A powerful spatial storm enveloped Whitejade Saint Mountain within Leylin's divine kingdom, space being ripped apart as the silhouette of a flying city appeared within the chaotic region.
A cathedral atop the mountain radiated golden light that protected the surroundings, rendering them unaffected by the flying city.
"Kukulkan, my Lord, you are a star in the skies, the overlord of our souls…" The petitioners on the mountain knew Thultanthar to be their Lord's mount, a sacred artifact of the Giant Serpent Church. They were not fazed by its appearance, instead kneeling down to pray.
"A.I. Chip, report Thultanthar's status," Leylin said as he opened his eyes, sitting in the main control room dressed in gold.
[Beep! Thultanthar has suffered 36.77% damage. Energy reserves depleted, Shadow Weave broken. Secondary spell formations are 22.5% damaged…] The report caused Leylin's eyes to twitch. He remained silent for a long time.
"It's been damaged so badly?" he finally sighed.
Gods really were the darlings of the world. Even Netheril at its peak, with all its research into the arcane, had still been reduced to rubble under their might. One had to pay a price to slay a deity, even if one was a Great Arcanist controlling a flying city.
Thultanthar had already been damaged in Leylin's fight against Sekolah. It had been undergoing repairs in his divine kingdom, but it had been called out for this strike and damaged even more severely. It was a testament to Leylin's ability that the flying city had even remained intact.
Leylin's will pervaded the entire flying city, seeing through everything. There were many cracks on its silver-grey surface, and the primary cannons had suffered damage from overuse. Even the secondary core had been damaged, the city operating purely on its primary energy source. It was never easy to bear the brunt of a god's death throes.
"Heh… It's all worth it." Leylin looked excitedly at the damaged crystal floating above his hands. "The divine domain of a God of Death…"
This was Leylin's reward for slaying Yurtrus. He'd given up on searching the divine kingdom given how close it was to the other orcs', having to flee the moment he killed the God of Death as he saw a raging Gruumsh rushing over alongside the other orc gods. If he'd tarried a moment longer, even if he could eventually escape Thultanthar would've been destroyed.
However, all these scenarios held no meaning whatsoever. Leylin knew that he has succeeded. and that was enough!
Leylin looked at the divine domain crystal ball and sniggered, "Kukulkan's words will lose all credibility, and he'll be labeled unscrupulous and crazy. When news of this spreads, there likely won't be any more gods willing to ally with me…"
If he really was a being of the World of Gods, his actions just now would've led to his death. He'd be isolated by the other gods, having to hide himself in Baator forever.
However, he was a Magus. Even if he didn't offend these gods none of them would wish to ally with him once his true body descended anyway. Even if he'd offended most of the gods and had his reputation raked through the mud, he'd managed to get what he wanted and that was enough. Baator and Thultanthar would be enough to sustain him until he had the chance to let his true body descend.
"Soon…" Leylin muttered, resolution flashing in his eyes as a phantom Targaryen appeared behind his back. The power of devouring enveloped the crystal, causing the mysterious power of death to reveal itself. He instantly felt a connection to the World Origin Force that allowed him to comprehend the captivating law of death.
The A.I. Chip flashed with notifications as well:
[Beep! Host has devoured a law crystal, absorbing divine domain…]
[Beep! Transfer completed, host currently has 50% comprehension of the law of death.]
Unlike other Magi who spent tens of thousands years to comprehend laws without much success, they word skyrocketing wasn't sufficient to describe Leylin's comprehension. He'd managed to comprehend half of a law as powerful as the law of death at one go, and he still felt it wasn't enough!
"A pity… Yurtrus is just an orc god and his law comprehension is 50% at most. He's also a god of orcs, souls, and other things… If I devoured Kelemvor I'd most likely be able to achieve 100% immediately, generating a death domain that belongs to me alone…"
However, Leylin knew his place. He was at his limits scheming against a lesser god, and a greater god like Kelemvor was beyond his reach.
The A.I. Chip's notifications continued:
[Beep! Host had comprehended 50% of the law of death! Activating death domain…]
[Death Domain: The user becomes the ruler of death, governing all that has to do with it. Any being who perishes within the domain will lose their souls to the user, giving the domain priority.]
[Beep! Host's massacre domain complements the death domain, both domains will experience a boost in power.]
"A simple explanation…" Leylin stroked his chin, thinking of a devastating possibility. "A ruler of death… That is to say that any souls that perish in my domain are mine? And with the priority, I'll have control even before the god they worship? If that's true, then the worshippers of the other churches would be subjected to my control… If I spread the domain throughout the prime material plane, won't it become a new underworld?"
However, this was all in the future. He still had to finish comprehending the law of death quickly, or it would all just be a grand illusion.
[Beep! Host status has changed, refreshing…] The A.I. Chip sent Leylin the latest stats.
[Name: Leylin Faulen.
Race: Human(Lesser God).
Divine Name: Kukulkan, the God of Massacre.
Alignment: Neutral Evil.
Domains: Massacre, Death
Divine Kingdom: Nameless, located at the first three Hells of Baator.
Divine Rank: 8.
Worshippers: Natives, Devils, Adventurers, Clerics.
Worshipper Alignments: True Neutral, Neutral Evil, Lawful Evil.
Arcanist Rank: 35. Strength: 29. Agility: 29. Vitality: 29. Spirit: 29. Arcane Energy: 350. Divine Force: 800. Status: Healthy.
Feats: Herculean Strength, Master of Knowledge, Dreamscape Vision, Epic Adaptability.
Divine Feats: Origin Force Detection, Arcane Art Amplification, Illusions.
Divine Abilities: Warp Reality, Epic Massacre]
'The completely fused domain will come soon… My understanding of the law of death will improve, and it'll only be a matter of time before I finish comprehending it… Death and Massacre, two extremely powerful roles that lean towards negative energy. What kind of effects will their fusion bring?' Leylin's face slowly brightened with anticipation.
...
The instant Leylin absorbed the law of death, a roar of fury rang out from the Fugue Plane, within a city filled with souls.
"Someone is eyeing my throne!" The voice was extremely loud, carrying the dignity of a god. Many of the dead souls here couldn't help but kneel, their translucent bodies shivering in fear.
This was Kelemvor, the Greater God of Death who ruled the Fugue Plane! He was the one who'd managed to build a kingdom of peace for the dead, his impartial attitude allowing him to obtain the favour of the plane's origin force and bringing him to the apex of the gods!
All Kelemvor had left to do was to weaken the remaining Gods of Death, obtaining primary control of the domain. He was actually happy to see Yurtrus fall, as it meant that there was one less God of Death in the world. Had Leylin offered to trade the domain crystal, he would've obtained the friendship of this greater god.
However, Leylin had used it for his own. The shift in death's origin force couldn't fool Kelemvor, and Leylin had henceforth made an enemy of another greater god.
However, Leylin had no plans to negotiate, or deviate from the path he'd set himself upon. There was nothing he could do about Kelemvor's fury.
Of course, he still realised his position. Before his true body descended upon the World of Gods to initiate the Final War once more, he would sit inside his divine kingdom and not step out. With the protection of Baator's origin force and his divine kingdom, he could still protect himself.
Kelemvor understood Leylin's plans, and the only thing he could do was give Leylin some troubles with his dead worshippers and petitioners. He was left with no choice but to roar in rage.
-x-X-x-
Several years went by in the blink of an eye. Many events came to pass, the most dazzling of which was the battle between the humans and orcs in the north.
Having suffered defeat in the divine war, the orcs retreated between several lost battles. They were eventually pushed all the way back to the Old Silverymoon, with even a natural leader like Saladin unable to reverse the situation.
Old Silverymoon had only survived the assault with its powerful fortifications aided by the Thunder God's Hammer. Saladin had finally managed to repel Elminster and Alustriel, causing severe casualties to the Silverymoon Alliance and forcing them to withdraw in order to consolidate their strength once more.
However, the damage was already done and the orcs had to recuperate as well. Even if they were ready to fight to reclaim the lost land, they didn't have the faculties to start another war. The north had thus been split in twain, entering an eerie, unstable tranquility.
Within the wastelands of the combined divine kingdom of the orc pantheon.
Mystra and Tyr had already retreated, but Gruumsh had already suffered. Yurtrus falling alone was more damage than losing a hundred thousand petitioners, even if they hadn't been the ones to do it.
Leylin's notoriety had spread amongst the gods once more, causing a new wave of fear and hate. He didn't bother with that at all, however.
Right after the battle, he met with a person he was familiar with.
"It's been a long time, Rafiniya," he said from his throne as he looked down upon his new subordinate, his old friend.
"I've given up on my past name, my Lord. Please call me Phoenix— Hellfire Phoenix," the former paladin said emotionlessly as she knelt before Leylin.
'Phoenix' had changed greatly with her fall. She'd grown even more captivating than before, her tender white skin shining with a milky lustre. A pair of beautiful wings sat comfortably on her back, making her look like a fallen angel. Hers was a unique beauty, representative of the aesthetics of the Nine Hells.
"Alright then, Phoenix. Tell me, what do fairness and justice mean?" Leylin asked with a puzzled gaze.
"That answer is my life's goal," Phoenix said as she lifted her head, her exquisite face filled with determination. "However, this corrupt, filthy world cannot give me that answer. Equality can only come when the entire world is destroyed and rebuilt from scratch; I shall use my hellfire to purge this dirty world clean!"
"Words of wisdom…" Although Leylin was praising her calmly on the surface, he rolled his eyes inwardly, 'So now she's an advocator of the purge? Rafiniya is Rafiniya, even if she's changed…' All that didn't matter, however. Another legendary devil who worshipped him was worth it.
Leylin waved his hand once Phoenix left with a bow, a mirror appearing in his hands that was connected to the prime material plane. A legendary devil hunter appeared on the mirror's surface, the same one that had travelled with the Neon Merchant Group to the Orc Empire. He greeted Leylin in respect.
"Kukulkan, my Lord, you are the Lord of Massacre, the Keeper of Order. You are the Ruler of Devils….
"I've done as you wished, my Lord. The paladins and priests apart from Rafiniya are already dead, their souls trapped in their burning skeletons. I can convert them once they're transported to the kingdom…"
Leylin's mirror showed the prayer and report, causing him to nod his head slightly. Rafiniya's fall was something he'd orchestrated long ago, but a single paladin or priest would've been able to stop her from turning when she did. That was why he'd had his devil hunters focus on them, rendering them unable to assist the Lady of Hope. That was how he'd gained a new legendary erinyes in Phoenix.
"You did well. We've obtained all we could in the north, and now is the time to return. Leave the necessary information paths and priests, but bring Barbara and the other devil hunters back…" he decreed.
Leylin knew fully well that this incident had put him at odds with both Mystra's alliance and the orcs. The suppression he would face would soon grow severalfold, and in such circumstances it was better to pull his elites back before he suffered unnecessary losses. If Mystra and Tyr mobilised their forces, he would definitely lose quite a few worshippers.
As a new god, Leylin didn't have many legendary powerhouses or much wealth to his name. Every one he lost would bite him. Anyway, he'd gotten the law of death he was eyeing in the prime material plane so he didn't have much he wanted from it now. The faith coming from Debanks Island in his divine kingdom would be enough to sustain him.
Leylin thus retracted his gaze from the prime material plane, racking his brains as he thought about his new law.
'Massacre and death, a perfect match…' Leylin had obtained a new level of enlightenment regarding his role as a god, 'The power of the law of massacre is boosted by the deaths of the enemy… There needs to be a catalyst between all this… Either law can support a greater god, so if I turn this into a cycle…'
Leylin's eyes flashed with wild ambition. His root was that of a Magus, and with the A.I. Chip and his comprehension of laws he instinctively knew the path he had to take. His future advancements had grown completely clear to him.
Magi started with cultivating spiritual force, before transforming the soul to let them comprehend laws. Even as a mere rank 7, Leylin already saw the silhouette of his path as a peak rank 8. This was an extremely alarming matter to the entire astral plane!
"Death domain…" A dark energy spread out from Leylin's palace, entering the surroundings. He felt control over the life and death of everything within its increasing range, able to see every organism within.
'Death is inseparable from the soul. Thankfully I have enough research into the soul that I'm not inferior to the gods…' Leylin smiled, "A.I. Chip, what's the progress on the simulation of the law of death?"
[Beep! Law of death comprehension at 50%. Beginning soul simulation with stored data…] the A.I. Chip intoned.
Another notification soon appeared on the Chip's interface:
[Beep! The law of massacre has influenced the death domain, giving it the Death's Decree ability.
Death's Decree: The user of the domain can cause the death of any creature he wills. Those without divine power will lose their lives immediately, and the effects on divine beings depends on their divine rank.]
The A.I. Chip's powerful calculative abilities had allowed it to derive a new ability immediately.
"The death domain is really powerful…" Leylin inhaled a sharp breath after seeing the results, "Legendary powerhouses without divinity would die immediately, and even their souls will cease to exist without exemption. Even demigods have a fifty-fifty chance of dying…"
Death's Decree would be rendered useless when facing more powerful gods, but with Leylin's strength it made for a powerful weapon against the other lesser gods. He had a chance to kill them directly, one that increased the weaker his opponent was. Even more terrifying was that this ability would grow with him, its effects growing more powerful over time!
'Death's Decree… What a magnificent ability, Kelemvor has it too huh?' However, doubt soon filled Leylin's mind, 'Wait. I haven't heard of such a thing about Kelemvor or any of the other gods of death…'
A possibility surfaced in Leylin's mind, causing him to be elated. 'Could it be… Only those gods of both massacre and death obtain it, or only if they fulfill some other conditions? If that's the case, once I finish the law of death won't I be able to…'
-x-X-x-
The skies of the Fugue Plane were a misty gray. The Styx flowed smoothly on the ground, wiping the memories of the occasional listless soul clean to induce a calm lifelessness.
A city of black granite and rotting mud was erected in the wilderness. This was the City of Judgement, under the jurisdiction of the God of Death Kelemvor.
Countless beings with no faith were half embedded into the Wall of the Faithless, wailing as they seemed to be getting swallowed by it. The faithless in the World of Gods were treated worse than the worshippers of rival gods, demons, and devils. They wouldn't be accepted by any divine kingdom upon their death, only able to suffer eternally on the wall.
It was too late for these souls to pledge faith to any god. Kelemvor gave them three choices upon their arrival, and the other two were even more torturous for the faithless than the Wall. Only the Abyss or Baator would accept these beings, but even they only wished to turn them into soul nourishing bugs.
The City of Death was deathly silent and quiet despite being littered with sluggish souls. Even liches would wish to leave this place as soon as they could.
*Boom!* A large golden gate opened up all of a sudden, radiating divine light. The glow carried the power of salvation, seemingly adding a ray of hope in this land of death.
However, reality was the exact opposite. The wandering souls shrieked in shock at the appearance of the holy light, avoiding at all costs despite only seeing a single ray. This light held the power of a mighty god, and it wasn't something they could face directly. Had they not escaped, they would have been wiped out of existence without a trace left behind.
"Damn it, a god is descending. It's the Goddess of the Weave…" The City of Judgement bustled with activity as many of the souls hid underground and in towers. Even the liches, devils, and demons cursed loudly as they escaped, portals beginning to flash throughout the city.
Mystra's figure slowly walked out of the bright golden door. Looking at the activity in the city, she smiled meaningfully.
"Mystra!" A giant voice boomed throughout the city, and a middle-aged man in blue robes came to stand before her. He looked extremely common, seeming like a nobleman, but his eyes shone an all-seeing black. A strong death domain was spread out with him at the centre, as if he was the ruler of death in this entire world. This was the king of souls, the Greater God of Death Kelemvor!
"You always bring me trouble!" he said as he saw the city rustling. His death domain reverberated with a tranquil power, soothing the agitated souls and rendering them calm once more.
This was a mutation of the standard death domain, Eternal Tranquility. It served to protect and soothe the dead, giving them respect.
Kelemvor was a neutral god, and he'd always tried his best to provide peace to the dead. He opposed those who tried to extend their lives, and despised the blasphemous arts of necromancy. His symbol was that of a skeletal arm holding up a balance.
There were rumours that Kelemvor and Mystra once loved each other as mortals. Their relationship seemed to have stalled after they ascended to godhood. Although the two had never admitted it, the current scenario suggested that the rumours were true.
"Why have you come to disturb the peace of the Fugue?" Kelemvor looked at Mystra.
Their current relationship was different from before, and it was partially because Kelemvor hated magic. He felt that magic had disrupted the peace of the dead. There may have been other reasons as well: many liches and devils guessed that Alustriel was a daughter born to Mystra through a mortal named Elminster.
"It's naturally for that God of Massacre… Kelemvor, aren't you angry at the fact that someone is eyeing your throne and prying into your powers?" Mystra laughed coldly.
"He's just a new god, his power is far from Nephthys and Segojan…" Kelemvor said after a period of silence. These other gods he'd mentioned were also gods of death, but they were intermediate gods themselves! Leylin was only a lesser deity, and without even a full comprehension of the law of death he didn't pose much of a threat.
"Really…" Mystra's expression changed, and she made up her mind. "Have you ever heard of the legend of the Night Serpent?"
"Is this what you foresee?" Kelemvor grew silent once more. "For you," he started after a while, "I'll lend a hand once more. However, I once made a pact with the circle of gods, and it prevents me from doing many things…"
Kelemvor was a neutral god, and without Leylin even being a God of Death yet he couldn't just charge into his divine kingdom. It would be considered blasphemy, and if he tried it the other gods of death would ally together to suppress him. Such was his fate as the strongest God of Death.
"That's enough… I only need you to…" Mystra smiled beautifully, and spoke of her purpose.
...
"My worshippers are being detained by Kelemvor?" News from the Fugue Plane soon reached Leylin's ears, and it caused him to frown.
This was indeed a troublesome issue. Worshippers would normally enter their god's divine kingdom after death, and this was a pact that could not be violated. However, some things could still be done in between.
While pious worshippers had enough strength of faith to directly move to the divine kingdom after death, and priests would directly become powerful holy spirits, things didn't work the same way for regular worshippers. They first had to be sent to the Fugue Plane, being judged by Kelemvor. The False would be placed on the Wall, and the remaining would be sent to emissaries of their respective deities.
Kelemvor was acting up on his contract with the circle of gods that solidified his position as a neutral god. It would cause Leylin some trouble, after all only a small number of his worshippers were fervent enough to be transported directly.
"The emissary questioned him before, but Kelemvor answered with a condition. He expects you to make a trip to the Fugue Plane yourself before he releases their souls…" the valiant spirit reported, trembling in fear.
Leylin waved the man away before falling into deep thought. He smelled a conspiracy brewing, and it caused him to smile wryly.
'They're clamping down hard… Not even allowing me some time…' Even if he wanted to rest now, they would most likely not give him this chance. His laws clashed with Kelemvor's own, so the bias would be hard to fight. On top of that Leylin had no friends among the gods, only those who would watch upon his situation with schadenfreude.
'Thankfully I don't have many worshippers in the prime material plane. Most of them are here in Debanks Island, and their souls don't need to enter the Fugue Plane when they die…' He felt somewhat relieved at this thought. The best way to fight his opponents' schemes was to avoid walking into the trap, if not his outcome could only be miserable.
Having confirmed that Kelemvor intended for him to travel to the Fugue Plane where he could cause even more problems, Leylin prepared to ignore all matters and hole himself up in his tortoise shell of a divine kingdom. So what if his reputation would be ruined? So what if his faith in the prime material plane would be halted? Most of his operations were within the divine kingdom, hence there was nothing to fear.
Moreover, Leylin was someone from the Magus World. Becoming a greater god was of no use to him, and the more concern he showed about the threat the easier it was to deal with him. He would only end up losing everything if he acted. Instead, he would enter a battle of attrition.
Of course, he still had to attend to the shortage of faith that would be caused as a result of this suppression. At the very least, Leylin knew clearly that the faith from the prime material plane would drop drastically soon. His worshippers in the divine kingdom would slowly turn into petitioners over time, an irreversible process that would rob him of new faith. Although there were profits to holing up inside the divine kingdom, his main source of new faith had been cut off!
-x-X-x-
Although his worshippers being in his divine kingdom would benefit him in the short run, over time they'd be whittled away. It'd be akin to a slow suicide.
However, Leylin didn't care about that in the least. What he lacked the most was time, and the longer he could drag things out the more benefits he would get.
As long as he could finish becoming a God of Death before the faith from his worshippers dwindled to nothing, he would be able to bring his true body over and restart the Final War. The greater gods would be forced to deal with peak rank 8 Magi, and Leylin wouldn't have to worry about them anymore.
'But I seem to need something more to comprehend the law of death…' Leylin's eyes flashed, deep in thought, 'It'll go faster if more souls are provided as experimental subjects…'
However, it wasn't easy to find the massive number of souls needed for the A.I. Chip's simulation. Leylin estimated he'd need roughly ten thousand regular souls for every stage of progress, and the total count would need him to sacrifice all of his worshippers. Even he couldn't do such a thing.
"I can only look to the prime material plane, the Abyss, or Baator…" Devils and demons were both formed from soul bugs, so they qualified for the A.I. Chip's requirements. Leylin didn't want to help the demons or devils start a bloody war in the prime material plane— even if it supported his comprehension of death and fit his role, it wouldn't be of much benefit to him. After all, he was a god as well, unlike the other Lords of Baator.
There was no need to fight the demons either. He already had a third of Baator in hand, and with that amount of origin force sustaining his divine kingdom there was no need for him to dither around.
"With that said… It seems like I only have one choice left?" Leylin's gaze pierced through his divine kingdom, looking at the edge of Phlegethos.
"They seem to be thinking the same…" The place was packed with an army of devils. Leylin's worshippers recognised him as the Lord of Baator, so it was a given that he would take over the other levels as well. The remaining lords would definitely prepare against him.
Although all of them remained guarded against each other, and with their leader-in-name being lost scattering them further, they still maintained a unanimous front against Leylin. They'd managed to stop him from advancing into the Fourth Hell, the powerful Samuel most likely able to escape even if Leylin tried to use his flying city. By that time, the other lords would come to aid him and stop any other sneak attacks.
Now, the armies at the border had grown even more massive. They didn't seem complacent in defense, instead going for the offensive as they moved to attack Leylin's divine kingdom!
"Interesting… The armies of pride and lust as well?" The presence of the other lords' aid was extremely obvious to Leylin's divine will, "They finally decided to ally together against me, huh?" he smirked.
'Even if Asmodeus was in peak form, he wouldn't be able to bring them together like this. They wouldn't join up even if I continued to parade as the Supreme… Furthermore, how could Asmodeus recover so swiftly without a greater god helping him?'
Leylin immediately understood the danger this time. Asmodeus had definitely obtained the help of a greater god, unifying the other Lords of Baator to deal with Leylin. The gods would need to train another ten thousand years to be able to scheme against him.
'So then… Is it Gruumsh, or Mystra?' Leylin had immediately listed out the greatest suspects, and his personal opinion shifted more towards the latter. 'The chances that it's Mystra are extremely huge. She's been after me for a long time.'
Anger welled up in Leylin's heart. He immediately saw through her intentions, 'First she colludes with Kelemvor and stops my supply of worshippers. Next she uses the help of the devils and turns the tides to attack my divine kingdom… She's prepared to bleed me dry until I'm forced to make a trip to Fugue. Then she'll ambush me?'
"However… The only miscalculation you made was my strength…" he laughed coldly, his conscient travelling through his divine kingdom to bring two people before him.
"The devil hunters are prepared and awaiting orders, my Lord…" Isabel was dressed in crimson armour and what seemed to be a cape of flames, radiating an aura of valiance. She'd grown much more powerful than before, seeming like a massive beast of ancient times as the dragon blood in her body was further purified by Leylin. She was now at the peak of the legendary realm.
Beside her was the former Lady of Hope, Phoenix. The more devout someone was before their turn, the more power they would acquire with their fall. Rafiniya's staunch faith had pulled her up to become a high-ranking legendary when she turned.
Although Phoenix could adopt the appearance of a pit fiend, Leylin ended up choosing to model her after Glasya. The erinyes form gave her strength equivalent to a greater devil, and Glasya's expression if Phoenix eventually evolved to become an Erinyes Queen would be delightful to watch.
"Good! Remember, your mission is to defend and not step out of the kingdom's boundaries. My avatars will assist as necessary." Handing command of the devil hunters to the two of them, Leylin continued with his plans.
The greatest strength of devil hunters was in their ability to seal devils to use their powers. With a constant war against the other Lords of Baator ongoing, they would prove to be extremely beneficial. As long as they stayed within the divine kingdom and remained protected by its laws, they would only grow stronger with every wave of devils fighting them. And if they lost numbers? He could just recruit some more from among his worshippers.
Leylin had already considered all problems when he designed this profession, so the natural talent required of a devil hunter was not high. Their strength depended almost solely on the devils they sealed. Thus, the devil army was like paradise for those who wished to improve!
...
At the same time, the Queen of Lust was bowing towards an older devil in the endless void, "The preparations are complete, father," the Lady of Malbolge said.
"Cough… Very good, Glasya…" The old devil seemed frail, wrought with illnesses. He had black eyes, a goatee, and a horn on his head. This was the Lord of the Ninth Hell, the Supreme of Baator— Asmodeus!
"Samuel, Levistus, Baalzebul, Mephistopheles… Thank you all for making it here, we Lords haven't met in a long time…" Asmodeus looked at the figures of the other devils nearby. With all the remaining Lords of Baator gather together, even the space around them was screeching with agony under the burden.
"There's a few faces lost and another gained. Beelzebub, Mammon, and the Hag Countess are here no more, but my beloved daughter is now amongst us!" Asmodeus spoke incoherently.
"Enough!" Samuel roared, flames of anger blazing on his body, "We're gathered here for one purpose, and that's to deal with Kukulkan!"
The other lords here may just be fulfilling their curiosity, but he himself could not remain relaxed. Phlegethos was right under Leylin's divine kingdom, putting the greatest pressure on him. He'd had to hide within the depths of the Fourth Hell ever since Leylin slew Mammon, holing himself up in his fortified castle with curses and traps so he could retain a sense of safety.
"Indeed… We need to kill the God of Massacre, bringing Baator back to its former self." Asmodeus' expression hardened. Although he didn't need to face Leylin's pressure directly, the new god gave him a very strong sense of danger. Not to mention that Leylin's worshippers declared him the Ruler of Devils in their prayers day and night, a resounding slap to his face as Supreme of the Nine Hells.
"Hehe…" A strange sound travelled, causing Glasya's face to sour.
"I suggest we sign a contract immediately, splitting the tasks amongst ourselves and the united front. I can guarantee that I don't need any of the first three Hells after the war, I only wish for Baator to regain its former self as we bury that God of Massacre in the dirt." Asmodeus flipped open the black contract book in his hands.
The elated lords did not seem to notice the icy gaze hidden deep in his eyes.
-x-X-x-
"In the name of the Supreme, KILL THEM!" The great army that had gathered in Phlegethos charged out with a roar, entering Leylin's divine kingdom under the guidance of the pit fiends present.
*Rumble!* However, they were greeted by lightning and thunder the moment they entered the place. Bolt after bolt crashed down, leaving huge pits in the ground as they completely decimated the devils in range. Some devils were even being burnt by flames, screaming miserably as their resistance to fire proved to be useless.
Although the devils had come to a ceasefire agreement with Leylin, it hadn't been all that restrictive. The contract was broken the moment the devils made their move, so Leylin had nothing holding him back.
"My Lord, Kukulkan, bestow upon us the power of massacre!" Numerous devil hunters were lying in wait behind defences created by devil slaves. Some of them watched their opponents with apathy, while others looked on with greed, even enthusiasm filling their eyes.
In their perspective, these devils were only a source of power. On top of that, they could give up everything for the divine kingdom of their Lord.
Isabel and Phoenix were completely fixated on a projection of the battlefield within a command centre, one of Leylin's avatars at their side.
"This war shall last a long time…" he prophesied.
...
Several decades passed in the blink of an eye. Leylin's divine kingdom stood tall in Baator, and even though the battles did not cease at all the petitioners and natives of Debanks Island slowly forgot about it.
Things were always the same with gods. Divine wars lasted centuries without conclusions, with few instances like the orc-human war in the prime material plane. Even then the orcs had only been suppressed, and the humans of the north given assistance…
At the heart of Leylin's divine kingdom, within the gigantic shrine atop Whitejade Saint Mountain.
[Beep! Simulation 78923 complete. Test sample ER-3's data has been obtained, storing into the law database under Death -> Raising Souls -> 2…]
The A.I. Chip's robotic voice brought Leylin out of a trance. He glanced over the information the Chip was showing him, taking a look at the records about his comprehension of laws.
[Beep! Host's comprehension of laws: Devouring 100%, Massacre 100%, Greed 100%, Death 99%.]
"It's already so far in, huh?" His eyes flickered with understanding, "These devils have been tremendously helpful…"
An understanding of the law of death required the analysis of a great number of souls, as well as the destructive force formed at their deaths. Even if the other Lords of Baator hadn't provoked him, Leylin was going to invade himself to kill a massive number of people.
Right now they willingly sacrificed themselves in his divine kingdom, becoming free specimens for his experiments. How could Leylin reject their wish? He kept up the fight with the devils, stalling them at the boundaries of his divine kingdom without much damage. He left them with some hope of victory, ensuring that they would send in their troops continuously to allow him to accumulate more and more information.
'I've almost added death to my role…' Leylin had now reached a threshold in his comprehension of death. He only had one last fragment before he could condense the law into his domain.
'Mystra's pressured me a lot lately…' Leylin lowered his head, his eyes filled with determination and solemnity. The Goddess of the Weave hadn't just colluded with Kelemvor to hold his worshippers back, she'd also instigated the Archdevils to attack his divine kingdom.
The Giant Serpent Church in the prime material plane didn't have it good either. A large number of wizards under Elminster had abandoned all work, looking for traces of the powerhouses of the church like crazed beasts. Had Leylin not stopped expansion in the prime material plane and summoned Tiff back beforehand, the church would likely have suffered massive losses.
The influence of her actions were already beginning to show. Leylin's faith in the prime material plane wasn't growing anymore, almost on the verge of dwindling down.
Such a situation would be extremely dangerous for gods, who relied on faith. Without enough, they wouldn't be able to sustain their powers and die out slowly, their divine kingdoms descending into darkness as their soul was destroyed. Without worshippers, a god was like a fish out of water.
Leylin was mainly supported by Debanks Island now, but even then the situation was very dangerous. The mortals in his divine kingdom would slowly all morph into petitioners, becoming souls that couldn't eat, reproduce, or do anything of the like. It would be a devastating blow if that process completed, and with the number or generations of commoners in the Faulen Empire it was close to being so.
'Thankfully my comprehension has been smooth. My main body is almost ready as well, and even now I can come in and restart the Final War.' A hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.
Leylin's main body was ultimately a Magus. This clone was merely some preparation on the path of faith, and it was alright to give it up for the sake of his main body's success. Leylin thus decided to drag things out, ignoring Mystra's challenges and refusing to confront the issue. It gave him enough time to develop his laws to this point.
Mystra wasn't a fool, but she'd never have imagined that Kukulkan was merely the clone of a Magus. Her methods could end any lesser god, but without the proper knowledge all her schemes were pointless. Leylin was just using her effectively to earn time, giving him the foundation to take on the coming storm.
All of a sudden, Leylin suddenly felt his heart squeeze. His divine sense told him of the arrival of an absolute danger, and he immediately traced it to the Celestial Hall.
Leylin's avatar opened its eyes from up on the throne, looking at Mystra who was making a speech.
"For all these reasons, I propose the God of Massacre, Kukulkan, be removed!" she proclaimed loudly, looking towards him with a chilly gaze.
The numerous gods in the Celestial Hall sized Leylin up. The good gods would never accept an evil god like him, and the evil ones didn't have much to do with him. Only Umberlee was left, looking on helplessly.
"I agree!" Tyr said immediately after Mystra's speech.
"I as well!" a voice sounded from the pedestal of death. Leylin recognised Kelemvor at a single glance. The greater god had evidently sensed Leylin's comprehension increasing, and he'd grown grim and hostile.
"And I!" Gruumsh stood up from amongst the orcs, "A god that kills his kind so brazenly does not need to exist." His stance was followed up by the other orc gods as well.
In the blink of an eye, Leylin felt himself becoming an enemy of all the gods. His pedestal was on the verge of collapse as well, and the effects of attacking other gods without allies or a foundation were beginning to show themselves.
"Agreed!" "Agreed!"
...
Waves of origin force gathered around Leylin with the loud clamour of the gods.
If the Overgod had been present the world would have stripped him of his godfire ruthlessly, causing him to fall. However, with the overgod in a deep sleep, the Celestial Hall had no power to punish him. The only thing these gods could do was eject Leylin from the place, isolating.
And isolate him is what they did. Terrifying lightning crashed down on Leylin's cracking pedestal, and the avatar was destroyed without any way to resist.
Of course the amount of divine force he'd lost was negligible, but the follow through would be terrifying. Being rejected by all sides, Leylin would be left with no space to grow anymore.
Leylin had no idea that he had unwittingly created a record. Ever since the Overgod fell into his slumber, Leylin was the only true god to be rejected by both good and evil, being forced out of the Celestial Hall.
-x-X-x-
'She got the remaining gods to completely exclude me…' Leylin grinned coldly within his divine kingdom, 'So that's her power? Indeed, with control of the Weave and the backing of the gods of magic she has allies aplenty…'
His grin only grew wider as he recalled what Mystra had whispered to him after being ousted from the Celestial Hall.
'She's threatening me to hand over Shar's location?' Leylin rubbed his chin in interest as he thought about Mystra's conditions, 'Seems like she's scared… She thinks Shar is hiding behind my back and scheming something… True, she would be an idiot if she did not not suspect anything after I demonstrated my ability to use the Shadow Weave…'
Leylin recalled the information he had at hand. Shar and Mystra had been rivals from before the dusk of the gods, their schemes against each other unending. Mystra had eventually been allowed to become the Goddess of the Weave, letting her advance to become a greater god.
'She's focused on Shar now, thinking I know her location…' Leylin found it extremely hilarious. 'However… Even if I told her that Shar was in the Shadow World of the astral plane, how would she exit the crystal sphere? And assuming she does, what'll she do about the Magi waiting right there to attack her from all sides?'
"Now that things have fallen to this stage, she'll most likely keep this up…" After some consideration, Leylin had rejected her conditions. His eyes flashed as one of his avatars appeared at the border of his divine kingdom.
*Rumble!* The power of magic surged violently at the borders of Baator, many wizard souls forming a large spell formation with the Weave. Each one of them had stern faces, casting different dazzling spells. An army of golems was beside them, their metal surfaces filled with runes as all their cannons and other weapons were aimed at Leylin's divine kingdom.
A goddess was standing at the front of this army of magic. She had an extremely exquisite face, looking so fragile that one breath could break her. Her snow-white skin and starry eyes combined with the dazzling light shining off her body to radiate divine dignity.
"Isn't ousting me from the Celestial Hall enough to quell your rage, Mystra?" the avatar asked.
"I cannot tolerate it anymore. Kukulkan, God of Massacre. Give me Shar's location immediately, or face my army of wizards." Mystra's expression turned icy, "Submit to me, and you will gain the friendship of a greater god."
The subordinates continued chanting after she spoke, the combined spell forming with a powerful flurry of energy. Each of them had the strength of a high-ranked wizard with the unlimited support of the Weave, the energy they consumed to cast spells immediately replenished by Mystra's divine force.
"A threat? This is your usual style…" Leylin was currently under extreme pressure. His faith in the prime material plane had suffered, and the worshippers he did have were being detained by Kelemvor. He'd also been at war with the devils for decades, and Mystra had just ousted him from the Celestial Hall. Even with all this, she immediately came knocking on his door to threaten him.
The Goddess of the Weave thought Leylin would submit quickly with the size of his divine kingdom, not costing much at all.
However, not everything worked according to this goddess' will. Leylin had prepared for this the moment he was kicked out of the Celestial Hall.
"SUBMIT!" "SUBMIT!" "SUBMIT TO THE LADY!"
Leylin only shook his head at Mystra and the chanting of her subordinates. "Mystra," he said sternly, "I ask sincerely, consider this once more. Do you really want to wage war with me? You won't be able to face the consequences."
'How?' Mystra's mighty will trembled th that instant, and she seemed to feel a scary omen.
However, she was a greater god! That fear was followed by utter disgrace, 'I actually fear a lesser god? Even if he's related to Shar and that legend of that Night Serpent… Dammit!'
She had only hesitated for that one moment. Her thoughts moved towards her allies in Tyr, Kelemvor, and the others she'd made after the battle of the north. Her forces had almost doubled since then.
"Indeed. If you still continue to resist, then there can only be war!" Mystra waved her hands, and powerful spells surpassing even the legendary realm began to converge.
"In that case," Leylin's avatar slowly vanished. He appeared with his main body, carrying a strange circular disc.
"What are you trying to do?" Mystra grew extremely wary. After all, it was inconceivable for a god to step out of their divine kingdom with their true body. Furthermore, she felt a strange chill being emitted from that strange plate.
"If you want war… Then war it is…" Leylin Faulen smiled gently, but it looked extremely malevolent in Mystra's eyes.
...
Many Magi of laws had already gathered together outside the crystal sphere of the World of Gods.
"As was decided, Mother Core and Leylin will decide upon the first batch of Magi to descend. Is that alright?" Ignox looked at the surrounding Magi, a large bone timepiece in his hands.
It wasn't just the Magus World. Existences from the Purgatory World, Icy World, and many others were present here. This included the Nefarious Filthbird and Trial's Eye.
"No problem!" "I concur!"
The other Magi agreed. Leylin and Mother Core had been given exclusive rights to decide the first batch of Magi to descend, granting them a lot of benefits. Leylin's own aura had already become extremely hard to fathom, and nobody knew what his current strength was.
"It has begun… The destiny of billions of years… The final war with the gods…" many existences muttered to themselves, many emotions welling up within them.
It was at this moment that they saw a small hole opening on the crystal wall, intertwining with evil intent. Merciless roars sounded out as several of them launched themselves through.
...
"Then I shall fulfill your wish." Kukulkan was looking at Mystra with a faint trace of pity, "The Manderhawke Plate… Show your power to connect worlds!"
He tossed the strange plate in the air. Countless repairs and improvements had brought it to a new level of completion, and it dazzled in the air as milky white light formed a passage connecting the World of Gods to outside the crystal sphere.
All of the gods watched on incredulously as their eternal wall, the unbreakable wall fortified by the Overgod, slowly melted away to reveal a passage to the outside. Several overpowering auras rushed inside, carrying the power of evil.
"Haha… It's indeed the World of Gods!"
"I can smell the aura of the gods, and these souls… More beautiful than a skylark!"
"Kill… The divinity and ichor of the gods will fertilise my lands, until truth is found and eternity attained…"
...
"What's happening?" All the legendary beings of the world immediately shifted their gazes to this region. The mysterious evil aura seemed to dig ancient memories out of their minds.
"This magic… MAGI!" Oghma was the first to exclaim, "Heavens… the ancient dusk of the gods, is it about to happen again?"
The frightening news instantly echoed through all the divine kingdoms, alerting even the demons of the Abyss and the devils of Baator.
"Magus! You're a Magus!' Mystra was stumped when she saw Leylin's true rank 7 body standing behind his clone. Her following screams almost pierced through the skies.
[Beep! Host is a rank 35 arcanist.]
"In my name as a Magus…" Leylin walked forward, powerful origin force welling up within him as it carried the intent of the Magus World's World Will. Many Magi of laws roared out.
[Outer Weave 100% analysed, Inner Weave at 50%.]
"I announce…" The World Crystal covering the overgod's throne in the Celestial Hall began to tremble. The entire world seemed to roar out in grief.
The one that felt these changes the greatest was Mystra. She looked at Leylin's Magus body, and the fear she felt from that familiar aura almost caused her to turn around and run away.
However, it was too late.
[Beep! All conditions met, rank 12 arcane spell, Karsus' Avatar— Activated!]
"LET THE FINAL WAR BEGIN!"
-x-X-x-
Karsus' Avatar had been launched! Leylin was going to take over the Weave, effective immediately!
He'd tried the spell he'd inherited from Distorted Shadow once before when he was in the Shadow World. Although there had been many side effects to it, he'd managed to get rid of Shar and obtain victory in one move. The A.I. Chip had been improving it ever since, and now it was as powerful as a rank 8 spell from the Magus World as it barrelled towards Mystra.
*Rumble!* The entire World of Gods trembled as the Weave materialised all around it, brimming with boundless energy.
"Mystra…" Leylin turned towards the goddess, proclaiming, "Your everything, is now mine."
'So he was the one I feared all this while, with strength that could claim my life at any time…' Mystra's enlightenment had come all too late, at her dying breaths. With control of the Weave shifting to Leylin, her true body revealed itself. Her face was filled with fear as the silverflame on her body raged out of control, engulfing her entirety.
...
"NO!" "HOW?" Gasps of exclamation were heard from the upper planes and even the underworld. Mystra's divine kingdom crumbled away, falling into the infinite void.
"Our Lady… why would the Lady…" Mystra's priests wept in the prime material plane, feeling the great agony of divine power being stripped from their bodies.
Even more shocking was the scene outside Leylin's divine kingdom. The petitioners in the place collapsed lifelessly, their auras waning as their bodies disintegrated. Several valiant spirits and holy spirits tried to resist, but with Leylin's control of the Weave they were wiped out immediately as well.
'The Weave of the World of Gods…' Despite prior experience with the World of Gods, Leylin felt an extreme burden on him the moment he took over the Weave. He felt like a little boy trying to use a large axe, about to hurt himself at any moment.
'The Weave is incompatible with my domain. Fusing with it by force will only taint my path…' Leylin concluded immediately after he wiped the army out, 'On top of that, there's still problems even if the A.I. Chip optimised the spell…'
At the same time, Leylin Farlier sneered as he felt a force of distortion congeal in the void.
"You want to control me to release your conscient? Dream on… Collapse!" With Karsus' Avatar giving him the Weave, Kukulkan ordered its destruction immediately. This wiped out the divine role of the Weave in itself, and explosions sounded out as the network of purple veins that covered the world broke apart. The sound of weeping travelled across multiple worlds.
*Boom!* An explosion rocked the Celestial Hall the moment the Weave was destroyed, coming from the Overgod's throne.
Many wizards were shocked by the destruction of the Weave. The construct that they'd used from the start had lost all connection to them, and any who were casting a spell at the time of collapse suffered from an explosive backlash that left them without a complete corpse. With the Weave gone, all of the wizards in the world had become worthless!
As for the gods, they roared in rage. They'd lost the channel they used to acquire faith and converse with their worshippers. The convenient Weave gone, it was a disaster to have to expend the divine force it took to contact or bless their worshippers directly.
The so-called strongest system of the World of Gods had disappeared just like that. Even the devastation it caused right away was only the surface, the heavy repercussions of this loss only to be felt much later.
Still, the most dangerous effect of the destruction of the Weave had revealed itself.
"Jeje…" "Hahaha…" The core of the Weave revealed itself, and the seal that the gods had built to trap the conscients of many fallen Magi was broken apart. Leylin opened the doors of this prison, allowing these hardened criminals to escape!
Mortals, Professionals, various creatures… They all raised their heads, only to see the sky swamped with darkness as the moon connected to the Weave shone brightly in the skies. The Weave continued to crumble apart, severing its connection to the moon as dozens of powerful evil laughs escaped into the prime material plane.
"The moon! The moon has changed!" The white moon turned a dark purple to the shock of the mortals. A large, vile eye opened up in the centre, seemingly watching over the World of Gods.
"So the conscients were sealed in the moon, huh?" Leylin looked at the now-black moon, grinning, "BREAK!"
*Rumble!* The eye on the moon shattered to the tune of Leylin's roar, several dark shadows immediately covering the world in darkness as they spread out.
"We may have been forgotten by the passage of time, but we shall never forget. VENGEANCE AGAINST THE GODS!" The fragment of a peak rank 8 Magus resurrected itself, turning into a great evil that caused the gods to turn green. The shattering Weave continued to affect the entire world, only abated by the sea of origin force doing its best to suppress the violent ripples of energy.
"The Overgod is acting? Pity, trying to stop the effects of the Weave breaking will only aggravate your wounds," Leylin said grimly.
The attack that should have destroyed more than half the world had been suppressed by the Celestial Hall. However, Leylin felt it more effective to deal the Overgod a serious injury than destroy some plains or kill a billions useless creatures.
"You… YOU DARE!" Kukulkan moved to encircled a power of distortion, causing a black figure to appear behind him and howl in rage.
"Distorted Shadow… You wished to make use of me and inserted a backdoor into Karsus' Avatar. Don't think I'm unaware of your wishes to escape the Weave." A golden net began to cover Leylin's clone, extending to the warped shadows nearby, "My path was never the path of the gods. Here, suffer the backlash of the Weave with me!"
Kukulkan laughed maniacally as several golden lights escaped from his body to be absorbed by the main body.
There was a serious flaw to Karsus' Avatar. Nobody in the astral plane could withstand an instant transfer of the Weave's authority to them, even Shar would need to spend ten thousand years adapting. On top of that, Leylin had destroyed the Weave after he gained control of it. The backlash from such an act was so devastating even the Overgod would be grievously injured. The spell was but a deathwish.
But now, Leylin's Magus body had begun to reap the fruits of his labour in the World of Gods. Although the clone perished together with Distorted Shadow under the backlash, he remained indifferent. He'd already made preparations to transfer what was important.
[Beep! Clone's comprehension of laws received— Massacre: 100%, Greed: 100%, Death: 100%.]
The killing of the greater god to obtain the Weave had pushed Kukulkan's law of death to completion. The clone would likely have added death to his portfolio, but as a Magus Leylin had no need for that.
"I was prepared to lose this clone ever since I named it Kukulkan…" When he'd sent the clone into the World of Gods, Leylin had been prepared to give up on it completely. The clone would have to bind its powers to faith and worshippers, something that disagreed with his roots. Even a greater god would die without faith, and Leylin considered that simply too sorrowful.
As a Magus, he was different. Every ounce of his strength belonged to him and him alone. Nobody could take it away!
-x-X-x-
Devouring, massacre, greed, and death… Various powerful laws converged in Leylin's body, causing him to grow without end. The path to becoming a rank 8 Magus was the control of several laws, and with three new laws added Leylin quickly broke through from the peak of rank 7.
Everything fell into place. Even just one of death or massacre could have brought him to rank 8, but with four different laws condensing together he broke through to a different realm entirely.
A terrifying phantom Targaryen appeared behind his back, hissing like an ancient ruler of beasts. Its body guarded by fine crimson scales covered the skies, and it flapped its devilish wings as its single horn radiated terror. The most intriguing of all was its third eye, the pupil within that was as large as a star containing a trace of cold-blooded indifference.
The Targaryen was a representation of the laws Leylin comprehended. Every scale contained the power of laws so strong that another Magus could comprehend some of a law just by looking at it. It was extremely precious for Magi ranked 4 to 8.
Now, even more laws were infused into these scales. Death, massacre, and greed converged in a whirlpool as the Targaryen continued to grow. The creature hissed as multiple bulges appeared at its neck.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!* Three loud explosions rang out at the Targaryen's neck as three more heads popped out, carrying the new laws Leylin had obtained. They were slightly smaller than the original, having neither the horn nor the third eye, but other than that they were identical.
Many more heads grew beside these four as well. However, they seemed illusory, as if they lacked something important that prevented them from materialising.
"A rank 8 Magus needs to comprehend multiple laws To reach the peak of rank 8 one needs to comprehend their own path, cultivating their own set of laws…" The serpent howled as Leylin's spoke, each note causing the astral plane to tremble.
"My path is the root of all evil. With dreamforce as the foundation I shall fuse gluttony, greed, and wrath, pride, lust, sloth, and envy. This shall couple with massacre and death, forming the path of original sin."
"Henceforth, I am the Lord of Original Sin!" Leylin's voice at this moment travelled across the entire astral plane. Dreamscape trembled with joy, it's origin force converging as Leylin unleashed a dark red dreamforce at the peak of its power.
With the Nightmare Absorbing Physique having sacrificed a Lord of Calamity to the world, Dreamscape gave Leylin the highest level of access to its origin force. Using it to fuse his laws would not be a problem.
*Hsss!* The four-headed Targaryen roared, using the law of devouring that mutated from devouring to fuse massacre, death, and greed. Crimson dreamforce catalysed the fusion, forming the basis of a perfect path.
An incomplete, seemingly weak light shone right into the phantom Targaryen. Leylin's path having materialised, the beast underwent a complete transformation. Crimson light covered its body during the act, before fading to reveal a massive and powerful figure in the Targaryen's place.
This creature had nine pairs of devilish wings, each wide enough to cover an entire world. The scales on its body were now black, interlaced with complicated crimson runes. Nine malevolent heads roared in different directions, four real and five illusory. The head in the centre, the one with the horn and third eye, was radiating an incredibly powerful aura.
This aura far surpassed rank 7, pointing towards a path that led to truth.
[Beep!] the A.I. Chip soudned out, [Host bloodline has advanced, approaching the limit of its roots. Retrieving stats… The Targaryen Serpent's genes have been transformed, reaching perfection. Analysing law runes…]
As if dictated by something like fate, the A.I. Chip returned with a truename for this nine-headed serpent, [Beep! Host bloodline's truename is now Nine-Headed Nightmare Hydra(incomplete).
Law of devouring has evolved under the influence of the bloodline— Devour is now an innate rank 8 spell.]
'Nine-Headed Nightmare Hydra?' Leylin looked over all the information provided by the A.I. Chip. His bloodline had been transformed, but it still lacked the necessary laws to reach completion. It would have to wait until he devoured the remaining Lords of Baator, clearing all obstacles to his breakthrough to rank 9.
"The seven sins are the basis of vile thoughts. These thoughts lead to violence, and violence causes death. The cycle is thus formed…" The Nightmare Hydra roared from behind Leylin at this moment. Every emotion of gluttony and greed, every murder, and every death was absorbed into a black fog that shrouded it, making it seem more sinister and darker than before.
The source of these emotions wasn't restricted to Leylin's divine kingdom. Nay, all of Baator, the prime material plane, indeed even the entire astral plane came under his control. Be it worshippers, friends, enemies, or even strangers, the sins of all beings in existence would be absorbed by him. With the foundation of dreamforce, Original Sin would cover the entire astral plane!
"As long as intelligent beings remain in this universe, I will never die," Leylin proclaimed.
The power of sin would become his strength, a power that nobody could escape from. Put bluntly, be it gods or Magi, nothing could ever kill him unless the entire astral plane was destroyed. Even if he was attacked and slain, he would revive from the sins of any being! Such was the might of dreamforce combined with original sin!
There were various paths that led to the truth, and thus there had been many peak rank 8s that had survived to this point. However, Leylin's path of original sin was at the top of the list, a result of every move of his being painstakingly planned out.
Leylin shifted his gaze towards his divine kingdom. Despite his god clone being devoured by the main body and a small part of it dying with Distorted Shadow, it had remained upright. This was extremely unfathomable to the World of Gods, breaking all known laws.
"Kukulkan, my Lord, you are a star in the skies, the Lord of the Natives, the Ruler of Devils… You have shown mercy on my soul, and are my only haven in death…" Many petitioners continued to pray in the divine kingdom, feeling nothing amiss. It was like Kukulkan's death hadn't affected them in the slightest.
[Experiment successful. Divine kingdom remains stable, and the power of faith is moving smoothly.] Another of Leylin's clones appeared within the divine kingdom, carrying the dignity of a god. However, its voice was the extremely monotonous tone of the A.I. Chip.
Indeed, this new 'clone' was being operated by the A.I. Chip, having fused with one of Kukulkan's avatars. Even as the true body fell, this clone took over everything just as Leylin had planned.
This was also a decision Leylin had made in the past. He didn't like how faith had so much of a hold over gods, but he didn't just want to toss his divine kingdom and petitioners away. He'd instead have the A.I. Chip take control of an avatar, becoming the god Kukulkan itself.
This would be downright impossible for a god, but with the A.I. Chip having fused with his soul Leylin could do it. The A.I. Chip at this point was another Leylin, even one that had passed the probe of the World of Gods as it took over his divine kingdom.
"Great!" Leylin nodded, and the Nightmare Hydra spat out an illusory divine spark that it inserted into the clone. Having gained control of the divine domain, alongside the fact that this auxilliary A.I. Chip was under the control of the central one within Leylin, Kukulkan was reborn once more.
Even though the divinity the Hydra gave the clone was only a simulation, it was just like a greater god authorising their subordinates to manage their divine kingdom. Despite Distorted Shadow's plans, Leylin hadn't suffered any repercussions at all!
-x-X-x-
"I am Kukulkan, the God of Massacre!" The A.I. Chip clone released a powerful domain after getting the authority from the Nightmare Hydra, seeming just like the original.
[Faith channeled successfully, blessing system in order.] A lot of data appeared from the A.I. Chip.
The clone was but an intermediary. It allowed Leylin's Magus body to borrow the powers of his divine kingdom, using the divine domains he'd possessed as the god. Even as the A.I. Chip made its report he could feel his main body connecting to a massive sea of faith.
Kukulkan had accumulated decades upon decades of faith, and now it was all being absorbed by the Nightmare Hydra. It made Leylin feel stronger with each passing moment. Combined with the power of emotions he just absorbed, it pushed Leylin towards a higher realm.
[Beep! Emotion energy has been accumulated, beginning breakthrough to rank 8.] Leylin was a Warlock. It wasn't just laws that he had to worry about, his bloodline and power had to be accumulated as well. However, he'd spent all this time accumulating resources, and the fusion with the divine clone brought him up to standard. Advancing was only a matter of course now.
*Hssss—* The four physical heads of the hydra continued to spew out the energies of their respective laws. A perfect path of original sin took place, forming a phantom behind the Nightmare Hydra that repelled even the origin force of the World of Gods.
Time seemed to pass in an instant, but it also felt like a million years. By the time Leylin recovered his senses all the power inside his body had fused, forming an extremely powerful bloodline that filled each and every cell in his body with power. A black stream of energy appeared before him as he raised his hand, carrying traces of the Weave.
"The fusion of bloodline and laws, coupled with dreamforce… My power has already evolved, transforming my path into one that is completely my own. This strength, this path…" The feeling of extreme power caused Leylin to grin widely, "It shall henceforth be known as the power of Original Sin, something that can only be used by its Lord!"
The A.I. Chip had a lot of information as well.
[Beep! Host has advanced to rank 8, obtained the strength of Original Sin. The Nightmare Hydra bloodline has evolved the Devour skill; obtained innate skill— World Devour.
World Devour: The laws of devouring have reached their limits. With the support of other laws, host has gained the ability to devour worlds. The Nightmare Hydra can devour all dimensions, semi-planes, and small worlds. It can absorb the bloodlines, emotions, and even laws of what it devours…]
"Even with a small world as the limit… What a frightening ability!" Leylin sighed. No matter how small a world in the astral plane was, it still had billions of lives within it. The origin force of any one could give birth to at least a rank 7 Magus! However, these small worlds were now an insignificant meal in Leylin's eyes.
[Beep! Host's stats have changed, recalculating… Changes have been detected in the world due to a shift of laws. Stats calculated on the basis of the World of Gods' standards.
Name: Leylin Farlier, Rank 8 Warlock.
Bloodline: Nine-Headed Nightmare Hydra (Incomplete Body)
Strength: 45. Agility: 50. Vitality: 65. Spiritual Force: 99.
Soul Status: Soul of Original Sin
Laws: Devouring (100%), Massacre (100%), Death (100%), Greed (100%)
Path: Original Sins
Innate Talent: Nine-Headed Nightmare Hydra! Devour World!
Abilities: Dreamscape Vision, Origin Force Detection, Illusions, Warp Reality, Epic Massacre, Death's Decree]
'It adjusted my stats since we're in the World of Gods?' Leylin looked at the stats of his Magus body. His lips curled upwards as he looked at most of his divine force being retained, "Even a greater god only has stats hovering around 50. I'm only a new rank 8 Warlock, but my stats already surpass so many of them…"
This was quite logical. The power of a god came from their divine kingdom, their power being distributed by faith unlike Magi whose power was their own. The gods were thus weaker overall, only able to contend with the Magi due to the buffs from their divine kingdoms.
Additionally, Leylin himself had overpowering strength. He'd formed his path before even approaching the peak of rank 8, ensuring that his path of advancement smooth and his battle prowess exceptional. He was almost a peak rank 8 fighter himself, so he was vastly different from other Magi.
"This power… I can determine the life and death of a divine being!" Leylin no longer bothered with the prime material plane after his advance. It had already turned into a land of screams, being ravaged by the Magi new and old. With Mystra's fall and the collapse of the Weave, the world had turned into a mess.
With Distorted Shadow and the Goddess of the Weave taken out, there remained nobody foolish enough to challenge Leylin outright. The region around his divine kingdom was actually relatively peaceful.
'"How can a Warlock's advance not be celebrated with blood?' Leylin smiled lightly. He took a step into the Fourth Hell, where the devils and devil hunters were still embroiled in war.
He looked at the armoured devils, only speaking two words, "Original Sin!"
*Hsss—* The phantom of the Nightmare Hydra appeared behind Leylin's back, seemingly turning into a black hole. The dark power of original sin that contained a trace of blood turned all the devils into ashes in an instant, even absorbing their souls.
Each of the four heads of the Nightmare Hydra had turned into a sinkhole, absorbing everything connected to original sin without end. As evil beings themselves, these devils would not be able to escape.
Phlegethos immediately turned silent, and only the six Lords of Baator showed themselves.
"Magus!" Asmodeus looked at Leylin with the greatest fear his daughter had ever seen on his face.
"The primordial contract states that even demons and devils must put aside their differences against the Magi, forming an alliance of blood. They must even join forces with the gods… For this is an apocalypse of multiple worlds!" Both of Asmodeus' hands trembled as he flipped to the last page of his book of contracts, "If the Magi are not stopped, that shall be the end…"
Devils were naturally lawful. Looking at Leylin's Magus body, every cell in their body radiated fear and rage, even their souls trembling. The lords showed themselves without the slightest reservation, all six putting aside their differences as they roared in unison, "More evil than the devils, and more chaotic than the demons… Magus, scram from Baator!"
Each Lord of Baator was a being of laws, and Asmodeus had inconceivable might. Even the gods dreaded their combined strength.
However, Leylin Farlier was not Kukulkan. Having advanced to rank 8, he feared nothing unless he was surrounded by a bunch of greater gods or was forced to fight in one's divine kingdom.
"Do you know why I brought my divine kingdom to Baator? Indeed I wanted to avoid the gods, but there's more to it… I wanted to collect your power…" A phantom hydra appeared behind Leylin, the ravenous manner in which the illusory heads looked over at them causing the Archdevils to feel fear.
"Your strength will define me. Be honoured to be a part of my path!" The void trembled with Leylin's proclamation, as an extremely sharp weapon descended from the skies.
The weapon was extremely strange. It seemed to possess the distinctive traits of all weapons at the same time, like an ancient beast of times past thirsting for blood. Dazzling origin force radiated around its body, cutting apart the very world without end.
Dazzling origin force radiated around its body, causing the void to be cut continuously. This was Leylin's origin force weapon, similar to the overgod weapon once attempted in the World of Gods. It had the power to kill gods, being the result of an ancient civilisation's research coupled with the A.I. Chip. This was something Leylin had taken several centuries of hard work to create!
*Hss—* The Nightmare Hydra roared, and the nine different heads each spit out a black gas that formed more runes atop the weapon, as though celebrating its birth.
"You are now my overgod weapon, the Seven Sins!"
-x-X-x-
With the baptism of the Nightmare Hydra, Seven Sins let loose a terrifying buzz of origin force. It roared with power, thirsty for the blood of beings of law.
[Beep! Information on Seven Sins has been added to the database] the A.I. Chip reported.
[Seven Sins: Overgod Weapon(Origin Force Weapon).
Source Materials: World Crystals, Blood of Apollo, Dreamforce, Shadow Force, Mermaid Scales, Prophet's Bones.
Abilities:
Gluttony's Devouring: Seven Sins can devour the blood and souls of its enemies, obtaining their power.
Blessing of Greed: The weapon's greed boosts the user's powers.
Massacre Amplification: The souls of any beings of law killed by Seven Sins will be dispersed.
Silence In Death: Any existences killed by Seven Sins will be wiped from the passages of time, removing all chances of resurrection.
Further effects remain locked(Respective laws required).
This weapon is bound to the Lord of Original Sin. No other existence will be able to wield it.
]
The weapon that Leylin had devoted hundreds of years to finally reared its head, showing off its viciousness to the world.
"Haha… Good abilities, I like it!" Leylin grasped Seven Sins with both hands, and the weapon buzzed in harmony as it revealed a sword's blade.
"This… Overgod weapon!" The Archdevils gasped in fright, looking at the weapon's splendour with fear.
"Indeed. Your blood shall become its power!" Leylin's eyes were filled with indifference as he appeared before Samuel, the Lord of Wrath who ruled the Fourth Hell.
"Damn it… What have you done to my land?" Samuel roared in rage. His strength increased in the midst of his fury, flames howling forth from Phlegethos as a massive wave of origin force surged into him.
"You may be an Archdevil, but the origin force of just one level of Baator will not protect you from my weapon's terror." Leylin swung the massive sword without fear, the weapon buzzing violently as phantoms of Dreamscape and the Shadow World took form behind it. The rage of two large worlds immediately shattered the phantom of Phlegethos behind Samuel's back.
"Haha… Seven Sins was baptised with the origin force of two large worlds in its creation. What can a mere ninth of the origin force of Baator do to it?" Leylin was laughing like a maniac, the huge sword easily sweeping away the surging flames to sever Samuel's right hand. At the same time, it left a deep gash on his chest.
"ARGH... " Samuel screamed in agony, not daring to face Leylin directly anymore as he retreated. A being of law, an Archdevil, had been severely injured and sent into retreat in a single strike.
How would Leylin give up on such an opportunity? "Come back!" he howled, Seven Sins transforming into a bladed chain with a black hook at the end. It hooked onto Samuel, culling him back.
"Blessing of Greed!" Seven Sins transformed continually, becoming a horned hammer. With the Blessing of Greed and two large worlds backing it, it immediately crashed down Samuel's head.
The overwhelming attack caused Samuel to finally feel despair. He lost all confidence and dignity, beginnign to plead for help from the other lords, "QUICK, SAVE ME!"
"Stop him! He'll become harder to stop if he gets Samuel's powers!" Everything had happened too quickly. A Lord of Baator had been defeated in almost an instant, and even Asmodeus didn't have the time to react. By the time he moved together with the others to surround Leylin…
"A pity… It's too late!" Leylin laughed loudly, a layer of origin force melting off from Seven Sins to cover his entire body in armour. With that protection and his own might as a rank 8 Warlock, he had no fear of the devils' attacks.
"Cry, scream! Your resentment and anger shall become my power. Even Asmodeus won't be able to save you now…"
Asmodeus was indeed a crafty old devil. He was much more powerful than the rest, his blazing fists breaking through Leylin's defenses. However, Leylin was still a step ahead. Even if he was injured by hellfire the hammer continued to smash down.
*BOOM!* Phelegethos seemed to freeze in that moment. The other Archdevils cursed, screamed, and roared in rage as one of their own fell to Leylin in front of their eyes!
Leylin didn't care about all that, however. He was focused on the A.I. Chip's notifications.
[Beep! Host has killed Samuel. Seven Sins has activated Gluttony's Devouring, absorbing new law… Law of wrath currently at 100%.]
*Hss!* The Nightmare Hydra behind Leylin hissed loudly as another head materialised from its neck. It absorbed all of the fury in the astral plane, quickly healing itself of its injuries.
[Beep! Host has comprehended the law of wrath, Seven Sins has gained the Fury Amplification ability.
Fury Amplification: The user can double their stats by consuming the powers of wrath.]
'It really is great to battle devils! I can get stronger and gain more abilities as I kill them…' Leylin was extremely elated by the acquisition. He immediately activated the new ability.
*Rumble!* Asmodeus felt Leylin's strength doubling in an instant as it pulsed with fury. The Archdevils were immediately pushed back.
"Samuel's strength… You absorbed it so quickly?" Glasya cried out in shock. The other Archdevils, including even the haughty Levistus, turned pale. How could they deal with an enemy that got stronger the more he fought?
"No! He's only putting on a strong front. Even a greater god can't escape our combined attack without injuries, he's nothing!" Asmodeus was indeed a sly old devil. He saw through Leylin's disguise immediately, "Let's attack together! We'll be able to take him out."
"I am indeed injured…" Leylin's broken armour merged back to form Seven Sins, and the weapon grew in size. "But before I die, how many of you will pay the price and join me in death? Is it two of you? Maybe three?"
Leylin mocking gaze swept past Levistus, Mephistopheles and Baalzebul, causing their expressions to change. Even average humans would double guess themselves in a time of death, let alone these powerful devils.
Asmodeus almost vomited blood at this. Even now Leylin hadn't forgotten to pick at their natural disposition. With him and his daughter being together, the ones being sacrificed would most likely be the other three. They wouldn't want to die just like that.
The other lords began to have second thoughts, exposing the fatal flaw of their unreliable alliance. With this thought in the back of their minds as they faced powerful opponents, Leylin could even turn the tides and corner him instead!
"Damn it! Let's retreat!" Asmodeus said as he looked at the evident mistrust in the eyes of his 'allies.' He seethed with fury, but all his preparations had come to naught and he had no choice but to retreat.
The other Archdevils retreated as well. Seeing the divine light from Leylin's clone covering the entirety of Phlegethos, they felt extremely humiliated.
The Lords had spent decades and sacrificed countless life to besiege Leylin's kingdom. The result? They'd ended up suffering devastating losses. Forget conquering Leylin, they'd even given him the Fourth Hell now. Snot dripped from their noses as they cried in shame and agony.
"Leave now! It'll be too late when his divine kingdom covers this area!" Levistus transmitted to his subordinates. As the Lord of the Fifth Hell, he was the most affected by Leylin's actions. He would be Leylin's next target, and this Magus was more fearsome than Kukulkan, and much harder to deal with.
"Not you." Levistus had never thought a single sentence would crush all his hopes. He'd only been slower than the rest by a beat, but Leylin caught up to him immediately. The razor sharp blade of Seven Sins was pointed at him, carrying the power of death.
"Divine ability— Death's Decree!" Leylin didn't even attack him. Levistus' consciousness just… stopped in an instant.
Powered by the laws of death and massacre, Death's Decree was an ability that grew with its wielder. With Leylin now being a rank 8 Warlock, he was at the peak of intermediate gods, rank 17. Levistus was a peak lesser god at the most, and with the sheer difference in power he was incapacitated at once.