Wrawthe of the Gods
By Mardrena
The waitresses at the cafe giggled amongst themselves as they observed the white-haired gentleman seated alone at a table. He busied himself reading a novel and paid no attention to their tittering. He didn't speak the local language nor did he care to. To them he simply appeared a tourist, albeit a rather rougeish, debonair-looking fellow with his flowing silvery locks and the patch covering one eye. One of the girls walked over and set a plate on the table. He looked up at the plate then at the blushing maid. "Oh, thank you," he nodded and smiled briefly. The girl giggled and went back to gossip with her coworkers. The man eyed the sweet roll. That's the fourth time today...Not that I don't appreciate the gesture, but I certainly have no intention of paying for all this... He shrugged and continued thumbing through his book while the girls shared all manner of theories about this dashing stranger.
All of a sudden a hideously strong wind sent parasols careening across the street and knocked over trash bins. The waitresses screamed and ran inside the cafe while the man staggered out of his seat and threw his arms up to shield his face from the hot gusts buffeting the area. He dared a glimpse skyward and his single eye widened when it seemed the air rippled and an enormous winged blue metallic craft materialized above the cafe. He could see images of a winged Egyptian goddess painted on the lower hull. Wide discs attached to cables descended from the belly of the craft all around him.
He didn't have a chance to protest or escape as a quartet of bizarre creatures slid down the cables and landed around him. One looked like a shaggy bipedal panther. Another looked like a combination of a dinosaur and Santa Claus. The third looked like a winged fish-man and the fourth looked like a cross between a burly dockworker and a frosty-skinned blue cat.
"Ah! Master Dais! We've found you at last, safe and sound!" the dragon-man stated cheerfully.
"Up ya go mon!" the bulky feline-faced humanoid said and unceremoniously scooped up the man and slung him over its shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The man kicked and squirmed futilely as the creatures grabbed ahold of the cable lifts and ascended into the hull of the craft. The ship began turning slowly, its thrusters sending loose objects flying up and down the street.
A black car came to a stop a block away from the scene and black-suited men with sunglasses emerged onto the sidewalk. "Damn! We just barely missed him!"
"Verrrry interesting…" a voice with a distinctly European accent purred from behind the men.
"Sir?" One of them turned around to face an elderly man of short stature, also garbed in black. Unlike the neat suits of the others, he wore a black trenchcoat and fedora.
"I have seen that ship before...many years ago...it seems the two lovebirds are still in operation," the elderly man watched the craft through ornate bifocals. "What strange allies these 'warriors' have," he grinned, displaying yellowed teeth: he had a face like a skull and a smile like the devil.
"What do we do now? This is the second miss we've had! They seem to be one step ahead of us!"
"Worry not my friend. Our secondary team in the United States is narrowing in on their quarry. No matter what happens, sooner or later we will bring these mystically-armored miscreants to heel…"
Aboard the ship, the white-haired man struggled to get his bearings around the long corridors and strange architecture. "Hey! It's Dais!" "Welcome back mister Dais!" The man whirled around when two boys wearing strange metallic suits jogged past him and waved energetically. He glanced over his shoulder, trying to look for an exit. A deep throaty hissing from the ceiling startled him and he glanced up in horror to see what looked like a cross between a boa with antlers and a body-builder slithering about pipes in the ceiling. The creature pointed down the corridor, its wide toothy mouth hanging open in a grin. The man glanced from the serpent-man to the corridor and walked away briskly.
Doors hissed open and he emerged onto a command bridge of some sort. He saw the panther man and the fish man seated at two consoles up front and the dragon man and what looked like a bipedal unicorn flanking a centrally-placed command chair. He walked forward cautiously and glanced to the side, spotting an elderly-looking woman with silvery hair and a green-tinted lens attached to a headpiece over one eye. He scowled in frustration and approached the command chair.
"Hey, lady! What the heck is going on here? Who the hell are you supposed to be?" the white-haired man demanded and lashed his arm to one side. The elderly woman glanced at him lazily.
"Me?" she smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm your mother," she stated with a smile, and before he had the chance to fully register surprise, she continued. "Your name is Dais, and you...are a Ronin Warrior!" she finished and winked mischievously. "Who's got the next clearest signal?"
"Anubis in Arizona!" a dark-skinned girl with a head full of tiny braids festooned with pink pony beads said from a console off to the side where she sat in a chair with a laptop balanced on her knees.
"Well then, Cale will just have to wait a bit longer since his signal's still sketchy. Looks like we're taking the scenic route. Set course for North America!"
"Aye aye Captain!" a young boy with black hair puffed his chest and saluted before clicking his heels together and turning around. "Alright you swabs! Hoist anchor! Raise the sails! Secure the cabin! I want everything ship shape from bow to stern all along the poop deck!" he waved a fist.
"Aye aye," the unicorn-man chuckled and clasped his four-fingered hands behind his back and swished his long wispy tail. Dais could do nothing else but watch the screen as the ship turned around above the city and shot into the horizon at an incredible speed.
Tumbleweeds bounced through the dusty road at the middle of a sleepy desert town. In the intense heat, most residents remained in the shade or indoors. Some of the older residents lounged in the local food mart, playing cards or eating. The batwing-style doors of the saloon-style shoppe swung inward violently. The citizens glanced up lazily at the two boys wearing metallic suits: one young with black hair, the older with rusty blonde hair. "ANOOOOOOOBIIIIIIS!" Harlann Wallhanger called in a sing-song tone. The townsfolk shook their heads, shrugged, or straight-up ignored the youngsters.
The doors to the local gift shop swung open and the two boys leaned inside. "ANOOOOOBIS?" Tourists and townsfolk stared at the boys, perplexed.
The doors to the local library swung open. "AHHHHHNOOOOOOBIIIIIS?" Harlann called. The librarian promptly put a finger over her lips and shooshed him.
William Walking Cloud leaned against a wooden railing and watched, bemused as the two boys scampered up and down the street. The coydog Mikita sat to one side of him and the eagle Itchyatukomi perched leisurely on the rail on the opposite side. Their heads turned to follow the boys as they continued searching every nook and cranny in the sleepy desert town. "If you're looking for Koma," Walking Cloud called out as the boys passed by. They skidded to a stop and scampered over to where he stood. "He's on the butte," he answered and nodded at the horizon.
"Cool! Thanks mister Indian-chief dude!" Harlann beamed and flashed a thumbs up.
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a sec: …you said on the butte, not at the butte…" Harry Holmes made a face and pointed one finger at the ground and moved his arm to the side.
Dust showered away as palms slid onto new handholds. The wind at this height sent his reddish hair flagging and sweat beaded on his brow more from exertion than the dry heat. His green eyes narrowed in concentration as he scaled the sheer cliff without aid of any rappelling gear. Either he did not fear a fatal fall or simply did not care. He scowled in determination as he neared the summit of the butte and at last hauled himself over the edge and turned around, remaining on one knee. The breeze shifted and his hair furled over his shoulders. He tilted his chin up and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
He walked out to the middle of the summit and unslung his backpack from his shoulders and knelt down, unzipping the pack and withdrawing a few items. He arranged loose rocks in a small cairn and slipped a paper copy of a black-and-white photo in between the gaps, weighing down one edge with a large stone. He also set down a small bouquet of yellow flowers and a string of beads.
He remained kneeling there for several moments, staring forlornly down at the makeshift memorial to a woman he could scarce remember nor ever apologize to. He sighed heavily and scooted away slightly before sitting down cross-legged. He clasped his hands in his lap and squared his shoulders then inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. Only the low whistle of the wind kept him company so high.
His eyebrow twitched when a distant sound cut through the tranquility. He tried to ignore it and focus on his meditation, but the sound grew louder and seemed closer. His brow furrowed in a scowl and he opened an eye a crack as the sound became more distinct. He pushed himself up to stand just in time to see the blades of a helicopter rise above the edge of the summit. Dust flew into his face and he threw up both arms to shield himself. The downdraft from the helicopter tugged the photo loose despite the rock pinning it down, and it flew away into the air. The red-haired man whirled around, dismayed at the sight. The helicopter moved over the rocky soil and set down, cutting its engine.
No longer in a calm or reflective mood, the man turned towards the helicopter, eyes narrowed as a half-dozen or more men in black suits and sunglasses filed out of the relatively compact craft and surrounded him in a loose circle. He raised an eyebrow and regarded them warily but said nothing.
"Toshitada Koma! We're going to have to ask you to come with us!" one of the suited men barked sternly and drew out a pistol. The other men in the "team" likewise drew out sidearms.
"And if I decline?" the man called Koma drawled, the purr in his voice masking a dangerous edge.
"We strongly recommend against doing that!" another man sneered and they all made a show of clicking the slides on their sidearms. Koma stared at the apparent leader impassively.
"Do you now?"
Koma had resumed his meditative position on the summit of the butte. The unconscious forms of the armed black-suited men lay strewn all about. His eyebrow twitched when once more he heard a sound out of place and opened his eyes and tilted his head back in time to see the air ripple high above him. A blue-colored metallic craft of great size appeared in the air above him, the likeness of Isis-Egyptian goddess of magic and mystery-emblazoned the lower hull. He pushed himself to his feet and remained in place as discs attached to cables descended and four youths clad in metallic suits slid down the cables. A young boy with black hair scampered over to him.
"Hey there! Your name's Ahhhnooooobis! And you're a Ronin Warrior! But first, I have to make sure you're the real Ah-noo-bis!" Harlann stabbed a finger at him. The red-haired man balled a fist and calmly cuffed the boy upside the head. "Ifedifation vertified," Harlann slurred, nursing a swelling welt.
"Harry!" The red-haired man turned around when Crystal Hacker called out from where she knelt beside one of the unconscious men. "These guys aint got no prints!" she stated incredulously.
"They don't look like royalty," Harlann commented and jogged over, followed by Harry.
"Not those kinda prince, boo: fingerprints, as in they aint got none!" Crystal lifted up the hand of one of the men and turned his hand over to display the palm. The skin looked eerily smooth.
"Creepy…"
"No ID either, not even a fake badge," Davie Osmond stated from where he rummaged through pockets of the unconscious black-suited assailants.
"This is some straight up men-in-black level stuff right here…" the girl commented.
"What would a bunch of spooks want with a Ronin Warrior? Not only that...how'd they know where to find ya in the middle of flibbin' nowhere?" Harry asked and gazed at Koma.
"Whatever their reason, they sought to disturb my repose and called me by a name known to few and used by fewer," the man replied.
"Hey! Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew! Get a move on! We've got two more Ronin Warriors to track down!" The five of them looked up when a woman shouted via loudspeaker from the hovering craft.
"A-Okey-Dokey Cap'n!" the younger boy puffed out his chest and saluted cheerfully.
"Before we go, we should probably make sure these guys don't try anything funny," Davie said and walked over to the idle helicopter. "Harlann, gimme a hand!"
"Right behind ya Davie!" The red-haired man watched intrigued as the two boys raised their arms and lashed. White sticky webbing erupted from Davie's palms while thick black chains snaked out from Harlann's hands, lashing onto the landing legs of the empty helicopter. "Alley OOP!" The boys jerked up sharply, gleefully flipping the helicopter off the butte entirely. If they had taken the time to inspect the interior of the craft earlier, they might have seen a small device like a ramshackle imitation of the ArmSig System displaying a blinking gold dot.
"Good luck calling for backup way out here!" Davie gloated as the helicopter crashed on the ground below. The man raised both eyebrows, mildly surprised by this act of wanton vandalism. The four youths ran over to the cables and grabbed ahold as the discs retracted into the hull.
"Come on sir! It's time to go on an adventure!" the boy called Harlann cheered and waved.
The red-haired man stared at the lone remaining cable disc, contemplating the offer. He blinked in surprise when a tiny yellow-winged butterfly fluttered through the air mere inches from his face. It seemed relatively unfazed by the hot downdrafts from the vessel's thrusters. It looked like the sort of butterfly that frequented cactus blooms on the ground or sipped minerals from wet soil, not at such high an altitude. He watched it fly past on its way and smiled faintly, choosing to interpret this as tacit approval from beyond. He stepped onto the disc and grabbed on tight to the grip as it retracted.
Anubis made his way to the bridge of the ship and set his backpack on the floor. He gazed about at the many curious creatures manning various stations. He glanced to the side and frowned when he saw a white-haired man with an eyepatch over one eye leaning against a rail.
"I'm just as much in the dark about all this as you are," he said and shook his head.
"Two down, two to go. Next stop, the Yucatan Penninsula!" Captain Caroline Wendell ordered as the Blue Isis sped off over the desert, engines booming in the dry air.
The sounds of song and celebration echoed through the dense rainforest around the Mayan village. The denizens danced and feasted, clad in colorful woolen garments and ornate jewelry. The festivities seemed to center around a large home where two people sat on woven mats. One looked like a young girl with deep chestnut hair and tanned skin and hair adorned with beads and feathers. The other looked quite different from the rest of the tribesfolk: a pale-skinned man with thick green hair and dark beady-looking eyes. These two wore more elaborate clothes and jewelry, and the green-haired man smiled and nodded as villagers presented gifts. Garlands of dried herbs and flowers hung from the entryway and pots full of dried food sat near the walls. An elderly man with short silvery hair stood off to the side and watched the couple, smiling warmly in approval.
Leaves flew into the air and fires flickered in the roasting pits and the people shouted in alarm at the sudden wind buffeting the village. They gazed skyward and watched in awe as a winged vessel materialized in the air above the village. The green-haired man stood up and stared up at the vessel.
"Ohh ho ho hooo! Somebody's been a little busy!" Captain Caroline Wendell crowed and wiggled her eyebrows, knowing a wedding celebration when she saw it.
"Sorry to interrupt the honeymoon folks, but we have need of your 'demigod'," she shouted over the loudspeaker. Oruro, the tribal elder, raised both eyebrows and nodded understandingly.
"Ah, it seems the world has need of you once more, Son of Kukulkan," he said to the green-haired man, who looked confused. The girl Layna Mendez still sat on her mat at the entrance to the home. She frowned and placed a hand over her abdomen and gazed down at the ground in concern.
Howling cold and stinging snow pelted the exterior of a trader's lodge. Inside, trappers swapped tall tales over hard drinks or bickered over games. The denizens looked up when the heavy wooden door thunked open loudly, bitter wind seeping inside briefly before the new arrival slammed the door shut. A man with wild blue hair and a cross-shaped scar under one eye shrugged snow from his shoulders and sauntered over to the bar counter, setting down a hefty bundle of fresh furs. "Barkeep, a mug of your finest!" the man crowed and patted his bundle triumphantly.
"Privet, novichok? Pochemu tebe vsegda vezet?" one of the patrons called.
"I guess I just got an eye for quality and a good hunter's instinct," the wild-looking man replied and quaffed his beverage. He licked his lips and shook his head, letting the cold leave his body. He glanced to the side and blinked when he saw a young woman with blonde hair a couple seats away from him staring at him intently. "There something I can help you with, girl?" he asked gruffly.
"You look familiar…" the girl stated and narrowed her eyes.
"Pfft, I'm a bit old for you, girl," the blue-haired man teased.
"You don't look that old…"
"I'm older than I look…"
A particularly heavy-set patron snickered to two of his cronies before stalking over to the bar and leaning over to where the man's fur bundle rest. The brute placed a meaty hand on the top of the bundle and dug his dirty fingers under the rope keeping it tied. "I take!" he said matter-of-factly, tilting his chin up at the blue-haired man tauntingly. The man with the cross-shaped scar bared his teeth wolfishly.
"Will you now? ...I'd like to see you try…" he leaned his back against the counter top and let one hand dangle by his belt lazily. He discreetly tweaked the clasp over his knife loose.
Before he had the chance to draw and plunge the blade into the meaty man's fat face, the door to the lodge flew open and an elderly-looking woman wearing a strange jacket and pants sauntered inside.
"Ahhhh Siberia…the smell of smoke, vodka, and sweat…" the elderly woman walked over to the bar and seated herself next to the blue-haired man, gesturing to the bartender for a drink. Her neat blue outfit looked vastly out of place among the dingy hunters. She picked up the glass and took a long swig then flashed a crooked smile at the blue-haired man. "Well hello there handsome. Come here often?"
"...You're…a bit old for me…" The man with the cross-shaped scar grimaced uneasily.
"You're a lot older than me…" the woman made a face and flicked her gaze to the side, shrugging. "Metaphorically speaking…" All the while, the blond-haired girl watched the two sullenly.
"Detka, otvali! Ne suy nos v nashy dela!" the dirty meaty man snarled and jerked a thumb at the blue-haired man as the woman sipped her drink leisurely.
"Not anymore you don't," the elderly woman drawled and pulled out a sophisticated-looking pistol from under her surcoat and pointed it at the meaty man's face. The blue-haired man raised both eyebrows in alarm as multiple clicks of hammers being cocked echoed from other patrons in the lodge, all aiming at the elderly woman. She grinned at the meaty man, unfazed by the display.
All eyes snapped to the door upon hearing the low mechanical-sounding whines and trappers stared wide-eyed at the strange creatures standing in the entrance. Each of them wielded sophisticated-looking weapons aimed at the other patrons warningly. The woman's lips spread in a toothy grin.
"Ne igray so mnoj, synok!" she purred. The blue-haired man blinked in amazement and sipped the remains of his drink. The elderly woman pushed away from the counter and headed for the door. "Come on, Cale. It's time to go home," she said and glanced over her shoulder at him.
"This should cover my tab and then some. It's on me," the man called Cale patted his bundle of furs and pushed it towards the barkeep, who nodded understandingly and lifted it off the counter-top and secreted it away under the shelves. The meaty man sputtered in protest at being denied and clenched his fist. Cale slid off the barstool and followed after the woman. Her alien cohorts remained standing by the door, weapons at the ready incase anyone attempted to retaliate.
"Gde ty uchilas' govorit' po-russki? Tvoj akcent ugasen!" the dirty meaty man growled.
"Oksford," the elderly woman replied lazily as she and Cale exited the lodge. After they left, most of the hunters whispered amongst themselves about what had happened. The blonde girl remained alone at the bar, scowling. She reached under her coat and pulled out a yellowed photograph showing a woman and a man with wild-looking hair and a cross-shaped scar under one eye. The woman cradled a swaddled babe while the man grinned down over her shoulder. The photo looked considerably aged, yet the man with the blue hair looked virtually unchanged despite the passage of time.
After all this time...I finally found you...wherever you go, I will find you again...and you will give me what is rightfully mine! The girl narrowed her eyes in determination and glanced at the door.
"What do you mean they don't have a creation myth?!" Jamine O'Connor demanded from where she sat at her work table in her makeshift office.
"They don't!" Jonathan Proud Wolf sputtered and shrugged innocently.
"Jonathan, every culture has a creation myth! There are North American cultures that believed the world was created by a beaver slapping mud on the back of a turtle!"
"Well I'm telling you, they don't! To them, the planet has simply always been there. Their civilization's been cobbled together over the course of ten thousand years from a smattering of Greco-Roman, Nordic, and Meso-American influences. The closest thing I found was the 'The Cresta and the Imp', but it's an animal fable! A cute little story about good triumphing over evil. There's also the Celestial Brothers but that seems more like a Cain and Abel allegory."
"If I'd known you'd go to an entirely different planet and come back with barely anything to show for it I would've gone myself," Jamine muttered. Jonathan had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling out of their sockets, considering how Jamine had actually declined the invitation to attend the recent Blood Dawn festival just a few months prior. "Well, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to explain these recent drawings then," Jamine tapped her pen against photocopies arranged on her table.
"Which ones?" Jonathan walked over and leaned over the table.
"These," Jamine pulled two sheets out and turned them around for him to see. "From what I gather, these allies of the Ronin venerate four major goddesses, right?" Jonathan nodded in reply. "Then that's the puzzling part: if these are otherworldly myths...why are they featured so prominently in the Prophecy Wall?" Jonathan studied the photos, face blanching and eyes going wide when he recognized the foremost of the depicted figures: a woman with long silver hair and high white shoulder crests.
"I-I need to make a call...I-I'll be back," he stammered, leaving a baffled Jamine alone in the trailer.
A lone Thunthen cruiser maintained orbit above the homeworld, keeping a hungry eye on the neighboring Planet Thanged and the great Transgalactic Gate leading to the Oldworld. Very little had happened since the recent Blood Dawn and nothing promising came from Mal Daggur's fleet.
Suddenly, four spears of light shot up from the surface of Planet Thanged and apparently went out of their way to buzz the cruiser, arcing close enough to violently jolt the craft before speeding off into deep space at an impossible speed, ignoring the Gate completely. The Thunthen crew on board scrambled to get their bearings and stabilize the craft. A young Nobeyl with a red beard and crests and rather short muzzle staggered into the command chair.
"Damage report! What the Bhazzak hit us?!" the young Noble demanded.
"Negligible damage!" a Khamen reported and images displayed on the screen of the four brilliant spears of light leaving the system entirely in the span of seconds.
"Where did that come from? Is this some sort of trick? A new weapon? Give me telemetry!" the red-bearded Nobeyl growled. The Khamen at the console did not respond at first. "What was the origin point? Where is telemetry!" The red-bearded Nobeyl with the short muzzle tensed to rise from his command chair and give the little Common a good shelling. The Common turned around and gulped.
"Bainshaebo. Specifically, Thananagreia…" Upon hearing this, the red-bearded Noble sank back into his command chair and stared at the screen. By this point the four lights had traveled so far so fast they completely vanished from sensor range. His short jaw quivered as he struggled to speak.
"Prepare a burst-wave transmission for the Supreme High Overlord, immediately!"
"So that's the long and short of it. These stones are capable of jogging your memories, the catch is you have to be willing to remember. We can't force you to go through this, but at the same time-well...the world needs us. I know it doesn't sound like much of a choice," Ryo offered feebly from where he stood in the center of the main cavern. He held a cushion with nine of the Dekahedron crystals nestled in a circle. The nine amnesiac Ronin Warriors stood close by while friends and loved ones, allies and acquaintances observed at a distance from the wall.
Danae held her baby in her arms and watched Dais anxiously. Roxi, Brianna, and Shannon stood by the entrance to the conference room while the Neo Ronin gathered at the mouth of the residential hall. Renee and Kayli stood close to the wall boulder and watched Tanya. Michelle and Kayura stood close to the infirmary. Sehkmet still wore his fancy woolen tribal garb and Cale still wore his heavy jacket.
Neither of the other Ronin said anything at first, merely exchanging awkward glances. Sage folded his arms over his chest and rubbed his elbow. "I don't presume to speak for everyone here, but as far-fetched as all of this sounds, as incredible and unbelievable as everything has been for us lately, I think the wrong choice would be ignoring our duties. It might seem tempting to live an ordinary life free from cosmic concerns, but...we feel like half of ourselves. Like a piece of our being is disjointed." Sage held up one hand and stared at his palm. The others had a distant look, as if Sage had put to words what they themselves couldn't. "Like it or not, our fates are inexorably twined, and we are still Ronin Warriors no matter what. There is no going back because there never was."
Ryo frowned sympathetically: he knew firsthand how enticing that lure had been. If Kayura and the others had not been so dogged tracking him down he could have lived his entire life without ever knowing about Armors and enemies, but he would have sacrificed the happiness he'd built with Mia and little Ryu. He nodded solemnly and rearranged the stones to correspond with the nearest Ronin and held up the cushion. The other Ronin gathered close, exchanging cautious glances.
"All together?" Rowen suggested. The others nodded and held their hands over their respective gems. Some of them fidgeted and looked hesitant but nonetheless they reached down simultaneously and grasped the colorful gemstone pyramids.
The onlookers in the main cavern gasped when the wind inside whipped up suddenly, and Ryo's Heart of Virtue flared on his forehead, reacting to the stress the others experienced, but it didn't seem as intense as his own ordeal. Each of the other's respective kanji shone on their foreheads as the energy from the Dekahedron stones fought to free them from the cosmic curse barring their memories. The others kept their eyes squeezed shut from the strain, but Ryo could only imagine what they saw.
Rowen relived his childhood: a boy far too cunning for his peers, raised by adoring parents who seemed like worlds apart. He intervened to protect Ryo from a blade to the face at the onset of the First Dynasty War, and remembered the trials they endured together from their victory over Talpa to the loss of his original Strata Armor. He remembered that tortured first encounter with the ghostly woman, how he'd fallen first to her lure, and the parting gift she bequeathed of a new Armor. He fought alongside Roxi Hirochner at the Battle of the Citadel and faced the terrible might of the Maw of Flame. He fought Kai in a desperate duel and witnessed the city crumbling into fire. He raced against time alongside Anubis to seek Almethea and through her witnessed the Burning of Banguk. In his most recent memory as a Ronin Warrior, he saw colossal green eyes full of hate.
Like Rowen, Cye recalled his youth and the events that kindled his love of the sea. He relived his many bouts with Sehkmet, Warlord of Venom, and the defeat suffered at Talpa's hands. He frowned when he lashed out at his friends, his mind awash in frustration and anger. He exalted in the power granted to him by Suzunagi's new Armor of Torrent and remembered his first encounter with the shy Brianna Johansen. He heard his own words of disgust at the Thangiens and relived his frenetic solo rescue operation at the Battle of the Citadel. Tears came to his eyes when he remembered that nightmarish vision of the future, and the soulless husk of Rowen. He spoke in defense of Bak Thraplek and tried desperately to calm Kento as he transformed. He faced the deadly Black Unicorn and much as he did during that brush with death, when facing the spacequake he saw green eyes full of hate.
Sage did not relish revisiting his youth as the Dekahedron stone revived memories he'd long since buried. He remembered fondly his exploits during the Dynasty Wars and his many clashes with Cale, Warlord of Corruption, but joy quickly turned to anguish when events shifted to New York and the ordeal in Africa. He calmly faced the trials presented by Suzunagi and accepted his fate and eventually the gift forged by redemption. He remembered his captivity at the hands of the acolyte and his pet kraken and his first encounter with Shannon O'Connor. As much as he tried to maintain composure, he whimpered as he relived that horrific procedure at the hands of Mal Daggur: being restrained and forced to watch helplessly as his blood drained from his body…and his guilt at how-on some level- he reveled in being a beast. He recalled that apocalyptic fever-induced vision of the coming End Tide. He stood at ground zero at the onset of the Cataclysm and allowed himself to fall into darkness...and darkness remained, as even the Dekahedron could not shed light on that gap of time between his supposed death and eventual return. Shannon-clad in the Armor of Halo-confronted his crazed self before relinquishing the Armor to him. In Gurvangoth, he passed judgment on the bloodthirsty Beastlord and cast him into fire. As the spacequake bore down on him, he saw green eyes full of hate.
Kento saw his family, his brothers and sisters, his parents. He relived that first meeting, when he accompanied Rowen to the city. He scowled when he remembered those many duels with Dais, Warlord of Illusion, and how his rock-hard faith in his Armor had nearly crumbled. He remembered throwing all his power against Talpa only to be crushed with ease. He winced as he recalled being utterly trounced by Cye and the rescue attempt in Africa and the eventual loss of his Hardrock Armor. He faced Suzunagi and initially tried to fight fate itself before embracing the inevitable. He saw Tanya for the first time and marveled at her unconventional skill and independent spirit. His face contorted in pain when he recalled the emergence of his Avatar form, the anguish and fear he felt. He saw his fist plowing into Mal Daggur's muzzle and Tanya tending to his wounds, willing to help him despite her own fears. He relived his trials during the Cataclysm and the many doubts that plagued him about his humanity. He fought Beastlord toe to toe and made his dramatic leap of faith to save Tanya. As he stood against the spacequake threatening his loved ones, he saw green eyes full of hate.
Anubis saw himself as a brash warrior in his youth and his fall into darkness under Talpa's snare. He relived his first encounter with the neophyte Lady Ronin, Mardrena Lockehart and the first battle against the Totalitary. He saw the birth of the Armor of Gea and felt regret at the death of Hariel at his hands. He and his fellow Dark Warlords attempted to exact revenge on the meddlesome Totalitary...only to find themselves horribly outmatched. Even the Dekahedron stone could not unlock those memories of his first death and eventual rebirth in the modern age, and still the memory of the woman who would become Michelle's mother eluded him. He relived his rebirth as a Dark Warlord and his long path to redemption. He died once more to save Kayura, and for a time rest in peace. Then Dygra revived him to serve as her puppet. He remembered his body breaking part as the darkness took him, but a cosmic force beyond anything he'd ever encountered saved him. He met his long-lost daughter and fought the maddened Avitor in his pocket realm. He made the daring flight to disable the Maw of Flame and fought the enemy hordes of the Menagerie. In the green eyes embedded in the leading edge of the spacequake, he saw not just hate, but cruelty, ambition, malice, and discord.
Dais relived the tangled web of his past from his life in the ancient past through the Totalitary invasion and his rebirth into the Mortal Realm. He felt torn between fond memories of his caretaker to his bitterness at losing his eye once more. He rejoined the Dynasty and relished tormenting Kento of Hardrock with his illusions until Talpa's betrayal. He remembered being at the savage mercy of a transformed Chaizar and Danae's heroic sword throw to save him. Danae would later extend a cordial invite to her homeworld. He felt the gunshot from the treacherous Rolinilo and the burning desperation that spurred his victory against his opponent. He celebrated his marriage to Danae and the knowledge of his future child. He relived his unexpected encounter with his biological mother from the modern age as she whisked him away on a journey of discovery and regret. He walked arm in arm alongside Danae at the Blood Dawn as part of the noble House of St'lur. He had promised to be there at Danae's side when she gave birth, but the green eyes full of hate seemed intent on thwarting him.
Sehkmet remembered those early days, desperation on the high seas as he cried out in despair over his defeat and the dark salvation Talpa offered. He witnessed first hand the relentless onslaught of the Totalitary and the ill-fated attempt at invading their nightmarish world. He cast a remorseful glance over his shoulder as he abandoned his fellow Dark Warlords and fled back through the Nether Bridge. The long centuries drove him mad as he awaited their reincarnation and chomped at the bit for Talpa to begin his campaign of terror against the Mortal Realm. He gleefully toyed with a helpless Ryo in the dark caverns and crossed blades with Cye of the Torrent throughout the Dynasty Wars. Talpa's betrayal of his Dark Warlords stung him greatly given his long service, and he buried himself in the marvels of the Mortal Realm. He convulsed as Talpa mercilessly ran him through, mocking him only for the same stone he held now to save his life. He remembered his unexpected adventure in the rainforest with the awestruck girl Layna Mendez...and how he'd recently shared a bed with her. She remained foremost in his mind as he faced down the colossal green eyes full of hate.
Cale reeled from the treacherous blow that gave him his distinctive cross-shaped scar. He eagerly joined the Dynasty and obeyed Talpa without question, joining his fellow Dark Warlords against the Totalitary. The span between his death in the past and his rebirth into the Mortal Realm remained shrouded despite the Dekahedron stone, but vague memories of a woman and a baby girl flitted through his mind. The Dynasty sought him out in the cold, and he returned to Talpa's side, leaving behind those he'd come to know. Like a hungry wolf, he stalked Sage of Halo throughout the Dynasty Wars, and even in the face of complete betrayal by Talpa, he clung to the delusion that he suffered for the greater "good". After the end of the war, he whiled away the days until called to battle once more against Dygra's minions. He forged a curious bond with Shannon's aunt Jacqueline and fought alongside the paladin Reiou, forced to impale a possessed Sage in order to save him. He walked arm in arm alongside Jacqueline at the Blood Dawn, but instead of joining her in America, the Armor of Gea had sent him to the cold wilderness where he once lived many years ago with that mysterious woman. The green eyes full of hate seemed intent on snuffing out any chance he might have of reconnecting with his past.
Tanya's memories came as a rollercoaster of happiness and grief as she remembered her early childhood with her brother, the fire that separated her from her family, her tutelage under the Ancient and receiving the Armor of Typhoon. She happily reunited with her brother and after initial hesitation settled into life as part of a team instead of a lone warrior. Even back then she remembered those little attempts, those gestures of affection from Kento she often ignored. She relived her journey to Scotland, walking the same paths her predecessor Mardrena had in her past and the hunt for the gorgon Stheno. She screamed in pain as Mal Daggur tried to bite her in two and spent time recovering in bed, playing her flute to pass the time and catching a glimpse of Kento peeking in on her through the door. She maintained her brave facade as she tended to his wounds after his duel with Mal Daggur. She relived the trial and harrowing of the Cataclysm, and the three words spoken that changed her life forever. She squirmed in the grip of the murderous Beastlord as he flung her over a molten chasm, and felt relief as Kento sprang after her, catching her at the risk of his own life. They walked hand in hand at the start of the Blood Dawn, and the green eyes full of hate seemed resentful of their happiness.
The indoor tempest subsided abruptly and the nine Ronin recoiled from the shock. They opened their eyes and glanced at each other, confused at first then joyful as they recognized each other. Ryo smiled in relief as the burden lifted and the ten stood together once more. Those observing from the sidelines cheered and walked out to join the happy reunion. Dais honored his promise to hold his child high and stood beside Danae, holding his newborn son above him and marveling at the babe. Anubis hugged his daughter Michelle. Rowen, Sage, and Cye reunited with their respective girlfriends Roxi, Shannon, and Brit. Kento and Tanya shared a warm embrace. Ryo and Cale merrily ribbed Sehkmet for getting hitched to a cute Mayan princess while Sehkmet took the jabs in good humor.
Captain Wendell remained where she stood, maintaining a respectful distance: This moment belonged to Dais and Danae. She smiled warmly at the sight. A beep and a flashing light from her headpiece startled her. "Captain? You...might want to take a look at this..." T'Brandon said over the comm. Caroline pressed another button and studied the readouts as the green lens displayed an expanded map of the Sol System and four objects entering the heliosphere at stupendously high speeds.
"Hoo boy! Okay, time to make like a tome and book it!" Caroline muttered and spun on her heel and headed for the exit tunnel. She paused and glanced over her shoulder wistfully at her son and his family. Remember what I told you, son: Don't let them intimidate you... Without any further word or anyone noticing her departure, she walked down the tunnel swiftly.
"It's so good to have everyone back together again! Look how happy Dais and Danae are!" Mia remarked from where she stood beside Ryo.
"Yeah. At least being reunited with Danae didn't give Dais a har-" Ryo began. Before he got another syllable out, Mia promptly elbowed him in the gut powerfully enough to send him doubling over in a coughing fit, drawing puzzled glances from those nearby, namely Kento, Tanya, Dais, and Danae.
"Um...Cye?" Cye looked over his shoulder from where he stood with Brianna and saw Miz Paufan standing behind him. "You've got a call waiting for you upstairs…"
"You can't route it down here?" Cye asked, not wanting to leave Brit so soon.
"He says he needs to talk to you specifically. It's Jonathan Proud Wolf from Arizona…"
"Go on. I'll be here," Brit assured and patted Cye on the arm. He gave her a parting squeeze on the shoulder and walked towards the cable lifts leading topside.
"Supreme High Overlord, we have a burst-wave transmission incoming from Myr Chedryn."
"Do you now? What does the self-styled 'Gatebreaker' have to say, hmm?" Mal Daggur mused from where he reclined in his command chair aboard the Nsenagvvik. The Nobeyl at the console remained silent. Mal Daggur frowned, exasperated, and flicked his claws up slightly. "Well?" he demanded. The Nobeyl swiveled about in his seat and looked up to face Mal Daggur, orange-yellow skin pale.
"'The Queens have left Thanged'," he relayed simply. Mal Daggur's jaw hung open slowly, displaying his many sharp teeth. His eyes widened in shock and he stared ahead into space numbly, lips quivering. He thought about uttering a prayer at first, but no god would answer any prayer from him.
Cye entered Mia's office and walked over to the desk, picking up the phone and pressing the line button. "Hullo?"
"Cye! Finally! I've been trying to get ahold of you for over an hour!"
"Ah, well, there's kind of been a lot going on…"
"So I gathered. Glad to hear you all are back safe and sound. Look, I have to admit I only signed on as Jamine's assistant to keep her from stumbling around these ancient sites, but never in my life would I have imagined seeing the things I've seen!" Jonathan Proud Wolf rambled.
"Wait, what on Earth are you talking about?" Cye's brow furrowed in a puzzled scowl. Back in Arizona, Jonathan paced alongside the satellite phone console near the mouth of the shaft tunnel leading underground to the Prophecy Wall. The young man raked his fingers through his hair.
"Your allies call her the 'Queen of Triumph'. I saw her! At that festival on the other world, face to face. She's real! She-...she's on her way, and-and I think the only reason I'm able to tell you this now is she wants you to know she's on her way!"
Back in Mia's office, Cye stared ahead with a haunted expression. "I'll...I'll tell the others…thank you, Jonathan," and with that Cye placed the phone back in its cradle. His throat bobbed as he gulped nervously before setting his jaw and scowling. He fished around in his pocket for the new wrist-com Ryo had given him earlier and hurriedly fixed it around his wrist then toggled the open channel. "This is Cye: I need everyone up top right away," he said calmly then closed the line, nostrils flaring as he breathed sharply before turning on his heel and exiting the room. Those down below in the main cavern paused in their celebration upon hearing the sudden summons and exchanged troubled glances.
Kayura stood behind Miz's chair in the comm. room as the little Khamen monitored readouts on the main screen. "They all sound so happy...it's been too long since we've had good news around here. All's well that ends well, I suppose, or else we'd still be relying on the Neo Ronin for defense of the Mortal Realm…not that they did a poor job. They make capable warriors in their own right."
"Well, dererium is a pretty durable and versatile metal," Miz commented idly as he pressed keys on the console. The remark drew a sharp glance from Kayura at the same time Miz realized what he'd said and bit his lip. "Erm-looks like things are quiet for the most part-"
"What did you say?" Kayura asked, alarmed.
"No incursions detected from either the Dynasty nor Mal Daggur-" Miz said, ignoring Kayura. He yelped when Kayura grabbed the back of the chair and turned it around so he faced her.
"Miz, did you just say the Neo Armors are made of dererium?" Kayura inquired and set the Staff against the console, bracing her hands against the armrests close to Miz's shoulders.
"No I didn't," Miz answered quickly. Kayura furrowed her brow, averting her gaze briefly.
"...Yes you did."
"Noididnt," Miz replied casually.
"Yes you did!" Kayura insisted.
"Noididnt!" Miz reiterated, looking slightly nervous as he tried to turn back around.
"Miz! Miz, Miz, Miz! Look at me! Look at me!" Kayura cupped his chin in her palms and pulled his face back towards her. The scale fibers of his beard prickled her skin as she stroked him reassuringly. The young Common squirmed but remained seated. Kayura looked at him intently, locking gazes with him. "Did the Thangiens create the Neo Armors?" Kayura asked. Miz shook his head. She couldn't see any deceit in his eyes. "...Did the Thunthen?" Again, Miz shook his head no. Kayura wrinkled her brow. "...then...who?" Miz stared back at Kayura, looking genuinely stark terrified.
"I-I-I c-c-can't!" Miz stammered. A sudden alarm from the console caught both their attention. Kayura didn't know the first thing about technology, but she knew enough to know that objects should not be moving through the atmosphere that quickly as four dots swept across the screen. The alarm blared deeply in a pitch she'd never heard before. The four dots approached Japan in a matter of seconds but nothing gave any indication of an attack from a weapon. "It's Her! It's Her! She's coming for me! They know I talked!" Kayura glanced from the screen to the now-empty chair when she heard Miz's frantic squeal. She glanced from side to side, wondering if he'd left the room then blinked when she heard whimpering and stooped down slightly, peering under the console itself.
Kayura didn't know what to think when she saw the Thunthen Khamen curled up in a ball in the shadows beneath the console with his arms thrown over his head. His shell shuddered violently as he whimpered in despair. She looked up once more at the main screen. A window opened up on a side screen showing Cye's portrait. "This is Cye: I need everyone up top right away," he spoke over the open channel, the signal line peaking briefly. Kayura glanced back down at the panicked Miz before retrieving the Staff and heading for the main cavern.
"I cannot believe it! The sheer nerve they possess! Showing themselves so brazenly!" Talpa's chief sorcerer and Badamon's pupil Bautan snarled as he peered into a scrying basin. He seized medallions and scrolls from cubbyholes in his personal study and stuffed them inside the folds of his spectral robe. He pulled lengths of prayer beads from drawers and draped them about his neck and shoulders. "This farce ends today, Outworlders!" Badamon declared, magically armed to the teeth.
Ryo walked out the front door and saw Cye standing by himself out on the lawn. He strode out to meet him but Cye kept his gaze fixed skyward. "Cye, what the hell is going on?" Ryo demanded as he walked over to the Ronin of Torrent. Cye turned to look at him with a grim expression.
"We've got company incoming." The two looked up as four lights streaked through the clouds. A sound like the clap of thunder echoed through the sky and it seemed as if the air itself warped around the lights as they descended from on high. By then, other members of the household had ventured outside with Tanya, Kento, Anubis, and Sage emerging from the front door and Rowen, Cale, Sehkmet, and Dais observing from the balcony overlooking the lawn. Most others either joined those on the balcony or peeked out cautiously through the windows. Inside Ryu's room, the infant squirmed as light and shadow slid across his room. Whiteblaze sat up beside the crib, ears raised in alarm. Blackblaze sat facing the window, paws and tail tucked and relatively calm, almost expectant.
The four lights slowed their approach, the air roaring and shuddering at their passing. Four columns of light touched down not far from where Ryo and Cye stood and through the brilliant light they could see tall humanoid forms crouch slightly before standing up straight. Ryo shielded his face at first until the light subsided and he dared a glimpse forward. His breath caught in his throat and his mind struggled to process what he saw. Cye's face remained etched with a mixture of anger, terror, and resentment. Ryo stared at the new arrivals, eyes wide in shock. He ran his tongue over his lips, his mouth hung open, as if words themselves felt too terrified to leave his throat. Now he knew why Thangiens prayed so fervently, and why they always used triangles for eyes in their artwork. His jaw quivered as he struggled to speak, and only the tiniest croak came from the back of his throat at first.
"R...R...R-R-Roth…" he finally managed to stammer.
"G...G...Greetings, Ronin Warriors," an even voice intoned, words tinged with a curious triple-echo. "We...We...We have watched you all for quite some time. It is good we are finally able to meet. IN THE FLESH." The voice rumbled like the crack of thunder, shaking Ryo to the marrow. Eyelids rolled open beneath silver bangs and black irises and steel-gray pupils fixed Ryo in their gaze.
The Thangien goddesses looked tall, every bit as terrible and imposing as their likenesses in stained glass. Even the shortest among them looked almost a head taller than Rowen. The Queen of Triumph stood with her shoulders squared and chin tilted up slightly. Long silver hair draped down her back and her bangs hung close to her eyebrows. High pearl-white crests jutted up from her shoulders. Her combat uniform looked similar to the one formerly worn by Danae, the difference being the tall shoulder crests and the gray sash crossing the chest from the left shoulder to the right hip.
The Maiden of Blood kept one knuckle on her hip and her other hand clasped around the shaft of a large halberd with a wicked jagged blade. Dark red hair poked out in all directions from the top of her head and long tresses like a cascade of blood flowed down her back. She regarded those before her haughtily with black eyes and flame-orange pupils. Her outfit consisted of a burgundy vest over a white shirt tucked into a black belt and brown pants tucked into high black boots.
Platinum hair flowed down the back of the Lady of Flames, kept away from her face by the black spired crown. Her evenly-cut bangs shaded black irises with bronze pupils. Thick blue-gray gloves covered her arms up to the elbow. She wore a gray vest over a white shirt and gray pants tucked into dark blue boots. She held her arms folded over her chest, an ornate smithing mallet clasped in one hand. She regarded those before her impassively.
In stark contrast, gentle eyes with black irises and pupils the color of dawn barely gracing night studied those gathered. The Morning Mother wore a simple hood over light brown hair and a bright blue shawl over white robes. A corset of cloth strips encircled her waist. She seemed at once curious and remorseful and maintained a more relaxed posture with her hands clasped over her stomach.
It was Roth who spoke to Azuro as he battled Rothenn in the astral plane, and Roth who praised the courage displayed by Shainie against Black Hawk. Alongside her fellow goddesses, she observed the Thangien assault on Talpa's flying fortress. It was Roth who taunted Bautan after his failed attempt to destroy the Transgalactic Gate and Roth who observed from afar the duel between Yulie Yamano and Prince Torehj. Only now did Rowen recognize Roth as intercepting Kai, diverting his spirit into Rich. It was Roth who Jonathan Proud Wolf saw by the Prophecy Wall and again at the Blood Dawn.
It was Witheren who observed Dais' Trael de Nuca and delighted at the sight of Rolinilo's defeat and Witheren who cut down the Nether Soldiers that attacked Ryo and Mia, buying them precious time to make their escape. It was Witheren who reincarnated the slain Goldheart and spoke consolingly to Roxi at her cabin. She along with her fellow goddesses observed the Thangien siege, departing early to check in on a recovering Danae. It was Witheren who spoke to Shannon at the Blood Dawn.
It was Eyurodin who reforged the Soul Swords of Fervor, inscribing them with the crescent-like characters that translated into "Symphony of Flame", and her voice that echoed in Ryo's mind when he drew them against Dygra for the first time. It was Eyurodin who teasingly admonished Australa at Peirolyth, then later protected her against Talpa, personally enforcing her covenant with all crafters. It was Eyurodin who repaired Tanya's helmet so quickly, and Eyurodin with whom Kaosu had so cordially exchanged words at Peirolyth during the Blood Dawn.
It was Ritho who observed Dais' Trael de Nuca alongside Witheren, and who blessed his courtship of Danae. It was Ritho who sat at Yulie's bedside as he suffered in the Tradeskaton, and Ritho with whom Kento had spoken with so casually. It was Ritho who answered Reiou's petition to resurrect Aniko, and Ritho who admonished him for initially refusing to save Sage from the Soul Hunter. Reiou would once more exchange words with her in Thananagreia during the Blood Dawn.
Kayura arrived upstairs to see people crowding the windows looking outside. She ran upstairs to find the others on the balcony and rushed over to the railing next to Danae, who stood beside Dais. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the four tall figures standing on the lawn below: these were without a doubt the deities the Thangien people revered. Thangiens pronounced Roth with a thick roll, which they described as "the sound of power". The reversed-color eyes gave them an unnerving quality.
"M...Ma...Many are the trials you have faced and overcome throughout these long years. R..Ra..Raeo Flamerider, it was your desperate prayer which summoned us hither when you braved the Vault of Stars to rescue Ren Skyrider. Your resilience and righteousness inspires us. You have rendered aid to our charges, and for that you have the gratitude of a god. Though many challenges lay ahead, you need not face them alone." Roth turned to the side slowly and raised her arm, waving her hand slightly. From the ground a few feet from where the Queens stood arose three statues conjured from the soil itself.
"Warrior folk with righteous might, Dragonmen shall join the fight, last not least he comes at night; a Silver Shadow seeking light." The first statue resembled Danae in combat regalia with sword drawn. The second represented Bak Thraplek with claws splayed and tail club raised, but before everyone could get a thorough look at the third statue, Roth waved her hand once more and the statues crumbled into dust. "The first two have already gathered. The third is o...on...on his way. With their aid, you shall prevail against the dread Enemy in the End Tide. Th...Th...Though your fate is set in stone, the paths before you are many, and once victory is attained, a new journey begins, for in the time after, there must be new heroes to protect the future…" All the while Roth spoke, Cye stared mouth agape and eyes wide in dawning realization. His face contorted in rage and he clenched his fists tight.
"Good and evil drive an endless but necessary cycle, but with the passing of one generation, successors arise to continue the fight. Such is your place on this stellar stage-"
"I don't believe it…" Ryo glanced to the side when he heard Cye speak and blinked upon seeing the look on his face. "You!...You're the Grey Lady!" Cye shrieked and stabbed a finger at Roth.
"Hmm?" Roth tilted her face in his direction slowly.
"Cye, what are you talking about?" Ryo whispered, startled to see Cye so livid.
"Suzunagi warned me about the 'Grey Lady' who could impersonate her. All of that garbage she spouted off just now? It's almost exactly what I heard the first time, when I got knocked out in the city and saw the vision of the Totalitary! What, because I'm the Ronin of Trust, you automatically assumed I'd believe her without question? Is that why you took her appearance!? That I'd find it 'comforting' somehow? Now I'm wondering if I ever saw Suzunagi at all. How messed up is that? I'm the Warrior of Trust and I can't even trust my own bloody memories!
"Don't you get it!? She's behind everything! From day one, these-things, these beings have been pulling our strings, manipulating us from the get-go! You never wondered for a second how was it that Danae landed practically in our back yard, on one planet out of billions?! Danae started her journey during the Dynasty Wars, and you said it was Ryo you heard? SHE sent Danae here! SHE orchestrated everything since then, and for what?" Dais glanced at Danae, who still cradled their son. He couldn't bring himself to believe he felt anything other than sincere hard-fought love for his pairmate. Danae seemed both awestruck at seeing her patroness and sympathetic to Cye's anguish.
"Because you wanted to 'groom' us as your 'champions' or some bollocks?! If you're so all-powerful, how about you fight your own bloody battles!? You could have stopped the Totalitary yourselves, or stopped the Burning of Banguk! You want to draw us into your otherworldly apocalypse?! I'll have NONE of it! You hear me! I'm through playing the pawn to fate, especially someone as deceitful as you! We've sacrificed too much. Our futures belong to us, and no other! DO YOU HEAR ME! I REJECT YOU! I REJECT YOUR 'PROPHECIES'! LEAVE! LEAVE US IN PEACE!" Cye screamed and lashed his arm to the side, knuckles white. No one said anything at first.
"Um...Cye...mayyyybe it's not such a good idea to piss off the alien-space-goddess?" Kento whispered and placed a reassuring hand on Cye's right shoulder. Cye glanced sideways at him then reached up and furiously swatted his hand away, startling Kento. He returned his gaze to Roth.
"Oh...Oh...Oh would you look at his face!" Cye flicked a glance at Witheren, who spoke for the first time with a predatory-yet musical-purr. "Sean Waverider, Warrior of Water! Full of piss and vinegar to spare," Witheren bared her teeth in a chuckle, her voice rumbling like an earthquake.
"If I didn't know any better, I…I...I would say he seeks to contest wills with you," Eyurodin intoned solemnly. Ritho said nothing but regarded Cye with pity. Roth remained impassive.
"Does he now…" she boomed softly and folded her arms over her chest leisurely.
"Shocking though it may be for me to say, I'm going to have to concur with Kento on this." Ryo looked up over his shoulder at the balcony where Cale grabbed the balcony rail with both hands. "As funny as it is to see Cye go completely ballistic, perhaps it'd be best to avoid antagonizing such powerful-erm-guests…" Cale commented and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Man, and people call me the crazy one!? Cye's got to be completely out of his mind to trash-talk a literal god off the bat!" Sehkmet muttered. Inside the house, Brit watched the scene unfold through the window, a hand clasped over her mouth, horrified at the sight of Cye confronting the deities.
Go ahead, 'smite' me! Kill me! Strike me down! Do your worst! I'm not afraid of you! Cye fumed as Roth stood there staring at him. He tensed when she raised her right arm lazily and held her middle and index fingers together close to her thumb as if pinching or holding something.
Kento blinked when he felt a strange sensation in his chest. He tried to breathe but it felt like someone had parked the Argonauth on his ribcage. He blinked several times then reached forward, pawing at the air and trying to gulp in air before slumping forward and landing on his side, drawing startled glances from everyone. "Kento!?" Ryo exclaimed and he and Anubis rushed to his side. Cye stared down in horror at the sight of Kento floundering like a fish out of water.
"It looks like he's having a heart attack!" Rowen shouted from the balcony and vaulted himself over the rail and slid down the roof then sprang onto the ground before running over to examine Kento. Ryo's eyes widened in dawning horror and he looked back at the Goddess of Victory. They could see it now: a faint image like a tiny human heart squirming between Roth's fingertips.
"Ohh you Ronin Warriors...Y...Y...You who presume to hold the lives of others in your hands. Here now I hold the life of one of your own in my hand. Such a tiny thing. Such a delicate, fragile little thing…" The heart convulsed, mirroring Kento's spasms. "All I need do is SQUEEZE." Roth curled her fingers, encasing the heart in her clenched fist. Kento gasped and flailed, pupils contracted.
"WHAT?! NO! I'M THE ONE WHO INSULTED YOU! PUNISH ME!" Cye pleaded desperately and clapped a hand against his chest.
"Oh, but I am punishing you, Sean Waverider; He is your friend, and thus it would cause you great pain if I were to ki…ki...kill him!" Roth stated, a hard edge creeping into her formerly even voice. "Wo...Wou...Would I have saved your life from the Black Unicorn if you did not serve a purpose for me?" Then and now Cye realized it was Roth, not Aurora, who had intervened that day.
Before Cye could argue in protest, a blood-curdling scream erupted from off to the side and Cye's gaze snapped sideways when Tanya rushed past him and lunged at the Queen of Triumph. Everyone else could only watch awestruck as Tanya began punching at Roth's face, but try as she might, even with all of her fury and all of her soul her blows merely rebounded off of thin air as if she struck a pane of impenetrable glass. Roth stared ahead impassively, not so much as sparing the Lady Ronin a glance.
"STOOOOOOOP! STOOOOOOP! LEAVE HIM ALONE! YOU'RE KILLING HIM! STOOOOP! STOOOOOOOP!" Tanya screamed and screamed as she struck, not caring if she bloodied her knuckles, not caring if she broke her bones trying against all odds, hoping against hope that her fury alone could stop the callousness of a god. Cye watched her, transfixed by her selflessness. Here he stood, doing nothing but seething and fuming, and here she had the courage to challenge Thanged's chief deity. Dais once more glanced at Danae, who didn't know what to think of the sight of Tanya trying to pummel her patroness. Tears of rage and grief streamed down Tanya's cheeks as she struck.
"OOF!" she grunted when something sent her flying and skidding back several feet over the grass. She pushed herself up on one elbow and looked up in time to see Witheren with the butt of her halberd raised, having just knocked Tanya away as easily as shooting a pool ball with a cue. Witheren sneered at her a moment before withdrawing the halberd and resuming her earlier posture. Tanya rolled over and crawled over to where Kento still lay, gasping and convulsing. She glanced around helplessly, her eyes falling on Ritho, who had yet to speak at all. "YOU! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GOD OF COMPASSION!" Ritho blinked, startled upon being singled out so. "HOW COULD YOU LET HER DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS!" Tanya pleaded. Ritho frowned.
"Y...Y...You waste your breath, girl!" Witheren taunted. Ritho closed her eyes and bowed her head.
"Ritho wo...wou...would not defy the will of her mother," Eyurodin added. Ritho sighed and turned her face to the side slightly. The Thangiens apparently left that bit of information out of their mythology. Utterly hopeless, Tanya wrapped her arms around Kento's shoulders and hugged him tightly, sobbing uncontrollably. His skin had nearly turned chalk-white.
"ALRIGHT! THAT'S ENOUGH! STOP IT!"Ryo bellowed and lashed his arm to the side.
"This stops when I say it stops, Raeo Flamerider. Each and every one of you must understand how frail and insignificant you ultimately are." Kento's spasms had slowed as he seemed near death. "And that is precisely what makes you so precious…" Roth opened her hand and Kento began coughing violently, trying to recover as the pressure on his chest lifted abruptly. Tanya propped his head on her lap and stroked his face, rocking back and forth slightly.
"You would kill one of our own just to prove a point!?" Ryo snarled.
"I wo...wou...would, if the point needed to be driven into the skull of someone as stubborn as you!" Roth boomed, narrowing her eyes in warning. "I could vaporize you all with but a thought, I could sc...sca...scatter your innards across the planet if I so choose, and yet I do not. Sean Waverider, did you sincerely believe I would have spoken as I did if not to provoke your exact response? It would do you well to think twice before incurring the ire of a god." Cye said nothing but stood stock still in cold shock at how utterly helpless and useless he'd been.
"OUTWORLDER!" The sky darkened abruptly and a bolt of lightning streaked towards the ground some distance behind the Thangien goddesses. "Did you honestly believe your arrival would go unnoticed?! I will personally put an end to your defiance of the Dynasty!" Bautan proclaimed.
"Bautan! Begone from here! You cannot breach the wards!" Kayura shouted from the balcony.
"Quiet yourself, traitor! I know the extent of your wards and I am well beyond their bounds. As surprising as it may sound, my battle lies with THEM!" Bautan pointed at the Four Queens.
Tanya glanced at Kento when she heard him growl softly. His pupils flickered white and he struggled to sit up, not even managing to prop himself up on his elbow. She could sense intense rage from him, no doubt stemming from Bautan tricking him into attacking Ryo. "NO! Don't! You're too weak!" Tanya hissed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She glanced forward and did a double take when she saw Roth looking over her shoulder at Kento. What the hell does she want?! It's her fault he's in this shape to begin with! Tanya scowled angrily. Roth flicked a glance at Tanya, locking eyes with her momentarily before looking back forward slowly.
"…You have got to be kidding me…" Eyurodin muttered in a deadpan tone as Bautan waved his arms and flexed his fingers in an assortment of invocations. "...You are not kidding me…"
"I'll handle this" Witheren thumped the butt of her halberd on the ground and turned to walk towards Bautan. Roth raised an arm to block her path, however.
"NO! If...If...If he would face the Queen of the Gods then he shall face me!" Roth stated firmly and strode towards Bautan. Witheren relented and laid the shaft of her halberd against her shoulder.
"This should be interesting…" she chuckled. Eyurodin made a disinterested snort.
"'Queen of the Gods'!? What a lofty title you place upon yourself! Still, I know the truth behind your kind! Your trickery might enthrall lesser mortals, but now you face the chief sorcerer of the Dynasty!" Bautan prattled as Roth walked to the side at a leisurely pace. "I have marshalled all of my magical might for this very moment," Roth extended a hand as if beckoning to him. "And I shall put an end to your act once and for all you cosmic charlata-" Roth splayed her fingers and pushed her palm up slightly, and Bautan went rigid, his voice freezing in his throat.
"...is...this…'magic'?" Roth asked and cocked her head to one side, scowling incredulously. Bautan's jaw twitched as he tried to speak. Try as he might, he couldn't even twitch his fingers. "W...Wh...Who are you to so boldly challenge me? Hmm? You are no one! And now...you are nothing." Roth shifted her stance, planting one heel forward. She held her arms out at her sides, fists clenched, and leaned forward slightly. The air around them seemed to darken and a deep crackle arose as the wind picked up and surged towards Roth, cycling around her in an inverted funnel.
Inside the estate, Conan had to fight for a good view and found an opening just in time to see Bautan facing off against the Thangien goddess. He watched wide-eyed in a mixture of wonder and horror as it seemed like Roth brought the weight of the universe itself to bear against Bautan, channeling invisible force against him from all directions, all sides. Bautan's spectral body rippled as if being struck by hundreds of tiny fists. The crackling became deafening and Roth's body seemed to distort like a blurred painting. She allowed him the courtesy of screaming, and Bautan let out a nightmarish wail as his body contorted like the surface of a pond in a storm. Roth squared her shoulders and held her arms out slightly, fists clenched so tight her knuckles protruded under her gauntlets.
The Ronin Warriors could only watch in silent horror at the display of raw power. Bautan's blood-curdling screams reverberated in their ears, and Ryo's mind screamed about how wrong this all felt, that even with all the times Bautan had given them grief, he deserved better than this. Bautan's wailing reached an almost inaudible pitch. "STO-" Ryo opened his mouth.
Roth twitched her wrist slightly and Bautan's form erupted like a balloon being popped, shreds of phantasmal skin flying in all directions. His dying wail lingered in the air for several seconds as his remains floated in the air before fading entirely. And just like that, Bautan, who had tormented the Ronin so often with all of his spells and scheming, ceased to be. Tanya had watched the spectacle aghast and glanced at Kento. He seemed utterly stunned at what had just happened. The tiniest corner of his mouth turned up in an almost giddy grin-just for a moment-and Tanya frowned in concern. Roth relaxed her arms and stood up straight, squaring her shoulders and tilting her chin up slightly.
"HAH HAH HAH HAH!" Witheren threw her head back and let out a hideous grating cackle, gums peeled away from her pearly white teeth. "W...Wh...Who could have thought a spirit could have produced such delightful gore!" she crowed gleefully, her voice alternating from a purr to a rumble.
"What an arrogant little being that was," Eyurodin scoffed disdainfully.
"He was a fool to have challenged my mother," Ritho sniffed, speaking for the first time. The sky rumbled once more and the clouds darkened, parting in the distance to reveal Talpa's flying fortress. "Oh...Oh...Oh? What is this? Ouagli seeks to avenge his minion?" Ritho remarked as lightning streaked the sky in the horizon. Witheren walked forward, stopping just a bit ahead of Roth.
"Let me have this, I've waited long enough!" she hissed in delight over her shoulder.
"Y...Yo...You need no leave from me," Roth replied and smirked. Witheren spun her halberd around and planted the blade in the soil before leaving it behind as she walked forth a few more steps. Normally anyone or anything beyond the perimeter of Kayura's wards faced certain peril from Dynasty attack. Witheren planted her heels in the grass and turned her upper torso to the side slightly, flashing a toothy grin at the Ronin before turning back forward and reaching towards the sky.
Witheren splayed her fingers then clenched them and pulled downward sharply as if yanking a rope or hurling a spear. In the distance, a shrill hum echoed through the air just as a shaft of light descended slowly from above the fortress, the air itself seeming to shake from its passing. The shaft pierced the fortress from its highest spires to its very base, skewering it at an angle. Brick, shingles, and lacquered wood flew out in all directions from where the light pierced. The fortress faded from view, and with it the darkened sky. Witheren tilted her chin up proudly before walking back toward her halberd.
"That should keep him busy until he recovers. Consider that a freebie," she grinned and picked up her weapon, twirling it stylishly before holding it at her side as she returned to stand alongside the others. Cye didn't know what to feel: he had completely spent all his anger earlier and now seeing the extent of their powers, he didn't know how much more stupefied he could feel.
Conan scrambled towards the door leading outside, nimbly dodging grasping hands trying to hold him back. He wove his way around Anubis and Rowen and came up behind Cye. "Psst! Cye!"
"Not now, Conan. This is serious," Cye hissed out the corner of his mouth. Conan's face contorted in an exasperated scowl and he reached out and tugged Cye's wrist sharply.
"Well so is this!" he hissed back, and now he had Cye's full attention as he turned to face him. "Listen, the way that lady iced Bautan-it's almost the same as what Colby did to that one kid!"
"Is there any wonder you would notice a similarity?" Cye and Conan's gazes snapped forward at Eyurodin when she spoke. She thumped the head of her smithing mallet against her upper arm lazily.
"...You?...You're the one who created the Neo Armors!?" Cye exclaimed and pointed at her.
"Granted they are merely prototypes. I took into my care the copies of the plans for the unfinished Continental Armors. It is a difficult process, binding energy while maintaining physical integrity, but a challenge which I relish. Rest assured-" Conan blinked, startled when it seemed as if he heard a second version of Eyurodin's voice speaking in his mind at the same time as she spoke aloud.
Pr...Pro...Prototype...the word sounds uncouth to you. Worry not, young Conan Bauer. Your lives are not the mere playthings of a god. The Neo Armor which you wear may have begun as a curiosity-a side project-but through your spirit, you have made of it as your own, and exceeded even my expectations. At the same time Eyurodin finished speaking out loud, the voice ceased in Conan's mind, and the Lady of Flames tilted her face towards him and smiled warmly. Conan blinked stupidly.
"We have visitors again?" Ritho commented and Roth looked to the edge of the woods. Ryo followed her gaze and furrowed his brow in worry when he saw Bak Thraplek and his entire crew standing under the trees. The Thunthen captain stood flanked by Tar Uhnin and Naz Dassyr, who patted him on the shoulder reassuringly as Bak took a deep breath before taking a step towards Roth. The Queen of Triumph strode out to meet him half-way. Ryo dreaded what might happen.
Nothing could have prepared them for the sight of Bak sinking to one knee reverently before Roth. "...Forgive me...Milady...forgive me…" Bak wept and squeezed his eyes shut. The sight of the proud Nobeyl kneeling before this otherworldly god made Ryo sick to his stomach.
"A...Ar...Arise, good Bak Thraplek," Roth stooped down and placed her hands on the lower edge of Bak's jaw, tugging slightly and urging him to stand. "There is no need for contrition on your part." Ryo raised an eyebrow. Something played tricks with his perception. Earlier the Queens seemed but several inches taller than the average human, and here now he saw Bak standing at almost eye-level with Roth, and Ryo knew for a fact Bak stood roughly seven feet tall. Even with one eye, Dais noticed as well and called to mind something his mother had told him once but didn't make sense at the time.
"They'll always appear taller than you..."
"Was it not that Mal Daggur remained too engrossed in his murderous gluttony to notice you rescue Gold Wing? Was it not that you encountered no suspicion or resistance as you and your crew fled for the Oldworld? Was it not that you encountered Auji Lightrider that fateful night," Sage's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Rather than a more hot-blooded member of the Ronin?" Roth rubbed the corners of Bak's jaws and her formerly harsh gaze softened. "We have always been with you!"
Bau Daophyn began screaming in agony all of a sudden and sank to one knee, clutching his right arm just above the prosthetic Australa had crafted. The Ronin gasped in alarm, but their worry proved short lived as the replacement arm popped off completely, landing with a thud on the grass. Bau stared wide-eyed at his right hand, now fully restored. He flexed the fingers in disbelief, his lips widening in a grateful smile. Tar knelt beside him and patted him on the shell.
"As it turns out, I can surpass Australapaela's craftsmanship," Eyurodin commented dryly.
"Bless you, Milady! Bless you!" Bau praised, tears of joy streaming from his eyes. Roth gave Bak a parting pat on the cheek before withdrawing and striding over to where the other goddesses stood.
"We have tarried long enough this day. We shall return to Thanged, lest Myr Chedryn get any ideas," Roth said. Ryo wrinkled his brow, puzzled by the name. "Farewell, Ronin Warriors. I would offer you my blessings, but you have come quite far on your own strength." And with that, Roth turned to depart. Anubis-who had held his tongue long enough-sprang to his feet and clenched his fist.
"Is this how you conduct yourselves? Dazzle gullible mortals and bully those who defy you? You dishonor yourselves with such an abuse of power! You meddle in the affairs of mortals when it suits you and deny aid when needed most? Capricious gods of old indeed!" Roth paused in walking and looked over her shoulder, looking annoyed at Anubis for merely speaking aloud.
"I...I...I restored life to your body, Ariuan Wrathrider. I can just as easily rescind it!" Roth narrowed her eyes in warning. Michelle, who had watched and listened from just inside the door, gasped and rushed outside onto the lawn, running over to her father and grasping his right arm.
"NO!" she cried in alarm. Anubis reached over with his left hand to console her, having never told her of how he'd nearly crumbled to dust at the Battle of the Citadel. Now he knew the truth behind the Power he'd felt during that horrific ordeal that kept him from withering into a dried corpse.
"If you value 'honor' so much, do not let Rona's earnest prayer be in vain and honor her wish."
"ENOUGH! Enough with the threats, already!" Ryo shouted.
"I...I...I did not traverse the Vault of Stars to deliver idle threats, Raeo Flamerider! I came to remind you of your duty!" Roth snapped, her voice rattling windows in their frames. "'Three wars you'll fight before you go; wars of Rage, Wrath, and Woe. The things you've learned, do not forget; your duty is not over yet'," Roth recited ominously. "And Raeo Flamerider; none of the Three Wars have yet transpired. Sean Waverider." Cye jolted upon being directly addressed and he dared a glance up at Roth, who regarded him calmly. "Whatever resentment you harbor, I am but a spectator in this cosmic play. I...I...I am not the author of this script." And with that, Roth, Thangien Goddess of Victory, turned and dissolved into a shaft of light that shot up into the sky at incredible speed.
Tanya hadn't moved from where she sat on the ground cradling Kento's head in her lap as he tried to rest. She heard the crunch of grass and saw a shadow fall over them and gazed up to see Witheren standing no more than a couple feet away. The Thangien Goddess of Righteous War grinned down at the two. Tanya sneered in disgust and Kento looked too weary to be angry.
"S...Sh...She wouldn't have killed him. She likes him too much," Witheren taunted then threw her head back in another ghastly cackle before sauntering away arrogantly. The Thangien Goddess of the Forge likewise prepared to depart but paused and looked over her shoulder.
"Ronin Warriors, before I take my leave, you should know this: our wayward sister Phitdaitiarona had until late been consorting with your enemy of old, Mal Daggur. I...I...It was she who created the spacequake against which you so narrowly survived. Take from that what you will," Eyurodin imparted before turning. As she shot into the sky, Ritho moved to follow but paused and turned to face the gathered Ronin. Her gaze fell upon Cye in particular and she frowned softly.
"I...I...I ask that you do not despair. I cannot fault you for being angry." Cye set his jaw and glared at the Morning Mother. "I...In...Indeed, I can feel it rising from you like a stoked flame!" Ritho's eyes widened in alarm and she raised a hand to her chest, recoiling upon seeing Cye's expression. She relaxed and smiled weakly. "Please try to understand: we have staked so much hope upon your success. At each point in the past where you seemed to falter, and we dreaded your failure, all of you persevered against all o...od...odds. Thus, our faith in you is affirmed," Ritho remained in place and smiled radiantly. Light spiraled around her, starting at her feet then reaching above her head, her smile remaining visible a few seconds before the light shot up into the sky with an echoing boom.
Cye remained standing staring off into the distance. He glanced to the side when he felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Ryo off to the side. "...Cye…" Ryo whispered, unable to put into words how sorry he felt that Cye had grappled with such a burden for so long. Cye scowled but said nothing at first and turned his gaze forward, sighing deeply and setting his jaw.
"It doesn't matter at this point. From here on out, everything is batting practice for the End Tide."
"Very curious beings they are…" Sage looked over his shoulder at Kaosu who lingered by the balcony door. "They are not gods…"
"No kidding. What a despicable display of power...even Bautan didn't deserve to go that way. She easily could have banished him, but instead she made such a gruesome show of it for no other reason than she could," Sage snorted and folded his arms over his chest.
"You misunderstand me, Sage of Halo: They...are not gods," Kaosu stated cryptically and turned around and walked away before Sage had a chance to inquire further. As usual, Kaosu kept his musings to himself, remaining cryptic for a reason known only to him.
Dialogue translations from Cale's scene:
"Hey, new guy? How you get so lucky all the time?"
"Hey, lady! Butt out! We have business,"
"Don't fuck with me, son,"
"Where you learn to speak Russian? Your accent is shit!"
"Oxford."
Translation credit to Slava-Ukr
AOD Soundtrack
1. Meditation in the Desert-Crockett's Theme-Jan Hammer
2. Breaking the Cosmic Curse-Deliverance-Thomas Bergersen
3. Company Incoming-Aura- Thomas Bergersen
4. The Sound of Power-Icarus-Two Steps From Hell
5. His Heart in Her Hand-Deep Silent Complete-Nightwish
6. Now You Are Nothing-Walking In The Air-Nightwish
Kento whirled around when he heard a sound like heavy metallic footsteps tromping through water. He peered into the darkness, wondering if this is what gave the burglar such a fright. He thought he could hear a faint sound like the whirring of servos and clanking of armor plating. A shape blacker than shadow rounded the corner at the very end of the tunnel. Eyes with bright green irises and black slit-shaped pupils regarded Kento calmly, but they shone clearly in the dark as if backlit.
The end of the tunnel lit up, lights activating on parts of the creature's body. Kento could make out two legs, a long thick tail, a back full of sail-like spines, and silvery metal, but the body itself looked dark gray, almost black, giving it the appearance of a shadow wearing armor. Kento didn't know what to think other than the sight of it gave him the heebie-jeebies.
Seeking Light
Author's Notes
This chapter ended up being a bit longer than usual, but it's effectively half a dozen chapters in one and a MASSIVE exposition dump. Originally each of the Ronin was supposed to have a dedicated chapter to finding them and restoring their memories, but I just couldn't find a way to stretch each one into its own chapter, and I of course detest filler. I collapsed the rescues to 1-2-2-4 then to 1-5-4. Roth and the other goddesses were supposed to debut in their own chapter, but even that I couldn't figure out how to expand more than it already is, so I settled for smaller vignettes with the rescues and the latter half of the chapter the introduction.
So who are the Four Queens? They are major heavy hitters in Age of Defiance, without a doubt among the most powerful beings in existence. To Thangiens, they are the ultimate ultimate, the absolute absolute. In the original drafts they had relatively little appearances with the rewrite expanding the lore around them a great deal. They are my response to the "power creep" I kept running into with failed collaborations, where former creative partners kept adding in stronger and stronger characters just for the sake of constantly outdoing anything I ever came up with. I quite honestly got sick of it, because their self-insert OC characters never contributed anything to the progression of Age of Defiance aside from merely existing to be smug, condescending, and overpowered little shits. What are the Queens true motivations and ultimate goals, and why are they so interested in the Ronin? That remains to be seen.
Who is this mystery girl Cale encounters? This is our first look at Katrina Ascher. She is meant to be Cale's biological daughter from his modern past, but unlike Michelle-who adores her father-Katrina is a bit of a gold digger. She's bitter, willful, and believes herself "entitled" to anything involving her father. Only when she realizes the true scope of his duty as a Ronin Warrior does she eventually mellow out. She wanted to become his Armor Heir to make him proud but the Heart of Obedience fails to manifest in her, resulting in Vandall Carter becoming the Heir of Corruption instead. I'm not entirely sure how I'll fully introduce her just yet, but it won't be for a good long while.
I made the mistake years ago of letting a former friend have creative input into AoD, and that resulted in a lot of regrets I spent years correcting. I didn't realize until it was almost too late, but I came to the conclusion that he seemed to enjoy torturing female characters in a manner that bordered on fetishization. He wanted Mia to suffer a miscarriage, Tanya to get violated in her dreams, and tried to kill off Danae and Roxi. It became so appalling I ultimately decided to shut him out from any creative input, and in fact I think he started ghosting me because he was salty about me not "capitalizing" on his "ideas" which were basically aped from pop culture franchises. I'm not talking about veiled homages, Easter eggs, or nods. I'm talking about blatant verbatim plagiarism.
One such "idea" involved a rogue government operative specializing in genetic manipulation who empowered himself and female agents of his with animal genes, dubbing these super-soldiers "Ferals". He wanted to have Katrina kidnapped and forcefully subjected to this treatment, which was permanent, traumatic, and irreversible, basically amounting to genetic rape. This was supposed to trigger the awakening of Cale's God-Power, the Maw of Fenris attack, his own ultimate ultimate, but even then this "former friend" wasn't satisfied with defiling Katrina.
Ferals had "nanobombs" implanted in them to go off if the host got out of line, and Katrina would have died from this if not for Ruth, Sehkmet's adopted daughter, intervening to save her. I ultimately got so disgusted with the story I deleted any copies of the outline and permanently de-canonized anything he tried pitching beyond what was already included in AoD. He exposed himself as a spiteful vulgar pervert and made it painfully clear he never appreciated my writing as I envisioned it: he merely wanted a vehicle which with to foist his repulsive, debauched, vile ideology. A huge part of why I will never partner with another writer again stems from this.