Deus Ex Machina [draft]

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Humans have this fixation with simplicity, as if the universe and all of its workings evolved toward something getting more and more refined and elegant and clear at every turn. Beauty and simplicity were almost synonymous on terra, earth, Midgard. But they also believe they value complexity, so they add in these frivolities to their characters to give them depth, make them real, and try to escape that simplicity that had become synonymous with fake - because in real life it really was just that simple. Black and White. The most simple thing that humanity came up with was a three letter word, sometimes seven, god. What a wondrous creation, god could explain everything complex and make it completely and utterly simple. It was beautiful, or it would be if they had gotten it right. Because if all it took to be a god was a morality that allowed you to lean on the good more than the bad and eternal life then anyone could fit the bill.

There are gods in this world, goddesses too. Not on earth, but they exist. Good people. Not people, not human, but good nonetheless. Valaz was not one of them. But that didn't matter because there were others that could fill that role, ones more suited to it, predisposition, fated. And that made him laugh, because the universe was not simple or good or even beautiful, he would know, he had seen it after all.

Blinking in the low light he threw his gaze around the room. High ceilings meant to replicate the sky more than buildings, he was wearing a glamour but it wasn't as if any face he could wear was truly his. He didn't change skins often, satisfied with the one that he had, but it wasn't his any more than any other. There was a word for creatures like him – parasite, but he was far removed from the tiny bugs that earned the name.

The guards here weren't trusted with the care of many artifacts, he didn't blame the organization for that. Despite the fact that they claimed wherever they conquered lost none of their heritage, only their right to their own rule, they were still elitist enough to not want some planets to keep their own treasures safe. The brother who governed this part of the universe wasn't exactly known to be caring, none of the siblings who were alive were, the fight for the throne between the heirs was still raging. They had taken over almost every planet by now and though the planets weren't touched by the infighting it was going on all the same.

When the guards turned the bend he made his move towards the glass case. He set his hands on the sides, fingers splayed out, and tested the barriers. His smile spread upwards to reveal the pointed teeth of this form. Whoever they were they obviously didn't quite realize how the feathers worked. Focusing he remembered the words to the spell and then they were outside their container. Grabbing them and tucking them into his shirt.

Then he ran, teleporting immediately back to his ship wasn't an option since he hadn't wanted anyone else to be able to so he used magic to assist him in practically flying down the halls before the guards shouted when they realized their priceless relic had been lost.

His eyes took a second to adjust to the harsh light of this solar system's sun, distant as it was. Taking more care for stealth than speed as he made his way back to the ship he began slipping through buildings of the citadel, dropping the glamour to his usual form. Once he got to the forest he bolted through the trees his eyes shot up above to see the previous rays of sunlight blocked out by masses of metal. He tried to go faster but they touched down before he could make his ship.

Now there was a large mass of machinery, no doubt with personnel inside armed with guns drawn over a small bunch of feathers tucked away in some part of his leathers, encircling him. Sketching a bow, a smile appeared on his face just as the sweat trickled down his back. No nervous habits to betray him he began to open his mouth, already readying his magic. But it didn't matter. Before a mass of energy manifested in his hands he was instead using it across his arms as a body fell from the sky, leaving a small crater in its wake and causing a huge cloud of dust to billow up, buffeting against his shields. Tentatively he stretched his magic out to sense for the presence of something, and it recoiled against the sheer amount of power agglomerating before it. His hands shook and he stared up towards the masses of machines gathered there, but all of their attention had been refocused. Before they had long to wonder just exactly what had fallen out of the sky they began to shatter. The sound of wires popping, metal screeching, and pilots frantically trying to release rounds as if there was any hope shrilled through the air. His shields reformed around him with half a thought and he didn't release them until, improbably, there was movement before him.