It was a lot to process, killing a Ruler. The fact she was still standing, despite the ravaged landscape all around her due to the Ruler’s death, astounded her. Nothing should have survived the blast, the Quiescent had told her. It had been part of the reason why it had entrusted her with the Anathema, one of the 13 cursed blades capable of killing metaphysical beings permanently.
The psychic feedback alone had brought her to her knees. She couldn’t process everything she’d seen, and she knew her mind had shut down everything but what she’d needed, in order to record as much as it could. But something was nagging at her, a thought that the powerful Ruler seemed to have been trying to show her……….
“My dear, sweet Annette, do you know what the greatest Trick the Devil can play on mankind?” Tantalon asked, out of the blue, It’s orb was still, facing her. The shock of the Æthereal’s death cries had only scratched the prison he was contained in, dark energy oozing from it in a lazy fashion.
Annette was confused. Everything she’d learnt on her travels, had shown that the religions of Earth 13 were just lies, designed to strip her world of true magic, and to give birth to a strong Science vs Faith based society, which other Earths always seemed to avoid making, when Magic had been allowed to flourish.
“What does an old and archaic reli—“
“ANSWER MY QUESTION, WORTHLESS MAGIC SPAWN!” Tantalon roared, dark fires roaring to life around it’s orb. The dark energy started to spread into a vaguely humanoid shape, the orb showing signs of cracking. The dark energy began pouring from the cracks, feeding the growth of Tantalon’s dark form.
Shock covered her features, her body shaking from the pure fury and hatred in Tantalon’s tone. She had only known it a year, but it had never shown this sort of behaviour before.
“The Devil’s greatest Trick, is convincing the world he had never existed.” Annete spoke, bringing her Anathema up into a defensive position. She’d never been one for religion, but she’d understood the power behind the phrase, especially over the year she’d been studying Constant.
The dark energy began coalescing around Tantalon’s prison, becoming solid, becoming material. What passed for a mouth on the rapidly coalescing body, formed into what could only be interpreted as a spiteful smirk.
“That may be what your pitiful world and its religions would have you believe, but its close. No, the greatest trick the Devil played on Mankind,” the dark energy started pulsing, as Tantalons original form become more solid, as the Orb was absorbed into the core of Tantalon’s being, until he finished his sentence, “Was deceiving them into thinking he was God.”
The dark energy exploded from Tantalon, and pushed Annette back to her knees. And just as quickly as it happened, it was gone.
A smoking crater was left where Tantalon’s Orb had been, and the Anathema was broken into 3 pieces, seemingly drained of the powerful Death energy that had flowed through it. Tantalon was nowhere to be seen, his mocking laughter echoing around the ruined throne room.
Reality sunk in, and Annette screamed in horror as she finally realised what she had just unleashed.
Instead of killing the only thing that had threatened all life in the Constant System, and therefore all of Reality, she had killed the one thing that had been strong enough to keep it safe.
She kept screaming, until her vision faded to black, and she lost touch with the world. The Anathema’s handle clattered to the floor, and the floor rushed up to meet her.
“Get moving. We don’t have long to secure both the blade, and the god killer, and we need to be out of here before her allies turn up, looking for her corpse.” A young girl yelled to the monstrous forms surrounding her, as she stepped out of the dark portal that now stood where the Aethereals Throne had once existed.
She breathed the arid air in deep, and let it out with a satisfied sigh.
“Nothing boosts the ego than seeing an obstacle being removed my path.” The girl began exploring the once proud private Sanctum of the Ruler of Magic, as her minions slowly fanned out, most remembering the basic tasks they had been given.
The smarter minions were already waiting for new orders, their old ones already accomplished.
“Guildsmen, prepare the life support equipment. Messoria Mercy, please check on the Aethling, and see if this venture was worth it. I’d hate to have made all those deals just to fail.”She commanded as she started dancing around the mess, occasional giggles escaping her lips as she enjoyed the destruction that had been wrought.
“As you command, m’lady.” The Messoria replied, the Scytha folding back into its sheathe, sensing it wasn’t currently needed. The girl watched as the strange assassin of her mixed bloodline began an unobtrusive test of the Aethling’s vitals.
“Vitals are faint, but holding. Estimated 20 minutes before possible failure, 30 before guaranteed failure. What was once the Death Blade is lying beside her.” The Messoria finished, confusion creeping in when it mentioned the Anathema.
The girl turned, anger flaring in her eyes, her form growing to that of a young woman, with patches of skin being replaced by dark violet scales, and dark nubs appearing on her temples.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN,’WAS ONCE’ THE DEATH BLADE?”
Some of the nearby creatures, who were commanding all the others, began to clutch various appendages, their Creator’s unrestrained rage causing them pain.
The Messoria was unfazed.
“The physical aspect of the blade is here, but the power is gone.” It stated, before picking the Aethling up, as the Guildmen brought the life support capsule forwards.
After placing her into the capsule, and leaving her in the hands of the Guildsmen, the Messoria turned back to the young woman.
“Would you prefer we keep it, or leave it for them to discover?” it asked, pointing at the shapes far off in the horizon, which hadn’t been there before.
The young woman reined in her temper, and changed back to her younger, more humanoid self. Her strange, X-shaped pupils focusing on the horizon.
“Bring the shards. With the Lord of the Feast finally loose, we’ll need access to as many resources as we can get.”
The Messoria nodded, and picked up the pieces, careful not to touch the blade with its flesh.
“Lady Lucifer, life signs are stable, and this life support system will ensure she won’t be touched by the influence of the Lost Worlds.” A guildmen piped up, once the Capsule had been pushed through the portal.