Plot work: Reasons, Enemies, and Strategy

Chapter ???: Somewhere in Arc 3, Ilgor's perspective.

 

"What is the worth of a lone soul? Is there anyone out there? Is there reason to believe in redemption? Is it possible to forgive a real enemy, not just someone who has wronged you? ls there a path that isn't blinded by hate? In the end, a god is nothing more an than a unique soul. So what is it's worth?"

  The others stared back at me, a static filling the air. As if I had asked something wrong, as if I was worthy of a response. But, with Vilorlith sitting next to me, I wasn't someone to be ignored for any reason. I could have pressed my advantage, but there was no point in making enemies when it wasn't useful. The Great Mother wrapped her weak tail around me, giving anyone that had any doubts enough to bite their tongue. "Why would the Shadows fight us once more if they understand the weight of what they broke? Wouldn't they be more than willing to accept the Quartet and work with us if we offered to fix Namix?" I asked again, punctuating my point further.   Several of the Faeries tried to speak, but Anlyth silenced them with a wave of the hand. "Ilgor, there is a long history."   "I've heard it, from every mouth here. I would remind you that I am not a Brownie. I am a Goblin, a creation of those Shadows you insist are incapable of creation. I see similarities where you see differences. I see where you think pride is worth more than survival. I see that every mind here remembers a world that no longer exists, Namix will never be what you want it to be again. You cling to a notion that you can repair a world that has been mended by hands that are not yours." The anger from the Legion filled the room with a palpable heat, which Taneth Silenced only adding insult to injury.   Anlyth held his mouth shut, but flicked his eyes to the Fae as well as Alnya. Taneth spoke up now, running a tired hand through his hair. The war room turning to him, waiting as he passed a wordless plea to his Goddess, only to be met with a defiance that wilted his resolve. "I understand that, I know you have no way of ever remembering what was taken from us, you. I... "   Vilorlith cut him off. "I see that you are thinking with emotions, Fae. I was under the assumption that the First Son of Alnya would be above that. Please, hear her out."   Something in Taneth's eyes grew bright, as if being reminded that simple fact brought him back from somewhere. I knew he was thinking back to his time in the tower of midnight. When his mind broke, reformed, broke, shattered and mended itself when Alnya gave him the collective knowledge of an entire race. I knew Mother's words touched a nerve he had thought was dead. "Fine. Lets humor this to the degree you want. A Second war with the Shadows would mean a mutually assured destruction. We have learned far more than we ever had while we waited here in the Elsewhere, building every possible scenario, every counter measure, every last contingency. We know now how to react, how to evade, how to repel every last thing the Shadows have to throw at us. A benefit we were never given the first time. But, those measure would mean nothing if everything is lost in the end. While we learned to defend absolutely against an unstoppable force, it would leave the already broken world broken further past any hope of repair."   "I don't think you have. I think you are letting pride speak for you again." I goaded. "You understand them far more, you understand that they are not all malicious in nature. For fuck's sake, Xelex taught me more on how to counter the Shadows than any of you ever had. A Shadow that, in hindsight, I realize was propping me up for something that I still don't understand, yet gave me an unmatched in The Branches of the Tree to manipulate the world they live in. What is stopping us from turning them against each other? Level the playing field, with all your logic and strategy, had it never occurred to you to use such an age old tactic, divide and conquer?"   "Bold of you to assume we haven't." Taneth's venom was only moderated by Alnya's daggers for eyes at him. "We have considered the idea, but a few factors always have presented insurmountable obstacles."   "So tell me then?" Crossing my arms, holding my head high.   Anlyth stood to leave, but Y'vitol blocked his way with a mighty hand. Speaking like a mountain collapsing, "There are several variables that we understand. Clearly we could count on Xelex being, if not a true ally, at least a non-combatant. Azu would also be considered as much, considering we now know that she is a vessel containing Syn. We could leverage them to take our side, but it would be a significant risk. An ally held at arms length would never be a trusted source regardless. Their loyalty would always be in question."   Taneth continued the Giant's explanation, the stress of this meeting already seemingly to have greyed his hair even more. "Koroth, and Kinlith as well as Vilroeth, from what we understand are more than happy to allow the powers that be to retain control. They are more than content doing their minimal work stabilizing the remains of Namix, as well as suppressing any new information from the old world. They have no loyalty to even themselves, they would need to be convinced to aid us, and even then they would always be drawn further toward aiding their kin. They would need a damned good reason to help us rather than maintaining their positions in the hierarchy of the Shadows."   Anlyth's voice dripped like molten fire, shoulders shaking from trying to keep his voice level. "Bhal. That thing you worship, that one that slit the throat of the Mother who holds you like a real daughter. He is the single most powerful among them all, a self claimed title of a god of domination and pride. He would never give it up, he would never want step aside and allow our help." Turning back to me with a flurry of his wings like a second sun filling the air with an unholy fire. "He will never allow us to make a change to 'his' world. He claims singlehandedly that the war was won by his hands, and for that matter he isn't wrong. When one god fell, the rest became unstable! Be unified the Shadows during the War and he unified them again to fix the shattered remains of it all! His pride would never allow him to believe that we wouldn't be doing anything more than taking it from him."   "Are you done?" I asked, silencing his wings as if someone would hush a child. His widening eyes only telling me he felt this was rude and uncalled for. "I do not worship that monster any longer. Test my pride one more time Son of Syn and I will humble you. Insult me one more time and prove to me your 'glory'."   Alnya stepped in front of the Faerie, more than indicating that any further anger wouldn't be tolerated. His fire died, and cooled under her gaze. No doubt remembering the last time he challenge her those many moons ago. She spoke while the rest watched on. "Our last true obstacle would be Welkford. He has fashioned himself a god of charity and healing, yet uses the body of Kyln as a puppet, using his power to accomplish every feat he has ever managed. He is a cockroach, a survivor and a proud one at that. He would stop at nothing to preserve his image to his followers, when that slips, well I don't think he would ever be willing to help us. He would blame us for his true colors to show, he was always the most psychotic among the Shadows. Bhal and Welkford would be able to hold an immense sway over the others, and be able to command a sizable force against us."   "So what I'm hearing is we have two good chances, and three more that could be convinced. Only two being a real problem." My voice filled the room like a bell.