Over a month ago Dancing with the wind and her tribesmen still moved through the jungle. It was a dangerous place, and they had lost a part of their group here. Besides, everyone knew that in the jungle lived many evil spirits. They crawled in the night, hid in the leaves, and stared at their prey with hungry eyes. Only a strong belief helped the ka'shogs to overcome their fear and continue to walk deeper in the jungle daily.

Finally they all had reached Great Water, and saw the first wonder: a lot of flowing water. They had never seen so much water.

“Only the mighty gods could make this!” Dancing with the wind announced excitedly. “Soon we will meet with them; with the benevolent gods!”

All her tribesmen agreed with her cheerfully. Later they mourned their dead ones. Eleven out of fifteen had reached Great Water, and one was wounded.

The ka'shogs gathered on the shore and began to wait for the moment when the gods would appear to meet with them. They were sure that it was bound to happen, but time was passing without anything happening, except a feeling of hunger. The ka'shogs began to murmur among themselves.

“Why haven't the gods appeared yet?” They questioned each other.

At first even Dancing with the wind was confused, because she also couldn't understand why the gods hadn't appeared yet, but all of a sudden she realized. They want to see how strong our faith in them!

“Listen to me, everyone! This is a trail of the gods! Only the worthy ones will have a chance to meet with them! Thus we must wait patiently!” The woman addressed her tribesmen.

The ka'shogs accepted this explanation and continued to wait until an evening had come. Later the tribesmen decided to set up a temporary camp.

They waited over two weeks. It was difficult to hunt here. Many starved and looked weak. Some got cold. The wounded one died the previous night. The tribesmen begin to complain and hesitate in the gods' existence. Some wanted to go back.

Next few days a majority of ka'shogs had lost their belief in the gods completely. As a result, they had left Dancing with the wind and her three most devoted followers alone.

The three ka'shogs continued to wait. It lasted about a week. So far, they were exhausted, tired, dirty, and hungry. The last few days were the worst. They all lay on the earth, so weak they were.

Unexpectedly one of the devoted followers stood up and slowly went to the jungle to never return. Dancing with the wind didn't call him. She knew that that man had lost his belief. Even the woman hesitated in her belief at that moment.

Later the ka'shogs saw that the gods didn't leave them to die. They saw the second wonder: a long wooden thing that moved on the water.

How is this even possible?! No one can move or walk on the water!

That thing had even carried some strange fluffy creatures on itself.

Who are they?! Ah, that must be the gods' messengers! Dancing with the wind realized, feeling water in her eyes; she was excited. We are judged to be worthy to see gods!

At that moment the exhausted woman had lost consciousness.

+++

The strange but kind creatures cared about the ka'shogs for a week. Unfortunately, the messengers' of gods didn't understand their language. They just smiled and shook their round heads funny when Dancing with the wind or her tribesmen asked them something. It was obvious that the gods' creatures didn't understand them.

A whole week the ka'shogs lived in an amazing place, watching – and even envied the messengers - how good the fluffy creatures lived. They had their own houses to keep their bodies warm; a safe place where their children could grow without any danger to be eaten, and – the most important -they had a lot of food to eat. No one starved here. It was a true paradise.

The ka'shogs saw clearly that the elders lied to them. The gods were benevolent.

Soon the time to see the gods had come. The smiling messengers brought the ka'shogs to the amazing thing - which could move upon the water - and they moved towards the mountain range. It was an amazing experience.

This is indeed a road to the gods, Dancing with the wind thought with excitement as looking at Great Water under the wooden thing. Only the mighty gods and their messengers can do such wonderful things!

Gradually they were moving closer to the mountain range. Finally they had reached their destination and left the thing that could move upon the water.

The messengers led the ka'shogs deeper in the mountain range. Unexpectedly some giant monsters appeared in the vicinity and headed towards them. Every monster had a long strong body with numerous limbs. The ka'shogs screamed in fear, looking terrified but Dancing with the wind. She had seen that the messengers didn't look afraid.

Another trial? A trial of our fear?

The monsters came closer. Dancing with the wind stood firmly on the ground.

I shouldn't show any fear! The woman said that to herself. The gods' messengers are watching us! It can be another trial for us!

The monsters halted beside the ka'shogs and moved their large chelicerae right in front of them. It was a dreadful experience. Each ka'shog wanted to scream and ran away, but they continued to stand in the monsters' presence.

The monsters opened their chelicerae and lifted up all the ka'shogs accurately. Then they ran toward the mountain range.

Do the gods live there?

Soon the ka'shogs found themselves underground. The green humanoids couldn't see anything around but darkness. It was another dreadful experience.

Finally the ka'shogs were brought into a huge cave with weak lighting. The guards placed them on the ground gently right in front of a giant black ball. It looked strong and menacing.

Dancing with the wind realized that it was a god! Right in front of her! She felt water in her eyes.

I know who you are, the woman heard the voice of god in her head.

The god knows?! Oh, of course, the god knows! The mighty god should know everything!

“Mighty and benevolent god... for me that's a great honor to meet with you... Our people have lived poorly since we left Great Water a long time ago... Nowadays we often starve... I and my brothers have left our homes in a hope to find the mighty gods... So... if you allow me... I want to beg you for a great honor...” Dancing with the wind spoke slowly as her body trembled from excitement and fear.

She felt as her heart pounded fast.

All of a sudden Dancing with the wind dropped on her knees and kowtowed, crying. “Please, accept us back! Many of my people want to serve you as in old times!”

+++

A minute back

Before I start my experiments with these ka'shogs, I should interrogate them as I had planned earlier, Seed thought as he looked at the three green humanoids. But, it seems, I don't know what I should ask them.

Indeed, the ball couldn't formulate his questions. Seed knew who these green creatures were. They were ka'shogs, true inhabitants of this planet. In the past a bunch of cultists subjugated them and treated them as their personal playthings.

Okay, what else I know about them?

When the so-called “war of gods” had ended, for centuries the ka'shogs lived deep in the jungle.

Ask them how they live? Where do they live? Why did this group leave the jungle?

Seed decided to begin a conversation. He couldn't just stand, keeping silent.

I know who you are, the ball sent the beginning of the phrase into the humanoids’ heads. Then he planned to add “You are ka'shogs. You live in the jungle. Why have you come here?”, but the female ka'shog butted in. She gave a short speech and - in the end - the woman begged, crying. “Please, accept us back! Many out of my people want to serve you, great god, as in old times!”

Seed was confused, but he wasn't against this idea. More servants = more food. He agreed... to play a role of god.