The Second Archon War: Superbia Hominum 9

Superbia Hominum 9: Clinging in the Darkness

The first time Bronya had seen the body of a dead god, it had been with her mother. They had traveled to the far north, to where a great mountain of black ice lay. When she had beheld it, she had seen the body of a great bear, it’s maw bisected by a spear of white ice. 

“That was the God of Glaciers, Maritimus. He and I fought for the throne of the Cryo Archon many long centuries ago,” Cocolia had told her as they looked up upon the fallen deity. “He would have covered all the lands in ice. He was very strong, and nearly inexorable. He did not think that the God of Love could triumph over him. Many had tried and failed before.”

“So, your love melted his glacier?” Bronya had asked curiously.

Her mother had smiled sadly at her. “No. Love can be a cold, cruel thing Bronya. He killed a friend of mine. Alisa Rand. She was…dear…to me. My wrath when Maritimus slew her was not a fiery thing. It took more than a century for my revenge to be fulfilled. When it was, however, it left me as cold and empty as ever.”

“So. Take your time with revenge, and it will be yours,” Bronya had mused. 

Her mother looked pained. “That is…not the lesson I would have you gain from this. Revenge will leave you cold and empty, Bronya. But love will fill your heart. Now. Let me show you why I have brought you here.”

They had gone down to the corpse, battling demons that had arisen from the black blood that still flowed out of the fatal wound. Then, they had collected some of the blood from the source, and her mother had shown Bronya how to craft it.

“Dark days are ahead. We will need a mighty armory to withstand the storm that comes,” Cocolia had warned as she shaped the blood of the dead into weapons for the living. 

There had been a lesson in that. Alive, your enemies were a thorn in your side. But dead, they could be a brand in your hand. 

And Bronya was ready to turn her latest acquisition into just such weapons. 

The next dead god Bronya had seen had been her own mother. Her corpse had become nothing but ash in the judgment of Celestia. But that ash had become the core of Commedia Dell'arte. Bronya carried the corpse of her mother everywhere with her. 

After all. Nothing could stand in the way of her revenge. 

Now she stood in Belobog, her hidden fortress of ice. It floated amidst the void, the trapped memories of the past shaped in Bronya’s own image. Its myriad halls were a collection of frozen moments from Bronya’s time as a mortal before her unwilling apotheosis. Now, at its heart, fested the corpse of the Dead God of the Cycle. Eden.

Bronya’s new armory. 

It didn’t take much to form the corpse of the dead god into Delusions. There was so much potential within them. Other items could, of course, be used to make a Delusion or even just a sufficient amount of elemental energy. But the most potent of them came from the corpse of a dead god. Visions were Ambitions of mortal minds. 

Delusions were the Despair of the Gods. 

Endlessly, Bronya wove her Delusions, infusing them with her bittersweet memories and painful regrets. She had a fertile new crop to add: Her embarrassing defeat at the ands of the Demonic Twins and even more galling, her rescue at the hands of those impudent Yankees. 

Her rage became Pyro. Helplessness condensed into Anemo. Hydro was formed from regret. Geo from her broken vows. From her folly grew Dendro. Electro sparked from ennui. And of course, from cold indifference, Cryo seeped. 

All seven elements. Delusions, to spread to her soldiers. To empower them. To make them players upon her stage, that one day, the crescendo of this story that was her completed revenge would take place. And she would stand alone and take her final bow upon the stage. 

“M-mother? Are…are you well?”

Bronya blinked, and stirred herself from where she had collapsed upon her chair. A stack of delusions was scattered on the table before her. She glanced at her reflection in a sheet of ice, and grimaced. She was pale and wan, the toxic energy of the dead god having sent black veins growing from her eyes. 

She purged herself and straightened in her seat. “I am well, Kollei. Your concern is touching, but unneeded. This is what must be. Now. What did you come to see me for?”

Her ward still looked uncertain, but Kollei swallowed and straightened her back. “I am…I am here about the annexation of Ukraine. Mother…is…is this wise? Many nations are increasingly upset, and what support we had internationally…it evaporated with the American’s goodwill.”

“What care we what the mortal nations say? They can do nothing to oppose me,” Bronya scoffed. As if the American fools or the petty states of Europe mattered a wit.

“But…it’s not the mortal nations,” Kollei protested, her face going red. “Japan has signed the formal condemnation, with Dalnim Raiden appearing to state that her mother opposes this action! A-and the proposal, it was put forth by the Knights of Favonius, and everyone knows they serve-”

Kollei cut off abruptly as the room flashed to sheer ice, and cold fury wrapped itself about Bronya so firmly that three Pyro Delusions formed in her hands. “Do. Not. Speak. His. Name.”

“No! Why do you hate Venti!? You’ve never told me anything!” Kollei said in sheer frustration.

She defied Bronya, but since Kollei had used the pathetic mortal disguise that Barbatos employed, Bronya didn’t hurl her sword at her adopted and very foolish daughter. She hissed out a breath, storming over to roughly grab Kollei by the face and twist her gaze to meet Bronya’s own. 

“That wretched wind spirit betrayed me. When my mother needed him most, he abandoned her to die. At least the Raiden Shogun fought to the bitter end until she lay dead on the field with Rukkhadevata and Elgeria! Barbatos abandoned me after he swore that he would keep me and my mother safe. He pretended to be our friend and in the end he was full of nothing but lies!  He left us to die and one day I will stand over his ruined corpse and gloat!”

Broyna realized she was screaming, and that she was panting heavily. The manufacture of Delusions always did influence her mood. Kollei was leaning back against the frozen wall, with Bronya having shoved her back in her rant. She let go of Kollei’s face and turned away, hugging herself. 

“I…apologize. I did not mean…for you to see me in such a state. Those old memories…are very bitter.”

There was a heavy silence, then Bronya caught her breath as warm hands wrapped around her from behind. “I…I understand what it is to lose your parents. And to…hate. If I could kill the Behemoth…I would. And every murdering son of a bitch who nuked Old Moscow.”

Bronya turned around, tears staining her face as she wrapped her own arms about Kollei. “Hatred and Love are two sides of the same coin. Nurture your love, daughter. But do not let go of your hatred. It is how you keep the ones you love alive.”

“I…I will try. But mother…what is your plan for Ukraine? For Russia? I…I know Scion is evil, and he has to be stopped, but…why?”

The Tsaritsa considered this. She had not fully explained her plans, feeling little need to do so. “Scion is a Descender. He is of another world and seeks to rule over this one. I do not fully understand his Cycle, but one does not need to be an oracle to see he is treating humanity as his kine. He intends something foul, and I suspect his cruel reign over mankind is but the first step.”

“Kine…kine means…?” Kollei blushed, her eyes darting back and forth. The child was darling, sometimes. For one who had been an uneducated peasant not a year gone, she had come remarkably far. 

“Livestock. He intends to use humanity as food. Perhaps in the literal sense, perhaps as fuel for some dark ritual he seeks to undertake. It matters not. My people would not survive the experience,”  Bronya said bluntly. 

“That’s…that’s horrible!” Kollei gasped, the blood draining from her face. “You mean he seeks to destroy the world?!”

“Or close enough not to matter. I am no Astrologer, but I can see the shades of Fate to come as well as any god. The Flows of Fate itself end less than five hundred years from now, and it is the Sustainer who snips them. If he is not stopped, this world will be destroyed,” Bronya said, and she shivered slightly as she did so. Not even Celestia’s cruel tyranny had been so diabolical as what the Sustainer’s Cycle brought. 

“That’s…that’s a lot to think about,” Kollei said, sitting down heavily in Bronya’s chair. She didn’t mind, even without asking for permission. They were in private, and well… Bronya was becoming fond of the girl beyond her being a simple vessel to continue her revenge should the worst happen.

She went over, wrapping her arms about Kollei’s neck again and kissing her gently on the cheek. “It is why we must be willing to do anything to protect those we love. Even become tyrants. After all, am I not the divine Mother of all the Russias? Ukraine is but one of our wayward children. All must be gathered in, that I may protect them from both themselves and from the Sustainer’s cruel intentions.”

“Is it better to be free…or to be safe?” Kollei whispered softly.

Bronya stiffened. That turn of phrase was all too familiar. “Where did you hear that?” she demanded icily. 

The girl shook her head. “It’s a proverb. I think…I think it’s better if everyone is safe. Don’t you? If they’re just free…then they’ll die. The Endbringers, Scion, rogue parahumans…they’ll be killed. So…if we love them…we have to protect them.”

Cold warmth flooded Bronya, and she smiled, stroking Kollei’s hair as she practically purred. “Yes, my daughter. You understand. Conquer them we shall. But only for their own good.”

“Yes…I…I guess you’re right. No, you are right! You’re a god, a-and my mother!” Kollei stood, kissing her mother on the cheek and smiling, though she looked pained. “I…I’ll go tell the Harbingers. Where…where do we march first?”

“As soon as all of Ukraine bends the knee…” Bronya turned towards a desk where she’d hung a globe made of ice. She spun it to the place she had looked for, and gently stroked the object of her affections. 

“Poland. Those children shall be gathered in next.”

“Yes, of course, Mother. Poland has  a long history as subjects of the Tsars,” Kollei agreed, then hesitated. “Will…will we try diplomacy first?”

“Make overtures. But do not try my patience. These so-called Poles will learn that all Slavic nations will return to Mother Russia. And I, as the god of the Russias, shall be theirs as well,” the Tsaritsa ordered. 

Kollei left, and the Tsaritsa turned back to her task of manufacturing delusions. She could not afford to be Bronya, the weak, simple, mortal girl. She must be the queen of ice. The Tsaritsa. And all would bow before her throne of love.

Grunting, Eidolon forced himself to do just one more rep, straining to lift the bar as he did so. He could feel his power calling to him, but he ignored it. Not only were there precious few vials he could take left, but it defeated the purpose of exercise if you cheated and used powers. Sure, he could use Brute powers to just make himself stronger, but if the base material was weak, then what he built with his powers would be weak as well. 

The bar slipped as he tried to replace it, and a hand reached out, steading the bar and helping him set it back into place. “Thanks,” Eidolon gasped, flopping back down in exhaustion.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Hannah said, handing him his workout mix. Well, he called it that. It was mostly lime Gatorade. As bad as that stuff was, he loved the flavor. He remembered drinking it in Boy Scouts, back when he’d been confined to a wheelchair. Still, Camp Geronimo had been fairly handicap accessible, and he’d really enjoyed spending time in the woods with his troop. The Gatorade brought back memories of a time when he’d sat with his friends around a campfire, enjoying life. 

It reminded him of weakness. Weakness he had to purge. He had to be Worthy. 

“I have to. You’ve seen too,” David grunted, taking a sip and swishing the sweet mixture around his mouth. He swallowed and grimaced. “They’re getting stronger. Weirder. And now, they’re coming two at a time.”

Hannah sat down on the bench across from him, and Eidolon tried not to admire her too openly. Her dark skin was near flawless, and she was wearing just a sports bra and boxing shorts, her toned muscles clearly visible. Her silk dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, which was a style that looked incredible on any woman, but especially her. 

“They are. Weirder is one word for it. David…the others are talking. I don’t know what to tell them. Hell, I don’t know what I believe. Why…why are they referring to you as Father?” 

Eidolon’s shoulder’s slumped. He glanced about, but they had this corner of the gym to themselves, a couple of PRT troopers jogging on treadmills with headphones on while a couple of capes used rowing machines a few rows down, though they didn’t have Thinker or Stranger powers. They were at the Houston Protectorate HQ gym, sharing a workout. It was…good. Good to have someone else there who challenged him.

“I…I don’t know. Maybe our Shards are related? No, that doesn’t make any sense. Maybe they were modeled after me? This latest one certainly has an ability similar to mine. I recognized Narwhale and the Fairy Queen’s powers.”

Hannah nodded slowly. “It’s creepy. But I trust you. You know that, right?”

Eidolon felt a pang in his chest, but he nodded. “And I trust you, Hannah. More than anyone.”

“Good. Spot me?”

She worked out next, though with a much lower weight limit than Eidolon. While she had on Armory, she was many times stronger than the average cape, but without she was just a fit woman. Her newly unlocked powers gave her a new and very solid Brute rating of 6. More impressive was that her Blaster rating had gone from a respectable 5 to an excellent 8. The more exotic weapons Armory could call up now along with her high mobility that gave her Mover 4 made Miss Militia one of the strongest Brute/Blasters they had. Not quite as good as Legend, but still. 

Taking his turn to spot Hannah, Eidolon did his best not to openly ogle her. It was hard, as he had to keep an eye on the bar, but his eyes kept getting drawn to the rising and falling of her chest. He blushed, looking away.

To his mortification, Hannah chuckled. “I don’t mind if you look, you know.”

“I…It seemed ungentlemanly,” Eidolon admitted awkwardly. 

“David, if I didn’t want you to look at me, I wouldn’t have asked you to be my exercise partner and come all the way to Houston for my gym session,” she said, winking at him as she completed another rep.

“I mean…it is just a Door away,” he said, his eyes straying away again.

“True, but I could just work out with Keith. He never looks. Rather disappointing, actually,” Hannah laughed. “I worked hard for this.”

“You, uh, look good,” David said as the bar clinked down. 

“Yeah?” Hannah stood up, grinning up at David. She was a good four inches shorter than him, so she had to crane her neck as she stood right next to him. 

He inhaled, taking in her scent. She smelled like sweat, and a floral aroma his powers identified as Dove deodorant. Not anything fancy, but it was nice. He found himself grinning stupidly, and he mentally cursed himself. “Better than good. You’re beautiful.”

“Mhmm,” Hannah said. Then, with a cheeky smile, she reached down, taking her water bottle lid off and grabbing a couple of ice cubes. She then procdeeded to-

David coughed, jerking his head to the side as she quickly lifted her bra. A moment later, his eyes were drawn to…well. Apparently her body thought she was cold now.

“Don’t look away,” Hannah said, putting a hand on his chest that sent an electrical shock down his spine. “Come on, let’s do some sit-ups. Hold my legs for me.”

He did not, in fact, look away. He was right at eye level now, a dopey grin on his face as he counted forward.

On impulse, he suddenly leaned forward, putting his face right next to Hannah’s and pecking her on the lips right at ten. She was surprised, and for a moment, she thought she’d be mad. 

Then she grinned at him and continued. When she hit 20, he kissed her again. He was surprised when she lingered and poked her tongue into his mouth. He remembered Narwhale doing that. At the time, he’d found it off putting. Now, it was just alluring.

They didn’t make it to 100, as Hannah put an arm around his neck at 50, drawing him close. They kissed for a long moment, before she whispered, “Door me.”

Eidolon blinked, as a portal opened to a well lit apartment with a cozy looking couch and several bookshelves. 

“Come on. I have another exercise in mind,” Hannah told him, standing and leading him through.

For a moment, he hesitated. He was supposed to keep himself pure for marriage. He was the Messiah, God’s chosen warrior.

But he was tired. He was afraid. And right now, he so desperately wanted to not be alone. Even more than that, he desperately wanted this woman. God wouldn’t mind too much, right?

So, David followed Hannah through into her apartment, the portal snapping shut behind them. He thought about chiding her for an abuse of Doormaker, who’d barely escaped the Fatui a week ago. That thought just made him angry though. Anger he put into grabbing Hannah and pulling her to him, passionately kissing her, forcing his tongue into her mouth now. 

He felt hungry, and she seemed to as well. Their hands were all over one another until David found himself stripping her bra off as she pulled down his sweatpants. Then he was laying her down on the couch.

“David…wait,” she gasped, and he froze.

“I…” he licked his lips. They shouldn’t be doing this. They had a professional relationship. It was sin. And if she decided she hated him…

“This is embarrassing, but…” she bit her lip, blushing deeply, which was a bit ironic as they were both sweaty and naked and had been for nearly a minute now. “David…I…I’m a virgin.”

He blinked at her. Then he sat back and laughed. She covered herself, looking angry and flustered. “Look! There was never time! I just…I triggered early, and I was pretty fucked up, OK? And, well, fuck, most men are scared by a woman who’s stronger than them, and-”

“I’m a virgin too,” he said, cupping her face with his hand. She paused, her eyes going wide. 

“R-really?” she gasped. 

He nodded. This was so, so perfect. He’d thought, well, he’d thought she’d be more experienced than he was. Hell, both of them were in their 30s. “I dated a few women, but, well…I never worked out. Before I got my powers…I could barely even get an erection, I was so disabled. I had CP. Couldn’t even feel the lower half of my body. Spent all my time in a wheelchair. Girls wouldn’t even look at me.”

Slowly, Hannah lowered her arms. “Well, I don’t see that now. Both of us…well. I think we’re only alive because of our powers.”

David suddenly blanched. “Uh, Armory, he can’t-”

“He can, but I told him to mind his own business. He doesn’t even really get it, he’s so alien. Should, um-”

“It’s fine,” David said, caressing her gently. She shivered and pressed against him. “We’ll figure it out together.”

And figure it out they did. Several times. It turned out that with the right cocktail of Brute powers, Eidolon didn’t really have a refractory period. They tried showering together after they thought they were done, but that just made more of a mess. In the end, they went to bed, and after another session, cuddled together.

“I think…I think I’m going to sleep tonight,” Hannah whispered into Eidolon’s chest as he stroked her hair. “I don’t usually, but…with you…maybe the dreams won’t be so bad.”

“Yeah. I could use a good night’s rest. Funny. I don’t need to sleep, but…”

“But it’s nice. Good night. I love you, David,” Hannah whispered.

Something caught in his throat, but he managed, “I love you too, Hannah.”

She was soon snoring softly against him, but now that his lust has passed, clarity came over David.

What had he done? He’d betrayed so much of what he was for a moment of weakness. 

There is no Love in your heart. Learn what it is to Love.

His jaw flexed. Damn the Tsaritsa. Her poisoned words came to him even here, now. 

No. She was a false god. He refused to believe. He hugged Hannah tightly, feeling himself stir again against her soft flesh. Yes. He would cling to this woman. He would love her. Not the Tsaritsa. Hannah could make him stronger. For her, he would be Worthy. 

He closed his eyes, and forced himself to sleep.

In his dreams, he saw a grinning bird woman, her amber eyes boring into his.

Took you long enough, Deadbeat. So, are you bringing my new mommy home? Fuck you. You unworthy piece of shit. You created us. You created all of us. Your sin did. First, you were too weak. Now, you’re too Lustful. You’ll never be worthy enough to save the world. 

I will! He screamed back at Ziz. I’ll be come stronger! Worthy!

Your powers are running out. You won’t even make it to the apocalypse. You should just give up and let the Archons save these pathetic humans. Nahida beat me, tamed me. You couldn’t even beat my brothers. Now my sisters are going to fuck you up good. 

No! I will triumph! I will be the Messiah!

Just give up. The Cycle will be complete. And you’ll be nothing but data, Deadbeat. 

“David! David! Are you alright?”

His eyes snapped open, and he found the concerned face of Hannah peering down at him. He was even sweatier than he’d been earlier, gasping for breath in tangled bed sheets. He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. 

“Sorry. A nightmare. Ziz. The Simurgh. She’s still out there.”

Hannah hugged him tightly, and David felt…better. “I know. I have nightmares about Endbringer battles too. Madison was…”

“Horrific,” David whispered, remembering that abattoir.  He’d had to slaughter children, the elderly, all of them crazed and ripping each other and those who hadn’t been driven mad apart with glee as the burned that city to the ground.

“She will pay. She doesn’t get off just because Nahida did something to her. I don’t trust the Dendro Archon. She keeps too many pet monsters,” Hannah said bitterly. “Fuck Farasha. Fuck the Simurgh. Kusinali is hiding something. All those fucking Archons are. They’re all snakes.”

Eidolon nodded slowly. “They’re just another kind of Entity in the end.”

“Yeah. Fuck ‘em. Now, fuck me, so we can both get back to sleep without nightmares,” Hannah ordered, straddling Eidolon.

This time what they did was more beastial and carnal. They ended up breaking the bed and smashing several pieces of furniture, before curling up exhausted in a pile of blankets on the floor and passing out. It had been almost like fighting this time, like they were both trying to exorcise their demons. 

Somehow, David knew it wouldn’t be enough.