Zedus the Great

Lore

Zedus was the first of the demigods, birthed from a ravaging thunderstorm. The old gods had created him, among others, for the utopian land they sought to populate with lesser beings in their image. Zedus believed that it was his sacred duty to guide and lead the other demigods. Though possessed of a righteous heart, he found considerable difficulty in convincing the others to live by his—and by extension, the old gods'—ideals. Ultor, the strongest demigod, challenged Zedus to a duel; mere words were empty, but action would prove his resolve. The battle lasted for days, a feat which the mighty warrior still recounts with fondness. Eventually, Zedus was able to unify Athensphere under one rulership with himself as its leader. Among them, the genius tinkerer Gazia was considerably more eager to pledge his cause, but his fevered enthusiasm turned out to be a warning sign of his betrayal. Evidence of dissenters against Zedus's leadership exists, though all salvaged texts so far appear to extol his many virtues. During the Augmentation Wars, Zedus led the defense, putting the lives of the people above his own. As the records retrieved from the Void Rift are incomplete, his fate remains unknown; the logical conclusion is that he, along with the other demigods, was ultimately shattered alongside Athensphere. However, some scholars believe that the old gods favored him for bringing order to their creations, and the demigods were thus invited to join them in divinity.