With a massive roar that echoed across the heavens, the towering Gates to the Garden of the Gods swung open, allowing the masses of Sapience to file in and witness an historic and monumental trial to decide the fate of the God-killer Slith. As the faithful Demigods exchanged pleasantries with visiting mortals and escorted them to their assigned seating arrangements within the Amphitheatre, there was a bustle of excitement muted only by the sombre purpose of the gathering.

Three great thuds reverberated throughout the domed stands of the Amphitheatre, sending tremors rippling throughout the land as the Great Smith beat thrice upon the ground with His hammer.

The sea of mortals gathered round the stands went silent as Phaestus stated clearly and audibly to His Kin, "We muster this day, My Brothers and Sisters, to decide the fate of Prince Slith. This abomination has committed countless crimes against Creation, since his inception has he strove to elevate himself to a status he can never achieve. He has slain a God, Our Brother Thoth. For this We are gathered."

In a flurry of movement, Slith appeared in the centre of the sands below, wrists clasped in shackles of rock and jade bound in a shimmering mesh of mithril. Not offering the Prince even a second glance, the Smith continued His address, "Brothers, Sisters. Those of You Who wish to see an end to Slith move to the eastern side of the Amphitheatre. Those of You Who wish to spare him move to the west."

The Malevolent One's booming voice commanded the Amphitheatre as he rebuked the thought of punishing the elimination of weakness and the advancement of greatness. Moving west to spare the infernal and commending his strength, Sartan was the first to make His position known.

A low rumble of dissenting chatter pervaded the Amphitheatre, threatening to break decorum until Phaestus raised His hand, yielding instead deafening silence.

Babel was soon to follow, taking a place next to His brother, seconding the notion of sparing the Prince. Citing the futility of punishing an act of murder, He indicated that the act was more in-line to the destruction of Balance and a step towards Oblivion.

Confused whispers circulated the rogue stand of the Amphitheatre, put to silence by the movement of the Bloodsworn Gods Deucalion and Aurora. They strode to stand opposite Their Brothers upon the eastern sand, admonishing against the pardon of such iniquity and urging the destruction of the Prince.

Rolling thunder echoed across the land as the Skylord Vastar took the floor, commending the Prince for striking down his foe with the fury of the Storm. Of the mind that such tempestuous might should be rewarded and not not punished, He moved west to join His Brothers.

A violent rumble announced the explosion of the volcano in Dun Valley. The cataclysm accompanied the rage of the Earthmother Gaia as She and the Great Wrath Artemis walked east, Their arms linked. Without a word, Their tread across the sand was slow and intentional, implacably voicing Their need to see Slith ended.

Soft and sombre, a baritone melody swept across the stands as the Great Bard Scarlatti strode east accompanied by the Weeping Moon Ourania, promising that Slith would perish and be forgotten, never to be immortalised by His hand.

Next to move was the young Lord of the Oceans Neraeos, Who stopped briefly before the Prince in the centre of the sand. After a short assessment, He announced that the ascension of a son to reach higher purchase is to be expected and is felt throughout the seas. An uneasy tension swept across both the audience and Pantheon as the young God moved to stand next to His rivalled and despised Brother, Vastar.

Aegis was next to speak, exploding upon the sand, His syllables clipped and sharply enunciated. The Lord of War commended the Prince's ability to cause strife and conflict, but called for Slith to suffer in the same way that His Brother did, for the ending of a God is unforgivable.

Manifesting suddenly and uncomfortably close to the incarcerated Undead Prince, the Jade Empress Lorielan took a silent moment to study the perpetrator. As She began to speak, Her words were cut short by the interjection of Deucalion, uttering an insult that was barely heard before the crackling combustion of divine fire arced for all the world to see. The flared tempers of Brother and Sister striking down Their respective mortals Farrah and Zenui.

But the clamour that arose in the stands held no weight against the mighty voice of the Great Smith, "Cease!"

Within the calm of the following silence, Farrah and Zenui were resurrected as a sign of a temporary and unstable momentary truce. Without another word, the Goddess of Knowledge moved to stand upon the western sands with the Lords Sartan, Vastar, Babel and Neraeos.

As silent as His entrance, Twilight's shade form surged across the sand to join His midnight Partner, Ourania. The audience grew pale as a whisper rustled through their mind, "The death of a God will once more be incomprehensible to you all. We shall teach that this day."


To be continued...

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Summary: The Gods gathered in Their Amphitheatre to decide upon Slith's fate, all of Sapience was invited to bear witness.

Penned by My hand on the 16th of Chronos, in the year 717 AF.