The Mind Mage, the Outsider and the Young God (Chapter 5)

Neither the room nor the desk nor the man who sat appeared to be anything special. Many would have guess the room to belong to some higher level executive in some minor company, and the man in his dull grey suite with his neatly trimmed hair would have fit that role quite well. However things are rarely as they seem and the man who seem to be staring off into space was truly something special. His domain was that of the mind and in it he held almost absolute power and it was with this power as well as cunning and ruthlessness that he had come to be where he was today. A rising star set to outshine all other even in a land ruled by gods and demons. But today he seen him face some minor setbacks. It had begun as a simple intruder who must be dealt with. Though the swordsman had possessed considerable skill he would have died had it not been for the interference of a goddess. It seemed those who sought to undermine his power were acting more openly and there were some serious player arrayed against him. This was only a minor setback and he had only committed minor resources to gathering information on this new threat. The thing that most occupied his mind was the meeting he would soon be having with one of his strongest allies, if they could be called that. The things which he had called to his aid and with which he had an arrangement were from somewhere outside of this reality and as such they acted and thought in ways that seemed impossible. He had always found this to be an interesting challenge to take his knowledge of the mind and his mastery of it and pit it against something so other. And so Atreus Ziz waits though only for a short while for the outsider he had called to answer.

"We are for you have called us." A voice says echoing throughout the room until the sound finally finds it source. The sound seemed to be a combination of a thousand voices as if pieced together by a mad man. In front of the desk something appears, it shape is roughly human though it seems to shift and ripple. It is a dull grey in color and it lacks any definition like a desert mirage before it disappears.

"I'm sure you are well aware that there are those that seek to oppose us" Ziz says calmly. Though he also projects it to the outsider mentally in simpler terms.

"We have felt this a part of us was sundered for a time, this was new and unwelcome. We will unmake that thing." it replies. Its words are accompanied by an image of the same swordsman Ziz had faced earlier wielding a blade darker than seemed possible. Ziz reconized both the man and his weapon. It seemed this problem might be greater than he had first thought but it mattered little.

"Kill the man bring me the sword." Ziz says.

"We shall though it is not our way. You know of things that are far more than we." It says though Ziz notices there seems to be more it was considering but the thoughts were to alien for him to fully grasp.

"You shall obey or I shall return you from whence you came." Ziz say knowing he must control this thing or it would cost him.

"It will be, but know this we are not and cannot be bound and you are so you can be unmade." It says the words lacked any inflection. This annoyed Ziz greatly but he knew he could handle these things for he would understand them in time and then completely control them.

"I am and I will not be unmade. My will and my strength is my own and I will not be controlled." Ziz says. As he speaks he sends his mind at the thing and for a second he catches hold of something though it may have been only what his calling had created it gave him control of the form for the briefest of time.

"Kia-ila-ziak speaks now and your intrusion is interesting to I. Your game shall be played for a while being but think on your place as well." The voice though its sound remained the same held a different inflection as if another hand guided it. Ziz could feel something touching upon the plane of his mind its influence was different then the thing that he had touched seconds ago. It seemed to know far more and to be far more defined in both form and purpose.

"I couldn't stop him sir." The words came from the hidden speakers throughout the office. The voice spoke with a mix of fear and urgency. Had the brief announcement not broken the moment that was occurring in the office, the young man who suddenly burst through the door surely would have.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything." The young man said sarcastically. Ziz immediately knew despite the unassuming appearance that this man must be the famed God of Rouges. He had heard stories but this would be the first time he had actually made contact with one of the most dangerous figures in the Crossroads. Whatever the coming moments brought this interruption had moved up the time table on Ziz's plans in regards to dealing with this particular element of the Crossroads. For he had known since the beginning he would have to deal with the unpredictable figure but he had hoped it wouldn't be till he had finished some other endeavors.  The outsiders presence had faded but it was still watching. Ziz knew they had gone to complete the task he had set the upon but they had terrible timing. That probably came with the territory of being outside of the understandable reality.

"Well than to what do I owe the displeasure?" Ziz said

"Oh come now I'm not that bad, though I'm not sure where your friend went, They were slightly interesting." The God of Rouges said amused." As for why I'm here. Don't know don't care. Never was one for planning things out."

"I would ask you to leave but I doubt that would work, care for a drink." Ziz said. With a wave of his had an bar opened from the wall. The bottles all appeared to be incredibly expensive entirely crystal. None of them were labeled but then the best stuff never is. "Actually it seems you've over stayed your welcome" Ziz said smiling. The office fell away in an instant. Ziz disappeared all that remained was a burned out field surrounding a burned out cityscape.

"Now that's slightly impressive." The God of rouges said. He finished speaking just as a several massive balls of energy fell around him. That was followed by high powered sniper rounds from somewhere in the city. Despite the craters forming around him the God of Rouges stood unfazed "So now I'm your target. How amusing I've always wanted to test the resolve of the Darasi Legion." An army of Darasi a collection of the greatest hero's from a time long past. A force created to fight an impossible war against an enemy long forgotten. But as the heroes went to war their homes were destroyed by the greed of those they left behind. An enemy was defeated but the heroes lost everything. The Darasi Legion is composed of those heroes too stubborn to die with no home but the battlefield; they serve as a mercenary company without equal. Thousands of solider in armor ranging from carved wood to liquid metal and energy shields. Each carrying a distinct weapon and each possessing skill and strength beyond that of a normal person. "A thousand heroes just for one person I'm really getting a lot of credit" the God of Rouges said smiling. A maelstrom of energy both light and dark formed around him and the air screamed. The roar of a cornered beast refusing to die without a fight. The last battle cry of an overwhelmed force.  The soldiers continued to advance unfazed. The incoming fire redoubled but it was sucked up in the maelstrom. The God of Rogues sprinted forward the energies around him ripping a furrow in the ground. The soldiers in front all raised shields of some kind. The impact and energy tore the soldiers in front apart but the shields holds stopping the onrushing God. A thousand blades descended on him most shattered but some landed tearing at the clothes and leaving trails of blood. The storm of energy grew even stronger burning up hundreds of those around him. The line held despite the losses and the attacks grew more and more fierce. The damage kept building up and neither side would break. In a flash the energy dispirsed and the bloody and ragged form of the God of Rouges stood a blade in his hand. He cast it aside saying "Enough, I shall not fight for the amusement of others. Should this continue one of us shall fall. I find your resolve satisfactory." A dark light radiated from him touching all those who had fallen burns healed bodies torn asunder reformed and the light returned to the eyes of the fallen heroes. Seeing what happened the withering fire stopped. What escaped the eyes of all watching even Ziz who watched from the comfort of his office was the toll this took. The God of Rouges disappeared without a trace. Ziz smiled he hadn't won but he could see that he had weakened his adversary and he hadn't lost anything.

"I'm going to need some help." The God of Rouges said through the blood bubbling up from his lungs. His close were in tatters and there were holes and burns covering his entire body. In seconds he collapsed and a pool of blood began to form.

"Well this is most interesting, I do believe I might just enjoy this." The voice was female and spoke with a mixture of malice and amusement. She kicked out at the body of the fallen god smiling. Something rolled out of the god hand and the women took a step back.

"You arrogant son of a bitch do you think giving me back my damn plums is gunna make me help you." She said

"Actually Amelia I think you will but only because you want me to owe you one." He said smiling his teeth stained red with blood.

"You really are a annoying manipulative child" Amelia said though she knew he couldn't hear her. Though it annoyed her greatly to do so she pulled a charm off her bracelet. A small bird wreathed in flames landed upon the body of the fallen god and his blood burned away. The damage disappeared but the light of the small bird grew dimmer and dimmer.

"It's ok your work is done my dear" she said and the little birds light grew slightly brighter as it landed in her hand. She smiled and the bird disappeared reforming the charm on her bracelet.