The Dragon and the Serpent - Second half of the gate

The Serpent slithers up; the colds of Theria forcing a cold-blooded creature to coat himself in dense shadows, enough to preserve as much heat as possible within.

"Dun Task."

"I had a request for your son's notes on Wayfinding or Riftmancy, those that belong to Hades Task."

"Your son is a very elusive man - and further waiting is no longer possible."
(Fidi)
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 Dun Task would nod steadily as he mulled over the tale his son had told him of where he'd first seized inspiration for the matter. The wandering ruins of the ancient Agatha, a purveyor of a hoard and a lost art that has sunken into the abyss for a long while.

And yet, the concepts that it contained were paramount for Task's work. Some might call it blasphemous to abuse the fabric of reality in such way, but then, what was more draconic than to do whatever you pleased for the sake of power?

Slowly, a series of carefully copied notes, addendums, personal scribbles by Task in margins, and countless coffee stains compiled what appeared to be a thickly bound stack of parchment, perhaps thirty or fourty pages of condensed information from what was likely a far longer, less to the point scripture.

"My son met a woman who had a propensity for appearing and disappearing, an old master of a dead art. Riftmancy as it once existed is an old fable, a distantly practiced hodunk fairy tale for most with how the foundations of our current reality function."

The elder would gesture ambiently with his gauntleted palm.

"But the principles remain, and in them something new can be reborn from its ashes. A truly destructive turn from the passivity of wayfinding. Why go with the flow when you can make your own damned surf."

Dun would nod firmly.

"Simply put, these theories and concepts put together describe how one can force their will on the world, Fidi. To warp spatial facts such as mass, width, length, height, the laws of this realm have no bearing on one with the determination to shatter them for their own accord."

The stack of annotated papers would be bound in furs before offered to Fidi with a firm nod.

"Even I do not fully grasp them yet, though I believe my son has derived the natural next step from riftmancy in his research. You are correct, however, that he is an aloof one. In the meantime, studying this should at the least familiarize you with the concepts of warping space out of spite."
(Dun Task)
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The reality is based upon principles of perception.
Of time, space and our ability to make such influence.

Would it not be a step to becoming something god-like, a step to becoming an ascended being through the sheer effort of rupturing space into pieces that one would desire to mold the way they want to? The Serpent attentively listens, and while such explanation is offered, here, he realizes what it might just be..

A way for him to tear into reality of space..
And shape it to his own design.

A very alluring power; but strangely enough, the crystal of Lady Erie's Greed already begins to buzz at the sheer mention of unlocking the potential of a gate - the very same gate that could serve as arrival to forces of Helheim and descend entirety of Esshar into madness.

The madness that he needs for capture of Vale.

"The touch of heaven.."

"Placed upon few written notes."

What an irony. It is here that the Serpent carefully takes the material that would no doubt be incredibly useful for him- for he knows that it would be the final stage needed for him to become exposed to Helheim's true glory and utilize the Lady Erie's Greed in order to take from it - and to evolve, with further 'fuel' from the stolen essences. And yet..

"..Where is the beginning of that gate?"

"If there is none, I will need a space for myself around here."

"Supervised or not."
(Fidi)
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 Dun Task says, "Definitely. One moment."
 Dun would lead the noble serpent Fidi and his newly adopted daughter Valerie into the depths of Theria, up towards the industrial center of the city of dragons. The great factory that sat upon its heights, the smell of smoke and asphalt heavy in the air as countless rifles and munitions plate were made for soldiers prepared to die gloriously in the siege to come.

The Therian way. They had waited for this for a long, long time.

Descending lower and lower into the depths of the great factory past all the workshops, closets, side hovels, and various nooks and crannies in the depths of the Therian factory. Yet, at last they reached a large door at the bottom of a flight of stairs, entering what was nothing less than the workshop of a madman and his family of madmen.

Material was strewn on countless tables. Glimmering, precious ore, machined components, bits and pieces yet to have fully come together into the grand artifices of Theria. The room by itself, fifteen feet in height at the ceiling, could have already looked cluttered without the main event.

But at the center, Fidi and Valerie could see with certainty, the work had begun. A massive, curving arch of glimmering arcanium, almost like a U shape coming out of the ground, appeared laden to the brim with countless runes and crackling energy. Wires of translucent, flowing soul steel seemed to interweave throughout, not yet fully set and yet glimmering with the potential of the future.

It was huge, and it wasn't even a third done. By its completion, this great gate would rise fifteen feet tall, and even the largest demons could enter through it from the other side.

Gesturing his prismatic gauntlet towards the unfinished gate, it would glow lightly as sparks of mana began to elicit from the unfinished realm gate.

"It is far from done, but I've collected almost half of the refined lodestone gems I require. The power source has been tinkered with by me, itis ready to receive the charge of a chiron shard when the time comes."

The core of a Barsburgian golem, pulsating and shimmering with magitek, would be removed from Dun's cloak before being placed in a groove at the bottom of the arc. It lit up slightly, though not enough that any portals appeared with certainty.

"As for the matter of work room, we can offer you a laboratory here in the factory with certainty. The workspace is vast, and the more bright, unhinged minds working here, the greater things we can achieve."
(Dun Task)
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The means for divine intervention.

When the angels created man, they hoped for their image to be reflected in the greatness of humanity; and yet, they remain so terribly flawed, so imperfect, so full of mistakes that keep them away from achieving their true potential. For Fidi, stimulating this chaos would be means of taking away the flaws of humanity and changing them to something better- something that could not be defined by their incessant cycles of error anymore.

And yet, the demonkind was created different, better than humanity in many ways.

What purpose do the angels hold, if a man- or a woman- could create demons like this? When he observes the creation of the touch of a heaven before himself, he feels the very same excitement that he's had when he first entered this path - one of deceit and lies, and yet, remaining a keeper of truth to those who do not live for vanity and selfishness.

A dual nature of the Serpent.

"I need not the finished gate."

"I will do so personally, if I must. I will conjure the creation of divine ability to stretch to the Helheim and draw upon all that we need... and perhaps, some more."

"But this skill of your son... that is where it is based, is it not?"

Here, the crystal is at last revealed - Lady Erie's Greed, conjured out of the shadows that swirl around the Serpent at all times; beaming with energies of stolen essence from countless people and knights alike. It was, after all, tied to the Serpent at his very core- and anything he's feasted upon, previously or otherwise, has been given to the crystal as well.

In a sense.. the greater the user - the greater it becomes.

"I wish.."

"To have my first touch upon what may lie on the other side. To see, whether I could touch upon Helheim- to see, if this crystal would work the way it's intended."

The crystal that was stolen from First-Born Demon.

"May I?"
(Fidi)
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 Dun would nod steadily as he took a thoughtful drag from his corncob pipe, absorbing Fidi's words with a light click of his teeth as he mulled over the matters at hand with jubilation. The chaos to come was exciting, of that there was no doubt. Win or lose, whether or not Theria fell, they couldn't just put back in the box what they had unleashed.

War burned upon dry leaves in the resentment of the continent. There would be no peace.

"Yes, the gate's function is largely to offer it a form of permanence, call it....clarity in the eye of the storm. With it and my gauntlet here, any of the realms will be accessible with a portal that will not close until beckoned."

The elder would raise the incomplete, prismatic gauntlet, the already masterful caestus that would become the masterkey of realms. An artifact with almost no compare.

"Yes, my sons research was paramount for this study. To tap into the darkness that lies in the psyche of man, the very meaning of occultism, the selfish, draconic want to seize what you desire. None of this would be possible without the theories and practice he devised from his research. Something beyond the relic of riftmancy, something more....fueled by the dark heart of mortality."

Dun would click his teeth cheerfully, tightening the golem core in the arch quickly as Fidi spoke before a crackling coil of mana would manifest upon the roughly five foot tall structure. A third of the total height to be, and yet it seemed it offered some ability already to push through.

Not a whole person, but perhaps Fidi could yet touch upon the other side with his shadowy focus on hand.

"What is mine is yours good Fidi. Feel free to experiment with it, the chances of breaking it are very low. I only use the finest of materials because I know myself, and I will break it otherwise. It's demon proof."
(Dun Task)
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 It's a touch upon the divine.

A touch upon something greater, right before them- right before it could be destroyed by the invading forces. And yet, even if it were to be destroyed, the Serpent knows - whatever experience and knowledge he would be capable of harvesting here today, it would remain with him always. Even a failure here..

Would only mean success elsewhere.

"To destroy it?"

"Oh, not even close, Dun Task... I do not intend to destroy something so finely crafted. What I intend to do is introduce the strength of the crystal to this gate."

"To see whether a better link could be formed- and in case of failure, in case that this place does indeed fall to the enemy hands.."

"Then the energy of this gate would be permanently carried in this crystal."

It was like a magical sponge. Yet, it always exchanged such energy flow with its user- it was a dangerous endeavour to dabble in such magic, and perhaps, any other would suffer greatly with attempts to carry such item. But a Demon? He cannot be possibly harmed by Helheim's energy.

At least, not so easily.

"Just.."

"A taste.."

The shadowy hands extend towards the gate, easing the crystal forward; the coil of mana meant to present the initial success to it, and yet, the Serpent's eyes turn to the very same notes that Dun Task offered earlier.

The notes to Riftmancy.
The way to draw upon the energy from the other world.

And tear into it. A complex task, no doubt... for it begins with the shadowy hands appearing in bigger numbers- there are four of them, then eight, then twelve... until they begin to simultaneously work on inscribing the runes and the work of Arithmancy, the necessary calculations for special art, to create complex transition upon the gate.

The gate is a mediator, one that makes it possible.
The crystal is a fuel and means of transition.
And Helheim becomes the middle in this.

The means of spiritual connection cast through the gates of Helheim in which the first bits of stolen essence begin to seep into the gate- an equal exchange, in which the crystal, Lady Erie's Greed, serves as a means to elevate the gate's status closer to Helheim, innate connection made possible through magical means..

And in return, it begins to take first of its touches too.

"...Yet, I find myself impressed by this, Dun Task."

"Did you always hold a special place in your heart for this?"
(Fidi)
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Dun would thoughtfully consider his answers as he listened in to Fidi, actively taking notes on the fluctuation of mana in the unfinished portal frame to properly attune it for the final production. Each and every stress test made was a bit more data Task could use to refine the processes the gate manifested; the dream would not dissipate so easily.

The elder had no room for failure. He would succeed or die trying. Likely both.

"Ohohoho, yes sometimes it's the brightest minds that destroy things in the pursuit of science. It's why I made sure it was arcanium in frame, soul steel wires, capable of processing vast amounts of mana without oversurging or wiring burning out. Soul steel wires are unequaled, rivaled only by an alloy of blood copper and its ilk. Such bloody wires are in my gauntlet here."

Dun would nod sagely, considering Fidi's words.

"But yes, it never hurts to have fallbacks. Even if the gate is lost, this crystal of yours will ensure it can be reborn. With that and the completed gauntlet, a gate could be made anywhere you and Hades pleased."

The elder would tap his chin at that. Well, with the right materials. A cheap gate was just a shittier door. It must be made of only the finest materials.

He would take notes as Fidi tooks his "taste", each bit of research and in particular the interaction of the demon with the field to be offered excellent information on the continued construction and stress testing of the realm gate.

"I am honored, this is to be my magnum opus. When I die, this is my final gift to chaos, to Theria, to evolution. But, to answer your question..."

Dun would smile lightly.

"Not always. Once, I was a dog of the crown, sniffing for their shit while I rotted away. Only when I walked to Theria as my own man, seized it and became its overlord. Only then did my heart skip a beat, and the desire found food for flame in the depths of my bosom."

Dun would ball his gauntleted fist, barking out in bragadacious laughter as he nodded firmly.

"I wanted to start a fire that wouldn't go out, Fidi. A war that will not end, constant conflict and brutal evolution. Since the day I visited Helheim as a young man to steal some metal, I realized I wanted to build something like this so people can follow my footsteps, wander the realms and be REFORGED by their ruthless nature."

Dun would nod slowly, steadily, as if in this moment all was right.

"So yes, in a manner of speaking and falling under the rung of my dreams of an eternal war, yes Fidi, I've had this gate in my heart for.....eighty years now. Since I was overlord."
(Dun Task)
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 A means for evolution. That is what he always desired, is it not? To share the prophecy of humanity being changed to something greater, both in mind and body, until their imperfections are entirely rid of. It would be something that could allow him not only to become greater on his own, but to ensure that they would all move on to something bigger.

Something better than this.

But people cannot accept change easily. Such change cannot be made at all, unless there is something that shook the foundation previously- eradicating the pre-established order and ensuring that it would not stand in the way of something new.

"You understand what success means, Dun Task."

Because he destroyed his old life of being subservient to the Crown. Not only that, but he built something up from the constant struggles of chaos that would not allow something new to exist. It's rather quaint to him..

To meet a human who knows aboutthis.

"Success is measured in amount of destruction. Only after destroying what holds you back, you can truly give something new."

"And there's so much to destroy.."
"Until you build it back up."

Would the gate to the spirit wilds, to Helheim as well, be the end of humanity? Of course not. Not even close, in fact... because the Serpent has long realized that exterminating humanity is a futile effort - it's not possible, and the things that other Demons do simply feel redundant.

Obsolete.

Instead, to get rid of humanity's flaws, exterminating them isn't the right way- to change them, to mold them into his own image... much like he currently molds the gate's opening to his own.

A vision of Helheim, found upon the pages of arithmancy- of the runes that construct the passage and rending of space through the realm of the Damned.

This essence of the crystal... much like it serves as a means to ensure that gate is kept up, at the same time, it bestows the Helheim's energies to Fidi. All this gathered essence that he got, all this experience..

It will be a slow process of change.
But even now, it's being kicked off.

Deep within the Serpent, and he feels it- but for now, there is only a remark.

"You are a fine specimen, Dun Task. One of the few I would not bother changing - because you are already good enough."

Perhaps, a greatest praise that the Serpent could give.

"Would you witness what comes next?"
(Fidi)
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 Dun would, just for a short while, remove the mask of geniality that wore deep into his visage. For just a time, free of the friendly impulse, the face of a demon remained underneath. Filled with hatred for Osrona that burned so deep, his very blood filled with the bile of it.

A dark, truly revolutionary impulse. This was a man that had seen the Osronan empire at its prime, and sought nothing less than to return it to ash for what he had lost.

"Of course Fidi. Many have called me mad, said I don't understand what I plan to unleash. But of all the men on this continent, all the experiences had, I daresay I'm possibly one of the only men that COULD know what it means. I was at the black spire, I know what we ALMOST achieved. Only to falter like the tide against a worn stonewall."

Dun would grimace at that, hatred reverberating from his metallic form.

"This time will be different. This time the destruction won't STOP. Only in asea of ash can evolution blossom. Only when the rot of stagnancy is at last made tinder can the new world be built Fidi. The elf king wants to remain stagnant, frozen in time. But the future will come whether he wants it or not, THE FLAME OF PROGRESS DOES NOT HALT FOR A MORTAL'S WHIMS."

A fist balled, the anger resonating into a burning, concentrated point, before at last fading as he nodded steadily with a click of his teeth.

"I appreciate that, Fidi, but in truth I'm simply living proof of your beliefs. The man I was would be one you'd have resented. It took forced evolution, violence, loss, danger, and chaos to make me who I am today, near the end of my life. I am proof the cycle works."

Dun would click his teeth with a smile at the last bit.

"You couldn't stop me from the show if you tried, good Fidi. I have some time left, I will be able to enjoy the sights before I pass."
(Dun Task)
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It's the proof of the fact that the world needs to move on.

It was a long time coming, and Esshar as a whole has to move on from what it used to be. Almost a thousand years of Petrakis legacy? A thousand years of 'stability', one that cannot even get this kingdom anywhere at all, except be stuck in the same old ways? When compared to something like Barsburg..

What a load of bullshit.

The Serpent was offended at the mere thought that some people imagined this stagnation to be a good thing- not so long ago, before his kind truly awakened to this world once more, they were all lost in endless cycle of not doing anything - the endless cycle that would not lead them anywhere at all.

"Most of humanity remains ignorant."

"They are given the truth. They are given the means to progress beyond being slaves to the legacy of Petrakis bloodline, to the masters that intend to take the place of kings and rule over them."

"They are shown a better path.."

"And they reject it."

It's why they must be dragged towards this change- violently, kicking and screaming, and it is why the fiery speeches of Dun Task only seem to rouse him more. Is that a smile upon the Serpent's maw? An amusement found upon his face..

"We'll look at this show together, Dun Task."

"You will see the fruit of your labor come to life."

The Lady Erie's Greed hums intensely. Where it gathers the energy of Helheim, and exchanges it with the gate, the link that was established with Fidi a long time ago makes it a fuel for the Serpent's growth as well- a means to push him beyond boundaries, but..

That's not where his focus is.
He never cared about this.

Instead, what follows is the revelation of the Helheim's glory; a mere peek within a gate that was almost constructed. The connection through complex runes and Arithmancy, the space defied, it would establish the necessary link that could unleash the hordes of Helheim onto attackers, be it within Theria or elsewhere.

And that's once the gate is finished.

Just as it abruptly arrives, forces the exchange of greedy energy both onto crystal and onto gate, as well as Fidi, it seems to sizzle away into a promise of gate being constructed to a greater extent. It is one of the paths covered..

The path to Hel is made.

"Soon, Dun Task."

"Very soon."

Sooner than he thinks.. and even if Theria were to be conquered? It's not going to stop any of this.

It's not going to stop Fidi either.

Not now, not ever. And in the wake of the serpent's departure
(Fidi)
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Dun Task says, "Damn straight."
Dun Task says, "Well, I won't keep you Fidi. Work is to be done. I hope you've what you need to start."

A few weeks after Fidi’s departure, the elder sorcerer was finally ready to complete the second half of his work on the great gate. With the alliance of the dragon and the serpent, Task had managed to assemble not one, but two Barsburg golem cores. Fidi had nicked his own of course, and Task had gotten his during the visit with Khione and the party on the pilgrimage to the summit.

Retooling them had been a simple process for the elder, pathways of mana carved into the depths of their frame along with helheimic runes from the depths of Hades’ tome. Ambient flicks through the fel depths of the dark vellum offered exactly the attunements and tracings he required in his carving efforts with the Sanguinary Masterkey to be into the casing of the repurposed golem cores.

One would sit at the top of the gate, eighteen feet above. The other would sit at its foot, perfectly aligned from bottom to top not unlike the zipper of a fanciful pair of trousers. Just the reality warping kind, is all.

Another crucible of mithril was prepared, the process he’d committed years prior when he’d completed the first half of the economy grade test gate, and twenty five more bits became a flowing, silvery stream as hard energy molds created perfect dopplegangers and replications of the previous efforts he’d made for the lower arch. Nine feet tall and six feet wide, the assembly of interlocking hinges and widgets would be hammered into exact specifications by the aging sorcerer with his brute strength and keen precision.

The benefit of having practiced martial arts for over a hundred years.

With a careful attachment of each mithril piece after a swift scaling of the frame, each piece of the silvery arch structure would come together bit by bit before, like a head with the upper half of its skull exposed, the silver arch would sit atop the glimmering arcanium lower half in strict contrast.

And so, a second crucible was dredged forth, arcanium and blue mercury in equal proportions to the first half being seamlessly melted down by the intense, willfire heat of etheric flame, the elder of the Fireblooded working efficiently and dutifully to complete the task at hand with nothing less than boundless determination. Fidi could handle the attunement of the gate, but Task needed to build it first.

He would not falter.

With the alloy prepared, a hard light conveyor of prismatic energy would usher forth with pulsating kinetic force from the Sanguinary Masterkey, the mercuric arcanium alloy spilling forth with the rushing flow of a reverse waterfall as it seemed to almost crawl up the expanse of the half finished gate.

Like molten skin reforming, or a vase unexploding in time.

Yet, Task did not sit idle during this process, ascending the gate as his energy conveyors ladened forth the arcanium alloy coating to the mithril frame before hammering blows would trail across the expanse of the frame. Each time sped and cooled, reinforced edge, corner, and flat of the great gate’s frame attended to by the elder wizard with the assistance of time magic and stable loops to complete all the work he needed to do in a short span.

When he was done, the glimmering shell of the great gate sat waiting.

And yet, there was always more work to be done.

At last, the long neglected third crucible would be glanced at, having gathered dust over the years since Task first callously ignored it long ago, back when Rinn still lived and he’d only thought of the gate in concept. But now…

Now he had what he needed.

Tossing two motes of pure, Terraheimic soul steel into the crucible first, nothing less than fifty chunks of orichalchum were laden forth bit by bit into the pulsating, blue flame lit vat of metal. The true gold and soul silver interweaved into a lustrous, mana rich platinum, the sort of conducive alloy that would suit the needs of the two core’s casings and the wiring of the portal alike.

With the metal prepared, Task would flow his mana directly into the alloy, controlling it from within by means of his mastery of soul steel’s manipulation. With the conducive properties of orichalchum as a base and the qualities of his trusty gauntlet, it was like shaping malleable clay to the wizard of the mountain.

First, a flowing tide would encase the two enruned Barsburg cores, rapid hammering blows from Task setting in the alloy rich casing of the twin generator batteries that would serve to contain the immense output of the gateway. The mysterious technology was left unaltered internally, only improved from the outside to amplify their nature for Task’s work.

With the generator cores prepared, the platinum tide of flowing metal would carry them forth to their proper places, the first rising eighteen feet up conveyed by a heavenly light of glinting silver and gold before being set into place in the hollow Task’s schematics had left for its placement. Meanwhile, the base of the great gate would find the second Barsburg golem core firmly set before, as if like countless serpents released from a cage…

The wiring would begin.

As if with minds of their own, the soul steel would sprout from the two core’s casings, making use of any excess metal to string forth wiring throughout the depths of the supporting structure, serpentine structure trailing in swirls through the internal lengths of the mithril supports and arcanium alloy plating before, with firm motions and time progressive magic, the whirring sound of the two generators connecting would signal the end of the evening’s work.

The realm gate sat waiting, the mana it already began to process palpable as tension in the air.

Now he only needed the stones of the realms…...the elemental ring and the dark stone of Hel.

Only then could he die in peace.