Raymond stared at the s. It was the first time he had ever seen it go so low. 20.1% 20% 19.9%

  Arascus entered Fer’s room. It, for once, was not a mess, although that was because she had been away for two days. Fer was sitting in a shirt on the floor, Alee was standing behind her, brushing the golden hair. Fer was obviously enjoying the attention, eyes closed and rog rhythmically as her locks destroyed yet another brush. Her ears bounced when Arascus entered, she she air, and she went back to rog. Alee gave her three mores furious strokes and then the brush snapped. She muttered a quiet curse, turned and saw Arascus. “Ah… I didn’t…”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Arascus interrupted her. “Fer.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Here’s your clothes.” Arascus put them on the grouo her. To put the woman in a dress was an impossibility, but she should look presentable at the very least. Fer’s mood went from sailing on clouds to drowning in the o.

  “Really?”

  “Really.” Arascus said.

  “Why?” Arascus sighed at the sheer stupidity of the question. He loved Fer, she was funny and warm ahetid g, but sometimes she began to grate on his nerves.

  “There’s a dress code. I already bent it for you. You’re wearing this.” He pushed the clothes towards her with his boot.

  “Really?” Fer asked again. Arascus looked at Alee, who was obviously trying not to ugh. The maid began pying her dark hair and readjusting her bck dress.

  “Really. It’s an order.”

  “Ugh.” Ugh indeed. But if Arascus had not ordered her himself, she would either turn up in animal skins or naked.

  “I’ll see you at the feast. Bring some beastmen to fill a table.” Arascus said then realised he made a mistake. “Bring ten, no more than that.” Fer hen leaned back to look at Alee, her golden eyes wide as she shook her hair to demand more brushing.

  “I hate parties.”

  “Really?”

  “No.”

  “Thought so.” Arascus said, then turo leave. “It’s going to be fun, Sara anised.”

  Fer forced yet another brush into Alee’s hands auro sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror. “Mmh. I like her.” She said idly as Alee pulled the brush through her ma got stu the sed stroke. “Love you Dad.”

  “I love you too.”

  Red s, white numbers. Raymond stared at it as he grabbed another bottle: 18.8% 18.7% 18.6%

  Arascus walked through the room when Sara, Ilwin and Iliyal stopped him. Sara was in a magnifit red dress dashed with lines of royal purple, the trast of that and her dark hair made the woman seem paler than she was, Ilwin and Iliyal both wore pristine suits. Iliyal’s had a short red cape to mark his station as a general of Kassandora. “Sir.” He said, bringing out a phone. Even after eight months of being in the modern world, Arascus was still amazed at the device. “A situation has arisen.”

  “Is it urgent?” Arascus asked as he towered over them.

  Iliyal took the initiative. “It’s better that you know about it.” He thrust the phoowards Arascus, it was a live broadcast of EIE, Everything In Epa. One of the news els that covered the ti. Arascus took it from his hands without a word as he watched the video. The two hosts were speaking about… he was saw the image behind them.

  “…-ivine has still been uified but we have received reports from the White Pantheon. From Divine Essa, Goddess of Magic, herself. She has said that the situation is under trol and it is an internal Pantheon matter but…” The hosts looked at each other, then at the image on the s behind. “Who that is, we still don’t know. There are spiracies that the White Pantheon has had a coup with the ret movements of Clerical Orders, although they have all left the Divine Mountain at this time.” The first host finished and the an, Arascus only heard the words half-heartedly, his attention was entirely on the image on that s.

  “We have a panel of experts scheduled for nine o’clock tonight to discuss this further, but let’s look at the image again. If you think you know what caused this, we would love to hear your opinions from it at….” Arascus paid no attention to the words as the image came to the forefront.

  A thick oak, leafless and burned, grew out of the ground, it’s top wide as the if it was holding up a pte. Kavaa was there, Arascus would never fet the people who had fought against him in the Great War, her, but she wasn’t the main figure of the image. A woman stood there, arms up in the air as she held up a giant ball of fire. Her arms burning, her armour bck, her back exposed as Kavaa healed, her hair a vivid crimson it could have been dyed with blood. There was o firm, o ask. It was Kassandora. Divine Kassandora. Anoddess he had adopted and given a ce to when the world had rejected her.

  There she was.

  Arascus’ arms trembled as he slid against the wall. There she was. Alkom was cut off in the image, but it was obvious it was him. Thin legs like that, the armour, it was obviously him. Arascus wiped his eyes of their wetness with a huge fiared at the image. How much had precious Kass been through? Why? With Kavaa? Kavaa wasn’t exceptional among the White Pantheon, but there she was, healing his daughter, as his daughter held up a Sun.

  Arascus looked to Iliyal, the general was smiling. “It’s her.” Iliyal finally said as Arascus handed him his phone back.

  “It’s her.” Arascus replied.

  “She’s most likely in Kirinyaa, in Arika, all the Clerical Orders are being called to there.” Iliyal finally dropped the question. “Should we tact her?”

  “Of course we should.” Arascus answered, he looked down at his own suit and smoothed the creases. “There’s more than one reason to celebrate today now.” Iliyal ughed.

  “That there is.” Arascus replied slowly. Two out of eight were found. Kassandora was free. Anassa, they khe location of. Olephia would escape without Leona’s help. That was five out of eight. And there was no Leona.

  He could feel the pieces ing together.

  Raymond drunkenly reached for another bottle. He k over and the gss shattered oiled floor. It was empty anyway. He leaned back, his head spinning, and watched the red monitor. 12.2% 12.1% 12%

  Arascus took his p the biggest hall the underground headquarters had. Sara Daganhoff had done a good job ihere were rows of grand wooden tables, furnished with clothes and ptes already. Drinks prepared, smells were ing from the kits. The only curiosity was a new painting on the wall. Sara had asked for permission to hang it and Fer had vouched for her, but her of them said what exactly was being hung up.

  The God of Pride sat at the head of the rgest table as he watched people filter in. Neneria came first, that was no surprise, Death was alunctual. There had been o pester her about the dress code either, Arascus had overheard maids gossiping about how picky she was with her clothes. Back then, he had thought it merely amusing, now, he uand them entirely. It was a bck gown, with loose sleeves and a colr of ravehers which spiralled to form a short cloak that ruffled with every step. She saw there was no in the hall, then allowed herself a smile. Her walk ged immediately, from that slow sauo a giggling pace as she sat dowo Arascus. “We’ve do!” She said, giggling.

  “We have.”

  “I ’t believe it.”

  “I ’t either.” Arascus replied as Neneria burst out in giggles. Those giggles stopped immediately when Iliyal and Ilwin arrived, along with a retinue of the other elves who served in the headquarters. Tall, in suits, with hair either golden or pitch bck, and with stern faces. Iliyal wore his general’s coat, his sword, Ilwin came in with a bde at his belt too. Arascus had bestowed one upon him after the escape from Olympiada. That had been the nail that sealed Leona’s coffin.

  They took their seats, Ilwin and Iliyal at the head table, the elves scattered about to the other pces. Theher people started to slowly flow in a trickle that became a raging river. Daganhoff was all smiles when she Arascus was enjoying himself.

  The God of Pride saw the two sorcerers ehey were easily the you guests, and they took seats directly at his table. The maids had dressed them, from the local gossip, Edmonton had been rather fun to tease, Fleur was the plete opposite. She wore a dress of dark blue and with dashes of red and had a white flower in her hair. Arascus would have hought her for oo dress like that, but somehow, it was so predictable. He had never met a single sorcerer who did not try to show off.

  Fer came he end, a band of temen behihe room fell silent, everyone had seen the beastmen about every now and then, but they kept to themselves. Fer had mao dress them in suits somehow, a wolfman in a bowtie, a minotaur in a bowler hat. Arascus chuckled as Fer came to a stop, legs wide and hands on her hips. She stared everyone down in the hall, a smile on her head. Arascus had given her clothes, a white shirt and a skirt. She had made some ges, the top two buttons of her shirt were undone, she had a thick bearskin on her back as a cape, and tall bck boots. “I have entered!” She shouted. “You may tihe room remained silent until Iliyal stood up and gave her a cp.

  “To the Goddess of Beasthood!” Appuse flooded the room as Fer smugly o herself. She gave some hand signals for her men to sit down and took her seat by Neneria. Iliyal indicated for Arascus to get Of Death to stand. Arascus had to poke her twice before she gingerly stood up, her neck low as she took a deep breath and looked nowhere in particur. “And to the Goddess of Death! Who killed Leona!” Cheers and appuse pouhroughout the room long after Iliyal sat down. Neneria’s cheeks had already gone red and she returo her seat and stared at her empty pte. Even with all that though, Arascus could see a small smile on her lips.

  Then came the rest of appuse. For Edmonton and Fleur, who stood up together. For the pilots, Dougs and Erik. For the ground crew. For the support teams in the air. For Ilwin and Iliyal whahe operation. For everyone here for believing in them. Arascus was the only o mentiohere was no heir pride was his pride. Finally Fer stood up and the room went silent. “I would also like to thank Sara for helpih this!” She shouted loudly and indicated to the hidden painting on the wall.

  A maid was on standby and immediately pulled the red cloth down to a chorus of oohs and aahs. It icture of Fer, Neneria, the pnes, everyone who participated in the mission. ‘Operation Misfortune’ was written in the er in Fer’s scratchy handwriting. Arascus stood up first, it was an amazing photo! He cpped and the whole room joined in, only Neneria buried her fa her hands as she went red as a beetroot.

  With all that do was time for Arascus’ speech. He never phem, it was always to improvise them on the spot and follow the mood of the crowd. This was going to be a short one anyeople were starting to get hungry. “Ladies alemen.” He stood up and spoke loudly, the hall immediately fell silent. Man and elf a and Goddess turheir heads to listen. “It has been more than a thousand years since we began the Great War.”

  He took a pause. Pauses were always good at the start, to get the ball rolling. “The Great War raged for a tury. Throughout the tury, we had tried to Leona an untable amount of times. With bde and dagger and poison, we caught her out in the open, we caught her in her sleep. Ladies alemen.” Arascus raised his cup. “Today! We have dohe impossible! We have burned down the o! We have out gambled Lady Luck! Ladies alemeerday, we took Leona! Tomorrow, we take the World!”

  There was it oill a t started. The World, The World, The World! It raged on for a minute before it finally died down. “And now, while the White Pantheon recoils, we drink a and make merry! Ladies alemen, this is our first feast here and it will be the st! ime, we’ll be feasting in a pace!” More cheers, more song. Arascus sat doeople brought out food and drink.

  Raymond blinked as the s sobered him up. 10.1% 10% 9.9%

  Arascus watched and drank and ate his fill as the feast raged on around him. Alee estering Iliyal after they both had a few too many drinks, she nting more than a few kisses on his face. Ilwin watched his grandfather fight a losing a battle as a maid set upon him. Behind them, Fer was drinking men into the ground. There had been an arm-wrestling test with the Goddess of Beasthood that ended in one round and several broken fingers. Two men had already colpsed oable, mumbling about how they should have ried to outdrink a God.

  The beastmen, especially after every had a few drinks in them, became immensely popur. A minotaur was lifting a giggling girl with one hand. Here, the arm wrestling tinued, not with the minotaur. No one was drunk or stupid enough to take on that mass of rippling muscle, but the wolfman still stood ued. The sorcerers were close by, they were eaining a group of guards and soldiers with showcases of magid sorcery. Water danced iween Edmonton’s fingers and Fleur had folded the metal cutlery into various figurines with nothing but the air itself. The raptor pilots were drinking their fill and telling tales to others about how they had to manoeuvre their aircrafts, Arascus was sure no rolls were done, but he let them talk. Even Neneria had find some people who were brave enough to face Death. She was showing off some ghostly fairies who were bringing her cake throughout the night.

  Arascus leaned bad sighed as Sara tested her luck with him. She was always like that, but for once, he ehe pany.

  It was a good feast.

  Raymond blinked as a message appeared on the s. He had hought that thing rogrammed to do anything more than say how muergy was left. The 8% moved up and below ext appeared: Warning: Chaos Crisis in 6 hours.