《Death's Door》Volume 2: Chapter 22: Epilogue
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Kingdom of Kizilalem was protected by the gods, those who were chosen by gods were born with blessings, and they were called demi-gods.
These kinds of people had all types of blessings, manifesting as a mark on a part of the body, each type of blessing was different, and some god’s blessings were more common than the others.
Within the Holy City alone, there were at least two hundred people who were blessed by Ignis, goddess of fire. Of course a blessing, like any ability could grow along with the user, in a sense it was a seed that could be cultivated and made powerful or can remain stagnant without achieving its potential. It all depended on the user.
While the gods paid attention to the affairs of humanity when it involved their beloved demi-gods and their hatred of non-humans, especially demons, they could not care less about common people.
Such was the conclusion the priestess of a certain temple within the Sevilles territory had reached.
Sevilles noble family, currently headed by its only member, Augustus Sevilles, owned a sizable territory located in the northeast portion of the Holy City.
While the territory owned by Sevilles household was nowhere as large as the lands owned by other nobles, and Sevilles family was not even that much distinguished, aside from being briefly acquainted with the First Prince, it did lie in somewhat of a danger zone of the Holy City.
In this territory, there were multiple rumors of demons hiding within the land, hiding from plain sight; adventurers were frequently hired in order to get rid of monsters here.
Of course, with the forces of the Holy City, it was only a matter of time before all the monsters and hidden demons would be exterminated.
But not all adventurers were so lucky, of course.
Once a high level adventurer sent to subjugate the demons, but now a blind priestess that could only live by the charity of the people who lived here, she cursed her fate every single day.
During the fateful confrontation, her right leg and left hand were damaged beyond repair, they were twisted and shriveled, losing muscle mass and becoming nearly non-functional. She could only barely walk while using a staff to support her, but even that was painful.
The worst part was the injury on her face. Two horizontal slash marks marred her face. Her eyes were damaged. That demon was already killed, but the damage he did was never going to go away.
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Her sightless eyes could only sense if there was light or dark, otherwise, nothing else was there. At first she wanted to kill herself, life of adventuring was no longer possible with her injuries, her comrades abandoned her to pursue their own dreams, and she did not blame them.
Her name was Rainu Wesel. Once known as Miracle Healer.
While she was not born with a talent or a blessing, but she developed a skill in healing at an early age; she could use her mana in order to repair damage on bodies of others. However, her healing abilities were nowhere near as powerful or potent as healing provided by blessings that demi-gods utilized.
This was made clear when her body was irreparably damaged. No matter what she did, she could not fix her body. She managed to make her body able to move despite the pain, but it took her healing it daily to keep it moving.
With only one functional arm and leg, and sightless eyes, her career prospects were rather limited. She still could heal people, so taking on a profession of a priestess in temple seemed like her only choice, with an influx of adventurers and migrants, there were always many people getting injured, so many people came in daily.
At least I can help humanity and serve gods, even if gods have abandoned me…
No matter how much she prayed to the god of the temple or even the other gods, Aquorion and the other primary gods, for her injuries to heal even slightly, the gods ignored her prayers. In the eyes of gods, a useless woman without a blessing was not worth the effort of intervening. It was far easier for them to just leave such hopeless human beings to their fate.
While gods were for humanity, they had no sympathy for weak ones.
The children she healed sometimes came back to talk to her.
Much to chagrin, they called her an auntie. She was only 25 years of age, had she not received her injuries five years prior, she would have been a strikingly beautiful woman. But now she was a broken shell, with her left arm on a sling, limping, and her eyes were covered with a blindfold, she did project a mentality of an older person. The fact that she walked with a cane did not help her image much.
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One day, visitors brought what appeared to be an unconscious boy.
None knew who he was. He looked about fourteen years of age if not younger, according to the ones who brought him.
By examining his heartbeat, priestess could tell he was starving and unconscious, but still alive.
Healing a child was one the one thing she could do to help.
Apparently they found him on the border of Sevilles territory; apparently he walked up to here barefoot, and then ended up passing out in plain sight of people. Then he was brought here by the concerned citizens.
Using her mana she began the healing process.
After half an hour, the child finally regained consciousness.
“Where am I?” the boy hesitantly asked.
“In a temple of village of Tracoa, a territory owned by the noble family of Sevilles.” Priestess kindly replied.
“How did I end up here?”
“You were found on the border of the village, you were lucky that good people were nearby and brought you here, otherwise you might have perished.”
“I might have pushed this body too far. I never occupied human body before so I did not know of its physical limitations, you see…” the boy scratched is cheek. Then he focused on priestess’s face.
“Why are you wearing that thing, on your head?”
“Naturally, because I am blind.”
“Oh.”
“Worry not little one, many kids ask me the same thing, I am not offended.”
“Were you the one who tended to me?” the boy was now serious.
“Your body was not damaged aside from emaciation and loss of consciousness, I merely stabilized your body with my mana. I did not do anything that could be considered life-saving.”
“But you still helped me, for that I will need to repay you. Could you please come closer?”
She leaned in, in the direction of his voice.
He put his small hands on her face.
Little kids, some of them, when they are grateful give me kiss on the cheek. He must want to do the same thing…
But instead of kissing her face, he held her face with his right hand and placed his left palm upon her blindfold, directly upon her closed sightless eyes.
Then, she felt a warm sensation upon her eyes. It lasted only for a single moment. It seemed like light had entered into her mind, momentarily stunning her.
She did not even notice that the blindfold on her eyes was taken off by the boy’s hand.
Everything was blurry before coming into focus; her blindfold was in his hand.
He was smiling at her with a kind expression.
“Why did you take it off? How am I supposed to find it…” her eyes opened wide. She looked at her right hand, then at the little boy’s face.
Then, she realized it, she could see.
I can see.
I can see.
I can see…
Her eyes were filling with tears of happiness. This was a miracle. A god’s gift.
Is this boy a deity in disguise or a child blessed by the gods? I have to know!
“Little one, how…what did you do to me?”
“I fixed your eyes?” the boy just shrugged like it was no big deal.
What happened next, he did not expect. He found himself in a tight embrace by an older woman. Her walking stick fell to the side, she was balancing on one leg, but her muscular right hand was hugging him tightly.
“Uhm, Auntie?”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you…” she kept repeating it over and over again.
“Auntie, it hurts.”
“Oh, I am sorry.” She finally let him out of her embrace.
“But, little one, wouldn’t you tell me your name?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“For you, my little miracle worker, anything.” She sincerely whispered.
“My name is Morphus, nice to meet you.” He smiled
She saw something else, something mind-boggling. Out of his back, a pair of pure white wings sprouted out and spread out.
Seeing her expression of surprise, Morphus quickly unfolded his wings and hid them back in his body.
“Oops, sorry they came out on instinct. Please keep that a secret as well, don’t want others to find that out.” Morphus nervously laughed out.
But to her, this boy was a miracle worker, she could only stare at him in awe, she did not know what he was and frankly she did not care. She only knew that this boy might as well have descended from the heaven itself.
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A Nerd's Wet Dream Come True (Tossing an OC into Marvel) V2.
Andrew William. A perfectly average boring name for a perfectly average and boring boy. He wasn't particularly smart nor gifted. Not in academics nor in sports. He wasn't even as good as the other losers and "nerds" in his school. He could not remember the expansive lore of Star Wars, he could not recite the dialogue of Startek nor pull off any cool one-liners and quotes, and he couldn't beat the final level in most games without resorting to cheating or mods. All he had was half-assed knowledge of pop culture and comics, but the one thing he was good at, his one and only pride and calling in life? Making Youtube videos. No, it wasn't sad! He was actually quite popular, honest! He made videos of adventure and nature, although it was mostly of the creepy variety. Abandoned hospitals, old mines, long tunnels, and undiscovered caverns. And as ironic as it was predictable, it would, of course, turn out to be the reason that he died. Well, at least he could take comfort in dying doing what he loved, not many people these days could say the same, you know? The concept comforted him at least, but it turns out death is not always as permanent as people liked to think, because Andrew somehow found himself in New York City of all places after falling to his certain death in the Devil's hole, Death Valley Nevada., only thing was it certainly wasn't the New York that he knew of. The Fantastic Four? Stark Industry? Captain America's biography? Oh boy, and did he mention he's no longer human? His Asian friends had introduced him to the wonders of Isekai novels and mangas, but isn't the order a little messed up? Where's his meeting with the sexy and nice Goddess? Where was his intro or tutorial?? Explanation plz I'm a noob at cross-dimensional travel! Help? Setting? Menu? Status? May I please get to pick my own cheat power? No? I'm stuck as a virus? Well, At least the Prototype Virus was pretty darn cool and OP. Just not as op as being able to casually break the sound barrier in my sneakers or bench pressing the earth, but I'll just have to make do. Please don't be some fucked up Marvel continuity where Nazis and Hydra won or some shit. Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore
8 321Written In Stone
What if the powers of the world were yours to command, what if everyone had that power? What if the king of your people was the most evil and powerful ruler to ever live, and he was hunting you, saying you were crimanals. That if you got caught you would disappear forever, with no body to recover because you know his secrets whether you know it or not.
8 94The Chronicles of Shard: Never a Name Spoken
Shard, a world drowned, yet dotted with islands, is set at odds in a war older than memory. One, Lagoon, feels remarkably at peace. With the war far from their shores, they’re free to focus on a greater concern . . . the witch. Imprisoned upon Gabriel’s Tear, a nearby rock jutting from the sea, the witch crooned powerless in all her telepathic fury. Though all were awash with fear, should they wander within range of her all-seeing eye. Bedtime stories were told to keep children in check, lest they be whisked away in the night and devoured. None dared speak her name. Ciroc, a young boy, was soon to be enmeshed in her future . . . and that of the council, who controlled all in an iron grip. Not even Mother Sea could predict the outcome. Woe be to this blue planet. Woe be to this blue marble called Shard.
8 162The Hand of Sigmar. A Warhammer Fiction.
Adebar von Bolstedt was a normal young Aristocrat once. Third son of the middling von Bolstedt line of Altdorf, capital of the prestigious Empire at the heart of the Old World, but when a quarrel with his brother escalates he decides to leave his pampered home, and soon finds himself stranded in the countryside. When confronted about his presence he claims to be led by the God-King Sigmar, but with the name of the Protector of Mankind come his responsiblities. Soon Adebar finds himself tasked with ridding a town of a mad killer, and settling some lethal family quarrels.Word from the AuthorGreetings! The Hand of Sigmar plays out in the much beloved Warhammer Fantasy setting (owned, of course, by Games Workshop). Do not fret, however, as I've made it a point to make the story digestible even to the uninitiated, and maybe even be a good introduction to the setting. This work will be shorter overall, partly because its born out of a sudden passion, partly because I thought I'd try my hand at a more comfortable story than the grim darkness of the 41st Millenium (psychotic murderer and fraudulent holyman included). Depending on how this does and my time allows more adventures may be coming.While I cannot claim the places, concepts and gods etc. mentioned within as my own, the story and all characters flowed from my own fingers.
8 101Party Member For Hire
When a group of graduate students studying the virtual world goes missing, party member for hire Vy "Thornheart" finds herself accompanying a rescue mission into the belly of the beast, the so-called Permadeathlands. She may have slain the great dragon of Ylmoth in casual play, but now she must brave the mortal danger of advanced mode. And Vy’s not the only for-hire in these parts—an old friend of hers also went missing along with those students. Does that mean she’ll find an old ally awaiting her out there somewhere, or a new enemy?
8 169Mary Susan Oceanrunner and the Brutus Saint's Academy
Join Mary Susan Oceanrunner on her quest to do... erm... something really important for the world... probably... Ahem. Long gone are the days when every hero could do whatever they wanted - now, we are civilised. We have government. Law. And proper forms. Lots of proper forms. (Final episode 25/07/2022. Also - beta readers far into the book rate the 'gore' degree as below 2/10, so the warning is a bit much) Mary Susan Oceanrunner is a poor girl from the orphanage, who like many others before, has to fulfil her destiny. The prophecy had been told, and she is the only one who can make things right. Erm... probably. Anyway, she can't just go and kill monsters like in the middle ages. First, she must apply for the appropriate permissions, fill the forms, learn about the proper loot taxations... Hey, no one said adventuring would be easy, right? Disclaimers: No claim made by any character by the book should be treated as the author's or anyone else's opinion on any subject. Most likely, it was just the funniest thing the Author could think of at the time of writing. This book contains many references to other works. It will probably be best enjoyed by individuals familiar with at least some of the following: 1) Computer games2) Fantasy in general3) Science fiction4) Tabletop RPGs5) Conspiracy theories6) Corporation work life7) Long forgotten prophecies uttered millennia ago in almost as forgotten languages under a starless night three dusks before the great convergence8) Filling any government-mandated form9) School10) EnglishMy ultimate goal is to make as many people experience something akin to joy while reading (think ~a bit louder exhale through the nose). It doesn't mean every scene will be funny or joyful because that's not how this stuff works. I can neither confirm nor deny having any other hidden agenda outside of that. (11.01.2022 NEW COVER by Philippa_and_art. You can find her here: https://www.instagram.com/philippa_and_art/)
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