TO SEE PARIS and die. I don’t know whose twisted mind had come up with this wish, but I had every chance of making it come true. The temperature was slightly above zero, with clouds and drizzle… if I was a tourist, I might as well have gone to St. Petersburg. Yuck.
I searched for the phrase online to discover that it had originally referred to Naples, the word “die” was a translation error, and Paris was only mentioned in the Russian version. Well, that’s another one of life’s great mysteries solved.
“To the hotel, monsieur?” the taxi driver turned to me.
“Is everything ready?” I asked. “Then let’s head straight to the place.”
Less than a day remained before the ultimatum expired, and I saw no point in delaying. It was a work visit, so I would do without the sightseeing. Moreover, the famous tower was closed to the public after the recent massacre. The temples were protected, which stopped the monsters from appearing too close, but they also attracted attention, drawing the creatures to the city. Even now, after all this time, I saw hundreds of missions in relative proximity.
“We’re here. I won’t wait around since you know my number. Please take this umbrella.”
“Thank you, but it won’t be necessary.”
I got out of the car, and it immediately turned around to leave. I didn’t bother trying to guess where the intelligence agents were hiding — the events were being monitored and recorded, but I couldn’t count on their support. I was on my own. Russia wouldn’t enter into a direct conflict with the gods unless absolutely necessary. If the negotiations failed, I would have to escape some other way.
* * *
I used to love the rain, but now, considering my skill set, the water falling from the sky brought mostly irritation. It made me weaker and more vulnerable. I’d left nearly all my equipment beside the Minor Altar, in case I died, taking the bare minimum with me. No Spatial Ring on my finger, only a Bottomless Bag (F) and a minimal set of cards if I got desperate. The Kinetic Shield deflected the rare drops, making me look spoiled, yet pointing me out to the observers.
I was in the outskirts, not advised for the unwary tourist until recently. Now, all the land in the district had been snapped up, and the neighboring criminal districts had every chance of becoming very prestigious. The temple guaranteed a certain level of safety. The entrances were already closely monitored by the police, the military and the newly minted temple guards.
“Well, let’s do this.”
One couldn’t drive straight to the target, so it was going to be a long walk. Despite the miserable weather, thousands of pilgrims had gathered around the temple, desperate for… healing, mostly. At the same time, some easily combined the desire to worship a pagan goddess with the external symbols of traditional religions. Well, there were fools everywhere.
“There’s a queue here, friend.” I was approached by one of the attendants, dressed in an ancient Greek toga but holding a modern umbrella. “You can register at the terminals over there. Do you understand me, or should I repeat it in English?”
I’d learned French, having acquired a card for this situation. Although, it might have been cheaper to learn the E-ranked Linguist skill.
Human. Unit. Level 1.
It seemed that Hera hadn’t wasted any time, creating a force that she could rely on. And she didn’t have a rat farm for this purpose…
“I don’t have time to wait in line. I’m looking for Leon Villars.”
“The Senior Attendant is extremely busy and cannot…”
The man stopped, finally realizing that, despite the rain and lack of umbrella, my clothes remained dry. Perhaps my hints were too subtle.
“Ivanov,” I introduced myself. “Mr. Vasily Ivanov.”
Funny, it hadn’t even been that long, but I’d become so used to my new name that I might not respond to the one given to me at birth.
“Oh,” the attendant stammered, touching his ear. “I’m sorry, Monsieur Cain. I didn’t recognize you. They are waiting for you, please follow me.”
My identity had stopped being a secret after Hong Kong, which was for the best. I hadn’t taken the mask with me, afraid of losing a valuable artifact, plus, anonymity could be harmful at this stage.
* * *
The temple was built in the classical Greek style. It had appeared in this backwater in an instant. No, it wasn’t created by divine power, it had simply been built in another place, and Hera had moved it to the desired location. The temple had been somehow connected to the mains too. Certainly, the lights were on, and the cables were hidden behind marble slabs.
Despite the crowds outside, very few people were inside. Visitors were allowed inside in small groups, mainly to leave gifts. The supplicant would then approach one of the stones, touch it and… based on what I saw, give away some of their life force. However, they sometimes got what they wanted in return. Or a pendant with Hera’s symbol and the status of a neophyte. It reminded me of a lottery where everyone wins.
“Leon. You’re looking well.”
I knew that the former player had survived, and despite the dubious methods, I would never judge him. Most of the heroes who survived captivity lost the will to live.
“I am glad to welcome you to the temple of Hera. Unfortunately, the High Priestess is on a mission and cannot meet you in person. I’ll take you to the main altar myself.”
“Lead on.”
* * *
Visitors weren’t allowed into the main altar room, so no one could interrupt the upcoming conversation. The altar before us was a simple marble cube with a small recess, behind which stood... not a statue, but a woman turned to stone, so skillfully was it carved. One could even see the skin through the folds of clothing that clung to the body. She was a beauty, although not my type. But then I wasn’t Zeus, which was for the best.
“We’ve arrived. This statue is an indication of how the goddess feels about the visitor. Every person sees something different... if they can see anything at all.”
I could. A slight smile was frozen on the beautiful face, showing… the triumph of a predator catching its prey? The anticipation of fun? Interest? A vague threat? All of the above, I’d say.
“What do you see, Leon?”
“I’m only the Senior Attendant. Seeing her face is blessing enough. It usually shows no emotion, but once, my Lady rewarded me with a smile! It was the happiest day of my life.”
She appeared to be smiling at me now, too. The Frenchman must lead a miserable life if he rejoiced in such things. However, the ability to kiss ass had always been in demand. The trick was not to overdo it.
“Women don’t like such obvious flattery.”
“My Lady has no need of flattery. Even if my words appear excessive, loyalty prevents me from say anything but the truth!”
“Not bad, much better this time. What happens now?”
Although I’d entered the temple, the quest was still active. Well, it couldn’t be that easy, right?
“For the goddess to hear you, you must place a gift on the altar.”
“Anything in particular?”
“The more valuable the gift, the higher the probability of success.”
I thought for a moment of what I would give the goddess, who must be watching us anyway. Thrusting my hand into the bag, I pulled out a pistol, removed the magazine, and popped out a cartridge. That should be enough. I opened my hand, and the gift seemed to fall right through the stone.
“I am Cain. You called and I came.”
The statue came to life and jumped off its pedestal, and the stone toga turned into snow-white silk. Leon fell to his knees even before the goddess’s foot touched the floor. There was no noise, even though the woman should weigh over a hundred…
“Greetings, my lady!”
I simply nodded, and at once felt a pressure hinting that I should fall to my knees. But what kind of negotiations could there be after that? Only surrender. A second passed, then another, and another... the silence dragged on, while the pressure increased. Activate combat form! My body grew in size, tearing the civilian clothes but allowing me to resist a little longer.
“Did you invite me here for this?”
The pressure abruptly disappeared, causing me to stagger. What a bi… I caught her eye and didn’t complete the thought. I wouldn’t put it past her to read minds.
“Not bad,” despite the praise, there was a hint of irritation in Hera’s voice. But how real were these emotions? “Leave us, Leon. I like your loyalty, but you will have another chance to prove yourself.”
The goddess waved her hand, and a golden glow enveloped the kneeling attendant.
“L-lady. D-d-did you give me back my player status?”
“I granted you forgiveness. It was rather costly, but your loyalty has touched my heart. I am sure you will prove yourself worthy in the upcoming battles. Go.”
Leon clearly wasn’t thrilled, but managed to contain his emotions and, bowing respectfully again, headed for the exit. Well, yes, you wouldn’t want to drop the act as soon as you were forced into a corner. I even felt sorry for him right now. He’d been unlucky enough to catch her at a bad moment. However, if players were still being initiated en masse, and not selectively, there had to be a good reason for this. I doubted I’d be told what it was, though.
“Nothing to say?”
“It’s your decision.”
“Flattery, flattery, flattery. Everything is good in moderation. I don’t like being taken for a fool. You won’t make that mistake, will you, Cain?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Then let’s dispense with unnecessary introductions. Why did you come to me? If you say it’s because of my beauty, you will share the fate of Prometheus.”
He was the Titan who took the gods’ side, wasn’t he? But before that, he spent a thousand years feeding his flesh to an eagle. Not the most pleasant fate.
“Logic, premonition, and a coin toss.”
“A coin. Well, let’s assume that Fate brought you to me. The Moirai are long dead, if they ever existed, but the power they embodied remains. You know our origins, don’t you?”
“I’ve heard rumors.”
“We gods were born very recently. I still remember the girl who dreamed of conquering Paris. I think she would have succeeded; she was a clever one. But I’m not that girl anymore. In some ways, you’re lucky that you didn’t become one of us, Eighth. Or you’d be dead, too, just like that girl. Do you feel sorry for her?”
A strange question, but my position was too precarious to redirect the conversation.
“No, I don’t.”
“Go on.”
Was it a test of some kind? I had a feeling that Hera was playing a game. However, if I couldn’t keep my irritation in check, I would have activated the Calculating Mind ages ago.
“A metaphorical death is much better than a physical one. She received divine power, eternal youth, and knowledge. What happened changed her, but so what? We all change throughout our lives, but the foundation remains the same. I guess I even envy her a little.” This was mostly true. A god’s chance of survival was much higher than any player’s. Not to mention mine, who’d survived until today by a miracle.
Were the changes so great? The gods hadn’t started warring with each other, which they would have done if they’d lost their humanity. Not to mention that the wife of Zeus in the legends was vindictive and cruel, with no sense of humor. The young woman in front of me didn’t really match that image.
“Is that so? So, you want to become a god yourself? Is that why you’ve set your sights on the Altar of the Great Y?”
I felt a chill, which was just as difficult to resist as the earlier pressure. The threat emanating from the goddess was almost physical. “I wouldn’t dare.” I kept my eyes on her. “I desire much simpler and palpable things. Freedom, money, power, immortality…”
“What about love? Eva is a nice girl. You won’t abandon her, will you?”
It was one of the reasons why I came to this temple. Our relationship could hardly be called love, it was more of a partnership, and Eva was a hostage of the situation. I wondered if she had been instructed to sway me to make the right choice.
“I seek freedom not only for myself, but also for those who are dear to me. I’ll acquire the rest myself if I need to.”
“Noble words. Which one of us is more beautiful, do you think?”
The goddess spun around to give me a good look. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Why do such stories always come down to apples? I remembered that Hera was the patron goddess of marriage, which implies fidelity. Yet she was also an extremely vindictive person, unable to accept defeat.
“Paris’ trial didn’t end well for him.”
“That’s not an answer.”
I couldn’t take seriously a competition where the winner was chosen based on the size of the bribe, nor would I repeat other people’s mistakes.
“Then it’s you.”
“Liar. But it’s the right answer. You know what I want from you, right?”
“I’d prefer to hear a direct offer.”
“Swear fealty to me, and one day, you will become a Minor God!”
Hera invites you to accept her patronage!
Yes/No
Attention! If you agree, the Cult of Cain will become a branch of the temple of Hera.
If I don’t die first, naturally. If I didn’t know what I was being offered, I might have considered it a generous offer. Not, not quite. It was a generous offer, but it would make me an eternal servant of the True God. If Hera so wished, I’d lose it all instantly and become even weaker than I was now.
“I asked for freedom, not gold chains. This option doesn’t suit me.”
The pressure was back, forcing me to use all my strength to avoid ending up like a crushed frog. More threats? A staff appeared in the hands of the goddess.
Attention! Hera’s attitude to you has worsened!
“Are you sure? It would be a shame to kill you.”
Apparently, the negotiations weren’t going to plan. A pity, for I had begun to hope that we could come to an agreement.
“Offer me something else.”
Attention! Hera’s attitude to you has worsened significantly!
“Then you have simply wasted my time…”
I’d have liked to think she was bluffing, but I heard a familiar Whisper.
“You will die! Die!”
Activate Overclocking!
Activate Invisibility!
Activate the Calculating Mind!
Giving up without a fight would be irrational. A Monkey Spear (E+) appeared in my hand. The only valuable thing I’d decided to bring with me. It was hard to say why.
“Die.”
It was a simple blow, but the speed and strength more than compensated for it. Despite blocking it, I flew across the room and crashed into the wall. My hand was clutching the spear but appeared to be broken.
Blink… I shifted a few steps back into the hallway. I barely made it. Hera threw her staff, and it stuck out of the wall after piercing it right through. Not only that, but the end had also grown sharper, making the divine weapon look like a spear or a stake.
“Damn you...”
The staff shuddered and slid back, clearly summoned by hand of its owner. The negotiations had failed, and it was irrational to remain here any longer. I needed to leave.
Attention! The transfer has been blocked.
As expected, I couldn’t reach the Altar directly from the temple. What if I did this?
Activate Instant Death?
Yes/No
Attention! The skill cannot be activated on the Temple grounds!
Should I just shoot myself? Or struggle for a bit? I didn’t stand much of a chance, but I preferred to play my role to the very end. If Hera had fought with her whole strength, I doubted that I’d have survived, and even now, no one was chasing me. Healing!
The combat form allowed me to move despite the broken bones, so I ran to the exit, throwing a handful of capsules into my mouth on the way. The fact that no one was following me or trying to stop me only strengthened my suspicions.
It was here, wasn’t it? The map drawn in the interface made it possible to navigate quite accurately in space. Blink!
“It worked.”
I had passed over the wall and was now in the main hall. There were no pilgrims to be seen, but the exit was open, and I didn’t have much choice.
Let’s give it a go.
Contrary to my fears, I crossed the hall unmolested. The last step… and the world flickered, even though I hadn’t activated Blink. It was a trap.
“You will die, you will die, you will die...”
I’d guessed as much without the warning. Overclocking didn’t help and only made what was happening more painful. An invisible hand squeezed my throat, lifting me off the floor. Was Hera a fan of Star Wars too?
“So long.” Her eyes were cold. “Die, please.”
I tried to reach the goddess with my spear, but she was too far away. I still didn’t have enough mana to use Blink again. Could I have gotten away by smashing through the wall beside the exit? I doubted it. My hand dived into the bag, and a grenade fell on the floor. Exactly five seconds later, my neck snapped, and all went dark. I didn’t hear the explosion.
* * *
Attention! You have died!
The Backup ability has been activated! (5 SP)
Get ready!
Time remaining: 3… 2… 1…
“You’re not dead again? It’s not fair! Not fair!”
If I knew that Hera would be such a bitch, I’d have gone to Inti. Seeing as I’d woken up by the wall, my corpse had been unceremoniously flung aside. The spear was left lying in the center of the room. Son of a...
“You have nothing left up your sleeve. I will repeat my question.”
Hera invites you to accept her patronage!
Yes/No
Attention! If you agree, the Cult of Cain will become a branch of the temple of Hera.
“My answer remains the same. No.”
Mana: 999/2,422.
A little more... Blink. I didn’t shift backwards this time, since it was clear that I couldn’t escape, but closer to the goddess. A new spear (F) appeared in my hand. There wasn’t enough mana left even for Split, so the blow was quite weak. The weapon shattered into pieces, yet the goddess had not a scratch on her.
“How stupid…”
Hera hit me in the chest with her palm, and I repeated my flight, crashing into the wall again. Healing! It was practically useless, there was too little mana. However, I managed to stand up somehow. Strangely enough, I still didn’t hear the Whisper.
“It appears you have a few more trump cards than I had expected?”
“It appears so. Shall we continue?”
Damn it, why hadn’t I obtained a skill that blocked pain? My head was spinning, I’d run out of cards, but I still had my bag. A gun appeared in my hand. I guessed Hera had let me take it out — so I wasn’t surprised by the misfire. The grenade still lay whole, although I’d definitely pulled the pin out of it. Fine. I grabbed the gun by the barrel, although this was getting ridiculous.
“Alright, I see that you are adamant on this issue. Let’s consider other options.”
I tried to understand what she meant for several seconds, then I laughed as I slid down to the ground. It hurt so much. Healing... My body was swaddled in warmth, a pressure around my chest as the ribs reassembled, and my wounds healed. What a cow... I stood up, forcing myself to calm down with an incredible effort of will. Once again, I wouldn’t be able to die and finally rest.
“There are other options?”
Attention! Hera’s attitude to you has improved significantly!
“They are less convenient and reliable. I had to test your resolve first. I hope you don’t resent me?”
“Not at all. Right now, I just hate you.”
“That’s okay. I assure you, each of us would have done something similar. I was quite gentle with you, without resorting to torture. Two of us even voted to destroy you at once.”
I didn’t ask who disliked me so much, and which option she had voted for. I wouldn’t get an answer anyway. Hera was trying to sow distrust in me towards her competitors by showing me a piece of the truth. One that suited her. Even though I saw the trap, I was forced to consider her words.
“I understand.”
“I think I’ll simply describe the current situation to you. Our world is on the verge of destruction. What you have observed are only the echoes of a real confrontation. There are seven of us, but we can barely contain the attacks of the enemy gods. Sooner or later, one of us will make a mistake and die. It could even be me. Our alliance will weaken, and then someone else will make a mistake... If two of us fall, it will be enough to defeat the others. Hordes of monsters will swarm over the Earth, and we will be able to do nothing but hide, watch, and await our turn. Or run away...”
“Are things so hopeless?”
“There is always hope,” Hera shrugged. “Perhaps we will be able to hold out for ten years and naturally become strong enough. Or find allies in the outer worlds. We are constantly searching for new options, but only one looks realistic.”
“The altar?” I played along, putting forward the required suggestion. I couldn’t relax just yet, but there didn’t seem to be any more plans to kill me.
“That’s right. The next mission is getting closer. This is a unique opportunity that we cannot miss. The question is, can we trust you?”
“I can swear an oath that I didn’t betray our world. If I was afraid of death, I wouldn’t have come here.”
“A little doubtful, but I am inclined to believe you. At least there are no traces of other gods on you, plus, things cannot get any worse. What do you think is the reason for the recent invasion?”
Oddly enough, the answer came to me at once, although it was slightly unexpected.
“To knock out the strongest players?”
“You’re not stupid. That’s right, but not just the strongest. Any players. To provoke mass recruitment of newbies and overtake us by recruiting agents among the atheists. When your life is at stake, it’s easy to betray your principles.”
“They don’t stand a chance.”
“Unless someone has decided to play with fire. The attempts on leaders were too well planned to be done without support from the inside.”
In other words, did Hera suspect one of her divine allies of colluding with the enemy? Or was she trying to convince me of this?
“You asked me not to take you for a fool, so I’ll be frank. All this is very interesting, but what prevents me from taking the Altar for myself?”
“And becoming a god? If, by some miracle, you achieve this, then most of the energy will be wasted. The great power that can be bestowed on one of us to save our world will only make you our equal. It will be too little to change the situation.
“And you’re ready to trust my common sense in this matter?”
“You will fail. You can strengthen one of the factions, but you will not be able to capture the Altar yourself. I will not explain the reasons, but I am sure of it. Take my word for it, and do not even try. If you do not want to swear fealty to me, so be it. Only help my priestess reach the Altar, and in return, I will give you what you want.”
“The status of a Minor God?”
“Not anymore. An offer like that is only made once. If we are successful, you will receive the status of a free player and my unofficial patronage. I will even give you Eva’s phylactery if you want. You will be able to live happily ever after and never accept a mission again. Or continue to develop the cult. Perhaps you can even become a True God.”
The reward might seem small, but it was only payment for “feasible help”. If I could capture the Altar on my own, then the conditions would be reviewed. After all, I hadn’t promised to back down and we were talking about an alliance, not vassalage.
“That’s not all, is it?”
“That’s right. Certain matters depend on the group decision. To form a proper alliance, you must prove that your cult is strong enough. Not to me, but to everyone else.”
“In what way?”
“You must pass a test. I believe that destroying one of the Disasters will be proof enough.”
Attention! An additional divine quest Proof of Strength is available!
Accept/Decline
Attention! The additional divine quest Negotiations has been completed!
Attention! The relationship with the Seven Gods of Earth has improved!