Librium

[Joa-Boo]

“We have report from the rank three and rank two districts of the city Varkannon.” Red (the shango from ways back) saluted by bringing both forearms together across his chest like a shield. In the same stance he bowed and stepped aside so that two well decorated lu could enter into Varkannon’s thrown advisory room. Vakannon, thrill in his eyes, looked down on the elf and fairy that entered.

“What say you of the preparations in our hardest working districts?” Varkannon’s words held onto the suspense he had for the news. This war was his plan and his alone. He was ecstatic to see it gaining so much momentum.

“Jolie Tairin your luminary. I represent all of rank three Sanctasplin civilians.” The fairy stepped forward and removed her jeweled tiara. There was an electric vibe about here. “The training has gone smoothly. The rank three trainees are eager to prove their worth to Sanctasplin. With more to still train, they make up 700,000 deadly troops.”

“Ahh yes the rank three grunts. They will make a most impressive vanguard with their numbers. It is so romantic that they all think they can fight in this war and change their stars. We do not have the resources to spare on them. Equip each of them with the axes and spears and any other sharp objects we can find for them. Save the armor for our more worthy individuals.” Varkannon instructed. His words transitioned into the portion of the new that excited him more. He turned his attention to the elf with a smile. “What of the rank two district.”

“Cyng Gridlock your luminary.” The elf stepped forward and took a knee. “I represent all of rank two. The guilds have mastered combat. They will surly make your leadership proud. I request that your arm them well and provide them with armor.”

“You are bold Cyng. That is why I made you leader of rank two. Your war brain will be a most valuable asset to our cause. Tell me, how many other how many other possible routes did you see this conversation taking?” Varkannon loved the many tricks he had at his disposal with all of his lumen. Their capabilities always surprised them. Cyng had the strange ability to weigh accurately every parallel outcome of a scenario. If given enough foresight before a task, he could complete it perfectly.

“I would rather not create a paradox your lordship. If I acknowledge the existence of an alternative route I alter the current one. This is the path I have chosen. I do not wish to stray.”

“Very well. Plate your soldiers with our resources. I want everyone ready in a week. Send those that are ready to bulk up the reinforcements at our bases on Librium.” The two bowed after Varkannon finished giving the orders and left the room.  

[Joa-Boo]

((the post you respond to is on page 7))  

[Dugan195]

Hudson pushed Fiona behind his back. Inspired or not now was not the time to figure that out. This golem had just killed his friend and still threatened him and Jharad. If it was Fiona's friend, that was because it had inspired her. If the stories he had heard from Jharad were true then this thing was a warring god's soldier and while Fiona might be on its side, Patriux and Deminas might not be anymore. Hudron growled as he barred his fang at the massive golem, not that it would do much good.  

[Joa-Boo]

Without the small gear that laid motionlessly in Fiona’s hand, the giant crustacean remained inactive. The little girl behind you was very unsettled by your reaction.

“Hudson I’m scared. Am I bad?” Fiona did not know what to do. She felt like throwing the little gear but at the same time it made her feel good. “You’re scaring me Hudson.”

“I say we kill her and then thing. Yorick is gone from Librium. He should stay that way. Fiona only complicates things at this point.” Jharad moved closer to Fiona, the crystal on his forehead beginning to glow. You turned to stop him and just behind Jharad was your answer. Still laying against the wired table was a marble statue of Nole. What did this mean? Was it really Nole’s mission to get Fiona inspired by Yorick? Jharad noticed that something had caught your attention and turned to see what it was. The image made him furious.

“I see. This was Paitrux’s will. I’m sorry little girl but I cannot have this. Long live Deminas!” Jharad yelled as a beam of crystals shot from his forehead. Before Fiona was struck she screamed out. Her fear alerted the gear and a massive robotic crab claw swiped in between Fiona and Jharad’s attack.

“HUDSON?”  

[Dugan195]

Hudson was confused on what was happening but as Jharad attacked Fiona on instinct he pull up a set of blood armor and turned wraping his arms around her using his body as a shield. Turning his head around he saw the robotic crab claww swipe and his eyes widened in disbelief, "What in Paitrux's name is going on here!" Hudson growled as all the confusion only made him mad.  

[Joa-Boo]

“Hudson it doesn’t matter what you think of this girl but she is now an inspired for a dead God. A god who used to be Paitrux’s ally. She must die!” Jharad screams angrily from the other side of the claw. He charges up with power to the point that a green light glows beyond the robotic crab’s claw. Fighting him would not be fun but it may come to it. The scared look on Fiona’s face made that very clear.

Fiona’s face slowly turned from fear to anger. More anger than she had ever felt before. Her fists clenched until her nails drew blood. Her face swelled with a deep red as a yellow gear began to turn behind her eyes. All of a sudden she swung her arms outward. The action caused the golem to swing its claw outward just like her. The force smacked Jharad in the chest. His body shot through the air and off of the clock tower. Before he could go far, a stream of crystal s caught his decent. As soon as he regained control of his flailing body, the jackal fired a beam of green crystalline light. Everything the beam touched shattered with crystal shards. The beam ran across the tower and clipped a leg of the golem. The crystals ran along the clock work monster like a disease. Before it became too much more of a problem, the golem ejected its leg.

“I’m going to kill you!” Fiona screamed from over the side of the clock tower. Her golem slid along the wall and leaped to another building. All of its cannons came to life, training on Jharad.

“Hudson. If you let this play out it will not end well. Finish her. End her suffering. Her doom is to become a devolved spirit. There is no way of knowing her purpose!”  

[Dugan195]

Hudson looked at Nole's crystal body. Jharad said that there was no way to know Fiona's will, but Nole proved otherwise. Dead god or not, Fiona's destiny was to become inspired here and now. An abomination she was not. "No Jharad. Look at Nole! It is Paitrux's will that this happens. Stand down both of you. We must get to the Farseer. This is unlike anthing that the Priest so Lu told us about. We must find out what is going on." Hudson watched as the giant golem chased Jharad.  

[Joa-Boo]

“Paitrux’s will. Ha.” Jharad mumbled to himself. He took a good long second to think things through. He wasn’t exactly the most devoted follower of Deminas but never would he thought to be helping out Paitrux’s will. The thought angered him. His fists clenched tight. Paitrux left the rest of them to struggle and die while his ‘chosen’ were lifted to the sky for a royal time. That was not fair. He would never side with Paitrux or help his will. However, helping Hudson was his top priority. They all needed Hudson to end the devolving. Then maybe everyone could live in peace. They could live like gods.

“Hudson I am so sorry. I do not know what came over me.” Fiona was crying. She fell to her knees as the tears formed. The giant crab golem faded away into smaller pieces and the little gear returned to her side. It was as if it was trying to comfort her.

Jharad climbed back to the clock tower near your side and waited. He was still deep at thought. “This must be hard on you Hudson. Being torn between both gods. I admire your resolve. None of this must make sense to you. It should if we make it to the Farseir. He can tell you everything. Far more than I can understand to tell you. And Noel. Even though I wanted to kill him, I know what it is like to lose a companion to their inspired will.” Jharad approached the marble statue. It intrigued him. What could it mean that Paitrux wanted this to happen? Was Paitrux somehow wanting to revive the other gods? Did this mean they would all seek revenge on Deminas?” All of these questions worried him. “If we are going to get any further we will first need to find another deminaught.” Jharad spoke coldly. It was to save his own skin but Hudson had no idea. “If I remember correctly. There is a town between this desecrated temple and the Farseir. We should head there, get some supplies, and pick up a new friend along the way.”  

[Dugan195]

Hudson looked at Jharad with supsicion. Hudson didn't know if he could trust this man or not yet. "Perhaps the Gods are tired of this petty war. Perhaps it is not their will that we fight, but the will of those above us misleading into this chaos. But lets head to this town and rest up. We must get to the Farseer"  

[Joa-Boo]

“s**t Hudson. You don’t have Farseir powers too do you?” Jharad laughed. He knew exactly what Hudson was talking about. The same idea popped into his own head many years back. That very same thought was the one that lead his falling out with Deminas. It was obvious to Jharad that many of the leaders, the strongest, and the deminaughts stirred the chaos beyond what Deminas has probably commanded. The only inclining of structure among the fallen was the Farseir. “Look I did not want to be the first to brake this to you but you are probably right. Whatever storm the gods had thought up, well that’s over and we are the ones creating the chaos. Deminas or Paitrux. I do not think either one gives a ********! That is my theory anyway.” Jharad looks back down at Fiona and apologizes.

With your blessing Jharad lead the way towards the village. The jungle never lead up. The whole way to the village was nothing but a constant climb. Up, down, and backwards. The dense jungle was a fight. Luckily, with Jharad’s navigations it was tolerable. To laymen eye, the mess of giant trees would have been a nightmare. Before moving out of the brush and onto the road, Jharad fashioned an eye patch out of leave for Fiona to wear. They could not jeopardize others knowing about her strange inspiration.

Once the three of you reached the town you were greeted by a collection of fallen merchants. Goblins had so many different weapons to sell. The spinors had potions and the like. It reminded you vaguely of Sanctasplin but without the fancy stores. Hot off the street, you passed through a huge wooden wall. Inside the fortification were layers of log cabins stacked along a lively river. The city seemed to be well off.

Many of the people parted for Jharad as he walked down the main road toward the coliseum. Some bowed, others looked scared. Beyond the crowds stood the decorated battle arena. There laid the deminaught’s that guarded the town.

“You brought the Demon and his pet. You guys looking to start a show. Last I heard, thins did not end to well at Niwrad.” The first of the deminaughts to approach you while inside the coliseum was a huge spinor. The spikes along his back were as big as Fiona.

“You know, Heugh has placed a pretty big price on your head Demon.” Minotaur spoke directly to you. “He says anyone willing to bring back the Demon is personally trained by Heugh. There is not many out there that are better. I could be the strongest minotaur with his training.” The stench of the Minotaur’s breath seeped into your nose. It made your face wrinkle. “What says the Demon to that?” The minotaur poked you in the shoulder with enough force to push you back a bit. Jharad must have had a plan to bring you here. Something that was hopefully more important than to have you bullied by lesser deminaughts.  

[Dugan195]

Hudon looked the Minotaur up and down. He was aw inspired by its massive size, this was the first time Hudson really had a change to look at one up close. The other times he was fighting for his life or runing. "If you think I am easy prey then ask yourself why they call me a demon? I near bested Heugh in single combat had it not been interrupted perhaps I would have won." Hudson had a tinge of fear as he said this, he did not know how strong this man was or if Hudson could win. He had raw talent, but he still was untrained and didn't understand how to really fight. Each fight he had won had been his blood's doing not his own. However, hopefully since this minotaur knew his name, then perhaps he would have heard stories of his combat as well and that would be enough to steer him away from trying anything.  

[Joa-Boo]

The Minotaur could smell the hint of fear on you. That made him smirk. He just hopped you could not sense the fierce dread he had towards the thought of having to fight you. The other Deminaughts around him could. The tension climbed ever higher.

“Ha…ha ha…hahahahaha!” The Minotaur roared with laughter. The room followed with him. “They call me Guillotine. This here is the Spiked Burden. We welcome you Demon to Domni.” He held out a massive arm for shaking, the first real greeting you had received in a long time.

“Spiked Burden is my stage name. Please call me Skazure.” The Spinor hit his own chest before following the minotaur’s greeting. “So Profit, What brings you this far south.” The spinor was the first to mention Jharad’s existence. Most everyone else avoided him. The deminaughts inside the coliseum were the only ones to show face.

“I would not expect you to understand creatin.” Jharad was fierce from the beginning. “This demon is the answer I have preached so long for. Would you follow me now that my prophecy shows promise?” The roomed tensed once again.

“Hudson I’m scared.” You felt tiny hand fold around your fingers. Fiona was still hiding under her hood. She could not risk anyone seeing her mark of inspiration. The gear being around her left eye made that very difficult to do.

“There is nothing to be afraid of little one. You have Domni’s hospitality as long as we are in charge.” The minotaur bent down to pick the girl up. Skazure and Jharad continued their stare down. “What can we get for you Demon?”  

[Dugan195]

Hudson looked at the two Deminaughts as he stepped inbetween Guiletine and Fiona. He extended an hand to clasp as the hospitality was offered. "We do not require much. We are only passing threw on our travels. A meal, a bed would be a good start. Also we are looking for a pack of Lumen that should be traveling these parts. I do not know how many would still remain at this point. Have you heard word of any Lumen upon the ground?"  

[Joa-Boo]

“It’s all yours. Whatever you need Demon!” Guillotine shook your hand proudly, not even noticing that you had purposefully averted his attention from Fiona. The little girl was relieved but still just as scared. Guillotine waved a hand and a few servant spinors rushed to his side. “Prepare a place for the Demon and his group. Get Bogs working on some grub. Tonight we feast in the Deamon’s honor.” Guillotine looked back towards you with a smile hunting for your approval. He was trying hard to impress you.

“Did you mention something about a pack of Lumen?” Skazure’s shrill was a few cords above everyone else. His piercing words could be heard over everything.

“That is not what he said. Hudson is tiered and needs rest. You guys prepare the feast and let the Demon sleep the travels off. Until then disregard what he says. He may be bit delusional from his fight with Heugh.” Jharad cut in before you could answer. He stood between you and Skazure. Cutting off your ability to effectively respond.

“That’s a shame. Someone like the Demon and Jharad could take them on. They have been a nuisance ever sense they left Niwrad. There is a pretty price on their heads.”

“Would you stop worrying the Demon before he sleeps?”

“Well I figured you should know. They are headed to the Farseirl."  

[Dugan195]

Hudson picked up on Jharads clue to not mention the Lumen again. He smiled and thanked the two Deminaughts for the hospitality. They were lead to there rooms. Hudson choose the center room leaving Jharad and Fiona on either side of him. He still didn't trust Jharad completely. For the moment he seemed to think Hudson was some messiah, but for what Hudson still didn't know. After they had settled in Hudson went and knocked on Jharad's room.

When Jharad opened the door Hudson looked at him, "Since we met we have been rather preoccupied, since we finally have a moment to rest I was wondering if I could ask you some questions. Much has happened in the last couple days and alot of it I don't understand. I was hoping you could help explain some things to me."