These are strange times. Our world has been burdened with disruptions and civil unrest since Aequo Animo, the Third World of Gamma, suffered a plague that has wiped out half their population. The Grand Portal of Agimonos in our capitol city has been closed for three months and the results have been felt in every facet of Odium society.

It was declared by the high priest that the Grand Portal would be closed to stave off the disease that ravaged Aequo Animo. The Third World had been our main export of goods. Over the eons they had been made into a slave labor settlement for mining metals and facial cleansing aloes.

One would think the end of Odia was upon us. Magical beasts and wands were hoarded for no particular reason. They claimed the mere-monkies would protect against bad luck but the honorary bastards just consumed their household toiletries. But everyone has burdens they must suffer. Our people have forgotten their own resilience.

Me, I never enjoyed the sights of our wealthy peoples, strolling through the marble streets in their tall hats and gallant dresses. Their wizard staffs, aura rings, and elemental necklaces were pristine. I had always been humble compared to our aristocratic brethren. Along my delivery route I would see all sorts of discomfort stemming from the subtle changes.

Colleges saw a diminishing attendance from the distracted populace, who had been living in a constant state of outrage. Aequonian dolls were burned in effigy. I didn’t know what it meant then but I do now. Thanks to public strife intelligence was waning.

Magic eggs became overvalued from the shortage on Aequo Animo. People would resort to selling fake ones or hoarding them for reselling. These eventually spoiled.

They ran out of tomes to read, not understanding that they could simply write new ones. That was if they chose to read at all.

Divorce rose. Despite the trade shutdown women still spent lavishly. I delivered many charms and gowns to many villas and manors that were in the midst of domestic disputes.

It was less of a crisis and more of the aftereffects of a pampered society facing reality for the first time. Once they realized they were missing something they grew anxious and internalized their fears until it became hatred.

Perhaps it was the increase in inconveniences that caused armorers, parcel shops, and arcanists to no longer offer common courtesies such as thanking guests for their patronage. It was no surprise that the shop owners had to ask that their customers, “Be kind to us.” It was a sad decree and bordered on beggary. But courtesies no longer seemed important.

Odium was a peaceful planet at one time. Now there seems to be groundswell of hate and anger, directed almost entirely at the Aequo Animo. But it wasn’t about blame. No matter how many mystics and elementals were used it never seemed to be enough. Idle hands took up evil works. Unease and boredom let to bigotry against the entire race of Third Worldians. Aequonian migrants disappeared gradually, then suddenly, as if the grand wizard himself made them all vanish.

No one dared to understand why.

I sat on the border of our great city and watched the spires and towers of gold. I understood everything now. Our worlds were numbered to value one group over the next. The nomination gave us pride, which created overconfidence and overindulgence. We were the First World which meant that we were better. We wanted more so we expected more and admired the rest of Gamma less. We unconsciously designed our own fate and now we can’t go back to the world of wonder and compassion we once were. It was a superiority complex that drove the aggression. We fought for peace and charity and now we have it, we needed something else to fight over.

As I sat there, I saw the portal being opened once more. The rumors had spread that the Magic Counsel had decided to “end the turmoil once and for all,” that all our problems would be shipped back to the Third World. Today, we started a war with Aequo Animo.