Story: Syarus - To Defy Fate

*Main Article: Syarus*

15th of Starhearth, 1214 AW.

Syarus climbed the stairs to Piqumi's Palace. He had passed through three gates, surrounded by towers and walls on all sides. They were made of marble, gold, and silver. This place – this Goddess – was a perfect example of everything wrong with the established Divines. Honorless lackeys who only care about themselves, the whole lot of them.

The God of Thunder reached the main building and pushed open the massive doors. He entered into a large room, and at the end of it sat Piqumi: her legs crossed, her eyes closed. Was she Sealed, simply resting away as Wintersong and Nyara had? Yet, that would not be like the Piqumi he had grown to hate.

Syarus summoned forth the Godslayer's Blade and began to approach the unmoving Goddess. He squeezed the grip and prepared himself for the Goddess to do something drastic; to attack him out of nowhere. Yet, Piqumi merely opened one eye, a glowing sea of gold that bore right through the God. He froze in place.

"As expected," she said, her voice echoing unnaturally through the room. Syarus wasn't in the mood to play games and lunged the Blade through Piqumi's heart, yet she disappeared into thin air, reappearing behind him.

"You've become reliant on that toy of yours. Do you even know how to use your own powers anymore?" she taunted. Syarus spun around, slashing through nothing but air once more, "For a God that hates Gods, you sure have become reliant on their creations, no?" she said, standing behind him once more.

Syarus lifted the Blade once more, yet Piqumi stood still. She waved a hand through the air, and the walls seemingly opened up in front of the two Divines, revealing a space that couldn't possibly fit within the palace. Yet, before Syarus could get used to his surroundings, a bright golden blast threw him off his feet, blasting him backward violently. He quickly gathered his senses, standing face to face with his target, who wielded a magnificent golden spear of some kind.

"You wield Ildius' weapon, yet none of the skill required to use it," she said, mockingly with a smile, "Come, God of Thunder. Prove that you can kill a weak Divine like me in a fair fight," she said. Syarus didn't get the time to respond before his opponent dashed at him, knocking him off his feet again. He just needed one hit. One hit, and she would be dead, yet Piqumi was slippery. She had the upper hand, and she knew it.

Syarus gathered his bearings again and began using his own powers. Thunderbolts hit the ground throughout the realm, yet Piqumi seemed undeterred. He dashed at her, swinging his sword, yet she effortlessly parried the blow with her spear before thrusting it at him. He jumped back, yet Piqumi didn't relent, beginning an endless series of rapid thrusts and swings, while Syarus only managed to block or dodge a few. Syarus was enveloped in a brilliant golden light with one final blast, knocking the air out of him.

"You've become too reliant on Ildius' little toy, and you have neglected to hone your own powers," she said. She approached him, but Syarus couldn't lift himself off the ground. "It's amusing, like a boy playing with a stick pretending to be a knight," she finished. She turned her spear around and knocked him over the head with the blunt side, knocking him out.

When he awoke, he was back in Ostland, outside the palace. He could feel the Goddess' gaze upon him from inside. As he stood up, he noticed he was bleeding. Had she stolen the Blade and used it against him? No, she couldn't have; that was impossible. Yet, he was injured one way or another. Was he truly that weak? How would he defeat the One if he could not even defeat a Goddess with no real powers of her own?

He collected himself for a brief moment, making sure he still owned the Blade before he turned around and left the area. If he was to fulfill his destiny, he would need a way to effectively wield Wintersong and Nyara's powers. At this rate, he'd end up achieving nothing. Yet, he would be back for Piqumi in time. He would not let her get away with trying to embarrass him.