EPISODE 217: POTENTIAL MADNESS 7

— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR: 7292. SEASON: NEW BEGINNING.

What did it mean to be the [Chosen of Madris]?

Many assigned a label to this position, regardless of what the one under this title thought. To some, like Marna, he was a divine representative of the Goddess sent to the mortal realm to guide Her people to a better tomorrow and a brighter future. To others, like Moona, one of Marna's daughters, he was a direct inheritor, a man born to become everything to the magi while the Goddess took a step back. He would be their new spiritual, physical, and more . He was to be their God.

What did it mean to be the [Chosen of Madris]?

Perhaps this was a question better asked to the Goddess Herself, yet Goddess Madris wasn't the type to hold hands or gently guide one to the answer. She expected you to figure it out yourself, only providing words here and there. Lawruthian had experienced this since day one. His connection with her was close, intimate even. They were close enough to share words through mental communication, yet since his birth, the Goddess of War, Wealth, and Wisdom only spoke to him sparingly. She would not be the one to help you understand what it truly meant to be a [Chosen of Madris]. That was a task—a test—left to said [Chosen].

What did it mean to be the [Chosen of Madris]?

Lawruthian thought his opportunity to understand this closer would be through the two former [Chosen of Madris] and his interactions with them. Alidra Edryani, the first [Chosen of Madris], was not the figure he thought she'd be, nor did she provide him with a solid foundation other than a guidebook. A book that guided his mentality and helped solidify his pseudo-understanding of becoming Madris's Chosen. And… Carno? Carno Edryani was a jackass. He was a liar and provided nothing but false truths and mixed sentiments that did nothing but add confusion to Lawruthian's mind. Lawruthian did his best to ignore the second supposed [Chosen of Madris], but when you have something that could constantly connect to your mind, judge your actions, then speak on them… it was unavoidable for that to affect you.

What did it mean to be the [Chosen of Madris]… and if three represented a finality, then what would happen after?

When it was all said and done, and the winners or losers were decided, what occurred next?

What did four represent to Goddess Madris and, by extension, the magi-humans?

These were things Lawruthian Edryani all pondered on. And, as he continued to build an understanding, he began to recognize the subtle hints and patterns displayed by Goddess Madris. Four taps…

Tap.

…

Tap.

…

Tap.

…

Tap.

…

…The first was the beginning, the second the middle, and the third was the ending… but that left one out. The first was Alidra Edryani, the second Carno Edryani, and the supposed third was Lawruthian Edryani… but… Lawruthian didn't want to be a finality . So he had to break past that. He had to find a new level, a new method, should he not wish to end like his former compatriots.

Lawruthian recognized their eventual loss the moment he finished registering the Final Dragon's status sheet. He didn't quite know the strength of his mother and her cohort, but… they were newly promoted Demigods and Prestiges with nary a chance to escape the clutches of their new start as something beyond mortal. Perhaps if they had several decades and opportunities to harvest faith and more from the people of Great Edryan, then things would be different. That wasn't the case—all they had was a decade or less of hidden training and whatnot before they revealed themselves to the world. And, their second major thing was an attempt to slay [End of Adventure] because of him .

Since that realization hit, Lawruthian knew he had to do something… he had to find a way to help his mother and stop Rasheed from slaying them all. The moment he recovered from the shock of Rasheed's command for him to die, Lawruthian began to act.

…

He began to pray.

…

A foreign action, an action his stubbornness fought against all his new life. This wasn't one of the shows he put on for the people of Edryan. This was heartfelt and genuine as Lawruthian bared his heart open. He put his all out in the open, disregarding what those around him may say or think.

"Goddess above—She who holds Wisdom above all else, She who Wars like no other, She whose wealth shakes the very heavens. I… beseech you," Lawruthian's voice was horse, resistant but acceptant at the same time. It was an enigma but one that went unnoticed by those surrounding, those fighting to protect their prince. It dwindle out and Lawruthian closed his eyes, centering himself on his task—his duty as [Chosen of Madris].

Madria was the closest (Life Link) activated and snared to Lawruthian's body like a prized fishing line. As Lawruthian drew no resources from her, she focused her efforts on healing injured soldiers. A rudimentary hospital had set up around the [Chosen of Madris] whose passive aura not only removed aliments and debuffs but also healed and increased the strength of those around him by 25%.

The Imperius Soldiers' gazes remained fixed on their [Chosen], and should Lawruthian have paid attention, then he would have seen strong faith leaving their bodies and traveling to him. As he was looking to put his faith in another, they put their faith in him. Even as many bodies began to fall, never to rise again, the strong faith didn't dwindle but increased. An outside observer may call it a foolhardy blind belief—thinking a change may occur in a situation that should have radiated hopelessness.

The screams of Amaya nor the red eyes of Lorde dissuaded this faith, even if the impact of their respective family members' deaths resonated throughout the combined forces.

"Goddess above—She who holds Wisdom above all else, She who Wars like no other, She whose wealth shakes the very heavens. I beseech you—provide me the Power to face this foe. Lend me your Vitality so that I may never fall in this battle. Show me the Endurance that shall sustain my attacks. I beseech you, the first magi, the first Edryani—provide me with the Mind to construct all spells. Give me the Self to break through all attacks. I beseech you, Goddess Madris— descend upon my body with the Intent to slay this foe before us ."

Although he prayed and ignored much of the world outside of his being, Lawruthian was still aware of all that was occurring. How could he not be… how could he not know of Margret Musa's death or the slaying of Liana Drumian? He didn't stop, beginning to repeat his words once again in a plea. Lawruthian made a risk, a calculated risk, but one that should not have been made without more information. Now, they were paying the price, but he never acted without thinking twice before acting. Lawruthian knew the chance of death, even for his mother, was high.

…

But to take that fourth step… to give Edryan the chance he needed to win —to save his soul, complete the Goddess's quest, and more… he had to take that risk.

"Goddess above," Lawruthian's strong voice echoed over the Imperius Army. "She Who Holds Wisdom Above All Else, She Who Wars Like No Other, She Whose Wealth Shakes The Very Heavens. I Beseech You…"

With each word spoken, the faith above him churned, growing deeper shades of golden-brown. His chest ached, and his mind was shaken from the repeated deaths of Liana and Margret, but his voice never stopped. It couldn't stop now. The people of Edryan—the soldiers he brought. No…

He…

Lawruthian…

…

Lawruthian needed a miracle .

…

That was something only a God could deliver.

…

Yet the Goddess didn't answer him, thus, he would have to create it himself.

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…

For the first time since he began, Lawruthian paused—he paused right after his third attempt, and new words emerged from his hoarse voice. These words were barely above a whisper, but they resonated deep in Lawruthian's heart. "I… I am not strong enough. My resources aren't deep enough. My faith isn't… my faith isn't...," Lawruthian's voice continued to quieten. "My faith isn't true enough... but theirs is."

That quiet voice trailed away—fading into nothingness as reality shifted. When it returned, and Lawruthian returned to himself, he stayed kneeling, his mind stuck at an impasse. The voice of Minerva entered his thoughts, calling out to him as the [Realm Guards] were freed from their previous state. Lawruthian ignored her, not purposely, but simply because his mind remained at an impasse.

…

Lawruthian was weak—not in the body but in the mind. He could face another of a similar or slightly higher level and destroy them in combat—his might and challenge had been questioned time and time again in multiple fields, and with each, he came out on top in some manner. Perhaps they weren't all complete wins and dominations, but with every passing battle, he grew closer and closer to that state. He was not even level 100, but he was at a state where he could quite comfortably fight a Rising Calamity. There was no one in Edryan close to achieving such feats—perhaps the outside world held someone, but Lawruthian held no knowledge of them.

Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani was strong. But , that strength extended to a physical aspect. His mind hadn't held many challenges outside of those he posed to himself. The magi wouldn't challenge him intellectually, not fully out of the scare of somehow opposing or disrespecting the Goddess. It didn't matter how high their status was; Lawruthian believed the magi-humans possessed an inherent brainwashing molded by generations of worship. They did not question the Goddess or Her teachings. They questioned one another, challenging their interpretation of Her words, but never directly questioning Her… and, by extension, Lawruthian.

They couldn't —physically, mentally, and spiritually. These people had been tied to Her for generations. Perhaps the magi were mad, but so was this world, so was their Goddess.

"Kneeling in prayer—pleading does not work."

Explosive sounds rang out, and the bodies of magi continued to fall—a new wail emerged from the magi as another of their protectors fell—from three demigods… now only one remained.

Lawruthian picked one leg up, then carefully, he placed a hand on it and picked himself up. He had tried… he really did try, but the Goddess didn't seem interested in his try.

"What is the [Chosen of Madris]," Lawruthian posed the question aloud. The surrounding soldiers, injured from their desperate battle, all held gazes on him. For the first time… for the first time… for the first time… these gazes… wavered.

Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani stood, and when he did so, there were no changes. No eruption of divine might the soldiers expected. There was no descent of the Goddess or powerful [Messengers] to help assist them in battle like legends of the old.

King Darius, Princess Carina—nothing.

No one answered the [Chosen of Madris].

Lawruthian stared at the sky, and the soldiers stared at him, the remnants of the question still on his lips. He thought back to the beginning, the very beginning. The last moments of his life as Lawrence Brown. He'd accepted his death or at least come to terms with it. It happened—no use crying over spilled milk. It was here that he saw it, saw the faith of the magi gathering, but as the precious seconds continued to pass and no change erupted from their [Chosen], the faith began to change. It dwindled, fizzing out like an expired carbonated drink. It lost its vibrancy—it turned stale.

Those last moments defined everything about his new life. Those last moments were like a star's brightest shine before dwindling into nothingness. It was a finality . The end of Lawerence Brown and the start of Lawruthian Edryani—even if he didn't know it yet.

Lawrence was someone who thought twice, then acted. Lawruthian did do that, but lately, his actions were impulsive, with less thought into them. Time was running out, and carefully curated plans held no room when the world was ending. In the words of Goddess Unera 'An actor must ACT ! They must do things at the moment that fit the setting.' Lawruthian started acting. He acted like he understood what it meant to be the [Chosen of Madris], as did the people of Edryan. No one knew or fully understood it, but like an active play, they would go along until the curtains were drawn—the story finished—the book closed. Perhaps later they would ponder deeper on the scenes displayed and the inclinations of the performance, but in the moment none of that existed.

"What does it mean to be Madris's Chosen?"

He posed the question again. His original thoughts were that he was a representative of the Goddess on the Mortal Plane. An apt description, if a bit rudimentary. It left plenty to the imagination and allowed them to define it on their own terms from what they viewed of him and what Lawruthian viewed of their interactions with him.

"Originally, a [Chosen of Madris] to me meant… to be a [Hero]—a figure constantly in the light—a figure they," he gestured around, "would forever view and follow. I've always done my best to fit that mold and be that figure. To be a beacon of {Hope} as Simra is becoming. That is not a [Chosen of Madris]. Nor was anything else I thought."

Interest stirred… She watched and waited, but with more vigor than the previous time.

"Then… I understood it, or I thought I did after slaying Zephyron and glimpsing at what the Goddess truly is through our bond. What I glimpsed cannot be put into words easily—She is a God and cannot or at least no longer view things inherently mortal—Her perspective is different," Lawruthian continuously spoke, barely a breath taken as he talked. "A thousand-thousand magi lives can pass in the blink of an eye. She has seen every version of every version within the magi through countless generations, yet she stands at the forefront, fighting for a better tomorrow. That is what I understood that day, and that is what I believed the [Chosen of Madris] was—a direct copy that should inherit those same beliefs."

The Imperius Soldiers—the magi's faith continued to dwindle. They did not speak, but the faith above Lawruthian told him everything he needed to know. They were losing faith, losing faith in him and the validity of this battle. They fought against the [Final Dragon], the [End of Adventure]. A monster parents told of to get their children to behave. The monster parents told of to get their children to behave. They knew it was {Madness} to face him, yet they followed Lawruthian Edryani anyway. Their faith resisted the affliction. Lawruthian could not disappoint that faith—the [Chosen of Madris] could not disappoint that faith.

"What is the [Chosen of Madris]?"

Lawruthian continued to gaze up at the faith. Then, strangely, he reached his hand outward and grabbed. It resisted, fiercely . The faith was generated from him, yes, but it was ultimately because of the Goddess Madris, and thus it belonged to Her. Lawruthian Edryani grasped it anyway, staunchly ignoring the fierce resistance as he grabbed at it. He'd always been able to sense faith—since his System Day. That was the first time he physically saw it, but before that, he could feel it through the actions of those around him. If it was real in his eyes, then it could be manipulated.

Lawruthian pulled the faith to him, and suddenly, it entered his body, and a notification appeared before him.

[Chosen of Madris] has activated!

Gather the Faith of the People has been triggered.

+100 Free Attribute Points.

He frowned; it'd been a while since that triggered for him, but that was not what he wanted. Lawruthian tried again, but this time, he closed his eyes as he sensed and felt. He was always curious why the first of the new Gods was a Goddess of War—not El, the [Adventurer], nor was it Ivory of Transcendence—it was Goddess Madris—the Challenger. Why?

In a time where remnants of [Oblivion] remained, none of the Old Gods remained to guide the saphens. Why had the first to emerge become a Goddess of War?

Lawruthian pulled, hard . But he didn't just pull on the faith above him. It was far from enough for what he wanted to build. A [Golemancer Hew] emerged in one hand and its corresponding chisel in the other. If Lawruthian didn't possess the strength to simply defeat his problems and the magi—his mother and her cohort couldn't—then, he would simply build something that would.

He had a skill, (Golem Forging), for it.

When he opened his eyes next… faith was held in his grasp. And, if he could tangibly grasp it… then he could create something from it.

The reason a Goddess of War emerged first from the New Gods is that Madris Edryani fought every step of the way in a quest for survival. She didn't wait, kneeling and praying for a figure to save Her; she didn't beg for a power not within her control.

Madris Edryani took it.

She took the resources she needed, slaying her way through a war to eradicate [Oblivion]. What she didn't have, she got or found an alternative—there was no one for her to cry to for help, there was no God in the Astral Above Madris Edryani held the opportunity to pray too—or one that would answer her calls. Lawruthian was the [Chosen of Madris]—he would do the exact same. He wouldn't ask the Goddess for help. He would take it… Perhaps he did learn a thing or two from Carno Edryani.

That is what it meant to be the [Chosen of Madris].

The approval stemming from his connection to Her couldn't deny its radiance.

" Good ." That familiar, unfamiliar voice radiated through his head—through his Sol. "Your Potential is blooming."

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