The two voices didn't belong to both [Void] sovereigns — they ca from one [Void] deity and one [Civilization] deity.
When [Truth] declared "I agree" and dropped a weight that tipped the Scales out of balance, [Oblivion]'s expression turned utterly grim.
He wasn't the only one — several gods in attendance were visibly surprised.
Only [Folly] watched the foolish act unfold in silence, eyes brimming with contempt.
[Oblivion] couldn't comprehend it. Strictly speaking, He didn't need to worry about [Truth]'s vote, but He still turned to confront Him:
"How many tis has [Deceit] ddled in your experints? How much of your pursuit of truth has He sabotaged? And you're voting for Him? [Truth], have you lost your mind — or is [Prosperity]'s child about to beco [Deceit]'s child?!"
At this, [Deceit]'s expression turned peculiar, while [Truth] offered no comnt.
Hong Lin, however, nearly jolted out of her chair, thinking anxiously: 'I don't have a son that old...'
Seeing [Truth]'s cold indifference, [Oblivion]'s eyes flickered. He could scarcely imagine the chaos that would ensue if the most restless [Truth] joined forces with the most audacious [Deceit].
What He found even harder to imagine was that even without [Deceit]'s partnership, [Truth] alone could punch a hole through the sky — and had already done so once.
The voting continued. The next several votes held no surprises.
[Birth] murmured "Children... children..." and abstained.
[Death] cast His vote in favor without a mont's hesitation.
The Iron Law of [Order] solemnly expressed His opposition to [Void]'s disruption of order and voted against.
[Chaos] said nothing, simply raising a hand — a vote in favor.
[Folly] abstained as expected, the mockery in His eyes growing thicker.
[Fate] wasted no words and cast two votes in favor.
When the gods saw [Fate] cast two votes, every deity in attendance was stunned. [Oblivion] imdiately challenged:
"Why does He have two votes?! Whose voting rights is [Fate] acting as proxy for?! [Justice (Order)], you owe the gods an explanation!"
[Justice (Order)] was about to explain when [Fate] cut in with a cold voice:
"Matters of [Fate] need not be explained to you.
The only connection between us at this mont is that I have foreseen the future in which you lose your Divine Throne.
Beyond that, you are not even worthy of speaking my na.
If you have doubts — co and fight. Compared to stripping your throne, I'd rather send you back to true oblivion with my own hands."
An icy gale from the depths of the void tore through the star curtain and began churning above the [Void] seats. [Oblivion] locked eyes with [Fate], grinding out word by word:
"I annihilate the sacrifice [Deceit] chose for your own good! Yet you turn around and bite the hand that feeds you?! [Fate], the day will co when your Fixed Destiny is dragged into the abyss by [Deceit]! I will watch you regret it and co crawling back to beg !"
"You won't see that day — because you die now!"
Whoever touched Fixed Destiny was [Fate]'s enemy.
In that instant, the vote no longer mattered to [Fate]. He erupted in fury, unleashing boundless, indiscriminate freezing winds that engulfed every god present.
Every god — except Fixed Destiny.
The gods' expressions all shifted, but there was no alarm — only weary resignation.
This wasn't the first ti [Fate] had tried to drag the universe down with Him. The only difference was that today's venue was particularly poor timing.
[Justice (Order)]'s power was limited — He couldn't handle anything outside the Convention. But as long as the Convention was involved, He was the aggregate of all authority, the unity of all divine power.
At the Assembly of Gods Convention, no god could break the rules by force. So in the next instant, the Scales wrought of flowing light blazed with brilliance. The ancient tone of order pulsed across the universe in the rhythm of flickering stars, and within monts, those endless freezing gales dissolved into gentle breezes drifting past the gods' eyes. The raging [Fate] was dragged back to the [Void] seats by the inescapable true power of [Order].
[Justice (Order)] looked down from above, His resonant voice a warning:
"Any act that disrupts the fairness of the Assembly of Gods Convention vote will be stopped. This is a warning. Should there be a next ti, [Fate], you will forfeit your voting rights."
[Fate]'s cold eyes tilted upward, looking as if He wanted to fight [Justice (Order)] too. But His peripheral vision caught His follower ducking behind [Deceit], and with a sharp frown, He silently abandoned the impulse.
[Justice (Order)], seeing this, turned to [Oblivion]:
"[Fate] is acting as proxy for [Prosperity]'s voting rights. This is in accordance with the rules and requires no further questioning."
[Prosperity]?!
'But weren't His rights in [Truth]'s hands?'
[Oblivion] cast a frigid glance at [Prosperity], only to find the god reclining with eyes closed, perfectly at ease. He then turned toward [Truth], unable to fathom what price [Void] had paid to win [Truth]'s support and obtain [Prosperity]'s voting rights.
[Deceit] watched the scene with a grin, guessing what was going through the other's mind. 'The price was indeed steep,' He thought. 'We spent one [Truth], after all.'
'Oh, right — plus one [War] on top of that.'
Since [War] wasn't attending, His vote — like [Corruption]'s — would be counted as an abstention at final tally. Of the fourteen present, ten had now voted. The tally stood at 7:2:1 — in favor, opposed, abstention.
Though the "in favor" votes held a commanding lead, in [Oblivion]'s eyes the remaining few had virtually no reason to vote yes. So His expression grew increasingly contemptuous, and the way He looked at Herobos filled with dark amusent.
The most anxious person in the chamber at this point was undoubtedly Herobos. Cheng Shi at least had so idea of who would vote which way, but Herobos was relying entirely on guesswork about which gods might lean toward [Void]'s camp.
They were in the lead, but every remaining vote was utterly unpredictable.
Cheng Shi was just as tense. He kept his gaze fixed on [mory] and [Decay], desperate to see just what kind of "I know" these two intended to deliver.
Every eye in the chamber was on those final few. Before long, [Existence] moved first. [Ti] silently cast His vote before departing the venue without a word.
As expected — He voted in favor.
The gods weren't surprised by this. After all, He was Cheng Shi's Benefactor and had rged with [Void]. Since this entire matter was clearly tied to Cheng Shi and [Void], casting a supportive vote was simply putting their alliance on public display.
But [mory]'s vote caught everyone — mortal and divine — completely off guard.
He abstained.
That's right — abstained!
[Oblivion] was stunned, though still relieved. To Him, an abstention was the sa as an opposition — both counted as "assists."
What He'd never expected was that [Deceit]'s rival, [Void]'s mirror, this steadfast devotee of Origin... would fail to vote against.
The gods shared the sa bewildernt. They looked at [mory], who smiled and said:
"Soone told
that the universe is destined to drift toward [Void].
Perhaps this truly is the era of [Void] — everything is drawn toward nothingness, and even my sibling god cannot resist the current.
But...
I am [mory]. I am the manifestation of [Existence] — the fragnts and details that He recalls when He looks back upon this starry sky.
I cannot draw closer to [Void], nor should I. Because mory cannot be rendered aningless.
Therefore, I cannot cast a vote in favor.
Yet if all things returning to nothingness is His will projected upon this era, then neither can I stand against it.
Therefore, I cannot cast a vote in opposition.
And so — I choose to abstain."
Reviews
All reviews (0)