Caverns, Northwest Bear Duchies

  The group awoke to find themselves in total darkness, with the flow of water being the only sound they could hear. Madeline raised her hand, and a bright white light burst forth, illuminating the cavern they were in. It was quite spacious, but the oddest thing about it was the apparent presence of benches, and a stone dock on what was an underwater river, and how the cavern and roof of the underground river were not natural rock formations.

  The group were still confused about how they had escaped certain death, with only Elizabeth knowing that Methuselah had saved them, which was something she did not feel like sharing now, as her mind was preoccupied with trying to grasp their current situation, the sheer oddity of it.

  While looking around, they heard a whistle coming from deep down the subterranean tunnel that held the river. Looking down, they could see several bright lights coming their way, and a billowing cloud of black smoke above the lights.

  The group also heard a sound none of them knew, but it felt like wooden paddles hitting the water in a constant circular motion. Though that was drowned out by raucous music, and a song being sung in a tongue none of them recognized. Instead, they heard the words Tro Ma Grima, Tro Ma Grima, Ex Chu Tenm Rioma, Da Tro Ma Grima.

  As the ship got closer, a shrill whistle was heard. What they could recognize was a ship as it came into view, but a ship unlike any of them had ever seen. It had circular paddles instead of oars or sails, and the smoke was coming from four long pipes. The lights were lanterns lit across the hull, and the crew of the ship bore some semblances of men yet were alien to them. From their height, they were somewhere in the middle between a human and a Halmen.

  The creatures had wide and stocky frames, long muscular arms that reached their feet, round barrel chests, and copious amounts of facial hair, all lovingly tended and elegantly styled. The creatures also wore immaculate white uniforms with brass buttons and gold embroidery. The man who appeared to be their leader, was standing up on a crate blurting out orders in a tongue none of them could understand. The outfit was closer to that of a white suit, with a wide-brimmed hat upon his head. The figure reached into the folds of his suit and pulled out a circular metal device. Looking down at it, he considered it, apparently pleased with what he saw.

  When he looked back up, he had come close enough that he could now make out those waiting for him, and a puzzled look came upon his face. The figure had not been expecting any humans or Halmens to be there. As the ship edged ever closer, he signaled for the ship to slow down and prepare for docking.

  The message went through the ship. The ship itself was quite massive, with a white hull with gold trim and two massive paddle wheels on each side, painted red and blue. The ship also had three stories to it, though to the humans of the group, it was closer to two and a half. The creature in the white suit looked down at them quizzically, his auburn beard tinged with gray, and inlaid with gold, silver, and precious jewels that sparkled in the light. Eyeing them once more, he then began to speak in the Divine Tongue, albeit with an accented drawl.

  “Well good afternoon y’all, it’s not every day we get surface dwellers down here in the underrealms.”

  “You speak our tongue?” Sir Frederick asked on behalf of the group. The strange muscular man in the white suit gave a chortle.

  “Of course I do boy. In my youth, I was one of the surface guards down on the border, working hand in hand with House Baikov to keep the land free from invaders crossing the wall. Nowadays I am a steamboat captain, transporting goods and passengers across the Underrealm on the great subterranean rivers.”

  “So, the story of House Baikov having ties to the Earth Men is true,” Elizabeth said out loud, the Earth Man gave another chortle.

  “I forgot that’s what uninitiated surface dwellers call us. Though if you do not mind me correcting you little lady, our name for ourselves is the Gundarr.”

  “Dep-Gundarr to be precise, not to be confused with Mot-Gundarr or Hib-Gundarr.” A familiar voice said behind them, everyone turned around to find Methuselah standing there, smiling.

  “Methuselah, you old rascal, is this your doing?” The Dep-Gundarr asked as he was apparently familiar with Methuselah.

  “Indeed Hark, Ms. Elizabeth there,” he pointed to Elizabeth, “asked for my help to save her friends when the wall fell, I’ve saved them and now it’s time she paid the price.”

  Hark looked flabbergasted. “The wall has fallen, where?”

  “The Eastern Gate, an old lich working with a disgruntled alchemist tore the whole thing down. Now a gaping hole and a massive swarm is moving northward.”

  “That’s not good, I hope the legions can turn them back.”

  “Probably not, but that isn’t your problem anymore, is it? Anyway, I have a favor to ask, I would like you to carry Ms. Elizabeth’s friends northward, the Western Pass should be an appropriate stopping-off point.”

  This time it was Damien’s term to speak up. “The Western Pass, where are we, and just how far does your Underrealm extend?” This was a matter of great curiosity for everyone involved.

  “You are in the northwest of the Bear Duchy, as for our Underrealm, the Dep-Gundarr territory stretches from Mt. Defiance, through the Bear Duchies, underneath the Mustang, and southern Peacock Duchies, avoiding the land beneath the Viper Swamplands. But speaking of dealings, how do you intend to pay for these passengers Methuselah? I don’t transport for free you know.”

  Methuselah just smiled, “A businessman to the end, you will of course be compensated.” Methuselah pulled out a clinking bag from beneath his robes. Methuselah tossed it to Ragnar. “There we go, that should compensate the ferryman. Now, Elizabeth my dear, we must go. I saved you and your friends, and now I would appreciate it if you would come with me.” Methuselah stretched out his hand to her.

  Elizabeth, realizing that she had no alternative, said goodbye to her companions, and calmly walked over to Methuselah, taking hold of his hand. The group was shocked, but before they could come to their senses and stop her, she disappeared in a flash of golden light, leaving the group and Captain Hark behind.

  “Methuselah always likes to put on a show. Anyway, I do not think we have been properly introduced, my name is Hark Dwain, and I am captain of the Tam Savver and your host for the rest of your journey. My ship was not designed with any of your physiologies in mind, but I do pride myself on being a good host, so I am sure I will be able to get you accommodated and comfortable. As Mama Dwain used to say, “Always make your company feel at home.”

  The rest of the group introduced themselves to Hark as they boarded his ship, he nodded politely and took the bag of silver and gold that Ragnar was carrying as he was the last one to board. “Do you have any mead?” Ragnar asked him.

  Hark just smiled at him. “My fine boy, while I do have a well-stocked liquor cabinet, I don’t carry mead, it’s too girly a drink for even a fine Dep-Gundarr lass. Though I would be more than happy to treat you to a Mint Tulip later, a drink for true gentlemen.” Hark told Ragnar, who accepted his meadless situation with resignation.

  Everyone moved to the front of the ship for the takeoff. Hark signaled the crew and the ship's deafening horn was blown. Slowly at first, Miss Liz began its long journey down the dark subterranean river, transporting the group to the Western Pass.

  As the ship was chugging down the subterranean tunnels, the group split up and began to contemplate the destruction of everything they had ever been taught. Sir Frederick paired up with Bridgette, Madeline paired up with Ragnar, Francesco paired up with Damian, and Carmen paired up with Hezekiah.

  Sir Frederick and Bridgette

  Sir Frederick went to the west side of the ship, and Bridgette followed him. “This is all pretty crazy, isn’t it?” Bridgette asked him.

  “Perhaps, though I am not surprised, there have been things about the narrative that never quite added up for me. I was fostered by the Schwarzwald for much of my youth, and their stories of the past did not quite add up with what I was taught. I never said anything to the Ascetics, but it did lead a man to question.”

  “Same, papa always told me that the Faith of the Nine Founders was created to maintain control over our nation. The ruins that are older than the nation also make us question the truth of the official narrative. The Queen of Autumn and her minions also claimed that my ancestors once worshipped her and that we are traitors, but it’s probably for the best not to take what the Fae say at face value, especially that monster.” There was a distinct bitter tone in Bridgette’s voice. “Also, fostered to the Schwarzwald, were you some kind of noble.”

  “Yes, I was of noble birth, and yes I did worship the Faith of the Nine Founders before becoming disillusioned and joining my order. Don’t get me wrong, I do not doubt that the King of Lions was a great man, but I don’t believe that he was a god. A devout follower of Alnardun but not a god.”

  “Doesn’t your order worship Alnardun?” Bridgette asked.

  “Yes, he is the patron of all Oathsworn, and all seven orders have sworn fealty to him. Truth be told, the ancestor worship never quite set well with me, Alnardun always felt like a more substantive deity, that aligned more with my view of the world.”

  “Well, I hope you make him proud, and I hope that we live through this madness. I may not be able to go back home, but I don’t want to see it destroyed.”

  Sir Frederick had been curious about Bridgette’s motivations ever since they met. “I understood Damian’s and Madeline’s reasons for leaving their families and going to the wall, but you have always been a mystery to me.”

  Instead of glaring at him, like usual, she had a sad look on her face. “Let’s just say, that love is complicated, and it can lead you to new highs, and horrific lows.”

  “I suppose.” Sir Frederick said knowingly “Do you think Elizabeth will be alright.” Sir Frederick asked Bridgette.

  A dark look came across Bridgette’s face. “I don’t know that Methuselah, he isn’t human, I would call him a Fae but he doesn’t seem to be even that. But there is one thing I could pick up from him, and that is that he is a dangerous being.”

  “I shall pray to the King in Gold that he watches over her.” Sir Frederick worried for Elizabeth, what Bridgette said was not wrong, he too felt how dangerous Methuselah was.

  Madeline and Ragnar

  Madeline was sitting by herself in the ship's bar when Ragnar plopped down beside her.

  “You knew the truth about this world all along, and yet you never tried to force it down our throats, why?” Asked Madeline.

  “The people of this nation aren’t as smart as they think they are. I knew that there were many here who did not want me here, so it seemed pointless to start an argument most of you would not budge on. Drink Master, I’ll have your strongest drink please.” The spiffy-looking bartender acknowledged him, and understanding, got him a Nirly Gimple.

  “Because of our ignorance, we got sidelined by this lich who no one saw coming. Why would the records not say anything about him if he fought the King of Lions a thousand years ago?”

  “Maybe someone found the information to be inconvenient for some reason. Hezekiah told me that there is an Ascetic Order that is devoted to the collection and study of forbidden knowledge, the Order of the Moth I believe. The Order of the Moth knows the truth or at least the partial truth, but they decided to keep it hidden. I can’t say why they would do such a thing, unlike you Southerners, we see no need for lies up north.”

  Looking down at her water, Madeline got a dark look on her face. “As soon as they leave the lands of the Bear, they’re going to hit the lands owned by my family on the southern coast as they make their way to the Coastal Pass. Many people I know, and love are going to die horrible deaths.”

  “We all have to die someday, just pray to your goddess that they die well and honor your ancestors.”

  Madeline gave him an odd look and went back to her drink. “I wonder what Elizabeth is up to right now?” Madeline asked herself.

  Ragnar let out a harsh contemptuous grunt. “Hopefully not pissing herself in fear.”

  “Elizabeth wasn’t meant for battle Ragnar, she’s a barmaid, not a battle maiden.”

  “Sometimes the world doesn’t give a damn about that distinction.” Ragnar began to drink his beverage, which was, in fact, quite potent.

  Damian and Francesco

  Francesco decided to walk on the rail of the ship, much to Damian’s annoyance.

  “Francesco, what happens when you slip and fall?”

  Francesco had a grin on his face. “Why I take it that you’ll jump in and fish me out.”

  “I can’t swim Francesco.”

  “You can’t do high magic either.”

  This annoyed Damian. “I don’t need high magic; I have my low magic now.”

  “But can your low magic protect you from the truth about your world, and the lie you grew up believing?” Francesco was poking him now.

  “Most likely not, though I doubt that my family will take this information in stride. I’m used to being knocked into the dirt so I’m just going to roll with the punches. They’ve built their entire identity around their divine right to treat others like shit.”

  A dark look came across Francesco’s face. “Your family hurt you, didn’t they?”

  “Yes, but not nearly as much as what they would do to me if I ever went home. I don’t care about whether my ancestor was divine or not, I just want to survive this madness. At least Elizabeth got out of this.”

  Francesco now looked contemplative. “You like her, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do, but she like most girls just look right through me.”

  “What about Madeline, I think she might have a thing for you?”

  Damian blushed at this. “I’m not her type, she and I had a long talk about this, and let’s just say we agreed to be friends and nothing more?”

  “Do you think that we will meet up with Elizabeth again?”

  “I hope so, I just hope she’s alright. Something seemed off about that Methuselah fellow.”

  “Of course, there was something off about him. The rest of you are too sheltered to pick up on it, but I know his kind. That Methuselah is a manipulative con man who will do what he can to keep Elizabeth under his thumb. We can only hope that she’ll find her way out.”

  Now it was Damian’s turn to look contemplative. “Francesco, why were you going down to Wall Visalia, what were you running from?”

  Francesco sat down on the rail with a wry smile on his face. “Have you ever heard of the Consortium?”

  “No I haven’t, who or what are they?”

  “They’re an international criminal syndicate; they engage in illegal activity to gain profit. They’ve been making inroads into the Kingdom for a while, even with the Oathsworn and the Inquisition hunting for them. I was going to join up with them, become a member, and make my fortune, but something changed.”

  “What changed?”

  Francesco let out a sigh. “The Consortium wanted me to oversee the transportation of a group of children to one of their ships bound for their primary slave market in a place called North Port. That did not sit right with me, so I ratted them out to the authorities, including Hezekiah. The Consortium didn’t like this, so Hezekiah decided to bring me to the relative safety of Wall Visalia, safe compared to Consortium agents hounding me day and night.”

  Damian was not expecting this from Francesco, as demonstrated by his slack jaw.

  “Don’t tell anyone, Damian, I’ve got a reputation to maintain after all. Don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression of me.”

  Carmen and Hezekiah

  Carmen was at the front of the ship with Hezekiah. “So, Hezekiah, at what age were you taken into the monasteries?” Carmen was legitimately curious about this, as most orphans and unwanted children were taken to the lands of the Owl at a young age.

  “I was three years old; my parents couldn’t afford to feed me so they sent me to Owl Duchies, and the evaluators decided I would make a good Ascetic. I’m not sure how they did it, but I do enjoy the Ascetic life.”

  “How old were you when you began to question the truth of our kingdom?”

  Hezekiah was a bit annoyed at this. “I’m not like the rest of you, I’m not going to buy into the lies told by an obvious enemy or shady individuals from outside our Kingdom. Such individuals have every reason to lie to and manipulate us. Now, more than ever, I must stick to my faith.”

  Carmen let out a light chuckle. “We Halmens, we have our own stories that we keep secret from you big folk because we know they will get us in trouble. We know that our stories and songs predate the King of Lions, which is why Song Callers are so important to my people, we carry on our oral tradition. My master used to drill the old tales in my head, days on end I would learn them. They’re some good ones too, I’ll have to remember to sing them for you later.”

  A gentle smile came across Hezekiah’s face. “I would like to hear them, I’m sure we would all like to hear them. I may not agree but I’m sure there at the very least entertaining.” A more serious look came across his face. “Once we get this matter settled with the Lich and his beasts, we’ll get Elizabeth back from that creature as well.”

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  A dark look came across Carmen’s face. “There is something off about that man, I hope Elizabeth is alright.”

  Methuselah’s Tower

  Elizabeth found herself standing inside a room she had never been to before. Looking around, she saw a meticulously kept home, on the walls were many shelves filled with various trinkets and trophies acquired over millennia of service, as well as numerous books, all categorized. In the center of the room was a long table with numerous chairs surrounding it, with a big comfortable armchair sitting next to the fireplace. Methuselah was strutting about proudly, showing off their home.

  “Wonderful isn’t it, and this is just the primary hall, the real interesting rooms are on the other levels.”

  “How many levels do you need?” Elizabeth asked him.

  “My tower has as many levels as it needs. I suppose when you inherit it from me, you’ll rearrange things a bit to your taste.”

  “Was this the home of the previous guardian before you?” Elizabeth asked them.

  A bitter look came across Methuselah’s face. “Orixianna didn’t leave me anything, she did not like the fact that she would be replaced by a human and made sure that I was not prepared for the task at all. Some people just do not know how to be professionals. But I promise I will not do the same to you, this tower and what is inside it, is your inheritance. I will leave you with the knowledge of the ages to ensure that your job is easier. I came up with a little device that can help you with just that. And if you will follow me, I’ll show it to you.” Methuselah then began heading up the staircase, with Elizabeth trailing behind them.

  “You mentioned the possibility of my family coming to live with me. Well with that invasion going on, I would like to take you up on that offer.” Elizabeth told them.

  A smug grin came across their face. “That offer is off the table, you rejected it already, so no, your family won’t be moving in with us. Anyway, I saved your friends for you when I did not have to, that’s the last of that kind of favor you’ll get from me.”

  Frustrated, Elizabeth knew that she had to accept the situation for what it was, at least for the moment. Elizabeth would make her escape at the most opportune time.

  “And do not even think about escaping, the tower is sealed with potent magics, so you won’t be teleporting anytime soon. And even if you could get past the door, you would freeze to death in a matter of minutes. We are on the roof of the world, there is no way you are getting back. Even if you found a way to keep yourself warm, either the Witches or the Giants would do you in.”

  “Witches and Giants?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Oh yes, the northern witches like to fly this far north and dance among the aurora borealis, and the Giants are always looking for a meal. And don’t even get me started on the various monsters you’ll find this far north that crave the flesh of pampered southern girls.” Methuselah had a sinister tone to their voice now. Elizabeth was not sure if he was serious or just trying to scare her. “My dear, we have reached the first room on our tour, what I affectionately call the Vault.” It was a solid oak door with a fragile-looking lock on it. Elizabeth suspected that there was more to its defenses than just that. With a wave of his hand, the door opened, and he led Elizabeth inside.

  Methuselah’s Tower, The Vault

  Elizbeth looked around the room, but even if she did not have eyes, she would have been able to feel the power emanating from everything around her.

  “This is where I keep the most dangerous artifacts in the world, that I can get my hands on. I keep them safe and out of foolish hands while in here.”

  Elizabeth continued to look around the room, and her mind was boggling at the sheer variety of items before her. Though the two things that got her attention were the twelve empty pedestals surrounding the room, and the young girl floating in a glass tube in the middle of the room, her eyes were wide open in horror. Sensing that she had questions, Methuselah decided to educate her.

  “That young girl is the seventh Maiden of Light, and she almost unbalanced the entire world.”

  “How?” Elizbeth asked.

  Smiling, Methuselah decided to enlighten her. “Let us have this be your first lesson on the importance of balance. Periodically, Lenera will create what she calls her Maidens of Light, when she imbues seven girls with her divine power, though it does not manifest till they reach adulthood. These maidens serve as her mortal agents in the world, each with a unique gift to help heal and nurture the world. That one in the tube, used to be Lenera’s pride and joy, pure and innocent to a fault, the world was made a better place by her very existence. Yet she was too pure for this sinful world, so she decided to change it.”

  A dark look came across his face. “To save the world, she decided to break one of the greatest taboos, something not even the gods would dare do, she stripped away the free will of everyone she came across. The Fallen Maiden remade them into her image, took away what made them, them, and forced them to become just like her. Good or evil, it didn’t matter, all fell short in her eyes and had to be remade.” A look of great discomfort came across their face. “I think the most disconcerting thing for me was their unnatural and ghastly smiles, no matter what they did, they were smiling, babies to old folks, mothers to murderers, they all had those unsettling smiles on their faces. After several kingdoms had fallen to her unnerving hordes, I knew I had to step in, as the local powers were incapable of dealing with her.”

  Methuselah let out a sigh. “So, I did what had to be done, her victims were beyond saving, and the damage she did was irreversible, even for me, so I put them all down as quickly and humanely as possible. Then I got to her, and I had a conundrum. The Fallen Maiden's actions had tainted the seventh maiden spirit she embodied. I could not risk the next inheritor succumbing to her madness. So, I did what I thought was the most humane and safest course of action possible. I put her into a state of suspended animation and sealed her away in the vault. Here she has remained for the last 3000 years, stuck forever in the prison of her mind. Lenera assures me that I did the right thing, though I know she wishes there had been a better way to deal with her. Truth be told, I think she lets me keep this maiden in here because she doesn’t want to confront the pure and innocent destroyer of worlds, she created.” Methuselah let loose a bitter laugh. “It’s funny, even though she still uses the title Seven Maidens of Light, only six have been active for the last 3000 years. I suppose Seven Maidens of Light has greater marketability than Six Maidens of Light.”

  Elizabeth was dumbstruck by what Methuselah had told her. Would this be her job, handling messes like this? It was too much, and she fell to her knees, crushed by the realization of what the rest of her life would be like. Methuselah reached down to pick her back up.

  “I understand it’s a lot to take in, which is why I want to get you ready now. I want to give you the training that was denied to me so that when I pass on, you are ready for the challenges you will face.” Smiling they pointed her toward the pedestals. “As for these pedestals, well, they’re reserved for the Twelve Wonders of Eon, the legendary works of Eon the Wondermaker that I cannot keep in my vault.”

  “Why is that?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Eon was quite skilled and quite canny. Each of those twelve artifacts is sentient, and they possess formidable magic that allows them to transport themselves anywhere in the world, even out of my vault. As soon as I nab one, it is gone before I can get my hands on any others. The twelve items are The Genesis Orb, The Sword of Destiny, The Fusion Rings, The Silver Ship, The Book Of Marvelous Adventures, The All-Seeing Eye, Eon’s Staff, Eon’s Infinite Army, The Ring of True Form, The Desirous Headband, The Music Box, and the Glass City. Those twelve items have made my job far more difficult over the years.”

  “Why don’t you just destroy them?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Easier said than done, for all his flaws, Eon was an excellent craftsman. Each item must be destroyed in a specific and nearly impossible manner, and every time I get close to fulfilling that criterion, the little shits teleport out of my reach, and I must begin the search anew. It does not help that Eon went out of his way to shield them from my scrying, and the fact that each item appears, at first glance, to be nothing special at all. We have spent enough time in the vault, now it’s time to show you the Room of Balance.”

  The Room of Balance

  Methuselah led her to a room above this one, unlocked but sealed with a metal door. Methuselah opened it up to reveal a massive room to her, one she had trouble believing was in the tower. Methuselah led her to a platform overlooking nine floating pillars, eight around the edges and one at the bottom of what appeared to be a long shaft, surrounded by illusory plant life. On the ceiling there appeared to be a city. An orb floated precariously between them all, perfectly balanced. Then in front of her eyes, the orb began to drift downward, just a little, toward the plant life.

  “This is the Pillars of Balance, a device of my design which I use to monitor the balance of the world. Each pillar represents a different aspect of our reality that one of the Nine Great Deities, embodies, Benevolence, Altruism, Freedom, Flux, Selfishness, Nihilism, Tyranny, and Stasis. The one in the middle and close to the floor is supposed to represent balance, though the deity who represents that pillar, Naturassessia, has lost her sanity, and now seeks to return the entire world to a natural pure state, purged of all civilization. That is why I had to add the nature/civilization axis into the mix as well.”

  “As you saw, the invasion of your homeland has led the orb to go down a little bit toward nature, not enough to cause an imbalance, though I will need to keep an eye on it. Things should balance themselves out once Zarathustra is done wrecking the Kingdom of Lions and begins to rebuild, but just in case I should keep watch.”

  Choosing to ignore how they were discussing the destruction of her home, she decided to have him confirm something. “So is each pillar attached to a different god?”

  “The nine pillars are what we might call the Pillars of Reality, or how the world works. Ideally, we want to keep them all in balance, as a world controlled by one pillar quickly falls apart, and if one pillar holds too much sway for too long, the others will begin to crumble and the damage may as well become irreversible. The gods lack the restraint to keep themselves in check, so it is our job to do it for them.”

  “Alnardun wants a benevolent society, one that is highly structured and organized but takes care of its people. Lenera wants an altruistic society, a simple world where everyone looks after and cares for each other. Ariela wants a world of freedom, where everyone can pursue their happiness free from any restrictions. Baleris represents the world of flux, he wants a dynamic world that is always changing and shifting, where nothing new lasts for too long before it becomes something else. Flareous wants a world of selfishness, where everyone tries to make themselves happy at the expense of everyone else, where the strongest get to enjoy life while the unworthy are exploited. Neca-Ra wants a nihilistic world where nothing matters and people do not even care about themselves, let alone those around them. Robernu proudly trumpets tyranny as the cure to all the world’s problems, claiming that once everyone knows their place, everyone will be happy. Terra simply wants stability and order in the world, even if nothing ever changes again. Then, we have Naturassessia who traditionally seeks the balance between them all, but as you can see from the nature/civilization axis I had to install, she now has her pet project that I, and you, will have to guard against.”

  Methuselah gave her a rueful smile. “Though this wonderful device isn’t the only way I keep track of the balance in the world, there are various other things you will need to keep track of once I’m gone, areas that need balanced that aren't a part of the Nine Pillars of Reality.” Methuselah snapped their fingers and a wide array of panels appeared on the walls of the room, each with pie charts and graphs illustrating different statistics.

  Elizabeth had to put her two coppers in. “But isn’t the freedom that Ariela offers the best thing for the world and all creatures in it?” Elizabeth asked them. Methuselah just rolled his eyes at this.

  “I forgot, you’re an Arielan. Well, you are going to need to put aside your own narrow-minded biases, a world where freedom reigns supreme is just as dangerous as a world ruled by tyranny, you will need to keep that in mind, as well as the fact that you will have to undermine Ariela from time to time. Do not worry, she does not hold grudges, though she can and will whine a lot. Also, do not let her get too crazy with her ideas, like when she came to the brilliant conclusion that all children should be free from their families and that any hierarchical structure is inherently limiting to one’s freedom. Trust me, it’s easier to nip buds like that before they bloom otherwise you won’t be getting any sleep for a few months.”

  Elizabeth was becoming quite overwhelmed by everything he was showing her, it was almost too much for her to take. Methuselah put out a steadying hand.

  “And you thought that the Vault was a lot to take in. I will just briefly go over the various panels.”

  They walked over to one that appeared to be a long list of names, some were green, some were yellow, and one was in red. Much to her horror, the name in red was The Kingdom of Lions.

  It was at that point that Methuselah decided to enlighten her. “This is an index of every nation in the world, and their current state. Green means that they are safe, yellow means that they are threatened, and red means they are in great danger and are on the verge of dissolution. This morning the Kingdom of Lions was in the yellow category. Whether or not Zarathustra succeeds, it’s safe to say that the Kingdom of Lions will be no more.”

  “You have to save my home.” Elizabeth desperately tried to reason with them again.

  Methuselah looked at her impassively. “I don’t have to do anything, it’s been a while since a nation has died, and the Kingdom of Lions has had a long life, time to let nature take its course, let the old die and new life take its place.”

  “Even if the humans and Halmens have to be wiped out at the hands of savages?” Elizabeth asked them, Methuselah just scoffed and indicated that she should follow them to the next panel, this one containing two categories, sentient and non-sentient.

  Methuselah opened the sentient file and showed off the many sentient races in the world, along with a pie chart showing how much of the percentage of the world’s population each race represented. Maelms had the most at twenty percent, followed by a race called Saelms at eighteen percent, with humans making up sixteen percent of the chart.

  “As you can see, humans are not on the verge of extinction, even if every human in the Kingdom of Lions was killed, which is unlikely, their percentage would only go down to fifteen percent. This panel helps me keep track of all sentient and non-sentient life, and I admit I have been sloppy in keeping everything in balance, though I try my best. Humans used to make up forty percent of this chart, but through years of careful planning on my part, as well as rolling the dice with the Red Reaper Virus a while ago, I’ve gotten them down to sixteen percent.”

  “That’s genocide, you’re exterminating the human race.” Elizabeth was horrified, and Methuselah looked at her, amused.

  “I disagree, in most cases, I’ll turn them into something else, the Red Reaper was a one-off experimental event. For instance, when humanity was beginning to be pushed out of the continent of Toraia, I turned most of their populations into the Maelms that were displacing them. I did leave a few pockets, but overall mankind’s dominion over Toraia was at an end. The Kingdom of Lions itself was meant to be a preserve for humans, with all North Acris being given over to Arthur, but the best-laid plans of gods and guardians are oft to go awry.” A look of contemplation came across Methuselah’s face after mentioning the King of Lions.

  “In most cases, I either turn one race into another existing race, a new and dynamic race or if things are bad enough, I turn them into non-sentient animals, just to help with the balance between civilization and nature. Imagine the joy one shepherd had when he discovered that the city-state that had been pushing him and his friends off their grazing lands had been replaced with vast fertile meadows filled with sheep. Believe me, he was quite productive with that plentiful influx of livestock, and not once did he ever stop to ponder what had happened to the city-state that had mysteriously disappeared.”

  Elizabeth still had a horrified look on her face, “That is still genocide, you are destroying who they are, you are erasing them, as they are, from the face of the world. If you do things like that, why won’t you do something beneficial and wipe all those vile Wastelander races?”

  “Because all those races, collectively, barely make up ten percent of my chart. Also, they have every right to exist in this world. In your mind they are monsters, but in their own cultures, they are simply trying to do what every race wants to do, grow and prosper. The Wastelander's actions may seem heinous but never forget that it was humans that drove them into the Wastes in the first place. They play an essential role in the world’s ecosystem, and neither I nor you will be getting rid of them. This philosophy may be hard for you to accept, but trust me, when I’m done you will understand my position, though you may have to walk in their shoes for a couple hundred miles before you understand the value and beauty of all life in this world.”

  Realizing that she was not going to win this fight with them and dreading what they meant by having to walk a few hundred miles in their shoes, she decided not to argue and to go with them to the next panel. This one was a wide purple bar, white at the bottom but getting darker as it reached the top. Elizabeth saw that an arrow was pointed right at the middle of the bar.

  “This panel helps me keep track of the level of arcane magic in the world. Too little and the world becomes mundane and boring, and flying cities fall from the sky. Too much and the world gets trippy, as reality becomes mutable, and the natural laws of existence completely cease to function. I once saw such an event localized in a city of mages before, by the time I shut the magic off, the inhabitants were so warped and twisted that those who were still alive begged for death.”

  “Why didn’t you just restore them?”

  “The inhabitants brought that fate upon themselves, they had to deal with the consequences of their actions, I just had to do clean up. Even if I felt inclined to turn them back, they wanted to die. The law of time is the first thing to go when there’s too much magic in the world, they had spent millions of years being warped and twisted by the magic they had unleashed, and by the end of it, even the sanest were only half sane. It’s what we call a mercy killing, and it’s something you will need to learn to do without hesitation.”

  Elizabeth was not enjoying the job details, but at this point, she had nowhere else to go, so she had to continue with the tour. Methuselah led her to several other displays, environmental integrity, faith and religions, the god registry, planar balance, divine realms balance, spirit realms balance, elemental realms balance, maintenance of the laws of physics, and several others that she couldn’t quite understand.

  Methuselah, apparently done with their exposition dump, decided to help her loosen up, with some good old-fashioned training. Now that she understood the responsibilities, she could learn about one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job. Methuselah led her to their personal training room, located at the very top of his tower.

  When they entered Elizabeth was flabbergasted at the fact that he somehow put a massive colosseum in his tower, complete with a beautiful blue sky, white fluffy clouds, and tons of luscious green grass. Then she remembered that Methuselah was a living god, so she chalked it up to magic being at work. Methuselah looked her over once before smiling.

  “My dear, while I am sure that you are used to that form, right now it impedes the development of your unique abilities.” Methuselah extended a hand and engulfed her in a bright light, knocking her out.

  When she came to her senses and got up, she noticed that her body both felt taller and lighter, with long limbs and heightened senses, able to see the world with a level of clarity that had never been possible before. “What did you do to me?” Elizabeth asked them, concern in her now highly lyrical voice. Methuselah smiled and summoned a mirror in front of her. The woman in the mirror looked like her, yet it was not her.

  The woman was tall and lithe, unnaturally so. Elizabeth's face had become sharp and angular, with two long and pointed ears swooping on past her hair by a good two feet. Elizabeth's eyes, now the shape of bulbous cashews, were sapphire blue, and her dishwater-blonde hair had become golden blonde. Elizabeth would say that she had an inhuman unearthly beauty to her, only made clearer by her enhanced senses. Instead of her normal outfit, she wore a silver dress with a gold belt and a hem that came to just above her knees. Her arms and the bottom of her legs were exposed.

  “I hope you don’t mind the change. I learned a long time ago that Haelms, out of all the races, learn our type of magic the best. You only need to stay in this form until you learn how to control your power, after that, you may take on whatever form you like, that is when I’m not having you undergo cultural sensitivity training.” Methuselah smiled at her. “Now, let’s start with the basics, try summoning your power in your hand and keeping it there without dissipating.”

  One Week Later

  Northern Bear Duchies, Ortoff Lands, Wall Tanya

  Zarathustra peered over the first real challenge he would have to face, a joint Bear/Viper/Gundarr force. Zarathustra's army had made excellent time from Wall Visalia, all resistance until now had melted before them. Zarathustra used his vast magic to speed up the horde's advance, and while it was exhausting, the results were undeniable, in one more week they would be out of this desert and heading up the coast through the lands of the Peacock. Zarathustra was impressed that the Viper had not turned on their allies the moment the Gundarr popped up.

  Zarathustra supposed that they had a far more dangerous threat at hand, and archaic laws could be put to the wayside until he was dealt with, not that they would. Regardless, they had set up a strong position for their force in front of and behind Wall Tanya. While Wall Tanya was a respectable barrier, it was nowhere near as formidable or heavily warded as Wall Visalia had been.

  While he was musing, he discovered that Gundarr had opened fire with their siege weapons, doing a substantial amount of damage to his vanguard, as the infantry of the three forces formed up together in a tight formation that would break his advance upon their shield wall.

  Already he could see their cavalry moving around their flanks. While he did not want to rob his servants of their glory, they had a schedule to keep, and this defense was too well organized to be swept aside. Already his scouts had informed him that Archduke Yuri was hot on his trail, with reinforcements from the central and western armies. And while he was confident, he could deal with them, they were a nuisance he did not want to slow him down. Zarathustra wanted to get to Avalon as soon as possible, so that he may have his long-awaited vengeance.

  Contemptuously, making gestures and saying the magical words necessary, he drew on the power of his castle to cast his magic outward, into the enemy army. Slowly and painfully their bodies began to twist and morph, with the Gundarr resisting more than the humans or Halmens. In a matter of minutes, where once stood a vast and fearsome army, now stood a massive group of very confused pigs.

  His army was on them within moments, swarming like locusts, looting the weapons and armor, and carrying the terrified squealers back to hordes of mobile pens for later consumption. Such a spell did leave him drained, and he would have to go into dormancy for a few days to recover. Ludwig could take over command of the horde while he rested.

  Chroniclers Notes

  Out of all the Guardians, Methuselah was the most efficient and impartial when it came to dealing with their duties, though they were flawed in other areas. Methuselah was not a perfect Guardian, and that could be seen in their heavy-handed approach to the job. It did not matter what someone else wanted, when Methuselah set their mind to a task, no one could or would stop them. As a result, many innocent people suffered who would not have needed it if Methuselah hadn’t decided to take the fastest and most efficient route to solve a problem.

  The Room of Balance was a genuine work of art, but it came at the price of having genuine respect for the rights of individuals, including their right to exist if Methuselah found that existence to be inconvenient. I do not think they meant to hurt Elizabeth, but five millennia had worn down on them, and in the end, they were a mere shell of their former idealistic self. Wherever Methuselah is now, I hope they have found peace.