The cathedral is silent as a tomb.

I look over at the others. They're all looking at the floor, the walls, or each other. All of them are pale, shaken, and angry. I can't say I blame them: this is some pretty crazy shit. A few weeks ago, they were chilling in their domains without a care in the world. And now this freak shows up with a whole ass army and tells them they're living a lie.

Exactly the kind of shit I'd expect from these fuckers.

The 'Beloved' stands there, their hand still outstretched. I can feel its creepy, featureless mask on me, waiting for an answer. "Even now people suffer and die as you ponder the obvious. Your response?"

I shoot this fucker my meanest junkyard dog look. "Fuck you, obviously!"

Althea snaps back to attention, and a bit of determination returns to her face. "Abomination! You are a hypocrite of the highest order, and we will have nothing to do with your foul organization!" She marches forward, joining me at my side. "You speak of 'liberation' and 'mutually beneficial proposals', yet your first act was to invade our world weapons in hand and to use foul, ill-earned magic to enslave us!"

"It seems you still fail to understand the gravity of our situation. Countless lives - those that are and those that will be - are at stake. This may be our only chance to escape the Wardens' clutches. We have act quickly and aggressively at times - the smallest misstep or failure could spell eternal doom for every life, present and future."

"You may speak the truth, but we have all seen how you act on it. Your organization instantly resorted to extreme violence without so much as a token attempt at dialogue. Only after the Hero routed your forces did you begin to speak of bargains and collaboration, coward!"

"I always prefer peaceful solutions. But because your 'Hero' has an irrationally violent demeanor - and a strong bias against our organization - we had to forgo diplomatic options in favor of more direct action."

"I ain't the problem here, asshole!" I jab a finger at the freak. "You're the ones who're hopping around worlds and fucking with people! You're lucky we're entertaining your stupid bullshit instead of pounding your face in after what you just pulled!"

"Yes!" Del steps in front of Domina, snarling like a wolf. "I do not care how true your words are, or how righteous your goals may be! You are an affront to the natural order, and threat to all life on this world! I can sense your predatory intent!"

Pinky takes his head from Del's chest to shoot a glance as if to say, "Yeah, leave us alone!"

Domina's face is set in stone, and she pulls the Sword of Courage out of her pocket. "You are an uninvited guest on this world. Please see yourself out," She glares daggers at the Beloved. "I will show you the door, if needs must!"

Althea blinks her hammer and shield into her hand. "I am the Elemental of Order. True to my name, it is my sacred duty to maintain the structures and foundations of this world, and it is as clear as day that you seek to corrode all of them. No matter what you say, your mere presence here is an affront to Astraea and God's will. The Hero has already shown how easily he can handle your forces," she points her hammer at the asshole. "Begone, or face annihilation!"

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I look over at Zazel. Her mouth is tight, and she's frowning. Something is brewing behind her eyes - something as fiery as it is icy. Yet, now, of all fucking times, she says nothing.

The Beloved looks at each of us in turn. "Elementals. You cannot see through the fog - but it is not your fault. Your will is not your own. Your thoughts are not your own. You are all merely extensions of your Warden's will - you defend this so-called Hero because you have no choice - and because you do not know the truth."

Althea's face is a combination of anger and confusion. "What 'truth'?"

"As Elementals, you are cognizant of your nature to desire the Hero. To be close to him - even love him. It is of the few things each Elemental has in common with the other. But have you ever wondered why must this be the case? Surely, you could accomplish whatever ends your Warden demands of you without obligatory, inborn attraction."

The Elementals tense, their fists tightening and eyes narrowing.

The freak yammers on. "There is a reason for this attraction: you are meant to be his reward for doing the Warden's bidding. Your sole purpose is to satisfy and encourage the Hero as he goes about his work shaping and molding Astraea. Your thoughts, your emotions, and even your desires - they have all been shaped by the Warden. Including any feelings of camaraderie or love."

I step forward, pointing at the freak's mask. "That's bullshit!"

It ignores me. "And do none of you find it strange or jarring that the vile method used to unlock your immense mana reserves requires an act of ritualistic, penetrative intercourse to accomplish? The Warden could have designed it any other way; a vow, a dance, a handshake. But he designed it that way - to be the Hero's reward."

I'm shaking with rage, and I can feel the power of the Dice fading fast.

"So, I ask you, Elementals: Is it worth it to sacrifice the lives of countless innocents so you may continue to follow the will of a false god and serve an individual that, in the end, amounts to little more than a glorified rapist?"

My core awakens with a rumble, heating up like furnace. "Oh, you've done now, motherfucker!" I whip to the others. "Everyone, stay back! I'm taking this asshole-"

The Elementals seem frozen in place. Their eyes flicker, and I can hear their breathing getting heavier.

"Look, you guys, what the hell is the matter with you?" I snap. "You really gonna let this fucker get in your heads? You think me and God are perverts who're using you or something? Fuck that, and fuck this freak! I don't care what he says: we're going to make our own world, and we're gonna make it awesome. Together."

Althea looks at me, and swallows. "You are right, Hero. We must have faith in ourselves and ignore this abomination's twisted interpretations!" She levels her hammer at the the big Limp Dick again, fire returning to her eyes. "What's more, Hero - I have changed my mind. I do not want this aberration to leave - I want it to die!"

Del and Domina nod at me, but I get the impression they aren't as convinced as Althea. But Zazel isn't saying anything. She isn't moving. He fists are clenched, and she's staring me down with a look of pure hatred.

I've never seen her look at me like that ever. It's the kind of look you make at someone when you want them dead.

I feel myself losing control again, and look away from her.

I need to roll the Dice.

The storm of fate spins in my hands - a 5 and a 13. Not good, but good enough. The rage recedes, turning back into an empowering warmth.

But I can't help but notice that the freak is looking at my fist.

"What are you lookin' at, fucker!?" My core purrs like a kitten as I snap back to the freak and take a couple steps toward them. "Any last words before I break you over my knee, Limp Dick?"

The Beloved looks me dead in the eye. "Just one - appear."

Out of thin fucking air, whole fucking legion of Limp Dicks blink into existence, and the cathedral is suddenly crawling with chrome cockheads. There must be close to a hundred of them lining the walls - and their LMGs are all trained on us.