by M. Coulray
“Yeah, I guess I am,” I said. I turned my head left and right, and saw that I was in the audience chamber. Something had changed, though. The roof was open and sunlight was streaming in. I was bathed in it, and it was warming me from the inside out. I was lying on some kind of bed, covered in soft cloth. I realized rapidly that the cloth was soft everywhere, and I meant everywhere. I was buck naked!
“He lives,” said a familiar voice. Telix rose from the throne she habitually occupied and came to me. “We must tell Mika. She will want to know.” She left the chamber.
Krees came to my side. “Do not rise.” Her hand was gentle on my chest. “You have passed through death and returned, though not in the way you are used to.” She chittered out a quiet laugh. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For bringing back our Goddess.”
Joy filled me. “it worked?” I started to cry despite my happiness. My tears weren’t mocked or derided. Votess and Krees simply let me experience the overwhelming emotion and pass through it.
“Yes,” said Krees. “For the first time in an age, our Goddess has returned to us. Our watch is ended.”
It was all worth it. We’d suffered and won through. We’d made enemies, I was sure, but I didn’t care. The people—my people—were whole again.
Krees touched her daughter’s shoulder. “Votess is now a warrior priestess. She has worked miracles in the time that you have slept.”
“Oh yeah? Water into wine, that kind of thing?” I was joking but the more I thought about the last few days, the more I wanted a drink.
Krees tilted her head. “What is wine? No matter. You are one of those miracles.” She drew back the sheet to my waist before I could stop her and defend my modesty.
My arm, the one that Unmat had torn off and partially eaten, was returned, but not in its original form. My right hand was taloned, like the lizard folk, and from the amputation down it bore scales much like those of Votess. The scales were pale, but not the alabaster of the Goddess. I flexed my fingers and felt unfamiliar muscles shifting. The talons on my fingertips retracted.
“Holy shit,” I said quietly. I looked over at Votess and realized what was different. Her eyes were now a deep crimson. “You did this?”
“Healing of the people is one of the many gifts the Goddess has bestowed on us. You will see.”
“Can I get up?’
“No,” said Krees. “Wait for your friend.”
After a few minutes, Mika burst into the audience room. When she saw me, she started to cry. “Denel! You’re alive! I was worried you’d never come back!” She seized my human arm and then pulled me up into a hug.
“Hey, I’m a player like you. I’d die and come back for sure.”
Mika drew back. “You’re not, though. When I returned here, Votess had already ran back with you in her arms. I tried to heal you, but you were too far gone, and there was something else. A game message told me that you were no longer subject to Player rules and limitations.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know, Denel. But I think you’re the same as everyone else who lives in this world. You really need to tell me what the hell is going on!”
How was that possible? I was a player, I’d already returned from the dead. But then again, I’d been told more than once that I didn’t show up as a player to the AR HUD of anyone else.
I looked at Votess until the AR HUD came up. Her title was now First Priestess of the Returned Goddess. It suited her. I raised my reformed arm and held my palm upright. Votess stared at it in confusion.
“What is this?”
“High five, baby!” I reached across, lifted her hand, and gently slapped our palms together. “You’re awesome!”
“You are awesome as well, Paladin Denel of Goddess Watch.”
What?
I checked my title. Where it had formerly said Teacher, there was now a list of three: Teacher, Sacrifice, and First Paladin of the Returned Goddess.
“I’m not a paladin, though.” For some reason, the word paladin was associated with the idea of “lawful stupid” in my head.
“You fought for a deity. You used divine power to defeat your enemies and aid your friends. You spoke to the divine and it answered. You are a paladin in every way.”
“Listen to my daughter,” said Krees.
“Indeed,” said Telix. “She is a priestess, and is knowledgable about such things.”
I’d have to check my character sheet later.
“What happened to you, Mika?”
Mika told me about the events that followed her death. She was offline for the requisite penalty time, during which she received many angry and threatening messages from her adventuring company. She immediately left the company because they were able to track her via her status, and she didn’t want them seeing where she logged in. It was possible, even likely, that they had already seen where we were, but there was nothing we could do about that.
“There’s a lot more, though. While I was, uh, dead, something happened to the people I brought. Or maybe it happened to the lizard people? Or both? I’m not sure. How would I tell…?”
“What happened, Mika?” I tried to gently bring her back around to the topic at hand.
“Well, everyone can understand each other now! It’s like how we learned to understand each other, Votess and me, but it’s, well, everyone!”
That was definitely the Goddess at work. She’d done the same on a smaller scale for us in the temple. ‘That’s gonna make things a lot easier going forward.”
“Yes,” said Votess. “We have much to do. We will restore the Temple, though it is underground. The Goddess lives, but She is reborn and requires strength from us. I have spoken with Mika in her role as priestess of Minolt, and it is agreed the two deities may be able to ally, if her higher orders agree.”
Mika jumped in. “So we’re going to try to use as much of the old temple as we can. The nave is beautiful now, and I think I can research what the writings and carvings say. We’v already got teams burying the dead, and the dormitories should be usable soon. Votess thinks, and I agree, that we should keep the final chamber sealed. While the land drains—”
“While the what now?”
“The swamps are receding. It’s only been two days and it’s already noticeable. We’ve even found the entrance to what we think might be a mine.”
Holy shit. The return of the Goddess was truly working miracles here. An orichalcum mine would be incredible. “Did we claim the temple, then?”
“I did,” said Votess. “I do not believe I overstepped my bounds.”
“You sure as hell didn’t. This is amazing. You’re amazing.” I remembered the words of the Goddess, how proud of Votess she had been. How proud of both of us. My heart swelled and my tears continued to flow. It felt good, crying out of happiness for a change.
Telix and Krees took their seats on the flanking thrones. Then I got a surprise. Votess sat in the centre throne.
“The central throne was always held empty in honour of the Goddess and in anticipation of Her return,” said Votess when she saw me staring.
“We are finally united with Her,” said Krees.
After an awkward scene involving me wrapping myself in a sheet to preserve my modesty, I was able to get dressed and walk the village. Votess had duties to perform, but she promised to join me for the evening meal, to be served among the humans.
The change in the village was incredible. The people were moving with joy and hope, and children were excited and playful. What was even more amazing was the fact that I saw the odd human mixed in with the lizard folk. I grabbed one of them and asked what had happened while I was away.
“Oh, yeah, your friend the lizard priest, she told everyone that our people weren’t at odds no more,” said the man. “Happened just after we all learned their tongue. Lot of hissing, that. Did you know when they laugh they sound like scaly chipmunks?”
I nodded and c
huckled myself. It was a good way to describe the sound Votess made when she laughed. “What else is new around the camp?”
“Not going to be a camp much longer,” said the man. “We’re to be moving into the village proper soon, and expanding the walls to enclose the original site.” He leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner, and I did the same. “You didn’t hear this from me, mind, but there’s word that we’re to be offered positions in the village here. They like our bows, and our smithy, although it’s not hardly been put to work yet.”
With only ten or so people, I couldn’t see it creating much havoc in the village if they were absorbed. But as I watched the man continue on his way, I realized how wrong I was. The lizard folk were opening themselves up to something unimaginable to them, and they were doing it graciously. This was going to make waves, big ones.
The next person I spoke to was someone who nearly brought me to tears, but as she was able to bear her burden, I had no right to suffer more than her. Daughter of Last Clutch of Ket stood before me, proudly holding… a bow and wearing a quiver of arrows?
“Hello, Teacher-Paladin Denel! Thank you for returning the Goddess to us all!” Daughter of Ket knelt in a quick bow, and I blushed and waved her up.
“None of that, all right? I’m just glad that everything worked out. What’s that in your hand?”
Daughter of Ket held the bow out proudly. “It is the Scaleless—I mean the human—hunting weapon! I am learning its use. It is called archery.”
“Mmm. Do you still wish to follow in your mother’s footsteps?”
“Of course,” said the girl. “I will learn the spear from Lukid, and the bow from… from… I cannot remember the name. Human names are so strange and long!”
I laughed. “They are. My human name is much longer than the name the people gave me.”
“What is your human name?” Her eyes were wide and excited.
“I promise I will tell you when you are Named yourself,” I said.
Daughter of Ket nodded solemnly. “It is a promise.” She ran off, heading I the direction of the human’s encampment.
Everywhere I went, the people of Goddess Watch saluted me. I was pressed with handshakes, a habit that apparently had spread via Joenn and the other humans’ friendliness. Every single person I met, human or otherwise, wanted to see my new arm. Some asked me if I intended to become fully of the people. I didn’t have an answer for that. I supposed if I lost another arm, I’d get a little closer.
When the time for the evening meal came, I headed to the human’s encampment as directed, but the press of bodies was enormous. It seemed that the entire village wanted to eat there, and there was no way I was getting through to the main table. Around me, the lizard folk stared in awe, but I waved at them in embarrassment. I was still me! I dodged around until I was able to get free of the crowd, then climbed up a support tree and watched from a branch.
Logs had been processed and set up as benches and tables at the encampment. Humans and lizard folk sat side by side, jostling each other and talking together. Lizard folk forced their way through the press, dishing out steaming trays of meat and other foods. When everyone seated was served, two familiar faces strode out of the crowd and climbed up on a makeshift platform. Votess and Mika stood side by side, the one towering over the other.
“My friends. I am Votess, warrior and priestess. I welcome you to our meal.” Several of the humans clapped and cheered, and their lizard companions hushed them quickly. “It has long been the way of the people to shun the outside. We have watched and waited for our Goddess, and we have repelled any invaders by force of arms!” Now it was the lizard folk’s turn to cheer, and there was no silencing them. “But that time has ended. We no longer wait! With the arrival of Denel, and the assistance of Mika Hix, we have killed the ones who attacked our Goddess from us so long ago, and brought Her back to us!”
Below me, something tugged on my trouser leg. A lizard child was holding a tray up as high as he could. I reached down and seized a warm piece of meat from the tray and winked at the boy, then put my finger to my lips. He nodded and went on his way. I chewed and swallowed, not caring that I made a bit of a mess. Hell, maybe Votess could make my tongue a little longer, so I could lick my face clean.
“But our tasks are not complete. The Goddess lives, but time and the actions of the betrayers have lessened Her power. We must be watchful, for there will be those who will come to take Her from us again! We must relearn the old ways, lost to us, and arm ourselves with the deified metal that She granted us! We must worship Her and devote ourselves to Her!”
The cheers were deafening. I joined in. Below me, a minor kerfuffle broke out when the people beneath realized who I was, but I ignored it. Votess was on a roll.
“We could not do this alone. It was with the help of a human and an elf that we were able to return Her to us. In the same way, we cannot proceed alone. We, the people of Goddess Watch, welcome these humans, led by Joenn Bixby, to our village. We, the people of Goddess Watch, welcome the worship of Minolt the Purifier in our village. So it shall be!”
“So it shall be!” shouted Mika alongside her.
She raised her holy sword and let golden yellow light flow out into the sky. Votess lifted her spear. Red light twisted out of it and entwined itself around Mika’s beam. The two energies danced together in the sky, distinct but melded as one: Minolt’s power bright and steady, and the Goddess’s energy coruscating and slightly chaotic.
“I am the first priestess of the Returned Goddess. Any who wish to serve under me and earn their Name may do so!” Votess and Mika dropped their weapons, and then Votess pointed hers across the crowd, directly at me. “Denel is the first paladin of the Returned Goddess. Any who wish to serve under him and earn their Name may do so!”
Strong hands dragged me from my perch and lifted me into the air. I was carried, crowd surfing style, until I was dumped on the ground in front of the platform that Mika and Votess stood on. I grinned and ascended the platform.
“Hey, so I don’t know much about being a paladin yet, but I was a teacher of Goddess Watch first. I promise I’ll teach you what I know.” I turned to my two friends and wrapped my arms around them. Lizard, elf, and human raised their heads to the crowd. “Thank you all, and let’s get to eating!”
32
Dinner took a lot longer than usual. The entire village wanted to hear the story of how we’d brought the Goddess back. Mika had it even worse; she’d died down there in service to the village, and I knew firsthand how that proved your standing among the people. Everyone wanted to see her death scar, but as it was underneath the clothes on her back, she had to politely refuse. Her slight Elven frame was tiny compared to the people of Goddess Watch, but they treated her as if she was a giant walking among them.
Every single former refugee that had arrived with Mika had been accepted into the village. Their names became Names. Telix and Krees (and Votess) felt that the humans’ sudden ability to speak with the people meant they were, if not blessed, at least touched by the Goddess. I spent a fair bit of time just talking with the humans, hearing their plans and their stories. Things were looking good.
That night, I finally did what I’d been half-dreading; I pulled up my prompts to begin acknowledging them. The first one was basically as I expected.
[Dungeon: Temple of the Fallen Goddess has been cleared!]
World First! Your party has cleared the Temple of the Fallen Goddess!
Optional conditions: Cleared!
As the temple ruins have been cleared and claimed, the dungeon will no longer respawn enemies.
Environmental changes underway.
Your relationship with Goddess Watch has improved from Accepted to Close Friendship.
Your relationship with Votess has improved from Close Friendship to Loved.
World First! You have received a partial race change: Divine-Touched.
You have gained the title: Paladin of the Returned Goddess.
&
nbsp; You have unlocked the framework: Paladin of the Returned Goddess. Do you wish to enable this framework? Your choice is permanent.
Race change? Framework? I tried to hide the prompt so I could think on the matter, but it refused to be snoozed. I hit the More Information link.
[Frameworks]
A Framework guides and enhances the skill and ability growth of the user. Frameworks are rare and require the completion of certain requirements. Some Frameworks are not available to players. Frameworks often enable skills that are otherwise unattainable.
If you choose to enable this Framework, your skills may be altered. Your skill point totals may be lowered, or raised. Your attributes may be altered. Your attribute total may be lowered, or raised.
Framework-specific information: Paladin of the Returned Goddess: this Framework has never been unlocked in Aelterna. There is no information available. As this Framework was unlocked in a unique event, it will be suited to your skills.
Well, shit. I had to make an important choice with little to no information. The prompt flickered in my AR HUD, waiting for me. There was no reason to hurry, I still felt an incredible pressure.
It sounded like this framework would limit me in some ways and aid me in others. I racked my brain for what I knew about the concept of the Paladin. Once again, the first thing that came to mind was Lawful Stupid, but I put that aside. Surely I could maintain my own moral compass. Mostly what I thought of were protecting others. I could protect people in my own way, even if I wasn’t wearing plate armour. My barrier magic had saved our asses plenty. There had been fights that we’d walked through that might have killed us if not for my spells.
Hell with it. I chose the Accept option.
[Recalculating.]
A galvanizing energy tore through me, dropping me to the floor of Votess’ hut. I writhed, not in pain, but still overcome by the sensation. It was as if my life energy was being pushed and molded and pulled into a very different shape. I tried to pull up my stats to see what was changing, but nothing responded.