“Answer me, human. My patience for your kind has already run out.” The woman asked, boring ehr cold eyes into Ayah’s.

“I…Eh…I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ayah furrowed her brows in thought.

Hayna? Who was that?

“Are you trying to fool me, human?”

“I have a name, you know. And I would rather you referred to me by it.”

The woman’s lips twisted. “All humans are the same. Your name is but one in many. It would soon be lost after you utter your last breath. Why bother learning it?” She regarded Ayah with a scrutinizing look. “Where is she?” she asked.

Ayah huffed. “I’ve never met whoever you’re talking about.”

“And yet, you have her powers.”

Ayah narrowed her eyes at her. Could this be the one she was supposed to get− whatever the system said it was− from? “Are you…Uliya?”

The woman, Uliya’s face brightened up ever so slightly. “So you’ve heard of me. Was it Hayna who told you to come see me? Where is she hiding?”

Was Hayna the name of the system?

The latter was suspiciously silent. It didn’t send her the usual warnings when she came upon another enemy.

Was that what this woman was? An enemy? Or the absence of the system’s warning meant she wasn’t trying to kill them, and merely curious about her powers.

“Answer me human.” She bent forward, towering over Ayah, her hair falling over them like a waterfall. Then she touched Ayah’s forehead with the tip of her finger.

Wha−

Hayna looked at the five champions each of them had chosen. Something akin to pride pulling at the strings of her heart. It took her a long time to make her choice− not that they had a wide range to choose from, but she was satisfied with the hero that had answered her call. He was an honorable man that others gravitated towards. Hayna had no doubt that he had a bright future ahead of him, after his work as a champion was done− They kneeled in front of them, ready to accept their holy mission to slay the Dark Lord and restore balance to the world.

To be honest, Hayna had wished they hadn’t resorted to this. But with Layth’s rampage over the kingdom, seeking revenge for the death of the halfling, they had no other choice than to call upon their chosen and entrust them with the world’s safety. Especially with their vow to each other…

Was it another of Layth’s schemes? Did he push them to make the blood pact to never harm each other with the intention to turn against the humans who have welcomed them, who have accepted them so readily without a look of distrust? To revel in his destruction without worrying about being stopped by the only ones powerful enough to do so?

Hayna didn’t want to believe that. She wanted to believe that deep down, Layth had retained some affection for their hosts. That he would stop his acts of aggression without having to send the champions after him.

She still remembered the look of wonder in his eyes as he first set his gaze upon this new world.

“This is our home now,” he had said, a wide beaming smile pulling at his lips.

He had been the one to first suggest extending a helping hand to the inhabitants of this world. A gift of gratitude for their hospitality, he had called it.

She could still remember the sad look on his face when they had discovered that this world’s inhabitants weren’t in tune with their powers, that they weren’t able to bless them with the gifts that would ease their hard life and relieve their burdens.

“Fate is unfair,” he had said.

He loved them so…

Why couldn’t he forgive them?

The human king had vowed to bring the perpetrator to justice. He had vowed to see them pay for their crime. Why had Layth turned his back on them and laid waste to many of their colonies?

“Pay attention,” Uliya nudged her. “The oath ceremony had already started.”

The champions bowed down, proclaiming their vow to hunt down the Dark Lord and put an end to his corruption. And the ancients accepted their vows and bestowed upon them their blessings.

“I see. It is faint. But I can feel a fragment of her soul inside of you. That woman is still trying to set this world into balance.” There was a hint of sadness to her words. As if she had finally found a long lost friend, only to learn of their passing.

Ayah was still, her mind still reeling from what she had just seen. What was that? Were those memories? Whose memories were they? Were they Hayna’s memories?

Uliya burst into laughter, though it was devoid of any mirth. “Foolish! Even after her soul was shattered to pieces, she’s still trying to save this pitiful world.” She bore her eyes into Ayah’s. “Even if you choose a champion, it’s already over. There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing we can do.” Her face twisted. “Foolish to the end,” she muttered.

She leaned down over Ayah, staring into her eyes. Ayah had the weird feeling that she wasn’t looking at her. That she was looking through her, at the system, at whatever remained of the other ancient, Hayna.

Harith shifted, but before Ayah could tell him to stop whatever he wanted to do, his shadows burst from under his feet and spread towards Uliya. But before his shadows could reach her, light shone from her and tore into his darkness like they were pieces of thin paper. Strands of light enveloped him, then dragged him below the water’s surface.

“What is he doing here?” Disgust and anger dripped from her words. She regarded Harith as if he was something that wasn’t allowed to exist. “To think that his offspring still poisons the world.”

Ayah held her broken sword towards her. “Let him go.” she yelled.

Uliya paused, turning slowly to Ayah. “You dare threaten me, human?” She seemed two seconds away from obliterating them.

“Your holiness!” Loaye called, bringing the ancient’s attention to him. “Forgive our intrusion, It’s our utmost honor to be in your presence.” He bowed deeply.

She regarded him with a slanted smile, the corner of her eyes crinkling slightly at the edge in what Ayah thought was mirth. “At least some of you remembered their manners.”

“Please forgive them, your holiness.” He bowed even lower.

Uliya’s smile widened. She touched her chin with her finger, humming. “I might be willing to overlook this slight.”

“We thank you for your abundant kindness. Please forgive their failure to recognize the goddess of light. ”

Ayah stopped the snort that nearly escaped her throat. The only thing this being had an abundance of was arrogance.

“Bow down before the goddess of light.” Loaye whispered furiously, chastising her.

Ayah stared at the tall woman. “You’re no goddess, are you? You might be a powerful being that has lived thousands of years, but that doesn’t make a god out of you.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Ayah!” Loaye shrieked.

She glanced down at Ayah, a sharp edge to her look. “Oh, A non-believer has dared cross the threshold of my temple.”

Ayah steeled herself, refusing to give ground. “There are no temples here. Only ruins.”

“Ayah!” Loaye was nearly hyperventilating.

“No god would be weak enough to watch their temple be destroyed, helpless, unable to protect it.”

Loaye fell to the ground, prostrating, his forehead nearly touching the ground. “Please forgive her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She has been traveling through the forest for days and barely had time to rest. If you could find it in your benevolent heart to forgive her−”

“I’m not here to ask for your forgiveness. You attacked us first. Who should ask to be forgiven here?”

Loaye whimpered, his forehead thumping against the surface of the water, sending ripples against its surface.

Amusement filtered over Uliya’s face. She tilted her head to the side. “It’s true. We are not gods. Yet, we are more powerful than mere humans.”

“Debatable,” Ayah answered.

Uliya blinked at her, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

Ayah frowned. What was wrong with her? Ayah merely pointed out the truth. From what she saw in Hayna’s memories, they couldn’t deal with whatever was happening and had to choose champions to fight in their stead. How did that make them more powerful than human, when they clearly needed their help to fight their war?

“I see. Hayna’s taste in champions hasn’t changed,” she said, more to herself than to Ayah. “But that was always the problem, wasn’t it?” There was a softness to her tone. Something Ayah didn’t think the ancient was capable of.

Uliya straightened up. All the softness that had slipped through her tone earlier had completely disappeared when she spoke again. “Hayna might have chosen you as her champion, but that doesn’t mean that I would just bestow my blessing upon you. Tell me, what are you willing to do for it?”

“Anything,” Ayah responded, not an ounce of doubt present in her voice.

“Anything? Such a bold claim. But I guess humans are willing to go to any length for a taste of power, aren’t they?” She smiled.

Ayah would have to be a fool to fall for her lilting tone and bright smile, when she could feel the overwhelming rage seething from her.

“Anything within reason,” Ayah amended.

What was this mad woman going to ask of her?

“I will, on one condition.” The smile on Uliya’s lips sent a shiver down Ayah’s spine. Her eyes flitted to Harith, and she beckoned his form closer. “Kill him, and I’ll bestow upon you my blessing.”

“What?” Ayah whispered.

“What will you do, human? You said you were ready to do anything for power. Did you change your mind already?”

“I didn’t,” Ayah said firmly. “You can give me any quest you want, except this.”

Uliya regarded her with an unimpressed expression on her face. “That’s the only condition I’m willing to give.”

Ayah swallowed around her dry throat.

Think! There must be something she wants!

She watched the ancient, looking for something to use.

She was so receptive to Loaye’e words, relishing them even. Loaye had said this place was once a temple. It must have been thrumming with humans. But now, only the skeleton of what remained stood the test of time. Yet, here she was, still here. Was she waiting for something? Ayah doubted she was stuck here, unable to leave. There must have been a reason why she hadn’t left even after the temple was destroyed and the whole area completely overrun with monsters.

She looked at her, drawing to her full height. “I have a proposition to make.”

Uliya narrowed her eyes in displeasure. “What makes you think I’ll negotiate with mere mortals? Don’t think highly of yourself just because you’ve been chosen by Hayna.”

“It’s beneficial to both of us.”

“Why, human. You think you can help me?” There was so much fury in her voice, the already thin air seemed to be sucked out of the whole place.

“She wouldn’t dare, your holiness. She merely misspoke.”

Ayah shot Loaye a glare. Couldn’t he just be quiet and let her speak to the ancient?

Loaye’s words seemed to placate her a little. She huffed, running a long and thin finger through her silvery locks. She leveled Ayah with a glare. “Speak.”

Ayah took a deep breath to steady her heart. This was it. She would either save them, or doom them all.

“The temple,” she started, noting Uliya’s sudden shift at its mention. “I’ll restore the temple of light to its former glory. I’m an editor. I’ll make sure to weave you the most awe-inspiring tale about your role in saving the world. A tale that shall be remembered for millennia.” she announced, putting her hand over her chest in an act of oath. “Not as a deity to be worshiped, but as one of humanity’s benevolent helpers. I can’t, in good conscience, keep up your farce.”

Uliya raised a surprised brow at her. Ayah’s heart nearly beat out her chest as she watched her silent form. Uliya looked hesitant, her lips pulled into a thin line and her brows furrowed thoughtfully as a faraway look passed over her eyes.

“You either accept my conditions, or I’ll go to another ancient. I’m sure they’ll be more interested in my offer.”

Her threats were empty, Ayah knew that. She had no idea where she would find another ancient. She wasn’t even sure that the system, or Hayna− Ayah still couldn’t wrap her head around that− would give her another quest that involved another ancient. But she hoped the woman’s loneliness was too great to look through her bluffing.

After an agonizing moment of silence, she looked at Ayah. “Fail me, and you shall perish, chosen or not.”

Ayah gave her a terse nod, opting to say nothing.

She extended her hand towards Ayah, and before she could swear to her her determination to see her oath to the end, a blinding light engulfed her. A warm and gentle aura enveloped her, different from the ancient’s cold demeanor.

The system dinged, and the screen announced the new blessing bestowed by Uliya.

[Congratulations! You have been granted Uliya’s blessing : Uliya’s wisdom.]

[Keep up the good work player!]

“You can leave now.” She waved them off, turning to look to the side, seemingly no longer interested in their presence. “You’ve got your blessing. No that it would do much at this point.” Her voice lowered to a whisper.

“He leaves with us.” Ayah motioned to Harith. She refused to leave without him.

“Are you sure? His presence is more likely to bring you misfortune than offer any sort of help.”

“We’re kind of a team, the three of us.”

Loaye startled at her words. Ayah ignored the look he sent her way, along with the whispered ‘me?’ to focus on the ancient being.

“They’re essential to the quest.”

“Getting rid of him now would be your first act of wisdom. Are you sure you want to let such a scourge accompany you on your journey?”

‘He’s not a scourge,’ Ayah wanted to say, but settled on a firm nod and a, “Wisdom would be not throwing judgment upon someone one doesn’t know.”

Uliya raised an eyebrow at her, and just when Ayah was starting to worry that she would have to think of another deal to make to free him, Harith emerged from underneath his water cage, coughing and spluttering as he gulped air back into his lungs.

Harith stood up, and took a step forward, drawing the ancient’s attention to him. He stared at her. “It’s true then, what they say about me.”

She tilted her head to the side, strands of silver hair shifted and fell loose, swaying in the non-existent breeze. Ayah wondered how real this place was. Were they trapped in some illusion created by her? Was all of this an illusion?

“Would it make a difference if it was?” she asked.

“No, it won’t,” Harith said firmly, without sparing a second thought.

She smirked, amusement rolling from the corners of her slanted lips. “Interesting. Let’s see if you can have a different fate than his.”

Ayah felt a shiver run down her spine at the uttered words. Was this woman able to speak without sounding threatening? Ayah doubted it.

“You seem to have the favor of Hayna’s champion. You’ll do well not to betray the trust put on you, scourge bringer.”

Harith glanced at Ayah before he gave a terse nod.

Ayah wanted to reassure him that she didn’t believe any of the scourge nonsense. No matter who his ancestor was, it didn’t mean that he would turn out like him. They were two different people.

“Well then, begone from my sight before you try my patience even further.”

“Wait!” Ayah called.

“What more do you seek, Ayah from earth?”

“Blessed valley’s drop. Do you know where we can find it?”

Uliya shot her a bemused look. “You’re standing over it.”

“Wha−”

“You have my permission to take from it.”

As soon as Uliya spoke, the system dinged with the announcement of the blessed valley drop’s acquisition.

Ayah blinked.

That was it… they had all the ingredients for the cure. She glanced at Harith, shooting him a beaming grin. He returned it with a small smile of his own.

“Thank you,” Ayah nodded to the ancient, who waved her off with a whispered “begone now”.

Uliya looked to the side, gazing at something beyond their sight. “How foolish. No matter how she tried, there is no way to right the wrongs we have committed. This world was doomed the second we stepped foot into it.” Her expression softened. “Were we wrong? When we chose to come here… maybe we should have perished alongside our people, if it meant dooming other worlds just to save ourselves.” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ayah had an inkling she wasn’t speaking to her. So she didn’t say a word.

And just like that, the woman and the lake blinked out of existence. And they found themselves back in the temple ruins.

Ayah startled as the ground rumbled. She watched warily as the golems started moving again. But they didn’t attack them. They turned on their heels and went back to their prior positions, the ones they occupied before they had come upon them. They hunkered down, the light in their core turning dull as they powered off.

“Fascinating,” Loaye whispered.

Ayah couldn’t help but agree.