Chapter 13 – A Pantheon Cracking

Eight sects have signed up. We have received support from the Imperial Capital. More are coming. The beast will be brought to an end and Great Guguo will finally reclaim the North!

Proclamation of the Sixty Third Great Hunt.

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! BOTH OF YOU?!” Allasaria’s voice boomed in the gardens of Olympiada. Maisara and Fortia stood before her. “LEONA PREDICTED HER DEATH!” Elassa, of Magic, took a step back. Her jaw dropped and her face grew pale. Kavaa, of Health, stumbled as if she was going to fall over.

“Allasaria, calm.” Zerus said. He stood in white cloak, his chiselled jawline only blemished by a grey beard. Sceo stood next to him, in a pale blue dress matching perfectly with the bright blue sky above them. “And you two, you bring shame upon our Pantheon.”

“Shame Zerus?” Maisara snorted. She stood in her gleaming silver armour, her axe buried into the ground besides her. “Shame? What do you know about shame? Run off to your clouds.”

“If Leona is to die, then it should be for us to protect her.” Fortia’s voice echoed in the open air. “You are strong Allasaria, no one will deny that, but three is better than one.”

“And if Leona doesn’t wish for your protection?”

“Frankly.” Maisara took a step forward, her axe carving a line into the marble pathways of the garden. “I do not care what Leona wishes for. The order of the day is that she is not to die, so I WILL make sure she does not die, even if she wants to kill herself!” Allasaria’s face became grim as her feet lifted off the ground and she started to float in the air. The Goddess of Light was brilliant beaming statue, in her white silks that swayed in the wind.

“Do not try me Maisara. I set the rules.”

“This is the greatest crisis on this millennium and you’re still an arrogant whore.” Maisara barked back.

“Fighting now will do no one any good!” Iniri shouted from the side. “It is…” Fortia’s golden eyes glaring at Iniri silenced the Goddess of Bounty. Her face paled like a dying plant and she took a step back as Fortia came to stand besides Maisara. Her spear carved a second line into the marble.

“Our world relies too much on luck for its survival Allasaria. This is not the Age of Arascus anymore, you don’t get to make the rules like this.” Sceo grabbed Zerus’ hand as clouds began to gather overhead. Elassa walked out of Allasaria’s shadow and stood behind the Goddess.

“This is madness from the two of you.” She shouted. “You cry about the Age of Arascus? It is you who still live in it! Thinking Order is a whip and Peace is a hammer.”

“Elassa, get back to your school and stop trying to think your part of this conversation.” Fortia did not shout, but her voice carried across all of the gardens. “You too Zerus, what do you even have to offer to us?” Zerus’ grip on Sceo’s hand tightened as thunder began to rumble above Olympiada. The snake of people trekking up the great steps came to a stop as they watched the skies.

“It is you who have nothing to offer.” Allasaria said. “If you weren’t White Pantheon, you would have been branded heretic Divines after the war.” Silence settled over the entire garden, even the wind not blow. Maisara and Fortia stood like statues as they faced down Allasaria, Elassa, Sceo and Zerus. The rest of the White Pantheon watched from the side, even Helenna knew not to say anything.

“A poor joke Allasaria.” Maisara finally managed to crush the stone that was lodged in her throat. “It is us who bind your world together.”

“It is Ciria and Halkus.” Elassa shouted back. Fortia and Maisara smiled back mockingly. Ciria of Civilization and Halkus of Industry? What a joke.

“Ciria and Halkus are the leaves, we are the tree. It is you who is going to be forgotten.”

“It is because of you that they did not join the Pantheon!” Allasaria shouted.

“WHY SHOULD THEY JOIN YOUR CULT?!” Fortia finally snapped. The Goddess of Peace roared loud enough to drown out an entire army in battle. “YOU HAVE RAN THE PANTHEON INTO THE GROUND!”

“I have guided it for a thousand golden years!”

“AND MADE US WHAT? We have become mascots to parade through the streets!”

“Times change. It is you who can’t adapt.”

“No Allasaria, Order is eternal. Peace is always a target to aim for. It is your entire Pantheon who has been left behind.” She turned to the onlookers. “Iniri, of Bounty. You can’t adapt. What bounties you brought were made obsolete by mere fertilizer – by actual shit.” Iniri did not respond, she merely took another step back, her eyes downcast. Fortia’s spear aimed at Kavaa. “Kavaa, of Health. Once you were the world’s best doctor, now we have hospitals to do your job for us.” Kavaa looked away too. Her origins were in mysterious healings, the advancement of medicine had greatly weakened her. Maybe she would have had a better fate if her title was Of Medicine but unfortunately, she had been around since before the invention of medicine. The spear moved to Theosius. A muscled man, clean shaven. He merely shook his head, already knowing what was coming. “Theosius, of the Forge. What do you forge now when we have automated refineries?” To Alkom, a thin tall fellow. “Alkom, of the Sun, the power of the sun now limited by such trite as theory?” To Atis, he took a step back.

“Don’t even mention me.” Fortia ignored the God’s request.

“Atis, of the Hunt. Such a failure you could not even find Fer. You’ve resigned yourself to letting the sects of Guguo finish her off!” Then the spear moved to Helenna.

“Do you know who you are talking to?” Helenna shouted.

“The Goddess of Love of course! What a job you’ve done that men now hide in their rooms and play games all day! We live in the most depressed time in history! Truly a wonderful performance!” Helenna had no retort as the spear passed to Zerus. “You aren’t even one of us, you were only brought in because we needed your strength.” The spear pointed to Zerus’ wife. “And you Sceo are only here because we needed a replacement for Saranael, of Knowledge. A better man than all of you put together.”

“Are you finished humiliating yourself?” Allasaria asked.

“Elassa!” Fortia was not finished. “Goddess of Magic! You bitch! You are the greatest embarrassment of a Divine to exist! A dog to regulation and a dog to Allasaria! Every day you walk on this Earth, your twin laughs at your existence.”

“Don’t bring up any of Arascus’ minions here!” Elassa shouted.

“Why not?” Fortia shouted. “I will say it, nay, I will proclaim it here and now, for all to hear. I have more respect for Anassa, of Sorcery, than Elassa, of Magic. At least your sister stayed true to herself.” The spear moved to Allasaria. “And you Allasaria! Where are your achievements? Do not forget it was Leona, Saranael, Maisara and Me who led the war, you were a merechampion.What have you achieved yourself? You could not get Fer. You could not kill Olephia. You swore you would kill Arascus and it was US who locked him away! You failed to safeguard against the Godkiller. Maisara predicted the dangers of this era a thousand years ago, Saranael’s crippling is YOUR fault! You searched five hundred years for the Goddess of Darkness and where is she now?”

“She is DEAD!” Allasaria lost her composure, her voice cracked, her hands started to rise as a blinding light emanated from them.

“If she is dead, then so am I! You DID NOT find her! You COULD NOT find her! YOU FAILED!”

“Not one more word.”

“You have clouded yourself in delusion. Your idea of Order is Standstill and of Peace is Stagnation! You were a mascot in the Great War, you are a mascot now!” Burning, blinding light burst from Allasaria’s palms at Fortia. The Goddess of Peace moved like the wind, sidestepping the beams as they carved a hole into the pavement. “And now, as always, you have no words so you cast your light at us!”

“I have no words for fools.” Allasaria whisper reached everyone in the gardens. Zerus and Sceo exchanged glances as the thunderstorm above painted itself in thin strings of lightning. A blast came down from the clouds, one swing of Maisara’s axe launching into a nearby building. It exploded into a pale fog of marble shards.

Fortia dodged another blast from Allasaria, another hole appeared in the ground where she stood. Allasaria merely floated in the air as Elassa backed off from her, too terrified to conjure up even the slightest drop of magical power. The Goddess of Light floated even higher into the air Fortia swiftly closed the distance. “Run! Fly! You know you cannot defeat us!”

Zerus’ grey hair and eyes started to turn a sheer white as lightning rained upon Fortia and Maisara like furious hail. Every bolt aimed directly at them, every bolt deflected by Maisara or dodged by Fortia. Another beam of light came from above, this time carving a channel into the gardens, setting fire to the precious flowers and plants growing there. Iniri collapsed and burst out in tears as Kavaa knelt next to her. Helenna ran off from the scene, her red dress disappearing into a doorway.

Maisara slowly made her way to Zerus as if she was in a dance, her partner the great executioner’s axe in her hands. A bow here, a swing there, a pirouette. She turned, twisted, deflected another bolt. The marble cracked underneath feet as she launched herself into the air, her axe aimed directly for Zerus.

In that moment, she realised her mistake. Sceo let go of Zerus’ hand, she took a step forwards, as quick as a hurricane and as delicate as a breeze. Her arm spun a circle, a blast of wind cleared the dusty fog and carried Maisara into the air.

Once, twice, thrice. The Goddess of Order was struck by Zerus’ lightning. The ground cracked underneath, her plate charred and blackened as Zerus launched another blast. “Stay down child.” Zerus said gently. Maisara grit her teeth and rolled to the side to avoid the blast as Sceo grabbed Zerus’ hand again. “I will not hurt you if you stay down.”

Fortia turned on her feet as she dodged another of Allasaria’s beams. The golden spear spun in her hands, she arched her back, took aim and launched the rod at Zerus. “I said before, you should not even be here.” She said as the spear pierced the air. It was too fast for anyone to react, maybe a God of Speed would be able to dodge it.

The spear pierced itself deep in Zerus’ shoulder. The God of Lightning merely grit his teeth and moved to grab it and his white cloak was dyed in red. His hand closed around naked air, the spear was back in Fortia’s hand. She took a step, looked up, and her eyes widened.

An avalanche of burning light was crashing down upon her. It was too late to dodge. Fortia lifted her spear, closed her eyes, and prepared to be burned. Something slammed against her side. Fortia would recognise that touch everywhere: Maisara.

The two Goddesses grit their teeth as they landed on the ground. They carved out line in one of the flowerbeds in their attempt to dodge. They had survived Allasaria’s light, but not unscathed. Maisara pounded the ground, tears in her eyes as Fortia inspected the damage. Her knees where blackened, the skin burned as if it had been rotting. Below that, her legs had been wiped away of flesh. There was nothing but bones.

Maisara had taken the brunt of it. The woman’s armour and battle-skirt had protected her life, but both had melted and seared her flesh. Below, her bare legs had been blown away, they were nothing but raw flesh, blood and bones.

Allasaria floated down from the sky to come before them. “Is that enough?” She asked coldly.

“You whore!” Maisara shouted out from the dirt, she did not even have the strength to pick herself up and roll over.

“Classy as always Maisara.” Allasaria lifted both her arms. “I will give you a chance to repent every word that has been uttered today. Apologize.”

“BITCH!” Maisara shouted. Fortia grabbed her sister, hugged her, shot a cold look at Allasaria and spat on the ground.

“How respectable.” Allasaria said, her palms started to grow bright as she started to build up energy.

“Without us, your world will crumble and fall.” Fortia tried to shout, but her words came out merely exhausted.

“We’ll manage. We’ve always managed.”

“STOP!” A voice shouted. Leona. Everyone knew the Lady Luck’s voice. She was supported by Helenna on one side, by her handmaid, Alice on the other. “STOP! DON’T!” Leona shouted, then she collapsed to her knees and emptied her stomach. Allasaria dropped her arms as Kavaa finished healing Zerus. She started to rush over to the two Goddesses on the ground.

“Stem the bleeding, do not heal them.” Allasaria said as she grabbed Kavaa’s shoulder. “We will go forwards with the original plan we discussed at the start of our garden meeting. I will take Leona to recharge Olephia’s prison once she recovers from the illness, then she will start rolling dice to hide. We will see her again in a year, when Olephia’s prison needs to be recharged again or if she contacts us.”

“If Leona dies.” Maisara rubbed her tears away as she unclipped her armour. The front fell off to reveal her shirt, the backplate stayed fixed to her. “I will leave.”

“I will too!” Fortia added, Allasaria merely smiled at the two injured Goddesses on the ground.

“I wish the two of you left already, unfortunately for you, Leona will not die under my protection.”