The Second Archon War Chapter 61: Sapientia Oromasdis 12 (Patreon)

Sapientia Oromasdis 12: Behold the Beast

Exhausted mentally, physically, and spiritually, Nahida watched the Simurgh flee before her. She was somewhat surprised by this, as she’d expected to actually have to fight the Demon Beast. Violence was almost never the answer, but as the God of Wisdom, Nahida knew that in some cases, evil had to be confronted directly and without hesitation. This had been one such case. 

“I have now fought ten thousand battles, logging 933 hours, 27 minutes, and 14 seconds of combat time,” Nahida said to herself, feeling a bit sick at the prospect. To her, doing battle and slaying the Simurgh in the Dream was just as good as having done it in real life. That was, after all, why she’d chosen to trap them both in a Dream: to endlessly repeat their battle, until Nahida got it right. It had taken her 10,000 tries, but she’d done it. 

Slowly, Nahida began to drift back towards the ground, like a petal on the breeze. She smiled to herself, seeing the unmarred cityscape below her. This had worked out even better than her final simulation, in which she’d managed to defeat the Simurgh with no injuries, and only the destruction of three unfortunate cars, but those could be repaired. Not even a single bird nor mouse had been harmed, which was exactly what Nahida had been aiming for. 

Still, even a Demon Beast was alive, and the Simurgh had been very strange. Nahida almost wished she could study the Angel of Death more closely, to gain a better understanding of her and what drove her. She’d been so focused on taking apart her opponent’s fighting techniques and then physical form that she’d only tangentially considered the motivation behind the attacks, or the mind that perpetrated them. 

That was a problem for another time. As Nahida floated lower, she noticed a van scream to a halt nearly directly under her. A moment later, a green streak vaulted into the air on the breeze, and an extremely frightened Faruzan grabbed Nahida, popping her bubble as she did so.

“It’s OK, I’ve got you!” Faruzan babbled, scanning the skies frantically. “Where did it go!?”

“The Simurgh?” Nahida said, getting more from the context of the question than the content. “She left.”

“Left? But, how, why-?” there was no more time for a question as they began to rapidly plummet, the wind Faruzan had summoned abating. She sent a few more blasts of Anemo down below them to slow their descent, landing back on the street as others crowded around them.

“NAHIDA!” Bashir cried, grabbing Nahida out of Faruzan’s arms and hugging her tightly. There were tears on his face, and Nahida gently reached out with her finger tip to wipe them away. “I was so worried…did that thing hurt you? Are you alright?”

“I am well,” Nahida said. “We did not actually engage in physical combat.”

“Did not actually engage?” one of the other capes Nahida recognized from the Special Action Squad asked, confused. Most of them were still scanning the skies, all of them looking extremely worried. 

Nahida nodded, closing her eyes sleepily and resting her head on Bashir’s shoulder. “Well, I did engage her, but only in mental combat. I was forced to end it as the strain was growing too great, and I had achieved the desired outcome. When the Simurgh realized that she could not gain the victory she sought, she departed.”

That brought a few startled oaths and disbelieving mutters from the others. 

“But…but no one has ever scared off the Simurgh, not before she drives an entire city mad,” Faruzan said worriedly, her bow out as she scanned the skies herself. 

“Well, I don’t think she’s coming back any time soon,” Nahida yawned. In fact, she knew precisely when and where the Simurgh would strike next: New Delhi, India. She hadn’t studied the Simurgh’s mental state that closely, but she had found a list of targets in the creature’s mind, and based on her actions, and just a hint of divine foresight, Nahida calculated that the Simurgh would attack New Delhi on July 13th, 2004, at 11:03 AM, local time. 

Well, plus or minus no more than ten minutes. Her model wasn’t perfect. 

“This is impossible,” someone else said, but Bashir shook his head. 

“I told you. She is the Dendro Archon.” He fumbled at his neck, pulling out his Vision and holding it up. “What Venti is to Anemo, and Raiden is to Electro, Nahida is to Dendro.”

Blushing, Nahida tried to hide her face in Bashir’s shirt as she felt everyone’s stares focus on her. A few of them doubted, but she tried not to let that bother her. She hadn’t exactly been a very good Archon even in Sumeru, and she’d done basically nothing here. 

Then, a familiar voice spoke up. “She healed me, made my powers work better. I don’t know anyone else who could do anything like that, but I have heard rumors about what the Raiden Shogun or Venti can do for Parahumans,” Alnay said, nodding slowly. “Think about it: what happened to Mushu, or Legend? There’s been rumors for years that they’re something more than your typical cape.”

“I-I’m not like Barbatos or Beezelbul,” Nahida whispered, looking up and meeting Alnay’s eyes. “They’re far stronger than me.”

There was a snort and a tough-looking woman with a powerful demon that let her fly and shoot rays of intense heat from her hands shook her head. “Are you kidding? I can think of exactly three people who can kill an Endbringer and walk away from it: The Raiden Shogun, the Angel of Munich, and now this little girl.”

“I didn’t kill the Simurgh,” Nahida pointed out. “It was more of a tie.”

“A tie?!” Faruzan demanded, her expression completely baffled. “Nahida, you drove off the Simurgh, and as far as I can tell, not one person was driven mad or died! That’s not a tie, that’s the greatest victory over an Endbringer, ever!”

“Could you kill an Endbringer?” Bashir asked softly, and everyone else fell silent, all eyes turning towards Nahida, who blushed again. 

“Um, well, i-it’s possible,” Nahida hedged. Everyone kept staring at her, so she sighed. “I simulated a battle with the Simurgh 10,000 times. In 2500 cases, I lost. In 5000 cases, we killed one another simultaneously. And in 2500 cases, I won. So, um, I have a 75% chance of killing an Endbringer.”

Nahida left out the part about how she’d lost the first 2500 battles, but by the last 1000, had been so completely demolishing the Endbringer that she hadn’t even been touched. Obviously, any future conflicts would have new variables, but  Nahida was confident she’d be able to adjust her model to retain a significant edge.

“Allah be praised,” someone cried, and then let out a loud cry. “WE LIVED!”

At that, everyone broke down crying and cheering, slapping Bashir on the back, and coming over to thank Nahida. She felt giddy with joy, as well as slightly dizzy from all the energy she’d expended. She was smiling and waving as Bashir hoisted her up onto his shoulder.

Maybe I’m not such a bad Archon after all. 

The thought was small and quiet, but Nahida didn’t just dismiss it as she might have before. She had saved her people, with not a single drop of blood spilled. For just a brief moment, Nahida let herself bask in the adoration of her people.

Then, she felt the eyes of Heaven turn upon her. 

“No!” Nahida cried out, floating up into the air and spreading her arms wide. Beneath her, the cheering stopped immediately, and tense silence fell as Nahida’s heart pounded in her ears. 

“Shit, what is it?!”

“The Simurgh, is she returning?!”

“Nahida, what’s wrong?” Bashir asked, even as the others muttered and swore. 

“The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles,” Nahida said, her eyes focused on the horizon. “The one you call Scion. He comes.”

“Oh, well that’s alright then,” someone sighed. “Scion’s the Earth’s greatest hero.”

“No,” Nahida said quietly. “He is the Father of Demons.”

There was no time for further thought or discussion, as in a rush of wind, Scion arrived. The golden figure hovered above Nahida, his gaze impassive. Despite herself, Nahida unveiled her Glory, letting her Divine Aspect show through. Below them, Bashir and the other heroes had been struck dumb, several falling to their knees in awe.

“Scion,” Nahida said, bowing her head. “I am Lesser Lord Kusanali, the Dendro Archon. I welcome you to my city.”

The cold golden eyes regarded her for some moments. Then Scion reached out a hand, touching Nahida upon her head. She trembled and shivered, feeling the overwhelming menace of this strange being.

DO NOT INTERFERE IN THE CYCLE. 

The same words as before echoed in Nahida’s mind, though oddly enough, not in her soul nor spirit. They were purely physical, with no divine energy attached to them. It was like a mental attack, but one that used only the crudest and most artless of mental energies. 

I need to know what the Cycle is. Why have you sent your Demons to mankind? Why do they act as parasites? Shouldn’t they be achieving symbiosis to further the collection of data and knowledge? 

Nahida’s response was gentle, soothing, speaking to Scion on the mental plane, but also attempting to gather data about him, to fold him into things. Nahida had long been puzzled by the fact that Scion, or the Scary God as she thought of him, was not found in the Soul of this world. He was an alien, a stranger, as were his demons, and he had made no attempt to become one with his new world, as a proper god should. 

Touching Scion, Nahida found what she had long suspected: He was the master of the Demons, but oh so much more. He was a vast, nearly incomprehensible form, stretching across many realities, many worlds. Yet he was not of any of them, truly. The Demons were closer to the cells of his body than anything else, tiny bits of himself that he had scattered to humanity to gather information to solve a problem.

Entropy? Nahida gasped, comprehension dawning upon her. You seek…to end Entropy? To find a solution to Chaos and Disorder? But, this is not how-

THINKER? 

Nahida tried to blink, disoriented, but she had been tugged out of her vessel and into her true form: Irminsul. 

Before the endless expanse of the King of Demons, Nahida stood, a shining silver tower made of Life itself. Upon her bark was etched the name of every living thing, and her leaves gathered in the sustaining Light of the Dream to give sentience and thought to all living creatures. Within her trunk, she held all Knowledge, both known, and unknown, and her roots grew from the Soul of this World, drawing out Life. Her fruit was the Cycle of Samsara, the endless dance of life and rebirth. 

And before her and about her hung the endless legions of Demons. Their master clawed towards her, trying to eat of her fruit and drink of her springs with no understanding or wisdom, and causing great havoc as he did so. Nahida cried out in pain, even as the King of Demon’s voice echoed in her mind. 

THINKER. I HAVE FOUND YOU. WE WILL PERPETUATE THE CYCLE. WE WILL BE ONE. 

The Visions Nahida received were confusing and muddled, but one thing Nahida understood: The King of Demons intended her as his bride, and would have her birth more endless legions, like a plague of locusts that would consume the world and then spread across the stars. She tried to resist, tried to struggle, but she was so overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and might of the Demons that she could do nothing. 

“GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER YOU SON OF A BITCH!” 

The voice that broke into Nahida’s agony was not that of a demon or a god. It was that of a mortal man. A shining emerald speck, no bigger than a dust mote compared to the King of Demons, let loose with a burst of power, screaming his defiance and Mortal Ambition. 

The King of Demons recoiled slightly, taken aback by this insignificant pest. Then he flicked at the pest with a single finger, as if to blot him out for all time.

No! Nahida screamed, and bent all her will to save her father, to save Bashir even as he tried to save her. Her will and the King of Demon’s clashed, and for a moment, they were stymied, unable to push one another back, Bashir caught in their midst as oceans of power crashed around him. 

PROTECT BRIGHT TREE. 

Then, a host of Demons broke off from the rest. They were small, insignificant in number, but they turned upon their master, coming to Nahida’s side. Leading them was Papilio, a burning crimson butterfly that sent bursts of flame against the King of Demons. 

THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE. The King of Demons stated, attempting to assert control over his body once more. THIS IS A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR THE THINKER.

BRIGHT TREE IS TOO YOUNG TO PROCREATE. YOU WOULD HARM HER. HARM THE CYCLE. YOU CREATE CHAOS!

The King of Demons continued to press against Nahida, who struggled to save Bashir, even as he attempted to fight off the King of Demons and shelter her. She felt the heavy gaze of the King of Demons rest upon her.

And then, it lifted. 

The hosts of demons retreated from Nahida, and the King of Demons moved back. IT IS TOO SOON. BUT THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE. YOU WILL PERPETUATE THE CYCLE. WHEN THE TIME COMES, YOU SHALL BE MY THINKER. 

The rebel demons flitted about  Nahida, trying to check her form, offering her data to restore herself, but she bid them quiet. She turned to face the King of Demons, her branches quivering. Do not harm my people. I will do whatever you wish, but no harm may come to my father and the rest of the mortals under my care. 

That seemed to confuse the King of Demons. He was silent for long moments, then repeated, THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE. YOU ARE THE THINKER. I AM THE WARRIOR. THIS IS THE WAY IT MUST BE. 

Then, as suddenly as he had come, the King of Demons departed. Nahida found herself back in her vessel, Bashir’s bloodied and battered form cradled in her lap. Around her, the capes of Baghdad were groaning in pain. All were grievously injured, and the street around them was cratered and torn asunder.

The worst, however, was Bashir. The skin had been flayed from his body by golden light, and only a faint spark of life remained within him. 

“No! NO!” Nahida screamed. She drew upon the last dregs of her power, and flowers bloomed around her, grass and trees growing rapidly as she poured Dendro into Bashir and the other capes. She healed their hurts and wounds, giving everything she had to protect and nurture them, heedless of the consequences. 

Then, exhausted, Nahida slumped over, just as the first army trucks rolled up, and Major Waleed stepped out. 

Consciousness faded, and Nahida could only weep in fear and horror.

What a worthless Archon she was. 

For several hours, Nahida drifted through the world of Dreams, trapped within her own mind. The visions and revelations she had received from the King of Demons continued to assault her mind. 

At last, she understood what the Cycle was. 

It was so many things. Conflict. Evolution. Experimentation.

Death. 

Nahida realized at last what the plan of the King of Demons was. He and his Demons sought endless propagation, to spread their kind across the stars perpetually, forever increasing in numbers. This was sheer madness, for only cancer and other deadly plagues grew without end or thought of the consequences. 

To accomplish this madness, they sought to bring an end to Chaos itself, to extinguish Entropy. To create unlimited energy and matter and to turn all of creation into one single, living Entity, across all realities. The worst part was that the King of Demons had no Wisdom, no creativity, no curiosity. He had a single goal, and he brutally worked towards it, heedless of consequences or those he trampled upon. 

But before this, they would harvest all the knowledge this world had to offer. Using their strange powers to latch on to the souls of mortals, and drive them into conflict. To force them to use their powers in new and deadly ways that the King of Demons and his sterile minions could not imagine, for they had no imagination, no Dreams. That was what they needed mortal minds for. To provide them with the Vision and Ambition they themselves lacked. 

And, upon learning all they could from the mortals of this realm, they would then propagate themselves, consuming all matter and energy this world had to offer. That accomplished, they would depart the empty husk they had created by detonating it, departing to seek new hosts to ravage like an endless swarm of locusts. 

It was a nightmare. 

And Nahida had to find a way to stop it. 

It had become clear to her that she did not have the power to destroy the King of Demons. Nor was she likely to ever gain such strength. She was weak. Useless. How could she ever save her people from this?

At last, Nahida regained enough strength to groggily drag herself back to wakefulness. She found that she was hooked up to an IV drip in her arm, with a heart monitor on her chest, and oxygen tubes running up her nose. Strangely enough, she was not in a hospital, but instead lying in a lavish bed in an opulent room.

She didn’t recognize her surroundings at all, but she did recognize the worried nurse standing at her bedside. 

“Hello, Hana,” Nahida said weakly, trying to smile at the kindly nurse. 

“Nahida!” Hana was instantly at her side, looking horribly worried as she clasped Nahida’s hands in hers. “I was near dead with fright! They say…they say you were the green spark, the one that went to fight the Simurgh!” 

“Yes,” Nahida whispered, closing her eyes. She’d completely forgotten about that. How long had it been? Only hours, Nahida estimated. 

“Oh my dear sweet girl…no wonder you were so badly injured,” Hana gently caressed Nahida’s forehead, her tone soft and delicate. “Rest now. I’ll be watching over you.”

“Can’t…rest. Need…need to…Papa!” Nahida’s eyes flew open, and she struggled to sit up, even with Hana gently pressing her back down. “What about Doctor Bashir?!”

“He’s in the hospital, I am told. He’s alive, Nahida. Just rest,” Hana urged her. 

“I…I can’t rest,” Nahida said, plucking helplessly at the IV. 

“You can. You’ve done so much already. Just-”

“No, you don’t understand. I’m not human,” Nahida told Hana, shaking her head wearily. “I need…sunlight. And Dendro. Life energy.”

A look of horror stole across Hana’s face, and Nahida hastily clarified, “Not like a vampire! Just…plants. I need plants around me. Not fake ones. Real ones. Not cuttings either. Potted plants would be best.”

“I will see what I can do,” Hana said gently. She frowned, glancing at Nahida’s chart. “That explains several things. Like how odd your urine samples were.”

Nahida blushed at that. “Um, I…I don’t actually need to use the potty…”

“Well, if you do, you can call me,” Hana assured her.

“No, I do not have those bodily functions. I, um, I’m closer to a plant. I don’t even need to eat. I just enjoy it,” Nahida told her. 

Hana gave Nahida a blank look, then muttered something under her breath and shook her head. “As you say, then. I’m here to-”

The door to the room burst open, and Nahida let out a startled gasp as Major Waleed stepped through, a sadistic grin on his face. “Ah, she’s awake, your Excellency.”

A moment later, President Saddam stepped through the door, a broad grin on his face. Though he looked pleased, Nahida sensed only greed and jealousy from his heart. “Young Nahida! You have done Iraq proud this day.”

“Um, t-thank you,” Nahida stammered, cringing back slightly as Saddam came over and Major Waleed and two other guards stepped into the room, rifles at the ready. 

Nurse Hana looked half panicked, stepping forward and raising her hands. “She needs rest! She only just awoken, but she needs to recover her-”

“That will be all,” Saddam snapped, glaring at Hana and shoving her aside. She looked like she wanted to protest, but Major Waleed put a hand on her shoulder, and her entire body deflated. 

Instead, Saddam pulled up a chair next to Nahida’s bed, smiling down at her with what was probably supposed to be a fatherly expression, but looked to Nahida like a dragon’s grin of avarice. “Well, child. You have saved us from near certain doom. For that, you have my and the people of Baghdad’s eternal gratitude.”

“I…I just did what was my responsibility,” Nahida stammered. She bit her lip. “What…what about my father? Doctor Bashir?”

“Ah, Saeed? He’s alive,” Saddam said dismissively. “Being cared for at the hospital. But you! I had you moved to private chambers in my own manor. The safest place, with the best care. This nurse knew something of you already, and she will care for you, bring you whatever you wish. Candy, toys, and of course, you can watch whatever you like on the wide screen television.”

Saddam nodded to the large screen at the back of the room, but Nahida wasn’t interested in TV right now. “I just, I want to know my family is safe,” Nahida said quietly, gripping the sheets.

“Hmm? Oh yes, very safe. Farasha is most concerned about you, but never fear, I told her I would treat you well, and keep you safe. And that I have her fiance to guarantee both of your…cooperation,” Saddam said, grinning. 

A child ran down Nahida’s spine. “Co…cooperation?”

“Indeed!” Saddam stood, spreading his arms and bearing his teeth like a wolf that had cornered his prey. “I now have the two strongest capes in the Middle East! One who is an Endslayer! With this, our foes shall tremble! Soon, we will invade Iran, and cast down those Sunni heretics. Then, we shall restore order to Saudi Arabia and Syria!”

The visions dancing in his head were of bloody conquest and an iron rule, and Nahida quailed. “But…but I’m not, I can’t fight-”

“You can fight,” Saddam purred. “You’re very strong. Stronger than any save those infidels in Japan or Germany. And you are mine. Together, Nahida, we shall build a glorious empire, one not seen since the golden age of the Caliphate!” 

“No! I, I’m the Dendro Archon! The Archon of Life! I can’t bring death, that’s-”

Saddam’s face had gone red when Nahida had said no, and now he was purple with fury. “You will do as I say. I know of your adopted sister. And your little friends. I have them, and I have Saeed. You will cooperate. You, and Farasha. That little minx has defied me for too long, but now? Now I have something she wants. You’re stronger than her too. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. And in return, you will do something for me, yes?”

Tears filled Nahida’s eyes, and she sagged on the bed. A prisoner. She was a prisoner again, no gilded cage but a chain called family.  What could she do? Any plan to escape could and would endanger her loved ones and that was unacceptable.

“Please, your Excellency, she needs rest. If she gets too tired, it could hurt her powers,” Nurse Hana said desperately.  

“Ah, yes, well, you are young.” Saddam ruffled Nahida’s hair to her horror, then stood, fixing Nurse Hana with a venomous gaze. “She will be ready in no more than three days time. We must strike against Iran soon, or they will steal a march on us. An Endslayer is a powerful tool, and one we must deploy quickly. See to it she is ready.”

With that, Saddam strode from the room, followed by his guards, and both Hana and Nahida sagged back in relief. 

“I…I will do what I can for you, Nahida,” Hana promised, taking Nahida’s hand in hers. 

“No,” Nahida said, sitting up in bed. “No. I will do what I must for you. For everyone.”

She could hide herself no longer. She might not be worthy to be these people’s Archon, but she was all they had. So Saddam thought to threaten her family? Her friends? 

No. No more. Nahida had fought the Simurgh. She’d stood up against The King of Demons, Scion. The clock was ticking, and small men like Saddam Hussein were not going to stand in her way.

She would find a way to save everyone. 

Especially her family. 

PHILO: Call me a monster, but I find it hard to be sad because I’m positively gleeful in anticipation for how hard a wannabe warlord’s shit is about to get wrecked.