The powers of Mrdyu were strange indeed, as he appeared to have control over the terrible Alkahest. That Godly Fluid that the Church and many others truly despised, fearful of the true death it brought. Yet, Mrdyu believed it holy, that it was the one way to return to the original god of all. Mortals were simply afraid of what they didnāt understand, they clung blindly to their useless lives. This world had poisoned their minds, making them believe that they were better off as lost fragments trapped in an endless cycle of futility. They would claim that Alkahest was evil, meant only to destroy, but Mrdyu would show them proof that it was all lies. For see the Hollows that rise from the silver, see Those Unflinching that were given undying bodies. There was life still in Alkahest, it was just within the dead god, begging to truly be reborn. If one was wise enough and bound themselves to this Godly Fluid, they would be able to tease out these secrets and access what lay within the silvery heart. As Silvertongue of the Dead God, he would claim that he could speak to this buried deity, and call upon their aid. He would borrow scraps of essence and the might of Alkahest to fashion warriors and workers to further the cause. Take just a little so that the rest could be returned. And from this art would come profane beings of silver, ones that were known as the Touch of Death.Ā
It was said that the Touch of Death were entities born purely from Alkahest, much like the elementals that occasionally rise from the liquid. These were simply Mrdyuās version of these beings, crafted by his magic and ties to the dead god. The Touch of Death were serpentine creatures of strange segments and a single skeletal hand. It was from this hand that a lone terrible claw protruded, a deadly finger that ended in a scythe-like blade. This was a weapon that embodied the deadly nature of Alkahest, as few things could resist its bite. With a single swing, it could cleave an entire squad of soldiers in two, or reduce a siege weapon to useless chunks. They were like living swords that carved through any who stood before them, swinging their bladed finger with lethal precision. But their most terrifying ability lay within its very tip, the power that gave it its name. A Touch of Death could āchargeā its finger, channeling a surge of Alkahest energeiai into the point. The end of the digit would glow with silvery light and when it was fully charged, the creature would kill with a single touch. The long finger would jab a victim with the glowing tip, and they would vanish into a cloud of gray dust. The built up energeiai would unleash the full power of Alkahest upon contact with a target, disintegrating them in the blink of an eye. To watchers of this act, it would be like the Touch of Death erased a victim with just one finger.
Thankfully this ability took a lot from these serpents, requiring a decent amount of time to pass before they could use it again. If one could dodge this attack and get the finger to strike anything else, the energeiai would be spent. The Alkahest charge would evaporate the spot where it struck, but it would spare the victim this sudden fate and waste the Touchās strength.Ā
The Touch of Death did take part in battles and raids upon the Church, but their design was best used in assassination and sabotage. Send forth one of these to slither into enemy strongholds to destroy their supplies and erase their strongest members. Their ability was often saved for important figures, like generals, priests and political leaders. If done stealthy, it would seem that this person vanished into thin air, with no one aware that the faint layer of dust that is vanishing in the breeze was once their trusted ally. At times, though, these executions were done publicly, often to break the spirits of a village and scare the people into surrender. The Touch of Death could be programmed to go after specific targets or places, these orders etched into the palms of their hand. While their singular claw kills and erases, the other fingers trace the words they have been given, reminding them of their mission.Ā
When Mrdyu was defeated, his creations fell to pieces, as his connection to the divine Alkahest was lost. The Touch of Death were erased just like their victims, reduced to nothing but dust and a footnote in historyā¦Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
āāāāāāāāāāāā
And here we are at the end of March, but like I said we are going just a little further because I canāt count. Still got to see the main man!
