A Battle With Time
This is a record of my travels...
I am Oliver Hodges, a human from... I'm not sure from where anymore. One of the planets in the realm Shometria. At least that's where my story originates. I met a... entity. I'm not quite sure who, no what, they are. But they called themself Azm when they came into my tavern oh so long ago.
I had a nice decent tavern. The Foolish Moon, it was called. The moon was full that fateful night. A strange man entered and made his way towards the bar. He had wild hair, dressed in vibrant clothes resembling that of a fool in court. He was smooth talking even when saying the strangest of things. Azm struck up a conversation with me. A conversation which eventually led to where I am now... Lost adrift in Time.
Time, it's a funny thing. It's almost as if the idea of it is alive. No matter where Azm took me, something was dispatched from Time itself. A Revisionary, Azm called them. A creature who could see the Lines someone could travel. Most of us mortalfolk have a primary Line that we follow. Branching off occasionally when faced with a decision Usually the choices are minuscule in the grand scheme. Allowing for variance in time, where multiple Lines could be running in parallel. I had one such instance. Azm entered the Foolish Moon, immediately approached and asked me why I chose that name. He told me names have power and asked why I chose to associate with the Fool instead of the Favored. At the time, I didn't fully understand their questions. Azm said the strangest of things, but conversation flowed all the same. It felt as if I had known them my entire life... and looking back, I'm not sure that's entirely inaccurate. We talked for hours, and before I knew it, we were the only ones left in the tavern. I tried to wish this person farewell, but before the left they gave me a choice. A choice where the mere mention drew the attention of a Revisionary. Azm posed their question and before I had the time to comprehend what they were asking, the door to my tavern flew open. Revealing a cloaked figure, seemingly emanating energy. They had an aura about them and anything that entered or passed through appeared to fluctuate. As if their surroundings were submerged in water or being peered through a lens. The figure said "You have already been warned about creating fluctuations Fool! Your very presence has sanctioned this place to timeloss." The figure's aura intensified. The floor beneath them and the surrounding tables and chairs began to rumble. The wood began to rot and decay, stone crumbled to dust, metal rusted, and the air became stale. Despite this show, Azm barely seemed fazed. He turned fully to the figure and said, "Do not relate me and the Presence, Revisionary. You may not have the freedom of choice, but those that live here do. Let this one decide." Azm turned back to me and asked if I wanted to live. "Of course..." I told him. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the severity of my decision. An orb of darkness contained this Revisionary. It shrunk down until it was the size of a marble, and fell to the deteriorated floor. Azm walked over and picked up the marble, gazing over it for a moment before handing it to me. He dropped it in my hand and the marble hummed ever so slightly. "Here," he said, "Keep this with you and you'll be less likely to fracture." Still utterly confused, I stammered, "Wh- What do you mean fracture?" Azm smiled, "We must go. I'll explain soon, but more Revisionaries are soon to come. Gather your importance, Time is not our friend."
I was dumbfounded. I looked at this... This stranger, but before I could say anything he threw out his hand. His fingertips were joined above his palm. Slowly opening his hand, a red ring of energy crackled in a circle. Growing wider as his hand opened further, until Azm threw the ring above us and back down around us with a flick. Next I saw was my tavern, but the floor and surrounding furniture were undamaged. It wasn't my tavern however, at least something about it felt off. There were inaccuracies. Little, tiny things. Things that usually would go unnoticed, until you do... It's hard to think about, even now. I looked at Azm and he said, "Just a quick pop home, won't be long." He chuckled, "I can't believe I brought a shomie home right after meeting them, I swear I never do this." I asked him where we were, but all he said was, "You mortals usually break after experiencing far less. I hope you don't go mad." While waiting, the door exiting my supposed tavern started calling to me. No words were being said, but something was drawing my attention. I slowly approached the door but before I could open it, Azm snapped his fingers saying it was time to go. I found myself next in a large wooden room. The walls floor and ceiling all appeared to be part of the same piece. Inside there was a table, chairs, bookshelves, and even a bed. I saw a window across the room and ran to get a glimpse outside. I saw a beautiful garden with flowers and plants in a wide array of vibrant colors. But most importantly it was far below, or rather I was high above it. I stuck my head out of the window and saw the room I was in, was just a branch of a magnificent oak tree. The room was among the lowest of clouds, watching over the garden below. I was encapsulated by the beauty of this place. Only to be surprised by a voice coming from behind me. The voice introduced themselves as Marilyn and told me I was in Aebbiran. An entirely separate plane of existence from my own. Well... Mostly separate, but I didn't know that at the time.
Aebbiran was... an interesting place. There are near constant contests and challenges, giving opportunity for each Aeber to prove their strength and grow themself. As well, there were many different creatures calling Aebbiran home. Marilyn showed me a lot of this plane. She appeared to be human, like me, but was much stronger than I. She is one of the Talented, the most powerful of creatures residing in the garden. Each Talent has their own plant in the garden that is a physical representation of theirself. Marilyn showed me her plant, a beautiful blooming silver orchid. It was much larger than any orchid I had seen back home, but there were many other flora that were much larger. Like the cloud-touching magnificent oak. This oak tree belonged to... Or rather was, Metaes, The Skilled. They are the governor of Aebbiran. The absolute strongest person... No... Entity, in this realm. I never got the chance to see them in action, but they are the determinant on the Garden's Council. The council consists of the hundred strongest Talented. I got to sit in on a council meeting once. Marilyn had to sneak me in, and once I saw its members it looked like they could each kill me with a thought. Which I'm pretty sure Metaes did at one point to a few rowdy spectators. Marilyn called these spectators COWs, or Casualties of War. The unfortunate souls who had died in battle but had minimal ability to hold their own in a fight... I'm still not sure if she was referring to me when she told me this. The COWs would get round up by harvesters on the outskirts of the garden. Some would be given the chance to prove themselves in various contests, but many would fall to their adversaries and feed the garden. Those who didn't take this choice ended up tending to one of the Talented. A week went by... I think, before I noticed I hadn't seen Azm since the night in the Moon. All I had to remember his existence was the dark marble, which appeared to have a wisp swirling inside it now. I began asking Marilyn how I arrived in the Garden of Talent. But she was always vague and told me she would ensure my safety. Protection I needed on multiple occasions I realized, protection that Marilyn kindly offered whenever another Talent wanted to test themself. Still though, Azm was the reason why I was in the Garden in the first place. I left the branch room in search of answers. I walked along a garden path. Admiring the foliage and getting lost in the wander. I found myself in an enormous tree trunk. Not dissimilar from the grand oak. I walked through rooms and down halls, eventually into a large open air chamber. It was circular and had chairs lining near the edge. There had to be a hundred of them, then I realized I was in the Council's chamber. It was a good thing the chamber was empty or I surely would've died, I had thought. Right before I heard strong voice call out behind me, "You're not supposed to be here."
I turned around to see a true giant beast of a man. They were much larger than any other giant I've come across. They were partially covered in rough fur, and claws grew from their knuckles. I was utterly minuscule and unimportant comparatively. Before I could respond the giant asked, "Are you going to challenge?" It was at that point did I remember where I was, Aebbiran. Where conflicts are resolved by a test of talents between the accuser and the alleged. "Yes..." I said hesitantly unsure of what I could possibly best this being at. I asked what the challenge would entail and the giant told me the test was my decision as I had made the challenge. I thought for a moment longer, then said, "I challenge that I can make a drink you have never had." "Challenge accepted, mortal," the beastly giant confirmed, "Let's go somewhere more equipped for such a task." Without a second thought I found myself in yet another tavern. This tavern had anything I could imagine and seemed to be designed to equalize our height. I stood behind the bar while the beastly giant sat on an enormous stool on the other side. I went to work trying not to think too much about what would happen if I failed. The beast waited patiently as I worked, quietly observing me fumble as I nervously made their cocktail. Soon enough I presented the drink. A standard I had made many a time back in the Foolish Moon. Gentler than I thought was possible for his size, the beast picked up the drink and took a sip. He took a moment, sloshing the liquid around in his mouth. I stood there, frozen, waiting for the verdict. The beast swallowed and let out a laugh. "Unfortunately, I've had this before," the beast provided, "My brother brought back a barrel from some planet in Shometria once." "Your brother?" I asked. "Yes," the beast continued, "He's a bit of a fool, but he's got a solid core. He sent me for you actually." I asked the giant what that meant since I failed the challenge. "That doesn't matter now," he said, "Slavalon doesn't abide by the same rules as Aebbiran." Just my luck I thought. Brought somewhere else, against my will and still haven't seen the person who caused this.
As it turned out, Slavalon was the most homely place I have visited. It's a near infinite plane of existence, with a wide array of biomes and landscapes. Not to mention the creatures that inhabited it. The giant beast, or Terry as he eventually called himself, was the governor of this plane. He showed me many of the different creatures he spawned from a black seed with golden engravings worn around his neck. There were so many that I have a hard time remembering most, but with some light convincing, Terry did let me assist in the creation of one. I took a snowy jackrabbit and gave it antlers. Naming the creature jackalope. It turned out a little too bloodthirsty for some reason, however. Terry showed me a lot of his plane. Bringing me to different locations he wanted to show off and hadn't gotten the chance to yet. It was difficult to keep up with him though, as I was much smaller and couldn't fly. I brought this up with Terry on multiple occasions, but every time he said he had no problem carrying small mortals. Evenstill I wanted... No, needed, to talk with Azm. I needed to see why he chose to come in to my tavern and flip my life inside out. Eventually I was able to convince Terry to teach me more about the universe and utilize the contained energy. I had never been able to perform magic up until this point. I'm not entirely sure what caused me to gain the ability either. Terry took an interest in the black marble. Touched the life-seed. Then next I knew, the marble was gone and I felt an unfamiliar power surrounding me. The first thing Terry taught me was how to make a door. One that lead anywhere. He directed me to take us to a sparsely inhabited region of Slavalon so we didn't need to worry all that much about collateral damage. There Terry taught me how to defend myself if ever need be as well as I honed my doorway creation. I learned a great deal from Terry, mostly about his plane but also a fair amount about the universe. I think Terry grew fond of me, as when I was ready to travel in search of Azm, he wanted to throw one final party before I left. There he renounced my mortality... Which as far as I can tell, is permanent.
That night ended with a campfire under the stars, and that following morning Terry was nowhere to be found. He left a note detailing instructions for door-making, putting a heavy emphasis on aiming. I began following the guide and envisioned my tavern back home. I learned from Terry that there are nine realms, or planes of existence. Each with their own being who governs it. I, apparently, hailed from the realm Shometria. Where the vast majority of mortals call home. I pictured my home, a small town, my tavern. I managed to create an unstable door, it crackled and shimmered in the air. Nothing near as sturdy or form fitting as I'd seen before. With a deep breath I walked through. What I saw on the other side was utterly foreign. The dirt paths leading to and from buildings were ordered replaced with stone. Fire was captured in glass containers atop metal posts along the street. The buildings were taller and in larger numbers than I remember last. My tavern was gone, in it's place was a library larger than any had been previously. I was stuck looking at my surroundings when I heard a voice say, "Have you lost your way?" It was the librarian... But I must admit I can't remember who they were. They brought me inside and helped me gain an understanding of where I was. I was in the Centronite kingdom, the king was some half-elf named Leonaith Adhana... It was a, restrictive place. Soldiers patrolled the roads, roughing up anyone who would make the slightest bend of a rule. The people were wary and tense of the next settlement lock down. All the while, the King would claim they were on their way towards peace and a "better world". I didn't stay long. Some soldiers came after me looking for identification. I didn't have any and they didn't like that answer. The soldiers tried to restrain me, I tried to defend myself... I was young, relatively speaking, and I was overconfident. Doesn't excuse the fact that I ended up torching not only the soldiers, but also the librarian and rest of the building. I still have the clip they used to remember where they left off in a book, all I wish is to remember their name. I stood there, in the center of the ruined library. The smoke feeling no different than breathing fresh air, the flames feeling like sunlight gently warming my skin. I could tell there were more people, or worse, coming. I didn't want to leave the librarian, but it was too late. I felt a yank on my back and once I regained my balance I was in a different room. I turned around an saw Azm. "There you are!" Azm said, "You've gotta be careful about creating big burstin' events like that." After all that time, that was the first thing Azm said to me. I went off on him. Some of it deserved, some of it not so much. I asked where he went, why'd he leave, how to get back home, and why he chose me. Azm said he needed to settle a dispute, waiting for Judgement to decide, until only recently being free to move unburdened... He never really did answer my questions. Instead he explained that the first door I created was more of a staircase than a tunnel. Where tunnels connect to points in space at the same time, staircases connect two points at two different times. Apparently for us "timebound" we have an intrinsic flow that keeps us progressing. Which makes it surprisingly easy to ascend the staircase to some point in the future. Azm opened a door and began teach me more about Time.
I learned great deal about the universe in my time with Azm. I observed the start of my realm, Shometria. The first world was barren adrift in space, when a pale cloud manifested about a hundred feet above the surface and two humanoids fell through. They were much larger than I, could fly, and appeared to hide other abilities. They flew around for a moment taking in their surroundings. Then a robed figure appeared, holding... some sort of rod, I couldn't really tell from the distance. It looked like they spoke briefly, before the robed figure evaporated. The two beings, Aephotorans, Azm called them began exploring the planet. They found passageways that led to Slavalon. Azm followed them, and I followed Azm. I wasn't sure why we were there but Azm seemed to be waiting for something. The Aephotorans returned shortly with an assortment of humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings... pretty much some of every mortal race I've ever come in contact with. It looked like the mortals were worshipping the Aephotorans as Gods... I can't really blame them either. The gods I knew were probably something similar to these. We were watching them, Azm and I, when he pulled a red crystal out of his pocket and told me to stay where I was and walk through the door once it's opened. I was confused but didn't protest. Azm skipped ahead into the air. It looked like he threw something, which I believe was the crystal as an enormous version of it appeared hovering in the air. Unsurprisingly, this drew a lot of attention. The Aephotorans flew to face off with Azm. I didn't end up seeing what happened as the door opened behind me and I stepped through. Azm came through about a minute later. I asked Azm what he did back there, but all he said was that he made a deal and some enemies, and that I should not worry. Which at that point, I was rather inclined to do so. My life... My story, so far had been mundane up until Azm stepped inside my tavern. Which he swept me away from. Taking me to a place where I could learn and observe the strongest of entities. He did leave me there, but still I was in the good hands of Marilyn only until Terry came for me and taught me the origins of mortal life and how to defend my own. Then, I was capable and reunited with Azm. Ready to learn and explore. Traveling throughout the universe and Time. A new door opened and without a second thought I stepped through.
Azm and Oliver begin touring shometrian worlds. Azm leads from place to place to seemingly random moments. Showing Oliver events ranging from flashy celebrations to mundane parks. The duo make a few trips before Oliver begins suffering the effects of desynchronization. The desynchronization draws the attention of revisionaries who threaten Oliver's existence. Azm offers Oliver a choice between immortality and life. Oliver chooses immortality and Azm begrudgingly severs Oliver's storyline. With his line severed, Oliver soon recovered and the duo's travels resumed. Only this time, Oliver kept pressing to return to his tavern. However each time Oliver brought it up, Azm deflected and tried to distract with another moment to witness. Eventually though, Oliver wore down Azm only to discover that his tavern was gone. Rather never existed. Azm explains what passersby are and what he had to do to ensure Oliver's immortality. Azm recounts the trips the duo had taken so far. Emphasizing their role as unknown acknowledgement. How they were present for moments where they could provide counsel for the uncertain. How they could step in and out of stories, weaving through them and witnessing the magnificence of life. He then explains that immortality is a burden. How they've bound their being to Time, how they will be present for each second of the universe, how despite having all of the time in the universe they still can't save it. The air around them grew stale and a sinister cackle quietly echoed nearby. Azm's demeanor quickly changed back to that of the fool. Responding to the laugh with a joke. An energy whisked through the air and a presence formed in front of Azm. Oliver stood there blind to what Azm was talking to but could still hear and feel the raw energy emanating from this entity. The presence spoke of rooting itself in Azm and not letting go this time. Azm attempted at a jovial retort but was cut off by the presence naming him Azmogdian. This stunned both Azmogdian and Oliver for a moment. Oliver was taken aback by the name. It somehow sounded familiar, yet distant. This ponder was short lived however as Azm grabbed Oliver's attention and ordered him to get them out of there. The duo quickly moment-hop. Attempting to get away from this presence but leaving a trail of disruptions as they do. Drawing the attention of revisionaries in addition to the demonic entity. Eventually Azm takes them through a "door home" as he calls it. This is the second time Oliver was in Sumadin. And this time he was more capable. All of the stress from the recent continuous experiences flooded out of Oliver. Saying how he's been putting his blind trust into an entity he barely even knows. That they've been running from place to place without being given a second to breathe. That they needed to get a few things straight before they continue. Azm began with explaining their location and how they were safe in his realm. Sumadin is the realm of madness and those that are in here are minds not easily read. He continues with how the presence is an entity of demonic origin. How it burrows into the mind and attempts to manipulate. However while mad, their minds are too scrambled for the demon to understand. After a short while, and more than a few strange occurrences, the two left Sumadin at Azm's behest. He attempted to return their travels as to how they were previously. Ignoring Oliver's every attempt to push further on the subject. Their travels were cut short however. The presence returned causing further disruptions that drew more revisionaries. The revisionaries quickly surrounded Azm and Oliver. Capturing the duo and taking them to the beacon's court. Azm and Oliver were presented before the governess Khroma, and opposing the governor Lakhos. Lakhos accused Azm of bringing undue ends to the stories of innocents. While Azm took defense by claiming the damage was caused by the demonic presence. Khroma acted as judge over the dispute. Calling upon the Liar to provide testimony of their demonic creations. Unsurprisingly, the Liar did not answer their summon. Instead an entity claiming to be the Liar's representative stood forth denying all accusations. Stalling the trial seemingly for amuzement. Khroma quickly realized this witness was detrimental to the trial and dismissed the entity. However with little further insight on the matter, Khroma refused to detain Azm as is what Lakhos requested. Instead, she banished Azm back to his realm Sumadin, until the parasite has been expelled and Azm demonstrates vibrational control. Lakhos reluctantly agreed to the terms and Khroma's attention turned towards Oliver. She decreed the paradox continue as it has and dismissed the members of the trial. Oliver found himself next returned to the moment he and Azm were in prior to being summoned to court. Only, Oliver was alone. Azm was nowhere to be found. He recalled the Beacon decreeing Azmogdian be banished to Sumadin. That he must stay there until the parasite is expelled. What parasite and how must it be expelled, Oliver pondered. Concluding that he could learn about parasites in his travels, but that to know for certain what must be done, Oliver would need Azm to identify the parasite. And to reach Azm, he must go mad.
On this glorious day, by the gods I met two! There was a big boom and when I went to go see, the crop tent was gone and there was a hole in the ground instead. A man and woman were climbing out of the hole when the man saw me. He called himself Hodge and apologized for wrecking the supplies. Mr. Hodge told me to blink when he snapped his fingers and when he did the crop tent was back. No hole, no harm. He grabbed the woman's hand and said sorry they didn't have moments to spare, and in another blink they were gone! ~ Tattered parchment, assumed to be written by a young child living on the endless wilds of Slavalon, an unknown time before the formation of the Lone City. Two men came upon the camp. Both dressed strangely, one strung with vibrant colors while the other's were more earthen. The colorful one approached with a warning, a flock of griffins were seen soaring above approaching the encampent. Colorful urged us inside while he and earthen dealt with the beasts. The flock swooped down towards the livestock, snatching two sheep and began to eat. Five there were, two griffins each devoured a sheep while one looked over the camp. Earthen approached the onlooker, and bowed a greeting. The man seemed to be conversing with the beast while it unblinkingly stared back at him. The overseeing griffin nodded towards earthen who climbed atop its back. Colorful welcomed us outside and introduced the griffins. Precarious as it was, the tribe leaders each climbed atop a griffin and took off soaring into the sky. When asked, Earthen explained the beasts were hungry and he brokered a deal for the tribe and flock to cohabitate so all could be safe and fulfilled. ~ Worn scroll, written by a tribe elder in the budding civilization of Slavalon, 70 years before the formation of the Lone City.
Time, it's a funny thing. It's almost as if the idea of it is alive. No matter where Azm took me, something was dispatched from Time itself. A Revisionary, Azm called them. A creature who could see the Lines someone could travel. Most of us mortalfolk have a primary Line that we follow. Branching off occasionally when faced with a decision Usually the choices are minuscule in the grand scheme. Allowing for variance in time, where multiple Lines could be running in parallel. I had one such instance. Azm entered the Foolish Moon, immediately approached and asked me why I chose that name. He told me names have power and asked why I chose to associate with the Fool instead of the Favored. At the time, I didn't fully understand their questions. Azm said the strangest of things, but conversation flowed all the same. It felt as if I had known them my entire life... and looking back, I'm not sure that's entirely inaccurate. We talked for hours, and before I knew it, we were the only ones left in the tavern. I tried to wish this person farewell, but before the left they gave me a choice. A choice where the mere mention drew the attention of a Revisionary. Azm posed their question and before I had the time to comprehend what they were asking, the door to my tavern flew open. Revealing a cloaked figure, seemingly emanating energy. They had an aura about them and anything that entered or passed through appeared to fluctuate. As if their surroundings were submerged in water or being peered through a lens. The figure said "You have already been warned about creating fluctuations Fool! Your very presence has sanctioned this place to timeloss." The figure's aura intensified. The floor beneath them and the surrounding tables and chairs began to rumble. The wood began to rot and decay, stone crumbled to dust, metal rusted, and the air became stale. Despite this show, Azm barely seemed fazed. He turned fully to the figure and said, "Do not relate me and the Presence, Revisionary. You may not have the freedom of choice, but those that live here do. Let this one decide." Azm turned back to me and asked if I wanted to live. "Of course..." I told him. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the severity of my decision. An orb of darkness contained this Revisionary. It shrunk down until it was the size of a marble, and fell to the deteriorated floor. Azm walked over and picked up the marble, gazing over it for a moment before handing it to me. He dropped it in my hand and the marble hummed ever so slightly. "Here," he said, "Keep this with you and you'll be less likely to fracture." Still utterly confused, I stammered, "Wh- What do you mean fracture?" Azm smiled, "We must go. I'll explain soon, but more Revisionaries are soon to come. Gather your importance, Time is not our friend."
I was dumbfounded. I looked at this... This stranger, but before I could say anything he threw out his hand. His fingertips were joined above his palm. Slowly opening his hand, a red ring of energy crackled in a circle. Growing wider as his hand opened further, until Azm threw the ring above us and back down around us with a flick. Next I saw was my tavern, but the floor and surrounding furniture were undamaged. It wasn't my tavern however, at least something about it felt off. There were inaccuracies. Little, tiny things. Things that usually would go unnoticed, until you do... It's hard to think about, even now. I looked at Azm and he said, "Just a quick pop home, won't be long." He chuckled, "I can't believe I brought a shomie home right after meeting them, I swear I never do this." I asked him where we were, but all he said was, "You mortals usually break after experiencing far less. I hope you don't go mad." While waiting, the door exiting my supposed tavern started calling to me. No words were being said, but something was drawing my attention. I slowly approached the door but before I could open it, Azm snapped his fingers saying it was time to go. I found myself next in a large wooden room. The walls floor and ceiling all appeared to be part of the same piece. Inside there was a table, chairs, bookshelves, and even a bed. I saw a window across the room and ran to get a glimpse outside. I saw a beautiful garden with flowers and plants in a wide array of vibrant colors. But most importantly it was far below, or rather I was high above it. I stuck my head out of the window and saw the room I was in, was just a branch of a magnificent oak tree. The room was among the lowest of clouds, watching over the garden below. I was encapsulated by the beauty of this place. Only to be surprised by a voice coming from behind me. The voice introduced themselves as Marilyn and told me I was in Aebbiran. An entirely separate plane of existence from my own. Well... Mostly separate, but I didn't know that at the time.
Aebbiran was... an interesting place. There are near constant contests and challenges, giving opportunity for each Aeber to prove their strength and grow themself. As well, there were many different creatures calling Aebbiran home. Marilyn showed me a lot of this plane. She appeared to be human, like me, but was much stronger than I. She is one of the Talented, the most powerful of creatures residing in the garden. Each Talent has their own plant in the garden that is a physical representation of theirself. Marilyn showed me her plant, a beautiful blooming silver orchid. It was much larger than any orchid I had seen back home, but there were many other flora that were much larger. Like the cloud-touching magnificent oak. This oak tree belonged to... Or rather was, Metaes, The Skilled. They are the governor of Aebbiran. The absolute strongest person... No... Entity, in this realm. I never got the chance to see them in action, but they are the determinant on the Garden's Council. The council consists of the hundred strongest Talented. I got to sit in on a council meeting once. Marilyn had to sneak me in, and once I saw its members it looked like they could each kill me with a thought. Which I'm pretty sure Metaes did at one point to a few rowdy spectators. Marilyn called these spectators COWs, or Casualties of War. The unfortunate souls who had died in battle but had minimal ability to hold their own in a fight... I'm still not sure if she was referring to me when she told me this. The COWs would get round up by harvesters on the outskirts of the garden. Some would be given the chance to prove themselves in various contests, but many would fall to their adversaries and feed the garden. Those who didn't take this choice ended up tending to one of the Talented. A week went by... I think, before I noticed I hadn't seen Azm since the night in the Moon. All I had to remember his existence was the dark marble, which appeared to have a wisp swirling inside it now. I began asking Marilyn how I arrived in the Garden of Talent. But she was always vague and told me she would ensure my safety. Protection I needed on multiple occasions I realized, protection that Marilyn kindly offered whenever another Talent wanted to test themself. Still though, Azm was the reason why I was in the Garden in the first place. I left the branch room in search of answers. I walked along a garden path. Admiring the foliage and getting lost in the wander. I found myself in an enormous tree trunk. Not dissimilar from the grand oak. I walked through rooms and down halls, eventually into a large open air chamber. It was circular and had chairs lining near the edge. There had to be a hundred of them, then I realized I was in the Council's chamber. It was a good thing the chamber was empty or I surely would've died, I had thought. Right before I heard strong voice call out behind me, "You're not supposed to be here."
I turned around to see a true giant beast of a man. They were much larger than any other giant I've come across. They were partially covered in rough fur, and claws grew from their knuckles. I was utterly minuscule and unimportant comparatively. Before I could respond the giant asked, "Are you going to challenge?" It was at that point did I remember where I was, Aebbiran. Where conflicts are resolved by a test of talents between the accuser and the alleged. "Yes..." I said hesitantly unsure of what I could possibly best this being at. I asked what the challenge would entail and the giant told me the test was my decision as I had made the challenge. I thought for a moment longer, then said, "I challenge that I can make a drink you have never had." "Challenge accepted, mortal," the beastly giant confirmed, "Let's go somewhere more equipped for such a task." Without a second thought I found myself in yet another tavern. This tavern had anything I could imagine and seemed to be designed to equalize our height. I stood behind the bar while the beastly giant sat on an enormous stool on the other side. I went to work trying not to think too much about what would happen if I failed. The beast waited patiently as I worked, quietly observing me fumble as I nervously made their cocktail. Soon enough I presented the drink. A standard I had made many a time back in the Foolish Moon. Gentler than I thought was possible for his size, the beast picked up the drink and took a sip. He took a moment, sloshing the liquid around in his mouth. I stood there, frozen, waiting for the verdict. The beast swallowed and let out a laugh. "Unfortunately, I've had this before," the beast provided, "My brother brought back a barrel from some planet in Shometria once." "Your brother?" I asked. "Yes," the beast continued, "He's a bit of a fool, but he's got a solid core. He sent me for you actually." I asked the giant what that meant since I failed the challenge. "That doesn't matter now," he said, "Slavalon doesn't abide by the same rules as Aebbiran." Just my luck I thought. Brought somewhere else, against my will and still haven't seen the person who caused this.
As it turned out, Slavalon was the most homely place I have visited. It's a near infinite plane of existence, with a wide array of biomes and landscapes. Not to mention the creatures that inhabited it. The giant beast, or Terry as he eventually called himself, was the governor of this plane. He showed me many of the different creatures he spawned from a black seed with golden engravings worn around his neck. There were so many that I have a hard time remembering most, but with some light convincing, Terry did let me assist in the creation of one. I took a snowy jackrabbit and gave it antlers. Naming the creature jackalope. It turned out a little too bloodthirsty for some reason, however. Terry showed me a lot of his plane. Bringing me to different locations he wanted to show off and hadn't gotten the chance to yet. It was difficult to keep up with him though, as I was much smaller and couldn't fly. I brought this up with Terry on multiple occasions, but every time he said he had no problem carrying small mortals. Evenstill I wanted... No, needed, to talk with Azm. I needed to see why he chose to come in to my tavern and flip my life inside out. Eventually I was able to convince Terry to teach me more about the universe and utilize the contained energy. I had never been able to perform magic up until this point. I'm not entirely sure what caused me to gain the ability either. Terry took an interest in the black marble. Touched the life-seed. Then next I knew, the marble was gone and I felt an unfamiliar power surrounding me. The first thing Terry taught me was how to make a door. One that lead anywhere. He directed me to take us to a sparsely inhabited region of Slavalon so we didn't need to worry all that much about collateral damage. There Terry taught me how to defend myself if ever need be as well as I honed my doorway creation. I learned a great deal from Terry, mostly about his plane but also a fair amount about the universe. I think Terry grew fond of me, as when I was ready to travel in search of Azm, he wanted to throw one final party before I left. There he renounced my mortality... Which as far as I can tell, is permanent.
That night ended with a campfire under the stars, and that following morning Terry was nowhere to be found. He left a note detailing instructions for door-making, putting a heavy emphasis on aiming. I began following the guide and envisioned my tavern back home. I learned from Terry that there are nine realms, or planes of existence. Each with their own being who governs it. I, apparently, hailed from the realm Shometria. Where the vast majority of mortals call home. I pictured my home, a small town, my tavern. I managed to create an unstable door, it crackled and shimmered in the air. Nothing near as sturdy or form fitting as I'd seen before. With a deep breath I walked through. What I saw on the other side was utterly foreign. The dirt paths leading to and from buildings were ordered replaced with stone. Fire was captured in glass containers atop metal posts along the street. The buildings were taller and in larger numbers than I remember last. My tavern was gone, in it's place was a library larger than any had been previously. I was stuck looking at my surroundings when I heard a voice say, "Have you lost your way?" It was the librarian... But I must admit I can't remember who they were. They brought me inside and helped me gain an understanding of where I was. I was in the Centronite kingdom, the king was some half-elf named Leonaith Adhana... It was a, restrictive place. Soldiers patrolled the roads, roughing up anyone who would make the slightest bend of a rule. The people were wary and tense of the next settlement lock down. All the while, the King would claim they were on their way towards peace and a "better world". I didn't stay long. Some soldiers came after me looking for identification. I didn't have any and they didn't like that answer. The soldiers tried to restrain me, I tried to defend myself... I was young, relatively speaking, and I was overconfident. Doesn't excuse the fact that I ended up torching not only the soldiers, but also the librarian and rest of the building. I still have the clip they used to remember where they left off in a book, all I wish is to remember their name. I stood there, in the center of the ruined library. The smoke feeling no different than breathing fresh air, the flames feeling like sunlight gently warming my skin. I could tell there were more people, or worse, coming. I didn't want to leave the librarian, but it was too late. I felt a yank on my back and once I regained my balance I was in a different room. I turned around an saw Azm. "There you are!" Azm said, "You've gotta be careful about creating big burstin' events like that." After all that time, that was the first thing Azm said to me. I went off on him. Some of it deserved, some of it not so much. I asked where he went, why'd he leave, how to get back home, and why he chose me. Azm said he needed to settle a dispute, waiting for Judgement to decide, until only recently being free to move unburdened... He never really did answer my questions. Instead he explained that the first door I created was more of a staircase than a tunnel. Where tunnels connect to points in space at the same time, staircases connect two points at two different times. Apparently for us "timebound" we have an intrinsic flow that keeps us progressing. Which makes it surprisingly easy to ascend the staircase to some point in the future. Azm opened a door and began teach me more about Time.
I learned great deal about the universe in my time with Azm. I observed the start of my realm, Shometria. The first world was barren adrift in space, when a pale cloud manifested about a hundred feet above the surface and two humanoids fell through. They were much larger than I, could fly, and appeared to hide other abilities. They flew around for a moment taking in their surroundings. Then a robed figure appeared, holding... some sort of rod, I couldn't really tell from the distance. It looked like they spoke briefly, before the robed figure evaporated. The two beings, Aephotorans, Azm called them began exploring the planet. They found passageways that led to Slavalon. Azm followed them, and I followed Azm. I wasn't sure why we were there but Azm seemed to be waiting for something. The Aephotorans returned shortly with an assortment of humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings... pretty much some of every mortal race I've ever come in contact with. It looked like the mortals were worshipping the Aephotorans as Gods... I can't really blame them either. The gods I knew were probably something similar to these. We were watching them, Azm and I, when he pulled a red crystal out of his pocket and told me to stay where I was and walk through the door once it's opened. I was confused but didn't protest. Azm skipped ahead into the air. It looked like he threw something, which I believe was the crystal as an enormous version of it appeared hovering in the air. Unsurprisingly, this drew a lot of attention. The Aephotorans flew to face off with Azm. I didn't end up seeing what happened as the door opened behind me and I stepped through. Azm came through about a minute later. I asked Azm what he did back there, but all he said was that he made a deal and some enemies, and that I should not worry. Which at that point, I was rather inclined to do so. My life... My story, so far had been mundane up until Azm stepped inside my tavern. Which he swept me away from. Taking me to a place where I could learn and observe the strongest of entities. He did leave me there, but still I was in the good hands of Marilyn only until Terry came for me and taught me the origins of mortal life and how to defend my own. Then, I was capable and reunited with Azm. Ready to learn and explore. Traveling throughout the universe and Time. A new door opened and without a second thought I stepped through.
Azm and Oliver begin touring shometrian worlds. Azm leads from place to place to seemingly random moments. Showing Oliver events ranging from flashy celebrations to mundane parks. The duo make a few trips before Oliver begins suffering the effects of desynchronization. The desynchronization draws the attention of revisionaries who threaten Oliver's existence. Azm offers Oliver a choice between immortality and life. Oliver chooses immortality and Azm begrudgingly severs Oliver's storyline. With his line severed, Oliver soon recovered and the duo's travels resumed. Only this time, Oliver kept pressing to return to his tavern. However each time Oliver brought it up, Azm deflected and tried to distract with another moment to witness. Eventually though, Oliver wore down Azm only to discover that his tavern was gone. Rather never existed. Azm explains what passersby are and what he had to do to ensure Oliver's immortality. Azm recounts the trips the duo had taken so far. Emphasizing their role as unknown acknowledgement. How they were present for moments where they could provide counsel for the uncertain. How they could step in and out of stories, weaving through them and witnessing the magnificence of life. He then explains that immortality is a burden. How they've bound their being to Time, how they will be present for each second of the universe, how despite having all of the time in the universe they still can't save it. The air around them grew stale and a sinister cackle quietly echoed nearby. Azm's demeanor quickly changed back to that of the fool. Responding to the laugh with a joke. An energy whisked through the air and a presence formed in front of Azm. Oliver stood there blind to what Azm was talking to but could still hear and feel the raw energy emanating from this entity. The presence spoke of rooting itself in Azm and not letting go this time. Azm attempted at a jovial retort but was cut off by the presence naming him Azmogdian. This stunned both Azmogdian and Oliver for a moment. Oliver was taken aback by the name. It somehow sounded familiar, yet distant. This ponder was short lived however as Azm grabbed Oliver's attention and ordered him to get them out of there. The duo quickly moment-hop. Attempting to get away from this presence but leaving a trail of disruptions as they do. Drawing the attention of revisionaries in addition to the demonic entity. Eventually Azm takes them through a "door home" as he calls it. This is the second time Oliver was in Sumadin. And this time he was more capable. All of the stress from the recent continuous experiences flooded out of Oliver. Saying how he's been putting his blind trust into an entity he barely even knows. That they've been running from place to place without being given a second to breathe. That they needed to get a few things straight before they continue. Azm began with explaining their location and how they were safe in his realm. Sumadin is the realm of madness and those that are in here are minds not easily read. He continues with how the presence is an entity of demonic origin. How it burrows into the mind and attempts to manipulate. However while mad, their minds are too scrambled for the demon to understand. After a short while, and more than a few strange occurrences, the two left Sumadin at Azm's behest. He attempted to return their travels as to how they were previously. Ignoring Oliver's every attempt to push further on the subject. Their travels were cut short however. The presence returned causing further disruptions that drew more revisionaries. The revisionaries quickly surrounded Azm and Oliver. Capturing the duo and taking them to the beacon's court. Azm and Oliver were presented before the governess Khroma, and opposing the governor Lakhos. Lakhos accused Azm of bringing undue ends to the stories of innocents. While Azm took defense by claiming the damage was caused by the demonic presence. Khroma acted as judge over the dispute. Calling upon the Liar to provide testimony of their demonic creations. Unsurprisingly, the Liar did not answer their summon. Instead an entity claiming to be the Liar's representative stood forth denying all accusations. Stalling the trial seemingly for amuzement. Khroma quickly realized this witness was detrimental to the trial and dismissed the entity. However with little further insight on the matter, Khroma refused to detain Azm as is what Lakhos requested. Instead, she banished Azm back to his realm Sumadin, until the parasite has been expelled and Azm demonstrates vibrational control. Lakhos reluctantly agreed to the terms and Khroma's attention turned towards Oliver. She decreed the paradox continue as it has and dismissed the members of the trial. Oliver found himself next returned to the moment he and Azm were in prior to being summoned to court. Only, Oliver was alone. Azm was nowhere to be found. He recalled the Beacon decreeing Azmogdian be banished to Sumadin. That he must stay there until the parasite is expelled. What parasite and how must it be expelled, Oliver pondered. Concluding that he could learn about parasites in his travels, but that to know for certain what must be done, Oliver would need Azm to identify the parasite. And to reach Azm, he must go mad.
The following are tales found throughout the years.
Ordered chronologically as they were written.
Recounting one Oliver Hodges.
On this glorious day, by the gods I met two! There was a big boom and when I went to go see, the crop tent was gone and there was a hole in the ground instead. A man and woman were climbing out of the hole when the man saw me. He called himself Hodge and apologized for wrecking the supplies. Mr. Hodge told me to blink when he snapped his fingers and when he did the crop tent was back. No hole, no harm. He grabbed the woman's hand and said sorry they didn't have moments to spare, and in another blink they were gone! ~ Tattered parchment, assumed to be written by a young child living on the endless wilds of Slavalon, an unknown time before the formation of the Lone City. Two men came upon the camp. Both dressed strangely, one strung with vibrant colors while the other's were more earthen. The colorful one approached with a warning, a flock of griffins were seen soaring above approaching the encampent. Colorful urged us inside while he and earthen dealt with the beasts. The flock swooped down towards the livestock, snatching two sheep and began to eat. Five there were, two griffins each devoured a sheep while one looked over the camp. Earthen approached the onlooker, and bowed a greeting. The man seemed to be conversing with the beast while it unblinkingly stared back at him. The overseeing griffin nodded towards earthen who climbed atop its back. Colorful welcomed us outside and introduced the griffins. Precarious as it was, the tribe leaders each climbed atop a griffin and took off soaring into the sky. When asked, Earthen explained the beasts were hungry and he brokered a deal for the tribe and flock to cohabitate so all could be safe and fulfilled. ~ Worn scroll, written by a tribe elder in the budding civilization of Slavalon, 70 years before the formation of the Lone City.
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