The Karcist and the Lord
a S.C.P. Foundation Mythos x M.G.E. crossover
Chapter 20: Red Rage
Mahi Remnants, Zipangu, Order-aligned nation, one day later
As Daimyo Saigo of Mahi Province was walking down the hallway of one of the temples of the Order with two Samurai behind him, a priest approached him.
"Milord, have you had a good nights rest?" the priest asked, bowing before the man. Saigo was in a suit of orange and red armor that was styled to look like a Zipangu Dragon as one looked back in the days of the Cycle, with fire decals in a light blue. His Samurai were wearing similar armors, but in their case with a basic black paint job, as was their uniform. The main difference came in that they wore helmets and masks in the same orange and red theme of their lord, with the same Dragon iconography embellished on their armor. Saigo nodded, being a man of few words.
Just the other day, an army of Mamono had being attacking and pushing back the Samurai under Saigos' command, who was one of the few Daimyo still loyal to the Chief God. Like in the mainland continent with Lescatie, several strategical and tactically important locations and routes were captured by Mamono forces, and this had shattered the loyalists almost utterly. This was something that happened 50 years ago, when Saigo himself was but a teenager of 15 years of ago, who could remember training as a warrior since he was a boy. He would inherit a broken Province as it's Daimyo four months later, instead of his elder brothers, who have long since disappeared after what is now a suspected Kunoichi raid. He remembered the arrogant and prideful leaders of his army and their remarks.
It was long thought he was the last of the Mahi family of Samurai, who were one of the famous families of noble-generals in Zipangu during the Cycle. However, when it was ended by the Mamono forming and launching their attacks, the Mahi were hard struck, and like all those who were the Daimyo since, he was eventually able to unite what little his family still held, and managed to hold the Mamono back. He accomplished this by having as many of his people relocated to the Sun Gold Mountains, named for how the sun shone in such a way during the fall and spring that the mountains literally shone like gold from a distance. It was always a mystery how the hand of the first Chief God had accomplished such wonders.
In fact, when Saigo chose the mountain range as his new base of operations, it was this fact plus the tactical advantage which led to his choosing the mountain range to holdout against the tide of Mamono chasing him and his forces. It was important and significant to the Order in this particular area religiously, and thus he had essentially made himself its defender and guardian. This was central to his retaining power, as anyone who abandoned him would politically be construed as spitting in the face of the Chief God. Then when he was 30 years of age, he and a scouting force that was with him found something that allowed him to fight back: A Dragon named Zennyo, one who retained his Pre-Mamono form by hiding within it. He had tamed it, and was ordained a Hero by a Valkyrie named Lyisis who guided him since his coronation. With both the Valkyrie and the Dragon, his crusades and raids against the Mamono coming and going with equal swiftness as that of the wind.
Then, disaster had struck. Zennyo was corrupted by a Black Sabbath ritual which had caught his raiding force off-guard, and turned it against his army. When sh... he had fell, Saigo was nearly corrupted, but Lyisis saved his soul, and slew the fallen Dragon. After what few troops escaped along with him, he declared a funeral rite to be conducted, and prayed that Zennyo would find peace in the afterlife, and had iconography represent him added to his uniform code. But it was not so, as after 15 years had passed with a locked and firmly held stalemate, the infernal and accursed Black Sabbath uncovered his remains, which were not recovered in the rout. They resurrected him, violating his body and mind and soul once again with their dark ritualistic magic. He was turned into a mindless slave, his memories altered to think Saigo abandoned him to die and suffer alone. It was bad enough they corrupted and turned him against his people, but when Saigo learned far his friend and loyal servant had been warped, he snapped inside.
It happened yesterday, that the sight of Zennyo was seen flying overhead, breathing a death-like plague killing and converting the women and children into undead, breaking down the gate into the encampment, now a small and semi-prosperous town. For the past three days, an army of Mamono were laying siege to it, and Saigo and Lyisis were locked in combat with the Monsters that fought to claim his soul, and those of his people within his town. They were then contacted by the Black Sabbath, who sent Zennyo to break it. During the battle, what remained of his encampment was about to finally fall, when suddenly Saigo felt rage unyielding.
His hate for the witch cult grew greatly ever since, anger and pain at seeing what had become of the noble Dragon Zennyo, anger at seeing his men be corrupted, at Lyisis being taken from him, at everything Humanity had lost at the hands of these scum! He then became consumed in his hate, his vision turning a bloody red as it all overcame him. When he regained his sanity, he was surrounded by his people, who like him were all covered in blood and viscera, and he in particular was standing on his feet, looking down at the dismembered bodies of Lyisis and Zennyo. The town was littered with the corpses of those Monsters who attacked it, and several groups could be seen running down the path. Upon seeing that it was mostly Black Sabbath members, Saigo got his second-in-command Itago.
"I want you to bring those demons to me. Alive is preferable. Dead, just as good." he snarled in anger, and so Itago went out to hunt them.
Which brought him back today, as the two began to exchange talks of logistics and information of what was left. Saigo started to zone out, thinking of running his blade through the witch cultists that stole Lyisis and Zennyo, until the priest, who was also the army quartermaster said something which snapped him back to reality.
"It is remarkable how little we lost in the attack." the priest said.
"What do you mean?" Saigo said, surprised at the comment. The priest realized there was also an offended tone to his voice.
"Bad phrasing on my part. I did not mean to sound callous, but the miracle that happened which caused us to drive away the Mamono, it has very well saved us all. While there is still the women, men and children that have been turned away, we are still standing."
"Yes, but we are also crippled and without support. One more attack like that, and we're done." Saigo said, calming down and making the priest relax on his part. The Daimyo held onto a charm in his pocket, a Dragon tooth with a lock of raven hair wrapped around it. He muttered a quick prayer to Hel, asking her to watch over them, and to the Chief God, offering her thanks for saving his people, and asked for guidance. Suddenly, he felt a sense of pressure, the same sensation of when the Chief God was communing with him. While he yet was wake, he fell to his side.
"MILORD DAIMYO!" he heard one of he men say, before his vision faded to black.
When Saigo awoke, he was in what was clearly a chamber within which the Gods spoke with the Heros of old. However, he recognized none of the symbols, which depicted creatures he did not recognized, all of which were like some combination of beast, human, and abhorrency that one would see during the days of the cycle. He then noticed the table, and how the room was in the style of Zipangu. The table had a symbol running along its length, which looked like a twisting ladder. On the other side, some... thing was sitting crossed legged, which resembled a demon made manifest.
Do not be alarmed. It said when Saigo reached for the swords that were his daisho, but then saw it was missing. I am here to talk. Specifically, I want to speak with you about your village, and how it was saved. For you see, I was the one who blessed you and yours with the wrath and rage to drive them away. The thing said as it poured a cup of tea, then offered to him. Saigo looked at it, then the teapot it was poured from. As he sat down, the creature poured itself a cup of tea, then formed a mouth as it brought it to where its face should be.
"What are you?" Saigo asked, not quite sipping his cup of tea yet. It noted this, but seemed... pleased? He couldn't get a read on it, as he didn't know what it was.
Simply put, I'm your new God of war. The Chief God had been rather, displeased with the old one, and was finally able to reprimand her. It said, as it showed the Helmet of Aries,and set it on the table to the side. For the time being, I'll be taking her place, and lead the armies of Humanity. Saigo took a second to process this, then nodded his head.
"So then, who are you, and how did you help us?" the Daimyo asked, finally sipping his tea, which was still hot. The God of War then craned its neck, thinking of how to answer.
Well, my name is Ion, and as for how I helped, recall how it felt to fight the Mamono for fifty years, how you were constantly having to be reminded to fight for your people and your holdout in the Sun Gold Mountains? Saigo nodded his head, the memories kicking up his internal conflict. Then he sudden spoke up.
"That was Aries? She was the one responsible for me and my men constantly hesitating, even if we were fighting with no holds barred just five seconds ago?" he asked. He had known that were many who lambasted the Pantheon as secretly working to undermine the Chief God and allow the Monsters to enslave them all. He never believed it, but now that he thought about it, Aries was capable of doing what she was being accused of.
Yes, and other things as well. Lets just say that the Pantheon has been something you would finding wanting for a long time now. The Chief God will confirm this, if you wish to speak with her. As for Aries' holding down Humanity by making it hesitant, I was able to accomplish the exact opposite, by inflaming your desire to protect yourselves. Your victory over the Mamono which attacked you is the result. Ion explained, as he showed the Daimyo his palms. What I have done is remove the suppression of Humanity willingness to defend itself. And I know what you are going to ask next, 'why did I go berserk then?' To answer your question, that was the result of the field being dropped spontaneously, as it's suppressing your hostility meant those emotions were building up in the background whenever you fought.
While Saigo did not fully buy this, it seemed reasonable enough. He then sipped again from his tea, and remembered a question.
"Are Humans still corruptible?" he asked.
Yes, but it is now going to be much, much harder to corrupt them and turn them away from the Order. The spell Aries had placed on Humanity also made easier to make Humans submit to the Monsters as a secondary effect. My modifying it also had a secondary effect as well, as it has caused a number of Humans within the Demon Realms to lash out in anger behind enemy lines, and this has caused a great amount of damage that the Order can capitalize. I would still recommend caution being around these particular Humans though, as they've become volatile emotionally.
"So what about my people? Are we going to launch a counter-attack of our own?"
Not yet, I am sending one of my servants to aid you, known as a Karcist. This one is known as Karcist Enoi, and will be arriving in time. I want you send the next few months recuperating, as Karcist Enoi will also be charged with giving you a reprieve from the siege, and to instruct you in how to worship and offer tribute to me. Tell your people to expect their arrival, and prepare for war. With that, Saigo felt a sense of this new war god leaving his mind, and the Chief God appeared as well. After a conversation in which she confirmed everything Ion told him, Saigo was sent back to the real world.
"Milord Daimyo, what has happened? Did you receive a vision?" a Samurai asked.
"Yes." Saigo said. "I have being taken up to speak with the Gods. They've sent a new servant to guide us. We will prepare for this servant arrival, and are also to began work on rebuilding the defenses until then." he explained, then began issuing his orders, which the Samurai spread out to obey.