Erlking

The Arbiter had called the World Lords to a meeting. A few weeks had elapsed since Benjamin and Jade closed the rift, and they needed to discuss the situation. He looked around the manifested conference room, the Arbiter certainly took his human persona seriously. The World Lords who had already arrived were seated at high backed leather chairs, around a long and finely crafted wooden table.

“Well, where is he?” The stone grinding voice of Granite boomed out, “Where is this trumped up human soul who presumes to name himself a World Lord? Is he too good to show up at our meetings? It’s bad enough that self-named ‘Queen’ Illyria and her flunkies didn’t show.” He wasn’t seated in a chair, his avatar’s bulk wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he sat on the floor like a discarded pile of rocks.

“He didn’t presume anything, Granite.” The Arbiter replied from the head of the table, “I named him World Lord. And he has been excused from active service, until he can settle his emotions.” He answered the annoying rock pile, without ever glancing up from his clipboard.

“Oh, and did you cut his connection to the multiverse while you were at it? How much good will he be to us, if he can’t seal the rifts anymore?” Granite continued, unabashed.

The Erlking had wondered about that as well, the essence gained from created worlds was impressive, but it wasn’t capable of manipulating the fabric of reality. That was why they needed the human souls after all. The Creator had taken that ability away when they became World Lords.

“I didn’t revoke his connection to creation, because he didn’t obtain his world seed in the same manner the rest of you did. I have watched the events in great detail, many times, and Benjamin didn’t understand what he was doing or what he had.” The Arbiter said, putting his clipboard aside at last and adjusting his jacket.

“In any case, Granite, you should be happy. Benjamin Vryce now has access to the power of creation, and the power of his world. It will take him long years to adjust, but he will undoubtedly become a key asset in the fight against corruption.”

The Erlking, for his part, was elated. He could understand Granite’s fears, but didn’t share them. Granted, he knew some things the rest of the World Lords didn’t. He knew, that the universe had been sealed away from the rest of creation, and sent adrift into the chaos. He also knew that Benjamin had access not only to the essence of creation and the world seed, but also the essence of chaos as well. If anyone could save the universe from its inevitable destruction, it was going to be him.

It was just a shame that he was so young. The loss of his soul bonded companions had hit him hard. He had locked himself away inside his void space, working on a project the Erlking suspected would prove impossible. He wouldn’t stop him however, the soul had done several impossible things since entering his worlds.

He half listened to the Arbiter while he got the meeting underway. The other half of his concentration was on his worlds, and his champions. The Morrigan was seated beside him, but before being called here she had been leading the defense against the court of seven. His fellow World Lord wasn’t suited to the machinations and schemes that he himself favored, but she was a terror on the battlefield. Benjamin and Jade reminded him a little of when they had been younger.

Thinking of ages past, reminded him of his other champion. Jade was in a coma, her mind and soul unable to integrate the stone guardian and the chaotic essence as effectively as Benjamin. From what he gathered, she was improving, she just needed time to adjust. Perhaps Benjamin could even help her transition, once he’d had a chance to grieve.

He tuned back into the meeting, not that there was much new to discuss. There were only six entities in attendance. The Arbiter who headed the table, himself and Morrigan on his right side and Specter and Shipwright on his left. The hulking form of Granite sprawled out on the far end of the room from the Arbiter.

“…When we arrived at the new nebula, I discovered that there was a rift at its center.” Specter was saying. “I’ve called for some of my older children to come assist, but until they arrive I’m afraid the best we can do is hold the line. My souls aren’t strong enough yet, to fight their way to the rift alone.”

Now, that he believed, Specter hadn’t bothered with training at all. Instead, she had taken her charges on a holiday. She had begun taking the threat more seriously at least, when she found the tear in open space. He looked at her avatar as she spoke, she had improved it quite a bit. From the skeletal form wrapped in a dirty cloak, that bled essence with every movement. This new attempt was better, but she still looked like a human ghost.

“There is one soul in particular, Annice. She worried me at first but once we started engaging the invaders…” He tuned her out again as she talked about one of her charges. She was treating the human souls under her care more like pets than assets.

“That’s all well and good, Specter.” Shipwright interrupted in his mechanical voice, waiving his tentacles around for emphases. “I’ve got another rift opening up on my core station. Frank is a wonderful boy and with the help from Morrigan’s two champions, they have nearly sealed the rift on my ship, but they can’t be in two places at once.”

“On your core station?” the Erlking asked. He understood the other World Lords anxiety, his core station was the first world he had formed from a world seed. Just as the Hive world had been the first world the Erlking had grown. The Hive world wasn’t critical to the war effort, nor was it particularly well designed. What it was, however; was his first world, and he had been unwilling to watch it be consumed.

“I will try to get Benjamin and Jade active again soon, and send them to you.” He said, after taking a few moments to think. “Arbiter, I know your initial ruling on how we can utilize the human souls…but…if I could send the holdouts to Morrigan on the front lines. Perhaps real combat experience would get them to finally understand the stakes.”

“HA HA, send them to me, upstart. I don’t have any holdouts left, only real warriors.” Granite rumbled.

“No, you don’t do you Granite,” the Arbiter interjected. “Nearly every one of your charges preferred to die then face your training. Their souls now line my vault, awaiting the chance of rebirth.”

“And what are the chances of that? There hasn’t been a new soul born into this universe since the Creator abandoned us.” The pile of boulders snorted, the sound akin to an avalanche.

The Arbiter just stared at the World Lord for long moments, waiting until he was finished laughing before he spoke.

“The odds might be higher than you think, Granite.” Turning to the Erlking he continued, “That is actually the reason I called you all here today. Due to recent…developments…I have decided to seek out my counterpart in this universe. I will be out of communication for some time, and leave the souls to your best judgment.”

The room fell silent at that proclamation. The Arbiter was leaving? What could have happened to drive him to that? The Erlking knew, or at least suspected, that it had something to do with Vryce. The rift, the invader’s patterns, the fact that they were all now locked in this sinking ship of a universe. For the Arbiter to leave however, was it even worse than he knew?

“What do you mean, your counterpart?” Granite asked, the first to break the silence. “Do you mean the Watcher? The entity the Creator assigned to the universe at its creation? He left ages ago, we haven’t seen him since the Creator severed our connection to the multiverse.”

The Arbiter picked up his clipboard and flipped through a few pages, nodding his head after a time.

“Ah, yes. The Watcher, I see now. Yes, Granite that is who I am referring to. But you are incorrect about one thing. The Creator bound him to this universe. If you haven’t seen him, it is because he has been in seclusion. But I assure you, the entity is here, somewhere, and I plan to find him.”

The World Lords seated around the table began to murmur quietly to each other at this latest revelation. The Watcher was still in the universe, it had been ages since he had been seen. The news changed the Erlking’s plans. He would have to reevaluate everything, again, two beings with the Arbiters level of power. Perhaps, they could be persuaded to take on a more active role against the invasion.

Not only that, but they were being given free rein over the souls. What had happened with Benjamin must have truly rattled the Arbiter. The Erlking’s mind began to whir, shifting mental pieces around an imaginary board. His champions had been out of the action for weeks, he could afford to give Benjamin a little more time, but soon he would need to get back into the fight.

The barrier around the Hive world had been reinforced with Benjamin’s strange weaving. Even a million years wouldn’t weaken it. It was only one world in an ocean of them however, if the universe was to survive they had to strengthen them all.

The Creator might have given them the dregs of one world, and the failed protector of another. Locking them all in this burning house before throwing away the key. The Erlking didn’t care anymore, there was still hope for the future, if they were willing to fight for it. He could give Benjamin the time he needed. Soon enough, the Erlking was going to put him to work.