General Ekkerson sighed as he smoked and watched what was happening dowreet. A hospital was colpsing, one of those massive crabs had been brought down with a full team of tanks and in its death-throes, it had smashed through several walls of the building. One of Ekkerson’s assistants came up to him holding a phone.. “General Zalewski called.” Well that was new.

  “What does he want?”

  “I don’t know.” The soldier gave him the phone. “But he said it’s urgent.”

  Ekkerson fihe cigarette as he typed out the number. Zalewski picked up quickly. “Ekkerson here, what did you want?”

  “Just w if you heard anything about treason.”

  Treason? That was a first. They were all rgely ex-Clerics here. Clerics did not do treason. “No. Why?”

  Zalewski made a sour tone. “Kassandora took my sorcerers.”

  “She took mioo.”

  Kassandora took a breath and slowed down just before she knocked on the wooden room iral Requisitions. Baalka was still asleep, Kassandora simply had to check, just in case, but the Goddess of Disease did not even stir once from her slumber.

  And now Kassandora stood oher side of the corridor as her mind pyed through a dozen sarios simultaneously. Then a dozen again, and a dozen again. Until she was satisfied that whatever argument against her would be met with a disarming parry. Her shieldwall of ideas would outst any charge of doubt or unwillingness. It had anyway. Anassa had gone in, and Anassa had to be dragged out to help at what was happening in Nanbasa.

  Kassandora did not know how to ehat realm within. Nor did Fer. Irinika could, but Irinika was not here. Mam maybe, but again, Mam was not here. Kassandora took a deep breath and shook the doubts off. What was she even pining about? She had a Goddess at her disposal, if Leona was still alive, Kassandora would have ended up with one sickly mortal about to keel over and die. It did not matter that the Goddess Kassandora had could not be trusted, should not be freed, and had just as rge a ce at fleeing immediately as she did at actually helping.

  But those were mere problems to work through and to be solved. Kassandora smiled to herself as the crusade in her mind culminated in a thousand simultaneous successes. It was time to meet with the Goddess of Magic. How hard would Essa be to work anyway? Kassandora had spent a millennia in prison ag as the fidante of every White Pantheon member. If there was anyone who should be able to get that woman dang on strings, then it should be Kassandora. The Goddess of ushed open the door.

  Essa was sitting on a chair, ed over a table, lost in thought, as she assembled a jigsaw. The woman’s dark hair ulled back over one shoulder, and she wore a pretty blue dress. Even if Essa risoner, she was too high-value of a prisoo mistreat. Kassandora was gd she had put the effort in anising the room. The fortable queen-sized bed, the various wines and cakes, the books and jigsaws brought in from cities. Essa looked up, blue eyes looked in surprise at Kassandora and the Goddess of Magic straightened her back. “Ahh… Hello?” Essa said.

  “Hello Essa, how are you doing today?” Kassandora said as she sed the room. She could not feel any eyes in here, not any magical traps. So that ring really was w. It was such a tiny little item a mao lock down aire Goddess.

  “How do you think?” Essa said replied dryly. Kassandora looked down at the jigsaw, it was an image of elephants bathing themselves in the river.

  “How’s the ring?” Kassandora asked.

  “Don’t remind me.” Essa showed it to Kassandora. She moved her hand around so that Kassandora could see the ring from all sides. “Why ask?” Essa must have noticed that Kassandora did not particurly care about the ring itself, and every time she had e to visit before, she had just talked with Essa as if they were friends. If there was ohing prisoners hated, it was reminders of their situations.

  “A situation has cropped up.” Kassandora answered. She o be careful here. Essa needed some pressure applied on her, if the woman knew she was the only rope Kassandora had mao grab hold of, then she would start tain. “And you are the closest and easiest Essa.”

  Essa caught on. Or at least she thought she did, smarter than Fortia and Maisara, this one. Kassandora had to give her that. “Why not Olephia?”

  “Olephia is busy on the frontlines.” Kassandora replied early. “Could I take her? Yes. Do I want to? Not really.” It was the little things, the definite ‘yes’ versus the ambivalent ‘not really’ that would y the groundwork for the ideas Kassandora was trying to build.

  “Ah. So you want me?” Essa said, there was some smugness iohose dark blue eyes of hers were fident too. Maybe Kassandora had beeioo good. “I’m honoured Kass.”

  “I’m happy you’re happy E.” Kassandora said. “Will you hear me out or are you just going to say there’s no way.” The Goddess of War made a show of looking around the room. “Time is of the essen the matter, and I’d appreciate it not being wasted right now.” Essa sat there for a moment, Kassandora let her think. It would be better if she was going to raise a dition now rather than ter. Besides, whatever the woman was thinking, there was no way she would prediassa was stu the Jungle.

  “Just so you know.” Essa said. “I think you’re the most ho liar to exist.” Kassandora smiled at the pliment. That was a new one. She liked it. “And it’s not that…” Essa trailed off for a moment, chuckled and shook her head. That bck hair swayed from side to side as it retreated from her shoulder to her back. Kassandora smelled the woman’s perfume, it was a citrus-sted one Anassa liked. “I won’t waste your time, I ’t promise to agree, but I will sider it Kassandora. On two ditions though.”

  Kassandora leaned back with a smile. Now they were talking. Everyone had a price, the only question was how high it got. “What?”

  “One, you won’t ruin my image publicly.” Essa said then expined. “I don’t want to be seen on your side of the war. Nothing like that. I’m not going to attack Fortia or Maisara no matter how much I dislike them. I won’t touch Arcadia.” Kassandora nodded along. That was a good one, Kassandora would have made a simir demand frankly.

  “And two?”

  Essa smiled like a hawk. “I want something in exge that is worth my time. You decide it.” Kassandora smiled back. What a perfect set of demands. They would be utterly debilitating if the woman was bei off to fight on the front.

  “No fighting White Pantheon forces, and you save Anassa’s life.” Kassandora said. She didn’t even know if Anassa was in danger or not. Frankly, it was Anassa, she could be on the edge of death and perfectly safe at the same time. “How’s that for payment?”

  Essa sat there for a moment. She leaned back. She tilted her head. She crossed her arms. She stared Kassandora down. “We both know that isn’t payment.” Essa finally said. Kassandora had to give the woman gall, they both knew Anassa was important to them, and they both khey resg Anassa was not payment.

  “So you’ll leave her?” Kassandora asked.

  “You said you have Olephia.”

  “I said I’d rather not pull her off the front.”

  “Apologies for not being part of the war effort.” Essa said coldly.

  “You uand freedom is off the table.” Kassandora said. “I’m not resg Anassa just to have to deal with you again.”

  “What if I pull out of the Pahen?” Kassandhed to cover up her surprise. Essa did not know! Did she?

  “I thought I was trying to buy you?” Kassandhed and Essa shrugged.

  “What Fortia and Maisara do? With Kavaa on your side, the situation is bad. With Epa spiralling out of trol, then it’s only a matter of time before the White Pantheon loses most of its recruitment grounds. What then? Is Arcadia going to start supplementing the frontlines because Fortia ’t deal with the fact you best her?” Essa id it out pinly as she spread her arms out across the half-pleted puzzle of elephants.

  “Epa is already out.” Kassandora said. She thought for a moment, should Essa be told? It wasly hidden information, and if the womaricked, she wouldn’t care about going ba her. Finally, Kassandora decided. Essa should know the whole truth, but it should be Kassandora’s truth that was ever on the march to victory. Not, for example, Alsaria’s truth, where Arascus’ army was about to crumble at any moment. “You don’t know what’s been happening outside.”

  “I assumed you wouldn’t share so I didn’t even ask.” Essa said and Kassandora shook her head.

  “I’m not you.” Kassandora began and id out the sario. Some things were said straight: Kavaa, Iliyal and Fer found out that Tartarus is still is on Epa. Some things were dishoruths that gave off better impressions: The Five Epan National Goddesses are good enough now to have served in the Great War. Along with: Iliyal is doier ihan we are in Kirinyaa, and we’re withstanding the invasion from Uriamel. And some things were simply omitted, there was o mention that Irinika and Mam had been found after all.

  But the most important part was said straight, the ohat would make sure Essa would feel as if she was being treated with hoy: Alsaria has returned. She is leading Uriamel’s assault on Kirinyaa. That’s why I don’t want to move Olephia. Essa leaned bad tilted her head at Kassandora as the Goddess of War finished. “That’s everything.” Kassandora said.

  “You did not lie once.” Essa said it as a statement, but Kassandora answered heless.

  “On my life, I did not.”

  “You are terrifying.” Essa said ftly. Kassandora’s lips curled into a smile. Essa was generous with her pliments today! “I know I’m being pyed, but I have no idea how I’m being pyed.”

  Kassandhed and put her hands oable. “I’m ho how smart you think I am Essa, but that is the situation. You knohat hand I have. I don’t want to let you loose because I don’t trust that you won’t run off to Alsaria.” Essa sighed and leaned back, her arms fell to her sides.

  “You’ve talked to Kavaa about me then?”

  “And Iniri and Helenna.” Kassandora affirmed.

  “That’s not what the situation is like. I had to ally with Alsaria.” Essa said. Kassandora lifted an eyebrow to prod the woman into an expnation, but she wouldn’t force it. Essa alreferred being asked than anded. “Anassa was locked away in the Divine Library, in Arcadia, you know that already.”

  “I do.” Kassandora said.

  “Why do you think they didn’t execute Anassa? She’s not you, you have intrinsic value in here.” Essa tapped the side of her head. “Alsaria kept you as a tingen case Tartarus or Paraideisius ever attacked us.”

  “That’s w uhe assumption I would want to help.”

  “Wouldn’t you?” Essa asked and Kassandora smiled. Of course she would. She would barter something out, she would buy her freedom, and then she would win that war aroy the Pantheon with it. But Alsaria had always been an optimistic idealist. “But why was she kept alive? You, of all people, should figure it out.”

  Kassandora smiled as her gears started to turn. The pieces fell into pce the moment Essa asked the question in that depressed tone of hers. It was so obvious she kicked herself she didn’t see it before. “You were promised by Anassa.” Essa’s eyes fell and she answered only with a slow, sad, nod. Kassandora leaned even further back to give the ace. “Care to expin?”

  “What is there to expin?” Essa said.

  “Why?”

  “Why I kept her alive?” Essa asked sarcastically. “I trained her. That is reason enough.” Essa shook her head as her eyes started to tear up. “I’ve met plenty ies, by Anassa rodigy among prodigies. I have never met anyone like her. I don’t think I ever will either.” She cracked a sad smile. “She’s created aire branagic herself. It’s the first time I’ve seen of such a thing. It’s like…” Essa burst out in ughter. “It’s inparable to your demesne Kassandora, it simply is. Magic was set. Anassa came along, and Magic was not set. The fact she exists means…” Essa broke down in tears.

  Kassandora had not expected Essa to start g, she would have brought a handkerchief. The Goddess of Magic took a few moments to pose herself and then blew her o her dress. “Anassa proved to me magic was not a finished art. I ot…” Essa burst out in ughter. “If she did , therainihods me and her developed would have never e to fruition. If Anassa was not around, then the foundation for militarizing magic, all the theory, all the groundwork, it wouldn’t be there. We id that. Me and her.” Essa, two thin tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Kassandora let the woman calm down. There was no reason to push her even further than that. “Why align with Alsaria so much then?” The Goddess of War asked. “You are called Alsaria’s Dog.” Essa burst out in ughter and smmed her down onto the table.

  “Because Alsaria had you.” Essa said and Kassandora sighed. When was the st time she thought of Alsaria? In a text that did not involve defeating the woman? She simply did not uand it. Everyone had moved on sihen, Alsaria had founded her own kingdoms after Worldbreaking, Kassandora simply could not. They had goheir separate ways. It was as simple as that.

  “And?” Kassandora asked.

  “She kept you alive. It never sat right with anyone else either. But because she had you, she allowed me Anassa.” Essa shrugged. “Because it’s fair? Because I justified her? I don’t know, ask her yourself.”

  “One day.” Kassandora said ftly. She didn’t o ask. She had bee alive because the White Pantheon was soft at the end of the day. If Kassandora captured herself, then her head would be rolling by the time the hour is up. She was simply too petent to keep alive.

  Kassandora stopped herself from asking whether Essa would want freedom. It erfect story. It made fantastise. And it was exactly the sort of thing she would say herself if she wanted freedom. No. If the woman wao py at this emotionality, then she was digging her own hole. Kassandora pushed her into that hole. “So will you help us save Anassa?” Kassandora said slowly.

  Was it dirty? Was it wrong? Most likely. But this was simply another battle. The victory dition was killing the Jungle. Kassandora would drive the sword that was Essa through that giant, swords only o cut. She had never asked Joyeuse on what it felt about being her greatsword either. Essa cracked a smile. “How Kass? How? I have no staff.”

  “I have heard magis themselves serve as catalysts.” Essa snorted in ughter.

  “Bck magic.” She said dryly.

  “Magietheless.” Kassandora said. “Do you have a problem with it?”

  Essa shrugged and smiled without a single ounce of warmth. “We’ve all done worse, haven’t we?” Kassandora smiled back. Of course they have. The basiagic had been discovered in the same way as the basiedie, as the basics of damn-near everything else: trial and error. And early magic had siderably more error than trial. Essa raised another question. “But you have no magis.”

  Kassandora crossed her arms. “We have sorcerers. You said it yourself, it’s a school of magic.” Essa wiped the remnants of her tears away. A certaiement was starting to brew in that short woman.

  “Never been done before.”

  “Even I know elements be mixed.”

  “Sorcery is a foundational principle, not a.” Essa said, but the woman was caught. It was obvious she was, she was eyeing Kassandora, begging to be vinced. “What sort of magic do you want cast through them?”

  But Essa was not the sort to be vihrough promises and ptitudes. Besides, what could Kassandora offer? An escort back to the White Pantheon? Did Essa even really want that? Kassandora doubted it. And besides, Essa did things only if they were worth doing. “There isn’t one, I need something new.” Kassandora said.

  “What’s the closest approximate then? For a Jungle like that, some mass entment then? Or what?” Kassandora shook her head.

  “Nothing that precise. I just want the evolution of a magic you know. Like that, but just better.”

  “Better than what?”

  “Worldbreaking.” Kassandora’s word echoed around the room as Essa’s lips curled upwards.

  “There is nothing greater than Worldbreaking. That’s impossible.” The Goddess of Magic’s voice curled as if she was tasting a fine gss of wine. Kassandora exactly what the woman wao hear was.

  “And?” Essa sighed and looked down at the ring that was blog her magic. She moved that finger up and down, curled, then straighte. Then looked to Kassandora. There was a fme in her eyes, a sense of excitement Kassandora had not seen previously on the woman. It wasn’t the rageful Essa that Kassandora had faced during her escape, nor the terrible one during the White Pantheon’s invasion. This wasn’t even the Essa Kassandora had seen in the Great War.

  Some things never ged. No matter how mue buried their past, it would always e back. Essa’s eyes were burning with the exact same excitement as when Kassandora had proposed the idea of militarizing magic all those millennia ago. That fme which burned with inality aement. That said something should be done, because it was indeed worth doing.

  If for nothing else, then to prove it could be done.