The congregation of cultists stood firmly before the gods. The gods stared back.

"What the hell, Magnus?" Trilan said, stepping back. "Why did you say to come here?"

"I thought you would like to put an end to this nonsense once and for all," Magnus said, gesturing to the cultists. "These kind gentlemen have offered to take our problem off our hands."

"This is wrong," Trilan said.

"Then we'll put it to a vote," Magnus said, shrugging. He ignored the angry murmurs of the cultists behind his back.

"Do I get a vote?" the Trickster asked.

"No."

"Figures," the Trickster muttered.

"I vote get rid of them," Ire said.

"Well, that was quick," the Trickster said.

"I think handing gods over to those who would exploit them sets a dangerous precedent," Axel said.

"That's what I always say!"

"Shut up, Cas."

"I vote they go," Cloe said. "They have been interfering with our business for long enough, and I think the cultists are the kindest way to get them to cease to be a problem."

Everyone looked at Eran.

"I'm sorry," Eran said, looking at the Trickster. "But I'm tired of all the chaos. Although Magnus tried very hard to hide your name, you still live up to it."

"What--" the Trickster turned to look at Magnus.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"She has a name?" Trilan asked.

"Don't--" Magnus started.

"It's Calamity."

"Mum never called her that! That was before she was born!"

"No, they're right," the Trickster said, her mouth dry. "It fits, doesn't it."

There was a short silence.

"Well, now we're at an impasse," Magnus said, angry. "Does anyone want to change their vote?" There was another silence as people worked out the maths.

"Magnus," Cloe said, sounding wrathful. "You were the one who brought the cultists here!"

"Yes, to settle this, but I'm not going to vote against my own sister, am I?"

"Crying isn't going to help right now," Cassie said in the Trickster's head, and she swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.

"Wow, what's going on?" a voice asked from behind the cultists. A woman with long red hair, a mottled green-and-brown armour, and a bewildering array of weaponry, including a sword and a ray gun, moved up to the gates from the bushes beside them, making the nearest cultists jump.

"Penny?" Cloe asked in disbelief.

"We were just voting on whether to hand my sister over the cultists," Magnus said.

'Of course not," Penny scoffed.

"There you have it," Magnus said to the cultists.

"You traitor!" the head cultist snarled.

"I'm the traitor? When you--"

"Woah, wow, calm down guys," Penny said. "Take a breath, humans. Leave, or my army will make you leave."

The cultists looked Penny up and down, and looked around them at the suspiciously rustling undergrowth.

"We have the--" the head cultist started, but broke off when a high pitched whine came from the bushes, and the leaf litter in front of him burst into flame.

"You'll pay for this," the head cultist said to Magnus, and stalked away, the rest of the cultists following him.

"You have an army now?" Axel asked Penny.

"Oh, yeah. Bad news, guys, we're at war."

While the others were distracted with Penny, the Trickster moved back into the Glade, thoughts miserable. She had a name, a name even worse than Ire's. And now Penny was back, just after everyone had voted (a close contest, but still!) to let her stay. Maybe she could stay--maybe she should stay, deal with the consequences of her actions, mend some soot-stained bridges.

"They need to work closely with Cloe and Bounty and Ire," Cassie said. "And you need to breed the hell herd within a year."

"I know, I know. I was just day-dreaming, okay?"

"I'm sorry," Cassie said.

"I know," the Trickster mumbled again. She reached the centre of the Glade, Bounty's grotto, and fought her way bitterly through the foliage. Lying on a bed of flowers in the centre was Bounty, old leaves staining her dress, and moss in her hair.

"Okay," said the Trickster, her hands shaking. She made a fist, took a deep breath, then reached out and touched Bounty on the cheek.

"Arise," she said. Bounty took a deep breath, and the Trickster hurried out of the grotto. Behind her, Bounty opened her eyes and screamed.