Part 1
By the time they reached Gilnas City, Elias had managed to scam horses out of the Royal Army for the four of them, and was quite pleased with himself for it. As they rode through the front gates of the city, Elias gestured at the cathedral.
"What do you think of my new house?" He asked, as their horses trotted down the street, ignoring the looks they were getting.
"I'll catch up with the three of you later, I have my own business here." Francisco said as they entered the courtyard of the Great Cathedral.
"Oh, what would that be?" Mabel asked as they dismounted from the horses, tying them up.
"I'm afraid that's a secret." He replied with a grin as wide as his face. "I'll tell you later."
After Francisco left, Elias paused for a moment in the courtyard, and looked up at the massive cathedral, as if steeling himself for a fight.
"Something on your mind, big guy?" Nalaea asked as she looked around. "This is definitely blessed ground, I recognize her scent anywhere."
"I just... She was right. I'm still not ready." Elias said, exhaling.
"Far too late for second thoughts, Mister Priest." Mabel said, slapping him on the back. "Nalaea, you decide a uniform yet?"
"You mean something like this?" Nalaea asked, clapping her hands. Her ranger outfit instantly stained with black ink, and seemed to soak through in a few seconds. In the place of the Royal Elven Ranger Insignia on her chest and upper arms, the sigil of Vordea grew out of the black void that was now her clothing. Indistinct black tendrils of void seemed to be coming off her arms for a moment, but disappeared as she brushed them off. "Are we ready?"
"Yes, I've memorized the binding words, so Father Walsh will know I am no liar." Elias said, finding his courage after a moment. Elias adjusted his robes, and mustering up all the bravado he had, walked straight up to the massive main doors of the Cathedral and slammed them open with surprising force, Mabel behind him to his left, Nalaea to his right. "Father Walsh! I have come!"
Father Walsh was in his office when he felt the Cathedral shake slightly. Then he heard Elias shouted and became curious. Making his way out of his office, he spotted Elias standing among the pews, hands on his hips with a broad smile.
"Rejoice, Father Walsh! The High Priest of Chaos has arrived!" Elias shouted. At once Walsh was suspicious.
"A bold claim. What proof can you show me?" He asked, reaching into his shirt for an amulet.
"The binding words. The words Vordea commanded me to remember, to convey unto you." Elias replied, starting to approach Walsh. "Hear me now and obey. In the name of Vordea, Entropy Killer, I take my place. With words older than the universe I am empowered, the Hand of Change. In the name of Vordea the Last Child I am the High Priest. On threat of eternal doom I vow to serve for all of my days. I summon you, Squid of the Deep!"
For a moment nothing happened, and Elias thought he was being pranked, but then the Cathedral roof exploded.
"Not again! We just fixed that!" Father Walsh cried, running for cover under an alcove.
"Elias! You made it!" Vordea shouted, falling from the ceiling with a large smile on her face. Elias caught her in his arms and gently set her down.
"As promised, I brought down the ceiling." Elias answered, bowing deeply. "Father Walsh, do not cower before your lady!" He shouted to Walsh.
"You've proven yourself, Mister Malloit." Father Walsh replied, horns growing from his head. "And who's the little cultist you brought with you?"
"Void Sentinel Herydark." Nalaea said plainly, moving between Elias and Father Walsh. "You're even less mortal than I am. Who are you?"
"No fighting." Vordea said sternly, bonking both Father Walsh and Nalaea on the head with a tentacle. "Elias, Nalaea, this is Xonneth, better known as Cyril Walsh. Xonneth, this is High Priest Elias Malloit, and Nalaea Herydark. The quiet woman standing at the door observing us is one of my puppets, Mabel Briggs."
"Is that all I am now?" Mabel called out, beginning to walk over as the commotion had died down. "Just a puppet?"
"Please, we're all friends here." Xonneth said, raising his hands to chest level. "I must admit I'm curious about Miss Herydark. Just... what are you?"
Nalaea didn't answer immediately. She carefully looked at Xonneth, then at Vordea. Vordea looked back at her, as if waiting for her to say something. Next she glanced at Elias, lingering for only a moment, before locking eyes with Mabel. Then she looked up at the shattered ceiling, and paused.
"It wasn't dark when we came inside." Nalaea said. "Even if it was-"
"Where's the stars?" Elias finished, also looking up now. "Where is this place?"
"Where is correct. Show them, Xonneth." Vordea answered, sitting on the altar. "I'll be here when you return."
Xonneth gestured to follow, and began to walk down a side passage. Curious, Mabel, Nalaea, and Elias followed him. As they walked through the many twists and turns, Elias soon realized they were well outside of the boundaries of the Cathedral outside, but said nothing. Eventually they reached a locked door. After pulling on it, Xonneth reached into a pocket and pulled out a very old key.
"Stand back." He commanded. As he swung the door open, the air in the cathedral rushed past them for several seconds.
Elias couldn't believe what he was seeing. A large balcony surrounded by nothing but void greeted them as they walked through the doorway, but what he saw in the distance actually frightened him a bit.
"Is that what I think it is?" He asked as he watched it slowly get larger.
"Not quite. That is the divine form of Royal Void herself." Xonneth answered, gesturing at the building sized squid that was now taking up their entire field of view.
The colossal squid floated before them, one massive eye looking at them, unblinking. Slowly, one tentacle came down and gently caressed them, as if it was trying to pat them on the head. Seemingly satisfied, it began to climb up the side of the cathedral, and soon disappeared from view.
"Let's head back inside." Xonneth said, trying to hide a smile.
"No." Elias said quite firmly. "Where are we?"
"Nowhere." Xonneth said, no longer trying to hide his smile as he turned around to face Elias, Nalaea, and Mabel.
"Don't be coy demon. Where the fuck are we?" Nalaea asked, getting frustrated.
"I told you. This plane is known as Nowhere." Xonneth said, continuing to smile.
"What is... Nowhere?"
"The beginning. This place is the seed that birthed the universe. This was the place Royal Void and Reality Walker found themselves when they crossed over from Carcosa. This place is where the universe began."
"That's a name I don't recognize." Mabel said, raising her eyebrows. "Reality Walker. But I think I know who it is."
"You do?" Nalaea asked.
"There is a method to demon names. Two words and descriptive. Vordea is Royal Void, which suits her perfectly. The Ashen Empress is Dark Imperium. But tell me Xonneth, what is Herydark's name?" Mabel explained, before posing a question.
Xonneth looked at Nalaea, and smiled. Instead of answering, he shook his head, and gestured for them to head back inside, but Nalaea slammed the door shut.
"No, I'm tired of dealing with demons." Nalaea said quite angrily, not noticing the changes taking place.
Elias noticed but made no comment as the void tendrils began to grow off of her body, first coming out of her shadows. They continued to grow in length as she walked up to Xonneth and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off his feet.
"What the FUCK is going on, Xonneth?" Nalaea demanded, as the tendrils took form, and wrapped around the two of them, Nalaea growing in height as they did. "You keep speaking half truths and leaving out details and it's really fucking pissing me off!"
The shadows around Nalaea took a life of their own as her anger grew, and Mabel retreated to a safe distance while Elias was content to watch and see how this played out.
"You can't handle the truth, you stupid knife eared elf!" Xonneth yelled, grabbing fruitlessly at the void that strangled him.
"Oh I've had enough racism from the dwarves, thank you!" Nalaea nearly screamed at Xonneth, as her void tendrils tore into his body. "If you won't tell me the truth I'll just rip the answer from your mind!"
"Whoa can she do that?" Elias asked, turning to look at Mabel. "She can't actually do that right?"
"Ummmm... probably?" Mabel said, looking a bit nervous.
Nalaea ignored Elias and Mabel as she probed Xonneth's mind. Flashes of memories not her own came to her. Of previous kalpas, stretching long into the distant past. Of who Xonneth once was, a very long time ago in a place only remembered by four beings in the entire universe. But most importantly, of the War in Heaven, and Mira Frost's rage.
"And there was war in heaven. Agbus and his angels fought, and Itar and his angels did as well, but prevailed not. Cast down and killed by his own friends, for the crime of demanding a fair universe." Xonneth said with a broad grin as Nalaea sunk to her knees, and released her grip on him. "Only here in Nowhere, and only when the door is closed, do I remember who he was. So thank you for this brief respite, Sentinel Herydark. Even his title of Dead God was eventually stolen by his so-called friends."
While Nalaea processed all the memories she had obtained from Xonneth, Xonneth turned his attention to Mabel and Elias.
"You want to know why this knowledge was buried so deeply, don't you?" He asked, seeing the looks of curiosity on both of their faces. "When Royal Void killed him, she reclaimed his purview, since she was the one to slay him. How do you suppose the other Gods felt when they learned that?"
"There was chaos." Vordea answered, opening the door behind them. "Come on, I'll tell you three, and only you three, all about it."