Iron Dawn: Of Science and Sorcery Obscura
By Jave Harron
Notes: Heh heh heh…
Chapter VII: Triumphant Will
Alivina knew that she could not simply will the two Bhaalspawn out of existence. Their personal power and divine heritage combined to ward off Alivina's willpower. However, Alivina was watching them. They were not alone. Yet, anyway. Alivina began to will Cain and Imoen's comrades out of existence. Valygar and Minsc were the first to go. Then, Jaheira went. Cain was unaware of what was happening, and did notice his close friends were just willed into oblivion. Then, the simple minded Jan Jansen vanished as he munched on a turnip. Boddyknock was the last to go. It was a bit of a disappointment for Alivina. The gnome that evaded her attacks on Lantan, Athkatla, and Trademeet simply disappeared in an instant.
In the vacuum of existence created, Alivina worked fast. She willed several soldiers and automata to be in her victims' places. If she could not kill them from a distance, her soldiers would do it for her. There was three riflemen, a mechanized arachnid, and two automatons.
No sooner had they appeared, then Cain worried. The fears of a Bhaalspawn were not just known to them. Because of their power, demons in the Abyss would sometimes reach out, offering a deal. However, deals with demons always have fine print on them. Now, Cain was desperate, and several demons were making a move.
Cain wanted to survive, and very badly. With the riflemen in front of him, Imoen taken by surprise, and his friends willed out of existence, it would be near impossible for him to do.
I want to kill whoever's responsible! he thought.
To his surprise, he got a response.
It will cost you, kid, came a demonic voice in his head.
I don't care! I want to get to who's responsible for this! the frantic Cain thought.
Before Cain knew it, he and Imoen were out of the cave. Instead of being confronted with a gaggle of enemy soldiers, they were on a grated metal surface of some sort. The lights above them were electric, but he mistook it for some form of magic.
"Well, well, it seems I have a guest," a cruel voice from behind them cackled.
The duo looked up to see Alivina Andersmith, the Overwoman, herself. She was aiming her shotgun at them, with a cruel smile on her face.
"You're the one behind all this?" Cain thundered, hoisting his broadsword.
"Correct. I am the Overwoman, sheep. Now, since you've just popped into my fortress, I'm going to have to escort you out…in pieces," Alivina threatened.
Just then, Imoen cast Protection from Evil. As the spell was just set up, Alivina shot Imoen dead.
"How'd you get past the spell?" Cain thundered, in awe.
"I am beyond good and evil, and no sheep can defeat me!" Alivina thundered.
Before Cain could even raise his sword, he heard an explosion, and saw a flash of red upon his chest. He had been shot, and was dying. Within a few more gunshots, he was dead. The Overwoman had one. It was only a matter of time before she could absorb Cain and Imoen's divine essences.
As the gods watched on, Alivina absorbed the powers of the dead Lord of Murder. She had won. The other gods would eventually rally against her, but Alivina was a unique god. Her willpower was such that she did not need worshippers to sustain her powers, and she could will the rest of the clerics of other gods out of existence. Eventually, without clerics, the gods of the Realms died. Because of her technological aptitude, magic itself began to wane. The races sustained by all sorts of magic died and became weakened as their source of powers was drained. Nature itself was damaged, and also died.
Eventually, all that was left was a group loyal to Alivina and her League of Overmen. Using that group over the next few years, the entire world of Toril was strip mined and its minerals converted into steam-powered war machines, automatons, aircraft, and ships. Eventually, the world was a lifeless, sterile desert, save Alivina's camps and manufactories. Once the Overwoman had deemed the world was done, she mobilized for an invasion of her own homeworld, Arcanum. Only a few days had passed on that plane, and she would return, with vengeance…
The End.