The Greatest Sin

Although as covered before, Divines have great influence on the shape of our world, there are many who choose to self-segregate and stay within their domains. The various nations in the oceans are one such example of Divines who have decided to leave the Overworld and retreat from the international stage.

Excerpt from “A Guide To Divines.” Written by modern historian Joseph Samminth

Allasaria stood before a cell door. A cell door she had not entered in a long time, not because she particularly disliked the person within, or because they could harm her, but because she knew what the prisoner could do; words of honey sweeter than Helenna’s Love, a need greater than Fortia’s Peace, a shine fiercer than even Allasaria’s own Light. A genius so unmatched Allasaria had never wanted to kill them in case a world-ending threat appeared, a genius so unmatched they could not be let out.

Allasaria took a breath and entered Kassandora’s cell.

Kassandora was laying on the bed, eyes closed and thinking. Somehow even the grey prison garbs of the Lower Prison did little to take away from the woman’s overwhelming presence. Her red hair was a shade deeper than dark blood, her height equalled Allasaria’s. Maybe the Goddess of Light had a finger’s width over the Goddess of War, but neither of them cared about such trite concepts as height.

Kassandora opened her red eyes, they widened for a moment in surprise and the woman sat up. The shock lasted for as long as a flash of Allasaria’s beams of light, Of War lazily sat up and didn’t even bother to smooth the creases in that grey dress. “It’s been a while.” She said.

Allasaria shut the door behind her and sat down at the little wooden table on the other side of the room. It was huge in reality, but for Divines of their size, an elf would sit on it like a young teen, a human would be a child. The last piece of furniture was the containment crystal in the room. Allasaria wondered what it felt like to be constrained to an object that you could not touch. “It has.” Allasaria said and indicated to the other chair. “Come, sit.”

“So there’s a discussion about.” Kassandora said idly as she took lazy steps. “I wonder what about?” The question was obviously rhetorical, her tone said as much.

“What do you think?” Allasaria barked instantly and then took a deep breath. “Forget it, you already know.”

“Do I?”

“Maisara, Fortia…” Allasaria said as Kassandora sat down.

“I assume Helenna, Kavaa and Iniri too.” The Goddess of War finished.

“Those three too.”

“So?” Kassandora said. “I know my worth, what do you want?”

“I want advice.” Kassandora laughed, leaned back and stretched her arms out to either side.

“That’s all I can give!” Allasaria killed the smile growing on her lips. She knew Kassandora from before the War, the two of them had once served as Twin Goddesses of Victory, Light & War, it was an unstoppable combination. Allasaria knew that Kassandora knew that too, if there was any hidden buttons she had not found within herself, Kassandora had. “So? What can you offer me? Freedom? Total victory?”

“You’re not going to give up anything for free?”

“Should I? Would you?” Allasaria sighed. No. Of course she wouldn’t.

“I want advice on what to do with Maisara and Fortia.” Kassandora leaned forwards again, that terribly hungry smile on her lips, that fierce glow of seeing something Allasaria had missed already in her eyes.

“And not Helenna, Kavaa or Iniri?”

“Those three are too weak to stand against me.”

“That is true.” Kassandora said. “But you should clean your closet out regularly else insects infest it.”

“You do hold your co-conspirators in high regard, don’t you?” Allasaria said and Kassandora burst out in laughter again.

“I’m easy to get along with, they came to me. And I’d say it to their faces just as much as I’d say it to you.” Allasaria was sure she would, but before that, she’d make sure to go on a speech about the noble termite and how it can turn down the greatest of homes and how those three should want to be this fabled idea of a termite.

“Nothing for free?” Allasaria said.

“I didn’t even give you anything for free when I told you how to defeat the Godkiller. Do you think I care about the sorry state of the Pantheon right now?” That was the last time they had talked, more than a century ago. Kassandora was a sweet poison, too much of her killed rational thought.

“I’m sure you don’t.” Allasaria said and sighed. “What do you want?” Kassandora replied instantly. Obviously this was planned out already. Of War had plans upon plans in that head of hers.

“Three things.” Other Divines, Allasaria was sure Kassandora would have provided a whole show for. Now she simply crossed her arms and adopted Allasaria’s cold posture. “One, a meeting with Ilwin, the new prisoner you have.”

“I know who he is.”

“I’m sure you do.” Allasaria said.

“Two, his freedom.” A concession like that? It was… it was almost pointless. Allasaria racked her brain as she tried to figure out some sort of reasoning of why or who the man could be.

“Why?”

“Leona brought him here, I’m sure he’s important in some way.” Now Allasaria laughed.

“Don’t belittle me Kass. If it was Arascus, I’d understand.”

“If it was Arascus, I wouldn’t even bother asking.”

“Because you know I would not give you that.”

“But you will give me this.” Kassandora said sternly.

“So why?” Kassandora sat for a moment as she thought. Allasaria wondered how much of that thinking was for show and how much was simply to drag the moment out.

“Do you know who he is?”

“I have bigger things to investigate than some elf. Even if Leona sent him here.”

“I will tell you, but don’t kill him.”

“That’s an assurance I will kill him.” Allasaria said flatly and Kassandora smiled like a little devil.

“Are you not curious?” And in one simple question, the Goddess of Light felt those terrible hooks of Kassandora worm their way into her brain. Why should she be curious? Well she was curious now! It was a stupid thing, she knew by all good reasoning she should simply leave the room and return with Ilwin’s head. But she knew that then, Kassandora would never tell her simply as a punishment. The curiosity would never be sated.

“I am.”

“So you promise?”

“I’m not Maisara, I do break promises.” Allasaria said coldly.

“Oh please, you know what I meant. Free him and let him go.”

“Who is he?” Allasaria almost shouted, the smile on Kassandora almost crushed her. There it was, the Goddess of War had won yet another battle.

“Ilwin Tremali.”

“Iliyal’s son?” Allasaria asked instantly. She had not even bothered thinking about that elf since she wasted ten minutes on an interrogation. Maisara had found nothing and Helenna said the man was just an elf. And yet somehow Kassandora knew… What honesty there was in the White Pantheon.

“I don’t know.” Kassandora said. “That’s why I want to talk to him.”

“So you want his freedom just because of that?”

“Iliyal was a great man, I see no reason for his descendants to suffer here.” Allasaria thought for a while, a Tremali out there would no doubt be an annoying issue, a filthy plate she’d have to clean eventually… But the house was on fire, who cared about whether the cutlery was dirty?

“What’s the third condition?” Allasaria asked.

“Communication with Anassa. She’s in the Divine Library.” Allasaria sighed. The demand did not surprise her, it was merely disappointing that somehow, someone had told Kassandora about Anassa. The Seekers she had set to guard the Lower Prison weren’t there because she hated the other Divines, it was to bar them access to Kassandora for their own damn good.

“Who told you?” Allasaria asked reflexively. She knew she wouldn’t get an answer. It was most likely Helenna or Elassa anyway, maybe Fortia although she didn’t value that woman’s intelligence so highly as to think she could find Anassa.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Kassandora cooed. No. Allasaria would not like to know. Not at all.

“Whatever Kass. Those three conditions.” Ilwin, she would give up immediately. She did not care about that man in the slightest. Anassa though? Anassa was a monster, sorcery was a menace, there was a reason sorcerers had been killed off in the years after the Great War. Anassa was a monster, but she was whimsical and egotistical, prideful and with vain tastes, she was a monster that could be captured. Anassa with Kassandora’s mind?

That was a different beast entirely.

“That’s a no.” Allasaria said flatly.

“A no on what?”

“A no on all three.” Allasaria lied, Kassandora liked to bargain, although knowing her, she had already sensed which point Allasaria had taken issue with.

“Letters then.” Kassandora said. Of course she had worked it out immediately. “And letters back. You can check them, read through them, I do not mind.” Kassandora raised an eyebrow. “Who knows, maybe Anassa will spill something interesting?”

And there it was. Of course Anassa would spill something interesting. That Goddess in particular loved to show off her achievements. And to Kassandora? Who wouldn’t love to show off to the fabled Mistress of War? Allasaria could already see the schemes forming in her mind. She even caught herself smiling. That smile alerted her she was walking blindly into a trap.

“Still no. I will bring Ilwin here right now and let you talk to him, but I’m not giving you Anassa.”

“You take something, I set another condition.” Kassandora said. “The meeting with Ilwin will be private, have someone I’ve been talking to take him away from Olympiada, to wherever he wishes to go.”

Just like that, Allasaria felt a prison appear around her. Kassandora talking Ilwin in private? Who knows… She made her mind stop chasing ghosts of the past. Arascus was imprisoned, Iliyal was most likely dead. No doubt Kassandora would give this condition up for access to Anassa. Even then, was the elf even a Tremali? Or was she just bluffing?

Allasaria called the bluff. “I will give you Ilwin, I’ll bring him here right after this meeting, I’ll let you to talk to him as long as you want, and then I’ll send him off. I’ll take him myself away from Olympiada and drop him off wherever he wants.”

“How gracious of you.” Kassandora’s smile revealed her teeth. If there was one thing Allasaria hated about the woman, it was that she never made a show of if she got what she wanted or if she had just lost. The woman could win the lottery and go on to pretend it was merely a Monday.

“So now that payment is settled, I want your honest advice on Maisara and Fortia.”

“They are scheming against you.” Kassandora said immediately. Allasaria did not give her a reaction, that much was obvious, why else did she come here? “Do you know of the Fading Light Contingency?”

“I don’t.”

“It was written before the Great War, with Fortia, Maisara, Irinika, Saranael and Arascus as the participants, they were discussing how to kill you.” If Allasaria’s surprise could be measured, it would not even be worth one grain of sand on a beach. Her position had always been envied. “This was when I was still working with you.” Kassandora continued. “I would honestly not worry about it, but Maisara has the original, I’m sure stealing it won’t be difficult.”

“Why should I not worry about it?” Allasaria asked, Kassandora smiled again.

“Because I didn’t write it.” That answer was so terribly expected, but it made perfect sense. Arascus and Irinika she had already defeated. Fortia was talented at war, but conspiracy? And the rest? Theorists when it came to these matters at best.

“Where does she have it?” Allasaria asked then remembered who she was talking to. “Can you get it?”

“I’d have to ask Helenna, or maybe Mai would be so kind she’d give me a copy.” Kassandora shrugged. “You’re asking a lot of a woman who can’t leave this room.”

“I wouldn’t be asking if I knew it was impossible for you.”

“It will be faster if you did it yourself but I could probably get it, later rather than sooner.” Kassandora replied. Allasaria left that line of questioning, there was no reason to start entering another session of bargaining with Kassandora, and besides, the woman liked a challenge.

“What would you do with Maisara and Fortia in this situation?” Allasaria and Kassandora leaned back.

“What situation?”

“The situation I’m in now.”

“And that situation is?”

“You know already.”

“I know opinions.” Kassandora replied and Allasaria’s fists tightened for a moment. The woman was smart indeed, Allasaria knew that Maisara and Fortia had been communicating with Kassandora but she did not know what they said exactly. Giving her own story, she was sure she was handing Kass a bucket of sand that the woman would sift through to find gold.

“They’re plotting against me as Rancais and Doschia are falling into chaos.” Allasaria spoke slowly, mainly to gauge Of War’s reaction. Not even a crack appeared in Kassandora’s armour. “Rancais is in flames from an Anarchian rebellion, Doschia’s stock market is crashing. Two months from now, Doschia will be another Rancais.”

“And you’re concerned with these countries why exactly?”

“Because it’s my job!” Allasaria shouted.

“What about Atis?” Of course Kassandora knew about Atis, of course she did.

“I sent Seekers, they’ve not returned yet. Leona has informed me to send someone else to follow up on them.”

“Have you?”

“I’m marshalling four hundred men.”

“Not from Olympiada I hope.” Kassandora said idly. It was precisely these words that made her so dangerous. If she was a fool, she would argue to send them from Olympiada, less men here meant it was easier to pull off whatever plans she had brewing in her own head. The woman excelled in a great many subjects, but her ability to pretend to be on your side, to honestly argue against her own self-interests was the worst of them all.

“I’m not a child, they’re from the branches in the UNN.” Allasaria said.

“Are they sent off or not?”

“Not yet.”

“Then don’t send them.” Kassandora said, she raised a finger to pause Allasaria and thought for a minute. Two. Three. Allasaria wondered once again if she was watching a pantomime, or if she was experiencing the Goddess of War craft yet another plan. Eventually of War spoke again. “And you don’t know what to do? Or did you only come to me for affirmation?”

“Are you planting seeds in my mind or are you giving me advice?” Allasaria asked, again she received another of those small smiles before an answer.

“Paranoia doesn’t suit you Allasaria.”

“If anyone else told me that, I would kill them.”

“I’m honoured you think so highly of me.” Kassandora said. “But the answer is obvious, Maisara and Fortia serve as the heads of their Orders. The Paladins will never make an independent move without their Goddess, and without them moving, the Guardians won’t move either. Send them away. One to investigate Atis’ death, preferably Fortia. Maisara send to Rancais, then when Fortia comes back send her off to fix the market in Doschia.”

“Excuse me?” Allasaria asked. “What?”

“What? I don’t see the issue.” Kassandora said.

“Why should I send her to Atis? Fortia? Are you serious?” Kassandora sighed, leaned back somehow managed to look down her nose on Allasaria even though the woman was shorter.

“Is Atis alive or dead?”

“Most likely dead.” Allasaria replied and Kassandora nodded along.

“So what do you think will seriously be found? The Seekers you’ve sent are most likely dead, so whoever is there will be alerted.”

“They’ll leave.” Allasaria said.

“If they’re smart, they’ve left already, but what could kill a God?”

“Another God.”

“This is why I asked you on whether you wanted advice or simply affirmation. You already know this Allasaria. Fortia will have the time of her life investigating whatever killed Atis. If you’re lucky, whatever got Atis will get Fortia, and then she’ll head straight to Doschia, there is no reason for her to even come here, is there?”

“I promised the White Pantheon would stay out of national politics.” Kassandora shook her head and sighed.

“Verbally or in writing?”

“In writing.” Allasaria said glumly. It was as if she was being lectured by a teacher who didn’t think of her as stupid, but simply that her performance was disappointing.

“Do you know it off by heart or not?” Kassandora asked. Allasaria thought for a moment, there was no harm in telling Kassandora this, it was common knowledge anyway. She recalled the words she had written seven hundred years ago.

“The White Pantheon pledges to let the nations of Erda have full independence in their domestic and foreign decision making, and to only step in as a temporary measure against existential threats.” Allasaria said. “That’s the line.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Kassandora sighed again, although she didn’t even think on it.

“If Arascus returned, would you stay still? Or even better, if it was Olephia?”

“They’re existential threats.” Kassandora clapped her hands.

“And what does it take to be an existential threat?”

“I decide it.”

“That simple?” Kassandora actually looked surprise. Allasaria shrugged.

“Well usually we have a vote, but I’m the final call.”

“Very well, from the moment you leave this room, Anarchia is an existential threat.” Allasaria blinked. That was so... dirty. So underhanded. Every part of her mind that thought touched, it practically soiled. And yet…

And yet it made perfect sense. There was no breaking of tradition or precedent. Kassandora continued. “Maisara will obviously make a mess out of the situation in Rancais. Fortia will handle the Atis situation quickly and then try and stop chaos in the stock markets. Do either of them have hope of success?”

“No.” Allasaria replied.

“And you buy yourself time.”

“For what?”

“They won’t stop until either you or they are dead.” Kassandora said. “So…”

“You mean to kill them.”

“Obviously you can’t just kill them like this.” Kassandora snapped her fingers. “We don’t want you to be tyrannical now, do we?” Allasaria didn’t answer that question. “But you let them make the first move, then you have a justification in declaring them heretic Divines, you’ll have the support of the neutrals when that happens. After that…” Kassandora shrugged. “I’m sure this prison has more cells than just mine, doesn’t it?”

“I’ll come back to you later.” Allasaria said and stood up. That was such a perfect plan she would have never thought of it herself. Why bother reigning them in? Stall them, let them run wild and then punish the misbehaving children. It was that easy!

“I don’t work for free.”

“We’ll negotiate when it comes to that.” Allasaria said quickly. Kassandora grabbed her hand before the woman left her room.

“I already know what I want.” Kassandora said.

“What?”

“A seat on the Pantheon.” Allasaria blinked, stunned, pulled her hand away and left the cell.

Kassandora sat in her cell and smiled. That went perfectly, the final comment especially. Those words were exactly the sort of thing that would appeal to Allasaria’s joyful heart that ever longed for its precious dreams of unity and cooperation.