The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]
Chapter 355 – Poison Pill

The fact that Kavaa does not share is of no surprise. I am perfectly aware of how much stronger my blessing makes humans, down to being able to even ascribe a number to it, yet I have never shared this information with anyone. It is not that Kavaa does not share, Kavaa’s power of Health is self-evident. She is able to force life back into people and entities, so much so that it is painful to bear even for myself or for Fortia. There are none stronger than us.

I have seen the woman give a blessing of perfect health to mortals and I have seen her heal Divines, yet something simply does not add up for me. I do not know how much sheer life a Divine may have, this has simply never been studied, yet I am sure that it must be magnitudes larger than the life a mortal could ever hope to possess. I will not talk of raw strength or agelessness here but rather the very fact we are capable of sharing our energies in the forms of blessings must stand for something.

This leaves two viable scenarios. Either Kavaa is in touch with a different sort of energy other than what we consider the grand demesne of health. This would go against common wisdom as well as invalidate major theories in our understanding of the world. If life can be separated from health, then what is health? The concept of the latter cannot exist with the former to serve as a foundation.

The second option, equally as disconcerting, is that Kavaa’s demesne does simply reach everything and that she holds herself back when working on mortals. If she can burn me with enough health for it to hurt, then mortals should be dropping dead around her simply from her presence and nothing else. Yet this does not happen, Clerics receive a powerful bless, yet it only makes them marginally stronger than Paladins. The real strength of Kavaa is the instant healing she is capable of. I have seen Clerics regenerate wounds that would have felled a man, yet I know that the amount of healing cast into them isn’t enough to regenerate a wound on myself. The third point to this is that Kavaa infamously makes a mockery of healing, always claiming to never feel fatigue from it. Everyone in the Pantheon has come across this behaviour, everyone in the Pantheon utterly hates it. I know that Zerus and Alkom deny the woman’s claims and believe she is simply playing strong to cover up her complex of inferiority. Most of us only see it is a half-truth: the woman knows healing is her job, so she does not complain of it. However, there is ‘but?’ to be asked in this scenario.

This second option begs a question that I am sure most Divines have asked themselves about Kavaa: Just how far can she actually push mortals? If we assume that healing one of mine or Fortia’s or Allasaria’s lost limbs is as mundane to her as drinking a cup of tea or taking a casual stroll through the garden, then what sort of healing would it take to make the woman sweat?

- Excerpt from “A Documentation of White Pantheon Divinity”, written by Goddess Maisara, of Order.

Malam readjusted her black cap and flicked the collar of her coat out straight up as she stared down at Richard VI’s meeting room. The Goddess of Hatred stood alone in the Shadow Council chamber, on one side of a table. Every important face in Allia, from the aristocratic dukes that served as ministers for the King, to the man himself, to his wife, and even to Aliana, Goddess of the nation, were on the other side. The humans all in suits save for Queen Eleanor, who was in a rich dress, were all in blue suits. That had become the fashion since Malam effectively claimed the colour of black for herself.

The Goddess of Hatred’s coat fell down to her boots and her perfect-white hair spilled out over it. She looked at Aliana for a moment, the Goddess stood in a uniform half-way between Malam’s and Richard’s. It was black, but it was in the Allian style. Malam looked at King Richard, obviously unhappy with what was going on and scratching his head as he avoided Malam’s eyes. Malam saw Queen Eleanor, the woman was furious. And the rest of the ministers, between everyone in the room, only Arascus’ daughter looked as if she wanted to be there. Malam had a knowing smile as her eyes passed over the men from side to side.

“Gentlemen.” Malam said. “Ladies.” To Queen Eleanor and Aliana. “I think we have something to discuss.” She knew her presence here was not wanted. She knew that they had been cursing her return, it was obvious from the fact that Richard had put Malam up in the furthest hotel from the palace he could find. His own estates, of course, were nowhere near good enough for the grand Goddess of Hatred, he had said. There was simply no way that something fit for a mortal king could satisfy a being like Malam, and basically, she had no choice but to stay over there. For her own honour and dignity of course and not at all because Richard did not want to see her.

“We do.” Richard VI said flatly. He knew too. Everyone did. It was all over the news. Arascus in Epa with a letter personally signed by Tasaidien. One that said Alanktyda was going to make peace with Epa and offering an apology for the lives lost. Yesterday, the first Lubskan grain ship left for Allia with Arascus’ personal blessing.

“We did not even need a week to solve your problem.” Malam said as she spread her legs and clasped her hands behind her back. She tilted her head up and looked down her nose at every representative in the room. It was indulgent, true, but she wanted them to know their damn place. They weren’t here to make negotiations or arguments against her. “Voila.” Malam exclaimed. “Your problem is solved.”

Richard took the crown off the top of his head and looked at the thin band of silver. Eleanor put her hand over his and every minister avoided Malam’s eyes once again. They began to feign interest in the table before them, or in the papers they had brought, or in the window overlooking a garden outside where a white horse was grazing. And Malam let them rot, she knew the moment hurt, and she revelled in that spiritual pain her mere presence was inflicting right now. King Richard VI, a fairly young man in his mid-thirties, looked as if he was approaching his deathbed. His brow was creased, his eyes were heavy, and it strained him to even look up at Malam. “Are you sure?”

Malam was ecstatic that Richard here wasn’t enough of a man to simply sign the offer of Imperial Provincehood and have it be over with. She always liked to play with her food. “Do I need to see the ships dock? Or do you expect Tasaidien himself to come here and tell you he won’t be raiding your vessels anymore.” Malam said, it was the verbal equivalent of a knife being twisted to the man’s soul. Richard took a large sigh and leaned back in his seat.

Lovely Queen Eleanor, hair like the sun and with eyes of sparkling blue ocean that surrounded this island nation, took it upon herself to defend her husband. Malam smiled at her, maybe she even competed with Aliana in terms of beauty. But against the picturesque perfection that was Hatred? With her pristine white hair and pale skin? It was a child testing their strength against a strongman. “Goddess Malam, we did not expect that it would be this fast.” Eleanor said. “If you may shine some mercy on us, then I would…” She looked around the table to search for help. Malam saw Aliana looked down at the humans and scowl. Well, it was good to see that the mockery this supposed leadership was making of themselves wasn’t something Malam was simply imagining.

“Goddess Malam.” Some man called Bertrand said. A duke apparently, Malam had studied all the people in the Shadow Council. Dukes and intellectuals and so on, some there was some nepotism but she had lived through times when the only qualification needed was the correct surname. Frankly, it was downright meritocratic to her. The best of the best that Allia had to offer. And the best of the best crumbled away under her terrible gaze. Bertrand stalled, looked down, readjusted his hands, and looked back up at Malam. “It’s not that we did not believe you, but this is rather fast.”

“I know not a single one of you took me seriously.” Malam said. “And I knew we would be having this conversation. You simply underestimated what we were capable of. I have nothing more to say than that in regard to this because I knew it would happen. The world is simply not used to the amount of success that we bring.”

“And we is who?” Eleanor asked gently.

“The Empire under Arascus.” Malam replied flatly. She extended an arm out to the other Goddess in the room, who stood several steps behind Richard as if trying to blend into the shadow. “Aliana, you have seen the power Anassa possesses. You have trained with Fer and Kavaa. You are the only one I am disappointed in, because you yourself have worked with us. Iliyal’s strategic competence is not exceptional, it is the norm. To be a general of Kassandora is to be as good as Iliyal.” That was a complete lie, but who here was about to question Malam’s words?

Aliana sighed and shook her head. “Leave me out of this.”

“It is your nation!” Eleanor suddenly shouted.

“Allia will persist whether it’s an independent nation or an Imperial Province, I am not going anywhere.”

“Do you have no pride for yourself?”

“I have plenty of pride.” Aliana said slowly as she stared the Queen of her country down. Malam found the weak link. It was one thing to annex a nation, but old leadership always bore grudges. It was always better to bring in fresh blood to replace the old guard when there was any sort of change. The Queen opened her mouth and Aliana spoke hard and fast to shut her down before the conversation could devolve. The damage was already done though, Malam inspected the other ministers. Some were looking at Aliana with every word Eleanor said, beckoning their Goddess to come forwards and step in to protect their nation. Others had turned their heads, ashamed of the public bickering. “I am the incarnation of the nation your highness.” It was one of the coldest ‘your highness’s Malam had ever heard. “I am not here to engage in politics and diplomacy, I am here to fight for Allia where it needs me to fight.”

But Eleanor was not done. “And if Allia needs you to fight right now?”

“Allia does not need me to fight right now. Allia was just saved by Arascus, I have nothing else to comment other than that.” Eleanor opened her mouth to argue once again, but this time, Richard put his hand on hers to stop the argument. He met Malam’s gaze with a renewed vigour.

“And what happens if we decline?” The king asked.

“The situation will go on as it has.” Malam said. Was the man growing a spine? Surprising. “The Alanktydan blockade has been broken and will not return, but we will not bother you.” Eleanor and Richard shared a look as Malam finished. She made sure not to make it seem like she wanted them to join. Hierarchy did not work like that, they should want to work for her rather than being forced to. “Granted, I held you in higher regard than this.”

Aliana coughed and brought attention to herself. “I am not part of the decision-making leadership here Malam.”

Eleanor and the ministers on her side turned back to look at the Goddess, and Richard sighed once again. “You understand no one thought it possible Goddess.”

“I understand very well.” Malam said. “Which is why I explained it. What you think of success impossible, we consider the norm.”

“And from now on, how do you plan to proceed? With us and with Epa I mean to ask.” Richard said and Malam smiled at his sneakiness. Truly, the man knew what he was doing.

“Epa will be rebuilt. You already see Lubska making changes. We will retake Rancais. Allia will be used as a base for launching bombers in that campaign. Arascus will come to help perform another Kirinyaan miracle here, and your job will be to make sure that the people aren’t too sad about a new flag.” It was demeaning, it was insulting, but Malam had already checked Richard and Eleanor off. There would be no reason to keep them when she could instead ally and support those who had been ashamed of the bickering between Aliana and Eleanor. And there was the Goddess herself too of course. A Divine was always better as the ruler of a nation, because mortals came and went but a Divine was forever. You only had to win a person’s loyalty once.

“And what of us?” Richard VI asked.

“And what of you?” Malam laid the bait. “You are a king, naturally we won’t make you into a governor or make you do any other humiliation like that, but we will come in with our own men to manage what needs to be managed.” All Malam needed was a foot in the door. She would send in men, and they would never be sent back. And eventually more men would be sent in. And a nation would be stolen.

“I meant more in regard to what will happen to us personally. And I mean everyone in this room, not just me.” Malam didn’t bother to contain her smile, she knew it would come off as pleasant, but in reality she was smiling with glee at what the man said. Everyone in this room? So that must mean there were people here that made Richard worried. Whether for their safety or his, it didn’t matter.

“We have more important things to manage than your personal lives, trust me.” Malam tapped her nose. “Frankly, I am a Goddess, do you think I do not indulge my own vices either?” Half of the table sighed with relief. Malam kept track of the faces to make sure she knew who it was.

“I see.” Richard said. “Apologies then.”

“There is nothing to apologize for. A world without vices is not the sort of world I would wish to live in.” Malam made sure to re-iterate the comment about vices to make it seem like she was simply having lecherous and degenerate thoughts. Richard hesitated for a moment.

“May we get a day to discuss this?”

“You had four already.” Malam said and Aliana smiled from the back. She didn’t bother to hide it when Malam caught her.

“Then one more, if we may, before we make this decision.” Richard practically begged.

Malam knew she had caught them. If it was going to be a denial, then it would have come already. Now, they would be convincing not each other but themselves that this was the right move to make for the future of Allia. Malam made her voice tired, as if they had pulled one over on her. “Very well, but I will be returning to my father tomorrow. If I do not get an answer by that time, then I will assume it’s a rude denial.”

“We thank you graciously.”

Malam turned around to make sure they wouldn’t be able to see her expression. Their decision did not matter in the slightest, because she had already picked out the people in this crowd who could serve as her saboteurs. The biggest amongst them was the Goddess in the back.

Allia had already been poisoned, it just hadn’t dropped dead yet.