Part IX: The Father (End of Obsidian, First Scene)
Corley took his seat in the small conference room. It certainly wasn't the most well-designed room, as it was hastily added on to Castle Helgarde during the last year. In order to keep the Evening Prayer Group from noticing this development, it was actually built beneath the ruins, sealed of by a locked hatchway and a steel door. Corley pulled the lever beside him, sealing himself in along with the only other being in the room: a visiting thaumateurge.
The surrounding him were five stone slabs, and to the casual observer the purpose of these constructions would be a complete mystery. But at a signal from his master, the thaumateurge began making arcane motions with his hands, channeling his energies into the slabs. The stones began to glow slightly, indicating to Corley that the conference was to begin.
"Good evening. How are things with everyone?" he began.
"I trust that you did not arrange all of this simply to exchange pleasantries, Father," responded a voice from one of the slabs. The voice was strong and articulate, and it had the dialect of the humans of The Union of Delighting.
"Why exactly have you made contact with us?" asked another voice, this one female. "This entire set-up seems off, and I most certainly do not like having this bloodkin around; I've noticed some missing livestock."
"Pilat, you are quite correct in your assumption," said Corley. "If you desire, we can get right to things. I have a group of followers to my name at the moment, though their numbers are depleting and I require more funding and assistance."
"Are we to understand that you work independently from the bloodkin armies that have reduced the southern lands to wasteland?" questioned a third voice. It was stern, militaristic, and quite inquisitive, betraying noticeable distrust in the speaker.
"I have long since cut my ties with those forces, Gulo."
"You are no doubt aware, Father, that your very being is associated with betrayal and deceit in our culture," noted a fourth voice, one clearly belonging to a female dwarf of The First Iron.
"How can you expect us to willing to aid you when so much destruction has come from you?" asked Pilat.
"I have grown to hate my old destructive nature," said Corley. "Looking back on my previous actions, I realize that I have not truly gained anything from leading my armies to destroy the Old World. Neither do I take pride in my former actions, nor do I approve of what has happened in the south. All I ask now is that you find it in you to give me your support and assistance in my search."
"And what, exactly, is this search of yours?"
"A search for the remains of the spimmators that once roamed this continent," answered Corley.
The room fell silent for a moment as the other members of the conference contemplated the meaning of this search. Afterwards, it was Gulo that chose to break the silence.
"Why would you want to do something like that!"
Corley grinned in amusement, and said to the slabs around him: "To achieve godhood."
"Such a thing is impossible!" cried the female human voice.
"And why what would we have to gain from granting you godhood!" demanded Pilat.
"It's simple," began Corley, "I will share it with any one of you that chooses to help. You see, buried within the Dwarven fortress Demongate is an ancient site known as Sedilkosoth. Here, a ritual is said to be performable to make a mortal into a god, but it requires the remains of seven spimmators. Five of these are in the possession of my forces, and I need funding and assistance to quickly locate the final two.
"In addition, the fortress is partially controlled by demons from Hell. It may, therefore, take a while before the dwarves attempt to conquer it. But when they do, we must be ready to take the fortress by force."
"How are you so sure that the dwarves will seek to conquer this site?" inquired the Dwarven voice.
"It's the nature of the dwarves to explore and to conquer," noted Corley. "All we must do is bide our time."
"What is to happen to the civilians of Demongate when the time for apotheosis comes?"
"Sacrifices must be made."
"This is all quite bizarre! Where exactly are you Corley!" demanded Gulo.
"My location is irrelevant at the moment. Right now, all you need to think about is the potential of our alliance. This conference is adjourned! We will reconvene in one week's time, and you may give your formal answer to my offer of godhood. Pilat, Nathob, Gulo, Josef, and Datan, I thank you for your time. Have a happy new year!"
The slabs ceased to glow, and Corley got up from his chair. The sooner Sedilkosoth was in his hands, the better; Corley had no qualms about lying.
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Topic: Demongate: Wrapping up the Loose Ends. (Read 671430 times)