The first blow cut the Order God.That should have been impossible.Mortal weapons broke against true divine bodies. Demon curses failed. Lower gods could bruise one another with enough authority, enough preparation, enough political permission hidden under theological language.But Elias was using no permission.His hand became a claw of black law and tore through the Order God's radiance from shoulder to ribs.Gold blood scattered across the light floor.The hall went silent.The Order God stared at the wound."No mortal can harm me.""Then keep telling yourself I am not mortal," Elias said.Spears struck him from every side.He moved once.The spears missed by choosing to strike where he had been after he had never stood there. Several divine soldiers looked at their own hands in confusion."That is not time magic," one whispered."Correct," Elias said. "Time magic is expensive. This is lying to consequence. Much cheaper."The Order God screamed.Her wings exploded from her back in

The Sunstealer had survived empires, gods, curses, betrayals, and three separate attempts by angry queens to turn him into decorative furniture.He had never been so offended by a rope."This is beneath my dignity!" he shouted.The rope around him glowed with Sea King runes. It held him in place behind a streaking comet of blue mana as the Sea King dragged him through the upper Abyss at a speed that made philosophy leave his body."Your dignity is flexible," the Sea King called back."My dignity is filing a complaint!"Behind them, the Disorder-born darkness shifted direction.It had been sinking toward the first layer. Then the Sunstealer's carefully amplified signature blossomed in the void: stolen causality, false names, borrowed sunlight, and enough ancient fraud to season a banquet.The darkness tasted it.Then it followed.The Sunstealer looked over his shoulder and made a sound unbecoming of a legendary thief."It is working," the Sea King said."That makes it worse!"They ran

The first thing Elias did after returning to Wintervale was pretend to rest.The second thing he did was repair six cracks in reality, seal three irresponsible Abyssal residues in decorative jars, and rewrite a local rumor so people believed the thunder over the north tower had been experimental plumbing.The third thing he did was take a bath.A man could fight gods, but civilization existed for hot water.Steam filled the tower bathroom. Elias sank into the tub with the expression of a man who had earned at least one hour of peace.[Idle Ascension System]You soaked in hot water.Fatigue Resistance +20.You avoided paperwork for eight minutes.Happiness +1."Only one?" Elias muttered. "Cruel."Far beyond Wintervale, beyond the moon and the outer reefs of the world, a Forbidden Dragon wrapped in black starlight opened one eye.The Astrologer had spent the last day hiding his fate behind dead comets. He had seen the Sea King turn Disorder aside. He had seen Lucifer move in Abyssal law. He

Andrew disliked demonology for the same reason he disliked unpaid invoices.Both promised useful results after terrible commitments.He placed three restricted books on Elias's desk with the grim care of a man handling venomous snakes."Your mentor has been studying these."Elias looked at the first title.A Courteous Mortal's Guide to Infernal Bargaining.He looked at the second.How Not to Lose Your Soul: A Practical Manual.He looked at the third.Seven Hundred Seals Demons Pretend Are Reasonable."Educational," he said.Andrew's eyebrow twitched. "Do not be clever.""That would make conversation difficult.""Can these books harm her?"Elias flipped through the third book, found a seal drawn with scholarly terror, and laughed."Oh. Varzeth.""You recognize it?""He owed me money."Andrew sat down with great slowness."Elias.""Allegedly.""Do not hide behind allegedly.""