#Era of the Iblan Light

[gaperezmakes]

A Reintroduction

Hi! I’m Gabe!

I bet you thought this was dead! (It was.)

Well, idk what to tell you, but it’s been a while.

So what’s changed in the last…5 years? So many things.

The last time I was here I was working a crappy, go-nowhere retail job and complaining that the U.S. minimum wage needed to be raised. Now I have a boring office job that lets me enjoy a decent standard of living. I still believe the minimum wage needs to be increased.

I was also stuck in a bad relationship of many years. I left that relationship, suffered through the fun that is modern dating as an adult for a few months, and then met someone new. Now we’re married and I have a beautiful wife!

My ex and I had two dogs together. Because I’m the responsible one, I kept both dogs. My wife had three cats with her ex. We both gained pets when we moved in together.

From left to right, we have Sweetums (the Sheriff and Mayor of the house, elected because she’s the only one who voted in the most recent elections), Adelaide (who likes playing fetch and and getting attention, but hates being perceived), Marble (resident gremlin and alarm clock), Kody (professional toy destroyer), and Sadie (excellent child, vicious criminal). The pets live separate lives because Sadie is cat-aggressive, but they’re all happy and healthy.

Also, thanks to my boring office job, I managed to beat the odds and buy a house! No more jumping from one crappy apartment to another! I can paint the walls (we did)! I can renovate it when I’m dissatisfied with how it looks (we are)! I can let the dogs out in the back yard and they can just have their space (I do)! This is really nice and I’m continually disappointed that the government is cool with people lucking their way up the social ladder instead of, idk, doing things to help people afford better (or any) housing. Thanks, Capitalism.

Anyway, where does that leave me? Well, I still write. Last time I was here I had just finished my books Era of the Iblan Light: Rebirth and Age of the Black Empire: Insurrection. It’s been a long almost six years, but I’ve released part 1 of the next books in both series, and I’m working on the next parts. I’m hoping these don’t take another six years.

I also have a third series called Shadows of Sur Posta. It’s a western mystery series set in Colorado. The main characters are Sheriff Flint Waters and Dr. C.A. Daver. They solve crimes. This series is gonna be my NaNo cheat project. Instead of a full novel, they’re just going to be fun little novellas.

I also still draw things. I got myself an iPad recently because apparently I can just afford that, and I’ve been doing a lot of drawing recently. I’ve really been feeling my art and getting a hang of my own style finally.

One day I’ll figure out what “highlights” and “shadows” are.

Anyway, I like doing other things too. Baking, gardening, cooking, sleeping, idk. So I’ll probably pop in here every once in a while to show what I’m doing, talk about things, throw out a random thought. Feel free to swing by, say hi, ask questions.

And if you see me lurking around certain dark corners, no you didn’t 🙂

[gaperezmakes]

Today’s doodle is of Joseph Burmen from Rebirth. Joseph was a new character I made for the book, and he eventually became one of my favorites.

If it looks like the doodle is unfinished, it’s because it is unfinished. I wanted to do more with it, then realized that today is Friday and I needed a doodle to post. Whoops.

But I promise I won’t finish this one and reuse it for another week. If I draw another Joseph, it’ll be a whole new picture. Swearsies.

And if you’d like to learn about Joseph and why I like him, consider buying Rebirth here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/757002

[gaperezmakes]

And today I finish up the video about the Brotherhood of Light. Hooray!

Script:

Alright, we’re back! I’m glad to see everyone again, let’s get back into it. Here’s the Brotherhood of Light Part 2! I’m going to assume you saw Part 1. Quick Summary: Brotherhood of Light, founded the Union, Seven Ranks, run everything as a theocratic oligarchy. We’re here to talk about their military/leadership structure.

Continuing on from where we left off, all levels of their government in some way, shape, or form, reported back to the Brotherhood and the Council of Seven. So, let’s break down the Brotherhood’s leadership.

The Brotherhood, as a military force, had seven ranks. They’re very easy to remember. From bottom to top: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh. The names of the ranks are simple because your service in the Brotherhood is done first and foremost in the name and glory of Iblis, not for personal gain or vanity. They also had a different definition of the term “paladin.” While the modern definition of paladin is a holy warrior who wields the power of the Light, Brotherhood Paladins were actually any soldier in the service of the Brotherhood—and the ability to use the Light was not a requirement to become a Brother (or Sister, in later years). It wasn’t even a requirement to move up in the ranks—but that’s not to say it didn’t help to be able to use the Light. Every Sixth and Seventh in the history of the Brotherhood was able to use the Light. How does one move up in the Brotherhood, and what does each rank entail?

Well, going through the recruiting process grants you an unofficial “Zeroth” rank. This is where they manage all of your testing to ensure that you’re qualified to become a Brother, as well as beginning your training. In most cases, Zeroths are not required to go to war, but exceptions can be made depending on local (or national) needs. Zeroths gain few of the benefits, but none of the recognition that comes with being a Brother.

Becoming a First is as simple as doing well enough in your testing and training. You are confirmed to the position by your local Fifth (or by one of the Council of Seven if you are in Adhit-Yiar, or they happen to be available), and you will be given the full benefits that are associated with being a Brother. However, you will find that the training has become far more intense, and you will be held to a higher standard than you were as a Zeroth. Also: As a First you are now required to go to war for the Brotherhood, so your training might seem a little more serious and less like training.

Moving up to Second from First is a simple matter, although it is possible to skip First entirely and be admitted to the Brotherhood as a second. You just have to test really well and be gifted with Light magic. Otherwise, it��s just a matter of showing basic competency while performing your duties as a First. Your position is confirmed by your local Fifth (or one of the Council of Seven if available), and you are responsible for making sure that the Firsts and Zeroths underneath you don’t kill each other (or themselves). Although in battle, you possess no authority (unless you are somehow the only authority available).

Becoming a Third requires time and dedication. On very rare occasions are people initiated into the Brotherhood as a Third (you have to test exceptionally well and must be exceptionally gifted with Light magic). Most other people spend years proving they are capable of handling the responsibilities that come with being a Third. As with First and Second, your position is confirmed by your local Fifth, or Sixth if available (unless you were initiated as a Third, in which case the Council of Seven holds a special ceremony in your honor). Your local Fifth will now expect you to keep track of a dedicated squad of Seconds (who will watch your Firsts and Zeroths), and you will likely have some small government function to run (usually administrative-type work, but it is not unusual for Thirds to be seen managing postal work).

Most Brothers will retire as a Third. By that point, you will have served your country well, and it will ask nothing more of you. However, for those with an innate sense of leadership and drive, it is not enough to settle as a Third. You have to want to be a Fourth, and you must prove your dedication and loyalty to the Brotherhood every step of the way. You must be strong and disciplined. If you are chosen to take up the position of Fourth, you will be confirmed by one of the Council of Seven, and they will assign you to a minor governing position somewhere in the Union (you will most likely preside over a small township or village, although it is not unusual for Fourths to be lower-court judges or the head of one of the many agencies run by the Brotherhood). You are expected to create and execute battle strategies in war, although you are not expected to fight on the front lines.

Once you become a Fifth, your rank becomes slightly more fluid than it was as a Fourth or below. It is possible to move from Fifth to Sixth and back again (though this is unlikely). You are also now eligible to become the Seventh (very rarely are Sixths promoted to the Seventh, but we’ll get to that in a second). There is a small window of time each year that opens for each Fourth who wants to become a Fifth to apply for the promotion. Once the window closes, all of the Fourths are sent to Adhit-Yiar, where they undergo several intense rounds of testing to see if they are capable of handling the position of Fifth. After each round, those who fail the tests are sent home and cannot apply to be Fifth for another three years. Those who pass are then promoted by the Council of Seven, who assign them to govern a territory or oversee a major government function.

As a governor, you are responsible for ensuring the well-being and contentedness of the territory, as well as managing all local promotions for your Firsts to Fourths. To keep despots from rising to power, there is a biannual review of each Fifth that takes several factors into account (including economic prosperity, popularity based on a survey of the general population, popularity based on a survey of the Brothers who serve underneath the Fifth). The overall results of these reviews will signify whether a Fifth continues to be eligible for promotion, whether they continue to be fit for their position, whether they will be reassigned, or whether they will be “asked” to step down and retire. As a military tactician, you are expected to work with and refine your Fourth’s battle strategies, but you should only step onto the battlefield as a last resort.

Now let’s get into the Council of Seven. There is only ever one Seventh at a time, who is advised by his six Sixths. The Seventh rules with near-absolute power. Nobody in the Union can question or challenge his authority, and all Brothers and Sisters bow before him. The Seventh decides and gives direction for national policy, decides the terms of international relations, decides which laws will be passed, vetoed, or repealed, and directs the military force of the Brotherhood. It is his job to sign off on all assignments and appointments, as well as ensure that these people he’s putting in these positions are doing their jobs and doing them well. The Seventh is the face of the Union and is seen as Iblis’ representative to the people on the planet. And it is important that the Seventh understands the full depth and weight of his position, because he’s in it for the rest of his life.

Now for the important question: How do you become the Seventh? Well, step one is that the current Seventh needs to be dead, as confirmed by the High Coroner and announced by the Sixths. After that, the Sixths will nominate up to six Fifths to replace the Seventh (one for each Sixth) or will endorse another Sixth’s candidate. A Sixth can be nominated by another Sixth but must receive the endorsement of at least two other Sixths to continue being eligible to become the Seventh. The candidates will then meet with and debate before the Sixths, who will slowly remove the lesser-qualified candidates. When the Sixths finally decide on who the new Seventh will be, that Seventh immediately replaces the old Sixths by promoting up to six Fifths to their advisory positions (traditionally, the Seventh will keep the Sixth who initially nominated them to remain as one of his advisors, but it is not required). The old Sixths can then retire (as most do) or can continue to serve the Brotherhood as Fifths. While the new Seventh generally picks Fifths to serve as his advisors, it is possible for him to choose a Fourth, but his nominee must be unanimously endorsed by all the old Sixths, as well as any new Sixths who have already been chosen.

Now, the Seventh is not free to reign entirely as they please. While the Sixths mainly exist to advise the Seventh, they do have a few powers to keep him in check. As said earlier, when a new Seventh is selected, he immediately chooses his new Sixths to serve beneath him. Technically, the position of Sixth is lifelong. The reality is that the Sixths serve at the discretion of the Seventh, who can dismiss them at any time, with reasonable cause (so, for example, if a Sixth falls deathly ill and cannot fulfill their duties, the Seventh may relieve them and choose a new Sixth). Reasonable cause, however, is not something decided by the Seventh, but instead by his remaining Sixths. If at least three of the remaining Sixths find the Seventh’s reasoning to be sound, then the Seventh is allowed to remove his advisor from their post.

Now, if the Seventh is showing signs of becoming despotic or is neglecting his duties as Seventh, the Sixths can unanimously select a “usurper” whose job is to remove the Seventh from power by whatever means necessary (usually death). This vote is made in secret, and one of the Sixths will personally travel to meet their usurper and deliver their judgment. This is not a power they exercise lightly but was used on a handful of occasions in the Brotherhood’s history. In each case, the usurper was selected as the new Seventh, except for one.

This exception was for the future death knight known as Ellis the Damned. Ellis was chosen as usurper during the First War with the Ancenians, but instead of becoming Seventh when he completed his task, he was given the title of Provisional General—the only true title ever assigned to any Brother or Sister. What did that mean? All of the nitty-gritty policymaking was left to the Sixths in order to keep the country running. All military and judicial matters were left in the hands of Ellis. Under his authority as General, all Brothers were essentially stripped of their rank. They still had to perform the functions of the positions they were placed in, but Ellis could freely move them in and out as he pleased (so if Ellis felt that a particular Governor was more useful to him on the battlefield, he could replace them with someone else to get them where he needed). His law and judgments were final, although he did leave most criminal and civil cases in the hands of their local courts (instead opting to preside over all military cases or acting as an arbiter as he personally encountered crimes). On the battlefield, his orders superseded all others and his strategy was the only one that mattered. The position of Provisional General was effectively untouchable, even by the Sixths (who still did possess the authority to vote for another usurper but making this vote would have reflected badly on them and likely would have backfired). Ellis would have, at some point, had to abdicate his position as Provisional General and allowed for a new Seventh to be chosen.

Or he could have continued ruling as a tyrant, because there was no one who could stop him, and he had the full force of their military at his back. But he didn’t do that.

And I think that’s everything I wanted to talk about with the Brotherhood of Light. Again, they were a big, important group, and it turned out there was a lot more to them than I had initially anticipated. Thanks for indulging me for these 20 minutes, and I hope to see you again on Tuesday. I think I’ll talk about what the Iblan Church (and therefore Iblis of Light) knows about Dusk in Rebirth. Hopefully I’ll see you then!

[gaperezmakes]

Rebirth - Paladin Part IV

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“Ovelius,” Iblis and the Pietoré walked around the upper level of the Cathedral slowly, watching as the main hall filled with people preparing for their daily midday services, “I have a question.”

“Yes, my brother?”

“I was wondering if you had noticed that someone else was tapping into the power of the Light?”

“We have people using the Light all the time,” Ovelius shrugged, “I’m surprised you would have noticed it.”

“Normally I do tune it out,” Iblis nodded, “But this was different. The Light was not being used to heal--not at first. Do you know anything about this?”

“I hadn’t noticed that, my brother.”

“Don’t lie to me, Ovelius.” Iblis’ voice was stern, and the Pietoré noticed Iblis was giving him a hard stare.

“I don’t know anything for sure, Lord Iblis. Perhaps it was a fluke? I certainly have not seen the Light manifest in anyone that you have not allowed it to.” Ovelius rubbed his chin, “I hadn’t felt anything like it before.”

“It was a barrier spell, like the one I used during Emergency Order 52. This one was just smaller. It was also a little unstable--like whoever was using it didn’t know how. But it was strong.”

***

“So what was that?” Jason and Alex were spending some time together in one of the Cathedral’s many recreational rooms. There was a long white foldable table in the middle of the room that Alex was laying on top of, and Jason was sitting next to him on a metal foldable chair. Alex was laying on his back looking at the ceiling.

“I told you what it was,” Jason shook his head, “I don’t know how, but it was the Light. I used its power to save us.”

“Does this have something to do with that class you keep having to go to? The one for the Church?”

“I think so, but I’m not sure. I haven’t tried to use it since then.”

“And you haven’t told anyone?”

“Lord Iblis has been disappearing a lot lately, and the Pietoré has been too busy planning next year’s missionary trip.”

“We’re still good for that, right?” Alex rolled onto his side and propped his head on his arm.

Jason smiled, “Of course we are. Thanks to the classes, my ticket is basically paid for. I’ll actually have another job to do, but I’ll still be around.”

Alex’s brow furrowed, “Another job?”

“It’s part of my classes. I’ll still be helping with the construction efforts, but I’ll have to travel in a separate vehicle and sleep in separate quarters.”

“Well, that’s no fun. What am I supposed to do?”

“Continue living like normal. It’s not like I’m not going. We’ll still have plenty of time to spend together.”

Alex started leaning to get into Jason’s face, “Are you sure about that?”

Jason grinned, “As sure as I am of anything else.” The two of them started leaning closer together when they heard the door opening.

“We’ll finish up talking in here and--” It was Iblis. He saw the two boys so close to one another, blinked a few times, turned around, “I was mistaken. This room is occupied. I believe there’s another down the hall.” He stepped back and closed the door. Jason’s face immediately became flushed with embarrassment. He scrambled out of his chair to the door, swinging it open and calling out to Iblis.

“High Lord Iblis!” He called out a few times before Iblis turned around to face him, “High Lord Iblis, wait!”

“High Lord?” Iblis was visibly confused, “Everyone keeps coming up with new titles for me. It’s just ‘Brother.’ I am your Brother.”

“I’m sorry Honored Brother, I apologize,” Jason was bowing at Iblis’ feet.

“What are you--? Get up! Get up! Jason!” The boy was stammering trying to get out sentences. “Jason!” He quieted as Iblis looked directly into his eyes, “What are you doing?”

“I just had to explain what was going on in the room when you were walking in--”

“Jason, I didn’t go in there.”

“But you--”

“Tori Lisa?” The woman walking with Iblis perked up as he called her, “Did I open the door to the room Jason just came out of?” She was confused but seemed to understand there was an incorrect answer to Iblis’ question.

“No, sir?” She replied hesitantly. Iblis looked back to Jason.

“The Tori wouldn’t lie. She didn’t see me open the door. I didn’t open the door. We didn’t know you were in that room until you came out. What exactly do you need to explain?”

“Well, I-- Sir, I just--”

Iblis put a hand on Jason’s shoulder, “You’re a good kid, Jason. I’m glad to see that you’ve turned yourself around so much since the first time you came here. I’m sure it’s helped you work through some things in your life, but maybe you should tell your mom about those things before you tell me?” Iblis gave Jason a quick pat, “Just a thought, kiddo.”

“I--I understand, sir.”

Iblis smiled warmly, “Good.” He turned to leave but seemed lost in thought. “Alex’s family has a killer spaghetti sauce recipe. He knows how to make it. You should have him make it for you some time. I think your mom would enjoy it.” Iblis looked back at Jason from over his shoulder, “Just another thought.”

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{Will Jason come out to his mom? Probably. Will I write that important scene? We’ll see. Do I have the ability to deliver it in a well thought-out and respectful way? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha  (Oh God help me).

Mandatory Rebirth Plug!}

[gaperezmakes]

Rebirth - Paladin Part III

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Jason’s back hit the wall, and he ducked quickly to avoid the next punch coming in for his face. He retaliated by hitting his sparring partner in the chest, knocking them back and getting some necessary breathing room. Jason knew he only had a few seconds to capitalize on this moment. He stepped closer and swept his leg, knocking his partner to the ground. Hearing the loud thud of a body hitting the hard floor, Jason placed a heavy foot on his partner’s chest and held his palm open facing their head.

“That is enough.” They heard their instructor speak and Jason stepped back and helped his partner up. They congratulated each other on the good match and then stood side-by-side as they awaited further instruction. “You’ve improved a lot over these past two weeks, Jason, but don’t get overconfident. Remember, it’s a different world out there than it is in here. The rules they play by out there aren’t anything like what we have in here. One mistake could be your last.”

“I understand,” Jason bowed.

“I hope you do.” Their instructor went on to lecture his partner for a moment, then they were released.  They only had a few short minutes to rush over to the lecture hall. It had been an interesting two weeks of trying to learn this new art that the Pietoré had hand-picked all of them to learn. Granted, there were only ten of them right now, but he had told them they were the first of what was supposed to be a very long, very honorable line of holy knights. Now they met three times a week: eight hours of learning and study on Saturday and Sunday, and three hours of testing Wednesday. They were being prepared to be paragons and protectors of the Church.

They would become paladins.

The two of them ran into the lecture hall almost breathlessly. They took a moment to catch their breath before taking their assigned seats. Fortunately, they weren’t the last people to walk into the room; another four paladins ran in about a minute or two after them. The Pietoré stood at the front of the room, looking at the room with his hands behind his back. It was unusual to see him in more “casual” clothing, and not in the formal robes he wore around the Church. After the tenth paladin walked in, he walked over, closed the door, and locked it, as he always did. he returned to the front of the room and gathered his thoughts.

“I know this is where I told you that we would learn how to use the Light as a weapon of justice--where you would finally realize your place as Paladins of the Iblan Church. I know it hasn’t been that long since we started. Understand that I am not disappointed, for I know that the Light works in its own ways on its on time. But I also know none of you have manifested your powers as paladins yet. I know that it’s within you, all of you. I have seen that spark flickering when you were chosen to join us here. While I can foster and feed that flame, I need you to catch fire first. Even the smallest candle is enough for me to transform it into a raging fire. But you must manifest this power first; I cannot grant it to you.

“Regardless, we can still learn about the Light even if you cannot yet use it. I will still teach you what we can do with it, when you can use it, and why you use it.” He turned and started writing on a whiteboard behind him. “Now, as we all know, the Light is the power of our Lord, Iblis. It is not a derivative of or similar to, it is his power. When you call upon the Light, you borrow his strength and make it your own.

“Now, like with anything else you borrow, there is an unsaid expectation that you will give it back. The power you use is a power you will one day return, even if that is not your intention. With that understanding: Do not abuse this power. It is not yours. You do not own it. Do not hold this power above your fellow brothers’ and sisters’ heads as if it somehow makes you better than them. Without them, you have no power. Your duty is to serve them, not the other way around. Do not let your power become a tool of the agents who would destroy you. They do not understand the weight of the responsibilities you carry. They do not have the foresight to think of the consequences of their action. Do not forget that you are warriors of justice. You do not break the law. You do not make the law. You uphold it.” One of the paladins raised her hand, “Yes, my sister?”

“What if the law itself is unjust? How can we be expected to be instruments of justice if we aren’t supposed to break the law?”

The Pietoré nodded his head sagely, “A very good question. If there is some conflict between the Law of Man and the Law of our Lord, then I expect you to uphold our Lord. His law is established by divine providence. It is not your job to uphold the Laws of Mankind--that’s what the police are for--but it is also not your place to ignore them and make your own. The system is not perfect, but it is not ruined either. Injustice must not be tolerated, but it also must be abided when it masquerades as justice.”

“How will we know to tell the difference?” Another paladin asked.

“We are all equals in the eyes of our Lord, Iblis. If there exists a law that makes one of your brothers greater than the others, it is unjust. If there is a rule that makes your sister lesser than your brother, it is unjust. It is your duty to rout out the darkness of injustice with the Light. It will be difficult at first to tell, but you will know as you grow wiser and more aware of the world. I urge you to always keep an open mind and be aware of the world, but do not become overzealous in your mission.”

“But why not, Honored Brother? If our duty is to get rid of injustice, why shouldn’t do what it takes to get rid of it?”

“The idea of a world where there is no injustice is a fantasy. It is impossible to remove the evil that lies in the heart of all men. If that is your goal, then it will backfire on you one day. It does not matter what good you have done or what good you will do--your reputation will forever be stained by your one failure. Yes, we must not tolerate injustice, but we cannot force ourselves to be the solution every time. There are times where we must empower others to save themselves. Are there any other questions?” His question was met with silence from the paladins, “Alright then. Moving on...” They had a short lesson on how to utilize the Light as a means of defense before being dismissed for the day. As he unlocked the door and let them out, the Pietoré reminded all of them to study for their next test coming up this week and to get ready for the martial training in two weeks.

Jason walked out of the building chatting with some of the other paladins. They, of course, all asked each other how they were feeling about this new program. Although their spirits were generally high, everyone seemed discouraged that none of them had managed to manifest the powers of the Light. But, like they had been told, it was still early in the program. There was still time for them to grow.

Jason said his good-byes and looked around for Alex. His boyfriend normally waited nearby for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Jason asked around, and someone told him that Alex had left a few minutes ago. Apparently, his parents wanted him home early. Jason shrugged and started running down the way they normally walked. There was still a chance he could catch up if he moved fast enough.

Suddenly he heard something. He stopped and listened, hearing someone crying out in pain down an alley nearby. Trouble? He had to investigate. It was his sacred duty to intervene if someone needed help. Jason started walking down an alley, trying to find out where the commotion was. Soon he started to hear voices.

“C’mon, fairy! Get up! Use your little fairy magic to make yourself all better so I can kick the crap out of you again!”

“Yeah, let’s go, fairy! I haven’t finished having my fun yet!”

“What’s wrong, fairy? Do you need me to clap for you? Will that help you get your wings?”

The taunting continued as Jason walked up and saw three gang members kicking someone on the ground. They were laughing maliciously. Jason squinted to see if he could make out who or what they were kicking. It looked like--Alex?! What? How? Why? It didn’t matter. He had to intervene!

Jason charged in, shoulder-checking the nearest of the gang members. He punched the other two in their faces and put himself between them and Alex. He glared at all of them, holding his fists up. But the adrenaline rush didn’t last very long, and it quickly dawned upon Jason that he stood no chance against these three on his own.

“Oh, would you look at that, boys? The fairy’s got a white knight protecting him!” It also suddenly dawned on Jason that he hadn’t taken off his uniform. This was not good.

“Hey, do you really think we should be messing with this guy?” One of the gang members asked, “He’s got that there bird thing on his chest. I’m pretty sure it’s the same one that’s on that weird church that nobody can get into.”

“Nah, man. We’re gonna show them not to mess with us. Send a nice little message to their church to get off of our turf.” One of them pulled out a rather large knife. A lump formed in Jason’s throat. He tried tightening his fists, but his nerves were starting to get the better of him. He looked back at Alex, who was bruised and bleeding. He needed medical attention--and soon. But if Jason couldn’t get both Alex and himself out of there--and it looked like he wouldn’t be able to--then they would both desperately need medical attention. But what could he do? He was just one boy. There was no one who could help him now. The gang members started closing in.

“No. Stop.” His voice trembled. Jason held up his hand. “Don’t come any closer.”

“Or what, fairy-knight? What are you going to do?” They all continued closing in.

“I said stop.” There was still fear in his voice, but it became more steady. “Don’t do it.”

“Make. Me.”

“I. said. STOP!” Suddenly a translucent golden barrier surrounded both of the boys. Bands of white light circled around the barrier, surprising an awestruck Jason. The gang members were all taken aback and confused. What exactly were they messing with? Mages? Nobody had time to be messing with mages. They all shrugged it off and walked away. It wasn’t worth it to be dealing with mages.

Jason didn’t waste any time. He turned around and looked at Alex. They wouldn’t make it anywhere in time. He had to do something. He looked at his hands. Was that the power of the Light he had just called upon? Could he actually use it?

My Lord, Iblis, he thought, Lend me your strength. He knelt down and put his hands on Alex’s body, Help me save him. Jason could feel the magic coursing through his body. It was a warm sensation that started in his chest and spread through his arms. He could almost see its warm glow radiate from his fingers and travel into Alex. Jason watched as Alex’s wounds faded and his skin returned to its normal complexion. After a few moments, the spell ended. Alex opened his eyes and realized he was fine. He sat up and started patting himself down, feeling no pain from the attack.

“I’m alive. You saved me.” Their eyes met, and Alex’s lit up. He hugged the amazed Jason, who hadn’t realized what he had done. “You saved me! But how?” Alex let go and looked at Jason, who was focused on his hands. “How did you do it?”

“I think,” Jason closed his fists and looked up, “I think I used the Light.”

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{So, now that I have a main character for this miniseries, I think Paladin will end up being anywhere from 7 to 10 parts. I have a feeling I know where I want this to end, but I might change my mind between now and then. Who knows?

Anyway, here’s the obligatory Rebirth plug, so you can see the things that led up to this moment. And, a friendly reminder, Paladin takes place between Rebirth and the next book in the Iblan Light series. Anyway, feel free to come back for tomorrow’s video!}

[gaperezmakes]

It’s about Light magic and how it works. Yaaay.

I’m tired, y’all.

Script:

Hi there, I’m Gabe, you know who I am, and I haven’t done the “bad decisions” thing because I ran out of different ways to introduce my bad decisions. I know it mattered so much to my character, but I’m not doing characters anymore. Not on Thursdays. We know this.

ANYWAY

Today, we’re here to have a nice little chat about Light magic. Why specifically Light magic? Light magic is different from other kinds of magic. It plays mostly by the same rules, but there are a few exceptions that make it unique in how it operates. Also: Light magic plays a huge role in the latest miniseries I’m writing called Paladin, which is about the reestablishing of the paladins after the events of Rebirth. So, I think it’s a good little promotional tie-in.

Back to the point: Light magic. Luminomancy. What is it and how does it work? Luminomancy is the class of magic used mainly by Iblis and the Paladins and Priests who worship him. It is a unique form of magic because it possesses some degree of intelligence and reasoning. What exactly does that mean? Well we’ll get into that in a second. First off, we’ve got to get through the more basic mechanics of how it works.

Luminomancy is one of the few forms of magic that is derived from a specific source, instead of being refined from raw magic that exists in the world. All users of the Light borrow their powers from Iblis, who possesses the ability to grant or restrict the use of this power. The Light is a very versatile form of magic, possessing a wealth of offensive and defensive capabilities. It is also able to mimic some other classes of magic—copying some of their properties while remaining easily identifiable as the Light. Luminomancy is a very rare class of magic, only manifesting in a select few magi.

Now, “luminomancers” and “luminomancy” are technical terms—they are almost never used in day-to-day conversations, if at all. Luminomancers will most often refer to themselves as “paladins” or “priests”. This is because the technical terms are more closely associated with traditional magi, and luminomancers don’t consider themselves to be magi at all—despite being magi by definition. In most contexts, they would be called “paladins” or “priests,” but we’ll stick to the technical terms for the duration of this video.

Like most magi, luminomancers may notice some minor physical changes to their hair and/or eye colors. Some may notice portions (or all) of their hair lightening in tone to become a golden to pale blonde color, and a select few others might see their irises taking on more orange, gold, or yellow hues. On very rare occasions, very powerful luminomancers may notice their magic begin radiating from their being, creating an aura-like effect around them. Those few who do experience this effect can also learn to “focus” the radiation, creating larger or more noticeable auras around specific parts of their bodies.

Now, I mentioned earlier in this video (and in the Magical Alignment Video), that the Light itself is able to choose who can and cannot wield its powers. This is not Iblis making that distinction, but the actual magic. If you attempt to use the Light to intentionally do harm (but not in the defense of self or others), then the magic will abandon you completely. For example, if you want to use the Light to rob a bank, then you will quickly find out that you won’t be able to call upon the magic to defend yourself from the bullets of the security guards who don’t want you to rob the bank. Alternatively, if your friend is being attacked, then you’ll be able to use the Light to protect them—even if you use lethal force against the attackers. It is possible to “repent” and allow use of the Light again, but the magic will not be as strong as it was before.

As the source of the Light, Iblis can grant or restrict its use. Even if someone had never been a mage before, Iblis can “unlock” the inherent potential to use the Light. The power can just as easily be “relocked,” but Iblis can grant its use again at any time. However, Iblis cannot restore use of the Light to anyone who has been abandoned by the magic. So, if Iblis of Light tells you that for the next four hours you have access to the power of the Light, have fun with it. At the end of that four hours, you will not be able to call upon its power anymore, but he can grant you use of the Light again at a later time. But if you do something against his will (like rob a bank), then he will not be able to grant you the Light until you have repented for abusing its power.

Is there anyone else who can do this? Not to the same effect, no. But a more seasoned, or very powerful, wielder of the Light (like, say, the Pietoré), can amplify latent potential of the Light. So, if the Light has manifested in you but you can’t use it very well, then the Pietoré can unleash the full potential of the Light within you, immediately making you a much stronger luminomancer. This does come with a catch: The Light, being more intelligent than other magics, does know that this elder luminomancer is boosting the power of a junior one. If the junior does something to lose the power of the Light, then the elder does feel some negative effect (ultimately resulting in the complete loss of power if this happens often enough).

What about Iblis? Can Iblis ever lose the power of the Light? No, next question. Fine, quick reasoning: Iblis is the source of Light magic. The Light cannot cut itself off from its source, because then it ceases to exist.

Now, I will note that there is a dark side to Light magic. No, not shadow magic. And not void magic either. It’s a type of magic that is still Light, just darker. That’s all I’ll say for now.

Anyway, I think that’s everything I wanted to talk about with Light magic. It’s an interesting magic that I’ve always had a lot of fun with, especially now that I’m getting into other people besides Iblis using it (although I do plan on showing the awesome ways Iblis of Light figures out how to use it in the main series). Anyway, thanks for joining me today. Feel free to come back on Tuesday when we’ll get into what the Prime knows about Retribution. See you then!

[gaperezmakes]

Rebirth - Paladin Part II

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Jason walked up out of the subway tunnel slowly, moving with the ocean of people surrounding him. It was Thursday, volunteer night at the Church. His friends from school didn’t get why Jason was so interested in helping out some lame old church (despite Jason’s explanations that the Church was less than a year old), and at first, he didn’t understand why either. His mom, desperate and lost after his father left them for his mistress, had been approached by some members of the Church a few weeks before Emergency Order 52 had been declared. She had taken him and his brother with her to the Church as they helped to get her back on her feet. Jason, still bitter and hurt over his father’s abandoning, had no interest in being here at this place, with these people and their surely-false faces whose only interest was peddling for money from the poor and destitute to build their gilded halls where they could hide from those they claimed to serve.

But these people--this church--was different. There was no interest in converting him--or his mother, who had sought them out. They saw a family that needed help and that was their first and only focus while asking nothing in return. He would see his mother occasionally breaking down and crying as the Church offered her help, and they kept their calm and offered her their condolences and sympathies. Even when they offered him help, which he swatted away defensively (even from the Pietoré once, which he later apologized for), there was always a sense that their foremost interest was in his well-being as a person. His brother, who was only a kid, was probably the easiest to take care of. He was always dropped off at the daycare, where they just let him play and make friends. Jason had figured his brother would be the first one they would try to convert; he was, after all, an impressionable child.

“Kids don’t get the message we’re preaching,” Jason was told with a shrug, “They just want to be kids, so that’s what we do for them. We give them a place where they can enjoy themselves. They can worry about being a boring adult when that time comes.” The candidness of that answer threw Jason off. He had expected some generic, frequently rehearsed, canned answer that anyone could have given him, but everyone gave him a different honest response (although they all had the same message).

And finally, through quiet persistence and an unshaken respect, Jason finally broke down. It was a few days before Order 52 and his mom had been dragging him to the Church every day since she discovered it. He had taken his usual place in the back of the main hall, sitting in one of the pews with his arms crossed. He was quietly stewing in his own anger when a tall man with blonde hair and thin-rimmed glasses walked by.

“Excuse me,” he asked, “Is anyone sitting here?” Jason shook his head and the man sat down. The man sat up straight at first, then hunched over a little bit and kept his hands folded together in his lap. “You have the eyes of a boy who does not want to be here.”

“What gave it away?” Jason growled. He did not want to be bothered.

“A few things,” the man responded, “But I’m sure you’re not interested.” Jason grunted and the man sat silently with him for a few minutes. “You don’t have to be here, you know.” Jason looked over at the man, who was shrugging, “The door’s that way. Nobody will stop you from walking out.”

“My mom is keeping me here.”

“Really?” The man looked around, “I don’t see her anywhere. How can she be keeping you here?”

“She’d freak out if I left her like Dad did.”

“Ah, I see!” The man was nodding now, “That’s what the problem is.”

“What would you know about my problem?”

“Admittedly, not a lot,” the man scratched his head, “It’s been a while, and I don’t remember my father all that well, but I do recall him being a good family man.”

“How lucky for you.”

“Of course, I was taken away from my family when I was only about twelve? Thirteen?” The man looked wistfully at the altar in the back of the main hall, “I don’t know anymore.”

“What?”

The man nodded, “Conscripted to become a soldier to fight a war I didn’t--and, to be fair, still don’t--understand. I spent decades just doing my job, moving from place to place as I was told and doing the dirty work of an organization that--truthfully--only cares for my body.”

Jason’s eyes were open wide as he watched the man take off his glasses and clean them off, “Wow, I’m-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize--”

“I’m not looking for your pity.” The man’s abrupt answer was jarring, “I’m not even trying to make you feel bad for feeling bad. It’s okay that you feel bad, but don’t wallow in it. It’s okay to hurt, and it’s okay to ask for help when you are.” The man looked over to Jason, whose arms, while still crossed, had fallen a bit. “So what’s wrong?”

The corners of Jason’s mouth trembled. He opened his mouth to speak but played it off as a sigh. He tried to hide it, but Jason visibly bit his lip trying to keep his composure. There was a lump in his throat, and Jason tried swallowing to clear it. His fingers clawed into his arms. He was trying so hard to find the right words.

“I--” He was teetering on the edge. One way or the other, there was no going back from here, “Why did he leave?” Jason’s eyes were glistening with tears that were not yet falling, “What did I do wrong?”

“There’s nothing you did wrong. I can’t tell you why your father left; I don’t know him. I can tell you that it is not your fault.” The man put a hand on Jason’s shoulder and looked into the boy’s eyes, “Don’t carry that weight with you. Let it go.”

And Jason fell to pieces. He became a blubbering mess of tears and sobs. The man did his best to keep from making a public spectacle of it, waving away those who came up to see what was happening and letting Jason work through his emotions at his own pace. Jason’s mother eventually came out to him, hugging and holding him, letting him know that he had done nothing wrong and that nothing was his fault. They cried together finding relief in the tears.

After several minutes, Jason was drying his eyes and assuring his mother everything was okay. Jason thanked the man, who once again looked him in the eyes,

“Jason, right?” Jason nodded, “Listen, Jason, I want you to know something important. You’re always going to look for the ‘why.’ Every waking day of your life, at some point, something in your head will ask for the ‘why.’ You have to remember that you may never get that ‘why’ and you have to accept that. It’s important to accept this if you want to move forward. I don’t expect you to understand yet, but one day the ‘why’ will haunt you and hang over your head like a curse you can’t shake. And that one day might actually be two, or three, or even more than that, but you have to hold onto your resolve and not let it drag you down. Okay?”

“Okay,” Jason wiped his eyes again, “Thank you, Mister--uhm.”

The man chuckled, “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll see you around here again.”

Since that day, Jason and his mother had become devout members of the Church. His mother had joined a group to support other single moms and she made a few friends there (they got together on Saturdays to have ladies’ nights), and, more importantly, she became comfortable with being single. Some of the other single men of the church had expressed their interest, but she wasn’t looking for anything yet. She had enough to do making sure her sons were taken care of.

Jason himself had also turned around. One of the first things he did was get his shaggy brown hair cut (his mother didn’t have the heart to assert any rules on him in the immediate aftermath of his father leaving), as well as start working out a little bit (he had always been a little husky, but felt that the exercise would be a good way to help him feel better in general). Not only did he become an active volunteer in the Church, helping in the various community service projects they had going on, but he also learned and came to terms with a few things about himself. He had met another boy named Alex, and they eventually unofficially officially became a couple (neither was sure how to tell their parents or even the other members of the Church). Otherwise, he was generally happier and more satisfied with life, even on the days that the man had told him would come. He knew that by helping the Church he could help others who were in a situation like his, and even the little bit he could pitch in made the world a better place.

But in the wake of Order 52, Jason couldn’t help but shake the idea that there was more he and the Church could do.

He walked into the Cathedral early, as he always did, and started wandering aimlessly around its grand halls. His mother and brother were probably at home, working on his homework. Jason, a senior now, wasn’t too worried about his schoolwork. He would be graduating this winter and, with his mother’s blessing, was going to be spending next year traveling with the Church, doing volunteer work to help set up new cathedrals and community centers around the Union. Doing all this volunteer work was the only way they could afford his ticket (although his family was assured the cost of his ticket would be minimal at most anyway), and he and Alex promised each other they would go.

On any other day, the halls would have been empty--and they were. Except for the occasional Priest and Lys Priest running around, there was nobody here. That was until he came up to the main hall where he saw Pietoré Ovelius sitting in his chair before the altar. The Pietoré was sitting with his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes constantly. Jason approached him cautiously.

“Honored Brother?” Ovelius looked up as Jason called out to him.

“Jason,” the Pietoré stood up and greeted him with a quick hug, “It is good to see you, my brother. Are you well?”

“I am,” Jason looked at the Pietoré’s face, “Although it looks like you’ve had better days.”

Ovelius nodded, “I haven’t been sleeping well for the past few days. Our Lord has granted me a revelation and I haven’t quite come to terms with the gravity of what he has shown me.”

“The gravity, sir?”

“Don’t worry about it. It is something that concerns neither you or me, my brother.” Ovelius rubbed his eyes and took his seat again, “I understand your mother has given you permission to join the missionaries next year?”

"Yeah! She was a little worried about it at first, but I think it’ll be a good chance for me to get out and experience at least some of the world while I still can.”

“It’s never too late to explore the world, my brother, but I will say that we’re certainly making it easier for you.” Ovelius shrugged, “Safer too, I hope.”

“Safer?”

“The Union is a great and powerful nation, but are not without our flaws. Some places are more dangerous than others--like the province along the border with the Eslands. But we will visit and establish ourselves even there in an effort to bring a sense of peace to our brothers and sisters who live in the chaos of those areas.”

“I don’t understand how that makes us safer?”

“Much like during the time of Order 52, we will have the protection of Iblis keeping our followers safe as they traverse across this country. It won’t be a blessing of the same magnitude, of course--that much power is unnecessary for our mission--but it will keep you safe nonetheless.”

“Isn’t there more we could do, my brother?” Ovelius looked up at Jason curiously, “I don’t doubt the power of Iblis’ blessing--I saw how effective it was with my own eyes--but there has to be something else we can do to keep our people safe. I won’t say we can’t just rely on blind faith alone to keep us safe, but--”

“I understand your concerns, Jason. I, too, have had those concerns, and I have brought them up with Iblis. I have a question for you, however.” Ovelius looked seriously at the young man’s face, “What do they teach you about paladins?”

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{So, uh, say Hi to Jason, everyone. He didn’t exist before today. Neat, right? Right. We all agree it’s neat.

Anyway, Jason is 18-ish and is gay. Good for Jason. I hope that I’ll be able to handle his character with grace and dignity.

And a little bit of flair. Because ain’t nothing wrong with flair.

Anyway, obligatory Rebirth plug, and I am out! See you tomorrow!}

[gaperezmakes]

In which I talk about Iblis again, but from the perspective of the Iblanites, because they don’t know things.

Script:

Hello, I am Gabe, and definitely not a robot. I am absolutely a human who eats and sleeps, and not a robit programmed to hack into the records of defunct agencies. I am not a robut, I-I-I-

Rebooting…

Rebooting…

Hello, I am Gabe. Inquiry: Why are you present at this location? There is nothing left here in the Iblanite Headquarters. I am here to discover the information they had in their computer networks. I was programmed by-by-by-by-by-by-

Rebooting…

Rebooting…

Hello, I am Gabe. I apologize. The Iblanites had a very good security system that I have been unable to disable while I attempt to access their records. It should be no problem for a human like me, but it is a very good system. I have been able to find something that may be of interest to you, however. I have located the dossier they had compiled on the reported deity Iblis of Light. I shall read this to you, and hopefully it will satiate your curiosity enough to leave me alone to finish working.

Target Name: Iblis of Light

Age: Unknown

Origin: Unknown, assumed to be from Capital City

Possibility to Recruit: None, target is very hostile towards our mission

Priority: Very high (Terminate)

Appearance: The target is able to change his physical appearance on a whim, evidenced by his failed invasion of the warehouse we stored Project Dusk in. Normally, he retains the appearance of a very tall, muscular adult male with long green and purple hair.

Power: Maximum power unknown, target is very adept at wielding magic. Target possesses the ability to fly and teleport, which indicates above savant-level magical prowess (dubbed “super-savant” by research division). Target’s magical alignment is unknown; the target has used a form of magic we have not seen before (magical alignment is not biomancy, as previously assumed).

Relations: Target maintains a close relationship with the Mage Council of Capital City and has been drafted as their defender against the Consulate. Seems to have some connection to the mage Joseph Burmen and frequently comes to the defense of Cerina Burmen, Joseph’s daughter. Target has also forged an alliance with Swift, known enemy of the mission. Target is also one of the two founders of their “Iblan Church,” which is understood to be a form of counter-operation against our mission. Target has no known familial relations to exploit, if necessary.

Summary: Iblis of Light is a very powerful mage (who claims to be the deity Iblis). Our operatives’ frequent encounters with the target have indicated he harbors a deep, unchanging hostility to the mission. Additionally, he has many allies who are also hostile to our mission. Although he would be an interesting specimen to study, and the secrets of his power would benefit the mission immensely, we have determined that Iblis of Light must be terminated if the mission is to succeed. Our research operatives have begun development on a project that has a high probability to terminate, but with no appropriate testing methods success is not guaranteed. Until the project is completed, Iblis of Light must be stalled by Project Dusk.

And that is everything in the Iblanite’s dossier on Iblis of Light. I think-I think-I think-

Rebooting…

Rebooting…

Hello, I am Gabe. Sorry, that was another run-in with their security system, which I, a human, have no problems with. I will try and extract more information from the Iblanite’s archives, but it might take me a little while. Until I do, please return on Thursday, where I, Gabe, a human, will inform you about the Dragon Lords.

[gaperezmakes]

Rebirth - Paladin Part I

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“My Lord!” Ovelius called out to Iblis, who was walking the halls of the Iblan Cathedral, admiring the works of his followers that lined the walls. Iblis looked at the much shorter man and stopped to wait.

“Ovelius, my strength, there is no need to run. I’m not going anywhere.” Iblis put his hands behind his back and continued his walk as Ovelius came to his side. Iblis waited for the Pietoré to catch his breath before speaking again, “What troubles you?”

“Master, I--”

“I am not your master,” Iblis quickly corrected him, “I am your brother.”

“I apologize,” Ovelius bowed unnecessarily, “Brother, I am concerned for the safety of our people.”

“How so?” Iblis stopped to admire a small clay statue a child had made of him. In no way did it resemble Iblis, but he felt it important to foster the imaginative drive in children.

“Just last week alone, we have received several threats from all of the surrounding gangs and crime families saying that if we don’t pay them the proper tribute, they will make us regret it.”

“I’m not afraid of them here, and neither should you.” Iblis turned to look at his faithful ally, “Our brothers and sisters know that while they believe in my power to protect them, they will be safe from harm and protected from those who wish them ill-will. I do take every threat to my people seriously, but if we overreact to every overcompensating would-be mafioso or thug then we signal a weakness they can exploit. I will not give them the satisfaction of forcing us to live in fear.” Iblis continued walking and Ovelius followed silently behind. “But I see that will not assuage your concerns.”

“I just don’t want us to be caught off-guard if something does happen. What if one of them does figure out a way around our defenses? We can’t lie to the congregation and tell them everything is perfectly safe when it is not.”

“We don’t lie.” Iblis’ response was more sudden than Ovelius expected. “We may not always tell the whole truth, but we do not lie.” This was not the first time Ovelius had heard this advice. It was their reasoning for shrouding the truth behind Devon Garret’s assassination he recalled. “What are your intentions?”

“I just--” Ovelius was caught in the middle of his scattered thoughts, “The Light is a much more versatile force than any of us understand. We call upon its power to heal the afflicted, to protect the meek, to strengthen the fit, but it is capable of so much more. I have no doubts that you know the true depths of your power--you did use it to stop the Iblanites’ superweapon--but why do you keep this knowledge from us?”

Iblis sighed heavily. The dread question had finally been asked. He knew it was coming--there was no way to stop it--but he wasn’t sure what the best answer was. He took a moment to compose what he hoped was a good response, “In the right hands, the Light is a powerful tool of justice and righteousness. The wicked are smote from this earth and the pure find their convictions ironclad. But, just as with any other great power, it can make tyrants out of those who are not ready to wield its power with the responsibility and temper required to master it. Even I, with all my experience and wisdom, must remember the great deal of restraint I must practice if I am to best serve my people. Do not forget that I, like you, my brother, come from man, and in the spirit and soul of every man is a darkness he must contend with, lest he permit it to consume and ruin him. My brother, I do not keep the Light’s full potential from you with malicious intentions, but for fear that you may pass it to someone who is not ready to accept the burden that comes with bearing its power.”

The pair continued walking down the halls, Iblis still enjoying the artwork. Ovelius was still quiet, pondering the words of his deity. They suddenly stopped in front of a door that the Pietoré was too familiar with. During the lecture, he hadn’t realized Iblis was leading him towards the Office of Law, where the scribes recorded the various laws and edicts they had decreed since the founding of the Church.

“But I know how the curiosity of men works. If I tell you that you cannot know the secrets of the Light, then you will seek it out in some other way. So I shall imbue you with the knowledge of the Light’s truest and fullest powers, so that you too may understand the burden I carry. And I shall make it so that all who follow your line will also understand this as they ascend to your seat.” Iblis tapped a finger to the symbol floating above Ovelius’ forehead, and his eyes widened as the knowledge flooded into his mind. The symbol transformed and grew slightly larger. “It will take some time for you to adjust to this knowledge, and I pray you do not do anything rash while you do. Now come, we shall make this into law.”

***

Ovelius laid sleeplessly in his bed, staring hard at the ceiling. Beads of cold sweat dripped down his forehead as a new thought of the Light’s true power came to his conscious mind. It was like he had known this all along, but only now was he able to access this knowledge. This was the power his master had kept from them? Ovelius wanted so badly to be mad--to be furious--that this was kept from them, but with this knowledge came an understanding why.

His fingers trembled; he could feel the power coursing through them in a way he hadn’t been able to before. He had always known the restorative power of the Light well, but he had never imagined what its destructive side could feel like. If this power were to be unbridled and unleashed, it would wreak devastation across the world. Nothing would be able to stand against it.

But what if there was a way to restrain it? In the wrong hands, this power would be absolutely devastating--not only to the world but to those who used it. If there was a way to teach restraint, however, then this could change everything. There would be no threat the Church could not handle, even without Iblis’ aid. An army of the faithful could rise and--

Ovelius sat up suddenly, shaking his head and rubbing his face. These new thoughts were pervading his mind. They were irrational, and he had to do everything in his power to ignore them. He had been told there was nothing his master could not handle, and he had to trust this was true.

But the more he tried to push them away, the stronger they returned. There had to be some underlying truth that kept them coming back. He had to know why.

He stood up and walked to a small oval-shaped mirror. Iblis had gifted it to him shortly after Ovelius had been named Pietoré, and told him that it had the answer to nearly any question it was asked. Ovelius had often used it to seek guidance in the past (and had once or twice used it to find a lost item), but he had been told that it was strictly for his use only.

His fingers graced the mirror’s surface, and he watched as it rippled beneath his touch. He needed to pull his hand back. These were not questions he needed answers to. But he could not resist.

“I seek answers, and I need truth,” he whispered, a single bead of sweat falling from his face, “Tell me: Who were the Paladins of the Iblan Brotherhood?”

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{Yet again, I am Gabe and I’m still here! This is an idea I’ve had for a while. Pietoré Ovelius is a character who mostly sits in the background in Rebirth, but there is a lot to him that I wasn’t sure how I wanted to tackle. In fact, I’m not even sure if he’ll appear in the sequel Godhood. We’ll see how this ends. I’m thinking this will be a 7-10 part series, so buckle up for the long haul!

On another note: I weirdly enjoy writing Iblis as a religious figure. I dunno, maybe it’s my innate Catholic desire to be Pope, but there’s just something so satisfying about it. Who knows?}

[gaperezmakes]

Today’s (surprisingly on-time) video is about the Elemental Lords. I had some fun coming up with the names for the Elemental Lords.

[gaperezmakes]

El gasp! A Thursday video that isn’t late?! How crazy!

Now maybe I can work on posting art on time on Fridays.

[gaperezmakes]

Rebirth - Swift Part III

Swift looked out the diner window coldly. It was an old-fashioned place with a black-and-white tile floor, white walls with faded pastel blue and pink stripes zig-zagging across them. It was a fairly busy establishment, with patrons filling up almost all of the cracked pleather seats. They had obviously been reupholstered several times now, but the owners had given up on trying to maintain them. Normally Swift would have come here to people-watch, but today was different. Today he had a mission.

A waitress came up to the booth and asked if he was ready to order. He forced a smile, nodded, and told her his usual order. As she left, Swift turned back and kept looking out the window. His frown intensified. Someone else was not sharing his sense of urgency today.

“Someone sittin’ here?” Swift looked over and saw a small, pudgy man standing just outside of his booth.

“You should know the answer to that question,” Swift responded with no humor in his voice. The man’s eyes widened and he took a seat across from Swift. “You’re late, Carson.”

“The Don himself had a job for me. There was an uppity flower shop that didn’t want to pay for its protection.” Carson waved the waitress over and ordered a coffee to start with.

“I don’t want to hear about it,” Swift shook his head, “Easier for me to stay ignorant of your plans so they can’t get anything out of me whenever London targets me.”

“Fair enough,” Carson locked his fingers together, “So what are you looking for?”

“I’m calling in a favor,” Swift’s response surprised Carson, “I need information.”

“You need information? What happened to your guy?”

“Shot and hospitalized right now.” Swift rubbed his forehead, “And Phonic is dead.”

“Phonic? The kid?” Swift nodded slowly. “That’s a damn shame. He was so smart.”

“I know. He only had a few more months of school before he was eligible to test for his ILD.” The waitress came back and put down his plate of hashbrowns and eggs, and Carson’s mug of coffee. She asked Carson for his order, and he responded by asking for a simple plate of pancakes. “He’d still be alive if we didn’t get bad intel.”

“Swift, I’m shook,” Carson shook his head and put a hand on his chest, “You think we gave Rock some bad intel?”

“I never said that, Carson,” Swift’s glare bore into the man, “But someone did, and I want to find out who.”

“Alright, alright, calm down.” Carson went back to his coffee, “The family owes you a favor--several actually--and I’m sure that the Don, reasonable man he is, will see that this is a fair exchange of favors.” Carson waved down the waitress again and asked if she had a paper and pen he could use. She came back a minute later with both the pen and paper, and a plate of three thick pancakes. Carson clapped his hands together like a giddy child, “I love the pancakes in this place. Have you tried ‘em before? Best pancakes in all of Capital City.”

“Well, I’m sure it’s easy for them to make you the best pancakes.” Swift’s humor was never too far away from him.

“Nah, we don’t ever shake this place down. It’s a safe haven.” Carson poured syrup on top of each pancake in the stack, “It sits on a lot of our borders. Not worth it for any of us to get into a war with the others over.” He looked up at Swift, “So, you want information, I need details. Who else are you callin’ in a favor with?”

“I’ve got a large network and am calling in as many favors as I got,” Swift responded dryly, “You want me to waste your time and list them all off?”

“Look, I don’t want to waste my time neither. But if I know that you’re already calling in the Machelli family for information, then I don’t have to ask them anything myself.”

“I don’t think Machelli or his goons would know anything about it. We hit somewhere in the Trick gang’s territory.”

“Trick? Who’d be stupid enough to try and work under their noses?”

“Who else? The Iblanites.”

“Shit,” Carson dropped his pen and leaned back in his seat, “You’re telling me they shot Rock and Phonic? My friend, I don’t know how many favors you have to call in, but there aren’t enough in the world to get you any dirt on those sons of bitches.”

“You don’t think I don’t know that?” Swift slammed a fist on the table, bringing more attention to the two of them than needed. Carson motioned for him to calm down and Swift sighed angrily as he waited to continue. “Look, Carson, I know trying to get anything about the Iblanites is damn near impossible, but I can’t not try.”

“And of course they wanted to do work in Trick turf.” Carson rubbed his forehead, “You know the Bavrati family and the Trick gang have been at odds for decades now.”

“I figured you could get a hold of one of them easier than I can. They aren’t ‘favor’ people.”

“I know how much you like your favors.” Carson took a bite of his pancakes, “Well, I’m sure the Don will be reasonable with your request, but I’ve gotta tell you, this is probably gonna cost you more than one favor.”

“I’m aware of that, Carson. But I’ve been doing a good job at keeping other people out of your turf, so I’m sure I’ve got a few to spare.”

“Well, it’s more than that, Swifty.” Carson looked around to make sure nobody was listening. He then leaned in on the table, and Swift joined him. “He might want you to turn a blind eye if we make a move to expand. You understand that?”

Swift frowned, “You know I don’t like that option. You make one wrong move and all hell breaks loose, there will be a lot of innocent people dead on the streets.” He sat back and crossed his arms, “But if you just happen to see a weak point in Trick territory, then you might find me helping to keep them out.”

“Really now?” Carson sat back and nodded his head, “Is that a promise?”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

Carson took another bite, “The Don will appreciate a tip like that. I’m sure we can work something mutually beneficial out.” The two enjoyed their meals for a few minutes. “So Phonic is dead, huh?” Carson broke the silence. Swift nodded.

“I don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do with his body. I can’t afford to do anything.”

“Well, I’m sure the Don could make some arrangements for a member of the family--”

“I’m not joining the family, Carson. I’ve told you, Don Bavrati, Don Machelli, Snake, Monsoon, and every other goddamned crime lord and gang leader that I have ever made a deal with that I am not joining any of your families or gangs. I’ll do your odd jobs here and there, I’ll run security for you, I’ll play your guard dog--but I will not pick a side.”

Carson sighed, “I know, I know. Believe me, the Don would appreciate it if you picked a side--all of us would--but we respect your choice--for now.” Carson took another bite of his pancakes and ruminated on Swift’s dilemma for a moment. “Look, the Don likes you. He really does. You’re like another son to him. Hell, you almost were another son to him with that pregnancy scare and all.”

“How do I keep sleeping with all these important people’s daughters? It’s like I have the world’s worst compass that only points in the wrong directions.”

“Look, what I’m saying is that he might be able to lend you some assistance for a funeral for your friend.”

“I don’t need all the pomp and circumstance of a funeral. I just need someone to cover cremation and an urn.”

“Are you sure? The Don wouldn’t mind--”

“I will not be indebted to Bavrati any more than I already am. I will pay him back for a cremation and urn, but nothing more.”

Carson shrugged, “Alright. I’ll see what I can get for you.” The waitress came over with the bill and put it on the table. “Alright, well it looks like I got this.”

“No, I’ve got it.” Swift snatched the bill up and looked it over. He folded a Q20 into the ticket and set it back onto the table. “I hope to hear from you soon, Carson. Hopefully you’ll have some good news for me.”

{This one’s a little chatty, but it’s important for the story, I promise.

Rebirth plug: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/757002}

[gaperezmakes]

And another video that I’m not late for! Hooray!

[gaperezmakes]

It’s about Swift. That’s it. I’m going to get back to things that are totally writing the next books now.

And not playing on my Switch.

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Today’s drawing is of Iblis of Light, using an ability called “Armor of Light.” This turned out better than I thought it would.

The anatomy is probably off, but I’ll eventually get it right.

This is a thing he’s never done before, but maybe I’ll have him use it in the next book of the Era of the Iblan Light series. If I remember.

Anyway, catch up on the adventures of Iblis of Light in Rebirth! Available here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/757002

[gaperezmakes]

Today I talk a lot about the concept of Iblis, as opposed to any specific iteration of the character.

Script:

Hello! Welcome back to the Archives! I’m the angel Gabriel, Patron of Ill-Advised Decisions—like this one! Today we’re here to talk about our glorious Lord Iblis.

While many have a great familiarity with the illustrious Iblis of Light, today we’re not here to talk about him specifically, nor with the religion associated with his reign. Instead I am here to educate you about the general idea of Iblis as more of a concept than of a person. So we’ll be covering these three points: Where does Iblis originate—both the figure itself and the legend of—what are the conditions of an Iblan reincarnation, and what significance does it have when Iblis reincarnates? Let’s start with the obvious:

Iblis, and the entirety of the known multiverse, started with an entity known as “Void.”  Void is often described as an evil entity with malevolent intentions, but it is more accurate to call it a force of nature that brings about destruction—one that has no devotion to any moral compass. The only desire it knows is to destroy, which helps explain why it is often given negative attributes.

The physical form that Void most often occupies is an anomalous mass of unstable energy. It is from this mass that Iblis was “born” as a large enough part of Void stabilized. Where Void is the aspect of destruction, Iblis is the aspect of creation. However, much like Void is not necessarily evil, Iblis is not necessarily good. They are simply two equal and opposite forces that simultaneously need and conflict with one another.

That is the origin of the force that is Iblis. What is known of the entity is not quite as clear. As a “person,” Iblis has reincarnated five times, with each one taking on or being given a new title. Little is known of the first two incarnates, aside from the titles they have been given in modern times. The first Iblis has many (although among the most common are “of Origin,” “of Creation,” and—to a lesser extent— “Of Void”). The second Iblis is most commonly assigned the titles “of Ancients” and “of Sanctuary,” both referencing the species who predated humans on the planet.

The third incarnate, known as Iblis of War or Iblis of Shame, had almost no presence among humans, so what little is known of it is from now-unverifiable secondhand reports from the Iblan Civil War. That ended with the defeat of the devout Brotherhood and the loss of most of their culture and history as their opposition made mostly successful attempts to erase them.

In contrast the fourth incarnate, known almost universally as Iblis the Enlightened, was almost exclusively involved with the affairs of mankind. Its involvement and the influence it had with the world was well-documented and recorded, up to its untimely reincarnation after attempting to save the life of Dusk of Iblis.

And lastly Iblis of Light, the fifth incarnate, is much more involved with humans than its predecessor, even going so far as to take on a mortal bride and keeping a tight-knit alliance with several mortal confidants. So far there has been no indication that a fifth reincarnation will occur in the present timeline.

That begs the question: What does it take for Iblis to trigger its reincarnation? Well the answer isn’t very clear. The first reincarnation was triggered by Iblis abdicating the power of his throne after being injured by an agent of Void, while each reincarnation after seemed to occur once Iblis has expended a considerable amount of its power. This does leave an issue reconciling why Iblis of Light has not reincarnated yet. Although in the future it is believed that Light stopped the process of reincarnation by reclaiming the powers of the Iblan Throne, in the relative-present, Light-prime admits that War reincarnated shortly after stopping the Armageddon spell cast by the Brotherhood in their attempt to win the Civil War. In the same conversation, Light-prime also admits that it possesses enough power to stop the spell, despite War being only able to redirect the spell, not stop it. By the given rules (1. Iblis must not possess the power of the Throne; 2. Iblis must use a large portion of its power), then Iblis of Light-prime must have reincarnated at some point during the original Alpha timeline. Seeing as how it has not, there are clearly more factors and rules in play that have yet to explain when and why a reincarnation is triggered.

Now, why does it matter that Iblis of Light is able to stop a spell that Iblis of War could only redirect? What basic differences exist between each incarnate? They all share a similar belief system (boiled down to its most basic elements: “mortal life good, destruction bad”), but they have different approaches to this system. For example, the Enlightened is described as very emotionally cold, while Light is more passionate and energetic, but both are interested in preserving and fostering the progress of the human race (and others, when they are encountered, but that is yet another archive entry). However, that similar belief system seems to be all they share. A new incarnate carries very few, if any, memories from their predecessor, and inherits a seventh of the predecessor’s base power. This is what makes the Armageddon spell important. Mathematically, Iblis of Light has 1/49 of the base power of Iblis of War. With very little time to adjust to that power, Iblis of Light should not have been able to stop the Armageddon spell. So, that means either the second rule of reincarnation is wrong and they are timed at completely arbitrary intervals; there is more to the Iblis of War story than simply stopping the spell and reincarnating; or Iblis of Light is simply special because of some unknown benefit that cannot be described here.

Whatever the case may be, that concludes today’s lesson on the entity that is Iblis. Please join me again on Tuesday, when we’ll cover Lightbreaker, the first entry in the Age of the Black Empire series.