#Lore24 – Entry #365 – Sci-Fi Month IV #30 – Shifting Focus

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “My past?  My future?  I’ll admit to having been a little worried about my future given what you’ve revealed to me over the course of this interview, but what exactly are you getting at?”

RV:  “What indeed.  I’m quite curious as to your own lineage and history, Miss Ganim.  Oh, of course, I mean more than simply the life you’ve lived up till now.  Your background is utterly unremarkable aside from your dedication to the Chroniclers, which is hardly surprising.  However, I want to delve much deeper into your past.  Much further than your family tree’s roots, in fact.”

AG:  “I don’t think I follow.”

RV:  “Come now, why insist upon playing coy?  Very well, let me go back, all the way to the Age of Legends, back to the original root of the matter, one Angeliqua Cartacustos, most commonly known as Angel Goldeneyes given her rather impressive ascension to godhood.  Though my interactions with Angel were very brief before her rise, I do recall quite clearly that I didn’t sense any resonance within her indicating that she was a draconic soul.  Curiously, I did find that resonance with the head of the Great Library of the Imperium Draconis at the time, however.  I realized that my dislike of Felaria Pyrathi came not from the fact she was a dusk elf, rather that she was a golden dragon, one of Marcon Shadowmist’s children, in fact, one of a handful of true dragons that still remained upon Andyllion at that time.  Curious that such a being was watching over one who would become a god, don’t you think?”

AG:  “That does seem suspect… You’ve alluded to Marcon Shadowmist having his hands in various plots and schemes throughout time to varying degrees, skirting some kind of pact he had with the gods to remain neutral in affairs affecting the world, worlds, in which they are recognized…”

RV:  “He’s an expert at twisting interpretations, so having his children act for him, seemingly of their own accord, is hardly the worst of his offenses.  Regardless, it seems that he was well aware that the previous god whom possessed the portfolio taken over by Angel Goldeneyes had grown both tired of the position and was slowly descending into madness.  There was an opening in the ranks of the gods, and Marcon wanted to make certain someone capable would ascend to fill it, so he set his child on the task of finding a suitable replacement.”

AG:  “There was some debate over the nature of what happened to the previous god of knowledge.  There is a theory that Entropy had done something to the god to drive them into their maddened state, but there has never been any conclusive evidence of such a thing.”

RV:  “Oh, you don’t know the half of it, my dear.  Entropy did indeed have a hand in unseating the old god of knowledge, and in taking him into himself once his portfolio had been secured by Angel Goldeneyes.  It’s why those who suffer madness often offer insights that are far more profound than they ought to be.  But did you know that, in the time before the Great Cataclysm, that Entropy himself was replaced by a new being when he too grew tired of his place amongst the gods?”

AG:  “Records from that time are exceptionally rare and those we have are filled with holes, but there was some indication of a replacement, when Entropy suddenly began to take on various guises when his avatar appeared upon the mortal realm, the unicorn composed of starlight and the plague doctor being the most common appearances, though there are some records that lean toward him appearing as a dragon composed of shadow as well.  It is assumed that the… War of the Cheeses…was when the change occurred, a manifestation of the turmoil caused by the battle between the two beings fighting for the power of Entropy.  Not the most dignified moment in Andyllion’s history…”

RV:  “It’s the power of chaos and madness, my dear; dignity had no place in it.  That we saw nations go to war over who’s cheese was better should be considered a boon to the world, and we should all be thankful it got no worse than that.  If only we could have been so lucky in the lead up to the Great Cataclysm.  But…the being who would become Entropy…what if I told you that he too was chosen by Marcon Shadowmist to take over the position?  Surprised?  Yes, even then, Marcon Shadowmist was pulling the strings.  So, it’s not really out of character at all that Angel Goldeneyes was likewise raised and placed on a path that would lead her to godhood.

There’s nothing inherently bad about Marcon’s choice of the woman who would fill the role, just that he had the power to do such a thing at all that irks me.  Still, this isn’t about him, this is about Angel Goldeneyes and you, and your most curious lineage.  I speak not of your blood, Ms. Ganim, for there is nothing special there.  It is what lies within your soul…or perhaps it’s more accurate to say, that which is attached to your soul.  Perhaps you truly are not aware of what you are?  Either that face your making is an exceptional act, or you really had no clue until this moment.  Curious indeed.  Shall I reveal your secret, Ms. Ganim?”

#Lore24 – Entry #335 – Fantasy Month IV #30 – Return to the Great Library

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

It took us much longer to return home than it took me to reach the Wildlands when I first began my journey, for we could not make use of the teleportation circle that Lady Armenia had first used because of the size of our procession, but once we approached Draconis Magna, I felt a growing delight at being so near to the Great Library once again.  I said my goodbyes to Risai and Kovalis as we passed the city, promising to try to catch up with them again in the future.  Within a few more days, I would once again see the towering visage of the Great Library, feeling a wonderful sense of relief and joy as I once again returned to my home.

Mother Felaria was the first to greet me upon my return, and I was glad to once again see and embrace her.  I had never been away from the Library for so long.  I would spend much of the rest of that day greeting my brothers and sisters as I oversaw the safe unloading of our new study materials.  I would spend the rest of the day catching up with my family, though it would take much longer before I would truly be caught up, for the work must come first. 

I was surprised to find Aishi still lingering around me as evening came, figuring she would be returning to the Emperor’s side now that I had been seen safely home, but she told me then that she was to remain with me for the foreseeable future; the Emperor had been very pleased with my work and wanted to make absolutely certain that it would continue.  She seemed to be quite pleased with the development.  I could only wonder if this would be a blessing or a curse…what had I done to warrant such a close watch by the Emperor’s most loyal guardians?

That was not the only surprise I would have that evening, though.  Following dinner, before I could retreat to my room for a much-needed rest, Mother would deliver to me a letter and a small, wrapped box from Lady Armenia.  The letter expressed her delight for my companionship during our time together, that she and Yurisaya had been quite pleased with my willingness to participate in their fun.  She expressed a desire to see me again once my work allowed me to do so, and that I had a standing invitation to visit her estate.  Likewise, she had sent me some gifts that I could enjoy as I saw fit, the keys to which were inside the box.  Even though I had surmised what the gifts she spoke of were before I even opened the long crate that sat in my floor, I was still completely shocked when I opened it, for the chastity armor and hobble dress were not the only gifts she had sent me.

Inside the crate was none other than Ryona, the kerryn slave that had been so eager to please during my time as Alekos’s tutor, secured in not only the very hobble dress and chastity gear I had once worn, but additional leather straps that had her securely restrained inside the crate, and she had been fitted with a feeder gag harness and wrapped with silken ribbons, tied in several bows.  I could already hear the buzzing of the various devices upon her, could smell her intense arousal, and she stirred, looking up to me with pleading eyes, moaning and whimpering as she wiggled inside the crate. 

Several questions raced through my mind as I stared at her, dumbfounded.  How long had she been trapped in there?!  Why had she been given to me?  How could I possibly get any work done with her here?  What had happened to Alekos?  How would Aishi take to her being there?  How would Ryona take to Aishi?  Would I even be able to find the rest I had so very much desired upon my return to the Library now?  I was finally drawn out of my state of shock when Aishi came up behind me and started laughing at Ryona’s state, looking quite pleased at the lesser slave’s predicament. 

Maybe I could divert Ryona’s attention by encouraging Aishi’s attention upon her?  It was a terrible thought to have, perhaps, but I was too tired and road-weary to give it much more thought.  I knelt beside Ryona and inquired as to her condition, and she answered that she was doing well in spite of the restraints and buzzing accessories.  Feeling my fatigue crashing into me, I nodded, promised her that I would take care of her in the morning, and promptly closed the crate, heading back to my bed for the first time in over a year, where I fell into it and fell asleep in a matter of moments.

And so my strange journey to and through the Wildlands and back had come to a close.  Though this was the end of this tale, there would be plenty more to come, for I would find little in the way of rest during the following days.

But that’s a story for another time.