A warmth on his face made Bell wince and open his eyes, and then promptly close them and cover his face from the morning light. After a few seconds, and wiping the sleep from his eyes, he sat up and opened them again, looking around to try to figure out what exactly had happened and where he was.
He was sitting on some grass near the edge of the slaver camp, the faint smell of blood and death lingering on the air from the camp. To his left was a tent, scavenged from what remained of the slaves camp, where the elf girl was, and a few meters in front of him was a large circular area of solid odd colored glass embedded in the ground with strange symbols along its rough outer edge.
It was strange. He remembered breaking into the slaver camp, breaking the girls out, breaking the elf out, and even the slaver hitting him and then getting killed by his dagger. He remembered the elf girl getting hurt, and the horrible monster that seemed to listen to Lady Lath. And then . . he remembered helping Lady lath with something but, he couldn't remember what I was. The fungal horror was nowhere to be seen, but he couldn't recall what it really looked like, or what he had done before falling asleep, or even falling asleep in the first place.
"It's like my memory is just gone," Bell muttered to himself as he brushed his side, feeling the dagger hanging off his belt by the odd clasp like hook on its pommel.
"That would be because it is. Gone, that is," Lady Lath said as she came out of the tent and stretched her arms over her head in a way that made Bell blush and partly look away.
"What, what do you mean?"
Nyarlathotep smiled as she walked between Bell and the glass circle. "The minds of mortals are stronger than their frail bodies, but the mind has its limits as well. When a mortal mind witnesses things it cannot comprehend there are a few things that may happen. Madness, insanity and going comatose are the most common results. Sometimes a mind is strong enough to simply purge the memory to protect itself, and even rarer some minds will simply accept what they see. You managed to keep yourself up until I sent the Mi-go away. Impressive for a mortal," Nyarlathotep commented as she kicked the large area of glass, causing cracks to form across the whole thing in an instant.
"But, why can't I remember that thing you had with you?"
"The Mi-go are formed of material from a different state of existence, and as such over time memory of them naturally becomes hazy. But the main reason was that seeing the rite used to return it was too much for your mind, and you fell unconscious."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Bell apologized, suddenly feeling embarrassed.
"It is nothing to apologize for. The fact you and that girl stayed sane throughout what you saw, both the dagger erupting and from seeing a Mi-go, is worthy of praise as it is," Nyarlathotep said with a grin.
"Oh the girl! Is she alright?!" Bell Suddenly asked, trying to stand up, but finding himself oddly dizzy.
"She is fine," Nyarlathotep said as she walked up to Bell and poked his head, making him fall back on his rear. "The Mi-go do work when they have appropriate reason, and details were not skipped. She is simply resting. Or was."
Before Bell could say anything a shriek came from the tent causing him to again try to stand, only to be stopped from approaching by Lady Lath.
"Oh good you awaken," she said as she walked over and grabbed the tents center spar, pulling it up and taking the tent walls with it. "So wake up!"
Bell found his breath catch in his throat. He had seen the girls form the night before, but in the light of the morning the details were vividly stark. Her skirt and top looked to be little more than rags that might have once been repurposed flour bags, and the scars that he could see all over her arms, legs, and belly were of varying sizes and shapes, though most were long thin lashing scars. One large scar across her neck and collarbone looked to be likely from manacles, and the missing tip of her ear was far more jagged than Bell had realized before. The most shocking thing, to both of them it seemed, was that the elf girls entire left arm and shoulder were made of a wondrous amalgamation of dark bluish green metal and rainbow colored crystal hat both seemed to shift around ever so slightly.
"What in the gods is this?!" the girl exclaimed as her right arm grabbed at her metal left.
"Your arm was essentially severed, and the Mi-go did not have the material to rejoin it, so instead he made a replacement arm for you at my behest," Nyarlathotep said with a smirk as she looked down at the girl. "Your nerves should have been connected, but it will take some time for you to fully regain use of it."
The girl looked at her arm and seemed to concentrate, slowly lifting it upwards until she could look at her hand, each finger tipped with rainbow crystal shaped like a claw. Her fingers twitched and slowly flexed, then they did again faster, and she smiled wider as she did it again and again, each time faster. Finally she looked up at Nyarlathotep. "You are Goddess Nyarlathotep, correct?"
"For the most part that is correct I suppose," Nyarlathotep replied teasingly.
The girl nodded and slowly stood up, a little bit wobbly. "Thank you for doing this to me, I would have died otherwise!"
"You, just like Bell, piqued my interest," Nyarlathotep said as she shifted her stance and rested a hand on one hip. "You had a question to ask me, but first, I would know your name."
"What? I, did I not already say it?" the girl asked, seemingly bewildered.
"No, you were so focused on your question, you did not introduce yourself."
"Then I am sorry, to both of you," she said as she looked at Bell as well. "My name is . . .Ikari. My name is Ikari."
"Meaning wrath," Nyarlathotep said with a grin, surprising both Bell and Ikari. "I suppose your name is taken in response to your desire to kill the man who bore you?"
"Yes," Ikari said, her shoulders lifting a bit as she glared at the ground, her green eyes filling with rage. "Before he was with my mother he was an adventurer, one of a moderately high level. The only way I would be able to kill him is if I had similar, or better, power. So please, let me join your Familia! Please give me the power I need!"
Silence reigned for a few tense moments, Ikari waiting for a response, and Bell waiting to see what would be said, sand wondering if he should speak up. Just as Bell opened his mouth to tell her the truth though, Nyarlathotep began laughing heartily.
"With reasons such as yours, how could I refuse? A human boy chasing Heroism, and an Elven girl chasing revenge, what a delicious combination! Though I should tell you, Bell is not part of my, Familia," Nyarlathotep admitted, sounding as if she was testing the word.
"What? You have no Falna?" Ikari asked Bell in complete surprise. "And yet you picked a fight with seasoned slavers?!"
"Well, you and the others needed to be free so . . ."
"Also the Mi-go killed most of them," Nyarlathotep suddenly added with a grin. "As I am recently, come down, I am limited in what I can do at the moment. Before rescuing you and others, Bell and I planned to head to a nearby city, and I believe I could give blessings to you, both of you if you wished, shortly after we arrive there."
"Your saying you could give us Falna just after arriving in Orario?" Ikari asked her gaze serious and hopeful at once.
"If that is what you desire, perhaps so," Nyarlathotep replied, seeing Ikari already prepared to say yes and Bell considering it.
"I'll do it, if I can have power, and you're fine with me using to kill someone, I can wait!" Ikari said seriously, before looking at Bell.
"Well uh, Orario isn't far right? Should we get going?" Bell suggested, leaving Ikari's unsaid question unanswered.
"True, can you walk?" Nyarlathotep asked Ikari.
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied despite her thin body and grumbling stomach. "I can eat when we arrive if need be. I've gotten used to not eating."
"When did you last eat?" Bell asked immediately.
"Yesterday morning when the slavers set up camp here."
"I'll find some food for while we travel!" Bell then stated as he ran I to the camp before Ikari could speak up.
"Damn, he moves fast. I said I would be fine."
"In the short time I have watched him it has become clear that while he has a hero complex, he also thinks of others over himself," Nyarlathotep said with a smirk. "You do look like you could use a little more meat on you though. It will also help your body get used to your new limb."
"I see. . . . .may I ask a question Lady Nyarlathotep?" Ikari asked carefully.
"You may," Nyarlathotep said, smiling that she was able to actually pronounce her name.
"How long ago did you descend to Gekai?"
"Early last night," Nyarlathotep answered truthfully. "I met Bell, we came to the village a bit back, and came here."
"Oh, I guess that makes sense then. I just thought it was odd, I had always heard that Deities could give Falna immediately, but I guess not.
"My turn. You are not an elf, are you?" Nyarlathotep asked as Bell came back, stopping dead in his tracks as he heard the question.
". . . . . No, I'm a half elf. My father," She spat the word out. "Is a human from the east, giving me my hair color."
I'm sorry, I didn't think, I just, I'm sorry," Bell said as he walked up looking embarrassed again.
"Sorry for what?"
"I didn't even think to ask if you were a half elf, I just assumed, and I have heard that can be insulting,"
"I'm covered in scars, wearing rags, missing the tip of one ear and have an unusual hair color for elves. Forget about it, it's not anything important," Ikari said dismissively as she noticed Bell carrying something in his hands. "What is that?"
"Oh, some jerky, the only food that wasn't covered in dried, or still wet, blood," Bell answered as he held out a piece to Ikari.
"I told you I was fine," she said, just as her stomach grumbled loudly, making her wince and grab her stomach.
"If your stomach hurts when making that noise, I believe it means you are not. Take it and let's go. I'd like to see this city!" Nyarlathotep said as she began walking down the road away from the remains of the slaver camp.
"Fine, I'll take one for now," Ikari grumbled as she took a piece of jerky as she and Bell began following, trying to catch up, but finding that Lady Nyarlathotep walked rather fast.
They travelled in low silence for a time, Bell continuing to give, or convince, Ikari to take more pieces of jerky as she finished the one she was on. After about an hour they both ran out of jerky, and came out of the wide valley pass of the mountains and could see the city of Orario.
"That's the city?" Nyarlathotep asked, her tone strange as she stared.
"Yes, the dungeon city of Orario," Ikari stated as she wiped her mouth on her right wrist.
"What is that tower called?" Nyarlathotep asked as her shoulders began shaking.
"Babel, it's supposed to be right on top of the dungeon to keep the monsters within it. Many gods also live within it apparently."
Those last words set Nyarlathotep off in an instant, causing her to fall to her knees in laughter that was both deep and malevolent in nature. "They live in it?! Hahahahahahaah, oh that is rich! I had wondered what was done with it, but for it to be turned into a glorified bottle cap, oh, it's too much!"
Both Ikari and Bell looked at each other and then at Nyarlathotep in worry and confusion. "Um, Lady Lath? I thought you said you hadn't known where Orario was," Bell said first.
"Oh, I didn't," Nyarlathotep replied as she continued chuckling and giggling, seeming to try to calm down.
"Then, may I ask what is so funny about Babel?" Ikari asked. To her the tower was impressive, not something to laugh at.
"It probably not known here then, but that tower has some history to it that I had a bit of a part in," Nyarlathotep said as she wiped an eye and stood up.
"It's said the gods made Babel atop the dungeon to protect mortals from the monsters, are you saying you helped build it?" Ikari asked as the three of them began walking the road again.
"Of course not," Nyarlathotep said with an insane smile. "I just destroyed it once upon a time!"
Both Bell and Ikari stopped moving as Nyarlathotep kept walking. Babel, destroyed? No one had ever mentioned that, and such a major thing would a catastrophe wouldn't it?
"Wait, what do you mean you destroyed it?!" Ikari exclaimed and she and Bell ran to catch up to Nyarlathotep.
"Just as I said. I once destroyed it," Nyarlathotep reiterated as she stopped at the rest of a small hill. "Bell, give Ikari your jacket to wear. We are about to have guests!"
Bell and Ikari came up to the crest and looked down the hill, finding a number of people on horses heading toward them at high speed. Bell immediately took his jacket off and handed it to Ikari, who donned it with some difficulty due to her left arm not moving as she wanted it to. It was moving better, but still a bit slower than her other.
Barely a minute after she had managed to put the jacket on the horsemen were upon them, and quickly surrounded them. There were five people, each upon a horse with one rider less horse with them. Four were dressed in uniforms and had swords at their waists, all clearly men of stature and strength. The fifth was a woman in a stylish uniform, clearly not meant for combat. She had a bag slung over one shoulder, and in one hand she was holding a short scepter with a glass sphere at its top that glowed angrily red.
"Travelers, pardon our haste, but have you recently met upon a deity in the last day?" one of the men asked politely, only for the woman to suddenly point her scepter at Nyarlathotep.
"We've found her already," the woman said simply as the scepters glass glowed brighter and brighter, then cracked. "You are a Goddess!"
"And what if I am? Does that not mean you should show some respect? " Nyarlathotep asked a with a snarky grin as she touched the cracked glass orb, it shattering at her touch.
"It does, that is why we have not drawn weapons," the woman said as she put away the scepter and pulled out a scroll of some sort and unfurled it. "By unified decree of the gods that reside in the city of Orario, the one who's Arkanum matches that felt by the gods last night is commanded and required to come and meet the gods, along with any accompanying them, if any!"
"And you believe I am that Deity?" Nyarlathotep asked in a playful, knowing tone.
"Yes, the tool to find the one responsible glowed brightly when pointed at you, and broke at your touch!" the woman declared seriously. "As you are the one responsible, you will come with us to meet others of your kind. If you resist, we have been ordered to send you back to Tenkai!"
"You mean ordered to kill her," Ikari said darkly.
"That is one way to force a god back to Tenkai, but not the only way," the woman said to Ikari as she looked back at Nyarlathotep. "Will you come willingly, or no?"
Nyarlathotep was quiet for many moments before suddenly chuckling to herself. "Alright, I'll play this game. Let's go and meet the locals!"
"Good, climb onto his horse," the woman said as she pointed to the roughest looking man, and then looked at Bell and Ikari. "You two are traveling with this goddess, correct?"
"Yes," Bell said simply, his sorry evident in his tone.
"Then you two get on the other horse," she ordered just as Nyarlathotep walked over to the one man's horse and hooped up onto it, quite literally, and sat there side saddle with a casual yawn.
"Uh r-right," Bell said as he awkwardly climbed onto the horse, then lowered a hand to help Ikari up, seeing from her expression that she either didn't like horses, or didn't like her clothing for riding. Trying to not look down at her bare legs and barely covered thighs Bell figures it was the latter as, aside from his jacket, she was barely wearing anything that could be considered clothing. "Here, I'll pull you up."
"Thank you," Ikari said quietly as she was pulled up and sat side saddle just like Nyarlathotep was, though she did her best not to attract attention.
Within seconds of them getting on the horses they all set of toward Orario at a fast pace that even Bell and Ikari's horse kept up with on its own. They were not going at a full gallop, but it was fast enough that Ikari was forced to hold onto bells shoulder with one hand. In contrast, Nyarlathotep seemed to have an unnatural kind of balance, not holding onto anything and even lying down with her body over the ground as if it was normal. Something that clearly unnerved the uniformed people who witnessed it.
"Do you serve a certain Deity?" Ikari asked after a few minutes of silence, the walls of Orario so close she could see people on its walls, though not well.
"No, we work for the guild, but the order for your acquisition came from the leader of the guild, who is a god," the man seated in front of Nyarlathotep replied, his expression like stone, unchanging and cold.
"So you do work for a god then, right?" Ikari pressed, finding the man's reply to be odd.
"No."
"Um, what gods wanted to talk to Lady Lath? " Bell asked next, seeing that the man wasn't about to continue."
"Many of them," the woman in front replied instantly. "Nearly ever deity in Orario met for a time this morning, and are waiting in a meeting room of theirs in Babel for you."
"Ha best reception I've had for a while! " Nyarlathotep laughed as they all went beneath one of the massive gates that allowed entrance into the city, and entered the city proper. "We'll see how long it lasts for!"
Bell and Ikari did not hear Nyarlathotep's last, dark comment however, as they both too engrossed in looking around at the streets, buildings and people in the city. Buildings of wood and stone, styled in ways they had never seen and some they had. Streets of cobble that turned to flagstones down some streets and then back to cobble down others. People walked and ran, shopped and bartered, and lived more energetically that in other places. Adventurers, noticeable by the vast difference of clothing and armor, meandered and shopped, and the vast variety of races that Bell had only heard of walked and worked as per normal. Amazon's, Chienthropes, Cat people, Dwarves, Pallums, Elves and even Renards. Bell found it mesmerizing, while Ikari was scanning the crowd more intently, on an off hope of finding her hatred.
"We are gathering quiet a number of stares," Nyarlathotep suddenly commented in a devious tone, making Bell Suddenly realize the truth of her words. Many people were watching them, and while some looked simply curious, many who were closer had odd looks in their eyes, while others seemed to be gripping their heads, or suddenly looking dizzy.
"Of course. Every deity reacted last night as one. It would be impossible not to realize something is amiss," the woman said as she looked forward at Babel. "We are almost at Babel. You will follow us in, and if any of you dally there will be consequences. Understood?
"Y-yes," Bell replied instantly, a little louder than he meant to.
Ikari simply nodded, while Nyarlathotep said nothing, continuing to smile as the came up an income to a large open area with fountains and benches that seemed to surround the tower. There were far more adventurers around Babel, most of them heading for the tower, while a much smaller number were leaving it. All of them parted for the guilds horses though, and when they got to the large entrance a number of guild people were there waiting.
"Ma'am, well take your horses!" one said as the woman came to a stop and climbed off her horse.
"Thank you," she said as she quickly turned to Nyarlathotep to find her already off her horse, with Bell and Ikari getting off theirs. "Follow me, I shall take you to where the meeting is happening," she then said as she briskly turned and began walking toward the towers entrance.
" . . . . . . .Well," Nyarlathotep said as Bell and Ikari came up beside her. "Shall we go and meet the locals?"
"You, sound like you don't know who they are," Ikari stated as Nyarlathotep led them after the guild woman and into the tower. "Don't all the gods at least know of each other?"
"Perhaps I do, but I will not know for sure until I see them, " Nyarlathotep replied. Once inside they followed the guild woman to a side set of stairs to one side that went upwards. "I have encountered many different gods, but due to my difference, they may not recognize me. At least not immediately."
Ikari looked at Bell quizzically, but he only shook his head, making it clear he did not understand either.
After what felt like an eternity of Walking up stairs they finally ended in a short hallway that led right to a door on its left side, and nothing else. The guild woman walked to it, knocked twice, opened it a sliver and said something within, then turned to Nyarlathotep, Bell, and Ikari. "Enter to speak with the gods, and remember to show respect."
"That will depend on how they act!" Nyarlathotep proclaimed as she walked to the door and opened it, revealing a pitch black room, and then walked in.
As Ikari and Bell went to follow, the guild woman put a hand up, stopping them for a second. "I do not know who that Goddess is, but the fact that touching the scepter I was given does not bode well for what she could be. Choose what you say, and make your choices carefully."
"Um, okay?" Bell replied uncertainly.
The woman looked at them for a second more then stepped out of their way, allowing both of them to enter. Darkness shrouded their vision for a bare second before dissipating, revealing them to be in a large circular room. In its center was a circular table of solid grey granite with who could only be a multitude of gods seated around it. They all looked very different. Some wore regal attire and some casual. Some wore masks or had strange additions to their clothing, and some looked like regular, if very beautiful, people. All of them though were staring in their direction, or more precisely, at Nyarlathotep who stood just a few feet ahead of Bell and Ikari.
Silence reigned for a few seconds before one Goddess, a beautiful woman with silver hair and amethyst eyes, stood up from her chair, her full body cloak billowing a bit as she did. "Greetings and welcome to our meeting, I am Freya. I do not recognize you from our time in Tenkai, are you perhaps a newly born Goddess?"
"That thing is no Goddess!" one god suddenly spoke up before Nyarlathotep could even open her mouth. A second later the god who spoke stood up pointed a short stave of some sort at Nyarlathotep. He had dark tan skin and deep black hair while his upper face was covered a mask that was reminiscent of a Falcon, and his clothing was somewhat similar to Nyarlathotep's in both design and look.
Nyarlathotep then smiled, causing a couple of gods to lean backwards. "Hello Ra, what a surprise! I honestly did not expect to see you again!" She exclaimed before her smile grew vicious. "Though, it does answer the question of where you all buggered off too!"
"You have the gall to say that like you were not responsible!?" Ra exclaimed in rage, the end of his stave glowing golden.
"Ra, control yourself!" A goddess with short red hair and an eyepatch said suddenly, surprising Ra enough that his stave stopped glowing.
"I take it you know her personally?" Freya asked casually as she looked back at Nyarlathotep, but also at Ikari and Bell. "Judging from her clothing is she perhaps a distant relative?"
"By the afterlife no!" Ra yelled in horror. "I would kill myself if such was true, and that thing is no Goddess, but an abomination of existence!"
"Well, that's going a tad bit far, don't you think Ra? And here I thought time would have healed that minor little wound of yours, " Nyarlathotep teased, making many look on in confusion.
"Little?! Why you disgusting-"
"Ra!" one god suddenly called, interrupting Ra's rage. "Who is this Goddess and why do you seem to hate her?"
"I hate it, because that is the only option when dealing with it!" Ra declared angrily as he took a deep breath. "That is the invading thing that is directly responsible for the destruction of Alexandria, and is the thing that I had mentioned ages ago that may have been responsible for the destruction of Babel!"
All the gods in the room had in instant reaction. Some were loudly horrified and angry, others whispered to those near them, and a few seemed to stay quiet, starring at Nyarlathotep as if trying to discern something.
One of them, a slight goddess with narrow eyes, red hair and a cutting board chest, was the first to truly speak up, at Nyarlathotep. "What is your name then?"
"Nyarlathotep" She replied with a sick smirk, inwardly recognizing that the goddess talking to her was one far more discerning that her looks would bely. "Though in this form my title of the Black Pharaoh would be more appropriate than that of my most well-known Epitaph of the Crawling Chaos."
"So you have multiple forms then," the redheaded goddess said as she glanced at Ra, seeing him seething. "And I take it that your current one was the one you destroyed Alexandria with?"
"Yes and no. I was in this form, but I did not destroy the city myself. I merely, allowed others access to the capability to do so," Nyarlathotep said a with a coy grin.
"And what of the first Babel?" Freya asked calmly.
"My intention had not been to destroy it," Nyarlathotep said casually before her grin turned crazed. "But it was enjoyable to watch it topple and crush the mutlitudes of mortals who had been working on it."
"Thousands died and the whole world was fractured! How can you enjoy that?!" one goddess asked in shock.
"It is one of those invading beings, it cares not for anything!" Ra stated with a scowl.
"First off, I am not an invading being, I am an Outer God. Second, my kind do have cares and opinions, but our morality is far different that mortals or terran beings like yourselves and-"
"And that gives you reason to kill hundreds of children, and years of work?!" one god asked in anger, causing others to voice their agreement.
"My friends!" one very loud god suddenly called out, drawing attention to him. He was a, large muscular man with an equally large smile, a simple tunic, and an elephant shaped mask. "I, Ganesha, believe we are forgetting something of grand importance! While the past is a painful memory for some, the survival of our present children takes priority. Outer Goddess by the name of Nyarlathotep, may I request to know why you have come here to this place? Are you chasing Ra, or others for some reason perhaps? Or is your reason for being here far more malevolent?"
"You all had me dragged here," Nyarlathotep replied with a smile.
"Do not toy with us abomination!" Ra roared in anger. "You know very well that Ganesha means this world! Why are you here acting like you are one of us?!"
Nyarlathotep's smile disappeared. "I do not know."
"Lies! It lies to our faces!" Ra roared in outrage as his stave began to glow with anger.
"Ra, you know the rules, control yourself!" A god with blonde hair said, making Ra scowl, but also stop pushing power into his stave. The blonde then looked back at Nyarlathotep. "What do you mean, outer one? There have been mention of your kind in the past, as some of us have met you, or others like you, but none of them mention a lack of control over your own selves."
"I meant exactly what I had said. I do not know how I got to be on this backwater plane," Nyarlathotep admitted with a sigh as she took a few steps forward. "I have ideas, but nothing solid. I got into a, scuffle, with an Elder God. Next thing I am aware of, I am on this backwater with my powers for the most part sealed, unable to gather knowledge innately as I normally could, and stuck in this form with its regular gender inverted."
"You mean to say you are normally a man then?" one god with black hair and a simple clothing, yet a clearly disciplined stature, asked calmly.
"No," Nyarlathotep said clearly, her grin showing up again. "I am the Crawling Chaos, the messenger of the Outer Gods! Unlike most of my kind and yours, my Gender and form are malleable and unset. I am Whatever gender or form I wish to be, I am merely in this form as I seem stuck to it, for reasons I am yet unsure why."
"A lie if I had ever heard one! " came a dark and collected voice from everywhere in the room at once. The room then grew dark despite the magic lamps on the walls, and an oppressive feeling began to press down on everyone present. To the gods it was merely uncomfortable, but to Ikari and Bell it sucked the energy from their bodies, cashing them to fall to their knees. A moment later a bare chested man with unnaturally grey skin appeared standing on the table in the center of the room. His hair and beard both hung down to his belt, and his body was toned and ripped with muscle. Upon his belt hung a quiver of arrows seemingly made of crystal, and around his chest and back was a bow that seemed to be made of coral and manifested desires. "But what else could expected, of the one who sows chaos out of their own selfish desires, and uses their title to gain entry and apathy among their peers!"
"Nodens," Nyarlathotep said with a click of her tongue. "Figures you were the one responsible for this considering I had been beating you black and blue just before. What is this all about?"
Nodens opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly instead breathed in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. As he did, much of the oppressiveness in the room disappeared and he smiled. "Unlike most Elder or Outer Gods, I have no desire to see mortals suffer needlessly due to my presence," he stated with a smile as he looked at Bell and Ikari, both of while now could actually breathe, albeit with some difficulty.
"We thank you for that, however your kind, neither of your kinds, are welcome here," Ra said venomously. "What are you here for?"
Nodens looked at Ra, the at the rest of the gods and to their surprise, bowed to them each one at a time before he spoke up again. "I am here for two reasons. To explain what I have done, and to apologize for doing so."
"To us, or the other one?" Freya asked calmly, though her eyes did not stop looking at Nodens.
"My explanation is as much for you as it is for Nyarlathotep. My apologies for what have I done however are solely for all of you, the native deity's of this plane." Nodens stated as he held up a hand and the ceiling suddenly turning into a perfect image of the night sky. Then a number of planets Appeared, all with varying scars across them, everything from planet scaling fire, to floods, and even one that appeared to be cracked in half. "Nyarlathotep, your actions have caused untold chaos across all of existence, and your selfish acts have devastated planes that deserved better. Your actions have also interrupted, impeded and destroyed the plans and work of others. Because of this, to both stop you from continuing out of control, to allow planes you have damaged to heal, and to stop you from impeding others work and to perhaps learn to control yourself, myself and others, both Elder and Outer Gods, have worked to seal you in this plane with your powers all but inaccessible!"
"Yes, I kind of figured you had help. There is simply no way you could seal my power to this extent on your own," Nyarlathotep said casually, as if she did not care. "I've had my power sealed before anyway. So how's long will this sealing last? A decade? A century? They never last long."
"No, normally your powers of madness and chaos make effects upon you fray and snap after nothing close to their supposed lifespan, however the seal that was placed on you, was also placed around this plane to limit your power and its gain, and should last for upwards of a millennium!"
At this, Nyarlathotep's expressions went sour. "There's no way it'll hold for that long."
"It should, for not only will you be held back by the seal and your lack of your own power, but you shall also be held back by the rules of this world! In this place, the gods of the mortals can come down and live with them, but to do so they must follow certain rules that they themselves had laid down. If they would break these rules they can be forced back to their 'heaven' and be unable to come down again for a time. Energies have been added to the seal on your power that, if the local deities consider you to have broken rules, they can send you to their heaven. And if they do so, your power shall be atrophied and blasted across all of creation harmlessly, while your existence shall be sundered down to the same as they!"
"By my father's name, are you insane?!" Nyarlathotep Demanded as her hair began billowing and wavering as unnatural power began pouring out of her, cracking the very stones under her feet. "You would destroy my very existence and tether my consciousness to this place so that the only thing I could reform as would be a local deity of this backwater plane that Terra's old pantheons hide away on!? Are you mad? Do you realize what that would do to the dimensions and to the dreamlands?"
"No, I am not mad. I do this for the good of all existence and care not for your territory," Nodens claimed as he turned his gaze to the surrounding gods and goddess's, all of whole looked shell shocked by what he had said. "I apologize for this, but this world, and the rules you have, make it the best place to cage such a blight upon all existence. I shall leave the rest to you."
"Hold a moment foreign one!" the one blonde God said as he stood up and bowed to Nodens. "I am Dionysus, please, allow me to confirm the situation. You chose our world to seal Miss Nyarlathotep away to allow other worlds to heal. This I understand. But the other point, you are saying that she must follow our rules, or somehow be turned, essentially reborn, as a new god here, as one of us. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Nodens replied simply, as if it was obvious.
"How dare you do such a thing without even considering our side of it you insolent outsider!" Ra yelled in rage.
In response Nodens took out an arrow out of his quiver and threw it at Ra, sending him backwards into the wall with a heavy crack. "I did not come to hear your complaints, Lesser deity. I came to explain the situation and apologize about Nyarlathotep's fate being in your hands and for being here, not for doing this!"
"I will admit that perhaps Ra's words were too, aggressive for such a conversation," Ganesha said in a tone that made it clear he was trying to create calm and order. "However, do you truly believe it smart when you consider us lesser, and when your own seal did not stop her power this last night?"
Nodens turned to Ganesha, a strange look on his wizened face. "What do you speak of?"
"We all were woken up last night due to a massive burst of Arkanum. Hers," the red head said as she pointed at Nyarlathotep. "As soon as she was brought to us and we saw her, we knew it was her Arkanum."
"I see. Something to look into once I leave," Nodens declared as he turend his gaze past Nyarlathotep and toward Bell and Ikari. Something the other gods tensed at. "Before I leave however. Mortals, present and turn over the items of chaos you hold on your persons. Their presence here will do you, or anyone else, nothing worth the risk!"
"N-no!" Ikari said suddenly with a gasp, having difficulty speaking with Nodens staring right at her and Bell.
"You would disregard my words?" Nodens asked, clearly displeased as he took a step toward them a Foss the table, making every God and Goddess react and crowd around the side of the table between them. "You would blockade my intention of protecting your world?"
"No, we would protect those children from you," one goddess declared, just before Ganesha walked up beside Bell and Ikari, behind Nyarlathotep.
"Children, may I ask you what the outer one is referencing?" Ganesha asked both respectfully, politely, and calmly, while still showing that he worried for them.
Both Bell and Ikari tried to answer on their own, but neither could seem to speak, the building pressure of Nodens presence making the air catch in their lungs, and their muscles weaken and cramp unnaturally.
"I made a Dagger for the boy," Nyarlathotep said as she walked around behind Bell and Ikari and touched their shoulders, seeming to stop some of the pain covering them. "He wished to save some girls from slavers and needed a weapon, so I used what power I could access to give him the possibility," she continued as she reached around and touched the dagger, lifting it partway up off Bells belt so that it could be seen by some of the Gods.
"And . . . what does the young girl hold then?" Ganesha asked carefully as Nodens took another step forward, making many tense up more.
"Can you stand and show them?" Nyarlathotep asked Ikari with a grin that did not suit the atmosphere. Ikari tried to speak but instead only nodded and tried to stumble up, but instead only shrugged and slipped off the left side of Bells jacket, showing everyone that could see her left arm of metal and crystal. Nyarlathotep stood up and addressed those around, looking directly at Nodens as she did. "Bell did save those the slavers had taken, Ikari here among them. But one slaver who lived tried to kill me, but on his second swing was killed and let go of his axe, sending it flying into, Ikari's arm. It was not able to be saved and I am no healer so I had a minion of mine, make her a replacement as her words to me had piqued my interest! So, still intending on taking my gifts to them? Gifts that were used to heal a wound and save lives?"
Nodens face curled up in anger at the arrogant tone Nyarlathotep was using, and then without any seeing how, Nodens was behind Bell and Ikari, holding Nyarlathotep in the air by her neck. With a sudden twist he threw her over the surprised gods. She slammed into the stone table, her back bending and letting out a sickening cracks before she then tumbled and rolled across the table and fell off the other side with a dull thump. "Still will you resist my demand?" Nodens asked the gods before glancing down at Bell and Ikari, making his question clear to them even as they both of them collapsed to their hands and knees, unable to move, act, or even think about anything other than Nodens oppressive aura.
"The children were given those as gifts. They may not be taken, only given again," Freya said slowly. "Do not take from them what was given without their words."
Nodens stared at Freya before signing. "very well, you may suffer your choices, as will they. I will leave you to decide the chaotic ones fate."
"Even though you just made it yourself?" The redheaded Goddess said.
"I did not. Her fate will be yours and her own, nothing more," Nodens stated before suddenly simply not being there in the room, the oppressive atmosphere gone with him.
"Is the old codger gone now?" Nyarlathotep asked as she, much to all the gods surprise, stood up on in the other side of the table with her back and torso bent at angles that shouldn't have been possible. Then, she wrenched her torso back into place with a sickening crunch of snapping bone and tendon. When no one answered her, mostly due to shock or disgust, she began walking around the table. "Are my two twerps alright?"
"They are unconscious, yet unharmed," Ganesha said as he picked up Ikari and placed her against the wall gingerly. "The amount of Arkanum that one released was too much for them to bare."
"Well as long as they are alive they can still be interesting," Nyarlathotep said casually as she walked toward Bell, only for a few Goddesses to stand in her way. "Oi, what gives?"
"We now know why you are here, but that itself creates a different situation," the redheaded eyepatch goddess said as she crossed her arms. "Was what he said true? Will you be held to our laws and rules?"
"Well I did use some power before so-"
"No. Now that you know them, will you have to follow them, and can what he said occur as he said it?" Freya interrupted, her tone cold and careful as she stared at Nyarlathotep. Just as all of the gods did, waiting for an answer.
Nyarlathotep sighed and closed her eyes for a second, then growled under her breath. "Now that I know what to look for. . . . . . . maybe. I'd have to do some checking of things . . . and it would take a while to do so," she grudgingly admitted, clearly upset by the fact.
"Then it appears we have much to discuss. Such as rules, regulations, and what we shall do with you as you have more Arkanum accessible than we do," Freya said as she began heading back to her seat and sat down.
"I agree. I have no intention of becoming one of your kind, so until I can find a way to either break or subvert this damn seal, I'll have to follow your damn rules!" Nyarlathotep said in annoyance as Ganesha finished moving Bell against the wall.
"Then may I suggest a first order of business before rules?" Ganesha asked with a smile as he turned and stood tall and proud. "One of us should host her, both to protect the children, and to watch over her and make sure she does not break our laws!"
"I am older than your entire existences. I do not need a babysitter to follow rules," Nyarlathotep stated with a scowl as she watched most of the gods return to their seats.
"No, I agree with Ganesha," the eyepatch goddess said. "Those of us with history of your kind would not trust you, and it could also help to make you learn what you can and cannot do."
"The question is who will watch her, no?" Freya spoke up, slowly looking around at the gods present.
"I, Ganesha, shall volunteer to watch over her and the two that have followed her!" Ganesha then declared. "My Familia is large and strong, easily capable of watching over her when I cannot!"
Nyarlathotep felt her breath halt in the middle of her throat. The idea of being constantly monitored was bad enough, but being watched by such a walking pile of over eager and boisterous man was a nightmare!
"Would not my Familia be more appropriate?" Freya asked with a soft look. One that did not seem to go over well with many of the other Goddesses.
"No, you just want to take those children for yourself," the petite redheaded goddess said with a scowl.
"Then you would prefer your Familia play host?" A god said, his tone filled with spite.
"No, I wouldn't. My Familia is one of the strongest, we don't have time to babysit," She replied.
"If you are so strong then you should watch her! Your children would not be in any real danger!" another god called out, causing many to start speaking their mind at once.
As the gathered Gods began arguing the point Nyarlathotep sighed and went over to the wall near Bell and Ikari and sat down. This was going to take a while.