or something?
“Any idea how any of this works? I did not see any of these abilities besides the lighting one used.” I asked Virtue who was grinning madly at the plant and water orbs I gifted him.
“The way of the warring universe is different. You climb in power through victories. I read of this, never ever expected to see it or get to experience it myself. Will you watch over me while I consume these? Just add to the central aura right?”
“Add them to circle your aura, not into it. You want them to rotate around your core. Go for it. The portal is stable so whoever is rushing to close it from up there has not started yet.” I said as I observed the flow of ships smoothly transitioning back and forth.
The vastness of it all had never quite caught up to me. I still thought in terms of forty widows starving while digging at weeds with bare hands that were bone thin from starvation. I saw Virtue was for my attention again. When he had it he did not hesitate. He sucked in both skills inside the orbs out of the balls and into his body. He wobbled and I caught him before he could fall.
“Easy fella,” I said as I stabilized him. He recovered quickly and shot water down the hall, it had nowhere to go and spread to cover our feet until a rug soaked up as much as it could. Virtue pointed at an empty potter, he grew a small fruit tree with ease. That smelon tree would break something in here eventually if it kept growing.
“Astounding. I want to get more now!” Virtue exclaimed in a sentiment I could relate to.
I opened the three balls I had set aside for myself and added them to my core. I had the five new powers floating around my drastically smaller aura. I always felt so weak when I was not connected to Vin. Like a portion of the god I was destined to be was gone. I could now turn stone into tools, discharge electricity at a given rate, and I had a new friend. I desperately wanted to test the hydra but I was inside a confined orbital only big enough for us two and a few decorations.