Prime Minister Stryke was for the first time in his entire career at a complete loss for words, the reports he was getting, they weren’t possible. Yet here they were faithfully transcribed by the Constructs at the request of The Princesses own assistants.

By Ordurlee and Neyt, what the hell was wrong with that girl lately? It was like the impossible followed her, then at every stop smacked her with a sackful of trouble. Did she not realise who would be left to pick up the pieces? Wasn’t a machine revolution enough for her? A protodragon was bad enough, now she was resurrecting dead races, and triggering a complete end of a major organised crime syndicate.

Then there was the twist, a thorn in the kingdoms side for generations, and it was gone, oh and of course some kind of twenty foot tentacle beast of unknown origin was now guarding the orphanages and schools? But of course they were. Usually when gigantic abominations appeared they got requests for heroes and slayers. With her around they got requests for a nannies accreditation and a feeding stipend.

He suppressed a sigh as he noticed the names of The Grey Twins, the bloody greys? Did she not realise who would have to explain that to her father? He swore that girl would send him bald before he hit thirty, compared to the mess that girl left the chaos at sea was nothing. Though it would not surprise him in the least if she was involved there too. Still she was at least occupied with the rebuilding for a while, so at least there would be no more unexpected trouble for a little while. Showing a complete lack of foresight though even while thinking that he forgot to touch wood, and to The Gods that was practically an invitation to pile on the torments.

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Gidea was not helping with that in the least, and if Stryke had been aware of her current location his blood pressure would have shot through the roof.

She got almost half way back before it happened again, a wave of revulsion so intense as to be unbearable. The air smelled like Durian, and her shoes like they were full of sharp pebbles, she slammed her fist into the ground. The pain buying her a few brief moments of peace before it hit again. She choked back a sob, she would not be so weak again, her family were counting on her, and from Rosalind asking personally she knew she was needed.

No matter what the repugnant voice in her head might whisper to her she was better than hiding in an arena. Sure hitting things made it a little better, made her feel less horrible about what was happening. But things were getting messy, and now she knew she could make a difference.

“They’ll nevvveerrr need yoouuuu,” the demon hissed in her ear. While others mocked her to her face. “Coward, runaway, you are worthlesss” it sneered again.

“You’ll neverrr be anything but traddeee goodddsssss,” another sneered. “Yourr familly didn’t waannt you, why would your huusssbbbaaannddd?”

Their mockery was somewhat interrupted this time though, by a fist wrapped in silver rings to the face.

“What? How darree youu?” The shocked demon snarled, backing away a few steps cautiously.

“How dare I?” Gidea replied, her voice dripping venom. “You’ve harassed me for years, driven me from my family, forced me from my home, and do you know what the worst is? YOU MADE ROSALIND CRY. No more, I don’t care if I have to live with this vile stench forever, I am going home. For every day you make me miserable I will pile two days worth of pain on you. I know you can’t abandon your contract, but I DON’T CARE. I am going to make your days in hell seem like a picnic in comparison, and I will not stop.”

“You knoww we won’t giiivee up”

“Then I’ll just have to find the bloody scum who did this one by one, and terminate the contract directly won’t I?” Gidea asked sweetly, “they’ve had enough time by now to leave a good trail, isn’t that handy. Now when you get back to your employer I advise you give them a message.”

She pounced and swung her fists striking hard into the Demons. “Tell them I’m coming for them."

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Back at the estuary the humans had finally gotten the whole story from Mandy, and were figuring out a little equation in their heads. If old god= water/false, and new god= water/true, and more water= good, then maybe the new god was a good thing. They had asked one of the automata and received rather detailed instructions. With those maybe it was time to create a new shrine.

Wannashowa of course watched the new construction, not while visible of course, seeing the building of a shrine as a God was one thing, being seen doing so? Now that was completely different. So many Gods forbade vanity, and how are you supposed to properly show you abhor a sin to mortals if you are guilty of it yourself. (Most gods didn’t seem to get this memo, and a lot of the pantheon also seemed to have missed the memo that they preached against lust too. As the ridiculous over abundance of demigods could attest.)

The Caymen were starting to get involved, them being only little right now they couldn’t do a lot, but it was the thought that counted right? It was still strange to him that they viewed Genesis as their mother, and him as their father. Thanks to the potential demigod issue that was going to mean so much paperwork further down the line. He was just glad in those circumstances that there was no such thing as a paternity suit for Gods. (A fact that most Gods are eternally grateful for, although really it may have had more to do with the fact that anybody who tried to sue a god usually learned the I can smite you act of now because I say so holds a lot of sway with most judges and solicitors.) It seemed his Divinity was really on the rise these days, something about the number of unique worshippers. At this rate he could really be in the running for that Rain God vacancy.