Once I was upright I let out a deep sigh and stepped over to the town, something that only took a few steps at my size. Even though the wall was over thirty feet tall it barely came up to my shins. Not that I needed to step over it as there was a brand new and large opening in the middle. With the sun up it was also much more obvious just how bad the damage was. The total area of wall destroyed including the gate was about one hundred feet wide with most of the stone having been vaporized in the spell. These piles of rubble on the ground from the partially collapsed sections that had become exposed due to this. As bad as it looked though I was confident I could fix it with magic.

With a careful eye trained on the ground to avoid crushing anyone I stepped through the breach and into the town proper. Some of the people currently going through the rubble backed away a fair distance in fear of me. Seeing their faces hurt my heart as I was supposed to be their goddess that they loved. To see them afraid of me was actually depressing. Though after what happened the previous night I couldn't really blame them. These people also tried to avoid even looking up at me, averting their eyes as if they might be next.

Most of the people however were quite happy to see me and even cheered when I came into the town. I had saved them after all and wiped out a force of the enemy, getting vengeance for the few people who died if nothing else. A small crowed began to form around my feet which made my legs to stiff as my balance faltered just slightly. Having them all swarm around made me nervous like I had to be extra careful. I got myself under control and sighed while looking down over them. There had to be almost a hundred people here already.

I crouched down and scanned the gathered people until some prominent looking military types made themselves noticeable. There was a pair of men clad in simple leather and metal armor that were armed with good swords. They walked forward out of the crowd and closer to my feet. One of them was wearing a helmet with a large metal crest on it and seemed to be the one in charge.

“Goddess!” The crested man yelled up with his hands to his mouth. “Down here!”

I rolled my eyes in slight annoyance and lifted up my right foot, moving it back slowly towards the gap in the wall. Then after giving enough time for people to clear the way I brought it down with a boom as my leg slid down as I went into a kneeling position. This brought me much closer to the people below as I braced myself on my left knee.

“Yes that's me.” I replied with a weak smile.

This rough looking man bowed deeply while taking a knee, the man beside him doing the same.

“I am the captain of this town's militia. My name is Longer and its an honor to meet you mighty one.”

These kinds of banal introductions were something I had gotten used to even if they made me zone out internally from boredom. They were important in this world though so I had to suffer them.

“Good to meet you captain.” I replied respectfully. “Did you need to talk me about something specific?” I asked looking around. “Otherwise I'm sure you have work to do.”

Longer stood up and seemed to snap to attention almost out of muscle memory. He still sounded quite nervous.

“Erm no great goddess. I was just going to inquire about the offenders. They were clearly marked in the coat of arms for Pheoa. This must mean they've started a war with us!” He looked up at me expectantly and a bit angrily. “So now you shall go to their kingdom and destroy these scum with your might power right?”

Of course. What else is a goddess good for but destroying your enemies? I'd not judge him too harshly as its kinda to be expected, especially considering how its pretty universal throughout all religions and regions of even my world. The gathered crowd were also chiming in their input be it shouts of anger or cries of agreement. They likely would respond poorly if I told them I had no such plans, and in fact couldn't do that. I was known for being a pretty kind goddess though so I decided to push that angle.

After putting a warm smile on my face I looked down over the crowd and then to the captain at my feet.

“I'm not going to jump to conclusions and attack an entire kingdom just yet.” I replied trying to sound relatable. “For all I know this is some rogue group trying to stir up trouble. If I was on the side of Pheoa you wouldn't want me to rampage through Celeduun just because a group of miscreants did a raid would you?”

This seemed to make everyone pause and think for several moments. I could see the wheels turning behind their eyes as they considered this. Eventually a woman from the crowed shouted up to me.

“You'll strike them and destroy them should this be a war though goddess? You will wont you?”

I looked to her and then over the crowd as I responded.

“Yes I'll be taking this very seriously. Especially if its an actual war.”

Another member of the crowd, this time a young man, called out.

“There's survivors of your great judgment goddess! They stand outside the walls even now! Now that you are awake you shall destroy them shalt you?”

This made me sigh quickly again. Always with the bloodshed these people. It made me wonder if they actually did want the exact type of violent goddess they so vehemently claimed to hate. I suppose as long as she was on their side it didn't matter.

“I'll be dealing with them personally.” I replied holding up my left hand. “Don't worry about that.”

Another middle aged woman near the back of the crowd yelled up now, this one sounding very angry.

“You destroyed the gate and part of the town! How can you say you protect us if this destruction is what you bring?”

Many of the people here clearly shared the same opinion, though voicing it aloud was something no one save this woman was brave enough to do it seemed. However her speaking up made a few other people brave enough to voice their own concerns about my choice of judgment. Others in the crowed were quick to turn and berate them angrily for daring to question their goddess.

One middle aged man even approached the first woman to speak with clearly unfriendly intent.

“How dare you wench? Your ungratefulness to the goddess who-”

I spoke suddenly, my voice slightly angry sounding as my temper was starting to rise.

“That's enough!”

Getting a negative reaction to my actions was nothing new and I had to accept even angry opinions if I was to become a true goddess. Accepting criticism wouldn't keep me from standing by the decision made in defense of the town though, as even if I met extreme with extreme something had to be done. Even still, having lots of people angry at me wasn't fun and was making me angry myself. I was taking a great deal of focus to calm myself as Sub-chan was delivering me snappy comebacks to say to my critics.

My booming voice instantly silenced everyone gathered and I stood up back to my full height. The thundering boom of my right foot returning to beneath me driving home the point of who was in charge here. I looked down at the crowd with a serious and borderline angry expression.

“People like that women are allowed to express their dislike of me.” I said politely yet firmly. “While I won't tolerate blasphemer I'll accept criticism. If my worshipers weren't allowed to speak their mind and lived in fear of me they would be my slaves, not my loving devotees.”

A quiet came over the crowd as they thought about what I had said. Even those that had angrily spoke out against me were so taken aback by my words that they couldn't continue their tirade. Seeing this I took the opportunity to change directions and get something done.

“For now lets focus on what matters.” I continued. “I'll be healing anyone that was seriously wounded during the attack and fixing the wall.” I looked around. “Yes I'll be fixing it.” Then I motioned with my left hand towards myself. “Now bring me the wounded.”

My proclamation was firm enough that everyone got the picture. It was clear their goddess was in a get shit done mood and they acted accordingly. The crowd began to disperse and go back to whatever their lives were about. There were still some that stayed behind to gawk at the scene but I didn't pay them any mind. Most of the militia were among this latter group, though with some direction from me they were made useful in seeing to the clearing up of any rubble inside the walls and dealing with the wounded. I crouched once again and waited for them to be delivered to me.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Thankfully none of the people that had been attacked and lived were in critical condition and were quickly healed up to full vitality with the touch of my finger. Sadly there was nothing that could be done for those that died in the attack and their bodies would be be properly given burials. These acts of healing and burial rites were things that some might say were below a goddess, or the markings of a sentimental and weak goddess. I saw the opposite to be true. That a truly benevolent and mighty goddess would take time to do such acts for her worshipers. Power exists to be wielded in defense of the powerless. Such are my lofty ideals.

After the wounded had been taken care of I turned my attention to the wall. Standing up I turned and took the two steps required to the large breach, my hands going to my hips as I looked it over. This seemed like a situation where simple earth magic would be sufficient, though I would have to mentally picture the wall down to the details in order to bring it into reality. With a sigh I closed my eyes and began building the project in my mind.

While I was thinking a small voice came to interrupt my focus. It was the Captain Longer from before who was standing next to my left boot. He probably felt as the head of the town's militia his presence was required in some way. As if I needed overseeing.

“Goddess? Can you truly repair it?”

I opened my eyes and frowned which couldn't really be seen from the ground. Besides this man there were of course many others who were here to witness this next miracle.

“Yes I can.” I replied flatly. “Now quiet. I'm trying to concentrate.”

The captain almost yelped as he jumped backwards away from my massive boot.

“O-Of course goddess! My apologies!”

With the distractions thus dealt with I closed my eyes again and relaxed my shoulders. I took a deep breath and concentrated on the earth and stone around the wall. This would just be like building with blocks. Super easy.

Using my hands to motion around I began manipulating the very earth itself with my mana, though the hand motions were truly unnecessary. From deep underground the very bedrock itself shifted and move upwards towards the surface, the shifting earth deep below being filled in with stone and dirt around it in order to attempt stabilization of the missing material. These large stone slabs were then pulled up through the ground until they broke free of the surface.

Each piece of rock was at least the size of a truck and was broken into slabs at least thirty feet long and twenty feet across, with a thickness of ten feet. With the grinding and shifting of huge amounts of earth these monoliths rose up from the ground and were slid into place to replace the wall that had been destroyed. Sure it didn't look the same even remotely but this patchwork fix was actually much stronger than the quarried stone they had used before.

Proud in my work I smiled and walked up to the area where the gate itself would be. I crouched down and ran my fingers along the smooth surface, using more magic to cut out a large enough opening for another gate to be installed. Then I stood up and turned around to look down at the captain.

“I'll leave building a gatehouse and putting in the gate itself to you guys.” I shrugged. “I mean I can't do literally everything for you right?”

The poor flabbergasted man had been standing there in absolute awe as he had witnessed me remake the wall, as had anyone else that had been watching. He simply stuttered a response to me as he trembled in either fear or amazement.

“Y-Yes goddess!”

A little smirk came over my lips as I nodded and turned around to face the land outside the wall I had just patched up.

“Well I'll leave ya'll to it then. I'm off to deal with those prisoners now.”

Without another word I lifted up my left foot and stepped over the shin high wall before bringing my right foot along right after it. The once I was officially outside of the town it was just another few steps to the place the men from Pheoa were being held by those two militia from earlier. As I stepped over I saw the eight men grouped up together in almost a huddle. The ground shaking from my footfalls not easing their fears.

I decided to change into my human size to talk to them and reduced myself down. There wasn't going to be much information gathering if they were paralyzed in mind and body from terror. Not that I was planning on torturing them for information. In fact I was planning to let them go.

Two two militia from the town saluted me as I approached.

“Goddess!” The man on the right said. “We kept the dogs here just as you ordered.”

I nodded to him and put my hands behind my back. Then I stopped to turn to them.

“Thank you boys. I can take it from here. You're dismissed.”

The two of them saluted again and then gave a deep bow, responding in unison.

“Yes goddess!”

Without bothering to watch them walk away I turned my attention back to the eight waiting soldiers. They were looking at me with a combination of fear and confusion. It was surely overwhelming to see the mighty goddess that once towered into the sky stand before them now as nothing more than a little girl half their size. This contrast was something everyone always had trouble with when meeting me. Though I hoped that this form would give them more reasons to feel at ease.

I kept my hands behind my back and walked up in front of them where I came to a spot about twenty feet away. Those of them that had been sitting on the ground stood up and they gathered together quite close to each other. One of them, a young man in his twenties, stepped forward. He looked quite terrified as his gray eyes looked at me between the long orange locks of hair.

With a puff of my chest I squared up my shoulders and looked him up and down.

“Your name?” I demanded more than asked.

He took several moments to find his voice as he stood there shaking, then several more as he was stammering so badly. Eventually though he pulled himself together enough to stand at attention and speak normally.

“Sir Delliur m-my lady! I'm an o-officer in my king's army.”

I lifted my chin for a moment as I corrected him. “It's goddess.”

“G-Goddess!” He responded with a deep bow. “Please forgive me!”

As he hid his face from me with his bow I looked around at the seven other men, each one stiffening up and averting their eyes as my gaze passed over them. They almost looked like they were going to piss their pants, if they hadn't already. I didn't care to focus my nose to check.

“So you came to attack my town did you?” I started. “Though strangely you seem to be worshipers of mine? I don't remember ever hearing prayers from you. And I don't see why you would come kill other worshipers of mine if you were.”

None of the others had any words to say, fear seeming to have stolen them all away. They were leaving their poor officer to do all the lifting in regards to me.

Delliur was still bowed over and replied to me in their place.

“G-Great goddess... We spoke a-and we all believe in you. We just d-don't pray to you. We weren't sure you really existed...” He said fearfully. “And we j-just were following our king's orders.”

I lowered my chin and exhaled through my nose.

“Stand up straight!” I commanded. Then I continued after he jumped up to attention. “You know those kinds of excuses aren't going to fly with me.”

I lifted up my left hand to my chin and put my right on my hip. Then I walked back and forth in front of them in thought, my eyes looking nowhere in particular as I thought.

“Well I'm real it turns out aren't I? What do you think happens to you now?”

After saying that I stopped and turned to look at them all again, my left hand dropping down as my arms crossed over my stomach.

This Delliur threw himself down on the ground at my feet, the rest of his men following suit. Together they all begged for mercy, their desperate pleas filling the air. It was actually extremely pathetic looking and did make me feel sorry for them. Their tears were genuine and I remembered they had fled when I had shown up. Even though that didn't clear their intent to kill the townspeople it showed they hadn't been as bloodthirsty as those that had stayed and continued attacking. Besides these few actually believed in me as their goddess as my spell had spared them. It would behoove me to forgive them.

My demeanor changed as a gentle smile came over my lips. I leaned in over them and my voice softened, my arms moving behind my back again.

“Dry your eyes little men.” I said almost quietly. “Stop your begging and blubbering. I'm not gunna kill you.”

Delliur lifted his head to look up at me. His expression was confusion that lightly covered the hope that he would be spared. That hope itself barely masking the terror of death that lay underneath. All the faces of his men were similar as the officer spoke.

“Y-You won't?”

I shook my head and stood up straight again.

“No. In fact I'm going to let ya'll go home to your families.” I replied with a smile. “Except for you officer. I'm going to need to keep you for some questioning.” I tilted my head to the left. “Is that all right?”

Delliur scrambled to his knees as the men behind him did the same.

“Yes merciful goddess!” He responded. “B-But please allow me to live! I promise I'll be more useful alive!”

This man seemed like a bit of a coward, though it could just be his survival instinct too. Regardless what he said was true, not that I was planning on killing him. Maybe it was better he kept on believing there was a chance of that though as it would loosen his lips more.

I waved my left hand dismissively.

“Yes yes officer. I know the spiel so you can stop begging for your life now.” I then looked over his shoulders. “The rest of you are free to go.” Then after they stared at me blankly I waved them away. “Go on go!”

Not needing further encouragement all seven of them gave me one last bow and variation of thanking me for my divine mercy before standing up and running off quite quickly. Even without their weapons I was confident they would survive the return journey to their home country. What awaited them there I had no idea, but based on how it worked in my world they would likely be allowed to return to their homes until the next draft caught them up again. They were probably going to be assumed dead as the rest of their force had been wiped out.

It was actually surprising that there hadn't been any mages among them, though I supposed they were too valuable to just throw away on a suicide mission like this had been. This had been a suicide mission. If there were worshipers of mine among their ranks than they definitely were aware of my existence. Their king probably didn't believe I existed though and so would have ordered them to come attack while passing me off as propaganda from the opposing kingdom. Just thinking about that made me hate kings even more.

As the disgraced soldiers disappeared into the forest across the field I was left alone with this officer Delliur. I stepped back away from him several steps and smiled gently again at him.

“Alright Mr. Delliur its time for you to come with me.”

The man stood up, still shaking somewhat as he looked down on me for the first time. It was clear he was still afraid of me but the lack of violence was somehow making him start to feel more at ease. In his eyes I was still some incomprehensible monster though no matter what I looked like. He wasn't going to resist me and seemed to be obedient.

“Y-Yes goddess.” He replied.

With him being obedient I didn't bother with cuffs or bindings of any kind. I simply turned around and opened a portal, its golden rings of symbols shining in the amazed eyes of this soldier. It led to my good friend Quarely's home as it seemed most fitting to bring an enemy prisoner to the local lord's castle. There we would find out exactly what the northern kingdom was planning.