Ch. 13 - A Calling

While Mason had been taking care of the invading army that was marching into his new domain. There was motion being set in the Capital of the human region. with their Holy kingdom named The Golden Citadel. A massive kingdom that was bathed in light and its cathedral towering over all the lands and towns. it was the center and the very foundation of human beliefs and source of power. Within their cathedral, the pope was sat down in the center with his loyal followers next to him, and believers praying in their seats, but even then that didn't stop them from praying at their homes. However, like all major cities that housed humans or a population, some would still commit crimes and they would go unnoticed or punished, but human corruption was vast and took many forms.

The pope, named Gabriel stood up and waved his hand for everyone to stop praying. Giving them now the chance to leave if they were so pleased, he had stepped away, walking with archbishops and other priests beside him or even behind him if they followed. It was a miracle for the pope to have still been around as he was aged far older than Mason and the oldest in the church. he stops, asking his followers. "are the two princesses doing well in their chambers?" he asked, and a priest spoke up. "the grand priestess are both doing well our pope... they are still in the bedroom... within the cathedral of course likely playing or sleeping, the maids and other nuns are watching them"

"Both of them have been getting taken care of properly I hope..." he said as he came to a stop and looked to the others.

"but of course... they have given food, clothes, and all the comfort they request for... nothing has changed" one other Archbishop spoke up.

"hm..." he was in thought and then continued to walk slowly to his room. "I see, I hope that is the truth... and now, can one of you tell me how our company is doing to the far west? and those to the far south," he said, and for what sounded like a question, was more of a command. but also, his concern for the princesses was not so genuine or truly caring, it was simply ominous.

"About that..." one priest stop and then continued. "our conquest of the gods in the south was unsuccessful... we have taken severe losses, everyone but one... and our company to the far west has been unresponsive. in fact... we can not locate those five of the divine among them... and it seems very faint our connection. So maybe a small company among them is all that's left, we suspect both armies have been lost, we regret" he finished and another bishop spoke up. "we should have sent the others... we had destroyed those of the desert far southwest, and many of the tribal gods up northeast... we shouldn't have underestimated them... to go after both the south and west directly, we should have expected higher disruptions of the gods"

"enough," the pope said, and then spoke up once again. "no... I don't think we failed... maybe one of them did succeed... regardless we have only one or two more heavenly realms to destroy before we can truly be recognized as God's. and both armies are managing, they are severely weakened and we can truly goal out when the time arises."

"What makes you believe that we have gotten closer? we took a bit of loss our lord, with all due respect, we would like to know what your thinking and mean no ill or believe you are wrong"

"well..., for one, did you all feel that chill down our spines... it was only three days ago, surly It was a sigh. A way our Lord himself has told us we are getting closer to our Godhood and his side," he claimed, and soon the pope was helped by nuns, who in no clothes, but with only held against chains and naked where stood helping to open the door to his chambers. The woman had scars from being whipped and cut but were also forced to be blindfolded and act as mere servants and slaves and objects along with being chained and handled as mere toys for the church.

They weren't the only ones, as there were also males who were forced to such positions as well as mere tools and servents. Their spirits and will of their own were broken, as they were now just objects of the church. Serving the church, serving the pope was believed to be an honor, and many fall for such beliefs. Innocent young men and women fall for such ideal and false hope they guide them too, only to then judge them and degrade their human status to mere puppets. it's a reality hidden away from the people, kept secret within the church, and only those allowed by the pope can truly be reformed and become one of his followers, but even that, is suffering and torture to a whole new degree.

The pope and his followers walked into his chambers, as it was a massive hall and throne-like room. where they began to discuss more of their future for their plans of helping the pope. one of the priests that followed him spoke up. "We know all too well about that sudden disruption in our world... and we think it could be the Demons. it may have been one of the Eight Devils that have awoken." the room got quiet for a moment.

"We still aren't sure... but this feeling was along the east where our army was dispatched... so I highly doubt it..." one Archbishop said.

The Eight Devils. were demon lords of higher power and even greater authority. Seven of them, possess and truly are the embodiment of the seven more infamous sins. And the Eighth devil is a being that harnesses every sin and is only believed to be a myth. it was no secret, as many of the residents of the world tell stories of them, to scare their children. Or to even remind themselves of a region that should never be kept forgotten and a threat that forever will be considered a threat.

As the pope and his group of the higher priest, bishops, Archbishops, and priestesses began to gather and talk among themselves for what's to come next, they agreed to wait on reports from both of the armies before ever continuing.

On another side of the world. a region of pure nature and magic, crystals of rock that filled the ground with mana. Elves began to gather at their Holy palace and across their land, it was broadcasted for all the eleven people as the king and queen began to speak to their people. announcing a message. "Thank you all, for giving your attention, prayers, and constant support. we have all prospered together with the help of Gaea. she has been helping our lands and us fill her world with magic, with her embrace and care, but now... it seems her very way of life is in danger... the world tree, has shaken, and been uneasy... and I'm sure even you those that rule the waters and skies have felt the very nature of your mana being disturbed or frightened. Sadly this is true... I'm...We are here to announce that we will do all we can to resolve this unbalance. As we already have developed some ideas as to the origin of this flux. The Humans... they are playing with powers they cannot comprehend. we are at fault for supporting them... with magic and technology... but it seems like this is also something far beyond what we can comprehend. never before have Gaea, or the world tree shook... so we are only guessing this is a sad truth that even we do not know what could be happening, for you see they invaded our lands and tested their might against the gods that watch over us. We ask the merfolk and the dragons. The other elves, the life we share under my reign to help with this mission. Humans have been interfering in so much dark magic, and forbidden relics and knowledge, that was lost for millennia and through countless generations. those artifacts should have been and remained as mere artifacts. To end this podcast with better news, we got involved and made sure no God had fallen, and they blessed us with such a warning. I'm asking everyone to remain calm, to come together and be ready, there is a great evil being born, we all felt it some days ago, so please. remain calm, work together and get prepare for the worse..." He finished as the podcast ended.

The world was taking notice, humans couldn't bother, as they were so fixated on their own goal, while the elves who they had been in goods with, have taken notice and were wary of them. While the elves began to start their mission to understand what was going on. They wanted to restore the order that was being disrupted, but, even the elves could be wrong as to what a voice they never heard truly meant as they listened to the World Tree and Gaea.

As the elves were prepared to seek knowledge to aid them, on the opposite of the world, the domain, the region of all demon and monster kind were soon acting. A castle peaked over and beside a mountain. it was in ruins for being dormant. the landscape was tarnish with beast and animal who only fought for survival, and themselves. the lands burned by the constant ash and high levels of pressure and the contact combustion of lava and fire against the floor. no spot was truly safe. in the very pits of the castle was a chamber that was sealed away. Seven massive eggs were pulsing and in the center of that circle was an Eighth egg, one twice as large as the others bound down by runes and chains.

One of the eggs moved and soon cracked. a woman's arms forced out as the entire egg soon broke apart. she collapses onto the floor and slowly got up. her body in scales, covered by slime and blood, she began to cut and break the other eggs all but the Eighth one. Freeing herself and her companion.

She spoke with a deep and angered tone. "Wake up... all of you... the world is calling for us once again...!" she stood up in front of them, as there was now a mix of man and woman, all bodies naked on the floor with parts of them retaining partial forms of monsters. each slowly waking up from their centuries of periods of sleep. One at a time. "What... is the meaning of this Pride...!" one man asked

"You think I know...? I woke up myself... as to our agreement... we all should be up..." she replied and looked at the Eighth egg. "But he hasn't... so... what is the meaning of this disruption...?" she pondered and a woman then spoke up in a lazy is tone. "Screw this... wake me up in another century... if he isn't up... we shouldn't be either."

"You unloyal bitch!" Pride almost lashed out until lust then involved himself. "You know that isn't the case dear... She has a point... this is a mystery... Why are we all forced to awaken... Yet the devil himself remains asleep... We can only know by going after the gods so let's all prepare..."

The world took the answer to the anomaly that was Mason.

His very existence was brought unbalance. but not to the way of life that the elves thought. but it was his mission and this drive is what had made the seven devils that awoken to take action to wake up. There was a drive to kill, the complete death of a race as a whole. What demon can ignore that, and what made the Eighth devil remain dormant?

There was a war that was starting to rise but also rumors spread quickly of Masons' actions. His claimed territory. The very way of life humans have developed was in danger, Elves wanted an answer and wanted to personally resolve any issue that harmed their nature and Mana. devils began awaking to only a confusing era and time, because of his actions.

Mason, was at the center of it. The world has heard a calling, heard him announce his message and even now, it seemed like his family was further away than he could ever have realized.

Even if he didn't know now, he was destined to change this world as he saw fit. This was a sight not even the God of his old world would have foreseen happening. A man, who was never killed before, in his old life, now was transformed into a merciless killer and sinner beyond help from any God or Angel if there were any that remained that could be like that of his old world. There was a change like no other within him, after losing his precious family, the only thing that kept him bound and bare with the stench of humanity there was only a small chance of ever seeing them now in this new magical world. It was causing him to run wild and unchecked.

The world would soon be his enemy. And he has yet to prepare or even grow to understand the threat he has truly become and who can truly say this is what his family wanted for him in the end.

For in their last moments, they smiled and looked he wouldn't suffer. Before they were so savagely killed and assaulted so savagely before his eyes.