[7Souls Flashback] 11. Atlantis Sinks

Previously

Makk dispersed his cloud and sat cross-legged on the ground, his head spinning as he gazed stupidly at the devastation all around him. All the Sky Chariots had crashed to the ground, the dirt and blood stained people gazing in horror at the land, unable to speak, unable to move, unable to even cry. The gale still blew, the earth still quaked and magma still spurted out of the ground. The birds and animals were going mad, screeching in terror.

“The two new planets,” Master Samsa screamed, pointing at the sky, “They’re still getting closer.”

Makk wept. His sacrifice had achieved nothing. They were all still going to die. And he could hear Ani whimpering in his head. Agasthya, with Aystrana in tow, arrived moments later, flying so fast that they left a wake in the sky.

“Makka, don’t just sit there. Wake up and say something,” Agasthya said with concern, slapping his cheeks while Aystrana cleaned and rubbed ointment on Makk’s wounds.
“I’m okay,” Makk said, getting to his feet with some help from his wife. She hadn’t said a word to him all this time. “What’s the matter?” he asked her.

She shook her head, unable to put it into words, but he understood her though. There was a tinge of guilt in her bright eyes, almost tiny in comparison to the overwhelming horror and sadness, but he could see it nonetheless. She was always the one with good sense who made the necessary and responsible decisions, but this time she’d been frozen with fear.
“It was my decision to act alone,” Makk said. “There was no reason for anyone else to share in this curse. If I had only acted sooner, Ani could have… But in the end it made no difference anyway.”

“Oh but it did,” a six winged seraph appeared before them, its light and heat curing the people of their injuries.
“You’re late,” Agasthya spat at the seraph, levitating so that he was face to face with the creature. “Look around you. Everything’s ruined. Look up? The entire sky is coming undone.”
“Do not worry about that,” the seraph said. “The Song brought me here. I am to tell you that the throne of Kara will soon be occupied again. Order will be restored to this Star System soon when the newly chosen sits upon the Sun throne.”

“The Song brought you here?” Agasthya chuckled. “What song? I can’t hear a thing.”

“You can’t hear the song of the All Creator any longer?” the seraph asked, his light changing hues in surprise.
Makk strained his mind to listen to the Song, but Agasthya was right. He could no longer hear it… he could only hear Ani sobbing.

“Well,” said Agasthya, “if the All Creator is singing then it must be one stinky, deranged song. Look around you, you stupid creature. If this was part of the song then I’m better off not listening to it.”

“You’re speaking in grief. Once your anger subsides you will understand,” the seraph said, unfazed by Agasthya’s menacing fist, and took off into the red sky.
“Obnoxious creatures,” Agasthya harrumphed, and turned to Master Samsa. “Well, if those rogue planets are all taken care of, then I suppose we must start worrying about how to deal with that fact that our land is sinking into the ocean. The energies of the earth and sky are swirling in unmanageable eddies and our technology has ceased to function. I think we’re going to have to find a new land to settle in. I have a few ideas about how we could manage that.”

A/N: I’ve only hinted at it so far, but Ani and Makk were both parts of Mn’s soul. Ani was one of the rejects at the Test.

[7Souls Flashback] 10. The Storm God is Born

Previously

Ash, burning ember, earth, and sludge drizzled around Agasthya, Makk, Aystrana and the corpse of Ani. They watched in shock from within Agasthya’s invisible shield, as the land around them, and the sky above them went mad.

“Why isn’t Samsa doing something?” Makk asked through gritted teeth. He couldn’t feel sadness for the death of his brother, not while the entire world was disintegrating… but he could feel anger for the murder of his brother, while the entire world was disintegrating. “He should kill Kara before he destroys us all.”
“What can he do?” Aystrana asked, while she wiped away the dirt and blood from Ani’s lifeless corpse. “What can any of us do?”

“But we can’t just accept our deaths like this!” Makk growled, almost like a feral animal.

Agasthya stared at the scene through sad and red drooping eyes, “Nobody wants to take on the curse that will befall the one who murders the Patriarch. Perhaps we can do something? I do not mind being curse if it will save all my friends.”
Makk shook his head, “Not you. You can’t do it, but I can. Fill my cloud with your energy. Let us create the worst thunderstorm this world has ever witnessed.”

Aystrana watched on helplessly as black clouds began to coalesce around Makk’s body. Agasthya hummed as he imbued the cloud with invisible currents, imbuing Makk’s cloud with innumerable fluctuations so quick and tiny that they danced together in a spiral of blue that whirled through the cloud. Makk’s body began to disintegrate, becoming one with the cloud, and Agasthya’s energy transformed into a spear of light.

“Where do I aim this?” the Makk cloud rumbled.
“At the back of his skull,” Agasthya answered, “all the way through to the bridge of his nose. You will only get one strike. Don’t miss.”

Agasthya filled the edges of the Makk cloud with a different pattern of vibration, this one imbuing him with potential speed. Makk roared, and harnessed the South Wind. Makk roared again, and harnessed the North Wind. Makk roared a third time, and harnessed the East Wind. Makk roared a fourth time and harnessed the West Wind. Makk crackled, and harnessed the Wind Above. Makk bellowed, and harnessed the Wind Below. The ground below him cracked open, the hill disintegrating into dust. The skies above him vanished, leaving behind a starless void. All things around him shifted phase, becoming lifeless as they approached Absolute Zero. Time stopped, and Makk flew. He moved at a speed that was above zero, in a timeless space. He moved at a speed approaching infinity, when the stars began to dance once more. Kara’s head exploded as Makk released all of Agasthya’s energy into the giant’s skull. Kara’s blood gushed out like a river, forming into dragons and strange chimeras that had been conceived from the giant’s hatred and madness. The monsters that spawned from Kara’s blood fled to the sea, shrieking in their fear to get away from the dreadful Makk storm.
“It is done,” Makk said, exhausted, triumphant, sad, his body soaked in Kara’s blood, bone, flesh, his soul drenched in Kara’s anger and madness.

Soul quotient: 2/7

[7Souls Flashback] 9. Kara The Angry Giant

Previously

As Makk and Aystrana danced within a circle of their friends, under the revolving tail of Ursa Major, a bright light shot through the sunless sky. The music and dancing stopped as everyone gazed upwards.

“The stars are changing their rhythm to adjust to your steps,” Aystrana giggled.
“No, I don’t think that’s it,” wincing from the sudden pain suffusing his birth mark.
“The energies have changed. Oh!” Agasthya shouted frantically, floating into the sky, his fingers pointing upward, “Look! Look!”

“The Sun!” screamed the Baba exultantly as a bright orange light began to emerge from the horizon. “The Sun is back.”
“Not the sun,” said Agasthya, “unless there are two of them rising from opposite sides.”
“The stories told of only sun,” Makk gasped as the earth began to rumble.
“Kara!” the Baba shivered, “Kara is waking. The Giant is waking! Mn promised he’d return before this happened. Who will pacify him now?”

“We will,” Master Samsa took charge. “Everyone who has ‘ME’s, come with me. If we can show Kara the progress we’ve made, and the penance we’ve undertaken, then perhaps he will forgive us for our sin.”
Everyone gazed towards the beach, where the sleeping giant had always lain. He was getting up now, the earth shuddering with his every movement. “My sons,” he shouted. His voice boomed, echoing through distant mountains and valleys, “where are you? Come and see the thrones I have made for you from within the dreamscape.”

The elders, after communicating through their crystals with the rest of the ME holders throughout the land, summoned sky chariots and headed towards the giant, Master Samsa in the lead.
“Mn, Yhm,” the giant shouted louder this time, generating tsunamis with each syllable, “why can’t I smell you? Why can’t I sense you? Where have you gone? Come to your father.”

“Oh,” Agasthya shuddered, watching the scene with Makk, Ani and Aystrana from the hilltop, “this isn’t going to end well.”

“My Lord,” Master Samsa hovered his chariot in front of Kara’s eye, his voice magnified a thousand times. “I am Samsa, a former disciple of your son Mn.”
“I remember you,” Kara closed one eye to get a better view of Samsa, “you haven’t grown much these past millennia. Well, where are my sons?”

“Mn left to search for his brother and hasn’t returned. If you will come to Mount Mara we will provide you with food and entertainment while you wait for his return.”
“Yhm is missing? He loved this place too much to ever leave. How did this happen?”
“Well, umm…” Master Samsa scratched his head, “a cherub tricked us you see. He disguised himself as one of the seraph and conspired to take Yhm away.”

“Conspired?” the giant’s eye began to grow red, and furious furrows began to form on his forehead. Air currents changed in response, sending warm gusts of wind throughout the land. “Is that how you got all these new fancy toys of yours?” Kara grabbed one of the Sky Chariots and threw it at a mountain. “By conspiring against my second born? Mn and Yhm would have provided you with far greater treasures than this if you had remained loyal. They were weaning you off your old and corrupt ways to prepare you for something greater, but you people grew arrogant and proud. You forsook your old benefactors, and forgot the sacrifices they made in your honour because of a fake seraph? Where is this being that fooled you? I will send him to dissolution.”
“I do not know,” Master Samsa’s voice was beginning to waver. How could he stand the force of the giant’s anger from such close proximity.
“Then I suppose that I will have to punish all of you instead,” Kara roared. Meteors began falling from the sky. The earth rolled up and down like a tsunami. Volcanoes spurted lava and ash into the skies. The two new suns grew bigger and bigger, as they came closer and closer. “No wait,” said Kara, “I can smell him. I can smell Mn.”

An invisible hand lifted Ani towards the giant. “Makk,” Ani screamed as he levitated towards the giant.
“No, you smell like him, but you aren’t him,” Kara roared, angrier than ever. “Did the cherub somehow transfer his power into this little flea? Die!” Ani’s head snapped.

Agasthya flew into the air and pulled Ani back. “Ani! Ani! Say something,” he wept, as he lay Ani’s body by Aystrana’s feet.

“Do something for him. Please,” Makk begged his wife, but she could only shake her head in response, and close Ani’s eyelids.

Photo courtesy: Attack on Titan game trailer

[7 Souls Flashback] 8. A Wedding and a Brief Intermission

Previously

“I am the sky and you are the earth,” Makk said, gazing up into the bright eyes of his beloved.
“I am the trees and you are the dew,” Aystrana smiled at him, a hint of mischief fleeting through her features.

“I am the bird and you are the song,” Makk said, wondering when she was going to let him off the hook and declared to the assembled masses that they were married already.
“I am the mountain and you are my wings,” she sang this time.
Agasthya cackled as Makk struggled to come up with another line, “I am the light and you are my fire,” he said, with a sigh of relief.
“You are my cloud and I am your rain. We are one,” Aystrana laughed, and the gathering cheered. They crowned each other with wreaths and exchanged garlands, holding hands for longer than was required. Ani was weeping, and the Baba and Master Samsa were howling with joy, which was a strange sight to behold. Makk would have gazed at them longer, but Aystrana’s brilliant eyes kept drawing him back.

“The glaukopis,” Trivia was momentarily stunned by the words of her song. “Aystrana is you,” she pointed at Venus accusingly. “How can this be true? You are as old as I am, And this was ancient history in my time. How did you wed the sky ram? Or is there an error in this song’s rhyme?”

“It can’t be her,” Mars snorted. “This happened when our grandfathers were young, after all. I find it surprising that he was apprenticed to Samsa. Disciples are considered sons of the master, so I suppose that would make him Soma’s uncle.”

“That’s what you’re all surprised about?” Soma asked incredulously. “Are you forgetting that we have just found out that the Sky Ram was a split soul version of Mn? This changes everything!”

“Don’t stop! Continue his song,” Venus ordered, a single tear dripping down her cheek.

[7Souls Flashback] 7. Never Ask a Seraph for a Ride

Previously

Makk and Agasthya met at the Rainbow Lake as usual after they’d finished their daily meditations and chores. Ani was helping Aystrana with some work that day. Aystrana had shooed Makk and Agasthya away when they’d offered to help.
“I think she’s in love with you,” Agasthya said, as they groomed the sea dragons. In the years since Agasthya had created the Lake more and more wildlife and birds had made it their home. The gang of four had taken great joy in taming and caring for all the Lake’s new denizens, eagerly waiting for more strange and exotic creatures to find their way to it.

“Rubbish, she treats me likes dirt. Besides, she’s one of the Aylar. Why would she want to be with a deformed person like me. I feel guilty even asking her to treat my Mark.”

Agasthya shrugged, “don’t talk to me about deformity. I’ve made my peace with mine and found ways to compensate. You should too. Don’t let it hold you back. She’s the Baba’s apprentice. It’s her role to heal people, just as it will soon be yours and Ani’s role to bring us rain, and mine to direct the flows of energy. Now, let’s practice the isolated thunderstorm again.”

Makk began to strum his sagit, while Agasthya drummed a beat on the trunk of a tree. Dark clouds appeared in the sky, the colours of the lake giving it a tinge of blue and orange. Thunder roared as Agasthya began to increase his tempo. “Hold on,” Makk ended the song abruptly, staring at the lake. There was something there. “Do you see that?” There was a strange creature hovering over the lake, its skin shining with such brilliance that it was hard to make out its form except for the pair of six large wings emanating from its body. Agasthya’s eyes were sharper, but even he had to blink.
“A new type of fire dragon,” Makk said. “Our storm might hurt it.”
“Not a dragon,” Agasthya hesitated. “Maybe we should leave this one alone. I’ve never seen anything like it. Its inner body is completely shielded. I can’t see any marma.”

“Rubbish,” Makk threw his hand in curt dismissal. “I’ll shield us with cloud so that we don’t get burnt. Come on.” Agasthya hesitantly followed Makk, as he stalked the six winged creature and leaped onto its back.
“What’s this now? What do you children want?” the creature’s voice sang in his head as he channelled his energy into the Six Winged’s neck.

“It can talk,” Agasthya and Makk both gasped as one.

“Oh I see,” the Six Winged sang. “You want a ride.” It could read their mind? Makk blanched. “Where would you like to go? I can take you anywhere.”

“Anywhere?” Agasthya yelled excitedly, taking a seat behind Makk, all fear gone as new prospects dawned on him.
“Across the world, if you please fiery one,” Makk said, not sure if he should apologize for mistaking the being for a dumb reptile.
“No No,” Agasthya chirped. “Across the Universe.”

“Very well,” the creature sang. “You may dissolve your shield. I will protect you.”

The creature then took off into the sky, and then entered a new realm that Makk could make sense of before. “You have made this journey before. Why does your mind wrestle with what you see?” the Six Winged asked Makk, as they flew through an ocean of milk.
“Before?” Makk asked, shivering with shock. His mind couldn’t comprehend any of this.

“The different energies,” Agasthya gasped, “the different songs. You are flying too quickly. I can’t hear them.”
“Their songs are not for your ears… not yet. Perhaps it is best we return.” The Six Winged returned to the Lake, an invisible hand gently setting the two boys onto the ground.

“Ah, I am familiar with this song,” Agasthya said, kissing the ground. “Never again Makk, never again. That was too much too fast. And we never tell our Masters about this.”

“I agree,” Makk said, colour beginning to return to his cheeks.

[7 Souls Flashback] 6. Breaking the Brontosaurus

Previously

The three apprentices and one journey-woman lazed on the hilltop overlooking Agasthya’s Rainbow Lake, gazing languidly at its shimmering surface, while birds and dragons circled overhead, under sunless skies illuminated by the colourful lake and the glowing crystal outcrops surrounding it.
“I still think it’s rotten luck that you and Ani got apprenticed to Master Samsa,” Agasthya said to Makk, while Aystrana and Ani giggled at the antics of the dinosaurs down by the lakeside.

“Well,” Makk said, “just because our masters are enemies doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

“Yes, but it imbues our relationship with an element of peril,” Agasthya usually lost his simple way of speech when he was thinking deeply. “I feel that my master can see straight through me every time I lie. He even makes this little shudder of disgust.”
Makk knew what Agasthya meant. His mind and thoughts felt naked when his teacher looked at him. “Forget about it for now,” Makk stood up. “Let’s go and ride the dinosaurs.”
Agasthya grabbed Makk before he could run to the Lake. “I haven’t tamed those yet.”
Makk grinned, “I’ve always wanted to break one of them in. I’ve watched you enough to know how to do it.”

“Eei,” Agasthya mimicked choking, “knowing you, you’ll pick the biggest one.” He floated into the air, “All right, but I’m going to take over if you make any mistakes.”

“What idiocy are you boys up to now,” Aystrana’s voice echoed through the hills as the boys raced down towards a gigantic brontosaurus.

Makk jumped onto the back of the dinosaurs and skipped onto the top of its head, placing his hands on the dinosaurs pressure points.
“Your right thumb should be a little lower,” said Agasthya, floating in the sky a few feet to his right.
Makk moved his thumb and channelled the energy, trying to become one with the reptile. The dinosaur resisted, running into the lake, dunking its head into the water, shaking this way and that in a vain effort to dislodge the boisterous interloper. Agasthya roared with laughter, while Aystrana and Ani shouted abuse and cautions, as Makk held on for dear life. “Almost, almost,” a soaked Makk shivered as the dinosaur came out of the lake and decided to scrape the trespasser against a tree.

“Oh no you don’t,” Makk channelled more energy into his fingertips, forcing the dinosaur to sit on the ground. “Good, we make better friends than enemies, Big One. In time when our mutual imprints are stronger we will share our energy and our knowledge,” he cooed to his new child. “Now let’s run to the hill so that Aystrana and Ani can climb on. You’ll like them, and Agasthya too if he gets tired of gliding around.”

“Never,” Agasthya cried with joy, flying so quickly that his voice came with a boom. “Makk, let’s race.”

[7 Souls Flashback] 5. The Young Continent and the Baba

Previously

Soul quotient 1/7

“We’re the same age,” Ani insisted, while he commanded the street crystal to beckon a sky chariot, “so you’ve got to listen to me as well.”
“I came out a month earlier, so I’m older,” Makk dismissed Ani’s spurious claim with a wave of his hand.
“If it hadn’t been for the Baba’s medicine I’d have been delivered on that day too,” Ani just wouldn’t give up his argument. “And everyone says I’m the responsible one, so just give up and come with me to the Baba. Every time your birth mark hurts you get really sick afterwards.”

“Alright, alright,” Makk said. Now that Ani mentioned it, Makk was beginning to feel a little faint. The mark that covered most of his face was beginning to throb, and his forehead felt like it was on fire.

The auto pilot hover car came moments later, and soon they were in the skies over the Young Continent. The land below would have been a mesmerising sight for a newcomer, but Makk was used to the crystal lights that illuminated the entire land– changing colour to simulate the day/night cycle that had once been a natural phenomenon on this planet–elaborate text and designs spiralled over the land and mountains, designed specifically to be seen from the air, that would change with altitude—one sight did always make Makk gasp in wonder though. Even from ten kilometers in the sky, Makk could see Kara, the Sleeping Giant, lying on the beach, an enormous figure cloaked in black with golden text embroidered onto the cloth,. The elders said that when Kara the Patriarch awoke, the continent would sink and the sun would rise once again.

The hover car carefully landed in the garden outside the Baba’s house. The old lady preferred having an outdoor landing area, rather than the stage area that most people used to conserve space.
“Ah, Makk,” the Baba said, peering out her window, “Come in, come in. I’ve been expecting you. Aystrana has just finished making the draught.” Her hair had much less white in it than the last time Makk had come. The Baba was reaching the fifth and final stage of her growth spurt, and was already twenty feet tall. If it went on for a few months more she might end up being twenty two or twenty three feet. The Vil often grew much taller than the other people of the continent. Kara’s blood was strong in them.
The Baba grabbed Ani as he stepped through the door. “Too thin, too thin,” she wailed. “Boys your age never eat enough. Come with me to the kitchen while Aystrana applies the medicine to Makk’s mark. Makk couldn’t help chuckling at Ani’s protests that he was eating enough, though he did feel a little sympathy for his little brother. The Baba’s cooking tasted horrible.

“Does it hurt a lot today,” Aystrana looked at him with concern as she motioned for him to sit on the carpet.
Makk shrugged trying to look unconcerned. Unfortunately, a twinge of pain sent him yelping a moment later.

“Ah, you boys,” Aystrana sighed, “always lying, trying to act brave.” She gently began to apply the medicine. “You’ll grow out of it, I hope.”

“Don’t say that,” Makk murmured. “You’re younger than I am.” The way he reacted to Aystrana, Makk often wondered if he was in love with her. He couldn’t tell. Perhaps it was love that made him feel so good when he was near her, perhaps it was because he always came to her in a time of pain and always left with a feeling of relief, or perhaps it was the poppy juice medicine that he knew he’d soon be drinking. “The mark hurts, but I think I can bear it a while longer. It’s not as bad as the last time. Ani wanted me to come here before it got worse.”
“Ani has good sense,” Aystrana smiled.

The Baba came barely seconds after Aystrana had finished. Did master and apprentice share a telepathic connection, Makk wondered. What would it feel like, having that old woman babble in your head all the time? Ani followed the Baba, looking disgruntled. From the look on his face, the Baba had probably forced him to drink some of her tea as well.

The Baba made Makk drink a glass of poppy juice. She then placed a blue sapphire against Makk’s forehead and began singing. The stone vibrated in response, sending shivers of ecstasy through Makk’s body. The feelings of pleasure ended as soon as the Baba had finished her song. The Baba then tested his reflexes, poking and pinching Makk all over his body, and even punching his stomach once, though not hard enough to hurt. “You should be fine for a month this time. Come back as soon as you notice the signs, next time.” A rat-a-tat-tat on the door interrupted the Baba.
“Arhg, it’s him again,” the Baba opened the door and scowled at the short child who had been waiting behind it. “Agasthya, how many times do I have to tell you, that I can’t cure your shortness.”
“Can’t you at least make me as tall as him,” the four foot tall boy pointed at Makk.
“The best I can do is make you a pair of stilts,” the Baba said, “but you’re going to be this short for the rest of your life, so I advise you to get used to it. Why don’t you take Makk and Ani to that Rainbow Lake you’re so proud of, and play like a normal child should, instead of harassing this old woman.”

“All right,” Agasthya grinned at the two boys, his affliction instantly forgotten. “Come on then and I’ll show you my latest and greatest creation.”

World Map:

Autumn Arc- Night One (Part 2)- The Song of Trivia

Previously

On an ancient isle, buffeted by the tides and an ever diminishing shoreline

Trivia, enthroned within the Tree of Ashes, sings of sanguine sin

Rape, murder, destroy; give in to hate, apathy and greed

Let the unworthy come to an unworthy end

Let the hate within your souls consume you;

Oh, you who live but cannot respect life

May your sins be the end of you

And leave behind a remnant of worthy heirs

Sanctified saline shores shan’t stymie her song

The foolish moon, her consort once, she’d steal his light and then cook him in brine

The priestesses of Demeter try their best to cut her branches off

But she grows too thick and fast for their shears

Her roots nearly trap one of the Celstial seers

But he manages to stay aloft

Die Die Die you miserable creatures, Trivia sings

What hope do you have of a noble future?

You turn on each other at the slightest excuse

Worshiping peddlers of hate and misery

If you do this when the age is good to you

What will you do when times are bad?

Let me do this favour for you

And leave behind a peaceful, worthy remnant.

A brilliant aurora alights the sky

The sound of trumpets can be heard

Seers and priestesses look up high

To witness a divine spectacle

Old gods and new, arrayed for battle

Shout their battle cries

Dragon fire rains down on her

Amidst songs of praise from Demeter’s human cattle

The ground washes over her like a tsunami

Sapping away her remaining strength

The Tree releases its spores

No no no no no, shan’t die, shan’t die!

Trivia opens a speckled eye

Finally released from the Anti-throne

“Darling husband,” she hugs the moon and cries

“Saved at last,” and falls unconscious, cold as a stone

The Autumn Arc – Night One (Part One)

Thomas dreamt of the moon Previous

It had been a long time since Soma had witnessed such a gathering of luminaries. He’d forgotten how loud and angry these things could get. His fellow Celestials were a capricious lot, prone to anger and filled with pride, forever squabbling over petty positions of authority. Needless to say, a gathering of the planets was never bereft of event. The Sun usually settled such disputes, but he had been growing ever more lethargic as his hibernation period came nearer. When Jupiter and Ceres the Younger had begun an argument over some ancient territorial dispute, with no sign of the Sun showing any interest in pronouncing judgment, Soma had lost all hope of ever seeing this conclave bear fruit — but then out of nowhere came hope from an unexpected source. Just beyond the entrance portal stood an old blindfolded celestial, whispering into the gatekeeper’s ear.

What was he doing here? Saturn never showed up to these things.

“Lord Saturn,” the gatekeeper announced in a sonorous voice that travelled through the hall, “Gaoler of Time, Ultimate Arbiter of Justice within our star system, Disciple of the Lord of our Galaxy, and loyal Liegeman of Mars.”

Soma spat out his drink. Liegeman of Mars! Was this a joke?
“Lord Mars,” the gatekeeper announced soon after, ignoring the suddenly frigid atmosphere within the chamber with superb professionalism, “Who would rather be known to all by his present actions than by past titles.”

Mars looked as handsome and resplendent as he had been during the prime of his youth. He wore his golden chest plate and carried his spear of cosmic wind. A sword was strapped on to either side of his waist, and the Bow of the Galaxy, made of starlight, hung from his shoulders. His quiver contained dragons crafted of light and shadow, fire and ice, their breath effusing a myriad of colours in the sparsely lit chamber. Even Venus, nonplussed by things that could turn even Jupiter pale, would have felt weak at the knees at the sight of this new Mars… if she were here.

Here, exalted rather than diminished after millennia of exile, stood the being who had defeated Tiamat, Taraka and Quingu, he who had bent the cosmic winds around the tip of his spear, he who had captured entire stars in his net during the First War, he who had been fostered by the Seven Sisters to revitalize hope for the gods of mortals. Looking at him now, it was easy for Soma to forgive and forget all his past misdeeds. Soma had always admired the young red planet, even after he’d gone astray and become barren and decrepit. However, the others in the chamber were not as forgiving as he was. Their hatred for Mars ran deep.
Jupiter growled, “What are you doing here? Weren’t you exiled after your damn people ruined the entire bloody System?”

Mars ignored him, pushing past Jupiter and Ceres the Younger to bow before the Sun. “Dear Uncle, it has been a long time since we last met. How are you?”
The Sun shrugged, gauging Mars through sleep ridden eyes, “Almost time for my nap. I hope you’ll be able to manage things here for a while, without killing everyone. It’s such a pain to find the planetary archetypes these days and reconstitute them. Ah, if only immortality was as simple a thing as the humans made it out to be.” The Sun gave a last meaningful glance at Mars’ bow and quiver, and then went back to his throne.

There was a moment of absolute silence in the chamber as every eye appraised Mars, assessing his might, and especially his new bow. Soma decided to take advantage of this momentary respite from the cacophony, “Dear friends, there is a matter of urgent importance that needs to be discussed,” he said. “A dire event threatens to engulf our…”

“Mars, damn you,” Jupiter yelled, not hearing a single syllable Soma uttered. “What manner of trickery did you use to compel Saturn to serve you. Set him free or I swear I’ll crush you, even if the effort kills me. And why the hell are you here anyway? Nobody wants you here!”

Soma ground his teeth. He’d finally managed to get himself heard, and they were just completely ignoring him? What did he have to do to get himself heard?

Mars nodded seriously, “A most deceitful trick indeed, but a simple one. I asked Saturn, and he agreed. I’ll duel you anytime you like old one, but,” Mars glanced at Soma and nodded, “not now. Let us hear what my pale uncle has to say before he grows paler still and blinds us all with his intensity. I suspect that he might have come here for the same reason I have.”

All attention in the chamber turned to Soma. He’d prepared a neat little speech, addressing each one by name along with their numerous epithets, but after trying to edge a word in unsuccessfully for the past three hours he’d finally had enough. “You damn fools, sitting here and arguing over your trivialities,” the usually soft and tranquil Soma shouted, “the Tree of Ash has begun to bloom on Earth, devouring Life and twisting souls. Venus tried to destroy it, but was injured by it instead and is recovering by the Throne of Ceres the Elder (A/N: henceforth called Demeter to avoid any confusion). Trivia has been sealed within its trunk, and her powers have increased the tree’s destructive power exponentially. My light is powerless against it, even my most destructive tides only serve to fertilize its growth, and soon it will be large enough to engulf all life and turn first the planet of Demeter and then our entire Star System into ash.”
Mars grunted, “I confirm this. The Tree of Ash is a threat that we have no hope of defeating without cooperation. The Lord of our Galaxy warned me of this threat two solar cycles ago, and gave birth to me anew so that I may help you in burning down this noxious tree before it’s too late. Its sickness has already taken root within the souls of man. A long time ago you rode your chariots behind my banner. Will you do so again, or will you allow yourself to be consumed by the ash that consumes all?”

Saturn walked across the room and stood behind Mars, undoing his blindfold. Soma followed, meeting Saturn’s gaze without fear. The Sun followed next, smiling absently as he met the mesmerizing eyes of Saturn. Pluto went next, the Lord of the Underworld, ever quiet and mysterious, the gaze of Saturn’s strange multi-coloured eyes not fazing his stride in the slightest. The others reluctantly followed suit, some shuddering under the harsh glare of the Lord of Justice.

“Then off we go to burn a tree of ash,” Mars whooped gleefully.

***********

Callista dreamt of her goddess

Trivia sang….