My great thanks to TodaBruh, who kindly chose to use some of his free time to be my beta reader!
Nirvana, Gathering of the Gods.
Sarenrae, the Dawnflower, the Healing Flame, the Everlight, one of the greatest Goddesses of Nirvana, looked around her at the massive room they were in.
In the rare cases when all of the denizens of the Heavenly Realms needed to gather, Nirvana was the accepted neutral ground between the law-abiding forces of Heaven and the more chaotic denizens of Elysium.
Such a thing had not happened since the death of Aroden, and even then the forces gathered that day had not been as many as those here today. For all that Aroden had been heavily respected, he had been a god known only in a single galaxy: Golarion.
This time, the events taking place risked a war across the multiverse, and as such nobody was missing this specific gathering.
From deities like Desna of Elysium and Yahweh of Heaven, to every Lords of all three Heavenly Realms, along with a seemingly endless procession of their subordinates, all were gathered here for one of the most important meetings in all of Existence's history.
The subject matter being, of course, the new God-King of the Eldritch, and his obvious desire to tackle the problem of the Abyss quickly… by war, if necessary.
Of course, the matter wasn't whether or not they would go to war. That had already been decided. Through diplomatic envoys across almost every realm, the new God-king had established himself as a masterful diplomat capable of gathering together the majority of the greater forces of Existence under a single banner. From Axis, the Realm of Order to the Maelstrom, Realm of Chaos, allied forces had been bargained with and either convinced or bought off. For the first time in all of existence, the Eldritch Kingdom had flexed its political power not to bring an end to wars Lady Azathoth considered too destructive, but for the sake of potentially starting a war.
The fact that the one who did it barely even touched on the resources of the Eldritch Kingdom and Pantheon, and instead used his own forces and resources to do so, was a demonstration of staggering amount of power and resources meant to send a very clear message: the new God-king of the Eldritch was no weakling hiding behind Azathoth's shadow, but a genuine powerhouse in his own right.
The Legions of lesser Aeons, as the God's creations were apparently called, were alone potentially strong enough to win a war against the Abyss… several times over. The implication of the creation of such a force… All the while the God himself, from what she knew, barely even seemed to have noticed the expenditure in raw power…
Well. It had sent shockwaves, to say the least.
And Sarenrae needed only to look around to see even more evidence of that fact.
Gorum, the god of war, still looked as delighted as she had ever seen the man, even after losing a fight to the envoy of Aeons who came to bargain for his support. The god was loudly repeating, yet again, the tale of his fight with the Aeon who had supplexed him into a mountain, and by the sound of it, both the Aeon and the war god had become quick friends and would go at it again sooner rather than later.
The added prospect of a war against the Abyss only made the war god even more cheerful than usual.
Milani, the goddess of Rebellion against unjust rule and oppression, was looking almost smug in her seat, a rather rare thing indeed for the patron goddess of slaves. The envoy of Aeons who came to bargain with her had given her a lot of intelligence about the slave trade across the multiverse, and the result was clear in the countless slaves rebellions that had already taken the multiverse by storm, with yet more inevitably going off as the snowball effect began fully kicking in. Entire worlds burned in the fires of war and the hateful screams of the oppressed against their oppressors, but with the information Milani gained, a rather significant number of the wars were going shockingly well for the rebelling slaves, rather than their masters.
Desna, Goddess of Dreams and one of the oldest divinities in Elysium, looked quietly determined. The goddess who once charged the Abyss and slaughtered one of its Demon Lord for the cruelty it had done to one of her follower, almost starting a war in the process, stood visibly unafraid of a potential war against the Abyss as a whole, and rumors had it that the Dreamlands had become a lot more deadly to Abyssal forces recently. Moreover, whispers told of things that came from the Dreamlands taking over the bodies of Abyssal cultists and leading entire cults to their doom echoed in the dark corners of Creation, a foreboding warning of things to come.
And these were but a few examples. Goddess Iomedae had certainly caused quite a few waves when she announced that the former Herald of Aroden, Arazni, that all thought lost to the curse of Undeath after her body had been stolen from her resting place following her brutal death at the hand of the Necromancer Tar-Baphon, had actually been brought back to life, and to her full Holiness once more.
Even now, the once-and-now-again Herald stood by the side of the Goddess she once mentored during her mortal years. No longer a herald of Aroden, but now of Iomedae, she had replaced the Hand of the Inheritor, who was still recovering from his defeat and corruption during the fifth, and last, Crusade against the Starwound. Though the commander of the Crusade had successfully helped him be cleansed of corruption at the hand of the Demon Lord Baphomet, the angel still had not fully spiritually recovered from the torment he had endured, and as such had gladly stepped down to let Iomedae's old friend take his spot as the right hand of the Goddess of Valour.
Arazni's miraculous return to Heaven had sparked massive celebrations, and stood as a living proof of what the Heavenly Realms working together with the new Lord of the Eldritch could accomplish. The woman herself still looked around as if barely believing she could walk in Heaven once more, but the sheer warmth and joy her return had been welcomed with had without a doubt done as much to bring her peace than being cured of undeath did.
The one group that was much harder to read was the one of the White God, Yahweh, as the God sat surrounded by his Archangels, Jesus sitting just underneath him, the god's expression betraying nothing of his thoughts. Even so, the fact that he too had decided to back the new God-King of Creation was well-known, and many wondered exactly what he had foreseen that had convinced him to do so without even having to meet the envoy of Aeons that came to the seventh level of Heaven.
The White God of Heaven was something of a mystery to many, as one of the oldest Gods in Existence, older than most Eldritch Gods even, and as one of the few beings who stood as mighty as the strongest Outer Gods. Only Azathoth herself stood unquestionably stronger, though by how much none were exactly eager to find out the hard way. Combined with God's reputation for always knowing more than even he had any right to know, and he was someone that few, gods or otherwise, could even attempt to say fully understood him.
Still, his wisdom was immensely respected, and his kindness was well-known. Yahweh used to be more wrathful in the past, but something happened as a result of Jesus that had turned his kindness into the stuff of legends, even for the high standards of the hallowed halls of Heaven.
All that Sarendae knew was that both him and his son had become deeply beloved fixtures of the Heavenly Realms, somehow combining an aura of mystery with one of infinite kindness, offering valuable advice to all who were in need of it. If the rumors that Sarendae had heard weren't wrong, she was pretty sure Jesus had even talked to the newly returned Herald, a talk that lasted for hours and left Jesus smiling as he left, and Arazni seemingly much happier… or at least, much less burdened by her past.
Though she wasn't the only unexpected member in this room. The decision of Nocticula, the Redeemer Queen, former Demon Lord of the Abyss, of leaving her realm behind at the end of the Fifth Crusade to ascend to Godhood as a benevolent Goddess, was arguably one of the most stunning events of this Age. Nocticula had always been unique amongst the denizens of the Abyss, but for a Demon Lord to sacrifice everything they had ever worked for to embrace Divinity and patronhood over those seeking redemption was… shocking, to say the least.
And yet, the greatest Gods of the Heavenly Realm, Sarendae included, could attest to the truth of it. Somehow, Nocticula had changed, becoming someone who truly dedicated herself utterly to watching over artists and exiles. Nobody quite seemed to know how, but many had noticed the surprisingly friendly relationship that Nocticula and Andoletta, also known as Grandmother Crow, Lady Archon of respect, consolation, redemption and patron Archon of children had ever since her Ascension…
Sarendae shook her head. At times, a millenia could pass with relatively little events of note, and then days like these happened, where the Starwound of the Golarion galaxy was finally closed and Queen Azathoth herself fell in love and gained an immensely powerful God-king that nobody even knew existed before this.
And that last part was why they were all gathered here. A shudder went through the gathered Gods, Lords and more as the doors opened and the woman they all waited for appeared. Kelinahat, Archon Empyrean Lady of spies, stealth, and the gathering of Intelligence entered, her black wings fluttering in the air, the spymistress of the Heavenly realm walking without a single sign of anxiety despite the sheer numbers of godly eyes staring at her.
"Assembled Lord and Ladies, it is my honor today to host this meeting in the names of all three Heavenly Realms." Kelinahat declared, her purple eyes looking around the gathering of the most powerful beings of all three Realms. "As you know, the balance of power has shifted dramatically following an event that no one could have possibly foreseen: The rise of a God-King of the Eldritch. Moreover, one that quite clearly has a very firm idea of what Reality should look like, and the willingness to do whatever he believes necessary to achieve that vision. That, as we all know, goes as far as waging all-out war against the Abyss if it proves necessary."
Nobody said anything, as this was a fact well-known to all gathered here. The implications of that change would still be debated for eons to come, but this was not why they were gathered here today.
The Lady Archon spoke again, voice soft but firm. "Today, we have been gathered here to make a point of all that we know about the new ruler of Creation. That includes his known, and speculated, short to long terms-goals, the resources at his disposal to do so, and what we know of his history and of those who stand by him even before becoming King of the Eldritch."
Activating an holographic table, an image appeared of a tall, by human standards, human male clothed in cosmic robes, distant stars and galaxies visible within the dark depths of the void of space. The image was slightly uncanny, as if the clothes were no mere clothes, but a cut-out part of the night sky itself.
The robes went all the way over his head, but his face could still clearly be seen. Inhumanly handsome, his features did not distract from the part of him that caught immediate attention: His eyes.
The pupil of his right eye glowed with an inner light that left Sarendae inhaling sharply, the Goddess of the Sun and Light recognizing the same conceptual power. Moreover, she couldn't help but glance at Yahweh, as that Light reminded her of him. It spoke of the warmth of the Stars, of Creation, of Life, of all things Good and True. If a Light could shine with the embodiment of Holiness and Goodness, then that Light was it.
Sarendae wasn't the only one who glanced at Yahweh, though the God himself didn't react… beyond, perhaps, the barest hint of a smile on his lips, almost hidden behind his great white beard.
However, the Lord of the Eldritch's left eye was just as attention grabbing, though for a very different reason. Sarendae shuddered, and almost all within the room did as well, when they made the mistake of looking into that eye. The pupil of that eye was black, a pure darkness that consumes all lights without fail, and it spoke instead of the cool tranquility of the Void, of the inevitability of Death, of Entropy, and the infinite patience born from waiting until the End of All Things. That Darkness was not cruel, nor evil, and yet was almost all the more terrifying for it. It was the cold certainty of the implacable, the inescapable, where Time and Power did not matter, for victory had already been achieved. All that was required… was patience.
And that Darkness possessed an infinite amount of it.
The Lady Archon looked at all gathered in the room, the look on her face making it clear she knew exactly the two different things that had grabbed the attention of all within.
"As you all can tell, the new God-king of the Eldritch is a dual-nature deity." Kelinahat declared, her voice carrying far into the deadly silent room. "However, that is only up to a point. While God-King Aeon embraced the concept of Good against Evil, he had rejected Evil itself. Instead, his nature is one that stands fundamentally against it… while at the same time accepting many of the concepts usually more aligned with Evil, such as Darkness, Death, Destruction, and more. The end result is a shockingly tranquil representation of such concepts, focused, as far as we can tell, on the idea of the acceptance of such things, but only as a natural part of Existence. This makes the new God-King one of the incredibly rare Eldritch Gods associated with the concept of Death who is firmly not evil, for example."
Sarendae nodded. Eldritch Gods of Death were incredibly rare, simply because the very concept of being Eldritch meant they had a very different understanding of such things. As a result, most Eldritch Death Gods tended to be evil, focused on causing the death of mortals and worlds more than anything else.
A non-evil Outer God of Death was going to have consequences, though what those were Sarandae could not begin to guess.
Kelinahat kept going, talking about the known powers and Authorities of the new God, and one thing became very quickly apparent to all gathered.
The new God was breaking, or rather shattering utterly, the normal laws of divine domains. Usually, even the most powerful Gods tended to have limits. Domains they simply didn't have any power over. That was not true in this case. With the notable exception of the concept of Evil, the new God was noteworthy by the fact that he had different Domains for pretty much every facet of Reality-
Sarandae froze, a sudden flash of understanding suddenly going through her like a bolt of lightning.
One of the greatest questions, after the news that Azathoth had gained a consort, was how this could have happened. Nobody, in the history of Existence, had so quickly earned the favor of the Queen of the Eldritch. The closest equivalent was her avatar, but this went far beyond that. And now, she might know.
Somehow, someway, a God representing Reality itself came into existence. Which was even more impossible when you considered that, as far as Sarendae knew, God-King Aeon was born mortal.
So how was a mortal man able to mantle Reality itself?
And what kind of man do you need to be, to achieve such a thing?
"Ultimately, the conclusion that me and my people have come to is this: God-King Aeon, through unknown means, managed to Ascend to a level of power over, and knowledge of, Reality that far surpasses almost any other being in existence, to the point that he may yet be the most knowledgeable God known to the Heavenly Realm at this time." Kelinahat finished, her expression severe, to better show the gravity of her words. "The incredible diplomatic coup that he performed by gaining the support of so many different factions so quickly, at the very least, certainly seems to imply a high level of near-omniscience to successfully pull off, high enough to stand above most gods in Creation."
A few looks were thrown at Yahweh, as the closest to a true Omniscient God that the Heavenly Realms possessed. As expected, the God smiled, but said nothing.
"Should we expect him to be able to know of the details of this meeting, despite all precautions taken to try and keep what is going on here secret?" asked one of the gods present.
"Yes." Kelinahat replied bluntly. "It would not surprise me if he was able to see, if not outright foresee, this entire meeting."
A silence fell upon the gathering, as everyone was once again reminded of the sheer level of power casually thrown around whenever the Eldritch Pantheon was involved in anything.
To be fair, there were legitimate questions about whether or not Yog-Sothoth could do the same. Most often, most inhabitants of the Heavenly Realms believed the answer was at least some measure of "yes."
It was still pretty humbling to be told the best and strongest of three different Realms weren't equal to one Eldritch Deity, though, even if they were amongst the greatest Eldritch Gods in Existence.
"I have a question." spoke Nocticula, gathering everyone's attention. "It is my understanding that the new Lord of the Eldritch had already declared a new law banning the sacrifice of innocents within the Eldritch Kingdom, and backed that law by outright annihilating several Eldritch Gods. Is that correct?"
Kelinahat stared at her for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, it is. Several Eldritch Gods, Elder Gods and Great Old Ones in power, have been utterly annihilated. They are not dead, to be reborn eventually. They outright ceased to exist. Not even Pharasma can change that."
That news sent a lot of whispers across the entire room, as everyone reacted to the impossibility of it. Eldritch Gods didn't stay dead. That was one of the first rules of the Eldritch pantheon. They could be killed, but pretty much none of them could stay dead.
And that rule has, apparently, just been shattered utterly.
"Do we know how that is even possible?" questioned someone in the crowd.
"No." Kelinahat replied bluntly. "We do not. Our best theory is that it was something that Azathoth could do, but never had the desire to perform. However, when she elevated her new husband as God-King of Creation, he inherited part of her Authority, allowing him to bring True Death to even Eldritch Gods. The limits of such a power, if there are any, are equally unknown at this time."
That sent another wave of whispering across the room. Someone, anyone, with the power to bring True Death to the previously though unkillable Eldritch Gods was going to cause drastic shifts in Eldritch society and beyond. Beings who didn't truly fear death would now fear the wrath of the Lord of the Eldritch, for good or ill.
The meeting continued, expanding on the known capabilities of the new God-king, before shifting to his allies.
"Naturally, we don't yet have a perfectly accurate picture of all the forces that the god might have had on his side before becoming God-king. And trying to describe all the forces at his disposal now that he is Lord of the Eldritch would be an exercise in futility." Kelinahat explained calmly. "We do, however, have some knowledge of the forces personally loyal to him. Putting aside the Aeons for now, the first person of interest is her."
A new hologram appeared, showing a human woman as tall as the Lord of the Eldritch, with silver hair and bright blood red eyes.
Curiously, while everyone looking into those eyes could almost taste blood upon their tongue, they also felt a sensation of deep warmth, love and comfort.
"Oedon, Outer Goddess of Blood and Life, at least amongst her primary domains." Kelinahat said. "An Eldritch Goddess of staggering power, second only to her husband, God-King Aeon. Where exactly that leaves her against someone like the Gate and the Key is currently unknown. What we do know is this: She's older than the new Lord of the Eldritch, has been with him since before his Ascension, was born an eldritch goddess and isn't an ascended mortal, and she is utterly loyal to him. Unlike her husband however, she mostly avoids battle and conflict in general, seeking instead to resolve disagreements through diplomacy. Known for her immense kindness, she is the healer to the Eldritch's King warrior. However, she is still a goddess of Blood, and rumors have it that God-King Aeon has personally trained her in battle. In short, she's the equivalent of a more peaceful-minded Sarendae in personality, if vastly more powerful when motivated to join the battlefield."
Quite a few looks were thrown Sarendae's way, but she merely shrugged. She had yet to meet the goddess, so for now she had no opinion on her one way or another.
"Of some interest is the news that Oedon has gone and brought sanity back to the Eldritch Goddess of Blood within her broken kingdom in the Void." Kelinahat continued. "As a result, not only the Great Old One, but all of her lesser clones have gained their sanity back, though they are obviously a traumatized people. The mad Eldritch God who broke the Eldritch Goddess is aware and is already moving to take revenge, though it is worth noting that an envoy from the Lord of the Eldritch has sent a message requesting that none get in the way of the mad god or his forces. Apparently, there is already a plan in place to deal with him."
"Do we know anything about that plan?" asked Arazni, at the right of Iomedae.
"Not at this time." Kelinahat replied.
"Can we offer help to the Great Old One and her people?" asked Sarendae.
Many people turned towards her, and she smiled. "An entire people and an Eldritch Goddess has been freed from Evil. Shouldn't such an event be worthy of celebration? Moreover, even if freed, they have suffered much, and have much to rebuild. Why not offer help? Are we not the Heavenly Realms, incarnations of all that is good in existence? Furthermore, at a time where the relationship between the Heavenly Realms and the Eldritch pantheon and Kingdom has never been so high, is it not the perfect time to strengthen that growing bond by freely offering help to those in need of it?"
Whispers broke out across the rooms as her proposal was considered, many of the gods and Lords present looking thoughtful or even eager.
Kelinahat looked around, then back at Sarendae, nodding respectfully at her. "A good proposal, Lady Sarendae. If done well, such a thing could be very well received by Lady Oedon, which means the Lord of the Eldritch will be pleased as well."
The Lady Archon's expression turned firm, but not unkind. "However, we are not done with this current meeting, so I propose we table the matter until after our current obligations have been dealt with."
Nobody raised any objection, even if some of the more rowdy members of Elysium looked already eager to leave the meeting to do some actual good, instead of just sitting around.
Kelinahat nodded, satisfied, and elaborated as much on the wife of the new Lord of the Eldritch as she could with what knowledge they had, before moving on to the next person.
A hologram of a blonde haired human woman appeared, with the most unique eye color many had seen. Her iris seemed to be a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of colors, many of which couldn't be seen by human eyes. The gods and Lords conceptually closer to Domains of Knowledge sat up in surprise, their Divine Authority recognizing a kindred.
"This is Lucy Miller, the second Goddess already married to God-king Aeon." commented Kelinahat. "And she is a bit of a mystery, for two reasons."
"Which are?" asked Desna, the goddess of Dreams frowning thoughtfully at the hologram.
"First, while Lady Oedon was apparently born an Eldritch Goddess, Lucy Miller was apparently born mortal, much like God-king Aeon." Kelinahat explained. "Despite that, her power is immense, firmly putting her in Outer God level without issue. She isn't on the level of even the least of the Inner Court of Queen Azathoth, but she is without question a multi, multiversal level deity."
That revelation sent a wave of new whispers across the room… though not as loud as what Kelinahat's next words caused.
"And secondly, Lucy Miller is not an Eldritch Goddess. I repeat, she is, very firmly, not an Eldritch Goddess." Kelinahat declared.
"Truly?" asked Desna, visibly surprised, and she wasn't the only one.
"Truly." confirmed Kelinahat. "How and why that is is unknown. All that we know is that, for whatever reasons, while both Lord Aeon and Lady Oedon are very firmly Eldritch Gods in nature, Lady Miller is not."
Theories were thrown around, ranging from the nature of her Ascension impacting her divinity to personal choice causing this strange state of being, but ultimately everyone agreed that, if nothing else, it furthered confirmed that the new Lord of the Eldritch had no problems with non-Eldritch Gods. True, his recent actions certainly seemed to imply it, but more confirmation was never a bad thing.
"Excuse me, but I have a question." spoke up Arshae, the Angelic Empyreal Lady of Freedom, physical beauty, and sexuality. "Just how many wives and lovers does our new God-King have, exactly?"
Kelinahat sighed. "He married three goddesses if we include Azathoth, and six mortal women. In total, he currently has nine wives… And no lovers, as he apparently married every woman he had ever courted."
"Huh. Good for him!" cheered Cayden Cailean, raising a drink in respect, an action repeated by more than a few in the room.
Sarendae shook her head. For the most part, the Heavenly Realms' view on sex was that, as long as it was all consensual, and even better born out of love, then it was all good.
Some, like Yahweh, certainly preferred if sex was done between married couples, but overall nobody would bat an eye at the new God-king having nine wives.
Well, if anything, the fact he apparently married every woman he courted was a point in his favor.
"To get back to our original topic, Lady Miller is principally a goddess of knowledge, and more specifically Science." Kelinahat said, getting the meeting back on track. "Interestingly, she seems to be far less interested in the realm of magic, despite the dual nature of her husband's divinity, and his own mastery of the subject. Instead, her own focus is almost exclusively on more natural subjects, such as mathematics, physics, and such."
"Might that have something to do with her own lack of Eldritch divinity?" asked one of the gathered Lords. "A focus on the material universe and its Laws much more than the supernatural elements of Reality?"
"Unknown at this time." Kelinahat answered, neither supporting or shutting down the theory.
She expanded on her theoretical abilities, as little was known of her capabilities in battle considering that the Goddess seemed clearly entirely uninterested in war, which nonetheless left her potential abilities for destruction as extensive as they were mildly terrifying, considering the sheer amount of power she possessed.
Oh, Gods like Yahweh were far more powerful, but deities like him were rare indeed.
Though less so now, it appeared…
"The next person of importance is not one of God-King Aeon's wives, but instead his daughter, adopted as she may be. This is Sherry Muradasilova." Kelinahat continued the meeting, bringing forth a hologram of a young-looking woman with golden hair and blue eyes- no, wait, red eyes?
"Why are her eyes shifting from blue to red?" asked Cayden Cailean, while giving his drink a suspicious look, as if wondering if he had been drugged.
"From what we know, Lord Aeon and Lady Oedon adopted her when she was still a child, and raised her after her parents, scientists both, proved evil enough to create monstrous, mutagenic viruses that they lost control of. While her mother ultimately chose the path of redemption and is still alive to this day, her father was infected with his own creation and had to be killed. However, Sherry was infected as well, requiring a cure to be created to save her life. Even with the cure however, she remains changed, having been granted an inhumanly high level of regeneration. Furthermore, when Lord Aeon and Lady Oedon adopted her, they shared with her their own divine Blood, turning her into a surrogate child of theirs, and a de facto demigoddess." Kelinahat explained, before waving at the hologram. "As a result, her natural blue eyes can change to the same blood red of her adopted mother at times, and the systems of Heavens seem to malfunction when trying to record her, causing this strange effect where the color of her eyes seems to continuously shift from blue to red."
"Huh." The god of adventurers replied intelligently, before taking a deep pull from his drink and nodding approvingly. "So our new Lord and Lady saw a kid in serious trouble with shitty parents, one biologically changed by their evil, and their reaction was to adopt, raise and love the kid. Gotta admit, that does more to reassure me about their personality than any amount of speeches ever could."
That earned him more than a few nods around the room. Actions spoke much about someone's true nature, and something like that said a great deal indeed about the new Lord of the Eldritch.
"So how strong is she, considering who her new parents are?" asked the God of war.
"Unknown. She is described as still mortal and human, but that means very little when the blood of two deities like Lord Aeon and Lady Oedon are concerned." Kelinahat replied.
Then, her expression… shifted. "There is more, however. We have been able to determine that she has a lover, a man by the name of Saitama. However, surprisingly little has been offered as information about him by the envoys of Aeons. What we do know is that, in his world, he is something called a 'professional hero'."
"A professional hero?" asked Iomadae curiously.
Kelinahat nodded. "Apparently, in his world, monster attacks are considered normal, and as a result an organization was created to encourage the gathering of the most powerful protectors that Humanity possessed. Saitama is described as the strongest hero of that world, but the actual details of his abilities are… surprisingly hard to get from the Aeons. There is one thing, however, that has caught the attention of myself and my subordinates."
"And that is?" Iomadae questioned while leaning forward.
Kelinahat, surprisingly, visibly hesitated before answering.
"The Aeons spoke of the man with actual awe in their voices." she finally answered, looking vaguely confused. "Not just a little either. The kind of awe that people once reserved for names like Aroden at his strongest."
Sarendae blinked, along with many of the people gathered.
"I intend to investigate further, but…" Kelinahat pursed her lips. "The Aeons really were very tight-lipped about him. They didn't react out of fear or anything like that, but with the same kind of respect reserved for something greater than themselves, which considering how powerful they are, has… implications. Despite that, the fact that he is human has been confirmed, but even then, the Aeons seemed to almost… hesitate when acknowledging him as such. As if there was more to the story. And they did mention that Saitama and the Lord of the Eldritch were friends, but yet again, it felt as if that was barely scratching the surface of what is truly going on there."
They all looked at each other, wondering what exactly was going on with that. Quite clearly, there was something important behind this, but since so far all information about the new God-king and those he knew came from the envoys of Aeons, getting confirmation about anything was rather hard.
"The next person of interest is her: Tatsumaki, no known last name." Kelinahat continued, showing a hologram of a tall, well-endowed green-haired woman. "One of the mortal wives of God-King Aeon, coming from the same world as Saitama, she is unique for being considered the strongest of his mortal wives. And by that I mean that she is considered a psychic powerful enough to be a low-level Outer Goddess in her own right."
Gasps echoed in the room, and Sarendae herself blinked in surprise. That was… ridiculously powerful for a mortal.
"That's confirmed?" asked Iomedae, looking just as surprised as everybody else in the room. As a mortal turned goddess, she understood well the limitations of mortal kind compared to divinities, so for someone to get that strong while still human…
"Correct." Kelinahat replied without hesitation. "Rumor has it that even Queen Azathoth herself commented on it."
That sent whole new waves of whispering around the room. A psychic mortal that strong was perhaps, not completely impossible across the vastness of Creation, but it was certainly extremely rare.
"There are three additional pieces of information we have on her. First, she had a younger sister, rumored to be less powerful, but by no means powerless, and we have confirmation on the rather unique universal concept that Lady Tatsumaki has embraced to empower herself."
"Which one?" asked Iomedae.
"Entropy." replied Kelinahat, which certainly surprised more than a few in the room.
"Entropy?" muttered Iomedae. "That's a rather unique concept to embrace, to say the least. Especially for a mortal."
"That is true, but the last piece of information is just as interesting: she, too, is a professional hero, and is apparently considered by the locals as one of their greatest protectors." Kelinahat pointed out.
"Never judge a book by its cover, heh? Good for her." The God of Adventurer spoke up, apparently deciding to not think too deeply about the unique nature of her powers, and more on the personality and deeds of the woman herself.
Which Sarendae could respect. If someone used their powers to do genuine good, then that mattered more than what those powers were.
A good example came from the Commander of the Fifth Crusade, and the nature of his unique abilities coming from the experiments of Areelu Vorlesh. Despite the powers' origins, he still stood for Heaven, Good and holiness, ultimately cornering and defeating Areelu, leading to her death and the closure of the Starwound.
"I have a question." spoke up the God of War. "You mentioned that that Saitama guy was the strongest hero on his world, then mentioned that not only Tatsumaki came from that same world, she is a low-level Outer Goddess in all but name. Doesn't that imply that Saitama is at least Outer God level, despite being mortal?"
Silence fell on the room as everybody considered the implications, but Kelinahat merely smiled approvingly. "Well spotted. I was coming to that, but yes. Based on this piece of information, we can indeed make the guess that the hero Saitama is most likely firmly an Outer God level being, despite being categorized as human."
"That's some stupidly powerful mortals." The god of adventurers remarked, actually setting down his drink for once out of sheer surprise. "Seriously, what are they drinking in that world, and where can I find some?"
"It does lead to the question of just how powerful the monsters on that world are, that such heroes are considered necessary to defend it." grimly pointed out Archangel Michael, speaking for the first time.
Yet again today, silence fell on the room as everyone considered the implications of that, but Kelinahat spoke quickly before everyone could begin to worry.
"About that, the information we got implied that the origin of the monsters on their world has been killed already… by Saitama, interestingly enough."
"So the big bad of that world is already dead?" asked the god of Adventurers.
"The Aeons were quite firm on the matter, yes." Kelinahat confirmed.
"Any idea of how powerful that evil monster was?" shrewdly asked Iomadae, no doubt trying to get a good idea on Saitama's capabilities.
"Unknown… But the Aeons did mention that the fight took place in a locked dimension to avoid collateral damages, and that the being in question was so powerful that knowledge of its mere existence was kept a closely-guarded secret, even after its death." Kelinahat remarked.
"Even after its death?" questioned Desna.
Kelinahat nodded. "Something about wanting to avoid a panic that the mere existence of so powerful an evil being could exist in the first place would risk causing."
"Well. That's not terrifying at all in its implications…" muttered the God of Adventurers, taking a deep gulp of his drink.
"But it is dead?" asked Desna, and Kelinahat nodded again.
Desna, Iomadae, Sarendae and a few others glanced at each other. Golarion had its own monster of terrifying power, but that one was merely sealed away, not killed. And with the brother of Shelyn having become a dark god, the part of the seal empowered by him was breaking apart…
A consideration for another time.
From there, the meeting went on about the other wives of God-King Aeon: Rebecca Chambers, Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield and the Summer Twins (somehow with the same name, if one having silver eyes rather than blue. No information yet about what was up with that).
That led to what, exactly, was the Order of the Hunters of the Dream.
"So, wait." The God of Adventurer spoke up by the end of the explanation. "The God has what is essentially an entire group of immortal warriors personally loyal and trained by him to hunt down dark gods and the worst abominations in existence? Seriously?"
"That's correct." Kelinahat replied. "Each of these Hunters have been trained to take on the worst evils in Existence. Their entire purpose is to hunt down those beings and kill them, and if they fall in battle instead, they are simply brought back to the God's own realm, completely healthy and ready to return to the fight, as many times as is required to achieve victory."
"Well, damn. That sounds terrifying." Cayden said while whistling. "Elite warriors who fear nothing, not even death… depending on how powerful each of these people are, they may as well be like a mini pantheon worth of effective power… or an anti-pantheon, instead."
Kelinahat smiled grimly at him. "That is correct. Each of these individuals are capable of killing gods, and therefore of toppling civilizations if ordered. Of course, compared to the Host of lesser Aeons, that might not seem much, but the mere fact that, once again, mere mortals reached that level of power has implications on what the Lord of the Eldritch is capable of doing to his followers if properly motivated."
She manipulated the hologram, showing a symbol instead.
A stylized sun, hanging above another symbol.
"And speaking of, let us talk about what is arguably the greatest game changer of them all, perhaps even more so than the creation of the lesser Aeons." said Kelinahat, her expression turning deadly serious. "Let me be clear, what I'm about to talk about is, as far as I'm concerned, the greatest possible cause for change across all of Reality. And it is a change that has the potential to impact not only all three of the Heavenly Realms forever, but all of the conflicts between Good and Evil from now on unto eternity."
Sarendae sat up at that, along with many others in the room. Considering everything that has already happened, what else could cause Kelinahat to say such a thing?
"This-" Kelinahat waved at the symbol. "-is the personal symbol of God-King Aeon. I kept it for last, as the abilities it possesses are staggering in their implications."
"What does it do?" questioned Iomedae.
"The symbol itself, as far as we can tell, symbolizes the Greatness awaiting those who surpassed their weaknesses, and who, through their own strength of will, successfully avoided the easy path of ruin and instead took the harder path towards a greater destiny. As a result, it grants specific boons to all of those wearing it."
Kelinahat took a deep breath.
"Anyone with that rune who stands up to Evil, no matter what kind, would be granted power depending on the amount of power that Evil possessed. We do not know if it has a limit, though it most likely does, but the basic logic of it is that even a mortal man, depending on a number of factors, could be made into a godslayer in the right circumstances."
Silence. Pure silence fell into the entire room as everyone thought about the implications, and how much this changed… everything.
Kelinahat continued, her voice burning with awe.
"Of course, the stronger the one with that symbol, the stronger the potential benefits. Someone who knows how to swing a sword would become stronger physically, but someone who knows how to use a sword and magic would be stronger physically and magically. And it works with any kind of power, since it essentially works by boosting the already present capabilities of someone on a scale depending on both the evil fought and the power held by the person fighting that evil."
She looked around, seeing the disbelief on everyone's faces.
"Of course, it is focused on situations where an evil stronger than someone wearing the symbol threatened their life, so if they are fighting someone on their level, the boost would be minimal. But the fact remains: A farmer picking up a weapon will find himself able to match in raw strength a demon Lord, simply by having this symbol upon them. It works whether or not the one having the symbol even has faith in the God, or shows him any reverence. Someone completely ignorant of the symbol's meaning will still benefit from it if faced with evil. As long as someone stands against Evil, and is not evil themselves, the symbol will boost their capabilities to match those of the one fighting him."
She took a deep breath. "In the case of several evils confronting someone, it works based on the strongest evil present. The symbol does not, by itself, guarantee victory. But the mere fact that anyone wearing it is guaranteed to become exactly as strong, fast and agile as their evil-aligned enemy is… incredible. As I said: a farmer, wearing that symbol, theoretically can kill a Demon Lord."
She shook her head.
"It has other uses too, for example I would not want to be the person trying to control the mind of someone who had that rune, and anyone evil trying to make use of it is essentially committing an elaborate form of suicide. But the purpose of the symbol is clear: Above all else, it works by guaranteeing as close to a fair fight as possible between Good and Evil… while in reality favoring Good, as a Good-aligned individual bearing this rune can overpower an Evil-aligned being, but not the opposite. And once again: it works on everybody who is confronting Evil while not being Evil themselves."
"So what you are saying, is that if we were to ensure our mortal followers bear that symbol while fighting the Abyss-"
"-Not one of them would find themselves weaker than their demonic enemies, yes." Kelinahat finished for Iomedae. "They might not be as well equipped, experienced or trained, but in terms of raw strength, speed, agility? They will be physically equal. Mages, meanwhile, will be magically as powerful, if not necessarily as skilled and knowledgeable."
Silence fell on the gathering, as everyone took that in.
A reality where every force of Good would be physically and magically equal to any Evil they confronted. True, differences in tactics, strategies, equipment and more would still play a role between victory and death, but even so!
To say nothing of the immunity to mind control. How many demons used Charm magics to lie and deceive? How many lives, and souls, would be saved by so simple a thing as immunity to mind control?
Sarendae was no true deity of war, but she was old and experienced enough to see the writing on the wall. This could change everything. It would change everything.
"We can think of several reasons for why God-King Aeon's symbol would interact that way with Reality, but the most important to the Heavenly Realms will be the question that will have to be asked in face of this revelation."
Kelinahat looked around, her expression severe. "Should we authorize each and every mortal and immortal followers of the three Heavenly Realms to bear that symbol, alongside those of their chosen deity? The religious implications would be immensely far-reaching… but so would the practical implications in the never-ending war between Good and Evil."
The entire room promptly dissolved into chaos, as everyone began shouting as one.
A lot of people supported the notion, simply because above all else, saving lives and souls were what the Heavenly realms were all about. Others simply pointed out the pragmatic value of such a thing in the war against Evil, in all of its forms.
And yet, many wisely pointed out the sheer precedent allowing such a thing meant for all. Yes, the Eldritch Pantheon were the undisputed Rulers of Reality. That de facto fact was not in question, but so visibly yielding to the Authority of the Lord of the Eldritch would forever show the Heavenly Realms in a subordinate position to the Court of Azathoth.
The consequences, both religious, political and cultural, across all of Reality would be staggering. And it wouldn't be something they could ever truly take back, either.
Moreover, doing such a thing would be an unquestionable show of weakness. It would send a message that the Heavenly Realms had to support themselves thanks to the power of the Lord of the Eldritch in order to hope to gain victory against Evil.
Quite bluntly, the Lord of the Eldritch was giving Reality a poisoned apple with this. Anyone who supported their followers making use of that symbol would implicitly be acknowledging that the Lord of the Eldritch was greater than they themselves were. Again, no matter how true that was, such a thing was not done lightly.
But, as expected, countless voices rose in a clamor against such logic. Working together to fight evil was what the forces of Good did. Was it wrong, all of a sudden, to seek the support of one fully able and willing to stand against Evil?
More, so what if they bowed before the power of the Lord of the Eldritch? Was their pride so great that they would choose protecting it over saving the lives and souls of innocents?
And then a voice spoke up, cutting through all for the sheer power it contained.
"My followers will not be making use of it." The White God in Heaven spoke up, his voice silencing all others. "I have studied this symbol, and learnt of its capabilities. From now on, my own Holy Symbols will be able to do the same."
He smiled, then. "But I will not deny its use to any of you who wish to make use of it. It is a good Symbol of power, and one fundamentally created out of Benevolence."
Silence echoed for several seconds following that proclamation, swiftly followed by even louder shouting. That the White God was able to decipher the Symbol of Power of the Lord of the Eldritch enough to repurpose it for himself was shocking, though not too much, for he was the greatest God of the Heavenly Realms. But it still sent its own shockwaves, as that implied it could be replicated. The fact he also did not speak up against anyone else using it, and even vouched for it, then only added more oil to a raging inferno.
Sarendae glanced at Iomedae, at Desna, and at several other gods, all of them glancing at each other with uncertainty. What choices to make? Allow it, and the strings attached? Ban it, and make a stand against the Lord of the Eldritch, while also removing a powerful tool against the forces of Evil right when war might be around the corner?
Unexpectedly, the gates into the grand meeting room of the Gathering suddenly opened, though such was the chaos going on in the room that most didn't even notice.
The guard looked at the chaos inside the room with a bewildered expression, quite clearly having not expected such a heated debate to be raging, but Iomedae had noticed the unexpected newcomer as well and spoke up, her voice carrying enough power to silence everyone.
"What is it? This room was meant to stay close until the meeting was over. Did something happen?"
Everybody tensed, Sarendae half-worrying that the guard was here to announce that the Abyss had gone to war-
"My Lords and Ladies, we have an… unexpected visitor. Lord Nethys, God of Magic, seeks an audience with all present." The guard fell silent for a second, before continuing. "He carries with him a seal from the Lord of the Eldritch, as well, proclaiming him a new citizen of the Eldritch Kingdom and, de facto, its Pantheon."
Muttering broke out as everyone reacted to the unexpected news. They knew that the Lord of the Eldritch had contacted countless gods, but there was a massive difference between establishing formal relations, gaining a god's support against the Abyss, and then outright joining the Eldritch Kingdom.
"Bring him in!" declared Iomedae, visibly eager as they all were to understand what exactly caused the mad god of Magic to so thoroughly choose a side.
Nobody disagreed, and in short order the guard returned, followed close behind by Nethys… and a single look at the god caused everyone to stare in shock.
Where once his madness caused his appearance to be visibly distorted between the left and right half of his body, now the god appeared whole. Moreover, he appeared sane.
He also appeared wearing robes glowing with magical sigils, and radiating more power than ever before… while both his symbol and that of the Lord of the Eldritch stood proudly on his chest.
"Nethys, my friend, what the fuck happened to you?!" shouted Gorum, the god of war outright standing up in disbelief.
Nethys gave him an amused smile. "The Lord of the Eldritch happened, old friend. His envoy of Aeons carried with them knowledge of a ritual that could, and did, restore my sanity and healed my divinity. For the first time since my Ascension, I am whole, and the greater for it… as you all can see."
Sarendae inhaled sharply. Nethys was an extremely powerful god, one considered more omniscient than most, though less so than the White God. However, he had always been held back by his madness, and the dual nature of his shattered divinity. If he was whole and sane, however-
"They didn't even ask for anything in return." the god continued, visibly amused. "As far as the Lord of the Eldritch was concerned, healing me and ensuring I no longer threatened Reality was its own reward. However, once my sanity was restored, I was not going to accept such immense help given to me without equal payment on my part. So I swore myself to be loyal to him forevermore, a pact I sealed with my own blood. As such, I am now technically part of his Kingdom."
Sarendae's eyes widened. A pact like that… Nethys was now God-King's Aeon most loyal servant, or certainly one of them. A god of Magic like him had to know how much power he was giving away by making that pact, and yet to still go through with it…
But no, it made sense. In the face of being given one's sanity back, there was very little equal to something like that.
Very little… except swearing eternal loyalty.
"So you're his, now, huh?" said Gorum, looking at Nethys curiously, and without judgment. The war god understood debts of honor, and considering Gorum's own praise of the lesser Aeons he fought, the war god so far looked favorably towards the new Lord of the Eldritch.
"Yes." Nethys replied without hesitation. "However, my sanity did come with a lot of changes in my long-term plans, to say nothing of my beliefs. I'm going to have to make some changes in my cults… Though there again, the Lord of the Eldritch came to my aid. And it's on one of his suggestions that I am here today."
"And what is it?" asked Sarendae, very curious about what those two have been plotting now.
Nethys grinned widely, pure mischief clear in his eyes.
"Simple. I, Nethys, God of Magic, formally request the right to establish myself as a God in Heaven!"
For what felt like the millionth time today, pure silence filled the room.
And then everybody began shouting as one all over again, Gorum and Cayden began laughing uproariously, Iomedae put her face in her hands while being patted on the back by a very amused Arazni, and Sarendae decided that some days, it really didn't pay to get out of bed.
The White God in Heaven, meanwhile, threw a thumb-up and a grin at Nethys, visibly thoroughly entertained by everything going on.
Nethys, naturally, merely stood where he was, looking smug and incredibly pleased with himself, thoroughly uncaring of how much of a political clusterfuck accepting a god known for his affiliation with the Lord of the Eldritch into Heaven was going to create.
Desna was bad enough, being an all but publicly known Eldritch Goddess, but this was really not going to help matters with the current political situation!
Between the entire matter with God-King Aeon's symbol, and now this… Oh yes, the Heavenly Realms were going to be utterly chaotic for centuries, perhaps millenia to come as supporters of the Eldritch and believers in Heavenly "independence" clashed for influence.
Sarendae groaned. And here she thought things would be more peaceful after the Fifth Crusade closed the Starwound…
"So wait, she's the Necronomicon? As in, that legendary book of lore about the Eldritch?" Neltharion, the leader of the Black Dragonflight, looked a bit dubious at the young pink-haired, green-eyed girl by my side.
"Yes, I am, you overgrown lizard!" Al Azif shot back, glaring up at the much taller human form of the dragon. "And my Lord has generously decided to offer my services to you, so you could at least try to be properly grateful for the honor!" she harrumphed.
The bewildered black dragon sent me a look, and I smiled back at him.
"While the Necronomicon, and other such legendary books of Lore have existed for a long time, even if the Necronomicon was technically created first by human hands before copies of it spread across all of Space and Time both, I recently used my power to give them lives and purpose. Al Azif herself is every Necronomicon in Existence, though she is fundamentally the "first" version, created by Abdul Al-Hazred himself. As a result, she holds tremendous power and knowledge, all of which can be used for Good in the right hands. And that's why I want you to work together: she'll be able to provide extensive magical support to you and those fighting with you."
I paused, then nodded at Neltharion. "Moreover, there are few better suited to detecting evil energies like those of the Abyss, while at the same time having the knowledge and power to deal with it. With her help, you'll be able to not only cleanse your people from corruption, but your lands as well. My symbol may protect you and those wearing it from the corrupting power of the Abyss, but it does not work as well for lands. If you want a place to live that isn't a corrupted wasteland by the end of the coming battle, you'll need her help."
"Hmmph." Al Azif crossed her arms, smiling proudly. "Now you see, you have the honor of getting the help of the greatest book of lore on the Eldritch in Existence. I have the power to slay Gods contained within me, so victory is assured as long as I'm by your side!" she declared, before scowling at him. "Unless you act like an idiot. There is no saving stupid, I suppose."
Neltharion gave me a look that was half thankful, and half wondering what the hell I was dropping in his lap.
I waved him off. "You'll see. Al Azif may be proud, but she isn't lying. She really has a lot of power she can call upon, more than enough to make even gods step lightly around her. Do your best to work together, and I can assure you that she'll prove herself to you quickly."
"If he can't recognize my greatness, it's his loss." she sniffed haughtily.
"There, there." I told her, patting her head. Al Azif blinked, then leaned into my hand, cheeks reddening slightly while almost daring Neltharion to say anything.
The black dragon merely sighed, then nodded. "Very well then. If you believe that she can help, well, I'm in no position to refuse help anyway."
"Alright. Give me your hand, I need to synchronize myself with your soul." Al Azif said, stepping forward and extending her own hand.
Neltharion did as requested, before shuddering slightly as Al Azif got to work.
"Hmm… I can see the marks left by the Abyssal corruption upon you, though as expected of my Lord's work, nothing remains of it…" Al Azif muttered, before nodding once. "You have a strong soul. It is what allowed you to resist the corruption as you did for so long. It will come in handy, the power I wield will not reach its full potential without someone equally strong to support me."
"Hm. Thank you?" Neltharion replied, before smiling. "I look forward to working with you. Every ally against the Abyss is one I welcome gladly." he said earnestly, a measure of his charisma and confidence returning.
Al Azif studied him for a moment, though I was the only one who caught the genuine feelings of concern, respect, sadness and determination coursing through her as she took in the battered dragon still resolutely refusing to surrender to the Abyss and its legions, even after all he endured.
"Hm. Perhaps you'll do after all." without letting him a chance to reply to that, she turned towards me, her expression turning both respectful yet determined. "I will do my duty, Lord Aeon. You have granted me life to help fight the battles that deserve to be fought… and need to be won. I will never forget my purpose."
I smiled, hiding the sadness I felt at throwing a new life into the hell that was war. I hoped that, over time, she'll learn to live for more than fighting evil… but for now, she was needed.
"Then I leave things in your capable hands, Al Azif. Show Evil that while it may never truly die, Good will always triumph, in the end!"
A.N: Alright! Here is the next chapter in which we continue the events of Love Azathoth!
I was going to start the Dragon war, but personal circumstances led me to writing a world-building chapter first.
So, quick explanation of this chapter: The Heavenly Realms are reacting to a new balance of power where the Eldritch Pantheon, because of Aeon, is actively taking part in the eternal conflict between Good and Evil. While everyone is overall delighted at the news, not everyone agrees on how to best react to that fact.
I wanted to write this chapter to set up future plot points, such as mentioning Rovagug, and also the fact that Golarion is a galaxy in this story, not a world. The Worldwound is thus the Starwound, the equivalent to the Eye of Terror in w40k. Of course, then the Fifth Crusade happened, and it's no longer a concern.
Overall, the galaxy of Golarion is the same as if the Imperium of Man had never risen to power, leaving the galaxy broken up in various warring factions. The technological level is also more or less warhammer 40k, as the "Earthfall" equivalent basically was a galactic-wide clusterfuck on the level of the birth of Slaanesh. Every kingdom thus rules entire star systems, though obviously much of the galaxy is a pretty dangerous place. The Fifth Crusade was thus waged as much in the Void as it was on worlds.
In any case, the end result is that characters found in Wrath of the Righteous are definitely going to show up or be mentioned in the future, though for now I'll be focusing on the dragons.
Also, I didn't mention the seven Pleromas and the lesser Aeons in this chapter, considering that it was already getting long enough as is. Still, if you guys want to see the Gods react to them, and what the Heavenly realms plan to do in response (and in some cases are already doing), feel free to mention it and I'll write the scenes in a future chapter.
A note about Nethys: He is not an Eldritch God, and won't become one. But he is a very powerful god of magic, one already established and respected by many, which does come with some advantages for Aeon.
And finally, to those wondering how exactly the God of the Bible was able to understand Aeon's symbol so much as to replicate its power… He fucking asked. No, seriously, Yahweh took one look at the symbol, understood enough of it that he recognized that Aeon valued people seeking their own greatness, and then straight-up asked True!Aeon if he was willing to help him out. True!Aeon was so amused by someone literally asking like that that he gave Yahweh the knowledge he needed to ensure he could replicate the symbol's power. It does help that Yahweh has the raw power to spare to all his followers, admittedly…
Still, with all that being said, I hope you all enjoyed this update! Next time, I promise, the dragon war will start. And I'm fully planning on showing how dark things can get when fighting against literal demons…