EPILOGUE.

Vera Tarawyn Pendragon opened her eyes, her milky unseeing eyes staring fearfully into nothingness. At her age, she rarely ever dreamt or had visions, usually falling into a dreamless sleep on contact with her plush pillows.

Tears streamed down her face as she remembered the vision/ nightmare/ horror that woke her up, her fragile body lay unmoving under the sheets. Terror wracked through her ancient form as she lost control of her bowels.

She needed to warn her great grandson, calamity had come to Zomyr and no one was safe.

For a moment, bitterness nearly overwhelmed her as she thought of the power she once enjoyed. When she was at the peak of her arcane might, perhaps this new threat would not be so obscured from her sight.

All the effort spent to extend her life, forcing some obscure cultivation technique that promised to increase her powers of divination, forcing all sorts of strange and nauseous alchemy potions from the east down her throat, all done with the express intention of extending her life.

But she knew better. Underneath the false concern for her great grandson tried to portray to the world, the truth of his greed and ambition could not be hidden from her. Her abilities, merely a means to his end, were too unique and vital to the Pendragon rulership to be lost by something as mundane as death.

She had become nothing more than a tool to be used by her family. Each generation since her own husband had decided to trap her in this tower just for speaking the truth, using her ability to divine the future to strengthen their grip on the people and consolidate their vicious and near tyrannical rule. Most had even forgotten her true origins as Terawyn, once revered holy queen of Carelon.

First her own husband, then her son, grandson and now great grandson.

If Uther ever found out that his only daughter had the gift and that hers was so powerful that it crippled her middling cultivation, her own usefulness would be at an end. He thought the young girl a failure, unable to become an essence user in any way. Terawyn prayed he remained ignorant of young Eowyn’s gifts lest they share the same fate

He already suspected her of hiding and even obscuring the truth of her visions and there was a recent influx of diviners from other kingdoms that he's contracted to confirm some of her visions. Clearly he no longer trusted her.

And he shouldn’t. Because Terawyn, once Holy Queen, now frail bed ridden invalid, would bring down this false pendragon dynasty. And her new vision had finally shown her the right tool to achieve her plot.

But she didn't care one whit for herself, she needed to protect Uther’s young daughter, also named Terrawyn, another false attempt to garner favor with the masses by honoring her. She had to make sure that he never discovers her gift for as long as possible, even if she has to cling on to life like Fell ghoul for a thousand years.

But this new vision was different, it has been a long time since she'd had a seeing so strong.

But the results were inescapable. The end, it's coming. And for the sake of her precious descendant, she had to warn the entire kingdom.

She didn't know if it would be enough, when even the gods were not safe. She was just so tired, clinging to life was taking everything she had.

Soon sleep began to leach at her consciousness and her thoughts began to dim.

Maybe it won't be so bad If everything ended, maybe that's what was needed.

Even though she had been bedridden for nearly a century, her ability and her position as a royal had allowed her to be privy to true workings of the first pillar.

So much injustice, pain and suffering. She did not know the objectives of the Godsbane and right now he was far too weak to be much of a threat to Uther. While she had plans to pit Uther against the Godsbane, she was reluctant to see that monster rise and the horrors that would follow in any way. If there was even a hint of truth in visions, then that she was playing a dangerous game not just with the future of her precious namesake, but all of the first pillar

Just the thought of her recent visions made her whimper in fear. But her path was already set and nothing short of death would stop the events she was about to set in motion.

No, she couldn't allow herself to give in to fear, to give in to lethargy and apathy.

She needed to use him to protect her precious pearl.

Summoning all her will to command her deteriorating body, she slowly stretched out a frail withered hand to grasp the rope connected to a bell next to her bed.

A prim maid rushed into the room to attend to her needs.

She stood by the bed and bowed in false deference, the little bitch didn’t fully try to hide her disgust at the dying old woman she was taking care of, "Your Highness, how may I assist you."

She wanted to scream that she had no time for this nonsense when some fool had brought a monster to rival all monsters into Zomyr. She needed to set her plans in motion.

But all that came out was a croak.

The pretty young fool huffed in exasperation, and paused for a few moments, before setting out to do her job. It took the silly girl a few moments to get over her disgust and contempt for the old woman. Before remembering protocol and picking up the small talisman next to the bed that served as a mind bridge.

"How may I serve you, your holiness," while her words sounded properly servile, Terawyn’s ability as a diviner allowed her to pick up so much more information even from a simple mind bridge. She could rifle through the mind of this young fool, flood her with horrors and nightmares.

But now temporarily free from the constraints of her body, Terawyn settled for only screaming in ominous warning. You have to warn them all , the end is coming, he's coming. Nothing and no one is safe. He must be found and stopped before he becomes too powerful for even the gods to contain.

Hearing this scrambled rush of words, the maid's eyes widened and now remembering her true job; spy on the old crone for her visions, rushed to find the chamberlain to inform him of the contents of this new vision.

Terawyn watched the young spy leave the room in a rush to report to her true masters. She was so tired, if only she still had her gift, perhaps she would have been able to do more, see more.

But there was no use dwelling on regrets. She had to do everything to save her pearl, no matter the cost.

*******************

Deep within the depths of his divine domain, Lord Nan cackled as he spun his karmic threads to better scry and manipulate the web of fate, he looked at a single thread that seemed seemingly innocuous from all the others around it, while he itched to pull events along that particular path, he stayed his hand. Events were already moving as foretold.

Or as foretold by him, the god laughed in glee at the idea of being able to pull events in his favor. One of the perks of being a god.

But regardless of his divine status, he had to act carefully, knew what could happen if he pushed events too far, nothing was safe, all the old limits were about to be undone, and change was coming to Zomyr.

The other divine's, especially the starbound, filled with self importance and unable to appreciate the truths hidden in the portents, will more than likely ignore the signs and only see a pawn where they should see a threat. At least, until it was too late.

And this arrogance built on a false sense of power will be their end. Either the battle amongst themselves in an attempt to gain access to the power he represents or they set themselves in his path in an attempt to oppose him.

Regardless, the results will be the same.

Chaos, complete and absolute chaos.

And where there is chaos, there is opportunity. Opportunity for an overlooked god to rise and claim center stage in the divine space.

If Lord Nan could grin with his spider-like face, he would have.

He liked William, he really did.

But he had his own goals and objectives and they supersede any regard he had for the stubborn human. His future ascension, and his revenge against the starbound was just too important.

So with great reluctance and a silent apology to the problems he was about to heap on his new favourite human, he did what he had to do and of course sent dreams and visions to every sensitive diviner within range of William’s general location, with various visions of horrors and portents to move events along.

Just because he had to refrain from directly manipulating William, did not mean he couldn't do so tangentially or through proxies.

The Church of light will be in an uproar when they receive news of this new potential power house that has arrived on the first pillar.

Worse, when they discover his dark blood origins, the fear and horror would be greatly amplified.

Their fear and disgust of the dark and any association with it would cause them to immediately antagonize him.

Their fear and prejudice will seal their fate far more than anything he could ever possibly do.

Lord Nan swore vehemently, the time of reckoning was near. Either the starbound would destroy him or true to his nature, he would end them.

But Kwaku Ananse has never been afraid of endings. Sometimes to make something new, something better, you had to burn down the old. His massive body buzzed in anticipation as he resumed his spinning.

His first pawn had already been unleashed, the frail mortal female would immediately inform her devious scion of her new vision, leading to a set of events that would spur William further on his path.

As much as the young man desperately seeks to reach the surface, he may come to regret this desire once he does.

But first, he has to survive what the demon mistress next had in store for him.

******************

In an unknown place, full of forgotten things, somewhere tangential to Zomyr, but having no true substance, the watchers watched, and watched and watched.

And watched.

316 fumed in anger, unable to contain his rage and stood up. His bulk and aura trying to fill the entire space.

But the others ignored him and continued doing what they did best, watching.

"I'm tired of watching, all we ever do is watch this mad world.

112 adjusted his glasses on his nose and turned to face 316 with a composed look on his face.

"What else are we supposed to do, we have no true substance, no form, all we can do is bank everything on 1's obscure promise to the collective, all we can do is wait for the right one.

316 was roused to anger by this deadpan reply and was about to give 112 a piece of his mind when a bright light flashes behind him.

626 had returned.

Sending the presence of their compatriot, the two turned to face the new arrival and so did all the other watchers.

316 stepped closer to 626, trying to get him to spill all he knew by invading his space.

"So what happened, did you find him, is he the one?"

112 already knew what was going to happen next, it wasn't like this was the first beatdown 316 was receiving at the hands of 626.

Yet like a stubborn mule, he still kept coming back for more.

But to the rest of the watchers' surprise, 626 moved his incorporeal facial muscles in a fashion none of them had ever seen before.

He smiled.

"Yes, he is the one we are waiting for, the one who will set us all free."

316 clearly anticipating a fight or a beatdown was floored by his opponent’s response.

His forceful presence lost steam as he tried to sort the mixed feelings that this news had spurred within him.

The other watchers were clearly doing the same.

All except for the group led by 99.

But that was alright, no one gave a damn about those assholes.

Soon 626 was surrounded by watchers, and not even 99's group could resist coming closer.

123 cleared his throat and asked in his usual debonair voice, what's he like, his cultivation rank and his affinity.

But 626 shook his head, "none of that matters, because he has a resonant core."

112 was about to put forth a counter argument when he stopped himself. The others were also struck silent as their minds tried to process this news.

This time it was 99 himself that spoke up, "impossible 626, you must be imagining things. A law bound cultivator could not possibly wield the mysterious resonant core, much less a mere mortal. Surely your trips through the spectral must be affecting your cohesion. Maybe it is time for another to take up your mantle in the guidance of the one"

If 626 teeth had any true substance, he would have grit them in frustration. 99 has been angling for his job for as long as he has known him and although he had yet to discern his motives, something told him to impede him in this endeavor, no matter the cost.

"Regardless, the truth is undeniable, he wields the resonant core. As he grows in power you will be able to confirm this yourselves."

The watchers were clearly agitated, never has one with such potential been discovered, it had to be the one.

"So how do we handle this? If he is able to wield the resonant core at the mortal level, what would happen if he reaches the higher ranks. If he ever reaches the spirit rank, or gains a path, will Zomyr be safe? Where in all The Realms would be safe from such a monster," 2; the oldest amongst their number said.

626 tried to take a deep breath, but was forced to once again remind himself that he had no lungs, and thus, had no need for air. If all goes according to plan, maybe he would be able to change this for himself and his brothers.

He cleared his throat to get the others attention and said, "for now, we must cease surveillance of a other alternates and focus on the one, we must expend our efforts to diverting the gaze of the divines from him before he is ready and we must try to curb his strength when it grows beyond what even Zomyr may tolerate"

"But nothing is set in stone, and karma is a fluid force. He might yet be destroyed, falter on the path of cultivation or fail to achieve our objectives. All we must do is watch and intervene only when the time is right.

All the others nodded, except for 99 and his posse, who sneered in response, “that is where you and I disagree 626, now is not the time for watching, we must act now to guide this new potential on the proper path, not just for our sake put for his own protection. Potential such as this cannot be left to chance.”

626 narrowed his eyes, suspicious of 99’s interest in this new potential one.

He would need to keep an eye on him and his lackeys to ensure that their only hope was not jeopardized before they could all gain their freedom. But 99 was right about one thing, nothing could be left to chance, and the truth was that nothing was. Higher forces than their august assembly could hope to discern were at play, and all they could do was stay out of the way, provide information where necessary and watch as they’ve always done since time immemorial. Chaos had come to Zomyr, and not even the gods were safe from his wrath.