[center][h2]Benea, Monica, and Xavior[/h2][/center]

	The pace was slow because of the mortals who trailed the trio of gods, but step by step the entourage was making its way out of the central valley and into the foothills that framed the unstable lands of Node 12’s border. Either due to eagerness or foolishness, the company didn’t rest in the hills but pushed onward until the wild yonder became the wild present. 

	Pillars of wind tore up the cracked ground that seemed to move in liquid waves and plumes of fire erupted wherever possible. The once midnight purple sky of the valley had given way to a pale red of the unstable lands — and with it the threat of annihilation.

	Luckily for all the mortals who decided to follow Benea, the goddess was ready to protect her flock and no sooner did humankind step foot in the unstable land of Node 12, did Benea use her godly powers to bend reality around them, turning the sky into a calm blanket of stars over a still barren, but sedentary ground. 

	As they walked, Benea held her spell, keeping the immediate weather calm as they made their way forward — up until exhaustion began to smirk in her visage and the pace of the tired humans became apparent. It was time to sleep, something that should have happened in the hills, and it was up to solely Benea (or at least in her mind) to keep the sphere of calm weather up while her entrusted dreamed.

	That’s where she found herself, looking quizzically at her sleeping herd, standing next to Monica’s right shoulder while Xavior stood to Monica’s left. The winged goddess looked at her with a contemplative gaze. [b][i]“Sister, can I help you carry this burden? If there is any way I can aid you, please let me know.”[/i][/b] Monica murmured, concern evident in her voice quiet enough not to wake the slumbering humans.

"Worry not, dear sister," Benea's quiet voice hummed back, "I can handle such a burden today… but come the future days, I will need you." Her eyes flickered to Xavior. 

"And you. Order depends upon it in such a volatile world."

“And what order, might I ask, would you request my aid in enacting?” the god asked with a level tone tinged with curiosity. 

"Where do I begin?" Benea exhaled slowly, her exasperated grin recurling into one of politeness as she smiled at Xavior. "Surely you noticed the chaotic designations of some of our fellows as well as the wilderness of the crucible and gruesome end of Peninal. It's up to us few level headed to make this world the best it can possibly be, free from destruction and chaotic hands. I have need of you, darling, this world has need of you."

“The latter is a need I can serve without a thought” the god replied without hesitation, before seeming to pause to pick his words for a moment and then saying “as to the former, well, while first impressions are going well so far, but you will, I hope, forgive me reserving a full on commitment at this early hour. Not that I won’t pay you back for this” he made a vague gesture to the protective dome keeping the humans safe and the other two gods burden free “and your support at our birthplace in full, as well as give you aid freely in the coming days as a show of good faith. But you will not have [i]me[/i]” and on that last he seemed quite firm.

"Oh dear." Benea's eyes widened and she pulled a hand over her mouth. "You misunderstand me, Xavior. I am not attempting to advance upon you in a romantic fashion. Your solidarity is well enough and has my humble appreciation."

The god let out a rather undignified surprised snort of a laugh “That is not what I…” he began to reply, before seemingly giving up and waving the whole final point off along with a “Never mind.”

[b][i]“Hmm… We will all need each other, I think.”[/i][/b] Monica softly remarked, looking between the other two deities with a hint of bemusement. Slowly, she reached out with her wings, and gently brushed both of them, connecting them with feathers pleasant to touch.

Benea looked over at Monica and smiled. "I have a plan, regarding some immediately relevant nodes if you two would want to humor my thinking."

Monica merely nodded while Xavier leaned in with interest. 

“So it should be no surprise that I intend to claim Node 12, as we are already nearly there. Node 13 is to be taken by an ally of order, Anak’thas. Node 7 is to be taken by Dzallitsunya… Monica.” Benea put a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You’re to take Node 11.” 

Looking at Xavior now, Benea continued. “It may be much of me to ask you to do this for me — but could you escort Monica to Node 11? I’d be beside myself if anything were to happen to her on her way over — such a chaotic land this is. Afterwards, I have two more favors for you, darling.”

Benea flicked her wrist and a tiny scroll appeared in her hand. “Please head East and deliver this letter to Dzallitsunya — keep the ribbon tied, if you will. Then, I’d ask you to claim Node 8 further East. Should this be done, I can then reconnect with dear Anak’thas and we can all — Dzallitsunya willing — convene at Node 7 to discuss the future of the nodes as a solidified unity. The first nodes we should discuss the distribution of are that of the surrounding area… but we can deliberate after everything is in place. Our end result will be a united assembly already in possession of an equally united and stable territory. From there, anything can be done, and in peace.”

A pause as Benea held the letter forward. “Do you understand, dear?”

The god frowned for a moment, before taking the letter in hand and saying“I’ll deliver your letter your letter without removing the ribbon, and, should she” he paused then, and re-addressed the answer to her first request to Monica herself rather than speaking past her “If you agree to head to node 11, and if accept my presence, then I will gladly journey there alongside you.”

Monica bowed her head slightly, and replied. [b][i]“I would be delighted to travel in your company, Xavior. We shall go to the eleventh node then.”[/i][/b]

“I have, however, a request of my own when it comes to the longer term. As I will be holding off so long on claiming a node and laying down roots” he said, while lightly twirling the note in between his fingers “I would request that you both use a touch of your strength to grant me access to your nodes, specifically so that I might borrow the knowledge held within. If I understand our creator’s gifted wisdom correctly, accumulating a connection to more nodes will provide ever greater innovations to be shared with mortals, and as I am to be traveling through several before making my mark on the world, I think you can see the potential of this paying dividends in the future, yes?”

"Don't fret, dear Xavior," Benea offered a kind smile, "you of course will have access to my node — we are indeed unified are we not? If all goes according to the idea of a unified front, there will be 5 nodes shared between us founders."

“Before I set off?” the god pushed.

"Sweet Xavior," Benea crinkled a brow. "My power has already been spent in joining your decision to protect the neutral area as well as tender mortality from the wilds we find ourselves in."

“Unfortunate” he said with a frown, only to smile just a little and then suggest “Of course, I still have some left, thanks to your taking up the burden of protection, so we could always do it in reverse. I claim this one and share it with you instead.”

“Now there’s an idea,” Benea smiled wide. “We switch roles! I’ll escort Monica and deliver my words to the East, you stay here and tend to the mortals. Lucky for you, I can easily write down the plans for Node 12 for your possession. A splendid solution I must say.”

The god raised an eyebrow at the sudden turn, and then stroked his beard thoughtfully at this different way of doing things and then finally saying “I suppose I do not need to be present for a node to be shared with me. Why, if you go along and request/provide that sharing once your strength has returned, then I could enact all of the advancements and impart all of the gifted of wisdom right here, where the mortals already reside,” before adding more offhandedly “and I’m sure your suggestions on how to use the area would be most welcome as well”

“Oh!” Benea was clearly excited as she gripped Xavior’s shoulder. “You’re precisely right.” A hand came down and she tapped the letter in Xavior’s hand, the parchment changing to vellum (and the word changing from letter to list). “I knew I could trust in your judgment. I’ll escort Monica and then reach out to you after my meetings with the other two are completed, and hopefully we will be then convening in Node 7 for our summit.”

Benea pulled away from Xavior. “Until then, dear, please do mind that the first thing you do after stabilizing the node is to create a gentle landscape for our flock. They are most weary and would benefit from meadows, babble streams, and flowers, don’t you think? After settling them, please do them justice and teach them the ways of tools as well. It can only benefit their living.”

She shook her head and her voice fell into a quiet contentment. “Excuse me, Xavior, I seem to be spouting what’s already on the list a little too freely. I trust in you to get the job done, of course.” 

“I don't see why speaking freely would be an issue.” Xavier admitted before asking, rhetorically,  “What is there on this list of recommendations that could need to remain a secret after all, and from whom present would it need to be kept? Besides, you will, of course, be there for the start of this so there is plenty of time for discussion. Unless you wish for me to take over so that you can both be away as soon as possible?”

Letting out a single shrill laugh, Benea closed her eyes in humor. “You silly thing, of course there are no secrets. I simply don’t want to be redundant.” She opened her eyes to give the god a sly and perhaps coy look. “We are getting ahead of ourselves now, and the time to wake up is quickly approaching.”

Looking over at Monica, Benea curled a gentle smile. “Are you ready to move on, darling?”

Monica looked over the sleeping humanity, sharing the same expression as her sister, and she answered with another nod of assent. Her gaze turned back to Xavior, a wistful glitter in her silver eyes. [b][i]“Farewell, until we all meet again.”[/i][/b] Then she was ready to begin the next step of her journey beside Benea.

“We have a few steps together, yet,” Benea corrected before falling from the other two and walking towards the slumbering people.

[hider=summary]Benea protects a horde of humans from the unstable lands while talking with Xavior and Monica about next steps. They decide that having Xavior capture node 12 while Benea brings Monica to capture node 11 is ideal. After, Benea intends on visiting Sunya and Anak to found a new order among the gods.[/hider]
[hider=might]

Benea: 1 might remaining
	0 might spent temporarily changing the weather

Monica does not expend any Might, 
nor did Xavior 1/5[/hider]