Ebonheim rattled the bars of the wooden cage Thorsten threw her into after he carried her inside the feast hall. The cage was only big enough to house something the size of a full-grown wild boar so at most she could sit on her knees or butt.
“I’m telling you the truth, I am Ebonheim,” she said towards Thorsten who was stoking the fire pit near the center of the feast hall.
“Quiet,” he replied. “Once the others arrive then we’ll decide on your fate. And don’t even try to use any of your magic while I’m around. I’m a good throw with my axe and don’t think I won’t use it on you just because you look like a child.”
Ebonheim sat cross-legged in front of him, fuming at his words, trying to ignore the cold chill creeping through her bones from being held captive in the small cage.
"Are you always this mean to people you've only just met?" she asked. She'd tried to be as polite as possible given the situation, but he still wouldn't stop scowling.
"Only to those who cause the village trouble," he replied without looking up from what he was doing. He kept piling more wood into the firepit.
"I'm not causing anyone trouble. If anything, all I want to do is help the village."
"You're a stranger, and strangers come with danger. Look what you did to poor ol' Doyle. You bewitched him with your words and looks until his heart couldn't take it. Just because the man has been alone for all his life doesn't give you the right to break his spirit."
Ebonheim made a disgusted face at him. "That's a terrible thing to say about Doyle. He'll cry if he heard you say that—and I didn't bewitch him!"
"You cursed him then."
"For what reason?"
"Does an evil, unscrupulous, witch-child need a reason?" he replied sarcastically. Then he finally turned around towards her and spoke out loud again. "Just keep still until the others arrive."
“Ugh, can you at least put me in a bigger cage? It’s dirty in here.”
“Then maybe we’ll have you clean the cage as punishment while you stay locked up until we decide your fate.”
Ebonheim folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips together to keep from saying something she would regret later. She bumped her head against the bars of the cage and let out a sigh. It seemed like there was no convincing him, but maybe when the others arrived she’ll fare better.
As she waited, she took a good look at the room and Thorsten.
The room was filled with the warm glow of the central hearth surrounded by four long wooden tables. The arched roof, with its rafters and pillars, made the room look like the hull of a longship that was toppled over.
Thorsten was covered in leather and hide, much like many of the villagers she saw earlier. He was built like a solid wall, with arms thicker than her legs and legs probably heavier than her entire body. His rust-colored hair was braided and tied to a low ponytail while his disheveled beard spilled down to his belly without care.
The main door swung open as a middle-aged man with a scholarly air about him entered. He had a sharp jawline, a straight nose, and deep-set brown eyes that seemed to hold a wealth of knowledge. His hair was a mess of dark curls that cascaded down his shoulders, framing his face. He wore a simple woolen cloak over a tunic and trousers, the mark of a man who valued comfort over fashion.
Ebonheim knew her potential savior to be none other than Engin, the genius prophet who heralded the idea of her existence, the muse who inspired her majesty, the poet who sparked her identity, the philosopher who shaped her ideals, the scholar who deciphered her mysteries, the entrepreneur who recognized her value, the—
“Thorsten, what’s all this I hear about Doyle almost dying and you catching a spirit?” Engin asked.
“Engin! I’m glad you’re here,” Ebonheim said as she rattled her cage. “Thorsten didn’t believe me that I’m Ebonheim. He was so mean to me. I think I still have dents on my head from him grabbing me and carrying me here. He put me in this cage! This is undignified. This cage hasn’t even been cleaned all that recently. It still smells like vomit, dung, and regret. I need you to convince him to treat me properly and I already apologized for what happened to Doyle earlier. It was an accident but I healed him. He’s better now. I think I fixed what was wrong with his back too. So tell him!”
Engin stood by, mouth agape, and stared at her with an incredulous look for an awkward amount of time before turning towards Thorsten.
“What’s with this sassy, caged child?” Engin asked while violently wagging a finger toward Ebonheim.
Thorsten walked over to Engin and glared at Ebonheim’s way before speaking back to Engin. “From what I heard, she suddenly appeared before Doyle while he was at the shrine and caused his heart to almost burst. And just as you’ve heard, she’s spouting nonsense about being Ebonheim.”
“I told you, I didn’t do that to him,” Ebonheim said.
Engin motioned Thorsten to follow him across the room further away from her.
----------------------------------------
“Did you see it happen?” Engin asked.
Thorsten shook his head. “Not at first, but I did come out in time to see her using some magic over Doyle while he was lying on the ground.”
“What happened afterward?”
“He looked stable and fell asleep. After I told one of the men there to summon you, I had the others tend to him while I put that child in the cage.”
Engin looked back over at the young girl. She seemed to exude an otherworldly aura. Her olive skin reminded him of people from the Jixisha tribe, but all of the druids who could use their magic left for an expedition and weren't due back for another few days. However, she was distinctly different from anyone he has ever come across.
He marveled at her hair, a cascade of iridescent white that shimmered and danced like the waves of a restless sea. Her tresses framed her face, accentuating her eyes which were a striking gold that seemed to pierce through the darkness.
The girl's lithe form was veiled in an intricate white dress that seemed to defy the gloom around her. The fabric was pristine, as if untouched by the dirt and grime of her captivity. The detached sleeves that adorned her arms were an elegant touch, giving her an ethereal quality that only added to her mystique. Whoever she was, she did not seem like a child from the village.
He looked back at Thorsten and furrowed his brow. “So, you think that she’s some spirit in human flesh?”
Thorsten leaned closer. “Or some feral child, but I think she might be some sort of spiritual being–Oh, maybe an abyssal being from the way she’s acting over there, rattling that cage like some wild animal.”
“Has she done anything else suspicious while in the cage?” Engin asked.
“No, aside from blabbering about being Ebonheim, nothing. I don’t know why she keeps insisting on her story since…you know.” Thorsten shifted his eyes around him before leaning even closer to whisper into Engin’s ear. “Ebonheim doesn't really exist.”
Both men heard the caged girl groan from across the room.
“Hmm.” Engin rubbed his chin as he pondered. “If she really was some spirit or abyssal entity, she would have known of the farce and would know that trying to impersonate Ebonheim wouldn’t work.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Unless she knew that we’d know that she’d know so…”
Engin saw Thorsten’s eyes dart around as if trying to finish his line of thought but failing miserably.
“So?” Engin asked.
Thorsten shrugged. “I, I don’t know where I was going with it. Sorry. But I doubt she’s powerful since she hasn't escaped or killed me for locking her up. Is there any way to find out what she really is and why she’s here?”
Engin shook his head. “Hilda and her group of druids aren’t back yet so I don’t think there’s anyone in the village with powers to discern this one’s true nature. But…”
----------------------------------------
Ebonheim saw the two men walk back towards her, stopping just outside her cage. She gave the biggest pout she could muster. Somehow, she sensed that they were speaking bad about her in their corner. Gut feeling.
“You don’t believe me, do you?” she asked.
“Look,” Engin said. “You seem like a fine lass, but we don’t know who you are. However, what we do know is that you are most certainly not someone from this village. So, you could either be a child of someone from outside the village who can do a bit of magic, or you are a spirit that took on a human form. You then insist on being our goddess which I am certain is not the case therefore, for your well-being, I would advise you to stop saying that or else be smote by the celestial realm for impersonating the divine.”
Thorsten tapped Engin on his shoulder. “Engin. You’re using too many big words. She's a youngling. Speak simply.”
Engin tilted his head at Thorsten. “I am, aren't I.”
“Aye.” Thorsten looked over at her. “What he meant to say was. Don’t lie about being a goddess. We know it ain’t the truth.”
“I’m not impersonating. I am Ebonheim.”
Thorsten crossed his arms in front of him. “Prove it.”
“How?” she asked.
“Tell us something only Ebonheim would know or show us something only a goddess can do,” Engin answered.
It was Ebonheim’s turn to cross her arms in front of her. She had to come up with something convincing to get out of this predicament. What else could she do anyways? She needed something flashy and grand to shut their mouths and prostrate themselves in front of her for treating her like unwanted garbage.
[Listing all Activatable Abilities: Divine Sight (Rank I), Manifestation (Rank I), Demanifest, Ailment Cleansing Pulse (Rank I)]
Didn't seem like any of those were flashy. She couldn’t even use most of them because she didn’t have enough Essence. She hadn't used Divine Sight yet though. What could it do?
[Divine Ability] Divine Sight (Rank I)
[Effect] Reveals the aura of the target. Concentrating on one target will reveal its basic information. If the target is one of your followers, more information can be revealed.
[Duration] 1 hour
[Cost] 5 Essence
That wasn't flashy, but it could be something so she focused her thoughts on activating it.
[Essence] 28 -> 23
Her eyes gave off a faint glow. Both men took a step back.
She saw that both men were enveloped in a translucent blue aura. She focused her attention on Thorsten.
[Name: Thorsten Gustafsson, Age: 38, Date of Birth: 5th Day of Raincrown, Devotion Rank: Follower, Status: Healthy]
Ebonheim blinked. It didn’t really show much, but she was more curious about what the Devotion Rank was about.
[Devotion Rank displayed in order from lowest to highest: Unbeliever, Follower, Believer, Worshipper, Devotee, Faithful, Disciple, Devout, Zealot]
[An increase in Devotion Rank will increase the Quintessence gained from that individual.]
Tsk. Thorsten was only at that point. He still had so much more to improve on. Fortunately for him, she was there to help.
Ebonheim pointed at Thorsten and grinned. “Your name is Thorsten Gustafsson. You are still living at the prime of your life at thirty-eight years of age. You were born on the fifth day of Raincrown.”
Thorsten’s eyes widened, then he looked at Engin alarmed. “She knows! Only my family knows that about me.”
Ebonheim looked at Engin and focused her Divine Sight.
[Name: Engin Meric, Age: 48, Date of Birth: 20th Day of Lustertide, Devotion Rank: Follower, Status: Healthy]
Only at that rank? For someone who was instrumental in her existence, only that?! Disappointing.
She gave Engin a disapproving look before speaking in a monotone voice. “Your name is Engin Meric. You were born on the twentieth day of Lustertide. You are forty-eight years of age and people make fun of your eyebrows behind your back.” She lied about the last part though.
Engin looked at Throsten. “What? You did?”
Thorsten shook his head. “I never did. I swear it. Maybe Bjorn did once or twice, but not me.”
Ebonheim giggled.
Engin grumbled under his breath. “Alright, that’s clever but I’m not too impressed. What else can you do?”
Ebonheim blinked once more. “Eh? What else can I do?” She glanced above her. Maybe she could pick one that only cost 5 Essence?
[Choose 5 starting Abilities]
[Searching for abilities with an Essence cost of 5 or under]
[…]
[Only one eligible ability found]
[Divine Ability] Divine Cantrip
[Effect] You harness a small amount of divine essence to create one of the following effects: create a harmless sensory effect, make a small object move or levitate, clean a small object or surface, light a small torch or candle, make a small plant grow or wilt.
[Range] 10 meters
[Duration] Instantaneous or 1 hour (depending on effect)
[Cost] 5 Essence
“You’re kidding me,” she said out loud. She doubted that they’d be impressed by any of that. She really needed to take time and look through all of her ability options later. This was ridiculous. Why was every ability she could use so expensive? Or rather, why was her Essence so low to begin with maybe?
“What?” Engin asked.
“Uh, nothing. I was talking to myself.” She thought hard for a minute, but couldn’t come up with anything. “So, what’s going to happen if I can’t show any other proof?”
Thorsten patted Engin’s shoulder and grinned as he made a subtle wink at him. “Then we’re going to cook you and feed you to the other elders when they get here. That’s what we do to wicked spirits and liars around these parts.”
Engin crossed his arms and nodded. “They’ll arrive any moment now.”
Ebonheim covered her mouth as she gasped. Wait, what? Since when did the villagers practice cannibalism? But she wasn’t human, this was just her manifested form. But was she really human in this form? Would she taste like one? What would happen if she was killed and eaten in this form? Many more questions floated in her head as she started to drift into another existential crisis.
She wasn’t sure if she believed their threat or not but sticking around to find out wasn’t sounding too appealing with every passing breath. She needed a strategic retreat—and there was only one plan she had in mind.
“Actually, I do have one more ability I can show. But it’s a little cramped in here so, it’d be better if I can show you outside this cage. So, can you let me out for a little bit?” Ebonheim batted her eyes at them like a puppy wanting to play outside.
Both men looked at each other. Thorsten shrugged and opened the cage door. “She’s done nothing dangerous so far. She could have caused our hearts to burst but maybe she doesn’t have enough power for another attempt. What else can she possibly do now?”
Ebonheim crawled out of the cage then stood up, giving Thornsten a somewhat stern look. This big oaf still suspected her of foul play yet was sharp enough to notice her lack of power.
“Alright,” she said. “I need a little more space before I can show you.” She gesture for the two men to back away.
Both men took a few more steps back and watched her intently.
Ebonheim closed her eyes and took a deep breath and lunged forward, hurling towards the open window. Her body twisted and turned with fluid grace, tucking and rolling through the small opening before landing on her feet with a graceful flourish before continuing to sprinting away without breaking stride.
She heard Engin and Thorsten shouting behind her as they scrambled through the door to give chase.
A small group of men were walking towards the feast hall from the clearing in front of her. Despite their first encounter, she instinctively knew them to be some of the other elders in the village’s council. As she passed by and saw their quizzical expressions, she smiled and waved at them before turning towards the nearest boundary to the forest. She heard Engin bark orders of pursuit.
The rest of the elders joined in the chase. She leaped over fallen logs, ducked under low-hanging branches, and moved across the undergrowth without any impediment. The sound of her pursuers’ footsteps echoed through the trees, growing fainter with each passing moment.
Ebonheim stuck her tongue out as she continued her escape. “Hah! You’re a hundred years too early to catch me.” Well, she was caught earlier, but that was honestly a fluke in her eyes. Ambushes didn't count!
A short while later, collapsed against a towering tree, her chest heaving with exhaustion. Her muscles were burning with fatigue, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She slouched against it, panting heavily, beads of sweat trickling down her brow. Did everyone become exhausted this easily? It didn’t seem that long since she escaped from them.
She eventually laid down and stared up at the forest canopy in a daze.
Her first appearance was a disaster. Maybe she was a little careless in her approach and should have planned things out better. One thing she realized for sure was that she needed to understand more about herself and how being a goddess worked.
Her stomach let out a pitiful grumble.