[Ridan 14, 0100 A.R., Aquea]
[Axtonian Ziggurat, Myrkish Empire of Aegiot]
[Noxamir]
Galen stiffened as if he had sensed something was off earning a curious look from Revan and Uriel as they walked through a dry and sandy wasteland.
"Are you having a stroke or something?" Revan said with a scowl, the last few days had been somewhat exhausting as he had spent most of the time not carrying Galen's bags was also Galen himself who was having a massive hangover and was too exhausted to carry on forcing him to carry him as well.
"It's nothing, but it's sweet of you to care," He said teasingly as he gave a gentle pat on Revan's shoulder earning a glare from him. "No need to glare, we're almost there so you don't have to carry my stuff around."
Revan looked to Uriah who simply smiled and gave him a reassuring smile.
"This way," Galen said as they pushed onwards. The three of them pushed onwards climbing atop a steep hill, but as Revan neared the peak of that hill he was quickly given a beautiful yet melancholic sight.
Within the shifting sands of Noxamir lies a massive city that from the distance resembled that of a traditional Ziggurat from what he had seen in real life pictures from it. But this one was half-sunken into the earth as if it had fallen into a state of disarray and that they could have easily chosen to restore it but there was something about its desolation that made it...beautiful like it was meant to suffer this fate and it accepted it.
Unlike the Winterhaven Castle that was once beautiful but was marred by years of disrepair nor the Monastery of Storm's Fist that remained a beautiful sight. The Axtonian Ziggurat could have been a beautiful place to see and yet despite its almost tragic state it had made it even more beautiful.
"Like the view?" Galen smirked at him as he and Uriah then slid down the hill with Revan following after him.
The interior of the Ziggurat as well as perhaps even more impressive, while it lacked any form of defence against any invasion force, the interior was a melancholic sight. Much like how the Ziggurat on the outside looked as if it was half-sunken into the land and left to decay, the interior shows a different story.
Upon entering you would be greeted with a long yet decaying mosaic floor detailing the life of Saint Axton Duskwarden, though it should be noted that some of the mosaic artworks that explain it have been shattered or faded away adding more into the mystery of what he was in life.
But within that massive hall also can be found small mudbrick homes that were carefully built along the hall and yet their placement looked so organic that one might think these homes were part of the Ziggurat's initial structure.
"Where are the walls and defences?" Revan asked as he, Uriah and Galen enter. He noticed upon entering the two proceeded to kowtow before the entrance, he decided to follow what they did as a way of not only showing his respect to the Saint but to also learn more.
"There aren't any," Galen said with a shrug as he stood up not bothering to dust himself off much as Uriah did.
"This is hallowed ground," Uriah added as he helped Revan as he still carried Galen's bags. "Having the Axtonian Ziggurat be fitted with walls or weapons is tantamount to heresy."
"This place is indeed sacred that even renovating and restoring it to its former glory is something to be considered of an insult," Galen nodded as he led the way walking further into the Temple City and along the way he earned the looks of the people.
"It's Blackguard Galen!" One of them shouted excitedly causing many to look at their direction even more.
"Blackguard Galen has returned from his travels!" Another announced as the three of them made their way to the Center as a crowd was waiting for them. Not long afterwards the three of them were then greeted by an approaching group of Disciples dressed in ceremonial garb.
"We welcome your return oh Holy Blackguard!" The Disciples shouted in unison as they all knelt on the ground before him.
"Still don't believe me?" Galen smirked at Revan who simply rolled his eyes in annoyance. He walked past them and then extended his arms proudly like a celebrity.
"Followers of Saint Axton Duskwarden!" Galen said proudly with a smug smirk as he shot a glance at Revan. "I have returned! With a new Disciple who has proven himself to be capable of becoming my apprentice!"
Immediately the crowd had burst into cheers causing Revan to glance at Uriah.
"Is this drunk for real?" He mouthed to Uriah.
"Very." He said with an amused smile.
[Transcendence Volume 2: Awakening]
[Ridan 15, 0100 A.R., Khyonia]
"I'm back," Mori Branwen arrived at the Axtonian Ziggurat with a satisfied smile on Her face, she was a Foxtail woman in her late teens. Her black and light orange hair was done in a braided bun, and while she had unique red eyes her right one had an eyepatch worn over it all the while wearing an outfit which was a mix of her Hierophant Armor that was given to her by Galen and her Transcendent Dawn Noxamir Branch Leader clothes.
"Welcome Back Lady Branwen," She was greeted by her usual entourage of Servants, among them was a fellow Hierophant named Erebus. "How was your meeting with the other Transcendent Dawn Branch Leaders?"
"It's not...as good as I thought," Mori shook her head in confusion as they made their way through the main hall as he offered her a drink for her travels. Thanks to Galen's efforts the relationship between the Aegiot Empire and the local Transcendent Dawn Branch had flourished well and as a way to broker peace between both sides, the Branch Leader herself became a disciple of Axton.
Which was a surprise given how both sides were essentially consisted of Fanatic Cultists.
"The Throndrheim Branch still hasn't recovered from the Day the stars fell causing many of the members there, including the Branch Leader, to go missing." Mori sighed as she slung her Ultramace over her shoulder. "And then there's the fact many refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of Lady Eos Frei as the Branch Leader of Shivangard.
"Wasn't she the younger sister of the main Leader?" Erebus asked in confusion, thanks to the joining of both sides the interests of the Transcendent Dawn has become the interests of the Aegiot Empire.
"Yes!" Mori said in frustration raising her tone as a result. "She may lack the body proportions that her sister boasted but she is very much a beauty of her own, and it wasn't for her efforts they wouldn't have been noticed–"
Erebus simply gave her weary smile, he had known that Mori was very much passionate towards her feelings for her Religion and their leaders as such this was a common thing to occur. Though recently he had noticed that she would also share similar sentiments towards Axton and Galen as well.
"–and I refuse to forgive Revan Winterwood himself! Who is the worst offender towards Lady Eos!" Mori said she had recently learned that Eos herself had developed feelings towards someone but had rejected her feelings in favour of travelling instead. When news of this rejection had spread, many of the followers offered to begin a witch hunt towards this man named Revan Winterwood only for Eos herself to declare that he is not worthy of hunting down.
But that did not stop many other Followers who found the idea of rejecting her affections a heretical idea and thus believed that the only solution was to kill this man.
"Come to think of it," Erebus said giving her a drink to quench her dry threat from such a long rant. "What happened to that hunt anyway?"
"He was last seen wandering in Throndrheim with a Lyrken Woman whom he manipulated into becoming his personal slave but with The Day the Stars Fell incident that has become a lesser priority," She said as she gripped her Ultramace in mild frustration as they made their way towards Galen's estate for her next mission. "But if ever see him I'll--"
Her words were cut short as they stopped and saw Revan who had finally finished cleaning up Revan's home with a sigh.
"—kill you!" He heard a woman's voice run towards his direction, he then spotted Mori running towards him with a massive Mace in her hands her eyes filled with the intent of Murder. As he wasn't armed with Icetalon he was forced to roll to the side as a massive Mace was slammed into the ground shattering the Mosaic on the ground.
"Hey isn't this place supposed to be a no fighting zone!" Revan said in surprise as he dodged another wide swing from Mori.
"Silence you absolute trash!" Mori said angrily as she repeatedly swung her mace at him. "Be grateful that I am giving you the honour of dying by my Mace, you aren't even worthy to die using the Magic of the Duskwarden for your actions."
"You have no proof that it was me who did that!" Revan said in a panic as he equipped Icetalon. "As far as I know those corpses were already half-eaten!"
"Those crimes mean nothing for your crimes towards me are for spurning the affections of the younger sister of our glorious leader!" Mori shouted at him, upon saying that his look of confusion was then replaced with that with disappointment.
"Oh great, you're from that crazy cult aren't you?" Revan said as he unequipped Icetalon in disappointment, he sighed as he walked past her. But the moment he turned his back on her Mori immediately raised her Ultramace once more and swung.
But midswing it was stopped by a Galen who suddenly appeared between them who was very much suffering from a painful hangover.
"Good grief you guys are noisy..." Galen said with a yawn, this caused Revan to look at him in surprise and Mori to quickly pull her Ultramace away in horror from what she had done.
"Galen-sama!" Mori backed away and knelt before him. "Forgive me for nearly crushing you with my Ultramace I--"
"Apology accepted," He said rolling his eyes he looked at Revan and pointed to Mori. "Revan meet Mori Branwen–" he then looked at Mori mid-sentence and then pointed to Revan. "–Mori meet Revan Winterwood, now that you're here I need you to two to come with me Uriah is probably ready anyway."
"Wait I must ask why is he here?" Mori said growing confused at the ordeal.
"Huh? Oh right, he's going to be initiated as a Disciple so he'll be taking the Cocytus Trials now," Galen said walking away leaving a shocked Mori and an annoyed Revan as he made his way up to the summit.
"Just so you know, I'm just as infuriated as you are for different reasons," Revan said in a low voice as she stood there with her mouth hung open in surprise.
[Transcendence Volume 2: Awakening]
Revan and Mori followed Galen to the summit of the Temple City which showed a degrading statue of Saint Axton, in contrast to the other statues of him found across Noxamir, this one had lost its right arm and the midsection had a massive hole into it further across the summit was a massive pair of broken doorways.
"Cheerful place," Revan commented in a low voice with Mori following behind him alongside Erebus. "It's ready Master Galen," Uriah said with a not at both him and Erebus. Upon cue, the doorway began to glow in an ominous dark purple that resonated with the tattoos on his body.
Meanwhile from the corner of his eye, he spotted Galen's body began to glow with similar markings on his body, the same applied for Erebus but for Mori's case only her right eye began to glow similarly and compared to the others she had a slightly pained look when it happened.
"Hey BKR get over here," Galen said giving him a mildly sinister smile gesturing him to come towards him, while the acronym of Galen's nickname of him irked him, Revan still walked towards Galen.
"What is it this time OBK?" Revan said giving him an acronym of his nickname.
"Okay here's what's going to happen," Galen said wrapping his arm around Revan, while at the same time sensing a glare from Mori as well. "You're going to hell, and if you die you fail. Okay?"
"What? Why am I going to hell?" Revan said growing confused.
"Because."
"Am I going to grab something and bring it back?"
"Nope."
"Then why am I going to hell?"
"Just....get in there," Galen said grabbing him by the shoulders and threw him into the doorway to his surprise.
"You son of a–!" Revan shouted at him as he was cut off mid-sentence as his eyesight began to darken.
[Cocytus Depth 1 – Miro]
"–bitch!" Revan shouted angrily as he got up covered waist-deep into snowy field midday, his first thought was that he was in Shivangard again with the snow and all and yet he was instantly proven wrong when he saw a planet that resembled that of Earth from the distance.
"When I see him I will not hesitate to stab on sight," Revan said angrily as he clenched his fists.
"Getting angry over that won't solve your current predicament you know," He heard a voice behind him, he quickly turned to find a young Aquilan woman dressed in Royal Shivangardian Clothing all the while she's leaning on Icetalon as she sat atop a throne made of Ice.
"Though I'll admit that I'm surprised to see that you're a lot more volatile than I thought," She said standing up and walking towards him as she sheathed the sword in her waist. "But still it's nice to finally meet the man who slaughtered me."
"Wait you're...Anastaia?"
[Transcendence Volume 2: Awakening]
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