The Assembly of the Ascended Beings (a Demi-Dimension owned by the Falosini)

#41

Berototh countered, “Short of Remaking this timeline how would you achieve that?”

#42

Ayx said, “Simple, my garden. I could adjust countless variables we’re suggesting but all projections lead to an army of mutanted creatures,”

“That sounds conceringly like universe building,” said Lord Berototh.

#43

Azrael stepped away from the meeting, along with the Ancient Hive Queen. Queen Xydoraq had been an allied Hive of the Cult of Ayx and had recieved the protection from Holys provided by the Cure of Yoba Sabot.

Xydoraq did not look happy with Queen Ayx’s demand for the rights of High Queen. The High Queens of the Quall had gained their rank through the support of the other Hives, but it seemed Queen Ayx wanted to make an end run past that and just push High Queen Qu’oa out of leadership. Xydoraq looked even more irate when Berototh and Queen Ayx were discussing the use of the Quall Hiveminds to act as a Dimension Builder. She had never thought she’d see Quall and Falosini work together, but to see them trying to rewrite history and rewrite reality made them just as dangerous as Holys in her eyes.

#44

Azrael said, “I still support your idea of the Ascended Beings willingly sealing themselves away in Les’Tas’Tral, making it our own Prison of Light.”

Xydoraq nodded, saying, “The fact that none of the great Ascended beings volunteered shows us that we would have to force them into this prison.”

“You are talking about Civil War between the Ascended?” Said Azrael as if he expected nothing less.

Xydoraq said firmly, "You know Ceroj the Red has already fallen, and he is but the first. To be Ascended we must also act as Ascended Beings. To put our own lives over the Balance is foolish and will destroy us, just as it nearly did when the Warmonger rose.

Azrael you must choose as must I, will we remain protecting the Ascended from their own hubris? Or will we do the truly ascended action, put the Balance before our own desires?"

Azrael said, “You sound more like Lord Falos, Queen Xydoraq, than you do like Queen Ayx?”

“The Balancers were once the only hope of this reality, and once again that becomes true,” said Xydoraq, “If we do not act and act soon…”

Azrael said, "The Temporal shattering is already underway. We cannot fix it, but I believe we can make the most of all three timelines.

#45

Xydoraq was confused, “Even if you and I begin a new corps of Balancers from among all the ranks that call us ally, training could take decades.”

Azrael said, “The Balancers of Les’tas’tral are already among the mortals of Refuge…But we must be ready to support them with our own forces. But Xydoraq we must act in the shadows. If we act openly, the other Ascended will try and stop us. Or worse yet, put Berototh and Queen Ayx’s plan to build a new reality into overdrive. Either situation must be avoided if we wish success.”

#46

Behind the pair stood Len, the Ascended Legion, who knew the Technomantic Ascended would also have to choose sides. But he didn’t like it.

“But Lord Azrael, Queen Xydoraq, the Unity is finally free of Demonic influence, so is the E-strain. They could create their own Ascended to assist us?”

Lord Azrael said, “Under Angel D the E-strain are seeking to release the Descended and smash the barrier and restore the Creeping Darkness to our reality. They are not our allies.”

Queen Xydoraq said, "And the Unity is equally dangerous. They have a backdoor into our Hivemind with their Ar’yay Brain computer. "

“Danger should not frighten Ascended Beings,” said Len, “Be wary if Holys controls the Unity and the E-strain, they will have enough power to counter Ayx’s reality manipulation…and it could turn out much much worse.”

#47

Lord Azrael realized they would need Len and his Legion if they were going to balance each of the groups, “Okay Len, then you must get for us Balancers among the E-strain and among the Unity…ones who like Queen Xydoraq will put theirdevotion to the balance over their one faction or species…”

#48

Meanwhile Lord Berototh and Queen Ayx plotted and planned to remake reality without regard for its inhabitants…

#49

Lord Berototh was full of rage. None of the ascended had seen the calm and wise Blue Hooded Falosini so upset in aeons.

Lord Berototh slammed his Pole Hammer against the ground loud enough to draw everyone’s attention.

He announced, “The Ascended have been betrayed! Queen Ayx has been kidnapped by the servants of High Queen Qu’oa. Our last hope to stop Holys has gone missing. This is a tradegy.”

Queen Xydoraq replied, "Lord Berototh, I will keep the Cult of Ayx in line, but truth be told they are demanding the immediate banishment of Queen Qu’oa. This is a matter for the HiveQueen council to address not the Falosini.

If you try and butt your winged selves into this matter, it could turn an orderly transfer of power into a full Civil War."

Berototh said, “Respect to Queen Xydoraq but without Ayx the Cult of Ayx cannot focus their power to counter Holys. Holys will be able to change the reality experienced by the mortals with but a whim now.”

#50

Azrael found this occurance interesting. Somehow their mutual enemy Holys had manipulated the situation so people who should be Allies like the followers of High Queen Qu’oa and Queen Ayx were instead rushing to war with each other. This would leave Holys to his dangerous reality manipulation "

#51

Len of the Ascended Legion asked, “If Holys can change reality? Why hasn’t he?”

#52

Azrael replied, “Holys does not seek domination. He seeks information which he will discover through experimentation. He must have already set up his experiments. Now he is watching them play out.”

Len said, “How much of what the mortals face today is because of Holys messing with the Timelines?”

Azrael replied, "There is very little way to know. Was the Final Death of Warmonger part of his experiment? What about Warmonger release during the Border Wars? My future sight is clouded by Holys’ altering the timeline, so I do not know his true endgame.

#53

But no matter what his endgame, "Azrael concluded, “We must finish our work on the Prisons of Light!”

Berototh said, “Why remove ourselves if people need our help?”

Azrael countered, “Because we are part of the Experiment. Think on it, a being like Holys running experiments on Ascended Beings…”

Berototh said with deep sadness, “He tried to claim the title of Demiurge of these timelines does he?”

Azrael said, “So we must remove ourselves from his experiments. It is the only way!”

Berototh countered, “There is another way, we could use the Mortals to slay Holys, to defeat him and forever prevent his Chronomancy?”

Azrael did not answer. But Xydoraq seemed impressed by this solution.

“A joint attack? One to avenge ourselves on Holys. I know the Hivequeens would support such an operation.”

#54

Berototh said, “But how to harm a being who can travel through time at will, can escape before being killed, and can alter the timeline so he can get his way.”

Azrael whispered, “Get a Time Shredder to catch a Time Shredder.”

#55

Plans were under way, a full ascended force gathered to assist in stabilizing the shattering timelines.

High Queen Xydoraq held court with many of the Ascended beings who considered themselves allied. She spoke with pride of her friends and her enemies coming together against their greater enemy Holys,
“The Quall have sent the Dimension Walker Nigel to gain alliance with the Da’uhnb vessel, the Sword of Galahad. With it secured the Hives protected from Holys will stand ready to invade the Tomb Factory of Holys will full force.”

A Falosini diplomat in a yellow hood arose and said, “I, Grash’tah child of Gorsj, can concur with High Queen Xydoraq. A joint Falosini Quall force has assembled as in the days of the Neliff eradication, to cleanse the Isle of Holys of their foul influence and bind away Holys once more.”

There was a sundering noise, and a crack of lightning and standing in the center of the Assembly was a woman standing proud and tall, wrapped in white and grey silks and carrying a staff of gold topped by a crystalline eye. The Eye of Falos, and the staff it topped marked the bearer as one who walked with the authority of Lord Falos himself.

"Some of you know me, some of you do not. You have all heard my name. I am Y’vhv, once Empress among the K’ias, once the highest ranked balancer in the Peace of Falos. Now I wander but I still keep the balance.

The balance has been destroyed. Trying to kill the Warmonger did not kill the Warmonger, it merely annihilated his ability to affect this timeline directly. In its place came a wave of chaos that erupted the dark natures of so many mortals so they might fight amongst themselves to prove themselves the most evil as they seem to wish to by their actions.

This toxic strife will spread. Warmonger was not destroyed, his spirit was spread among countless mortals across these three timelines. I have confered with the Temporal Empire and with the Grey Cabinet, and all confirm the only solution is to imprison these three timelines. Any who escape from them using time shredding or other forms of annihilation will be considered free to hunt by the IR temporal division and the Temporal Enforcement Agency of the Da’uhnb.

Your experiments on these mortals have failed, and all of you ascended who took part should be ashamed of yourselves."

Xydoraq countered, "Mighty Y’vhv you and I once stood in battle against in each other. I know you and I know you would not say this lightly. But these timelines have yielded such great wins.

My Hive has begun using the Quall N’Haram gifted to us by the Oliefera.
Qu’oa’s Hive has found a host clone-type that can survive the birthing of our young. Every day, the Quall live more and more in tune with the balance because of the experiements done by mortals on these timelines."

Grash’tah child of Gorsj the Falosini said, “And our Children of the Falosini have achieved the most peace seen in these timelines.”

.

#56

“And the Doomwyrm Flock was released to cause an end to so many spirits,” countered Y’vhv, "And the Four Ancient Evils who upheld the balance were enslaved by the Warmonger and placed inside the Armenius Orbs. And the Warmonger itself was released.

And instead of being banished back to the Hell Dimensions which would contain the Warmonger without damaging the balance, you all conspired with Mortals to unleash an Annihilation ritual that sundered one timeline into three unnaturally, damaging the natural flow of time, and birthing the Chronomancer Holys as an abomination across realities.

You Ascended Beings, Lord Falos would be disappointed in you all. Why do you not protect these mortals? Instead you use them as weapons of your will…"

#57

Aryay Hivequeen snorted “Mortals will always have been and always will be the tools of the Ascended. As long as one has emotions and is able to view reality one will want to affect the world around them. Mortals are useful in such a way. Not that I am in a position to be judgemental but lets say I have had some experiences that have colored my viewpoints. If anyone here thinks they know a good solution to these issues you are a fool, no matter what you choose you are wrong. Thus is the fate of non perfect beings as we all are.”

#58

Y’vhv was unimpressed and replied, "I disgree with your philosophy Ar’yay Hivequeen.

A lesson you Quall always seem to forget is that “we are here for them”. They are not here for us.

The mortals are those we are to protect from the Ancient Evils and the Transdimensional and Transtemporal threats.

But when Ascended and Mortals colluded to unleash this ritual…they blurred the lines between us all and turned balance towards destruction".

#59

Berototh interrupted trying to defend the actions of some, saying, “But Lady Y’vhv my plan to sequester ourselves will restore the balance. The Ancient Evils will be trapped in their hell dimensions with no way back. Warmonger is granted final death. And those among us of great power will be placed within a prison of light.”

#60

High Queen Xydoraq, once a proponent of the voluntary sequestering said, “But WHO will go Berototh? If it is by choice than most of the HiveQueens will refuse. And who will force them if they refuse?”

Queen Qu’oa said, “The High Queen would force them, Xydoraq in fact that is one of the few official jobs of the High Queen. To make sure the rules of the Ascended are followed by the Quall Hives.”

Xydoraq leaned back and asked, "Mighty Queen Ar’yay, what do you think of the Falosini’s plan? Should all the ascended, and most importantly so many of the Hive Queens sequester themselves in voluntary imprisonment just so that the balance is restored?

I finally have the herds of Quall N’haram. I will be leading a new age for the Quall. And these Falosini want us to give that up. When we all know the Mortals will just become more and more evil anyway. We could cure this Berototh if we just consumed all the hosts and protected them with our larvae."