Transcendence?

***Arcane Academy, Eastern Planes***

***Jazira, The Immortal Empress***

“~Hmmhmmhmm.~ ~Yes... that's the right spot!~ ~Ahn...~”

“Stop it! You are doing this on purpose to humiliate me! Isn't it enough that I have to massage your shoulders!?” Sagittarius calls out from behind me.

“Shut up. Prisoners shouldn't complain.” I sigh with pleasure and take a look at the city under me. After having conquered the Academy, I took residence in the Inquisition's headquarters. The building is basically a big tower which is looming over the city.

My private quarters are at the highest floor of the tower from where I have a very good view on the city. Right now I am taking a sunbath on my balcony, while Sagittarius is taking care of my well-being.

Iced fruit juice and a ventilator from Sarn are completing my bliss.

“I have to thank this Norent Grant for removing his military forces. I would have never imagined to get control over the Academy that easily!” I cross my legs in my deckchair and smile at the sun.

“The forces of the inquisition are still fighting somewhere else. They will return after dealing with Sarn. And everything you captured here are civilians and a city with almost no economic value.” Sagittarius points out that the Academy doesn't have any mentionable trade or resources of its own. They are buying almost everything they have from others. The importation of goods has to be managed through the Gates.

“The prestige alone is important, Sagittarius! The knowledge that I hold one of the most famous cities is enough. What does the Inquisition intend to do? Counter invade through a Gate? My people are alert and we don't underestimate the threat from the Gates.” I take my glass with cold fruit juice and hold it to my cheek.

“Besides, I don't think that they can take Sarn. I confirmed recently that there isn't just one immortal there, but three in fact!” I take a sip and smile.

Sagittarius stops massaging me. “Are you sure? That doesn't fit the pattern at all …” He pauses and starts to mumble something.

I turn and look up at him. “The pattern?”

“Ah … nothing. Just a stray thought.” The old man looks away and continues with the massage.

“~Sagittarius, whenever you are lying, you look away and put on a fake smile! So tell me everything you know on the matter, or I will rip the knowledge out of your brain.~”

“No violence! And I don't know anything for certain. It's just a … theory … of mine.” Sagittarius starts to stammer.

“~I have time.~”

“It's about this mysterious force you were talking about from time to time, while we were still together. I didn't like the thought of a super secret organization messing with my Academy.” Sagittarius grumbles a little.

I nod. “Go on.”

“I researched everything and everyone. The Academy has access to much more information than any single nation. But I concentrated my research purely on historic events and political relations. And I think I found out why the actions of this mysterious organization seem so erratic.” Sagittarius pauses for a moment and I sit straighter.

“It's not like I don't believe that you found out something important, but I researched the matter for several years already.” I try to sound professional, but I would bite into my ass if he found something I didn't.

“Well, you hadn't access to the headmaster's personal records. The whole problem lies with assuming that there is only one force at work. If you take a closer look at the incidents and sort them according to their outcome, you get four piles.” Sagittarius sounds very happy.

I fold my arms while I think. “You want to tell me that there are four super secret organizations with different goals fighting each other? And all that for hundreds of years without anyone finding out? Without any rumour that they even exist!?” That theory is even more hilarious than the version with one secret enemy.

“They aren't organizations. They are trying to assist in the creation of certain belief systems. And they obviously follow a tight set of rules while trying to do so. It's almost as if they are playing a game.” Sagittarius whispers.

I sit up and look at him. “A game!?”

“Sccchh! I think that the four forces are the four original gods of this world. You know, the current belief systems are manifold. Every Nation has it's own set of gods. On the other hand all those dozens of gods can be traced back to the four original gods. And I think that they are the ones who are manipulating us!” Sagittarius continues to whisper with a hunted expression. He really seems to believe in his words.

“Pfff! There are no gods. Believe me. I know it. I have seen the void between the worlds. And there is nothing besides the dead there.” I lean back again.

“Hoh, but I think that you are here because of them. You were brought here by Lidith, the child goddess of peace. Then there is Aneth, the god of war. Wynne is the goddess of life and Charon, the god of death. If I am right, those four powers are playing a never ending game of influence on this world. Each of them is allowed to take measures to influence normal people in subtle ways. But once in a while they can do something with real impact. Like summoning an immortal to this world, or choosing a hero, endowing incredible powers onto him or her. So far I have identified you and Ascathon as two of their main chess pieces.” He stops talking and steals the fruit juice from the table beside me.

I keep silent while thinking about everything I know. Gods, hmmm. Somehow I don't like the feeling of being used as a tool. “If that's true then they either fucked up while playing their game, or they entered the endgame.”

Sagittarius stops moving and looks at me. “S... Sorry?”

“Just for your information. After meeting Ascathon, I formed a very firm opinion of him.” I smile at the sky. “And my opinion is that if we would go all out against each other, we could destroy this world several times over.”

The old man goes pale.

“On top there is his daughter, who is an immortal too. And I think that his wife is the same. With this we already have four immortals we know of on this world. Three of them are on the same side. So this was either an unintended fuck up by the gods, or they changed their rules.” I purse my lips and look at Sagittarius.

“Indeed, this doesn't fit at all.” He looks at the ground while being in thought.

Tjena enters the balcony and bows to me. “My Empress. There are disturbing news from the north.”

I face her and signal to continue.

“The combined forces of the Inquisition and Mislow were defeated at Sarn's borders. The remaining troops of about twenty thousand are currently in retreat back to the next city with a Gate. Sarn employed flying ships to accomplish this.” Tjena takes a deep breath.

“And the Jarl, Ibrahim the Great and two of his wives were murdered during an audience by Norent Grant. The Inquisitor escaped afterwards. His whereabouts are uncertain. We also don't know where the main body of his remaining forces went.” Tjena bows to me again.

“The last issue is that Norfolk has already chosen a new Jarl. Celestial Asceron was announced to be the new leader of the nation. Apparently she killed a competitor to achieve this, the other nobles were forced to sign magical contracts to keep them under control.”

I don't answer for several seconds. Then I smile and look at Sagittarius.

“~So how does this fit into your theory?~”

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