Mundane Lives: The Dreamer's Coven

ZZZWOON...

[Pristine Chapels-MYRIAD]

Akelus warped onto the huge platform, surrounded by thousands of souls. He had ascended with the humanoid form of a regal and magnificent white lion. His eyes were gleaming gold, adorned with sharp and striking black stripes across his pristine white face. He had grown taller, a bit buff, but his body was very toned, it seemed like it was chiseled from the very fabric of Yggdrasil itself.

He was draped in a pale orange robe. He wore two bracelets made of beads on both his hands. One set bleak while the other glowing.

He gazed around with wide eyes smiling brightly.

"So this realm will be my home from now on.", he thought to himself, smirking. "Not too shabby."

The inner walls of the chapels were domed. Adorned in pristine white marble, and spotted with pitch black obsidian. The inner linings between the tiles were made with brightly shining gold. The platform itself seemed to be made out of translucent pale green jade. Several [Incarnations] hovered around the platform in the shape of sacred beasts, fairies, espers, warriors, artefacts, treasures, etc. All of them were dancing around as they guided the souls through different aisles.

He felt a keen gaze on his back. Turning around he met eyes with a black wolf. It was lean and tall, with sleek black fur. It wore a white tailcoat, with black threading and silver lining. It's piercing black eyes staring down at Akelus. 

"What's his deal?.. creep", shuddered Akelus.

"Hahahaha!!! this place is magnificent and pristine.", laughed a monstrous and grim voice.

Startled, Akelus turned around to look at the person laughing. He saw a towering beast, humanoid, with huge and powerful wings. It's head was adorned with two menacing horns jutting out from the sides. It had a brilliant white face with blood red eyes.

The Monster then cast an ominous gaze on both Akelus and the black wolf.

As if responding to the monster's gaze, Akelus' eyes glowed bright white.

{[Pathfinder]:

Three bright white sigils formed over the head of the demon, the wolf and Akelus himself.}

The three continued staring at each other till the middle aged man beside the demon escorted him through some corridor, along with other [Incarnations].

"That... has never happened before.", Akelus grimaced.

The fantasy like [Incarnations] started sorting the souls through different aisles and corridors, adorned with different sigils and emblems. Most of the souls... more like pale wraiths went through a huge corridor leading to a sanctuary.

Whoosh...

One of the [Incarnations] approached Akelus. In a whisping cloud of mist, she materialized right before him. She had a pristine body with pale white skin and a jovial bright face. She had pitch black hair and dense red eyes. She wore a white gown with greyish-blue sleeves and a black bodice with a reddish hue.

The world around Akelus started swirling and shattering, replaced with endless void and a plane of crystal clear water. His eyes went blank, as he meandered into an aisle with the emblem of a cloudy hourglass.

The saintly [Incarnation] strode forward, water rippling beneath her feet as she approached Akelus,

["You are an interesting one."], her serene voice resonated across the endless void. Her red eyes gleamed brightly in the dark void, with a bright jovial smile adorning her face.

Akelus became tense and startled at the sudden shift in environment. His eyes gleamed bright gold as furiously looked around into warping purple void. The pale water beneath shifted increasing it's depth till it became ankle deep holding Akelus in place.

["Now.. Now.. there is no need to be this anxious, my dear"], continued the mysterious [Incarnation]. ["Nothing is going to happen to you here, at least not in [MYRIAD]."]

"If we could be a bit more civil about whatever you are trying to do here, then maybe I would not be this startled.", grimaced Akelus, still looking around furiously.

He tried to break free, but the pale water beneath kept him rooted in spot.

["Oh... I didn't mean to startle you."], the [Incarnation] replied to Akelus, as if she were reading his mind. ["Make yourself comfortable, this is nothing but a trivial formality. Don't mind the water just try to calm your mind and relax."]

Akelus closed his eyes and took deep breath. The water around him rippled into circle, freeing him.

He opened his eyes with a tranquil expression. He was standing on a sturdy cliff. The moon shone brightly above. Starry navy blue sky, lush green trees surrounded the cliff. A bustling city was visible down below the cliff.

Akelus gazed upon the city, breathing in the immense nostalgia overwhelming him.

Whoosh...

He turned around and saw the mysterious [Incarnation] sipping tea while holding an embroidered blueish-grey umbrella.

"Who are you?", he questioned the aloof lady.

["I am your perception of desire, ambition, so on and so forth. But!.. you can call me [Hypnos]."], said the [Incarnation] with a bright smile

"Why have you brought me here?", asked Akelus.

["Welcome! to the [Dreamer's Coven]."], replied Hypnos. ["And like I said the reason I brought you here is just a trivial formality. We can get this done quickly. Can you tell me the name that is shown to you?"]

Several letters swirled around Akelus forming a word-

"[Walpurjis]", he declared.

["Hu Hu Hu... I knew it! You are an interesting one."], Hypnos grinned. ["Remember this place?"]

"I do.", replied Akelus.

["Nothing better than some good old nostalgia, isn't that right."], continued Hypnos. ["This is where you started it all, your ambitions, your dreams, your resolution.]

Akelus just silently stared beyond the city at the vast mountain range in the horizon.

["The tale of the legendary [Mountains of Guluan]."], proclaimed Hypnos. ["Do you know where you went wrong?"]

"I sought for solace in isolation.", replied Akelus.

["Not just that you started losing faith in yourself, had you trusted your abilities a bit more things would have ended differently."], said Hypnos with a sigh.

["Well that is in the past now.], Hypnos continued. ["What do you think about your new home?"]-

"Well, so far it's not that bad.", replied Akelus.

["That's good to know you are adapting to this realm."], said Hypnos. ["Do you have any factions in mind?"]

"None that I plan to join.", replied Akelus.

["That's alright, let me see you out."], said Hypnos, as she snapped her fingers. The realm around them distorted back into the dark abysmal void.

She teleported herself right in front of Akelus, and placed her palm over his head.

[Pathfinder]

His eyes turned azure, a prominent azure line formed piercing through the void as it dispersed.

["Shame, you truly were a Genius..."], mused Hypnos as her voice trailed off.

Akelus found himself in the center of a bustling market. There were several realms floating high above like stars in the sky, where many [Incarnations] of all shapes and form were trading goods, most of them were zooming from one realm to another, carrying resources. Some [Incarnations] dressed in black suits, hovered over the market supervising it.

"That went smoothly.", thought Akelus, as he exclaimed. "I am finally here!!!"

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[Pristine Chapels : Sanctuary]

Vulkon entered the sanctuary ,along with Jesus and St. John. His towering figure strode into the room. At the far end of the sanctuary, above a flight of stairs were five thrones. There were four [Incarnations] waiting for them, seated on four thrones. 

On the pure white throne, an [Incarnation] with regal silver white hair, adorned with a magnificent white crown was seated. He had an extremely well toned and chiseled body, wearing a cloudy grey toga with blue linings.

On another throne made out of oak branches, sat the one who wore an oak crown over his head, he was draped in Nordic armor. He looked like a child, with long flowing regal golden-brown hair.

The third throne was pitch black, and formless. It was occupied by the [Sovereign of Erebos]: [Hades]. His palms clasped together, as his cloudy mannequin like face stared down at Vulkon. He wore a shirt, braces and a butchers apron. He had two cleavers holstered on his waist.

The fourth throne was shrouded in a cloudy mist, and it only had warping white eyes glaring through the mist. This [Incarnation] was the [God of Dreams-Hypnos].

And lastly the empty fifth throne. It was made out of obsidian, with it's frame shrouded in bright orange flames. The flames burnt brightly in desolation.

"It seems everyone is in session.", spoke the child like [Incarnation], with a grim expression. 

Everyone seated, nodded in unison.

He gazed upon Vulkon with indifference, and commanded.

"Let the ritual commence!"

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