“And that’s the end of that, I suppose.”
Elisia sighed, rubbing her temples together. After the headache that was this cycle, she must have been ready and willing to go hibernate for a decade or two. As was Gruu, the younger sibling returning after her own expeditions through the cosmos. To think she’d see the Gray bloodline actually playing sides. Not all of them, fortunately, but even the two had been enough to tip the balance.
“I hope you’re quite proud of yourself,” Gruu said. “You almost made an enemy even you couldn’t best.”
Elisia, as usual, refused to entertain the idea.
“You’ll worry yourself to wrinkles, sister,” she said. “That girl was disowned years ago.”
“You know mortals hold grudges.”
“Perhaps. But she had No. 4 to keep her in line.”
Gruu could only sigh at that. Arguing with her sister was pointless. She’d learned that over the many centuries they’d been together. Even if she’d caused the God Realm to be invaded by the morrow, she’d find a way to absolve herself of guilt somehow. Such were the benefits of being the Goddess of Judgement.
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“In the end, everything worked out well enough,” Elisia went on, sitting back in her bed of flowers. “Though I may have to keep a closer eye on that panther. She’s as much a liability as an asset.”
Gruu nodded simply, sitting down next to her.
All things considered, the cycle could have indeed ended a lot worse. The mortals hadn’t destroyed each other completely this time around. And there were enough remnants to ensure an eventual return to balance, however long that would take. As goddesses, all they could now was to be there to guide them as necessary. Though it didn’t seem they were quite necessary at the moment.
“Are you truly happy about this, Sister?” Gruu asked.
“Happiness is fleeting, I’m afraid,” Elisia admitted. “But I can be content.”
She once again nodded. Perhaps that was better than the alternative. Still. There was one fleeting question lingering in the younger sister’s mind. One that, despite everything, she couldn’t help be a little curious over. She brushed her dark hair aside.
“If I may ask,” Gruu said, “why did you choose No. 4 of all people?”
“You mean why I gave her the staff?”
“I meant why you sent her alone to deal with the false god.”
Elisia’s looked at her, eyes full of surprise. At least for a fleeting second. Elisia’s expression grew thoughtful, the goddess looking out to the flowers for several moments. It reminded Gruu too much of how she’d been before she died. Before she’d taken the mantle of goddess. Elisia finally broke the silence as her gaze met hers. A small smile parted her otherwise stoic expression.
“I suppose,” Elisia finally said, “I simply thought that she could.”