FRACTRURED GODS CHAPTER I
A CALL UNTO BATTLE
Good Lyssa, though many a champion of yours did a fell, sing what I, Alaric vonMercydorf, Homeboy of Odin do sing, of glorious battle between gods and mortals, so that the glorious deeds of the Luxons and Kurzicks alike do not fade from memory, nor even more importantly, the bitter grief that was brought down upon their heads through the haughty pride of both mortal and god alike. In the fifth spring after the fall of Abbadon and the ascension of Kormir, bringer of light, there did arise great strife from peace. The gods no longer waited in fear the inevitable evil which they had by innocence planted, stroke down it was by human valor, the Luxons and Kurzicks had overcome Kanaxai and Urgoz, Shiro and Khilbron, betrayers of hope where twice humiliated and defeated. In all the lands the bees gave forth honey and the cows milk, the grandparent embraced the child, wealth flowed through many a hand like Californian sand, the boons of heroic effort.
Thus did the eyes of the Canthan vassals who would be Lords in their own right if they had more wealth and power turn unto their neighbors in envy, remembering years of conflict and seeing a gamble for power, with amber, jade and blood as the stakes. For the only constant is change, nothing can last forever, not the balmiest summer nor the mightiest kingdom as even Doric learned, and the lands of petrified wood and solid jade where healing, bringing new opportunity even as it brought new challenges.
Rhea and ZuHeltzer held a marvelous banquet, a picnic on the grassy hills between their realms and the Imperial City, now restored to its former glory, nay surpassing it. Even the lowliest of the people dressed in the brightest of colors and finest of tailors cuts when they had before worn smelly rags and grime. The nobles and their courtiers and servants met to discuss trade and other friendly matters, yet while they smiled on the outside their thoughts turned to more insidious matters, the size and composition of their armies, their preparedness, many thinking foolishly that they alone held such designs, at least seriously beyond idle speculation, but as the two leaders passed plates with the highest grace, they perceived the intentions of the other, and their happy hue became most overcast with doubt and malice.
Sayeth zu Heltzer unto Rhea, why is your navy so big? Do you perceive a threat that I do not for your navy much surpasses the need for trade protection from corsairs? Ah, rebutted Rhea, why do your soldiers do constant drills, not for martial fun, but constantly in huge numbers? They both knew that no evil threatened their realms lest it be from each other. Dorvan, who was waiting upon Rhea, who was much incensed at these pointed barbs, he set aside his platter of delicious food and came to the vocal defense of his lady, 'what say you, would you accuse the Luxons of dishonor, do you not know that we trust in our strength, not weakling stratagems of deception? Lukas replied, we are not godless savages, would you accuse us of shaming ourselves by violating the gods given right to peace? Bella stepped into the fray, shouting 'do you know of what champions we could field against you? And Alaric, homeboy of Odin, the frenzied god of yonder lands, has trained a battalion of superb soldiers, their ferocity only matched by their discipline! The Luxon artillery can demolish anything in its path, and our ships blockade what few ports you have, even the Imperial fleet wouldn't challenge us. So to this Lukas, House Vasburg’s greatest pride, his face stern as stone, his hands trembling at such breach of diplomatic protocol, said 'then come and try us, but be warned! Our ancestors watch over us because of our piety, which you heathens disregard. Our soldiers can be just as disciplined as yours, and our forests are wild, thus breeding great warriors, who unlike you still retain their civilized aspects, and the Wardens are eager to thank us for their liberation, preferably through peaceful labor, but also Balthazar's past time if need be!'
It was thus, with heavy hearts and frowns that the parties went their separate ways, the sun still shown with glory, yet appeared waned in their eyes. Dorvan, vampire blessed of Grenth and Bella, master of magic, where pondering their decisions. 'Maybe we got carried away' said Dorvan, and Bella was inclined to agree. But their friends where of different mind, Mystery Mesmer, Pol, and NoSword, great champions of DAD approached, and even as Dorvan and Bella blurted forth their apologies, where given congratulations. 'Don’t be laden with guilt, they deserved it for their snooty attitude' said No Sword. Pol's seriousness was replaced with a grin, 'did you see Lukas! He went from pasty pale as milk to bright red as a strawberry!' They still wheren't convinced, but then Rhea came, and patted them on the back, and said 'I am no witless toddler, I have long known of the Kuzick machinations. Little did any of you, even the champs of my favorite guild, know that I placed spies into their cooks ranks, and have learned that they where preparing an assault on the jade quarry, of two hundreds, and massing a huge army, of eight hundreds troops, to marshal forth from Aspenwood, and another of ten hundreds to rally past the Harvest Temple, seizing us in a confusing pincer, our navy and artillery to no avail. I also have spies at the Imperial court, and counter spies amongst my own servants. We both knew that we both knew Zu Heltzer's intentions to bait us into conflict, thus gaining the favor of the Empire by making us look like aggressors, not them, but it has failed due to your candor, Lukas must be embarrassed by spilling the beans of his lord's plans due to your sense of duty to defend me in an argument'. So they forgave themselves, but all of them where still full of apprehension.
So they called upon Thorn, their master of communications, and of their special ops ranger battalion, the Skiritai, which is Luxon for 'survivors', to send forth ravens to their beloved Guild Uncle, Sir NoTeeth, who was relaxing at a benefit concert put on by Sogolon the Vocal upon the warm beaches of south Kryta, and to their three guildhalls, in the southern Shiverpeaks, Vabbi, and the archipelago off of Shing Jea. The Luxons and Kurzicks mobilized their troops, and even as the huge ants that reside within the darkest corners of the Maguma swarm forth to build earth mounds, even so did they busy themselves with the building of fortifications.
Now turn us unto the gods, the holy six, and their thoughts upon this manner. For their reverence to nature, Melandru could do naught but side with the Kurzicks, and at the god's council was their staunchest supporter. Lyssa, admiring their artistic inspiration soon followed suit. Yet Balthazar was as vehement in defending the Luxons as Melandru was attacking them, admiring their strength, 'the Kurzicks may piously worship me with incense, libations and art, but what of noble deeds? The Luxons do that far more often'. Kormir looked back, and remembered how many DADs had stood alongside her throughout her ordeals in preventing Nightfall, and so gave her support to them and their Luxon friends. Dwayna, lover of prosperity, wept at the thought of humans who not so long ago had united under one cause should turn against each other, and so took neither side, but the side of peace, offering ever her skills as peacemaker, giving thought to those who would be hurt and slain by war, and their loved ones. Dark Grenth cackled, and hissed, let war come! I also shall take neither side, neither Luxon nor Kurzick, nor Dwayna's silly hippy peace, but of death! Let their blood flow like the Elon in spring, an offering to my glory, and my merciless retribution against Abbadon, and eventual triumph over all! The other gods where abhorred by his antisocial goal, and so put aside their arguing for the few seconds it took to throw him out of their council. Yet Dwayna still pleaded on behalf of the innocent, and spoke of the foreboding that grew within her dreams which had been growing instead of diminishing after the defeat of the Great Destroyer, and the others didn't listen, foolish in the belief that they could obtain victory from such a war, and so was Grenth's horrid goal furthered, to the grief of many, and even Grenth came to regret it in decades to come.
