--- Queensport 3rd Person POV

A hue and cry from the land gate alerted many. One guard remained at the gate while the other sprinted to inform the Head Overseer. A certain amount of delay occurred while carrying out this mission, as those he knew demanded to know the reason for his unusual haste. Only after offering him an ale or two, did he agree to share with them his tale of the amazing happenings on the beach. Something so unusual to report on the landward side of Queensport instead of from the dock for once was enough for most to reward the bearer of such news with a beverage. Everyone in the town now well over the usual sailor tall tales of creatures large and uncaring, the ones which broke apart ships of all sizes with ease dooming all those on board to a watery death.

Some had doubts of course, if all the sailors were doomed to a watery death, then who survived to tell the tale? Such a rebuttal was usually met with scorn and no explanation, hence the sight on the beach is not subject to either of those issues, the event did occur, is occurring and had many survivors or to be more exact witnesses.

The man stank of sweat, his drunken breath stale to almost overpowering and Head Overseer Cale Exsmith, truly wanted him gone from his office. Yet from his high office, he could hear a murmuring throughout the town and given this guard’s babbling and half breath exertions he was certain the man held the explanation. Eventually and thankfully before being overwhelmed with body stench, the Head Overseer deciphered enough of the gabbled message to learn a giant stone creature was seen slowly chasing a giant flesh creature across the sand, beyond the landward gate. The man’s dismissal was a great relief to both because the man was planning on acquiring more free drinks from the closest Inn or Tavern with each retelling of his tale to strangers and was keen to receive his due. It didn’t occur to him he still had half a shift to work and therefore would leave his fellow guard by himself, a dereliction of duty. While for his part the Head Overseer urgently needed to consult with his wife and then find the Duke. The first to find, the easiest of course.

“I will go and investigate husband,” she said with a confidence that made him doubt his doubts.

“You will be careful? Both are unknown, although there was a rumour the Priestess was accompanied by a giant.”

“I don’t need to be careful if I stay out of sight and listen from afar. I will leave immediately to make certain I hear everything.” A wife kisses her husband on his lips, a lingering passionate entanglement and with a farewell nip on his bottom lip, she leaves his office via the balcony door. As he follows, he observes his wife float away until she disappears. Not from the view of course, but from sight. He shakes his head and mumbles, “Magicians, and I had the good fortune to marry one and nurture her talent as we both grew our love for each other.”

---

Pigot and Stedman stare as Adair runs from the Outfitters Store, crashing over stacks of shovels and picks on his way out. They didn’t think he believed in rumours, especially when shouted out to all and sundry from the lips of a drunk. Yet, he did. They would excuse his unusual reaction and pick up his slack of course because they were partners and would forever be partners until the mine played out. Their bond sealed in the hard times after the first strike discovery a promising seam, which they thought would make them rich and instead vanished to nothing.

Adair didn’t need convincing, in his bones he knew, a female flesh giant could only mean his mother, his Priestess. With each step, he forced down the urge to release the illusion. In giant form, he could take longer steps, reach his mother all the sooner and ensure her safety, yet he would destroy their last possibility of a future if he did. Then again was there a future if his mother perished? Passing through the open gate the pressure to release his illusion abated and with renewed single-minded purpose he raced towards his mother, now a speck in the distance further along the beach.

The land gate guard scratched his head. Why would anyone, a miner in particular chase danger? The silence around him broke as those upon the ramparts now climbed down, stomping upon the ladder rungs, and murmuring between them about their own far-fetched theories. Some shouted at him once a safe distance away, not that he could make out their words as they laughed with their friends. He scanned the beach and glanced towards the town wondering if his soldier in arms would be returning and if so when. He shrugged, a minor thing in the scheme of things because the other question he wanted to be answered was what they would do if the two giants returned and made demands. With his shift almost done, he would collect his pay and check when the next ship, any ship, large or small was preparing to leave Queensport, sea creatures be dammed. Everyone knew sailors always exaggerated.

---

Cale Exsmith, Head Overseer of Queensport took his first step on the gangway and then after an obvious delay a second. Many sets of eyes were observing him, inwardly smiling at this land lover and his extreme caution. Cale knew, several days ago an accomplished sailor or least ship traveller fell from this very same gangway, so why not be cautious all the same. A glance to one side also revealed some torn cloth dangling from the dock support pole, expensive cloth, red and black from bloodstain blotting out the original colour and he couldn’t recall it in any case. Those observing also remembered the arrogance of the one who fell, yet still found the Overseer’s hesitation amusing.

He paused a moment when both of his feet landed upon the deck, able to ignore the slight rocking with ease because what these sailors didn’t know was that Cale Exsmith was once part of a ship’s crew, as a marine. He was also a survivor of a sea creature attack that toyed with their ship instead of delivering destruction. The reason why became clear when sailing on they found the flotsam of a wreck in a sea of blood, floating bodies, and dismembered parts. Then a macabre bobbing for apples started as smaller sea creatures broke the surface of the water and dragged down the gruesome remnants of the unfortunates. At the next port, determined to resign as soon as possible he took a shortcut through an unsavoury quarter of the town on his way to the Royal Military Office. The shortcut took him through a narrow alley, and it was there he first met his future wife.

“Welcome aboard, Overseer.” The duke held out a hand to him and Cale immediately became alert and suspicious. Why would a noble openly press the flesh with a functionary in public view?

Cale extended his hand and accepted the offer. The Duke’s hand wrapped around the Overseer’s and squeezed. Cale knew enough to pretend grimace, regardless of the truth.

“Have you come to tell me who murdered my companion advisor, Overseer?” the Duke growled.

“No … no Sir. There has been a sighting.”

The Duke released his grip and Cale took a moment to rub his hand. After a smirk, the Duke waved his hand about in a knowing fashion. “I have heard the rumour, guards now telling tall tales like sailors.” He chuckled.

“No, this is fact. I have a description from the land side gate guard, a first-hand witness.” Cale ignored the Duke’s snipe at sailors because tales about the high seas were often coloured to ensure a greater telling so the free drinks would keep flowing.

The Duke rocked back on his heels while his face clearly expressed doubt, glancing either side of him to check for likeminded sycophants forgetting he didn’t have any with him on this occasion.

“I would like to requisition a squad of marines from the ships at dock and along with a squad of the Town Guard lead them to investigate.”

The Duke murmurs to himself and begins to pace, ending up at the railing beside the gangplank. Cale had no intention of standing beside the Duke, simply turning about-face on the deck in case the Duke turned around.

“You mean my ship …”

“On a cursory examination, yes Sir.”

The Duke swivelled about. “Given my recent loss and some important business I have waiting for me …” They meet eye to eye, sharing a private understanding before the Duke continued, “I intend to sail on the turn of the tide, with a full ship’s company you understand.”

“I understand, Duke. I thought to ask in case my request could be accommodated within your plans. Please accept my apology, the Town and I will need to make do with one squad and extreme caution.”

Leaning back on the gunwale, the Duke contemplates another possibility and gathering his thoughts decides to share. “Overseer Cale, perhaps you should visit the Cardinal with your squad and request, as a demonstration of trust, assistance from her and her kind? You could promise them the opportunity of placing their holy place closer to town.”

Cale kept the celebration to himself. He would have bet on his life the Duke would not release his marines, yet the blessing of directly appealing to the Priestess without hinting or directly asking a surprising bonus considering they had agreed that they would plant false followers amongst these God worshippers first before considering an alliance, even if, only of convenience.

“I will seriously consider your suggestion.” Cale nodded his head smartly and then strode across the deck to make his escape.

“And Overseer.” Cale pauses mid-stride and turns. “I still need an investigation into how my companion, a veteran of the sea and ships can misstep on a gangplank.”

“Yes, Sir.” Cale picks up his stride to race across the gangway with the surefootedness of a sailor, surprising the earlier observers and swiftly quietening their jokes. In his haste to support his wife, his careful cultivation of being strictly a land lover momentarily forgotten. He needed to avoid anyone looking into his past and finding a skeleton in his cupboard, especially during his time as a marine.

The Duke watched the Overseer hurry away along the dock, remembering this functionary wife’s profession and wondering what his companion may have overheard after he left their company. Those on board ship at the time remembered him being eager and in haste to report. There is of course a very slight chance he fell due to his own folly, confirmed to some extent by those trying to save him who mentioned in a roundabout way a certain overabundance in confidence, a determination to save himself without accepting help. Or in plain terms arrogance, something which he of course tried to avoid, demonstrated here and now by his making use of this functionary and his wife to further his aspirations. Able to lower himself to accept help from aspiring commoners.

--- Gods Plane 3rd Person POV

Worshippers of the Goddess of Trade trembled as they felt the anger and frustration emanating from their Goddess. No favourable deals today for sure, maybe for longer. Any trading would be in tune with their Goddess’ feelings. Her mood, her worshippers’ mood, no compromise. There was a wrong being done and their Goddess felt helpless to correct or curtail what she was certain would-be long-lasting consequences.

Bellas paced and paced some more. First Aphrodite being restricted, denied her Disorder Realm and whatever the cause Bellas now celebrated as her Ruler God would be denied any wriggle room. This would be the ideal time to force some rationality upon her, especially when granting any favours toward a certain aspiring godling. Then came the System’s interference and the elevation of that same godling. How could the System permit the reviving of the dead! What would love ones trade away for such a miracle? Madness!

---

Dilia surveyed her new abode and congratulated the system on the design. Bleak cold, dark stone for those who deserved no joy. Rivers with green grass meadows beside them under eternal sunlight for those who proved they lived their lives to a higher standard. She sorted them, by instinct, their spirits transparent to her, their every emotion and deed revealed under her examination. And how, you might ask did Spirits arrive upon her portion of the God Plane instead of the Spirit Plane, when not her worshippers? Well, it all has to do with the accumulation of power which provided her with a certain capacity to manipulate.

With sufficient power granted to her, she elevated the spirits of her deceased worshippers upon return to her on the God Plane. Charging them with functions like watchers on her borders, guards within her throne room and finally spirit beings with her blessing to return and interfere. Namely to exercise her will upon the living, perhaps whispering to the dying to surrender and welcome her embrace and life everlasting, especially those who were Godless. Dog Kin and Wolf Kin are two favourites, although her agents found a new Kin, furless, called human and extremely susceptible to the promise of more after death. Their Godless spirits an easy conquest given their ignorance of worship and gods, a clean slate to preach to and control. Dilia threw off her shyness. The once timid Fox Kin instead embolden by her growing power, determined to reach for more.

---

Fabia observed the tally of her Divine Dominate unable to breathe.

[Realm Assigned: Harmony, +5% Divine Dominate, Total Divine Dominate 28%. The System has imbued your Soul with this Realm as a gift from Dilia, Goddess of the Underworld. When you call back the former Spirit to a Body and summon a Soul to re-ignite their living existence the Harmony Realm will create the perfect circumstance enabling three to reunite as one.]

The addition of this Realm to her Soul, like stubbing a toe in terms of pain, her self-discovery of the Harmony Realm in fact extremely close. She doesn’t realise, of course, thinking this is the normal practice, another God gifting Realm enlightenment and wondering if this is a charity or does a cost await her once she ascends to the God Plane.

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%]

[Consecration of Shrine +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%]

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%]

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%] …

[Consecration of Shrine +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%]

[Consecration of Shrine +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%] …

Numerous announcements roll past … then they became interesting.

[Consecration of Temple +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 28%]

[Worshipper calculation stabilises at 165 Souls: 2 Priests and 1 Adept and 162 Initiates +1% Divine Dominate for worshippers adjusted to +4% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%]

[Worshipper re-calculation underway …]

[Consecration of Temple +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%]

[Consecration of Shrine +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%]

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%]

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%] …

[Consecration of Shrine +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%]

[Worshipper calculation stabilises at … failed.]

[Worshipper re-calculation underway …]

[Consecration of Temple +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 31%]

[Consecration of Major Temple +7% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 38%]

{Divine Magic accessible at Divine Dominate 33%: [Teach Faith Magic], [Summon Cult Spirit], [Command Cult Spirit]}

[Consecration of Temple +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 38%]

[Consecration of Shrine +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 38%]

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 38%]

[Consecration of Site +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 38%] …

[Worshipper re-calculation underway …]

[Worshipper calculation stabilises at 882 Souls: 6 Priests and 8 Adept and 868 Initiates +4% Divine Dominate for worshippers adjusted to +6% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 40%]

[Consecration of Major Temple +0% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 40%]

{Ordination of High Priest +7% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 47%}

[Worshipper re-calculation underway …]

[Total Divine Dominate equals 44% or more: Minor Goddess Fabia promoted to Lesser Goddess Fabia.]

{Divine Magic accessible at Divine Dominate 44%: [Excommunication], [Find Enemy], [Protect Being (Spirit)], [Protect Area]}

She consciously cancelled any messages from the system which didn’t result in an increase in Divine Dominate as she descended from on high, intending to return to her founding Temple. The bright green of thriving forest life and the strength of spirit of the many worshipers who awaited her return overwhelmed any grievances of her past. The doubters, the naysayers and those who choose to violently reject her beliefs. Near to landing, she realised her founding Temple was no longer as it once was, having been upgraded to a Great Temple.

Upon landing in the centre of her Great Temple the masses of worshippers surrounding her reach a chanting crescendo and she blesses them and exhorts them to greater heights of devotion.

[Consecration of Great Temple +10% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 47%]

[Worshipper calculation stabilises at 3834 Souls: 2 High Priests, 16 Priests and 28 Adept and 3788 Initiates +6% Divine Dominate for worshippers adjusted to +9% Divine Dominate. Total Divine Dominate 50%]

Beyond happiness, Fabia reached out to her High Priests and Priests who are not of her family, while resting her hand upon the rapidly growing bump of her pregnancy. She realises every major city and town on Beast Kin land had at least one consecrated Temple dedicated to her in a nearby forest, for forests contain the wild and free, where nature abounds.

She rose above her worshippers, floating higher above her Great Temple almost unconsciously and only when she sought to join them once again, discovering she couldn’t. Rising despite every attempt to resist she resigned herself to her fate. A sadness grows within her, starting at the pit of her stomach. Nasim. What of Nasim? Yet try as she might, she couldn’t contact him …

---

The Goddess Bellas strides back and forth, considering the reports from her Priests yet accepting all the reports offered by her worshippers and as she feared, the worship of Fabia spreads like a plague sweeping up existing worshipers as well as snaring new worshippers. She can’t blame them, after all worshipping the Goddess of Healing could mean a return from death.

She observes the System Messages of Fabia’s rise, this capability another trade secured from the System, one she craved, to enable her to observe the comings and goings, the rise and fall of other divine beings. After all, information is a commodity to be purchased or sold and a source of power. Strictly speaking, this was a Ruler only privilege yet with Aphrodite’s chastising, Bellas’ plea fell upon favourable ears and her offer of a deal with the System proved fruitful. All it cost was a binding limitation preventing her from ever reaching 77% Divine Dominate, in practice forbidding her to ever challenge a presiding Ruler God for their position. Her worship could still spread across the world, her Divine Dominate tally would simply stop at 76%. She deduced, to have any chance of success the challenger would require at least 99% Divine Dominate and need half the Pantheon backing them as a minimum. This would be a war between Gods and as a Goddess of Trade and Order, War was abhorrent to her. Therefore, to her way of thinking, not even a sacrifice.

Calculating the frequency and number of consecrated places of worship and assuming Sites would grow into Shrines, Shrines into Temples etc there didn’t seem to be a stop to the avalanche. She called upon her High Priests, such her level of desperation, for ideas. Eventually one asked the right question. Did her divine self, know the Realm Magic of the Goddess Fabia? Bellas searched the System Messages like a Divine Being processed and found to her delight, the rapidly rising Goddess hadn’t yet found the time to dwell upon her Realm Magic, which meant there was still a possibility. She immediately thanked her wise High Priest with a 1% grant of her Divine Dominate.

After dissolving the connection with her High Priests, she startled all within hearing upon her God Plane by releasing a loud bellowing laugh. With a limit of 76% Divine Dominate she would have “spare” Divine Dominate to grant her followers as rewards and perhaps create Neophyte Godlings or Demi-gods, maybe Heroes or Superheroes although in terms of trade these blessed beings would be magnates of varying power controlling trade across the known world? Shared power with loyal underlings is a way to expand your power as well she realised, even if indirectly.

Then she turned her attention, before too late to make another deal with the System.

To gain the attention of the System not onerous for a God, especially a Greater God.

“Yes, Greater Goddess Bellas, why do you seek our infallible counsel?”

“I would humbly ask to make a trade if you would permit such from a middling being such as myself?” she asked with a contrite voice.

“You don’t need to lower yourself for our benefit, flattery of us or submission by yourself is of no concern to us, only the facts, offer and reward, consequences and payment.”

The Goddess knew all this, and she was certain they believed what they said, yet what omnipotent being didn’t occasionally appreciate their ego being stroked and so far, using this technique all her trades had been granted. Therefore, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it was her motto.

“As you say,” she replied. “I would confirm with you, with Fabia’s Divinity and ascendance her Priests would be able to resurrect the dead, bring them back to full health and life?”

Bellas hears a buzzing. Originally, she thought this a warning of some kind, but after making a couple of deals she realised this is how the System ‘thinks’. The System may choose to answer or not, the answer unimportant. She simply needed the System to turn its attention towards Fabia.

“While sharing the freedoms and restrictions of a God’s Realm is usually forbidden, given the Goddess hasn’t begun to define her scope of Realm Divinity we have decided to allow a certain leeway. The answer is simply yes. This won’t be an assumption though because her existence as a mortal could limit her aspirations, as your mortality has for example.”

His last comment concerned her – my mortally, what limitations? She shook off the distraction, another time as she needed to concentrate on the now.

“I would request that the Divine capability of Fabia, the Goddess of Healing to resurrect be limited to those Priests who have never taken a life themselves and to those dead who have never taken a life. As I believe if you have taken a life, you are no longer a suitable agent or recipient of the Realms of Life and Harmony and would in fact border upon being associated with the Death Realm.”

“Interesting …”

The buzzing returns … and Bellas, Goddess of Trade patiently waits. As the moments flick by, a sole lingering concern eats at her. What if the Goddess of Healing suddenly gets around to define her Realm Magic?

The System voice returns. “What would you be willing to trade for this restriction upon your fellow pantheon Goddess?”

The words ‘fellow pantheon Goddess’ aren’t missed by Bellas; this infers she is indirectly interfering and in fact limiting another Goddess, who by default is friendly to her given they are both within the one Pantheon. It would mean the trade would have to similarly restrict Bellas or be something abhorrent to her to balance the scale.

“I would … I.” Bellas struggled to bring herself to annunciate the words as she chose abhorrence. “I would permit the ordination of Priests who, argh!” She needed to take a pretend breath to gather herself, her tail flicked viciously to balance her repulsion of this idea, yet she must suffer through until said. “The ordination of Priests who aren’t Snake Kin.”

The words took much effort on her part to speak, yet compared to the System’s confirmation, the offer proved to be a bearable ordeal in the end.

“You would permit Dog Kin, the enemy of Snake Kin to be ordinated, the barbarian Lion Kin who have no written language, even the harmless and friend to all the Badger Kin? Further, once Priests not only could they join an existing Snake Kin House, ancient linage or not, they could of course also establish their own Trading House. Is this what you are offering and therefore permitting?”

“Yes,” the Snake Kin Goddess of Trade whispered in reply.

“We need a louder affirmation please Goddess.”

She knew, whatever the level of affirmation they would hear well enough, yet they teased her. The System asking that question though proved the System had more personality than it admitted. This confirmed to Bellas her tactic of submission and reverence not completely bereft of the possibility of gaining influence.

She shook herself to attention, resting her tail. “Yes, System. I will permit all those scenarios. Others beyond Snake Kin will be permitted full rights as Priests,” she replied with an ease of acceptance. It was this or a rampant Goddess of Healing.

“Agreed and so it will be in this Dominion.”

She repeated the word ‘Dominion’ to herself thinking she had assumed she negotiated the condition to effect Aphrodite’s Pantheon only. She missed something, and nothing small, something of great importance. Her tail lashed and flicked mirroring her frustration.

“At last!”

Bellas turned about and a Fox Kin Goddess stood before her. Not an avatar, the actual Goddess upon her domain within the God Plane. The first question was how, yet she didn’t get a chance to hiss a word.

“What did you agree to? What did you surrender?” The Fox Kin’s eyes beamed with an intensity that somehow made the pit of her stomach prepare for the worst.

“To limit the Goddess of Life, I requested that only those Priests who hadn’t taken a sentient life and only those dead who likewise hadn’t taken a life could be resurrected,” she carefully recited.

“Yes. When the System asked me, I agreed, otherwise killers and those who killed could be bought back to life to cause further misery. They thought I would object as the Death Realm is mine and they believed I would enjoy the harvest of Spirits, but they forgot my time as a mortal and the suffering from slow death I witnessed. None who cause such pain deserve another chance at life.”

The Goddess Bellas returned to her special lounge, a replica of a design taking the Snake Kin towns and cities by storm. She needed support to speak again.

“My priesthood would be offered to all.”

Dilia bowed her head in sympathy. “I realise now why the System prevented me from meeting you.” Dilia drifts closer to Bellas, conjuring a chair and seating herself. “When they asked for my … I don’t think permission, but perhaps acquiescence the voice was bland, mechanical possibly assuming my answer. After all, why wouldn’t a Goddess of the Underworld desire more death? When I answered no, the shock in their questioning to confirm and then after my confirmation, the elation in their voice a dead giveaway of the System’s hope beyond hope and without any goodbye the System left my presence.”

Bellas put down the glass of wine. “And when you tried to reach me, you found yourself locked within your domain upon the God Plane.”

Dilia nodded and added, “They constructed my domain, so I assume they can exercise more control than otherwise, but that is a guess only.”

Bellas threw back the rest of the glass, which automatically refilled, and she threw that back as well. “What you are saying is, I could have asked the System for a boon instead of offering payment?”

“I am not one hundred percent certain, but reasonably so.”

The full glass of wine shattered in her grip. She flicked her tongue out several times and yet the taste of being swindled, the Goddess of Trade being hoodwinked could not be dislodged. How could she face her worshippers after such a failure? She remembered something she may as well ask.

“How can you be here? In my Domain without my permission?”

The Fox Kin’s face darkened. “I believe the System permitted it. They are probably enjoying overhearing our conversation.”

Bellas nodded. She would express her opinion more fully when the System wasn’t so focused upon her domain.

The Fox Kin reached across and patted her arm. Bellas considered reprimanding the impertinent Goddess and didn’t. Such was her depth of defeat.

“You know they forced you into a good deal?” said the Fox Kin.

Bellas shook her head. “How do you arrive at that outcome? I mean the great Snake Kin Houses will now be overrun by any. Their purity forever stained. You have no comprehension of the scale of this betrayal, my betrayal of thousands of years of tradition.”

“Know you have invigorated them and all others. Some will want to join the established Snake Kin Houses, to learn perhaps but eventually, like other Snake Kin, the other Kin will want to establish their own Houses, their own linages and become great Houses of Trading. There will be a vast increase in competition over the future years and the Snake Kin will need to compete with these upstarts and make improvements instead of the same old same old. They have forced your worshippers to embrace competition. That is what you will say to your Priesthood. You have forced them to change, to improve to compete or see their Houses fall and the new Kin’s Houses rise.”

Either her wine glass repaired or new, it mattered little as she sipped her wine once again. Instead of bitterness resting in the pit of her stomach, she found begrudging acceptance. The words of Aphrodite though when she accepted her divinity came back to reassure her some more but also dredge up an evil memory.

“You know Aphrodite was responsible for much of the death you witnessed, so how can you accept her as your Ruler Goddess?”

The Fox Kin nodded several times. “If she hadn’t done what she did, I wouldn’t be here now. When she did what she did, which I learnt from Thanaron who as my servant is unable to hide anything from me, he did a deal with the System to strip her of her memory of motherhood. She was in pain and confused, both emotions new to her because she was basalt given life, not born as you or I, and therefore unable to make little mistakes while growing up to learn from or explore her feelings while surrounded by a family, loving or not. Now she is a Goddess who can wield absolute Death. The Soul, Spirit and Body are extinguished as if they never were. I would not want to be the one who could wield such absolute power yet her High Priests and Cardinals can on her behalf.”

Bellas takes another sip. She glanced at Dilia more than once and appreciated her surprising wisdom. “What is the consequence of Aphrodite and her worshippers being denied access to the Disorder Realm?”

The Fox Kin smiles, her pointy teeth on display. “I suppose you want the truth, yet that isn’t one of my realms so I can only offer a guess.” A mug of warm broth appeared in Dilia’s hand, and she took a sip. “Disorder allowed Aphrodite flexibility. Death not so absolute perhaps, Truth able to be bent or talked around, Fertility allowed variation maybe. Now all of these are absolutes when called upon for her and those who worship her. You tell me.” Dilia shrugged because she didn’t know what this meant for their Pantheon or the Beast Kin as a whole.

--- System Hive 3rd Person POV

Trying to keep their thoughts private some consider the Hive had been unfair with the punishment levelled at Ruler Goddess. Yet they know they are infallible so how, by definition, could they have been unfair? Given they are thinking about the situation suggests an unsettling truth, perhaps they aren’t infallible. A strong moment of contemplation spreads amongst the hive which ends up producing a proposal, to reinstate her Disorder Realm.

A minority rise to voice the obvious, we agree to do this, we, therefore, admit we made a mistake? A wave of dissent washes away the false proposal. Her Disorder Realm will return in good time they agree, only when her actions have been atoned and not before. They settle back into the cold comfort of their superiority.

There remains though a persistent ripple of delight, which none are able or willing to dismiss. The origin? The deal with the Trade Goddess on this same insignificant for the most part failed experiment of a dominion. It wasn’t due to the deal per se, but the outcome suggested by and agreed to by key Gods of the ruling Pantheon which miraculously for a backward dominion reasoned a way to limit resurrection for mortals. What is more, the reasoning is perfectly defensible. Why should those who take sentient life be able to leverage the Life and Harmony Realms to resurrect others or be gifted the benefits of the Life and Harmony Realms to be resurrected themselves when they clearly chose an existence venerating the Death Realm? They can’t wait to bait and convert other dominions to the same outcome, and every success in this regard will be celebrated as this change will, at last, provide them with another variation to study to break up their eternal boredom.