Realms of Valen - Blasphemous Crusade (War of the Gods Book 2)

by Rickk Berry III

  “Is that it?” Echo asked, pointing to a tall, stone building across the lake, it's shadow falling onto the white-sand beach in the morning sun. Kaidia eyed the building and noticed a large banner above the double doors of the entrance that bore the same rune as the medallion she had received in Sarkos when she had been on the hunt for Adathir's temple.

  “That would be it,” Kaidia confirmed. The two women, followed by their massive panthers walked in silence as they approached the entrance of the temple. As they started up the front steps, people stopped and stared. Some were gawking at the large cats, but others were openly staring at Kaidia. Echo quirked a brow at the people standing there, mouths gaping. Kai ignored it all as she pushed open the double doors and walked inside. Echo and the two panthers followed. Kaidia looked around as she stepped in.. Echo paused at her side.

  “Damn,” Echo remarked. The main room was huge. The ceiling was tall and the details of it were obscured by shadow. The center of the room was open. Large stone columns stretched up into the darkness above and ran alongside both sides of the room, leaving some space between themselves and the walls for those that desired to spend their time in the temple in mild seclusion. Torches were mounted on each side of each column, providing some light. Tall, wide windows of stained glass allowed muted light inside to further illuminate the interior of the temple. Acolytes were walking about, tending to the needs of the worshipers and the business of the temple. A priest and priestess, one an older man, lanky with thinning grey hair and the other a middle-aged woman still hanging onto her youth with remarkable success, approached Kaidia and Echo.

  “You can't bring those beasts in here!” the priest declared.

  “The place is dedicated to me, I can bring what I want in here,” Kaidia retorted. It took the two a moment before recognition dawned on both their faces.

  “Of course, Mistress Kaidia,” the priest managed.

  “Wow, didn't even have to introduce yourself,” Echo commented.

  “I'm sure there are artist renderings of me in here. Probably done by elves, no less,” Kai replied, glancing at the priest and priestess, both of whom nodded confirmation to her assumption.

  “That would make sense,” Echo admitted.

  “To what do we owe the honor of your visit, Mistress Kaidia?” the priestess asked.

  “Ah, well, as you probably know, there's going to be a massive battle outside of the city in the next couple of days and that brings me to Silver Lake. As for what brings me to the temple... I just wanted to see it. If you would not be troubled by it, I would like to meet some of my worshipers, and see if I can help any of them in any way,” Kaidia explained.

  “That would be wonderful,” the priestess replied, looking absolutely giddy with joy. Even the priest looked quite pleased with the idea.

  “If I may, what are your names?” Kaidia asked.

  “Oh, silly us, no manners. I am Oria Felgast. My counterpart is Belphor Pirst,” the priestess replied, gesturing to herself, then to the priest.

  “Well, obviously you know me. This is Echo-Seras, General of the kyrian forces outside the city,” Kaidia said, gesturing to herself, then to Echo. Echo smiled and nodded her head; the priest and priestess returned the gesture. It was then that Kaidia noticed that both of them wore a medallion on a chain around their necks, nearly identical to the one she had been gifted with in Sarkos the last time she had stayed there. At the time, she knew of only three of them. The one she had and the ones she had given to Rykar and Nadia.

  “Where did you get those?” she asked, gesturing to the medallions. The two clergy glanced down and then back up.

  “Every acolyte and priest has them, at least here,” Belphor said.

  “Can you show me where you store them?” Kaidia asked. Oria and Belphor looked mildly confused, but nodded.

  “Of course, Mistress Kaidia,” Oria said before turning and starting for the back of the room. Belphor, Kaidia, Echo, and the two panthers followed. On the way to a closed door at the back of the room, the group passed by a throne carved of black marble with veins of white coursing through it. The throne sat upon a dais that was three steps from the floor of the temple.

  “Why is there a throne in here?” Kaidia asked as they kept walking.

  “It's for you, Mistress,” Belphor answered with a glance toward Kai.

  “I see. Well, in that case, I want cushions for it when I'm to be sitting on it. Marble is hard and cold, after all,” Kaidia replied.

  “Of course. The lack of cushions is simply to discourage others from sitting there and to show off the craftsmanship of the throne,” Belphor responded with a faint smile.

  “Here's a question. Why build a fancy marble chair on the off chance that your chosen god will show up to sit in it?” Echo asked.

  “How bad would we look if she showed up and we had nowhere for her to sit?” Oria responded with her own question.

  “I really wouldn't have minded,” Kaidia interjected with a chuckle.

  “Well, you have it, so you might as well use it,” Oria reasoned with a smile as she opened the door at the back of the room. The group passed through the doorway and continued down a hallway. They passed a pair of halls on both sides before coming to the end of the one they were traversing. A door stood before them. Oria opened this door as well and stepped aside. Kaidia stepped through and glanced around. It was a storage room of sorts. Blankets, pillows, and bedding materials took up the shelves to Kai's left. To her right, the shelves contained scrolls, rolls of parchment, ink, quills and various other writing materials. Straight ahead of her were more shelves, these filled with clothes, mostly priest and acolyte robes from what Kaidia could see. On a low shelf, in a box fashioned from metal, rested many of the runed medallions, complete with chains, just like the clergy wore.

  “Interesting. I thought there were only three of those,” Kai muttered, more to herself than anyone present.

  “There were three original ones kept in Sarkos, but priests, priestesses, acolytes, and warriors that follow you have been making them since you were proclaimed a god by the Temple of the Gods,” Belphor explained.

  “Good to know,” Kaidia smiled and exited the room, heading back the way she had come. Echo followed, as did the two panthers who had scant room to maneuver in the hall. Oria and Belphor followed after the panthers, eyeing the beasts warily. As the group made their way back into the main chamber of the temple, Kaidia strode toward the marble throne. She was happy to see cushions on the seat and against the back of the throne when she walked up the steps to it. The throne had enough room around it for Echo and the panthers and as Kaidia settled into the throne, Echo stood to Kai's left. Kai's panther laid down to the right of the throne and Echo's lay down behind it. The group presented an interesting picture to the onlookers in the temple.

  Some people immediately started to line up in front of the steps while others seemed rather nervous and were gently coaxed by acolytes to step in line. One could hardly pass up the chance to meet a god, especially if said god happened to be thee god in one's life.

  Kaidia gave a warm, welcoming smile to the people at the head of the line in an attempt to ease their jittery nerves. The people at the head of the line were a fairly young couple; they looked to be of Silver Lake's poorer population, which meant that they were dressed smartly instead of lavishly. Between them, cradling something in one arm was a young boy of maybe ten winters. Kaidia could see that his other arm, his right one, was wounded, and blood stained his shirt sleeve. She arched a brow faintly and gestured the boy forward.

  “Come here, child,” she said, her voice gently coaxing. She even held her hands out to him. The boy glanced to his parents who both nodded and gave him a soft push toward the steps. The boy climbed the three steps to stand in front of Kaidia. He was trembling, peeking out from under light colored bangs with innocent eyes that didn't quite comprehend the enormity of where he was, who he was looking at, or what was happening. He looked to the large panther lying be
side Kai's throne, then to Echo, who was watching him curiously. After a moment, he held out the wrapped bundle with his uninjured arm.

  “H-he got hurt... by... by stray dogs,” the boy said quietly. Kaidia gave a quizzical look before she took the bundle of cloth with a tender touch and settled it in her lap. She pulled back folds of cloth and winced inwardly as she revealed a kitten. Blood stained the cloth and the kitten moved weakly, looking up toward Kaidia. The god, for all her warrior's grit and steel, felt her heart twinge at the sight. She looked to the boy's arm.

  “And you defended him,” she concluded, a hand reaching for the boy's shoulder. The boy pulled back a bit and pointed at the kitten.

  “Him first... please,” he insisted, pointing to the kitten, and looking uncertain about telling a god how to do her job. Kaidia smirked at the boy's gall and nodded.

  “Of course,” she said with a nod. Her left hand rested on the kitten as her right stroked the feline's small head. A simple bit of sorcery was all it took to heal the kitten, to knit bone and skin. Once the warmth of the magic faded, she leaned down over the kitten, only to have a pair of tiny paws bat at her nose. The god wrinkled her nose and smiled.

  “Is he better?” the boy asked, moving in close to see.

  “Yes, he's just fine,” Kaidia replied, leaning back to reveal the dark furred creature sitting up in her lap. It gave a mew as if to confirm Kai's answer. The boy smiled happily and stepped in closer to pick the kitten up in his good arm. Kaidia rested her hand on the boy's bloodied upper arm while he was distracted by the kitten. The boy gasped at the sudden warmth radiating from Kaidia's hand. It wasn't enough to burn; it was just pleasant. The wound, while ragged, was just a flesh wound, and closed quickly. Kai let her hand slip away, only to tense in momentary surprise as the boy used his healed arm to hug her around the neck. After getting over her instinctive urge to jerk away, Kaidia wrapped her tattooed arm around the boy and gently hugged him in return.

  “Thank you,” the boy said quietly in her ear, then released her, took the cloth from her lap, and bounded down the stairs to his parents, who appeared rather delighted. Kaidia glanced to Echo, who was smirking at her.

  “Shut up, cat,” she muttered.

  “Aw, but it was cute,” Echo teased.

  “Yes, yes, hush about it. How competent are you with healing magic?” Kai asked quietly.

  “Very. Before I became a general, I studied under a healer that worked in combat zones,” Echo answered, giving Kaidia a questioning look.

  “Good. I'm competent with mending flesh and bone, but sickness and poisons are generally... beyond me,” the god replied, a pain flashing through her eyes for just a fraction of a moment. Echo raised a brow.

  “So you'll need my help if someone is poisoned or seriously ill?” Echo asked.

  “Precisely. Care to be my disciple?” Kai asked with a playful wink.

  “Of course, Dragon God,” Echo said with a slight bow... and a smirk that only Kai could see.

  “Lovely,” Kaidia replied with a chuckle, then turned back to the waiting line. Next in line was a handsome young man clad in plate armor that had seen battle, his dark hair falling free to his shoulders, his face youthful, but his eyes showing the wisdom of someone who had seen much of the world. Kaidia gestured with her hand, bidding the warrior to come forth. He climbed the three steps, and then drew his sword, only to kneel down in front of Kai and offer the sword to her with both hands. Kai's brows rose. She wasn't used to this sort of formality, despite having been a noble all of her life. She supposed that being a god would just make such a thing more frequent.

  “Dragon God, I am called the Wandering Knight. I'm known well around these parts as a mercenary. However, I offer my sword to you. I wish to cease my wandering and become a knight in your service,” the young man explained. There were murmurs and a few gasps in the temple. Echo's brows went up at that. Kaidia reached out and took the man's sword in her hands, fingers tracing over the blade.

  “What is your real name, friend?” Kai asked softly.

  “Edgar Demor, my Lady,” he replied.

  “And you are a seasoned fighter?” Kai questioned.

  “Yes, my Lady. I have been living off of the gold my sword brings me since I was but sixteen winters of age,” Edgar asserted.

  “And you are how old now?” Kai queried.

  “Twenty-three,” he answered.

  “Impressive. Seven years of the mercenary life. I imagine you will serve me well,” Kaidia said.

  “With all certainty, my Lady,” Edgar vowed.

  “That is what I want to hear. You shall be Sir Edgar Demor hence forth,” Kaidia declared in a firm tone. She handed the sword back to the young man and then closed her fist. Edgar looked to the fist, confused. Kai's fingers opened and one of the silver medallions worn by the clergy was resting in her palm. As the young man looked upon it, the metal darkened, the unseen force of Kai's sorcery staining it a deep blue hue, the same color as her dragon's scales. She draped the chain of the medallion around Edgar's neck and smiled faintly.

  “Th-thank you, my Lady,” he stammered, eyes wide as he stared down at the medallion.

  “You have the honor of being the first of my knights, Sir Edgar,” Kaidia informed him.

  “A tremendous honor, I assure you, my Lady,” Edgar said as he stood and sheathed his sword.

  “I know it is not very knightly for a first command, Edgar... but please keep watch at the door and make sure nothing gets out of hand with people waiting in line outside,” Kai said with a warm smile.

  “Of course, Lady Kaidia,” he nodded and started down the steps.

  “One more thing, Sir Edgar. Do not feel as though you have to call me by a title every time you speak to me. My name will do just fine,” Kaidia added as the man made his way down the steps to the floor. He turned, gave a small smile, and nodded.

  “Duly noted,” he said before continuing on to the door.

  Belphor took the opportunity to climb the steps from Kai's right and leaned down to speak so only she could hear. He didn't think of Echo's sensitive ears as he spoke.

  “Mistress Kaidia, those medallions are only to be worn by clergy,” he insisted in a sharp whisper, his tone almost reprimanding. Kaidia quirked a brow at him, dark blue eyes staring for a long, uncomfortable moment.

  “There has not been a knight in my name until now. Those medallions will go to them as well. As I am sure you saw, his is blue in color. Clergy medallions are silver. I see no issue,” Kaidia responded.

  “It just does not seem proper,” Belphor replied.

  “I say it is,” Kai stated. She held up her hand and another medallion appeared in her palm. Like the one before it, the metal shifted color to a deep blue. She held the medallion out to Echo without looking. The kyrian took it, then bit it as one might bite a gold coin to see if it is real. Belphor visibly blanched at that. His reaction brought a smile to Kaidia's lips.

  “Very well,” the priest said with a sigh before turning and walking back down to the floor.

  “Showed him,” Echo said with a snicker, sliding the medallion's chain over her head.

  “I will not be dictated to by my own priests,” Kaidia muttered.

  “Nor should you be. Does this mean I'm one of your knights now?” Echo asked with a playful smile, pointing to the medallion.

  “I suppose it does,” Kai replied with small smile of her own.

  “Can you just create an order of knights like that?” Echo inquired.

  “I suppose you can. I just did. I would hazard a guess that all orders of knights were founded by someone's whim at some point,” Kai answered with a shrug.

  “Interesting. Seems like the sort of thing you would need to go through proper channels to accomplish,” Echo theorized.

  “What channels?” Kaidia asked.

  “I don't know,” Echo answered, giving a shrug of her own.

  Kaidia just shook her head and looked to the head of the line where a young man and
a young woman waited. She was just about to motion them forward when Echo interrupted her.

  “This is why you had them show you where the medallions were kept,” the kyrian speculated.

  “Yes, just in case. I cannot teleport something if I do not know where to take it from,” Kai confirmed, looking to Echo.

  “At first, I thought you might be creating them, but you weren't using enough power for that, let alone enough power to be making them without materials at the ready,” Echo continued.

  “That has never really been my favorite branch of magic,” Kai replied.

  “It can be useful,especially if you're captured and disarmed. Being able to summon a blade out of nowhere is a literal life saver at that point,” Echo explained.

  “Fair point,” Kaidia admitted.

  “That is also why you carry no coins on your person,” Echo stated.

  “Correct. I know where my money is at home, I can visualize it, and bring what I need to my hand at any given time,” Kaidia said.

  “If I teach you to create items without materials, will you teach me your teleportation technique?” Echo asked sweetly, ears perking forward.

  “Sounds fair to me,” Kai replied.

  Echo nodded and Kaidia turned back to the waiting line. She gestured the young man and woman forward and gave them a smile as they ascended the stairs.

  “An honor to meet you, Mistress Kaidia,” the man said, his companion giving an agreeing nod.

  “Thank you. What is it you seek from me today, you two?” Kaidia asked, glancing between them, a faint smile still on her lips.

  “We wish to be joined in a union,” the woman said.

  “Married?” Kai asked, more to herself than anyone present.

  “Yes,” the man confirmed.

  “Can I do that?” Kaidia asked, glancing to Echo.

  “You just created an order of knights. You're a god. I'm pretty sure you can do whatever you damn well please,” the kyrian woman answered with a soft chuckle.

  “Fair enough. Well then, let's be on with it,” Kai said with a smile, looking to the young couple.