FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"The dominant religion of Selebore during the First Age and for most of the Second, before the expansion of the Potestan Empire onto the continent of Erindore, was greatly influenced by the original faith which was brought over by the humans during the Twilight. Of course, the advent of magic and the devastating events of both The Shattering and the Dark Age did much to morph the original beliefs into the various sect and dogmas that we know of today. Still, except for Atheism, which is common in the larger economic centres and Shamanism which is still prevalent in the far-flung corners of the continent, the basic premise of all the variations of the faith remains the same, with a very clear Ladder of Being defined to describe where everything fits into the larger view of Creation.

Nearly everyone agrees on the existence of One Creator of the universe(s), a supernatural entity whose full being can never be comprehended as He [usually referred to as male due to language conversions, though it is clearly stated that He is of neither gender] exists in more than the five known directions of measure (height, width, depth, time, and spirit, the last being recognized only after The Shattering of the Veil). This God exists on the very top of the Ladder and is ultimately in control of and responsible for the whole of existence.

Then, in the service of The Creator stands several tiers of divine beings who are charged with maintaining the divine balance and order of the various plains of creation, such as both Epangelia and Barathrum amongst others. These beings range from the Divae (singular Divus) and the Theosae (singular Theos) to nameless heavenly servants who are responsible for representing the Divae in certain functions [e.g. the phoenixes as Nixoruma's messengers]. Some sects strictly forbid the worship of anyone other than the Great Creator as the true singular God. However the Divae, as the most important of the divines, are said to be the representatives or even direct aspects of The Great Creator Himself and as such, they are often worshipped as gods in their own right, albeit lesser.

The Theosae on the other hand are not gods, but mere demigods assigned by the Divae to assist them in their divine responsibilities. Usually, they are historic characters who, it is said, received their supernatural abilities directly from the Divae to act as their champions in the fight between Epangelia and Barathrum, and have been promoted to the role of Theos after death. Because of this, many people identify with one or the other, be it because they share a similar species or stand for a given virtue. For example, Theosae Keor and Kellia were a mated gryphon pair, who achieved glory for destroying the demoness Tribus where the Coral Tower stands today. After their death at the siege of Juinkarr, Keor came to resemble courage and strength while Kellia grace and loyalty. Theos Garvon on the other hand is honoured as the Guardian of the Wolves, though as the first mortal to kill a demon (the demon-general Duas) at the siege of Lendor, he is often revered as the patron saint of single combat. But not all the Theosae had been saints in their lifetimes. Theos Gullivarth, for instance, had been the widely feared Dragon King of the Dark Age and yet, he is worshipped by the dragons as their spiritual father and is even honoured by the Lúgroccae as a divine guardian.

However, recent religious inquisitions have started to destroy all references to the Theosae and to persecute all who revere them. This is because they are sometimes revered as true gods, thanks to their supposed godlike influence over the natural order of all things. This practice was most widespread during the time before the Undead War when homogeneous gatherings and segregated governments were the norm across Selebore. But despite the attempts to destroy this practice, the worship of a singular Theos remains still popular to this day."

Surviving extract from "Saints and Demons: How the second age remembers the Age of Legends" by Gladrea of Ealydore, respected theologist of the Second Age.

***

The king's mistress groaned frustrated as she rummaged through the second last drawer of the writing desk in her room. When she still didn't find what she was looking for, she pulled it completely out and dumped its contents onto the floor next to the scattered notes and scrolls that used to be in the other drawers. As she spread the papers open, her gaze fell upon the stack of envelopes she had been looking for. With a victorious exclamation, she grabbed it, scanning through the leaves of paper within to confirm that they were indeed the letters between her and a high official equine. Satisfied, she ignited a small Manashape, causing the incriminating evidence to catch fire. With a furious scowl, she tossed the burning correspondence into a bin to join the other burning letters that were already reduced to ash.

"Fucking bitch!" she growled, watching the years of work go up in smoke. "Curse the day that draine hatched from her egg!"

She turned to look one more time over the random scattering of contextless notes and unmarked maps, most of which were completely outdated and would only serve to confuse or lead astray anyone who tried to figure out what she was ultimately up to. Still, with the information she knew the Ivory Tower had at their disposal now, much of her most critical networks was going to collapse and there was nothing she could do about it. Her meddling in the Arthulle Steppes should be safe, maybe... but Thendor, which was the most important part to her ultimate success and where she had put in most of her effort, was lost for the time being. And now that the Circle knew of her presence, she doubted her other important network within their ranks would survive long either. At least her important contacts within the Seleborean authorities were safe... or most of them to be sure. Her elf contact was probably already beyond her aid thanks to that big-mouthed dragon! She should have known better than to trust someone she could not corrupt to her whims.

Satisfied that no snooping investigator would be able to retrace her movements of the past few years with significant accuracy, she undid a small, magical lock on the last of the drawers that made it appear as if the box jammed on the slider and pulled it out. She scanned over the books therein, quickly selecting one thick tome for quick reference and putting it in a nearby travel bag she had on standby should her plans call her away in a hurry. It was, however not prepared for a full evacuation, but that is how lessons are learnt, right? Next time she settles down, she'll be better prepared to drop everything and leave.

For a moment she considered taking some of the other books as well. Many of them were quite valuable but ultimately replaceable. But several of them, however, were not. They dated back to the height of the Golden Age and when they will be discovered by the magi of the Ivory Tower, these few books will undoubtedly vastly increase the Circle's current understanding of Mana. Even the three thick ones with red-brown pages of dodgy vellum, which is all that now remained of the Sealed Library of old, would be an amazing find for them. With that thought in mind, she ignited another Manashape, letting wisps of fire dance across the fingers of her one hand as she looked at the irreplaceable cache of knowledge. But then with a sigh, she dismissed her fire. She would be better off allowing the Circle to reclaim the books and the knowledge they contained within, retrieving them again at a more opportune time than to destroy them now. They would be safer now with her enemy than on the road with her, even the ones that go in-depth into the finer details of the Forbidden Arts.

With another scowl, she turned away from the mess on her floor and focused on one of the large dressers she had. According to her contact in the Ivory Tower, her time was running out! She cursed again as she dispelled the curse on the handles and undid a more elaborate magical lock on the small closet. Hastily she threw it open, glancing over the various alchemic tools and reagents, some of which were mundane but others, like the jar of elvan blood, less so. She needed to be better prepared for an evacuation on short notice for the next time she settled in somewhere, she realised as she retrieved the wicker baskets with her cuplaethers, dumping both the empty and the few filled ones into her bag. Charms such as the set of identical cuplaethers she needs to keep her cover were hard to come by, even for one with her influence and she would be damned if they were to be left behind. Again, she scanned the array of stuff, from potions to other magical artefacts she had found useful during her time in the Thendorian court, makings sure nothing could be traced back anywhere of importance to her. Her gaze fell on the stuffed phoenix perched on the hidden alchemy desk. Again, the fire danced on the tips of her fingers as she considered her prize from Corrumwhell so long ago, but then against her better judgement, she picked it up and carefully placed it in the getaway bag. Yes, she needed to travel light, but it was the only thing of sentimental value she cared about, and she was not about to...

She felt his presence even before his spectre appeared.

"You felt it as well, didn't you?" Quattor stated bluntly, raising a curious eyebrow at the trashed state of the room.

"Not now!" Senna hissed, considering a prized gryphon feather quill from a recent lover, before burning it and obliterating the associated inkwell to dust. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Do you really think you can run away from him?" Quattor snapped disappointed, turning his attention fully on her. "Do you not understand that he can cut us off for the Aetherfontes completely! We must..."

"I do not care for the Aetherfontes at this moment!" Senna snapped, whirling angrily on the other demon. "I've got bigger worries to deal with right now! So, fuck off and leave me alone."

"Don't you dare dismiss me!" Quattor snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "His return can spell doom for us all! Do you not recall that he had vowed vengeance when we banished him back in the day? We need to know if it is..."

"Of course it is him, you thick-headed walnut brain!" Senna snapped in return. "Who else can it be?"

Typical to his nature, Quattor lost his temper at this reply, though if it was because of her disrespect or the confirmation that he didn't want to hear, she was not initially sure. Not that she cared particularly much about how he felt anymore. As he threw his tantrum, she ignored him, opening her main closet and rummaging through it as she decided what was needed on the road.

Unlike her other storages, this wardrobe was filled only with fancy dresses and lavish gifts from the various losers and puppets across the whole of Thendor, trying to win the favour of the king's mistress. True, normal people would have considered these objects priceless, some in monetary value and others sentimental. But though they had served their purpose admirably while she worked on the human court, it would be mere clutter on the road. Still, she grabbed the largest purse and tossed it into her travel bag whilst keeping a smaller one nearby for immediate use. It would be smart not to run to any of her contacts or pets immediately, so she needed something to trade with until she knew best where she could hide in the coming storm.

"How could this have happened!" Quattor finally raged in a more intelligible manner. "Why now of all times? I will not allow the prophecy to come to pass. We cannot afford the Circle to be closed!"

"It is by now unavoidable!" Senna snapped exasperatedly in return. "That is if it had not already happened! I told you we should have brought those dragons immediately under my control so that they would remain stuck here, doing our bidding! The time to restore the Aetherfontes is not yet right and that we may even have to let it go for..."

"I will not allow that whelp to close the Circle against me!" Quattor insisted, levelling his finger at her again. "You will use your contacts to..."

"I will do nothing!" Senna retorted, waving her hand dismissively. "I have other concerns to deal with. Now, begone!"

"You dare to defy me?" Quattor hissed, his spectre seeming to grow darker as he took a threatening step towards her. "The Aetherfontes always takes priority! I do not care for your schemes..."

"My schemes are what allowed you the freedom to manoeuvre your pets!" Senna hissed, considering a light travelling dress for a moment before folding it and packing it away as well. "We need to control the authorities of this world with absolute power before we make our move on the Aetherfontes! But now, all my hard work is crumbling and if I remain noticeable much longer, I will be trapped on this Barathrum forsaken speck of Manaless land."

"Do not be ridiculous!" Quattor scoffed with a dismissive snort. "No one will find us! Everyone believes all of the gatekeepers have perished when Juinkarr last fell!"

"That was the case until that Claw of yours decided to abdicate to the Lúgroccae!" Senna snarled, deciding against the item of clothing she had initially packed, pulling it out and discarding it in a crumpled heap on the floor. It was too lavish, and she needed to disappear. A commoner's dress she can steal on the road will do better.

"Do not insult my intelligence..." Quattor snarled, somehow feeling insulted for the sake of his most powerful servant.

"My contacts from various locations have already confirmed it!" Senna interrupted him, snapping her travelling bag shut. "Your precious Claw gave up everything she knew about us without so much as an ounce of resistance! Luckily, she was not as well informed as any of your previous pets, or everything would have collapsed around me even faster!"

Quattor lost it. He screamed in rage, enough for Senna to imagine the percussive quality of his vice to manifest itself through his spectre. Of course, it was impossible, but she was sure his tantrum was loud enough to be heard outside her quarters in the Thendorian court.

"You will find her..." he screeched but Senna interrupted him with a jolting snap of a Manashape of her own.

"I will do nothing!" She insisted determinately, causing Quattor to blink in momentary surprise at her unexpected assertiveness against him. "Large sections of my network has already started to collapse as everyone is shutting themselves off, and I do not have the Mana reserves to fight my way..."

"What else are you going to do?" Quattor sneered when he recovered from his initial shock. "Hide in a hole and fuck your days away?"

"That is exactly what you have done!" Senna sneered at him in return.

"Remember: I am four and you are..." Quattor started to play his usual trump card, but this time Senna scoffed at him even before he completed reminding her of his authority over her.

"Oh, shut up!" she snapped, moulding Mana with a dismissive wave of her hand. "From now on, you are on your own!"

Quattor's spectre disintegrated even as she spoke. But immediately his presence returned, more powerful and furious than ever before. Despite knowing better, she cast her will against his to block him from reconnecting. She felt his fury increase tenfold at that and his strength threatened to overwhelm her. She swore as she realized that, with Quattor in a murderous state, things had gone from bad to worse for her. She felt his presence reconnect, but this time he was searching for her exact location to open a portal to her and teach her a lesson she would not forget.

For a moment she considered allowing him through so that he could deal with the Whites who were undoubtedly on their way to her after his shouting, while she could make her escape. It had worked when she escaped her palace where the Nacre Tower now stands... but no. She did not know exactly when the Whites were going to be coming for her, and best not risk Quattor following her to her new hiding place. Not daring to think again about what she was about to do, she severed her connection with the Circulus Dominii. She screamed at the painful loss of her connection with the Aetherfontesae, but her former ally's presence also faded to a dull annoyance and allowed her to focus on her escape again. It had been a stupid, desperate move from her for she lost much of her demonic strength and skill as a result, but not all. She had not cut her ties with Barathrum itself as that would have killed her as effectively as her original ally. So she was still a demon, still immortal and dangerously powerful, just lesser now. But she was out of options, she told herself. Had she remained linked to the old Bloodhand treaties, Quattor would have been able to trace her with ease wherever she went and that was an encounter she did not want to suffer.

She touched the full cuplaether necklace she had around her neck as she considered her next move. Her skill with portals had come from the Aetherfontes, so she doubted she would be able to escape the peninsula with one as she originally planned. She should, however, be able to get out of the city at least, though it will...

Senna yelped in fright when there was an urgent knocking on the door.

"Fucia, darling?" the confused voice of King Loburt filtered through the closed door. "Are you okay? I heard you scream..."

"Not now, dearie!" Senna called back worriedly but swore once more when the door was unlocked with a soft click. Suddenly, she wished she had never allowed the king to have a real copy of her room's key. It had made only sense earlier, but now she could not afford to be distracted yet again.

"But my darling," the king whined, sounding more like a frightened child than the ageing ruler of a powerful kingdom as he entered her room. Whimpering, he stepped up to her, seemingly noticing the mess in the room only enough not to trip over something. "I am worried about you! I thought those mean court wizards had come found you already!"

The king reached out to give her a reassuring hug, though if it was for his benefit or hers, not even he was sure. Senna yelped startled and moved gracefully out of his reach. When she received news of Ikessa's betrayal, she had swapped her full shapeshift for a less expensive illusion and as such her wings and horns would easily be felt were he to embrace her. Her mood dropped even lower when the king smirked, redoubling his efforts to catch her as he apparently thought she was merely playing hard to get.

"What do you mean? What do the old fools want with me?" she said calmly, pretending to be surprised even though she was in a near state of panic. If the Whites on the peninsula were already informed of her, the Circle of Five had moved faster than she had ever seen them do before. She could not stay any longer!

"I heard them arguing amongst themselves," King Loburt stated, exclaiming in victory as he finally caught her wrist. Without a thought, he encircled her in a fierce, passionate hug as he continued to speak to her. "There have been terrible accusations levelled against you. They asked me where you were, and I said you had gone to your favourite spot in the garden." When she tried to speak, he silenced her with a passionate kiss.

"But I don't believe them!" the king insisted when she finally managed to pull her mouth away from his. "I really don't!" His hands roamed down her back as he embraced her passionately, inevitably finding her wings. But instead of being shocked at feeling the appendages he could not see, his mind was too far gone and his lust too powerful to care. "But don't worry, I'll protect you. I am the king, they have to do what I say. They simply have to. I am the king! I really am!"

Senna hissed in annoyance as the king fondled her wings, either not realizing or caring what he was rubbing. Her own passion was rising sharply, the curse she had taken up when she vowed her loyalty to the god of Barathrum now coming back to strike her low. But unlike most of the other demons, she was acutely aware of her weakness and unlike them, did not pretend it was no issue. As such, she could fight the insentient urges for a while when it was truly needed.

With a simple thought, she moulded a single Manashape. Though her Mana reserves were extremely precious now and her skill vastly diminished, this was a Shape she had often used even when she was widely feared in the Golden Age, one that was deceptively simple for its effectiveness. The king of Thendor had been a great tool to her when he still had true power, and once his political strength had been spent, he had been a great toy. But now, he was a great stumble-block.

"Sorry, dear, but I don't have time for a quickie right now!" she smirked as the king started to choke on his own breath. "But thank you for the warning."

The king collapsed to his knees and Senna regarded him with a dispassionate glance. Killing him with Mana might not have been the best option, the traces of magic will be detectable long enough for the Whites to find. But she didn't have many other options here either. With a bit more effort, she opened her portal to a random vineyard outside the city, yelping in surprise when one of the old vines was destroyed and collapsed into her room.

There were a series of urgent shouts from down the hall and with a furious snarl, she grabbed her travel bag and stepped into obscurity again as the heart of King Loburt XXVIII of Thendor finally gave out.

***

"That still does not change the fact that I AM NOT A GOD!" Gullivarth rumbled annoyed, stepping from the Aetherfontes and dislodging a bit of Aether from the tip of his tail with a violent flick as if it was worthless sludge. "I am just... rather powerful!" The great dragon stepped clear of the Aetherfontes, careful not to break any more of the large crystals before he sat down on his haunches. As he spoke, the resonance of languages faded into obscurity, leaving him speaking in a flawless common without the sigmatism, lambdacism or rhoticism of the other dragons. "I am merely a Theos, a servant of the Divus of this world... Nixoruma I believe you call him these days."

"Her name is not Nixoruma?" Felicity asked astounded, blinking up at the dragon as he checked the condition of his scales and made sure he had no more Aether clinging to him.

"Oh, right, you consider the God of this world to be female at the moment, now I remember," Gullivarth replied absentmindedly, licking at a stray patch of Aether that was still stuck to the inside of his one foreleg. "Fair enough I assume, given her preferences from time to time."

"She is not female?" Felicity asked astounded, still unable to grasp how anything can talk about a God in such a casual way.

"You really don't understand the divines, do you?" Gullivarth asked, finally turning his attention onto the vixen as he leaned in to frown disapprovingly at her before suddenly smirking deviously. "Don't worry, it is impossible to do so with the understanding of only the mortal realm." He suddenly sat up straight again, smiling broadly at her. "You see, Felicity of Terreniel and daughter of Emeara the Wise, there is not anything like male and female in the spirit realm beyond the veil. True, we Theosae prefer to identify with one or the other, but that is because we started existence as such, and it is easier to remain with what is familiar. So, I am strictly speaking not male anymore, though if you were to look for yourself at this moment, you will find all the necessary bits to make me masculine present and fully functional. The Divae on the other hand were never male nor female. Nixoruma merely likes to identify herself mostly with the female side of nature. And you must understand that her name, her whole being as such, is quite a bit more complex than something that translates roughly into something that merely resembles the phrase 'To Lean Upon' from a dead language, you know.

"But we can spend all eternity trying to describe the spirit realm and you will still be left confused!" the dragon announced as if he had won the argument, smirking broadly down at the vixen who still could only gape at him. With a huff, he got up and started to head determinedly towards the tunnel. "So, let's rather get to why I'm here in the first..."

"Gullivarth, sir!" Gahntuar yelped in shock when the great black dragon stepped forward, completely ignoring the line of shimmering stones that indicated where it was safe and where not. "Please remain within the marked stones. We have not yet..."

But it was too late. On barely his second step, Gullivarth ignited a Triggerrune beneath his one front paw. Everyone gasped as the Mana flashed, a few closest to the great dragon diving out of the way as fast as they could. Gullivarth on the other hand merely looked down at where the Mana was flickering like cold fire between his toes. He gave an irritated sigh and with a mental push, the Theos cast his will against the magical trap which disintegrated with an audible pop.

For a moment, Merec was surprised that the big dragon had not used Mana to destroy the trap, but then with an awkward grunt, he realized that this was, after all, a dragon.

"We have not yet cleared out much of the ruins, to be honest, sir!" Gahntuar stated, though his voice came out in a slightly awkward squeak. "Traps like that are still all over the place and I am told it is slow work to make sure a section is truly safe."

"Of course," Gullivarth nodded in deep thought. "Manamorphosis is still deemed illegal outright, I remember now." He suddenly smirked and turned his attention back to the larger part of the Aetherfontes Hall. "Then, I guess this cavern will be as good a location as any to start clearing out this place!"

This time, Gullivarth did mould a large, complex Manashape. He worked quickly and even before the magi in the room realized what was happening, he had formed and ignited his shape and five more rune traps flickered to life. They glowed ominously for a moment before, with another mental push from the great dragon, they disintegrated as well.

"Now then, shall we go?" Gullivarth smirked, turning back to the tunnel as if nothing special had happened.

"Did he just... mould Mana?" Merec asked Felicity with a soft gasped, watching in astonishment as the big black dragon's croup passed by him. But as soon as he voiced his question, Gullivarth stopped and whirl around to glare the human down. The stare was so intense that even Gahntuar crouched worriedly with his tail tucked between his legs.

"Ah, yes!" Gullivarth rumbled as he considered the human. "Roccan'hir Merec... of Corrumwhell! Son of John, son of Marrek, son of Albert, son of John, son of Albert of Perston, son of Grahame the Bold!..." The big scary dragon tapped the scar that ran across his snout ominously. "The same Grahame who was the head of the Dragonslayers of Thendor, and who was the only mortal who managed to have wounded me during my time as King of the dragons!"

"I... am sorry?" Merec stated carefully, not sure how to respond to the accusation of something he was not even aware of.

"Why?" Gullivarth suddenly asked, his threatening composure evaporating completely as he smirked like a naughty hatchling who had managed to pull off the best prank of his life. "You are not the one to have given me this scar, and he paid dearly enough for his trouble." He licked conspicuously at the side of his muzzle, his tongue lingering in view for a bit longer than was necessary as he showed off his dangerous array of teeth. But then, that jovial demeanour disappeared again. The great dragon looked at the human with a serious gaze that was unlike anything they had seen from him in the short time he had been there. "You, on the other wing, have chosen to stand by my great-grandson's side regardless of the times, be they prosperous or troubled. You have fixed one of my greatest mistakes, and for that, I am truly grateful!"

With that, Gullivarth leaned in to give the startled human a very affectionate nuzzle.

"You... are welcome?" Merec replied, now even more unsure of how to respond as he patted the purring black snout carefully

"I'm looking forward to conversing with you and Gahntuar here a little bit later," Gullivarth stated with a genuine smile, pulling away again and giving them a wink before he became very business-like again. "But first we have something else to focus on!" He continued to speak in a light-hearted but still somewhat serious manner as he started to walk towards the exit again. "To answer your question: Yes, I moulded Mana like any mortal magus just now, despite being a dragon. But remember, I am no longer only a dragon. I am a Theos, with the authority of Nixoruma at my back. Absolute power over all the forces of this world has been given to me, and that includes Mana. As is the case with those demons Procellerus had accepted as his Theosae... Are you coming?"

"So, you are here to kill the last of the Juinkarr demons?" Audenier chirped excitedly as he bounded after the big dragon, like a hatchling following his sire out on his first hunt.

"Audenier, right?" Gullivarth growled, turning to frown at the excitable blue drake. "Remind me, what did you just say about me a few moments ago, while I was just starting to come through the Aetherfontes?"

"I was... er, well, you see," Audenier stammered. By now, no one was falling for the angry stare from the big dragon anymore, but the contents of the question did have the blue drake more than a little flushed. "I was... expressing my admiration of... er, of your..." Audenier's mind encountered a headwind through which he could not fly, and though he tried not to, he still found himself glancing back at the great dragon's haunches. Gullivarth burst out laughing in delight and Audenier admitted defeat with a crest wilted in shame. "I am sorry."

"No harm, I guess!" Gullivarth chuckled as he started walking down the tunnel again. "Just be mindful of what you say, it might come back to bite you." Gahntuar yelped in shock when Gullivarth's tail flicked against his chest. "That goes especially for you as well! Respect your origin, as it were!"

"Yes, sir!" Gahntuar growled, glaring around at Merec on his back. The human was studying the stone wall beside him, his face pulled into a forced frown as he tried not to smirk at the comment he so often used against his friend.

"So, young Audenier," Gullivarth rumbled again. "I am here to help you move into your new home and to make sure that some people from the west of the Curndors do not try to wrestle what has been given to you away from you. If the Red Magi were to get this Tower, and believe me they are going to pester you to hand it over, the Circle of Five will shatter long before its due time."

"You would defy the Circle of Five?" Aerhin gasped worriedly, the history lessons of when this very dragon smashed through everything Selebore of the previous Age could throw at him.

"Most definitely, Aerhin, son of Alwin!" Gullivarth stated, not breaking his stride. "Are the elves themselves not doing the same thing right now?"

"We do challenge their direct authority over us," the elf stated quickly, "but we do recognize their position in civilization as a whole."

"Ah, I understand now what bothers you," Gullivarth replied, glancing back at the elf for a moment. "I did not mean to suggest that I'm going to attack them should they try to take Juinkarr. Despite my convictions when I was a mortal, the Circle was very important during the First Age and even today it has its role to play. Annoying as it may be, that includes the Corel Tower who has important functions to fulfil that no other Tower can. But the Circle is stumbling over decisions and traditions which have no place in the world of today anymore. For instance, this Manashape..." The dragon moulded his shape again, allowing it to hang in front of his snout long enough for those who could sense it to feel it properly. Then, it ignited and another rune-trap some five yards in front of them lit up. Gullivarth gave an annoyed snort as he broke it without hesitation. "...is, in fact, a Manamorphosis spell which assists in illuminating moulded Mana. It is quicker and much more effective than trying to feel for the presence of moulded Mana, but despite the serious need this world has for it, it is deemed as strictly illegal by the Circle regardless of its use. Yet without it, we will not be able to prepare Juinkarr in time. Luckily, I do not stand under the authority of the Circle and there has to come a time when it should be the same for the Lúgroccae."

"But we do have to be accountable to someone!" Merec replied quickly. "If we are not, what will stop us from viewing ourselves as the intended rules of Selebore and trying to take command over the whole continent?"

"There is wisdom in those words, I agree," Gullivarth replied with a thoughtful nod of his head. "I was talking about the very distant future. Right now, when you are to return to the Circle it should be as a tower in your own right! Not as an affiliate organization to one of the existing structures. But I'd suggest that you don't try to push for independence just yet, though. Everything does have its time and place."

"So those annoying prophecies were true, then?" Gahntuar muttered, casting Felicity an annoyed glare. "I am to close that stupid circle one day?"

At that, Gullivarth burst out laughing again.

"No, my little one!" the big dragon smirked back at his offspring. "You already have! The moment you agreed to that non-aggression pact with the local orc tribe, the circle had closed. Those annoying prophecies as you call them, have been fulfilled! From those seen by the goblin shamans to the one your father saw at your hatching!"

"My... what?" Gahntuar gasped, but Gullivarth only smirked back at him.

"But the demons are still out there," Merec countered worriedly, looking up at the dragon Theos as if he was making an inappropriate joke.

"I said that the prophecies are fulfilled," Gullivarth stated solemnly, the sudden drop in his mood worrying everyone. "I did not say that your fight is over. Far from it, to be honest: The final battle of this war is coming for you, and sooner than you think. It is, in fact, unavoidable now! But what is going to happen in the next few weeks, not even I can tell for sure. And Nixoruma is not intent on sharing with me."

"Why not?" Gharavhan asked with an upset rumble. "Surely, now that you are here, you help us can fight those demons!"

They exited the tunnel and were immediately confronted with the cluster of statues that had once been bright-eyed trainees, excited for what the future in the Lúgroccae might hold.

"Young Gharavhan," Gullivarth stated softly, his features dropping even further as he looked at the statues. "You have my divine promise that I will assist where I can, but I may not move directly against those you call demons just yet. If they were to attack me first, it will be another matter… but I may not strike them nor bait them into attacking me. As I am a Theos of Nixoruma, they are Theosae of Procellerus, the Divus of Barathrum."

"But I do not understand!" Edward groaned, not very pleased with the revelation the dragon-god sprung on them just now. "Surely, as guardian is it not your duty to destroy them?"

"The duty of a Theos is more complex than granting wishes and changing the world to meet the expectations of the mortals who worship them, Edward, son of General Charles of Erethan!" Gullivarth rumbled, sounding for the first time truly unimpressed. "More often than not, mortals have to live through terrible circumstances and pass through the 'valley of sorrow and ruin' to prepare us for unavoidable challenges or to deliver us to true prosperity."

At that, he turned to glare specifically at Gahntuar. But the Lúg'hir only growled upset to himself and purposefully turned his gaze away as he puffed a plume of smoke at the painful memory.

"Flying through a worthy life is more fighting headwinds than fair gliding," Gullivarth continued sternly before he gave something like a defeated sigh. "It is more complicated than this, but the truth is that when my son abdicated to the Alliance of Light, Procellerus was not impressed. He had after all given life to all living things that originated in Barathrum, and he viewed it as a great betrayal at the time. However, since Lunintur had been conceived through the means of this world and had been hatched in Epangelia, I thought that his fate should be decided by Nixoruma instead. So even from within Barathrum Proper, I prayed to Nixoruma, begging her for assistance to save him and those he led. And as you can guess, she answered my prayer and I in turn was assigned as Theos in her name to watch over all dragons." He turned a sharp eye towards the wolf who had challenged his position just now and Edward shuddered reflexively at the gaze that hid no mirth. "Now, it is important to understand that, even though I have been given life by Procellerus, I am a Theos to Nixoruma. Similarly, the demons were given life by Nixoruma, but they act as Theosae to Procellerus. So, if I were to strike at any of them directly or bait them into attacking me, my agreement with Nixoruma to protect the dragons will become null and void. I can destroy the demons for you, but it will cost you the lives of your dragons. Will you be willing to pay such a price?"

"NO!" all the riders snapped in unison, and the slightest flicker of a smile crossed Gullivarth's features. Not one of humour, but of receiving a satisfying reply. But it did not last long as a thought occurred to him which seemed to cause him pain.

"I will never ask of Gahntuar to accept such a thing!" Merec stated vehemently.

"I know," the dragon Theos replied before the Roccan'hir could work himself up. He allowed himself a small smile for their benefit before he turned to clear out the room of magical traps. This time, however, he did not allow them to gape at the traps, but he broke them apart even as they lit up. Merec wasn't sure if it was to get past the painful group of statues or to hide something else, but he did notice one of the eight traps that flashed to life was well within the area the magi had deemed safe earlier.

"That is why I was eager to become the Theos of the Lúgroccae as well," Gullivarth continued nonchalantly as he stepped forward again.

"You... what?" Merec gasped, shocked as he blinked at the large dragon. But Gullivarth ignored him, stepping up quickly to the statues with his head bowed in respect and touching each of the four youngsters' heads with the tip of his snout. He uttered a mournful whine as he pulled away again, still bowing his head in sorrow as he muttered a silent prayer.

"Is there... anything that could be done for them?" Charl dared to ask when the big dragon lifted his head again to look at the group of statues.

"I am very powerful, but not all-powerful, Charl!" Gullivarth whined, not looking back as the other dragons came to stand around him. "The power of life and death has not been granted to me, and never will be. There is no way to earn life, or the gift of life either. This has been laid down by the Great Creator at the dawn of existence and is a hard fact that cannot be changed. You see, all life, mortal or eternal, is a gift shared only by the Divae, and only to whom they chose, as they chose!" His snout reached out to touch the nearest of the statues again, but then he thought better of it and with a determined huff, he turned away from them. "Their fate is in the hands of Nixoruma alone now. I can restore the flesh, I can even restore the functions of the body, but the souls have already departed, and the resulting creatures will only be a cruel mockery of life!" He growled and with a sorrowful look at Merec, he added as an afterthought, "As I fear you will one day find out yourselves."

"Please restore their flesh then!" Gahntuar decided, having not noticed the look the Theos had given Merec as he was busy looking back at the statues. "I will not have them remain something to be gawked at... they deserve a proper funeral."

"In time," Gullivarth stated as he walked briskly towards the door, eager to feel the touch of Nixoruma's sun on his scales again. "But first, we need to make this ruin is liveable again!"

"But... how can we stand against these demons?" Jerielle asked worriedly, as she trotted after the larger dragon.

"Do not despair, young Jerielle!" Gullivarth said with a smile, but one that didn't seem to reach his eyes. "Even in the darkest of nights, there is always hope. Look, the saints from the Age of Legends were normal mortals like yourselves. And yet, they found the strength of faith to stand up against Juinkarr of old. As you know, some succeeded spectacularly and others... less so. But trust in the commitment of your friends and know that you depend on Nixoruma's love. Great sacrifices still have to be made, but I know you will see this through, and whatever the conclusion may be, I will be proud of you!"

***

Despite knowing it was safe, Felicity flinched with each step she took as she walked up the flight of black stone stairs which led up to the entrance to Juinkarr's Citadel. Yes, the ruins had been cleared of all traces of magical defences, taking the weird dragon who had crawled through the Aetherfontes only the afternoon to accomplish what the Circle of Five would have needed a year or more to do. And yes, though there were no more traps here, it was still a dangerous place and Merec and the others of the Lúgroccan Counsel were planning an assault on the dangerous flora as if they were invading the Shadowlands itself. But it still felt... wrong for her to simply walk around the broken buildings as if nothing was amiss.

With a sigh, she reached the top of the stairs and quickly hurried across the small courtyard to where the large doors of Juinkarr hanged crocked on their hinges as if worried she would be spotted. She had the distinct impression that the great dragon did not want anyone to snoop around the main tower, ordering even Gahntuar not to enter it without his explicit permission. He had even gone so far to keep everyone out, that he only cleared the main foyer of the tower. And the very top floor of the section that was still intact as a resting place for himself. So, she knew it was not a smart idea to be here, yet here she was! Against her better judgement, not even sure herself what she was hoping to find.

The opportunity to sate her curiosity probably proved too good to pass up, she decided as she laid a hand on the rusted, cast iron door. She gasped startled as her hand made contact, and a strange sense of achievement washed over her. Never had she thought she would be standing here and live to tell about it as well! The vixen grunted as she craned her head up to look at the large frame, and the disturbing architecture of the main tower of Juinkarr up close. Even though the sense of lurking evil and impending doom was gone, she still shuddered at the remaining oppressive aura of the building. When her haze fell across the decorative sculptures of deformed creatures, writhing as if in agony, she snorted in disgust and averted her eyes.

'This place needs more than just being fixed up!' she decided as she peered through the doors. Her curiosity was pulling her further into the Citadel, and with a deep breath, she stepped into the dark abyss. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the gloomy interior, but when she could see somewhat again, she snorted in surprise to find Gullivarth there. The large dragon was sitting on his haunches, holding a random, oblong lump of basalt he seemed to have picked up outside from amongst the building rubble in one forepaw as he inspected the rock.

A Bloodbat squealed from deeper with the tower and the dragon looked around for a moment, mimicking the sound exactly in reply. Whether he was talking to the feral Shadowspawn or simply amusing himself, Felicity did not know for sure. One thing was certain though, the dragon Theos did not seem to be very worried about the other, less intelligent Shadowspawn like the Bloodbats or even the carnivorous plants. In fact, he had left the Lúgroccae in charge of doing the final clearing out of Juinkarr. Instead, there was something else on the big drake's mind and the vixen was not sure if that irritated or scared her.

Gullivarth grinned to himself in amusement when the bats squealed a reply and he returned his attention to the rock in his paw. Felicity started taking a step back, not wanting to be caught trespassing. But then with barely a thought, the dragon moulded a simple Manashape causing the stone to levitate in front of his snout. While the dragon held his first spell, he cast a second, much more complicated Manashape that dissolved the stone into a sphere of hot goo which glowed like steel in a blacksmith's forge. Felicity failed to suppress a gasp of complete shock when Gullivarth moulded and ignited his second Manashape without letting go of the first. In all her years as a magus, she had never heard of simultaneous casting, yet here this dragon was levitating the stone with one shape and smelting it with a second. Then he commanded the ball of melted stone to divide into three spheres with a third Manashape even as he still fed Mana to the first two!

"Do you usually lurk about in the shadows like that?" Gullivarth suddenly asked, letting go of the second and third Manashape whilst immediately igniting a fourth. As the three stone spheres solidified, the larger two spheres were cast into a dark shiny, dark-blue material the vixen did not recognize. Then, with a final spell, he brought the stones together again and as he finally allowed the first spell to gently ease off, the three stone spheres lowered into the two awaiting forepaws of the dragon.

"I... I wasn't..." Felicity stammered, looking around as if expecting the big drake to have addressed someone else. She finally gave up trying to excuse her presence with a huff. "I'm not even sure what I'm doing here!"

"Why don't you come and join me then?" Gullivarth asked patiently, not in the least perturbed by her trespassing. That set alarm bells off in the vixen's mind, and she glared suspiciously at the dragon as he inspected his magical forging work. Seemingly satisfied with the result, he discarded the smallest sphere, letting the ball that was still normal stone roll off into the gloom to be forgotten.

"Did you... summon me?" Felicity growled upset, now more aware of the intense desire to go sit by the big reptile and watch him perform the most amazing work of magic she had ever seen.

"Maybe," the dragon smirked, momentarily looking over at her. He returned his attention to the equally sized stones in his paws, crooning to himself in delight as he inspected them one last time.

"That is illegal!" Felicity hissed upset, forcing her entire will to turn away from the dragon. However, it turned out to be so easy to do that she nearly fell over instead.

"If you say so," Gullivarth sighed with exaggerated disappointment and the desire to go sit by the dragon evaporated completely. "But," he suddenly added as he set one of the stones down and glanced at her sideways from across the bridge of his snout, "I find it much easier to get someone to come to me this way than to get someone else to go look for the first someone and deliver a message, wouldn't you agree?"

"It is still wrong to mess with someone's mind!" Felicity snapped upset.

"Oh, don't worry," he stated quickly, returning his attention to the sphere, "it is nothing like compelling or even the summoning you thought of just now!" For a moment, he was silent as he started to carve a set of runes with a claw into the surface of the ball he was holding in his paw.

"What do you mean?" Felicity asked, intrigued despite herself to see the dragon using yet another Manashape lift a precise slither of stone out of the surface wherever he traced his claw.

"I did not touch your free will in any way," Gullivarth explained patiently, examining his rune work before he started to add a few more runes on top of the existing ones. "Nixoruma would have called me back immediately if I had."

"What did you do then?" Felicity asked. Despite herself, she stepped closer to the dragon and she watched him put the second layer of runes across the surface of the stone, absolutely intrigued with his work.

"I just made you aware that your presence is required here," the dragon rumbled, adding a third layer of runes to the stone. "You experienced it as a deep curiosity to come here for yourself. You could have come later if you had something else to do that was important, or not at all if you were so inclined. I thought you would come later to be honest, as I'm not nearly ready yet. I never realized you were such an inquisitive creature."

"I'll definitely be keeping that in mind next time!" the vixen growled. "That was a nasty trick!"

"If you say so," Gullivarth admitted, sparing a moment from his rune work to smirk knowingly at her. "But we Theosae use it all the time to nudge events this way or that. Have you never considered where that feeling of deep unease about a dodgy deal, or a sense of commitment to a strange pair of friends may come from?"

"Wait, that was you?" Felicity gasped, blinking at him in surprise. When Gullivarth looked over to her questioningly, she elaborated. "I mean, years ago when I first encountered Merec and Gahntuar by the Bloodstorm Memorial, I felt I had to stick with them for a while. Was it you... nudging me to follow them?"

"No!" Gullivarth scoffed, holding up the stone he was working on for a final inspection. With a satisfied nod, he placed it to one side and reached for the other to start the process all over again. "That was Theos Thelma... I had an equine from the Nacre Tower in mind... " Felicity could only gape at him when he smirked down at her again. "But I'm glad that I did listen to the old vixen saint though. Anyway, now that you are here, why not join me for a moment. I promise this won't take that long!"

"Maybe I should go," Felicity stated, more just to spite him than a real desire to get away from this creature. But she had a real interest in what he was doing and maybe she could learn a thing or two. That shape with which he had cut the runes seemed simple enough that she was already considering trying it out herself.

"I'm not forcing you to stay here, but it may be best to remain behind as I will be calling upon you shortly," Gullivarth admitted a little distractedly as he studied the runes on the second stone. "Though I'd suggest you stay out of the rest of the tower for the moment... I've only cleared out this hall, and don't want someone to go snooping around before all of this is said and done."

"Are there secrets you want to keep hidden here?" Felicity asked accusingly, folding her arms as if she was scolding a child.

"Nothing naughty, if that was what you were thinking!" Gullivarth stated with a smirk. He picked up the two spheres and held them side by side to compare each one closely. "I still have a few uses for these traps, to be honest. Like wanting to keep the Red magi in check when they come here."

"The Reds?" Felicity asked surprised, looking questioningly at him. "Do they have a new exploring party on their way here?"

"Not yet," the dragon stated mysteriously, rumbling to himself in satisfaction and with a nod to himself, he put the two spheres to the side. "But that is what I need to talk to you about. The rest of the Circle of Five."

"Okay, you've got my interest," Felicity admitted, finally sitting down cross-legged next to him to watch him play with his balls. Gullivarth hummed a forgotten tune as he started to sort out the slithers of stone he had cut from the spheres and before long, the mystery of what he was making became too much for the ever-curious vixen to bear.

"What are you doing?" she finally asked.

"Making a set of portalstones..." the dragon replied nonchalantly.

"You're what?" the magus gasped dubiously, blinking up at the dragon again as if he had lost his mind. "No one remembers how to make those anymore! And the fragments of records that did survive indicate that it was an arduous task that took several days! And it had to be done on by various magi from different schools... And anyway, we do not have the necessary resources..."

Her arguments died on her tongue as Gullivarth moulded an incredibly intricate Manashape and allowed it to sink into one pile of stone slithers. Before the astonished vulpine's eyes, the stone morphed into flawless segments of jet.

"If you say so..." Gullivarth rumbled amused, turning his attention to another pile of slithers and casting them to amber.

"H-How did you do that?" Felicity gasped, pointing a shaking finger at the pieces of what was now organic semiprecious stones. "Casting is not just done like that! Sure, from organic to inorganic is easy relatively speaking, but the reverse is... is near impossible."

"If you say so..." Gullivarth agreed, but then cast the remainder of the slithers to ivory.

"Will you stop saying that!" Felicity snapped frustrated, her exasperation only intensifying when the dragon smirked down at her again.

"Then stop arguing about what is and what is not!" he stated jovially as he retrieved one of his balls and started to slot the segments of semiprecious stones back into the groves from which they were originally cut.

"You are rather... playful for a Theos, I think," Felicity decided, glaring at the dragon who didn't seem to have a care in the world, other than the project he was currently working on.

"If you say so..." Gullivarth replied, turning the one stone over and confirming that all the pieces were in their right places again.

"I do!" the vixen snapped angrily, causing the dragon to laugh as he moulded a Binding shape to fix everything together again into one, unified structure. "This is not the image I had of Gullivarth Nigrum Rex, the King of dragons!"

"You probably have a point there," Gullivarth finally agreed with her for real. "I was all grumpy business back in the days I lay waste Selebore. I was effective, yes, but I wasn't truly happy. But being forced back to Barathrum Proper, I learned that it is worthwhile to try and enjoy the lighter side of life." He smirked and leaned in conspiratorially towards her. "Lifts the spirit and makes you less grumpy."

Still smirking, he placed the one portal stone down and picked up the second to replace its inlays as well.

"What do you intend to use the portalstones for?" Felicity asked curiously as she watched him work.

"What are portalstones usually used for?" Gullivarth asked, laughing in delight when Felicity only glared at him in response. "Fine! As soon as I passed through the Aetherfontes I became somewhat mortal again, with somewhat mortal limits. True, like the demons I am technically immortal unless struck down by a weapon, I am extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of magic, I am immensely powerful and can handle great amounts of Mana before even risking a Manaburn. But like everything in the mortal realm, I do have my limits. Annoying at it may be!"

"So, the demons are not infallible?" Felicity asked hopefully. "They can be beaten?"

"Of course!" Gullivarth snapped, genuinely surprised by her statement. "Was four of the seven not destroyed at the end of the Age of Legends?" He smiled more reassuringly at her when she pulled her ears down in embarrassment and continued in a softer tone of voice. "But returning to the issue at hand, the fact remains that I cannot build up this place in time for what is coming. We need help, more than I can provide on my own. And we need it fast."

Gullivarth rumbled again in satisfaction as he inspected the final shape of the portalstones

"War is coming and to underestimate any of the demons would be folly!" he continued, setting the stones aside again to look seriously at her. "They all have their weaknesses, but they are still extremely powerful in their own right, more than they realize even."

"More?" the vixen asked worriedly.

"If they had not been so focused on serving their own ideals, they would have realized much more of their power!" Gullivarth admitted, retrieving one of the portal stones again. "I know that in the Second Dark Age which is yet to come, they will do exactly that and as such, their rule over Selebore will last for over two thousand years. The 'Eternal Night' it will be known as, even though like everything in this world it will one day come to its own end."

"A Second... Dark...?" Felicity stammered, blinking up at him, unsure if she should believe him or not. Finally, she decided to challenge his knowledge again. "So, if you are so knowledgeable about the gods, tell me this! Why is Procellerus doing this? Why is Nixoruma not more active in resisting him?"

Gullivarth had started to mould a Manashape, but he allowed it to disintegrate as he turned to regard her.

"You dare to continue with our discussion from yesterday?" he asked with a serious frown. Then, with a sigh, he put the stone he was working on down for a moment. "Very well. I guess it cannot hurt to tell you a little bit. But please, don't go announcing it to the whole world. It might cause... undesirable issues if it were to become known to the wrong people beforehand!"

When the vixen nodded eagerly, he smirked and retrieved his ball.

"Why is this happening?" he repeated, examining the runes on the sphere again. "That is a good question to ask. Who can ever know the infinitely vast and complex minds of the Divae? The answer I can give you is but one facet to a larger, much more complex reason. But to try and explain... well, Procellerus and Nixoruma are... how to put this in a way you can understand? Lovers."

"They... what?" Felicity gasped in bewilderment.

"I don't know how it happened, or why exactly," Gullivarth quickly stated before the vixen could utter a better reply. "Opposites attract? Who can tell? It is not my business to ask and they sure are not interested in sharing their whole story. And it is their right!" Gullivarth stopped his explanation, concentrating a little more seriously this time round to form the most complex Manashape Felicity had ever encountered. In the second she had to study it before Gullivarth sunk it into his ball, it throbbed and pulsed as if with a life of its own and the vixen only succeeded to get a headache from it.

"The Great Creator usually does not encourage the Divae to... well, mate would be the closest concept you would understand of what happened!" Gullivarth continued, moulding yet another shape and sinking it into the sphere. "But he does not forbid it either, and the conflict you are experiencing is the interaction of the two lovers."

"So, we are seeing the creation of a new plane of being?" Felicity gasped in wonder.

"What?" Gahntuar yelped in shock, the vixen's statement shocking him so much that the shape he was working on disintegrated just before it was set into the stone. "No! How did that idea even come to mind?"

"Well, you said that the gods are mating!" the vixen accused the dragon. "So, doesn't that mean baby gods... or something..."

"No-no-no," Gullivarth growled, twisting the portal stone he was working on a few times around to examine his work before starting to mould his shape again. "You are looking at it from a mortal viewpoint again. Look, only the Great Creator can call forth any of the Divae and their realms. When the gods are... mating, as we are putting it now, they conceived something that is of both realms. Nothing more."

"Wait, you mean... the Aetherfontes?" Felicity gasped, frowning as she was suddenly much more aware of the flow of Mana coming from somewhere beneath them.

"Nearly," Gullivarth smirked. "The Aetherfontes are just where Procellerus's semen fell… IF you continue to use our image of mating. Remember that this action between the Divae are much more complex than sex as you know it... in fact, it may be more accurate to describe it as amoebas mating."

"Amoebas?" Felicity blinked. "What are those?"

"Never mind," Gullivarth grumbled, rubbing his snout in exasperation. "Those that know will understand. Rather consider this: Nixoruma is order, while Procellerus is chaos. So, when the two come together, you get... magic."

"Magic?" Felicity repeated thoughtfully. "You mean the Mana itself?"

"No, magic as in all of it!" Gullivarth added patiently. "The Mana, the Aetherfontes and Aetherecista and Aetheritera, the Shapes, the rules, the effects." He tapped her chest suddenly with a claw. "The events of how your life played out. Everything! So you see, the children of the divines are not something that should ever be worshipped, as you were wondering a moment ago. It is just new laws to the existing universes."

"Does... this happen often?" Felicity asked carefully, watching as the dragon create yet another Manashape without any serious effort it seemed. He was running through so many Shapes that it was starting to make her already aching head spin.

"What?" the dragon asked, sounding a little distracted.

"Sex between the gods?" Felicity admitted, pulling her ears back shyly at the phrase.

"Well, not that often but more often than you would imagine!" Gullivarth admitted with an excited croon. "I had my own time with Nixoruma myself, you know."

"You did what?" the vixen gasped, taken aback yet again by what the drake said. "Did-did you conceive with her as well?"

"Oh, yes!" the drake chirped happily as he looked down at her with a smirk. "We are very proud parents."

"What did you... er, sire then?" she dared to ask.

"Ever heard of the Lúgroccae?" he replied with a proud grin.

"What?" Felicity gasped, turning to look out the door as if she could see the dragons and riders she thought she know even now. "No way...!"

"There is much more to the bond between rider and dragon than the mere friendship they have experienced up to this moment," Gullivarth grinned, turning his attention back to the ball in his paws which he was turning over and over again. "As you will all soon find out, I believe. Nixoruma promised me it will manifest before the final battle for Juinkarr."

"And... what would that be?" Felicity asked.

"Telling would spoil the surprise..." Gullivarth stated mysteriously before he started to mutter to himself as he counted off the Shapes he had added to the portalstone with soft taps of his talon against the perfectly smooth surface. "Now let's see, 'Identifying way-points', 'Protection from altering of the way-points', 'Connection to another way-points', 'Receiving the link', 'Blocking of unwanted link', 'Cutting the veil', 'Protection against tearing the veil', 'Reinforcement of wormhole perimeter against collapse', 'Protection from the void', 'Access past the protective barrier of each Aetherfontes', 'Barrier against accidental Mana surges', 'Streamlining the wormhole within the Mana flow'... what am I missing?"

"So, if Nixoruma and Procellerus conceived magic together, what are they fighting about then?" Felicity asked confused.

"No, the linking of the stones has to be done simultaneously at the very end..." the dragon was muttering distractedly as she asked the question. He gave a surprised snort when he registered she had spoken and looked over to her with a slight frown. "Why are they what? Oh, right, the argument! You see, the idea I was trying to convey is that Nixoruma took on the female role as it were, so the effects of magic mostly manifested within her realm of Epangelia. And falling pregnant for all eternity with magic was a bit of a shock to Her, even though she knew it would happen. Things became even more complex when the various lifeforms started to interact with one another, and the mess we struggle with now is how Procellerus tried to win back attention. And not only her attention, but that of his children as well."

"Not the best approach to impress anyone, if you ask me!" Felicity grumbled. Gullivarth was about to comment when she held out her hands placatingly. "I know, I know... things are more complex than what I'm used to as a mortal, but still! I hope he won't succeed, to be honest."

"Actually, I think they worked out something, to be honest!" Gullivarth smirked mysteriously, setting down the stone he had been enchanting and reaching for the other. "They seemed happy together when I saw them recently."

"Happy?" Felicity snapped as if catching the dragon out on a lie. "But did you not just say that the Dark Age was the result of them fighting? And you mentioned that there will be another one to come still? You even admitted that Procellerus will destroy the dragons should you attack his precious demons."

"Beyond the Veil, time is... complicated!" Gullivarth replied as he started to enchant the other stone as well. "A mortal from another realm I once met described it once as something of a wibbly-wobbly mess."

"Try me!" Felicity hissed annoyed. Gullivarth allowed the shape he was working on to sink into the stone before he gave her a long, thoughtful look.

"Okay," the dragon drawled a bit, calling forth the next shape. "Following our metaphor of earlier, the Divae are mating and they chose that you will experience three of their copulations as three Dark Ages of Epangelia. Why like that… is their business. But as you can immediately tell, the problem we encounter now is when exactly timeless actions manifested in time-bound Epangelia. Such interactions are a bit vague, even to me who had seen eternity."

"I don't follow," Felicity whined with a frown.

"Of course you don't," the dragon smirked. "You have always been time-bound and never experienced eternity. Let's try explaining it like this then: A page is read from left to right, and from the top to the bottom. But when you write anything, nothing is preventing you from starting to write in the middle of the page before adding anything to the top. Likewise, we have stated that magic was conceived during one of the Dark Ages, but you know it already manifested itself centuries before the first came to pass."

"Right," the vixen drawled, understanding a little bit of what the dragon was trying to get to but still feeling overwhelmed. "And you know this for a fact."

"Facts are a little relative, I'm afraid when it comes to the Divae," Gullivarth smirked. "But I have seen it myself. And as for the 'Precious Demons' as you put it, the agreement that protects the dragons was made with the Great Creator as a witness. So even though Procellerus and Nixoruma are getting along now, it cannot be changed. Procellerus can still withdraw his protection of them, which means that I will be allowed to kill them myself. But as much as I would enjoy doing that, it is up to Nixoruma and Procellerus to decide."

"So, if you already know there is going to be three Dark Ages, how can you not tell what is going to happen in the next few weeks?" Felicity challenged the dragon yet again.

"When I returned to the mortal realm," the dragon started again with a sigh, sinking another Manashape into the second portalstone, "I became bound to time and its ever-changing whims again. Look, I know one of the surviving demons or a devout follower of theirs will begin that Second Dark Age we talked about. The Circle of Five will suffer an irrevocable collapse and the Lúgroccae will be annihilated at that time. These are unchangeable facts. Being more specific is problematic. For example, only one, three or five low-ranking Lúgroccae pairs will escape the fall of the Dragon Tower and they will play an important role in resisting the new Barathrum during what will become known as the 'Eternal Night'. These, however, are mere possibilities, uncertain but equally probable. It is equally probable that not a single Lúgroccan pair will survive the start of the 'Eternal Night' and that the new order will have to start from scratch again at the start of the Third Age. But that is not for you to worry about. For us, here and now, the question that remains to be answered is which of the three demons that yet lives it will be the one to destroy the Lúgroccae we know today: Will it be Quattor next week or so as he recaptures Juinkarr, or Septum in sixty years with the terrible devastation of the Undead Wars, or Senna just less than fifteen hundred years from now when she manages to turn the Circle of Five against one another in what will be known as the Great Collapse? Or will it be some random admirer of theirs whose name would not be remembered by history anytime in between?"

"That still doesn't answer my question!" Felicity growled upset. "Again, if you had seen it happen, how can you not know who will start it or when it will come to pass?"

"Wibbly-wobbly Timey-wimey..." Gullivarth muttered wing a dismissive wave of his one wing, though he failed to hide a smirk.

"Oh, forget it!" Felicity snapped defeated, crossing her arms like a chastised child and making the dragon laugh heartily.

"Let's try explaining it like this then:" the dragon smirked, consoling the vixen with a quick nuzzle. "As we are sitting here, all three possibilities will still happen. And in the greater spiritual realm, all three possibilities have already happened." He was silent, putting down the half-finished portalstone as he thought of a good metaphor to use. "Time... is like a rope being woven, I think. The past is fixed in place, while the future consists of various fibres of possibilities, collapsing into more specific yarns of probability, and collapsing then even further into strands of predictability. Only then does the event itself happen at its appointed time. But before that happens nothing is completely certain and even the surest prophecies from the most famous Foreshighters is never certain to come to pass. 'The future is not set in stone, the path we chose remain our own.'" Felicity looked up sharply at the dragon as he quoted the phoenix from long ago. "To complicate matters even more, what we chose to do with our own free will has consequences on which fibres or yarns or strands survive, even ones that do not influence our own future."

"Can't you then cut off yarns we don't want?" Felicity asked, her ears perking up in surprise when Gullivarth scowled at the idea.

"The Theosae sometimes do," he admitted carefully, "but that is dangerous work and should be left to the Divae who best knows how pruning a strand will affect the rest we want to keep! It happens more often than not that pruning a strand we don't want leads to the disintegration of the strand we need."

"If you say so!" Felicity grumbled, lifting the dragon's mood again and making him laugh.

"Good, you are learning!" he smirked, returning his attention to finishing the second portalstone. "But I did warn you that we can talk about the spiritual realm for eternity and if you had not experienced it yourself, you will still be left confused! "

"So, correct me if I'm wrong but both Divae are happy to allow these Dark Ages to come to pass?" Felicity questioned.

"For them, it already did happen!" Gullivarth reminded her. "Yes, they can chance things, but have decided not to."

"But why?" the vixen asked, feeling a little betrayed.

"The best advice there is not to argue with the choices of the Divae!" Gullivarth stated quickly. " Maybe they are pruning strands, who knows? They have reasons for their decisions we will never fully understand, even us who knows eternity somewhat. Just know they don't allow some things and deny others lightly. I kind of learnt that the hard way."

"Meaning?" Felicity prodded, but Gullivarth only shook his head.

"Story for another day, I think," he stated with a snort as his mood dropped, making it clear he did not want to talk about it.

"Do you regret mating with Nixoruma?" Felicity hazarded a guess, making the dragon snort in amusement.

"Not at all!" he rumbled quietly. "And I'm already looking forward to the other two times I have been promised with her."

"You...?" Felicity gasped, yet again surprised by the dragon's confessions. "A-and when will that be?"

"Easy, vixen!" Gullivarth smirked. "Allow me to finish my first time at least."

"You...?" Felicity gaped at him, unable to stop her gaze from gliding to his haunches.

"Yes, I'm busy mating with her right now!" the dragon grinned like a whelp who had caught his first prey.

"You don't look like it!" the vixen admitted.

"That is because you still think of it as sex mortals enjoy," Gullivarth replied a little annoyed. "It is only an analogy, remember. Yes, it is very similar: The fact that I am physically here in this realm with you is like me being crotch-to-crotch with Her right now. When She wills it, I will cum which will be seen by the mortals present at the time as a warm glow about my body. Then, our essences will combine to bring our children fully into their power."

"Right," Felicity frowned. "So, it if it not illicit sex with the goddess, then what is it that bothers you so much?"

"I said not now!" Gullivarth insisted determinedly, a small puff of smoke escaping his nostrils.

"You just don't intend to tell me!" the vixen accused the dragon, having failed to notice the warning sign that she was pushing him too far.

"No, I don't!" Gullivarth snapped, putting the nearly complete portalstone to the side to glare at the vixen. It was the first, serious look he gave and a sudden glow in his eyes made her shudder uncontrollably. She tried to look away from his gaze but found herself captivated by the angry flashing eyes, shocked to recognize a deep underlying pit of frustration and resentment he was hiding beneath the thin layer of his jovial exterior. At that moment, she knew that the dangerous Dragon King, who had nearly conquered all of Selebore only a few centuries prior was still very much alive within the creature next to her.

But then, Gullivarth broke eye contact first as he turned his full attention back to the project he was working on. "Let's just say I intervened too much in their plans once," he admitted with a defeated sigh, "and nearly killed my children as a result. Even now, I must give up many of them and it is a pain a have to bear! That is all I'll say about it as the details are not for you to know."

He gave her one last angry glare and Felicity shuddered at the raw power that gaze held. They were silent after that, Felicity keeping quiet for once as she watched the dragon complete a series of tasks that records agree would have taken the magi of the Golden Age a whole week to perform.

"So, back to the portalstones..." the vixen suddenly spoke again when the silence became too oppressive. She did cringe at the obvious attempt to change the topic, but with the dragon holding up the two stones to compare the result, it seemed like the best opportunity to break from the previous discussion. "What exactly do you intend to do with them? I mean, they will only open a portal between themselves and as long as they are both here, they are useless."

"That is true," Gullivarth replied still a little curtly, as he pushed the two stones together to cast the final link between them. "Which is where you now come in!"

"Me?" Felicity yelped worriedly.

"You have been sent along with the Lúgroccae to assist them wherever you can, as well as to report back to the Amber Tower on their whereabouts, am I correct?" the dragon smirked, his jovial veneer returning to cover his dark secret up.

"I guess so..." the magus admitted, more than a little worried about what the dragon was planning.

"Good!" Gullivarth announced with a toothy grin that was wider than was necessary. "Because I have a message for your Archmagus, and I will need your help to deliver it."

***

"I don't think I've ever seen the Ivory Tower in a hurry before!" Master Hurthor commented, the bovid looking about uneasily as they walked amongst the abandoned barracks buildings of the Lúgroccan headquarters. "They usually want to get all the possible facts and look at all the angles, whether they are relevant or not, before they even think of coming up with a solution."

"And then they usually try to find the solution that does the least in the end!" Archmagus Vicia agreed, grinning mischievously at her Vice Head-councillor.

"You said it, not me!" the bull stated quickly, holding up his hands as if in defence.

"Privileges of being Archmagus," the wolf next to him smirked. "But this is a private conversation and I'd appreciate it if what is said here is not repeated."

"Understood, ma'am!" the bovid quickly agreed with a nod of his head that made his large horns sway intimidatingly.

"Is that why we are here at the abandoned Dirt Tower?" Master Alund asked, pretending to joke though the equine was looking around unsurely. "To insult the rest of the Circle?"

"I wish," Vicia growled, the she-wolf's ear flicking nervously as she glanced around to make sure they were alone. There was one lone drake who had taken it upon himself to act as the groundskeeper of the old camp, and the two magi guards who had to accompany the triumvirate wherever they went, but all of them were well outside earshot and the Archmagus was confident that their discussion would remain confidential. "But I wanted to talk to you about the recent events with Felicity and the Lúgroccae, and especially her last report. These abandoned buildings seemed like a better place to discuss it than the Amber Tower itself where someone might just overhear us." She cleared her throat awkwardly before continuing. "It is those names we received from Felicity that has the Whites scrambling like this right now."

"But what about two names could rile the Ivory Tower up this much?" Alund asked, dropping his voice to a whisper along with his Archmagus's.

"Much of the history of the old Bloodhands had been lost with pretty much everything else during the Mana-flashback that started The Shattering," the wolf stated, looking around again. "But a few records remain, and both those names are specifically mentioned in arrest warrants of very high ranking Bloodhand leaders of the late Golden Age."

"What?" Hurthor gasped. "Who-who were they?"

"Well," Vicia started, leaning in closer to her confidants. "The first name, Leradde, is recorded as having been the crown prince of Naeve. As per the Bloodstorm treaty, he had to give up his birthright when he started displaying some serious skill with magic. The warrant indicates that he and a few like-minded nobles broke into the Sealed Library of the Golden Age, killed some fifteen magi and broke away from the Circle to form the initial group that would grow into the Bloodhands. But it is this Lady Fucia of Caraphelle that has the Ivory Tower especially worried."

"What was the charges laid against her?" Alund dared to ask.

"Espionage, assassination, sabotage, corruption, incitement," the Archmagus rattled off the items on a long list. "At the time of The Shattering, she was the Bloodhands's Master of Clandestine Operations, which is saying something. A side note indicates that she was a young lady of the court of Kentereal with a promising future. It appears that she seduced her mentor to never reveal her abilities with magic whilst secretly giving her magic lessons. As such, she used her skills to secretly further her agenda within her court until her original mentor died unexpectedly and she could not sway the new court wizard to her whims in time." Vicia snorted worriedly as she looked around again. "There is a particular warning that she is highly skilled in compulsion and has been practically unequalled in shapeshifting, allowing her to disappear on a moment's notice. Right now, someone fitting her name and description had been found in the Thendorian court. True, it might be a coincidence, but if it is not... it will mean that she is using her original name, which in turn suggests that she is unaware that we are onto her, hence the urgency. We may not get another chance like this to corner her again!"

"So, we can be sure that this draine they captured is indeed the Claw-of-the-Master?" Alund commented.

"Looks like it," Vicia agreed. "And the information looks to be accurate, at least as far as we can determine."

"So, there are three more demons out there, doing who knows what for four centuries!" Hurthor muttered, looking southeast in the direction of the always present threat of Juinkarr. He gave an involuntary shudder and deliberately averted his gaze. "Surely this should allow the Lúgroccae to come back here. Honestly, I don't know what Felicity was thinking, taking them to Juinkarr in the first place!"

"She was either brilliant or extremely foolish," the Archmagus agreed with a shake of her head. "I fear only time will tell which, though. But she intends to hide only in the shadow of Juinkarr and not go into the ruin itself, so I have to believe she had considered her actions carefully enough."

"Still, the sooner they are back here, the happier I'll be!" Alund announced, the equine taking a deep breath of fresh air and looking about the empty buildings as if the ordeal was over. "With demons out there looking to harvest them for reagents, we need to get them back here to safety as soon as possible! At least the other Towers will have no choice but to accept the Lúgroccae back."

"You would think that, wouldn't you!" the wolf replied with a rude snort. "Okay, the Ivory Tower wants to follow up on the lead on Lady Fucia's whereabouts before they will deal with the Lúgroccae question again, and I can definitely respect that. But now it is the Jet Tower who is advising caution not to provoke these demons into action. And the Corel Tower is livid about the fact that the Lúgroccae still exists. Things need to be done their way or not at all, and they actually placed a motion to have the three of us sequestered for disobeying a direct order by the Circle of Five!"

"You got to be kidding!" Alund gasped, glancing at his Archmagus to make sure he had heard correctly.

"Luckily, their threats did not lead to anything substantial, thanks to everything that is going on!" Vicia sighed. "But still, the disunity of the Circle worries me, especially with the threat of surviving demons out there."

"Do you think this Fucia character could be behind the disunity?" Hurthor suddenly asked quietly. For a moment, the other two stared at him in complete bewilderment, but as the logic of his words sunk in, they had to fight a rising panic.

"The thought never occurred to me!" Vicia growled worriedly. "If that is so... no wonder the Ivory Tower dropped everything and mobilized their contacts in Thendor so quickly!"

"But if that is the case," Hurthor insisted, "if she has agents in the Circle itself, she will know we are coming after her! I mean, will the Whites be able to catch up to her in time?"

"You are right, but we have to try at least," Vicia stated with a defeated sigh after swearing loudly. The Archmagus was quiet for a bit and she contemplated the turn of events before she suddenly rounded on the equine next to her. "Compulsion can be identified if one were to specifically look for it, right?" When the horse nodded quickly, she gave a victorious grin that had the equine shudder with instinctual fear. "Right then, I want a scan of all the Yellow magi we can contact as soon as possible!"

"Several of our magi can identify Mind-alteration spells relatively effectively, though the Whites will be better at it," the equine cautioned. "But those who chose to follow these demons of their own free will is going to be much more difficult to detect! You don't think any Yellows serve..."

"It will be folly to assume we are a perfect Tower!" Vicia declared vehemently. "I want to be certain of whom I can trust. Even we are to be tested. I will also contact the others archmagi as well and suggest they..."

Archmagus Vicia never completed her suggestion. There was a sudden crackle of Mana being ignited close by the Amber Triumvirate, and with a sharp snapping sound, the world seemed to twist and mould like a Manashape itself. Vicia nearly collapsed from the intense sensation of vertigo as the world folded upon itself. And then, the Veil was cut.

"What the...?" Hurthor growled, a powerful Levitation spell already formed between his hands with which he intended to blast away the attacking magus. Only, he blinked in surprise at the portal that had opened next to them without the aid of a portalstone nearby... and the vixen standing on the other side of it, looking like she was about to wet herself.

"Felicity?" Vicia snapped, sounding more furious after the terrible fright than she should have been. She quickly waved the two guards away as they came running up to assist before she rounded on the vixen. "What in Garvon's name...!"

"I had nothing to do with it this time, I swear!" Felicity snapped equally desperate, looking at the border of the portal with absolute astonishment.

"How...?" Alund started to ask, but he faltered when something to her side drew the vixen's attention and the head of the largest damn dragon he had ever heard of, poked his head into view.

"Yeah, maybe opening the portal directly next to them was not the best idea..." the dragon rumbled in perfect common, though the smirk with which he regarded the Amber Triumvirate suggested that he was anything but sorry.

"You know exactly what you were doing!" the vixen accused the dragon, whose smirk only broadened.

"If you say so," the dragon chuckled. With a start, Vicia realized how closely this dragon resembled Lúg'hir Gahntuar, yet he was almost twice the famous dragon's size!

"Not that again!" Felicity snapped exasperatedly. "How did you know where they would be?"

"I asked nicely," the dragon rumbled nonchalantly. "Because of the delicacy of the Veil around the Aetherfontes, it has a natural protective barrier around it as ordained by the Divae. So, one cannot simply create a portal into one of the Towers without the assistance of a portalstone like this. Therefore, I needed them to come outside for a bit and Theos Garvon told me he will make sure I will be able to meet with them here, today!" Then, he started to nudge the vixen through the portal. "Now, enough small talk! You have a job to do!"

"Wait, wait!" Vicia shouted, stepping up to the portal. "Who are you..." and when she noticed the great doorway shining brightly behind them, the wolf added, "And where... are you?"

"Oh, right! Introductions!" the dragon gasped, though the Archmagus had a distinct impression that the reptile had tried to avoid it. Still, he pulled his snout away from Felicity's back and with a respectful bow of his head he introduced himself. "Honourable Archmagus Vicia, Councillor Alund, Vice-councillor Hurthor! I am Theos Gullivarth... though, you will know me as Gullivarth Nigrum Rex."

The reaction was immediate. All three of the magi backtracked from the portal as fast as they could. Master Alund somehow tripped over himself, the shape he had started to form disintegrating into a puff of acrid smoke while Hurthor's shape failed to form at all in his shock. Vicia alone had managed to get her shape up and ready, but with a sharp look from the dragon her control of the Mana failed spectacularly, and the rarely used Lightning shape oozed from her fingers like water before she could ignite it.

"Oh, come on!" Gullivarth berated them like naughty children. "No need for that! I have better use for the Amber Tower than to reduce it to rubble again." Without wasting more time, he gave Felicity a hard shove forward with his snout and the magus fell through the portal with an undignified stumble. "But I have other things I need to tend to right now that is more important than to explain the intricacies of being a Theos! So, if you please excuse me, I need to be going. The vixen here will explain everything."

Even as Felicity turned to snap something rude at the dragon, the portal disappeared with another audible pop.

"That impossible lizard!" Felicity growled, stamping her foot like a child about to throw a tantrum.

"What just happened?" Vicia demanded of Felicity, grabbing her by the shoulder and turning her around to face them. "And what are you doing in the company of King Gullivarth the Black?"

"Where had he even been?" Alund agreed, staring at the spot where the portal had been as he got back onto his feet. "I thought he had been killed in the Dark Age..."

"The last few days had been hectic, to say the least!" Felicity started quickly, rushing through everything as if she was in a hurry along with the dragon. "In short, we've found Juinkarr's Aetherfontes, King Gullivarth popped out of it and now we are busy cleaning up Juinkarr so that the Lúgroccae can call it home."

"What?" Vicia gasped confused. "What do you mean with 'cleaning up Juinkarr'?"

"You've found Juinkarr's Aetherfontes?" Hurthor rumbled, equally shocked.

"And the Lúgroccae calling it home?" Alund added from the side.

"Juinkarr is already clear of its magical traps and barriers… well, mostly," Felicity said, looking like she was still in a rush. "And the dragons are busy clearing out the garden of unwanted guests. The rebuilding of the ruin itself is going to take time, but the Lúgroccae is moving into Juinkarr as we speak. Oh, and I've been asked to tell you to send a message down to Ealydore and have the rest of the Lúgroccae recalled immediately to Juinkarr to prepare for the final battle. The elves can hold the Vedui Tí well enough without them. And I need to ask you for help, everything we can spare. Oh, and we should notify the Gryphon-knights and the..."

"Slow down!" Alund called out, trying to calm the suddenly excitable vixen with a gentle hand to the shoulder. "Breathe... Now, if the Lúgroccae had managed to capture Juinkarr, then what are we needed for?"

"They had captured the tower, yes!" Felicity replied after a few deep breaths. "But now, apparently they need to work to keep it. They need all the help they can get to fight off the Shadowlands, more than we can provide..."

"Is that... what I think it is?" Hurthor suddenly asked, indicating towards the cranium sized sphere Felicity was holding. It was a deep, shiny blue and expertly inlaid with three types of organic semiprecious stones in the form of various rings of exquisite rune work. Felicity looked down at it in surprise, as if remembering only now that she had it.

"Oh, yes," she stated, her excitement rising quickly again. "It is a portalstone that links back to the one at Juinkarr. It is supposed to go to the Aether Temple once everything is said and done, but now we are to use it to send whoever can help off to Juinkarr with speed."

"Wait-wait-wait!" Vicia stopped the rattling vixen again. "Take us over what happened step by step, starting from when you interrogated that Claw-of-the-Master..."

"But before that..." Alund quickly stated, a Manashape already forming between his fingers, "I suggest we perform a small test first..."

… to be continued.