--- Aphrodite POV

A fiery crimson-green image gains shape and definition before me.

“Welcome Greater Goddess of Trade and Order to my God Plane of existence.”

The Snake Kin appraises her surroundings, tongue flicking out as is their way. “I do honour you as Ruling Goddess and swear to abide by our agreements.” The torso of the Snake Kin lowers slightly, which is difficult in both a physical sense for some of their species but also against their nature and innate being. They are a proud race.

“The original questers have all joined with me now. It is I who am honoured and eager to repay any debt and reaffirm our bonds.” I was going to leave the greeting there… “I do wonder though why you choose to wait until you attained Greater Goddess?”

The razor-sharp tooth smile of the Snake Kin greets me. “Some of the Houses required my presence to confirm my divine right to govern their trade and bestow order upon them. Once convinced, this also ensured a rapid expansion of my worshipper base, which allowed for a more substantial presence upon the … erm your God Plane.”

She slithers about inspecting my ruling dais and chamber. I wait as I know she wishes to say more.

“I, of course, am in no way a threat to your power or position, yet I refuse to ascend and be lesser to the likes of other Kin, even if my fellow Gods or Goddesses.”

They are a proud race, even when a Goddess … “Swift Spear and Ames have certainly ascended modestly.”

“What of Nasim?” she asks.

“His sense of honour ties him to his mission. He is determined to pursue and eradicate followers of Tor and so I continue without him and his council.”

“What of his wife, Fabia. Well known as a mortal, professing strange promises and up until recently, nothing. Yet before my ascendence, some disturbing rumours reached me.”

“Like?” I question.

“She has at least once, joined body, spirit and soul. In essence, bringing the dead back to life, how can this be allowed?”

“I don’t see the issue …”

She halts her slithering stroll immediately. “The issue! The issue? I can offer my worshipers, after a ceremonial blessing and suitable consideration, the boon of contacting the spirits of their ancestors. She, if she gathers more power can offer to return her dead worshippers back to life!” The crimson of her skin blazes a brilliant red, outshining the green hue.

“The once was pure circumstance and once doesn’t mean again …”

“You know how this travesty occurred?” Her voice rising with each word spoken.

As a Trade God, I assume knowing the value of goods and in this case, services are primal to her realm. Have I undervalued this mistake of discovery? Have I, even accidentally encouraged neophyte worship to grow rapidly?

I explain, “A curious mix of Allene Corser’s human body, soul intact yet his spirit of course on the Spirit Plane causing mischief and a Spirit bound to an artifact, once in service to me yet on an intimate level, a former guide and confident of Allene Corser when she was a simpler being. A circumstance which I think you will agree singularly unique.”

Tamer shades of crimson return to her skin, which I must believe is a good sign.

“You though, being the Ruler Goddess would have held some influence, surely?”

The Truth rune within me blazes to the fore, discarding my attempt to leverage the Disorder rune to colour my response. The inner conflict forces my jaw shut until I prepare the truthful response, even though the Goddess Bellas’ is not my worshipper. I suspect, being in my Pantheon each of us must be exemplars of our runes.

“Yes, I lent my Divine will to enable the outcome.”

Her arms cross over her chest and both then reach for her head. She needs to vent, yet for her future, she needs to exercise restraint when addressing me.

“Fabia the nobody, travelled the known world for several years convincing no one, at best, gaining sympathy from the hopeless, the dreamers. Now though, Aphrodite, you have given her and those clinging to her prophetic view, hope. If life can be restored once, no matter how unique the circumstances they will believe the impossible, possible. Once she travels the world again, former doubters will become believers and once enough believe they will force their belief into reality. After all, that is how all worship works, otherwise, how would we wield the powers granted to our realms?”

Her speech strikes home, and I understand my possible error and yet, I don’t feel a mote of regret. I promised Alba a body upon first meeting her and gaining her loyalty. Perhaps, upon reflection, this wasn’t the correct way, yet my Disorder rune blazes within me. With this direct confirmation as assurance, I am calm as my action clearly fell within one of my realms.

“I would remind you that we are all slaves to our Realms. Mine include Fertility, Truth, Death and …”

“Disorder!” she finishes for me.

“Yes. I have given Fabia a chance, she is a Neophyte Goddess of the Realm of Life. If she can rise to claim the Realm of Harmony, she will be able to be anointed the Goddess of Healing. I suspect her journey to be arduous and take a great deal of time, successful or not.”

Behind Bellas’ eyes is a mind turning over possibilities and probabilities and when her thought-stare breaks into a smile I am certain she has decided upon a course of action.

“Thank you for the welcome. I will attend to my place upon your God Plane and welcome the spirits of my deceased.” With that, she bows, making a greater effort this time and slithers off.

I wonder who Bellas will employ to attack and defeat Fabia to ensure her bid for Divinity fails?

--- Hera POV

The loss rips at my Divine essence, a minute weakening, yet a weakening all the same. All due to my errant husband and his delusion of greatness attempting to claim another Dominion. I smooth my visage, perfect milk-white porcelain and enter his Throne Room. Fortunately, he rests, chin upon hand, the arm of his throne supporting his elbow.

“Husband, I would talk with you.”

His head lifts to confirm my presence, yet his eyes are lost or busy observing elsewhere.

“My presence upon the other Dominion is extinguished. Does this mean the end?”

Silence endures between us. I wait, outwardly a serene countenance, inwardly I broil yet the deep furrows upon his brow suggest a great many machinations are in train and an interruption could subject me to his wrath instead of his co-operation.

“No wife.”

My eyes flash wide open in response to his reply, he is back. “What plans can you share with me to restore our future on the new Dominion?”

He grunts in a Divine way, musical. “I have negotiated with the System Beings to observe my remaining Priestess across Dominion. She will need much guidance.”

“How will she succeed where the construct failed?” I ask.

“For a start, three Goddess won’t be able to tamper with her destiny.” His presence weighs upon me and while I can suggest Athena and Aphrodite equally culpable, I doubt such a deflection useful in this moment, better to accept his interpretation of my guilt.

“Yes, husband,” I reply with sincere humility.

“Mmm … While repugnant I have borrowed from Prometheus’ apprentice, Dolos. He, in turn, petitioned on behalf of his master, and I have consented to allow Heracles to hold judgement over the Titan, swearing not to influence my son.”

“Prometheus? Husband, you know your son holds great sympathy towards humans and Prometheus formed them in the beginning, how could your son not free the Titan?”

He rises, hands gripping the arms of his throne to propel him towards me. “I am aware, wife!” he growls. “My plan is on a knife’s edge and at the cost of freeing one Titan, I may yet triumph and destroy Prometheus’ abomination, which will, I am certain distress him. The irony of course is his apprentice will be the catalyst.”

His booming confident laugh, some assurance, yet no guarantee. His plan doesn’t reverse the fact my worship upon this new planet is currently at an end. The only possible chance of revival is if Zeus can lead the entire Greek Pantheon in an invasion.

--- Minor Goddess Fabia POV

I sense all my worshippers within the bounds of my Temple. I examine the needs of each, attending to them, providing healing for wounds where required, words of comfort otherwise.

One I rush to and cast healing upon his head. The grey-soaked bandage a testament to the injury inflicted upon him.

“Do any know the name of this youth? Is his mother or father present?” I enquire, searching multiple faces for recognition.

“No, Goddess, a stray, one of many who joined our journey and one of the brave young, who stood his ground on multiple occasions to buy the older of us time,” replies one of the elderly Stone Giants.

His body lives, yet I can observe the majestic Thanaron carry his spirit away, skywards. I’ve failed to save one of my worshippers, my healing too slow, my reaction and sensitivity to the needs of my worshippers falling below their needs. I weep.

My left and right arms are no longer mine. Dulra claims my right hugging the limb and resting his head upon my shoulder. Watas is likewise treating my left arm.

“Once their spirit leaves mother, healing alone can’t bring them back,” says Dulra, his consoling words helping.

I blink my eyes. Why can’t I call back his spirit? His body is whole and alive, the soul still present …

“Do any know his name?” I shout.

Faces pay attention to my plea, yet none respond let alone an answer. If not his name, what of his worship of me? What about his level of faith? I cast [Sense Faithful] upon his body. None remains, I determine beyond doubt any residue now resides in his Spirit. His clothes are plain, I search his pockets, two only, one empty, the other a small remnant of cheese, hardly a mouthful. No mementos from his brief life to connect him to his spirit.

“What is the matter mother?” asks Watas, oblivious to my fruitless search for connections.

“I tried to find a connection, a link which his spirit would acknowledge and possibly respond to if called. There is nothing my daughter, a life lived without anything to mark its existence …”

Dulra releases my arm and takes my hand in his. “Goddess Fabia, how did you reunite a stranger’s body and soul with Alba’s spirit without any possible links?”

“Proximity my Priest. The body lacked a spirit, and one was close …”

“So, a spirit once belonging to the body and soul, not an absolute requirement …” His eyes capture mine with his intensity.

I smile kindly upon him. “No, two factors though, proximity and the absence. The body and soul not complete needing to be whole, as was the spirit and all the circumstances contributed … with perhaps a hint of Divine approval.”

Watas releases my other arm and claps her hands in excitement. “We have a body and a soul. We need links to a spirit to call it to us and encourage the spirit to complete the missing piece. Simple?”

I shake my head … although, if possible? Do I dare to dream? Who could we call back, who do we know best and have the strongest links to?

“Father,” whispers Dulra as if in answer to my thoughts.

“Nasim?” I question. He is upon the Spirit Plane. Alba mentioned her Sorcery and the ceremony magic required to summon a Spirit from there. That magic though enforced a master-slave relationship and to join her spirit to the human body we found required me to sunder the spirit container.

“Yes, mother. Your husband and our father, what other bonds do we require?” offers Dulra.

“As many as possible,” I mumble, trying to believe, comprehend the possibility. Slow realisation settles over me as my eager children hurry off. Am I limiting myself? Has my fruitless search and frustration of the past tainted my future? I am a Minor Goddess now and the Realms of Life is mine to command. No longer am I mortal, I must reject the limitations which are inherent in such an existence. I am a minor Goddess and must rise to fulfil my destiny and deliver my purpose.

I return to the present to find Dulra removing the body’s clothes. I quirk an eyebrow.

“My lap lap is my father’s, so I will dress him in what was once his,” he replies.

Watas looks away until assured by her brother the body is now ready. She places a stone bear, the stone shaping a work of mastery, the fur discernible, the sharp teeth behind a growling maw in a head rising in defiance.

“A gift from my father, an example of his craft.”

“Sit upon your knees on either side of him, rest a hand of your father to be in your lap.” As they follow my instructions I grab Issa from the cradle upon my back, soothe and calm him with gentle words and ask him to call to his father. I place him upon the chest of his father to be. I then position myself at the head.

Checking each of their faces I cast [Worship Fabia] within my Temple and gather my worshippers and their belief in me towards this one purpose and complete a period of untold moments in meditation and then chant.

“Let the spirit of Nasim hear the calls of his children, Dulra El Nasim, Watas El Nasim and Issa El Nasim. Let the spirit of Nasim recognise the tokens of his existence and allow them to guide him to this body. Let the spirit of Nasim recognise Stone Giant flesh he is caretaking. By my Divine power, A Goddess assigned to the Realm of Life I summon the spirit of Nasim to consider the plea of his children and his wife.”

I draw Faith Magic into the chant and repeat the chant every hundred heartbeats pleading to be heard. Under the midday sun, I recognise the spirit of Nasim hoovering above the body we offer to him. He glows beyond mortal; his visage confuses me. The youth’s spirit glowed upon ascending in Thanaron’s embrace yet obviously mortal.

“Greeting wife. I wonder how you call me and why? My grief until now in the past. Seeing my family my heart once again screams in pain.”

“As the Goddess of Life, I offer you this body to inhabit, your family simply calls you to us to consider our proposal based on the endless love we share between us.”

--- Lesser God Swift Spear POV

“Here we are then.”

I glance across to the War God while wearing an amusing smile. There is no need to reply to the obvious.

Ames surveys his Endless Battle Ground and I face the opposite direction, admiring my Endless Hunting Ground. We stand shoulder to shoulder on the shared hill, an agreed arrangement to maintain and grow our friendship. There are terrain differences, of course, his, an open field with few natural blemishes like forests, marshland, and the like, while mine is the opposite, containing as many different terrain types as possible so the thrill of the hunt can be full and glorious across many types of terrain sporting multitudes of different prey.

The spirits of the dead pursue their former living pursuits within their respective Gods’ portion of the God Plane.

“Do you regret leaving the Spirit Plane as soon as possible?” I ask.

“No,” his immediate reply. “While staying could have made us stronger, I don’t have any regret. Especially as I witness my worshippers enjoying their afterlife instead of fearing their existence upon the Spirit Plane.”

“How did the spirits of the Magus and Allene grow so powerful? The Spirit Plane should be static,” I reply while growing a bear and placing the creature on the scent of a hunting party.

“Intimidation, domination and finally absorption after the spirit fails to believe in its continued existence when left frail and vulnerable from the first two campaigns. Although growth is a subjective thing, together they couldn’t take down either of us as Minor Gods because our divinity reaches beyond any measure of their spirit power. Our worshippers keep our existence protected.”

Even now I feel the relief of his words, I am a simple hunter, with simple objectives. Provide a lifestyle for my worshippers which allow them to live full and happy lives and teach them to protect what they have, from others who can’t leave well enough alone.

“Wait, how did Bellas descend and regain a body instead of remaining upon the Spirit Plane or ascending to the God Plane?”

He chuckles knowingly. “Aphrodite could come and go from the Spirit Plane if she held her [Divine Dominate] at one hundred or higher. The Goddess of Trade, bless her, made a trade with the system.”

“The System?”

“A power which governs everything, even Aphrodite shocked when Bellas negotiated the impossible.” He raises several of the fallen to fight again with a shout. “When you apply logic though, she is the personification of trade, whereas you are the personification of hunting as I am of war, and we can probably petition the System similarly if consistent with our realms.”

I cheer as the hunting party turns the tables on the bear, I sent to challenge them. We are used to each other’s vocal outbursts, thankfully.

“Where does your knowledge come from?”

“Jealous?” He chuckles. “I study, when trapped upon the Spirit Plane I made it my business to talk to everyone willing as armies are made up of individuals and you must understand them to forge many into one. Then once upon the God Plane, given my portion is rather plain I spent time discussing theories with our Ruler Goddess. For a Ruler, her most redeeming feature is she doesn’t demand she is always right and all-knowing.”

I grunt, sullen. “Unlike myself, carefully setting up terrain, considering the hunts I wanted my worshippers to experience and otherwise guiding my people when hailed during Holy Days and High Holy Days.”

He cheers and stomps his feet; I assume in celebration. “Sorry about that, but they continue to surprise me… what you did is of vast value, your worship is stronger than mine because of it. Yours is a way of life, your worshippers scattered. My worshippers assemble due to an event, yet when they do the numbers are usually vast, otherwise, they are preparing so my interactions can be fewer. Unfortunately, peace has recently broken out across the Beast Kin lands, in part due to Bellas’ success, I believe. All because she is forcing her Snake Kin worshippers into fairer trades.”

“Still, I would like to know the essence of her deal with the System …” I muse.

“Aphrodite believes she traded the one percent [Divine Dominate] gifted to her from Aphrodite’s over one hundred. Bellas, being a Trade Goddess realised its full value, enabling return whereas we just added one more precent to our total.” He shrugs.

A good enough theory as any I decide. I do wonder about Nasim though, as a Neophyte God, hopefully by now, Minor God on the Spirit Plane, The Magus and Allene would be able to harass him at the very least, let alone whatever machinations Tor could inflict. Given he hasn’t joined us yet, he must still be upon the Spirit Plane defending his existence, although the real battle for him would be between his worshippers and Tor’s.

--- Greater Goddess Bellas

She did it again or did it twice when I thought only once! I could storm Aphrodite’s throne room and discuss the implications, yet she is bound by her Disorder rune and even if wanting to change the situation she couldn’t. Given her Truth rune, I am certain I would be able to extract all she knows, but that doesn’t change anything.

Think I admonish myself. What do I know? Alba the first, her human body unusual and most interest in that fact alone. None of my worshippers made mention of any other rumours about her, like being brought back to life. Almost as good as a secret in fact and now mystery over her sudden disappearance. The second more wonderous and exceptional, although as Aphrodite claims, also unique in many ways. She called her husband, Nasim, God of Justice from the Spirit Plane. While not for the same reasons as I, a good move as he escapes multiple tormentors and if he can rally his worshippers within the Beast Kin lands, he can eliminate Tor once and for all.

While I am certain this isn’t the case, Fabia, Goddess of Life is acting as Aphrodite would otherwise request her to. First, she fulfils Aphrodite’s promise to her loyal companion, even if a Spirit Ally. Second, she, it could be argued rescued her husband from the Spirit Plane to benefit Aphrodite as well as herself. Aphrodite’s mention of him as her trusted advisor not lost on me. Nasim though is an aspiring God, would his return to life be an amazing exception in which common beast kin could place their faith? Well, time will tell.

I await the third occurrence and this time one of my followers will report on the occasion, even if they need to agree to be a Lay Worshipper of the Goddess of Life.

--- The System POV

“Why did you humour him yet again?”

“How can you challenge your own judgement?”

“It is healthy to question yourself after decisions?”

“Shouldn’t I have weighed up the pros and cons before making the decision?”

“Normally I would agree but I sense the absurd is going to manifest on this Dominion.”

“So, on a whim, I decide to accept the bribery and sweet words of the Ruler God Zeus?”

“I am enjoying him spend beyond his means and await the consequences.”

“Am I then going to place my finger on the scales and smirk when misfortune strikes him?”

“The rules can’t be broken and, in this case, won’t need to be. He is a God who needs to win. He who has never tasted defeat will sacrifice more until the inevitable end.”

“So, I must believe his Greek Pantheon is about to fall?”

“One word, Rome.”

“I know. I scanned their Gods to establish cute Dilia remember?”

“Of course, I remember, I did it. Why did I call her cute?”

“I have wasted enough energy on questioning my decision on Zeus, I can’t waste more on why I called Dilia cute!”

“Why not …?”