//------------------------------// // Book 10: Temptation IV // Story: The Holy Covenant of the Triumvirate // by rathgood //------------------------------// Book 10: Temptation IV A shepherd shows ones flock kindness and calls it herding. A tyrant herds one’s flock and calls it kindness. Temptation of the Sun. The All-Seeing answered the prayers of the night-touched weather-born private. A vision had been granted to the Moon, a vision of one in need; of one who would become her champion; of one who would be the first of her night guard. Following the vision, the Moon descended and found the survivor of the fast attack wing, crumpled on the ground where his decent had thrown him. Lunar magic emanated from the mare, cascading over the poor soul. The magics took to him far better than normal, the touch of the night resonating with the energies. Wounds old and new closed, scars vanished, life returned. The private stood and thanked his savior, only to realize it was one of the three sisters, the rumored goddesses whom his grandmother told stories of. The same who had stopped a war and anointed the land where the capitol now stood. The shock and awe of the ethereally beautiful mare froze the private where he stood. But not for long, once back to his senses, he prostrated himself and wept, for his sins were far to large to have been saved by the likes of her. She bid him rise and announce the sins he spoke of for her to judge. He recounted the twin betrayals, his own and the former commanders. He recounted the battle, but did not recount the sickening rain, for he could not remember it. The memory had been erased from his mind, though the impact still lingered. With a lunar blessing, the Moon absolved him of the sins. The touch of the night resonated more and cemented the vision the Moon had had. She anointed the private as her first night guard, he pledged himself to her eternally. With the oath spoken, the sister ushered the night guard into the castle and towards the barracks, bidding him good night. The Moon grew concerned over the organized aggression shown by the normally pack oriented canides. The betrayal of the weather-born commander also weighed on her mind. She would discuss this in the morning with her sisters for it would give her time to investigate using her dream diving magics. Resting herself on the cushioned seat laid out for her in the audience hall, the Moon began her delving into the realm of dreams. The initial dive was to settle the dreams of her night-touched, removing the nightmares that now plagued his sleep. Expanding her mind westward, the Moon scanned the other side of the forest, where the conflict had erupted. No signs of dreams could be found, not even the echo of dreams that resonated inside all of the tribesmen. The fear was confirmed; the conflict the night guard he told of had left no survivors. A tear was shed. Turning towards the far east, the Moon’s mind raced across the dreamscape for the slumbering soldiers that had marched to the borders. Finding the minds of the commanders, she dove with baited breath. What awaited her assuaged her worries, they were not dreaming of impending battles. Using a carrot, the Moon coaxed the memories out of their slumbering hosts. The fruits born further relieved her. No orders had been given to start an invasion of the canide territory, only of setting up a defensive line on the border. If this continued their intervention would not be needed. He sisters would be happy to hear this. Gathering her reserves, the Moon branched her mind further out, looking for the dreams of non tribesmen, looking for any canide dream she could touch in order to discern any motive. All she was rewarded with was an inky blackness, an emptiness that felt almost wrong, but she brushed it aside, attributing it to the waning moon. Some of the blackness however latched onto the seed planted during the wyrm conflict. The morning dawned and the Moon recounted the events of the night to her co-regents and sisters. The Twilight was aghast at what had happened. She was ashamed that their kin could be so brutal to each other. Her innocence and sheltered upbringing as one of the older sister’s handmaids began to show, she had not known the same horrors as the elders. The Sun blamed the ineffectual leadership of the tribes. They were still too divided; the council of theirs did not do enough to unite the disparate groups, even those among the same source tribe. Once again she pushed the fact that the three of them would rule better and should take their position as active shepherds to their people, not continue to guide them from the shadows. As with the past when such discussions came up, both the Moon and the Twilight turned down the proposal. The tribes did not need “goddesses” to lead them for perpetuity. They needed to control their own fate as they flowed down the stream of time. It was their job, the triumvirate’s job to adjust the currents in the river to direct the boat, but it would be up to the tribesmen to keep from sinking. Thinking the matter over: the Twilight retreated to speak with her old friends, whom had become confidents after ascension; The Moon left to check in with her night guard and then to rest from her active night. For the Sun, the matter was not closed; it was never closed. She had lived for millennia, far longer than the others and had watched the tribe fracture in the past. Her experiences could be used to cement the still new (in her mind) unity. Deep in her soul, a small black flame ignited after hundreds of years of dormancy. The flame was stoked by the primal rage the Sun kept under control. Rage directed at the failure of mortals. The tender sensed the flame igniting and knew that a small push was all that was needed to trigger his ancient cantrip. The chaos-magic born were summoned by the master. With swiftness only direct control mind link could yield, they were set off on their tasks. In his mind, a game piece was moved into position. A wicked smile dressed his non-corporal face. The chaos-magic born queen recalled forbidden knowledge from her previous life, knowledge she had acquired in order to combat many illnesses. Now this knowledge would be used to do her dark master’s will. The queen transferred her knowledge of an ancient elixir, one that was discovered shortly after the great exodus and all traces of the recipe destroyed to keep it out of the wrong hooves. She had found a single surviving copy, scribbled in the margins of a journal maintained by a wandering magic born who had arrived at the magic born kingdom a century ago, just prior to the great freeze. This potion was destined for the ruling council, to cut off the head and then attack the body. The spell she transferred to her drones would be deployed on the eastern border. As with the potion, it was a forbidden and lost spell, resurrected by that same wandering mage. While in life his work benefitted the sisters, in death his legacy would serve the tender he fought against. The drones were dispatched once the knowledge had been transferred and thus two small infiltration groups took aim at their targets. They would need to coordinate the assaults for maximum disruption and it was agreed upon that on sunrise, after the next new moon, they would use the elixir and spell. Thus ensuring that the Sun would be present to sense the chaos and her balance tip in their favor. The capitol team abducted and replaced the servants of the earth-born and magic-born council members, providing them access to the prime targets. The eastern group did not need such subtly; the spell they were gifted just needed a focus for it to be cast upon. The Sun continued to watch the tribe and their army. The Sun continued to scrutinize the decisions of the leaders, seeing flaws, real or imagined, in all of the choices. The Sun waited for the council to fail. The Sun waited for her divine guidance to be needed. The black flame at the core of the Sun fed on this and in turn subtly influenced the princess. The Moon did not notice the change in her sister, she was to busy overseeing the training of her night guard, now over two score strong. Each accepted the touch of the night, their gift adjusting to reflect their oath. Even the Twilight was unaware; she was occupied reviewing the vast archives of documents that the elder two had accumulated in their long lives. Learning the history of times long gone. Days passed and the new moon came. The chaos-magic born enacted their plans. For the capitol force, an early morning council meeting was arranged to discuss the continued military presence at the border. The earth-born and magic-born were the first to arrive, ushered there by the disguised chaos-magic born. The stallion and mare were each handed a cup, filled with the black, tar like draught that had become common place in the morning. Each mug had been spiked with the elixir the chaos-magic born had crafted. The moment the concoction hit the council members stomachs, the trap was sprung and the effect of the potion was immediate. The two council members looked deep into each other’s eyes and were enamored with each other. A sleeping seed of love, of lust, of primal matching had been bloomed by the liquid. The two could think of nothing else but each other. With any decision by the council of three requiring a majority consensus, the potion had hamstrung the leadership of the tribe. At the same time, to the east, the other agents activated their spell. They had enchanted a Totally Ordinary Mineral that was in the shape of a giant diamond with the covetous spell. To all but the casters, the rock would resemble a large, perfect diamond; one that they wanted and needed over anything else. Nothing would stand in their way in order to get it. Not friends; not family; not enemies. It would strip the freewill of those exposed until canceled. As the dawn broke upon the land, the perimeter guards were the first to fall to the siren call of the spell. A fight broke out among them for it. Others, woken by the noise soon joined in. The noise was enough to pull the nearby canides out of their dens, who swiftly fell under the sway of the spell. Those unaffected saw the attack of the canides and joined the fight. Both sides soon emptied their camps as the fight broke out. A messenger was soon dispatched to the capitol; a war had started. In the bastion of the sisters, the Sun saw this occur and swiftly adjusted her gaze to await the response of the council. If need be she herself would intervene. The Moon and the Twilight felt the disturbance as well and soon joined the Sun in the observation tower. As with the elder sister, the younger two knew that intervention might be warranted to stop the war. With baited breaths they watched both the war and the messenger who arrived as swiftly as she could, ignoring the capitol guards and going straight to the council chambers. The scene that opened before both the sisters and the messenger was unexpected. The earth-born and magic-born council members were all over each other; ignoring the comments of everyone around them. With two of the three leaders incapacitated, the weather-born was the sole voice of the council. She was also the leader of the military and had advocated for a strong military response to the canide invaders, not just a defensive. Now that war had come, she felt her stance was justified. The first edict from her mouth was to muster all of the reserves. They would empty their cities to defeat and conquer the canides, to keep them from ever rising again. The Elders of the Earth-born refused, as this was not the will of the council. With their chosen representative indisposed, they would need to meet and discuss the merits of such an action. Until that time, no earth-born would take action. Likewise, the magic-born nobility refused. With their princess, much to their chagrin, busy, the duty of deciding the fate and stakes of the magic-born fell to the house of nobles. The two groups left, leaving the commander alone with the other two love struck council members. She dispatched the messenger to inform the force of the pending decision and with one phrase. “Hold The Line”. The sisters were dismayed at the inaction. The Moon and Twilight were patient though and would wait for the choice, but preparing for intervention if need be. They left to continue the scrying of the war in a more attuned place, leaving the Sun alone to continue her vigil. The Sun however, had never been patient and would wait no longer. She had watched the petty bickering happen in the past. She had watched the tribe sunder. She had fallen because of their inaction all those millennia ago, only the ascension saved her. No more! She had the power to unite the tribes and weld them into a single force. As the first of the ascended, she alone knew the entire history. She alone could and would rule them. She alone would usher in a brand new world, ruled by the might of the sun! A Solar Empire would be forged, united by her will and power. Here she would show all of the tribe, willing or not, her kind benevolence. Deep in her soul, the black flame grew larger; grew hotter; and further inflamed her sense of righteousness. The Sun summoned her guard to her, two hundred strong, all geared in brilliant golden armor. All forged into perfect weapons of her will. For generations their families had served her, the oaths passed from parent to child. Each one trained and schooled as their ancestors, trained to fight the forest and its horrors. Trained to defend harmony. The Sun announced that today they would unite the tribes who had descended into chaos once again and stop a war that threatened their brethren. To punctuate this, the Sun channeled immense magic and clothes herself in radiant golden armor that looked to shimmer with all the colors of the sun. She dispatched her guard to the east, to route the canides and bring salvation to the beleaguered army. She alone would descend upon the capitol and bring to an end the squabbles of the mortals. A cheer went up through the guards and they began the march to their destiny. The Sun launched herself into the air and with haste, made for the capitol, her passing leaving a golden band in her wake. The night guard had overheard the solar princesses orders and rushed to inform his mistress of them, she had to be made aware. The guard found the Moon and Twilight already heading to where the Sun had been. Even in the crystal caves that had allowed them to scry from every conceivable view, they had felt the surge in solar energy. The guard informed them of the happenings, both the Moon and Twilight shocked at the outburst. They dismissed the guard to get the rest of the Night Guard and secure the positions abandoned by their solar counterparts. The Twilight was worried about the solar guard; the situation in the east had turned more chaotic, the army fought among itself, as did the canides. They appeared to be ensorcelled. The Moon assured her that they would be fine, the solar guard contained trained spell breakers. Magic-born gifted with dispelling enchantments and projecting nullification barriers. If the combat was truly caused by a spell, the solar guard were the best suited to save all involved. The bigger issue was their elder sister. They needed to stop her before she did irreparable harm. With no word spoken, the two channeled their magics and transported themselves towards the capitol, hoping to intercept their sister. They would not succeed, the Sun had been moving to fast. Back at the council chambers, a decision had finally been reached. They would not march their entire reserve forces to the east, there were to many unknowns. The weather-born general railed against their cowardly choice. She said that the other two would have seen her reason and agreed. The counter argument was cut short as the very air in the chamber sundered by the entry of a goddess. With a brilliant solar flare the Sun appeared before the startled council and elders. Her entry blinded any who had the misfortune of having been looking directly at where she appeared. This included the two enamored council members, still latching onto each other, but neither seeing the other. With a voice of finality, the Sun spoke. “Long I have sat idly by as you bickered among yourselves. Long have I held myself back. But now is enough! I am assuming direct control!” Just as suddenly as she had appeared she was gone in another flash. The stunned tribesman could only stare at each other and fear the goddess they had angered. Soon their wits returned and they tended to those injured by the sudden appearance and disappearance of the solar being. The Sun herself appeared in the center of the capitol and rose into the air to deliver her proclamation. With a voice infused with the raw fury of the sun itself her voice burst forth. “Behold my solar prominence! I am the supremacy Sun! I am she thrice-blessed! I am the one who has guided your fates and saved your ancestors from the shadow. High in their tower, your rulers bicker or succumb to the pleasures of the flesh. They have forced my hoof. I am now your ruler. Bow before your empress!” Each sentence was accented by a rolling wave of solar fire originating from the Sun and vanishing before it would hit buildings. All around the tribesman prostrated themselves before her glory. All was going as expected, until she felt the signature of her sister. The Moon beheld the cowed populace and the almost manic gleam in her elder’s eyes and spoke. “Sister what have you done!” “I have finally done what should have been done before your ascension. I have united the tribes under my banner. Look at how they concede to my rule!” ‘You are mistaken sister. Look around you! Their ear’s bleed from your voice. Their eyes seared by your fiery entrance. Their faces etched with fear of your power. You would rule them with your power! That is not the way of the All-Seeing!” “I will rule them with kindness YOUNGER sister. If they do not see it now, they will in time.” “Then you shall be a tyrant, ruling your empire of fear.” “If that is what it takes to end the eon long conflict among the tribe then I shall be a tyrant!” “So be it. Then I will gather those of the tribe that will not succumb to your rule and forge our own republic. One where harmony and the tenants of the All-Seeing take precedence.” “You will not splinter the tribe!” And with that, the Sun began to channel am immense spell, one not used since the ascension of the Moon. The seething torrent of raw plasma floating before the mark of the magic-born grew larger, but unlike normal fire, the center glowed black, drinking up the rage and fear in the air. The Moon prepared her strongest shield, not around herself, but around the populace. She would not allow them to be caught up in their fight. The spell lanced from the Sun, the Moon braced herself for oblivion. But just as the last time the Sun and Moon fought, the Twilight leapt between them. Unlike the last time, now the Twilight was ascended like them and was able to do something. With her connection to the sun, the Twilight absorbed what she could of the spell, the sick black core being the only thing she could not. Using the connection with the moon, she reflected the mass of rage towards a distant mountain to explode. Exhausted from the strong spell and the expelling of the corruption, the Sun collapsed onto the ground. The Moon looked at the Twilight and both released a wave of soothing moonlight to heal those in the vicinity injured by the Sun’s outburst. Then, using the absorbed solar magic, the Twilight transported all three of them back to the castle. The ball of black flame, does not impact the mountain as the Twilight assumed it would. Instead the cantrip returns it to its source, the tender of the forest. A massive, draconic claw erupts from the ground and absorbs the solar infused ball, merging the magic with its own. The tender cackled, his plan was almost complete. He had almost joined the powers of his adversary into his own. The chaos-touched laughed along with him. His triumph was their triumph. Unaware to what had transpired at the capitol, the solar guard arrived at the warzone and found utter chaos. Preparing to enter the fray, the magic-born among them shielded them all from being ensorcelled and in doing so sensed the familiar enchantment upon many of the warring beings. The spell breakers among the guard began to scan the area and soon found the spell’s focus. With a dedicated and combined effort, the magic-born shattered the spell around the Totally Ordinary Mineral and in doing so, broke its hold upon their brethren and the canides. With a signal, the well-trained guard descended onto the battlefield. Breaking up any remaining pockets of fighting and scattering the canides. Those that refused to yield fell where they stood. Soon the battle was over, the canides routed, and the injured on the mend. Their job done, the solar guard fell back to await further orders. At the bastion of the sisters, the Sun regained consciousness and with tears streaming from her eyes apologized for her actions. She did not know what had come over her. She had thought she had put that unchecked aggression behind her. The younger sisters told her of the corruption that was emitted with the spell, the corruption the Twilight had sent to be scattered to the winds. The Sun was horrified that something so sinister had taken root in her. She had almost become the very thing she fought against. The Moon spoke to soothe her sister. “You have fought the darkness far longer then I have. You have been exposed to its full fury and yet still persevere. We are not all-powerful and as such have our own faults. When you look darkness in the face, it will look back. The All-seeing laid down tenants to us, ones we must follow. These will guide us from following a darkened path. Even if the darkness has already taken root, they will let us rip it from our souls like the weed it is.” The Sun was still mortified at what she had done and without a thought for what they might be doing, recalled her solar guards. She needed to protect who she could. With the speed of the solar wind, the message was sent and the Solar guard, in a shower of golden energy vanished in front of the awed tribesman army. The spell had only been a short-range teleportation, but was enough to keep them from being followed back to the castle. The army sent fliers to the capitol to inform them of the mysterious turn of events and the powerful force that suddenly appeared and vanished as if a mirage. The messengers found the capitol in disarray from the sun goddess’s descent. The blinded council members had since come to their sense and their eyesight restored. The blinding entry of the deity had an unintentional side effect of breaking the elixers hold on the two. The council took the sudden appearance of the forces in stride and, with the thoughts of the Sun’s appearance began working to truly stop their bickering lest they bring the wrath upon them again. At the observation tower, the Moon reconciled the events of the day to herself. Caught by a wave of exhaustion from overuse of her magic, the Moon’s eyes momentarily took upon a green serpentine appearance, but was quickly banished.