My attention shifted back and forth between Breta and Immy, the two engrossed in their discussion, oblivious to my presence. As they talked, I couldn't help but listen in.
"I see, so that's how it was before," Immy nodded, her eyes focused on Breta.
Breta replied, "Yes, but those days are long gone. Most of the Deities are content to sit in the Land of the Gods now. They find the lack of responsibilities to be a good thing."
"I suppose I can understand that point of view," Immy said thoughtfully. "I do enjoy sleeping a lot, but eventually, it would become tedious. Not being able to interact with the world?"
"You underestimate the Gods," Breta shook her head, and I perked up, interested in what she had to say. "Our lifespan is similar to yours, dragons. While an eternity of doing nothing might seem like it would cause despair, that's only the case for mortal minds. They cannot fathom the idea of immortality. For us, it's different," Breta paused, glancing at us before continuing. "Both of you are still young, and compared to most of the other gods, so am I. You might be curious about certain things, perhaps you want to travel," She looked at me when she said that, "Or maybe you want to do something else?"
She paused again, letting her words sink in before continuing. "With time, however, most of your emotions will mellow down. That doesn't mean they will disappear, but you will become less likely to make decisions driven by your emotions. Few Gods or Dragons reach this stage, as it takes a very, very long time."
"Then there's the Land of the Gods itself," Breta added. "It's vast, and although it might appear to be a floating continent, a more accurate description would be a floating world. With that being the case, most of the Gods don't mind not being able to interact with the small mortal plane."
As Breta finished speaking, Immy and I were both silent, pondering her words. It was the first time I had heard her speak so much in one sitting, and I found it both strange and refreshing.
After a while, Immy was the first to break the silence, her voice echoing through the vast halls of the temple. "I see," she said, her eyes flickering with curiosity.
"And by not being allowed to interact with the mortal plane, you mean?" Immy asked, her tone questioning and intrigued.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Breta replied. "We cannot step foot on the mortal plane, and we cannot exert our influence directly on the mortals."
I shook my head in disappointment, muttering under my breath. "That's rather disappointing."
Breta glanced at me briefly before turning back to Immy. "Has there been any Deity that defied the order before?" Immy asked.
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"Not that I know of," Breta replied. "Much like your council of elder dragons, we also have something similar. They are responsible for keeping order in the Land of Gods."
Immy's eyes seemed to shine with understanding as she nodded. "Interesting," she said.
Suddenly, the Goddess turned her gaze towards my little sister. "What about you?" she asked.
Immy was taken aback, hesitating before she asked, "Me? What about me?"
"I already know what this fool wants to do," Breta said, pointing at me. "Something about exploring the stars and the worlds beyond. Although if you ask me, he just cannot seem to be able to sit still in one place for long. So what about you? What are your plans? Exploration? Or perhaps joining the others in the front lines and raids?"
Faced with Breta's question, Immy fell silent thinking carefully before answering. , It didn't take long before she opened her mouth to speak, "I would like to visit the mortal plane first," she said. "From the memories in my inheritance, I was able to catch a glimpse of their way of life. Their politics and schemes, although meaningless in the the face of absolute strength, are still very fascinating to me."
I wasn't surprised by her answer, since young, Immy had always displayed curiosity in the matters of the mortals, so her explanation came as no surprise to me.
"The mortals are... Fragile. Unlike us, with our Immortality and powers, they are weak..." Breta answered slowly.
"I know, and that's exactly what makes them fascinating to me. They are weak, but they still struggle to climb higher, and they use all sorts of means, to do so. Truly, fascinating."
"Hmm, I don't see the appeal," Breta replied flatly.
A small chuckle escaped my mouth at that. Immy didn't seem to mind, however, and instead, she simply smiled.
"Well, if you are that much interested in the mortals, how about I let you go host the next tournament?"
"The next tournament?" Immy questioned.
After a quick explanation, her eyes seemed to shine brightly as she constantly nodded. "Are you sure, brother? You would allow me to go in your stead?" she asked again in disbelief.
"Why not? Out of all the others, you are the most responsible one," I smiled.
Her face lit up in joy at my compliment before she hesitantly asked "But wouldn't it cause problems for you?"
"Not at all. Besides, you can use the opportunity to interact with them and see all of those schemes and plots firsthand."
"I can?" She couldn't help but ask again to which I nodded.
After which, Immy lowered her head and gave me a deep respectful bow. "Thank you, brother!"
I waved my tail dismissively, "It's nothing."
Breta watched our interaction with amusement evident in her gaze.
"And what will you be doing?" She suddenly asked.
I turned toward the now giant Goddess and answered with shrug, "I traveled the mortal plane, and saw what it held. Although I did not visit everything, I still plan to do so later on. For now, however, your talk of the front lines and raids has piqued my curiosity," I raised my head to glance at the sky, "I would like to see that for myself, as well."
Breta frowned, "You'll join the war on a whim?"
"Who says it's a whim?" I asked the smile not quite leaving my face.
The Goddess' frown deepened, "If this is because I said I would join—"
I snorted in response and rolled my eyes before speaking, "You merely piqued my curiosity, Breta. The decision to join is mine after all. Besides, It was bound to happen sooner or later. And not to mention, I would like to see the fight of the Dragons with my own eyes."
Immy solemnly nodded by my side, while Breta sighed and remained silent.