Chapter 1

Maria woke up as the sun sprinkled through her curtains along with the sounds of the village at work. Raising a hand to block the light she let out a soft groan of discontent. She rose, stretching as she sat on her bed.

Why does it always feel softest right when I need to leave it. She sat for a moment, reluctant to fully leave the comfort. Instead she glanced about her room. Looking over her simple furniture and paved stone floor. Hearing her Grandmother preparing the morning offering, she finally got up, giving one last yawn before starting to get dressed.

Maria stepped out of her room and noticed her Grandmother already at work in the kitchen. Her long gray hair tied up into its usual bun. A smile on her face as she set about the morning chores. Granny Nora might have been one of the oldest villagers, but she still moved around the kitchen with a spring in her step that put even the youngest to shame. When asked about her good health and youthful appearance she would say she was just lucky, or that those of the temple were blessed by the god.

“Sorry Granny, woke up a bit late, I’ll get the stove heated right away.” Maria said as she started her own chores.

Her Grandmother chuckled as Maria started bringing in firewood get the stove started up. “Child, I’ve beaten you out of bed every day for the last 18 years and I’m not so old as to lose yet” Granny smiled, a twinkle in her eye as they repeated the same conversation that they usually did. “Ah, one of the hunters managed to bring down a buck yesterday and passed a bit of fresh meat to us. We’ll cut some for the offering and have the rest with breakfast. It’s been awhile since God last had fresh meat”

Maria smiled in surprised licking her lips at the thought. Fresh meat was a rare sight for them as well. The village wouldn’t let the priestesses suffer, if not for tradition then for the treatments and cures they offered. Even so, though the village was generous with its donations, fresh meat was still a happy thing.

She hurried along with her chores arriving back inside just in time to receive the small pot filled with nuts berries and a small cut of venison. Granny Nora passed the small pot over carefully, “Give God my greetings and remember to stick to the pathways”

Maria pouted “Granny I’m a priestess too you know.”

“I know child” Nora said, her hand raising to stroke her granddaughter’s cheek. “Look at you”, as her eyes swept over her. Maria was a beautiful girl with soft features and brown eyes, framed by auburn hair that curled naturally down onto her shoulders. She was lean and fit from her work and had caught the eyes of many of the young men from around the Village.

“And a fine one at that” her granny continued “I always seem to forget you’re an adult now and not that child that hung onto my hand scared stiff as I went to give God greetings.”

Maria blushed, “Granny!” She whined.

Nora chuckled evilly “Yes you're old enough now. Old enough for a husband even” as she grinned slyly.” Maria knew this was a battle best left unfought. She quickly grabbed the ointments and cures they had prepared the day before and set out with quick goodbye.

Maria walked through the village, dropping off the deliveries as she went. The other villagers called out in greeting at the familiar sight. Giving small words of thanks for a fixed cold here and an offer of some vegetables there.

Maria smiled and returned the greetings as she passed, chatting happily as she went from house to house. The village was a small one and was quite close knit. Though most people didn’t believe in the old god anymore they still respected and cared for their priestesses and the cures they provided.

She soon finished her deliveries and started on the path leading out of the village towards God’s Grove. As she passed the edge of the village and grew closer to the woods, she could hear the familiar call of the birds happily chirping. She started down the usual path carrying her into the thick trunks and branches that seemed to never quite grow enough to get in the way. As if God himself had forbidden them from blocking the path.

Maria continued to walk as the trees around her started to grow taller and more ancient. The mood also started to shift as the rays of sunlight and happy cries of birds both started to dim, leaving only a quiet twilight. A sudden snap to her left almost made her pause in her steps…

A shuffle, as if a large figure was moving through the crowded wood alongside her. Maria kept walking, eyes straight ahead, following the path as she had done hundreds of times before. She could feel the figure following along. Could feel its eyes focused on her as if just waiting for her to make a single mistake.

Maria ignored her beating heart and continued, giving no visible signs of worry. The sounds stopped as suddenly as they started, and the feeling of being watched finally disappeared…

Maria let out a sigh, her granny would be pleased to hear the Guardian was up and about so early. As she thought back to Granny’s words earlier, she felt thankful she had finally grown used to the rare sightings of the mysterious beast. The Beasts that roamed the depths of the wood could be ferocious, growing many times the size of normal animals and much more aggressive. Granny had once said that this was God’s gift to them, so that the Deep Forest would always remain theirs, unspoiled by the touch of Man.

And the Guardian was not just any beast her Granny had continued, it stood out among all the other monstrous creatures that lived within the forest. To come across one of its kind would mean certain death. It wouldn’t have any problems bringing down an entire town, or even a city if it so felt like it. Luckily the Guardian only cared about God’s shrine and would not trouble those who stuck to the path and showed respect inside the grove.

She soon arrived at the small clearing that housed the shrine. A small bowl sat on an altar in the center of the clearing, a large stone plaque stood just behind it. All were relatively clean despite their obvious age as she cleaned them regularly.

The plaque was covered in worn symbols that had long been forgotten. Her granny had told her when she was little that they represented all things that made up the world. And sometimes Maria felt it, only faintly and for the briefest of moments. So brief that she wasn’t always sure if it was real. But every now and then she swore she could see the twist of a flame and feel the heat that came off it. Other times she saw the swirl of water and was brought back to when she used to play with some of the other children in the stream. There had been others as well all so vague and short that she couldn’t even be sure if she was imagining it. But when she had asked her Grandmother all she had gotten in reply was a smile.

Maria shook herself from the creeping reverie as she gazed at the plaque. She took the offering bowl and returned its contents to the forest; filling it with the new offerings she said a small prayer before starting on her way back home. Thinking of the cut of venison that would be waiting for her she hurried back.

Maria never noticed the large pair of yellow eyes that opened in the backdrop of the clearing. They seemed to peek over the shrine at the offerings before slowly disappearing.