"Hm? I expected Yharim to arrive, not you, Liam."
Liam pulled open the steam train's sliding doorway, cautiously stepping across the edge line and greeted his accountant. His accountant was mildly short, and in a tailored suit with swooped and combed hair. The train whistled by and rolled away as Liam pushed his suitcase closer into the center of the station's green-marble court.
"Eh, he said he had work to attend to and sent me here. Somethin' about the special division or whatever."
Yharim wasn't like any other ruler, he could barely even be called a ruler of anything. He never forced anybody to address him by any royal titles, nor did he expect his subjects to respect him. He barely ever showed his presence to the public now, Liam hadn't seen him in the flesh for months on end.
And he felt quiet and calm, no longer fierce and violent as the "Godseeker" he was that many claimed so long ago, perhaps that flame had died out. His empire was assigned to many different governors across each province, and they did not even know if he even governed outside of his war.
And his empire bore no name, it was simply known as "The Imperium". It was the only empire left in this world, Underworld alliances suffered through internal conflicts and broke itself apart, the Ilmerian kingdom having potential yet incinerated before they had a chance. But even if it bore no name, everybody across Terraria knew of its overwhelming power, and even if Yharim never showed himself, everybody across Terraria knew of his overwhelming power.
"Ah, those special division freaks." His accountant responded, "They're practically wild demigods, either they fight because they have nothing better to live for or they just enjoy killin'. Heard that their captain, Kade, is the only sane one there."
"Yes…apparently he's found himself a new monstrosity for his war…so if he was planning to show his face now it aint gonna happen anymore."
Liam stood quiet as he escalated the polished stone stairway, with the accountant quickly following him behind. He found it pitiful that Yharim couldn't even bring himself to stand for his country, he'd rather silently drown in the affairs of his war and do nothing else. It was an honor to gain the role to speak for his ruler, but Liam couldn't even feel a measly drop of respect.
He once idolized The Godseeker, he once saw a justification of his cruelty from his virtue and pride, though all those traits have now been worn to dust. Liam saw his intentions positively, his vow to rid the world of gods was fueled from the torment and damage cast upon this world he views. Yharim wanted nothing more than peace, and he couldn't understand why he didn't stop.
His crusade grew into an entire war, no longer about gods, just an endless battle that his pride cannot cease. The future of Terraria lay directly on his hands, and he clenched his fist and ground it to dust. He had laid waste over the thing he wanted to protect, and Liam found some sliver of sympathy for his current actions. Yharim had nothing left to show.
"So…what's happenin' with The Throneguard?" His accountant asked.
"Well…everything is shit." Liam responded, "The entire Subjugation Front feels like shit ever since the Brimstone Witch left…most of the common divisions have died out and we're all low on subjects. Luckily, The Resistance ain't so fierce right now and there aren't any remarkable battles being held."
His efficiency in his affiliation was how he became one of the top dogs in his division, though even the pride behind that role was dying out. He felt an impending sense of doom encroaching him, that there is nothing left to fight for. Why is everybody still eager to fight? What is left of this world that is still so precious you would devote your time to protecting it?
What became of Terraria…
It had been several days since the man had met Yharim. Kade had shown the man more about Yharim's kingdom and he felt more comfortable with it. The sun shone brightly through the morning sky and the 5 moons were still visible, though faded and pale.
"Where're we going?" Asked the man.
"Just a few minutes until we reach that lake, I have some catchin' up to do."
Rays of light shimmered out the jungle canopy, the floor was covered with systems of moss-covered intertwining roots. The air was forever filled with calls of flying foxes and derplings. Giant elephants' ears trickled puddles of water down their leaves. The man already thought it was dense when looking at the forest from up, But not as dense as getting constantly slapped in the face by leaves.
Kade had told him to stay away from some since many different plants there could eat him, so he mainly tried to stay far from even one. Rustling through some bushes they stumbled upon a rock cliff covered with moss and algae leading to a gigantic lake. There were several waterfalls showering down into the water, casting a rainbow arc across the lake.
"Alright alright, north, secure the wings. South, tighten the trap, don't let it fly off."
A strange voice said from across the distance, as the man peeled through the foliage to see some sort of dazzling display. In the center, in a cage made of electricity was a beast violently shrieking, rapidly flapping its bright yellow wings though completely constricted in the air.
And beside it was a figure, suspended by fleshy tendons hooked onto the cliffside, commanding two troops at the ledges, wrangling the beast still. It continued to fight and wrestle before it finally gave out, the troops quickly pulling the cage away and into the forest depths.
The man turned to see Kade sliding over the algae rocks and onto the beach, before shouting out with a smile, "What are you doing here Lloyd?! Aren't I the captain?!"
Lloyd chuckled before an arc of crimson bolted above the two and flew above the waterfall. five red tendrils flew out the figure and latched onto the overlapping branches, he swung and pulled itself directly onto the cliff.
In front of them was a tall man, his body and limbs were lanky and nutrient-low. The skin on the sides of his mouth was slashed out, revealing tendons of muscle. Though his thin appearance was partially concealed by a hulking coat, with a large fur hood draped around his neck. His eyes glowed a grim purple, peering and shining across the light.
"I dunno man," Lloyd said, "Probably didn't wanna disturb your shit with your little friend here…"
"Ah, here, this is Lloyd, he's the special division's second member, right behind me."
Lloyd pushed himself toward the man and spoke through what he couldn't tell was either a grin or a grimace, perhaps both, "So nice to meet you. Don't get lost, there's a thousand ways this place can kill you."
He was startled as the threat, though even more startled that there was nothing else added. Not any remarks left, and he couldn't wonder why but he could feel himself shiver at Lloyd's sight, like he knew too much.
"Is your folly problem finished?" Kade asked,
"Yeah…I'm guessing they're just moving that dragon away, prolly don't need me anymore."
"Sure," Kade said while loosening his elbows and rolling up his sleeves, "How 'bout we catch up with a little dual, then? I mean just fo-"
With insane speed, Lloyd suddenly materialized behind Kade. The skin on his hand morphed into a cluster of flesh that wrapped into a blade. Kade quickly turned around, his hands hardened into pinkish skin, deflecting the blade, sending shockwaves thrumming around the area.
Kade grabbed Lloyd's arm and threw him to the other side of the lake, the cliff breaking into cracks and dust as the impact dented the stone deep. Kade's skin began to morph into more pink and purple scales, metal rods bent into place. His skin became a sturdy armor, rings of metal with eyes wrapped around his limbs.
"This is normal, RIGHT?" The man asked in caution.
"YEAH, MOSTLY," Kade replied.
They're fucking insane…He thought.
A slight glimmer of purple light came from the other side of the lake, and before the man could blink a giant beam of shadowflame blasted from the other side and razed the edge of his armor. The dust cleared, and Lloyd ripped himself off the wall. Tears on his skin suddenly leaked out blood and tendon that wrapped around and spreaded across his limbs. The flesh infused into his entire body until he was completely covered in layers of tendon. And blood leaked out of his head and hardened to form a pair of horns. The inside of his mouth smoked with purple energy, covered with rows of jagged teeth.
Lloyd grinned and several fleshy tendrils bursted out his back. Each tendril had a bulbous end with a serrated mouth that clenched onto the cliff and launched him toward Kade. Two crystalline blades shot out from Kade's hands as he bolted toward Lloyd, the ground around him shattering.
The man couldn't keep up with the sheer speed the two were moving at, only swarms of dust clouds, blades, and tendrils, and all he could do was watch. The two came at an abrupt stop, their hands interlocking and pushing against each other. Kade suddenly grabbed Lloyd by the head and then slammed him into the water, sending the entire lake slipping upward and into rampant waves. And from the center of the impact, a flurry of gnashing worms and mouths propelled themselves out and toward Kade.
The crystal blades coming out of Kades hands enlarged and in one swoop, cleaved them all in half. Another beam of shadowflame erupted out of the water once Lloyd swam out. He grabbed Kade and kicked him out of the lake. Flying through the air, Kade stopped himself from the force and blazed back to Lloyd.
His hand tore itself apart and merged into a crystalline hammer, as Lloyd's grin increased. Right when the hammer was about to hit, a massive swarm of thousand of tendrils regurgitated from Lloyd's mouth and practically covered the air. The mouths tried to hunt Kade down from the air but he was still fast enough to escape and chisel through them.
Eventually, the swarm infested every direction, tumbling into a ball with Kade inside. The swarm slowly compressed itself together, smaller and smaller as he forced it back. Several blades punctured through the tendon and then he shredded out the swarm, chunks of meat piling down into the water. Kade ripped out a spear from his chest and dashed toward Lloyd.
He shot down and seized Lloyd by the neck, his other hand sharpened to a claw. Purple gas came out of Lloyd's mouth, followed by blinding light. Kade quickly dropped him and jumped away, barely escaping the beam. Kade bolted behind Lloyd, his hands constructing back into a hammer. Before Lloyd could notice, he got entirely swept off the air and flew into the cliffside, making a meter-deep dent through the rock.
Kade swooped up the cliffside, right at Lloyd.
"I'm starving, wanna go grab lunch?" Kade asked with a smile.
"Huh, yeah I'm pretty hungry, and I'll beat your sorry ass next time,"
Kade laughed and raised out his hand and Lloyd grabbed it. The two climbed up the cliff where the man was standing, in absolute horror and awe at the same time.
"Let's go back to The Citadel and get some food," Kade told the man.
"...Okay…" The man responded, "What the hell just happened…"
It was quite a long walk back to the city, enjoying the lush infrastructure of the jungle on the way. By the time they had reached the gates, the markets had gotten quite crowded since the hours before. Everybody seemed to be enjoying life, buying goods as the sweet aroma of beckoning food wafted through the stands. People cheered and talked loudly, bustling with energy. Everyone seemed content, spending time. Nothing else.
Something was wrong…no…everything was wrong. Was he dreaming? Nobody could be enjoying anything…there, there was no possible way…It just couldn't be. Not unless he could enjoy it, why couldn't he?
Because it finally escaped him…even if it was for a moment he bathed in bliss. Yet something pulled that wretched thought right back to him. No matter how hard he tried to escape those thoughts, they always catched up.
And it repeated it again. He was wronged once again.
Wrenching pain struck up through every atom of his body, then simmered down, then burned right up. He clenched his stomach and dropped to his knees. A raspy gag and a large gasp for air erupted out of his mouth, before he was screaming and wincing.
Burning, then simmering.
Then burning, then simmering.
Then burning, then simmering.
His back ached and ached until it dug deep into his flesh, piercing his nerves, coursing through his veins. And it retracted, now like spears bursting out of his skin, shredding his tissue apart as he collapsed on the pavement, rigid and shivering, crying and whimpering. Symmetrical wounds spliced open as ribbons of luminant blue flowed out…
Tentacles tore out his back as he stared into oblivion.