The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]
Chapter 320 – Two Birds, One Stone

If I had to categorize Divinity myself, then it would be quite simple. I do not use Maisara’s childish, self-defeating system which collapses under the closest scrutiny (with Allasaria being the most obvious example, is she Abstract? Is a Force? Maisara simply created the former category to position herself higher in the hierarchy than Allasaria. This sort of childish pettiness is so obvious once seen that I do not understand how anyone can deny it).

No. I use a better system. There exist only two types of Divines. Those who have values and those who don’t. Now what is a value? Is the simple trait of honesty a value? No. Neither are they dreams. Allasaria, for example, has dim-witted dreams of ruling the world. If this is a value, then so is some mortal’s hope for winning the lottery a value. Everyone knows that is merely a day dream to soothe one’s own consciousness with. In this regard, mere hope is discredited from being a value.

No. Values are something deeper, they are an affirmation of oneself. They are not a journey nor are they the destination, they are the actor striding down the former and towards the latter. They require an honesty with oneself. Someone like Fortia does not exude value because even though she is the Goddess of Peace, conflict follows her like a shadow. In that, the woman is simply a coward running from her true self. Her values are false, thus, they are not values whatsoever.

To be aware of one’s values needs honesty, needs self-critique and needs an embracement of one’s own negativity. A person stupid is merely stupid, there is no harm in being of lower intelligence. They have a value because of their position, not in spite of it. Whereas a person pretending to be intelligent amounts to nothing. They will never be able to compete in the fields of those who they profess to equal because they are unable to embrace themselves. Either a person embraces their own values no matter what they are, or they live as a character who only emulates values forever.

In this regard. There is Arascus, there is me, there are my sisters. No one else in the world actually has values.

- Excerpt from “A Letter To The World”, written by Goddess Irinika, of Darkness.

Of all the meeting spaces that could have been chosen, this one did set the mood. Arascus had given Fortia a host of locations to choose from in neutral territory. He had come by plane, which dropped him off in the sky and then the God had floated down to the island below him. A small rock with a smattering of trees, close to Pantheon waters. It was a lonely island, once used as a naval outpost but it wasn’t on any major trading route, nor were the waters around it particularly plentiful. It was simply a tiny island. Should he be worried? Most likely he should, but then it was Fortia. And frankly, there was a part of him that was somewhat optimistic for all of the old Guard.

The Divines that had survived this long recognised some ancient traditions and rights. The act of parley was one such thing. For some, it was reprieve, for others, such as Arascus and Kassandora and Malam, parley could accomplish results that a decade of warfare could not. And, at the end of the day, the tradition reinforced itself. Those who did not parley were eventually killed off, those who did parley could bargain for their life at the end of the long war. Most of the time, Divinity had been merciful to itself.

Arascus landed as he looked out around the island. A golden disk appeared by him, a blade slid out. It knocked over two trees to make two benches. The God of Pride kicked a rock over, that made a table. Good enough. Only fools thought that the stage made the actor. A king could sit on a rock and declare it his palace and his subjects would have to follow, this was the same. If he and Fortia were going to parley, then any place would do. The stage was made by the actors after all.

So Arascus sat there in his regal black uniform. A sword on his hip, a large bottle of whiskey next to him and two glasses. This was another tradition that went back millennia, every good meeting had to be topped off with a drink. Eventually, he saw a dot in the distance. The dot grew larger, until Arascus saw the dot was a large helicopter with two rotors on either end. It was painted in white and gold, Pantheon colours, but the emblem on the side was a Guardian’s one. So it was Fortia.

And the Goddess of Peace appeared. She jumped out of the helicopter and fell towards the ground with a thud. It wasn’t too terrible a height, but the Goddess still landed in a cloud of dust and mud kicked up out by the sheer impact of a being outweighing a small car crashing into the ground. The dust cleared and Fortia stepped out from the cloud.

And Arascus raised an eyebrow. He had expected the woman to come in her gold-bronze armour. To have her spear ready. He had been half expecting a test of strength at the start, but there wasn’t anything like that. Fortia came in a long black dress, the same that one would use for a funeral. So Maisara’s death really did do a number on the Goddess. Arascus supposed he should at least acknowledge the woman’s effort at dressing up. “That’s a good dress.”

Fortia spread her arms out to the side. “I have not come to even pretend at fighting Arascus.” She proclaimed. “I would have come with my hands bound behind my back if it weren’t humiliating, so instead I come like this.” The woman’s spear materialized in her hand, she stabbed it into the ground and she left it behind her, eyes scanning Arascus. “Although I see you’ve brought a sword.” Her eyes went to the scabbard on his belt.

“It’s a badge of office.” Arascus said as he put the bottle of whiskey on the rock. Fortia sniffed at it humourlessly, but she took the glass when Arascus passed it to her.

“This will be a quick meeting.” Fortia said. That was exactly what Arascus did not want. He could fight Fortia into the ground, he would probably win, but that was throwing away a good tool. Just as Anassa had done with Elassa, just as Kassandora had done with Kavaa, it was up to him to try and tame the absolute worst character that the White Pantheon had to offer. Did he even need to? Could he win without her? Probably. But was that even a victory? If all it took to conquer Epa was a simple destruction of his enemies, then he would have wielded Olephia until it was simply Pride and Chaos left on this rock. But would that satisfy him?

No. He knew it wouldn’t. His pride simply wouldn’t allow for such an incomplete victory. Kassandora had said it once. They were aiming for a victory so total and so final that it would remove the need for any other future victories. And Fortia? The untameable Goddess of Peace with the all the character that a hammer had? Was that even possible?

Irinika had been impossible, Irinika had never joined a Pantheon. Until Irinika became Arascus’ daughter. Olephia was impossible. Olephia could not even read or write when Arascus had come to her. And Olephia became a daughter. Kassandora, who demanded total control over campaigns, allowed herself to be directed. Fer, uncivilized down to the fact she would forget to wear clothes, walked amongst civilization. Anassa, insane and delusional, had been given stability. Neneria, ever a cold rock, was given a shoulder to lean on. All of them had needed something.

Just as it had been impossible to crack a continent until Elassa did it a mere month ago, Fortia was impossible to coerce until Arascus would do it. Just as Elassa had said, if she could not crack Arika, then who? And if Arascus could not crack Fortia, then who?

“I assume it will be about the Epan War?” Arascus asked as he opened the bottle with his fingers and poured them both a glass. Fortia took it and sipped before he did. This was another good reason to bring alcohol, it was always a test of whether the other party considered him honourable enough not to use poison.

“It is.” Fortia said. “And it’s not a discussion, it’s a matter of me simply informing you of my plans.”

Arascus leaned back and feigned and interested face. “Go on.”

“Don’t patronize me Arascus.” Fortia quickly said and Arascus rolled his eyes openly in front of her. She smiled at that.

“Then go on.” Arascus said in a bored tone. “We already know you’re pulling out.”

Fortia smiled at the truthful admission. “Iliyal is keeping the frontlines tied up admittedly.” The Goddess of Peace said. “So this is why I’ve come.”

“I know he is.” Arascus said. “He has orders not to let you go.”

“I think you know what will happen.” Fortia looked into her whiskey and drank some more. “Allasaria has gone off to bring Paradeisius into the war. We know you’ve sat Olephia down at the portal. Allasaria has gone underground to go through Tartarus.” Arascus sat there, plain faced, and Fortia stared at him. “Are you not surprised?” She asked.

“We know about Tartarus and the Dwarves.” Arascus said.

Fortia smiled and shook her head. “I should have expected it from you.” She sighed. “But it is disappointing, here I thought I’d surprise you.” She shrugged. “Either way, this is why I’m holding the meeting. I want one thing from you.”

“What is it?” Arascus asked.

“I want a disengagement from Epa. The…” And Fortia trailed off, her gold-bronze eyes went dull for a moment and she had to blink herself out of that stupor. “What happened in the UNN happened, but the Paladins have lost enough. I wish to…” And she trailed off again. Arascus looked at her for a moment. He knew what she was going to say, she would wish to not waste Maisara’s soldiers or something like that, but he supposed the woman should say it for herself. “Not…” Fortia trailed off again. “I don’t wish for people to die.”

“Your people?” Arascus asked.

Fortia sniffed with humour again. “Mine and…” And she trailed off. “And you know.”

“I know.” If Fortia wasn’t going to say Maisara’s name, then neither would Arascus.

“I knew you would.” Fortia finished her drink. Arascus did too and this time the Goddess poured their glasses. “Zerus, I don’t care. Kill him, frankly, I’d be happy if you did. Alkom too. Theosius?” She moved her head from side to side. “I’d prefer you not to because I don’t think another Of the Forge will appear.”

“And Sceo?” Arascus asked about Zerus’ wife, although he suspected Fortia had nothing positive to say.

“She’s not even a real member of the Pantheon.” Fortia said. “Her being in is sheer nepotism. I didn’t mention her because I don’t even think about her.”

Arascus sighed and stared at Fortia for a moment. “You do understand my position here.” He said. “This isn’t a peace talk, this is a cease-fire. Epa being at war is helpful for me, and the more Paladins and Guardians we kill now, the less we face later.”

And now, Fortia looked at him with something that looked like surprised respect. “Are you actually intending to continue the war?”

“I see no reason not to.” Arascus said and raised his glass. “Do you?”

“In your position?” Fortia asked. “I don’t…” She sighed heavily. “I will give you this then.”

“What?” Arascus asked.

“I intend to leave the Pantheon.” Fortia said and stared at Arascus. “Don’t think this is an admission I will join you, it’s not. I intend to leave the Pantheon and leave world affairs. I have realised they are not for me.”

Arascus leaned forwards onto the rock in between them. “You?” He asked. “Leave world-affairs?” It was news almost too good to be true.

“Whether I will return or not is not for me to decide, I do not know.” Fortia admitted. “But for a decade at least, I expect not to be part of it. I want to sit the war out.”

“Allasaria may come for you.” Arascus said and followed up when he saw Fortia’s glare. “Let’s not pretend that just because you’re both Pantheon members she would let you stay if you sat the war out. I wouldn’t in her position either. Nor do I think you would.”

Fortia stared at him for a moment in silence. “Then either she or I or both of us will meet Maisara.” She said flatly, that fire within the woman burned out immediately and she retreated back into herself. “So this is why I ask for you to let my men live. I will take them back to Gracya, they will be stationed around the mountain. Most likely I’ll move them to the UNN to assist in the reconstruction if Ciria allows it. Else…” Fortia shrugged. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to fight in the Second Great War, that I do know.”

Arascus sighed, and here he thought he could make Malam’s life easier by delaying the day of Peace. He hadn’t thought that Fortia would be so crushed that she was already pulling out. Malam would have to be told to speed up her Epan plans even more, no matter how dirty they got. He changed topics simply to see what information could be gleamed about the Pantheon as it stood. “I do intend to fight the Second Great War, and I intend to win.”

Fortia shook her head. “I know you don’t believe in luck after Leona, but good luck.” Arascus allowed himself the smile. There was that part in him which always saw this woman’s honesty and flatness and appreciated it.

“We’ll see.”

“I almost feel bad.” Fortia said.

“Do you?”

“Because you I don’t dislike.” Fortia said. “There’s a phrase about a worthy enemy. You, Kassandora, Irinika and Fer to an extent, I appreciate.”

“Anassa?” Arascus asked to test out Fortia’s honesty and confidence.

And the woman passed the test. She made a terrible rumble of a laugh. “You are the only person on this world who can possibly see any value in that vile woman.”

“I appreciate the honesty.” Arascus said. Anassa would take it as a compliment frankly.

“Then we will have this talk after the war is finished and we’ll see where you stand. I promise one thing.” Arascus said. “If you do stay out truly, then we will not come for revenge for the past.”

“It’s not like I achieved anything anyway.” Fortia said in a dismal tone. “And we won’t be having this conversation.”

“Will we not?” Arascus asked.

“You will lose Arascus.” Fortia said sternly. “I have nothing more to say than that. Paradeisius will join the war soon, and you will lose.”

“So are you saying it’s impossible?”

“You are too slow, you would need all Arika and all Epa to be mobilizing right now. There’s a month, maybe two, because Allasaria returns. Back then, Tartarus took a year to mobilize and Paradeisius two.” Fortia’s gold-bronze eyes stared Arascus down, as if challenging him to make another optimistic statement regarding this whole situation. “Go on.” Fortia said, arms crossed. “As of right now, I am giving you the option of conserving life on Arda.”

“Conserving life on Arda by handing over my own?”

“Allasaria will imprison you most likely. Kassandora will survive definitely too. Neneria, I cannot vouch for but I’m sure you’ll be able to negotiate her way out.”

“Fer.” Arascus said. And Fortia took a deep breath, arms crossed. Those eyes shone at the God on the other side of the table. The few trees around them swayed. Waves beat on the cliff. And Fortia stared at Arascus.

“Do you want me to lie to you?”

“We both know what will happen to Fer.”

“There is only one thing that can happen to Fer.” Fortia said. “Allasaria said it herself, there is a reason that dangerous animals are put down.”

Arascus smiled at Fortia, from the way she talked, it was obvious what her thoughts on that matter were. “You don’t believe that, do you?”

Fortia sighed and shook her head. “Whether Fer lives or dies is not for me to decide.” The Goddess of Peace said. “I do know one thing about her though.”

“What is that?” Arascus asked.

“There exists no one who is more loyal or more protective of those she treats as her own as Fer. And Fer does treat all of you as her own.” Arascus smiled with so much pride he felt as if he was shining.

“We all treat each other the same way.” Arascus said and Fortia shook her head.

“Kassandora at least has the decency to lie and pretend she is a prisoner. Fer will demand death before submission. I do not see a single way in which she can be reasoned with.”

“She would listen to me.” Arascus said. “Hypothetically, if I did go through with your plan, then Fer would listen.”

Fortia shook her head. “We both know that this would only be a piece of tape over a hole in the ship. If Fer were to feel we disrespect you, then she would come for us.”

Arascus shrugged as he looked into the glass of whiskey. “And Fer is too powerful to simply ignore.”

And Fortia made one long nod. “And Fer is too powerful to simply ignore.” She repeated. “This is not Kavaa we are dealing with. This is Fer. She could rip the head off Allasaria in the blink of an eye if she got the chance.”

“She would want to as well.” Arascus said, smiling.

“And Olephia is the second problem case we have.” Fortia said. “Because at least Fer could potentially be calmed down. If Olephia got in a bad mood?” Fortia raised an eyebrow at Arascus and she leaned in close. “What is there to do then?”

“It’s not my problem.” Arascus answered.

Fortia opened her mouth, closed it, and those big eyes stared at Arascus as her head dropped into a stunned hunch. “Excuse me?” Fortia asked.

“It’s not my problem.” Arascus replied.

“Olephia is by all means your problem.”

“Not for me.” Arascus said. “If you think you’ll be able to win, then go ahead. You imprisoned her once at least.”

“That was all Leona.” Fortia said. “Allasaria stunned her, but it was Leona’s plan, Leona executed it, Leona did everything. We were just pieces that were moved about to catch Olephia. But…” The Goddess of Peace trailed off and then shook her head. “What are you talking about? Olephia’s not your problem?”

“For one.” Arascus said. “Would I tell you how to defeat Olephia? For two, Olephia is family.”

“And?” Fortia asked. “So what? The Pantheon was something close to that.”

“I only deal in realities Fortia.” Arascus crossed his arms and leaned back. “I have nothing to say to you in this regard.”

“Olephia is a reality.” Fortia said. “Satisfy my curiosity, why? How did you think you would ever control her?”

“This is why Olephia never allied with anyone before me.” Arascus said spoke slowly as he thought about the Goddess of Chaos. He remembered how he approached her the first time, with hands behind his back and whistling a tune. He would probably never be able to forget that feeling of Olephia’s cold purple eyes settling on him. That had been a dice-roll true, but it was a dice-roll he was sure he would win. “Because all of you think that control is a matter of chains and walls. Leona was the only one of you to actually think of a way to imprison Olephia, and what did the Dreamworld hold? Nothing. Olephia told me, it was just a path she happened not to step off of.”

Fortia sighed, but Arascus continued. “I control Olephia in the same way the ground controls humanity. Fundamentally, humans are bound to the ground, chained by forces outside of their own will. For them, it is gravity that binds them. For Olephia, it is the fact we are family.”

Fortia stared at him for a moment and shook her head. “I simply cannot believe that Olephia would do that.”

Arascus leaned back and crossed his arms. He supposed it was time to finally start working on breaking down Fortia. “But you know what it’s like already, you just need to apply it to Olephia.”

“Do I?” Fortia asked.

“Maisara would do the same for you.” Arascus said and Fortia blinked. He knew it would hurt, of course it would. Those two had been close since before the Great War. He knew that working within the Pantheon would only bind them together, they mixed as well together as tea and sugar. And Fortia sat there as Arascus, without moving scanned her reaction. She wasn’t over it, that was for sure. That was good too, because then Arascus would have needed to remind her about the fact there was a carrot before he could start waving the stick.

Fortia shook herself, her eyes became wet, and she blinked the tears away. “And?” Fortia said. “So what? I didn’t do it for her!”

“Not then.” Arascus said.

“Not ever!” Fortia shouted.

“No.” Arascus’ voice boomed in the same way he would use to scold one of the Daughters when they needed a scolding. “That’s not true.”

“How is it not?”

“Because Maisara is still here. Neneria caught her.”

Fortia blinked, the spear stood in the ground besides her disappeared, reappeared next to her, and split the log she was sitting on. “Let’s not joke about things we don’t know.” She said flatly.

“Maisara’s soul is in Neneria.” Arascus said. Fortia said nothing for a moment, she simply stared with rage at Arascus. “We have recovered her body too.” The God sighed. “And this is why we’ll win the next Great War.”

“With Maisara’s ghost?” Arascus had assumed Fortia would be able to put two and two together, but apparently she couldn’t. So things would have to be said as they were.

“Just as was done in the past, it will be done now. In Kirinyaa, in the reclaimed wasteland, I have started construction of a Divine Experimentation Facility. We finally have a soul that is strong enough to prove it can be done, and once it’s done.” Arascus laughed. “Well, it’s the same as with Divines. We’re immortal until we’re not. Once we prove it’s possible, the belief will be shattered. Mass manufactured Divinity can begin.”

“It’s impossible.” Fortia said definitely, but she wasn’t angry. Arascus saw a glint of hope in her eyes. And that glint of hope meant that he his hooks had found something to catch on.

“It’s impossible until it’s not.” Arascus said. “And impossible isn’t a word I abide by.”

Fortia laughed. She lifted up her glass and finished it. “Arascus.” She said. “You are mad. I remember back in the day, we had a similar discussion.”

“Which one?” Arascus asked.

“Fading Light Contingency.” Fortia said. The plan to kill Allasaria a long time ago, a very long time ago. “I still have it, you know?”

“I apologize for losing my copy.”

“I have that one too.” Fortia said. She sighed and leaned back. Whereas her pulling out was terrible news, this change in mood was magnificent. “You know what Arascus?”

“What?” The God of Pride passed.

“I actually believe in you.” The Goddess said. “I actually do. In you and in Maisara. If there’s anyone who has the sheer gall to try putting a soul back into a body, it’s you, and if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s her.”

Arascus lifted his glass up and Fortia clinked hers against his. He kept himself from saying anything more, as much as he wanted to gloat in his victory, there was no need to be pre-emptive. “We’ll talk again.” He said.

“I hope so.” Fortia admitted as she stood up. The change in the woman’s energy made it go from a gown fit for a funeral to one fit for a ball. And Arascus stood up, his feet left the ground as Fortia radioed for her pick up.

Arascus burst out in laughter once he was sure he was far away enough that Fortia couldn’t hear him.

He had just killed two birds with one stone.