The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]

By blood, and by blood alone, is anything achieved in this world. By blood shed and by blood spilled. I have talked with the demons and with the angels, and there is nothing to look upon them is to look upon cosmic failures. They cry out and bemoan Arda: for we are violent! For we are brutal! For we are decisive and stubborn! They critique the fine details of the painting whilst missing the art.

Is Arda inherently violent? Brutal? Stubborn? Stupid? Call it whatever they wish. The simple fact is that they live in pretend worlds, their vain meritocracies of spreadsheets and moralisms have no answer to the question of what happens when one is willing to die for their ideals. On Arda, the meritocracy of the sword is dictated by the fact that the default is that would kill to protect their family, because the family takes precedence.

I have witnessed it myself, through how many wars? When push has come to shove, when I march at the head of a column through defeated villages, when farmers witness a Divine as tall as their homes stride past them, they do not hang their heads because of shame, or because of fear. They hang their heads because of the fact that should they look at me, they are unsure of whether they will be able to control themselves.

This farcical idea of reaching the end and breaking down into tears in a falsehood. The vast majority of humanity has the backbone to stare certain death in the face. It is said by creatures that are so beneath humanity they cannot even be considered animals. They are the soul-swill. Why does Arda fight and they do not? Why are we violent and they are not? Does Peace not sound fantastic? Indeed, I, as the Goddess of it, know exactly what Peace is worth, and that is precisely why I march to war for it.

If only we were weaker! If only we our backs were less strong and more crooked! If only we had the malleability of amoeba or insects, content to live wherever they are placed by a mightier power! If only we simply laid down our arms and decided that some roundtable of higher powers could sit and scheme and decide for us! How grand would that be! There would be no more war. Arda would be at Peace! And it would be grand!

But we don’t. Not because of some great insecurity within ourselves but because it is an unacceptable solution. When humanity began to shed blood for a cause, that set the standard for the ultimate price. Everything else is a half measure. Because we are better than that.

Because our souls are worth dying for.

- Excerpt from “On the Modern Empire”, written by Goddess Fortia, of Peace.

Allasaria sat in Irinika’s plantation. She had come back to Arda and she had expected what? She didn’t know what she expected. Maybe grand invocations? Maybe calls to prayer? Planning? Sitting around and arguing about plans? She had expected something that felt like taking a step forward, even if it was just standing in place at the end of the day. And then Arascus had seemingly done everything whilst doing nothing.

And this was how the Empire operated. At the very least, Irinika had given her a television with internet access. That was a blessing, and then it turned out to be infuriating. Arascus ran his Empire exactly how she remembered it. When Paradeisius and Tartarus joined the White Pantheon in the Great War, there was no negotiation. No. Imperial cities held speeches about how three worlds needed to come together to crush them.

And now… Well, they had crushed one world, supposedly, and part of it was coming back. There was nothing on that on the television, although every other advert was for the space program, and the news held a special section on documenting the stars. That seemed like Helenna’s doing, to get more people in astronomy. There were documentaries too, and they went over absolutely anything and everything. One followed the life of an Epan intercontinental trucker, another was documenting the cleaning of the Eparika, a third was from the airforce, where the pilots were talking about planes in language not meant for television.

Allasaria turned off the television with a fury, stood up, threw the remote onto her bed, and looked around the room. This was Irinika’s place, that was sure, the style had not changed whatsoever. The was exposed and dark, the only nods to modernity and technology were the modern lamps and radiators. And the television. The Goddess of Light walked to the window, as she had done many times in the past.

Leagues upon league of tobacco plants, flowering now with pink. In all directions, with people picking them in dark uniforms by hand. They were fairly lethargic about their progress but likewise, how much excitement was there in picking tobacco for a Goddess?

Allasaria supposed she was being watched. She had to be. There was no she was not. She had been here a week and already her mind was starting to fry. “Irinika.”

The air shifted behind Allasaria, this creature’s presence, she could always feel. It was like coldness in the room, no other Divine had it. Allasaria was sure it was because Irinika was the Goddess of Darkness, whether Irinika felt something equivalent from her, she didn’t know. But she would never ask though. The only sound before she spoke were heels gently touching the floor. “I wondered how long it would be until you got bored.”

“You run a tight ship here.” Allasaria said dryly. “I see the plants are going to pick themselves.” One man was taking a drink of water. A pair of women were gossiping. Someone that looked far too young to be working on a plantation was carrying a smaller basket.

Irinika chuckled. “The leaves give themselves when they wish to. You wouldn’t understand.” Allasaria noticed the jab and she had sworn, or rather, she had been ordered, to be a prisoner. So she would maintain decorum. She turned around to Irinika.

And there she was, clouded in her darkness of a dress. It swirled and clung to her body, wisping away into shadows that swirled along the floor like tiny, drawn hurricanes of black until they disappeared into another, real, shadow. Allasaria wanted to burn her away on the spot. And then, just as Allasaria remembered, came this woman’s worst feature. Irinika reached into her shapeless darkness and brought out a small silver pipe, the other hand disappeared and brought out tobacco. “I am still the Goddess of Light.”

“And I still smoke.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s more relevant than your Divinity is.” Irinika said, then saw Allasaria staring at her pipe. She pulled out a handful of leaves. Of fucking tobacco leaves! From a pocket in her dress. “Want some? You can chew it.”

“No.” Allasaria said coldly. “I do not want to chew your tobacco.”

“How formal.” Irinika said.

“You’ve changed.” Allasaria said and Irinika raised an eyebrow, the silence held for a moment, then she seemed to realise what Allasaria was going at.

“Oh my my!” And there it was, that haughty tone. “Little Allasaria! I? Grand Goddess of Darkness? Changed? What madness has bequeathed your mind to even suggest at such a delusion reality.” That was more like it. Irinika burst out in laughter, then stuffed the leaves into her pipe. “Change and comfort are easily mistaken.”

“The world is going to be hit by the Second Arc.” Allasaria said.

“Even more reason to smoke.” Irinika said as she finally lit the pipe. The foul smell of the leaves immediately hit the room. Irinika must have noticed Allasaria’s nose twist away. “I’ve not barred you from leaving this room, you know.”

“I am a prisoner, aren’t I?”

“Have I ever been particularly cruel?”

“When have you not?” Allasaria said, although she did go to reach and open the window. “Stand besides it at least and let the smoke out.”

“Look at the things I do for juniors.” Irinika said, although she did move to the window. Whether it was a walk or a slide was impossible to tell. The darkness around her was so formless one could wonder whether they’d fall into it. “So? You called? What do you want? I have drinks and I have tobacco and I don’t have much else.”

“I want to know what is happening.” Allasaria said and Irinika sighed. She ran her fingers over her silver pipe and Allasaria saw the woman had it engraved with her own name. What an idiot. From between her lips came a cloud of smoke, outside at least, and Irinika pondered for a while more. “Hello?”

“Maisara has recovered the Sashai texts, Zerus did not even show himself.” Irinika said. “We have planted a telescope in space. Skylink, do you know what that is?” Allasaria did not, although she wouldn’t admit it. “My my, you don’t.” Irinika said. “It is communications satellites, a third has been repurposed to scanning the stars. Every radar is turned upwards. Arascus is in Arcadia, working with Kass, Ela and Ana on what could be done about the issue.”

“It’s a world, what is there to do? You heard Kassandora, it’s more than five times Arda’s size!” Allasaria raised her hands and the lights in the room got brighter. Irinika gave no reaction. “Does that not bother you?”

“I am smoking, am I not? Or is reality a great deceiver which only your truthful eyes can penetrate?”

“What does that have to do with anything! You always smoke!” Allasaria said. Irinika shrugged.

“It’s a good hobby, you should take it up.” Irinika said.

“THIS IS SERIOUS! CAN’T YOU SEE!?” They were blind. They were blind and they would smoke Arda into annihilation. That’s what they were fucking doing. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING EVEN? WHY AREN’T YOU HELPING THEM THEN!?”

Irinika raised an eye. “I do declare my presence here is very helpful to father right now.” She chuckled. “Does your mind question why? Or does the mystery get lost on you?”

“Can you speak normally.” Irinika rolled her eyes.

“First it’s Irinika, you’ve changed, now it’s Irinika, go back to speaking informally. Make your mind up Allasaria.” The devilish smile was the cherry on top. Irinika was just winding her up. She had to be.

“How are you helping him then?” Allasaria wouldn’t take the bait.

“By keeping you here.”

“I’m keeping myself here!” Allasaria said.

“The difficulty of my employment was never discussed.” Irinika said quickly and Allasaria opened her mouth to hide the fact that the joke almost cracked her.

“Well then what if I decided to make it harder?” Allasaria said and Irinika finally smiled.

“Then I would have to fight you.”

“And I would defeat you.”

“I don’t think so, princess.” Irinika whispered. She looked out onto her plantation. Allasaria was thinking that they would go at it there and then. But Irinika sighed and shook her head. “No, alas, that won’t happen. Father told me not to. There is to be no fighting for the imminent while.”

“And what if I decided to do it anyway?” Allasaria said.

“But you won’t.” Irinika said.

“But what if I did?”

Irinika took another deep breath of the pipe, smiling all the way through it. Those black eyes were downright mischievous and gloating and victorious. “But you won’t. And I know why you won’t.” Irinika bounced from foot to foot, maybe the darkness just carried her, as she smoked out the window.

“Why won’t I?” Allasaria asked.

“Because why would you?” Irinika asked. Allasaria opened her mouth to answer and…

And no sound came out. Her eyes widened as she stopped, then closed her lips, then thought. Why would she? Well that was the proper question now, wasn’t it? Of Darkness chuckling by the window was no help, but it wasn’t an answer either. What exactly was she fighting for right now? She’d what? Fight Irinika, kill her maybe, to go to Arascus and do what? Kill him too? Or maybe he’d kill her. “How do you know?”

“Oh I don’t.” Irinika said. “That’s just what father told me when I asked whether you should be kept in the basement or allowed outside. You won’t be dangerous because you have no reason to be dangerous, thus, I can smoke and pretend this is work because I have nothing better to be doing.”

“The Second Arc is going to hit us Irinika.” Allasaria said and Irinika took another inhale of her pipe.

“And what can I, as the Goddess of Darkness, do about something supposedly six times larger than this planet colliding with it? Better question, what can you, as the Goddess of Light do about it?” Irinika chuckled. “My oh my, what a conundrum has decided to visit this plantation.” There was nothing she could do about it, that was the obvious answer. Here she was, there was fucking nothing to do. Not she, not Arascus, no one. It was in the Empire’s hands now.

“Why did you join Arascus?” Allasaria asked suddenly and Irinika turned to stare at her. She inhaled her pipe again. And she shrugged.

“Because you didn’t.” Irinika said.

“What does me have to do with you?”

“Nothing.” Irinika said. “I joined because he offered, and I saw the vision, and I once again prove why I am the smartest Goddess in existence, unlike the greats of Allasaria, or Maisara, or Fortia. And now, I was proven correct, was I not? I get to sit here, smoke, be your jailor, and the roles aren’t reversed.” Allasaria stared at Irinika, unsure of whether that was farce or not. It was a stupid answer, it couldn’t be real.

“But Fortia and Maisara have joined.”

“So they have.” Irinika said. “But they’re not family, are they?” Allasaria. No. She supposed they weren’t. They were just Imperial Divines. High-ranking Imperial Divines, with plenty of authority, who got their own missions assigned to them and who could sit next to Arascus as he bestowed judgement upon Allasaria…

“What’s the point in the family?”

“For me? Or in general? Or a sociologist’s answer?” Irinika said.

“I want none of those, all three will be stupid.” Allasaria said.

Irinika chuckled, threw her pipe upside down, and tapped out some ash before relighting it. “Has my magnanimity just been called predictable?” Fucking idiot. Idiotic Irinika. Allasaria sighed and went to sit down on the bed.

“When I turned him down, do you know why?”

“Because he turned you down.” Irinika said and Allasaria stiffened. That wasn’t wrong but… “You told him that humanity couldn’t be entrusted with such a farcical approach of being guided, yet doing the guiding at the same time. That they would need to be led, and that maybe, after correct values had been instilled in them, maybe they could be tested on how they drove the cart.” And that was correct. “In short, he found you lacking, not you found him lacking. Your first question was to see how the structure worked.” And that was brutally correct.

Allasaria fell down onto the bed. “And I suppose you, oh great highness, simply yipped yes like a dog the first time he asked.”

“No.” Irinika said coyly. “I did question him too.”

“Did you?”

“I told him that if he had an issue with smoking, it wouldn’t do.” Irinika said. “And I remember it like it was yesterday. He just stared at me and gave me that look, and then he laughed and said that one day, if I wanted to, I could even start my own plantation.” Irinika looked out the window at the flowering tobacco. “Well look at that, a plantation of tobacco. He kept his word.”

Allasaria smiled to herself, staring up at that ceiling. So this is what the Empire felt like. You sat around, and you gossiped, and you did nothing of importance because there was nothing important to do. You could just smoke. “Why did Fortia join? Do you know?” This time, Irinika did cough and choke on her own smoke. “That’s what you get.”

“You don’t know?” Irinika asked. “Really?”

“About what? Her turning Arascus down, I do know about that.” Allasaria said.

“No, about them.” Irinika said, waving her pipe, creating patterns of smoke with it. “You know, them?”

“What about them?” Irinika rolled her eyes, that set Allasaria off. “I know about the Concordats you mean! Of course!” Irinika rolled her eyes again. “WHAT ABOUT THEM?!”

“Well…” Irinika said. “I mean, really? She was his first loss.”

Allasaria sat up on the bed immediately, back straight, eyes wide, blood draining from her face. “What? She beat him? When?” And why wasn’t that written down. Irinika smiled and inhaled on her pipe.

“Now you really don’t know? No one told you? Really?”

“Just tell me?”

“Not even fucking Zerus of all people? He around too.”

“That old bastard does nothing but stay cooped up playing henhouse with Sceo.” Allasaria said. “What? How did she beat him?”

“Well…” Irinika said. “She didn’t beat him. They must have thought but I’m fairly certain he would beat her, although who knows.” Irinika shrugged. “I didn’t say that.”

“You said he lost to her!”

“I said she was his first loss.” Irinika said. “I can’t believe you don’t know.”

“Kass doesn’t know.”

“Well Kass was never one for gossip, was she?” Irinika said, chuckling. “Now you’re making me feel like a proper hag, if I can declare it myself. Downright ancient, aren’t I?”

“You’re the oldest Divine there is!”

“There’s Iniri and Neneria.” Irinika said. “So don’t make me out to be that old you witch!” She chuckled to herself. “Oh you should have seen it Allasaria, your girlish heart would melt and you’d be all giddy, wouldn’t you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve never put two and two together?” Irinika said. “Come now, say it isn’t so? Surely not the great Allasaria? You’ve never heard the downright reverence?”

“Irinika what the fuck are you talking about?”

Irinika stuck her free hand out. “Let’s do some counting, we can count to five, right?” She stuck out her thumb. “One, incarnated, twenty years apart.” A finger. “Two, signed the Concordats together.” Finger. “Three. Arascus initiated the Concordats but was unable to force them.” Yet another finger. “Five. Fortia killed the first dragon. Threw her spear through the skull. You would have loved seeing that. I’m sure.” Irinika stared at her hand, all fingers extended as Allasaria started to put together two and two together.

“Surely you’re not…”

Irinika closed her fingers again. “Six.” She began. “Uru-Silim, the City of Peace. Fortia led it. That should be obvious, shouldn’t it? It was one of the original tyrannies and it’s named after her. When you dug up the ruins of Uru-Silim, we obviously know the Goddess in those statues is going to be Fortia. Why do you think there’s male statues of a God though?” Allasaria’s eyes widened. “Seven, in comes little Maisara, incarnated there and then, supposedly in the market square, although I wasn’t there to confirm. And those two have been inseparable at the hip ever since. How romantic. You can’t compete with a Divine that was incarnated to serve your regime, can you?” Irinika chuckled. “How tragic, isn’t it?”

“You’re not saying what I think you’re saying.”

“I’m saying exactly what you think I’m saying.” Irinika said. “The tyrannies fell for a great many reasons, but they’re not liked because they were degenerate and crass and filled with vice.” She turned with a smile. “Do you know Arascus’ statement on the soul?”

“How he has one because he is him and thus he is certain he has one, even if the rest of Divines don’t?”

“Exactly.” Irinika said. “The man could not accept that he doesn’t have a soul, and his argument serves as the best for why we do have true souls. Because we are certain we do. Do you think a man who refuses to accept he doesn’t have a soul will accept he can’t create life either?” She smiled. “Oh my my my, this is like an old aunt now. What an experience! Kassie would never listen.”

“Listen to what?”

“Do you think the idea of Divine family has never been tried?” Irinika grinned widely. “Do you think I didn’t know what I was getting into? Well of course you wouldn’t. Come on Allasaria, rack that little brain of yours and think, does it make sense for the first form of Divine government, when we are creatures that inherently shape ourselves off humanity, to be tyrannies? Or even better, Pantheons? Really?”

As roundabout as the explanation was, Allasaria was still following. She had to be. This was information she had never gotten out of anyone. “No.” That was the correct answer. “What is?”

“What is the simplest, most natural, form of hierarchy, that everyone experiences?” Irinika paused. “Bar us of course.”

“Child to parent.”

“And why do you think it’s never been tried for so long?”

“Because it went wrong?”

“Indeed.” Irinika said. “Because the first time it was attempted, as we entered the ages in which we started thinking about this, a trio of Divines created such a mess with it that they caused so much anarchy, a Goddess had to create the idea of private-armies, Holy Orders, to stop it from spreading.” Irinika chuckled. “Oh no, they tried Allasaria. They tried so well that I was baffled why Arascus even went to those before me.”