Chapter Text
Chapter One
Power surged around Hythlodaeus as he concentrated on the gaping void left where the Crystal Tower once stood, the wind displacing his hood to reveal lavender hair. Nothingness. The Syrcus Tower was truly gone. It was no mere illusion. He lowered his hand, lips tugging into a frown. Temporal magicks on a scale like he had never seen—the Ironworks’ blasted plan had worked.
“What did you wake me for this time? I was quite enjoying my nap.” Darkness rippled as a very grumpy Hades appeared alongside Hythlodaeus. His eyes widened behind his mask. “The shining beacon of the Allagan Empire—gone?”
Hythlodaeus conjured a stack of papers, offering them to his companion. “The Ironworks’ crowning achievement. You will find their research quite refreshing, I’m sure.”
Hades narrowed his eyes at the splash of blood coating the pages.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that!” Hythlodaeus feigned offense, a dark glint in his eyes. “They put up a fight and I dealt with them accordingly! Fear not; they’re alive to cause more trouble at their leisure. For now.”
Hades sighed heavily. “That does not explain why you woke me.”
“Elidibus charged us with the task of preparing the next Calamity.” Hythlodaeus’s expression became serious. Never a good sign. “I was thinking—you’ve had your fun with Allag, with Garlemald… Why don’t we see which of us can build a more glorious empire?”
Hades stared at Hythlodaeus in disbelief. “You want…to run opposing empires?”
“What better way for us to nurture the requisite chaos than to be in control of both sides?” Hythlodaeus smiled playfully. “The Three Great Continents are wanting for leadership. After the Eighth Umbral Calamity, nations have been torn apart and it’s been every man for himself. With the Ironworks’ plan finished, and their beliefs on the mechanics of time travel, they will either be too passive to oppose us—or this timeline will fade into oblivion when their precious…” Hythlodaeus peered at the page. “…‘G’raha Tia’ finishes his work.”
Hades rubbed his temples. “It will take an age to raise empires with Etheirys in this state.”
“Which is fine!” Hythlodaeus smiled brightly. “Elidibus bade us to go slow. The last Calamity was a touch too successful. Sin Eaters have appeared on the Source, but we’ve yet to identify any Lightwardens, for a mercy.”
“I am not getting out of this, am I?” Hades sighed heavily.
“Oh, don’t be like that.” Hythlodaeus stepped closer to Hades, eyes twinkling with mischief. “It’s troublesome work to be sure, but it will be worth it in the end. We will get Azem back, and we will go home together.”
“Very well—a contest of empires.” Hades relented, as Hythlodaeus knew he would. “That should allow us to cover more area in the search of their soul.”
Hythlodaeus chuckled, casting his gaze to the crater left by the Syrcus Tower’s disappearance. “Let us see if anything useful was left behind, hm?”