“Stop it! We don't have the time for this.” I was beyond embarrassed at having all of these people kneeling in front of me.

“The demons will be back, we need to leave.”

I appealed to their sense of urgency but they wouldn't budge. In frustration, I called the only person who could help me.

“Sevarin, do something.”

Standing up, he agreed with me. “Everyone, his highness Everheart is right. We have to leave before the demons come back.”

They all got up as one and left the camp in groups of three and four.

“Are we leaving everything here?” The groups didn't take anything as they left.

“People are more important than material things.” Saying that, Sevarin joined his brother and second-in-command.

I went back to James and evacuated the camp with him. We were among the last to leave. As we advanced on the uneven path, we lagged behind the others. In my human form, I wasn't fast. James stayed with me the all time. I could feel that he wanted to ask me something. He kept sending me glances and avoiding my gaze.

Tired and frustrated, I couldn't deal with his hesitation. “Okay, out with it!” I stopped him in his track and demanded.

“What?” He asked bewildered.

“You want to ask me something, just get out with it.”

“I don't know what you mean.”

“James.”

“We don't have the time to delay. The demons could be behind us right now.”

“So you should hurry and tell me what you want to know.” I refused to take a step further until he told me. He was acting weird.

“How come you can become invisible?”

“It's a secret.” I replied with a smile. I hoped to get back the banter we had before but his reaction was one I didn't expect.

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Please forgive me.” My eyes widen at his behavior.

“Hey man, You okay?”

“Yes, I am. I swear.” He rambled in a high pitched voice.

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Please forgive me.” He repeated again and again like a litany.

“What's going on?” I was startled by Sevarin's voice.

I gritted my teeth. “Not your business.” I told him and then turning to James again, I said. “You, what's happening to you?”

“You're a god-” He said in a small voice after calming down.

“I'm not and I won't become one. You're my friend, don't force me to do so something I don't want.”

“But you have to save us. Without you, we're as good as dead.”

“Oh please! There's something fishy as hell in what you all want.”

“You're destined to be a god.” Sevarin once again entered the discussion.

“Oh shut up! No one talked to you.”

“But-” James started to say something but I interrupted him.

“Why are you behaving this way? We 're friends, aren't we?”

He didn't answer. He fidgeted looking everywhere but at me.

“You have to understand as a god you are a superior being.” Sevarin intervened once again.

“I. AM. NOT. A. GOD!” I screamed, pissed. No one listened to what I said. I didn't want to be a god. Was it so hard to understand?

James flinched at my raised voice. I rolled my eyes in disgust. He was acting like any minute now, I would attack him.

“James, you can leave.” Sevarin ordered. I wanted to object but the look of relief on the face of the guy supposed to be my friend made me choke on my words.

I watched him scurry in the direction the others went. The group's chief stayed with me.

“The future is set in stone. However much you fight it, it will happen.” He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were fixed on where James had disappeared. Saying his piece, he left me behind and followed him.

Left alone, I deliberately walked in the opposite direction from where they went. I was going back to the Church of Althasia and no demons would come in my way.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” Maron asked me out of the blue.

“Yes.” I sighed tired.

She took me in her arms and I sank in her embrace.

“You know it's not that bad to be a god.”

“You're siding with them?” I tried to get out of her embrace but she tightened her arms.

“It's okay sweetie but you have to understand that you don't have to be contrary for the sake of being contrary.”

“I am not contrary!” Indignation washed away my exhaustion.

“So, you want to say that the reason you don't want to be a god isn't because anyone other than you suggested it?”

I didn't bother to grace that with an answer. It was ridiculous. I wasn't contrary. The smile on her face didn't bode well for me.

“I know you don't want to change your race. And you don't have to.” I relaxed at her words but I didn't understand where she was going with her speech. “God isn't a race. It's just a level.”

“So I don't have to change my race to become a god?”

“No.”

“You could have said that before. It would have prevented all this drama.” See, I was not contrary.

“It was fun to watch.” Sometimes, I wondered why I put up with her.

“Are you going back to them?”

“No.”

“Why not? Don't tell me you still don't want to be a god?”

I didn't answer. I didn't want to tell the truth about why I didn't want to go back there. I made such a stink before, claiming I didn't want to be a god that I didn't dare to go see them and say that I changed my mind.

“We need to find a way to get faith faster. If we go back to the Church of Althasia, they'd give us miscellaneous things to do that will hardly raise my faith but if we go back to Sevarin and the others, they'll want me to take care of them eternally. None of these solutions is good.” I explained as clearly as I could.

I wandered for hours. Finally, just as the day broke over the mountains, a small town came into sight. Two guards stood at attention in front of the gate. They stopped anyone who tried to enter asking for a small passage fee. I waited in line. I tried to talk to people but they refused to even recognized my existence.

“What's your business in town?”

“I'm an acolyte of Althasia. Our camp was attacked three days ago. I was able to survive and find refuge with a passing hunter...”

“We heard about it. Some of the survivors are here. Solomon, bring him to the Cathedral of Birth.” The older of the two guards ordered.

I was relieved that I didn't have to prove my claims. Even if it was the truth, it could be hard to believe that a puny acolyte like me could survive for three days when demons were roaming around.

The town was bursting with activity despite the early hours. As we walked, they all looked at me. My white acolyte robe was quite eye-catching. Despite everything that happened to me, the robe was still as white as the day the Pope gave it to me. It might be enchanted. I could check its stats but frankly, I wasn't interested. I just wanted to get faith, everything else was just annoying in my eyes.

We arrived in front of the biggest building the town had. It didn't mean much as most were only one story buildings.

The double doors were wide open. Inside, I could see an acolyte sweeping the floor. The guard and I entered.

“Where's Priestess Saffron?”

“She's at the back in her office.” The acolyte indicated. He stared at me, curiosity evident in his brown eyes.

We made our way through the three story building. In a small office, a blond girl was sitting with her feet on her desk. She was balancing a pen on her nose. Her door was open. The guard cleared his throat to inform her of our presence. With a shout, she jumped in surprise and fell.

“Are you okay?” The guard ran behind the desk to help her up.

“Yes. Thank you.” She was beat red in embarrassment. She refused to meet our eyes. “So, what can I do for you.”

“An acolyte has been found from the destroyed camp.”

“Oh?” She raised her head fast to glance at me. “Poor you.”

She rushed at me, arms wide opened like she wanted to give me a hug. However, she tripped on thin air before she was able to reach me. I didn't try to catch her. I was too surprised by her behavior to be of any help.

She sprawled on the floor. Her dress had hiked up showing her panties. The guard didn't make a move, his eyes fixed on the same place I was looking at.

She got back on her feet by herself. Her dress was up and she still hadn't noticed. She got ready to come back at me again. Just before she reached me, I put my hands up.

“Stop!” Hurt passed in her eyes as she stopped right in front of me. “Huh... Your dress.” I didn't dare say something more.

The hurt disappeared from her features and was replaced my a look of confusion. I repeated myself.

“Your dress.” I ostentatiously looked down. She followed my gaze and screamed.

She hurriedly got her dress down.

“You looked.” She said accusingly to me.

It was hard not too. But I didn't say that. “No. I didn't see anything important.”

“Are you saying that my body isn't important?” She was getting mad.

The guard was laughing his ass off silently behind her. Sneakily, he left while she was distracted.

“Sorry?” I wasn't sure what she wanted to hear. I threw out the first word I could think of.

“Sorry?” She repeated after me. Her face became redder than before. This time, it wasn't because of embarrassment but anger. I needed to change the conversation fast.

“Are there any other survivors from the attack on the camp?”

“Thankfully, yes. Two priest and a warrior.” Her voice was filled with suspicion toward me. “How did you survive?”

“I wandered for hours when a hunter found me and took care of me until now. Earlier, he showed me to this town and left.”

“Well, it was decided that if any acolytes came here they would be staying with us and helped run this Cathedral.”

“Okay. But I need to raise my faith to heal my pets. Do you really think I could do this here?”

“What is the problem with them?”

“They contracted a disease.”

“Oh! I can heal them.”

“I don't think so. The pope or someone stronger could heal them but I don't think that a priestess has enough faith to do it.”

“Are you saying that I'm incompetent?” She was getting angry again.

“No-” She didn't let me finished.

“Good! So let me try. Where are they?”

“Hakubi, Madarao, Amidamaru, Hashimaru, Abudabi come!” I didn't call them because she asked but because I wanted to know how they were doing.

Little ball of lights appeared and flew together to create a bigger light that blinded me. Unlike before, I was prepared and put my hands in front of me to shield my eyes. Saffron didn't see it coming. She fell backwards moaning.

“Ouch! My eyes!” She rubbed her eyes trying to regain her sight faster.

“Master!” As soon as they appeared the wolves launched themselves at me and licked my face.

I was happy to see that the disease hadn't changed them yet. I stroke their fur and pressed my face in their neck.

“Eek!” A scream of fright pulled me out of the touching reunion with my pets.

Saffron scrambled backwards to put distance between us. She was still sitting on the ground. I looked at her uncomprehending. If she was scared shouldn't it be normal to get up and run away.

“W-Wolves. They are wolves here. Demons!”

“Oi! Shut it!” That came out without thought. “I mean, don't be afraid. They're my pets, they aren't bad guys.” I tried to correct my blunder but she didn't seem open to discussion. She glared at me in obvious anger.

However, my goal was achieved. She wasn't scared of my pets anymore and shestopped screaming but now, she was looking at me like I was a bug under her shoes.

The wolves were looking back and forth between the two of us.

“Who's that?” Abudabi asked.

I caught that lifeline. “Priestess Saffron. Here are my pets. Hakubi, Madarao, Amidamaru, Hashimaru and Abudabi.”

The five of them bowed their head toward the priestess. Showing that there were intelligent, she greeted them back.

“Hello. I heard that you were sick. I will help you in the name of Althasia, the greatest goddess of the universe.” She said it with so much conviction that it was hard to believe that she was the same person who was scared shitless when they first came in.

“Oh! Althasia, goddess of life, grant health and happiness to these poor souls so that they can find their way to your side.” A golden light came out of her hands and enveloped my pets. For a few minutes, the light kept pouring over them. The priestess seemed to be in pain.

“Stop. If you can't heal them, don't try to push it.”

“I know I can do it. Just a little more.” She said through gritted teeth. Suddenly, the light stopped and she crumbled on the floor, exhausted. “Just a little more.” She panted heavily.

“As I said you aren't strong enough to save them.” She threw me a withering glare.

Defeated, I chose to beat a hasty retreat. “Okay! Let's get out. Priestess Saffron is tired. We should let her rest.” I didn't let her say anything as I ushered my pets out of her office.

I spent the rest of the day in the courtyard of the Cathedral playing with the wolves. When we were alone, Maron joined us but as soon as someone else appeared she'd vanished like she had never been there before.

The sun had just set. We were sitting in the kitchen having dinner. There was me, Saffron and the acolyte who had been sweeping the floor. The five wolves were eating at our feet. Suddenly, a bell rang. It was so loud that it was like it could be heard in every corner of the town.

“What's that?” I asked.

“It's the alarm bell. The town is under attack.”

I was dumbfounded. It was the third settlement I was in that was attacked. It couldn't be my fault, right?

I ran out of the cathedral toward the gate. What I saw, stopped me in my tracks. Hundreds of red horned demons were invading the town.

“Are they following me?” I whispered without thinking.

“Well, obviously.” Maron answered. I looked in horror at the dawning realization.

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