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→Judged on High
The Blight of the Second History did not escape the notice of the other Hours, and each found the tragedy having dire effects on their domains. The Hours waited for the Great Serpent to step in and set right the disaster, as it had always before in circumstances less grave. To their shock, the Serpent did not hurry to act, and did not seem to be all that moved by the unfolding cataclysm. The Hours bickered to one another as to what to do in this situation, but oftentimes got in each other's way.
Finally, it was the Anaconda, Name of the Great Serpent , that summoned the Ministers to The First City to discuss the situation. Assuming therefore that the Great Serpent had a plan, the other Hours departed at once, to see what was to be done. The Ministers were told by the cunning snake that she was acting on the behest of her progenitor, and that it would be up to each Hour to contribute to the crisis, in a show of both solidarity, and in the case of the Moonbreakers in contrition for the consequences of their actions.
The Ministers were surprised. Until now the First City had always been their capital, but never before they been called upon to govern or officiate in any grand capacity. The Ministers' master would often make deals between themselves, or would take their disputes to the Great Serpent, who held authority over all others, and listened as it passed down judgement. Now, it fell to them to coordinate the effort to save the Second History, and the effectiveness of which they accomplished this task would determine the fate of countless souls.
===Come Again in Glory===
With the Architeurian having already evacuated many of those he deemed to be worthy, the other Hours descended as one to rescue the mortals of the Second History from their folly. The Spark's light guided refugees away from danger, and made sure the warriors of the Second always found their mark. The Cuckoo blinded with illusions the rampaging hordes, and lured them into clusters where mages and Hours could safely eliminate them from a distance.
FNORD
The Caladrius, the Good Doctor, looked firsthand upon the damaged it had wrought upon the Second History. It saw the countless innocents whose homes had been stolen from them, and the innumerable Dead whom had returned, but were in a constant state of pain. Never before had it realized in its attempts to help it could do more harm than good. It wept for Bayal, and it and all of its Long descended to repair the wounded and comfort the dying. Under the watchful eyes of the other Hours it restored those who could be saved to the state they were in before their injuries, no more no less.
===Judged on High===
Looking down over her work, the Anaconda was pleased. The Hours had united, and the worst of the damage was rapidly being reversed. The progression of the White Tide had been halted, and the mortals were organizing well enough among themselves to dispatch the occasional freshly risen corpse or stray spirit that had broken off from the main mass. All of the True Hours were present in some form... Save ''one''. She looked to the sky, where the Moon was still visible behind the tear in reality. The Dolomedes had so far been silent in its Hall, and had made no move to attempt to mitigate the damage. The Spider was a power of utmost Winter, once the foremost power of stealth before the Serpent descended. She was certain what had happened to the Second had not escaped its notice. But in order to begin to repair the damage, as an Hour of Winter she would need to begin gathering these souls in preparation for return to the Hall. It skirted dangerously close to how the Great Serpent had interposed itself in the First Men's Bargain, but there was no choice.
She descended down, down to where a lone Dead wandered aimlessly. As she approached the pitiful creature, for a brief moment dared to wonder if the Spider was paying attention. That lasted until the moment she made contact with the Dead.
Immediately, she was driven down into the dirt as something massive landed on her back. She moved to strike back, only to realize her sword had been removed from her mouth and driven square into her back, pinning her in place. And sitting atop her was the Ferryman, bathed in baleful light. None, be they Long, Name or Hour dared move. With one withered hand the spider grasped the hilt of the sword, and proffered the empty other to the Anaconda. Beneath the folds of its hood, its eyes were locked tight with those of the Shedder-of-Skins.
Slowly, deliberately, so that the motion could in no way be interpreted as a threat, she reached up and offered the Dead to the Ferryman. Quickly, softly, she assured the spider she did not intend to betray his Bargain. She was merely acting in his absence to return his stolen property and restore the balance between life and death. She would not dream of taking what was clearly the spider's for her own, and would only ask leave to continue to assist the master of Winter in this way until the crisis had properly passed.
For many long moments that to the Hours were like lifetimes, none dared move or draw breath. Then, at long last, the Dolomedes took the Dead from the Anaconda's grasp. And with the abruptness of its appearance, was gone.
FNORD
==Summary==
While the other Hours fought for ever greater influence over the rest of histories the second was left mostly untouched by the great wars for power that waged between [[The Anaconda]] and the [[Snake Tail with Appendages]]. There was some otherworldly pressure, however, as sometime in the 15th century there arose a great statesman in the Italian provinces of the Holy Roman Empire. He soon outshone his patrons in popularity with the people, inciting uprising and taking their place as prince. As ruler he exerted his authority over all Italy, hastening the secession of the northern principalities from their imperial overlord, and the southern from their Iberian one. The Prince then formed the Italian Confederation under his shadowy and beguiling rule.