“A’ight kins! Vacation’s ovah. Ye got business to attend.”

Galvian fell from his perch by the window, surprised, as the Aleniakin swung the door open. I simply got up from my seat and faced the woman.

“What’s going on, Galeishia?”

I asked as I tried my best not to look like I had just been napping as I wiped the tears at the corner of my eyes.

“Ye both have an appointment a’ the temple be’ore the next bell. Also from now on it’s ‘Archkinsmann’ Galeishia, ai’ght?”

“You’re an Archkinsmann?”

Galvian asked dumbly.

“Do it ma’er? We headin’ out. Pack your things, ye ain’t comin’ back.”

We hurriedly packed our bags and followed behind Galeishia as she guided us through the narrow streets of the overgrown city while doing our best to avoid crossing paths with anyone else. It came off as a bit odd since we’d been walking freely around town for the last few weeks now. If our existence had to have been a secret, shouldn’t it have started earlier than now? I knew better than to question a superior officer during what I assume was finally our mission, but the suspicion remained. It would be wise to be on our toes.

I noticed we kept going deeper and higher into the city and as I tried to visualise where we might be heading, I realised there was only one possible destination; Alenia’s temple.

As the vine-laced pillars supporting the vaulted roof of the temple came into view, Galeishia guided us around the side of the tall foundations through a delivery depot at the back.

Surprisingly, even though it was midday, the warehouse area was completely empty and as I delved further, it became increasingly glaring that we weren’t coming across anyone in the stone corridors as we made our way inward, and by the time we arrived at the main hall, I realised the entire temple was completely devoid of people.

Stunned to see such a place empty, I inadvertently slowed down my pace as I took in the sights. As opposed to the churches and temples in the city, this place wasn’t made of carefully carved stone blocks or vaulted arches. Instead it appeared as though mountains of stones had been dropped in place and then carved into smooth walls. Thick roots descended from the ceiling along them in patterns resembling that of a fish net. I touched the roots and found them equally as smooth as the wall, as though each part of this structured had been polished for days.

“Kin, sorry t’ interrupt ye, bu’ we on schedule.”

Galeishia called out, pulling me out of my daydreaming and turned away from the wall.

We followed her deeper into the temple and were eventually led to a gate that seemed to be composed of intertwined roots. The Aleniakin placed her hand at the center and uttered a short prayer. To my surprise, the roots began untangling themselves until they had completed receded into the walls, revealing a large room with a single cone of light coming from the vaulted ceiling.

At the bottom of which, under the incandescent sunlight piercing the darkness, stood two kinsmanns…

…Or so I thought until we got closer.

Although the one one who stood a bit to the side was definitely an Aleniakin, the woman standing at the very center, was something entirely different.

She looked like a cross between a plant and a kin. Her skin earth tinted skin was completely covered in root-like growths which followed the natural curves of her bones and muscles. They didn’t look as though they had grown on top of it, instead it looked like it was the skin that had grown from it, like a spider’s web precariously staying in place, and wherever her skin came visible, the web of veins that composed her body shone a soft blue light from underneath, as though her very blood contained unknown power. She was towering, easily a head taller than the tallest mann I’d ever met, and yet her frame was slim and gracious. Her hair may have been similar to the other Aleniakins, but the single eye I could see peek from beneath shone in surreal greens and reds.

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Her visible eye turned to us and I witnessed her tree like apendages shift as she turned to face us, something not so dissimilar to the way the kins blessing had acted, but all the more surreal as it was now part of someone’s body.

“Lady of the Endless Fields.”

Galeishia said with reverence in her voice as she took a knee.

My blood ran cold immediately and I reflexively imitated Galeishia followed immediately by Galvian and cast down my sight.

Lady of the Endless Fields was not some sort ceremonial title.

It was HER title.

Alenia, the Goddess of Harvest.

“Stand, children. We will speak.”

Spoken with the authority and certainty of one beyond mortal blood.

Galeishia nodded and signaled for us to follow the goddess’ words.

“Thank ye, yer eminence. These the kins you’ve requested ta meet.”

“Very well, child. Leave and prepare.”

“Of course, yer eminence.”

With that, Galvian and I were left alone with a goddess and what I could only assume to be the matriarch at her side while my mind was spinning. What is this? Why are we meeting Alenia? Why does she need us? I thought this assignment was supposed to be a punishment, and now we’re getting acquainted to the one of the most important deity of our times? What’s going?

Beyond these logical thoughts, the glee of meeting a deity in the flesh was almost overwhelming. I felt like if I was to speak a single word I might break down into tears. The memories of my baptism long behind me, I never thought I would be in such a presence again, and yet here I was. Standing right under her gaze, her lips smiling softly at me.

The thought that I should throw away my own faith and give her my utmost piety even crossed my mind much so my shame. Although… Little shame could I feel when within her glorious presence.

“Galvian Duree, Hersia Okavlon. Knights of the grey order, I require your service.”

“We are at your service, your eminence!”

Galvian declared as he gave a soldier’s salute.

I gritted my teeth at the thought that I could only follow up on his diligence.

“What can we do for you, your eminence?”

I managed to follow up with equal gusto, almost letting a smile draw itself on my lips.

Alenia continued smiling as she extended her hand to the woman at her side and as she did her lips parted to grace us with more of her words.

“You will rob me.”

The almost smile on my face immediately turned to an incredulous expression.

“Rob you, your eminence..?”

“That’s right. Specifically, you will rob me of this.”

She extended her hand to the kinsmann at her side who produced an object wrapped in cloth and placed it in the goddess wooden hands.

She considered the object for a moment, before bending forward. The sight along felt heretical. Alenia, the mother of my mother’s bloodline, bowing in front of me. She delicately placed the object on the floor before standing proud once more.

Galvian and I exchanged a glance of confusion before I kneeled down to ‘rob’ the goddess before us.

As I did, part of the canvas slipped, exposing a golden rod, engraved with words out of legends.

Galvian swore under his breath and I froze in my stride.

This was no trinkets.

The golden rod, the words etched into it. This was the Holloways cane. The Alenian artifact stolen by the deposed Duke of Sunbarrow, stolen again by Alenian marty Esvelna of the Greenpew River, before being taken once more by the heretical Duke, and finally being returned to the Aleniakins as a symbol of reparation after their forced exile.

Robbing this… It would fan the fire of conflict between the Aleniakins and Sunbarrow, if not all of western Firsland.

“Your eminence…!”

I begun to protest, but caught myself.

This mission WAS our punishment after all… And these were our orders.

“...It will be done.”

I said instead as I bowed my head.

“You will take it to His house.”

She said the word, as though it was not just a word but a name.

“His house, your eminence?”

She nodded.

“My child, Galeishia, has shown you the way.”

My eyes lit up. The dead god’s sanctum!

I folded the canvas over the visible part of the rod and bowed to the goddess before us.

“We’ve arranged for da theft te only be discovered a half day from now. Ye shoul’ be safe te da sanctum but ye shoul be warry on ye journey out through Sunbarrow.”

The kinnsman at her side explained.

I nodded and hid the rod inside my jacket and bowed once more.

“It was an honour to meet you, your eminence.”

Galvian said which was only acknowledged by a slight nod on the goddess part.

Without another word, we left the room and the door wrapped itself closed behind us.