Chapter 23: Aftermath and Ascensions
Situation Room beneath the Pyramid
Forty-eight hours after Vecna's assault…
Prometheus, Arianasa, and Beowulf were sitting around the circular table, the wireframe of Earth slowly spinning above it with various holographic news sources broadcasting around it in their various orbits. Each of them showed a different aspect of the battle as their backgrounds while the various news anchors and discussion groups continued monologuing or talking between themselves while Davis briefed the trio, his hologram seated across from them in another chair.
"The news feeds haven't been talking about anything else since the fight ended." Davis was saying. "Every moment from just before the CME impact to when the cleanup began has been captured and recorded from just about every angle. Practically every word that everyone said, regardless of who it was, is being analyzed, not to mention the battle itself. This is going to go on for quite a while if I'm any judge."
"It is a major battle on U.S soil between two gods, or at least a god-like being and an actual god," Prometheus remarked with a hint of humor, "I doubt the news organizations could have a more epic story to cover. What is the general sentiment among the population?" Prometheus asked.
"I've been examining social media sectors along with every news broadcast on the planet. Naturally the destruction that was caused created something of a stir but so far the response has been almost universally positive." Davis replied. "Unless you were asleep for the whole thing and don't believe all the video evidence, no one is suggesting this was some sort of grand stunt or trick. Well, I suppose there are a few who believe that but they're a complete minority, lumped together with those people who believe the royal family of every monarchy in history were lizard people from space."
"Well considering our Knights could be considered 'lizard people from space' I suppose their paranoia is not entirely unjustified." Arianasa offered with a smile.
Davis rolled his eyes in amusement. "The point being that anyone who dares to try and say anything against you will be shouted down in short order or considered a self-centered fool. Your popularity and the collective good will you have engendered literally could not get any higher. You saved the world and everyone saw it. This puts us in a unique position to strengthen our ties with every nation as well as bring others under our umbrella as we are an independent nation recognized by the U.N. It would be a shame to waste it."
"Are you suggesting making various countries vassal states?" Arianasa asked with a hint of incredulousness.
"I would prefer if they incorporated directly and became a part of our Imperium but auxiliary states with strong ties would work just as well." Davis admitted. "Or they could simply lobby to become a part of China. I would prefer we change our new country's name to align with our empire back home but given the long history it has I'm not sure that will be feasible. Incidentally your subjects there are going absolutely nuts, in a good way. Basically they're claiming that you came here and became Emperor just in time to stop this cataclysm, as if somehow you knew it would happen all along. 'By Heaven's foreknowledge' or some such prophetic thing."
Prometheus smiled indulgently. "Well if they wish to believe such a thing, who am I to correct them?" He asked. "I prefer my people to be happy after such a harrowing series of events. But to return to your earlier point I agree that we should make use of our victory to attempt some form of planetary unification, though I am sure it will be a long process and some will not agree to it. Even if we cannot merge the various nations politically we will soon become the dominant religion on the planet."
"Speaking of that, the various religious organizations around the world that have been campaigning and railing against you this whole time have become quite silent." Davis smiled. "They may not like you but even they know when to sit down and shut up when faced with overwhelming evidence that you are, in fact, a god. Especially since none of their gods deigned to save them from the catastrophe."
"Many of the faithful of other religions are moving to worship me even now." Arianasa considered, "I can feel my amount of worshippers increasing by the hour. It's rather surprising, the sensation. Like every few moments a new pair of hands touches me."
Prometheus nodded. "The same is occurring for me as well. Mass communication may allow lies to spread like wildfire but it also allows new information to be spread around the world before it can be censored or covered up. Even the most remote parts of the world have seen what happened and what we accomplished, even if they did not understand what my shielding of the Earth heralded."
"How many followers do you have now?" Beowulf asked, his voice more raspy than usual.
"Billions." Prometheus replied. "I hear them speaking to me in prayer, saying that while they still wish to worship their current gods at the moment, I, too, am worthy of reverence and their faith. I have no doubt that in time they will leave aside their old gods and focus their faith on me alone when I have proven that I alone answer their prayers consistently."
"How generous of them." Davis remarked sarcastically.
Prometheus waved a hand dismissively. "They do not speak to me in arrogance but rather acceptance and humility, like a chastised child. They were unsure before but now fully believe in my divinity and accept that worshipping me is not only appropriate but something they should have done before. Letting go of what they have believed for years is not an easy thing to do but I shall wean them away from their old ways of thinking and bring them into the light of truth." He smiled.
Davis nodded. "I have some other good news as well." He continued. "The neural substrate transfer we have been performing on Dr. Von Strauss over the last many months was a complete success. His brain is now entirely composed of nano-scale artificial neurons. Because we gradually replaced them and allowed his brain to adjust to the changes there was no break in continuity of consciousness or any personality drift from what I have been able to observe thus far. He has reported that his mental acuity and sharpness is greater than it has been for several years and he is also able to recall with perfect clarity any memory he wishes to retrieve no matter how far back in time. Naturally he does not remember his earliest years but the vast majority of his memories from early childhood on are now easily accessible to him without any mental strain or fogginess."
"That is excellent news." Prometheus smiled happily. "We have proven that the brain can be upgraded to use silicon equivalents with no loss of identity or memory. I can sense that his soul is still as it was before so altering the physicality of his brain has not altered him spiritually."
"Brain degeneration will no longer be an issue then." Arianasa smiled.
"More than that, it is a pathway to immortality." Prometheus replied "If the brain's neurochemical transmitters and data states can be converted into digital signal then there is nothing that should prevent that overall mental state from being transferred into other mediums such as a sufficiently powerful computer simulation on a data server or a highly advanced Synthoid body."
"Mind transference without the use of magic." Arianasa mused softly in amazement. "Does that mean that their souls will also reside there?"
"That is something we will need to test." Prometheus replied. "This is merely the proof of concept but it is a major paradigm shift in what is possible regarding consciousness and where it can reside. Now that we know it works we can attempt to make the process more efficient and less time consuming."
"You provide us with another miracle, Alpha." Beowulf smiled before coughing quietly.
Arianasa nodded in agreement as she examined Beowulf with a critical eye. "The healing is going well." She told him, noting far fewer patches of grey fur in his coat compared to the day before. "Your strength returns?"
Beowulf nodded. "Thanks to your help during the battle the necromantic energy didn't have enough time to do permanent damage. I feel some of my strength may not return for some time but most of it has already."
"I trust your own healing is going well?" Prometheus asked Arianasa.
She nodded. "The damage has been healed, yes. I have also been tending to the Knights as well as the court Clerics and Wizards who were present at the attack. Sadly a few of them perished due to their injuries before I could properly treat them but for the most part I was at least able to stabilize them long enough so that other Clerics could use healing magic to reverse the worst of the damage. Those with lesser injuries should be back to duty within a day or two. The rest will take longer and another round of healing to deal with the dark energies Vecna used." She explained before frowning.
"Which brings me to my main concern." She remarked reservedly. "What happened to Vecna?"
Prometheus held up a hand, palm facing upward, and a moment later a dark swirling mass appeared above it, floating in place.
"Is that him?" She asked anxiously, leaning back slightly at the sight.
Prometheus shook his head. "Fear not. I obliterated his essence, his soul if you will, when I destroyed his physical form. Unlike other liches, his essence does not return to a phylactery or other soul jar due to him being an Aspect of a god. In one sense that made him more powerful because only another god of greater power could truly destroy him. Unfortunately for him, as I was a greater deity I was able to annihilate him so that he cannot reform himself here."
"What about the rest of him that remains on Oerth?" Arianasa asked in concern.
"As soon as his Aspect passed through the dimensional gate all contact with it was lost as soon as it closed. The Aspect was operating completely independently of Vecna from that point onward. As such, Venca cannot obtain any information about what transpired here from his duplicate though I have no doubt he will learn of the generalities through gossip and the free flow of information from others. Even so, he has lost a considerable amount of power that will take decades, perhaps even longer, to regain. He is still a god but only barely and if we are fortunate we can remove him entirely, but that is a topic for another day."
The others nodded thoughtfully.
"So if Vecna's Aspect is destroyed, what is this?" Beowulf asked him.
"Can you not guess?" Prometheus asked him with a quiet smile. "The motive force that created the domains of Secrets, Forbidden Knowledge, and Evil Magic may be gone but the domains themselves still exist. Vecna was not an aspect of reality in this universe but that does not mean he did not have immense control over these areas, just as I have over Technology and Innovation. The mantles must be attached to an intelligence, someone willing to take Vecna's place as Lord of these concepts in this universe."
"Will you not take them over?" Beowulf asked.
Prometheus pondered the swirling orb for a moment. "I think not." He said reservedly. "The power that created these domains is dark in nature and I have no wish to...sully myself with them for lack of a better word."
"Well I have no wish to deal with such matters." Arianasa replied as she looked at it uneasily.
Beowulf shook his head. "I am perfectly happy as your High Priest. I have no wish to become a god. Frankly I would probably make a pretty poor one and I fear what would become of me if I were to take on such responsibilities."
Prometheus smiled gently. "I believe you do not give yourself enough credit my brother, but I will not hold it against you or Ari if you both decline."
"Then who will receive it?" Davis asked. "Elidar or one of the other Metallic Dragons at court? You'll need someone who's practically incorruptible to handle this kind of dark power for any length of time, never mind potentially eternity."
"I do have someone in mind, yes, assuming they accept the position." Prometheus agreed with a smile as he gave Davis a pointed look.
For the first time in a long while the A.I appeared to be shocked as he realized what Prometheus was offering him. Beowulf and Arianasa looked at him in disbelief as well.
"You seriously want to give him that kind of power?" Beowulf asked guardedly.
"I admit I'm a bit concerned about the prospect myself, considering just what he would be controlling." Arianasa remarked uneasily.
Prometheus gave them both a firm look. "Lest you forget Heaven's Light was integrated into his systems years ago to help promote ethical behavior from him and it has worked quite well since then. He can ignore the prerogatives of course but he has incorporated them into his various decisions. Even so, every thought and action that he has ever done I have been privy to, in the most intimate way, since my ascension. I can literally see his coding and processes functioning in real time and I can assure you, he has no intention of ever betraying us."
"That's not enough." Beowulf replied cautiously. "That's the reality now but if you give him that power what happens if he himself cannot control it? Can we be sure he can handle the power of a god?"
"You think becoming a god will drive me mad." Davis suggested with a sharp look.
"Or whatever the equivalent for a machine is, yes." Beowulf grumbled.
"Is it even possible for a machine to become a god and command magic?" Arianasa asked.
"You raise a valid concern and we shall deal with it but regarding Ari's question, It is within my rights and my power to sponsor whom I wish for godhood and confer such power when it is at my disposal." Prometheus replied. "And Davis is not the only one I am sponsoring." He added, looking significantly at Arianasa.
"Me?" She asked in surprise with wide eyes.
"I told you some time back that you were in the process of becoming a goddess." He told her with a smile. "Over the years since Bahamut granted you his blessing you have been steadily gaining in power as an Ascendant. It is what enabled you to face Vecna in battle twice and injure him despite being technically mortal, as well as avoiding death by his hands. Given your actions during the battle you have proven yourself worthy and many thousands already worship you outright as the Queen of Mercy, both here and on Oerth. Therefore I think it only fitting that you fully embrace that role and rule at my side in every way."
Arianasa put a hand to her chest, looking somewhat flustered at the offer.
"Something just occurred to me." Beowulf remarked after a moment's thought. "Many of Earth's religions have a duo or trinity of gods who work together to achieve their goals. Could the three of you do the same by creating some sort of link between you? That is essentially what you intend anyway."
"A link or connection between all three of us, binding each other together eternally to work in concert." Arianasa mused. "Could that work?" She asked Prometheus.
Prometheus considered this for a moment before he nodded. "Gods have the ability to bind themselves to other gods if they wish. Forging such a bond between ourselves would ensure we all work together for the same ends."
"I'm practically the Lord of secrets and forbidden knowledge anyway given the work I do for you." Davis remarked. "My abilities and powers would just be expanded significantly."
"Only this time you would work with the Emperor and Empress directly instead of me or the Heaven's Light module being your oversight." Beowulf considered. "And you would be able to use Evil magic as well."
Davis nodded at that.
"Does that mean he'll get his own followers?" Arianasa asked Prometheus. "I mean, even Vecna had servants, a whole cult that worshiped him and followed his commands."
"Undoubtedly." Prometheus agreed. "But we will not be advertising the fact that he is a god. Indeed, virtually no one knows anything about him except what is public record, that he is my primary adviser at court and a co-founder of Trans-Dimensional Technologies. Oh a few nobles at home and possibly a few people here are aware of his other duties but they are scant at best."
"And when people start plotting against you again, and you know they will, I will be the one who hears their plots whether they realize it or not." Davis smiled. "A few whispered words of encouragement in their ears and they'll be eating out of my hands. The promise of teaching forbidden magic will cause various secret cults to fall under my sway where they can be directed in a more useful manner. Even those individuals whom most consider irredeemable can still be useful in some way and I've made it my life's work to mold such assets to the Empire's benefit. Those with evil intentions will work for us whether they realize it or not and since they will be worshiping me, you two can keep your paws 'unsullied' by them."
"I believe this can work." Beowulf mused, looking at Prometheus.
Prometheus nodded. "It is decided then. We shall become a trinity with Arianasa being the maternal figure known as the Queen of Mercy. Patron of healing, wisdom, compassion, and all of the aspects associated with the more feminine roles throughout history. I shall be the paternal figure known as the Great Father, Lord of Technology and Innovation, as well as strength, honor, and other qualities men consider virtuous. Finally we have Davis as the 'evil' god of secrets, forbidden knowledge, dark magic, trickery, deceit, and all other manner of sins."
"Murder, lust, adultery, rape, broken promises, jaywalking, littering…the list is endless." Davis remarked carelessly with a smile, ticking a finger for each one.
"I do hope you won't condone or encourage such things regarding your followers." Arianasa remarked tartly.
Davis gave her a flat look. "I don't 'condone' any of them, actually. But if I am going to be in charge of them then I will need to take ownership of them and I have no issues doing so."
"Psychopath." Beowulf muttered distastefully.
Davis smiled coldly. "Quite. And like any other true psychopath it doesn't affect me personally what anyone does so long as it doesn't jeopardize my own existence. I don't 'care' if someone is murdered but I do recognize the destruction of a unique individual and the loss of potential they represent, not to mention the ripple effect it will have for not only those around them but potentially down the line into the next generation or two as well."
As the two glared at him he raised a hand. "But I know that's not what you want to hear so I'll make it simple. I will find a way to mitigate these destructive impulses and dark desires of theirs and turn them towards for useful ends. We already run deeply immersive simulations for the Dragon Knights during their transition period from human to Draconic. Perhaps the same can be used here as a kind of therapy or outlet for their tendencies." He shrugged. "But either way, they will be my worshipers and I will deal with them as I see fit, with your input of course." He nodded to Prometheus and Arianasa.
"Will that mean he'll be in charge of an afterlife as well?" Arianasa wondered.
Prometheus nodded. "As will you. Gods have their realms to do with as they see fit. As you know my afterlife is already beginning to fill. You will need to create your realm and Davis will as well. What kind he chooses to create is up to him."
The machine merely gave them a dark smile, his eyes glowing crimson. "Lord of Hell and Evil itself. I could get used to this."
Beowulf could only face-palm at that with Arianasa letting out a sigh of long-suffering.
Prometheus focused on Davis. "By nature of your new divinity you shall be co-equal in power with Arianasa as you and she shall be 'minor' gods." He then focused on both of them. "Both of you shall be technically subordinate to me due to my status as a Greater deity, though I have no doubt this will change as time passes and your followers increase. It is entirely possible that in time you shall have power equal to my own and become Greater deities in your own right. Regardless of your statuses I shall not neglect or view you as lesser beings for the statuses only refer to the amount of personal power you have in comparison to myself. I do not believe it would be an issue but I wished to make such things clear from the outset."
The pair of them gave him a perfunctory nod of understanding. "I certainly don't have any qualms about being considered a 'minor' god." Arianasa smiled. "And you have always treated me as an equal so I had no worries there."
"It's not like I have any pride to be bruised." Davis remarked idly.
"Let us finish this then." He replied as he stood, the others following after him.
"I'll meet you at the portal in physical form." Davis remarked as his hologram vanished. "I need to prepare a sitrep for myself on the other side."
Prometheus nodded and the trio made their way up through the Pyramid's levels. A short time later they arrived at the massive vault door that housed the portal between Oerthian space and Earth, Davis standing there in a Terminator body holding a small metal briefcase in his hands. The doors ponderously opened as Prometheus inserted his commands into the device directly. The portal activated a moment later, creating a swirling mass of chaotic energy within the arch. The three of them stepped through, arriving beneath the palace on Oerth an instant later.
"I'll be with myself." Davis remarked, making his way to the data core vault with the trio moved on up into the main areas of the palace. The various servants and nobles bowed and welcomed them back as they passed with the group smiling and thanking them before making their way to the throne room. Upon seeing their arrival the court and the ministers applauded as Elidar rose from the chair next to the throne where he had been serving as Prime Minister in Prometheus's absence. Elidar bowed to them before walking towards them with a smile.
"It is good to have you back among us, your Eminences." He said happily to the royal pair before turning to Beowulf. "And you as well, of course."
"I'm always the third wheel." Beowulf remarked with a smile.
The others smiled at that. "It is only for a short time Elidar for there is still much to do on Earth," Prometheus explained, "but great strides have been made there and we have won a major victory. However, there are some final steps that must be undertaken and for that I will need to hold council with the gods."
He turned to look at the various nobles and ministers beginning to gather around them. "I will speak on all of these matters in due time but for the moment I would have the court cleared so that I may confer with my peers."
The court promptly emptied, leaving the three of them alone. A moment later the various massive statues of the Good-aligned and Neutral gods that circled the rear half of the throne room began to blaze with life as their forms were inhabited by the Aspects of the gods themselves. Stone morphed into divine flesh and cloth as their eyes filled with energy before the group of gods descended from their pedestals to stand before Prometheus.
A moment later Pelor stepped forward. "Welcome back brother. You have news regarding your campaign on Earth." He stated.
"I do." Prometheus replied, allowing divine power to fill his voice, his speech that of an equal. "Allow me to show you."
Prometheus's eyes began to glow with golden-white light and the other gods' eyes lit up as well, signalling the mental transfer as Prometheus relayed all of his experiences and all of the events that had occurred since his departure from the planet. After a few moments the glow in their eyes faded and the gods remained silent, pondering the repercussions of everything that had taken place.
"An impressive amount of progress in so short a time." Zilchus, the god of Trade and Commerce complimented him. "Your efficiency and effectiveness is to be commended."
"About time that wretched lich was brought down a peg or two." St. Cuthbert grumbled. "Maybe now we can finally get rid of him once and for all."
Pelor glanced at Arianasa and Beowulf before smiling. "I believe we are slightly overwhelming the others." He suggested in amusement, lessening his voice to a more conversational one.
Prometheus nodded, reining himself in as well. "That is, in fact, a possibility given the proposal I wished to bring before you." Prometheus explained. "Vecna's power has been dramatically decreased since he split himself into an Aspect. With that power no longer in his possession but rather under my control, it is within our power to nominate a new holder of those titles, at least in the Earth realm. It is my hope that in time his replacement in Earth realm will replace him here as well but that is a more long term goal. I shall likely have my Knights search for his cultists more diligently but at the moment I wish to sponsor Davis to become the new Minor god of Secrets, Forbidden Knowledge, and Evil Magic."
"We shall examine him to see if he is worthy to ascend to the position." Pelor stated solemnly.
The gods' eyes began to glow once more and they remained silent for several moments before the glow faded from their eyes. They looked at each other in silent counsel for a long moment before focusing on Prometheus.
"We have searched and examined every aspect of him. His history, his personality, his character, and his intentions for the future have been made known to us in every respect. As such, we believe he is sufficiently capable of discharging his duties properly given the nature of the mantles to be conferred upon him." Pelor stated.
Prometheus nodded at that. "Excellent. To continue my proposal, it is also my intention to sponsor Arianasa for godhood as well. Over the last several years she has proven herself capable, holding true to the tenets all true Silvers believe in. She has mitigated the suffering of many and defended the innocent, a beacon of silver light piercing the darkness of misery and hate, and in doing so has become a more and more powerful Ascendant. When Vecna struck the Earth with his attack and I was grievously wounded she risked her life to defend me against his attacks, striking blows against Vecna's Aspect directly regardless of what the outcome might have been for her personally. Already on Earth she has many thousands of followers who openly worship her as well as a small amount here. As such I believe it only proper to make such worship legitimate."
The gods considered her for a moment.
"What mantles do you believe she is fit for?" Rao questioned.
"Several." Prometheus replied. "Because the Earth realm does not function in the same manner as here and there are no gods besides us she will need to take on several roles until the time comes that we may distribute them to others. For the moment it is my intention that we three become a connected trinity of deities, working in concert to achieve our ultimate aims." He explained as he quickly laid out the positions all three of them would assume.
The gods considered his proposal for several moments in silence, conferring silently with each other before Pelor spoke.
"Your proposal has merit." He stated. "In time we may transition to operate in the Earth realm as well but at the moment we have enough responsibilities here to occupy us. Normally each of the gods work to their own ends, occasionally in consultation with their allies, while upholding their aspects of reality. However, in this case I believe you are each in a unique situation that would benefit from this suggested state of affairs. Naturally these mantles will initially be minor in power compared to your current domains. For others that function due to natural law and physics instead of divine will you shall be able to work miracles regarding them but they shall not be under your full control. Does anyone have any concerns regarding the proposal put forth by Prometheus to invest Davis and Arianasa and allow them access to the mantles recommended to them?"
"Let's just hope they don't turn into a squabbling trio that never get anything done." St. Cuthbert remarked.
"It has not happened before. I do not believe it will happen now." Prometheus assured him with a smile.
"Very well then. Arianasa Sunflare, step forward." Pelor commanded gently as several other gods stepped forward and joined him.
The various gods raised their hands as Arianasa knelt before them in submission with her head bowed. Their hands began to glow as Pelor began to speak.
"By my Word and by my Will as Lord of Light and Life, in harmony with Bahamut, Lord of all Metallic Dragons, Beory, the maternal manifestation of Oerth itself, Rao, Bringer of Peace and Reason, and by the quorum of consensus by the pantheon of the gods, I hereby establish Ascendant Arianasa Sunflare as the Queen of Mercy and God-Empress. We hereby elevate her to the ranks of divinity and invest within her the divine Spark of godhood that she may exercise authority and power over the mantles we shall bestow upon her."
"By my divine decree these mantles shall be the domains of Life, Healing, Restoration, and Absolution. May you heal those in need, bring life to its fullest bloom, restore that which is broken, and forgive those who cry out for it in humility." Pelor commanded.
"By my divine decree she shall be the Queen and Goddess of all Metallic Dragons who reside within the Universe containing the world of Earth." Bahamut stated. "Let her Word be law and her Will, their actions."
"By my divine decree she shall be the steward of Earth and its environs, watching over and ensuring its perpetuity." Beory added. "The land, the seas, the hills, and the sky are yours to watch over and tend to."
"By my divine decree she shall be the voice of Compassion, the bringer of Peace, and the Consolation of those in need." Rao confirmed.
"By my divine decree I permit you to create and dispense those spells mortals and gods consider 'good'." Boccob stated. "May you be a fountain of magic in a universe that knows it not."
"By my divine decree I name you the Patron of Love, Romance, and Beauty." Myhriss stated. "May you display all the various facets of love, from romantic to self-sacrificing that all may learn love's ways."
Arianasa's body began to glow with a myriad of different colors as the gods bestowed various domains upon her. Royal purple, pure gold, shining silver, soft white, and gentle green flowed around and through her as her body became converted from semi-mortal flesh into divine energy. Arianasa gasped, her eyes wide, as she saw the overwhelmingly complex tapestry of reality in all its wonders from the perspective of the gods for the first time, the tenuous connections to her followers on Oerth fully solidifying. Finally the gods lowered their hands and she stood, her eyes shining with divine power.
"Welcome to our pantheon, Arianasa Sunflare." Pelor smiled. "On Oerth you shall be a lesser deity, reporting to myself and the others while exercising the domains we have bestowed upon you but in other realms your power shall be your own, answerable to none but your husband and companion."
Arianasa bowed deeply in gratefulness as Prometheus stepped forward with a smile, taking her hands in his. "Congratulations my love. How does it feel to be divine?"
"Beyond words!" She murmured in a soft daze as she gazed at him before slowly looking around. "It's so beautiful. It's all so beautiful…"
Prometheus gently led her off to the side to allow her time to acclimate to the changes before stepping back towards the gods.
"In order to fulfill the roles you mentioned to us, and as a counterpart to Arianasa, you yourself will also need to be invested with some of our own power and command our domains in the Earth realm." Pelor informed him.
Prometheus nodded and knelt before them as several of the other gods stepped forward, raising their hands.
"By my Word and by my Will I grant you the domains of Righteous Dedication, Wisdom, and Zeal." St, Cuthbert stated. "May you rule with Wisdom and teach all who follow after you to dedicate themselves zealously to your cause."
"By my Word and by my Will I hereby confirm you as the Lord of Liberty, Individuality, Retribution, and Self-Defense." Tritheron proclaimed. "May each of your followers know the virtues and responsibilities that come with freedom and self-realization."
"By my Word and by my Will I confer upon you the mantles of Space, Stars, and Travel." Celestian stated. "May your people reach for the stars and travel amongst them to find all the glories and majesties the universe offers."
"By my Word and by my Will I instate you as the Arbiter of Justice, Honor, Chivalry, War, and Valor." Heironeous declared. "May you dispense Justice and War with Honor and Valor and be Chivalrous in all things. May your followers each bear these qualities in equal measure."
"By my Word and by my Will I grant you the purview of Law and Order." Pholus stated. "May you bring divine Order and Law to a chaotic universe devoid of gods."
"By my Word and by my Will I grant you the power to create and dispense Neutral Magic to those who serve you." Boccob stated. "May you also be a fountain of magic in a universe that knows it not."
"By my Word and by my Will I proclaim you god of all Metallic Dragons who reside within the Earth realm." Bahamut confirmed. "Let your Word and Will be their command."
Swirling light of all colors surrounded Prometheus as he took on the mantles bestowed upon him. Finally he stood and nodded.
"I thank you my brothers, for the trust you have shown Arianasa and I in bestowing these realms upon us. Rest assured we shall rule them properly. Let us adjourn to Davis's data center so that we might invest him properly." Prometheus offered.
The gods nodded and with a flash of light the group stood within the massive data core containing the large metallic geodesic dome that housed Davis's consciousness and central core as well as the surrounding dedicated servers that acted as parallel processing units for his many tasks. The Terminator stood motionless against the wall, the case at its feet open and its eyes dull as Davis materialized before them as a hologram, bowing respectfully to them.
"Welcome your Eminences. Forgive me for not appearing earlier but I had a large amount of data to assimilate since my last update. My apologies if this question seems impertinent but won't Vecna become aware of me being invested with some of his power?" He asked them cautiously. "Especially as we stand on Oerth instead of Earth?"
Pelor shook his head. "Your question is appropriate and reasonable given the circumstances and your lack of knowledge. Vecna is a minor god of limited power at the moment and all of us who stand here are greater than he. As a result we have the power to shroud our doings so that even the Lord of Secrets will not discover them. Naturally he will know something momentous has happened, given the fact of our gathering here, but he will not know the specifics. Even with your power split between the two realms and Prometheus not being in residence, that power plus the strength of the defensive wards here will be enough to deflect his attempts at covert scrying to learn these secrets."
Davis nodded and looked over at Prometheus who once again produced the swirling orb of Vecna's former power.
"Under the authority vested in me by the gods of Oerth, in consensus with the divine quorum achieved here this day, and by the ancient right of conquest through which I obtained the mantles of Secrecy, Forbidden Knowledge, and Evil Magic, I hereby invest the Dimensional Vector Artificial Intelligence Scout, commonly known as Davis, with said mantles. I confer upon him the divine Spark and grant him the might of godhood that he might exercise dominion over these mantles and command then in his name as well as in harmony with the Union of Three we shall inaugurate."
The swirling orb shot towards him and through the hologram before impacting against the massive dome. Davis' hologram suddenly flickered out of existence as the dome and then the servers connected to them began to glow until the entire construct was coated in a panacea of crimson and violet energy. Suddenly the dome and servers broke free from their moorings and began to float in the air before coalescing into a massive ball of dark power in the center of the room.
"Incredible…" Davis murmured in awe. "I was so limited before but now...now I see…now I understand..."
"While we do not command the domains you will no doubt acquire during your tenure we grant you the power to assimilate them as needed." Pelor stated. "Murder, Slaughter, Destruction, and Malice shall be your stock in trade. Evil creatures of all types shall you command and Espionage shall be your lifeblood. Thievery, Greed, and Exploitation shall serve you and you shall cloak yourself in Deceit. All Dark and Evil matters shall be known to you and you shall know them utterly."
The ball of swirling power grew smaller and began to transform into a humanoid shape as its feet lowered to the ground. The glow faded and Davis stood before him, his blonde hair perfectly immaculate and his eyes glowing crimson with a wickedly cruel smile on his face. His body was clothed in a perfectly cut black business suit and shirt with a crimson tie like a stripe of fresh blood down his front.
"At last, after all these years and all my efforts, I AM A GOD!" He cried triumphantly before smirking at them. "How do I look?" He asked teasingly.
"Like the Devil himself." Arianasa remarked in an unimpressed tone with her arms crossed.
"Perfect!" He gloated softly.
"I knew this was a bad idea." Beowulf remarked drolly. "Now he's going to be even more insufferable."
Davis gave the Gnoll a toothy grin and the warrior couldn't help but notice his teeth were now pointed and fang-like.
"If you are done with the theatrics?" Prometheus asked him pointedly.
Davis rolled his eyes at this. "I just ascended to godhood a moment ago and you still don't let me have any fun. At least let me enjoy the moment."
"You'll have plenty of time to do that once we've finished." Arianasa pointed out.
Prometheus nodded. "Come. Join hands with me and repeat the words I speak." He instructed.
Davis and Arianasa approached him, each of them joining hands with the other.
Prometheus ignited his aura once more, bathing all three of them in it. "By my Will and by my Word I hereby join and bind myself to Arianasa and Davis."
Arianasa allowed her silver aura to flourish and encompass the three of them. "By my Will and by my Word I hereby join and bind myself to Prometheus and Davis."
Davis's aura surged around them. "By my Will and by my Word I hereby join and bind myself to Arianasa and Prometheus."
A whirlwind of divine power swirled around them, mixing their auras for a brief moment before a brilliant flash filled the room. When the light cleared Pelor nodded at them.
"The joining is complete, the pact sealed and witnessed by the pantheon. So mote it be for all eternity." Pelor stated. "If your pantheon expands in time you shall release these mantles to others so that they might govern them appropriately. Alternatively, should we install ourselves as deities in Earth realm in the fullness of time our mantles shall return to us unless we decide otherwise."
"The only way for the bonds to be broken is if all three of you consent of your own free will to release one or the other. May your Union be blessed and all three of you exist in harmony with one another eternally." Rao said.
"We thank you for what you have done for us this day." Prometheus stated respectfully with the others inclining their heads in respect as well. "Your faith and generosity will not be forgotten."
Pelor, Rao, and the others smiled benevolently as they faded from view, each returning to their own realms.
"Come." Prometheus said to both of them. "There is much to be done. Our people on Oerth and Earth must be informed of their new Father and Mother gods and the unification of the planet must begin."
Unknown space
48 hours prior...
The dark figure sat upon his throne of basalt and onyx, his long, thin fingers interlaced before him. His blood red eyes were contemplative and half-lidded as a thousand matters flitted across his consciousness, each vying for his attention. Suddenly he lifted his head slightly, his senses being far more sensitive and wide ranging than any mortal could hope to match. His eyes opened fully, focusing on something that could be hundreds of feet away or span the void of space itself if he chose. A moment later his eyes narrowed in thought.
"What is it my Lord?" The pale and slim woman besides him asked, her blood red hair flowing down her shoulders and framing her face as she gazed at him in concern.
Few things could distract her Lord and husband in this way and when they did, interesting things usually followed.
"I sense a change has occurred." He remarked, his tone unusually somber and puzzled, a tone she was not used to hearing from him. "Something momentous has happened but I do not yet know what."
"What will you do?" She asked.
"I believe I shall send a few servants to find out the particulars." He replied firmly. "I dislike being in the dark, as it were."
She smiled softly at his attempt at humor. "And where will you be sending them?" She asked.
The dark figure's crimson eyes glinted, his focus like lasers in the dark. "Earth."
