The grandest purpose of a battle, it’s primary and most important reason to exist, is not measured on the level of grand strategy or tactical battles. It is measured in the opposition’s willingness to support the war, a population united and proud would rather lay down the lives and burn their own cities than let an invader rape and pillage. The ultimate purpose of battles is to crush this mentality, to make resistance look futile and scars that burn eternal, to show that there are only two solutions: surrender or death. The enemy’s prospect of victory should become a subject so far-fetched it is unimaginable, whereas ours becomes so secured it is simply a matter of time. In this way, any victory can be spun into a defeat, any defeat can be spun into a victory: “Look at what you sacrificed for this, and look at us still here!”

A willing man will raise a mountain, an unwilling man will not bother to raise his arm.

- Excerpt from Kassandora’s “On War Philosophy”

Kassandora ordered Kavaa to heal Anassa as the Goddess of Sorcery landed crashed into the sand between them with a heavy thud. The wound in her chest no longer existed, but Anassa only deluded herself into being healed, the damage Fortia had done was real. Kassandora’s War Orchestra played as it issued an order to Kavaa to heal. And then the violins played notes to Sokolowski: Take over the full retreat. Pull the men out south, as fast as you can.

And a set of smaller violins answered immediately. Copy Goddess, I will pull them out. Kassandora glanced once at Anassa. Her sister was breathing heavily as Kavaa put her knees on the woman’s shoulders to force her not to stand. The Goddess of Sorcery had lost colour in her face, she was pale, the few wisps of sorcery she conjured up were mere lines that faded away into nothingness. “I don’t need healing.” She growled for a moment. Anassa wasn’t strong physically, but she should have been able to throw Kavaa off herself.

“You do!” Kavaa shouted at her.

“I don-“ Kassandora stopped as she turned back around in disbelief. Anassa had a red handprint over her cheek. Kavaa forcefully grabbed Anassa’s face and dug her fingers tight into her skin.

“Hold still Ana! This will hurt!”

“I will make sureee….” Anassa’s voice gave way to a crazed moan as Kavaa started to heal her. Kassandora didn’t even want to think about the pain the Anassa was going through. Healing a broken arm was bad enough, reforming organs and muscles and the spine?

“How long Kavaa?” Kassandora asked as she swung Joyeuse in Fortia’s direction. The Goddess of Peace was sauntering towards them, her army had rallied behind her. Mages and minor Divines. Maisara’s Paladins and Fortia’s own Guardian Orders. A shield wall formed as Kassandora ordered her own men to fire back. Bullets flew past her and were caught by barriers of sand and air.

Kavaa wasn’t panicking, but her voice was far from calm. “For a complete heal?”

“For her to move again.” Kassandora replied flatly as she extended her blessing to the neighbouring divisions. She saw the whole camp. The north where tents had been burned and knocked down by magics. Where fabrics had been cut, where men lay dead. The south were her own troops were starting to filter out slowly from the battle.

“A minute!” Kavaa shouted back. A minute was too long, this distance was close enough for what the lemurs to arc their shots high into the air and drop from above, even with that added time, it was much too long. The drums in War’s Orchestra signalled for the neighbouring divisions to fire a creeping barrage from the north to the south. Guns roared as men re-organised themselves under Kassandora’s will, soldiers dropped their guns to make long lines of bodies passing shell from truck to man to cannon. Thirty seconds to impact.

“You have half of one.” Kassandora said back as Anassa let out another disgusting moan. Sick! The woman was sick! “I’ll hold them off until then.” Kassandora took a step forwards as Fortia raised her spear to signify a stop to her army. Maybe she had missed the roaring artillery from the sides. It was loud here, with screams and orders and gunshots still echoing through what remained of Sokolowski’s camp. Magical winds were the worst, they roared around like thunderous beasts.

Twenty-Nine Seconds.

“So a duel?!” Fortia shouted. Kassandora raised Joyeuse ahead of her and shouted back.

“Like the olden days.” If she could keep Fortia talking, then she wouldn’t have to risk her life. In strategy, Kassandora was a league above Fortia. In terms of raw strength, the Kassandora had always considered herself to never match up with the major Divines. And Fortia was not just any major Divine. “Are you enjoying this?”

“You could say I am.” Fortia shouted and lunged forwards. The distance between them was covered in the blink of an eye. Fortia’s spear aimed for Kassandora’s chest, the Goddess of War swung Joyeuse to parry Peace’s spear, and then the spear twisted and aimed for Kassandora’s legs. Kassandora pulled on the strength of soldiers who were too deep into the camp to retreat. They fainted and collapsed as their energy entered their commander.

Up was bad, the moment your feet left the ground, you no longer had any control over your body. Back was too slow. Kassandora’s mind made the decision immediately. Her boots twisted and she launched herself forwards to close the gap. War’s black armour slammed into Peace’s golden-bronze and Fortia took a step back. The spear-shaft still hit Kassandora’s thigh, but a bruise was better than a lost leg.

Kassandora let go of Joyeuse and slammed one fist into Fortia’s chest. The other went for the head. Fortia dodged as her body moved as quickly as a pouncing snake. She dropped the spear and backhanded Kassandora across the shoulder, it would have hit Kassandora’s helm if Kassandora didn’t bend to absorb the impact with her arm.

The two Goddesses were thrown backwards. “You’re still good.” Fortia shouted.

“I try.” Kassandora moved her arm as she stared Fortia down. “You’ve not lost your touch Fortia.” Compliments to Peace were always good, Fortia liked to listen others sing her praises.

Twenty-Five Seconds.

The two Goddesses stared at each other. “It’s always impressed me you could bite off so much.” Fortia said as she raised her arm and her spear reappeared in her hand. Joyeuse rematerialized in Kassandora’s grip too. “Waeh for one.” Fortia said as the spear made a showy spin around her. “How you got him, I don’t know.”

“Dogs.” Kassandora shouted back. Fortia laughed out loud. It was a short laugh.

“Dogs?” Kassandora watched Fortia’s eyes as they scanned her body. She held Joyeuse ahead of herself, ready to deflect that spear.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw it either.” Kassandora said. Anything to keep her talking a moment longer. Now that she had to walk, she was sure that her thigh had more damage than just a bruise.

“None of us would have fallen to dogs.” Fortia shouted.

“None of us would have.” Kassandora agreed. “But they don’t make Divines how they used to.” Fortia laughed again as she took a step forwards. That was the sign. Kassandora’s grip tightened Joyeuse thick hilt.

“That is true, they don’t.” Fortia finished the words already mid-lunge.

Twenty Seconds.

Black blade met a flurry of gold as Kassandora let the spear tip slide past Joyeuse and then swung at the spear’s shaft. It was like hitting an anvil, Fortia’s arm barely moved as it withstood Kassandora’s strength, the tip of the spear caught onto Kassandora’s armour and tore a piece of black metal off. Kassandora spun, the impact of the spear used to accelerate herself as she held onto Joyeuse with one hand and caught Fortia’s spear with the other.

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The blade made a full rotation around Kassandora’s head and aimed directly at Fortia’s neck. War’s red eyes saw Peace’s golden ones sharpen through the slits of that bronze helm. She heard Fortia’s breath catch and then her own be expelled as Fortia jerked the spear to the side. Kassandora’s arm jerked with it, she lost her foot, squeezed out more strength from her army and kept that Joyeuse heading towards Fortia’s vitals.

And then a fist hit Kassandora in the stomach. She was blown backwards into the sand as Fortia made another show of spinning her spear around her head. “That was close Kass, I’ll give you that.” Fortia shouted as Kassandora’s eyes went to Joyeuse. It had been sent spinning towards the sky.

Eighteen.

Kassandora made a show of clambering to her feet. Onto her knees first, then she pushed off the ground with both hands as she brought herself up. It was for show on one hand, but it also bought another second. For the shells to get here and for Anassa’s healing to continue. Fortia was all manner of things, but she did fight honourably. Kassandora held her arm out, Joyeuse reappeared in her grip as she rubbed her stomach. “Stronger than before.” Another compliment, something else to make Fortia feel good about herself, hopefully she’d indulge in the praise.

“You’re just weaker than before.” Fortia replied. “You’ve lost a lot in the cell.”

“Not surprising is it, with Pantheon Peace?” Kassandora said as she lifted the blade to a parry stance again and took another step. Her leg really did hurt. A bone was fractured then. And a rib now. She pushed the pain away, the Kassandora of today had to survive so that the Kassandora of tomorrow could suffer through it.

“My plan.” Fortia said proudly. “Allasaria claims it’s hers, but it was my idea.” Kassandora saw the opening. If there was anything Fortia loved to hate, it was Allasaria.

“Let’s not pretend Allasaria can organise something as impressive as Pantheon Peace.” Kassandora took another step and felt herself stumble. Fortia smiled, whether at Kassandora’s weakness or the complaint about Allasaria, Kassandora did not care. Both would be best!

“Let us not.” Fortia said and raised her spear again.

“Where is she?” Kassandora asked. Fortia merely smirked.

“I do not know.” Fortia said, the spear spun again. “That’s my honest answer. We do not know, she disappeared when you killed Leona. Leona’s body was confirmed, unless your sister ate her whole, we don’t know.” Kassandora farcically dropped her sword in shock, then Joyeuse reappeared in her grip. That bought yet another second. “Are you ready to surrender? Olympiada has a cell for you.”

“Over my dead body.” Fortia smiled.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” And the Goddess of Peace lunged forwards once again, spear extended, aimed straight at Kassandora’s core.

Fourteen.

Kassandora stepped towards the spear, then sidestepped at the last second. Joyeuse hefted in both hands only barely managed to force the spear away from her. The black blade slid down the length of Fortia’s spear and towards her blade. Fortia dropped her spear, Kassandora moved the swing of the blade from being direction to her arm to her stomach.

And Fortia stepped forwards, just as Kassandora had done, until chest-plate hit chest-plate and Kassandora stumbled backwards under the sheer bulk of Fortia. They weren’t even different in height, Fortia was just naturally so much more powerful.

Kassandora’s forearm slammed into Fortia’s side. Fortia’s knee slammed into Kassandora’s hip. The Goddess of Peace didn’t even flinch at Kassandora’s impact. The Goddess of War was thrown to the side as Fortia’s spear re-appeared in her hand. Kassandora out of control in the air, she stabbed Joyeuse into the stand and spun around to dodge the spear blow, then jumped back.

Fortia closed the distance again, spear coming down from above and being used like a club. Kassandora dodged to the side, ripped Joyeuse from the ground with a spray of sand and felt her calves absorb the impact of Fortia’s blow again.

Ten.

Kassandora fell spun in the air again, her eyes concentrating on that spear as her hands lashed out to grab the shaft. Fortia’s spear moved as easily as a snake, as if the Goddess wasn’t handling something the length twice of herself and a nimble toothpick instead. It ducked down just out of Kassandora’s reach, thrust forwards and the slammed upwards into Kassandora.

Fortia continued the swing in a full semi-circle. Kassandora landed on her side, she heard the crack of an arm, another rib. Her leg felt loose. She pushed all the pain away. Future Kassandora’s problem, not today’s. One arm pushed her off away from Fortia and sent her rolling back. Fortia took a step back and let her spear tip make a line in the sand as she looked from Kassandora to Anassa and Kavaa.

No. Not them. Kassandora pushed herself upwards. She recalled Joyeuse again and used it as stick to lean on. One leg was loose indeed, the bone had cracked at the thigh, she had broken limbs enough in her life to recognise the dulled pain of broken bone and the biting stings inside her leg as sharp shards caught and cut muscle. “I’m still standing.” Kassandora said. Fortia turned back to look at her.

Eight.

“So you are.” Fortia said, her gaze flicked back to Anassa and Kavaa. “I was just checking how much more time we have to play around.” Her lips made a smile that barely revealed itself through the slits in her helm. “Fer would be standing already, that’s all I have to say about her.”

“Fer wouldn’t have been hit in the first place.” Kassandora shouted back. She wouldn’t be able to withstand another battery by Fortia, all that had to be done was to keep her talking and to get Anassa angry. Anassa fed on fury like no one else.

“I’m surprised honestly.” Fortia said. “All of you have grown weaker.”

“You’ve grown stronger.” Kassandora said. Frankly, she’d bow and beg if that bought time. It didn’t matter what it was at this point. Her hand started to slide down Joyeuse’ hilt as strength left her fingers. Kassandora found more soldier who wouldn’t make it out. She devoured their strength to keep herself standing.

Six.

“I’ve kept myself sharp.” Fortia said. “A thousand years with Allasaria wasn’t a waste.” She clicked her tongue and tilted her head to one side. “Are you sure you want to stand?”

“I stand.” Kassandora said through a heavy breath. She coughed out some blood.

“You’re a good sport.” Fortia said. “But we both know this is the end of the line.” Kassandora smiled. Fortia had refocused all her attention back on Kassandora. Kavaa was still kneeling with Anassa’s head in her hands as Anassa lay passed out between her legs.

Five.

“I still stand, do I not?”

“Kass.” Fortia clicked her tongue. “I have one to tell you.”

“What?” Kassandora’s grip around Joyeuse tightened as Fortia lunged forwards again.

Four.

Kassandora lifted Joyeuse to try and intercept that attack. To deflect it away from herself, tried to at least. The blade touched the spear’s shaft and then was ripped out of her hands as she lost control over herself. Fortia moved it from a killing blow to a pin in the last moment. The tip dropped from Kassandora’s heart to just below her chest.

Kassandora fell backwards with a scream of pain as the golden spear penetrated her armour. Metal cut flesh as Fortia drove the spear deeper, through Kassandora and into the sand. She gave it a twist and Kassandora only moaned in pain. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone.” Fortia said and gave her spear another twist, Kassandora felt the strands of muscle in stomach twist and wrap themselves and the edges of that spear. “That’s for the trouble you’ve given me.”

Kassandora eyes flicked from Fortia to the sky. Her vision was going blurry, but she saw what she needed to see clearly. Hundreds of black dots filling up the sky, moving and closing the distance to them. “I’ll give you this honour Kassandora, Goddess of War.” Fortia made a magnanimous tone. “Do you want to make sure your last words aren’t just ‘what’?” Anassa started to stir in Kavaa’s lap.

Three.

Kassandora bared her teeth at Fortia as she let go of the spear in her chest. Oh she did have words, but they weren’t going to be her last. “I win.” And if they were, it was words she wouldn’t mind going out on. Fortia actually let go of the spear and blinked in surprise.

Two.

Anassa pulled herself back into consciousness and out of the blackout, swaying back and forth, her arms falling loose by her sides. Her mouth open as her eyes sharpened. Kavaa put her hands on Anassa’s back as she kept on healing the woman. Kassandora heard the Goddess of Sorcery snap her fingers. A band of red sorcery appeared around her stomach, Anassa said nothing, she just pulled on whatever sorceries had managed to recover themselves within her soul.

One.

Two of Kassandora’s ribs were ripped out as Anassa swung her arm backwards. Kassandora went with that swing, thrown like a ragdoll, ripped out of Fortia’s pin and tumbling into the sky as if she was little more than a ball. Kavaa was thrown up just as carelessly, merely tossed as high and as fast as possible, with all the power Anassa could conjure up right now.

Impact.

Kassandora tumbled through the air as Anassa appeared by her side. Anassa caught her, and then pulled her towards Kavaa. The Goddess of Health was silently falling from the blue sky, a speck of silver and green in that amour of hers.

Kassandora turned her head and managed to catch one final sight of Sokolowski’s camp. Fortia was aiming her spear at them, and then the shells hit, she lost her footing and was thrown into the air with a roar of rage. The fires of napalm devoured man and cloth and tent as if all were paper. Fortia’s army started to retreat back in a chaotic fashion. They ran through the jelly that had been extinguished earlier when they had marched into the camp.

A single shell landed north of the camp. It exploded in a fireball, and the grey jelly on the ground set alight.

Sands and metals. Bodies and bones. Weapons and armours. Mage and Man and Divine. It all burned.

Kassandora closed her eyes as Anassa caught up to Kavaa and she felt Of Health’s terrible healing enter her.