19: Aftermath
As the group walked among the people, it was clear everyone was in shock.
Garion looked at them and noticed that those who were new to this were in information overload, while the ones who had been considered Deities were in shock.
One was huddled against a wall muttering “My being! They want to devour my being!” over and over.
Entering the library, they found students just there looking blankly at the books, not even reading.
In a study area Drenak softly told them “We need to plan what to do.”
Garion asked “How?”
Drenak frowned. “The only thing we can plan for is Subsuming, and even then it would have to be careful. None of us want to be caught up in the killings, but may have to take part in it. We need to see what kinds of Domains we should consider acceptable to Subsume, if we are forced to kill them, and what Domains people who have that would make them interested in us.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I kill a Reaper, Death God, Psychopomp or God of the Dead, or even of Necromancy, I can use that, but I want to avoid problems that come with it. If I kill a Deity of indulgence, I can’t use it. If Harlen killed those I can use, she can’t use them well if at all. If she killed a Deity of indulgence, she might be able to use the feasting sub-domain he would have.”
Now he got grim. “Of course, this would mean those with those Domains would be interested in coming after us. We only have a few days left before the slaughter begins. I think some might hold off until Subsuming is learnt. We don’t know how to do it properly and many will want the full power.”
Jane told him “But Garion and I don’t have Domains!”
Drenak smiled sadly. “And that is a good thing in a way, and a bad thing.”
Garion was confused. “Why both?”
“It is good in that you have no current competition, so no-one is focused on you right now. It is also bad in that you are effectively potential competition for everyone!”
Drenak carefully told them “I have a second potential Domain for my stone working. I might be able to use that to boost by Domain regarding the Dead.”
Thinking he said “Harlen and I will make lists of our potential Domains, and all potential sub-Domains. In the meanwhile, we need to learn to fight.”
Garion asked “How can you be so calm and focused.”
Drenak was dead serious. “I am focused because it is preventing me from panicking! By focusing on small things I can ignore the big things. If I go from one small thing to another, I may be able to solve most of the problems before I have to face them as a whole.
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Dinner was subdued that night and everyone turned in early.
Those who had missed the lectures for different reasons were shocked at how people were. When a partygoer who had been drunk and high since the welcoming feast asked someone what was up, that person broke down crying.
Someone put a tentacle on his shoulder and told him in a liquidly voice “Most of us are in shock from today’s lecture. If you haven’t attended any, you really need to catch up.”
A bit of horror did creep in the voice “Felinia’s lessons are scary, but needed. If you do not learn from them, then fates worse than being tortured to death may await you!”
The partier scoffed. “It can’t be that bad!”
“Can’t be that bad? Tell me, do you even know the rules you must follow? Are you preparing for when other students will try to kill you, or worse? Do you even know what you must do to survive? What duties you must fulfill? If not then learn or suffer.”
A psychopath came up to him and told him “I would normally torture annoyances like you to death, but the way you are going, I just feel pity. I suggest you eat and try to learn from someone what is going on.”
The partier was starting to worry. “How bad can it be? I mean, this course doesn’t require us to know anything in advance! Surely they won’t let us just fail so easily.”
Someone else called out “Felinia warned us that she doesn’t care if we fail and die. She even told us stuff to encourage us to kill each other when we can!”
The partier was outright panicking now! “She wants us to kill each other!”
People all around nodded. One said “Yes. This is her way to make sure the people who pass are fit for their duties.”
The partier pissed himself at that and fled saying “I have to warn the others!”
Well, that was an interesting development.
After dinner everyone went back to their dorms to think, plot and sleep.
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Felinia and Gallen met in her office and Felinia asked Gallen a simple question right off: “Do we have any decent potential so far that you have seen?”
Gallen paused to think and told her “Some. I spied on a group who helped a group of godlings sort out some long standing feuds they had. Mostly just competing Domains. They will now be focusing in trying for other areas. They did not like the idea that they had only been born to be fodder for politics.
“One of that group has studied at least some of the faiths in her world. She has potential to be of use to the group. She’s unsure of herself, but that can be worked on.
“Other people have potential, but we just need to draw it out properly. Others will serve as training aids or examples of what not to do. Some will break under the strain. Oddly, those with experience are having a harder time adjusting to being Estelen, while the newbies are having an easier time. The noobs are not comparing things and thinking about the differences.”
Felinia smiled a bit and asked “And what about the entertainment at dinner?”
Gallen chuckled. “A very good example of what not to do. Either they work hard to shape up, or their will be eaten alive by the competition and not metaphorical either!”
Felinia chuckled softly at the joke. “On a different note; do you think I overload them too much?”
Gallen thought for a bit. Eventually he told her “No. They needed any preconceptions broken, and you did that. I would say it was better done now than when they should be focused on using what they are taught. I hope they can recover. If you did it latter they may not have had time to recover before dealing with other important issues.”
Sitting in silence together for a bit he asked her “What are you planning to teach them next?
“Totems. This builds on the Belief part of Powers, and will let them think about how they want to portray themselves. Also the importance of being honest with themselves.”
Gallen nodded and went to his own Residence.
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Out on the grounds the shadows shifted as someone passed through them. It was amazing how often people ignored potential risks, and did not even check for possible spies.