Gods Game 6-01: God Council (Patreon)

19 Novo 2603 AB

Iyra rose to her feet.

“I want him dead,” the goddess began without preamble. Her voice reverberated across the chamber that served the god council, echoing her fury.

The gazes of the other gods swung her way. Iyra’s own gaze remained locked on Auriel. “You will deliver him into my champions’ hands. Today.”

The ‘or else,’ remained unvoiced, but none of the other gods failed to mark it. They remained silent while they watched the drama unfold.

“I cannot do that, Iyra,” Auriel said.

“Why not?” Iyra demanded.

Auriel’s tail swished idly as she studied the furious goddess for a moment. “I have Vowed to see him protected,” she said quietly.

“Oh, that’s brilliant,” Succera burst out with a gleeful laugh.

Iyra ignored her, her gaze locked on Auriel. “You did what?” she in a voice husky with menace.

Auriel said nothing.

“Why?” Iyra hissed after the silence had drawn out long enough.

“Come now, Iyra,” Lok interjected. “That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Leaning back in his chair, the short rotund grinned impishly. “Dear Auriel did it precisely to styme your demands.”

“No Vow is ironclad,” Iyra scoffed, not breaking off from her intimidating glare at Auriel. “We all know that. Tell me the terms.”

“No,” Auriel said succinctly.

Iyra’s face reddened, but before she could explode in anger, Balkar intervened. “What foolishness is this, Auriel?” the armored god asked. “Surely you don’t want to risk Iyra’s wrath.” His gaze slid meaningfully to Xetil. “You have enough problems to deal with as it is.”

“That is nonsense,” Auriel said, her feline tail whipping about furiously. “This is the Game. I play the Game, no more.”

“Then you mean to use the free agent to further your own ends?” Weeran asked, steepling his fingers before him.

Auriel glanced at him. “Of course.”

Xetil shoved himself erect and slammed his closed fist down on the table. “You will not dare use that abomination against me,” he roared.

Auriel smiled. “And why not? Do not think, I do not know you would have done the same.” Her gaze swept the table to pick out Iyra and Misteria both. “You two as well.”

Iyra’s glare turned frosty. “How dare—”

“Oh please,” Kharmadon rumbled. “Cease this charade. For all your pretended outrage, none of us are ignorant of the true source of your fury, Iyra.” He paused to smile mockingly at his rival. “You are angry not because the free agent played a hand in your champion’s death, but because your ploy to capture him failed—miserably.”

Iyra did not retort despite every line of her body having stiffened with anger. She turned back to Auriel. “This means war,” she pronounced.

A wide grin broke out across Kharmadon’s face at Iyra’s words. The reasons for the giant god’s delight were obvious to all. If Iyra committed herself to a war in the west, she would weaken her own forces facing off against him.

“So be it,” Auriel said heavily.

“Marvelous,” Succera crowed. No one paid her any heed.

“War,” Turon murmured. “Sweet war.” He too, was likewise ignored.

Iyra spun back to face the others. “I request the God Council’s support,” she demanded.

The other gods looked at each other in confusion.

“Our support?” Zarayla asked. “Why?”

“Our ancient alliance must be re-enacted,” Iyra declared imperiously. “Where twice before we banded together to combat a common menace, we must do so again.”

A renewed silence filled the chamber, as Iyra’s fellows were momentarily stymied for response. “Against what threat?” Weeran asked at last.

“Against the free agent,” Iyra replied. She raised her arm to point slowly at Auriel, “and her.”

The beast goddess bared her teeth in suppressed fury, but she said nothing. The others, though, had plenty to say. “That is ridiculous,” Succera scoffed.

“You only seek to twist this council to your own ends,” Misteria protested.

“Nonsense!” Xetil barked.

“This will not stand,” Kharmadon roared.

Only a few gods remained calm—Weeran and Balkar amongst them. “What is the basis of your claim?” Weeran asked serenely.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Iyra retorted. “Two champions have perished in Crotana. The Elder Forest has awakened. And the demon spawn is active again. I draw only one conclusion from this. Eld stirs again. His hand must be behind events. The free agent is his pawn.” She glanced at the silently fuming beast goddess. “And Auriel too, if she chooses to side with him.”

“There is no proof of Eld’s involvement,” Balkar said, almost gently.

“Proof!” Iyra spat. “When is there ever proof when Eld is involved? You all know how well he spins his webs.”

The other gods spent a moment pondering this, then Turon shook his head. “The cosmos knows I love war Iyra, but you’re reaching. We cannot—”

“There is something else to consider,” Weeran interrupted. The council’s attention turned to him. “Yddreinth has risen. The wyrm left his mountain hideout this morning.”

No one needed the implications of this spelled out. The dragon had ever been Eld’s ally, and if he had re-joined the Game... well, it wasn’t exactly proof, but it lent weight to Iyra’s insinuations.

“Are you sure?” Xetil growled.

“Yes,” Weeran replied, his tone clipped.

“Where is he now?” Lok asked.

“My champions spotted him winging his way south before they lost sight of him,” Weeran replied.

“It still doesn’t mean—” Zarayla began.

“It is all the proof we are going to get,” Iyra said, making no effort to conceal her gloating now as she sensed the others being swayed. “Eld is alive and taking a hand in the Game again.”

“There is another possible explanation for Yddreinth’s awakening,” Misteria interjected idly.

Iyra spun towards her. “What?”

Misteria quirked an eyebrow. “Have you all forgotten the dragon’s primary purpose? Why is he on Myelad in the first place?”

“Of course not,” Balkar snorted, “but that’s beside the point.”

“Is it?” Misteria asked. “Eld appointed Yddreinth as warden of the demon’s prison. And no matter what anyone of us think of the wyrm, he has never shirked his duty. If Juldviza is active again, it stands to reason the dragon would awaken.”

“The demon’s maneuvering is a diversion, no more to allay our fears,” Iyra scoffed. Not giving Misteria a chance to reply, she turned to the almost forgotten Overseer. “Overseer, I call for a vote.”

“What is the question to be put to the council, divine?” he asked placidly.

“I ask the council to revive our dormant alliance and root out all remnants of Eld’s followers,” Iyra stated plainly.

Silently, the Overseer turned about to face the other gods. “All those in favor?”

Balkar rose to his feet. “I am.”

Weeran rose wearily to his feet a second later. “I as well.”

There had been barely any delay in the pair’s response, but their vote with Iyra came as no surprise to the others. The trio had often allied together in the past.

The silence drew out.

“Are there any more votes in favor of Divine Iyra’s motion?” the Overseer asked again.

The other gods eyed each other, then to everyone’s surprise, Xetil stood. “I am.”

Emotion flickered across Iyra’s face at the goblin god’s unexpected support, but she said nothing. Lok and Succera rose quickly on Xetil’s heels. “We support the motion too,” the pair said in unison.

The Overseer glanced at the remaining gods, but no one else rose to their feet.

“All those against?” the Overseer asked a moment later.”

“Me,” Auriel stated flatly.

“Me too,” Zarayla echoed.

“Against,” Kharmadon growled.

“I vote no,” Turon said, shaking his head.

Silence fell.

The overseer’s head creaked towards Misteria, the only one who had yet to vote. “Oh, I vote no too, of course,” she said, feeling his gaze upon her.

A sigh passed through the chamber. Iyra’s ploy had almost succeeded, but Misteria’s earlier words had planted enough doubt in the others minds to prevent the council from reaching consensus.

“The vote is six for, five against, and one absent—also against. As per Eld’s last instruction, in his absence, his vote is always to be cast with the minority,” the Overseer said, formally pronouncing the outcome. He turned towards Iyra. “As you know Divine, a majority is required for the motion to pass. The vote has failed.”

Despite the war and his defeat, Eld’s vote still counted. Until the Game was ended, none had the power to remove the wily god from the council, nor to discount his vote.

Iyra’s face reddened, but she didn’t reply. Wordlessly, she vanished, leaving the council.

One by one, the other gods followed on her heels, until only the Overseer was left. When he was sure he was alone, the Overseer sighed. He had not failed to notice the hidden dynamics revealed by the vote, and he was sure the other gods had marked it too.

At least three, if not four factions, had coalesced amongst the gods.

And when alliances solidified amongst the divines, one thing was certain...

War was coming. War, like Myelad had not seen since Crotana’s fall.

I pray you are ready Kyran, the Overseer thought.

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