Chapter 4 - The Solution

''The order is, attack other monsters.'' 

…The silence was reigning in the room, the Gods were all wearing expressions of shock on their faces, except Kepler who was looking at them with an apologetic face. 

The Gods quickly regained their bearings and started asking question about the idea. 

''It can't be that simple, or else that would have been the first thing you would have said.'' Commented Orion. 

''Sadly, you're right, it's not that easy. First of all, while mind-controlling the strongest monster is doable, it costs a sizeable amount of divinity to do it perpetually.'' 

''How much?'' Questioned Atlantique. 

''About 0.001% of my reserve each second.'' Responded Kepler. 

''THAT MUCH!!!'' Screamed Orion while standing up from is throne. 

Nobody criticized him about is outburst, divinity is after all the energy that Gods utilize to survive, but it is also their source of power. Even a weak percentage of it is enough to change the universal laws of the world; it can make gravity cease to exist or make fire cold and water taste like coal. Everything is possible with divinity. But such power comes with a cost, scarcity. Regaining the energy necessary to produce such miracles necessitates emotion. Strong emotion, such as adoration, loyalty, or love. Emotions like these transfer to energy that is used to fuel the gods power. But even with 1 million followers, the Gods only receive 1 joule of divinity each day, and to maintain their existence, they need a good proportion of it each day. Which results in the Gods needing to carefully use their divinity and not waste it on modern action. Which means that the use of divinity to simply control one monster is a price that is too expensive to pay, especially when they're losing their source of faith. 

''Well, I suppose that while the cost is great, it's still affordable,'' mentioned Orion. ''It's a good short-term solution, that will permit our faithful to relax so that they can maybe find a way to stop the apparition of monsters that will cost nothing to us?'' 

''Ah!'' Mocked Daulatpur, ''You really think the mortal can obtain a better idea than us, the Gods? Are you that desperate?'' 

''Enough!'' Exclaimed Adam, '' We have better things to do than waste our time on useless bickering.'' 

''Pfff, whatever, it is simply foolish to think mortals can be better than us.'' Mumbled Daulatpur. 

''I also have bad news for you, Orion. The monsters are constantly growing in power each time they kill any living being, including monster, so as time passes, our divinity consumption will always augment. We better look at an alternative.'' Added Kepler. 

''…then what if we created our own monster that will be loyal to us?'' suggested Atlantique with a pensive face. 

Everyone was looking at him with surprise before they delved into their own thoughts. 

''…that would not work, the monster will instead categorize the new species as another race, and not one of them.'' Responded Adam with slight disappointment in his face. 

''…but that's only if we use a soul created immediately by ourselves, right? So what if we take the soul of our believer'' commented Orion. 

''… let me check with my divinity first.'' Replied Adam before going into a trance. 

The other Gods were not even acting surprised and simply waited for him to come back with an answer. ''…Alright, I looked for the result, and whatever causes the monster to be created, let's call it miasma, will completely corrupt the soul of our believer. I was also able to know the reason why, it's because the miasma will nourish on our divinity, and is very voracious in front of it.'' Stated Adam, looking a little more tired than before. 

''… what if it was a soul that had lost all connection to us?'' Questioned Atlantique. 

''…the forsaken?'' Realised Daulatpur. 

''… one moment.'' Responded Adam. ''Mmmm… it would actually work… but we would have no control over them, the only thing we could do is preparing them a body of low power, if not, their body will be much charged in divinity and would completely lose their mind, but that could work if we give them time and opportunity to grow.''

 ''Wait a minute, how will we even find a group of forsaken who willingly want to work for us, because their high chance that they betray us the moment we lose control of them.'' Commented Daulatpur with a serious expression, ''There's a reason why we forsaken them in the first place!''

 ''But it's true that it will be the best option. Not only will it resolve our problem of monsters, it will also cost us almost nothing to execute it!'' Added Orion, ''Besides, we just need to promise them that we will forgive them or whatever, and they will probably work for us.'' 

''I also agree with this plan, it's the one that will give us the most benefit, it will even allow us to use these infidels to good use.'' Stated Adam, satisfied with the solution. 

''I'm in favor of this idea, it's the simplest decision, and will save us all a lot of time. '' expressed Atlantique. 

''I refuse! I don't want to forgive any of these forsaken, they don't deserve it!'' Complained Daulatpur. 

''No need to keep our promise then, it's not like they will be able to do much after we resolve the problem, so no need to stay true on our word.'' Commented Kepler. 

''…alright, but the majority of the forsaken have already lost their minds, and the rest will rather stay in the void for eternity than to even listen to us. What are the chances that we found not only one forsaken that is enthusiastic to work for us, but five forsaken. I don't think they even exist!'' 

*** 

♪♪♪ For the Gods we pray, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ For the Gods we dance, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ For the Gods we chant, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ For the Gods we fight, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ For the Gods we breathe, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ For the Gods we trust, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ For the Gods we shall, ♪♪♪

♪♪♪ Obey! ♪♪♪

We were all chanting to distract ourselves, waiting for the god to appear can be pretty boring after all. But that would not stop us from marching forward! No boredom can stop our faith in the Gods! 

Even Clay was joining in the song, he was clapping his hands in the rhythm of the music. Tss, still thinks that Bread Muncher was a better name for him, but apparently, no one liked it, not even Angela, and she couldn't even hear it. They didn't even let me call myself Handsome Fire and forced me to change it! Well…I suppose Ignis is indeed a better name… but no way I'm ever gonna tell them this! Or else, Zephyr will mock me for days, like the last time when I said I called him Sulking Boy. Anyway, Oceana was the one who taught us that music, apparently, she used to sing at the church, before, well, she got found out as a heretic.

Sadly, my previous occupation wasn't as exciting, I was only an actor at a circus, a good actor if I must say, they were always screaming at me when I was on stage, that must mean they loved it. It was fun while it lasted, but not as fun to getting burned by the Sun, now that was very fun… I hope I could get burned by it again.

''Hey, Ignis, can I ask you a question?'' Angela suddenly asks. 

''Oh yeah, sure.'' I responded to her with a new form of language we developed during our time here, we call it sign language, it conveys what we're saying with hand signs. Angela and Clay were very happy when they learn it, especially Clay.

''Why do you have such an obsession with fire?'' 

''Because fire is beautiful.'' I responded immediately 

''…Yeah, but why do you find it beautiful.'' 

''Oh, that easy, it all started when… 

I suddenly stopped talking, and it seemed I wasn't the only one. Everyone stopped in their tracks, except Oceana who persecuted Zephyr. 

''What the… 

*Thumb*

Zephyr immediately shushes her and forced her to kneel… we all kneel. Because we were no longer in the void, we were in front of a table… and on each side of it, were the Gods we've all been waiting for.