“My apologies for my display of weakness.”

A confident baritone rang out within the artificial cave just as the meeting wound down to an end, jolting the bored Gemini out of his reverie. A familiar figure, made of grey light, began to gather together, forming the shape of Hereward, the Sentinel of Space.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Hereward, the Sentinel of Space.

“It’s good that you’ve recovered,” said Thasvia. “Your strength is sorely needed at trying times like this, brother.”

“Once again, I apologise for my sudden infirmity.” The light surrounding Hereward died down, revealing a young man with an apologetic smile. “There were too many things for me to take it back then, and the relevant parts of my psyche forcefully deteriorated. But…even if I was there, I couldn’t have stopped the mass migration of Orb’s soldiers into Celestia.”

A small uproar broke out at those words.

“Silence!” Queen Hyperion roared, before turning to look at the great god. “Hereward, what do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I meant. The Abyss Sovereign targeted the weakest part of us all — our memories. His words forced every single person to relive their worst parts of their life, and he let them draw their own conclusions, their own thoughts,” said Hereward. “He didn’t do anything else.”

“No mind control, nothing?” Pinnacle Kolya asked.

“None, as far as I can tell. Besides...” Hereward looked up. “If he really wanted to target the mind and the soul, he wouldn’t have created this red firmament in the first place.”

The Pinnacle exhaled a sigh of relief, but Gemini had a hunch that it wasn’t relief from the fact that the Abyss Sovereign wasn’t attacking the mind. From what he knew, the Pinnacle was a close friend of Gaius back then; it was more of relief from knowing that a close friend hadn’t quite crossed the line yet…

Which was utter nonsense, in his opinion. The Abyss Sovereign’s actions had already resulted in deaths, even if the perpetuator himself didn’t view it that way.

Of course, if the Abyss Sovereign succeeded…

“You sound relieved, and I understand why.” Hereward looked at the Pinnacle. “However, if you are this half-hearted, you will die in our final battle. The Abyss Sovereign is committed to this new world of his. To him, if he succeeds, he can reverse any and all deaths through reincarnating the fallen into Celestia. In fact, he has stepped across the point of no return; to him, he must succeed. Failure will not be an option.”

A ripple ran through the crowd, but Hereward didn’t seem to notice. “In a similar vein, I would like to implore everyone present to think hard upon why they are fighting. For me and Thasvia, the risk that follows the creation of Celestia is too great to bear. Furthermore, the world he describes is too good to be through; it will not last.”

“However,” Thasvia added, “such a resolve is natural for us, because we are of Orb. In a sense, we are this world itself. No else, including the Demon Sovereign, will gain much results from using this reason as the resolve to resist the enemy.”

Gemini nodded slightly.

“Therefore,” said Hereward, “before we move out, I would like everyone present to think of the reason why Celestia is unacceptable to them. At its very core, what do you find unacceptable? Why do you feel so strongly about the Abyss Sovereign’s utopia? I believe there is something deeper, more profound, hidden within your motivations. Look for it, and may it guide you in our last charge.”

“It might shock you,” said Gemini, “especially for the younger Paragons, but when it comes to contending against us gods, what matters is your will and resolve. They need not be grand and all-encompassing. They just need to be your heartfelt desire.”

Everyone’s stares swivelled to him, and in that instant, Gemini couldn’t help but note that the top-level combatants of Ark City were completely missing…well, there weren’t much of them to begin with.

“Demon Sovereign,” said Pinnacle Kolya. “It is a bit presumptuous for me to ask, but…why are you fighting, then? You are not like the other great gods. And…of everyone present, you are unlikely to be affected by the creation of Celestia. You have nothing tying you down to Orb.”

“Me?” Gemini blinked, and then looked around in consternation as he realised that everyone present wanted to hear his motivations.

“Yes,” said Queen Hyperion. “To put it crudely, none of us want to worry about being disposed of after taking down the Abyss Sovereign.”

“Wasn’t there someone saying about the need to be polite earlier?” The Pinnacle’s words roiled around the cave lazily. “And here we are…”

Queen Hyperion turned to the Pinancle. “Shut it, Kolya, before I shove my boot up your peasant-loving ass.”

“Language! Archduchess Gaia, are you fine with your ruler saying such crass words?”

“As you said, she is my ruler,” a voice replied back. “I really can’t do anything much about her language. Not for the lack of trying either. Once she gets into the mood, all kinds of—”

“Alright, enough!”

Gemini watched the little spat in amusement. It was no different from watching a bunch of cute critters bat at each other playfully, a sentiment clearly shared by the other great gods, who had a very maternal smile on their faces. Still, was it really appropriate for them to fool around in such an important meeting?

The Demon Sovereign didn’t know, but he didn’t really mind. After everything he had went through, the little things in life

After the three of them played for a while, dragging the other rulers and assorted heroes into the spat while they were at it, Oracle Galina cleared her throat.

“Excuse me, but I thought we were trying to ask the Demon Sovereign about his motivations, no?”

“Right.”

“Of course.”

The rulers of the North and the West turned their noses up at each other, before the former moved to placate his partner by sidling up to her and giving her a hug.

Queen Hyperion rolled her eyes, before looking at Gemini. “So, Demon Sovereign…why do you fight?”

Gemini smiled.