《Sun God's Corruption》


 The Perfect Offering

    This is the world the gods have turned their backs on. Even these creatures, these holy divine beings, can be overwrought with greed. Amongst themselves, amongst their factions, wars were fought. Wars were lost. Now the power is waning from the land, seeping back into the earth. What would the people do if they knew? Knew that the gates to heaven had been slammed shut. They couldn¡¯t even see the blood pooling beneath their feet. They had to do something, anything, to appease the gods.


    ~~~


    The dirt roads were crowded and cluttered with people. The veins of the city pumped their life blood up and down the winding streets, amongst the grand stone temples and between the little wooden shops and stalls. The city of the gods, Rarfu, was alive with the coming festival.


    This city was the center of the world. The grand place where temples stood as parlament houses and priests ruled the land. Each god had his or her own house, creating a beautiful series of palaces at the center of the city. From there, spiraling outward, were the humans who served their divine masters. Those with the most wealth and power lived closer to the Gods, and the farther away you were from the eyes of the gods, the less the city had to offer you.


    For most though, this did not bother them. Even in the smallest shack on the farthest corner of the dusty roads a man and his family would still take great pride in the fact that they lived in such a blessed place.


    Nethira was one of those people who lived at the outskirts of the city. The poor peasant girl walked alongside her best friend as they strolled the dirt path towards their homes. Tomorrow was a big day, the first day of the festival that celebrated the coming together of the Gods. It was tradition that each citizen gather an offering for their patron and present it at one of the temples at the heart of Rarfu.


    Once reaching the age of 12, each child in the city chose a patron deity. The god that they would offer themselves to for the rest of their lives. They took the name of that gods temple as their surname, a sign of their life long devotion.


    Many children chose the deity of their parents. Most families married within their temple and their children would often pick to serve their households patron. Nethira¡¯s best friend, Ismara¡¯s family, was like that. Her mother and father both had been devoted to Fidta, the god of the soil. It was only to be expected, since she was the daughter of a farmer and Fidta¡¯s grace brought a good harvest. Her life had always revolved around the earth, as did her fathers¡¯, and his father¡¯s, and so on.


    Nethira¡¯s family was the rarity. Even amongst the greater families, it was unusual to have a household as split as hers. Three, soon to be four, different deities were all served under the same roof.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Her Father, as a street performer, had devoted himself to Kaskan, the god of inspiration. Her older brother, who had always aspired to be a great knight, devoted himself to the Father God, Cors, when he had come of age. Cors, the Sun God, offered guidance to those who fought to protect his city. It wasn¡¯t an uncommon choice for soldiers. Her little sister, who was not yet old enough to choose, often visited Gasain, the God of Love. For Na there was nothing greater than the idea of finding the person she was destined to spend the rest of her life with.


    Then there were herself and her mother. Her mother was a ¡®Shadow Woman,¡¯ a shaman who worshiped Tillia, the Goddess of Magick. Nethira, while not yet a Shadow Woman, had followed her mother down the moonlit path of night when she¡¯d come of age.


    As Nethira thought about one day joining her mother in the ranks of the shaman, She clutched the offering to her chest a little tighter. She was both excited and nervous at the idea of being able to practice fortune telling and magick on her own.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna break it if you keep squeezing it,¡± Ismara insisted with a small laugh.


    Ismara¡¯s sweet laugh scattered her thoughts. Nethira laughed a little as embarrassment gently painted her cheeks red. ¡°Aha, you¡¯re right,¡± She said, loosening her grip on the parcel. She knew she wasn¡¯t going to get to see Ismara every day for much longer. She¡¯d gotten engaged to another young farmer who lived on the far side of the city. Nethira couldn¡¯t help but think about how lucky that boy was. Ismara was quite pretty. Far too pretty for him. If Ismara had wanted to, she probably could¡¯ve married up, but Ismara had no such aspirations. She was content with her farm and her family.


    Nethira glanced down at the little basket that Ismara was carrying. The two of them had gone into the city to look for offerings for the next day. Half of the city was out and about, bringing a certain exciting anticipation to the air that filled and drained most of the people in the market at the same time.


    ¡°What did you get for your offering this year?¡± Nethira asked. A wave of pride swept over Ismara as she puffed out her chest, reaching into the basket. From beneath it¡¯s cover she produced a single, gold green apple.


    ¡°What!?¡± Nethira almost spit out her surprise. ¡°How in the world did you get an apple! A ripe one nonetheless! They don¡¯t grow anywhere around here!¡±


    Ismara¡¯s grin turned a bit sheepish. ¡°I had to go through a lot of trouble to get it, but it¡¯s worth it. I need to make sure he hears my prayer this year, and that he looks to my family. I won''t be around to help next year, so I need to be sure that my family''s harvest is easy and plentiful. He¡¯s given us so many blessings, I know it¡¯s selfish to ask for more, but I really want my family to be taken care of. My brother is still too young to get married and have children, so they¡¯ll need all the help they can get,¡± She said.


    ¡°What about you, what did you get?¡± Her friend asked in return. Nethira frowned, clutching the book to her chest once more. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, you know that,¡± She said. There was secrecy around their sect. The Temple of Tillia was shrouded in mystery. So little was known about them by outsiders. Even her own father was blind to some of the rituals that she and her mother preformed. Offerings, especially on this day, were incredibly personal. She couldn¡¯t share it.


    Ismara didn¡¯t seem to take it too personally though. ¡°I was just curious, no reason to get so defensive,¡± She said with an irritated pout. Nethira tried to soften her friends ire with a small smile. She took her hand, squeezing it a bit. ¡°Let¡¯s not fight. We only have so many days like this left. How about tomorrow we go to the temples together! We can walk together, and then after we leave our offerings we can get something to eat!¡± She offered with a big grin.


    ¡°That sounds wonderful!¡± Ismara leaned over and kissed her cheek. ¡°Tomorrow, just the two of us, no talk of families or future husbands. A girl¡¯s trip!¡±

 Can you tell the future?

    The room was dark. Only the flickering of the lit candles around the altar cast a bit of light, causing shadows to sway and dance around the hall. It wasn''t uncomfortable though. The Priests and Shadow Women of the Tilliana Temple tended to be the most comfortable in those shadows. The scent of thyme and nutmeg wafted from the beautiful gold diffusers littered throughout the room. In the great offering bowl for the goddess laid a bed of writing paper on top of it Apples and belladonna flowers sat gracefully around chunks of amber and black obsidian. All items used to beg for their Goddesses attention during this important ceremony.


    Dressed in black, the priestesses and Shadow Women stood in a circle around the altar, set at the center of the room. On one side stood Manesc, one of the priests of Tillia''s inner circle. Opposite him stood the soothsayer. With this ritual they would tell the future of the coven for the coming year. It was a vital ritual, but normally produced the same results each year.


    This time though, Manesc knew that something felt off. The flames of the candles spit and spun as if fighting an invisible enemy . The shadows they created were excited and angry, flashing from one side of the room to the other with frightened quips. The smell of something foul burning floated in and out between the scents of divination and clarity. He looked to Noh across from him, catching her eyes for a moment. She looked a pale.


    He nodded to her to begin. There was a restlessness in the air. That ominous feeling filled those around Manesc as well. The unbalanced breathes.


    Noh set a small wooden box on the altar. She bowed her head and muttered a few words of prayer. The room felt silent for a moment. Not even the echo of their movements on the wall. Bad Omen after bad omen, the priest noted.


    The woman shook the body a few times before pouring the contents out onto the altar. Bones, small bits of bones scattered across the altar.


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    With the pang of the bone on stone, the candles were swept out and the room became dark. Fear quickly turned to tension that felt like a prickle on his skin. He could hear the other members begging to mutter to each other. Manesc clenched his jaw. There was a substantial difference between shadows and darkness. "Noh? Noh can you see anything?" Manesc asked. Embraced in the cloak of total darkness, the only answer he god in response was a thudding sound. His heart stopped in his chest.


    He reached forward until he felt one of the pillar candles on the altar. He prodded his fingers around it until he found the wick. With a small flick of his thumb and forefinger, it lit anew, spreading a faint light racing around the room.


    Gasps and panicked mutters echoed across the chamber. On the other side of the altar, Noh was collapsed on the ground. Drenched in sweat, she was clutching her stomach, whimpering.


    "Noh!" Manesc rushed to her side, kneeling down beside her. Careful not to be too rough, he moved her hands out of the way. He couldn''t see any signs of external injury. He placed his hand on her forehead. Immediately he a wave of nausea crashed against his body, making his head spin and his limbs tremble as he was swept away by its force. Manesc yanked his hand away when he felt dizziness come on.


    "Ahh, Manesc, help me up, I need to see the bones!" She gasped out. There was a part of him that wanted to refuse her and get her to one of the healers as quickly as possible, but that was an impulsive urge that would only cause them problems. He helped her stand, wrapping his arm around her to support her.


    The soothsayer leaned over the altar and nearly fainted again. Shattered. Almost every single bone had broken like glass on the altar. With a shaky hand she reached forward, touching the pieces. Only two remained intact. The beak of a crow had a jagged crack criss-crossing over it, stopping only just before it reaches the other side. It barely stayed together. Underneath it was the only unbroken bone, a half of a wishbone.


    Noh''s eyes darted across the table. Manesc couldn''t read the bones, but he could feel her trembling against him. He felt a dread in the pit of his stomach. Noh was a good reader, probably the best bone thrower in the Temple. There was no way that she simply didn''t take care of her tools, and they cracked. This was a reading of disaster and calamity. Manesc knew very little about divination, but he could tell this much.


    Gingerly, Noh took the bone from beneath the beak. It had a series of superficial cracks in it. It was hard to see in the dim light, but it almost seemed as if the fractures had created a pattern on the bone. "Is that-" Noh Cut him off.


    "A sigil. We have to get this to Elder Brother, he has to be able to interpret this. I need to know. Otherwise, there''s nothing but catastrophe awaiting all of us."

 Can you tell the future? pt 2

    The Sun had dipped behind the horizon by the time that Nethira returned to her home. Her family lived in the outermost slums of the city. The brightly colored lights of the early evening sky splattered reds and pinks across the slanted wooden planks that held their home. She pushed aside the large burlap curtain that hung in front of the gap between the boards and the stone building they leaned across to create the single room hut.


    Warmth poured out of it as soon as she pulled back the curtain, sweeping across her feet and welcoming her in. Her little sister laughed as her father tuned his lyre. The smell coming off the pot that sat over the little fire pit was simple, but it made her stomach growl in anticipation. Her brother was stirring in some salt by the looks of it. He made the most money, in the army, so when he was home he was frequently responsible for dinner. Everything the entire family owned could probably fit in a single wooden crate, but they made up for gold with joy.


    ¡°Is mother home yet?¡± Nethira asked, walking over to set her offering next to their homes small altar. Not many families kept altars in their home, but worshippers of Tillia, like everything else about them, were the exception. It wasn¡¯t much, two candles with a small piece of crystal snuggled between them on a little wooden plate to keep it off the floor.


    ¡°No, the night before the festival she¡¯s always back late,¡± Their father said.


    ¡°Should I go meet her and pick her up?¡± Her brother, Litha asked.


    ¡°The Priests always bring her home where she¡¯s there that late, She''ll be alright, just work on dinner.¡±


    Nethira slipped down beside her sister, looking at the sticks she was using to try and build a house. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Nethira there with Mama?¡± She asked, her voice full of sweet innocence.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Shadow Woman yet, I¡¯m still learning,¡± Nethira explained, placing a small twig on top of the one her sister had laid down. ¡°You have to study a lot of things to properly devote yourself to Tillia. You have to study about herbs and flowers and about crystals and rocks and fortune telling and medicine and even about the stars,¡± She said.


    ¡°And Mama knows about all that?¡± Na asked awe and wonder sprinkled across her face like freckles. Nethira cocked a brow at her and laughed. ¡°Of course she does, you see her doing it all the time. Hasn¡¯t Mama used tea to tell your fortune before?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe in the fortune telling part,¡± Litha butted in.


    ¡°Well, of course, you don¡¯t. That¡¯s why I was talking to Na,¡± Nethira said with annoyance peppered into her words. They often butted heads, as many siblings do. They¡¯d always argued, from the moment that Nethira was old enough to form insulting words. When Litha had chosen Cors and Nethira had chosen Tillia their mother had laughed that it must¡¯ve been destiny. The legends spoke that between all the gods, Cors, who ruled the light, and Tillia who ruled the shadow fought more than any other. It was only natural that their followers would clash as well.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough you too, I won¡¯t have you getting into a bickering match tonight,¡± Their father said, setting his treasured tool to the side and holding his arms out to his youngest daughter. ¡°We all just need to love each other, isn¡¯t that right my little Flower,¡± He said. ¡°Papa stop!¡± She giggled in protest as he pulled her into his lap.


    ¡°My my, it seems like my family is enjoying my absence just a bit too much. You wound your dear mother.¡±


    ¡°Mama!¡± Na squealed with happiness and pulled away from their father, rushing into their mother¡¯s waiting arms.


    Her mother was a stark contrast to the man next to her. Her mother and father had gotten married when they were young, and her mother had held onto her youth. Nethira looked just like her, with the same dark brown hair almond eyes, delicate features, and olive skin. Beside her was one of Tillia¡¯s priests. His face was sharp and angular, and his eyes held a permanent look of displeasure. Dressed in all black he was a foreboding looking man. It was no wonder that people parted for the priests and Shadow Women when they saw them.


    At first, the priests had made Nethira uncomfortable, but her mother had assured her that they were all perfectly pleasant. After all, Tillia was the Mother of Night, one of the few matriarchal deities. She¡¯d never allow a despicable man into her folds.


    ¡°Thank you for walking her back,¡± Nethira¡¯s father said, standing and giving him a small bow. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± The priest assured. ¡°She¡¯s always a dedicated servant this time of year. It¡¯s the least we can do. No Shadow Woman should be afraid to walk around at night.


    ¡°Elder Brother, would you like to stay for dinner?¡± Nethira¡¯s mother asked. The priest politely declined. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I have much to do before tomorrow morning. Blessings of the Night to you, Sister,¡± He nodded his head to her mother, and then turned his eyes to her. ¡°And to you, little sister,¡± He said, before closing their curtain and making his way back down the street.


    ¡°He¡¯s scary,¡± Na said as the man left. Her mother reacted as she always did, with a soft laugh. ¡°Oh, child. He¡¯s a kind and generous man. All the priests are. I assure you, you have no reason to be afraid of them. They just work very hard, and are very serious in their devotion to Tillia.¡±


    ¡°It does feel like I¡¯ve never seen a Tillian Priest smile,¡± Litha commented.


    ¡°Litha, don¡¯t say things like that just to upset your Mother and Sister,¡± Their father chastised. Their Mother¡¯s laugh was like a wind chime on a gentle spring morning. "No, Elder Brother doesn¡¯t seem to smile much does he,¡± she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky your mother is in good spirits,¡± Their father relented. ¡°Now here, take the bowl and sit down,¡± He said as he gave Litha a bowl of stew. The family sat down together, enjoying each other¡¯s company. They didn¡¯t have much, but what they had they shared, and most importantly, they had choice. They had the freedom to follow whatever path it was their heart desired, without being held back. It was too bad, that quite soon, destiny was going to take that freedom from them.

 How did the bones break?

    This wasn¡¯t a part of town Manesc frequently found himself in. The soft red glow coming from the shops and the smell of smoke and alcohol were overwhelming. No one looked at him twice. People assumed that all the priests of Tillia were dubious at first glance. No one would¡¯ve been surprised even if he had intended to find a whore for the evening. That suspicion, he supposed, fell partly on their shoulders. There wasn¡¯t much to be known about Tillia to those who were outside of her congregation. There was only a small portion of the temple that was open to visitors. The inner sanctums and libraries were only for those Sisters and Brothers who took the last name of Tilliana.


    The secrecy was necessary though. The knowledge that hid behind the ornate iron bars could build and destroy nations. Tillia gave them such a precious gift, but the foolishness of their ancestors had brought society to the brink of collapse with it. Now only a devoted few could know the truths.


    He took an inhale from a rolled tobacco, letting the smoke settle in his lungs for a moment before freeing it into the night sky. Sometimes the truth was a heavy burden to bare. Mansec had always felt like the other temples chose to live in ignorance. Oracles from the gods had become more and more scarce as the years went by. One after another, their messengers vanished and their voices fell silent. Other temples believed it to just be the nature of things. There were periods of silence before. They were in a time of great peace, why would their acknowledgement be required?


    He knew though, his temple knew that it wasn¡¯t so simple. Even the Coriast temple tried to play dumb. At first he had figured they were perhaps blinded enough to really be ignorant, but after today, after Noh''s reading, he feared the worst.


    He stomped out the butt in the dirt before scanning the buildings around him. It had to be one of these places. Where the hell were those two anyways. It was the night before the festival and he needed to discuss that weird sigil on the bone. It was an urgent matter and he didn¡¯t want to wait until they came wandering in half way to the crack of dawn. If he was lucky, they¡¯d be at the same spot so he wouldn¡¯t have to go trotting around brothel to brothel looking for them. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    He knelt down, pulling a small wooden top from the pocket of his black robes. He spun it, watching intently as the little toy went round and round. When it fell, the handle pointed directly into the front door of a bar. Well, at least it wasn¡¯t a whore house.


    He collected the top and made his way in. It was a little dump, only really there to keep people drunk enough to move from one establishment to another. It was small, crowded, and loud, everything he disliked.


    At a tight table in the corner he caught sight of the two. A man and woman dressed in all black, swapping shots between each other from a bottle of grain liquor like they were betting on horses. They¡¯d always been competitive but this was getting absurd. This isn¡¯t what he thought he¡¯d be doing when we was promoted to the inner circle.


    Ha slammed his hand on the table, rattling the now empty bottle and drawing the attention of the two. ¡°This is completely inappropriate behavior from the Left and Right hand!¡± Manesc growled out in irritation. ¡°The two of you should be preparing for tomorrow not here trying to see who can get alcohol poisoning first!¡± He snapped.


    The man, young and foolish, gave him a sloppy grin. ¡°Oh come on Brother, it¡¯s just a little fun. Out of all the ceremonies and Sabats this one is the easiest. We hardly need to prepare anything for tomorrow,¡± He said, leaning back. His cheeks were flushed red with liquor. Blessed Night these two.


    ¡°And you, as the Right Hand you should have been there today for the reading.¡± Now it was the woman¡¯s turn. She lifted her eyes lazily to meet his. ¡°Brother, you really must take that stick out of your ass one of these days,¡± She said, taking the empty bottle and swishing it to be sure there was nothing left. ¡°Those readings go the same every year. It doesn¡¯t matter which Shadow Woman does it, they always get the same reading. Blessings and knowledge for Tillia!¡± She sighed a bit, resting her chin in her hand and looking at the man across from her.


    ¡°Not this year,¡± Mansec interjected firmly before the two could get into another pissing contest. ¡°Not this year? What is that supposed to mean?¡± The man asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back. Manesc pulled the wishbone from his pocket, presenting it to the leaders of the temple.


    ¡°The bones broke.¡±


    The two suddenly seemed to understand the severity of the situation. They sat up straight, sobering them quicker then any medicine could¡¯ve. The woman suddenly looked ill.


    ¡°We need to go somewhere we can speak in private.¡±

 How did the bones break? Pt 2

    Nisar felt like he already had a headache. It was hardly midday and his temple had already been thrown into chaos. One of the younger Priests had come running into his office this morning, insisting he needed to go to the Sun God¡¯s rooms right away. There wasn¡¯t a day that went by where at some point he didn''t need to go to the Sun God¡¯s rooms right away.


    Their Father God had shown up in the temple less than six months ago. The Coriast Temple had been awestruck with his presence. His arrival was like a burning boulder falling from the sky and crashing into the middle of the prayer hall. He left no room for people to doubt who he was. It hadn¡¯t taken Nisar long to learn he wasn¡¯t the type of God who had the patience to explain himself to the human masses. Rightfully so. This being was a god, he needn¡¯t explain himself to any man. Nisar knew that, but that didn¡¯t make his job any easier.


    Cors had no problems letting the priests who worked the temple feel his divinity. It was a sickening pressure that sapped all the strength from your knees, forcing you to bow down to the ground before him. It made your head feel so clouded and heavy you had to rest it on the floor. There had been idiots who fought against that feeling at first. Had been. However, it only took a few days for that to no longer be a problem.


    He stopped in front of the elaborate gold doors that lead to the rooms they had cordoned off for their god. Entry and exit to those rooms were strict. He got to the doors just in time to hear the scream of someone who hadn¡¯t listened to those restrictions. Just what Nisar was looking to do with his morning. Clean Up.


    He knocked gently on the door. It cracked up on his own, his permission to enter. The God¡¯s back was to him when he entered, but he bowed deeply none the less. The smell of blood was already soaking into the room. He¡¯d need to call for incense to cover up that stench.


    ¡°I beg you, tell me how he angered you, Great Sun God. As your High Priest it is my duty to take responsibility for his actions and make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.Even bowed as he was he could see the hand of the fallen priest flopped out from behind the couch. A fool. He¡¯d expressly stated time and time again that no one was to bother the Sun God, and that this end of the Temple was forbidden to those who were not given express permission.


    ¡°Stand Nisar,¡± His voice was even, deep, and completely lacking in warmth. He must¡¯ve been quite annoyed. Their God was a god of giving and warmth, everyone knew that, but many forgot that where the sun could warm it could also burn if you didn¡¯t keep your distance.


    Nisar straightened himself up, taking a few steps closer to him. Cors used a bit of the fallen priest''s robes to wipe the blood from his hands.


    ¡°Arrogant little thing, this one was,¡± Cors said, taking a few steps over to where a wine glass was sitting. ¡°Coming in, uncalled, asking for a blessing first thing in the morning,¡± He sipped from the glass.


    Nisar rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°I deeply apologize for the disturbance, I¡¯ll be sure to beat it into them if I have to that you are to be undisturbed,¡± Nisar said. Those morons were going to get all of them killed if they kept acting on their own like this. In the presence of a god...how could none of them have more decorum.


    ¡°I will send for fresh garments, and for someone to clean the room. Would you like for me to prepare a bath for you while some of the servants come to clean?¡± Nisar asked.


    ¡°I suppose that will do for now,¡± Cors responded. Good, one less thing to worry about. He¡¯d have to find some sort of decent offering to fully soothe his ire. It didn¡¯t seem like regular options of wine, oranges, falcon or gold would do. Perhaps a woman for him to enjoy. He¡¯d think on that later. There was one more topic that needed to be discussed.


    ¡°There are many Shadows around the Temple today, in places it seems they normally wouldn¡¯t be,¡± Nisar said, making sure that the God was given the proper distance as he moved around his room.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite good at discerning the omens,¡± Cors commented, milling about.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nisar bowed again. ¡°Does this perhaps have something to do with the Tilliana Temple requesting an audience with me?¡± He asked.


    The god paused his meandering, looking over his shoulder at Nisar. His lips turned into a comfortable smirk that Nisar by now understood meant he¡¯d grown interested in something. ¡°Have they? Well then perhaps it does,¡± He muttered contently. Cors¡¯s mood often depended on how bored he was, so while having a new mouse to bat around might be a problem for the Tilliana Temple, it was quite good for him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see to it than to accept their request.¡±

 How did the bones break? Pt 3

    It was a long, silent walk back to the temple. It didn''t matter how many sounds drifted in from the street. The crushing stillness hung heavy over the three as they walked back into the sanctity of their temple. The black marble and light flicker of torchlight that had always felt calm and comforting suddenly seemed cold and empty.


    "Who was the reader you used? Are you sure she wasn''t an amateur? Maybe she didn''t take care of her bones," The woman, Ror insisted.


    "New fortune tellers don''t use bones. Only a few Shadow Women can do so properly. Who was it, Noh?" The man, Shannon asked, turning to face Manesc. He nodded slowly in response. Noh was by far the best fortune teller in the city. She was one of the best Shadow Women in the entire temple.


    "Fuck, there''s no way she''d let her bones become brittle before such an important reading. This is an omen. A bad omen," Shannon groaned, running his hand through his hair.


    "Let me see the bone with the sigil," He said, holding his hand out to Manesc. He reluctantly reached into his pocket, taking the bone and offering it out to his companion. Shannon took the bone in gentle hands, turning it over, examining the cracks in it. He ran his thumb across the markings, stopping in the middle of the temple hall.


    "Destruction. This sigil means the destruction of heaven" Shannon said, each word falling from his lips as if made from stone. "The gods are dead. Almost all of them gone in a war we were all too blind to notice."


    "You can''t be sure of that! Jumping to a rash conclusion would be detrimental!" The terrified anger wafted off her like a heat.


    "He''s not jumping to conclusions. If you two hadn''t shirked your duties to go day drinking you would''ve been there to see it. As soon as she threw the bones into the altar they shattered. All except two."


    "I''m terrified to ask which two," Ror muttered, leaning back against the wall behind her. "Tillia... is Tillia still...." Worry wracked her voice.


    "Barely but we...don''t think she is going to make it much longer," Manesc''s voice fell as his eyes were pulled to the ground with the gravity of the situation. They''d all failed as priests. Underneath their noses, something like this was being allowed to happen. The entire framework of their world, shattered. The balance was gone. All the power that had been held by the gods had sunken away.


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    "And the second bone?" Ror clutched her fists, afraid to hear the answer


    "We already know," Shannon said, looking to his partner.


    Manesc nodded. "Cors."


    "Damnit, what was his temple doing all this time! They have to know how dangerous this is!" Ror shouted. "The Gods need to share the power or it will destroy everything."


    "Don''t shout that at me, I know that," Shannon growled back at her.


    "You both need to calm down," Manesc demanded. "Right now you are the only leadership we canlean on. At a time like this, the Right and Left hand need to hold the Temple up together.


    "Whose Hands are we supposed to be? Who are we supposed to act on behalf of if our Goddess disappears?" Ror asked.


    "We need an oracle, some direction from her. Some sort of guidance!" Shannon was shaking with rage. Manesc understood. As the Left Hand, he was their Goddess''s voice of reason. He knew her will better than anyone in the temple and he''d misinterpreted her silence. It was going to be a deadly mistake that would follow him for the rest of his life.


    " Appease him," Manesc spoke. "That was the only thing Noh was able to read in the bones."


    "Him!" Ror was outraged at the idea. "That has to be a misinterpretation. This is all his fault! Why would the proud Mother Night want us to appease the sun bastard!"


    "Because she is our mother," Shannon said through a clenched jaw, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We''ve always been tasked with teaching and protecting the truths, and that''s what she wants of us now. She wants us to survive so that we can continue to protect and teach. It is her will that, for us to survive, we have to pick our battles. There is no option but to give in. Her commands are absolute. We have to find a way to appease him."

 What happens when the lights go out?

    Nethira¡¯s mother kissed her cheek and said that they would meet up inside the temple. They parted ways at the corner where Nethira promised to meet Ismara so they could walk together. She pulled uncomfortably at the ceremonial robes she was required to wear. Layers of black cotton laid neatly together to create a simple dress. In the Tilliana Temple, there was no distinction between priest and practitioner like there was in most of the other temples. When you chose to devote yourself to the Mother of Magick you chose to live the rest of your life as a student amongst her ranks. All worshippers of Tillia were welcomed into the inner sanctum of the marble stone palace just as a priest or priestess was. So on holidays like this, every Brother and Sister would proudly don the uniform.


    ¡°Nethira!¡± She heard the sweet chime of Ismara¡¯s voice as she trotted up. The blue tones of Ismara¡¯s nicest dress looked lovely against to the neat braid she¡¯d done her hair into. This sort of apparel was much more common amongst festive city folk than Nethira¡¯s bleak attire.


    ¡°Wow! Are these your Shadow Woman clothes? I¡¯ve never seen them before,¡± Ismara said, walking in a curious circle, poking at the layers of fabric like a street cat looking for bits of food. ¡°All of the worshippers wear them,¡± Nethira said with a small huff. ¡°But it¡¯s so hot. Too much black for this time of year,¡± She grumbled.


    Ismara laughed a little, hooking her arm around Nethira¡¯s so they could begin their trip towards the city center. ¡°At least you look nice. Maybe you¡¯ll find a husband today too!¡± She said with a little laugh, nudging Nethira.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a husband,¡± Nethira retorted.


    ¡°Awww, but Net, how are our children supposed to grow up and get married if you don¡¯t find a husband!¡± She pouted.


    Nethira nearly spit out her laughter. ¡°What? When did we decide our children were getting married?¡± These were her favorite moments with Ismara. She lived such a fantastical life. She believed anything she put her heart to would come true, even if it involved other people.


    ¡°Just now! I¡¯ve decided that¡¯s how we¡¯ll keep in touch!¡± She grinned, holding her friends arm tighter.


    As they walked and laughed, the buildings slowly rose into the sky, transforming from little wooden stalls to stone buildings, growing taller and more lovely as they made their way towards the center of the city. Soon they found themselves in the wealthy district, sprawling manors of white stone and colored glass, but even these homes were nothing compared to the center of the city.


    Crossing through the threshold was like taking a step through a portal into a fairytale land. The palaces of the Gods scraped at the sky, rising high towards the clouds. Each more beautiful than the last. Glistening marble embellished with the finest stone and etched with gold and precious jewels. The Pillars outside the temples had been adorned with flowers and ribbons, holding small trinkets in thanks to their holy protectors. The streets were filled with the essences of merriment. Stalls sold delicious snacks and handmade trinkets. Street performers littered corners and awed children with their music and tricks. People, from the most wealthy politician to the poorest beggar mingled together as equals beneath the gaze of the gods.


    ¡°I love Marilies! This is my favorite festival!¡± Ismara cooed in excitement, stopping to look at one of the stalls selling little beaded hairpins. ¡°Me too,¡± Nethira said, giving a tug on her arm to keep her from getting distracted. Ismara would play with trinkets for hours if left unattended.


    Before them was one of the grander temples. It stood out against the others, made of black marble and adorned with fresh herbs and ribbons of red and green. Not far past the front stairs leading up to the large silver offering bowl were ornate iron gates, protected by priests of the temple. Only a few people who weren¡¯t dressed in the ceremonial attire were walking up to place small offerings in the main collection bowl. These were people who had not chosen Tillia as their patron, but people who instead hoped for small blessings from her.


    Not long after approaching, Ismara pulled away. ¡°Come meet me outside of Fidta¡¯s temple when you¡¯re done! I¡¯ll wait for you over there,¡± She said, kissing her friends cheek. Nethira didn¡¯t take offense to Ismara¡¯s reluctance to hang around outside the temple. The young woman had chosen to walk amongst the shadows. She couldn¡¯t be upset when others were scared of what lurked in the dark.


    She bid farewell to her friend and ascended the stone staircase, slowly approaching the iron gate. This was the first time she¡¯d come to the temple without being directly accompanied by her mother.


    ¡°Blessings of the Night to you, little Sister,¡± one of the priestesses guarding the gate said. Nethira inclined her head in a small greeting in return. After the two stood there for a moment, the woman gave her a patient smile. ¡°Is this your first time visiting, Little Sister?¡± She asked. ¡°My first time alone,¡± Nethira answered.


    ¡°Ahah, don¡¯t worry, entering is quite easy. Do you see all those red ropes hanging from the door?¡± The priestess asked, pointing behind her. ¡°All you have to do is whisper your name to it, and untie one. If you are a Sister, the door will open for you,¡± She explained.


    Nethira felt a tremble creep up her spine. ¡°I haven¡¯t performed my first spell yet,¡± She muttered. She¡¯d helped her mother with things like charms and fortune telling, but she hadn¡¯t tried anything on her own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry little Sister, this is hardly a spell. You¡¯ll be fine,¡± She assured, ushering her over to the thin red ropes that were strung along the ironwork of the gate. With careful hands she took one of the ropes in her hands, holding it close to her lips. ¡°Nethira Tilliana,¡± She whispered to it, before pulling the knot gingerly apart. She heard a sudden creek as the door opened for her. The priestess gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°Go on little Sister,¡± She said.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    When Nethira entered the temple the iron gate closed behind her. The building was dark despite the time of day. There weren¡¯t any skylights to let in the sun. Torches hung every few feet and large brazier sat in the center of the rooms. It was quiet in the Temple, even if they were only a few strides away from the gate. It wasn¡¯t a crushing silence though. It was comforting and welcoming. The hall was filled with the scent of burning herbs and incense. She could pick out a few. Sage for cleansing and sweet grass for protection.


    ¡°Nethira, you made it.¡±


    Nethira heard the welcoming call of her mother as she entered the main hall. Her mother came from the shadows, the black fabric fluttering around her as she glided across the floor. ¡°Mother!¡± Nethira felt warmth fill her as she trotted to meet her. ¡°Have you already given Tillia your offering?¡± Nethira asked.


    ¡°I have,¡± She smiled. ¡°I think she will quite enjoy the spell I wrote for her.¡±


    ¡°Let me go give mine! And then we can go meet Father and Na!¡± Nethira insisted, pulling a small, leather-bound book out from her robes. She was eager to enjoy the festival. Even though the atmosphere of the temple was relaxing, she wanted to be a part of the excitement outside.


    ¡°Before you do, there are a few people I would like you to meet.¡± Her mother¡¯s voice shouldn¡¯t have changed. The tone was the same, her pitch and candor were the same, and yet somehow those words seemed foreboding. ¡°Meet people?¡± She asked curiously, taking her mother¡¯s arm. Noh simply nodded, guiding her to the room she¡¯d just come out of.


    The room seemed pitch black until it didn¡¯t. It was a strange sensation, entering into a room that was otherwise lightless and emerging through the curtain of darkness to be met with the brightness of a well-lit torch. The room looked to be a private study of sorts. Three others sat in chairs, perhaps waiting for her. Nethira recognized one of the men. The sharp-eyed priest who often walked her mother home when she stayed late. The other two were unfamiliar to her. A relaxed and beautiful woman, and a man with hair the color of a fire¡¯s flame. All three of them gave her an uncomfortable amount of attention when she entered the room.


    The flame-haired man gave her a loose smile. ¡°Is this your daughter, Noh? The one you mentioned?¡± He asked. She nodded, wrapping her arm around Nethira¡¯s shoulders and pulling her forward. ¡°Nethira, I¡¯d like your to meet the Temple¡¯s inner circle,¡± She said, smiling. Now Nethira was wracked with confusion. The Inner circle was the temples governing body. The members who could speak to and interpret the goddess¡¯s commands. In this city, the governing bodies of the temples were practically the land¡¯s Lords. Out of the hundreds of members of the temple why were they associated with her mother, a simple fortune teller?


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Little Sister,¡± The woman said, inclining her head a bit in greeting. ¡°My name is Ror, I am the Right hand of Tillia. This is Shannon, he is her Left hand. Has your mother explained the Hands to you yet?¡± she inquired. It was quite obvious that the group was trying to be as unimposing as possible in front of the girl, but somehow she was left shaking nervously nonetheless.


    Nethira nodded a little in response. ¡°The Hands work together to interpret the oracles delivered by Tillia,¡± She said.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the simplified answer, Noh,¡± The Left hand, Shannon said to her mother. Tillia felt a flash of shame at the idea that her answer wasn¡¯t good enough. She tried to catch her mother¡¯s eyes to give her a silent apology, but she didn¡¯t seem bothered. Sweetly, she just smiled it off.


    ¡°She is still studying, I wasn¡¯t expecting to find myself in this position,¡± Her mother answered. Shannon let out a disappointed sigh, but the sharp-eyed priest interrupted him.


    ¡°Elder Brother, please do not be difficult,¡± He said. ¡°Allow me to explain a little more in depth. The Left and Right hand are Tillia¡¯s most trusted servants. They act as counterbalances for each other so that one single person doesn¡¯t have the power to solely interpret her will. They act to guide the Temple together.¡± He said.


    ¡°Sometimes we¡¯ll hear her voice directly, though it¡¯s been a very long time since either of us have,¡± Ror said.


    ¡°O-oh! It¡¯s very nice to meet you, Elder Brother and Elder sister. I-I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t know,¡± She said, bowing to her elders. Nethira had no idea she was speaking with such important people. She had shown such disrespect to the leaders of their temple!


    ¡°She¡¯s so much more respectful than you, Noh,¡± Shannon commented with a small grin. ¡°She¡¯s such a good girl, isn¡¯t she. I don¡¯t know where she gets it from. Certainly not me or her father.¡±


    Confusion forced Nethira to peek her head up again to look at the group. None of them seemed upset by what she¡¯d said. She was still a young student, she didn¡¯t spend much time around more seasoned priests and priestesses. She knew from her brother that the other temples were quite rigid about the structure between the masses. Maybe this was another example of how Temple Tilliana was different.


    ¡°Nethira, We wanted to meet you to ask a favor of you,¡± Ror said, standing up and walking over to the girl. She put her hands warmly on her shoulders. She felt a physical warmth spiral from her shoulders down her body, relaxing her muscles. Nethira looked up to her meeting her eyes. She must¡¯ve just used some sort of spell on her.


    ¡°A favor?¡± Nethira asked curiously. What sort of favor could the servants of Tillia ask of her? Ror nodded. ¡°We¡¯d like you to make a secluded offering, on your own.¡±


    Maybe it was because her head was feeling like it was wrapped in cotton all of the sudden, but Nethira¡¯s confusion wasn¡¯t dispelled. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± she muttered.


    The three priests and her Mother talked her in circles. They kept repeating things like she was going to be doing something special, that this was going to be a huge favor to the Temple, that nothing was happening. They contradicted themselves saying that she was both in a special and mundane situation, being asked to pray to Tillia on her own.


    Nethira was left in the dark. The poor girl was being pulled to and fro like a small boat at sea. All she could do was nod along with the four adults. She held onto the small book she was going to use for her offering.


    Moments later she found herself in the cleared out sanctuary. She¡¯d never seen the room the grand offering hall emptied out. Unlike many temples, they didn¡¯t have a statue of their goddess. She was to represent knowledge and understanding, and that could not be captured in physical form. Instead, there were three vases placed neatly on a stone altar filled with an arrangement of ceremonial flowers, and in front of them the bronze basin that she was to use to put the offering in.


    The door shut behind her, leaving her alone in the dimly lit room. All she could hear was her own heart beating in her ears and the click of her sandals against the stone floor. The cloth of the black robes swept around her like the flickering shadows as she approached the basin. Nethira placed the small, leather-bound book in the bowl and took the torch that hung beside it, placing it inside the bowl to light the offering.


    As the flame kissed the binding of the book a strong wind whipped through the closed, windowless room. Every torch was snuffed out, and darkness befell her surroundings.

 Can you be reborn at sunset?

    Ror was never the type of woman who waited patiently for anything. She chewed on her thumb as she paced back and forth in front of the door. It felt like that girl had been in there for hours, which meant that Noh was right. In the back of her mind, Ror secretly hoped that there had been a misinterpretation of her reading. After all, fortune telling wasn¡¯t an exact science and there were plenty of places where signs and omens could be misconstrued. If only the girl would come out. The longer she stayed in there the more truth there was behind the reading. Their goddess was soon to be gone, for the survival of the truths they were going to need to appease the Sun God, and that appeasement rested on the shoulders of a girl who hadn¡¯t even joined their ranks as a full Shadow Woman yet.


    She felt a hand on her shoulder, halting her steps. The sudden urge to snap at whoever it was who grabbed her came over her. Her hostility took hold of her like a startled jungle cat, but before she could lash out she was met with Shannon¡¯s steady gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re unnerving Noh,¡± He said in a low tone. Ror¡¯s eyes fell to the Shadow Woman¡¯s face.


    The Right Hand let out a slow sigh, trying to compose herself. Noh was already giving up her daughter, she didn¡¯t need to make this process any harder on her. Ror nodded a bit, trying to calm her restless nature. She wished she could be in the room, to have a better understanding of what was going on, what the Goddess wanted of them. Appease him. That was the only message they¡¯d gotten. How was this girl supposed to appease him? No matter what solution she thought of, there was a less than ideal outcome.


    Minutes melted into hours as they stood outside the sanctuary. They couldn¡¯t hear a single word being spoken behind those heavy doors; if there were even words to be said. The silence that swam amongst the group was suffocating. Ror knew that all of them could feel it. Conflict had sparked in their lives and they could do nothing but toss a towel on top of the fire and hope that it was enough to smother it.


    Finally, after an eternity, the doors opened. The girl stepped out of the dark room. Tears were trickling down her cheeks and she was shaking down to her bones. Noh was the first one to her side, wrapping her arms protectively around her daughter, enveloping her and trying to hide her in the safety of a mother¡¯s embrace. The girl was muttering, incomprehensible even without the fabric of Noh¡¯s cotton robes smothering her voice.


    Ror turned to the two other members of the inner circle. Shannon¡¯s face hadn¡¯t shifted. He was good at controlling his emotions when he needed to. Generally a laid back and relaxed man, he knew when to let his emotions free and when to keep them hidden beneath a mask. It was why he was the Left Hand and not she. Her emotions were as loud as a crack of thunder. She couldn¡¯t have covered her worry if she¡¯d wanted to.


    Manesc looked guilty in a way. It wasn¡¯t that any of them had anything to feel particularly guilty about. They were the players in the game and the naive child was the piece. What were they to do? The threat of one god having absolute control was greater than all of their lives combined. It was bitter and disgusting, but this child¡¯s life was a speck of sand in the greater weight of this solution.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Nethira,¡± Ror finally broke the silence. Someone had to. They had to know what happened in the room. ¡°We need to know what happened. Here, take a seat, I¡¯ll get you some water,¡± She offered. She went to get a glass of water from the pitcher in Manesc¡¯s office before returning.


    It seemed that being allowed to cry had calmed her down a bit. Nethira still shook, the cotton swaying against her like the waves of a stormy sea. She held the cup in her hands but didn¡¯t drink from it.


    Shannon approached her, kneeling down to her level. Ror didn¡¯t try to interrupt him. It was probably for the best that the most delicate of them handle this cracked glass situation. ¡°Did she come to you, Nethira? Did she speak to you?¡± Shannon asked. For his careful movements and gentle tone, all he got was a furious nod in response. She hunched forward a bit and a soft sob broke anew. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± She whimpered.


    ¡°You¡¯re sorry for what?¡± Shannon asked with not a hint of annoyance or blame in his voice. Ror was grateful for that. If it had been her, her tone would¡¯ve surely caused problems by now. At least she was wise enough to know when to keep her mouth shut.


    ¡°I killed her! It¡¯s my fault she¡¯s dead! I took all of her power!¡± She shouted out. The sudden outburst got a look of alarm from all of them, except Shannon. He was a rock in the turbulent waters.


    ¡°You did no such thing, Nethira,¡± He said. ¡°Our grand Goddess had a plan and you were a part of it. We knew that. We just didn¡¯t know to what extent. You took nothing from her but what she gave you.¡±


    ¡°But...after she gave it to me the room went cold and quiet. I couldn¡¯t feel her anymore, and I couldn¡¯t stop shaking. I feel ill and tired! It must be a curse for having what I¡¯m not supposed to have!¡± She cried out, nearly dropping the cup of water in her hands. If...If the goddess really did pass on the truths to Nethira it was no wonder she was shaking like that. Her heart would be beating with the breath of the earth and on a day with so much energy she must¡¯ve felt like her entire body was fighting to separate at the joints.


    ¡°What did she say to you, Nethira. It¡¯s very important that Manesc, the Right Hand and I know everything,¡± He said. There was a sternness to his voice but he kept it in check well. He put his hand around hers, holding it steady. The cup stopped rattling.


    ¡°She¡­.She said¡­.that the balance of life had been nearly destroyed. By killing¡­.killing the other gods Cors had taken too much power. She said it had corrupted him. He will destroy without mercy if he isn¡¯t stopped,¡± She muttered, finally lifting her head to meet Shannon¡¯s soft gaze.


    ¡°And what of you. You have her power now, what does she need from you?¡±


    Nethira took a deep breath. Shannon clutched her hand a little tighter to comfort her. ¡°She said I had to carry what was left of her power. She said I had to take her place. . . That I need to restore balance.¡±


    ¡°The Coriast Temple will kill her the moment they learn she¡¯s become an avatar,¡± Ror said. Her words struck through the child like lightning.


    ¡°That¡¯s if they know what¡¯s going on. We can¡¯t jump to that conclusion,¡± Manesc argued.


    The girl''s eyes fell down to the cup again. Shannon¡¯s keen intuition caught the unspoken statement. ¡°They know, don¡¯t they Nethira,¡± He said. Though his words should¡¯ve formed a question they were far from inquisitive.


    She nodded slowly in response. ¡°He¡¯s already here.¡±

 Can you be reborn at sunset? pt 2

    She nodded slowly in response. ¡°He¡¯s already here.¡±


    ¡°Here? Who?¡± Deep in her bones, Ror knew the answer to that question, but it was so incomprehensible she had to hear it spoken out loud. There was no way that could be true. It had been 1,000 years since the last god was recorded to have walked the earth.


    ¡°Cors,¡± Nethira muttered out. ¡°He¡¯s already at the temple.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Manesc said, rising to his feet. He was a large and rather intimidating man. He should¡¯ve known better than to burst up like that. His actions drew Shannon¡¯s heavy stare. He stroked Nethira¡¯s hand to try and ease her back to a place where she was comfortable enough to speak with them.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t heard anything from the Coriast temple,¡± He said, relaxing his posture and taking a step back.


    ¡°They never tell us anything, why would they tell us about this?¡± Ror retorted.


    ¡°Those braggadocious dimwits will talk about anything that glorifies the Father God,¡± Manesc said.


    ¡°Unless he doesn¡¯t want anyone to know,¡± Shannon said, catching Nethira¡¯s eyes again. She nodded a bit. ¡°She believed he was waiting to see what she did since...she is...was...his last opponent. She told me he¡¯s become entranced by his own amusement...that the ¡®game would stop being fun for him if it ended too quickly¡¯ ¡°


    ¡°Is that what she wants us to do? Appease him by keeping his game alive as long as we can?¡± Ror asked. The reality of what she¡¯d just said fell heavy on the inner circle. Their goddess was gone and all that was left was her avatar, the embodiment of her spirit on earth. They alone carried the responsibility of keeping the balance of power from being completely lost. The Tilliana Temple was going to have to play a game of tug-a-war that held the fate of their very existence. What could they possibly do to amuse him!?You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Did she tell you what she wants us to do?¡± Shannon asked.


    Nethira chewed on her bottom lip and tears started to escape from her eyes and dripped down to her lap. ¡°She told me¡­¡± Her voice was as soft as a breath. ¡°She told me to offer myself to him as a bride. She said...that will entertain him for a while...he won¡¯t turn me away and it will give you time to plan what comes next¡­¡± She was crying again. ¡°The last thing she said to me was ¡®I¡¯ll leave you in their care.¡¯ ¡°


    Ror couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. This was how they were to appease him? To give him an offering? And why her? Why this child? Why was it essential that they put so much weight on the shoulders of a girl who shouldn¡¯t, and probably couldn¡¯t, bear the burden. Tillia gave the entirety of the truth to someone who had never performed a spell on her own? Ror let out a frustrated growl. She knew that she shouldn¡¯t have been questioning her but every answer she was given threw her from side to side in an endless flurry of doubt.


    Noh looked pale. She gathered her daughter into her arms again. As she did the cup finally dropped from Nethira¡¯s hand and clanged to the ground, the water splattering across the floor but, with this news, a little bit of water on marble and a dented cup were inconsequential.


    Shannon stood now that the girl had clung to her mother. He looked to Manesc and Ror. There was a lot that needed to be discussed, a lot that would only bring more trouble to the situation if spoken now. Decisions that needed to be made in regards to the... gift that their goddess had left them with.


    ¡°Noh, I think it¡¯s best the two of you go home and rest. This news is a lot for anyone to take in, and Nethira¡¯s body is carrying a heavy burden right now. No matter how much power she had left it¡¯s going to be causing her quite the strain. In three days time come back to us, and we¡¯ll tell you what is going to happen from there. For now trying teaching her a few simple spells to help ease the strain and get her body used to breathing with the earth. Bindings, cleansings, maybe a song or two. Little things,¡± Shannon said gently to the mother, before putting his hand on Nethira¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°No matter what, Nethira, remember that from now on you are the most precious person in the world. Your sacrifice is going to do amazing things for many people. I won¡¯t tell you to pretend this is an honor, but I do want you to remember that you will not be making this move alone. She left you in our care, remember?¡± He gave her a reassuring smile, before sending them along their way.

 Are there any Ears that Listens to our Prayers?

    ¡°I need a good drink,¡± Shannon muttered, rummaging around Manesc¡¯s office. ¡°I know you¡¯ve got something here. If there was a time to pull it out it¡¯s now,¡± He said. Manesc looked unamused with him. Of course, he did, he had no sense of humor. Exactly what they needed right now. A man with the disposition of an angry bullfrog.


    ¡°Needing a drink is what left you unprepared for this in the first place,¡± He said.


    ¡°Going to a bar didn¡¯t leave us unprepared! I want you to tell me how the hell we could¡¯ve prepared for any of this!¡± Ror snapped at him in response. He gritted his teeth in return. If he didn¡¯t adhere so strictly to the hierarchy of the Hands, Shannon was sure he would¡¯ve hit Ror for that.


    ¡°She¡¯s right, Manesc,¡± Shannon said, finding a bottle of ceremonial wine tucked away and very unceremoniously uncorking it. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe everything I heard. I wish there was some way to confirm it. I have a hard time believing our Goddess, the Mother of Magick and NIGHT would want to present her avatar to the Sun God as an offering,¡± He said, taking a long swig from the bottle and passing it to the Right hand to indulge.


    ¡°They¡¯ve always hated each other, why now, with her dying breath, would she have us submit to Cors,¡± Ror echoed his worries, taking her own drink from the bottle.


    ¡°How would you confirm what she said?¡± Manesc asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what bothers me the most,¡± Shannon said, crossing his arms. ¡°We can¡¯t. There¡¯s nothing we can do but take her word.¡±


    ¡°You think she was lying?¡± Ror asked, passing the bottle back to him.


    ¡°She seemed genuinely distraught, and I could feel the magick in her myself. I¡¯m just worried she might¡¯ve misunderstood, that she was in no state to really understand what she was being told,¡± Shannon rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°This is all happening so suddenly. If only we¡¯d had time to plan better,¡± He muttered in exasperation.


    ¡°But we didn¡¯t,¡± The Right hand said. ¡°We have to put faith in Tillia. We are still the Tilliana Temple. We need to trust that she chose this girl for a reason and even if that reason is not apparent to us. We must still follow through with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been a fan of blind trust,¡± Shannon retorted. It was outside of his nature. Ror was meant to be the passionate, emotional servant, and he was supposed to question her. That was how their balance had worked but, in the past when they came to a stalemate, there was always interpretations and omen¡¯s that could be turned to. Now they had none.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Right now blind faith is all we have,¡± Ror said firmly.


    Dammit, he hated when she was right.


    ¡°So, if we choose to put faith in what Noh¡¯s daughter said, we have to decide what to do now. Who does Nethira become to the Temple? To the city? When do we present her?¡± Questions flooded out of Manesc. He may have been the third member of the inner circle but most of what he dealt with was the administrative duties from the city. When it came to important decisions regarding the Temple fell squarely between the Hands and there were nothing but important decisions to be made.


    ¡°She¡¯s not our Goddess,¡± Ror said. A hint of pridefulness and fearsome loyalty bit at her words.


    ¡°She¡¯s not, but she is what Tillia left us. She¡¯s an avatar. I think it¡¯s important that people see her like that. They¡¯re going to need hope and reassurance,¡± Shannon argued. There was no greater authority now. For Tillia¡¯s power to continue on they needed to support the vessel it was in. Nethira was not their goddess, but she was the child she left behind.


    ¡°Do we tell the people that she¡¯s gone?¡± Manesc asked.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Ror practically hollered in response. Shannon took another drink from the bottle to squash his irritation at her bad attitude. How could a woman of her outward beauty lack so much femininity? ¡°If we tell them she¡¯s gone the city would fall into chaos, and the other Temples would start looking to answers from their gods, and what happens when they get nothing. Not to mention, with Cors having chosen to walk amongst the citizen¡¯s I''m sure if he wanted to let people know the gods were gone he would¡¯ve done so already. If we do something he doesn¡¯t like we risk ending his game early,¡± Ror said.


    Shannon let out a click of disgusting, handing the bottle to Ror. ¡°Game, what a disgusting term,¡± He muttered. ¡°I would love for his followers to hear him use that word with respect to their lives. Unfortunately, I fear you¡¯re correct, letting them know anything would cause too much harm,¡± He relented. ¡°I think we should introduce Nethira first to the temple as what she is, an avatar. She needs pre-established legitimacy before we can present her to the Coriast Temple. So we call a gathering and tell everyone she is Tillia¡¯s chosen child.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be a lie,¡± Manesc said.


    ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be the whole truth either,¡± Ror answered. Shannon could hear the displeasure in her voice, but he was sure it wasn¡¯t directly caused by Nethira. Something told him her anger was being displaced.


    ¡°How long before we give¡­¡± Manesc paused to frown at his own choice of words. It brought all three of them discomfort, the thought of handing over their goddess and a child to the Sun Temple. ¡°Give her to the Temple?¡±  He finished.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t waste time. What if Cors grows bored? Surely Tillia¡¯s absence won¡¯t be a surprise to him. How long would he wait before he begins toying with us for fun?¡± Ror muttered, taking a long swig from the ceremonial wine.


    ¡°Not long. Not if he¡¯s already decided to place himself amongst us,¡± Shannon said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to teach her much,¡± Manesc said with worry. Surely he didn¡¯t like the idea of sending the girl in completely unarmed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to teach her anything,¡± Shannon said. We¡¯re going to have to pray she¡¯ll be allowed freedoms of some sort.¡±


    ¡°We should demand it!¡± Ror growled.


    ¡°We could, but who knows if we¡¯ll be granted that. We¡¯re not approaching the leaders of another Temple on equal footing. We¡¯re going to be making requests of a God. A God who has never liked our Goddess or her servants.¡±


    ¡°That poor girl,¡± Manesc muttered, leaning back in his chair. He covered his mouth with his hand as if he could hide his emotions with just that. ¡°She¡¯s going to be facing the brunt of an eternity of hatred. I¡¯m worried he¡¯ll break that child in a matter of days. We must pray for her strength,¡± Manesc said.


    A solemn, serious look crossed Shannon¡¯s face as him. ¡°Pray to whom?¡±

 Are you ready to be a Goddess?

    The three days that passed were the most uncomfortable, intolerable, agonizing three days of Nethira¡¯s life. She wasn¡¯t allowed to tell anyone what had happened to her. Her mother warned her that with something this important she couldn¡¯t make any decisions without the Temple. Without the Temple? It was her life! Her future! Why did she no longer have a choice in it!?


    ¡°You are the most precious person in the world¡± The Left hand¡¯s words echoed in her head constantly. She couldn¡¯t believe them. It was incomprehensible to believe that somehow she was fantastic. Especially in this situation.


    For the last three days, she¡¯d followed her mother out onto the streets where she worked telling fortunes. It was impossible to be at home with her family right now, even more so to be around her brother. Even though he didn¡¯t know any better, and it wasn¡¯t his fault, something about him seemed tainted now. Her mother was no fool, and she could tell after the first night and all the questions how uncomfortable she was. She took Nethira out as early as she could and brought her back late.


    While they were out her mother had taught her a handful of small spells. They came to her much easier than they had before. She could now feel and see the things her mother was describing with complete ease. Nethira knew it wasn¡¯t of her own volition and it hurt to think that it was only Tillia¡¯s power in her body that allowed her to excel. At least with this small outlet she didn¡¯t feel as ill all the time.


    The days crept along, slowly and uneasily, until the morning of the fourth day came. She knew that the inner circle had come to some sort of decision. She¡¯d overheard her mother chatting quietly with another Shadow Woman about the gathering that had been called. Her mother had tried her best not to let Nethira hear what they were discussing but words floated to her ears so easily these days, even if she wasn¡¯t listening that hard.


    That morning, before she¡¯d left for the temple she hugged her father tightly, as tightly as she could bring her body to. Even though no announcement had been made she had the itching feeling that she wouldn¡¯t be seeing her family for a long time. It was like she¡¯d seen the next few days in a dream she could hardly remember, but the shadows of the memories were still there, lingering absently in her periphery. She had to try hard to keep herself from crying. She wasn¡¯t supposed to let anyone know anything until the official announcement had been made. Her mother had warned her that they might want to safeguard the truth. Nethira wasn¡¯t so naive that she couldn¡¯t see why it was necessary.


    As she walked with her mother down the streets and towards the Tilliana Temple, her eyes fixated on the ground in front of her. It seemed the only things she could look at these days were rocks and dirt.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright,¡± Her mother ran her fingers through Nethira¡¯s hair before resting her hand on the small of her back. ¡°You¡¯re so strong Nethira. Remember that,¡± She said. The words were short and kind, but they did little to easy Nethira¡¯s suffering.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°I love you mother,¡± She said softly, leaning into her mother.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± She cooed back to her.


    The temple was full of chatter as they arrived. It seemed busier than the day of the festival. Perhaps because everyone was gathered there at once. They filed into the grand offering hall, the same hall where Tillia had spoken her last words. Nethira was uneasy.


    Nethira stood, silently, beside her mother as she spoke with a few other Shadow Women. She couldn¡¯t contribute to the conversation, she could hardly hear what they were saying over the pounding of her heart. What was she supposed to add to this conversation? ¡®Ah, no, in fact, you¡¯re wrong ma¡¯am. You¡¯re all here because of me.¡¯


    A hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice broke her from her thoughts. Shannon had come over to them.


    ¡°Excuse me, if I may interrupt,¡± He said to her mother. No other words were exchanged between them. No explanation or reasoning. Her mother knew why the Left Hand had come to retrieve her. She smiled as best she could to Nethira, before nodding.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she said.


    ¡°Nethira,¡± Shannon guided her away from her mother and towards the room off the back of the hall. She didn¡¯t want to leave, but she followed without resistance.


    The room she was taken to was quiet. It was just the three members of the inner circle. Manesc, Ror and now her and Shannon. Ror motioned for her to sit, before passing her a glass. She was confused when there wasn¡¯t water in it.


    ¡°You might want to drink that to calm your nerves."


    ¡°Today we¡¯re going to be introducing you to the Temple,¡± She explained. ¡°We¡¯re going to let them know that you are Tillia¡¯s chosen child, an avatar who posses her spirit and power. For now, we think it¡¯s best to not let anyone know how serious the state is. We don¡¯t want to cause a panic.¡±


    Ror sat across from her, watching her. She didn¡¯t know what the heaviness of her gaze was for, but she knew that the Right Hand wanted something from her she¡¯d never be able to give. Nethira¡¯s eyes lowered to her cup. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Ror asked her. All Nethira was able to do was nod.


    ¡°This means you¡¯re going to take a greater role in the Temple as well,¡± Manesc said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will be too terribly difficult. It will mostly be the duties of a figurehead. The three of us will still be in charge of decisions, but we¡¯re going to ask you to spend a lot of time at the Temple for the time being,¡± He said.


    ¡°What about...the other part?¡± Nethira asked. That was the part she could not shake herself from. The idea of having to offer herself to this being that had taken it upon himself to destroy any and all of his piers terrified her.


    Shannon tried his best to offer her a smile. ¡°Unfortunately, we won¡¯t have much time. We¡¯re going to take a month to try and make sure you are prepared. We want you to be able to hold yourself and protect yourself, we don¡¯t want to just throw you into a viper pit. Unfortunately, though we¡¯re worried that if we wait much longer then a month Cors might grow¡­.bored,¡± he said. The word sounded so disgustingly trivial it made her shiver arch across her shoulders like the caress of a ghost. All of this...all these lives that had become her burden and her only job was to keep Cors from growing bored.

 Did you wear a mask to match your bridal gown?

    That day the announcement had gone rather smoothly, as smoothly as Manesc could¡¯ve hoped for. There were the expected reactions of surprise and awe, the clamoring to grasp the goddesses power in person. For a moment Shannon and Ror had been forced to physically bar practitioners from getting closer to the girl.


    Nethira had accepted everything with a cold apathy. It was like she hadn¡¯t been there for the ceremony at all. She¡¯d locked herself away to try and cordon off the future she was to endure. There was no graceful smile or wise demeanor, but wanting that out of a scared little girl was probably too much to hope for on her first day. He felt pity for her, but unfortunately, his pity wouldn¡¯t do anything. His guilt wouldn¡¯t save anyone.


    From that day on he personally oversaw Nethira¡¯s study. She had been told it was best for her to move into the temple. Her mother had allowed it, though at this point they hadn¡¯t needed her blessing. Nethira was no longer Noh¡¯s child, she was the child of the Tilliana Temple. Enacting that right, however, would¡¯ve only served to create a bigger rift. The temple and Noh knew that. Manesc allowed Noh to spend as much time around Nethira as possible. She wasn¡¯t an unskilled Shadow Woman, so having her available while he tutored Nethira wasn¡¯t a bad idea. She was more receptive to the knowledge when her mother was around.


    Nethira was a bit old to not be a full-fledged Shadow Woman, so Manesc was expecting that he¡¯d have a difficult time preparing her. That wasn¡¯t the case. Nethira soaked up the truths like they were the air in her lungs. In particular the songs. A very peculiar control of magick the songs were. They relied on the body being completely in tune with nature. One¡¯s heart had to beat with the breath of the earth, their blood flow with the course of the river. The voice of the Shadow Woman or priestess needed to be completely in sync with the songs of the wind. He¡¯d never met someone who was able to take to the songs as Nethira had. He wondered if it was Tillia¡¯s strength that had given her that ability, or if perhaps this natural pull towards that practice is why Tillia had picked her.


    She was a quick learner. It was for the best that she was. The month flew by too quickly. Even with her soft disposition, it seemed that her presence filled the temple. She¡¯d only recently stopped scowling all the time and smiled when she greeted the priest and priestesses in the halls. She¡¯d even begun receiving practitioners at offering. The halls were going to feel hollower without her humming echoing along the marble.


    The day had come, and it had come far too quickly. No one in the city, outside of the temple, had been informed about her. Ror and Shannon hadn¡¯t even explained the request for the audience to the Coriast Temple. Luckily, they didn¡¯t need to. Decorum dictated that the leader of one temple had to receive the leader of another if a formal request was to be made. Manesc was sure the High Priest of the Coriast temple had fumed when the letter had been presented to him.


    Manesc walked towards the room they¡¯d given Nethira in the temple. Inside he could hear Ror and Noh speaking with her, but the hum of a soft tune was the easiest to pick out. It was a gentle lullaby of a sound that wrapped the listener in a sense of warmth. Manesc knew by now it was one of her favorites.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He knocked gently on the door. The humming stopped.


    ¡°You¡¯re here already,¡± Ror said, opening the door for him. He looked past the right hand, to Nethira, sitting on the stool in front of a mirror. The way she¡¯d held herself had changed over the last few weeks. The month had aged her so terribly. She wore a black silk dress, adorned with blue and black beads. Protective sigils were woven into the hem of the dress and around the veil. Her hair, the color of untouched earth, sat in soft curls on her shoulders and her dark eyes glistened with a certain sadness. She looked like a proper bride.


    ¡°You look beautiful,¡± Manesc offered, trying to bring some gentle sincerity to the situation, but the emptiness that met his eyes told him flattery would do no good. ¡°Thank you,¡± She said with a gentle inclination of her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure Cor will be pleased.¡±


    Manesc hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d gripped his hands into fists until he felt his nails biting into his palms. He relaxed himself. There was enough tension floating around that the last thing they needed was him on edge as well. ¡°Please don¡¯t do that,¡± He said in a steady voice, trying to bring to the service the mentor who had watched and taught her so closely. ¡°You are the chosen child of Tillia. You should never bow your head to me or anyone else,¡± He said to her. She gave him a distant smile in return for his earnest. ¡°I suppose your right.¡±


    He opened the door for her, guiding her to the entrance. A small entourage waited. Shannon was alongside a young priest holding an umbrella to shade Nethira from the hot summer sun and two Priestesses holding gifts of gold for the opposing Temple. It was a gesture Manesc had to practically force Ror and Shannon to uphold. The Hands were too stubborn in their beliefs that they were already giving the temple a gift far greater than they deserved. Demanding ceremonial gifts as well was just spitting at their feet. Manesc honestly agreed, but the situation was so delicate. Proper etiquette between temples needed to be observed.


    Noh stopped before they exited the gates. ¡°This is as far as I can follow you, Nethira,¡± She said. Nethira turned suddenly, a jingle of bracelets and beads moving with her. That plaster mask she¡¯d been wearing clanked loudly on the ground. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t come with me?¡± She asked a certain franticness in her voice that only a girl could have for her mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry for me, dear child,¡± Her mother wrapped her arms around her, bringing her close. ¡°You can¡¯t cry. Not anymore. You are above tears for me or anyone else, do you understand?¡± She asked. She kissed her temple and leaned forward. ¡°You must lock up your heart and throw the key into the deepest deaths. It will bring you nothing but pain for now. For your own sake you must no longer feel for me or for anyone else, do you understand my dear?¡± She asked, kissing Nethira¡¯s cheek. She pulled away from her mother, biting her lower lip until it turned red. Not a single tear was shed. Her mother smiled at her.


    Manesc put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°We must leave,¡± He said softly to her, turning her away from Noh and back to the waiting party. The Temple owed Noh a great debt of gratitude for what she had done.


    As she turned her back to her mother Manesc could feel a cold prickly across Nethira¡¯s shoulder. An icy air wrapped around her as she exited the temple. She took her spot beneath the umbrella. Manesc met the Hands at the front of the precession as they made their way down the street towards the Sun Palace.


    ¡°How is she,¡± Shannon asked.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be ok,¡± Manesc answered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound sure,¡± He retorted.


    A frown fell across Manesc¡¯s lips as he looked over his shoulder at Nethira. She¡¯d picked back up the mask and was staring straight forward as she walked. She was looking through their backs, lost in her own thoughts. He could only imagine what types of thoughts were swirling around in her mind right now.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be ok,¡± he repeated. She had to be.

 Did you wear a mask to match your bridal gown? pt 2

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound sure,¡± He retorted.


    A frown fell across Manesc¡¯s lips as he looked over his shoulder at Nethira. She¡¯d picked back up the mask and was staring straight forward as she walked. She was looking through their backs, lost in her own thoughts. He could only imagine what types of fears were swirling around in her mind right now.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be ok,¡± he repeated. She had to be.


    The Coriast Temple and the Tilliana Temple were on opposite ends of the city center. It was only natural that two opposing gods be kept far apart. The summer sun beat down on them with the power of an enemy. Ror did her best to keep them cool. She was a Master of the Seasons of Emotion and could control the elements quite freely. However, something about the heat was unnatural and it still seemed to try and penetrate through Ror¡¯s cool cloud.


    The procession had drawn attention the closer they got to the Coriast Temple. The ¡®rivalry¡¯ between Cor and Tillia was no secret, so seeing an official entourage from Tillia approaching men of Cors was a sight, and people wanted to know why. They followed behind like strays hoping to catch a glimpse of food.


    The Sun Palace lived up to its name. It was easily the grandest Temple in the city. Towering pillars of white and gold littered a lush courtyard. Fountains and pools decorated the lawn. The impeccable walkway with sun spirals carved into it lead them up to the Entryway where the Priests of the Coriast Temple waited. The men of the temple were adorned as finely as their temple. The gold and white robes and glittering sun medallions were a stark contrast to the humble black attire of the priests and priestesses of Tillia.


    The High Priest, a middle-aged man of average stature, stepped forward.


    ¡°Priest of the Sun, thank you for welcoming us,¡± Shannon exchanged the formal greeting. Manesc was always quite happy when Ror knew herself well enough to keep herself out of situations where manner was required.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Priest and Priestess of Magick and Shadow, Welcome,¡± He said. It was a fruitless greeting between three people who hated each other.


    ¡°We brought gifts of gold for the Temple, to show our thanks for your time and hospitality,¡± Shannon continued the script, directing the two priestesses who held the gifts forward. They exchanged hands with the same enthusiasm that the three exchanged greetings. After all, what were two small gold figures in comparison to what littered the Temple?


    ¡°Thank you for your gifts,¡± The high priest said, before training his eyes on the only thing that was left. The crystal-adorned young girl who he¡¯d never seen before. ¡°And this girl, is she perhaps the reason for your visit?¡± The High Priest asked. Manesc could feel the frustration wafting off the Hands like waves of heat.


    ¡°The Tiliana Temple offers this girl to Cors on behalf of Tillia,¡± Shannon said. His words were sharp and precise, piercing through the smug aura of the Coriast High Priest.


    Manesc couldn¡¯t help but think it looked like the priest wanted to laugh in response.


    ¡°We don¡¯t really accept those sorts of offerings but, I suppose if it¡¯s from the Tilliana Temple I¡¯ll make an exception. She seems pretty enough to keep around,¡± He said.


    ¡°I think you misunderstand.¡±


    All three of the inner circle turned at the sound of Nethira¡¯s interjection. The girl was wrapped in a strange armor of attitude as she stepped out from under the umbrella. Without thinking the three of them parted to let her forward. Manesc could see her hands trembling as she folded them together. She met the High Priests gaze with an audacity that visibly upset him. ¡°I do not offer myself to the Coriast Temple. I offer myself to Cors,¡± She said.


    Surprise flooded across the faces of all the sun priests who had gathered outside to meet them. They were too shocked to see how shaken she was. Manesc smiled a bit at her bravery.


    ¡°He¡¯s here, is he not? He walks amongst the temple men,¡± She said. There was a borrowed air about her. It unnerved the High Priest, especially since it was obvious they¡¯d gone to great lengths to keep his presence away from the public. ¡°Who would tell you such a thing?¡± He asked but he was quite clearly already on guard.


    ¡°Tillia,¡± She said. ¡°I was sent by her.¡±

 Do you think the Gods can be vain?

    The Halls of the Coriast temple felt like they were getting smaller as the group was lead inside. Nethira felt her entire body was rattling as she walked, sure the sounds of her bracelets were distracting at this point. She wanted to look for reassurance, but she couldn¡¯t make active eye contact with anyone.


    Ror and Shannon walked in front of her and Manesc was too her back. She had to keep that confidence. It was the best way to survive now. Her confidence had already been successfully unsettling once, but the High Priest was just a test. She could feel it, something deep within her, an approaching dread as she knew she was getting closer to him. It was if her body was being physically repelled from this place, she could feel a pressure against her chest trying to push her away, but she walked forward.


    They walked towards a room with an ornate set of doors. There were two, now rather confused, priests waiting outside them.


    ¡°Let us in,¡± The high priest said immediately. There was a moment of uncertainty between the young men at the door. It was almost palpable. After a moment of consideration the two of them finally parted, opening the doors.


    In a moment of panic, Nethira glanced back at Manesc. He caught her eyes and gave her a small nod. The best either of them could do.


    The room looked like the personal quarters of a king. Drapery coated the walls and plush benches sat here and there. The back of the room opened to a lush garden and a manicured pool. Though all of that paled in comparison to the man sitting on one of the benches. He was radiant, almost terrifyingly so. Nethira had to stop herself from dropping to the floor. Her knees became weak in his presence. She wasn¡¯t the only one though. It took her only a moment to find that everyone around her, priests of both the Coriast and Tilliana temple had fallen to their knees in the entryway.


    Her heart rate quicken, unsure of what to do in this moment. She was told to bow to no one, but did that include Him?Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Nethira looked down at Shannon and Ror, but she felt an invisible grip wrench her attention forward. She met the man¡¯s gaze. Stunning eyes enraptured her. It looked like melted gold itself moved amongst them. She felt her pulse quicken as the urge to step away seized her every muscle. It felt like any moment her legs would give out beneath her and lower her down to the ground with the others. There was absolutely no way she could let that happen.


    He took to his feet. The loose red and gold robes hardly clung to his body, showing more of a man then she had ever seen before. His movements were smooth, effortless and elegant, but there was some disgusting and horrid about them that she couldn''t figure out.


    He stopped before her, poised as a finely carved statue. Her every breath demanded that she kneel before him as well, but she refused. She pushed herself to stand straighter, to meet that gaze, as much as it burned to do so. This seemed to amuse him. She felt lucky.


    ¡°Tillia,¡± He said with a smirk, reaching out for her. He nearly stepped on the hand of his own priest to do so. ¡°She is not Tillia, but she was sent by her, as an offering to you, Great God of the Sun,¡± The High Priest said.


    He laughed. It was a laugh that gripped at her spine and sent a chill running through her very core. His fingers brushed against her chin and she had to fight to not pull away. ¡°You¡¯re all fools,¡± He said, smirking at her now. ¡°You¡¯re what¡¯s left of her, aren¡¯t you?¡± He asked.


    Nethira¡¯s mouth felt dry and she seemed to forget how to use the spoken language. She pressed herself to step forward, away from the others.


    ¡°I am¡­¡± Something deep in her gut told her not to lie. Not if he already knew. He was a god, surely he could feel her, the same way she could tell he was in the room. She couldn¡¯t make the mistake of thinking Gods were the same as them.


    ¡°So with her dying breath she gave her essence to you and sent you to me for...what?¡± he asked, seizing her arm and pulling her towards him. Her stomach heaved and she wanted to wretch.


    ¡°I...she¡­¡± Being this close to him was physically exhausting. It sucked something out of her. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up and meet his eyes.


    ¡°Speak, girl, I¡¯m growing bored of you,¡± He said with the same tone someone might use when having just eaten something putrid.


    ¡°A bride,¡± Nethira sputtered out. ¡°She offers me to you as a bride,¡± She said. She wanted to pull her herself away from him but her body refused to listen to her commands. This was what it was like to truly be in the presence of a god.

 Brief change in upload schedule

    Not the chapter you might''ve been looking forward to, but I wanted to let you know that there is going to be a brief change in the upload schedule. Japan''s spring semester is coming to an end, so my work load is a little absurd right now. Because of that for the next few weeks Sun God''s Corruption will only be updating once a week on thursday and the chapters may be shorter. I appologize for this but dont worry, check back August 1st for the return of the normal upload schedule


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    Not the chapter you might''ve been looking forward to, but I wanted to let you know that there is going to be a brief change in the upload schedule. Japan''s spring semester is coming to an end, so my work load is a little absurd right now. Because of that for the next few weeks Sun God''s Corruption will only be updating once a week on thursday and the chapters may be shorter. I appologize for this but dont worry, check back August 1st for the return of the normal upload scheduleIf you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Not the chapter you might''ve been looking forward to, but I wanted to let you know that there is going to be a brief change in the upload schedule. Japan''s spring semester is coming to an end, so my work load is a little absurd right now. Because of that for the next few weeks Sun God''s Corruption will only be updating once a week on thursday and the chapters may be shorter. I appologize for this but dont worry, check back August 1st for the return of the normal upload schedule


    Not the chapter you might''ve been looking forward to, but I wanted to let you know that there is going to be a brief change in the upload schedule. Japan''s spring semester is coming to an end, so my work load is a little absurd right now. Because of that for the next few weeks Sun God''s Corruption will only be updating once a week on thursday and the chapters may be shorter. I appologize for this but dont worry, check back August 1st for the return of the normal upload schedule


    Not the chapter you might''ve been looking forward to, but I wanted to let you know that there is going to be a brief change in the upload schedule. Japan''s spring semester is coming to an end, so my work load is a little absurd right now. Because of that for the next few weeks Sun God''s Corruption will only be updating once a week on thursday and the chapters may be shorter. I appologize for this but dont worry, check back August 1st for the return of the normal upload schedule


    Not the chapter you might''ve been looking forward to, but I wanted to let you know that there is going to be a brief change in the upload schedule. Japan''s spring semester is coming to an end, so my work load is a little absurd right now. Because of that for the next few weeks Sun God''s Corruption will only be updating once a week on thursday and the chapters may be shorter. I appologize for this but dont worry, check back August 1st for the return of the normal upload schedule

 Do you think the Gods can be vain? PT. 2

    ¡°My bride?¡± his lips curled upwards in sick amusement. It was both unsettling and relieving to know that he wouldn¡¯t reject the offering. The God chuckled to himself, letting go of her. However, but not for her own comfort. Cors took a few steps to the side, walking around her, examining her. Nethira kept her eyes steadily forward trying to ignore him.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± He said, as if that were something she should''ve been proud to hear.


    ¡°You look a bit like her too, did you know?¡± He asked her, pausing at her back. ¡°Her hair was a much richer color though,¡± He said, flicking it over her shoulder with what she could only assume was annoyance. Nethira had to contain herself. It was futile to reflect that annoyance back, even if he was accepting her the same way he¡¯d accept an offering of cattle. ¡°Your skin¡¯s radiant though, are you wealthy?¡± he asked, grazing his fingers across her exposed side. She uncontrollable shuttered at his touch.


    ¡°I am not. My mother is a Fortune Teller and my father is a street performer,¡± She answered as he came to a stop in front of her. He discarded that information as soon as he heard it.


    ¡°You have her look in your eyes,¡± He said, seizing hold of her jaw and yanking her forward. She stumbled against him, but her weight didn¡¯t shift him in the least. ¡°That look of petty defiance. I always hated that look,¡± He said. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Before she had a chance to react to him, Cors had forced his lips to hers. His tongue shoved into her mouth in a controlling and angry kiss. A kiss that only accepted his right as a husband and nothing more.


    Nethira felt a growing faintness as he took his kiss. A warm stinging tugged at her eyes. Tears leaked down her cheeks from the sudden pain that calmed only when the god released her. ¡°Heh, it looks like I¡¯ve upset your pets,¡± Cors said.


    Nethira rubbed the tears from her eyes and looked over her shoulder. Manesc, Shannon, and Ror all had the look of tense soldiers. Why wouldn¡¯t they? Their Goddess¡¯s forever enemy had just made a mockery of them. Though she noticed a bit of a startled look float over them. She hadn¡¯t the slightest idea why they suddenly looked surprised.


    Nethira felt a hot breath on her ear.


    ¡°If I could kill a god, imagine what I could do to your priests and priestess. You should remind them of their manners,¡± He laughed to her, before pulling away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept your offering,¡± He said with a certain fickleness that made her uneasy. ¡°We will discuss the terms, the rest of you may rise,¡± He said. The heaviness in the air lifted as he seated himself back on the bench. Cors sat like a man who did not need any type of etiquette, lounging across the chair like he was going to take a nap in the sun, not like they were discussing Nethira¡¯s life.