[M] The Throne of Gods: Memories of Divinity - IC

[Dire Hoef]

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The other side was a literal godsend.

Ridstus dove for dirt, and found himself hitting root where ground should be. His silicone teeth bended as he tumbled a handful of feet to the ground. He engaged impact resistors to eat most of the blow from below and did a somersault into some larger roots. He stopped with his face deep in the dirt he was aiming for. With a huff and a grunt, he pulled himself up to a sitting position and took stock of his condition.

"We're worse for wear Ridstus. But thanks to Marette's time manipulation, our structural integrity reverted to above seventy-five percent. We're still going to need to do extensive repairs to heal some of our critical systems. AND the wiring between our brain and body will need to be redone as well to ensure a tighter connection. As it stands, mental acuity is sitting at sixty-five-point-five percent with a twenty-four-point-four to twenty accuracy rating on the conscience scale."

"Twenty-four-twenty, huh? Then we're still thinking right.. Although I thought I was operating at twenty-eight-twenty.. I guess that's what I get for creating you two.." He leaned back against the root he was sitting against and sighed. "SP00N, environmental survey please.."

"I've been running it.. We are where we need to be, the realm of Averas. Additionally, all allies made it through the portal. Wait.. Ridstus.. Ridstus you are going to want to stand up. It's Petos.. He's... How? I'm going to run the numbers on this."

Ridstus took a breath and stood up, looking around confusedly. "What's up SP00N?? What about Petos??? Wait.. You mean.." He came around a group of trees, and saw him. He was speaking with Marette about the fate of his enemy. But he didn't really care about that fallen goddess. He was more concerned with the source of his current strife standing right there in front of him. "H-How.. is this possible SP00N?"

"Extensive magic.. The elder gods are quite powerful indeed.. But Ridstus, do you have any idea what this means..?"

"He's alive.. That's what matters to me," he said to himself as he stepped up to Aegis. The entirety of the previous combat weighing heavy on his own shoulders. "Hey big buddy... To think that the forces of good deemed it necessary to bring you back! And here I was starting to think that I was going to have to run this whole show without ya.." His smile hid a tinge of the regret that was seemingly in the air.

He stepped in and came face to face with him, and started poking that face. "You're not a ghost are ya?? I didn't have to put down someone's kid for nothing right??"

"HHHHUUUHHHH!? SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT WE SPENT THIS ENTIRE TIME KICKING SOME BITCH'S ASS JUST TO HAVE HIM COME BACK!? DO I EVEN GET PAID FOR THIS? SHOULD I EVEN GET PAID FOR THIS!? I deserve a fucking a cookie or something...FUCK!"

"Oh shit I completely forgot to do that for you. Here, have this. It's on me. The most exquisite cookie crypto can buy!

There's a pause as the two personalities share a look and then shook virtual hands. KNIF3 took the cookie with so much glee that he mimicked Ridstus himself, but he contained himself after taking a bite.

"I'll accept this.. For now..."

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[RedKayne]

Visana looked at Vantas steadily, half expecting another manipulation. “Even if she did,” she answered after a moment, “Turning on each other is what she would want us to do. So the best move is trust.”

Vantas paused, his expression unreadable for a moment before a faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Ironic, isn't it, Goddess of Protection? We never seem to agree on a single thing." The Void Lord's tone was dry as if he had amusement in their perspectives' endless clash.

He then shifted his gaze to Moriteva, his eyes narrowing as he listened. "With all your wisdom, God of Life, I would have thought you'd understand by now: Luthious does not wait for you to find him. He finds you." His attention briefly flickered toward the portal's remnants, the gateway now gone. Or was it? Would it return once the chaos settled, or had it vanished for good?

Turning back to Moriteva, Vantas' words dripped with subtle challenge. "Besides, I suspect your companions are eager to see Selrina, to confirm her... condition. Wouldn’t you agree, Warden?" His gaze swept over the group, imagining the rest of them — Silvanus, Atrophos, Aegis — all likely restless with concern for the slumbering Maiden.

He then deliberately ignored Moriteva’s thanks and his question regarding Vantas' own intentions, leaving the words unspoken, as if they were irrelevant.

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Aegis stood tall, a chuckle escaping his lips as he swatted Ridstus' playful hand away. There was a warmth in the air, a fleeting moment of ease amidst the turmoil. The gentle touch of Marette's kiss on his forehead, her unwavering support in his quest for the Throne, and Ridstus's antics—all these small things brought a fleeting sense of comfort. "Ghost, shade, undead... doesn’t matter what you call it, Ridstus," he said with a grin. "I’ve got your back, no matter what."

But that comfort was short-lived. Aegis’ body tensed as he heard Marette's words. "It’s good to see all of you alive... and Vantas, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?"

Aegis froze.

The God of the Void? Here?

His mind raced as he turned to face the man he hadn’t expected to see again—the betrayer of the Chaos faction, the rebel who had slain the Prince, the Lord of Nothingness. And as the pieces fell into place, Aegis’s eyes widened with realization. Santav, the former powerless charred, had been the patron of the Void all along.

As always, Aegis was the first to react.

The Scepter of Sovereignty materialized in his hands, its power radiating as he raised it, pointing it squarely at Vantas. His eyes blazed with divine fury, and the very air seemed to crackle with his presence. "What are you doing here, Vantas?" Aegis’s voice was cold, edged with authority, demanding answers.

Vantas, unfazed by the confrontation, merely turned to face him, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. The air around him seemed to shift with the Void’s presence, but his tone remained casual. "I recommend lowering that weapon of yours, Ruler," he said with a detached calm. "We share the same goal, Aegis. We’re here to save Selrina."

[Hannelorian]

The Goddess of Time stood at Moriteva's side. Her hands gently resting on his arm, gazing out at the reunion unfolding before her. To see Ridstus so excited was a moment of levity that felt desperately needed by those assembled. However, the tide was quick to turn as Aegis caught the tail end of her sentence, he realized, rather quickly that the Void Lord was present, immediately putting the healed god on his guard and leaving him to draw his weapon. Aegis accused and Vantas retorted. However, Marette did not feel the familiar anger that once rose in her with Aegis' actions. Instead she felt mere concern, and a deeper desire to protect him.

Stepping away from Moriteva, her blue eyes gazing back at him. Her once so pristine white hair now dirtied spilling over her shoulders, her mourning dress in tatters, a proper mess she must have been. "I have to do this Mori." She whispered softly in his direction. There was a pain that came with leaving his side, even though she now had cut him with her open support for Aegis. Something they would need to discuss, one of many somethings. Time would intervene.

In that brief moment it took for Marette to bring herself forward and stand between the two Gods, it finally clicked. Vantas. Santav. An anagram. Vantas had been with them for nearly their entire journey. Gently putting a hand on Aegis' arm, Marette nodded softly. "It's alright, darling. You can put your scepter down." The smile on her face was one of warmth and understanding. The reaction he displayed was understandable, and had she been in his state for most of the battle, she would have perhaps done something similar. "It seems too you have discovered the true identity of our Charred guest." Did Marette have regret for the way she had treated Santav? Unlikely.

"I would trust his word at this moment. Vantas fought alongside, rendering us much needed aid. And in this moment when the stakes are so high, we need not add fighting amongst ourselves to our agenda." There was an ethereal softness in her voice, a compassion that previously had been lacking. "I would not ask you to trust blindly, but I would ask that we give him a chance, as so many of us have given one another." Marette had given Silvannus a chance that perhaps he had not deserved. The group had given her a chance when she lied to Santav, and provoked fights with Aegis.

Marette's hand squeezed once more, gently upon Aegis' arm in an act of reassurance before turning her head to Vantas. "What say you Void Lord? Can we all play nicely together?" The question carried no bitterness, no resentment, none of the anger she held for Santav. The trauma of her journey into an alternate timeline, the loss of love, the feelings of Petos that lingered within Aegis and Moriteva, and the devastating loss of her daughter had finally awoken the Marette that had once been. The kind, warm, loving and compassionate soul that only Moriteva had seen was on full display.

"Please Aegis." Marette's final words low, as she looked back at him. A tender plea, something sincere. Even though Marette knew she had no right to ask anything of Aegis, especially not now, not after what she had done to his great love, who died with nothing but pure hatred in her heart.

[RedKayne]

Aegis remained rigid, his grip tight on the Scepter of Sovereignty, his radiant eyes locked onto Vantas with unwavering intensity. Every fiber of his being told him not to trust the Void Lord—never to trust the Void Lord. Yet, as Marette stepped between them, placing a gentle hand on his arm, her touch was like a tether pulling him back from the edge.

His gaze flickered down to her, the warmth in her expression striking a deep, unfamiliar chord within him. She had been battle-worn, her once-pristine form marred by struggle, yet there was something in her presence—something he hadn't seen in a long time. Understanding.

He lowered his scepter with a slow, deliberate motion, though he did not dismiss it entirely. His voice, though still edged with caution, lacked the fire from before. "I won't forget who you are, Vantas. Or what you've done." There are countless stories, countless tales of the atrocities the Void Lord committed. All of the innocents he slew. "But if Marette vouches for you, then I will not be the first to cast a stone." His gaze lingered on Vantas, searching for any sign of deception, before finally conceding. "But if I may ask, why do you want to awaken Selrina?"

The God of the Void remained unfazed under Aegis’s scrutiny, the weight of the God of Kings’ authority pressing down on him like a suffocating force. Yet, he did not flinch, nor did he waver. Instead, he chuckled, the faintest ghost of amusement flickering across his face. "That's about as warm a welcome as I could expect," he mused, shifting his stance ever so slightly. His hands remained tucked in his pockets, his demeanor as casual as ever.

"I'm not naive to expect trust. Nor do I ask for it, trust, after all, is a fragile thing. And given the history between our factions, well... I don't expect us to be braiding each other's hairs soon," there was a hint of wryness in his tone, yet the cold detachment in his voice lingered. Vantas glanced at Marette, nodding in approval to her request. "I have no interest in drama or betrayal. I fully intend to cooperate with the group to awaken the Maiden."

Finally, Vantas addressed the Ruler's last question. "I'm after Selrina’s awakening because she holds knowledge that few others in this multiverse possess," he stated plainly. "Out of the four remaining beings who remember the truth since the Fall, she is one of them." He let the moment linger, ensuring the gravity of his words settled over the gathered deities. Then, with a measured pause, he delivered the revelation: "Selrina likely knows the location of the Throne of Gods."

Aegis stiffened at Vantas’s words, his grip tightening on the Scepter of Sovereignty. His radiant gaze burned into the Void Lord, righteous fury reborn despite the Time Goddess's plea. "You seek the Throne?" The celestial's voice was sharp and controlled, but beneath it was the simmering tension of a man who had just realized the stakes had risen beyond his expectations. His free hand clenched into a fist at his side. "Of course you do." His tone carried the weight of bitter understanding. "You don’t want to claim it. You want to destroy it—to cast everything into nothingness, don’t you?"

His jaw tightened as he took a half-step forward, "And here I thought you simply enjoyed tearing down everything others build." There was no mistaking the accusation, nor the quiet fury beneath it. "You’ve fought alongside us, but make no mistake, Void Lord—if you stand in my way, I will stop you. I will take the Throne and rule as it was meant to be ruled." For a moment, Aegis considered striking first, eliminating the threat before it could act—but then his gaze flickered to Marette, to the others, to the exhaustion still weighing upon them all. Now was not the time. But the time would come.

Vantas stood unwavering before the God of Kings, his expression unreadable. "Cast everything into nothingness?" he echoed, tilting his head slightly. "So that’s the story they tell now." A slow smirk crept onto his face, one touched with amusement but devoid of warmth. "And here I thought nothing could top the tale of me single-handedly slaying the Prince of Chaos." He let out a dry chuckle, his eyes flickering with something indecipherable.

Aegis’s frown deepened, his patience wearing thin. "What in Hades are you talking about, Vantas?"

The Void Lord merely shrugged, dismissive yet deliberate. "I have no reason to explain myself to you, Ruler," he said, his voice even, unbothered. Then, his gaze sharpened, and for the first time, his smirk faded. "But you are correct—I do seek to destroy the Throne." His eyes drifted, lingering on Visana for the briefest of moments. And seek freedom for all.

[RisingPhoenix]

Everything happened so fast that his mind barely had time to register it. He’d awoken from his fight with Baldramort and found himself being pulled and pushed through a portal as everything around them had crumbled. When he realized he was standing on the lush green planes of his home world, he slowly turned to examine everyone gathered. Visana was injured but alive. Atrophos was Atrophos. Marette and Moriteva looked the worse for wear, but Aegis was the most damaged of them all. He had nearly been bisected. They had all been attacked and in that moment the guilt of his actions fell on his shoulders. He had not been there to help them and they had all nearly been killed. Before he could move to try and help, Mori began to pull from the life energy of the surrounding flora, causing the beautiful field to dry out and die. Silvannus, hovering near in his pristine garbs, as if they hadn’t just fought through fire and brimstone, realized that healing a wound that severe would take a lot out of Mori, but he believed in him, he understood and knew the power his friend wielded and he could not chastise him on how he went about using his gifts.

His mind clicked after Mori managed to heal Aegis. He felt relief wash over him as he watched Mori do what he did best. His only concern was how Mori had pulled the life from the surrounding flora and turned it into an area of blight. Even still, Silvannus smiled, knowing none of them had died in the terrible attack. He felt his husband's presence, and he turned to see Lunae. All of the memories he’d lost had returned. He remembered everything. Slowly he hovered over to Lunae. No longer was his hair raven black and silken, now his hair was completely white, reflecting the light in cascading waves. Divinity had healed him completely and his garments had transformed into stunning white garbs with gold accents. Even his eyes had a slight hint of gold in them. He looked refreshed, renewed, and reformed.

“In light of things, your love helped me overcome. In some way, I believe it has always been your love that has protected me. I have missed you terribly, and I am sorry for all the pain, all the hurt, and all the chaos I have caused,” Silvannus said, his hand softly caressing Lunae’s cheek. “In my selfishness, I nearly lost you. You…you are my light. I only hope you still want to be married to someone like me.”

Everything was a blur the moment that Lunae awoke from the fight. Being lifted off the ground, and thrown through a portal. By the time he registered what was happening, he was on the ground in a world covered in green. They had safely arrived in the realm of Avesta, the place he called home. Sitting up he looked around at the lush plant life that had surrounded them. He already knew that most of the others were in bad shape. The fight was hard and long but they survived. Well almost all of them. Aegis was probably not going to survive his injuries.

However, the worry was for naught. Moriteva used the life of the vegetation around them draining it till it was nothing more than just to harness the power needed to bring the God of Kings back to them. As Lunae watched these events he suddenly realized that he was still able to see. This surprised him. Usually ‘it’ didn't decide to not take the payment for using their power. Could it have been because he used the blade inside that place, or did ‘it’ feel sorry for him? A question that he would never have the answer to, but he was glad that he was able to see. Even temporary blindness was not an easy thing to deal with.

Lifting himself off the ground he looked to Aegis as he was not yet awake. Then his attention shifted to Silvannus. The man he loved had returned to him. However, he looked different now. His hair was a shade of pure white, and he seemed to no longer harbor the darkness that had been haunting him all these years. Maybe this is what he needed. Closing his eyes he smiled to himself. The sounds of the wind blowing through the trees helped him relax. He didn't realize Silvannus approached him till the god spoke.

Opening his eyes he looked straight into Silvannus’ eyes. The hint of gold that now was there reminded him of a precious stone that he had once encountered. Silvannus spoke of love saving him. Lunae understood what he meant. However, felt that he had betrayed that love. Yet Silvannus still loved him even though he stole Divinity from him. The smile on his face disappeared slightly as he broke eye contact with Silvannus.

They were not perfect. Far from it. He collected himself and looked back up into Silvannus' eyes. His eyes stinging from the tears that threatened to fall. He reached up his hand and placed it on top of his lover's.

“We both made mistakes. I should have understood your position on making that weapon for that God. I was as stubborn as I could have been, and I hurt you far worse than you hurt me.” Lunae said as his voice cracked slightly as he continued to speak. “I would not want to walk this long life with anyone other than you,” Lunae said as the tears finally fell. He had been so afraid that Silvannus would hate him, and now his fears were no longer there.

“Although we have made mistakes, you are the only one who sees beyond my flaws. I too would not want to walk this long life without you.” Silvannus gently wiped Lunae’s tears and quickly embraced him, placing a soft kiss on his lover’s lips. In that moment, everything else faded and it was only them. For a brief moment they were back in the rose garden where they’d first met, but it faded as quickly as it had come and Silvannus released Lunae from the embrace. “Are you hurt? Do you feel any pain?”

Silvannus glanced around once more, taking in the sight of Marette and Moriteva. Noticing Vantas as he approached Visana, speaking to her just out of his range of hearing. He wondered what Vantas had to say that warranted secrecy from the rest of the group.

When they kissed it was the first kiss they had shared in so long. However, Lunae was unable to feel the lips touch his. It saddened him that he was unable to feel anything. Though the emotions were there, he knew their love would be eternal. Once the kiss ended he smiled at his love as he then asked if he was hurt. He had received damage, but pain was not an issue.

“I am not in any pain. Though I am unable to use one of my arms, and I will need some medical attention.” He said as he lifted his good hand to touch the side of Silvannus' face then ran his hand through the silken white hair. He may not be feeling any pain, but as soon as his adrenalin subsides he would probably pass out. His fight with the God of Storms put a strain on his body.

Even though their attention was on one another he had been listening to what was happening around them, and he knew that their reunion would have to be cut short. The events of what had happened, and the fact that they all needed rest was evident. With tensions high, it could be said that they are not in their best state. Besides he had a couple of things he needed to do before they began their journey to find a place to spend the night.

“I understand my love, but I know you to be stubborn which is why Luna will heal you,” Silvannus said, watching the sentient fan transform into a beautiful ribbon wrapping around Lunae’s body. Her healing, though nowhere near as powerful as Moriteva, would be enough to help Lunae. Divinity transformed into a beautiful necklace and wrapped gently around Silvannus’ neck. “Try to relax my love. I will go check on the others.”

Silvannus turned as the atmosphere within the group became tense. He listened to them, watching as Marette became the voice of reason to keep Aegis from confronting Vantas. Silvannus watched silently until they were done and as he looked between all of them he sighed.

“You all would not be in this position had it not been for me.”

His voice was low, but loud enough for them all to hear.

“Had I not… had I not selfishly dragged all of you into this, none of you would be injured. You would not have been nearly bisected,” Silvannus said throwing his attention toward Aegis, “you wouldn’t have had to blight this once beautiful field….” Silvannus’ attention landed on Moriteva.

“While I don’t understand your reasoning Vantas, God of the Void, you saved me and my love, my light, from destruction. I cannot say what it is you will do in the future, but I do not see any reason to fight with you. If you seek to destroy the throne, then I might actually agree with you, but you will have your hands full.”

Silvannus began to explain to everyone what he experienced while they were fighting for their lives. He explained that Baldramort had deliberately planted the seed of chaos within him, and had planted it in others as well in an attempt to be reborn. His eyes darted to all those gathered ensuring their attention was secured. He gave them all of the information he remembered, from Baldramort’s seed carriers to Baldramort’s son. When he was done, Silvannus’ shoulders lowered.

“You all have been through too much, and no doubt because of me, but I will not allow you all to continue in the shape that you are in. Please, receive aid and rest. We can continue speaking after everyone has recovered. I fear we are going to need all of our strength for the road ahead.”