Lord Of The Mysteries: A Slug of Time

Chapter 36: Age of Madness



(Massive Thanks to Chaoticwriter for the entire chapter lol)

The Death Consul, Salinger's Undead chain of command froze as "His" deathly presence dominated the war filled land. 

As the representative of Death "Herself", "He" could dominate any area littered with the aura of death, in spite of being at a "Disadvantage". A "Disadvantage" "He" believed "His" troops possessed, even when faced against the weakened forces of the Mutant army, and the Sanguines. 

However…

Madness, corruption, and extreme affinity with the final destination of all things, Death! Within a fraction of a second, Salinger's deathly gaze swept through the entire battlefield, passing through the many gaps that marred the Fog of War deployed by the Symbol of Strife of the Mutant army. 

From what "He" could gather, all forces, including the demonic wolves led by the God of Miracles, Kotar, were in an extremely precarious situation.

The symptoms faced by the Mutant army and the Sanguines are similar, which might imply the Mutated King and the Sanguine Ancestor are in an interesting position. Salinger's giant body seemed to lose in luster, but "He" still refrained from doing anything drastic. 

As one under the dominion of Death, "He" knew very well that those at the top of the world, tended to have a very strong influence over those directly below them. 

And Kotar's state … Salinger's focus shifted to Kotar's true body as well as the numerous Demonic Wolves under "Him", many of which had suddenly refrained from venturing into the Fog of History. Instead, they all randomly created substitutes and marionettes attacking both ally and foe alike.

Of course, the creation of marionettes involved killing a target, and thus, Salinger had no problem preventing more dissociating demonic wolves, as well as "His" undead forces to fall. "He" also subtly directed "His" rampaging allies towards the extremely agitated and frenzied Mutants and Sanguines, to buy "Him" more time to think.

The same logic seems to apply for the Annihilation Demonic Wolf... Salinger took a deep breath, as a thought echoed in "His" mind.

The end of an era is nigh. At this moment, the God of the Dead made a decision.

"His" body as well as "His" entire undead legion consisting of Demonic Wolves, Humans, Elves, Sanguines, Mutants and so on, seemed to tremble before returning to normalcy. None in the battlefield, including Auernia who still has some rationality, realised the change. Salinger had subtly moulted, and "He" together with "His" legion had not only been replaced, but had already soon vanished.

This was the moulting of a Death Consul, boosted by Death herself! A Death Consul could shed their essence, freeing themselves from ailments, curses, and all sorts of negative status, imposed and binding restrictions, and so on, in a short while. With Gregrace's blessing, Salinger could take it to the next level, and break away from the pact "He" had made with the Annihilation Demonic wolf back when "He" was but a mere snakelet. 

From there, blink versions of himself and "His" legion will take over the shedded essence, and substitute them as they real ones return to the Underworld. 

Salinger had always valued himself far above anything else. Thus, the moment "He" was sent to search for traces of a foreign existence with abilities similar to Antigonus and Kotar, separating "Him" from Flegrea for a few instances, "He"took the opportunity to connect with the Underworld, ruled by Death. Not wanting to let an opportunity to wound and embarrass "Her" mortal enemy pass, Gregrace accepted the deal, and thus subtly aided Salinger in changing "His" allegiances.

This was an open conspiracy, one which even if Flegrea knew and wasn't insane enough, "His" authority over horror, concealment and Darkness, couldn't stop this. After all, Salinger was first and foremost a Death Consul, and thus, always under Death.

The real God of the Dead, Salinger appeared within a fluctuating pale kingdom, with one of its many illusory doors opening to let "He" and "His" forces walkthrough. "He" naturally didn't hesitate and jumped in, but halfway through "He" suddenly froze, his motions completely halting.

The entire battlefield, Sanguines, Mutants, the maddened Demonic Wolves, all suddenly halted, their minds frozen, while their expression became dazed. Medici and Sasrir, who both watched the battle from another dimension also momentarily froze, but for different reasons.

The Half-Fool is born…  

A sigh parted Sasrir who wasn't really affected by the world wide "Fooling" simply due to "His" connection to "His" lord. 

While Medici and numerous forces down at the battlefield were still stunned, "He" let a sea of all colours appear before "His" Omniscient Brass eyes, as a "He" made a prophecy.

Far from the battlefield, in the Sea of Collective Subconscious, which suddenly didn't follow normalcy due to the sudden disturbance, the Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt's imagined figure blinked, before sighing as "His" all-seeing eyes peered at the Elf King who had likewise "severed" the "Fooling effect."

"It seems like we'll be 'unexpectedly' entangled more often." Words appeared directly in the mind of Soniathrym's many soldiers as the elf king examined them. Naturally, "He" had always redirected the words spoken by this Visionary to "His" soldiers just in case. After all, this foe of "His" often changed the flow of logic and concepts to "His" Omniscient eyes's liking.

Whatever you mean by that. The Elf King didn't need to observe to know that "His" fraudulent arch nemesis had stopped maintaining "His" imagined form, and vanished from the Sea of Collective Subconscious. 

However, Soniathrym's eyes suddenly widened as "He" looked up, peering into the Astral world, at the Crimson Moon which had started to become visible, but then dimmed significantly.

Lilith?  

In an instant, the entire sea of Collective subconscious, air, oceans, seemed to awaken, dispersing the "Fooling Effect" which still affected the lower life forms.

"AURMIR!!!"

The corresponding Tyrannical, mystical Effect and knowledge immediately appeared before the Giant King's "Eye" which had instantly recovered from the "Fooling" and peered at the battlefield.

It seems getting the Conqueror won't appease "Him…" He calmly decrypted, but then shook "His" head as "He" sensed a terrifying Sea, one containing all colours, guiding the God of War's characteristic to an unknown location. 

I've gathered enough… The most optimal path isn't something only that a dragon can peer through. "His" prying eyes seemed to take in the battlefield, still filled with confused species. Gregrace who had automatically "Killed" the "Fooling effect" on herself had vanished upon witnessing the dimming Crimson Moon in the Astral world, and the Sun suddenly appearing above this realm.

The "Eye" then dispersed into a torrent of information, covered in decay, as the actual Giant King, together with "His" queen solidified the defences around the Kingdom of Silver, and "His" Divine Kingdom against the sudden, and rigorous Elven assault led by the Elf king.

In the battlefield, which was now filled with many of the Mutants shifting between a masculine and feminine form, all while appearing dazed, Auernia was the first to regain cognition as "She" felt the connection between "Her" and Crimson Moon return. 

Ancestor! Auernia moved, and with this connection, and the Naturewalker trait of the Sanguine Ancestor, "She" could finally find a way to breach through the primordial chaos of all possibilities and "Chains" that further isolated the Mirror Dimension. 

This barrier that had been weakened by Flegrea's escape, and then the world wide "Fooling effect" weakening it further. Concurrently, this strengthened the connection between Auernia and "Her" ancestor, as the former fervently wished to return to the latter's embrace.

No. A single word suddenly resonated in Auernia's mind, halting "Her" in the air.

Ancestor—

Kvastir is no more. Even Auernia's eyes widened at this. This was a True God, one who had reigned at the top of the world for millenniums. Of course, the worsening state of the Mutated army, with their restrained emotions fully exposed, proved this. 

But, I, too, will follow. Auernia felt "Her" blood turn cold upon hearing this.

But the worst was the fact that "She" of all Sanguines knew exactly why. The pervading "End" curse thrown by Kvastir will consume Lilith in a few moments, and this Sanguine Queen could feel it.

There's no time. You know what to do. As my first child, no— the Queen of the Sanguines, you know what matters more.

Auernia was instantly seen through by "Her" Mother. "She" had just planned to at least regain the Moon from the Mirror Dimension, so "She" could carry "Her" Mother with "Her" in hopes of one day granting "Her" new life.

It is dangerous. Lilith's voice continued. The fall of the Ruler of the Mirror World, has brought Primordial Chaos everywhere. I cannot allow you to perish here. 

My children still need a guide. How can they lose both their ancestor and queen?

Auernia felt a great pain, one which couldn't be compared to the ones "She" inquired in "Her" previous battles. One side of "Her" wished to ignore the order, region and perish with "Her" Mother. While the other, the sense of duty knew what needed to be done.

And not wanting to let this go on for longer, Lilith made the latter side of Auernia, "Her" sense of duty flourish with vitality, causing the Beauty Goddess to shed tears as "She" used "Her" authority and connected with the still confused Sanguines, departing from the battlefield.

So long as the race lives, I'll always be alive. Lilith's parting words resonated in Auernia's ears.

Kotar suddenly felt like himself once again, and immediately quelled "His" worms of spirits who still wished to rebel. 

Thoughts like, What happened? Where is Salinger? The thought about the King of Sefirah Castle didn't surface in "His" main mind, as "He" only had one wish.

"My wish is: to get to safety!" And the God of Miracles's wish was granted, as a Sea containing all colours carried "Him" away.

Suddenly, following the departure of the God of Miracle, an ocean of purifying light descended from the Astral plane itself, washing over Mutants and Demonic Wolves alike.

Within the Astral World, Grisha observed the vague situation of the Sea of Collective Subconscious, the Hornacis mountain range, the Giant King battling the Elves, the effects of Soniathrym's rage "He" had mostly quelled and redirected to "His" followers, the vague Underworld, the Demon Monarch who had reached a place "He" couldn't peer into, the battlefield of the Mutants and Sanguines, Auernia and "Her" subjects meeting the Elf queen, and the Mirror dimension. A sigh escaped from what seemed to be a Shadow hidden behind curtains as "He" let "His" Omniscient eyes within it close.

Slowly "His" body began to expand, stretching outwards in an illusory manner as "He" turned into the Sun, while a Shadow seemed to appear, supporting the world itself. As it happened, "He" purified and rectified the landscape devastated by the battle, and let the book "He" previously held disperse into the Chaos Sea.

From it, Sasrir's real body, holding the Blasphemy slate which connected to this sea appeared. "He" raised "His" eyes to peer at God, and then prostrated himself.

Within "His" mind, and into the Chaos Sea's surface, the words of God appeared.

"An enduring Mutant and Cowardly Demonic Wolf make their escape from the purifying ocean; the unexpected and beautiful sibling bond blooms, as Mysteries awaits; the life return subtly created by the Half Mother is obstructed, letting the essence of the Crimson Moon, navigate into the void, eventually seeking solace and completing its cycle.

"Beauty, once serene, vows revenge, while the Decaying and Deceitful Giant plans "His" Insidious moves; the Elves grow agitated and sever their bonds with the Giants, while the Dragons silently observe the shifting Trends Of Time.

"The Fool, and the Knight carrying an immense burden meet face-to-face. The curtain falls, obstructing prying eyes as an incandescent Sun illuminates a path to salvation for the once oppressed Humans.

"And thus concludes the Age of Madness."


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