The Rise of the Titan

"I heard you have a plan. Conquering the frost giant tribes is just the first step, right?" The Crow God, Israel, seemed quite pleased after their deal. At least, he had successfully established a promising partnership with this influential hybrid Titan.

"That's right." Muria nodded. He knew that the Crow God and the Wolf God shared everything; what one knew, the other surely did as well.

"You've already subdued two frost giant tribes. Do you plan to continue?"

"Of course." Claudia had urged him to clear the obstacles behind her, so she could confront the northern nations without worries.

"How many more frost giant tribes do you intend to conquer?"

"Just one more." Before setting out, Muria had targeted the three largest frost giant tribes near Claudia's territory. The Frost Wolf and Crow God tribes were two of them, and their cooperation had been surprisingly smooth.

"The Snow Leopard Tribe?" Israel tilted his head. "You want to conquer that tribe? You'll have a hard time. While the frost giants themselves are manageable, the god they worship isn't as easy to deal with."

"What do you mean?" Muria inquired. Despite Claudia's extensive experience on this frozen continent, she had always avoided provoking powerful enemies like the frost giant tribes led by legends. Hence, she couldn't provide much intelligence about the frost giants.

"Well, both Esk and I share similarities and differences with the Snow Leopard God." Israel flapped his wings as he elaborated, "We're similar in that we all come from extraordinary beasts and are not well-regarded by human deities. Many gods see us as outliers—a notion I find shallow. Even the gods from the ancient era seem more like outsiders compared to us beast gods."

"Stick to the point," Muria reminded, not interested in divine gossip.

"Alright, alright. The Snow Leopard God, Sinbad, differs from us in that, although he is a beast god, he lacks a substantial number of followers to sustain his divinity. Unlike Esk and me, who come from the lowliest of beasts on the tundra—frost wolves and crows—Sinbad's kind, the Sky-Tearing Snow Leopards, are natural rulers of the ice plains. Typical frost giant tribes avoid them. His life was much easier than ours. Initially, Esk and I envied him, but after we ascended to godhood, he started envying us."

"Why is that?"

"Esk and I, despite our humble beginnings, have countless followers to support our divine status. The weaker a species, the stronger their reproductive capacity. This ensures the continuation of their bloodline. Hence, frost wolves and crows are ubiquitous across the continent. With even a bit of intelligence, they tend to worship us, seeking our protection, thus becoming sources of our divine power.

"Losing one frost giant tribe means little to Esk and me. But for Sinbad, it's different. Conquering a tribe that worships him would be like cutting into his flesh. He can't afford to lose followers since he has so few. For him, each tribe is critical to sustaining his godhood."

"So, his species doesn't have enough numbers to support his divinity?" Muria speculated, stroking his chin. "His followers are primarily frost giants?"

"Exactly. Not only is his kind smaller in number compared to ours, but many of them don't bother to worship him. His title as the Snow Leopard God is somewhat misleading."

"Since they are powerful and rarely threatened, they lack the need for faith." Muria quickly pieced it together. This situation mirrored how chromatic dragons viewed Tiamat, the Dragon Queen.

Dragons are inherently powerful, needing neither food nor protection, capable of satisfying most of their desires through their strength. Consequently, many dragons don't worship gods. No sentient being seeks to have a deity ordering them around, especially a stingy one.

Among chromatic dragons, blue and green dragons mostly worship Tiamat, mainly because she has tampered with their ancestral knowledge, essentially brainwashing them from birth. Even so, many still refuse to worship her.

"Precisely. So, Sinbad's title is deceptive. His primary followers are frost giants and some humans. Given his species, he faces suppression from human deities, even though he's not classified as an evil god."

"It's normal for the dominant to exclude others." Muria noted. Humans were numerous, but so were their deities. The human pantheon was vast, and each god desired a larger share of human faith. A beast god trying to encroach on their territory would naturally face opposition.

"So, Muria, if you intend to conquer the Snow Leopard Tribe next to my Crow God Tribe, you will undoubtedly incur his wrath. Whether he will descend in person to fight you, I can't say. Despite his arrogance and pride, he's not stupid."

"Even if he doesn't descend, conquering the Snow Leopard Tribe will be troublesome. Sinbad has invested more in his frost giants than Esk and I. This nearby Snow Leopard Tribe is just an offshoot. He has nurtured at least three legendary frost giants and possibly a fourth, though that one is quite unique." Israel hesitated, unsure about the veracity of his information.

"How unique?" Muria asked, observing the Crow God's distinctly human-like expression of awkwardness. Muria suspected it was a show for his benefit; gods didn't usually exhibit such emotions.

"There's a rumor I haven't personally confirmed, so it might be false. But it could also be true."

"Tell me." Muria wouldn't dismiss any information from a god.

"I heard that Sinbad, to strengthen his faith and bond with the frost giants, once descended in avatar form and fathered a child with a female frost giant."

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