God of Discovery [high fantasy, slow build, mlm]

Arc 3 - 15. God of War, part 1

When they received news of Tassikar's death, D'Argen dropped his face in his hands and was not sure whether to laugh or cry. He had told him! He had warned them! He told Acela what would happen if she left Upates to his devices. He warned Darania that Upates would fail, and it would bring upon the deaths of hundreds.

Yet nobody had listened to him.

If he even told them at all.

Even Olde had not been able to predict it, though D'Argen had tried to force the magic faster with his prompting and pushing.

All D'Argen knew was that some of his visions, some of his memories of the future, would happen no matter what he did. Apparently, this was one of them. Yet along with Tassikar's name were a dozen others. D'Argen had tried to warn Tassikar, told him to stay away from that area. Instead of listening to him, Tassikar had brought along others.

D'Argen raised his head from his hands and turned to face where Thar sat beside him. Thar's back was so straight that it sent a twinge through D'Argen's shoulders just looking at him. The rest of the gods were all in shock in the stone hall of Evadia where Acela had asked them to gather for the sombre news.

True. This was when they first learned they even could die.

D'Argen knew what came next. He looked away from Thar and over dozens of heads to where Acela stood on a raised platform. Beside her stood three of the other four. Upates was sitting at the edge of the platform, head bowed down and shoulders hunched. He knew he had made a mistake. They all knew it was his fault.

Yet none blamed him but himself.

D'Argen blamed him.

He had told him what would happen and Upates had waved him off.

Acela announced that the city Upates had started building was the demons' territory now. They would have to go there and ensure the demons could not leave. And, as D'Argen knew it would happen, Vah'mor volunteered to be the one to go.

It was like a wave through the crowd as everybody started nodding.

Nobody wanted to go fight. There had been battles and wars between mortals, there had been fighting where the gods were asked to help or heal, but a fight against something that could kill them? Nobody wanted to go. They did not in his other memories either. Neither did he.

Yet D'Argen raised his hand high in the air immediately after Vah'mor's announcement, interrupting Acela's agreement.

"D'Argen? What is it?" she asked, her voice wary.

The crowd between them turned to face him and parted just enough for him to see her fully. Thar shifted as well, his shade moving so that it was not overlapping one of the gods standing beside D'Argen. The runner felt a shiver run down his spine and his lifted arm got numb from the cold.

"Don't you think it would be better if more of us go?" he dared to ask once he could find the words. He dropped his arm, and it passed right through Thar's shade. "Instead of sending just one. Not to say that Vah'mor could not do it themselves, I know all of us believe their prowess. But wouldn't it be better if we had more?"

"Are you volunteering?" A voice sneered near him.

D'Argen snapped his head to try and find the source, but all the faces he saw looked shocked.

"I am," he confirmed and faced Acela again. Then, he raised his voice, "I am volunteering to help Vah'mor with this."

"There is no need," Vah'mor replied, just as loudly.

"I'm not offering it for a need," D'Argen tried to defend his words. "I'm offering it for—"

"There is no need," Vah'mor interrupted him with the repetition. "You all have tasks to do here. The mortals that have already been affected by this will need help. I can take care of this on my own."