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UE Rewrite: B3 — 5.5. To War And Conquest
🕑 Added 2024-08-09 22:31:42 +0000 UTCPoV:
1. Butter ( Our Beloved High Queen of the Evening Star!)
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The Susime Valley unfurled like a dreamscape around Butter and her entourage as they approached the Life Settlement. Giant, jewel-toned insects hummed lazily around them, a soft symphony that blended with the rustling leaves. The air shimmered with the vibrant energy of ruby grasses and luminescent flora, painting a picture of surreal beauty that made Butter want to bring some back into the jungle.
Butter sat atop her undead torlim throne, her aquamarine eyes dancing with delight at the sight before her. This place is more than a battlefield—it’s a canvas of possibilities, she mused, her mind flitting between thoughts like a butterfly over a field of wildflowers.
White was far more casual with her demeanor, yet Butter could see her eyes taking everything in with every bit of detail as Mika’s searching gaze. Adoncia was sharing her ride with Snow, peppering the white-haired woman with questions about Earth and what was happening. It provided Butter the chance to passively listen while taking everything else in.
As they entered the settlement, the atmosphere shifted with a reverent tension. The colorful ri'bot that stood around looked at her as if they already knew who she was. Many already had their faces pressed against the grass, possibly feeling unworthy to so much as look at her.
Nergath’s soft voice spoke from beside her, keeping his gaze on the trembling ri’bot woman ahead of them. “It’s not surprising they could sense your Life Aura from that distance with how you channeled it into the human… By the looks of things, the Fingers of Utelira have all been taken or killed.”
“No worries,” Butter reassured, taking in the silent atmosphere as the Life Cult gave her their faith without her so much as speaking a word to them. “I have a plan.”
Her gaze slid over their skin, a patchwork of hues, and many dozens more were now hurrying away from their depressed labor to look at her with renewed hope. Continuing down the procession line to the few, nervous figures at the end of it, she heard her title circling across tongues, almost too soft for her to catch.
“The Radiant Eminence has been chosen.”
Butter acknowledged them with a playful wave, her demeanor a blend of regality and mischief. Her escorts were growing nervous, though.
Mika rode close, her tone cautious. “We should be prepared, High Queen. The Cult of Seg'tharis might not be idle for long.”
Nergath rubbed his chin, his calculating eyes focused on her rather than the downtrodden throng. “I would not count on my faction acting so swiftly… Not with the Eye of Utelira now active. Its very presence would cause significant damage to all of our Death Equipment.”
White glanced at the thread to the jewel, tucked safely within her bust and pointing inward so as not to cause her undead escorts any trouble. “We’ve got their attention, at least. This Eye of Utelira is like their version of a nuke, huh?" Her voice was teasing, reflecting an understanding of Earth that Butter didn’t have. However, she had heard of this famed nuke.
Nergath’s brow furrowed at the comment. “A ball of fire from the Great Ocean in the Sky? I would not put its destructive capabilities so high…yet its influence would be far greater.”
Butter chuckled, her laughter light as the breeze, figuring Priss’ translation ability had put it in a way the toad would understand. “I’d say it’s close enough. I’m already thinking about a rather charming way I can use this!"
She glanced at Nergath, the toad’s emerald eyes still searching for something. He’d given up everything to keep the balance, and it wouldn’t be wrong for him to worry if she’d just swing the pendulum the opposite way and destroy his cult.”
Nergath slowed while looking up at the circling Death Raiders. They took off toward the fortress, leaving only a single Raider behind to observe from above.
“The Eye of Utelira's activation should deter them for now, but I still do not see how this ends without total collapse,” he sighed, now looking at the Life Cult’s far fewer members compared to the buildings spaced around the settlement. “How will we find balance again?”
A more classy-dressed ri’bot, wearing silks, approached them and abruptly fell to her knees. “Radiant Eminence, I apologize for our lack of faith… To have lost our Head.”
Butter calmly hopped down amongst the surprised believers, causing the woman to drop to the ground and snape her jaws shut. “What is your name? And…I don’t see a lot of males here. I heard you have trouble with your population but not this bad.”
The female ri’bot refused to look up despite her prompt, trembling on the grass as many others gave similar looks. “No, Radiant One. You…wish me to speak of this sacred process…aloud?”
She flashed her teeth. “Absolutely. The time for secrets has passed.”
“I see! I, umm, I am the First Attendant to the Head… Holy One, we have not had a natural birth for many years now. Only due to Head Iridia have we been able to sustain ourselves. She fashions our bodies out of mud and breathes our souls into them each five year cycle, before our form deteriorates to the point of damaging our souls.”
“Really?” Butter hummed, a frown touching her lips for the first time as Snow and Adoncia got down to join her, the Legend of Snow White trying to listen carefully to the one-sided conversation since she didn’t understand them. “That is news to me, Nergath. Is it the same for the Cult of Seg’tharis?”
Nergath’s own face was creased with questions, now with many other followers of Utelira glancing up at the news.
“Interesting. The Half Century Death Cycle now makes more sense… It is true that we are reborn through the Cult of Utelira, but the process is one none of us were made aware of since it is not a part of our function. We simply awaken within the sacred shrine during the yearly Life Festival. It is Head Iridia’s holy task to return our fallen…but I was unsure about the method. If our bodies are fashioned from mud…”
Butter examined finished his thought with a curious tilt to her head, shifting to study the whispering crowd of less than a hundred ri’bot that surrounded them. “It appears your mud bodies resemble true ri’bot anatomy, yet they are merely temporary imitations, and cannot reproduce. The few true Susime bodies of the living are very few, perhaps non-existent now.”
“What does that mean?” asked one of the young women nearby, her experience likely far older than she sounded. “If that is what the Head of Utelira has done…then is it not the will of Utelira?”
Feeling the questioning eyes all centered on her, Butter digested the information, glancing between the frightened faces of the crestfallen cult. “There is an answer,” she soothingly replied, considering the possibilities and paths she could take. “In the end, all will be put right. For now, we have the imbalance of the Cult of Seg’tharis to address.”
Zenthara jumped to attention, faith renewed in every face. “Of course, Radiant One! You have descended to bring us out of the darkness, as Head Iridia foretold. She told us to look for you, for you would arrive when we most needed Utelira’s guidance… Utelira walks amongst us.”
The crowd mirrored the chant as if a mantra, and Butter saw Snow shift uncomfortably as Adoncia quietly translated. Zenthara gestured for them to follow her to the Head’s house by the holy lake, where they could speak privately. As they moved through the settlement, Butter noticed the architecture—organic structures made of living plants, their walls pulsing gently with life energy.
Only in a place like this can they function in such an unnatural order, she thought, critically examining every piece of the life-giving settlement. Now armed with more knowledge, she was beginning to better understand the ecosystem. Is this what the Death Cult realized?
She stared at Zenthara, her heart light and pulsing with newfound hope. The grass she walked over, the buildings she passed, everything was budding with life.
Yet, nearly every follower of Utelira was a vacuum of Death Energy, soaking up the Life Force to be renewed. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed it sooner with Nergath, but he was supposed to be an aspect of death. These followers of life, however, were completely unaware of the truth behind this horrific way of life.
Butter’s smiling eyes drifted to pockets of Life Force within the ground, the souls of their powerful ancestors trapped in crystal prisons and used as fuel to keep this cycle going. The Susime talked about balance, but, in reality, they were leeches of the highest order, sapping the strength of their ancestors, torturing them to use their power, and somehow totally ignorant of it.
Her shining irises settled on the hut as they neared, a thoughtful smile lifting her lips. Head Iridia knows the ugly truth behind her people and history… I have no doubt. The Susime must die… All of them.
Zenthara cleared her throat as they approached the building, much larger than a hut now that they were beside it, and Butter could guess why. “Not to doubt you, Radiant One, but…the Left Hand of Seg’tharis—will you return our Head? I do not understand why they have broken The Cycle…betrayed Utelira’s gift of life.”
Butter waved off her concern with a casual flick of her hand. “All you must do is follow my words and obey. Let them come, if they do. I have a plan.”
Snow latched onto the topic, gradually starting to show a calmer and more pleasant demeanor after the hell she’d just gone through. Her new dress fit her surprisingly well, showing Adoncia’s skill in sizing people up.
“If they are going to launch another assault, shouldn’t we prepare for a siege, High Queen? I can create ice walls if we have time. It might take me a bit to gather my strength again—what?”
Butter laughed and shifted to pull her into a comforting hug, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Oh, Snow, you’re still so jumpy! Look, that is just not my style,” she said, pulling back and giving her a light glare that brought a sheepish look to the soldier’s face. “They expect us to dig in our heels, so I’ll do the opposite. I’ll accept their invitation and walk right into their fortress.”
Every person present froze, faces slackening and brains becoming mush before processing what she had just said. The group exchanged glances, puzzled but hesitant and intrigued, which tickled Butter—they were learning!
Nergath’s concern deepened, being the first to question her. “Your ways are always…bold, High Queen.”
“It’s why I get results,” she smirked, leading the way to the front of the temple and living space of Utelira’s Head. “If you could be so kind, Zenthara.”
“At once!”
The attendant moved the jewels inside the wall in a specific way to peel back the layers of branches, leaves, and vines. The bioluminescent glow bathed the inner sanctum room in a soft, serene light, casting shadows that danced across the vibrant tapestries of vegetation lining the walls. As butter expected, there was a hole off to one side that allowed for an area to sculpt new bodies.
Butter instantly began to look around as the attendant began to close the entrance, yet paused at her words. “Zenthara, can you be a darling and collect thirteen of your most courageous and faithful? Sooner than later would be advised.”
“Uh. Yes, Radiant Eminence! Yes, you’re going to ordain new Holy Hands? Two full hands?”
“Impossible,” Nergath mumbled, now looking truly shocked while clutching his staff close. “Rarely is a new Finger chosen if a soul becomes too damaged to return, and it takes many years to attune to the forces of the Life and Death Jewels.”
“For having such powers and life experience, Nergath, your Fingers have only scratched the surface of what truly lies beneath the bones and pain your civilization is built upon… Go on, Zenthara,” she prompted again, making the hyperventilating woman jump to action, overstimulated by the implications—thirteen, not fourteen, meaning she was to be chosen.
Butter paused between shelves of ancient artifacts that the Head of Utelira had kept for herself, noticing another sealed chamber beside the mud pool. Her fingers slid down a rather fashionable-looking cane with a diamond filled with Life Energy attached to it. There were many such artifacts that had more than just a single element inside. Yet, only a few, like this one, were soulless, housing pure Life Force.
Pulling it out, she tested its weight with satisfaction, feeling light pulses of energy resonating within the jewel between her breasts. Utelira was starting to recognize her presence and shift in her dying slumber. Before long, she may even awaken.
“Think carefully about everything I’ve revealed to you, Nergath. You’re smart enough to understand where the dots will lead you. Now, Snow, I’ve been listening to you and Adoncia talk. What do you think about your situation?” she asked, removing her Life Staff to be replaced by the cane and looking for her next upgrade. “Oh, watch out, Mika! You don’t want to get close to those ones,” she advised with a wink. “Some potent stuff here.”
“Right…”
Snow cleared her throat, holding her elbow and trying to follow along. Her voice was soft while staring at her given dress. “As I understand it… You’re not actually from Earth, High Queen. Everyone else is, but from everything Adoncia told me and what I’ve heard about the relationship between you and your sister… It doesn’t add up.”
“Smart girl,” she giggled, lustful eyes centering on an item practically built for her—a large paper fan, imbedded with soulless water and life stones. Her mind was spinning with new possibilities and experiments. “Perfect. As to your statement. It’s complicated. Recently, I’ve become aware that Priss and I have lived a previous life, perhaps more than just that one, and we’ve always hated each other. Well…except for in this life, which is…interesting.”
White examined the sealed off room, no doubt as curious as Butter to get it open. “Is it really wise to say that aloud, High Queen? You’re getting really reckless, which I’m not necessarily against.”
“What can I say?” Butter whispered, unfolding the awestriking fan to examine its design and artistic craftsmanship, possibly stolen from one of their ancestor’s old conquests or a relic from their golden era. “I’m not the type of woman that enjoys lies. It’s best to get whatever is on your chest out and forge your way forward rather than hide in the dark.”
Snow’s fingers tightened around her elbow. “High Queen… I’m not sure how long the Army and the Mystickin our forces have left can hold out. Are…you going to help us?”
Butter grinned and snapped the fan shut, turning to look at her while gripping the cane in one hand and the fan in the other, her confidence spreading out like an infection.
“Of course. We’ll form an alliance. But first, we need to deal with the Death Cult and a few…snags along the way. Listen and learn from Blue Eyes here,” she chimed, gesturing to Adoncia, who was beaming. “Naturally, there will be conditions but that can be worked out with your leader.”
“I’m sure there will be,” Snow sighed, now showing a far more relaxed if still worried smile. “If you allow yourself to be captured, they’ll just slaughter everyone once you’re not here.”
Butter clicked her tongue and moved to tap the girl on the arm with the cane. “What did I tell you, Silver Eyes? It will be fine. Trust me. You’ll see. And would you look at that! It seems our eager faithful have assembled.”
They turned toward the door as it slid aside, revealing the fourteen soon to be the Fingers of Utelira. “Line up! Don’t be shy,” she instructed, pointing her cane at specific places.
If Priss can bring back the dead and do her depressing shit, then I can uplift, bless, and heal… Perhaps I can even resurrect in my own unique way. Let’s explore a bit since I can’t enter my Soul Expanse without releasing my Artificial Body.
The fourteen ri'bot followers stood in a hushed, reverent circle, the shimmering grove around them alive with a surreal energy that seemed to pulse in time with their anticipation. Tall trees formed a cathedral of living wood as walls within the sacred place, their leaves shimmering with an ethereal light.
Adoncia, Mika, and White retreated outside as she called upon the Eye of Utelira, the rest of the grove reacting to her brightening countenance. The air buzzed with the ambient hum of Life Energy, a tangible force that tingled against Butter’s bare skin like a soft, electric breeze.
“Imagine your faith,” she said, her charged words feeding into their souls and artificial bodies of mud, infusing them with power she couldn’t currently wield without the necklace she wore. “Trust in me. Do you believe I am Utelira’s incarnation as the Radiant Eminence?”
“Yes,” they all responded, Nergath resting against the wall, observing with narrowed eyes as his Death Artifacts were vaporized. The purified souls within them were cast out to be pulled into whatever afterlife awaited them. Yet, the Finger of Seg’tharis didn’t seem agitated by it.
Butter walked between them, her aquamarine eyes gleaming with an inner light that mirrored the aura of the place. This was not Utelira’s power; this was hers, enhanced by the imprisoned, higher entity she channeled.
Her presence was commanding, a gentle yet powerful force. She glanced at Nergath, who watched with a mixture of disbelief and awe, his voice barely a whisper as he commented on the impossibility of the ritual she was performing.
“It usually takes years of dedication to become a Finger,” he marveled, clutching his ordinary staff as if to anchor himself in the reality of the moment. “And yet, here you stand, ready to bestow this gift upon them in an instant… The power I feel is real.”
Butter chuckled, the sound like wind chimes in a summer breeze. “Nergath, my dear toad, the universe is full of shortcuts if you know where to look. It seems you discovered what I was hinting at, as well. Besides, I find the traditional methods dreadfully dull. Where is the innovation?”
She raised her hands, her fingers tracing an eight-pointed star on each one of her chosen, and focused her will to pull her faith into them. “Know that your power does not come from you, but from my belief in you. I will strengthen your souls, so put your faith in me, and through that union, you will act in my stead.” Her voice carried across the very trees, whispering her message to those imprisoned in the jewels and outside of them.
“Today, you become the new Hands of Utelira. Open your hearts to the Life Force that surrounds you, and let it fill you with purpose and strength. Know that this is not just a gift, but a responsibility—to protect, to nurture, to guide…and to have fun!”
As she laughed, Butter could feel the energy surging through her, a torrent of vitality that flowed into the ri'bot, binding them to their new roles. A sense of purpose was instilled in them like a seed that would only grow as they nurtured it. The transformation was immediate and profound; their eyes widened as the power took hold, their bodies trembling with the force of it.
Snow stood stiff, watching in wonder, her expression a mixture of awe, fear, and curiosity. “You can give people powers… Does that somehow connect to The Oscillation?”
Butter grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief as one by one, the newly awakened Fingers of Utelira fainted, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their transformation to their uplifted souls.
“Think of it as a little upgrade, darling. I’m not sure about this ‘Oscillation’ you keep talking about but this is my own power. Whatever Seed is inside of us is merely acting as a gateway to the locked potential I already possess.”
She turned and held up her cane, it shimmered in a soft glow before being converted to Life Force and stored within her soul. Unfurling her fan she hid her face, giving off a theatrical performance with the falling toads collapsing around her.
“I do not need a Seed to be something great and neither do you. All you need is a little faith and the will to exercise it.”
Nergath pressed his fist against his nose, examining the developing Fingers. “Did you not say that this was your power and not their own?”
Butter snapped her fan shut, a half-smirk on her lips and bright eyes twinkling while shifting to the toad. “Phrasing, my follower of death. None of them had the will to become Fingers, which is why they weren’t but all it takes is a little faith in them with a bit of a kick in the butt to get someone walking on the path of the strong. They required my faith but that didn’t mean they needed it to become someone great.”
Snow swallowed a lump in her throat, reflecting on her words. “That’s…strangely profound. These Seeds aren’t what make us powerful. They only provide a means to unlock what we already have buried within us.”
“Indeed!” She said, moving to kneel down and examine the shimmering stars on each of their chests; it would help be a visual reminder to give them courage. “When dealing with the weaker willed I’m merely opening their spirits to channel the energy more efficiently. It’s like giving them a good pep-talk, only more effective since it’s on a spiritual wavelength.”
Butter moved among each one as they began to stir, acting as a reassuring presence, her touch gentle while helping them up. She ensured each one was stable before turning to address Snow.
“Now, Silver Eyes,” Butter giggled, using the nickname she had most graciously bestowed upon her, “I have a mission for you. I need you, White, Adoncia, and Mika to leave the settlement and wait at the crystal. I’ll handle things here. Trust,” she winked. “You’ll know when I’m done.”
Snow’s tenson left in a single long puff of air. “You really are something, High Queen… I wish I could have been more like you when handling the waves we were up against the last three months,” she mumbled, respect in her gaze. “You’re really something, you know that? I kind of want to meet your twin now—eh, Butter?”
Butter hissed, her face pinching as if swallowing something sour. “I do try, dear, but you would not want to meet Priss. Now Nergath? Mhm, he’d love my sister. You? Mmm. Not so much. Now off you go! And watch out for any surprises the Death Cult might throw your way. I’m about to make a scene that they can’t ignore.”
As Snow and the others departed, Butter’s attention returned to the Fingers, who were beginning to build up their confidence upon seeing the stars on their chests and her confident smile. Their minds were slowly adjusting to their new abilities, which wasn’t much, to be honest, despite the delivery; they were mainly there to maintain what she did.
Butter cleared her throat, addressed them with warmth and encouragement. “Welcome back, my darlings. You’ll find your newfound abilities a bit overwhelming at first, but trust me, you’ll soon learn to crawl and then to walk. The path ahead is a bright one, and one where you will find your peace when this is all done. I shall make a miracle, and you will maintain it. Onward!”
With her customary grace, Butter led the way from the grove, her heart buoyed with the looks and reverence showering upon her. It felt…right. The potential she had unlocked within herself was beginning to blossom now that her soul was healed. She just needed to snatch Priss’ old corpse from Seg’tharis’ head and she’d be in business.
The settlement was abuzz with the ripple effects of the ceremony, the air thick with hope and possibility as they followed her down to the lake.
As they approached the crystal-clear waters, Butter didn’t hesitate. The water shimmered invitingly, a perfect reflection of the valley’s vibrant colors. She unfurled her fan, and sent her will into the sapphire jewel while stepping into the pristine, glass-like surface. The cool embrace of the liquid coursed through her and parted, her presence commanding the elements to yield.
Butter lifted her hand, calling upon her cane for a secondary channeling item to divide the pressure. Her focus narrowed to a single point as she linked both with the power of the Eye of Utelira—the only way she could initiate what she was about to do.
She channeled it through her connection to the lake and fed her will into the unified forces. The water responded to her command, forming a dome of shimmering life energy that exploded outward, surging over the shocked occupants to encase the entire settlement in a protective barrier against the threats that loomed beyond.
The villagers and the newly christened Fingers watched in awe, their faith reaffirmed within themselves and her by the spectacle. Little did they know the settlement Life Force itself was the primary source of power, Utelira herself only being an initial catalyst to bring everything together through her.
She gestured for the Fingers to join her at the lake’s now waterless center before forming a star pattern in the air out of the shimmering, enchanted liquid. Their presence would be essential to maintaining the barrier’s strength, connecting wires, as Priss might say.
“Stand here at each of these points, my Hands of Utelira! Together, you shall ensure the safety of your brothers and sisters…of your sacred place while I confront your enemies. Belief. Have faith. You are strong.”
Her voice rang with authority, a siren call that echoed across every heart. Butter could feel the bond between them strengthening as their faith redoubled in her, a web of life energy that pulsed with every beat of their collective hearts. It did provide her strength, not that she needed it, but it was the sentiment that mattered—she was adored.
Impatience prickled at the edges of her mind, a restless energy that demanded action now that things were set in order. The Death Cult was taking too long to make their move, and Butter didn’t feel like sitting idly by and waiting.
She closed her eyes, feeling the power of the fan and cane as they merged with her soul, their essence converting to pure Life Energy. In that moment, when just about to disconnect herself from the above protective barrier, a vision flickered in her mind’s eye, a brief glimpse of herself as a golden-skinned elf, radiant and powerful.
Butter’s smile widened. “Wonderful! I can feel walls inside my soul crumbling. Answers come to those brave enough to search for them.”
Leaving the silently praying and reverent throng behind her, she passed through the liquidy barrier, the water parting for her as she joined her group outside, Nergath in-tow, deep in thought. Looking between Adoncia, Snow, White, and Mika, she clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at the giant Crystal overhead.
“Adventure and danger awaits! Now, shall we walk into the lambs’ den as lions? I must say, I’m feeling quite leonine today, myself. To war and conquest!”
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