Soul of Searing Steel

“The essence of Israel’s Legendary ability is to ‘manifest will’. How should I put it? It’s a very interesting power.”

“His every aspect—his life, existence, ideals, and soul has condensed into a single form. As long he believed that he absolutely would not perish, he would remain immortal.”

“You must defeat him in direct confrontation and have him feel that ‘he was wounded’ to hurt him, and only by making him feel ‘he should be dead’ could he die.”

“Ambushing him without him knowing is useless. He would not know that you’re attacking him, and therefore your attack does not exist to him… Conversely, he could not ambush others either: his attack would not exist if no one noticed it.”

“Therefore, Israel lost the ability to himself. He is the most honest and just, a person of ‘Justice’ even unto himself in the face of death. At the same time, he commands the greatest Might in the world as Legendary champion and Emperor—the remarkably similarity and resonance therefore got Zinsen to seek Israel out in hopes that he would become his heir.”

The God of Love stood in the middle of the street.

She calmly spoke of Israel and Zinsen’s relationship, telling Joshua and Igor how the pair had agreed upon an inheritance.

“Israel has arrived upon his own human limit. He knew well that he was of mere human flesh and could not fool himself into becoming capable of repelling Evil Gods, just as he did not believe that he ‘could’ defeat Evil Gods. Logic dictated that he must not limit himself to human, and becoming god was the best and quickest path to improve. Through that, the things that he could ‘do naturally’ would increase exponentially.”

Joshua was on the other side of the street, while Pope Igor had sat on a chair put out by a nearby stall, with the latter now being aware that Yolanda was here for the warrior’s presence.

“Why would Zinsen want to speak to me alone?”

After learning about the connection between various events and understanding the logic behind the scenes, Joshua became even more puzzled. “If I’m not his ideal heir in the first place and he already found his own heir, why would he be concerned whether I’ve found my own Order?”

“Likewise, Your Majesty, though you claimed to have come to Moldavia to tell us about the ‘Bottom the Abyss’, I could tell that you’re here to observe if I found my Order as well.”

‘Why are you and the rest so concerned over that?’

It was what Joshua could not understand. He understood that the Seven Gods share a profound conflict due to their differences in Order. That conflict could be explained as the struggle of godly paths in the common tongue, but what did that conflict kept amongst the god themselves have to do with mortals such as them?

They should be looking those who share their Order even if they were seeking allies, just like how Zinsen sought out Israel—the God of Might might be a little compatible with Joshua, or at least both admit the basis of Order was power.

As for the God of Love and Death… How was he similar to her at all?

“You think that we are too different, even incompatible… right?”

Without words, Yolanda’s knew the warrior’s thought from his gaze alone. A smile hence appeared on the face of the God of Love, although it soon turned into a sigh. “However, you are wrong, Radcliffe.”

“We share more common ground than you do with Zinsen.”

“Well, in terms of love and death, I am certainly more compatible with the latter—I am adept at sending my enemies to hell after all.”

Joshua said earnestly, shaking his head. “I really don’t think we share anything in other aspects. Perhaps love could gain a place in my heart in the future, but now I just want to my best to vanquish my foes.”

“Radcliffe, your perspective is too narrow. Is Order truly so simple? It is the cornerstone of society and the core of civilization, its existence eternal, stretching ancient times to the never-ending future.”

Yolanda refuted Joshua and shook her head too, and began to walk slowly towards the warrior even as she spoke calmly, “My love isn’t merely intimacy—’Love’ is nothing that shallow.”

“Radcliffe. Love is everything, the cornerstone of all things and the basis of civilization and Order.”

“Love is all things that live, the reason and passion for existence.”

“All that you like, cherish, pursue and wish to protect is love. The same ‘love’ which quietly enfolds everything, inconspicuous, undetectable and as silent and death, but it also maintains the drive for you and I to ‘live’.

The goddess with an elven appearance reached Joshua.

There was nothing: no profound special effects, no falling petals or even astonishing images. Yolanda walked as if she was a mortal as she mundanely looked up into Joshua’s frowning eyes, and said quietly, “‘Love’ is the pillar of existence, the origin of Order and invincible will.”

“Radcliffe. Just as you love the battlefield, all things live and exist because of love. Be it newborns or new inventions, all that human acknowledges appear because of love—without any love from parents or technicians, they would never come to be.”

“Love is Order.”

At those words, Yolanda closed her eyes and laughed wondrously, her rather hoarse voice wafting in the wind.

“And to lose love is death. If love is the root of Order, death is the end of everything. The cycle of love and death is therefore the life of men.”

“Radcliffe. How could you say that you’re not like me if you love this world so profoundly?”

***

The God of Love and Death demonstrated her Order to Joshua van Radcliffe.

The deity’s violet eyes stared at the black-haired warrior, patiently awaiting his reply.

“You’re right,” Joshua sighed, admitting that Her Majesty’s Path of Love and Death was definitely very similar to his own.

His ideal indeed existed in that fashion. He loved battle, to live and survive until his death. If the time ever came that Joshua van Radcliffe’s body no longer cherished fighting, it would assuredly be the day he died.

If humans did not strive for the things they loved, they were simply their life to pass them by in a blank state—how was dying any different from not knowing what one seeks? Love and death appear to be unrelated, but actually shared the most intimate of relationships in the world.

Just like Might and Justice, the Order of the gods certainly holds their logic.

However, that alone was not enough.

On the single street in Moldavia where time froze, Joshua looked up into the eyes of the God of Love once again. He understood her Order like how he understood Zinsen’s Order, although he was concerned how similar their Order were, he merely wanted to know the civilization and world she pursued.

“Your Majesty, I know Zinsen seeks a world that fulfills justice through might.”

Joshua looked up at the skies frozen by divine power and had a tint of violet, before lowering his eyes and spoke calmly. “Like Israel, what he intended was a realm of Order completely covered by a Skynet system, justice and might grasped by the powerful, judging all sins in the world—a doctrine of radical authority. He and Israel are essentially the same type of person, which is why he would not hesitate to select him as successor.”

“I, however, would not support such a dystopian Order, but instead monitor it carefully… That’s why I would never support him even if Zinsen tried to convince me.”

“What about you, Your Majesty? You must believe that I would support your Order for you to have sought me out—I admit that your path of Order is similar to mine, but I still intend to find out what is the appearance of civilization and world that you pursue.”

Joshua was never a fool who never thinks. Inside, he held his own form of logic and judgment, justice and love.

Zinsen and Yolanda’s ideals were certainly profound, but those remained another’s ideals—he would abide by his duty in a civilization, but he has to be convinced to give his support even if it came to the gods.

The God of Love and Death did not appear surprised. “I’m naturally prepared,” she smiled gently, winking.

At those words, Yolanda lifted her hand, and a streak of purple-green light containing infinite information thus darted towards the warrior.

Before her, Joshua, who stood as if steel tower lifted his hand as well, receiving that streak of light.

Thus, he learned of the world the God of Love and Death wanted.

It was a world where all beings could freely choose between ‘to love or not to love’.

All emotion—like, dislike, love, and hate originate from the brain, the organ of thought, the judgment of a person’s core. Affected by hormones, it was essentially a complex nerve feedback.

For one to hate studying, working, interacting with others or even everything in the world, it was all because his brain secretes hormones that left him in disgust of all things, leaving him idle, seclusive and would rather shrink to his own little world.

Even if they enjoyed certain things, humans could not pour all of their spirits into it. They would always be distracted or bored, and would have to do other things for a shift in their mood.

Such was the limits of mortal and love. The prosperity and progress of civilization are obstructed by such instincts, which is why it should be culled.

The God of Love and Death would hence shower her divine power so that all life had at the ability to control their own love and hate.

Those who did not enjoy studying could change their preference to enjoy it.

Those in their teenaged rebellious phase who in turn hates their parents could also adjust their tendencies, allowing themselves to rationally and objectively speak to their own parents.

Those who hated work could correct their boredom as well, filling themselves with passion and hope as they did on the first day they went to work.

Naturally, with love certainly comes hate.

Addicts would have the chance for a new life, correcting the warped love in their brains and be freed from such error.

Persons who were so overzealous over certain aspects to the point that their lives were affect could hence self-reflect, gently stopping that wild passion and return to ordinary living.

As long as they were willing to repent, the vilest of humans could have a fresh start, changing themselves and becoming fine individuals who cherished society and were willing to make sacrifices.

Love and hate are one body in the first place, inseparable like life and death—it is only with one that there is the other.

It was only a life where individual will could choose what one prefers that it has freedom, since most would not actually understand their own instincts. For example, the obese knew very well that they should be on a diet or the excess fat and weight would lead to unstoppable diseases. Despite that, their instincts for gluttony and weak mindset would basically prevent them from maintaining any diet regime—but if they had the capacity to control their own love and hate, they would have the will to chose healthiness regardless of their reluctant nature.

Even so, it was but one facet of life. The ability controls one’s own love and hate was essentially the ability to change the very roots of human, nurturing their desire to advance. If a path can be adjusted with the ease of a switch, the speed of human progress would unquestionably surpass what anyone would imagine thousands upon thousands of years ago.

The God of Love and Death wanted such a world.

She was expectant. Humans were free to choose how and what they love, just as they could freely choose what they hate and to distance themselves from bad habits or sinister things.

Compared to the Blackness of Might and Justice, the Violet of Love is the path to Order and happiness, the way that conquers sadness.

“Humans can choose to improve themselves, and resolve to move forward on their own path in their own will.”

Yolanda, the God of Love and Death thus.

“Joshua van Radcliffe,” she asked quietly and hopefully, “Are you willing to join my Order?”