The story of Messis

As you are now aware, dear students of the tales and stories of our gods, Bellum and Legatia are a loving and loyal couple that has birthed many children which bear the blood of both. Yet, there is one key exception: Messis, our revered goddess of Agriculture and Self-defense, she who enhances the fertility of our lands and gives great strength and unshakable resolve to our militias and soldiers when our lands are trespassed. She is the 7th and youngest child of the Bellum-Legatia family, but she doesn't share blood with her father. The reason behind it is worth the tale you're about to learn.   Long ago, before our ancestors even had settled the land we now call Beoria in honor of the father of our people Beiros, the Pantheon had fully established themselves, with their society stable and at peace. The only constant threat was Superbious and his renegades, whose offensives were always expelled and forced into the farthest reaches of the Heavens, licking their wounds for years if not decades to come. The only reason as to why they have never been fully eradicated is that other, larger threats to Paraborn rose from time to time, forcing the attention of our gods away from their most despised foe. These powerful threats could range from rival pantheons of foreign gods that had taken territories bordering Paraborn, to great marauding hordes of nomadic demons, plundering and raiding as living storms of claws, fangs and horns. There were also smaller polities, tiny realms that for one reason or another neither possessed a genuine threat nor were worth taking over by either pen or blade, ignored unless they became relevant to the geopolitics of the heavens themselves. One such realm (or rather, it’s ambitious and upstart ruler) would hold brief yet key relevance in Paraborn's history: Kyrgan and its self-proclaimed Emperor, Variatrias.   "Emperor" Variatrias was an arrogant and vain demon beyond measure, desiring to become the ultimate ruler of the heavens, despite the fact that the land he ruled over was poor in resources, and realistically incapable to achieve much of what its founder desired. Yet Variatrias was also cunning, devising ways to increase the capabilities and wealth of his land that proved successful, all the while hiding them and pretending to be just as poor and incapable as it presented itself to their neighbors, a clever ploy that Variatrias on a personal level found a necessary evil, considering his current capabilities. He brought great wealth and prosperity to his small fief, which enabled him to raise a mighty army which he used to expand and grow his lands, incorporating more and more demons and subjects. However, the countless successes went over his head, believing that he was far greater than he actually was. His castle became luxurious beyond measure, turning it into a worthy holding for the great Emperor that Variatrias viewed himself as. And well, a great ruler such as he required a just as equally great empress, right? And so, with that goal in mind, he sent his most elite minions to find any female that would be worthy to become his spouse. And eventually, he found himself getting fond of Legatia.   He found her physical appearance sublime, and her gentle yet fierce character irresistible: combined with her being in essence a ruler in her own right as part of the High Council of Paraborn, the greatest realm in Kyrgan's diplomatic reach meant that for Variatrias, only she was worthy to become his wife and mother of their many heirs to come. The fact that she was already married and had children of her own meant nothing to the demon: he was of course far superior to that brute of a husband that the goddess was engaged with (why in Heavens was she with such a lowly being was beyond comprehension in Variatrias’s mind), so it was obvious that she would ditch him once she got to witness his glorious figure and persona. As for her current children...well, he assumed that she would be happy for them to disappear permanently to give way to truly divine babies, being half brutes and all that.   Regardless, what mattered is that Variatrias started to hatch the greatest plot in his entire existence: to kidnap and seduce a goddess, something he considered would be easy. He couldn't be more arrogant and self-centered, thinking himself so superior that there was no doubt, no shred of uncertainty regarding what would happen when he succeeded. Never in his deranged mind could he conceive of the woman rejecting him.   The plan was simple enough: he took advantage of the mostly unknown state of his realm to his advantage, needing little effort to disguise his armies as just another massive new demonic horde that had come from anywhere as they launched a great raid into Paraborn. They were meant to bring any riches they could plunder if possible, but were mostly sent as a distraction: an elite squad of demons took advantage of the sudden chaos of the invasion to slip inside the capital, sneaking inside the High Council palace in order to capture their target. Such was the sudden and unexpected assault that the Pantheon was caught off-guard, and since this simple plan had been developed as quickly as possible and as far away from Adulteria's spies for them to even catch a rumor of what was to come, they couldn't warn the realm before the plan was violently set in motion.   To Variatrias dismay, it didn't go smoothly: some would argue that luck or even fate had intervened in the success, for the raid was quickly repelled, the army massacred and shattered, while Legatia herself managed to slay several of her assailants before she was overwhelmed, a feat accomplished thanks to the training she had gone through with her husband just in case; many of the slain were the closest confidants and followers of Variatrias. Regardless of this, the main goal was achieved, and the captured goddess was taken far away from Paraborn's frontiers, into a tower constructed into a hellish, ever-shifting and changing labyrinth whose entrance was guarded by a pack of bestial demons, who Variatrias had managed to convince to allow him to build the structure on their territory, officially meant to be a secret depot of supplies. This combined with the designated elite guards Variatrias had charged with ensuring his price remained where he wanted, made it practically impossible for the prisoner to escape. Yet Legatia didn't waver one bit: she would try her best to find a way out, while at the same time trusting on her beloved husband's determination to rescue her from wherever she was held.   A trust absolutely well placed, for when Bellum returned home only to find his dear wife missing, he didn't waste a second to start the process, and he wasn't alone: the entire realm of Paraborn aided in whatever way possible, to ensure the return of one of its most respected rulers. Ashamed of their failure to prevent such a crisis, Adulteria and her agents went beyond expectations, quickly discovering the origin of this threat and more importantly, where the High Diplomat was held hostage. It's said that the screams of agony of the demons tortured in order to force them to reveal this information ranged for weeks, making it impossible for all but the ruthless agents of the Master of Intrigue to enter the dungeons, such was the aura that rose from that dreadful place.   Once this information was confirmed as valid by agents who infiltrated into Kyrgan, the God of war went to rescue his beloved, accompanied by his son Virtus and the mighty Vindictus; the mastery of the elemental demon to shape the land of the material plane also extended to the Heavens, giving an extra edge to the riders as no obstacle ever slowed down their relentless mission.   At the same time and during the several weeks before the rescue party had departed and reached their destination, Variatrias had attempted to charm his captive, but to no avail: no show of beauty, grace or wealth stood a chance to convince Legatia to betray her family and realm to join such a vain being. In fact, several attempts of escape happened because she used the arrogance of the demon to her advantage, pretending to be convinced only to then incapacitate the demon as he unshackled her. She unfortunately never succeeded, but the trick worked every single time: such was the arrogance of Variatrias that he never acknowledged that he was being played by the goddess, always convincing himself that every act was genuine; after all, there was no way she actually wouldn't fall for him, right? This same arrogance also made him oblivious to the fact that a rescue party had departed and was on its way, despite the constant warnings of his minions until it was too late and the rescuers were right outside the entrance of the labyrinth. Even so, he was confident that the mighty beast would repel the meager team, for he was aware of the fact that together, the pack would overwhelm the gods.   He didn't take into consideration that Bellum would take this fact into account as well, allowing him to devise a way no one would expect: he used diplomacy. When the beasts came, he ordered his companions to stand down, while he peacefully addressed the creatures. He showed them that he meant no threat, he was merely here to rescue his partner held captive in the tower right in the middle of their home turf. The creatures were sensitive beings, and felt that this intruder was speaking honestly, yet they needed further proof to be certain this wasn't a most elaborate trick. And proof they would get, for Bellum had brought his wife's handkerchief, whose scent was emanating from the tower. Combined with the brave actions and sacrifice of a small flying demon, who was lethally wounded by Variatrias for the "crime" of entering through the window on top of the tower and becoming witness of both the captive and her awful situation, the pack of demons were driven to act: they not only allowed the rescue party inside their territory, but also guided them through it.   For a brief moment Variatrias was horrified, for he knew that with the guidance of the beasts the rescue party would reach the tower, storming it. What was worse, Legatia still remained defiant as in the beginning, a fact the demon couldn’t grasp: he had done everything in his power, showered her with the greatest gift the Heavens could offer to any being in the cosmos, yet she still hadn't accepted him? It was when he locked eyes with Bellum, with the God of War looking straight into the demon lord's soul that he understood: this brute, somehow, had managed to "bewitch" the goddess, blinding her to the truth of his majesty. A feat that he reasoned could only be undone by slaying the "deceiving monster"; only then would his future wife be "free" to join him as she was meant to be. Alas, that would have to be tried another day, for he knew that currently he lacked the means to slay his newfound nemesis. Yet as the party arrived at the center of the labyrinth, and began their storming of the structure, Variatrias smiled at his captive, for he had deceived the ultimate "gift" he could deliver to her.   Bellum rushed through the staircase, an unstoppable force that tore anything that dared stand in his way: guards, doors, even walls; all were smashed to pieces. Yet when he punched out the door and entered the cell his beloved lay in, a most profound feeling of failure dominated him for what he witnessed. For she was lying bruised, with her clothes torn apart on top of a bed, while a small pool of blood and a bloodied knife lay on the floor. Legatia could not help but start to cry, both due to happiness for her husband’s arrival, but also the deepest of sorrow, for she felt she had committed the most sinful of crimes.   As Bellum tore apart the chains holding her prisoner, and went for a hug, Legatia explained what had happened: for Variatrias had forced himself onto her despite her desperate attempts to stop him (she had even managed to gouge one of the demon's eyes out with the knife she had been holding, but the pain wasn't enough to deter her assailant), raping and impregnating her with his seed before escaping through the window and into the sky vessel that had been used to carry the supplies the tower's occupants needed. This wasn't the first time she had experienced such horrible abuse: long ago the Almighty had done the same to her. But this was way worse, for back then she wasn't engaged with anyone, and she didn't have a child from that event. It was that previous event that had made her swear a personal oath once she became Bellum's wife, to never let anyone else force themselves upon her, and therefore to never have children with anyone but her beloved. A most precious oath she had failed to uphold, and was making her miserable, far more so than the pain from the wounds the demon had inflicted upon her.   Yet Bellum comforted his beloved wife, gently telling her that she shouldn't feel bad for what had happened: she had done her very best, which would always matter far more to him, no matter whatever oath she had made to herself. These words proved healing beyond belief to the goddess, for she hadn't realized how much of a caring and benevolent partner she had gained up to now. Yet there was another matter that started to worry her: the child forming in her belly. This being was innocent of its progenitor sins yet...it wasn't Bellum's. He wouldn't accept such a child, right? Once again, the extent of the bond that joined the two gods made itself manifest, for he had no issue in raising the child: it might not be his by blood, but he swore to her beloved he would become its father through education and tutelage. It was this promise that allowed Legatia to fully recover her spirit, knowing that even though this child wasn't Bellum's by blood, it would still join the family. After yet another hug, the couple and their companions departed the maze in their voyage of return to their realm, followed by the pack of demons who decided to join them: they wanted to ensure that the female for whom their youngest member had died would be safe from now on. They have become Paraborn's top guardian beasts, especially close to the Bellum-Legatia family.   And, several month later, the child was born, a female who had the eyes, face and body of her mother, yet also the long horns and tail of her progenitor. It was these physical traits that set her apart from the rest of Paraborn's youth of her age that made Messis realize very soon she wasn't like her friends, driving her to ask her father about the truth. Bellum had been prepared for such an occasion for a long time, so he knew how to best approach his youngest child. Messis was at first shocked to learn that she didn't share blood at all with the being she called her father, yet Bellum made it clear that even though they lacked such a connection, they were still family, for such bonds are not defined by mere blood but rather something far more important: experiences, interactions, education, values and so on. He told her that family are the ones that raise and live alongside with, and no blood connection was required. Sure, it was the most common and simpler connection, yet was far from being the most important one. Messis couldn't help but cry tears of joy before going to hug her "dad", for she knew her father's words were sincere. The connection between the two would only grow from then on, as well with the rest of the family: Messis's siblings loved to interact with their far younger sister, especially her older warrior sister Miles who finally had a "warrior" sister to interact with. Through them as well as her father's tutoring, Messis became quite skilled in combat. Soon enough, she carved a dedicated niche for herself, as she excelled in fighting defensively, spear and shield in hand, blocking and parrying every strike, until her opponent was expended, and vulnerable to the killing blow. Sure, this style of combat had the disadvantage of not ending fights quickly, and that she could be overwhelmed by a more experienced or dedicated opponent. Yet overall, it made her unbeatable by most fighters of Paraborn, with the only exceptions being her father and the champions of the realm (her brother Virtus and his friend the rowdy Ingenii). Yet war matters was not the only area which the young deity grew passionate about: she enjoyed interacting with Vindictus, the elemental demon. Their shared distinctiveness among Paraborn’s inhabitants as either partially or entirely demonic, combined with the fact that Vindictus was key on Legatia's rescue made the two grow rather close, and to interact in friendly manners from a fairly young age. It was in one such interaction that Messis noticed a plant growing on a fertile patch of earth, after one of the usual spectacles the elemental demon tended to show off to the back then child. With eyes gleaming with wonder, Messis asked her friend about how it had happened. And when Vindictus sincerely told her that he honestly had no idea, other than that it happened sometimes; from then on, she was drawn to start researching the matter of plants. This curiosity very quickly blossomed into a passion, one the young goddess dedicated as much time as she could in-between the training and sparring sessions under her father and family.   And so, by the time she had become what we would call a young adult, Messis had become renowned both due to her combat skill as well as her vast knowledge regarding plants, which would later in life become an area of knowledge we now call agriculture, which she would graciously teach to our ancestors, allowing them to settle on the land.   But back to the tale: it was around this time that Variatrias resurfaced, after spending years hiding from the relentless hunt of Paraborn's agents. He had managed to rebuild his armies, yet he had lost his land in the process, which was annexed into Paraborn as reprisal. The demon lord couldn't care less, for he was single-mindedly focused on slaying Bellum and "freeing" his future wife. Once these goals had been achieved, he was sure to recover his lands. And speaking of his current goal, it was due to having developed a means to slay the God of War that he had come out of hiding.   The army he had gathered was too large to ignore, and despite the best attempts of Adulteria agents, all assassination attempts had failed. So, without no order option, Bellum led Paraborn's forces out from their homeland, ready to finish this hated foe once and for all. Soon enough, the armies clashed on a titanic engagement, with the supreme commander of Paraborn remaining somewhat behind to be able to get a better picture, while delegating the main bulk of the effort to his children. It was standard procedure, and it normally carried little risk, for Bellum himself was a mighty fighter, and his elite bodyguards were capable of slaying anything that the foes of Paraborn could throw at them before their guard had the necessity to engage. Yet, this one time, it wouldn't be enough.   Variatrias deployed his secret weapons: mighty deranged demonic creatures, transformed and driven insane beyond measure by an elite cabal of sorcerers loyal to their lord. These creatures were individually the strongest beings Paraborn's warriors had faced, and there were several of them. They ripped apart the bodyguards, quickly surrounding Bellum. He fought harder than he had ever fought, eventually slaying the beasts, but not before they grievously wounded him. And it was at this weakened state that Variatrias struck, ready for him to deliver the finishing blow. It was a short yet fierce duel, for even though wounded and exhausted, the God of War was still a mighty foe for the demon. Alas, even though it cost him one of his arms, Variatrias achieved his goal, and pierced Bellum's heart, slaying his hated nemesis.   He wanted to gloat, and bask in the glory of his achievement, yet he could see his followers being butchered by a furious army, driven mad with wrath in their quest to avenge their commander. But, even if this hadn't been the case, he couldn't care about the fate of his followers: he could always recruit more later. Now, he needed to retrieve his now "released" wife.   He rushed across the lands, quickly arriving at Paraborn and into the Palace of Legatia. Once there, he expected to find his "wife" relieved to see him, free at long last of the "spell" that the brute had casted upon her. He was met instead with a grieving yet defiant woman, her face marked by the many tears she had shed the moment she felt her beloved's demise. The demon was perplexed: this was not how it was meant to be. For a second he forgot he was in enemy territory, with guards closing in. In a tone mirroring his inner feelings, he questioned Legatia: how couldn't she be happy to see him? She was now free of the "spell", right?   Legatia, after hearing the question, and seeing how absolutely stunned was the slayer of her husband, couldn't help but laugh. She then started to mock the demon, telling him how absolutely pathetic he truly was. And following this, in a seemly calmed tone which did little to hide her visible anger and fury, she explained to the demon the situation in such a way as to make sure the message came through as meant to be: that she was never bewitched by Bellum, that she had always loved him genuinely, and that even now dead, he would always be a far worthier partner that the vain and miserable being that had the arrogance of deciding her choice of husband.   This revelation, raw and unfiltered, shook the demon lord to its core, for he realized that all the sacrifices he had made (his armies, his realm, his best advisors and even friends)... all of that had been for nothing, an impossible goal that he had spent everything on. In a whirlwind of emotions, shock turned to sadness, sadness to despair, despair turned to anger...and anger turned to hatred. He roared furiously, turning his former fondness to sheer contempt, verbally berating the being that had until now held his very heart and for whom he had sacrificed EVERYTHING to get. He told Legatia how ungrateful and utterly selfish she had been, deluding himself now that if it was HER fault he had become obsessed with her. Legatia replied in kind, telling the demon that she held no responsibility for his actions and less regarding his feelings. Yet Variatrias wasn't one to hear: he would never, NEVER, recognize that the responsibility and the consequences of his actions laid squarely on his shoulders. He would rather kill the woman that rejected him before that.   He dashed forwards, ready to tear the goddess with his very fangs and claws. Yet...he was violently pushed back into the wall, knocking him cold for a brief second. When he recovered his consciousness, he found himself facing a young female, clad in fairly light armor and equipped with a spear and shield. And beyond her, the pack of demons had arrived, forming a protective circle around Legatia, howling and growling with anger. Whatever happened next, Variatrias wouldn't lay even the tip of one of his claws on Legatia's body before being slayed. Yet the demon was too blinded by fury to realize he was once again aiming to achieve an impossible goal. He charged repeatedly, trying time and again to get to his target. Yet the warrior always and quickly repelled every single attempt, using his own momentum against him and pushing him back into the wall. It was after one of these charges, that Variatrias noticed that the warrior that stood in front of him...was like him. She shared his same tail, horns and even long claw-like nails. And once he focused his sight on his new opponent, he laughed. For there she was, his offspring. And he couldn't be more proud of the fine specimen the young demi-demon, demi-goddess she was. Recovering for a moment his usual arrogant confidence, he attempted to talk with his opponent, but found only defiant silence. Frowning his eyebrows slightly, he called out the female, asking her if she knew who she was fighting against.   Messis replied, telling him in a plain tone she perfectly knew who she was dueling with: Variatrias, the demon that had forced himself onto her beloved mother, and her progenitor. This drove Variatrias furious once again: if she knew who he was to her, why then was she fighting her father? Messis chuckled, finding the very question amusing. And once he noticed her opponent clearly wanted an explanation (and found the chuckling not amusing at all), she gave it to him: she explained to him the same that her father, her "real" father had told her long ago, that family is more than just blood. It was interactions, experiences, among other things that created the emotional bonds that were the essence of family. The being that was in front of her...was no family. He was an enemy, one she was only slightly thankful due to her very existence but that she otherwise despised, for he had raped her mother and slain her father, who had brought death, despair and suffering to her people and especially to those she held most dear. So no, she was right where she wanted, fighting to slay a monster, just like her father had told her. She finalized her explanation that he better quit trying to convince her to join him, for she would always hold her "dad" most dear to her heart.   Variatrias was in that moment driven mad with fury: Bellum, Bellum, Bellum! He uttered the name of his nemesis loudly, wrath filling every fiber of his being, the name of whom even after death took everything he could hold dear: his "destined" wife and now, his prospective heir. He channeled all his remaining strength, ready to take one final, deadly charge that would tear his opponent and her despised mother for good. He surged forwards, faster than ever before...just as Messis intended to. Instead of blocking or parrying away the bulldozing charge of the demon, she grabbed her spear, a spear personally gifted by her father, firmly with both hands, laying the tip of her weapon straightly leveled against her target. The impulse of the blind charge combined with the unwavering focus of the young goddess had one brutal outcome: Variatrias’s heart was pierced through, the spear tip coming out the other side of his body. The demon had no time to react to the brutal pain he was suffering, for Messis charged on this time, bluntly pinning the demon into the wall, making Variatrias cough rivers of blood. It was at this moment Messis delivered the killing blow, using her horns to skewer right through her opponent’s skull, gouging out Variatrias remaining eye in the process. It was a brutal yet swift death, a fate Messis felt was unworthy for the being, yet the only one she was capable of delivering right now. As she pulled out her weapon and allowed the corpse of her enemy to slump down onto the floor, she turned around, only to see the proud face of her mother. The two hugged, caring not one bit about how stained by demonic ichor Messis armor was. For Messis had done it: she had avenged both of her parents, and made the monster pay dearly for his actions. But this was but the first moment of joy for the family, for an even greater one happened later: a miracle. Supported by his sons, an exhausted yet surprisingly alive Bellum returned victoriously to his home. Wife and daughter couldn't help but cry with happiness, and go to hug him. It was at this moment when Bellum explained that he had indeed died...but was brought back, thanks to the words uttered by a certain someone. Not even the gods know how, but the words of Messis, uttered with reverence and love to the being that educated her, the being she was forever proud to call her father even though neither shared blood, had provoked a miracle. A miracle that would forever mark Messis, cementing her place into Paraborn's history (and our own).   And so, with a resurrected father, a mother liberated from the being that had haunted her, and with the many discoveries that she would eventually teach to us mortals, is how this story ends. If there is a key lesson to be learned, it is that families are more than blood, and that fathers and/or mothers are not necessarily the ones that birth us, but more importantly, the ones that raise us, those that educated us. Let no one tell you otherwise. As for those who want to be worthy of being called father or mother, is simple: take care of your child, or else...others will take such a precious spot, even if just because you're too busy to take the time and/or effort to raise one's blood, and you prefer delegating such "menial" task as some arrogant highborn might designate it to someone else.