Obstacle 32 - Whisper at the Triumph

It was the energy that drew them in. For the head magician couldn’t comprehend. The depths of human sin. For they had faced beings of thought before, civilizations unmoored, yet this one was not the same as that one was not the same as anyone. Always the same. It proved chaotic. In the planes everything is so exotic. 

He knew he had cast a spell to send them to their enemy's place of sanctuary to infiltrate and get information upon them. The Diamond King's idea, he saw himself foremost an artist and needed inspiration to do his deeds. Spilling blood was for animals if it was for no reason and he’d be made to remember so he’d have to know it all, for it’s truth of it, to get into it. 

The Head Magician could not surmise the mechanings within the brain of a being so close to apotheosis. What he saw as evil could be some play at doing good but being misunderstood. It was confusing to deal with a being literally saddling on dimensional awareness. To point out a mistake would be a mistake it had to be seen as seen first, then acknowledged, then shown again to be shown true. All infractions corrected by self therefore no infractions. 

The head magician pondered this as he weaved his spell, neglecting things he might not have. So involved in this worry he had he did not notice the slight under approximation between star and starlight in this quadrant and how that error would run into this and that. What did it matter in the end?

For he could not know for true if the Diamond King was worthy till they proved themselves to be. That fear and lack of faith is what caused this situation. If he were to be honest with himself as they splashed onto the time not allotted. To a period not forgotten. Off course ever so slightly. The Diamond King will surely smite me for my imperfection…

“What is this place, Magus?” He complains staring at the inhabitants. Their bodies still yet corporeal, still yet to manifest, like a shimmer in the wind they were being absorbed by their surroundings. 

“Forgive me my lord it appears I have mismanaged the dates. I think we’ve landed a bit too early on the human clock in eternity.” Magus replied back. Excitement sparked through him, for he’d forgotten his first name till then. For how long had he been suspended in only the title alone? Two more pieces and freedom if he so chose. Two more pieces and the Diamond King would reach apotheosis. 

“No mistake has been made, this is actually perfection on display.” The Diamond king communicates to Magus “Give us bodies worthy of our position.” He declared and thus we manifested into this realm. Two noblemen, senators, of Roman estates. Making our pilgrimage to the Triumph apparently. A triumph to celebrate victory. 

“Quam apte, regnum victoriam agnoscit etiam ab initio.” -

“How fitting, the realm recognizes victory even at its beginning.” The Diamond king says aloud now in his new form. “To think it should honor me so as I first take a step into its cove.”

“Cogitare me tam honoratum esse ut primum in eius sinum ingrediar” -

“Aye sire, very fitting, it throws a celebration for your arrival.” Magus replies back, no longer “I” or head “head Magician”. Reclaimed my first name, Magnus. He had held it so tight to himself and I’ve served him so well he lets it go now means we are so close to the process being complete. 

“Ita domine, perquam aptum, adventum tuum celebrat.” -

In all honesty if you were to combine us both it would have happened already but… we both seem to have agreed that is not the ideal way of things. Recognition in its highest form.

“Festinemus igitur ad festa. Vere has bestias cognoscam.” -

“Let us make haste then to the festivities. I will know these beasts truly.” The Diamond King states standing taller now. At the banks of the Tiber. They have just appeared here and there are witnesses but they’ve all scattered. Like bugs or insects they do not matter. For here the diamond king stands with Magnus his Head Magician, in full throng of their power. 

Poke.

A boy poking the diamond king in the thigh, does this creature wish to die? 

“Esne verus?” The boy states. 

“sic i sum” -

“Yes, I am.” The diamond king declares and starts laughing uncontrollably. Almost maniacally. Power I can only see surging through him. Overwhelming?

“Puera, errare debes, nam ego hic adsum et tu quoque. Eamus ad celebrandum quod renovatum est.”

“Child, you must be mistaken, for I am here and so are you. Let's go celebrate what has been renewed.” The Diamond King tells the child. 

“Ser ex nigiri modo apparuisti” the child persists. 

 The Diamond king looks to his shadow and smiles. “You look up and see shadow do you not? I think you’ve been caught up in your dreaming little one.”

“Suspiciens umbram vides, nonne? Credo te in somniis tuis parvulis captum esse.”

The Diamond King waves to himself as to acknowledge his entirety. “For am I not presently present? I think maybe you’ve spent too much time in the sun young one.” The Diamond king pats the kids' heads. “I’ve a triumph to make as do you.”

“Num enim non adsum? Nimium fortasse tempus in sole, iuvenis, te consumpsisse puto… Triumphum mihi agendum est, sicut tu.”

The boy flinches at the touch but then smiles when he hears his words. For there is a triumph to be had and all are made to witness and worship.

The boy leads him and Magnus to the Porta Triumphalis where all the magistrates and senators have gathered. The energy is boiling the diamond king can feel it as can Magnus. 

“You see, we’ve arrived perfectly on time.” The diamond king states to Magnus as the crowd of senators and magistrates fills them in. 

“Vides, tempore perfecto advenimus.” -

“Bene tibi! Hoc dolore capitis iam per ultimam hebdomadem haeresi.

“Been tibi! Hoc dolore Capitis iam per ultimam hebdomadem haeresi” states one of the senators beside him. Pointing at his subordinates off in the crowd cheering him on. He’s holding his head. Obviously it’s all a big headache to him.

Laetare! Haec victoriae celebratio esse debet! Dii spectant.

“Laetare! Haec victoriae celebratio esse debet! Dii spectant.” Another of the senators admonishes. 

The diamond king laughs. 

“Ille est spiritus!” The other senator calls out. 

The trumpets sound. 

“ Ah, Titus vocat!” The senator declares as the gates open to the screams and cheers of the Roman’s. Flower petals fall form the structures around them as they begin to make a blanket for the streets for which the senators to walk on. 

The Diamond King is speechless at this. For they walk on his kins petals. The blasphemy, this is not lost on Magnus who stoles his rage within himself. For they should seem to think they’ve already conquered elf that they throw them upon the ground to trumpet sound in victory over some conquered foe?

Using this rage the magician snaps in his translation spell completely. There is a buzz in the ear as chords settle. The diamond king rubs his head as does the magician. 

“Sorry my lord, Tis the nature of these spells when dealing with barbarians.” Magus laments. 

“No, tis okay, let me feel this… this anguish?” He states. 

“Titus has put down those Jewish rebels and brings their god into our temple. He means to give it new home here in Rome? Were they not rebels I do not understand the idea of this. By Zeus we’ll be made to feel this decision.” One of the senators states. 

“Yes, who is conquering who I wonder.” The other senator states aloud. “But do keep it to yourself too many ears about us.”

“It’s just this rage I feel. Can this be real?” The senator continues.

“Do not forget yourself.” He is admonished. 

“The finest clothes I see go to you.” One of the senators states to the Diamond King and Magnus. “And you’ve brought a welp too?” Pointing to the child whom they’d brought with them from the start. “For the emperor of course no doubt. Give him to me I’ll make sure he’s made to be one of the options.”

The child is taken away from the diamond king who’d almost forgotten his company. 

“Young man you’ll be made eternal, you’re lucky day.” The nameless senator states hyping the kid up as he walks him away. 

“Good riddance, one less flea.” Magnus states to the Diamond king. 

“Interesting.” The Diamond King replies back observing his hands and body some more. Taking in the scene. The revelry. Arts from all the realms of Rome have converged here today in such a joyous way. Everyone has been made gay in their revelry. 

The procession snaked through Rome to the Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill. 

There it shown upon the glowing sun. The golden candelabrum shown so true the diamond king winced. His mortal body gave way before the idol, stolen from a land not their own. Brought to Rome as its new home. 

“I could” are his thoughts before the spell begins to splinter.  For him and the head magician can only see the skies above to recede and in their wake be deities ready to strike. Poised in arms a lightning bolt. A man with arrow and yet still many more take form within the clouds. 

“I have been seen.” The Diamond king states to himself elated. Magnus does everything he can to stop himself from buckling before it. 

“It is too soon they will strike you down my lord. Do not.” Magnus states. 

“What am I being made to witness?” Diamond king states. Struggling to reclaim himself. He stands before his peers in his eyes. Why do they deny him the ending so?

“Oh friend, I’ve found you again. Good find with the boy he was chosen.” The senator from before calls out clasping his hand upon the diamond king's shoulder. “That means you’ll be given a moment of the emperor’s time.”

The diamond king and Magnus are pulled from the senator's crowd, beckoned up to the side of the emperor where now beside stands the boy they found by the river.

“Is this the senator who found him?” Titus asks. 

“Yes, my Emperor.” The senator bows. 

“Perfect.” Titus declares. “So you’re the one who smuggled this one in? At first I thought to have to guards kill you but when I realized you were simply trying to show me Rome’s truest nature I had an epiphany and decided I had to have this conversation” 

“Yes my emperor.” Diamond king yields. 

“Thank you my emperor.” Magnus states bowing aswell. 

“Who are you? I know all my senators and yet here you stand spy? For whom I am wondering. What it could be conspiring about me. Even on this greatest of my

Days. I thought it so fitting to keep the child despite the misgivings. Do tell me again boy, make that noise.”

The child from before looks like he’s seen a ghost and has accepted his fate. Still yet he is petrified of it all. He stumbles his words. His vocal cords faulter. 

“Oh now, do please say it or else you are useless.” Titus states pointing to his gaurd. 

“You.. you are but mortal.” The boy states aloud. The diamond king flinches at the sound. Magnus trembles he can feel the anger of his lord culminating into a storm and with the gods watching above waiting for a slip to strike him down he must figure out a way to end this spell. 

“See.  What irony could this be? I am beside myself I am enjoying this triumph and yet here I am made to focus on this so much?” Titus states “I wonder, who has sent you to my lands to infiltrate our ways? I am no fool I am emperor of Rome you see. I have legions. To crush thee.” 

“I am but a king in my own lands seeking to see how another rules his.” The Diamond king states flatly. Unhumbly. 

“I rule mine as any would rule. Have you no manners to seek an audience I did not know I am in company of a foreign king. What backwards land do you hail from foreign king? I am emperor I sit above those things. I am curious and you will answer me.”

The guards surround them. 

“You will keep me company foreign king for the rest of the proceedings and know that which conquers you and I will have not one but two triumphs in one.” Titus proclaims. “Boy, I wish for you to sit between us and remind us of reality.” 

“As you wish.” The Diamond king states. 

“Kill the servant. He need naught I shall give him a better one.” Titus proclaims. 

“No, please.  He is of kin to me. Kill us both if that’s your wish.” The Diamond King intercedes. 

“So your land knows a sense of honor after all. Interesting.” The emperor states. “My father is away doing things I will grant you his return before your ending. Do tell me of this land I will eventually own.”

“Tis a land far greater than yours. Where time does not deny eternal things their revelry. I’ve come simply to observe the nature of you scoundrels. I think I understand it now.” The Diamond King states. 

“I’ve heard far worse from better men. I’ve heard far better from the lesser.” Titus states. “I am not amused.”

“I am the Diamond King and I will have the heart of this world and nothing can stop me!” The Diamond King proclaims. 

“You are but only mortal.” The child states again. 

“Shut that damn ape up.” The Diamond king demands. 

Titus laughs. “I think this is the end my friend. Guards.”

Magnus clutches at his chest. There it is. The flask. Break it now or never. To end this spell. 

The flask breaks as the guards move in on the two of them. Their visions do return to the dungeon beneath the now ruined castle above. Still under reconstruction. 

“My lord. I’m sorry I didn’t” Magnus apologizes 

“Silence!” The Diamond King demands. Then walks with haste out of the room before destroying everything around him on his procession down the hall.