The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building] Chapter 696 – Ill-Gotten Confidence

This debate resurfaces every few decades, and it always ends in the exact sa fashion. There are two narratives to the end of the Age of Monsters, one is backed by Helenna & Malam, the other is backed basic logical deduction. The first narrative, as done by Arda’s two chief propagandists, states that there was a full and total extermination of monsters. That their nests were burned to the ground, the ground below them salted, their forests burned down, their offspring put to the spear, that every single one of those cursed creatures that plagues Arda’s histories has been rendered dead and that the entire species is extinct.

The latter narrative states that this is an impossibility. Malam and Helenna are not omniscient, even if we take into account the presence of ancient Divinity such as the likes of Zerus, Irinika, Neneria, Iniri & Alkom, we are still left with the issue that these individuals, backed by tribes of humanity, sohow managed to traverse and scour the entire world free of that species. Ultimately, there cos a point where this becos wishful thinking. How was humanity, in the era of tribes and without the conception of statehood, able to extend influence over the whole world? Down to every dark cave, every forest nook, every hidden valley?

Every scholar, whether Divine or Mortal, who has given this paradox thought arrives at the second conclusion.

In the field of history, the most powerful of Divines rarely need to lie. They are biased of course, but mbers of our race such as Allasaria, Irinika, Arascus, Olephia, Fortia & Maisara exist in a post-consequence world. They have no need to lie because there is no one above them to bring justice to their lies. Helenna and Malam however are firmly not in this category, they are both reductionists in their retellings, although that is only natural for Goddesses whose existence depends on public opinion. That gives us reasoning for an altered, or an incomplete history.

The logistics of a global genocide of monsters alone are reason enough as to disprove their claims. Their victory is trendously easy to cast doubt upon. In fact, they would have been disproved thousands of years ago, long before I even incarnated, were it not for one rather peculiar detail.

Monsters are truly driven from the surface of Arda. Whereas we have doomsayers who treat the rare sighting of so creature as proof that Helenna and Malam were not complete in the devastation, this panicking borders on the sa logic that because we have ruins of ancient Sythia, Sythia still exists. The Monsters were truly annihilated, they have been reduced to a triviality on the surface, a curiosity and a cause for excitent when one does resurface from sowhere. That is undeniable. What Malam and Helenna accomplished is an impossibility and yet it is undeniable. There are no monsters anymore.

Thus we are left with the question of “How?”

-- Excerpt from “The Unsolved Mysteries of Arda”, written by Goddess Elassa, of Magic.

Etala stood behind President Rudyard Kochinski’s chair for yet another eting with the heads of the UNN. The council had gone through shift and twists and turns. Little of the pre-Continent Cracking ministers remained, those that did were simply ones who did not stick their heads out. Now, the room was split into small factions that pretended not to exist as they settled down around the table of the High Hostead Hotel. In the country’s east, they were here to be close to the rebuilding of the eastern seaboard. It was a show of unity, or it should be, at least.

It was Kochinski’s move to try and separate the figures of his governnt from the local governnts in the west. Etala couldn’t even fault him for it, the play had been correct. The state ministers, those who were in charge of cities and provinces and beholden to the actual presidential governnt knew they would never actually be tasked with dealing with the Empire, so they had no brakes in their rhetoric. There were cultists, those who had been aided by Kavaa’s Clerics, who had their children healed, who swore that the Empire was a force for good. Talk of joining the Surface War on the Imperial side was rare, but it wasn’t so rare as to be shocking anymore. No, the category of shocking had now been reserved for those who swore that the UNN should actually join the Empire.

The other camp, obviously heralded by Ciria although of Civilization would never admit to such interference in the UNN’s governnt, talked of the opposite. Arascus should be put on trial, the Empire should be sanctioned. The Clerical issue was frad as Imperial dependency in the best light, as traitors and an enemy army being stationed on UNN territory in the best. A smaller faction of isolationists suggested that the UNN steer clear of the Empire entirely, that the borders be closed, that eyes turn inwards.

Etala watched everyone take their seats around the massive wooden table save for Ciria and Halkus on the other side of the room. That pair of Divines stood in clean uniforms and careful gazes that fixed on her and Kochinski. Ciria’s golden hair flowed her back, Halkus’ black was cut short. Of Industry readjusted his posture, the ancient wooden floor creaked underneath his weight. “Ladies and Gentlen.” Kochinski began the eting as maids silently handed out the drinks. The Divines were the only three that did not get one. “We et here once again to discuss one issue and one issue only.”

Etala made a slow nod, she closed her eyes to let the mortals look at her. They had a tendency to keep their gaze steady if they thought she would catch them in the act of a glance, but Kochinski, but the UNN, needed her support. Ciria crossed her arms from the other side of the room. Etala didn’t know what the woman’s problem was at this point, the Empire had ended the era of Divinity staying out of mortal politics. Of Civilization did not even hold herself to that rule, so why hold Etala to it. Kochinski sipped the gin and set his glass back down on the wooden table. “There is a full Imperial fleet moving sailing towards us. They will land on our shores in two weeks from now.”

Outside, through the great glass windows, birds squawked and flew in a pristine sky, now purple and turning dark to the setting sun. The lake of the High Hostead Hotel stood in the distance, with yachts chained to a small pier. Stars were beginning to co out over the mountains that had broken the great wave caused by Elassa’s splitting of Arika.

Imdiately, the room went into uproar. “Again!?” Scread Natalie, a new minister, she had only been in the position of Minister of Health for a month after a riot had killed its previous holder. There had been an attempt to handicap Clerical power over the populace but there was little that motivated the people as defending those who cured cancer with a caress and defeated disease with a flick. “How dare they?” Etala had been against Natalie’s promotion, but Ciria had insisted it would be good for unity.

“To negotiate I presu.” Bood Minister Gerald, in charge of the State. Kochinski’s second in command, the man was good. Kochinski sighed as a dozen other voices ca through the fray, he twisted slightly, Etala t his eyes.

The Goddess of Democracy, the patron Divine of the UNN, clapped her hands and brought silence to the room. “The fleet is confird to have Arascus, we are unaware if he has other Divines. A negotiation is most likely.” Etala said. “That is all we know.” She handed the reins back to Kochinski as Ciria’s golden eyes drilled holes into through her.

“We suspect the sa.” Kochinski said. “It is doubtful that Arascus is coming to start a war on our shores.” The word ‘war’ suddenly carried a very different weight now that it was used like this. Everyone loved to analyze the Surface War, to talk of whether the Empire or Tartarus was winning, it was happening an entire ocean away after all. “I have called you all here to regroup.” He stared around the room, finally, the mortal’s gaze settled upon Ciria and Halkus. “Because the last thing we need now is a divided front against the Empire.”

“No.” Gerald bood again. “A Divine front will help no one.”

Ciria broke her own rules and intervened. Etala was taken back by the woman’s hypocrisy, to think that she would start and give lecture upon the untouchable sanctity of mortal politics. “Yet the question is what sort of front we shall form.” She bowed her head. “No matter what happens, I will do the best for the free, civilized world.”

How beautiful. How quaint. She must have spent so ti reading Helenna’s guides to manipulation. Etala certainly had. “The best we can do is negotiate from a position of strength.” She said. “The Empire is not limitless, they will not be able to deploy a major Divine on our shores.”

“What strength Goddess?” Natalie spoke up. “Arascus does not give you room to negotiate, he simply decides for you what you allowed to negotiate with.” The woman actually stood up to look down upon the rest of the table, although her side was supported by nods all. Even Ciria failed at hiding a smile. “There is no such thing as negotiating with Arascus!”

“And you think you can beat him?” Asked the man from besides Gerald’s side. Minister Kerfly, of Foreign Affairs. Etala had to force him in, they lived in an Imperial world. One did not have to be a dog of Arascus to realise that an aggressive foreign policy was mistake. They had enough disaster on their shores already. “If Arascus is what you claim, an unbeatable force of nature, then what exactly do you expect to do against him?”

That was a mistake. Kerfly should not have dropped that bomb so early. They should have taken the matter into the realms of Clerics and healing the sick, or maybe towards securing Imperial support in the rebuilding of the seaboard. Or of potentially militarizing the UNN by using the Empire as a client for an arms industry. For ammunition and small arms at the very least. All things that could be reasoned with and debated and pushed back, but things that would pri the ground for the ultimate strike of ‘what can you possibly hope to do against the Empire if they’re succeeding against Tartarus?’

Etala’s eyes went to Ciria, she saw Of Civilization smile in satisfaction. “And what can we hope to achieve by giving up the sovereignty of the free world to the Empire?” Ciria asked. “Will you send your sons and daughters to die under the Imperial black-red-white all so that you live a more comfortable life?”

Killshot. Etala saw it. Kochinski saw it too. The president of the UNN groaned and looked down at the table as Kerfly went red. Gerald sat straighter as one of the isolationist fools opened his mouth. That group was only here so that there would be a smaller percentage of anti-Imperials in the total cabinet. “Indeed, no matter what the God of Pride wants, we should send him away. These are our waters. It is one thing to ask for diplomacy, it is another to turn up with a warfleet at your back.”

It was maybe the smartest thing any of that group have ever said. Not because it was right, it was wrong entirely. Etala had read so of Elassa’s works, the Goddess had ntioned certain Divines exist in a post-consequence world. Arascus was firmly in there, the God of Pride could turn up with a warfleet anywhere on the planet because the chance of suffering a consequence for it was precisely nil. “Indeed.” Natalie ca in. “I am sure even you Gerald would agree, it is one thing if these were Imperial waters but the Empire does not even give us that decency. Already, they are on the road to treating us like subjects.”

Gerald looked lost for a mont, he sat up straight and in silence. Kochinski ca in to cut the losses. “We cannot turn Arascus away without looking like cowards.” Etala breathed a sigh of relief. What a balancing act the man had chosen. “But if this is how things are going but I see the points being made. We cannot allow another repeat of the Cleric issue.”

Etala sighed in defeat. She wouldn’t say anything though. This room had just convinced itself it could go up against Arascus. Ciria had been there when the God of Pride had outmanoeuvred in a competition for the crowd the last ti he was here. They should all be smarter than that. Did the woman seriously think that reading a few books suddenly gave her the experience required to go toe-to-toe with a God like that? A God that had all the cards in his hands and an Empire at his back?

Very well.

They had made their decision.

It was the wrong one.