《Beginning Of Reality》Chapter VIII: The Lie Unfolded
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The Four warriors deliberated on what their next action would be. They did not know what they were going to do now that Deitus had been defeated, their path seemed to fork in an infinite number of ways. They had went back and forth with ideas for several hours until Reality interrupted them. Reality said, "I think the best course of action is to take the fight to them." The Four, save Atlas, looked at Reality with confusion for a moment. Wrecker said, "How can we go to them if we do not know how?" Atlas said, "You do. Deitus had the power to freely go to and from this plane. We each now share in that power. Shunnereth as well had this power. We can easily do this, save for Reality, unless he has a trick up his sleeve that we do not know about that is." The Four looked at Reality waiting for a response.
Reality looked at Atlas, and they both knew the truth. Reality did know that Atlas would not expose such a rash idea unless faced with no other choice. Reality sighed and said, "You are right Wrecker, I would not be able to go with you, unless, one of you can give me some of Deitus's power." Revian asked, "How would we do that?" Reality said, "It is a risky thing to do but it will work." Atlas said, "No." The Three and Reality looked at him, concerned. Krium asked, "No? What do you mean no Atlas?" Atlas said, "The travel takes more than just a sliver of power. It requires the full knowledge, that is unless one of you wants to appear within a wall or a mountain. This is no simple task, and it falls on one of us."
Revian said, "You mean to say that we are not capable of doing it. You would go alone?" Atlas said, "Yes, I did it before, I will do it again. Unless of course, Reality has a way to get around this situation completely..." Atlas now started to prod Reality for the truth, knowing this Reality said, "There may be a way around it but we do not have time to argue about this issue Atlas. You Four will all go, and once you have a stable presence there you will come back and I will show you how to take me along with you."
Atlas became annoyed with Reality deflecting His attempts to get the truth out. Atlas tried for the final time, "It is nigh impossible for them to know where they are going to end up Reality. Do you want this entire mission to be destroyed over this issue. There is another way, I feel as though you know what it is and you do not want to tell us. Is there? Or is risking this entire things success over a gamble the only way?" Atlas said this last sentence hoping that Reality would once again avoid revealing the truth. Atlas wanted to make Reality tell the truth, and if He would not do it willingly, Atlas would force Him to reveal it.
Reality started to get aggrivated at Atlas for trying to force His hand on telling the truth, but it was not the time. Reality asked, "Can any of you search the memories of Deitus and find another way to get us there? Yes my way is a gamble but if it is the only way, then we must act on it." Revian, Krium and Wrecker searched into the deepest parts of their mind where the presence of Deitus found itself resting. They searched through the memories of the god of death but found they would be there for quite a while. Atlas turned around and walked to the rim of the crater once again, Reality followed Him.
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Once they reached the top Atlas said, "Why do you refuse to tell them the truth?" Reality said, "I am doing the right thing here Atlas. The less they know now the better once we reach the true villians." Atlas turned to face Reality and said, "Bullshit. We have power enough to deal with whatever they throw at us, but you, you need to tell the truth here and now." Reality gave a sort of chuckle and asked, "What truth would you have me tell then?" Atlas said, "You tell me, Carnatus." Reality lowered His gaze from Atlas, even though He knew Atlas would figure out the truth with enough pieces put together but it still caught Him off guard.
Reality said, "Fine. Yes it is true I am Carnatus, is that what you wanted? I was not banished from this plane against my will, I was banished from the one which we will go shortly. I did get banished from here but that was part of my plan, my plan of revenge." Atlas said, "The others may not be able to piece together the truth, mainly because they were never your pawns before. Was this part of the plan? Being so careless as to not hide yourself better? Deitus could have said more but I decided I had enough of that fake god. You must be careful where you go from here or you risk tearing this team apart. Let it not be a repeat of the first Five shall we. Either way this turns out will be fine with me, but know, next time I face you like I did all them eons ago, I will not lose."
Reality was taken back by the brashness of Atlas. The first time they met Reality challenged Atlas to show His power. At that time Reality was stronger than Atlas, but now, even Reality questioned his chances in a fight with Atlas. Reality said, "Can you just play along for a little while longer, enough time for them to find my portal device?" Atlas said, "I found it the first time I went there, I was confused on the devices purpose but once Deitus was consumed I know what it is, and you still look similar to what you used to. So telling the others to search the memories of Deitus was risky. That is why I took the liberty of excluding all of those memories, so only I know the truth. You can thank me later, and you will tell them once we reach the other side. I am itching to see what Deitus did to enhance my power, and I'm guessing you do not want to be the punching bag."
Atlas walked back down into the crater leaving Reality standing alone. Reality looked over the vast landscape and He searched His mind to see what it looked like before, not before it was destroyed but rather before it was created. His mind grew dark as He was transffered deep into His memories. He came upon when He and the others first arrived here, arrived to create a new world in which had a despicable purpose. He was thrust into the memory....
....Reality stood on an ethereal ground that He conjured. His companions stood around Him, one saying, "We have finally done it Brothers, this is where our power will grow." Another said, "Yes. We will create a new realm, one which will feed our strength and make us unstoppable." Reality said, "We will take over our world with this, we must tell no one of our secret however." The all too familiar voice of Deitus said, "Indeed, we must not. At least not until our power outshines all others, including the Old Council." They all began to laugh, the sound of five voices went out across the literal nothingness, no echoe of their laughs returned.
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Reality opened His eyes and looked down into the crater at the Four. His thoughts turned to fears, fears that His plan would be ruined if He was not more careful. He noticed the Four all talking about something so He made His way down to them, to hear what they were talking about. Once He was there Wrecker said, "So there is a portal device? Atlas are you sure?" Atlas said, "Yes." Revian asked, "But why can none of the rest of us see it through Deitus's memories?" Atlas said, "Because we split His power between us. We each got pieces, and it would seem I got all the pieces that we need, its a shame. I saw this device as well on my little incursion earlier, it is in a large courtyard and I would wager to guess that they used it before they had enough power to do it without the help of a device."
Krium asked, "So what is our next move, Reality?" Realiy said, "Go there, use this device in any way you can, and we will bring the fight to them." Wrecker said, "But Atlas is the only one who knows where it is." Reality said, "Yes, He is..." Reality turned to Atlas and continued, "...You are the only one who can find it and activate it. You are the most capable here to do so, you have a certain intuition about you that allows you to figure things out no others will." Atlas said, "I have been alive for far longer than the rest of them so it would only make sense, also I have seen more of the universe then they have. I will go, I will activate this device, and we will start one hell of a fight."
The Five of them walked out of the crater, Reality told Revian, Krium, and Wrecker to wait at the rim of the crater as He and Atlas kept walking. Once they were far enough away Reality said, "I do not care what you do while you are there, just get that portal open, I will take them back to the city, and maybe we will end up precisely where the portal opens." Atlas said, "I will do this, but before we enter your true realm, you will tell the others the truth." Reality said nothing and walked back to the Three waiting. He turned to face Atlas, gave him a nod, and Atlas was enveloped it in ethereal energy. Atlas sent out a shockwave of light and dissapeared from the realm, Reality knew He had reached His intended goal.
Reality said, "Come along, we will go back into the city and wait for Atlas there." Reality led the Three to a courtyard. This courtyard had an extremely ornat central structure, or at least it used to. Reality said once they reached it, "This used to be the sight of a statue much like the one we found earlier. I had always thought it out of place but I think one of the civilizations before had built it to worship the gods, it is the center of our city. I told Atlas we would meet Him here once He got back, then we could figure out where the portal opened. Revian asked, "Could He not have told us where the portal would open?" Reality said, "Yes but He does not need to. Look closer at the structure in front of you, the carvings within it. It would seem that after all my years, I finally understand what this is, and why it was built. It is, or at least I hope my suspicions are correct, where the portal will open at."
Atlas appeared in an open field before the walls of an immense city built of ethereal light and stone. He looked upon the city, at first with awe, then with disgust. This city reminded Him of the tower where The Five had first taken Him in, and the same tower He tore down in defiance. He began to make His way towards the city when He was approached by heavily armed soldiers. These soldiers wore a vast array of armours but each shared the same appearences. The armour was a deep metallic green that seemed to shine with ethereal light, the accents of the armour were gilded, and the gold burned almost like a fire. Atlas liked the fiery apparition of the gold accents and all together, the armours themselves.
It would seem that the soldiers that wore the armour were not people, not people He knew or even had seen before. These beings were just that, beings. The plane He found himself within was not like any other before, and this being the second time He was here, it made His eyes open so much wider than previously. One of the soldiers said in a godly, near omnicient and echoing voice, "State your business here." Atlas said, "I wish to speak to those in charge, I have some news for them." Atlas had a plan in mind, this plan was a very risky one. He however hated to be lied to, as in His past, that happened all too many times.
The soldier said, "Who are you to see them?" Atlas said, "I know what Carnatus's plan is, now will you take me to them, or shall I weave a destructive path and tell them as they call for mercy under my boot?" The soldier laughed and said, "One who is so bold to assume that they could overpower our rulers. We will take you to where you wish arrogant one. What shall we call you?" Atlas said, "I am Atlas, and that is all you will know of me." The soldiers led Atlas to the front gates of the city. Atlas had to strain His neck to look near the top of the gate as it was unbelievably massive, and He had seen nothing of this scale before.
As Atlas was led through the streets of the massive city He noticed that it was set up with several concentric circles, like a giant bullseye if looked at from above. At the center of the city was a tower, this tower was the same green and gold that the armours Atlas had noticed earlier were made of. The buildings He walked past were only made of the green metal but still shone ethereal light. The beings He looked at were much the same as the soldiers, beings of pure ethereal light. These beigns looked at Him with slight fear, but also a curiosity that plauged all living things. The soldiers led Atlas to a transit system of some sort, very akin to the one which they used to travel to the other city in the realm He had left His allies in.
This railway was made of light, and the same green metal was the train on which they traveled. Atlas looked out to the city as the transport smoothly started to move towards the tower. Atlas thought to himself, 'Of all this built, why would any yearn for more.' Atlas then laughed and remembered. He remembered who He used to be, and who He still was. He always yearned for more power, power to do what He pleased with no one to control Him. Where was He now however? He was once again a pawn in a plan that was not His own, a destiny that was not His and a fate that He could control.
Atlas made a decision, a decision to find out just why Reality, whose true name was Carnatus, is so hated by the others. He would find out the truth, careless of what the consequences would bring as He felt as though the power He now possessed would suffice in the event things turned violent. His thoughts were interrupted when the transport slowly came to a stop at their destination. The same guard that spoke earlier said, "Let us see just how much you know. You may think you are ready but you have no idea what they are capable of." Atlas gave a sly smirk under His helmet and said back, "You have no idea what I am capable of." The guards led Him to the front of the tower, there was no main door but rather a device much the same of a portcullis.
This portcullis was nearly a hundred feet wide and several hundred tall, there was no visible gate that sat within however. Atlas looked over to the other far side of the tower which was barely within view and He could see a gate sitting inside an identical opening like the one He was walking through. Atlas used His helmets hyperadvanced construction to show the gate up close through magnification and He was filled with awe. The gate was only made of light, pure light. This light was different in some way however, a way that He was not able to explain. It was so different than anything He had ever seen before but that was not why He was here. He focused His mind on the task at hand, finding out the truth.
The guards led Him to a large open platform, one that reminded Him of the one in the Tower of the Five that He previously had seen. His memories were more correct than He thought as it indeed was the same type of platform, an elevator to the top. As it traveled to the top it was far smoother of a ride than the one at the Tower of the Five, not as fast either. He said to Himself, 'Reality could not even create a different type of elevator. It seems that He was preparing me for more than I knew of at the time, cheeky bastard.' Atlas moved His gaze upwards, and even with straining His neck He could not see the top.
Noticing this one of the guards, a different one than before, said, "Does this tower amaze you?" Atlas turned to the guard and said, "Not really, I saw one like this a long time ago. Just like that one, the ones that sat atop it underestimated me, and that was there last mistake." The first guard that had spoken before said, "What was their first mistake?" Atlas laughed and said, "They tried to control me, let us hope that the ones who sit atop this one do not make the same mistakes." A very long time passed with no words being spoken after that short conversation and Atlas cleared His mind, preparing Himself for the confrontation that would come once He reached the top.
The elevator slowly began to reach the top and the guards prepared to continue on leading Atlas towards His ultimate objective, The Old Gods. Once the platform reached the top of its long and slow journey it swiftly and effortlessly eased into a stop. The guards started to walk off of the platform, developing a smirk and laughing a little. Once the guards stepped off of the platform the first of the guards that confronted Atlas said, "You will stay on that platform, your ride has not stopped." He started to laugh and Atlas braced Himself for anything that might happen next but to His surprise the platform only began to slowly move upwards once again.
Atlas slowly untensed Himself but as soon as He did so the platform shot upwards at an insane speed. Atlas tried hard to catch His balance which He managed to do so, laughing to Himself as His footing was once again steady. Suddenly without warning the walls around the platform stopped following it upwards. Atlas walked to the edge and noticed it was because the platform shot out of the top of the tower and continued going up, far into the sky. This gave Atlas a moment to study His surroundings, and find where the device He came searching for resided. He quickly found the courtyard in which the device sat, and it was by far the largest in the city, it would be easy to fin it once again.
The entire city was made of the same green metal but each ring of the city glowed with a different ethereal light. These lights were of many different colors, and many of which Atlas did not know the name of because they were not colors where He came from. The different rings of the city, five in total including the very center, were clearly marked for what role they played within the society, the roads and streets all glowed the same color and He found that when He would eventually be making His way through the city it would not actually be that difficult. the entire landscape around the city was just a swirling mass of ethereal light, all the colors, and the ones Atlas could not name swirled all around.
The city appeared to be the only thing that was here, nothing could He see in the distance, nothing at all. He looked up and saw that the clouds, or what He called clouds were much the same etheral blender. However theses clouds had larger chunks of the light, and the colors swirled in a vastly lower amount. He began to move up through the clouds, light, and colors. When He came out of the top of them all He saw was a vast sea of color and light, and this truly was a beautiful sight to see. Nothing He had ever came across before could compare to what sat all around Him. He turned and looked towards yet another large green structure that He was hurtling towards, this He assumed, was the castle and home of The Old Gods.
Atlas arrived at the apex of this land, at the very top, the nexus for all the power that swirled around Him. He saw a set of magnificent stairs, these stairs instead of the same green metal that He saw through His journey to this place, was a fiery gold. The stairs climbed up to a set of thrones, five in total, but only three were occupied. Atlas began to walk towards the thrones, and as He started up the stairs a voice echoed out over the vast room, "You have come a long way to die." Atlas said back, "I have come to find the truth about your friend, Carnatus." Sounds of disgust filled the room and another voice said, "He is no friend of ours, who are you that dares speak the name of the Banished One?" Atlas reached the top of the stairs and said, "I am a creation of His, the only purpose of which is to destroy. I am here because His plan of revenge Has brought me, and several others. I wish to know why He wants revenge, and then I will go."
The source of the first voice stood and said, "You are a speck in our eyes, and you are an abhorrent creation of a power that was misused and one that almost destroyed us." Atlas asked, "To whom do I owe the pleasure of meeting, I wish to know the ones I have been plunged into war with unknowingly." The farthest left throne held no one, the next, who was the one standing said, "I am Balitus, I am responsible for the light that runs through our mighty city." The middle throne was also empty and seemed to hum with an evil sense to it. The being in the next throne slowly stood and said, "I am Ethecist, I keep this plane in harmony with the one we have built, the one you had us destroy prematurely." The next one stood from their throne and said, "I am Atrius, I am the warmaster here, and you have wondered to your death."
Atlas saw the last throne and assumed it was Deitus's. Atlas said, "I would assume that the last throne would be that of Deitus, the one who controls life and death." Balitus said, "That assumption would be correct, how do you know His name?" Atlas removed His helmet, revealing His face, and He gave a sly smile then said, "Because I am the one that killed Him. Which is why I am here. When He said the name Carnatus, I pieced together many pieces from my past, and seeing this place, and the reocurrence of many things, I began to realize who Carnatus was. I believe that I am once again a pawn to His plans, I do not want to be any longer."
Atrius started to move towards Atlas in anger but was stopped by Ethecist who asked, "What powers do you wield that allowed one such as you to slay Deitus?" Atlas said, "I was created by Carnatus for one purpose, to have control over life and death, It was I and I alone, that killed Deitus. I took His power, and used it to enhance my own further. I feel that I may be on the wrong side of things after my recent revelations. Can you tell me what Carnatus did that was so terrible?" Balitus sat back on His throne in silence for a moment. When He chose the words He wanted to He said, "We will tell you everything."
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