Fall To Your Feet Feet: Gideon Vs Atra

[Michio Tribe]

TL;DR - The Devout Michio, a racial supremacist sect of Vescrutia's most ancient tribe has resurface. Two of their number has claimed large swaths of land for themselves almost instantly. Atra and Celeste are responding to this new reveal of a superpower.

Michio Gideon Appeared in the Trade Quarter of a Neovian territory in a guise unsuspecting enough and complicit enough in their own standards of self that no one would dare recognize him from any other member of their ordinary society. As he wandered among the sum of all Trade, Intelligence, Culture, Understanding and Knowledge of the Mothers sentient races he peered into their souls with his primordial gaze assessing the the sum of their total strength at this very moment across all possible dimensions in this particular time. He was completely unimpressed.

"This is the sum of their strength? The apocalypse is here. They're horribly equipped for the fight against the horsemen." Gideon shrugged and people suddenly began to witness him walking by. Any and every person who did began to clamor over themselves and refer to him as My lord, my king, my god and so on. Children were left abandoned in the streets crying after their mothers, fathers were prostrate before their creators as their beliefs were almost confirmed by witnessing him pass into their gaze. Gideon simply walked and made his way through the most affluent pleasure halls and gambling houses a King of Kings, anyone who witnessed his gaze became smitten with his presence.

"
Very unimpressive"

Whispered Ma'eel who revealed herself among the Trinity Exchange, a place where stocks and bonds of major companies provided sustenance and medicine throughout all the civilizations of the entire world. As they traded knowledge, wealth and resources she quickly surmised the complexity of their assets and and accounts across the planet ready to disastrously devastate them at any moment's notice. It was only a matter of time did people start throwing themselves from the towers where they controlled the lives of the masses. How foolish it was of Michio Kham, and ZK to think they could tend to such a massive flock. They needed to be ready for the horsemen, anyone unfit to survive the atrocities they had endured in turns past simply wasn't gonna make it.

As she sculpted a macabre of the scene ahead of her she looked out the window to her left and saw Kingdoms being erected in the distance. Her brother was at work, Michio Gidoen, the breaker second, weaving his masculine majestic majesties. He preferred to conquer his prey and fertilize their flock and she preferred to iron out the wrinkles.

"Dont play with your food gideon"

She spoke to him through her cosmic awareness, a dimension corridor obtained from feasting on the mycelium mushrooms harvested in vescrutias core that linked them to the very fabric of the universe. It was impenetrable and untraceable but freely accessible to anyone who had tasted these ancient fungi of which there were only Michio. Already people were turning against each other, fights were breaking out, and people were hanging themselves in their offices. She had crashed the Vescrutia economy by bending the fabric of the universe.

"The Breaker First Demands Results, he appeared disappointed in Michio Zol. But there are few that can be saved from this baptism."He took note of Allen Momoto, Michio Zol, Sophia Van Gongorei and Koudo Zhol Omawynn all occupied with their own tasks across the world. Zol had already healed and was making a name for himself. It was only a matter of time that he would discover his kin, and discover the mammoth sized gaps between their power. But The time had come to take the attack to the horsemen. Anyone who couldn't could work the fields as slaves and worshipers of his grand design. "The rest can fall at my feet, they cannot stand in the presence of my words, we are their makers. Their shapers, their creators. Do they not know what we're capable OF!" His voice took upon a cadence of creation a musical harmony heard by the birds and squirrels and natural harmony of things, everyone fell at peace for witnessing his presence and bowed at his authority and erupted into a harmonic dance of perpetual peace and harmony. This place became his citadel He sat atop the tallest tower shining a beacon of harmony and peace across the land and everyone who gazed upon it worshiped him as Michio Gideon, the God of Creation. He impressed his visage into their minds a majestic and mighty king who tended to their every woe and need so long as they sacrificed their greed.

They replied in unison in rhythmic fashion chanting and praising his name with their every waking moment noon and night. Their women and men threw themselves over his body and catered to his every need, the very fabric of his words created a song that he weaved upon this reality harmonizing with the very fabric of everything. He scoffed in the distance at a repulsive scene of gore and carnage. Undoubtedly Ma'eels work. But any one who simply bowed to him would know peace forever more. They were more than welcome to challenge one another for the right to face him as was the custom on this land.

" These people should feel blessed. Vyrin would simply remake the planet over." Ma'eel continued to saunter among the rich and noble, everyone here was complicit, fat, unfit. They deserve a fighting chance though. Those who cannot withstand all we are and all we know should drown in their own blood. As the corpses began to pile to the canopies of trees Maeel shaped them into a pulsating coagulated bark that pumped in time with the mothers heartbeat creating fountains of blood. "We can repurpose them into much greater assets." Human bodies began to merge with nature, rise and walk like living trees those that couldn't undertake this evolution became the soil in which they tread living trees those that couldn't undertake this evolution became the soil in which they tread.

"You can bow to Gideon and save your own head, or live in Hell with Ma'eel and feel the Michio's pain instead."

Maeel barked into the multitudes. People couldn't bear to witness her beautiful gaze, their eyes bleed instead. People ran away from the tree titans in fear as they began flaying citizens alive with their thorny branches spraying flood into the streets that gave life to more of their kin. Others ran for their lives using various abilities they acquired from the schools of study they were taught and such. Maeel took note of those, she would make a deal with them later, should they seek her outa at her Palace of Power and felt lucky enough to try their luck in this world she was creating.

[Atra Luminoso]

Atra heard only what could be described as an Opera from Apex Neo, the pyramid which harnesses the power of Lumin and Phantasma, he was partaking in his afternoon meditation to bring himself a sense of quiet. He had been in deep reflection as of late ever since Savaj, and Cross went on their mission. Kham preferred to send them in teams of three to reflect the synergy he had with Zeik and ZK. But this insufferable quake, something he could only describe as a cadence thundered across the land. The after shocks of which shook the very structures that Kham himself built. Others around him felt a minor interruption to their meditations across the luminous marble like floor bathed in the early afternoon setting sun. But he was of a much keener sense. He heard the name Gideon and Ma'eel and the name of a clan only spoken on the lips of a handful of people he knew quite well.

"This cannot be good."

He had to see to this personally. He was almost about to vanish from sight, completely undetectable and locatable through the worlds vast network of shadows until another very important figure caught his eyes: Celeste, queen of the Ulthrazeen, priestess of Ulum, of the freshwater sea, Brother to Darrius former king of Ulum crushed beneath Kham's heel 33 years ago. She was Atlantean, a sea witch and a colleague of his in Weapon X, an organization formed to protect Vescrutia from existential threats. She too felt the tremors. His mind went to T'ajsa and given their unique means of communication through his sentient shadow Des'Noir, she would feel a slight tap on her shoulder or a whisper in her ear if she was near a shadow on the surface of vescrutia. Turns out she wasn't. T'ajsa would undoubtedly have skin in the game, Atra knew the Michio at what he believed to be their worst. And Kham would openly bark and challenge people. It was an infectious call to anyone who supped from the mother's flesh and considered themselves strong to clash with the sum of his experience.

As he looked over his shoulder, there was already a light generated copy of him telling everyone to return to their duties, putting out fires there were people a plenty making their way past the real him as if he was invisible. Well he was, just kinda forward in time. This was really the job of the Destati Illuminati. He always got stuck with crowd control. It was time to for him to pay these michio a greeting.

[Atlanteans of Ulum]

Celeste was certainly staring directly into Atra's face, her gaze slant eyed and piercing. To onlookers it would appear as if she was looking at nothing at all. After all Atra was assuaging the fears of Neovian nobility who felt an unruly tremor in the distance. something about an experiment in Cross' lab yeah right. Cross was recovering in the But there was no moisture leaving that Atra's lips. It was a fake. The real one had already vanished, and was looking to her to see what she would do. Well, Celeste was never without her entourage. The Atlanteans of Ulum had a very high standing across Neovia, after all, where did all their freshwater, fish, and medicine come from? Certainly not from the rainforests of the Lila'Maya. No, it was Ulum that fed Neovia.

"My queen."

Came a deep gurguling voice from behind her. Celeste dare not take her eyes off Atra for fear he may go where she would be unable to follow, but unfortunately, the boy had a way of disappearing. She turned to face her advisor Ross, decked out in the most advanced Technology ulum could muster. He had a transparent bubble of water surrounding his gilled head and face, and carried weaponry fashioned by the unified minds of the surface and the deep.

"I have most unsettling news."

"What is it?"

Celeste almost bit the end off of Ross' statement. She wanted to figure out where the Destati Illuminati was headed, and to no surprise by the time she turned to face Atra again, he was gone. Celeste's gaze found Crissette, her sister and princess who was yelling down a noble . What was this tremor? And why was it causing Crisette to debate the prices of water with some petty dragonfolk? The phony Atra was trying to intervene, much to her sisters chagrin. They both knew this was a copy.

"The price of water, food, it's..."

Ross struggled to get the words out of his lips, maybe because he couldn't quite fathom the expediency in which it all happened. But he was too late. This nobleman had already drawn his sword. A blade of jade with glowing words upon the blade. If Celeste remembered correctly these were the Rhak, a people who claimed their lineage from dragons. They needed water when they weren't sunbathing in the desert and of course Ulum provided at a stiff upcharge. The Rhak knew they were getting stiffed but something about a Michio Gideon giving out free resources, and a Michio Ma'eel who now owns the remaining freshwater on the planet. She couldn't make sense of it.

"You've been robbing us blind the entire time! We'll be taking our business elsewhere." The lizard snarled.

"And you'll obtain resources from some self proclaimed god? Michio are extinct! How do you know this Gideon is even real!" Crisette wasn't backing down despite negotiations having come to blades. It was high time Celeste intervene.

"Attend me Ross." She spoke to her champion, both Ross and Celeste made their way to the first of what would be numerous problems across Neovia. "Neo Citadel is not the place to debate the price of water Grand Scale." She made sure to emphasize his title, serpents like it when you made notice of their status. The Rhak had truly fallen far, what would a serpent have need of clothes and furs for?

"There is a self proclaimed god to the east. A Michio by all accounts. He claims to give anyone free resources to those who worship him. You all have been robbing us blind this entire time. I demand a full refund of all of our services!" Other witnesses looked aghast at the accusations. Why was Celeste always last to learn about the latest tragedy? Celeste tried her best at smoothing things over, but Neovia in all it's culture was a breeding ground for conflict.

"The price paid was agreed upon in the Neovian Accords Grand Scale-"

"Forget the accords!" Shouted the Grand Scale. The silence was deafening. All around Celeste nobles of all kinds were receiving messages from their attendees. Try as they might to cover their lips, the queen of ulum could hear their words. Neovia is cash broke, the michio have returned to save us, our creators or gods have returned, abandon neovia.

"The Rhak will have no more stake in this petty alliance. We will be seeing what this Michio has to offer, even if he does prove false. Of course The Great Destroyer is no where to be found to put these claims to rest. And I'm stuck talking with fis-"

A slur interrupted. Crisette had a blade at the throat of the grand scale. "Crisette leave him. We must go vist these Michio, and treat with them, and welcome them back to the surface." There was a lump in the back of Celeste's throat, a fear that she wouldn't make it back alive from meeting these michio.

[Atra Luminoso]

Atra was indeed gone. Through the vast network of shadows did he travel. It was like it was a child making his way underneath a blanket with only intuition to guide him. One moment he was in a forest, the next he was beneath the wings of some great beast, the next he was on a river bank but finally he emerged outside this Citadel's walls a place he ascertained as the origin of these tremors. He stood atop a neighboring hill overlooking a mighty stream that served at this place's natural defenses. There was pure naten pulsing through the architecture of these buildings. Technology he only thought was available in Arcturus. The largest structure was a shimmering beacon, that seem to drink in Vescrutia's suns and thereby power the rest of the city. Atra didn't see any armies, any military defenses, and he didn't sense any barriers. It was as if this place in all it's majesty was simply open to the public. So, he figured he would walk right into the door. This citadel was on the very edge of Neovia lands recently claimed and, conquered, he best greet it's new ruler.

Atra vanished again and appeared outside the gargantuan walls. The cool winds off the river caressed his neck making his hairs stand on edge. Everything about this place felt... right and that scared him, terrified him. That his body was reconciling this, newly constructed metropolis as something natural when it was far from it.

"Scour the entirety of the city. I want to know everything."

He whispered to no one at all. But if you look close his shadow almost appeared to nod and vanish from his person despite it being the early afternoon. Atra put his hand over his brownand gazed into the beacon of light atop the tallest tower, he could almost see someone inside. Someone of brown skin, white hair and... red eyes, the eyes of demons. This proclaimed Michio was either trying to antagonize Kham, or antagonize anyone close to him and provoke a reaction. The Great Destroyer was very sensitive about his family. But where was he? Where was T'ajsa, The Prodigy of Genesis?

He had half a mind to just intrude on whoever was at the top of the power. But something in his gut told him to go about this the proper, diplomatic way. Atra's head snapped down to the gates. They were beginning to pry open.

[Michio Tribe]

"Oh, fun. I already have my first diplomatic meeting." Gideon giggled. His beautiful chocolate body was floating in the beacon in an almost gelatinous coagulate that mimicked both vescrutias suns. Attending him were maidens, man-servants, of all kinds. They all longed to be near him, it was as if nourishment and spiritual sustenance was pouring off of Gideon into their souls. Gideon floated a little higher to gaze down upon just who was at his door. He didn't feel his person tread upon Vescrutia's flesh, caving in the dirt with his heels, or queering the flow of her winds. No, this person simply appeared. He was almost invisible to his most unique sight. "A faerie of light and shadow, you don't see that every day. Weren't they an omen back in our day Ma'eel? He called out to his sister who was still meticulously reshaping her section of Neovia as she saw fit.

"Oh what was it... if a Lumos fae creeps into your bed, it want's your shadow not your head? Or something? It's been so long. Well, best see him up." Gideon simply fanned his fingers at his attendants and they snapped to attention. He didn't even need speak, it was as if his dominance over them was almost biological. His every need could be anticipated by just a shift in the pheromones' in the air.

What came out to greet Atra were two of the Masai people flying their jet black wings that drunk in the afternoon suns rays. Their beaks clicked and clacked in constant communication with their flock. They appeared very nonthreatening, their skeletal frame wasn't that all or imposing, and they exuded no startling naten pressure.

"Greetings... chirp chip" they spoke in unison. "And who chirp might you be to show up chirp unannounced at the doorstep of our lord?"

[Atra Luminoso]

Atra had goosebumps all over, the hairs of his neck still startled with uncertainty. He didn't know what was coming out of these gates but he couldn't decide if he needed to be prepared for a fight, or be prepared for peace. Kham admitted to Atra that he knew absolutely nothing about his people, and would be the worst example of how to parley with them should they return. But knowing the caliber of fighter, person, soul Kham became to be, wouldn't that be some a Michio would want? Lure their prey into a false sense of security and then pounce with some ridiculous technique? Kham fought like a predator. Was Atra prey? One thing was for sure, he was terribly nervous. When he saw the Masai people, these bird like creatures, he was immediately on his guard. They appeared to be such a peaceful, unassuming, fowl with jetblack beaks, ebony feathers that drank in the sun light. They clothed themselves in an insignia. They wore a brooch with a purple gem, and branches jutting out of it. Is that their way of interpreting the majesty that is a Michio? Atra's mind was racing, he needed someone to share the load. It was then, he began to stand up straighter, taller, more dignified when his sentient shadow Des'Noir reconnected with his being. He always got a surge of confidence after Des'Noir and he reunited especially after they were gone a lot larger than normal.

Tell me everything

Atra said to... well.. himself. In a way. His brain began to instantly reconcile his assumptions with the evidence Des'Noir gathered. The Masai people, according to Des'Noir were living in a utopia for their species. Atra had to see it for himself. So Des'Noir and he switched places, they were better with negotiations than he anyway. He always remembered, to be cautious separating from his shadow for so long, if he were to die, Des'Noir would be free, and what he's capable of should never be unleashed again.

"I'm Atra Luminoso, Destati Illuminati of the Neo-Nightmare." Des'Noir was much better at negotiations, Atra had given him free reign to interrogate these peculiar birds, now that Des'Noir knew almost everything about them, or at least what they chose to show. They believe Michio Gideon is their God. That he always has been, and they live only to sing his praises with song. These birds are certainly Elvs but where did they come from? And why so sudden? Des'Noir couldn't answer any of these questions, he just knew he and ZK mapped all of the land. These birds looked closely familiar to a species of Raven that used to be here, a lot smaller and a lot less intelligent only a few weeks ago. They weren't hostile, so he didn't need to be.

"Of whom is your lord? And how can I speak with him. Pardon for showing up unannounced."

They didn't expect to be waiting for a bow, so Atra kept his head level with each of them. The shadows of the Masai people were exposed. If this Gideon had any knowledge of Atra's unique traits, he didn't seem to be making any affective fighters.

[Michio Tribe]

The Masai gravitated toward Atra's lustrous and dignified appearance, it was rare anything came this far east toward where they lived, proud and free behind the walls of their citadel worshiping the return of their lord. They clicked their beaks and whistled in joy for the opportunity to tell anyone about the glorious return of The Breaker Second, Michio Gideon. They were no larger than a barrel of ale so not anything unusual considering the planet we're on.



"The pleasure is ours... chirp chirp chirp... our lord, master, god, and creator, is Michio Gideon, The Breaker Second master of the Nova Cosmic. We eagerly anticipated his return and nowchirp chirp chirp he has. As promised for our loyalty he chirp chirp chirp has brought heaven here on earth. PRAISES BE TO MICHIO GIDEON MAY WE DWELL WITH HIM IN MASIALA FOR EVER!

They sung praises of their Lord's return at the top of their lungs. They were just so happy to be able to share the stories with someone.

[Atra Luminoso]

Des'Noir couldn't help but take a step back, synchronizing himself with the shadow of things often unveiled ones true nature, and these creatures were so incredibly sincere in their communication, and so religiously dignified in their worship of the Michio he dare not harm them lest he invoke the wrath of their God. Considering how old Kham was, dating back to the days of prehistoric vescrutia, how long were ancient amoeba, bacteria, fungi, and other organisms simply waited for the Michio to return and reclaim this planet for their own fucked up design?! Could Kham do this? Simply compel entire swaths of land to worship him like a King? It certainly wasn't that way in Arcturus despite numerous amounts of people having respect for him. But was that an affect Michio just had on people? Atra rejoined Des'Noir and immediately shared these heavy emotions with him giving him a shot in the arm of confidence. Their unique version of reconnaissance had a bit of a delayed download. Cross could more efficiently scan the layout of an entire city if she needed to.

"It's true, their are even statues of this Michio Gideon in their cities. They used to carve calendar dates of his return into the bark of their tress obsessively, they even drew artwork of his eventual return. All they do is worship him, and they live in complete peace and harmony with the land around them. Something is either very right, or horribly wrong."

I'm scared.

Des'Noir whispered.

"Me too."

Atra replied. By that time the Masai were done praising their God, Atra decided to take this as far as he could before his life was at stake. It was just the nature of his resolve from being in Weapon X. You get what you came for, Atra needed more information. Maybe an assessment of Gideons abilities. He'd been in some of the most perilous situations running with The Great Destroyer, if only he could get in touch with him somehow.

"Can you take us to your lord? We would love to meet him. You all live so peacefully with the land, your song is only harmonious with the plants and animals out side of your walls." That much was true. As far as he could tell, everything seemed okay here. Maybe michio gideon was a nice guy. Atra was keeping an open mind.

[Michio Tribe]

"Our lord chirp chirp Gideon chirp chirp is our light chirp chirpand our Sun chirp chirp, we'll take youchirp chirp to his tower chirp chirp he greets everchirp chirp yone!"

The Masai people began to scoop Atra in their arms and fly up toward the top of the tower where Gideon reside. Atras assessment of their relationship to their lord Gideon was nothing but correct. He was their fated God to return after eras upon eras of waiting and scratching on the bark of these trees. They had spent millinea sharpening, honing and galvanizing their purpose, to life people up to see their lord. So ascend into the clouds they did, high into the sky until they brought Atra before their master Gideon atop a sea of clouds in the sky. There Gideon was bathing in an orb the size of the sun, in a light so palatable yet unblinding to one's gaze. He floated among servants of all type longing to enter his presence but could only fall prostrate in this molten orb of a sun. Anyone who wished to witness Gideon had to withstand his most piercing gaze all else would simply fall at his feet.

"Hello Fairy Boy" Gideons lips didn't move as he floated, soaked, and reveled in this orb of concentrated Naten which drank in radiation from the Sun and, from the looks of things fed off the worship of these people. His voice felt like silk and honey, falling off of a whisper onto Atra's ears. Gideon was a beautiful creature, the sum of all creation manifested perfectly in Atra's image.

"Did you know, that back in your day, your people were akin to fireflies? Appearing in our most dire hour providing healing for our wounded during the second Astral year? But the latter half of the year you became a ravenous pestilence that fed off the shadows of any living thing. You were a creature of omen. What sort of messages do you bring to me Jaeger Luminoso?" Gideon's voice warmed Atra up and down, from crown to toe. His stewards, man-servants and concubines all clamored over him but they could do nothing but simply fall at his feet. "I did not sense your approach. Typical of the insect nature of your species. And you've completely freed yourself from your skeletal structure yet still cling to the aesthetic of those pestilential horns. Your historic intangibility was thought... problematic in the past, we considered extinction after the horsemen were repelled. But it's no matter now. Tell me you come on more hospitable business. I'd hate for things to come to blows between us. Your people did our people a great service in wars past."

[Atra Luminoso]

"Does he speak truth?"

Atra muttered under his breath to Des'Noir. His connection could reach back in the past to the battles the Michio spoke of, before Atra could even wonder, he already knew the answer.

Yes...

He swallowed his breath while basking in Gideons... godliness?

"What do we know about him?"

He had encountered cultures of this sort before in his travels, there were plenty of elvs who simply worshiped the Primodial Scholars and built their culture under their protection. The Lila Maya, the amazons of the Neo-Nightmare also had a goddess of sorts, the Illusion of Play is what they called it. It made them ruthless negotiators.

There is no record.

"What? How?"

Atra was confused, Des'Noir could tell him everything about anything his shadows or others connected to in the past, or sometimes the future. How was there no record of this man stepping on a leaf?

There is no record.

"Damn."

There they go, being dumb. It only happened a few times when Atra fought the horsemen and their minions in arcturus. Despite people he trusted telling him the horsemen attacked before, the jaeger luminoso didn't maintain any nether-tether about him. Did they find some way to erase their past purposefully? How could Gideon manifest, of all this, in instants? His mind recalled a point in time, when an adversary of Khams created a haven for brigands, vagabonds all in a corner of his mind. Was he facing power on that level now?

"Lord Gideon, The Breaker Second, Master of the Nova Cosmic... thank you for receiving me on sudden notice. I'm happy to admit that it is indeed a greeting of peace and prosperity. We've been researching the Masai people and their unique architecture for some time, myself, and Michio Kham, Michio T'ajsa wanted to be here to welcome you. But I'm afraid they're away at other matters. Apocalypse and all that."

When you had information, you were pretty much psychic , Des'Noir echoed Savaj's quote into Atra's skull. The brief time they worked together Atra obtained the sum of her abilities, and her shadow. He couldn't draw out it's psychic power, there was something there, something bestial he didn't want to take along with it. But he did deduce that leverage of information, knowing something about your opponent that your opponent does not know can cause them to reveal bits about themselves that puts you at the advantaage. Atra used this all the time at court. He was becoming very good at it. If he failed, then he would know Gideon had some of enhanced cognition, which was usually the case for types of this class.

There was something about Gideon that Atra absolutely hated. It was a certain amount of vanity that basked off of his skin. If this was his first impression of the Michio then it was most certainly a negative one. He was a symbol of hedonism, self centered, egoic majesty that Atra couldn't wait to shatter. But he did admit, that the Masai people, were just worshiping the return of their god. There was nothing wrong with that. And from what he could sense, Atra was not being attacked on any levels he could detect.