The Oracle Paths

While Jake was rejoicing, a fortress thousands of kilometers away from Laudarkvik received the news of last night's events in Laudarkvik. If Jake had been there, he would have recognized the architectural style, which was identical to that of the first stronghold he had destroyed a few days earlier when he landed in the Lost Divinities HQ.

"Shamash is dead." Deimos announced chillingly.

The implications of this announcement would have far-reaching consequences for their plans.

"What?! Shamash is dead?! Don't mess with us, Deimos!" The giant demon Belakor thundered as he smashed his fist into the huge stone table around which their meeting was taking place.

Nucnar, the once rock giant covered in minerals and gems but now only the size of a 7 or 8 year old child, pleaded in his still gruff voice,

"Please, Deimos. Tell me you're kidding."

After being practically obliterated by Jake, his Divinity was struggling to rebuild his soul and body. Right now, he was like a recovering amnesiac slowly regaining his memories and abilities.

His situation was in fact the most common in the subfactions that Lost Divinities was constantly establishing in the new Systems. He had once been a popular minor mountain deity in a certain region of his home world, but his existence had been all but forgotten and he had fallen into disuse.

If he had not joined Lost Divinity, he would have simply ceased to exist once the last people who remembered him were gone and his Divinity had run out.

Lost Divinity had a very straightforward way of fixing their predicament and ensuring their survival. Before lending them the power of another Divinity or a body with a Divine Bloodline, it had a much more pragmatic and forthright solution: believe in them.

Of course, millions of ordinary humans from a lower universe like those on Earth would have been useless. The energy of their thoughts was too insignificant to give life to anything. At most, it would have allowed Nucnar to survive and perhaps slowly recover over the years if the believers were devout enough.

But getting stronger? Unlikely.

But what if it was a powerful Evolver or God from System A0 or A1 who decided to believe in their existence? One thought from them could easily annihilate a Seed World. If they were willing to spare a sliver of their attention for these forgotten deities, saving them was a cinch.

This was how Lost Divinities ensured that most of its new members would join and remain loyal. Without Lost Divinities, these minor deities were nothing.

However, in the end, a scrap of attention was still a scrap of attention. Even if these overpowered Evolvers acknowledged their existence, did that mean they were willing to let these new Players drain their mental energy without limit?

Of course not.

That was why Nucnar was recovering so slowly. The Evolver in charge of believing in his existence... didn't give a shit about him. If he hadn't been allowed to tap into the energy of another Divinity, it would have taken him years to recover.

That was why the news of Shamash's death was so dramatic for him and the other members. If even Shamash had perished with an almost inexhaustible stream of Faith Energy and a Divinity with a long accumulation, then they stood no chance of winning.

"Is the news reliable?" Khag' Dagmai, the Nosk God asked seriously.

"I'm not lying, alas. I wish I were." Deimos replied listlessly. "The death of Shamash affects our plans. We must now decide our attitude toward Laudarkvik. If we decide to stay, the clash with the Myrtharian Nerds and Pureblood is inevitable. The losses will be heavy and the victory uncertain."

"What do you decide?"

"One vote each by raising your hand as usual." Ozo reminded as he floated in his bubble form overlooking the table.

The irony was that he was the only Player present devoid of arms.

No hands were raised except for that of the beauty Ashun. Feeling all those crooked eyes on her, she giggled,

"What? I like these guys. Mortals rising up against the evil Gods... Aaah! I smell the makings of an epic saga!"

"You crazy bitch in love! You and your delusions of romance between a god and a mortal!" Belakor bellowed as he flung his Hell Greatsword in her face like a javelin. "Wake up! They are our enemies!"

"Cough, cough..."

A snow-white-haired elder wearing a worn-out cyan robe cleared his throat loudly. He was the one who had trapped Jake's arm in an iceberg.

"Forgive me Ashun." He first apologized courteously with a head bow before vociferating with bulging veins on his forehead,

"But did you just say we're the EVIL ones?! I'm righteous!"

The other Players rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, sure old man, you're a saint. We all believe you." Belakor snorted. "Though, if I remember correctly, wasn't it you who froze a village in the middle of summer when they asked for warmer temperatures during the heat wave? I also remember the time during our third Ordeal when we were being chased by thousands of monsters and you deliberately froze the only escape route behind us, dooming thousands of Players. Ring a bell?"

The old Player shook with anger at the sneering face of the demon, but refrained from retorting. That bastard Belakor loved to piss them off and feed off their negative emotions. It was his favorite pastime.

"Thyohr and Belakor, stop your nonsense." Deimos warned them in an icy voice. "Okay, 1 vote for and 2787 votes against. Ozo and Khag' Dagmai, what would you have voted?"

" Is there a need for this question?" The Nosk snorted as he clenched his fists, "They are worthy prey. They deserve to be hunted. To die by my sword is their glory and honor.

"But I will comply with orders..." He added just after grudgingly.

"And you Ozo?"

"I don't like to fight without reason. If the battle is avoidable I prefer to stay away from it." The bubble alien admitted honestly.

The less admittable reason was that Jake was not a good match for his abilities. His energy was precious and he hated wasting it on futile fights.

" Alright, I can relate to your choices." Deimos smiled before becoming grave again as he gazed at the other members seated at the table. "As for me, I would have chosen to fight too. Like Khag', the more my opponents resist, the more they are worthy of being killed by me. But in the end, victory will still be mine."

The Lost Divinities Players did not contradict their leader. From their perspective it was indeed the truth. The Spartan was so frightfully strong that no one understood his limits... Except Shamash.

And he was dead.

Deimos had once admitted that without his gear and his own Divinity he would not be able to defeat Shamash if he got serious. It was a matter of specialty. Without a disproportionately powerful mind and the ability to resist his Sun Force, it was a losing battle without proper equipment.

Seeing that the other members were waiting for his final verdict, the Spartan stared impassively at them for a moment, then said,

"In truth, this vote was unnecessary. I just wanted to know what you would have decided. I have already received orders from the Nullifier to abandon Laudarkvik and regroup at the Shatug Empire with the rest of our forces. Our retaliation, if any, will take place in Celestial City. It's just a shame that with the Nullifier present, there's no point in this revenge anymore."

"T-the Nullifier gave the order in person?" Nucnar shivered in horror as he remembered the appearance of their absolute leader on Quanoth. "Did he say anything about our failure?"

A heavy silence settled over the room. Deimos smiled and repeated word for word,

"He said, and I quote, do your best to absolve yourself. Otherwise pay the price for your sins."