The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]
Chapter 413 – The One Way Street Destroyed

I have written of Foundational Theory before. I hold to it firmly. There are too many examples of Foundational Theory working in practice to pretend it does not exist. Divines are shaped by human belief of their demesnes, not of the Divine itself, along with the subconscious feeling of the age. Once a Divine is incarnated, they are set. The world may move on, but they never will.

Let us go to the start. Neneria has an inherent aversion to politics and all matters of state. There is no other Divine like her. Everyone else, from Irinika to Fortia to Arascus to the most minor invention will take interest in what the society of the day is doing. But one only needs to take a step back to understand why Neneria is seemingly ignorant of grand, collective issues. Mankind believed in death long before they believed in tribal chiefs, much less kings and queens and nations. Neneria famously claims she predates the calendar. It is only logical to assume she predates the state. Foundational Theory explains the issue, Neneria is ignorant of collective issues because collective issues did not exist when she formed. Men prayed for their child’s lost soul, they did not even conceive of misfortune striking their hierarch for one did not exist.

Elassa is arrogant, elitist and imposes isolation upon herself. It is a terrible character, even though the woman is entirely sensible. She formed near the end of Worldbreaking, when mankind as a whole was done with magicians and simply wanted them removed. Once again, Foundational Theory explains why the woman will try to set up schools in the middle of nowhere rather than ingratiate herself into large cities. Elassa proves that it is the opinion of the majority that matters, not even the opinion of her own followers. Certainly if it was the ideals of magicians which created her, she would be a tyrant.

Kavaa, Goddess of Health, cannot heal without pain. She tears apart muscle and flesh when she heals and sews them back together. Why? There were previous Goddesses of Health who did not heal with so much pain. Yet the why is explained through her incarnation. Just like Elassa, Kavaa formed at the end of Worldbreaking. All the world knew was pain. The only reason it did not tear itself apart was thanks to its innate duty to exist. Is there anyone who embodies those ideals better than Kavaa?

And so we get to Allasaria. Our glorious leader of the White Pantheon who was incarnated in a war between Sythia and the Akamids. What was the mood of the time? It was a time of turbulation. Humanity was reading to the good graces of Divinity yet not ready to give up its independence. It was guidance but not rulership. Allasaria formed out of humanity’s mass delusion in search for a shepherd and not a leader.

- Excerpt from “The Post War World”, written by Goddess Maisara, of Order.

Neneria stood close to Arascus. She pressed her arm into his and sent Maisara a glare to stay away. The liberties that the woman took with her father were frankly disgusting. Maisara should be put down like the damn dog she was just for acting that way. And she was mad at her father too! Who was he not to just reject advances like that immediately? And it was Maisara of all people! Was there a single person who liked Maisara? She was irredeemable! Kavaa and Kassandora entered the plane that landed and Elassa finally got moving. The Goddess of Magic lifted off into the night sky. Her blue battledress twinkled against the darkness of the night sky and she flew through the air and towards Neneria, Arascus and Maisara’s ghost.

The mages stayed behind though, as did soldiers. The plane turned its engines off and started spinning down just as Elassa got to Arascus. She landed gently on the ground, the blue glow from her gemstones fading away. A full head shorter than Maisara, Elassa had to look up to meet them in their eyes. “So you’re actually a ghost.” Elassa said.

“I am.” Maisara said.

“How is dying?”

“How is living?” Elassa sniffed, obviously humoured by the answer.

“Depends who you ask.” Elassa answered. “How is dying for you?”

“I’ve been through worse.” Maisara answered. Elassa raised an eyebrow at Arascus and then at Neneria.

“Don’t bother.” Neneria said. “I’ve tried already, she’s the least interesting ghost to exist.”

“My opinion on dying doesn’t change what dying is. If I said it was pure euphoria, would you suddenly want to join the club?” Maisara asked.

“No.” Elassa replied and shook her head.

“The mages I assume are living batteries?” Arascus asked as he pointed into the distance. The two dozen magicians harmlessly idled about, doing nothing in particular as they talked between each other and kept away from the mundane soldiers.

Elassa was quick to answer. “I don’t expect to use them but you can never be too prepared, can you?” Neneria supposed that was a fine enough answer. Very diligent and very organised. Kassandora and Kavaa came out of the airplane, Kassandora carried huge bundle of sheets in her hands. The bundle was easily as long as the Goddess of War was tall, and it obviously wasn’t light either. Arascus, Maisara and Elassa all remained silent as they watched Kassandora and Kavaa approach under that starry Kirinyaa sky. Neneria simply had nothing to say.

She didn’t like the atmosphere. She didn’t like change. She didn’t like doing anything she had not done before. This was not like what had happened during Soulstorm in the UNN. That was simply a mass conscription of souls into her Legion. It was unprecedented in terms of scale, but that was all it was unprecedented in. There was nothing new about Soulstorm. Now though?

Neneria’s eyes went from Kassandora and Kavaa quickly crossing the distance to her huge father. He stood like a guiding mountain next to Neneria. A lighthouse would be an insult, a lighthouse was loud and annoying and bright. Arascus was a silent mountain in the horizon one could always see and use to gauge their position. And then to Elassa. There was nothing to say about her. The woman ancient yet she was young. A Worldbreaking Goddess who had been incarnated in a time without nation or state yet still with traces of society remaining. Neneria could almost sympathize were it not for the fact that Elassa was a mere impostor claiming at loneliness when she was actually a Goddess for the gifted magicians and not a Goddess for those who could no longer affect the real world.

And then Maisara. This one, Neneria had even less to say about. Maisara was just terrible. And it would be terrible Maisara who would prove what needed to be proved. Whereas finding a weapon to counter Anarchia was important, today was not really about that.

A person died. Their soul left their body. Their soul moved on. That was the cycle of these things. Neneria’s entire existence had been spent facilitating this cycle or putting it on hold. It was a one-way street. One could drive on it, one could park, but one had to keep on going down the one way street. Not once had she imagined, not one had she even tried to think that the direction souls travelled on could be reversed. That simply did not happen.

But today, it would be done. Today, the street would be reversed. Arascus was right to have called Maisara a torchbearer and not a test subject. The woman was lighting the way for Neneria to follow. The first time was the hardest, every other time would have the blessing of experience and not the curse of novelty.

Today, a soul would be forced back into a body. A person who died would be returned. The mechanism would be remembered. And it would be studied for all eternity.

Kassandora coming close pulled Neneria out of her own thoughts. The Goddess of War was dressed in her standard black uniform, coat that fell to past her knees, black boots that reached up to them, white shirt underneath, cap complete with the skull and sword emblem that was repeated on her belt. The shower of red hair hung past her hips behind her as she came to a stop with what could only be Maisara wrapped up. Kavaa was by her side, in the exact same outfit. Her grey hair had started to finally lighten after their time underground, but it was still far darker than what Neneria was used to. “Are we doing it here?” Kassandora looked to Arascus.

“Here.” Arascus said.

“Are we not using a leyline?” Elassa asked.

“We don’t want to rely on a crutch.” Arascus replied. Neneria silently approved of the words as she watched her sister put Maisara down. Of course. A crutch would cause trouble later. The trial would be tumultuous but that was why they were using Maisara. If they added a leylines to this combination, then would the process be repeatable on other souls Neneria captured?

“I assume you want the Orchestra to assist.” Kassandora asked.

“We want the tune. Kavaa and Neneria and Elassa are to link. Neneria’s in charge. She’s the most experienced.”

“Very well.” Kavaa sounded resigned.

“Can you join too?” Neneria asked Arascus as she felt Kassandora’s music probe her mind. War’s Orchestra started to play within her mind as she allowed it. Neneria had heard it all before when Kassandora commanded her armies without a word. But unlike all those other times which featured hundreds of instruments that played only in the minds of the musicians, this time there were only four. A set of drums that beat in the stable tune of a heartbeat, a violin that lazily meandered its way across the tune, an organ and a large tuba. The tune was slow and careless but the notes didn’t overrun onto each other.

Kassandora and Arascus shared a look. The Goddess of War raised an eyebrow, her father nodded. And immediately a piano entered the tune playing in Neneria’s mind. It was loud and powerful and yet it didn’t overstep onto the other notes. Neneria didn’t know how Arascus managed it but his piano managed to support the other instruments as it stole centre stage. Everyone sounded better thanks to that piano. Neneria could stand and listen to the music all day. Maisara ruined the moment by speaking. “Are you not pulling me in?”

“I can’t touch ghosts.” Kassandora answered.

“You shouldn’t give information like that away.”

“It is known I can’t.” Kassandora added and pulled the wraps off Maisara’s body. The woman had frost over her skin and her cheeks were pale. Ice still touched her silver hair and brows and eyelashes. Her chest did not move. And… Well, her body had been stored in a freezer. Why should a body in a freezer stay clothed? Neneria blushed and looked away. She knew her cheeks went pure crimson at the scene and she felt everyone look at her.

“Are you serious?” Elassa asked in a dry tone.

“I’m honoured.” Maisara’s ghost said smugly. “Here I thought I wasn’t much of a looker.”

“Are you not scandalized?!” Neneria’s lips blurted out before her mind caught up to what she was saying. And when she realised what she said, she immediately wanted to run away. She heard Arascus’ piano and she felt his arm wrap around her. And somehow, even though Neneria knew it was stupid, it was as if her father managed to excuse her.

Kavaa’s violin sounded confused as it lost its tune for a few moments. The words came through the Orchestra, not through Goddess of Health speaking. “Aren’t you the Goddess of Death?”

“It is what it is.” Arascus’ piano replied. “Better prudishness than immodesty.” And as always, Arascus always had a way to make Neneria feel better. Exactly! Take that Elassa and Kavaa and Maisara! Better to be a prude than to be some immodest chit! What do you think of that?”

Kavaa’s violin came in. “I can hear you Neneria.”

Kassandora audibly sighed, she took a few steps back and lay down on the ground. “If you need me, I’m here but just to check to work.”

“Kass is right.” Arascus said.

Neneria saw Maisara’s open and she shut the woman up before she could say anything. “If you make me lose focus, I cannot promise that I will not tear your soul apart. ”Neneria hissed. The Goddess of Order did in fact fall quiet for once.

So it began.

Neneria never liked conducting War’s Orchestra. There was a reason the power was Kassandora’s and not hers. It simply did not sit right with Neneria to organise living souls in the way her sister did. But sometimes, she did have to use it. Elassa did not dance but she moved in tune to the music running through their heads. She raised her arm and a beam of pure magical energy erupted from the sky to engulf the whole crowd. A spell for channelling ghosts into a certain direction but this one to was to make them still. Neneria could felt the magic rush through her clothes, hug her tight. She felt it rush around Arascus and Kassandra who lay on the ground, she felt it hug Kavaa and she felt it hug the ghost of Maisara as if the woman was physically there.

Joined by the music, Neneria forced Maisara to slowly move back towards her body as Elassa followed along with her pure energies. The Goddess of Magic investigated Maisara’s unthawing body. Neneria knew where the points of contact were located. She could rip souls straight out of them but it was using a massive wrecking ball to break through a wall. Elassa was the one who could manipulate those regions in actuality. Kassandora’s Orchestra directed Elassa at Neneria’s behest.

Maybe Elassa already knew but Neneria didn’t trust her. Elassa’s magic touched the crown at the top of Maisara’s head. Something in the Goddess clicked, maybe Elassa didn’t know what was going on, but Neneria did, the crown opened up. Elassa’s magic left a wedge to keep the crown open and the rest of it travelled like a snake down her body. From the top of her head to her third eye.

And once again, Elassa’s magic forced something out of place like a sharp knife finding a wedge under a screwhead. And once again, the magic clicked something. And so the third eye opened. A wedge was left. The snake of energy travelled downwards. To the throat which resided on the neck, to the heart, the solar plexus in the very centre of the body, and then followed by the sacral and the root.

All seven entrances were wedged open by Elassa’s magic. Neneria slowly moved Maisara’s into place. The woman said something, Neneria was sure she did but the Goddess of Death did not hear it. She was far too concentrated to listen. Working the soul was a delicate thing, working the soul without knowing what really was happening was even harder. Neneria spun Maisara around so that each part of the soul would line up with the various entrances on the body.

And Neneria pulled on Maisara. That was the best way to describe it. A push that was a silken scarf pulling one back into the embrace of a lover. It was a pull in the same way that Arascus would pull Neneria towards him. Certainly, it was not a push. It was obvious in the way Maisara’s soul was moving, applying the slightest amount of pressure to it would send it flying away. And she couldn’t push anyway. Pushing could only be done away from something, and Neneria was pulling Maisara back into her body.

The Goddess of Death’s eyes started to shine green as she felt energies wash over her. Elassa’s magic paled in comparison to the sheer shivering coldness Neneria suddenly felt. It was as if her own body had suddenly disappeared and the air touched her very being. But the Goddess of Death did not stop. She stood there and she grabbed at Neneria’s soul. Not so lightly anymore but with force. She felt Maisara’s spirit. She knew it wanted to slip through her fingers. She did not let go.

Instead, she dragged it back into Maisara’s body. Something lined up with something. Neneria did not know what, but she felt the soul start to settle. Maisara’s stopped thrashing and quivering and instead settled into the same stillness her dead body was in. Neneria felt the bump in the road. Something was blocking her movements. She tried to sidestep it. She tried to go around it. She tried to go over and under. And she realised that the only way forward was through.

One final pull with plenty of strength. Neneria felt something click. She felt something lock. It was the opposite of stealing a soul from a body. Elassa’s magic raged around them as the Goddess of Death probed where else she could pull. Maisara was smooth. Her soul lined up perfectly with her body. There wasn’t even a sliver of spirit leaking out through the skin, nor was there a single inch of skin and flesh without spirit. They had been perfectly linked.

And yet Maisara was still dead.

Neneria probed what was wrong. Kavaa’s violin sounded through the Orchestra that Neneria had managed to tune out. “She’s dead.” The violin spoke over the course of a few sharp notes. Neneria took a deep breath and released control over Maisara’s soul. It stayed connected to the body. Arascus’ piano and Kassandora’s drums both beat victorious tunes of applause. And yet Maisara was still dead. And Kavaa’s violin spoke again.

“I can fix her.”

Neneria answered back.

“Then go ahead.”

Kavaa gave the order. Elassa’s magic turned from merely grasping and recording the soul to an annihilating beam of spiritual energy at its very centre. Neneria felt her cheeks flare with heat as she immediately started to sweat. Through the Orchestra, she knew Kassandora and Kavaa and Elassa and Arascus also felt the heat. And she knew that in an instant, Maisara’s body was annihilated.

Wiped out.

Burned away.

Simply removed from existence.

Yet the burst of energy lasted only an instance, and Kavaa stepped in before that instance finished. From the seven connections of the soul, flesh and blood and bone and muscle started to sprout. Kavaa worked her doctor’s skill as she weaved sinew together. It wasn’t magic, it was a mechanical analysis of the body and a reconstruction of it all powered and organised by Kavaa’s energy.

Maisara bones formed, they were wrapped again by flesh. Her marrow started to fill her up with blood. Her heart reformed. Her eyes and teeth and tongue came back as her cheeks were covered up by skin. Limbs, arms and legs, sprouted from a torso that grew lumps and curves. Hands and feet followed by toes and fingers. Ears and eyelashes. Hair.

And the most important of it all: Life.

Not spiritual life or something which gave meaning to men but the raw energy that caused a heart to beat. Maisara’s stomach turned and rumbled as her mind flashed as if lightning ran down it. Her eyes started to dance before her eyelids even opened. Her lungs filled with air, her mouth opened, her fingers tensed, her legs spasmed.

And Neneria left the Orchestra. So did Elassa. So did Arascus. Kavaa left and Kassandora called off the music as she jumped back onto her feet. Elassa’s beam of energy faded away as the Goddess of Magic took a deep breath. The four Divines stood around Maisara’s corpse watched it in anticipation. Eyes wide as they tracked every movement the body made.

Maisara opened her eyes. Silver irises danced between the watchers. She took a deep breath. And she sat up.

The Goddess of Order had returned to Arda.

And the one way street into Death had been reversed.