The Asly Expanse

Neptis felt it from miles away, well before they were sight of it. They were near the Asly Expanse, the largest known battlefield in the world. Hundreds of battles had been fought here for thousands of years and evenEven now on the other side of the long extinct volcano Neptis could feel the bloodlust of the place.place they were approaching, the echoes of the dead and dying across time.

"The Asly Expanse? You shouldn't have." Neptis licked her lips as the blood poured freely from her mouth.

"It is a place where nature and war have long intersected, Lady War." He paused to pluck an apple from a tree, and offered it to Neptis. "Please, enjoy nature's bounty."

Neptis accepted the apple, but looked at it dubiously. She hadn't eaten since her apotheosis. "A question."

"Your body still knows what to do, young God." He placed a massive hand on her shoulder, and nodded gently.

"My nourishment is blood," she began, but stopped. "But thank you."

She couldn't see it with his mossy beard in the way, but the Raven King gave the faintest of smiles as she thanked him.

"You are most welcome."

Neptis quietly ate the apple in just a few minutes as they rounded the base of the volcano. The sparse trees that dotted the smooth path gave way to a massive grassland that stretched to the horizon. Neptis grinned like a child on their birthday and gestured around.

"This is what it's all about, old man!" She paused to laugh. "War! The violence of the battlefield!"

"What of the beauty of nature, hmmm? The Raven King asked in turn. "Observe."

He pointed at a long discarded helmet nearby, covered in rust. Neptis crouched next to it and looked at it before shrugging. Gesturing for her to lift it up, she did, only to find several field mice scurry away as she did. She put it back down, turned back to look at him, and gave a confused look.

"They seek shelter in the forgotten relics of the battles. Man's junk is treasured by nature."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He shook his head. "Not everything has a deeper meaning to it, Lady War."

"How about I show you my favourite place here?" Neptis asked as they walked further into the grassland.

"Some great pile of bones I suppose?" He chortled as he asked this, much to Neptis's amusement.

"Wrong, old man. It's a secret, you'll understand when we get there."

"I shall certainly do my best... little girl." His mirth was obvious with this line, and even with his beard in the way Neptis could see his lip quivering, struggling to hold back his laughter.

"Hah!" Neptis let loose a barking laugh, causing the Raven King to start laughing as well. "I like you. You're not as stuffy as Sargon."

"Hmrh," he murmured. "The Judge has a role to play. We all do. You are impatient, yes. Reckless? Perhaps. Moody as well. But so is war. So is violence. You reflect your domain more than you think."

"I've been meaning to ask that." Neptis observed the wild horses in the distance. They seemed to be unsure of the two of them, and kept a wide berth. "Do Gods become their domains, or is it the other way around?"

"That is a question even I cannot answer, Neptis."

"You of all people admitting you don't know?" Neptis's face said it all.

"There are secrets hidden so deeply even I cannot find them. This is one of many."

Neptis paused when she saw a glint on the ground. A sword that was not yet rusty. Interesting, she thought to herself. How old was it?