As Lia returned ho, she was t by a surprised-looking Alia. “Um, Lia, we have a bit of an…unexpected situation on our hands.” She said.
“What’s going on?” Lia asked.
“Theoretically good things, but it’s weird that they’re happening at the sa ti. We’ve got a set of high-profile defectors from the Sapphire Empire, and Astrea, Cardinal of Astrum, wishes to surrender.” Alia explained.
“What?” Lia asked, taken aback. “Why?”
“Her letter said sothing about the Goddess of Law visiting her and giving her a list of gods that support us, and from that coming to the conclusion that enough of the gods favor us that it is her religious duty to defect.” Alia replied. “Which, given what Nailah’s said about her conversations with the Goddess of Law, seems like just the sort of thing she would do.”
“Yeah, Liza did do that.” Connie confird, poking her head out of the kitchen. “Since more and more gods are calling this plane a lost cause and focusing their efforts elsewhere, she’s beco desperate.”
“Wait, when did this start happening?” Lia asked. “They’re giving up? Why?”
Connie hesitated. “I’m…afraid I shouldn’t tell you without accepting at least a little paynt first.” She said regretfully. “Just to keep from running afoul of the sa issue Liza had where she was punished for being too biased. I know I’m in sort of a different situation than the other gods, but…well, it’s better to err on the side of caution. Um…if you pay, let’s say…one hundred Blood Money, I’ll tell you, and even throw in a tip for negotiating with Astrea that I can almost guarantee will make the process a lot smoother.”
“We totally get it, Connie.” Lia assured her. “And that sounds like a deal, just take the paynt from like normal. I haven’t checked my reserves, but nowadays I’d be shocked if I didn’t have that much just lying around.”
“Yeah, you’ve got plenty. Really, it’s just a token paynt. Anyway, as Astrea will no doubt tell you, sowhere in the realm of half of the gods actively support the swarm, a few are neutral, and the rest oppose us. Since we’re not allowed to make any sweeping moves that would swing the balance of power one way or the other, at least not in a way that would effectively guarantee an outco, they’ve decided that we already have too much of a foothold in this plane, and their efforts would be better spent elsewhere.
“As for the tip…Astrea knows about Jerry, even if she doesn’t know his na. Just ntioning ‘the head god’ will likely all but confirm that she ends up joining us. The fact that you know that will signal that you’re in close contact with the gods, and that’s all she really needs to be convinced.”
Lia digested that information for a mont. “So…when we hop to Izumi’s plane after this one, it’s going to be tougher than it would have been?”
“Without a lot more paynt, I’m afraid I can’t give you any concrete answers. I’ve given what I can based on info you’ll get shortly, any more risks giving you an advantage I shouldn’t be able to give you for cheap.” Connie said carefully. “But I’ve got to get back to the food now, I’ll let you continue.”
“Thanks, Connie!” Lia called out, then turned back to Alia. “So, when do we et with Astrea?”
“If you’re okay with it, now.” Alia replied. “Astrea said she will be on standby in a hidden chamber in the evenings and gave coordinates. I’ve already checked, she’s there and there’s no one close to her, so we’re in the clear.”
“This is so…sudden.” Lia said, a touch weaker than she would have liked. “But…we can’t afford to give her ti to change her mind. Let’s go as soon as Rose is ready…or…Connie, how long until dinner is finished? We can go after, probably.”
“I’ll just put it in stasis!” Connie called out. “This is more important! And, uh, once she’s fully agreed, feel free to tell her about, you know…us. She’ll figure it pretty soon, so there’s not much point in hiding it.”
As she said that, Rose walked out of the kitchen, putting an apron into her dinsional storage as she did. “I’m ready. Hopefully this will be a pretty quick thing, we get in, discuss the plan, convert her, then get out.”
“What is the plan with her?” Lia asked. “I didn’t think anyone would actually surrender to us.”
“I’ve made one for each of the other nations on the off-chance any did surrender.” Rose replied. “For Astrum, it’s like this…”
Astrea, Cardinal of the Religious State of Astrum had her reading interrupted by the descent of another divine being, the second in just a scant few days. As she hurriedly got up to kneel, however, she found that she was not, in fact, facing a divinity, but instead the leaders of the swarm.
Now that she was paying more attention, there were slight differences in the sensations their presence gave, but these people were clearly more in tune with the gods than anyone Astrea had ever t, herself included. “O-oh.” She stamred. “I…see you got my letter.”
Lia nodded, taking a seat in a chair that appeared out of nowhere, the two next to her doing the sa. “We have. I appreciate your surrender, but before we proceed, I have a few questions, if that’s alright with you.”
Astrea sat nervously. “T-that’s fine.”
“I understand that you believe it is your religious duty to surrender to us due to the number of gods who support us, but I want to know; is this what you really want?”
Astrea looked around nervously, prompting Lia to speak again. “Please, be honest. I can swear on my Title as Favored of the Gods that I won’t hold anything you say here against you.”
Right…she did have that Title, didn’t she? Well, if she was going to swear by it, then that’d be good enough. “No.” Astrea admitted. “Can you bla ? Even though these are the principles my nation is built on, I’m effectively betraying my people. Even now, I’m of half a mind to call for help, but I know that it’s pointless with you three right here. My fate is sealed.”
“What was the tipping point?” Lia asked. “Did you figure this was the stance of the head god?”
Astrea whipped her head around to stare at Lia. “How do you know about that?” She asked quietly.
“We received confirmation from one of the gods that we know.” Lia said. “We’re a fair bit more…in touch with the gods than almost anyone.”
Normally Astrea would discount a claim like that, but the proof was there in front of her; she had thought they were gods when they first entered the room, to have an aura like that could only an they were telling the truth. “So…I was right?” She asked. “The head god does favor you?”
Lia shrugged. “I can’t say for certain, but given what I know of them, I think they’re at least leaning towards our side.”
“I…see. I’m glad I read the situation correctly, then. Um…you had other questions?”
Lia looked towards Rose, who gave a nod. “Yes.” Rose said. “In your estimation, do you have enough forces to hold the border to the rest of the world? I’m assuming your armies are yet to fully mobilize, and if you have enough troops, we would like to initiate the conversion of the entire country instead of just having you as a spy.”
Astrum bordered only one other nation, Odria, a kingdom to the south ruled by a woman nad Emily. And Rose was correct; it had only been a few weeks since everything started in earnest, and Astrum had never been a very militant nation, so their military had been slow to act. Only a few of their high-leveled people had made it out of the country, so the majority of their troops had yet to begin marching.
“I…don’t know.” Astrea admitted. “We’ve mostly relied on diplomacy to keep ourselves safe from other countries, we’ve never had to wonder if we’d be capable of standing against the entire rest of the world. Though…when I put it like that, it seems unlikely, but…I guess that’s what you’re attempting to do anyway? I don’t know, this isn’t my forte, I just, I…”
Astrea trailed off, the weight of her decision pressing on her once again. She didn’t want to do this, but what choice did she have? She’d be betraying all of her principles if she chose to not support them, since the majority of the gods supported them, but by doing so she was betraying her people. Even if she tried to remain neutral in the conflict, the conflict would eventually co to her, and in the anti, she would still effectively be betraying the trust of her people.
Rose stood up and walked over to her, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I understand.” She said soothingly. “The burden of a ruler is not light. But, rember, you will not be alone in this; we will be assisting you however we can, and just like we are on the other front, Alia and I will personally take to the battlefield when need be. Furthermore, the combat capabilities of your soldiers will increase, and you will be able to recruit monsters to aid you. Your forces will be far more capable than they were before.”
“I…then…maybe?” Astrea said. “You’re…you’re more qualified to know than I am, but I don’t have a broad overview of my army that I can just give you to have you decide, though.”
Rose nodded. “Then that is good enough, with our aid you should have no troubles. Now, before we proceed, I want to hear it once more; are you absolutely sure about this? If not, we can leave now and pretend this never happened, but if so, we will discuss the next steps.”
Astrea felt like the world itself was holding its breath as it waited for her decision. She wasn’t sure if Rose actually ant it when she said that they would leave, but whatever the case her decision wouldn’t change. Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded. “Yes.” She whispered. “I have resolved myself. This is the path I have to take.”
Rose gave a grave nod, then walked back over to the others and sat down. “Very well.” She said.
“We will make this quick.” Lia said. “At ho, our girlfriend, Connie the Goddess of Comrce, forrly Connor, God of Comrce, is making dinner, and we don’t want to keep her waiting. Are you ready for instructions?”
Astrea stared at Lia in confusion. “What? You…that’s not…”
“No, it’s not normal, and yes, she changed her sex due to matters relating to us.” Lia said. “There are many complicated circumstances surrounding this, and it is not currently known to the public, but she told us to tell you because you would figure it out anyway. So long as you don’t tell anyone else, there will be no issues.
“Regardless, your imdiate instructions are simple; lie low, and begin converting people who are in positions of power. Unfortunately, everyone converted becos a woman, it’s built into the swarm, so you’ll have to target only won until we’re ready to fully convert the nation, but we can work through the details of that in the next couple of days.
“If you so desire, you can be nad Marchioness of Astrum, but know that it is mostly a ceremonial title; you will not be afforded extra privileges, and indeed you may find it to be added work for little benefit, but you would retain your residence here, at least. Finally, we’ll put you in contact with Emily, the ruler of Odria. She is currently our woman on the inside, and I think you’ll find managing border security to be easier with her aid.”
Astrea stared at Lia in shock. “She is? Since when?”
“Since the last eting Alisha attended before the broadcast. Alisha converted her after that, and she’s been working for us ever since.” Lia replied.
“I…never even suspected it.” Astrea said quietly. “She acted exactly like she always has.”
“Your personality doesn’t really change outside of your views on conversion and your loyalties. In all other aspects, you’re exactly the sa as you were before.” Alia replied. “We wouldn’t have the support of any gods were that not the case. All Emily really had to do was keep herself calm and composed.”
“But, my faith…” Astrea began.
“Will also remain unchanged.” Alia finished. “Or…well, you probably wouldn’t accept orders from those like the Goddess of Law, should they actively go against the swarm, but that’s…probably within acceptable limits? The gods I’ve spoken with seem okay with it, at least.”
“How many have you spoken with?” Astrea asked curiously. “If you can say.”
Alia tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Obviously I talk with Connie every day, but her aside…actually, I think I personally have only spoken to her and one other. Lia and Rose tend to get called in for those etings rather than . I’m still…look, it’s complicated, but I’m still learning how to feel emotions and be a proper person instead of the broken, emotionless state that they used to force on Heroes. And, because of that, I tend to get left out of the morality discussions because I’m not emotionally mature enough yet.”
Astrea unconsciously shot a glance at Rose, who picked up on the gesture and spoke. “Yes, I was no exception. Was. My before and after was a large part of why the gods dropped the usage of the emotional dampener. It may sound weird with how society has built up, but to tell you the truth, I dislike my old self. He was an empty shell of a person, and only represents the worst parts of my life. Believe , if you could see the from back then and compare it to the of now, you’d see he was only a façade of a person.”
Astrea wanted to reject that notion, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Yes, the Ruby Emperor had often been described as incredibly charismatic and with a force of presence about him that could almost be suffocating, but those…weren’t really personality traits, not really. There weren’t records of his likes or dislikes, no testimonies of what he was like in private, nothing. It was almost like he was his station, but Astrea had always chalked it up to incomplete records.
And, when combined with the well-known fact that the gods had placed restrictions on Heroes, restrictions that no longer seed to apply…it all seed to slot together. Still, Alia had just implied that Lia and Rose had t more gods than Alia herself had, and Astrea’s curiosity was piqued. “I…see.” Astrea said. “If you don’t mind my asking, how many gods have you and Lia t?”
“As myself, only one or two more than Alia.” Rose answered. “As Reuben…I don’t know. I don’t have mory of the afterlife, and likely won’t for quite so ti. But, when I was alive as Reuben, none.”
“As for …” Lia paused, silently sticking out finger after finger as she seed to recall a list. “Uh…six, I think? Six I’ve had face-to-face conversations with, anyway, it’s seven if you count the couple of sentences I exchanged with the Goddess of Law when she spoke telepathically to , but that was only a sentence or two so it’s not the sa, really. Why do you ask?”
Astrea blinked in surprise. “Isn’t it natural to be curious about this?” She asked. “These are the beings that give us guidance and govern our world, even I have only had face-to-face conversations with the gods four tis, and I am the leading religious figure in this world. To have had seven encounters at your age…it’s unheard of.”
“I guess.” Lia said. “Perhaps I’ve lost my sense of wonder for it after everything that’s happened. But we can discuss this later; do you have any other questions?”
“I…suppose not.” Astrea said. “What now?”
“Now is the fun part.” Lia replied. “Have you ever wanted to be anything else? Your Job, your species, anything, we can change that for you. And, just in case you’re worried about it being heretical, this is endorsed by the head god; they even helped tweak the system to fix so bugs Alia hadn’t been able to fix when she made it. So, any wish you’ve ever had, we can make it happen.”
“I…I don’t know.” Astrea admitted. “Anything? Don’t you need to at least appear as myself until this becos public?”
“I can take care of it with an illusion.” Alia replied. “Trust , no one will know unless they’re doing a deep scan of you, and if they’re going that far, your changed status will be a dead giveaway anyway.”
Astrea hesitated. This was a chance to change things about herself that she had never thought could be changed, and if the gods were on board with it…what did she have to lose, really? And, the mont she was about to speak, the words began falling out of her mouth unbidden, the unmistakable touch of magic in her mind informing her that this was almost certainly the doing of Alia or Rose.
“I…have always envied catkin.” Astrea admitted. “I grew up near Astrum’s largest community of catkin, and I always wished I was part of it. Most of my friends were catkin, and while they tried their best to include , it was…different, you know? And…I always wanted to be one of them. Even now, that hasn’t changed.”
Rose shot Alia a glance, but didn’t say anything. And, while Astrea couldn’t stop herself, she also didn’t really mind. Everything she was saying was true, things she had always thought but never actually told anyone. Whatever spell was on her, it was clearly ant to lay her desires bare, presumably so she didn’t hold anything back out of a lack of trust. So, rather than being angry, she was simply embarrassed that she was saying these things aloud.
“If possible, I would like my Job to be changed to sothing nimble and stealthy, like Scout or Ranger. Really, just…as close to a stereotypical catkin as you can make .” The spell ended, and control of Astrea’s mouth was returned to her. “S-sorry.” She stuttered. “That might have been sharing a bit much, and I don’t know how realistic that is, but…that would be a dream co true, yeah.”
“That all?” Lia asked. “That’s not even close to being a problem, we could go way further if you wanted.”
Astrea shook her head. “No, just that. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl, and I prefer to keep things simple anyway.”
“In that case, we’ll just focus on making the result as strong as possible.” Lia replied. “We’ll be gone when you finish, but we’ll have a ring that’ll give you your old appearance back and a paper with instructions if you feel like you need so. Now, we’re going to start taking out the stuff we’re going to convert you with, if there’s anything in the pile that makes you uncomfortable, let us know and we can get rid of it.”
Astrea shied back as, suddenly, a cat appeared in front of them, and was just as swiftly covered in an off-white substance. “Where did you get that?” She asked, staring at the cocoon that was all that remained of the cat. “Surely you didn’t have it prepared.”
“It was a stray.” Alia replied. “I just scanned the city for one that wasn’t being watched and teleported it here.” Alia turned to Lia, giving her a smile. “I’m going to discuss a bit more on the specifics with Astrea.” She said. “You take out everything you think we’ll want that you have on hand, and I’ll get the custom-made stuff taken care of. Nothing without her express permission, either, I promise.”
“That sounds great, thanks, Alia.” Lia replied. “Rose, will you help look through my list and pick so stuff out?”
Rose nodded and walked over to Lia, while Alia made her way over to where Astrea was standing. She gave Astrea an oddly unsettling smile, her eyes alight with so emotion that Astrea couldn’t place.
“I saw so very interesting things while I was poking around in your head.” She said. “And no, I’m not going to apologize for that; as I’m sure you understand, safety is our number one priority with these sorts of things, and I can’t afford to let you lead us into a trap.” Alia’s voice took on an almost seductive quality, her next words sounding as tempting as a siren’s song. “But…why don’t we give those two so space to place their stuff and have a private discussion of our own? I have so suggestions I think you’ll find very appealing.”
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