Chapter 4. The Deal

Hayden   1889 A.E.G.

Andras spoke to his followers, “Find strength in me. Use it to fight evil and spread my name. Be pleasing in my eyes, and you will soar on dragon’s wings.”
The Gospel of Fire 1:12-13

	Hayden whipped his head back and forth. He looked for the sound of the voice. It did not sound human. Had the Chained arrived? If so, Hayden could only hope the Templars destroyed the demons before they killed him. The ground darkened. It pulled Hayden’s attention upward. He took a step back in fear as the color of Vaemia’s sun turned midnight black, like someone was painting ebony over it. Soon, the entire star was engulfed beside a narrow vertical slit in the middle, which turned ruby red. Realization struck Hayden. He pulled out his amulet and saw it was the exact design. The eye above was staring right at him. His amulet was warm.
	“What?” Hayden said.
	
	The landscape changed still.
	
	Every fire that Hayden could see started to move and burn, changing color to match the midnight black of the sun. His jaw fell. Lining the horizon all around him, he saw armored titans stand to their full height. Hayden thought they might breach the atmosphere. They all had leathery wings folded along their backs. Every bit of them was covered in master-crafted armor. The sets were bulky, composed of individual plates that did not restrict movement in any way.
	All across the armor, Hayden saw dictums inscribed in blazing red. On each of them, Hayden saw a smaller form of the eye above floating above their shoulders and above their heads. This time, however, the eyes seemed to be composed of ruby and the metal of Andras: dragon iron. Their helms completely covered their faces but were elongated as is to cover a snout. They each carried a circular shield and spear.
	
	There was no mistaking it. These figures were angels of Andras, belonging to one of the highest tiers, the Thrice-Crowned. The angels slammed the butt of their spears into the ground in perfect synchronization. The resulting sound was thunderous and omnipresent. The angels formed a steady beat with their weapons. It was like the announcement of the apocalypse. Each slam onto the ground rocked Hayden’s bones.
	He felt true fear in his heart. But in that maelstrom of fear was a measure of peace. The only logical explanation here was that Hayden had died. Angels surrounded him, and he was in some sort of dreamscape. They were here to take him to Andras’s domain. He may have failed in the most catastrophic way possible, but now at least he did not live with those failures. He could see his friends again and apologize to them. Hayden could possibly see Leena again. That would be a tearful reunion. Hayden smiled.
	
	Hayden stood there, waiting for what was to come next. The concert of spears increased in pace. Hayden looked up, and from the eye above, he saw a winged, dark figure fly toward him at great speed. Precisely as the figure landed in a billow of dust, the spears slammed down one last time. Hayden covered his eyes. When he opened them, his mouth was agape.
	
	Andras stood in front of him in his full divine glory.
	
	Hayden’s illusion did not do an iota of justice to seeing the god. The Andras’s scales were iron, darker than the blackest night. Rivers of red magma ran through his scales. Hayden felt a gentle warmth radiate off of him. Thick muscle encompassed each limb. He had the perfect warrior’s body. Andras stood upright on his hind legs. His full height was easily over three times Hayden’s. Around his hip, a greatsword, far larger than Hayden, hung in its scabbard. The scabbard was not ornate and appeared built for only functional use. On Andras’s waist, Hayden also saw a great hammer and other blacksmithing tools. His teeth were like daggers. Six horns came from his skull, twisting upward. A pair of reptilian eyes looked down at him, but they did not contain any malice or similar emotion. Surprisingly, they held a measure of respect.
	
	Hayden stood there, stunned, before he realized he should show some respect. He lowered his head and put his fist to his heart. A thousand different emotions swirled in Hayden’s head. To see his god in person was a spectacular experience by itself. The Captain did not have any doubts of his existence. When demons regularly invaded the physical plane and mentioned the Prime Gods by name, it was hard to deny their existence. But to have Andras visit him in person was something else entirely. It meant he had perhaps not failed entirely; his suffering had purpose.
	
	“Am I dead?” Hayden asked rhetorically, expecting a certain answer.
	~No,~ the god answered. Andras’s voice was otherworldly, rich in bass that demanded everyone pay attention.
	
	That one word cut through Hayden’s mind. Not dead? What in Utopia was going on then?	
	Andras continued. ~You are being given a choice, Hayden. I have selected, chosen, picked you to be my Apostle. You have proven yourself countless times.~ He extended his clawed hand toward Hayden. ~Join me. Together, we will win against the forces of Inarus and Moraxis. We can prevent the wars that ravage this galaxy from ever happening again.~
	
	Hayden gazed up at his god, his face blank. His mind operated under a thousand beats per minute. He had just accepted his death and was now told he could go back. Hayden didn’t necessarily want to die, but he had no idea what being an Apostle would entail. Even if he didn’t want to die, his fighting spirit was crushed. More fighting occupied the last space in his mind. Furthermore, something about this situation felt off.
	“What am I supposed to do as your Apostle?” Hayden asked.
	~You will become my champion upon the material plane. I will give you new powers and a new body beyond what any mortal could possibly achieve.~ Andras responded.
	“And who am I supposed to use these powers on?”
	~The Apostles of the other gods, of course, and to destroy the demons of the Chained Gods wherever you see them. It will be your job to bring about my kingdom, to be the savior of my followers. You will be my answer to their prayers at night. You will be my sword and shield.~
	
	Confusion still wrestled in Hayden’s mind. The Republic of Ashua, which worshipped Andras, often fought the Inarian Kingdom of Ostrus. And humanity had not had much contact with Moraxis-worshipping voracious beings since the Gore War over five hundred years ago. These factions fought, but Hayden had never heard of any Apostles in his lifetime.
	“I still don’t understand,” Hayden said.
	Andras looked to the sky. ~An explanation is in order, I suppose. We gods cannot directly interact with the mortal plane in any major way since the First War, by our own design. But our conflict still rages on to see who will become the sole master of this universe. The worship of mortals empowers us, their souls further still.~ Andras pointed to the amulet upon Hayden’s chest. ~That Amulet is not some basic, banal, ordinary trinket. It is made from my very bone, and it is the only one in existence. The Apostles of Moraxis and Inarus have their own. We have our Apostles so that we can direct them and shift the balance of power. I saw your potential, Hayden, and now you have the opportunity to end this war forever.~
	
	Hayden considered the words of his god. He felt no small measure of pride for being chosen for such a grand task, and what idiot wouldn’t jump at the opportunity for eternal peace, fighting for their ideals and god? But Hayden realized what had bothered his mind.
	“If this Amulet were to give me powers, and I have had it for so long, why did you not give them to me sooner?”
	~You were not ready,~ Andras answered.
	Anger boiled to the surface, “What? Was losing all my friends really necessary? I have already lost so much; why did I have to lose more?”
	The eyes of the Dragon narrowed. ~You got your comrades killed, not me. You are falling for the old mortal disease of blaming me for their problems. I did not find you ready because you need to understand the consequences of this war. I did not want the ones you cared about to perish, nor do I want this war to continue. You have the opportunity to change this now.~
	Hayden’s face tensed, and he looked away from his god, “I don’t want anything to do with any wars. I want to get away from all of this.”
	~Then you will die, and I will find a new vessel,~ Andras growled.
	Hayden met his gaze, “So it is do or die then? Not much of a choice.”
	Andras raised his eyebrow. ~I can’t recall forcing you into this position. I am saving you from your own actions.~  
	Hayden bellowed, “I did it for your glory! For your nation!”
	Andras remained uncowed. ~Yes, and I judged your spirit worthy, but consequences must also be known. You will be playing on a field where each action will result in the deaths of thousands, innocent or not. Such things must be understood before you are given power. I made that mistake before, and I won’t make it again.~ Andras kneeled down so he was at eye level with Hayden. ~You have amazing potential, Hayden, and I want you to be my champion. I saw your faith. You passed my test. Together, we can make it so tragedies like this never happen again.~
	
	Andras’s words barely reached Hayden’s mind. He did not want to die, but the thought of more conflict, more loss, sickened him. Hayden was confident he could conquer his base nature and live a quiet life away from all of this. There had to be a middle ground somewhere.
	Hayden let out a breath. “If I kill the other two Apostles, will that be enough? Two lives for one.”
	Shock crossed Andras’s face, ~Others have killed to be in the position you are in, and you are bargaining? You could be so much more. I am giving you ultimate purpose.~
	Hayden kept his cool. “You did not answer the question.” Andras stood back up, regarding Hayden for a long while. The lips of the Dragon curled.
	~Fine. Slay the other Apostles, and I will consider your contract fulfilled. You will hand over the Amulet. You can then go live your life of nothingness.~
	Hayden nodded, “I accept.”
	~Then repeat the words I gave to you.~ Almost instantly afterward, Hayden knew exactly what to say to bind himself to his god.
	
	“Andras, I, Hayden, pledge my eternal service to you. I will be your Sword and Shield. Until the last Chained is given final death, until Moraxis and Inarus are destroyed, I will serve you. I pledge to become your Apostle and carry out your will.” Each word felt heavy on Hayden’s tongue. Once the last word left his mouth, a shockwave emanated from Hayden that seemed to rock the very universe. Andras nodded. In front of the Dragon, a paper and pen materialized, both floating. The paper had golden dictums inscribed upon it.
	~This is a soul contract. The gods themselves must abide by its terms or suffer final death. Upon it is your terms.~ Hayden took the pen and looked it over, and the god spoke the truth. At the bottom were two lines, one of which was Andras's name and a blank space. Hayden signed his name, upon which the paper burst into black flames.
	
	Hayden moved to the side of the Templar frozen in mid-action. “Now how am I supposed to get out of this alive?”
	~Are you familiar with a soulburn?~ Andras asked. Hayden had. Only soulcrafters, one of the rarest breeds of metaphysicals could attempt such a thing. A metaphysical burned their soul to fuel their craetus, giving them immense power. That power came with immense risk. One could easily burn their soul to nothing, resulting in final death, no afterlife, just nothingness.
	“Yes,” Hayden answered.
	~Our ritual will allow me to perform a single, stable soulburn on you. Destroy them, and I will handle the rest.~
	Hayden steeled himself, “Very well.”
	~Fight well, my Champion.~
	
	In a blink, everything changed. The Amulet upon Hayden’s chest burned. Black flames jetted out away from him. His skin turned midnight black, and his eyes turned pure ruby red. Every emotion filled Hayden’s mind as his very essence suffused his body. Reality returned to motion. The screams and noise of combat filled the air. The Templar that was but inches from skewering Hayden stabbed into empty air. The demon hunter skid to a stop, shock evident. He did not remain confused for long.
	
	Faster than he ever moved before, Hayden rushed the Templar. He must have activated the Templar’s spiderweb. The demon hunter turned to face him, but he was too slow. Hayden’s fist rocketed forward. He claimed his vengeance as the Apostle exploded the head of Inarus’s follower. The headless body crumpled to the ground, soaking the dirt with blood. That same rush filled Hayden, except it was magnified exponentially. The Apostle laughed as he called his weld blade to him. The sword flew from the dirt to his hand. Several of the Ashuan soldiers witnessed him. They didn’t know what to think of the strange brightsoul, but they cheered as the Templar went down.
	
	Hayden didn’t register the cheers. He had locked onto the group of Templars assailing them. He activated his spiderweb. Channeling energy into his legs, Hayden soared into the air. The Apostle could see the entire battlefield from his vantage point. He was on a perfect arc to the formation of Templars. Hayden extended his hand. Craetus ballooned outwards. It took on the shape and consistency of a massive rock. The Templars fired at it, blasting off chunks as Hayden rode it right into the middle of their formation. The ground shook at the impact. Several of the demon hunters were crushed. Hayden dismissed the creation. The formation broke. Hayden created a dozen grenades, throwing them on strings of craetus like a stone from a sling into the right area of the Templars. Not a millisecond later, he rushed to the left. The Templars had not expected a soulcrafter, but they were recovering.
	
	To Hayden, they all moved in slow-motion. He saw them reaching for weld weapons or preparing sorcery. Twelve surrounded him. Hayden decapitated his first target as the grenades went off. His hair billowed back as the formation was rocked by the explosion. Hayden’s sword flashed to the left while he deflected three craetus blasts with his hollow-marked blade. He rushed his next target. This one had her own weld blade out. With a powerful strike Hayden knocked it to the side, opening up the Templar wide for a decisive stab to the heart. Hayden jumped as a wide wave of craetus threatened to crush him. It flew under him as he formed a rocket launcher on his shoulder. The heavy weight of the metal tube settled on him. He locked three targets.	Hayden fired three rockets in quick succession. They streaked toward their targets. Whatever protection the demon hunters formed proved no match for soul-fueled craetus. The blasts consumed them, atomized instantly. Hayden landed.
	
	Hayden stood among the dead of the group. His soul burned. The rush was intoxicating. He needed MORE. The bright craetus signatures of the other Templars called to him like a fish to water. In a flash, Hayden sprinted toward the next group of Inarus worshippers. He spent more time in the air than on the ground, as each stride sent him arcing over the soil. He ate up distance with absolute gluttony. The Templars came into view. The sight of which fueled his rush more. However, they had stopped attacking the army. Hayden knew they had switched targets when a high-powered craetus beam connected with him mid-air. He tried to twist out of the way, but the blast still consumed his right arm. Hayden tumbled to the ground.
	
	Rage exploded in him as he came to a stop. He spit out dirt. Focusing his energy into his limb, flesh and bone grew out of the socket at an exponential pace. Hayden closed and opened his new hand several times to test it. It worked. He stood. Craetus flared out of him in both directions. Like a mechanical bird opening its wings, dozens of weapons formed around him. Gatling guns, tank cannons, and rocket launchers took shape. Supporting struts struck the ground to support this amalgamation.
	
	Hayden yelled in fury as the weaponry spat their death toward the Templars. All other sounds were drowned out, from the heavy cracks of the cannons to the steady roar of the rotary guns.
	The Templars worked collectively. They formed a massive diamond shield to protect their group. The craetus projectiles hammered into the barrier. It buckled and cracked. However, any damage was quickly repaired. In response, Hayden poured more and more of his soul into his weapons. They ran hot. In one concentrated blast, Hayden broke through the barrier. But the Inarus worshippers were ready. Several were consumed by the blasts; however, it did not deter their new offensive.
	
	Hayden had to shield himself as several strikes and projectiles found him. The ground was torn up all around him as his creations were ripped apart. The Apostle abandoned his position as a craetus beam turned his previous spot to glass. Hayden rushed across the ground, dodging attacks by mere inches. He couldn’t get close. They had reached a standstill. But both parties had their attention snatched upward as they felt new, powerful craetus signatures fall toward them. Hayden saw several dozen dark clad figures fall from the sky. Many landed amongst the groups of Templars. Instantly, fighting broke out.
	
	The attacks on Hayden halted. He saw his opportunity. But before he could rush back in, the flames on his amulet ceased burning. Hayden was like a puppet with its strings cut. He fell to the ground, the inky blackness fading from his skin. He was numb. The last thing Hayden saw before he passed out was one of the dark-clad figures running toward him.