Terminus: To Birth a Wonder || Reviving a Dead God

The shell of Terminus remained lying within the shrine room. It was absolutely massive, yet through the tenacity of many nonmagus collaborators and tools at their disposal? It was moved here on a platform. Prayers were made even now...

Though, their prayers were not answered... Some could question if Terminus could even hear them. Only that of Harbinger knew for certain -- that within that shell, swirling with a voidic energy that siphoned so ravenously at his mana -- dampening at his core and keeping his stature hollow, that he... Was still alive.

One of the clergyman approached Harbinger directly, before passing a glance for Mehrune and-- A slight gape in their gander and they'd break from the other two for the new president of Antefinem.
''A shame we've come to meet under such grim circumstances.''
The hooded individual relinquished their hood to reveal themselves.

'' am Maledictus Scathes. I intend to keep my affairs out of your leadership. Balar provides as your guide, our anchor in the darkness of the world...

After all, it is His guidance that permits us all blessings abroad a wicked company abroad.'' The man cleared his throat, getting the point of his request for aid.

''He has been stifled for a while... In my time here, attuning to him with the Centricon… Visions of the past had plagued me. He is marred by more than this curse... The flesh, even when wound up, seems to be... Constantly melting away. That, and a form of Occultism foreign to him, seems to be eroding at his core.

This simply seems to serve as the final nail... Which brought a vision unto me. A vision of... Runic... Symbols... On his arm- no! Upon a... Shell? A- uuuh… A suit, I think. It's strange. I can hear him, but it's faint...''

There was a sense of solemnity in his tone, before he turned for the others-- namely the Famulus amongst them.
''You.''

The Maledictus referred to Harbinger.
''You are attuned to him, I sense. It is something we both share... The Centricon whispers to me, for him. Perhaps, you may have an inclination as to what this may mean...''

(Terminus)

This had been the first time the redhead had seen Terminus in such a state. Following the aftermath and even during the chaos, the boy had been tasked with simply protecting his Lord's ilk. He was oblivious to what transpired upon the isle following the conclusion of the battle.

His eyes would widen slightly at such a ghastly portrayal of his liege.

Even gods can be slain, and his was nearly brought down in a single night. Yet for Terminus, this had been child's play. They've survived countless exterminations, and came out of these attempts still very much alive. This is why Mehrune would still kneel when faced with his lord in such a state. [ Usque Terminus ]

He'd simply remain there, watching as the clergyman approached the others. Maledictus Scathes, mentioning something which would attract the boys attention. 'Suit?', perhaps, though it was unclear of the reasoning behind such a vision.
(Mehrune)

A... suit?

Harbinger's expression changed from a look of distraught, to one of bewilderment.

"Well met, Brother Scathes.", he nodded to them in acknowledgement before silencing himself. What he had to say was of utmost importance to the magi, and he wanted to make sure he fully understood what was being asked of him.

Harbinger knew of many instances from Terminus' past that had marred his being so. His fights with Varrach, the death magic bomb that he'd been caught in, the fight with Za'gan, and so many more. Their Patron had gone through many tribulations to this day -- the sole reason as to why he was so bitter, and angry. Harbinger wanted nothing more than to give them a reason to be happy -- to not resent themselves for anything.

To see in himself what those most loyal to him saw.

Something to be proud of.

To feel as though they were enough.

The moment Maledictus asked for them specifically, without hesitation they took a single step forwards. It made sense that they'd of picked him to translate on behalf of the group if only for a single reason: they still had their Lord's X-Fluid coursing through him. They'd melded minds together, and had come to know each other more intimately than a regular ascendant of the Beyonder's ritual.

As he'd done prior, he'd move ever closer towards the husk of their great Patron. A single hand would extend itself into the open crevice that blemished their gigantic resting frame. With their hand swallowed by the smog and hovering above their magical core, they awaited for further clarification.

"Please, Lord Patron. Enlighten me with your grand mechanizations. Grant me the wisdom you wish you wish your faithful to fulfill on your behalf.", he pleaded -- desperate to do anything to bring them back from the brink.
(Harbringer)

Ascension.

Stairways clack under the heel of Melia's step, Each step fueled by ambition as she climbed her way to the top of the spire.

Bursting through the door the young president would make her way to the patron's resting place only to find a pair of familiar faces already present, how convenient. A quick survey of the room would somewhat clue her in as to what was occurring here.

"Harbinger. Mehrune." She states, a nod of acknowledgment being passed to them. Was she suddenly stoic? How peculiar.

Though clearly she had caught them in the middle of something, further observation would need to be taken. Steps taken towards the group, falling in line with them as she begins analyzing what intricacies were occurring with regards to their lordship.


(Melia Hajrudin)

Reaching into depths of the gargantuan shell -- they'd immediately find their essence being rapidly siphoned away. Za'agan's spell sought to unwind Terminus -- all the same, it would commit that same transgression upon Harbinger now. Prying at both the flesh and mana beneath it -- as though intent on unmaking them as well. Perhaps Harbinger was well aware of what the Oni's magic could do, assuming it had marred him as well.

Though, the close proximity with the Godseed proved more than enough to establish a strong, stable connection. It sought to possess at the mind entirely, given opportunity -- however, it was moreso intent on showcasing a vivid image of the visions it presented to Mehrune, then to the Maledictus.
|| -Within Harbinger's Mind- ||


What presented itself to the man was a tome, not unlike anything they had seen before... One detailing the intricacies of Occult Geometry -- a method of runescribing for grand rituals:
Strange runes...
Transmutation circles...
People and reagents applied as either instruments or ingredients for products forged through such eldritch methods.

But then, there was more...
Visions of... A humanoid silhouette.
It stood amongst the chasm of darkness that encompassed both Harbinger and it... Despite its distance, the radiance it presented was clear. A metallic shine of mauve, not dissimilar to the hue of the occult, shimmered upon the entity's surface. Within the chest-region, was the Godseed itself... Resonating through leylines that fed across the constructed abdominals and across the torso, arms and legs alike.

A brief recollection would reveal those same symbols revealed to Harbinger, and memories of the Patron's Mark scribed across Terminus' left arm... This time, however... Those symbols encompassed this silhouette entirely.
Itshead shifted, with crimson hues gleaming from the visor.
It was without question -- This, was a vision of an Ascended Terminus...
A Perfected Terminus...


|| -Back To Reality- ||


For everyone else that did not directly contact Terminus's core, the Maledictus continued:
''Tyrium… Lots of it. Well, not quite no... It's uh... Different... Charged? It... I don't know the name. It's like.. Iron, but... It still hungers for lifeforce... For mana...''

Perhaps, Mehrune might've known...
Cold Iron: Mana-charged Tyrium, fused together in a forge to create its ultimate form -- an mana-hungry alloy.


''Perhaps, it will make more sense to you guys...''

(Terminus)

Harbinger felt the magics of the despised oni trying to afflict him the moment their hand entered the smog of their Patron's cavity. Their resistance to the effect meant little, as he needed to let it happen if he wished to surrender to the information being imparted upon him. Sucked into their Patron's mindscape, he quietly spectated the vision.

Ley lines...

The silhouette of a humanoid...

The magical core within...

The grimoire of Occult Geometry...

Runes...

Pentagrams and transmutation circles...

It all came to light within the vision. In a strange way, the telepathic vision was far more effective at communication than words could ever hope to be. Instead of describing something like the color ''red'', the mere concept was transferred unto Harbinger. The same could be said with what Terminus was trying to convey about what he wanted to be made -- no, what he wanted to be forged.

A new body.

To ASCEND.


Removing their hand from within the husk of their shepherd, Harbinger gasped as lingering pain ached his right appendage.

"I... I understand.", they gasped as their biomancy quickly went to work to undo any damages sustained. Running their other hand over their cowl and the base of their antlers, they'd slowly compose themselves and turn to the others.

"Our Lord... the Great Beyonder is ordering the construction of a new body. It will be a means to ascend. The iron he is requesting -- it is a rare thing. A material bred from tryrium.", he figured Mehrune would be more familiar with it than himself, and would do Terminus more justice in describing it. While he was an avid miner, he was no forge master like Mehrune was.

"I believe collectively we have enough. I'll even sacrifice my aetherite, eternite, and other valuable ores in pursuit of this goal.", he placed the tyrium on the ground as it would be the first step in completing this goal. While Harbinger had been saving this for his weapon, their Lord's well-being took precedence above all else.

To have them back at full power? To have their most egregious scars not but unpleasant memories from a distant past? It was worth it's weight in gold, and propel them that much closer to true godhood! Harbinger would not dare dash their chances at such a thing, and would do anything they could to help facilitate its fruition into reality.

"I have a rough idea on how to produce such a thing from the vision, but I'm not sure if I'm missing anything.", they wanted to make sure Mehrune could clearly explain such a concept to them before they continued. If this was to happen -- to create a WONDER on behalf of Terminus, there was no room for errors.

Everything had to go PERFECTLY.
(Harbringer)

Mehrune would watch as the Harbinger approached the Godseed. They'd seem to be undergoing something as if the very nature of their flesh was becoming less and less rich. A strange magic hung in the air, seeking to simply abolish anything within its radius. Mehrune was only lucky enough to not have to experience even the slightest bit of it, though such couldn't be said for the Harbinger.

Though soon after the experience that the Harbinger did undergo, the Maledictus would inform the rest of the party of what had transpired.

'Tyrium', could the Patron perhaps be referring towards-

Once the Harbinger's hand was fully removed from the Godseed, they'd turn towards both Mehrune and Melia.
"A new body? Wait..."

Mehrune's suspicion was made a reality, as when the Harbinger fully explained, the redhead would have understood wholeheartedly.

"This metal... something I've only read briefly, never experienced myself." Thanks to the Library within Antifinem, Mehrune has been given access to a colossal amount of information that he otherwise wouldn't have gotten all on his lonesome. Hel', he didn't even know how to read back then anyhow. He owes his Patron so much for the wisdom and guidance, so this was the least he could do for them.

"Cold Iron, though it'll take a considerable amount of Tyrium to forge. Though nothing is... impossible, I'll do it. The only thing I lack is the quantity of mana needed for such to fully manifest this into existence."
(Mehrune)

Fragmented words spoken to them in order to try and understand their Patron's will. A Suit? Armor maybe? One capable of consuming mana. A conduit for containing the being. Yes... surely something like this was the intent of the vision.

Pondering upon the prospect; she would recall notes on a particular mana-hungry ore. "A new body? One made from tyrium… Does that mean a full set of plate mail? I suppose that wouldn't be too difficult to accomplish. Though albeit I'm not too well versed with tyrium as a medium." A perplexed expression resting upon her visage.

For a moment her gaze was cast to the floor, then to the platform where the shell of the Patron lay. Finally onto Mehrune.

"Do we need a runecrafter perhaps? Something to bind the core to the suit? What could serve as that kind of conduit?"
(Melia Hajrudin)

Kaelvyr saw the idea being worked on - and naturally, even though he wasn't part of the cult, he could help with an idea or two. Turning his attention to the progress of the cult, in a way - after all, business, connections. Though Kael did have an appreciation for Terminus, naturally.

"Hm." He noted. "Not just a Runecrafter."

"Someone experienced in creating synthetics as well - Basil, Acantho, or... Grey are the names that come to mind. They know the procedure for developing a body. A technique called Golemancy." Kaelvyr, however, didn't - at least, yet.

"...Except - any of you have plans to learn Fleshcrafting - which may lead to necromancy, yet, I don't know how well it would work when it comes to your Patron."
(Kaelvyr)

"Essentially - the idea of designing a body for someone is easy, but it's just as difficult as it sounds." Otherwise, people would be able to extend their lifespan easily, Acantho commented.

"Acantho, for example, is a human in the body of a machine. His soul was moved - through the efforts of that tree in Arcadia, and that Primordial that protects the tree as well. I don't really know what it's all about exactly, but it's complex." He scratched his chin.

"I don't know if - your Patron carry- a spiritual signature,if he don't - like a soul, then you would need to contain your Patron's essence as a 'core' first; for it to reside." Right? Right.

"Creating a body requires extraordinary precision, any mistake is fatal, understand? So it's necessary to create a rune system - which is what ensures the life of this synthetic body. Yes?"

"The central rune is 'Control'." A specific rune that will designate the flow of mana to the others. "Dispersion runes." "Movement runes" that were directed to four other directions, simulating legs and arms, like Acantho showed him. "Stabilization runes. Space location runes. And others."

In reality, he grabbed a piece of paper and started scribbling, throwing down calculations and rough designs right in front of them.

"...What you will do is design a system first - and later, you will create a body for that system. After all, cognitive factors - are beyond the essence signature of Terminus, yours, and mine; they are cerebral records." He stated, tossing the pen onto the paper.

Damn, Acantho's first lesson really worked!
(Kaelvyr)

Melia simply nodded along, following as best she could.

"So... To start we need to map out these rune structures as a base first. Which means our first priority should be finding someone who's capable. Kaelvyr you don't... happen to be a runecrafter, do you?" She'd inquire. He seemed knowledgeable about it but to what extent? That information was vital.

"If you're not keenly versed, I can parley with someone who might be able to help. I'd keep the intent classified, naturally. I don't think it'd be wise to pull outsiders here for this."

Her hand now raising up, chin resting against it while she began to think.

"I can probably assemble some basica armatures to figure out how to apply the runes aswell. Should help with application overall."
(Melia Hajrudin)

"Your disguise is compromised - and you will have to adopt another approach if you want to see this project progress, honestly. I am an artificer - studying Golemancy and a bit about runes, since runes are the universal language of everything." Which wasn't a lie; they were beyond the reach of many. They were the language of creation, and of everything that had ever been created. Perhaps even the first language ever invented.

"If you want support from outsiders, you will need to infiltrate, speak like most Meratheans, and act like performers. People merely interested in the 'common' world and... as your Patron says, 'mundane'." He let out a laugh, because Kael was still rooted in this 'mundane' world, even if he wasn't part of the masses that acted under a 'good and evil' modus operandi.

"I am not a rune adept, no - Melia. Still in the process, perhaps - in the future, I might reach that level; but I have other priorities for now..." He pointed out. "...And well, do not be suspicious in pursuing this goal. Do not even consider the possibility of 'fleshcrafting' or 'necromancy' being involved in this."

"If you want someone to support you, I think Grey is the most accessible between Basil and Acantho... As long as you pretend to be bootlickers of Martyr's Vigil, of course."
(Kaelvyr)

Infiltrate Martyr's Vigil?

Harbinger was quite good at acting aloof when necessary -- comical even. Understanding people was one of his strong suits, not because he was an expert manipulator, but legitimately a kind person. It was pretty oxymoronic of a thing to say, but it was very much true to his character.

"I can do this, and my blood and bone magic could easily help augment my physical appearance.", though, he did not like the idea of being so close to enemy territory. If anything, he was worried if some sensory adept magi could sense the X-Fluid that coursed through his veins.

"Though, it might be best that you try to get his support instead. Or rather, Acantho's, no? You already have a rapport with them no? Meaning if you come to them asking for help in something piece by piece, he'd be more willing to help you than say, me slowly building a relationship with this ''Grey''.", he felt he had a fair point.

"That would take time, put me at risk of discovery regardless of my exemplary ability to integrate with their people, and even when that is all achieved, he could simply deny my request. Especially now since I have little to offer him as all my resources have been spent for this project. I'd be riding on nothing but his good graces, really.", having Kaelvyr use their relationship with Acantho would likely prove a much more time-effective course of action, and keep risks to a minimum.

Regardless of how they went about it, however, this would be a difficult thing to tackle.
(Harbringer)

The girl waves her hand in the air. "Hiiii! I'm probably the best candidate for this. Nobody knows me. I'm quite cute and charming, and there's nothing particularly assuming about me."

"I'm not useless damn it." She sulked a bit feeling out of the loop.

"Regardless. I have connections, and I have sway now as the leader of an upstart nation. It wouldn't be too difficult for me to schmooze a runecrafter for guidance on how to make something like... an automaton. Kaelvyr's machine dohicky is a great example of that." A hand now gesturing to the drone.
(Melia Hajrudin)