Glory of the Fall

Arina sighed, "I'm required to tell you who you'd represent. Mischief obviously wants her prophetess. Whatever. Tai wants to fuck over Orli, and have her be his champion."

"My... Stepdad? He wants me to do this? He... He wouldn't try and hurt me. Mum would bitch about it for eternity. He... He has to have a reason. A plan." Orli said slowly.

Trician rolled her eyes, "Told you."

"Every mortal is fucking stupid!" Arina screamed.

---

"Ew, ew, fuck!" Arina danced as blood sprayed the space where she had appeared.

The orcish woman wielding two waraxes turned and growled at her around her tusks. Her pale green skin was unmarked, not a single scar, despite having joined the traditional orcish paradise of neverending battle and war. An infinite glory.

Arina shuddered and stepped back away from the brain matter that crashed at her feet, "Uhm... Khild. Got a minute to step away from the... Gross? I'm Death. Not war. Need a word."

The woman shouldered her weapons idly, "Gods not often... What word? Not often come to this place. You look human. That is even rarer. How can this old chieftain help?"

"Yeah. You're probably going to say yes, without a second thought." Arina scoffed, "Uh... The Golden Kitsune has arranged a tournament of sorts."

"Yes."

Arina laughed, "Oh gods. Just let me finish before you throw your life away. Those who die, will have their soul destroyed. No more paradise."

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes, "The winner, will be returned to life in the mortal realm."

"What?" Khild screwed up her face, "Throw away the glory of the afterlife? Of battle against the greatest heroes and villains my species ever produced? Why the fuck would want second life? Have to prove my worth, a second time?"

Arina shrugged, "You would fight as a champion, on behalf of a god. Owe them your life, and devote yourself to them. Or whatever, really. I wouldn't do a fucking thing for any god. None of them give a shit about any of you."

Khild laughed, grinning, "I like you. Most gods too weak to say their meaning. Would like to face you in battle, one day."

"You'd die." Arina rolled her eyes, "You can't fight death. I'm inevitable. But... Mischief did force me to agree to tell you two things, to encourage you to fight for Torruc. Firstly, Sai is still alive. Maybe not for long, but for now."

Khild's face softened noticeably, and she smiled, "My Slag, survives? Fucking bastard is stronger than I credit him. May victory follow his thunderstep, always."

"Secondly, apparently you Tammy. And that bitch is still alive, too."

The orc's face became one of rage, and the waraxe unslung from a shoulder and struck Arina's throat. The blade notched on impact, and Arina gently pushed it aside with a finger. She touched where it had managed to graze her, "Wow. Yeah, you earned the right to be here. That actually, almost, hurt. I take it you hate the fox as much as I do?"

"She killed my race!" Khild roared, spitting phlegm as she did. "Conquest by trickery is nothing more than devilry!"

"Ewwww." Arina complained and wiped her face with a sleeve, "Gross. Fucking gross. Why is everyone so... Look. Fight for Torruc. Kill the champion's of the other gods... And I'll fucking resurrect you in the same room as that bitch. Gladly. I was Toofy's bride."

Khild growled, and spun her weapons, "Why am still here? Let battle be joined."

---

Arina looked around the room, at the endless tangle of bodies of all shapes and sizes. She didn't think that any two of the women were of the same species. And none of them were human, either.

As distasteful as the display was, it didn't exactly shock her that the man who had been killed by the Heir of Irrlichdan in single combat had managed to earn his own place in paradise. Standing up to Meerakeilian wasn't exactly something that many could claim.

Westcolm hadn't just done that, either. The salamander had awoken when she'd been fighting him. She'd screamed balefire at him and turned him into ash. The green flames that even most kings of dragonkind never managed to master, and could threaten to injure a god, had been his exit from the world.

If the man wanted to fuck every single thing that could think, speak, and had a cunt, then he had earned it.

She still didn't like it.

Like almost everyone else she'd visited, he too, was having sex. Did none of these people do anything else? It was an infinity of paradise. Could they really not be bored of endless sex and enjoy a more tender romance? It'd been two decades since they had died. Did it really not grow old?

She might have been feeling a little... Jealous.

Westcolm was up to his balls inside a bunneko, whilst a nearby slimegirl did her best to absorb the both of them. In life, the lord's eyes had been green, like all the Sons of Menes. In death, he had been freed from the orcish corruption.

They were blue, fierce, and full of desire. Even as he was thrusting into his bunny, he looked at her and she felt the fullness of his lust. Arina pointed her scythe, "Don't. Just... Don't. I'm not here to screw you."

"A divine." He stated, and pulled out. He pushed at the toxic, shoving her to the ground without even a single look in her direction. Still dripping with bodily fluids, he stood and picked up a nearby towel. "How may I assist the gods?"

"Kinda want you to say yes." Arina said, stomach churning, "The Golden Kitsune has issued a challenge. The gods are selecting champions -"

"No."

She laughed and smiled, "Wise choice. All the same, I need to speak my piece. The winner will be granted resurrection into the mortal plane. The losers... Their souls will be destroyed. It's a little war game. The god interested in playing you for keeps is Yasmina."

"I have no idea who that is. Nor any interest in fighting any battle." He replied tiredly, pulling on his pants. "I fought, my entire life, goddess. I was killed in battle. I do not desire to return to that. I am quite content doing what I always wished to do in life, but could not."

Arina glared, "My wife was Toofy. I know exactly who you are. And I hate you. Elatham got there first, but you were planning the same thing for her. So yes, I hate you. And I am the Goddess of Death. It isn't in me to send you back to the living. I would like to punish you for eternity. But... I can't. I can, however, tell you that there are two people you hate competing."

"Not tempted."

She smiled slowly, "Well, then I suppose either Kaden or Meirakeillian will be resurrected. I don't see anyone else beating those two."

He froze up, and turned slowly to look at her with a calculating glare, "Fuck. Now, I'm tempted. Not to win. Just to make sure that Kaden fucking dies and stays fucking dead for fucking eternity. What mad bastard decided to throw him into the mix? He was trying to become a god! He threatened all of you!"

"He has to swear loyalty. It's binding." She shrugged, "So, obviously, this was Mischief's idea. You remember her, don't you? The Golden Kitsune?"

Westcolm grunted, "Chaos. Mischief makes her sound so... Innocent. Playful. She is nothing but a monster. She arranged my death, not so that her toy could become empress, but so that she could free all demonkind. Restart her endless war."

"No shit."

He rubbed his face tiredly, "Kaden cannot be permitted to survive. I have no choice. I really hate that bitch... So... Who exactly is Yasmina? What is she the goddess of? I assume that if I somehow survive, my soul will be bound to her service?"

"Accurate." Arina nodded, "She is the goddess of flowers, beauty, and fragrance. Don't ask me why she's interested in you. Not a single clue. I don't need to be exotic to know you stink."

He chuckled softly, looking grim, "I suppose I should be the one to call that accurate, your grace. Are you truly unconcerned that Kaden might return to life?"

"I am extremely concerned. I also have no choice in the matter. Everyone else wants to own Kaden's soul. I can't outvote all of them." She said in irritation, "People I care about are about to die, because of lust for power. My only hope is in Mischief's champion."

He groaned, "Oh gods. She chose the salamander, didn't she? Wait... She didn't choose Kaden? So... If everyone wanted a piece of him... Who will he be representing?"

---

Arina had hoped never to set foot in this particular afterlife. It had been primarily designed by the god of torture, but almost all the gods had a tweak or two that they added to it. The sole occupant had managed to earn the unending hatred of everything divine, herself included.

Though the others mostly hated the man for trying to become a god, Arina knew her own hatred was no less self-serving than theirs. He had attempted to kill Toofy, and if it weren't for Eratigan, they probably still would have lost the neko to the corruption of the demon flowing through her veins.

At the current point in time, Kaden was reliving that particular moment.

When Sai was about to collapse, beaten, and Meirakeillian had just died at his hands. The salamander gasping out a last regret, as Kaden stood over them all, confident that though the balefire had burned out the essence of the Sons of Menes, he was still a demigod, and well on his way to true ascension.

Mischief popped in beside Arina, "You're really going to watch Toofy tear him to pieces?"

"Yes."

The fox shrugged, puffing her cheeks in boredom as the neko howled in rage and lost control. The black magic thundering through her, and turning her into a nigh-unstoppable force of rage, death, and a chilling magic that made Arina feel ill. The flesh was the last to go, leaving a hulking and hideous monstrosity that pounced on the man.

Mischief whistled as spells struck the cursed creature, and instantly fell apart. "We banned the use of those for a reason, didn't we? I knew it meant I could send Eratigan to stop her... But, wow. We really did think about it. Using those things in war. Pure insanity."

"What's your point?" Arina snapped as she saw the paste that had once been a man, as the monster continued to attack it. Reason and consciousness lost to instinct.

The kitsune smiled sideways at her, "Even I have limits. Things I'm not willing to do. For example... Unleashing this bastard on the world. He's not allowed to win, goddess. That's going to be up to you. Your influence."

"You demanded that he take part." Arina said, concentrating and making sure Kaden didn't slip away. Dead or not, she wanted him to experience the fullness of this moment. She wanted to hurt him.

"I wanted the others to agree. Because I want her back." The fox chuckled, and pointed at one of the figures. "Manipulating them is easy. Dangle a prize in front of their eyes, and they just can't resist. You... You used to be mortal. So manipulating you is easier... But the outcome is less predictable. I didn't think you would have a soft spot for Lady Castelle. She's the reason you got hurt. She failed to protect you."

Arina recalled Toofy caring for the ruins of her back, and grimaced. "I don't blame many people for anything, Mischief."

"No. You're infuriating, like that." The fox agreed, and then grinned, "So... I know the others wanted to claim Kaden as their champion... But I could convince them. That it's only fair if he's yours."

"Fuck off, Mischief." Arina yawned, and tapped the haft of her scythe to pull the man back together, "He's Luna's."

---

Arina walked into the cave uncertainly. She knew where her quarry was to be found, but she didn't like visiting this realm. She knew it was supposed to be a paradise, but she was afraid of the denizen who called it home.

Claw marks covered almost every surface of the cave as she walked down and into the mountainside. It wasn't a natural formation. Something strong had torn down the stone, stubbornly boring its way into the landscape with a tireless rage. A wrath that had survived their death.

Here and there, on particular hard veins of rock or ore, were scattered tiny fragments of scales. Evidence of the thing living in this place, claiming this place, ruling this place. The gods weren't welcome here, and most knew to avoid it.

Arina had come here twice before. Once, when she was naive enough to try and offer her sympathies, and to ask if there was a way to improve the paradise for the owner. She could still remember the claw that had snapped her scythe in half and carved a hole through her throat.

The second time, had been to deliver a message from Toofy. If anyone else had asked her, even her husband, then Arina would not have done it. However, it was Toofy. Saying no to her wasn't in the goddess.

She felt the growling, before she heard it. The entire landscape started to shake, stones falling from the ceiling, and rattling on the ground. A hot wind beginning to push back against the goddess as she got closer.

She shivered, looking into the darkness, "Are you there?"

Two eyes opened slowly in the distance. A forked tongue momentarily flicked the air, tasting the goddess, and then a deep voice growled, "Want. Egg."

---

Author's Addendum:

Let's do something a little bit different. I haven't chosen a winner, yet. Which means comments and messages will influence who survives. And who gets to return in "Tauli".

Who deserves a brutal and permanent destruction? And who deserves a second chance?