BOOK 2/64 - Final Domains

Ring - 1st
Realm - Sol

The Titans had expected a lot of things. From the Domain Thief being someone else, maybe a noble. The Domain Thief actually being the King and making an attempt to have them killed or even better try to trick them. They certainly didn't expect to have the Domain Thief being the King and even worse have him grovel before then to be saved.

‘Where was the drama?’. Mera thought.

‘Where was the politics?’. Hellion cursed.

The four Titans watched Stryder approach the King and help him to his feet. " She's too nice*. Mera sighed. No one argued.

Stryder looked the King over as she used her essence to look through his form while also trying to find the process that brought them here. Stryder didn't understand what she was looking at. “Your body is nothing like that of the beasts and animals we've Slain"

She focused on his torso. “They at least had some organs to help with processes". She looked surprised. "Do you eat?”.

Gillidad shook his head. " Cinderii don't need food. The realm offers us the energy to grow and multiply by simply existing here”.

Stryder nodded. She slammed a palm on his chest, essence rushing into him through the contact. Gillidad screamed and the guards moved.

“Stop! Stop!". Amidst his pain he called out. Trying to peek behind the Titan before hin, he'd realized the others had not moved at the threat. Which meant they were confident in their strength o3 they didn't think this Titan needed aid.

Stryder anyway was so focused on his insides that she didn't even realize the soldiers had made threatening moves. She was fixated on what she was seeing. It didn't make sense to her.

The Cinderii had cores within him. One was a rainbow of colors. The other was a normal red bead . She watched the red core draw in the essence from the environment into the Cinderii and flow towards the core. Before it could reach the red core it got sucked up by the rainbow core.

Stryder watched the rainbow core give out a pure white essence to the red core which it then spread out. “There you are". It was clear that the rainbow core was the domain. ‘Does it look and act the same within us as well. I'll have to check ‘.

The Titans suddenly felt a chill up their spines. Quickly they scanned the area for some threat but found none.

Stryder though was watching the essence being given out by the red core and realized something. At several intervals it would vibrate and shake. ‘Why?’.

Watching she spotted the vibration and quickly spoke. “Did anything happen to you now?. A feeling, something, anything?".

Gillidad looked at himself searching for what he thought might be there. “This". He showed her the crack.

“What is it?".

“It has been happening for years now. I've managed to seal it up and mend it but it just keeps happening. Aloa, I've been losing my luster. I was the Bright Flame before. Now, no one uses that Title to avoid offending me due to my new brightness".

Stryder was watching his cores all the while. “It makes sense". There was only one possibility for what he was explaining. “Your body was not meant to wield such power". She stared him right in the eyes. “It's killing you. Ripping you to shreds bit by bit. She focused back and swept through his insides and like she suspected she found various cracks, larger than he'd shown her.

“You fixed what was outside. But your insides are a mess".

“But why? Why is it killing me?".

“Maybe because you're wielding a Titan’s power?". Mera spoke.

Gillidad glanced at her then bowed his head.

“You know then". Mera chuckled.

“I know it belonged to those entities that fought in the sky. They one you all resemble. But I didn't take it because I wanted to. I didn't even realize it myself. One moment I was looking at the orb and the next I was as white as the brightest flame".

Hellion turned to Mera. “You think it draws those of lesser power in?".

“I mean, it would match a normal story setting. Power enticing the greedy".

“I wasn't greedy. The core was just…beautiful”.

"Same thing”.

"Alright. Enough please”. Stryder called. "Blaze please step up*.

The Titan marched through the room and the guards stiffened more. “If the orb free him in it should draw you in as well. Try to take it, I'll try to mend anything that you damage".

Blaze gave her a look and she nodded. He nodded and reached with his palm for the Cinderii Torso. Gillidad gulped.

Stryder used her essence to fill his torso ready to keep him alive. The moment Blaze touched his chest, the white flame gave way, like water parting to a stone. Gillidad groaned. The Titans ignored him, watching as Blaze’s hand sank deeper and deeper till he was near touching the Cinderii with his body.

“I can't feel it".

“I don't know". Stryder shrugged. Blaze sighed and looked at the Cinderii who shivered at the proximity.

“Let go".

“I don't want it anymore".

Blaze looked at his hand. ‘Come to me’. He thought. He didn't know or expect it to work. His next step was to simply rip the Cinderii apart.

Something slammed into his palm and pushed him out of the Cinderii. Blaze staggered backwards. The Titans gasped, the guard murmured and Gillidad fell to his knees as he body went into chaos.

Only Stryder had eyes on him, the rest watched as the ball of multi-colored flames wrapped around Blaze's arm and moved up to his shoulder then over his face.

“Oh yikes". Mera gasped as the fire drilled through his eyes and mouth and into his body vanishing in a puff of smoke like it had been quenched. Blaze stood rigid, like a statue.

Below, Stryder poured essence into Gillidad fixing the chaotic essence that had lost what it considered a part of it. She had to use the essence to direct the red core on how to absorb and expel red essence. Slowly as the guard watched, Gillidad turned into a bright red flame. His fire blazing so bright the guards had to shut their eyes.

Then like it was a competition Blaze , well, went ablaze.

The guards were tense, ember spears, blades and more pointed at the Titan next to the White Flame. The Titans themselves were too mesmerized to care for the possible danger that these guards might pose. Their eyes were locked on the swelling flames of multiple colors roaring to the ceiling of the palace.

Stryder was not drawn to the beauty of the fires as she had her attention on saving the Cinderii at her feet.

Blaze's flames died down with a whoosh and finally the others were free to look elsewhere. Mera frowned at Stryder on her knees trying to save the Cinderii King. Hellion stepped to her side, eyeing down the guards. Thorin shared his gaze between the guards and the dying king. As for Blaze, he just stared at his palms as fire danced and vanished over them.

“Will he make it?".

No one there was naive enough to question what was happening to him. The exact logic or science might be lost to them but the understanding wasn't. Mortal takes a god's domain. Mortal body unable to hold in the divinity. Mortal body starts dying. Mortal foy loses divinity, mortal body breaks down. Sure Cinderii and the rest were hardly Mortals but to them, they might as well have been.

Stryder looked up to Hellion and shook her head. Whatever the domain broke was beyond her pay grade. Gillidad's internals were so messed up by the flow of power he'd been maintaining for Aeuses that there was no way to fix it.

“Maybe I could but I don't know how. I'm thinking he'd need an equivalent of a surgeon".

Hellion nodded with a sigh and Mera stepped up and crouched next to them. " So if we can't save him, what are you trying to do?”.

Stryder hesitated. “I won't just leave him because he's a …”

Mera held up a palm stopping her words. " Let him die. It's the best way”.

Stryder's eyes narrowed, essence surged up her body. The amusement in Mera's features didn't help her spiking anger. " I get it's a game but we don't have to be so cruel!”.

Mera scoffed. "And the beasts we slew. Were we kind to them?”. She shook her head. "Let him die then bring him back. That's what rebirth does, or have you forgotten your own portfolios and domain”. She rose leaving a shocked Stryder.

"I, I didn't think of that”.

"That's what happens when you're more focused on saving a life than on how to save a life”. Mera jabbed.

"Enough!”. Thorin glared at both Titanesses before turning to Stryder. "She's right. Let him die then bring him back”.

"True. We'll need to see how it works either way”. Hellion nodded. Stryder gave him a look and he shrugged. " You've confirmed there's nothing you could do. Well…”. He waved at the King.

"FINE!!”

Stryder didn’t like this but she knew they were right. Healing wasn’t working due to the domain core’s damage to the Cinderii’s very fiery structure. But there were 6a lot of things no one was considering. The most important of them being the Cinderii fiery structure. Would he dissipate once dead like a quench flame. ‘Best to get this over with’. She retracted her essence. Letting it flow out of the ruptures and gather around his body instead fighting what she’d accepted as an inevitability.

It was like she’d suspected. The reaction the moment her essence was gone was visceral. As much as a fiery form could be that is.

The Body scattered and collapsed on itself. The core cracking and shattering like glass. ‘I5 served as the body's anchor then’. Stryder thought as the entire body collapsed and a wave of dying red flame spread out.

The Cinderii guards surrounding her started a ruckus, weapons striking at the Titaness. The ring of blade against stone echoed as the first blade struck off her armor with no sign.

Hellion grabbed his handle ready to draw only Thorin to set a palm on his shoulder. Mera frowned at this but did nothing as she watched the guards attack her.

The still intrigued Titan of Fire didn't even notice a strike on his back bouncing off his arm.

“Stryder!". Thorin warned.

She ignored him. His call was understandable but she didn't feel it was time yet. She watched as the last waves of fire faded and the pieces of his core dropped in a small mound on the ground.

She felt it tickle her neck and danced up her wrists. Like an urging, eager to act. Essence shot from her fingertips like bolts of energy and crackled over the mound of core fragments.

“Rebirth".

Her tone echoed with a hum that paused the Cinderii guards in their failed attacks and drew the attention of the Titans. Energy, sparks of gold, yellow, red and white flashed over the mound. Focused, everyone watched the second ever act of resurrection.

Like time turning back its hands, so too did the waves of fire that had faded away return. Flowing like a reversed series of events as it drew back to the core. Simultaneously, the fragments twirled in a dance of glasses and clinks, melding, attaching and healing. The core vanished in a puff of fire as it was swallowed by the returning flame.

“Ahhh. So that's why?". Stryder could see the very reason it would have been impossible and unadvised to Rebirth Ishtra, the Phoenix. Simply because of what she was seeing here.

Stryder turned to Blaze. “You should see this?". Her line of sight made it clear who she was focused on and her voice drew him out of his reverie. Blaze glanced at her then stared at the reforming shape of a Cinderii. His brows furrowed and he stepped closer.

"This…?".

“Yes”.

"How will it affect him?”. He asked after a moment of staring.

“In more ways than it should but nothing like the boon of a domain".

“What's happening?". Hellion butted in. With the swirling flames , the Cinderii guards had retreated for now. Unsure but still fuming.

“Rebirth doesn't just resurrect. It changes. For the King, it's using the effects of the domain core on his body to remake him".

“What does that mean?". Mera queried.

“A Cinderii unlike any his race have ever seen. All without the power of an Elder Titan”.

"Is that good or bad?”. Thorin gave a worried glance at Stryder.

“For him?. Good. For us?. Inconsequential". Blaze spoke and everyone stared.

“What he means is that while yes the improvements will be powerful it'd be like making a Human into a supersoldier. Doesn't mean anything to us Titans".

Everyone nodded.

“I guess it's also why using it on Ishtra would have been a bad idea".

“How?". Hellion and Mera asked simultaneously.

“Well, consider it. Rebirth doesn't just bring you back. It heals, and makes you better at something. If I'd used it on Ishtra, I think she'd never have been able to use Fire”.

"Rebirth would have made her immune in a way or not affiliated with fire”. Thorin nodded.

No one said anything as the fires stopped whirling and condensed into a familiar Cinderii. The height was similar, the shape and size the same. But the color was different. Neither red nor white, it was an azure purple flame.

“He looks different". Mera walked around him. Hellion and Thorin nodded in agreement.

“Is there any other way to know the exact changes to him?". Hellion asked Stryder.

“Now?. No. Besides…"she turned her gaze to Thorin.

"We don't have time. Once we've ascended we can always come back and investigate more".

Hellion shrugged.

“What happened?. I was unmade, wasn't I?".

“Unmade?". Mera furrowed her brow at the words.

“I think he means dead". Hellion supplied.

“Why not call it Died or killed as it should be?". Mera argued. He shrugged.

“Yes, you died. I brought you back. The damage to your form was too extensive to be fixed by even me". Gillidad blinked at Stryder's reply.

"I was Unmade". He murmured.

“What was it like?. Dying and coming back?". Thorin suddenly asked. Everyone glanced at him but he ignored them as he waited for the King to reply.

“I…I don't remember. It's all….no…it's all bright, golden, blurry. Like a hazy dream”.

Thorin nodded thoughtfully. "The Elder Spirits look to be in charge of the dead”.

"Saw that on the Forums?”. Hellion asked.

"Yes. There's also an Elder Devil of Death. Deviless actually”.

"Okay, I had a lot to do but I'm definitely at least checking all this out once we log out again".He murmured . Mera scoffed facing them.

“If we're done here we should start going”.

"Yes. Let's". Thorin turned to Horkirk who stayed silent through everything happening. “Can you lead us to the Monolith as well?”.

The Golem frowned. " The path there is obscured. Those who have tried to walk through the mists have been lost forever”.

The Titans shared a look, exempting Stryder who was still looking over Gillidad. " It might be the final test”. Hellion shrugged.

"We've got all the damned domains. It should be enough". Mera had an annoyed expression.

"We'll find out if it's enough when we get there". He turned back to Horkirk. “Can you at least lead us to a starting point or a boundary?".

“That I can?"

“Then, Stryder, it's time”.

The Titaness nodded and stepped away from the Cinderii hesitantly. It was clear she was eager to cut him up and see what had changed and how he tucked compared to the previous form.

Surprisingly the Guards were hesitant to protect their resurrected king. Standing aside watching as he marveled at the resurrection.

The Titans walked for the door with Horkirk leading the way and Stryder casting hesitant glances at the King.

Suddenly half of the guards standing closest to the door broke apart. With a stomping of their boots, they lined up between the exit and the Titans, weapons pointed at them.

The Titans stopped. Thorin had a thoughtful frown while the rest just gave the blockade a blank look.

“Here I was, thinking we'd leave this place without a fight". Mera grinned widely and smashed her gauntlets together creating a spark of energy that she then absorbed brightening her already golden eyes.

“Stop. Guards. Step away".

The guards exchanged looks but stayed firm. “I said, depart from their way!".

“I apologize Sire, but how are we to be sure you are indeed you. These beings killed and then made someone similar to you".

Gillidad frowned. “They didn't kill me. Power did. They helped me by bringing me back when they didn't have to. I won't say this a third time". His eyes blacked azure and a crown formed of flame condensed on his head.

“LEAVE!".

The guards scrambled out of their path and lined up to the sides. Mera raised her brows at the display while Stryder heaved a sigh of relief. The ly turned as Gillidad spoke.

"My Lords, I thank you for this. Allow me to express my gratitude with a Banquet in your name". Head bowed, and palms outstretched he asked.

“Now that's something we could totally…”. Thorin cut Mera off with a sigh.

"As much as we would love to, we have to be. Maybe, after we're done, we could take you up on your offer".

Gillidad paused for a moment in confusion then exhaled, rising fully. “As my Lords wish". Gillidad clearly didn't like them leaving without some form of thanks. His mind turned like gears as the Titans marched for the door.

"You”. He pointed at the guard who'd spoken up earlier. " Find the Captain of the East wall and have him gather five squads to escort out guests to their destinations”.

The guard on a knee nodded and rose quickly dashing for the door as the Titans filed out. Walking back to his throne, the Azure Flame reclined back with a sigh. ‘It went well’. He still couldn't believe it. For Aeuses he'd dreaded this day. The day he'd die to the power he harbored within or the messengers of ‘he who starred’ would come.

But here he was. Free of that power, but standing even stronger. “I guess a premonition did come true. I did die". Exhaling with potent relief he stared at the door as the last Titan stepped out. Behind him the guard he'd sent hurried out as well.

Gillidad turned to the guards and waved randomly for one to step forward. When one of them stepped forward he sent him to find and alert the council to the events here and have them gather immediately.