NEW GODS: The Awakening

The Cracks In The Order

Leon heard murmurs from below. This was an extremely important meeting so members of the monastery and the New Order alike were attending in mass. Assistants of his mother, teacher and especially benefactors were more than eager to attend this critical event in history.

The only ones who had not attended was Helios, Damian’s step father, and a benefactor, Gabriel Crow. Crow’s absence was an unlucky coincidence.

His daughter, Torey, after all studied there so he had no reason not to visit.

Currently he was conducting a research on the ailing community of giants that could not easily be put on hold.
Helios was to be expected. When did he ever attend meetings of any kind?

Was that where Damian got his more defiant behavior from?

He was seated above all others and hidden behind a folding screen. The technical purpose behind it was to add to the mystery, the unknown of divine hood.

The golden foil morphed into repeated patterns that reminded him of the folding screen his grandma used to have in her sewing shop.

He used to hide behind it a lot when they played hide and seek. They had found him every time.

They had been very encouraging when he was revealed to be a God, perhaps the only reason the Order convinced him into coming along to train under them. He had been supposed to visit them regularly but they both died before they had even reached the monastery.

He shook the memory off. Now was not the time for such. He was in an official meeting and he was expected to behave like a God would.

Cameras had been placed around the room, observing the round table the member of the Order were sitting on.

That way even if they could not see him, he could see them clearly from screens behind the cover.

Leon had no particular fondness for Order meetings. At times, they even felt pointless. He knew all of the most important individual’s preferences, opinions and goals to the point where he could essentially figure out what they had to offer to the conversation.

Unsurprisingly, first subject up for discussion was the arrival of the Goddess. By discussion, he meant that he presented the carefully thought out plan he had created, detailing every minute detail from the moment the Goddess stepped a foot on the mountain.

The plan was acceptable. He had set out to create a celebration deserving of the reincarnation of the Agasis, ruler of Divines, himself. Everything had to be the pinnacle of perfection and he had outdone himself with the uncertain resources and small window of time he was given.

However, Leon remained spiteful that he had not been given so little to work on. He could have done better if only-.

The Order were instantly on board with most, if not all his suggestions.

The only one who deigned to present an opposing argument was Isabella Lucia Castillo. She argued the current program did not leave much time for him and the Goddess to interact.

Isabella was as bold and outspoken as her son. She only showed in more conventional, forgivable ways.

As Leon could not simply escape that, he promised to make accommodations.

Silence fell on the room- a most rare occasion- when Bao Weng stood up, wordlessly demanding the attention of all in the room. Leon’s eyes immediately squinted at him.

Bao was of somewhat small stature and build. He more than made up with that in pure confidence. He had one of those smiles that never left his face and his brown eyes had an jovial glint to them. The benefactor was dressed fancy, as always.