kreuzritter wrote: ↑Fri May 21, 2021 7:56 pm
"What does a god need with a world?" Qora asks, "From what I've seen, humans are quite good enough at killing each other without you. they also know how to tell themself 'I will not kill, today.' Leave this world, they have no need of you, and you are not welcome here."
Is not much, but Qora can't exactly go punch war in the face
The Incarnate of War levels a finger the size of a skyscraper at Qora.
"THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG. I DON'T NEED YOUR LITTLE PLANET. I DO, HOWEVER, DESIRE GREATLY TO DESTROY IT - AND OZIRI IS NEXT."
The Incarnate of War reaches out with a titanic hand to crush you, the chunk of rock you stand on, and Lord Steel's battleship next to you.
But a brilliant light shines forth: suddenly, Kisai is hundreds of feet tall, speaking with the voices of the four guardians, and from his hands pour forth a gentle radiance that stops the Incarnate in his tracks. More streams of light pour from Aranel's fingers as she channels the power of life itself, and they surround and bind the Incarnate of War like ethereal restraints. The clash of titanic forces sends streaks of multicolored light through Earth's magnetosphere, strange auroras visible the world over.
* * *
Down below, among the ruins of Shambhala, Reizo Saito and his retainers look up at the sky and the strange lights above.
"He's done it," he says. His eyes are bright with tears. "He has chosen to fulfill his destiny."
* * *
In space, the Incarnate of War withdraws momentarily before the light. But Kaak-Shar is not yet defeated. He spreads his arms, the size of mountains, to encompass the entire planet.
"YES... KAAK-SHAR REMEMBERS. KINIAN KHAN REMEMBERS. YOUR PREDECESSORS, THE JUSTICE FOUNDATION, LED HEROES FROM YOUR WORLD TO TURN BACK MY INVASION OF THE LOR REPUBLIC.
"MY LIFE HAD BEEN SPENT IN PREPARATION FOR THAT GLORIOUS CONQUEST. I WAS NOT ABOUT TO LET MAGGOTS FROM A BACKWATER WORLD DENY ME. I BURNED MY PEOPLE AT THE STAKE, THE POPULATION OF ENTIRE WORLDS, FOR THE POWER TO ENACT MY VENGEANCE. NOW I HAVE DESTROYED THE LOR, AND YOU ARE NEXT!"
The countless moaning faces on Kaak-Shar's armor open their mouths. Black vapor seeps out of them, around Kisai and Aranel's light, to extend dark tendrils towards the planet below. But before the noxious mist can get very far, a familiar, pure blue glow fills the void.
Out in space, Gelert feels, in addition to the blue bird's presence, the presence of all the millions of Guardians who have ever lived - just as he did in Kaak-Shar's terrible trophy room not so long ago. The blue light intensifies as their gathered ranks swell into the millions and billions.
* * *
Aboard Lord Steel's former battleship, a handful of figures watch the clash of cosmic forces in tense silence. "There has to be something we can do to help," Glitch says.
Amy's voice crackles to life from the speaker systems.
"The ship's weapons cannot be used. Most powers would not be a good idea, either. To raise armaments in anger this close to the Incarnate of War..."
"I know what we can do," Amethyst says gently, and brings up a holographic screen. As she does,
a familiar song begins to play. For even if all language is obliterated and all tongues confused, you don't need to know the words to hum and move to the same beat as someone else.
"We still have control of the Illuminati's computer systems from our attack," she says, tapping a command.
"I'm borrowing them - just this once - to send a broadcast through every channel they own."
* * *
"All will be well," the bird says to Gelert in words that are not any Terran language but which you somehow understand.
"For you are GELERT, HOPE INCARNATE."
Kaak-Shar hesitates. And for the first time, you think you hear fear in his voice.
"WHAT... THIS BLUE LIGHT?! NOT NOW. NOT AGAIN!"
Gilliam wrote: ↑Sat May 22, 2021 9:39 pmLooking up at the gigantic figure of the War Incarnate Imogen didn't even feel the urge of battle
"Fight you. Why? I do not have anything to prove. Go in peace."
And with that Imogen turned her back on the War Incarnate to look over the planet below.
"NO. NO! I WILL NOT BE DENIED. WAR IS ETERNAL! FIGHT ME! FIGHT MEEEEEEEEEE--"
He reaches out with a gargantuan hand towards Nightbird, to crush her.
But even as he does so, the blue light glows brighter. The singing grows louder. The earth's living will, and its guardian spirits, seep into Kaak-Shar's armor through the fingers of his gauntlet and open glowing veins in it. The spirits of the sacrified that are imprisoned there break free by the millions. With a titanic shudder, the Incarnate of War fizzles out like a fire cut off from its fuel source, and dissolves into countless motes of light.
You are left floating in space above the blue marble that is Earth, surrounded by a million miniature stars. The fleets of the Armada that have only barely began to pour in are already scattering in confusion. And in the small bubble of air about you, you hear a sound like a gentle sigh of relief as the billion souls of Kinian Khan's murdered people are laid to rest.