The Greatest Sin

Arcadia tried to forget about the modern world, but the modern world remembered Arcadia.

- Excerpt from the documentary ‘Arcadia Burning’, to be released a few months from today. It would cover the events that happened when Fer landed in Arcadia.

Kassandora stood up and looked at Elassa. Elassa looked down on Kassandora from the air. The wind blew. People cleared out of the road leading to Kirinyaa’s Parliament. The building stood behind Kassandora, a monument of Kirinyaa’s will. Red sandstone pillars around Kassandora and a roof that cast shadow over the midday. Not anymore, the Sun was beginning to set, the sky was being tinged by stunning purples and vivid oranges. Its light raced through the pillars and lit up the Goddess of War as she stared up at Elassa’s cohort in the air.

Kassandora watched Elassa. Elassa watched Kassandora. The wind ruffled Of Magic’s dress. Kassandora quickly scanned the cohort behind her. A hundred and twenty mages, a full company from the Great War. She didn’t even have a question in her mind that they would split into twenty teams of five each with a central command squad of twenty. Zerus was there too, the God of Lightning, muscled and old, lean yet perpetually looking as if he was going to fall asleep. That was only the façade he always wore though, those brilliant blue eyes scanned Nanbasa from under thick white eyebrows with all the precision of a hawk.

Sceo, Goddess of the Sky, was there next to Zerus. Winds sprawling her hair in a line as she hovered in the air with her magic. She stared down at Kassandora with all the love a bitter wind in winter held. Alkom, God of the Sun, flanked Elassa from the other side. Tall and thin, a man who faded into the background but never truly disappeared into the crowd.

Kassandora reached her arm up. Joyeuse materialized in her hands. A Greatsword twice the height of man, thicker than a grown man’s arm. Kassandora made no fancy pirouettes, she stabbed the blade into the sandstone, her hands rested on the hilt. Her black armour materialized around her. Spiked, it shred her coat as metal took clothes place. A wind blew the scraps away. Kassandora’s helmet appeared over her head. A simple helm, as War was a simple thing. Full plate, with slits for eyes, it covered her mouth entirely. That was the most important.

Kassandora finally spoke. “All units, respond” She whispered. A response came back into her earpiece.

“Iliyal reporting.” The elf answered first. Then Arascus, for himself and Olephia. Iniri, Kavaa. Neneria. The snipers. The team commanders of the Clerics. Kassandora heard the drums in her head fade away to quiet beat, the strings to a gentle cry. She smiled to herself as Elassa took centre-stage in her theatre. Welcome to the show.

“Sniper status.” Kassandora asked as Elassa turned to Zerus and whispered something. Kassandora wished Fer was here. The God of Lightning ascended further into the sky with his wife. Alkom made a large a gap between him and Elassa. The woman waved her finger and Kassandora smirked. To think they were still using the same hand-signals from the Great War. It was simply nostalgic.

The elven snipers planted through Nanbasa all gave affirmations of being ready to fire. Kassandora and Iliyal had picked out their spots individually, from attics to residential buildings to abandoned buildings that were going to be replaced with new structures. Amateurs put snipers in obvious spots, tall towers and the like, places like that would be the first that would be checked. But you couldn’t inspect behind every curtain in a city this large.

“Take down the mages, switch channels and organise between yourselves on who’s taking what. Down one man from each group in the first volley. Send them into panic. Fire when I draw my sword from the ground.” Kassandora’s fingers curled around Joyeuse’ hilt. She was a single pull away from downing Elassa. “Neneria?”

“I hear you.” Neneria’s cold voice responded.

“Status on you?”

“Atis is ready to fire. Elassa, then Zerus, Alkom and then Sceo. He says one second to down them all.”

“Good.” Kassandora stood there and looked up at Elassa. Elassa hovered in the air as she looked down upon Kassandora.

A minute went by in the standoff. A mage went to report something to Elassa. The Goddess of Magic nodded and raised herself in the air. She spread her arms out and a bubble of blue magic appeared around her. Kassandora felt the drums in her head beat along to her heart. It was rising now, her legs wanted to quiver, her cheeks were flushed. It was finally happening. Elassa had come. And Elassa would die.

KTV came to the scene. They set up a camera on the roof of a nearby restaurant, the people there stood and started to record and take pictures with their phones. Kassandora had given them notice, today, not only would Elassa die, the White Pantheon’s untouchable image and legacy of good would be ground into the dirt. Elassa finally spoke, her voice boomed throughout all of Nanbasa. “The White Pantheon has come to enforce Pantheon Peace. Stand aside Kassandora.”

Elassa’s bubble faded for a moment as the woman moved her hands. The wind settled down, her white shawl stopped fluttering in the breeze as Elassa continued. “For once, my conflict is not with you.” Her mages took up positions around the Parliament as Kassandora smiled. Her helmet disappeared and her red sprawled down her back.

“I have come to Kirinyaa, I have become their guardian. I will not stand aside for you to do as fit.”

“Kirinyaa has breached Pantheon Peace months ago with the advent of the Binturong Artillery. We did not act then because the Jungle is a threat.” Elassa said slowly. “But the creation of an army is not required for the continuation of the Reclamation War.” Kassandora goaded the other Goddess some more.

“At least we can settle that it is a war.” Kassandora shouted back. “But Kirinyaa has decided, I will not let you do as you see fit.” Elassa smiled as she looked on Kassandora. “The White Pantheon has left Kirinyaa to fend for itself, so it has. You do not make demands here.”

“The White Pantheon is the courtroom of Arda. There is not a grain of sand on this world which we have left to fend for itself.” Kassandora’s fingers curled around Joyeuse’ cold hilt. Elassa would have to take the first shot. She had called KTV here to record the moment of the Goddess of Magic breaking the Peace she so enforced. They were to show that self-defence against the Pantheon wasn’t just possible, it would be successful.

“Snipers ready on your command. Everyone has a target picked out.” Iliyal said over the earpiece.

“We are not here to engage in a shouting match Elassa.” Kassandora’s voice boomed just as loudly as Elassa’s did. The cameras would catch her. “Kirinyaa has suffered under the Jungle for centuries, Kirinyaa has taken its matters into its own hands.” She thought of something that would force a confrontation. Getting Elassa to retreat peacefully was the last thing she wanted. “Kirinyaa has created an army for this very reason. There will be no more demands.” Elassa took the bait.

“That is exactly why we have come. The Pantheon Directives have been a success, there is no more war. We have had a millennia of such a peace that all of history has never seen it! Kassandora, Goddess of War, you are no longer needed in this world.”

“We are not the world Elassa. We are in Kirinyaa. Your peace will usher an extinction of this nation. A reduction to the city states of Ausa.” Elassa smiled. Her mages spread out further. Very good, separate them as much as you want. In the past, Kassandora would have thought the situation was spiralling out of her control. Now though, her guns possessed a range longer than any of them. Flee or stay, it did not matter what they did.

“Pantheon Peace is for the good of the world. Justice is blind Kassandora, if we make an exception here, others will demand exceptions too.” Elassa chastised with the slow explanation of a teacher. Kassandora knew of course, that was part of the plan with Kirinyaa’s Army Implementation Bill. If the Jungle was threat enough for Kirinyaa to have an armed forces, it would free up all of Arika to have their own standing armies.

“So you sentence these people to die?” Kassandora asked. It was a question entirely in bad-faith, but now that the statement was made, it would be undoubtedly true.

“The Pantheon has not taken issue with the Binturongs. We had our casus belli to enforce Peace then, we let you play with your toys. The Jungle must indeed be stopped, but this is not the way to do it.” Kassandora sighed. This was going nowhere. Elassa must have worked out something was happening, Kassandora’s reputation among the Pantheon was much like Leona’s had been to her sisters. Maybe she overestimated Elassa’s eagerness?

It should have been Arascus who was put in the leading role. Kassandora cursed the war drums in her head as they started to beat once again. Her hands relaxed over Joyeuse. Elassa had always been a snake who jumped at openings, if she wanted to see weakness, then Kassandora would show it. She readjusted her posture to feign nervousness. Elassa smiled to herself from above.

“We do not want war Elassa.” Kassandora shouted. If Elassa wanted to chase a retreating force, then Kassandora would retreat. “But Kirinyaa’s Army stands. As I said before, Kirinyaa has decided for itself.”

“I will not allow that. Move Kassandora.” Elassa shouted with a newfound confidence.

“You will not enter this building.”

“You cannot stop me.” Kassandora kept the orchestra quiet as it spiralled out of control. It was over. Elassa had followed Kassandora into the dragon’s maw, and now the dragon was about to snap shut. Kassandora took a deep breath. No doubt Elassa would see it as nervousness, but it was entirely to keep her own hands under control and stop them from ripping Joyeuse out of the ground already. So close.

“You will not enter.”

“Move.”

“No.” Kassandora shouted. She gripped Joyeuse and tested the blade. She only needed an instant. One instant then all chaos would break loose.

“I will move you.” Elassa warned.

“You wouldn’t dare.” Kassandora shouted back. She didn’t bother to keep the eagerness out of her voice now. Her legs wanted to quiver, her breathing got faster as she heard her orchestra reach a climax.

Elassa let out a slow breath as Kassandora’s eyes focused. They burned with red with the flames of war from within as the Goddess of magic slowly lifted her arms, her palms outstretched to Kassandora. “Final warning Kassandora.” Elassa said.

“Try me.” Kassandora sneered. She licked her lips as Elassa started to build up power.

Winds began to howl as they circled around Elassa. Blue light condensed in her hands, her shield faded away, Kassandora found her opening. The first shot could be deflected, even if she took a wound, Kavaa would be close by to heal, and Elassa would not live long enough to fire a second time. “I’m holding for your signal.” Neneria said through the earpiece. “The shield is down, Atis has an open shot now.” Kassandora stretched fingers as she re-wrapped them around her blade. Go on Elassa, cease this teasing and pull the trigger.

Pull the trigger and die.

Power built up in Elassa’s palms, they started to glow blue. Kassandora heard the brass restart in her orchestra. Loud trumpets signalling a new age. Brilliant sax joining along to usher the breaking of the Pantheon, a sad string in the background that cried in sorrow for the loss of the Arda’s greatest challenge.

Elassa charged up her magic… and her magic never came. Kassandora blinked as she heard footsteps behind her.

Mwai stepped out between her and Elassa. He spread his legs, spread his arms as if to serve as a shield. “Elassa! You will not harm Kassandora!” Kassandora blinked. When? How? The man? She looked up at Elassa as the woman narrowed her eyes at the man. The orchestra in her mind spluttered out as the theatre collapsed into shambles.

“So you stop hiding behind your pet Goddess?” Elassa shouted down.

“Get behind me.” Kassandora said. “I will protect you.” She blinked again, it was the obvious thing to say to get him to step out of the way but her voice was cold and confused. Mwai had never been an imposing figure. She had to rally the parliament on his behalf to pass the implementation law. Arascus chuckled through the earpiece.

“That’s one thing we got wrong.” He said.

“We can still continue if Elassa fires.” Iliyal said.

“Don’t shoot Elassa out of the blue, it will look bad.” Arascus replied.

“On Goddess Kassandora’s order, stick to the plan.” Iliyal confirmed.

“When you draw the sword Kass, and draw when she fires. If he’s cut down, then so be it.” Arascus quickly added.

Kassandora stared down at Mwai. He stood there, in his black suit, his dark skin almost fading into the fabric, with his close cut hair as he spread his arms out. “This is not your fight Goddess Kassandora.” Mwai shouted. “This is Kirinyaa’s battle!”

“You will take down the Army Implementation Bill.” Elassa shouted from above. Kassandora felt her heart about to jump out of her mouth. She had been sidestepped! Did they organise this coup against her privately? She blinked down at the man.

“Kirinyaa will do nothing of the sort!” Kassandora blinked again as she closed her mouth. What? Did the man actually step out of pure courage? What was… Kassandora blinked again. Impossible. How did he muster that? Elassa started charging her magic again. Mwai stood his ground. Kassandora gripped her sword. A delay then. She could handle that, and it would look even better for them if the president of Kirinyaa sacrificed himself in this battle.

And then the beams stopped again.

Another man stepped next to Mwai. A third. A fourth. Ten. Twenty. The entire parliament came out and lined the stairs. “Elassa!” Mwai shouted. “The Pantheon is evicted from Kirinyaa! Leave and do not return!” Kassandora fingers cracked as she gripped her blade. She took a deep breath to keep the anger from exploding in the pot it had boiled in. She looked up at Elassa’s face twist, and she was sure they both carried the same amount of anger at the exact same man.

“Who are you to make demands of the Pantheon?”

“The representatives and leaders of Kirinyaa!” Mwai shouted. “You are not leaders here!” Kassandora grit her teeth in rage. Elassa had been going to die today! The White Pantheon had come into the mousetrap and now? What was Mwai wanting to do? Scare them away!

“Kass, keep calm.” Arascus said over the earpiece. “Change of plans. Kavaa, send your Clerics in to support them.”

“Are you sure?” Kavaa asked.

“Send them in.”

“Understood.” Kavaa switched channels with a beep as she started issuing orders to her men.

“The Pantheon has led the world for a thousand years!” Elassa began her speech over again as Kassandora fumed from behind the politicians. Each man stood, straight backed and staring the Divine in the air down. Zerus and Sceo returned from high above to hover next to Elassa.

“The Pantheon has not led Kirinyaa!” Mwai shouted back. A team of Clerics appeared. The KTV cameras panned to show them, then back to Mwai. Kassandora stood there, her face hard as she felt the stress harden her body to stone

“Kass. Stay calm.” Arascus said again and Kassandora took a heavy breath.

“Step down and I will appoint a new government, or I will send all of you to your afterlives.” Mwai did not move. He stood straight, the rest of the Parliament along with him. Every single one of them wore green armbands to show their support for the Reclamation War. Kassandora took another breath. Every plan had its unforeseen circumstances, but this one had been close to perfect.

“Cut us down!” Mwai shouted, his voice full of vigour. “Cut us down, the Bill stands. We stand! Kirinyaa stands! We will not bow into extinction before the White Pantheon, this is the nation that stood! That nation that will keep standing!” Kassandora blinked as a chill ran down her spine. That was taken exactly from the speech she had given when she shepherded these people into giving her an army in the first place. Almost word-for-word.

Sceo put her arm on Elassa’s shoulder. Zerus leaned over and whispered something. Mwai raised his fist into the air, the parliament followed. Five hundred fists aimed to the sky. Elassa sneered, then shook her head. Kassandora looked at her, then felt the flames of war splutter out. The orchestra went silent as Elassa spoke. “Very well. I will not dirty the White Pantheon with a massacre.” She turned.

Elassa left. Zerus left. Sceo left. Alkom left. The cohort of a hundred and twenty mages they brought left. It was over. Mwai cheered. The Clerics in the square cheered. Nanbasa cheered.

And Kassandora stood there, in disbelief. Her mouth twisted in rage.

On that day, the sword in the ground was never drawn and not a single bullet was fired. Not in Kirinyaa, not in Nanbasa, but as Nanbasa stood, Arcadia fell.