The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 852: Gods of Primordial Age

Steelweaver exhaled, his eyes following the distant city horizon through the air shield window.

“Fine, I will tell you about us. But do not ask any questions in between; everything I wish to explain I will. The rest is something I do not want to explain.” He replied.

Damian, along with others, nodded.

Steelheart was just about to begin when someone knocked on the door. Damian had locked the door to his office specifically to avoid being interrupted. Even the guards outside were instructed to send everyone back.

Everyone eyed him, so Damian had to get up and open the door slightly. He did not wish to reveal Steelheart’s existence to normal people just yet.

But the person who had knocked was anything but normal.

“Are you still scribbling your runes? My subordinates and I waited for hours! And why is your door locked?” Vidalia asked with a not-so-amused expression.

She was trying to peek in; the mana signature of Steelheart was a unique one. Just slightly different than a human. Only the very best of the mages could sense the distinction. Just as the elves were a little different in their mana signature from humans.

Damian totally forgot he had promised her to be present for her department’s spell-casting practice tonight. No wonder she was pissed. The second ranker guards looked terrified; they didn’t want to face her ire. Cowards weren’t even meeting eyes with Damian.

Damian sighed. “Do you promise to keep everything you hear in my office a secret?”

Vidalia’s eyebrows raised a little, sensing something more than just his laziness might be the reason.

“You know I will.” She replied.

“Come in, and I will explain.”

Damian brought her in and explained the situation as fast as possible to get back to the primordial age information Steelheart was about to reveal.

***

[The last days of primordial age as described by Steelweaver.]

[Note: Not all gods mentioned here are proper fifth rankers. The word god is a title given by others to a highly skilled individual.]

If I had to choose, I would say the prosperity of the mainland was the greatest sign of our age. In the age of primordials, first time in decades, large-scale wars had stopped. Food was plentiful, life was good. Every day, mages and runesmiths were discovering new spells and runic tools.

It had only been possible because of The Black Tide. An enormous horde of monsters released from the far depths of ocean dungeons had reached the mainland shore after years of wandering in the open sea. All six kingdoms united to face the monster tide.

Some spread rumors that it was the sea god’s doing, but we didn’t really believe it. Legendary rank monsters were leading the horde. If the sea god could do that anytime he wished, the mainland would only have his family as emperors.

We didn’t know about his children back then.

The ancient beast god’s scion fighting alongside the sun, sea, chaos, and the goddess of light’s scions. It was a marvelous sight to see. We, primordial gods, were not followed by as many believers, but our small groups also added up in the army.

We managed to cleave a path in the sea, reaching the nearby dungeons to stop the new monsters that were attracted by the battle from joining the fight. We finally achieved a victory. The fight was brutal, but we ultimately cleared the remaining hordes. The rulers even signed a pact to keep the ocean in their territories free of wild dungeons.

The Black Tide brought us closer than ever. Before that, the battles had been never-ending. The mainland experienced lasting peace for the first time since way before the ancient age. The times were changing, and people cared more about living than conquering.

Some said it was the influence of us new gods, but who truly knows what a man thinks?

The lesser gods, we were called. Not just because of our rank, but because of our deeds. Not all of us were even true gods. It was a title given based on our future potential. Each god’s scion was a lesser god.

The Dawnstar had Orivelle – The Illuminator, scion of the sun god. Eldoris had Aeralyn – the Star-Spring, scion of the light goddess. Faerunia had Nerenis, the whale-bound, better known as a Gentle Titan. Scion of the sea god.

The Beast Nation had Iron-Blood Kragmar, scion of the beast god. The Beast god, Drazhan Kaelvar Thalaras, Herald of the Scorching Tempest, was different than others; he lived among his people on the mainland, unlike other gods. Right before everyone’s eyes. And lastly, the Shadow Isles had Ruinweaver Viruth, scion of the chaos god.

We, the Dwarven nation of Bouldor, lived a little farther from the other kingdoms. The high mountains were both our pride and protection. The dwarves were known for rarely associating with the other nations, who were always ready to fight even over the smallest issues.

It was mostly because of the guidance of our benevolent Stone God, Stone-Father Branthur. His scion and descendant, my queen Kelmira Vein-Caller – The Goddess of Discovery, was a very wise wife. Another reason for us to remain untouched by war was that the Nation of Bouldor had the highest number of primordial gods.

Kelmira, Harmon(Runesmith God), and I, Steelweaver – the god of metal golems, the king of the Dwarven nation Bouldor.

Under these aged leaders, centuries went by, and the world truly seemed the best there ever was. Until he came.

The abomination, Lightbringer.

The Illuminator had two sons. Nimrel Illuminator – The Whimsong, God of Music. And VoidFlare Illuminator, the Bloodless.

Nimrel was the younger one, yet his fame and strength far surpassed his older sibling, VoidFlare, who had neither his father’s bloodline nor his kindness and pride. The Illuminator naturally favored Nimrel for becoming his heir.

Tired of the unfairness of the world, VoidFlame plotted against his younger brother and, as a result, was exiled from Dawnstar by his father. Rumors say he found a wild dungeon and spent decades delving in, becoming a transcendent himself, but they can’t be trusted.

There is one thing that was confirmed, though, that when he returned to Dawnstar years later, he had brought a young boy with him.

Pitch Dark hair like his father and icy blue eyes full of knowledge beyond his years. Some say he was born inside a dungeon. Then others say he was created by VoidFlare using some forbidden spell or skill. The truth could be anything, and if he truly proved to be a monster, it would not be a surprise.

The boy was already a second ranker by the age of 9. And had the purest bloodline after the Illuminator himself. The potential in him was greater even than both sons of Illuminator. Needless to say, the aged grandfather forgave his son VoidFlame, to have his grandson with him.

Lightbringer was guided by the Illuminator himself. Taught everything about the rage of fire and the kindness of light. Gave his best spells and abilities to him. The kid was a beast in himself as well, as if possessed by a demon; he only trained and leveled all his waking hours. As if he had been warned of the future their land would have.

Day by Day, Lightbringer became stronger and stronger. Then the day came when Illuminator had to choose an heir. To avoid conflicts, he decided to let his two sons fight to their best abilities. To the shock of the whole of Mainland, Lightbringer, barely a few decades old, transcendent yet, asked his grandfather for permission to join the fight.

Illuminator rejected him, stating that it would be unfair for Nimrel and his sons. But the boy was proven even more devious and asked to fight the victor of the fight after they had rested fully, even if it was his own father.

Illuminator saw something in the boy’s eyes that convinced him. What kind of heir would it be if he couldn’t even defeat a barely born transcendent, he thought. To Illuminator, it seemed like the eagerness of a young warrior. There were no wars, no way to show how skilled he was. After becoming a transcedent, most pathfinders felt unstoppable.

It would be good to have him fight Nimrel afterward to show him the abyssal gap in their strengths and experience, he thought.

The day of the battle arrived. Nimrel, the fourth ranker, easily defeated VoidFlame – despite the man’s best attempts, he could not even touch his opponent once. VoidFlame went so far as to even use all kinds of enhancers and even his own life force imbued runic tools. But it was a brutal, one-sided fight.

The after effects of the abuse of the body were so severe that VoidFlame lost his life, despite Illuminator’s best attempts to save him.

The lords of Dawnstar expected Lightbringer to break out in a rage. They all had seen the boy fight; he was not without darkness. Countless had died by his hands. But the boy did not show any emotion at all. As if the dead man were a stranger to him.

Some called it respect for the Illuminator’s laws and teachings. But as I said, who truly knows the mind of a man?

A month later, the day of the battle arrived. Half the mainland had gathered to watch a nephew take his revenge against his uncle. But it was more than that.

It was a fight between a mortal against a god.