SS [54] Great Serpent failed

Bjorn walked alongside the wagon as they left the Freshwater Market Association. He was keeping a close eye  on Anasuya as they traveled to the Worldspine Gate. She had wanted to see the massive structure since they arrived in Highhall. She was so eager that he had to keep a head focused only on her just to make sure she didn't just fly away. 

The massive structure was captivating, but Anasuya was more excited than he had ever seen her over anything that wasn't food. It was impressive, to say the least.  After all, it was a world wonder for a reason.

They weren't on the main boulevard of the city even so the massive arch was visible over the skyline. They had to make several turns to find roadways large enough for the wagon to travel through. The city was also not level steep inclines and declines were everywhere, the city was built on terraces and the roads had to traverse the elevations. 

Since Bjorn was out and walking around for the first time they got more than their fair share of onlookers. An old dwarf nearly fainted. A child pointed at him while their mother looked on, clearly wanting to pet him. A merchant paused mid-sale to gawk. Town guards eyed him suspiciously until they spotted Soren's Runecrown seal.

“It feels like we are part of a parade.” Tanisha said.

“Well it is not everyday a city sees a hydra walking its streets.” Aurelius said.

“I am a spectacle to behold.” Bjorn hissed.

“How do we know they aren't here to see me?” Tanisha said as she flipped her hair.

“Maybe after you grow four more heads.” Bjorn said.

“I am not going to grow more heads.” Tanisha said. “Am I?”

“I only found out I grew more after losing one. Hopefully we don't find out for you. Decapitation sucks.” Bjorn said.

While one head continued to talk to Tanisha and Aurelius, another head and train of thought was focused on Anasuya. They spoke in the hissing tongue as she lounged on his back. Even so he had three other heads that scanned the streets and people. 

Most people couldn't experience the world through five trains of thought at once. What had once been disorienting now felt natural. Even coming to that conclusion was but one of five thoughts he could have at once.

His tongues flicked. He tasted incense from nearby windows, fresh bread streets away, and the heat of bodies moving through crowded avenues. 

“I can just fly there dad.” Anasuya whined. “This is taking too long.” 

“You can’t just fly anywhere you want in a city. There are rules and unlike me you aren't a familiar.” Bjorn said. “Some people might think you are a wild dragon and try to take you. You don't want to be taken, right?”

“But I'm faster than them.” Anasuya said.

“Faster doesn't mean safer, Little One.” Bjorn said

“But I'm really fast.” Anasuya pleaded her case.

Bjorn chuckled at her confidence. It wasn't a mocking laugh. Anasuya was at least in terms of level stronger than both Tanisha and himself. Levels weren't all there was to strength. She was still only a few months old and her base stats would rise even without leveling up as her body matured. There was also the fact that they usually kept her from combat. 

He did train her lightly when she wanted to rough house but nothing too serious. Maybe that was a mistake. She should fully know how to use her abilities and how to defend herself fully. Especially with the world only getting more dangerous in the years to come. 

“Never underestimate people,” Bjorn said. “Did I ever tell you about the time I was nearly taken away from your auntie?”

“No, when did that happen?” Anasuya questioned.

“I was probably less than a month old when it happened. In fact you are bigger than I was back then. I only had three heads back then. We were in auntie's home country, Yuhia. We were traveling with a group of friends called the Isi. Their home was attacked and we had to go somewhere safe. Then one night someone we thought was a friend betrayed us. His name was Sabec and he tried to kill auntie and many of the Isi. When it happened he took me away.”

“How did you get away?” Anasuya asked.

“Well he put a collar on me which woke me up and connected me to my mother.” Bjorn said.

“Grandma?” Anasuya questioned.

“Yep, grandma. She heard me thanks to my connection to the Infernal Planes. She gave me enough power to break out.” Bjorn said. “But I wasn't myself, she gave me too much power and I lost control.”

“But you were saved?” Anasuya questioned.

Bjorn looked at her for a moment. He didn’t want to tell her the full truth of that night. How maya had twisted him into something terrifying. That wasn’t the point of why he was explaining this. Maybe keeping her from danger was a mistake. Sabec had taken him because nobody thought danger would come that night either. 

“Yes. I was and I went back to Tanisha and saved them too. But I was hurt for a long time because of that night. I am not as powerful as grandmother or grandfather. If something happens to you and you are hurt like I was, I can't do what they did for me.” Bjorn admitted.

“But you are strong.” Anasuya said.

“I will always be here when you need me but you have to do what you can too.” Bjorn said.

Anasuya rested her head down against his back. She then looked up towards the Worldspine gate in the distance, her gaze holding on the structure for several seconds. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“What happened to Sabec?” She asked.

Bjorn glanced at Tanisha briefly.

“Sabec was a bad man, but he escaped from us only to show up later with others he had tricked to come after us. When we found him again Tanisha made sure he couldn't come after us again.” Bjorn said.

“Auntie is powerful!” 

“She is. Is that what you like about her?” Bjorn asked

“Yes but I like auntie because-because she is nice and picks me up and she raised dad and and sometimes she gives me sweet potatoes when you say I can’t have them.”

“She does what?!” Bjorn asked.

Anasuya’s eyes widened for a second before she suddenly found the ground more interesting to look at.

“Nothing.” Anasuya said.

Bjorn looked over to Tanisha on the wagon and he nudged her over with his snout. She let out a surprised yelp. Not of pain of course she was far too durable for that. She looked completely wronged. She couldn’t understand the hissing language between him and Anasuya.

“Bjorn! What was that for?” She asked. 

“You’ve been giving Ana sweet potatoes after I told her no?” Bjorn asked pointedly. 

“I… uh.” Tanisha said hurriedly.

She cleared her throat to come up with something in her defence but words failed her.

Aurelius laughed knowingly.

“Knew you would get caught,” he said.

“Shush you!” Tanisha said, “Bjorn, Big Man, I was just doing my auntly duty and spoiling my baby a little.”

“You’re the reason I can’t get her to go to bed on time!” Bjorn accused.

“I… think I needed to check something in the back really quick.” Tanisha said.

She quickly jumped up and dove into the wagon, closing the leather curtain behind her.  Bjorn just shook his heads. 

“This isn’t over!” Bjorn said.

Aurelius laughed and Bjorn squinted at him.

“You knew.” Bjorn said.

“I don’t get between Tanisha and her niece.” Aurelius said unapologetically. 

“Dad dad, look look how big it is!” Anasuya hissed. “You can see it over this mound.”

“It is called a building. Little One, not a mound.” Bjorn said.

“A very mound shaped building!” She chirped cheerily. “How much longer?”

***

The closer they came to the Worldspine the busier the streets became. Pilgrims, merchants, and tourists all flowed toward the massive arch. Artists sat with easels trying to capture its scale while street vendors sold carved replicas of the monument no larger than a hand. A guide standing atop a crate recited facts about the structure to a cluster of bored children. The Worldspine was not merely a landmark. It was the heart of Highhall, the place where every road eventually led towards. 

The Worldspine gate was a large foursided arch which meant that it was actually not a gate by any means. The structure was what is left of a mountain that used to separate the deadlands from the rest of Isopike. Instead of a tunnel through the mountain they just decided it would be better to just mine out the entire mountain pass. It was the Worldspine mountain range. Now all that remains in this valley is the gate.

Thousands of people moved around the central plaza. Where the mountainous structure loomed over the city. Once they were only a street away from the structure Anasuya stopped responding to Bjorn. She looked unblinkingly at the arch mouth dropped open in vacant admiration. Bjorn stopped walking but she couldn't hold herself back. Her wings opened with a snap and she was in the air rushing towards the massive archway. Bjorn followed her, careful not to run into anyone. 

“Anasuya Scalebound, what are you doing? Get back over here!” Bjorn yelled.

The little girl didn't stop, instead she continued to fly towards the gate faster and faster until Bjorn couldn't keep up with her in these busy streets. 

Bjorn noticed she was not the only one running full sprinting speed towards the arch. All of them looked at the arch with strange fixation. They ran through anyone in the way, knocking over dwarves jumping over mounts and doing whatever they could to get to the monument as soon as possible. Then as soon as she and the others made it to the base of the arch they all bowed

Everyone of them prostrated themselves in unison, all of them silent as they acted. 

A massive tremor that caused everyone in the square to panic.

Maya bubbled up from the ground around the structure as if it was connected directly to the Infernal Planes itself. People rushed away from the Worldspine as the pulses of energy continued to shake the ground. 

“Anasuya!” Bjorn yelled. “What is wrong?”

She was stuck in places looking up at the Worldspine. Her eyes were fully dilated and her breathing was slowed. Bjorn examined the others that had prostrated themselves as he ran toward the monument.

Identify

Name: Faris

Species: Rakshasa

Level: 22

Vocation: Shapeshifter

Identify

Name: Amira

Species: Djinn

Level: 47

Vocation: Maya Law Binder

Identify

Name: Tariq

Species: Belial

Level: 36

Vocation: Emotion Manipulation

There were others as well but one thing Bjorn noticed was that all of them were demons or in Anasuya's case a devil. All of them were completely enraptured by the worldspine. 

Aurelius reached Anasuya before Bjorn, he picked up the small girl before turning back and telling Bjorn to retreat. Only after they were a few dozen yards away did she snap out of whatever strange fixation had overcome her faculties. She shook her head to free herself of the compulsion fully. 

Black lines crisscrossed across the stone of the monument like poisoned veins beneath skin. Bjorn thought they were tricks of the light only to find they were wounds not in stone but reality. Black abyssal maya thick as blood oozed from the cracks in the structure. It fell to the ground but not like liquid, maya flowed, but it had weight on the spirit. The air was choked with the sharp tang of infernal blood.

The other demons knelt down and prostrated themselves before the structure. None of them uttered so much as a single word.

“Daddy.” Anasuya said, small and trembling.

“This was not your fault.” Bjorn said.

A voice shook across the city as the  maya grew so thick that the massive structure looked more like a waterfall of black blood than the arch it was supposed to be.

“A daughter of the Infernal has crossed into the realm of mortals,” The voice bellowed. “Oh, how this realm has changed, how these beings have forgotten their ancient rites. That in itself is a form of worship for He that slumbers beneath the Spine of the World.”

The earthquake that rocked the city intensified as the being spoke.

“Daughter of the malice strikers, son of the poisoners of realms tell this old Devil has a path home opened? Has a gate through The Great Divide been found or created?”

“Dad, I am scared.” Anasuya said as she wriggled free of Aurelius and flew over to him. “I was not a bad girl!”

Anasuya quickly latched herself onto his back where she felt the most comfortable.

“It is okay Ana, stay close okay?” Bjorn said.

At times like this Bjorn split his perception to its maximum between each head. Five trains of thought gathering as much information as he could in a short time. He comforted Anasuya with one, another watched the surrounding for threat, another communicated with Tanisha and Aurelius. Even so there was one that simply watched the monument in awe and terror at what they had just awakened.

“Something is talking.” Bjorn said.

“I don't hear anything.” Tanisha said.

“Me neither,” Aurelius confirmed.

Another True Immortal.

Every True he had encountered had been a catastrophe waiting to happen. His mother threatened to poison an entire realm. Riots wanted to devour him. Apophis was tearing holes through reality in pursuit of them.

Now a devil slept beneath a mountain. 

Around them the city screamed, buildings groaned under the constant earthquake. The only reason they had not toppled is because of the thousands of enchantments all across the city. Glowing runes pulsed across every street, every wall and every building's frame. People panicked, more demons fell to their knees and supplication each of them transfixed on the bleeding monument that held an entity that could apparently influence their minds. 

“What is going on?!” Soren questioned.

“Bjorn?” Tanisha said, worried. “Who are you talking to?”

“We need to start moving.” Aurelius said. “The city is going to start collapsing at this rate.”

Bjorn understood that only he and Anasuya could likely hear the creature. It singled them out because they were also True. He didn't know if answering was the right choice but doing nothing would kill everyone in the city. He had a choice so he chose. His main head faced the gate and with a roar he answered.

“No, The Great Serpent tried and failed.” Bjorn said.

There was a pregnant silence that followed and no one knew what that silence would deliver.

“Even the Great Serpent failed? He always lacked patience.” The True said his voice trailed with listless sorrow. “Six of us became five. Five became seven. The world turns still. Brood of Poison. Hatchling of the Malice Striker. You have gained the ire of the avatar of a dead Immortal. This world is cold. Sól is silent.”

“What are you talking about?” Bjorn asked.

“I gaze upon the world’s secrets, young hydra. I read the flow of all things. Far north the throne of Sól is empty. His people call out his name knowing not what horrors they will obtain. For what was once a throne long since  became a place of eternal pain. His people build palaces in the sky. Not knowing they walk on bones of a prison. Now fools seek to open the locks.”

“Far north and floating palaces?” Bjorn muttered to himself. “No… you don’t mean The Force Isles do you?”

The being beneath the worldspine was silent for a moment.

“Destiny weaves itself around you strangely. A soul torn between lives.” The Devil stated. “Be wary of he who tries to weave fate. Fear those that worship the false throne of Sól. Should you all find a way home remember he who sleeps beneath the Worldspine. Remember the Devil below the mountains. Remember B̸̪̍E̵͚̹͛Ḽ̷̞́P̵̹̲͘H̴̲̩̿Ë̷̝̩Ġ̵̦̗͐Ợ̶͝Ṛ̶̾.”

Identify

Name: B̸̪̍E̵͚̹͛Ḽ̷̞́P̵̹̲͘H̴̲̩̿Ë̷̝̩Ġ̵̦̗͐Ợ̶͝Ṛ̶̾

Species: True Immortal

Level: N/A

Vocation: N/A

The world shuddered as the pulses of maya receded into the ground. Demons that found themself prostrate on the ground rose stiff and confused. Dwarves cautiously opened windows and peeked outside doors. The Worldspine Gate which had been white marble and stone was now black and forever changed.