Chapter 53

“Who is Kina?” Klea asked.

“One of my priestesses,” Erren replied. “I’m not sure your people are ready for her yet.”

“She is an Elf?”

“No,” Darras chuckled. “She’s Human and one of the most joyful, exuberant people you could ever hope to meet.”

“Joyful?”

“Yes,” Erren smiled. “Her love for me and life itself shines through her soul.”

“That doesn’t sound like any priest I know of ... though admittedly, I don’t know of any, just hearsay from Thenarronians.”

“Whilst they are slowly moving away from an allegiance to my brother, the Dark Lord, they would not be a good source of information on my people,” Erren laughed.

“Yes, I can see that,” Klea smiled, finally relaxing.

“Did you not have acolytes of the Dark Lord amongst your people?” Darras asked.

“If we did, I never met them,” Klea replied as Hallis, Mirion, and Selmak joined us.

“All sorted?” Erren asked.

“Yes, Selmak will be my priest on the isle,” Hallis smiled. “I cheated a bit with educating him, though.”

“Yes, I doubt a healer school would cope,” Erren nodded.

“They wouldn’t; the only place I could keep him safe would be a Human or Dwarven kingdom.”

“So, will Serulon be along?” Darras asked.

“Not for something like this,” Sorella chuckled. My sister just shortened the process, that’s all.”

“She might...” Erren then explained about Serulon’s last visit regarding the crystal tablets.

“Oh my, though I suspect she’s more focused on you and Darras than the rest of us,” Sorella smiled.

“She is, if only to get our brother off her back with his myriad complaints.”

“Bit petty, but she can be like that sometimes,” Hallis giggled.

“Yes, she can,” Erren agreed. “Though, at the moment, I suspect she’s still trying to figure out how I changed some of the tablet data.”

“Ah, she’s convinced you did it yourself?”

“Yes, that and having a bee in her bonnet over Darras taking out the champions of Colanthus,” Erren smiled.

“Shouldn’t pick psychopaths,” Darras chuckled.

“True.”

Erren and Darras were relaxing in the lounge of their home after the return of Klea and Selmak when Erren frowned. “We’re getting a visitor.”

“Now?” Darras asked, puzzled, as guests usually arrived in Erren’s good time, not their own.

“Yes, it’s Dad.”

“Only him?”

“And Serulon.”

“Let’s hope things go well.”

“I hope so, though it’s unusual for him to turn up in person unless it’s bad.”

The pair were interrupted by a knock at the door before a tall, well-built man stepped into the room, followed by Serulon.

“Father,” Erren said respectfully as she and Darras stood. “You, too, sister, be welcome.”

“Daughter,” the Allfather replied. “You appear to be at the centre of a storm.”

“Not one of my creation, I assure you,” Erren replied, indicating for the pair to sit.

“Yet you’ve still become the focus of several of my children through this man’s actions,” the Allfather indicated Darras. “Including accusations of forbidden acts and lore.”

“I have not broken any rules,” Erren responded.

“I know, yet you have taken to the limits that which is permitted,” the Allfather smiled, accepting a flagon of beer. “Quite ingeniously.”

“As my brother meddles in matters outside his remit, I have been forced to act in ways I normally wouldn’t.”

“Yes, that’s why I’m here, to serve a warning.”

“A warning for not breaking the rules?” Darras asked politely, though making Serulon frown.

“That’s why it’s only a warning,” the Allfather replied, clearly gauging Darras. “Should you break the rules now, daughter, it will not go well for you due to your sibling’s litany of complaints to young Serulon here.”

“Are you saying I should have wasted your time by bitching more, Dad?” Erren replied with a slight smile. “And here I thought it was for us to resolve our own issues ... within the rules naturally.”

“The warning is about your use of your agent,” the Allfather frowned. “He and you are on thin ice with his ... early despatch of your enemies.”

“They were irredeemable,” Erren shrugged.

“I know, that’s why this is only a warning.”

“Erren has always ensured that those I have been tasked to slay are not innocents,” Darras added.

“Interesting,” the Allfather replied, looking at Serulon. “This was not mentioned.”

“Murder is murder,” Serulon replied, stony-faced.

“An execution is not technically murder if the executed is irredeemable,” Darras countered.

“A technicality, for sure,” Erren added. “But within the rules.”

“Barely,” Serulon hissed.

“Calm yourself, daughter,” the Allfather chided Serulon. “Though I see now why she has earned your ire.”

“You aren’t the one who gets to hear my brothers and sisters’ litany of complaints because they think Erren has gone too far!” Serulon replied in an exasperated tone. “You aren’t the one who gets dismissed by her after she flaunts the spirit of the rules!”

“Spirit of the rules?” Darras asked with a raised eyebrow.

“The morality of your actions is debatable if within the rules,” Serulon hissed.

“I would have thought using possessing spirits upon the followers of another religion is far worse,” Darras shrugged. “Or causing one of your agents to lose all civilised values to become a mass murderer, as in the case of the champions of Colanthus.”

“That is not for you to judge! It is the domain of the Allfather!”

“And he gets to judge them just a bit earlier than you or my brothers and sisters would like,” Erren coldly smiled. “I will not bother you or Dad on matters I intend to resolve myself, nor will I break the rules in doing so.”

“It appears you have a determination to act without restraint at times,” The Allfather frowned, then supped his ale.

“I always show restraint, as does my Darras,” Erren replied, seemingly demurely.

“He murders people!” Serulon exasperatedly stated.

“People who are irredeemable,” Erren countered.

“You cannot know this!”

“Sister?”

“It is possible for forgiveness to be obtained!”

“In a psychopath set loose by Colanthus?”

“Enough,” the Allfather said firmly. “Whilst I disapprove of your methodology, daughter, none you have despatched by murder weren’t irredeemable. However, it will not go well for you, should there be even one.”

“Yes, Father,” Erren replied.

“As for you, daughter,” he added, looking at Serulon. “You need to be far more firm in dealing with complaints raised by your siblings.”

“I am obliged to listen to them,” Serulon sighed.

“And dismiss them out of hand regarding the despatching of murderers early,” the Allfather replied. “I will deal directly with your sister should she get it wrong because I will know.”

“As you say, father,” Serulon nodded.

“Good, now relax, you two. You are not enemies and have no reason to be so.”

“Yes, Father,” Erren replied before going to the kitchen area and bringing several snacks and more wine and beer.

“You have an interesting domain,” the Allfather said to Erren upon her return.

“I adapted it to suit this avatar and the life I intended to live with my Darras,” Erren replied.

“You created it for him too?”

“Yes, I have needs and desires in this form, as does Darras.”

“I see, interesting,” the Allfather nodded. “I must admit to enjoying the food and drink in this form.”

“So do my friends.”

“Yes, your sister mentioned your group in opposition to your brother,” the Allfather nodded. “However, so far, only Doriel has complained about Colanthus’s activities regarding the situation in your world.”

“Her lore forbids the undead or possession of the undead within her woods,” Erren replied. “While related to the struggle, it was not a tactic we needed.”

“So, you have tried not to involve me?”

“Indeed so, Father,” Erren nodded. “So far, my vision remains unclouded and their offences against me and mine ... manageable.”

“An interesting approach.”

“It does mean that should I bring a complaint, it will be regarded seriously,” Erren smiled, glancing at Serulon, who remained subdued and focused on a glass of wine.

“Indeed so,” the Allfather nodded. I’m glad I came to see just what you are about in person, but business calls, and we must leave.”

“It was a pleasure to see you, Dad,” Erren replied, rising and hugging the Allfather.

“And you, my daughter,” the Allfather replied.

“No doubt we’ll meet again soon, sister,” Erren said to Serulon. “Those who oppose me can’t seem to help themselves in involving you.”

“No doubt,” Serulon sighed as the pair left and simply faded away.

“Serious?” Darras asked Erren as they both sat.

“Potentially, though, I trust you not to kill those whose souls are in the balance,” Erren replied.

“No doubt there are rules within those rules,” Darras nodded.

“Yes, self-defence and accidents being the main ones, though times of war also hold different standards,” Erren explained.

“Did any time at all pass whilst he was here?” Darras asked.

“No, none at all,” Erren smiled.

“Serulon got a look inside too.”

“Won’t help her if she’s on official business,” Erren replied. “If she visits in friendship, I may allow access again.”

“I somehow can’t see that ever happening,” Darras admitted.

“Neither can I,” Erren agreed. “Her position is to be arbiter amongst us gods, not our friend.”

“I do feel sorry for her; she must get lonely.”

“Only when in mortal form, my Darras.”

“Ah, your true form does not have emotions?”

“Not in the sense of feeling lonely, no. It does feel anger and joy, however.”

“So, not complicated Human emotions?”

“Not really, though we have many other emotions and senses that I simply can’t describe to you,” Erren smiled.

“I understand,” Darras chuckled. “You make me happy; that’s all I really care for.”