CHAPTER 17 - WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

The goddess Asturiel was flummoxed, all of her investigations into Archmage Roe gave no useful results.

Through the church the pantheon had many groups whose job was to spy on potential problems unearthing and when necessary assassinating dissenters. These groups were a control method to tend the flock, because when left free to pick their own path people tended to choose anarchy, and while a little chaos could be good for business too much led to problems for the church. An example of the flock left unchecked was the mad wizard that answered the call of the first Star Beasts, opening the path for the Dragon Lords to find their way here.

Sadly most incursions started off as a summons. Some mage hearing whispered offers of God like power if they just perform a itty bitty ritual.

From the time the Dragon Lords appeared, some mad fools chose to follow them rather than the pantheon, most joined them as agents but a few insane ones worshipped the wyrms outright.

Asturiel was certain that this Archmage Roe, was either an agent or a worshiper, but her own agents were found out time and again. As an Archmage, Roe moved through so many restricted zones that there was no one of a high enough level to remain undetected around him for a prolonged period of time.

The lackluster results made the goddess take matters into her own hands. For the past several days she has personally followed the Archmage which brought her to this dilemma. She was annoyed at the thought of wasting her time.

Finally Asturiel decided to confront him directly. Whether agent or worshiper, he was mortal and therefore subject to her whim.

***

Asturiel waited until Archmage Roe was back home above his Emporium.

It was evening and the human was beginning to get intimate with the pink demon he had contracted, a Succubus named Korra. Asturiel materialised in front of the paramours. Her entrance triggered the automated defences, but she not only knew that would happen, she had planned for it.

Once Archmage Roe realised the entity in front of him was the goddess Asturiel he rushed to disable his wards but despite her being unharmed the damage was done, he had attacked a Goddess.

Asturiel calmly deflected all the attacks and restrictions patiently waiting for him to react before speaking.

"ATTACKING A GODDESS IS A DEATH SENTENCE, ARCHMAGE," She declared making a fist and shattering the now inactive wards.

Archmage Roe fell to his knees while his Succubus cowered on the couch.

"Mercy Goddess." He pleaded.

Asturiel accepted his groveling. Despite having invited herself in, she now held the high ground and could interrogate the Archmage until her heart was content.

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"I REQUIRE INFORMATION ARCHMAGE. WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH DRAGON LORD ROEG-HIAM THE MIDNIGHT?"

Archmage Roe’s face twisted as if tasted something unpleasant.

"I … am a Vassal."

‘Humph, that is simple enough.’ she thought. ‘Now I can find out what that wyrm is up to.’

“WHAT ARE THE DRAGON LORDS PLANS IN THE GOD LANDS?”

“I, I refuse to answer that,” Archmage Roe replied.

Asturiel eyes flared in frustration, she had wasted a lot of time on this nobody and he would dare defy her? This impudence could not stand.

“MY MERCY HAS LIMITS, ARCHMAGE. I WILL WRING THE ANSWERS FROM YOUR SOUL BEFORE TOSSING YOU BACK TO YOUR WYRM LEADER.”

Asturiel immediately smote Archmage Roe and banished his Succubus familiar.

At that moment a thrum of power locked onto the Goddess. An absolute might she couldn’t escape from. Fortunately for her that power caught the attention of other Gods. Eight Gods appeared almost immediately in Archmage Roe’s apartment to investigate the Spatial Lock; they were led by Zuriel.

Zuriel took in the scene, the shattered wards, the dead wizard and the area where something had been recently banished, before rounding on Asturiel.

“What have you done?”

Before the younger Goddess could answer, the top floor of the building disintegrated. Three black missiles arrived, stopped and gently touched down on the rich carpeted floors. The top floor re-integrated itself around the three Black Dragon Lords.

Bo-Gradoom the Umbra, Roeg-Hiam the Midnight and Ognil the Noir.

Roeg-Hiam summoned Korra back from her banishment before rebuilding the shattered wards.

The group of Gods moved between Asturiel and the Flight of Dragons. The power locking Asturiel in place was coming from Roeg-Hiam the Midnight.

Korra rushed to Roeg-Hiam crying for justice for her murdered lover. Everyone was silent as the Succubus cried her tale. The Dragon Lords then addressed the Gods present.

"Zuriel, your sister has murdered my Vassal. In his own home, no less." Roeg-Hiam the Midnight accused.

Asturiel interrupted. “It’s not a big deal, once he has answered my questions I’ll just resurrect him, you just need to wait patiently and your pawn will be returned at our convenience,” she said haughtily.

Zuriel immediately realised her young sister’s mistake. Vassals of Dragon Lords can not be resurrected, they don’t worship a God so their souls don’t go to a heavenly plane, they just re-enter the cycle of rebirth.

Asturiel was quickly pulled aside and reminded of this little detail. Finally realising she didn’t have a way to fix this, she turned to her sister for help.

Zuriel gave Asturel a frosty look before schooling her features to face the Dragon Lords.

“Asturiel will be punished, Dragon Lords. I will arrange sufficient compensation that will satisfy you.” Zuriel said.

“ ‘Sufficient Compensation’? Did I just hear her call him a pawn? Do you think it takes a day to train an Archmage? How many Vassals will we be able to keep once they hear how cheap we sell their lives?” Roeg-Hiam berated.

Bo-Gradoom stepped in.

“While you like to complain when we linger in your territory there is no hard rule in the Sky-fall Treaty that prevents either party from travelling the land of the other.

The Goddess Asturiel, on the other hand, has willfully broken an act of the Sky-fall Treaty between the Gods and Dragon Lords. Agents are allowed to operate on our behalf without being molested. It is a hard rule. Since she is willing to break it she should be willing to make amends.

Surrender Asturiel to one of our Harems, we’ll even be so kind to let her choose between us.”

All the Gods present began to prepare for battle, handing one of their own over to be a glorified sex toy was not an option.

“My sister is worth far more than your mage.” Zuriel raged.

“We will concede Three holy maidens... from Asturiel’s church.”

“Three holy maidens and half the Ocrilim I had traded you before and you have a deal.” Roeg-Hiam demanded.

“Agreed. Of course I would not wish word of this incident to find its way to the mortals.” Zuriel replied through her gritted teeth.

“Of course.” Roeg-Hiam replied.

The pressure holding Asturiel in place lifted. The Gods filed out, passing Asturiel in disdain.

“This has been a detriment to our reputation.” Asturiel heard one of them say as he passed. There were many more whispers. None of them were kind. She felt embarrassed.

She didn’t know how she would do it but she was determined to avenge herself against these Dragon Lords.