Orn was not sure how long he had been running, but he knew he was failing. His lungs were burning, and every step came slower. Kao kept yelling encouragement, trying to keep his spirit up, but Orn barely heard her over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears. His world had narrowed to Kao’s back, but at times that seemed a bit blurry at the edges.

They had long ago given up picking off isolated goblins to slow their fellows. Now he was just hoping to be alive when help arrived. He ignored the squeals coming from the trees around him, and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. To Orn nothing else mattered, he just had to follow Kao.

He was so focused on trying to keep up with Kao, that he nearly staggered into her when she abruptly stopped. He wheezed, drawing ragged breaths while she looked around. Then as suddenly as she stopped, she started moving again, this time in a different direction. “This way. Hurry!”

Orn forced himself back into motion. I have to keep going.

He half ran, half stumbled after the goddess, but before long she stopped again. He glanced a Kao while he panted, struggling to catch his breath. As he watched, Kao turned frantically left and right, all the while her eyes were out of focus. Around them he heard the calls of the goblins closing in.

“Orn…” she said, slowly turned to him. “We are surrounded, and they are closing in.”

The news struck like a physical blow, and Orn felt his body shaking. It is over.

He drew ragged breaths, and for the first time became conscious of new pains in his arm and leg. Slowly rotating the limbs he saw that his fights with the goblins had not left him unscathed. I knew a few cut me but, Orn cringed as he examined the ragged cut in his arm, I did not think it was that deep.

A roar came from behind him causing him to look back. What are they waiting for?

“Orn!” Kao said grabbing his uninjured arm. “They stopped coming closer!”

Did she sound excited? Orn forced his stiffening limbs to move as she pulled him forward. He was confused by the sudden change, but stumbled after her.

Off balance from her pulling he nearly tripped over a root. Seeing how unsteady he was, Kao moved beside him to lend her shoulder.

“They are keeping back. The queen must be afraid to lose any more. Orn you can do this! All you have to do is get a little further.” Orn stumbled again and nearly took Kao with him. His body was exhausted it was only a matter of time before he fell.

“That is the queen.” Kao added as another roar echoed through the trees. “You have to move now. You are almost there. Just a bit further.”

Orn staggered, but with her help, he kept his feet under him. His vision was slowly getting worse and he had to lean leaned on Kao to stay upright, but he kept moving.

Together they moved at what felt like a crawl through the trees. Orn thought could see the goblins at the edges of his blurring vision. They kept circling around, but they never closed the remaining distance. Instead, they seemed content to watch him. The roars of their queen though were rapidly getting closer.

Orn moved as quickly he could, but the outcome was never in doubt. Inevitably, he heard the crashing right behind them. He turned to see a massive figure crashing through the undergrowth, and causing trees to shake.

“No. Not yet.” Kao cried. “Not when we were so close.”

Orn watched in frozen horror as the massive figure became more distinct, slowly separating itself from the gloom of the forest.

[Hunters]

Uncle ran through the trees. Behind him he could hear the other hunters mutter curses. He must not be the only one who felt as if every vine and branch were trying to slow them down. Seemingly waiting for his mind to wander, a vine fell directly into his path. He cursed and cut it out of the way.

He cut the vine away with a single strike from his hunting knife, and kept moving. It seemed as if he had used it more in the last day than he had in years. Ducking under a broken branch, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. It was faint, but he could make out the roar. The queen!

With the sound echoing in his mind, any attempt at conserving his strength disappeared. He tore through the trees with abandon. Vines and branches clawed at his clothes and face, but he ignored them letting the branches and thorns do their worst. Only one thing mattered. “ORN!”

[Olrich]

“What was that?” Olrich recognized the voice of the head priest. No time left.

The room was unlit, but Olrich had to squint against the light radiating from every book. Following the steps of the dream he pulled the book off of the shelf. The pages glowed with the same light, causing his eyes to water. He blinked as tears started running down his face, rapidly flipping pages to find the one he sought. There.

The words he waited so long to read, On the Goddess of Will. His eyes sped down the page. We know not why the Goddess of Will abandoned her sister’s work at the loom. But the Goddesses await the return of Kao…

Olrich’s heart sank as he read the name. I failed. I failed to keep her out. I failed to see my family had been lead astray, and now I… He looked a the broken door and the punishment he was justly due. Punishment for the chaos he had caused, in penance to a fallen goddess. He started shaking, tears running freely down his face as he was racked by sobs. I am so sorry.

“It was not Kao who led you here.” He slowly turned towards the writing table and saw a glowing figure sitting at the writing desk, looking at him. “I am Lac.”

The words were softly spoken, but to Olrich the world seemed to shake as they left her lips. Already unstable on his feet, he fell to his knees dropping the book. Recognizing the goddess before him, he placed his head to the floor in total supplication. I am unworthy.

“You have been tested. I find your efforts sufficient, and amusing.” Melodic and yet terrifying laughter seemed to echo into the deepest parts of his soul. “Now you have a choice. You can continue the path before you as a priest of all the goddesses, OR…”

She left the word hanging in the air a moment, “Or you can become mine. Become my prophet, Olrich Vron Whitefall, and walk the path for me alone.”

I am not worthy. Olrich felt tears streaming down is face, “I shall follow whatever path the goddess’ chooses for me. I am not worthy to choose. No thread is worthy to choose.”

The laughter rang out again, as Olrich pressed his face further into the floor. “Very good. Few recognize that test for what it is. You are correct, only the goddesses are worthy to choose the path. But you recognize that. You recognize you are unworthy, to even walk any path I would give you.”

He shivered as he felt she was looking into his soul.

“Unworthy, yes, but you will be made so. Lift your head Olrich.” The voice seemed to be closer now.

He slowly raised his head, and looked directly into the face of the goddess crouching before him. Their eyes met, and he felt himself fall into an impossibly vast pool of utter darkness.

At the sound of a laugh he found himself once again kneeling on the stone floor, staring at the face of a smiling goddess. “You are mine, and mine alone. You shall speak my words and carry my will to this world.”