Until death?

by Andur

“Could you two speak our language and try to explain what the Council is?” Katrine asks.

  “Nothing to worry about, just the gods of all gods, the rulers of the universe. No big deal at all.” Angrod proclaims in a happy voice.

  “What about Seria? Can she help us?” Arthur asks.

  “Nope, sorry to inform you, but Seria is also just one of their employees.” Angrod smiles at them.

  “So the Meltheims got their hands on some really powerful spell, which is connected to the rulers of the universe? Why am I even trying to save my world, if the rulers of the fucking universe are on their side.” -Arthur

  “Because if you don't keep trying from the beginning. You will never achieve anything. We don't know much yet, but we know for sure that we should interrupt that summoning!” I try to encourage my dad again.

  “At least the time seems to be on our side. To power a magic like that, you need huge amounts of mana. Those maniacs would need to sacrifice a whole world to run it at full speed. At this rate it will take years until the spell is done.” Angrod explains.

  “Then we have time to take over the north and deal with the City of Seria later?” -Arthur

  “Maybe.” Angrod doesn't sound so sure.

  I am still a bit shocked. If Angrod's observation is true. Then there is much more at stake here. What reason could the Council have to enter this world in such a roundabout manner? A god should be able to walk where he wants.

  “Unless Seria somehow managed to shut them out? And now they want to take a look at this world?” I am talking to myself.

  “You can't hinder a god from walking where he wants. As long as there is a path, you can reach every world. But it doesn't matter, we will stop this madness and then we are done with it.” -Angrod

  “In any case, I am off now to coordinate our actions with my generals. Inform me if you find something with those nice spy-devices of yours.” Arthur turns around and walks off.

  “Take the screen with you. Your generals and you will need it and I can just go and get another one from my lab.” Angrod waves at the big screen which is about one meter long and a half meter high.

  Arthur nods and grabs the whole thing. Then he leaves with Katrine. I stay back with Ireth, but she is still out of it and silently crying. Angrod is holding her hand.

  “I don't like it. We don't know what's going on. Do you have any idea?” I ask the stupid hermit.

  “We can only wait until the army has taken control of the north. It should be no problem, even though I failed in the City of Seria, the rest of their command structure should be in utter chaos.

  Arthur just has to walk through them and take over. Then we can deal with the City of Seria and its stupid shield. Though I am not sure how we can deal with it.” Angrod explains slowly while thinking over something.

  “What could be the problem? If they have just one city left and we have enough time, we can crack the shield and deal with them.” I ask him.

  “I don't know how many people they sacrificed for that shield. What if they used a sizeable amount? We could have troubles to bring it down.” He stares at his small computer and keeps silent.

  I hug him. He may be an uncaring idiot with a cold heart. But at least he gets angry for those close to him. “Hahaha, we will get through this, don't you remember! Seria said that we will lead the world towards a better future! If we are together, nothing can stop us!” I proclaim proud and he smiles weakly.

  We just sit there for the rest of the night, while Ireth fell asleep on the couch. Angrod keeps working on his computer, so I stand up to get a blanket for Ireth and something to drink.

  After I got a blanket from my bedroom, I make my way towards the kitchen. But when I turn around the corner I bump into a person, who rushed along the hallway.

  “Celes, where is Arthur?” Nicosar stands before me, though a little dusty, he is alive!

  “N.. Nicosar! We thought you were dead!” I run up to him and hug him. I can still get my revenge! Oh, thanks! I can still pay him back for all those months of torture. “Where is Nicol?”

  Nicosar shakes his head. “I got blown a few kilometres through the air. After I regenerated, I had to walk back by foot to the next place with someone who could teleport me back. I fear Nicol hasn't made it. It was... a rather big explosion...”

  “A... Anyway. You have to take care of Ireth. She is pretty down since we got the news of the attack. Arthur is already coordinating everything.” I take him by the hand and lead him back to the living room.

  As we arrive there, Angrod smiles an evil smile. “I am so glad you made it. Though I had already feared that thing got you, after you didn't show up for so long.”

  At the noise Ireth wakes up and sees Nicosar. She jumps up and hugs him. “Father! I am so glad. What …. “

  “I am sorry.” Nicosar whispers and hugs her in turn. “But you have to be strong, you are the queen of a country. We can't just lay down our responsibilities because we lost someone dear to us. We have to stand up and work for a future in which those things won't happen.”

  Ireth nods and Nicosar takes her by the hand. “Then we should go and help Arthur and Katrine.”

  Together they leave to join Arthur and Ireth.

  “And what will you do now?” I ask Angrod. “I will go to sleep, I am tired. I have the body of a child after all.” He answers.

  A chance! Tonight I will get off another point on my list!

  32 - Interlude - Neither black nor white?

  Seven gods are sitting around an oval, white table. Beneath them, visible through a transparent disc, is a city made of crystals. It seems like they are just hovering in the sky without the need of any support. Around them stretches a wonderful sky, dyed in shades of blue and red.

  Above them, a blue sun is dancing around a black hole.

  “I don't believe her! She is playing tricks on us! You guys must see it too. She is spending too much time outside of our surveillance! What is she doing in those void zones?” -Tjenemit

  “I agree, but we never had much choice in the matter. She is the only one who can wander through those places. That makes her our fastest weapon. While others have to take detours, she can just walk in a straight line.” Amaru nods at Tjenemit's words, but there is doubt in his voice.

  “She is too useful for the hunt. And she brought us countless escapees who didn't approve of our guidance. Sometimes a god she is hunting escapes. But what's the problem with that? Other young gods on the run manage to get away a few times too. Though she is surely acting strange. Maybe we should investigate her a little.” -Eris

  “But many who escaped her never turned up again! Here!” Tjenemit throws a few papers onto the table. “There are countless cases! It goes back as far as our records about her reach! I want to know what happened to them!

  “I don't care, even if she locks them up somewhere to play her games. We gave her that freedom for those two too. If someone of her usefulness asks for a favour, you should grant it once in a while. And who cares if she takes some of those she caught for herself?” -Elohim

  Enyo stretches in her chair and speaks with a bored voice.

  “I think so too. Eternity is long, you need a hobby. I don't know which sick side of hers she is hiding from us. And I don't care, as long as she does her job and those who vanished never turn up again.”

  “I still think you guys make a big mistake by turning a blind eye on her! It was a big mistake to give her those two when she asked for it! We should have locked them inside the black hole too! She is planning something. I feel it! And soon, I will be able to prove it!” -Tjenemit

  “How?” -El Shaddai

  “I invested quite some time to research her favourite void zone. And I think that something is in there!” -Tjenemit

  “I am sure, if we would just talk to her we could reach a consensus.” -Lada

  Tjenemit throws a disapproving look into Lada's direction.

  ”I have already sent a message into the void zone. It c
ontains a summoning circle for myself. If we are lucky, someone inside will find it and summon me there. With the circle I will have a perfect conjuring point. I will also be able to use it again to return.” -Tjenemit

  “Does Seria know about this?” -El Shaddai

  “No. It would be stupid to try this with her knowledge. She would try to stop me. I could even be caught inside the void zone!” -Tjenemit

  “I still think that we should talk. Seria is a trusted aide. If we plan something like this behind her back it could destroy our relationship.” Lada throws a pleading look at the others.

  “I know that you are a goddess of harmony Lada, but you are too trustworthy.” Amaru shakes his head.

  “A god of wisdom should know better. This is not the right path!” -Lada

  “Then we will take a vote to decide. Speak now! Who is against Tjenemit in this.” -El Shaddai

  “I am!” -Lada

  “I don't believe it to be the right step either.” -Elohim

  “I will do it!” -Tjenemit

  “Let him try.” -Eris

  “I am not against it either.” -El Shaddai

  Everyone looks at Enyo, but she shrugs her shoulders. “I don't care. Tell me if I can crush something, then I will decide.”

  “So we have three voices in favour of the plan, two against it and one without opinion. So you will go through with your plan Tjenemit.” El Shaddai sums it up. “I will leave then. There is much to do.”

  El Shaddai vanishes.

  “Nice! Boring talks are done! Time to crush something!” Enyo blinks out of existence.

  “Then I will retreat too. I will have to meditate, in order to find the summoning circle.” Tjenemit fades away.

  “Sorry Lada, but creating discord is my forte! So I have to assist Tjenemit in this.” Eris dissolves into particles of light with a smirk on her face.

  “This is wrong. Elohim, you know it too!” Lada turns to Elohim.

  “I am sorry Lada, but I don't agree with you. I may have voted with you, but for different reasons. In my opinion Seria should be left alone, because she never betrayed our trust. But if she would be planning something like Tjenemit thinks of her....... well.

  But Tjenemit doesn't have proof. He has just one of his stupid feelings. So I am against kicking the bee hive just to test if there are some killer bees or normal honey bees inside, if you understand? Even normal bees get mad if their hive is kicked. Seria has done nothing to deserve that.”

  Elohim waves and vanishes too, leaving a sick looking Lada behind.

  Lada grabs the papers on the table, which Tjenemit left behind and starts to read.

  33 - It is the first ....?

  I am fifteen by now and in my ninth school year. Thanks do the strategic strike by my research lab, our parents could subdue the north without real problems.

  The Meltheim's forces dissolved without a competent leadership. The army just had to walk to the north and take control again.

  We still lost Nicol to that surprise attack though. Something I am still blaming myself for. It was my proposal to wait and defeat them with patience.

  That probably gave them the time to prepare that attack. But you can't change the past. I have to go on and do better next time. Yes, always doing better until you won't lose the ones dear to you.

  Nicol's burial wasn't anything special. Mourning the dead doesn't seem to be a big deal in this world. You do it by yourself and the most even a king gets, is a minute of silence.

  The culture just developed that way during the war and didn't change since then.

  The north is under our control again and the City of Seria lies under heavy siege. Their shield protects them and nothing could break it until now.

  Those bastards put so much mana into it, it's a big problem to bring it down. Although I am working on a solution, the needed hammer for this egg is on another scale.

  Even now, the army is bombarding the City of Seria day and night while trying everything to crack the shield open.

  But I don't have much hope. Not unless we would go to the same length as them and start to sacrifice people.

  Luckily the support for the royal family is as big as never before. Everyone who supported the Meltheim's was lynched, when the truth got out.

  The People went to the streets and dragged nobles out of their houses. Everyone who had even the smallest connection to Meltheim or Tulhelm, had to fear for his life.

  Our parents had a hard time to stop the people from taking the law into their own hands.

  Some even tried to storm the house of Cygnus and get their hands on Iris. A little bit sick if you ask me, after all Iris is just a child.

  But they never got over the doorstep. The security took care of them as soon as they set foot onto Cygnus property.

  Right now I am designing a little surprise to crack the shield of the City of Seria. It will take lots of work, but we still have time and I hope to be ready soon enough.

  We couldn't even talk to those idiots. The shield is blocking everything. Although we got some information from civilians in the north.

  From their story, it appears that the Meltheim rule got very close to a police state shortly after they took control.

  Most people weren't allowed to travel. That's how they managed to hide their actions from the rest of the population.

  No wonder they went to the streets, the same moment it looked like their military wouldn't be able to stop them.

  This whole story seems like it came out of the mind of a really sick person. But that's reality. Before you even know it, your nice and happy world turned into hell itself.

  *Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

  “Angrod! Get out!” I hear Celes voice from the other side of the door.

  But I won't open. Mwahaha! I put some really strong guarding enchantments onto my door. No one will be able to enter unless he is a high level magician.

  “Angrod! It's important!” -Celes

  Important? “What's important?”

  “Something came up! We have to go!” Celes starts to hit the door again.

  *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

  Did she just use her foot? The door holds perfectly. But when I look at the wall around it, I see some cracks.

  “I am coming! Don't hit again! You will take my whole room down!” I jump up and run to open the door.

  “What do you want? I have work.”

  Celes storms into my room and starts to search through my wardrobe. “Hey! What do you need my clothes for!”

  “To find something decent! You can't go out in that dull stuff on you.” Celes answers.

  “Go out? Where to? Is there some festival we have to take part in? I heard of nothing?” I am a little dumbfounded. Normally our parents inform us beforehand, if we have to show ourselves to the public.

  “No time. Something came up! Here, put that on. That looks nice on you.” Celes holds a suit to my chest.

  “Isn't that suit a little bit too normal for a festival?” I ask. The suit is nice, but could go through as normal street clothes. For a festival I always have to wear some really nice and high style clothes.

  “It's okay! You look cool in that! I will wait outside.” Celes runs out of the room.

  What the hell got into her? I get dressed and walk outside.