The Past Ahead - an Empires SMP AU

Chapter 18 - Corruption

           Xornoth hated the Fae. He didn't know what they were, but he hated them, them and their anti-corruption magic, whatever it was. 

           He was nearing Tumble Town when he felt it. Something was trying to keep him out. He pressed forward, but was shoved back by an invisible force. And it hurt. Gritting his teeth he possessed a villager and moved forward that way, but even then whatever magic was trying to keep him out was also trying to expel him from the villager's body.

           Then he saw it. Some strange blue plant matter enveloping part of the empire. It resembled his corruption, but was also like the opposite of it. He didn't know what it was, but he suspected that it was the same magic that pushed him out of False's body the day he tried to possess her. 

           Out of a broken glass box flew some small, black and pink figures. They flew towards him and glared at him. "Stay away from this place, Xornoth. We don't welcome you here." With a jolt, Xornoth realized that they knew about him somehow. "I will corrupt this land," He insisted, and then on a whim took a glance behind him.

           He noticed that the corruption that usually sprouted around him whenever he possessed someone wasn't growing. Instead he saw the blue plants growing around him and he felt the urge to leave this villager's body ever stronger. This magic must be stopping my corruption. 

           "What are you?" He asked, and the figures merely glared at him more and made the blue corruption grow faster around him. Feeling weak, Xornoth finally left the villager's body and floated away from the blue plants. "We are the Fae, and we will not let you corrupt this land." "We will see about that," Xornoth muttered. He moved away. He had to check on the other empires now, to see if the Fae had started spreading their anti-corruption there as well. 

           "Those Fae... My corruption doesn't work against them." He might have to corrupt the empires early; before the Fae got to everything first. But he didn't want to. His plans weren't supposed to be put in motion this early. And then he heard someone asking if anyone was there. Xornoth gasped and then covered his mouth. It was the Mezalean king. He hadn't realized an emperor was here to hear him. 

           And then Xornoth found out that all the emperors had learned of his existence on this time period. The celestial had done the unexpected; she had told them her secret and told them about them about him. Now she, and the Fae, had forced his hand early and he had to begin the corruption of the land.

           Xornoth had hoped to have had more time to do some more behind-the-scenes possession, to put a few obstacles in the emperors path, to cripple them a little before he started to take over these untouched lands, but now that was out of the question. Xornoth had to strike at them first, before the emperors prepared enough to do so to him. 

           But for now, he needed allies. 

           Xornoth found emperor Joey in Sanctuary, and surprisingly he had his cursed crown that the demon had given him. He looked ready to cause chaos and mayhem. Xornoth smiled. The perfect pawn. He possessed him, for an hour, just to spread corruption around Sanctuary. And when he figured that he had enough tendrils sprouting, he left and greeted the bewildered emperor. "Joey. I've missed you." 

           "Xornoth!" Joey lit up at the sound of his voice. He looked eagerly around him. "Where are you?" "I don't have a physical form yet," Xornoth said. "It would take too long to explain how. But I need you to do some things for me." "Of course, whatever you say, Xorny dear." "I need you to take the Crown. It has magic no one has ever fathomed before and I can use it to corrupt these lands." "Hm, that might be a little difficult, I'd have to kill Joel, and he's kind of a god." "I never said you had to do it alone."