Chapter 780: The Villain Behind the Curtain

Chapter 780: The Villain Behind the Curtain

Oh shit, Alex muttered beneath his breath, his stomach sinking. He could already tell where this was going.

A god, desperate to survive, now being forgotten.

It was easy to guess what had brought Thameland to the situation they found themselves in every hundred years, but Alex still had more questions. Everyones eyes were fixed on Uldar: from the sour look on Birgers face, he'd already figured it out.

He was grimacing and muttering under his breath: oh, by the ancestors, dont, don't do it.

Cedric was beet red.

Oh, by the spirits, Drestras voice crackled.

Bjorgrund, Professor Jules, Watcher Hill, Isolde and Theresa were still watching in rapt attention.

Grimloch and Hart watched stoically, their expressions unreadable.

No Merzhin moaned. Do not be so cruel

Above them, the image of Uldar continued.

I want there to be a record, so I will always know that I did not abandon my people when I left their side. I did not simply recede into my sanctum and leave them to their own devices. I did not leave them to the cold, dark world, to the predation of monsters and tyrants, or the machinations of foreign fae lords.

He began to gesticulate wildly. I sent oracles and revelations to my priests. I provided them with power to work miracles, and even worked miracles for them from a distance! I spoke to my people from afar: granting them counsel and support! And I did not show favouritism to my children either! Just as I cared for the kings and queens, I cared for the most struggling peasant! Even if I could not be physically beside them, I gave them everything any mortal could ask for and more!

A look of deep hatred creased lines across Uldars face. I cursed myself for what I did nextI cursed myself for what I had to do. I knew that the only way for me to survive and heal this putrefying wound was to do what would have been, at one time, the unthinkable. I had toin a waybetray the very people I had sworn to protect. I would need to keep stoking their fear so they would never forget me again. It would only be used as a temporary solution, of course, to be done away with once I healed. There was no other choiceto this day, there is still no other choice.

By the Traveller Theresa swore.

Horrible Merzhin gasped.

For my people, and myself, I would have to keep the fear at a peak so that they might heal me, so that I might keep protecting them foreverand then one day I could rejoin them. But for this to happen, I would need an enemy for them to fear. One so terrifying, that they would flock to my churches again. And to this end, I took inspiration from the two greatest enemies that at one time had brought my kingdom to its knees: the invading Empire and the Ravener. I went to my laboratory, took the shell that I had harvested from the ancient demon lord as a trophyand as an object of study to try and cure my poisoningand used it as a basis to create a construct. A construct so advanced, that it would make the golems of the time look as rudimentary as a wagon wheel.

His chest swelled with pride. I invented entirely new forms of alchemy to create my most fearsome creature. Its power source was twofold: an advanced mana generator, and a vessel to absorb fear. I gave it much of the capabilities of its predecessor and focused on the original Raveners ability to create armies of monsters. I then infused it with a number of protocols and attached them to a mind that allowed it to make decisions within a broad context. It is my greatest creation, apart from Thameland itself, that is, and I look upon the Ravener as my child as much as the people of Thameland are. It is loyal, driven, and would never stop worshipping meif only I were able to infuse it with a true soul. Perhaps, then I could have created an entire army of constructs that simply exist to worship meunfortunately, though, the Raveners reverence did not transition into faith for myself. After all, it did not have a soul. So I needed to continue with my plan.

That bastard, Theresa swore. So that's why he did it all.

To survive, Merzhin said. At the expense of us all.

Arrogance Alex said, feeling a mix of emotions.

The others were quiet.

Unfortunately, I would also need a counter to my peoples enemy, Uldar said. While the Ravener would serve as the object of fear to generate faith in me, such an enemy would be useless if it simply roamed through the realm, killing all who crossed its path. One problem with that, was that I would not be able to stop the Ravener myself. Striking it down with divine might would drain my own power, and allow the people to be less fearful since they would believe they could always count on me to save them from so dangerous a threat. The problem of them becoming comfortable and turning their backs on me would still persist.After all, if I was able to stop it from my sanctum, then what reason would they have to fear it? Yet, if I allowed it to rampage long enough, they would come to see my reluctance to stop it as neglecting them! They would stop worshipping me and even grow to hate me. And so, I had to find a better way to stop my Ravener.

He smiled, then, a smile filled with pride. I had already crafted my villain, but I would need heroes to stop it. Heroes that fought in my name, and on my behalf. Heroes that would generate reverence for me, even as the Ravener generated fear and faith. And so, I found inspiration for these Heroes in the rune-marked of the north: I decided to automate a process where five heroes would be selected to battle the Ravener. While my little construct would forever be destined to be defeated by them; it would also be destined to reconstitute itself after every hundred yearsgiving the people enough time to rebuild, but not enough time to forget their father. New Heroes would be selected every hundred years to face the Ravener in my name. They would be called: the Champion, the Sage, the Saint, the Chosenand they would have a leader, strategist, and teacher who would be a second in command to myself in times of war; The General.

His smile faded rapidly. I had thought myself so brilliant at the time, but in reality I had already built a flaw in my processone that nearly cost me everythingthanks to the General.