Extra Chapter 4 - Madness (Patreon)

The forest was abuzz with activity. Loggers went to and fro, cutting down and preparing timber for its trip down the nearby river. As always, they gave prayers to the various Gods as they chopped down this section of the forest near the river. Primarily to Caeli, the oldest God of Heimfold that held sway over the forest; but also, to a handful of other Gods who shared her domain.

On this day, many of the loggers were hung over from the Fantasia celebration the night before. As such, there wasn't much work being done. Two of the men, swarthy humans with tanned skin and bristling muscles had hunted down a deer which they set to roast over a large fire.

"Hey, did you bring the spices from base camp?"

The cook shook his head as he dusted the slowly rotating carcass on the spit with herbs and salt, "Nope. Not the fancy ones, just the basics. But there will be extra portions! This is a big one."

The crackling fire and smell of roasting meat wafted over the camp, and as much work was not being done as is, the men chose to congregate around the cooking food, talking about the various artists and performers from the day before.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched.

Caeli, the Artificial Goddess of the winds and wilds, was watching them from a tree-top nearby. Fury, unbridled, uncontrollable anger was written across her face.

How dare they despoil my domain, she thought.

These mortals have had free reign of Heimfold for too long. It's time they learned to respect nature once more.

She channeled her divine power and Heat accumulated in her torso, expanding outwards as a pulse of wind pushed outwards.

"Come, defenders of the forest…protect your own."

The forest responded to her call. Trees uprooted and began to wound their way to the loggers around their fire. Smaller critters fled the area as predators responded to the call of their Goddess, wolves, tigers, bears, badgers, eagles, and falcons.

As she snapped her fingers, chaos engulfed the logging site. The men screamed as tree roots curled around them and pulled them into the ground, the roots finding their way into orifices and choking them as their fellows who were not attacked stared with wide-eyed horror.

Then, the animals beset them. Tearing, carving, biting, gnawing, and ripping their way across the work site. Men fled, screamed, and tried to take up arms only to be utterly overwhelmed.

These were no ordinary predators of the land and sky - they were empowered by the Goddess that created their ancestors; the primal beasts that once inhabited the lands.

Caeli smiled and floated down once the carnage had ceased, extinguishing the fire by removing all air around it. She willed the predators to leave the partially cooked corpse and dispose of the other bodies. They, of course, would have obliged even without her instruction as they tore into the torn remains.

"Reclaim what was yours, my children."

Caeli glowed bright, vibrant green as the surrounding trees moved in; stumps that were cut down regrew, and within moments the whole space was once more untapped forest.

She dismissed the animals who had finished gorging themselves, and slowly but surely the sounds of the wild returned. She looked off as the wind brought to her ears the cries of animals being hunted.

Not anymore. I can finally afford this land the attention it deserves.

This world is under my protection.

A tree branch moved in front of her, and then she was gone, a whisper on the breeze.

Vythin sat on an ornate throne of gold with black inlay, tapping his fingers. Space opened next to him; a rip in reality itself, as Slate and Isaac stepped through. He stood and the trio went to a side-chamber, sitting down at a large conference table.

"The others are unable to attend?" Vythin asked.

Slate nodded, "Selena is busy with Bastion. Meir is…running that errand you requested. And Kalinor is-"

Vythin waved a hand, "Right, doing his job." He looked at Isaac, "Have you considered what we spoke of previously?"

Isaac shook his head, "I don't think that it is as dire of a situation as you think it is. "

Slate slammed his fist down and glared at Isaac, "People dead, Isaac! Just last week, I was in Scarhold with a brilliant young inventor. On the cusp of making the steam engine. I left for two days and when I returned - nothing but a scorch mark at his workbench, his designs scattered, and his progress destroyed…Ignis is intentionally preventing technological advancement."

Vythin nodded, "I've heard from Selena's network that the other Artificial Gods are beginning to meddle more as well. I won't be surprised if this escalates."

Isaac sighed and leaned forward, tenting his hands, "I don't think it will get as bad as you think. They won't descend into infighting amongst themselves. And if we don't interfere, it will remain the same."

Vythin stood up and paced to the large window, looking out over the vast high-rises covered with shimmering silver windows - extending off into the distance. "Remain the same…" He turned back to Isaac, "You think that stagnation is acceptable? Look at what I've accomplished."

He gestured to the enormous megalopolis outside, the planet-encompassing city a true wonder to behold. A utopia. "I have created a paradise with both magic and technology. You would condemn Heimfold and those who live there to the same state of…continuing? Deny them this glorious evolution?"

Isaac sighed, "I know. But maybe…we should just let Heimfold go the way it is going? If it worked in the previous eras before The Void, why can’t we just let it continue to be as it is?"

Slate stood up and paced next to Vythin, sharing a knowing glance with him. "I understand where you're coming from, Isaac. And I agree - we should not push technological advancement ourselves. However, this stagnation caused by Ignis is a sign. You must believe me when I say this - the Artificial Gods will eventually go rampant.”

Vythin interjected, “Without The Void to hold back, they are without purpose. They will default to their secondary function, the managing of Heimfold…They will rule it with an iron fist. They may even decide to make war on other worlds if they deem it necessary. And I won’t allow my world to be threatened by their insanity.”

Isaac nodded, "I will always be a part of the Destined Pantheon…but I have my own life to live…I can't be a part of this.” Isaac stood up and his power pulsed and a rip in space opened.

Vythin walked over and pulled Isaac in for a hug, before holding him at arm's length. "You're my ally. Now and forever. We may not always agree…but I respect your desire to remain neutral. Say hi to Willow for me."

Isaac nodded as he stepped through the rift in space; being surrounded by the blackness of the space in between spaces - a realm only he could enter.

The blackness opened a split second later and he emerged in The Guild Hall. Several adventurers gave him nods or slight bows as he walked up the stairs to his room. Entering, he saw it was empty.

Willow must be out, he thought.

He sat down in the center of the small interior garden, sitting in seiza and breathing deeply.

Okay. Time to do what a God must do.

He opened his mind to the prayers of his devotees. He was quite the popular God from his previous travels before settling down as Guildmaster. But what struck him caused him to recoil in horror. Voices whispered in his head - thousands, hundreds of thousands, crying out to him.

"Forest Lord, save us!"

"My baby! Don't eat my baby!"

"The trees are attacking, quick! Run!"

Isaac had to shut out the prayers as he leaned forward, gasping for air. What the hell is happening?

He opened another rift and leaped through.

The forest surrounding him was alive with the sound of animals and chirping birds. He looked around.

Strange…The trees were cut, but then regrown.

He went to one of the stumps that had sprouted a new tree and placed his hand upon it, manifesting his Heat and performing a miracle as the tree spoke with him.

"Forest Lord. How can I help you?"

"What happened here, brother oak?"

"Our lady of the wilds came and stopped the axes! Praise Caeli!... And you, of course."

Isaac released the miracle and glanced about, repeating the same feat with the surrounding plants and animals.

Caeli is responsible?

He sat down once more and opened his mind to the prayers of his devotees, searching through them to find one who was in trouble.

"Help me! Oh Gods! I don't want to die!"

Isaac locked onto the location of that worshipper through their connection to him, immediately warping in front of them.

He stood in a clearing; houses were being demolished by the forest that moved all around. Animals were charging, rending, and tearing apart the innocent and helpless.

Isaac stood face to face with a massive grizzly bear. He growled at it, manifesting his Heat once more to exert his control over the surrounding forest and wildlife. As he did so, a pair of spectral antlers appeared atop his head.

The woman he warped in front of - a Vaysani, one of the bird-folk - cowered with her child. Isaac knelt next to her as the animals scattered at his command, the trees returning to their places once more.

"It's okay. I heard you. I'm here."

She bowed and muttered a prayer, and he felt the warmth of her Quintessence flow into him. "Thank you, Forest Lord."

Isaac looked around and willed the trees to return to their positions.

One thought ran through his head as he surveyed the carnage, and a chill went down his spine.

Slate was right. It’s already started. The Artificial Gods are going mad.

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