Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night(whichever one it is in your part of the world),
Hi! I'm here to leave a quick review!!
First Impression: Well...this certainly was quite the diplomatic mission here. I was not expecting this to go in the kind of direction it ended up going in, but I am definitely not disappointed.
Anyway let's get right to it,
Hasda’s commission would have been executed with more fanfare if there hadn’t been an answering flare of power from beyond the mountain. Still, he received greater honor than most mortals as Seppo took his arm and led him to the waiting Carthians.
“Troops, Hasda. Hasda, troops.” Seppo grunted out the introduction. “He’ll be commanding you in the coming battle. For now, continue guarding the village and make yourselves familiar with each other.”
“That wasn’t a declaration of war.” Kydon frowned at the mountain pass. “She’s announced herself the same way every time.”
“She?” Malia raised a questioning eyebrow at the ogre.
Scowling, he said, “Inkashi. That drunken bitch the Paedens sent as their divine emissary. Her lack of propriety as an ambassador of her pantheon is one of the primary reasons our parleys have fallen apart.”
“But she’s requesting another audience?” Seppo asked.
Okay...wow, lots of things to unpack there. For starters that was one of the most efficient "meet your commander' moments I have ever seen in the midst of a battle, especially one that involves actual gods, and also it seems these Paeden diplomats are not making a particularly good impression of themselves on Kydon here.
“More like declaring her imminent arrival.” A vein pulsed on Kydon’s neck. “Impertinent–”
“We get it.” Malia rolled her eyes. “You’ll want us in attendance this time?”
“Of course not,” Kydon growled. “She’ll be demanding an explanation for the power dilation and sticking her flushed nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“You’ll go.” Seppo stomped over, his exoskeleton hissing. “All three of you. It’ll be an excellent show of strength to display our newly reunited Gods of Death. Thane and Azoria will return to Nebesa until he is fit for duty in Aenea, and I’ll remain here to integrate the tribes into the Tingid defense. But I expect nothing but diplomacy.” He leveled his gaze at Malia. “To the best of your ability, do not antagonize them. As they haven’t declared war yet, let’s see that it stays that way.”
Malia flashed him a smile. “I would never.”
Seppo snorted and stumped off to the tribesmen. Murmuring goodbyes, Thane and Azoria withdrew through her portal. Another surge of power punctuated their departure.
Well I guess the plan is now that...I suppose its not particular that different from the one that was discussed earlier, its just now we've gotten a major surprise twist out of the way. At any rate, it looks like this new diplomatic moment is arguably going to be the most interesting of the ones that have happened so far, at least it seems the most likely to get some sort of result.
Still glowering, Kydon turned and trudged through the village, heading for the mountain pass. “She’s probably already arrived at the head of the pass,” he called back as we scurried to catch up.
“You said she was pushy?” I felt an impulse to pull my Veil on as the Tingins followed us with their eyes. My movements felt stretched, my bones slightly more prominent than I remembered.
Kydon huffed. “She would be, if she were sober. As is, she’s just a staggering winesop.”
“So you’ve said.” Malia fluttered her wings. “Anyone else with her?”
“Two Apkalla.” Kydon didn’t sound impressed, although it was hard to tell if he cared nothing for her bodyguards or if he were still annoyed at the thought of the Paeden goddess. “A few other retainers that are borderline demigods, if they’re remotely divine.”
Okay...well it looks like the Paedens defintiely didn't exactly send their best crack team like what we've got right here with Charax. I don't know if thats meant to be a good thing or somehow terrifying, because you never know when this goddess that Kydon has currently put down as useless turns out to be a surprise twist of some sort.
“That’s it?” Given how our last encounter with the Paedens went, it felt strange that they’d only include one more anointed Sage among the retinue sent to oppose us. Nergal, their plague god, had Meduga, although it had been more the god keeping an eye on the Apkalla than the pair working as a unit. This time, it sounded as if the Paedens had sent the god first which didn’t bode well, considering how low they regarded the errands they sent their Sages on.
“Outside of the company of mortals with her? Yeah.” As Kydon passed through the village streets, he drew almost no attention to himself. Whether that was from the eyes of the town being accustomed to his presence or drawn to the death gods trailing him, I wasn’t sure. Kydon, at least, didn’t seem to care. “No other divine beings have joined her, and she hasn’t communicated with the rest of her pantheon in any way that I can discern. No new Paeden foot soldiers have arrived, either, which, given how much she verbally lambasts me every time we meet, is surprising. The way she talks, war is all but certain.”
“And yet here we are, marching to another talk, bearing no arms.” Malia cast me an unreadable expression.
Self-satisfaction at her joke? Coy about some secret knowledge? Something else? Only she knew.
Well that little bit of speculation there certainly seems to hint at quite a lot even though nothing is exactly confirmed explicitly. Now I have absolutely no doubts that this particular talk they're headed for right now is going to be quite a turning point for this whole story.
We reached the start of the trail and made our way up the mountain, Kydon continuing to grumble about Inkashi. I was beginning to suspect the friction during their previous meetings was more personal than diplomatic. While Kydon was good about being fair, if he didn’t get along with someone, it would bring that objectivity to a grinding halt. You’d have better success getting a wagon out of a rut during a torrential downpour. And, from the sounds of it, they had the affinity of like-minded lodestones. If she were anything like Kydon, our late arrival would likely leave a poor first impression.
However, when we reached the crest of the mountain pass, jagged gray stone sweeping up on either side, the goddess was nowhere to be seen. The flat area Malia and I had first observed the Paedens from gave us an excellent view of their new camp, which they’d made by clearing a decent portion of the forest below. Dozens of creamy tents with swirling fronds of red thread filled the space, smoke rising from scattered campfires. From this distance, it was hard to make out the individual soldiers, but the smears of crimson shifting among the tents showed signs of life. A few hundred troops then, at least, based on the size of their camp.
Another pulse of energy burst from the backside trail moments before a pair of scarlet banners poked through the foliage. Born by mortal men wearing nothing but linen skirts, the standards depicted a winged minotaur, burdened by his muscular form almost as much as the effort of subduing the writhing sea serpent beneath his hooves. Seven figures surrounded him, not all of them winged and some with extra sets as if compensating for those without. At the top, a winged sun smiled down on the minotaur and his companions. Golden tassels, matching the thread used in the embroidery of the scene, fluttered from the banner’s fringe.
Okayy...for a second I was about to think this would turn out to be some sort of false alarm and all of that build up was going to result in a bit of a dead end, but it seems our other diplomats were simply waiting so they could make a sufficiently dramatic entrance. Well they certainly can't be blamed for that.
Behind the standard bearers marched a pair of creatures who could only be Apkalla. The foremost, a winged man with the brown, black-beaked head of an eagle and matching plumage covering his chest, shouldered two poles that bore less weight than the rear carrier, a falcon-headed man with two pairs of wings and the scaly, taloned feet of a bird of prey. More peculiar than the porters, however, was the litter they carted between them: a bulbous amphora with a neck nearly as wide as the jug itself. Wine sloshed out as the Apkalla stumbled their way to flatter ground, staining the clay with dark spots.
Pale fingers, glistening with the red fermented juice, gripped the mouth of the pitcher as the goddess pulled herself out. Dark, wet hair preceded an angular face flushed from wine and etched with irritation. “What did you do this time, you fat bastard?” She froze, mouth agape, when she saw Malia and me. Her bare shoulders sank back below the lip of the amphora and her jaw worked at her words, which seemed stuck. Eyes glued to Malia, she finally said, “Gods, you’re beautiful.”
Malia blinked but quickly recovered. Spreading her wings, she gave a shallow bow. “Likewise. Kydon made no mention you had such exquisite features.”
Okay...well that did not start out as I thought it was going to. I get the feeling that somehow managed to genuinely catch Malia a little off guard too, either that or it could I guess just be Malia's excellent acting skills. At any rate, it's already pretty clear this conversation is going places.
Inkashi wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, don’t remind me of that oaf.” Eyes narrowed, she glared at the half-troll. “Why didn’t you send her first? Appearance is everything, and I know she can’t possibly smell like you do.”
“For the last time, that ‘Carthian stench’ is all in your head, you miserable old hag,” Kydon growled. “While not all our gods maintain their personal hygiene to satisfactory levels, I take great care of myself. The only thing that reeks is your attitude, which has yet to cease its best impersonation of horse feces.”
Inkashi sank down to her eyes. “Heavens send the winds shift. I’d rather be downwind of a swineherd.”
“I fear our diplomacy may have gotten off to a bad start.” Lurching forward, I stepped between them and gave a stiff bow. “Perhaps we could begin again?”
Startled, Inkashi shook her head and blinked a few times. “What a strange aura you have,” she said. Frowning, she glared at Kydon again. “What instability your pantheon has, bastardizing its gods. And you seriously expect us to consider you able to help?”
Okayy...well that derailed fast, but along expected lines so at the very least this one didn't catch me off guard. Well, let's see where this manages to take us. It's gotten off to about as good a start as could be expected, especially given just how this scene was setup earlier.
“It was a simple reassignment,” Malia hissed. “I’m sure the Paeden assemblage hasn’t remained static all these centuries either.”
“You two?” Wide-eyed, Inkashi stared incredulously at Malia. “How in the seven heavens did he land you?”
“I’ve asked myself that as well, over the centuries.” Malia folded her arms. “Are you the goddess of drunkenness and duplicity? You’ve come bearing compliments and insults, a duality I can appreciate.”
“Forgiveness, words aren’t always my strength.” The goddess really did look abashed. “It would never have crossed my mind that someone as stunning as you could have tied yourself down, much less with a buffoon like him…”
Malia simply raised an eyebrow.
Okay I am torn between being offended on behalf of Charax or being happy for Malia...although I guess ultimately that is mostly tending towards being offended, because it is a bit of an offense to Malia as well. This particular goddess is certainly something, its very clear why Kydon was no success with the diplomacy so far.
“As to your question,” Inkashi said, stumbling along, “I am the Goddess of Wine and War, may the two never mix.”
“Then we share a partial affinity.” Beaming, Malia bathed her in a smile that was almost all charm, tainted by its intensity. “As it’s well within your jurisdiction, perhaps you could assist me with something. I’d hate to mingle again over a battlefield.”
“Do tell.” Subtlety also wasn’t her strong suit, apparently, as she failed to hide how she latched onto the out Malia had given her.
Grinning, she drilled her with the petrifying gaze of a cobra freezing a bird. “You have something of mine. I want it back.”
Ohhh...okay....I was not expecting that to be the punchline for this chapter, but it certainly did catch me off guard so, great cliffhanger achieved there. Well I guess only the next chapter will reveal what that could possibly be about. At the very least the behavior of this goddess and her presence here makes a lot more sense now.
Aaaaand that's it for this one.
Overall: Overall, I think we've got the start of what promises to be a lovely bit of diplomacy although I have no doubt some potentially serious measures are about to go down courtesy of Malia's latest declaration there.
As always remember to take what you think was helpful and forget the rest.
Stay Safe
Harry
Points: 260826
Reviews: 4129
Donate