Nemer was dumbfounded by the kobolds’ warm welcome complete with open arms. Nemer could have sworn that there were screws loose in their head, but choosers can’t be beggars. At least for now. Nemer just let out a sigh while the kobolds waited for the god’s answer.
“Well… If you truly want me as your god, then I gladly accept.”
The kobolds threw their arms up in joy, glorious joy. They did a little celebration which elevated Nemer’s mood. Even though they were annoying at first, they are really quite a bunch that he could get with. Nemer knew in his past life how saddening it is to live a life of solitude. He doesn’t remember that memory right now, but that feeling still carried on to his soul. These kobolds easily washed this feeling away from Nemer’s subconcious. Nemer was about to join in the celebration, when something suddenly grabbed his shoulder. Startled, he immediately zoomed away and turned around, only to see Wize waving at him. This old man has a habit of being creepy without even intending to.
“Wize? Is that you?”
“It is indeed me, Nemer. I have come to check up on you.”
The gods have been monitoring Nemer’s growth. This rate of improvement was not much of an impressive feat, but it was still a good progress. Wize was told to go and check up on him because they feel that Nemer would be able to talk to Wize normally.
“Checking up on me after you’ve dumped me in here?”
Nemer knew that it was Wize who struck him that deal, but he could not remember the details other than he needed to become a greater god and that he was the last one he saw before everything went black. Needless to say, his bitterness from the abrupt ‘drop off’ dragged on to his second life.
“Woah, easy there. You do remember that you accepted the deal, right?”
“I don’t.”
“Oh, right.”
Wize momentarily forgot that Nemer’s memories were wiped and fragmented. Though Wize shrugged it off as just a little mistake. He had a bigger mistake to fix. He came for more than checking up, because apparently a certain god forgot to give Nemer more important information.
“I’m sorry if I caused you disturbance.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever. What do you want old man?”
“Quite rude, eh?”
“Not as rude as dropping someone without any notice.”
“Touché.”
Nemer really can’t forget that particular event. Whether Wize likes it or not, Nemer will have a special place for him in Nemer’s heart. A special place of distaste.
“That matter aside, I’ve also come to inform you more on your mission.”
“About time! I can’t seem to remember anything to help me become a greater god.”
“That’s why I am here my child.”
“You don’t have to do anything with my memories, do you?”
“No.”
It would’ve been much better if Nemer kept his previous memories. The gods however, had other plans. It’s not like he needed those memories.
“Alright. So, what did you want to inform me?”
“Before that, you might want to tend to your kobolds first.”
Nemer looked at the kobolds, and he found them stopping their celebration and staying silent. They have heard the conversation, albeit them only hearing Nemer’s words. He had completely forgotten that the link was still strengthened.
“Oh, sorry about that. I have a business to attend to, so do what you want while I am away.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Barnon replied. Nemer then loosened the connection and saw Barnon talking to his kin, though he couldn’t make out what he was saying. That’s not important right now.
“So, what now?”
“Now I give you part of your memories back.”
“Wait, so you did have something to do with my memories!”
“...No”
The forgetful god forgot that he was supposed to keep his relation to Nemer’s memories a secret. Nemer’s look of disdain tells him that he failed horribly.
“Very well then. You have caught me red handed. It was indeed I that tampered with your mind.”
“Ugghh… give them back!” exclaimed the lesser god while whipping out his hand to gesture him to give it to him.
“I was about to give part of it to you. Be patient please.”
“No! All of it!”
“I am certain even you wouldn’t want to remember the things you have done.”
Nemer was taken aback from the last sentence Wize spoke. That sentence could only mean that he has done unspeakable things in the past, and Wize was right that Nemer would definitely not want to remember those again.
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It was the truth. Nemer really did unspeakable things in the past, but most of those were from Nemer’s embarrassing childhood memories. Seriously, who would want to remember that time where you ate your own poop? What’s worse, is that the ignorant child Nemer actually liked it. Wize pitied Nemer’s mind and heart if he were to give those memories back.
But the things he had done did not just stop in childhood memories. It extended till his life ended. He was a slayer, taker of thousands of lives. A slayer lived on murdering monsters and other race alike. Slayers were believed as indiscriminate killers that bathed in the blood of their enemies. However, as much as they were bloodthirsty warriors, they had preferences. Some would not kill monsters, some would only kill humans, etc. And it so happened that Nemer preferred to help in wars by siding with the faction that he thinks is the most righteous. It was going so well, until he realized that his choices weren’t that good.
He had slain countless of soldiers, many of whom are innocent and were just forced to draft themselves to protect their family behind walls. Nemer’s blind white and black mentality has caused him a great deal of trauma because of this sudden realization. He even found out that some of the factions even lied to him to get him in their side. These factions then discovered that their kingdoms started falling one by one, but could do nothing as they eventually all fell to the ground.
Ever since then, the slayer had seen the world in another perspective. He would try to help others, but he did so with isolation from others. He killed troublesome monsters, sliced greedy liars, pummeled criminals, and did vigilante work all alone. He could never trust anyone ever again.
Wize wanted to erase that mentality, but the heart could never forget. After all, trust is a crucial thing for a god.
“That is why you don’t have your memories. We were simply giving you another chance.”
Nemer finally understood his reason for wiping his memories. The two fell silent for a while, before Nemer spoke.
“Then, I shall gladly have part of my memories.”
The old god nodded, and reached out to hold Nemer’s head. As soon as Wize touched his head, memories rushed through Nemer’s mind. How to do this, what is that, even his experience in combat and knowledge in many subjects flooded unto him. All of these were informational memories, none had the power to change him.
Wize then let go, as the receiver of the memories floated still, trying to process this sudden influx of information. It would seem like that Nemer broke a fuse, and instantly fell on the altar.
“Oops.”
Wize muttered as he forgot that not all gods have excellent processing power. Specially this lesser god before him.
Nemer opened his eyes and he found himself lying on the altar under the shade of the giant tree. He sat up and grabbed his head, trying to remember something. He can’t. He only remembered having blacked out. That isn’t much important however, since he finally remembered a quite good amount of memories and information. The god sighed in relief from the-
My lord, Nemer, I humbly request your audience.
Nemer looked to the side where Barnon was kneeling and praying to him. He was pleased to see his loyal subject praying to him.
“Wait, what?”
Over the head of Barnon, he spotted the kobolds doing something. Two were hammering a large stick on the ground with a rock. The others were busy carrying materials around, passing by a large hut made out of sticks and foliage. A set of sticks has been arranged and constructed together to make a primitive fence 8 meters before the edge of the forest, with a length of about 6 meters. They have been starting to establish a settlement around Nemer’s altar.
Nemer quickly strengthened his link and connected with Barnon.
“What are you doing?”
Barnon’s head sprang back up, happy to have his lord answer his call.
“We are currently building a village, my lord.”
He can see that. He had actually no idea why he said that. It’s maybe out of habit from his previous life. Focusing on the current situation, he asked another question.
“Why did you call for me?”
Though the some others only wanted to pray for the sake of it, Nemer had a feeling that this kobold would pray to him with only necessary things. Of course, Barnon did have something important to say.
“Me and my family, my friends included, are worried that we might burden you. We know that you would protect us from any harm, but even we know how tiring it is to keep protecting a defenseless herd.”
It is true. No matter how much you want to protect something, tiredness and stress will inevitably accumulate and cause anyone to be less efficient. By the flow of things, Nemer knew where this was going.
“So you want me to teach you how to fight?"
Barnon nodded. Nemer more or less wanted this situation. He remembered that kobolds were a race of monsters that are agile and ferocious, with sturdy bodies and sharp minds. Though their intelligence is just several times lower than the humans, lesser minds were still capable of forming a society and lay out flawed but effective plans. They were more than enough to be deadly monsters.
These kobolds in front of Nemer was but a peaceful lot. They have seemed to wash away the image of their ancestors from themselves, and looks like they have reborn anew. These kobolds diligently working on their village couldn’t be the kobolds he once saw and knew. But Nemer believes the inner savage kobolds were still in them somewhere. He wants to turn them into capable warriors by harnessing their instincts.
“Alright. It’s what I planned to do anyway.”
Barnon wagged his tail with excitement. He assumed that Nemer would be as impatient and lazy as the spirits of the forest, but he suppose that gods were vastly different from spirits. The god accepting his request was giving him joy.
“Once you complete your little village, we will then start training.”
“Of course, my lord. Then I shall take my leave.”
“Alright.”
Barnon then went back to the other kobolds and spread the news. The young ones cheered while the males sped up their work, eager to start the training. The females helped their brothers and their friends create their small village.
Nemer was watching them do their best in their work. The lesser god smiled at the rapid development of the village. Truly, a god’s happiness dwells within the joy of his subjects. He weakened the link of his altar and flew around the village area. Barnon was helping carry a log with 2 others while also giving them commands. Barnon was being a very good leader to them, that was shown by the other’s obedience of his commands.
On the other side was a wolf like kobold, Khrus, pounding a sharpened log towards the ground, and another kobold was also doing the same with another sharpened log. The females would then help the working kobolds by giving them water and food. The remaining 3 youngs would just play around the materials, trying to help without actually doing anything significant.
Everyone was currently busy under the afternoon sun, and if they were like humans, they would be surely bathing in sweat right now. Nemer admired the teamwork this particular group of kobolds are showing, surfacing a deep emotion from within him.
He was a lonely and distant person from when he was a slayer. He yearned for companionship, friends, families to keep him company, but his trauma would not let him. He even pushed away those who were genuinely good people, since he felt like one day they might betray him. His isolation took a toll on his previous life.
This time however, he finally achieved that yearning. That emotion wasn’t that of sadness for being alone all through his living years, but happiness from finally having people he could trust. Monsters rather.
He continued on to watch them, until the darkness of night descended. They worked surprisingly fast, having completed 3 huts, 3 perimeter primitive fences that each had a length of 6 meters, and one tall wooden watch tower. The watch tower housed Barnon inside as he keeps watch during his shift. They didn’t need the watch tower since Nemer could just keep watch for them, but the understanding god knew where the tower was coming from.
The night grows ever colder, as his first day of being a god ended.