Shaking off the pain, Chev felt a sudden awareness unknown to him. He could sense every molecule in his body flex and move, and understood all too clearly how they worked. Normally, when a muscle flexes the individual cells move at separate time sequences resulting in a constant power. Reaching out with his mind, the fighter understood that by flexing all of them at once he was capable of incredible strength and speed.

With little effort, the rock and debris pinning the warrior went flying across the room with the strength of ten men. It crashed through the stone wall like it was a catapult boulder. The whole chamber shook and Chev ignored the debris that fell around him.

Sitting up and looking at his numb legs, the fighter opened his eyes to the power surrounding him. He was bathed in an aura of white and green light. Even as he watched, the blood covering his legs were absorbed through his flesh until he was whole again.

"Magic," he murmured slowly to himself, half in fear and half in intrigue. Looking about the broken chamber, he felt the magical energy present. It flowed around him and through him like a swirling river of yawn. "The magic weave," he said aloud in understanding. The magical weave revolved and flowed around the world like a ocean of magical energy. Wizards used its power to access energy that was normally beyond mortal ability.

The glowing man looked beyond that simple, and it did indeed feel simple now that he understood it, and knew that this was also a source of power used by the gods. The warrior smiled, the light around him shining even brighter as he did so. Reaching out a hand, he grasped a magical strand and felt the raw energy passing between his fingers.

Looking down at himself, Chev saw strands that were not moving. Yellow strands interlaced with red ones in an intricate pattern. Swallowing, the warrior studied the strands closer and felt himself getting drawn into them. Strands of magical energy gathered around his eyes like a lens at his will.

The farmer at the Bravepike ruins. No, not a farmer, a wizard, Chev decided mentally. A moment later he broke through the magical enchantment Korehren had cast on him and understood how he had been duped.

Duped? Chev could scarcely believe it, but there was the proof right before his eyes like some holy vision. It was not the Harpers who had instigated his lover's capture. That had been merely an excuse for the wizard to start Chev's killing spree.

Magical adrenaline composed of weaved strands coursed not only through Chev's veins but all around him as his fury mounted. To have been trapped within a statue for over a century was one thing, but to be so easily enchanted by another wizard was unforgivable. With a flex of glowing muscles, Chev snapped the chain-like magical strands that bound him with the ease of a child breaking a twig.

The raw energy of the breaking strands stung his skin but the moment passed and the warrior looked about him in a sense of wonderment. Broken flasks and glowing green gems. A huge cauldron had been tipped over and spilled a glowing white syrup across the rough wooden floor. Where the syrup touched, the wood grew bark and sprouted twigs with leaves.

Shifting and kneeling in the puddle, Chev reached out a hand to touch the syrup and absorbed the substance through his skin. Taking a deep breath, the warrior watched as magical strands of energy raced through his hand, healing his wounds and restoring strength to his muscles.

On impulse, the warrior rolled over in the syrup and felt the magical energy coursing through his body. Every tiny molecule screamed for more energy and he swam in a sea of ecstasy. The moment did not last and he awoke as if from a dream.

Looking about him, Chev spotted his fallen and broken sword pierced by the Doctor's saber. Magical energy poured from the wounded weapon across the floor like spaghetti from a bowl. Reaching out a hand, Chev felt a sudden jolt of energy as the magical strands whipped about his body. He spasmed without pause but could not release his hold on the broken sword.

Draque had just gotten back from Blackstaff's tower when the warnings went off in his head like his whole world had suddenly disintegrated and forgotten to take him with it. Someone was trying to steal his lifesyrup! How dare they!

He cursed himself and raced across the grass towards the east wing at the far end of the grounds. His hands fell to his own weapons and he raised a wand. A bolt of crackling energy struck the bronze door and only jolted it. Under the elf's weighty foot however, the door's melted hinges and mechanism stood no longer and it crashed to the marble floor with a heavy clang.

Down the cluttered hallway, an explosion like lightning caused his pointed ears to perk up and he saw glowing smoke rise out from underneath the door of his alchemy shop. Making his way through the cluttered hallway, Draque couldn't help but wonder what magical thing the thief had managed to break. He could only hope that the explosion had killed the stupid thief. No one steals from Marque Draque and gets away with it.

Muttering a quick protection to ward away the effects of magical residue, Draque paused before the doorway and debated whether to blow it off its hinges or knock first to see if the thief was still alive.

He chose the latter and was disappointed to hear a large, yet harmonious grunt.. "Whoever is in there," he said loudly and as sternly as possible. "I know there was a magical explosion in there. Anything could happen in such a case-"

The bronze door and its frame wrenched out of the wall and rammed Draque against the far wall. An unyielding force held the wall in place and crushed the air out of the mage. He couldn't breath and his mind raced for some form of escape. With no other choice, the mage twisted a ring on his little finger with his thumb. His form blinked out of existence and reappeared instantly twenty feet away down the hallway.

With the lack of a body behind the door, the bronze door crashed into the marble wall with a solid clang. Releasing the door from his grasp, Chev looked down the hall at Draque's rematerialized form.

Draque astonishment was so complete that his cigar fell out of his limp lips and he stared open mouthed at the glowing white form of Chev. He took several hasty steps backwards and mouthed the words "What happened?"

Chev smiled and the entire hallway shone with magical light. "A fluke of sorts," he said, looking down at his own naked torso which shone with white energy. "My magical sword exploded and when I crashed through the ceiling I tipped over your cauldron. My magical armour was absorbed through my skin and my clothes burnt away by energy. I absorbed that cauldron of syrup, followed by the remains of my sword."

Draque took another quick step backwards. If Chev could absorb magic at will he would be helpless should the warrior decide to kill him. He looked to his wand and threw it down and unbuckled his swordbelt.

The warrior only smiled, having a vague sense of what Draque was thinking. "I won't kill you. I do think you could help me however. I've learned that I was tricked into hunting down the Harpers and now I intend to rebuke the mage who ensorcelled me. I need my sword more than ever now."

The drow frowned and shrugged off what was a weak attempt of a charm spell by Chev. Whether the attempt had been a conscious effort by Chev was open to question. "The blade is evil, I've been dismantling its enchantments."

"I can fix that."

"And if it blows up in your face and takes the rest of the Academy with it?"

"Then I will await you to bring it to me outside in the rose garden."

Draque ignored the prying enchantments and held his will in place. "Why should I do this favour for you? I am no Harper but I call many of them friends. I'm not about to betray them by handing over a weapon of such power."

"Even I, with my newfound powers cannot break your magical locks Marque Draque," Chev said, paying the mage a compliment. "But with that sword I could challenge a god to a duel and likely win."

"I don't doubt it. You still haven't answered my question."

"My foe is a mighty mage, twice as strong as you are. I'll need my sword if I'm to challenge such a power. The world would be better off with such a mage."

"What's the name of this mighty mage?"

"Korehren, I believe."

Again Draque was shocked and couldn't say anything.

"What's wrong?"

"Korehren is the name of the God of Corruption." The mage swallowed and gauged his distance to the nearest door.

"All the more reason to end his reign."

That thought struck the mage profoundly and for a moment he checked himself to make sure he hadn't fallen under some spell. He knew it was indeed possible to kill a god. Cyric, the God of Murder, had done it several times while still mortal and dubbed his own sword Godslayer. He turned half away from Chev and was tempted to run for him. The other half him begged him to let Chev have the sword and watch as history unfolded.

History and overwhelming curiousity won out and Draque dug into a pocket and pulled out a cigar. It lit on its own as he put it to his lips and bit down on it. "Follow me."

The door creaked open upon the dusty room and Chev felt the overpowering sense of chaos emanating from the sword. Stepping through the door, he stretched out his hand and the blade flew across the room at his will and was reunited with its master. It cried out in a plaintive voice, begging for the warrior to skewer the mage that had harmed its enchantments and broken its will.

Chev ignored the blade's pleading thoughts and looked about to see that the mage had fled the room. In his left hand, the warrior held aloft Tarrasqueslayer and smote it with the evil blade in his right. It did not explode, for the instant the magical bonds snapped, the glowing man reached out with his will and channelled the released power through his sword, healing the broken enchantments of his sword and silencing its evil urges.

The leftover energy flowed down the blade and joined with his swordarm. When the last of the magically fabric had been absorbed, Chev tossed the blue adamantite saber aside. He held aloft Gravebringer, its black adamantite giving off a dull shine. "Happy now? I ruined I perfectly good sword in favour of fixing you. If I have anymore complaints I shall complete Draque's dismantling and use your magical energy for myself. Is that clear."

The sword flashed light angrily but stayed silent.

Pierce leaned heavily against the wall as he walked and thanked Ao he was safe back on the ground. Grabbing Sharkslayer and Sidekick, he used them like canes as he headed north, hoping to find Rambertz. Reaching the bronze doors to the north, he opened them and breathed in the night air. He could smell the dew on the grass and wanted to roll over and over in it like a child until he fell asleep exhausted. The problem was that he was already exhausted and badly in need of some healing magic before he rolled over and died.

"Rambertz," he called out in the darkness, his voice low and shaking. "Rambertz," he called again, trying to raise his voice desperately.

He wet his bloody lips and tried again. "Rambertz!" he called out, his voice breaking the silence and ending with the warrior collapsing in the doorway.

Eight hairy legs walked out of the darkness and a handsome elven face looked down at the fallen warrior with concern. His eyes lifted to the sky and saw the first rays of dawn coming. He needed that power to heal Pierce's wounds and would have to wait before he'd be able to heal much. Still, he could do something for now.

Kneeling like a horse might, the half-man, half-spider ripped rags from Pierce's clothes and worked to bind his bleeding wounds. It would be awhile before he could use his healing magic at full strength.

"Why are you here?"

Pierce opened his eyes and blinked in the twilight. He could hear waves in the distance crashing against the rocks. The sky was a painted swirl of red and purple that fell into a sea of darkness. The wind rushed past his ears as he stood and faced a lone figure in the darkness.

"Who are you?" the Doctor demanded, his hands going to the sabers that were not there.

"That question is open to negotiation. A better question is who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I'm Pierce O'Hiram. I don't know why I'm here."

"None of us know. Least of all you."

"I'm dreaming."

"Maybe you're dead."

"No." Pierce said firmly. "I can feel Rambertz's thoughts. I won't die."

"Not yet. The day has only begun," replied the man and took a step closer, his face becoming more distinct.

"Is this a vision? Who are you?"

"I might be a vision. Or maybe everything you've ever known is a vision. Maybe you've dreamt your whole life."

"When I die, will I wake up?"

"Maybe. Does it matter so long as you serve your purpose."

"What purpose?"

"Existence. Nothing more."

"So if I die, it makes no difference so long as I have served my existence by simply existing."

"Not exactly. Everyone is unique, and it is that uniqueness that makes your existence important. For every life, there is a billion ideas and concepts born, added themselves to the infinity of the universe."

"And if I die?"

"Then you have failed. Don't fail me Doctor Pierce. I am counting on you."

"I think he's coming to," Draque muttered and waved his cigar under Pierce's nose, hoping the awful smell would help wake the warrior.

"Get that damned thing out of my face!" Pierce grumbled. His eyes cracked open and he glared up at the mage. "I don't particularly like smelling like an ashtray!"

Rambertz grunted and hauled Pierce to his feet. "I think he's fit enough to walk. His foot should be fine, provided he doesn't put too much stress on it." The drider didn't release his strong hold however, waiting for Pierce to take a step.

"I'll be fine," Pierce said, nodding to assure to the drider. He took several steps and tripped on awkward legs. He fell forward and landed in a crawl. "I have to find Chev."

"Did we fail to mention that he's close to godhood at the moment? You can't stop him."

"I'm not going to stop him," Pierce said slowly, fixing his hands underneath him and struggling to rise.

"You're half dead!" shouted Draque, reaching out to stop Pierce. "You can't do anything short of killing yourself!"

Pierce growled and rose trembling to his feet. He straightened his back and ignored the wave of agony that threatened to buckle his knees. "Just watch me."

With slow determined steps, the Doctor walked across the grounds towards the gate. He had a good idea where to find Chev, knowing how much the warrior prized that buckler. He adjusted Sharkslayer and Sidekick in his belt, drawing strength from the feel of their firm grips.

"Help him Draque," Rambertz said grimly, crossing his thick arms. "Surely you have a flying spell on you?"

"No," Draque muttered. He looked up and after Pierce. "I do have a spell called Astral Jump however..."

Bending the magical strands to his will, Chev surged skyward and was a shining white beacon flying over Waterdeep at such a speed that he was easily mistaken for a falling star. The wise ones knew better however, knowing that falling stars go down, not up.

The wind slid over Chev's naked form and he felt exhilerated as the magical energy he encountered was abosrbed into his skin. He could never have imagined that there was so much magical energy just floating around and waiting to be used. To his eyes, it seemed like he was swimming rather than flying.

His mind racing as only his could, the warrior swerved downward and scanned the lantern lit city for the elven twisting tower. Closing and reopening his eyes, he focused his thoughts on the buckler. Down below, he sensed the buckler. It wasn't sentient like the blade was, but he could feel its magical strength fighting against the rusting effects of the water around it.

Like a diving owl, the glowing man plummeted downward and crashed through the ceiling of the elven tower, through the elven chamber and straight down the fountain to the water below. Reaching out a hand, the water surged around the warrior and formed into a whirlpool with the waterdrain at the centre.

There, jammed into the waterdrain's bars, the buckler lay. Chev slid down the water like it was sand and scooped up the buckler and blew the water off it. A moment later the buckler attached itself to his arm and he flew upward once more, already wondering what to do next.

Cause a commotion would be a start. The warrior rose more slowly this time his light shining like a lighthouse as he rose up past the thundering water and entered the elven tower. His face was benevolent as he gazed at the elven guards who stood bravely in front of the guests. The fat mage, the Harper, responded with a bolt of crackling magical energy that hit Chev's buckler and was absorbed through the warrior's glowing flesh.

The ex-bodyguard only smiled at the mage. "I call upon any clerics and mages to contact Korehren and tell him that Chev desires his prescence."

A cleric of Corellon, the patron god of all elves stepped forward. "Why do you seek to contact a dark god, unknown spirit?"

"To destroy him. You will soon witness a god-duel."

"Why don't you call him yourself?" demanded Petre. "Are you really a god or is that simply an illusion?"

Chev glared at the fat elf but still he smiled. "I am no god and my abilities are not honed as well as yours but I can assure you that my power exceeds yours by far."

Petre was skeptical and started to nod at the cleric when a simply clad elf stepped forward within two feet of Chev. His clothes were made of the finest deer leather and otherwise unremarkable. His face however was that of utter perfection and beauty. The golden hair flowed from his bronze-tanned skin and he stared at Chev with clear blue eyes.

The warrior took a quick step backwards. The sheer amount of magical energy surrounding the elf was almost blinding. Huge magical strands thicker than Chev's arm flowed through the elf as a constant source of incredible energy.

"Chev, combat is forbidden amongst us gods."

"I'm not a god," Chev responded, summoning all of his energy together. His light stopped glowing and the strands surrounding him started to grow in thickness. He still shone a little, but the majority of the magical might was no longer leaking out.

"Perhaps, but you have the power to rival one. Albeit a small one such as Korehren. The sheer distruction however is something I will not allow."

"So says you," snorted a booming voice. "I wouldn't miss this fight for all of Ao's power."

The two beings turned to face Tempus, the God of War. He was dressed in a flagrantly intricate and shining armour and carried a great warhammer the size of a sledge. His face was stern and filled with a myriad of scars. Like Corellon, thick strands of magical energy swirled around the Lord of Battles and down his huge weapon which was composed of pure energy rather than actually substance.

"Nice hammer," Chev commented and immediately won Tempus's admiration.

"Thanks," the god responded and turned back to Corellon. "If you're so worried about distruction, we can take this battle outside."

"Are you challenging me to a duel?" Corellon demanded, his sword materializing in his hand.

"No, although I might take it up with you on a later date just to see how long it would take me to beat you to a pulp. I was suggesting that Chev and Korehren have their little fight outside, away from your precious tower."

"Strange that no one ever asks my opinion on this," a black-skinned elf commented. He stood and his skin shifted colour to a white as he mimicked Chev's form. "Surely I should have been asked more formally as this is rather abrupt and I do have a busy schedule. So many people to corrupt, so little time."

Chev lowered his sword at the god, sizing up the the energy strands that swirled around the being. "Care to take this outside?"

"And if I don't comply?" Korehren said with a charming smile at Corellon.

The leather-clad elf looked at the god of war and a silent agreement passed between the two. With a smile, Tempus hefted his hammer in one hand and pointed it at Korehren's head. "How many powerful beings do you want helping Chev? If this building gets destroyed, he'll have both me and Corellon helping him. Who knows who else might decide to help out?"

"Cyric? I'm sure the god of murder would side with me. Lloth might decide to pop up too for all I care. Then again, we wouldn't want a godwar on our hands would we? We'd destroy half of Toril with such a fight."

"You'd be the first to fall," Corellon promised. "Why not let the future show what it will and have your little battle outside.

Chev ignored the banter and searched for a weak spot in the god's defenses. The problem with fighting gods he realized immediately was that they regenerated faster than trolls and were a lot harder to hurt in the first place. He concluded that there was no weakspot, but rather something more important. Taking four steps towards the god, he stabbed with his sword, but not at the god himself.

His blade bit into the thick strand of magical energy, and he forced his will upon it and redirected the power towards himself.

In response Korehren charged the warrior and stabbed him in the side with a wickedly curved sword.

Chev ignored the injury as the energy passed through his sword, down his arm and repaired the damage done. Grabbing another thick strand, he pulled the god with him as he rolled backwards and over the fountain balcony.

Falling once more, the glowing warrior grabbed a strong hold around Korehren's thickest strand and kicked himself away from the god, stealing the strand. Together the two beings tumbled downward, but in those mere seconds, Chev felt the power of god-hood fill his veins with energy and when he landed it was on both feet with sword in hand.

Korehren smiled and his magical energy swirled around him and cloaked him like armour. He bound and interlaced it with knots that could not be pulled away, creating a fabric of writhing energy.

Chev studied this for only a moment and then did the same, but placed the strands under his skin rather than around it. He could feel energy escaping from him in the form of light and understood that there was only so much power that he could hold within himself without exploding. He was tempted to throw raw energy at Korehren but knew it would only weaken himself and at most stun his opponent. No, it was much better to simply let Korehren bleed out his energy until there was none left.

The two beings faced off against each other, Chev with Gravebringer and Korehren with a curved longsword outstretched before him. Immediately, the warrior concluded that Pierce would be a better fighter than Korehren had he the god's magical strength and speed. The lesser power had skill indeed, but he used it unwisely with showy swings and no true skill.

As they came together, Chev blocked and turned the curved sword aside easily, following up by kicking Korehren in the belly. The blow landed softly but sent the god flying across the cobblestones to crash into one of the spiralling posts holding up the elven tower.

Corellon stood beside the tower and strengthened it magically to prevent a crack from spreading up its length. Tempus appeared at the other side of the post and threatened jokingly to smash it with his hammer. The elven god frowned and crossed stern arms, indicating that such a blow might be the god of battles' last.

Standing, Korehren held his sword more wisely this time and gauged the distance between himself and the glowing warrior. Without a word, he stamped one foot on the ground and blackness spread from his leg onto the ground. Stepping backwards, the puddle of darkness continued to grow as Korehren willed it to.

Unsure of what this was, Chev stepped closer and came nose to nose with an emerging denizen. He stabbed forward with Gravebringer at the base of the monster's neck and twisted. Green blood poured out of the wound all over the glowing warrior as he pulled the blade back out.

Two red eyes looked down at Chev with utter hatred.

The warrior's sword dove once more, this time into the denizen's chest. Once again Chev twisted the blade and pulled it back out. He sensed Korehren moving around behind him but knew he had to finish this beast quickly or be caught between the two.

It was Chev's third blow that proved fatal. He swiped the blade across the beast's belly, spilling out its greenish brown innards. The creature wasn't even fully out of the portal in the ground when its body turned to wisps wrapped with magical power.

The glowing warrior wasn't about to let the thing escape however. His hand flashed out and he pulled on the magical strands, shredding them with his claw-like tendrils of magic that sprouted along his hand.

He jerked as Korehren's sword stabbed cleanly through his back and came out where his heart was. The god didn't back off however, pulling Chev's life essense through the weapon. A black hole spread around the wound like the charred remains of a burnt corpse.

Feeling the lifeforce weakening, Korehren pulled his sword out and went into for another hit.

His attack was knocked aside by a flash of blue.

The god blinked and stared.

Pierce stared back with equal determination. In one hand he held the cutlass Sharkslayer and in the other he held his saber Sidekick. "Marque Draque isn't going to like the fact you've been using his Vampiric Blades spell without his permission. In the meantime, I believe you and I have to discuss the small matter of some dead Harpers."

Korehren simply swung his sword at Pierce's neck.

Knowing that he couldn't possibly parry due to the god's superior strength and adrenaline, the Doctor ducked under the blade and stabbed out with both blades. They bit into the god's chest and ripped through life energy like a hot knife through butter.

The shock, combined by the arm jarring pain he received when Chev turning about and unexpectantly met the backslash meant to take Pierce's arm off, was enough to cause the god to back off from the two unexpectantly. "The Harpers are an annoyance to my church. I need them removed," Korehren replied as he concentrated to heal his wounds faster.

"So you can corrupt the leaders of Waterdeep into doing gods know what?" Pierce shook his head. "Over my dead body."

Korehren began a retort."That can be-"

"Arranged?" demanded Chev. "So can yours by the smell of your blood on the ground! You are a coward of the first kind to say nothing of a pathetic warrior."

"I am a GOD!"

"And I thought Pierce had a big ego," snorted Chev. He held out a hand to the Doctor. "I'd like to borrow Sharkslayer, if you please."

Pierce handed the blade over after a moment's consideration. "How do I know you won't backstab me with it in the far future?"

"The same way I know that you won't do the same to me," the glowing man replied, and gave the Doctor a quick glance. For a moment, the two connected on a purely mental level. This was no glimpse into the other mind, no probing, just pure communitcation with incredible clarity.

Then the moment was gone and Pierce had to check himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He stepped back from the two supernatural beings, Sidekick raised and ready. He hoped this battle wouldn't last long.

The saber fell from between limp fingers and Pierce's jaw dropped. The future was so clear. No longer was there the multitude of possibilities and choices to be made. There was nothing he could do, for it would happen so quickly. Perhaps it was the insight into Chev's mind, Pierce couldn't be certain. Never before had he seen the future with such simpleness.

Chev tossed Gravebringer into the air in front of Korehren's head. Sharkslayer's sharp blade came down, slicing clear through the black adamantite sword. For a millionth of a second, Pierce heard the magical sword scream in his mind and then was gone as it exploded.

Both beings were knocked back from the released magical energy. Chev crouched, his buckler raised defensively before him as he concentrated on absorbing the magical energy that had been released around him. Then he stood, striding through the magical chaos of energy and levelled Sharkslayer at the prone Korehren's neck.

The god was still in a state of shock when he looked up the curved blade of the cutlass to the man at the other end. His face, normally a combination of darkness and light turned pale. Chev stared back without expression.

There was a feeling of nothingness in the air. Everything had simply went still. What was it, Chev wondered. He only had to plunge the blade forward and vengeance would be his.

The place was unnaturally silent despite the sudden appearance of a multitude of godly figures. They encircled the area and watched with interest to see if they would be witnessing the birth of the new god of corruption.

From their ranks, a blue-white entity stepped forward, her figure becoming distinct and inticing as she approached. "What are you waiting for?" Mystra asked.

Chev looked up, an urge telling him that he would find his answer in the heavens above.

"Enough!" boomed a chorus of voices that bellowed down from the heavens with a million stern shouts. "If you value your existence you will cease this!"

The eyes of every mortal and immortal in Waterdeep followed Chev's lead and turned skyward to the towering being that was Lord Ao. To Chev's eyes, the being was pure energy and nothing more. He was one gigantic weave of energy as if his very existence would cease to be in the event that all the magic simply disappeared. He was also perfectly balanced. Every part of him had equal amounts of colour and shade and yet he did not appear to be grey or brown as a whole, but rather was simply everything.

"The Balance will be preserved and such a concentration of power will only result in a backlash of energy. Disperse!"

One by one, the gods vanished in the next second until all but Korehren and Chev remained. The gods watched from afar of course, for none wanted to miss such a rare event.

"Leave!" Ao commanded, his white eyes were twin suns bearing down on Korehren. The god blinked out and was gone, his form travelling across the weave of magic in bubbles within the strands.

Chev held his ground and stared upwards at the Overlord. "And what of me?"

"The role of the God of Duels is awaiting you. If you seek aid in understanding your role, you may call upon Oghma, God of Knowledge to aid you."

Marque Draque took a quick step forward, and took a quicker one backwards when he realized what he was doing. "Doesn't he have to replace another god to become a god?"

"No. There are two ways to achieve godhood. The first is to slay and replace one and the second is to earn it by achieving perfection in a particular art."

Draque realized he was staring at nothing and looked to his side at Pierce. The veteran shrugged and looked at Chev, the only deity left.

Chev was cloaked and armoured like he was when Pierce had first met him in the Academy dome. The only thing different was that his face was now flawlessly perfect and his eyes shone with a brilliant light. He smiled, a smile that was infinite in its happiness. Without a word, he turned to face the Doctor.

Pierce smiled in return, unsure of what else to do. Chev's mind was closed.

"It has been a pleasure fighting with and alongside you Pierce," Chev said at last. he held out a hand.

Before he knew what he was doing, Pierce shook it. When he realized the full meaning of that simply action Chev was gone. The warrior stood there for a moment shaking only air before dropping his hand in silence.

Draque lit a cigar to celebrate.