Two bodies, one in azure armour and the other in crimson, were facing the ground, twitching every so often. Their finely-embellished armour were scorched and damaged, with blackened pieces of strange metal dangling off the extremities. Aziz, who was chewing on some super chewy sweet treat, looked up at the impromptu battleground that had been set up and yawned.

“Oh, they’re done?” Paragon Maylin looked up, her words directed to someone Aziz knew very well.

“No serious injuries,” said Familiar Spirit Rene, her red hair fluttering in the wind. Like Paragon Maylin, her hair was coloured according to the great gods that they served, although Rene’s hair was glossier for some reason. “My apologies for making one of your teammates fight my subordinates — I owed him a favour, and he really wanted to fight.”

“Fighting is a favour?” The Paragon shook her head. “Looks like we both have fighting maniacs under us, Demigod Rene.”

The Demigod laughed, and then turned to Marshal Marie. “Hello there, marshal. Didn’t expect that you would return to the Lord’s Divine Kingdom that quickly, but maybe it’s fate.”

“More like a certain Paragon was wrecking the Republic’s capital,” Paragon Maylin answered darkly, turning her head to look at the twitching Paragon Abele. “Speaking of Paragons, where’s Descartes?”

“Killed by some rapscallion,” Rene replied. Aziz pricked up his ears at those words.

“Who killed him?” Marie asked. “As far as I know, we haven’t killed any high-level individuals during our little tussle at the borders.”

“One of those guys who killed the Lifespring,” said the familiar spirit. “But he was just a byproduct. These guys are hellbent on killing the Constellations. News hasn’t spread yet, but even more have died ever since the Human God’s appearance in the ruined Central Circle.”

She shook her head. “I believe only Scorpio, Gemini, Taurus and Cancer remain. Scorpio has given up his powers, Gemini has been missing for years, and the last two have banded together and hiding away in some dank corner of the Five Lands.”

Aziz let out an involuntary hiss. “How the mighty have fallen.”

“Who are those people anyway?” Marie asked. “Why are they killing the Constellations? I thought the Human God made it clear that the Second Extermination was his own intention, so why?”

“I don’t think anyone knows,” Rene replied.

“If my master” —Aziz noted the subtle shift in how Paragon Maylin referred to the Lifespring— “knew, we probably wouldn’t be here, would we?”

“True. Yet again, my condolences. His passing must have been a huge shock for everyone,” said Rene. “How fares the Demigods under your late Lord?”

“They’re trying their best to fill up His shoes,” Maylin replied. “But enough about this. I think we should get to the Great Divide as soon as possible. We want to take a look at the area, and I think these two mortals have something they need to do there too.”

“You two have?” Rene asked, a hint of disappointment in her eyes as she looked at Aziz. The colonel was quite sure why she had that look on her face, but if he was wrong…well, it would be nothing short of embarrassing. Steeling his face, Aziz turned and said, “Yep. We have to set up a small early warning system at the Great Divide and the Crest of Crimson Shine.”

“What a pity. I thought you two were swayed by my proselytising, but I suppose free will is free will,” said the Demigod. “Well, don’t let me hold you back. I’ll love to escort you guys there and ask about some people I knew in Conrah’s Divine Kingdom, but I’m stuck here on duty today.”

Paragon Maylin picked up the unmoving Paragon Abele, tossed him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes and assorted fruits, and then nodded at Demigod Rene. “We just need to keep flying in that direction, right?”

“Correct,” said the familiar spirit. “Don’t get lost, don’t talk to the locals, and definitely don’t do anything funny, and you should be alright.”

“Very well.” The Paragon dipped her head, an action the other Paragons followed. “Thank you for your assistance.”

“Lodgings have been prepared for any and all who come to the Lord’s Divine Kingdom,” said Rene. “After you’re done examining, and if you wish to stay here in His world, you may.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” said Maylin. She turned to the other Paragons following her. “Let’s go, then. Our next stop — the Great Divide. You guys aren’t Abele, but I’m just going to say this: do anything funny and I’ll cripple you.”

The others shivered, while Aziz, Marie and Rene nodded in approval.

“Alright.” She took to the skies again, Aziz and Marie following suit, and qi began to gush out from them. Once again, they had taken up positions around the two, and in the next moment, the uncomfortable feeling of flying at insanely high speeds assailed Aziz’s senses.

Thankfully, this time around, Marie immediately used her own Barrier to shelter the two of them, sparing Aziz the torture of having his energy slowly sapped away by extreme winds. Red lands flashed past them, and as Aziz took the time to examine the Worldshaper’s Divine Kingdom from the skies, he noticed that even the trees were red.

It reminded him of autumn, but for the past few months, Orb’s seasons were all messed up. Summer should have ended long ago, but the blistering hot days were still featuring despite the fact that it should have been nominally winter now. The Lifespring’s passing had incredible effects on the climate, to the point that people were throwing out expectations of the seasons.

More importantly, the harvest seasons had been problematic. Shortages of cash crops were reportedly the rage now, while farmers who planted staple crops were striking it rich. Farming had turned into an odd game of gambling.

He thought of the men and women of Thunderbolt, who might have come home to dinner tables overburdened by giant bowls of potatoes and rice, and chortled as the small group sped towards the Great Divide.