The blinding white light of the shattered lightning bolt slowly faded from the sky. The golden dome of Sanctuary pulsed with a calm and steady rhythm. Valeria stood on the silver grass with her hand raised. She did not look like a mortal woman anymore. She looked like a pillar of pure cosmic authority.
High above the valley the Herald of Judgment stared down from his chariot of storm clouds. The featureless marble helm betrayed no emotion. But the sudden stillness of the towering god spoke volumes. The High Pantheon was not accustomed to resistance. They were accustomed to absolute and immediate obedience.
"He is confused," Ignis observed from the porch. The Dragon Strategist adjusted his grip on his wooden cane. His golden eyes tracked the swirling electrical currents gathering around the divine chariot. "He expected the valley to be reduced to a smoking crater. He did not expect to hit a wall of equal density."
