Part 3
"Zalas, you're actually at a meeting?" Vordea asked the God of Love with some surprise. "This doesn't seem like you."
"A little birdie told me something very interesting would be happening tonight. How could I not attend on such juicy gossip?" Zalas said, lounging on a chair inside Vaust's Inn.
"In any case, it's good to see you." Sargon said, laughing heartily.
Sargon, Vordea, and Zalas were sitting in The Hissing Lobster for yet another meeting, waiting for the other Gods to arrive. The Raven King had been missing for many years, so he wasn't coming, and Agbus very rarely came in person, so that left Eigengrau to arrive.
"I'm surprised at Eigengrau not being the first to arrive, you know." Vaust said, sitting on a table. "She takes pride in her punctuality."
The Gods talked, joked, and drank for several more minutes before Eigengrau arrived. She didn't like to be late, that much was true, but she couldn't afford to make any mistakes, not for someone so important to the shape.
"I apologize for my tardiness, but some things take time, even if you can control it." Eigengrau stated, opening the door. "The previous agenda is no longer important."
"See, this is why I came!" Zalas whispered to Sargon. Sargon only nodded in response.
"What?" Vordea asked, her chains beginning to glow.
"I have an interaction petition." Eigengrau flatly stated, crossing her arms.
Vaust dropped his bottle of beer. Vordea's face twitched. Zalas looked over at Eigengrau, trying to read her. One look at her face told him everything, and he nodded. Eigengrau continued.
"Time magic was used in Port Nautitis and I need to clean up the mess."
"Eigen, don't bullshit me." Vordea replied, her chains beginning to screech as she walked over to Eigengrau and looked up at her. "What's really going on?"
"We are at a divergence. Time magic was used, yes. The problem is James Hargrave was affected. He has been denied justice, his parents murdered. He has been denied love, his future stolen. He has been denied order, his present chaotic. He has been denied the reason he was born. He is a key to all future events."
"Eigengrau..." Sargon began.
"You do not understand!" Eigengrau yelled, surprising everyone present. Eigengrau did not ever change her tone of voice. "If he does not follow his path, ruin will come!"
"What do you mean by, 'ruin'?" Vaust asked.
"I'm invoking Primal Privilege. I'm approving this request." Vordea said suddenly, seemingly satisfied by Eigengrau's outburst. She held Eigengrau's hand, and looked at her lovingly. Eigengrau's solid black eyes were full of red tears. "Outbursts do not suit you, my beautiful monotone Goddess. We'll talk about this when you're ready."
"Vordea you can't just-" Sargon started to say, but was cut off.
"Can't I?" Vordea said, reaching for Orenmir. Her chains groaned as they held her wrath. "Perhaps you didn't notice it. Eigengrau came tonight as the Goddess of Time. Time itself is telling you a mistake is being made. She did not come as Death. This meeting is adjourned."
Vordea whispered something to Vaust, who nodded before snapping his fingers, causing both her and Eigengrau to vanish instantly. Zalas smiled as he melted into the chair he was on, leaving Sargon and Vaust alone in the Inn.
"Vaust, what in the world just happened?" Sargon asked eventually, collapsing onto one of the lounge chairs.
"Something Eigengrau calls an inflection point. If we don't act, the appointed path is closed off forever." Vaust replied, joining Sargon at the chairs. "Vordea caught on before Eigen had to explain."
"Despite her temper, Vordea always notices the details, doesn't she?" Sargon said thoughtfully. Still, I did want to know more."
"We weren't meant to know more, Sargon. Where do you think I sent Vordea and Eigengrau, after all?" Vaust said, smiling. "Vordea invoked a little used legal power to approve the request, but that power means Eigen has to explain everything to her."
"Everything?"
"Everything that would happen if she is not allowed to act."