the sixth way

[steuben]

\"there were six, not five,\" the lemur says as he lounges in his chair, his voice highly polished. he seems out of place in the dingy bar.

\"excuse me,\" the young demorian says.

\"you\'re familiar with the myth of the godess minerva and her smiths?\"

\"yes. she saves five blacksmithes from the wrath of the gods. bound by an unbreakable oath, they run around teaching people how to be good blacksmiths.\"

\"in broad strokes, yes. but as always there are things left out in the telling. there, were six that she gathered. and true, while the oath can not be easily broken, it can be perverted.\"

the demorian sits up. the lemur takes a sip from his mug. the smell of spices, citrus, and potent alchol wafts from it.

\"like all stories there are so many places to begin.\" the lemur shrugs. \"but, i guess this is as good a place as any. it begins with the god lokus. he was jealous of the goddess minerva. these six would end up creating an eternal cult to her.\" he chuckles, \"in her \'death\' she obtained what few gods ever do.

\"lokus considered killing them, for a while. but, he realized that it wouldn\'t really do anything for him. it may even, needlessly, anger some of the other gods. so, he sat and watched the six. after having watched them for a while, he determined the shape of the oath, but not the details.

\"he knew that they had to work to benefit of the community, to do their job to the utmost of their ability, and to no favor when doing their job. it didn\'t give him much to work with. but, perhaps it would be enough. he knew that the oath effectively couldn\'t be broken or released. but, it could be twisted, bent to a new direction. the power that could be directed towards him.

\"as he watched the six, he also learned one important detail. somehow all the knowledge hadn\'t been wiped. it had instead, gathered into the minds of the six. but, the oath or the last vestiages of minerva\'s will kept that knowledge sealed. if it was the latter it was simple, the former made things a bit more complex.

\"he knew he couldn\'t just walk up to one of them and say, \'i\'m your new god. all your power is now mine.\' he knew he had to be subtle. the smith would have to make the choice to do this. he decided to approached the youngest smith.

he appeared before him seated on a large rock. \'greetings smith of minerva.\'

\'greetings stranger,\' the smith said. \'how do you come to know that title?\'

\'i am the god lokus. i have come to help you.\'

\'help me?\'

\'not all the gods agree with what was done. minerva was brash for having acted without support. but she lost no respect for her actions.\'

\'then return the magic to metal, and the knowledge to the minds of the yliaki.\'

\'alas, returning the magic to metal maybe be beyond the power of the gods. it most certainly is beyond mine. but i may be able to restore the knowledge and skills to your mind.\'

\'my mind? how?\' confusion appeared on the young smith\'s face. \'all the knowledge was erased.\'

\'from the minds of everyone else. minerva\'s power was greater then she appeared. as the knowledge was being erased she collected it all, and placed it the minds of you six. she then hid from you.\'

\'why? we could have used that knowledge.\'

lokus smiled inwardly. this was exactly how he wanted it to go.

\'that would be something you\'d have to ask her. which, as you can imagine will be a bit difficult. but, i can release the knowledge buried in your mind.\'

\'what is the cost?\'

\'merely a few favours.\'

the smith frowned as he considered this.

\'what would a god have need of the favours of a mortal?\'

\'there are but a few things that are beyond our power. and oddly mortals are capable of them.\'

\'i must consider this.\'

\'yes. by all means. when you have decided i will be waiting,\' with that lokus disappeared.

over many days the smith considered the offer and its price. at the end of that time lokus appeared before him.

\'are you ready?\'

the smith nodded.

[steuben]

\'ah excellent,\' lokus saud. he waved his hand and a couch appeared. \'lie down. make yourself comfortable. don\'t worry about getting it dirty.\'

the smith laid down.

\'now. close your eyes. relax.\'

lokus reached into the smith\'s mind. he found the bonds on the knowledge and released them. at once the smith sat up screaming, clutching his head. a look of concern appeared on lokus\' face.

\'no. i\'m alright.\' the smith said shakily. \'it\'s just that there was so much.\'

\'you\'re sure?\'

\'yes,\' his voice now stronger. \'but, it\'s all useless. it\'s all based around the magic from metal.\'

\'keep digging. that is simply what used to know. so it just came first.\'

\'yes. you\'re right. it\'s all there. everything we\'ve ever known.\'

lokus smiled. \'excellent. i trust that you shall use it well.\'

\'yes. i shall.\'

with that lokus vanished. the smith set there for a while. he considered what to do next. he stood up and began his new work. but the ring on his little finger had turned to a band of rust.

years past. rumors began to reach the other five smiths. rumors of a city where the ancient wonders were returning. with the rumors came dark whispers of terrible acts occuring within the city. the five smiths journied to the city.

they gathered together near the centre of the city. they noticed that most of the wonders had been salvaged from the ruins. but, some of them were newly made.  looking at the new devices, the hands of the sixth smith were used to build them. they feared for their friend\'s safety. they worried that he had been imprisioned and forced to build them.

but as they investigated they found that he was building them willingly. that willingness he had converted into power. he had managed to place himself as king over the city and the realm. they also heard rumors that he had been conducting terrible experiments beneath his castle. that the darkest knowledge of the ancients had be willingly used on many hapless yliaki. the five eventually found themselves in the throne room of their friend.

\'my friends, i\'m so glad you\'re here,\' he said cheerfully. \'guards, you may go,\' the note of cold command in his voice.

he turned back to his friends. \'i have wonderful news.\' the cold command gone from his voice. \'we can rebuild everything as it was. we no longer need use such arcahic techniques as the forge and hammer.\'

\'how is this possible,\' one of the five asked.

\'but, where are my manners? first let me introduce you to the one who made all this possible.\' he gestured broadly to one side. \'come meet my friends.\'

lokus stepped out of a shadow too small and too light to have concealed him. he walked over to the sixth smith.

\'to answer the question. all the knowledge and more that was erased by the gods has been collected into our minds. minerva then sealed the knowledge against our use. but, lokus,\' he clapped lokus on the shoulder, \'unbound it in my miind.\'

\'and with all the knowledge, you chose to commit such horrendous acts?\' another of the five said.

\'in comparasion to the good that i\'ve done? my people are healthy, secure, happy. what are a few deaths for that?\' he waved his hand dismissing the question.

\'lokus could unlock that knowledge in your minds. you could acheive all that i have. but, i\'d rather he did not.\' he moved so that he is slightly behind and to the right of lokus. \'for that would meanthat eventually i would have to share power with you. and, i really don\'t think i can do that.\'

lokus stumbled forward a step. above his heart a small tent of fabric appeared. he fell to his knees, shock on his face. he looked up and back at the sixth smith, and fell foward. the hilt of a dagger stuck out of his back.

\'and now he won\'t be able to.\'

\'you killed him?\' one of the five said.

\'kill a god? not yet. but, it will be interesting to try. won\'t it.\' gleeful interest on his face.

\'won\'t the gods retaliate?\'

the sixth smith steps over lokus.

\'hardly. they\'ll dither for a while and do nothing. they\'re no better then us in that regard. but, come work for me. if they do decide to do anything i\'ll protect you.\'

\'no,\' the five said.

\'yes, i\'d figure you\'d say that. what with the oath and all. but it is of no matter. eventually i shall rule your lands. but before you return to await my armies, i shall give you this little tidbit to occupy you. i am no longer bound by the oath.\' he held up his right hand, displaying the band of rust. \'it was simple really. she-\'

a thunderclap filled the room. a bloom of red appeared over his heart. a cloud of grey smoke spread from the hand of one of the five. a sling hung loose in his hand.

\'but... how...\' the sixth smith trailed off. he staggered back a step.

\'she sealed the knowledge. not who we are.\' the smith with the sling said, sadness in his voice.

the sixth smith fell backwards. the five walk over too him.

\'forever there shall be one like me.\' he looked up at the smith still holding the sling. \'and he shall follow your students with interest.\' with those words he died.

over the remaining years the five told their story to their students. but they omitted the sixth smith and his actions.\"

the demorian nods as he sips his beer. \"quite the story.\"

the lemur smiles as he gets up from the table. \"who said it was a story?\" as he picks up his mug he demorian can see a band of rust around the little finger of his right hand.

[Sun]

hmmmmmmmmmmm.........