《Kneel: A Guide to Demonic Ascension》 Step 2- Bargaining (P2) ¡°¡­times of turmoil our Hescarian might has shone through over and over again, I speak to you now as Queen of Hescaria, as my mother¡¯s successor, as the monarch to end our subjugation. The time to fight is now, come my people, come and pledge your dedication to a true Hescarian Kingdom because as we fight we will take and carve out lands and waters denied to us for a hundred years. This is the beginning of a new offensive and together, as one, I believe we¡¯ve already won.¡± Lumina gives a short bow and the large cubed item floating a few feet away from a one of the Mage-Warriors loses its light and falls into his hands. A brilliant item, one and I used quite a number of times to communicate with the rest of the Empire, be it Nobles or commoners. It required prior investment in infrastructure throughout the Empire, without it some places would be left in the dark or rely on word of mouth to pass on the message, but I doubt Hescaria has such troubles. Valery nudges me forward as Lumina takes her place on the throne. The long dark grey of her dress pools beneath her feet as she massages her temples, her last two fingers sleeved in a golden metal claw glimmering with magic. The circlet on her head braids back along with her hair, keeping one side of her face exposed with the other falling over a pointed ear with more enchanted jewellery hanging on. She¡¯s quickly taken to the comforts of her official role as Queen of Hescaria, even as far as beckoning the nobles and warriors of the land to come pledge their support and loyalty to their new Queen. She sees us approach and waves everyone in the room away, a gesture that reminds me so much of Calridian. Ocean eyes fix onto me as she situates herself to speak to us. ¡°Nil.¡± Her voice is soft but certain as she utters my name, I smile knowing last time wasn¡¯t a fluke. ¡°You failed to mention your¡­companion?¡± she frowns. Valery doesn¡¯t say a word, she walks up the stairs leading up to the throne and sits at the half way point. Her mind is a cloud, even if I were to invade I¡¯d be lost in the torrent of thought she¡¯s having. Maintaining my smile, I nod, ¡°Yes, but only because I didn¡¯t know I had a¡­companion.¡± Even I¡¯m not sure what to call King at this point, I suppose partner would be the respectable choice but the technical wording for a soul attached to another is lost on me. ¡°Your companion-¡± ¡°I think partner would be a better word.¡± Her frown deepens. ¡°King, left and when she did I don¡¯t believe she intended on returning. We have a pact in place, Nil, these new variables aren¡¯t¡­reassuring to the agreement we¡¯ve had about this war. I¡¯ve just had to lie to my people, I¡¯ve had to tell them that we¡¯d most certainly win this war against an Empire whose last defeat was over two hundred years ago.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t lie for the sake of the future then what¡¯s the point in you leading a Kingdom?¡± It¡¯s King that speaks for me this time, and by the flash in Lumina¡¯s eyes I know she recognizes her words. ¡°So she is here, now. I¡¯d like to speak with her, Nil.¡± ¡°Not possible.¡± ¡°And why not?¡± My smile falters a bit as I ask, ¡°Do you really want King in control? Do you think there wouldn¡¯t be consequences?¡± Valery looks up at her and I wonder if one of the many items adorning the Queen allows her to secretly communicate with her sister. ¡°You think King will hurt us, because Valery¡¯s words don¡¯t hold as much power and mine hold none.¡± I shrug, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose this chance to talk like reasonable minded folk. Besides, King is listening to everything you say right now, you have her attention.¡± Lumina pushes her hair back and leans into her throne as she raises her metal gloved fingers. Chains and manacles spurt out of the floor and float an inch away from my limbs, she waves them away but the point is made. ¡°Right, this is your Palace.¡± ¡°It is. This is the last place I could ever be hurt, not even the Emperor would step in her when mother reigned and now I, a Queen blatantly aggressive to his Empire sits on the throne. Don¡¯t delude yourself into thinking you¡¯re in control of every situation, Nil.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡®I like this one, she sounds almost as wise as I am.¡¯ ¡®Because she agrees with you on one point?¡¯ ¡®One point is a start. Get on with it, there are too many places around the continent to check for us to waste time flapping gums here.¡¯ ¡°Point taken, but still, King listens and she wants me to get on with the reason for our meeting now. I promise we won¡¯t act against you, not unless you act against us and our interests.¡± ¡°And what of our interests? Valery tells me you plan on leaving most of the battle to us so you can pursue some power that¡¯ll end the war. What reassurance will I have that the lives I¡¯ll inevitably lay down at the front line will bear fruit to the end of this war?¡± Again, I shrug, ¡°On that I guess you¡¯ll just have to trust that I want what¡¯s best for me. And the war I need Hescaria to fight will require a strength neither of us possess right now. Let the weak be culled, there are greater gains to be had once we find what we¡¯re looking for.¡± Overwhelmed by fury Lumina springs out of the throne, ¡°Culled! The weak? You dare!¡± her voice booms throughout the throne room startling both Valery and I. ¡°I should expect nothing more from a demon than cruelty, this is what I¡¯ve bargained us into Valery.¡± Just as quickly as her anger sprung forth does it simmer into the forlorn look she wears now. Valery skips up the steps and takes her hand in hers, whispering reassurances and taking the blame for this debacle¡ª me. ¡°I phrased that wrong¡­uh, well, you get the idea. I can¡¯t protect the frontline while searching for what we will need. If I knew I¡¯d need this, if I knew it existed before now then I would have stopped you from your declaration of war and better prepared ourselves. It¡¯s unfortunate but it¡¯s happened, we can only move forward.¡± ¡°My Kingdom will prove you wrong, the both of you. Valery and her team will accompany you at all times until this power you speak of is found, and if it is, we will have a piece of it.¡± I hold back a groan at Valery¡¯s addition, ¡°Well, firstly, this power isn¡¯t one Vuius would be please to see any elf wield and I promise she will take action even if a condemn wench like your sister dares to. Besides, it would kill her and I¡¯m not sure you want a powerhouse like Valery and her team away from the frontlines.¡± ¡°I need someone I can trust beside you, I won¡¯t compromise on this.¡± Valery doesn¡¯t seem to agree with pulling away from the frontline but she understands the need as she adds, ¡°Lumina, how about Kelv, Jerad and I go with them, the rest of my team will take their place at the front. But don¡¯t hesitate to call us back to aid Hescaria, I¡¯ll drag the demon with me.¡± I snort and she fixes me with a glare. ¡°That should work fine, make sure whatever this power is we know of it and know how to wield it.¡± ¡®Lumina was born for that throne.¡¯ ¡®Why are you so supportive of her? She¡¯s basically our enemy.¡¯ ¡®Your enemy, you¡¯re the one with the pact. But¡­she reminds me of me, a softer, eager to please version of me.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t think I had the honour of meeting that you.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t think you were born yet.¡¯ Ignoring King I nod at Valery and Lumina, ¡°Well if that¡¯s settled I suppose we can head back to the hill.¡± Valery smirks at this, ¡°Yes, the hill I dragged you from.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t say I see you two becoming friends.¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t say I do either.¡¯ *** We leave Lumina to her duties, the demands of the army come in folds. Valery leads me out to a room, a large, tall and long room and throws open her wardrobe. The room nearly matches the grandeur of King¡¯s bedroom, it falls short in the key splendour that comes from jewellery, there¡¯s a considerate lack of it despite this being her childhood bedroom. The walls, like the Palace itself speak of a great length of time spent. Greater Cognizance allows me to clear up the usual clutter of the degraded history the room speaks of, so I know at one point or another the room met the standards I¡¯d expect from a Princess of an aged Elven Lineage. As Valery rifles through her wardrobe, I rifle through her shared past with the room. The memories and events it whispers are fractured for the most part, but they aren¡¯t noisy pieces like Gerim¡¯s hovel was. From it I gather that Valery wasn¡¯t always the tough nail, not the hardest nut to crack either if her wails at Lumina being taken away for lessons says anything about it. I gather glimpses of other figures familiar with the room, Lumina, the dark haired warrior and the Queen. Each delivered a different emotion as they appear, but that changes as well. Before long there¡¯s a slight but obvious budding rivalry and resentment¡ª I can¡¯t tell why it went sour but I know it did and that¡¯s enough. ¡®If it happened once it can happen again.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re going to need something to wear from now on, I don¡¯t think that dress¡­or what¡¯s left of it, isn¡¯t going to do you any justice.¡± Valery says. ¡°Do me justice? You want to enunciate my best features?¡± King voices through. ¡°Your sense of humour is still intact, great you¡¯re still enthusiastic about this.¡± She tosses me a set of robes and leather trousers. ¡°You¡¯re good walking barefoot yeah? None of my boots will fit those giant hooves of yours.¡± ¡°My feet are whatever size I want them to be.¡± I say with a quick demonstration. She frowns as she forfeits a pair to me, ¡°So you chose to have them at that size then, demons are intriguing truly.¡± ¡°And mortals remain ever so mundane.¡± She scoffs and takes my new look in. A grey cloak with the belt hanging out by the side, my bare chest and her the dark bottoms. With Seeker floating beside me I feel rather confident. ¡°Like what you see? I know I do.¡± She walks past me and out the room, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have to meet up with the others.¡± On the way out I catch a memory filled with pain and anguish, and instantly recognize Valery, eyes red from crying into her pillow and smashing into the wall. Whatever she mourns¡ª still mourns by the lasting one-sided glance at the picture sitting at her bedside table¡ª is what led her to me, to demons and to war. A tiny tiny announcement Hello all! I''ve missed you. Alright, I can finally share the full details of this app named YONDER. Like I have said in the past it will have the first book right now and will host Kneel until completion. But as always you can read ahead on patreon. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Otherwise, YONDER has curated many litrpg books like mine so you can browse than on Android or IOS, be sure to leave a comment when you find Kneel, maybe my catchphrase- Superman is real. You can ask me what it means but I''m not sure I''ll give you a satisfactory answer, anyway, it''s the most and least you can do seeing as you''ve read book 1 already. I think this is goodbye now...until the next story, adios. Kneel Book 2- Chapter Unknown Digging my feet through the sand I take guilty pleasure in the warmth it provides this cold night. If it were regular sand it wouldn¡¯t be this warm, the rest of the city is plunged into a chaos symphony of rage and wailings and the granules beneath it all burn up, growing in strength parallel to the demons inhabiting the city. Grabbing a handful, I watch it pour out the side of my fingers like loose grain and wonder what will become of this world now. What should I do in it? Is there a place left for me or am I to forge one myself, fight for the right to exist like all other wilding animals? Atop my perch point I watch a small posse of demons and their acquired slaves moving through the broken territories of the demon hawk. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen demons enslave weaker creatures, in fact, my humanoid appearance almost landed me in the same boat when I first joined Calridian¡¯s broken city. But unlike Calridian¡¯s city, there are no watchful spectres circling in the air, rooting out unjust killings and ending skirmishes. No, here the chaos reigns in an endless cacophony¡ª I haven¡¯t had a sliver of silence since waking up at the bottom of the ruins. However, in the noisy chaos of Kyis there¡¯s still some semblance of order, or rather hierarchy that governs. A natural hierarchy any drooling Pink tier or massive Blood Orange tier can follow¡ª The strong rule. It¡¯s as simple as that. The reason no other demon dared near the demon hawk¡¯s territory because it sought no servants¡ª I¡¯m certain the damned thing could hear every bit of my transmitted thoughts and it ignored them all trying to eat me. Now that it¡¯s gone, scavenging lower tier demons have come looking for what can be had. I left the demon hawk¡¯s corpse behind so now they and their thralls feast upon it, I have half a heart to clear them out and free the humans after all. If I bothered with the hierarchy, then this territory would be mine to defend. In fact, the entirety of Kyis as is is little different from Reais and if it weren¡¯t for Seeker¡¯s absence and the Essence leaking crack in my Soul Crystal, ruling the entire city as my domain would be an alternate ambition. I could always return, assuming some Blood Orange hasn¡¯t eaten every last demon and ascended to Maroon tier before my Soul Crystal recovers, if it even can. Reminded of what¡¯s at stake, I have another look at the map piece Meira used to navigate. The great Eastern Arch-gate of Kyis, a tall, white pillared gate and monument built by the Sainid. I spot the gate and it¡¯s broken arch half buried in the sand some distance away from my perch and tuck the map away. The worn and creaking rooftop beneath me provides little reassurance, but I leap nonetheless, soaring through the air for a fleeting moment before crashing onto the opposite rooftops. Here the tiles aren¡¯t as loose but I fuel my muscles with Essence and make for the little kiosk on the other side of the demon hawk¡¯s territory. The kiosk is cornered between and underneath two larger buildings leaning on each other¡¯s weight. I do my best not to unsettle either when I land and drop from their rooftop down to the kiosk where Meira and Corym whisper in argument. ¡°Corym be serious! We have to get back home.¡± Meira hisses, jostling the elf by his shoulders. His eyes alone speak volumes of his apathy and hopelessness, he doesn¡¯t even bother pushing Meira off despite her violently shoving him around. Sniffling Meira falls back with her own momentum, ¡°Please Corym, let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Meira, don¡¯t you see? There is no home, not anymore. We¡¯re never going to have peace. That demon might kill you once you set it free too, if something else doesn¡¯t first.¡± He says, resting his head on the side of a loose wooden beam. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Have some faith, we can-!¡± ¡°Faith? This entire thing started because we lacked faith, so don¡¯t talk like you¡¯re any better than me. You weren¡¯t the one being digested, you weren¡¯t the one hurled around in a demon¡¯s stomach.¡± Meira crawls back, grabbing a hold of his hand before he can pull it away, ¡°You¡¯re right, I wasn¡¯t and maybe now isn¡¯t the best time to be full of faith but what else is there now? Would you rather experience that again? A demon¡¯s stomach? Staying here is just as suicidal as leaving with a demon we can¡¯t trust.¡± He tosses her hand away with a hiss, ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m not going to convince you to end this miserable life the way I will, so don¡¯t try to convince me either.¡± ¡°Corym¡­I¡­¡± Meira starts only to dejectedly clamp her mouth shut and find herself a corner to curl up with her tears. With their argument at an end I wait a second before pulling away the slab of concrete acting as a door. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Meira springs to her feet. ¡°Did you find it?¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. I glance at Corym curled up in his corner and even without the use of [Mesmer] I know he¡¯s resigned himself to death here. ¡°I did. I¡¯ll head back out to scout the path so we know our steps well in the morning.¡± Nodding at Corym I ask, ¡°And how is he?¡± ¡°He is fine, thank you.¡± Corym says with all the bravery of a dead man. Meira tosses me a look but nothing else, ¡°Alright then. Stay in here, the both of you.¡± Pushing the slab back in place I utter, ¡°Wekt.¡± Turning invisible to scout the path towards the eastern gate. Launching myself back onto the rooftops I continue down the path, scaling tilted towers and vaulting over fallen pillars and growing sand piles until the path ahead is a cluster of numerous low-rise buildings coated in sand, corpses and likely demons¡ª I couldn¡¯t be the only one to think of traversing the rooftops. Perched at the top of a tower I have a great view of the Kyis from its height and the gap between the buildings below is small enough I won¡¯t have to exercise Essence or mana to. Knowing this I activate [Mesmer] and read my surroundings for demons. Very few put up a fight against the peering psychic ability, allowing me to map out the new territory I¡¯ve technically invaded. Knowing where to avoid I drop down from the tower onto the first ceramic tiled rooftop. With the tower behind me and the other four surrounding this neighbourhood it¡¯s easy to tell the kind of humans that lived here. Not anymore though. Hopping onto the next rooftop I crouch, ensure I¡¯m still invisible and peer down at the demons lounging in the street with a dozen corpses rotting in a sand pile nearby. Most of them are [Hezzura]¡ª bone demons of Reais¡ª but the rest are a variety of [Swak] and [Ashka] demons. I count thirteen in total, twenty including the seven nude humans they¡¯ve captured. There are a number of things a demon could do with a human in Reais. Some humans are sold as slaves to higher tier demons in exchange of Essence, spells, artefacts and even their own freedom. However sand filled Kyis is now it isn¡¯t Reais, those humans would be used for the barest means¡ª labour, sex and food. It¡¯d be a torturous experience, a mind breaking one to be sure as I¡¯ve seen its victims first-hand in Calridian¡¯s broken city. Being of memorable human origins I contemplate saving them before thinking better of it. What would I do with them then? Take them with me? All seven of them along with Corym and Meira? They wouldn¡¯t even trust a demon saving them to begin with and I have no intent of being a human shepherd either. The demons themselves aren¡¯t slouches, especially not when I¡¯m in this miserable state. Each demon must be around mid-Crimson tier if not higher, the weakest of which would be the perforated, acid leaking [Swak] demons assigned to watching the humans. As it stands the Essence flowing in my Crystal barely feels like it¡¯s of Blood Orange tier. I let out a sigh and lean against the edge, set to leap onto the next rooftop, ¡°Better not start what I can¡¯t finish.¡± Though my excuse isn¡¯t heard, one of the humans lets out a scream, ranting off aggressively at the [Swak] looming over him and the rest. Intolerant to insolent slaves the [Swak] swipes, moving to take off the man¡¯s head and torso but the man seeing it coming, falls flat on his stomach and makes way for a duo behind him to peel forward with a broad, serrated saw. At the same time something wet and stringy smacks onto my face and I¡¯m yanks off my feet and across the rooftop before I can even raise my hand to wipe it. Suddenly smashing into ceramic tiles knocks me out of [Invisibility] and I blindly activate [Mesmer] to find and assault the mind of my assailant. [Mesmer] fully unleashed onto the demon¡¯s mind breaks it long enough to rip it¡¯s webbing off my face and flip onto my feet, backing away from the tower where a nestling of [Pavshka] demons grows from the side. Four of which descend, menacingly cornering me to the edge of the roof. The [Pavshka] demons sport a wide, long head with spindly antennas poking out, four serrated hooves for legs, and even a giant sac for their webbing. On every side the [Pavshka] raise their sacs and spurt a shot of webbing I escape by jumping off the roof and landing smack in the middle of the humans failing escape attempt. My appearance followed by the descent of the four [Pavshka] distract some of the [Swak] demons and two humans wail away from the ensuing chaos. Webbing flings at the ground I stood a moment ago and [Swak] acid quickly comes hurtling at my head. Weaving through their attacks I whip out and infuse Meira¡¯s short sword with ichor. A broad standing [Swak] charges headfirst at me, it¡¯s orifices seeping acid corrosive enough to eat through concrete. Shifting my weight as I run, I twist and a dismembering wave of ichor blasts out from the blade¡¯s arc, running through the [Swak] in a clean, diagonal line. An Ichoric wave. ¡°Huh, not bad.¡± I pat myself on the back for the ingenuity of replicating the Eyeballs Essence blast attack in my style. An Ichoric wave. A bone spears through my side before I can feint away, the [Hezzura] behind it roars, continuing its charge with me into the side of the corpse pile. Madness in its eyes, the [Hezzura] stabs at me again, poking several holes in my chest before I straddle its first assaulting arm, lock it in and proceed to punch through its shoulder blade with an Ichor infused punch. Losing balance, the [Hezzura] falls into my chest where I grab hold of its head and twist it right off. Plucking out the Crimson Soul Crystal from within its skull I kick the corpse aside and leap out of the battling street, climbing onto the rooftops to push out the bone spear in my side and heal the gaping holes in my chest. Below there aren¡¯t many humans left standing, let alone fighting against the demons but the momentary lack of order tosses the demons into a natural free for all with the team working pair of [Pavshka] seem to be coming out on top. Their webbings aren¡¯t any good against the [Swak] but between the acid and webbings, the [Hezzura] numbers quickly dwindle. Scouring my surroundings again I find the broken eastern gate arch and set to continue the journey when a scream tears through the air. Searching for it, I know it¡¯s not any of the gut-spilled, headless humans below because it¡¯s familiar. ¡°Stop! No!¡± It¡¯s Meira. I turn and leap across fast enough to watch a [Swak] rip off and leak acid into her bag¡ª the one with Gestalt Crystals. The crystals spill onto the floor, cracking and sparking blue arcs of mana as they tumble down the slight incline soaked in the [Swak] acid. In a short moment, two of the numerous crystals meet, setting of a chain-reacting explosion that echoes through the neighbourhood and sends a cloud of blue sparkling dust into the air. Haern VS Void Hero VenomSweep¡¯s metal bulb grates through the pulverised gravel behind me. A swollen moon lights up the half destroyed city, pools of water form out of the beaten land and licks of flame burning unheeded over unfortunate constructs. Panting, I struggle not to fall back on my knees and drag myself across the crater formed from my crash, the pounding in my head punctuates each arduous step. Blinking blood, I lift my head and witness Fex buzz through three Crimson tiers. With a burst he darts up above her, his hammer levied behind him and warping with Essence as he manoeuvres the feint¡ª a screen of darkness materializes in the sliver space between her head and his hammer. Momentum carries Fex through the portal depositing his explosive attack a mere inch off on my side. Debris and water bathe me and I fall to my knee with a huff, giving in to the mounting exhaustion at the mere pelleting of rocks. Ahead the Crimsons continue the fight in our stead¡ª shadows of snapping, hungry maws chase an agile [Khozuik] through the destruction of past battles. The quilled demon riddles the shadows with its projectiles, piercing through and dispelling the shadows as he summersaults out of their advance in Essence boosted leaps and bounds. A corpse ragdolls out of a shadow portal behind him, smacks him out of the air and into an elongated, shadowy hand. It snatches him, morphs into itself¡ª a maw bristling with jagged teeth¡ª and consumes the [Khozuik] in three crunchy bites. Trembling from within, beams of light escape the smog of shadow and in a flash of blinding light it implodes, leaving nothing to trace of shadow or demon. Three others pressed on. Fex strains to lift his hand. He feeds a sliver of mana into a dull ring and a vial of flowing Essence swirls into existence. He catches it but promptly lets his hand fall to me, ¡°Take a sip.¡± He pushes the vial in my hand and wriggles out of my grip, his Soul Crystal flaring with all the Essence of his existence¡ª I know what he¡¯s about to do, so many others have pushed themselves to the further reaches out their Soul¡¯s capabilities in hopes of a rumoured breakthrough, but this is not Reais, the realm will not look kindly upon a vying demons last stand. He will die. Fex clambers back on his many feet, shaking off the Shadow Witches punishment as he palms his legendary hammer, ¡°Only a sip, Haern. I don¡¯t expect you to exhaust your Crystal like I am, but make sure my last stand isn¡¯t wasted. It¡¯s time this witch died.¡± A brave [Myrmi] lurches out of the sand behind her, multitude of eyes glaring a with paralyzing effect that falls flat against her masked face. The demon bears down with the razor sharp instruments attached to its many arms, slicing, swiping and stabbing with in vain effort to touch her through the wave of shadows that erupt from her collar The witch doesn¡¯t move or shift her attention off of us. Her shadows expand, engulfing the [Myrmi] in the jowls of a shadow manifested beast, separate of her own darkness. In terrible crunches the shadow construct marches out to her side, domineering over ten feet tall on four of its wispy legs¡ª some not even bothering to touch the ground¡ª and spits out the metal affixes of the demon¡¯s enchanted weapon. Two Crimsons remain. ¡°Hurry now, take a sip and let¡¯s end this.¡± Fex growls, his energy returning as he burns the last embers of Essence in his Crystal. Terror whelms within me. The vial swirls with the distilled Essence of both Calridian and the Queen of Ticks herself¡ª a testament to their new alliance in the Consumption and the weapon to end the drawn out invasion of Ire. In the right place and the right time, pouring the vial out will break through the thinning difference between Ire and Reais at last, ending the Heroes machinations with pure, unfiltered Maroon tier Essence willed to corrupt. Pressing it to my lips I¡¯m careful even as the witch pulverizes an unfortunate [Adar]. Too much down my throat would broil me from the nucleus of my Soul Crystal, even as Blood Orange. A drop sizzles my tongue and I recoil as it the conk Essence ingrains itself in my pathways, the true mass of it rushing down my back to my Crystal snug below my wing joints. My entire body thrashes into involuntary spasms. My spine squeezed to crushing by my muscles, wings growing oversized and enflamed by the transcendent, demonic purity of two Noble Generals clenching at Lordhood. Blood bleeds into my eyes and down my cheeks and I strain under the weight of my power bustling body. Exhaling fumes of Essence, I huff and bring the rest of the vial to be swallowed into my rings pocket space and rising into the shadow of my own colossal wings I kick VenonmSweep into a spin, dancing it at my front. The witch summons a second nightmarish shadow and it breathes an obsidian flame over the final Crimson, a talented fellow [Leptir]. Her ashes drift by the onyx flames that obliterated her in flight, hatred rolls through my blood, through my pathways till bursting¡ª the energy bolsters me to strengths surpassing Gerim and even the Queen¡¯s right hand, Kraok. Bloody tears burn to mist as excess Essence surges from my eyes, sharply trained on the witch. She spares a look away from Fex fuelling his hammer for his last stand and glances up at me¡ªgreen flora patterns trace across an expressionless white mask yet all psychic impressions tell me she welcomes the challenge with a smirk. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Ready? I¡¯m going big!¡± Fex buzzes into the air in a sharp leap, his hammer hangs over his shoulder, coursing with the last of his vital force¡ª between the plates of his wings I catch a glimpse of his dying Crystal. The hammer bursts into impossible proportions as he heaves it over his shoulder, blazing with a sentence of death for the smug Hero. I chase out after him as her shadows bristle a sharp reply to Fex, slamming pillars, spread out hands and fists punching out against the colossal strike. Ravenous, savage BloodOrange Essence smashes against the witches¡¯ significant depths of energies and she buckles under the weight. I send VenomSweep charting down at her as Fex roars, its bulbs spiked with the worst of my venom and blazing within an inferno of Essence. Shadows snap out in response even under the bearing weight of Fex¡¯s hammer. She dispels my attack easily as Fex shrinks his hammer to sizes once more, pivoting away to support my charge. Funnelling an excess of Essence into my enchanted rings, bolstering the already burgeoning effects of [Bonded Thrall] and sending my chains to their next Soul Tier. My two chain darts become a hundred in a flurry and soaring over the witch I send each plummeting at her accursed mask with the fury of Calridian and the Queen of Ticks broiling within my Crystal, enforcing my strike. She blankets herself in a dome of shadow, responding with quickly overwhelmed shadowy stabs. Her summons bear the brunt of my wrath. Each chain drips a bucket of my strongest poison and the heat from Fex pivoting for another metoric strike sends a fog of breathable poison throughout the destroyed half of the city and seeping into the rest. My bulbs pulverize and tenderize the shadows, sending them into oblivion with little resistance A flick of my wrist and I wrap, merge and strengthen my chains around the witches¡¯ dome of darkness. Prickly hooks and corks sprout along the chains at my command and timed with Fex¡¯s levied strike I rip into her defences with a mighty tug. Another blast of Essence erupts, this time Fex¡¯s thick BloodOrange dims significantly as the last of his vital force runs out, but underneath his hammer are my chains. Their violent ripping blends with the callous spread of venom, making for a pulling effect as a swirl of Essence gnaws away at her, revolving debris and venom¡ª my BloodOrange Essence nears a tinge of Maroon. Then, I feel the chains slacken and tug to tighten them immediately. Her dome shrinks in size and strength, buckled under Fex¡¯s unfettered battering that¡¯s quickly losing its rhythm as his BloodOrange withers away into a stark Crimson. The dome continues to shrink until her shadows form tightly around her assigned, concentrated patches anticipating the worst of Fex¡¯s strikes. She forces a pitch band of darkness against my ripping chains but I continue to tug and feed Essence into the forming maelstrom with the witch at its centre. I glance over at Fex, his swings have become a pathetic disturbance though still burning away Essence to coat and amplify his hammer the witch barely pays attention as her shadow blocks incoming swings with precision. I split a chain from the rest, whip its bulb out to puncture a boulder and heave. With a rather lazy flick of my finger the new chain levies the boulder at the witch. It slips through undeterred and smashes into her head, shattering the top fraction of her mask before her shadows retaliate and skewer the unfortunate boulder. Hanging her head away from our sights, her shadows continue to push against our offense as the gash at the side of her temple pours out first blood. Emboldened, I push even more Essence into my chains, the burgeoning tint of Maroon in my own Essence starts to wane but I only see the start of victory, ¡°Come on! A bit more, Fex! Hang in there!¡± Just then a tremendous force surges within the witch, diluting our Essence severely as she raises her head, revealing a single burning white eye. She catches Fex¡¯s swing, this time with her hand rather than her shadows. Glancing up at me with that eye engulfed in a power even stronger than Essence and speaks for the first time, ¡°Not even.¡± With a squeeze Fex¡¯s hammer crumbles into weightless flecks of light, consuming everything solid about it as it travels down the head to the handle and to Fex himself. His bleeding eyes meet mine and to me alone he says, ¡°You¡¯re my proudest student.¡± ¡°Noo!!¡± A renewed rage fuels me as Fex disappears into the night like he never existed, his last words resounding in my head as I whip my chains, multiplying them by the thousands to entrap the witch in a ball of grinding acidity. It lasts mere seconds before being blasted away in a flash of terrifying light. The witch rises upon a tower of shadowed hands, propelling her to my heights where she and her eye bear down at me, ¡°You have failed, demon, return to your pit and stay there. Tell your masters that Ire is not yours to conquer.¡± Trembling, I dare approach, gliding carefully through the space between us as the jagged forces truly behind her eyes watch me a few feet away, pompous in their strength. ¡°Calridian told me of you¡­the gods behind their puppets. Now you show yourselves¡­when you¡¯re about to lose everything. Which one are you?¡± I point at the necklace of a praying goddess dangling from her neck, ¡°Are you her? The one venerated as Anera?¡± The eyes say nothing but raise a hand ready to smite me. In this moment I recognize my own failure and tighten my grip on my venom dripping chains, ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll destroy all demons then, so let me ask you what are you doing about Nil?¡± Her hand falters a bit and the entity within tips her head, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Nil, the demon behind you.¡± I say with a shit eating grin as she foolishly turns to have a look. Mana feeds into my ring and it produces the vial of Maroon Essence¡ª rather than have another sip I flick my chains, pouring the might of Essence behind a singular bulb as the entity turns back with snarling irritation only to be met by the concussive force of my attack. My bulb smashes the mask to smithereens, revealing the otherwise beautiful human underneath, flinching away as I clear the space and straddle her in my arms. Instantly I¡¯m met with resistance, strength beyond Gerim, beyond Kroak. But I fight it, breaking my shoulder to brute force the vial down any available orifice¡ª I pour it down her throat her eyes flare with godly power, blasting out beams and flailing wildy as pure, unfiltered demonic Essence invades her pathways with a corruption. Tired, I let myself fall as she smashes an elbow through my chest. The vial and the rest of its contents spill out, whipping in the wind and crashing alongside me. I shut my eyes with the last thing in sight being the witch consumed by the battle of two mighty and opposing force¡ª her dark cloak burns away, leaving her hovering naked and screaming agony into the night. Kneel, A Guide Ended: Ascended As accidental and desperate as the Stelc¡¯s birth was, I¡¯ve ensured its existence is worth the while. For some time I worried I wasted the horde of Essence Jeriko so graciously collected on forging a mindless creature of obsidian and Crystal gems that had no other abilities beyond being nigh impervious with a nack for depositing Crystals, Gestalt or otherwise. But now I reap the rewards of my accidental genius. The Stelc stands over twenty feet tall and nearly as wide on its four legs. At my orders, Steven arranged a proper palaquin to strap over its back, large enough to fit in three Demons, though I have to sacrifice some of my height to sit comfortably in it. With my help, Steven managed to scar the Stelc¡¯s sides with the runes and sigils of teleportation enchantments that Lumina exchanged as part of our little skill trade alliance. It¡¯s the best mode of transportation I could ask for. It bounds through the land, crushing sleeping Demons beneath its feet as we trudge along to our destination¡ªthe mountain fortress at the edge of Hescaria¡¯s rapidly shrinking borders. Brok, Veneti, and Steven helped me decide what to do with Hescaira¡¯s call for help. Brok, of course, called for the enslavement of all the Elves, stating they¡¯d be better off serving Meira than themselves. After all, if they could govern, then they wouldn¡¯t be asking for help. Though once I made it clear that conquest wasn¡¯t my overall goal for Meira, Veneti suggested we use them as we used Steven and the Humans, a statement that even Steven had to agree with. I didn¡¯t mention anything about Jerad¡¯s offer of godhood, to replace King within that Egg with myself¡ªhowever they planned to do it, I didn¡¯t know or care. King is someone I couldn¡¯t bring myself to fight, not when I know how pointless it would be. She¡¯d trapped me within my own [Soul Crystal] for a year and took over my body. She tried to kill me when she left too and almost permanently crippled my [Soul Crystal¡¯s] ability to absorb and use Essence. She did all that, and I don¡¯t feel a single shred of anger toward her. All I wanted was for her to be gone, and she is. Her respect for my strength boils into fear, paranoia that I would seek to fight against her goals now that I no longer care about what the gods did in their heavens or how they governed their creatures. We were smited unto the Wall of Deaders together, our souls and identities interwoven without my young Crimson tier self ever knowing. Her anger is what drove me to seek the Gods I¡¯d forgotten I already knew and fought to no avail. We share that in common, that hatred, but hers is maelstrom that can only be calmed with endless violence and unrestricted power. I don¡¯t mind as long as it brings about the change that¡¯s truly needed, the change I envision in my mind. My year without a body, my time in Kyis and those few pauses with Meira and Corym, annoying and asinine as they were taught me vital lessons I don¡¯t believe King ever had a chance to learn or even accepted she need to learn¡ªshe¡¯s the same old Socerer King she was some millennia ago. Except, if that pillar of light scalding Hescaria¡¯s capital, transforming the sky and bathing the entire Kingdom in a swealtering heat wave, is any indication, she may have achieved the very thing she¡¯s sought all this time. Steven gasps at the world, gaping at the pillar scorching the red hue Reais had stained the skies with to reveal the glittering many stars over Hescaria. ¡°Oh¡­ Lord...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I answer, though I know he¡¯s only awestruck. Besides what undoubtedly has to be King¡¯s doing, the man hasn¡¯t stepped foot outside of Meira. His old life and world died there, and suddenly he woke up to a living nightmare. He snaps right in the velvet cushions seats that served my palanquin¡ª the Emperor¡¯s palace supplied Steven¡¯s Humans with all the fabrics and luxuries needed to glorify their new, demonic Lord, and I like them very much. As flattering as the sky-piercing throne of bone is, it doesn¡¯t keep me very comfortable. My palanquin has several pillows, a fine ironwood tableset, and magnificent-smelling drapes I believe are enchanted to perfume the air up here. I¡¯ve had little lust for these luxuries since waking in the Divides, but having them now feels well earned, and I¡¯m indulgent. I make a note to have the Humans decorate my private chambers in the same fashion. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful destruction¡­¡± he says, so fiercely enchanted by the growing pillar smiting the skies and surely leveling whatever landscape it originates in. ¡°What is it?¡± The Stelc tears through long forest trees that barely reach its knee. We¡¯re closing in on Brok¡¯s location now. I can sense him and his mind, but he¡¯s still too far to even communicate. The pillar begins pulsating as it swells once more, but rather than descend, the thrumming energies splinter, one thin thread at a time continuously shading from the searing white at the center into a rainbow of colorful strings attached to a stalk. Narrowing my eyes at it, I can¡¯t think of anything else it could be other than, ¡°The birth of a God¡­ and a potential enemy.¡± Steven does a double take, looking back at Enoch who stands atop what would be the Stelc¡¯s head and handles its reins to check if he was listening to any of this. He wasn¡¯t. Enoch and I share a look; the young Crimson was born of the promising Pinks Brok guaranteed would serve well in the battle against Thraxis and the nest of [Myrmi]. Without a word or thought from me, Enoch tears away and whips the Stelc into an earth-pummelling charge toward the fortress peeking out on the horizon now. ¡°Woah!¡± Steven yelps as the Stelc rearranges the landscape in its wake. ¡°Why are we moving so fast?¡± ¡°The pillar is moving toward the fortress.¡± Again, he does a double take, squinting his eyes out at the pillar and coming up with nothing beside confusion and fear. Smirking down at him, I say, ¡°Don¡¯t strain your eyes, they aren¡¯t as good.¡± Enoch may have noticed its movement and trajectory with his eyes alone, but practicing [Soul Forgery] as a Maroon tier reveals those colorful threads splintering off the white stalk of light for the soul harvesters they are. I¡¯m not sure whose souls King is plucking, but if she¡¯s headed toward the fortress with that attitude, then I need to retrieve my assets. *** The valley¡¯s ground shatters under the Stelc¡¯s feet. Demons scamper away from rolling debris and the shower of its toughest Crystals. Many fail in their escape, crushed under the Stelc from the start or one of its raining Crystals and hard minerals. They¡¯d gotten a long headstart from spotting the charging giant, Blood Orange Demon, and still nearly half of Gerim¡¯s Demons lay dead under the Stelc¡¯s feet. To their credit, the Demons had begun to tear through the Hescarian forces now bunkering within their fortress that the Stelc shares the same height with, including foundation. I recognize several energies among the cowering, recovering army, but none stand out more than Jerad and Duruk. The Dragon perches atop one of the towers, wings spread and ready for flight at Jerad¡¯s command. And some distance behind it is the ever-approaching spire of light cleansing the sky over Hescaria of Reais¡¯ darkness. Ignoring that for a moment, I turn my attention ahead, where Brok and Valery bother Gerim with their attempts, Valery looking ever worse for wear with each brief exchange¡ªshe makes another charge under Brok¡¯s flaming uppercut, stabbing a venom-coated sword and battered shield at Gerim, only to have her jaw caught by a pillar of rising ice. Gerim continues without pause, snatching Brok as he summersaults over another burst of Soul Fire, dashing his flipped foot at his jaw. Brok leans out of reach and inhales for a breath of fire, only for a flurry of quills to stab into his engulfed body. Gerim lurches out in a blur, bringing his gauntlet down on Brok¡¯s face. Frost spills from his gauntleted fist, hastily encasing my Emerald General in a coffin of ice and snow. He steps off and looks up at the Stelc, at me still lounging on its luxurious cushions. His Demons retreat to his side, forming up behind him in a line of injured [Adar], [Leptir], [Khozuik] and several more born of the Desert Divide. With a good dozen of them being Blood Orange, Gerim¡¯s army is quite formidable; it would be against anyone else. ¡°You must be the Lord Prime this one keeps touting on about.¡± Gerim roars, his voice and image carrying the scent of nostalgia in its deep intones. Breathing in a deep breath, blood, burning flesh, and wood sting my nostrils. The fields around them have been bludgeoned time over by Brok and then filled with ice and snow either by Valery or Gerim, but the blood splotches can only be from Valery. While Gerim is a challenge I wouldn¡¯t wish upon any mortal, Valery is the one Warrior Mage responsible for some of my suffering in the past, and I expected much of her, considering she and King took down Jeriko together the first time. Searching her mind, waving away the troublesome and now-moot wards that guard it, I find her psyche in turmoil¡ªmuch of her attention isn¡¯t even here at all. She¡¯s more or less given up on the fight in favor of reminiscing on better times with her sister. Lost her will to live. Given what King¡¯s pillar of celestial light is doing and what I know of her relationship with Lumina, I¡¯m sure the Elf Queen is dead and gone in service of King¡¯s ambitions. ¡°Will you come out and face us then? Your champion is defeated and my Demons grow hungry. Who should I feed him to?¡± Gerim roars out again, stomping his feet over Brok and reinforcing his ice prison against Brok¡¯s Soul Fire inferno. I sent Brok with the estimation that he as a high-tier Blood Orange would be more than a match for Gerim, though I didn¡¯t dare believe him capable of killing him. No, there were several advantages Gerim had thanks to Calridian, thanks to time and age that I couldn¡¯t give Brok, at least not yet. I couldn¡¯t underestimate him either. For all Brok¡¯s struggles against the ice coffin, there¡¯s one thing he did right¡ªwarn me of everything. His mind downloaded the entirety of his encounter with Gerim. The first he did with the gauntlets, and they were effective machines, but he retreated. And now, the gauntlets have a ring that grants an unknown power to them. Picking myself from my comfortable place on the cushions, I have Steven sit with the Stelc and Enoch follow my lead onto the Stelc¡¯s head. It bows forward until its faceless head touches to ground and we walk off. Manipulating myself to my preferred height, I chuckle as his army cowers at my presence, even the Blood Orange among them buckling in fear. At the moment, removed from my Dominion, I am vulnerable only to a temporary death as my [Soul Crystal] still resides within it. A Demon like Gerim knows this property of Maroon tiers. To end one truly, you must fight them in their Dominion and win¡ªhe¡¯s done so before. I watched him march into a Fire Divide Maroon tier Dominion and here he stands, alive, well and defiant. The form I embody now, disconnected as it is from the wellspring of power that is Meira, still holds more than double the Crystal Essence of a high-tier Blood Orange, and I have a lot more to grow into. He should be proud. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten your best student, Gerim,¡± I say at last, taking a step forward and resisting the urge to laugh at the minds of the Crimsons looking for an escape. ¡°I¡¯ve never¡­ Nil?¡± He voices my name, glancing down at Brok quickly, burning through his ice in a reckless expenditure of Essence and then narrowing his eyes at me, all the while forming a fist. ¡°That¡¯s my name, but as you might have heard, I go by the Lord Prime now.¡± I take another step and start pushing mana outward. ¡°How is¡­ everyone? The twins, I never got to learn their names, are they still alive, or has Hargoil eaten them?¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Calridian demands your return, Nil,¡± he says, closing the other and sending a final burst of ice to encase all Brok has worked to melt through before crossing over his coffined body. ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you to him.¡± ¡°Hahaha! I thought Haern was meant to do that.¡± His eyes go wide at the mention of Haern. ¡°You killed him?¡± ¡°No, but that would be the safest thing, wouldn¡¯t it? No, instead he serves me now, serves my Dominion.¡± I set my hand out and take another step, fighting Gerim for control over the dense atmosphere of mana we¡¯re creating. ¡°You could stop this nonsense and serve me too, Gerim. I don¡¯t want to have to fight you. We have so many fond memories¡­ actually, we don¡¯t, but I¡¯d rather have you serve me than fight me. You could be my personal adviso¡ª¡± ¡°That will never happen,¡± he says with conviction as he starts down a march, his Blood Orange and horde of Crimsons following close behind. ¡°You may have ascended heights you weren¡¯t meant to, but we will bring you down to where you belong.¡± With a wave of my hand, the Crimsons fall asleep, crumpling down in their march to slumber in a nightmare that has them screaming and moaning seconds after. The dozen Blood Orange behind Gerim look at their stock of fodder wailing and begging the unseen for mercies and share a stark look of concern for themselves. When they look back, I¡¯ve multiplied and encircle in numbers beyond their dozen. The sounds of terror and nightmare crescendo around them as my mirror images belt out rich laughter into the night sky. ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived! It¡¯s an illusion!¡± Gerim screams at them, then turns to face me with a sneer, ¡°Even that magic belongs to Calridian.¡± I set my hand out and Seeker flourishes from my robes, extending into its full form as I grip its length. ¡°You could say so about this too, but one thing you can¡¯t say belongs to Calridian is me.¡± Leveling Seeker at the Blood Orange tiers still getting over my mirror images, I say, ¡°This is your last chance, all of you. Flee now, or pronounce your eternal servitude to me, the Lord Prime.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± Gerim seethes at them but noticeably he doesn¡¯t make a move, and so I do. Seeker lurches from my hand and spears through a Blood Orange, a [Leptir] like Haern and the only one of the bunch capable of flight. Gerim roars, sending a volley of quills my way. A wall of bone erupts in time as the long quills dig in deep. I smile down at Enoch, ¡°Well done, but you don¡¯t want to be anywhere near this. If you see an opening, go help Brok and Valery, the Human.¡± He nods and scampers away just as an [Adar] charges through the wall, shattering bone with its blind rampage, its head poised to skewer me with the long, curved horn adorned atop it. Low-tier Blood Orange that it is, I snatch its horn in my hand and lift it off its legs so I have a better look at it with all three of my eyes. ¡°TriBeam.¡± The close-up beam blasts the Demon to smithereens, leaving its horn in my hand. I toss it over my shoulder and stare down Gerim and eleven of his Blood Orange tiers. ¡°I killed my first Blood Orange as a mid-tier Crimson. I don¡¯t have time for children, Gerim.¡± Looking over my shoulder, the Stelc responds behind me, and the stark fear that coarses through Gerim¡¯s Demons fuels me. They haven¡¯t seen anything yet. The Stelc¡¯s bulging stomach bursts open with a scattering of Crystals and obsidian as it releases its cargo. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d come here with only a Crimson tier, did you?¡± Released from their dark, rocky cage, three low-tier Blood Orange Demons rush to my side. Each of them share a similar look; shiny dark fur resembling ink clings to their skin and twisted limbs as they traverse on all fours, arms longer and thicker than their legs from knuckle-walking. Their eyes hold a familiar malevolence, a stain of horrid yellow that glows menace at their prey lined up in front of them¡ª a feature I personally thought to add. {T-3/L-2¡ª Kimpe} {T-3/L-3¡ª Kimpe} {T-3/L-2¡ª Kimpe} ¡°Don¡¯t they look familiar?¡± I ask Gerim with stern glare. My eyes track his use of the gauntlets and the single ring on one of the fingers of his left hand. ¡°You¡¯ve perversed¡ª¡± ¡°No, I have forged. Forged these Demons from scratch as a reminder to you and Calridian. I kept my end of the deal, Gerim. I ended Morthul as I was asked and then by accident I found myself here. I will not apologize for surviving or for thriving.¡± Seeker dislodges from the [Leptir] and spins in a flourish, decapitating two more Blood Orange in a moment of surprise as the veil of illusion I cast on it wears off with their blood. With a flick of my wrists, Seeker zips at Gerim. He blocks it with his gauntlets, and I get a feel for how strong they are through Seeker. ¡°[Kimpe], go. Kill all with the red mark, reap, and feed.¡± Not waiting for another word, the [Kimpe] launch themselves into the disoriented Blood Orange tiers, the yellow in their eyes paralyzing the prey that stares too long, and several can¡¯t look away. Gerim snatches Seeker by its length, but I¡¯m not having that. With a thought, the lance becomes a short blade, slipping out of his grip and jutting down at his neck with a vengeance. The blade stabs a coat of ice instead, and Gerim roars toward me, ignoring the blade entirely as he pumps the gauntlets full of Essence. Smirking, I catch the first punch in the palm of my hand and almost regret it. Frost bursts at contact, freezing my palm to his fist as he simultaneously launches himself up my height to connect the second to my jaw. A blast of my [TriBeam] send him flying, and with a flex I shatter the ice coating my hand and laugh at the tingling sensation in it¡ªthis must be what Brok warned about. As though on cue, Gerim activates the gauntlets¡¯ power and my arm is drawn irreversibly to him. But rather than reel in my entire body for a disorienting punch, I merely let him have my hand. It goes slack with excess flesh as it¡¯s drawn to Gerim like a rope. He looks down at my elongated hand and curses as my laughter continues. He spares a glance at his struggling Blood Orange tiers. Between the effects of my personal illusions and the hypnotic yellow iries of the [Kimpe], the dozen hve become five. When he turns his attention back to me, I¡¯m already behind him, whispering, ¡°I think it¡¯s time you leave.¡± Columns of quills spurt out of his back in immediate retaliation. He gathers mana and Essence into ichor, preparing for something big as I glide away from him and put myself beside a daydreaming Valery. At my presence she seems to stir, but I don¡¯t concern myself with her as a thousand of Gerim¡¯s quills shoot out at me from both of his gauntlets. ¡°Petriv!¡± A curved wall of rock erupts around us, but the quills don¡¯t relent. Several shoot through entirely, only to clatter off my chest when they land a hit. A second after, the quills curve around the wall and pelt against my [Titan Crust] skin. ¡°Look¡­¡± Valery¡¯s voice calls to me as I increase the walls around us and have Seeker disturb Gerim. She picks up her body from the floor, leaning out to point at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s coming¡­ Hescaria¡­ oh, Hescaria.¡± Her psyche is becoming broken, but she is correct about one thing: the pillar of celestial light has reached us. Duruk roars as he takes to the sky, scorching the remnants of scattered Halflings Brok fought. Leaving Valery within the whole dome of earth, I scowl at Gerim battiing and swatting away at Seeker. ¡°I overestimated you¡­ or perhaps I underestimated myself. Nightmare.¡± He goes slack as he falls asleep. [Nightmare Prowler] has quickly become my most reliable and Essence-heavy abilty. I watch his mind through the nightmare, and to his credit he doesn¡¯t scream or moan¡ªhe fights. Ichor swells within his sleeping form as I looked onto the close-approaching pillar of light. Its energies send the earth into rumbling quakes. As Gerim fights hard against my [Nightmare Prowler], I stand over his body and recall the Stelc out of the light¡¯s path. Freed from his icy prison, Brok immediately goes to hunt Gerim¡¯s Blood Orange tiers with the [Kimpe] and Enoch. Once he¡¯s done, he returns to my side, refreshed and glad. ¡°Lord Prime!¡± he yells over the whining of the pillar of light. Great winds blow in our faces, ripping off trees as it ploughs straight through the fortress. Its colorful thread has returned to the white stalk, and now it simply tears the land and everything in its way. ¡°Don¡¯t slack off, Brok, end the Crimsons and reap their Crystals,¡± I speak into his mind and release the Crimsons from [Nightmare Prowler], leaving me headspace and Essence to press down against Gerim¡¯s consciousness. I don¡¯t want to kill him, even though I have full opportunity to do so now; he¡¯s the only Demon so far to resist [Nightmare Prowler], and I figure if I leave him under long enough, map his mind and plant as many fears as I can, he¡¯ll fall under my thumb eventually. As if to spite the very thought of subjugation, his mind flares up in furious attempts for freedom, startling my attention away from the encroaching pillar of light. In his sleep, he starts to pull himself up. I back away and watch with some hysteria as he wields muscle memory to fight. Seeker finds my hand, and with a swing I slice off his arms. The gauntlets clatter to the ground and roll away. ¡°Gerim, wake up.¡± He wakes with a gasp, stifles a scream, but falls to his knee in groans. ¡°Hurt doesn¡¯t it? I told you, I didn¡¯t want to fight. When you see Calridian, tell him I don¡¯t want to fight him either. We had a deal, and I kept my end. If he comes after me, my possessions, then the next time we meet, I won¡¯t be so merciful.¡± I leave him be as I sense Brok, Enoch, and the Kimpe round up behind me, their hands full of Crystals. I break the walls I set up around Valery with a thought and start to pick her up when the pillar suddenly thins into a single point in the sky after crossing a line through the Kingdom. Finally, this is what I waited for. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve become, King. The point becomes clearer as a ball of concentrated divine as it hovers down. Gerim grunts up to his feet with his arms already regenerating. ¡°Is this also your doing?¡± ¡°No, but I know who it might be,¡± I say without taking my sight off of it. Between Brok, Enoch, and the [Kimpe], there¡¯s nothing left for Gerim to do other than take my message to Calridian. As the ball touches the ground it pops soundlessly. The blinding light dissiapates and gives my eyes a rest, but what or who steps out is another thing entirely. A woman cloaked in thin, covering drapes floats out. Her bosom is large and supple, legs long, slender, with feet unnaturally bent and pointed down. Her hair may as well be the ball of light she appeared out of, a cluster of the brightest colors my eyes can see. But most interesting is her image, her face. She looks so much like the King who shaped my body to her needs and preference, yet at the same time she looks just like¡ª ¡°Valery¡­ bring her to me, will you, Nil?¡± Her voice is lithe, yet striking. It carries more compulsion than I believe my [Compulsion] did. Still, I hold Valery over my shoulder and ask instead, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You do not recognize me?¡± It¡¯s like a repeat of my conversation with Gerim. ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s you, King, not anymore.¡± She smiles and glows brighter as she hovers closer,.¡°I bring no malice onto you, Nil. It is as you say, I am not King, and I am not Lumina. Bring me Valery.¡± ¡°You know my name, you know hers. You must be some¡­ coagulation of the two?¡± Her lips purse in a line, and a force my arms fail to resist pull Valery from my grasp like a doll. Valery stirs awake at the light of this coagulation¡¯s face. ¡°Lumina? You¡¯re alive, oh, thank Vuius.¡± ¡°Shhh. Vuius is dead, Valery, long dead. I am as the people called me, Luminary, the Goddess of Elves and War Sorcery, and you are my most special child.¡± The newly titled Luminary plants a kiss on Valery¡¯s forehead before warping her entirety away in a blink of an eye. ¡°Where did you send her?¡± I start, though whether my strength as a Maroon tier would be enough to face a Goddess is the better question. ¡°Do not be afraid, Nil. I know King has hurt you greatly, and she is sorry¡­ was sorry in her own way. I am Luminary. I wield the passions of King and Lumina au Hescaria. You, like Valery, are among such passions.¡± Her feet glide just above the torn ground as she leans into me, and I see she¡¯s far larger than I, larger in more ways than size. She draws closer and as she does I notice my Demons have been silent, that Gerim has been silent. I want to check on them, see what she¡¯s done to them, but that smile, her voice, all are so irresistible. Gritting my teeth, I pour Essence through my pathways and let the rush of demonic power snap me to reality, but it¡¯s barely a sufficient change. She leans in, palming my cheek in her warm hands and whispers through her green-blue eyes, ¡°The heavens are a graveyard, Nil, as you and King thought. The Gods, myself included, are nothing more than Vampires feeding off the suffering and glory of mortals, but that can change. Tell me, Nil, will you help me?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± I nearly stutter. She smiles and gets even closer. ¡°Help me bring balance.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve torn through the Kingdom, plucking souls left and right to feed your power. Could a hypocrite bring balance?¡± ¡°I took the sinister souls who blighted my Kingdom.They will become pure within me and serve the Elves with their Essence. And you are no hypocrite, are you?¡± She fully cups my face now and I squint not to be blinded. ¡°I am Goddess, demi goddess of Elves and War Sorcery. My passion is for these things to bring balance in all, in the Elves and in King¡¯s war against the heavens, against this reality. Soon, Teir and Reinmer shall return as themselves and seek to smite this Realm and all within it for their disbelief, but surely you know that is a lie now, yes? A lie concocted to served these Vampires and their passions. I will not lie to you, Nil and you would not lie to me. You have been invaluable to my mortal Elves. You alone have protected them when there was no one left to, when I was yet to be born. I know you seek tranquility.¡± I shake my head and try to pull away, but her hands are like metal braces locked on my head. ¡°I want whatever I decide. I¡¯m done living for others, fighting for others.¡± ¡°Are you finished protecting others?¡± she hums, searching my eyes for something and then, ¡°What are you fighting for, Nil? What use will your immortality be?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m fighting for¡­¡± I bite my lip as her divinity pressures my Essence into silence. ¡°I¡¯m fighting to keep my Dominion, to keep it as a safe space for all, where no one has to fall prey to senseless violence, to death. I want my Demons to enjoy their immortality, and I want my mortals to¡­¡± ¡°Yes? Say it, tell me what you wish for mortals like the Elves.¡± ¡°I want them to have an opportunity at eternity.¡± It was something I¡¯d thought of with the Humans within Meira. Getting the Demons to stop tormenting them was easy enough, but bringing them into the fold of immortals without bastardizing their souls like Gerim did with his Halflings or like I¡¯ve done with the Stelc or Kimpe was a different experiment to be had. ¡°I want them to have a true eternity, whether in this Realm or in another. An eternity that isn¡¯t merely another punishment.¡± She giggles, sounding like the soft chime of my mortal days. ¡°You are passionate. I wish the same, Nil. We have so much in common, including our enemies.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I mutter. ¡°Come visit me, Nil. My work has only begun, but yours has long since been in progress.¡± Before I can ask what she means, she plants a kiss on my forehead and everything folds in on itself.
Were So Back Hiya! That''s right dearest readers! Kneel is so back! It took a bit longer than I expected and I am still waiting on some things but I couldn''t keep it away from ya''ll anymore. I want to share what the story has become over the years, even if it is taking me an arduous time writing book 3. I''ll be relaunching it as a new fic for a second chance at RS so I''ll be counting on your support(we might rawdog this relaunch with no ads)This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. I''ll be posting book 1 as fast as I can but 15 chapters of book 2 are up on my BMAC for those who don''t want a refresher on what happened in Book 1 and just want to jump right back in. I''ll be releasing chapters of Book 2 on BMAC as consistently as my recently hectic life will allow(thank god for scheduling) and eventually, you will catch up to Book 3''s serialization before I inevitably take it down for Amazon. I am excited to be back and so glad to be putting this news out there. For everyone that''s been patient, checking up on the story, thank you. And please follow, rate, review and tell your friends.