Tears fell down my cheeks as the smoke got in my eyes. Blurred figures rushed by me to enter the only safe haven left in the town. My vision was diminished but I couldn't spot my pets's shape among those advancing around me.

“Amidamaru, Abudabi, Hashimaru, Hakubi, Madarao come!” I chocked on the last word as a cough rose in my dried throat.

I knew that what was doing was useless. The only time pets could be summoned was when the owner changed world. It was also impossible to unsummon them. In those aspects, they were different than familiars who could be summoned and unsummoned as long as there was enough mana. The other huge difference was the pet interface that had more options.

“Pets status.”

Name Amidamaru Level 55

Race Dire wolf Gender Male

Health 2050 Mana 1960

Name Abudabi Level 57

Race Dire Wolf Gender Female

Health 2400 Mana 2305

Name Hakubi Level 54

Race Dire Wolf Gender Male

Heath 1980 Mana 1890

Name Madarao Level 58

Race Dire Wolf Gender Male

Health 3490 Mana 2687

Hashimaru level 55

Race Dire Wolf Gender Male

Health 2054 Mana 1953

Their level surprised me. With the way they behaved, I thought that they were weaker than that. It actually showed that the level had nothing to do with intelligence. However, what rankled me the most was that they were way stronger than I who still hadn't passed the level 10 mark.

“Map. Pets location.”

A map appeared in front of me. A blue dot indicated my location. It had an arrow sticking to it pointed at 5 red dots that showed where my pets were. I memorized the place and went to find them. When I arrived, they were huddled behind a half-collapsed wall. Their muscles were bunched like they were ready to jumped out at once. I took my human form and yelled at them.

“OMG! Freaking idiots! There you are! WTH do you think you're doing?”

It wasn't the best idea I ever had. A wall of fire appeared right in front of me. With haste, I barely changed into my spirit form but the wolves weren't as lucky. Pitiful whines rose from their badly burned body. I jumped near them and cast all the healing spells that I knew. After a few minutes, the burns disappeared under my ministrations. With the five of them, I huddled behind the half-destroyed wall.

“It's okay. Things are going to be okay.” I whispered as I stroke their fur. No traces of the burns they had were left but the psychological damage the pain left was evident in their trembling body.

“Guys, we're going to go back to the Cathedral. We'll all be invisible so don't make too much noise. Come on, let's go.” We didn't have much time. In a few seconds the demons would be upon us. I turned into my true form and led them away.

We crossed path with a few people. Most were already dead but a few just stayed immobile, crumbled on the floor. Their eyes reflected their lost hope. I wanted to help them as I remembered a time where those same eyes looked at me through a mirror but I didn't have the time. My pets needed me more than them. They were troublesome and downright stupid at times but they were mine and I needed to take care of them.

As I entered the Cathedral again, I felt that something wasn't right. The townspeople who had been able to flee had huddled together. Their eyes held fear but also a resignation that shouldn't be there. With the cross at the back of the building, their safety should be guaranteed but their postures didn't reflect that.

I took back my human form.

“Why aren't you evacuating?” I asked the man closest to me.

“There aren't any priest here.”

“Absurd. Reinforcement came a while ago. There were knights and priests.”

“There aren't any knights nor priests here.” His voice was flat like he was devoid of any emotions. I looked into his eyes. They were blank. It was like he had given up on everything.

I shook my head . I wanted to deny his claims once again when a voice asking for help interrupted us. A group of four people were running to the Cathedral: 3 women and one child. They fell as a building collapsed behind them. I ran to them.

I was helping an old woman to get inside the building when an explosion sounded on my left. I turned my head toward the sound. What I saw stopped me in my tracks. The devastation didn't register. The explosion was forgotten.

“They can't be that stupid, right?” I knew the answer to that question and it was a resounded “yes”. My pets were helping the other women. They licked the women's wounds like nothing was the matter.

Seeing this spectacle, I could only bemoan my fate. The day I accepted them as my pets I made one of the biggest mistake of my life and there was no way, it was going to change anytime soon. They were my responsibility and I would take care of them to the best of my capabilities even though I wished that I never met them in the first place.

My mana was totally depleted. The demons were just a few feet away. I retreated with them inside the building. The situation hadn't changed. To confirm what I had been told, I went in search of Saffron.

I looked in every room. She was nowhere to be found. I checked the Cross' room. Just as I entered the last knight jumped in the cross shadow and disappeared. The swirling colors turned black and the floor regain its hardness. I stared in shock. I couldn't believe that they would abandon the townspeople that way.

I went back to the front of the building. The residents sat on the floor huddled together. They looked fearful at the front entrance. Any second now, they expected the demons to break the barrier around the Cathedral and enter the building.

I suddenly heard shouts and war cries outside the building. I went to investigate. The scene outside was total chaos. Beastmen, dwarves, elves, and some other races I didn't know about were fighting the demons.

My sight zeroed in the man that led them. He was an elf with skin as white as a sheet and despite the fact that I hadn't seen him for a few hours, I expected him to look different. Sevarin was the same as before. He rushed at the demons and attacked their joints. He took longer than me but he was able to dismembered a few demons.

I was happy to see him until he shouted. “For our god MorningStar!”

This wiped the smile from my face. I looked dumbfounded as the others yelled it over and over like a mantra. I didn't know how many they were but their words drowned every other sound. It was the only thing that I could hear. Over and over, the same words battered at my ears.

“Shut it!” I screamed pissed off.

A shock wave with me as its epicenter knocked everyone off their feet. Behind me, I heard the sound of glass breaking. I turned toward the only building left standing to see golden particle falling from the sky. I surmised that the barrier around the place had been shattered by the shock wave. I didn't give it too much thought though. I took back my human form.

“Who the hell is your god?” I shouted as soon as I appeared.

I regretted my outburst as soon as it got out. They all stared at me. Their eyes didn't bode well for me. They had a shine to them that was at the same time expectant and filled with so much jubilation that I wanted to run away.

“MorningStar. MorningStar...” They repeated the name over and over. A the beginning, it was just a whisper but when the demons restart their attacks, it became a shout to rally each other. Then and there, I just gave up. Whatever I did, things never turned the way I wanted.

I threw my hands up in the sky and went back inside the Cathedral. I found a small corner with none of the survivors and sat down with my pets. I was beyond exhausted but I remained curious about the shock wave. Since the first day that I came to Althasia, I deactivated all my notifications. It was high time to check them up.

“Status.”

Status[quart=Character name,Alignment]Everheart,Neutral[/quart][quart=Level,Profession]7 (80%),None[/quart][quart=Title,Race]Acolyte of Althasia-Minor God, human[/quart][quart=Fame,Infamy]421,0[/quart][quart=Health,Mana]50450,2100[/quart][quart=Strength,Agility]8,7[/quart][quart=Fear,Sadism]245,150[/quart][quart=Wisdom,Intellect]10,12[/quart]Faith4550[quart=Willpower,Charm]3,-30[/quart][quart=Vitality,Affinity to Nature]10,10%[/quart][quart=Leadership,Luck]0,50[/quart][quart=Attack,Defense]3,0[/quart]Magic resistance50

“Huh?” My stats were unbalanced to say the least. A laugh rose from my tired body. All of the drama about me becoming a god for this. I was weak as hell.

A freaking bunny could kick my ass. That thought threw me in a giggle fit. I was supposed to be a god. Where were the awesome stats? The overwhelming strength? The immortal life? Nothing of that for me. I was just a little stronger than before but nothing else.

I checked my skills.

“Skill list.”

Healing chant [Active] Beginner lvl 6 67%

Supreme healing beginner [locked]

Float [Active] Intermediate lvl 4 73%

Touch [Active] Intermediate lvl 7 10%

Reading comprehension Beginner Lvl 5 67%

Magic mastery [active] Beginner Lvl 9 6%

Magic comprehension [passive] Beginner Lvl 7 57%

Sword Mastery Beginner lvl 8 34%

Dagger Mastery Beginner lvl 2 43%

Archery Mastery Beginner lvl 1 31%

Identify Beginner lvl 3 57%

Gardening mastery Beginner lvl 2 67%

Cry of the damned [Active] Beginner level 3 0%

True form [Active] Level max

Temptation devourer [passive] Beginner level 5 6%

Dream field [locked]

Fear conversion [active] Beginner level 4 10%

My eyes crossed at the long list. However long I looked, I couldn't see anything that looked like a god power.

“Title Minor God.” Those were the words needed to see the description of this title.

Minor God

You conquered the heart of 3000 followers. They believe in your godliness giving you your strength.

+1000 Faith per new follower

+1000 faith for each action in favor of your followers

+50000 Health

You are an incomplete god as long as you don't chose two skills to receive your godly powers.

My eyes bugged out at this insane title. My previous hilarity came back with a vengeance. I laughed hard for a few minutes. When I finally stopped, I looked over my skill list deciding which skill would receive my godly powers, whatever that meant. The choice was hard as I remembered the oracle's words. I didn't want to be the God of Hope and Despair. But knowing my luck, what choice did I have?

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