Fantasy Hunter's Moon: Ascendancy [IC] [CLOSED]

[Infab]

July 10th, 1881
Westerly, Grimtham Isle, Atraca

Spring had come and gone from Westerly, and Summer had settled in. Shifting the world around them to beautiful and vibrant shades of green and blue. The fields surrounding the village were already being tilled, the locals preparing them for the Summer planting season. Anything to keep their minds off the war that had reached the isle's coast to the east and south. Tsavanian naval forces, attempting to conquer the island. Struggling to reclaim old lost territory from the Atracans as the massive continent wide war rages on the mainland.

Standing among dozens of apple trees in a large orchard was a young man, looking up at a very specific tree. Its branches had grown rather long and unwieldy, some even reaching into other trees and wrapping around their own branches. "Looks like I'm going to have to trim you back a bit." he said softly, a hand on his hip as his eyes traced each of the branches. He breathed a sigh, before glancing to the bucksaw in his other hand. He'd be here most of the day, really, as there were several branches that needed to be tended to.

But before he could get to work, he'd need a ladder. Kind of hard to trim back some branches if you couldn't reach them. He turned his head, trying to remember exactly where he had left it. And soon, he spotted the old wooden ladder. Resting against the side of his thin metal shed at the end of the orchard, near his home.

As he went to walk towards it, he heard a voice. Male, young. But it bore a hint of an echo to it, signifying a presence otherworldly. He knew who it was. And he had been waiting for it for several years now.

"Gyasis!" said the voice, as a man stepped from behind a nearby tree to his left. Thin, wearing blackened aggressive looking plate armor. His hair was long and black, almost stringy looking. His eyes bright yellow, the surrounding sclera as black as ink. "My, you have a rather nice orchard! So many apple trees, not a trace of worms. Practically perfect." the man continued.

"...Hello, Sazak." he replied, as he stopped in place.

Sazak stepped into the open, in front of Gyasis as the god looked ahead towards where his home was. Soon, Sazak was directly in his view. "I assume you know why I'm here?" said Sazak, a smile slowly creeping across his face as his eyes locked onto Gyasis' own. Gyasis simply smiled back. "Yes, I do. You're here for the artifact... and to kill me."

"Right! Now, where might this amulet of yours be, hmm?" asked the Icon, tilting his head as he continued to stare at the god. Gyasis shrugged. "How should I know? I lost it a long time ago. I'm sure the others don't know where theirs are either." was his response.

Sazak's smile shifted to a frown rather quickly. "...What is it with you gods and your belongings? Do you just decide 'I don't need this anymore' and toss it aside for some mortal to find? Does it just slip out of your pocket one day, lost for centuries until some nobody digs it up out of a hole in some shitty backwater village somewhere?" he said, motioning his hand towards Gyasis before waving it off to the side. Gyasis' smile grew larger. "Well, we were human before after all. Things slip our minds, just like others."

"I never understood that part either." remarked Sazak, as he motioned a finger back towards Gyasis. "Why select some random mortals to be gods? The most imperfect beings, given power far beyond their understanding, and tasked with governing the mortal realm as well as Heaven itself? I mean, look at how that turned out? Velin exists." As he spoke, he slowly started to walk around Gyasis, the god remaining still as he listened to Sazak's rambling. "That's a question for someone far above my station." responded Gyasis.

Sazak grunted. "Right. Claims of 'Elder Gods' and such. Honestly sounds like horseshit, but eh..." muttered the demon in response, as he soon made his way back around in front of Gyasis. Eventually, he stopped, turning his head to look at the god. "Well, I'll find your amulet. One way or another. And I'll find the others too."

Gyasis folded his arms. "...And what will you do with them? The binding has been shattered, correct? There's no need for the artifacts anymore." he soon asked, to which Sazak responded with a chuckle. "Dear, dear Gyasis. They're still rather important in the grand scheme of things! Especially to me."

He motioned his hand to his chest, pressing his armored hand's palm flat against his chest plate. "Knowledge is power. And with the right information, and proper execution, anyone can become a god." he said, a grin appearing on his face after he finished.

Gyasis' eyes widened. "...How did..." he spoke, his words barely audible. What had Sazak done? Sazak's grin grew wider, almost into a slasher smile. "I'd tell you but, of course, you're going to be paying a visit to Purgatory after I kill you. Can't have you running your mouth to Velin or the Angels."

Gyasis' eyes shifted, looking down towards the grass. But soon, a smile reappeared on the god's face. "...The others will figure out a way to stop you, regardless as to what you do."

Sazak's grin remained. "Oh, they'll try. They'll try their absolute hardest. But I've got a feeling I'm going to come out on top." he responded. Soon, his grin faded, and he looked about the orchard. "... I'll grant you one final choice, before your demise. Pick where you want to die at in this orchard. I'll make it quick."

Gyasis's eyes moved back up to Sazak's. "...Does it really matter, Sazak?"

"...No, I guess it doesn't."

​

Elsewhere...
The Grand Cathedral of the Divine
Eternis, Delaplaine, Atraca

"...Did..." softly spoke Velin, her head slowly turning about to gaze upon Adona. Her expression spoke volumes, but Adona already knew what was wrong. He had also felt it. "...Yes. I felt it too." he said. His expression had already shifted to one of sadness, but the saddest one in the room was Undite. She was sitting at the long, thick wooden table nearby, staring down at it. Tears streaming down her face and dripping into her lap.

Cassiel, standing nearby with paperwork in his hands, looked between the three. "...W-What happened, my lord? What did you feel?" he asked. Traces of worry already creeping across his face, clutching the paperwork in his arms tighter.

Adona glanced to Cassiel and spoke again. "...Gyasis is dead." said the god, soon shifting his gaze back to Undite. She hadn't uttered a sound, but the tears continued. The man she had loved most of her long life was gone. Her heart was broken.

Velin, however, showed enough emotion for the two of them. "FUCK!!!" she spat loudly, stomping over and grabbing the underside of the edge of the table. And in one upward swing of her arms, she had flipped the table and sent it sailing across the room into the wall.

She then spun around, leveling a finger at Adona. "WHY DIDN'T HE LISTEN TO YOU!? WHY DIDN'T EITHER OF THEM COME HERE!?" she barked, angrily pointing to the floor as she spoke. "THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FUCKING PREVENTED! HE COULD HAVE FUCKING LIVED!" Tears were starting to stream down her face as well.

Adona spoke softly in response. "...Gyasis and Thiasis wished to remain where they were because neither felt they could be of any help to us. Both were already at their limits with their godly powers. If they used even a sliver more, they would perish from the strain... and with the current state of things, they would eventually be forced to use their powers."

Velin grunted angrily, her teeth gritted hard enough to bite nails in two. "SO THEY CHOSE TO DIE AS FAR FROM THEIR FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE!?" she spat through her teeth. Adona looked up to Velin. "...They chose to spare us the pain of watching them die, Josefina." was his blunt response.

Velin went quiet, the anger subsiding and being replaced with sadness. "...Why did it come to this..." she muttered, her gaze soon shifting to the stone floor. Adona's response was soft. "...It was always going to come to this. But we need to focus more on what is to come." he stated, before turning his attention to Cassiel.

"Cassiel, it's time. Gather the others and have them meet me downstairs in the Order's planning room." requested the god, to which Cassiel responded with a rapid nod. "Yes, my lord. It shall be done." he said, offering Adona the stack of paperwork in his hands. The god took it, and watched as Cassiel vanished into a golden portal that had appeared behind him.

--- --- ---
​

Eternis, considered by some to be the holiest city on the continent, had been turned into virtually a fortress of a city over the past several months. The war being so close to the north as well as the south had forced the change. They had to be prepared in the event that Daristein made the attempt to claim the city, or if the fighting in Eshax to the south spilled over into Atraca. Atracan troops marched through the streets in large platoons, while emplacements were being built using wooden logs, concrete, bricks, and sandbags. Machine guns were also strategically placed across the city on almost every street, ready to cut down any invading forces. The most heavily defended location was the Grand Cathedral, as requested by Velin.

The central hall of the cathedral had been turned into a makeshift hospital, where wounded men and women could be treated far away from the battlefields. Atracan soldiers, Escarian soldiers, even a handful of Daristeinians were here as well as dozens of civilians who were unlucky enough to be caught in the fighting.

Cassiel appeared from the portal near the end of the room where the priest's podium used to be, and looked about. Taking things in for a brief moment with a look of sadness, before searching for some of those that were still here. Spotted near the wounded Daristeinians was one Sebastian Ackermann, a Daristeinian soldier whom had been recruited by Adona to join in the undertaking against the Icons and Taranoch. He waved to get the man's attention, before looking for some of the others.

Next was Camille Giguere, whom was standing at the far end of the cathedral near the doors. Speaking to her husband, Hudson, and the rest of her family. Another wave to get their attention. Then a voice interrupted his searches. "...Cassiel, I believe it would be much more efficient if you were to...you know, actually walk up to these people and talk to them." said a female voice.

He turned to his left to see Cassandra Bainbridge looming over him, wearing her typical garb. A long black cloak, and her inquisitor hat. "Yes, I know. But this still works too!" he responded with a smile. "Have you seen Rebecca and Royland? Adona's needing all of you in the planning room downstairs."

Cassandra tilted her head towards the doors at the far end of the cathedral. "Outside, still training new recruits. Azathor is also out there, watching. As for Takato, I don't know where he is."

"Oh! No worries on that front. I know exactly where he is. I'll fetch them all!" he said, before vanishing again suddenly into a golden portal. Cassandra watched, before rolling her eyes and looking over towards Camille and Sebastian as they approached.

--- --- ---
​

"Clarkson! CLARKSON! I SAID JUMPING JACKS, NOT JUST HOPPING UP AND DOWN." shouted Rebecca, as she pointed towards one of the inquisitors-in-training bouncing up and down at the end of the line. She rapidly shook her head, marching over in front of the trainee before glancing back and calling over an Atracan soldier. "Soldier! Show this man proper jumping jacks!"

The soldier looked between them, before shrugging and stripping off some of his gear. And moments later, he was doing as instructed. "See? That's a jumping jack! Do that!" she said, motioning a hand up and down at the soldier as he did the proper version of the exercise. Nearby, Royland and Azathor looked on. Royland's trainees were doing push-ups nearby. Royland glancing back to them every so often to make sure they were still doing them and keeping count.

And a short distance away from them sat Valeria Witlock. The young red-haired woman, dressed in more casual clothes compared to inquisitor garb, smiled softly as she watched the new trainees exercise. Hunters of all forms had to be in decent shape. If you weren't, it would be your undoing out in the field. She didn't miss doing it, of course, but it was fun to watch the others try as she continued to heal up from her stay in the Abyss.

Suddenly, however, Cassiel appeared. Stepping out of a golden portal near Azathor and Royland. She didn't hear what he said, but she knew what it was likely about thanks to his thumbing over his shoulder at the cathedral's doors. He did the same when he appeared near Rebecca as well.

It looked as though it was time for their hunt to begin.

 

[Infab]

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CHAPTER ONE: MEMORIES

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​

Royal Port of Blackburn
Blackburn, Catanach, Atraca


It had been days since Rebecca's group began their long trek north via train, passing from the dry deserts and rolling plains of the far south of Atraca to the farmlands and forests of the center of the nation. And soon, they were passing through the more urbanized portions to the far north. As they passed into the province of Catanach, however, they would have to take a detour from their intended destination. Instead of the port city of Erith, which would have allowed them to ferry across the thin channel to Airedale on Grimtham Isle, they would have to take a ship from the port of Blackburn straight to the island city of Porthcrawl.

The reason for this diversion was heard across most of the cities and towns they passed through on the train: Tsavanian Marines and naval forces had invaded the northern half of Catanach, capturing the port as well as the far eastern half of Grimtham Isle. They would have been heading right into a mass of enemy forces if they had continued.

In Blackburn, Atracan forces were mobilizing for a counter-offensive in an effort to drive the Tsavanians back into the sea while the Atracan navy pulverized their ships and landing craft. Several thousand troops were amassed outside the city in large clusters, with artillery and other equipment being brought in from the south and west. In the port, dozens of large warships sat mostly at the ready, with ammunition being brought aboard by crane and by hand. Their ship would be one of these vessels, a light cruiser apparently known as the HMS Black Swan.

As their train arrived at Blackburn's station, the group found themselves stepping off into a mass of civilians on the station's platform. People were fleeing the Tsavanians from the north and east, having been directed to use whatever means to get to safety. As soon as the group was clear of the train, moving down the stone platform out of the way, the civilians poured into the train. "Well, it looks as though we won't be using that particular train to return south." muttered Rebecca, as she watched the mass spill through the train's doors.

Nearby, a male voice spoke up. "I'm sure the Church will have some other method of transport prepared for you, Saint." said the voice, forcing most of the group to turn about to see its source. Propped against a pillar was another inquisitor of the new Vigilant Order, whom appeared to have just come from out of one of the battlefields to the northeast. His graying hair, matted with sweat, was brushed over the top of his head as if he had just run his hand through it. Blood and mud caked the lower parts of his legs, covering large portions of his boots and pants legs. In his hand, a lever action rifle. A new model, made to use newer smokeless powder rifle cartridges via stripper clips like a Mauser. On his side, a Tsavanian revolver.

"I am Senior Inquisitor Gribov Isaak Ivanovich. I'm here to point you to your ship." he stated, motioning towards the far end of the platform leading out into the town of Blackburn proper. Apparently the man was a full fledged Tsavanian, but not of the lot that were currently up north.

 

[Infab]

"Newer machinations." He sighed. "We might have to hurry up our plans as well, then." He commented.

"One petulant child to rule all of hell," she murmured. "Rajko's right. We've wasted enough time already and need to get moving. I care not if we have to move through trenches and artillery, I won't let that monster have his way."

"...the sooner we are able to find the artifacts, the sooner all of this will end, and peace will be restored. We must hurry," he said simply, nodding towards Rajko.

"Then we should get moving immediately. I had intended for us to remain one more day, but with Sazak's recent actions, we'll need to pick up the pace." stated Rebecca, looking to each before returning her attention to Tariun.

Tariun nodded in response, before speaking. "We'll continue our efforts in the Abyss against the new 'Overlord', and continue to thin the loyalist forces. If I learn anything else of importance, I'll let you know in some form or fashion." she said. A creak soon drew her attention, the staircase leading up to the second floor being its origin point. And there, she noticed Cassandra. "Ah, Cassandra. I assume you've been listening in?"

"Yes." responded the pureblood, whom soon moved across the room and held out a small letter to Tariun. "Please see this gets to Lisykna. As for what you said, I agree with the others. We need to move quickly. Sazak's bringing his plans to fruition, and he needs to be stopped before he gets whatever it is he's after."

CHAPTER TWO: WAR



​

As soon as the group had gathered their things, they were on the move. Pausing only once to say their goodbyes to Jayden, whom had been staying at another inn in town. It turned out that he had managed to get a job at a tackle shop, with the urging of Claire. It seemed she had some pull with the owner there, and Jayden seemed happy with the concept.

As they traveled back towards Porthcrawl, the group learned a bit more about things that had occurred during their adventure across Grimtham Isle. The Atracan counter-attack against Tsavanian forces had been successful, pushing the Tsavanian forces back into the highlands. There, the fighting had grown in brutality, both sides fighting into a stalemate with both sides only gaining a few feet at a time with each attack and counter-attack. The Tsavanian Marines that had invaded the eastern portion of Grimtham Isle had been successfully repelled as well, and the Atracan Navy was setting up to begin shelling ports in Tsavania-held Nivarden where ships were being launched from.

Further south, the Atracan-Daristeinian frontline was continuing to fluctuate, with attacks from both sides shifting occupied territory between the two nations. An oddity in that situation was that Atraca was amassing forces near the borders of Trechstaat and Schwyz. Atracan commanders were stating that they were simple staging areas, so that forces could be pulled from both areas in the event reinforcements were needed at the front. Both Trechstaat and Schwyz were neutral nations in the war, not wanting to involve themselves with either side. Meanwhile, the situation in Escaria had remained relatively the same as before, from what Gribov knew of things. It seemed as though things had reached a stalemate there as well. Atraca seemed to be shifting some of their forces towards Escaria as well, in an effort to assist their allies. Eternis would act as the staging area for their deployment.

Days passed, and they soon arrived in Porthcrawl to find that the HMS Black Swan had returned to retrieve them. The light cruiser sat ready in port, waiting for them to board so that they could be ferried back across the strait to the city of Blackburn. They handed off the horses that they had borrowed when they had first arrived, soon boarding the military vessel and getting underway towards the mainland.

The real surprise came when they disembarked in Blackburn's port. Waiting for them was a company of Atracan riflemen, the officer leading them greeting the group in person as they stepped onto the pier where he was waiting. He was a tall, thin man, wearing a wide moustache that almost hid his mouth completely. His earthy-tan uniform looked almost as if it had been pressed and cleaned that very morning, and his officer's cap sat perched just so atop his buzzed-cut head. His blue eyes peeked out from beneath the bill of the cap, looking to each of the group with scrutiny.

"Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I assume you're the group from the Church?" he asked, looking between them before looking to Rebecca.

Rebecca nodded. "Yes, sir. And you are...?" she asked, slowly looking past the soldier towards the end of the pier where several dozen soldiers were standing.

"Major Horace Colfield. I'm here to take you to the front. You'll be assigned one of my rifle platoons as well as a royal mage once we're there. They'll be helping you break through the Tsavanian line once the operation begins."

Gribov spoke up. "Operation, Major? What operation?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Major Colfield glanced to the Inquisitor. "Command wants us to break the Tsavanian line, and push alongside you. Objective is to gain as much ground as we can, and throw the Tsavanian forces on the front into disarray. The larger battalion that we're part of is currently still en route to the front, but we were told to stop here and retrieve you."