"Stage one of every invasion the armies commanded by Morugarius when conquering realities for All-Father involves surgical strikes by dragons and minor gods meant for shock and awe tactics, Swift and violent, it is a tried and true method of combat and has yet to fail Supreme Deity."

On the war of the cosmos, a primer for would-be fighters. Volume 1

 

"The Magi-Tech armor spoke to her? Really?" William asked the priest who was tending to a new batch of bolt action rifles made by the Academy forgers who had joined him.

"Indeed my lady, Andromeda Farro is her name and she even named the construct, a deep bond was established between them and even our lowest acolyte felt it!" The priest said with vigor.

"Farro... well Brother Steelhelm be sure to help her get acclimated with the Blessing, I was told it's becoming quite common back home for people to receive it now, a side effect of enforcing the worship, at any rate, have her train with the other pilots as well, we might have an ace in the hole with that girl"

The priest nodded and William went off, he had dealings with the girl's father after all.

"The name reminds me of something, a side quest considered  by many players one of the saddest pieces of content in the game, the girl suffers from heavy depression for being an unwanted child, and her brother sucked all the good parenting out of her folk and she was raised more like a pet than a daughter" Lucrezia chimed in her voice soft "What makes it worse is that if you fail a particular series of minor tasks and speech check she ends up killing herself in the dungeon"

"And even then, the best the player could do was make her give up death by random dungeon enemies, no real support for her depression be it medical or even divine" Lucrezia sighed "Grim, and now we have her talking with inanimated objects and training to become a pilot, you think that's a good end, William?" Lucrezia asked.

"I honestly don't know, what if I just condoned her to a life of trauma via military experience? what if her situation gets worse? I am afraid mental health is beyond my power, I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist Lu, the best we can do is have a sit down with her, and see if we can get any help with the divine, but even then it is a shot in the dark" William spoke, weary.

"It's not common but some nobles employ mind mages to deal with such issues, it takes a while to get the papers for it and it also costs a good deal of gold"  Lucrezia explained "Why do you want to talk with her father by the by?" she asked.

"He's the best musician of the new world, blessed by several musical gods, chief among them Goddess Sona, who's the de facto leader of the art-based divinities here in Vermilion, with his expertise together with the Academy band I aim to use more stolen songs to essentially make our little army immune to low morale, they will fight to the last as the horns, drums and brass plays along with the choir" William explained "I do not doubt that the Queen will use that weapon against us, and bring the full might of the Royal Knights to bear on this fight, of course, our allies will help but..."

"You are afraid that the recruits will falter, just so, after all, fighting against the Royal Knights is paramount to a swift death, very few houses have the necessary training and technics to match them on a 1 to 1 fight, our house among them, together with the Arch-Duke and his Griffin Riders, the Queen will have no power in the air and our guns will pierce their Ki" Lucrezia stopped then snapped her fingers "Oh gods, William you must find a way that she doesn't strike our new allies! Talk with Hope, have her contact Morugarius, then have the Goddess deliver the proposal to the Queen!"

William rubbed his chin, sometimes he missed his beard "I... I will do that, good plan Lu, good plan, don't know why I didn't come up with it earlier..."

Lucrezia beamed, William could feel her soul radiating happiness as she was just below his skin "Now let us meet this master musician of yours"

---

Juniper Farro stalked the mighty studio his Goddess had personally built for him, his hands trembling ever so slightly as the ghosts of the many students and friends he had over the years spoke at him and each other, his wife Mars Farro was waiting for him at the end of the room, her face a mask of sympathy.

He grabbed her hand, feeling the bones old and weary, they shared no words, for there were no words left in them, all they could do was walk like a pair of freshly raised undead wondering why they were denied their afterlife rest.

It was a short walk to his home, opening the door he was welcomed to the sight of his daughter eating something in the kitchen, Juniper never liked his younger child, she was a mistake, a fight of fancy him and his wife regretted to this day, and the girl was aware of it, he wasn't dense to think she didn't know they gave special treatment to their older son, be it food, drinks, clothes or weaponry, parties, travels to distant countries, he asked and they provided.

Until he died that is.

Had it been a year already? Juniper couldn't remember, his mind was in a perpetual fog ever since that abomination delivered his son on an Ice Coffin, his armor shining and his face perpetually locked in sheer terror, he cried for 3 days and 3 nights when he got the news, he and his wife both mourned for months.

Pike Ferro, Knight is sworn to the Queen and personal guard of the First Prince was slaughtered like an animal by that whore from the north, Juniper cared not that it was revealed the First Prince was a heretic blasphemer who conspired against the realm with the terror from beyond the stars, he and his wife could only grieve the loss of their dear son, their little boy they raised giving it all.

Food lost its taste, water and wine were like ash, even the warmth of the sun and his wife were cold like the howling winds of winter, even his mighty Greater Blessing felt cold, his Goddess turning her back to him in his direst of moments, the lowest of lows in his life.

There were no words exchanged when they got into her line of sight, the girl simply finished her food and left for her room.

Before Juniper could react, his wife turned to the living room door, a knock came from it.

"Do you have any visits scheduled for today dear?" Mavi Ferro asked, her voice creaking as she wasn't talking much ever since they buried the body of their son.

"Nay, let us see who is" they opened the door together, leading to the front view of the yard, surrounded by a small wall and a tiny gate. Behind the gate was a tall woman, her ashen blond hair tied in a ponytail, azure eyes colder than ice pierced into Juniper and Mavi's soul, a wordless gap came from his wife as they noticed the metallic arm that was shining under the coat hanging from her shoulders.

Behind her a woman of Shogunate descent, her maid outfit was one nobility favored among these parts.

"Good afternoon Master Farro, I am Lu-" the whore opened her mouth but Juniper couldn't take it anymore, his Greater Blessing lurching him forward, giving him power unmatched as the blue fires of hatred burned in the core of his very being.

"Killer! Kinslayer whore! YOU KILLED MY BOY, MY BABY BOY!" A wordless scream escaped his lips as divine energy surged through his body and he manifested a Knight's spear, not any spear, but the first one they had forged for his son.

The weapon shone in its blue color, the flames of hatred licking at Juniper's hand as he aimed, a single throw! a single throw and he would avenge his son!

"DIE!" He screamed as he threw the weapon, it flew true, aiming straight towards the whore's head.

He saw her eyes widen in surprise, then second by second they narrowed as a shade appeared, her form was the same as Lucrezia's, in her hand a sword that neatly sliced through Juniper's spear, she took a combat stance and for the first time in a long, while the old musician felt the fear of death creep in, shaking him from his rage.

Then she was gone, the maid tapped something in her ear and they vanished in a shift of light. Juniper collapsed as the adrenaline and divine energy ran out, the old man was shaking on the ground until his wife found the strength to lift him and drag him to the living room.

Juniper stood there with his wife until well late at night, shaking from anger and sorrow, and so did his wife.

---

Velkarius was among her kin in the city of gods, it was a regular day for her, after having weeded out a few selected individuals blessed by Uumaries she had busted down another slave ring inside Vermilion.

Something old Freide wasn’t happy with, thanks to Lucrezia’s hand on the matter, the woman kept going above and beyond, Velkarius was sad she couldn't reward her more, after all, she wasn’t ready for the strain of the summoning of an avatar of divine nature brought to the body and soul.

Friede marched towards her, the old bird was positively angry, her nostrils wide and her face red.

“Again, again! Why do you work with that noble?!? can’t you see she will use you for her gains? Do you think your reputation will survive after she betrays you? It won’t damn you!”

Velkarius tilted her head, saying nothing as she waited for the woman to calm down.

She did eventually, the quiet meadow they were picked up in activity by the many bugs and other animals who lived there.

She was ready to speak at length (once again) that her new chosen was not a liability when another of her kin joined, breaking into the meadow with fantastical speed.

“Sister Sona, to what do we owe you the pleasure?” Velkarius asked as the green-haired goddess stopped and looked around, her eyes wide with fear and resignation hanging around her like a ghost.

“Sister Velkarius, Sister Friede” Sona nodded “I've come to talk with you Velkarius, about your new chosen”

“See! Even poor Sona here agrees with me! She’s a menace Velkarius” Friede exploded but Velkarius raised her hand and said.

“Calm yourself, and remember who gave the right for the destruction of Talos and the weakening of Uumaries sister of mine, for I will cash on those favors later,” Velkarius said with a smile then turned back to sona 
‘Please dear friend, what is it you want to know about Lucrezia?” 

Sona fidgeted around, looking like she was about to be scolded

“One of my blessed was a well...little rude to her the other day, and even without a blessing of mine or related to the arts it is well known she is a genius when it comes to music” Sona began talking faster “Thing is the dear sister of mine, that genius was meant to join forces with my blessed, I saw the tidings a day earlier even and was going to even gift her a small token as a symbol of lasting friendship…”

“And? What did your blessing do?” Asked Friede who was paying attention for no reason at all but the fact she was near.

“He… well here’s the thing, his son was killed by her when he was called by the first prince of vermilion to escort him to the north, the young man was the prize jewel of the family, to the point they neglected their daughter” sona explained.

“That’s the girl that spoke with one of Ra’tyrius’s machines and awakened a greater blessing thanks to it,” Velkarius said out loud “All-Father’s balls Sona, don’t tell me she killed the man?”

“Nay sister, she stood quiet as he hurled insults at her and then went away, and just lost a major boost to my sphere thanks to it” Sona sighed “I’ve checked his mental state via my blessing, he will never forgive her, had him the means he would kill Lucrezia himself” Sona took a second to collect herself and continued “Can you do anything Sister? Talk to her?”

Velkarius rubbed her chin “Does it have to be this one specific blessed? Don’t you have someone in the Academy blessed? A professor or something?”

Sona’s eyes shined “I do! But her skills” the shine died down “She is good, but not on the same level…”
Friede sighed “Sometimes sister, sometimes you have to make do” patting the Goddess in the back “And that’s why you don’t deal with nobles, now goodbye” and just like that the woman was gone.

The two remaining Goddess stood watching each other “I’ll see what I can do Sister, but knowing that woman she might’ve done the whole thing herself by now” Velkarius smiled “I’ll be seeing you then, goodbye”

Sona stood alone, praying to her father that Velkarius could talk the human into it, Gods knew she needed the sphere shift that would come of it.

---

William was sleeping when a beautiful woman with dark long hair and a long pitch black dress visited him in a dream.

“Thank you for your time young one,” Velkarius said with a soft voice, her divine power not booming but flowing like warm waters from a shower head.

“Lady Velkarius, a pleasure to see you as always, is there anything I can be of use to you?”

William smiled at the woman, there was something strange with her today, she lacked that wit and cheeky attitude she was infamous for, something strange was happening here.

“Indeed Lucrezia, something strange is happening” Velkarius smiled “I have received a very unique request from a dear sister of mine, Goddess Sona. She commanded the many artists and musicians of Vermilion” William’s face darkened a little.

“Ah, I was told of your little run with one of her blessed, while I won’t say I don’t get it where he’s coming from, I can say that he will not harm, I’ve made sure of it”

Velkarius walked to William’s side “Now, Sona here tells me you have something big for her, we came up with a plan to help her. as you may know there’s another Blessing here in the academy…”

“She wants me to team up with the music professor huh? An interesting proposition knowing she’s a perfectionist and knows the professor isn’t exactly the best of the best” William explained out loud “But together we could reach greatness”

He nodded to Velkarius “Tell Sona I will team up with the professor, and in her name, we will bring forth a new revolution of the arts in Vermilion in aways none have seen before”

“Aye dear, I will”

---