Leshy PoV
I sat in the in between, paths opened in many locations, the scent of each permeated me.
I felt one exit, damp, and mossy… my Temple.
The Lamb likely has her own network, I would have to find one of her gates if I were to find that cult.
All likelihood it was where Ratau was, unfortunately, we still don’t know where that was.
No matter, I’m on my way to my sister.
I feel around, until the warmth of the autumn hearth touches my hand, so I move.
I arise in Anura, and smell Eligos, who flinches.
“Lord Leshy, to what do I owe the pleasure”
Eligos, my sister’s lapdog, and a bumbling coward, if any good came of the Lamb’s hostilities, it would hopefully be this one’s death.
“I seek my sister, do not delay me.”
“Of course my lord, I will pray for Heket’s revival.”
“Do not pray, I am here, simply tell me where she is.”
“She’s attending a harvest festival in Anurai.”
Anurai, that made sense, it was her home after all.
“Very well, I will go there.”
I fall back into the gate and warp to her temple.
Instantly my nose is met with blood and meat.
From the sounds… meat, hung on hooks, likely cooking soon.
Makes sense, as Heket holds a massive feast every annual festival.
“Zepar, Agent of Fast, are you here?”
I hear the wind snap, someone stiffened, then the nasally raspy voice intrudes on my ears, “Lord Leshy, I did not predict your arrival.”
“Do not waste my time Zepar, I’ve already been put in a bad mood from speaking with that bat Eligos, where is my sister.”
“Yeees, let me lead you, my Bishop, she is out inspecting our crop.”
I followed the frog, hearing his steps that were more like hops.
His muscles tensed each hop, almost as though he skipped.
The scent of mucus invaded my nose, and I’m certain the floor I stepped on was dirty.
Heket keeps her house in disarray, she shouldn’t, it makes her servants believe they can be sloppy.
Then I heard a deep breath, sucking in air for 10 seconds.
“Greetings sister.”
“Les’y” Heket breathed deeply, air whistled, passing through the hole where her throat once was.
“We must talk, I wish to tell you of things.”
“Hrrrrshhhhhh….
Laaaaaammmb?
Tshhhhh fuuuuu.”
“No, a mortal of interest, not even an ascendant but has caught my intrigue.
Come, let us discuss.”
Heket reached and took my hand, pulling me back to where I smelled the meat.
The scent of Zepar faded, him likely remaining to examine crops.
Heket brought me somewhere, her scent was strong there.
Her room.
“Tthhhh, siiittt…”
I sat, and I heard her sit, the chair creaking.
She breathed, “Mortal?…” This story is hosted at g.com.
“Yes, his name is Caleb, he is the size of an ascendant, but very frail.
Strong compared to most, but only because of size.
I doubt he could take down a tree.”
“Why… … interest ….
in weak.”
“Because he’s bold, and is unafraid to speak to me, and against those stronger”
“Insub…” she coughed hard, “…
ordination”
“Not insubordinate, he holds respect, but doesn’t flatter me because of it, rather he is consistent.
He also ticked off Valefar.”
Heket’s 4 sets of eyelids smack together one at a time, then she breathes, a harsh and repeated exhale, almost sounding like choking.
She’s laughing.
“Why… keep…” she breathes, “worm…”
“He is useful, and is sharper than one would think.
He can isolate and remove dissenters before they become an issue, the only problem is his attitude.”
“You… come….?”
“I want you to meet Caleb, it would be intriguing.
You may like him.”
“Doubt… …”
“Come on, honestly, if he proves himself, he could be an indispensable piece.
Think, an ascendant naturally that size.”
“You… convince….
bad…”
“Oh please, I’m being practical.”
“You… pathetic….
…..”
“No, I’m simply interested, just because you don’t think he’s interesting doesn’t mean he’s bad.”
She laughed again, “I… … judge…”
“Wonderful, meet me in my garden at midday tomorrow, you may appreciate the air he brings.”
I stand up, and move… I stop
“Where-”
“Dooorr” her tongue snaps out and smacks the wall, I follow the sound and exit.
“Thank you, sister, we shall meet tomorrow.”
I hear people cooking, and a few of them seem to stiffen.
The smell now is of cooked meat and spices.
Perhaps I should attend this year, Caleb may appreciate the food.
I enter the portal and return to my temple, to prepare for the ‘morrow.
Caleb PoV
… … … …
Amdusias wouldn’t stop examining me, he drew blood, flicked reflex points.
“Alright, drop your pants”
“Wha?”
“Please, have you never had a physical before?
I read Rinar’s notes, as scrambled as they are, you have a unique biology, meaning you may respond to Resurrection differently.
According to the Legends there is normally a complete Rejuvenation however given your unique physiology it would be foolish to assume the same thing.
Now drop them.”
“I mean I know that’s part of the physical, but… we’re in the middle of the camp…”
“Would you rather do this in the temple?
We don’t have many structures unless you count Ceres’ House thingy, and I don’t think you would fit in that.”
“I mean my surgery apparently was in the temple, and besides where I’m from it’s kind of rude to be you know in public”
“Just say indecent, I am a doctor… fine, follow me… goodness, how is Ceres going to be a deity if her temple is used for anything private… we need an architect”
“Don’t you have contacts that could possibly help us?
I mean, you were a commander of Leshy.”
The worm looked at me, “Clearly you haven’t been paying attention, probably because you’ve been out of it after a catatonic reaction to learning of your death.
Everyone believes I’m dead, and if they didn’t believe I’m dead they would consider me a traitor to Leshy and all my standing would be removed, and any contacts would be killed.
So, for their sake, and my own, I will keep the idea I’m dead.”
It was odd talking to someone actually intelligent that wasn’t Felen or Ceres in this group, like yes each of them have their expertise but I still wouldn’t call them the smartest tools in the shed.
“Would this even be considered a cult?” I wondered aloud because as I thought about it more this was more of a community than it called to despite it being spun towards Ceres.
“Not with how she runs it, but that’s consistent with her character.
She’s too kind for this world, it would have been better for her had she died and a different lamb had been in this position.
They would have the ruthlessness needed.”
… they definitely had some sort of past.
That wasn’t in the game.
“So did you know her before this?”
“Yes and I betrayed her so she hates me.
Would you like any more questions or are you going to let me finish my physical now that we are in the seclusion of the Temple and you won’t have to be indecent in public anymore.”
He clearly was not one for a conversation so I let him finish the physical.
“Despite how bad the notes were, you certainly are a medical marvel.
According to the report I read your intestines are many times longer than your height, is that true?”
“…
yeah… I mean the large one is, I think, close to my height but the small one is like I don’t know four, five times my height?
I learned that in biology class.”
“Well, if you were a carcass I could dissect you.
Unfortunately for both of us, Ceres spent time to revive you.”
… well he wasn’t an optimist, that’s for certain.
After the physical was done, I sat on my sleeping bag… they were making more playhouses… Ceres really went into my memories… that was weird.
It was oddly funny to watch her mimicking my father’s practice and try to teach it completely, even the unnecessary bits.
For example, my dad would always clap when he’d finish a section, and Ceres seems to think that’s what made it work, so she’s insisting that, when building, the workers need to clap whenever a wall is finished.
This really is a world of rituals… even the mundane is tapped in with the beyond… so, it makes perfect sense.
I oddly felt wet, so I tapped my cheek.
A tear… I hugged my legs and nestled my chin on my knees.
I want to go home…