He stood a giant amidst the flames of chaos. At over two metres tall, the silver and blue armour of Rellana glinted orange and black as the flame of frenzy washed over him.
Below his feet, the titanic form of Florissax, warped and wreathed in magnetic lances of ancient dragon lightning, as he stood upon her back, circling around before leaping tens of meters into the air as the frenzied flame gave him its attention.
" ... " He didn't hesitate to raise the twin Carrian swords in his hands, pointed forward at the torrential gout of flame savage enough to unmake matter. He didn't hesitate nor falter in the slightest as he split the flame down the middle as the avatar of chaos tried a final time to unmake him and his promised wife, along with every single follower they had brought upon their great journey.
They battled upon a canvas of universes, amidst the shattered balance of the gods. Time went around them, space bent as they danced upon the corpses of the fallen gods.
A final... fate ending battle, amidst the stars, between universes and dimensions. They had won, they had felled the elden beast and ended the suffering of the lands in between.
They had ascended to the stars and begun their thousand year battle against the gods that sought to sew the lands with chaos.
The rod goddess had fallen to their combined might, as had the formless mother smite by a moon tossed at it by ranni.
They had battled their way through dimensional hordes. All the while Florissax , the consort eternal and Ranni soaked up the residual energies left by these dying gods, with each one they successfully felled, they grew in strength. Far surpassing the limits they had experienced in the mortal realms, grafting these gods energies to themselves as they slew and bled all the same, reforged in real time as they fought a ceaseless battle, until this final confrontation.
' Ranni ' He cast a glance back at the witch that held his heart. The woman whom despite the age of suffering he had gone through for a thousand years since the shattering, compelled him forward. She was a god now, for all intents and purposes, a being of Imcomprehensible power. And he was her eternal consort.
Once a tarnished of no renoun, a man whom followed Godfrey into battle, a tarnished amongst legions of kin. Until ambition ignited in his heart, and he felled a world, demigods and gods, in that flame of ambition.
Power coiled around his formidable frame as he turned back to the only one that had risen to challenge them even after their victory at the end of their crusade against the outer gods... the last one to remain. A being of flame and chaos, a being of rot of the mind, igniting the stars with its presence, it had come to snuff them out in their departure from the lands in between at the end of their journey.
It didn't speak, as a luminous shape born of titanic cronal flames that swept the stars. The flames of unmaking, the flames of destruction, the flames that could and would unmake and undo everything his promised wife had ever strived for.
' I won't let you ' The cronal flame spread apart before the titanic beast of chaos, speared apart by his twin blades as he stepped forward slowly across the canvas of the stars. ' Not mine wife '
Three more titanic arcs of flame reared down, spearing across space, only to be halted by chanting spewing from his mouth, meeting a shield of blue glistening light created from his mana.
" Dear consort eternal ... " Her sweet voice called from behind as she strode up as he stopped the flashing chaos for his love. " Do not fear to shoulder thy burden, mine love is true "
She raised her hands at his side, taking control of the shield he had constructed while simultaneously opening up a tear in the world for them to escape through. " Come my dear ... heed not the incessant screams of this beast... we rest and return to slay this beast in time "
She slowly stepped backwards into the portal she had made for them to continue along, fully intended to simply leave the frenzied flame to wail and rot in its failure, looking over her shoulder expectantly at her consort eternal. Behind her Florissax floated, not yet following as the ancient dragon whom had chosen to follow the tarnsihed awaited his return.
He nodded a single time, trusting in his wife to maintain the shield as he lowered his twin Carrian blades and turned to follow.
It was then, with his trust in her ability that their plans went wry. Knowing that its plans were to fail, the frenzied flame acted, it concentrated a great deal of its energies into a single point, a whip of energy that lurched out.
And before Ranni or her consort could even react, it crashed through the barrier like a knife through butter as Ranni's eyes widened open, whirling around to intervene .. but it was far too late.
The lance of energy struck the Tarnished with world ending power, power enough to unmake anything in the universe.
" NOOOOO " Perhaps for the first time, Ranni showed true panic and emotion, watching just beyond the cusp of the portal she had made as her one promised eternal love was thrown into the stars ... and submerged into the primeval current.
And before she could even react, the lance whipped around and forcefully shut the portal she had made, the frenzied flame successfully splitting the two lovers apart. The tarnished, sent to wherever the primeval current would send him ... and Ranni ... distraught at his sudden displacement.
It had lost ... the frenzied flame floated in the void it occupied, watching the world as the primeval current pulsed to its side. But it had made sure everyone lost something.
....
The night of the arrival was wrong before he even arrived. It begun as total and absolute silence, as if the predators and preys of the world could reunite something was wrong long before it happened.
Villagers lived their lives, weary of the usual troubles of life. Despite it being well past winter, their breath frosted over and they shivered without knowing why.
No winds stirred the trees and no insects sung in the brush. The distant howl of wolves, which was so common in the lands refused to be heard on this cold biting night.
A quiet breath encapsulated the very earth, in dread, or waiting. Above the nights sky, the canvas of the stars stretched in their familiar splendour. Cold and distant... atleast ... that's how it should have been. For one of those distant specs.... ethereal and alien in nature, began to move.
It started as nothing more than a shimmer amongst the cosmos. A distortion like heat rising from a hot summers road. It spread slowly from the star moving across the skies, subtle ... almost entirely unnoticed amidst the entirety of the skies, as light bent around it like a disturbed ponds surface, like something was pressing against the otherside of the film of reality.
And then ... like a tear in that film... the skies split violently. It didn't crack like glass, nor did it tear unevenly like cloth. It parted, slowly and deliberately, as though pulled apart by unseen hands that could tear unsunder the heavens. A jagged seam I'd plaid blue light carved across the gash of the void within the tear, stretching like an arcing lance as it slung across the skies. The blackened void behind it smothering the stars entirely. The lights around seemed to dim as this lance of blueish light curved across the skies. Dimming the influential light of the stars as it passed, swirling mana following it in it's wake.
It fell from the heavens like a star, the wound in the skies closed before anyone could so much as glance at it, it happened to quickly, healing to perfectly for anyone to notice. Except for this abyssal blue lance of light curving across the skies towards a jagged peak standing above lands covered in winters snow.
It fell, the man, had anyone been able to discern him, didn't scream nor fret. He didn't tumble head over heel, as his silver and blue armour was wreathed in a physical miasma of his own mana spiking around him. The cold influence of his lady love he devoted himself and her moon gods influence giving his magic a cold almost unnatrual bite to it, as his flowing mana flaked at the very wind, chilling the air as he fell to a snow covered peak in the distance.
' Ranni ... ' He stared back as the seam shut behind him. He didn't fear the approaching lands, for he needn't care for the fall. He was an outer god in human form, what manner of falling posed any threat to him. No the pain that assailed him so as he cascaded from the skies ... was the emotional pain of separation.
' I'll be waiting for you ' He could still feel her, barely, through the connection they shared. But it was stifled, muted by several universes that separated them, interfering in their connection yet no distabce could truly break it. He could barely perceive her distress let alone her location. But that was enough... knowing she yet lived gave him the solace of knowledge they would reunite given time.
' I'll wait for you ' And so he rotated, head lifting as he looked down towards the ground. And behind the seams of his helmet, ghostly bluish grey eyes watched its approach apathetically.
' Hm ... ' He didn't care for raising his arms, rather he slammed face first into the ground with world shattering force. The entire mountain shook violently, snow exploding far and wide as its peak crumbled at the sudden collision. Stone exploded far and wide, earth shook and avalanches cascaded from high above.
Snow spat down onto the ground, whilst stone splattered the grounds far and wide as the forests darkened by the night scattered with life fleeing the sudden disturbance.
" Urgh ... " He twitched, hissing as his weren't armour creaked as he lay at the top of the destroyed mountaintop, courtesy of his own arrival having destroyed the mountains tip. " Marika's great fucking tits... "
He grunted, the snow swishing as stolen ground under his greaves. His helmet, caved in slightly yet unable to break his head, was concaved against his head. As he reached up and removed the helmet amidst the cold stary night.
Dark tapestries fell from his helmet as he removed it from his head, cold blueish grey eyes illuminated in the dark, fueled by the outer god of the moon, whose power yet flickered behind his gaze, though ... after grafting the deities known as the outer gods to his being, taking their powers for himself ... ehancing ... evolving beyond even basic divinity... during his and his lady wife's battle against them and their influence... whether the moon held any real power over them as of yet remained ... dubious.
Now that he was given a moment to think, for the first time in couldntless years since they ahd began their battle across the heavens where those creatures dwelled, he could feel them below the surface of his skin. Every ounce of being that composed the rot goddess, the great consuming serpent... the silent mother... and all the others. Their infallible... indescribable power coursed below his flesh so much so his mere presence threatened to unmake and remake reality as time and space weren't as he embodied their concepts.
That was the power of these outer gods, they had grafted themselves to a concept, beyond universal barriers, beyond all means of undertsnaidng, they were the emobiment of their concepts. And to take from them, was to take that concept into one's self... graft it to their being. So while he killed the rot God, he had taken its place as the embodiment of rot.
' I feel ... ' He didn't feel sick per se, but he could feel the sheer instability, even now as his mana surged beyond realms he understood as a mortal, as his muscles unwound and remade themselves.
' Ranni ... ' He cursed his plight, desiring to reach up to the skies and rip open a tear in space so he could join her. He could feel it, as he reached to the stars, the power at his fingertips.
' I could ... I could do it right now ' His lips quivered, and he knew he could do it presently, to simply tear the space between himself and her apart, to join at her side once more in an instant. ' But ... '
But to do so right now, when his being was still unsettled, where the concepts that composed him warred for supremecy, any grand action such as that would spell dire consequences not only for himself but also ... no doubt, potentially unmake the very could he now stood upon.
' No ... patience ... ' He cursed within his head, ' I have to wait, until my being has settled enough so that using my newfound power doesn't unmake me '
He lowered his gaze away from the stars, chewing his lips, as his fair cheeks shuddered.
' I'll have to stick to small magics and sorceries ... nothing beyond what I'm used to until the time is right ' He grasped Rellana's helm and flicked it into a pocket space where the rest of his items lay. He dismissed his twin Carian swords in favour of mooveil which he strapped to his waist, twitching his neck ever so slightly as he turned and allowed his eyes to scan the locale he had landed upon.
' Great ... ' He sagged, cursing under his breath, his mist escaping his lips as he sauntered up to the edge of the mountain, leaning over and looking at the sheer cliffs that reached down to the snake covered tundra below. ' Welp ... guess I'll go that way '
He gave a look over his shoulder, looking for any signs of life and light for a moment before simply picking a direction, shrugging and simply stepping off of the mountains peak , tumbling down the side of the mountain and vanishing into the tundra with the sounds of breaking trees and the shaking of the canopy of leaves.
....
Soft footfalls landed within the eerily silent tundra of snow covered trees. As the consort of the lunar princess strode leisurely through the cold, aimlessly swaying from side to side as he plucked a rowa fruit from within his satchel, chewing on it as he walked as he had done for the last couple of hours.
The tundra around him was completely silent, compelled to a silent hush as he passed. As beasts and prey cowered, being as silent as they could as his scent, his presence permeated the lands around him.
' My Mana appears to be stabilising ' Cold blue eyes shifted as he summoned and unsummoned the moon veil over and over again. It was perhaps his most practiced spell, the one he could say used the least amount of mana, posed the smallest risk to himself and anything around him.
The torrents of energy flowing from within his being, as he focussed on controlling the terrible current that roared, he felt it shift. He felt it writhe as if given its own life, compelled by his will. Slowly, the power released by his kana into a miasma that permeated him, slowly but surely lowered from an endless falling ocean, to a broken damn... to a slowly releasing river and finally, down to that akin to a dripping forecet... until that itself stopped entirely.
' Better ... ' He curled his fist, the sheer amount of mana roiling beneath his flesh burning like an explosive force.
' Much better indeed ' He raised his right finger and pointed at a nearby tree and focussed.
' Aaaand ... ' At his gloved fingertip, a haze began to manifest, a brittle white light no larger than that of a finger nail swelled to life from consending moisture. From this brittle white, the temperature plummeted tenfold, the snow around rapidly turning from soft white to sharp jagged shards as the light grew more intense.
' Control it ' His blue eyes narrowed, snarling slightly as the small curtains of black hair framing his face became riddled with frost. ' Release it '
He jabbed forward and slung the ball of brittle light at a distant tree, lowering his arm as it arced through the air and struck with the force of a bullet. The effects however were far different, as the light suddenly expanded, swallowing the tree in a concussive blast of absolute zero, so cold was the swallowing that bacteria died, so cold was it that cells ceased and atoms paused their movements.
Not only did the tree freeze, so utterly amd completely that to touch it would do the same for any man or beast, but the very air around it became still, stagnant like a pause in time.
' Hm ... good ' He studied the results of his condensed mana, smiling to himself as he gave a single nod and continued on wafting through the night covered tundra.
He did so until he happened upon a small flowing river, where signs of life dampened amd flattened the snow around its banks, whatever had been here had already fled by the time he appeared at the rivers edge.
Reaching into his satchel, he pulled forward a flask which his fingers dipped into the flowing current, as he leant over it, he was met with his own face staring back at him.
He looked down at the cold running river, and was met with the face of a man no doubt handsome , a face eerily similar to that of Vyke just with black hair and near glowing blue eyes.
It was staring down at the river that something took its chance to act, leaping down from a branch with claws extended, the wildcat hunting the forest dove to pounce upon his back.
' Most amusing ' He blurred, a physical smear on the world that he appeared more a scuff on a painting than a moving creature, as he moved faster than any mortal or entity had ever seen. Rose and simply swatted his bare hand directly at the side of the wild cats head.
The impact was as thunderous as it was loud, as snow suddenly exploded away from them thanks to the shockwave. The beasts head snapped to the side as it twirled through the air before striking a far off tree, and freezing entirely in place as it slid to the snow below.
" What an amusing form you've chosen" He sauntered up to the wildcat, voice rumbling as he slowly slid moonveil from its sheeth and pointed the tip directly at the wildcats head as it slowly picked itself up from the ground.
The fact that it had survived the slap at all spoke of its special constitution, no cat mere cat could have survived that strike, and no he was left here. Pondering if he should kill it now even as its fearful eyes stared up into his own, the tip of moonbeil glowing slightly as he debated running it throigh and ending its miserable existence.
" Hm ... " They stared at eachother, the mana about the cat shifting slightly as it began to shake, as those intelligent eyes in its skull seemed to realise its prey was no simple creature, its large eyes studying the blade pointed at its face.
The silver blade of forged glintstone rippled with alien magic, whisps of blued light pooling along the blade like a radiant wave.
" Hm ... you can understand me ... can you not " The wild cat looked to the wilderness of the light, and was met with eyes tinted the same blue that radiated from the silver blade that would pierce its head.
In response it lowered itself, large eyes widening as it tried to make itself seem as harmless as possible.
" Good ... you must know where a settlement is... you will guide me there, and I will spare you " He removed his blade as the cat cowered, staring down at it as dispassionately he would a dead animal.
It rose slightly, yet remained fearful as it took half a step around the man, " Go... come then ... I shall follow your guidance "
....
He stood just beyond the tundras canopy, staring at the village he had been guided to he the seemingly intelligent wildcat. ' Ah, it seems the residents have holed up for the night... '
" You did good, my thanks " He reached into his satchel and pulled out a sliver of d exalted flesh, tossing it towards the wildcat which caught it and tore into it with ravenous appetite.
With that he stepped out of the tundra, not caring of the cat that continued to eat the dried meat tinted with divinity. He prepared to smite the beast as he turned his back to it, yet it seemed entirely focussed on the flesh provided.
As he strode across the snow, he heard it suddenly leap from the bushes, he thought it was approaching to attack. But he was proven wrong as he looked over his shoulder and saw it was following, with half of the exalted flesh still sticking from its mouth as it followed.
It trod up to his side, head held high and tail poking straight up as it joined him in step, was he moved to what appeared to be a tavern.
" You are a most amusing creature aren't you " He pulled out a cloak from his storage, sliding it over his armour to hide the obviously expensive and no doubt high status armour. To wear it in a village so obviously such as this was ... not wise if he wanted to not draw attention.
Sliding the hood over his head. Whilst using his magic to shunt the armor of rellana into his inventory, choosing instead to garb himself in the black knife wraps hidden beneath his robes, as he sauntered up to a longhouse, with that's and wooden rooves, torches of fire illuminating the front if the building as chatter echoed from within the longhouse.
' A tavern ... perfect ' He cast a glance down at the wildcat that had finished hucking down the dried exalted flesh, giving a humoured chuckle as he strode up to the taverns front door. " Behave yourself .... "
He didn't particularly care if it understood him as it continued to follow the formidable being that had gifted it tasty food, as he pushed open the door and strode into the homely interior.
....
The moment the door to the tavern opened, a cold chill shrivelled the residents within the room, giving pause to many within as a man towering lowered his head to step through the door. Wrapped in a black robe and pale dark clothing underneath, the man whose hood covered his features stepped into the building followed by a cat that put the residents on edge.
Putting down the mug he was holding , a man with patched skin and a white cloth over his head pointed at the cat.
" You animal will have to wait outside, don't want to deal with any ... issues " Igle grunted, staring towards the tall man whose silence stretched, the conversations going about pausing as the man seemed to be deliberating.
Another man in the tavern paused, one a man with high respect amongst the locals, with a small tuft of dark hair on his head and a glum look, jorund regarded the stranger curiously before turning back to the two local men he was playing Gwent with.
" Verywell " A dark rumbling voice parted from dark lips within the robes folds, turning to the wildcat the few people were regarding with scepticism.
The towering man turned to the cat, which looked up at him expectantly.
" Here ... " He passed what appeared to be meat to the creature, then waved it off while holding the door open. " Wait outside until it I depart "
They watched the cat turn and leave, holding its head high before the door closed behind its exit, then the towering man made his way to the bar.
" What can I get for you... " Igle asked, curious as he was about the face under hood, working as an innkeeper garnered him the intelligence that if a man didn't want his face seen, you were wise to oblige and so he let the man keep his secrets.
The man slid into one of the stools despite being so much larger than it he might as well have remained standing. " Whatever you recommend ... how much will it be "
" Here ... a beer ... five crowns " Igle filled the mug and placed it infront of the man, whom paused slightly at his words.
" I don't have crowns ... but I'm sure I have something of equal value ... would this do... it contains ... a rather high purity of gold " The man pulled put something odd, a sort of strange object that was both physical and not, containing traces of almost brilliant shining gold and something else igle couldn't quite name. " These are the currency of my lands ... shall they suffice "
Igle took the rune in his hands, enraptured by its radiance as he turned the physical yet metaphysical object over in his palms. ' It's.... priceless '
He didn't know what it was, didn't know what it meant, but the sheer dazzling radiance and the aura it gave off spoke of the sheer utter importance this object held. ' If I could sell this... '
Igle turned a shrewd eye to the stranger, about to open his lips to undersell the worth of the object. Yet the moment his eyes drifted to the strangers hood, he caught a glimpse, a small drift of the strangers hood which allowed him a split second visage of the man's eye.
A blue radiance, as deep sapphire similar to that of the most lustrous of jewels, swirled around a vortex of cold dark that made his spine shiver on instinct. It was ... ethereal, as if looking upon the moon and the ocean mixed together as one.
'Nevermind ' Igle gulped on instinct, the way the man's eye lifted ever so slightly, hinted at the fact the man most likely knew exactly what he was about to do.
" It more shall more than suffice" Igle made himself scarce, choosing humility in the face of valour as he chose to tend to the other patrons.
....
' Interesting ' His lone visible eye scanned the tavern, he could feel the radiance of the beings littered about, weak ... less than even the slaves that stumbled about storm veil castle. Weak ... fragile and squishy.
He feared, as if any careless movement would spell the deaths of the individuals present. ' I'll need to be careful ... '
He watched them interact, laughing amongst themselves. Devoid of the grace and influence he had witnessed beneath the tyrany of the outer gods. Even with just this one, first small interaction in a tavern in a corner of a world he didn't know. He could feel the lightness in the air, the lack of the feeling of being watched from beyond the veil, the way life seemed to go on without something having the need to dip their grubby little fingers In it simply because they felt they had the right to.
' This feels... pleasant' It felt ... right. Like everything he and Ranni had worked for was being validated right before his very eyes. Now more than ever, with such a small expression of life free of external control, his fire for ranni and her passion driven goal burned like the frenzied flame greater than it had ever before.
' Ranni ... ' His thoughts drifted, a gaping pit tearing through his being as an overwhelming sense of loss all but threatened to consume him.
' My dear Ranni ... are you safe ... are you alright ' His gaze drifted upwards, looking through the wooden and thatch ceiling towards where he felt the faint connection he held to her lingering through universal barriers.
The urgency that radiated through their bond, separated by time, space and entire universes still reached him. That alone was its own solace. The fact that he could feel her worry was enough. She was safe and whole enough to worry. And that small gift allowed his shoulders to droop slightly in relief, as he raised the beer to his lips and winced slightly at the texture that clawed its way down his throat.
' Wait for me my dear, it'll be long before I join you at your side once again ' His gaze continued to be pinned to the ceiling, lips thinning as his brow furrowed.
' I need to hasten the assimilation process ' He didn't know how long it would take to fully assimilate the power of the consumed gods, nor how long it could take for said powers to settle safely for his own use, nor did he fully understand just what would happen when the aspects they were the personification of would do to him when they fully merged with him, would they war in his body creating an eternal pit of churning chaos, or would they merge and harmonise within his being.
' hmmm ... ' He squinted and lowered his gaze from the ceiling, downing his drink and calling igle over. " Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to have a map would you "
" Of course. One moment "
...
' Interesting ... ' He say atop Torrent, petting the mule he had pulled from the spectral realm and gifted physical form to, whom happily ate at several raisins he had gifted it.
As he trod through the snow, Torrents thick furs shifting leisurely as they strode away from Arinbjorn, heading to the wilderness to set up a place to rest for the night.
Slung over the back of torrent, resting upon the saddle was the wildcat that followed him, curled up as it watched the snow pass.
' Perhaps on the morrow I shall return and barter for the barkeeps information ' The map was easy enough to understand, but several markers and indictions possibly indicating a different ruler. ' Ruler ... clans maybe '
He tilted his head, studying the sigils on the map, eyes darting over the towns before he looked away and realised Torrent had brought them to a small clearing wide enough for him to set up comfortably. ' I'll go over it later '
....THE NEXT DAY ....
" Hell...ooo" Igle paused as he turned to the open longhouse door, spitting the towering stranger simply glide across the floor like a cat. " I.... I Ah hope the map I provide was satisfactory "
He hadn't expected the robed man to return,not so soon atleast.
" It was, I've returned for something else " The man slid onto the stool, pressing down onto the creaking wooden stool.
" Oh ... " Igle gulped, staring at the gloved hands that slithered out from within the man's sleeves. He quivered slightly, lips wavering as he put on the bravest face he could muster. " What could I help you with "
" I'm new to this place... I'm quite stranded you see ... I require information and opportunity... I'm quite willing to pay of course " Igle stuttered as the man produced several more of those invaluable gold imbued ethereal items, dropping them to the surface of the bar as they rattled with a almost ethereal clink.
" Of course .. allow me to pour you a drink and we can get right to it " Fortunately the longhouse was mostly empty of patrons currently, eith only the usual hangouts littered about nursing their own beverages, affording him the opportunity to focus solely on this strange man. Pouring the man a drinkable dn sliding it over, Igle came to a stop across from the robed individual. " Where should we start "
" We'll start about this village, the ins and outs everything then we'll move outwards " The man spoke calmly, Clasping his hands together and focussing his sole undivided attention on the barkeep.
" Well then let's start right here " Igle smiled and began unloading everything he knew about this place, from the patrons to the laws to the very layout of the land, clans, local jobs and everything he could possibly know about the lands both near and far.
....
About to leave the longhouse after garnering the information he sought, an interesting group of men sitting at a table drew his attention. ' Oh ... this must be the game Gwent I was just told about '
More curious about how it worked than desiring to actually play, he came to stand over the man, as the most clearly well dressed man raised his gaze to his hood.
" Haven't seen you round here stranger, interested in a game " Jorund remained at ease as the towering man looked down at them, the group he was playing with moved aside as he himself reached back for the last and fifth deck they hadn't put to use in their small group.
" I'll play, ive never played before so I'll need your help " The man reached forward, large hand plucking the deck from Jorund's hands as he lowered himself.
" Whats your name, here we'llgo over a first game to show you how it works" The towering man cramped himself to the table they were playing at, as he withdrew the cards with apparent and great care.
"Arvernus ... " The Tarnished spoke honestly, smiling gently as his hood hid his wistful expression. The only thing he had in memory of his father, the name he had been given oh so long ago. He'd never seen his father let alone known who he was or where he was. The only thing he knew, amidst the armies of tarnsihed banished from the lands between, was that he had been bequeathed the name Arvernus.
" A good name " Jorund nodded as they began their name in earest, with Arvernus studying the game with great intent. Watching the four men try to win a four way struggle.
' Interesting, it appears whoever has the most points and the strongest cards at the end... wins ... ' He looked over his own deck as the fire game came to an end.
" You understand now " Jorund smiled and shimmied back slightly, the group spreading to allow him access to the table top.
" I believe so ... let's see shall we "
....
" He cheated I swear " One of the four men Arvernus had played with grumbled as they stormed away and out of the longhouse, Jorund simply blinking as he stared at the deck of cards that was being handed back to him by the robed figure that had swept them.
" Was that truly you first ever game " For hours they had played, and it had become quite apparent very quickly that the newcomer was either gifted with luck or outright cheating. EVERY SINGLE CARD he had pulled had been exactly what he needed. If jorund hadn't personally shuffled the man's deck several times after each game and not allowed the man to touch the deck, he would've called him a cheater.
" Truly " Arvernus smiled, only his lifted lips visible as he tried handing the deck back, to which Jorund cursed under his breath.
" Keep it ... I don't ever want to see that deck again " Jorund cursed the deck the man had swept he and his compatriots with, to think a simple monster deck could be used so effectively.
" My thanks " The deck vanished into the man's robes, with jorund grumbling the whole time.
" I suppose I should be off then, there is much of this place I wish to get acquainted with " Arvernus rose, giving a slight did of his head. " Perhaps on the morrow I shall return and we can share drink and story "
At that Jorund sat back and interlaced his hands, his own curiosity at the towns new commodity rising with each interaction. " I will have to take you up on that offer friend, until next time "
" Until next time then friend " With that Arvernus vanished through the front door of the longhouse, all the while Igle and Jorund watched him leave.
" Interesting fellow that one hmm "
....
And so for weeks Arvernus loitered around Arinbjorn, watching the townfolk from the foshermen to the Hunters. Watching how they functioned, how they tended to their crops and wives fulfilled their womanly duties. Life was simple in the village, as he helped around town, whether it he felling trees at a lumberjacks request or tending to a crop for an ailing old man too sick to do so, which he also healed much to the amazement of the old man, whom was sworn to secrecy and out of respect, the old man did exactly as was requested, sealing his lips of the secret of being healed by the man that helped him.
And so, he quickly became a regular of the village, sewn as one of them despite his towering height. He became reliable, a source of strength of support for those in need of the village. He helped fish on slow days, he ran with hunters through the wilds to bring down boars and wildcats, all the while his own wild cat became a regular commodity that regularly chased the pet birds that would assault crops.
And at night he would attend the longhouse with the men, exchanging jokes and song, sweeping the cursing men who swore he cheated every time he played Gwent with them.
Nobody knew his origin and none cared, they just appreciated the stalwart neighbour that lived in the forest during the nights, appreciated a helping hand, appreciated a shoulder to lean on and a man to call friend.
They knew he knew magic, when after a couple weeks of tending to the village, a young boy fell from a tree a broke his leg, only for those watching to see Arvernus use a golden radiance upon the child, visibly healing the wound at a rate unparalleled, earning the favour of his family and the goodwill of the villagers. And thus he became a healer to those in need, a coveted secret those in the know kept with firm tongues and suspicious glances when new people would come to the village. He quickly became valued, and they appreciated he showed no signs of leaving, seeming content to simply live amongst their small township.
" Nope ... I'm all out of crowns I ain't playing... not against this guy " Torus slung away from the table as soon as Arvernus settled himself down at Jorunds side.
" Oh come on torus don't be a sour puss " Jorund laughed as a round of chuckles circled the table, as Arvernus placed his deck on the table.
Arvernus pulled out his neck from an intricate silver box the table hadn't seen him come in with.
" Oh ... what happened to your deck " Strangely enough, rather than the monster deck Jorund had given him, Arvernus pulled out a lapis lazuli and silver coloured deck.
" I just rather like the colour, you don't mind do you ... I can return it to normal If you'd like " Jorund shrugged as they each began to shuffle their decks, quickly beginning several joyous Gwent games, with several passer-by taking bets.
As they played, the world continued to move forward around them, patrons came and went as the sun drifted higher and higher in the skies.
" Ah ... one moment would you " Arvernus grunted as he gently placed his Gwent deck on the tables surface, a small boy standing next to him holding his arm out expectantly.
" Cut yourself did you kiddo " Gloved hands gently lifted the boys arm, whose face remained plastered with concentration strain even as it trickled blood. Behind him two girls watched in awe as the boy refused to cry in their presence. ' Such a strong boy '
" They were....we're going to fall " The boy stammered out as Arvernus raised a hand, flickering golden light coalescing into his palm.
" And so you fell in their place ... saving them ... a truly strong individual .. a true knight... " He slid the golden light in his hand over the gash in the boys arm, and they watched on real time as his fingers skid over the skin ... only for the cut to vanis, gone the moment his fingers left the gash. " You'll be a strong warrior one day kid... I can see it now "
" Th... thank you " The boy made to leave bit stopped as Arvernus raised his hand before the kid could leave with his two lady friends.
" One moment boy ... you aspire to be a strong warrior one day ... don't you " At that the boy nodded, lifted his chin slightly and puffed his chest out. " Ah a good and noble boy... that deserves praise ... there are few warriors with truly a noble heart ... but "
Arvernus reached into the shadows of his robes, and to the curiosity of everyone watching, seemingly pulled a simple looking longsword from nothing but the void inside his coat. " A warrior is nothing without his weapon "
The boys eyes widened as Arvernus finished pulling the longsword from seemingly thin air, holding in his hands before the child. " A simple sword this may look boy ... it is anything but "
" A simple press of this blade will part flesh like butter, it is sharper than you may ever know ... " He lifted the blade and pressed it to the side of the table they were playing Gwent at, and to the shock of everyone watching, simply parted the wood like grass around the blade, leaving a deep cut in its surface.
" Handle this weapon with the respect it deserves, and this weapon will put last you, your children and their own, it will serve you faithfully until the dirt consumes this village and whatever surfaces after... do you accept this weapon boy " He held the longsword out to the boy whom looked upon its gleaming blade like it was akin to a precious jewel.
" I ... I do milord ..." He spoke, giving credit to a rumour passing amongst those that chattered within the village. His demeanour, actions and tongue gave of their airs of a man of not so insignificant station, a learned man. A man whom had been in battle, yet a honourable man. They didn't know where he came from nor what family he originated, but many believed he came from a family of nobles from across the seas.
" Good child ... now take it... and use it to protect what is your " He gave the boy a long stare, the blue eyed child slowly taking the blade, the obvious strain of holding the weapon clear, yet he nodded, turned away and fled with the two girls he had come in with.
" A sword like that ... " Jorund began as Arvernus turned back to the table, picked up his deck and continued playing.
" Deserves a better life than I can give it ... that boy will do just that ... I can feel it " Jorund dropped the subject as they played, occasionally stopping to allow players to join and leave, until the sun began to dip over the horizon.
" I.... " Arvernus, smiling, froze mid placement of a card, nose twitching, eyes narrowing as he slowly looked to a group of four men stepping through the longhouse door. Am instinct honed through over a thousand years of battle roared at once, and he was bound to obey. And so he conjured his deck box, slapped his deck in and vanished it before the eyes of Jorund whom had noticed the obvious change in behaviour.
Two of the four men in dark cloaks approached, weaving between the patrons whom had already taken notice, whilst one drew igles attention and a last remained next to the longhouse door.
" Jorund Drommund " One of the men spoke, shaven chin and harsh eyes visible as he lowered his hood, revealing a bald scalp and a piercing glare.
" And you are ... " They stepped last Arvernus as if he were simply a fixture on a wall, as they pulled out swords hanging from their waist.
" I suggest you come with us ... " Arvernus watched them threaten Jorund and the people of the town with harsh deaths if he refused to accompany them to the north of and skelliege.
' They're from clan Craite ...' Jorunds eyes widened as he made to obey, wanting nothing to happen to some of his favourite people in his peoples territory. Only to he stopped from standing as a towering shadow rose behind the two craite soldiers, blocking out the torchlight as two blue luminous orbs shon in the towering man's eyes.
" I would consider otherwise " Arvernus rose, a single hand sliding the table he sat at to the side as if it weighed little more than a babe. " I have taken to rather liking these villagers here ... jorund included when he comes by "
" Lay a hand upon their heads, and I'll rain down the due punishment as the blade of Caria " Jorund was perhaps the only one to notice the sword poking out from the towering man's robes, it's hilt of silver reflecting the torchlight.
It was then that the men each removed their cloaks, revealing that they were infact mercenaries from clan Craite in the north having infiltrated clan drommunds territory and made their way to the town. The action and revelation startled the longhouse patrons, many stepping back as the mercenaries went for their weapons.
" You ... " Igle stepped back as one of the craite members reached forward to grab him, dagger in hand in an effort to gain a hostage.
" I warned you " He moved as blur as he wound around and leapt at the reaching mercenary. Moonveil flashing in a single slash of silver faster than they could even perceive as his arm swung a single simple arc.
The man who had reached for Igle was allowed a single moment to blink as moonveil cut clearly through the back of his head, the blade removing his face from the nose up in a visceral spray of blood and brain matter that spilled out, his tongue flapping uselessly as his half headed body fell forward with a wet slap onto the bar top.
" Now ..m for the rest of you " Arvernus turned, standing between igle, the rest of the bar behind him as the three attackers stared him down.
" Torvus " One of the men whispered, not caring as Igle jumped the bar and moved to the back of the bar to allow Arvernus the space to act. They stared at the headless corpse before their gaze slowly rose to face Arvernus himself, whose cold chopper blue eyes stared them down similarly to how man stares down a rabid dog.
" Kill him " The man closest to Jorund cursed, urging the other two present to draw their short swords and step up to engage the towering collosus of a man.
He himself meanwhile turned to jorund, gauging him closely. " You're coming with me "
" Over my dead body " Jorund reached into his fine blue garments to withdrew a shortsword of his own, staring down the Craite captain with a sinister snarl accommodating his features.
" I just have to bring you in, they didn't say anything about what state "
....
" I must ask " He curled the two men as they pointed their swords at him, the three slowly drawing a circle with their steps, moving aside the tables as he passed as if they weighed nothing. " How many of your fold have you brought unto this village "
" Twenty if you must know, but you'll not have to worry about that friend " One of the two before him sniffed, pointing his sword at Arvernus's hood.
" Twenty ... " The mirth that spilled from his lips was as amused by the number as he was by the man's bravado. " Then perhaps you shall give me a small amount of amusement ... come now "
" Hr " One of the two stepped toward, whilst the other curled around and swung at Arvernus's side, performing two simultaneous attacks to confuse the warrior and hopefully force him on the defensive.
Unfortunately of them, Arvernus was a warrior the likes this world had never seen, forged in battlefields for a thousand years. His mind worked faster by leaps and bounds of orders faster than theirs. Their movements might have well as been a snailspace as his pupils dilated and he moved.
" pitiable " He grunted, he knocked the man coming to his side away with a flick of moonveil, using his left hand at the same time to reach over the stabbing blade and lock the attacks wrist in his vice like grip, before guiding him forward and forcing him to drive his own sword into his compatriots side.
It had had happened in a blur of black and silver, the only thing they saw for sure was the grinding if the second made blade as Arvernus's became a blur, forcing the two into eachother until now he stepped back, one collapsing while the other cradled his dying colleague stuck by his blade.
" I have to say, you're disappointing..." The first man stared down in shock as his brother in arms gave a weak whisper. ' What ... when did I... '
He had simply attacked, thrust forward and then his vision and his opponent became a blur... the only thing he knew for sure after that this, his blade sticking out of his friends chest ... a fatal wound and they both fell to the ground.
" I'LL KILL YO..." Silver slashed across his vision, and the world went black as Arvernus stepped past the two fallen men.
" Even the dogs back home pose a greater threat than you " Arvernus sling the blood off of moonveil, the five second interaction passing as he turned to jorund and the group leader on the defensive.
' Shit what happened to Shane and sev ' The captain jumped back as he realised he was now the only one of his men in the longhouse, eyes darting to the two he had sent, seeing them sprawled over eachother in a heap.
" I'd surrender if I was you " Arvernus stepped forward, blocking the man's view of Jorund, looking over his shoulder for a moment.
"Igle ... Jorund, take everyone to the back" They watched, for the first time since he first stepped into the longhouse and their town, as he shrugged the hood clear from his body, which turned to a swirl of palid ash that circled him before shifting, knitting itself together into a silver and lapis lazuli covered armour, with drapes of blue fluttering as moonveil was clung tightly to by his right hand.
' What ... ' Igle was robbed of breath as he stared into Arvernus's eyes, whose stern features curled slightly as he turned away and began a slow stride to the only remaining Craite loyalist in the longhouse.
" GET BACK OR ILL " The leader knew he was fucked as soon as the sorcerers robes faded to ash, he grabbed an unfortunate villager and held a dagger to his neck, quivering like a leaf in a storm.
" You know ... " Arvernus's calm voice cut through the tension in the air, like a wave of calm that refused to be washed away as his towering form stopped two metres from the craite loyalist and the terrified villager.
" There's something in my lands called an ash of war, they're memories ... skills that can be harnessed by those that tap into the memories ingrained in those ashes. You know what happens when you borrow a skill over and over ... it's like a memory ... a muscle being honed... after a while it's like the skill was always yours ... you don't need the ash of war to use it anymore... it's your skill now " Arvernus smiled slightly, the brown gloves he wore curling Into fist.
"I... I don't care ... "
" Well you should ... I've mastered plenty ashes of war, I can use them myself now... my favourite infact " Before the Craite loyalist could even blink, the towering man of silver and blues simply appeared before him. He didn't even have time to scream as a fist punched through his spine and lodged itself in his chest cavity, where he was lifted from the ground by the man's arm, as Arvernus seemed entirely unbothered, entirely leisure about the face t he was holding a man up by his chest with one arm.
" It's called bloodhound step... it's rather useful " He grunted as the villagers stood forward, turning to see, just like the others, the towering Arvernus lifting the man higher, who's lips stained red and quaked. Arms flailed to hold his chest as his chest visibly swelled, his armor creaking as it offered no resistance to his killer. " But that is for your compatriots to find out, as I'm sure there are more outside waiting "
Before the gaze of igle and Jorund and the other man about, he simply swung his arm, the dying man's wordless plea ignored as he looked at his blood covered glove.
" Remain inside until I have dealt with the others" Arvernus grunted and grabbed the sheeth of moonveil before moving to the door, opening it and stepping outside, meanwhile the bar patrons looked between ecahother, turning their gazes to the corpses littering the ground.
" So ah... what should we do " Igle whispered as Jorund rose, walked to a chair and settled himself down while dusting his hands off.
" I'm doing ... exactly what he said to do, rather not deal with annoying him as I've just learned " Jorund shrugged, the others looking between eachother and breaking into a series of murmurs.
....CHAPTER COMPLETE
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