The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]
Chapter 398 – The Price of Victory

Elassa is actually the first Divine of Magic even though she appeared at the end of Worldbreaking. So many major Divines died during that time that it is unknown from whom she comes exactly, however the general consensus is that she is one aspect of God Paramethus, of Spirit.

If there would be anyone close to Paramethus, it would be Arascus. It was said that the two were as close as brothers once. Certainly in terms of demesnes, both were extremely grand. For the God of Spirit did not share a demesne with Neneria, who commanded actual ghosts. Rather, Paramethus was the abstract God of Human Spirit. It is unknown how wide his demesne was in actuality.

What is known is that the man could give the strength of Divines to men with nothing but a touch. It was not a blessing of strength, the God could draw the Divinity out of humanity. It got to the point that Divines would avoid direct hand-to-hand combat with humans since they were stronger than us. In addition to this massive physical blessing, he harnessed the power of will, what we now call magic, and could spark it within humanity. Under his tutelage, a man could forgo the need for a catalyst entirely. This power of will could make a man go from entirely untrained in magic to have the power of a century-old archmage in the span of a few years.

The Age of Heroes was Arda’s great cleansing inferno. Magocracies were toppled. Titans were shackled. Great Beasts were killed. Existential Threats were finally put down forever.

Humanity was always grandeurized by its own delusions.

The grandest of them all was that they could one day rule Arda.

The Age of Heroes was their attempt at fulfilling this delusion.

- Excerpt from “History of the World”, written by Goddess Maisara, of Order.

Marshal Iliyal Tremali walked into a room of an old castle. A post-war castle, that much was obvious for the fact that it was borderline indefensible and built for aesthetics rather than function. Iliyal assumed no one else would notice, care or even find it borderline curious. The Great War had ended a thousand years ago, Pantheon Peace had forbidden warfare, the only castles which had been designed for warfare which still stood were not ruins. Nevertheless, it annoyed him. He couldn’t help it. A pretty castle was like an injured horse, both should be put down for their own good.

In his black coat, with his cap, with boots echoing on the wooden panels. With the door being large enough for Divines. With all the representatives of the Imperial Army of Epa in this room. With him towering over all the humans in terms of height and over the Divines and elves in the room in terms of sheer presence, with two pretty maids in white and black dresses walking around the table that had two dozen souls sitting around it, making sure everyone had a drink and their papers prepared. With grand red curtains looking over a beautiful forest, with a perfect blue sky, with a motorway in the distance on which cars drove, it was almost funny. The grander the place was, the worse Iliyal felt. He simply couldn’t help it. There was no place like home and home for him was a tent from which he could hear men’s dying screams.

Iliyal stopped as the room stood up for him. Menith and Beryon both saluted, both in black. Pretty Agrita, with a spear by her chair and in an Imperial uniform did the same. As did blonde Saksma, although she had come in her grey battle armour rather than a uniform. And purple-eyed, blonde-haired Paida who had a smile that she obviously did not care about showing off. And then another dozen and a half humans, all captains and majors from the army who commanded entire divisions and parts of frontlines rather than individual brigades. Iliyal had called the meeting.

Although this wasn’t a meeting. This was the final set of orders that would be given out before the Empire marched with full force into Rancais. Iliyal gave a salute to the table at large and dismissed everyone. “Sit down everyone.” His voice boomed throughout the room. Elf and human and Divine sat down, all save the maids. The younger one, a girl who could not be any older than early twenties, placed a glass of whiskey before him. The older one gave her a scolding look. “We are here to discuss the liberation of Rancais.” Iliyal said and picked up his glass, he held it in the air for a moment. A moment too long.

The whole room sounded with an excited ‘Cheers!’

Children.

Children, the lot of them.

Iliyal wished it was him and Ilwin or Arascus or Goddess Kassandora. Even Generals Zalewski, Sokolowski and Ekkerson were better than these people. Who gave cheers to something like that? Iliyal took a deep breath as he drank. He looked over the room again. Saksma drank her glass entirely. Paida drank half, as did Agrita. The humans all had a small shot. Iliyal took a sip for taste. The elf looked to Beryon, the general-in-training had been told to bring all the required documents in advance. “The map of Rancais.” Iliyal said and the other elf brought out a map of the country.

Beryon spread it out over the table. There the nation sat, Doschia and Rilia on its eastern border with troop position already drawn in. Paida looked over the map with happiness and pride, as if she could not wait for the elf to come and tell her exactly how he would bring war to her country. Iliyal sighed and wondered if Arascus had prepped her. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. Did it matter? Rancais had to be re-taken before Allasaria managed to open the gate to Paraideisius as the Empire could not fight a two front war. Even if they managed to unite all Arika, then it simply did not matter. Arika simply did not have the massive industrial base that Epa did. “The greatest threat is Anarchia.” Iliyal said. “Anarchia is currently here.” Iliyal tapped the city of Ordeaux. “A team is keeping her there currently.”

“How did you get them?” Saksma asked excitedly. “Did you find a way to trap her?” Iliyal looked at the Goddess of Doschia. Even when she was sitting down on a huge wooden chair, her eyes were higher than his.

And how should he even answer that question? I sent four sorcerers into Rancais who happened to kill however many of Anarchia’s supporters to the point that she decided to go investigate herself? If Goddess Kassandora was here, that is what he would say. But then if she was here, she would have something to add to the situation. These people, what exactly did they have to add? Could they even add anything? “I’ve sent a team that baited her to Ordeaux.” That wasn’t far from the truth and it was close enough that these people would think Iliyal had done it done on purpose. Soldiers had tendency to fight half as a hard when they learned that their entire strategy lied on one happy accident. “The city is far from the front though, and we can keep her there whilst we push onwards.”

“Are you sure she’ll stay?” Paida interrupted. Iliyal aimed his deathly glare at the Goddess of Rancais. Wasn’t this her country? Her annoying letters were coming everyday now. And now that Iliyal actually wanted to move onto Rancais she was backing out?

“I plan to kill her while she’s still in Ordeaux.” The largest issue they had when Anarchia was still in Aris was that Aris was too large and too important of a city to destroy. When the country still functioned, how many millions lived in the Grande Aris area? Even now, it would definitely be above a million. Ordeaux though? Which did not even manage to squeak past a quarter of a million when Rancais was functioning. People would have left the city too so how many lives would it be? Two hundred thousand? One hundred and fifty? That was a price the Empire was willing to pay. “We will cover the Anarchia Issue first then.” Iliyal proclaimed.

Everyone in the room sighed with relief and peaked at Iliyal with curiosity. Of course they did. This was the crucial point of this campaign. The three Divines, who knew how Anarchia defeated Fer, were the most curious of them all. “Firstly, Anarchia shall be kept in Ordeaux. The operation is halted and the battlelines are set the moment we find out she manages to leave.” Iliyal extended an arm to Beryon. “General Beryon here will focus on the air force.”

And Iliyal began. “The air force will sweep through Rancais. We have airbases in Allia, in Doschia and Rilia for this operation. That puts every part of Rancais within our sights.” Iliyal took a red men from the table and started drawing red marks over lines. These were railways and major highways. “Anarchia’s forces do not have access to heavy machinery or engineer companies. My spies from within the country report that although they are powerful, they have no formal organisation that isn’t simply direct orders from Anarchia herself. Ordeaux will be cut off from the rest of the country.” Iliyal drew the marks on the maps as his eyes went to check Paida for her reaction. This was her nation after all. It was practically her responsibility. She gave none. Iliyal had expected an argument at destroying Rancais’ infrastructure.

He continued nevertheless. “As said, General Beryon will command the air force. Interceptors will always be stationed to pick off whatever plane will be in the air. I have already sent out the order to inform all Rancais that anyone in the air, whether it’s a crop-duster or a strategic bomber, will be a target. From today at midnight, anyone in the air is potentially a target.”

At this, Saksma did interrupted. Why even? It wasn’t even her country. “How did you tell them?”

“We’re dropping boxes filled with fliers into all major cities bar Ordeaux and broadcasting on every frequency for every radio.”

“And if someone doesn’t get the message?” Saksma asked.

“Then we shoot them down Saksma.” Paida said. “What do you think will happen?”

“Paida is correct.” Iliyal followed up. He moved his finger to the ocean. “We have a fleet sailing from Allia, it’s called ‘Absolution’. The first two ships will get to Ordeaux at dawn, they will chase off the UNN ships that are giving supplies out. The rest of Fleet Absolution will arrive in two days. We will begin striking Ordeaux then. The team I have in the city will give updates on Anarchia’s position. Bombers will also be used, there’s a new bomb from Iboud which has arrived that is targeted.”

And again, the elf turned to Paida. And again, the Goddess of Rancais gave no reaction. Iliyal had not expected the woman to be so… What was the word? Carefree? Even the Divines in the past would not pretend that they weren’t uneasy when it was their lands being intruded upon. “It’s guided. We will drop it on Anarchia. If not, then missiles from the ships. If not that, then missiles from the planes. If everything fails then I am prepared to order strafing runs on the Goddess. Raptor One and Raptor Two will be participating in the mission.”

“And if everything else fails?” Agrita asked.

“Then we see how much land we can claim in Rancais whilst I devise a new plan for Anarchia. Whilst she is in Ordeaux, she won’t be on the frontlines. That means we can advance with impunity.” Divines could not be deployed against her.

“Destroy Ordeaux.” Paida said suddenly and the whole table turned towards her. And she met the glare of all two dozen participants without even batting an eye. “How many are dying in Rancais because Anarchia imposes her anarchy? How many have starved to death already? How many will starve to death? What about water? And medicine? And power? Ordeaux will have two hundred people at the most at this point. I would not be surprised if Rancais bleeds that many people every day at this point.”

Iliyal gave the woman a slow, respectful nod of his head. She would be best out of all the National Goddesses, that was certain. “I would say that it easily bleeds that many every day.”

“We’re it not for seeing what Anarchia can do, I would argue for the deployment of Olephia at Ordeaux.” Paida said coldly. Iliyal made sure to register a recommendation for this Goddess to Kassandora. If this is how she saw the world, then she was perfect for commanding a Legion. His face was sombre and hard, although he wouldn’t humiliate the woman like the rest of the room was doing. The temperature seemed to fall by a few degrees with every word Paida said. Yet Paida did not seem to care. “So Iliyal? Is that all for Anarchia? Or are we moving onto the invasion plan?”

“And before we get into the plan, I have one thing to say.” Iliyal said. “Helenna will be running around the frontlines. She in on Imperial Duty, her clearance comes from Emperor Arascus. Anyone who thinks they have a right to slow her down will be meeting with me and will be saying goodbye to their office. That is all I have to say on the topic.”

One man raised an arm. A captain Erhart, Iliyal recognized him as being from the front where Helenna currently was. “Marshal Tremali, and if Helenna decides to…” He trailed off before sheepishly continuing. “I mean, I am sure you’re aware of how the Goddess of Love acts.”

“You mean if she accidently sabotages a plan?” Iliyal asked.

“I would never say she would sabotage a plan.” Erhart said. “But rather she does… take risks.”

“Olephia is keeping her company. You won’t be in trouble unless you make for yourself. Olephia knows she’s there to clean up if anything goes wrong.” The mention of the Goddess of Chaos shut the man up. “Right, so onto the Goddess of Chaos.”