INTRODUCTION

Years ago, I recall reading the events that led up to the first official Ascension in which Soll Peulus became the Divine known as Ayridion, the White Flame and the event that would have Him shed His Divine form for eternity. As I read through the various news posts and written histories, I remember thinking: Had I been given that opportunity, what would I have done with it? What would my teachings have been? What would my Order have been like?

As I seriously meditated on these personal inquiries, a story began to form and take shape within my mind, as is wont to happen when the inspiration strikes. This tome is the result of that story that came to me that day. Do bear in mind that, aside from the True Ascendants that are named here, this work is purely one of fiction and should not be considered true in any way.

That said, please do read on!

PROLOGUE

The First World now faces great peril and I may indirectly also be to blame for it.

You see, there is a reason Ashira added a stipulation into House Ka'liati's handbook with Thaldorn's name on it: He cannot be trusted to wander the Basin of Life on his own. Ever. Many of you know why, some of you may not. Let's just say that such an event is how disasters occur. I've also woken to messages that told me Thaldorn had decided to engage others in insult contests and now those others were ready to kill him on sight. So leaving him unsupervised is never an option.

I myself made that mistake and now the entirety of Creation is at risk because of it. Following a hunt that spanned several days within the land known as Pandaemonium, we'd returned to the Panda aethershop to rest a bit. Since Thaldorn and Kamalei were already mid-argument when I was ready to head back out, I left them to it and went to hunt the inhabitants of the Waste Facility near Magnagora.

That proved to be a grave error on my part.

He would not tell me who, but less than a day after leaving the aethershop, someone had entered and left him with a giant pile of corpses they'd acquired from Pandaemonium. Though I hadn't sensed anyone in the area while we were there, I knew it was possible that someone else had been there on a hunt as well.

In the aethershop, there is a hidden entrance that leads into a six room alcove that I'd built for Thaldorn so he'd have his own space to wreak havoc in instead of the aethershop itself. What I did not know is that this bloody gorilla had somehow constructed his own version of a scientific laboratory in his area, which he took the corpses he'd been given. I usually do not bother him when he's there, same as if I were in my office. That turned out to be another monumental mistake.

A month following that hunt on Pandaemonium, I could hear him whooping with glee from within his alcoves. Those who have met Thaldorn know that could never be considered a good thing, especially after what he yelled next.

"IT WILL LIIIIIIIIIIVE!"

That statement immediately sent me scrambling towards the location of his cavernous abode, only to find that he'd barred the door shut. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the door open. I angrily began pounding a fist on the reinforced steel obstacle standing between me and finding out just what Thaldorn was up to.

"THALDORN! Open this door! Right now!" I ordered. I could hear scuffling and random items hitting the floor.

"What do you want, panda?!" Thaldorn demanded, the door remaining sealed shut. I banged on the door harder, a bit miffed now.

"What the blazes are you up to in there?!" I asked loudly as I continued slamming my furred fist at the door.

"Nothing!" Thaldorn outright lied, which did nothing to ease my suspicions as far as he was concerned.

"Aye? Then what was that you said about 'it will live'?!" I challenged.

Silence.

"THALDORN! ANSWER ME, DAMN YOU!" I roared, now quite angry.

"It's nothing to worry about, I swear!" Thaldorn attempted to reassure me. I was now wishing I could break this door down. There's a reason it's made of reinforced steel and quite pricey. The bloody things are indestructible.

"Why don't I believe that for a second?!" I shouted back. Suddenly, what sounded like an explosion echoed throughout the vicinity, causing me to instinctively dive for cover. A gutteral, inhuman growl followed, a sound that I'd never heard before.

"Panda! Help!" Thaldorn screamed. I could hear heavy footfalls rushing throughout the area he was in. The was a second sound that appeared to be following him quite closely. Its movements caused the very ground to tremor slightly.

I was now bewildered and worried. Very worried.

"Thaldorn, what the bloody Nil did you do!" I demanded to know as I attempted to break through the door, knowing my efforts were for naught.

"I... made a mistake," Thaldorn answered. A moment later, the door flew open and my silverback companion came barreling into the area, nearly bowling me over in the process.

"RUN!" he shrieked, bolting past me. I stared after him in bewilderment as he fled from the aethershop before turning back in the direction he'd just come from. A few seconds later, I understood what had sent him fleeing for his life.

A hulking behemoth stood just a few paces from the entrance, one of the ugliest things I'd ever witnessed in the century I had been alive. It looked as if someone had combined many different parts of the anatomy belonging to different monstrosities that could be found in Pandaemonium and created something that should exist only in the pages of a book. Yet, here it stood before me.

And it appeared to be hungry.

"THALDORN, YOU GIT!" I bellowed as I too fled from my own aethershop. Thaldorn was in the Aetherplex, still catching his breath. I glared at him, wanting to smack him upside the head. "What. Have. You. Done?!"

"I uh... took a little of this and a little of that and managed to make it live," Thaldorn confessed. I could do nothing but stare blankly at the gorilla.

"YOU created that bloody thing?!" I yelled at him incredulously. Thaldorn nodded sheepishly. Before he could get a word out, the hulking mass of nightmarish proportions that was his doing also entered the Aetherplex. Ignoring us, it headed out towards the road that led up to Avechna's Peak.

"...where is he going?!" Thaldorn wondered as he began to fall in line behind me. We hurried after this horrific creation of his. We exited the Aetherplex to discover that it had taken to the sky, its six mismatched wings carrying it aloft.

"Where could it be head--" I began, then froze. I suddenly knew exactly where it was going and the knowledge made my blood run cold.

It was headed for the Lord Avenger Himself.

"We need to get to Lord Avechna! Now!" I informed Thaldorn as I too launched myself skyward, praying that I would get to the Peak before this Horror from Pandaemonium got there. I had no clue how I was even supposed to stop it from doing whatever it intended to do, but that wasn't going to stop me.

We could hear the Horror's gutteral, feral roars reverberating throughout what was once known as Mount Dynara, causing us to race off in the direction of the sound. We arrived to find the behemoth standing before Lord Avechna, its visage threatening unimaginable horrors.

"What do we do?!" Thaldorn asked me. To tell you the truth, I had absolutely no idea. We did have to try to do something though, so I focused my gnomish goggles in the direction of Thaldorn's hideous creation and opened fire.

The beams of divinus energy didn't even faze this thing.

It didn't even bother to acknowledge our presence, its attention drawn by Avechna the Avenger. Before I could think of something else to attempt, the Pandaemonium Horror began to glow and pulsate with a sort of dark energy momentarily before the Lord Avenger began to flicker like a spent torch nearing the end of its use as a source of light. It took a few seconds before I realised what was taking place before me.

"The monstrosity is draining Lord Avechna's divine essence!" I revealed, shock registering throughout every part of my face.

"Stop him!" Thaldorn retorted, now sounding extremely panicked.

I launched into action, drawing Kaiwela from the Belt of Klangratch strapped around my waist and attacking with everything within me. The strikes merely bounced off of the Horror, having no effect whatsoever. I began to silently curse Thaldorn for creating this thing, knowing fully well that he'd hear me.

"Hey, now isn't the time to place blame, panda!" Thaldorn said defensively, hearing my thoughts as I knew he would. I scoffed at him in disbelief.

"YOU created that thing! I'm damned well going to blame you!" I fired back as I considered what else I could try in bringing this thing down.

"OI! BEAKY! COMMERE!" I suddenly heard Thaldorn yell. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I found myself needing to fight back a laugh as I watched Thaldorn openly taunt this monstrosity he'd created, both verbally and through several vulgar hand gestures.

The Pandaemonium Horror simply ignored him as it continued to drain the Divine essence from Lord Avechna. Not knowing what else to do, I continued the assault with my axe, growing frustrated with each time an attack simply bounced off of it.

A sudden flash engulfed the area in blinding rays for a second or two, heralding the appearance of three veiled beings, their identities masked by an aura of secrecy. As the Lord Avenger collapsed to the ground of the Peak, one of the immortals' arms shot forward with an almost indiscernable speed as They clutched the monstrosity by the throat, effortlessly lifting it off of the ground and pulling it towards Them. Through the veil concealing Their identity from mortal perception, I could see a twin pair of orbs the shade of crimson gazing intently at Thaldorn's creation, a silent fury blazing through Their eyes. The two with Them carefully lifted Lord Avechna and vanished with Him, presumably escorting the fallen Avenger to safety and healing.

"Monstrosity created by hands of ignorance and mischief, I have been given full authority to cast and carry forth your judgement according to Divine mandate," the Divine voice of the veiled immortal boomed, nearly shattering the cosmic equilibrium with the force. "I do so now!"

"Death!"

At Their proclamation, the very form of the Pandaemonium Horror began to bubble violently, causing it to emit an ungodly roar of immense pain as it attempted to free itself. Divine energy emanating from Their very immortal body, the veiled Elder God encased the monstrosity within a radiant prison of celestial brilliance and released Their hold upon Thaldorn's scientific mishap. Speaking a single phrase in an unrecognisable tongue, the Divine Being snapped Their fingers, the action causing the illuminated prison containing the monstrosity to shatter instantly, both ceasing to exist in a mere moment.

The sentence having been executed, the veiled Elder Divine now turned Their attention towards us, prompting Thaldorn to cower behind me. They seemed to be studying us silently. After what felt like an eternity, They focused Their gaze in Thaldorn's direction, Their expression unreadable.

"You. Stand before Me," They commanded. Thaldorn pondered the request briefly, considering his options. Before I could stop him, the silverback attempted to flee the Peak.

"I SAID COME HERE, GORILLA!" the Divine voice of the mysterious Elder God reverberated authoritatively, summoning him through sheer Divine will. I watched as Thaldorn suddenly materialised before the immortal Being, confused and now appearing a bit frightened. The veiled God eyed Thaldorn through narrowed slits. I remained silent so as not to invoke Their wrath upon myself. "You were responsible for creating that monstrosity and now placing the entire First World in grave peril, were you not?"

"In a manner of speaking," Thaldorn answered sheepishly. The Elder God was not the slightest bit amused by his response.

"Then so be it," the immortal stated before issuing a proclamation to the entirety of the Basin of Life with a nearly deafening cadence. "For your part in placing the First World in grave danger, Thaldorn Thornfist is to stand before the Divine Council to face judgement for his actions!"

"I... what?!" Thaldorn stammered moments before he and the veiled Divine vanished into thin air. I blinked, hoping against hope that this was all a dream that stemmed from spending too much time hunting the Astral Plane.

Subconsciously I knew that every bit of this was very much a reality.

Thaldorn had been in trouble in the past, but every single one of those paled in comparison to what he would face now. In the time I'd been alive, I had only heard of one instance where someone had to face a Divine Council for judgement, excluding the Triumvirate that banished the Twelve Traitors into the Void:

Li-varili, the Lady of Lagoons.

"You've done it now, Thaldorn," I said to myself, perhaps the biggest understatement to date ever uttered in the First World.

 

A DIVINE JUDGEMENT CAST

Thaldorn was now scared.

He'd messed up in the past, but now he was about to face a council of Elder Divine who will decide what will happen to him for what he did. Not even his worst insult had gotten him into a situation that compared to this. He had to admit; getting locked in the aethershop for three days for that particular incident was preferable to standing before a group of immortal Judges. He had to wait for the day of his trial to be decided, which took nearly a year, during which time Thaldorn expressed true regret for creating the Pandaemonium Horror and almost getting the Avenger slain in the process.

And now he stood in the Court of Immortal Judgement, uncertain of what was about to happen.

"I wish I'd never created that bloody thing... I wouldn't be here!" Thaldorn chided himself a bit too late to have any effect. As he waited for the Divine Council to arrive, his eyes idly scanned his immediate surroundings. The entrance he'd been ushered through when he arrived had vanished, making a hasty attempt impossible.

"Thaldorn Thornfist!" a voice boomed, nearly sending Thaldorn through the roof as he jumped at the sound. The Divine Council had quietly appeared behind the magnificent podium that separated Their seats from the rest of the court. With them was someone Thaldorn recognised immediately; Volucer, a falcon belonging to the Elder Goddess Isune who took his place at the lowered podium located next to the seats of the Divine Judges. One of the shrouded immortal Beings pointed a steady finger in Thaldorn's direction. "Stand before Us to be judged for your part in creating the Horror of Pandaemonium that almost resulted in the death of Avechna the Avenger."

"I can explain--" Thaldorn tried as he moved to present himself before the Judges.

"SILENCE!" another of the immortal Judges ordered, Their voice almost deafening the silverback. Rubbing at his ears, Thaldorn quieted immediately and waited. "You are to remain silent unless asked to speak. Fail to do this and you will be muted by Divine mandate. Is that understood?"

Thaldorn nodded, afraid to speak lest he call down this immortal's wrath upon himself. He was in enough trouble at the moment. The Council of Judges all gazed at him in quiet contemplation, causing him to squirm uncomfortably as They took Their places behind the wide podium.

"You have been summoned before this Divine Council to be judged in accordance with the part you played in nearly causing the eternal death of one of the Divine. We will allow you to speak in your own defense. Proceed," yet another of the shrouded Elder Gods declared before nodding once towards Thaldorn, a gesture that indicated that he could begin speaking.

"I am very sorry for what I did. I didn't know that thing would immediately try to kill the Avenger!" Thaldorn blurted, his voice echoing in the judgement chamber. "I promise it will never, ever happen again!"

"Is that all, gorilla?" one of the Judges pressed emotionlessly. Thaldorn thought for a moment.

"Please don't kill me!" Thaldorn pleaded in earnest, his tone fearful.

"Kill you?" the first Judge chimed in, their tone flat. "What exactly would that accomplish, gorilla. No... death would be far too compassionate for what you have wrought upon the First World."

"...does that mean I'm free to go?" Thaldorn prompted, his voice laden with hope. Murmurs of disbelief followed his inquiry.

"I declared death to be too compassionate of a sentence, which is not a statement absolving you of your actions," the Divine Judge retorted, now sounding slightly annoyed. "No, there are greater punishments than death, one of which will be your sentence."

"But--" Thaldorn attempted to say, but was again interrupted.

"SILENCE!" another judge repeated the order from earlier. They continued once Thaldorn immediately fell silent. "For nearly ending the existence of Avechna the Avenger and leaving the prison holding Almighty Kethuru at bay, We declare your sentence: You will replace the Avenger atop the peak overlooking Mount Dynara in His stead, standing vigil over that which imprisons the most powerful of the Heralds of Magnora. We have spoken!"

"You want me to WHAT?!" Thaldorn demanded shrilly, but it was of little use. As quietly as They'd appeared, They were gone. "Hey! I was asking You something!"

Silence met his words as Their words began to feel like a crushing burden upon the silverback's broad shoulders.

THALDORN, THE AVENGER

"They can't be bloody serious...!" Thaldorn said aloud once he'd been led out of the Divine Court by Volucer, who had been tasked with escorting the silverback to Avechna's Peak to serve the sentence pronounced on him.

"Oh, I assure you They were very serious," Volucer informed Thaldorn.

"They expect ME to babysit Kethuru who could eat us all in a single meal if he wants to?!" Thaldorn asked in bewilderment. Without the slightest hesitation, Volucer nodded at him, fighting back a smile of amusement.

"I wish I had never created that thing!" Thaldorn repeated his sentiments from earlier. Volucer snorted.

"Well, it's a bit too late my friend," the falcon stated as both he and the gorilla he was charged with escorting were instantly teleported to the peak of Mount Avechna by Divine will, which Thaldorn hadn't been expecting. He blinked in bewildered confusion as his surroundings changed suddenly before he found himself standing at his destination without having taken a single step in any direction. Volucer chuckled as he saw the realisation dawn on Thaldorn's face.

"...I should have known They wouldn't let us walk here. I was planning to run," Thaldorn admitted aloud. Volucer grinned at him.

"They know, which is why we were transported," Volucer replied. Thaldorn's hand struck his forehead with an audible *smack!*.

"They didn't trust me?!" Thaldorn wanted to know, now insulted by the insinuation. Volucer snorted again.

"To be fair, I don't trust you either. Just being honest," Volucer said. Thaldorn had to admit; his actions thus far haven't been what one would consider 'trustworthy'.

"Question!" Thaldorn suddenly blurted out, holding up a finger.

"Only one? I was expecting a barrage of them," Volucer quipped before nodding.

"Funny. What do I do if Kethuru wakes up and realises it's me standing here instead of Avechna?" the silverback inquired. Volucer paused, thinking.

"Just start screaming like a girl. That'll get the mortals to come rushing up here," Volucer answered seriously. Thaldorn shot him a blank stare as he added, "Maybe add a 'Bloody shite!' as well, that might get them up here faster."

"And if they don't?" Thaldorn prompted. Volucer touched Thaldorn gently with one of his wings and sighed.

"We will miss you. Fight bravely, new Avenger!" Volucer replied solemnly before leaving. Thaldorn glared in the direction the falcon just flew off in.

"I hope your bloody wings fall off," Thaldorn muttered as he took his place where Avechna once stood. Thaldorn breathed a sigh of relieve upon seeing Almighty Kethuru unmoving.

"Maybe this won't be that bad," Thaldorn mused aloud.

What could possibly go wrong...?

THE TRIALS OF ASCENSION BEGIN

"HE'S AWAKE, YOU LOT! GET YOUR TAILS UP HERE!" Thaldorn's voice pierced the quiet morning air, his tone frantic.

Silence.

Atop Avechna's Peak, the First World's newest Avenger watched with panic as he witnessed firsthand the stirring of Almighty Kethuru. A nearly crushing sense of unending hunger struck Thaldorn with sudden force, projected towards him by he who was considered the most powerful of the Heralds of Magnora as the Soulless God realised that the being now watching over his prison was not in fact Avechna the Avenger.

"HE'S GOING TO EAT ME! GET YOUR ARSES UP HERE, YOU BLOKES!" Thaldorn screamed again, his voice shrill and laden with sheer panic. Again, his plea was met with absolute silence, causing his anxiety to raise a few levels.

"Where the blazes are these bloody gits...?!" Thaldorn wondered aloud as Almighty Kethuru continued to send forth image after image towards the silverback's subconscious, each mirroring the intent of the Soulless God now awakened.

Not one of them were very promising as far as Thaldorn was concerned.

"BLOODY SHITE!" Thaldorn bellowed a third time. It was then that he realised that those who were not considered Fate-touched could not project their voices loud enough to be heard around the First World.

"PANDA! GET TO THE PEAK! KETHURU WOKE UP!" Thaldorn screamed at Alarin through their telepathic bond. From within the Docker's Fist Tavern section of aethershop Panda, Alarin blinked in shock, finally hearing from Thaldorn after more than a year of silence.

"Thaldorn?! It's about bloody time! Where the blazes are you??" Alarin responded through their shared bond. Their companion's response sent a wave of shock through Alarin as Thaldorn conveyed his given sentence and his current location. "...They sentenced YOU to replace Lord Avechna...?!"

"AYE! AND KETHURU WOKE UP! HELP!" Thaldorn answered, his panic evident even through telepathic means. Alarin immediately bolted from the aethershop and raced towards Avechna's Peak as Thaldorn continued to babble in panicked consternation.

Like a thundering wind, the voice of Alarin Ka'liati echoes, "Fellow mortals, our world is at risk of being consumed by Almighty Kethuru!"

"Why hasn't Lord Avechna informed us of this?" someone asked via a direct tell moments later.

"I'll explain there," Alarin replied hastily as the peak came into view. Looking down from the sky, Alarin spotted Thaldorn almost immediately and swooped down towards him as fast as their wings were able to transport them. "Thaldorn!"

"PANDA! I've never been more relieved to see you," Thaldorn babbled, looking quite frazzled and agitated.

"What were They bloody thinking, having you replace Lord Avechna?!" Alarin demanded bluntly, their voice dripping with unconcealed incredulity.

"THAT'S WHAT I SAID!" exclaimed Thaldorn. He pointed towards where the Herald of Magnagora on the verge of breaking free was currently imprisoned. "See him?"

"See what, Thaldorn?" Alarin asked seriously. Thaldorn eyed Alarin with suspicion. One look at the tae'dae's facial expression told him Alarin was indeed confused.

They couldn't see the prison.

"...I guess only the person who has to watch if he wakes up can see it," Thaldorn stated. Alarin peered at him.

"What are you on about, Thaldorn?" Alarin inquired, a bit annoyed.

"I was trying to show you that Kethuru's waking up, but if you can't see it, that means I'm the only one it appears to," Thaldorn explained.

"I see..." Alarin replied as other mortals began flooding the area in droves, called there by Alarin's proclamation. A barrage of questions assaulted the tae'dae who quickly raised a paw, signalling those gathered to quiet down.

"Thank you. I was informed by Thaldorn here that Almighty Kethuru has stirred and may be attempting to escape his prison," Alarin began. A series of worried muttering met their words.

"I asked earlier through a tell, but why hasn't Lord Avechna informed the Basin of this?" a voice spoke up from within the sea of mortals currently gathered.

"Apologies for the delay. I was actually about to get to that," Alarin answered before explaining the events involving the Pandaemonium Horror to those gathered with them. Gazes shifted from Alarin to Thaldorn and back as everyone listened in silence.

"...so it really IS the gorilla's fault this time...!" someone called out half-jokingly.

"Aye, he really is to blame this time," Alarin confirmed with a quick glance at their gorilla companion who actually had his head bowed in embarrassment and shame, prompting every eye to glance now in Thaldorn's direction, several even shaking their heads in disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that! I'm regretting ever having created that bloody thing!" Thaldorn nearly wailed.

"What were the Divine even thinking, putting Thaldorn of all people here?!" yet another asked in utter disbelief.

"I'd like to know that too!" Thaldorn agreed, nodding towards the one who just spoke, eliciting a few snickers from those gathered.

"...can he break free?" came another inquiry. Thaldorn shrugged animatedly.

"Don't look at me, I'm forced to be here!" he retorted.

"You just can't seem to stay out of trouble, Thaldorn," a familiar voice could be heard commenting as Ashira Ka'liati entered the area, shaking her head in disappointment at Thaldorn.

"Hi Ashy. Help me!" Thaldorn pleaded in Ashira's direction.

"Ohhhh no, you really messed up big this time," Ashira scoffed, shaking her head even more emphatically.

"So what happens now?" Lanivara's voice pierced through the mass of murmured voices as she too appeared a few moments after Ashira. She stared intently at her husband before stating bluntly, "You are an imbecile, love."

"Hello to you too," Thaldorn said, rolling his eyes, his wife's response one he'd expected.

"So what happens now?" another voice cut in impatiently.

Before either Alarin or Thaldorn had a chance to reply, the commanding tone of one of the First World's Divine suddenly boomed throughout the land, proclaiming, "The Nine Seals remain intact, but weakened. The time to choose another to ascend through the Challenges set forth by the Nine Domoths is at hand, the first Trial beginning in three months' time. Prepare yourselves, mortals!"

"Does that answer your question?" Thaldorn quipped.

"It certainly does!" someone yelled from near the back of the gathered mortals.

"It looks like we need to steel ourselves for the upcoming Trials," Alarin stated. They glanced at Thaldorn briefly. "Try not to get eaten by Kethuru."

"Oh you're just hilarious, panda," Thaldorn shot back drily, snorting in derision.

As the crowd slowly began to part, Thaldorn gazed down towards where Almighty Kethuru was imprisoned. Would someone be ascended in time to strengthen the Nine Seals and keep him where he currently was?

Thaldorn certainly hoped so!

 

BATTLE FOR THE STAFF OF CREATION

As the Challenges of the Nine Seals were contested one by one, many mortals answered the call to arms, enticed by the chance at joining those who have previously ascended into true Divinity. The best of the Fate-touched displayed both skill and prowess, emerging victorious and claiming one of the Seals. Though Alarin also competed in majority of these Challenges, victory seemed to elude them, one by a very slim margin as they'd nearly been the one who earned the right to wear the Seal of Death.

"This is your last opportunity, panda. Good luck!" Thaldorn told Alarin as the latter paid him a brief visit as they waited for the winning entries for the Seal of Beauty to be announced.

"Aye, I am very aware of that," Alarin nearly spat, visibly annoyed. The Seal of Knowledge had been the last Challenge they'd competed in and lost; a mere handful of points separating them from the current Sealbearer of Knowledge, a challenge they were sure they'd win, much to their great disappointment.

"Mortals! The results of the Challenge of Beauty will be announced shortly. You may gather before the Seal of the same name to witness the announcement if you are so inclined!" the voice of one of the Elder Divine commanded all to attention. Alarin hurried towards the cave containing the Seal of Beauty within with Kamalei following close behind them. The area was already overcome by a great sea of mortality by the time they arrived. One of the immortals of the First World stood before the gathering, a veil of secrecy concealing Their true identity from mortal perception. They lifted a steady hand, calling for silence.

Alarin barely paid attention the proceeding, their anxiety nearing its peak as they recalled the recent Seal Challenges they'd competed in, having been bested by leagues in most of them. As Thaldorn had been so kind to remind them, this was the final chance they had at claiming the last of the Nine Seals. Their nerves wracked with nervousness and anxious anticipation, they at first hadn't heard who the new Bearer of Beauty was.

"The victor... Alarin Ka'liati, whose entry surpassed all others! Congratulations, Sealbearer of Beauty!" the veiled Divine announced as They presented the tae'dae with the gleaming Seal that had been claimed by the winners before them.

Alarin almost fainted.

"I... won?!" they stammered, not believing they'd heard correctly. Several in the crowd snickered with barely contained amusement at Alarin's reaction as the Seal was fastened around their neck. Numbness from shock overcame the recent victor of the Challenge of Beauty as they were congratulated both in person and through tells.

"...I won?" Alarin asked again as they retreated from the public eye, returning to where Thaldorn was atop Avechna's Peak.

"You won?!" Thaldorn repeated in feigned shock, smirking.

"Apparently!" Alarin confirmed with great reluctance, the Seal now hanging from their neck still seeming like a dream in spite of their being fully awake and attentive.

"Congratulations panda. Now get me out of this mess that I created for myself!" Thaldorn demanded. Alarin considered the request briefly.

"I'm not quite sure I want to. You being put here means you can't get into or cause any trouble," Alarin pointed out. Thaldorn's jaw dropped open as he gaped at Alarin, horrified.

"You can't do this to me! I'm going to get eaten!" Thaldorn retorted shrilly.

"Not if we can have Final Ascension concluded in time," Alarin promised as another announcement from a Divine One called the attention of the First World.

"The final battle for the Staff of Creation will commence in but four short months. Prepare yourselves for the battle of the ages, mortals!" they declared. Alarin took a deep, unsteady breath. As one of the current nine Sealbearers, they were required by unspoken rule to be present when the battle commenced.

"I hope they have someone in mind to carry the Staff," Alarin commented aloud.

"They do. You."

Thaldorn had guessed correctly as Alarin would find out a month later as they were chosen by majority vote between the three ruling councils of the Shadowlight Alliance. Predictably the tae'dae was tempted to object, but stayed quiet. Though they would rather another be selected in their stead, they did always say, albeit jokingly, that they would only compete for the right to ascend should they win the Seal of Beauty in response to the few who had always been against a Beauty Sealbearer being the one to emerge victorious in the battle for the Staff of Creation.

"I accept and will give it everything I have," Alarin found themselves replying on the aether shared between the three nations belonging to the Shadowlight Alliance.

"...I was expecting Alarin to start running," someone quipped.

"I'm not going to lie, I almost did!" Alarin admitted, prompting several to laugh. "Anywho, there is much to do if we are to be fully prepared for what is to come."

"Indeed. The best of luck, Alarin. We are with you!" the familiar voice of one who'd been a friend of Alarin's almost from the beginning said. The tae'dae smiled softly.

"I thank you all," Alarin concluded simply.

Before Alarin knew it, the day chosen for the final battle that was to take place on the Astral Plane had arrived. The Sealbearer of Beauty blinked in shock as they entered the upper deck of New Celest. Majority of the active members of the alliance were awake, present and prepared for a war. Several of the Shadowlight's appointed leaders were issuing last minute orders as a squad was formed.

"Ready, Alarin?" one of the leaders asked them. Alarin exhaled slowly before giving a solemn nod.

"As ready as I will ever be," Alarin assured him with a slight smile.

"We will be heading for Gemini as soon as the announcement is made," another informed the squad gathered. Many nodded in affirmation.

"Mortals! The time is nigh! Which of the recent Seal Holders will be the one to join the esteemed ranks of the Ascended Ones? The answer lies upon the Astral Plane where the Staff of Ascension is located! May the best of you be victorious!" came the declaration mere seconds later. "That's our cue. On balance!"

The army of the Shadowlight Alliance quickly made their way towards the selected astrosphere, great anticipation permeating the air around them. The forces mustered by the Ironhart Conflagaration were already present, rooting themselves upon the Astrosphere of Capricorn. In a sudden flash, the Staff of Creation briefly appeared in the sky overlooking the Plane of Astral before quickly descending, landing in an undiscernable location.

"Let's move!" came the call from one of the leaders as the squad marched forward in search of the Staff that would choose the First World's next Ascended Divine. The battle raged as the Sealbearer of Life from the Serenwilde Commune was the first to claim it, quickly retreating behind a barricade of her allies as the opposing alliance entered and immediately engaged them in a violent and bloody confrontation that saw the Staff exchange hands several times.

"Sealbearers! Get that Staff back!" an authoritative voice ordered once Alarin had fallen, causing them to drop the Staff in the process. The other two members of the alliance who also bore one of the Nine Seals quickly disappeared in an attempt to reclaim the ancient Divine artifact. Alarin returned soon afterwards, defenses raised just in time for the Sealbearer of Nature to rush into the area, the Staff in their possession, which they hastily handed to Alarin.

"Brace yourselves, they're on their way!" the Sealbearer of Harmony announced moments before the Ironhart Conflagaration stormed into the location and launched a fevered assault upon the opposition.

"Alarin damn you, fall back!" one of the leading officers hollered when he noticed the tae'dae was fighting alongside them. "Hold steady, folks!"

Alarin reluctantly did as commanded as a fevered, frantic collision took place in front of them between the opposing factions as those from the Ironhart Conflagaration attempted to get to Alarin and the Staff. Though their efforts were indeed commendable, Alarin managed to keep the ancient relic in their possession, even as their allies traveled through each of the twelve astrospheres, the enemy never being far behind. After what seemed like an eternity of constant bloodshed, a flash in the sky heralded the conclusion of the final battle of Ascension. Much like they'd almost done when they realised they'd won the Challenge of Beauty, Alarin nearly fainted in disbelief as Time stopped abruptly, freezing all into place.

Alarin found themselves ascending into the sky, guided by an unseen hand as the two armies below stood frozen and unable to move.

"The final confrontation is at an end and another has earned their right to join the Ascended as an equal! Newly Ascended, proclaim your name so all may know it!" the Divine voice of Someone powerful commanded as Alarin shed the bonds of mortality, a new immortal body forming; rays of brilliant light radiating like a halo around them. As the transformation completed, Alarin felt a new sense of power flow within them.

"I will be called Nawaiolahou, Renewed in immortality and elevated through the Trials of Ascension!" Alarin proclaimed in response, their voice carrying their declaration to all corners of the First World. "Mine will be the One Collective, standing for the City of Order as I have done as a mortal!"

"So be it!" came the Divine confirmation as Alarin's newly acquired immortal form descended upon the city that had been home for them.

"Hail Lord Nawaiolahou, the Renewed; newly risen as an Ascended One!"

The Call To The Awakened

A great celebration rose as the citizenry as a festival dedicated to the newest member of their Divine Pantheon. Banners bearing the likeness of the former mortal shell their new Divine previously wore were hung in prominence throughout the city amid countless obsidian and gold streamers. Gathered at the city's center where the Matrix stood were what appeared to be every person currently awake within the First World. Even those who were members of the opposing alliance were extended an invitation, a few of them also present. A re-enactment of Alarin Ka'liati's transformation into one of the Divine was brushed by a master artist in vivid detail, placed on exhibit in the area.

As the celebration continued, two of Alarin's three constant companions entered from the northeast, themselves apparently having undergone drastic transformations. Thaldorn now wore a shining fieldplate of bright cyan, the symbol of a mysterious blossom bearing five long petals of violet and ebon having been expertly worked into the chestplate's center. Instead of an axe, a twin pair of gleaming silver scabbards hung on either side of his large waist, a platinum hilt shaped into the head of a dragon visible from both.

Beside him was his wife Lanivara, clad in the same manner as her husband, the armour bestowed upon her coloured a soft ivory hue. Strapped to her back was a giant scabbard similar to the ones Thaldorn wore, a golden hilt molded into the replica of one of the many great cats that can be found within the Basin of Life the only part of her weapon that was clearly visible. They both crossed their arms at the wrists directly above their chests and offered a slight bow; the standard greeting of House Ka'liati.

"...you two look different," one of the citizens of the Collective commented, nodding with approval.

"The panda wanted to put us in clown suits, but we said no--" Thaldorn started, but Lanivara quickly clamped one of her hands over his mouth to silence him.

"...Sir B-- er Lord Big Bear was jesting when he said that. Well, he was as far as I'm concerned. I think He was serious about stuffing Thaldorn into one of those suits for annoying Him earlier," Lanivara revealed as her husband halfheartedly struggled to remove her hand from covering his mouth. A few gathered with them snorted in amusement as they shot quick glances in Thaldorn's direction.

"I'll tell Him to stuff you in it so I can laugh," Gyorn, one who had known Alarin for many years, threatened playfully.

"...I'll bop you with your own staff, sir," Thaldorn retorted. Gyorn burst out laughing just as the aether shared amongst the citizens of Hallifax suddenly came to life.

"Hail, Collective!" the voice of Nawaiolahou, the Renewed carried across the aether, calling all who could hear Him to attention. A number of rather exuberant forms of greetings answered Him almost immediately.

"Hail, Lord Renewed! I hope you are well?" Tarana, one of Hallifax's newest citizens asked in earnest.

"Indeed We are, young Tarana! How fare the Collective this day?" Nawaiolahou inquired, Their voice calm and serene. A smattering of responses again filled the city aether as many responded with varied comments. "Excellent! We are glad! With so many of you awake, We believe this will be the perfect opportunity to make Our first announcement."

"....250 thousand gold says the panda god flings someone into Iklara for laughs," Thaldorn quipped, confusing all who were not privy to Hallifax's city aether.

"What are you on about now, Thaldorn...?" one of the guests from the Engine of Transformation demanded. Before Thaldorn was given a chance to respond, the new Ascended God spoke once more.

"Why that is an excellent idea, Thaldorn!" the new Ascended One remarked, having heard his comment made in jest. "However, We will not fling just anyone for Our amusement. Instead..."

Lanivara waved at Thaldorn with a giggle a split second before her husband vanished from the area, having been transported by the power of the Divine.

"OI! I DIDN'T MEAN ME, PANDA!" Thaldorn hollered over the city aether as he re-joined the celebrants gathered at the Matrix. Every Hallifaxian now looked at Thaldorn in utter shock. It took a moment for the gorilla to realise what he'd just managed to do.

"...I can speak here now...?!" Thaldorn inquired in disbelief, his voice in fact echoing over the city aether.

"I will shave him myself if he doesn't behave, my Lord," a citizen avowed.

"You have Our full permission to do so should Thaldorn not behave when speaking here," Nawaiolahou replied. Thaldorn muttered derisively.

"Of course He would be all right with that. I don't like this new panda anymore. Gimme the old one back!" Thaldorn scoffed, his remark heard by all who had access to the aether he'd just spoken on.

"Request denied," Nawaiolahou replied simply.

The newly risen immortal's next words were to the Basin of Life as a whole.

"Hail, inhabitants of the First World!" the Divine voice of Nawaiolahou, the Renewed resounded throughout the land, Their voice like a howling vortex of the Four Winds. "We now issue forth the Call to the Awakened within the Basin of Life. Any who wish to join My devoted must present themselves before Thaldorn and Lanivara through the golden fountain located on the lowest level of the Transcendental Fulcrux. If they deem you worthy, you shall be baptised as one of My first devout. We await you, mortals!"

Thaldorn and Lanivara had already left the celebration as the Lord Renewed was speaking, reporting to their posts within Their new fulcrux. Nawaiolahou was already there waiting for them when they stepped through the fountain that stood at the entrance. Their sea-blue eyes studied each in turn for a minute before speaking.

"We are counting on you two to use your knowledge of Us when making your decisions over each mortal wishing to join the Awakened," Nawaiolahou stated. Lanivara nodded earnestly.

"We will do our best, Lord Big Bear!" she promised. Nawaiolahou chuckled with a fond expression. Though They were now a Divine, Lanivara still referred to Them by the nickname she'd given Them in Their mortal life.

"We are depending on you both. Please do not fail Us," Nawaiolahou requested as They faded from mortal perception.

"Come on over if you want to join the Order of the Renewed. I'll let you in for a generous donation in the amount of one million gold--"

A thundering vortex of the Four Winds howled throughout the First World as the Divine voice of Nawaiolahou, the Renewed boomed, "THALDORN!"

"Oh gods, please do NOT tell me You gave him the ability to shout!" a citizen remarked with a groan, having heard Thaldorn.

"The new panda god did not give me the ability to shout," Thaldorn stated.

"I see... I'm locking myself in my guildhall where it's safe," the citizen who had initially spoken declared.

"A hundred credits says the new Divine throws Their chair at the monkey!" Parhelion, one of the few Ascended who had opted to remain a True Ascendant instead of joining the Divine wagered, his challenge heard throughout the Basin.

"I am not a monkey, sir! I am a gorilla. Go-ril-la!" Thaldorn shouted back, offended. "So... as I was saying--"

An axe resembling the very one Nawaiolahou had wielded as a mortal suddenly appeared in the sky, a crackling field of electricity surrounding it completely, spinning slowly for a moment before it seared across the sky, the lighting now joined by a brilliant ivory blaze.

Moments later, majority of the mortals awake sensed the following through their bond with the realm of Death:

The transgressions of Thaldorn Thornfist have been considered and weighed and judged, his form consumed by the ivory flame of Rebirth by the Divine will of Nawaiolahou, the Renewed.

"...aye, I deserved that one," Thaldorn admitted begrudingly once he was able to speak again.

"I feel much better now, knowing Thaldorn can in fact be zapped," the citizen who'd threatened to lock himself in his guildhall remarked with a sigh of relief.

"To think you were my favourite citizen," Thaldorn retorted.

"...you have favourites...?!" another commented.

"Had," Thaldorn corrected them.

"That just made my day," Lanivara giggled over the Hallifaxian aether.

"...I want a divorce," Thaldorn muttered as Lanivara could be heard erupting with laughter.

Thaldorn glared down at his wife who was now crying with mirthful guffaws, occasionally pointing up at her husband.

"A few mortals are approaching, you two. We will be observing in silence. Please do not fail Me," Nawaiolahou said, Their words for the couple's ears only. Lanivara managed to scramble to her feet and wipe the tears from her face a moment before several mortals entered through the golden fountain.

"How much are you willing to pay?" Thaldorn blurted out once they were within the divine Fulcrux of the Renewed.

"Thaldorn..." Nawaiolahou chided him, again only able to be heard by the two who now represented Them.

"Geesh, no one can take a joke these days!" Thaldorn snorted.

"Greetings, dears!" Lanivara said with a radiant smile at the new arrivals. "You all wish to join Lord Big Bear?"

All six mortals who had poured into the area nodded in affirmation.

With that, the Call had officially begun. It wasn't but less than a sixth of a day later that Nawaiolahou informed Thaldorn that Lanivara will now be deciding which mortals would be the first to be baptised as one of Their devout.

"You really are no fun. Gimme Alarin back!" Thaldorn projected through the telepathic bond that still existed between him and the new Ascended God.

"Echoing Our response from your earlier request over the city's aether, denied," Nawaiolahou repeated. Thaldorn grunted in mild annoyance.

Many mortals from almost every nation in the First World presented themselves in the fulcrux, declaring their desire to be amongst Their first chosen. As the evening sky darkened and the coming of night loomed, the last to join the Awakened was baptised into the Order of Renewal, the first of Their devoted numbering twelve in total.

The first to be welcomed amongst the Awakened was none other than Their wife in mortality; Ashira Ka'liati, who'd threatened to remove Thaldorn's head when he abruptly tried to deny her entry the second he spotted her in the fulcrux.

His wife of course gave the matriarch of House Ka'liati her full permission.

Following Ashira were three of Their four children; Citinia, Lilalue and Elawienne, who were immediately granted entry after a scathing glare in Thaldorn's direction from the Lady Ka'liati.

Gyorn of the Great House of La'Saet was baptised next, but not before Thaldorn told him that he'd be allowed to join if Gyorn shot the Renewed One Themselves with his aquatic staff. That one earned the silverback a quick visit to the stock room located in aethershop Panda where Nawaiolahou left him for a few days until he'd promised to behave.

Lysandus, brother to Ashira and newly returned after nearly twenty-five years of slumber joined the Awakened next.

The current Herald of Sacrifice, the leadership position given to those in the Archons of Dawning Hope who were elected to lead the guild was immediately granted admittance next by the Ascended God Themselves, having been one of the few that They knew They could depend on without question during Their time as a mortal.

The next to express and be granted her wish to be baptised was Their granddaughter Ferne, also immediately allowed entry by the new Lord of Renewal before Lanivara could proceed with her questions, her husband now undoubtedly pounding on the reinforced steel door that stood between his stock room prison and freedom.

Young Tarana became the youngest to join the Awakened as Lanivara gladly baptised her and welcomed her into the Order of Renewal.

Soterasiel, betrothed of Their daughter Lilalue and close friend of the mortal Alarin was welcomed without question, gladly brought into the Awakened in a similar manner to how his future wife, her mother and two of her siblings had been.

Knack, protege of Alarin whose energy and excitement was looked on with great fondness joined the ranks of the Awakened soon afterward, his sheer joy and and spunky demeanour apparent as he cheered happily after he'd been baptised.

"I think we should let this one in, Lord Big Bear," Lanivara made her opinion known to Nawaiolahou, she too now sharing a telepathic bond with the Renewed One.

"Indeed, he is a fitting addition, especially being so young and still willing to learn Our teachings. Grant him a place amongst the first of Ours," the Renewed Lord agreed.

With those words, a young novice barely a year removed from the day he stepped through the Portal of Fate became the twelfth mortal chosen, his name being Kurei; a studious and dedicated dwarf currently seeking to master the ways of the Axelord.

"And Lanivara?" Nawaiolahou prompted.

"Yes, Lord Big Bear?"

"Thank you for representing Us," Nawaiolahou told her, gratitude evident in Their tone. Lanivara beamed proudly.

"You know you can always count on me!" she enthused.

"Indeed, we do! That said, tell that husband of yours that if he insists on not taking his role as one of Our denizen representatives in the First World, We will re-enact the incident that occurred many years ago that involved a pair of rabbit ears. If he continues to insist on being an annoyance, a similar pair will be protruding from his very scalp. Permanently," Nawaiolahou swore.

"OI, I HEARD THAT! NO BUNNY EARS!" Thaldorn cut in, revealing that this telepathic bond was accessible and could be heard by both gorillas and their Lord.

"Then you know what We wish of you, Thaldorn," Nawaiolahou informed him.

"Fine, fine. I will do what You call 'behaving' panda. If someone insults me directly though, can I still make them regret it?" Thaldorn asked hopefully.

"Then and only then are you free to do as you wish, Thaldorn. You are to remain civil and cordial aside from that instance. Are We clear?" Nawaiolahou asked, though it was indeed a rhetorical question.

"Can I have Alarin back?" Thaldorn tried. Their response was instantaneous.

"That request is still denied, Thaldorn."

"...had to try," Thaldorn admitted with a chuckle. He felt Nawaiolahou's amusement through their bond.

"You would not be you if you did not, to be fair. We are placing you two in charge in the event that Our attention is drawn elsewhere. Represent Us in a dignified manner, hm?"

"Define 'dignified'," Thaldorn chimed in.

"Now where did We put those bunny ears...?" Nawaiolahou returned, Their tone sounding quite serious.

"Oi! Fine, I agree! Leave those bloody ears wherever they currently are!" Thaldorn all but pleaded.

"That's all We wanted from you, Thaldorn. We will speak soon. Tend to Ours until We return," Nawaiolahou gently ordered. Both nodded.

"We will, Lord Big Bear. Thaldorn will be introduced to my spike stick up close if he doesn't!" Lanivara vowed.

"...I want a divorce," Thaldorn muttered.

As Nawaiolahou's almost musical laughter faded, the silverback couple turned their attentions towards the newly formed Order of Renewal as inquiries were made over their shared aether.

 

The Gardens Of Rebirth Revealed

Just two short years after They ascended through the Domoth of Beauty as
the Lord of Renewal, Nawaiolahou seemed to suddenly vanish, Their
absence slowly being noticed by Their Awakened as time went on. A decade
after They joined the Ascended of the First World, the Awakened began to
look towards Thaldorn and Lanivara for answers. Both who normally would
be able to summon their Lord through a intimate bond that tied them
together, also had questions of their own, their summons and queries
expressed to the Renewed One met with an almost deafening silence, which
was certainly not normal for Them.

"Has anyone heard from our Lord recently?" Tarana inquired with a slight
tone of concern.

"...if They made a decision to vanish without so much as a warning, They
will have some explaining to do when I see them next!" Ashira stated,
her tone a mixture of worry and annoyance.

"Get that panda, Ashy!" Thaldorn agreed.

"...to be fair, Lord Big Bear did vanish more than once without warning
when He was a mortal, which weren't by choice," Lanivara reminded the
Awakened.

"True, They have!" Thaldorn piped up.

"Da boss bettah come back soon... dis pant'ah Dey wen tell me foa take
kea of no like listen anymore when me tell 'um foa do stuffs," Kamalei
said.

"...a million gold says Syr Eyepatch over there gets eaten before the
sun sets!" Thldorn challenged. As Lanivara prepared to openly scold her
husband over the Order aether only they could currently hear and access,
the entire First World sensed the omniscient presence of Nawaiolahou,
the Renewed as They turn their attention towards the Basin of Life.

"...WHERE THE BLAZES HAVE YOU BEEN, PANDA?!" Thaldorn echoed the moment
the most recent addition to the ranks of the Ascendant made Their
presence known.

"We apologise for Our prolonged absence, Our Awakened. We were preparing
something that is now ready to be presented to Ours," Nawaiolahou
informed Their faithful over the Order aether. As if on cue, a nearly
blinding pillar of cyan almost instantaneously descended from the sky in
the direction of Clarramore Gardens, prompting all to make their way
there with great haste.

The first to arrive before the giant column that had suddenly appeared
was the current Chancellor of House Ka'liati; Ashira whose reason for
getting there so quickly was to give the Lord of Renewal a piece of her
mind for Their sudden disappearance.

A sixth of a day later, she would forget she'd wanted to yell at Them.

As the twelve Awakened of Rebirth gathered before the great pillar,
joined by many curious onlookers whose interests were now piqued. The
pillar suddenly began to flicker as it projected a beam of energy that
connected to each of the twelve Awakened of Nawaiolahou. As a final beam
connected itself with the last of Their faithful, it began to tremor
with considerable force, pieces of the structure slowly falling to the
ground below as it appeared to be in the middle of a sort of
transformation, drawing upon the mortal energies of Their devoted
followers in the process.

Gradually, an axe that many recognised immediately stood in place of the
now shattered cyan column, emanating an aura empowered from within the
magnificent weapon. At the base of its long pommel, a majestic argent
plaque bearing the same emblem that was visible on the armour that
Thaldorn and Lanivara wore called the attention of all present.

"Through Their Awakened, the Pillar of Hope was revealed. Through the
faith possessed by they who were the first chosen to be counted as
Theirs, Kaiwela has been forged anew. Any who are amongst those counted
as part of Their faithful disciples need only touch the weapon wielded
during the Renewed One's time as a mortal and they shall be granted
entry. What lies beyond is yours to explore and discover. As Kaiwela has
undergone a form of Rebirth, may you also experience such transformation
through Their Tenets which will reveal themselves to each of you if you
only ask once stepping into the unknown!" the plaque read.

Without the slightest hesitation, Ashira placed a hand upon the
re-forged weapon and immediately vanished as she was granted entry. The
remaining eleven quickly followed suit, eager to witness what their Lord
had wrought in Their absence. Awed whispers could be heard as the
creation Nawaiolahou had mentioned revealed itself.

"...so THIS is what You were up to!" Ashira breathed, her irritation
instantly evaporating as she saw the secret that Nawaiolahou had been
preparing. Covered entirely by a smooth surface coloured a vibrant
emerald shade, the ground appeared to be as clear and smooth as freshly
blown glass. Gazing through the crystal that was the floor of this
mysterious location, all realized that the giant plate was actually
covering a large pond of clear, glistening liquid. They watched as
mysterious creatures formed in the complicated shapes familiar to those
in the Collective lazily journeyed through the mystical pond located
beneath their feet. Around them, trees that bore blossoms identical to
the emblem that they'd recognised on Kaiwela appeared to have no end to
their immense height. A few blooms that had fallen from the branches of
these mysterious trees lay scattered about the area, permeating the area
with a calming and pleasant fragrance.

At the center of this wondrous and mysterious marvel, a grand fountain
wrought from cyan-hued crystal, bearing four tiers that increased in
size from top to bottom, the fourth tier being a wide basin that boasted
a width equivalent to a fourth of the Nexus World of Hallifax, its
visage clearly visible at the entrance located on the opposite end of
this new realm. Upon each of the four basins that formed this structure
were the four Tenets, now revealed to Their faithful:

The topmost and smallest of them bore the word Kindness, the one below
it reading Compassion. The third was engraved with Understanding while
the Tenet held by the largest of the fonts declared itself to be
Humility. As their Lord's Tenets now made known to them, the twelve
stood in silence, considering each of Their teachings carefully.

"...the panda's flipped," Thaldorn blurted out, his words immediately
breaking the silence.

"Thaldorn!" every member of House Ka'liati present scolded him in
unison.

"You have proclaimed that about Us for the last three quarters of a
century. It was never true then and it is certainly not true now," the
very familiar tones of the Renewed stated as They revealed Themselves to
Their devout. "Hail, Our Awakened and welcome to Our divine essence made
manifest upon the mortal plane; The Gardens of Rebirth!"

"...You managed to create this in a decade, panda?!" Thaldorn queried as
he took in the new Divine Realm, his eyes wide with awed wonder.

"Indeed. We have also contemplated on a certain matter that will be made
to you, Our first chosen. But first," Nawaiolahou stated before
gesturing toward the grand crystal fountain. "We are sure you have read
the inscriptions engraved into each of the four basins?"

Replies of affirmation answered Them in earnest.

"Excellent! Now then, what would be the significance of this fountain as
it pertains to the teachings written upon each tier?" Nawaiolahou
queried, prompting Their faithful to gaze at Them in confusion.

"If Your thought process is similar to when You were a mortal, I think
I've just worked it out," Ashira spoke up. Nawaiolahou nodded and urged
her to continue. Pondering the fountain
for a fleeting moment, she nodded, seeming to understand the symbolism
behind the structure exhibited prominently at the Garden's center. "If
I'm understanding this correctly, the Tenets begin with a small act of
kindness, which I guessed from the size of it."

"You still are able to read Our mind, whether We wish it or not!"
Nawaiolahou told her, a sense of great pride in Their tone.

"If that is correct, then the rest of what I'd gathered should be too!
The tier of Compassion begins to fill as more small gestures of kindness
are done, the overflow that began with Kindness and progressing into
Compassion symbolising a continuation between them, each tier above
aiding in the fulfillment of the one below it."

"Indeed! Why would the font representing Humility happen to be the
largest of these?" the Lord of Renewal pressed. Ashira pursed her lips,
deep in thought.

"Humility being represented by the largest of the four symbolises that
the three tenets above it teaches that through acts of kindness, a
compassionate heart and an understanding nature will ensure that
Humility is practiced without consciously realising it," Ashira mused,
her focus on the great fountain. "The fountain as a whole represents the
Tenets as a unified whole."

"You have proven that We made the correct decision," Nawaiolahou
declared. Ashira's gaze shifted to the Lord of Renewal, her confusion
made obvious.

"The first Rebirth of Our Awakened has taken place, though few have
realised such," Nawaiola announced as They placed a hand upon Ashira's
head. "Ashira Ka'liati, matriarch of a noble House, beloved in
mortality, We now baptise you by way of the Flame of Rebirth, to stand
as Our Herald and Prophetess. Arise and be reborn, Avatar of the
Renewed!"

At Their proclamation, the demi-divine essence of Ashira merged with the
Divine energies projected forth by Nawaiolahou coalesced into an aura
containing immense power, enveloping both as They vanish from sight
briefly before it begins to flicker before slowly starting to fade. As
Ascended God and Their chosen Prophetess reappear through the vanishing
veil that surrounded them, the remaining eleven members of the Awakened
waited in hushed silence.

"Venturing towards the end of the path leading to renewal through
knowing, understanding and interpreting both Our Tenets and the fountain
that stands as a symbolic representation, We now declare your journey
towards Rebirth complete, now marked as the first to be marked as Our
Herald and Voice to the mortal realm. Arise and be reborn!" Nawaiolahou
proclaimed, Their words audible only to Their devout as the powers that
come with a merging of essence between Elder and Chosen unveiled
themselves to the first Avatar of the Renewed.

Ashira was speechless as understanding dawned, the realisation of what
the Renewed One had just done finally registering. Thaldorn leaned over
towards his wife and whispered:

"Ashy is going to demand the panda take it back."

"I am not!" Ashira retorted as she overheard the silverback's remark.
Thaldorn blinked in surprise.

"...I'm glad I didn't wager like I was thinking about doing," the
gorilla snickered.

"With gold you didn't have to begin with, love?" Lanivara quipped with a
grin at her husband.

"I know where the panda stashes his riches--" Thaldorn began to confess.

"We will correct you. Knew. Our most valued of artifacts are now in a
place We know that you will never have access to," the Lord of Renewal
cut in.

"...You took them into God-Land with You...?!" Thaldorn almost shouted.

"Indeed. We know you better than you were aware of."

"I see that now!" Thaldorn snapped back.

"Congratulations, Avatar Ashira!" Tarana called out. Ashira winced at
the title of honour the young tae'dae had used.

"Oh no, just Ashira," she gently informed Tarana with a smile.

"...didn't Papa refuse honorifics too?" Lilalue recalled with her mother
nodding in confirmation.

"Panda was worse. He refused to wear a title, even when he was on the
Star Council," Thaldorn said.

"In response to that, We echo the first words said to Us in mortality by
the Restless One: We are loathe to be placed upon a pedestal. If We wish
to be on a pedestal, We will climb up there and sit on it Ourselves,"
Nawaiolahou answered.

"So drag the panda up there and shackle him to it. Understood," Thaldorn
cracked.

"...I will give you one of my aethershops if you manage that," Ashira
promised the silverback.

"...a hundred thousand gold says Thaldorn is the one who will find
himself stuck on a pedestal.

"That's a fool's wager. Thaldorn would realise his mistake when he's
trying to break free from the stock room again," Gyorn answered.

"We accept," Nawaiolahou stated. Suddenly, everyone could hear Thaldorn
screaming for dear life from afar.

"...where did Thaldorn go?" Gurashi wondered.

"Focus your gaze towards the Havens and the answer will present itself,"
Nawaiolahou replied cryptically.

A moment passed following everyone doing as advised before loud and
hysterical laughter erupted, echoing throughout the Divine Realm.
Thaldorn was on a pedestal with the base removed and raised high above
the golden fountain, alternating between pleading for help, yelling
different variations of apologies and promises of behaving if he was
lowered back towards the ground.

"We discussed this. You made the same promise then," Nawaiolahou
reminded him.

"FINE! If I ever do something that stupid again, I will wear the bows!"

That statement even elicited a shocked silence from the Lord of Renewal.

"...did he just say what I think he said...?!" Ashira demanded, looking
up at the silverback in bewilderment.

"YOU HEARD ME! I WILL WEAR THE BLASTED BOWS IF I EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE
THIS AGAIN!" Thaldorn repeated, almost shouting this time around.

"We accept your conditions, Thaldorn. Remember your promise because if
you try to run, We will hold you in place Ourselves while Our Ashira
adorns you with the most obnoxious bows We are able to obtain,"
Nawaiolahou warned Thaldorn.

"...if I ever do something like that again, I will strap my own self to
one of the banquet tables," Thaldorn added.

"I want a painting of that!" Elawienne said.

"What she said!" both Lilalue and Soterasiel chimed in unison.

"To Iklara with a painting. May I be present?" Lysandus requested.

"Certainly. In fact, all of Their Awakened are invited!" Ashira agreed,
her tone a bit too happy for Thaldorn's liking.

"...you do realise there will be a giant painting on the peak if you
mess up again?" Gyorn whispered.

"I don't plan on getting caught if there's a next time," Thaldorn
replied, keeping his voice lowered.

"Did you say something, Thaldorn?" Ashira piped in.

"No ma'am. Not one word!"

"...he's going to be Thaldorn Pinkbows in less than a month," Soterasiel
blurted out.

"Now I'm going to succeed just to spite you, kiddo," Thaldorn vowed.
Soterasiel chuckled with amusement.

Exactly how long will Thaldorn survive before the inevitable occurs?

 

DISSENSION AMONGST THE ASCENDED

A war unlike any ever experienced by any of the Fate-touched that woke now loomed.

Since the elevation of Ashira as Herald and Prophetess of the Renewed One, two others earned their right to ascend, both choosing true Divinity with the choice was presented to them. The first ascended as the Sealholder of Chaos. Ascending as Xandar the Red, He was welcomed into the City of Gaudiguch and given a place amongst the Pantheon of Freedom. The next was one of the youngest mortals to ever emerge from a final Ascension battle as the rightful victor, having been a few months shy of her thirtieth birthday at the time of her Ascension. Shedding Her mortality, She became the Goddess now known to the First World as Nirala the Mediator, the first to ever ascend as the Sealbearer of Harmony, joining the Pantheon of Serenwilde as a Divine Guardian of the Forest She dedicated Herself to as a mortal.

In that time, the Order of Renewal had grown immensely, Their faithful just shy of a hundred strong. Those that were granted baptism after the Call to the Awakened became known as the Seekers of Renewal. Ashira was joined by the second chosen Herald of Rebirth as Kurei, the last to join the ranks of the Awakened, his dedication, fealty and, aside from Ashira, whose knowledge of Their Four Tenants proved to be unparalleled, joining the inner circle of Nawaiolahou alongside his fellow Herald and bestowed with the title of Apostle of the Waikea; the given name of the blossoms that grew only within the Gardens of Rebith and the most sacred of Their symbols and an emblem revered by those who pledged their loyalty to Them.

Meanwhile in the First World, tension between those who chose to keep their status as a True Ascendant as opposed to joining the Ascended Ones began to build steadily, several of the Divine choosing to side with them in the process. Amongst those who would stand in defense of the True Ascendants that remained were Shuyin, the Shadowed Blade who watched over the Glomdoring as part of the Wyrden Pantheon, Viynain the Fathomless who also stood as a Divine Protector of the Shadowed Forest and Karlach the Unwavering who claimed the Engine of Transformation as His domain.

The most vocal of the Ascended who remained with Her fellow Divine was none other than Snald the Merciless of the Wyrden Pantheon, openly chiding the two who watched over the Glomdoring as He did for Their decision to defend the True Ascendants instead of admitting that they had made their choice, even after all previous True Ascendants were offered the chance to do as Ayridion had done and be granted Godhood. As far as Snald was concerned, the choice had been theirs and they now regret the decision they'd made.

One True Ascendant however remained content with his choice, which earned the ire of those who wanted to be given another chance. Xenthos An'Ryshe echoed the sentiments Snald expressed, agreeing that the choice had indeed been given and no one was to blame except the ones who now wished they'd answered differently. A request for a chance to change their decision had been sent through prayer to several of the Elder Gods. The response they received arrived before even a day had passed:

"Your request is denied. You were presented with the opportunity and have made your choice."

That alone was what began to slowly divide the Basin of Life as many either chose to defend the right of a True Ascendant to be allowed to change their decision or agreed with the Ascended Ones' insistence that everyone was given an opportunity and should have to live with the decision, whether it be a regrettable one or not. Two who had made the decision to remain as True Ascendants and stand by the choice they made stood with the Ascended immortals; Xenthos An'Ryshe, one of the most vocal and adamant of those opposed to the True Ascendants being granted another chance to change their decision. Deichtine, newly returned after nearly a century of slumber joined Xenthos, her response almost mirroring that of her fellow commune member.

"How could they side with the Ascended....?!" Fillin seethed as the remnants of True Ascendancy gathered, joined by others who agreed with their wish to reverse their decision.

"Let's face it, we all knew Xenthos would be against it from the start," Synkarin responded.

"I never liked the bloke," Falaeron stated matter-of-factly.

"To be fair, he doesn't think much of you either," Cyndarin shot back.

She too wasn't particularly fond of Hallifax's first True Ascendant.

"Enough with the jabs at one another. We need to focus... what will it take for our wish to be granted?"

"They will not budge. I said that then and I say it now," Fillin insisted.

"I know we were already given a choice, but we still should be allowed to change or decision," Falaeron reiterated.

"Those who oppose us strongly disagree and have a good argument on their behalf, which is most likely why you were told no when you asked for a do-over," Cyndarin remarked, her contempt towards Falaeron obvious in her tone.

"Every single one of those wanting another chance to change their decision. Why? They'd been given one. All of us were presented with that and they apparently chose poorly. Now they want to change their answer? I am saying no. Emphatically at that!" Kaimanahi the White Huntress shared her thoughts with Her allies as the Ascended. Many voices echoed throughout the ballroom in agreement.'

"Where are Hallifax's Ascended? I do not see one of them present in this gathering," one of the Ascended's mortal supporters from New Celest remarked.

"The two that have not chosen to join Falaeron in support of the True Ascendants have also stated that They will take a neutral stance," Ayridion, the White Flame informed those gathered with Him.

"Given how He lived as a mortal and who He became, Nawaiolahou choosing to not choose sides doesn't suprise me. Parhelion however..." commented Deichtine, the Black-Hearted.

"You would think Parhelion would be against such things," Snald chimed in, nodding in acknowledgement towards His fellow Wyrden Pantheon member.

"His refusal is His choice. That said, what course of action do We wish to take next?" Kaimanahi cut in.

The next moment decided the answer for them all...

 

THE ASCENDED WAR

"XANDAR!" the usually calm and serene tone of Nawaiolahou the Renewed suddenly threatened to shatter the fabric of Creation with the force He used now. "What have you done?!"

"My Lord?" Tarana was the first to speak on the Order aether, her voice worried.

"Answering Your declaration to remain neutral," proclaimed Xandar. The skies overlooking the Basin of Life thundered in response, angry bolts of lightning leaving jagged imprints in the rapidly darkening clouds in brief flashes.

"...You have acted against Mine even though We have made no move against You or anyone else who agree with You and Yours...?" Parhelion cut in as His voice reverberated throughout the land.

"Neutral stances are for the weak. You two are the only ones who have declared Yourselves so. Stand and fight!" Xandar taunted.

"If it is a war Xandar wants, a war He will receive. Stand with Me, Renewed One!" the commanding voice of Parhelion boomed.

"In slaying Thaldorn within My Gardens, You have declared war upon Us and Ours. Our proclamation of neutrality is rescinded, though only for one individual in particular. You, Xandar," Nawaiolahou's voice echoed, the skies mirroring Their anger. "Parhelion, We and Ours stand with You!"

"...the imbecile killed one of His Chosen without provocation...?!" seethed Ayridion, having heard the exchange along with the rest of the First World.

Before anyone had a chance to respond, several ear-splitting explosions caused the very ground to tremor violently, sending a shockwave through the Basin of Life, the sound wordlessly declaring the start of a Divine War. Synkarin, Shuyin and Viynain acted quickly as They ordered Theirs in support of Xandar. In response, the forces of Ayridion, Kaimanahi, Snald and Deichtine rose up to stand alongside Nawaiolahou and Parhelion, Their faithful unifying as their Patrons had done.

It didn't take long before the First World found itself completely divided as both Divine and mortals quickly found themselves on either side of this rapidly growing conflict. Xandar's actions against both Parhelion and Nawaiolahou caused quite a few who initially supported the True Ascendants to change Their minds, joining the Ascended instead and thinning Their numbers by a very large margin in the process.

"To arms!" came the warcry across the Basin as the mortal forces of the Ascended Divine who now battled in the Havens clashed, seeing mother and father fighting against their own children and close friends suddenly finding themselves on opposite sides of a divine conflict they were now involved in, each fighting in the name of the Ascended God or Goddess they have sworn fealty to.

As the war continued, devastation reigned as the land began to visibly suffer in the wake of the destruction quickly blazing through the First World. Much like how a single act taken against others had sparked the beginning of a world at war, another such act would be the end of it as Xandar once again acted, this time against one of the Elder Divine who have not joined this battle. For reasons no one quite understood, Xandar slew the denizen representatives belonging to four of the Elder Divine Himself.

That would prove to be His undoing.

"CEASE IMMEDIATELY!" the foundation of Creation rumbled violently, the force of the command suddenly freezing all in place as the Loom Mistress appeared before the First World, Her eyes blazing with unrelenting rage. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Xandar acted against Us and Ours, in essence declaring War," Nawaiolahou responded, Their tone respectful if still a bit angry.

"Is that true?" the Loom Mistress pressed. A few others on both sides confirmed that the Renewed One spoke the truth, much to the consternation of Xandar.

"You would betray Me to the Loom Mistress...?!" He demanded with incredulity.

"It was Your actions that started this, Xandar," Synkarin reminded Him.

"Xandar, You single-handedly started this chaos...?" the Loom Mistress asked in disbelief.

Silence.

"I will force an answer from you if need be, Ascended!" warned the Loom Mistress.

"My actions were meant to spark a reaction from two who chose to remain neutral in the True Ascendants' plight in desiring a chance to change their decision and embrace Godhood," Xandar answered finally, His tone defiant.

"That decision is not any of Yours to make. It has been decided and that decision is final. Your squabble with one another would have changed nothing," the Loom Mistress informed Him curtly.

"The Loom Mistress has said it Herself... the answer is final. Let Us band together and change Her mind!" Xandar attempted to rally those around Him.

Silence met His attempt as even His own allies failed to answer.

"For Your actions and Your inability to conduct Yourself as a Divine, no longer shall You bear the mantle of Xandar the Red," the Loom Mistress proclaimed. "As You were known before earning that privilege in joining the Ascended, You shall be given a mortal shell identical to Your mortal existence. You shall now be called Belgar, the Disgraced for your actions have led to your immediate dismissal from the Divine Realm."

"...you can't do this to me!" Belgar bellowed as his sentence was carried out, once again the mortal he'd been before.

"Let this be a lesson to the rest of You. The decision is final. Any further acts against this shall be met with appropriate action, such as what took place," the Loom Mistress cautioned before vanishing from mortal perception.

"You heard Her!" Belgar attempted again.

"Shut up, Belgar," one of the mortals responded, echoing the sentiments of many.

 

=========================
== EPILOGUE: AFTERMATH ==
=========================
Sadly Belgar did not take his punishment lightly, resorting to tactics such as taunting and goading in an attempt to rile They who cast him out of the Divine Havens. He still considered himself blameless though majority of the First World knew otherwise. Bitterness and anger drove him almost to the brink of destruction as he went from being a mere nuisance to being a rather loud and irritating mosquito.

Much like the bug he sounded like, the Elder Divine smote him once more. It apparently wasn't enough to be stripped of his Divinity and publicly shamed... he then attempted to attack several of the Ascended Gods on sight.

His aggressive and unpredictable nature earned him a further punishment:

He was no longer allowed to compete in the Trials of Ascension.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Belgar raged furiously when the punishment was announced. Yet no matter how loud and venomous his words became, the Divine now ignored him.

As did most of the Fate-touched of the First World.

Ten years after the second sentence was levied against him, Belgar vanished from the First World entirely, never to be seen again.

As for the other Ascended Gods, Theirs continued to grow and prosper, many now having multiple Avatars who now led cults that venerated a certain tenet.

As for the Order of Renewal?

"The Four Keys of the True Way of Rebirth have now joined Us!" the Lord of Renewal proclaimed as everyone gathered around Gurashi Skydrifter.

Nawaiolahou placed a hand on their head.

"Our Ashira embodies true Kindness. Our Kurei embodies boundless Compassion. Our Gyorn embodies a willingness to understand and gain wisdom..."

"And now the fourth Key has been found. Arise, Gurashi as one of Our Heralds of Rebirth!"

As Gurashi takes their place beside their three fellow Avatars, the Order of Renewal now realises their full potential as the Four Heralds embrace a new identity:

They are now the Reborn!