Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 183
status on the spot. She became sur-biological, able to shapeshift,
split her thoughts off into autonomous units, invent new
senses for herself. They tell me it’s the ultimate experience,
short of real deification, but you’re not even remotely human
anymore. And of course, he slipped his virus thought into her,
and it took her over."
Jordan had forgotten the wet steps. "Her plan didn’t
work?"
Axel half-grinned. "Our ally god Choronzon had arrived
in force, but his navy was being cut to pieces. Calandria went
straight into the heart of the battle. But once she got there...
she fought off the virus, and flew through 3340’s ranks
showing all the other demigods how to get free.
"So suddenly 3340’s whole navy turned on him. Both
navies chased him down to a mountain on Hsing, and
Calandria and Choronzon confronted him there, and killed
him."
Jordan shook her head. It sounded like myth, but Axel
was telling it in a bald matter-of-fact way.
"It must have been overwhelming for her." Jordan
shifted uneasily, trying to imagine what it would take to
deliberately choose to become like Armiger. "But you say
she’s human now?"
"She rid herself of all her powers--had her nanotech
commit suicide by building itself back into normal human
cells. She did it publicly to show the people of Hsing that
being human was better than being a god." He shook his head.
"Me, I’d have stayed immortal. Think of the fun you could
have."
"Why did she do it?"
He shrugged. "Like I said, she has her own demons-metaphorically,
I mean. I think they pursued her even into