Chapter 273 - Question of the God of War

There seemed to be no end to the Hall of Ten Thousand Weapons.

This is how Jennie Queens realized it the moment she entered through the last doors.

The room beyond the stairs wasn’t a room anymore. It was a whole different dimension. An immense space where the walls and ceiling seemed endless. The ceiling here was gone, replaced by the night sky filled with floating stars and pieces of torn constellations. Pieces of worlds floated in that night sky, sparkling like tiny diamonds.

And everywhere, everywhere there were weapons.

Weaponry suspended in the air like a forest of steel. Blades of every size and shape imaginable. Spears piercing the clouds. Axes burning with the eternal flame. Bows with strings of light. Tiny daggers. Shields mirroring worlds which didn’t exist anymore. Armor which seemed alive, like it belonged to the warriors who no longer moved.

Ten thousand weapons. Maybe even more. Countless.

Jennie walked further ahead. Her boots made no sound on the shiny floor. Her right hand was hanging useless at her side. The fingers in it curled without moving. While the other hand was resting on the handle of the broken dagger at her hip. Pathetic weapon compared to those around her.

She didn’t feel intimidated.

She had stopped feeling intimidated somewhere on the way from the frozen lake to the entrance of the hall.

At the end of the room on the throne of black iron there was a silhouette.

It was a huge throne – higher than any building Jennie had seen. Its back was carved with images of battles which ended up with the destruction of entire continents. Weapons were embedded in the armrests. Their blades still bloody from the fights.

And sitting on it there was Susan.

The God of War.

Jennie expected to see some monstrous figure. Like a giant in armor. A monster raging with violence, with horns and fangs and burning eyes.

But what she saw was rather... ordinary.

Susan was tall – taller than any other human. Her body was built like that of the perfect warrior, who had spent millennia practicing her craft. She wore black robes, flowing like a liquid shadow. Free from any jewelry.

Her face was beautiful – sharp cheeks and a strong jaw, the eyes of someone who has seen and survived countless wars. Short silvery white hair. Pale as marble skin.

She looked... human.

Almost.

But her eyes... those eyes weren’t human at all. Ancient and huge. They knew every war, every soldier who died in it, every kingdom destroyed by it. When looking into them felt like gazing into the abyss which had seen the birth and death of gods.

Jennie stopped at the bottom of the throne.

She didn’t kneel.

Susan observed her for a few moments. Then spoke, and her voice filled the chamber like rolling thunder on a battlefield.

"So. You are the one who wants to borrow my weapon."

Jennie met her eyes. "I don’t want to borrow it."

Susan smiled faintly. It wasn’t a kind gesture.

"Then you want to steal it?"

"Yes."

"By force?"

Jennie glanced at her broken dagger. Then at the countless divine weapons surrounding them. Then back at the God of War.

"I’m not that stupid."

Susan laughed. It was cold and sharp, like the sound of a blade being pulled from its sheath.

"No. You are not." She leant forward, resting her chin on her hand. "You are interesting, Jennie Queens. Most of mortals reaching this hall are either desperate or arrogant. You are neither."

"I’m tired."

"Tired?"

"Of losing people. Of failing. Of watching the world being destroyed when I’m too weak to stop it."

Susan’s expression didn’t change. "And you think my weapon would change that?"

"I think it’s the only chance I have."

The God of War studied her for a moment. Her ancient eyes traced the lines of Jennie’s face, her determined jaw and the fire still burning in golden irises despite everything she had gone through.

Then Susan stood.

She rose from the throne like a predator emerging from the rest. Black robes fluttered around her. The weapons embedded in the throne shivered in response.

She descended the steps slowly. Each of her footfalls echoing in the silent hall.

"You know what Godslayer is," Susan said. It wasn’t a question.

"A weapon that can kill a god."

"Yes." Susan stopped a few meters from her. "But do you really understand what it means?"

Jennie didn’t say anything.

"Godslayer was forged in the first war – the war between the gods and the primordial horrors which existed before the creation of the world. It was created to sever the connection between a divine being and the source of his powers. It made them mortal. Killable."

Susan’s eyes gleamed.

"It has been used exactly three times in the history of existence. Three gods have fallen to its blades. And each time the wielder paid a price."

"What price?"

"Everything."

Jennie’s expression didn’t change.

Susan tilted her head. "You don’t flinch. Interesting."

"I’ve already lost everything."

"Have you?"

The question hovered in the air.

Jennie thought about Roxy, waiting for her in Seraiya. Lucas still fighting to protect the kingdom. About Arthur and Elena, raising her with the love although they knew she was not their true daughter.

About Rudy. Lilia. Snow.

All of them.

All of them dead.

"I’ve lost enough," she said quietly.

Susan’s smile faded. "Then let me ask you the question that matters."

She raised one hand.

The chamber transformed.

All those countless weapons started glowing. Burning with divine light. The pressure in the room increased, not gradually, but abruptly. It crashed down on Jennie like the mountain falling from the sky.

She gasped.

Her knees buckled.It was too heavy. It was pressing down on her shoulder blades, on her chest, on her very mind. And it was forcing her to kneel.

Left hand of Jennie Queens tapped the ground.

She managed to resist falling to the ground.

"What..." she clenched her teeth. "What is this?"

"The true presence of the deity," Susan answered coldly. "Most mortals cannot bear it. They fall down. They cry. They ask for mercy."

Arms of Jennie Queens shook.

She felt her bones creaking under the pressure. The pain in her injuries was unbearable. Her right hand was hanging at her side, unable to do anything to save her.

"Tell me, Jennie Queens." Coldness in Susan’s voice. "What are you willing to lose to kill a god?"

Vision of Jennie Queens blurred.

She recalled all sacrifices she had made. Swords. Strength. Companions. Identity.

What else was there?

What could she offer that she hadn’t yet?

The pressure was increasing.

Left arm failed her.

She fell forward, knocking her forehead on the floor. Blood was dripping from her face.

"Answer the question," Susan urged.

Fingers of Jennie Queens curled on the floor.

She thought about Zuko. About the Demon Emperor standing under the World Tree with Astraeus in his hand. About the world he was planning to create if he was not stopped.

She thought about Roxy and her smile. About her charm. About the promise she made.

Come back alive.

She remembered Rudy’s last words.

You just have to keep going.

She remembered Snow.

Live as Jennie.

The pressure was crushing her. It was tearing her apart. It was demanding submission.

Jennie Queens raised her head.

Blood was dripping from her face. Golden eyes glowed.

"I’ll lose everything," she said.

Susan’s face didn’t change.

"But I won’t lose myself."

Silence filled the room.

The pressure didn’t decrease.

"Explain yourself," Susan said.

Jennie forced herself to stand on her elbows. Her arms were shaking. Her body was screaming with pain. But she didn’t dare to take her eyes off her opponent.

"I’ve already lost my swords. My strength. My friends. My family. Everything I loved."

Her voice broke.

"But I’m still here. I’m still Jennie Queens. I’m still the person who chose to keep going even if there was nothing to go for."

She tried to stand up on her knees.

The pressure was unbearable. It was crushing her bones. It was tearing her mind apart.

But she stood up.

"I won’t become a weapon. I won’t become a monster. I won’t allow Zuko to make me the creature he desired me to be."

She lifted her chin.

"I’ll sacrifice everything except myself."

Susan was looking at her.

For several moments none of them moved.

Then the God of War smiled.

It wasn’t a cold smile. Not a mocking one.

It was the smile of the one who finally found what he was looking for.

"Finally," Susan whispered.

Pressure disappeared.

Jennie fell down.

She hit the floor hard, gasping for breath. Her entire body was trembling. Her injuries were burning like hell. Her vision was spinning black spots.

But she was alive.

She was still herself.

Susan knelt beside her.

The God of War reached out and touched Jennie’s cheek. Her fingers were cold, but kind.

"You are the first mortal in ten thousand years to answer that question correctly."

Jennie coughed. "There... there was a correct answer?"

"Yes," Susan withdrew her hand. "Most mortals tell me that they are ready to sacrifice their life, their soul, their loved ones. They think that making bigger sacrifice makes them worthy."

She rose.

"But sacrifice without the goal is merely destruction. Warrior who loses everything, but does not lose himself is useless to me."

Jennie forced herself to stand up on her elbows. "So... you’ll help me?"

Susan looked down at her.

"I will forge you a weapon."

Eyes of Jennie Queens widened.

"But first..."

Susan raised her hand.

The hall shifted.

Thousands of weapons started moving, their blades pointing towards Jennie like thousand eyes.

"—you should prove that you can handle it."

Jennie looked at thousands of weapons surrounding her.

Then she looked at her dagger.

Then at her useless right hand.

Then at Susan.

"You’re kidding me."

Susan’s smile appeared again.

"Am I?"

The weapons started falling.

Jennie rolled aside as the spear was stabbing the place where she had been lying before. Sword slashed above her head. Axe sank in the floor several inches from her left hand.

She stood up.

"You said you would forge me a weapon!"

"I told you that I would forge you a weapon," Susan said, watching from a safe distance. "I didn’t say that the trial would be easy."

"This is no trial! This is attempt on my life!"

"Semantics."

Jennie evaded sword. Chain whirled above her head. Hammer smashed the floor behind her.

She was running.

Weapons were following.

Susan was watching.

And somewhere deep inside the Hall of Ten Thousand Weapons the forging started.