150 The Deities’ Decision
Because of everyone's embarrassment, it took a few breaths for someone to gather the courage to speak up again. Having waited for just such an opportunity, a particular god finally took center stage. It was Hermes, who had a placating grin plastered on his lips.
"Enough playing around, everybody. I love pleasant distractions as much as all of you, but sadly, we're on a bit of a timer here. Let's get this show back on track, shall we? With that said, please forgive me for being straightforward. Instead of focusing so much on the matter of Isaac Blackshaw, we should address the underlying issue as a whole. His case is merely a single example, one that has pointed out a clear flaw in our rules and laws. Wouldn't it therefore be pertinent to focus on these? In the process of doing so, we'll surely resolve his case as well."
These words earned him many approving nods. Quite a few deities utilized this opportunity to make themselves seem like they had wanted to get to the heart of the matter in the first place, and as if they had had no part in the previous time-waste. Their behaviour earned them disdainful sneers, but nobody really bothered to comment on it.
Smiling gratefully, Sancus was the one who decided to carry the torch of conversation further.
"I agree with you, Hermes. Our rules and laws are outdated, because they were decided upon back when some amongst us descended about a thousand years ago. Back then, there had still been a lot of pride in our divine bones, and we hadn't seen ourselves as equals to the mortals. Keep in mind, that was despite our desire to experience a life more like their own. Over the years, we have learned to empathize with them more, and the long escapes from our Divinities' influence have enabled us to realize many things. I'll come right out and say it: I don't think that there is anything inherently wrong with destroying one of our mortal vessels, as long as there is a good reason for it."
The moment that his argument came to an end, many disgruntled snorts echoed throughout the hall. The majority of them originated from a decent number of the many wind deities that had descended just weeks prior. One of them had gotten particularly annoyed by what he had just heard, so he decided to retort.
"Oh, and what is that reason? It'd better be a damn good one, or I'll never agree to this horseshit!"
Not even blinking at the use of relatively rough language like that, a genuine smile appeared on Sancus' face, reaching all the way to his eyes. The overwhelming integrity sparkling within them was somewhat blinding.
"I'm glad you asked! We deities will only suffer a little if our mortal vessels get destroyed, and we can always commission a new one. For us, the death of our mortal selves is not the end. But for regular mortals, it is - while their souls may live on, their lives are over. What I suggest is to put anyone who commits deicide on trial. If the reason for their actions is deemed to be a valid one, or if the one slain was a clear enemy to Orario's godly community, then they will be pardoned."
During this explanation, Dian Cecht had been stroking the goatee-part of his short beard, his frown growing more pronounced over time.
"Hold up, Sancus. Wouldn't that mean that we'd be entirely putting ourselves on the same level as the mortals? Although we came here to live like them, I don't think it would be correct to go all the way. If we truly wanted to do that, then we would have just found ways to truly become entirely mortal and cast off our divine selves. In a way, all of this is but a sort of holiday. What kind of vacation would it be if we cut off each and every single path of retreat for ourselves? There have to be limits."
His counterargument earned him the approving looks of many, whilst others couldn't help but shake their heads. This time, it wasn't Sancus who responded to dispute the critic's reasoning, however - the gently smiling Demeter stepped in. Despite her generally easy-going and friendly expression, her eyebrows were ever so slightly furrowed. In other words, she was currently very annoyed.
"In my opinion, Sancus' proposal doesn't go far enough yet, but I won't press the issue because we should take this one step at a time. Isn't aiming for the destruction of our mortal vessels to be treated exactly like the actual murder of a mortal already inherently unfair? In truth, we aren't even all that disadvantaged by it. Therefore, the proposal would still allow us to keep these limits that you mentioned in place. At the same time, it would also earn us the goodwill of the children, which is never a bad thing."
The old money-grubber didn't detect any flaw in her rationale, so he simply shrugged and refused to respond. Even the usually ever-displeased Ishtar reluctantly agreed with her.
During the meeting that had decided Isaac's fate, one of the main reasons as to why she had taken such a harsh stance was that she didn't want excessive numbers of deity murders to take place. Not only could that put her in a bit of danger, but it would also cause far more chaos than she actually wanted. There had to be a clear punishment for those who crossed the line, else the godly community would appear like all bark and no bite. However, in truth, there was no need to be overly tyrannical either. A best-of-both-worlds proposal wasn't bad at all - it might even curb the deicide desires of some who felt unfairly treated.
"I concur. Most of our rules and laws don't consider any exceptions. They are far too rigid. We shouldn't have been this thick-headed in the first place. It was only a matter of time until something or someone that we hadn't accounted for appeared."
Unconcealed disdain flashed in Freya's eyes as she listened to her fellow beauty goddess' partially insincere remarks. For the biggest detractor during the previous meeting to now speak such righteous words was simply hypocritical. Still, she wouldn't sink so low as to waste her breath on this matter - at least not now. With a chuckle that rang as melodious as wedding bells, the grey-haired embodiment of beauty became the entire assembly's focus.
"We all know that the majority of those who are responsible for putting our rules and laws in place aren't here with us anymore. Some have returned to Heaven - out of their own free will, or via less than peaceful means - while others have distanced themselves from Orario for one reason or another. Only a few handful are still present. In a way, we can view this as a 'generational change'. Almost all of us weren't involved with the creation of the rules and laws that the mortals and us are now bound by, therefore, why should we accept them without question? I agree with Sancus' proposal. At the same time, I would like to propose going even further. Let us discuss not just the rules and laws that relate to deicide, but all others as well. There are sure to be many parts which we will find lacking. We can't do so now, but the upcoming Denatus would be the perfect place and time, wouldn't you say?"
Shocked murmurs sprang up everywhere in the hall. Most hadn't expected an even greater matter to be addressed today, so they weren't immediately certain of what to say or how to react. Of course, there were a few exceptions.
Nodding happily and roaring in bellowing laughter, Ganesha slapped his thigh loud enough for some to worry about his physical wellbeing.
"Well said, well said! Even I, Ganesha, couldn't have done any better. I applaud you, oh beautiful one! The past is the past, and times ultimately change. Even us deities grow and improve, so why should our rules and laws be allowed to lag behind? I won't stand for it! Why, you ask? Because I am Ganesha! AHAHAHA!!"
Amidst his primarily annoyingly pointless sentences, some morsels of wisdom were sprinkled throughout, which were easily picked up on by the divine audience. Only some of the newcomers who hadn't made the elephant-masked god's acquaintance before felt like they wanted to slap some sense into him - everyone else had long since given up.
"Let's revisit that issue when it is time for the Denatus, okay? For now, we should really get back on topic. Is there anyone who wants to argue against Sancus' proposal?"
Taking the reins again, Set put the less important issues aside. There were barely two hours left before they had to announce a result, but it was still important to get any possible discontent out of the way and to give everyone the opportunity to speak up should they wish to do so.
At first, nobody uttered a sound. Due to the nature of this assembly, any points that were made would need to be solid enough to convince the majority of attendees, else it would be useless to even say anything. All previous complaints had been quickly brushed aside, which only further emphasized the need to actually make reasonable arguments. Individual opinion wasn't of that much importance at the moment.
Right as Set was about to steer the assembly onwards and let the voting commence, one particular deity heaved a reluctant sigh and finally broke the silence. It was a middle-aged man with shoulder-length grey hair who was clad in a stylish black tuxedo. The yellowish-green eyes peeking through his unadorned glasses showed a hint of hesitation - he clearly wasn't happy to have to go out of his way, but because nobody else said anything, he had to do it. A pair of goat horns grew from his temples. Just like many other deities, he had chosen a physical form quite similar to that of one of the many sentient races.
"Yes, I do, for I take issue with it. Wouldn't giving in to the mortals' pressure set a dangerous precedent? While I agree that Sancus' proposal, if judged in a vacuum, does indeed sound promising, it will also make us appear like pushovers. Won't the mortals just do the same thing over and over again whenever they want something changed from now on? This time, it might have been a reasonable request that sparked them into action, but will it always be? This whole situation just seems like the starting point to a slippery slope to me. Please tell me: What shall we do about this?"
His words echoed the thoughts of the less experienced deities. Not only mortals, but also the gods and goddesses would grow arrogant as well as conceited if they got what they wanted too easily. Taking a step back in favour of reason wasn't always the optimal decision, even if it sounded great on paper. If the world were a place full of loving, understanding and honest people, then everything would go just swimmingly. But many individuals were far more problematic than that. Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile. Make one concession, and they'll ask for countless more. Help them once, and they'll take it for granted in the future.
All the gods and goddesses who had descended a huge number of times already simply shook their heads, despite the valid concern that had been brought to their attention. They had dealt with this exact issue on many occasions, and it hadn't actually been particularly difficult.
Showing a patient and understanding smile, a gallant old man clad in a black suit that sported a faded-green tie - Kári - turned to face the goat-horned 'youngster' and took it upon himself to explain the veterans' experiences in detail.
"Zagan, your worries hold water, but they are easy to placate. In the past, situations like this one have cropped up countless times, and we made concessions to the mortals of those days. Some indeed let it go to their heads, but those were easy enough to deal with - a simple show of force was usually sufficient. However, after a while, we came up with a great method that would avoid most of these troubles entirely. We allowed the mortals to present us with their petitions for change in written format at designated times. Like that, most unrest would be quelled before it ever began, because the mortals had been given a voice. If they brought up anything that we couldn't agree with, we also could always simply dismiss their petition. Some problem children still chose to revolt against our decisions every now and then, but there will always be those foolish or brave enough to face our wrath. The majority of any potential friction can be avoided by giving the mortals an official outlet that allows them to let the godly community know of their frustrations, and by at the very least making it seem like their issues aren't falling on deaf ears."
Surprise flashed in Zagan's eyes as he took in this information that he hadn't previously been privy to - his first descent to the Lower World had been a mere 100 years ago, so although he had become acclimated to its current state, he was entirely in the dark about what had happened all those millions of years before. Very quickly, he saw the reason within this solution to the problem that he had brought to attention, but there was still one minor issue remaining.
"Thank you for your advice, Kári. All of that is well and good, but who will undertake all of the organizational work that's necessary? I'm certain that the vast majority of us here wouldn't exactly be rejoicing over having such a burden forced upon ourselves."
Many deities voiced their agreement - they had come to this world to enjoy themselves and wanted to spend most of their days leisurely, so such a considerable responsibility was one that most would much rather want to avoid. Some therefore turned to face the calmly observing Ouranos, who took this as his cue to dispel some of the unnecessary worries.
"The Guild will take care of it, so none of you will have to bother with it. I created the Guild with the intention of having them handle most of these miscellaneous tasks, after all. If there is nothing else, then let us proceed to the vote. Those amongst you who are against Sancus' proposal, raise your hands."
Although a number of deities had wanted to at least give voice to some more of their dissatisfaction, they knew not to make a fool out of themselves now. Ouranos had spoken, and the only thing that they could still do was to 'go down with a fight'. In other words, to vote against the proposal so that they could at least claim that they had done all that they could. There really were no good arguments left that they hadn't already tried to bring up.
Glancing across the crowd, Ouranos counted 108 votes and nodded. Almost all of them had behaved just as he had expected - the arrogant Ferthur and his ilk made up the majority of that number, while a few of the more dubious characters in the crowd also followed along. Those who had originally shown displeasure with the proposal had mostly not changed their mind, even after hearing what the more experienced amongst the godly community had had to say. To his surprise, Zagan had actually abstained from voting against the proposal - it was considerably rare for a deity not to be unreasonably stubborn. Ishtar was another example of this. Last time, she had been fully against any sort of leniency, but this time, she had apparently experienced a change of heart.
"Let's continue with those who are neither for nor against the proposal. In other words, those who, for whatever reason, want to abstain. Raise your hands."
This time, the number of voters was smaller: 15. That wasn't anything out of the ordinary, though. Those who wanted to stay on the sidelines weren't that many, because most deities usually didn't shy away from making decisions. Only those who were currently in precarious situations and couldn't afford to offend someone who had voted differently from what they thought to be the correct choice, and those who simply didn't care at all, would choose this course of action. Well, most of the latter hadn't even attended the assembly, else the number of participants would have been about five percent higher.
"Lastly, those who agree with Sancus' proposal, raise your hands."
The remaining 1,004 hands shot into the air, some faster than others. Counting them once more just to double-check whether or not he had made any mistakes, Ouranos smiled slightly and waved his arm, signalling that they could relax once more.
"Very well. With an approval rating of 89 percent, Sancus' proposal has been accepted. Henceforth, any and all times that a deity's mortal vessel is destroyed, the killer will be put on trial. Should they be able to produce evidence that exonerates them or should the deity in question have been an enemy of Orario, then the killer shall be pardoned."
Letting his gaze rest on a small portion of the assembled deities, the primordial god's expression turned sterner than usual.
"To clear up any potential misunderstandings in advance, let me state this: Anyone who oversteps our agreed upon rules and laws by too much will be considered an enemy of Orario. What qualifies as 'too much' will be up to my discretion. You can rest assured that I will be wholly impartial regarding this matter. Should any evidence of a considerable misdeed be found, then not only will the Guild take action, but some quests to eliminate the offenders in question may also be handed out. This is not up for debate."
By the end of his statement, a terrifying amount of Divine Energy had seeped into his voice, shaking those whose crimes were already tangentially known to him to their cores. In a way, this could be considered Ouranos' final warning to them - he had already been very lenient with them due to their various services to the city, and because they had hidden too deeply for him to officially accuse them of anything. That didn't keep him from making it abundantly clear that he had good reason to suspect them, though.
Despite the fact that most of the ones who had been targeted by the primordial god were unhappy, they didn't dare to complain aloud. The majority of them simply resolved to hide even deeper and more thoroughly, so that their extremely shady and immoral businesses couldn't possibly be exposed, but a small number chose to turn a new leaf. To them, all matters relating to the Lower World were just a game, but now that the risk had become too big and tangible, it simply wasn't worth it to continue on this path.
Because he had not stood out ever since his sole contribution to the assembly, Hermes had no eyes on him at the moment, so he allowed himself to smirk gleefully. He had already been notified in advance that such a warning would be given today, and a number of secret quests had been issued to his familia. On the surface, Ouranos' words of caution might sound like a gesture of kindness to some, and while that wasn't entirely untrue, they were also a trap. No matter whether some would try to conceal their crimes further or attempt to wash their hands clean of their dark pasts, they would need to rush to get it done, so mistakes and slip-ups would inevitably occur. This could give them the evidence that they needed, and any that were found to have stepped too far over the line would not receive any mercy.
'I'm really looking forward to it. It's high time for some spring cleaning.'
While the god of wanderers was busy rejoicing, the collective mood inside the hall grew brighter again because Ouranos retracted his oppressive Divine Energy. Those who had nothing to hide had gloating expressions blossoming on their faces, not even feeling the slightest bit bad about the fates that might befall their shady brethren in the future - if they played with fire, then they had to be prepared to get burned.
For ten minutes or so, no particular progress was made and the assembly devolved into casual banter once more. This time, however, no primordial deity intervention was necessary, because they still had around one and a half hours left to finish all that they needed to discuss. With only one matter still partially unaddressed, there was now no need to rush. However, at least one person didn't see it that way.
"Hold up, I just want to get something straight. Us having accepted Sancus' proposal means that Isaac Blackshaw will be set free, right?"
Ishum's question caused a considerable number of deities to stare at him as if they were looking at an idiot. A few even started to guffaw, causing the fire god to furrow his brows and turn a little incensed. Had they been in Heaven, then a region many times larger than Orario would have already been incinerated due to his aggravated state.
"What are you clowns laughing at!? This is a serious matter! Yes, it might be obvious, and we would eventually address this issue offhandedly and get it done with. But every minute that we're wasting here now that his fate has almost been decided, he will have to suffer in unjust isolation and darkness! We might not be bothered too much by something like that, but that's only because our minds have turned very resilient after our ascension. However, that doesn't mean that a regular mortal can endure the same - it's pure torture to them! We've basically already agreed to pardon him, right? Then what are we waiting for? Let's free the poor guy already!"
Some who had previously championed for Isaac's rescue but had allowed themselves to get distracted once they had felt the matter to have pretty much been dealt with already blushed in shame, while the few who still weren't on board with letting a deity slayer walk free - or with anything that had been decided upon today - cursed within their minds. Still, none of them bothered to speak up, as there was no point to it any longer.
With a smile full of appreciation, Ouranos listened to the words of the young fire god. They were filled to the brim with genuine empathy. A deity like Ishum might not be rare, but they weren't all too common either. Every single one of their number was one that had to be treasured and cherished. Before any more time could be wasted, he exuded a bit of Divine Energy to regain everyone's attention anew.
"We have successfully resolved all issues for today. In mere moments, I will unlock the doors to this assembly hall and you may all go about your business again. I will announce the results of our discussion to the public and Isaac Blackshaw will be released. There is no doubt that the public will want to have a good look at him, to celebrate his deeds to their fullest and to ensure that he has truly been freed. However, he might not be in a state to meet them yet, because solitary confinement takes a heavy toll - I will let my children ascertain whether or not he judges himself to be ready to bear such a burden already. Should he not be in any condition to do so or should he not wish to confront the protesters for any reason, then I will personally relay that information to the masses and face the potential backlash. Any other changes regarding our rules and laws shall be discussed during the next Denatus. Dismissed."
-----
When there was still more than one hour to go until the deadline that Ouranos had stated, the hologram of the old god appeared once more in the skies above the plaza in front of Babel. Only a few handfuls of people had left in the meantime, while the rest had grown a little more quiet than before but had continued to wait for the news that was to come. This was a monumental occasion, and to miss it was simply out of the question.
The mood grew heavy when the people laid their eyes upon the unfathomably powerful deity for the second time. In their eyes, there was a mixture of fear, respect, anticipation and dread. Some judged the early reappearance as a good sign, while others thought negatively of it. Now that their waiting had come to an end prematurely, they felt like their hearts weren't ready to handle the result of their protest yet. The tension was palpable.
"Dear citizens of Orario, the godly community has come to a decision. Regarding the issue of deicide, our rules and laws have been amended. While any offenders will still be heavily punished like before, should there be evidence that can justify this deed in front of us deities, or should the slain deity in question have been an enemy of Orario, then the killer will be pardoned. Due to the circumstances surrounding the deicide of Petbe, it has been judged that Isaac Blackshaw will be pardoned. She was an enemy of the city, and removing her and her underlings was a meritorious deed on his part. He has already been released, and the Guild is currently determining whether or not he is in any condition to step into the spotlight. Should he need time to recover, I hope that you all can show some understanding for his circumstances."
After he said all of this, Ouranos' hologram fell silent, but he didn't disappear. Whilst some were clearly unhappy with what he had stated in the end, because they wouldn't be capable of dispelling their remaining doubts if they didn't see the man of the hour with their own eyes, they couldn't make a fuss while this powerful god was presiding over the premises.
The silence continued for almost ten minutes, then the elderly man on the stone throne nodded slightly and showed a soft smile which brought relief to many people. His previously unchanging, impartial expression had weighed like a heavy boulder on their hearts.
"I have been informed that Isaac Blackshaw is willing to meet you all. Both his physical and mental state seem to be in sufficient condition to handle this situation. He will leave the Pantheon in a little bit, so look forward to it. Any further details regarding this protest and how similar situations will be handled in the future will be presented to you all by the Guild after the next Denatus. Now that this matter has been dealt with, I shall take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your day."
At first, everyone stayed silent out of respect, reverence and fear, but about ten seconds after the hologram had faded into thin air, people started to exclaim in joy and jubilation one after another. The volume quickly became deafening and even a bit painful, but almost nobody really cared about that. They had made a tangible difference and caused the deities to rethink one of the decisions that they had made in the past - the result of this was a euphoria that they had rarely felt before.
Whilst he was climbing the stairs leading to the ground floor of the Pantheon, Isaac could hear the thunderous chorus of victory as clear as day. A small smile with an indecipherable meaning stole itself onto his lips.
