*M i d n a*
Æsir Scribe
My Apologies
First off, I apologize because I decided to discontinue that series I started not long ago. The way it was intended was rushed and I don't like posting rushed stories since I tend to discontinue them because rushing things has never been my style. I like taking my time when writing, and I sure as hell like to put my deep thoughts into the chapters I deliver, that's why some are very long. But like I tend to say, "What must be said has to be said."
Story Info
Anyway, I am not gonna say much in regards to this story, just that in my attempt to put something together when it comes to my created Phydoria world and some creatures, this was a failed attempt. The story is finished, and it's a good read imo, but it was not to my liking for the simple fact that I did not get to explain much of what is going on in Dragiria. The other story I have going, which is close to being put out in the market, actually goes very deep in that regard, deep enough to have given me many roads/options for a series before the grand finale takes place. Anywho, in the past I let many of you down by starting a few stories and dropping them. Most of you are gone now, but not forgotten. I intend to honor most of you signees through this story; I turned it into a ZD-style story for that matter, actually.
Warning
SotG is around 10 chapters long, not including this intro, so more like 11-12. I warn you that this intro and perhaps chapters 1-2 are taken from A Dragir's Tale, but I have reworked them for this story, so they are really not the same, I recommend that you read them again if you are gonna follow the story. Oh yeah, and please excuse any mistakes/typos you might find; I'm not perfect in my writing, and neither are some Pro writers, believe me. But I do keep working hard to avoid as many errors as possible.
Thanks!
Thank you in advance if you read the story. ~Eclipse
Rated PG-13
Honored ZDers:
The huge bog was her realm, a well-hidden large stone temple was her main residence, and the whole world of Phydoria was hers to protect. For the latter, that is what the goddess Zeruda had strongly believed in her mind and heart ever since humanity had lost its perfection in the early dawn of time.
Not a day had gone by since her arrival to the bog nearly five hundred years ago without her venturing out of her hideout to keep an eye out on many things. Yes, many different things, for her entire bog was always bustling with some form of activity or other.
One main thing that the deity had been keeping a wary eye on lately was an invisible magical seal found underneath the earth’s crust, a seal that only she could feel via magical readings, for she had been granted the power to do that by her own Father, who had been the one that had placed the seal over the entire earth many, many years ago. The sealing of her own brother—an entity known as Mosley—had happened exactly five centuries ago. With much of that span of time already long gone, the seal’s powerful magic had dwindled considerably.
With her eyes closed and her hands surrounded by holy-based reading magic, Zeruda could feel the seal’s power dwindling a bit more that early rainy morning. She knew that for every day that passed, the seal became weaker. Through the use of her innate magical powers, she easily knew that the seal would remain strong at least for the remaining five centuries that still needed to pass before it finally expired.
To a human, or a lesser being gifted with a short span of life, perhaps those many years would have seemed like a lot of time to wait on, an eternity! But not to the deity Zeruda. She had already lived several chiliads and knew quite well just how fast time really passed.
Feeling troubled within as she stood in the middle of that tree-infested jungle that she called her home, Zeruda knew those five centuries would come to pass in a snap, just like a sudden gust of wind passing through an open field. When the thousand-year seal finally ended, her brother would be coming out from that dark place that he had been confined to. He would not be coming out just to greet her or admire the world where he had once walked upon. No, Zeruda and the whole world of Phydoria would be in for terrible, dark times. For coming alongside her brother would be his dark minions: hosts of demons and other macabre living beings that he, himself, had created long ago.
The last time that Mosley had been on Phydoria soil, he’d had in mind destroying the same beings that he had been assigned to care for and watch over alongside with Zeruda and a host of Celestials. Mosley, who had been the first ever son to be created directly by Mases, the one true god, had been given great power; enough to be known as the second most powerful being alive, just second to his father. Mases All-Father had given his son great knowledge and wisdom to go with that power, as well as many visions of great things that were to come later in time for the entire universe that he had created. But Mosley’s heart and mind soon became clouded with avaricious dreams of obtaining overall power from his father and for himself. The son loved all that his father had come to create and his plans for the future, but he wanted all that for himself. He'd wanted that all credit be given to him and no one else, not even the rightful deserver.
And so knowing that he had been given great power, perhaps enough to even challenge his mighty father’s divine authority, Mosley disobeyed his father’s wishes when the time to obey came. He, and the many celestial creatures that had gone down with him to the then-perfect world of Phydoria, had done the opposite of what they had been ordered to do. Instead of watching over the humans and animals, and maintaining the earth in favorable conditions for their thriving existence, Mosley ordered many of his celestial brethren to expose themselves to the earthly creatures and to kill many of them. Fearing the All-Father’s son wrath, the celestians saw no other option before them but to obey his wishes. Not knowing what killing was all about, the celestians had hesitated. But Mosley sent a dark, magical wave forth, a power that invaded the celestians’ minds and showed them what they had to do. So they did with their bare hands as he had commanded them, to strangle the humanly creatures, thus ending the ever cycle of life and bringing death into existence. After many of the humans were killed that fateful day, Mosley and his minions took the women—who were beautiful and enchanting to the eye—and had coitus with many of them. These actions would have consequences for humanity in later times, for from the union between celestial beings and humans sprouted forth the Gigants, colossal creatures of tremendous power.
Zeruda, who had been sent alongside with Mosley as a co-leader of the operation, had been betrayed right from the start. Upon arriving to earth, she had gone in another direction with a great group of helpers, willing to get started with her caring duty. Soon, though, news arrived to her of what had happened. Terrified, shocked, and feeling heavyhearted at what Mosley had so unexpectedly done, she tried to return to Celestia and inform her father of it. But Mosley and a host of his followers stopped her from doing that before she could leave. They appeared out of thin air, surprising her and the many celestial sons and daughters that were there. His followers disposed of those that did not bend knee and offer their services to him, but only a few were killed, as most chose to live instead of dying. Zeruda was alone before a multitude of betrayers, killers, cruel beings with no honor, all led by her own brother.
While having her surrounded, Mosley stepped in the middle of the wide circle that his followers had formed around his sister. He proceeded to offer her a place at his side, but Zeruda refused it immediately. Her brother, knowing that Zeruda was very powerful herself, tried to convince her to join his side so he could see his ultimate plan for total supremacy come true. The beautiful goddess literally spat on his face and slapped him so hard after Mosley had assured her that those plans included getting rid of their mighty father, whom they were subject to obey probably for all eternity.
“I am offering you freedom from his constant watch,” Mosley had said back then. “Side with me and you no longer will have the necessity to remain tied to his will. You will be free to do whatever you want. You and I can be the masters of the universe...”
“You fool,” Zeruda had replied angrily. “We are free to do as we please, always have been. You are witness to this yourself with these perverted actions you have taken. Now nothing good will come out from all this. You have disobeyed our father and have started a chain reaction that will be the end of all that is good and perhaps of us all in the end.”
Zeruda had slapped him hard again, hoping that with that slap she would make him come back to reality. When Mosley had turned a menacing glare upon her, she had bellowed at him, “I will never join your evil plans, brother.”
Mosley, of course, had not taken his sister’s refusal very well. Before Zeruda was able to use some of her powers on him, he’d proceeded to place a sleeping spell on her that forced her to lose consciousness for a long while. Some of Mosley’s lackeys rushed towards her, eager to dispose of her as they had done with the human males, but Mosley detained them from doing that by saying that she was of real value to him.
“I have better plans for her,” he had said with a wry smile upon his face.
While she was asleep and at his mercy, Mosley told his lackeys, “That doesn’t mean we cannot have our fun with her.”
He used his dark magic and placed upon her a strong, vile curse, which turned his sister’s incredible beauty to sheer ugliness. Since they had been in a beautiful forest during their confrontation, Mosley had been able to get his hands on a black serpent that had been dangling inoffensively from a branch of a nearby tree. Using his power, Mosley fused the serpent with his sister’s body, turning them both into one new being right in front of a host of his followers, who had watched in both admiration and great fear. Zeruda’s beauty had ended that day, replaced with sheer ugliness. Her once beautiful face became filled with warts and bumps. Her radiant, long reddish hair became menacing, dark-colored living serpents. Mosley had allowed her to keep her alluring upper body, but he had not been too merciful with her lower part, which the curse turned into nothing but the long body of a serpent.
When Zeruda had woken up many hours later, she found out that she had lost her God-given beauty and that she had been transformed into a grotesque-looking serpentine monster. Mosley had only placed the curse on her hoping that she would lose heart and come to him begging to be turned back to her own self, for in the confines of Celestia, Zeruda had been well known to be overly proud of her God-given beauty.
But Zeruda never did that. She never went to him seeking to be restored. Surely heart broken and feeling very miserable, she returned to Celestia and informed her father of all that had transpired in the world of Phydoria, though her father had already been well aware of all that had happened.
He had bid his daughter to have patience. He let her know that he had already been working on a solution ever since the problem had taken place. With the most comforting voice that Zeruda knew, he assured her that everything would be fine.
After Mosley’s horrifying events in Phydoria, humanity lost its innocent state in which they had been since god had created them and came to understand good and evil and right from wrong. Mosley the unwise and his minions had brought them much misery. Mosley had not only brought death to them on the first day of his rebellion, but he had also unveiled their eyes to see the truth of existence. Mosley and his followers not only continued to oppress and dominate humanity through wicked acts, but the Disobedient Child—as he later would come to be known as—created a unique realm underneath the earth’s crust. Cocytos was the name he chose to give that place. There it was where he and his many minions resided. Within that mighty realm, Mosley gave his most devoted followers a portion of land to rule, as well as many gifts, such as magical weapons, slaves, minions, very valuable items, and many other things.
With the power of creation at his command, Mosley had created Cocytos for a single purpose: to rival his father’s realm, which was benign Celestia, and also his very will. Every living soul became tied to Cocytos in a way. Every being that perished was to end in Cocytos, at least in soul form, which was the essence of life within a living being. There they were to suffer eternal torment, which went opposite of his father’s will, which had been the contrary: ever lasting life and peace for all the creatures he had created.
All those actions and atrocities performed by Mosley did not go unnoticed by Mases, who grew very disappointed with his son for every evil action that he took, for every little bit he changed of his grand design. The lord almighty responded in a harsh way soon after, but because he loved his son as he loved everything else in existence, he did not go as far as to kill him. The Supreme God was not involved directly in what came to happen next, rather he issued orders and these were carried out by his faithful servants.
What ensued was a terrible, long and bloody war on Phydoria soil, a war fought between Mases’s forces and Mosley’s own. Mases had not wanted to start a war, for he abhorred violence and chaos. But his son had gone too far, and if left unchecked, he could go even further. So Mases had ordered his forces to bring his son alive without fighting. Four sons of the Supreme God, of the most powerful kind, went down to earth, two of them carrying mighty, magical chains, which they were to use to bind Mosley. But Mosley had not planned to come along nicely. He and his followers began the war by attacking and killing those mighty beings that had gone seeking to entrap him so he could face justice before his father. Things got out of hand then. Seeing how Mosley and his forces had killed their heavenly brothers without just cause and no remorse, driven by sheer rage, other mighty beings disobeyed their heavenly orders and soon descended down upon Phydoria and fought Mosley and his forces head on. The battle was brutal and bloody, and though Mosley and his forces took quite a beating, for it had been a great number of celestians that had come down, they ended up winning the first major battle and sent the invaders retreating back to heaven, where they also faced the Almighty’s disapproval. Though they were chastised for disobeying high orders, the celestians were allowed to remain in Celestia under tight measures. Mosley, though, erred in continuing the war by sending his forces to Celestia in an attempt to invade it. There, Mosley’s forces took quite a beating. The dark-sided beings were defeated easily and sent back to Phydoria with their tails between their legs.
Mosley vowed revenge for the many that had fallen. He soon began using his power of creation in an attempt to top his father once and for all. Mosley began creating an assortment of other creatures for what would be an all-out attack upon the heavenly realm. He used the elements and even humans in his inventions to create new beings, an action that really upset his father. Soon, many new creatures and monsters were bred to life.
Knowing about his evil plans, Mases All-Father knew that the time to take the power of creation from his son had come. Before he had stripped him of those powers, though, Mosley had managed to create quite an impressive army.
Furious at having lost his power, Mosley did not hesitate in sending his massive army against Celestia once again. This time, though, he led them to the celestial realm himself, leading the way and cutting down foes with his powerful dark sword Nefarious. Their numbers were many, so they put up a good fight against the forces of good, but they would not prevail. Mosley led his main forces to Fimia, the region where Lord Mases was said to reside. This place was beautiful beyond imagination. Seven suns were visible during the day on a clear blue sky. At night, three large moons would shine their light down upon Celestia and its many residents. Green fields could be seen all over the region, as well as tall, craggy mountains in some areas, and crystal clear lagoons and rivers ran all over the vast region. A mighty crystal palace stood in the middle of it all, with many smaller structures standing all around. This was Lord Mases’s main residence, the place where he took care of watching over his many creations, the heart of the universe, it was said it was.
Mosley and his minions came to that holy place seeking to dethrone the Almighty. Believing that they were just days away from achieving total victory and seeing their king crowned, the forces of darkness fought on with tremendous ferocity. Though strong and numerous as they were, Mosley and his minions put up a good fight but would not prevail. In the heavens, Lord Mases never joined the battle. Instead, he gave his daughter Zeruda his great sword of power, a weapon known as Excalibur, and he ordered her to deal with Mosley and his invading forces. Soon enough, Mosley and his followers were dealt a severe blow. They were put on the retreat by Zeruda, other mighty gods and goddesses who were brothers and sisters to both Mosley and Zeruda, and the remaining elite army of Celestia.
Victory belonged to the Celestians, but it had not come before Mosley had damaged the heavenly realm, Phydoria, and had changed the cycle of life in the entire universe. The gods and goddesses that had fought in the name of the All-Father pursued Mosley and his minions back to the world of Phydoria. The remaining dark legions fought the pursuers there once again, while Zeruda and Mosley fought it out in a nearby planet known as Esspolion. Mases's siblings fought a great battle there, both hurting each other and the planet terribly with their power. So much power did each other use against the other that Esspolion exploded and remained as one half, with many debris from the other exploded half visible all around it in outer space. Despite putting up a good fight, the dark god was not able to win. Down to Phydoria he went, seeking to escape his sister's wrath, who, after what he had done to her, had been full of rage. Zeruda gave pursuit. On Phydoria soil they fought again, and there his forces tried to come to his aid, but they were soundly beat and forced to disperse. Their king and god fought against Zeruda with his dreaded dark sword, but wielding Excalibur and through the use of her God-given powers, Zeruda was able to thwart Mosley’s attempt on her life. They both put a good hurt on each other again, but it would be the dark-souled god that would have no choice but to retreat and descend to his own dark realm. Soon after, Zeruda, the leader of Mases’s forces, sealed Cocytos’s main gate with a powerful enchantment.
At Lord Mases’s call, the celestians left the human realm and returned to the heavenly realm, their place of origin, where they received new orders. They were to rebuild Celestia, for the war had left too much damage in many areas. As to Zeruda, who had been transformed into that grotesque monster, she had not gone back to her original homeland after the war concluded and the sons and daughters of the great god had been called back. She chose to remain behind in the human world, in that place that had witnessed the last tough battle between Mosley and herself.
Many of her brothers and sisters came to believe that she had been ashamed to return to Celestia looking like the ugly, serpentine monster that she was, but the real cause behind her decision to remain in Phydoria had been another. Mosley had not been defeated completely, he had only been made to retreat and Zeruda had sealed him in his dark realm. He would be back. Lord Mases knew that too, and so when he heard his daughter’s call coming to him through prayer from the world of men, he was quick to attend her call.
“Give me time, father,” she had plead. “And I will make sure that Mosley is brought before your presence to face your justice.”
The All-Father, ever pleasing and comprehensive, conceded his daughter that privilege, but only because of two reasons. One was because he saw in Zeruda the tremendous love that she had for the humans and even her own brother Mosley. Deep down, Zeruda was much like her father. She had not been able to kill Mosley in the last battle that they had fought, Zeruda had wanted to capture him alive. Somehow, he had eluded her powers and managed to escape to his realm. Zeruda had had no other choice but to seal him there, hoping that another chance would come in which she could attempt to capture him and then take him to her father.
The other reason was simple. The All-Father had the power to kill or undo anything that he had created. He was a god of power, of love, of life and not death. He was kind, benevolent, all-knowing, and overly patient. Mases was good to the extent of the word, a being unlike no other. Mosley was his son, the first ever to have been created by his hand. The All-Father would never take life with his own hands from any living being, though, not even his disobedient child’s, for it was he who had given it to begin with. He was a god of life, not death. This is where Zeruda had come to play an important part during the war. Having been the first daughter to be created, and second child over all, she had been given the authority to defend Celestia, to kill its enemies when the time had come. And now she was asking to become an intermediate sanctioned by the All-Father to fix the problem in the world of Phydoria that was Mosley.
“You have the time, my daughter,” the All-Father told Zeruda through the use of loud thunderclaps, for there was no need for the All-Father to be visibly present in the world of Phydoria—as the omnipotent being that he was, he was present, yet invisible and not in his old man looks, a form he cherished and used mostly when he did decide to show himself to his sons and daughters. “But keep in mind that the humans and all other species residing in this world will be in the midst of it all during your conflict with Mosley. They will suffer much, and in time you may, too. But I know what lies in your heart, my child. You want to bring me Mosley alive, and I do believe in you. I believe that you can utilize your strength and courage to make it happen, else I wouldn’t have named you my armed arm. Excalibur will be of great help to you, keep it. Use it to protect yourself from harm if you must. But be warned now: Mosley has the right to deal with you too. I’ve taken away his power of creation, but his other powers remain intact, so be cautious. He will have to wait until that seal that you placed upon his realm expires. What’s more, my daughter, I will place a magnetic field over the earth so as to prevent him from escaping through other means, such as magical portals or by self-teleportation.”
“Yes, all that sounds fine, father,” Zeruda had said back then. “But what are we going to do about his realm? Cocytos is a perverted place, one which contradicts your established laws and your high standards. Surely you won’t allow it to stand! Besides, no soul deserves to go there and suffer at the expense of my brother. Enough trouble, misery, and pain he’s already caused not only here, but in Celestia as well. Will you allow his dark realm to stand after what’s come to happen?”
The All-Father was hurt, had been ever since his son had rebelled and disobeyed him that fateful day. More had Mosley hurt him when he had created Cocytos and had tied every living soul to it. But during that time as he spoke with his daughter, Mases already had a temporary solution to that.
“His realm will stand,” he said, his voice solid. Zeruda heard it well and knew that he had left no room for debate. “For the time being, that is,” he had added. “When Mosley falls, so will his realm come crashing down, every little stone that composes it. Only after you bring him to me so he can face justice, or until he perishes, will that dark place cease to exist. For now, Cocytos remains as he remains.”
Tough words to swallow and believe, but after those words, Mases sensed a deep sadness within his daughter’s heart, for she felt bad for every soul that would have to go to that place when their mortal bodies died. Knowing that within her, he spoke again, willing to alleviate that pain and sadness.
“However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t have a say on the matter. I will create a special place in another planet that the meek shall inherit, a place where gentle souls from this world can hope to go to when they die, instead of that dark, hellish place. I shall call it Elysium.”
“Hm,” Zeruda surely had felt a huge satisfaction within. “Not bad, father. Not bad at all. A world reserved for those who persevere through the rough times. But...how would the humans and the many other creatures living out there hope to achieve reaching it?”
“Simple, my daughter,” Mases had replied to that. “Their good deeds must outweigh their bad ones. So long as the scale tips in their favor will they have the right to go to Elysium instead of Cocytos. In order for them all to know this, I give you this now.”
A ray of light shone from the cloudy sky above all the way down to where Zeruda had been standing in place. With that light came a thick book, which remained floating a few feet away from her.
“What is this, father?” Zeruda took it with her hands and her emerald eyes saw the white cover and the huge symbol on it.
“A gift from me to the humans and the many other races now living in Phydoria,” Mases had replied. “Its content not only speaks about how they can find the way to Elysium, but it will also bring joy and hope to many beings in the dark times ahead. As to you, my daughter, I leave you in charge of this troubled world. Phydoria is yours now. Watch over it.”
“But...” Zeruda had found it hard to believe his words, she had found it hard to believe that he had given her this once-paradisiac world. “If so, what am I to do with Mosley’s minions? Not all scrambled back to Cocytos. Many remained on the surface world and could later be a problem. They are out there, father, dangerous creatures, monsters, abominations...evil doers.”
“Those creatures will be allowed to reside in the world,” Mases had spoken in regards to that. “For to me they are living creatures as well. I won’t raise my hand in anger to destroy them when they already have been marked to die in due time. No, as living creatures that they are, they have the right to live until they die. Though there will be trouble, the humans will be able to cope with that trouble, I believe. Without my son to subjugate them, the world and its many residents will settle down and move on. As to Mosley, dear daughter, listen to me now and listen well, because these words of mine are genuine and truthful. If you succeed in bringing him to me, alive or otherwise, I will make sure that everything that he ruined is made right again. If you fail to bring him down, I will allow him to remain alive and do as he pleases down there until someone else delivers him to me. Is this clear?”
Zeruda had thought on those words for a long while before agreeing to those terms. She understood that through the chance that he had given her, he had also given Mosley an opportunity to defend himself and live on. Zeruda had suspected that there was more meaning to it than what she understood, but she never really could figure it out. From that day on, she had really wondered why her father had let her know that if she failed, someone else would have to deliver Mosley to him. But the answer to her dilemma was quite clear: The All-Father would never stain his hands with blood. Mases would never use his righteous power to kill a being, be it human or god. That is why right from the moment that Mosley had disobeyed him and challenged his supreme authority, Mases had not destroyed him, because he loved all his created sons, daughters, and all other lesser beings equally. That is why if she failed in her mission, someone else would have to deliver Mosley to the Almighty, because as the loving father that he was, he would never be able to get directly mixed up in chaos; he would never be able to take evil actions, even though he rightfully could if it meant that he would solve a problem. Knowing that, Zeruda took heart in her mission. If she managed to deliver Mosley to him, then her father would surely keep his word and make everything right again.
And so it was that Zeruda had remained in the troubled, imperfect world of Phydoria. It was hers now, the goddess now had to watch over it. As she would be doing that, she would be waiting for the seal to expire so that she could once again attempt to bring Mosley down. Zeruda had kept her grotesque figure, despite her father offering to remove the curse the day that they had made their final pact. Zeruda had refused his help that day and also the very day when she had returned defeated from Phydoria after Mosley had disobeyed their father. Mases had wanted her looking like herself once again, and he could have removed the curse easily, but Zeruda had refused his help. The first time she had because she believed that she would be making her brother remove the curse. The second time she had refused believing that her monstrous form would only inspire her to complete her mission. It would be a reminder to her of what her brother had done to her and the world so many years ago: he had changed them. In time, though, her monstrous form only brought her trouble with the many species residing in Phydoria.
Many things, both good and bad—but mostly the latter—had come to happen in Phydoria during the passing of the centuries. Zeruda had successfully delivered the book of life onto the hands of Anubis, a righteous man that she found amongst the remaining living humans, which then numbered at least twenty thousand strong. That fair man had been the one who had led the human army against Mosley and his minions during the last war fought on earth. He became king of Rambolia, the first-ever established human realm, and he was the one who started it all; the movement to have the content of the book of life spread out to every creature residing in Phydoria. It all began anew with him. As king and leader of Rambolia and its people, he made copies of the tome and soon the book’s content spread out to nearly every living creature in Phydoria throughout the passage of time, even to non-human species that were not part of Rambolia. All these other races had built their own realms and had lived in harmony with the humans for the most part, but there were times when they had their fights over measly matters. Regardless of all the creatures’ differences, some took the book’s content to heart, others did not and just focused on living their lives. As time went on, many of the races destroyed their copies of the book, choosing to come up with their own invented gods and beliefs.
Zeruda was glad and very pleased with Anubis’s work. He had done as she had requested: to let every creature know of the book’s content.
As the years went passing by, Phydoria’s population began to grow reasonably, and soon, the first ever human-established realm split up into sections a few months after its first ever king died. Many were the humans that craved Anubis’s crown, and that only led to chaos. The sectors of the realm soon began to war against each other because they wanted their chosen leader to become king. Zeruda, who had her own small portion of land and was friends with the humans, was unable to quell the conflicts that followed. She sided with the Anubis's clan, supporting that Ninja13, Anubis’s son, should inherit the throne. That only angered the other sectors’ would-be kings, and one of those men took it as far as to order a hit on her because he really despised her. That man was actually a devoted follower of Mosley, and like him, there were many amongst the humans, but laying low. That sector’s leader’s name was Tony, and most of his close followers had been forced to serve Mosley. That is why they hated Zeruda, knowing that she had been one of the many who had defeated their master.
After the attempt on her life, which Zeruda survived, all hell broke loose and Zeruda had even had to abandon her small realm, for Tony’s followers pursued her there. She could have killed the problematic humans and even their leader, but she chose not to kill the species that she had been given to watch over. Sparing their lives, Zeruda fled away from them in order to not get involved in the fighting and hoping that they resolved their issues. But the fighting continued amongst the humans until the strongest sector, Ninja13’s clan, which had enlisted the aid of outsiders, (lycans and rixacor, as well as other species) emerged victorious. After the war ended and young Ninja13 ascended the throne, many were the human lives that had been lost. Peace returned to Phydoria, but it would not last, as the losing sides were left unhappy. The losing sectors split from the realm of Rambolia for good. Their leaders drove their followers to new unclaimed land, which became their new realms. More kingdoms rose, both human and non-human, and after twenty more years had come to pass, the flames of war were ignited again. Several kingdoms, led by Tony himself, marched against Rambolia and laid it to waste in a couple of months. The invaders left no one alive, not even children or animals, for Tony and his followers were profoundly blood thirsty. With them in charge, soon the earth was filled with violence.
Zeruda watched the chaos from afar through magical windows that she created with her own magic for that purpose, to see what was happening in the world. Feeling hurt in her heart, she knew things were bad. The race that she had sworn to protect apparently had their own visions. Few were the creatures that observed the book of life’s word, the rest were inclined to committing evil deeds. It only got worse as the years kept passing, for Tony wanted to establish one kingdom under the same banner, a kingdom that included all races. This only led to more wars. Before she realized it, Zeruda had already lost her firm grip on humanity and her vision of keeping peace in the world until she dealt with her brother.
There were a few humans who were friends with her, but even those had turned their back on her when things got really bad. Tony, who was main king of the land, decreed that any who sided with the Serpent Lady, be it human or non-human, was to suffer death. Because of that tough decree, Zeruda’s friends ceased to exist. But not only that, in secret, Tony kept sending forces against the deity, wanting to kill her in order to please his master, who was sending orders to him via followers who were able to leave the sealed realm whilst he couldn’t.
The attempts on her life forced Zeruda to retreat to a secluded place in the far eastern reaches of Phydoria. She came to reside in a jungle-like terrain that saw rain most of the year. There, in that jungle-like area, she hid from Tony’s assassins, but she knew that she could not hide forever from them, nor hold her armed hand back much longer.
One stormy night, as she had been hiding within a profound, eerie-looking lagoon, so as to not harm those that had gone there to kill her, even her father told her to fight on, to defend herself from Mosley’s minions. His angry, thunderous voice was what really snapped Zeruda back to reality that night.
I have watched in rage and disappointment as you have left the humans do with you as they please, Mases had cried bitterly in her mind that night. I gave you Excalibur to fend off any kind of danger or attempt on your life. Why haven’t you lifted up a finger to defend yourself?
Mases knew the answer to that: it was that Zeruda had not intended to become like her brother, who had laid a finger on the humans long ago. She loved the humans, how could she hurt something that she tremendously loved? That is why she had been retreating instead of fighting, but she had erred. Because of that, Phydoria was in chaos, had been since the clan wars had broken out. Sealed in his realm, Mosley apparently still held power on earth, thanks to the servants who were taking care of business for him.
Feeling so sad and unsure of herself, Zeruda had not replied a thing.
Your brother has taken advantage of your kindness toward the humans and the rest of the species, Mases had said to her. Now his disciples hold power in this world instead of you. They will continue to prevail only until you decide to do something about it.
I... Zeruda had replied to him via telepathy with her eyes closed and feeling very disappointed with herself as she kept on swimming within the dark waters of that lagoon. I...love them, father. I could never bring myself to harming them...
“This I know,” her father’s reply had come through a booming thunderclap. “But you must understand that not all humans and beings from other races deserve your love and kindness, my daughter. Even as we speak, hundreds of assassins scour the jungle looking to find and kill you. They hate you as you can’t imagine, and they are nearby...”
Hearing that, Zeruda had shivered in those dark, cool-felt waters.
“Believe me when I say that they will kill you if they get the chance. Their true master has ordered it.”
Mosley, Zeruda had suspected, and she was hurt in her heart knowing that wickedness was retained still in his heart for her.
Yes, your brother’s hold on them is strong, Mases had let her know in her thoughts. They have been brainwashed, blinded by strong dark magic and thus cannot be saved. They have come to kill or be killed. I could send legions upon legions of my sons and daughters this night to defend you from them, but it is you who will have to defend your own life. You asked me to give you an opportunity to bring Mosley down, and I gave it to you. You are at war with your brother. Will you let him win over you this night, then? Or will you brandish your weapon and fight on for the ultimate greater good?
Zeruda had waited within the dirty waters of the lagoon, hoping to hear more words from her father, but he had spoken to her no more. The seconds had gone by with just the nasty storm continuing to pound the region with water and a mighty show of its terrible lightning and thunder. Zeruda understood then that she would have to break her code of honor. Her father was right, she was at war with her brother. She would have to raise her armed arm and kill enemies to defend Phydoria. That saddened her so much, but in the end, she knew that it would be for a greater good.
It was on that stormy night that Zeruda finally spilled human blood for the first time. It was the first time she lay a wicked hand on the humans, much to her disgrace. But not only humans, many other beings belonging to other species were killed by Excalibur, her deadly glare, and through other means that night. When it was over, she remained standing on her serpentine form surrounded by all the carnage she had left, but crying in rage as she stared at the stormy sky above. Bloody and feeling miserable, she was very hurt within, very hurt. During the hour or so that she had spent killing those many assassins, she had suffered many wounds, but though those had hurt her a lot, she had felt more hurt due to the foul deed she had committed in her own defense.
“Please forgive me for this atrocious act, father,” she had cried toward the heavens as the rain had continued to pound down on her. And feeling so miserable, the Serpent Lady had retreated into the comforts of the bog knowing she would never be the same.
Time and life had carried on relentlessly in all existing worlds. Hours had turned into days, days had turned into weeks, weeks into months, the months into years, the years into decades, and decades to unforgiving centuries. Zeruda had slowly adapted to life in the bog, and the Phydorians and Celestians had done likewise in their own realms. After two centuries had passed since Mosley had been sealed, the Phydorians began to keep track of time, dates, months, and years. Peace graced the land for a long while, but the races were many in Phydoria and their differences were many as well, thus the troubles between them all continued.
The existence of Zeruda wasn’t forgotten either. Warriors seeking to kill her continued to pester her in the bog. The goddess became a prize, her head a valuable trophy that many a warrior had wanted to obtain, particularly those who venerated Mosley and wanted to please him by slaying his sister. Many were those who went to the bog seeking personal glory, human warriors and fighters belonging to other species sought to bring the Serpent Lady down. All perished in that bog, if not at the hands of the ferocious monsters that lurked there, then surely at the hands of the mighty goddess, who’d had to defend herself from the threats. Through slaying and turning warriors to stone via her God-given powers, Zeruda had made her name be respected and feared. The number of warriors seeking to slay her dropped drastically as time wore on, until few were the souls who dared to attempt what so many had before and had failed at. But even in this new current era, in this running year of 300, (500 in Zeruda’s yearly count since the time when she had sealed Mosley) curious warriors still ventured into the bog every now and then seeking the famous monster known as the Serpent Lady that they had heard so much about through rumors and twisted tales. In the current era she was nothing more than just a myth, and there remained no living soul on the surface of Phydoria who could claim that she was real. But knowledge about her had remained from ancient scriptures, tomes, and through the whispers passed on from one dying generation to the next in line. Tomes, notes, and tales that spoke about her had survived the passing of the centuries, though as time had passed on, these relics had been mingled with untrue facts and had lost their authenticity. Now there were many twisted tales and rumors about the Serpent Lady, also known in the current era as Medusa by the humans and other species. Though Zeruda had remained unseen and unheard of after she had been forced to retreat to the bog, the Phydorians who truly believed the tales heavily alleged that if she existed it was somewhere in the far eastern reaches in a very dangerous jungle that few brave souls frequented now a days.
That early morning, as she'd been studying the seal’s magic at the foot of one lonely mountain that stood at the northwestern part of her realm, Zeruda felt so depressed, so lonely, and even sad. The latter was mostly because of the many warriors that had come to perish under her name throughout the passage of time. She knew that she was not at fault, humans and other lesser beings were stubborn creatures, but she still blamed herself for the loss of so many lives at her own hands. Picturing those many souls—and the many other souls from living beings that perished every day—being tormented day and night in Cocytos made her feel worthless and really made her feel sick in her stomach. It stuck in her craw. Her latest thoughts about the seal being halfway spent never helped her calm down, either, rather they made her feel much worse knowing that the time to face her brother once more was nearing. Though five centuries still had to pass before she would get a chance at confronting Mosley once again, Zeruda could already picture the dark times in store for the world—a world that was already dealing with so many of its own troubles—and she felt her heart heavy and sad because of that.
First off, I apologize because I decided to discontinue that series I started not long ago. The way it was intended was rushed and I don't like posting rushed stories since I tend to discontinue them because rushing things has never been my style. I like taking my time when writing, and I sure as hell like to put my deep thoughts into the chapters I deliver, that's why some are very long. But like I tend to say, "What must be said has to be said."
Story Info
Anyway, I am not gonna say much in regards to this story, just that in my attempt to put something together when it comes to my created Phydoria world and some creatures, this was a failed attempt. The story is finished, and it's a good read imo, but it was not to my liking for the simple fact that I did not get to explain much of what is going on in Dragiria. The other story I have going, which is close to being put out in the market, actually goes very deep in that regard, deep enough to have given me many roads/options for a series before the grand finale takes place. Anywho, in the past I let many of you down by starting a few stories and dropping them. Most of you are gone now, but not forgotten. I intend to honor most of you signees through this story; I turned it into a ZD-style story for that matter, actually.
Warning
SotG is around 10 chapters long, not including this intro, so more like 11-12. I warn you that this intro and perhaps chapters 1-2 are taken from A Dragir's Tale, but I have reworked them for this story, so they are really not the same, I recommend that you read them again if you are gonna follow the story. Oh yeah, and please excuse any mistakes/typos you might find; I'm not perfect in my writing, and neither are some Pro writers, believe me. But I do keep working hard to avoid as many errors as possible.
Thanks!
Thank you in advance if you read the story. ~Eclipse
Rated PG-13
Honored ZDers:
Mases, Mr. Mosley, Zeruda, Anubis, Ninja13, Tony
Son of the Goddess
By: Eclipse
Prelude: A daughter’s Sadness
The Bog, 3rd of July, Year 300
By: Eclipse
Prelude: A daughter’s Sadness
The Bog, 3rd of July, Year 300
The huge bog was her realm, a well-hidden large stone temple was her main residence, and the whole world of Phydoria was hers to protect. For the latter, that is what the goddess Zeruda had strongly believed in her mind and heart ever since humanity had lost its perfection in the early dawn of time.
Not a day had gone by since her arrival to the bog nearly five hundred years ago without her venturing out of her hideout to keep an eye out on many things. Yes, many different things, for her entire bog was always bustling with some form of activity or other.
One main thing that the deity had been keeping a wary eye on lately was an invisible magical seal found underneath the earth’s crust, a seal that only she could feel via magical readings, for she had been granted the power to do that by her own Father, who had been the one that had placed the seal over the entire earth many, many years ago. The sealing of her own brother—an entity known as Mosley—had happened exactly five centuries ago. With much of that span of time already long gone, the seal’s powerful magic had dwindled considerably.
With her eyes closed and her hands surrounded by holy-based reading magic, Zeruda could feel the seal’s power dwindling a bit more that early rainy morning. She knew that for every day that passed, the seal became weaker. Through the use of her innate magical powers, she easily knew that the seal would remain strong at least for the remaining five centuries that still needed to pass before it finally expired.
To a human, or a lesser being gifted with a short span of life, perhaps those many years would have seemed like a lot of time to wait on, an eternity! But not to the deity Zeruda. She had already lived several chiliads and knew quite well just how fast time really passed.
Feeling troubled within as she stood in the middle of that tree-infested jungle that she called her home, Zeruda knew those five centuries would come to pass in a snap, just like a sudden gust of wind passing through an open field. When the thousand-year seal finally ended, her brother would be coming out from that dark place that he had been confined to. He would not be coming out just to greet her or admire the world where he had once walked upon. No, Zeruda and the whole world of Phydoria would be in for terrible, dark times. For coming alongside her brother would be his dark minions: hosts of demons and other macabre living beings that he, himself, had created long ago.
The last time that Mosley had been on Phydoria soil, he’d had in mind destroying the same beings that he had been assigned to care for and watch over alongside with Zeruda and a host of Celestials. Mosley, who had been the first ever son to be created directly by Mases, the one true god, had been given great power; enough to be known as the second most powerful being alive, just second to his father. Mases All-Father had given his son great knowledge and wisdom to go with that power, as well as many visions of great things that were to come later in time for the entire universe that he had created. But Mosley’s heart and mind soon became clouded with avaricious dreams of obtaining overall power from his father and for himself. The son loved all that his father had come to create and his plans for the future, but he wanted all that for himself. He'd wanted that all credit be given to him and no one else, not even the rightful deserver.
And so knowing that he had been given great power, perhaps enough to even challenge his mighty father’s divine authority, Mosley disobeyed his father’s wishes when the time to obey came. He, and the many celestial creatures that had gone down with him to the then-perfect world of Phydoria, had done the opposite of what they had been ordered to do. Instead of watching over the humans and animals, and maintaining the earth in favorable conditions for their thriving existence, Mosley ordered many of his celestial brethren to expose themselves to the earthly creatures and to kill many of them. Fearing the All-Father’s son wrath, the celestians saw no other option before them but to obey his wishes. Not knowing what killing was all about, the celestians had hesitated. But Mosley sent a dark, magical wave forth, a power that invaded the celestians’ minds and showed them what they had to do. So they did with their bare hands as he had commanded them, to strangle the humanly creatures, thus ending the ever cycle of life and bringing death into existence. After many of the humans were killed that fateful day, Mosley and his minions took the women—who were beautiful and enchanting to the eye—and had coitus with many of them. These actions would have consequences for humanity in later times, for from the union between celestial beings and humans sprouted forth the Gigants, colossal creatures of tremendous power.
Zeruda, who had been sent alongside with Mosley as a co-leader of the operation, had been betrayed right from the start. Upon arriving to earth, she had gone in another direction with a great group of helpers, willing to get started with her caring duty. Soon, though, news arrived to her of what had happened. Terrified, shocked, and feeling heavyhearted at what Mosley had so unexpectedly done, she tried to return to Celestia and inform her father of it. But Mosley and a host of his followers stopped her from doing that before she could leave. They appeared out of thin air, surprising her and the many celestial sons and daughters that were there. His followers disposed of those that did not bend knee and offer their services to him, but only a few were killed, as most chose to live instead of dying. Zeruda was alone before a multitude of betrayers, killers, cruel beings with no honor, all led by her own brother.
While having her surrounded, Mosley stepped in the middle of the wide circle that his followers had formed around his sister. He proceeded to offer her a place at his side, but Zeruda refused it immediately. Her brother, knowing that Zeruda was very powerful herself, tried to convince her to join his side so he could see his ultimate plan for total supremacy come true. The beautiful goddess literally spat on his face and slapped him so hard after Mosley had assured her that those plans included getting rid of their mighty father, whom they were subject to obey probably for all eternity.
“I am offering you freedom from his constant watch,” Mosley had said back then. “Side with me and you no longer will have the necessity to remain tied to his will. You will be free to do whatever you want. You and I can be the masters of the universe...”
“You fool,” Zeruda had replied angrily. “We are free to do as we please, always have been. You are witness to this yourself with these perverted actions you have taken. Now nothing good will come out from all this. You have disobeyed our father and have started a chain reaction that will be the end of all that is good and perhaps of us all in the end.”
Zeruda had slapped him hard again, hoping that with that slap she would make him come back to reality. When Mosley had turned a menacing glare upon her, she had bellowed at him, “I will never join your evil plans, brother.”
Mosley, of course, had not taken his sister’s refusal very well. Before Zeruda was able to use some of her powers on him, he’d proceeded to place a sleeping spell on her that forced her to lose consciousness for a long while. Some of Mosley’s lackeys rushed towards her, eager to dispose of her as they had done with the human males, but Mosley detained them from doing that by saying that she was of real value to him.
“I have better plans for her,” he had said with a wry smile upon his face.
While she was asleep and at his mercy, Mosley told his lackeys, “That doesn’t mean we cannot have our fun with her.”
He used his dark magic and placed upon her a strong, vile curse, which turned his sister’s incredible beauty to sheer ugliness. Since they had been in a beautiful forest during their confrontation, Mosley had been able to get his hands on a black serpent that had been dangling inoffensively from a branch of a nearby tree. Using his power, Mosley fused the serpent with his sister’s body, turning them both into one new being right in front of a host of his followers, who had watched in both admiration and great fear. Zeruda’s beauty had ended that day, replaced with sheer ugliness. Her once beautiful face became filled with warts and bumps. Her radiant, long reddish hair became menacing, dark-colored living serpents. Mosley had allowed her to keep her alluring upper body, but he had not been too merciful with her lower part, which the curse turned into nothing but the long body of a serpent.
When Zeruda had woken up many hours later, she found out that she had lost her God-given beauty and that she had been transformed into a grotesque-looking serpentine monster. Mosley had only placed the curse on her hoping that she would lose heart and come to him begging to be turned back to her own self, for in the confines of Celestia, Zeruda had been well known to be overly proud of her God-given beauty.
But Zeruda never did that. She never went to him seeking to be restored. Surely heart broken and feeling very miserable, she returned to Celestia and informed her father of all that had transpired in the world of Phydoria, though her father had already been well aware of all that had happened.
He had bid his daughter to have patience. He let her know that he had already been working on a solution ever since the problem had taken place. With the most comforting voice that Zeruda knew, he assured her that everything would be fine.
After Mosley’s horrifying events in Phydoria, humanity lost its innocent state in which they had been since god had created them and came to understand good and evil and right from wrong. Mosley the unwise and his minions had brought them much misery. Mosley had not only brought death to them on the first day of his rebellion, but he had also unveiled their eyes to see the truth of existence. Mosley and his followers not only continued to oppress and dominate humanity through wicked acts, but the Disobedient Child—as he later would come to be known as—created a unique realm underneath the earth’s crust. Cocytos was the name he chose to give that place. There it was where he and his many minions resided. Within that mighty realm, Mosley gave his most devoted followers a portion of land to rule, as well as many gifts, such as magical weapons, slaves, minions, very valuable items, and many other things.
With the power of creation at his command, Mosley had created Cocytos for a single purpose: to rival his father’s realm, which was benign Celestia, and also his very will. Every living soul became tied to Cocytos in a way. Every being that perished was to end in Cocytos, at least in soul form, which was the essence of life within a living being. There they were to suffer eternal torment, which went opposite of his father’s will, which had been the contrary: ever lasting life and peace for all the creatures he had created.
All those actions and atrocities performed by Mosley did not go unnoticed by Mases, who grew very disappointed with his son for every evil action that he took, for every little bit he changed of his grand design. The lord almighty responded in a harsh way soon after, but because he loved his son as he loved everything else in existence, he did not go as far as to kill him. The Supreme God was not involved directly in what came to happen next, rather he issued orders and these were carried out by his faithful servants.
What ensued was a terrible, long and bloody war on Phydoria soil, a war fought between Mases’s forces and Mosley’s own. Mases had not wanted to start a war, for he abhorred violence and chaos. But his son had gone too far, and if left unchecked, he could go even further. So Mases had ordered his forces to bring his son alive without fighting. Four sons of the Supreme God, of the most powerful kind, went down to earth, two of them carrying mighty, magical chains, which they were to use to bind Mosley. But Mosley had not planned to come along nicely. He and his followers began the war by attacking and killing those mighty beings that had gone seeking to entrap him so he could face justice before his father. Things got out of hand then. Seeing how Mosley and his forces had killed their heavenly brothers without just cause and no remorse, driven by sheer rage, other mighty beings disobeyed their heavenly orders and soon descended down upon Phydoria and fought Mosley and his forces head on. The battle was brutal and bloody, and though Mosley and his forces took quite a beating, for it had been a great number of celestians that had come down, they ended up winning the first major battle and sent the invaders retreating back to heaven, where they also faced the Almighty’s disapproval. Though they were chastised for disobeying high orders, the celestians were allowed to remain in Celestia under tight measures. Mosley, though, erred in continuing the war by sending his forces to Celestia in an attempt to invade it. There, Mosley’s forces took quite a beating. The dark-sided beings were defeated easily and sent back to Phydoria with their tails between their legs.
Mosley vowed revenge for the many that had fallen. He soon began using his power of creation in an attempt to top his father once and for all. Mosley began creating an assortment of other creatures for what would be an all-out attack upon the heavenly realm. He used the elements and even humans in his inventions to create new beings, an action that really upset his father. Soon, many new creatures and monsters were bred to life.
Knowing about his evil plans, Mases All-Father knew that the time to take the power of creation from his son had come. Before he had stripped him of those powers, though, Mosley had managed to create quite an impressive army.
Furious at having lost his power, Mosley did not hesitate in sending his massive army against Celestia once again. This time, though, he led them to the celestial realm himself, leading the way and cutting down foes with his powerful dark sword Nefarious. Their numbers were many, so they put up a good fight against the forces of good, but they would not prevail. Mosley led his main forces to Fimia, the region where Lord Mases was said to reside. This place was beautiful beyond imagination. Seven suns were visible during the day on a clear blue sky. At night, three large moons would shine their light down upon Celestia and its many residents. Green fields could be seen all over the region, as well as tall, craggy mountains in some areas, and crystal clear lagoons and rivers ran all over the vast region. A mighty crystal palace stood in the middle of it all, with many smaller structures standing all around. This was Lord Mases’s main residence, the place where he took care of watching over his many creations, the heart of the universe, it was said it was.
Mosley and his minions came to that holy place seeking to dethrone the Almighty. Believing that they were just days away from achieving total victory and seeing their king crowned, the forces of darkness fought on with tremendous ferocity. Though strong and numerous as they were, Mosley and his minions put up a good fight but would not prevail. In the heavens, Lord Mases never joined the battle. Instead, he gave his daughter Zeruda his great sword of power, a weapon known as Excalibur, and he ordered her to deal with Mosley and his invading forces. Soon enough, Mosley and his followers were dealt a severe blow. They were put on the retreat by Zeruda, other mighty gods and goddesses who were brothers and sisters to both Mosley and Zeruda, and the remaining elite army of Celestia.
Victory belonged to the Celestians, but it had not come before Mosley had damaged the heavenly realm, Phydoria, and had changed the cycle of life in the entire universe. The gods and goddesses that had fought in the name of the All-Father pursued Mosley and his minions back to the world of Phydoria. The remaining dark legions fought the pursuers there once again, while Zeruda and Mosley fought it out in a nearby planet known as Esspolion. Mases's siblings fought a great battle there, both hurting each other and the planet terribly with their power. So much power did each other use against the other that Esspolion exploded and remained as one half, with many debris from the other exploded half visible all around it in outer space. Despite putting up a good fight, the dark god was not able to win. Down to Phydoria he went, seeking to escape his sister's wrath, who, after what he had done to her, had been full of rage. Zeruda gave pursuit. On Phydoria soil they fought again, and there his forces tried to come to his aid, but they were soundly beat and forced to disperse. Their king and god fought against Zeruda with his dreaded dark sword, but wielding Excalibur and through the use of her God-given powers, Zeruda was able to thwart Mosley’s attempt on her life. They both put a good hurt on each other again, but it would be the dark-souled god that would have no choice but to retreat and descend to his own dark realm. Soon after, Zeruda, the leader of Mases’s forces, sealed Cocytos’s main gate with a powerful enchantment.
At Lord Mases’s call, the celestians left the human realm and returned to the heavenly realm, their place of origin, where they received new orders. They were to rebuild Celestia, for the war had left too much damage in many areas. As to Zeruda, who had been transformed into that grotesque monster, she had not gone back to her original homeland after the war concluded and the sons and daughters of the great god had been called back. She chose to remain behind in the human world, in that place that had witnessed the last tough battle between Mosley and herself.
Many of her brothers and sisters came to believe that she had been ashamed to return to Celestia looking like the ugly, serpentine monster that she was, but the real cause behind her decision to remain in Phydoria had been another. Mosley had not been defeated completely, he had only been made to retreat and Zeruda had sealed him in his dark realm. He would be back. Lord Mases knew that too, and so when he heard his daughter’s call coming to him through prayer from the world of men, he was quick to attend her call.
“Give me time, father,” she had plead. “And I will make sure that Mosley is brought before your presence to face your justice.”
The All-Father, ever pleasing and comprehensive, conceded his daughter that privilege, but only because of two reasons. One was because he saw in Zeruda the tremendous love that she had for the humans and even her own brother Mosley. Deep down, Zeruda was much like her father. She had not been able to kill Mosley in the last battle that they had fought, Zeruda had wanted to capture him alive. Somehow, he had eluded her powers and managed to escape to his realm. Zeruda had had no other choice but to seal him there, hoping that another chance would come in which she could attempt to capture him and then take him to her father.
The other reason was simple. The All-Father had the power to kill or undo anything that he had created. He was a god of power, of love, of life and not death. He was kind, benevolent, all-knowing, and overly patient. Mases was good to the extent of the word, a being unlike no other. Mosley was his son, the first ever to have been created by his hand. The All-Father would never take life with his own hands from any living being, though, not even his disobedient child’s, for it was he who had given it to begin with. He was a god of life, not death. This is where Zeruda had come to play an important part during the war. Having been the first daughter to be created, and second child over all, she had been given the authority to defend Celestia, to kill its enemies when the time had come. And now she was asking to become an intermediate sanctioned by the All-Father to fix the problem in the world of Phydoria that was Mosley.
“You have the time, my daughter,” the All-Father told Zeruda through the use of loud thunderclaps, for there was no need for the All-Father to be visibly present in the world of Phydoria—as the omnipotent being that he was, he was present, yet invisible and not in his old man looks, a form he cherished and used mostly when he did decide to show himself to his sons and daughters. “But keep in mind that the humans and all other species residing in this world will be in the midst of it all during your conflict with Mosley. They will suffer much, and in time you may, too. But I know what lies in your heart, my child. You want to bring me Mosley alive, and I do believe in you. I believe that you can utilize your strength and courage to make it happen, else I wouldn’t have named you my armed arm. Excalibur will be of great help to you, keep it. Use it to protect yourself from harm if you must. But be warned now: Mosley has the right to deal with you too. I’ve taken away his power of creation, but his other powers remain intact, so be cautious. He will have to wait until that seal that you placed upon his realm expires. What’s more, my daughter, I will place a magnetic field over the earth so as to prevent him from escaping through other means, such as magical portals or by self-teleportation.”
“Yes, all that sounds fine, father,” Zeruda had said back then. “But what are we going to do about his realm? Cocytos is a perverted place, one which contradicts your established laws and your high standards. Surely you won’t allow it to stand! Besides, no soul deserves to go there and suffer at the expense of my brother. Enough trouble, misery, and pain he’s already caused not only here, but in Celestia as well. Will you allow his dark realm to stand after what’s come to happen?”
The All-Father was hurt, had been ever since his son had rebelled and disobeyed him that fateful day. More had Mosley hurt him when he had created Cocytos and had tied every living soul to it. But during that time as he spoke with his daughter, Mases already had a temporary solution to that.
“His realm will stand,” he said, his voice solid. Zeruda heard it well and knew that he had left no room for debate. “For the time being, that is,” he had added. “When Mosley falls, so will his realm come crashing down, every little stone that composes it. Only after you bring him to me so he can face justice, or until he perishes, will that dark place cease to exist. For now, Cocytos remains as he remains.”
Tough words to swallow and believe, but after those words, Mases sensed a deep sadness within his daughter’s heart, for she felt bad for every soul that would have to go to that place when their mortal bodies died. Knowing that within her, he spoke again, willing to alleviate that pain and sadness.
“However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t have a say on the matter. I will create a special place in another planet that the meek shall inherit, a place where gentle souls from this world can hope to go to when they die, instead of that dark, hellish place. I shall call it Elysium.”
“Hm,” Zeruda surely had felt a huge satisfaction within. “Not bad, father. Not bad at all. A world reserved for those who persevere through the rough times. But...how would the humans and the many other creatures living out there hope to achieve reaching it?”
“Simple, my daughter,” Mases had replied to that. “Their good deeds must outweigh their bad ones. So long as the scale tips in their favor will they have the right to go to Elysium instead of Cocytos. In order for them all to know this, I give you this now.”
A ray of light shone from the cloudy sky above all the way down to where Zeruda had been standing in place. With that light came a thick book, which remained floating a few feet away from her.
“What is this, father?” Zeruda took it with her hands and her emerald eyes saw the white cover and the huge symbol on it.
“A gift from me to the humans and the many other races now living in Phydoria,” Mases had replied. “Its content not only speaks about how they can find the way to Elysium, but it will also bring joy and hope to many beings in the dark times ahead. As to you, my daughter, I leave you in charge of this troubled world. Phydoria is yours now. Watch over it.”
“But...” Zeruda had found it hard to believe his words, she had found it hard to believe that he had given her this once-paradisiac world. “If so, what am I to do with Mosley’s minions? Not all scrambled back to Cocytos. Many remained on the surface world and could later be a problem. They are out there, father, dangerous creatures, monsters, abominations...evil doers.”
“Those creatures will be allowed to reside in the world,” Mases had spoken in regards to that. “For to me they are living creatures as well. I won’t raise my hand in anger to destroy them when they already have been marked to die in due time. No, as living creatures that they are, they have the right to live until they die. Though there will be trouble, the humans will be able to cope with that trouble, I believe. Without my son to subjugate them, the world and its many residents will settle down and move on. As to Mosley, dear daughter, listen to me now and listen well, because these words of mine are genuine and truthful. If you succeed in bringing him to me, alive or otherwise, I will make sure that everything that he ruined is made right again. If you fail to bring him down, I will allow him to remain alive and do as he pleases down there until someone else delivers him to me. Is this clear?”
Zeruda had thought on those words for a long while before agreeing to those terms. She understood that through the chance that he had given her, he had also given Mosley an opportunity to defend himself and live on. Zeruda had suspected that there was more meaning to it than what she understood, but she never really could figure it out. From that day on, she had really wondered why her father had let her know that if she failed, someone else would have to deliver Mosley to him. But the answer to her dilemma was quite clear: The All-Father would never stain his hands with blood. Mases would never use his righteous power to kill a being, be it human or god. That is why right from the moment that Mosley had disobeyed him and challenged his supreme authority, Mases had not destroyed him, because he loved all his created sons, daughters, and all other lesser beings equally. That is why if she failed in her mission, someone else would have to deliver Mosley to the Almighty, because as the loving father that he was, he would never be able to get directly mixed up in chaos; he would never be able to take evil actions, even though he rightfully could if it meant that he would solve a problem. Knowing that, Zeruda took heart in her mission. If she managed to deliver Mosley to him, then her father would surely keep his word and make everything right again.
And so it was that Zeruda had remained in the troubled, imperfect world of Phydoria. It was hers now, the goddess now had to watch over it. As she would be doing that, she would be waiting for the seal to expire so that she could once again attempt to bring Mosley down. Zeruda had kept her grotesque figure, despite her father offering to remove the curse the day that they had made their final pact. Zeruda had refused his help that day and also the very day when she had returned defeated from Phydoria after Mosley had disobeyed their father. Mases had wanted her looking like herself once again, and he could have removed the curse easily, but Zeruda had refused his help. The first time she had because she believed that she would be making her brother remove the curse. The second time she had refused believing that her monstrous form would only inspire her to complete her mission. It would be a reminder to her of what her brother had done to her and the world so many years ago: he had changed them. In time, though, her monstrous form only brought her trouble with the many species residing in Phydoria.
Many things, both good and bad—but mostly the latter—had come to happen in Phydoria during the passing of the centuries. Zeruda had successfully delivered the book of life onto the hands of Anubis, a righteous man that she found amongst the remaining living humans, which then numbered at least twenty thousand strong. That fair man had been the one who had led the human army against Mosley and his minions during the last war fought on earth. He became king of Rambolia, the first-ever established human realm, and he was the one who started it all; the movement to have the content of the book of life spread out to every creature residing in Phydoria. It all began anew with him. As king and leader of Rambolia and its people, he made copies of the tome and soon the book’s content spread out to nearly every living creature in Phydoria throughout the passage of time, even to non-human species that were not part of Rambolia. All these other races had built their own realms and had lived in harmony with the humans for the most part, but there were times when they had their fights over measly matters. Regardless of all the creatures’ differences, some took the book’s content to heart, others did not and just focused on living their lives. As time went on, many of the races destroyed their copies of the book, choosing to come up with their own invented gods and beliefs.
Zeruda was glad and very pleased with Anubis’s work. He had done as she had requested: to let every creature know of the book’s content.
As the years went passing by, Phydoria’s population began to grow reasonably, and soon, the first ever human-established realm split up into sections a few months after its first ever king died. Many were the humans that craved Anubis’s crown, and that only led to chaos. The sectors of the realm soon began to war against each other because they wanted their chosen leader to become king. Zeruda, who had her own small portion of land and was friends with the humans, was unable to quell the conflicts that followed. She sided with the Anubis's clan, supporting that Ninja13, Anubis’s son, should inherit the throne. That only angered the other sectors’ would-be kings, and one of those men took it as far as to order a hit on her because he really despised her. That man was actually a devoted follower of Mosley, and like him, there were many amongst the humans, but laying low. That sector’s leader’s name was Tony, and most of his close followers had been forced to serve Mosley. That is why they hated Zeruda, knowing that she had been one of the many who had defeated their master.
After the attempt on her life, which Zeruda survived, all hell broke loose and Zeruda had even had to abandon her small realm, for Tony’s followers pursued her there. She could have killed the problematic humans and even their leader, but she chose not to kill the species that she had been given to watch over. Sparing their lives, Zeruda fled away from them in order to not get involved in the fighting and hoping that they resolved their issues. But the fighting continued amongst the humans until the strongest sector, Ninja13’s clan, which had enlisted the aid of outsiders, (lycans and rixacor, as well as other species) emerged victorious. After the war ended and young Ninja13 ascended the throne, many were the human lives that had been lost. Peace returned to Phydoria, but it would not last, as the losing sides were left unhappy. The losing sectors split from the realm of Rambolia for good. Their leaders drove their followers to new unclaimed land, which became their new realms. More kingdoms rose, both human and non-human, and after twenty more years had come to pass, the flames of war were ignited again. Several kingdoms, led by Tony himself, marched against Rambolia and laid it to waste in a couple of months. The invaders left no one alive, not even children or animals, for Tony and his followers were profoundly blood thirsty. With them in charge, soon the earth was filled with violence.
Zeruda watched the chaos from afar through magical windows that she created with her own magic for that purpose, to see what was happening in the world. Feeling hurt in her heart, she knew things were bad. The race that she had sworn to protect apparently had their own visions. Few were the creatures that observed the book of life’s word, the rest were inclined to committing evil deeds. It only got worse as the years kept passing, for Tony wanted to establish one kingdom under the same banner, a kingdom that included all races. This only led to more wars. Before she realized it, Zeruda had already lost her firm grip on humanity and her vision of keeping peace in the world until she dealt with her brother.
There were a few humans who were friends with her, but even those had turned their back on her when things got really bad. Tony, who was main king of the land, decreed that any who sided with the Serpent Lady, be it human or non-human, was to suffer death. Because of that tough decree, Zeruda’s friends ceased to exist. But not only that, in secret, Tony kept sending forces against the deity, wanting to kill her in order to please his master, who was sending orders to him via followers who were able to leave the sealed realm whilst he couldn’t.
The attempts on her life forced Zeruda to retreat to a secluded place in the far eastern reaches of Phydoria. She came to reside in a jungle-like terrain that saw rain most of the year. There, in that jungle-like area, she hid from Tony’s assassins, but she knew that she could not hide forever from them, nor hold her armed hand back much longer.
One stormy night, as she had been hiding within a profound, eerie-looking lagoon, so as to not harm those that had gone there to kill her, even her father told her to fight on, to defend herself from Mosley’s minions. His angry, thunderous voice was what really snapped Zeruda back to reality that night.
I have watched in rage and disappointment as you have left the humans do with you as they please, Mases had cried bitterly in her mind that night. I gave you Excalibur to fend off any kind of danger or attempt on your life. Why haven’t you lifted up a finger to defend yourself?
Mases knew the answer to that: it was that Zeruda had not intended to become like her brother, who had laid a finger on the humans long ago. She loved the humans, how could she hurt something that she tremendously loved? That is why she had been retreating instead of fighting, but she had erred. Because of that, Phydoria was in chaos, had been since the clan wars had broken out. Sealed in his realm, Mosley apparently still held power on earth, thanks to the servants who were taking care of business for him.
Feeling so sad and unsure of herself, Zeruda had not replied a thing.
Your brother has taken advantage of your kindness toward the humans and the rest of the species, Mases had said to her. Now his disciples hold power in this world instead of you. They will continue to prevail only until you decide to do something about it.
I... Zeruda had replied to him via telepathy with her eyes closed and feeling very disappointed with herself as she kept on swimming within the dark waters of that lagoon. I...love them, father. I could never bring myself to harming them...
“This I know,” her father’s reply had come through a booming thunderclap. “But you must understand that not all humans and beings from other races deserve your love and kindness, my daughter. Even as we speak, hundreds of assassins scour the jungle looking to find and kill you. They hate you as you can’t imagine, and they are nearby...”
Hearing that, Zeruda had shivered in those dark, cool-felt waters.
“Believe me when I say that they will kill you if they get the chance. Their true master has ordered it.”
Mosley, Zeruda had suspected, and she was hurt in her heart knowing that wickedness was retained still in his heart for her.
Yes, your brother’s hold on them is strong, Mases had let her know in her thoughts. They have been brainwashed, blinded by strong dark magic and thus cannot be saved. They have come to kill or be killed. I could send legions upon legions of my sons and daughters this night to defend you from them, but it is you who will have to defend your own life. You asked me to give you an opportunity to bring Mosley down, and I gave it to you. You are at war with your brother. Will you let him win over you this night, then? Or will you brandish your weapon and fight on for the ultimate greater good?
Zeruda had waited within the dirty waters of the lagoon, hoping to hear more words from her father, but he had spoken to her no more. The seconds had gone by with just the nasty storm continuing to pound the region with water and a mighty show of its terrible lightning and thunder. Zeruda understood then that she would have to break her code of honor. Her father was right, she was at war with her brother. She would have to raise her armed arm and kill enemies to defend Phydoria. That saddened her so much, but in the end, she knew that it would be for a greater good.
It was on that stormy night that Zeruda finally spilled human blood for the first time. It was the first time she lay a wicked hand on the humans, much to her disgrace. But not only humans, many other beings belonging to other species were killed by Excalibur, her deadly glare, and through other means that night. When it was over, she remained standing on her serpentine form surrounded by all the carnage she had left, but crying in rage as she stared at the stormy sky above. Bloody and feeling miserable, she was very hurt within, very hurt. During the hour or so that she had spent killing those many assassins, she had suffered many wounds, but though those had hurt her a lot, she had felt more hurt due to the foul deed she had committed in her own defense.
“Please forgive me for this atrocious act, father,” she had cried toward the heavens as the rain had continued to pound down on her. And feeling so miserable, the Serpent Lady had retreated into the comforts of the bog knowing she would never be the same.
***
Time and life had carried on relentlessly in all existing worlds. Hours had turned into days, days had turned into weeks, weeks into months, the months into years, the years into decades, and decades to unforgiving centuries. Zeruda had slowly adapted to life in the bog, and the Phydorians and Celestians had done likewise in their own realms. After two centuries had passed since Mosley had been sealed, the Phydorians began to keep track of time, dates, months, and years. Peace graced the land for a long while, but the races were many in Phydoria and their differences were many as well, thus the troubles between them all continued.
The existence of Zeruda wasn’t forgotten either. Warriors seeking to kill her continued to pester her in the bog. The goddess became a prize, her head a valuable trophy that many a warrior had wanted to obtain, particularly those who venerated Mosley and wanted to please him by slaying his sister. Many were those who went to the bog seeking personal glory, human warriors and fighters belonging to other species sought to bring the Serpent Lady down. All perished in that bog, if not at the hands of the ferocious monsters that lurked there, then surely at the hands of the mighty goddess, who’d had to defend herself from the threats. Through slaying and turning warriors to stone via her God-given powers, Zeruda had made her name be respected and feared. The number of warriors seeking to slay her dropped drastically as time wore on, until few were the souls who dared to attempt what so many had before and had failed at. But even in this new current era, in this running year of 300, (500 in Zeruda’s yearly count since the time when she had sealed Mosley) curious warriors still ventured into the bog every now and then seeking the famous monster known as the Serpent Lady that they had heard so much about through rumors and twisted tales. In the current era she was nothing more than just a myth, and there remained no living soul on the surface of Phydoria who could claim that she was real. But knowledge about her had remained from ancient scriptures, tomes, and through the whispers passed on from one dying generation to the next in line. Tomes, notes, and tales that spoke about her had survived the passing of the centuries, though as time had passed on, these relics had been mingled with untrue facts and had lost their authenticity. Now there were many twisted tales and rumors about the Serpent Lady, also known in the current era as Medusa by the humans and other species. Though Zeruda had remained unseen and unheard of after she had been forced to retreat to the bog, the Phydorians who truly believed the tales heavily alleged that if she existed it was somewhere in the far eastern reaches in a very dangerous jungle that few brave souls frequented now a days.
***
That early morning, as she'd been studying the seal’s magic at the foot of one lonely mountain that stood at the northwestern part of her realm, Zeruda felt so depressed, so lonely, and even sad. The latter was mostly because of the many warriors that had come to perish under her name throughout the passage of time. She knew that she was not at fault, humans and other lesser beings were stubborn creatures, but she still blamed herself for the loss of so many lives at her own hands. Picturing those many souls—and the many other souls from living beings that perished every day—being tormented day and night in Cocytos made her feel worthless and really made her feel sick in her stomach. It stuck in her craw. Her latest thoughts about the seal being halfway spent never helped her calm down, either, rather they made her feel much worse knowing that the time to face her brother once more was nearing. Though five centuries still had to pass before she would get a chance at confronting Mosley once again, Zeruda could already picture the dark times in store for the world—a world that was already dealing with so many of its own troubles—and she felt her heart heavy and sad because of that.
***End of Prelude***
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I also decided to change my created months into the real ones used in our world, so as to avoid unnecessary confusion. The map is the same as that one in the other series I cancelled. If anyone needs the map here in this thread, let me know and I will add it to the first post.
Well, the story continues.