500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

"I am not sure what I am supposed to be doing right now with him. I tried to make him take more so he would be less likely to lose control, but I just ended up making more work for him," Tallia said, letting a long breath out.

"Things are going well. Galio has been balancing things as he goes and even used a great amount of Positive energy when he was in the dungeon. You are just there to stop him if things go too far, and I appreciate what you are doing with Xena. I know that you told her that Galio is in Calham, but this is for the best. The cultists are just a distraction that Galio will conquer over, but even if they were able to summon a Demon Queen, they are nothing in the face of a True God. The Blood Witches are going to be the problem going forward," Nemoria explained, and Tallia groaned.

"Xena is going to be a problem. I know that she is going to try to stop Galio, but I am worried that he is going to lose it again," Tallia explained. This was always on her mind. The first time Galio had lost control, Tallia had been able to hold him back with Umbra's help.

"He has been doing well so far. Just let him do what he needs to do," Nemoria said calmly before she kissed Tallia on the head, and she and Tallia sat alone on the cliff, looking out at the fighting going on below.

"How do you do it? You know that father is just trying to control the world, and if you win, everyone, including you, loses, but no one has any control over the Guides, that have control of everything. It's like you are playing a game as just another game piece on the board of what is our lives! Doesn't that bother you?" Tallia asked as she looked up into her mothers red eyes.

"I will admit that it used to, but I have since accepted that this is what needs to happen. Things need to change, and the only way we can do that is by playing the Guides game. I know this is hard for you, but you are going to have to be the one who keeps Galio from losing himself, so he faces down your father," Nemoria said pleadingly as she looked at Tallia with desperation in her eyes.

Tallia sighed as she leaned into her mother, "I will try my best."

This was all taxing, but the goddess knew there was no other way around this. Everything was a giant balancing act, but the person that was holding everything together seemed like the only one that didn't know what was going on. This was one of the things that bothered Tallia the most.

"I know you will, and I promise that when this is all over, we can be a family again," Nemoria said as she put her arms around Tallia.

It was something that Tallia had always secretly wanted, but she never even knew that this thing was possible until she met Galio. She knew it wasn't possible until Galio's business in this world was concluded, but everything seemed like such a delicate balance. "I wish things could have been different."

"So do I," her mother replied. "You have no idea how much, but this is the hand that we have been dealt, and we just need to make the best of it."

---

[Galio]

After I had finished explaining my plan to Olivia, she looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You want to use yourself as bait?"

"Yeah, if we can get them all out in the open, then it will be much easier to take care of them," I explained, and Olivia crossed her arms. "What? It's not like they are going to be able to hurt me. I am a god, remember?"

"So am I, but I just got out of a tomb that I have been trapped in for the last 500 years. There are things that can catch a goddess off guard, but I get why you want to do this. I don't like it, but it seems like the best course of action," Olivia said with a sigh. "When do you want to do this?"

I thought for a minute before responding, "Xena will likely make her move in the next few days since she knows that we are here now. We need to set this up so that everything is ready when she does."

The sooner we could get rid of these pests, the better off everyone would be. Especially if they decided to try attacking before everyone was ready, but with my plan, everything should go off without a hitch.

"Let's make some rounds to the inns, and we will see if we can grab a few strong women to join me. Today I want to make everyone aware of the risk that is coming, but I am not going to tell them. Having some of the more trusted hunters with me will take care of that. I will get them into a few fights with some and then bring them back. They will tell everyone, and then I can make a suggestion to increase the town's defense. There is a watchtower, but it is only manned by one person, if at all, most of the time," I explained as I paced.

​ "I can help with that as well. I will go talk to some of the people who have been complaining about being bored and see if they are willing to help. I will wait for you to get back before I ask too many people so no one gets suspicious," Olivia said, and I nodded in agreement. This was going much better than I thought it would.

"Alright then, let's get this show on the road!" I called out as Olivia giggled as she jumped up from the bed, and we left our room.