Jircniv in the Library.

A fanfiction to athiestbasementdragon's "God Rising" universe.

Written by: Tuisto

Edited by: The Usual Gang of Drunken Perverted Idiots

Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, Emperor of Baharuth, the vassal state of the Sorcerous Empire was seldom a man at a loss for words, he'd spoken with Lords and Nobility, soldiers, footmen, leaders of other nations, and had even had private conversations with an undead god.

It was the latter figure that brought Jircniv to the moment of stupefaction, as the war was winding down, the Sorcerer King had asked him if there was anything he might offer to Jircniv as a reward for good service to the cause, and almost without thinking The Bloody Emperor had asked if he could, for a time, study in the Great Library of Ashurbanipal within Nazarick.

The request was granted.

Jircniv knew he would not be the first, or even the most, learned man from the outside world to set foot into such a repository of knowledge. Thanks to the mythical library, the former court wizard Fluder had achieved the inhuman feat of casting 7th tier spells, an illiterate peasant girl had been transformed into one of the greatest Generals of War to ever live, a simple squire was granted power that changed the world and a thousand other things that were revolutionizing the world every day.

It was precisely because of these things that above all else, Jircniv wanted to see this library.

And now, here he was stopped dead in his tracks with barely a foot into the library from the ornate golden doors as he was reminded of a saying Ainz Ooal Gown had said in passing, "Knowledge is power". Jircniv at the time couldn't help but to agree with such a statement, but now, seeing the library that was at the command of the undead god?

If Knowledge was Power, then even without Lord Ainz's magical might, he was surely the most powerful being in existence.

For as far as his eyes could see, massive 10 story tall towering rows of shelves crammed with books, paper, scrolls and all manner of things on which words could be imparted on filled his sight with wonder.

Walkways, grand staircases, balconies and bridges connected the massive constructs, one to the other and to still an other for as far as his eyes could see in any direction.

Chandeliers floating serenely about, cast a soft ambient light bright enough to read by but not harsh. The ceiling, if it was a ceiling, appeared to be a night sky filled with twinkling stars.

Scattered about were plush velvet chairs for sitting, comfortable upholstered benches for reclining and sturdy polished wood tables with blank paper and quill pens at the ready for studious note taking.

The moment was broken when a lich, partially decayed but in rich red robes, appeared before him and rasped out, "The Supreme One has bid me to attend to you during your time in the Library of Ashurbanipal, this one is one of the Librarians of Nazarick, what shall be your study?"

This was it, this was the moment, questions years in the making that he'd kept quiet in the back of his mind could possibly be answered at last.

Jircniv looked the lich straight in the eye, which was not a pleasant thing to do, and confidently stated his desire, "I want to learn about the Supreme Beings..." pausing to remember back to what the Platinum Dragon Lord had said "… I want to learn about Players and Yggdrasil."

The lich for his part was quiet for a moment, as if considering, then he said,"This one was not given any instruction to deny you any facet of knowledge, but what you ask is complex."

Abruptly the lich turned around, his back facing Jircniv and commanded the emperor with, "Follow this one." The lich was more hovering than walking as it led Jircniv deeper within.

Within minutes they were so deep into the library that Jircniv could no longer see the grand reception area of the library. He, walked past books and scrolls and items he couldn't hope to identify.

To break the silence Jircniv asked the lich, "Librarian, could you tell me more about the library?"

In perfect monotone the lich replied: "The Great Library of Ashurbanipal was created as the sum of all knowledge of the 41 Supreme Beings of Nazarick, here is the knowledge of the true secrets, the important things. Fourteen words to make someone fall in love with you forever. Seven words to make them go without pain. How to say good-bye to a friend who is dying. How to be poor. How to be rich. How to rediscover dreams when the world has stolen them away. That is why we were created and are here… to preserve that knowledge."

Jircniv was awed and moved by what the lich had so casually imparted, that these Supreme Beings could even conceive of such wonders and preserve it here for all time, what else could these gods know?

After walking in silence again for a long while through the maze-like corridors of shelves, up and down stairs and across bridges, the lich pointed with his emaciated undead hand to a solitary over-stuffed red velvet chair that was facing a blank white wall and commanded the emperor to sit.

As the emperor was taking the seat he protested,: "What is the meaning of this? How does sitting here further my questions?"

The lich stared down at the seated emperor and replied, "You asked to learn about The Supreme Beings, to know them, oneself must first know Yggdrasil."

And with that the entire world fell away from Jircniv, casting him as an island in the middle of darkness, apprehension began to seep into him when there suddenly appeared light, a single word of a language he did not know was floating in the air in resplendent shimmering gold, scenery began to unfold behind the word, the darkness that had surrounded him coming alive. A perfect world of perfect people.

Sound, a hauntingly beautiful flute and chimes, a chorus of female voices, a new voice, a man's, gentle narration: "Welcome to Yggdrassil, come and explore the many races and beings of creation, the mystical arts, the awe and majesty of the 9 Worlds, our journey begins on Midgard, the home of humans, from there we'll venture through worlds of Fire and Ice, to the Halls of Aesir and will end at Helheim home of the unconquerable Great Tomb of Nazarick."

- - - - – - -

Several times in his life, Jircniv had cursed his fate, feeling as though his fate was wrested away by some unknown being with no regard for his freewill. If indeed fate was controlled by the hand of some unknown being, then who, or what could this unknown being be?

If he were in this Yggdrasil, he learned he could've actually gone to The Fates themselves, these Norns, the crone of the past, the maiden of the present, and the girl of the future and actually bargained himself a better fate.

These were not the only such beings, there were he learned entities with powers that could control Time itself where they could change the past to put right what once went wrong, or even the ability to change Luck itself where the entire universe would bend itself and everyone in it so one individual would always have the best possible outcomes of whatever situation they'd find themselves in.

Such a marvelous fantastical set of worlds.

Never in his life had Jircniv experienced such highs and lows as these scenes played out before his eyes. He leaned forward on the edge of the seat as he watched the marshaling of the Dwarven Armies of Svartalfheim as they marched to defeat the Giants of the world of Jotunheim, teams of the god-like beings calling themselves "Adventurers" much like the teams he knew in his own world would, the great Guilds of gods, some hundreds to thousands strong, some few in number. The Bifrost rainbow bridge that carried these fantastical beings from world to world to world in their quests, their battles, and the killing of each other.

It was thrilling, as soft music played for idyllic scenes of goddesses of unimaginable beauty tending verdant gardens and even perfect humans in perfect cities that made Arwintar look like a dump. Then dramatic bass and thumping music had played at the battles.

One of the scenes had Jircniv's heart jump into his throat.

Barely a fraction of a scene, outside a collapsed castle on the side of a volcano, with rivers of molten rock flowing past a small group were defending some form of loot they'd acquired, obviously something of immense wealth and power, as they were beset by a veritable army of gods, a birdman in the sky evading winged angels was raining bolts of radiant starfire gave cover for a knight in white armor as a pile of black glop fired black lightning…

The small group of nine were beating the ever loving piss out of the army of gods, when the goat-headed demon broke open the wood chest they were defending and the group's black robed skeletal mage took the large red orb from within and placed the orb into his own empty abdomen…

Much of the rest of the narration was a blur to him after that.

So much made no sense.

Too much made sense.

These god-like beings lusted for power, and obviously some items were worth dying over, more terrifying though was Jircniv's realization as he watched them "level-up" with each kill of their fellows.

They became stronger by killing each other.

Jircniv well recalled back in the Grand Gathering of the Allied Leaders where Ainz Ooal Gown had conjured magic beyond reasoning to simply replay a battle where some 2,000 of these gods of Yggdrasil and thousands more of their created servants lay siege to Nazarick… and were soundly repelled and defeated.

What could that mean in terms of strength for the Overlord and Master of Death who ruled this tomb and was once the leader of 40 other gods, as the denizens of Nazarick called them 'Supreme Beings'.

The implications as they whirled in his mind made the man feel so very small.

Further thinking was cut off when the world that surrounded him ended and evaporated, leaving him once again in a rather bland area of the Library with the Lich librarian… and a new addition, the Pleiades Battle Maid Solution Epsilon.

The Lich looked down at the still seated emperor, "Do you begin to understand Yggdrasil, now?"

For a moment Jircniv was quiet as he gathered his thoughts: "I think I do, but it raises more questions."

"Good, that means you are learning, only a moron would have no questions after the viewing you experienced." the Lich almost sounded as if were imparting sage wisdom, in a backhanded fashion.

For a moment Jircniv gathered his thoughts before speaking,"I think I understand, but again, I don't understand, they call themselves "Players" and they kill others like themselves for power, what sense does that make?"

"It's The Grand Game," the Lich said as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Jircniv shook his head in a 'no' and replied, "I refuse to believe that beings of such power, those worlds, those lives, that they could kill themselves just for power, it's incomprehensible."

If the lich could've tsk-tsk'd, it would have.

"You still do not understand, your thinking is too mortal." the lich paused, "There is a composition of music, ancient even among the Supreme Beings, written by a supreme being long ago in the dawning of the First World, it was often a favored piece to be played by some as they went into battle. Solution here will fit you with one of the Holy Relics so that you may hear the song."

Jircniv consented and bade the maid to do her duty, she placed a small thing in each of his ears that were connected by an odd string to a small flat glass rectangle she held in her hand as if it were one of the greatest treasures in the world.

The lich then warned Jircniv, "The music you are about to hear was written for the ears of the Supreme Beings, it may be unsettling for a mortal man, pay careful attention to the words. Are you ready?"

The human nodded 'yes', and that's when the assault on his ears began, never in his life would he call such haunting, mournful, shrieking clanging noise "music"… the words, he listened to the words, completely awestruck 'Born to be Kings, Princes of the Universe', 'I am immortal', 'No man can be my equal', and 'got to be the ruler of you all!' finally the noise was blessedly ending, but lastly came the words, almost whispered, "In the end, there can be only one."

Jircniv's eyes snapped open wide, staring at the lich and the maid, 'He's beginning to understand' they thought.

Solution then reverently removed the Holy Relic from the emperor.

The Lich rasped, "Do you see now? The Supreme Beings 'Played' the Great Game, a game only gods could play, and all games must have a winner."

The human's mouth was dry, he licked his lips as the ideas were flying through his brain. "...and that winner is Lord Ainz?" he asked.

The Lich was passive, no emotion at all, but Solution looked distressed, normally brash and bold, she was reserved while looking down at the floor as she said, "Yggdrasil was ending, we could all feel it, something was happening that was beyond the power of the Supreme Beings of any of the 9 worlds to stop. They left to other worlds, we could feel that too, every day there were fewer and fewer, even our creators left, but Lord Mo-" Solution paused to catch herself, "Ainz Ooal Gown stayed. He was always here, if he wasn't in the tomb, we could feel him out there in Yggdrasil solo battling entire guilds for resources to keep Nazarick running. Then came The Last Day, we could feel that we only had hours left, but Lord Ainz was with us and briefly Lord Herohero, my creator came and left without even seeing me. Then I and the other Pleiades and Albedo were summoned into the Throne Room with Lord Ainz when he took his seat on the Throne, he was clutching his staff the symbol of how mighty Nazarick was. We were minutes away, we were going to die, Nazarick was going to die, Yggdrasil was going to die. I was there and heard his words, Lord Ainz gazed upon the banners of the departed Supreme Beings and said 'It sure was fun while it lasted.' His voice… I'll never forget how small and sad his voice was. He was preparing to die with us! He stayed!" Solution fell to her knees, her face a mask of emotional pain. "A Supreme Being was prepared to die with us! He stayed so we wouldn't die alone! The Ancient and Wise Master of Death showed that he was the most compassionate of all the Supreme Beings! But then we were suddenly in your world, safe."

Solution dragged the back of her hand across her face to clear her tears and runny nose. She then fixed a glare on the human emperor, "We don't know if Lord Ainz 'won' the game or not, and he's not said, though he did immediately know Nazarick was no longer in Yggdrasil, but the denizens of Nazarick decided that Lord Ainz DESERVES his prize. It's the least we can do to repay his love for us."

Realization hit Jircniv like a brick, and he whispered,"My world, my world is his prize."

The Lich nodded and said, "You're world will be his prize, as Lord Demiurge said on the first night of being in this new world, Lord Ainz flew high into the night sky and gazed down upon this new land and said that this world glitters like gems in a treasure box. We will see that he gets his prize."

Solution, her composure regained, stood and glared at the man as she asked, "Do you understand the answer to your question, human?"

The emperor nodded his head, knowing that being on the bad side of this maid was not very conducive to one's long term health.

Solution gave one last baleful glare at the human, then strutted off.

The Lich looked from Solution back to the human and rasped out, "Of course, you'll never repeat anything that you've experienced here, should you… well… I believe any of the Pleiades Battles Maids would gladly take a punishment doled from Lord Ainz for the affront of killing you."

A portal sprung up next to Jircniv, the lich gestured to swirling whole in reality, "I believe your wife is waiting for you at your palace in Arwintar, she's dearly missed you for two days."

Jircniv blinked, "Surely not, I just got here a few hours..."

He was interrupted by the Lich who held up two fingers, repeating, "Two days."

"Two days? How about that?" the emperor muttered as he walked through the portal, feeling like he was forgetting something very important.

- _ jitl - -

(A/N: spot the references to other scifi works, there's at least three. Maybe more.)

If you want to reach me, I'm on athiestbasementdragon's discord.

I'm taking ideas for a "scenes from the Library" route of stories.