Darkness and Hellfire

Chapter 30 A New Demigod?

Unfortunately for the V’Nova Wexler duo the world did not revolve around them. While they were off engaging in romantic relations and Lenny was narrowly avoiding getting caught, a few other things were going on, some more important than others, others entirely unknown.

In a faraway place a man who went by nearly as many names as Isaac knelt before a statue to a blind goddess. In her right hand the goddess held a gavel, in her left a set of shackles that still awaited their prisoner. The goddess’s name was Justice and he was her right hand. As he knelt before the statue he continued praying to her, as he had almost every day for the last few centuries. His golden eyes were closed and his golden hair hung straight and long down his back. His white robes were covered from top to bottom in golden enchantments that could have been mistaken for elaborate filigree. His feet were bare as were his hands and head. The only items on his person were the only magical ones as well, his robes and pendant.

As he clasped the small two inch tall iron statue of his goddess in his hands and prayed for guidance he was interrupted. “My Lord, I have just received news of something.” The highpriest of his home temple told him. “I apologize for the interruption but this is something that only you can handle.” He continued after the demigod of Judgment remained silent. “Please.”

Judgment opened his golden eyes and slowly rose to his feet. He turned to face the priest and stared at the mortal while their goddess served as his backdrop. “Speak and be heard.” Judgment told the man.

The priest nodded. “I just received a report of someone referring to himself as the demigod of Darkness, my Lord. Multiple reports actually, every one of them is filled with outlandish deeds and ridiculous levels of power.” The priest’s lips straightened into a thin line. “The oddest part is that they did not feel a shred of divinity from him.”

“Tell me everything.” Judgment replied simply. “And inform the Adventurers’ Guild of my route. I might not complete the bounties on my way out, but I will be sure to complete them on my way back, after I have removed this budding threat.”

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A being of unimaginable power arose from his resting place. It had been a long time since someone had dared to disturb him. A woman knocked carefully, again, just loud enough to be heard. “ENTER!” His voice reverberated off the cold stone walls of his resting place even though his mouth did not open.

The woman slowly opened the door and then gestured forwards. A man entered with a tray held between his hands. On the tray was a velvet cloth and on that cloth there were half a dozen diamonds with a very familiar enchantment infused into them. The pair stopped halfway from the door to his throne. “Your excellency, we have come to you in our time of need as you have instructed.” She told him with a deep bow. The man held out the tray and bowed just as deeply.

“BRING THEM!” He instructed. The pair visibly winced under the assault of his voice but they deserved it for not being able to solve their problems on their own. The man approached at a measured pace, not too fast but not too slow either, and held the tray out before him. With a gesture, the diamonds floated up towards his outstretched hand. He grasped the first one and held it close to his chest. “Become my sustenance.” He ordered the soul that was trapped in the diamond. The soul was wrenched free of the diamond and forced through his robes and into the massive taaffeite crystal where his heart used to be. The platinum engraved magical working flared to life as the unprotected soul approached. In a moment the soul was sucked into his heart-stone and deconstructed. It’s energies, that not even he properly understood, fed him and he felt the fog of time start to lift from his mind once more. Again and again he did this until soon there were none left. Once he was finished, he straightened and looked down on the pathetic weaklings that had come to him for aid. They were a disgrace and he would remind them of that fact before he returned to his resting place.

His gaze was enough to get the woman talking. “Your Excellency, I regret to inform you that the Lord of Contantis has fallen in battle with the humans, along with our high priest. Not only that but his Grace’s original heir defected to them. Due to our-” Her voice was cut off by his hand that had gripped her throat and hauled her off of her feet.

“Who was the Lord of Contantis?” He demanded.

“J-Jallen, V’Nova, y-your Excellency.” She stammered out while his skeletal hands dug into her neck.

He dropped her and she collapsed to the ground. “That boy was still alive?” He said more to himself than to her. “Mortal humans do not have the power to kill my grand nephew.” He stated. “What killed him?” He demanded.

The woman continued to cough quietly as she gasped for air. As soon as he had asked his question she shifted into a kneeling position from her collapsed state on the floor and cleared her throat. “A monster in human skin according to the reports. Some speculate that it was a tamed dem-” She was cut off again by a sudden pressure bearing down on her.

“I did not ask for speculation.” He told her coldly. “Find out what it was. Once you do, find me a staging area.”

She nodded rapidly. “As you wish, your Excellency.”

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“A new demigod?” Klein asked with a raised eyebrow. “I haven’t felt an ascension.” He told the being in front of him. He was far from human but appeared to be a human man with glittering golden hair and scarlet red eyes. His muscles seemed to have muscles as his seven foot tall form towered over Klein’s thin six foot even. Klein had always been lanky but the being in front of him made him look like a blade of grass.

The massive man nodded as his caramel skin caught the early morning sun. He grinned and showed off his jagged teeth that were only for devouring meat. “That is what it said.” He rumbled. “Judgment is already on the move.”

Klein sighed. “Well, if it is just some mortal getting too big for their britches then I hope they know how to run.” He said and could only wish that Judgment wouldn’t smite him for claiming to be a demigod.

“What if it’s not?” The massive man asked.

“Then I hope Judgement does not ruin our chances at peace or he permanently puts him down, not that he is known to take half measures.” Klein replied.

“You aren’t going to go yourself?” Klein’s interlocutor asked.

Klein shook his head. “No. I will take a page out of Ori’s very long book and leave it be, unless it looks like it is going to cause a cataclysmic problem.” He explained.

The massive man shrugged. “If you’re sure.” He informed him. “The new one is in a little underground town called Safeharbor, just so you are aware.”

Klein nodded in understanding and thanks. “Let me know what comes of it, would you?”

“Of course my young friend.” The massive man said and clapped him on the shoulder.

Klein laughed. It had been a long time since he had laughed. Not because he was always depressed or anything, simply because it had been too long since the last time he had had an actual conversation with another speaking being, that wasn’t trying to devour his soul or turn him to ash. “Young?” He asked. “Gil, I am thirteen hundred years old, give or take, I lost track.”

Gil’s rolling laughter could be heard across the plains around them. His voice carried far too much weight for a human no matter how much he tried to look like one. “I’ll see you around my not-as-young-as-he-used-to-be friend.” Gil chuckled and then turned to leave.

Klein nodded and then traced a circle in the air. The space in front of Gil tore open in a perfect circle that led to a massive atrium that was lined with books. There was a desk sized for the massive man and something else that very few ever noticed upon their first arrival, mostly due to the insanity of it. Behind the large desk was a desk sized to fit a being of immense proportions. The second desk was fit for someone who stood at least fifty feet tall . Klein could only shake his head at the absurdity of a desk sized for Gil’s true form. “Farewell, my friend.” He said and closed the gate behind Gil. Klein turned to face the rising sun and the direction of Safeharbor. “Lady Luck, I entrust a good outcome to you.” He sent up a prayer to the most fickle being in all of existence. He could only hope that she was in a good mood.