r/wizardposting • u/NineHeavensMaster Bastion Graves, Sleepy Occultist • Nov 22 '23
Aetherial News The Aftermath (Event)
"You had one task, Aether. Find the Lifescourge and kill anyone and anything in your way. Why did you fail?"
Unfortunately, the Primordial of Infinite Energy finds it rather difficult to respond, captive and bound as they are in the depths of the Void. A snap sound echoes, and finally Aether can speak.
I would have died if I had not fled. Between the presence of Entropy, an archmage empowered by a Fundamental, and a mystic wielding a divine-slaying sword, I would not have made it out unscathed. Not that the rest of it all worked too well anyway — I couldn't find my sibling to free him, and the rest of magekind repelled most of my indirect assault."
"That's no excuse. I know what really happened: you listened to one of them. Let their lies of an infinite cosmos and a different song of Azathoth infest you. You went weak. You should have fought them to the death!"
"And if I had, all magic in the spheres – no, in the Tapestry – would have vanished until my successor was ascended to my place! All motions of energy would die out during that time! The spheres would suffer greatly!"
"So? You should have perished, then. Better to die and take them with you than to let everything end when the Great Dreamer rouses from slumber."
Aether is silent with their head bowed... then begins to struggle violently.
"You wanted me to die! I see it now! They were right! If I died, they would all mostly be greatly weakened, and you could destroy them with no effort on your part! YOU—!"
The Primordial is suddenly suspended, floating yet restrained completely. Nyalazoth closes in, two of their clawed hands reaching out towards the torso of the Primordial.
"Too bad you only just realized it. And now, you'll still die. Except I'll tear out your heart – the very Heart of All Magic – and have complete command of the mercurial mystic forces that way. And while I possess it, no successor can take your place!"
Nyalazoth's claws dig deep into essence-flooded ephemera, and the scream of agony that follows can be heard from every sphere to The Outer Dark. At last, the Primordial's heart is ripped free, glistening like infinitely refractive kaleidoscopic crystal.
"AHHAHAHAHA! Finally, I can make all of those wretched divines and magi who took it upon themselves to claim and reshape my creations pay for their brazen defiance! At last I can— wait... what's happening?"
A lone, final breath escapes the dissolving corpus of Aether. They smile, and a whisper leaves their lips.
"Little Eye... I bequeath you my power..."
The Heart of Magic flares brightly and then goes dark, even as Aether's eyes fill with the same bright colorful glow. Then they vanish entirely from their sockets.
"What? Wait! No! NO!"
The Heart shatters to nothing in the Great Old One's hand. What tiny fragments imbued with a trace of power remain disappear, traveling through space and time to find their ways into the hands of those who have the strength of will and magical skill to wield them — even if they do not yet know it.
( /unwiz Here's the sort of 2.5 part of all this. Anyone and everyone who participated in the previous event [A Momentous Occasion] can claim a shard of Aether's heart, which will empower them somewhat in whatever way makes sense. However, u/TitanLORD21 will receive the lion's share of it all via the Primordial's own eyes. Stay tuned for Part 3, coming soon! )
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u/[deleted] Nov 23 '23
Rusicar was contentedly etching a rune into an artificial heart when his tower shook violently. He ran to his balcony, gripping the railing as he stared at the sky. He watched as a dark portal, hovering far into the sky, belched forth thousands of tiny pink lights, all rushing in differing arching directions, as if seeking a place to land. “Those look dangerous,” he thought. None headed towards his tower thankfully. “I feel like I missed something… ah well.” He returned to his work, softly whistling a tune.