> “Confidence is seeing any outcome as ending in your favor.”

Trees with thick trunks surround me in every direction. I can see faint morning light gracing their tips through a layer of thin fog. A small dirt clearing lies before me. Tree stumps and clearly manmade marks signal that this is a place that was used for logging a while ago.

I take a deep breath and feel crisp cool morning air enter me. My body is energized and ready to move. Me and Blowout spent last night in another cave she made. We otherwise sustained on what we could scavenge.

“How do I take down a god?”

The concept of obtaining their true heart is tempting but will require lot of interrogating to get information on it. Even then, it will ultimately end up being dependent on how careless the deity in question is. How else then? Would a simple bullet be enough?

Blowout sits on a tree stump with a mixture of contemplative emotions on her face, “Was that to me? I can never tell who you’re talking to.”

“No, that was more to myself then anything. Hey Perenia, how would one take you down when you were at your height.”

“Aside from poison you mean?” She flatly remarks.

“Yeah, aside from that. Since we’re going to be fighting your sister, I might as well get info from the nearest goddess around.”

“I would have to think about it. I prefer to think in terms of my strengths not my weaknesses.”

“That’s fine I have a few plans myself on how to approach this problem. Let’s break it down. First thing we need to do is find a way to get to her. That being either getting into her realm or luring her out. After that, there are near infinite ways to win with the possibilities of god energy. I want to win in combat, and think you do too, Perenia. That seems like the most fitting conclusion after centuries of conflict, doesn’t it?”

Blowout laughs softly, “You just want to fight, don’t you?”

“I’ll admit that factors into it.” I grin back at her.

“Winning through trickery has never been my style. Beating her through combat suits me well.”

“Combat it is then. I am one person, so maneuvering around is far easier than if we had an army. What we need to do is get to the Goddess of Justice and isolate her from her angels before besting her in a fight. That is, without killing her so you can gloat, and Blowout can be satisfied that I took a more peaceful option. Pretty simple. Simple plans are usually best when possible.”

Both of them start to object but I continue, “That all assumes that I can beat her in the first place. I need practice, and let’s do that after we’re done strategizing. But I also should know my own weaknesses and strengths. Perenia, our consciousnesses are mostly combined, what do you think. I can give my own opinion, but it will always be warped my biases—so unreliable.”

She put a finger to her chin and thinks, “Your weaknesses are pretty easy. You don’t have the regeneration that other gods have, and you don’t have enhanced reaction times that every other person in the world possesses. I’m sure you can realize that means.”

“It’s easier for me to get hit, and I can’t recover when I do.”

She nods, “There can be remedies to those. As for your strengths, you have impressive base capabilities of mental speed, visualization, focus, and creativity that I found you for—I think you’ve since found how you are creative. But in addition to that, you are quick to act and can take in complicated situations near instantly. You also are good at quickly judging others around you.”

I uncomfortably swallow. Getting praise is always awkward.

“Anyways, what are you thinking as for ways to overcome my weaknesses?”

“If you’re instantly killed then there isn’t anything that can be done. However, if there is an injury where you can still receive my energy, I can give you a construct that helps speed up natural healing processes. One of my servants did it enough to me that I memorized it.”

Bitter thoughts rise from her. I don’t need her to say it to know she is talking about Sunglow—the man that poisoned her. Even after she was betrayed by him, I don’t feel any hate from her. I don’t know if I could do the same.

“Well, we have time and spare energy so let’s practice it. I would rather not have to use it for the first time when I’m bleeding out.”

“Sure.”

Perenia’s energy flows into my body. Its presence seemingly demanding that it be used. Along with it is an abstract collection of concepts I assume is the construct for healing.

I put my hands together and give energy to it. Orangish-yellow light shines from them and heat like a warm blanket trickles in my palm and to my wrists. There isn’t any injury, so it isn’t a full test.

Blowout walks to me and gingerly touches the light I make. “Wow, it’s incredible how much gods can do. I’m a bit jealous. Making the elements in bursts is really cool but being able to do anything you can visualize is simply crazy.”

I should test it on a real cut to see how it feels. I don’t need to say it for Perenia to know what I intend; her dark purple sword forms in my hand. I put it to my wrist but stop before making an incision.

“Back when we were fighting the shadow beasts, I wanted to test the swords and how sharp they really are. I should do that first.”

I raise it to a nearby tree and apply about enough force to close a door.

It goes clean through. The tree falls away from me while making a loud crash.

“Alright then.”

“It doesn’t rely on sharpness, simply forcing what it touches apart.” She raises her chin in pride.

Good thing I tested it first. I’ll need to be way more careful than I have been to not accidentally cut an arm off.

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“Let’s try it with steel instead.”

Like the last time I made the sword, I close my eyes and visualize the chemical bonds of steel in the shape of a basic double-edged sword. I bring it to my palm and slide it to make a small cut. I’m pretty pain tolerant, but I can’t stop myself from recoiling from the concept of self-harm. Visualizing the healing construct, I bring my hands together. As before, warmth spreads from where it contacts. When I separate my hands, the cut is nonexistent.

“Satisfied?” She asks in an indifferent tone. I know she has done plenty of experimenting herself and knows the importance of doing so.

“That should be fine for now.”

I stop and take a step back to grab some water that we bottled as I arrange my thoughts.

“Hey Blowout, how often does the Goddess of Justice leave her god realm?”

“It used to be pretty often but since the fiftieth anniversary of the war ending, she made far less appearances, I think. I only stay updated on what going on around me. I don’t go out of my way to know everything that’s going on. I hope you don’t expect me to.”

“No, that’s fine. Knowing that we will probably have to get into her god realm is good enough info. Perenia, do you know of any way to do it?”

“There shouldn’t be any way to do so. A god realm is the safe space of a deity. None should be able to enter without the permission of the owner. It’s quite nice having one.”

“Then we should find a way to lure her out after taking down her angels.”

Blowout winces, “I don’t like the sound of that. Is there a way that’s less violent?”

“Using our method of removal so we can bring them back after we defeat their goddess.”

“I don’t know how I feel about that.” She looks down muttering to herself, “what’s the right thing to do here?”

I grip the steel sword I made and give it a few experimental swings. I have experience with close-combat weapons, but I’m nowhere near an expert in using a sword. Simply not using one is an option, but I rather like the feeling of using one, so I’ll practice.

Blowout looks me straight in the eye with a spark of intensity, “Use your removal on me.”

I return her gaze, “Why?”

“I need to know what it feels like. If it hurts people, then I won’t let you continue using it. If it doesn’t work on people, then I’ll sacrifice myself to save others.”

I put my hands out to calm the situation down, “There isn’t any need for us to be at each other’s throats. It simply teleports the target into a realm where there is no time. I can use it on you if you insist.”

She nods, her sharp amber eyes not losing eye contact.

Give me the energy and I’ll gather on the tip of my finger. No need to make anything, since your energy is all that’s needed.

Perenia’s energy flows through me and I raise a finger to Blowout’s forehead. She braces herself.

She shouldn’t have any perception of time when removed, so it’ll feel like nothing happened. To prove that time did pass, I make a simple one-minute hourglass and stand it on a stump.

“Ready?”

She nods again.

I tap her and let Perenia’s energy flow through her. The energy consumes hers, and purple light engulfs her. One moment later there is nothing where she stood.

The next few seconds are awkward. I wait for the hourglass to have all of the sand fall to the bottom then bring her back.

Even more of Perenia’s energy flows through me to fuel bringing her back. And as suddenly as she disappeared, she’s back. My body positively hums with the sensation of releasing energy.

She looks down at herself, confused, “I’m waiting.”

I gesture to the hourglass, “I already did it.”

“Really?” She flexes her grip, “I do feel like I have a lot less energy.”

“Do you feel better about it now?”

“I do, I’m surprised that there really is no feeling to it.”

I look past her. I want to do something—anything really. I hate being idle.

“Since we have some time to spare, let’s practice moving around using your flight, Perenia.

“Sure.”

~

Beads of sweat cling to my brow, and I pant out of breath. I ended up spending several hours testing every arial maneuver I could think of. The forest makes great practice for making quick movements which will be absolutely necessary in future fights. I probably should have stopped sooner, but I enjoy the movement a bit too much.

Eventually I come to a stop by the tree where Blowout is resting in the shade of.

“Was that fun?” She tilts her head in curiosity, tossing me a water bottle.

“You could say that.”

I catch it and take several grateful gulps of refreshing cool water and drop down to sit next to her.

The golden sun is a bit before the highest point in the sky. Its light is behind wispy clouds that drift without a care for anything. The ground is a patchwork of sunlight and shade as light filters through the forest canopy.

“I want to spend the rest of the day practicing using Perenia’s energy so that I can be ready for anything that comes at us. I also do want to get some proper supplies though. So how about we go the nearby city tomorrow? I’ll figure out a way to get there without being seen.”

She quietly nods. “That’s fine. It’s quite nice out here in the woods, I don’t mind spending another night.”

I have to admit, it is pretty nice here. Usually, I am so busy going from one thing to another, always having something to improve on in between. Taking some time to relax in the shade this endless forest is nice.

I allow my thoughts to wander to what Perenia is thinking and feeling. She is passively contemplating various thoughts but none in particular. My own face appears as she thinks about me. She is cautiously optimistic that I can help her not disappoint everyone she left behind her. She worries that I might get addicted to her power and that she won’t be able to do anything but watch me act counter to her ideals. She doesn’t feel that I will go down that path, but she also doesn’t have much faith in her own ability to judge others. Not after what happened with Sunglow—No. Stop dwelling in the past. I can only move forward if I focus on what’s ahead.

“Hmm, I’ve been wondering.”

Blowout’s words pull me back into myself. Odd, the more I focused the more our consciousness seemed to blur together.

“What is your world like? I can’t help but fantasize of what it could be like. It seems so interesting.”

I look to the distance, “All things considered, it’s not that different as a whole. Yeah sure, the specifics are different, but people take actions based on their desires and shape the world accordingly just like here. Some people end up living pointless lives that amount to nothing while others have their name remembered through history. In a way those people are more immortal then even gods in this world.”

I smile realizing that I took her question in an entirely different direction. “Oh yeah, and we have metal boxes that fly across continents by burning flammable liquid.”

That got her interest.

She leans forward, “Without using energy?! How?”

“Well, it does use energy, just a slightly less magical kind.”

“I’m confused, is there energy or not where you’re from.”

“It’s in the translations. Don’t worry about it. If you are curious about thermal dynamics, I can educate you later.”

She leans back with stars in her eyes. I think I’ve only given her more misconceptions.

“What’s the most powerful weapon in your world?”

“That’s what you want to know?”

She laughs, “dueling is my hobby.”

“Well then it would probably be the hydrogen bomb. Just one could easily destroy a city ten times the size of Corundum.”

Her jaw drops.

“It would probably not be too hard to make with god energy, but I won’t. Not unless there is a seriously bad situation. I don’t want to have deal with the fallout. Both types. And besides, it ruins the fun of battle, so I do it not out of practicality but for myself.”

“Wow,” She puts a hand over her mouth.

“Me and Perenia have plenty of other ways of beating strong opponents, most of which I have yet to figure out. We’ll be doing that in our spare time. Building constructs can be done at any time, that’s a fun part of sharing a consciousness.”

“I have a question.”

I nod.

“Why do you call the Goddess of Power ‘Perenia’. Gods don’t really have names, their title is enough. Anything more would be a distraction from the force of nature they represent. That’s what I’ve read anyway.

“It’s a nice sounding nickname. It sounds a lot better than saying ‘The Goddess of Power’ every time I need to refer to her. Plus, she doesn’t mind it.

Says the person who goes by a Greek character. Perenia comments to me alone.

“I kinda like it.” Blowout smiles, “It makes her seem a lot more—human.”

I stand and pull my arms back, stretching. “It does. Do you want to do some light sparing? I need experience dodging and I can heal myself from things that aren’t fatal. If you don’t want to expend energy, then you can just throw some rocks. Afterwards we can find something to eat.”

She stands as well, “Sure, I can help you.”