19 The Evacuation

So… this was Zagiha's dream girl?

Hana looked over the former Goddess Consort. The woman was, by all means, completely average in looks. Astrid was an austere being in her early thirties, sporting a plain face and a tousle of black hair pulled into a tight bun. She wore a frown sealed by thin lips, and a solemn business suit as unfashionable as it was functional.

She expected someone far more… well, now that she thought of it, she could see her being his type exactly, so she didn't know why she was surprised.

"What in the world?" Astrid stammered. "What happened to you?"

"Isaana and I got into a little fight," said Zagiha.

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Oh? You? Pissing off a woman? Color me surprised."

"You're beautiful when you're passive aggressive." Zagiha sneered at her. "Look, Astrid, the last thing I need today is your nonsense. I'm already struggling maintaining my physical form as it is; I don't need anymore trouble."

"But you dissipating into dust is the only time I don't have to hear you talk! You come to my practice unannounced, traumatize my client, and then you have the nerve to insult me! Why can't I escape you?"

Amazing! Two lines in, and they were already squabbling! Hana questioned the logic of coming to Zagiha's ex-wife's practice. It obviously wasn't doing them any good.

"Well, maybe if you were friendly for once, we'd be having a civilized conversation right now!" he snapped back. "But no, you're bullheaded as ever! I did that man a favor anyway. Nobody wants to be represented by a lawyer who barely passed the bar exam by three points!" Zagiha jabbed a finger in her face. "I mean, how can you be tutored by the very personification of the law himself and still do that poorly?"

"Maybe that has to do with your teaching, Most Boring Man on Earth Who Won't Even Touch Me? You're not a real man!"

"Of course I'm not a real man!" he hollered. "I'm a metaphysical concept, you second-rate attorney! So the dead bedroom's my fault now, huh?" His sneer turned to a scowl. "Gee, Astrid, if I wanted to have sex with a dead fish, I would've just gone to the market!"

Anddddd… this was way more than Hana needed to know. Her cheeks burned and she diverted her gaze to the floor, but of course, Zagiha pulled her into his spat.

"Have you ever dated before, Hana?" he asked.

She gave a hesitant headshake, trying to find a way to escape.

"Good!" he shouted. "Never do it! Or at least avoid heterosexuality like the plague! Otherwise you'll end up wasting your time with some expensive dream-crusher who betrays you!"

"Dick! Why'd I marry you, jackass?"

"Bitch!"

Awkward, awkward, awkward! This was too awkward. Their conversation already started at rock bottom, and now they were digging a hole! Hana needed to find a way to recover this somehow. She yanked on Zagiha's cloak.

"If you're feeling well enough to fight," she scolded, "you're well enough to get back to business! Remember the emergency!"

"Emergency?" Astrid blinked and faced Hana. "And who are you, sweetie? Do you need help?"

Her personality did a complete 180!

"Yes," said Hana. "Can we please use your Message Crystal? It's urgent. Mine got thrown away."

"Let me guess… his fault?" Astrid scowled at Zagiha.

Hana nodded, much to the God's objection.

"Okay, dear." She pulled the Crystal out of her purse and gave it to Hana. "Just remember to bring it back when you're done."

"Thank you…!"

Hana tapped it on, but the moment she did, Zagiha collapsed to his knees, groaning in pain.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Zagiha panted. "S-Sorry, Hana," he said, "I think I've reached my limit. I can't go on for much longer. I need some time to regenerate."

Astrid sighed. "… Ugh. Break room's in the back. You can rest there for a bit, but sweetie…" She stared into Hana's soul and made a point of ignoring her ex-husband. "Keep that thing away from me."

Hana thanked her profusely and managed to sling Zagiha across her shoulder, guiding him with wobbling fawn-like legs to the break room. He collapsed on the couch, gasping and shuddering. He looked pitiful. After a few minutes of this, he rolled back over and faced Hana, some of his wounds already closed up.

"So, what did you think of Astrid?" he asked. Then he sighed, a dreamy, love-struck sigh. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Uh…" She frowned. "… I think you make a perfect couple."

That wasn't a lie. Their personalities were both so terrible they deserved one another.

"I knowwwww!" Zagiha sighed again. "Gods, I need her back. Pass me the Message Crystal."

She did so. Today was so wild she just decided to go with anything that came at her.

Zagiha brought up the projected screen, swiping through a few names until he found one, pressing it. The Crystal gave three flashes and a chime, confirming the call.

"Who are you calling?" asked Hana.

"The Prime Minister." He frowned when the crystal flashed again.

"The Prime Minister?" Hana repeated, awestruck.

"He needs to know about this. He's the one who can authorize an evacuation immediately." He clenched the Crystal in frustration. "Ugh! He's not picking up! It must be because it's not coming from me!" Zagiha sat up and struggled to his feet, wincing.

"What are you doing?"

"What I'm doing is it myself!" he snapped. "There's no more time to waste! The Unforgivables are probably closing in by now!"

Apparently there was time to waste when he was clashing swords with his ex-wife, but Hana didn't dare say that. "Are you even in any shape to do it?"

"Of course not! But I have to be." He summoned his mallet and slammed it down, tearing open a portal. "Look, if I don't come back… Ereth, come and do your master's bidding."

Suddenly, a cute pygmy marmoset materialized in his hand.

"… A monkey?" Hana asked, deadpan.

"It's not a monkey!" he sputtered. "This is Ereth, a highly sophisticated artificial intelligence!"

She didn't get it.

He groaned. "My Angel? Like Isaana's falcon?" He put the tiny creature on Hana's shoulder and stepped foot in the portal. "Ereth has been encoded with some of my power. If my physical form is destroyed, she'll defend the city. But Angels are hard to control without their God around, so it's your responsibility to make sure she doesn't go berserk and destroy the entire country."

"WHAT?!"

"You'll do great! Bye!" And with that, the portal closed behind him.

--

Three years ago…

An arctic hare thrashed about, its foot caught in a trap. It let out horrible screams and squeals as it squirmed, trying hopelessly to escape from the boy leaning over it, a large stick clutched in his hands.

Silvio trembled, trying to line the stick up with the hare's neck to kill it in one stroke. He gulped.

"S-Sorry, Herr Rabbit," he said, "I'm really sorry! But I need to eat, too!" The hare looked up at him with big, pleading eyes, twitching its button nose. Ugh, after this, he was going vegetarian! No, vegan! He didn't want to kill something this cute! Closing his eyes, Silvio shouted and slammed the stick down, completely missing the animal. It hit the snow, causing a layer of power to blow up into his face.

Silvio coughed and sneezed, opening his eyes. The hare cried out once more. Silvio matched it with his own pitiful moan, and unable to bring himself to swing the stick again, freed the creature. It bounded off into the snow.

He fell to his knees and sighed. His stomach growled like a furious tiger and cramped. Silvio winced in pain and doubled over. The last time he ate was the week before, and it was only a few frozen berries leftover from fall. He needed meat and fish for protein, and in winter those were the only food sources around, but he was too soft. Even if he figured out how to make traps, Silvio couldn't bring himself to kill an animal.

And no good deed went unpunished.

Was he going to die out here alone?

Sheer willpower couldn't feed him. Bodies didn't care about feelings. He was tired and cold. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of nature around him.

Then, he heard something faint in the distance. It sounded like… jingle bells? The pounding of feet? As it got closer, he shot up, staggering out to the main trail. A dog sled! He was saved!

Silvio stepped out and waved his arms, shouting to get their attention. It worked, and the dogs slid to a halt.

"Are you okay?" asked the man sitting in the basket. He was a Sorcerer. A Worker stood at the footboards, looking him over suspiciously. "What are you doing all the way out here, boy?"

"I'm so glad you're here!" said Silvio. "Please, I haven't eaten all week! Do you have any food? I can pay you…"

"No need for that, child. We can give you a share of the food we packed, but we can give you a ride to the nearest town…"

"Sir!" the Worker cried. "Watch out!"

A gust of wind blew Silvio's hood down, exposing the cursed marks on his skin.

"An Unforgivable!" The Sorcerer's demeanor changed immediately. "You're not going to rob us, if that's what you're thinking!"

"I'll chase him off, sir." The worker pulled a short sword out of his scabbard and jabbed it in Silvio's face. "You get lost! You're not getting any of our money, you piece of filth!"

"W-Wait!" Silvio put his hands up. "I'm not armed! I'm not gonna rob you!"

"Uh-huh." The Sorcerer shot a ball of energy into the woods. "That's because your accomplices are waiting to ambush. Where are they?"

"Accomplices? I swear I'm alone! I just want some food, honest! Like I said, I have money!" He pulled the coins out of his pockets and showed them off.

"And where did you get that? The last person you stole from, right? I know all you villains' tricks. Don't be so arrogant you think you can pull the wool over my eyes!"

The Worker clutched his sword and looked Silvio straight in the eye. "Look here, if you don't beat it, you're going to die."

"But…"

Silvio barely dodged the bright flash of metal. He ran out of the Worker's striking range, standing in front of the sled. "I don't want your money. I don't want your goods. Just give me some food and I'll leave you alone."

"Step on it, Worker!" the Sorcerer snapped. "Run him over for all I care! Just get us out of here!"

"Yes, sir! Hike!"

The dogs shot off at top speed, leaving Silvio in the dust. They crossed the horizon line and disappeared, and he was back to square one.

Part of him couldn't believe what just happened, but most of him did. After all, it had once been Silvio on the sled, being robbed by an Unforgivable. Those men back then… they probably were as desperate as he was. But these people, they didn't even try to hear him out. Then again, if these highway robberies were common, then their fear wasn't unreasonable. Maybe he should've stolen their food and ran? But then that would make him a criminal, and Silvio was an honest person. If only they gave him the opportunity to prove that.

He was so hungry…

Silvio trudged back to his trap, shivering. He reset it. This time, he would kill what he caught. As he worked, the glint of a set of small eyes focused on him. Silvio stopped and focused on it. Just another snowshoe hare. He glared at it, and suddenly, he lost his temper, picking up his stick and running after it, swinging the makeshift weapon around. Perhaps he was taking out his frustrations on it, but most likely, his deep well of empathy was finally tapped dry in the face of starvation.

"Get back here, you stupid animal!" he cried. "I'm hungry! I'm hungry…" But of course, hares were much faster than humans. He swung the stick once more, before stopping, heaving and huffing in the frigid air. His lungs burned.

"You're too soft."

Four hooves only left indents in the snow, no sound.

A woman riding a pure white reindeer approached him, the snowshoe hare secured firmly in her lap.

Silvio rubbed his eyes and blinked.

This woman… those purple eyes, that hair like the Aurora Borealis… she was…

"Eleora… sa?" he asked. He rubbed his eyes again. "Great, now I'm hallucinating."

The reindeer huffed hot air in his face, and he stumbled back.

"Gah… never mind!"

Eleora dismounted. She wasn't much taller than Silvio himself, but she was far more intimidating. She didn't bother greeting him. "I'm not stopping my snowstorms for you," she said matter-of-factly. "It's only been a week and you're close to dead. You may be clever, but you're not tough at all."

"…" At first, Silvio bit his tongue, but being Silvio, couldn't help but talk back. "Well, why did you send me all the way out here, then?" he asked back. "I-I mean, I'm grateful you saved my life, but why the wilderness and not some Unforgivable slum?"

Her expression was impossible to read. "Killing is the way of this land. All living things must kill something else to survive. If you can't hunt even a simple hare, then perhaps I wasted my time saving you."

"I never asked you to!" Silvio folded his arms. "Why did you intervene back then?"

Eleora's face morphed into a frown. "Humans don't need to know the business of the Gods. Let me make this clear: you don't have my unconditional support. But, I don't think Isaana's in the right trying to kill you right away."

"Right away???"

"Yes." She grabbed the reindeer's reins. "I think you deserve a chance to prove yourself."

"For what?"

"That you can stay on your path and find Rirasiru."

"What else would I do?"

Eleora sighed. "Sometimes fate takes us in directions we never conceived of. I'm not allowed to tell you the secrets of the divine, but I will let you in on a little something: Isaana knew Jan Addens was to die that night."

"What?" Silvio gasped. He couldn't believe it. "You mean she could've prevented all that? She let Jan die in order to turn me into an Unforgivable? Why? That's insane!"

"I have a theory what she wants to do, but it's not of your concern." Eleora hopped back on the reindeer and gestured to the spot on the saddle behind her. "It's her way to strike preemptively. Let's just say you're one of two targets she wants to annihilate. But it's bad to punish someone who hasn't yet done any wrong."

Silvio had no idea what she was talking about. He knew she spoke obtusely on purpose. "Are you not allowed to tell me straight-up what's going on, or…?"

Eleora nodded. "The inner-workings of this universe are too complex for humans to understand. If they learned, they'd go insane. As I clearly stated, I'm expressly forbidden from revealing what I know, or I could be severely punished."

Silvio raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you pushing the envelope right now?" he asked. She nodded again. "The higher Gods… would they kill you?"

"Gods can't die," she answered in her normal deadpan way, "they'd do much worse. Get on."

A pause, and then he realized she was talking about the saddle. He awkwardly clambered up the stirrups and sat behind her, clinging on. With a crack of the reigns, the animal started galloping at full speed.

"Where are we going?" he yelled above the clamor.

"Hakalai Pass!" she shouted back. "At top speed it's not too far!"

Silvio didn't have the energy for this, but it beat starving to death in the middle of nowhere. If he died out there, no one would ever find his body. He tried asking Eleora more questions, but she didn't answer them.

His mind swirled with thoughts. The Gods seemed convinced he was destined to do something evil, he surmised, staring at Eleora's back. But what could he do? He was just some Unforgivable kid. He no longer had any magic powers or friends or resources. He was completely vulnerable. Silvio grimaced, and thought of all the things he did to get a Blessing.

Now that he looked at it in a different light, it was sort of freeing. Unforgivables couldn't get Blessings, so he didn't have to put so much pressure on himself anymore. And if he didn't have a Blessing, he couldn't change the world in any way. Therefore, he could do no evil, not that he intended to in the first place! Yes, he could be the hero he always wanted to be now, without any external incentive. And that felt sort of… nice. If evil was to be his destiny, then destiny could shove off.

After a bit, the landscape changed to familiar glacial fjords and a city skyline appeared in the distance. It got closer rapidly, when Eleora shot past Hakalai Pass entirely. The reindeer ran all the way to a humongous ice palace carved from a mighty glacier, and it gave several amazing bounds, jumping up the ice to the entrance with perfect nimbleness.

This place! Silvio knew this place! He was here before!

Eleora's Temple.

The animal's hoof beats clattered across the ice, until they found themselves in what Silvio could only describe as a sort of garage. Eleora dismounted and tied it to a post.

"Quickly!" she said. "I don't trust Isaana hasn't installed double agents amongst my own clergy."

Whoa. With that line, he realized how serious she was, and how much influence Isaana exuded over the country. Pulling his cloak tight to conceal his face, he ran after her, up several flights of slippery stairs in the dead of night. Eleora pressed on the wall, opening a secret room.

"Only my High Priests and I know about this place," she said. "You can rest here and I'll bring you enough food to last the day in the witching hours. Don't make any loud noises and tip people off."

Silvio nodded. Even if she said she didn't support him, she sure was going out of her way. With that, Eleora scampered off, closing the trick wall behind her.

The boy sighed. Being an ice castle and all, his living arrangements weren't exactly cozy, but this was the warmest he was all week. At least he was out of the elements. Bone tired, Silvio collapsed on the bed and…

Ow!

The mattress was just a sheet of ice.

Okay.

Eleora returned moments later with a tray of food and set it down in front of him. On it was a raw salmon steak, still partially frozen. Silvio didn't care about her cooking skills or lack thereof; he attacked it, wolfing the fish down as fast as he could.

"Don't eat too much at once," said Eleora, "otherwise you'll get sick and definitely die."

A mouthful plopped out and landed back on the plate.

"But still, rest up. You need to be prepared."

"For what?" asked Silvio.

Eleora didn't bat an eye. "Wilderness boot camp."

--

Hana stared at the monkey. So… this thing had the power to destroy the county, and Zagiha just left it with her, a literal child? But never mind that. She had a lot to ask him. For example: was he really the False One?

As she learned of them, the False One was just a storybook character meant to scare children straight. Surely they weren't real… right? Why would the Outer One destroy the humans it spent so much time making? It had to be a fable… right? And Zagiha wasn't destined to end the world… right?

No. She couldn't trust Isaana. The woman already showed her true colors, and Zagiha seemed genuinely concerned about the people. He couldn't be… he wouldn't… right?

She didn't have much time to ponder it further, as Astrid's Message Crystal suddenly turned on. Hana blinked, surprised that it did so without any input from her.

It projected a screen, and Zagiha peered through the hologram, clearing his throat. He looked like he was standing somewhere high up, like on a bell tower or something. "Is this thing on…?" he muttered. "It is? Oh. Attention, citizens of Modrica, this is a direct order from your God! I have used my authority to act in the Prime Minister's stead and cast the Gesmauran Emergency Broadcast Spell. All those in the Capitol District: evacuate immediately! You are in grave danger! If you can't run, hide. Police officers, prepare shield spells and seek cover! EMS, on standby! To citizens outside the Capitol District, stay inside. Lock the doors and stay away from all windows! If you see an Unforgivable, do not engage with them! This emergency order is effective as of now! I repeat: attention, citizens of Modrica, this is a direct order from your God…"

"What's going on in here? Where is… what?" Astrid entered the break room, mouth agape. "What is he doing up there? This was the emergency? Are we being attacked?"

"Shh…" said Hana. "Do you hear that in the background? What is that?" Behind Zagiha, she heard explosions, several of them going off at every second. And she also heard screams… so many screams…

What sort of weapon did the Unforgivables have?

"Damn!" shouted Zagiha. "It's too late! Never mind; I'm handling the threat myself. This concludes the broadcast!"

And the Message Crystal zapped off.

The screams grew louder. They were coming from outside the building. People ran about in panic, pounding on the doors for shelter, breaking glass to find a hiding spot.

"What's going on?" shouted someone.

"Let us inside; we beg you!"

Astrid stood frozen in fear.

"I'm going to let people in," said Hana.

"No!" Astrid shouted. "We don't know if there's someone dangerous outside! Care for yourself first. We are going to hide in this room until it's clear, got it?"

She sounded terrified.

Hana was scared, too. What was happening in the Capitol District right now? What were those blasts? She heard them before, at… at… the Courthouse fire! She remembered now! She needed to see what was going on.

"Ereth!" she cried to the Angel, "can you show us where your master is right now?"

"I don't think you want to look…" Astrid mumbled.

The monkey squeaked and projected a screen from its eyes. A lock-screen.

"You're PASSWORD PROTECTED?" Hana shrieked.

"… The password is password," said Astrid.

A checkmark appeared and the screen unlocked, bringing up an HUD. It was covered in gibberish. Great. The language of the Gods.

"He's not very creative," was the only thing Astrid offered in explanation.

Take a deep breath, Hana, she thought. She learned some of this language in school. Okay… she remembered at least some of the words and how to read the alphabet. She pressed a word that loosely translated as "Angel Link." She made the right call. The screen changed and opened up to Zagiha.

Hana immediately wished she hadn't done that.

Bodies were littered all around him, and she knew deep in her heart they were dead.

Astrid looked and suppressed a gasp. "Don't look…"

A police officer raised his staff, and an Unforgivable aimed something at him. It looked like some sort of metal stick? Suddenly, it made a loud bang, and the policeman dropped before she could even blink.

"What is this…?" Astrid sputtered. "How do the Unforgivables have this sort of power?"

The police tried to fight back, but in the time it took to cast a spell, the mysterious weapons were able to mow down several people.

Zagiha slammed Unforgivables with his mallet, but Hana could tell he was holding back. Why wasn't he killing them? Maybe he really was the False One…?

And then, he did it.

A pillar of light extended from the sky and Zagiha unleashed his full power. He immobilized and slashed at the Unforgivables with his light attack.

Twice in a day? Hana thought. Is he nuts?

"We have to do something!" she said. "We really have to!"

"And how do you think you'll help?" Astrid snapped. "Even the trained police can't handle this!"

"I…"

More screams penetrated the walls.

"You can stay here," said Hana. "But I'm going to help get the people over here to shelter!" And with that, she ran off, out of the law firm and into the streets.

They were an absolute mess. Broken glass lay everywhere, and people crawled over each other, fighting shop opens to be let inside.

"Everybody…" said Hana. They didn't listen. "Everybody!" They still didn't even offer her a glance.

"EVERYBODY!" Astrid emerged behind her, yelling in a deep voice. This gave people a moment of pause. "You're doing the exact opposite of your orders! Let me and this girl organize you properly!"

"Miss Astrid…?" Hana said. "You're going to help?"

The woman sighed. "You're right, uh… what's your name?"

"Hana?"

"In the courtroom, things can get intense. That's why we need a judge to keep things flowing properly. The most important job isn't sparring with the opposition! It's keeping things under control. That's why I, as a practitioner of the law, can't sit around and let this happen." She shouted once more. "If you want to live, follow us! The partition line is my office! Those to the right follow me, and to the left, rely on Hana! Now move!"

Hana felt like a herd dog trying to get the people to cooperate. Even if Astrid was willing to let people in her office, there wasn't enough room to hold everybody, and the other shopkeepers weren't as keen as her.

She split the people into six groups, for the amount of shops on her side. She brought the first group to the first shop, coming face to face with the clerk.

"Nuh-uh," he said. "One of these people might rob me! No way I'm letting them in! Scram!"

"Please?" said Hana. But she wasn't getting through to him. This guy was scary and intimidating, but if something didn't happen, someone was going to get injured. She tried something else. "Your shop has already been vandalized. You have insurance, right?"

He nodded.

"Then you'll get a good payout. They'll give you enough money to update the store and replace any merchandise. You could even sue these people and their insurance will settle with you out of court for even more money! You don't want to miss this opportunity, right?"

Dollar signs danced in his eyes. "Well, when you put it that way… Everyone, get in here and make sure to destroy my wares! Pay for my vacation!"

He let them inside.

"I want out of this crazy city, too!" cried another shopkeeper.

"Pay for my kids' education!"

"For the insurance policy!"

"The insurance policy!"

Hana couldn't believe appealing to human greed instead of empathy was what worked. But if it worked, it worked. She got all the people to shelter and met up with Astrid as she finished up.

"Let's get inside ourselves," she said.

Hana nodded, and they ran back inside, barricading themselves in the break room with several other people. She expected crying and panic attacks, but they were silent, focusing on Ereth.

"What's happening?" asked Astrid.

Someone pointed a trembling finger at the screen. "His Holiness… he…"

Hana pushed them aside and picked up the marmoset, dropping the poor thing when she saw what was on the screen.

Zagiha lay still prone, his body riddled with holes. A pool of blood formed around him.

"He couldn't protect us," whispered another person. "If even the God can't…"

A few people cried.

"… Then Modrica has fallen."