We fed the mounts and departed.

A gentle breeze blew over the swamp, clearing up the air and the smell of stale water. The thick fog of early winter morning ensured temperature and humidity remained largely the same, but everything would change once spring rolled in.

Temperatures would rise, humidity would drop, and the landscape would slowly change back to what it used to be before the tree eclipse this part of the land.

It'd be a lie if I said the side activity was boring. I fought two Blood Fiends hundreds of levels higher than me on my own and slapped a few Mind Flayers around, after all. I had plenty of fun... drugs aside.

“Hm hm mh mhhhhm~” I hummed a song while we rode back to the temple, moving my hands as if playing a guitar, my feet to the rhythm of drums, and my head following a keyboard.

Riding to my right, Pokora was giving me curious glances, her eyes watching my air guitar.

“Hmm mhh mh hm hm mh hmmmm~” I continued, enjoying the breeze, the cold morning, and Sonya's even pace.

Our mounts stepped on mud, shallow water, and other such unsavory terrain, producing squelchy sounds.

“Hmhmm mhmmm~ pam pam bam~”

Insects flew about, but kept a good distance thanks to a light buzz coming from Elena, and arociously big slugs got out of our way surprisingly fast given their size.

I followed one of them with my eyes while passing next to it. “Parapaaan pan paaaan turutuu pewww~”

Lapia, who was riding her fox behind me, spoke, “Does it have any words, or is it just nonsense?”

I took a deep breath. “Watch the sparrow falling~ Gives new meaning to it all~!” I sang while playing my air guitar.

Pokora's eyes widened in recognition.

I smiled. “If not today, nor yet tomorrow, then some other day~!”

The scratch of a pen on paper came from further back. Bromisnar was writing something.

“I'll take seven lives for one~ And then my only father's son~ As sure as I did ever love him, I am not afraid~!” I put more passion in it.

Yolin, who was riding to my left, turned to me. “What?” she asked, confusion in her tone and expression.

I spread my arms wide, switching to air drums. “This world is spinning around me~ The whole world keeps spinning around me~ And all life is future to past~ Every breath leaves me one less to my last~!” I went back to the air guitar. “Pewpewwwww turururururuuuun~”

–

We crossed the clearing to the temple and were met with Shorvanna.

The Goddess was leaning on the obelisk, facing us.

My companions dismounted and bowed.

I guided Sonya closer to her. “Ahoy,” I greeted the Divine. “Danuva's request is complete. I removed the tree and then we killed the Mind Flayers and Blood Fiends under its roots.”

“You ate one,” Shorvanna pointed out in an even, neutral tone.

“I did,” I confirmed with a nod. “Not the tastiest, truth be told.”

“Come with me, Young Halve,” she instructed, turning around and entering the obelisk.

My companions walked past me towards the structure.

“Good luck,” Pokora snickered, giving me a grin.

Alyssa, Lapia, and Yolin patted my thighs and moved on.

Hanna bowed a little.

I winked at her.

Bromisnar, Bonte, Elena, and Thelea went behind them.

“Elena,” I called, leaning on Sonya's neck.

The Faeton Elf stopped and sighed.

“Let's have a chat when I'm done,” I suggested. “Go rest.”

She nodded and went into the obelisk.

I dismounted, patted Sonya's chin, and walked into the wall. To Shorvanna, I mentally instructed the stone.

Strong winds welcomed me, whipping my hair around. The forest around the temple stretched below me as far as the eye could see, going beyond the horizon. The sky above looked moody, carrying fat and fluffy gray clouds.

I looked around the top of the obelisk, slightly confused at the flat surface since it was a pyramid from the outside.

Shorvanna was already standing in front of me.

Next to her, a Divine Sentinel was sitting on the ground and gobbling quietly.

I equipped a wind cutter jacket, tied my hair in a braid, and produced a beanie to hold my hair in place.

“This is the Divine Sentinel appointed to you,” Shorvanna spoke. “Let's take advantage of your current state of mind. You should consume it now.”

I looked at the oversized turkey. “Are we cooking it?” I asked, looking around in search of a pot or grill.

Other than the Goddess, the turkey, and me, the top of the obelisk was completely empty.

“If you want to,” she replied. “The method is irrelevant.”

I held my chin. “I don't know how to prepare it,” I confessed. “Do you have a recipe?”

“Several,” the Goddess of the Path of the Warrior, Advocate for War, stated as a matter of fact.

I nodded. “Let's get to it, then.”

“Start with killing it,” Shorvanna instructed.

The Divine Sentinel walked to me and offered its neck, stretching it forward.

I retrieve a Legendary Quality sword with no effects other than a very sharp blade, and beheaded the animal in a swift, clean movement.

The head fell to the ground and blood flowed.

“Cut the feet now,” the Divine guided. “Absorb the E'er, Young Halve. Nothing is to be wasted.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath.

–

After bleeding it and removing the entrails along with the feathers, we were left with a very fat and juicy-looking bird.

Shorvanna produced ingredients and told me what to do with them and how to get the most out of them.

I followed her instructions, rubbing them all over the meat with my hands and stuffing the dead animal.

She conjured fire and made the bird float into it, where it would cook.

A satisfied hum left my chest. “That was easier than I thought,” I commented with a smile.

“Cooking is easy,” she offered as a response. “Now we wait.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Can't you make it happen right away?” I inquired. “Cooking it instantly or something?”

“Exercise of patience, Young Halve,” she simply told me. “Can isn't should, must, or will.”

I gave her a look. “It clearly isn't want, either...”

What sounded like a chuckle came out of the suit of armor. “Indeed.”

I smiled and looked at the forest.

The early morning fog had thinned, but remained still, covering the valleys and hills in a blanket of white mist. The suns were nearing the zenith above the clouds.

No matter how far I looked, my eyes adjusted and details remained constant.

I focused on an animal some two kilometers away.

It looked like a deer, but solid green and with horns instead of antlers. It dug the underbrush with clawed digits, sniffing and nibbling at whatever it was it found. It raised its head and pranced away behind trees.

My eyes are pretty damn good, I observed. They weren't this good back when I first woke up here.

“Young Halve,” Shorvanna called.

I turned my head in her direction. “Mhm?”

“What do you think of War?” she asked.

I looked back at the forest. “War...” I sighed. “The War I know is cruel, heartless, and selfish. At one point it might have been noble in its goal, but greed and progress took that away. Young kids being blown to bits by drones, young kids blowing enemy troops to bits with a vest, hospitals getting bombed, morals being twisted, names being called, corporations funding conflict for profit. It became a business, and soldiers were either blind to it or willing participants of it, and neither can be justified.”

“Filestra came to me before banning War,” Shorvanna shared, nostalgia in her voice. “She told me,” the Goddess said, then a completely different voice came out of her. It was angry, desperate, and spiteful,”War has lost its honor and its nobility has been called into question. Those honorable Warriors who recognize the sanctity of blood have been excluded from the dance, which is the Warrior's rite, and thus the dance has become a false dance, and the dancers false dancers. Interlopers to our most sacred of rituals cannot offer themselves entire to the blood of War, and go into the floor of the pit, naming the process a horror. Our sought after song of battle cannot be heard in the heart of those who close them behind weakness and cowardice. Even ants wage a much cleaner War than Mortals.”

My brows furrowed in confusion. “Didn't she ban War to save children from becoming orphans?”

“That's what she told mortals,” she revealed. “Filestra saw Scouts infiltrating countries and assassinating leaders as blasphemous to the sanctity of War. Conflict should be resolved face to face, she used to say. If you can't, then defeat is well deserved.”

“What of Giants?” I asked. “I thought the ban came after their invasion.”

“Filestra intervened after Rogamilionepitaungolon and his army intruded on Divine Lands. Giants had no influence on the ban of War,” she replied. “Their Emperor at the time, Tossalimponkorus Urrunassia IV, denounced Rogamilionepitaungolon in front of the populace, executing the transgressor's lineage as a form of atonement. Over four thousand Giants.”

My eyebrows went up at hearing that, then furrowed again. “Why have I been told a different story, then?”

“The people of Leks and Patuk resent Giants due to Rogamilionepitaungolon's actions. Tossalimponkorus took the blame in full, and Giants have kept to themselves ever since. Similarly, nobody from Leks or Patuk go to Makah.”

“Those names are a bit complicated,” I commented, rubbing my forehead.

“Giants pride themselves in their long names,” Shorvanna informed me. “Shortening another Giant's name is a heavy insult.”

“Huh,” I uttered. “So, Giants and the rest of mortals just... don't talk to each other?”

“Why do you think people lament Yulianna went to Makah?” she asked. “What could prevent people from simply asking the Giants of her whereabouts?”

I bit my lips and nodded. “The way people talk of Giants made me think they were beasts, or monsters...”

“Using your words, that's a case of xenophobia,” the Goddess explained. “Goliaths descend from Colossus, a distant relative of Giants. They carry a burden of sorts, which is why they so willingly guarded over the Short-lived species through the formation of their countries.”

“Hmmmm....” I tapped my lower lip. “Did Filestra tell you all this?”

“She was wearing me,” Shorvanna simply replied. “I saw it all happen first hand.”

“Wow...” I breathed out, realizing things about my girlfriends and the people I've come across. “Woooow....”

“Beautiful, isn't it?” The Goddess giggled. “Mortals complicate things in ways we Divines can't come up with.”

I arched an eyebrow at that, not entirely convinced in it being a beautiful thing.