16 The Fall Of The Gods

"So let me recap your explanation. You are a recently resurrected goddess from the old Valecan religion?" The president asked the goddess in-front of him.

"Yes I am."

The Deltas along with the Colin and Clavina have moved to the camp's administration building and into one of the rooms for a debriefing by the president himself, though the president was only here to greet Colin back home, the arrival of a goddess caught his interest and he arranged the team to be debriefed by him.

"And your previous self died because the people stopped believing?"

She shook her head.

"You misunderstood, my previous self died because those who believed were hunted down and forced to stop believing or..." She stopped, remembering something that make her look hurt.

"Executed." The president thought, nodding his head in understanding.

Clavina has the spotlight of attention of all the science and intelligence groups in the base, being a potential threat, exhibiting powers of teleportation and flipping the safety switch of an operator without them noticing. So the president decided on a thorough questioning after he has debriefed the Deltas and Colin- who was delayed till tomorrow due to him being fatigued by his capture.

She also thinks that the Americans are just another people from this world since the sphere has been covered up in a large building and she didn't get to see it.

"And you have just recently been back into Valecan territory since you have spent last month and the past few weeks meditating?"

"Yes, since my spirit still need to be re-attuned to the ethereal realm after resurrection."

"The ethereal realm?" The president asked.

"The- How come you don't know about the ethereal realm? Are you some heretic? Allied to the elves? Orcs? Or maybe even the vile Nagas?!"

"No, no, no, I can assure you miss that we are not allied to those that you just mentioned."

"Then how come you do not know about the ethereal realm? It's taught to every human that is raised in this continent!"

"We are not from here." The president replied.

"Not from this continent? There are other places in the world where humans live?"

"No, what I mean is that we are not from this world."

"But that- that's impossible! How can mere mortal humans travel from other worlds?!"

"Well we can, and I'd like to invite you to come to our world tomorrow."

The goddess was stunned, could they be lying? surely no mortal possesses such power? To be able to open gateways to another world is divine!"

"I have to see this for myself." She thought as she bowed to show respect to authority.

"I accept your invitation mister president."

The president only sighed, having told her that bowing was not a custom to them but she seemed to have forgotten.

0400 Hours, South-Eastern Forest Of The Valecan Empire

Goswin Borg looked at the deer that was grazing on some grass, he pulled back his bow and arrow and took aim.

The deer seemed to have noticed something as it immediately stopped grazing and looked around.

Then Goswin let loose his arrow.

The deer tried to get away but the arrow embedded itself on it's chest and the deer collapsed.

Goswin smiled and took out his amulet with the symbol of the night-sisters and recited a short prayer of thanks.

He is but a humble hunter.

To Emvey the eldest, goddess of intrigue.

To Fasha the secondborn, goddess of secrecy.

To Clavina the young, goddess of Mischief.

I give you my thanks for this blessing.

But he was an initiate of the night-sisters... was an initiate...

The old gods have died, after the purge all of their believers were hunted down by the high-king in an attempt to gain divinity by making people worship him and consuming pure god-blood

The holy pools were said to be the pure untainted blood of the gods and goddesses and is given to their most faithful followers. Consuming pure god-blood grants the person immortality as long as the god who shared their blood was alive and strong enough to support the immortality of the follower.

But even as the old high-king drank, bathed or even manually transfused the blood into his veins, he still died.

Everyone thought gaining divinity was impossible but the new church and now-strong military of the empire insisted that future kings to be declared as a god.

But Goswin knew why the old high-king died, he bathed, drank and transfused his blood with regular, albeit sweetened water while the real god bloods were either thrown away or consumed with Goswin being in the latter.

When their temple was getting razed his mentor handed him a vial and to his complete surprise told him it was the vial containing real god-blood and do what he thinks is necessary with it. He at first refused such an item, saying that he does not deserve it as he is a mere initiate but his mentor persuaded him as it is the eldest's wish before facing the troops of the king.

He couldn't refuse the request of the eldest.

so Goswin ran, ran and ran while the temple he called home for all his life was burned down, he kept on running till he could run no more and collapsed.

During his unconsciousness he was greeted by the sight of the eldest, her form that of the idols he worshipped, black robes and her mask that usually covers her face was lowered, revealing a beautiful face.

But she was bloodied, cut and bruised. Smiling, she chanted.

Survive champion of the night-sisters.

Drink our blood and receive our boon.

And await the day of our return.

He then woke up with his world spinning and his body in pain but he was strong enough to reach for the vial and drink it's contents. It tasted like real blood, but with something that he cannot describe. He then felt his chest being gripped and his breath shortening. He thought that he has failed, that he has let the want to survive win by dreaming about a false vision. On what he thought was going to be the place where he will die, he offered up a prayer to the night-sisters asking for forgiveness.

But then his strength returned and the pain in his chest went away. He got up and heared something smoothly whisper in his ear.

Our boon is yours.

Now survive champion.

And await the day of our return.

The nostalgia brought a smile to his face, he was still serving his gods, the same gods who took him in when the world abandoned him, he would be forever grateful for that.

But then he heard a strange unfamiliar noise coming from the sky, it sounded like a roar but no gryphons were present in Valecan, then he saw two objects seemingly... flying! He has been out of touch with civilization for so long that he wondered whether this was a sign to return or not.

Then the voice of a young girl sounded from behind him

"Yes."