A/N - Thank you, Jacob Janes, FauxPraetor, Émile Dufresne, mark harrell, & Nadia Bakker, for becoming God of Velmoryn's Patrons!
"If you truly are the blessed one," he said in a low voice, "I have a request for you."
"What request?" I asked, letting the tension in my shoulders ease. At least he wasn't looking to start a fight.
"Help us exterminate the nest of these spiders," he said, turning and calling out to someone behind him. "Ariel, bring the map."
I followed his gaze and saw a female Velmoryn. She was burlier than me, carrying a thick log like it was a walking stick.
Looks like I was wrong about Velmoryns being physically weak as a race. Would I even be able to lift that thing?
"Should I bring Alicia too, Vael Akrion?" Ariel asked, dropping the log with a heavy thud, like proving just how heavy it was.
I took a better look around. Now that most of the Velmoryns had taken off their armor, it was easier to see their builds. Their bodies were lean but muscular - strong in a way my tribe wasn't. But the real difference was their markings. Unlike the silver patterns of my tribe, theirs were faint. Almost transparent. Faded like old ink.
"No need," Akrion responded, already looking at me again. His gaze scanned me more closely this time, pausing on my arms, then resting longer on my face - probably puzzled by my heterochromia.
It made me uncomfortable. I shifted slightly and decided to steer the conversation forward.
"Why do you need my help?" I asked. I still couldn't connect the dots between being blessed by a god and going on a glorified extermination run. If he'd said he was impressed with my strength, I could follow that logic. But this focus on the god behind me, that part didn't add up.
Does he think that by bringing me along to fight those spiders, he can trick the god into making a move?
"Killing spiders is not enough. We must slay the Mother," he said, and his voice turned sharper as his brows drew in. "These spiders have plagued this region before. We've attempted assaults on the nest multiple times, but every time we reached the Mother, almost the entire strike team was slaughtered."
He paused there, one hand drifting to a deep scar carved just below his elbow. His fingers rested on it, almost unconsciously, while his eyes focused on some point just behind my shoulder. Somewhere far beyond where we stood.
"If these spiders have been a threat for so long," I said, trying to ground him again, "why hasn't my tribe heard anything about them?"
That pulled him back. His brow twitched slightly as he recalled and analyzed what I'd said.
"They vanished over a hundred years ago," he replied at last. "Until a few days ago, we thought they were gone for good. At first we noticed one or two hunting lone beasts… then their numbers increased. Now they're attacking openly. If this keeps up, we'll be looking at thousands of them swarming through the forest."
His expression hardened as he glanced briefly toward Ninali, who had been standing quietly beside us the whole time, observing without interrupting.
"And how would your tribe know?" he snorted, like he was mocking us, or rather Ninali. "The rest of us have surrounded your settlement for generations, acted as your shield. Not once did your people take part in any of our campaigns."
His voice was rising now, eyes fixed on Ninali like she was the representation of everything that annoyed him. He clenched his right fist, then slowly loosened it again.
"Your tribe was always too weak to be trusted on the battlefield - a weak ally is worse than none at all."
He fell silent just as Ariel returned, holding an old, faded map in her hands.
"Vael Akrion, the healers have exhausted their mana. Should we give them potions?" Ariel asked as she handed him the map.
You need permission for that? Why do my Velmoryns carry potions like they are a flask of water then?
Akrion gave a simple nod, then he snapped the map open, so forcefully I nearly flinched, half-expecting the brittle thing to tear down the middle.
"A hundred years ago, when the spiders vanished," he began, stepping toward me, "we felt a surge of divine power sweep through the forest. We think it was tied to the Mother's disappearance."
He stopped beside me and raised the map so I could see it clearly.
"We believe the Mother can only be defeated with divine power," he added. "That's why we need help from your God."
The map was old, faded in parts, but surprisingly detailed. It marked the territories of all six Velmoryn tribes. Even the ruins where Roy hid from Kurraghal and I found the vessel. But there were also places I didn't recognize.
I leaned in, studying every inch, trying to memorize it all.
"You can stop staring like you're trying to imprint it on your soul," Akrion laughed, booming. "I'm giving it to you."
He tapped a point near the center of the forest. "This is where we think the Mother's nest is. But to launch a proper assault, we'll need all the Velmoryn tribes… and even them."
I followed his finger.
The spot he pointed to had a small tree symbol etched beside a name I didn't recognize - 'Velthwyn'.
"What are those?" I asked, the words slipping out before I remembered that he didn't know I was playing amnesiac.
But Akrion didn't seem to find the question odd. He didn't even pause.
"They live in the deepest part of the forest," he said. "We trade with them sometimes, mostly for potions. But that's not important right now. Our tribe will reach out to Velthwyn and ask for their support."
He rolled the map slightly, shifting it in his hands. "We've got time before summer."
"Why summer?" I asked. It didn't make sense. If a handful of spiders two days ago had become dozens now, what would their numbers look like in three months? Or six?
Akrion's expression twisted like I'd just said something utterly ridiculous.
"He's lost his memory," Ninali said quickly, stepping in. "He doesn't know how the seasons work in our region."
Akrion instantly growled back at Ninali, then exhaled in understanding. "Ah. That explains it." He clapped a hand on my back with unexpected sympathy. "Winter lasts half the year. And once the first month hits, long-distance travel becomes impossible. It's not just the snow or the cold, it's the creatures. They are just… too strong."
His tone turned bitter.
"And it's worse for the spiders. The cold slows them down. Their joints lock up. They can't move properly. That's why they struck our tribe today, they're gathering food, or culling their own numbers."
His jaw tightened as anger started to build.
"In a few days, they'll burrow deep underground and vanish. That's when we'll prepare. And when the cold finally begins to wane, but the spiders are still sluggish... that's when we strike."
His eyes lit up again, momentarily charged with purpose, and he brought the map even closer.
"This is the dungeon you'll be going to," he said, pointing to a symbol etched as a stone arch. Then his finger slid east, stopping at a cluster of tents drawn just beyond the treeline. "And this is where one of the two strongest tribes is stationed. I need you to convince them."
He smiled. Wide. A kind of smile that made every hair on my body stand upright.
"Why me?" I asked, not hiding the discomfort in my voice.
"They were the most devoted to the Goddess," he replied. "Only you can make them believe in your God."
His smile twisted into a smirk. One of those condescending kinds that begged to be slapped off.
"Alright," I said, smirking back. "But what do I stand to gain?"
That made him pause. His eyes widened, clearly not expecting the pushback. Then his brows drew in, and his tone dropped lower.
"You gain two things," he said quietly. "First, your tribe won't be slaughtered by these spiders. And second, if you succeed, you might convert one of the largest Velmoryn tribes in the forest. Is that not your purpose as His blessed one?"
He held my gaze as the corner of his mouth curled again.
Is he mocking me?
I thought about it. Considered saying something sharp. But I let it go with a sigh. I needed divinity points, and this could be the perfect opportunity.
"You're right," I said curtly. No point in dragging it out.
Arkion gave a small, satisfied nod and handed over the map. Without another word, he turned and walked off.
"This is only the second time I've seen him," Ninali muttered, eyes fixed on his back, "he always looks at me like I'm a splinter under his skin."
She let out a slow breath. "He must really need you. Otherwise, he wouldn't be acting this polite. His tribe is the worst of the five."
Her gaze lingered on Arkion as he left our line of sight, her lips pressed together tightly.
"I'll rest here a while. Go find Aria," she added, turning toward Huanir, who had apparently been awake and silently observing the whole time.
"We should leave soon…"
She murmured something else under her breath, words too soft to catch.
I watched her settle down beside Huanir. Even the stink didn't seem to bother her anymore.
Then I turned and started walking. Aria was already heading toward me, flanked by Vaelari and Teryo.
…
We spent a day in the Blue Tribe, or rather, just outside their borders. Their hospitality allowed us to eat and rest until evening, and even that felt more like repayment than gratitude. Apparently, slaying over six spider mutants didn't earn us anything extra.
Now we were headed toward the dungeon.
We'd agreed it made more sense to explore it first and then visit the Silver Tribe. Aria had convinced us with the argument that if we found any remains of the Goddess, the Silver Tribe would be far more likely to listen. It sounded logical. Too logical. I was fairly certain she was steering us for her own reasons.
"Now you understand why I hold no fondness for that tribe," Ninali said with a smirk, her fingers absently running through Huanir's fur as she walked. The beast was loving the attention he was receiving as he proudly carried my shield on his back, probably thinking he had an important role instead of being my glorified mule.
"I cannot speak for the others," I replied, chewing on a strip of dried meat, "but this one did not seem particularly gracious. Not even in light of our help."
Two days under Teryo's lead had taught me one thing - he did not permit delays unless absolutely necessary. If we paused, it was because we needed rest, but when it came to eating… He believed we could do that while on the move.
"Did you expect a Velmoryn tribe to offer warmth and courtesy?" Vaelari asked, his smile touched by something bitter.
Ever since Aria had explained the nature of magic and how it affected emotion, I understood more of what weighed on him. For someone whose compassion was enhanced by his magic, living among people so restrained must have been a quiet torment.
"I'm still learning, Vaelari," I replied, offering a faint smile of my own.
In truth, I had grown comfortable around them. Most of them. Teryo remained the exception, I still disliked him.
"Aria," I called, initiating another round of lecture, "tell me more about dungeons."
I couldn't help but chuckle when both Ninali and Vaelari leaned in slightly, eager to listen.
"What would you like to know?" she asked, offering a smile of her own as her eyes drifted across the three of us.
"Can a dungeon be explored only once?" I asked. "Should we accomplish our goal there, what becomes of it?"
I glanced at Ninali and Vaelari, curious if they already knew the answer.
"If a dungeon is cleared," Aria began, her voice growing more energetic as dungeons seemed one of those topics she found fascinating, "its gate will close and shall remain sealed until it restores what was lost within. However, some artifacts and blessings may only appear once."
Despite her occasional complaints when I pushed too far with questions, she never truly seemed bothered, especially when the topic was even remotely connected with magic. That always brought a spark to her eyes.
"Then why do the Velmoryns not make use of dungeons to grow stronger?" I asked. "Is it not a straightforward way to acquire essences? If we are capable of conquering one, would not five Gold Ranks do so with ease?"
"You are not wrong," Aria began, "five Gold Ranks would indeed surpass us in strength, but…"
She stopped.
Her entire body stilled, eyes fixed ahead. I turned to follow her gaze.
There it stood - a stone arch carved into the cliffside, its surface inscribed with runes that pulsed faintly, their silvery glow shifting like breath. Even from a distance, I could feel the pull. That same subtle sensation I remembered from before. Familiar. Steady. Unmistakably divine.
"We have arrived," Aria whispered, her voice betraying the awe as she quickened her pace.
Her eyes started sparkling with unrestrained wonder. Within moments, she had moved ahead of us, drawn to the arch like a moth to flame. She reached it without hesitation, her steps silent despite the urgency.
But once she stood before it, she stopped abruptly.
Her fingers hovered, then gently traced the inscription carved into the stone. I saw the shift in her posture, the way her breath caught.
"This cannot be…" she murmured, her voice shaking. "It has changed…"
**
A/N -
And with this, the dungeon exploration begins! :3
What do you think awaits inside? Another memory left behind by the goddess? A hidden blessing? Or maybe a powerful divine artifact just waiting to be claimed?
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