Dominion The Orphaned World [Planetary Expedition Open to all ] [ DIA Dominion of Kiev'ara]

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik followed quietly as the group made their way to the temple like structure within the mountainside. The door slowly descended and he knew his thoughts were confirmed. There was another sentient thing here and it wanted them to be held here. They were lured and now were to be food for something else. He simply slowly looked around and took in the surroundings... only for them to be changed in a flash. The ominous stale fog from before, replaced by light from Crystals and torches. The two giants formed above the Kie'varan warrior and the Diarch looked for artifacts, signs or glyphs, and just in case - technology that might hinder the power of the two.

It was not until the appearance of souls emerging from the fire tears did he stop his inspection. The one who formed with Rellik was huge, a battle hardened warrior with a giant greatsword on his shoulder. The trio that formed all talked and Rellik learned they were named Vrax, Nai, and the child was Aeris. It burdened the Diarch to hear of his fate.

Than another four Kie'varan burst through the door. Perhaps freeing them from their fate. They challenged the god known as "Saura'vix!" and as the challenge was being returned, the elder of the group was melted in place and replaced by the other god who loomed above the Kie'varan before. They came with a FLASH OF LIGHT.
- The two clashed. Relliks interest peaked at the words that followed.

"So I found new subjects. Ones who will consume this world, consume our people, and use them as fuel to wage war across existence."
"That is what we created them for,"

Than they struck each other down with spear and blade. The Diarch had slipped his saber with the force into his hand. Awaiting the confrontation - either physical or ethereal.

Vrax spoke up, speaking from hardened experience.

"The light," "I have seen it before. It was there just before... well, one moment I was in battle, and then the light came rolling over the horizon. The next, I was here, in the temple."

Rellik did not speak but he figured the light that Vrax and Nai spoke of was of Dra'Ko - the light god. He absorbed them upon their death and turned them into fire-tears and as Saura'vix said. "That is what we created them for."

Than the Diarch was snapped back to reality. Broken from the vision of the kneeling Kie'varan, the warriors who entered, and the fight between the two gods. The desolate and abandoned temple had returned. Not only the image but the gods had as well. Dra'Ko stood translucently, fading in and out of reality. Saura'vix though, he loomed as a dominating shadow in the room. It was then that Rellik heard him. Laphisto's screams in the air. His head snapped and he saw tendrils coming from Saurav'ix were uplifting him in the air.

Rellik ignited his blade. As if his blade was a quill and the stone his paper. He quickly wrote Ty, peresti esencija, kutualas iv Nathema nelaise - on the ground. "Strength, Transfer Essense, Ritual of Nathema Prison"

Dra'Ko approached and spoke of saving Laphisto but the way they went about it did not sound correct to the Diarch.

"Quickly. I need you to allow me to absorb the souls you carry with you. It will give me the strength I need to take your friend as my host. and finally put an end to Saurav'ix once and for all."

"Hear me my friends. These two gods have stripped you of your essence and transferred them to these fire-tears. To amplify their own strength, the only issue they have is how and when to use that strength. There is a difference between using someone for power and relying on our friends and family for power."

Rellik looked towards Diarch Reign and reached out his hand.

"Give me your hand brother." He looked around to the others, including the ghosts of the Kie'varans.

"And yours if you are willing." The Diarch let a small smile form on his face.

" Zara Saga or Zinayn - Check the thrones for the Fire-Tears of the gods. If they are there, bring them to us. I trust you both with my life." He nodded to them both.

" Thank you Derron Daks , if we make it out - we are in your debt friend."

With his brother hand in hand with him. Rellik approached Laphistos rising body and put his hand on him. Saying the words out loud. "Ty, peresti esencija, kutualas iv Nathema nelaise" - The runes on the floor awaited. It required the force to activate. Yet Rellik stood, taking whatever shared punishment he might. Hoping that one of the spirits of the fallen Kie'varans would put their hand on them and allow the ritual to take activate.

Strength - empowering the ritual
Transfer Essence - If Laphisto needed to hold a fire tear to take its strength, than if one of the fallen Kie'varan joined; Rellik could transfer their essence into Laphisto and strengthen him. Along with Rellik and Reign giving his essence to help his friend.
Ritual of Nathema Prison - Vitiate was the first to use a mass life essence ritual to strip a planet of its force abilites. This planet seemed to possibly share a similar fate but the transfer of power did not flood into Vitiate, it flooded into the fire-tears. It would hopefully either free the tears or stop the gods.

Derron Daks Laphisto Zinayn Zara Saga Diarch Reign

 

[Laphisto]

Dra'ko stood waiting, his hand outstretched expectantly, as if he truly believed the mortals before him would obey without question. That they would offer up the souls without hesitation, without demanding a second thought. But when Diarch Rellik simply walked past him with Diarch Reign at his side, the ancient god faltered. Turning slowly, Dra'ko watched the two approach Laphisto. His golden eyes flickered with confusion, glancing toward Saurav'ix, then back toward the Diarchs, and once more to the souls of the Kiev'arians.

Nai drew her twin blades, dropping into a low, ready stance. Beside her, Vrax stepped forward, planting his feet with the weight of someone prepared to make a final stand. Aeris, trembling, took several steps back, his ears pinning tight against his skull before he crouched low, fear plain on his young face. Of the three souls, only Nai and Vrax stood ready to fight. Dra'ko hesitated, the scene before him forcing a pause, before he finally spoke. His voice was not angry, but edged with something almost like sadness. "So willing to protect someone you do not even know," he said, watching them intently. "To trust your salvation, to place your lives in the hands of strangers, not of your own kin."

It was Vrax who answered first, stepping forward with defiant purpose. His voice was steady, unwavering. "We are not just some power source to be discarded when convenient," he said. "I would rather die fighting you myself than see my soul used as a pawn." His words cut sharply through the heavy air. "Of the two of you, I expected better from you, Dra'ko. But the moment you saw an opportunity to take power, you reached for it without hesitation. You are no better than Saurav'ix."

With a snarl of disgust, Vrax made a sharp motion as if spitting at the god's feet. For a long moment, Dra'ko simply stood there, silent. His body sagged slightly, some unseen weight settling upon him. His gaze shifted once more, this time to Derron Daks as the scientist raised his rifle and unleashed a cold blue shot toward Saurav'ix. As the bolts struck against the near-corporeal form of Saurav'ix, he hissed out a guttural snarl, twisting around to face the interlopers including the two Diarchs with a low, snarled laugh. "I knew I felt the life essence of other souls," he rumbled. "Though I didn't expect them to be attached to... less desirable specimens."

As Deks continued firing cryo rounds into him, the old god growled in visible annoyance. "You're a bold one, aren't you?" With a flick of his wrist, Saurav'ix made a gesture as if to hurl the man bodily through the air. Instead, several blackened tentacles writhed into existence, lashing toward Deks with violent intent. His hand remained outstretched as he shifted focus, pulling at the energies of the souls connected to the Diarchs and Zinayn .

The souls reacted instantly, writhing with cries of pain, collapsing to their hands and knees under the strain. "While these lesser souls hold less power than your friend here," Saurav'ix sneered, "they still contain enough energy to be worth my effort. Should have designed these souls to gather energy even after death. At least then, the souls trapped on this planet would have several millennia worth of strength to harvest, rather than just a few hundred."

He turned his gaze downward toward Laphisto, a low, melancholy chuckle rumbling from his throat like grinding gravel. "You are far more lived. I can feel it... what is it? Eight, maybe nine thousand years of energy accumulated within that Fire Tear of yours? It might take me ten years to drain you dry. Ten long years of hearing you scream, watching you writhe, crying out for a mercy that will never come." Saurav'ix leaned in slightly, his voice darkening.

"I might even leave a portion of you alive... just enough to hear your torment, trapped within your own mind. A slave, forced to watch as I consume everything you have built, everyone you have ever loved or cared for." His burning eyes flicked toward the Diarchs with a snarl. "Starting with these two!" With a vicious thrust of his hand, the tendrils snapped forward toward the Diarchs, seeking to drain their power and seize control of whatever ritual they dared to attempt.

As the tendrils lashed toward Deks, Dra'ko surged forward, his hand thrusting out to intercept the attack. With a surge of force energy, he deflected the writhing black limbs, slamming them against a nearby wall and shielding the man from harm. His golden eyes flicked down to Deks briefly, then lifted toward Zara Saga and Zinayn .

"Go!" Dra'ko barked, his voice sharp with urgency. "Grab the jewels from both mine and Saurav'ix's chest. Your friend has become a catalyst from the moment he stepped foot on this planet. Thrust the jewels into his hands he will absorb them both. But keep your hands away from the fractures. If you touch the cracks, the jewel will instead drain your life force." He turned back toward the battle with grim determination. "I'll distract my brother. Finish what I started all those years ago."

Without waiting for a reply, Dra'ko stepped between Rellik and Reign, throwing up a shimmering shield of force energy against the draining power that still lashed toward them. The barrier held, surprising even Saurav'ix, who narrowed his crimson eyes. "Is that you, brother?" Saurav'ix sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Come to kill me again? I'm afraid you're far too weak. You should have let the Kiev'arian drain one of those Fire Tears while you possessed his mind like I did. It would have given you enough strength to face me."

Dra'ko only snarled in reply, extending one hand outward. A spectral image of the sword still lodged in Saurav'ix's chest materialized in his grasp an astral blade of swirling golden energy. In Saurav'ix's hand, a projection of the spear driven into Dra'ko's own body formed in return. With a roar, the two gods clashed, their astral weapons meeting in a shower of vibrant, searing sparks. For a brief, precious moment, the draining force that had gripped Laphisto and the souls around them ceased their torment held at bay by the gods' renewed battle.

As Nai and Vrax slowly rose to their feet, they shook themselves off, steadying against the lingering tremors of pain. Their eyes immediately turned toward Aeris, whose form appeared almost lifeless. The Fire Tear in Reign's possession flickered faintly, its light weakened to a bare ember. The soul had been young, not yet tempered by time, and lacked the strength to resist the draining assault. Though the Tear still glimmered weakly, the image of Aeris faded from existence, vanishing like mist on the wind. The crystal itself seemed to slip into a dormant state, its energy curling inward, hibernating.

Vrax let out a low, guttural growl. Without hesitation, he launched himself forward, Nai close behind. The two souls hurled themselves into the fray, their weapons drawn as they crashed into Saurav'ix with the fury of fallen warriors seeking final justice. The chamber blazed with battle once more, sparks and force energy erupting with every strike. Every second mattered. Now, Deks, Zinayn, Rellik, Reign, and Zara stood at a crossroads. The choice was stark, unforgiving. Destroy the Fire Tears end the gods once and for all or place their trust in Laphisto, allowing him to absorb the fractured power of both

 

[Zara Saga]

​

Zara flinched as the astral weapons clashed again, the golden flare of Dra'ko's sword throwing jagged light across her face. Her breath hitched, and she pressed herself back against a fractured pillar, heart jackhammering in her chest. The world had officially gone full mythic meltdown, and she was somehow still here - still standing, still mortal, still not holding a Fire Tear. Yet again, she'd avoided the worst of the horror show by sheer, stubborn refusal to touch glowing objects.

But now? Now there were instructions. And her name was in them.

"Go" Dra'ko had said. Like this was her job. Like she was prepared for this. Like she had a resume that said "Soul Retrieval Specialist for the Divine Dead."

She didn't move right away. Her body tensed, arms still locked across her chest like armor, jaw tight. Her eyes flicked from Laphisto - suspended, screaming, broken - to the thrones. The Fire Tears. The cracks. The chance to do something that wasn't just standing around looking haunted.

And gods help her, she wanted to help. That was the worst part. Somewhere beneath the sarcasm and perfume and expertly curated layers of defense, Zara cared. Laphisto was her friend. Her weird, brooding, terrifyingly ancient friend. And she was watching him die by inches.

"I knew not touching that crystal was going to bite me." she muttered, voice half-whisper, half-whimper.

Her boots scraped the stone as she pushed away from the wall, slow and deliberate. Her spine stayed straight - never hunched, not even now - but every step toward the thrones was measured like she was walking through a minefield laced with emotional explosives.

She paused by Zinayn, her voice low, brittle around the edges. "If I die doing this, I want it on record that this was your fault." She didn't wait for a reply, but she made sure he heard it, even if her hands were already moving.

She eyed the embedded crystals like a girl eyeing a wild animal that might either cuddle her or bite her arm off.

Zara's fingers hovered over Dra'ko's Fire Tear first, glowing bright but whole, almost... welcoming. Her mouth pressed into a thin, uncertain line. She did not want her life force drained. She wasn't a warrior. She wasn't a chosen one. She was a pretty, petty politician's daughter who had been pretending to be brave since she was twelve.

And yet, here she was.

Her voice shook, but she said it anyway. "Laphisto, if you go all god-possessed and decide to burn the galaxy down, I will haunt you."

And then, careful as she'd ever been in her life, she reached - not for the cracks, not for the edges - but for the core. The living, pulsing heart of a god's last hope.

Laphisto | Zinayn | Diarch Reign | Diarch Rellik | Derron Daks​

 

[Zinayn]

Through the visions that were given to him, the Diarchs' dark side rite, the clash of the gods, and the ever-present background noise of Laphisto screaming, Zinayn felt as if he was back on Csilla. Like he was looking up at the sky, seeing the bright flashes of turbolasers lancing back and forth between the invaders and the Defense Force. Just as he was helpless back then, he felt helpless now.

When Dra'ko spoke, commanded even, he felt some purpose again. There was an opportunity to be useful, and he was going to take it. He barely noticed his Fire Tear apparition launch itself into the fray, or the disappearance of Diarch Reign 's Kiev'arian. His gaze was locked on the strong crimson glow of Saurav'ix's Fire Tear. And the haunting skeleton that held it in its chest cavity. Zinayn heard Zara Saga 's remark, but didn't reply. The crystal filled his vision with red. He walked across the battlefield and came to a halt before the throne.

Dra'ko's warning echoed in his mind as he reached for it, avoiding the cracks. As his hand closed around the Tear, a sense of evil rushed into him, threatening to overcome him. He fought back, remembering Laphisto's bloodcurdling screams just seconds ago, using the High Commander's fear and pain to fuel his own sense of determination to defeat these gods and save his friend. The crystal's attempts to corrupt were pushed back, and Zinayn turned back to Laphisto and jogged over, moving past the gods. Saurav'ix glanced back, eyes wide with rage. He looked like he was about to lash out at Zinayn, but a quick slash from Dra'ko made the god focus on the battle at hand.

"Here: Saurav'ix's Fire Tear," he said, holding the pulsing gem to the recovering High Commander.

Diarch Rellik Derron Daks

 

[Brakkus]

With no response from DDSI, it would be the Ando Mining Collective who would have to bear the brunt of the risk for this expedition into the Tomb of the Forgotten Kings. Naturally, this meant that they would also reap all the rewards.

Fortunately, the civilian cultural experts had arrived from orbit and were prepping to enter the underground labyrinth. They would work alongside droids outfitted with an array of scanners and sensors. These droids would be able to effectively map much of the tomb and reduce the danger posed to the personnel entering afterward if any traps were present.

The first teams entered cautiously, guided by the steady hum of the mapping droids. The tomb's interior was cold and eerily silent, its vast corridors carved from ancient black stone, smoothed by time but cracked by the planet's slow tectonic shifts. Faint carvings adorned the walls, worn glyphs and symbols whose meanings had long since slipped into obscurity. An oppressive stillness clung to the place, broken only by the soft whirring of equipment and the low murmur of experts recording their observations.

Soon enough, they would find the first burial chamber—an antechamber vast and circular, its ceiling lost in shadow. Six sarcophagi stood in a ring, ornate with precious metals and carvings. One had shattered, its stone face cracked open violently, scattering ceremonial weapons and armor across the dust-choked floor. The air carried a strange chill here, and even the droids hesitated a moment before moving in.

Artifacts were carefully collected and sealed in stasis capsules, ready to be returned to the surface where they could be studied in a more controlled environment.

---

Meanwhile, the forward operating base continued to grow in size and scale. Personnel had been exchanged, and the mining efforts had begun to ramp up again. Now, the heavy equipment had also been transported planetside. There was a mix of machinery and vehicles, however the some of the largest equipment would be the Ando Mining Collective's own M-1 Hauler and M-2 walker excavator. The largest, however, was the sole M-3 Snowcrawler, dropped to orbit via a heavy VTOL transport. This behemoth would traverse the surface for months—perhaps even years—singlehandedly surveying and harvesting the planet's vast mineral wealth. Completely self-sufficient and capable of refining resources on the go, it was the perfect tool to uncover Kiev'ara's natural bounty.

Massive mineral deposits had already been located and, fortunately, they were far from any of the important excavation sites. This meant that mining efforts could begin immediately once equipment and personnel arrived at the designated zones.

In orbit, Brakkus continued to oversee the operation from his command post aboard the flagship. He kept a steady eye on both excavation progress and surface conditions, his mood measured—cautiously optimistic. Yet, the lack of response from DDSI lingered in the back of his mind like a splinter. Silence, in his experience, rarely meant nothing.

Laphisto Derron Daks ​

​

 

[Diarch Rellik]

The Diarch watched the ghosts from the tears leap into the fray. He admired their beliefs and warrior spirits, yet there was one missing. Something Rellik would discuss with his brother after the battle. - As Dra'Ko and the others clashed against Saurav'ix, Zinayna and Zara did their friend justice and grabbed the souls of the gods, placing them for Laphisto to absorb.

Laphisto had hopefully begun to overtake them with his living soul but the Brothers Diarch were doing their best to help. With the force energy erupting from every strike of the battle of the dead before them and Laphisto becoming empowered. Rellik and Diarch Reign held tight in their ritual. Feeding off of the residual force flying around and hoping to help their friend overcome the two new inhabitants of his very being.

There was the hope that one of the ghosts would bring themselves and their tear over to empower Rellik but they were keeping the tendrils at bay. Allowing the god tears to be grabbed and keeping them all safe.

The God-Tears looked like they were beginning to blink in the same fashion as the ones that Zinayn, Rellik, and Reign held before. It appeared they would take more time to mold to Laphisto than the first one he touched did. There was no telling how much of Laphisto would be lost as Saurav'ix fed. They needed to find more power.

Rellik looked at his brothers. Both Laphisto and Reign. Speaking to them both. "Don't give up, there is no death. Only the force."

He decided there were two more things he could try. - Get a Fire-Tear of his own or attempt to stab Saurav'ix with the weapon that he used to kill Dra'Ko before. For the Fire-Tear it would come at the cost of possibly killing one of the ghosts or possibly joining with them forever.

As he scanned the room he found the spear, it was still within Dra'Ko. Rellik removed his hand and left Reign to help keep their friend Laphistos soul intact.

Dashing through the combat within the temple turned tomb he made his way to it. Now within his grasp he could see the intricacies of the weapon. The spears material was completely different from anything he had seen before, yet as an alchemist he did notice the Phrik head.

He picked it up, the spear sending a shock throughout his whole body. He heard a voice and saw another Kie'varan. A Warden, one that defended and did not run from death.

With spear in hand, the Diarch straightened his back and planet the haft into the ground. Standing tall with the weapon at his side.

Calling out to Vrax - Rellik offered up himself to save his friend. Even if Vrax lived within the Diarch there were many ways to possibly transfer his essence once the fight was over. It was worth a shot.

"Vrax! I offer a vessel, join with me so we may strike Saurav'ix down together. Let us lead until the end."

Rellik did not wait for a response or action. Getting into a deep stance, the Diarch leapt at Saurav'ix in a hope to finish him.

Laphisto Diarch Reign Zinayn Zara Saga Derron Daks

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Tags: Laphisto Zinayn Zara Saga Diarch Rellik Derron Daks

---

"Did they make it?"

That simple question broke the Diarch much more than he would ever let anyone know. This youth died thinking not of himself but of his comrades. Such honor and bravery, it tore at Reign's heart.

Your efforts spared them your fate my friend

he spoke in his mind to the young warrior. He knew that his comrades had not survived this war, but from the lack of other remains in this area, Reign believed he could offer this small peace.

He followed Laphisto onward, a cold realization creeping up the Diarch's back that his dear friend and ally may not be fully in control of himself. Something he was sure that Rellik had realized by now too. That said, even without the Force, Reign would lend whatever strength he could to his oldest ally.

As they came into the temple, Reign was beset by the same vision as the others. To Reign the whole situation screamed of the troubles that have plagued the galaxy for millennia. One viewing the beings of the galaxy as fuel and their personal playthings, the other too bound by peace to put a stop to it.

Reign couldn't help however, to crack a small smile when he fully met the young warrior who's tear he had attuned to. As eager as his own children it seemed.

But it was then that hell broke loose. Laphisto was screaming, a being Reign had come to call family was under assault. The words of the "light god" seemed like a wise plan, and Aeris seemed to press into Reign's mind how good of a plan it was.

No my young friend, we can not place our trust in Gods or celestials. It is in our friends that we must believe. Help me, and we will get through this.

He spoke in his mind to the young warrior, presenting resolve and strength in the face of this evil.

Then everything seemed to move, Rellik had a plan, a ritual Reign had only briefly studied, yet knew, if they could access the force, would solve the problem immediately. Joining hands with his Brother, Reign attempted to help in whatever way he could.

Suddenly, his young friend, fearful from the start of the conflict, screamed out in pain and seemed to flicker away. This enraged the Diarch, he would not allow the young being to suffer twice. Feeling a fierce protectiveness as he would to his own children.

As Zara and Zinayn gave the fire tears to Laphisto, Reign knew he had to move. He had no strength in the Force here, so as Rellik moved towards the spear, Reign dashed to the sword within Saurav'ix's chest. As he ran he looked back at Zara and barked a command to her

"DO WHAT YOU CAN TO KEEP LAPHISTO HIMSELF"

As Reign sprinted through the carnage he finally felt his hand close over the hilt of the blade, pulling it from the corpse. He turned, and as Rellik leapt from one side, Reign leapt from the other.

 

[Laphisto]

Laphisto was barely conscious, his body slack with exhaustion, his mind reeling from the torment he had endured—until it stopped. The pain ceased as suddenly as it had begun, ripped away as the two gods clashed before him in a maelstrom of divine power. And then... others. Faint outlines. Familiar forms. Kiev'arians? No not the living. These were the souls carried by Diarch Rellik , Diarch Reign , and Zinayn .

He was barely on his knees when Zara Saga and Zinayn reached him. Without hesitation, they thrust the godly Fire Tears into his hands. The moment he made contact, a violent surge of energy tore through his body. Laphisto grunted, his head snapping back with a raw, guttural sound not a scream of agony, but of sheer force, as if his body was being seized by something greater than pain.

From his left arm, the corruptive energy of Saurav'ix's Tear surged upward, dark and wildfire-like, veins blackening and spreading toward his chest. From the right, Dra'ko's Tear answered with radiant gold, the glow searing through his armor, tracing holy light up along his neck and face. Both streams met at his core, clashing and coiling around the Fire Tear embedded within him like twin serpents battling for dominance. Though most Fire Tears were the size of a large Marble these godly fragments were nearly as large as a baseball or large stone. Laphisto's hands clenched tightly around them, knuckles pale beneath gauntlets, as though held fast by lightning itself. He couldn't let go. Perhaps he wasn't allowed to.

Outwardly, his body twitched and shuddered with intermittent spasms, a low groan slipping from his lips between each convulsion. But within his mind. He was falling through lifetimes. Memories flooded him centuries, millennia too many to comprehend. He couldn't hold onto a single one before another followed, cascading over him like a tidal wave of moments lived by gods. Every triumph, every betrayal, every death and rebirth blurred together in an unrelenting torrent. No time to make sense of it. No breath to catch. Just a torrent of divine memory and at its center, himself, struggling to remain.

wWhen Rellik took hold of the spear, Vrax did not come to his calling. He didn't even look back toward the Diarch—he was far too busy locked in desperate combat. As Vrax launched himself into the air for another strike, Saurav'ix moved with vicious precision. A clawed hand lashed out, catching the soul mid-leap, slamming him into the stone like a broken banner. In the same instant, a massive foot crashed down atop Nai, pinning her to the ground with a snarl of triumph. Above them, the Mad God loomed, holding Dra'ko at bay with the same weapon Rellik now clutched.

But something had changed. As the Diarch gripped the ancient spear, a pulse of light shimmered outward from his hands. The temple around him seemed to still not in peace, but in anticipation. And then, from that light, an apparition emerged. A Kiev'arian Warden stepped forward tall and commanding, his body formed from orange-gold brilliance. Ethereal armor gleamed across his form, scarred and weathered from forgotten wars. Each piece bore the weight of a hundred oaths, of battles fought for duty rather than glory. His eyes twin flames of molten purpose locked onto Rellik with unflinching focus.

"You would sacrifice your soul… your life… to bring down the Mad God?" the Warden asked, his voice like a blade drawn in silence. "To protect those who still stand? Those who still hope?" The question wasn't doubt. It was ritual. A rite of passage. "You will be my vessel, and I your weapon. I was forged to be wielded in moments such as this. Take me strike with me and become the Defier of Death itself." Before Rellik could speak, the Warden surged forward not with violence, but with unity. His form broke apart in radiant strands of energy, wrapping around the Diarch like living flame. The spear blazed to life in his hands, and Rellik's body ignited with power his armor glowing from within, each movement echoing with the resonance of the Warden's warcry. and an etherial echo of the warden echoed around rellik as he lunged forwards


When Reign gripped the hilt of the sword still lodged in Saurav'ix's chest, the world around him dissolved. In the blink of an eye, he was no longer in the temple. The heat, the screams, the clash of gods it all vanished. He stood in a vast chamber of pure white, weightless and still. The air was quiet, but not silent; it thrummed with something deeper, something eternal. Ahead of him, four Kiev'arians sat upon thrones carved from ancient materials one of fire-veined obsidian, another of carved jade, one of crystalline windglass, and the last of water-smoothed stone. They were the first monarchs of Kiev'ara, the architects of a people's legacy, and they looked upon him not with malice or warmth, but with the calm detachment of judgment.

They spoke softly in their native tongue, their voices echoing through the chamber like wind across a mountaintop. Though he could not understand the language itself, the intent behind it resonated clearly. They were not addressing him. They were deliberating. Then, the monarch seated upon the throne of green jade raised her hand. She did not move toward Reign physically, but her presence reached out all the same. A gentle but irresistible force tugged at something deep within him. Memories began to rise unbidden, unstoppable.

Moments from his past flickered before the monarchs like shards of broken glass. They saw his victories and his failures. They witnessed his courage in battle, his moments of weakness, the times he held fast when it would have been easier to run, and the times he hesitated when he should have acted. Every choice he had made and every one he had avoided all of it spilled forth into the chamber. One by one, the monarchs joined her. The one of stone reached next, followed by the figures of wind and water. Each of them pulled more pieces of his life into the open, dissecting them with unspoken precision. His soul lay bare before them, exposed and stripped of pretense.

And still, Reign did not falter. Finally, the monarchs ceased. The air grew still, and the light of the chamber steadied into a soft glow. The four rulers turned their gaze to him in unison. Their expressions shifted from distant contemplation to solemn certainty. Then, as one, they spoke not in fragmented voices, but in a single, harmonious tone that reverberated through the air and through Reign's chest.

"In our final breath, we chose each other. Let fire defend. Let stone stand. Let wind lift. Let water heal. In unity, we found our end and through you, we begin again." The chamber broke apart like shattered glass. Light fractured around him, and Reign found himself once more standing in the temple. The sword had come free of the god's chest and now burned in his grip, pulsing with energy. It no longer felt like a weapon forged by mortal hands. It felt alive resonant, righteous, and impossibly heavy with purpose.

But Reign no longer carried it alone.As he turned to rejoin the battle, the monarchs surged behind him not as ghosts, but as warriors reborn through him. One carried a greatspear wrapped in sun-forged runes. Another strode with a broad axe etched in the shape of the mountain roots. A third raised a crystal bow, loosing arrow after arrow with unerring precision, and the last held a longsword that sang through the air like wind over a field. and they all joined in the attack with reign

For a brief moment, it looked as though Saurav'ix had the upper hand. His monstrous form towered over the battlefield, drenched in darkness, radiating malice. He batted aside Vrax and Nai as if they were insects, mocking them with cruel delight. Even Dra'ko, his own brother, was forced back under the crushing force of his spear. "You cannot stop me, brother," Saurav'ix snarled, lips curling back to reveal rows of jagged, glistening teeth. "Not even with the help of these... pests." His gaze fell on Vrax, who still dared to rise. With a sudden, brutal lunge, Saurav'ix grabbed the soul-warrior and lifted him high, maw opening wide to devour him whole. The air trembled with a sickening anticipation until a sudden scream of pain erupted from the god himself. He staggered.

The spear, now wielded by Rellik, had found its mark once more, driven deep into Saurav'ix's side. The astral visage of the Warden flared to full brilliance, surrounding the Diarch like a blazing halo of defiance. Golden light surged from the weapon, coursing through the god's frame like fire through dry brush. The Mad God howled, clutching at the wound as Vrax dropped from his grip and rolled free. But the onslaught had only just begun. A second blow struck Reign's blade slammed into Saurav'ix's shoulder with thunderous force, the power of the monarchs coursing through every inch of its edge. The god reeled, staggering under the force of the strike. Then the monarchs descended. Spear. Axe. Blade. Arrow.

They struck as one silent, wrathful, precise. The monarch with the sun-forged spear drove it into Saurav'ix's chest. The one with the crystal bow unleashed a relentless stream of glowing arrows, each shot piercing deep into corrupted flesh. The axe cleaved through tendon and shadow alike, while the curved blade danced across the god's form in a blur of flashing wind. Saurav'ix screamed a guttural, primal sound that rattled the pillars of the temple. He twisted and thrashed, trying to throw them off, but the weight of justice was upon him. The ancient dead had returned, and they would not yield.

"NO!" he roared, voice cracked and furious. "GET OFF OF ME, YOU VILE CRETINS!" He crashed backward, body slamming against the cold stone floor with an earth-shaking impact. Shadows bled from his wounds, curling and writhing like smoke torn from a dying flame. The god of death clawed at the earth beneath him, desperate to rise. But his fall had already begun.

The battlefield convulsed. The air turned thick, oppressive, as if reality itself resisted what was about to occur. Saurav'ix let out a guttural, soul-tearing roar that echoed across the temple, sending fractures crawling up the pillars and walls. Dra'ko, weakened from the struggle, dropped to one knee. His form flickered like a dying flame, then faded entirely—his presence vanishing in silence, no longer separate, no longer resisting. The Mad God of Death clawed at the stone floor with twisted, blackened talons, raking deep scars through the marble as he fought to anchor himself in a world slipping from his grasp. "No!" he howled, voice fraying with desperation. "I will not end like this! You were to be my vessel, you wretched welp!"

He turned toward Laphisto and froze. Laphisto stood tall, motionless at the center of the chaos, bathed in a blinding storm of gold and shadow. In one hand, the Fire Tear of Saurav'ix pulsed violently, the corrupted crystal swirling with blackened energy. In the other, Dra'ko's Tear had grown dim its light exhausted, its essence already flowing through his veins. Without hesitation, Laphisto crushed the inert Tear of Dra'ko.

The crystal shattered with a crack like thunder, disintegrating into dust that spun upward into the torrent surrounding him. A golden aura flared from within his armor, veins of light crawling up his neck, his face, and across the exposed seams of his armor like a star trying to burst through flesh. Saurav'ix staggered backward, his frame flickering in and out of cohesion. Shadows peeled from his body in tendrils, as if being siphoned by the very force he once sought to dominate. And then Laphisto raised the second Tear. His grip tightened.

The Fire Tear of Saurav'ix screamed a keening sound of breaking divinity as its surface cracked, energy seeping through his fingers in bolts of black flame. Laphisto did not roar, did not cry out. His jaw clenched, his limbs trembled, but his eyes bright with both agony and clarity never left the god before him. The crystal gave one final pulse, then cracked down the center. Saurav'ix howled, a sound of disbelief and unmaking.

The Mad God lurched forward, trying to escape crawling, clawing, defiant even in death. But the pull was too strong. Shadow poured from him like ink into water, drawn into Laphisto's outstretched hand as the Tear finally collapsed inward. The remnants of the god's soul, once so vast and cruel, now shattered and consumed, folded into Laphisto's very essence. When the last echo of Saurav'ix vanished, the temple fell into stillness.

Laphisto stood in silence for one heartbeat moreboth godly Tears destroyed, both powers fused within him. Golden light and deep shadow coiled around his frame, flaring in sharp pulses before vanishing into his skin. His eyes dimmed. His shoulders sagged. And then, without ceremony, he dropped. His knees buckled, strength fled from his limbs, and he collapsed forward striking the cold stone floor with a heavy thud. His breathing was ragged, shallow. Smoke curled from his gauntlets. Light flickered from the veins in his neck like embers gasping for air.

As the final echoes of battle faded into silence, the souls of Nai and Vrax stepped forward, their ethereal forms flickering faintly in the aftermath of divine upheaval. Both stood over Laphisto's collapsed form, gazing down at him with unreadable expressions neither pity nor sorrow, but something deeper. Respect. Recognition. They glanced at each other, warriors bound not by blood, but by battle. No words passed between them, none were needed. Then, slowly, their eyes turned outward toward those who had carried them this far. Vrax's gaze settled on Rellik. The old soul studied the Diarch for a long, quiet moment. He said nothing, but in that silence was something firm and sincere. With a solemn nod and a short, respectful bow, he acknowledged Rellik not just as a vessel, but as a warrior worthy of trust. Then his form shimmered once, and he vanished, drawn back into the glowing Fire Tear that housed him.

Nai turned next, arms crossing over her chest as she walked toward Zinayn. Her expression was sharp as ever, but the fire behind her eyes had softened just enough to show she had seen what he had done what he had risked. "You're not as much of a coward as I thought you were," she said, her voice blunt but not cruel. She held his gaze for a beat longer, the edge in her tone easing just slightly. "Maybe we'll get along after all." And then, without fanfare, she too dissolved into radiant mist, her spirit flowing back into her Fire Tear with a flicker of warm light. The chamber was quiet once more. The souls had returned to their sacred crystals at peace, for now leaving only their wielders, their memories, and the burden of what had just been survived.

---

GM RESPONSE FOR Brakkus

The expedition into the Tomb of the Forgotten Kings continued with methodical precision, the Ando Mining Collective's contracted personnel working seamlessly alongside cultural experts and mapping droids. With no DSSI oversight, the responsibility and reward fell entirely to AMC hands, and the operation had proceeded accordingly: cautiously, efficiently, and with an eye for anything of commercial, cultural, or historical value.

As the droids pushed deeper, the tomb's scale began to reveal itself. What had originally been assumed to be a single-level crypt rapidly expanded into a multi-tiered labyrinth of chambers, corridors, and sealed alcoves each one carefully carved into the planet's black subsurface stone. Despite its immense age, the structure remained remarkably intact, its construction durable and its layout deliberate.

One of the first major discoveries was a ceremonial armory vault, now designated Sector 3-A. Weapons of all kinds were displayed along stone racks polearms, shortblades, warhammers, swordeach forged from high-integrity materials such as Phrik, Songsteel, and what scans confirmed to be Kov'dra-alloy. Not one showed signs of corrosion or degradation. Several suits of ceremonial armor, stylized and ornate, stood on raised plinths. The arrangement suggested high-status warriorschampions or royal guard equivalents. Each piece was catalogued and marked for secure recovery.

Nearby in Sector 3-C, the team entered what appeared to be a funeral gallery, possibly used for public rites. Stone benches formed a ring around a central platform ringed with inert braziers. The basin at the center contained remnants of what analysts believe to be ceremonial ash or oil. Along the chamber's walls were murals depicting battle processions and ritual send-offs, possibly spiritual in nature. While of cultural value, the items here held less material interest, and were prioritized for non-invasive scanning and archival.

The most unusual findings came from Sector 3-D: a cluster of noble crypt alcoves. Each sealed recess contained a sarcophagus, adorned with crests and decorative filigree. Upon opening them, however, teams discovered a startling uniformity: no remains were present. Where skeletal remains were expected, there was only empty armor full suits, perfectly arranged in traditional burial poses, with no signs of organic decay, bone, or biological residue. Each armor set was accompanied by personal effects pendants, brooches, and ornamental blades but no physical body. The anomaly was consistent across every alcove, and it has been flagged for further investigation by the anthropological division.

Deeper still, Sector 3-F yielded an archive niche a modest chamber of slate shelves, housing crystal tablets, etched metal scrolls, and thin-bound volumes made of hardened resin. The content appeared to focus on genealogies, martial commendations, and what may be succession records. These were carefully recovered and transferred to containment units for analysis aboard the orbital station. Given the absence of electronic technology, all records appear to have been created manually using engraving and mineral-based inks.

Environmental conditions throughout the tomb remain stable. The structure is sound, with no active hazards or signs of advanced mechanisms. No traps or moving parts have been discovered.