Chapter Five of Ten
Mercy killing
Paws ached climbing hundreds upon hundreds of steps towards the Triumvirates chamber with the group of Pro, Howl, Dakem, Fortaime and Valessa who were all looking forward to some rest and relaxation having finally come down from the war adrenaline surviving the greatest battle in Alestia's history.
Fortaime had loved looking down the hundreds of zigzag stairs enveloped by the darkness below them but everyone else had eventually lost their nerve to look over the ledge to a certain death plunge the higher they went. A small amount of terror climbing in sync with the grand staircase and the lack of a bannister mocked the one Triumvirate who went over previously meanwhile Howl had been made the motivation mover keeping the group pushing forward before their fears could stop them.
Pro's seasick legs soon came to tilt the runner who had moved ahead of the group trying to outrun his fear of heights altogether, this decision doing no favours to the rest of the group just waiting to see the Husky fall over the edge. Never again would Pro grumble about the HQ being underground.
Solid and stable, beautiful ground.
Valessa had stayed side by side with her resurrector keeping her eyes on the over-excited Fortaime, her laser-focus gaze enough to freeze Medusa herself had the bunny paid even the slightest bit of attention to her straining panic deep in her foxy blue eyes, just forward of the two scribes Damek and Howl were quietly keeping tabs on everyone also having an in-depth discussion of their individual battles and scars to expect in the coming days.
Damek brainstormed ways to subdue today's battle fearing it would ignite past trauma of the occupation by those who had fallen in battle, his concern particularly apparent for Pro whose behaviour was becoming more unstable. Little did Damek know it was his own exhaustion he was failing to remedy having refused to take a break since the crack of dawn.
Since the battle had been won those who had survived slowly soaked in a sense of hope which grew in the biting cold mist, the ice blizzard gusting away stenches of defeat and decay from the Triumvirate's reign with buildings burning for warmth also entrapping spirit guard husks to infernal dying flames.
Sensations of hope weighed heavily on survivors as Damek's explanation of salvation for all who had died was something only a benevolent god could offer. A better future kept the young leader inspired for it was hard for Damek to resist the lure of faith that followed him all his life.
Howl could never believe in blind hope alone knowing no matter what the Triumvirate promises, they will always find a way to break the hearts and minds of the rebellion simply using the rebel's dreams to buy time to live. That's the trouble with hope, it's hard to resist and this fed Howls concerns further picturing the possibility this uncertain foe could start to wield the Triumvirate's control once again.
In truth, Howl's main concern was the impossibility he was tasked with burying trying to balance what he knew of the traitor and what his instincts told him.
Howl hadn't shared his distaste fully with Damek as his thoughts were interrupted by the recently deceased walking freely so unfazed nor taxed by her sacrifice only inspiring longing jealousy for Valessa. Maybe the Triumvirate could recreate the bodies long lost to time for the Monarchy to use once again but justice would still be required for all the pain and suffering caused.
Uncomfortable conflict plagued Howl as he truly wanted to hope the Triumvirate was here to atone but other voices within him reflected raw rage for the crimes committed against a foe the Monarchy never had the chance to surrender to. Not a sniff of mercy, abdication or negotiation. The Monarchy was punished by the Triumvirate without any warning and seizing them in an instant of time was an act of unmatched barbarity leaving deep wounds within Howl.
With everyone but Pro and Howl panting from the unending staircase their ears perked from the revitalised churning of the massive silver and gold clock gears inside the castle walls, activating from hidden rooms and holes throughout the castle causing speculation within the group to what secrets still lurked in the god castle. Barely audible but soon growing clear was an intensive shouting match between Blur and the Triumvirate. The blue and white wolf shouting so fiercely as if his life depended on it, nobody but Sovy had heard the king in such a state previously.
The group of climbers couldn't fathom how the chamber had actually gotten worse than the war zone outside, the stench of death haunting the chamber pungently was enough to make Pro retch and groan having his place of refuge rotted by decay. Pushing forward Howl and Damek had to see what was happening to the Monarch to cause such an uproar leaving Fortaime and Valessa to help Pro up the final flight of stairs disheartened.
As both leaders step into the freezing chamber Blur stands in the centre surrounded by the blackest void of dust shot in every direction by the Idols destruction, covering the floor in a thin layer of evil. His claws cut through the air animating his temper and threatening the Triumvirate who is holding their ground peacefully. Pacing in the soft snow trailing from the roof the hooded figure stares starbound and fed up yet trying to keep a hold of their splintering patience.
The stars shining through the thinning fog at the top of the castle helped to comfort the god against the incoming argument, feeling the storm barrelling around the castle and onto the city below.
Blur: You are responsible for all of the suffering, all of the violence. You! You engineered this situation! THIS is your fault.
Triumvirate: Don't you think I already know this? You can blame me all you want for your friend's past suffering but I'm here because of you!
Judging me by your views...your version of good is not absolute, it's a vein, arrogant and sentimental!
You can lie to all of them, even to yourself but I know what actually happened and you will fix this mutt.
I will not lie and give you hope, to go on believing everything will be alright when you know what has to happen here and now, today!
Blurs' savage snarl was met with a swift force of air as the Triumvirate's spear swept a circle around the figure at an impossible speed. Both foes are close to brawling but the tactical paws of Damek break the two away placing the leader directly infront of Blurs' burning eyes dying to rip the god to shreds. Pushing Blur softly away with his big pleading emerald eyes those same eyes swiftly turned to the Triumvirate's deathly vale hood of blackness carrying a message of hush.
Damek: Cut it out both of you! Blur let them explain why they are here. What do you want?
Blur: You can't be serious Damek?! Why is anyone listening to him?
He's given me an arm and we let him live?
My friends have died for me today I won't thank him for that Damek!!
Ulric: BLUR! look over here and you'll see why you should listen to them.
Ulric shakes Valessa's paw smiling widely as her thrashing breath burns her rib cage straining her smile still getting used to the sensations of life, the stragglers climbing the final stairs and greeting the welcomed view of family who had all bonded throughout this monumental journey.
Surrounded once again by those who helped settle her core beliefs gave encouraging thoughts that everything which had been done was worth it, a regretful scan in Ulric's big blue eyes caught Valessa's attention shifting her attention as she watched him carefully. Ulric gently lifts Pro sliding an arm under his husky friend and never breaking eye contact with Valessa the warrior felt the urge to speak.
Ulric: I'm sorry I couldn't have been there to protect you... leaving you behind was a mistake, I shouldn't have been talked out of it.
But praise be you're actually alive and I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you again Valessa
Valessa: Woah you do have a softer side and here I thought you only lived to be a battle-hardened ass. Don't worry about me Ulric it was my decision, nobody forced me. I got my reward and it worked out for the best... we won.
Valessa grinned seeing everyone perk up at her living presence once more, her once soft eyes had a more commanding glint to them as they held onto Blur, her own life-blooming blue eyes silently acknowledged his rage at the Triumvirate yet with a motion of her paw he gets the signal to calm down. For her, he bites down the bile he wanted to throw upon the Triumvirate now accepting a brief moment of clarity in the fact that Valessa is walking perfectly fine for someone recently murdered.
Her new clothing fitted tightly with a few scraps of her arrow-torn clothes remaining, a flair of epicness beamed from her reborn aura and Valessa felt as if she could answer all the forbidden secrets of the universe. Empowered boldness pumped through her veins just like Damek did when he was resurrected by the Monarchy, history it seems was repeating itself on Alestia.
Blur's tail was soon warped into a blur of blue as he almost threw Fortaime and Valessa down the stairs in a smothering embrace. Heartfelt whispers and guilty tears spread between them as relief poured through their hearts excited to have the trio back together again, Blur could be heard shakingly condemning Valessa for breaking his orders on not dying and apologising for luring another horde that caused her end.
The Triumvirate watched the group reuniting and couldn't help whispering sage proudness at their work watching Valessa with her in new lifeforce.
Only Howl had noticed the longing look of the Triumvirate starring at the regrouped Valinorthians quietly mumbling to themselves. Clocking their movements diminishing into subtle sadness yet the spear in the hooded figure's paws was clutched even tighter, holding the pain tightly and promising that nobody else would feel the same pain fearing and experiencing the worst for each other. They would bring an end to this nightmare, this the god pledged to themself.
Blur slowly released his childhood friends cupping their paws in his squeezing softly and nodding an eternal promise to Valessa he won't leave her ever again, he turns with a half-lit glare at the Triumvirate sniffing and wiping away misty eyes.
Blur: ...fine...fine, I will listen but only because you have bought your time with her life. I swore an oath you will pay for everything you have done but this time... your kind will be given a chance to explain.
So what exactly do you think you are doing here?
Triumvirate: We might ask you the same question!!!
The response was unexpectedly cold and hate-loaded even surprising the Triumvirate, death threats from the group surrounded the hooded figure simply impossible to ignore them all inching closer with an ominous growling from Damek, the time bought talking was quickly evaporating on rapidly regretful rage.
Gripping their paws together and taking another long deep breath a look was cast to the stars once more soaking in the beauty of space, the Triumvirate flickering their spear in a loop clearing the skies for a clear picture of twilight.
Nobody said a word waiting for the next move while Sovys red eyes were drilling into the Triumvirate's head and watching as their breath turned to vaper against the cold air.
Triumvirate: Let us start at the beginning, who I am and what, well who I'm here for.
You all know me as one of the 'gods' of Alestia and yet I died in this room a few hours ago however during our reigns, we decided a fail-safe was required to ensure none of ...this...ever happened in the first place.
They gesture to the burning city below through cracked and sooted glass, the devastation that had spread under the Triumvirate's rule seemingly surfaced with tones of regret.
Triumvirate: This war...seems they were right. Always, always right.
My powers are great but I am not a god. I'm mortal just like all of you and I am not of this world.
I bleed, I cry. I ... I am guilty of every crime committed against all of you.
The same can be said for the people you slaughtered here today...they are, hmm were. My oldest friends in the universe, they are the only people who are remotely like me and we fight to keep the universe safe from the chaos Idol... the remains of which soil this wretched chamber.
I suppose you could say our goals are to aid planets, advert disaster and steer worlds to true history. We were working to something truly...
amazing, but the payoff was not instant and you all naturally...rightfully hate us for it.
Myself and my brothers are living weapons able to tap into what you called the spirits, now known as the power released from death and like a grain of sand becoming a desert you have all become so much more than the sum of your parts.
Having finally gotten drip-fed information the rebels back off listening intently all having the same burning desire to know the unknown, until today no one but the Grand Inquisitor and their apprentice had walked away from the Triumvirates with a sense of who they were. They wave their white paw picking falling ash and snow from the cold air letting their time-warped voice settle the rebels.
Triumvirate: My role is to watch, I've been watching for longer than I care to admit and I was to only interfere at the last moment of this war to ensure the success and survival of the rebellion, to a lesser extent the Monarchy as well.
Until that time came I was to stay hidden, steadfast to my one and only goal of ending this war in true victory.
What is done here today will have ripples through time, and something my ...friends. Has gone very very wrong with time...
Imagine if you will what the end of time could look like, conceive a universe with no consistency, no mortality and absolutely NO HOPE... Time entirely annihilated before it even began.
That's why I'm here, it started from here.
Tredding in growing snow patches fluttering down the Triumvirate drags their spear along the burnt stone scarring the black dust of the choas Idol. A smirk and amused scoff can be heard from the Triumvirate clearly entertained by the confused looks from the room, mortals grasping time always lead to frowns of bafflement but it had only angered Blur more causing the wolf to untangle himself from his friends while Fortaime massaged his crushed ribs.
Blur: Oh give it a rest! the Triumvirate died because they were pure evil are you seriously going to tell me you are beacons of good protecting us? Our hard-earned victory from you tyrants!
You took ordinary people and turned them into weapons Ulric, Sovy, hell even Halin were nothing short of enslaved by you! All of our childhoods bereaved and broken.
This entire world has been treated like a meat grinder and I know what you have done to this planet, these people! HELL, MY PEOPLE...Spouting about time as if it explains anything at all. It means nothing and it will not save you from ME
Triumvirate: Yes! I know... I know this planet has suffered but we had to. It was the only way...
Please believe me this battle can still be won but it is so much bigger than you can imagine Blur, the entire universe is in outrage screaming for answers as we speak. Stars have burned up and faded away, the death of time, the end of time, the end of us all... it is coming.
The darkest day, the blackest hour is here Blue Blur.
Sovy: Why is the universe in outrage? What has the power to burn stars?
Triumvirate: the chaos Idol... Sovy this planet and its people have all been time-locked.
Pushed out of sync with the universe and its time flow, in a realm of its own where time is ours - The Triumvirates to control. I am so sorry to say this but.
You have all died over and over again ... for five billion years.
Several gasps escaped everyone in the room taking in the news they had been going through this hellish nightmare for so many years. The Triumvirates gazed pierced Howl drawing the undead wolf forward, everyone's soulless looks falling on him for answers only he could give.
With the outlandish explanation taking no root in Damek, he quickly thought to throw the god and their time travel out of the window nearly switching off entirely until Howl stepped forward with a grave look on his face.
Howl: We had suspicions of this but only recently have our visions become clear that the different choices we have seen... were all made previously and the memories of those decisions echoed on into our visions.Our conversations with the Monarch predicted this war has been going on longer than we realised.
Small fragments from previous timelines linger everywhere we look from a past that isn't our own. From what the Triumvirate has told us we are inclined to believe all of us have been living this rebellion for far too long.
Reliving these same events had kept large stores of death merely biding their time to get stronger and waiting until their plan had formed into its final shape, we had sought different aspects during these...'time loops' trying to find any explanation but the only thing that seemed set in stone - was death.
We feel this will cause many emotions, shock, anger, sadness. Atleast this is what we felt and still feel.
When we look at this monster, the one responsible for casting us in their prisons taking away our ability to choose. In doing so they took our ability to live. A heinous crime that will be answered for. We feel hatred for what was done to us.
A crime which they have looped for an endless amount of time...billions of years of suffering.
The Triumvirate are monsters, you... are monsters and we... we are lost.
Dakem: All those people. MY fighters. The ones who have died, they have been dying over and over for these years... we're just ghosts?
Triumvirate: No, no not ghosts...everything but. I see you, all of you as heroes.
As Howl said and has seen sometimes all of you live, and sometimes you all die. The flow of time isn't consistent here but death always remains constant. That is the reason we are here...and why I am still here
The Triumvirate looks to Blur as if a psychic connection controlled the wolf forward, Ulric felt the pit in his stomach growing sickly seeing his king move closer to the god of death.
His muscles aching to slash the pure evilness which had sedated the entire party into silence, even himself which he couldn't bear to admit. Blur simply stared at the Triumvirate trying to find anything resembling morality in that dark hood, he looked up to the stars having a question written on his face yet his mouth worked to a whisper.
Blur: Playing with so many people's lives... you might as well be a god
Triumvirate: a god... no never that Blur. If you must have a name then I am an earthling.
My planet is called Earth and it died along with my sun. The only place I can see it now is here amongst the stasis stars of Alestia...so many years since its destruction and my hope, my only hope rests here much as it does all of yours
I lived a long time, I've lived so many lives and I can see them all...but now you have brought me to this historical moment.
Just a few hours ago the time loop ended.
No more resets or realms.
No more prisons.
It's over and your reward is just enough time to see everything end.
Howl's eyes scanned the room seeing the words slowly sink for his party, Pro had gripped his journal and rolled up stacks of battleground reports and pressed them against his knee writing in black chalk from the chaos Idol's remains. He and Ulric sitting against the frozen gear wall staring at the hooded figure almost catatonic.
The Triumvirate tilting their head to side recognised the beginnings of new recorded history for Alestia being chalked down by the indigo-dyed husky who had felt the need to start writing as one of his many coping mechanisms.
Triumvirate: Pro please record when we started all those years ago we didn't think we could ever become this, murders of billions...
But know, we had to because if we didn't then more would die, not just in this one realm, this one planet. But all across the whole universe!
You see the choas Idol much like Alestia had been time-locked to force its terrible power on Alestia alone. I am sure the Monarchy has told you how wonderful Balteus used to look but now all the decay you see... all that suffering in these lands has been inflicted by the chaos Idol.
We couldn't keep Alestia and the Idol trapped forever, this corruption you see is simply because it was too powerful even for us and so we had to find a way to kill it.
That's why we unite everyone here who is lost to its influence, you know the worst thing is...
I'm trapped in my own paradox, my brothers taught me an honourable loss is better than a hollow victory...yet here I stood watching us throw our values away for the sakes were too high. In this war, there could be no compromise, no loss.
The very essence of the universe was at stake threatening to crush innocent planets, one after the other. It's just typical that life is such a frail thing where death is infinitely more powerful.
But that's why I. The Triumvirate have been here keeping the Idol in check, without us the entire planet would be erased but within the loops where you failed your siege.
We were only able to direct the chaos Idols reach to Balteus...for the most part atleast, over time the Idol grew stronger matching our power. Some of its taint managed to root its way into parts of Alestia I'm sure you've seen acts of bizarre evil seemingly for no reason at all.
Vanessa: Valinorth... is the Idol responsible for the blood leaves dying, for the Eastcrown winds sapping our land?
Triumvirate: Yes that and much more, I'm sorry to say its influence reaches from Alarinthian deserts to the pirates of Mazeo. Even your birth town Sovy... and yes Fortaime your dreams, your questions as to why your parents were involved in that fatal occupation.
It's always been the chaos Idol, never the Triumvirates.
You see the choas Idol ... poisons people and your once beautiful family in the resource-rich Valinorth grew greedy. A pure village fully self-sufficient then cruelly corrupted to spawn loot-hungry pirates, everything and everyone that Idol touches turns to nightmares.
The Triumvirate are not your enemies, we never were and after today I hope to be your salvation. Maybe even your ally in the battles to come.
Depressing silence takes hold of the chamber while the rebels process the sinister news, the Idols the Seer once swore to protect and honour had shared their origins with the tool of disaster haunting the lives of so many innocent people twisting them to breed chaos.
Halin: So all of this.
This war these deaths and 'time loops'.
What's been the point? Blurs destroyed it so why are you here? Why have you come to ruin our...our minds with all of this...how have you failed?
The Triumvirate slowly turns around to Halin who had been in a distant corner of the room, Pro surprised yelp catching a small smirk from Blur as the ghostly echoing voice of the god pours through with raw emotion. Without a shred of doubt, the voice of someone on the brink of breaking down responds which raises goosebumps throughout the party who were already chilled from the icy winds.
Triumvirate: Yessssss
Someone has failed and I am here to put it right.
You must know why we have inflicted all this pain upon your kind...we were forced to farm your souls and the energy surrendered when dying which we fed into the Blade of Exodus.
We did this as it was the only permanent way to destroy the chaos Idol for the energy required to destroy such a hellish creation was more than anything imaginable...until we arrived.
Halin, there was never going to be enough lifeforms in a single spot in our universe to empower the sword sufficiently to destroy the choas Idol. We needed to time-lock a planet...the only way to stop the war on time was murdering billions of innocent people over so many years, an infinite supply. I feel sick to say it but it was a mercy killing only choosing one planet.
Words cannot explain what I must tell so I will show you the truth... Brace yourselves for these truths broke even my allies.
Previously I told Ulric and Sovy that the Triumvirates failed and due to this, an entire universe was shaken by all-consuming genocide for all living things. Right now throughout time, every single sun is collapsing and the only reason I have the time to tell you ANY of this is because we are in the eye of the storm. It started here but together we can finish it here.
Slowly raising the silver spear high into the air the Triumvirate golden magic mystifies filling the chamber roof just above head level, Ulric is unable to resist moving his paw through the glittery fog above him feeling the magic of gods and the sands of time flowing through his fingers tingling with extreme power. His irritated frown was more than obvious as he wiped his paws together muttering at rough coarse sand getting everywhere.
A loud echoing warped click from the Triumvirate's fingers caused thundering torrents of tortured screams and tears to rupture through time forcing everyone to cover their eyes and ears from the hellscape above them. It's roaring rampage twisting and expanding almost exploding with convulsions seemingly hurt by its own magical existence.
Having known the nightmare that his uncertain allies must face the Triumvirate turns their faceless hood up soaking in tears universe, feeling their heart turn cold and die hearing mercy pleas.
The fury of the time lord baring witness to their home consumed by fire, they who had fought with gods and demons watching time end for planets imploding by unbreakable chains forged in the heart of a dwarf star. The fabric of space tipping the event horizon of a collapsing galaxy extinguishing trillions of lives in an instant.
The god who was powerless to save those under his protection.
Triumvirate: WHAT YOU ARE WITNESSING IS THE FLOW OF TIME, SEE HOW IT BURNS. HEAR THE SUFFERING OF THOSE WHO WERE COUNTING ON US THIS DAY!
WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO END THIS CONFLICT, LESS WE BE CONSUMED WITH IT.