Moyo watched calmly as a pathway opened up within his room, Josh twitching just a little, positioning himself in case he needed to act, Moyo held back a smile, aware that if Tania decided to act, the leader of his Shieldborne wouldn’t even see her twitch before he was nothing but paste on the ground. Idris however stood to the other side of Moyo, bowing a fraction as the vice leader of the dragon brigade stepped into his room.

Clad in black attire that looked oddly like spandex, her hair tied up behind her with a piece of living red flame-like thread, her eyes glowed red and her physique literally oozed power. Once upon a time, Moyo would had quivered under her gaze, now though, he had been through to much to twitch at her entrance, Josh however shivered despite how much he tried to hide it. Moyo flexed his aspect a little, impressing his power down on her, restricting her aspect in turn. Tania nodded to him in respect, Moyo nodding back,

“Lady Tania” he said in greeting,

“Lord titan blade” she replied formally,

Moyo noted the brigade general that entered along with her, wearing a round red colored glass over his shaven head, dark skinned like he was and two blades crossed at his back, arms folded. Idris and this general assessed themselves as Moyo paid no attention to the man who was a ruler,

“To what do I owe this meeting?” he asked,

“You know as well as I do what this meeting is about” she replied,

“Oh?” he asked,

“You attempted to break an oath to the archailect, now, while I could care less on a normal day and let you experience the consequences for yourself, I am under strict orders by Xerxes to ensure our more…. palatable allies, do not come to harm” she grounded out,

“And where is Xerxes?, rumors are he and the other harbingers are not with the forces going into the maelstrom Moyo said,

“Official archailect and brigade business, nothing to bother yourself about” Tania replied with a less than believable smile,

Moyo stared for a few seconds,

“I do not believe it necessary again for me to be held under oath about something I created, don’t you think?” he said,

Tania snorted,

“And you thought the best way to resolve it was to break the oath?” she asked,

The man behind her chuckled, Tania whipping her head in shock as Moyo flicked his eyes to the ruler, considering if he should reveal just a fraction of his strength to the ruler who seemed not to realize just how wide the gap was between the both of them. She snarled at him in frustration, the general composing himself again, Moyo raising one finger,

“Idris” he said softly,

All eyes turned to the champion of the titan who dissipated the blade within his hands, folding it back, Tania sighed,

“This isn’t how this conversation was meant to go, we’re better allies than this Moyo” she said,

Moyo nodded,

“True, but then again, the brigade has always treated me with suspicion, haven’t they?” he replied,

Tania eyed him,

“Because nothing about you seems to make sense, your rate of ascension not to talk of its bizarre nature, the way you draw allies to yourself, the way it seems the very archailect itself seems to break its rules just to favor you” she said,

Moyo shrugged,

“I’ve only ever done things through hardwork and a bit of luck.

“You call a standing order coming down from our supreme being to ensure your safety in whatever capacity we could a bit of luck?” she asked raising an eyebrow,

“What did you do to draw that sort of attention?” she continued,

“Beats me, must be my dazzling personality” he replied as she snorted,

Snapping her fingers, a scroll appeared in her hands, Moyo felt the oath he made about the Aserite shiver within him,

“Is that?” he asked,

“Ascender, master and pseudo primordial Moyosore titan blade” she started as the general behind her gave a startled gasp,

Moyo had no idea his pseudo primordial status was still hidden to some of the powerful beings of the archailect, even one of the brigade’s generals again,

“Due to your strict adherence to the terms listed below on this oath, and your selfless servitude to the archailect and its wellbeing, you are hereby released of this oath to freely use your metal known as Aserite to the best of your discretion” she said,

A loud gong echoed,

Notice: you have been released of your soul oath to create and use as much of your Aserite as you desire!

Moyo flexed his core,

“Well, that was a relief, any reason why you’re so benevolent?” he asked,

Tania pointed one finger upwards,

“Order from above, however, I don’t need to remind you what a new and powerful metal could do if released into the market of the archailect, do i?” she warned,

“I’m not stupid” he simply replied,

The moment the powers of the archailect realized there was a metal stronger than mithril and within the same rank if not a little stronger than Divinium, it could spark a madness that could boil down to a war if he wasn’t careful. He had no plans of giving it out anyways, he couldn’t afford to be seen picking sides anyways. Tania nodded,

“No, you’re not” she said,

“That concludes our business here anyways, do you have any questions?” she asked,

“Between me and you, what really is happening in the archailect at large, are we really fighting the true enemy?” he asked,

Tania stared at him for a few seconds,

“We are where we are needed the most, to purge the archailect of the abyssal taint, when we’re done with that, then we can focus on other trivial issues” she replied,

Trivial issues that demanded the attention of all six harbingers and Eses herself?

He nodded though, Tania opening up a pathway again,

“Be safe lord titan blade, we’ll be needing you when we get to that domain of horrors” she said and went through,

The ruler behind her bowed a bit and then went through, the pathway closing up behind them,

“Well, that was tense” Idris observed,

Moyo nodded,

“Something is happening, something they’re trying to hide from the rest of the forces lest they lose a bulk of their powers who would make all haste back to their homes and empires to protect them” Moyo said,

His vault opened, he grabbed a piece of Aserite,

“Get in touch with Martha, let me know how things are going, inform her that I’ll be recalling most of our forces back home, something about this doesn’t sit right with me” he ordered,

Idris nodded, leaving with Josh as Moyo stepped through his vault and into his core realm, sighing as he felt his power buffet him in waves, glancing up as he saw a bright golden sun now within his domain, glowing with power,

Prime aspect and veneration fusing together to create the marvel itself, it burnt with the power of an actual sun, hot and fiery, casting light that warmed and soothed his body. Turning his eyes to his ocean of aspect and Ashe that flowed in the distance, the once ashen and sandy shores of his realm now pulsing with aspect manifested as trees and grass, all purple in color. Making his way across the landscape towards his core forge itself, its doors wide open, forged of pure Aserite itself.

He willed himself to appear next to the mountain, space warping easily as he moved with barely a thought, appearing right in front of the large doors, touching the mountain itself and feeling his edicts made manifest on them, the power of his path running through them in waves of unfathomable power. It would be too much for an average master, that much, he couldn’t deny, and even with his Aserite reinforced body, he realized that if he drew too much, it could damage him on a fundamental level,

“close” he thought to himself,

The moment he ascended to the rank of a ruler, his body would be bathed in the final fires of aether, attuning him completely to the archailect, and when that happened, his core would be neigh infinite and his body able to tap into it continuously, added to the fact that all his attributes would get a massive boost. Stepping into the mountain itself, he stared at the statues of his skills personified, the gleam in their eyes, as if waking to sentience slowly and passed by.

Making his way to his forge, he stared at the forge itself, aflame with fire, the purple crystalline table itself glowing with his aspect while Ashe lit it on fire. He grabbed his hammer, feeling the thrum of his aspect flow through it and smiled, relishing the power, he missed this path of his journey, the forging path. And for once, he thanked the higher powers that be, had he gone through the usual blacksmith methods, he’d probably still only be able to forge weapons of rare and probably legendary types, at least, until he ascended to the rank of a ruler.

He smiled though, feeling the pulse of his power flowing through the entire mountain, connecting to his very being showed him exactly what he wanted, bringing it forth from his very mind in an outline he wanted,

“come” he commanded,

The mithril slag of a spear appeared on his forge table, his Hud responding,

Spear of obliteration(L): this ruined work of art was forged by Lucirion aether blessed, high lord of the jade clan and protector to the Nethervoid and pathways into the archailect. Created with the sole purpose of killing and obliterating creatures of the abyss from existence, it met its end at the battle of the black world, now a useless piece of mithril but still bearing the aspect of the aether blessed.

“Battle of the black world” Moyo muttered amusingly to himself,

It was as catchy as any name he had seen, still though, he grabbed it again and throw it into a pond of aspect next to his forge table, it was the equivalent of lava in his realm, only just saturated with his aspect and congealed Aserite. The moment the mithril touched the liquid, his realm rocked as an intruding force manifested, Moyo calling dominion to his hand,

Notice!: this slag is saturated with the aspect of the aether blessed, his presence still lingers within the metal, access to imbue the metal with your Aserite will be restricted till you either cleanse the aspect of the aether blessed or obtain his permission!

The moment the Hud notification disappeared, blue aspect in the form of essence wafted from the metal, congealing together to create the image of a young man with icy blue eyes, skin glowing blue and runes dancing all over him. Sleek oiled black hair like some high school kid and an imitation of the very spear that had been destroyed in his hand, it stared down at him like a gnat and Moyo felt his aspect roil all around him, crushing down on the being whose eyes widened in shock,

Lucirion aether blessed, or a remnant of his aspect,

Moyo for a brief second wondered if this was what resided within his blade as well, an image of his aspect and strength, however he threw his mind away from that as he watched the phantom wave one hand and the pressure of his realm that had descended to crush the being suddenly vanished. Dominion whistled through the air as Moyo reflexively deflected a stab by the spear that leaked authority, eyes wide at the strength of the force that blasted him backwards.

If this was the strength of a simple phantom image, then how strong was the real deal?,

That thought floated in his head as he shot back towards the phantom, this was his realm, his domain, whatever this aether blessed wielded that allowed him to subvert the laws of his realm, it ended now,

“CRUSH!” he commanded,

Dominion crashed from on high towards the phantom who was forced to block,

“impressive” it said, its voice resonating with pure aether that seemed to dilute his within his realm,

Moyo’s eyes went wide as it spoke, titan body and mantle locked in place as he threw a punch deflecting another hit of the spear, grabbing the aether blessed whose eyes went wide at what it felt,

Esu’s Hunger(M) 800 – 1000:

Channeling the insatiable hunger of the trickster deity Esu, this skill empowers the titan with relentless ability to siphon a portion of a foe’s essence and steal a vital portion of their very being. As the ascender's level increases, the siphoning effect becomes more potent, capable of stealing even from rulers and beyond.

Moyo felt his core shudder as he stole something so profound within the phantom of the aether blessed, the prime aspect in the sky flared bright for a second, its burning light bathing the both of them as his body trembled.

Notice!: Esu's hunger has stolen a vital aspect of the aspect of the aether blessed!,

Moyo closed the Hud immediately, dodging another jab by the aether blessed as he felt his body groan under the power within him. It was fighting two battles at the same time, gritting his teeth as his sight swam, opening sage’s sight to at least aid his movements. He grabbed the phantom again, blasting forwards towards the ocean in the distance, roaring as the phantom buckled against him, releasing pulse after pulse of power that shot straight past his mantle and titan body to reverberate within him.

Groaning despite the agony, the two fighters crashed into his sea of aspect and Ashe, within there, Moyo felt the pressure lesson and gathered his authority and aspect and spoke, within this sea of his power, he was the monster,

“OBLITERATE!” he commanded,

The phantom of the aether blessed waved its hand again to disperse the attack, no doubt intending to use the same skill it had used to subvert control of his realm,

It summarily exploded into dust,

Mixing with his sea of Ashe and aspect, Moyo groaned, willing his sea to ferry him to the shore despite the heaviness within his chest. Spilling softly on his shore, he opened his Hud,

Notice!: Esu's hunger has stolen the echo of the skill: Primordial Aether Supremacy, this skill has manifested as its lesser form: Aether Echo

Description: Aether Echo is a diminished yet formidable reflection of Lucirion's Primordial Aether Supremacy. It represents the stolen fragment of his power, seized by the titan blade during a confrontation with his phantom. As an Ancient-level skill, Aether Echo grants the titan blade significant control over aether, though it pales in comparison to the raw might of the Primordial form.

Effect: When Aether Echo is invoked, the titan blade becomes enveloped in wisps of ethereal energy, exhibiting a faint shimmering aura that mirrors the radiant splendor of Lucirion's Aether Ascendancy. Though diminished, the skill still grants you substantial dominion over aether within the reality of the archailect.

Aether Echo allows the titan blade to tap into the energies of aether, providing a level of control over aether-based attacks and defenses. The titan blade gains a heightened resistance to such attacks, enabling him to partially deflect or absorb the impact of aetheric assaults. While not fully immune, you possess a greater resilience than most against aether-based threats.

Additionally, Aether Echo enables the titan blade to manipulate aether to a limited extent. You can conjure localized aetheric disturbances, generating turbulent currents or unleashing focused blasts of aetheric energy. These offensive manifestations carry a fraction of the destructive potential seen in Lucirion's Primordial form but are still formidable in their own right.

Moyo’s mouth opened and closed in an almost comical fish-like manner, eyes wide,

“Is this even legal?” he muttered to himself,

It seemed like Esu's hunger had just reeled in something tremendously powerful, Moyo shivered though, if that skill was just a ghost of the real thing, then how powerful was Lucirion?, supreme control over aether?, who could technically stop him?. The next notification however froze him in his tracks,

Notice!: Digi aye(M) is synchronizing with skill Aether Echo(A), allow fusion?, Y/N?

Moyo summoned a portion of all the legendary aether shards he had within his realm, the glowing golden shards next to him, with a deep breathe that hurt his chest, he chose yes and groaned as the weight within his chest seemed to inflate within him, eyes wide as he held on. The prime aspect within the miniature sun above flared, rays settling on him as his body absorbed it. Then the pressure lessened, Moyo able to breathe slowly,

Notice: skills are fusing!, presence of legendary aether shards noted…calculating…. presence of [????] noted, calculating…. primordial aspect noted, calculating…..fusion complete,

Moyo breathed as his sight tingles, sage’s sight helping him make sense of what he was seeing, his Hud beeping,

Notice!: skills Digi aye and Aether Echo has evolved into skill: Shango’s Resonance(M)!

Shango’s Resonance(M) 800-1000:

Description: Shango's Aether Resonance is the powerful fusion of Digi Aye and Aether Echo, drawing upon the essence of the Yoruba deity of thunder, fire, and divine justice. This skill encompasses the ultimate control over aether, combining the ability to manipulate, deflect, and utilize aetheric energy with the unparalleled dominion over a localized zone.

Effect: When Shango's Aether Resonance is unleashed, the titan blade becomes engulfed in an electrifying aura, crackling with aetheric power. This skill empowers the wielder to exert complete control over aether within their grasp, reflecting the core abilities of Digi Aye while incorporating the enhanced attributes from Aether Echo.

Shango's Aether Resonance allows the titan blade to absorb and manipulate ambient aetheric energy, shaping it for offensive and defensive purposes. You can deflect aether-based attacks effortlessly, using the absorbed energy to redirect or nullify incoming assaults. Additionally, you can unleash concentrated blasts of aetheric force, wielding it as a potent offensive weapon against adversaries.

Moyo was lost for words, staring eyes wide at the skill as a chuckle came from his throat, a chuckle than became a full-blown laughter,

“Lucirion’s going to be pissed” Moyo remarked.