Chapter 25
A few days had passed since the dragon incident, but I was still annoyed about it. Not because I had almost died again but because Laine wouldn't shut up about it.
"You should've seen yourself, Sam," he said for the tenth time today. "Standing there all naked and proud, as the dragon flew away. It was poetic, really."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I really need you to stop talking about this."
Maxian, sitting on the other side of the cart, was much kinder. "I believe it was a sign," he said, voice full of reverence. "The gods spared you from the flames. Emprio must have been watching over you."
"I don't want to hear about your gods," I said flatly.
He ignored me.
"There are Five High Gods," Maxian began, ignoring my lack of interest. "The God of the Forest, the God of the Sky, the Goddess of Death, the God of Magic, and the Goddess of the Sea. There are dozens of lesser gods under them—"
I tuned out his voice as he rambled on.
We were on our way to Brexha, a small town on the edge of the Wailing Woods. Maxian said it was an outpost set up to keep the tribesmen and beasts of the forest from spilling into the kingdom's lands. I didn't care about any of that and was just looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed for once.
We arrived in the late afternoon at the town surrounded by high wooden walls. The entrance was guarded by men in chainmail, their armor emblazoned with an emblem of two crossed keys.
"The Royal Emblem," Maxian explained.
"Good for them," I said.
We approached the gate, but the guards were clearly on edge. They eyed us warily, hands resting on their weapons.
"No travelers allowed in today," one of them said.
Laine frowned. "Why not?"
The guard's jaw tightened. "General Ravon from the Royal Army is here. He doesn't want troublemakers in his town. Atleast not today"
Laine put on his best innocent smile. "Do we look like troublemakers to you?"
The guards said nothing.
Maxian sighed and pulled back the hood of his robe. "Hail Brother. I am Maxian, a priest of the Sky God Emprio," he said. "I mean no harm."
The guards exchanged a quick glance before nodding. "You can go in. But don't cause any trouble."
I knew something was off the moment we stepped through the gates. The people were walking quickly with their heads down, avoiding eye contact, and the air was heavy and had an unspoken tension.
Laine noticed, too. "Something's up."
Maxian glanced around. "I suppose the General's presence has everyone nervous."
I didn'twant to get involved in this town's drama and told Laine to quickly find us an inn. The local tavern, the "Drunken Stag," was as shady as I expected. The air was thick with the smell of cheap ale and damp wood. The patrons all looked like they had something to hide.
"Great place," I muttered.
We found a table, ordered drinks, and I leaned back, finally able to relax.
Then I remembered how these things usually go. In stories, this is the part where some drunk idiot picks a fight with the protagonist.
I sighed, preparing myself.
Sure enough, a man approached our table.
Here we go.
I got ready to stand up and knock him out.
But instead of picking a fight, the man, a bearded, shaggy-looking guy—leaned in and whispered, "I know what you are."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
The man grinned. "Mr. Chosen One."
I stared at him.
"Come to the well behind the inn at midnight," he said.
I frowned. "No."
I had no intention of confronting a creepy guy alone at night. He chuckled. "If you don't, I might have to pay a visit to your baker friend. What was his name? Ghis?"
Something in my head snapped.
Before he could react, I punched him in the face, and he flew across the room, crashing through a table, as the drinks spilled all over him.
The entire tavern went silent for a second. Then there was a great ruckus as the all patrons started filing out to avoid trouble.
Laine groaned. "Sam, what the hell? We were supposed to lay low!"
I ignored him, stepping forward to grab the man—
But he was gone.
I swore under my breath.
Then, the doors burst open, and a group of soldiers stormed in.
Their leader, a tall, broad-shouldered man, scanned the room. His gaze locked onto me.
"That one," he said, pointing. "Arrest him."
I clenched my fists, considering whether I should fight my way out.
Maxian stepped forward. "Please," he said, voice calm. "We mean no harm."
The leader frowned. "General Ravon does not tolerate disturbances in his town."
Laine sighed. "For once, can we go somewhere without you causing a scene?"
"Apparently not," I muttered.
The soldiers stepped forward to grab me. I prepared to fight back, but Maxian spoke to me.
"Sam, be patient! I will try to convince the general to let you out. We can't afford to make the Royal Army our enemy."
I sighed and let the soldiers take hold of me.
As they dragged me outside, I looked at Maxian and said, "Whatever you do, make it quick."
The cool night air hit my face as I was hauled toward the fort at the center of town.
That night, I sat inside a cage, arms crossed, staring at the flickering torchlight outside my cell.
I had a bad feeling this wouldn't be the last night I spent caged in this world. At least it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. The guards had given me food, and the bed was comfortable enough. At any rate, it was better than having to sleep in a cart. And at least I had no companions to annoy me with their constant yammering.
It was nearly midnight when I decided to go to sleep instead of waiting to be let out. I hoped Maxian would be able to do something by the time I woke up.
Then I heard footsteps.
I looked up just as the bearded man I had punched earlier stepped into view, smiling like we were old friends.
"Hello," he said cheerfully.
I groaned. "Oh, piss off."
His smile didn't waver.
"Now, now. Is that any way to greet someone who's come all this way just to talk to you?"
"You mean the guy who threatened my friends and got me arrested?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'd say it is."
He chuckled, stepping closer to the bars. "I'll get straight to the point. I want you to stop fighting the Void and come work for me."
I blinked. "Fighting the Void?"
"Yes."
I frowned. "First of all, I haven't been fighting the Void. Secondly, I'd rather not work for anyone, thank you very much."
The man sighed, rubbing his temples like he was dealing with a particularly difficult child. "Come on, Sam. Let's stop pretending. I know where you're really going. I know what you're planning."
That caught my attention.
Before I could respond, he narrowed his eyes.
"I won't let you interfere in my plans any longer, Chosen One. No matter what Erephi says."
I froze.
Erephi.
That name.
I had seen it before, carved into the base of a statue inside the temple where I had rescued the Duke's daughter. The same temple dedicated to the Goddess who had dragged me into this world in the first place.
How did this man know her?
I studied his face carefully. His expression was unreadable, but there was something strange about the way he held himself, something unnatural.
I hesitated, then asked, "What are you?"
He smiled. "A God."
I raised an eyebrow. "A God of what?"
His smile faltered. He glanced away. "That doesn't matter."
I smirked. "Why not?"
"It just doesn't," he said quickly.
I grinned. "Oh, you're the God of something really embarrassing, aren't you?"
"NO!"
"Oh yeah?" I leaned forward. "What is it then?"
He mumbled something under his breath.
I cupped a hand to my ear. "What was that? Didn't catch it."
He scowled.
"Spilled drinks, okay!?" he shouted. "I'm the God of Spilled Drinks!"
I stared at him for a beat before bursting out into a laugh.
He crossed his arms. "It's not funny."
"It's kinda funny," I said, wiping a tear from my eye.
He sighed. "I assure you, my power is more terrifying than it sounds. Even though I am a minor god, I am still a god."
"Sure, sure," I said, still grinning. "So, why should I care? What exactly have I done to you?"
His expression darkened. "The Void. I want you to stop fighting it," he repeated.
I frowned. "You're a god of this world. Shouldn't you want to protect it from something that threatens to consume it?"
He laughed.
A bitter, hollow laugh that sent chills up my spine.
"You think I care about this world?" He shook his head. "The other gods look down on me. They mock me. The mortals don't even worship me. I don't even have a name."
I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a You problem to me dude."
His eyes flashed. "This world has given me nothing. I would rather like to see it consumed. Let the Void swallow the gods, the lands, the people, everything. And from what remains, I will rule."
I narrowed my eyes. "The Void destroys everything. That's what the Order of the Veil told me."
He chuckled. "The Order was misinformed. From their point of view, it would seem like the world is being destroyed. But in reality, when the Void is done, it moves on, leaving a new world to be born in its place. I have seen it with my own eyes."
I tilted my head. "And how exactly do you expect to survive when the Void starts eating everything?"
His lips curled into a smug smile. "I have my ways."
Then, locking eyes with me, he added, "And those who serve me will survive as well."
Ah. There it was.
The inevitable recruitment pitch.
I sighed. "You done?"
His smug expression faltered. "What?"
I moved fast.
Before he could react, I shot up from my seat and lunged forward. I shoved my arm through the bars, grabbing him by the collar.
His eyes widened. "Wait; let's be reasonable about this-"
I yanked him forward, making his head slam into the bars.
"Ow!" he yelped. Turns out even Gods felt pain in this world
I smiled in satisfaction and then did it once again.
"OW!"
And again.
"STOP IT!"
And again.
The collar of his robe tore from the force of my grip, and he collapsed onto the ground with a groan.
I dusted off my hands. "Pretty pathetic for a God, aren't you?"
He staggered to his feet, rubbing his bruised face with a shaking hand. His nose was bleeding, and his eyes were watery. "You haven't seen the last of me, Sam!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I said, waving him off.
He scowled, turned on his heel, and sprinted out of sight.
I sighed, leaning against the bars of my cage.
As if insane humans weren't enough, now I had to deal with insane gods, too.
Morning came sooner than I wanted.
I woke up to the sound of clanking metal and boots stomping against stone. My cell door creaked open, and before I could fully process what was happening, a guard yanked me to my feet and manacled my hands.
"Move," he barked.
I groggily followed, stepping into the daylight along with a dozen other prisoners. The sun was blinding after a night in the dimly lit dungeon. As my vision adjusted, I realized we were being herded like cattle toward a large courtyard within the fort.
At the far end, a man stood waiting with polished armor and a rigid stance. I asked a prisoner next to me who he was.
"The commander," a prisoner responded without sparing me a glance.
The commander's sharp eyes scanned the prisoners as we were lined up in front of him.
I sighed. "So, are we all getting a trial together or what?"
Silence.
Then, suddenly, the prisoners around me burst into laughter. Even some of the guards chuckled.
One of the prisoners, a rough-looking man with a scar across his cheek, grinned at me. "You don't get it, do you?"
I frowned. "Get what?"
"They don't care if we're guilty," the man said. "They just need fresh bodies for the Wailing Woods."
I blinked. "Wait, what?"
The commander took a step forward, his voice calm but authoritative. "You have all been given a chance to fight for your country."
I scowled. "Didn't realize I'd enlisted."
The commander ignored me. "The Wailing Woods is home to creatures that threaten the kingdom's borders. Your task is simple: fight and survive. Succeed, and you will be granted your freedom."
I glanced at the other prisoners. Some looked resigned, some scared, and some… idiots probably looked eager.
"There is no greater glory," the commander continued, "than giving one's life for the King."
I exhaled through my nose, already sensing where this was going.
At this point, it was inevitable.
I was going to have to make the Royal Army my enemy.