Chapter 468: Master Euclid
Elara didn’t know who Euclid truly was, beyond that he was a total monster who has lived far more than his share of lifetimes.
She had heard whispers, fragments of stories, half-remembered tales that painted a picture of something terrible.
But the full scope of his power remained unknown to her, a darkness lurking at the edges of her understanding, and that uncertainty made the threat all the more terrifying.
What frightened her was the idea of the entire empire backing an opposition to a single individual, Benjamin.
That will not be funny at all.
The thought of an ancient, millennia-old organization with resources beyond imagination, warriors beyond counting, and magic beyond comprehension, all united in their purpose to bring down one man, sent a chill down Elara’s spine that no amount of wine or warm cushions could dispel.
And only a joined alliance with the seven great kingdoms will make some equality.
Even then, Elara was not certain that such a coalition would be enough.
The seven great kingdoms were powerful in their own right, each capable of fielding armies that could shake the foundations of Elyndor, but Valdheimr was older than all of them combined, more established and deeply rooted in the ancient magics and forgotten relics that had shaped the world itself.
"Elara, don’t be so agitated." Violette had moved to Elara’s location, locking her in a warm embrace from behind.
Her arms wrapped around the Amazon queen’s shoulders, pulling her back against the horned woman’s chest with a gentle but insistent pressure.
The warmth of Violette’s body seeped through Elara’s robes, a grounding presence that slowly eased some of the tension from her rigid frame. "The empire of Valdheimr only targets visible opposition to the goddess herself. They are more like guardians, not conquerors. They do not wage war for territory or resources or things like pride. They act only when they perceive a direct threat to Elyndor’s existence."
Violette rested her chin on Elara’s shoulder, her dark violet eyes soft with reassurance. "Though, Benjamin trying to destroy her world could be seen as such, but can easily be argued against. Benjamin is not a destroyer. He definitely is chaotic and unpredictable, often reckless, but he loves this world and the people in it... I think.
"He would never truly threaten Elyndor’s existence... intentionally. I think. I hope. At any rate, any accusation to that effect would be false, and I trust that the Testament, as ancient as they are, are not fools. They will see the truth if presented properly. Rest assured, they are not a problem... I think. I mean, they shouldn’t be."
"Tsk." Elara was still a bit skeptical, her fingers nervously plucking at the fabric of her dress, her silver eyes darting between the faces of her companions as she sought some confirmation that everything would be alright.
But soon, she let the matter died down, releasing a long, shaky breath as she allowed Violette’s warmth to soothe her frayed nerves.
She let her shoulders sag, let the tension drain from her muscles, and hoped the matter won’t ever escalate beyond words and warnings.
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Click, click, click!
The steps of a sandals resounded across the very wide and large halls, each footfall echoing against stone walls that had stood for longer than most civilizations had existed.
The sound bounced and reverberated, creating a rhythmic cadence that seemed to fill the entire space with its steady, measured beat.
The halls themselves were vast, cavernous even, with ceilings so high that they disappeared into shadows, lost in the dim light that filtered through narrow windows placed at irregular intervals.
After entering the next corner, the owner of the footsteps paused, taking in the sight of the space that lay beyond.
It was a big space, a chamber of enormous proportions, with runes, symbols, characters, scratches and such on the walls and on boards that lined every surface.
The markings were old, some so old that their meanings had been forgotten even by some scholars who dedicated their lives to such study.
They glowed faintly in places, pulsing with a soft, ethereal light that seemed to breathe in time with some unseen rhythm.
The ground was littered with three dimensional shapes, metric tools and tubes, a chaotic arrangement that somehow made perfect sense to those who understood its purpose.
Glass containers of various sizes sat on tables and shelves, some containing skeletons of creatures long extinct, others holding living small things in jars and pods that twitched and moved with slow, deliberate motions.
The light in the space was orange, cast by flames that burned in sconces along the walls, flickering and dancing as if alive.
And many different tables could be spotted in the orang-lit space, each one covered in papers, instruments and devices whose functions were not immediately apparent to the untrained eye.
The owner of the sandals steps moved further in, but stopped near a raised platform, about 10 feet high, wide enough for another room to be built on.
It dominated the center of the chamber, a massive structure of carved stone and metal, covered in the same runes and symbols that decorated the walls.
Stairs led up to its surface, each step worn smooth by countless feet over countless years.
"Good morning, Sir Euclid..." She began, flinging her deep blue hair to her back with a graceful motion. "Don’t you think it is high time we investigate that arrogant god-touched? He has been causing disturbances across Elyndor, attracting attention from beings who should not be aware of his existence. His actions are becoming increasingly visible and reckless. If we do not act soon, some unsavory individuals will, and we shall lose control of the situation entirely."
"...Leave him be," a deep, croaky and throaty voice answered from the platform, the old and grey man sitting on a chair and watching something on the table before him.
His form was hunched, his shoulders rounded with age, but there was a strength in his bearing that belied his physical frailty.
His eyes, primordial and ancient, did not leave the surface of the table, which was changing colors, shifting through a spectrum of hues that seemed to dance and swirl like liquid light.
"I have far more important things to be doing. There are matters of greater significance that demand my attention, matters that will determine the fate of far more than a single arrogant god-touched."
"Very well. Then send the rest of the Testament to do it!" She said, her voice raised a little, her fists clenching at her sides.
Her deep blue hair swished with the force of her agitation, and her eyes flashed with barely contained frustration. "We have warriors, scholars, mages, and assassins beyond counting and all powerful individually. Surely a few of them can handle one problematic mortal without requiring your personal intervention. Let us earn our keep and prove our worth!"
"SIGH... No means no. I cannot allow you all to meet him without me," He answered, still looking at the table that was changing colors, seemingly showing Euclid moving images.
The light from the table reflected off his weathered face, illuminating the deep lines and creases that centuries of existence had carved into his skin. "He is not what you expect. He is not what anyone expects, honestly. He is a variable, an unknown quantity, and I will not risk my people against him without understanding what he truly is."
"But... But we—"
"Master Euclid!!" A guard of sort immediately ran into the space breathless, interrupting the lady, his sandals slapping against the stone floor as he skidded to a halt.
His chest heaved with exertion, his face flushed with urgency, and his eyes were wide with barely contained excitement.
"What do you think you doing?!" The woman lashed at the newcomer, her voice sharp as a blade, her hand rising as if to strike him down where he stood. "Entry into Euclid’s lair is forbidden! You know the rules! No one enters without permission!"
"F-Forgive me, the high priestess asked me to meet him immediately!" The guard answered, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and urgency.
His eyes darted between the woman and the ancient figure on the platform, as his eyes and Euclid’s finally met.
The weight of that gaze seemed to press down on him, and he swallowed hard before continuing. "...Th... There is a message from goddess Elyndor!"
"What...?! A real message?!" The woman flinched and turned fully to the man, her earlier anger forgotten in the face of this revelation.
Her eyes went wide, her jaw dropping slightly. "We haven’t had a legitimate message for centuries... Not since before the last Celestial War."
"What did our Goddess say...?" Euclid asked, his expression normal, unlike the hyperventilating woman there.
His voice was calm, measured, betraying none of the shock that his companion was so openly displaying. His ancient eyes remained fixed on the guard, patient and unblinking.
The guard nodded, his chest still heaving as he delivered his message: "There is an alleged imposter in Elyndor, posing to be a god-touched. Investigate it immediately."
"..."
Euclid facepalmed and wiped his face exaggeratedly, a rare display of emotion from the usually stoic legend.
His hand dragged down his weathered features, pulling at the skin as if he could physically erase the annoyance that had just been thrust upon him.
Then he glanced at the table again, at the images that continued to play across its surface: an androgynous looking man floating in the vast space outside the planet with an Amazon... having sex...
The scene was intimate, personal, completely at odds with the gravity of the message that had just been delivered.
[I wanted to give him more time, but I suppose his luck has run out.] Euclid thought before he stood up, his joints cracking with the effort of movement.
His ancient frame straightened, and for a moment, he seemed to grow taller, more imposing, the weight of his years settling around him like a cloak of authority.
"Received," he said, his voice vibrating with resolve. "Gather the Old Testament for an urgent meeting. I want everyone present, every council member, every high-ranking official. Also... alert the New Testament to the change of plans. They will need to be prepared for what comes next."
"Yes sir!" The woman blushed and smiled, clearly happy to violently throw hands after so long.
She had been waiting for this, longing for action after centuries of tedium and routine.
Her deep blue hair swished with excitement as she turned to leave, already planning her next moves.
[Oh yes, I believe I should let Lazarus know as well. Maybe he can do something to delay this sudden and annoying request of Elyndor.] Euclid thought, his red ancient eyes narrowing as he considered his options.
The game was changing, the pieces were moving, and he needed to stay several steps ahead if he was going to protect what mattered most: his experiments.