The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]
Chapter 305 – Hatred Calls

“Read this.” Malam threw a piece of paper at Helenna’s head, a less agile Goddess would have been hit by the scrunched ball of paper, but not Helenna. She was used to these antics at this point though, and didn’t bother to even comment as she caught it with one hand. To be honest, Malam was in fact getting better. Normally, she didn’t give warning before throwing information.

“What is this?” Helenna asked idly as she unfurled the paper.

“Just read it.”

Helenna’s eyes scanned the title as she blinked, her mouth falling agape in shock. “You just wrote this now?”

“I did.” Malam said proudly.

And Helenna felt a flood of despair wash over her. Had Leona been responsible for every success back then?

Excerpt from ‘A treatise on toppling Epan Dominos and a guide to building Fifth Columns.’ Written by Malam, Goddess of Hatred.

Kavaa readjusted her armour and tightened the strap around her shoulder. She had swung with sword, she had handled the halberd, she had stabbed with spear and she poked with the pike. This felt nothing like any of the weapons she had ever wielded in the past. But rifles for Divinity had finally been produced, at least for expeditionary forces and another for Arascus. Malam’s team did not wait for their weaponry, although Kavaa struggled to imagine Anassa, Elassa or Fer using a gun. So now Kavaa walked through the camp that had been established near the original hole Anassa had dug.

It was a camp of Kassandora’s design, that was for sure. The woman truly did not bother to fix things that weren’t broken. This was still the design she used in the Great War, the only difference being wider roads for tanks and trucks to trundle through and the section that held ammunition had been greatly lengthened. Otherwise, it was the exact square model or tents around campfires. A pair of helicopters getting close sent a gust of wind that swung Kavaa’s bright silver-grey hair across her coat. She had plate armour with her too, but there was no reason to wear that when the coat was more comfortable.

And Kassandora didn’t wear her armour either. The Goddess of War would prowl from location to location in that black coat which hung past her knees, with the cap that bore a skull being stabbed with a knife. Kavaa had a similar cap too. Normally, she wasn’t a fan of hats, but Kass managed to pull the look off and if Kass managed to do it, Kavaa didn’t see why she shouldn’t be able to either. She turned down another bend and looked from side to side, then kept on prowling. Of War wasn’t here.

Kavaa walked through the expeditionary camp with a small piece of paper in her hands. She had seen Kass organise in the past of course, several times, but it always impressed her how quickly the Goddess of War could organise a cohesive force. Kavaa’s march on Olympiada had taken more than a month to organize, and that was just bringing men close to the mountain. The UEL, Underground Expeditionary Legion as Kass had named them, had spent two days mustering. Twenty thousand soldiers from the Kirinyaan military, two and a half thousand Clerics for support. Three full support battalions of armour. Then the whole force was doubled as the logistics companies were brought in. “There’s a letter from Malam.” Kavaa handed the paper to Kassandora. It had come to the command tent, but Kass rarely visited there. Most of her time was spent inspecting the armour and sending new designs back to Central Requisitions.

“Such respect for tradition.” Kassandora replied flatly as she took it and ripped the envelope open. She chuckled for a moment. “It’s not signed, but there’s only one person who writes like this.” Kavaa pretended not to be curious, Kassandora’s red eyes flicked from the paper to Kavaa, and the Goddess of War passed the letter to the Goddess of Health:

‘Heya sweetheart. A mutual acquaintance told me there’s arms which are small, and arms which are big. She explained it to me but I assume you’re better in this field. Whether the arms are big or small, I don’t really care. I need to outfit several thousand with things that civilians could realistically possess iykwim. :^).’ Kavaa raised an eyebrow and Kass intuited at a glance what she was stuck on.

“It stands for if you know what I mean.”

“This is Malam I assume?” Kavaa asked.

“Do you know anyone else who would even think of sending a letter to me like this?” Kassandora asked, sounding disgusted, and Kavaa chuckled as she kept reading: ‘I also need bombas. Or explosives. Again, civilian grade. The whole thing should be kept under wraps, it’s all an iykwim sort of situation. iykwim Also, apparently we can drop things through planes. Can this work? A lovely woman here is telling me it is but why should I ask the casual wine-aunt about drink when I have access to the professional alcoholic instead? That’s everything, love you sweetie.’ That last sentence annoyed Kavaa, and that annoyance in turn annoyed her more. She was far too old to get jealous over who talked with who on the playground.

“I understood what she wants.” Kavaa said honestly. “But I have no clue what she actually plans to do.”

Kassandora whipped out her phone, but she did take a pause to explain to Kavaa. “I don’t either.” She admittedly honestly. “I assume wine-aunt means Helenna, I’m the professional alcoholic apparently, she wants my opinion on airdropping weaponry into Epa and it sounds like she’s going to support insurrectionists.”

“You got all that from this?” Kavaa asked.

“Gut feeling just from experience of knowing her.” Kassandora said and raised an eyebrow at Kavaa, from her tone, she was obviously beyond annoyed. “Are you going to mention the fact she writes bombas instead of bombs?”

Kavaa struggled to keep her mouth straight and not laugh into Kassandora’s face. “Is that just some inside joke?” Kassandora replied with a single nod.

“It is.” Kassandora said. “It has made me laugh precisely this many times.” Kassandora put her thumb and finger together to make a circle and lifted it to Kavaa. The message was clear: Zero. But Kassandora continued. “It will make me laugh precisely this many times.” And she repeated the motion.

Kavaa struggled not to laugh directly into Kassandora’s face, thankfully, the Goddess of War turned away. “Are we sending her supplies?”

“I’m not.” Kassandora said, looking down at her phone and pressing icons. Kavaa pretended not to be interested in the woman’s contact book. She saw her own name tagged as 1. Kavaa. Kassandora lowered her phone with a devilishly smug grin as she scrolled down to 1. Helenna. “If you want to look, then go ahead.”

“I…” Kavaa felt blood flow into her cheeks as she blushed to the same shade as Kassandora’s crimson hair. She had been that obvious?

“I have the most boring phone imaginable.” Kassandora said, she clicked the homepage button to show off her wallpaper, or the lack of it rather. It was just a black screen.

“Just that?” Kavaa asked.

“Do I need anything more?” Kassandora gave a question as an answer. She went back into her contacts and rung 1. Helenna. The Goddess of Love answered almost immediately as Kassandora looked to Kavaa, then switched Helenna to loudspeaker.

“Hello hello? Helenna speaking.” Helenna’s voice sounded through the speaker.

“This is Kass Helenna, I assume the trainwreck is next to you.” Kavaa smiled, she enjoyed listening to these two bicker. It was one of the few times she actually saw Kassandora have fun.

“She is.” Helenna replied.

“Loudspeaker?” Kassandora asked.

“On now.” Kavaa felt some satisfaction at the fact that Kass had turned it on for her without asking.

“Good, Malam, are you there?” Kassandora asked.

Malam’s voice came through after a moment. “This is the nightmare rectangle?” Helenna sighed heavily.

“No you idiot. This is a phone.” Helenna’s came through as Kassandora and Kavaa shared a look, the first was furiously annoyed, the second merely amused.

“It’s a nightmare rectangle.” Malam was more definite this time.

“Shut up Malam and listen to me.” Kassandora said, she opened her mouth to speak but Malam came in faster.

“See! It’s terrible.”

“Malam! You’re not a child!” Kassandora said into it.

“Malam, just take the phone.” Helenna’s voice came through it. “And it’s just a phone, there’s nothing scary about it.”

“I know what a phone is Helenna. It’s just this that’s the nightmare rectangle.”

“What the fuck are you on about?” Kassandora asked.

“I don’t see Malam.” Helenna’s voice came through the phone.

“Phones are fine, it’s just this is a nightmare rectangle because Kass is on it.” And Kavaa just about managed to contain her laughter.

“Malam! Do you want help or not?” Kassandora asked.

“Can you imagine anything scarier? Constant communication with Kassandora? Gosh.” Malam didn’t sound terrified whatsoever. “Imagine Kass drunk-calling you in order to give more work. Stuff of nightmares that is.” Kavaa knew the fact she had to make an effort not to laugh annoyed Kassandora, but Malam was funny. She was terrifying, but she was funny.

“There is no one in this world who annoys me like she does.” Kassandora stated and Kavaa nodded along.

“Oh! Who are you talking to there Kass?” Malam suddenly changed her tone, from cautious as if afraid that the phone would bite her, to now as sweet as ice-cream. “I think I know!” Kavaa opened her mouth and Kassandora shook her head to shut her up.

“If you say one more word you waste of space, I will drop the call right now.” Kassandora said flatly. “I just got your letter, I’m ringing to ask whether you’re able to write normally and what you want. If you know what I mean.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Malam replied smugly. “The letter is perfectly intelligible.”

“You have one more chance at intelligence.” Kassandora said flatly. Kavaa could tell she was actually angry now. There was no shouting, no emotion in her tone, she was simply just shutting down and staring at the little phone in her hand.

“I want planes, bombas and guns.”

“You can use Raptors One and Two, ask dad if you need any large-scale operations. Everything else, Ekkerson will be able to provide.”

“I need Epan models. I don’t want it to be traced back to us.” Malam said and Kavaa saw the change in Kassandora. The anger in those red eyes burned away immediately, as if it was nothing more than a match submerged in water. And it was replaced by the cold, smouldering ashes of work and efficiency.

“Ask dad, it’ll take some time to make. Iliyal can probably make sure some disappear for you.”

“Oh!” Malam said. “That’s a good idea, I didn’t think of Iliyal.” Kassandora gave the driest look Kavaa had ever seen to the Goddess of Health, and slowly shook her head. “And bombas?”

“What about them?”

“I need them.”

“You understand we make our own compounds? It will be traced back.”

“Really?” Malam asked.

“Really yes.” Kassandora said. “A good inspection will reveal where everything came from. An excellent one will be able to trace it to the refinery”

“Oh.” Malam said. “What about manufacturing them here?” She asked. “Could we not just-”

“What do you need them for?” Kassandora interrupted and Malam chuckled.

“Civilian sabotage, let’s say.”

“As in done by civilians or targeting civilians?” Kavaa watched the woman mention the war crime as a matter of fact. Kassandora and Malam could have been discussing their plans for dinner.

“Both.” Malam replied.

“Then make fertilizer bombs. Helenna will know.”

“Write that down!” Malam shouted. “Farma bombas!” Kassandora flinched every time she heard that word.

“Anything else?” The Goddess of War asked. Malam made an audible coo for a moment as if she was a bird, then shook her head. “No, can’t think of anything.”

“Alright, I’m going to be going underground soon so don’t ring me anymore, ring Dad or Ekkerson if you just need some garbage solved or triviality delivered.” Kassandora took a deep breath. “Helenna, are you still there?”

“I am.” The Goddess of Love replied in her cool tone. She was obviously impressed, and slightly giddy as if she was trying to contain laughter. Most likely something was happening on the other side.

“Get her a phone.”

“She has one.” Helenna replied.

Kassandora replied immediately. “Then shove it so far up her ass it comes out of her mouth and she starts talking in radio waves.” Kavaa couldn’t contain that giggle. “And send me her fucking number so that we don’t have to do this stupid I call you to call her routine all the time. That’s all, bye.”

“Oh wait!” Malam shouted and Kassandora held off on pressing the drop-call button.

“What?” Kassandora asked.

“Is your girlfriend there?” Kavaa and Kassandora both tensed as they locked eyes. Two pairs of cheeks became red, two Goddesses became stunned by Malam’s sheer forwardness. And as Kavaa and Kassandora stared at each other, Kavaa realised that this simply was not their playing field. Battles, they could do. Wars, they could handle. Walking through villages filled with dead, easy. Natural disasters, those were merely problems to solve. But this taunt?

What exactly was she supposed to say?

She couldn’t just accept what Malam had said.

But neither could she voice something like that out loud.

And the Goddess of War looked to be just as shocked as Kavaa was.

“Do you mean Kavaa?” Kassandora finally asked. Her tone was cold, but Kavaa noticed the little quiver, she wouldn’t have before, but she did now. It was obviously not as steady as Kassandora would want her tone to be.

“Oh what a sweetheart she is!” Malam cried out in pure joy. “Can you hear me Kavaa?”

Kavaa slowly leaned forwards and put her mouth close to the phone in Kassandora’s hand. “What?”

“Oh how polite you are!” Malam cooed in pure delight. “You two are made for each other!”

“What do you want?” Kassandora asked for Kavaa. The Goddess of Health was glad she did, she wouldn’t have been able to get a word out.

“This is for Kavaa.”

“I’m here.” Kavaa said delicately, she was morbidly curious at what was about to come through that nightmare rectangle. She didn’t want to know, but likewise she simply needed to know.

“Have you two kissed yet?” Kavaa and Kassandora looked at each other. Then at the phone. Neither could say a word. Neither could even move a muscle. Kavaa’s cheeks didn’t even flush with embarrassment, she was so stunned at what she just heard that she even forgot to breathe for a moment. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Malam somehow managed to continue. “Because I was going to ask what you think of the taste of my c-“ Kassandora crushed the phone in her hand to stop Malam and threw it in rage at the ground.

“No!” She screamed. “No! No! No! NO!” She took a step back from the remains of the nightmare rectangle. “DISGUSTING! EW!” Kavaa stood there in awe, if there was one reaction she would have never expected from Kassandora, it was that. “Never! No! She’s never done anything like that! I’ve never! No! She’s the worst! She’s just disgusting! I HATE HER!” Kass spat on the ground in disgust.

Kassandora looked down at the remains of her phone in the dirty-red Kirinyaan soil. “FUCK! I HATE HER!” She kicked the pieces of metal, took a deep breath, then stamped her foot like an angry, petulant child. And as Kavaa watched, she… She was happy that Kassandora was displaying some genuine emotion.

Almost immediately, Kassandora calmed down. “Iniri will be done with the tunnelling soon Kavaa, we’re going in then. Alright?” Kassandora didn’t wait for a reply, she just started to walk off. She then stopped, then turned around and looked down at the ground. After a quick moment, she spotted her sim card, picked it up, and then stomped off.

And as Kavaa watched her, she couldn’t help but smile.

As terrible as Malam was, the Goddess of Hatred had revealed something. Before, Kavaa had questioned if it even existed, but right now, she was sure that there was something there. Hidden deep within the Goddess of War, there was a Kassandora. And it wasn’t a stunted workaholic. It was a complete, beautiful soul, complete with anger and embarrassment and annoyance and everything else downright terrible that Kavaa enjoyed so much about Kassie.

As she stood there, Kavaa swore to herself that she would dig that Kassandora out, by tooth or nail if she needed to. Even if she died, she would haunt the damn woman.

Her soul would have to be annihilated for her to give up on healing Kassie.