Well, here we are. after seven whole years, we've reached chapter 400. Before anyone asks, no, I don't know how I've managed this or why. I want to be a writer some day, so this really just started as a passion project to practice. Now, I don't even know what it is. My kid? Maybe. All I know is that I never imagined myself here, seven years, a million words and 400 chapters deep. That's just insane.
I want to take a moment to thank everyone reading this. I know you're there, even if you don't leave a review for me. You mean the world to me. There aren't a lot of you in the grand scheme of things, but for a story focused mostly on OC's to reach this far is, again, insanity. Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, thank all of you so much.
I also want to thank the friends I've made along the way. I don't want to name names in case some don't want the attention, but you know who you are. Those I've spoken with. Those who have been here for years. Those who leave vivid and wonderful reviews saying such wonderful things about what I would say is a relatively mediocre story. It means so much to me.
Of course, with any massive story, we have to remember those we didn't make it this far. I remember countless usernames who were often in the reviews that I simply don't see anymore, and it gets to me sometimes. Sometimes I hope to see their names pop up again, but deep down I know it'll probably never happen. Hats off to them, I hope they're well.
But enough pointless rambling. I'll do more of that at the end of the chapter! Now, what do I have planned? Let's see!
Oh and, FYI, this is a MASSIVE lore dump. Get ready!
Please enjoy!
"Are we there yet?" Damien demanded angrily as he trudged up the hill in front of him and his family.
"If you ask one more time I'm going to punch you in the side of the head," His father warned irritably. "I know you can see the peak of the mountain, we're almost there!"
"You must be out of shape if you're that exhausted, Damien," His mother said cheerily.
"Oh yeah my bad. I must have dreamt that whole part where I got stabbed my a Demon Hunters and nearly died, and then the subsequent months I've spent as a quasi-cripple." Damien muttered. "Where's a walking stick when you need it?"
"Don't be such a bum," Steph chastised. "Look, the path evens out up there, we're really close." Damien hoped she was right, and it wasn't another shoddy pit-stop.
For the past few days, he and his family had been on a pilgrimage of sorts. It wasn't supposed to be one of those, but given the sheer lack of transportation that actually came and went from the Church of Zentopia, it had essentially turned into a religious excursion.
Now, Damien himself was not particularly religious, so subsequently he knew very little about the religion practised around his own country. He knew that was insane to say, considering he was literally inhabited by a Minor God that supported Anhkseram's dominion over the known and unknown. That being said, the Gods had never done anything for him. The Gods hadn't stopped Xisplate from 'killing' Steph. The Gods hadn't stopped The Olympians from killing Nashi and starting this whole problem. They'd never done anything for him, so why bother praying or believing in them? They didn't deserve it as far as he was concerned.
However, he did know that Zentopia's pantheon of beliefs centred around Anhkseram, the God of Life and Death. Coupled with Anhkseram were a myriad of minor Gods that supported him. He knew next to nothing about them, too. So this was an all around learning experience for him.
"We're here," His Dad said. Lifting his head, Damien was greeted by the massive central church of Zentopia. Beyond the locked gates crested with a morphed fleur-de-lis was what looked like a small city inside white-washed walls. Beyond that, a massive golden pyramid was suspended above the city. It looked wildly impractical, but most shows of wealth were.
"Now what?" He asked, out of breath.
"We go and knock on the front door and ask them for some help," his Mother said gleefully.
"I think we'll need to be a bit more persuasive then that, Mom." Steph said with a snort. The four walked towards the guarded gates, which were manned by a small squadron of six guards.
"Halt!" One of them said, "Who goes there?"
"Master Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail, and his immediate family." His Father said as they came to a stop. "I believe my message to Cardinal Mesa should have made it through by now." On of the guards lifted his little clipboard, and audibly gulped.
"A-Ah yes, the Dreyar family from Fairy Tail," he said, "P-Please, follow us." The guards unlocked the gates, and soon Damien and his family were through the walls of Zentopia and inside. It looked about what he expected to see, a bunch of unremarkable buildings. Guess all the wealth went into the pyramid. Once inside, they were greeted by a man wearing what he assumed were religious robes.
Cardinal Mesa seemed to be a rather unassuming man. He was bald, with soft yet define features. His onyx eyes regarded them like they were some sort of royalty, which made him feel weird.
"Ah, the Dreyar Family," he said as he walked to greet them. "I have heard much of you."
"I'd say the same for you," his Father said as they shook hands, "but even as the public face of the church you're still pretty shrouded in darkness."
"For the church's safety of course," Mesa said with a smile, turning on Damien. "And this must be him. The 'Demon Lord'." Damien shuffled on his feet.
"Hey," he said.
"Hello, young man." Mesa said, "it has been countless centuries since one of the Anointed set foot in these walls."
"Anointed?" He asked, but Mesa put his hand up to silence him.
"I should say no more," he said. "Once we were informed on your arrival and request, the Archbishop requested to speak with you. Are you ready to see him?" Damien had assumed they might meet the Archbishop, but for the man himself to request the meeting was odd.
"Ready as we'll ever be," Steph said. Nodding, Mesa turned and beckoned for them to follow. As they did, Damien regarded the buildings around him. Despite their bland outside, he could tell they had been crafted by experts. They were all very old, but very sturdy.
"Feel anything?" Steph muttered, surprising him. He made a face at her in confusion.
"What?" He whispered under his breath.
"Do you feel anything?" She asked again, "I dunno, I figured maybe Xisplate would respond to something in here." Damien made a face but concentrated on the atmosphere, searching for anything odd. He soon found it.
"I feel a power," he said, "but it's suppressed."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. I can feel a great power, but it's...Not here, Suppressed. I can't describe it any better."
"What does the power feel like?" She inquired. Damien did not need to reach out long to know what to say.
"Warmth," he said, "kindness. It's a lovely power."
"Odd way to describe it," Steph said, eyebrow raised at him. Damien blushed and looked away from her.
"You asked," he said, "stop busting my balls."
"Nah." The group made their way to the biggest building in the walls, and walked inside. They were greeted by a circle on the floor glowing with light, which Mesa stepped towards.
"We will be taken up to the Archbishop here," he said. "Please, follow me." Exchanging looks, Damien followed his parents and Steph onto the light. In the blink of an eye and a feeling of his stomach dropping, Damien was instantaneously teleported up into the golden pyramid above. As he looked around, he saw they were in what looked like a large building full of lit candles. On an elevated platform sat a chair, and on it sat an old man.
The Archbishop of Zentopia was, like Mesa, unassuming. He looked like any old man you would see anywhere, except he had religious robes and a large hat atop his head. His eyes lit up as they entered the room.
"Ah, here they are," the Archbishop said happily. "The Anointed and his family."
"Will you be the one to explain what that means, exactly?" Damien asked. The Archbishop nodded.
"Yes, of course my child. One thing at a time, though. My name is Archbishop Marcus. I have been in charge of the church for twenty years. And you are?"
"My name is Laxus Dreyar," his Father said, "and this is my wife Mirajane, my daughter Steph, and my son Damien."
"Mm," Marcus said, "I have heard your names. Although we are rather recluse, news still reaches us out here. You are quite well known. Damien, you have my thanks for coming here. It has been countless millennia since an Anointed walks through these halls."
"Why do you keep calling me that?" Damien asked.
"Anointed is the term we use to refer to what you would call a Demon Lord takeover wizard. We do not like to refer to The Twelve as demons. They are not."
"Could've fooled me," Damien muttered.
"You have been chosen," Marcus continued, "one of the Twelve chose for you to be his body on Earth, It is a mighty honour! You are one of only thousands of people who have been chosen over history to be the eyes and ears of The Twelve."
"You think this is, what, a gift?" Damien demanded.
"But of course," The Archbishop said.
"Damien..." His Mother started cautiously.
"Could you sound more out of touch?" Damien asked, "I can think of a few lives destroyed by this 'gift'. And if we're only a few of thousand, then I can only imagine the destruction caused."
"Hm, yes, The Twelve are rather finicky," The Archbishop admitted, "still, to be their body is the highest honour." Damien gritted his teeth at this, being reminded of his own past, along with Gin's. He thought of Taisho and Shuichi, and the chaos caused by them. This was an honour? Unbelievable.
"We'll have to agree to disagree," his Father said, cutting in for him, "Archbishop, you're being rather forthcoming about all of this seeing as we've given no reason to want this information."
"But of course," Marcus said, "we have been told, since before we were Zentopia, since before were even a church at all, that one day The Anointed would return here. They would ask for the information we've erased from history, and we are to return it to them."
"For no reason?" His Dad asked.
"The reason is irrelevant," Marcus replied, "We are to give you what you need. But, enough of introductions. Cardinal Mesa, I will handle this from here." Mesa nodded and stepped away from them.
"I wish you all good luck," he said, "may you learn a lot of our history." The Archbishop joined them on the main floor, and then they walked to the glow on the floor. In another blink, they were teleported into a dark room. The torches near them were lit up immediately, and Marcus began to walk down the hall.
"I suppose every explanation must begin at the beginning," he said. "So we will go back to then. The beginning."
"What is the beginning?" His Mom asked.
"The very beginning," Marcus said, "refers to the birth of our universe as we know it. Listen well, Dreyar Family. This is the creation story of humankind."
The Archbishop was silent for a moment as they walked down the hall, and Damien felt the power from before grow.
"In the beginning," Marcus began, "there was nothing. Absolutely nothing, and then there was something. That something was Anhkseram. He existed in the void, for countless millennia, in a way humans could not possibly comprehend. But he was not alone. He was accompanied by his brother, Zomrus."
The light of the torches flickered when he said the name.
"Anhkseram and Zomrus are the creation brothers," The Archbishop continued. "Where Anhkseram created, Zomrus destroyed. Where Anhkseram blessed, Zomrus cursed. Where Anhkseram brought life, Zomrus brought death. It was through their endless power they brought into creation the entire pantheon of Gods as we know them. Anhkseram and Zomrus split their infinite energy and created their sons and daughters, the Gods we know of today. They brought forth Chronos, and gave him the Infinity Clock to create the concept of time. They created Aether, and gave him control over the universe's vast space. The list goes on and one. Along with their new comrades, they created life. They moulded the ground we walk, the air we breath, and the blood in our veins. We are their creations, as they willed it. However they did not make us immortal, for Zomrus advised that all things must come to an end. He said that there was no beauty in the forever, in the timeless. Only in that which is finite."
The group was silent as they rounded a corner in the hall.
"The Gods brought forth many kinds of life," Marcus said after a poignant silence. "They first brought forth the Dragons, the first children of Anhkseram. Next came the humans, the second child. And next came all the life we see around us, less intelligent then ourselves. Anhkseram believed that too many kinds of intelligent life would cause chaos in his new haven. And so they came into being. But as I said, our lives here are limited. It was decided by the Gods that, after our life here, we would be sent to our Heavenly Father to spent Eternity in paradise. But, as is only fair, not everyone could go to paradise. In creating us, Anhkseram decided to give us the free will we enjoy today. And in doing so, countless humans have decided to betray the Gods beauty and commit horrific crimes. Even in the beginning of creation, dragons and humans alike committed crimes that Anhkseram refused to accept. And so, the God of the End, Zomrus, tasked himself with judging those who pass on. It was Zomrus who decided who would get to spend eternity with Anhkseram in paradise, or eternity being tortured in Hell for their misdeeds."
They all mulled over this information in silence.
"And so it was for countless millennia. In this time before recorded history, dragon-kind and humanity spread all across our planet and established themselves. And as they did, the Gods watched over them. Working with Anhkseram, Aether created what we know today as Magic. It was his belief that human life could be eased with a taste of the power enjoyed by the Gods, and he brought into life Ether-Nano. This Ether-Nano, spread out as particles over the earth using Aether's will, was absorbed by humans and dragons, and then converted into power. That is the origin of Magic."
"Was Ether-Nano named after the God Aether?" Damien asked, "the names are similar." Archbishop Marcus laughed heartily.
"Yes my boy, it was. Eternally thankful for this gift from the Gods, humanity began to refer to the particles as Aether's Gift. In the thousands of years since, the word has been simplified into Ether-Nano. Magic as we know it nothing more than a distortion of space and creation, brought forth by our loving overseer Aether. Do you know why Earthland will never run out of magic power? It is because, since time immemorial, Aether has spread these particles over our planet as his gift to us. You should be thankful to him always."
Damien made a mental note to thank Aether after this.
"What about Edolas?" His Mom Asked, "it had limited Magic. Doesn't seem fair that the God of Space chose favourites."
"Do you believe that our Gods rule over every dimension?" Marcus asked as he looked over his shoulder, "That Anhkseram is the same in Edolas as here? No, Aether may be the God of Space, but he is of our space. The Gods governing Edolas are not our own. It is hard to understand, I know."
"That's kind of a massive understatement," Steph said, rubbing her forehead.
"But Magic was not the only gift given to us. Chronos, the God of Time, used his Infinity Clock to give us an understanding of time. It was through Chronos we learned to keep track of time, of when to grow crops and when not to, and when to sleep and when to hunt. It is thanks to Chronos that we survived our formative years against the elements."
"You mention the Infinity Clock," His Mom said, "as in, that one we had to fight over years ago."
"Not exactly," Marcus replied. "The original Infinity Clock is with Chronos in paradise. But, in order to help humanity, he created a version of it for our own use. Chronos' intentions were pure, you understand. He thought that if we used it to manipulate time around us, we could better our lives."
"And then we misused it," His Dad muttered.
"Indeed," Marcus agreed. "We did. However, seeing as it was a relic from the Gods, it cannot be destroyed by mortal means. And as you both know, it was been kept under safe keeping by Zentopia since the incident. But the Infinity Clock serves as an important point; humanity often uses the gods gifts horribly. As Chronos gave us our own Infinity Clock, Aether's gift of magic was also misused. Killing each other with magic is not a new invention. We've been doing it since we were given this amazing gift. Which is one of many reasons that led to the first God War."
"God War?" Steph asked, "what the hell is that?"
"The most horrible event in unrecorded human history," The Archbishop replied sadly. They had reach a locked double wooden door, which the Archbishop inserted a key into. As they entered, Damien was hit with the smell of old books. The library ahead of them spread on for what felt like forever. There was no end in sight, it simply extended into the darkness.
"Please," Marcus said, "follow me." He entered the library, and they followed him in as the door shut behind them. The lights in the library were magical, probably to ensure no torchlight caught a book on fire.
"What was the God War?" Damien asked.
"The God War was the first 'war' humanity was ever involved in," Marcus replied. "But to say we were involved was a bit much. It would be more accurate to say we were the pawns moved by the Gods. You see, the way humans misused the God's gifts angered Zomrus. At first he loved us like every other God, but after watching us create so much chaos and destroy what the Gods had created for us, he grew enraged. He decided that humanity did not deserve the free will Anhkseram had given us. After all, he had spent millennia watching us kill and destroy each other. And then, as if that was not enough, he had to put up with the horrific sinners sent to him when the battles ended. He saw all the evil in humanity, but very little if any of the good. He believed we needed to be ruled over. To be told how to stop killing one another."
"He brought this worry to Anhkseram, who shared his concern. However, to say Anhkseram shared his beliefs were inaccurate. Anhkseram too was horrified that we decided to use our gifts like we did, but he believed it was our choice to make. He believed that in creating the humans, it did not give him or any other God the 'right' to rule them. He believed in the good in us. Zomrus did not. This created a rift between the brothers. Zomrus disagreed with Anhkseram on how to help humanity, and they eventually came to blows over it."
"Two Gods?" Damien's Dad asked, "they fought?"
"They did," Marcus confirmed. "And the battleground was Earthland. The continents shattered from the conflict, and the sea was forced to fill in the void. The world itself was nearly destroyed by the conflict between the two brothers. Have you ever heard of the Zygosta Crater?" No one answered him, "it is a massive crater in the Pergrande Kingdom in the East. It is so deep and so wide, yet so obviously a crater that it could not be a natural formation. Religious Historians of our sect believe this is where the final battle between Anhkseram and Zomrus took place."
"What happened?" Damien asked.
"Well, the outcome can be expected, seeing as we aren't governed by an angry God. Anhkseram, with help from the humans on his side, defeated Zomrus. Once he had, he decided his brother was too dangerous to continue being free, and decided to locked his essence away, where no one would ever find it. But he wasn't finished. To ensure that his brother slept forever, Anhkseram used his infinite power to take control of Zomrus' very being and split him apart. He split him again and again, twelve times over. He could not kill his brother completely, you see, as they are equals in strength. So he split his brother apart, and locked away his core conscious. These twelve splits are what you would call the Demon Lords. But to us, at Zentopia, they are called the Twelve Gods of Judgement. Anhkseram created them, in his brothers place, to judge the dead and decide where they would spend eternity. Each God has their own 'Circle' where they torment the souls of the damned for all time."
Damien shivered as he recalled the screams he could hear when he took over into Xisplate.
"But now Anhkseram was presented with more problems. First and foremost were the Gods of Judgement. If left unchecked, he knew they would grow into the same beast Zomrus had. They needed to be different then his brother. And so he concocted a plan. The only way, Anhkseram thought, to truly have the Twelve understand humanity and it's plight would be if they saw life through the eyes and ears of humans. If the Twelve were connected with a human for it's entire lifespan, saw their struggles and conquests, surely it would be easier to judge them as a whole? And he put his plan into action. The Twelve Gods were to choose a human to bond with, for it's entire life, and learn of humanity. They were to learn, and empathise, so that something like Zomrus could never happen again. Nearly ten thousand years have passed since that day, and none of the Twelve had attempted an uprising. His plan, I'd say, has worked."
"So that's why the takeover wizards, or Anointed, exist?" Damien asked, "so the Twelve can survey humanity and learn from us?"
"Indeed, my dear boy," Marcus replied, "You are not a Demon Host, you are a God Host." Damien felt stunned at this. He'd always assumed his mothers genetics had connected him with Xisplate, but it hadn't? What had, then? Why had Xisplate chosen him over the billions of other humans?
"Why are they called the Demon Lords?" Steph asked, "that's a massive misnomer."
"Well, not entirely inaccurate," Marcus said. "You see, during the God War, some humans sided with Zomrus. However, the size of his forces was significantly smaller than his brother. In order to circumvent this, Zomrus granted his followers portions of his power. This power...Changed them. Forever. They became less human and more like him. But it was a corrupting power. it led to them becoming something...else. Demons, if you would. It is here that Demons were created. And not long after, Humans managed to create Demon Slayer Magic, or Devil Slayer, whichever name you prefer. The reason for the name Demon Lord is that it could be inferred that that the Twelve are also one of these creations. They are portions of Zomrus' power, after all. But we choose to think differently. We believe them to be divine."
The group grew silent. What were they supposed to say to this? It was information no one outside of Zentopia had heard it probably thousands of years. Damien felt like he was overloading. Could he ask for a cheat sheet when this was over?
"You mentioned Anhkseram had problems after defeating his brother," His Mom said, "what were the others problems?"
"Ah," Marcus said, "well, as you can imagine, Anhkseram could not seal his brother forever. After all, their power is equal. He knew that, eventually, Zomrus would awaken from his slumber and try to steal back his power from the Demon Lords. Not only that but, as I mentioned, Zomrus had followers in humanity. In order to avoid a catastrophe, Anhkseram ordered that all traces of Zomrus' existence be erased. All proof that a God of Death had ever existed would be erased, and he would take his brothers name. He would become the God of Life and Death. Zomrus needed to be erased, to prevent humans from trying to wake him. As an added precaution, he also erased the Twelve Gods of Judgement from our history as well. He allowed them to become 'Demon Lords' to hide their true purpose."
"However, Anhkseram knew that was only a temporary solution. That Zomrus would awaken sooner or later. In order to stop this, he needed trusted confidantes. Those who would carry his will for thousands of years, ready to reveal this information when the time was right. So he gathered his most loyal, most religious subjects and inducted them into an order. The Order of Life, as it was called. If you haven't guessed already, this was the first religious 'organisation' in human history, and what would eventually become Zentopia. The Order's duty was to safeguard the information I have given you now, and only give it out when the time was right."
"And you believe that time is now?" Damien asked, Marcus nodding, "why?"
"Because one of the Anointed has come to us seeking it," he replied. "We would be fools to ignore such a summons as this."
Damien hated to be that guy, but, their purpose here was actually to find a way to stop the Demon Lords. Or Twelve Gods, whatever. They hadn't mentioned that in their letter, obviously, but Damien became acutely aware that they probably shouldn't mention that to the Archbishop. But if what Marcus was saying was true, what could they actually do? Would taking out the Demon Lords awaken Zomrus? That was the last thing they wanted.
"Say, Archbishop," His Dad said, "let me give you a hypothetical. What if the Twelve Gods were defeated?"
"I shudder to think," the man replied. "If the Twelve Gods power dimmed, it might be disastrous. It could stir Zomrus from his endless slumber, and that is the last thing we need." The family exchanged nervous looks at this. That was worst case scenario. If they weren't able to defeat them without waking Zomrus, what were they going to do? Give Nashi up? They couldn't do that! "However, do not fret. For Zomrus to regain the power Anhkseram stole from him, the Twelve would need to be destroyed, completely and utterly. No mortal can accomplish such a feat, so it is of no concern."
"They can be killed?" His Mom asked curiously.
"Through extreme means, yes. The Twelve may be immortal, but they are not invincible. Anhkseram made sue of that, should they ever rise against him. They can be killed, but it would require power a mortal has never possessed."
"I see," His Dad said slowly, not saying more. That was the smart play. They didn't need to say anything else. As he looked up and tried not to think about it, Damien noted they had reached a chamber separate from the rest of the library. It had gilded frames, and runes that he didn't recognise inscribed on a stone tablet.
"This is where we keep our most sacred texts," Marcus said, "in an airtight chamber created by our predecessors. Please, allow me to give you bubbles of air to breathe with and we can proceed." The Archbishop raised a hand to each of them, and Damien watched as Bubbles spawned around their heads, providing them with an air source. As the Archbishop opened the door, Damien noticed the room itself didn't open through the door. After the door, they're was a gateway of magic. He presumed it kept the room airtight.
"It needs to be noted," Marcus said as they passed through the gateway and into the airtight chamber, "that Anhkseram did not defeat his brother alone. As I've said, they're strength was equal. No, Anhkseram relied on the one thing Zomrus would not; human strength. As I said, Zomrus turned his followers into demons, vestiges of his own power. He refused to trust human strength. Anhkseram instead relied on the humans who believed in him and their own power. He did not corrupt or change them, he simply let them fight by his side. And this was the upper hand he needed. Combined with the strongest Mages of the age, Anhkseram was able to defeat his brother. And should he ever wake again, it will need to be done the same way."
There was a beat of silence before the Archbishop sighed.
"You plan to fight them, don't you?" He asked, startling them, "that's why you asked."
"Uh, well..." His Dad started, not able to come up with an answer. Marcus sighed again.
"There is no need to hide your intentions, I suspected them when you arrived."
"Then why help us?" Damien asked, "surely you don't want this?"
"That is a complicated question," he replied, "you will see why soon." They followed him deeper into the chamber, and they soon happened across a book. It had a bright white cover, with strange letters on the front of it.
And then it pulsed with magic.
This was the source of the power Damien had felt before. The book itself was radiating magic so raw he felt exposed before it. Surely this thin was dangerous.
"What is that?" Steph asked cautiously. "It's...alive?"
"Not exactly," Marcus replied. "As I explained before, the Infinity Clock we fought over years ago was a relic that Chronos gifted us. This is a relic as well. The Creed of Anhkseram."
Damien suddenly felt awed. Sitting before him, on a regular stone pedestal, was a relic of Anhkseram? Surely that wasn't possible. And yet, as he stared at it, he realised it was true. The book radiated a life and warmth he had never felt anywhere before. He felt calmed by it's presence. It had power, that much was certain.
As Damien stared at the book, a splitting headache formed in his head. The letters on the book seemed to glow brighter.
"What is that writing?" He asked weakly.
"This is the Primaglyphic language," Marcus said as he gestured to it. "It was the first written language used by humans, and it the same one used by Anhkseram when he wrote down these words. Within this book, Anhkseram wrote the Creed we were to follow. But it's more than that. He gave us a prophecy. One that tells us of Zomrus' awakening."
"I've seen that writing before!" Steph exclaimed.
"Where?" Damien asked.
"It was where we went to find Zoka and Ruli!" Steph replied, "there was a room full of these letters. I recognise a few from the walls!" Archbishop Marcus looked at her in disbelief.
"You saw a room like that?" He asked, Steph nodding. "Gods above. Young lady, you stumbled across an ancient church, one used by our ancestors. Where was this room?"
"Deep underground, up North," Steph said, "near the city of Sia."
"Fascinating...I must send archaeologists soon," Marcus said. "But first things first, the book. As I said, Anhkseram knew Zomrus would awaken one day, with or without his intervention. There was a prophecy written about it within this book. Anointed, would you be so king as to open the book?"
"I can touch it," Damien asked, "really?"
"Yes, you're blessed," Marcus said, "the book with show you what you need to see." Swallowing hard, Damien stepped closer to the boo. It seemed to react to his presence, glowing brighter. He placed a hand on the cover, and his entire body was enveloped by a warmth he had never felt before. Was this Anhkseram's power? It was incredible. Slowing picking up the book, he regarded the cover slowly. The Primaglyphic language stared back at him, slowing deciphering in his mind like he'd known the language forever.
"The Will and Testament of Anhkseram," He read, voice solemn. This was incredible. As he opened the cover, the book responded to his will, flipping pages without his hand doing anything. It stopped on a page, and Damien regarded it carefully.
"I know my brother will awaken one day," he read, "It is as inevitable as the death he once watched over. In knowing this, I ask my followers in the Order of Life to safeguard his existence with their life, until the time is right. When the balance of the world is being disrupted, when Zomrus' presence can be felt in the darkness, and when the Eldest of the Twelve, the first Anointed return home, you are to give them this knowledge. Chronos has given the prophecy, and it speaks of my brother. It is as follows:
"In a time when his name is lost
When he's disappeared from the earth
He will return heralded by frost
And all the dead he will unearth
Fear not the living, they don't have a clue
But a soul returned from death
Will herald his due;
His reign will be marred by blood and by pain
He cares not who he hurts
With his twisted game
But we will not fall, he'll have to contend
For when the King rises
Humanity will find salvation in the end."
The prophecy sent a chill down Damien's spine. What was that? Why did it seem so familiar to him? But he had to focus on the text, there was more to read.
"It is inevitable that my brother will rise again. There is no stopping him. But that is not all. Chronos cannot see everything, for time is a fickle mistress. However, he has given us names. Zeref. Natsu. Nashi. Cain. These names will herald his coming. But, the information that needs to be passed on most is this; my dear humanity, you are not alone. When my brother awakens from his endless slumber and returns to take the throne he thinks he is owed, know that I will fight by your side. I will descend from paradise and fight my brother as I did in days long past. The Second God War will come to pass, as it is inevitable. And the world will be changed forever once again. I have entrusted your future to my followers.
You are not alone.
I am with you. All you must do is believe in the light."
There was no more words on the page, and as such everyone was silent. Damien's hands began to shake, unsure of what to do. Anhkseram himself was saying the rise of Zomrus was inevitable? So there was nothing they could do? He hadn't signed up for this.
"So you see?" Marcus asked, "that is why I do not stop you from fighting them. What has been set in motion cannot be stopped. Zomrus is stirring from his eternal slumber, and your fight with the Twelve with decide our fate. I cannot, in good faith, tell you that inaction with save us. It may very well be that submitting to them will bring about his awakening. Or, it may not. I can't say. The way of the world has been disrupted, we here have felt it. Zomrus must be stopped."
Damien had no words. He had not expected to see or hear any of this. What were they going to do now?
"We need to bring this back to the others," He heard his Father say, "we need more opinions."
"I have more to show you,"Archbishop Marcus said, "please follow me. Damien, you may return the book to it's resting place." Damien gently placed the book back on it's pedestal, and followed the Archbishop further into the airtight chamber.
"Do you have an opinion, Archbishop?" His Mom asked, "about our situation?"
"To give any advice would imply I have any to give," he said. "I have no idea what is going to come to pass."
"So no advice?" Damien asked weakly.
"No," he replied, "all I have left is a gift to give." They rounded a corner, and in front of them lay a single display case. "You see, Fairy Tail, we have spoken about relics from the Gods today. The Infinity Clock, is one. The Creed of Anhkseram is another. What I am about to show you is the most powerful relic in the hands of the church, safeguarded for ten thousand years until it was needed." Inside the display case was the most brilliant white staff Damien had ever seen. It's crystal head was in the center of three prongs, to focus it's power. He realised now that the power he had felt from the book was not nearly strong enough. The Staff was radiating most of the power. It was incredible to be in it's presence.
"What is that?" He asked.
"That," The Archbishop said, "Is the Staff of Anhkseram. It has no purpose in the hands of mortal humans. However, in the hands of an Anointed, it is a gateway."
"Gateway?" His Dad asked, "Gateway to where?" The Archbishop took a deep breath.
"A gateway to the realms of the Gods," he said. "It is a relic of Anhkseram. If one were to use it, they could transport mortals to places they were never meant to set foot." Archbishop Marcus turned to look at Damien pointedly.
"Like the Twelve Circles of Judgement."
A chill went down Damien's spine as he stared at the staff's crystal.
"I really don't like what you're saying," he said weakly. The Archbishop hummed to himself.
"You will use the staff to confront the Twelve," he said, "and, if it comes to it, The God of Death. But that is not all." Marcus turned to look back at the staff behind the glass.
"If used properly, one can contact Anhkseram himself." Damien's stomach dropped.
"You mean...?"
"Yes, Damien. This is both your gateway and your beacon. Should you confront Zomrus, hold the staff and offer your prayers. Anhkseram will surely answer you."
"One more question," His Dad asked, "why doesn't Anhkseram stop this? Surely he's more powerful than Zomrus while the guy is still asleep. Can't he do anything?"
"I will not deign to speak for our Heavenly Father," Archbishop Marcus replied, kissing two fingers and raising them to the roof. "However, I suspect he is concerned that his intervention will only hasten the awakening. It would be foolish to say that Zomrus has no strength while he sleeps. He is still one of the strongest beings in all of creation. The last thing Anhkseram wants is another God War on his hands. However, as I've said, that is inevitable."
Silence came over them again, and Damien regarded the staff quietly. He seriously had no idea what to say. All of this was overloading his brain.
"So," Steph said, "we're going to end the world over Nashi's soul?"
"Anhkseram spoke of a situation where Zomrus would rise regardless," The Archbishop said. "I suspect he has made this choice impossible for you to back down from. And keep in mind, as long as the Twelve are not killed, Zomrus will not regain his power."
Damien thought about this, about Nashi. He thought about the little girl that was shy and could barely speak up for herself. He remembered how proud of her he was when she began to learn magic. He remembered how they had survived countless fights together.
Moreover, he remembered how Nashi had given her life for him and the others, facing off against her own 'Gods'.
"It is impossible," he said, "I refuse to hand Nashi over to them." Archbishop Marcus chuckled.
"The one human emotion Zomrus despises most," he said. "For, to him, it was the cause of the most horrific crimes in history."
"Which is?" Steph asked. Marcus smiled with knowledge beyond his years behind his eyes.
"Love. Such a beautiful, yet tragic emotion we were blessed with."
And so chapter 400 comes to a close. Tell me, what do you think of it? I like it for the most part, granted it could be better. But your opinion matters most! As a birthday present to the story, how about we hear from ALL of you? That's right! If you read this, how about you leave me a review? Not much, tell me what you liked, disliked, how long you've been around, whatever you like! I just want to make this anniversary as special as I can, and I think tons of feedback would make it all the better. Any theories? I'd love to hear em! Questions? Those too! I can answer them if they're aren't too spoilery!
Once again, I just want to thank each and every single one of you for your support. I wouldn't have made it this far without you, and I hope, with all my might, you will stick with me until the end.
To chapter 500!
If we make it that far...
What?