I took my time before trying to sit up. I felt like I was going to be sick. I welcomed the smell of Valas hut. Freshly baked foods, herbs, spices, teas. I was forcing myself to think of what I could smell, calming my stomach before I opened my eyes.

When I was finally able to sit up I could see that Bellator had arrived during my time viewing the gods. He stared at me intently.

Breathing slowly, I stood up and walked over to the pale of drinking water that Vala kept in front of her garden window. Dipping the ladle and taking a long drink, I was thinking about the vision.

So the gem is actually Aadi's heart. It was Aadi.

I walked over to my pack, opened it and took out the necklace with Aadi's heart. "A gods heart." I whispered to myself.

Turning to Vala, she nodded.

"Vala, what if thi..." I started

Sigurd stood up and clapped his hands in excitement, interrupting me. "Glory! Glory for us all!" His big hair was slightly bouncing as he hopped on the spot. I was wondering if they were going to get tangled in the vines that were on Vala's roof. He then threw himself into a low bow, and very seriously said, "Hail Aadi, the sacrificed God." Then stood up suddenly with a grin. "I am pleased to see he is in your hands, Kaida! Glory! Glory!"

After waiting a moment to see if Sigurd was okay, and I was able to continue, I couldn't help but wonder, What the hell is wrong with him?

I could see in Belltor's face he was wondering the same thing I was.

Bellator was standing, leaning against the wall nearest the front door on his back. Arms crossed in front of him. He was dressed in the same leather armor he always had on. I would like to train with him and test his skills. I was in need of some practice. I didn't like being lazy.

Vala broke the silence. I realized I was standing there lost in my thoughts, staring at Bellator. I put the necklace on and walked over to the table taking a seat beside Vala.

Passing me a fresh Mug of tea from a , "Now that you are aware of who Aadi is now, I think we can ask you for your help. You see, Kaida, I believe you are fated to bring down Amaia. I have seen you in battle with her"

Oh yes, Me, battling a god. With my piss poor magic? I like to think I'm a good warrior, but never have I thought I would be skilled enough to battle gods.

I laughed. I laughed like I finally understood of Sigurd's strange jokes.

"A battle between me and a God? Surely Vala, you know so much about me, you must know Magic is most definitely not my strong point." I flushed with embarrassment.

I hated talking about how awful I was with Magics. An awakened who was unskilled was not usually taken seriously by others awakened. As if they are below the lowest of us. I avoided that ridicule in my own village because I fought and defended against many threats with enough of my peers to gain their respect.

"Yes, I am aware. I am not concerned about that. You have the spirit of a warrior, Kaida. Trust in the gods. They have given you a mission that they would have to have to trust you in return." She paused and touched the gem around my neck. "This will change your life."

I needed some air, and wanted to get away so I could decide if I was going to help the gods, or anyone else. I walked through the back door into Vala's garden. I could see a few night animals creeping among the trees, probably hoping for some roots, or fruits, Or even some of the meat in the smoke box.

Slumping down into one of the wooden chairs, I let out a huff. Oh course I was going to help. It's fated. I was never one to question fate, or the gods. They have granted me enough in my past that I knew they were there.

I touched the gem, rubbing the smooth surface with my finger tip. I could still feel the same power from it, as the first time I touched it. Knowing that it was the heart of a god made it more precious to me. I wanted to know the rest of the story. What Happened with Amaia? Ota was still the King of Gods, that I knew. Amaia must have failed her coup, or she would be the one on the throne.

Vala said Amaia had to be let through a port between realms. What realm?

Sigurd came out of the hut. He walked over to me while humming some tune and plopped down beside me in his previous seat. "Beautiful night! I love the lights in the sky! They remind me of Smikle berries! Delicious, and squishy!" he finished and started humming again.

Smikle berries? They were white, and had a terrible tart flavor to them. They were good for one thing, the waste. I let out a quiet chuckle.

"Aadi told me you were coming." He said. "He told me all about you, and that I was to come help you!"

"Aadi talks to you?" I asked curiously

"The gods are always talking to me. Awake, sleeping. Always. I'm a Seer." He laughed. "A SEER! Hah! With half the ability to see." He clapped his hands once. "I hear messages, never see them!"

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He stood up and walked over to a grassy bit, laid down on his back and started to hum again.

"Sigurd, what's wrong with you?" I asked bluntly.

He burst out laughing. "Oh, I suppose I have gone a bit mad." He said, clicking the tips of his toes together happily. "I can't control my abilities as a Seer. You could say, I'm like you, Not well gifted with my gifts!" He chuckled as he told me. " You would be too if you heard the deaths of people, over and over. No way to stop them from coming."

I see. Sigurd's mind has been broken by his own magic. I felt pity for him.

"Pity me not, Kaida. Nothing can be changed, I am who I am!" He said with a smile and continued humming looking up at the sky for a few moments.

"I will help you" He said, waving his arms in front of him, and sent out a burst of small colorful sparks from his palms. "It is settled!"

Great. The crazy guy is coming with me to fight a god. Why not?

At the moment the black fox that was supposedly attacking Sigurd earlier beside the river, came walking out of the trees that lined Vala's garden. Just as I was about to stand up and chase it off, Sigurd called over to it. "Willow my dear! I was wondering where you were. Come here my darling. Come, come!" He was pulling out some kind of dried meat out of a pouch on his hip. Was he treating this fox?

He Laughed, "Sorry, I needed to get your attention one way. And Willow was all too eager to help." With that said, Willow walked over to Sigurd, snatching the meat from him. She sat eating it beside the fire eagerly.

When she was done, she walked over to me staring into my eyes. She sat in front of me, licking her lips, savoring the taste of the meat on her fur. A few moments later she laid down at my feet, seeming to accept me.

After a while of sitting outside, Willow asleep at my feet, listening to Sigurd hum and talk to Gods about what color the sky will be in the morning, Vala and Bellator joined us.

"Sigurd has been cheering me up" I told them. Vala smiled and sat beside me. "I am sorry that this has come down on you, Kaida. I do believe you are the right person that Aadi has chosen as his champion." She assured me by patting my hand.

I do like her. I hugged her. "Vala, I will do what I can do to stop Amaia from coming back here. She's dangerous. I've seen that."

"Ill also be coming with you." Bellator spoke for the first time in a while.

I wasn't surprised. I had a feeling he would be joining me. "My magics has never gotten better. You all must understand. I will fight my best, I always have." After saying this both Sigurd and Bellator nodded.

"Lets celebrate!" Sigurd said excitedly as he jumped up off his grassy bed, cause Willow to leap away into a bush somewhere. "I love celebrating!" He pulled out his bottle from his cloak once again, and popped the lid off.

"Oh, yes. I will drink to this moment." Agreed Vala. " I will also." I added in, stood up to get some cups from inside. When I came back out Sigurd was singing a song and dancing towards me all too happy to fill our cups.

We all went to sleep that night with full bellies, and too much to drink.

I was dreaming of catching fish in the Duskin River. The water was cold, and I could feel the wind on my face. Along the banks of the river was long grass broken by dirt shores. A few deer and other horned beasts were drinking downstream from me. The sun was starting to set. I was spearing a fish when I noticed a man, dressed in black cloak, standing on the river bank across from me. The cloak's hood was over his face. As I noticed him, he left his hand towards me, holding it out waiting for me to grab it.

I dropped the spear and started through the water, crossing the river. The current in the water was getting stronger and the river was rising the closer I got to the man. As I entered the middle of the river the water was almost past the top of my head, and Swimming through the current was taking all the strength I had. I had to get across. I had to take this man's hand. I fought with everything I had until I neared the other side of the river. I reached up, desperate for his hand. He reached down, gripping my wrist, pulling me out of the water effortlessly. As I steadied myself on the shore line, breathing hard, I looked up wondering who he was.

He pushed the hood off of his head. It was Aadi. He bowed his head slightly, and then looked up at me with his golden eyes. His hair was black, and shining in the sunset. Under the cloak he was wearing the Armor I saw him wearing in my vision. He was untouched. No blood. No gaping hole in his chest where the blade was.

"I am Aadi" He introduced himself. His voice was warm, Unlike his sisters, Amaia's voice. "Thank you, Kaida. Agreeing to fight a god is not something most would agree to help with."

"Why me?" I didn't know what else to ask, or say for that matter.

"You are a true warrior. A spirit I have not felt in the world for a long time. A spirit I felt I could connect with." He told me.

"I'm not the right person, Aadi. I can't use magics like you need." I confessed

"I'm aware of your hardship. That isn't a concern for me. You are brave, and true to the gods. You will learn new magic. You will learn to use my power." He looked me in the eyes.

"Why were you going to help your sister overthrow King Ota?" I needed to know.

He sighed, then taking a deep breath he looked across the river. Not looking at me he answered. "I thought Amaia was better equipped to rule the Gods. I thought she was interested in being queen OF the gods..." He paused, then turned to look at me. "Not the ONLY god. She was going to kill them. All of them." He repeated, sounding hurt. "And having my heart in her possession gave her the power of two gods." He started walking. I followed.

"Only a god can kill another god. With the power of two gods, Amaia would have had the power to kill all of the gods. I didn't know she planned to sacrifice me for her cause. She betrayed me" He was running his hands along the tops of the tall grass. " I was wrong to support her. And I beg that Ota will see fit to release me once I have repaid my debt to him."

He turned to me and took a deep breath in. "we will speak soon, for now, expect something to change for you" He turned and started walking away from me.

Everything faded,

Opening my eyes hurt, the sunbeams that were shining through the cracks in the fur window covering were burning them. I cursed Sigurd and his damned bottle of drink.