The reason the Great War lasted so long in the first place was due to how long it took to pull Paradeisius and Tartarus into the conflict. Had they joined when we asked them, then we could have ended the war exponentially faster. Instead, Kassandora’s armies were allowed to dig in. Imperial strongholds were established and cities were fortified. The Dwarven logistics network was dug out and linked most Epan cities through underground tunnels which fed onto the Highways.
Whereas I have written extensively on the topic of which of the two ally worlds did more, I suppose the fact that it is up to debate shows neither of them particularly dawdled. In some fashion, it was almost easier to deal with the ally worlds. Paradeisius simply wanted explanation of grand strategy and assurance that I was not simply trying to win through attrition. Tartarus had no such qualms, their Legions were thrown into the underground, at castle walls, into losing battles and their generals simply wanted to know the next location they should drown in blood.
The behaviour during the conflict was not odd. In fact, it was a breath of fresh air compared to the politicking of the Pantheon. Yet this breath of fresh air is baffling in context. Neither of the worlds were particularly excited to join and yet once in, they proved excellent allies. One could reduce them to mercenaries but simply shows inexperience. Mercenaries, whilst jovial and even loyal, will rarely risk their own life. They fight for a price and what price can one put on life?
So I struggle to correctly define the situation between Arda and the other worlds. The way they acted is odd. The initial uneagerness was replaced quickly by excitement. And in that sense, what sort of emotional foundation inspires such a change in emotion?
Well, there is one and it is the one my mind returns to. The trepidation brought about by fear, and then relief once one realises there is nothing to be afraid of. It almost sounds farcical, why would these overpowering worlds be afraid of Arda?
Yet then they refused to even entertain our audiences to discuss war negotiations before Allasaria dropped that Arascus was trying to unite the world. Once they finally did so, the discussions were less so about the situation on Arda and more about what capabilities Arascus has, what inventions he has discovered and what magical arts exist in his kingdom. It was excellent questioning. The questions were so general that they gave us nowhere to look, yet specific enough that our answers gave them the information they required. I honestly have no clue, even to this day, what they were trying to sniff out.
Yet I know they were trying to sniff out something. In that sense, it simply makes me more curious. These are entire planets, wholly united, with the power too create portals between worlds. What are we in comparison? And they were worried?
No. It does not make sense. There must be something more.
- Excerpt from the Private Writings of Goddess Fortia, of Peace.
Arascus leaned back and looked over at the room. Everyone important and everyone with nothing to do had been brought in to attend in the Imperial Palace in Kirinyaa. The agenda was full and the Empire was beginning to move so fast that these mass meetings were becoming a luxurious rarity. They simply did not have the time to waste anymore.
Arascus sat at the head of the huge table in a dark uniform and a short red cape. The simple band of silver and platinum that signified his position as Emperor was on the wooden table in front of him. The God of Pride looked over at the silent room as everyone took their positions. Kassandora came to sit by his side, in a formal uniform of black lined with white, with her belt and cap both bearing the sword-skull emblem. The Goddess of War made a show of flaring her crimson hair out but said nothing. Then came Iliyal, vice-Commander of the Imperial Military, second only to Kassandora herself. The elf had his golden hair tied into a tale. He was a head taller than a man and he was more than that shorter than Kassandora. General Ekkerson came too. The man had shaved himself bald and was tanned by the Kirinyaan sun.
Two magicians had been sent from Arcadia. Two archmages, one an old man with a moustache called Pillin. The other a woman of a similar age, wrinkled and with a crooked back. Her name was Yivlena. Both archmages, both wore the purple dress of rank and the multicoloured shawl of multiple elements. Pillin’s was brown, green and nlue in flat tones, then stripped with dashes of yellow and orange. From what Arascus knew, the brown, green and blue were markers of elemental magics: geo, floro and hydromancy in this regard. Yellow and orange stripes meant a master of conjuration and of enchantment, respectively. Yivlena had no markers for arts, but instead her shawl was all the colours of the rainbow. The magicians were aged and creaking, but it was obvious that they were full of life. The unafraid eyes looked over the entire table, both had left their staves leaning against the wall.
Fer had been asked to attend. Whilst she had lost power, she was still a Goddess at the end of the day. The Warherds would listen to her if she was the size of an ant anyway. She sat taller than when Arascus last saw her, smiling and stretching her arms out on the table. Her golden hair a fluffy mane. Anassa was obviously not happy about being here. The Goddess of Sorcery sat opposite the magicians in a dress of red silk. She stared at them as if trying to taunt them into starting an argument.
Iniri and Helenna sat next to each other on the other side of Arascus to Kassandora. The Goddess of Nature was looking around them room as if she wanted to be anywhere but here, the Goddess of Love was smiling excitedly. Arascus supposed she would be, this was one of her first of these meetings. They were always exciting at the start. Both had come in black Imperial uniform.
The representatives of Epa were here too. Paida, Saksma and Aliana to represent Rancais, Doschia and Allia. Then Rilia had sent both Goddess Agrita and King Aimone. The first three had come dead serious where the smiles Agrita was second across the room, especially to Arascus, were annoying everyone but the God of Pride. She waved her gold-orange hair and leaned back as if trying to bring attention to her looks. Anassa tutted and repeated the motion as if trying to compete.
Arascus smiled and sighed. An audience like this was nostalgic. It was the same as it had been in the Great War. Where Gods and mortals would sit side-by-side as they plotted together their war for Arda. This was the most people that a meeting could reasonably hold without it turning into argument and shouting. “Welcome.” Arascus began it. “Welcome one and welcome all. Firstly, we are missing Elassa and Olonia.”
Everyone looked around at each other. The two magicians answered first. It was Archmage Pillin who spoke, in a dry raspy voice that sounded as if the man needed a drink of water. “Goddess Elassa is busy by personal request of Goddess Olephia.” That was all he said.
“May I ask what the request is?” Helenna asked, immediately Arascus knew that she simply lacked experience in this field. Maybe things had been done differently in the White Pantheon, but here, things did not demand explanations unless it was urgent.
“We do not know.” Pillin replied in that terrible voice of his. He scratched his moustache nervously under the glare of Anassa from the other side of the table. Arascus had nothing to say, that was precisely why reasoning was not asked, because most of the time no one knew what Divines were doing. Trying to teach Gods to explain themselves to mortals was like trying to teach dogs to fly; it simple would not happen.
“Mmh.” Helenna said. “You do not know.”
“She is with Olonia.” Saksma spoke up from the end of the table. The Goddess of Doschia had come with her greatsword which was leaning on the side of the chair. “From what she’s, Olonia I mean, told me. Both Elassa and Olephia are there building something.”
“It’s a telescope for Olephia.” Kassandora said from the other side. “Olephia told me yesterday she needs it.”
“Olephia has said the same thing to me.” Arascus spoke and everyone fell silent. Frankly, he wanted to kill this meandering topic of what Elassa, Olephia and Olonia were doing. “Olonia is receiving support from the Imperial Bureau of Manufacturing, the telescope will be ready this week if all goes to plan.” Olephia wanted it and frankly, she deserved something for her efforts. What was the point of being Emperor if man could not even give his daughter a telescope? “Kavaa and Malam are busy too in regards to managing Operation Ratsweeper.”
“So I’ve been taken off the list?” Kassandora asked.
“For now, yes. This is part of the topic of the meeting.” Arascus said. “Because we’re behind schedule.” Immediately, the mood collapsed. Of course it would. Arascus did not say anything to life it, frankly, they should be in a bad mood. “The Rancais debacle put us behind.” The mages, Helenna and Iniri along with General Ekkerson and the other national Goddesses turned to Paida. The Goddess of Rancais sat up.
“That is not my fault.”
“It’s not.” Arascus agreed. The faces that turned to look at her were more a reveal of inexperience at dealing with these issues. Kassandora simply pulled out her booklet and started to take notes. Iliyal sat patiently, Fer yawned and Anassa tried taunting everyone and anyone at the table with her smug smiles. “But Anarchia is dead at this point. Operation Ratsweeper will finish off her loyalists. It will be handled by Malam and Kavaa, tactical planning will be done by Kavaa.”
Arascus looked to Kassandora, the Goddess of War noticed his gaze without even looking up from her book. She put it down slowly and shrugged. “Are you asking me for my opinion on whether she can manage it?”
“It’s been decided already but do you think she needs help from the Imperial Administration or not?”
“I can’t say for certain but she was a Great War commander.” Kassandora said blankly. “Fer?”
“Hmm?” Fer said from the table, she had collapsed onto it and spread her arms out as if in an attempt to claim terrain.
“Were you listening?”
“Kavaa can manage it. She did good against me in Erdely. She’s not stupid.” Fer said, not moving from the table. “I have no other comments.”
“Well there we go.” Kassandora said. “If I’m going to be busy, then a General can take over.”
“Iliyal will be busy.” Arascus said. “If Sokolowski or Zalewski finish up Arika, then we’ll bring them up to Rancais to assist. One of them has to stay to watch over Ausa.” Arascus looked around in a questioning manner.
“I have no issues.” Paida said. “And I’m happy to assist Malam and Kavaa in any way possible.”
“Are you sure Arika needs a general?” Helenna asked.
“There’s still banditry in the Ashlands.” Kassandora said. “Until the first batch of new cadre from officer school is ready, someone needs to monitor that area. Zalewski and Sokolowski both have experience with the land, so it should be one of them.” Arascus let the silence hang for a few moments. Kassandora had just settled this portion of the debate.
“Then we move on.” Arascus said. “The next small thing to discuss is with you Helenna. What is the progress on Raptor One?”
The Goddess of Love smiled smugly, her hair turned to golden blonde. The sort that heroes and victors always had in paintings. “I am on the verge of machine spirit apotheosis.”
And just like that, the room fell into silence as everyone turned to look at the Goddess of Love. “Excuse me?” Saksma said.
“Machine spirit?” Yivlena said in a voice similar to Archmage Pillin’s.
“Apotheosis?” Aimone asked.
“Incarnation of a Divine.” Helenna said. “It’s been done before.” Arascus gave no reaction, although Fer turned and smiled to Anassa.
“It has, hasn’t it?” She said.
“We’ve all been through it.” Anassa said. “I assume it’s the same principal as the Weapon Divines.”
“Mmh.” Helenna said. “The Raptor is starting to communicate, but to the pilot exclusively. There is something obviously within it but it’s not a distinct entity yet.”
“What’s the plan then?” Saksma asked.
“I’ve written a movie to be played in cinemas featuring both the pilot and the Raptors. It’s a…” Helenna smiled in satisfaction. “It’s a fictionalized documentary featuring the plane and talking about its Divine.”
The old guard on the table saw it, the young blood did not. Saksma spoke up again, emboldened by the fact so many people obviously looked confused. “But you just said there’s no distinct entity.”
Helenna replied so smoothly it was as if she had prepared the answer in advance. “What are Divines?”
Saksma looked around to her friends. Paida stepped in to help. The pale-haired, purple-eyed Goddess of Rancais. “Conscious imagination.”
Helenna laughed. “I like that one.” Paida bowed her head and blushed at the fact she had managed to impress the Goddess of Love. “Divines are beings created of subconscious belief but now I have to ask, what is the strongest form of belief?”
“Fanaticism.” Paida answered and Helenna shook her head.
Arascus knew they wouldn’t guess it. Helenna had purposefully framed the question as to be so open ended it could be anything. “Certainty.” He said.
“Indeed.” Helenna said. “And what will inspire more certainty about a Divine than a documentary about it?” Arascus was impressed. That was a good plan and Helenna had thought of it entirely alone. He had just told her to create the machine spirits. How it happened was her pejorative entirely.
“Wait.” Agrita said. “So you’re making a documentary about a Divine that doesn’t exist in order to make believe it exists, which will then make it exist?”
“Is there a problem?” Helenna said.
“There is.” Fer spoke up loudly as she suddenly sat straight up. “You can’t be positive.”
“Excuse me?” Helenna asked, her hair turning into a confused, dark green. “What are you talking about?”
“You can’t be too positive about the Raptor.” Fer said again. “It’ll be harder to manage a creature without flaws. It’s a jet fighter, it drops bombs. Don’t have it thinking it’s a hero if you know what I mean.” Arascus caught it. If the Raptor Divine was incarnated with a noble machine spirit and a character that wanted to be a modern-day knight, then it could start causing issues when it needed to do its job of strategic bombing or dropping napalm.
“Oh.” Helenna said, and her hair returned to a relieved blonde. “Oh no, don’t worry, it was honestly harder to find positives about it. We just took the captain’s words.”
“Douglas?” Fer asked.
“You know him?” Helenna said.
“I know everyone.” Fer replied smugly. She fell back down onto the table.
“Then the machine spirit project is moving ahead.” Arascus said. If they could get the ball rolling with each machine having its own individual Divine, then Divine Mass Manufacturing could be undertaken. If that happened, then in the next war against Paradeisius, Arda would have effectively infinite manpower. “Does anyone have any questions?” He let the silence hang for a few seconds. “Then the next issue is Karaina.”
“Invasion.” Kassandora said quickly. “There is precisely zero chance of it joining peacefully. It’s in Epa, but it’s not like the rest of the Epan nations. The situation is not comparable. Karaina is too large.”
“Invasion would be the fastest but it would set us back.” Arascus said. “In terms of manpower and losses. If Allasaria returns whilst we’re bogged down in Karaina, then the situation goes from bad to worse.”
“Then civil war.” Kassandora said. “Supported by us.”
“So another Rancais situation?” Paida asked.
“There’s no Anarchia this time.” Kassandora answered immediately. “We have sects active there already. Ilwin Tremali leads one.” Iliyal, Ilwin’s grandfather, smiled with pride but gave no more reaction. That was truly a general of Kassandora.
“I want Iliyal to plan it.” Arascus said. “General Ekkerson is to support but otherwise, your job is to use the experience in the defence against Uriamel to start planning defensive lines in Epa. Focus on Lubska first, then the coast of Rancais too.”
“Of course.” General Ekkerson said.
“Aimone, Agrita, Paida, Aliana and Saksma, you are to assist General Ekkerson in whatever he wishes.” The leaders of the Epan nations nodded in agreement. “Olonia will too. If the General decides to overstep his authority, then you all have my contact.” He didn’t say that for the people just mentioned, he said it so that Ekkerson would know he could be held to account.
“And me?” Kassandora asked.
Arascus smiled and leaned back. “This is the main bread and butter of the meeting, and it’s why I invited everyone. Kassandora…” In private, Kassie was a perfectly cute name for his daughter, but in public then Kassandora was better. There was no reason to cause embarrass for nothing.
“What?”
“I want you to lead the Second Expedition into the Underground, with full Imperial support this time. We will begin opening holds all throughout Epa. Iniri, that’s your job.” The Goddess of Nature bowed her head for a quick moment. “Iliyal, this will be the issue with an invasion of Karaina because we will send as much blood and boots into the underground as it takes. I do not have the confidence that we will have the manpower required to maintain occupation.”
“I see.” Iliyal said.
“And what are we going back in?”
“One. To crack open the World-Core. Two. To break the Tartarian siege on the dwarven underkingdoms. Three. To drive Tartarus from Arda. Four. To re-establish contact with Irinika. Of Darkness.”
Arascus looked around the table once again. The four old guard of the Empire were the only ones who took the news well. Fer was smiling wide. Anassa was brimming with excitement. Kassandora’s face was overtaken with that sheer joy she got whenever a job worth doing landed on her desk. Her eyes started to shine and burn. Her smile bared teeth. Iliyal gave no reaction.
And the rest of the table all stared in shock. Whether it was the fact Arascus had said to drive Tartarus from Arda, open the World-Core or make contact with the first daughter of the Empire, half of them looked terrified and the other half looked as if they couldn’t believe what they just heard.
Arascus could tell it was going to be a long meeting.