My great thanks to TodaBruh, who kindly chose to use some of his free time to be my beta reader!
System Grimm, Planet Kragg, Eldritch Kingdom, Material universe.
The Eldritch Kingdom was a giant amidst insects. It was a belief that all who knew of it acknowledged as the unshakable truth.
To all who knew of the Eldritch Kingdom, to merely comprehend its size was a near-impossible task for mere mortal minds. The Prime Multiverse was conceptually infinite. Nonetheless, it did have a point of origin, the "point" where everything began. The result was that one could theoretically try and "define" how much "something" was in comparison to "everything".
Naturally, it wasn't truly accurate. Again, the conceptual nature of the multiverse made sure of that.
But, nonetheless, it was widely accepted as "fact" that the Eldritch Kingdom owned over 20% of all of the space within the material universes of the Prime Multiverse.
To say nothing, of course, of other Realms, such as the Dreamlands, where the majority of its inhabitants more or less recognized the Eldritch Pantheon as the ultimate masters of the entire Realm, even if the Dreamlands themselves were no more united than the Material Universes. However, the nature of the Dreamlands ensured that the influence of the Eldritch was felt a lot more, ensuring a greater, direct, influence of the pantheon upon mortal kingdoms.
20% might not appear too much, at first glance. Yes, it was one-fifth of everything, but it "was" only one-fifth of everything.
That number looked very differently when one considered a new fact: the second greatest nation in existence possessed a mere 5%, in comparison.
Thus, even if the Eldritch Kingdom "merely" owned a fifth of the material Prime Multiverse, it still stood four times greater than the second most powerful nation in existence, the so-called "Grand Empire."
And the situation was made even more disparate by what was the original reason for the size of the Eldritch Kingdom. For, despite its size, the might of its military, diplomatic, and economic power, none of those things were what truly ensured that the Eldritch Kingdom was spoken of with both fear and respect by all who knew of it.
No, the truth was that the Eldritch Kingdom stood dominant over all others because of one specific thing: It's pantheon.
Its colossally large, and more importantly powerful, pantheon.
Long before the Eldritch Kingdom properly formed as a unified nation, the foundation of the future juggernaut of Reality was born because Eldritch Gods laid claims to countless systems and worlds across Reality.
Each of those gods were Eternal. Each of those gods possessed power far greater than most others pantheons could imagine. Each of those gods also came to be before most other pantheons, giving them a headstart on top of all their other advantages.
And of course, those gods also stood in the immortal shadow of God-Queen Azathoth, creator of Reality, a being of such unimaginable power that to oppose her was to oppose reality itself.
Some old, ancient and nameless pantheons had tried to make their own claim upon Reality, foolishly believing themselves capable of fighting her.
They were mistaken.
There was no war.
There was only the utter cessation of their existence.
Along with everything around them.
In those early days, the Queen of Reality was still grappling with her own power. The result of that led to entire sectors of space simply disappearing at times.
Entire coalitions of pantheons and mortal kingdoms were born in the desperate desire to stop the seemingly insane Queen of Reality from wiping out entire chunks of it at random.
None of those still existed in this day and age. For, in their folly, their actions led specifically to what they most feared: Azathoth turning her attention towards them.
And her power reacted accordingly, casually annihilating everything beyond any hope of recovery.
Time and time again the same story repeated itself. Pantheons and kingdoms formed, learned of Azathoth, decided to work together to stop her… and then ceased to exist as the young queen focused her attention too hard upon them, with devastating consequences.
Those issues would, one day, lead to the birth of Nyarlathotep, out of the Queen's sheer frustration with simply wanting to focus on parts of Reality, and accidentally erasing everything before her, instead.
But that was not important. What was, was the fact that, quite simply, a combination of the early massive advantages of the Eldritch gods, along with the accidental destruction of all possible early rivals to the rising civilizations that would one day form the Eldritch Kingdom, ensured that the Eldritch faction became the dominant power in existence.
By a lot.
And that… was for both good and ill.
Without competitions, the proto-Eldritch Kingdom grew vast and rich. However, it also had no cause for unification.
Countless worlds, species, and gods thus waged war against each other. With the greatest, and oldest, of the Eldritch either uncaring or unable to establish a more united kingdom, it took countless eons, and countless tragedies, before the process of unification towards the modern form of the Eldritch Kingdom finally happened.
A fact made even worse by the nature of the leaders of the Eldritch faction. As they were all eternals, none of them were in any hurry to "rock the boat", as it were.
In the end, it was a combination of several factors that saw to the final unification of the Eldritch Kingdom. One, Queen Azathoth finally got a handle on her powers, allowing her to actually interact with beings infinitely smaller than she was safely.
Secondly, the coalescence of supernatural factions like the Heavenly Realms, their Infernal opposites, Axis and the Maelstrom created the desire for a more unified front within the Eldritch Faction.
Thirdly, the growing numbers of mortal kingdoms, ones who remained unshattered thanks to Queen Azathoth not accidentally destroying them.
Fourth, the growing diplomatic and economic ties between the proto-Eldritch Kingdom and its people, along with those of all others within the multiverse.
All that and more led to many changes. First, The Eldritch Kingdom was finally made reality, rather than existing as a loose confederation like it did previously. That being said, as with everything within the Eldritch Pantheon, the changes were rather slow going. It was one thing to ratify a treaty, it was another to put it into practice. That led to the very, very slow centralization of power instead of the hoped-for quickly achieved unity, a status made so much worse by the simple fact that Queen Azathoth herself was a very passive ruler, one who never had quite the political ambitions, and vision, required to truly unite the Eldritch Kingdom under her rule. Combined with both the natural Eldritch inclination for stagnation as a direct result from their immortality, and the sheer size and diversity of the civilizations existing within the Eldritch Kingdom, and all of it ensured that, while on paper the Eldritch Kingdom was now unified, in reality it was an incredibly decentralized mess where laws, customs and traditions diverged widely, to say nothing of technology and mystical knowledge. It wasn't rare to have a system thriving with countless trillions of inhabitants and a GPD bigger than entire star nations being neighbors with one that barely had a few millions people living entirely on basic farming.
Secondly, the Versal Council, created by Queen Azathoth herself with the full support of countless other Pantheons, was born to ensure the continual stability of the Omniverse as a whole. Countless metaphysical matters had been put into Conceptual Laws as a direct result of the Council's existence, ensuring a growing stability over the Omniverse on levels previously unseen, as Reality itself finally, finally stabilized into a more cohesive whole with clearly distincts rules. This proved to be one of the few places where the Queen of the Eldritch actually made use of her sheer power, literal and political, as it was a matter deeply personal for her… But even that lasted only for so long. Once she was satisfied with the metaphysical stability of her Creation, Queen Azathoth slowly withdrew away from being the prime driving force of the council, leaving it to start bickering and infighting from the ensuing lack of clear guidance and purpose, as the power vacuum left behind was fought over by all for whatever scraps of influence they could get for themselves.
Thirdly, the unification of the Eldritch Kingdom caused countless wars and alliances to be made by other mortal factions, fearful of the possibility that the Eldritch Kingdom might, now that it was unified, go on a rampage of conquest across Reality. The truth of it of course was that, for the most part, those sudden invasions never occurred, as the Eldritch Kingdom cared little about all the lesser nations around itself. That isn't to say, however, that all members of the Eldritch Kingdom did not, in fact, make use of the greater unity to go to war, and expand their borders against non-eldritch factions… and in some cases, actual Eldritch factions as well, the Queen's unwillingness to flex her power ensuring that numerous intra-Eldritch conflicts continued to flare up, long after the beginning of the slow process of unification. Still, the end result of that wide-scale fear-mongering, along with the occasional real invasion, brought about the perfect fertile ground for the wars that saw the rise of the Grand Empire (partially affiliated with the Heavenly Realms), the Lithic Empire of Star-Empress Anhdria (allied with Hell), the Abyssal Empire of the man only known as the Branded King (affiliated with the Abyss) or the diplomatic ties that would create the Oblivion Compact, a vast concordat of hundreds of smaller star nations banding together in the hopes of resisting all invasions, whether from the Eldritch Kingdom or others.
All of that together brought about the political situation that would more or less shape the Prime Multiverse to this very day. Such was the power of each of those growing nations that all others growing power across the Verse had little choice but to choose one of them as "patron" who would have the raw power to protect them from the ambitions of their rivals.
The majority of those loosely affiliated factions proceeded to form pacts with the Eldritch Kingdom, mostly for a few reasons: The fact it was the largest nation, ensuring its borders came close to countless lesser nations. The fact it was by far the most powerful militarily, economically, politically, and more, which gave a sense of security to these small fishes in a sea full of hungry predators. The general uncaring nature of the Eldritch over more standard political issues, ensuring that republic and empires alike found Eldritch patrons willing to support them. All of that and more ensured that, despite the lack of involvement from Queen Azathoth herself in most matters of politics, religion and more, the Eldritch Kingdom built for itself a vast, chaotic sea of allied nations, all of them clinging to their patron's back for both matter of security and prosperity.
For countless eons, those facts remained unchanging. Only the destruction of the world of Queen Azathoth's favorite species, and the self-exile of her Avatar, led to any real noticeable changes, as the previously apathetic Queen finally began to work on strengthening the centralization of power, bureaucracy and laws of the Eldritch Kingdom. Even with that however, once again both the sheer size of the Eldritch Kingdom and the Queen's unwillingness to rock the boat too much ensured that the process was slow, if not outright non-existent for non-Eldritch beings… Though to those, the changes may as well be lightning fast, especially from their usually passive Queen, and her newfound passion in ruling her kingdom was seen fondly by countless, who eagerly began to try and solve literal age-old problems at long last, now that someone with the political power to do something was actually getting to work.
However, the fact remained that, for all of the Queen's newfound will to actually tackle the many, many problems of the Eldritch Kingdom, it still didn't change the fact that the downright isolationist policies of the Eldritch Kingdom had not changed. If anything, they only grew, as the focus of the Queen on tackling internal issues ensured that nobody gave too much care about the rest of Reality.
Quite simply, having the Queen actually focus on doing things rather than being a beloved figurehead was by itself a massive change for the people of the Eldritch Kingdom, at every level of civilization, and only the oldest of the Eldritch even remembered a time where the Queen was as active as she had now become.
And things might have stayed that way, with the Queen slowly working on actually solving some of the issues of the Eldritch Kingdom for a few more billions, or trillions years…
If everything had not changed with a shocking announcement made to all.
The Queen had found a King.
To say that it threw everything on its head would be a major understatement. Spontaneous celebrations began all across the width of the Eldritch Kingdom, and for a time it was all everyone could talk about.
The fact that the King was an Ascended Outer God was already a shock. Outer Gods were amongst the greatest Divinities of Reality. In the Eldritch Kingdom, each and every single one of them were deeply respected figures, beings of might and wisdom with very, very few equals. To have a mortal become one was an incredible achievement, and an incredibly rare one.
That the King was second only to Queen Azathoth herself in raw power, and that his first wife was implied to be a close third, was a second shock. Outer Gods at the level of the Queen's Inner Court were very few. Adding no less than two would, by itself, strengthen the Eldritch Pantheon immensely.
For a time, every civilization spent every resource they could simply trying to learn more. What was he like? Who were his lovers? What were they like? How did the Queen meet her new King? How did they fall in love?
Not all questions received answers, but enough of them did to send new waves of talk, rumors and more flying.
His name was Aeon. He had eight known lovers: Oedon, his first wife, and his near equal. Lucy Miller, a goddess powerful enough to be an Outer Goddess in her own right while not being Eldritch (which sent quite a few whispering, both at the rarity of such a powerful goddess existing -yet again- and also at the confirmation that, most certainly, the King had no issues with non-eldritch deities). Then 6 mortals, of different levels of power… but all of them powerful enough to at least be able to kill Elder Gods (which was very impressive.)
He also had an adopted daughter, implied to have a lover herself (which made many immediately hopeful for a marriage in the new royal family decide to wait for now), a mortal said to have no small amount of power herself.
If that was all, it still would have sent shockwaves, as the Eldritch Pantheon and Kingdom would have been immensely strengthened by that union.
But then the King started acting as King, with shocking speed. An impossible feat was performed when he gave True Death to several Eldritch gods at once. New Laws were quickly passed by his will (the constitution of the Eldritch Kingdom did give him the authority to do so, and the law itself was very enthusiastically supported by many, or at the very least uncaringly supported by many more who were indifferent to the sacrifice of sentient beings). The species favored by Azathoth, whose' homeworld destruction directly led to her becoming more active politically, was seemingly brought back from the brink of extinction instantly, homeworld and all, which sparked a new round of celebrations.
And then…
There was the situation with the Abyss.
As an accepted fact, the Eldritch Kingdom did not go to war. It has never happened before. Not as an unified whole, at the very least. Singular civilizations, gods and the like? Oh, very often. But as a whole? Never.
Not once.
It had never happened.
Quite simply, the only one respected enough to send them all to war, the only one with the political weight to do so, was Queen Azathoth.
Until now.
Because now, they had a King.
Now, it might seem strange for an entire kingdom to go to war for the sake of someone still so unknown to all. But simply put, there were a lot of considerations that explained it.
First, it wasn't just anybody making the decision. It was the Outer God who was declared King by Azathoth herself. And Azathoth was very, very respected in the Eldritch Kingdom. Her overall lack of involvement in the running of the Kingdom might seem at first glance like a cause for less popularity, but that wasn't the case. Eldritch beings saw things differently. For them, Azathoth had created Reality. That she had little desire to do more didn't change that fact. All things owed their lives to her, and if she wanted, the Eldritch would gladly go to war in her name. She was more than a ruler, she was the embodiment of what it meant to be Eldritch. She was seen as the heart and soul of the Eldritch, a literally worshiped greater being that stood far greater than all others. Her will was, literally, the laws of existence. Moreover, the culture of the Eldritch Kingdom placed heavy emphasis on a certain cosmic view of Life itself. Mortals were seen as near insignificant compared to Eldritch Gods, who ruled over Creation as the Greater Beings that they were. The cultural, religious and political views of things were thus that, if the Gods wanted war, there would be war.
Moreover, the very nature of the Eldritch meant that the Gods, and many of the lesser beings, did not fear death on the battlefields. Being eternal naturally makes people more willing to get into dangerous situations. That fact was combined with the truth that there were many, many beings in the Eldritch Kingdom who, for one reason or another, felt that the Eldritch Kingdom should make use of its power on a grander scale. Not all of them were warmongers, but there certainly were a great many of them. More, even amongst those normally against war, the nature of the enemy (that is to say, the Abyss and its demons) meant that many who would ordinarily be against a war were more… thoughtful than normal.
Nobody liked the Abyss. To have the Eldritch Kingdom finally take care of them would be a victory for the Kingdom not only in terms of prestige, but also in terms of multiversal standing. They were the first kingdom in existence. The greatest kingdom in existence. Why not, then, prove their worth with a righteous war that would show to all the superiority of their people?
The nationalists were eager for glory. The moralists supported the idea of dealing with the Abyss. The religious wanted to support their gods. The economists debated about the long-term benefits and cost of war. Those eager for more involvement with the greater omniverse sang praise about the treaties of mutual alliances the King had negotiated with seemingly almost every supernatural Great Faction, while still leaving the Eldritch as the first amongst equals.
People still worried about the scale of the war and the damage it would bring, but the sheer diplomatic victories the King had immediately secured had reassured countless that, if nothing else, the war would be won. Of course, nobody had a doubt about that, but the sheer amount of allies gathered quickly had made it clear that, if nothing else, the King seemed to know his stuff, and would not leave the Eldritch Kingdom to bear the weight of this war alone.
Then delegations of Aeons were sent across the Eldritch Kingdom, negotiating deals and making plans with the greatest movers and shakers of the Eldritch Kingdom, with a level of skill and precision that ensured that, despite the (numerous) internal issues of the Kingdom, everything should run smoothly if war broke out, and even the more skeptical of the economists began to tentatively support the possibility of a war.
All of which led to this moment.
Lord Militant D'yzherc Ahothli, Ruler of the Grimm System, stared with pride and satisfaction at the sight before him.
Surrounded by his subordinates, they watched from a high balcony as legions upon legions of soldiers in perfect ranks, perfect coordination, and perfect discipline, walked up the gigantic plaza before them towards the spaceships waiting for them.
The Grimm system was one of, if not the greatest military-focused system in the Eldritch Kingdom. Each of the eight planets had a different biosphere, each of them meant to act as training grounds for legions of soldiers. Those planets even had underground layers going deeper towards their planetary cores, each carefully regulated to ensure the perfect conditions required to toughen up the soldiers in training.
From the most frigid cold to the most unbearable heat, the system's planets had been carefully adapted to suit the needs of the military.
And it wasn't just the planets that had been worked on. A dyson sphere surrounded the local star, with countless people building warships, guns, artillery and more within it. The space across the width of the system was shock-full of star forts, military bases, space military academies, and more. The entire galaxy beyond the system was firmly under the control of whoever ruled the Grimm system, so influential it was. Every system, every planet, every civilization of an entire galaxy dedicated to supporting the ambitions and armies of the system of Grimm.
Countless hundred of trillions called this system home, and the vast majority of them had served in the military at one point or another. Even now, they still served, whether by training to be soldiers, or by building the tools those soldiers needed.
The Grimm system had been part of almost every conflict the eldritch kingdom had ever been engaged in. Its armies were infamous across the entire multiverse. Highly trained, highly motivated, they were the best of the best. Even the Gods themselves occasionally had to battle one another for the right to get a single army from the system temporarily serving them, so coveted they were across the Kingdom. Its armies and fleets had seen countless smaller star nations brought low. The mere possibility of an army from the Grimm system arriving could end wars instantly. Countless Gods owed favors to him, a mere mortal, as Lord Militant of the system. Moreover, the sheer strategic importance of the system, and the galaxy supplying its armies, meant that Queen Azathoth herself was the patron Deity of its people, for nobody else could be allowed the honor, and the power that came with it, of being its divine patron.
And yet, for all of that, the Eldritch Kingdom had simply never gone to war as an unified whole. Never before, in all of its history, had the armies of the Grimm system been united in purpose. It was the longest source of both pride and shame to all of its people that quite simply, Queen Azathoth had never before needed to make use of her authority to see them ready for true, total war.
That had consequences, he knew it well as Lord Militant. Simply put, without an actual need for their armies, they were sold off to the highest bidder. Yes, all of those bidders were ultimately serving the interests of the Eldritch Kingdom as a whole by conquering neutral systems or fighting piracy, but it didn't change the fact that for all their patriotism, there was an immense mercantile influence upon the entire system, where armies lived and died in the names of riches and favors owned, rather than actual national interest.
It was a state of affairs that many found unacceptable, but it also wasn't something that could be easily dealt with. Quite simply, without a cause worth fighting for to rally behind, there was no other way to keep the prestige of the system strong. And while its power, and wealth, grew immensely from the current state of affairs, it was still something he and his political allies found somewhat distasteful.
But now… now, that might very well change at last.
Looking up, he saw the sky filled with the sight of warships of all sizes ready for war. On the grounds, billions of soldiers continued to walk forward, so numerous were they that the soil of the entire planet seemed to shake at their every step. Tanks rolled forwards by the millions, fighters filled the air like stars, and all of it with a coordination so perfect it would make any drill sergeant shed a tear of pride.
This was the Eldritch Kingdom's military at its greatest. Technology and mystics working hand in hand, as standard soldiers rubbed shoulders (or other body parts) with mages, priests, psychics, and more, all of them trained in the arts of war to be as deadly as possible against whatever foes they might face.
And for once, it was not gathered in the name of money, or political favors.
It was gathered and ready for war, true total war, in the name of the Eldritch Kingdom itself.
For the first time in history, Queen Azathoth gave the orders to gather the troops. For the first time in history, star forts and planetary fortresses were carefully inspected not as routine, but to make doubly sure everything was ready for a possible invasion upon the system. Reserve soldiers were recalled. Mobilization was ordered. Supply depots were carefully inspected and anything missing were restocked, at high cost if need be.
To his shame, the numbers of incidents where things were not as they should be was… far higher than he expected, or even feared. There will be a rather impressive number of military trials for everything from negligence to incompetence and worse over how much of an unprepared mess parts of the system had turned out to be. The number of cases where people gathered funds meant for the army and used them for themselves will lead to quite a few executions, the more brutal the better.
The Lord Militant did not appreciate finding himself stuck with a logistical mess when war, true war, was ready to begin at a moment's notice.
And let's not even get started on the spies and traitors amongst their ranks…
Still, as he watched countless soldiers march forward in powered armors almost glowing with techno-sorcery shields, actual glowing weapons in hands, with military vehicles by the millions behind them, the Lord Militant smiled.
The political situation was deeply chaotic in a way it hasn't been in a long time, but their new King was clearly a God of action and ambitions, and one not afraid to make use of the immense military power of the Eldritch Kingdom to get his way. Fighting the Abyss was going to be a brutal, bloody war, and one that would not be nearly as easily won as the petty conflicts his soldiers had been used to fighting for so very long now.
But as far as he was concerned, that was a good thing. War was a costly business… unless your business was war. And to his people, a total war was exactly what they had wished for for a very, very long time.
Even if war did not start, the new political goals of the Eldritch Kingdom under the rulership of their new king was already made clear: no longer would the Eldritch Kingdom focus on isolationism, now they would actually focus on exerting their considerable influence upon the rest of Reality.
And that implied conflicts. Conflicts in need of soldiers.
His soldiers.
As he watched the sight before him, the Lord Militant of the greatest military bastion of the Eldritch Kingdom felt like he was watching the awakening of a giant, one that would change all of Reality, in one way or another. And he and his people would be the tip of the spear plunged straight towards the heart of their foes, whatever forms they may take.
As one of the greatest supporters of nationalism and militarism in the Eldritch Kingdom, the Lord Militant eagerly awaited to see what the future held with their new, politically ambitious king on the throne.
Now, the only question that remained on his mind was just how much of the countless favors owed to his people he should start to call upon to better prepare for a future where war, true war, would finally come for the Eldritch Kingdom…
Midnight's Palette, personal realm of Nocticula, Elysium.
The times were changing.
Changing in ways that even she could have never foreseen
The rise of a King of the Eldritch was sending shockwaves across the multiverse, and long-held beliefs and factions were shattering by the day, as newfound alliances were built by the will, and actions, of a single being.
A level of unity never before seen now existed between the Great Supernatural Factions of existence, as they all collectively threw their backing behind the new King. As someone who once ruled by cunning and manipulations, she could see the way that the new King had used the Abyss for his goal of cementing his new rule faster than he ever would have otherwise.
Oh, she did not doubt that he was genuinely eager to see the Abyss brought low. The talk she had with the envoy of Aeons sent her way had been enlightening in many ways.
But at the same time, the part of her that remained from her days as a Demon Lord of the Abyss couldn't help but be deeply respectful of the masterful wide-scale political manipulations the new king had weaved across Reality.
The Eldritch Pantheon and Kingdom had always been the de-facto rulers of Creation. Quite simply, they were too powerful for anything else. All the power-plays, manipulations and preparations in the omniverse didn't change anything in the face of the pure, raw power of the Eldritch.
However, the Eldritch, by their very nature, were slow at actually getting anything done. Their plans spanned eons, and rarely were meant to actually get anywhere in less than millions of years, if not billions.
That fact, combined with the lack of an unified front in anything that didn't involve Queen Azathoth acting personally (a very, very rare thing), meant that they were like a mountain.
Massive, unbreakable, plunging all below in its shadow… but easily avoided as long as you didn't deliberately try to fight it.
Quite simply, the eternal conflict between the Heavenly Realms and the Infernal ones was something that the Eldritch as a whole had never bothered to do anything about. Some eldritch factions or gods might have personally decided to get involved, but they were rare exceptions, not the rule.
In short, all political concerns between all factions were built upon one truth: do not poke the sleeping Old Ones and wake them up cranky.
It was a Truth so deeply upheld that no Demon Lord, not one, has ever been stupid enough to actually challenge the whole of the Eldritch. Even Queen Slann herself tended to just… ignore the Eldritch in her endless plots.
But now, the Old Ones had been jerked awake by the news of having a new King.
A King who, quite obviously, took one look at the overall multiversal situation, and decided to bring changes to it… far-reaching ones.
The Mountain was now running forward. And it was doing so with purpose previously unseen in all of history.
"My Lady, Lady Shamira is here."
"Send her in." Goddess Nocticula replied to her servant, who bowed, before leaving the room.
Nocticula stared off in the distance, staring up at the twinkling stars in the night sky of her personal realm, letting the wine in the glass she held in her right hand slowly move back and forth as she stood over one of the balconies of her palace, deep in thought.
She heard the faint footsteps of her once subordinate during her days as Demon Lord, the sound so quiet that few beyond her could ever hope to notice the presence at her back.
The faintest rustling of clothes heralded Shamira kneeling in respect behind her, followed by a deeply respectful "My Lady."
Nocticula turned, her perfect lips quirking up into a smile as she looked at her old "friend" and lover.
"Rise, Shamira. You hardly need to kneel to me these days."
The succubus she had left in charge of her old realm did as ordered, a firm look in her eyes as she shook her head.
"It would be improper for me not to do so."
Nocticula let out a small scoff, but then sighed, recognizing a lost battle when she saw one.
Especially considering recent events.
"Very well. Instead of arguing about this yet again, let us get to the point. How are you doing?" Nocticula asked, her expression softening at the question, especially when Shamira promptly grimaced.
"Things back in the Abyss are… not going well, my Lady." Shamira finally replied after a moment of hesitation, which by itself said more than any words.
"Somehow, I suspect that is an understatement." Nocticula said wryly, and Shamira grimaced slightly yet again.
For her to so openly show how bad things are… Oh yes, things aren't going well indeed, the goddess couldn't help but think.
"The Abyss is reacting to the current events exactly as we feared: by mobilizing for war, heedless of the consequences." Shamirra told her. Which wasn't anything unexpected, but it still said a great deal about how doomed the Abyss was.
"Every Demon Lord has received orders from Queen Slann to be ready for a multiversal-scale war. Naturally, countless demons are all too happy to hear the news, and it's hard to decide whether they are more busy laughing over all the killing they will do once it starts, or more busy killing each other to better 'prepare' for the war."
The sheer contempt in Shamira's voice over both reactions made it clear what she thought of it all.
"Surely some of them are smart enough to understand what is coming?" questioned Nocticula.
Shamira sighed. "Some of the Demon Lords quite obviously have enough brains to recognize that this won't be a war that the Abyss can win. A 'standard' Heavenly-Infernal war of 3 realms on both sides fighting each other would be bad enough. With Abaddon now firmly under Eldritch control, and Hell currently imploding as they try to decide the best path forward after the very… memorable meeting between their envoy and the new King of the Eldritch, on top of Axis and part of the Maelstrom siding with the newborn Coalition… Anyone not bloodrunk on the idea of a multiversal-scale war is currently shaking in terror in the Abyss. Unfortunately, the nature of Demons means that the vast majority of the Abyss are made of people with… less than impressive grasps on long-term strategy. Pride is a Sin that is now costing us a great deal."
Shamira shook her head. "As for those with enough brains to recognize their doom… What can they do? They hold no power over the King of the Eldritch or his policies. Running or hiding would hardly work with the enemies assembled against the Abyss, and fighting will only lead to death as well. Thus, many demons are considering just gorging themselves on blood and cruelty while they can, before death claim them all."
Shamira shrugged slightly. "And that's without mentioning the losses in competent commanders caused by the Fifth Crusade that saw the end of the Starwound of the Golarion galaxy. The Abyss has still not fully recovered from the sheer carnage of that war."
"And Queen Slann?" questioned Nocticula.
This time, Shamira outright looked at her in the eyes with a grim look.
"Queen Slann is trying to present a strong front, but her own efforts in securing allies have been… not unsuccessful per say, but from what my spies reported, it felt more like all those who she convinced to side with her were people who would have done so by default. In short-"
"You suspect the King of the Eldritch deliberately avoided negotiating with some factions and gods specifically to drive them into the arms of the Abyss, so that he could have a Casus Belli for destroying them all once the war started." finished Nocticula.
Shamira bowed her head.
"Yes, my lady."
The Goddess took a sip of her wine, before nodding.
That was her thoughts, as well.
Mostly, at least, with some changed details from what she learned from her meeting with the Aeons delegation.
"An not inaccurate guess, though you are missing some facts." she finally revealed.
Shamira blinked at her in confusion. "What facts, my Lady?"
Nocticula smiled. "Follow me." she turned, heading towards where she kept the "gift" she got from the envoy of Aeons, Shamira following curiously after her.
There were always doubts about loyalty when it comes for Demons, but Shamira knew better than to betray her. Especially with recent events, where her position in the Abyss was put to risk both by a suddenly active Queen Slaan that had to know that the Midnight Isles weren't the most loyal realm within her kingdom, and the Coalition threatening to slaughter everybody within the Abyss once the war started.
Quite simply, Nocticula had become a goddess no longer affiliated with the Abyss at the perfect time to be in a prime position to be both part of the Coalition, and yet have countless contacts within the Abyss.
That made Nocticula valuable in a way nobody else could claim, as her network of allies, subordinates, and spies was of immense potential strategic value to the Coalition.
And of course, an immense threat to the Abyss itself.
Even better, Nocticula's new… views on life and her divinity offered her some unique allies, as it turned out.
The White God of Eden had supported her actions since her Ascension, even if not directly. The presence of his angels helping out from time to time still sent a clear message to many.
And then… there was, as mentioned, what happened with the envoy of Aeons sent to her.
Nocticula and Shamira reached the room the goddess was heading for, and within it she showed off the gift she had received.
Shamira's eyes widened at the massive, almost wall to wall painting in the room, showing off a representation of the Multiverse and the Great Factions and Planes that ruled over it.
Obviously, the Eldritch Pantheon was represented as the unquestionable masters of Reality within the painting, but of more interest were some of the more… interesting creative choices made.
"The Abyss… it isn't there!" exclaimed Shamira.
Nocticula smiled. "Correct. What else do you see?"
Shamira's eyes narrowed, glancing towards-
She blinked.
"... What is going on with Hell?" she asked.
"The painting represents Reality not as it is, but as it might become." said Nocticula. "Hell, as you can see-" she waved towards it, showing the plane seemingly glitching in and out of existence. "-is represented as having two possible futures. The one where Abaddon reigns, alone, supreme as the sole Great Infernal Realm-" Hell seemingly disappeared, leaving only a massive representation of Abaddon, with the Four Horsemen sitting as Kings and Queen undisputed over the souls of all sinners. "-and the one where Hell bends the knee to the Eldritch Throne." Hell reappeared, the place in the painting reserved for the Infernal realms shifting to show not one but two realms, ruling equally over the souls of all sinners, but with both of them clearly bound to the Eldritch Throne.
Nocticula let Shamira stare and think over the implications for a time, before she drew her attention to other parts of the painting. "But that wasn't what I wanted to show you. Here, look at these, and tell me what you see."
The Goddess pointed at various sections of the painting, showing off both lesser planes and kingdoms within the Material Universes.
Shamira looked at them closely, her mind working furiously as she tried to see the pattern before her-
And then it hit her, when for a moment the Abyss reappeared, showing the current state of Reality… but with clear differences at the spots marked.
She gasped softly. "The Abyss… all of their allies are…!"
"Gone." declared Nocticula, voice sharp like a Sword of Damocles falling. "King Aeon does not actually intend to start the war yet. Instead, he's baiting the Abyss into scrambling for allies… but when the Dragon War end in his people's victory and the Abyss retreating, he'll use the metaphysical victory as a tool to seal the Abyss with from the rest of Creation, beyond the other Infernal Realms, for ten thousand years. Time enough to strengthen the Coalition, focus on building up the Eldritch Kingdom to be more ready for war, and above all annihilate any and all natural allies of the Abyss across the Multiverse. By the time the demons and Gods of the Abyss will be free to return, they will find a hostile reality ready for the final war."
Shamira stared at the shifting painting before her, contemplating everything she had heard.
If her lady was correct, then the Abyss was about to be stuck in an even worse situation than she had previously thought.
Still…
"Why let the Abyss have access to the other Infernal Realms?" she couldn't help but question.
"King Aeon is of the belief that Hell will not bend the knee… not if they have any other options. So instead, he wants Hell free to declare war on the Abyss, and for both factions to escalate the Blood War into a full-scale, total war. On top of that, King Aeon will use his Authority to ensure the souls of the Chaotic Evil souls of the dead end up in Abaddon rather than the Abyss." Nocticula replied.
Shamira's eyes widened. "That's…! It would starve the Abyss of new souls while leaving Hell-"
She paused, inhaling sharply.
"-Leaving Hell as the obvious target of the Abyss when it comes to stealing souls. They could try Abaddon, but that would risk bringing them into the war with Hell, on top of bringing in the Coalition… no. The Abyss would have no choice but to focus on Hell, weakening both sides-"
Nocticula smiled coldly, with respect shining in her eyes. "And then King Aeon will declare that Hell can't safeguard the souls of the Damned either from the predation of the Abyss, and move to have all souls of the Damned sent to Abaddon."
Shamira froze. "That- That would start a war!"
Nocticula chuckled darkly. "A war? When Hell will be too busy sending everything they have against the Abyss and vice-versa? Oh no, Hell won't be able to afford to go to war. They will scream, they will rage, and in the end they will be able to do nothing meaningful. The only thing they could do is stop the war against the Abyss, ally with them instead, and then go as an united front to war against the Eldritch… but that would just doom both factions. And all the while, Abaddon will grow stronger, now free to use the souls of all the Damned to build up their forces."
Shamira stared at the shifting painting, seeing for herself how everything would change as plots within plots would follow one another until both Hell and the Abyss were brought low.
"And thus," finished Nocticula, "once the ten thousand year end, the Coalition will be free to fall on top of the Abyss, who would have gone to war against Hell and weakened itself all this time. The ensuing war might still not be short, but it will definitely be a crushing victory for the Coalition, and it will leave not only the Abyss destroyed forever, but Hell weaker than ever."
"At which point King Aeon could easily give them an ultimatum: Kneel or die like the Abyss." muttered Shamira.
"Exactly." said Nocticula with a satisfied smirk.
Shamira let out a breath, looking at the ever-shifting painting with both trepidation and awe.
This… This was a plan that would change Reality forever.
"And what of our place in all of this, my lady?"
Nocticula smiled. "As it turns out, while the King has a plan, his first wife has her own plot. Specifically, she wants to try and redeem as many denizens of Hell and the Abyss as possible. Our part, then-" and Nocticula made sure to emphasize 'our' towards Shamira "-is to facilitate that goal, by using the Midnight Isles as a place through which to coordinate the efforts at both redeeming both Demons and Devils, and then getting anyone redeemed who desire it out of either realm. Lady Oedon, with support from the King, will help us in that task, and I suspect the White God will do so as well."
"Queen Slann is already doubtful of my loyalty, my Lady. Do you really think this will work?" she questioned.
Nocticula nodded. "It is possible that Queen Slann will try something, but we do have back-up plans. Still, you need not worry: From what I understand, she will have far more important concerns on her hands for a while than the Midnight Isles and yourself. You see…"
Nocticula's smile, for once nowadays, looked positively demonic.
"The King has asked my aid in ensuring that, when Queen Slann is forced to retreat after losing the Dragon War, the entire Abyss will fall into civil war. A task that will be made incredibly easy when combining both our spies networks… and the sheer humiliation of being sealed away for ten millennia."
Borders of the Abyss, Coalition camp.
Arazni, the new Hand of the Inheritor, couldn't help but stare in awe at her surroundings.
She who once had led the armies of Aroden into battle was used to seeing great and powerful forces assembled in the name of the Great Supernatural Factions of the Prime Multiverse, but the current circumstances went far beyond anything she had expected.
Here, at the dimensional borders of the Abyss, stood the armies of the Coalition, waving their flags for all of its Damned denizens to see.
Legions of quintillions of Angels stood in glowing white-gold armors, while countless others Heavenly beings hovered in the air, Holy songs and music filling the air with Divine power.
Choral Angels by the billions sang a song of hope and war alike, filling the very souls of all present with the belief that from war, a new, less evil Reality would ensue, one where the predations of the Abyss and its denizens would never again need to be feared. The song encouraged all to be ready to fight and die for the Good of all, as for the first time in history, true hope shone bright in delivering a deadly blow to one of the Great Evils of Existence: the Abyss itself.
Flying back and forth, Cassissian Angels brought messages and words of encouragement as well, as the least of the Angels of Heaven nonetheless eagerly carried out their duties, in this most momentaneous of occasions where a True Great War between Holy and Unholy threatened to start at any moment now.
Erelims Angels, the flying cavalry of the Heavens, stood in the back, competing with one another for who could give the most encouraging speech while all waited for the order to go to war. The glowing, white constructs they rode into battle stood perfectly at attention, ready to be unleashed at blazing speed into entire armies of Demonic foes at a moment's notice.
Around Arazni herself stood countless Iophanites, the direct servants of Iomedae looking like flying metal wheels, all of them ready to go to war at the will of their Goddess. Their form glowed with heavenly flames, the heat that radiated from them feeling pure and holy, bringing no harm to those with pure souls, but easily incinerating any Damned beings in mere moments if unleashed.
At the front of the armies of Heaven, legions greater than the populations of entire supercluster of galaxies stood in perfect ranks, as the Movanic Devas, also known as the Guardian Angels, stood as the Angelic infantry of the Heavenly Realms, ready to charge first into the Abyss, wielding everything from blessed swords and spears to glowing guns of Holy Fire turned into plasma or others, more deadly inventions.
Then, scattered through the legions, stood the tall forms of the Planetars, the commanders of the Angelic legions of the Heavenly Realms, occasionally shouting orders and keeping the perfect discipline the forces of Heaven were known for. Armed with flaming weapons, all of them stood ready for war with great zeal, as the Justice Angels of Heaven were eager to bring to the Unholy the punishment they had avoided for so long for all their evils.
And finally, rarest but mightiest of them all besides the likes of Arazni and other Heralds of the Gods, stood the massive forms of the Solars, the Archangels of the Heavenly Realms. Golden or silver-skinned humanoids, they stood roughly at 2,75m tall, with three pairs of white bird-like wings. Their voices boomed across the armies with ease, uncaring of mere mortal limitations as their orders reached all under their command who were meant to hear them, regardless of distance.
Though there were also the part of the Heavenly forces created specifically by the White God of Eden, all of them led by Archangel Micheal, the man's usually kind and pleasant disposition for once nowhere to be seen as he looked with a leader's gaze over his troops, while occasionally looking off into the distance instead, as if seeing something only he could… which was very possible.
On top of the Angels, the Archons of Heaven also stood ready. Lantern Archons, embodiment of Hope, flew across the armies to shine their light, the very thing that formed their bodies, upon all present, filling the hearts of all it touched with the very emotion that had birthed them to begin with.
Horned Archon, looking like humanoid deers, embodiments of Courage, stood ready to charge forward, opening the way and charting a course into the deadly regions of the Abyss, even at the risks of their lives if need be.
The Hound Archons, embodiments of Diligence, stood as humanoid dogs, acting as the soldiers and guards of Holy sites, their duties in the potential coming invasion being to hold fortifications that would be created within the Abyss during the war.
The Legion Archons, winged humanoids with golden armors as the embodiments of Justice, the peace-makers of the Archons despite their armored, flaming-blade wielding appearances. Particularly adept at fighting demonic beings linked with the sin of Wrath, their duty would be to help coordinate different legions and strike at those demons that they were specifically skilled against.
The Shield Archons, heavily armored humanoids, representing Temperance, are the true armored infantry of Heaven. Capable of resisting onslaughts of demonic armies that would break other legions, their job was to hold the line where it was weakest and ensure that no enemies could break the armies of Heaven.
Trumpet Archons are the winged humanoid Messengers of the Archons, looking much like regular Angels, and they embody the concept of Kindness. Attached to the various legions, their job was to ensure that orders were received and communications remained strong, even in the midst of battle, but also to help keep morale strong through stories of great deeds. So inspiring are they that a single reassuring look from a Trumpet Archon can boost the morale of a terrified soldier instantly.
The Wheels Archons, flaming metallic Wheels with eyes that are not to be confused with the direct servants of Iomedae, embody Honesty and work alongside the Trumpet Archons to deliver messages and keep the lines of communications strong in war.
Star Archons are the embodiment of the virtue of Prudence and serve as administrators, advisors, tacticians, strategists and generals of the Archons armies. Looking like glowing humans with white, faintly glowing hair and equally glowing eyes, they stood as one of the more war-like of the Archons, eager to fight evil in all of its forms. To see them fight is to see a humanoid star shine brightly to banish the darkness.
Bastion Archons, last but certainly not least, are the greatest amongst their kind, massive beings who embody the virtue of Sacrifice. They are composed of the very stones of the mountain of Heaven, and where their faces should be, only a glowing light can be seen. They are stoic defenders, and ones who do not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the sake of victory, or saving the lives of others in defeat. If a group of Lantern Archons sacrifice themselves with the help of a Star Archon, it is possible to create a new Bastion Archon, allowing for the hope of victory to be grasped thanks to the weakest of the Archons giving their lives to birth a new Champion of Heaven instantly.
On the right of the Legions of Archons are the forces of Nirvana, composed of different kinds of Agathions.
The least of the Agathions are the Silvanshee, with the form, size and appearance of regular cats. The only difference being their distinct purple-coloured eyes and patches of different coloured furs on their chests, along with their ability to fly. Their natural looks allow them to act as the watchful guardians of Nirvana within the Material Plane. Preferring to avoid combat whenever possible, their role in war was to act as scouts more than warriors.
The Vulpinals are amongst the smallest Agathions, barely even reaching a single meter in height. Looking like humanoid foxes, they are amongst the friendliest of their kinds, serving as travelers, bards and scholars of their kind. While not warriors by nature, they do not shy from combat if necessary, especially when they can combine their magical abilities with those of other Aghations for greater results.
Gulovals are only slightly larger than Vulpinals, at around 1.20m in height, but are much more ferocious than their small size might suggest. Looking like humanoid wolverines, they are strong believers in the value of aggressive protection against Evil, making them amongst the most militant of the peace-loving Agathions. Acting especially as the guardians of children and the elderly, they are also infamous for their grumpy temperaments and lack of patience for social formalities. Right now, they stood ready for war, looking surprisingly fearsome despite their small size from the sheer eager bloodlust they were showing at the thought of actually going to war against the Abyss.
Procyals are around human height in size, and are mischievous Agathions that enjoy pranks and acting outside the boundaries of normal mortal societies. They possess incredible shape-shifting capabilities, effortlessly changing shapes at will, though their preferred form is of humanoid raccoons. Immense believers in the values of Freedom, commerce, and access to Luxuries, to them societies exist as frameworks for the liberation of individuals. Believing in the intrinsic value of any and all individuals, they now grimly wait for war in the desire to prevent more of the Demons of the Abyss from inflicting suffering and terrors upon mortal beings.
Avorals stand at the impressive heights of 2,25m, looking like the benevolent cousins of Harpies, being human-looking people with wings coming out of their human arms, feathers coming from their heads, and bird-like legs. With equally inhumanly-good vision and the ability to fly, they assume the vital role of being the primary scouts, spies and messengers for the other Aghations. Combined with their strong magical abilities allowing them to teleport themselves or others, they excel at hit-and-run tactics.
Cervinals, the so-called "Knights of the Aghations", have earned their impressive reputations as skilled warriors through their noble demeanours, their wisdom, their fearlessness and their willingness to lead by example. Looking like centaurs with the lower body of a Great Elk, and the upper body of a human with antlers coming out of their skulls.
The Draconals are the greatest amongst the Aghations. Around 3m in heights, they are comparatively few in numbers and rarely involve themselves in mortal affairs. Rumored to have come into existence in Elysium at some point along with the Eldritch Dragons who even now were fighting the Abyss on their homeworld, they quickly proved their value by being long-term thinkers, if at the cost of an unwillingness to act quickly that was a double-edged sword at times. Draconals tend to prefer supporting groups of heroes and adventurers rather than tackle problems directly, allowing them to focus on planar matters instead of the material universes. Extremely powerful both physically and magically, they nonetheless are amongst the least eager for war, as they see Evil as a necessary part of existence for Good to strive against. Nonetheless, being good-aligned beings, they cannot abide suffering and will help those who suffer needlessly.
Finally, the Foo creatures attached to every legion of Nirvana are unique heavenly animals who were created by Nirvana itself, acting as good-natured helpers, spirit guides and guardians of Heavenly sites if necessary. Here and now, they are meant to support the armies of Nirvana in whatever way they can, whether as scouts or as direct fighters in the armies of the Heavenly Realms, with the rare Empyreals Foo Creatures acting as the leaders of any given "race" of Foo creatures.
Beyond the armies of Nirvana stood the armies of Elysium, the Chaotic Good Heavenly Realm.
The Lyrakiens are the least of the Azatas, being small, palm-seized humanoids looking like miniature elves with butterfly wings. Natural wanderers, they act as scouts and musical messengers to the other Azayas in time of war, and focus on traveling and playing good-natured pranks on others when in time of peace, being the embodiment of unfettered travel. Most of them are dedicated to serving Desna, but many others instead serve various Gods and Lords of Elysium.
Gancanagh, also known as the Passion Azatas, looks like humans and are lovers, revelers, and dashing duelists. These beings embraced the concept of free and transient affection, wholeheartedly pursuing brief but sincere romances, until their ever-changing passions lead them elsewhere. Always carrying a silver flute and master of festive music, they are servants of Cayden Cailean and other Lords of Elysium who understand and appreciate their passion for love and festive gatherings. They hold a particular hatred and contempt for Succubi, for perverting romance and relationships, and while their hearts are heavy over the cost of the potential coming war, they are grimly determined to hunt down and kill as many succubi of the Abyss as possible.
Bralani, the Wind Azatas, looks like white-haired elves who embody the concept of fierce competition, eagerly seeking opportunities to test their skills against worthy opponents and unite mortals over the exhilaration of good-natured sports and contests. Their inclination for constructive conflicts extend to more serious matters, such as diplomatic negotiations, where Bralani ensures that neither side's desires are overshadowed by the other, often serving as mediators where necessary. They firmly believe that friendly competitions can defuse tensions. Here and now, the Bralani eager to go to war waits for the opportunity to test their skills against the Demons of the Abyss, and show to all Reality that the path of the Azatas is better than that of the Demons.
Lillend, the Muse Azatas, are story-teller, chroniclers and champions of Freedom of expression. With the lower half of a giant snake, the upper body of an elf and bird-like wings coming from their backs, they focus on taking action when Free Speech is being suppressed. They take pride in helping mortals reach greater heights of creativity and self-expression, of serving as a personal Muse to Bards seeking inspiration. However, they rarely appear in person, out of respect for the Free Will and Destinies of individuals, only occasionally choosing to directly get involved when their chosen are about to be killed in some ways. Here and now, they sing of Freedom, and the countless souls that will be free to live their lives if the evils of the Abyss are removed, once and for all, from the Prime Multiverse.
Aeolaeka, the Stone Azatas, embody longer, slower changes than other Azatas do, reflecting the evolving nature of Earth and stone. While stone is often perceived as unwavering and unchanging, when observed over vast spans of time, it can transform into diverse forms, such as intricate crystals or fine powder. To them, anything capable of becoming either sand or diamond embodies the essence of Reality's measured chaos. With bodies made from minerals, their minds also tend to be less capricious than other Azatas, and some have willingly established lasting alliances and agreement with mortals. Occasionally mistaken as Earth Elementals, these Azatas can hide themselves as statues to appear unnoticed amidst mortals.
Ghaele, the Crusader Azatas, are the most militants of the Azatas, looking like elven knights with bright green eyes dedicated to eliminating any fiends who may encroach into Elysium. They also encourage mortals to take up arms against oppressors and subjugators, as these Azatas reflect the spirit of Revolution against oppression. While they rarely involve themselves directly with mortal wars, they do make exceptions when fiends are involved. Easily capable of hiding and passing as mortals when necessary, they serve as leaders, teachers and advisors to all who would stand against Tyranny. Here and now, they more than any others amongst Elysium support a war against the Abyss, eager to prove their name true and wage a Holy Crusade against the demons and their cultists.
Last but certainly not least, the Veranallia, the Rebirth Azatas, are the greatest amongst the Azatas, and symbolize the Freedom of Life to grow, change and adapt. They appear as beautiful female fey-like humans from the waist up, but their lower extremities seem to be a single, ever-changing mass of writhing, blooming, and dying vines, flowers, leaves, and branches. They rarely engage with non-azatas as their nature is often difficult for other beings to comprehend, however those who do succeed at obtaining their aid find themselves with powerful allies on par with the Archangels of Heaven or the Draconals of Nirvana. Unlike other Heavenly beings, they care little about the balance of power between planes, and see their duties as working to ensure the continuous good health of as many ecosystems from as many planets as possible across the Multiverse, making them natural allies to many spirits and gods of nature. As of recently, they focused their attention to the rebirth of worlds ravaged by the Starwound in the Golarion galaxy, now freed from the cruel grip of the Abyss. Less interested in directly fighting the demons of the Abyss, their goal if war breaks out is to help fight off the corruptive environment of the Abyss, ensuring that the armies of the Heavenly realms can march forward without fear of the lands itself turning against them.
Arazni shook her head, trying to overcome the awe she felt at the show of power of the Heavenly Realms, all gathered here on the borders of the Abyss. And she knew it wasn't just them, either. The legions of Axis had come to surround other parts of the Abyss, same with a number of the denizens of the Maelstrom.
And that wasn't mentioning the Legions of the new God-King of the Eldritch, all ready for war in their Creator's name.
Legions upon Legions of beings powerful enough to casually annihilate worlds, galaxies and more, arrayed into ever-shifting patterns far beyond her comprehension.
Not one of them seemed to be speaking, or at the very least not in a way she could detect. Reality itself seemed to warp and bend in odd ways around them, light and shadows twisting into impossible shapes, Time and Space shattering and causing some of them to "glitch" seemingly forward and backward in space (and probably time, too.)
Sometimes, the cosmic tapestry of strangeness was so great that she began to see things that weren't there, like tentacles of void and starlight shifting into view before disappearing, or a great, faceless being peering through into Reality with incomprehensible intent, or even impossible equations and magical formulae seemingly appearing and disappearing from existence whenever she tried to look at them closely.
Whispers filled her mind when she glanced at them, a paradoxical feeling of being insignificant mixing with the certainty that her existence mattered and was valued.
She wasn't too sure of who was in charge, but she could have sworn to have seen a seemingly human man in tattered clothes and hat smoke a cigar while carefully studying the borders of the Abyss at one point, standing unconcerned amongst the countless eldritch beings around him, but a moment later she blinked and he was gone, and for the life of her she couldn't remember what his face looked like, beyond having a rugged sort of charisma to it.
"An amazing sight, is it not?"
She blinked and looked to the side, surprised at the fact someone had come close to her without her noticing.
She relaxed, however, when she recognized the man in question… Well, the Heavenly being.
The former Hand of the Inheritor, who had ceded his place to her while he focused on recovering from the wounds on his spirit from what the Demon Lord Baphomet had done to him during the closing days of the Fifth Crusade of Golarion, stood by her side, his helmeted face tilted as he looked around, witnessing the greatest gathering of Heavenly armies in eons.
"Yes." she admitted. Even for her, it was a sight that she had not thought she would ever see… and especially after what was done to her.
"I have to admit, to permanently see the Abyss dealt with once and for all… that isn't something I would have thought possible to see. Not by myself." she admitted.
The Angel nodded, before glancing towards her. "We live in strange times. The death of Aroden and the Starwound brought uncertainty and doubts in the hearts of many…" his voice softened. "Me included, even if I did not fully realize it until much later… when it was too late." he paused, then a flicker of the boisterous, confident being he was once reappeared. "And yet, here we stand! The Starwound is closed, the Fifth Crusade a spectacular success, Golarion safer than it has been in many years, Lady Nocticula redeemed and Ascended to godhood, and now a King of the Eldritch has risen, one who is eager to stand with the Heavenly Realms to ensure the prosperity of Existence! For all our doubts and fears, Good has proven itself capable of prevailing over Evil!"
He paused, before his voice softened again. "A Truth that we both needed a good reminder of, I think."
Arazni nodded slowly, her eyes going over the countless brave warriors ready to fight, kill and die for a brighter tomorrow.
This war, if it started, would not be as personal to her as it would be to him, as she had fallen to Undeath, not the demonic.
But all the same, to once again stand there, after all these years, ready to go to war for the sake of all that is Good, it brought… a chaotic storm of emotions within her heart.
The fact that she now served Iomedae, instead of the opposite as it once was, did not help.
She was incredibly proud of her once protegee, but a part of her couldn't help but be envious of how well everything went for her new goddess.
Of course, if there was war, she supposed she'll have all the opportunities to prove herself she could ever want…
A part of her, deep within her heart and soul, shuddered in fear at the thought of dying and being corrupted again.
And she knew her companion must feel the same.
Nonetheless, if she ever wanted to gain true confidence in herself again, she needed to confront her fears head-on. There would be no victory from cowardice, no matter how tempting it might be to give in to fear and old trauma.
"Will you join the war, if it starts?" she asked him.
The Angel seemed to tremble for a second, before bowing his head.
"I… do not know." he whispered shamefully. "The years since the end of the Fifth Crusade have been good to me, but the scars from my time in captivity run deep. What was once whole and pure has been tainted, and there are days where I can almost…"
He trailed off, but she understood.
"Almost remember how good and easy it is to hate." she finished.
The Angel bowed his head deeper. "Yes." he admitted, his voice heavy with emotions… but also the relief of talking to someone who understood.
She let out a breath. "I understand." and she did. More than any words could ever convey.
They watched the assembled legions for a while in silence, a heavy but not uncomfortable silence weighing upon them, before she moved and put a hand on one of his arms.
"We will overcome this." she told him, and it was words spoken as much to herself as it was to him. "We have been wounded, our bodies and spirits violated, but we have not been broken. We, who have been forced to understand evil far more than any champion of Good ever should, will rise above these trials. And then, we will use the hard-earned wisdom from those trials to help others, and ensure that all who suffer at the hands of Evil know and understand that there is always hope for those who seek redemption. We have suffered much, my friend, but we can make sure it wasn't for nothing. We can make a difference. And we will. Both of us."
For a long, long moment, the blank, helmeted face of the former Hand of the Inheritor who had been corrupted by the Abyss stared at the former champion of Aroden, who had previously been raised as an undead monster.
And then the man squared his shoulders, and the halo above his head seemed to shine with a renewed light, one even stronger than what it once possessed.
"Yes." he said simply, but with a will of steel in his voice. "We will."
A.N: Alright! Here is the next chapter in which we continue the events of Love Azathoth!
And I finally began to explain the details of the Eldritch Kingdom! Which can more or less be summed up to "Chaos. Chaos everywhere."
That's the problem of having the biggest kingdom in existence, while also having distant rulers who don't necessarily care about ruling. A lot of shit just… never got around to becoming better. So you have a kingdom where everybody has their own laws, armies, customs and traditions, religions, economic policies, and more.
Needless to say, finally bringing order to this chaos is something that Aeon is very eager to get started on, because even for him that's going to be long, hard work before he can really improve things. Trying to unify the Eldritch Kingdom, hell just its laws, is going to be something he'll be stuck at chipping away at for quite some time… and that's WITH ultimate authority.
Also, about Azathoth and her place in the culture of the Eldritch Kingdom: she's basically seen as the equivalent of the Emperor in Japan… except even more, because she's the literal creator-deity of Existence. So she's very, very respected by the vast majority of everyone in the Eldritch Kingdom.
That's made even more true because of the general philosophy of the people of the Kingdom, which can be basically summed up as a "Cosmic view of life."
Essentially, mortals are seen as specks of dust compared to the Eldritch Pantheon, and that results in some severe cultural consequences. On the one hand, it means that people in the Eldritch Kingdom are very much willing to follow the will of the Gods. On the other hand, it pushes for a general belief of the insignificance of mortal beings and the need to worship/serve the gods above all else. Which, considering Aeon's personal views, isn't something he's very happy about. Someone who believes in the intrinsic value of mortal life will naturally have issues with a philosophy that embraces the belief that mortals are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
In short, the philosophy of the people of the Eldritch Kingdom has the same general themes as in Lovecraft's books: most everything is unimportant when compared to the gods.
It's not even born from cruelty, just from a deep understanding of the infinite nature of Creation, and of the Eternal nature of the Gods ruling it.
Though of course, different parts of the Kingdom have their own unique view on things…
As for the System Grimm, its culture is basically a mix of Krieg from Warhammer 40k, some Cadia stuff thrown in, and the likes. Its people, by nature, are heavily militarists, religious militants who believe in anything involving militaristic options to serve the goals of the Eldritch Kingdom. Not every part of the Kingdom is the same, obviously.
Also, Nocticula! With the situation as it is, she's finding herself in an unique position, and is making full use of it. Just because she's benevolent now doesn't mean she doesn't know how to play her cards right for everyone's benefits… herself included.
And finally, Arazni and the (former) Hand of the Inheritor.
As someone who knows Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, I really like the former Herald of Iomedae. The guy basically helps you out throughout the entire game, and genuinely believes in you, especially when you show that you aren't an Incarnation of Evil and actually act like a decent person.
The only time he really hesitates is when everyone discovers that the Commander of the Fifth Crusade has been experimented on by one of the greatest champions of the Abyss, and even then, if you're not an asshole, you can make him hesitate. Overall, the guy just goes "This is above my paygrade, let me double-check." which, you know, FAIR.
And when you free him from Baphomet? The guy instantly goes "I should have known better than to have (very reasonable, frankly, considering the revelations) doubts about you! Let me go sing your praises on Heaven itself!"
So yeah. Personally, I nickname him Angel-Bro, a title well-deserved.
So here I am, actually writing him having his happy ending! Arazni, someone he had to know from her days with Aroden, is back in Heaven, the Crusade was a complete success, Nocticula Ascended (that had to ave thrown him for a fucking loop, and many others as well) and now Evil is seemingly about to get wrecked like never before.
Here's to you, you glorious chuuni Angel, a Good Ending timeline where you'll be free to be as glorious dramatic as ever for heaven!
And yes, Aeon is going to interact with several other WotR characters in the future, including the Commander and Regill (who is a great character in my view. Someone who would have been perfect in Warhammer, honestly.)
Still, with all that being said, I hope you all enjoyed this update! Next time, we continue to look at the shockwaves of what is happening, spreading across the rest of Reality…