What did it mean to rule?
To be a leader, to be responsible for the lives of countless people, what did that feel like?
To some, it was intoxicating. Such power to view others as ants was exactly the goal of a large portion of people, and though they were considered leaders, they did not lead.
They used their power to fuel their own selfish desires while those under them suffered.
Naturally, they were not true rulers.
An Emperor would only ever be as good as his Empire. What was the use of an Emperor when the people were all dead or impoverished.
What proper qualities of a leader did such an Emperor possess?
Perhaps they were domineering, perhaps they had the arrogance of a leader that would allow them to make great strides in negotiations with foreign powers, but none of that mattered.
When Thalia was asked what it meant to rule, she answered simply.
She'd seen the Saintess work hard for the people. She'd seen the elderly woman suffer in ways nobody her age should have suffered so that her people could thrive.
She understood sacrifice, and she understood honor.
To her, a ruler was somebody who could maintain prosperity for their people.
She did not want the Gehenna Tribe to live as the weakest force in the sacred jungle.
She didn't want them to suffer for the sake of food, always wary of the Ancients who might one day think of them as prey.
She wanted to give them better lives, lives where they could live safely and enjoy serenity whenever they wanted to.
She wanted to give them a life where they would never have to suffer again.
So what did it mean to rule?
It meant having the loyalty of the people. It meant having a strong heart that could stand against any threat. It meant truly becoming one with the body one governed.
At first, Thalia didn't consider herself a ruler.
Thalia was extremely devoted to her tribe. That was a well-known fact.
In terms of the aspects most people usually ignored, she knew she'd excel.
But she never believed herself powerful enough to achieve her ambitions.
No matter how she looked at it, it was impossible for her to become someone capable of ruling the sacred jungle or even escaping it.
Actually, Damien was the one who inadvertently helped her out of that mindset.
What he showed her was power achieved through hard work and effort. What he showed her was a will that transcended such petty doubts.
When she went to see him that fateful day in the jungle, she asked him what he did for power, what power did for him, and most importantly, how he became a monster.
His answer was simpler than she expected.
It wasn't something grand or philosophical. It wasn't a hypothetical that really didn't answer anything at all.
He told her clearly.
Power would change her.
But as long as she remained comfortable in that change, it didn't matter what she ended up as.
As long as her people could thrive, it didn't matter what she had to do.
She realized then that she was willing to make the sacrifice. She was willing to give up everything for their sake.
So when she came to the pantheon, while she did enter somewhat fearfully, it was completely gone by the time a few hours had passed.
Thalia sat on the floor in a meditative posture. She'd been sitting like this for a while after realizing nothing would happen if she continued to tire herself out by keeping her guard up.
She closed her eyes and thought over the qualities she possessed, the qualities she needed to improve upon, and a realistic plan for the future development of the tribe.
She inadvertently found herself in possession of a ruler's mindset, and once she realized it, she stopped doubting herself entirely.
She accepted her destiny.
She accepted her role.
Truly, that was all she needed to do.
Unlike Damien, she walked a path that was watched over by countless beings who only wanted the best for her and her people.
All she needed to do was express her willingness and show them that she was ready, and they'd support her to the fullest of their capabilities.
It wasn't just Damien being crowned today.
There were two enthronements taking place, only, on two completely different scales.
For Damien, it was an enthronement that really only served as ceremony.
The position he was trying to claim was out of reach, and, at most, his crown merely gave him the qualifications to fight for that position.
However, for Thalia, this was everything.
A crown began to form on her head.
The current Saintess had a feathered crown. She was gentle and reserved, quietly working for her clan.
Thalia's path wouldn't be anything close to hers.
As Thalia's crown formed, a wave of gasps spread through the incorporeal spirits who watched her enthronement.
It was pure black iron.
The crown was etched with a domineering pattern with countless grooves, as if each and every one was to be filled with the blood of her enemies.
It was spiked in four directions, almost as if it was meant to be used as a weapon.
The metallic blackness that was almost a darker shade of grey gave off an aura of icy indifference. It made one wonder if seeing it was a sign of death or prosperity.
The crown was not covered in jewels. It wasn't extravagant at all.
It was definitely muted, but not in a way that symbolized peace like the current Saintess' crown.
Thalia's crown was one of an iron-blooded empress. It was a crown that prophesized her tumultuous future.
It made the worry of her ancestors exceed its previous high by a large margin, but when it found its place atop her head, Thalia felt strangely comforted.
She could also see it.
Her destiny.
The crown didn't hide anything from her. It made very clear exactly what Thalia would be faced with as she moved through life.
If she couldn't handle the adversity, then she needed to forfeit her position now.
That was the message it gave her.
And she rightfully ignored it.
If adversity was enough to bring her down, she would have died a long time ago.
She didn't live the brutal life of a hunter, the only position in the tribe where death was common, for fun and games.
She was prepared for this day.
She would not give it all up just because it would be difficult.
That was the clarification the world needed.
That was the mentality Gehenna needed to see.
And as it gave its approval of her worth, as her ancestors funneled their power into her, Thalia started to feel something budding inside of her.
It was different from barrakh, different from the way it was stored too, but it also seemed like some sort of energy container.
This entity was extremely connected to her. While she didn't understand the concept, it had made itself one with her core, binding with her soul.
It was her Saintess ability.
And it manifested in her head as a single word.
'Domination.'
