Maledictus Terra Book 2: Sanguifex Part 99
Introduction
Welcome back to Maledicturs Terra. This is a Chain Story between myself and @lex-zaiya, meaning that we each write the parts alternatively.
If you have not read Maledictus Terra Book 1: Mortis Custos yet, it starts HERE at Part 1 and ends at Part 101 HERE. At the end of the Part 101 post you will find links to all 101 Parts!
The previous part by @lex-zaiya can be found HERE.
Part 99
The whole party had gathered around the fire they had made before the church. They had left King Adrian inside. He was still sleeping. Lucien was also still asleep, but in a different manner. Adrian had regarded him and when he started to probe with his magic Adiran had come over to shoo him away.
The deer had come and the Blazeknights had done as they were bade. They had killed her fast and gotten her carcass ready for the fire to feed those that needed it.
Vitex and Mortis would need no such rations. Because Derric and Millmor were in humanoid forms they elected to eat with everyone else. This then left Rhyn who would take his portion of meat raw.
Vitex had insisted that they also have vegetables with their meat and when they informed her that they none with them she had scoffed. Seeds had been sown from the Goddess' sleeves which then sprouted large healthy green plants which bore fruits and vegetables.
"This pleases me." She had said, contemplating the little wild overgrown garden she had created. "I think I shall keep it here and make it part of the Temple." She had turned to Sebastian then and raised an eyebrow. "Unless you disapprove?"
Sebastian looked around at the ruins and shrugged his massive shoulders. "It's not like its going to bother anyone."
Magna realized the implications of what was being said better than her uncle. Adrian watched her face light up with a smile. "You don't understand Uncle. You have your Kingdom back! The people can return to the city and Kingdom. No more Hungers and no more curse!"
"Right." He admitted and rubbed his face. "I apologise. I have been fighting this battle for so long that I am still getting to terms that it is over. I... I have never done any ruling of a normal Kingdom. It all started when I was a boy and I took over the reigns and we were all in ruin and destitution. I took command of the warriors and protected the civilians. But this... I have no idea."
"Well..." Vitex began. "Your people will need time to re-establish themselves here. I shall make this garden bear them food so they can focus on rebuilding and not need to worry about famine."
"In exchange you want this church to become yours?" Trix asked, far more direct, staring at the Goddess.
Vitex did not take offence. She nodded graciously. "I shall not be here. My essence will and should I have some followers because of my patronage... I would be greatly pleased. I would grant this garden to you, oh King. Your people will not want for food. This structure... I do not like the idea of a church... it sounds formal and stiff... I should want it to be remade into a Temple."
"How do we maintain and build such a place without you here?" Sebastian asked.
Vitex smiled. "When your people arrive, have them take their feast here together. Soldiers, and civilians together. When they have all had their fill here then let them stay a while and let them sleep at this site where we are now. Should someone exhibit the correct traits, this shall become my Priest or Priestess. They shall direct what is to happen to the garden and temple. The rest of the Kingdom is yours."
Sebastian bowed his head. "I... thank you Goddess. It will be nice to have some peace for once and having your sort of temple shall be good for the people."
"Do not forget your warriors." Mortis said. "Vitex and Bellum are brother and sister. When you re-establish your army and barracks, erect a shrine to the Warrior-God there."
"To Bellum?" Trix asked. "Who is a long forgotten God. Or to Mortis the Undying, the champion of Dragonshold who fought the Avatars of Evil?"
Mortis waved his gauntleted hand. "Bellum says that it does not matter."
"So tell me about that." Magna broke into the conversation. "You two Gods... you work together in one place? The Gods we know are constantly at war."
Vitex smiled and looked at Mortis, she turned to the princess and began speaking when she was interrupted by Adiran. "They are Gods of the Lesser Pantheon of Terra. Part of the natural order of things in this place. The... others... you speak of. The one after Adrian and I... the one that is after Magna as their instruments... they are invaders."
"Invaders from where?" Trix asked.
"Reality exists in places and ways that mortals cannot fathom." Vitex said stiffly.
"Oh, don't worry. We have been to a few places where there were things that cannot exist here." Magna said.
Vitex looked to Adiran. "Please explain planes-walker. What does the Princess mean?"
Adiran scowled. "The Cold One had her brother cleaved from his soul and he would have had him if I had not bound the boy... we had to travel to the Land of the Dead to retrieve him."
"How did you get there?" The Goddess asked.
This time Mortis spoke up but his tone was different. "Mortis was with them sister. I have seen the memories. They traveled... through the Crystal Valley."
Vitex seemed to shiver, Adrian noted that it seemed to be a place that frightened even this Goddess. "That was most unwise Planes-walker."
"It had not been my intention. We were disrupted." Adiran's answer was stiff.
Vitex nodded her head, her face serious. She then shook herself violently and proceeded. "Indeed. Our... parents... they created this world and all other worlds that can be physically reached in this plane without the need for traversing planes. We were created to keep the balance of this world and its heavenly bodies while the creators left."
The party was silent for a long while. Their mortal minds spinning with the information. Adiran was well versed in this knowledge, Adrian could sense that he was not surprised by anything that the Goddess had just said. Millmor did not seem phased either. For the first time, he spoke up. "You know of all this Millmor?"
The lanky bearded man looked at the Prince in surprise and then nodded. "You have a keen eye Prince. I am old. I was in this world when there were still temples, churches and shrines to the true Gods."
"Indeed?" Vitex said suddenly interested. "So will you then tell me of your curse?"
Millmor put a large hairy hand on Derric's shoulder. "This may come as a surprise to you, what I am about to say."
"Well... I was a small boy for a few hundred years... but then became... as I am now. I know am I a Prince and I know that Lucy and the others were once humans the way that the Hungers were once Clarpratians. And I know that you are my caretaker." Derric said. "I have no idea what had happened to my parents and I have no idea how the curse came about. So... yes... this will be worth my time to hear as well. I have asked you a thousand times and you never told me!"
"Indeed... well..." The large man seemed keenly uncomfortable. "I have looked after you for... a thousand, three hundred years. Most of which you will not remember as you were shielded by magic as an infant. You emerged from the magic around two hundred years ago... I was not your caretaker, but I took upon myself that duty. I have been leading the ghouls since that time."
Magna whistled and nudged Derric playfully. "You know what? I think you are too old for me."
Mortis shook his head. "I do not remember of a Kingdom in my time where your forest was."
"I hid them well. Drakenspoort was created and your monarchy rose to power long after Derric's Kingdom was laid low by the curse and his parents slain."
"Slain?" Derric said. "Who killed them?"
Millmor stared for a long minute into the flames of the fire, the meat of their supper sizzling there. Finally he looked up at Derric and stared at him in the eye.
"I killed your parents."
mic drop Over to you @lex-zaiya!
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Sanguifex
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