03-31-2018, 07:47 AM
Erik adjusted his grip on Mageslayer as he trudged through the city streets, Emperor floating silently behind him. He could hear some sort of commotion in the streets, footsteps rushing towards the palace and distant conversations between people out of Erik’s sight. Was there a mass congregation of bandits forming in the palace? Erik dreaded the notion, and hoped that the mismatched band that had come to free Nippur wouldn't end up being driven from it with their tails between their legs. Suddenly, a voice pierced the air, full of regal majesty and no small amount of pride. Erik realised who it was before he even announced himself.
The psychic turned to the Emperor with a giddy smile on his face, barely able to contain his excitement. “It's Gilgamesh! He has returned!” Erik managed to say between peals of excited laughter.
“Again with this Gilgamesh guy.” The Emperor said. “So he started a small kingdom. Is he really that big of a deal?”
“He is the God King of New Babylon! Not even the Underverse itself could hold him for long. It only took him…” Erik paused as he calculated how long it had been since Gilgamesh’s banishment. “A few months, give or take, then account for time dilation and it comes out to… Two years, if I'm correct, to conquer hell itself.”
The Emperor seemed slightly unimpressed, but before he could say anything, a guard clad in golden Mesopotamian garb approached the pair. “You two are primes, correct? King Gilgamesh requests the presence of all primes at his palace.”
“What makes you say we’re primes?” Inquired the Emperor.
There was a moment of silence as the guard stared at the giant floating throne with a skeleton on it. “Just a wild guess.” The guard said dryly.
Erik, on the other hand, was almost physically vibrating with joy. “King Gilgamesh requests an audience with us? By the gods, this is one of the best days of my life!” The psychic turned to the Emperor as he sheathed Mageslayer, almost dancing on the spot. “Come on! Let's go! We shouldn't keep him waiting!”
“Are you feeling ok?” The Emperor asked as they made their way towards the palace, the guard leading the way. The ecstatic man before him was a complete 180 from the deadpan Erik he had met before.
“I'm feeling fantastic!” Erik replied, moving as fast as he could without overtaking the guard. “This is the happiest I've been since…” Erik could remember feeling this level of joy before, but there was something blocking the memory. It was if a blanket of static fell over his thoughts when he tried to summon up the thought. “Since something…” Erik’s expression dropped for a moment, before his slightly mad grin returned as he reminded himself of Gilgamesh’s return.
When they were a few streets away from the palace, Erik couldn't contain himself any longer, and raced ahead of the guard and the Emperor. “I’ll see you after my audience!” Erik called back, before dashing through the streets which grew steadily more crowded as he approached the palace. Finally, Erik found himself in the bazaar courtyard, filled with the citizens of Nippur, and pushed through the thick, noisily chatting crowd as he made his way to the palace entrance. Erik’s face fell as, to his disappointment, he saw that the witch Marisa had beaten him to the palace and had entered the throne room with another woman, presumably to have her meeting. Frustrated, Erik waited outside, tapping his boot against the floor in a mix of nervousness and anticipation for his own audience. A sense of unease had entered his gut. One witch was enough, and if Erik had to guess he'd bet that other woman was also magical. The last thing Nippur needed was an infestation of witches.
“Erik! Long time no see.” Said a familiar voice. Erik turned to see the assassin Victor, a wicked grin on his face, as usual. The memories of his first arrival in Nippur flooded Erik and the smile reluctantly returned to The psychic’s face. “How goes it, Victor?” Erik asked.
“It's Lord Victor now.” The assassin quipped with a hint of smugness that Erik had come to miss in a strange way. Victor studied Erik’s face for a moment, before his grin dropped a mote. “Is something wrong? Let me guess, you're nervous for your audience, right?”
Erik shook his head. “You saw the women who just entered the throne room, right?” Erik asked, before Victor nodded far too enthusiastically. “The one in the hat is a witch, and she was alone when he arrived in Nippur. I'm worried that the witches are multiplying.”
“We can only hope.” Victor said, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Erik. “What? Witches are the fun, freaky types. I heard about this one who-” The psychic raised his hand, signalling Victor to stop.
“I can imagine what you're about to say, and I bet that just listening to it will break my vows. Just tell me more about… Your promotion. What does being Lord Victor entail?”
The psychic turned to the Emperor with a giddy smile on his face, barely able to contain his excitement. “It's Gilgamesh! He has returned!” Erik managed to say between peals of excited laughter.
“Again with this Gilgamesh guy.” The Emperor said. “So he started a small kingdom. Is he really that big of a deal?”
“He is the God King of New Babylon! Not even the Underverse itself could hold him for long. It only took him…” Erik paused as he calculated how long it had been since Gilgamesh’s banishment. “A few months, give or take, then account for time dilation and it comes out to… Two years, if I'm correct, to conquer hell itself.”
The Emperor seemed slightly unimpressed, but before he could say anything, a guard clad in golden Mesopotamian garb approached the pair. “You two are primes, correct? King Gilgamesh requests the presence of all primes at his palace.”
“What makes you say we’re primes?” Inquired the Emperor.
There was a moment of silence as the guard stared at the giant floating throne with a skeleton on it. “Just a wild guess.” The guard said dryly.
Erik, on the other hand, was almost physically vibrating with joy. “King Gilgamesh requests an audience with us? By the gods, this is one of the best days of my life!” The psychic turned to the Emperor as he sheathed Mageslayer, almost dancing on the spot. “Come on! Let's go! We shouldn't keep him waiting!”
“Are you feeling ok?” The Emperor asked as they made their way towards the palace, the guard leading the way. The ecstatic man before him was a complete 180 from the deadpan Erik he had met before.
“I'm feeling fantastic!” Erik replied, moving as fast as he could without overtaking the guard. “This is the happiest I've been since…” Erik could remember feeling this level of joy before, but there was something blocking the memory. It was if a blanket of static fell over his thoughts when he tried to summon up the thought. “Since something…” Erik’s expression dropped for a moment, before his slightly mad grin returned as he reminded himself of Gilgamesh’s return.
When they were a few streets away from the palace, Erik couldn't contain himself any longer, and raced ahead of the guard and the Emperor. “I’ll see you after my audience!” Erik called back, before dashing through the streets which grew steadily more crowded as he approached the palace. Finally, Erik found himself in the bazaar courtyard, filled with the citizens of Nippur, and pushed through the thick, noisily chatting crowd as he made his way to the palace entrance. Erik’s face fell as, to his disappointment, he saw that the witch Marisa had beaten him to the palace and had entered the throne room with another woman, presumably to have her meeting. Frustrated, Erik waited outside, tapping his boot against the floor in a mix of nervousness and anticipation for his own audience. A sense of unease had entered his gut. One witch was enough, and if Erik had to guess he'd bet that other woman was also magical. The last thing Nippur needed was an infestation of witches.
“Erik! Long time no see.” Said a familiar voice. Erik turned to see the assassin Victor, a wicked grin on his face, as usual. The memories of his first arrival in Nippur flooded Erik and the smile reluctantly returned to The psychic’s face. “How goes it, Victor?” Erik asked.
“It's Lord Victor now.” The assassin quipped with a hint of smugness that Erik had come to miss in a strange way. Victor studied Erik’s face for a moment, before his grin dropped a mote. “Is something wrong? Let me guess, you're nervous for your audience, right?”
Erik shook his head. “You saw the women who just entered the throne room, right?” Erik asked, before Victor nodded far too enthusiastically. “The one in the hat is a witch, and she was alone when he arrived in Nippur. I'm worried that the witches are multiplying.”
“We can only hope.” Victor said, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Erik. “What? Witches are the fun, freaky types. I heard about this one who-” The psychic raised his hand, signalling Victor to stop.
“I can imagine what you're about to say, and I bet that just listening to it will break my vows. Just tell me more about… Your promotion. What does being Lord Victor entail?”
*The emperor of mankind yeets erik into a sun*
[Today 08:03 pm] Erik Vrell : Bruh
[Today 08:03 pm] The emperor of mankind : don't worship gods
[Today 08:03 pm] Erik Vrell : Bruh
[Today 08:03 pm] The emperor of mankind : don't worship gods