The Gathering of The Promise
Master of Secrets[edit]
Rivers Between Us shivered, but not from the cold. It was late; in another hour the manse would begin to awake, but at the moment darkness and mist covered its gardens and classrooms, and its encampments of soldiers. Behind him he sensed the presence, and he whispered without looking, "Truly this venture is blessed by heaven; I had not dared to hope that you would aid us."
A husky voice responded, deep and hollow like wind through a cavern. "Yes, you told no one, and all secrets hidden from the light are mine to choose from."
"Then you know why we need you... but why have you come?"
Five Days Darkness strode just outside the light of his candle, his feet making no noise, as silent whorls of darkness curled behind him, rising from cape like smoke. "My reasons are my own business. I will aid you in the construction; one of my servants will provide such enchantments and wardings as will be necessary to ensure success. You may think yourself a sorcerer, but you are also correct in thinking that you're no match for this task. I will also furnish certain materials that you know too well have not seen the light of day in centuries. And you will perform a service for me."
"Oh... well, of course, I suppose... what did you have in mind?"
"A village one week North and East of here has been raided by bandits. They will not have enough food to last through the next winter. Send them supplies enough to suffice."
"Oh," Rivers seemed taken aback. "Of course... I had no idea you were so altruistic. Unless..."
"Very perceptive, lawgiver." He chuckled in the shadows. "You'll do me this little favor, and the Court of Descending Water will then come to you asking for satisfaction. Remind them, if you would, that their pathetic arrogance is only matched by their incompetence."
The candle guttered in a sudden breeze and went out.
Fraternal Cooperation[edit]
Song of the Silver Wind whispered, "Is this what Malfeas is like?"
Protected by a friendly sylph from the worst effects of the heat, Rivers Between Us still sweated as he looked about the sanctum. It was a barren plain, dark as a starless night, where even the soil was an ashen black. The only illumination came from the blood of the earth, for as far as the eye could see the ground was cracked like mud flat baked by the sun, and in those cracks pulsing maga flowed.
The only landmark on the plain was the brothers, and they were working as they always worked.
The Ravages of Time wielded a spade as broad as two men standing side by side and equally as tall. He drew the wide blade behind him and suddenly it was full. In the dim light, Rivers could scarcely see what was in the spade, but he thought he saw a few vague shapes in the heap: broken children's toys, a half eaten skull, a torn flag, a window frame. He threw this heap into the crucible, a bowl eight paces across settled into the magma plain. As the weight filled the bowl, ribbons flame jetted from beneath the sides of it and a fresh wave of heat washed over the Lawgivers.
Spring's Inevitable Betrayal, the taller of the two, though thinner, lifted one hand pulled down the edge of the bowl. A thin trickle of light, blindingly white, poured from it's lip into a trough, flowing down into a stone mold in the shape of a straight sword. Almost immediately the god flipped the mold onto the anvil and began hammering.
Rivers looked at his companion and waggled his eyebrows meaningfully. Song stepped forward.
"Excuse me, sirs. Allow me the honor of introducing myself. I am Song of the Silver Wind, chosen of the Unconquered Sun, and this is my companion, Rivers Between Us."
The Ravages of Time drew back his spade, and it was full once more.
"We have come to ask for your assistance. A sword must be forged to unite the Murakan and defend the Mandate of Heaven. Will you assist us?"
Spring's Inevitable Betrayal finished the sword and tossed it, still smoking, into a trough of water. It still gleamed white.
"Err... what is it that you are forging today, brothers?"
As he tilted the bowl to fill the mold, the tall one spoke. "Conviction."
"Ah. Excellent. Good stuff."
"I do not see the value, only the work. And there is much work."
"More than usual?"
"Not since the end of the first age has there been so much in need of forging. This new age will mean the end of many things, and from those things many new things shall be forged."
The shorter one stepped torwards them, and as he did his appearance became visible in the blood-light. He was squat and thick as his spade, with a flat, manlike face and two eyes covered in milky cataracts. His greasy apron was the only clothing he affected, and it only partially concealed a mortal wound that began at his shoulder and extended deeply through his chest, nearly cutting him in half. It was ragged, but did not bleed.
"Who needs our aid?" His voice was thick as bubbling pitch.
Rivers stepped forward.
In a single swift motion the god plunged his spade into the sorcerers chest. Rivers looked down in horror at the blade, shrunk to merely a hands-breadth across, as The Ravages of Time drew it out again. On the blade four small jewels glittered, of varying size and color. He picked at them with one finger while Rivers stood paralyzed.
"No good. Too soft. You only half believe in the cause and you've no stomach for real battle. The sword would be a waste."
The god stepped forward and pinched the copper spider's nose, pulled open his mouth, and tossed the gems down his throat. Rivers swallowed with a painful sob, then shouted, "I know! It's not for me. Nameless Ravine! He is our general, the son of an immaculate and defender of righteousness."
The god looked at his taller brother. "What say you, Sib?"
"I remember him, Rot. He's a pissant, but with a little tempering, some heat and pressure, he could do it. He needs a sword, though."
"Right," Rivers panted. "A new age needs a new leader, a new sword."
Song stepped forward. "It's settled then." The four placed their hands together, and the agreement was made. A sword to end the Age of Sorrows would be forged.
The Gathering[edit]
Rivers Between Us unrolled a sheet of paper twenty feet long and five feet across. Two jokun lifted the paper up to the wall. Carefully inked, with notes scrawled in old realm over every blank space, was a diagram of blade. It nearly filled one wall of the spacious meeting room where seven gods and mortals met, sipping imported Realm vintage and lounging after a feast in the great hall.
Berren was dressed in a purple silk robe and relaxing in a large, oak chair. "That's a big sword," he said, talking around a goblet of wine.
Seven Thousand Wonders Unfolding twitched, and three of its legs became filigreed wings. It hopped into the air and circled over to the paper aroudn the great oak table. "Imbecile. It's a scale model. The actual sword will be a third of this size, of course."
The Ravages of Time leaned over the table to look more closely. He scratched at the hand deep tear in his chest. "An orichalcum grand daiklave... it's been hundreds of years since one of these has been forged..."
Fear's Umbra took a long drag of hashish smoke from his pipe meditatively, and whispered in a sing-song voice, "Actually, that's not entirely true..." Five Days Darkness's representative was an older man with black, long hair that hung lank over his face and a patch of discolored skin on his cheek. Three long iron blades were strapped across his back.
Spring's Inevitable Betrayal scratched at his impassive wooden mask. "...either way, this hardly requires such an assemblage of gods and savants to ensure completion. If I hadn't sworn already, I'd say our time was being wasted here, unless this twilight knows nothing of his trade."
Serrakeen, on his own chair of asbestos fiber and basalt, twisted his beard. "I assure you, we have excellent reasons. In less than three weeks and army of five thousand will stand against our three hundred troops at the very gates of this manse."
Rivers stood before the diagram, and bowed his head. "Other measures are, ah, in the works, of course, but in the meantime our forces will need a symbol; our general needs a blade fitting for a warrior of the dawn. You are summoned for this task. You have all made your bargains and given your agreement. There is no time for delay. The forging must begin."
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1. The Promise
