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Chapter 272 – It Could Be Done

  Divinity, at the end of the day, is inparable to any raortals. We ot reproduce. Divine ination is reliant on mortal belief. Unlike every other race, which be reduced to a few members and then brought back from the edge of extin, once we are gone, we are gohe ideas the old breed of Divines possess are extinct already.

  Gone are the days when our simple presence was so terrible and awe-inspiring that kings gave away their kingdoms for us to manage. Worldbreaking was not a failure of magis, it was a failure of Divinity. In the same mahat a body has an immune system to ter disease, mankind produced archmages to ter Divinity.

  Written by Arascus, God of Pride: ‘Untitled’.

  White hair of pure lies. White hair of genuine surprise.

  Bck eyes of hidden meanings. Multicoloured eyes that settled on a passionate red.

  Silk so dark it stood out against the night. Linen coloured in bd white and red.

  Dress for royalty of ages a. Suit for dealings of business emotionless.

  Helenna stared at Mam.

  Mam stared at Helenna.

  “We are back.” Kassandora said. Helenna almost didn’t hear her. She simply stared at the Goddess of Hatred. If there was one of Arascus’ daughter Goddess that she had never wao meet. It would have been Mam. Frankly, Helenna had hope that Of Hatred had died somewhere, that she had disappeared into a hole and been buried for all eternity.

  She k wasn’t true of course. Hatred was not an iion, it would be the same as if Helenna herself died somewhere: Eventually, another Of Love would inate somewhere. The fact that no Of Hatred had ever appeared dispelled all theories that Mam had died. Yet Helenna had hoped still, after all, wasn’t it human to hope? Kassandora stood in a ruined suited, made dirty by red Kirinyaan soil then charred and burned, with gaps here and there that exposed slices of skin. The Goddess of War did not seem to mind for them though.

  Essa was o her. Blue dress and pristinely , her dark hair and ft as she stood there, making an odd, awkward face as if she didn’t want to be here. Helenna noticed that she was g Anassa’s tai ring, but then if she was Kassandora, she couldn’t be too much of a threat. Maybe she had switched too. Helenna’s eyes went ba. Of Hatred’s smile had grown.

  Kavaa and Iniri ehe tent. It was a grand thing, set up he ruins of Nanbasa. With multiple cloth walls set up for different rooms, this tral room was only desks strewn with papers that, shelves about to colpse uhe weight of dots and crates overflowing with ledgers full of information. Helenna only g Iniri and Kavaa, both had e in new clothes, ohat looked to be hand-sewn and fashioned of ram’s wool. her looked particurly happy. Iniri had obviously been g, Kavaa looked as if she wao punething. And Helenna’s eyes went ba. Of Hatred’s smile revealed perfect white teeth.

  “Is dad not here?” Kassandora asked. Arascus grumbled from behind a wall of cloth. He had been in his se, anizing rebuilding forces for Nanbasa. Fer had bee off with Kirinyaa’s great beasts to the South, Neneria and Olephia were clearing the northern cities.

  The God of Pride appeared from underh a cloth wall, grumbling, his eyes settled on Kassandora, then they grew wide when they found Mam. “Mam!” He shouted. “You’re back!” And of all the reas that Helenna thought she would see, then Mam crumbling, her legs growing weak and her rushing to hug Arascus was definitely not on the list. The woman was full of surprises.

  Helenna made a note of it though. Very sweet. “Dad!” Mam half-shouted. She buried her fato his chest as they embraced. Kavaa grumbled as her and Iniri went to meet Helenna.

  “That woman is a monster.” Kavaa said dryly. Kassandora, rather predictably for her, started iing the tables and reading the dots on them.

  “What happeo Nanbasa?” She asked.

  “It got destroyed.” Helenna said. “Evacuations were managed well though, we only some maybe two thousand civilians in the chaos.” Helenna and Arascus and Sokolowski had worked like three well-greased gears. There had been numents, Helenna found issues, Arascus found solutions, Sokolowski implemehem. The st time the Pantheon had worked so smoothly was when the y of the Great War had pushed them to it.

  “Why the sour faces then?” Kassandora said. “I saw what looked like a dead titan from the air.”

  “Mmh.” Mam said into Arascus’ chest. “I’m back.” Almost as if in disbelief. Kassandora spoke louder.

  “And there’s no forces ing from the o anymore, I assume pulled something off.” Arascus squeezed Mam, lifted her off her feet and gave her a hug.

  “It’s good you’re back.”

  “It’s good to be back.” Mam agreed. Kavaa looked at the woman in disbelief. Iniri shuddered as Essa opened her mouth at the dispy of affeaybe they wouldn’t have noticed it, but Helenna was the sort to catch these things. Why were they so surprised at Mam dispying affe?

  “Right.” Arascus said. “Mam, I’m sorry you have no wele party but you probably saw the city outside.”

  “Kassie filled me in on the way.” Mam said happily and Arascus’ expression soured. Helenna’s did too. Kassandora had waltzed ba here, with Essa by her side, as if she was unaware of what just happened.

  “Well it’s good that you’re back. You’ll be needed.”

  “We’re right back at it?” Mam’s voice was so terribly lewd it almost made Helenna blush. She wasn’t even prudish like Kavaa, but Divines should not speak in tones like that.

  “We are.” Arascus said as he went to Kassandora. Helenna had seen the God in battle in a few times during the Great War, she didn’t think she would ever be able tet the rivers of bloods and fields of bdes that Arascus left in his wake. And right now, he looked exactly like that. “Do you know what you did?” Arascus did not shout, he didn’t even raise his voice, but the temperature in the huge tent seemed to drop and the nterns giving light grew dull. Helen a chill go down her spine, she saw Kavaa straight her back. Iniri freeze up and Essa almost shrunk.

  And Kassandora returned a ft look. “No.” Kassandora speaking submissively. There was a first time for everything. “What did I do?”

  Arascus took a deep breath as he extended his hand. “Helenna, pass our test problem.” Helenna kly what Arascus was talking about. After all, it was the focus of the entire world, it most likely would be for the en years. And Kassandora did not know. Helenna had to force her legs to move uhat terrible overp aura from the God of Pride. She brought a few pictures, images printed off from the i.

  One of flooded cities. One of a tidal wave. One of people g. But the most important one was at the top. A satellite photo of Arda, the ti was cracked open. A new sea had flown into the gap, splitting the area where the Jungle was straight up to the Sassara desert. Kassandora looked at the photos. She took a deep breath. “Oh.” She said, her tone apologetic. “I see.”

  “You do.” Arascus said.

  “Then…” Kassandora blinked and looked around the room. The proud Goddess of War, with her crimson red hair, looked like a defted dle. As if she had been an inferno that had burned out. She blinked again. Helenna saw her eyes sparkle. Was the woman tearing up? Impossible. It was Kassandora. Of War looked up at Arascus for a moment and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry.” She croaked the word out and Arascus hugged her.

  “Go outside, take a walk or whatever you want. We’ll discuss this ter.”

  “Mmh.” Kassandora said. She turned and almost ran out of the room.

  “Well well well.” Mam said. “What a sweetheart she is.”

  “Not with an audience Mam.” Arascus said and Of Hatred’s smile dropped.

  “Sorry.” She said.

  “Just don’t do it again.” Arascus turned and passed her pictures. “Like I said, it’s good that you happeo e baow.” Arascus passed her the images. Mam looked at them for a few seds, then at Essa.

  “You did this?” Essa and Iniri went to look at the images as Kavaa turned around. She turned back to Arascus. Then to the exit through which Kassandora had disappeared. Then back to Arascus.

  “Is she?” Of Health asked. “Should I?”

  “I wouldn’t suggest it.” Arascus said, his tone soft and tired once again. “But if you want to, then go ahead.”

  “You wouldn’t suggest it?” Kavaa asked.

  “I ’t promise you won’t regret.” Arascus said. “She won’t kill you though, if you’re worried, then go.” And Kavaa turned on the spot and disappeared out of the tent. Helen some satisfa at that. Kassandora had broken down, the Kassandora had broken down, and Of Love was still standing here. Who would have ever thought that would happen?

  “I did this?” Essa asked.

  “No.” Arascus replied sarcastically. “Arika happeo crack by itself, as all tis do.” He calmed down after a moment and came close to the party. “Did you kill the Ju least?”

  “Yes.” Essa replied. “It’s gone.”

  “Good.” Arascus said. “Normally, I would thank you for the help.” He tapped the image of the ti from spa Mam’s pale fingers. “But not for this.” Half of Essa’s mouth twisted upwards as her eyebrows jumped up in surprise. She shook her head.

  “I mean…” It was the most nervous, crag ughter Helenna had ever heard. “I…” Essa ughed. “I ’t…” She shook her head in disbelief. “That’s crazy. I did this?”

  “I wouldn’t be so happy with yourself.” Arascus said. He turo the table ao fete of the news articles. Helenna already knew whie it would be. The God of Pride returned with a copy of EIE: Essa kicked out of the Pantheon! The headline said everything that o be said. Essa looked at it in fusion, she took the paper from Arascus’ hand.

  “Well well well.” Mam said. “What a twist!” Her tone said it was a twist on the same level of the Suing at dusk or rising in the m: not at all.

  “I’m kicked out?” Essa asked. “I’m kicked out!?” Arascus sighed as he looked down at the Goddess.

  “I think you’re smart to know that bringing them my head will get you ba.” He said. “And for now, we don’t want you either. You’re wele to stay, but you’ve made yourself radioactive.” Mam turned chuckled to herself as she went to look at the tables.

  “You cracked a ti?” Iniri asked in disbelief. “Why?”

  Essa ughed as if she had gone mad. Helenna took a step away from her and closer to Arascus, positioning herself so that the man was just slightly iween them. “I…” And the Goddess of Magic calmed dowone dropped. She became serious again. “You won’t like this Arascus.” She said.

  “Lay it out.”

  “I am going to bme your daughter.” Essa said. “It was her idea.”

  “Aye.” Arascus said. “I have no doubt Kass thought up of it.” He stared the woman down. “But when an arsonist burns a house down, do we bme the man who sold him the matches?” Essa had no reply, she almost shrunk again uhe God’s aura. “Essa, do you know the scale of what you have done?”

  The Goddess of Magic looked down at the picture in her hands. “I…” She shook her head again. “A ti be cracked. It be done.” She said.

  “Not the dispy of magic.” Arascus said. “The death toll worldwide currently stands at two-hundred million. By the end of the week, it will most likely reach half a billion. The UNN is devastated.”

  “What’s the UNN?” Mam asked from the table.

  “It was one of the most powerful tries in the world.” Helenna answered.

  “The global ey is gone.” Arascus tinued.

  “Why?” Mam asked again.

  And again, Helenna expined. “Trade routes are more important now, not like back then where we made on the spot.”

  “Ohhh…” Mam said as she threw a feers on the ground. Helenna turned away from Essa and watched the woman work. This was Mam. This was the Mam. Fortia had Kassandora, who had led the military aspect of the Great War against her, but Helenna could never get into that petition with Kassandora. Kassandora was the Goddess of War, it was simply a different field, Helenna would never even try to be a battlefield ander on the level that Kassandora was.

  Helenna had led the home-front back then. She dealt with spies, and she dealt with morale. Just as Mam did. And just as Fortia had Kassandora, Helenna had Mam. And Helenna watched the woman work, she had caused so many problems back then.

  “Essa.” Arascus tinued. “You have the greatest reputation of us all now. Three days ago, you have rehabilitated Olephia’s, Anassa’s and Neneria’s image. Fer’s warherds have bee a triviality pared to what you just did.” Essa swayed from side to side. Iniri went to catch her. Helenna smiled at the Goddess of Nature, personally, she would have let Essa fall. But Iniri had always bee, even to those she didn’t like.

  “I…”

  “What is this?” Mam asked. “Nuh-Clear?” She asked. Helenna was shellshocked. On one side of the cloth room was Arascus expining to Essa the damage she had just done. Oher, Mam had not wasted a single breath and started abs everything immediately! No wonder she had outmatched Helenna back then!

  “It’s nuclear.” Helenna said the word, she quickly thought of the easiest expnation that a woman who had just e out of the medieval era would uand. “It’s the same rea that Olephia makes when she speaks, but manufactured by mortals.”

  “Wow.” Mam sounded impressed. “And they use it to make power?” Helenna looked down at what Mam was reading. It was the report of the eight UNN nuclear reactors that had started to overload. Two had already blown up.

  “Essa.” Arascus said, softer this time. “Because of what happened, I ot openly align with you.” Essa looked up at him in horror. “But you’re wele to stay here.” Of Magic tried to form a word and mere babble came out. “Iniri, you help her? Grow her a room to stay in for now.”

  “Will I die?” Essa said quickly. Helenna saw Arascus raise an eyebrow at her.

  “Will you die?”

  “Will I be executed?” Essa said quickly. “I’m Worldbreaking breed!” She shouted. “I’m unique. If you kill me, there won’t be another of Magic like me. Never again! Unless you get into a state of Worldbreaking again! Holy!” Helenna smiled in satisfa at the paniany times had Essa been so high and mighty on the mountain? How many times had she called Helenna a dog? And now look at her!

  Arascus sighed. “Essa, for o is not my choice if you live or die.” He said.

  “Then whose?!” Essa said. “You’re Arascus! You’re hated too! If you give me back to the mountain, they’ll execute me! They’ll have to!” There we go. Helenna could not tain her smile. Essa started to cry as her legs gave out. Iniri, shorter than her by a fair amount, gently lowered her down to the ground. “Please…” Essa said. “I… please…”

  “We will give you a room as the situation develops. You won’t get a tai ring, but if you do decide to use magic to stall us in anyway.” Arascus cut off as he opened a disk above his head. A golden portal, a bde shot out of it and impaled the grouo Essa’s face. “The world will appud me for this Essa. Morally, it should be doo serve as punishment and to make sure it ot happen again, because you proved it be done. You have nothing going for you, if I’m going to be ho.”

  Essa burst out in tears as Iniri patted her back. “And whereas Anassa is fond of you Essa; Kavaa, Iniri and Helenna are not.” Helen her cheeks blush at the fact her name was mentiohere too. Iniri stopped and gawked at Arascus. Helenna kly what of Nature was thinking, because she was thinking it too: Her opinion was being taken into at? Essa burst out in tears as Arascus turo the Goddess by her side. “Iniri, you take her. Grow a room for her, no windows or anything, I’d rather she not be seen.”

  “Of course.” Iniri said, she picked Essa up with her own magical branches. Of Magic didn’t eveo the notice she was being carried like that. “And Arascus?” Arascus stopped mid-turn.

  “What?”

  “Thank you.” He waved the Goddess away as Iniri left, Essa close behind her.

  “We have business.” Arascus said. “I’d prefer not to execute Essa, but if it must be dohen it will be done.” Helenna got to the table quickly, she didn’t even want to save Essa, she simply wao prove that she could do it. Because if she could not and Mam could, that would be a humiliation on a scale Helenna would not even be able to sider.

  Half an hour ter. Arascus, Helenna and Mam were sitting around a table.

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