Ceres PoV
“…
I’m sorry, was I too quiet?…
Does anyone have a map I could borrow, I don’t often venture into Darkwood.
The most powerful Bishop… is asking for directions… from pilgrims who are new to the lands.
They’re all terrified, and she’s concerned if she was too quiet speaking… okay… that wasn’t in my deck.
Leshy’s favorite mortal coughed, and Shamura focused on him.
“Do you know where I could get directions, little boar?”
“Um, Silk Cradle is… to the west”
That was Anura, Silk Cradle was to the north.
Either he was too scared to give right directions, or he just didn’t know himself and bluffed.
“…
but I just came from the west, I thought that was Heket’s domain… which direction was mine though.”
Gethel spoke up, “It is north, Great Bishop.”
She nodded, “that sounds right, boar, why did you tell me the wrong way?
I could’ve been lost… and your mind wished I did get lost, that is rude.
Who are you?”
The boar froze, not expecting to be mind read, seriously, how was this Leshy’s favorite mortal?
“I-I-I’m Leshy’s f-f-favorite m-m-m-mortal.”
Shamura paused, “First, it is Lord Leshy, to you.” Her eyes all focused on him, “Second, you don’t seem like it.”
“What?”
Shamura looked blankly, and raised one arm “Firstly, Leshy described someone who was bold but did not pass into disrespect.
At maximum finding scrutiny bothersome.
By wishing I was lost, you failed that regard”
Was… she scrutinizing the claim?
Who would even risk a claim like that, was he seriously a con?
The Bishop raised a second and third arm, “second, Heket, despite disliking him, marked a compassion to Leshy and a willingness to push back.
She also noted he was intelligent, you both instantly buckled to seeing me and gave wrong directions, even under pressure.”
She raised a fourth arm, all but two of her arms were now in the air, “lastly, Kallamar described a Genuine Simplicity, with no layered thinking during conversation. This chapter is updated first at novelping . com.
You’ve calculated multiple escape plans and imagined my death 3 separate times as fantasy, showing a clear disconnect of speech and mind.”
What was this, a mortal or some sort of dream boat.
How on earth did the actual guy have all that going for him… better yet, how is he that connected that three of the four Bishops have an impression of him.
Shamura focused on the pig, “Your mind is now scrambling for a way back from your deceit, but don’t worry, I’ll simply feed you to a spider nest,” her 5th arm flicked and the boar was wrapped in webbing so fast I could barely even see it, the web came from under her robe and restrained him, and the bishop coiled him with her 5th and 6th arms.
Then she saw the necklaces, “…
do you make any in my size?”
“Great Bishop, w-we don’t, but we can make one, but it would take time.
And the expense would be greater.” Gethel was utterly terrified, I was surprised he wasn’t freezing up.
I wanted to help, but if I entered… there’s no way I could save everyone, the best thing is if she doesn’t realize I’m here.
“I see… would 100 gold be enough?”
Gethel immediately swapped to merchant mode, like a lever had be switched, “Ah, yes, 100 gold would definitely be enough.”
They made the exchange as everyone struggled to ignore the wriggling websac, and Shamura gave one last thing, “If it’s not too much trouble, could you deliver it to my temple in Silithis?”
“It would be no issue, Great Bishop.”
Shamura nodded and then vanished, at least it was like she did, I barely saw her flicker as she spun and bolted to the north, her front arms spinning, allowing her to cut through the air without a sound.
But a breeze and a track, where she braced, was left behind.
Gethel tensed then fell, freezing like a log, he sort of rocked before falling to his side.
I moved next to him and patted his head.
“Good job, Gethel.”
“L-lady Ceres, it’s good to see you… … I can’t move.”
I smiled and rubbed his head, calming him as his body slacked and he could stand again.
I helped him finish selling the day’s stock, then we headed back to the camp, specifically to my portal network.
“…
Well, Mr.
Businessgoat, a custom order?”
“Honestly, I was absolutely surprised.”
“Though, that does give a good opportunity.”
Gethel looks at me, “Please don’t say I should spy in her city.”
“Oh, no, don’t worry.
But, think, if you could get a contact there, that would be useful.”
Gethel groaned, “Trust me, Merchant lines avoid Silithis for a reason.
Even if Shamura is welcoming when we get there, there’s no assurance the creatures outside of the city would let us leave.
“Then take Caleb with you, he could beat up the big bad spiders.”
“Yes, and explain to a literal bishop why we have an ascendant with us.”
“I mean, it wouldn’t be the hardest thing to do.
Judging from that pig, I’d assume ascendants are getting more common, which means, as they increase, it gets easier to explain having ascendants around.”
Gethel looked darkly, “…
he’s dead, isn’t he.”
“Yes, fed to spiders… brutal way to go… but realistically, there is no way I could’ve won that fight…”
“…
why do you want to save everyone?
Even those who don’t deserve it.”
That was a question I didn’t want to answer.
“…
because I didn’t deserve to be saved.
I was a brat, who let in someone who betrayed everyone.
I left my family to die… I ran like a coward, and hid… and still was caught…”
Gethel looked at me shocked.
“All that… abandoning… all that running, and I still ended with my head on the block… and now I’m an avatar, and can help people, where I failed before.”
Gethel patted my hand, “yes, but… some people don’t want to be saved.
You can’t save them, otherwise you risk those who you have saved, and even yourself.”
“But how can I make that distinction, if I chose who I do and don’t save, then when will I stop.”
“Personally, I’d stop before Valefar… but in all seriousness, there is a reason we all put our trust in you.
And I know, we can be silly, and some can be absentminded sometimes, but all of us faced something that you, just you, saved us from.” The white furred goat smiles at me, “I know you will chose right, because that’s who I chose to follow.”
We got to the camp through the portal, and I stood still while Gethel talked to everyone.
… this wasn’t much of a cult, was it.
No matter, I was their leader… I won’t give up mercy, but Gethel was definitely not wrong.
I breathed deeply, then entered the camp.
Hi, so, if you have the time, please let me know what you think of the story thus far.
I could use the critique