“Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit!”

I hardly see what about this situation qualifies for such language. Also, there’s nothing particularly deific about your feces compared with non-avatars. Believe me, it was one of the first matters my siblings I and investigated.

Callan paused his manic pacing. “Really? Why in the world would you—”

He cut himself off with a shake of his head. “Never mind. That’s not important right now.”

Indeed. Now, I believe you were about to tell me about whatever revelation has occurred to you.

Right. “It’s Rym. I’m certain that he’s the other avatar!”

...The addict? There was a hesitant note in Xeph’s voice. Callan ignored it, lost to the fervor of his discovery as he was.

“Exactly! He’s the last person anyone would suspect. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before now!”

And how, exactly, did you come to this particular... revelation?

The words tumbled from Callan’s mouth, their speed matching his feet as he paced up and down the narrow alleyway. Windows to either side were shuttered, for which he was grateful—he didn’t want anyone overhearing this before he was ready to reveal the information himself.

“Think about it. Rym is the only one to never attend the arguments between Belinda and Veritas—how could they, since his own mother exiled him from the village? It’s the perfect cover story!”

I think you’re forgetting—

“And what about their camp out in the woods? Rym knew exactly where the bridge brigade was meeting. With one of the god’s own priests, no less!”

That’s a small leap in—

“Plus, what about Veritas’s clear dislike for the mayor? It makes more sense that this is about Rym getting revenge against his mother for throwing him out! Seriously, Xeph, it’s almost embarrassing that we didn’t put it together before now.”

Hmm. The god was silent a moment, long enough for Callan’s energy to burn away somewhat and his pacing to slow. Mortal. I can tell from the tone of your voice and the increased beating of your heart that you feel strongly about this. So rather than dismissing your theory out of hand, allow me to explain to you exactly why everything you have said is incorrect.

“Aww, gee, Xeph, don’t butter it up or anything.” Callan rolled his eyes, for his own gratification if nothing else. “You really don’t think Rym is the avatar?”

I do not. For several reasons, but primarily for what I have already stated—the yeth is a flux addict. He cannot also be the avatar.

“Why not?”

Xeph sighed. I have told you about my own experience with an avatar that was addicted to flux, yes? When my avatar was locked in the throes of chronostasis, I found myself sealed away as well, unable to communicate with the outside world. I was still able to exert my powers, but I had no more freedom than when I inhabited that statue. Less, even, for at least in the statue I was still able to speak. Inside a host whose mind had abandoned him, I could not even accomplish that much.

“Okay, I see what you’re getting at. Whenever Rym is under the side-effects of flux, he wouldn’t be available to play the part of avatar. And there’s no chance that Veritas is controlling the body themselves somehow?”

No, none. They would be unable to do anything beyond flex a few of their more basic powers.

Callan thought for a moment. “What if Rym is faking? All we really have is the village’s word that he’s an addict. Might all be an act.”

I considered that as well, Xeph acknowledged. However, we have seen their vacant expression for ourselves while working in the field. There is no way this yeth can fake the... emptiness I sensed in them. It is no act.

“Damn.” He felt his excitement deflating, leaving him quicker than it had arrived. “And I was so certain I had cracked the answer, too.”

Do not feel sad, mortal. It was a good theory, but simply one built on incomplete information.

Stepping from the alley, Callan started marching towards the gathered crowd. A few glanced over their shoulders at his approach.

You might well be on the right track, though, Xeph noted as he reached the crowd. Yeth villagers stepped aside to let Callan past, some of them watching him with neutral expressions, others looking openly hostile but saying nothing. No smiles that he could see. Had their reputation really deteriorated that much since Rictee’s death?

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” he muttered, keeping his voice low.

Veritas is almost certainly inhabiting someone in this yeth village. And the sooner we learn who that is, the better armed we’ll be to stand against them.

“Easier said than done, Xeph. We still haven’t even found all their priests.” Ahead of Callan, the last of the villagers parted, and he saw Belinda waiting for him in a circle of empty space.

And Veritas was with her.

The mayor gave Callan a look that would have curdled milk, but he kept his eyes locked on the opposing avatar. After a drawn-out moment, Veritas spoke. “Ahh... he arrives at last. The mayor and I were just... speculating about reasons for your absence.”

It was impossible to tell from behind the frozen wolf-faced mask, but Callan knew for a fact that Veritas was grinning at him.

Probably wolfishly. No pun intended.

“Yeah, sorry, I had to use the can first.” The other avatar tilted their head, but Callan just blazed on. “I’m here now, though. So how are we doing this? We have three challenges, correct? One that you pick, one I pick, one that’s chosen by a neutral party. Which goes first?”

“Ah. Normally the challenged avatar is given the choice of first or second contest.” Veritas paused dramatically, then continued, “And I wish to wait. What challenge have you prepared for us, Avatar Callan?”

Hearing his name used in such a formal manner sent a weird chill down Callan’s spine. He brushed it off. “About that. We have a challenge selected, but I’m waiting for my high priestess to verify it is prepared. Ah, speaking of...”

The crowd parted again, this time to allow Kivi entry, Sworv and Paeral trailing after her. Her entourage came to a stop several steps away, allowing the high priestess to continue the rest of the way alone.

Kivi leaned into a graceful bow. “My utmost apologies for my tardiness, avatars. I was only just informed—”

“Yes, yes,” Veritas interrupted. “Tardiness appears to be a trait all the members of your clergy share. But no matter, I'm sure your talents simply lie in... other areas.”

Again, Callan could hear the wolfish smile in the voice—even if it was modulated. Inside his head, Xeph let out a rumbling growl, while behind them the crowd muttered. This was not off to a great start.

“Well, we’re all here now,” he said, clapping his hands. “High Priestess, would you lead the way?”

“Of course, Avatar.” Kivi set off walking, with Callan and Veritas following close behind, then Belinda and her brood, and finally the rest of town, trailing after like a swarm of little ducklings.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Together they passed the edge of town, moving towards a section of fields on the opposite side of town from the one Callan had been practicing his Rock Sling—and a good thing, too. He wouldn’t want any ‘unnatural stone’ ending up near what they were planning.

“So, I notice you don’t have your usual priesthood with you today,” Callan noted as the field drew steadily closer. “Decided it would be better to have them watch from within the crowd?”

“And why would I need them, Avatar Callan?” Veritas turned their mask towards him. “Per the Accords of Divinity, I am extended the guestrite by you and yours for the duration of this duel, and you the same by mine. Only a fool would dare risk the wrath of the entire north by breaking such an agreement.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Callan had never heard even mention of these ‘Accords of Divinity’ before, but made a mental note to ask Xeph about it the first chance he got.

“Besides, my priests are free to do as they wish. Can you say the same for your own followers, Avatar Callan?”

“I really wish you’d stop calling me that. It’s just Callan.”

“Hmm. I will consider it, Avatar Callan.”

It took all of Callan’s mental fortitude not to let out a sigh. From within his mind, Xeph muttered, Do not let them provoke you. What does it matter what name they use for us, so long as they abide by the terms of the duel?

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Callan muttered as they stopped at the edge of a field. Several steps ahead, Kivi spun around.

“This shall be the site for the first challenge between the gods Veritas and Xeph-Zul-Karatl.” She gestured to the empty field behind her, which was strewn with rocks, ranging in size from pebbles to boulders half as tall as Callan. Several still bore traces of dirt from when they’d been excavated from the earth. It was a task that had kept Paeral and Sworv busy from dawn until dusk the last few days.

But that had been time not spent arguing, which was a win in Callan’s opinion.

“I see. And what is the nature of this challenge?” Veritas asked, surveying the field. Kivi’s face broke into a grin.

“It is quite simple, honored avatar. This first challenge is to be a rock-stacking contest.”

There was utter silence. Even the crowd behind them held back their whispers, waiting to hear more.

Finally, Veritas spoke again. “A... rock-stacking contest.”

“Correct. Whoever can stack the tallest pile before time runs out will be declared the winner.” Kivi gave the other avatar a hard stare. “Is this contest acceptable?”

“It matters not. If this is Xeph-Zul-Karatl’s choice for contest, then by their will, we shall comply.” Veritas gave a short bow. Then they glanced back at Callan, though their sightless mask was fixed upon the crowd. “Is this to be a contest of our powers, or no powers?”

“No powers,” Callan said automatically. He and Xeph had planned for this part as well.

“Hmm. Interesting. Given the... nature of this particular challenge, I would have thought you and that weakling god of yours would wish to utilize every little advantage available to you.”

“Just trying to even the odds a bit,” Callan said, smiling with all of his teeth. He strode out into the field.

“On my mark, the contest shall begin,” Kivi said. “The mayor and I will mark time. When five minutes have elapsed, we will declare a winner.”

Veritas nodded but said nothing further. With a final glance at Callan, Kivi raised her arms. “Avatars... begin!”

----------------------------------------

Callan immediately faced a dilemma. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not he and Xeph would cheat—that had already been decided well beforehand. The chances of being caught were minimal, and Veritas was right, they did need every advantage they could get. So really, it was simply a matter of how much they intended to cheat at rock stacking.

For instance, Callan couldn’t simply start reshaping the rocks to suit his fancy, making a pillar or totem pole similar to how he’d shaped the tidal towers, because that would definitely get them caught.

So instead he simply manipulated the rocks a little bit.

Picking up a rock about the size of his head with ease, he carried it over to the one he’d chosen to be his base and set it atop. The rock wobbled a little, but he wasn’t too worried about them falling at this point. He wasn’t that unskilled.

But just to be certain, as he moved his hands away he manipulated his fingers, just a few deft twitches hidden from the crowd. The two rocks sealed together, their seam also likewise hidden.

Alert: 5% Apotheosis used.

Total Apotheosis is at 5%

Well done, mortal, Xeph noted. However, do not rely on that too often, or we will exhaust our apotheosis before our stack grows high enough.

“Aw, c’mon, Xeph, you really think Veritas is going to outdo us that easily?” Callan chuckled and glanced over his shoulder to see how the other avatar was faring. His smile fell away.

As Xeph had expounded upon prior to the battle, there were two schools of thought when it came to stacking rocks—the safe pyramid, and the riskier tower. A pyramid benefited from a stable base, making it far less likely to topple over, but what it provided in safety it cost in time and additional materials.

Veritas had opted for the tower approach, just like Callan. And while he did not have the benefit of a stone god’s powers to keep those rocks from tumbling down, he did have another advantage.

An absolutely ridiculous amount of Brawn.

As Callan watched, he selected the second-largest boulder in the field—one so large that Callan could not have even wrapped his arms all the way around it—and proceeded to set it atop the largest boulder in the field. The boulder wobbled a moment before settling into place. Satisfied, Veritas moved in the direction of the third-largest boulder.

Already their tower was three times the size of Callan’s own, and the damn avatar wasn’t even cheating!

Don’t just stand there, mortal! Get to work! Xeph’s words barked in his ear. Callan leapt up and moved for another rock.

“Okay, so maybe this won’t be as easy a win as I’d hoped,” he admitted, selecting another stone and moving back to his stack. “Still, you weren’t kidding about tiering up being a sizeable increase. Just thinking about moving a rock that size makes my back hurt.”

He placed several more stones on top of his tower, using Shape Stone once more to make sure they didn’t come toppling down. While still mildly wobbly, he was confident in its strength.

“It’s a pity I have to waste a whole use of my orison every time,” he noted under his breath, adding a sixth rock to his stack. “We’re barely even working with a tenth of the maximum.”

Unless you can think of an alternative use for Shape Stone, it is the only trick we have. Now, why don’t we try that oblong piece of shale over there? It should provide a bit more stability as we stretch further up.

Callan, however, had stopped listening. He glanced over at Veritas again, where the god had finished maneuvering a fourth boulder onto his pile and was attempting a fifth. However, the god had been slowed down by a small but obvious problem: it didn’t matter how strong you were, if you couldn’t reach the top of a stack, you couldn’t place your enormous boulder there.

Callan snickered as he watched the avatar stare at his tower. It was impossible to tell what they were thinking behind the mask, but maybe there was a chance that he and Xeph could catch up after all—

Without warning, the god leapt into the air, still holding the boulder. They rose a solid five, six feet in the air before slowing, just giving enough time for them to gently deposit the next boulder onto their pile. Landing with a soft plume of dust, they turned and regarded Callan with their expressionless mask. Behind them, the pile wobbled but held.

“Hey, Xeph.”

Yes, human?

“We’re not going to be able to beat that, are we?” Callan glanced back at his own stack, which was now about the height of Veritas’s first two boulders.

...I do not believe so, no.

“Then it’s time to think outside the box.” Callan resumed working on his tower, but didn’t bother gluing any more rocks to it, just placed them as carefully as he could. Xeph was right, the shale did prove the perfect piece to build on. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Veritas.

The next time the god leapt for his pile, he was ready. As the avatar placed the boulder atop the stack, Callan twisted his hands about, using his Shape Stone orison.

Not on his own pile, though.

As the rock settled gently atop, the whole pile shuddered. It pitched to one side, and as Veritas landed, most of it came crashing down, leaving only the first two boulders remaining. The other avatar spun and looked at Callan.

“Oooh, bad luck there.” Callan tried to keep his expression neutral. He resumed working on his own tower, whistling tunelessly under to himself. Behind him, he heard Veritas begin scraping his rocks about. Once, there was a pause, likely when they found the rock with the now misshapen side, but a moment later they resumed their stacking.

“Two minutes remaining,” Kivi’s voice echoed across the field.

Callan glanced over, and saw Veritas bend their legs, preparing to once again deposit their fifth stone atop their tower. He flexed his fingers as he activated Shape Stone.

Up into the air went Veritas. Down came the stone onto the pile, gentle as a five-hundred-pound feather. The entire tower quivered.

And held.

“The hell?” Callan flexed his fingers and activated Shape Stone again.

Alert: 5% Apotheosis used.

Total Apotheosis is at 24%

Nothing like cutting it close, he thought ruefully, slicing a large chunk from the bottom rock and pushing it to the sides. It’d be a little more obvious than before, but not so much Veritas could cry foul. Still, this ought to do the trick. Now I just need to add another rock or two to my own and...

The rock tower swayed, and then went still again. This time at a slight angle, like it was a naturalistic version of the Tower of Pisa. Callan gaped.

“How in the ding dong—”

Down near the bottom of Veritas’s tower he spotted his answer. A glint of metal showed beneath the rock, propping it up and holding it steady. Now that he looked, Callan saw the glint of iron between the other rocks, though it was difficult to be certain about near the top.

Veritas had used metal to replicate their own trick. And with more proficiency, too!

The god watched them for a moment, then seemingly satisfied, stalked off for another stone. Inside his head, Xeph rumbled with anger.

“One minute,” Kivi announced.

What is the plan now, mortal?

“I... I don’t know,” Callan admitted. He glanced back at his own pile. It was barely two boulders high. Not nearly enough to win. “I really don’t know.

Well think of something! And do it quickly!

But Callan was out of Apotheosis, and out of tricks. “There’s nothing we can do, Xeph.

“We’ve lost.”