Regina was aware that the current status quo would probably crumble sooner or later, that the balance wouldn’t hold forever. Still, she hadn’t expected the first thing to give it a push to be a bloody simple, semi-regular natural phenomenon of all things. Even if she could admit it being a celestial phenomenon was kind of ironic.
“A meteor shower, Max!” she ranted, throwing up her hands. “A god-damned meteor shower of all things? And that’s what they decide is a fu—farfetched expression of holy significance and the will of the gods?”
Kiara gave her a chiding look from two seats over. Probably because she was currently bouncing her little brother on her knee, not that he seemed very interested in their conversation. They were sat out on the veranda Kiara had most recently had added to the inner gardens in the course of her renovations, along with Janis, who was flipping through a stack of pages, and a few other drones, who were watching June try to teleport various objects without using System Spells. It wasn’t a scheduled meeting, but things had somehow worked out that way to find them all here.
“Meteor showers, eclipses and other celestial phenomena are traditionally seen as events of high significance, Regina,” Kiara said. “That is simply the way it works. How people think.”
Regina shook her head. “But the gods here are actually real, they can just express their will. And meteor storms are hardly a supernatural event! Obviously.”
“Is that so?” Janis muttered, turning a page.
“It’s just physics. Not portents that change depending on the state of the world. They can be predicted.”
Kiara looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Can you, Regina? Predict the next one?”
Regina opened her mouth, then paused. She slumped back a bit in her seat, running a hand through her hair. “Me personally, with what I have right now, no,” she admitted. “We’re a little short on big telescopes, or detailed records of previous ones. Galatea might be able to. But, alright, Kiara, I get what you mean.”
“Besides, who’s to say the gods aren’t involved in this, just for sending a message? With the reaction if not the timing itself,” Tim added, looking over at them.
Regina pulled a face. That was unfortunately why she was inclined to worry about this. Beyond the obvious problems.
“I know we scheduled a meeting to talk about this later,” Kiara said. “Perhaps we should simply do it now? Since we’re already discussing it.”
“I’ll link you in and add the others,” Regina said.
She reached out to Kiara and June, pulling her apprentice in first before focusing on members of her psychic link and including them. The ‘imitation link’ was much like the psychic link on a smaller scale, but it did have a few peculiarities. Then she reached out to several other people, including Lord Daine, who was currently in his office a few stories higher. She checked that he was free, then mentally slotted his mind into place. Wordlessly, she asked him who else to include, then took the information to ‘invite’ them as well. It was a bit like using conference software, just more intense.
Thank you all for your attendance, she started. We are meeting to discuss the recent meteor storm and its effects, particularly in terms of the significance it has attained in the religious cults and the consequences in the Western Confederation and Esemen.
She paused for a moment. None of them were surprised. In this smaller psychic link, Regina got a broad overview of their emotional states almost by instinct, although she could either block it or look more deeply into it. She didn’t breach their privacy any further, though.
Perhaps we should start with a recap of what happened. Lord Daine?
Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty, he began. Three nights ago, a large meteor shower was visible in the clear night sky, across most of Central Europe. As is tradition, it was seen as a great portent, specifically a herald of change, danger and warning from the gods. The specific interpretations varied. However, it also coincided with the completion of the Great Temple to the Gods in the Western Confederation. It is said that the dedication ceremony reached its climax, with the ceremonial procession around the temple ending, just as the night sky was the brightest, with the most stars falling. It is also said that looking from the center of the plaza, the radial origin point of the meteor burst was just above the temple. We did not have anyone there that night, so I am unsure if this is true, but it hardly matters. Rumor has already carried this claim across most of the Confederation, and will continue to do so.
He paused, implicitly inviting questions or comments from the others.
I think you’re right, Janis said. It’s bad timing; the sky was covered by the recent thunderstorms and just cleared up for that night, in time for the meteor storm to peak, apparently. That adds to the mystique of it. Personally, I suspect they chose their date for the temple dedication with care.
That may well be, Kiara said. But I am more concerned with what it prompted than the celestial event itself.
Of course, Your Majesty, Daine agreed. Most of it is simply the continuation of a process that had already begun, brought into the light. The construction of the Great Temple has already both prompted and enforced unprecedented cooperation between the individual cults of the major deities. Every major temple except that of Alianais publicized the same interpretation of the event, and mirrored each other’s call. It must have relied on previous coordination.
The exact wording of their message is just barely short of hostile to us, he continued. They lament the decrease of piety in certain parts and demand the re-dedication of the people, and an increase in piety, calling for the repentance and return of those lost to the gods’ grace. They warned the faithful of coming conflict and struggle … interpreting what may come through a religious lens, as a struggle of devotion versus chaos and sin.
Did they also call for these new religious orders? Regina asked. It was still early days and she hadn’t heard much about those, but what she did know didn’t sound promising.
No, they formed on their own, Your Imperial Majesty, at least officially. In practice, they must have the backing of the temples. But in a bare few days, thousands of people have already joined up. They also appear quite martial, most of them openly discuss establishing martial training as a key point of their orders as well as fighting the wicked and profane. I believe the situation gives much grounds for concern.
Do keep an eye on them, she said. I would like to be briefed on the most prominent ones as soon as the situation settles down a bit.
As you command, My Empress.
Orders of religious fanatics not-so-indirectly prepared to fight her and her people … ‘grounds for concern’ was putting it mildly. Regina did not fancy the idea of going up against those sort of crusaders. Zealotry might give them blinders and possibly make them predictable in some areas, but it would also give people the drive to fight on when everything was against them and any sensible person would surrender. Not to mention history had shown that people who thought they were doing God’s will could be wiling to commit any sort of atrocity in the name of their goal, secure in the belief they were supposedly exempt from or even atoning for their sins.
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These people are using frameworks I am more familiar with from your own and Galatea’s words than what I learned here in Cernlia, Janis commented. Her mental voice was ‘quiet’, contemplative. Usually, talking about sin or repentance was much less prominent, in my experience, than simply giving sacrifices to the gods on their holy days or paying obeisance to the god of a particular domain when it was relevant to you. Beyond the obvious, like an edict against murder, I haven’t seen much moralizing.
That is true, Your Imperial Highness, Daine agreed. We have long observed a shift towards a more … abstract theology. More dualistic, perhaps? With a focus on the judgment of the righteous. However, like Esemen, the nations of the Western Confederation are more devout in general. Religion has lost much of its importance in the political sphere in Cernlia, with consequences reaching every part of society. This is not the case for them.
Regina sighed. None of what they were discussing was exactly new to her, even if it was concerning. She should probably dive a little more deeply into their theology, such as it was and what there was of it, though.
How dangerous is this for us? she asked. I assume that we — that I — have been demonized?
Somewhat, but in this, too, the official spokesmen are being cautious. Some have rather regularly spoken out against ‘godless rulers’, but without using names.
Regina made a face. That was probably the best she could hope for. With luck, a few less observant people thought it was the local leaders of the Western Confederation they were criticizing.
And they have announced a ‘holy year’, haven’t they? Janis asked.
It should have happened anyway, next year, the one after or the one after that, Kiara spoke up. I think there was some controversy regarding the timing. That seems to have been set aside now. While such have happened occasionally, they seem to be giving it much more weight this time.
Regina tugged on her mandible. It was autumn right now. Arguably late autumn. That meant the coming year would be here soon.
Rumor also has it that the gods are choosing new champions, someone else spoke up hesitantly. It took Regina a moment to mentally place them. Physically, she could sense they were about a hundred kilometers further northwest. Including June and keeping the number relatively low meant she could extend the ‘range’ of this link quite a bit. It was a woman working with Daine, who’d been recently promoted, but she hadn’t interacted with her much.
Do go on, Dame Hanna, she encouraged her.
We have not been able to confirm it yet, Your Imperial Majesty, but more and more people in the Western Confederation appear to be talking about it, and word has reached the Empire, too, she continued. There are a few names being bandied about, but people can’t seem to agree on who these new champions would be. Also, no one seems to know which gods exactly would do this. However, almost everyone agrees Deirianon would be one of them. He has unmistakably gained a prominent position. We have confirmation that his altar is placed at the center of the other gods in their Great Temple.
That piece of information didn’t surprise Regina at all. The news of new champions was more troubling, though. She had been called a champion of Alianais in the past, but knew she wasn’t really one in most of the ways that counted. She didn’t know how much a god could power up their champions, but it was a fair bet they would be powerhouses.
Perhaps we should ask our own religious authority, such as it is? Janis asked. I’d like to know Iseis Alturiel’s opinion.
I’ve already talked to her, Regina admitted. She wasn’t able to give me much information, unfortunately.
Briefly, she pushed a memory of her conversation to the others over the link, making sure to keep it to a brief and condensed version, basically just transmitting the core information of their talk. Iseis had been able to do little more than confirm that Leian wasn’t involved — which was not exactly surprising — and that she doubted Alianais was as well, but was waiting for final confirmation on that point.
If nothing else, Regina supposed, lines being drawn between the gods might make this all a bit clearer. Maybe it’d get Leian and Alianais over whatever they were fighting about.
I don’t think there is much more we can do right now, Janis finally commented. We need to keep an eye on the situation, but it is clearly still fluid. It’s only been a few days. I’d alert our forces at the borders of potential trouble, but we don’t want to escalate the situation or fan unneccessary fears, either.
You’re right, Regina agreed. Let’s keep that in mind.
The conversation concluded with them discussing a few practical measures, but in the end, it didn’t amount to much. There wasn’t much they could do right now. Kiara and a few others with connections would reach out to the temples in the Empire. They would quietly raise their alertness level and Regina would talk to the Delvers.
As the meeting finished, she sighed and stretched, carefully monitoring the dissolution of the imitation psychic link she’d set up. The feeling was always a bit unpleasant, although she was getting used to it. Then she glanced at the others.
“I’m going out into the city,” she said. “Care to accompany me?”
Janis clearly considered it for a moment, then shook her head, determined to get through her current paperwork. Kiara was busy, and June kept practicing her magic. Tim stood up. “I’ll join you.”
They walked through the building mostly in silence, though Regina noticed Tim calling for more of the Star Guard. After a few minutes, they reached the stables close to the main entrance of the royal palace, in the inner city of Cera.
“We’re going to the temple of Alianais,” she explained.
“Should I have them bring a carriage?” Tim asked.
Regina shook her head. “I’d like to ride. It’s been a while.”
It didn’t take long for a horse to be saddled and brought out for her. A young gray gelding she was assured had a nice temperament. She greeted him with a few pats, then got into the saddle and let herself relax.
Being able to ride horses was one more clue to her past life, and she appreciated having that. It was a relatively uncommon hobby, not something everyone did, after all. Unfortunately, she didn’t often have time to go horse-riding and being in the middle of a city didn’t make it the best place for joy rides, either.
The skill also didn’t transfer to her drones, and Tim got onto a War Drone Mount instead. A complement of Star Guard formed up around them, most of them also riding Swarm Drones, usually evolutions of War Drones. A few human knights that were part of the guard were on horses, though. When everyone was ready, they set off.
It had been too long since she was out in the city, Regina mused as they passed through the outer palace gates and onto the streets of Cera. People paused and watched as they went. Word seemed to spread, and some people went out of their ways or appeared simply to watch them.
Regina tugged on her cloak, which she mostly wore for style instead of warmth. It was a rich royal blue with golden embroidery, matching her jacket and pants, and at least she was wearing her crown; the smaller golden one, not the large bulky one of the Imperial regalia.
They turned onto a broad avenue leading through the center of the city, and Regina watched as her guards fanned out a bit more, building a firmer perimeter to protect her from potential threats. A crowd was gathering around them.
Smile and wave, I suppose, she thought. Trying on a smile, she raised a hand and waved at her subjects.
They seemed to appreciate the gesture, at least. Sporadic calls of “Long live the Empress!” got louder.
She mentally nudged Tim, who was riding beside her. He glanced at her, then smiled at the crowd and waved as well.
The cheers increased very noticeably. The previous cries still remained, but shouts for the “Champion” and “Prince Tim!” were almost as loud, even separately.
Regina fixed her smile on her face. Her consideration was interrupted when a group of little kids with flowers appeared, and she got down to receive their gifts
I should make a habit of this, Regina reflected. Gauging the mood of the people had been one reason for this trip. And it could certainly be worse. At least then I’ll know if they start throwing stones.
Perhaps she should invite others of her inner circle along on future trips. Just to keep informed.
Janis would probably get the biggest reaction.
For now, she let little kids put flowers in her hair, handed out coins Jay discreetly passed her to the less fortunate on the street, and went on her way to the temple.
