Champion of the Gods
Copyright© 2025 by QM
Chapter 58
“It’s certainly not a priest,” the Mother said as she came over. “Why ever would you claim it to be one?”
“Its very nature meant I could not anoint it,” the Dark Lord replied.
“Then you should have chosen better,” the Mother rebutted. “I now wonder if you are getting off lightly here. Digging yourself in deeper, indeed.”
“Am I not allowed to choose a priesthood?” the Dark Lord asked.
“You are, but they must receive your blessing in the form of a spiritual anointing,” the Allfather replied. “This is a part of the dragon and not really alive as such, merely an extension of her will.”
“My thanks for not killing the last of its kind,” the Mother said to Darras and Klea.
“Your daughter insisted on returning it to eternal sleep,” Darras replied. “Who am I to refuse her?”
“Nevertheless, that was kind of you.”
“We only managed it because Klea had an object of command, Mother,” Erren explained.
“Ah, the cursed blade,” the Mother nodded. “Hopefully, it will fade into obscurity now as it has caused no end of trouble in the past.”
“Cursed?” Klea asked nervously.
“It was the primary cause of the end of those called the First Ones,” the Mother replied. “It also caused the downfall of the people of Ilkar and then your people.”
“I’ll ensure it goes into the shrine and stays there,” Klea nervously swallowed.
“That would be for the best, child,” the Mother smiled.
“I did wonder how Ilkar went down the path of madness,” Erren said thoughtfully.
“Unlike young Klea here, the blade controlled their King, who was somewhat mad anyway,” the Mother shrugged.
“It was challenging not to command obedience,” Klea admitted. “Even now, it attempts to force control.”
“Imagine the disaster if Harranis took it; he was both compatible and susceptible to its curse,” the Mother explained. “Young Klea here is far stronger-willed, but eventually, should she use it too much, it will control her.”
“That settles it, I’m locking it away for good,” Klea shuddered.
“Do so, and I will ease the path of your people’s return to the world,” the Mother nodded. “The hatred the Elven people carry in their hearts will fade within a single generation.”
“You sound like you’ve been waiting for this event?” Darras asked diffidently.
“My sons and daughters maintain what they call the narrative, some more conscientiously than others,” the Mother replied, glancing at a sullen Colanthus. “I see all the threads and far more accurately as this world weaves its path. This is a major event in which a choice was made to progress to a higher level of civilisation or collapse into barbarism.”
“And your ... son sought to interfere to collapse it further?” Darras asked.
“He did, though it was his interference that ensured the higher path happened,” the Mother smiled. “Cause and effect, action and reaction.”
“It is true,” Erren nodded. “Had he not interfered with those scales, I would not have sought you out, Darras, and you would not have brought together the threads that made the rise of a new level of civilisation an inevitability.”
“Yes, that was most interesting and entertaining at times.”
“He is not of this world; he should not have been permitted,” the Dark Lord interjected.
“He came about because you foolishly failed to assist your agent to ascend when you found him,” the Mother replied sternly. “You even lied to him when promising a mate.”
“I have been endeavouring to do so!”
“You would lie to your Mother? Only I can create new life, and you never approached me.”
“And had you done so, Casal and his Ubaid followers would have been permitted to ascend,” the Allfather added. “But you already knew that.”
“Which was permitted,” the Mother continued. “As were all your actions, until you were caught breaking a cardinal rule.”
“All I sought was to achieve my mandate!”
“Foolish son, your mandate is not to bring about the collapse of a cycle, but to ensure that it goes smoothly and without an extinction event until a people’s time has come!” the Mother replied sternly. “Nor is it to force a civilisation to remain in a state of barbarism.”
“Yet Erren permitted her agent to murder my champions; surely that interfered with my mandate?” Colanthus interjected.
“Choose better champions, or at least read the book of Erren to understand what will cause her to react, foolish son.”
“She means choose leaders, not psychopathic butchers,” Serulon added.
“I am the god of war!” Colanthus hit back.
“You aren’t very good at it, though,” Serulon smirked. “Or a good swordfighter, either when controlling a body.”
“Your mandate is to watch over a war, select champions who will lead a nation or army honourably,” the Allfather replied sternly. “It is not to cause wars or choose champions who will revert to barbaric terror tactics.”
“Because those that do, I will deal with,” Darras added.
“As you were told before, I will not interfere with wars,” Erren continued. “Just against those who use the excuse of a war to butcher the innocent.”
“You interfered in Rachtelin!”
“Starak ordered his men to lock the inhabitants of a village into a temple of Erren to burn it down with them in it,” Darras countered. “Do you think I’d permit anyone who could do that to exist?”
“You also possessed an undead in my woods,” Doriel added. “You truly are an utter fool.”
The rest of the gods and goddesses had been sitting, eating and drinking whilst listening to the dispute between Erren’s supporters and the Dark Lord. None looked angry at the Allfather’s decisions, backed by the Mother. Though a few, like Bimmlat, looked like they were trying to escape any attention.
“My judgment stands,” the Allfather announced to the group. “For the sin of entering into the world physically and directly intervening in the course of history, you know as the mandate. My son will not interfere at all in its development, nor be permitted an avatar or a demesne, but will merely observe events for two millennia. Tsumi will carry out any necessary tasks involved in the cycle of growth and collapse until this judgment lapses.”
“This is unjust!” the Dark Lord raged.
“Break the rules, pay the price,” the Mother rebutted. “I hope you learn from this, my son, because should you breach them again, I will not be able to protect you.”
The Dark Lord then faded away, still looking angry, though clearly unable to act against the power of the Allfather.
“I hope he learns the lesson,” the Allfather sighed, speaking to the Mother.
“I have my doubts, also,” the Mother replied.
“What would have happened if all he’d been doing was observing, and not interfering?” Darras asked. “Not using magic?”
“I doubt he’d have been spotted. It’s not like he would have been doing anything to be noticed,” Erren replied. “Tsumi will close the way he did it down now, anyway.”
“He will,” the Allfather confirmed. “As for your previous question, Darras, if a god or goddess visits the planet and is caught, the same will happen, interference or not.”
“So, your brother’s machinations are over?” Darras asked after the gods had left.
“For two millennia, yes,” Erren confirmed. “Nor do I expect any issues from Tsumi, who will simply keep the ball rolling, in a manner of speaking.”
“I take it you’ll still have work for me?”
“Yes, though far less in the way of removing obstacles to the narrative,” Erren smiled. “Possibly the occasional champion of Colanthus.”
“He can’t seem to help himself by way of poor choices,” Darras grimaced.
“It’s because he’s fixated on extending any wars that occur, and from his perspective, causing atrocities will do that.”
“Oh well, I’ll deal with that as it happens,” Darras sighed.
“You’ll mostly be doing what Tiruk and now Amina do for Crannok, as in guiding certain individuals into doing the right thing,” Erren replied.
“I think I’ll enjoy that more,” Darras smiled.
“Good, though I do have several loose ends to tie up first.”
“Loose ends?”
“Agents of my brother left in place,” Erren replied. “Mostly displacing them from positions of power where they’ve been causing friction between nations.”
“Crusal and Asul spring to mind,” Darras nodded. “Oh, and the Dark Kin.”
“Yes, though there are others. Tiruk, Amina and Loria used to deal with the non-shadow ones, but Loria is now busy running the New Territories.”
“So, just handing over incriminating evidence to those in charge?”
“Yes, unless it is those in charge, then a change of governance may be needed.”
“As in guiding a rebel leader down the right path?”
“Yes, all things you’ve been doing before, though I doubt you’ll have to kill anyone.”
“Still an option if they are irredeemable?”
“Yes, though I’ll try to have you avoid that now, unless it is awful.”
“What of our mortal friends?” Darras asked.
“They’ll be available to help if needed, though most will be going their own paths now,” Erren replied.
“We formed a great team,” Darras smiled.
“That we did, and guided the world into a glorious future,” Erren agreed. “I suspect that it was this future that caused my brother’s desperation.”
“It won’t last forever, though, will it?”
“No, but it will reach heights greater than the First Ones, without the flaws that brought their collapse and ascension,” Erren explained. “And nations within it will fall, though there won’t be a major collapse of all.”
“I’m sure we’ll enjoy watching it happen and gently guiding it down the paths you want it to travel,” Darras smiled.
“There’s something else too,” Erren added. “I think I figured out a way to visit the world undetected, as my brother did.”
“Are you sure? I’d hate to lose you if you get caught,” a worried Darras replied.
“It’s different to his method; he forced his way into the dreamworld, and Tsumi will be looking for that sort of thing,” Erren explained. “I can merge with it in a diffuse form and restore myself once I leave.”
“I’ll take your word for it, as I haven’t a clue about magic or how you do it.”
“I will have to be careful, I’m sure Serulon will be keeping an eye on you for a while.”
“Probably,” Darras chuckled. “But only because I seem to attract trouble.”
“That will die off quickly,” Erren smiled. “I suspect she’ll become more focused on the dispute developing between Pelegard and Bimmlat, or rather their followers.”
“Pretty sure we’ll be helping Pelegard ... if he asks.”
“We will, though it won’t be often,” Erren replied. “It will be a jurisdictional thing between the Bimmlat Temple and the Guild of Artisans over who can make what and will involve Dwarves.”
“A lot of arguing then,” Darras chuckled. “I’m pretty sure Klavin will sort it in Pelegard’s favour, though.”
“He will, though it will keep Serulon occupied too, as Bimmlat will lay a lot of complaints about the underhanded methodology Klavin will employ.”