The damage caused on that day ot be undershot, it is simply impossible. Even tingencies for total societal colpse in the wake of a hypothetical Anar victory projected less damage. In terms of raw numbers, every pgue in world history bined only barely to scratch Essa’s t. One would have to go to the Great War or to the Worldbreaking era in order to find simir events. The world popution graph plummeted as if it was a crashing stock market.

  It is, and there is no need for discussion or parisarding the facts, the single greatest humanitarian disaster in world history.

  - Excerpt of a news article written by Eta, of Democrad the UNN, published two days after ti Crag.

  Olympiada, the Divine Mountain, never had the hustle and bustle of towns and cities. Even though the mountain had its peak smoothed out, and the top had a co of buildings that could be called something resembling a tow Olympiada, in all its glory, always carried that reserved air of respect around it. Divines would wahrough the streets, iween the differeions assigo each majoddess of the Pantheon. And the mortals would talk in hushed voices, rarely did anyone shout, and the most noise was definitely caused by the engines of aeropnes as they nded in the skyport. Sometimes, a man would trip and fall on the cobblestone roads, a cart would fall, a jar or a pte would shatter yet the rule was that Olympiada was a generally quiet pce.

  Yet today, the Divine Mountain stood in silence.

  In the Great Hall where the Pantheo had a ceiling cold and pale and domed. The magical mps that Essa had created were slowly rotating as they hovered in the air surrounding the marble thrones of the White Pantheon’s highest members, although their number had shrunk, from fourteen to ten. The grand doors were shut, they had been shut for half a day now since Fortia had arrived. The Goddess of Peace was the st to e, from her war-front in Rilia. At first she had been angry, she knew about Essa’s dispy of power, she did not know about the sequences of it across the world. But then she had learned. And she said nothing.

  Alsaria, white gold robes and golden hair that fell almost to the floor, sat in silence. Maisara stared at her in satisfa. The woman had e in so smugly that Kassandora had defeated her and Fortia before, and now she had been repelled even faster than the first invasion. Not so easy now, was it Alsaria?

  Zerus sat in silence. Breathing heavily, in a grey shawl. The God said nothing, b as always.

  Sceo sat in silence. She leaned on her seat to get closer to her husband, another Force who had no real beliefs or positions. The only reason she had been formally included in the Pantheon was simply so that they had arong member.

  Theosius sat in silence. He was one Maisara could rarely get a read on, but his hands were dirty, he had been rather happy over the course of the war, especially sihe fes around Olympiada had restarted. Now though, he was the height of depression.

  Alkom sat in silehe man had done practically nothing throughout Alsaria’s attempt to dislodge Arascus from Kirinyaa. Alkom could burn dowire cities, and every time he would appear, Olephia would soohere to chase him away.

  Mur sat in silence. All his limbs too long, and in dark armour. Unhappy as he looked around. His eyes avoided Maisara’s, that was good. The man had actually thought that just because he led some backwater kingdom, he was now allowed to sit on the Pantheon.

  Tasaidien sat in silehe man looked defeated, his eyes were heavy. He had e with his coral and armour, but instead of wearing it on his head, he was gently sliding his finger along it as to remind the God that it was still there.

  Itni sat in silence. Maisara gave the God one passing gnce. Why was he even here? For what? Supposedly he was to help them in Epa, he had dohing. Marshalling armies? What a joke. It was simply a ck of want, the man needed a fire under his feet to get him moving. If Maisara was to go and marshal her Padins, they would be ready on the same day. Itni had already spent a month in Pichqasuyu.

  Fortia sat in silence. In gold, with her spear o her. Maisara appreciated the look. That was how a Divine should hold herself like.

  Maisara sat in silence. In her silver armour, exactly how a Divine should look.

  They sat like that for another hour. Alsaria had brought a whole folder practically overflowing with images of giant waves. Of the horizon advang like a giant wall. Of locations that once where amazing cities, the peak of teology and civilization. Now, they had bee nothing more than mere marks on the ground, washed away to nothing more than patches of crete and tarmac. Of pces that once were great forests, now only barren trees, all the leaves ripped from them as if they had been in a bze. Of broken dams.

  The worst part was that even though the folder Alsaria had brought was a disaster that would make any day in the Worldbreaking era look preferable, it was the least pressing issue. Maisara sighed as she decided to break the silehey could sit and stew in their own depression here for days on end, but she had a war lead in Lubska. Fortia had a war to lead in Rilia. Tasaidien had Allian logistics to raid. Alsaria and Mur, ever so high and mighty, had been repelled in Kirinyaa. Even though that was a military defeat, Maisara could not help but feel satisfa at that fact. “So, we take the issues one by one.” Maisara said. Her eyes skipped Itni, Mur, Tasaidien and Sceo, these weren’t real Pantheon members. She skipped Zerus and Alkom and Theosius too. Those were forces, they had no beliefs. So they nded only on Fortia and Alsaria.

  And so, before anyway could raise disagreement, Maisara began. “Firstly, the war. I am pushing in Lubska. The Epan Coalition forces have ged tactics, it is obvious that either they are being led by Kassandora, by someorained by Kassandora, or their leadership has been trained by Kassandora. The tactics ged like this.” Maisara snapped her fingers. “ht, however, we are still pushing. Casualties are slightly greater than expected, progress is slightly slower, but both are still acceptable.”

  Maisara turo Fortia to let the eak. Fortia nodded and began in a cold voice. “I have the exact same to report in Rilia. The pce is mountainous, there are obvious tactics to be used in locations like that which would be easy to ter, yet the Rilian army is fighting a war of attrition and movement instead to hold strategic locations as would be normally done. I have nothing else to report. The try will fall within the year.”

  The Goddesses of Pead Order both turo Alsaria. The Goddess of Light stared at them, silently broiling in fury. Maisara k was obvious what she had done, but she simply could not help herself. It was Alsaria’s own fault for ing in like that, all so smug about how she would be the one who would defeat Kassandora.

  Well where was Kassandora now? Certainly nowhere near defeat. Alsaria began in a cold voice. “Kirinyaa holds. Nanbasa has beeroyed. The strategy is ging to one of attrition. At the end of the day, Kirinyaa is only a siion, it ot stand on its own forever.” And Alsaria added her own little snark to it. “The sooner you finish in Epa, the sooner a professional nd army will arrive in Kirinyaa. We’re waiting on you.”

  Maisara smiled to herself at that sarcasm. Wasn’t Alsaria just the loveliest? Well whatever, she let it slide. The results spoke for themselves, Kirinyaa was not as easy a nut to crack. Maisara began. “So now, we have an issue.”

  “We do.” Tasaidien answered. He passed his images to Mur, who only gave them a gnce. From the rumours Maisara had mao sniff out, the man had taken the fall of Ktulu particurly badly. Who wouldn’t though? It was a national titan. Those sorts of things did on the surface. “The Arika situation.”

  “ti Crag.” Maisara correct him. That was what all the papers were calling the situation. “Does anyone want to start? Or should I?”

  “I will.” Alsaria said coldly. “The tidal wave has killed some hundred million world-wide. More will e in tomorrow. This, the White Pantheon ot sit out. We will do something.” Maisara nodded. Alsaria did speak sehe world was in too bad a situation now, and the Policy of Non-Interference had an exception for Divines. Essa had caused, there was absolutely no way they could pretend to turn a blind eye. It would spell the death of the Pantheon.

  “I agree.” Maisara said quickly to show her support.

  “I do too.” Fortia said. And when Maisara, Fortia and Alsaria all agreed on an issue, it didn’t leave much ce for ao disagree. Tasaidien looked around with a heavy expression, Maisara saw him, as did Alsaria and Fortia.

  “Speak.” Alsaria said and the God sighed. His finger once again traced the ridges of his coral .

  “Anktyda has taken damage.” Maisara rolled her eyes. Well that was obvious. What? Did the man want a participation award?

  “How much?” Fortia said. “Because I was expeg you to assist.”

  Tasaidien sighed and looked around the room. He traced the edge of his coral and slowly lifted it up into the air. The put it onto his head. “I am gracious for the opportunity to serve on the Pantheon, but I am a leader of a nation too.” Maisara stared at the man. Wonderful. A fool then. This is why she had beeing National Divines join in the first pce. That sort of responsibility was like asking a man with children to lead a revolution: it simply did not happen.

  “How bad is it?” Maisara asked coldly.

  “Essa shifted the teic ptes.” Tasaidien said. “We’re used to earthquakes here and there, but not this. Almost every city has colpse, although loss of life is minor pared to the surface. I have already started rebuilding efforts, but I am pulling the army away from raiding Allia too.”

  And now it was Alsaria’s turn to snap. Her eyebrows arced downwards and she turo the God. “Why? Allian logistics are the bae of the Epan armoured core. You ’t just leave it.”

  Tasaidien slowly shook his head. “This is not up for debate, with any of you. The decision has already been made. I will not let my people suffer so that a surface war will succeed.” Maisara stared smugly at Alsaria. It had been her idea t Tasaidien here after all! Look at how helpful he was! Lovely, wasn’t he? “Several of the isnds in the o have colpsed too. I am transp the poputions back to their respective tries. Alsaria, Fortia, Maisara, I will not cim that what happeo me was just as bad as what happeo the surface, but more than half the try doesn’t have a hht now. Hospitals, schools, infrastructure was damaged, if I keep fighting the Allian front, then we will face revolution in the o.”

  “Ah. So you’re scared for your head.” Maisara said and the God looked at her as if she was stupid.

  Tasaidien expined slowly, as if for a child. “Maisara. It is not that I fear a revolution, I simply know it will succeed. And what then? Do you think that the new Anktydan gover will ally with the White Pantheon? Or do you think there’s another fa they would prefer?” Maisara uood, it was obvious what the man said after all. They were going to ally with Arascus.

  “In that case, Tasaidien, you will deal with rebuilding yourself.” Alsaria said. “We ot help, and the surface is not in a good positioher.”

  “I have no qualms with that.” Tasaidien said.

  “I actually do.” Fortia said. “Which is that we do asaidien’s troops.”

  “I have voiced my case Fortia, it is good for the Pantheon as a whole-“ Fortia interrupted the God of Ankytda.

  “No Tasaidien. I do not care for your raiding of Allian logistics. I merely think you are a coward because even a huroops will make a difference.” Maisara smiled at the cutting remark. “But if you’re this set, then so be it, surface wars are won by surface hands after all.” Tasaidien did not take the bait tument, so Fortia actually got to her point. She lifted up one of the Alsaria’s pictures, it was merely a stretch of crete oer.

  “What is that?” Alsaria asked.

  “This is Alkai in the UNN. There isn’t a buildi standing.” Fortia said. She looked around the room. “Does anyone know what Alkai had?” Maisara thought for a moment, and then she blinked. Her cheeks went pale and her eyes wide. Fortia saw Maisara’s expression. “I think you do Mai.” Of course Maisara did.

  “Alkai had the Robert C. Poiter Nuclear Power Pnt.” Maisara answered and Fortia he temperature in the room seemed to drop as the cil of ten Divines had a collective shiver. Tasaidien’s face was the worst though, the God fell bato his seat in utter shock.

  And Fortia began. “Station Six, Redrick tre, Temere, Onkton Institute for Nuclear Development.” She took a breath. “I have named only four but twenty six stations were hit. Eleven no longer exist, they were washed away entirely, fifteen are flooded. Two of those have colpsed.” Tasaidien took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling. “Divines have to go. We ot allow fifteen nuclear meltdowns.”

  “Eleven have already been washed away?” Tasaidien asked in disbelief. Fortia nodded.

  “Your o will be irradiated, but if we move fast, we stop it from being uninhabitable. The East Coast of the UNN will be designated a red-zone, but we save the rest of your kingdom.”

  “What do you propose?” Tasaidien asked. Fortia turo Alsaria.

  “Using your beams, cut the reactors out of the ground. Use magis from Arcadia to transport them out to wherever. Just make sure that they don’t ihe os.”

  Alsaria made a grim fad a heavy breath “And if Arcadia does not help?”

  “I am already sending Guardians there. I know Mai is sending Padins too. We will transport the materials by nd if necessary.” Maisara nodded, Fortia had asked her to send immediately, so she had done. She had thought it was only for humanitarian help back then.

  “I will divert more of my forces then.” Maisara said. “I cease pushing in Lubska for now.”

  “I have decided to keep fighting in Rilia, but I won’t make you push.” Fortia said. “Frankly, I think this is more urgent.” Fortia sighed. “That is all I have to say oopic. We have e out of the frying pan and nded in the fire so to say. If anyone wishes to add anything else, they’re wele to.”

  Zerus spoke up for once. “I was going to discuss the ndfill wastes flowing into the os, but Fortia’s point on the Nuclear Power Pnts is more urgent indeed.”

  “It is.” Sceo agreed.

  Maisara spoke up. Was hers as urgent? Maybe? But the power pnts had to be dealt with immediately, this was more long-term. “I have my own problem to raise.” Maisara said.

  “What is it?” Fortia asked.

  “It’s not as pressing, but long-term it is an issue.”

  “How long-term are we speaking?” Alsaria asked.

  “I’m paring it to the hour-by-hour of the nuclear power pnts. So long term as in we have a week, maybe two.”

  “Lovely.” Fortia said. “What?”

  “Getting supplies to the affected areas.” Maisara said. A few of the ot it immediately, Fortia did, as did Alsaria. Theosius did not, that was typical though, the undersea kingdoms didn’t have such a thing as gestion. Maisara expined. “There isn’t a port remaining in the eastern UNN. Simply just based off transport links, they’re in the worst situation. Supplies either have to be airdropped, or shipped by nd all the way from the west.”

  “The UNN produces it’s own grain.” Mur said. Typical frankly, the man had not seen real flict, he had merely sat on the sidelines during the Great War.

  “But not its owilizer.” Maisara said. “Now, it will have no power, so its factories are offlioo. The prid ’t be turned on all at oher, we’ll have to go part-by-part. Whereas I don’t think they’ll thirst themselves to death.” Maisara looked around the room. “The same ot be said for food. Medies are another oint. If we don’t move quickly, we expect disease outbreaks.”

  Maisara wao ugh. She saw Alsaria open her mouth and close it. She saw Sceo pipe up, ready to say ‘Ka…’ She saw Theosius sigh and lean bato his chair.

  “If we don’t move quickly.” Maisara said. “Then those lost to starvation and illness will be measured not in thousands but iens of millions. Aire ti is without food and power.” Everyone wao say the same solution, the same thing they had been using for the past thousand years. The same duo that could at least be partly responsible for what just happened: Kavaa and Iniri.

  But there was no Kavaa with her endless Clerics to heal the sick, and there was no Iniri to serve as a walking granary. Maisara smiled in humour, it wasn’t funny, it was dht hirious. It was true, you did not know what you had until you grew to miss it. Fortia spoke up. “Nuclear Power Pnts o be dohin the day. Food and medie, we secure within the week.”

  “I have no issue with that.” Maisara said. “But Theosius, you should work on temporary dog stations. I don’t care how or what, or if they fall apart after one use, but ships o be able to anchor on the UN coast.”

  “I will think of something.” The God of F said. “And on that regard, I think we have something else to discuss. Or, I should say: someone.”

  Maisara looked around the room. It was obvious who. “Essa.” Alsaria said the name. Maisara’s eyes flicked up to the h mps. “I know what I would do, but I would ask for ygestions first?” Maisara saw all of the old members of the Paurn to her. Well, she was the one who was usually tasked with keeping Order on the Mountain.

  “If we kick Essa out.” Maisara began and trailed off. “Well, we know what will happen.”

  “Arascus will recruit her.” Alsaria said. “Immediately most likely.”

  “She is one Goddess only.” Zerus said. “And she is less troublesome than Anassa.”

  Itni made a fused face from the other side of the room. “This is less troublesome?”

  “To kill.” Zerus said. “In ritual magic, Essa is sed to none, but in battle, we have a few didates here who are stronger.” The God of Lightning was much too humble to say who.

  His wife was not. “Zerus for one.” She said rather proudly, then listed off the other names with much less enthusiasm. “Fortia and Maisara, Alsaria of course. I would argue that even Alkom could on a good day.” Zerus made a tiny smile that he quickly hid again.

  “The issue of Essa is Arcadia.” Fortia said. “Not Essa herself but what will we do with all the mages in there.” Maisara sighed, that was ihe issue. Arcadia was an army, perhaps the only army in the world. And if it wasn’t, then Essa’s death would certainly make it into one.

  “Essa could be exunicated.” Maisara said. “We could…” She hated that she was suggesting this. It wasn’t good, it wasn’t orderly, but it o be done. “Arcadia of course won’t stand for Essa’s execution. However I don’t think they’ll…” Maisara did not know. That was the worst part. The Arcadia of a thousand years past would have undoubtedly followed Essa no matter what she did. But this Arcadia? With its weak and moral mages? “I don’t know if they’ll be able to stomach following Essa after this.”

  “There is an option.” Alsaria said. “If Arcadia does not ply…” She made her voice hard. “Well, whilst it is Arcadia and obviously we don’t want to. We do have a solution to troublesome nations.”

  “I saw it in Kirinyaa.” Fortia said sourly.

  Alsaria did not take the bait, she simply made her tone hard and anding. “Kirinyaa is Kassandora and Arascus, different things. Arcadia has no Divines for prote.”

  “So what then?”

  Alsaria gave up, her voice grew harder, she sighed. “Arcadia could be purged. That’s what I’m saying. I would do it, with my Seekers.”

  Maisara summed up, Fortia was just being difficult at this point. “So either Arcadia bends the knee or we bend Arcadia.”

  Fortia nodded. “It is too close to us just geographically. The Pantheon armies are here, they wouldn’t have a ce, mages or not.”

  “Mages ’t block light.” Alsaria said grimly. “They would not be able to stand against the Seekers.”

  “So we are kig Essa out?” Maisara asked.

  Zerus came in. “To associate with Essa now is a death sentehe Pantheon is unpopur enough, if we don’t kick her out then the world will turn its ba us.” The whole room gave a reason of careful affirmations, as if no one wao voiuthusiasm about the fact they were discussing being rid of a particurly annoying member.

  Alsaria nodded. “Essa ot stay because of that. Kig her out may not necessarily mean she joins Arascus either.”

  “You think so?” Tasaidien asked and Alsaria shook her head, golden hair swaying from side to side.

  “I don’t know if even Arascus is prideful enough to think he somehow rehabilitate Essa’s public image. The woman is worse than any mass murderer in the history of the world. Ever.” Maisara added. “What she did warrants aion. The only reason we are even sidering staying it is because the White Pantheon ’t fight a war against Epa and Kirinyaa at the same time as it hunts down Essa.” The others in the room, everyo Fortia, looked as if they took disfort with the way she had phrased it. All apologetid careful eyes, all looking away. “Well? I didn’t say anything wrong.”

  “Maisara is correct. Essa would not simply submit to aion. We would o send a full team for a capture and execution. And it would have to be some of us, not minor Divines. Essa is not the stro, but she is strong.”

  “But it make actually work out for us though. If Arascus does recruit Essa, we’ll have our public image rehabilitated simply through opposing Essa.” Maisara said.

  Fortia nodded. “In that case, it could be beneficial to even push her into Arascus’ grasp.”

  “All that e ter.” Zerus said. “We should expel her now in order to not make it seem like we’re simply reag to public opinion.” He turo Alsaria. Maisara tightened her fists at that, why was Alsaria always the one who decred these things? Maisara was the Goddess of Order, it should be her. “Alsaria, the honours?”

  Alsaria sighed and stood up. “All of those in favour of expelling Essa, Goddess of Magic, from the White Pantheon, raise your hands.”

  Ten hands went up. Alsaria was st. She holy sounded sad as she spoke.

  “Essa, of Magic, is formally expelled from the White Pantheon.”