The village of Washpool was built close to the clear waters of a pond, deep in the heart of a hardwood forest. It was a sleepy village that was home to just over eighty people and was located deep in the wilderness on the fringes of the kingdom of Elfont. They lived simple lives out here. The forest provided plenty for their foragers and hunters, and small fields supplied them with grains for their bread and their beers. Their homes were simple but well kept, built from lumber harvested from the surrounding forests.

A church stood on the banks of the pond. It was the only building in the village that wasn’t built from wood. Stone quarried from nearby to build it, and it was large enough to accommodate all the villagers. However, no sermons were held here. The people here had turned their backs on the Old Gods long ago. Despite this, the church still saw frequent use as a place for the villagers to congregate.

Washpool was normally a sleepy place, but it buzzed with excited energy today. The sun was just beginning to dip beneath the horizon as the inhabitants streamed from their homes, freshly washed, and clad in their best clothes. It was midsummer, the longest day of the year, and the day of the Festival. A gilded carriage was parked outside the church, ready to bear this year’s Pledges out of the wilderness. Three were chosen every year. No one knew where they went and none were ever seen again, but their departure was a great source of pride to the villagers, and for the Pledges, who would be chosen that very night. The chosen would be nervous but delighted as they said farewell to their friends, family, and homes, for they knew they were off to do great things for their new Gods.

One girl amongst the villagers was more excited than most. Her name was Victoria, and this was her thirteenth summer, which meant she was finally old enough to participate in the Festival. She had two older brothers, and in previous years, she could only watch on enviously as they joined their parents in the Church for a night of celebration. Now, it was finally her turn. She felt very pretty in her frilly pink dress, a hand me down from one of the village’s older girls.

“Hurry up,” she cried when she saw the queue forming outside the church’s door. “We’re going to miss it!”

“They won’t start until everyone’s there,” Gamlin, Victoria’s eldest brother laughed.

This was his eighteenth summer. Tall and good looking, he was the object of every eligible lady in Washpool’s affection. Since their father left the village as a Pledge, he had been the man of the house and was a central figure in Victoria’s life. However, she knew that would soon change. The men of Washpool were expected to marry and start families early. After all, what else was there to do in this remote village besides bear and raise children? 

“You’re going to blackout when you have your first sip of Dalin’s whiskey,” Timothy, Victoria’s second brother added good naturedly. He was shorter but broader at the shoulders than his older brother. At fifteen years of age, he was already an accomplished hunter and ensured that their family’s table was never empty.

Victoria pouted. “I won’t repeat your mistake, brother.”

“Now now children, today isn’t one for arguments,” their mother beamed as she put her arms around her children’s waists and held them tight, bringing them to a stop. She was a tall, handsome woman in her mid-thirties. Unlike the others, who were clad in bright colours, she wore a muted black dress, and her face was bursting with pride as she looked at them each in turn. “Look at the three of you. All grown up. Where does the time go?”

“Mummy, we won’t get good seats if we’re late!” Victoria protested.

“You don’t even know what goes on in there,” Timothy snorted. “What are you so excited about?”

“Oh come off it,” Gamlin said with a crooked grin. “You were even more excited than she is on your first time.”

“That’s right, you were!” Victoria exclaimed. “You didn’t sleep for three days!”

“I napped!” Timothy protested.

“Oh Victoria, this year’s your coming of age, isn’t it?” a barrel chested man called out from nearby. “Look at you, pretty as a picture. Like a porcelain doll, you look.”

“That’s right, Mister Gerrond!” Victoria beamed at the ruddy faced brewer.

“Look at you, pretty as a picture,” he said, smiling down at her. “Go on then, just go straight to the front. No need to queue with the rest of us. You too, Edna, boys.”

Congratulations showered down on Victoria as their neighbours stood aside so they could march straight into the church.

“Mummy, this is the happiest day of my life,” she sighed as she rubbed her cheeks. Despite being sore, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

“Oh, dearie, it hasn’t even begun yet,” her mother said.

At the church’s doorway, Victoria saw the squat, pudgy form of Lewis Cobhorn, the village chief. He shook everyone by the hand and exchanged a cheerful greeting as they removed their shoes and bathed their feet in a trough that appeared to be fed by the pond outside. They then took a sip from a large goblet, which Victoria knew contained Dalin Gerrond’s famous whiskey, before continuing into the church.

Lewis’ eyes were like coals in a plump face that reminded Victoria very much of the swine Ulrich Ferder kept. His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Ah, Victoria, welcome, welcome!”

“Go on sweetie,” Edna beamed as she gently pushed Victoria towards the trough.

Hurriedly, Victoria removed her shoes and placed them carefully amongst the others before stepping into the trough. She gasped. The water was cold, but that wasn’t what had alarmed her. Even the mayor was staring agog as the water turned blood red as it swirled around her feet. A hush fell over the church as more people saw.

“She is Touched by Ir!” Lewis cried, and a cheer erupted amongst the village people.

Their reactions reduced Victoria’s alarm somewhat, though she was still bewildered at what was happening. That was just pond water she was standing in, wasn’t it? The same pond water she had soaked her feet in so many times before. It had never turned red then. Why now? And what was the significance of being touched by Ir? She only knew he was one of the new Gods of the Pantheon they worshipped. She desperately wanted to know but felt this wasn’t the appropriate time.

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“Oh sweetheart,” Edna choked. There were tears in her eyes. Both she and Gamlin looked incredibly proud while Timothy looked green with envy.

“Here child, drink this,” the mayor said excitedly as he handed her a cup.

The goblet reeked of spirits and something else. Victoria found it tantalizing, almost irresistible. However, she had prepared herself for this moment for months and managed to retain the presence of mind to recall Timothy’s disgrace. Steeling herself, she merely pretended to drink deeply from the goblet, touching her lips to the golden liquid before pulling back. She was determined not to forget this, the most important night of her life like Timothy had. Besides, she’d heard there would be plenty of opportunity to drink later on in the evening.

Lewis frowned as he looked at the goblet, unsure if she had drunk it. He was about to say something when Timothy pushed Victoria forward, causing her to stumble as she stepped out of the trough.

“Come on,” he snapped. “Let someone else have a turn.”

His foul mood seemed to darken when the water he was standing in remained clear.

“There’s no need for that,” Edna admonished her son. “Your sister is Touched by Ir. She brings honour to our entire family.”

“To our entire village!” Lewis boomed to more cheers.

“Does this mean I will be Pledged, Mummy?” Victoria asked, sounding concerned. To become Pledged was the greatest honour a villager could experience, but all Pledges were adults who had born at least three children, and the prospect of leaving Washpool had never left her mind.

“No, you won’t be Pledged. This honour is greater, child,” Lewis said with a twinkle in his eye. “Go on, go inside. All will be revealed in due time.”

A pair of men guided Victoria’s family to a pew in the front row of the church, just in front of the stage. Seats of honour. Statues of the old gods once stood in the centre of the stage, but their faces had been chiselled off. However, their ears had been retained, as though their former devotees wanted them to listen to their praise of the new gods. Meanwhile, her brothers and mother, who had been excited before, we practically shaking as they stood. Something had changed in them since they had entered the church. She had never seen them like this before. Part of her was concerned, but Victoria was quickly swept away by the excitement that surrounded her. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She looked around at the villagers, all of whom she knew by name, and they looked back at her, bursting with pride.

Soon, the church filled up, and Lewis walked up to the stage and smiled broadly as he looked over the gathered villagers who looked back in rapt attention.

“Friends and neighbours,” he began. “This is a special day!”

A hush fell over the church and all eyes went to Victoria, who managed a nervous smile at the attention.

“One of our own has been Touched by Ir!” he continued. “I will now invite the Ingers family to the stage!”

Edna leapt to her feet and excitedly ushered her children up to the stage with her. Feeling self-conscious, Victoria focused on ensuring every step was perfect. Before she knew it, she was standing on the stage. Everyone’s attention was on her. She was unsettled. She had just noticed something odd in their eyes. There was a mixture of pride and elation there. Elation that bordered on hysteria. She looked up at her mother and paused. The hysteria was in her eyes too.

“Come on, you,” Gamlin said, patting her on the shoulder. His touch was reassuring, and it dispelled her trepidation. “Everyone is waiting.”

Victoria allowed her brother to guide her to the centre of the stage where Lewis was waiting at an altar. It was a simple one made from hardwood that had once been engraved with the symbol of the old church. The engraving had since been scratched out, and Victoria had often wondered why they hadn’t just made a new one.

Slowly, she walked over to the mayor who placed a meaty hand on each of her shoulders as he stood behind her. He then turned her so that she was facing the crowd.

“Victoria, daughter of Imlan, has been anointed by Ir to serve as one of his own!” he cried.

As one, the crowd replied in an unsettling monotone, “Glory upon him.”

Victoria hadn’t been told much about the New Gods. Only that she would be inducted during her coming of age. She had been looking forward to it, but so far, the experience had been nothing but unsettling. She looked up and was taken aback by the zeal in her family’s eyes.

“Tonight, she will give herself over to Him, and tomorrow, she will travel with the Pledged to Paradise!”

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Victoria turned to see her family laughing and clapping. She decided to bask in the adulation. This was the night she had been looking forward to for as long as she could remember, and she didn’t want to let her doubts mar it.

“Tell me, child, who is the favourite in your family?”

Victoria blinked and looked up at Lewis, who looked back expectantly. She hesitated and looked between Gamlin and her mother before settling her gaze on her eldest brother.

“Gamlin,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry, mummy,” she added when she saw the pained expression on her mother’s face.

Gamlin, meanwhile, was beside himself with joy. He jumped up and hugged his sister so tight that it hurt.

“Oh thank you,” he whispered into her ear.

“What a beautiful scene,” Lewis smiled.

The mayor gently placed a hand on Gamlin’s shoulder, and the tall young man reluctantly prised himself away from his sister. The mayor then produced a knife, and Victoria’s smile froze. It was a steel blade with a wooden handle. Similar to the one Ulrich used to slit the throats of his pigs when they were of the right size.

“What is that for?” she wanted to ask but couldn’t seem to find her voice.

Victoria’s mother took the knife from the mayor, who then positioned himself behind the taller young man. Edna looked Victoria in the eye and held the knife up.

“Mother, what are you going to do with that?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry. Were they going to prick her finger? She’d heard that some vows required blood to complete. Would it hurt? She hoped not. Perhaps the drink was to dull the pain. How she wished she’d taken a sip now.

“Don’t worry, little one,” she cooed, wearing the same, almost maniacal, smile as everyone else. “I would never hurt you.”

Victoria flinched when her brother raised the knife. To her shock, he then drew it across his own throat, cutting it open. The knife was sharp and the cut was clean. For the first horrible moments, nothing happened. Then, a red gash appeared across his neck. Blood began to weep from it. Then, it burst out like a torrent. The smile never left her brother’s face as his body went limp. Lewis was on hand to prop him up. Victoria’s jaw dropped in shock. Then, to her horror, her mother, who was still smiling, daubed her finger in the blood that was oozing out of her brother’s neck and placed it carefully into Victoria’s gaping mouth.

Gamlin’s blood was still warm, and its coppery taste made her body turn hot She felt something strange coursing through her veins. All around, people were clapping and cheering. It felt like the world had turned upside down. Had her mother really just slit Gamlin’s throat? Surely not, judging from everyone’s reaction. Perhaps it had all been a figment of her imagination.

Then, a splintering sound filled the church as something crashed against the front door. The laughing stopped and the villagers turned to the door in unison. There was another crash, and the door flew open. Men clad in steel armour and armed with swords swarmed in.

“Cease this heresy at once!” a voice cried. “In the name of King Argelne and all that is good and holy!”

“You have no right to intrude!” Lewis spat back. “We do not bow to your craven kings, nor do we believe in your false gods!”

Angry shouts echoed out, and the mayor let Gamlin’s body fall from his arms as he leapt down from the stage to deal with the intruders. Violence erupted as the villagers threw themselves at the intruders. Victoria saw fury on her neighbours, friends, and family’s faces for the first time. It all felt like a horrible nightmare. Something warm dripped on her feet, and Victoria looked down to see her brother’s lifeless eyes staring back at her with a maniacal smile twisting her lips. This wasn’t a dream. Then, she began to scream.