Chapter 11 Rituals: Emerald Forest Arc:

Act 1 Bones:

"We outdid ourselves didn't we, what do you think Aspen?" We where looking up at the barebone structure of the clan hall it only needs to be decorated and it could be called a clan's pride. I Cloudy built it unlike there teepee tent like circular design, but more of a greek pantheon or roman-american courthouse.

With red stained black clay tiles for a roof and wooden logs covered in burnt clay for collinaids the foundation and first 4 metres of wall was made of cut grey stone quarried from a neighboring hill, and the doors!

They don't have any! as I hunted and brought back a lot of beast pelts and meat. The pelts I turned into soft leather and with the cloth I asked them to make, I made them door flaps that acts better than a door after a few of there shamans made their spirits possess them.

The hunting and making of those doors took me the longest, but it was worth it, because I felt them feel, a painful memory as they saw the design of the clan hall I was building.

It was enough to see them smile and enjoy watching the shamans catch spirits to be housed within the doors, and some of the friendly ancestral spirits from there Lore tent, even settled in the columns that Aspen finished carving.

I still don't understand the spirits, both what the shamans use and the ancestral ones. The natural spirits seemed to be small living cores without vessels in my eyes and the ancestral spirits seemed to be living gates without vessels but oddly enough I can only sense them when there outside the objects they possessed, which was a surprise the first time I saw it.

My friend Aspen was focus at looking at the colonnade carvings where he had been the one that did the most work on, he then sighed and look at the entire thing and then Aspen joined me smiling at our work and then spoke. "Thank you for not making stone doors for the clan hall. . .Everyone and our ancestors felt that it was too soon to immolate the city we lost. I'm not sure why, but the clan hall you designed looks too similar to our golden city's grain temple that a lot of our older ancestors started crying when they saw it."

Aspen then turned to my side and looking at me, as he continued. "We aren't sure, but we know your a god of a distant land, much like our own, will always welcome you as one of our Earth gods if you ever decided it's okay for us to worship you." I gave him a nod, while remembering a few weeks ago three newly initiated adults sacrificed their best work in childhood to me, they just performed a rite in front of me while I was resting.

I told them they could try there patron rite with me, but I won't promise to take them in us my devotees. So they did, they copied the rites of the worshipers of the Earth-weaver, sang songs about the deeds I did for there clan, and then emphasize my blessings of stone work and connection to the forest and land. . .

By the end of it they burned wood shavings on a brazier in front of me and then sacrificed their best stone crafts on the Brazier while chanting my name and. . .It worked.

I felt a connection to the three worshipers and they felt a connection to me. . . It was an odd feeling of knowing people are worshiping you and knowing if there doing the right things in your name or the bad things. I was about to sever the connection but the chieftain arrived in time to stop me and manifest her goddess.

She was a beautiful bright figure, her heavy golden lance directed to my neck. "Accept my children's worship or leave their clan! You can't just severe there connection to you once they forged it!" I directed her lance away from me and stood up and gave her a bow.

"Even If I wanted there Worship, bright Elmhelia, I have nothing to offer your children, I wasn't even sure there rite would work, I was planning to just help them connect with the 'Earth-weaver' once they failed. . .And now after I severed there connection." As I was about to raise my head I felt it struck and my body falling to the ground.

"Foolish child! Naive child!" She kept bashing at my head the strikes where powerful, but I felt no pain. the burning heat did made my head, ache. but not enough to be called painful, she was a manifestation but still I can feel her power.

"You are a godling! You have much to offer! Even just your power over stone is enough! Not to mention your affinity to the wilds! And you can't just let this mortals reconnect with another! Now bless them and don't make me come here again, just to watch such a scene." The manifestation dissipated into fire, as the sun above moved past noon, the chieftess was kneeling breathing heavily and physically aged, she seemed to appear like human in her 60s rather than early 30s as she was moments ago.

I carried her up and sensed her gate, it was frayed and cracked, yet ambers of flames was healing her, coming from the gate, I quicken the process as I circulated my inner flame into her, melting her raw essence, turning it into molten gold, faster than the amber fire can try fixing her gate, and then I molded the melted gold into a ring of gold, and fastening it into her shattering gate, and it stabilized it and then healed it fully as her gate gathered magic in other side feeding her essence.

As I opened my eyes, she had fainted. her skin turning into gold and as they shed from her body new young redden skin appeared and many had gathered around me mostly those that worship there healer god. I Cloudy spoke, in a firm yet warm tone. "Here, she's stable, but needs much rest, and meaty grained thick soup." I looked towards my three new devotees and nodded at them as I asked them to hold hands and placed my hand on each one of there chests in succession.

I felt deep within me looking at our connection and with it I learned of them and knew what I should give each of them and that they can only bare one blessing each. For if I try gave more than one, they would die as young heroes without leaving behind children, I don't know how I know, I just do. . .

The first one was born to become a sword, but still loved to collect stones in the river and carve the names of his friends on them, with her knife. "I bless you with Stone-skin, use this to protect yourself and others when you carry your sword. For nothing would be able to wound you" She smiled happily but did not unhand her friend.

The second one was, one of the children I was with as the elders and their ancestors taught us the lore of there clan, she was bright, kind and has an interest of breaking rocks and looking at what's inside them. "I bless you with Ore-finder, with it you will be able to look at a rock and feel the limitless possibilities within them." The girl was confused by my gift but she nodded in acceptance, and held both of her friends hands.

The last one was the most timid of the three, he's an artist and craftsman through and through, he was one of the apprentices that helped me while I was laying logs and stones. I had the perfect blessing. "I will bless you Mahogan, with the gift of masonry, with it you can build the greatest fortress with just sand, pebbles and lime. Or turn mountains into cities." My gift shocked everyone gathered as they felt the power in my words and those I sent towards their youths.

"But remember, each one of my gifts must be cultivated for what I say is there potential, and not what they are." With that said I turned around and left them to ponder my gifts and the clans to celebrate me adopting them.

I didn't know how to bless them with the magic, they're use to. but I did know how to place memories psionically into their DNA, giving them instinctual knowledge on things, and change there biology to a point that there magic is able to power my gifts, it was easier to give each a different blessing, for each had seem to have been born for something, I can feel it.

The first girl was hard, as I needed to make it so that the cells of her skin is able to harden until it reaches the strength of my shell, if given enough energy of course. and it's all instinctual if she needs it to harden it would, but she would need to feed it energy using her magic.

The next one was much easier, the next girl I made it so that the nerves of her hands are able to sense into earth and rock if she focuses on it and use her magic as energy, and instincts to know how to use it, she would one day know if there is anything buried beneath the ground or inside a rock with a single touch.

The boy, I gave him all the knowledge I have in masonry, but to not overwhelm his mind, he would gain them as he works with stone, and he would know what he could do and not do through his instincts. and gave his muscles memories of the decades I worked with stone as an experimental historian in my past life.

Then I was back at the present, at my side was my friend and we were looking at the bones of our work.

I Cloudy answered him "You know, I won't stay for long, as I told your hunters before coming here, I'm a wanderer much like the adventurer Goddess. And I'm not strong enough to bless your people from afar" I think I can actually, if they made an altar and I leave a psionic imprint on it, but I really don't want to start a religion or become part of one.

He nodded at me I felt him content with my answer, and then we left, I was walking next to him as he rode his raptor.

None of there raptors where big or strong enough for me to ride, but even if they did, the magic of their gods would have killed the beast or prevented me from riding them without becoming part of the Guardian-sun's tribe, Or the 'first riders' household.

Act 2 Conversation: Pov Elmhelia

A man dressed in a green gilded toga, his under clothes where purple like that of lilies, he was holding. a belt of gems tightened his hourglass form. "Dear? did you just beat up a young wilds god? you know there's a chance his one of our kids or future descendants right?" Aknyald the Earth-weaver spoke, he was speaking to me as I sharpened my lance, resting after riding through and defending half of the summer path.

I Elmhelia answered my beloved. "You worry to much my love, I felt his strength as I bashed my blade upon his skull, and he has the blood of war god in him, and others too, so you may be right that his related to us, as I felt much of my mother's blood in him, but it is different. . . still, I needed to correct his actions." I was too afraid to look at my hubby's eyes as I answered as I know he would be wrathful with my answer.

I heard a sigh, from him and then Aknyald my love answered. "You are to heavy handed with the children, we already know is born from us and now you do this to newborns?" I started sharpening my lance faster, and as I felt the earth tremble the summer path shouldn't have been affected this much it is.

I Elmhelia needed to relent or the path would start getting damaged. "Alright I admit, I have started to become too. . .hard on the children and I promise to not be that hot headed when it comes to them. I'm sorry my love." I felt him stopped and embraced me, I lost it there and then letting my hot passion take over, this is why you marry a powerful earth god, as you can be as rough with them as you wanted.

Act 3 Ritual: Pov Initiate.

I was ready, I was holding my golden tipped lance and I can feel the weight of my bow on my shoulder. "Be ready, each one grab a mask, and don't be nervous, I've trained you all enough that I know you'll get through this fine." Our Chieftess Vivienne was riding in front of us and our family was around us giving us masks to wear to shield our Identity from the enemies will be fighting.

My mother Is a huntress, worshiper of Dostil, goddess of the hunt and my father a worshiper of Bullnar, the god of Goattles. I was initiated in my mothers cult and now proudly bare my bow, more than my lance and fear it would be the thing that would fail me.

I looked around the we were at the ritual site in front of the newly built clan hall, I still would have liked the doors be made of wood like our houses, but great grandmother kept crying and wasn't helping teaching me how to shoot three arrows in a single breath.

I had dreams of the golden city, fragmented memories of my ancestors of the golden era but. . . sigh, no we need to respect our ancestors plus the clan would need more hunters if they want to replace those tent doors when they get damaged.

I was thanking my dad as he gave me a clay bull mask, he said it would make it harder for the enemies to know me, if I was wearing a different gods mask, than my patron, which was traditional way, but I relent because I his just still a bit sour that I chosen to be a huntress and not a goattle girl.

He gave me one last hug and then went to the edge of the ritual circle with my mom, she was still pretty injured from the raid, the new god Cloudy, did close the wounds of everyone, but the healing wasn't perfect, as they still felt the pain of the wounds they had suffered and my mother was stabbed through and through with a sword, it should have killed her.

But no, she survived long enough to have been saved by his flames, the cult of the Bone-mender told us that they couldn't do anything but ease the pain as there god had told them that there already healed just hurt and needs to rest.

As I was waving goodbye to my folks chieftess Vivienne, yelled rallying us, and we gave our own as a reply and then chanted. "Hear us, Son of the sun we are ready to guard the path!" and then our chieftess charged into the light of the large flame of the ritual circle, and as good warriors of the summer court we followed.

Act 4 Watcher:

I watched on, at high noon, as the people lit bonfires surrounding there ritual circle, a circle of stone in the symbols of there head god, the one who had visited me and downed me and struck while I laid face down.

A group of youths and adults rode in Raptors with blessed bandage cloths wrapped on their wings, necks and legs, symbols of there Raptor god, and those that would take the rite was dressed with as much gold and quality cloth as the nobles.

The chieftess herself was wearing, golden scaled armor, and a helm similar to those worn in the classical age of my world, with crimson feathers with as its plum.

Every member of the clan was there, the priests dancing in the circle with flaming things on golden chains or incense smokers tied to golden chains. they twirled it as they danced, the shamans played their drums, flutes, and bell sticks, while spirits danced around them and everyone else was singing outside the ritual circle.

I was watching all of this as I sat near to the center, with the circle members and their allies, the chieftess was giving a speech to the clans sword candidates, and then I felt a tear upon reality materialized at the center of the ritual circle a doorway to the 'Immaterial sea'.

It appeared to me as a large tornado of flames of amber, and it seems this was normal as it is a gateway to the summer path of the 'Guardian-sun' the flames seem to reach towards the skies.

With my Inner senses, I can see that everyone inside the ritual circle was feeding the Immaterial sea gate, while everyone else was feeding magic towards there 'Actors'. and then the flames parted and then chieftess Vivienne gave a war cry before charging into the flames and her host followed.

The flame dissipated turing into a golden block which was showing with all sides a view of the entire host and that of the main actor the chieftess, she looked different as she radiated a light much like the goddess she worships.

They were riding on a golden brick road, it was wide so wide that 6 riders side by side was able to ride comfortably and still have enough room for ten others on their sides. and it was long as it seems to go on passed the horizon, where a blinding light seems to have sat herself. I Cloudy spoke "Elmhelia The Guardian-sun, she waits at the end of the path? or is it something else."

I spoke to myself as I thought about what a ritual actually is. and from what they tell me, it is the peak of their psionic technologies. as with it they can pretty much get what they want. . .your fields have been giving poor harvests for years? and you don't have a powerful Pellet priest? then do a Ritual about a god of agriculture. . .There's a new diseases spreading in the whole clan and your neighbors? then do a ritual dedicated to your healing gods, and it will be fine in a few days.

The potential of this tech is limitless. . .but, from what I learned from their understanding of there technology, they need a story, a specific one, about their gods, and that an individual great enough to find there gods in the other realm, is needed. for they need to ask them for a boon there reward for finding them in the chaotic immaterial sea.

Chieftess Vivienne's host encountered it's first obstacle a wall of golden spears and golden rounded shields, they wore long orange tussled toga's layered with blues and red scarven cloths. they're helm similar to the chieftess.

I was shocked by the phalanx, and how similar it was to- Cloudy spoke. "Spartan phalanx? Corinthian plumed helms? And tussled chitons. . . And they're Hedgehog people." Those around me seemed to have heard my thoughts, as we watched the chieftain yelling for her force to charge, shoot, and fallback. they did this and devastated the phalanx, there golden shields broken by the force of the arrows of Vivienne's force.

The leader of the phalanx appeared she was taller than her fellows. and then she kneeled Infront of Vivienne offering her lance. The chieftess excepted it and said. "Lance-guard captain of Little Amarelm, We are kin, for we are all descendant of Ruphay Pampa, of the radiant empire of Amarelm! Join us!" the lance-guard captain took back her lance and then whooped and banged her shield and her footwomen did the same.

Lore-keeper Heathia spoke at my side. "The chieftess is playing with fire, she only needed to convince the followers of the Pretender-sun to protect their rear as they continue, making them there rear-guard, it would have made the second part easier. . ." I looked at her hoping for answers but she wasn't the one who answered.

It was my friend from the Fire-wheat clan that answered for her. Achycia the Diplomat. "The next scene should had been those Pretender-sun worshipers, being ambush by the worshipers of the Demon-sun, as they guard an outpost, but now Chieftess Vivienne the Bright, would need to fight an ambush. . .She's being to bold, trying to re-enact that obscure version of the story." She didn't continue as we watched the chieftess be ambushed.

The enemy where bloody red skinned, tall monstrous, Demonic Hyaena people. they used green jade clubs, and golden chest plates. there clothes where tattered single layer long skirted, sleeved chitons. they were laughing as they fought.

The footwomen defended there flanks as Vivienne pushed through the flanking ambush and broke through with a handful of riders and then she wheeled back rushing towards the largest of the Demonic-sun warriors.

And that won the battle, as she pierced the back of the monster, as it was being repelled by the spears of her host. she lopped off one the red monster head, and then yelled at the top of her lungs. "Your champions dead! Serve The Guardian-sun! or be slayed!" I looked around and saw the priests ringing bells of gold, and it somehow helped the Chieftess as her light became greater.

The hyaenas looked at her and cowered, dropping there weapons and kneeling to her light. I saw as they're bloody red fur drained of their colors ,and turned to a softer tone of Sunset. there green clubs turned gold, there crimson flames turned orange.

The victory was not as clean as the first one, as I saw everyone was injured, old and new allies alike, I saw even the chieftess bleeding, struggling to hold up her golden banner lance.

I looked at the ritual site and I saw and felt worry and fear, those that worship there healer god, prayed and prayed, for a healing blessing but it was un-answered.

The shamans playing soothing songs, but it had only made the warriors in the other realm, be able to stand even while feeling the pain of there wounds.

Those of the ring looked at me, and then I realized it was my turn to help there rite, well I want them to finish it alive after all. I stood up and many eyes where focus on me as they continued their role for this ritual, they kept there dance, there prayers, there songs and there burning.

But they still watched me, as they did what they needed, I walked towards the golden small obelisk, and then placed my hand on it's smooth golden form, and then dug deep inside of me feeling the flames that burned as bright as the blue star of my birth.

I breathed in, and out slowly and then breathed in deeper and then I Cloudy, sang a song from home. as piano played. "Saw the end of the stars, Didn't think that I can make it out, Got used to the painful lost but no! I was only scared of the light. But now I'm healing! I'm healing! I'm healing now. . ." I sang the song my mother sang as her mother sang to her, and as a projection, reality nodded, and it worked.

I saw my song reaching them, the heat of my inner flame burning there wounds aways, and then within a moment they were healed and the chieftess unbreaking her act, rallied them and charged toward the next scene. 

I took my hand off the golden rectangle and then sat back towards the seats of honor. They all praised and thanked my aid in the ritual. "I wasn't sure, if it would have reached them, I felt many things that could have stolen or shielded them from my Inner flame, thank me later when they succeed." They nodded at me, I felt them praising my show of humility. which should have been understood as sincerity.

The next and final scene, was another battle, the original story is that the Vanguard Riders of the Guardian-sun, would sacrifice half there number to push back, and delay the army of the Cold-sun, giving the main warband of the Guardian-sun time to arrive, but in this story re-written by Vivienne She had amassed enough force to hold the avalanche of the Cold-sun. 

The Radiant Shields of the Pretender-sun holding their ground against the giant furred beasts, The Sunset blazing Headhunters of the Demonic-sun Breaking the lines of Fur coated Seal people, and The Riders peppering titans of snow and ice with there bright arrows!

But still they were being pushed back, and my blessing still burning away the wounds they take, and then She appeared, her hair as white as freshly fallen snow, her skin that of frost, and her red lipped smile freezing the heart of those in her way. I Cloudy Spoke "The Cold-sun." She smiled at the battle and threw a lance of frost towards the chieftess her light to weak to stop the blow of a goddess, she was pierced and unmounted.

The lance was melted by my flames, but it didn't matter, as another lance was about to end her light, Vivienne was about to die. but as the lance sailed towards her, another light, a brighter light, appeared. and it was her, the Guardian, the Sun of the Riders. Elmhelia. "You did well child, let me finish this." And she did, a great battle of Light and cold leaked through the golden obelisk, freezing and then burning the land around it the priests need to time there dance to not be affected by the battle.

And it all ended as a new scene appeared, Vivienne was healed, she and the initiates were back at the beginning of the path. And Elmhelia was there. "You had done well, I will bless these youths to become your clan's new swords, but you had showed me a new way of my story, and that deserves another boon, what do you want child of Cottosuri." All the initiates behind Vivienne was coated in amber scarlet coats, with a golden feather pin holding them together.

Vivienne smiled and spoke her wish. "Please my Lady, I ask for my clan to be blessed, with your light, when we fight those that wants our clan's destruction." Elmhelia, looked down at Vivienne, as she spoke her wish. I felt the goddess through the blessing I gave Vivienne, and she was thoughtful, and then I felt her notice me and looked at my direction through the golden Obelisk.

She raised an eye at me, watching her, and then she laughed. and Elmhelia spoke. "Your clan's swords would fight with the brightness of mine, when they face my enemies." She then stood up, and mounted her flaming raptor and then rode off.

Vivienne and her host rode back to us and as the last newly made Sword left the gate, the golden Obelisk shattered into smaller pieces of gold. . ."So that's where you get all your gold." I said out loud, as the lore tent was very vague on where they get there gold, those where my thoughts as I stood up and joined the welcome feast for the returning heroes of there clan ritual.

Act 5 Training:

It was the morning after their other world ritual, and now in my smaller form, I was holding a large two handed wooden stick, that was wrapped and filled with hay.

In front of me was the newly made swords of the clan, all ten of them coated in Amber scarlet cape-coats. each had a sharpened golden sword, not wooden and soften by hay and wool, unlike the practice sword I wielded.

I Cloudy, called loudly at them. "Begin! bring your all!" They looked hesitant, as they looked at their weapons and then to me, but I wanted them to learn how to fight giants.

I rushed toward the closest one, she reacted fast, moving her mount down to dodge my upward strike, she then countered, her blade glowing, but not ignited like it's supposed to be. she swung towards my forearm, but she was to slow as I brought down my club towards her.

I felt the others charge getting over there hesitation, but it was to late as my strike connected to her, she was unmounted and downed on the ground, she wasn't bleed or had broken bones just bruised. I Cloudy, spoke "Hesitation would get you killed in battle no matter your opponent, fearsome or weak." 

I jumped away from her and waited for the others to charge at me, and they did, my devotee was the one leading the charge I felt her use my version of a blessing as her face turned skeleton like, and her hair turning into spikes. her golden sword blazing with fire as she and two other on her sides struck at me, she went for my chest, and her companions for my neck and hip.

They were brave but reckless as this would have been a suicide charge against an opponent not distracted. I felt the fire inside me and then swung a wide arc, pushing the three fools back, they were unmounted and flew a good few meters away, the raptors, just continued the charge and ran past me.

Cloudy, my voice lectured them. "Only charge a powerful opponent, if you have the advantage. because if you don't, only death would follow." Six left, and they were looking at each other thinking of a way to defeat me.

I walked towards them my entire form blazing blue with my inner flame, I was smiling at them, my 'sword' blazing brightly and before I can swing it they start to scatter. This made my smile greater. "Good! when fighting something you cannot beat it's best to retreat and regroup." I Cloudy, said as I brought my sword towards a group of three, singeing them in soft fire, as they were pushed off their mounts.

And then there was three, two of them charged me as I felt another sneak to my back, they were learning. I'll let them have this win, as I swatted the two off there raptors, I felt a stab at my back, it pierced through my form, as blue flames bled from me. I dropped my weapon.

I turned around and patted the rabbit girl's head. "Good work!" The sword was still inside me poking a little out of my woolen shirt, I pulled it out and then looked at it, my oil like burning blue blood, drenching the golden sword, I placed my finger on it smearing the almost dripping sword, and focused.

I Cloudy sang a slow song, as I slowly slid my finger on the surface of the blade. "Fire on fire, would normally kill us, But my desire so great. . . look into my eyes and tell me. . ." I stopped as my will placed upon the blade, projection that is able to summon a wall of flames once the wielder needs to be protected.

I gave it back. "here, I gave it a small enchantment, your reward for landing a strike on me." As I gave it to her, I looked around as everyone was once again mounted and ready for another round, hopefully by the end of the day they would have all earned a reward from me.