Hitman With A Badass System

"So," Gaya said, her gaze sweeping over the crowds, "what now? Shopping spree? A pub crawl? Or maybe a little demonstration of our newfound power?" She grinned, cracking her knuckles, but Michael shook his head.

"We need to talk to Seshat," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

They made their way through the throngs of shoppers and merchants, their path leading them toward a quieter, less… fragrant… part of the city.

"That's a nice axe, dwarf! How much?"

"One hundred gold pieces. And not a copper less. This blade's been kissed by the flames of Mount Cinder, elf! It'll cleave through a dragon's hide like butter."

"One hundred gold pieces? Are you out of your goddamn mind?! I'll give you fifty. And a bottle of my finest dwarven ale."

"Seventy-five. And the ale. And you throw in that pretty little dagger on your belt."

They turned down a narrow alleyway, its entrance hidden behind a stack of discarded barrels, and Michael stopped, looking up at the sky.

"Seshat," he called out. "We need to talk."

He knew she could hear him. She was the Goddess of Wisdom, after all. And in her domain… well, nothing went… unnoticed.

A faint breeze rustled through the alley, the air shimmering, distorting… and then they were… elsewhere. The transition was so smooth, so… seamless, that even Michael, used to the jarring effects of teleportation, felt a momentary… disorientation. Then, they stood in Seshat's garden, the familiar waterfall cascading down the moss-covered cliff, the pond shimmering under the soft light of the twin moons, the maple trees swaying gently in the breeze. Seshat, her silver hair flowing like liquid moonlight, was scattering seeds to a flock of pigeons, her serene smile as… infuriatingly calm… as ever.

As always, Seshat was feeding the pigeons, her silver hair shimmering in the sunlight while her expression was serene and peaceful.

"Welcome back," she said, her lips curving into that same serene smile that always seemed to irritate Gaya.

But when Gaya saw the pigeons and how they looked happy made her smile and for once she did not roll her eyes at seshat's annoying smile. It was nice to see those flying rats happy. Even though she called herself Goddess of Monsters, all creatures, big and small, fell under her domain. And those pigeons, strutting around, their feathers gleaming, their little bird-brains filled with joy made Gaya feel a little less murderous.

"Seshat," Michael said, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "I think it's time… we talked to the Pantheon. About an alliance."

"I was wondering when you would come to that conclusion. It is wise, to seek allies. Especially in times of war," she said, gesturing towards a pair of stone benches beside the pond.

"Shall we… sit?"

Even Michael was a bit taken aback by her casualness. He'd been expecting a bit more drama. But this was Seshat, The Goddess of Wisdom. She was always five steps ahead of everyone else, playing 3D chess while the rest of them were still fumbling with checkers. Even he, with his System, Badass Points, unique perspective, he didn't think he could truly outsmart the Goddess of Wisdom.

"So you'll be our liaison?" Gaya asked, raising an eyebrow. "You'll set up a meeting?"

"Yes," Seshat said simply.

"That's it?" Gaya's brow furrowed in disbelief. "You just agree? No conditions? No catches?"

Though relatively new to the realm of the Gods, Gaya had learned quickly that it was a different kind of world. The Gods weren't the benevolent, all-knowing beings that mortals believed them to be. They were complicated, egotistical and selfish. They made the most spoiled, entitled young masters and mistresses in the mortal realm look like toddlers, throwing tantrums over spilled milk. And unlike those spoiled brats, the Gods had the power to back up their arrogance, their whims, their god complexes. It was a dangerous combination, one that had made Gaya wary and distrustful.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But Seshat was different. She was still cryptic as hell, still spoke in riddles and vague pronouncements. Yet there was an honesty to her and lack of malice that Gaya found reassuring. She wasn't manipulative, like her sister, Seraphene. She didn't play games. Instead, she was what a god should be. Wise. Calm. And genuinely helpful.

"So, on a scale of one to ten… one being 'we're totally screwed' and ten being 'it's a done deal', what are the chances of me talking to the Pantheon without getting ambushed? You know, considering I kinda killed Rainar?" Michael asked, turning to Seshat.

"I'd say minus ten. They'll probably roast our asses for offing their colleague starting a dangerous trend, and showing those smug bastards they can be killed." Gaya chuckled, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

Seshat, however, simply smiled.

"I'd say ten."

"Ten?" Michael echoed, surprised. He'd been expecting another one of Seshat's cryptic pronouncements or a vague, noncommittal seven, maybe. But ten? If Seshat believed his chances were that good… well, it was practically a done deal.

But Gaya, ever the skeptic, frowned.

"You seem confident, Seshat," she said, her gaze narrowing. "Why ten?"

"The Pantheon is weakened, Gaya," Seshat explained, her voice soft but firm.

"Andohr's rebellion has divided them. Many gods have defected to his side. Seraphene, with her information network has leverage and dirt on practically everyone. In simple terms, the Pantheon is losing ground,"

"So? What's that got to do with us?" Gaya asked, her brow furrowing.

"Gods are abandoning Zorian, siding with Andohr, hoping to benefit from the chaos. And the Pantheon for all its faults is a necessary force, Gaya. It maintains balance and keeps the realm from falling apart. Without oversight and rules, the gods will turn on each other. Fight for worshippers, for power… it will be… a bloodbath. They already do, of course, but imagine, Gaya, if there was no one to stop them."

"And what about Andohr?" she asked with suspicion. "Does he promise peace and harmony? A new world order? A realm of fucking love and light?"

Seshat shook her head, her smile fading.

"Andohr cannot win, Gaya. Not truly. His goal is not peace. It is power and absolute power. And absolute power corrupts absolutely. He will discard his allies when they are no longer useful. He will take what he wants through force or manipulation. He will rule through fear."

"I kinda like it," Gaya said with a shrug.

"Like my hubby said, Andohr's created… an opportunity for us. A chance to… climb that ladder. With you and your… serene smile and… cryptic pronouncements, I think we can seal the deal. But there's still the Rainar problem, isn't there? Even if the Pantheon's willing to overlook killing Agra since he was a fucking menace. They're not going to forget about Rainar. He was one of them. A God of the Pantheon. Killing him was a whole different level of fuckery."

"All is fair in love and war, Gaya. And this, my dear… this is war," Michael chuckled, shaking his head.

"If the Pantheon is desperate and they are desperate, Gaya. Believe me, they'll see the opportunity. They want a god-killer on their side. Someone who can take down Andohr. And that someone happens to be me," He grinned, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Well, I can use that to my advantage. Buy myself some breathing room and a chance to plan my next move."

Seshat, who'd been listening to their conversation with quiet amusement, scattered another handful of seeds to the pigeons, her movements graceful, unhurried.

"I will speak with Zorian tomorrow. I will arrange a meeting between you and the Pantheon." She paused, her gaze meeting Michael's, a flicker of something akin to warning in her eyes.

"But be careful, God of Darkness. Gods are unpredictable. This alliance may benefit you but it will also expose you to new dangers and new manipulations. Do not trust them completely."

Hearing Seshat, Gaya raised an eyebrow as a slow smile spread across her lips.

"Damn, Seshat, you're surprisingly forthcoming, I kinda like you, I mean besides your fucking cryptic annoying words and riddles. You're not so bad, for a goody-two-shoes goddess. You're honest and I respect that."

"Alright, Seshat. I owe you one or several." Michael said with a genuine smile spreading across his face.

"The armors are being enhanced, as we speak," he continued. "After this… meeting with the Pantheon, we'll head to Larnia to retrieve the agni king. And then… well, then it's Rin's turn."

But as Michael was preparing to leave, Gaya stopped him.

"Seshat," she said, her brow furrowed. "Why… why are you helping us? I mean you're risking a lot. Siding with god-killers. The Pantheon's not going to appreciate that, are they?"

As if anticipating the question, Seshat simply smiled.

"Sometimes the darkness must triumph to reveal the true value of light. Just as the night deepens our appreciation for the warmth and beauty of the day."

After hearing her, Gaya rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Forget I asked," she muttered. "It's a miracle someone hasn't put an arrow in your ass for being so cryptic all the damn time."

She turned to Michael, grabbing his arm, tugging him towards the edge of the garden.

"Come on, human," she said, her voice a low growl. "Let's bolt before she melts our brains with her wisdom."