From the ichor Serek rose. As the blood ran off him the god smelled smoke in the air and heard screams echoing the forests. Around him the Ancestral City burned. The God of Blood has wished for war and his wish had been granted.

Not many of Graug's mortals had come through the gate, maybe two score of them, but the god of war herself had arrived and she was an army unto herself. The guise were trying to flee the city as the armored figured of war strode through their ancient city. As she walked she would give a casual swing of her sword and cleave one of the blood-steel buildings, or she would throw the silver spear and impale a fleeing guise before raising her hand and calling the weapon back to her. Her mortals were doing much the same. There were so few of them Serek only spotted them occasionally, but they were engaging in the same gluttonous destruction.

"Oh, there you are little bird," Graug commented as she finally spied the arisen God of Blood. "Are you enjoying your lesson?"

Graug brought their War to Shezmu, one that Serek opened the doors for. The same one that followed through on their boastful threats. The very thing that caused his realm to now be set aflame, to loosen cries of death and battle.

Mortals were no challenge for a divine, even with as strong as Serek was, Graug was a walking army. No Guise could escape that in the open. The rival deity tore asunder buildings and children alike as her few mortals followed her example.

Making eye contact the God of Blood listened as he rose and prepared himself, walking idly towards the outlying pools of Ch'ich Āmēyal-li. Serek replied with some energy, "In some ways, I am. Though I can't deny you followed through with what you promised and here I am swallowing my words. It is bittersweet to see you uphold your word, if only you promised to bed the little bird instead. Either way, I stand here fucked to you don't I?" he joked and cursed at Graug. Walking while gripping his blade tightly, tendrils of blood started to out-reach from his bleeding form as they collected what ran freely. Serek Eztli aimed for the Bloodspring.

"So, you have given me your lessons and revel in your ways of War. What now though, what is it you want in return from me and mine?" Serek offered, then continued, "Or do the lessons end when only one remains, for it would asuredly be a shame to go on missing you." Serek spewed somewhat cockily.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:39, Sat 27 Aug 2022.

"What I want? I want war. It is what I was made for." Graug replied. The god of war didn't seem to notice that Serek was leading their conversation towards the flowing pools of Ch'ich Āmēyal-li. If she did, she did not realize the significance of the flowing blood. Without hesitation the god of war follow Serek. Soon he stood knee deep in the life giving pool of blood.

There the battle resumed. Graug seem disinclined for more chatter. She lunged forward and the blood sprayed to either side, her thunderous stomps of her feet sending out in a fan. While Serek's more arcane powers were weakened from his forced waking, he could still control the blood here readily enough, and there was certainly plenty of it. Which was fortunate as Graug reached him and began the battle by reaching him and delivering a powerful kick to his chest. It sent Serek hurtling backwards and smashing into a wall of the temple that had been under construction. The edifice groaned and toppled to send out another splash from the fountain. If the arena in Reket was any indication of things to come, Shezmu would soon bear its own scars from the warring of the two gods.

"Will any War you can feast upon do? Setting yourself against any and all until everyone falls upon you? You may be strong Graug, but why make enemies of anyone you come across? What is it that your wars will protect? Who will fight alongside you arm in arm as your sibling against all odds when the world tree said enough?"

As Serek stood within the pools, Graug was silent within her armor. Giving an click of his beak and tongue in response, Serek prepared himself as the blood parted from Graug's thunderous movements. Arcane strength and control were weakened, leaving much to be desired, however Serek was now within a plentiful amount. Putting cards back into his favor despite the odds stacked against him.

Serek had to keep the damages to his city a minimum while still holding firm within the areas of the Bloodspring and its' construction. Prying himself from the wall, Serek pulled the bloods around him like a large coagulation wave. Firming the blood somewhat to catch Serek should he be sent flying again.

However, he pulled at the blood to make a large waves around both of the clashing gods as they built and towered higher and thicker. "No one else is inclined to face you in battle you know, they snub their noses from it and you. They fear you and avoid you, they try to prove themselves better than you. View you as a mindless bloodthirsty brute, but we both know better than that don't we? War is necessary and bloody. There are those who remain and those who don't. If you would wage war and no one else will answer that call, I said that I would wage it with you. Whether that be against or alongside. I would fill your bloody cup from my ever bleeding heart. You are the strongest challenge yet, of course I want to overcome it and give everything until the end. Yet are there not better places to aim your blade than the throats of those who would be your only ally?"

"So here we stand now. How does it taste your drunken spoils, are you full yet? Are you having fun yet or are you itching for another course at this dinner party?" Serek knew Graug was not much of a talker. They had been fighting for days, yet their only real exchange of words had been with their weapons. Anticipating an attack in return from Graug, Serek released a wave of blood intent on sweeping him up above Graug to retaliate with his scythe.

This battle within Shezmu was Serek's last stand. Fixing the focus and control of his own blood, Serek sent it into an extended adrenaline. Pumping his own flow into overdrive as his heart thrummed to provide more energy, speed, and power overall. The ever bleeding wounds that seeped from their sutures clotted close, a sign of Serek's seriousness.

The blood pools underfoot drained away as Serek imposed his will and had the springs rise up on all sides to box in this new arena. It left the two able to fight on dry land. But in Serek's weakened state the divine raised walls were only little stronger than the stone ones raised by the mortals. The clash between Serek and Graug easily carried them through one of the sanguine barriers, shattering it and sending splinters of the hardened blood flying. The destruction spilled over onto a street and another handful of buildings were brought down by another sweep of Graug's blade.

While Serek's ability to wield the blood here was weakened currently, it was still distracting when it moved unexpectedly. When Serek would raise up more walls of blood it would a fraction of a moments hesitation while Graug assessed the movement. Small micro-opportunities, most of which were too fleeting for Serek to seize upon, but they were there.

In Shezmu Serek was managing to go mostly unscathed, though the same couldn't be said for the Ancestral City. The god of blood could scarcely pull his eyes away from the fight, but streets were being shattered, buildings toppled and the pools of the blood spring rearranged.

This message was deleted by the player at 21:50, Tue 30 Aug 2022.

Brushed through the hardened waves and into the streets of the Ancestral city, Serek caught glimpes of the destruction wrought by their battle. The God of Blood's efforts weren't for not however as his keen eyes picked up small subtlies from Graug while they fought.

Serek pulled at the rejuvenating blood of Ch'ich Āmēyal-li to coat the fresh wounds gathering on his divine body (+5hp). Wearing the excess  blood like a flowing coat on his burial shroud.

Serek pulled up more waves of blood working them like a labyrinth between the clashing divinities. Rushing behind the hardening blood's cover as he did to get lost within. An action that would probably provoke Graug's destructive stength. Serek would have to make well timed two prong attacks with his blood and scythe, one acting as the distraction and one real. This required more experimentation on his side. However, Serek did not want to risk the battle ongoing within the city for much longer. No, he needed to keep it to where the damage was already done or out to the watery jungles of Shezmu. Though at the risk of exposing his only other weapon and power to an element that could very well cut his weakened ability in his current awakened state. Sadly, he was more at the mercy of Graug's control of the battlefield and would not repeat the error of running into her barrier again.

The battle raged back and forth across the Ancestral City. Blood-steel bent and folded like paper and the foundations of houses shattered. Fighting across the ravaged pools of Ch'ich Āmēyal-li Serek had the opportunity to mend his wounds even as they were freshly opened again in Reket. The advantage kept him alive, his flesh and bones mending in a way that the city could not. The guise could no longer be spotted, the city having been abandoned in the face of this divine feud. Serek was torn, he wanted to move the fight where it would do less damage. And the fight could be moved, while he couldn't flee Graug, he had a certain amount of room that could be maneuvered. Slowly Serek could drag the fight out of the city, but that meant leaving behind the Blood Springs.

Here in Shezmu Graug answered the comments the god of blood made in another world. "It seems you're properly learning of war."

Decision

Maneuver the Fight to the Jungle: Serek could slowly move the fight out of the Ancestral City. It meant sparing the city the devastation that was yet to come. The clash of Reket where the grounds were blasted into craters and new chasms had been carved was testament to how great the destruction could become.

Maintain the Advantage: Or Serek could continue the fight within the pools of Ch'ich Āmēyal-li. It ensured he'd had access to the healing powers of the spring, arguably his only advantage in the fight, but it meant allowing what damage might unfold upon the Ancestral City.

Serek continued to wail his blade and haft against Graug's weapons and armor as the clashed across the Ancestral City. More at the mercy of his opponent for where the fighting took place within the area, structures and land bent and broke to their clashes. With each destruction it was like Serek's will to care and wrath on the matter traded energy. Leaving meant saving the pools and the city from further damage but also abandoning his only advantage in their fight. "Thank you. You could say I am a quick learner, but I've lost track of how long we've been at this now."

If Serek chose to fight in the jungle, he would have to settle with their fight possibly making him lost to being able to return to the Ancestral City and Ch'ich Āmēyal-li if needed. "When we first started I didn't know what to expect, well except that one of us might end up dead."

Thinking it best for the moment to Maintain the Advantage for now. Serek needed to figure out how to best capitalize on his only advantage. "Your mortals are hardened and fearless. I must ask, how long do you think this will last until your current ways become obsolete to the evolutions that surround us? All this destruction will eventually collapse upon itself if it is not refined, supported, and fueled properly. The only way I could see that now is from others and what they can provide outside of wars. Much like my Guise, they are similar to raw metals. Yet to be purified and forged into an even stronger, deadlier, and more flexible form."

Pulling at the surrounding blood with his talons, Serek unleashed multiple blasts of the solidifying projectiles. All centered at the God of War as he closed in on Graug with his blade held tightly.

In this battle between divinities, the Ancestral City became the true casualty. Wisely deciding to fight where he had strength, Serek kept the battle within the blood springs. While Serek could not match Graug in a fight, the god of blood was hardy, immensely so, and now he had a way to mend his wounds. The battle that followed lasted for years. Seasons came and went. The fought beneath scorching sun and fought when frigid cold threatened to freeze the blood. Rain and wind battered them.

In Reket Serek took grevious wounds while in Shezmu he healed them. The divine self who fought in Graug's world was able to prevent any further brutes of Graug's from entering the gateway, but little else. In Shezmu what had been a growing city was smashed, the ruins were then shattered, then that rubble was further pulverized. The blood springs were reshaped every day and then battered into new designs the next. And still the battle raged.

Perhaps it was nearly a century of fighting. Perhaps it was the aura of diplomacy that Serek had borrowed. But there came a day where Graug took her blade which was raised in yet another swing, and she lowered it. "Pah. Enough of this." she growled behind her helmet. The god of war waved a hand and called up a portal. It seemed she had lost her taste for the fight.

Serek had fought the god of war to a standstill.

This left the decision to Serek. Over those many decades he'd landed a few blows, not many, but a few. If he kept up this battle with his advantage here he may just win. It was a question now of; did the god of blood still have the same yearning for battle that he did when this conflict started?

Continue the Battle: Serek could intervene before Graug leaves through the portal. The battle will resume and time will tell who is the victor.

Draw the Lines in the Sand: Or Serek could allow Graug to break off the conflict. It would be a cessation to the violence. For how long? One could not say, but both sides would withdraw from the two realms and the conflict would cease at this time.

As Graug and Serek upheld the clash around the constantly reshaping pools of Ch'ich Āmēyal-li, time went on from endless days to passing seasons well into growing years. With the God of Blood keeping to his advantage within Shezmu his body was damaged constantly through battle especially within Reket. What was once the growing and evolving Ancestral City home to his Guise now became shattered beyond repair and recognition, even the ruins were broken down as the deities destroyed them in their fight.

Yet Serek measured Graug closely as their battle waged almost endlessly, the blows he landed were not numerous as his rivals but they existed where his healed and reopened over and over. There was always an underling of rage within Serek Eztli as he fought Graug, surfacing several times in their engagements. Graug had let Serek retreat to his home before, but she did so with the intent to invade Shezmu. Now that they fought across both their realms for years, she had enough and would simply walk away?

No, the God of Blood would not simply let the God of War walk from his realm freely. Especially not with such a great chance for events to unfold as they did a second time. Something needed to change or else Serek would aim to end it now as he chose to when they first started. Choosing to Continue the Battle, Serek reacted with all his power possible. Talons pulled waves of blood to intercept the leaving divinity. Dashing in after Graug with his blade. "You thought I'd simply let you leave with things like this?" Serek spoke with an indignitation as he asked Graug that almost seriously. The bubbles of his anger came out, "If you have had enough then you, no, WE will talk."

Re-engaging and clashing with Graug if necessary should they continued to put up a fight to leave or reignite their battle. "I want an alliance with you, one with rules and stipulations for any future wars between us or any others apart of that. Ones that we shall uphold with an exchange of blood and oath."

Serek almost seemed fed up as he pointed at the hulking armored goddess, "I have done as I said and you have done as you pleased. The esteemed Lady Graug has helped to destroy my home, brought death and ruin where ever you have walked, filled yourself with our blood for fun, and fought until you simply gave up and walked away? Your blessing to my departure earlier was no such thing other than a game of cat and mouse."

"All of this time and effort simply wasted in desolation just as I told you. Neither of us has accomplished anything in the slightest, in fact we have only hindered eachother. You are overdue for a rest and already interrupted mine, and believe I will do the same onto you with like wise disregard if things continue as they do currently. This is not over yet and we both know that, so let us deal with it appropriately or finish this War here. I refuse to let my children's lives and our progress go up in flames for absolutely nothing in return." To that end alone, Serek stood his ground with all of his divinity to back him up if necessary. Knowing already that one should not fight if they aren't willing to lose it all, Serek would not walk away empty handed. No he would rather die that way.

Hoping for Graug to work with him after a century of fighting rather than spark right back into it. Serek opened up his thoughts again, "I don't believe that you are some evil heartless deity. You have pride and love for your mortals, but know the costs and are willing to make the hard decisions. You take stride in both capabilities and strength, you even boast them seeking to be acclaimed for your accomplishments! When you take out your blade it is to kill, because that is what War is. It can be ugly, bloody, lead to ruin, and it can be good for nothing other than utter desolation. However that is not all that life is nor is it all that War is or can be. War gives option for Peace, a way to developement of safety, improvement of self and those around to claim victory. It provides a sense of value for life and death both. It is any battle between two forces striving to win beyond just our bodies. There is more than just the War of death and arbitration. They require acute minds, as well many supports beyond just the muscle and skill.

Shaking his head some, the God of Blood relented as he spoke the last he had to say in trying to convince the estranged sibling. "I ask of you to only consider them and work to help support each other. If we are to fight another day, let us do so with honor and restraint for one another as hardened rivals who can understand eachother past just our blades and not as just enemies. Let us take up arms against any common foe, to drink as we feast and speak of our tales in both battle and out!"

Graug was barred from entering her portal when Serek moved to intervene. In response his lower beak was snapped clean away. Thankfully the grisly wound was something that the Blood Spring could mend. The fighting then recommenced. Serek had a great deal to say, but it took him twenty more years to say it as he could only work in a word or a sentence here or there while he avoided, or took, blows. "Pah, it speaks of honor, yet it stole into another gods realm in the dark of night with its mortals. It was a good trick, worthy of a war, but you still mistake what war truly is. It is not about honor, or peace." Graug spat back.

The Ancestral City was officially no more. Ch'ich Āmēyal-li were no longer Blood Springs either, but rather Blood Falls as the land had cracked and fallen over the years was now dozens of feet lower than what it had been, having been reshaped by this primal battle. Only the occasionally blood-steel beam here or a stone column there were any indication that this had been the Ancestral City at all.

Standing in this newly formed basin with a fine mist of cascading blood falling around them, Graug replied. "Fine. I will give you one battle to fight side by side. If the battle pleases me, maybe there will be more. If it does not. We will not." It was a far cry from the long speech Serek had delivered, albeit over a number of years, but it was far more than Graug had stated during the last century of their conflict. Under their feet the flowing blood from the falls drained away into the cracked earth.

Serek's beak pulled back a smile as it snapped back, "No but those are the concepts that surround us and War because of what it is. Following and chasing after it like the swept up ash caught in the winds of fate, blowing through the rubble of your desolation."

The falls cascaded around them. Serek would need to rename this place in the future. An afterthought and distraction from the opposition and task ahead of him. There was little left that showed or hinted it was a city before. Now the land was scared and repainted under the weight of their fighting.

Graug spoke as they called for one more battle to make up their mind on the matter. As if they hadn't been fighting for ever now. Serek shook his head as he raised his chest and shoulders high, waving his scythe out infront of him. The God of Blood knew he would have to preform his best attempt in this next ongoing battle with the God of War, aim for the throat and hold nothing back. "Come Ryūketsu, let us settle this once and for all."

Serek Eztli coated himself and his blade with a layer of blood from the falls. Manipulating and controlling the blood along with himself to aid in response and power. Serek knew he wouldn't have high amounts of blood readily, as underfoot it hadn't time to fill in the area and cracks. Instead, Serek separated his winged and taloned arms behind him.

Separately the arms worked slowly to begin gathering a sphere of blood within the falls to coalesce and gain pressure. Waiting and preparing it until ready and the moment in battle was right to show it off and be used properly.

Engaging with Graug again, Serek went all out as he aimed and guided both body and blade at his target. Trying to pass their defense and offense with his own. Serek needed to let go of his defense and use outright offense as his only shield now. Only by releasing his unrelenting force could he hope to even contend or pry past the obstacle known as Graug, God of War.

Not content with the passing alliance that Graug had agreed to, Serek rejoined the fight. And so it raged on. It came as a surprise when it ended.

Over the intervening centuries Serek had managed to land a few blows. When he got another in now he was surprised as he felt Graug's weight carry forward and through the blow. The god of war had been fighting as ferciously as she had a century ago, but it seemed this last blow from Ryūketsu had been the last. The god of wars armored figure staggered, then buckled and collapsed. Serek had emerged victorious.

It had been a long, drawn out battle. In an even fight there was no change, but through carefully choosing the location of the battle and utilizing his strengths, Serek had weathered the storm that had been the god of wars onslaught. After the world rending clash, the end felt almost anticlimactic as Graug buckled and collapsed. The larger than life figure seeming to shrink of death.

OOC: This death will occur in the Challenge of Wits thread after the challenge is fully resolved.

With the battle down, the dust began to settle.

The great clash had stirred up lingering power and that had crystallized over the century of feuding. Serek was far better versed in conflict now than he had been once before, his body had been weathered and tempered, though at the cost of stunting his mind. Standing at the basin of the newly formed blood falls. Serek had a moments peace for the first time in decades.

Rewards for the Death of War

1 Essence
Military +1 Rank (Both Serek and the guise)
Combat Skill +1 Rank (Combat skill of Serek's choice)
60% Divine Advancement

Gliding his blade through Graug's figure, this blow differed from all the rest. Rather than have a counter attack land on him, or hear a pained groan escape from Graug. There was a long quiet that came as their armored body fell through the attack and collapsed. Serek's eyes stared blankly at the fallen rival unsure what to expect.

This wasn't how he imagined if, though Graug had been accumulating wound after wound over the centuries as they bleed instead of healed. Eventually it became too much for the opposing goddess. The stillness of peace washed over the two as the falls fell into silence instead of echoing their ringing metal and clash. There were many things that Serek and hopefully his people learned after this extended conflict. Battle and Combat were now no longer foreign ideas or concepts, but ones that they were plunged into for years and years to be shaped and bent by.

As Serek rested in the falls over Graug's fallen over corpse, the God of Blood released a loud caw across the area. One to signal both his victory and pain over the matter. "Lady Graug, God of War, you did not stop or waver until the very bitter end. It was circumstance that I overcame your power. In the end, I sacrificed much to stand Victor."

Loaming over the corpse, Serek leaned down as he held the haft to Ryūketsu to support him. "Let us deliver the God of War's final rite, Ryūketsu. I shall uphold your glory in part within me and reap the most I can from this." Serek said that as he closed Graug's eyes through her helmet. Bringing his talons over the crimson flowing wounds, Serek began to gather all of Graug's previously flowing divine ichor as the God of Blood chanted quietly. "Let light rise out of the darkness as I raise blood from flesh and life from death. Let us carry on with your rites of blood and death, may you wake in the afterlife as one who has passed my divine sentencing of blade and bone. In life, Graug you carried War through your veins as a divine carrier. Heralding destruction, death, and commanding battle along your rides. Yet in death, I shall learn from our folleys and raise our banner ever higher! Together, we shall carry Blood and War through the ages within my bleeding heart and body." Serek continued the process to arrange the sole funeral of the goddess before him. Taking all of Graug's blood, Serek consumed it slowly as he bathed in the divine blood committing Aramanth

Pulling at the Blood Falls, Serek used his hemocrafting skills and manipulation to help move Graug to rest along her back with arms folded infront atop her blade. Removing carefully from the deceased was their spear made of essence. Pulling over his feathers, the long black burial shroud coated the top layer of Graug. Wrapping it around the dead, Serek pulled it until tautly drapping Graug's form. "May your immortal soul and powerful essence be set free to fly from this mortal vessel smattered with the blending of Elements and Blood. I shall tend to this shell and have already drained its' liquid tether to the divine for myself. Go as thy merit permits, to the heavens or earths. Be set unto the waters and make thy home in the plants with all your members."

Tendrils of blood raised around the blood steel coffin, pushing through and washing the flesh of the deceased thoroughly before draining away. Getting onto his knees, Serek kneeled at the coffin side. Giving soft muttering prayers and hymns to the deceased goddess as he continued to watch over Graug for three whole days and nights in hymn and prayer. When it was over, Serek stood and patted Graug's hands. All around the blood steel coffin tendrils wrapped around, pulling it through the cracks and down into the depths of the Blood Falls as it sealed itself.

Now, the threat within Shezmu had passed alongside the time it took to bury that threat. Centuries came and went, Guise were hardly seen. Serek stumbled through the torn realm seeking what was left of his people. There was the realm of Reket to lay claim to now as well for him and his people. A strong people to overcome for the Guise as friend, foe, and vessel. Yet now, Serek feared going back into rest despite knowing the necessity of it. Leaving his realm as is was hardly what he desired.

+1 Rank to Polearms!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:22, Fri 09 Sept 2022.

Kneeling beside the body of Graug, Serek spoke flowery words and conducted rituals of honor, but he engaged in Aramanth. This despicable act of divine cannabalism infused immediate power into Serek, great and potent power indeed, but it left him stained. The taint of Aramanth was etched upon the God of Blood and would be unmistakable to other divinities. This was a crime that could not be hidden. A steep price to pay considering how much the help of other gods had helped in this fight. But it was done, the crime was committed, there was no going back now.

Of the fallen gods of wars power, Serek could choose:

Physical Infusion: The prodigious physical a capabilities of Graug could be harvested from this blood. It would provide an immediate surge of strength and prowess.
Stat Increase: Add +1 to two physical stats of your choice.

Obtained No Quarter: Or the divine power of Graug's which held a combatant nearby could be collected. This ensured that once a fight was started, the other party would struggle to leave, it would require their Essence competing with Serek's Will.
New Divine Power: No Quarter - Hinders another god from leaving combat, the strength is Serek's Will vs the other gods Essence.

Implement of War: The Silver Spear: Or Serek could collect the Silver Spear, which had itself been collected by Graug. The slender thrown weapon had the uncanny ability to return upon being thrown, giving it the ability to surprise enemies who thought the throw had missed.
Artifact: The Silver Spear - A thrown weapon that can also be called back allowing it to attack again on the return.

Giving Graug her final processions, Serek was flushed with the stain of his vile act of Aramanth. Consuming the other's divine being, Serek was washed over with the immediate flow of power provided by it. Serek considered the stain emanating from him, it would make things difficult in different ways. Serek had many divines to repay for where he stood, though in his own way like Graug, he didn't care too much what the other gods thought. Was the price worth it? A thought he would have much time to mull over, however the God of Blood laid in the choices he made and their outcome.

Reaping from the fallen god of war, Serek's body molded itself as the Physical Infusion bolstered the divinity's Strength and Finesse both.

With the process over, Serek left stained and Graug's coffin sinking into obscurity within the Blood Falls. Brushing through the jungles of Shezmu, the God of Blood began his search for what remained of the Guise. Finding out what they had been up to and faired was important to him. There was a part that was scarred they had all passed with their clash across the center of the realm for so many years. To him, there was life to get back to.

Leaving the ruins of the Ancestral City, Serek struck out to find his people. It was not a difficult task, the first of the guise could be found only a stones throw away from the city. They recoiled at Serek's approach till they realized it was the god of blood who had emerged victorious from the long dispute. They hurried forward to greet him.

Only a handful of Graug's mortals had made it through the gate and, while they had slain several guise for each of them, save for Vez'ek'tin who had slain several single handedly. That had been years ago though, since then the guise had retreated back, only occasionally sneaking into the city ruins to gather up blood from areas where the two gods were not fighting before retreating again. It had not been greats amount of blood though, certainly not enough to sustain the entire guise population, as such many of them had aged and many were malnourished. While most of the population had survived, the population of guise overall were aged and withered. Access to the Blood Spring would stop the aging process and restore health, but it would not undo the ravages of time and make them young again.

Without the Blood Spring and its boundless sustenance and material for blood-steel, the new settlements that the guise had created on the outskirts of the ravaged battlefield were far cruder structures of lashed together and woven reed roofs. Luckily most of their knowledge of crafts had survived, but the infrastructure they'd built over more than an era had been destroyed, setting the guise had significantly. The war had unwoven centuries of progress.

Drawing through the luminescent brushes and grooves, over verdant flowers and shattered treelines. Serek was able to find the Guise around the ruins of their once standing Ancestral City. At first they recoiled, most likely unsure if it was an enemy or if the fighting still was ongoing. Yet now Serek stood among his people as the Victor of the long waged battle. Vez'ek'tin seemed the most inclined of all his people when it came to slaying the foe, though he was both a Hero and Heir of Blood.

Opening his arms to the Guise coming to greet him, Serek smiled some. "The battle is over, I have slain Graug, God of War. Her resting place now lays within the falls. You were all strong to have survived and made it this far. This war has reaped from us all of our hard work and the Ancestral City. A place that has remained a home to Guise since I first arrived and departed Shezmu. Yet, the beating heart of the wildlings live within us. These hardships help shape us like fine bloodsteel. Not all is lost as we hold onto our knowledge, skills, traditions, and spirit of will to carve ahead."

Walking through the Guise, Serek gazed at them all slowly. "I can not undo the marks of time and strife against you. However, let us come together in the heart of the realm again. We shall welcome honored guests into our home. They shall help us to rebuild, to learn, to grow, and we shall help provide and work together. My venerated siblings shall join us on our home in these hard times, let us welcome them with open arms. We shall celebrate the end of this war and our coming together to start a new age within Shezmu. There may you feast to your heart's content. I hold great news and plans I wish to share with you among everyone else."

Serek spent time then gathering the Guise and leading a convoy along side all of their encampments. Talking in length with them as he did. Bringing them all together to what used to be the Blood Springs. Allowing them to gorge and sate any hungers or wounds. They were still malnutritious and wore the scars of time. Now would be a time for them to truly start repopulating their smaller numbers, Serek imparted to them. As well a point that they must diversify their food and gatherings outside of the blood falls.

However, Serek was a diligent worker, beginning the steps to help lay out the starting foundations for buildings, shelters, and crafters alike. Mainly preparing to recieve the other deities, their aid, and possibly mortals.