Chapter 19: Shadows of Faith

One day had passed, and due to his wounds and pain, Gail could not return to the tribe and had to stay in the cave with Laba. The cave was a modest shelter, nestled among the towering trees and dense foliage of the ancient forest. It was dimly lit by a small fire, its flickering flames casting dancing shadows on the stone walls. The air inside was cool and damp, filled with the earthy scent of moss and fresh herbs that Laba had hung to dry.

Gail had no choice but to trust the forest healer. He lay on a bed of soft furs and leaves, feeling the soothing warmth of the fire and the gentle touch of Laba's healing hands. She was a woman of quiet strength and wisdom, her face lined with the marks of many seasons spent in harmony with the wild. Her long, dark hair was streaked with silver, and her eyes, sharp and knowing, held a depth of sorrow and resilience.

Laba continued to care for him, her movements deft and practiced. She applied poultices of crushed leaves and aromatic roots to his wounds, the natural remedies easing his pain and promoting healing. As she worked, Gail observed her with growing curiosity. There was something mysterious and compelling about her, a sense of untold stories and hidden depths.

As he rested, Gail's mind buzzed with questions. He wondered how Laba had come to live alone in this remote part of the forest, far from any tribe or village. What had driven her to such isolation? And what kind of life had she led before? The silence between them was heavy with unspoken words, and Gail knew he needed to understand more about the woman who had saved his life.

To know more about Laba and her past, Gail asked, "Do you live alone in the forest? How is that possible?"

Laba paused in her work, her hands stilling over the herbs. She looked at Gail contemplatively, as if weighing how much to reveal. Her eyes, usually so guarded, softened with the weight of her memories. The silence stretched between them, the crackling of the fire the only sound in the cave. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but steady, each word laden with emotion.

"Many years ago, when my daughter Lia was just a child, we lived among people. We worshiped the goddess Ishtar. Our village was small but vibrant, nestled along the banks of the river. The days were filled with the sounds of laughter and life, and at night, we would gather around the central fire to sing songs and tell stories of our ancestors. Everything was fine until my husband fell seriously ill. He was a strong man, proud and unwavering in his faith. His illness came swiftly and mercilessly, casting a dark shadow over our lives.

"I was desperate to save him. I tried to learn the healing arts to cure him. In this journey, I went to many masters across the land between two rivers and its surroundings. I traveled through dense forests, over rugged mountains, and across vast deserts, working tirelessly day and night. I learned from the wisest healers, those who knew the secrets of the earth and the whispers of the wind. I gained a lot of knowledge, but my husband, whose condition worsened, wouldn't let me treat him."

Surprised, Gail asked, "Why? You are treating me well and clearly are a good healer."

Laba shook her head, her eyes clouded with sadness. "He believed that the gods caused his illness. He thought he should not be healed by human hands and must find a way to seek the gods' forgiveness to be cured. He was convinced that only divine intervention could save him. Each day, he grew weaker, his faith becoming his only lifeline."

Gail reminded of his responsibility to stand against the gods, was angered by how people felt so enslaved by them. He said, "That's foolish! Did he manage to gain the gods' favor to be cured?"

Laba, appearing strong and determined but with tears in her eyes, indicated that the past was more painful than Gail had imagined. She responded, "My husband, who had great faith in the gods and believed the Anunnaki should save him... He was a devout man, his belief unwavering even in the face of death."

After a moment's pause, she continued, "He decided to involve our daughter Lia in cult rituals and offer her to the gods. He intended to sacrifice our little daughter so that he could be forgiven and saved by the gods. He believed that her pure, innocent soul would be the perfect offering, a gift to appease the gods and buy his redemption."

Gail reminded of the children he had seen sacrificed by the cult on the other side of the forest, became very upset and angrier than before. He did not want to hear that Laba's daughter had also been sacrificed. He had to stop these evil rituals. "Did your husband sacrifice your little daughter to save himself? How could a father do such a thing?"

Laba replied, her voice trembling with the memory, "He believed that if he survived, we could have more children. So, he valued his survival over Lia's. In his eyes, one life was a small price to pay for the chance to live again."

In anger, Gail shouted, "That bastard!"

Laba's face grew more determined as she continued, "Of course, I did not let that happen. I took my daughter and fled to the forest. On a moonless night, with only the stars to guide us, I packed what little we could carry and left everything behind. We had to live in hiding for all these years, constantly moving to stay ahead of those who might seek to return us to the village. I used my teachings to connect with the spirit of the forest and animals. They provided us with food, and in their company, we found a new kind of family. I tried to better understand myself and passed my knowledge on to Lia over these years."

Gail breathed a sigh of relief, happy that at least one more child had not been sacrificed and pleased with Laba's awareness and resistance to the gods. He then asked, "Where is your daughter Lia now? Is she okay?"

Laba's face turned sad again as she responded, "I never had much faith in the gods. But my daughter, influenced by these things from childhood, continued to worship the goddess Ishtar. Even when she heard the story of her father's intention to sacrifice her, her view of the gods did not change much. I tried to change her mind. Everything was going well until a great storm came. I brought her to this cave to save her from the flood. She continued to pray to Ishtar. Eventually, the storm ended. She believed that her prayers to Ishtar had saved us. I tried my best to convince her that it was our awareness and efforts that brought us to the cave and saved us from the storm, but she was not convinced. Her childhood teachings seemed to have brainwashed her. Eventually, she decided to go to a tribe that worshiped the goddess Ishtar. She insisted I accompany her, but I refused. I insisted she stay, but it was no use. Eventually, she left me in the forest and went to join the tribe and become a member of Ishtar's temple. I couldn't convince her not to go. I hope she at least found the right path and managed to find the temple of the goddess Ishtar."

Now Gail knew that Laba, like him, did not have much faith in the Anunnaki and at least shared this viewpoint with him. His trust in her deepened, and he tried to establish a deeper connection with Laba, hoping to benefit from her teachings and experiences.