The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]

People have asked me how is it that I have such an eye for people. How do I decide between the correct amount of quills and swords for each job? This question is wrong from the start and assumption. There is no balance between men. A lack of ability in one area does not entail a swelling in another field. The game is not zero-sum where a loss entails a gain and a gain entails a loss. The game is winner takes all. Man excels in everything or man excels in nothing.

I am not here to debate whether the quill or the sword is mightier. I do not care. It’s an idiom for fools and artists that try to justify their own strengthlessness by claiming some vain superiority over the sword. I am not here to listen to the quill’s writings or debate its strengths and merits. The quill is nothing but a feather that can be snapped with a finger.

The answer to the question is that I don’t look for a balance. I do not bother searching for fools and intellectuals. The only emotion I spare them is contempt, the only thought is dismissal. The words written by quills only have value because there are swords out there that enforce them.

When I search for fresh blood to hire out, I search for the largest, nastiest greatsword out there and I teach it how to write.

‘The Dilemma of Quills and Swords’, as explained by Goddess Malam, of Hatred.

Neneria did not even raise an eyebrow as she watched a succubus soar through the air ahead of her. Below the flaming demoness was a line of Tartarian Legionnaires engaged in a bloody melee with skeletal dwarves… Well, it was bloody on one side certainly. Demons roared and flailed about as pikes closed in around them and shieldwalls pushed them back. Everything from the black-armoured demonic soldiers to the hellhounds to the greater demons that were taller than Neneria herself drove itself against an unshatterable anvil of dwarven metal and bone that bounced the enemy back like ocean’s cliff beat back the waves of a storm.

And then from behind Neneria were dwarven arbalesters in tight formation. They did not fire bolts or arrows, they fired off wrist-thick hunks of metal that tore limbs off torsos. What they could not penetrate, they instead crushed and smashed with all the power of a hammer striking against metal. Neneria watched the succubus thrown down a ball of fire that exploded into a dozen small balls which bounced and engulfed a hundred demons and armoured skeletons in flame.

The latter did even flinch, the former roared as they grew more powerful in the heat. Nothing had changed since last time. A human soldier shouted from behind. “Fire!” Rifle and cannon and gun tore into the demonic ranks. Once it had been learned that the skeletons reformed unless they were utterly crushed into bonemeal, the men had become more lax with their guns. After all, it wasn’t friendly fire if you couldn’t even hurt your own side, was it? Neneria felt her hair be blown backwards as explosions ripped through the brawl. Emons were torn and ripped apart, dwarves were thrown into the air like cannonballs, they smashed into the walls of the Great Highway, and then they rose once again to rejoin the fight.

As interesting as this was to watch, it was time to end it.

The Goddess of Death of hefted one hand into the air as her eyes started to burn green and she channelled her control over the Dead Legion within her heart. The succubus in the air slowed for a moment as she saw Neneria, the demoness raised her hands, balls of fire erupted and grew around her fingers. A dozen ghosts fell from the ceiling of the tunnel and brought her down to the ground. Their ethereal hands scratched and grabbed and choked and the succubus died.

The first dozen ghosts were the first drop of rain called forth by Neneria. The Goddess of Death cast her hand forwards and breached the dam which held the souls in her heart locked away. And they came in a great wave of grey-green. From the ceilings and the walls, Neneria’s flood of souls engulfed the demonic skirmishing force that had descended upon this section of the tunnels and then plunged further into the ground, as if it was a mass of water that had rushed through the open air and then simply washed itself away.

And it was over.  Demonic soldiers in their black armour and with their heavy cleavers lay strewn across the ground. Skeletal dwarves were reassembling and reforming themselves. Their armours, Neneria had realised, were built in such a way that instead of being bent and broken, the various pieces would simply bounce out of hinges and holds in order to minimize damage on the metal. A few fires raged across the ground still, although with demons to feed them magical energy to keep them burning, they were quickly beginning to go out.

Neneria lowered her hand and readjusted her dress and coat. It was cold down here and she quickly stuffed her hands into the pockets of her coat. And with that, without the two Torchbearer tanks that managed to singlehandedly illuminate the tunnels from top to bottom, Neneria all but disappeared in the darkness. Only the black raven feathers around her collar sprawled out and glinted, and her pale face caught in the light, although it was so high above that it could just be mistaken for a floating head.

More Torchbearers were enroute from Kirinyaa. More troops were being brought in too. General Ekkerson was also being sent underground apparently. Tanks were brought in. Experimental weaponry and armoured trains. And then concrete trucks to build bunkers every few miles. The rear of the Underground Expeditionary Legion had been overwhelmed once, but it wasn’t going to be overwhelmed again. The Empire was not simply sending an army through these tunnels anymore, it was claiming and reinforcing terrain as it went.

The first hold they had visited apparently even had phone cables and electricity pulled in wires from the surface already. Excavations were beginning to build more entrances into the depths as well, although Neneria only knew what she managed to overhear through nothing but sheer happenstance every now and then. She did not need to pester these soldiers nor the dwarves. They were all very obviously terrified of her and didn’t want to speak anyway.

So the situation worked out well enough. The elusive Goddess of Death walked on as a train horn sounded from behind. Engineers started to shout about how the rail had been upturned here and needed to be repaired. Neneria side and started to walk down the tunnels. Grand and tall and impressive, with splashes of twinkling gold in the ceilings. There had been news that a team of mages from Arcadia were working on pulling the gold out of the roof. But frankly, that wasn’t her demesne either. That was all Kassandora’s organisation. If Neneria stuck her finger in and tired to made any changes, the most likely thing that would happen was that she would a problem where there wasn’t one.

Without thinking, Neneria called upon Maisara’s ghost. She had sworn she wouldn’t, but it was like having a bottle of wine on the shelf. It was simply difficult not to sip here and there, even if one didn’t have any particular problem with drinking. The Goddess of Order, grey-green and opaque appeared next to Neneria. Her axe was missing, but she wore her armour and looked around in that way any of the ancient Divines did when they entered a new area. Once that sort of paranoia took root, it was difficult to cut down. “Oh?” Maisara mused. “You called upon me.”

“I was bored.”

“So I’m entertainment?” Maisara asked.

“Were you bored?” Neneria threw the question right back at the Goddess of Order.

“I don’t get bored.”

“Neither do I.”

Maisara smiled smugly. “We’re made for each other, aren’t we?”

“We’re too similar.” Neneria said. That was what she realised since last time. They were similar yet Maisara was smarter socially. She wouldn’t get flustered at stupid comments like the Goddess of Death did.

“I wouldn’t say so.” Maisara said. “But we’re similar in that neither you nor me will engage in small talk.”

“I would.” Neneria didn’t even know why she disagreed with the woman, but she did it instinctively. “Just not with you.”

“I have the same sentiment.” Maisara said as she looked around.

“You talked with Fortia, right?”

“I did.” Maisara said. “Me and her got along. I assume it’s you and your sisters. Realistically, you have favourites.”

“I do.” Neneria said. Everyone knew she did. Malam and Kassandora got along. Anassa and Kassandora did. Fer did with everyone. Neneria got along most with Irinika. It was exciting to think about that the Goddess of Darkness was not far away.

“Who is it?” Maisara asked.

“It’s Iri for me.” Neneria answered and Maisara nodded.

“I would have thought Fer.” Maisara said. “But I’m not going to speak for you.”

“Fer is too loud and has too much energy too much of the time.” Neneria said. “And she’s very cheeky. I like her though.”

“Mmh.” Maisara said. “I have no reason for liking Fortia. I just do. We get along and don’t step on each other’s toes.” She shrugged. “I assume you’re not going to tell me battle plans, are you?”

“I don’t know them in the first place.” Neneria said and Maisara rolled her eyes.

“That would cause trouble in the Pantheon, you know?”

“So it would.” Neneria said. “It doesn’t cause trouble between us though. Kass is smart so only Kass needs to know what is going on.” Maisara smiled and shook her head. Her green-grey hair did not shake in the wind, instead staying still as the ghostly woman slowed down to march Neneria’s steps. Neneria was taller, but she had a more relaxed walk. Some of the men and dwarves were pretending not to be interested at the two Goddesses talking, but no one was stupid enough to try and test their luck with Neneria. Maybe if it was Fer, definitely if it was a White Pantheon Divine, then they would. But Neneria?

Who would risk their eternal soul simply because they were unable to sate curiosity? “That still amazes me.” Maisara said. “I’m not going to lie.”

“Mmh.” Neneria didn’t really know how to answer to that. But luckily, she didn’t have to, Maisara carried the conversation.

“Are you going to ask me what it’s like again?”

“You mean in there?” Neneria said and shook her head. She liked the feeling of the soft raven feathers on her neck. “I’m not, I assume you don’t know.”

“I just sat down this time. There wasn’t anyone about, but I don’t know where I was.” Maisara said.

“Was it scary?”

“Not really.” Maisara answered. “It’s just boring.” Neneria didn’t know how to answer that either, so she simply kept on walking with Maisara at her side. A minute passed as the Goddess and her ghost slowly meandered through the tunnel. A team of engineers drove by in an offroad car, then a cement truck slowly rolled on behind them as dwarves were setting up lights. The arbalests had been equipped with a smaller type of shot, a longer hook like thing that buried into the wall. Lamps were being lit from those.

Neneria eventually broke the silence, not out of awkwardness but because it needed to be said. “I’m amazed you have no opinions on dying.”

And Maisara actually shrugged at the statement! “People worry about dying, but once your dead, what do you have to worry about?”

“What about Fortia?” Neneria asked.

“Will me worrying about her change anything?”

“No.”

“Then there is no reason to worry.” And once again. Neneria was caught at a lack for words. Maisara didn’t push her though. Maybe…

“Are you glad to be out here?” Neneria asked.

“Yes.” Maisara replied. Neneria rolled her eyes in aggravation. Could the woman not hold a conversation? Could she not answer in a way that didn’t just shut everyone down? A Lynx tank, huge yet still not as tall as Neneria, trundled past them.

“What do you think of Tartarus?” Neneria asked as she looked down at the body of a demon. This one was missing a shoulder and an arm, it had been hit by those deadly arbalests which launched steel rods.

“I don’t like them.” Maisara answered.

“That’s it?”

“You asked me what I think of them.” Maisara said. “I don’t like them and I don’t trust them.”

“Why not?”

“Because they’re not us.” Maisara said it as a confident declaration.

“And? How are they different?” Neneria pressed the woman. She just wanted to pass the time.

“They’re not us. They’re from another world. They employ human-wave tactics, I’ve never seen one of their children so I’m not sure how they reproduce, they don’t care for their own dead or for ours.” Maisara thought for a moment. “Those are some of the bigger reasons.”

“It just sounds like you don’t like them.” Neneria said.

“Why do you like Irinika?” Maisara asked. “I mean why is she your favourite?”

“We get along.” Neneria answered and smiled. “But I know what you mean, I have no real reason, I just like her the most.”

“Mmh.” Maisara said. “I’m sure you can rationalise your like for her in a thousand ways. I can, with you two being some of the oldest of us out there.”

“Death and darkness are just very compatible in aesthetics too.” Neneria answered honestly and Maisara chuckled.

“That too. But at the end of the day, you just like her.”

“I do.”

“Exactly.” Maisara said. “Likewise, I like Fortia and I don’t like Tartarians. What do you think of them?”

“I don’t like them.” Neneria replied slyly. It was as if she was talking to a mirror of herself. Once Maisara got comfortable enough to lead, she did lead well. Much better than someone emotional like Helenna. The Goddess of Order simply understood what Neneria meant by reasonless intuition.

“I’m not going to question why you don’t.” Maisara said and Neneria shrugged.

“I have no particular reason. I can pretend it’s because I thought against them but that’s not true. It’s not bad blood, I’m just not fond of them.” Maisara chuckled.

“If the White Pantheon was that honest, you would be imprisoned or dead by now, you know.”

“Oh?” Neneria asked. “What do you mean?”

“It was the fact that most of them would go and pretend and they have some rational stance against any of our projects rather than just being able to say that they personally don’t like something. Helenna was the worst at it, Elassa wasn’t good either.” Maisara said.

“It is what it is.” Neneria said. “We were like that until father brought us together. At least I know I was.”

“Oh were you?”

“That’s why I rejected most politics before it.” Neneria said lightly as she wandered off the tracks and around a team of engineers that were using some great machine to stick huge iron nails into the stone and bolt the railway in place. “I wasn’t like Kass where I just hated all of you, but you know that mindset of not knowing so you try to calculate everything?”

“I’ve heard of it.” And this took Neneria aback.

“What?”

“Well I’ve heard of it.” Maisara said. “I don’t have that.”

“You don’t?”

“I just do things.” Maisara said. “I do them and that’s it. They’re done.”  Neneria pushed her hands deeper against the sudden chill. It wasn’t anything supernatural, instead simply a cold gust of wind had blown in.

“That’s similar to me.” Neneria said. “I just do things.”

“It’s a good philosophy to live by.” Maisara said and Neneria smiled fondly.

“Father taught me it.”

“Oh?” Maisara asked. “So you do talk about him?”

“I talk about everything because I’m allowed to. It’s my family, not yours.” Neneria’s heart swelled with pride at that. Exactly, it was her family. Her little area of Arda and her group that she would always be a part of, through thick and thin.

“You know he tried to recruit me once?” Maisara said.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I thought I could do better. I was hesitant on him. I ended up waiting so long that I turned around and suddenly he had Irinika, you and Fer by his side.” Maisara shrugged. “It’s silly that I had to die to talk to you.”

“I don’t talk to living people.” Neneria said flatly.

“Why not?”

“Because I can send ghosts away with a flick of my finger.”

“Like you did to me last time?”

“Like I did to you last time.” Neneria said. “I talk to my father, I talk to my sisters, that’s enough living people for me.” Maisara laughed. “What?”

“Do you get suitors?” Odd question that. Very odd. But it made Neneria smile. There was something fun and mischievous about it.

“Not really.”

“You sound like the type that would.” Maisara said and sighed. “But then neither do I, so what do I know?” More laughter from the ghostly Goddess of Order as Neneria walked around a group of dwarven skeletons. These were the only of the men who wouldn’t stand aside for her. “Why did you join him?”

Neneria took a deep breath. “Where do I even start?” She asked the air and snuggled into her coat.

“Well do you love him?”

“Maybe I did romantically once but not anymore, it’s something deeper now.” Neneria mused. “I was a thinker in the past.”

“Haven’t we all gone through a time like that?”

“I mean I formed, and then I started to think and ponder existence, and that was all I did. There was no chance. I don’t know how old I am because I didn’t keep track of the years. I didn’t write my thoughts like all of you have done, I just spent several millennia arguing with myself.” Neneria kept the bitterness out of her tone. That had been a different Neneria and this was a different Neneria.

“Why?” Maisara asked and Neneria smiled and relaxed. If the woman apologized for prying, then Neneria would have probably gotten flustered and sent her off. But if Maisara was prying deeper, then Neneria didn’t mind sharing. It was rare that people actually came and listened in the first place. That was the other thing with ghosts. They couldn’t run away when Neneria eventually exhausted them with her tales.

“I don’t know.” Neneria replied. “That, I genuinely don’t know. I know I spent the years pondering. Every now and then, a mortal would come to pay tribute or some minor deity. Enough sacrifices and I would go to clean up lost souls. Sometimes a kingdom would house me, sometimes a cave. That’s how I did it in this millennia, just a cabin in northern Epa.”

Maisara laughed and shook her head. “We assumed you went underground.”

“May as well have.” Neneria answered bitterly. “But that was all I did. Every now and then people would go and argue with me. They’d tell me to get moving, I’d get them talking, we’d sit and argue. They would leave or maybe I’d kill them if they were particularly annoying. It was never even about anything important or real, it was just trivialities, like the meaning of life and what is after death.” Neneria smiled wryly. This was a secret, but a minor one, and the Neneria after Arascus didn’t really mind it. “It always annoyed me that I’m the Goddess of Death and I don’t know what’s past the gates.”

“I’m the Goddess of Order and yet I breed revolution.” Maisara said. “This is why I like Fortia, because she’s the Goddess of Peace and she actually manages it.”

“Mmh.” Neneria said. “Kassie is like us then, where she’s the Goddess of War but people will sign peace treaties pre-emptively with her.”

“What changed in you?” Maisara got her back on track.

“I met Arascus. I was sitting, I remember this conversation actually. I was sitting near a lake in Erdely. He found me or he was searching me out or I don’t know how, he walked in. It wasn’t the first time.” Neneria realised her sentences were breaking up as she recalled the memory. Well, it was pleasant, wasn’t it? “We met before and I thought he really didn’t like me.”

“What?” Maisara asked.

“Well every time I would just start spouting my own rationalisations at him as to why I was sitting down and why I should be sitting and why I was in fact correct for sitting down and why he should weep for being stupid because he wasn’t sat down. This conversation began like that. He was already annoyed with me I know. Or I think.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing.” Neneria answered immediately. “He told me nothing. He didn’t engage with my points once. He just stood there as I talked my way into saying that objectivity existed, yet no one could achieve, apart from me and I could only achieve because I was sat there thinking and pondering, whereas because he was doing things with his life, he could only be subjective and basically, you had to nothing to achieve everything. I said this as I was aware of the fact I had clothes on my back and tremendous power all the benefits of divinity of course. I wasn’t ignorant, I was just hypocritical but hypocrisy was good actually, because it meant there was some contradiction to sit and explain. There wasn’t a single moment when I wasn’t self-aware of what I was doing, I knew I had habituated myself into an existence of pure thought, but then didn’t that actually mean I could sit and practice my thoughts? In the same way that people practice maths, didn’t the thousands of years I spent thinking mean I was basically the authority on what thinking looked like? And…”

Neneria cooled down and took a deep breath. “And you see? I can launch into a dialogue like that, it’s meaningless at the end of the day. I just expel a chain of words at you but the words are just lacking substance.”

“Heard it and seen it from Helenna.” Maisara said, Neneria smiled at her own burning rage flaring up within her. “And Allasaria, and Elassa. Fortia and Kavaa are straight to the point and don’t waste time, but that rant you just went on is what the Pantheon looks like.”

“You have no idea how much you just insulted me.”

“Oh?” Maisara asked. “What, because I said you were like others?”

“I genuinely believed I was the most rational mind in existence. I still do, to some extent.” Neneria explained. “Arascus simply showed me I am more than my rationality so I’m able to keep it at bay. You got me angry just now, but I’m angry at myself for being jealous of my position and wanting it to be unique.”

“You have no issue just spilling everything?” Maisara asked and Neneria made a tiny shake of her head to make sure she wouldn’t get out of her collar.

“Should I?” Neneria asked. “I would back then but that’s not me anymore.”

“It’s just odd.” Maisara said. “I don’t spill secrets because of my vows of honour that I won’t break.”

“You don’t have any right to call anyone odd when the only reason you don’t lie is because of an utterly deranged ego.” Neneria delivered the words in her usual flat tone. It wasn’t a scathing critique or anything, it was annoyance with Maisara’s behaviour. “You know I once thought you were cursed or it was in built? That you couldn’t lie?”

“Do you know why it annoys you?” Maisara asked.

“Why exactly?”

“Because you wish you could have this level of honesty that I do.”

“You are delusional.” Neneria said.

“So be it. But what did Arascus do then? With me, he scared me too.”

“Why?” Neneria asked. Not once had she ever been scared of Arascus in person. She had been intimidated and annoyed and had feelings of inferiority, but never fear.

“Because he just reflected a better image of me to me.” Maisara said. “But what about you?”

“Like I said, he didn’t argue. He didn’t engage or even try to fight back against the assertations I was making. He just asked me what my legacy would be when I died. I told him it would either be the greatest legacy on Arda or it would be nothing and that just depended on whether I could rationalise reality.”

“And then?”

“He laughed in my face.” Neneria said with a smile. “He told me I didn’t know what I was talking about. I agreed with him, because no one really knows anything.”

“I disagree there.” Maisara said.

“I do too now. Now I know everything.” Neneria said smugly. “But back then, I didn’t. I purposefully sidestepped his points then. Legitimately, I think I won the argument even now. But at the very end, he didn’t argue with me. He just said I didn’t know myself. I agreed again and he shook his head. He…” Neneria felt throat catch and her cheeks grow red. “He called me a girl. I’ve praised obviously before, but that was the first time someone just called me a girl like that. He just said I was a sad girl that had habitualized depression into herself and that I had a choice and it wasn’t even anything drastic.”

“So he gave you an ultimatum?” Maisara asked.

“He asked me for one year of my time to show me what I was capable of because I didn’t know myself. That was it. That’s what he said, that it was his job to teach me what I can do because I don’t know myself. Well one year turned into two, then I pushed it to five, to a decade. Thirty-one years after that meeting, I was adopted into the fold. I actually asked him to do for me. He did it on the spot. That was the moment when the old Neneria died and this Neneria appeared. He asked me why and I said it was because I wanted to. There was no other grander reason than that. I wanted to join his family, so I did.”

“Ah.” Maisara said.

“Since then, I swore that I would do things just because I could. Not because I needed a reason. The Neneria of the past could have talk to you forever about the demons of Tartarus and give you all the intellectual stimulation you need. The Neneria of today will just tell you she doesn’t like them and that’s enough. One Neneria died, another was reborn, free from the chains of the past. I’m still the best thinker on this world, but I hate thinkers because of how much time thinking cost me and for what? For nothing. ” Neneria finished with a slight pitch up of her voice and then walked a few more steps. She turned to look at Maisara. The ghostly Goddess was walking, eyes on the ground a moment longer.

And then suddenly, Maisara stopped. Neneria stopped with her. “I would like to say thank you.”

“You don’t have to.” Neneria said. “I’m not particularly uncomfortable talking about myself, I just assume others don’t want to hear the story. There’s not much to take from it that isn’t already common knowledge.”

“It’s not that, you just made me realise something. Just now, everything clicked.”

“What clicked?” Neneria asked. This would be interesting, definitely.

“I’m dead.” Maisara stated.

“That you are.”

“I’ve never broken a promise in my life.” Maisara said. “And I never will.”

“That’s honestly incredible and yet terribly odd.” Neneria genuinely meant what she said.

“It’s a matter of pride at this point.” Maisara said. “No one can say what I can say and mean it. But there is something else.”

“What?”

Maisara blinked and burst out in laughter. Neneria stopped to watched the woman wheeze. What was the joke. “Neneria… You killed me!” Maisara said and Neneria raised an eyebrow. She didn’t feel bad, but… Well, this was a good reaction to study, wasn’t it? That’s why the woman didn’t have a reaction before, because she had been in denial. And now the shock of death was actually setting in. The Goddess of Death said nothing as Maisara controlled herself and put her hands on Neneria’s shoulder. The finger went through the cloth but they caught on Neneria’s skin. Cold. “You’ve freed me.”

The woman had gone insane. Neneria was almost happy. This would be good to investigate. To see what would when a major Divine cracked for good. “How have you been freed?” Neneria prodded the woman gently. She needed more information, but it was time to enable a total downfall into guilt and fear and everything bad.

“Neneria, you have actually freed me!” Maisara said again. If she were alive, her eyes would be gleaming. For now though, they were only a dour grey-green colour. “When I was young, I was stupid.” Neneria smiled, weren’t they all? But she could see how this would go already. The woman would start going into her early days and then break down. “I would make vows and promises and pacts. Now, I add some condition on them to make sure I’m not stuck. Then, I’d make them for life.”

Wait what?

Neneria stared at the Goddess of Maisara, utterly beaming with happiness. “Excuse me? Are you sane?”

“Neneria, I’ve never been more sane.” Maisara said. “I’ve never been happier. Neneria, I’m free of such stupid trite you wouldn’t even believe. I’m dead and I’m free.”

Where was the insanity? The cursing? The breakdowns to study? What could Neneria learn from this? The woman had some stupid code of honour she stuck to and now she was happy because she wouldn’t be breaking her own words? There was nothing there! No lesson! No great moral teaching! The ghosts spoke of lives beyond, they could reminisce in a way no living person could. And Maisara used that chance to realise that she had made promises for life and now didn’t have to follow them? THAT WAS IT?!

The woman had died and she hadn’t even mentioned a friend or reminisced once! Did she actually not have a single regret? It was Maisara of all people! Neneria could write an entire anthology out of the things Maisara had done wrong in her life! Surely the woman must feel bad for at least some of them!

Was she even human?

“Neneria.” Maisara said seriously. “Are you going to let me pass on?”

“No?” Neneria was so taken aback she couldn’t even answer steadily. “No, I have no plans to.”

“Have you ever brought anyone back to life?” Maisara asked.

“No.”

“It would be a great favour to me if you made me the first one then.” Maisara said confidently and Neneria raised an eyebrow. That had been part of Arascus’ if Maisara proved herself to be compatible in character.  That had been why Maisara’s body was in the freezer right now.

But the way this woman was acting? Neneria considered her intuition to be a good judge of character, and her intuition was setting off all the alarms bells right now. “A life for a life, it’s an even trade.” Neneria said. She didn’t know whether Maisara had been careless or what, but the woman had just about managed to talk to herself into a promise.

“That was one of the vows I made back then.”

“What was it?”

“That I would return every favour equally.” Maisara said with a smile and eyes that were wide. And Neneria realised what had happened. Maisara had truly been freed. Freed from morality and vows and everything.

“Are you lying?”

“I’m an honest girl.” Maisara said. “And I feel like I have a new lease on life.”

“You’re dead.” Neneria said.

“Freed from life.” Maisara replied and Neneria saw the utter madness in her eyes. This was a monster.

“You are terrible.”

“You don’t even how terrible.”