Demon Continent Alsace in 291 after the shattering of the empire.
They all waited, transfixed, for an answer from one of their two leaders. They had brought the body of the priest to their healers, as they had brought the children to them. To examine them as well as him.
None of them wanted one of the children, especially not their own, to be marked by a priest of Meinoume. But at the same time they had the problem that the priest was dead, possibly. A priest for whose safety they are supposed to take responsibility. Where his death should not occur, even if no one liked him or the god he served.
They now had a problem that they had to fix. In a hope that he was not dead, but only injured and unconscious, they had brought him to their healers. So that they could help in such a case.
Since that moment, and also because it had already become precariously dark, they had rested for the night.
No one was really calm, everyone could feel the tension. Also she had the feeling that she could grasp it with her bare hands. All this time she had Cali on her or near her.
The fact that Cali slept through everything and was not crying like the other children or in a state from which they could not be brought out again was a blessing for her. All the other children were difficult to calm down since this incident, some of them had fallen asleep. Which was more due to exhaustion than the fact that the parents or caretakers were able to calm them down.
She had felt like a mountain was falling from her shoulders when the healers had returned Cali to her and assured her that she had nothing. No sign of the god or any other injury. She just seemed to be fast asleep. And for the life of her, she did not want to wake her from this sleep. She should just sleep through all the excitement. There would be enough occasions when she would be exposed to danger and excitement.
That was almost an unwritten law. If something could happen to you on Alsace, it would happen to you. You could do whatever you wanted there. Some said that the gods loved to test their children, so that only the strongest survived.
She too believed that the gods were testing them, with all the new threats and the ever stronger monsters and other threats they had to face. Lately, they were getting more and more orders to kill monsters in their breeding grounds. She just didn't know yet what exactly the gods were testing them for.
The tent canvas was folded back and one of the healers stepped forward. Glaukos was an old man who could show his age. Long gray, thinning hair hung over his shoulders. His ashen skin was wrinkled and scarred here and there. Of his former greatness was not much left, the age had taught him more reverence than any nobleman or king had ever been able to.
Panos, who had been waiting next to Naima until now, started to talk to Glaukos. To which he only raised a hand defensively, causing Panos to wait.
"Fortunately for all of us, we were able to save him." After this statement, one could feel the tension falling from everyone present. Some breathed a sigh of relief, others seemed to literally grow a few inches. Again, he raised a hand placatingly before there could be any questions. "We haven't been able to talk to him yet, so we don't know what happened in the children's wagon." He paused for a moment, during which he seemed to wait for the reactions of his audience. But these knew the old man well enough to know that they had to wait and not interfere with him. Satisfied, he nodded and continued.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"What we can already say, however, is that the amulet he had with him had an effect, and on all of us. Why, however, better men than I must answer." Many a man had probably thought so, she for her part at least had. The situation had been so surreal looking back. Why did it suddenly become so oppressive? Why had all the birds and insects gone silent? But could this really be achieved by only one amulet or had they been distributed by the priest during his trips outside.
Already shouts were loud, in which exactly this was questioned, this directed itself naturally against Panos and Naima. Which were immediately busy to assure everyone that no further amulets or similar objects were found.
Still thinking about what she had heard, she turned away and headed for her wagon with Cali in her arms. Cali would sleep with her, she had decided. More so that she wouldn't worry about her than so that Cali wouldn't get scared or to see if she had any at all.
Arriving at her wagon, which she shared with Sia. She set about finishing all the preparations for the night. Because of the incident with the priest, everyone was even more cautious than before. No one wanted to be surprised by anything. Also, the guards were increased at night and during the day. Which is why Sia would wake her up later and she would relieve her. So that Sia could sleep and watch over Cali.
She was about to lay down when she noticed a movement in the corner of her eye. Little Cali was looking around. Wide-eyed, she looked around the strange wagon and let her eyes wander over everything. She had noticed this about her many times before. Cali was a very observant child and would watch and follow everything closely. She had done the same thing when she first woke up in the children's wagon.
"Hello my little one. - " She took Cali in her arms, who then seemed to look at her questioningly. - "A lot has happened in the time you've been asleep." Cali's eyes widened and she also seemed to raise an eyebrow. She had to laugh. "Yes yes little sleepyhead...", with that she told her about everything that happened, while Cali listened to her attentively.
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Late into the night he was still thinking about how he had slept through it all. He, who woke up at the smallest thing. It was also unusual for him to sleep so long and deeply. For a long time he racked his brain over what he had heard, without finding a more useful explanation than that the priest had been knocked off balance by a pothole and had impaled himself.
Until he finally fell asleep shortly before Sia woke Sappho for her night watch.
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Divine space
Demon continent Alsace in the year 291 after the shattering of the empire.
Meinoume could easily perceive how something had happened to one of his priests. He had not died, which he would have noticed immediately. Nor was it the injury and the following comma in which he now lay. No, something had happened before all that.
His priest had come into contact with a power that was more powerful and older than he was. One that he had never felt before on Alsace. One thing this brief contact had shown, however, was that where this power was powerful, it was also in the hands of someone far weaker than he. With which he could seize it, should he get hold of the person to whom this power was inherent.
Slowly, a plan emerged, which complemented an already existing plan. He would use the group of his followers, which was near his priest, to seize this person.
A smile crept onto his face, sometimes life was too simple. Soon he would be standing over Lilith and Asmodus and the rest of the demonic gods. A laugh escaped him, which he could not and would not suppress.
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Unnoticed by everyone, a snake makes its way. It slowly snaked its way down the steps to the wagon and in a few moments had left the wagon with the bright colors behind. Where everyone wondered and a god had a guess, this snake knew what happened. She had seen the Titan awaken and use his powers against his attacker. This was significant news, every subject had felt the awakening. Certainly the great mother herself had as well.
It would be up to him to protect and follow and guide the new ruler. She could hardly conceal her excitement, and so would have made herself known to the demons as she entered the ruler's new night's rest.