“The ship is completely gone. I think we have some peace,” Karl observed.
“Not much. The pirates can also travel on land and attack at night,” Nameless replied.
Karl tensed, and he scanned the surroundings. “Aye, I suppose that is true.”
They were standing outside of Milandra’s small home, and the silver-haired lady had just prepared them breakfast that consisted of tea, fruits, bread, and eggs. Elora and Zel were inside and seated at the small table by an open window. Zel’s ghouls remained outside and within earshot of the necromancer.
“The tea is delicious. Thank you for your hospitality,” Elora said.
Zel raised their glass with a smile that looked more like a sneer.
Milandra nodded and replied, “I grow the leaves in my garden. The trick is to use eggshells in the soil.”
“You said the gods want a greater presence in this world. In the past, did they walk freely amongst us?” Elora asked.
Milandra chuckled and answered, “no child. They are great beings that exist in between the realms, but they can influence them. They need to in order to survive.”
“I don’t understand.”
“There are an infinite number of realms intertwined with each other, yet are separate. Even I do not even fully understand how that works. Not yet, at least. We exist in each realm in a physical vessel that is our bodies. Yet, our souls can travel freely between realms and manifest new bodies in each new reality.”
“If you are not careful, the gods can eat your souls,” Zel said and loudly munched their bread to make the point.
Milandra chuckled, “that is true, yet the gods also feed on belief. They can even communicate through their most faithful servants.”
“Even now? After the goblins turned on the machinery?” Asked Elora.
Milandra nodded. “Even now, after the war with the Wasteland, the gods lost many of their priests, templars, and clerics. Of the gods, the Blue Flame suffered the greatest losses.”
The silver-haired lady glanced out the window at Nameless and turned back to Elora. “What the machines stopped was preventing the gods from creating the Favored.”
“Adventurers,” Elora whispered.
“Anyone could be an adventurer. It is a risky and rewarding life. However, only the Favored can return back to life. They had rented their souls to the gods.”
“What is the difference between the Favored and priests?” Elora asked.
“Priests have pure faith and can commune with their god. The Favored had more of a business transaction where they could serve the god and in exchange they were allowed to return back to life after death,” answered Milandra.
“All priests were Favored, but not all Favored were priests,” observed Elora.
“Exactly!” Milandra replied.
“Did the Favored exist in other realms?” This time it was Zel that asked the question.
Milandra glanced at the necromancer before answering, “I believe that was unique to our world. This place is a Nexus, and the machines were designed to keep the world safe from external influences.”
“Nexus?” Elora asked.
“A world that can more easily connect with other realms. Think of a crossroads. The ancients of this world created the machines to control the membranes. The gods turned them off, and that allowed them to bring the Favored back to life. With the machines back on, death is now final for all,” Milandra said.
Nameless could hear the conversation from outside, and he came in through the door. The wooden floor creaked loudly under his heavy boots.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Prince Zaverick and this Pirate Queen are clerics?” Nameless asked.
“I believe so,” answered Milandra.
“But Zaverick has a demon heart,” Karl added.
The enchanter had followed Nameless inside.
Zel snorted and said, “foolish Karl! There is no difference between gods and demons! I have told you that.”
Karl glowered at the necromancer.
“The necromancer is correct. Those are two titles mortals give the greater beings,” Milandra said.
Karl’s hand went to the holy symbol tucked under his shirt. He shifted back and forth for a moment before looking up.
He asked, “does Numaron also seek to sacrifice you?”
Milandra smiled, and Zel snorted. Elora scowled at the necromancer. Ghoul One shrieked, and Ghoul Two hissed as the two clawed at each other before standing deathly still again.
“Numaron and Ahlyaa continue to have many worshipers in this realm. I believe they are content with that and do not seek anything more. In fact, I feel their presence is limited, as if they have moved on to focus on other realms,” Milandra answered with her eyes closed and hands raised as if she was feeling an invisible wall.
“Do they have real priests here?” Karl asked.
Milandra smiled, “that I do not know, child.”
“Viaiter also has many followers,” Elora said regarding the patroness of thieves.
“True, and it is her nature to want to steal just as Ararax wants to conquer,” Milandra responded.
“That leaves us with an army of demons and mercenaries and a shipful of pirates and thieves to contend with,” Nameless intoned in his great helm.
Elora perked up and asked, “we will help Milandra?”
Nameless stood still for a moment before finally answering, “yes, I have decided to help restore this world to what it was before the intrusion of the gods.”
Zel cackled and asked, “what makes you think she can be trusted? What if, in helping her, we replace the tyranny of gods with the tyranny of an old plain-looking lady?”
“Zel!” Exclaimed Elora.
Karl shook his head, and Milandra gently smiled.
“What? It is a possibility. Am I wrong?” The necromancer asked, one hand placed upon their chest.
“Let's not forget the goblins,” Karl added.
Nameless turned to look at the enchanter and nodded. The knight had forgotten that the goblins had gotten away.
“What is their deal?” Elora asked.
“They represent a cult of assassins,” Zel said.
“Not entirely true,” Milandra countered.
“They are named the Order of Shaymus! After an infamous goblin assassin!” Zel cried.
Milandra closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Their motives are not entirely clear to me.”
“What can you sense?” Nameless asked.
“I can’t explain it. I just have a knowing.”
“That is?” Asked the knight.
Milandra looked at the others and asked, “will you help me?”
“Yes,” Elora said.
Karl and Zel looked at each other and didn’t answer.
“I am uncertain,” Nameless said.
“What? It is clear we need to return this world back to the way it was. Our history is filled with religious wars and persecution. I think Milandra makes sense and that the gods were not meant to be here the way they were!” Elora exclaimed.
“Maybe that is the natural path of civilization. Replacing one power for another does not mean peace. The only certainty is death,” Zel observed.
“I have decided,” Nameless stated.
The others looked at the knight as he knelt before the silver-haired lady.
“We all must have a purpose. The alternatives do not appeal to me, so I will aid you, Milanda, if you would have me,” Nameless pledged.
“Don’t be silly and stand up,” Milandra said as she touched the knight’s shoulder gently.
Elora beamed and hugged the knight.
“I am with you, friend,” Karl said as he gripped the knight’s hand.
Zel rolled their eyes from where they remained seated. “So dramatic! Of course, I will tag along, but only because traveling with you has increased my power.”
“It is agreed then. How can we serve you?” Nameless said.
Milandra answered, “take me to the Glade of the Heavens.”
“Where the gods want you to be so that they can sacrifice you?” Elora asked, her voice cracked.
“It is a sacred place where the barrier between realms is thin. It is a place where my soul can be channeled to a god or where I can link up with my past self. Where I can awaken as the Gifted One,” Milandra said, her voice louder than usual.
Zel chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Asked Karl.
“Our one advantage was that we could have hidden Milandra from Zaverick and the Pirate queen. But, it is obvious that they will know where she needs to go,” the necromancer replied.
“Then we best move fast unless you have a way for us to defeat two armies?” Elora said.
“Is it too late for me to change my mind?” Grumbled Karl.