Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

Those overly ambitious mortals scuffled about, while Enki finally had himself suited with a new arm. Technological advancements allowed him to easily replace a body part that couldn't be regenerated, but there was another issue. That robotic and armored limb he received could not properly accept his mana all the way through. He could push his energy outward to make it respond via its circuitry, but it could not become a true replacement. What the hell was done to the point of severing? He'd have to see something else done to it in due time, but first, he had to visit his war chamber. Every battle Artoria Pendragon fought was recorded and replayed in three dimensions, allowing him to view her techniques as they played out. This was a small waste of manpower for the greater end. Oh... those movements were so honed, so perfect that Enki was almost disgusted by them. No wonder the golden boy took an interest in this one. "Hmm. Ishtar's choice will need much more than blessings," he mused while looking into the tactics that proved closest to effective against this Queen of Knights.

Gilgamesh spent his time holding that vial, his thumb brushing over its exterior slowly and repeatedly. In the meantime, he stared out into the open with eyes that peered through causality. Something was out there, somewhere. No matter the difficulty, the task would be completed, and the last vestiges of Celestia wiped from this world. He could see properly the Age of Man, and the land of Albion at its dawn. Good. Albion was precisely where he thought to end the Age of Gods; choosing the path to take was therefore a thing of great ease. How long would it take, though? The King of Heroes was already visibly impatient. Why did it take so long to locate a mobile, disappearing country?

[Apollymi]

A mechanical arm restored to Enki, the battles of Artoria Pendragon, and the mobilized upper realm searching for ways to get back a lost country. There seemed to be a great era of movement all centered around Albion and the missing Queen of Knights. Included in this movement was her elder sister, the Lake Fae known as Vivian. She had not foreseen Albion's disappearance and was thus disturbed. Her walk through an oasis would turn into a casual movement into a deep forest. She was looking for a certain individual whom she knew to be planted in this hidden place. "Great Creator... I am troubled. My little sister has been taken her entire country hidden and we know not how to find her..." said the young woman. She already knew the amount of darkness surrounding the lives of her family, but this wasn't part of it. They needed to help these gods along and out of the world so they could continue with life. "I do not know these 'gods' who ruin the lives of one who has done no wrong... I do not understand why I cannot reach her and why the utterances of their names across the water sicken me," she explained of the situation. The Fae were old creatures. They'd seen a great many things, none were older than the Great Creator. Even without his 'godly' status, he was without question the best source of information she did not have. Perhaps his wealth of knowledge would come with the ability to get into Albion at least a little.

At the same time, Frankie was gathering her own charts and maps. There was a reason she was on the lower world and if she was going to strategize with the King of Heroes she would not go empty handed. Besides, the Queen of Knights was an interesting woman and the Queen of Saints was as well. There would be no slow moving explanation she had to plan attacks and the movements of her fleets. "The Age of Discovery is coming, I can feel it, doll." she said it with a grin on her face and fire in her eyes. "Don't worry though, before that we plunder this missing country and find your big sister. I still owe her for that lost bet after all..." Frankie mentioned seeming to find the whole thing funny. She never could have pulled off the kind of look one like Artoria Pendragon had, but that girl was a monster when it came to combat. Francis Drake wasn't an idiot and the last time she'd been in the prescence of both the Queen of Knights and the Queen of Saints, she'd drunkenly bet a ridiculous sum of gold on a shooting match with the former. She'd lost horrendously. How did a girl so good with a sword also have the ability of a marksman beyond belief? It was damn unfair but, the little smirk on the Queen of Knights face when she said she could pay that debt at her leisure was something one like Francis couldn't forget. She remembered thinking her princely as compared to her own descriptor of manly. So what kind of man made a Princely woman's heart beat increase? That was something worth finding out.

[Bloodedge]

Only seven years after appearing with a broken Excalibur, the Lady of the Lake made her way into the grove of Enlil. The great flower that once housed the former god was not as it had been before. Now, he seemed closer to a malnourished man in a red robe, seated atop a chair of leaves supported by vines. What could have brought the Fae Princess here this time? Nothing good, sadly. "Speak to me of your troubles, my child," he said. Of course, her troubles were the doings of his own brethren. This disturbed the 'Creator' greatly, though it did not seem particularly surprising. "I felt a miracle occur as my brother and sister were reborn. That they would do this, means they have truly fallen to the great sickness. Perhaps that is why their names plague you so." Additional vines grew out from the ground surrounding Enlil. Together, they produced flowers which bloomed and pollenated the air, spores converging to create images. He pictured his remaining siblings and the empire of AS-IKU, knowing it matched the scale of that miracle. "I sense temples of my brother and sister, of a model that should exist only in our home Celestia. If these are the catalyst, the country you speak of could be sheltered by my own methods. I fear my Authority has been claimed. But, if even you cannot enter this space, it can only be the work of... a different form of god. It would seem the worlds are converging at last, far sooner than they can. . ."

[Apollymi]

The Fae Princess spoke her troubles to the 'Great Creator' he looked different than she remembered. Had these seven years truly been so bad to him? He spoke of the rebirth of his 'brother' and 'sister' the gods who had taken her younger sister. He claimed they had fallen to the great sickness if they had done such a thing. Vivian remembered this, from their last conversation. He claimed himself to be sick, but still he'd done no such thing as what was being perpetrated by these two. He did look sick himself though, but the Great Creator was not the type to do anything but birth himself anew when he needed to do so. "I see." she said thinking over the information carefully. Pollination and flowering were used to show her, the nation of AS-IKU. Apparently there were temples set up there for those two in an organization which should have only been allowed in Celestia. "So, they created for themselves a new seat of worship but they are not the same kinds of gods, as those of nature and those of Celestia anymore..." she said seeming to understand. "I cannot go to my sister, because they are no longer aligned to the world. It is why my sister can still fight, and why she could free the beast Cath Palug of their influence. Its whereabouts are something I must search for, that creature is the key to know where to start the search for my sister," she gave it thought. "I will have my youngest sister treat my sickness, the Holy Maiden should be able to make sure I retain effectiveness," she said knowing what would be done. The audacity of these so called gods, to use powers they did not understand and do something so atrocious. Vivian was seething beneath the surface, but kept her calm as she always did, she had to find her younger sister. She had to free her, Artoria did not deserve imprisonment and one day even she would understand that herself. This convergence of the worlds did not sound like anything too good either. "If it is being hidden by your method then we would have to enter it by force. They attack the Queen of Knights repeatedly, for what reason I do not know. Great Creator, I know not of this convergence, but at least one of them has already tried to wrong my sister even before this 'miracle' they performed," she explained of the situation. "Do they even know what they are now? Do they know they can only taint the rest of the world with filth?" That was a loaded question but she needed to know, if they were truly ignorant the amount of disaster that would follow their escapade was catastrophic. To destroy their seat of power would likely change the world massively but Vivian knew, everyone involved even the Queen of Saints would do so for the sake of the Queen of Knights.

[Bloodedge]

It was easy to see how far the other gods had fallen. Ishtar had not even been the root of it all, from Enlil's perspective. No, it was the fault of each that this sickness had overtaken them. None were vigilant enough to escape their sins, and in Enlil's case... lack of vigilance was the sin itself. He thought there was no great savior who could spare them their fate, but he also believed a new generation could rise and do what they could not. "Though it saddens me to say, they are still gods of Celestia. Their status remains intact even as Celestia seals itself. These effects, however, are not the way of my creation. Rest assured, my child. If it were by my method, you would be the first one capable of passing the barrier," he insisted. There was another fear, that if those two rose to great enough power, they could inhabit Celestia anew by breaking down the barriers between realms. Did they know? He doubted they did, but it was far worse than a matter of ignorance. "I believe they do not know. Only myself, two sisters, and Mother were able to realize our ailment and make the decision to abstain from corroding the world around us. Father and those two... I am afraid, they will cause great suffering for ages to come."

There was no avoiding the troubles to the world caused by those three. Sadly, it could only be minimized. A tale needed telling. Vivian knew not of the convergence, and it was vital information to the world's future. "Long ago, there were four categories equivalent to what the world now knows as divinity. When the world was one, myself and the other Creators stood on par with the Destroyers, as well as the Spirits above and the Heroes between. Each divided with the world, but the Destroyers... Demons, I believe you would call them, inhabit the realm of nothingness that contains all things discarded. It is an infinite void of nothingness that infringes upon the material world, its infinite contents seeking a home. That is the curse that has taken my brethren. It has only a small place in this world, as the other side of you should know well; she is one such place. However, the older ones such as you cannot yet inhabit this world with its current lack of stability. One day, that much will be sustainable... but the rest must be kept away at all costs. My sister and brother are too young to know what they must fear. They are too lacking in understanding to flee their own curse, lest the world they live in tear itself asunder with nothing to moderate a new division."

[Apollymi]

From the Great Creators' own lips was information concerning the way such beings as Ishtar and Enki existed. They were both still gods of Celestia, though they had other influences now. They were releasing their negative qualities unto the world. Even Vivian herself understood this kind of influence but she wasn't the type to be taken over by it. What was more he claimed that if he was one to create such a thing she would have been able to enter and exit. It was nice to know she was still favored. "That is reassuring to know. Even though I find myself here to ask questions and discuss things of terror. I do enjoy your company Great Creator. Honestly, I will try not to come here just when things are wrong..." she said knowing it had to be burdensome to only see people when the world was falling apart. "Alright good to know there is one more errant threat besides those two. The King of Heroes will not tolerate them and now that my sister is coming to understand herself she will not either..." she said seeing to grasp how her sister would understand and judge the behavior of this pair. At the very least four of seven known gods had the decency not to harm the rest of the world with their ailments.

Whatever the case, it was time for Vivian to hear the tale of the convergence. Of four equivalent types of being with the power to subdue each other. Apparently, the Destroyers now called demons were seeking somewhere to call home, after experiencing the infinite nothingness of the Void. There were vestiges of this she was already aware of, and the Great Creator seemed aware as well, since he pointed it out. Vivian managed to look a tad bit sheepish but her own form of that power did nothing so hasty as was she was seeing here. "I see. The other me is aware of such things. She stays where she can be held, in the dream world of my sister's creation along with the others whom she could protect. Though we do not always agree and she does not tell me everything she has my implicit trust in doing what will help us all. These two do not seem to have at all anyone else's interest at heart, have they truly become the same type of being?" she questioned this part directly. Her own understanding of the Dark Fae was that the power they had simply could not be held in the world. Morgause as she was called before chose to die on this side after making sure there was a place for the rest to coalesce as well. These two fallen gods did not seem to be doing anything other than sowing descent and making difficult the lives of all others around them.

[Bloodedge]

That his brother and sister could not be tolerated, was a thing of sadness to Enlil. Though he knew they were against what this world needed, against the very flow of nature that had been imparted in the absence of mystery... they were family nonetheless. "I wish I could say my brethren should not be judged. I wish I could ask you and those at your side not to condemn them. However, there is nothing in this world that can truly cure their sickness. They, and possibly our father An, may be too far gone. If they are... even a thousand deaths will only make them worse," he explained. The Void was a relentless existence, carrying its own consciousness. It would spend the foreseeable future planting its seeds. "Once a seed has grown into a blossoming flower, the cycle cannot be stopped without razing the forest. This is the way of nature, even if it is not the way things should be."

Upon hearing his tale of creation and rebirth as it could be called, Vivian spoke of the realm inhabited by the Fae. He knew of that pocket. In fact, their current location was only slightly displaced from it, and by very similar methods. "The other side is a thing of great beauty. I hope you, she and the other children may know peace there for a time. Since its creation, it seems to have been... repurposed. The Spirit of Valiance has taken root, creating a realm of hope all its own within the pocket. I would think Mother had been born anew, if I knew no better." Enlil was beginning to ramble, but he was quite content with certain developments in the world. Alas, they were still discussing matters of his sibling divinities. "They are the same, yet very different. That which can be given a home, may be content. It is the banished who feel scorn and resentment, demanding its place in the world at any cost to others who inhabit it. That other side of you is close to the Void, susceptible to being touched by it directly, but not inherently plagued by it for never being shunned by the world. The old ways of your kind have evolved for fear of the worst, but you... are a specialty even among the original design. Never has there been another to hold both light and darkness in unison as you, my child. It is as if you were conditioned for it before your birth."

[Apollymi]

The Great Creator was saddened by the knowledge of the likely fates of his siblings. Of course he would be, family is a lovely thing, none understood that more than Vivian. Still to spare them of their torment would have needed them to be corralled before their falling. They'd already done so much to wrong those who would have tolerated their silence. "I cannot say for certain how this will play out now. My vision is not as clear in the times to come, but those two and potentially the one you call An, would be allowed to live peacefully if they did the same. My sister only holds disdain for those who do not learn the lesson given them. She is tyrannical at times, but I cannot say she is wrong in how she responds to things that harm not only herself but can potentially harm others. She saw the evil of that goddess and chose to say no, it could have ended there..." she said knowing how Artoria came to punish Ishtar for sending rapists to her castle and knowing why it was decided that she could not be allowed that much influence. "What I have seen of those two, they do not simply wish to live, or even just live happily as everyone else does," she said understanding the natures of these ones and knowing that they would find impassable obstacles and setbacks the more they tried to grab at things outside of their control. The idea of razing the forest as Enlil put it was one shared by the King of Heroes, "King Gilgamesh shares that sentiment. I cannot say I disagree either..." Vivian was still at her core a practical being all things considered.

The Spirit of Valiance, had taken root, the reverse side of the world became something more. That was good. The creation of such a being was indeed intended, though it had a strange circumstance. It was... sweet notion. "I am sure they will for a time. My sister does not believe herself a heroine at all. She fails to understand the nature of the part of herself that is light, but one day... it will be clear even to her." she said with a smile spreading across her face. She'd seen that much, she knew it was possible to once again birth the truth of Artoria Pendragon into the world, and she would make it so, both sides of her working towards an eventuality which would help everyone. Speaking of duality apparently the pair of gods now bringing shame to the world were indeed to be classed the same way as Vivian and Morgan were. A shake of her head came with this knowledge, oh well... not everyone could keep their emotions in check. Ah but what was this? The Great Creator had noticed that Morgan's darkness was so very Void leaning while Vivian remained the light to be balanced. He said it was like she was prepared for it even before she was born. A smirk... subtle as it was appeared on Vivian's face in a moment like that. Her original life had done much to prepare her for the 'darkness' of the Void. Knowing that this was the case, she worried little for her siblings as well, though admittedly she'd rather spare them, if she could she knew that darkness in some cases was best utilized by those who fully understood it. "I honestly believe, accepting all parts of ones self is the best way to live. Even if you must keep those pieces from touching sometimes... they should never feel rejected, they are all part of you." Vivian's words were why she'd gone out of her way to make sure her little sister began to experience life properly. "I appreciate your help Creator. I hope my next visit can be more joyous." Vivian truly wished to have good news to share the next time she came before this man. Regardless, she supposed it was time for her to scry, she'd find the location of Cath Palug before returning to the King of Heroes.

But before Vivian would be making her way back to Chaldea, Jeanne and 'Frankie' as she was being called arrived back in Uruk and were walking up the steps to meet the King of Heroes. The pair seemed to have been discussing a great many things concerning this job and Frankie knew of the importance of it but would rather find out from all sources information that might help her actually track down this missing country.

[Bloodedge]

Enlil understood that his siblings would not be allowed reprieve, so long as they lived and were discoverable. They had committed many atrocities, and they would only commit more as time passed. Such was the flow of causality─ the paths they had chosen for themselves. Accepting the consequences was their own duty, always. "My sweet child, you needn't worry. Your vision may not always be clear, but these are the times you must put faith in yourself. I hope only that those who elect to right the wrongs of my siblings do not lose themselves in the process. Enlightenment awaits us all in the end, but the path and its length are determined by our choices. This is the way of nature." Enlil's beliefs were those of a man, a divine being, who saw all versions of the world in the moments of their births. Everything had its time to rise, to fall, and even to transcend. Some would achieve a different form than others, and the Lady of the Lake herself was one such individual. "Accepting ourselves for all we are is a beautiful notion. Remember, child, that separation of the mind is fragmentation of the soul. Even the world must one day reach convergence. Should not the same be said of its inhabitants?" Enlil delivered this slightly cryptic message to the fairy as she departed. She would understand. If she somehow failed to see now, he trusted that she would know when the time was necessary. Even she, who bore light and darkness separately, would one day see the time it was necessary to have both at once. And so, he gave his final message. "We see through our eyes the light, and the darkness. I say unto you that they are neither whites nor blacks, but the many shades of gray. Go in peace, sweet child of the lake. May your path lead you to enlightenment."

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh remained as impatient as ever upon the throne of Uruk. He would finally see the approach of Jeanne d'Arc and her alleged companion while reviewing tablets to keep himself occupied. Eye contact was not made; he saw them without looking in their direction. If he gazed upon them directly, there was a very high chance the wrong message would be sent through his eyes... so he abstained from that for the sake of avoiding old problems. Even so, his attitude could have used a bit of tweaking. "I give you a vessel that travels with the speed of the sun's rays, and this is the time I should expect your return?" he questioned. "What else is required to see the task done? Be swift."

[Apollymi]

Vivian was always given comfort whenever she spoke directly to Enlil. His words gave her heart stillness it did not always possess on its own. His words seemed almost warning in nature. Those who would right the wrongs of Ishtar and Enki would have to find their own enlightenment with their choices determining the length of time that would take? Fine. She could not argue with nature as one who embodied it in anyway. He claimed one would eventually need to bring the pieces of their soul back together, she knew that as well. When her work was done, she planned to meld both halves of herself back together. That last statement, before wishing her farewell in peace mentioned shades of gray. It would not be Vivian to hear this clearly but her other half to peak through her eyes for just a moment. "Gray, huh?" Whatever Morgan had in mind it was locked away immediately, like a fleeting thought in the face of all other possibilities. After walking out of that place, she found herself popping up in a lake, strangely near St. Paul's. Here the cold had set in and froze the ground and air, the ice and snow were immaculate. The winds whipped through the trees and she felt even the slightest chill. Behind that line of trees and across the lake she saw a small collection of humanoid individuals. Pale in complexion with pointy ears... they would be called. "Elves? Cold... Power... Right between the Elinor Forest, and the start of a little castle town. Hm... is this what had become of this area since Camelot had risen? Loch Ness which was left behind was a bit farther south than this, but without Camelot here, a few other places had sprung up farther north. A problem for later..." she mused. Looking out over the water, she'd seen things. For a brief moment she imagined this very forest freezing over because a child of power was afraid. The beast would be ignored for the most part, it would only truly be a problem if attacked and a thriving little castle would come up here lead by a rather cute couple. Nice. Knowing where this had fallen she walked back into the lake coming out into the baths at Uruk.

In the meantime, Jeanne was greeted by Gilgamesh in typical fashion. He seemed a bit ornery but she was also in a similar mood. "I moved at light speed. Still, a pirate's life is at sea, and the lower world is one singular landmass. Considering I did not know where she was docked I wasn't gone that long. No sass..." Jeanne chided. As for the bits about what was needed to complete it, Frankie was looking at this King with a raise brow. So much force and anger just bubbling beneath the surface. Not even bad on the eyes, though someone should question the Queen of Knights taste just a bit. "First I'd need my ship set for the long voyage. You want it done fast you provide what we need. Assuming you just wish me to track it down... I'd take the reward after I complete the job, but I also need to know where to start. Riding the high winds of the skies ain't for the faint of heart. And navigating to something that is floating was already difficult. Hidden and on the move and floating is probably impossible," Frankie said. "But I like impossible," she said holding up her hands. Vivian was stepping forward seeming to feel the need to butt in without announcing herself. "You mapped the lower world recently, yes? I know the location of Cath Palug... it is North of Saint Paul's Cathedral, south of the village of Zuria and east of the Elinor Forest of Elves," mentioned Vivian, that sort of directionality would lead her to believe they were headed northwest. "Oi, bloody hell there are more of you walking around here?" Frankie said. "Yeah. My eldest sister," she said. Obviously Jeanne still wasn't pleased, she hadn't even bothered being upset about the language.