"I've no intention of laying my life down for you or for anyone," Telvern then coldly dismissed. "Naturally, I've an idea in mind."
There was a strangeness hidden under Telvern's tone, a strangeness that Raphael couldn't quite place. His eyes burrowed further into Telvern's back with significance, yet still did the genius not meet with his own gaze. With the impending flood to arrive shortly, Raphael closed his eyes and sighed. There was only truly one option available, an option he accepted with slight contempt.
He felt pain in his heart as he turned his cheek, an act which shocked many in his company. "Raphy, we can't do dis," the typically laid back assassin Calvin was quite up-in-arms about the whole thing. "We can't just leave him!"
"We have to," Raphael replied. "Look, there's no time left to argue. We need to move."
"But—!"
"
Kéz
, I don't like the idea myself, but we must have faith in him," the merchant-turned-assassin Kereske then sprung into the conversation.
"Indeed," then chimed in Libitina, placing a hand of assurance upon Calvin's right shoulder. "Just... trust him."
As much as Calvin would prefer to decline and help him, his place was not here. His main priority was to protect Libitina and Raphael, both bearers of Lamia's
Avae'vatu.
He sighed as to display his thorough rejection of this and forced his head away, marching onward. Most others followed behind him, yet some still remained, namely Raphael and Libitina.
"...Don't die," Raphael downright ordered Telvern, feeling rather odd considering not too long ago he wanted this man dead. Telvern replied with silence, not a single muscle in his face indicated any response to Raphael's concern. The silver-haired heir then advanced forward, stepping away from the genius and leaving Libitina back.
"Be careful... okay?" Libitina softly, kindly said to him.
"It was always like you to concern yourself so unnecessarily," mentioned Telvern. "Some things never change, do they?"
"...No one requires someone like me, especially not him."
Libitina looked upon Telvern with melancholy, his words the product of his own misfortune. She'd stay and argue, but alas, the sands of time waned thin. Sorrowfully, she turned her back to him. "He needs you more than you believe," Libitina offered him her honest observation, then began dashing away to meet with the group ahead of her.
Upon her disappearance, the charging forces of Governanti's collective were nigh. They stormed through the streets, eager to do their family name proud and fight to defend their way of life. As the human slaves did battle with their masters, as their blood-curdling shrills filled the morning air, Telvern breathed peacefully. As death drew nearer, the genius retained his composure. He easily reached into his bag of summoning pouches, his right hand pulling out one such pouch.
He began tearing into the pouch with just his right hand, for his left could not be used. He'd been clutching something in that hand since their arrival inside the city, something so precious that he could never share its beauty with anyone. His thumb ripped open the fragile cloth of the summoning pouch, its magical essence freed, unleashing a creation of colossal portions.
A massive, strikingly blueish-white flame suddenly shot out from behind Telvern. A vivid light that engulfed everything, blinding Solasúian and human alike. These flames then took on shape, assembling a being as high as three stories. It was an oddly proportioned being, with places like its forearms and calves being really thick, whereas places like its biceps and thighs were really thin. Yet it came into fruition, the flames pulling up like a veil to reveal its glistening steel skin.
There it stood, a towering giant complete in form. Its whole body a place where armour and flesh were one and the same, yet there were small gaps in its joints which seemed to show some tendon-like flesh. The shape of its head held almost a human-like nature, though it's far more sharply shaped with various horns arcing outwards and inwards on the top of its head and even on its face. A series of similar, more jagged-looking horns could be found all throughout its design, especially so along its back.
It presided over the world, immobilizing all in its thoroughly frightening sight. Everyone halted in place, looking up with the same kind of shocked, breathless expression as this monstrous steel beast was born. Its menacing, fiery gaze like gazing into the flames of war, yet it remained motionless and still. Despite the massive gathering of gods coming at him, the summoner Telvern Thaddeus patiently waited. He calculated the speed of his comrades, and just how long he'd need to wait...
His thoughts wandered in the wait, roaming through his mind, a grief-stricken husband. He became lost in deep silence, closing his eyes as if they were doors to leave this harsh reality. In elated agony, he could see her face again like it were yesterday, her fair skin, her swaying brown hair, her lustrous green eyes, the dimples in her cheeks everytime she smiled. He could hear her speak, a voice which to any person seemed average, and to a god even less than that. Those fools could never comprehend, for it was like a most beautiful serenade.
He could see them in their everyday life, from cooking together to simply waking up beside one another. He could vividly recount the warmth and bliss they shared as Telvern caressed and kissed Jeanne's abdomen as to display love and affection to their child yet born. Their laughter and joy together viciously taunted and tortured him, a terrible grief which pained so deeply in his chest.
The grip of his left hand tightened even greater in reaction to the pain, a pain he could never escape. His ears could hear then as the trampling of feet against adamas reemerged, meaning that their brief freeze of fear had all but ended. "...Speak, Steel Colossus," Telvern then commanded his beast, addressing it by an appropriate label.
A piece of its lower face, which really didn't look like a mouth, then began to pull apart. It cracked and popped disgustingly as though such an act were anatomically improper, revealing teeth-like structures. Out from this abyss came the loudest noise an ear could ever find, a roar so powerful and thunderous that it was a sort of force of nature itself. Winds whipped at howling speeds, the very earth rumbled beneath their heels. Its sound so piercing and sharp that the windows of every building nearby shattered, and windows weren't the only things to break.
It was painful to a human, but to a Solasúian, it was excruciating. Everyone shielded their ears in some futile attempt at protection, yet the deafening sound bled through their fingers with utter ease. It was in their heads, not a single thought they could muster could defeat it. The collective godkind was brought to its knees, some with more sensitive hearing even collapsed as blood began gushing out from their ears. They screamed and shrieked in anguish, but all was mute under the voice of the colossus.
Telvern was unfazed by this overpowering sound, in fact, to him the sound was far less painful. Through callous eyes clouded with water, he analyzed his enemies. To distance himself from all of those bittersweet memories lingering in his heart, he capitalized on the disablement of his foes. As the Steel Colossus closed shut its jaws to give its voice some rest, Telvern drew out his dagger and charged. He embraced the concept of one versus one thousand, embraced the prospect of his hell finally coming to an end.
As the entire city of Governanti was consumed in battle and death, as the Solasúians' very way of life was under siege, the formerly Saradominist sanctuary Paterdomus remained untouched by war. The Loyal Knights remained on guard, yet despite their tightened defenses, they were relaxed and at ease. They spoke, laughed, joked, distracting themselves from the pain of being so far away from home.
Standing over the world, over the crumbling chapel, was that one tower which lunged up defiantly into the sky. Upon that tower was she, the queen of the Imperial Kingdom of Governanti, Queen Lucia Gaiane Barn. Lucia gazed down upon the eastern lands, reveling in the vast sights and smells of a world untouched.
Just behind her was her Loyal Knight, a half-god by the name of Achernar. The handsome, golden-haired knight stood faithfully beside her every single day. And every day she had to see that land, this infinite horizon. Up here, she had the look of an eager explorer, gazing upon uncharted lands with a glint in her eye. It was an escape for her, tearing her away from the heartache of her home faraway.
But this day, despite being in the direct sun, the winds were rather frosty. Although hard to notice at first glance, the chill was steeping through Lucia's graceful, noble stature. Achernar detached the cape from his armour, then presented it to his queen. "My queen," he named with esteem, lowering his head.
Lucia turned his way, noting his gift to ward off the chill. She smiled, revealing the kindness of a normal woman still existing even under her stern nobility. She did not dismiss him or his gift, but rather accepted it with gratitude. "Oh, thank you," the queen kindly expressed to the gentleman, wrapping it around herself.
Lucia then returned her vision over the whole of Morytania, in awe of all of its vastness. "Morytania is quite an intriguing place, isn't it?" Achernar then suddenly joined in on his queen's piqued intrigue.
"It is," Lucia agreed with a contented smile. "One day, I'd like to explore it, find out more about these 'man-beasts.' If they are indeed men, then we can try to communicate and come to understand one another. And if we can establish relations with their leaders, then it proves all the more prosperous for both parties."
Lucia then laughed lightly, realizing a fault in her far-future goal. "...Assuming, of course, that we speak in the same language as them!" she added as her laughter subsided.
Achernar let out a slight smile. "Yes, that
is
a bit of an issue."
Lucia continued to gaze wordless upon the infinite horizon, her long, obsidian hair waltzing in the breeze. "It's quite strange, isn't it? It's been nearly a century since our kind came to this world, and yet we know no more about it than what we did when we first arrived."
"Well, my queen, perhaps you should pursue its exploration," Achernar believed, standing closely beside his queen. "Although we've a firm handle on politics and warfare, Gielinor's many mysteries remain well outside of our grasp. This world is our home, yet we strive very little to familiarize ourselves with it. What lurks beyond the mountains to the west? What are the black-lands that neighbor our north? What of the many seas, the deserts, and Morytania itself? There are still many things that we do not understand."
"I think we should pursue answers. We mustn't tolerate willful ignorance and guesswork any longer. And if we do explore the world, we might even find more civilizations out there that managed to escape Lord Dias's conquest."
"And what if you do find such individuals? What will you offer them?"
"Peace," Lucia sturdily answered. "I've no intention of conquering or oppressing anyone. If anything, I'd like to work with them."
"Agreed -- the same goes for the rest of humankind."
The onyx-haired queen's face flashed a brief smile, looking off deep into the distance. "...Yes," she then concurred with conviction. "I want to rid the humans of their forced labors. I want every parent to be able to freely guide their children, to not concern themselves over their safety. I want every sibling to be able to freely, happily play out on the streets and fill them with laughter. To see smiles upon the faces of both gods and humans alike,
that
is my idea of Utopia."
Achernar was taken aback, feeling her passion in every word she uttered. His wide-faced expression was then shattered in the next instant, a sense of pride revealed out from under. "You truly are remarkable, my queen."
"Brother would likely call it 'naive idealism,' but that's how I feel," Lucia then closed her eyes. "I love my people very much, the gods and the humans both. I want to believe that they can persevere over their differences and co-exist with one another, just like Father and Master Malik believed. But if we cannot, then I'll sunder our land in half and allow the humans to have a country of their own."
Her comment made Achernar peel his eyes off of the deep blue sky, quickly dashing his head in Lucia's direction. "...A kingdom of their own?" Achernar uttered with surprise, his dignified composure briefly lapsing.
"I know that no matter how much I advocate it, not all of our kind will accept this change without resistance. If we cannot exist with one another, then we simply shouldn't."
"That is true," Achernar nodded in agreement. "There are times where our kinds can be
'like oil and water,'
as they say."
Lucia then turned to Achernar, curiously tilting her head. "I've never heard that expression before."
"It's an idiom which refers to two entities so different from one another that they are incompatible," Achernar explained. "I've heard it used once before by Lord Momus when discussing my father and the collective godkind."
Lucia turned her face back towards the earth, saddened by the normalcy of Achernar's tone. Her knight, noting her sudden change of mood after his mentioning of his father, then closed his eyes and let out a grateful smile. "There's no need to be upset, my queen," Achernar calmly insisted. "Lord Denrox committed many despicable acts. Those acts reflected his vain belief that he transcended above all law, even our most sacred commandments established by Lord Dias himself. It's no surprise that Lord Momus so vigorously opposed him."
"...I suppose you're right."
"At any rate, your midday dinner will likely be served soon, my queen. Shall we head back down?"
"Yes, that would probably be best."
Both Lucia and Achernar turned their backs to the sight of the mysterious marshlands known as Morytania, yet something upon the other side would steal their gaze yet again. They faced now the besieged city of Governanti, yet its current nature went unbeknownst to them. However, merely a second of gazing would reveal its crisis.
Lucia's jaw broke as she beheld it, the nigh-black smoke which billowed into the western sky. Her eyelids withdrew into her skull, her lungs deprived of oxygen. Deny it as she would, Lucia knew exactly what that smoke sign signified. It was the distress beacon, authorized by a Barn to alert the entire country of the capital's emergency.
"My queen, you must remain calm," Lucia's knight then called out to, trying to corral her.
"...My brother and my people are in danger," she stressed. "I need to go...!"
"You are the queen of the Imperial Kingdom, you cannot act in haste or in emotion," Achernar told her in a more aggressive tone, catching her attention. But quickly, he backed off, regaining his collectiveness. "If they're attacking Governanti, it proves their intention is to end the Barn bloodline. That's why Lord Balor had you come here, to ensure that the Barn bloodline remains."
"...I can't stand idly by and allow him to get hurt or potentially killed!"
"My queen, calm yourself... Don't forget that Lord Balor is surrounded by a legion of Loyal Knights. Furthermore, there's little chance that they could recruit enough humans to overcome our numbers. They're at a severe disadvantage, both in manpower and overall ability."
"So, what do you suggest I do?"
"Have faith... in your brother, and in us."
Lucia closed her eyes and reluctantly turned away from that frightening sight, her face grimaced as she mentally agonized. Her fingers coiled up, her hands becoming tightened fists which expressed her suffering. She churned through the dozens of thoughts and fears in her mind. Steadily, her anxiety grew and overwhelmed any sense of rationality she possessed. No, if anyone got hurt because she wasn't there, she could never forgive herself.
"I'm sorry, I can't stay here and do nothing," Lucia regretfully informed Achernar. "My city needs me."
"My queen, they intend on killing both your brother and yourself."
The obsidian-haired queen's head then rose upon Achernar's warning, her eyes unveiling. Their pale blue irises shone a most impressive, most fearsome light, emanating a blistering focus that perfectly depicted her fierce nobility. "They can try," she adamantly responded.
"...Very well. If this is your decision, then I shall respect it. I'll go rally up the knights."
"W-wait, do you intend on accompanying me? Even if you disagree with my decision?"
"Of course," Achernar promptly replied. "You underestimate our loyalty, my queen. We are bound by blood to protect you, no matter if we may or may not agree with your course of action. Although, admittedly, your safety has become more of a personal issue of mine. I swore an oath to Lord Balor that I'd preserve you from harm, and I intend on keeping my word."
Lucia, through the shimmer and glow of her intense eyes, let an equally bright and reinvigorating smile, the kind that any knight would fight to the death to protect. "Thank you," she kindly expressed.
Achernar nodded his head with confidence, standing up straight and planting his left hand firmly into his chest. With swaying emotions did Lucia take off, making her way back down to the soil. Yet despite her collected demeanor, she felt impatient as her legs carried her. If only they raced as fast as her thoughts... for thousands of unlikely but potential ideas came and then vanished in the blink of an eye.
The temple formerly known as Paterdomus stood as a outsider looking in upon this conflict. In the city of Governanti, ruin had already begun. Some of the Alverrians ravaged and pillaged every home to be found, their plunder having begun well in earnest. Some even taping into their own inner rebel, committing arson upon these homes as their idea of the ultimate lash against society.
As death rained forth, that silver-haired prince at the helm of the rebellion led the group of his most loyal backers towards the Imperial Palace. Yet some eyes were drawn back, both in concern and in awe of a comrade whom they left behind. A massive, unexplained colossus of steel pierced the skyline behind them, shocking many with its soaring, convincingly godlike presence.
"Dat's... his plan?" Calvin muttered under his breath, as dumbfounded as any in this group.
"...What in the world is that?" Daevarro questioned, bewildered.
"It ain't no Steel Titan, dat's fer sure!"
"Whatever it is, it's far too massive to simply call it a giant..." Kereske, the merchant-turned-assassin commented.
"There's no point getting caught up in what Telvern's doing," then stated the silver-haired prince Raphael Barn, his intense purple gaze bolting for the portion which gawked and stood breathless at the magnificent sight of the steel beast. "We need to get going."
