Lux Locus: Fractured Family

It quite literally took several days for the talks to reach a semi-conclusion, leading to many of the new prosecutors to leave exhausted.

"It is concluded, then," Ehry announced. "Until a proper agreement can be concluded for the division and relief of 'pressure' in our organization, all prosecutors are ordered to scour the planet's inhabited zones. All resources and local law enforcement will be tasked with this endeavor, preventing us from being overwhelmed."

One of the prosecutors on the lower floor stood up and called to the higher ones. "But what about us? How do we know one of us isn't actually a corrupt agent conspiring with the 'influence'?"

Morfhal hummed in intrigue. "You must be one of our newest additions." He looked at the afol anda lining the walls. "I trust you have been taught what they are?"

"Yes, Ierfehand Second. They are the Afol Anda: Pillars selected to fight against all deities having been classified as 'Dangerous'."

"Yes. That is partially true," the old man nodded. "However, I should explain a little mo--"

"They're filled with runes given by the Administrator to keep them from being possessed or affected by anything used by the 'Gods of Influence'," Zenith interrupted.

"Gods of Influence?"

Both Ierfehand facepalmed and sighed.

Zenith noticed and lashed out at them. "They're prosecutors! This isn't anything special, either. They should have known about this a long, LONG time ago."

Ehry clenched her fists. "The ones we know of so far are classified by order of the Colored People. You know very well that even a person of your stature shouldn't trifle with them."

"It doesn't matter. Knowledge is a weapon. It is a shield. If the neophytes are to properly protect mind and body against them, they must know."

"I--"

"This ISN'T the time for more debates!"

"If I may intervene," the new prosecutor started. "What is the 'Influence' exactly?"

Zenith looked back to Ehry, who nodded and waved a hand of approval.

"The 'influence' is just a term given to gods who look for and integrate humans and aliens into their ranks. They're particularly powerful BECAUSE they don't want to focus on just one civilization. In fact, every race follows certain guidelines to give their praise, but they eventually create their own, pooling vast amounts of modified mana towards them."

"So how does that change from the regular 'nefarious' type deities we control?"

"They can enter our plane, and work on specific emotions or physical substances to do so," Morfhal interjected. "By creating anchors, they permanently convert a world into an opening to our reality, letting their foul creations roam rampant."

"We call those creations 'demons' or 'oni' in reference to beliefs of old," Ehry added.

Zenith continued. "Because they are powerful enough to have entire legions of demonic entities, and can enter our plane permanently, we have to watch for any signs of these gods."

The neophyte nodded and sat down, mulling over the new information, but another took her place.

"How many of these 'Gods of Influence' exist?"

Zenith huffed. "That's not for you to know yet."

"So we can know that they exist but not who they are?"

"Yes. There are limits."

Ehry shook her head. "Any other questions?"

"Yes," the same prosecutor continued. "If these 'anchors' are extensions of these gods' worlds into our own, how do you destroy it?"

Ehry cleared her throat. "We have several ways now thanks to the Administrator's appearance a few centuries ago, but before...we summoned Mana Magis."

"Y...You can summon the Creator?"

Ehry nodded and Zenith rubbed the back of his head.

"How?"

Zenith stepped in. "Well," he spoke with a calm tone. "There's a multitude of rituals, most of which have been lost to us."

The new prosecutor narrowed his gaze. "How many?"

"We only remember about fifty-seven," Ehry interjected. "It's theorized that there are around seven hundred to two thousand rituals, all of which are impossible now anyways."

"Why?" another neophyte asked.

"Simply put, it needs the cooperation of all humans, and at the time, we were 'small' in number compared to today. Additionally, it's best to never summon it again." Ehry's voice trailed off towards a more sinister tone, a tone that the neophyte noticed.

"I hear that you're implying that Mana Magis did something bad. I..." He cleared his throat. "I have a hard time believing that."

"Ever heard of the Déadhraegl?" Zenith asked.

"Yes. The zone spanning across three former solar systems. A sheet of extremely unstable and damaged mana that can destroy anything that enters it. Wh..." His eyes widened. "Not possible. All at once?!" he shouted.

Zenith nodded. The prosecutor stuttered and looked up at the Ierfehands, his mouth opening and closing multiple times without letting out any words.

"This is a tale for another time, and one I would prefer to keep in our hidden archives," the Ierfehand First said.

"Often have our ancestors begged the Creator to help them in their most dire times of need, but when it finally answers, you learn that there is a reason why it never intervenes directly," Zenith spoke ominously.

Ehry wiped her forehead and continued. "Right. Well, for the rest of you, you'll have areas assigned to you by our operators once you leave this room. I am hoping for successful hunts of these...malevolent people." Everyone but Zenith was left to leave the room. "Not you, Zenith. You'll be here to help us coordinate and recognize any 'discretions' by the followers."

"What? I have expertise in field operations compared to the neophytes here. I would be more useful leading a team than telling them where to go from the comfort of a leather chair."

"It is precisely BECAUSE of your know-how that we want you to help guide every team scouring the city, "Morfhal explained. "We will be given direct feeds to their investigations, and other, veteran prosecutors lead them anyways. If anything is out of place and they haven't seen it, we can guide them." The old man raised an eyebrow. "Is it not better to see small details across the plain than to just see a single rock upon it down to its atoms?"

Zenith reluctantly agreed and left through another door to follow the higher ranking prosecutors to their central chamber and follow the necessary steps to start aiding their field agents. The room in question was large, with a black carpet on the floor and a large, circular table bearing the 'silent eye' of the prosecutors upon it. Apart from this, there was not much else. Several dozen chairs surrounded the table, but no windows or decor of any kind marked this room in memory.

Once sat upon his leather chair, Zenith was disrupted almost immediately by Morfhal once again.

"Since you will be here for quite a while, would you be willing to impart your knowledge with us all concerning Blumarak and Mumbass? Your age and experience hunting these two would certainly aid us and our future successors greatly."

Night Spirit looked around and frowned, an expression which turned into a scowl when CQ and the other Afol Anda followed after the high ranking prosecutors.

"Only if you tell me how we can be of any help within this turtle shell."

Ehry smiled, lifted a finger, then pressed it against the surface of the table. Lights came out from it and displayed several hundred screens, all which were distributed equally amongst the present members. When one who sit down, new screens, and a few of those around the table, would come rushing to them for evaluation.

"I see," Zenith sighed. "Fine," he jetted. "I'll tell you what I know."

The searches went on for days, and, much to both the joy and horror of the prosecutors, Zenith's 'Tips and Tricks' led their field agents to literally hundreds of followers of the two gods, and this didn't bode well for both Blumarak and Mumbass. In one of the closed houses on the surface, stressed followers peeked out of their window to see the Afol Anda standing across the street, staring at their house with blank, lifeless eyes. Then they looked directly at the woman, peeking at them.

"Crap. They know we're here!" she squeaked.

"If the preparations are not done, and you are going to be caught, then you must act know to turn this place into a blood anchor for me, my loyal worshipper," Blumarak said.

In the other room was a single woman of tribalistic sorts. She was the same one that had managed to escape Zenith and the law enforcers for what seemed like months ago.

"Are you certain? If we do it now, we won't be able to make proper use of your powers, and Mumbass' followers might have a better--"

"Yes. I am sure. Now commence the ritual. You are the only one currently far enough in the preparations to break the walls of mana."

The tribal woman nodded and, in front of the window to Blumarak, commenced speaking the words given by the god of marrow. Her words sounded gargled and blurted, as though she were choking on blood.

"They're going to destroy the door!" the scared woman shouted.

"I will stall them," Blumarak said.

"The portal is strong enough right now for me to send only one of my 'Great Demons', as you humans call them. It will stall until the portal is sufficiently torn that it may receive enough power to be fully effective."

The 'window' turned, and through it a blob came and landed on the floor, bubbling and hissing, until it started to grow.

"Extreme presence of blood mana sensed within that house," one of the Afol outside noted.

"I have alerted nearby prosecutors. Apprehension is imminent," the other said.

Before they could march into the domicile, the front walls exploded outwards, hitting the super soldiers and damaging everything around from the debris. A massive creature with a broad chest, large arms, and equally large legs emerged from the rubble.

Being shrouded by a dust cloud, it swung an arm to the side to free the air of its choking occupant. The creature was easily thrice the size of a regular pillar scieldan, and its muscle mass followed that trend. Being filled with the blood mana of Blumarak, the creature's veins were visible, and the glowing crimson shone through the beast's skin, even going so far as to show the red blood cells flowing through.

Its stomach was as wide as its chest, and in its calloused hands was a long pole of sharpened bones. The creatures body, save for the hands, was made of bone marrow. The hands, complete with five digits, were rough and coarse and took the external form of bones. Its legs ended in three-toed feet, and random parts of its face were black and bloodied. Its face elongated forward, but displayed a large 'hole' in the upper jaw, exposing the inner mouth to the elements and showing its sharp teeth and two engorged tongues. The demon's eyes were wide and filled with a childlike sense of wonder, while its head seemingly 'melted' into a gelatinous extension pooling over its right shoulder.

"Ahhhh! It is good to be in another realm once again," the demon cheered. It took in a deep breath and looked at the afol anda in front of it, a smile on its face. "And the humans continue to grow. GOOD!" It stepped forward, each foot creating small tremors and cracking the cement below it. "Those that can summon that...Mana MUST show promise!

Civilians that were around at the time started panicking and running away. The Afol Anda, however remained apathetic to the situation.

"Demon in view," the first said.

"Its power is waned," the second notice.

The first blinked and turned their head slightly. "Then it is stalling. Blumarak's portal will be opened soon."

"One of us must fight. The other must interrupt."

The giant beast laughed heartedly and stomped forward, its pole gripped tighter. "If you wish to interrupt my blood, then do so. Or...attempt to do so," it spoke with a smug expression.