“Oh, hello,” I smiled. “Um… did you want to come in?”
“Yes,” his wings fluttered.
My eyes could not seem to escape him. “So… what brings you here?” I asked.
“I… wanted to see you again. I know we said we’d meet at the gardens, but I waited there, and you didn’t come. I hope this is okay.”
I nodded.
“Did you learn anything?” he asked, wiping the rain off his skin.
“I’m afraid not; my sister challenged me the moment I walked into her hall and gave me nothing once it was over.”
“So she wasn’t any help then?” He said sadly.
“No… she said I wasn’t ready, that I’m only just discovering myself.”
I remember he stepped closer to me, “We’re always discovering ourselves, Duranex. Maybe by her definition you aren’t ready… But what does your heart tell you?”
I held my hand to my chest, feeling it flutter as it did last time we spoke. “I feel I am ready.”
He smiled again; the way his lips curved made my face flush.
“What kind of God are you?” I asked with a smile.
He blushed as well, “Oh…”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Is that too forward?”
“No,” he said, “Not at all. I'm the younger twin to Alethia, the Goddess of Life and Love. I’m not too sure yet, but I believe I am to be a God of Love too.”
He was so happy to say that, the way his face had lit up as he explained it, he may not have known it then, but one day, he would become a wonderful deity, beloved by all, with a love for all.
“Truly, so you’re a twin as well?” I smiled. I’d never met someone like me; twins are fairly uncommon amongst deities.
“Caranex is your twin? But you look nothing alike,” he said, pointing at me.
“Oh yes,” I said, rubbing the back of my head, “I believe that happens, at least amongst mortals; twins are either born identical or completely different.”
“Well…” he said, “I’d certainly say you’ve got the looks.”
My face flushed hot; this Cadmius had me in a chokehold, and every word he said dripped with sweetness. It almost felt painful for him to be silent.
“I… well, I like you too,” I said.
He blushed, fluttering his wings.
“Well… If I'm being honest, seeing you isn’t the only reason I’m here.”
“No?”
He shuffled in place for a moment, “Speaking of your sister, did she say she was going somewhere once you stopped fighting?"
“Yes, she did,” I said. “Why, what’s this about?”
“I got word from Senna… More gossip, really, I suppose. Apparently Caranex went off to fight an old rival of hers.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Some primordial entity… It doesn’t exactly have a name, but Senna referred to it as The Godstorm.”
Primordial entity? That’s what she meant? My mind raced with questions; most assumed the Godstorm to be a myth, but an old rival? “Did Senna say anything else?”
“She’s secretive, always has been… But she was worried." Even his face had a hint of worry.
“In any case… I’m sure she’ll be okay.”
“That’s just the thing,” he said. “She isn’t back yet.”
“What… you should have led with that? Do we have any idea where she is? Where does this Godstorm reign?”
“No… I”
“Is anyone going to search for her? Have you and Senna told anyone else!?!”
I was distraught, and he seemed at a loss for words.
“Then is there any reason for me to stand here and talk any longer? I have to go find her.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, “I… I know someone who might be able to tell you where he is.”
“Who… damn it, tell me!”
“Come with me.” He said.
I threw the doors of my hall open and followed him out; the rainy morning air carried with it a scent of despair.
Closer to the center of Empyrean lay a great building known as the Arcanex, where one of the older gods housed himself. A shrewd deity, though old, he had always appeared as a learned young man.
“Stentor’s Arcanex…” Cadmius said, “He can pinpoint anyone within this realm; if you go inside, he can tell you.” He said, refusing to meet my gaze.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I… no, I think you should go alone.” He turned away and kept walking. Something about his words stung… No, I could not focus on that, not with this—not with my sister’s life on the line. But… the way he just turned and left, it ached in me like a poison.
I moved to enter the Arcanex; the energy that coated this place could be felt in the air. Truly a God’s home.
The door opened at my approach, and within the temperature instantly became warm and vibrant; the wetness of the rain immediately dried up. Walls and walls of books, it seemed as if an endless library. Minor deities and other creatures alike sought knowledge here and would study for millennia. And so in the center floated a tall god, lording over his attendants and visitors.
“I’m most certainly sure I said to place the 1st era recollection series within my private chambers, not here for all to see.”
“But my master,” a rather small assistant said… “You had told us…”
“I’d thank you not to correct me!” He points, “Take it to my private chambers!”
He turned to another direction, “And no! What is this? The Tomes of the Aspects! Move these to the ‘Arcane volumes’ immediately; this is the entirely wrong section!”
His attendants scrambled to fulfill his orders as he continued to float and bark commands. He seemed to demand a certain respect… like many of the older gods.
“Lord Stentor… I had hoped I could steal a moment of your time.”
“No…”
“What? I asked.
“I do not have time for your trivialities. I must restore order to my sanctum,” he looked to his attendants, “Damned fools, useless!!!”
They scrambled even faster.
“Cadmius said you may be able to tell me where my sister is.”
He sighed, “Persistent, aren’t you… Have you no respect for my word?”
“Not when her life could be in danger.”
“Truly?” He finally looked to me; he chortled, “I had told her it was a foolish vendetta.”
I scowled at him, much to his entertainment, “Where did she go?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “If you must know, she departed for the Land that Weeps.”
“That is where The Godstorm resides.”
“Resides?” he laughed. “The very land is subject to its whims.”
I looked to the ground, eyebrows furrowed, “How do I get there?”
“Why ever would you want to?”
“To save her!”
“You show poor desire for self-preservation; she dug her grave; let her lie in it.”
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
A surge of anger burst through me as I unsheathed my sword. “You will tell me!!” My blade pointed right at him, and the force of my presence caused books to fall.
“Alright… No need to spill blood,” he smiled devilishly. “You there,” he turned, “lead the young one here to the Hall of Convergence.” He turned back to me, “The portals there will take you wherever you wish.”
“Thank you,” I sheathed my sword.
“Your thanks is not necessary; now go. You’ve taken enough of my time.”
The small being clutched at my arm, beckoning me to follow.
Through boundless libraries and endless collections, we trudged until we fell upon a room massive in size, like that of a grand cathedral. Lining the walls were portals of blue light, depicting a vague scene in each.
“How will I know which one to take?”
The little one grunted and waddled away quickly.
“Gods,” I muttered. Portal after portal I inspected closely, each image foggy and indeterminate… But one, a flash at the edge of my sight, depicting black clouds and lightning, could it be?
Closer, one could hear the sound of rainfall, and a faint static made my hair stand on end. I didn’t have time to waste; I walked through the portal as if breaking the surface of water. For a moment I could not breathe, but once I came through, the air was thick and heavy. “The Land That Weeps,” I said, “I greet you.”
Rain fell hard from the sky; clouds, voidlike, swirled violently, my feet already soaked, as the very ground itself was covered with water. I had to be careful here… the very air around me felt alive.
I walked upon the wet earth for what felt like hours; the air grew thicker with each step. Any weaker god would be claimed by such things, but I would not.
Whispers floated on the breeze, inaudible and tortured. Likely lost souls, a sound one could never be used to. “Caranex!!!” I shouted, trying to concentrate through the voices, “Sister! Where are you?”
Lightning arced across the sky, followed by thunder, as fog began to set in.
“Sister!!!” I yelled, but my voice seemed to echo back at me, bouncing off the fog, ringing in my ears.
Damn it. I continued; my stride began too slow… until a shadow jutted from the ground, a familiar shape. I recalled the fight we had, she and I, “Earthrender!!” Her treasured artifact, "No..." I muttered.
It was… truly. Her favored weapon, but—abandoned, she would never do such a thing. As the fog drifted, a great field of shattered earth came into view, wide craters now flooded from the heavy rainfall. Remnants of her energy still remained. “Recent,” I muttered.
I tore her axe from the ground, heavy and large, a truly superb artifact. The blade itself was thick and bronze-like in color, with a sturdy haft. Its ability to shatter the world around its wielder… terrifying, but what could survive its power? What could drive her to leave it here?
The storm was only gaining in strength; the whispers returned as I held Earthrender… Only now, the fog distorted all.
“Help… stop them!” The whispers said, “Save… us.”
“But how?” I said, “I hear you…”
They become inaudible again; perhaps if I were a god of the seasons, I could exert some control here, but what could a war god do here? It felt beyond me. I gripped my sister’s weapon... “But wait…” A thought clutched my mind.
A story, no, a legend of the creation of Earthrender. A fight at the world’s edge, an image of goliath monstrosities, alive; formed of dirt and rock… hundreds, no thousands, surrounding her. Her, with only a simple axe and with little experience in battle… But she would not waver; by her name as a god, she wielded her powers and reforged her axe with new purpose, and with its new power, the army of earthen evils was laid waste too, their very being torn apart by the axe’s power.
If she could do so… could I? A feeling fell over me, a fervor, a desire perhaps, but most certainly a feeling of pride as I drew my blade. It was here and now… where I would create my second artifact.
“Upon my name… as God of War, I, Duranex, reforge this blade with new purpose.” It grew red, and the shape began to change; the rain around me began parting. “Split the heavens, oh great divider, sword of the severed skies… Skysever!!”
Perhaps it was aptly named for my current predicament, but as the blade curved and sharpened, I wielded now a blade of shining steel… Even now, the fog and rain seemed to avoid it.
“Thank you for the idea, Caranex!!”
I slid into a stance, sword at the ready; the whispers seemed to quiet, and all sound was drowned out. I knew not the power of what I’d created… but I would soon see.
“Now, Skysever!!!” I shouted, and with a great downward slash, both fog, earth, and sky split before me. The fog cleared for miles in the perimeter, and the ground split a vast length—the black cloud above revealed briefly a crack of clear blue…but they closed quickly. The blade sang with power, vibrating from its first use. I huffed, "such power..."
The fog continued to dissipate, and the wet land grew clear… but I could not be prepared for what loomed ahead in the distance.
A great maelstrom, a chaotic storm, twisted the skies… The whispers were more pronounced now, audible words even. “She lies near…” a voice said, “Prepare thyself.”
I gripped Skysever tightly. “I will save you, sister.” With one foot in front of the other, I approached…
The winds grew harsh, but with Skysever before me, they split, allowing me to progress, though with some resistance. A deep rumbling could be felt as I drew closer. I could feel her here, though I knew not where. “Sister!!!” I shouted, but the deafening winds drowned me out; I could barely hear myself.
But upon the wind’s currents, I could almost hear a guttural word; its weight rumbled in my chest, “Suffer.”
The storm closed in around me suddenly, distorting my surroundings, Skysever being the only thing protecting me from the ripping winds.
“Are you the being who’s taken her?!” I asked.
Lightning arced across the black expanse. “She… Goddess,”
“Yes!!!”
“She… die!”
A rage flickered in my heart. “She what?”
The storm laughed, deep and hauntingly!
My sight went red, and my gaze shifted. “Hear me…” I said, “Clearly, you bear some sentience, so listen to my words intently. If my sister truly lay dead, no chains in existence would leash my fury.” I twisted into a fighting stance, the winds still being parted by my blade. “So tell me… is she truly dead?”
It laughed again, the word “dead” echoing endlessly.
“Very well…” I uttered, “In this moment, I swear upon my name, you shall know ruin.”
I slashed my blade in a circular motion around me; the storm seemed to screech in pain as it scattered. I could once again see the lands, a reflection in the water of a face; my head flashed to the sky. A great face appeared within the clouds, radiating with lightning, its roar one of calamitous thunder.
The water at my feet seemed to quiver in fear as I stood upon its surface. A calmness fell over me, just as it did when I fought her. I drew Earthrender from my side. “We’ll fight this together…” I said
The storm swayed and screeched; great bolts of lightning flashed upon the ground faster than my eyes could follow, pulsing through the water and forcing the earth from its bed. The storm laughed maniacally, the lightning jolting into my body. I cried out in pain; it was continuous, endless; my skin felt like fire. “N… no,” I said with stifled breath. I rose Earthrender, which glowed a hollow purple… But the lightning struck harsher, almost paralyzing my muscles, the clouds themselves glew a light blue as it continued its assault.
“I… will… not… yield!” With all my strength, I slammed her weapon into the electrified surface, which sprang rock and muddy water into the air, a great crater raised at the edges separated the water from flowing back in. With no time to waste, I slashed with Skysever, causing a great cut across the face of the storm… But the clouds formed back together.
“Not yet…” I shouted, slashing again, this time in combos, gashing the heavens open with every wave. The storm cried out, shaking reality. Dirt began to rise, and static filled the air… “Oh Gods!” A massive bolt descended from the clouds, catching me off guard, stopping my assault, and hitting me head-on.
It radiated through my body, and through the earth at my feet, my armor began to glow red. “Sister… if you’re watching over me, lend me your strength!” I said, in hope to resist, but its power pushed me down to my knees. Another bolt struck, breaking off the pauldrons at my shoulders. I could not utter a word at the pain; the ground below me began to crack under the weight of such power. My eyes could see only fragments of a face vile and cruel… filling me with anger and desperation as my skin began to flay.
A third strike came, shattering my breastplate; even sunsteel could not resist—and with my chest exposed, I could feel my heart racing, my blood boiling, my chest searing under this heat. On the edge, my only thoughts were of red-hot pain; even my mind burned.
My armor began to melt, such cruelty, such evil… Skysever lay at my side, having been blown from my hands, Earthrender nowhere to be seen. I reached for my weapon in desperation to end this pain, but I could not.
The force of the lightning pushed me away further, searing the skin of my arm. My senses grew dull by the second; perhaps she was wrong… Perhaps I did not possess the spirit of a God of War. A pretender, I thought, better off dead.
But those thoughts, subliminal and purposeless, pulled me from the edge, giving me a second chance to fight on, if only to prove it wrong. I reached out my hand to Skysever, “Come to me…”
With a white flash, it appeared within my scorched grasp, glimmering with intensity. The lightning drew into the blade, loosening its grip on my body enough for me to lash out a swing with what might i had left.
The lightning dispersed from my body, and the bolt that had held me down split, following the clouds, and cracking them open, wounding the storm severely. A ray of sun shone through… like a spark of hope.
“N…noo…d…die,” the storm cried. More lightning erupted from its eyes and mouth, and with only a split second, I raised Skysever in front of me, which glowed again, its power to cut, wounding reality itself forming a makeshift barrier, though the incoming force still made my knees buckle.
As I held my now-kneeling position, sparks of energy burst in all directions, scattering into small explosions, electrified water now pouring back into the crater.
“Earthrender, come to me…” The axe of my sister appeared in my hand. I had to use it again, I thought, but just as I raised it, a jolt of pain vibrated through my body, my wounds catching up with me.
Earthrender collapsed from my hand, and the makeshift barrier I created weakened. Was this all I had, all that I could live up to? To be defeated by a storm. Could I not avenge her death… who else would this storm consume if I failed? The water reached my feet, its charge sending a dull pain through my body and causing me to fall on my hind.
The world around me, however, turned white, and the pain seemed to fade for a moment.
“Wh… What.” I said
In this white nothingness I stood, a figure not far off from me. “Is that all you’ve got… brother…” She looked at me, a fire in her eyes, a fire I knew was within me.
Reality set back in; that same pain from before was back, but I could bear it now. A newfound strength filled me, and rapidly my wounds began to heal. My true strength… my resolve.
“Hear me… dreaded storm. I will not buckle under the weight of your evil; I will not yield in the face of your rage. Hear my words…”
I held out my empty hand, invoking divine power, as its voice cracked across the sky, “Thine thunderous roar, I shall cleave upon this weapon.” A new weapon formed in my hand. “And thine blackened clouds shall become my blade.”
It unleashed more of its power as I continued; heavy it weighed upon my barrier, but I could not be stopped; I refused! A great longsword, with an edge of black steel and a golden hilt, now graced my other hand. I withdrew Skysever, allowing the lightning to hit me as I pointed the new sword to the sky. “Upon this blasted blade I carve thine existence, thine very being.” The lightning began to pool into the blade; the storm screeched and shifted violently.
“I strip thee of thy will!” I shouted. At my words, it swayed more, rain falling more swiftly than before. “I strip thee of thy mind and thought!” Its shouts became silent, and the winds blew with hurricane force as if attempting to run.
“Thine tumultuous fury be leashed!” My final words caused a great surge upon the sky, as the clouds formed an event horizon at my blade's edge, stripping the black cloud from the heavens above. With a great crack of thunder, the remainder of the storm was pulled into my weapon, and after a few moments, the blade became heavy in my hands, falling and lodging into the ground. I fell to my knees, exhausted and weak.
As the blue sky and sun shone upon my battered body, warm and comforting, my sight became dim… and eventually I fell to the ground, the world fading to black.
With my sister avenged, I could rest; I did not care for what remained, my purpose laid fulfilled, but as I felt a soft hand cup my face, my eyes opened, burning away the dark.
“Duranex,” he said. The smile that beamed upon the edges of his lips almost seemed to heal my exhaustion. “You’re alright…”
“Ca…Cadmius,” I smiled weakly.
"Yes—," he said, "I'm here now."
What are we hoping comes next for Duranex?
