Demoness 3 - Chapter 7: ​Diplomacy A (7,714 Words) (Patreon)

Elania paced the bedroom, her mind churning with the weight of Arlois’ request.

Shadow prowled around her feet, his whines echoing her own unease. She wasn’t sure how, but somehow he knew she was going on a trip.

Yolani sat on the bed, her brows knitted together. “Going to Hels is a bad idea, Elania.”

“I don’t like it either,” Elania admitted, her gaze drifting to the weight reduction pack on the dresser. “But it’s important to the city. If we’re going to stay, Contia needs its ally’s help.”

Yolani’s frown deepened. “Then take me with you.”

Elania shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips. “If I brought you, it would slow things down a lot. I can’t protect both of us at maximum speed for long. The trip would take days if I go slow.”

“And what if we’re in danger while you’re gone?” Yolani’s voice rose, tinged with frustration.

Elania’s shoulders slumped, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. “It’s a risk. The city might be attacked while I’m away, but Arlois has promised to protect you and the refugees with all her power. She made a contract to that effect.”

Yolani took a deep breath, her gaze drifting to Shadow. “Even he doesn’t like it.”

Elania turned away from the pack, a weak smile tugging at her lips. She crossed the room, pulling Yolani into a hug. Shadow growled as Elania reached down to pet him.

“I’ll only be gone for a few days,” Elania murmured, her voice soft. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, hopefully with an idea of how much help we can expect.”

Yolani’s shoulders sagged, resignation settling over her features. She pulled away from Elania’s embrace, moving to the pack on the dresser. “If you’re going to go, you should go prepared.”

Elania watched as Yolani stuffed the pack with supplies. “Thank you,” she said.

Hours later, Elania stood on the balcony, the weight reduction pack strapped to her back.

Yolani’s lips were soft against hers, a bittersweet farewell.

With a final glance over her shoulder, Elania took off into the air, the wind whipping through her hair as she soared towards the distant horizon.

Elania’s wings beat against the air, propelling her higher and higher into the sky.

The city of Contia shrank beneath her, its towering spires and bustling streets reduced to a patchwork of colors. She circled the city once, taking in the breathtaking view, before turning her gaze northward.

Reaching into her flight bag, Elania pulled out the map Arlois had given her.

She unfolded it; the parchment crinkled in her hands and she confirmed that the glowing dot representing her position was indeed moving in the right direction.

Satisfied, she tucked the map back into the bag, trussing it tightly.

The air grew thinner, forcing her to activate her [Demonic Aura].

A compressed bubble of air formed around her, allowing her to breathe easily.

But that increased her air resistance.

Arlois’ advice echoed in the back of her mind.

She drew in more compressed air, and her wings transformed into ethereal flames, propelling her even higher. The heat from the friction of her speed seared her air bubble, but she pushed on.

The glow from the shockwave ruined the view, so she couldn’t really see anything nice.

There was a slow, steady drain on her energy, her [Divine Power] ticking down at a rate of about one point per minute. She checked her reserves and confirmed that, despite the rapid depletion, she would arrive at Hels in just a few hours.

Concorde would have nothing on her flight speed.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, the monotony of the journey broken only by the vibration inside her [Demonic Aura] and the dancing flicker of flame in front of her and heat haze below.

It was easy to lose herself in the flight’s rhythm, her mind wandering back to Contia, where everything she cared for remained.

Eventually, Elania slowed to a pause. Her wings flash back into their usual gold and white feather pattern. Inside her bubble, she was protected from the heavy vortex that rushed past her.

She needed to check her map.

The glowing dot that represented her position pulsed just south of her destination. She’d made it pretty close. Now she just needed to clear the last leg.

Moving into a comparatively sedate flight, Elania traced her finger along the route, confirming that she was indeed on the right path.

Eventually, the city-state of Hels came into sight. Obsidian walls and towers sucked in the sunlight. The city was massive, sprawling out as far as the eye could see.

Elania’s brow furrowed as she recalled Arlois’ warning. She was not to fly directly over the city, but instead to land outside the southern gate and wait for verification.

“Bet there will be trouble,” she muttered under her breath. She just couldn’t imagine anything else.

She tucked the map back into her flight bag and checked to make sure the document scroll Arlois had given her was still secure. The scroll contained whatever information Arlois wanted presented, plus her credentials as Contia’s diplomatic minister.

It would be problematic if she were attacked before she could present it.

So no more hypersonic flight—or any lazy scenic circles around the city.

Even if she really wanted to figure out what the giant black looking dome near the center of the city was. Maybe the home of another Celestial Engine?

She angled her wings and began her descent towards the southern gate. It was a slow, casual glide down to the large gravel thoroughfare. She regained her feet an easy mile from the wall.

Not too far to walk, and plenty of room for her to examine the people staring at her.

And even if she couldn’t see them, it felt like a million eyes were all trained on her, searching out every secret that could be gleaned from examination at a distance.

Well, the city was probably doing exactly that if they had any magical scanning abilities. It was the point of her landing so far away, after all.

Rushing up to the gate was far more likely to cause an… incident.

She folded her wings as she walked, taking a deep breath and taking the distance at a non-casual walking speed. There wasn’t a lot of traffic, but the people going in the opposite direction gave her a wide berth and the scattered people in front of her sped up fast enough that they would be through before she reached the gate.

She only took one glance behind her—it seemed like everyone behind had suddenly decided to set up camp within sight of the city.

Her earlier gut feeling solidified in her mind. It was going to be a long day.

It was like walking toward airport security with a bag of things you knew were totally acceptable by their guidelines, but you just knew that they were going to be all over like ants. While they patted you down and scanned you with their little hand scanners.

Maybe?

This was Eladu, so maybe they’d just try to shoot her first.

Then again, maybe not. She was fairly certain they’d know she was a Demi-Divine, even if they had no idea about anything else.

Pissing off someone like her but much more powerful might give a lot of pauses to anyone not wanting to start random wars—or be obliterated. So maybe her worry was her reaching a bit.

Like Arlois said—don’t give them a reason to start shooting before she presented herself.

It seemed to work, because as she stepped up below the now locked and secured gate, they started with shouting at her instead of shooting.

“Identify yourself and state your purpose,” a man shouted from above.

Elania took a deep breath and shouted back. “I am Elania, a Demi-Divine from Contia. I bear the Towers’ seal and am envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary presumptive!”

There wasn’t an immediate response.

Through the shut gate, she could feel the clink of metal and the fall of footsteps thanks to her heightened senses.

Eventually, the small wicket door in the main gate opened.

A man in deep purple plate armor stepped out, his helmet closed. He approached her without hesitation.

[Obsidian - Human - Level 503]

“Explain yourself, Demi-Divine,” the woman ordered.

Elania felt her wings bristle, but she held back her annoyance and surprise.

The shape and voice didn’t match at all. There was no feminine hint to the purple-hued steel the ‘Obsidian’ was encased in.

Elania cleared her throat. “As I said, I am envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary presumptive from Contia.”

“We haven’t had a mission from Contia in a decade,” the woman stated.

Elania grunted and anger pricked at her.

It would have been nice if Arlois had mentioned they hadn’t talked to their ‘ally’ in ten years!

“Still, you must have heard of the Sun Emperor’s movements and the Lightbringers?” Elania asked.

“Your papers, Envoy?” the woman demanded.

Elania reached into her flight pack and retrieved the gilded scroll that Arlois had given her. It shimmered slightly, and she passed it to the guard.

“Wait here. Do not attempt to enter the city,” the obsidian said.

“Not much for niceties, I guess?” Elania blurted out.

The guard paused and looked back at her. “You were not impaled on the city’s artillery.”

Elania shifted awkwardly. She wasn’t sure whether Arlois had known they wouldn’t fire, or if the Tower would have expected her to just survive it.

When she reached the wicker gate, there was a frustrated hiss. “What are you doing, Daelar?”

“I want to speak with her!” another voice replied.

Elania tilted her head, trying to hear better. Her darkwalker enhanced-senses did a pretty good job, but this was at the edge of her limits. She wasn’t sure how visible pushing [Power] into her abilities would be, but she suspected that would be easily noticed considering how many people were monitoring her from the walls.

And she didn’t want her idle eavesdropping to be considered an attack.

Even if she was very interested.

The two argued in hushed tones she couldn’t make out.

Whoever Daelar was, he won.

“You can’t stop me, Eira,” the man said. “The City Guard does not trump the Arcane Academy in precedence!”

There was an angry grunt and then a heavy clank of armor from what she assumed was an angry ‘Eira’ stomping off.

A man in the most garish wizard outfit she could ever imagine at an anime-con appeared, complete with pointy hat and crystal tipped staff. A thick tome was chained to his belt.

Elania pulled up [System Analysis] and scanned him as well.

[High Mage - Human - Level 433]

His gaze was more serious than conversation she had picked up alluded to, and he seemed to assess her with a mix of caution and curiosity. “Greetings. I am Daelar Rynor, leader of Hels’ Arcane Academy for Magecraft. I understand you are an envoy from the City of Spires?”

Elania tilted her head. “From Contia, yes.”

“I have some questions for you,” he asked.

“Being forced to stand outside the gate and questioned isn’t a great welcome,” Elania replied. A frown appeared on her face. “Maybe it could even be considered an insult to Contia?”

Maybe that wasn’t the right tack to take, considering that apparently Contia hadn’t been in contact with the city in over a decade, but she was a bit unhappy. With Arlois, with the welcome, with well…

Fuck, there were so many things to make her unhappy it was impossible to pick one.

Why couldn’t things be simple for once?

“Lady Lyrion is taking your missive to Councilor Isara Dayne for verification,” Rynor said. “The questions I’d like to ask you aren’t exactly related to your visit, or that. I just wanted to ask you about your trip here…”

Elania raised an eyebrow. “Uhh. Sure? But I’m not sure how much I can tell you.”

Rynor nodded. “Right. Right. Well…”

He started rummaging around in his pouch.

For some reason, he gave her the same kind of vibe that she got from Yolani when she was lost in some project or another.

He finally pulled out a scroll, then unfurled it. He tapped it and uttered an incomprehensible word, then turned it to show her.

It was a map, remarkably similar to the one Arlois had given her.

Except, about halfway between Contia and Hels was a gradient line of yellow and blues, the white section making a straight section nearly to the city before disappearing.

“Well, what I wanted to know is if this was your flight plan? We have been experimenting with new detection devices for such things. We’ve seen promising signs, but this is our first chance to actually ask a Demi-Divine if it was accurate or not!” Rynor’s words escaped with a rapid clip that was distinctly excited-scientist-driven.

What he was showing her was some sort of early warning radar for Demi-Divine? No, maybe not that, but one that detected hot objects flying through the upper atmosphere?

Elania looked closer. Sure enough, the line ended near the city, not at it. Just like she had paused, then flown in slowly.

She eyed the metalworks on the wall above. Maybe Hels artillery was a bigger threat than Arlois knew?

What if the guess had ended with her a bloody evaporating spatter in the sky?

“It looks accurate. Since I answered your question, do you mind answering a few of mine while I wait?”

Elania offered her best diplomatic smile.

*

Elania studied the imposing southern gate into Hels. Steel bars stretched up to an obsidian black arch. The tunnel was deep enough that the center was lit by torches, and she noted multiple cuts in the stone that were likely precursors to murder holes.

It was well built from what she could tell and designed for defense. She hadn’t been able to tour the entire city perimeter in the air, but she suspected that every entry point to the city was similarly protected.

Eladu wasn’t a safe place to live, and despite the villages and towns that she had seen around Contia, it felt like the Cities she had seen so far were bastions of defense first and foremost.

Her gaze slipped back to back to Rynor. She needed to pick his brain and try and gather whatever information she could. Cause it was obvious just how poorly she’d been armed for her mission.

“So, any major issues or problems Hels is facing lately?” she asked.

Rynor’s brow furrowed. “Why do you ask?”

Well, maybe her question had been way too casual for an ‘envoy’ or whatever. But she really didn’t want to try and learn how to improv how she thought a diplomatic corps member was supposed to act. Pretending to be an actor in a spy thriller seemed like a bad idea.

Elania ended up shrugging. “Honestly, I don’t know much about what’s going on here. Neither do the Towers, I think. Figured I’d try to get up to speed on current events.”

Rynor grunted. “Other than the Monevoians making threats and the Bterreans screaming about an invasion from the east, Hels has been relatively quiet. If you’re a Demi-Divine, but not a Tower… Uhh… I don’t think anyone here knows much about what is going on in Contia, either.”

Elania nodded, doing her best to suppress a frown. Didn’t airships fly around and between the cities trading things? Shouldn’t there be a little more awareness than this?

“What about Lightbringers?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not aware of anything on that front, but I don’t really keep track of such things.”

“Thanks.” Elania paused, considering her next question. “How would you describe Hels’ and Contia’s relations?”

Rynor blinked, surprise flickering across his face. “Isn’t that something you… uh. Sorry. I haven’t really thought much about them, to be honest? Just another city-state to the south. Not a threat like the Monevoians, no exciting news?”

Elania grunted, mentally cursing Arlois for being so misleading. Some allies they were, not even keeping lines of communication open! She sighed. “Maybe it’s just because the Towers are immortal. They forgot to send a messenger for a while.”

Rynor shot her a look. “For a decade?”

Elania frowned. “The guard mentioned that.”

“That was Eira Lyrion. She’s the Commander of the Hels City Guard. She mentioned it, so… I don’t doubt she is wrong about it?” Rynor said.

Elania bit her lip. “Does the Commander of the City Guard come to meet every visitor at the gates?”

“I don’t imagine so, but for a Demi-Divine? One wanting inside the city? I can’t imagine she wouldn’t.” Rynor frowned and looked at her gear again. “Is that a firearm? I’ve heard of them, but it looks small.”

Elania nodded. “It’s a new design. My oracle created it.”

“I suppose it’s artificed. Maybe Lady Lysander would be interested in learning about it,” Rynor mused.

Elania raised an eyebrow.

“Oh. Sorry. Huh, you need a rundown on the important people, don’t you? Lady Aria Lysander is the Chief Engineer of Hels Forge. The forge is the institute that mandates and organizes the city’s defenses and artifice,” Rynor said.

“Guess my work’s going to be difficult,” Elania muttered. “Arlois just sent me here without preparing me at all.”

“Good luck with that.” Rynor’s tone held a hint of amusement.

An awkward silence settled between them. Elania’s gaze drifted to the city beyond the gate, her mind churning. “Does Hels use a lot of artifice in the defenses?”

Rynor frowned and his expression turned guarded. “Can’t reveal any secrets, I’m afraid.”

Elania fixed him with a stare. “Contia literally flies in the sky because of artifice. I know little about Hels, but I’d like to learn more.”

Rynor grunted, his posture relaxing slightly. “We have artificed utilities and services - night lamps, heating, that sort of thing. The defenses… they are a mix of anything and everything that might stop an invasion.”

Elania leaned forward, her interest piqued. “Tell me more.”

Rynor shook his head. “I’m much too sober to be revealing that sort of thing, trust me.”

The wicker gate creaked as it opened again. The obsidian—Lady Lyrion—emerged and headed straight for them. Her purple-black helmet focused on Rynor. “Why are you still out here? What if we had to open fire on her? Huh? You want me to feel guilty for killing your ass, Rynor?”

He laughed weakly and Elania put her hand on his shoulder. “I probably could have protected both of us from the blast, unless you were aiming to remodel half your city.”

Lady Lyrion turned her gaze to Elania and was silent for a moment. When she finally spoke, it was with a firm voice.

“Councilor Dayne confirmed the validity of the seal and content of your missive. However, until and unless High Chancellor Valaran confirms your mission here, you are not recognized as an Envoy. That said, Lady Dayne has requested your presence at the Hels Diplomatic Corps to go over… things. My guard and I will be escorting you to see her. You will not be permitted to travel without an escort in the city or without my approval. Do you understand?”

Elania nodded. “I suspected something like that, yes. Thank you.”

There. That was absolutely diplomatic, wasn’t it? And she hadn’t even let a single iota of annoyance seep into her reply.

Eira grunted. “Very well. Rynor, you are coming in as well, unless you want to be locked out.”

“The gates will be closed?” Rynor asked with a frown.

“For the rest of the evening and night, yes,” Lyrion replied.

Elania and Rynor followed through the wicker gate. As soon as they were through the small steel door, Eira barked a series of orders at the gate captain, who quickly assembled an escort to accompany them.

They proceeded through the tunnel, and Elania confirmed there were definitely a series of murder holes above. No one was going to get through the gate without fighting through a series of hellish chokepoints while things fell on their heads.

When they reached the other side, Rynor turned to Elania with a smile. “If you wish to visit the Arcane Academy later, you’re more than welcome.”

“Thank you, Rynor. I will consider it if I have time,” Elania replied politely. She wasn’t sure she’d have cause to visit the ‘Arcane Academy,’ but maybe she would?

He parted ways, and she fell into a quiet stride beside Lady Lyrion. The escort moved into place around them, their vigilant gazes turned inward and never straying far from her. They didn’t appear that strong, or much different from the Neftasu Guardsmen.

Elania glanced over at Lady Lyrion. She was probably the only dangerous one, and from what she could tell, she was probably about as strong as a Lightbringer Paladin? Although judging her obsidian armor was hard. Maybe it was more sturdy than the polished silver of the Lightbringers?

[System Analysis] was really lacking in the ‘how strong is this person or thing’ department, and she hated it.

As they moved through the streets, the atmosphere felt different from what she had seen in Neftasu or Contia even. People were laughing and cheering while eating and drinking in the streets. Kids ran around happily.

There wasn’t any evidence of poverty or fear of invasion… although she knew from Neftasu that such things could be easily hidden.

The architecture differed from Contia’s, with more angular designs and darker hues. Everything seemed to be painted black or purple. The roofs looked like slate of some sort, instead of the metal sheets of Contia or the pure stone of Neftasu.

The buildings also tended to loom over the streets. Angled arches sometimes jutted out into them sharply two or three stories up. It cast a series of shadows across the street.

The further they dove into the city, the more often citizens stopped and stared. Elania smiled politely, trying to appear non-threatening despite the armed escort surrounding her.

Commander Lyrion was silent.

Elania wanted to talk, but it felt like the woman had slammed a wall between them.

The scent of spices and smoke filled the air as the street widened out into an avenue. A large plaza greeted them, and a large building in the center towered. It looked official and was apparently their destination as the escort aimed straight for the guarded double doors.

A woman in a silver and gold robe was waiting for them inside. “Welcome, Envoy Elania. I am Isara Dayne, Diplomatic Councilor of Hels.”

Elania nodded and offered a smile. “Thank you for the welcome, Councilor. I apologize for the abrupt arrival, but I was dispatched with some urgency.”

Isara smiled. “I can imagine. I am sorry for the welcome, but we truly weren’t expecting anyone of your… stature to visit us. We did not know that a new Tower had risen in Contia.”

Elania smiled weakly. “I’m not exactly a Tower. Arlois has taken me under her wing, and I’ve gotten to know Ember and Elysia a bit, but I only arrived in Contia recently.”

The smile on Isara’s face slipped slightly, but the woman nodded. “I think we are going to need plenty of time to talk about things. I have already sent the Towers’ missive to High Chancellor Valaran, but I do not know when, or if, he will respond.”

Elania frowned. “Surely he will have some response? I was not expected to remain her for more than a few days before returning to Contia with a reply.”

Isara smiled at her apologetically. “The High Chancellor has ruled and protected the city for a thousand years, and gods willing will do so for a thousand more. We move at his pace, and his alone.”

Lady Lyrion gestured to two of the men that had been part of the escort, then stared at Elania and interjected into the conversation. “You will be watched at all times. At no point may you leave this building without gaining permission of the Guard or the High Chancellor. Do you under—”

Dayne bristled and, for a second, seemed like she was going to stomp in her dress. “Eira! You are being vulgar. Please show—”

Lyrion held up her gauntleted hand and silenced the Councilor. “Isara, you have your job, and I have mine. Lady Elania is a serious threat to the safety of the city, and we can’t know that she is legitimate or not.”

“I’m legitimate. Also, I’m right here,” Elania muttered.

Lady Lyrion looked at her. “Good, then there will be no—”

“Enough! Out! If Envoy Elania needs to go somewhere, I will summon you!” Councilor Dayne shouted.

Lyrion grunted. “Very well.”

Elania watched the Obsidian turn on one foot and march out with the rest of the guard. The two designated watchers stayed at a respectable distance.

“I’m sorry about that,” Dayne said as she turned toward Elania. “Would you like to see your guest room now, or would you like to go get some refreshments?”

Elania considered. It would be nice to unload her pack, but it felt like that wasn’t nearly important. She wasn’t going to leave any of her belongings out of sight, anyway.

“I’d love to have a drink and talk some more, Councilor,” Elania replied.

Isara smiled. “Please, call me Isara while we are in private. There’s no need to be extremely formal while we talk.”

“Elania is fine for me too, then,” Elania replied.

That seemed to be the right thing to say, because Lady Dayne’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.

Elania smiled back.

Now she just needed to figure out what was real, what was a facade, and what were the chances the city would actually be able to help Contia.

*

After having tea and chatting with Lady Dayne for over an hour, Elania finally retired to see her guest room. It was inside the building and not far. Isara had promised to meet with her later, after she had time for a bit of rest.

One of her escorts coughed as she entered the room. “One of us will be outside your door at all times. If you need anything or need to go somewhere, let us know and we’ll inform the needed people.”

Elania shot him a fake smile. “Thank you. I’ll let you know if I need anything then.”

He nodded, and she politely shut the door. Fair enough, considering how dangerous she was with her powers, but that didn’t mean she had to enjoy it.

The room was well furnished, although she found that the only running water in the bathroom was cold. That was a step down from what she was used to, but at least she wouldn’t have to use a chamber pot.

Unpacking her flight bag only took a minute and her heavier gear just a little longer. She set it all beside the bed. Eziel went up against the headrest, near her pillow.

She had learned a lot, and needed to make sense of it all. She sat down and then leaned back in her bed.

Hels wasn’t very attached to Contia, although things were cordial and generally positive.

The news from airships routed slowly between the cities, updating every few months. Neither city was a importer or exporter to the other, so that limited the flow of news via trade sharply. Overland routes were even more round-about, going wide through the Monevoian Empire or Bterrean Kingdom.

The Towers hadn’t been in official contact with Hels for nearly a decade, the current trade treaty being the primary relationship. It hadn’t been modified since being established.

“Arlois grossly misrepresented their ‘ally’ status to me,” Elania muttered.

[A dangerous game, sending an Envoy without sharing the cards they hold.]

Elania grunted and turned on her side to look at the sword. In the artifice light of the room, it had a soft golden glow that warmed the wall and bed beside it.

“Finally going to talk to me, Eziel?” Elania asked. An annoyed… hurt knot formed in her chest. If he ignored her again after interjecting… she’d be upset. More upset.

It was a distinctly lonely form of upset.

[Without five competing Demi-Divine domains to contend with, conversation should be simple enough.]

Elania grunted. “So you don’t want to talk in Contia, because of Arlois, Ember… the Towers?”

[Communication creates change, change creates ripples. Ripples require great care to smooth out.]

Elania took a deep breath. “And who are you hiding the ripples from? Why?”

[The Divine may bend the will of any seraph to their desires. Your domain is weak and many could force me to their service, rather than hide in your shadow.]

“And it wasn’t like that when you were the Lightbringer’s pet justice sword?” Elania bit her lip. Maybe that was a bit too acidic, but he had been working with Anton for who knew how long before she ‘rescued’ him.

[Being dipped in Neftasu’s Celestial Engine stripped me of my concept and previous attunement. Before that, there was no risk. Now I am essentially naked before children.]

Elania rolled onto her back again and stared at the ceiling of the room.

“And you couldn’t have just mentioned this?” Elania muttered.

[I am fairly certain you were able to determine things on your own, Godling.]

Elania hmphed. “What was that thing that jumped down my throat?”

[A concept seed. A precursor to godhood, or the recreation of a new Celestial Engine. It has merged with your essence and given you a portion of Divinity.]

“I had [Divinity] before, including a core after falling into the Engine, if you don’t remember,” Elania complained.

[You know very well the differences between a Seraph and the Demi-Divine, Godling.]

“I mean, Demi-Divine is obviously better?” Elania asked hesitantly.

[The Seraphs serve as warriors of the Divine, enforcing the will of the gods. Above them in rank, are the Demi-Divine, the lieutenants and messengers of Divinity. Above all, are the Gods who dictate the laws and continuation of the world.]

“And the Gods are all dead,” Elania added matter-of-factly.

[The gods perished for their hubris and dogma. Once they held love for their creations, but when they decided all should perish… their children fought back. And won.]

Elania frowned. “Did you tell me that before?”

[You were unconscious.]

Elania rolled her eyes. That didn’t really count.

“How do we make it so you can talk all the time, because as far as I am concerned, this is a major improvement over your normal moody routine,” Elania asked.

[Become the strongest. A city’s worth of devotion should be sufficient. Conquer Contia.]

Elania sat up straight. “Woah, woah. Please don’t tell me you’re becoming a warlord sword now that your justice senses have been wiped out. If you… like… have the urge to conquer the world or something… I might need to toss you in the ocean, maybe.”

[We are inextricably bound. Our souls and essence would rip at the attempt at separation. It would be fatal. I trust you understand, Godling?]

“So… I’m part human, darkwalker, and seraph. In a lesser-demon container. While being a Demi-Divine because there’s a holy insect crawling inside of my soul, and I have the soul of an Arch-Seraph along for the ride, who likes to cos-play as a holy order artifact?” Elania asked. “Do I have that right?”

[Your summary is succinct. We a few options for advancement through various processes.]

Elania bit her lip. “I’m listening.”

[First, you could continue to gather Divine Power until you have collected enough to recreate a Celestial Engine. You could then become a new concept of creation, dictating all interactions with that concept in the world, or you could sever your ties to Divinity and be restored to your natural state: a lesser Demon and your core essences.]

“No, for one, maybe for two, I guess…” Elania mumbled. She didn’t like either option. Going back to being a normal lesser demon seemed like… a bad idea when there were entire countries looking to kill you, either in revenge or just out of sheer dogmatic hatred.

[The second option is to continue through the path of Demi-Divine: build up your ranks of followers, and establish a divine domain. This is related to the same power of concept as creating a Celestial Engine, except it is based on yourself rather than a working of the world. The pinnacle of such a state is the recreation of a new Divinity.]

“Okay, that seems to be the best one so far, considering it wouldn’t leave me a mindless machine thing or nearly stripped of all my Demi-Divine powers,” Elania replied. There was a moment of silence between them before she spoke again. “Any other options, though?”

[Remain at your current state and power while hiding from those stronger.]

“Yeah, fat chance of that. I guess… we’ll muddle along until I’m an actual Goddess? Fuck, this chat is surreal,” Elania muttered.

[Such a process is only theoretical. As far as I know, none have achieved the level of the previous gods.]

“That… actually makes me feel better. I’m not sure how I’d handle it.” Elania stood back up and her hand went to rest on her revolver. The handle felt right in her hand and she drew it in a smooth motion, aiming at a mirror.

She barely recognized herself, but… the look wasn’t half bad. Her hair had settled into a crimson red, the golden flakes mostly having retreated. That didn’t stop the faint golden glow that came off her skin, and her white and golden colored feathers folded neatly.

She was… pretty.

That wasn’t a thought she usually gravitated to.

But she was. Pretty. With no makeup, even.

A white dress would be nice. Something like Isara had worn? It would match her feathers.

She had been wearing beat up outfits and regular clothes of Yolani’s until she had ended up in a perpetual suit of leather and armor.

No chances to just wear a nice dress or anything girly.

Elania lowered the weapon and slid it back in her holster. She needed to stop worrying and figure things out. She only had a few days in Hels.

“They only have limited support they can provide. Their airship fleet is small, and reinforcements by ground are impossible. And Isara said that the fleet leaving would leave them vulnerable,” Elania stated.

[An alliance can provide support in more ways than military force.]

“True. The city is extremely fortified from what I could tell. And it didn’t seem artifice based at a glance. That means there’s potentially a lot that could be learned or shared? For sure, an anti Demi-Divine defense thing would be good for Contia to have,” Elania mused.

Especially if the rumor of Monevoia and the Lightbringers working together was real.

Really, what did she have, tangibly, to show the High Chancellor? ‘Hi, I’m from Contia, since we like, sometimes talk to you once a decade, and get along, could you please help us if the big bad attacks the city with some giant army? One we don’t have proof exists?’

Elania sighed, trying to sort out the mess in her head.

[What’s the plan, Godling?]

“I don’t know yet,” Elania admitted. “I need to talk to Isara more and see about getting an audience with the High Chancellor. Somehow, I have to figure out a common ground between Hels and Contia and see if we can help each other.”

[The Monevoian threat and the Sun Emperor seem a potential common point.]

“Yes. Exactly. It would be even better if we can link the Lightbringers and Monevoians together,” Elania replied.

She closed her eyes. The flight and day’s events were catching up to her. Concentration was a resource that didn’t have a number attached to it, but focusing on maintaining her various abilities for so many hours was draining, mentally.

Maybe she needed to consider… ability exercises?

Tomorrow, she’d put the pieces together. Tonight, she’d get some rest.

*

Yolani hurried across the footbridge, her steps quick and purposeful as she made her way to the Mushroohum arena island.

The outskirts of the city were mostly deserted, with only the occasional Neftasu Guard patrolmen making their rounds.

A strong wind buffeted her, making walking on the bridge annoying.

The drop below didn’t even register as terrifying, thanks to the nearby thick clouds contained by Contia’s Celestial Engine. It was still a bit much for her though… sometimes she missed Neftasu’s walls and ceiling. Not as much as some others, though.

From what she had heard, there was an entire group of refugees that couldn’t come outside at all. The sky was just too much for them.

Reaching the other side, Yolani breathed a sigh of relief. She noted the four guardsmen standing idly by the Mushroohum colony entrance. “Henri!” she called out.

Her friend turned and waved back at her. “You okay?” he asked.

Yolani nodded.

“Is it really necessary to have guard haul the supplies?” Henri questioned.

“Yes,” Yolani replied. “The potions are valuable and need protection. Even if there aren’t many thieves, we still should be careful with them.”

Henri nodded. “You’re the boss, Lady Oracle.”

She raises her chin at him and gave him a warning humph. “Yes, I am.”

He laughed, and they headed to the entry point. The heavy steel door opened with a rush of air.

One of the guards wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, it smells terrible in there.”

Ignoring the smell, Yolani pushed into the warm, humid atmosphere. Really, she was the lady here, if she could handle it, so could they.

They hurried down the stairs and into the main chamber, heading straight for the alchemy station.

The station was a hive of activity. Allie worked diligently, her hands moving with practiced precision as she mixed ingredients and monitored bubbling concoctions.

A group of young Mushroohums scurried about, their tiny baskets overflowing with freshly picked fungi.

“Need any help?” Henri asked, greeting Allie with a friendly smile.

Allie glanced up, her face brightening. “Almost got the next batch done,” she replied, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.

Yolani leaned over the counter. “How’s progress been?”

Excitement danced in Allie’s eyes. “I’ve improved the effectiveness by adding young [Glow Moss] plucked by the Mushroohum tenders. Not sure why it works, but I figured it out when the tenders brought me a fresh batch.”

“That’s great!” Yolani exclaimed, genuinely impressed.

The potion process reached its conclusion, and Allie carefully filled several vials with the shimmering liquid. She packed them meticulously in a crate, cushioning them with dried grass. The guards hefted three of the four crates, ready to transport the precious cargo.

Yolani glanced at Henri, then at Allie, before reaching for the fourth crate herself. Henri frowned, stepping forward. “I can get it,” he offered.

“That’s fine. I can handle it,” Yolani assured him, her grip tightening on the crate.

She turned to Allie. “You probably need help to clean up, right?”

Allie blinked, confusion etched on her face. “Huh, um, yes?”

Yolani flashed Henri a smile. “You should help her deal with the rest of the alchemy.” Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and hurried after the other guardsmen, a cheerful tune humming from her lips.

It wasn’t long before Yolani’s arms burned, the weight of the crate straining her muscles as she and the three Neftasu guards trudged through the streets toward the Neftasu district.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, and she silently cursed her stubborn decision to carry the heavy load herself.

A bit guiltily, she tugged on the divine conduit that connected her to Elania. Energy flowed through the bond, warm and invigorating, washing away the fatigue in her arms.

It was impossible not to smile, the sensation of Elania’s presence filling her with comfort and reassurance.

They reached the medical center, setting the crates down with a collective sigh of relief. The medical workers hurried to unload the precious cargo and hurry it inside.

Naia Silvermoon emerged from the building. “Yolani! Thank you for bringing these,” she said, her voice warm and welcoming.

Yolani grinned. “I hope they help. Allie’s been working hard to improve them.”

Naia raised an eyebrow. “Improvement? They were already extremely effective.”

“She found a way to use young [Glow Moss],” Yolani explained. “Said it should make them even better, but I didn’t ask for the details.”

Naia smiled. “Let’s test them out, shall we?”

They headed inside, Naia leading the way with several vials in hand. The patient ward buzzed with activity, the air heavy with the scent of herbs and antiseptic. Naia approached a man with a bandaged arm, his face etched with pain.

“We had to prioritize more severe injuries,” Naia explained, gesturing to the man’s arm. “This one’s a nasty gash, but not life-threatening.”

The man grunted, eying the vial in Naia’s hand. “Thank the gods you’ve got more potions now.”

Naia carefully unwrapped the bandage, revealing a deep slash that had been cleaned and sutured. She uncorked a vial and poured the shimmering liquid over the wound.

The application began to glow, its light intensifying as it seeped into the man’s skin. In a few seconds, the wound knitted itself together.

Yolani blinked. It was far more effective than the old red healing potions she remembered using in Neftasu.

The man let out a breath, his face a mix of relief and disbelief. Naia examined his arm, her fingers gently probing the newly healed skin. “Any pain?” she asked.

“Just itches like mad,” the man replied, flexing his arm experimentally. His eyes widened. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s healed, just like that.”

They visited several more patients, Naia choosing a wide variety of ailments to test the potion on. It worked wonders not only on injuries but also on illnesses and diseases. That was a massive improvement over the old version, for such a minor change.

“Could it be the addition of [Glow Moss]?” Yolani mused aloud. “Or maybe Elania’s closeness to the project is allowing her [Divinity] to directly aid the healing process.”

Naia glanced at her, mumbling under her breath, “So it is the Demi-Divine’s gift.”

Yolani smiled and nodded. She knew Elania was hesitant to accept ‘Demi-Divine’ praisings as she called them, but… well, it was fine if her oracle accepted them in her stead, right? For sure, she believed in Elania whole-heartedly, and more than anyone.

After a few minutes’ discussion on the efficacy of the new potion version, Yolani decided it was time to bid Naia farewell. On her way out, she made a mental note to write a report for Elania to read later.

As she exited the medical center, she spotted Allie and Henri approaching. They were busy chatting away, and Yolani felt a smile appear on her lips. Henri carried a crate, and Yolani waved to them. Allie waved back, her face beaming with excitement.

“Another crate?” Yolani asked, raising an eyebrow.

Allie grinned. “It just felt like the right thing to do, and it didn’t take long. I’ve been thinking about ways to increase the potion production speed so I can handle multiple batches simultaneously.”

Yolani smiled, impressed by Allie’s initiative. “That’s great, but will you have enough raw materials?”

Allie’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “The Mushroohums have been growing more than I can use, so the increased speed will actually help. That was the other reason for coming up here. I wanted to ask for more crates and other supplies that aren’t involved with the Mushroohums.”

Yolani smiled and nodded. “Consider it done. I can double the amount. Would that be sufficient?”

Allie nodded. “Yep, that would be great! I’m pretty sure that should be enough.”

“If it isn’t, you can request more,” Yolani replied.

Henri set the crate down for the medical center workers to take, wiping his brow. “We need a better system for transporting these,” he remarked, stretching his arms.

Yolani hummed thoughtfully, her gaze shifting between Allie and Henri. “Allie needs a helper while we figure something out, then.” She turned to Allie. “Was Henri useful?”

Allie blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Oh, yes, he was. I didn’t think I could carry the crate myself.”

A grin spread across Yolani’s face as she glanced at Henri, who eyed her suspiciously. “Well, Henri, you have a job now. Helping Allie get the medical crates where they need to go.”

Henri groaned, his shoulders slumping. “Good work is always punished with more work.”

Allie smiled, patting him on the arm. “Don’t be like that. I’ll help you figure out a better transport method to get them across the city!”

Yolani nodded, satisfied with the arrangement. “I have to go see about scheduling a meeting with Arlois.”

Henri perked up. “I can walk you there.”

Yolani shook her head. “Nah, you should escort Allie back instead.”

She didn’t wait for an answer, and turned on her heel and headed off, a spring in her step.

The increase in potion production was a promising development. Selling the healing potions to the Silvers and Arlois seemed like a good bet to help keep the month’s budget on track.

As she walked, Yolani’s mind buzzed with ideas. She would need to figure out a way to streamline the transportation process, maybe even establish a dedicated delivery system, then send it to Allie and Henri. The Mushroohum arena was a pretty far walk to the Neftasu district, and getting the potions to where they were needed most would be crucial.

Maybe they could rent a cart. She’d seen a few carrying lengths of wood and blocks of stone during the construction in the district, and that would probably work for crates of potions, too.

Halfway down the street, she looked over her shoulder. Allie and Henri were chatting about something, and Allie laughed.

That made her feel happy, maybe even more than the potions.