Chapter 789 – Oversocialized

Allasaria is an odd one. I am fairly certain I have the woman down now, and I am certain that she is in a position where she thinks she is far more intelligent than she is. That is a very difficult position to be in. Yet one has to look back through history to truly understand what created Allasaria. She is slightly older than Kassandora, and the two of them were incarnated almost together. Allasaria stalled Sythia’s defeat, took over the city, and then was gifted with the Goddess of War. The two were known as the twin Goddesses of Victory for a while.

During Worldbreaking, Allasaria led a proto-Pantheon of minor Divines and safeguarded them under her care. Safety was bought by numbers backed by Allasaria’s power. Following that, Allasaria worked me to found the Reconstruction Authority. Following that entity’s dissolution, Allasaria was constantly present in pantheon after pantheon. Fortia is very similar, although Fortia is selective with her relationship in Maisara. It was the identification of this trait that made me consider Irinika after those three turned me down.

Allasaria is oversocialized. She cannot function alone, and she has delusions of grandiosity without the wisdom to realise that her grandiosity is entirely reliant on the actors she associates with. The woman is not a mirror to Irinika for Irinika is a complete soul who could be sent off underground for a thousand years, and not see a soul for all that time, and come out unchanged. That has been proven, in fact.

Allasaria is unaware of her own self-destructive nature. I am certain she will willingly join the Empire, and I am certain she will immediately start trying to reform it in her image. It will not even be out of malice. She will simply think herself smarter, because she does not realise that Sythia’s victories fall more to Kassandora, that her haven during Worldbreaking fall due to her own strength rather than goodness and that the success of the Reconstruction Authority has far more to do with the fact I and Fortia were present to also serve as leaders during the time.

Her confidence comes for all the wrong reasons. I will not take sincerity from her, for I fully believe her to be sincere. Staying with Irinika is torture for her, because Irinika performs for herself and no one else. I should have her meet with Fer, I am certain that she would also despise the Goddess of Beasthood.

- Excerpt from God Arascus’, of Pride’s, Private Writings.

Irinika stretched, sat in her dark room and yawned. Divinity did not get addicted. Every vein in her head felt as if it was pulsing to her heart beat, and she was a Goddess, so naturally it was a strong heart. Divinity did not get addicted. She twisted, yawned again and put one arm over her head. That did not make the headache worse nor lessen it any degree. Divinity did not get addicted. It was just a low buzz, not unbearable and not pleasant, but not something she wanted to experience. Divinity physically could not get addicted. And it would drone on for three days, and then there’d be a week of hell and annoyance. And then until the third month, it would spark up every time. Divinity did not get addicted. But she had slept to pass time, and normally, Divinity did not sleep but she had a good name for those eight hours: Tolerance Break.

Irinika cracked, took her pipe, mashed some tobacco leaves into it and lit it. She fell back into her chair, feeling as if every muscle in her body had just decided to stretch and relax by itself. The veins in her head stopped pulsing after the second puff. The Goddess of Darkness stared at the her pipe and burst out in laughter, unable to control the smile on her face. It wasn’t euphoria, nor the dulled emotions of alcohol, nor the fatigue that Iniri’s herb brought about. It was just a dull, low-level bliss.

Irinika sat in her dark room, illuminated only by a few candles and the flame of her pipe, closed her eyes, and smoked. She felt as if she was floating in a warm lake after a day of heavy work. Or as if she had just returned from work to sit on the couch. Or after a battle finished, that initial minute of looking around and realising you had won before the cheering itself started. What a blessed feeling.

Irinika finished the tobacco in her pipe, cleaned it out, and then stuffed it into a conjured pocket of her dress. And then a fistful of dried, cut leaves into another pocket that sealed itself when her hand retreated. The headache has been disposed of, tiredness melted away, the yawning stopped. The colours and smells of Arda felt were worth sensing again. It was time to go about her day.

Irinika dropped into shadow and reappeared in her office, she brought out her pipe once again, stuffed it with tobacco and logged into her computer. There was this myth amongst humanity that Divinity was static, and that Divines were all traditionalist who hated change. True, some things were simply more pleasant. But it was a matter of taste, and no one would ever be able to tell her that candlelight was less appealing to the soul than the harsh lamps of electricity.

But computers were something else. And dashboards were another. Her wallpaper was a black screen, she ignored the message in the bottom right of the screen, that told her to activate her operating system and instead went online. Nimble fingers clicked rapidly into the search bar and she went into her company’s accounts. The green line was going up. Her eyes didn’t even bother to focus on the figure, that wasn’t important at this point, not until she added another milestone digit or the figure at the very changed. +6%.

Now that was called investing. She lit up her pipe as celebrating and stared at that +6% become a +6.1%. And truly, the green seemed greener when she smoked. She finished the second load, turned her computer off, and cracked her fingers. That was the daily chores done. Time for pleasure then. Irinika dropped into a lightless void that seemed to unsettle everyone but her and Arascus.

“I can smell you.” Allasaria, lovely little Allasaria, sneered when Irinika appeared in the corner of Light’s room. Irinika stuffed tobacco in her pipe and lit it. “Do you really have to smoke here?”

And time for some entertainment. “Are you not in prison oh Allasaria?” Irinika cooed as she sauntered over to the window. “Since when does the prisoner make requests?” She did open the window though, if only because the breeze was pleasant. “Would you like a meal too? Steak perhaps? Whiskey to go with it?”

“This is not a prison!” Allasaria sighed and collapsed onto her bed. Irinika inspected the room. One thing she could not fault Allasaria for was that the woman kept everything clean. Kassandora pretended to keep clean whilst existing in chaos, Malam would treat a pigsty as luxury as long as the trough had vodka and Fer was barred from Irinika’s plantation because the woman had a habit of rearranging the walls. But Allasaria kept everything tidy and… Irinika’s eyes went to her pipe. It had blocked up.

“What, perhaps may you say, it is then?” Irinika said, uncaring for the answer and the phrasing of the garbage that just left her mouth. Allasaria gave her that satisfying look of someone confused and struggling to process what had just been said. She was so easy to play with. Irinika tapped her pipe against the windowsill and some ash fell down.

Outside, the workers of Irinika’s plantation slowly worked their shifts. Of Darkness watched them for a few moments, then brought out more tobacco to stuff into her pipe. Allasaria finally computed an answer to her question. “It’s a cage.”

“Not so different from a prison then.” Irinika said. Of Light stared at her with that flat glare and rolled her eyes.

“Why are you even here?” Allasaria said. “What? Has sitting about gotten to you? Do you need to annoy me?”

“Father is coming to visit.” Irinika said and placed a hand on her chest. “I daresay it may be because he misses his first daughter though arising suspicion indicates he may be coming to attend to affairs going by the name of Allasaria.”

Allasaria blinked, processed what she heard, opened her mouth and closed it, obviously needing a second processing. Irinika wondered if she could make steam rise out of the woman’s ears. Maybe the little fans in her head would start to spin so loud they would be audible. “Arascus is coming, he’ll want to meet, got it.” Allasaria said.

Irinika already had the next phrase prepared, it was irrelevant how Allasaria answered. “Prudence and benevolent hosting is key in Divinity so it has come upon me to suggest to you that it would be gracious for you to style yourself with grace and not with bedsheet.” Allasaria blinked, looked down at herself, then turned back to Irinika.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” No steam, error then. Irinika noted it, Fortia would have got it, although Fortia was like Kassandora or Fer. They just ignored half of what Irinika said and pretended to draw meaning.

“Swap the bedsheet for grace, and then inform him you have swapped the bedsheet for grace.” Irinika fell through the floor into her shadow and landed back on an armchair she had specifically ordered for such retreats. The fabric bounced her up and down, she leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and appreciated the sensation of smoking. This was the life.

To hell with managing a nation, to hell with anything to do with politics or bureaucracy. Arascus gave her enough independence to be profitable, and now she did not even have to ask him for money. Her grandest achievement in the entire Empire was not some grand battle or kill, it was the fact that she was the only one of the daughters who did not need to ask for daddy’s money when she wanted to get something.

Arascus did turn up eventually, he sent Irinika a message, she met him just as the man entered into her home. “Good to see you.” Arascus said and gave her a hug immediately. Irinika hugged him back, for a moment, all the worries of the Second Arc fell away. And then he let her go. “I’m here to see Allasaria, sorry.”

“I’m just glad you’re here.” Irinika said. “How have you been?” She turned around and started leading towards Allasaria’s chamber. “She’s not moved from her room by the way.” Arascus had called it, that the worst punishment to give the woman would be nothing at all. Allasaria was suffering in there, driven to almost madness by her own boredom.

“I’ve not expected her to.” Arascus said. “I’ve been good, have you seen Helenna building the palace?”

“She’s going through with it?” Irinika asked. “She asked me you know.” Arascus chuckled.

“Did she now?”

“She needed a loan.” Irinika said.

“That explains more than I thought.” Arascus said. “What are you getting back?”

“Three percent growth for a century.” Irinika said and shrugged. “She offered less but this is better.”

“A century?”

“Will we be around in a century?” Irinika asked.

“Of course.”

“Then I chose well.” Irinika said. “My stocks are up.” Arascus chuckled and put his arm around her.

“I love you Iri.” He said, ruffling her hair. She blushed, smiled and laughed with him. And then they stopped outside the door to Allasaria’s room and settled back down. Arascus was the Emperor once again, all stern in that glorious and imposing uniform of his. Irinika was the Goddess of Darkness, clothed in her element, hands behind her back and looking down her nose at everyone. Arascus entered without knocking.

“Oh my my.” Irinika cooed immediately. “And here I told you to change.”

“I am dressed.” Allasaria said. “Arascus, what is it? Irinika told me you were coming.”

“We need to talk.” Arascus said. “I was going to ask you about this last time.” He looked around, then sat on the couch. “Come, sit. I will not talk to you whilst you’re behind me.” Irinika propped herself up on the wall to serve as the imposing Goddess of Darkness and let her father run the show. Ultimately, he was far better at this game than her.

Allasaria got up with a sigh of displeasure. Irinika caught Arascus’ eyes and killed her own smile. She knew what that flat, tired expression meant anyway: The woman such a child. If she wanted to argue, then she should say it flat out rather than being passively aggressive about it. But Allasaria did sit, because Allasaria was in a jail that anyone would laugh at if it was called a jail. “What is it?”

“We know of Of Empire.” Arascus said directly. Allasaria’s eyes grew wide, her mouth fell open, the blood drained from her face. She turned from Arascus to Irinika.

“You knew?” Allasaria asked. “Who told you?”

“We’ve identified that she is in locked in a Godstone Cube.” Arascus said.

“So it was Theosius then! How did he work it out?” Allasaria barked and Irinika pulled out her pipe. She needed a smoke for this. Fer and Malam would be able to handle it better. Normally, she would smack someone for ignoring her like Allasaria was ignoring Arascus now.

“The question is where is the Godstone Cube?” Arascus said and crossed his arms. “And that is what I am asking right now.

“Who told you?” Allasaria asked and Arascus stared at her for a moment.

“The conclusion is not hard to reach.” Arascus said. “Multiple of us came to the discovery independently.” Irinika smoked her pipe to kill her smile. She liked whenever Arascus lied. The man was downright professional about it. He didn’t even have a tell.

“But who?”

Arascus stared at her for a few moments and then sighed. “Does it matter?” He asked.

“Yes!”

“Irinika told me first.” Irinika blew a cloud of smoke out into the air and used the moment to close her eyes. This is why she started smoking in the first place. Some people thought it annoying, but it could buy vital moments in conversation to rearrange everything in her mind. Arascus should have warned her this was going to be the script. But he did not and she was glad he did not.

“You knew?!” Allasaria screamed. It had been a lie, Fortia and Maisara were the ones to work it out. Malam had questioned it before, Olephia too. Maybe all the daughters had, but no one really ever wanted to remind themselves that they were missing an Of Empire. Ultimately, the only way that could end up is that if it was a he, he would take Irinika’s place as Imperial Champion, or Kassandora’s as the leader of the Army, or Malam’s, as the captain of propaganda. No one wanted to give up that position. And it would be worse if it was a she. There was only one position that the family lacked now: Mother.

“It’s not my tale to talk about.” Irinika said. “I am perfectly content managing myself. Imperial affairs fall to the man sitting across from you.”

“And you didn’t say anything?”

“I say what is important.”

“So Fortia being his ex is important but this is not?!” Allasaria stood up and marched to Irinika. Of Darkness tightened her fingers and her control over her element. At this range, she was faster than Allasaria. And Allasaria would not be able to cast without her hands.

Arascus coughed. “This is what you gossip about?”

“Everyone knows.” Irinika said.

“IS IT TRUE?!” Allasaria rounded on Arascus. He did not even react, but Irinika’s dress stopped flowing. Rounding on her was one thing, rounding on the father was far worse. Her hands would not be price enough for that.

Arascus sighed. “Are you a child Allasaria?” He asked and the blood drained from Allasaria’s face. “I mean it seriously, yes, from just before the Concordats to just after Uru-Silim’s founding.” Irinika smiled at the sheer unabashed nature of the reply. That was not even acting, he was just like that.

“And she didn’t tell me?” Allasaria asked. Arascus stared at her for a few moments in utter silence.

“Why would she tell you?”

Allasaria returned to her seat, head held down. “Because we thought the Great War together? Because it’s history?”

“Would it have changed anything? We’re talking about history from before the Age of Heroes, it was more than two thousand years ago.” Arascus answered dryly.

“So do you still…” She looked up at Arascus. “You know?”

“We were not married.” Arascus said. “And no, you’re one of the few who doesn’t share the passive respect Divines have towards each other.”

“Why should we respect each other!?” Allasaria screamed the question and Irinika closed her eyes again. She really did need the tobacco to stand through this conversation. It was so obvious that the Goddess of Light had not lived through the Age of Heroism that it was banal. Why? Because the ones who did not were killed off. That was why. Allasaria was just lucky enough that she had a lot of strength.

“That.” Arascus said. “Is precisely the reason no one respects you.” He said dryly as Allasaria opened her mouth to argue. Then closed it. Then opened it when she thought she could mount a counter-attack, then closed it again. The smoke made the satisfaction taste even better and Irinika caught herself: Divines did not get addicted.

“And you can just talk about it like nothing?” Allasaria said. “What? You don’t think of Fortia like that anymore then?”

Arascus sighed. “Allasaria.” He leaned forward. “Uru-Silim was one of the first tyrannies. It was a tribal government that ruled over more a hundred thousand souls. I was not formed knowing how to manage to a state and that first attempt went so well the people incarnated Maisara because they wanted Order restored. Maisara was a natural fit for Fortia, they immediately bonded and I would not play third wheel to them so we parted on amicable terms.”

“And you didn’t mention it in the Reconstruction Authority?”

“The conversation between myself and Fortia has been closed for a long time.” Arascus said. “And the only people who can re-open are the two involved, and neither of us particularly want to. Fortia has Maisara, I have a family.”

“So…” Allasaria trailed off. “That’s that? Just that? You’ve just moved on?”

“Yes.” Arascus said. “It is exactly that, we have moved on.” Irinika smiled and puffed her pipe. Arascus was not even angry, he just sounded tired. Explaining gossip like this was beneath him, but ultimately, he had to explain gossip like this to everyone because gossip demanded an end. Irinika herself enjoyed it far too much. If Arascus had not warned her once already, she would have started planting theories in Allasaria’s head. “And now, we move on here. Where is Of Empire?”

“She’s…” Allasaria collapsed onto the seat. “She’s on the moon.”

Arascus sighed and leaned back in his seat. “Why?” He shook his head and raised his hand. “Don’t even tell me why, it’s not important. Why are you like this? What?” He kept his palm raised for another moment, put his fingers to his nose and took a deep breath. “How did you break the Watcher’s Orders not to leave Arda?”

“I didn’t.” Allasaria said. “She was vouched for, and she’s locked in Godstone.”

“Who vouched for her?”

“Ilahim.” Irinika chuckled. That was a name she had not heard in a long time. The commander of Paradeisius’ armies during the Great War. The angel had been difficult to kill indeed.

“He vouched for her?”

“Well he vouched for me saying I needed to keep her off Arda.”

Arascus took another deep breath. “What is the reasoning in that?”

Allasaria sat up straighter. “Oh? Now you want to know?”

“I don’t want.” Arascus said. “I expect.” He said. “And you will answer.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll send you to the fucking moon to retrieve her right now. We have the means to do it.” Allasaria blinked and pursed her lips.

“And if I don’t?” Arascus did not answer for a while. Allasaria spoke again. “Will you threaten me then?” He rolled his eyes. Irinika wondered what the game was. She was not going to interrupt. “Say something.” Oh. There it was. Allasaria was cracking already without a word needing to be said in the first place. “Arascus, come on.” She sighed again and cracked, defeated. “Leona saw a vision once. She saw this Of Empire, or who she assumes is of Empire, stood at the end of the world.”

Irinika’s eyebrows shot up and her eyes went to her father. Was that good news or bad? “And?” Arascus said. “Did the world end?”

“Leona never told me. Just that Of Empire was there as the world ended.”

“How did it end?”

“She didn’t know.” Allasaria said. “We don’t even know if it’s ending or not. Whether she’s there because she destroyed it, or there to stop it from ending. Just that she’s present.”

“I see.” Arascus said. “So it’s the Kassandora-principle where you keep her as insurance.” He leaned back. “That makes sense then.”

“Leona’s visions don’t always come true.” Irinika said. “We could have missed it already. She couldn’t see past her own death.”

Arascus nodded. “A future that never came to pass. Very well, that does explain it.” He sighed. “Allasaria, it was a pleasure talking to you, as always.” Of the three people in that room, Irinika knew that not a single soul believed those words. “Are you bored?”

“I’m dying.” Allasaria said.

“The Pantheon dismantlement is still on the table.”

“How exactly?” Allasaria said. “How am I supposed to disband the White Pantheon?” She asked. “On television, with what script? I’m not going to read something someone feeds me.” Irinika finished the tobacco in her pipe and stared into the ashes at the end of the pot, releasing a half-cloud of smoke. Now that was worse news.

“You will just do it.”

“I need to justify it.”

“The justification is that Arda is under threat and that Tartarus already attacked us.” Allasaria opened her mouth, and shook her head.

“It’s not that.” She said. “I…” She never gave a reason.

“On this, actually.” Arascus said. “I understand you. No, as a ruler, you need to believe it.” He shrugged. “I won’t ask whether it’s that you don’t believe in the Empire or you still believe in the Pantheon, but it is what it is.” He reached forward, Allasaria froze, and then he tapped his knuckle against her forehead. “Make up your mind though, you’re in prison until you decide to be useful.”

“Can’t you give me a job?”

“No.” Arascus said, he turned around, took a step and then froze. Arascus got a notification on his phone. Irinika heard it buzz from within his jacket. A moment later, she got her own notification too. They looked at each other, the conversation died off immediately. Irinika brought out her device as Arascus did it with his.

It was in the main group, it had a few names depending on who was throwing a tantrum at the time. Normally it was called Family <3, although Fer disappeared into the catacombs where there was no signal and Kassandora had taken the initiative to rename it to Primary Group Chat. The message had been forwarded, the language was obviously Iliyal’s.

Bureau of Magic, Rilian Sector, reports atmospheric splitting over the ruins of Rhomaion. A message came through, from Kassandora again: Iliyal reports this.

“I couldn’t have guessed.” Irinika said, Arascus’ lip curled up into a smile at the joke.

“What are you two looking at?”

A typing notification from Kassandora. Then it stopped. A second later, an image came through. Irinika took a deep breath as Arascus leaned back into the couch. “So it begins.” He said, Irinika stared at the photo. It was real, the Bureau of Magic would have no references, but there were Divines who still had memories of the sky opening and choirs descending. The faint rippling line always preceded that. Kassandora forwarded another text: I am at the location. Can confirm it is real. Paradeisius is coming.

“That’s an odd location though.” Irinika said. Arascus sighed.

“Maybe they think we’re rebuilding it?” He turned to Allasaria. “Did you ever talk to Paradeisius about me?”

“Of course I did.” Allasaria said. “I mean, there’s too much to mention but the first time I went, I said you were back and doing everything as you did back then.” Irinika chuckled.

“Fucking idiot.” Arascus mumbled under his breath and put his finger to his brow.

“What?!” Allasaria said. “That sums it up, doesn’t it? I’m the Goddess of Light besides, you can’t talk to me like that!” Arascus ignored Allasaria entirely.

“They think the ruins are the capital.” Arascus said. “I’m not…” He stood up, shaking his head as if he was in a daze. “It’s not even that you ruined anything, you’re just… No, it’s good. Irinika, you’re on…” He stopped, then turned back to Allasaria, then back to Irinika. “Irinika, you’re the captain of the quick response force. Allasaria, I’m going to give you a break from prison.”