When Malam joined the ranks of Arascus’ Daughter-Goddess, Allasaria’s White Pantheon scrambled to recruit me. I was caught up in the excitement and the grandiosities of creating a new world, that was true. I think all of us, I still remember Fortia’s and Maisara’s optimistic excitement when we returned back to Olympiada from victory at Rhomaion.

Yet there was another reason too. The White Pantheon would have not won without me. I will simply say it as it is. The Forces cannot so much as convince men to wake up on time, much less rally them in a war. Kavaa is not forceful enough, and accepts those who come to her but does not push them. Those who follow Of Health are the most loyal because there is no such thing as Clerical recruitment grounds. Allasaria, Maisara and Fortia on the other hand are too forceful. Of Peace and Of Order would reduce all humanity to nothing more than cogs and gears if they could.

So they needed me, because me & Malam hold a monopoly on public opinion. Maybe it is the fact both of us are powerless and thus needed to learn these skills. I do not really know why I can do this though, I simply know that a nation with Malam, of Hatred, will fight to the last man, even when the war is against three worlds and there is no chance of victory. And that a nation with Helenna, of Love, will fight to the last to the man, even when the greatest Divines: Kassandora, Irinika, Olephia & Neneria are on the opposing side.

- Excerpt from the autobiography: “Roses, Blades & Blood”, written by Goddess Helenna, of Love.

Kavaa ran out of the tent, her eyes scurrying about the landscape. Frankly, Malam could go to Hell and Elassa could cry herself there. Maybe eras ago, when Kavaa still had some sort of warmth in her heart, she would have felt bad for them. Not today. And especially not when she saw Kassandora break down like that. The woman had not cried, her voice hadn’t cracked, she didn’t scream, but Kavaa could see the collapse of character immediately. It was beyond obvious and impossible to hide; Kavaa knew, because Kavaa broke down in the same fashion.

Kavaa looked around the campsite. To the north was the temporary town that had been established when the industry of Nanbasa had been evacuated. To the east was the ruins of Nanbasa. Ruins charred by napalm, ruins shattered by explosives, ruins slathered in blood. The great ring of broken buildings that once made up the circular city surrounded the corpse of that huge monster that had been killed and then half devoured. Kavaa had only overheard what had happened, but she got the picture generally. Uriamel called a full retreat the moment that beast died, and now their forces have been chased away even further. Apparently, reports were coming from the UNN that their military was assisting in the reconstruction efforts.

So Kavaa ignored the tents and soldiers. It was largely Kassandora’s troops, although a good number of Clerics in silver and steel armour and green undershirts were scattered about in odd places. The Clerics all stood up and saluted when they saw Kavaa, she had to wave them down every time. It wasn’t that the men weren’t important, but…

Kavaa’s eyes caught a glint of Kassandora as she jumped up onto one of those huge red rocks that were like a pimple on the ground. Kirinyaa had mountains in the north, but once they were cut off, it was these stones. And Kavaa ran. Past the men, past the camp. Past the rows and rows of parked tanks and artillery. Past the airfield that was constantly bustling with activity. Civilians were being sent off to live with their families in the rural countryside. And Kavaa kept on running, out of the camp, onto the red soil of Kirinyaa, under that great blue endless sky.

Until Kavaa reached the foot of the giant rock Kassandora had chosen to hide on. Far away from the camp, and tall. Kavaa wished she could jump as high as Kassandora, but if she could not, then she would clamber. Up onto one rock, onto another, a jump here. A hop there. It took the same amount of time as the run here did but eventually, Kavaa’s hand grabbed onto flat ground and the Goddess of Health pulled herself up. Kavaa got up and brushed the red soil off her dirt as her eyes scouted the rock.

It had a few trees, all with sparse branches and sparser leaves, and rocky ground. And one Goddess. Kassandora sat on the ground, in the shade of a tree, her knees pulled up and Joyeuse slammed into the ground. The rocks here had very obviously been smashed just moments before. Kassandora pulled her head out of her knees, red eyes framed by red hair staring angrily at Kavaa. “Why are you here?”

Kavaa thanked whatever Divine looked after Divines that Kassandora was angry. If the woman had already composed herself and was returning, if all she had needed was a simple walk to get through what she had just done, then Kavaa would have honestly just put herself down. Kassandora’s hyper-competence was not infinite, thank the Heavens for that. “I came to see you.”

“Ah.” Kassandora said. Kavaa raised an eyebrow. Nothing? Kassandora merely stared at her. Nothing. So Kavaa went to sit down next to the Goddess of War. Kassandora did not get closer, but she did not pull away from the touch either. They both looked out over the camp, the dark ring of rubble that reminded Kavaa of an insect’s nest. And its workers, the ants that were the heavy construction vehicles which worked to clean up the rubble.

“How are you feeling?” Kavaa asked. She had never considered much good at emotions. Helenna most likely would have taken a different approach, but Helenna did not appreciate Kassandora in the same way Kavaa did.

“Fine.” Kassandora said and Kavaa frowned. Her voice sounded perfectly normal now.

“You don’t have to hide.” Kavaa said and Kassandora sighed.

“I have nothing to hide.” Kassandora said and now Kavaa sighed. Some people were in fact impossible.

“So why did you run?” Kavaa pressed on further. Anyone else but Iniri and Helenna, she would have given up on by now. She was a doctor, there were too many patients on this world to beg each one to accept medicine. When one didn’t want to, Kavaa simply moved on.

“I always run.” Kassandora replied flatly. Another plane set off from the airstrip in the camp, flying west, over Kavaa and Kassandora. Kavaa merely kept silent for a moment to let Kassandora continue.

Kassandora did not continue, so Kavaa had to ask again. “I understand you’re feeling bad.” Kavaa said, she honestly doubted her own words. Kassandora had just sentenced how many to death? Of course she would be feeling bad, even for her. “But you can talk it out with me. You shouldn’t let it brew.”

“I’m not letting anything brew.” Kassandora said. “I’m thinking of what to do.”

“Eh?” Kavaa blinked, unable to form a word. Already? No. So what? So the woman had ran off so she could have silence to plan? Kavaa turned to look at Kassandora, she was sat there in that ruined uniform, legs pulled up to her knees, arms resting on them and her eyes were focused on the camp and ocean in the distance. “Already?”

“If not me, then who?” Kassandora replied absent-mindedly. “I understand you came because you worried about me, but you don’t have to be.”

“Kassie…” Kavaa said. “I am worried, but you don’t…” How would she explain it? She couldn’t, could she? “I don’t know what you feel, but…” And what was she going to say now? Don’t feel bad for architecting the largest slaughter in all history? Frankly, if there was one thing that people should definitely feel bad about, it was that!

Kassandora laughed a mirthless laugh, she came in close to Kavaa and leaned her on the Goddess of Health. “You’ve got the wrong idea.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Kavaa blinked, although she didn’t pull away. “Excuse me?”

“What happened, happened.” Kassandora said. “I knew it would happen. Anyone with a brain should be able to predict the fact that a continent moving like that would cause the damage.” Kavaa felt a chill go down her spine as of War spoke. She said it so flatly she could have been speaking about the pleasant breeze that was in the air. A pair of helicopters took off from the air, another team of bulldozers left to trundle towards the city ruins.

“Well…” Kavaa was at a loss for words. She knew that the woman was callous, but then if she was so callous that she could speak about the issue in such a matter of fact way, why was she feeling bad? “So you don’t care then?”

“How many people die a day Kavaa?” Kassandora asked. What a farcical question.

“Certainly not two-hundred million.”

“Can you even imagine two-hundred million individual people?” Kassandora asked. Kavaa did not reply, of course she couldn’t. Who could? “The difference between what happened three days ago and with Allasaria’s purges is only scale. Does Alla feel bad about them?”

“She does.” Kavaa replied quickly.

“I doubt that.” Kassandora said. “And if she doesn’t, then why should I?”

“Allasaria honestly does Kass.”

“Then what about Fortia and Maisara? Do they?” Kassandora asked. “Or do they only take things as they come.” Kavaa sighed.

“You do feel bad though”

“Not about the damage.” Kassandora said.

“Then why did you run away?” And finally, Kassandora did not have an answer. She sighed, she put her head down on Kavaa’s shoulder and she sat there, only breathing. Kavaa rested her head on Kassandora’s, grey-silver and crimson-red hair matted against each other. She let the silence brew for a while, silence could be a medicine in some situations. But eventually, she had to check up on the patient. “So? Why?”

“Because this is how we lost the Great War too.” Kassandora said as Kavaa sat there in silence. She dragged Kassandora’s hand to rest on her own knee.

“The Great War didn’t have such displays of Magic.”

“When did you call in Tartarus and Paraideisius? When did talks begin?” Kassandora asked. “I know because we had spies, but do you remember?”

“When your forces started deploying plague dogs.” Kavaa said. “That’s when we knew we would lose unless we called for reinforcements.” Kavaa said.

“Mmh.” Kassandora said. “I pushed you into it.” They both stared at that dead titan in the middle of Nanbasa’s ruins. “Because everyone trusted me so much that no one thought I could make a mistake. I went too hard, too fast. If Paraideisius and Tartarus were called in later, we would have had a chance to defeat them, not when they came in when the Pantheon had as much land as it did though. The Legions lost through sheer attrition. The moment the gates opened, our loss was assured.”

Kavaa sat there as she listened. She had no idea on what to say, but she knew that it was better if Kassandora said what needed to be said. Even if for no reason of productivity, then simply so that the woman would know someone else had heard her. “And this is the same. I won the war for Kirinyaa during the Invasion. I helped Iliyal stall Maisara and Fortia even though he has no advantages but numbers and home-territory. I started the Reclamation War. The Caretaker died on my watch. Iniri got rescued because of my plan. I organized the defences of Nanbasa.” Kavaa usually got annoyed when she heard such listing of achievements. Yet now, it was simply fact. Kassandora had done all of that. Kavaa would forever be in Kassandora’s debt for rescuing Iniri.

And Kassandora sighed before continuing. “And this is what happens every-time. War starts a fire, it burns brilliantly, it burns everything, it burns fast, and it burns out.” Kavaa looked down at Kassandora she felt something damp on her shoulder. A thin trail of tears were streaming down Kassandora’s face. It wasn’t an ugly cry, the woman did not even seem to notice herself, but her eyes were leaking. Kavaa put her arms around Kassandora. “Normally Arascus stops me. The same happened back then, I got on a roll, he happened to be busy, I got a stupid idea. Baalka agreed. Nations were wiped out with her plagues. Paraideisius had to be called in.”

“Mmh.” Kavaa made the sound only to show she was listening. There was nothing to say.

“The same happened now.” Kassandora said, her tone harder. “I got an idea. Father was busy. No one had the gall to tell me I was stupid. A continent ended up being cracked. Why did we even go to kill the Jungle? The Reclamation War was going well. Olephia could have been sent to deal with the titans again.”

“I see.”

“I had the plan before.” Kassandora said. “It was just Anassa got into a battle with it. I thought she needed help.” Kassandora sighed. “I don’t care about the morality, I would gladly give the world up for a sister.” Kavaa squeezed Kassandora harder, Of Health wished she could join that exclusive club that Of War called family.

“I’ll warn you next time.” Kavaa said.

“You won’t though.” Kassandora said. “Because no one ever does…” She trailed off and they sat there as the Sun slowly crawled across the horizon. How long did it take? An hour? Two? It couldn’t have been much longer than that. Kavaa had nothing to say. Was Kassandora correct? She very well may be, frankly, but then was it her own fault?

“We got separated, you didn’t mention it before.” Kavaa’s word did nothing to alleviate the heavy weight over her heart. A plane appeared over the horizon, from the north, flying to the airstrip.

“I know.” Kassandora said. “I’m not blaming anyone here, but this is why I surround myself with people.” Kavaa squeezed Kassandora’s palm. Kassandora smiled and squeezed back. “Fer & Arascus are good for me.” She said idly. “They have more… they temper me. Dad especially does. Fer only lightly, she just calls me out when I’m being stupid.”

“And the others?”

“I cannot work with any of the others.” Kassandora said. “Because we’re all as bad as each other. Malam especially.”

“You two get along brilliantly though.” Kavaa said. The entire ride back had been Of War and Of Hatred in a faux-argument. It really was just cursing at each other, but it had made it obvious just how strong of a bond those two had.

“That’s exactly why.” Kassandora said. “Malam gives me confidence I should not have.” Kassandora sighed and wrapped her arm around Kavaa’s. “Sorry for this self-pity.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kavaa said quickly.

“You’re on the list too, of people who are good for me.” Kassandora said and Kavaa felt her heart skip a beat. Her cheeks went red. Her lips twisted upwards in a joyous smile. “Right.” Kassandora said, her tone no longer slow and droll. It was still deep, the woman naturally had a smooth voice, but the energy returned to it. “Do you know what’s happened?” This was Kassandora the strategist, not Kassandora the depressed-girl.

“What happened?” Kavaa asked.

Kassandora stood up and stretched. “It’s time to get to work.”

“You’re fine just like that?” Kavaa asked in surprise. Kassandora cracked a smile and shook her head.

“I am never fine Kavaa. I am simply always moving forwards.”

“That’s not good for you.”

“I’m always six-feet away from taking a rest.” Kassandora pointed down to the ground. “But now, we have a war to win. Do you what happened? I ask.”

“The UNN was destroyed.”

“Millions have died.” Kassandora said. “This is a chance that comes along once an era. If we let it pass, it will be another millennia before we get something similar.”

Kavaa thought for a moment, she did not see what Kassandora could be hinting at. A ground invasion of the UNN maybe? But why would that be so rare. “I don’t see it.” Kavaa said as Kassandora smoothed down her ruined clothes and pulled Kavaa up to her feet. Brilliantly bright red eyes stared into cold grey ones.

“Neneria.” Kassandora said and Kavaa felt her stomach turn. Her spine did not get a chill, it froze when it heard Kassandora name the Goddess of Death. Kavaa understood it immediately. The amount of souls Neneria could absorb now… It would… “Neneria has to be done now, every day, we’re probably losing a million potential soldiers. We can think of an Arika-defence plan after that.” Kassandora turned as if about to jump down.

And then she turned back to Kavaa. Of War took a step forwards and wrapped her arms around Kavaa. It took the Goddess of Health a moment to realise what was happening, but she returned the hug. Kassandora squeezed tight, so Kavaa did too. They stood like that… Kavaa did not know how long. She didn’t care though. She felt something on the side of her neck. Another of Kassie’s tears then. Eventually, Kassandora broke the silence, but not the embrace. “Kavaa.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“I did nothing.”

“You came to me.”

Kassandora stared out into the distance. She didn’t know what these tears were for. Where they tears of joy? That someone had come to her? Where they tears of self-pity? Because she could not slow down? Where they tears for the sake of tears themselves? Out of the sheer overwhelming confusion caused by the very questioning of what was happening? Or where they tears of reminiscing sadness? Because she was repeating the mistakes of the past.

Whatever they were, Kassandora pushed them away. A continent had been cracked open, it was done at her behest, she was in the same boat that Elassa was in now. She could not slow down now.

Then if slowing down was impossible, she needed to speed up. As had been done in the past, so will be done now.

Speed up to catch victory before defeat caught up to her.

Both options concluded in annihilation, she just didn’t want it to be hers.