Chapter 12

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Death God's Maiden

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Ester POV-

My name is Ester Falarleryn, an wood elf from the great Nerfenlirh forest in the north east of the Great land mass. Me, my parents and a hundred of elves are living together in an isolated part of the northern forest in a small village hidden from the rest of the world.

Not that long ago this village numbered a few thousand elves but the warriors who goes on hunting trips would regularly go missing. Slavers, and bounty hunter of all sort keep hunting us relentlessly making our numbers dwindle.

With the human greatly outnumbering us our race seem to be doomed to extinction. But we do have a hope, our God Michael the great Arch-Devil have been announce to soon be descending on earth to save our kind.

We keep praying but it as already be 1500 years since the announcement of is arrival. This revelation from all the oracles on earth only had the opposite effect on our kind since then elves have been hunted relentlessly hoping to exterminate us before his arrival.

The matriarch of our little community who is now over 5000 years old is the most fervent believer in Michael and always said that he would be coming in this world before she die of old age. We all know that it is her expressing her hope, and that Michael may not be coming before another thousand years.

In a thousand years i am afraid that there wont be any of us left alive... Today i am going to see the matriarch with my parent for my 10th birthday. It is a ceremony were she read our soul and mana to see what we are destined to be in the future.

When we arrive the guards ask us to wait to be announced, then we enter the circular hut. Once inside my mother let go of my hand pushing me forward toward the matriarch sitting on a throne made from the stomp of an old sacred tree that died thousands of years ago.

The throne sit on a pedestal from where the matriarch can look down to us. I approach then kneel in front of her.

“Ester Falarleryn, daughter of Seiveril and Alerathla of the east forest, happy 10th birthday my child.” (Matriarch)

“Thank you elder Roanmana, Gloire à Dieu Michael le tout puissant!” (Ester)

“Gloire au grand Michael maitre des cieux!” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

“You can stand up and come to me” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

I then stand up and step on the pedestal in front of Roanmana then kneel again in front of her. She then dip her index in a sacred bowl containing her blood and other rare ingredient. She then touch my forehead with her index drawing a 'M' on my forehead.

“Now give me your hand my child.” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

I immediately follow the command handing her my right hand. She then grab my hand with her own wrinkly and aged hand and close her eyes. After a few moment she reopen her eyes staring at me then speak.

“I see... That you are bounded to a great destiny. I can sense enough mana in you to be able to succeed me in becoming the next matriarch. I.. I, i can see !! Yes! You are destined to become God's maiden. You will be his representative in unifying all elves under his holy throne and the key to his sanity.

You will need to infuse love and forgiveness in each of his actions for his wrath know no boundaries. Hardship will come you way but never fall to despair for the great arch-devil Michael will hear your pleas and grant you salvation.

But beware, you shall grant him your everything at the first sight of his mighty black mana or else he will take your life as sustenance.” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

As she was saying all this her eyes were staring in mine not even blinking once, the more she spoke, the stronger she held to my hand, her eyes slowly getting blood shot as if she was peering into something that needed her utmost effort to keep watching...

When she finished she handed me back my hand as she fell to the back of her seat as if suddenly extremely tired. She then started crying as if she had lost what was most important to her. The room was silent, only her sobbing could be heard and as i looked around the room, confused and looking for my parents reaction i saw the other elders with their jaw hanging down and their eyes as round as coins.

I then looked at my parents, my father had a complicated expression on his face and my mother was crying with a big smile on her face. It looked as if she was crying out of joy. Then turning back to Roanmana i then asked her.

“Elder Roanmana, why are you crying?” (Ester)

“It is not your fault young child, it is just that i have waited 1500years for Michael arrival, i trained all my life to be his maiden but is seems this role is not mine to take. I can only respect the wishes of the great ones.” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

“Can't we both be his maidens ?” (Ester)

“Hahaha young one, i would have loved to... But i also saw that i wouldn't be around anymore when that time come, that is why i am feeling a bit sad. But it fill me with honor to at least have met you Ester Falarleryn of Nerfenlirh.” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

Then feeling a bit sad for her i then knelled, took her right hand and kissed it before getting back up and asking.

“Will i meet him soon or in a few thousand years ?” (Ester)

“That i can't tell young one. Apologies... But it is good news to know he will truly come to us.. And now we also know it will be in your life time.” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

“Que le grand Michael soit avec vous Matriarche.” (Ester)

“Que les Dieux soit avec toi mon enfant.” (Matriarch – Roanmana)

Me and my parents then left the ceremonial hut. The entire walk from the hut my our home we stayed silent. I had many questions but didn't dare ask where people could eavesdrops. That is one thing my parent taught me, knowing how important is it to keep secrets.

Once arrived my father closed the curtains then sat on the table to which i followed suit by sitting as well. Mother slowly walked up to me then gave me a big hug that made me unable to breath.

“My little girl will be God's chosen one !! I'm so proud of you sweetie !!!” (Alerathla)

“We must keep this a secret at all cost !” (Seiveril) To which mother nodded in approval.

“Why?” (Ester)

“Can you imagine what will happens if humans hear you are to be the great Michael's maiden ???? They will hunt you down tirelessly for the rest of your life.” (Seiveril)

“Those damned humans will get what's coming to them when Michael arrive, he will keep our baby girl safe hubby !” (Alerathla)

“She need to live until then! We don't know how many years we still have to wait !” (Seiveril)

[...]

“Anyway are we clear Ester? This must not be told to anyone!” (Seiveril)

“Yes papa.” (Ester)

Since then nothing really changed, i believe the elders also thought it was for the best to keep this a secret but they can't help bowing their heads to me when we meet which may have attacked some unwanted attentions... But so far no one asked anything.

Some weeks later the worst that could happen happened... A few hundreds bounty hunters attacked the village during the night. Father immediately woke me up and mother then we fled the village toward the woods.

Father took care of the few pursuers with his bow and arrows displaying extreme precision and abilities which i had never saw my father showing before. It is around 24 hours later that we met a group of 8 adventurers. Father was exhausted by that night of fighting and fleeing...

When the adventurers saw us they immediately reacted the way humans always do, yelling 'Elves!' then coming at us with swords in hands. Father took many of them down while yelling to mother to get me to safety. A man wearing a very scary armor then closed the distance between he and father in an instant killing him in one strike of his sword.

Mother started yelling and crying taking my hand then started running. It is then that a women attacked us with magic making me loose consciousness. When i woke up i could hear the scream of pain, hatred and desperation coming from my mother as the 4 surviving enemies men were brutally raping her.

“THE GREAT GOD OF DEATH MICHAEL WILL AVENGE ME AND RIP YOUR HEADS FROM YOUR BODIES YOU MONSTERS !” (Alerathla)

Then they gagged her and i had to watch powerlessly since i was tied up to a wagon. While the 3nd men was doing her, mother looked at me with teary eyes seemingly asking for forgiveness for what she was about to do. She created a mana blade at the tip of her fingers freeing her hands then slitting the man's throat. The other men reaction was to stab her to death as i watched in horror the blood leaving her body.

Then they gagged and trowed me in a wooden chest in the wagon. I imagine they feared to be attacked by other adventured trying to steal me from them. As a young virgin i am apparently worth 50 thousands golds...

In comparison, slaying a powerful dragon is worth 100 thousands gold. No need to mention that kidnapping a young 10 Years old is a lot easier than fighting a dragon.

I stayed in that chest for many days without being allowed to get out to defecate or urinate so i soiled myself repetitively. The didn't give me anything to eat but at least gave me water. Then one morning my life took a turn toward my divine destiny.

As i started to hear commotion outside i opened my eyes and concentrated on my earring to make out the situation. Then out of nowhere a glowing red orb appeared a few inch from my face to which i let a scream slip out from my gagged mouth.

The orb then suddenly disappeared, then i could hear someone coming stomping his feet. It was her, the mage woman who always took great pleasure in bullying me. She then started punching me until i lost consciousness..

I don't know how long after but i then felt relaxed and warm. I felt as if hot water was caressing every inch of my body, comforting me with tender attention. I then opened my eyes and looked around. I then spotted the people who were holding me captive stacked in a pile, dead... All of them decapitated.. As if mother's curse had been answered.

Then there next to me stood a tall figure hidden by a black cloak looking at me with 2 glowing red eyes. I immediately recognized those red glowing orbs from back then and assumed he was the one who killed them.

I understood he was washing me since i had excrement all over my body, and as the one who had enacted revenge for my mother i then decided not to oppose him as a sign of appreciation. Probably another person wanting to sell me.. He seemed powerful so opposing him didn't seemed smart.

{How are you my child?} (Dark figure)

Then to my biggest surprise he seemed to speak to me directly in my head. The elders had told me this was called telepathy and was one of the first thing a mage learned.

{I have killed these people, you are now free. But i have important questions to ask you first.} (Dark figure)

At that moment i thought it was best to keep quiet pretending to be mute. It is easier to keep secret that way and he probably wanted to know where to find more elves anyway...

{Can you hear me?} (Dark figure)

[...]

{I saw your ears twitch the first time i spoke to you, i know you can hear me SPEAK!} (Dark figure)

Twitch* [...]

{Could you be... Mute??} (Dark figure)

[...]

{YOU CAN AT LEAST FUCKING NOD!} (Dark figure)

I twitched to that realizing how stupid i was for not considering this.

{Nod for yes, shake your head for no...} (Dark figure)

{Can you hear me? Easy question isn't it?} (Dark figure)

Feeling shy about not considering how he could interrogate me that way i decided to gather my strength and resist the interrogation.

Slap*

I wasn't expecting that... He slapped me strong enough to hurt but not enough to injure me... Of course he doesn't intent to injure me, my price tag would decrease... If it's like that i can resist !

{Can you hear me?} (Dark figure)

[...]

Slap*

'So each slap will progressively get stronger eh!... Screw you!!' (Ester)

Slap* Slap*

[...]

{Can you hear me?} (Dark figure)

Those last two slaps were strong enough to make my ears ring... I guess i should answer him since i don't have any information of value anyway so why suffer to protect people who are already probably dead... So i nodded...

{Good girl, there's a treat!} (Dark figure)

He then gave me dried meat and warmed up the bath water with magic... It felt really comfortable if not for my 2 swollen cheeks. He then asked a few harmless questions then proceeded in threatening me if i didn't answer his next questions... He then removed his hood.

Black mana !!!! His head is definitively made out of black mana !!! Could he be Michael?

“Are you him?” (Ester)

{It depend who this 'him' is.} (God?)

“God?” (Ester)

He then paused for a few moment before answering.

{I am Michael, if you worship me then yes, i am your God.} (Michael)

It is then that my life changed and my destiny as the Death God's maiden began.

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