Deep below the Shining Blue, Petresca sat upon an ancient stone throne grown over with sponges and corals. Before her throne were the far spanning remnants of an ancient, long-sunken city that now served as her domain. All manner of marine species called it home, from humble fish to civilized mermaids, simple crabs to the intelligent crustacean race known to time only as the Deepfolk. It was a city to rival even the greatest on the surface of the world, but its existence was known to few besides the gods.

  "A time witch?" the voice of Morose spoke all around her, "you're certain?"

  Gods rarely met face-to-face. To step into another god's domain would be putting themselves at such undue risk that none would ever do it unless undertaking a siege they were confident they could win. Instead they spoke to each other from afar, not unlike how they often spoke to mortals.

  "I am," Petresca responded, sending her voice far away to Morose's domain -- to the Halfway Void, "when I search the depths of my memories, I recall glimpses of what should have been -- what was, but now is not."

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  It was several moments before Morose responded again, "there are factors of my dealings in Giantrock City that could be explained by this. Could it be the Mandate?"

  Petresca shook her head, even though her fellow god couldn't see her, "if the Mandate had any interest in the hydra then they would have struck sooner, and I can't imagine they had any stake in what became of the Shark Titan."

  "The Shark God," Morose corrected.

  "He died a titan!" Petresca spat, crushing coral as her hands dug into her throne.

  Morose chuckled, "I hear rumors he survived, and has now grasped the first stages of godhood for himself."

  "Even if the rumors were true," the ocean goddess replied bitterly, "he would be only a demi-god."

  "There are many who would call me 'only a demigod,' and yet here we are, conversing as equals."

  "We are equals only so far as our usefulness to each other," Petresca said with a warning tone.

  Morose chuckled again, their voice fading away as they spoke, "whatever you say, Petresca."