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    Emeryn hid in the grove of trees and reflected on what she had learned. The grower had uttered a single word. Cave. As far as she knew, there weren’t any caves nearby, but that didn''t mean they did not exist.


    She closed her eyes and delved into the ground beneath her feet. It wasn’t common knowledge that geomancers, and growers to an extent, could see what lay beneath. After a deep layer of dirt, she struck stone. At first, Emeryn found nothing in the dense rock, but when she expanded her senses, pushing through with her will, she touched on something, or rather, the lack of something. There was a hollow space in the stone, deep below the surface. She couldn''t tell what filled the gap. Her powers didn’t work that way, but she felt lightly around the border, exploring the edges to get a sense of the space.


    Emeryn opened her eyes. Definitely big enough to fit a god. Quietly, she shifted the ground below her and formed them into steps that lead straight into the earth.


    She closed the earth above her as she descended, casting the steps before her in impenetrable darkness. Emeryn didn’t need light to navigate, not when she was in her own element. The stone parted for her, and she ran her hand along the smooth edge to her right. It gave her comfort to be in direct contact with the stone.


    Emeryn kept the stone staircase. She would need a way out, after this was done. Time proved difficult to gauge in the dark and she zigzagged several times to align with the cave below her.


    She paused before the stone separating her and the chamber beyond. Shouldn’t Taera’s presence be overwhelming? Emeryn bit her lip. Perhaps the broken god wasn’t here. The grower might have sent her chasing shadows.


    With her certainty slipping, she burrowed through the last bit of rock and immediately knew she’d come to the right place. It wasn’t the burning torches affixed to the walls of the domed cave, nor was it the intricate carvings of trees along the floor, or even the path leading up and away from the chamber. No, what settled the matter was the overwhelming sense of will once she broke through the stone.


    Power emanated from a spot in the darkness, so thick she thought she felt as if she could reach out and touch it.


    "Emeryn," a voice whispered. The voice was cracked and hoarse as if from a tongue unaccustomed to speech. The one word reverberated in the spacious chamber, hanging in the air like a challenge.


    Emeryn stepped out onto a flat stone floor. Her boots only made a whisper of a sound, but it she still winced as the noise echoed in the silence. She straightened, peering into the unlit part of the cave.


    "Taera."


    "Come closer, traitor, so I may look at your disfigurement with my own eye."


    Emeryn grabbed the nearest torch and held it out in front of her. She slowly advanced on the source of the voice hiding in the darkness. A small form waited there. Taera, the Kin’s god, in the form of a girl who could not be more than twelve years old.


    "No wonder they whisper of a broken god," Emeryn said, keeping her voice steady despite the immense pressure all around her. The god looked lifeless, with patches of pale and pallid skin. Half of her face was a mass of burns. They looked fresh, though Emeryn knew they couldn''t be. One eye was missing, and her jaw was shattered. Emeryn was amazed she could speak. The god’s left arm was blackened in frostbite, while her right leg had an angry, red protrusion branching out like a tree. Emeryn had seen the same before in an ox struck by lightning.


    "You speak of my disfigurement when you look like this?"


    She swept the torch closer to the god’s face and was immensely satisfied to see her flinch.


    Taera’s one eye fixed on Emeryn, and her lips barely moved when she spoke. "What is appearance to a god? I will soon take another host, child. Would you like it to be your mother?"


    "You will die here today," Emeryn said with far more conviction than she felt. "You’ve been allowed to control the Kin for far too long."


    A dreadful sound started within Taera’s throat, like she was choking, growling, and crying all at once. It grew and filled the chamber, echoing off the walls. When Emeryn saw the one corner of Taera’s mouth curled upward, she realized the god was laughing.


    "Such ignorance. Do you think you could do what Ivan the Mad, Juoko the Jester, and the infuriating Liv woman could not? You cannot kill me, stupid little human."


    Emeryn felt something seize her legs and arm. Vines and roots wrapped themselves around her limbs. She fought against the restraints. "Let go of me!"


    "Let you go?" Taera asked. "You are part of the earth down here. What did you think would happen when you stepped inside my domain?"


    Mastering her own fear, Emeryn focused and opened the ground beneath the broken god, meaning to drop her in and then crush her. Instead, Taera just hovered above the empty space. "Clever trick," Taera said. "But that will not be enough."


    Thick branches had grown from the ground to pierce Taera''s skin. Thin tendrils crawled inside her body, connecting her to the ground and the world around her.


    "What are you?" Emeryn asked, stunned.


    "To you, I am a god."


    "Why are you doing this? What is waiting for you on the other side of the sea?" Emeryn asked, struggling to break free.


    Emeryn forced the stone floor to rise up in an attempt to cut through Taera''s vines, but the rock crumbled and roots emerged from within.


    “Why not join us and fight the rhinn? The Kin would be a great asset. We can beat them!"


    "You have no idea, do you, child?" Taera rasped, clamping down with her vines to hold Emeryn steady. “Do you not know what is really coming? The rhinn are a mere distraction."


    Emeryn thought she saw real fear in the god’s otherwise impassive face.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The very ground trembles at his approach, but you do not even notice."


    "Who?" Emeryn asked.


    "The prime among the Halvgudar. To you, he is the god of chaos and corruption. To me, he is what you might call, father."


    Emeryn laughed. "Father? You’re joking!"


    "Why do you think I came to Maydian? To this forsaken rock, this tiny island? To escape his grasp!"


    The fear was palpable in Taera now.


    "Then we need you to join our side! Fight this being with us! Stand up to your father!"


    Taera’s head fell. "There is no standing up to chaos. Not alone. Only with all my siblings accounted for could we stand a chance."


    "Siblings?"


    The broken god mumbled the names, each one sending a shiver down Emeryn’s back. "Eld. Ocea. Anea."


    Dead gods, all of them. Tyrants and rulers put down by men and women of this realm over a hundred years ago. Emeryn refocused. Taera was distracted. This was her chance. She couldn''t trust Taera''s word.


    With all the force she could gather, Emeryn quickly splintered the rock above Taera while simultaneously attacking with stone pillars from every side. She used a few to burrow through the roots keeping the god’s broken body in place.


    Shock shone from Taera''s one eye. She dodged, but not quickly enough. Stone came tumbling down from the ceiling of the cavern, crashing into Taera and plunging both her and the stone into the pit Emeryn opened earlier. She heard bones snap as the god was crushed and torn apart by the massive weight.


    The vines fell away, and Emeryn tumbled to the floor. She’d done it. "Yes!" she bellowed. Her exclamation bounced on the bare walls, echoing around her like an adoring crowd.


    The ground suddenly began to shake beneath her feet. She turned back to the pit and gaped as thousands of vines and roots burrowed through the stone, cracking it again and again until the sound was deafening.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Taera emerged, covered in dust and dirt, her body crushed beyond recognition. Blood dribbled from wounds and the god’s limbs were unnaturally flattened in places, shattered and broken in others.


    "You dare?" Taera''s mouth no longer moved, but the words thrummed through the air.


    "Wait!" a voice called out.


    Emeryn turned to see her mother running towards them.


    "Don’t kill her!"


    Taera turned her one baleful eye at Emeryn''s mother and the woman skittered to a stop.


    "I let you run free for a mere moment, and this is what you do with that freedom?" The god’s fury was enough to keep Emeryn on her knees. How was she supposed to fight against this? She’d been a fool to attempt this on her own.


    "Mother…" Emeryn said, not sure how to continue.


    "Your insolence knows no bounds, little humans. Never before have I seen such disrespect. A lesson will be made of you."


    Emeryn heard her mother approach. She stood next to Emeryn, who still kneeled in the rubble.


    "For the journey east, I will finally shed this form and take another." A broken hand pointed to Emeryn. "Your daughter is unfit, her body tarnished. There is no time to wait for another. All this work, wasted because you could not keep your own spawn in line.”


    Emeryn looked up at her mother. "Mother? What is she saying?"


    Her mother did not reply.


    "You will join with me as I abandon this broken body. Fifth Circle, you are forfeit." Taera said.


    "Kneel."


    Emeryn’s mother immediately fell to her knees, prostrating herself. Her eyes were wet with tears as she stared vacantly at the ground.


    Taera''s vines bound Emeryn and she let them. There was no fighting against it now.


    "Tomorrow, you will be executed by your own mother’s hand as I wear her flesh as my new form. Cry for your mother as I show the Kin what disobedience brings. Beg for mercy as your mother drains your life and uses your blood to spring forth a tree to mark the start of our sojourn."


    A root worked its way along her body, crawling and slithering until it wrapped itself around her neck. Emeryn cried out, choking, and watched as her mother did nothing. Her vision faded until all that was left was darkness.


    Emeryn woke, spluttering as cold water splashed against her face. She tried to move but couldn''t. Coming to, she realized her head and hand were confined in two pieces of wood, joined together to create a simple prison she could not escape. Emeryn was bent over at the waist. A mass of people stood around her, whispering to one another. She saw her sister hurrying away from the crowd. The two growers who’d escorted Heylien and her from the family home stood at either side of the pillory with sullen looks on their faces. Heylien hadn’t killed them.


    Still dazed, Emeryn scanned the crowd for her mother. To her dismay, she didn''t find her.


    This was what she got for trying to break the Kin free from their enslavement. Subjugated and put on display. She deserved it, stupidly charging down to threaten a god. Did anything Taera uttered down there have an ounce of truth to it? God of Corruption and Chaos? It sounded mad to Emeryn’s ears.


    The curious voices soon drifted away as the Kin went back to their preparations. They were leaving soon, after all, and they had better things to do than watch the humiliation of one of their failed geomancers, even if she was the daughter of the Fifth Circle. Emeryn knew that they would return with the rising sun to witness her execution.


    When Emeryn saw her mother next, the woman who’d raised her would be gone. It would be Taera looking at her from behind her mother’s eyes. The Kin would bear witness to her mother executing her own child. Only Emeryn knew the truth behind the action.


    It wouldn’t take much to free herself, but Emeryn didn’t bother. She wouldn’t make it three steps before being dragged back to the stocks. Even if she managed to knock out the two guards, others would inevitably come.


    A familiar thud sounded to her left. Emeryn raised her head, and her eyes widened when she saw the female grower lying in a growing pool of blood with an arrow through her neck. The male grower shouted, but it was cut short, and he fell with an arrow lodged in his chest.


    Heylien came running from behind a building, an arrow knocked and ready. He scanned the square, looking for potential threats.


    "Where were you?" Emeryn asked, cracking the pillory open with her powers. The sound of splintering wood rang through the open space, catching the attention of those around them.


    "You were gone." Heylien said, his voice muted behind a cloth covering the lower part of his face. "I looked for you everywhere but found nothing. No trace. Figured they’d found you, so I went looking for help."


    A young man ran at them both, screaming in alarm with a thick staff raised above his head. Before Emeryn had a chance to disable him, the earth opened before the young man, who stumbled and fell, dropping the weapon.


    Emeryn saw her sister, Kienna, peeking out from behind a house, along with an older man with gray and white hair. "You brought my sister into this?"


    "Why not?" Heylien asked, as they ran toward the house. Alarmed shouts rose up behind them. "She stumbled upon me and Ferdinand speaking."


    "Ferdinand?" Emeryn asked. "Who is he?"


    They joined an old man and Kienna, and all four hurried through a few rows of houses until they disappeared into the trees.


    "This is Ferdinand," Heylien said, putting his arm around the old man’s shoulder. "The second-in-command of the geomancers’ guild."


    "There’s a guild of geomancers?" Emeryn asked, astounded.


    "It’s new," Ferdinand admitted, dry washing his hand even as they ran. "Not even half of the Kin geomancers are counted among our ranks, but we felt there needed to be some cohesion, with everything that has happened. The growers were suddenly treating us like servants."


    "And I want to run away with you!" Kienna blurted, running alongside Emeryn’s left.


    "Can you resist Taera’s influence? She has our mother in an iron grip."


    Kienna’s face paled, but she set her jaw. "I’ll try."


    "I’d love for you to come," Emeryn said, though doubt rose within her. She turned to Ferdinand. "Will you and the guild help us fight against the rhinn?"


    Ferdinand glanced at Heylien. "Your friend barreled into our headquarters on the outskirts of the Fourth Circle shouting about one of ours having been captured. I was the only one there at the late hour. I am not here representing the guild."


    "Can you gather them?"


    "I sent word for them to gather at headquarters before I followed your Eldian friend, but I can’t attest to how many of them will respond at this late hour. We aren’t exactly sanctioned to operate as a guild."


    "They’re working in direct opposition of Taera," Heylien said. "Their own little rebellion."


    The comment seemed to make Ferdinand even more nervous. "Ah, well. Yes, in a way. You could argue that, I suppose. We don’t even know if she is real."


    "She’s real," Emeryn said.


    Ferdinand paled even further and looked like he was about to faint. "Well, ah, I see. Then perhaps it would be prudent to put some distance between us and, eh, our god."


    "Perhaps," Emeryn agreed.


    They arrived at a barn. It was a simple brick building, tall and wide enough to fit equipment and livestock. When they entered, it soon became apparent to Emeryn that it no longer served as a barn.


    Men and women of all ages crowded within, and two men about Emeryn’s age guarded the door. They carried spears. It looked so strange in Emeryn’s eyes, but who was she to complain when she wanted to send them into war.


    They crossed their spears over the entrance when the group approached. "No growers."


    "She’s my sister," Emeryn protested.


    "It’s fine, Em, I’ll wait outside," Kienna said.


    "I’ll keep an eye on her," Heylien said.


    Emeryn tugged at his sleeve. "Thanks for saving me." Heylien nodded and went to sit beside Kienna.


    Ferdinand ushered her inside. The whole building was a single open space filled with benches. People milled about in great numbers. There had to be at least a hundred people, but they all fell silent when they saw Ferdinand with Emeryn in tow. As soon as they entered, they were intercepted by a woman in her forties with a round face and a kind smile that did not match the steel in her eyes. "Fer, what is happening?" Her tone was sharp and brooked no nonsense.


    "Ah, well," Ferdinand began, but Emeryn interrupted.


    "I’m Emeryn and I’m here to tell you that Taera is very real and very angry. At me specifically, but you might be in danger too."


    "Fourth Circle," the woman murmured. "I’m Yena, the elected head of this guild. I’ve heard of you.”


    "So, you know what I want from you?" Emeryn asked.


    "I want to hear you say it."


    "Very well," Emeryn said. "I want you to leave Taera and the growers behind and join me in fighting back the rhinn invaders crawling all over Maydian."


    Yena nodded, like she’d expected as much. "Girl, we are geomancers, not warriors."


    "A geomancer in battle can be a fearsome opponent. I can teach you. And I’m no girl."


    "Fair enough. And those who do not wish to fight?" the head of the guild asked.


    Emeryn understood what the woman meant. The decision had already been made. She just needed assurances. "No one will be forced to kill. We will need housing, defensive walls, and moats. Your services might be what tips the war in our favor."


    She glanced at the occupants in the room. "Do this with me," she said with conviction. "Fight for Maydian rather than leaving it!"


    Yena’s eyes softened, and she reached out a hand for Emeryn to take. When she did, the guild head spoke loud enough for the whole hall to hear. "We never wanted to leave Jordfaste. If the growers leave, they will take Taera with them. Good riddance, I say. We will stay in Maydian and protect what’s ours."


    Yena leaned in and spoke words only for Emeryn’s ears. "We are self-governed and will not take orders from anyone. Suggestions yes, but we will not be under anyone’s command. That includes yours, Fourth Circle."


    Emeryn gave the older woman a solemn nod. "Taera and my own mother banished me from the Kin. I am of no circle and would not presume to try and lead you."


    Yena wrapped her thick arms around Emeryn’s waist in a tight hug. "You’re welcome in the guild, young woman. From our point of view, the circles have played out their role. We’re all just Kin. That includes you."


    A sharp scream sounded from outside, followed by a banging on the door. The nearest geomancer opened it, and they all poured outside.


    Kienna stood on top of a stump, her arms stretched over her head, mouth open. Her eyes were glazed, then suddenly came into focus.


    "I have had enough of you," Kienna said, her words booming with the power of Taera behind them.


    "Do I kill her?" Heylien asked.


    Emeryn shook her head, not taking her eyes off her sister. "No, we run."


    "What was that?" Yena asked. "What is going on?"


    "Run!" Emeryn shouted. "Run for your lives!" She would not gamble the lives of so many in a fight they were not ready for. And how could she attack her own sister? Harming her would do nothing to lessen Taera’s power. This was not the time. The lesson taught to her in that cave was one she’d taken to heart. You did not go up against a god and expect to live to see another dawn.


    They ran, leaving Emeryn’s sister behind. The growers were coming.