Chapter Two Forgiveness

Small, neat little wooden houses stood in line with one another in a circle-like formation. All the houses were connected to a gravel road going all the way into the far distance. In the middle of this circle formation there was a lodge, larger than all the other houses. It was made out of logs from large trees and had quite the aesthetic feeling to it.

Today the village was crowded and the villagers were overjoyed. The village's hunter had managed to bring back prey today and the villagers would be able to have a feast, after who knows how long.

Despite that, everyday life continued as each did their own task. Some collected water from the river for cleaning, or drinking. Others prepared the pelt of the beast, to make clothing for the newborns this year.

Amongst the high spirited people there was one woman in her twenties sneaking around. In her hands were some berries from the two season. Ever since she was young, she had heard tales of the forest god, who protected them and kept them healthy. She couldn't understand the antics of her elders. Who had stopped worshiping this forest god, who had been nothing but a benefactor. Yet they threw it away, the second they had some prosperity. Outrageous if one asked her.

She refused to stop her worship of the god and did so in secret, but today she wanted to make amends with the forest deity, make it forgive them for their foolish acts of abandonment. Beg for a new chance. So she sneaked into the dusty lodge, which had been left to rot for some years. In her hands were the berries which she had stolen from their storage. She planned to sacrifice the berries to the forest god, as she heard ancient tales of sacrifice from the merchants who visited every year. Apparently these sacrifices brought joy to the gods.

As the young lady bowed in front of the totem, placed in the middle of the dark empty lodge, she felt a soothing energy embrace her body, restoring some of her lost body fat and before she knew it, the berries in her hands were gone. The woman stood up and bowed to the forest god, before saying.

"I promise to worship you and to make everyone worship you in this village. Thank you for your kind blessing, even though we abandoned you!"

After saying that, she ran out of the lodge, to join up with the rest of the villagers, to help in any way she could. Leaving Jantyr to his own device.

~Pov Jantyr~ (First person)

I watched the women leave with some mixed feelings. Her sacrifice and belief throughout the year had given me just enough energy to bless their lands. But if I do bless the land, I won't have enough energy to interact with the villagers and make them worship me again. Meaning I would have to trust that young girl to restore their faith in me and so far, from all I know. What she said could have very well been empty words. It seems like my human side has given me the ability to suspect and this has planted a seed of doubt deep within me.

So now begs the question, do I trust her?

(Back to third person)

That very night the village partied and everyone got some meat and vegetables. But the women from before didn't eat her meat, instead she shoved it into her pockets and only ate the vegetables.

"Wow, you ate that meat fast!" one of her friends exclaimed as they saw her empty plate, to which the woman simply smiled.

"I haven't had meat in forever and lost control of my hunger I guess." she said to her friend, happy she didn't suspect anything.

After the giant bonfire went out and all festivities were over. The village went to sleep, all but one girl. Instead of sleeping, she sneaked out of her house, where she lived with her parents and three siblings. Her goal was the lodge in the middle of the village.

She entered the lodge and closed the door silently behind her and walked towards the totem and bowed down. Then she reached into her pockets and brought out the meat from the dinner and said.

"I know it's not much, but it's all I can give you for now!" The woman said and the meat disappeared. This time, she didn't feel the energy from before running through her body, but she wasn't disappointed! It had accepted her sacrifice meaning it wasn't angry at her.

After she left the lodge the deity known as Jantyr made the hard decision that it had to make. It blessed the lands before it was too late, for if it waited too long, it would be too late and there would be no harvest this year either.

In the coming days the woman returned and cleaned the lodge from dust and brought her old toys and different objects of sentimental value to her, to sacrifice them to the god.

(Back to Jantyr first person)

Her return in the coming days after I used all the energy I had on blessing the lands brought me joy. Each time she would sacrifice something to me, restoring some of my depleted energy. She even cleaned the place which had been left to rot.

In the coming days I made up my mind, I would attempt to communicate with her. I have enough energy to cause minor commotion, like making it rain, so I should be capable of talking with her the next time she visits.

So with a clear goal in mind I waited for nightfall and the more I thought about it, I searched for something to ask her and I came to a conclusion. I was going to ask her to sacrifice a log to me next time and see if I could create another totem of it and if I can, I will ask her to bring it to her home. That way she doesn't have to sneak out here every night.

As nightfall came, she appeared. In her hand was a small wooden sword that seemed to fit a toddler. She bowed like she does everyday and presented the sword to me, which I humble accepted before I attempted my first interaction with my worshipers.

an ominous sound echoed through the lodge and wind started to stir and finally I formulated my first words ever uttered.

"Hello, uhm, how are you doing?"

(Author here: here is the last chapter of the day. No chapter tomorrow for either of my books as I have other things to do. Anyways hope you liked the chapter and have an continues amazing day author out :) )