The Great Divide

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The Pirate Queen
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Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2019 4:35 pm

The Great Divide

Post by The Pirate Queen »

The Pirate Queen wrote:
Sat Feb 16, 2019 11:52 pm
“…Wake up Kham, Wake up. WAKE UP!”

There was something about him lying there unconscious, toes, fingers, and hair frozen that took T’ajsa back to a place most vulnerable. The lump in her throat, the gloss of liquid that covered her eyes, filling up at the cusp, where one blink could make them run over was all from those times they spent together, hundreds of years of bliss together, conquering the stars. She wasn’t queen then. But he was her king. And how he was unconscious? How. T’ajsa shook him. Smacked him. The latter made her hand sting. But nothing. Surrounding her were all her loyal subjects, all members of the crew, the strongest sources of freedom across the galaxy. All helpless.

“Swipe steal his cold! We have to stabilize him.”

“I- Okay.”

Came a voice of helplessness to her left, a shorter boy, the smallest of the group with a head of feathers and pale white skin wore an all black hoodie and khakis. Swipe and the others surrounding him all wore the same gaze, they knew there was nothing they could do. Kham was one who did the saving. They didn’t have the slightest idea on how to bring him back from this. But maybe warming him up would help. He kneeled down next to T’ajsa, his queen. A woman he would fight and die for, unless she ordered them to stay on the ship while she threw herself in harms way for a man who abandoned her! But… later. He held his hands over The Destroyers body, and he took a deep breath. Kham’s toes and fingers, crystal white and blue from the cold vacuum of space leapt from his skin like tiny grains of sand and onto Swipe’s own. Kleptokenesis, the power to steal the qualities from anything and take it as your own. Swipe, and Boost, the slender, pale skin, notched earned crewmen behind him, in the circle were of the same tribe of intergalactic thieves. Slaves really. Bred on their home planet and used as mercenaries throughout the galaxy. They were very affective at near any avenue of application. And warming Kham up was the shallowest use of Swipe’s abilities. Swipe and Kham used to spar all the time, just so he could steal his strength away.

“Look, its not helping. See? He’s dead. Breathing but dead.”

A gruffy, throaty, nay-sayer spoke up from the outer circle. Invested in the fate of the Pirate King, but pessimistic all the same. The Pirate Queen paid it no attention, she was watching the color go back to Kham’s toes. Swipe was far too focused on making his body a vessel for the extremities of cold. Being a thief of this sort was a give and a take. The conditions he had to endure to make sure he could steal extreme weights, temperatures and other qualities made his body a malleable shell. He had to be focused and had no time for Brute’s typical negativity.

“So what he can feel his toes now, he’s not gonna come back.”

Brute was a shirtless chisled man of muscle. He was skin of cream with a long black ponytail that dropped to his lower back. Shirtless with a pair of denim jeans on, he was the Pirate Crew’s strong man, until Kham arrived. He’d been bitter since, and felt very much replaced. But to see his rival unconscious made him feel fragile. Knowing that if he set foot in the ring with Queenie, he would surely die.

“Silence Brutus.”

The authoritative dad-voice of Zultan. Always a pleasure to hear even when he was cursing you out. Zultan had been with The Pirate Queen the longest. He was the only one who called her T’ajsa, and even said they were from the same planet. Wherever that was. Not only was he the maker of the ship, but fought in nearly every engagement. He had no love for The Destroyer. But was invested in his queen’s happiness, he shed a tear.

“Don’t entertain him Zultan. Reggie? How are his vitals.”

“Um. Pardon me Swipe.”

A figure awash with green scales, reflecting the rainbow spectrum of light and the stars kneeled down beside Swipe. Reggie was a Bio-Path. Capable of manipulating organic material, very similar to Kham’s own Michio abilities. They served as the crew’s medic. And failed to deliver a prognosis on this situation simply because it was just… incalculable. Reggie peered deep into Kham’s body, through all that craggy exterior on the outside and saw, again years of perfected evolution, after thousands of years of his absence he was awestruck. The life of the universe paled in comparison to Michio genealogy. Every atom, sinew, muscle tissue looked hand stitched, battle worn and adjusted to be the ideal weapon. Gaia was a craftswoman. And yet Reggie could do nothin but sigh, the news was the same. He swallowed a lump in his throat and continued…

“I… My Queen-“

“What? Is he getting better? We warmed him up.”

“His temperature is, stable. Yes. And his heart is still beating steadily, But-“

“Just spit it out man. We’re all fucking adults.”

Chimed in Brute from the rear. Reggie looked behind him toward his overbearing, tall and savage comrade then to Boost, Swipe’s mentor who was simply silent, fixed with a permanent grin.

“There’s no neural activity.”

“Wake him up.”

“I’m trying to connect his neural pathways. But they won’t stay connected long enough to transmit thought. It’s like his body wants to remain fractured.”

“But his body doesn’t want to stay cold.”

Swipe spoke as he stood up from Kham, hands a deep blue, frosted over. He fanned them out and sprayed the ice all over the deck.

“His body betrays him. He needs time.”

Zultan resigned to say, and he dismissed himself from the circle toward the helm of the ship. It was only moments before they entered Vescrutias atmosphere someone needed to ensure she touch down safely. Collectively the group sighed until Boost stepped forward and lay his hand on Kham’s chest. The Queen, Swipe and Brute were all stunned. Usually Boost didn’t do anything without orders, he was always staring off Into space. After a few moments he just nodded and finally spoke.

“His heart wants to come back. His body is afraid, having never known pain like that before. His mind is caught between the two. And his soul knows he should stay down.”

Zultan stopped in his tracks. And nodded to himself too. Kham just needed time to find his resolve again. Brute was of course the only skeptic.

“How the fuck do you know?! You can grope a man and figure al that out?”

Even Reggie couldn’t believe it, or justify it with science.

“I do detect inconsistencies in his nervous system but, I’m at a loss as well.”

“There’s no time to take time. We came here to get TJ and get out.”

The Pirate Queen silenced the speculation with their objective. Her daughter. Her princess. She stood up and let Kham lie there looking down upon him with soft eyes of fear and pity. She had bigger problems. Like where her daughter was, she didn’t want to get involved in this family reunion. But one way or another, she was apart of it.

“Mistress.”

Zultan was observing Vescrutia through a spyglass, and was looking deep into Vescrutia in their sights, growing larger and larger by the second. His precision eyes, spotted something very peculiar.

“Did Vescrutia always have atmospheric defenses?”

“No. Why?”

“We have incoming.”

“All hands on deck!”

Snapped the pirate queen, and the rest of the crew sprung into action. Brute, Swipe, and Reggie ran toward the bow o the ship. Boost stood still over Kham with his hand pressed to his chest. He was always a few steps behind the others.

“They look like, shooting stars?”

“How many?”

“I can’t say, its closing in terribly fast.”

“Brute!”

She yelled, climbing her way up to the crows nest, she peered into the distance. A cluster of twirling white energy headed straight for them. Some anti air cannon? Brute could just tank it and bitch about it later. With a grumble he ran onto the pointed end of the ship, and failed his arms wide open while the rest of the crew braced for impact. The collection of energy instead bent around the savage and 3 ghastly figures, with masks of strange glyphs, composed of stars, comets, and other celestial bodies positioned themselves around Ascension reborn, totally interrupting it’s momentum.

“We’ve been halted my queen.”

“No shit.”

She wanted to say under her breath, but she knew Zultan was just keeping her updated. These figures did not seem threatening. They also lacked any sort of eyes but you could tell they ere looking at Kham.

“The King of Beasts has fallen?”

They spoke In unison, sounding breathy and disembodied.

“The Who?”

The queen replied unsure of what they were talking about.

“The King of Beasts has fallen?”

In the same tone they replied. They neared his body collapsing upon ascension reborn like a three fingered grip. The Pirate Queen grew righteous fury from its sheath and pointed it toward the figures. They halted I unison. T’ajsa was glad they didn’t want a fight.

“You wont take him!”

“It is not your choice. When the King Falls, the scholars choose a new successor.”

“He’s not dead!”

“But unable to fulfill his duties.”

“His what?”

“Come… We will take you. To his throne."

The entire grew was thrown to the ground, save for Boost who looked up and marveled at rapid passing of pretty light streaks all around the ship. T'ajsa clutched Ascension Reborn's mast. And Zultan cradled his drums for dear life. They had been hijacked and were being taken somewhere rapidly, toward the surface.
Brute, leaned over the fine varnished wood of Ascenion Reborn and peered into the depth of space. All of it was rushing by around him. Lights streamed over head by the millions. Endless quantities of stars were smeared by the thumb of speed as the ship rushed into galaxies unknown. He had moved this fast before, the ship was capable of such but he had never been at warp for so long. It had been minutes. They had to be leaping entire star systems, quadrants, galaxies all by these worm looking spirit things that oscillated around the ship, literally carrying them away from their destination. The whole thing just pissed him off.

"What the fuck is a King of Beasts?"

He spat at anyone who was listening. Everyone behind him looked just as focused as ever, with their thumbs up their ass peering over the lifeless brick of a man. Kham, the would be Pirate King. He grumbled audibly, expressing blatant frustration at this whole clusterfuck. No one budged, everyone ignored him. Everyone ignored the fact they were millions of miles away from Vescrutia. Swipe and Reggie were both still peering over Kham's body, it was getting less and less blue by the minute. Everyone here seemed fine that they were being held captive, and it just pissed him off.

"Of course an animal like you wouldn't know much of the Primordial Scholars."

Replied the scaly, emerald green nurse. That's what Reggie was, a nurse. So subservient to The Queen it was pretty disgusting. If anyone kissed ass the most it was him. And the whole thing just pissed him off.

"The Primordial Whats its?”

He didn’t have time for this.

“Look we're getting farther and farther away from ve-"

"Scholars. You never once considered how some of the constellations look like animals? Their likeness is reflected in the stars."

“Huh?”

He was taken a back, for a second. Maybe even less than that, to the points when he and Reggie used to get along. He would always rile him up, Brute would explode and Reggie would laugh. Or Brute would get Reggie to do crazy shit, like jump off the ship mid flight and ride the orbit of the planet for a while. Once they would both sit on the bow of the ship, and Reggie would point out to him constellations. Azimuth, Osiris, Golbez, Yarweh.

“Huh.”

Brute resigned to say. He was surprised he remembered all that. It was so long ago, back when T’ajsa was in a much better mood. But they were still far as fuck from Vescrutia. They needed to turn around. Still, everyone appeared entirely to calm about the matter. Especially The Queen, which pissed him off even more.

“And the King of Beasts is-“

“Hmm… Their representative? Their champion? It’s complicated.”

“Can never count on you for a straight answer.”

“I am somewhat busy at the moment. Would you want me having idle conversation during YOUR next operation?”

“Honestly? If my injuries are ever THIS distracting? Just let me fucking die.”

With a grunt Brute turned toward the mast of the ship, but there she was in his face, tall, beautiful, long legs the beautiful brown color of the ship, glossy with sweat and effort, her crimson head of hair was all a wreck, and down on her waist lay that enchanted sword- Righteous Fury. T’Ajsa could set anyone off axis with a breath. But Brute wasn’t particularly one to back down from a challenge. Especially not from his queen.

“Speak your mind Brutus.”

She looked dead ass serious, arms crossed, eye brows furrowed and shoulder so square and imposing. The whole ship appeared that much more quiet. He couldn’t even hear anyone breathe especially himself. All he could hear was Zultan, tinkering away at his drums, and scribbling on a pad of paper. What was he sacred of? He decided to deflect.

“Yeah sure its not like this is a monarchy or anything.”

She wouldn’t kill him. Would she?

“If you noticed I’m not in the joking mood.”

Well yeah she wasn’t. She hadn’t been in a joking mood since the deadweight on the deck left in the first place. And they all tried cheering her up in their own unique way but absolutely none of it was working. Fights like this happened more often than not and maybe, you know what? Yeah maybe today Brute wasn’t going to just take it lying down. But the moment he drew breath, someones hand was covering his mouth, he looked out of his peripheral vision and all he could see was a head full of feathers. The last thought he had was about asking the white fuckers what the King of Beasts is. Swipe stole his thoughts.

“Sorry, I- what was I saying?”

Swipe landed gracefully on the deck, and walked back toward Kham’s body which appeared to be stable nowadays. A lot less blue. T’ajsa walked past Brute and made her way back to Kham’s body too, her boots clacking on the hard deck in her wake. Swipe’s let his head fall for a moment. It was heavy, pulsing with fury and emotion. He tried breathing deeply just to process all of what Brute was feeling, shit what all of them was feeling but he knew in is his heart this wasn’t going to work much longer. Either he or Brutus was going to explode one day.

“You were asking Reggie about the King of Beasts.”

He finally blurted through a sigh. He caught the gaze of Zultan, a gaze of pity? Among his drums but he topped it off with a firm nod afterward. The kid was just doing what he thought was best.

“OH! Yeah. What the fuck is a King of Beasts?”

“Just ask them.”

Reggie replied, repeating the same tone earlier. He was looking over Kham’s body with his head tilted in a questioning angle and his lips pursed. He was just unsure of what to do. The man was breathing, not so much sleeping but, imprisoned. That was one thing, but having to tip-toe around The Queen’s conflict of interest’s was another. He rubbed his eyes in frustration and gestured to The specters in white, the ones that swooped out of nowhere and kidnapped them on this grand excursion AWAY from their primary objective. The Princess. Maybe the only one who could bring some joy back into T’ajsa’s life. But it’s like the queen could smell mutiny, not that any of them were actually considering it but she was towering over his shoulder next, bathing him in her shadow snuffing out his iridescent light. He just decided to keep his eyes locked on Kham for now.

Brute was already making his way to the top of the crows next, there were strong ropes leading up to each tier, and it was nothing for a man of his athleticism to make short work of. By the time he reached the top this tunnel of stars was carrying on right over his tuft of hair. He looked down at the others, then at the white guys, then down at the others again and slowly raised his hand toward the celestial ceiling.

“That would be unwise.”

They all spoke in unison, rebuking him looking every bit like streaks of light themselves with symbols for heads.

“Fuck that. And fuck you.”

Brute shoved his hand out of the swirling light tunnel and brought it back down to his chest. He was missing a whole hand.

“HOLY FUCK!”

“We told you. Your hand is left floating in space, in the Gamma Quadrant.”

“In the GAMMA QUAD-“

“More of you would be lost. But we’re decreasing our travel speed. For your sake. We’re surprised this ship can handle this.”

“Are you talking shit about my ship?!”

Screamed Zultan from below. To remark upon the ship was a jab at his craftsmanship. Something he didn’t take lightly.

“We apologize. It’s just, this seems like every bit an ordinary vessel.”

“ORDIANRY!?

That got a laugh out of everyone, even the swipe chuckled a bit to himself. Finally.

“This is a losing fight guys. Can you speed it up a bit?”

“Instantaneous travel would kill all of you. Including the King of Beasts”

He twisted his wrist, and already his hand was growing back. He never liked the feeling. It made him feel itchy. First the bones shot out of his nub of a wrist. One, two, three, four, five fingers. Then the skin veins, bloody and dripping with excess wrapped themselves in and around that. The muscle whiplashed itself to the bone and everything else fell in afterward.

“WHAT IS A KING OF BE-“

“The King of Beast is-“

“STOP INTERRUPTING ME!”

“Brutus… settle down my son.”

Came an older voice from the deck. Brute didn’t have to look to know it was Zultan inspecting the damage of the ship, taking mental notes on how expensive it would be to fix everything. They were all broke anyways. It had been years without a score.

“Sorry Z.”

Yet Brute had a respect for the old man. He was the glue. So he decided to calm his ass down. For some reason it didn’t make sense flaring up right now anyway. Though he couldn’t put his finger on why.

“Would you mind telling me what the King of Beasts is. Please.”

“You will figure it out for yourself in a moment. We’re here.”

“Where?”

The ship stopped and Brute was almost thrown from the crows nest. His had to steady himself with his good hand while his other finished regenerating. He and all the members of the crew looked around. Swipe rushed off toward the bow of the ship and gazed as far as the eye could see. The ship was floating, or so he thought, and below it was a sandbar, kinda like a beach that bisected a near countless amount of suns, stars, and planets all arranged in preordained shapes. Kinda like the ones Reggie had pointed out to him in the old days.

“The Throne - The Great Divide. Seat of The Primordial Scholars.”

“Azimuth. Uruclea. Golbez. Siris. Scion…”

Reggie was rattling off the constellations like a scholar himself, Brutus recognized some of them too. The ones he could remember, and one by one they glowed in the likeness of the animals they represented. Coming alive in all their grandeur. The sky, once a pallet of different starts and celestial phenomena was now cluttered with an infinite variety of giant animal spirits with clusters of stars as their skeletons.
The Pirate Queen also RP's her crew! Here's their appearances!
Swipe- Thief
Boost- Thief
Brute - Bruiser
Zultan- Cannoneer
Jerry - Medic/Butler
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Michio Tribe
Drifter
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:57 pm

Re: The Great Divide

Post by Michio Tribe »

Michio Kham wrote:
Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:35 pm
Nothing but blackness surrounded him, an infinite expanse of dark emptiness that yielded no echo or whisper. The ground beneath him, if you could call it that was solid enough to lie on. But not comfortable enough to sleep upon. It felt much like Cross’ condensed space, when she defied the laws of this dimension, treading upon reality itself. But he didn’t feel like he was somewhere else. Kham felt very familiar with where he was. He could feel his eye lids parting, his body hurt all over, a tinging pain in his shoulder, and an electric shock down to his tail bone. He placed his hands beside him to stand, the ceremonial braids of Gaia were gone but that didn’t matter. He didn’t need the now. As he forced himself up a sharp pain punctured his middle back. He winced, and sighed; It hurt far too much to stand. This familiar place felt peaceful, and there didn’t seem to be any immediate danger about so why not just be here for a while? And he did lay for a second, than a minute, until she appeared, and he realized where he was.

“You held back.”

Gaia’s voice, all encompassing and imposing yet smooth and choral-sounding, like song birds and flowing rivers entered the space. She appeared above him, skin awash with constellations, hair white and glistening, face yielding no sympathy or disappointment. Conversations between the two of them, like this, used to happen all the time. It was then, Kham realized where he was. He was inside his mind. Deep in his subconscious. Time to leave. His body flickered, quivered and vanished, but reappeared instantly where it was, the pain came next. Attacking him all over again. He couldn’t just step out of his mind? Was he imprisoned here? Some sort of technique?

“You held back. He’s not stronger than you. No one is.”

Of course he held back, so did Vyrin. He could feel him pull his punches. But that didn’t change the fact that Kham deserved this. He murdered his family, and it was time he was punished for it. He wouldn’t kill another Michio again. But he didn’t need to hear this from Gaia, he still had to stop The Devout from infiltrating the Nightmare. Time to leave this place, and silence Gaia… yet nothing moved. He breathed in and out again, trying to wrest himself from his subconscious.

“Let me go back please.”

“I cannot.

“Gaia, let me go-“

“Maximum Break. A technique invented by Vyrin to kill Michio.”

Kham groaned again, and the visions of his circumstance appeared before him. Taunting him, haunting him. Vyrin appearing inside of COER, towering above him and imposing. Their single combat on the moon among ritual chants, until his fist hammered him on the back of the neck, and after that, nothing.

“He broke the connection between your mind, body and spirit. Maximum Break. In short, you’re unconscious. Forever.”

“Unconscious? Where is my body?”

He wasn’t dead. He would know. Would he? Is this death? If Gaia was speaking with him he wasn’t dead. Was he? Kham had never been unconscious, he had never come close to death. Sure he’d been mortally wounded before, the scars were testaments to that. Again the visions of the past filled the space: he tired to shut his eyes to them, his past, but the sounds could not be muted. A child, with white hair and red eyes throwing himself recklessly, murderously and angrily at everything enduring what came his way. An assassin in black, The Shadow Boxer skewered this boy effortlessly with attacks from another realm capable of passing through solids. Cadences of the younger Kham fighting against the world played repeatedly, Gaia’s voice layered underneath the visions.

“You’re alive. Someone rescued you.”

“Who?”

Kham tried to sit up, but his body wouldn’t move. The visions around him of his past, his regrets assaulted him from all sides but if he could listen close he could hear her voice. A soft shout of desperation, someone was calling him. But the visions tried to drown her out, cloud him with regret. Kham shut his eyes and reached into the depths of his mind, he drew breath tried to center himself but the visions of his misdeeds got louder and more obnoxious. They increased in speed, fast-forwarding through the long years of his life, growing louder by the second. It was irritating! He screamed for it all to stop but it just kept aggravating him even more. He belted out a sigh and lay there still. it was true… Vyrin hit him so hard his mind, body and spirit were having a civil war. Maximum Break. It all made sense. You could break a Michio into pieces, but if there was sufficient organic material they could stitch themselves anew, but if you stunned them? And then killed them? They wouldn’t return. Maximum Break.


In the depths of this despair he heard the voice. And he could feel Gaia turn up her nose. Kham tried going to it, but he winced in pain, it made his body hurt more. So he instead lie here and breathed a heavy sigh of relief, knowing that his physical body was in the most capable hands.

“T’ajsa.”

Gaia replied, with a tone that could cut steel. It could only be one person. The Pirate Queen. Come to collect her daughter. And just so happen to have a sliver of humanity to save him from certain death.

“She saved you.”

“She shouldn’t have. I abandoned her.”

He did. Left her with child. Called back to The Mother on shallow promises of power and knowledge. Bits and pieces were given to him.

“I made you.”

She did. Knowing Vescrutia needed her Pillar. Knowing she could cajole him with prestige.

“And I fell for it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do. Truly. You are inheriting all my sins.”

“And what do you propose I do, kill my family again.”

“I propose you wake and come protect your son.”

“Wake me.”

“I cannot. All of my power is being used to nourish this boy. He will be the last to inherit my abilities. The rest I’ve given to you in addition to the ceremonial braids.”

Kham could care less for the gifts. The braids were a very handy accessory. Striking the intangible, scar the invulnerable. But again, Gaia was hiding something. Kham needed to get to his son.

“You speak as if this is your last will and testament.”

“… Vyrin comes for me.”

Finally, Kham didn’t care. From what he was hearing, Gaia was all to blame for this. She, the influencer behind the genocide, and the murderer of their common ancestor, the Titan Dhvani, Etuum, the First Michio.

“So be it.”

“Your lack of empathy is justified.”

“Of course it is. You killed our ancient ancestor. Oppressed our peoples, used them to carry out your agenda, and forced us to live with your sins. Even now there are things you hide from me. Things you refuse to tell.”

“And what do you wish to know.”

“Everything, from the beginning. The Truth. And show me.”

“I can’t. I don’t have enough power. I can only tell you, and you must trust me.”

“I’m going to be here a while so, I suppose I have no choice.”

“You must reconcile your despair and wake Meru Ahk Tal.”

“I will not harm my family. I deserve to die for the murder of our kin.”

Gaia grew silent. As did Kham. His eyes peeled open as the memories of the Michio genocide played out before him. Events he recollected countless times. A young boy, screaming at the top of his lungs, struck defenseless brown bodies, causing them to burst into diamond dust. Kham winced. He hated watching this.

“You need nor harbor my sins Kham.”

“Yet here I am, forced to bear their responsibility any how… Every unplanned birth would turn out like me? Like Etuum?”

“And lay waste to the Michio yes.”

“And every unplanned birth was slain by the Master Advocate.”

“Yes.”

“Where are the bodies?”

“They became That Wicked Blade.”

“Ragnarok.”

“Yes.”

“Vyrin seeks it.”

“Unless you wake he will have it.”

“I can’t. I don’t know what is right or wrong. And I need to know the truth. You must show me all that happened.”

“I can only tell you.”

“Fine.”

“Then listen well, as this is the last conversation we will ever have.”

“I was just doing what I felt was right. Playing God. Trying to protect Vescrutia.”

Gaia’s story took hours. It felt like hours. Every detail from her birth from the Prodigy of Genesis, ancestral Makains the first Vescrutians who battled with Desolation, to her birth of Etuum who was created to purge Vescrutia from Desolation’s Scar, to his conspired death, to the creation of the devout to the silent wars and the Icarus Pact was told to Kham in perfect, detail it was as if Gaia was reciting the whole affair from memory, but considering that she was connected to past Master Advocates in this same fashion- she sort of was reciting this from memory. Kham exhaled a mighty sigh, It was all so overwhelming. Reflecting upon the sins of the past, placed in the middle of this familial tsunami forced to reconcile his role and process all this pain his family experienced on both sides. And the motive behind it all? Gaia thought she was doing what was right? Creating a race of super beings and policing their free wills? Turning them against each other? Making them oppress each other?

“You are silent.”

She went on to say. Her tone was so base. Without emotional infliction, like some automated judge. But Kham knew, Gaia got like this when she was feeling vulnerable.

“It’s a lot to take in.”

“Yes. But, now you know the truth.”

“Did you know they went into hiding? The Devout.”

“No.”

Kham didn’t believe her.

“Gaia…”

“I did not.”

“You didn’t have the least bit of doubt that-“

“Your destruction was very thorough Michio. I made sure of it.”

“…”

He sighed again.

“When will The Devout come for you.”

“Any moment. But they are cautions, and are unsure at how weak I am. But they will come in force when they are prepared. Especially now knowing that you’re off world.”

“I’m not on Vescrutia?”

“Students of Azimuth intercepted you.”

“Azimuth? The Scholar?!”

“They’re taking you to The Great Divide. We won’t be able to talk much longer.”

The reality of the situation hadn’t hit him much until now. The whole affair happened so fast. The Devout, Drax Scen, now he was being taken to The Great Divide? He had only been to the place when he was coronated and hadn’t been back since. The Scholars didn’t have many restrictions for the chosen King of Beasts, but it was frowned upon to not visit the Divide Often. It was every much a congress building as it was a library. This was all so overwhelming. The aching pain all over is body just made it worse.

“Kham, wake up, and come get your son.”

Gaia’s voice was fading, getting interrupted like some sort of signal interference. Yet still commanding, it spoke life into Kham’s severed joints, he would have to deal with his position on what to do with The Devout later. Protecting his son, and the mother of his son came first. For once Gaia’s voice was no longer without confrontation, she was audibly straining, pleading. It didn’t become her. It made Kham very uncomfortable to hear it. She sounded so human.

“Wait, are you fading? Are they there now? Where are they! Is it Vyrin?”

Kham yelled back, but it was no good. He had only felt this way once, when T’ajsa had scooped him off world when he was young. And he welcomed the feeling with great joy, that other presence inside of him, that extra space he had in his heart was now becoming more and more empty. How ironic that under the same circumstances the feeling he once welcomed, to be alone was replaced with existential dread. He couldn’t be here much longer, conflicting with himself. All his life for thousands of years he was using to having that constant feeling of another presence looming over his shoulder, inside of him. Now it was fading. The feeling was insufferable, not because he enjoyed Gaia by any means. Their relationship was always peculiar. One thing was certain, this loneliness was such a foreign feeling. One most unwelcome.

“So many are relying on you. So many love and care about you. Climb out of this hole, and fight this war-“

She was trying her hardest to keep the connection strong. But her voice was indecipherable at this point.

“Gaia!”

Kham shot up to a standing position, his voice bouncing off the corners of his mind returning nothing back but an echo. She was truly gone.

“Gaia Wher-“

Wait, was he standing? His body, it was responding! Time to get out of here, and get back to Vescrutia. He squared his stance and grunted, willing himself out of his subconscious. His body flickered but again he was deposited to the floor with a mighty thud.

“Shit.”

He groaned, the pain wasn’t there. It was just frustrating. At least he could stand up again, and the damage to his body was repaired. His soul, his heart was too focused on saving his son’s life. Why was his mind rebelling against him like this? He tried it again, squared his stance, shut his eyes, furrowed his brown and thought intently on removing himself from this mental space only for him to flicker and hit the floor even harder, again, again and again.

“WHY CAN’T I WAKE UP!??”

How many times did he repeat this? Hundreds? Thousands! His throaty scream into the nothing expressed pure anguish and frustration.

He shouted.

“WAKE THE FUCK UP!”

Kham slapped himself across the face. Banged his head on the invisible floor.

“GAAAHHH!”

In a tantrum Kham bounded on the surface of his mind with as much strength as his frustration can muster. Thunderous echoes, explosive booms filled the dark space, echoed, and returned that much louder drowning Kham in a cacophony of deafening booms. Like some sort of rabid beast he pounded upon the representation of his mind, driven into imprisoning insanity.

“AAAHH!”

He leapt up from his tantrum and took a runners stance. In another deafening explosion Kham ran toward the infinite confines of his mind space. The darkness smeared all around him in a tunnel, running faster and faster he ran bounding an undetermined amount of distance in seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, instants. He banked left and right and random intervals hoping to reach some sort of end to this prison there was no wind in his hair, no resistance from the air just exhaustion. He stopped in the same place he began drenched in sweat from crown to sole, the heat of his body seemed to real. The exhaustion so real. He was going nowhere.

“Rrrggghhh!!!!”

In a guttural roar, Kham sought that terrible power. A crimson inferno leaked out of his pores and swirled around his feet, ankles, and knees on up to his skull. It grew in volume and spread across this vast space from the depths of his being positioning him in a crimson tornado looking every bit like an electrical firestorm of blood and flame. The Gaia Force, the power gifted to Etuum to vanquish Desolation’s Scar and gifted to every chosen Michio thereafter. If he couldn’t break out willingly, he’d have to do so unwillingly, force his mind to surrender.

“RRAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

Kham’s eyes were white with fury, pupiless and insane. His hair flailed about wildly any sigh of exhaustion was gone, tossed to the crimson gales. It felt like he was covering every inch of Vescrutia with his power. He surely ran that distance at the very lease.

“Indecision does not become you.”

A voice? Someone was here? Kham, foaming at the mouth, covered in sweat, tried to find the source of his voice. His eyes roamed the extremities of his eyelids for some semblance of reason, turned in the direction of the noise, it was surprisingly soft yet very audible among all the booming echoes. It sounded so old, but not haggardly. It was full of experience, power, confidence. Everything he was, but wasn’t at the moment.

“WHERE ARE YOU!”

He pawed at the Gaia Force, directing it toward the source of the voice sending whiplashing focuses of energy into the depths of his mind.

“You look fucking foolish.”

Another voice then, younger?

‘SHOW YOURSELF!”

“Vyrin wants us to destroy our mind. You’re playing right into his trap. Flailing around like this?”

“US?! WHO ARE YOU!?”

There, among the raging flames stood three figures, now 6, now 9, now many multiples of those surrounding him in the fires. At it’s center a caged beast turned feral like those days of his youth without education, reason, or conscience. The figures moved closer, Kham lashed back in fear trying to sever their bodies from existence but they stood unharmed among his power? Impossible. The closer they got, the more they revealed themselves. Skin of sandstone, hair of silver, red pupils. All Michio. All him. At three stages of his life. The youngest, when he was born, feral and dejected who laid waste to his clan. The middle was him during his teenage years, the King of Beast, the one who waged genocide against the anima. The elder of the three was much taller, wore a robe of all white with much more mature features but imposed a power and presence that put fear in his heart. Was that what he was destined to become? They were flanked by clones of them from all sides that all reached out and placed their hands upon Kham at the center snuffing out the inferno driving him to his knees. He could feel their collective weight upon his shoulders, the literal strength of his doubts suffocating him, drawing him in a sea of his thoughts.

“You’re still here because you’re afraid of what the war might take.”

Said the youngest, they all spoke In unison.

“You’re afraid of the risk.”

Challenged the oldest.

“You know you’re inadequate.”

Cosigned the adolescent. Repeatedly they lashed out at him with doubts driving him deeper and deeper into depression. Kham lie helpless beneath their oppressive weight, and was smothered in their collective pile up under a sea of brown bodies, after all they were right. He was just going to lay here. He was so tired.
This is a pen-name account which writes from the narrative perspective of:
Michio Kham, T'ajsa Michio, Gaia- The Divine Anima, The Devout (and its members)
Michio Tribe Lore

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Zeik
King of Chaos
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Re: The Great Divide

Post by Zeik »

The splash of the stream brushing against the divides shore sounded like shards of crystals rustling against the sands. A melodic hum lightly pulsed in the atmosphere as the stream flowed through the divide, it’s luminous waters reflecting the planetary skyline of the divide. The stream connected with the heart of Vescrutia and most worlds within the known galaxy. The Scholars had grown quite efficient at connecting the worlds of the Milky Way.

The Stream was the pride, joy, and purpose of the Scholars, connecting the stream to the worlds and ensuring the planets have ample opportunity at survival.

Widow’s would tell of dreams where they saw their love ones, mediums who convene with the fallen, telepaths who hear the whispers of the deceased all made possible by the flow of the stream.

Zeik stood away from the conceptual entrance of the Divide awaiting to see the condition of the king of Beast, his brother.

Sirius, one of the Primordial Scholars, alerted Zeik of the councils intentions and the events that lead up to Kham’s current condition. Without hesitation The makaian Seer projected his consciousness to the Great divide

The divide was intricately connected to 76% of the Milky Way galaxy. Privacy? A total myth. The divide was always watching and could quote you back your every shining or dull moment.

Zeik silently waited in the distance, the Scholars had convened this meeting and he didn’t want to interrupt. In the silence Zeik observed The ship that brought Kham to the divide. It honestly frightened him to his core, most hellgate’s were vehemently against traversing the great emptiness, the void,the expanse, space. The void was near entirely unexplored and opened life to a myriad of uncertain futures. Hyper-speed space debris, black holes, elder demons, dimensions that defy rational conception, just to name a few. Yet still...some brave few would attempt to sail the Black Sea. Luckily for them...they’ve never been to the hall of extinction

‘Ignorance truly is bliss.’

He thought to himself.

From the moment he’d seen the entrance Zeik felt immediately that Kham wasn’t in his body.

‘What...manner of destruction?’
He thought to himself.

The Scholars were here to decide if when they could change assist the king of Beast in his time of need, Zeik was here to learn the names of the warriors strong enough to give his war buddy pause. He remained silent and distant from the experience.

He wasn’t capable of locating an individual consciousness and reversing a spell without full knowledge of its origins was impossible. If Zeik was going to be of any assistance, it would be after the Scholars debriefing.
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The Pirate Queen
Drifter
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Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2019 4:35 pm

Re: The Great Divide

Post by The Pirate Queen »

Reggie had been naming off the celestial congress of animals for minutes on end, their names sounded more and more like consonant clusters to The Pirate Queen who stood at the center of the deck of ascension reborn with her neck glued to the sky. Swipe still had his eyes glued to the former Pirate King who lay unconscious on deck, the majesty of the Scholars had turned the likes of Zultan away from his drums and brought the disengaged Boost toward the heavens too. T’ajsa narrowed her eyes to slits. Funny how she had never reached this place on her own. Ascension Reborn had been many places, seen many things, endured many hardships. But why not this place? She felt like she was in a painting. Like in a representation of something. Maybe that’s why she had never ‘been’ here. Out of all of the planes of existence, The Pirate Queen theorized this place only existed in the minds of those the Scholars allowed access. The Great Divide was a library.

“Where are we truly?”

She snapped her head to the left, and coyly asked her spectral guides, Reggie had called them Students of The Scholars they looked like pillars of light with hoods and masks. Wisps. Elusive and calculating.

“The Great Divide. The Scholars Gather.”

The spoke in unison, Reggie was still rattling off the names of the scholars that appeared in their giant majesty amongst the heavens with their humble pirate ship in the center, brute was right along with him the two looked almost like boys again who would chase one another around the ship, tormenting and pranking each other. The Queen would smile if the father of her daughter wasn’t fighting for his life.

“No, where are we truly. This place. It isn’t real.”

She replied further, curious to see if she was correct. For once they turned to look at her, and she knew she was right.

“Clever. This place is a projection of the Scholars, a place to allow this meeting to convene.”

She didn’t say much after that, she felt like it was her best interest to observe. T’ajsa knew Kham was King of Beasts. Their crew had fought many of the Scholars’ ancient enemies but he had never spoken of The Great Divide, he had never spoken of their practices or customs. But T’ajsa had seen enough ancient powerful creatures to know how these meetings generally went. So she went to one of the rails upon her ship, rested her weight against it and like the rest of the crew- save for Swipe, looked up.

“Wow they really are all here. I’m surprised I recall them all.”

Reggie looked so proud of himself, he finally let his neck fall to a neutral position and massaged the kink in the back of his head. Brute was still glued to the stars.

“Shit that’s a lot of fucking animals. And Kham is the king of all of these?”

“No. “

Spoke the students. Brute drew breath, no one told him to shut up, Reggie covered his mouth with his hand and the Pirate Queen managed a legitimate snicker. Quickly it vanished as her eyes fell to Kham, his fate lie in the hands, paws, claws, of those above.

“The King of Beasts holds no lands and rules no creatures. But we’ve said too much. Silence, the congress begins. The Fate of the Michio hangs in the balance.”

All was silent. And above all the Scholars we’re present. The meeting began.

“We are all present…”

Came a feminine voice from the congress, the star pattern was arranged along its skeletal frame glowing on three pronged ends that symbolized claws and a tail. It was a cat that had pitch black fur with golden eyes. It turned its head to look at all the animals that answered the call.

“Muthala the Jaguar, Scholar of Night.”

Reggie whispered to anyone on the ship who listened. Zultan nodded slowly, Swipe and Boost

“Silence!”

Rebuked the students. The Queen managed another chuckle. Muthala carried on.

“We are all present save for the Web of Fate, and the Web of End.”

“Still the Spiders reject our summons, alienate themselves from our cause.”

She was interrupted by the voice of another who overemphasize the S’ sounds of their words. The star pattern looked like a fan with long spine. It was a cobra, Sithilus Scholar of Friction and Resistance.

“It is not of the Spiders that we are gathered here today.”

A soft feminine voice swam through the divide provoking murmurs from the other animals. Its constellation pattern consisted of a singular lines creating a diamond pattern looking much like the face of a fox. It was Azimuth. Her students bowed on the deck of ascension Reborn.

“One of our mighty warriors has been dealt a mortal blow. We know him well. We chose him. Michio Kham. The King of Beasts of Vescrutia.”

“Will this be a funeral then?”

Inquired Muthala.

“No. He is not dead. But his fate does rest in our hands.”
The Pirate Queen also RP's her crew! Here's their appearances!
Swipe- Thief
Boost- Thief
Brute - Bruiser
Zultan- Cannoneer
Jerry - Medic/Butler
©Vescrutia2018

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Ves
The Mother: The Admin
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Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2018 2:56 pm

Re: The Great Divide

Post by Ves »

Azimuth stepped forward, leaving the cloak of her starry form behind and appearing onboard Ascension Reborn as a large black, slender fox. Her countless tails racing into the starlit expanse above as she arched into a deep stretch.

Her bushy black fur seemed to swallow the boat, drowning them all in a silent blackness as she approached The King of Beast.

‘If Vescrutia’s King of Beast had fallen, he’d been ferried by the remaining King’s. No. This isn’t a wound of mortality, but the mark of something personal.

She whispered, her voice softer than her fur. Yet, no one would struggle to hear her. Her words fell from her lips and into their ears, electrifying their senses. They’d notice the hairs on their skin stood tall, perhaps magnetized to her.

“We should bring him into the temple, There we may discuss what to do with those who defiled my moons. I will call for his partner, his Pact Beast.”

One of her tails carefully approached his forehead, resting inches from his bronze skin. There was a moment of stillness and silence, only broken by the faint hum ringing in their ear. Azimuth eyes rolled, swaying about in synchronized motion with her waving tails.-

“Nehvar”
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The Pirate Queen
Drifter
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Re: The Great Divide

Post by The Pirate Queen »

Azimuth stepped forward, leaving the cloak of her starry form behind and appearing onboard Ascension Reborn as a large black, slender fox. Her countless tails racing into the starlit expanse above as she arched into a deep stretch.  Her bushy black fur seemed to swallow the boat, drowning them all in a silent blackness as she approached The King of Beast
. Swipe, Reggie, Brute and the rest of the gang, turned to T’ajsa unanimously as soon as a foreign paw set foot on the pristine wooden deck of Ascension Reborn. The queen maintained composure withholding a certain itch to subject this, whatever it was, to the laws of her ship. Godly figures loved to take up space, flail their egos around, it was their way of saying hello. With a slight crossing of the queen’s arms, the crew all dropped their guards. But they wouldn’t remove themselves from the presence of the Pirate King. The proper words were ‘permission to come aboard’ after which was ‘permission granted’. Not whatever the hell else Azimuth planned to say.
‘If Vescrutia’s King of Beast had fallen, he’d been ferried by the remaining King’s. No. This isn’t a wound of mortality, but the mark of something personal. 

She whispered, her voice softer than her fur. Yet, no one would struggle to hear her. Her words fell from her lips and into their ears, electrifying their senses. They’d notice the hairs on their skin stood tall, perhaps magnetized to her.
T’ajsa was trying to keep it together, she looked to Reginald out of the corner of her eyes who, ascertained the same diagnosis mere moments ago become more obsessed with his childhood fairytales than the situation at hand. All of this was quickly becoming very annoying.”
“We should bring him into the temple, There we may discuss what to do with those who defiled my moons. I will call for his partner, his Pact Beast.”
“You’re not taking him anywhere. He’s not leaving this ship. Whatever it is you need to do, do it here.”

The queen interjected. And she wouldn’t be ignored. The students of the fox who escorted them here leered down upon her from on high. She didn’t care. Kham was a piece of shit, but the father of her child. If she came back empty handed her first meeting wit her daughter would be a reunion to remember.
Yet One of Azimuth’s tails carefully approached his forehead, resting inches from his bronze skin.
Swipe placed his hand in the way of the probe. The Pirate Queen nearly leapt for the fox.
There was a moment of stillness and silence, only broken by the faint hum ringing in their ear. Azimuth eyes rolled, swaying about in synchronized motion with her waving tails.- 

“Nehvar”
The Pirate Queen looked to her left, the hairs on the back of her neck on edge. Was that some kind of spell to deal with them all? Brutus sensed the same and stood from his seated position sniffing the air. They all heard footsteps. The soft clacking of what sounded like heels on wood. Was it on the ship? The presence although invisible set her heart thumping.

“He’s trying to say something!”

T’ajsa, not wanting to take her eye off the newest intruder couldn’t help but turn to Swipe who had his ear to Kham’s lips. He kept saying the same words over and over.

“Neh-Vah-rrr”

“Nnh- Var… don’t go”

Kham whispered, breathy and dry, nearly dead like his mouth was full of dust. T’ajsas eyes grew wide, sure at least Kham was speaking but that didn’t abate any of her worries. Especially since the sounds of hoofs got louder until behind the fox, seemingly out of nowhere appeared a herd of Stags who’s antlers were aflame with green fire.

“Okay what the fuck.”

Brutus stumbled backward. The herd of Stags advanced some nuzzling against the fur of Azimuth. They looked at Swipe, Swipe at them. Swipe looked at T’ajsa who looked at them, who returned the gaze.

“Nnn…Var”

Came Kham again teetering on the brink of the Abyss. The Pirate Queen nodded and Swipe stood and took steps backwards, letting the procession of deer continue. But there was something else here. Something more. T’ajsa could see it. A cloudy spectral visage of antlers and glowing eyes across the horizon of the divide, looking, and observing.

Reggie looked baffled, Kham’s affliction was already beyond the realm of mortal medicine. Now the presence of deer was restarting his heart. The Pirate Queen looked just as confused as he.

“Why does that one not approach?”

The Queen inquired. And she was answered by a voice that came from the congress above, among the rest of the scholars that chose to wear their cloaks of constellations. A series of six parallel stars with three prongs upon each like a trident, like the head of a stag answered her back, but it had a round like face, like a bear. Reginald couldn’t help but whisper the name of the scholar under his breath, but T’ajsa shook her head. She didn’t catch it.

“The nature of the King’s pact with his creature is peculiar. Nehvar and the Michio are so alike the proximity of their presence makes either of them very uncomfortable. But perhaps Nehvar can sense it as we can. His connection to the Michio is weakening.”

Finally Nehvar approached, as he did the smaller deer made way. The ghastly visage of a stag now grew much larger, rivaling the height of the tallest mast in the ship. He had full golden brown fur and a tuft of white hair in the center of his chest. His antlers at 8 points on either side with a third eye in the center of his head. He kneeled down and nudged Kham with his charcoal black nose, the queen could hear the collective breath of the crew stop. But Kham remained lifeless.
The Pirate Queen also RP's her crew! Here's their appearances!
Swipe- Thief
Boost- Thief
Brute - Bruiser
Zultan- Cannoneer
Jerry - Medic/Butler
©Vescrutia2018

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Ves
The Mother: The Admin
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Re: The Great Divide

Post by Ves »

. Swipe, Reggie, Brute and the rest of the gang, turned to T’ajsa unanimously as soon as a foreign paw set foot on the pristine wooden deck of Ascension Reborn. The queen maintained composure withholding a certain itch to subject this, whatever it was, to the laws of her ship. Godly figures loved to take up space, flail their egos around, it was their way of saying hello. With a slight crossing of the queen’s arms, the crew all dropped their guards. But they wouldn’t remove themselves from the presence of the Pirate King. The proper words were ‘permission to come aboard’ after which was ‘permission granted’. Not whatever the hell else Azimuth planned to say.
-She could sense a rising tension within the people aboard the ship, but couldn’t quite put her paw on it. Perhaps they were frighten by their circumstances, or worried about her intentions. It wasn’t out of the question that someone, if not more, had a connection with the King of Beast, they could be in grief or in shock. It wasn’t within her power to know what they wanted, only within her intention to do what was needed.-

“You’re not taking him anywhere. He’s not leaving this ship. Whatever it is you need to do, do it here.”
The woman blurted, filling the moment with aggression, confusing Azimuth’s students and the scholar herself. She took a moment, collecting her thoughts before replying. “Perhaps you're personally involved with him?” She questioned calmly. “What reason do you have to resist? We’ve only offered you assistance...or is our help, unwanted?”

Her voice never really raised passed a whisper, even as she felt agitated by misplaced aggression. She sat motionless aboard the ship for a moment, before her and the boat trembled as the stag’s made their way aboard the ship. She gazed at their flaming antlers adorned by the Stag and as the heard made their way aboard, so did Azimuth tail’s descend from the sky above into a more manageable size.

She watched as Kham struggled to speak, calling from beyond, his beast, his partner, his Pact. Yet despite Nehvar’s presence, the King didn’t awake.

‘Nehvar...can you feel his approach?’
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Zeik
King of Chaos
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Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:10 pm

Re: The Great Divide

Post by Zeik »

He watched from a distance, silently observing as he so often did, though his relationship with Azimuth was tight knit, he rarely communed with her, in the company of her gossiping students, let alone the other scholars- save for Sirius.

He could feel the commotion aboard the dirigible, he wasn’t acquainted with the Crew, or Michio’s personal life. No, Zeik was much to hermetic for such experiences.

Yet, regardless of his distance, Azimuth’s words were felt in full. She had a way with vibration and a keen interest in sound.

“Nehvar?”

He hadn’t heard the name before, but the image of a great Stag immediately popped into his mind. The sounds of the hooves preceded his thoughts. The heard of deer made their way onto the ship, all the while Zeik shaking his head at the spectacle. The Stags made their way past his Astral projected image, avoiding his body, save for a few reckless ones of the heard. They rushed through his projection, breaking its clarity momentarily.

Like a flicker of light, he vanished from his sideline position and reappeared near the gates of the Temple, having heard Azimuth’s suggestion. It wasn’t much effort to move around the Great divide, he frequented this realm, enjoying its seclusion and closeness to the Stream.

He wondered what would take them so long to bring his body into the temple, but he assumed it had something to do with the tension he felt.
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