Ah well. Here we are again, trudging ahead towards the end...
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Wow. That sort-of rhymed. My weird-yet-pointless observation of the day!
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Disclaimer/Claimer: See other chapters
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As auspicious as Kazul made the approaching battle sound, when Yuugioh exited the Vortex - Laurel, Lupine, Luster, and the spare supplies (food/wood/villagers) in tow - he was surprised to see how…dull, for lack of a better word, the battleground was in appearance.
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This piece of land was all flat, and spread as far as the eye could see. But, Yuugioh figured, it was just as well since finding a place for every God and Goddess to build themselves a Temple on the same island usually did call for a bit of extra room.
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"I don't believe it…we're not on an island at all!" Lupine exclaimed out of the blue.
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"What?" Yuugioh said, "Then where are we?"
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"Dis is Da Continent, Boss," Luster explained, sounding a little awed himself, "Its da biggest piece 'o land in da world. Anybody dat rules Da Continent could pack it full'a slaves and den dey's as good as ruling every island!"0
"So, very long ago, it was decreed that The Continent would remain neutral ground, and unless there was some drastic reason, no god would be allowed to have any Influence there," Lupine added.
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((I guess that makes sense,)) Laurel mentioned, looking up from where she was supervising the villagers.
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While they finished the Temple and moved on to the other needed buildings - houses, some fields and the like - Yuugioh went to check out his neighbors.
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From above, The Continent was sort of potato-shaped. At each end of The Continent were clustered the Temples, leaving the wide middle area to be a no-god's-land. On the other side of The Continent were the Temples of the Deathgod and his supporters - one vividly pink area testified to Cassaka's location.
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The side Yuugioh was located on was filled with those Gods and Goddesses that were against the Deathgod's rule…albeit for their own reasons. Dekos, off to the side, absolutely refused to acknowledge Yuugioh's existence when he floated by.
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Layweh, on the other hand, nearly smashed Yuugioh into the dirt with her enthusiastic greeting. Even Athena and Minerva, the twin hermit Goddesses, had come to do battle.
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And if this was an army, then Kazul was the general. Yuugioh found him creating a Vortex. When a blue god and his large, rainbow-shining orangutan Creature emerged, Kazul turned to greet Yuugioh with open armless-ness.
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"I did say this would be nothing like Eden has ever seen, did I not?" he mentioned, indicating the wild mix of colors that was their allies.
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When everyone's Temple was finally finished, Kazul called them all together.
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"I will not mince words. This battle will determine the future of our world. But know that already, the Eden we have known is gone forever."
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"Ooh, he's so witty an' optimistic," Luster hissed sarcastically.
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"Enough babble," yelled Dekos, "When do we fight, Old Man?"
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"As soon as we are attacked," Kazul said, "No sooner. We shall make the Deathgod and his minions come to us."
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"But they have Creeds! I've seen them! They killed Findalus for hers," cried a deep-purple-colored Goddess.
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"Yes," said the silver god, "It is no secret, Amarra. They hold three Dark Creeds and the Rainbow Creed which cost Findalus her life. It is also no secret that we have Creeds of our own. Those whose Creatures hold them…?"
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Blinking at suddenly being called forward, Yuugioh floated upwards. Much to his surprise, Dekos also moved upwards. So did the blue god with the glowing monkey Creature and a vibrantly green goddess.
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"Scilla, Yuugioh, and Oralldor each hold a Rainbow Creed…and we are most fortunate that Dekos does not particularly like the Deathgod's company, for he holds the final Dark Creed."
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"Yeah, that's right, I have the power to end all life, go me," Dekos laughed.
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"Laugh now," Layweh spoke up from the crowd, "But you betcha those jerks'll smash your Temple first."
"And that's why its in the back, genius," Dekos retorted.
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"There is no time for this now," Kazul interrupted, "Hark! The Deathgod's Creatures advance!"
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The Gods and Goddesses scrambled.
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While the villagers danced in worship to build their god's/goddess's strength, and the Gods and Goddesses waited above, unable to directly participate in this part of their war, every able Creature moved into the no-god's-land and prepared for combat.
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The first wave of attack didn't just consist of Creatures, but trolls as well. And every last one of them was disgusting, black and foul.
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((Dibs on the fat one, Cat,)) Ripclaw sneered at Laurel.
((First come is first served,)) she retorted, baring her claws.
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The sun was setting when the Great Creature Battle commenced. While Laurel immediately threw herself into the mass of trolls, and Ripclaw was tearing into a smoldering pig Creature, the other Creatures that could fight fang-to-claw charged.
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Unfortunately, they were seriously outnumbered.
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Not only by trolls, but because some of the gods and goddesses had not trained their Creatures to fight very well. Those who could were casting Miracles to aid their fighting comrades, but those who didn't know even the slightest Battle Miracle were tending to the humans at worship. That was good, because humans tended to dance themselves into such frenzies that they literally danced to death, but it wasn't too great to be so outnumbered.
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"C'mon! Throw somethin' at 'em for cripes sake!" Luster demanded.
"We can't - there's no way to get a clear shot," Lupine pointed out.
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"But ya agree we should chuck a fireball at a Creature?" Luster mentioned.
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"Wait, that's not…I mean…oh dear," Lupine muttered.
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And some of the enemy Creatures got past the defenders and into the maze of Temples. Humans at worship and young Creatures that weren't capable of fighting made for easy prey.
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Yuugioh drew on the power his own worshipers were providing and cast a Lightning Miracle at a smoking black bear Creature that was running past with a little cow Creature in its jaws. Unfortunately, though he fricasseed the evil Creature, it was too late for the younger Creature, who had already been ripped apart.
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"This is sickening," Yuugioh growled to himself as he left the cow's owner, the young goddess Katha, to weep over her dead Creature.
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Laurel was trained and at the prime of her strength, so he was less worried about her. Besides, for some reason Dekos' Ripclaw was staying near her. As likely as they were trying to show each other up, it meant that they were also keeping each other alive and mostly safe.
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The battle had begun in the late afternoon, and the sun had long since set, when what remained of the enemy Creatures and the trolls abruptly turned around and headed back for the Deathgod-side Temples.
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Some of the gods and goddesses cheered, and a few Creatures started off in pursuit. But even when they were finally receiving a breather, Yuugioh felt a lance of cold streak up and down his spine.
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It was a sensation sort of like a complete stranger grabbing you by the head and screaming in your ear to move, and move right NOW -
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Not understanding it, Yuugioh nevertheless turned and flew away from the center of the clustered Temples at full speed. Others saw him, turned to look in total shock, and then…
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The sky directly over their side of The Continent burst into golden light.
