Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Aegis
The conversation with the others was hectic, a drastic organisational reshuffling. The name he had recently come up with to describe the original ten, was now an established rank in the faction.
The title "Householder" was now synonymous with those acting with Carl’s full authority. They had the authority to sign contracts, and access all the functions of the system interface that Carl had sole access to.
The next item on the agenda was the true nature of laws, after the immortals apologised for their unstructured explanation.
"First of all there are two types of laws, which are fundamental and synergistic laws:
There are ten fundamental laws; Life, Death, Mind, Infinity, Nothingness, Order, Chaos, Soul and two more which are thought unknown to all but the other laws, it is suspected that the one Nergal mentioned.
Each of these laws interacts with one or more of the others and results in synergistic laws; a good example is the one that Equinox already embodies, in other words Balance, which is the synergistic law resulting from Chaos and Order.
The next thing you should know, is sometime these synergistic laws have more than one parent combination; Balance for example, can also be made between Life and Death." Lillim explained in a far more lecturous manner than they had before.
"Thank you, you said before about void and desire..."
"Well, as you know, void is the first passage of nothingness. We often speak of each passage as a law in itself. That is because certain races and individuals can achieve a specific passage, but find themselves unable to comprehend the others, for this reason we refer to them more often by the name Bi-laws."
"This stuff is confusing..." Carl and Klaire mumbled as their heads sunk to the table.
"Talking about the laws of existence as "confusing" rather than incomprehensible, already puts you at a step above most. The true issue with Carl right now, is the fact that he got skills to begin understanding seven of the ten."
"Why is that a problem?"
"Well put simply, we don’t know whether the other choices will disappear after one or two, or whether you can truly learn all of those seven. Understanding laws is not easy or like learning what day of the week it is. Learning laws can change the way you percieve the world."
"Well then I suggest he learn order and chaos for starters. He already picked up the quirks they instill from Leanna." Klaire laughed.
"I don’t think it’s funny, but you do make a valid point, they may also help you stay calm and lessen the impact of inversion." Lillim spoke with a tone that nestled somewhere between grave importance and reluctant amusement. "Klaire, have you been offered any skills like this, or began understanding your own laws?"
"I think I have started to understand Soul, but I’m not sure, I have a few rewards calculating however after my massacre on the second floor last night. It’s a bit dark, but I have been craving souls lately and growing curious about them, is that the understanding starting?"
Faylorna slapped her over the head immediately. "No you dimwit, that’s just a side-effect of being more in-touch with your Banshee heritage. When I got my understanding of Soul it was more like seeing double, like my eyes were beginning to fail, by the time I finished the first passage that was resolved though."
"What about personality quirks?"
"Well for starters, as I was still partially human, I was hungry and started snacking more often. That only ended when Nergal said I was putting on weight." Faylorna huffed suddenly, the single action brought Carl dangerously close to stating that he saw the family resemblance.
"Don’t even dare." Carl was pushed from his demise by Klaire’s warning.
Carl sat up, "Since I don’t want to die, I have an announcement to make. Klaire made me realise I’m too busy trying to do everything, so now that the Householders have the ability to do what I can, I’m going to stop micromanaging and focus on becoming the leader you all deserve."
"You mean you aren’t going to randomly stop by and tell me to do what I’m already doing? Oh no..." Blanc said sarcastically.
"I do. My first task is going to be doing what I started doing before everything became and make pets for everyone. Noah, I need everything you can get your hands on, we don’t need committee currency anymore so feel free to spend it all to source outside help. If you find anyone you want to take on and train or bring into the faction, do it."
"You got it, Boss. Anything in particular?"
"No, just everything. I’m going to be going to see Gaia to fulfill my contract regarding Rhea, then to Tiamat’s realm to fulfill my promise regarding the bath. I also want to grant Omedra a greater blessing."
"Carl! Since you’re going there, can you ask her for a scale, please?" Alysse’s outburst took him by surprise.
"I can, but why?"
"I need something to increase energy absorption, her sc-"
"Alysse, stop. What happened wasn’t the weapons fault, but I will ask and I’ll use my skill to synthesise the nanite, the scale and my divinity together to create a unique ore."
"Really? That would be great... I know it wasn’t anyone’s fault, but it is my job to make sure people have the tools they need. The material will be useful for making upgraded vehicles and drones a-"
"Alysse, slow down, for the drones I want them to be more than cloaked. I’m going to make a special material for them with Levi’s skin, one that can become imperceptible. I’m then going to sit down and start planning for what happens when the variants ask for diplomacy to resume."
"What do you have in mind?" Lillim finally interjected as the subject turned to one she had an interest in.
"Nothing. No more half-baked plans, I’m going to start giving these things the consideration they deserve. The variants, the game, the laws, my creatures, the way I present myself."
"The way you present yourself?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, a gleam of hope in her eye, though as to what it was for eluded them all.
"I need to stop shying away from my power in front of them, just like with Golgia, a show of force might be necessary. Everyone knows I’m a creator, time I started showing off my creations."
"Yay, I have been waiting for this day. Ladies, if you would please." Lillim gestured to the door with one arm, then for everyone to stay put with the other.
When they returned a few moments later, they did so with an opaque jar each. "You don’t want to know what’s in these. Next, we would like Klaire to donate a small piece of soul and Carl his usual blood offering. We’re going to make you your bodyguard."
"Bodyguard?"
"Yes Carl, have you grown hard of hearing, you just said you wanted to start showing your real power and this is how you do that without becoming a mobile petting zoo. Samael had his. Nergal has one too as do the lizards and even the variants."
"Okay, Klaire, if you don’t want to give a piece of soul some divine blood wii-"
"Carl, you’re talking again, stop and do as you’re asked. Klaire, trust us, do this and you won’t need to go on any revenge massacres again."
"Sounds good, clearing the second floor was boring." Klaire walked over to the three of them, the others watched expectantly then Lillim pointed another way to distract Klaire, Kyubi pinched her arm and Faylorna demonstrated her knowledge of soul by simply pulling a small strip away.
"Sorry Dear, but that strip will remain numb until you learn to regenerate your soul. I don’t think it will be long though, not at the rate you two monsters are going." Faylorna cackled, the same cackle that earned her the title "Witch of Faylorn."
"Now Carl, get on with it, her soul won’t last long in this realm without her vessel."
Carl rushed over, shooing them out the door and withdrawing some vials of blood. "Activate Neo primordia."
The creature clearly inherited the immortal’s distaste for wasting time, no flashy effects or delay, nor did it wait for Carl to sculpt its form or choose its skills.
"Creator, how may I be of service?" The question was asked before the system could even ask Carl to name the species or individual and Carl hadn’t even had a chance to study it.
Its form was bipedal but far from human, its base form was similar to the six-armed giant that Lillim became, its body covered in a thin layer of fur that was clearly inherited from Kyubi, though the violet skin showing through it in a way that contrasted beautifully.
The structure of its legs was the same as a fox’s hind legs, but the feet were formed of gnarled black bone that looked brittle and dessicated, which was clearly not the case as they were supporting the mass of the creature.
Its six arms were made from the same gnarled black bone, but aside from the eight-inch serrated blades coming from the elbows, were structured exactly like Lillim’s but with two arms lacking the long claws that reminded Carl of filleting knives.
The head was a mix of all three, the slender elongated shape of a fox, the outgrowing teeth of Lillim’s demonic form and the eyeless sockets of Faylorna’s Banshee form.
"For now, can you take a human form? I’d rather not scare the crap out of everyone at the table."
"As you wish." The form it took was definitely female, which was to be expected given the donors. In this form it bore a striking resemblance to Lillim, dressed in shadows that rendered her body imperceptible and possessed Kyubi’s eyes.
"Now you are to be my bodyguard, anytime I leave Haven, it is your job to be at my side and get me home alive."
"As you wish. Might I ask you to grant me a name, it will make issuing me orders easier."
"I intended to name you, but first; when we aren’t in immediate danger or in the presence of guests, you can address me more casually. Now, I’m going to call this species Immortal Bulwark and give you the name Aegis."
"Thank you, Master. I think that title will be both marginally more casual and maybe even make some mistake me as something other than your creation, convincing the less intelligent that they might persuade me to betray you."
"You won’t though right?" Carl laughed meaning it as a joke.