NationStates Jolt Archive

" Spread my children; spread yourselves among them... "

Thousands upon thousands of whispers echo'd throughout the Vast as Azagoth cackled in self-delight. Being sent to each corner of the Earth and beyond, his entire slave-army coated such lands in a blanket of invisible darkness--the living for the most part were completely unaware of the shadows which surrounded them. But of course, they only moved through-out the darkness, and chose their victims carefully. And they had grown, slowly but surely into a seldom stopping force. Small children, young adults, the elderly; each were targetted equally, for the value of each soul was indifferent. Each had the capacity to grow, and to train--all now hidden within the Vast itself; also known as the Shadow Realm, of Grace.

Not that it was of course, graceful.

" Fear, Darkness, Terror; Deploy Yourselves... "

Interestingly enough, not everyone had actually become a target. Only those who were considered strategically important were really paid attention to, and anyone else had been relatively ignored--untouched by the reaches of his jagged claws. One had to remember afterall, that these plans had been designed and laid over thousands of thousands of years; ever since such an unforgivable entity had been expelled to the forces of Luna of course. And still they continued; planning, designing, concieving their wretched ideas and putting them into action. "What grotestque beings would ever do such a thing," would ask the gentlemen--had they been aware of that which was around them. But, they didnt. And neither did anyone, for that matter. Each of the elements had been gathered, slowly still, and not even Hades had the power to take them away.

But those of the Light; they were different. "Angels", they certainly had gained the strength and power to prevent--which is why Azagoth and his cronies avoided them like Light itself. There was only one thing which could conquer the darkness, and that would have always been everlasting, omnipresent illumination. It was only unfortunate that said Light only existed in the hands of a few, still alive and moving about their daily lives mind. And Azagoth smiled, baring his sharp and powerful jaws--his teeth stained with the blood of millions, yet white as the bones which he consumed. He had not been fully prepared just yet still, and there was a lot more, if not an eternity's work more to be done for his final conquerance. But if for now it meant that he would begin with today, it was all he could do. For tommorow depended on the labours of today, and yesterday was history; but only history.

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From Somewhere, Within the Vast...

What a storm, it had always been so within the Vast. Kicking up such things as the dust of death, and the sands of time through-out the cities of darkness. Built upon rock and Luna, they remained invisible to that which had been known to most as the "natural realm". And fabled to almost be an imaginary place, humans, orcs, elves, et cetera had certainly once known of its existance--said textbooks and scholar's being written off as religious nonsense. Good for Lord Azagoth, surely--for the world that was living would certainly unexpect. A power was rising, and they had become unknowing.

In the meantime, high above in a hidden tower, a team of individuals sat silently, eyes closed, meditating. These were the See'ers of Azagoth's Slave Army, those who detected certain spiritual vibrations within the cosmos, and likewise, reflected them off from themselves. And for years upon years they would perform said rituals, ever awake, ever aware of their growing and developing surroundings. They were the men who saw all, and reported anything of vitality to Lord Azagoth and his most high associates.

One in the meantime, closed his eyes in fright.

"What is it, Xanthial?" muttered the elder See'er next to him. "I detect fear in you."

Odd as it did sound, it was true. For a slave army of darkness, and for one of the "untouchable" legions of Hades, each being although bent to the will of Azagoth and his greater commanders had an individual perspective--like an average living citizen.

Xanthial bit his lower lip, recalling the image. "I was searching, via the hidden mountains... when I saw... what seen by another."

The man opened his eye and almost immediatly the others stopped with their interest. Xanthial posed a situation much greater, much more informative.

"What do you mean?" asked the man. "Tell us, you have been seen by another? Who?"

The boy's eyes began to tear just a little, "Im not sure..." His heart raced into a near-panic. "But I heard just one voice, Ermor."

As if they had heard the name before, the other's eyes widened in surprise, "He said Ermor?"

The man frowned, and placed his right hand, on the boy's right shoulder. "Don't fear now, you are safe within the Vast. But we have to report this immediatly, Lord Azagoth may or may not be pleased."

$Time Later, Within the Vast

Azagoth closed his eyes at the news, and seemingly pondered for an eternity. "Are you completely sure that the being who saw you, muttered 'Ermor'? Its not just a mistake?"

"Yes," the boy nodded. "I am completely certain, my'Lord. I wouldnt want to add doubt to what might have become all the more available to you, but nor would I wish to disappoint."

"Interesting that you present said information during this time," commented Lord Azagoth, now pacing the giant hall around him. "Ermor, and the Lich Queen have been a force I have considered with in the past. I am aware of their past... unfortunate happenings. And I am more than aware of what beneficial relationship one could offer. But whether they would be willing to couple alongside a secondary legion, is another matter."

"If it were to fail, Hades would intervene, I'm certain," he added, standing still.

The elder man stood with them, "Azagoth, my'Lord, I have a question."

"Ask," waved Aza. "I'm more than happy to listen."

"Have you actually been able to contact Hades on this? Maybe he would be able to offer you something in return?" suggested the man.

Azagoth nodded, but disregarded the man's idea. "It is an idea, but not something I am particularly inclined to do. You remember the pact dont you?"

"Of course," nodded the man. "I was there when you signed it."

"Which is why I cannot," he finished. "I'll have to handle this myself. Ready my cloak, would you?" He turned toward one of his personal cronies. "Now?"

The guard nodded and lept to action immediatly. "Right Away."

A lone skeletal figure sat on the black obsidian throne that was reserved for the rulers of the once great Ermorian empire. Many had considered it a beacon of light in those days. The home of civilization.

Thousands of years had passed since the cataclysm that destroyed the Holy Empire and brought about the rise of the Ashen Empire. Not once in all that time had the Lich Queen moved from the throne room, but she was more aware of her dominion than most of the lower undead none the less.

She could feel the Dusk Elder hover upwards in the stairs, once again. Some habits never seemed to die. Her empty eye sockets lit up with a green light, lighting up the otherwise dark room.

"... Queen."

"Yes?"

"We have felt a presence."

"I know."

"What should we...?"

"Nothing."

"... As you wish."

The Dusk Elder slowly hovered back into the darkness of the stairs, and the light in the Lich Queen's eyes was extinguished.

Conversations as such were pointless. The Lich Queen did not leave the throne room for a reason - she did not need to. She knew. She always did.

Drip, Drip, Drip...

This was the sound of an empty carvern, forged through rock and ice for more than centuries ago. Soft winds blew through the twisting endless tunnels, and as the silence was almost interrupted; bats, thousands of bats came to life, panic. Vicious fangs, hideous appearances, they had been the origins of so many tales of horror; it was only certain that men feared their very existance. But true danger lies in the darkness, which it did on this cold and frosty day. What had been a slight chill now turned to a thousand needles, and the temperature dropped by several degrees. And a single man; cloaked intruder--stepped over the cautious puddles which litter the cavern floor.

Massster... Massster... called a hiss from beside it's foot.

The cloaked figure looked down, revealing a line of fang-like teeth from within the headpiece. "You call upon me, foul Serpant?"

Coming into just one glimmer of light, a snake slithered around its master's leg and began to crawl up. And the master growled, killing it mercilessly--it had no right.

"Disgusting," crackled the beast, starting to make his way again.

For hours upon hours he crawled, strided, made his way to his final destination. And to the gates of Eldregate it was headed, not yet in physical form, but managing to seperate himself into a visible entity with the Vast. Darkness surround him, and as he grew closer, the vibrations he sent through the underworld grew all that much more stronger, more powerful. They would know of his arrival, and when he were to arrive at the fabled Land of the Dead, they would be prepared. And so it was, so it had happened. Within hours he found himself now standing at the main city gate, a lonely cloaked figure, from within the threads of time and death. Glaring a bright yellow, it had almost meant for some significance. But from within the Vast, all that could be seen was seen--shades of black and grey, with the "light" being such very darkness which consumed his being, his spirit; granted to the realms of Hades.

"I have come," he growled from beneath his breath. "I wish to see your Queen."

A figure in pitch black armor stood completely still and seemingly alone at the gates of Eldregate, a Censor. He had a large machinegun-like weapon in his right hand, and his torn red cape fluttered in the strong, cold wind. Combined with the dark, ancient citadel of Eldregate behind him, it is a sight that would make most mortal men cower in fear.

That is, if mortal men would ever live to see it, as the unholy rites made upon the soil of Ermor - and any location controlled by the Ashen Empire - has most unfortunate effects on the living.

But now, in front of him was a rather odd being. Yes, it seemed almost alive and very dead at the same time. But he knew that this being would come. The Lich Queen herself had told him that.

"Very well," he said, and stepped aside.

"You should know the way."

Stepping forward, the cloaked beast bowed its head in silent respect and not uttering a word. Indeed, he knew exactly where to go--it was from within the very Underworld that he listened, took attention to, and felt the Lich Queen's very vibrations through-out the spiritual realm. And so he did, he followed his very gut instincts which had been granted to him on the day of his reckoning. Men and beasts from the Legions of Azagoth quite had this special ability--that is, to tap into the vibrational matter that surrounded all things, good and evil. And he sought, and he sought--Lord Azagoth himself perhaps had now entered what most men would describe the 'Gates of Hell'. It was a dark place, ravaged by centuries of visible and hidden warfare. And the night surrounded all that was around him, eternally existant.

Looking up higher, his eyes; or that which could be called eyes--they rested upon a single figure. For at the top of an almost mountain of stairs sat upon its mountain spike; a gargoyle representing the fear and tremble which enveloped these curse-ed lands. He smiled lustfully, and began to climb the staircase, for nothing would stop him now.

Entering via the great wooden doors, a cool chill crept throughout his "form".

"Lich Queen, I sense you are here," uttered the beast. "I have arrived, finally."

Pulling back the hood of his cloak, it was revealed his idenity, Lord Azagoth himself. Darkness surrounded his identity, and an eternal anguish could be found deep within his cold, bloodless eyes.

The Lich Queen's empty eye sockets lit up with an unholy light, lighting up the room in front of her slightly, but that was the only visible change in her physical being.

"Yes. I know," she said with a cold, twisted, rather inhuman voice, "The shadows have spoken of another. But what possessed the Lord to have two kings for the shade lands... I do not quite understand."

The glow of the Lich Queen's eyes weakened a little.

"But there is a reason for your presence here. Whilst we both know what it is, state it, as is customary."

Nodding its head in silent delight, the beast bared its grim teeth of hatred. "Then it I shall."

"I have come on matters which might bring interest to your kingdom of unsilenced death," he presented to the Lich Queen. "Specifically, that of a respectful allegience."

The Lich Queen's eyes became slightly dimmer. "Allegiance? The Empire has stood on its own, amassing its evergrowing forces, awaiting for the day to come for millennia. What can you offer us?"

Azagoth's face twisted into a lustful sort of expression, his thoughts from within the Vast being dampened by sheer desire.

"I had actually been unexpecting until this day to be contacting you," he continued. "Most of which I have heard about Ermor through some of the various rumours sent through the Underworlds, Hades and kindred spirit."

Aza bowed his head in the recognition of some respect. "And I have heard the rumours of your various infiltration exersises, through-out the living," he paused, finding the right words from deep within his wretched soul. "But I have also been made known, that as powerful as your armies have grown to be, they remain to hold... with work to be done."

The beast pursed his blacked lips. "What you take on us, is of your own consideration. But if it is truly your desire to extend the reach of Hades," Spreading its claws wide in gesture, it snickered. "You would find my own useful enough."

The light in the Lich Queen's eyes began to turn purple from the sickening green it had been. "Hmph. Yes. We remain unmoving, but it is for a reason - the living are spread and far. They could be called strong, even. At the moment. We know that the time to move is not quite yet, just as you must be aware of that. We still stand only because we have slipped past the vast majority of the eyes of the living."

"But... You do have a point. Yet, the Ashen Empire always considered you as an allied force to begin with. What you are proposing is tightening these currently loose relations, yes?" she remained with an odd stillness about her.

Azagoth nodded, his form somewhat slowly shifting as time grew further, and then shifting back unto itself. He smiled inwardly as he knew, he knew that what he was proposing would be one of great fortitude, yet one beneficial enough to Hades. If these two "kingdoms" were to come together, each with a greater purpose than its own, then by Legends of the Light; they could surely be defeated.

"I am sure that you are aware of that which is Arda, no?" he acknowledged. "From my own sort of understanding, you have a colonial settlement within it."

The beast smiled from the corner of his mouth, "But... I am also sure that you might be somewhat familar with its recent, unfortunates. That with Melkor Unchained being embroiled into its own civil war afterall."

"Yes... We have had a settlement of sorts there for quite some time. Apparently they never really accepted the Ashen Empire, but let the colony stay. They never even asked us to help them." the Lich Queen replied, explaining. "And yes. We are aware of their civil war, but see not too many ways to take part in it. As far as we know, the rebels have even lost their leadership."

The light in the Lich Queen's eyes became slightly more powerful as she asked, "What about them?"

Nodding somewhat, the beast continued, "Normally I would be one to simply contend as a quieter member; I have been debating the idea of joining Arda myself." He grimaced. "But when I see that its said Leadership has failed to retain an strong reign over his own, I cannot invest my trust in their hands; to initiate the things I need to initiate, to do the things that I need to do."

"Essentially," Azagoth continued. "Whilst I can be one to appreciate the cause of such things, I find them... ineffective at best."

Azagoth couldnt contain himself but snicker. "With an honest consideration, what power do they really hold? As powers of the darkness, or in your case specificially--the dead; ought we not be setting an example of dominance?" The beast's voice had now turned to anger. "And what armies rule such places as Sol now? The Triumvirate of Yut? Space Elves bent against the destruction of all peoples, and in favor of powers of the Light?"

He shook his head in obvious dismay. "For those to succeed, there must be suffering." Azagoth rose his eyes to the occasion. "Which is why I propose what I am due to propose."

"When we first thought of joining Arda, we never even considered about letting them control us, no. Quite the opposite. They would have been the perfect vessel for bringing forth more death, more to the ranks of the Ashen Empire. But, as you say, they have proven themselves to be quite ineffective, even at this base level. Yes, we have found that to be quite true. Quite true indeed..." she agreed, her form still completely still; almost frozen-like. "While we have no problem with the so called Forces of Light doing our job for us, so to speak, they still divert quite some of what could be ours to other planes of afterlife. That, on the other hand, does not work in our advantage."

She paused for a moment, and conceeded; "... I shall not hold you anymore. What exactly is it that you are proposing?"

Stepping up to the plate, it was finally time for Azagoth to take his duty, and present that which was to presented. This was the reason he had come, afterall.

"As you are well aware, there is a certain level of Order and Domination; via these Triumvirate of Yut folks whom I talk about," explained Azagoth. "A Peaceful Order such as their own tend to have this nasty effect--a lack of disorder, suffering, and eventually death."

He bowed his head. "And those who do die of their various methods are not so guarenteed to go to the right places, if you know what I mean."

"What I propose, Lich Queen, is an overture of the underscores," Azagoth lifted his eyes again. "What I propose is an alliance, not informal but of formal nature. One which actually takes pride in its true purpose, and exersises that right. One which chooses not to be fearful, but one which actually advances into enemy territory with caution. And I say with caution, because I find it more than acceptable."

Azagoth's face once again contorted into that of a lustful grin, "Because those who call themselves providers of the unrest, lie sleeping." He was relatively satisfied, having made his case. "And sleep has hardly proven to be beneficial, for any cause. Productive, for any actual means. And worthy, of the cause itself of which it has been given."

"Ah." The Lich Queen's eyes purple glow began to have a greenish hue. "Yes. Close to what I had expected. The legions of the Ashen Empire have grown great in numbers, as well as our fleets in the darkness beyond this planet. Yes, this could work -- No, it would work."

"There is one thing, though. We are 'just' two, and they are many. We would need more to rally for our cause, although they should never find out the true meaning of this alliance." the Queen explained further. "The living, no matter how twisted and evil they are, tend to like their current state as living, breathing creatures."

She dismissed it off with a single wave, however; "But that is a thing for the future, and we have more than enough time. Now, the matter at hand would be to start what needs to be done."

The light in her eye-sockets bursted slightly. "We accept."

Azagoth smiled, and an eternity's worth of cackle and might erupted from within the Vast. "That which needed to be done, would be done. That which he had desired, would come to pass. The might that we will enforce, will be mighty." Baring his teeth, the Beast grew hungry still. "Let us draw upon swords, and enter into the eternal conquest."