Mikhail lifted the musket and put it down. It was brilliant, but clumsy. Ingenious but simple. The highest form of technology he had ever seen, but so backwards. It had taken him only a few days to construct one with Arascus’ help, but he wasn’t happy with it.

More could be done.

Maisara, Of Order, and Fortia, Of Peace, sat on the grass. The Gatekeepers knew they were here, but that was about it. Maisara didn’t consider herself to incapable of dealing with people, she was certainly better than Elassa, but she wasn’t a Helenna or even a Fortia. Sometimes, she wondered what the various mortals said about her behind her back.

Realistically, it’d be nothing good. Maisara smiled to herself as she looked up at the blue sky. One can hope though, she didn’t exactly appreciate being a Goddess who was only accepted because the alternative was far worse.

“Six days, eighteen hours left.” Fortia said out loud.

“Time passes slower if you keep track of it.” Maisara replied.

“You’re saying that?”

“I’ve heard others say it.” Maisara said and shrugged.

“It’s like I’m in prison.”

“Allasaria’s a little tyrant.” Maisara said and Fortia chuckled. She adjusted her posture and leaned on tree, her hand resting on Maisara’s forehead. The huge gate to Tartarus stood before them, two massive pillars of Godstone, topped off with a bridge connecting them. Several small castles and keeps made dotted the landscape around it, with more walls connecting it.

A thousand years ago, those castles had served as barracks for the Demons assisting Arda’s armies, now only a few were populated by a skeleton crew janitors to stop all of them from falling entirely into disrepair. The only signs of life was a few soldiers idly wandering near the foot of the Gate, like ants scurrying around the ankles of an elephant.

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Fortia, the sight worried; Peace was such a precious treasure yet they were leaving the treasury unlocked. Maisara, the sight infuriated; Why even bother with maintaining these forts if they weren’t going to be used? “How long?” Maisara asked.

“Not even a minute has passed yet.”

“Where’s Irinika when you need her?” Fortia burst out in laughter. “I’m serious, every single time Alla thinks up of something, look were we end up.”

“What do you think happened to her? Irinika I mean”

“I don’t know.” Maisara said and shrugged.

“It is what it is.”

“That it is.” Maisara agreed and rubbed her head against Fortia’s palm. “She’s out there though.”

“Helenna disagrees.” At Fortia’s words, it was Maisara’s turn to laugh. After a few minutes, she managed to finally speak again.

“Kill me when I agree with her.”

“Arascus will come back before that.” Both of them shared a giggle as Maisara closed her eyes. “At least we don’t get a tagalong.”

“Frankly, I wouldn’t mind the job if Leona didn’t…” Maisara’s voice trailed off.

“Same.” Fortia said. “We’re useless here.”

“It is what it is, honestly she’s not wrong.”

“Aye, the reasoning wasn’t bad.”

“It would be over though, we’d need to call on Paraideisus.” Maisara said and Fortia nodded. The Pantheon needed realism, the rest of them were pure idealists when it came to the fact war had gone extinct. “Pantheon Peace was a mistake.”

“Too late now, and Alla won’t go against her own idea.”

“It is what it is.” Maisara said. “We just have to deal with it.”

“Do you have any ideas on Leona?” Fortia asked.

“The worst thing to happen is that Gate opens.” Maisara lazily waved her arm to the massive structure without even looking at it. “What then? New Godkiller but I don’t think so. Olephia waking up? Maybe Fer or Anassa are up to something? Could be Baalka but we have Kavaa. New God?”

“What of?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have I ever told you when I talked to Arascus?”

“Before the war?”

“We talked during it too.” Maisara said.

“You’ve told me.” Fortia replied.

“Mmmh.” Maisara said as she put her hands underneath her head.. “But the older we get, the more I think on it.”

“Think on what?”

“What would have happened if Olephia had never been used.” Fortia chuckled for a few moments.

“You have to give it to the man, it was good to have him around.”

“Mmmh. Worthy opponent. Better than Anarchia.”

“Godkiller was fun.”

“Not as fun as the war.” Fortia stroked Maisara’s head as they looked off into the blue sky. “Have you talked with Kassandora?”

“I have.” Fortia nodded. Kassandora was surprisingly easy for her to get along with.

“Did she say anything about this?”

“No.”

“Well then all we can do is lie down and rot.” Maisara said, her breathing became long and deep as she drifted off to sleep underneath the shade.