"She promises to protect all those Sanctuary people who will take shelter in Eldoris, except the recently awakened," Ilvanya said.

There was no going back now. The faces of all six sanctum heads gave her the answer clear enough. They were shocked, disgusted, resigned, angry, and in total disbelief. All valid emotions.

"That's.. That's not possible. Both Eldoris and Faerunia has mana contract with us. If the terms are broken, their monarchs will die." Souldealer argued.

"They are Gods. If they can control people thoroughly, what are our little spells to them?" Einar said through gritted teeth.

One person, however, Ilvanya, just could not meet eyes with.

"You.. You betrayed us.." Evrin's voice broke. "This can't be happening.. No, it's a nightmare.."

"I am sorry, daughter." Ilvanya shed a tear, "I personally am more than prepared to die for you, Vidalia, and her children.. But Eldoris is not mine to command. I tried. I argued with Astraea, the queen.. the elders.. But my voice is barely worth anything compared to our goddess mother."

Lucian stood up in a fit of rage, "They are cowards! They want to destroy us when Landbreaker and Damian are not here!"

"Why would they do such a thing? How could they be so narrow-minded!" Even the always calm Torwin exclaimed.

"They are jealous of us is what they are," Einar replied coldly. "A decade and we have become the center of the mainland. A few more, and their whole kingdoms would collapse due to the lack of people. Its no divine judgement, they want us gone."

"Didn't Astraea promise for exactly such scenarios to protect us!?" Sam slapped the table, and a bolt of lightning shattered it into pieces. "What was Damian's sacrifice for?"

Suddenly, Ilvanya realized her vision had narrowed, and her self-control had completely vanished. The goddess of light and nature had ever so kindly taken over her. The others noticed her glowing golden eyes and understood the meaning of change very well.

"I warned you." The voice was hers, but the words were not. "I warned that damned brat not to seek ways to oppose us. I warned him not to hide anything, not to grow so fast, so quickly. I warned you to kill those miserable lot just as they awakened. I am not to blame when all my orders have been ignored. Now you whine before me, when the consequences of your actions have reached you all?"

"You did not give any orders. Killing them was merely a suggestion!" Sam argued back.

"Did you just get born yesterday, boy?" The strange voice in Ilvanya shot back, "You knew the root of your problem that brought the attention of all gods! You knew what we wanted! You ignored because you wanted to! Acting on behalf of us to please us is a part of your duty as a follower! And you have failed!"

"So you will condemn us all?" Evrin stood up, rage filled her eyes. "Is that what gods do? Killing women and children? Controlling unwilling people? All because you are the master of the world and we are all your slaves to torment?"

Ilvanya sensed anger, frustration, and even guilt. Not all were her own feelings, though, she realized. She was feeling.. what the goddess felt.

A feeble proof that words of mortals still mattered to these impossible beings.

"There is only one way to stop this. If you morons give up two-thirds of your new land willingly and stay away from the recently awakened, I might be able to do something to stop this. Even if it costs me too much." She said.

"Take all of the damned land if that's what it takes," Sam bellowed, "But not a single friend of mine will ever be made a sacrifice before you false gods!"

Ilvanya's gaze deepened into Sam's deep blue eyes. Then the goddess turned to look at the others. All of their expressions said it clearly, 'Yes, we are with our keeper.'

"Very well, if death is what you wish for, you shall have it. Eldoris will be no part of this nationwide suicide attempt. I will protect the queen from the mana contract's effects."

With that, Ilvanya regained control of her body. But the presence of Astraea had not vanished completely. But the words she spoke were just for her now, not everyone.

'If you have any sense left, send the children and the weak to Eldoris. My children should not die in this stranger's war. I can take control of you and your daughter at any time. So do not make me repeat myself!'

Then the goddess left. Without hearing her answer.

Well, even if she stayed, Ilvanya could not feel her.

Suddenly, Sam's sacrium bracelet receiver started making noise. A few hurried touches and live footage from dozens of places were activated in translucent blue windows. Three from Empire: the army headquarters in the capital, the red temple, and the sanctuary-empire border city. Three from Faerunia mirrored the same places, only the temple was replaced with continuously changing footage of the sea, tracking the many children of the sea god.

The two from Eldoris showed the border city, whose people seemed to be preparing their defences. And the capital was also unusually active.

'The queen even announced something to the people? She didn't even consult Vidalia, Evrin, or me!?'

The day was packed with punches after punches. It was clear the goddess had already spoken with the queen and probably even the elders.

"They are coming," Lucian said.

Sam saw the live footage of troops preparing and the empire's bio-mechanical weapons lining up one after another for a moment. Then declared decidedly,

"We are in a state of emergency. Activate the barrier and ready all our pathfinders, mundanes, and other units. All guilds are ordered to join the army. Prepare the underground towers. Activate the civilian safety protocols. Summon all transcendents we know. This is it."

"Sending our children to El—"

Ilvanya tried to speak, but six echoes of a strict "NO!" made her bite her lip and swallow the words.

"Address the country. Tell them everything. People should know what they are fighting for." Torwin suggested to Sam, and the six heads unanimously agreed, including Sam.