Gods and Sweets

Twindil opened her eyes as the familiar sound of the metal eye hole sliding open pierced her ears. She roused and stretched her arms high over her head. Once her vision was clear, she examined the small slit of light highlighting their regular guard: Dundale. Then, she noticed that her cell had gained a plate of food.

"Oh, thank you, Dundale." She smiled and approached the door. A small, circular treat sat on a white plate. 

Looking at it, Twindil felt it odd that a prisoner like her would be trusted with such a gift. Perhaps the extended time in captivity was breaking down the suspicion. In theory, she could smash the plate and try to slice at him, but that wouldn't open the door. And frankly, Twindil didn't want to harm the talkative, curious dwarf. Maybe if given enough time, she could convince him into giving her and her friends more freedom.

"It's a Romai sweet bun, made from mushroom bread and grub sweets," he said gently.

"It's a very generous gift." She admitted, eyeing the place where his dark eyes would be through the gloom. "Why?"

Dundale angled his head proudly higher. "For all the accomplishments that our people have achieved while forced underground, I consider the feat of horticulture and husbandry the greatest. We've adapted to cultivate food entirely by electric lights, to innovate mushroom types and uses, and to utilize the earthbound fauna to our needs. This is a culmination of our mastery."

Twindil doubted that was the case, but put it as kindly as she could. "It's not a crime to give a lady a treat, you know."

The dwarf grunted and leaned back from the eye slot for a moment.

She took the food in her cuffed hands and took a small bite. It was surprisingly sweet and had a nutty aftertaste. Then, her vision blurred and shimmered with water and her throat felt smaller as emotion came over her. When was the last time she'd been given a gift of any kind? 

The sisters of Afina's church had given her her armor and sword. Further back in time, she recalled fondly the winter celebrations and secret gift exchanges between her friends. She'd used her time as a blacksmith's apprentice to craft little animal-shaped pieces of scrap for Elum, Nolvi, Alistair, and Kid'ka, and in turn they snuck her folded papers or other tiny trinkets. Each and every gift had a special place in her heart and memory.

Twindil closed her eyes and prayed that the darkness hid her weakness. Forgive me, Afina, for being so easily distracted from your tranquility. Further concealing her reaction, she turned toward the far wall and focused on eating the rare sweet and savoring every bite.

Once finished, she resumed her calming demeanor and asked, "So, Dundale, what do you want to talk about today?"

"I wish to hear more about the new gods."

Somehow, the names of the last three gods had been coaxed from the party. Twindil didn't fault them, though, since she had no idea what had been inflicted on the poor souls to force the information out. Dundale was only one of their visitors. Every other dwarf treated her like a barely sentient creature. 

She smiled and said in a gently correcting tone, "Volumes have been written about each one. You may have to be more specific."

Dundale's voice was a flurry of passionate, almost jumbled words, "What do you find interesting about them, what makes them important and worthy of the title of Pillar, and how does your perspective while being a fledgling goddess yourself change how you see previous Godling Wars successors?"

Thinking for a longer moment, Twindil finally answered, "I think the most interesting aspect about the gods and godlings in general is how a godling earns their title upon ascension. Though, I will speak more about the last two, since revealing Afina's origins and secrets goes against my faith."

After gaining an affirming grunt from the guard, Twindil began, "The Pillar Gods, Saihara, Draoi, and Zodd, had no competition for their ascension, so it is said they chose their own designations of commanding the pillars of Knowledge, Foundation, and Might respectively. Their children, however, had to earn their titles by their actions through the Godling Wars. The first winner was Kyria, daughter of Draoi, and the most prolific user of Foundation. She became the Pillar of Magic, thus creating the first House which magic can be casted from, safer than using raw Foundation, as I'm sure you know. From there came Darax of the Second Age, the gladiator and general who became known as War himself. As is the trend with all who followed.

"The process of succumbing to the overwhelming power of godhood and the progression into insanity is usually finalized by a large, destructive event that kills many. However, that is not always the case. According to the prophets of several ages, Dandenlona, Pillar of Nature, was simply the last one alive as she hid in a remote part of Ahkoolis as the others killed each other. Fikchon has tried to present himself to the prophets in several ages as a kind, good natured unifier of all, but one record has stood the test of time that tells another story. Fikchon's title of Pillar of Unity also is contested to mean that he combined all of his competition into one giant, grotesque homunculus as he grew more maddened, then killed the amalgamation in one blow. However, historical opinions seemed to sway back and forth about the matter, since it is well known that the Pillar Gods can lie about their ascension and feats while they were mortal.

"Perhaps the most well-known example is that of Guile, Pillar of Cunning, and his two accounts of ascension. The first story told to the prophet contained a tale where he hosted a tournament for all surviving godlings at the end of the Eighth Age. After promising that he would host and guide the challenge, but would willingly submit to the winner, he gathered all the godlings into one area. Madness was upon them all and such great, terrible feats of magic and skill razed the battlefield time and again. Toward the end of this tournament, when the winner had emerged, battered and exhausted, he approached Guile to kill him… only for Guile to betray that trust, slaying the winner at his weakest. This deceitful act ascended him to the Pillar-God of Cunning." Twindil paused to take a breath.

"In his second account, the one that he has told the prophet of this age, Guile said that his manipulation of his godling tournament was far more intensive. He said that he harmed the competitors with several kinds of slow-acting poisons that would bypass various sorts of immunities. He claimed that his tampering of the contest's food and drink indirectly affected who was able to progress and who it was he backstabbed at the end. It's impossible to test such claims, but our current scholars have debated on what kind of poisons could have been used against a godling's normally resilient body. Some theorize that he used some sort of parasitic magic, but such techniques are unknown to our current body of knowledge. Curious, isn't it?"

Dundale asked, "Wouldn't the Pillar of Memory Nishada want to keep the accounts accurate, much less Saihara?"

"There is no Pillar of Truth," she explained, recounting a rebuttal she herself had been taught while under the church's tutelage. "Knowledge and Memory can contain truth, but emotion and storytelling spectacle are known to take over the Pillar Gods' accounts. After all, they were mortals like us once."

"Such liars deserve worship?" the dwarf scoffed.

Twindil bit her lip. "Just because some stories are exaggerated, it does not change that they are powerful beings that make our life easier and fulfilled."

"Start talking like that, Twindil, and you may find that the Long Lords have the same basis for worship that the Pillar Gods do."

She found herself unable to fully argue against that. The vampire lords seemed evil and self-interested, but some Pillars, especially Ankoriss, followed that same template. That didn't mean she would acknowledge the vampires as just rulers, but she took this contradiction in her logic as a sign she needed to solidify her reasoning in a better way in the future. 

Unable to be completely honest with a jailer, she instead asked, "Do you not like the Pillar Gods, Dundale?"

"Seeing as one of them tried to wipe our very existence from the surface of Ahkoolis, I have a few gripes," he admitted with a hint of sarcasm.

"And yet you still show interest and ask about them when you visit."

"Mostly because a flock of fledgling deities fill our high security prisons."

"No other reason?"

Dundale made a harsh, scoffing grunt. "Of course not. The Romai may have mages and magic users, but their usefulness pales to our Fanged Guard and the Long Lords."

Twindil relaxed and offered a small smile. His redoubled efforts to sound self-sufficient and uninterested were telling enough. Something inside the guard was at war, and she could only hope that her efforts could cultivate the side that would benefit her and her friends. 

"Channeling Foundation doesn't give Oros any power or validation, you know."

His voice turned harsh, "The Genocider is still given a throne next to useful gods, honored and worshipped. Hells, most all of the Pillars have committed atrocities. But since the common dwarf, man, elf, and whatever else survive, should they give tribute to the irresponsible higher powers?"

"And your Long Lords have never committed similar crimes?"

It was his turn to pause and rethink his reasoning. If only there wasn't a prison door separating the two of them and the threat of death or worse, she could find herself enjoying these little debates with the dwarf.

"Unmarred hands and perfect decisions can't be the basis of who is deemed worthy of following," Dundale said thoughtfully. "In that case, what is?"

"Find an ideal to strive for," she answered, "and find someone with the same goals to group with. That's why I joined the order of Afina. She may be my deific mother, but the order strives for peace, evenhandedness, and cooperation, regardless of race. They accept and value me, despite my disgusting background."

"Disgusting?"

She fingered her slightly pointed ears. "I'm half Faekin." She could just imagine Lance flinching at the slur, but Twindil had heard it all her life. "That alone should have guaranteed that I never grew to adulthood. Yet, I'm still here and able to make friends. I can exist, despite being a revolting crossbreed."

"I was under the impression that crosses between elves and other races were fairly normal. At least two of your godling companions seem less than fully human." His tone was calm and curious again.

"Not where I was born. Elum was always an outcast in our home and Alistair had the benefit of being a nomadic trader, but they didn't commit the crime of being elvish. The fact that I still have my ears unclipped is a miracle." She inhaled deeply, then looked through the rectangle of light again, "Forgive me, I shouldn't be bothering you with this. I've accepted Afina's tranquility in everything. Do you wish to hear about other aspects of the Pillar Gods or Ahkoolis, Dundale?"

She couldn't see his eyes through the gloom, but she knew that he was taking note of her words. He finally asked, "If you were to ascend, what would be your Pillar?"

"That's a good question," she replied kindly. "My efforts have been for protecting my friends and preserving, so I can only hope that those small actions can outweigh the bloodshed that has been forced upon my sword. Though, in all likelihood, I won't be the one to ascend. If you look at the track record of the Pillars, all but one is a direct child of the big three."

"The Pillar God you speak of is Fikchon, correct?"

"For hating the Pillar Gods so much, you know many facts about them, Dundale," she praised. "Yes, Fikchon is the son of Nishada, who is the daughter of Zodd. Even Mazeek, the Unbound, is a son of Saihara. Chances favor Alistair or Kid'ka to win this Godling War, if not any of the other hordes of still-living godlings that are slowly amassing their power."

"The current number of godlings is still high?"

Twindil hesitated. Parting with such information would not be wise. Even if she liked Dundale's company and conversations, he still spoke with powerful enemies. It was better for him and by extension this faction of evil to not know the godlings' current capabilities and how far along the war was. She attempted to lie, "I am not certain. I was referring to my knowledge as it was before braving the Fiendwood. Many things may have changed during our travel time."

"Which you still have not stated your reasoning for braving."

She followed that subject gratefully, "If you let us out, then we can accomplish our goal and leave your realm in peace."

"You expect me to believe that?" Dundale scoffed. "Peace is no longer an option. Too much blood-" He suddenly stopped himself, then said firmly, "I am truly sorry that you had no other route to follow than here, Twindil, but New Romai holds your fate now. You will not have to fear the madness of godhood overtaking you. The Long Lords have called for all Pillar-Born blood, though they are in no rush to drain you."

"So, that is how it will all end, is it?" 

His words emerged slowly, "It has been decreed…"

"Then why do you sound so sullen?" She forced a sad smile. "Cheer up now, Dundale, your people will be safe soon from the godling scourge that invaded your home."

The dwarf's look sharpened through the slat, then he leaned back and closed it. The dank, small cell became a pitch-black hovel once again. Twindil ran her fingers around the edge of the little white plate while her mind was free to analyze every word that had been traded.