Heavenfall

"Hmm. And if your mission is successful, and we succeed in the coming war? How much influence will it have still on the world? We have, I think, already dealt it a powerful blow. With another major loss, could it not be limited to what normal men know? Or at least, to the point where it could be tricked in this way? I do not know enough to know one way or another. I ask questions to open the mind, to see if another idea can be brought forth."

"The cycle repeats, so it would perhaps be dormant for a long enough time following its culmination to no longer be a direct issue of mine. But we do not know what manner of war it wages against us yet. Have you yet considered the damage inflicted upon us in exchange for that doorway?"

"Some lives lost, yes. Some wounds, which may never heal correctly. One of those who would face him exposed early, and thus in danger. Speaking of, should she travel with you for now, or just continue her life as it would be? What else? We stopped the expansion of the Realm of evil to here, and prevented it from swallowing the lands of the Rat creatures completely. Several of it's creatures were lost, though that likely means little to it. Oh, and the best forms of Shinjo and her mate were exposed, which may lead to them not being of use in future conflicts thus; they may only have limited changes, or the other side may plan for that now, and so it is strategically useless, if still useful on the individual battlefield. Have I missed anything? I tried to pay attention, but admit I cannot see or hear everything."

"The identity of a potential Thunder is a dangerous one, certainly, but those around her also know, and are capable of responding in kind, but that is not what I meant." He sighed, wondering how many others may have missed the true sacrifices. "Shinjo wasn't just injured, she was lamed. Jigoku took her strongest feature away from her. One might consider that an unfortunate accident, but Hantei and Hisomu? They no longer possess the light of Tengoku, their strongest features. In terms of damages suffered, we as humans lost very little, whereas the former gods who deigned to help us lost things with which they identify themselves. Can you look at that and wonder if they were not always the true goal?"

"Hmm. Perhaps. But, I am a spirit-speaker. And nearly all my magics involve sacrifice of some kind. So, to me, to get rid of one major incursion from one spirit realm, by way of another, seems only just and fair. Yes, the Empire lost it's last two direct blessings from Tengoku. But, on the other side, they lost easy access to this realm entirely. Nothing in the world comes without pain and sacrifice of some kind. So, the losses did not seem excessive to me."

"Shinjo being lamed was... worse than I expected, though I wonder at that. She could try visiting others, including my tribemates. Those that call on water can do things I can barely imagine, and I've even seen them doing it! It wouldn't hurt to try, at least."