Challenge of Roth
By Mardrena
"I really don't get why you guys don't advertise this place more often! It's literally the biggest outdoor mall in the universe! Think of the tourism revenue you could bring in!" Shainie O'Connor gushed as she walked down the main thoroughfare of the Pavilion flanked by Ru Ru Tiki, Aurora and Chi Chi Lina, Australa. "Now that I think of it, I'm seeing a lot of missed opportunities for fashion variation. I mean I get why you all would want to cover this up," Shainie tugged up the cuff of her bracer, briefly exposing her Pairing scar. She'd cobbled together a modified Thangien-style combat uniform with a vest, short skirt, and laced boots. "But that still doesn't mean you can't show off a little skin! The upper arms and midriff could use some attention! Think of all this sun you're missing!" Shainie folded her arms behind her head and glanced up at the Twin Suns.
"Oooh! I know! I can combine my fashion sense with my budding business acumen and create a new fashion line that literally combines the best of both worlds!" Shainie clapped her palms together and nodded matter-of-factly, raising one index finger. "That'll be my financial contribution to the family and all. Now where's a fabric stall around here..." Shainie paused and glanced around. Aurora and Australa exchanged awkward glances, unsure why their brother Azuro had settled for such a bubbly Oldworlder, but Yainae had instructed them to accompany their new sister-in-law on a tour of Bainshaebo. She had yet to pick up the local language but she muttered to herself as she browsed.
Shainie paused in her chatter when she heard a sound like a distant rumbling whistle and raised an eyebrow. Aurora and Australa likewise paused and looked behind them, tilting their gaze skyward. Other people along the thoroughfare paused and pointed at something in the sky that streaked over the city at a low angle. It gleamed with metal and looked almost like an arrowhead, vanishing past the walls and leaving a trail of exhaust in the air. A cry rippled throughout the crowd when they could hear a distant boom and excited civilians flooded towards the southern gate.
Aurora and Australa strode down the path, trying to shoulder their way through the crowds. "Make way! Make way for the First House! Make way for the First House!" Aurora bellowed with lungs accustomed to dealing with unruly twin sons.
"Yeah, you heard her! First House coming through!" Shainie shouted and held her arm up, pulling her bracer cuff down and brandishing her Pairing scar like a badge. The crowd eventually parted and the three made their way up front to the South gate to see the metallic object buried halfway into one of the distant lonesteads. It had four sides to it like a pyramid with the corners narrowing into wings. Tube-like protrusions from the wide end glowed briefly before dimming.
While gathered onlookers exchanged excited gossip, Shainie glanced from the crashed object over her shoulder at the distant Academy of Peirolyth. She frowned and raised both hands, making a crude frame from her thumbs and index fingers, fixing her view of Peirolyth. She turned back around and leaned sideways, keeping the "frame" steady as she looked at the crashed vessel. Even sideways, the craft looked like a smaller, shorter version of Peirolyth. Shainie lowered her hands, staring at the craft wide-eyed. Out on the plain, two humanoid figures could be seen stumbling out of the craft, quarreling with each other like an irate couple criticizing each other's driving and navigation skills.
"I must inform the Lady of Flames!" Australa hissed to Aurora and dashed away from her sisters, weaving her way through the crowd. She cupped her hands around her mouth and let out a cry and glanced skyward over her shoulder to see her mount Sandstorm in the distance making his way to her position. She ran towards an open street and waited for Sandstorm to come in low beside her before springing up and hauling herself into the saddle. They veered up, narrowly missing pedestrians and sped through the air towards Peirolyth. Her being a renowned student and frequent visitor, no one thought different when Australa arrived in the courtyard outside and hurriedly dismounted Sandstorm, rushing up the steps two at a time.
She burst into the great hall, running between the rows of glowing furnaces on her way to the High Forge where Eyurodin, Goddess of the Forge, hammered away on the large anvil. "Lady of Flames!" Australa shouted loud enough to be heard over the din of other artisans and causing some to pause in their work. The goddess herself paused in her labours and peered down at Ander's youngest daughter, raising an eyebrow with piqued curiosity. "Strangers have arrived out on the plain! From the Vault of Stars!" Both eyebrows went up in surprise and activity in the hall came to a standstill. Even the Nobeyl Rares manning the great bellows paused in their efforts and exchanged glances. Very seldom in history did the Goddess of the Forge pause her work and leave the High Forge unattended. Artisans and students could only watch in awe as the Lady of Flames strode down the stairs and towards the exit, accompanied by an excited Australa.
"BOWWFH! BOWWFH!" Buster blast-barked furiously, lashing his branched tails.
"What in Sam Hill are you fussin' about this early in the mornin'? What's got ya all riled up?" Debiah Kubar demanded as he shuffled out of the cottage. He looked to the horizon and saw the distant craft half-buried in the soil, dust and smoke hovering in the air behind it. "...well now...there's somethin' you don't see every day..." he remarked, wide-eyed.
Further inside the city, on the uppermost balconies of Thananagreia reserved only for the Four Queens, Roth, Goddess of Victory, sauntered over to the rail, spying from her vantage point the vessel that had crashed in a lonesteader's field out in Kundain. Dust still hung in the air over the trench carved into the plain. Activity in the city had come to a standstill as news spread among the populace.
The farmer and his son stared slack-jawed at the large arrowhead-shaped craft that had landed in their field. They watched as two tall figures stumbled about, examining the exterior of the hull. They looked like any Oldworlder or Thangien, but they seemed a great deal taller. One sported shoulder-length orange hair while the other had long tresses draping down to the waist like a cascade of spun gold. The two women bickered with one another. The one with the orange hair pointed at the walls of Bainshebo, where the tip of Peirolyth peeked up above the skyline. The one with gold hair looked over her shoulder at the farmer and his son and strode over.
The farmer's eyes widened in reverent awe when he saw the black irises and golden pupils, so much like the Four Queens. The son gripped the handle of the plow tightly, fidgeting nervously as the woman walked up to his father, standing nearly a head taller. She spoke in a voice that sounded musical, almost like the ringing of bells or chimes. The farmer stared back, at a loss for words. The woman looked over her shoulder at the other and spoke what sounded like a question. The woman with the orange hair and blue eyes shrugged, throwing her hands up helplessly and replying in the same melodious language that sounded neither Oldworlder or Thangien. The woman with the golden hair turned back to the farmer and cocked her head, studying him intently.
"Wh...Wher...Where is Wrawthe?" she asked, speaking in comprehensible words this time, her voice tinged with a curious triple-echo.
"Sorry I'm late! Got held over at work!" Shannon apologized as she entered the comm. room. Miz sat at his usual seat while Ryo stood behind him. The Ronin Leader glanced over his shoulder as Shannon approached to stand next to him behind Miz's chair.
"She's here. Connection ready?" Ryo asked the young Common.
"Bringing online now," Miz replied and the main screen lit up with video feed of a very bored-looking Shainie sitting at a desk pouting with her gaze off to the side. She blew air up through her bangs before glancing sideways at the screen and her face lit up with excitement.
"HIIIIII COOOOOOOOZ!" Before Shannon could even open her mouth to reply, Shainie brought her arm up and held her wrist over the camera. "Lookie what IIIIII GOOOOOOT!" she sang, showing off her scar. "No baby bump yet, but not for lack of trying...hee hee. I had no idea Thangien guys could be so fun in bed!" Shannon pursed her lips and the look in her eyes made Miz want to curl up inside his shell. He glanced from her to the screen awkwardly and shrank down in his seat.
"So...how's the city life treating you over there?" Shannon managed in a deadpan tone.
"It's good! You won't exactly see me swinging a hammer or wielding a sword any time soon. Though I hear Aurora's sons are prepping for their freelanding tour next year... Me? I'm just trying to find my little niche in the household. So I've been thinking; I've got a little bit of training, Mom's got her company and all, I know some basics of chemistry, so what do you think of this...hair dye!" Shainie said flaring her fingers. Shannon stared at the screen stoically, blinking slowly.
"...you do know Thangiens use plant extract to color their hair..." she drawled, grimacing in exasperation.
"Well see that's the thing! Ever since you all started coming to town," Shainie gestured to Ryo where he stood next to Shannon. "There's been sort of this growing fad among the youth to kinda go 'au natural'. Now, see G'thru extract nukes the root, but your DNA still says you're supposed to have x-color of hair, right? So if the plant nukes the root, then there has to be a way to chemically nuke it back, you figure?" Ryo glanced out the corner of his eye and noticed the corner of Shannon's jaw moving as she ground her teeth behind her lips. "You know, there's a funny story Yainae told me that one of King Torke's relatives got jealous and tried to slip some extract into his shampoo when he was younger and Ritho smote his ass to kingdom come..." Shannon looked like she couldn't take much more of her cousin's prattling. "Um...so...about what I really wanted to call you about..." Shainie furrowed her brow, her bubbly tone becoming very serious all of a sudden.
"Morning Ryo. What's all this about?" Cye inquired casually as he strolled into the comm. room. Ryo looked over his shoulder and nodded a greeting and shrugged at Shannon.
"Shainie wanted to speak to her, said it was urgent. Probably just wanted to touch bases with her cousin. They haven't spoken to each other since the Blood Dawn..." Ryo replied. Back on the main screen, Shainie stared off into the distance as she bit her lip.
"On a more serious note...some people showed up in town the other day...and they're not from around here. And when I say 'not from around here' I'm not talking Bainshaebo or Kundain or even the entire planet. I'm talking-like-the entire system 'around here'," Shainie rambled, her brow wrinkling and her gaze averted, as if her mind struggled to put to words what she wanted to tell those gathered. "Aurora says something like this hasn't happened in literally thousands of years. The entire city's in an uproar. Whatever's going on has even the Four Queens on edge..."
Miz sat up in his seat when he heard a beep coming from one of the side screens and leaned forward to study the incoming signal. "...Ryo...I'm getting an incoming transmission coming on the crystal beacon frequency." Ryo raised an eyebrow. That hadn't been used in years.
"Well whatever it is, it can wait. Shainie obviously has something important she's trying to tell us about and she hasn't seen her cousin in weeks. She called first, so it's only fair she gets to fini-"
Before anyone could say or do anything, Shannon quickly stabbed the keypad with her index finger. Shainie opened her mouth to protest and reached out towards the camera as the screen went dark. Ryo glanced from the screen to Shannon but kept quiet, grimacing awkwardly. Cye snickered under his breath while Miz gulped nervously before composing himself and transferring the incoming signal to the main screen. The crescent-like characters spilled across the screen.
"What's up? King Torke need us at the Rider's Citadel?" Ryo asked. Miz shook his head.
"No...this is different...way different! 'The Morind de Witheren...and representatives of the Three Allies...are summoned post haste...'" Miz recited then turned around in his seat, looking much more nervous than before. "'To Thananagreia'..." Ryo's eyes widened in alarm before narrowing in a scowl. He exchanged glances with Cye, who looked similarly suspicious: This couldn't be a coincidence...
Grass rippled on the grounds of the House of St'lur and the air flashed from a group teleport. The resident family Pegasi grunted and stepped away to give the new arrivals room as the Ten Ronin emerged from the loose circle around Danae's Pegasus. All of the Ronin wore full Armor and the five younger Ronin wore their ornamental surcoats. Danae wore her old combat uniform for the first time since before her pregnancy. Dais offered his hand to her as she dismounted and Pegasus stepped away to mingle with the other Pegasi. Shannon, Bak, and Trakar had accompanied the group as well. Sage walked over to Shannon. "You sure you'll be okay by yourself?"
"Pfft, I'll be fiiiine! You all got an audience with a god! Me? I'm on intercept duty," Shannon shrugged then let her arms hang in dismay as she heard her name called out in the distance. She grimaced and turned around as she saw her cousin run up to her. "Heeeeey, cuz! Good to see you..."
"Right back atcha!" Shainie gave Shannon a brief hug with Shannon patting her on the back awkwardly. "Hey, what happened back there? The signal just cut off all of a sudden!"
"Oh, well, you know, that's silly Thunthen tech for you: can't count on it even on a good day," Shannon commented idly, drawing an exasperated glance from Bak who snorted indignantly and rolled his eyes, shaking his head and grumbling under his breath.
"Oh! Hey! Hold up a sec guys!" Shainie spoke up suddenly and jogged over to the others as they started to form up for teleport. "Memo came down from high up that you're not supposed to use teleport or Pegasi! Roth says the people need to see you all together so that means you have to take the scenic route!" Shainie announced, eliciting loud protests from some of the Ronin. Ryo and Cye glanced at each other again, equally irritated. Either Roth wanted to stall them or annoy them...
Citizens yelped at the sight of the entourage walking down the main thoroughfare leading to the Rider's Citadel. While the average Thangien had certainly seen a Thunthen-especially during the Blood Dawn festival- no civilian in living memory had ever seen a Reptilloid in Bainshaebo. The Three Allies: Chi Chi Lina, Danae, Bak Thraplek, and Trakar walked abreast of each other, answering the summons to the Citadel-Chapel. Trakar's leg-implants clanked as he walked with his jerky gait.
Tanya raised an eyebrow when she heard banter coming from behind her and looked over her shoulder. She spotted Danae glancing sideways awkwardly and heard Bak and Trakar apparently bickering in their respective languages: Bak in his guttural growling tongue and Trakar with his gurgling snarling dialect. Apparently they understood each other well enough to voice retorts. Tanya paused and scooted to the side out of their path and watched as they walked past. She'd delivered enough potshots in her lifetime to know when she heard them and even though she didn't understand a lick of Thunthen or Reptilloid languages, she sussed out the gist of the argument: that Trakar somehow caused a scene on account of his implants.
"Guys!" she exclaimed, causing Bak and Trakar to pause briefly and glance at her. "You know-on our planet-talking *censored* about each other means you like each other!" she stated, exasperated before storming past to catch up with the other Ronin. Bak and Trakar exchanged incredulous glances while Danae stifled a titter with her fingertips. Ryo glanced up and spotted a familiar figure further up the path. The Watch-Rider leaned against one of the ornate planters adorning the exterior courtyard of the Rider's Citadel. King Torke glanced up and his face lit up when he saw the approaching party.
"Thelektukak Raeo Flamerider!" the Watch-Rider greeted and strode over to meet Ryo. The two clasped hands heartily and King Torke patted the back of Ryo's hand.
"Good to see you, sir," Ryo replied and nodded.
"I am relieved to see you all! We feared the worst when Phitdaitiarona loosed her foul power!"
"Yeah...that certainly wasn't fun..." Ryo grimaced and resumed walking alongside the Watch-Rider.
"I will accompany you. This is quite the momentous occasion! Such a public summons has not occurred since Ander's time. I can only imagine what would cause the Queen of Triumph to summon all ten Morind de Witheren..." Ryo sucked in air through his teeth and paused, clenching his jaw.
"...Could...could you...please stop calling us that, sir?" Ryo stated and narrowed his eyes. King Torke paused and turned to face him slowly, looking puzzled.
"...I...I am not sure I understand...we have only ever intended it as a title of great respect..."
"Yeah, I get that, it's just I'm not too keen on being called 'Knights of the Maiden of Blood'." Ryo scowled and rolled his eyes. Especially given what we know now about the "gods"... He didn't say that part aloud, not wanting to completely alienate the Watch-Rider. He still seemed like a good man and faith obviously meant a great deal to him, however misplaced. "Battle isn't something we do for kicks. We're not Ronin Warriors for fun. It's a solemn life-long duty to protect innocents. Our code has always been that we serve no master." King Torke stared at Ryo, both confused and dismayed.
"...If that is your wish...then we shall abide by it..." he said, nodding shakily.
I'm sorry if I come off sounding like a dick, I really am, but I doubt your people will have such a high opinion of us given what I'm about to do... Ryo frowned as they continued walking. He could hear chatter from the others behind him, confused about the exchange. Cye glanced at him, frowning sympathetically, but remaining just as determined to see things through.
Skywrath's hooves clacked against the pavement as he alighted on the ground. "Thank you SOOOO much! I'll make it up to you later, promise! I'll holler when we're ready for pickup!" Shainie patted Azuro's mount on the neck and waved as the Pegasi turned and launched back into the air. "I should've asked you to bring carrots from home. You know, I just recently found out why Pegasi go so gaga over them: they don't grow on Thanged! Well, there's a root tuber that kind of fills the same role, but it doesn't quite have that same crispy sweetness," Shainie wrinkled her face and clenched her fingers.
"Shainie, I don't get it: what the heck are we doing at the Traedeskaton? If someone needed medical help you could've asked my Dad to come," Shannon commented, looking exasperated.
"No, no one needs help," Shainie chirped as they entered the lobby. She waved at one of the staff members behind the desk, who seemed to recognize both of them and nodded in approval, allowing them to enter freely. "I just wanted you to see the new gods." Shannon halted abruptly.
"...New...gods?" Shannon croaked uneasily.
"Yup! Come on! We can get a better view from the second floor!" Shainie all-but dragged Shannon into one of the lifts. The mechanisms clicked and hummed as the ornate elevator ascended. They emerged onto the overlook and Shainie wormed her way through the crowd towards the rail. Shannon glanced about the crowd: it looked like every staff member occupied the floors. Even patients had emerged from their rooms, either leaning against the rail or reclining on gurneys. Shainie waved Shannon over and nodded down towards the massive central garden. Shannon approached nervously.
Her breath caught in her throat when she spotted Witheren, Goddess of Righteous War, Eyurodin, Goddess of the Forge, and Ritho, Goddess of the Hearth and Home gathered in a small clearing in the garden. She'd only ever had a distant view of the Four Queens the last time they made themselves known and wanted it to stay that way, but being in the same building as them made her feel nervous. Ritho reclined on the soft grass while the other two Queens remained standing. A handful of other individuals of similar stature gathered close to the Queens.
"That's what I was trying to tell you about when the signal pooped out! They arrived just yesterday! The one with the long gold hair is Janxilo I think, and the one with the kind of poofy orange hair is Tanjanira. The young one with the short gray hair is Maetalena, and the older one off to the side is Taezura. The guy against the tree there is apparently her son, Baeron." Shainie gestured to the surly-looking young man with wild dark-orange hair and rather pronounced muttonchops and a small goatee on his chin. All five new arrivals sported the same curious inverted eye coloration that set them apart from Humans or Thangiens, and the young man's black irises and blue-gray pupils sported a dangerous glint that made Shannon's skin crawl. "He looks kind of hunky, wouldn't you say?" Normally Shannon would roll her eyes or make a snide remark given Shainie was supposed to be married to Danae's older brother, Azuro, but the young man's demeanor set off all kinds of alarms in Shannon's senses.
"Ricthandillius! You've gotten it to grow on this world!" Janxilo remarked as she gently cupped the leaves of a small Richtho plant.
"I...I...It does more than simply grow, it thrives. We once thought to call this planet Thangeodo in memory of our lost world, but we are merely guests. The world is called Thanged, and this hardy plant which has been such a boon to those living here is all that remains of our dead home," Ritho lamented.
"We had every intention of returning to Geodo, but one thing led to another, and eons have passed on this planet since that fateful day," Eyurodin explained. Janxilo smiled and shook her head.
"Oorotin, no one blames you...well, except perhaps maybe Pyke and Feara..." she grimaced ruefully.
"At least we know there is something left to save. In the meantime we must marshal our strength. There is room in our little pantheon for some minor gods to serve the people," Witheren stated.
"I'm not entirely sure what we can contribute. Combat isn't our specialty. Healing has always been my strong suit, and only her deft hands kept the shuttle operational so long," Tanjanira argued.
"...A...A...A Goddess of Medicine...and a Goddess of Science...how does that sound?" Ritho asked and stroked her chin. Tanjanira and Janxilo exchanged startled glances before smiling and nodding.
"That sounds wonderful!" Tanjanira beamed appreciatively.
"I have no need of a domain of my own. My place has always ever been at your side, teacher," Maetalena interjected, looking at Eyurodin.
"Oldworlder gods had aides to serve as heralds, messengers, or apprentices. If it is what you wish, then there is such a place for you at my side in Peirolyth."
"Is that what you call Pauraluxth now? No wonder you could not return. It is a shell of its former self," Janxilo commented.
"Fffegh! Why should we serve lesser beings! If anything, they should serve us!" Baeron snapped suddenly, his face contorting in a contemptuous scowl, drawing glares from the Queens.
"T...Th...That is not how we do things around here..." Witheren growled in warning.
"We do not rule this world, we are merely stewards of the good people. We aid them and they give us praise and purpose," Ritho added and stood up from the grass, brushing her gown with her fingers.
"Baeron, please! Not here! Not after we've spent so long wandering!" the frail-looking Taezura begged and walked over to her son, placing her hands on his shoulders. Baeron glanced down at her and his expression softened slightly. Witheren, Eyurodin, and Ritho eyed him warily.
"Oh, wow! Okay, yeah, I take back what I said earlier! What a complete and utter douche! That guy better count his lucky stars there's two floors separating us or this 'lesser being' would give him a piece of her mind and then some!" Shainie remarked, appalled at the outburst. Baeron's gaze started to rove about and Shannon instinctively clasped her hand around the Ronin Cross pendant, thumbing the Halo Emerald and Strata Sapphire. The air infront of the two warped and shimmered in a way only Shannon could detect. Baeron's gaze strayed to the upper floors. Thankfully the glamour seemed to work and Baeron's gaze roved past the two. Shannon had no idea what he had planned to do if he'd found them, but the look in his eyes put her druidic instincts at Defcon 5.
"Where is your mother, pray tell?" Janxilo asked Ritho, who frowned and averted her gaze.
"T...Th...There is unpleasant business she must attend to...at the Citadel-Chapel: Thananagreia."
The Silver-Haired Maiden greeted the entourage as they approached the yawning entrance to the colossal structure. The heavy stone doors groaned open and they filed inside. This would be the first time all Ten Ronin entered the site together. The hair on the back of Ryo's neck stood up on end and he glanced to either side, not spotting anyone by the doors. They seemed to have moved on their own. As the party passed the threshold, the doors creaked back shut. Ryo glanced forward and paused, his breath catching in his throat when he spotted the tall individual standing towards the back of the interior.
He could definitely see why Thangiens drew eyes as triangles in their artwork: the way shafts of sunlight filtering through the colossal stained-glass windows hit her face coupled with the solid black irises and gray pupils made the shadows over her eyes appear like triangles, much like her appearance in her associated window. Ryo took a deep breath and continued walking towards her.
"Y...Yo...You have my thanks for coming on such short notice, Ronin Warriors," Roth greeted as the entourage approached. King Torke, the Silver-Haired Maiden, Danae, Bak, and Trakar peeled away to stand off to the side and the Ten Ronin arrayed themselves in a close semicircle. Ryo reached up and slowly took off his helmet before cradling it under his arm. The others likewise removed their helmets, either holding them close to their chests, under their arms, or loosely in their hands. "A threat has come to my attention recently, o...o...one I feel you should be apprised of."
Ryo walked off to the side a few steps, drumming his fingertips against his helmet. "...So...what kind of threat are we talking about here? Is it a local threat? A civil threat? Is it the mass-extinction, cosmic-cataclysm, existential kind of threat?" Ryo drawled, his uncharacteristically snide tone drawing raised eyebrows and alarmed looks from the other Ronin. "Or is it a personal threat? To you? Your power? Your position?" Ryo paced back the other direction and Roth's gaze followed him, her head turning slowly. He heard the other Ronin muttering amongst themselves, wondering why he seemed to be going out of his way to antagonize the goddess. Rowen and Anubis exchanged concerned glances, but only Cye knew what Ryo had planned.
"Before you blew Bautan to smithereens, he tried to say something...he started to call you a 'cosmic charlatan'...and I couldn't figure out why...until recently. See, it kind of struck me as odd that anyone not a Thangien or Thunthen wouldn't say 'god'...they'd say 'gi-odd'..." Trakar blinked and tilted his head in Ryo's direction. Sage remembered the remark he'd overheard in the Roost. "Then we had a run-in with your buddy Greytorata..." Roth's eyes widened and both eyebrows went up, the first time she'd changed her expression in response to something he'd said. She quickly composed herself, but Ryo could tell he'd hit a nerve. "Oh yeah, that was a load of fun. She sent us on a jolly romp through time, and I noticed the enemies we fought said the same thing: they called you 'gi-odd'.
"Greytorata said 'I am of the same race, but not affiliated with them'. That seemed kind of funny...but the pieces started to fall into place when we had a visitor drop in who had some very interesting dirt to dish out about you." Cye tilted his head back and inhaled deeply. At least Ryo had his testimony to back him up incase anyone accused him of losing his marbles. Roth continued watching Ryo as he looped back around to pace to the side once more. "Oh yeah, he spilled the beans about you."
"...Y...Yo...You seem to have a great deal on your mind, Ryo of the Wildfire...b...b...by all means, let us hear it," Roth stated calmly. Ryo paused and glanced at her sharply.
...is she seriously going to call my bluff? Ryo eyed her warily. She has to know what I'm planning... Roth's expression remained neutral. Cye glanced from Ryo to Roth, slightly concerned Ryo might lose his resolve. Ryo scowled and set his jaw in determination. No! This needs to be out in the open...for everyone to hear! Ryo drew in a sharp breath before exhaling through his nose and squaring his shoulders. "You're not 'gods'! You're alien Superbeings passing yourselves off as 'gods'!"
The other Ronin exchanged alarmed glances, with the exception of Cye, who stared ahead stoically. Ryo heard incredulous chatter from behind...but not from the side. His gaze drifted sideways and he noticed his accusation didn't seem to have the same impact on the others present. King Torke let out a heavy sigh and fingered the sleeves of his regalia. The Silver-Haired Maiden swished her skirt. Trakar fidgeted uncomfortably where he stood. Bak pursed his lips and tilted his head up slightly. Danae clasped her hands behind her back and cleared her throat awkwardly. He heard no startled gasps or cries of protest from any of them. Ryo frowned, and it felt as though the universe contracted about him. Cye's eyes widened and he glanced at each of them, startled.
Roth didn't seem the least bit perturbed by his outburst. She regarded Ryo calmly, blinking ponderously like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. Ryo's eyes widened in dawning realization, his heart sinking. All of a sudden he felt a knot of worry in his gut as if he'd just committed a huge mistake. Roth inhaled deeply through her nostrils and closed her eyes. "Y...Yo...You speak as though this should come as some sort of jarring revelation," she intoned and shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head slightly. Ryo glanced to the side sharply.
"You've known!? All this time you've known?!" he accused.
"'They are as real as we speak to you now'," Danae recited something once said by the late Ki Ki Crol, Rona. Even the normally dour Trakar looked slightly sheepish.
"Truth has never been withheld from you...you simply neglected to ask...Anubis, you have walked the halls of Raaezen...surely you came across a copy of the Geodolpha in your perusal."
"I...had...other subjects occupying my attention..." Anubis stammered. He had only ever visited the archives when researching the Weeping Death.
"W...Wh...What did you hope to achieve with this gambit of yours, Ryo of the Wildfire?" Ryo glanced back at Roth, startled as Witheren and Eyurodin stepped out from seemingly nowhere behind her. "Drive a wedge between us? SOW THE SEEDS OF DOUBT?!" Witheren snarled.
"You risk much daring our ire..." Eyurodin intoned, her mallet Starforger clasped in one hand as she kept both arms across her chest. "Now what could have possibly warranted such hostility? Have we committed some sort of slight against you personally?...aside from the obvious?" Eyurodin flicked a glance at Kento and Tanya. Kento tensed up and Tanya reached out and clutched at his arm in alarm.
"Y-You seriously don't see anything wrong with any of this? With all of this? What you've done?" Cye demanded. "You've interfered with the development of an entire civilization!"
"Have the Thangien people not prospered under our stewardship? Through our guidance? They were once primitive nomads, and now they are a proud warrior folk. They have come far over the eons."
"THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING! YOU TOOK THAT CHOICE AWAY FROM THEM!" Cye screamed shrilly, his face contorted in rage.
"Oh, but they did make a choice. Thousands of years ago in a bloody civil war of the likes that would make your stomach turn. The people had a choice between our continued support...and the shackles of unholy hedonism...they chose us! J...Ju...Just because a choice does not align with your personal beliefs does not invalidate it as a choice..." Roth stated firmly. Ryo glanced at each of them, feeling desperate like being backed into a corner, grasping for straws.
"...We can't be a party to this...to any of this!" Ryo lashed his arm out to the side. "You've manipulated these people for thousands of years and expect us to be completely on board with this?"
"Ours has never been a relationship of coercion or slavish devotion, but of mutual necessity dating all the way back to the Dread Winter," the Silver-Haired Maiden interjected.
"RyoTakin, I have known my fate since the day I was born. Ander embraced his destiny, accepted his death. We know our doom, but not the hour. Is it not the same for you? That you know your doom the moment you take up the mantle of 'Ronin Warrior'?" King Torke reasoned. Ryo shook his head.
"It's not the same at all! We're warriors by choice! Not pawns in some cosmic game!"
"WE NEVER DECEIVED THEM!" a desperate cry boomed from behind the three Queens. Witheren and Eyurodin turned to the side and Roth made way as Ritho walked past.
"Rare is it that my daughter chooses to speak, you would do well to listen to her," Roth intoned.
"We wandered the Vault of Stars aimlessly before finally finding succor on this world. At first we resigned ourselves to isolation, but then ancient Men arrived and we pitied them: both of us unable to ever return to the world we once knew. We told them we were Geods. They called us 'gods'!"
"Wait...you mean like those rocks you break open with crystals inside them?" Kento quipped.
"If you mean something with a rough exterior that conceals glittering treasure, then I choose to accept that as a compliment..." Eyurodin drawled, throwing Kento an awkward sideways glance.
"They had endured centuries of hardship, cold, lost and alone on a strange world they knew nothing about. We nurtured them as best we could, but we learned if we coddled them like children, if we constantly hovered, swooping in at every danger no matter how small, it would destroy their will to fight! We devised the laws by which they would strive to seek our favor, but in truth empower themselves to achieve great things of their own will," Ritho argued.
"What about the Natives, huh? Is that another example of your 'benevolence'?!" Ryo retorted.
"I will not excuse my actions nor will I apologize for them," Ritho began, a cold edge creeping into her voice and her expression hardened, closing her eyes briefly before fixing Ryo with a glare. "You did not see the Natives as I did."
"Hey, don't tell me what I'm supposed to think! I wasn't there! For all I know, you could be lying about all of this!" Ryo accused.
Something struck Ryo with enough force to send him corkscrewing through the air until he landed on the tiled floor several feet away, no longer wearing Wildfire but clad only in his casual wear. "RYO!" Rowen shouted, alarmed at the sight. Ryo struggled to prop himself up on one elbow while gently examining his bruised jaw with his free hand.
"T...Th...The care of children may be Ritho's domain, but you will NOT speak to my daughter that way," Roth stepped forward, scowling. Ryo saw past her and noticed Ritho looking not so compassionate as before. Ryo spat blood to the side.
"Or else WHAT?" he growled, his anger boiling over. He felt one-hundred percent fed up with these so-called "gods" who presumed themselves stewards of this world. Roth narrowed her eyes and tilted her chin down slightly.
"INSOLENCE." Her voice thundered without her mouth moving. An invisible force sent Ryo flying further away, his back striking one of the great columns with enough force to cause him to cough blood. Roth took a step towards him, clenching her fists at her sides. The air rippled and started to cycle around her. "Who are you to argue with ten thousand years of strife and suffering?!" A force wave lashed out and struck Ryo, keeping him pinned against the column.
"She's doing the same thing she did to Bautan! Ryo!" Rowen and the other Ronin started to move, but before they even took a step, Roth-without taking her eyes off of Ryo-lashed her left arm behind her, pressing her palm in their direction. An invisible wave washed over them, sending them staggering. When they recovered and opened their eyes, they looked down horrified to see that Roth had disintegrated their Armors right off their bodies, leaving them completely naked. Tanya yelped in panic and struggled to both cover herself and her eyes. The guys likewise covered themselves or averted their gazes, though some perhaps not as hastily as others. "Ryo! Ryo!" Rowen and Anubis cried to no avail as Roth held him at her mercy and wouldn't even allow them to intervene.
Another force wave slammed into Ryo and it seemed like he coughed up a gallon of blood. There went the kidneys. The surface of the column seemed to warp rather than crack, as if Roth wanted to bury him in stone. Roth strode towards him, a miniature tempest swirling around her. "What is it you Humans say? JUDGE NOT LEST YE BE JUDGED YOURSELVES!" Ryo tilted his head up with great effort. By now his eyes had turned red from every capillary bursting. He beheld Roth as she came closer, and her body seemed to distort like a thunderstorm condensed into human size, eyes glowing and crackling. He wondered if this might be her true form. He felt fairly certain by now that every one of his internal organs had liquefied and dribbled over his chest, and he only remained alive because Roth wanted to prolong his suffering. His thoughts turned to Mia and Ryu, his mother Renee and little sister Kayli, and how he'd never see them again because of this creature, this otherworldly being. No matter how hard he struggled, his arms remained pinned like one of those gravity rides. He would die. He would die here today and Roth had every intention of killing him.
"I can see your heart, Ryo of the Wildfire. Your rage, your despair, your anguish all directed at me...you would so easily brand me the villain!" Roth stopped before him and gazed into his blood-drenched eyes. "SEE FOR YOURSELF THE HELL I SUFFERED!" Roth's palm shot out and pressed against Ryo's forehead. His mind exploded and he found his consciousness hurtling through time and space. A vision of a vast city that filled the horizon in all directions came into view.
Ryo could only hover, a disembodied observer to events unfolding in the chaotic setting. He could see parts of the otherworldly city burning, metallic structures collapsing and smoke billowing into the air. The only illumination came from sputtering lights scattered throughout abandoned corridors and thoroughfares. He looked up at the sky and couldn't believe what he saw: a star that looked...withered! It looked like someone had stuck a prune in the oven and forgotten about it. Its sickly bluish-white corona flickered and sputtered feebly in the distance. He looked down when he saw movement and spotted three figures pelting down the passageway. His eyes widened as he recognized them.
Roth! And there's Witheren, and Eyurodin! What the heck is going on? Ryo blinked in surprise upon seeing Roth holding what looked like a little girl of about eight or so in her arms. Wisps of light brown hair poked out from under a blue cowl. He could hear them speaking frantically, but their voices sounded like the ringing of chimes. After a few moments, his perception adjusted and Roth's voice became coherent as they neared the end of the passageway and exited into a wide area. Ryo saw something that looked like Peirolyth, only without the brickwork steps surrounding the base.
"W...Wh...Where are the others! They should have been here by now!" Roth cried, sounding frantic. She set down the little girl and glanced about at nearby entryways then turned around and looked up at the vessel. "T...Th...This is far too big a shuttle for just the four of us!"
"They knew the time and place! We're cutting it close enough as it is!" Witheren snarled. Eyurodin turned around and looked skyward at the sickened star.
"We cannot save our world, but I can at least make sure they no longer have this to exploit!" She raised her hand to the sky and splayed her fingers. Ryo watched amazed as tendrils of light surged out from the star, bridging the gap in seemingly mere seconds and flowing into Eyurodin's palm. The remains of the star coalesced into a bright glowing sphere.
"Oorotin! What have you done!?" Roth-or Wrawthe- exclaimed in wonder and horror.
"I have no idea, but it's taking half of my focus just to keep it restrained!" Oorotin cried.
"That's great! Now they know where to find us," Witheren-or Wuerhen- grumbled and glanced at the entryways. She walked over to a pile of debris and wrapped her hand around a long shaft of metal, lashing out with her boot heel at the sheet of metal at the base. The metal snapped away, leaving a curved jagged blade at the end. Wuerhen twirled the crude weapon at her side and moved back to stand next to Wrawthe. "We can't afford to wait any longer! We should go, now! Find a refuge where we can recoup our strength and plan a counterattack! Better to flee than wind up captured...or worse!"
"I hear your words...but...if we leave now...there might not be anything left by the time we return..." Wrawthe lamented. Oorotin frowned sympathetically before scowling and looking skyward.
"We won't have long to decide! Look! Gigamatamur! HE COMES!" The little brown-haired girl with the blue robes cowered behind Wrawthe as she drew her sword and turned to face whatever approached in the distance. Wuerhen brandished her makeshift halberd and Oorotin cradled the stolen star at her side. The three Geods looked skyward as something erupted from the city.
Ryo didn't know what to make of the shape that burst from the ground in the distance: it looked simultaneously like a volcanic eruption, a column of light, a sinuous neck like that of a dragon, or a tall figure looming over the shattered city. It surged higher and higher, seeming to scrape the sky itself. A sound raked through his mind like millions of screams, and he thought he could see faint lines covering the shape like a glowing grid. The three women braced themselves, poised to attack.
Roth withdrew her hand and Ryo slumped to the floor, still alive. He croaked and gasped, patting his palm over his shirt, surprised to find no trace of blood. Had he hallucinated the entire thing? The pain felt far too real. He looked up, confused. Roth stared down at him sadly.
"...N...No...Now you know the truth...the terror from which we fled..." she whispered. Brief glimpses flitted through Ryo's mind: of fur-clad humans looking up at the frigid night sky to see a large object hurtling overhead like an arrow, a fallen star that would never shine again. He saw the four otherworldly refugees converting their damaged shuttle into a home, then the same wandering Men from before greeting these four strangers. He saw the early days of their coexistence, all the triumphs and tragedies. Ryo's gaze flicked about as he struggled to collect his wits. He drew himself upright and sat on his heels, placing his hands on his lap, remaining on the floor, his gaze distant as he tried to process what he'd seen. He wondered perhaps if Roth had manufactured the whole thing to manipulate him..and yet he could sense in his heart... He opened his mouth, pausing briefly before taking a few quick breaths. He ran his tongue over his lips and looked up at Roth.
"...What do you want us to do?" he asked softly, sounding defeated, helpless. As much as he railed about choice...he had to admit this was far beyond his comprehension.
"For now? Nothing. As you are now you would stand little chance against this foe. Preparations must be made, plans agreed upon. When the time comes, I will let you know," Roth assured gently.
"Allllright, which one of you perverts snuck a peek?!" "I didn't see your tiny boobs, I swear!" "OOOOOGH!" "Rowen, you're blue down the-" "Shut up!" "Kento got a stif-" "I did not!" "Pfft, yes you did..." The other Ronin had been restored to wearing their sub-armors and Ryo could hear Tanya, Cale, Sehkmet, Rowen, Dais, and Kento.
Ryo staggered to his feet, still dizzy from the ordeal. He glanced at Ritho and another vision entered his mind. He could see dozens-if not hundreds-of Natives gathered in a crowd, teeth bared and ears flattened in rage. Unlike T'plaureth and T'Brandon, they looked fully unclothed, their normally white fur darkened with dirt and their manes disheveled. They snarled and jeered, their rage boiling over and they surged forth in a flood towards a young woman with a blue cowl and shawl. Before they got close, the woman let out an almighty scream that echoed through the jungle and lashed her arm to the side, knocking away the frenzied throngs with an invisible shockwave and sending them tumbling. Behind them, ornate stone buildings crumbled as if flattened by an immense fist that rolled forward further into the city, leveling trees and structures alike.
Ritho flicked a glance at Ryo and scowled, irritated that their minds had touched however briefly. Her expression softened somewhat and Ryo could read remorse in her eyes and that the incident still weighed heavily on her conscience even after so long.
"RyoTakin...Our peoples have been at odds for thousands of years, long before your Armors were even created!" Danae gestured to herself and Bak. "My father arrived long before many of you were born... Until just recently it would have been unheard of for us to stand side by side."
"You may feel like you have been drawn into our battles, but quite the contrary: we have been drawn to you! Humans stand as exemplars that we can aspire to become something greater, nobler: to strive for a better future, to fight for what you believe in!" Bak added emphatically.
"I...It...It was not merely the original Ronin Warriors who fought on the battlefield that fateful day against the Totalitary, but their vassals, their retainers, steadfast, stalwart Men who looked to the sky and saw only demons, invaders..." Eyurodin commented. Anubis recalled the murals adorning the halls of the shrine that once housed the Jewel of Life, how the original Ronin Warriors were portrayed slaying creatures that the men of the era could only depict as demons.
"Greytorata would not have emerged from her self-imposed exile without a good reason...I'm surprised you hadn't put two-and-two together..." Witheren chuckled and walked off to the side, bracing her heel against one of the benches along the wall beneath the colossal windows. "Those 'shadowy beings'? Nanotech constructs! Your friend Trakar has first-hand experience with this kind of tech!" Witheren nodded in the Reptilloid's direction, drawing a glance from him. Rowen thought about the curious metallic residue left behind and Kento remembered how they smelled mechanical.
"That's why they lost cohesion so easily. The Enemy underestimated the effects of temporal shear. See, that's why it pays to rub elbows with a god. Now, this seems like an awful lot of effort to go through on your account." Witheren braced her knuckles against her jaw and shrugged. "This is an 'elder race' after all. WHY SHOULD THEY BE AFRAID OF A BUNCH OF MONKEYS LIKE YOU!?" Witheren bellowed, furrowing her wild eyebrows in a scowl. Then she casually laid her arm across her knee and leaned forward, baring her teeth in a giddy grin. "...Because you're a wild card...they're scared SHITLESS of you! You think they want to lose all that knowledge, all the power they've accumulated over billions of years! You are the One's perfect instrument of vengeance! You are divine retribution made MANIFEST!" Witheren crowed and spread her arms wide.
"The same Doom that weighs upon you applies to them as well. Prophecy dictates they will meet their demise in the End Tide. It is a fate they are desperate to avert. That is why you must not falter, you must not let pride, or fear, or arrogance blind you. Do not let resentment towards us cloud your judgment or weaken your resolve. Would you consign all sentient life to suffer the same fate as your friend?" Ritho asked and gestured to Trakar. Ryo glanced between each of the goddesses.
"Ryo..." Ryo looked up when he heard Trakar speak and the Reptilloid stepped forward away from the other Allies. "I know it does not sound like much of a choice to you...but bear this in mind: my people had no choice...and we have suffered for it ever since..." Trakar offered sadly.
"You have not merely allies, but friends who wield either sharp blade or keen spirit." The others thought of their many civilian friends such as Mia, Yulie, Roxi, Shannon, Brianna, Michelle, all those who had come into contact with the Ronin at some point or another. "You are no longer desperate warriors fighting insurmountable odds...you are now generals, to whom others look to for defense," Roth intoned and tilted her chin up slightly. "TAKE COMMAND OF YOUR FATE!"
Outside, hundreds of pilgrims crowded at the entrance of Thananagreia, seated in meditation or heads bowed in prayer while their gods convened. The air boomed and it seemed a shaft of darkness shot down from the sky, striking the ground and sending faithful scattering in fright. Crackling inky blackness coalesced and receded to reveal a tall regal woman clad in rich dark fabric. Sunlight glittered from the jeweled crown hovering over her brow. She thew back her shoulders and glanced about the startled onlookers haughtily. "...Well, it's nice to know the people haven't forgotten me..."
Back inside, Ryo had rejoined the other Ronin where they stood, assuring them he felt fine and describing what he saw. Apparently the others had experienced the same vision. They glanced to the entrance when the heavy doors groaned from being pushed open quickly and casually. They spotted a slim figure bracing her hands against the edges before sauntering inside, passing through shafts of light and shadow produced by the colossal stained-glass windows. "Roth! Daaaaarling!" a silken voice purred, and they could see more details as she approached: long black hair reaching below the waist, an elegant dark gown, and ornaments of diamond and pearl crowning her head. "H...Ho...How could you have company over, and not invite me," she taunted, her voice alternating from a triple echo to a rumbling boom, blood-red lips spreading in a cunning smile. Her gaze fell upon each of the guests from Earth, and like a shock, the memory hit each of the Ronin: Green eyes full of hate.
Cye saw in her one of the foes foretold in his vision, in her eyes the hateful will behind the Black Unicorn that had nearly killed him. Sage saw the colossal wicked eyes he beheld in his own feverish dream. "What? Why such baleful looks? I come in peace! Oh, I see: you wanted to consult with your favorite heroes...your 'champions'..." Thanged's Goddess of Wickedness taunted.
"I see it now...you need the people worshipping you all, to give you power! That's why you maintain this whole facade of good versus evil! Without the people's emotions to feed upon, you can't exist!" Sage accused. Phitdaitiarona sniffed dismissively.
"Bah! Do not think us so weak that we require 'sustenance' from mortals!" she tilted her head up and narrowed her eyes.
"Superbeings of our caliber require pursuits which with to devote our energies and occupy our time. Idle hands, and all that," Eyurodin explained and shrugged absently, thumping Starforger against her upper arm.
"The cries of exhaultation...the rapt adulation of the masses...it's intoxicating..." Witheren breathed, smiling with pleasure. "And that is what differentiates us from one another. We have long since learned the value of practicing restraint, while you revel in excess," Witheren stated calmly, fixing Phitdaitiarona with a stern glare.
"I...I...I NEED NO LECTURE FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!" The Empress of Night seemed to have closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, bringing her nose within an inch of Witheren's and splaying her long polished nails near her face. Witheren jerked her head back slightly, more irritated than offended, and she glared down her nose at Phitdaitiarona. "AAAGH! UUAAAAGH!" All those observing could clearly see as Phitdaitiarona reeled in pain, staggering back a step and clenching her fists at her sides. Her form flickered briefly, and they saw not the dreadfully beautiful Empress of Night, but a wizened old woman, hair gray and brittle, clothes wrinkled and faded. Phitdaitiarona splayed her fingers and grit her teeth, grunting with exertion as she seemed to fight with her own being.
"O...O...Oh? What's wrong? Feeling a little bit..." Witheren purred softly, raising both eyebrows. "Under the weather?" she rumbled, clearly enjoying needling the rogue goddess. Ryo shifted uncomfortably where he stood and set his jaw, scowling. He wanted nothing to do with a pissing match between gods.
"You poured more of yourself into that spacequake of yours than you intended, I see," Eyurodin admonished.
"You expend power needlessly out of petty spite. You should do yourself and everyone else a favor and stick to whispering into the ears of the craven!" Ritho snapped, scowling. Phitdaitiarona seemed to have tamped down whatever afflicted her and she straightened her shoulders, tilting her chin up slightly and glancing at Roth.
"Your daughter's gained quite the barbed tongue as of late... and I'm sure you'd know ALL about 'restraint', wouldn't you, Ritho," Phitdaitiarona purred tauntingly, wiggling her eyebrows and grinning. Ritho narrowed her eyes in warning but said nothing else, keeping her anger in check so far.
"S...Sp...Speak your piece and take your leave, Wicked Black Wound. I have no time to bandy words with the likes of you," Roth boomed. Phitdaitiarona flicked one last taunting glance at Ritho before drawing herself up and pacing to one side.
"You are no doubt aware of our new arrivals...and the Male among them..."
"I am."
"Then you know as well as I what his presence means for us all. As much as we have butted heads over the eons, I will not see this world and its people jeopardized by the likes of him."
"If he gets out of line, rest assured, I will deal with him." Roth stated calmly.
"'Gets out of line'? You should destroy him now! Before he has a chance to harm anyone!" Phitdaitiarona's emerald pupils flashed with anger. "Do not mistake my concern for altruism. I still need the people just as much as you do. Males care nothing for lesser beings. Their contempt is far greater than even mine!"
"Uh...you did try to exterminate humanity you know..." Kento interjected. The Empress of Night flicked a glance at him, looking irritated at first, then turning the corner of her lip up in a smirk. Kento flinched uneasily.
"Your concern is duly noted. Retire to your dark moon, Wicked Black Wound. You are unwell," Roth admonished. Phitdaitiarona flicked a glance at her and sneered.
"You are so sure of yourself, so confident in your power. You've spent so long in exile you've forgotten what the Males did to us on Geodo! You've grown complacent over the eons. I warn you now, 'Queen of Triumph': do not underestimate that whelp, for you may have very well met your match!" Phitdaitiarona pointed at Roth and tilted her chin up contemptuously. With that, her form turned to shadow and shredded like a flock of startled bats that surged out through the open doors.
"...she seems pleasant..." Ryo muttered.
"Phitdaitiarona is-as you'd say- 'a puzzle wrapped in an enigma swaddled in a mystery nestled in a conundrum awash in contradictions. She craves adoration, yet by her very nature inspires only fear. She is actually much older than any of us, but has diffused so much of her power into her dark plots over the ages, she has only weakened herself. She has the capacity to be a great and noble goddess if she would but abandon her unsavoury desires..." Eyurodin drawled ruefully. Ritho did not seem to share her views and Witheren let out a dissatisfied grunt. Roth said nothing and merely stared ahead solemnly. "Her power was such that the Males feared us, setting the God Strife into motion."
"Hold up a second: If these beings are in the same class as you, w-what can we possibly do against them?" Rowen argued and clapped a hand against his chest. Roth tilted her head up slightly and calmly folded her arms over her chest, resting her palms against her upper arms. She curled her right hand and flicked her wrist, slapping the air. All of a sudden it seemed as if Kento exploded into a cloud of particles. The others stared at where he'd been aghast. He'd been there one moment. Now he wasn't. It seemed as if a cloud of particles scattered throughout the air. Before anyone could voice protest or objection, Roth clenched her fist and the particles surged back together, reforming back into Kento.
"...what just happened?" Kento asked, bewildered and looked down at himself, turning about in place and gazing up and down his shoulders and back.
"Unlike the Males on Geodo, I have achieved a state of Perfect Focus. I know the precise location and position of every molecule, every atom of an object or entity at any point in time. Were I to stray but a little, my powers would deteriorate, as you've observed with Phitdaitiarona." All the while Kento examined himself dumbly, scratching his head and frowning. "The Males obsess themselves with subjugation and destruction, degrading their power. The four of us have had over ten thousand years which with to hone our powers. That is why we-"
"You forgot to put the food back," Kento interjected all of a sudden and raised a finger. Roth flicked a glance at him and furrowed her brow, looking puzzled.
"...what?" she looked genuinely at a loss for words.
"I had food in my tummy. It was digesting. You forgot to put it back," Kento chirped. Roth stared at him for several moments, frowning. She flicked a glance at Witheren, who stared back briefly before shrugging her shoulders, her face contorting in an awkward grimace. Roth glanced back at Kento and waved her hand through the air slightly. Kento glanced down at his stomach and gave it a pat before flashing her a thumbs up.
"Thanks!" Roth regarded him with a perplexed look, blinking slowly. Ryo had a feeling Roth had never been quite so stumped before. Ritho decided to take her leave and headed for the door, followed by Eyurodin. Witheren remained by the bench and actually proved quite talkative, conversing with some of the Ronin about the Geod's earliest interactions with Humans. Roth walked over to Danae and began speaking in Thangien with her. Kento frowned and glanced at Dais, who observed his pairmate calmly. "Psst, Dais! What are they talking about?" Kento whispered.
"Roth asked Danae if she would like her to cure Darius of his condition, and Danae declined. Whatever trials befall Darius when he is older, he must face them and persevere as befitting of any warrior," Dais replied. Kento glanced back at the two, looking hopeful. Danae spoke comfortably with her patroness, like a student catching up with an old teacher.
Kento fidgeted and waited for Roth to finish speaking with Danae. Danae nodded and walked away to join Dais off to the side and Roth turned and began walking towards the entrance. Kento walked after her swiftly. "Hey! Wait up a minute!" he called after her. Roth made no motion to stop or slow her pace. "Hey! Lady! Yo, your 'majesty'!" Kento mocked. Roth stopped and clicked her heels together, pivoting in a fluid motion to face him, folding her arms over her chest.
"W...Wh...What?" she demanded sternly as he stopped just infront of her.
"Look, cheese it with the godspeak, okay?" Roth raised an eyebrow, baffled that he felt comfortable enough to speak so frankly. She remained quiet, allowing him to speak his piece. "Listen, you did something back there."
"A...An...And what would that be?" she asked calmly. Kento growled through his teeth and clenched his fists in exasperation, lashing his arms to the sides.
"What-you-f-ghk-you know what I mean! You're the all-seeing 'god', aren't you!?"
"HUMOR ME," Roth boomed, keeping her tone level.
"Listen, you took me apart and put me back together in the blink of an eye," Kento stated and stabbed a finger at her.
"A...An...And?" Roth replied calmly, her voice chiming.
"YOU CAN PUT ME BACK THE WAY I WAS!" Kento screamed far louder than he intended, not caring about the startled looks he drew from those still inside the chapel. Roth regarded him calmly, her expression unchanging. Kento's brow furrowed and he frowned in dismay, bewildered at her apathy. Roth inhaled deeply, much the same way as she'd addressed Ryo earlier.
"N...No...Now why would I be inclined to do something like that?" she replied stiffly. Kento flinched, her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. He clenched his fists close to his chest, his eyes full of despair.
"Look: I've been the dutiful soldier! You're the first real chance I've had of getting rid of this thing! Please, I'm begging you! I've put up with it long enough!"
"I realize your frustration, Kento of Hardrock, but what you ask is something I cannot do," Roth replied, her expression still neutral.
"Can't or WON'T!?" Kento demanded, gritting his teeth.
"WON'T," Roth boomed firmly, scowling in warning. "Understand this: we cannot intervene at every turn or else it would jeopardize the tenuous balance we have maintained. Would that I could have stopped the Burning of Banguk, would that I could have saved every soul, would that I could have intervened and spared Ander his gruesome fate, and yet I could not, for there are Powers far greater than I. I am not so callous that I do not remember every life lost in my name. As much as you believe you have suffered, it is beneath my concern and beyond my domain. By mortal machinations was this affliction bestowed, by mortal means must it be revoked. That is your Path, your Peril, your Proving," Roth explained sternly.
Kento stared at her in cold shock. All of a sudden it made sense to him, as if he had caught a brief glimpse of her mind. She needed her sympathetic champion, her "tragic hero". He didn't realize it at first, but his lip curled in a snarl and his brow contorted in fury. Roth moved to turn and walk away, and he bared his teeth, his pupils flickering white. A soft growl rose in his throat. Roth paused abruptly and turned to face him, her movements unnaturally fluid. She locked gazes with Kento, tilting her chin towards her chest.
"I...I...I know your heart, Kento of Hardrock. You would fight me, and I would strike you where you stand!" Roth purred in warning. Kento stood there fists clenched, barely keeping his anger from boiling over. "T...Th...Think carefully of what you wish for: what you deem to be a bane to yourself may prove a boon to those you hold dear," and with that, Roth turned and continued on her way towards the door. Kento stood there, quaking head to toe with rage.
"...sure thing...your majesty..." Kento set his jaw and stalked away to rejoin the others as they proceeded towards the exit.
"...Well...that certainly was a heck of a day..." Sehkmet grumbled as the party walked outside and passed by the monument of green stone that marked the entrance.
"Lesser beings such as yourselves should know better than to talk back to a god..." Ryo made a face and glanced to the side when he heard a voice speak up and he spotted a young man with dark orange hair slouching against the slope of the monument. The young man opened his eyes and glared at the departing Ronin with black irises and blue-gray pupils. This had to be Baeron, the male Geod that had Phitdaitiarona so alarmed. "You should apologize for your impertinence..." he sneered.
"APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT!?" Tanya shrieked and whirled around, fists clenched. Kento's eyes widened. He felt that: anger. Of the kind he hadn't sensed for a long time. It came like a pulse, like someone tapping on a very large drum, eclipsing anything he'd felt towards Roth earlier.
"C'mon Sis...he's not worth the time," Ryo grumbled. For the first time since ever setting foot on Thanged, he couldn't stand being on the planet a moment longer.
"NO! YOU'VE GENUINELY PIQUED MY FUCKING CURIOSITY!" Tanya screamed and stormed over towards the indolent Geod. "APOLOGIZE. FOR. WHAT?!" she growled through clenched teeth, keeping her fists balled. Kento could sense waves of anger enough for both of them, not just at what happened today, but when Roth nearly killed him. Baeron regarded her calmly, his pupils roving about as if appraising her. He remained quiet and tilted his chin up slightly, frowning. "Yeah, I thought so!" Tanya snorted and walked away to rejoin the others.
"Baeron! There you are! You should not leave so abruptly like that! Please, come back to the garden. You must not antagonize the people here..." Tanya raised an eyebrow when an older woman approached from off to the side and placed a hand on Baeron's back, patting him gently. Baeron frowned and acquiesced, peeling away from the monument and walking away with the woman. She had the same eyes as a Geod but a humble demeanor. Tanya made a face, wondering if the woman was his mother. If so, she felt sorry for her... Ryo watched the pair walk away towards the Traedeskaton. If he had any lingering doubts about Roth's ancient rivals, this extinguished them. At the very least, it proved Male Geods were dicks...
"That boy is liable to be a problem..." Witheren muttered as she and Eyurodin approached.
"What's so bad about him?" Rowen asked.
"He is a Male."
"Now that's just sexist," Kento sniffed and folded his arms over his chest. Eyurodin glanced at him.
"Ours was not a conflict of sexes, but of ideals. Females espoused patience, reflection, nurture over nature. Males diverged completely, preferring recklessness, brutality, possessing an overwhelming urge to dominate. Taezura believes her love will be enough to placate him. It may be fruitless..."
"The gods of antiquity often feared they would be usurped by their offspring. Uranus and Kronos, Kronos and Zeus, Tiamat and Marduk, Odin and Loki," Anubis commented.
"We were not merely betrayed by sons, but fathers, brothers, husbands and uncles. Disagreement became argument, argument became altercation, altercation became war, and seemingly overnight the world we once knew crumbled to dust, and our star paid the ultimate price. Pray you never know the sting of such betrayal," Witheren retorted, her voice cracking slightly as she frowned. "That those you once considered counterparts would become so drunk with paranoia, so twisted with hate they can no longer see a friend or equal...all they can see is the enemy...the other..."
"Why do you cling to such anger, my son?" Taezura asked Baeron as they stood in the central garden. "This world is peaceful, much like ours before...before...well, in better times. We can make a new life for ourselves among these beings. It may take time to adjust, but I am sure the others will welcome you into their fold. You must prove yourself above their prejudices..."
"...Why..." Baeron muttered under his breath. Taezura blinked, taken aback. Baeron smirked and tilted his face towards her. "Why should I play by their rules?" Taezura reached out to stroke his arm but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, peering down into her eyes. "No, no dear mother. I have seen all I need to know that it is enough. I think I am through carrying on with this charade of being the dutiful son!" Taezura's eyes widened in alarm as Baeron loomed over her, laughing.
"We'll chill out here until Shannon gets back from wherever," Ryo stated as the party approached the House of St'lur. He raised an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder when a horn sounded in the distance and they could see pennants rising on their poles throughout the area, relaying news throughout the city. "Whoa...what's going on? Anubis? Do you know what this is about?" Ryo asked as Anubis studied the signals ferried by the banner network.
"Solid red...underscored by gold...murder! A high profile one!" A smaller green-and-white checkered pennant rose up beneath. "Something's happened at the Traedeskaton!"
Teleport rings formed outside in the street and the Ten Ronin appeared, Rowen dismissing his Armor as they ran inside. Throngs of distressed staff members gathered by the overlook. "Shannon! What the heck is going on here?" Sage demanded as he spotted her and Shainie by the rail.
"Oh Sage! It's terrible! Most of the staff had gone back to their normal shifts...and when they came back around, they saw her just...lying like that!" Shannon looked upset and nodded towards the garden. Tanya peered over the rail and gasped when she saw Taezura lying limp in the grass, her eyes blank and lifeless. Ritho knelt beside the body alongside Janxilo and Tanjanira.
"It was that asshole son of hers! I just know it! They were talking and he said something and vanished, and she just collapsed then and there!" Shainie blurted, her face red with grief. The Ronin effortlessly vaulted over the rail to land down in the garden and cautiously approached the goddesses.
"What the hell? How could this happen? You're all supposed to be gods right?" Tanya demanded.
"No hand was laid upon her. She wanted to believe so much that her love alone could keep her son good, that he would be different from the rest. The realization that he still harbored such dark desires proved too much of a shock for her to bear, and she simply ceased to be," Tanjanira explained.
"...she died of a broken heart..." Tanya muttered and frowned. She had only seen the Geod for a moment, but as much as she disliked Roth, Taezura didn't deserve this.
"We never should have taken him with us...but she absolutely refused to leave him behind. In her mind he remained her sweet, blessed child. It would have been cruel to abandon her, but is it not crueler now the realization that she would have come to such an end?" Janxilo lamented.
"She will be enshrined amongst us as the Martyred Mother, so that even in death she will have a place in the hearts of the people," Ritho stated. Ryo stared down at the lifeless body sadly. He blinked and frowned, looking at Ritho.
"...Where...where is your mother?"
"She has gone to deal with the transgressor...personally," Ritho narrowed her eyes. Ryo's eyes widened in alarm and he stepped away from the group.
"Come on, I got a bad feeling about this..."
"So...this is where disputes are settled in this quaint little city...a bit grandiose, isn't it?" Baeron scoffed as he paced about the grounds of the Pit of Spikes.
"N...No...Not even for the sake of your own mother could you set aside your spiteful nature. I should thank you for proving my point...for all to see," Roth snarled as she circumvented him.
"Me? Why, I didn't lay a hand on her! I've done nothing wrong," Baeron shrugged and smirked.
"Her blood is on your hands. That is enough for me. I extended mercy to the both of you, and Taezura has paid the price of my lapse in judgment. Now, I shall rectify that." Roth raised her arm and held her palm out at him. "die." A wave of force rushed towards Baeron. Baeron raised his own hand and splayed his fingers, and the force wake splashed off of it like water. Roth's eyes widened slightly.
"Is that all?" Baeron taunted. Roth bunched her shoulder and unleashed another wake, and Baeron shrugged it off same as before. "You have ruled unopposed far too long, willful wench. You position yourself as a god of good amongst this rabble? Then I shall be the God of Evil! I will put you back in your rightful place! Now be good, and submit!" Roth set her jaw and clenched her fists.
The Ronin exited the Traedeskaton to see the air rippling in the distance over the arena. They hurried down the street towards the two dueling Geods, arriving to see energy whipping about in a dome around Baeron and Roth. Wisps of white light unfurled like wings behind Roth, while crackling orange whipped behind Baeron. The surly Male seemingly stood his ground against the Goddess of Victory. Roth scowled as she channeled more and more power against him, and Baeron had to shift his posture slightly. The wind picked up and a howling groan echoed through the area. Windows in the Traedeskaton and columns at the Rider's Citadel started to crack as the divine duel intensified.
"They'll tear the city apart at this rate! We need to stop them!" Rowen hollered above the storm.
"How!? They're freaking gods!" Cale protested. Ryo frowned as he observed the battle. He recalled the times the goddesses exercised their powers, how Roth could have crushed him as easily as an ant.
...she's restraining herself...is she afraid of damaging the city?
"I still think Roth's a bitch, but KICK HIS ASS!" Tanya cheered, cupping her hands around her mouth. Baeron flicked a glance in her direction. Roth loosed several more force wakes, each with greater intensity than before. Baeron seemed to falter and his bravado started to fade. Roth rolled her shoulders and the air warped as if the universe itself began to wrap around Baeron.
All of a sudden it seemed like Baeron peeled into two, breaking away from the fight while his copy remained behind to be crushed by the force wake. He dashed towards the Ronin like a blurred streak. He rushed past and he briefly locked gazes with Tanya. Her eyes followed him, her brow furrowing in confusion. She felt the most unnerving sensation: as if he'd flipped her open like a book and skimmed through the pages. He veered away, darting down the thoroughfare towards the south.
"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Cye exclaimed.
"Hurry, we can't let that little weasel get away!" Sage shouted.
"STAY BACK!" Roth boomed as she stalked past. "T..Th...This is between higher beings!" She walked deliberately, keeping her pace steady while Baeron zipped through the city like a blur. "Get back here boy! There is nowhere to run! Unless...the other ship! No...you will not ESCAPE ME!"
Out on the plain, Baeron waved his arms and the crashed shuttle rose from the soil and rotated before resting on its four pointed legs atop the soil. He looked over his shoulder and smirked. Residents cowered in their homes as their supreme god stalked down the thoroughfare, a storm of cosmic fury whipping about her. Baeron made his way to the cockpit and typed in commands. The thrusters fired, forcing the farmer and his son to flee before their home splintered from the shock wave.
"BOWWFH! BOWWFH!" Buster blast-barked to no avail.
"Shut yer pie hole, dangit! There's nothin' you can do!" Debiah Kubar grunted as he struggled to keep the fyrhund restrained. Buffeting winds from the exhaust sent roofs of nearby houses flaking off the frame. The thrusters roared again and the shuttle rose inexorably from the plain.
"Y...Yo...You think you can escape justice, you matricidal monstrosity?! " Roth boomed as she arrived at the South gate in time to see the shuttle ascend. She raised her arm and splayed her fingers. "I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!!" The air warped and surged, rushing towards the shuttle. Inside the cockpit, Baeron looked over his shoulder and grinned toothily before extending his hand.
"I...I...I THINK NOT!" he pushed forcefully and a ball of distortion surrounded the shuttle before exploding outward, repulsing Roth's force wake. A shock coursed down her arm all the way to the shoulder and she staggered back a step, cracks radiating through the pavement beneath her heel. The air around her snapped and the psychokinetic tempest fizzled. Roth watched the vessel shoot up into the sky, leaving in its wake a billowing trail of exhaust. "Y...Y...You haven't seen the last of me!" Baeron's voice taunted, echoing through the air itself. "I shall return with my father, and all of his forces! A...An...And we shall burn this 'paradise' you've built TO ASH! AH HAH HAH HAAA!" Baeron's wicked cackle reverberated across both city and plain. Roth clenched her fist, knowing she could not stop him: she'd already tried, and he'd thwarted her.
"...Gigamatamur..." she muttered. Ryo had made his way up the thoroughfare toward the gate and quietly walked off to the side of her. "This...this wasn't supposed to happen..." he heard Roth stammer hoarsely.
You held off on using your full power, didn't you? You wanted to make a show of killing him like you did with Bautan...but you underestimated him, and it backfired... Roth glanced at him, and in that moment he could see genuine fear in her eyes. Roth set her jaw and scowled, drawing herself and squaring her shoulders. She still had her part to play as the all-powerful god...
"Weeeeellll now we're in for it," Witheren grumbled as she sauntered up behind Roth, standing off to her left.
"They were bound to track us down sooner or later, it was only a matter of time," Eyurodin intoned, standing to the right.
"I had hoped for a few more years preparation. It seems, however, a Power far greater than our own decided to force our hand." Roth stated. "R...Ry...Ryo of the Wildfire," Roth began and flicked a glance off to the side. Ryo hummed when she addressed him. "There is a harrowing you all must undergo in the near future from which I cannot protect you from."
"I'm sure we'll be just fine," Ryo replied curtly, scowling.
"So you think," Roth retorted and turned her eyes to the exhaust cloud. The way that it spread reminded Ryo very much of the vision he'd seen; of Roth, Witheren, and Eyurodin facing the colossal entity in the distance. Ryo glanced out the corner of his eye when he noticed Ritho approach.
"Raeo Flamerider, there is a harrowing of your own you shall undergo in the immediate future, one which will affect not just yourself, but someone you hold dear. You will have to make a painful choice, the consequences of which I can only hope you are ready to accept."
"What, this another one of your 'Dooms'?" Ryo scoffed. Ritho averted her gaze.
"Not exactly. These things are not clear to us. We are not all-knowing, all-seeing. Greytorata was the one with the gift of foresight. She left long before the God Strife consumed our world..." Ritho noticed Ryo's deepening scowl and sighed, mildly exasperated. "To you I might seem old and wise, but back then I was very much a scared little girl. To some degree, I still am. Ryo...I have had over eight thousand years to ruminate over my mistake...I doubt you have a similar luxury." Ryo averted his gaze. "Do not refuse help when it is offered. It may very well prove the difference between life and death. I have already issued a similar warning to the Black-Winged Knight." And with that, Ritho stepped away to join the other Queens by the gate. Ryo turned to leave and frowned.
...'Black-Winged Knight... He glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow, perplexed. ...she talking about Reiou?
Phitdaitiarona observed from the dark halls of her dread palace as the craft shot into space effortlessly. Clearly, Roth's "might" had failed, but she herself lacked the energy to act. She watched the craft streak off into the Vault of Stars. "O...Oh...Oh...Things are about to get a great deal more interesting around here..." she purred and smiled her dreadful smile.
AOD Soundtrack
1. The Stellar Stage-The Greatest Show On Earth-Nightwish
The snotty woman shut the passenger-side door and turned to walk around to the driver's side. She recoiled and yelped when she saw Mia standing infront of her. "What the hell do you want?!" the snotty woman sneered, completely oblivious to the curious look in her eyes and her strange smile.
Inside the jeep, Ryu flipped through one of his bulky picture books idly, the earphones snug on his head, the peppy music drowning out any sounds like screams, thumps, or crashes. He remained so engrossed in his colorful book he couldn't see shadows moving behind the car violently.
Wildfire's Bargain