— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR 7294. SEASON: CENTRAL.

A week of debate passed like a blink to Wilarax. The last of the summer heat made its way through the continent, one final bright hurrah before the chill of winter began its emergence. Sunlight streamed through the grand windows, their heat warming Wilarax's skin.

She found herself in that familiar hall, with large, grand doors as its entrance, Mage Lights floating in the air, and a circular table for all parties to sit. The design of everything was carefully measured and calculated. It seemed to put everyone who entered and sat at that round table in a vision of respect from their host. Everyone sat at the same height, with no table endpoints that would force sight in one direction or another.

It was the host who sat with the grand doors behind them, carved with tales of Edryan history and battles they fought. Till this day, Wilarax still didn't understand. Or maybe, she didn't want to understand.

That was illogical, but she was an illogical person.

TREATY OF EDRYA

1. War Principle:

1.1 CLAUSE 1: Right of Declaration — No war shall begin without at least a week's formal notice to the opposing party.

1.2 CLAUSE 2: Medical Safety — Designated medical stations must be clearly marked and protected; attacking them is a universal crime.

1.3 CLAUSE 3: Civilian Protection — Populated areas are exempt from deliberate attack; collateral harm must be minimized.

1.4 CLAUSE 4: Treatment of Prisoners — Captured enemies are to be treated with dignity and exchanged or released once hostilities end.

1.5 CLAUSE 5: …

2. Notification Principle:

2.1 CLAUSE 1: Occupation Notice — Once full territorial control is achieved, all signatories must be notified within seven days.

2.2 CLAUSE 2: Trade Assurance — Trade between members during war remains stable; price manipulation or blockade is forbidden.

2.3 CLASUE 3: …

3. Divinity Principle:

3.1 CLAUSE 1: Divinity Limitation — Use of divine or apocalyptic weapons within 200 kilometers of a major city is strictly prohibited.

3.2 CLAUSE 2: Sanction Clause — Any breach of divine restrictions results in full condemnation and expulsion from the treaty.

3.3 CLASUE 3: …

4. Sovereignty Principle:

4.1 CLAUSE 1: Divine Reorganization — Victorious nations retain the right to reorganize conquered territories under divine sanction. However, existing faiths, cultures, and institutions shall be preserved where they do not oppose the will of the victor's deity or disrupt postwar stability.

4.2 Sanctified Defense — All nations hold the divine right to defend their lands and peoples. However, retaliation beyond necessity, aimed at the extinction or desecration of the realm or race, shall be deemed sacrilege unless decreed directly by one's patron deity.

5. Conduct Principle:

5.1 CLAUSE 1: Prohibition of Child Soldiers — System Initiation before maturity is a violation of war ethics.

5.2 CLAUSE 2: Cultural Safeguard — Sacred sites, libraries, and relics must be preserved whenever possible.

6. …

7. …

Wilarax sighed, reviewing the document. She was early, nearly an hour early, before the last event began. This document has experienced far too many revisions.

"It should be delayed, brought back to our countries, and allowed to be deliberated on," Wilarax said, sighing.

Zeor cocked her head to the side. "You know we've already done so," the felion began. "Everything that's happened has been seen by my father and mother and the chieftains and their successors."

The Daughter of Zion pointed at her eyes. When Wilarax looked closely, tiny spell constructs were in the center of her pupils, which flashed for a moment before disappearing once again. If Zeor had this method, able to directly transmit her vision back home, Wilarax didn't doubt she held a way to directly speak with her family and pose a plan.

That meant the rest present likely had some sort of long-range communication that already spread the news and allowed them to receive much-needed advice.

Wilarax closed her eyes, sighing once again, as she muttered a simple prayer.

" For if there is sunlight, then his might is present and his gaze cannot falter. I pray to thee, Demigod Quinarax… father. "

When she opened them, what she saw was an endless radiance of the sun. She closed them again, then reopened them to see her father standing, a stern expression on his face.

Wilarax sheepishly ran a hand through her hair. Technically, technically , she'd run away from her escorts to arrive in Edryan. She'd gone against her father, Quinarax — Demigod of the Sun, strict warning.

She avoided his gaze. Come on, old man, you strictly told me not to go to Edryan. That's as good as permitting me to go. And, when I found out about this summit, I had to go.

Now, it was best that Wilarax deciphered how to form all of that and more into a proper greeting.

"Hi… daddy ," Wilarax gently called, adding extra sugar to the last word.

Ever since the Pantheon of Genesis was established by God El, a new host of divine abilities and methods were opened. She talked to her father previously through small pocket-sized magic mirrors, but that required at least a thousand mana to activate. This method was free.

Quinarax's stern face slightly softened. It wasn't much, but it was enough for Wilarax to know she had a way out of whatever punishment her father would cook up.

" Kneel ."

Wilarax already had a way out of this situation planned. And, the young elf wasn't hesitant to use it. If it worked back on Earth when she was Celina, it would work here.

Wilarax kneeled. " Daddy , I know I was wrong!"

Quinarax's gaze softened. The True Elf gently waved his hand, and his daughter was enveloped by a gentle force that rose her to her feet.

Wilarax internally gave a triumphant smile. Changing the way she called her father from dad to daddy usually worked and got her what she wanted.

"How long ago did you complete the quest I assigned you," he asked, quickly followed by a second and third question. "Do you know why I told you not to go to Edryan? And, by El's beard, why are you participating in that farce of a treaty? The Edryan Chosen is displaying nothing more than petty schemes you need not concern yourself with. Your focus should be on gathering these materials and returning home. This Chosen is the least threatening I've seen. He lacks the ambition to do what Alidra or Carno did— he is not callous enough ."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Wilarax frowned; the barrage of questions hit her all at once. Her frown only grew as her father's words continued. The young elf closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she next opened them, she calmly began to answer her father's questions in order.

"It's been done for around a year or so now. No, I don't know why you told me not to go; the place isn't as dangerous as the history books or you made it seem. It's… normal ?"

Well, she couldn't call it exactly normal in the Earth sense of things, but it was as normal as nearly any other state she'd visited across Elrunian.

Wilarax's voice grew faster the more she spoke. "The reason I'm participating in that farce ," she made a face at the term, "you call a treaty, is to ensure this world, these people have a way out. I've seen so much LIFE as I traveled the realm. So many people with different cultures and backgrounds… I don't want them to get hurt, even if it's an order from the Gods Above. They don't deserve to get caught up in the upcoming confrontations," Wilarax said, clenching her fist, her voice slightly raised. "If I can even save one more person with my actions, then I will do so. Why won't you? You've seen the destruction of the world, twice ! Why are you not worried? Why do you allow this game to continue when you have the power to stop it, or at least alter how it's played?"

Wilarax turned the questioning back to her father; her eyes burned with the desire for truth. "Anywhere the sunlight touches, your power is present. You have the power to change this world. Why do you just stay in the temple? What we discussed in this farce of a treaty was a measure to limit the damage between the players of this Game between Gods. We established a limiting range for divine weapons or things equivalent in power. We've ensured targeted medical stations aren't wantonly targeted, and if they do happen, strict punishments will be dealt out by members of the treaty. If this is all I can do, with just words, imagine what Elysium could do with ACTIONS !"

Wilarax closed her eyes once again. She took a deep meditative breath. Wilarax felt like her father was mocking her efforts with his use of the word farce, Perhaps that wasn't his intention, but it hit against her consciousness and actions. She took off a bracelet and tossed it toward the position her father was in, her eyes still closed. They were in a land of sunlight, created through his divine powers. She wasn't truly present, but her sol was. Yet the physical material disappeared from her wrist and landed in the hands of Quinarax — Demigod of the Sun.

He lightly scanned the contents, still waiting for his daughter to recover her composure before he spoke. While her eyes remained closed, he began to work on the materials present within the storage device.

Wilarax's eyes remained closed, but her thoughts remained rampant. The Temple of the Sun was a massive structure of Greco-Roman architecture that stood at the continent's height. Its vast halls were endless, nearly like a world itself, expanded through the Space Affinity, and thousands called it home within. Each was a Prestige or a Demigod, the latter with or without Laws to govern. Even so, their strength remained the same. That was the figures inside the Temple. Those outside who hadn't met the requirements to enter filled the empty ground outside the temple, or called Elysium home.

They had the power to sweep through this world. To make the Path Walkers of this world look like a motley gang of unorganized rabble, yet it was her father who never made a move or effort to do something. Calmly, he would wait in his temple for them to arrive at his doorstep after the continent had been ravaged. Calmly, he would deal with any intruder.

Anywhere the sunlight touched, her father was as good as present.

That was the Demigod of the Sun.

Yet, like the celestial body, he remained inactive. Its light continuously shone year-round; stable, as firm as the earth beneath her feet.

Wilarax opened her eyes, her breathing stable. The bracelet she tossed floated before her. She took it, her mind swept its contents, and a look of surprise appeared on her face. The promised life-bound weapon from her father was present, and other trinkets she had collected. What's more, the small amount of wealth she depleted was doubled—enough to buy a few kingdoms and then some.

Wilarax paused; three blank crystals that radiated a hint of divinity were present within the storage space. She mentally reached out to them, swallowing heavily as a system prompt interrupted her.

Do you want to integrate empty Touch of Law?

Yes

No

Do you want to integrate empty Touch of Law?

Those words hit like a truck to Wilarax. She understood her father was wealthy, but this? This was beyond simple wealth. Men would die to possess the chance to receive a Touch of Law. Men would kill to be in possession of a Touch of Law. And, what Wilarax saw was not one, but three empty shells for laws. If he could hand these out to her like they were nothing…

Her thoughts halted there. She turned and looked at her father, a complicated expression on her face. If previously Wilarax joked that the wealth she possessed was enough to buy a kingdom, now it was nothing but the absolute truth.

Quinarax smiled at her. He turned and looked away, his back towards her, then slowly began to speak.

"You asked me many questions, now," his voice was calm as he spoke, "I give you my answers."

Quinarax, Demigod of the Sun, never once looked at his daughter while he spoke. His gaze seemed to be on a distant land, a distant past.

"I will not save a life, not because I'm scared or lack the strength to do so. It is because that is the nature of the world. Life and Death. The Sun and Moon. Daily, these forces of nature rise and fall, wax and wane, but they remain constant. I am that constant. I cannot just act because I have the power to do so," Quinarax turned a burning gaze to his daughter. His eyes radiated sunlight, and although terrifying, the light did nothing but gently graze her.

" I AM THE SUN! "

His voice reverberated throughout the space; its power was endless and as certain as the coming of night and day.

"Should I misstep, then this realm falls. You asked if I am not worried? The answer is no. I trust my brother with my life and yours which is why I allowed him to be your Patron. We have defeated Madris twice in this game between Gods—when Union was fractured, my trust betrayed, blood to fill an ocean was spilled, and yet we overcame."

Quinarax's radiance grew. The light from his eyes flared, forcing Wilarax to look away, not in pain, but unable to withstand its radiance.

"You believe this is only a Game between the Gods, girl? This is a battlefield. This is our method of restriction within this realm, suppressing ourselves from destroying it. Madris the Challenger is destruction incarnate ; should She wish, only a wave of Her hand would break this world. El the Adventurer is freedom personified , yet he remains duty-bound to protect. Pray, tell me, my daughter… pray tell, how do you stop destruction and freedom incarnate?"

Wilarax stood still, her mind blank and body cold. The divinity radiating from her father seemed to be able to shatter the world. His voice remained even throughout it all, yet to Wilarax it was as if every word grew in volume and weight. She saw the weight of his troubles even if he didn't speak them.

Wilarax tightly closed her eyes. Unable to come up with an answer for her father.

How do you stop destruction incarnate and freedom as well?

Two forces that wish for nothing but their goals to be fulfilled. Wilarax… didn't have the answer to it. Slowly, gently, she opened her eyes. The Treaty of Edrya remained on the desk before her, her father gone.

She'd always assumed… that her dad was indifferent to the realm, but now… that didn't seem to be the case. Wilarax sighed, the grand doors opening as more and more people filed in.

She looked toward the doors, her eyes aligning on the final figure to enter. Her father had his troubles… and Wilarax had her own.

The Chosen of Madris met her gaze. His horns seemed darker, and the colors within them seemed to move as the day's light reflected off them. Horns as dark as night, with colors like the rainbow entwined within their center. Two sides of the same coin, one wished for freedom… and the other destruction.

Wilarax abruptly stood, drawing attention to herself. Her voice was relaxed as she spoke, almost like she was in the comfort of her own home, talking with a friend. She said two simple words. Just two, but every figure in the hall stiffened with excitement.

"Let's fight."

These people didn't understand the danger they were in. Crabs in a slowly cooking pot. The temperature was increasing daily, but still they fought against one another instead of the powers that kept them in the pot. Wilarax didn't know if that power was the Gods or themselves, but sharp stinging pain was usually a good method to open eyes and have them face reality.

Let's fight.

Let's fight.

Let's fight.

Her voice echoed throughout the hall, breaking the atmosphere and the hushed discussions that arose between members of the table as they waited for the host to arrive. Every eye present turned in one of two directions.

The first was to Wilarax, Chosen of El, studying the young woman. She was once seated, but as she rose as she spoke those harrowing words. Her long hair cascaded across her shoulders but her clear and pure gaze remained fixed on her target.

The others were to Lawruthian, Chosen of Madris, who'd just entered and was barely at his seat. He paused; some wondered if it was in surprise, others if it was to calculate his response. In actuality, it was none of that as the young man was still pondering the words his mother advised him when it came to picking his new classes.

"They all seem different but are actually the same," Queen Titiana stated after hearing the details. "For your main class, they each open that option of golem controlling you were looking for, but only in different manners. One to help you further excel physically, another to help you excel dynamically. The final helps with both, but not as much for you as it does for others. I think your heart has already decided Lawruthian. You should follow it. And, as for your second class," Queen Titiana paused, putting a finger to her lips in contemplation.

"I don't think it's impossible for you to break that threshold and rise to become a God without the help of this class. This class, could be a hidden thorn, stifling you from leveling and slowing your rate as the experience requirement exponentially rises. I believe—no, I know it's a certainty for you to break the threshold without it. You are my son," Queen Titiana said with force. "You are destined to take a path different than others. If not for your oath to always open a path for those behind, I believe you'd have long outclassed those around you far more than you already have."

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