Amara closed the screens in front of her and got lost in thought. As she looked down on her hands she noticed that something was different – her birthmarks were gone. Her skin was smooth without any of the scars or defects she had accumulated over the years, although the shape was otherwise unchanged.
Seems like I've changed in many ways.
She clenched her fist and watched the tendons protrude on her wrist. As she clenched harder – when her hand would normally begin shaking, she felt the heat of divine power bursting to life in her fist and forearm. Strangely enough, she couldn’t see any visible changes.
Maybe I need some kind of magical sight?
Amara heard the doors open in the large room outside and relaxed her fist, feeling the divine power go dormant. She felt that either little or none of her divine power had been consumed for the task to strengthen her arm; she suspected it might be consumed should she try to do something past her body’s limits.
As Ezme appeared in the alcove that led to the room Amara looked up at her. “Is there any way to see divine power?”
“Certainly, you’ll need to create a skill for it though. Or change your body to make it able to do so on its own. I’ll help you later.” Ezme crossed the room, wings gently swaying with her steps as she approached and flopped down on the floor cross-legged next to Amara. “Maybe, anyway.”
Amara frowned. “Maybe?”
“Well, that remains to be seen. We’re a bit short on time and there’s something you need to know.” Ezme snapped her fingers and a thin maroon pamphlet appeared on the mirror-like floor between them. “You will need to know the details of the armistice before it officially is put into place.”
Amara picked up the pamphlet and opened it while she looked at Ezme. “I thought it was already put into place?”
“Well, yes and no. It’s already agreed upon that there will be an armistice, but the final details are being polished and agreed upon.” Ezme looked at the pamphlet in Amara’s hands and pointed. “Those are the key points you need to be aware of.”
Amara looked down at the pamphlet and realized the writing consisted of unfamiliar symbols – the angelic language – yet she could still comprehend them, although somewhat slowly. As if someone had mixed up similarly sounding letters with eachother as they were writing.
1. The armistice will have an otherwise uninvolved, independent overseer to ensure that both parties adhere to the rules.
“An independent overseer?” Amara looked up from the pamphlet. “Is that going to be another god?”
“Indeed. Although gods war all the time, there are some who never ended up fighting. Yet anyway.”(Ezme)
2. Prior to the armistice is put in place, both parties will select a champion. These champions’ divine energies will be the only ones allowed during the final battle.
“I think you mentioned that the other champion is a demon lord? Like one from the novels on Earth?“(Amara)
Ezme burst into laughter. “Good heavens, no! Those demon lords are like puppies in comparison. Adorable puppies with spiked collars. Make no mistake – demon lords are powerful. They rival us angels in strength.”
“But since it’s a one-on-one fight, shouldn’t I have a fighting chance?”(Amara)
“It’s not going to be a one-on-one fight, I'm afraid.” Ezme sighed before giving Amara a pitying look and motioned her hand towards the pamphlet. “Keep reading. It gets worse.”
3. The defending party will select one of the contested worlds which will serve as the final battleground. The battle will commence one millennium after both parties are in agreement on all points.
Alright, so we get to choose where to fight. Some advantage in that.
4. Once the armistice is agreed upon, both parties are to withdraw all forces from the contested worlds, save for the world mentioned in clause 3.
5. On the world selected for the final battle, the assaulting party retains control of conquered territories for the duration of the armistice. Both parties’ forces, save for the assaulting party’s champion, will withdraw from the world.
6. The assaulting party’s champion is confined to the territory stated in clause 5. The assaulting champion is not allowed any aid nor allies at the time the armistice is agreed upon, but is allowed to summon allies thereafter.
“He gets to summon allies? Are those going to be demons? What about the rule saying there should only be one from each side with divine energies?” Amara exclaimed and turned to look at Ezme again.
“Lower class demons don’t have divine energies. They use mana, just like mortals.” Ezme’s scrunched her nose in disgust. “Except the way they use it is revolting.”
Ezme hummed and lied down on her back on the floor, wings sprawled and crossed her arms under her head. Amara sighed and continued reading. This was indeed getting worse.
7. The overseer will put a barrier in place to prevent any of the assaulting party’s champion’s divine energies from influencing the unconquered territory. The barrier will serve as marker for the duration of the armistice. Upon its expiration, both champions will be confined to the final battleground by the overseer until one party is victorious. Victory is achieved upon the death of all hostile forces to the respective party.
Amara didn’t bother to look up from the pamphlet as she remarked. “Victory or death, huh?”
Ezme didn’t respond however. Amara's bad feeling grew worse but chose not to mention it for now.
8. The victorious party gains control over the all the contested worlds.
9. Once a party stands victorious, war between the two parties on the contested worlds affected by this agreement is forbidden for the next 10 millennia.
Ten thousand years? I’m not sure if that’s a lot or a little anymore.
10. The mortals living on the world mentioned in clause 3 will be granted an artifact that show the remaining time until the barrier’s annulment. The natives of all the contested worlds are free to rule themselves until either party obtains victory.
It's a bit cruel to know about the impending doom coming, isn’t it? But anyone alive now isn’t exactly going to be alive to experience it. And they are free to rule themselves? Does that mean that the norm is to be ruled by something? How unpleasant.
Oh, this is for me.
From when the armistice is in place until a champion stands as victor, the champion of the defending party will adhere to the following:
11. The champion will not be allowed to leave the defending party’s seat of power for the duration of the armistice.
...
…What? I’m going to be imprisoned here?
...
12. Upon the armistice’s agreement, the champion of the defending party will be granted dominion over the contested worlds.
...
“Eh? Dominion?” Amara looked over to Ezme who was staring up at the roof.
“I’ll explain that part later.” Was the only response Ezme gave.
...
13. The champion will be allowed to make mortals act as its mouthpiece, and infuse them with its divine energies, however restricted to one mortal at any one time, and only on the world stated in clause 3.
...
Mouthpiece? Like a pope or a saint I suppose. Or maybe a prophet would be the most accurate?
...
14. The champion is not allowed to influence the contested worlds with its divine energies, other than what is stated in clause 13, prior to the armistice’s annulment.
...
So basically I’m not allowed to do shit to increase my defenses on the world.
...
15. The champion is not allowed to communicate with any mortal. Exemptions to the rule are limited to communications with the mouthpiece, as well as receiving divine power from mortals in the champion's domain.
...
This is nothing but imprisonment! They are basically forcing me to live like a shut in! Not allowed to go out, not allowed to call anyone. I might have been a loner, but even I think this is way over the top.
...
16. The champion is not allowed any form of aid which results in an increase in their combat ability from the defending party’s forces during the armistice. The champion is however allowed to receive advice from one angel of its choosing for the duration of the armistice.
Well this sucks bigtime. No help whatsoever. As Amara finished reading the clauses related to her, she glanced at Ezme. I wonder what other angels are like. I’ve got no idea if Ezme would be a solid choice or not.
Judging by the flavor texts in the system, it would seem a fair guess that they are all pretty stuck-up though.
Amara continued reading the final general announcements.
17. Once the armistice has been agreed upon, the defending party is allowed to make one announcement to the mortals on the contested worlds.
18. The losing party’s champion’s soul is forfeited to the victorious party.
Amara stopped and read the clause again.
18. The losing party’s champion’s soul is forfeited to the victorious party.
Amara looked at Ezme. “What exactly does it mean to have your soul forfeited?”
Ezme turned her head towards Amara and looked her straight in the eyes. “You don’t want to know.”
Great. Goddamn perfect! So that’s why she didn’t say anything before; it’s got to be something worse than death! I’ve got to win no matter what.
19. Failure to adhere to the terms by the defending party forfeits the soul of the champion and half the worlds under the defending party’s domain.
20. Failure to adhere to the terms by the assaulting party forfeits the souls of all its forces and all the worlds under the assaulting party’s domain.
Maybe not completely no matter what. Seems like they got pretty good rules in place to disuade cheating. Why the difference in penalty though?
As Amara read the final clause she put the pamphlet on the floor and leaned her head back against the wall. Despite that she was in such a large room, with soft light shining through the windows and the sight of an angel laying down next to her wiggling her toes, she felt anything but serene.
“Why didn’t an angel want to do it? If they didn’t stand a chance, what chance do I have?” Amara asked dejectedly as she watched Ezme.
“Because of the terms you just read. Even if an angel would stand a good chance against the demon lord, it’d be impossible in the end with an army of demons created over a thousand years. Even if regular demons are weak compared to us, numbers at such a scale is beyond any one of our capabilities.” Ezme sat up and smiled gently at Amara. “But you are human. A mortal. Mortals have a tendency to be surprising.”
Amara raised the corner of her lips. “You mean when we aren’t being insufferable?”
“Especially when you’re being insufferable.” Ezme smiled brightly. “The reason you’re so surprising is that you find odd solutions to your problems. We angels? We think a bit differently, as being created with divine powers at our disposal, we use those alone to solve all our problems.”
“If you’re a hammer, all your problems look like nails?”(Amara)
“How ru – I mean you’re right in a sense, but still! To compare us to human tools! Couldn’t you be a bit more considerate?!” Ezme’s face flushed as she shouted at Amara, who smirked back at her.
“Being friends means telling hard truths.”(Amara)
“F-friends? With a mor-“ The angel stopped midsentence and looked away, but unable to stop her mouth from curving.
i'd want to know who negotiated these terms on the angel side because they're obviously incompetent at it.
TO MANY SPOILER BOXES. If you're going to give an explanation/discussion outside of the spoiler boxes, then there is no point in the boxes. All it does is make me click every single time I want to look at the rules. PAIN.
Other than that I like the story a lot.
Hello ! Thanks for the chapter !
Don't worry Tsunderzme, I'm sure you'll become even more than friends ...
Typos and/or sentences I flt could be worded better :
"Amara heard the doors open in the large room outside, and relaxed her fist and felt the divine power go dormant."
==> I was taught not to put too many "and" following each other, maybe take out the first one ? (just a suggestion)
"she suspected it might be consumed should she try do something past her body’s limits."
==> try to do
Ezme crossed the room, wings gently swaying with her steps as she approached and she flopped down on the floor cross-legged next to Amara.
==> Maybe take out the second "she". (just a suggestion)
"Well, that’s remains to be seen."
==> I think you don't need the "-'s", not sure.
Amara looked down on the pamphlet
==> I think it should be "at" instead of "on", not sure, boh might be right.
"Ezme sighed and gave Amara a pitiying look and motioned her hand towards the pamphlet."
==> pitying
==> Maybe one too many "and" too, you could remove the first one I think or change it to : "Ezme sighed before giving Amara a pitying look and motioned her hand towards the pamphlet." (just a suggestion)
"What about the about the rule saying there should only be one from each side with divine energies?"
==> one too many "about the"
"Amara exclaimed and turned to look Ezme again."
==> at Ezme
"Amara didn’t bother to look up from the as she remarked."
==> the pamphlet
"Amara bad feeling grew worse but chose not to mention it for now."
==> Amara's ? (maybe)
"8. The victor gains control over the all the contested worlds."
==> Remove the first "the".
"Is a bit cruel to know about the impending doom coming isn’t it?"
==> "It is" ?
"The champion is not allowed any form of any form of aid"
==> one too many "any form of"
"Amara asked dejectedly as she watched the Ezme"
==> Remove "the"
"Even if and angel would stood a good chance against the demon lord"
==> an angel
"We think a bit differently, being created with divine power, as we can use it that alone to solve all our problems."
==> Somehow the sentence feels weird to me.
My hero returns! Maybe I should base a character off of you.
"The? THE?! You referenced to me with THE? You insolent-" (Ezme)
That's enough.
@hauntedwritings Well it would be an honor to be part of your, and Ezmara's story ! But don't go out of your way to make a character for me if it changes your story in any way you didn't want to !!!
@Ahrina I'd simply name the character Ahrina, and add some quirks. I hope you won't take offense if I do, it'd simply be in honor of your help. The character already exists - without a name. I don't name my characters until they make an appearance. Apart from one, maybe two now.
Today, I thought of another one. Zpoiler. Mayor Zpoiler.
"...Delete us."(Amara)
@hauntedwritings Whenever I write stories I always use wordplays as placeholder for my characters names ahah.