"Young One."
"Beware."
A blood contract.
"Drinking the blood of a god can temporarily surge in power, but risk madness or death."
The longer my powers stay in your body The more powerful you become.
Samuel gazed at the golden liquid blood plunged at his feet. It was shimmering unnaturally, Arithmos, the chained god of war, leaned forward, his massive dark green eyes locked onto Samuel's.
"Drink it," Arithmos exclaimed. "Let my hatred become your strength."
Samuel descends. His hands trembling. The faces of his classmates, flashed through his mind, laughing, dying. He clenched his jaw got on one knee, and gulped the blood of a god.
Arithmos, The God of War.
It was warm, thick, and heavy. As it passed through his lips, a surge of energy ripped through him like a lightning storm. His visions became blurry. His heart pounded. His throat was lumpy and dry.
Then, darkness.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the hall.
He stood in a wide and barren Landscape, a battlefield imbedded in crimson lights. Thousands of Swords hung frozen in the air. A thousand war cries echoed from the mouths of fallen soldiers. And in the center, Arithmos stood, not chained, but whole. He looked younger, wreathed in flames.
"Young One," Arithmos explained.
"This is the memory of my final war," Arithmos uttered. "The gods were coerced by me. Luminara... she betrayed me."
Arithmos stepped closer. "Because your hatred burns brighter than any in existence. I
will not slumber nor rest until these chains are broken, and for that, All gods must die. You will be my weapon."
Then a symbol blazed on the center of Samuel's chest.
A sigil of a red sun pierced by a black sword. Then the landscape broke apart.
He awoke screaming.
The blood around Arithmos glowed faintly. An essence and piece of the god's power had passed on to Samuel, and with it, knowledge.
"Young One."
"Now, call forth my blade, forged from the first primordial flames of existence, drenched in the blood of the fallen!"
Samuel's breath was caught in his throat the moment Arithmos declared.
"Call out his name," Arithmos commanded. "Summon the will of steel. Say his name!"
Samuel closed his eyes. The sigil on his chest glowed intensely, burning against his skin.
The name surged from deep within his mind and soul.
Arithmos and Samuel spoke as one.
"Aegirion!"
The entire hall was in an outburst of energy. A roar echoed from deep within the runes. Then, with a crack that shattered the foundation of the entrance, a blade bursted through the wall of the runes.
It moved faster than eyes could see.
A long, jagged sword, flowing with dark green energy, headed towards Samuel.
Appearing before him with a heavy thunk, splitting the runes concrete. Blasts of energy spread out from the impact. Dark green energy pulsed from its hilt.
Samuel stepped forward, hands stretched out.
The moment his fingers touched the blade hilt, the blade surged to life. Dark green flames spiraled around his arm, but they did not burn nor hurt, they welcomed him.
The blades were warm, it felt alive....
"Aegirion." Samuel softly whispered.
Arithmos giggled.
"That is Aegirion, My Warblade. As long as you carry it, you carry my will."
"It now your's to weld. The blade will thirst only for divine blood. Feed it well… and feed it soon."
"Young One," Arithmos replied.
"You now carry my spark," Arithmos declared weakly. "The first god you must slay is Vatra, the Goddess of Judgment. She with one of the keys to my chains, resides high in the celestial Sanctum. In the divine realm. Kill her, and my chains will begin to fade."
"Fade?"
"I thought you said she's with the key," Samuel questioned
"She the key, her soul," Arithmos answered.
"Hmmm..."
"Well, it works in my favor,"
"I will kill her," Samuel exclaimed with an intense tone. "And every god."
But first…" Samuel questioned, lowering Atherton, the blade still expelling dark green energy. "How do I get into the Divine Realm?"
"A celestial navigator," Arithmos responded.
Samuel furrowed his brow. "What's that?"
"They are a Sovereign-Born, Arithmos explained calmly. Children of the gods or their direct creations."
"They walk between the mortal and divine realms freely. The only ones with the power to open the veil, let a mortal into the divine realm." Arithmos stated.
"You may have a portion of my powers, but you are still human."
While tightening his grip on Atherion, Samuel responded. "So I find one… and they'll let me in?"
Arithmos sadly responded.
"I am sorry young one," he exhaled slowly, solemnly. "But I do not hold the answer you seek."
Samuel's eyes narrowed down.
"All I can tell you," Arithmos continued, "is that the Celestial Navigators are fiercely guarded, Some are protected by the gods themselves. Not just for who they are, but for what they can do. Their very presence is a danger to the gods."
"If you truly wish to find one, you must venture outside of this continent, the celestial graveyard. Cross the borders of this realm and enter lands where even the sun does not reach nor rise in. Only there may your answers lie."
Silence settled between Samuel and Arithmos, for a couple of minutes.
"I have fulfilled my part, I given you my power, Samuel," Arithmos declared, his voice now demanding. "Power enough to carve through the heavens and earth, if you must. To exact the vengeance that is owed... to the both of us."
With a softened tone, Arithmos asked.
"rest now young one. My gifts and powers have reshaped your mortal system. You'll find your hunger gone, and sleep is no longer a need. Your body will move as long as your will commands it."
"Yet know this, you are not immortal. A fatal blow from a divine being will still end you. Even gods bleed."
Samuel lowered his blades "Aegirion!" slightly, staring down to his feet.
"Thank you for everything."
"I'll leave at sunrise."