Nehvis Reports to a God

General Summary

"Rise up from the tiles. Speak to me, child."     Nehvis stood with some difficulty.     "Hail, God of War. I give thanks to the Sun that you are here. -- You live! -- How have you brought me to You?"     "There is no time for talk of simple tricks, Ka-Nehvis. Speak well of your latest news for me. I will reward you should you deserve it."     "Yes, Great One... I will... tell you...?"     "Hesitation? Tell me briefly how you came to the realm. Then tell me of what is your latest experience. How you broke your arm and the rest. Begin."     Nehvis did not need breath but he did need to summon his will to speak of things before a god he'd thought vanished and never to be heard from again.         "His name was Rah. That much I have left to me. Much of what I was I have lost. Washed away. A great tide took my memory and... and my loves and stripped them from my mind. Afterward I felt as though I floated through an ether. I could sense but dimly. My sight was in fog. My hearing was wrapped in webs. My touch was through bandaged hands. The things I could see were like fleeting glimpses... but there were real things. From this I held to hope.    

    Of these brief, flashing images the most interesting was a series of green cubes. The centre one most. It glowed at me. At me. I felt the urge to be nearer to it. It might have been a light to grant me safety. Something solid to hold fast to in the fog. It was and it was not. It was solid, though not a haven. Too small. I held it for a moment in my hand. After this moment passed, the fog cleared. I lay in a strange room on a piece of metal. Like a table but not. There was noise as well. Like a mill at work. No mill I could remember made all the sounds I was hearing but as much like a mill as anything? I was able to move, so I did. This caused a new sound. A voice. It echoed about me.     “G-967-SW has been activated. Requirements are met. Introducing liaison. Monitor progression and fit-out.”     Strange words. I stood up from the metal table. I was cumbersome. I knew that this would pass. It always had before... I could see the table had wheels like a cart would have. These were set in channels that ran across the room. The room was very large. I saw movement. A man approached me. For some reason I took the time to slide one foot back and leave it pointing to the side. My arms came forward, one slightly ahead of the other. My hands opened. Opening them was hard. They had been clenched tightly. His voice sounded small but normal as he spoke to me from his place many paces away.     “Slowly does it!. You don’t want to break something!”     I could not speak. My jaw would not move for me.     “Don’t be disturbed. Your confusion will pass. You’ve been brought back. Do you remember your death? Maybe better if you don’t as that will mean you will need to be moved out. That won’t do because I need all the decent fighters I can get my hands on.”     I was calmed by his words. I was a fighter. I knew this. He had said he did not want me to remember my death. I remembered the battle and my passing from Rah’s sight. I could not speak and I decided if I could, I would not.     This man took me away from the room. It was in a cart that ran smoothly on the floor and without sound. It felt like the sky-skiff of my captain, Hahnamapis. He had taught me to use the godly khopesh, golden without peer.       The cart moved quickly and I thought I might fall out. The man seemed in control of the cart and he laughed at my lack of steadiness. Did he make the cart swerve on purpose? I am not sure... he talked to me, not waiting for words back.     “This complex has heaps of guys. You’re lucky. You’ve come ‘round at the perfect time. I need to fill a requisition. A really strong master for you. eh? That’s what you want, isn’t it? Sure it is!”     He laughed as we rolled along, turning down many light-metal, coloured corridors with doorways. I sat quiet. I had no choice. I saw a fine line of bright light ahead of us in a new chamber. This room was very large. I could not remember a room so big. I was ordered to get out of the cart. I was fixed upon the light. It was distant but it was golden. The man noticed my stare.       “Yeah, that’s him. Your master. He’s a tough customer or is that customers, eh?” He laughed so I smiled.     “Well would you look at that! You look like you’re smiling!” I was smiling. This man was not smart.     He motioned me to walk with him. I did.     “Here’s your contraband. Let’s have a lookit-see... Not a great deal here but what there is seems okay.” The man looked sideways at me. "These things might be valuable to others. Don’t be leaving them lying around, okay?" A sack was opened and I saw my armoured shirt. I knew it as I saw it, that it was mine. The mail was wrongly coloured. It was once golden but now looked dull and steely grey. This man should not be holding it. That was wrong. He was not an initiate of the secrets. My armour flew to me. I wore it again. The man looked surprised and then pleased.     “That’s good! You have a connection. Doesn’t happen often. Now this next piece seems to be a sheet? We think it wraps around your shoulders?”     He was wrong. It was for my waist and legs. The man was a fool. The kashtahn came to me through the air. It fell loosely to the floor. When needed, it could be fastened to be higher. It was for modesty. I adjusted it as well as I could with my clumsy hands. I felt more me.     “ You can summon all of it to you, eh? I’ll be sure to charge a full commission for you! Not like the others that's for sure.”     The man seemed delighted by my bringing my things to me. This was nothing. Why did the man not know? Could he not see who I was? Servant of Rah. Willing subject to His will. When He asked, I had answered with my life. I did not see it a sacrifice. It was for His glory that I offered myself up. I became a Ka-Muhn. Unkillable because my life was held safely elsewhere, by Him.     “Now to the good stuff." Another sack. Something oblong was inside. My shield emerged. Golden and strong. On its surface, the great winged, Phoenix. Fire of Rah. My shield... it came to me. Its straps tightened at my forearm and wrist. It was not needed for me to do it.     My lips parted and I hissed, “Rah protect me.” It came out like a punctured bellows's wheeze.     “Eh, what was that? You can talk too? My price is going to be steep!” The man patted me like I was a dog.     My attention returned to the golden light. Something was not right. The light was not Gold... Yellow instead and my hope fell from me.     “Okay, champ. You head on up the ramp and meet the new boss, eh? Don’t be worried, ha! Lots of fun times ahead, eh? Scourging, scaring and sating for you, you lucky stiff!”       He prodded at me with a oddly fashioned staff that had appeared from within the cart. I decided not to stop this man. I did not want to show him my sword... I went up the ramp. The long ascent did not bother me. I had climbed greater ramps than this to stand atop the mighty pyramids. With this ramp there was no apex. It was flat instead. On this flat, there were two things; a man and an obelisk. The man stood, black-hooded and silver-plated. The light I had seen from below occasionally emerged from the man's, Yellow-tinted eye sockets. This occurred when he needed to examine somethings below. The obelisk lay on its side. An opening on the side facing me was brightly lit by a cold white fire from within. Did this man need me to raise the obelisk to its proper position? I am not an engineer. I am a fighter. I looked at the man without comprehension on my face.       He knew nothing of my confusion as his words were about himself.     "I am Gralkey. I am a cadavivva. Like you I am undyne. You know what you are, that is why you are brought to me. I have bought your cadre and you will serve me. Serve me well and I can offer you something vital. Your cadre is in the vessel. You are indicated to be their commander. You will command them for me and if you do it well, I will make you a gift. Like me you will gain your freewill. A vital gift. Ultimate, some would say. If you can speak do so, if not, nod or whatever. Show me you understand and we will leave this storehouse."     I felt no need to speak but I did not want to pretend I could not forever. I uttered, "I understand your words."     Gralkey had no lips to smile with. His teeth flashed instead, two rows of small, curving mirrors.           The time passed. I went where the obelisk took us. I went to the Canticle. I went to the Forge of Stars and fought there. I went to the Bell of Continuance and fought there. Gralkey had offered me the vital gift before this battle but afterward said he had lost it. As this was a different Gralkey from the one who had offered the gift, I tempered my disappointment. Gralkey had many versions of himself. He was a 'Shelled' cadavivva. Most were not as powerful as Gralkey. He had reason to be confident as his mind could go into any of his forms. I could not tell one from the other. He was like myself but more able. I cannot change bodies. I commanded the cadre. They had been equipped as I but they were not like me. They were undyne but not Ka-Muhn. Where they had been raised from I did not know. The command went well. Gralkey was satisfied.         Yesterday, he learned through the obelisk's 'controls' that there was to be a duel involving a man he had great interest in. The man was Count Meliadus of Soghn, on the world of Logresse. Gralkey set the obelisk to take us there. I readied my cadre. The obelisk landed on its side. I had told Gralkey twice before this, that this was wrong to do. He had laughed those two times. I did not tell him it was wrong on this occasion and the way he stared at me, showed he was surprised that I did not. He might have asked about this but his interest was in the man outside the obelisk. We went outside. The land was alive in a way that the Canticle was not. Growing things; trees and grasses, shrubs and vines. The great river had blessed this land.         Count Meliadus was a fighter. His armour was coloured like Gralkey's teeth. Gleaming-silver adorned his form. His head was encased in a helm shaped like the great desert wolf. Gralkey spoke with him. I attended. The count occasionally looked at me. I stared always away. This seemed to satisfy him. Gralkey always liked when I acted removed. They spoke of plans. Treaty was mentioned. The count needed aid. His 'red wolves' needed aid. There were forces his 'red knights' could not master. A storm was mentioned. The Tempest. I thought about that word. It might have been known to me. I could not decide... They laughed and it was clear they had had reason to fight together before this meeting. Talk turned to the present. The count said that once he had dealt with the baron, his power would be coalesced. A strange thing to say. Gralkey took it similarly. The count said jovially that all would be revealed when his dueling partner appeared. The count led us to one of several, circular archways that stood on the grounds. The area looked like a ruin to me. He stepped through an arch. We followed.         We stood within a building, like a temple in the great desert, many columns retreated from where we stood. The count said that he had to stretch. He told us to go and meet Lien and 'the attendants'. Apparently there would be others at the duel.         Lien was a man who had the air of power around him.         He told Gralkey he was a herald. I wondered about what he preceded but Gralkey did not ask him. Lien told Gralkey that there was a law to be observed. A truce was in effect. The other attendants were to be observers only... Laws. It was good to know there were some as it had been some time without. Gralkey seemed fine with this arrangement. Lien said the men who were to watch were notable. Gralkey told me to move onward as he had some final words for Count Meliadus. I moved ahead with nine of the cadre beside me. Before I got to the distant attendants, I saw a man dressed in heavy armour. Black and gold, it looked to take a strong body to wear it. Impressive in its making, the plates looked to move on their own, like it was a breathing, living thing. His helmet was like a wolf but more emblematic than realistic.         He watched me as I watched him. He stared away and toward the count's place. Could it be this man to fight the count? They both wore similar helms. It might be a contest between old friends from a troop they once served together in?     We reached the attendants. I stopped. I stood, silent because I had been commanded to but also because I was struck dumb by their presence. One was bare-chested. A great beard grew from his face, great muscles grew from his frame. Eyes, sharp like the falcon. They looked through me. I was made unsure but then one of his eyes closed, only briefly and I felt better. His lower body was gathered by a leather kirith -- much like the one you once wore, I recall.         It was clear to me that this was a man of the Phoenix. I wished to know his name. Another stood near him. He was dressed in a worrisome armour. It shone with a power of the Array. This was a group of this realm, yes? I have yet to know what this Array is or if I should trust in it.         I took from his helm's high-crest that he worked for the Orange power of this Array. He seemed to be with the man of the Phoenix so I was reassured. I tried to close my left eye as the bearded man had done when he'd looked at me but all i managed was to blink with both. They did not notice my failed effort. They were clearly interested in my shield. They were impressed with it and knew what it was.     Another individual approached. He was announced by Lien as the Steel General.         I knew of the Colour Steel joining the Array. Gralkey was interested in those called Spires. This was a recent thing. He bore the title and the demeanor of the Old General. He was unbowed. He seemed of his own counsel. He had little to say and moved away from us. Then came one announced by Lien as the Hunter. He seemed Black in more than dress.         He had four arms when men have need of only two. I did not know what this might mean. He spoke to us curtly and I was made to feel that he knew much of the art of dying. He left us to stand apart, on his own. A solitary being... As he did, I noted there were two other men near enough to our gathering. One was a caster with lightning-blue eyes.     He moved hastily to collect his caster's tools from the ground but not before the General strode through them. Some were damaged by this but the caster seemed only amused by the event and took no umbrage. The other man was as lightly garbed as the caster but he was clearly no wizard. His style was of the quickswords.       He was armed but not armoured. He came up to us and said hello to the bearded man, calling him "Gerry". I wondered at that and the upset it caused the larger man. The Orange fighter called himself, Renaissance. I don't know this as name nor title, Great One... The caster's name was Melin and the quicksword's, Solomon. As we stood there, I was moved against better thought to speak to them. They took this not badly and I was glad that I had. They told me to assist if meant I would be safe to do so. I wondered if these men might have it in them to stop Gralkey and the count from their plans. I hoped they were.       The herald Lien, was joined by a warrior in plated armour. This and his longsword was covered in Red flowers. He called himself, the Rose Knight and said that he was the warden of this place and manned the gates against unlawful entry.         Lien then spoke in detail to the bearded man who now told everyone to call him Gerard and not Rhegules, and most certainly not Gerry... Lien mentioned that the man's family had other brothers and a sister still alive and on mainstay worlds. This Gerard, took this news as a wonder. He seemed to be given new strength, not that he appeared to need any.     Last to join the attendants was a man called, Dractyl. I know this one from Gralkey's journeys. I had seen Dractyl talk to Gralkey. He was no different this time. He is difficult to know. He controls draconic creatures. I do not know if they are actual dragons but he acts as if they are. It was noted that he cannot reveal all the ones he controls without giving up all his influence. How he will manage his resource is his problem to deal with.         Lien called for the duel to commence and the two wolf-helmed men faced one another. They were both named, "Meliadus" by the herald. I was surprised to learn it. They struck some early, testing blows. The count used an axe, as silvered as his armour. The baron, as the darker Meliadus was titled, used his gauntleted hands. This seemed odd to me. As the fight went on, it became clear why the baron did this.     The count used a great arcing swing of his axe to threaten the baron's neck with severance of his head but the baron seemed to shrug off the attack. Then both men paused. In the delay, they used caste power causing the count to falter and the baron to clutch at his stomach. It seemed the baron was worse afflicted. The count again struck a terrible, decapitating blow. The baron, despite his handicap, took this vicious blow well. That armour is special to behold! The count laughed in contradiction to his weapon's failure and again caste was made. It seemed their emotions created this ability. The baron brought forth a ring, around them both, a ring of simmering hate. It took the form of a deep Red liquid from which murmurs arose to give into to despair. I know that I would not want to be brought near that moat. It seemed that there would be no quarter given. The moat would see neither could leave the circle it formed. The baron made to grab at the count. He seemed to wish to grapple with the other. His try was ineffective. The attacks went back and forth between them. The count moved in a feint and threw all his skill into another cut to the head. It was a deathly strike. The baron might have wanted this. He twisted his way close tot he count as the hit rang off his helm. This brought him in tight to the count. Now he laid fast to the count with his hands and his helm's visor opened and snapped shut rapidly on the count's throat. This was why the baron had not used a weapon. He needed to hold the count fast. If the count was surprised, I cannot say, Great One. It must be that he was. The two men might be similar, yet they were not aware of all the other's abilities, it seemed. The wolf-toothed helm sliced through the count's gorgette almost quietly. The teeth on the helmet were blades through water. Blood washed over the count's chest plate. His life rushed away from his body as he slumped in the baron's arms. His blood flowed in a rivulet to the moat of Redness. The baron dropped the count to the earth. Dead eyes stared at their last scene. The baron walked slowly to the edge of the ring of Red liquid. It vanished before him, purpose fulfilled. The baron did not raise a cry of vanquish. He seemed more lost than victorious.     Lien said that the matter was settled and that all there had witnessed the duel's events. The 'Rose Knight' called on us thanking us for our, "... forbearance thus far in observing the tenets of the grove and to do as we would henceforth." He had a strange manner of speech. I liked him. His words drew from all an eager response. My cadre and Gralkey were set upon by those led at first by Gerard, who moved without pause. Renaissance drew forth a sword at the same initial instance. All in one motion from unsheathing to throw, he launched the sword end-over-end at Gralkey. This struck with tremendous power, pinning Gralkey's knee to the ground. Gralkey drew his projectone and fired at Gerard as he ran at my master. After Gerard had joined the battle, he quickly backed away to allow the rest to fight it out. His weapon was large and a menace to behold. He might have worried that he could do more harm to his own than to those of Gralkey? I stood with my cadre. Where I could, I did as best as I might to help the ones against Gralkey. I struck at one of the cadre, who faced away from me. I injured myself in this. My arm is damaged and in need of repair, Great One. I wonder if this was caused by Gralkey? He may have put a caste effect to prevent in-fighting among his forces. It was the first time I had committed this act so I cannot be sure.     Renaissance, the Orange warrior, fought with Gralkey while defending himself from the shelled cadavivva and members of the cadre. Solomon fought among the other cadre, taking on four of the number at once. Solomon was like the cobra, striking at one undyne, while defending against another. When the other undyne might attack he would sidele to one side and leave the opponent staring at nothing to hit. I fought between these two groups but could not be of much aid. My arm caused me to lose my footing in the effort to use my shield as a weapon. I did not acquit myself too well. I seek your forgiveness in my failure... Renaissance cut down each cadre that moved to defend their master. Gralkey was badly wounded by this stage. He had been using his projectone weapon. Now he set it to explode. He had warned me to move far from wherever the projectone was whenever he was forced to do this. Renaissance paid no mind and finished Gralkey's shell off with cut of axe and thrust of spike. Gerard grabbed the projectone from the ground. He threw Gralkey's weapon far into the sky. The man's strength is -- well, godly, if You will permit me. It erupted in sun-fire.       It was done. Gralkey bested. Banished to the Canticle Vestige. His shell uninhabitable. Cadre done with. His obelisk stranded, which will be costly to his efforts. I do not know what these others may plan for me. I gave thanks unto the Veightal for my release from bondage, though I knew not what I should do. You summoned me. I await your word."         Raising his chin from the large hand that had propped it up during Nehvis the ka-muhn's report, the God of War looked thoughtful.     "I am well pleased at your effort. I will heal you and set you again on the worlds. Where would you go?"     "Wherever you have need, Great One."     "I fear my need is greater than I am."     "I serve you in all."     "I would have you proceed me. Take word to these you have met. Tell them, I come."     "I will."     "Good. Seek the balms of the healers without. The waters will soothe you. Then you will go back to this Logresse. It sounds a goodly world."       Nehvis left the room. The stifling heat entered the room as the heavy sandalwood doors opened to allow the warrior to leave. For the God the time for caution was at an end. Too many had begun to appear. There was no point in remaining hidden from the realm's actors any longer. He was more or less alone in this realm. Only the Jackal could be expected to be of use and his was a deliberately difficult position to expect much from.     Not so for Anhur, God of War and mighty among the Veightal.     His fate had been to come to the New Realm. He had to leave the others behind. Only a single portion of the Veightal could be spared of the Phoenix. The debate had been exhaustive. Anhur was the only agreeable choice for All.       He stretched his arms to the ceiling of the room, rolled his shoulders a few times and sent a call for his belongings. He remembered to ask for his cloak. The realms were colder than his palace, he remembered.