Runt of the Litter - Tales from Alirast

Rubious and Alliyah stood side by side, the door to the prison had been closed. Both of them looked at Arlyss with fear.

Arlyss seemed hurt that his mother did so but didn't mention it. "Darktones have a particularly nasty disposition towards imprisonment and slavery. Do you know why, Lord Rubious?"

Arlyss pulled a small table and some stools out of thin air as he spoke, offering one first to Trillia, then his mother, and finally to Rubious before taking a seat for himself.

"No, not really. There are whispers and rumours, of course. Of a time when your Father was a mortal slave himself."

"That's the very short version, which is good enough for now. But it is also because my half-brother has been imprisoned for millions of years. His mind split into a myriad of pieces, and even his soul has been sliced into three. His own father forced to be his jailor."

Arlyss pulled out some glasses and a bottle of bright orange liquid, pouring himself and Trillia a glass before setting the bottle on the other end of the table for the others. "You see, my brother doesn't suffer dealing with gods. He has little respect or use for them. After all, it was a council of gods that got him imprisoned. Tell me, you know my Father; you've spoken with him probably hundreds of times. Do you think him the type to let his child rot in eternal imprisonment?"

Both Rubious and Alliyah couldn't think of a good response. The two had certainly known Kain longer than the young god sat across from them. But Arlyss was a god descended from Kain. There was an inheritance of power that was blatantly obvious to the two of them at this point.

"Of course not. You both know him better than I do, and even I can tell he'd never let that sit for long. So, how do you think he gets around that? How do you think my father and my brother bend the rules without incurring the wrath of Lady Dawn and the All-Father of Creation?"

Trillia perked up. "Lotan! Wait...that means Lord Darktone has been spreading pieces of your half-brother into other creatures?"

Arlyss offered her a genuine smile and a nod. "Yes. Lady Dawn is aware of it. She's even curious to see how much Father can bend the rules before they break. After all, it lets her make her rules more absolute when she needs them to be. Trillia was connected to Alirast when she was captured as a child. There is a kinship she feels, not only to Alirast and myself but to the many creatures that my half-brother partially inhabits. This was made worse when she became my Avatar."

Arlyss held up a hand to the other side of the table and looked over at Trillia. "I just found out recently. Please understand this is not something I was keeping from you. If you wish to end ou-"

Trillia shook her head. "I am with you until my dying day, Lord Arlyss. I am not angry, nor do I assume you would ever keep something from me to be malicious. I am happy to hear there is at least somewhat of a logical reason I was so...disturbed by Lotan's plight. It is not like me to lash out."

The orc looked across the table and bowed her head. "I'm sorry for lashing out at the two of you."

Part of them looked as if they wanted to speak, but both were still too stunned.

Her patron had no plans to relent. "It's only small fragments, of course. Each creature is created with a single trait that my brother held before his imprisonment. Each creature holds a tiny slice of his mind and soul. With that out of the way, I'd like to propose something, Lord Rubious."

The dwarven god was staring at Lotan with a new level of worry. A gentle tap on the wooden table from Arlyss caused the god to look over. "What is your proposition?"

"Turn Lotan over to me. I will ensure he is no longer a thorn in the side of you or your people. Currently, the use of the portals has a small fee imposed to help with the upkeep and to reinvigorate D'Jamu's floundering economy. I will waive it for twenty years for the dwarven lands as payment. That seems like a fair trade to me."

Rubious looked at the young god dumbfounded. "Are you insane? I understand you feel some kinship...but this bea...Lotan isn't stable."

"He will be with me. I guarantee a safe transfer. Make no mistake, Lord Rubious. I am only asking this once. Then I will free the remnants of my brother that I can regardless of politics."

Worry crossed the face of the two older warriors. "Son...please. There is no need for threats. Lord Rubious is a long-time friend and ally."

"To the people of Kadessa, yes. I am not from Kadessa. I grew up in D'Jamu. A city that both Lord Rubious and you refused to send armies to, to liberate. Out of fear of what would happen should so many lives be lost in the Sage's domain."

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Now it was Alliyah's turn to look hurt and heart-broken.

"I don't blame either of you. It was the safer choice for your own kingdoms. But make no mistake, I am an ally to Kadessia out of convenience and because both of your nations have been kind to me. There is little loyalty to a place that was happy to let my people wallow in damnation for decades. Besides, I know of the conversations my father had with both of you. Such a fickle thing, isn't it? Gods being unable to push people to really follow and do what they want?"

Both of them looked away at his words, and Trillia realized that Lord Darktone had probably pressured both of them to go to war. She wondered how many other people were enslaved that he tried to have freed.

Looking over at Lotan, she wondered how many slivers of his son were locked in new eternal prisons, unable to be free. Anger started to bubble up inside of her.

Arlyss put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Very well, Lord Arlyss. So long as my kingdom and my people do not suffer for it, you are free to take Lotan."

"I ask that you not hold my actions against my Avatar. You recently told her group of dungeons that need clearing, I think it would be good if she could help them and grow. But if you wish to banish her from your realm, I don't think either of us will be angry."

The dwarven god truly looked worn out and old at that moment, gently shaking his head. "No. She's a mortal being influenced by creatures beyond even my wildest imaginations of power. I could never hold those actions against her. She's free to explore the dungeons with her friends."

A heavy sigh later, and he continued. "I think it might be a good idea if you and your siblings were willing to sit down with myself and some of the other native gods. We had thought the three of you were in need of defending. Thinking you weak due to your age. I have no doubt none of you will be honest with the true scope of your power, but I'd like to at least know where we all stand."

Arlyss stood with a smile, reaching a hand across the table. "That's easy, Lord Rubious. We stand on the side of the mortals. Both the eldritch threat and the primordials are our primary adversaries. We have no interest in making more enemies, but anyone we see as prohibiting our ability to help the mortals against those adversaries will find us enemies as well."

Rubious stood and shook his junior's hand. "Very well."

"I realize I am asking a great deal of you, Lord Rubious. But I would ask that you and Queen Alliyah leave Lotan, Trillia, and I alone for a bit. I'll be taking him from this place soon."

The god left without another word.

Alliyah sat there staring up at her son. "I never wanted you to grow up without me. I never wanted you or your siblings to suffer. You have to know that."

Arlyss walked around the table and pulled her into a gentle hug. "I do. You spent countless years searching for us while dealing with the fallout of the cataclysm. I do not blame you as my Mother. I will love her uncondtionally for all eternity. But as the leader of a foreign nation? I must hold you responsible for my people's plight. At least to some extent."

Trillia quietly walked over and sat next to Lotan as she heard Alliyah sob softly into her son's shoulder.

A few minutes later and the Queen also left the room. Arlyss took a deep breath and looked over at the hydra. "I'm afraid I can't access his mind. Rules are still rules, and while I can bully a little more than before, I would rather not have Lady Dawn strike me from the universe for thinking that I believe myself to be on equal footing with my father. I have no doubt he is headache enough for her. Would you be willing to speak with him on my behalf? If I am in contact with you, I should be able to eavesdrop."

Trillia stood up and looked at Lotan, who was still staring intently at Arlyss. Once her patron had a hand on her shoulder, she opened her mind to Lotan once more.

This time, it was a far more pleasant experience. The hydra immediately knew how to interact with her, without harming her. She could feel a sliver of Arlyss' mind sitting on the edge of her mental space. His intent flowing into her mind.

"Lord Arlyss wishes to take you from this place. You will not be imprisoned here any longer, but I imagine it will require you to let him cast certain spells and magic on you."

"Done."

Trillia blinked in surprise at that. "Are you sure you have no questions?"

"He is familiar to us. He reminds us of the Giant. Curious but kind. Willing to listen to us and crush that which causes us pain. We trust him."

The Giant had to be referring to the [2nd Axle]. The Mother was probably the [1st Axle]. Which left the light as the remaining one. So Lotan could tell that Arlyss was Kain's son. She wondered how much of Alirast was actually inside the creature's many minds.

This time, when she tried to pull away, there was no resistance at all. She found herself standing in the same spot she had been. "He agreed. He says you remind him of your father. Curious but kind."

Arlyss offered the hydra a smile. "Curious but kind...I like that. Very well, Lotan. I know that you can understand me. I will be taking you to a place that has no artifacts. It will be a wide-open area that you can roam freely in. There may be people who wander into your territory, I ask that you speak to me before harming them. I'll need you to lower as many of your defenses as you can."

Arlyss stepped forward and put a hand on one of the creature's many heads. "Will you be ok, Trillia?"

She bowed deeply and smiled. "Of course, Lord Arlyss. I hope that you will let me come and speak to Lotan when he is settled in."

The god nodded. "You did very well today. Thank you for standing so firmly at my side. I am sure that Lotan will be happy to speak once he is not imprisoned."

"May I ask something?"

Arlyss nodded. "Do you think he is willing to help us fight the eldritch?"

"It is my hope that all of the slivers of Alirast can be found and are willing to defend Alirast. I may ask for you to search for more of them."

"It will be my honor. Bye, Lotan! I'll talk to you soon."

Once more the mountains shook and trembled with the amount of power that the young god wielded, within moments the many seals around Lotan snapped and broke.

The two of them vanished.

Trillia smiled at the now vacant spot where the hydra had been imprisoned. A notification popped into her mind.

You have stood your ground and helped broker a deal between deities!

Current Progress Towards Evolution: 25%