Authenti thought back on what she’d thrown into the vortex. She found a list, and checked it rapidly. One last thing to do… Reaching for the other village on the opposite side of the mountains, she took their resources and tossed them carelessly into the swirling mass.

She decided she hated this land anyway. Much too small, and no one to play with except that nasty fool of a god Nemesis. He spoiled her fun, and she was going to make him pay… that is, once she became more powerful. Authenti leashed her creature and threw her end through the portal; he had no choice but to follow it. After seeing the huge horse safe, she dove into the dizzying teleporter herself, grabbing another hysterical villager as she did so.

Khazar watched carefully as the various objects and villagers filtered through the vortex. After what seemed like an age, he finally got to see the new god.

Or, he soon realised, goddess.

“Ouch!” she complained. “Who’d have thought an omnipotent being could hit their head so hard…?” She sat up from where she’d had the misfortune to land on a boulder, a slender hand to the back of her head.

She was draped in flowing white robes that shimmered in the light, and her hair was a metallic sky-blue. Khazar swallowed his shyness and approached, holding out a hand to help her up. It wasn’t necessary, of course, since both of them could float – but it was a general symbol of politeness and Khazar did try to maintain his standards.

She looked up at him quizzically, and let him pull her to her feet.

“Hello, there. I’m guessing you were the one who created the vortex?” Khazar nodded. “Then I thank you for that. Nemesis is such a spoilsport, I was having a lot of fun back there until he showed up.” She made a mental note not to mention him again, since Khazar seemed to cringe at the very thought of that evil god.

“Y-yes, I’m sure. Well, you’re very welcome.”

“My name is Authenti. Glad to meet you.”

“I am Khazar. Please forgive me for not being more hospitable; I’m afraid I’m having my own problems with the neighbouring god.”

“Nonsense, my dear. You already lent me several villagers and scaffolds – that hardly counts as inhospitable.”

“You noticed, then…”

Authenti smiled and nodded. “Though I am confused as to why you have not chosen a physical form yet.” All at once her features changed to be less and less humanlike, and eventually she had changed into a wolf-like being.

“Unfortunately, I have not the energy to spend on such things.” He sighed sadly and turned to watch the opposite coastline, as if worried something might happen there.

Authenti showered her half-built temple with wood, and returned quickly to sit beside him like a pet dog.

“Just an assumption, but I’m guessing you’re in a tight spot. Take me to your village and I’ll help in any way I can.”

Khazar glanced at her, confused. “You’d help me?”

“My friend, you made yourself an ally the moment you opened the vortex for me. Of course I’ll help you.” She gave a wolfish grin and set off loping across the sea, Khazar following her, surprised at her boundless energy. “Care to introduce me to your antagonist, then?” She watched the townsfolk below her look up in awe, but growled at them savagely. The last thing she needed was to accidentally lure the belief of her friend’s villages.

At that moment, a shining blue symbol flickered over the hill. So even this one is weakened by their battles. I do hope I can keep up my energy enough to stay in my various forms. Being reduced to a symbol seems like such a last resort to me, Authenti thought.

“Oh, look, Khazar changed his creature to a wolf like mine. Only it’s not, it’s another pathetic god, and-“

“That,” Authenti snarled powerfully, “is quite enough. I am a goddess, and you will address me as one. You seem to have neglected your manners. My title is Authenti – but you, undergod, will call me Mistress unless instructed otherwise. Understand?”

“I will not answer to you, foolish-“

“And another thing. If you defy my authority here by any means, your villages, creature and temple will suffer.” At this last word, lightning crackled into the wolf-goddess’s mouth as if she’d howled a storm. The general effect was enough to make Lethys’ will begin to crumble.

Khazar looked on in awe. It had been aeons since he’d had that sort of power. Just how much energy had he wasted on his struggle against Lethys since then? He’d never thought of himself as weak before, but upon comparison to Authenti, he felt like a helpless mortal.

And, he realised, Authenti was a new goddess – too recently brought into existence, in fact, to be considered very powerful anyway. This put things in a whole new perspective.