p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Now," Heimdall proclaimed, "onto the next round of Ragnarök, the final battle between gods and humanity. Representing humanity…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" With his gesture to the door the stadium fell all but silent. Humanity gazed at the gate, wondering what warrior would emerge. Slowly, a sound came from within, soft at first but growing steady with each second. Deep in the darkness rung the grinding of battle-tested steel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "A question, if you will," he continued. "Who is humanity's greatest saint? Was it Saint Francis of Assisi who tamed the savage wolf? Nay! Was it Saint Paul of Tarsus who wrote the Book of Acts? Nay! Was it Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland? Nay, nay, nay! It was none other than this warrior!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Her figure, clad in armor, and her banner stretching proudly behind her emerged into the light. All at once, believers clasped their palms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "But what makes her the greatest saint, you might ask? Was it her divine talk with God? Her battles that made her the Maid of Orléans, a hero of France? Or perhaps, her infamous trial that led to her martyrdom? The answer is: this woman is the greatest saint for one miracle alone! That's right!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" High in the stands of humanity, a bald man in dull crimson robes exalted his hands over his head. That man, King Charles VII, beamed as the knight strode with every bit of dignity he knew she had possessed in life. Anyone who served in King Charles' court knew that humble chainmail, emblazoned with the cross. All his soldiers rose and saluted her banner, saluted the three golden fleur de lis that had led them to victory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""/spanspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #202122; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"And her greatest miracle, that makes her worthy of the title 'Greatest Saint' is one miracle and one alone. That miracle? /spanspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her relentless faith!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She stopped, both feet planted together, head lifted in gentle prayer with a poise brought humans to their knees, believers and nonbelievers alike./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Humanity's representative for round five: Joan of Arc!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Hefting the banner high, Joan of Arc faced the gods, unafraid. Her smile did not challenge or provoke. It spoke of humanity's grace in the face of doom, of the strength born from conviction so pure and true. Even as humanity cheered and bowed their heads, that smile remained unchanging./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"And for once, the gods did not jeer. They were shocked to silence. For Joan of Arc's eyes had nothing but love for all life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares lifted a hand to his mouth. "Brother Hermes," he hissed, "tell me, what is this woman? She's nowhere near as powerful as Lu Bu or Adam, she strikes no fear like Jack the Ripper, and yet, I can't stop trembling. Why?" Hermes said nothing, but for an amused raise of his brows./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll looked to her sister but lost all thought when she saw the slimmest of tears forming in the whites of Brunhilda's eyes. Göll's mouth hung open. emWhat kind of person is Joan to make big sister to cry without even saying a word? /emShe wondered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Göll."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Y-yes?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Close that mouth before you swallow a fly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan of Arc lowered the banner to her side. Heimdall blinked once, twice. He gaped, like a man who awoke from a beautiful dream. Shaking his head, he turned to the opposite side of the arena./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""And her opponent, representing the gods," he bellowed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"High in his throne, the mighty Zeus shook. His weathered shoulders and small chest heaved with retched chuckles. He absolutely tingled with excitement. The yellow gates swung open. Pouring out came a smell bitter, smoky, thick, and familiar to those who called Athens home. Olives./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Among the children of the great Zeus, only one stood firm and unafraid when the monster Typhon attacked Olympus! Only she, who knew the gods would prevail!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Silently out from the tunnel emerged thousands of owls. They funneled the arena in an organized, flawless parade with not a feather misplaced. Their wind whipped the scent every Athenian knew into the sky./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Among the gods, only one emdared/em stand against the indomitable Poseidon to become his greatest rival among the Olympians! Only she, who knew she would thwart his incontestable power!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The owls continued to circle. From their talons, olive leaves drifted to the ground, even and flawless. The leaves fell in equal rows and columns, then caught the wind and rose to the sky, before once more falling in an unbroken pattern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Among the gods, only one sprung to life fully grown and armed, with a mighty shout that made Earth and Sky tremble! Only she, who knew that to exist in this universe a god must be ready to fight!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Gods watched, humble and small, as the owls quickened their flight and sent every olive leaf sharply into the sky. Loki smirked at the slight tensing of Odin's hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Of all the men of knowledge, only three were unsurprised with the mathematical precision with which the owls inverted their cone of flight and soared away. Those men, Archimedes, Fibonacci, and Einstein, each understood how the whole maneuver was possible. Only they saw when the goddess marched out of the dark gate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"High above, a single owl, whiter and more beautiful than any other descended, landing on the outstretched arm of a goddess. Its body tightened and its talons stretched to the ground, its wings raised high tightened at tips into a white point. Where once there was an owl, now a spear rested in the goddess' hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A copper brown helmet on a head ringed with black hair cascading to her shoulder pauldrons. A goat skin coat beneath her silver breastplate. And slung across her back hung a dreadful shield covered in a thick canvas./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Her name is emParthenos/em, emPallas/em, Patron of Heroes, and the Lady of Athens! If Poseidon is the G.O.G and Zeus the G.F.O.C., then this contestant is the Goddess Above Gods; the G.A.G! It's … Athena!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"While the gods applauded her, Athena met humanity with a deep frown. The goddess swept across the stands of humanity, lingering on Leonardo, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, then Marie Curie. Her godly scowl fell on Columbus, Harry Harlow, and the scientist known as Oppenheimer. Each felt a twinge of guilt in their throats./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"None were found undeserving of her judgement, save Gandhi, Martin Luthor King Jr, and the One born in Bethlehem. Them she regarded with little more than pity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"That was how the goddess' gaze fell upon her challenger. Deeply piteous. But resolute in the knowledge that humanity must die./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Göll," Brunhilda startled the little Valkyrie who let out a yelp. "Do you know why we're fighting for humanity?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You said because the gods have … um, 'messed' with the human race for too long. Right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""But why now? Why decide their fate now after millennia of existence? The answer is Athena."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""W-What? What do you mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""She brought the motion to the court of the gods. She convinced Shiva, Aphrodite, and the rest to support the motion. Athena proposed to end humanity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""What? Why would she do that?" Brunhilda shook her head in reply. Göll bit her lip. "Does that mean she's the reason our sisters died?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The tall Valkyrie's hands tightened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan of Arc never ceased smiling, not once, as she drove the banner into the ground, drew her French arming sword from her scabbard and raised the cross guard to her chin. Athena's look remained unchanged at her opponent's salute, which she answered with a solemn nod. Göll's lower lip quivered at the blade catching light, at the sister she might lose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Can she really do this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Hmm," was Brunhilda's sole response before Heimdall spoke./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Could there be a better matchup? Knowledge versus conviction, logic versus hope, brain versus heart! The reason of the gods versus the faith of humanity! Round Five of Ragnarök, the final battle between the gods and humanity: The goddess of wisdom Athena versus the holy warrior Joan of Arc! Now… let the match—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"THUD! Athena's spear struck the ground, cutting off Heimdall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""There's something I wish to say first. Joan of Arc," Athena's voice came cold, heavy. "There is no need for you to die a second senseless death. Surrender now. Humanity does not need to suffer any longer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"From the stands of the gods, Shiva scowled, heat blistering from his fists. He agreed with Zeus that a Greek god should take revenge for the deaths of Poseidon and Heracles, so why did Athena hesitate? He would have leapt into battle without hesitation. Zeus' cackling ceased./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""What is that child of mine playing at?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares only sighed. "I guess my sister still can't shake old habits."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Indeed," Hermes muttered. "She loves humanity far too much."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Mankind watched their champion, waiting her answer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Mademoiselle Athena. Are you not the goddess of wisdom?" Her smile broadened. "You should know a martyr does not surrender."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The knight slipped into a fighting stance; sword point at eye level. The goddess sunk with a deep sigh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Heimdall cleared his throat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Right, well, as I was saying… let the match … BEGIN!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena took a single step and, with a move befitting Poseidon's rival, unleashed a mighty thrust at the human's heart. Joan side stepped. One bound closed the distance between goddess and human./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But Athena was a goddess of war and wisdom. Without batting an eyelash, she swung her spear to split the human's torso on the silver shaft. Joan ducked, with a spin, and curved her swing at the goddess' leg./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena leapt over the swing and, to the cheers of the gods, lunged. Joan dodged, coming at the goddess' nape with a stroke that was barely parried./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena darted away but Joan pursued. The goddess parried a stroke, returned a thrust. The human dodged and counterattacked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Any move she made, the human evaded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""What's this?" Heimdall exclaimed. "Joan of Arc is… matching Athena!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares ground his teeth as the human gained on his sister, each blow closer than the last. emHow many times have we sparred? /emHe thought, sweat snaking down his neck. emAnd not once have I ever come close to besting Athena. So how can this human…?!/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Calm yourself, brother," Hermes whispered coolly. "Athena hasn't been lashing out at random."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares looked again. Indeed, Joan was no closer to landing a blow than when the battle started. Her strokes lacked the refinement of Kojiro, the raw power of Lu Bu or Adam, and the deviousness of Jack the Ripper. She was a child, lashing out at a warrior./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena's every thrust came with the same power and angle, missing Joan to the exact inch every time. She had been deliberate in her strikes, conditioning Joan's body to a single type of attack. All for this next moment. Athena released her most powerful, rapid thrust that once slew Typhon. It was unlike any attack the human had ever experienced in her life. Göll looked away. Gods waited the sound of metal piercing flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" When the dust cleared, one contestant bled, drip, drip, onto the sand from a cut in her side. Athena stared at the thin line of blood on the human's sword./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "Incredible! Joan of Arc has drawn first blood!" Heimdall proclaimed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Humanity cheered to see their faith rewarded. Joan of Arc had never once stopped smiling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Wow," Göll exclaimed. "She's keeping up with Athena! Is she like Kojiro?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Not quite," Said Brunhilda. "Unlike Kojiro, Joan has no need for prediction. She already emknows/em Athena's next move. That's her divine technique."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Divine technique?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Yes." Brunhilda smirked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"According to legend, Joan of Arc heard the voice of God, calling her to fight for her country. Her devotion made her worthy of divine instruction. But there is more to that legend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Humans pray to the gods, and in doing so they can actually brush the realm of the divine. Joan of Arc's prayers have gone beyond any mortal prayer and permanently connected her to that divinity. If Adam has 'The Eyes of the Lord,' then Joan of Arc's gift could be called … 'The Voice of the Lord:' The ability to hear the thoughts of the gods!" Brunhilda let loose a broad jeer. "What will you do now, goddess of wisdom?! Anything you think Joan will know! Just give up you owly bitch!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You know you can be really childish sometimes…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena realized this power of Joan's. In the face of an opponent who could know her every strategy, the goddess showed neither fear nor rage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Shaking blood from her hand, she regarded her opponent. Of the gods, only Hermes and Ares could recognize the emotion blazing in the goddess. Of humanity, only the three who had earned the goddess' saddest gaze could name what Athena felt for her opponent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The cheering died down, but that emotion grew in her chest, bubbling into the next words that escaped her lips. "I pity you, Joan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A chill ran through the stadium./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I pity you as I pity every human with good intentions. Those intentions are a drop of water in the hell of humanity's pyre."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares paled, as Athena loosened a strap across her chest. emAthena! Don't tell me you're using that! /emHis deepest fears were confirmed when she reached for her covered shield./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Immortal gods trembled. Even the mighty Thor could not squash a twinge of unease./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Of all the armaments of the gods, the number that rivaled his Mjolnir could be counted on a single hand. Athena's shield, once worn by Zeus himself, was chief among those rivals./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"When the monstrous Typhon attacked the heavens, one goddess stood firm and unafraid. She had strategy to direct her spear, a clear pathway to victory in her head, but above all else, she had that shield. In one moment, when the face of the shield was revealed, it broke all hope in Typhon and his followers. Athena slew them all like helpless ants. From then on, the gods named the shield Aegis, the Will Breaker./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Beneath the cloak, Aegis hissed, rattling with rage. But Athena spoke calmly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I am sorry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The cloak fell./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humans who had fought in all manner of conflict and the gods who from birth had only known war, wept at the snarling Gorgoneion leering out from the goddess' shield, and her yellow glare harder and hotter than steel. Serpents coiled across a demonic face that bore its horrible fangs. Even knowing Athena's strategy, even seeing the shield through the goddess' eyes, could never have prepared Joan for this paralyzing despair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena hoisted her spear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" It tore through armor, through shoulder. Blood seeped down Joan's arm and across her knuckles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Gods cheered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""That's Athena for you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You stupid humans thought you had a chance?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "G.A.G! G.A.G!" They chanted, pumping their fists./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The cheering was not unanimous. Hermes's lips curled grimly, Loki's forehead furrowed, and Zeus's white brows pinched. Even Ares could not cheer for this. He understood that from the moment this fight had started Athena only wished to end this as painlessly as possible. But her strike, meant to run through Joan's heart, and grant a quick death missed its target. Joan had moved just as the spear cut through the air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena could only stare at the human in amazement. For something happened that defied all of Athena's strategy, defied the Will Breaker Aegis itself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan did not yield. This young woman trembled before Aegis. But nothing more. And to Athena, it defied all logic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You seem surprised," muttered Joan. "Every saint has fear. But our faith keeps us strong. I will not falter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She can still move. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena scowled at the thought. emBut she wasn't prepared for Aegis, even with her divine power. Her movements slowed from fear. I see the path to victory. Overwhelm Joan!/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She fell on the human. A rain of flashing silver spears poured down. Blows aimed for Joan's legs, her arms, and beating heart. The spear needled a tapestry, every strike woven into the grand masterpiece./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"As that tapestry took further shape, silver spear thrusts became red./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humanity, still petrified from Aegis, all but despaired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll fell to her knees, watching helplessly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""No way," she sobbed. "There's no way we can win against that…No way…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda bit her nail. Had she overestimated Joan's divine power and underestimated Athena? "No," she growled with frustration. "We have to beat her. The architect of humanity's destruction. We have to."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Brunhilda," Göll murmured. "How can we? Joan's not a warrior like Kojiro or Lu Bu. She can't…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda glared at the battle, at Athena who moved agile, silent as the owl hunting at night, her movements refined by millennia of guiding humanity's heroes. She, who had granted mankind her many blessings, now drew Joan's blood across a loom of destruction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Upon her birth, before she even had a name, the goddess safeguarded humanity from the wrath of the gods. When Poseidon flooded the earth, she gave humanity an escape from destruction. Death by drowning would be long, painful, and tortuous. To prevent another flood, she proposed the very contest to the god of the sea that made her so revered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""The gods are unmatched in their might," she declared. "Dueling will prove fruitless. Let us prove which of us deserves to decide humanity's fate by finding which of us best understands their needs."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Both would give the unnamed town a gift. The court of the gods would decide who offered the better gift. Should Poseidon win, he would receive Aegis and the town's inhabitants. Her gift to the unnamed town, the olive tree, won their contest. And her prize was this: never again would the gods flood the Earth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The humans asked her her name that they may honor her wisdom. But the goddess born only a week ago, had no name. Those humans, of that unnamed town, offered their goddess a name. Then, she in turn, granted the town its name./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"From that day, she was Athena born of Zeus and named by man, bound to gods and humanity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" She granted champions her wisdom to better the world. Countless humans she touched with her gifts of heavenly knowledge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Humanity took the wisdom of fire to burn those they deemed wicked. With the gift of steel, weapons to wage senseless, inglorious wars. Their wheels became the power of tanks, fossil fuels, trains that carried six million Jews. And their discovery of a new land… Humanity used her gifts for its selfish gain. Each new atrocity they could justify with their twisted logic. "God's will," they called it, as if they knew what she wanted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The humans who could do good were thwarted by reality. The One of Bethlehem, the humble man from India, and the man who had a dream were destroyed by the world they sought to save. Joan was no different. In her final moments, she cried out, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" So-called men of God drove her to despair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The goddess heard their prayers for salvation, generation after generation of desperate voices. Every millennium, she made the motion to the courts of the gods: Grant humanity a quick end that they might no longer suffer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her hope, that drove every bloody flush of steel, was one alone: grant Joan of Arc a swift, merciful death. A kind death her tormenters refused the saint./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"For all the blood Joan shed across the threads of Athena's tapestry, she denied Athena that hope. Through it all, Joan of Arc never once stopped fighting back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A flash of Aegis made the human shudder, gave Athena an opening to pierce more flesh. But with every flash of Aegis, every stab of the spear, that opening shrunk. As Kojiiro grew in technique over the course of his battle, Joan was growing with every moment. For hardship tests conviction, but can also strengthen it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena circled, stabbing. Joan bled, parried what blows she could, and dodged the rest. Athena's speed raised dust, covering Joan's slow, human sight. She crushed the human between phalanxes. Joan hacked bloody spit. Aegis howled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But Athena made one mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A swing of her blade severed the tapestry of death. The second swing cut through breastplate, threw off the bronze helmet. With the final, Joan scored a nick into Aegis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena leapt back. Joan met Aegis, bloody and afraid. Though she heaved, dripping with sweat mingling with blood, she smiled, as she had the entire fight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Well, well," Hermes mused. "I believe our sister underestimated the human's resolve. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say; she misunderstood."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"And indeed, Athena who had assumed Joan could be driven to complete despair misunderstood her opponent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The Hundred Years' Wars taught young Joan of humanity's cruelty. She lived under the threat of invasion and death. Under that threat, most of her village fled their homes in despair. Joan had every reason to despise humanity, to see their foolishness as the gods had. But in those circumstances, her teaching fostered only love./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her pious mother installed a deep love for the church and its teachings in young Joan. She learned of God who so loved humanity that He sent His only Son to die for their sins. Joan's family never fled their village because their hearts were so full of love that despair had no hold on them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The voice of God called her to fight and she humbly obeyed. She had no dreams of glory, no hate for the enemy. Deep in her heart, she loved mankind. And she knew with all her heart, that her God who loved humanity believed in them, believed they would one day be worthy of His love./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Upon her pyre, Joan cried, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" But it was not a scream of despair. As she burned, Joan cried that name in prayer. A prayer begging her God to forgive those who persecuted her, as He forgave those who persecuted his followers. And she prayed for her persecutors, to remember that they were deserving of her forgiveness. Even in her deepest suffering surrounded by humanity's ugliness, she never lost faith./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"As the goddess began to grasp that truth, new waves of pity fell upon her heart. Joan's naïveté, her selflessness, and above all else her divine power frustrated the goddess./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A flick of the spear sent blood across the ground. Athena regarded that blood, then Joan of Arc./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You know my thoughts," the goddess said. "You know I set humanity's extinction into motion. And you know why. Still, you fight for them. Knowing all that I know, you still fight. Blinded by misplaced faith."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humans sunk beneath the weight of Athena's words heavy with truth. Many knew their crimes, even as they sought to deny them in life. Others recognized they had no blamelessness. Jurors who condemned Joan of Arc to the pyre shed silent tears./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan of Arc met Athena's condemnation with sad eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""As you say, I have seen what you seen, Mademoiselle Athena," said Joan at last. "You may pity us. But I have been privileged to witness how even amidst that pain, we never stop marching towards goodness. That march is slow, and full of stumbles. We keep marching, nonetheless. Should your reason tell you otherwise, then I pity you, for the love that makes you so blind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Mademoiselle Athena," Joan said. "I am grateful, that I can fight for our chance to keep marching."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Martin Luthor King Jr. and Gandhi shared in Joan's smile. Both still held to hope, as Joan had long before them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan stumbled forward, dodging and parrying Athena's strikes. It remained as her sword rang against Aegis. Even as Joan struck without a plan, for she could only march forward, it remained./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Regrettable," Athena said. "You believe in a false hope."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A shove sent Joan rolling away. The gorgon shield throbbed when Joan came swinging once more. Another stroke deepened the nick in Aegis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"No matter how Athena knocked her away, Joan of Arc rose all the stronger. No blow of the goddess' spear could touch Joan. Even Aegis once petrifying had only tested Joan's faith and left her all the more relentless./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"King Charles VII and his men offered their prayers to Joan's strength./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Gods shook. For at that moment, they considered the unthinkable; that humanity would slay another god./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humanity could hope for their victory, but they could not deny reason. Even with the Voice of the Lord, Joan fought an uphill battle. For the human could not pass Aegis again. Nor could she match Athena's experience and power. Her human body would reach its limits when she bled out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena lashed, her spear a flurry of rapid jabs. Joan dodged, parried, slowed by loss of blood. Aegis smashed into Joan, sending her flying through the air. Her feet had only touched the dirt when Athena closed the gap and swung the shaft of her spear. Joan hacked up blood. And still, Athena attacked with total abandon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares gaped. "How…moments ago, Joan could see her every move coming. What's changed?"br / "I believe," said Hermes, "Athena is no longer thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""W-what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Some warriors can briefly fly into a frenzy of thoughtless violence. Berserkers, they're called." Hermes frowned. "For a God of War, I'm surprised you didn't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Whatever," he said. "Well, that human's done for now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I'm not so sure," said Zeus. "If that human can last long enough…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The human rose from the dust. Her chest heaved with exertion. Sweat and blood mixed across her chin. And still, she smiled. Athena shot forward like an arrow. This time Joan met her. Drawing from a well of strength alien to the gods, she swung her blade. Their clash rang out through the heavens, down to the netherworld. Athena's power sent Joan sliding across the dirt, but Joan remained standing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"They collided again, and this time Joan stood her ground. When the goddess unleashed her savage attacks, raining down blow after blow, Joan withstood it all, parrying and dodging. Surprise surged through the goddess, and with surprise came the return of thoughts. Human and god clashed once more. Now, the human forced the goddess back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena dug her feet into the soil. She raised her shield, ready to block an attack. It didn't come. The human stood back, swaying and dizzy. Her spirit unyielding outpaced her mortal body./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena's lip curled. She could only curse Brunhilda for forcing humanity to endure this torture. "Wait a while longer, Joan," she said, "I will give you your rest." Athena charged, prepared to end humanity's suffering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Move left/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;", Athena thought as she moved right. emStrike the heart/em, she thought when she thrust for Joan's head, gashing the temple as Joan only just dodged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Move right, stab the stomach. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But as Joan heard Athena's thoughts, the goddess shifted left and clipped her shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Move right and strike the leg, /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena thought. Joan glancing to her left, felt a stab of pain shoot through her right arm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Do it again. Think move left but move right and thrust for the neck. End it now. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She closed in on the left with a thrust streaking for Joan's hip. The human's blood wet the sands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Phalanx formation attack, /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"and Athena slammed Aegis into Joan with CRACK and sent her sprawling. Athena pursued. emCrush her skull beneath foot,/em she thought before her spear flew for Joan's ribs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Now, you can have rest./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan leapt; the spear struck empty space. She landed on the shaft of Athena's spear, and Aegis just parried her overhead strike. With a swing, Joan was flung away. She landed on her feet when Athena came at her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ram through her heart! /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her mind raged as she thrust for Joan's head. Joan sidestepped. Athena parried Joan's returning blow. emThink move left and rapid thrust, then go to her right and smash her with shield and pierce her heart. /emShe moved left and ran her shield at Joan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her opponent sprung aside and landed a deft cut into god flesh. Athena drew away as her shield arm grew heavy and limp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Impossible/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;", she marveled. emHas her divine power adapted? Just how deeply into my thoughts can she read?/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Deeply enough!" Joan shouted as she charged, hearty and full of life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The goddess struck. Joan drew ever closer, slipping through holes in the goddess' phalanx strikes. Her sword clanged against Aegis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"That's when Athena saw something she did not anticipate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"One by one, the wounds she inflicted on the human had faded. Even now, the cuts through her temple, shoulder, and hip began to seal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll saw it too, and gasped. She searched for an explanation, when her eyes fell on Joan's French Arming Sword reflecting a tinge of green in the sunlight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"And she realized what Brunhilda had done./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Most gods believe there are only 13 Valkyries among the heavens and would not even know their names. A select few gods, older, wiser, and humbler than the rest know that the 13 Valkyries are the 13 Valkyrie warriors who stand at the pinnacle of an entire race led by Brunhilda./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The Valkyrie who Brunhilda chose in this round, normally crippled by coughing fits and fevers, begged to become Joan's partner. Her heart and the human's resonated the moment they met, forming Joan's volund./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She was not a warrior born to fight, but then, neither was Joan. Both were born with love for others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Brunhilda, that's Eir, isn't it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I had my doubts choosing her, but it seems of all the Valkyries, none could better suit a warrior of faith."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""But I thought her power was impractical in combat because it took time to even work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Normally, yes, but Joan's tenacity and divine power kept her in the fight long enough for it to kick in. And luckily for us, the 'flawless' Athena made one fatal mistake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""One mistake? What was it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""When she realized Joan's divine power, she assumed this was a war of attrition. That's why she used Aegis and strategy separately rather than at once. In her godly arrogance, she thought every wound would carve her path to victory when the human lost strength. But with Eir's healing power, that path never existed. Now that Joan can counter Aegis and Athena's strategy, the goddess lost her two most valuable weapons."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Did you plan all this? From the start?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda ignored her. "This truly is a battle between the power of the gods," she grinned wildly, "and the relentless faith of humanity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The goddess quivered. All her attacks meant to wear down the human had come to nothing. Her strategy had failed, Aegis had failed, and she, Athena, could fail. The end to an uphill battle was within grasp for humanity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan persisted, leaping between thrusts. Smiling, her sword flashed against Aegis again and again. Her attacks never allowed Athena a moment of peace, and the goddess' arm grew weaker by the second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She was an unrelenting whirlwind, slipping through Athena's phalanx technique to once more lash at the goddess, then disappearing before Athena countered. Never tiring and never touched./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But Athena was no ordinary god. Amidst the thrill of battle, she never once stopped plotting or once questioned her victory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Deep in her soul, within the recesses of subconscious that Joan could not pierce, Athena realized she would not win without sacrifice. Deeper still in her heart, she braced herself for that sacrifice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A proper flick of the spear closed the holes in her phalanx strikes that Joan had exploited. Joan could only move forward. Even as she bled, she could not stop. Aegis flashed its Gorgonian visage, snakes twisting shrilly and fangs snarling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Though she faltered, Joan could only move forward towards Athena's vulnerable limb. Joan's swing carved the goddess' shield arm. It split through elbow. But the human was vulnerable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena's spear burst through her gut./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Blood erupted from Joan's mouth. Athena's eyes bored into her pained face; her red-stained teeth that smiled weakly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She sacrificed an arm, but Athena left a wound that not even Eir could heal in time. This match was over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Then, Joan dragged herself down the spear, came face-to-face with the goddess, and defying all reason, plunged her sword into Athena./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"As her life faded, Joan offered one prayer: emEir, give me your strength. Just long enough/em. Her other hand clasped the goddess' shoulder for leverage. With all her might, she carved through mountainous god-flesh, working the blade to the goddess' heart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena grimaced as her life seeped from her chest. emStop this, Joan. Stop putting yourself through all this pain. /emBut even while Athena twisted her spear, tore apart the human's stomach, thrashed with mighty kicks that broke ribs, Joan's volund parted her insides on its steady march./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"One final battle of perseverance. Neither the god nor the human would release their weapon. Each endured, for her beloved mankind she wished to save./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan planted her left leg by the goddess' instep to stop her kicks. Athena brought her other knee hard into the saint's side. A sharp, wet crunch of bones. She stomped, and flattened Joan's foot. Joan clenched her bloody teeth, grateful for the pain that kept her from lulling into that deadly sleep. She tightened her grip on the goddess' shoulder, leaning on her as a walking stick, and dragged her sword further, further, sawing through sternum./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"It broke through. But the blade had not moved an inch further when Athena let lose a final kick that bent Joan's broken ribcage into her lungs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Human and god froze. Blood streamed down their armor, mingling into pools./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena and Joan, as if of one body and soul, raised their faces and looked upon their opponent. What unspoken words parted in that final glance none will know./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Athena frowned and Joan smiled, but the two were united by one similarity beyond the blood they spilt. The tears they shed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""It's over," said Zeus. "She's dead."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Heimdall rushed to the fighters. The two, both unmoving, stood with mouths open, teary eyes locked. Statues, frozen. Cold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""L-ladies and gentlemen. Gods and goddesses. This is unprecedented," he said. "For the first time in history… we have a draw."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"With that, human and god crumbled into flecks of glass. Their particles seemed to weave together on the winds so that one being both human and god had passed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll wept as another sister disintegrated before her eyes. Humans and gods alike sobbed for the passing of their champions. Ares' lip twinged as he fought against the rising heat in his eyes. He swore that Athena's death would not go unavenged. Zeus merely sunk into his throne./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Scholars and saints felt they had lost and gained some enlightenment. King Charles and his entourage clasped their hands, to offer a prayer for their saint. Humanity as a whole had been condemned by the goddess and exonerated by the saint, but loved by both in equal measure. Joan's march was now theirs to carry on. Athena's love remained their burden to carry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda said nothing for the longest time. At last, she placed a hand on Göll's shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll wiped her eyes. "What happens now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Our march continues."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The carpenter from Bethlehem looked to the ashes of the saint and the goddess. Smiling, he whispered a blessing on them both that only He would hear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Round 5: Joan of Arc versus Athena/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Length: 8 minutes 41 seconds/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Winner: Draw/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" With his gesture to the door the stadium fell all but silent. Humanity gazed at the gate, wondering what warrior would emerge. Slowly, a sound came from within, soft at first but growing steady with each second. Deep in the darkness rung the grinding of battle-tested steel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "A question, if you will," he continued. "Who is humanity's greatest saint? Was it Saint Francis of Assisi who tamed the savage wolf? Nay! Was it Saint Paul of Tarsus who wrote the Book of Acts? Nay! Was it Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland? Nay, nay, nay! It was none other than this warrior!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Her figure, clad in armor, and her banner stretching proudly behind her emerged into the light. All at once, believers clasped their palms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "But what makes her the greatest saint, you might ask? Was it her divine talk with God? Her battles that made her the Maid of Orléans, a hero of France? Or perhaps, her infamous trial that led to her martyrdom? The answer is: this woman is the greatest saint for one miracle alone! That's right!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" High in the stands of humanity, a bald man in dull crimson robes exalted his hands over his head. That man, King Charles VII, beamed as the knight strode with every bit of dignity he knew she had possessed in life. Anyone who served in King Charles' court knew that humble chainmail, emblazoned with the cross. All his soldiers rose and saluted her banner, saluted the three golden fleur de lis that had led them to victory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""/spanspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #202122; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"And her greatest miracle, that makes her worthy of the title 'Greatest Saint' is one miracle and one alone. That miracle? /spanspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her relentless faith!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She stopped, both feet planted together, head lifted in gentle prayer with a poise brought humans to their knees, believers and nonbelievers alike./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Humanity's representative for round five: Joan of Arc!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Hefting the banner high, Joan of Arc faced the gods, unafraid. Her smile did not challenge or provoke. It spoke of humanity's grace in the face of doom, of the strength born from conviction so pure and true. Even as humanity cheered and bowed their heads, that smile remained unchanging./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"And for once, the gods did not jeer. They were shocked to silence. For Joan of Arc's eyes had nothing but love for all life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares lifted a hand to his mouth. "Brother Hermes," he hissed, "tell me, what is this woman? She's nowhere near as powerful as Lu Bu or Adam, she strikes no fear like Jack the Ripper, and yet, I can't stop trembling. Why?" Hermes said nothing, but for an amused raise of his brows./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll looked to her sister but lost all thought when she saw the slimmest of tears forming in the whites of Brunhilda's eyes. Göll's mouth hung open. emWhat kind of person is Joan to make big sister to cry without even saying a word? /emShe wondered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Göll."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Y-yes?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Close that mouth before you swallow a fly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan of Arc lowered the banner to her side. Heimdall blinked once, twice. He gaped, like a man who awoke from a beautiful dream. Shaking his head, he turned to the opposite side of the arena./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""And her opponent, representing the gods," he bellowed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"High in his throne, the mighty Zeus shook. His weathered shoulders and small chest heaved with retched chuckles. He absolutely tingled with excitement. The yellow gates swung open. Pouring out came a smell bitter, smoky, thick, and familiar to those who called Athens home. Olives./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Among the children of the great Zeus, only one stood firm and unafraid when the monster Typhon attacked Olympus! Only she, who knew the gods would prevail!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Silently out from the tunnel emerged thousands of owls. They funneled the arena in an organized, flawless parade with not a feather misplaced. Their wind whipped the scent every Athenian knew into the sky./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Among the gods, only one emdared/em stand against the indomitable Poseidon to become his greatest rival among the Olympians! Only she, who knew she would thwart his incontestable power!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The owls continued to circle. From their talons, olive leaves drifted to the ground, even and flawless. The leaves fell in equal rows and columns, then caught the wind and rose to the sky, before once more falling in an unbroken pattern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Among the gods, only one sprung to life fully grown and armed, with a mighty shout that made Earth and Sky tremble! Only she, who knew that to exist in this universe a god must be ready to fight!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Gods watched, humble and small, as the owls quickened their flight and sent every olive leaf sharply into the sky. Loki smirked at the slight tensing of Odin's hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Of all the men of knowledge, only three were unsurprised with the mathematical precision with which the owls inverted their cone of flight and soared away. Those men, Archimedes, Fibonacci, and Einstein, each understood how the whole maneuver was possible. Only they saw when the goddess marched out of the dark gate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"High above, a single owl, whiter and more beautiful than any other descended, landing on the outstretched arm of a goddess. Its body tightened and its talons stretched to the ground, its wings raised high tightened at tips into a white point. Where once there was an owl, now a spear rested in the goddess' hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A copper brown helmet on a head ringed with black hair cascading to her shoulder pauldrons. A goat skin coat beneath her silver breastplate. And slung across her back hung a dreadful shield covered in a thick canvas./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Her name is emParthenos/em, emPallas/em, Patron of Heroes, and the Lady of Athens! If Poseidon is the G.O.G and Zeus the G.F.O.C., then this contestant is the Goddess Above Gods; the G.A.G! It's … Athena!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"While the gods applauded her, Athena met humanity with a deep frown. The goddess swept across the stands of humanity, lingering on Leonardo, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, then Marie Curie. Her godly scowl fell on Columbus, Harry Harlow, and the scientist known as Oppenheimer. Each felt a twinge of guilt in their throats./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"None were found undeserving of her judgement, save Gandhi, Martin Luthor King Jr, and the One born in Bethlehem. Them she regarded with little more than pity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"That was how the goddess' gaze fell upon her challenger. Deeply piteous. But resolute in the knowledge that humanity must die./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Göll," Brunhilda startled the little Valkyrie who let out a yelp. "Do you know why we're fighting for humanity?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You said because the gods have … um, 'messed' with the human race for too long. Right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""But why now? Why decide their fate now after millennia of existence? The answer is Athena."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""W-What? What do you mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""She brought the motion to the court of the gods. She convinced Shiva, Aphrodite, and the rest to support the motion. Athena proposed to end humanity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""What? Why would she do that?" Brunhilda shook her head in reply. Göll bit her lip. "Does that mean she's the reason our sisters died?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The tall Valkyrie's hands tightened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan of Arc never ceased smiling, not once, as she drove the banner into the ground, drew her French arming sword from her scabbard and raised the cross guard to her chin. Athena's look remained unchanged at her opponent's salute, which she answered with a solemn nod. Göll's lower lip quivered at the blade catching light, at the sister she might lose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Can she really do this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Hmm," was Brunhilda's sole response before Heimdall spoke./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Could there be a better matchup? Knowledge versus conviction, logic versus hope, brain versus heart! The reason of the gods versus the faith of humanity! Round Five of Ragnarök, the final battle between the gods and humanity: The goddess of wisdom Athena versus the holy warrior Joan of Arc! Now… let the match—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"THUD! Athena's spear struck the ground, cutting off Heimdall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""There's something I wish to say first. Joan of Arc," Athena's voice came cold, heavy. "There is no need for you to die a second senseless death. Surrender now. Humanity does not need to suffer any longer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"From the stands of the gods, Shiva scowled, heat blistering from his fists. He agreed with Zeus that a Greek god should take revenge for the deaths of Poseidon and Heracles, so why did Athena hesitate? He would have leapt into battle without hesitation. Zeus' cackling ceased./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""What is that child of mine playing at?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares only sighed. "I guess my sister still can't shake old habits."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Indeed," Hermes muttered. "She loves humanity far too much."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Mankind watched their champion, waiting her answer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Mademoiselle Athena. Are you not the goddess of wisdom?" Her smile broadened. "You should know a martyr does not surrender."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The knight slipped into a fighting stance; sword point at eye level. The goddess sunk with a deep sigh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Heimdall cleared his throat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Right, well, as I was saying… let the match … BEGIN!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena took a single step and, with a move befitting Poseidon's rival, unleashed a mighty thrust at the human's heart. Joan side stepped. One bound closed the distance between goddess and human./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But Athena was a goddess of war and wisdom. Without batting an eyelash, she swung her spear to split the human's torso on the silver shaft. Joan ducked, with a spin, and curved her swing at the goddess' leg./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena leapt over the swing and, to the cheers of the gods, lunged. Joan dodged, coming at the goddess' nape with a stroke that was barely parried./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena darted away but Joan pursued. The goddess parried a stroke, returned a thrust. The human dodged and counterattacked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Any move she made, the human evaded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""What's this?" Heimdall exclaimed. "Joan of Arc is… matching Athena!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares ground his teeth as the human gained on his sister, each blow closer than the last. emHow many times have we sparred? /emHe thought, sweat snaking down his neck. emAnd not once have I ever come close to besting Athena. So how can this human…?!/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Calm yourself, brother," Hermes whispered coolly. "Athena hasn't been lashing out at random."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares looked again. Indeed, Joan was no closer to landing a blow than when the battle started. Her strokes lacked the refinement of Kojiro, the raw power of Lu Bu or Adam, and the deviousness of Jack the Ripper. She was a child, lashing out at a warrior./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena's every thrust came with the same power and angle, missing Joan to the exact inch every time. She had been deliberate in her strikes, conditioning Joan's body to a single type of attack. All for this next moment. Athena released her most powerful, rapid thrust that once slew Typhon. It was unlike any attack the human had ever experienced in her life. Göll looked away. Gods waited the sound of metal piercing flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" When the dust cleared, one contestant bled, drip, drip, onto the sand from a cut in her side. Athena stared at the thin line of blood on the human's sword./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "Incredible! Joan of Arc has drawn first blood!" Heimdall proclaimed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Humanity cheered to see their faith rewarded. Joan of Arc had never once stopped smiling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Wow," Göll exclaimed. "She's keeping up with Athena! Is she like Kojiro?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Not quite," Said Brunhilda. "Unlike Kojiro, Joan has no need for prediction. She already emknows/em Athena's next move. That's her divine technique."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Divine technique?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Yes." Brunhilda smirked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"According to legend, Joan of Arc heard the voice of God, calling her to fight for her country. Her devotion made her worthy of divine instruction. But there is more to that legend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Humans pray to the gods, and in doing so they can actually brush the realm of the divine. Joan of Arc's prayers have gone beyond any mortal prayer and permanently connected her to that divinity. If Adam has 'The Eyes of the Lord,' then Joan of Arc's gift could be called … 'The Voice of the Lord:' The ability to hear the thoughts of the gods!" Brunhilda let loose a broad jeer. "What will you do now, goddess of wisdom?! Anything you think Joan will know! Just give up you owly bitch!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You know you can be really childish sometimes…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena realized this power of Joan's. In the face of an opponent who could know her every strategy, the goddess showed neither fear nor rage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Shaking blood from her hand, she regarded her opponent. Of the gods, only Hermes and Ares could recognize the emotion blazing in the goddess. Of humanity, only the three who had earned the goddess' saddest gaze could name what Athena felt for her opponent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The cheering died down, but that emotion grew in her chest, bubbling into the next words that escaped her lips. "I pity you, Joan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A chill ran through the stadium./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I pity you as I pity every human with good intentions. Those intentions are a drop of water in the hell of humanity's pyre."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares paled, as Athena loosened a strap across her chest. emAthena! Don't tell me you're using that! /emHis deepest fears were confirmed when she reached for her covered shield./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Immortal gods trembled. Even the mighty Thor could not squash a twinge of unease./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Of all the armaments of the gods, the number that rivaled his Mjolnir could be counted on a single hand. Athena's shield, once worn by Zeus himself, was chief among those rivals./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"When the monstrous Typhon attacked the heavens, one goddess stood firm and unafraid. She had strategy to direct her spear, a clear pathway to victory in her head, but above all else, she had that shield. In one moment, when the face of the shield was revealed, it broke all hope in Typhon and his followers. Athena slew them all like helpless ants. From then on, the gods named the shield Aegis, the Will Breaker./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Beneath the cloak, Aegis hissed, rattling with rage. But Athena spoke calmly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I am sorry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The cloak fell./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humans who had fought in all manner of conflict and the gods who from birth had only known war, wept at the snarling Gorgoneion leering out from the goddess' shield, and her yellow glare harder and hotter than steel. Serpents coiled across a demonic face that bore its horrible fangs. Even knowing Athena's strategy, even seeing the shield through the goddess' eyes, could never have prepared Joan for this paralyzing despair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena hoisted her spear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" It tore through armor, through shoulder. Blood seeped down Joan's arm and across her knuckles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Gods cheered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""That's Athena for you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You stupid humans thought you had a chance?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" "G.A.G! G.A.G!" They chanted, pumping their fists./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The cheering was not unanimous. Hermes's lips curled grimly, Loki's forehead furrowed, and Zeus's white brows pinched. Even Ares could not cheer for this. He understood that from the moment this fight had started Athena only wished to end this as painlessly as possible. But her strike, meant to run through Joan's heart, and grant a quick death missed its target. Joan had moved just as the spear cut through the air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena could only stare at the human in amazement. For something happened that defied all of Athena's strategy, defied the Will Breaker Aegis itself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan did not yield. This young woman trembled before Aegis. But nothing more. And to Athena, it defied all logic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You seem surprised," muttered Joan. "Every saint has fear. But our faith keeps us strong. I will not falter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She can still move. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena scowled at the thought. emBut she wasn't prepared for Aegis, even with her divine power. Her movements slowed from fear. I see the path to victory. Overwhelm Joan!/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She fell on the human. A rain of flashing silver spears poured down. Blows aimed for Joan's legs, her arms, and beating heart. The spear needled a tapestry, every strike woven into the grand masterpiece./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"As that tapestry took further shape, silver spear thrusts became red./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humanity, still petrified from Aegis, all but despaired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll fell to her knees, watching helplessly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""No way," she sobbed. "There's no way we can win against that…No way…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda bit her nail. Had she overestimated Joan's divine power and underestimated Athena? "No," she growled with frustration. "We have to beat her. The architect of humanity's destruction. We have to."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Brunhilda," Göll murmured. "How can we? Joan's not a warrior like Kojiro or Lu Bu. She can't…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda glared at the battle, at Athena who moved agile, silent as the owl hunting at night, her movements refined by millennia of guiding humanity's heroes. She, who had granted mankind her many blessings, now drew Joan's blood across a loom of destruction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Upon her birth, before she even had a name, the goddess safeguarded humanity from the wrath of the gods. When Poseidon flooded the earth, she gave humanity an escape from destruction. Death by drowning would be long, painful, and tortuous. To prevent another flood, she proposed the very contest to the god of the sea that made her so revered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""The gods are unmatched in their might," she declared. "Dueling will prove fruitless. Let us prove which of us deserves to decide humanity's fate by finding which of us best understands their needs."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Both would give the unnamed town a gift. The court of the gods would decide who offered the better gift. Should Poseidon win, he would receive Aegis and the town's inhabitants. Her gift to the unnamed town, the olive tree, won their contest. And her prize was this: never again would the gods flood the Earth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The humans asked her her name that they may honor her wisdom. But the goddess born only a week ago, had no name. Those humans, of that unnamed town, offered their goddess a name. Then, she in turn, granted the town its name./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"From that day, she was Athena born of Zeus and named by man, bound to gods and humanity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" She granted champions her wisdom to better the world. Countless humans she touched with her gifts of heavenly knowledge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Humanity took the wisdom of fire to burn those they deemed wicked. With the gift of steel, weapons to wage senseless, inglorious wars. Their wheels became the power of tanks, fossil fuels, trains that carried six million Jews. And their discovery of a new land… Humanity used her gifts for its selfish gain. Each new atrocity they could justify with their twisted logic. "God's will," they called it, as if they knew what she wanted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The humans who could do good were thwarted by reality. The One of Bethlehem, the humble man from India, and the man who had a dream were destroyed by the world they sought to save. Joan was no different. In her final moments, she cried out, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" So-called men of God drove her to despair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The goddess heard their prayers for salvation, generation after generation of desperate voices. Every millennium, she made the motion to the courts of the gods: Grant humanity a quick end that they might no longer suffer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her hope, that drove every bloody flush of steel, was one alone: grant Joan of Arc a swift, merciful death. A kind death her tormenters refused the saint./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"For all the blood Joan shed across the threads of Athena's tapestry, she denied Athena that hope. Through it all, Joan of Arc never once stopped fighting back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A flash of Aegis made the human shudder, gave Athena an opening to pierce more flesh. But with every flash of Aegis, every stab of the spear, that opening shrunk. As Kojiiro grew in technique over the course of his battle, Joan was growing with every moment. For hardship tests conviction, but can also strengthen it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena circled, stabbing. Joan bled, parried what blows she could, and dodged the rest. Athena's speed raised dust, covering Joan's slow, human sight. She crushed the human between phalanxes. Joan hacked bloody spit. Aegis howled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But Athena made one mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A swing of her blade severed the tapestry of death. The second swing cut through breastplate, threw off the bronze helmet. With the final, Joan scored a nick into Aegis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena leapt back. Joan met Aegis, bloody and afraid. Though she heaved, dripping with sweat mingling with blood, she smiled, as she had the entire fight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Well, well," Hermes mused. "I believe our sister underestimated the human's resolve. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say; she misunderstood."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"And indeed, Athena who had assumed Joan could be driven to complete despair misunderstood her opponent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The Hundred Years' Wars taught young Joan of humanity's cruelty. She lived under the threat of invasion and death. Under that threat, most of her village fled their homes in despair. Joan had every reason to despise humanity, to see their foolishness as the gods had. But in those circumstances, her teaching fostered only love./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her pious mother installed a deep love for the church and its teachings in young Joan. She learned of God who so loved humanity that He sent His only Son to die for their sins. Joan's family never fled their village because their hearts were so full of love that despair had no hold on them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The voice of God called her to fight and she humbly obeyed. She had no dreams of glory, no hate for the enemy. Deep in her heart, she loved mankind. And she knew with all her heart, that her God who loved humanity believed in them, believed they would one day be worthy of His love./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Upon her pyre, Joan cried, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" But it was not a scream of despair. As she burned, Joan cried that name in prayer. A prayer begging her God to forgive those who persecuted her, as He forgave those who persecuted his followers. And she prayed for her persecutors, to remember that they were deserving of her forgiveness. Even in her deepest suffering surrounded by humanity's ugliness, she never lost faith./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"As the goddess began to grasp that truth, new waves of pity fell upon her heart. Joan's naïveté, her selflessness, and above all else her divine power frustrated the goddess./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A flick of the spear sent blood across the ground. Athena regarded that blood, then Joan of Arc./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""You know my thoughts," the goddess said. "You know I set humanity's extinction into motion. And you know why. Still, you fight for them. Knowing all that I know, you still fight. Blinded by misplaced faith."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humans sunk beneath the weight of Athena's words heavy with truth. Many knew their crimes, even as they sought to deny them in life. Others recognized they had no blamelessness. Jurors who condemned Joan of Arc to the pyre shed silent tears./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan of Arc met Athena's condemnation with sad eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""As you say, I have seen what you seen, Mademoiselle Athena," said Joan at last. "You may pity us. But I have been privileged to witness how even amidst that pain, we never stop marching towards goodness. That march is slow, and full of stumbles. We keep marching, nonetheless. Should your reason tell you otherwise, then I pity you, for the love that makes you so blind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Mademoiselle Athena," Joan said. "I am grateful, that I can fight for our chance to keep marching."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Martin Luthor King Jr. and Gandhi shared in Joan's smile. Both still held to hope, as Joan had long before them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan stumbled forward, dodging and parrying Athena's strikes. It remained as her sword rang against Aegis. Even as Joan struck without a plan, for she could only march forward, it remained./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Regrettable," Athena said. "You believe in a false hope."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A shove sent Joan rolling away. The gorgon shield throbbed when Joan came swinging once more. Another stroke deepened the nick in Aegis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"No matter how Athena knocked her away, Joan of Arc rose all the stronger. No blow of the goddess' spear could touch Joan. Even Aegis once petrifying had only tested Joan's faith and left her all the more relentless./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"King Charles VII and his men offered their prayers to Joan's strength./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Gods shook. For at that moment, they considered the unthinkable; that humanity would slay another god./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Humanity could hope for their victory, but they could not deny reason. Even with the Voice of the Lord, Joan fought an uphill battle. For the human could not pass Aegis again. Nor could she match Athena's experience and power. Her human body would reach its limits when she bled out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena lashed, her spear a flurry of rapid jabs. Joan dodged, parried, slowed by loss of blood. Aegis smashed into Joan, sending her flying through the air. Her feet had only touched the dirt when Athena closed the gap and swung the shaft of her spear. Joan hacked up blood. And still, Athena attacked with total abandon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ares gaped. "How…moments ago, Joan could see her every move coming. What's changed?"br / "I believe," said Hermes, "Athena is no longer thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""W-what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Some warriors can briefly fly into a frenzy of thoughtless violence. Berserkers, they're called." Hermes frowned. "For a God of War, I'm surprised you didn't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Whatever," he said. "Well, that human's done for now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I'm not so sure," said Zeus. "If that human can last long enough…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The human rose from the dust. Her chest heaved with exertion. Sweat and blood mixed across her chin. And still, she smiled. Athena shot forward like an arrow. This time Joan met her. Drawing from a well of strength alien to the gods, she swung her blade. Their clash rang out through the heavens, down to the netherworld. Athena's power sent Joan sliding across the dirt, but Joan remained standing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"They collided again, and this time Joan stood her ground. When the goddess unleashed her savage attacks, raining down blow after blow, Joan withstood it all, parrying and dodging. Surprise surged through the goddess, and with surprise came the return of thoughts. Human and god clashed once more. Now, the human forced the goddess back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena dug her feet into the soil. She raised her shield, ready to block an attack. It didn't come. The human stood back, swaying and dizzy. Her spirit unyielding outpaced her mortal body./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena's lip curled. She could only curse Brunhilda for forcing humanity to endure this torture. "Wait a while longer, Joan," she said, "I will give you your rest." Athena charged, prepared to end humanity's suffering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Move left/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;", Athena thought as she moved right. emStrike the heart/em, she thought when she thrust for Joan's head, gashing the temple as Joan only just dodged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Move right, stab the stomach. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But as Joan heard Athena's thoughts, the goddess shifted left and clipped her shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Move right and strike the leg, /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena thought. Joan glancing to her left, felt a stab of pain shoot through her right arm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Do it again. Think move left but move right and thrust for the neck. End it now. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She closed in on the left with a thrust streaking for Joan's hip. The human's blood wet the sands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Phalanx formation attack, /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"and Athena slammed Aegis into Joan with CRACK and sent her sprawling. Athena pursued. emCrush her skull beneath foot,/em she thought before her spear flew for Joan's ribs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Now, you can have rest./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan leapt; the spear struck empty space. She landed on the shaft of Athena's spear, and Aegis just parried her overhead strike. With a swing, Joan was flung away. She landed on her feet when Athena came at her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Ram through her heart! /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her mind raged as she thrust for Joan's head. Joan sidestepped. Athena parried Joan's returning blow. emThink move left and rapid thrust, then go to her right and smash her with shield and pierce her heart. /emShe moved left and ran her shield at Joan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Her opponent sprung aside and landed a deft cut into god flesh. Athena drew away as her shield arm grew heavy and limp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Impossible/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;", she marveled. emHas her divine power adapted? Just how deeply into my thoughts can she read?/em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Deeply enough!" Joan shouted as she charged, hearty and full of life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The goddess struck. Joan drew ever closer, slipping through holes in the goddess' phalanx strikes. Her sword clanged against Aegis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"That's when Athena saw something she did not anticipate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"One by one, the wounds she inflicted on the human had faded. Even now, the cuts through her temple, shoulder, and hip began to seal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll saw it too, and gasped. She searched for an explanation, when her eyes fell on Joan's French Arming Sword reflecting a tinge of green in the sunlight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"And she realized what Brunhilda had done./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Most gods believe there are only 13 Valkyries among the heavens and would not even know their names. A select few gods, older, wiser, and humbler than the rest know that the 13 Valkyries are the 13 Valkyrie warriors who stand at the pinnacle of an entire race led by Brunhilda./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The Valkyrie who Brunhilda chose in this round, normally crippled by coughing fits and fevers, begged to become Joan's partner. Her heart and the human's resonated the moment they met, forming Joan's volund./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She was not a warrior born to fight, but then, neither was Joan. Both were born with love for others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Brunhilda, that's Eir, isn't it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""I had my doubts choosing her, but it seems of all the Valkyries, none could better suit a warrior of faith."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""But I thought her power was impractical in combat because it took time to even work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Normally, yes, but Joan's tenacity and divine power kept her in the fight long enough for it to kick in. And luckily for us, the 'flawless' Athena made one fatal mistake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""One mistake? What was it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""When she realized Joan's divine power, she assumed this was a war of attrition. That's why she used Aegis and strategy separately rather than at once. In her godly arrogance, she thought every wound would carve her path to victory when the human lost strength. But with Eir's healing power, that path never existed. Now that Joan can counter Aegis and Athena's strategy, the goddess lost her two most valuable weapons."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Did you plan all this? From the start?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda ignored her. "This truly is a battle between the power of the gods," she grinned wildly, "and the relentless faith of humanity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The goddess quivered. All her attacks meant to wear down the human had come to nothing. Her strategy had failed, Aegis had failed, and she, Athena, could fail. The end to an uphill battle was within grasp for humanity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan persisted, leaping between thrusts. Smiling, her sword flashed against Aegis again and again. Her attacks never allowed Athena a moment of peace, and the goddess' arm grew weaker by the second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She was an unrelenting whirlwind, slipping through Athena's phalanx technique to once more lash at the goddess, then disappearing before Athena countered. Never tiring and never touched./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"But Athena was no ordinary god. Amidst the thrill of battle, she never once stopped plotting or once questioned her victory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Deep in her soul, within the recesses of subconscious that Joan could not pierce, Athena realized she would not win without sacrifice. Deeper still in her heart, she braced herself for that sacrifice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"A proper flick of the spear closed the holes in her phalanx strikes that Joan had exploited. Joan could only move forward. Even as she bled, she could not stop. Aegis flashed its Gorgonian visage, snakes twisting shrilly and fangs snarling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Though she faltered, Joan could only move forward towards Athena's vulnerable limb. Joan's swing carved the goddess' shield arm. It split through elbow. But the human was vulnerable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena's spear burst through her gut./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Blood erupted from Joan's mouth. Athena's eyes bored into her pained face; her red-stained teeth that smiled weakly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"She sacrificed an arm, but Athena left a wound that not even Eir could heal in time. This match was over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Then, Joan dragged herself down the spear, came face-to-face with the goddess, and defying all reason, plunged her sword into Athena./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"As her life faded, Joan offered one prayer: emEir, give me your strength. Just long enough/em. Her other hand clasped the goddess' shoulder for leverage. With all her might, she carved through mountainous god-flesh, working the blade to the goddess' heart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena grimaced as her life seeped from her chest. emStop this, Joan. Stop putting yourself through all this pain. /emBut even while Athena twisted her spear, tore apart the human's stomach, thrashed with mighty kicks that broke ribs, Joan's volund parted her insides on its steady march./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"One final battle of perseverance. Neither the god nor the human would release their weapon. Each endured, for her beloved mankind she wished to save./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Joan planted her left leg by the goddess' instep to stop her kicks. Athena brought her other knee hard into the saint's side. A sharp, wet crunch of bones. She stomped, and flattened Joan's foot. Joan clenched her bloody teeth, grateful for the pain that kept her from lulling into that deadly sleep. She tightened her grip on the goddess' shoulder, leaning on her as a walking stick, and dragged her sword further, further, sawing through sternum./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"It broke through. But the blade had not moved an inch further when Athena let lose a final kick that bent Joan's broken ribcage into her lungs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Human and god froze. Blood streamed down their armor, mingling into pools./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Athena and Joan, as if of one body and soul, raised their faces and looked upon their opponent. What unspoken words parted in that final glance none will know./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" Athena frowned and Joan smiled, but the two were united by one similarity beyond the blood they spilt. The tears they shed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""It's over," said Zeus. "She's dead."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Heimdall rushed to the fighters. The two, both unmoving, stood with mouths open, teary eyes locked. Statues, frozen. Cold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""L-ladies and gentlemen. Gods and goddesses. This is unprecedented," he said. "For the first time in history… we have a draw."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"With that, human and god crumbled into flecks of glass. Their particles seemed to weave together on the winds so that one being both human and god had passed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll wept as another sister disintegrated before her eyes. Humans and gods alike sobbed for the passing of their champions. Ares' lip twinged as he fought against the rising heat in his eyes. He swore that Athena's death would not go unavenged. Zeus merely sunk into his throne./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Scholars and saints felt they had lost and gained some enlightenment. King Charles and his entourage clasped their hands, to offer a prayer for their saint. Humanity as a whole had been condemned by the goddess and exonerated by the saint, but loved by both in equal measure. Joan's march was now theirs to carry on. Athena's love remained their burden to carry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Brunhilda said nothing for the longest time. At last, she placed a hand on Göll's shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Göll wiped her eyes. "What happens now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;""Our march continues."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"The carpenter from Bethlehem looked to the ashes of the saint and the goddess. Smiling, he whispered a blessing on them both that only He would hear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Round 5: Joan of Arc versus Athena/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Length: 8 minutes 41 seconds/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"Winner: Draw/span/p
