One demesne, one divine. There is no one who will disagree with that, however I would reframe things. Epa once had a God of Rivers, who reformed only one year before the Great War ended into Tethya, Goddess of Rivers. Guguo has none to claim the title though, instead each stream has its own guardian deity in the same vein of our Fortress Spirits.
My own belief, and Saranael agrees with me, is that Epan mentality operates on a more conceptual, rather than material scale. Whereas Guguo is filled with traditions and arcane legalisms that make magicians blush, Epan mentality can be summed in Saranael’s new favourite revelation: “All I know is that I know nothing.” There is another case for it though, Guguo is older than Epan nations. Through ‘one demesne, one Divine’ we can reason that whereas Guguo brought about its guardian spirits and Divines for locations first and closed down its route to the most powerful, Epa effectively claimed the grandest titles: Of Rivers encompasses all moving freshwaters in the continent. Iniri is the grandest example, we will never have an Of Flowers, Of Trees, Of Oaks because her demesne encompasses all flora.
Arascus came to this realisation first, and he did not share it. Of Weapons was slain. Of Swords came about first, thus a section of Of Weapons was taken. We will never have the grand slaughter deity again. Instead we have Aslana, Labrys, Pridwen, the rest of them. I wonder if it was a calculated move. An Of Swords will be inherently more powerful than being separated further, into the demesnes of Scimitars, Sabres, Short and Longswords and so on.
I am glad certain Divines have come to save Epa from itself. Because Helenna is here, we have her rival Malam, but I much prefer this situation than having the unified Of Obsession. Kassandora and Fortia are another example, one of them must be kept alive, because to risk both dying at the same time and reforming into something akin to Of Conflict is too dangerous.
- Excerpt from “Documenting Divinity”, written by Goddess Allasaria, of Light. Written in the first decade after the Great War. Currently in Kirinyaa.
Helenna looked out the window of the private plane at the sea of clouds below them. This high up, there were always cloud, but it was only an hour flight from CR to Nanbasa. Boring, but Arascus was coming too. The plane was what Neneria had come back on. Whatever plane had dropped her into Olympiada obviously couldn’t land there, so her team merely stole one from the skyport.
Good for them frankly. The White Pantheon was the only place in the world with planes designed specifically for Divine needs. The couches against the windows were so tall grown men could dangle their legs off the side. The ceiling was built to give Allasaria headroom, which meant that Arascus only had to incline his head slightly if he stood up straight. He wasn’t though, he was sprawled out on the couch opposite the isle.
Supposedly rich mortals had private bars in their private planes, but everyone in the White Pantheon could empty a bar in an hour if they were in a sour mood, which they usually were. Instead it was cabinets. Cabinets upon cabinets in the back, filled with anything and everything. Helenna looked up from her wine glass and at Arascus, he was watching her drink in silence. “I’m surprised you’ve not commented yet.” Helenna said.
“What about?” He asked. She tapped the glass filled with red wine in answer and he merely shrugged. “No one’s a child here, I expect you to not to turn up to meetings drunk.”
“Of course I won’t.”
“I know.” Arascus said. “That’s why I’m not going to say anything.” Helenna laughed as she took a sip of the wine. For a Divine, that was a quarter of the wine.
“So what will we be doing?” Helenna asked as she reclined. CR was comfortable, but there was little in Arda that compared to the comfort the White Pantheon could provide. They really had made a good choice stealing this one.
“We need lawyers.” Arascus said with a sigh. “I’ll give you two months on this one but it’s your job. I don’t care how you do it. I’d prefer no delays but time will be made if you need more.” Helenna laughed. Who did he think she was? Lawyers? Give her a day for something that small. “Kassandora representing herself will be a bad look. She could do it, she’d win, but it simply wouldn’t look good in the long run.” Arascus continued. “Everyone knows she’s competent, but mortals can only take a certain amount of Divine competence before they start to feel patronized.”
“I understand.” She had heard the plan. If Kassandora was to coup the country, it would be better if it looks like she’s saving it from itself. Not that she’s so overpowering that Kirinyaa is simply better in her hands. That sort of logic bred anti-Divine sentiment.
“But obviously the issue is we can’t…” Arascus stopped for a moment. “Lawyers get to see the case. It’ll be more trouble than it’s worth if we’re tricking our side as well.”
“So you want lawyers for the long run.” Helenna said confidently.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Treat it is if someone like Sokolowski knows, the lawyer will know. We need that level of fanaticism.” Helenna swirled the glass. That would prove harder, especially among the Kirinyaans themselves. They loved Kassandora, but it wouldn’t sit right with them that they’d be plotting against themselves. Again, not a case of them being unfit for the job, but it would open up a can of worms they could avoid later down the line.
“We’re taking Kirinyaa over though.” Helenna said. “Is it time to start calling the favours in?” She smiled at him and sipped her wine again. The glass ran out.
“With politicians, go ahead. Burn them.” Arascus confirmed. “Anyone you consider easily replaceable, I don’t think I have to tell you not to burn the manufacturers and people like that.” Helenna smiled to herself as she poured another glass. The man was smooth indeed, he just told her who not to burn whilst complimenting her. This was the sort of thing Allasaria would write out a list for and still be angry when Helenna purposefully found an annoying way around it to remove someone important.
“I know who can be replaced.” Helenna said, she sipped the glass. And so, she would do a good job. Had he tricked her into? Had she agreed? She didn’t really know, but this style of leadership far suited her.
“Kassandora will need legal documents relevant. She can mount her own defence.” Arascus said then trailed off. He extended his arm and moved his fingers about. Helenna passed him the wine bottle. “But it is Kassie.” He took a swig.
“Too all or nothing.” Helenna said as Arascus emptied half the bottle in a go.
“Took the words out of my mouth.” He said. “The only people who don’t appreciate a delicate touch are those who haven’t felt it.” He said with a smile as Helenna laughed, her hair turned red.
“I’m very delicate.” Helenna said. “It’ll be done.”
“Tomorrow, you should have assistance arrive too.” Helenna’s eyes widened. Assistance? That word was only used when she was the assistance.
“Who?”
“Kassandora is sending soldiers to you.” He said confidently and emptied the bottle. “She’ll know who to pick.”
Helenna raised her tone to a farcical level. “You know me, I expect the best.”
“We have standards here.” Arascus said. “We only get the best.”
“Best enough to do it in one month?” Helenna asked and Arascus chuckled.
“I’ll take you out to dinner if you do it in one month.” Helenna smiled. She was perfectly aware she was being played right now. No one spoke to Divines like that, and especially not to Helenna. Even Inventions and Forces would lower their heads and pretend not to see her when she entered the room. Did they think she cared? If she wanted to be modest, she would! And this man set a challenge like that? How could she not take the bait?
“That a bet?”
“Bets take two sides?”
“Then dinner’s mine if I can’t.” Arascus laughed as he stood up to get a bottle.
“Then I’d start making reservations if I were you.”
She knew she was played, but sometimes, being played was even more fun than doing the playing.
Fer knelt at an ancient battle site in the thick forest. Dark furs had died here. Dark furs and more her pack. She told them she would visit once. It was done. Now a hundred more to go.
Helenna waited at her hotel when the men arrived. They said they’d be here seven, thirty one, they were seven thirty one to the damn dot. That’s how you knew you were dealing with Kassandora’s types. Only Maisara’s Paladins could compete with that level of stupid little precision.
Twenty Kassandora had sent, they’d be sleeping four to a room. Five rooms, Helenna took the penthouse suite. She said that it’s because it was the only one that managed to fit a Divine, but that wasn’t really the case. If all the rooms fit Divines, she would still be in the penthouse. They saluted her as they would their commanding officer and Helenna made an unamused face. “Do you know what you’re doing?” She asked.
“Yes Goddess!” The lead man replied, still holding the salute. He was dressed in standard uniform, a green shirt, green shorts, boots for walking through ash, still dirty.
“Do you know why you are here?” Helenna snapped.
“To assist in an operation I will not say in public.” Helenna rolled her head from side to side. Amazing, really.
“So why are you dressed like that?” Helenna asked. The man still held the damn salute.
“Goddess Kassandora sent us off like this.” He said. Helenna laughed, well she’d send them back in dresses then. How would Kassie enjoy that?
“Do you know what politicians wear?”
“Yes Goddess!”
“Get to shopping then. Here’s a card.” She pulled a bank card she had prepared for them. Well, someone had prepared it for her, but Divines usually got things free of charge. The man held the salute still. Helenna blinked at him, he did not blink at her.
“Are you serious right now?” She asked.
To think the Goddess of Love would actually have to be pulling military salutes.
Arascus looked through his letters. There was one from Helenna, handwritten, wax seal unbroken. If it was important enough to have one of Kassandora’s soldiers hand deliver it, it must be good. He broke the seal, the inside smelled like perfume. That was classically Helenna.
And as he read it, he burst out into laughter. What a move. He would have never thought of it.
Helenna entered a room in Kirinyaa’s parliament. The ceilings were high, the doorframes could fit Allasaria, the table was huge, there was a grand chair akin to a throne already prepared for her. And around it sat the most influential politicians, not the popular ones, but the old guard. The ones who knew how to pull strings, the ones that Helenna had made sure would get a nice slice of the reclaimed land from the Jungle. She had come early, she usually did for meetings. But mortals had a habit of coming even earlier than Divines when the meeting was being hosted by a Divine. Kassandora’s soldiers followed her in, each man in a prim suit and looking as respectable as the men around the table.
Turning lawyers into Kassandora’s men was a tough job. But turning Kassandora’s men into lawyers would be far easier. After all, there was only main roadblock, they had to be Kirinyaan nationals. And that was a mere bureaucratic speedbump.
Had something so simple as bureaucracy ever stopped the march of Love? Helenna took her seat and reshuffled her papers. “Gentlemen, I am glad you have come. I have an issue that pains my heart.”