*** Armirynth ***

They didn't come to pick me up this time. I know I have Alzi's second body in the manor, but they behave differently. She's calmer in that second body, like it doesn't have access to all the pain she's had in her life.

Why didn't they pick me up? Kou was supposed to keep her schedule better. I should know where she is and will be going now.

Alzi is an adult. I. No, she needs me. She's my baby still. She needs my help for now. I need to help her grow up again. She isn't ready for that because of that damn woman. I'm sorry, Alzi, but they have carriages for me. I'm coming, baby, so don't let them break you.

...

The temple's so scary now. The ominous black pillars reaching for the heavens, blood scarring the ground, and the Priestesses chanting all over the grounds. I don't know what to make of this, but it's the only way they tell me. It better be the only way. It's so much all at once for Alzi, and she's pregnant again. Please, Goddess of Fertility, watch over my baby. Don't let this tear her apart.

I should've said that prayer inside the temple; it's more peaceful there as well.

The door opens for me, nobody is behind the door, and I'm alone, so who or what did that is new. Normally, I have to prove I'm not truly a noble to open the door, struggling with my muscles instead of using my mana. Amazingly, Alzi figured out how to do that herself. She never gives herself enough credit. She has done so much while being given so little.

A priestess is standing by the hallway we went through yesterday with a small smile, so I'm guessing they are still down that way. She should know why I'm here.

"Welcome," the Priestess says. "Same room as before."

"Thank you," I say, passing the Priestess. Blood. Why can I smell blood here? No, no, no. This. "Why is there so much blood?"

"The sacrifices have been bleeding for hours. How could there not be a lot of blood?" the Priestess answers, like I'm an idiot.

"You can clean blood up."

"It's better this way."

I can't fight here. I have to check on Alzi. She was so calm in the manor, so maybe the blood hasn't gotten to her. Maybe she's ok. They would be worried if Alzi was struggling. They need her for the ritual. I burst into the room and, well, how is this better than cleaning the blood?

Shyla is going to be so mad. My shoes are splashing puddles of blood, and I'm across the room from all the women. Their groans. How are they still awake? Alive even. This. Their bodies are painted red with black stripes where some of the blood has been able to dry. Alzi's feet are covered in blood. Past her ankles even. It's practically a little sea of blood under each woman.

Alzi doesn't look crazy, so don't do anything that will freak her out. I just need to support her through this. Just get her to tomorrow, and then the next day.

I pass the groaning fountains of blood. Each with the same markings cut into them. Each line is perfectly straight on the bodies. Blood gushing out with each beat of their heart. Luckily, Alzi is only a few women down the line right now. I really don't want to look at Elora right now. She shouldn't be here. She's just another broken girl making a mistake.

"Baby?" I ask. "What is going on?"

A thin string is working through all the women's finger bones. Alzi is working a needle through this woman's middle finger currently. The brothel owner's voice is long gone.

"Mommy! I finished the poems and now I need to connect them with this string," my Baby says.

"I see," I say, "Is the string long enough?" Kou is here, so did this really just come up? Did they purposely not tell me so I wouldn't slow Alzi down?

"Yes, it keeps growing," my Baby says. "I just have to twist it through their bones, watch their silent shouts, and then pull it through. Simple enough."

She's growing so big again. I hate that I was a part of getting her pregnant again. She needs a break. I know the ritual did something to help her, but I don't believe it can take all the pain away. I'll need to guard her after these kids. "Ok, baby," I say. It has to happen, I just hope this doesn't haunt her. "I love you, baby."

*** Alzi ***

"I love you, Mommy," I say. I feel her hand rubbing my wings as I twist the needle. The priestess said that the needle will speed up the more blood that gets on it, so hopefully that lets me finish it today. Right now, it seems this alone will take another day to finish. I would love to take months with these women, but people are dying while I'm in Fertility's temple instead of Space's temple. Kind of strange that being the Champion of Fertility in Fertility's temple is causing women to die.

Overall, being here saves more lives, I guess, but still strange. Almost as odd as these fuckers still feeling pain. Not only should they have died a while ago, but they should've at least passed out. Not even I could stay awake through all this. The Goddesses are scary, letting these women feel all this pain at once. It's bad enough to break a bone, but to have them slowly drilled into one after another. A brilliant idea, whoever came up with it.

I just need to get through them all. Hopefully, I can move quickly for Elora. She doesn't deserve this level of pain. I need to check her progress as well. She is dilated, but the baby isn't out yet for some reason.

*** Fertility ***

Oh, my champion loves my idea! It was hard to come up with. There aren't many good ways to connect women at the distances we need them to be connected. I thought of making their breasts lactate blood, but it just didn't work out. The connection would be too weak. Too easy to break. Then there is the classic pulling out the intestines and using them as a rope to tie them all together, but that kills the women, and we need them alive. The string is thin, but there are ten connection points for each woman. They aren't going to slip off or lose the connection like the blood connection, and they'll live long enough for the ritual. Perfect really.

Add in the blood mixing during the preparation phase, and you have a group of women ready for the biggest death ritual ever. If only Death had been more involved, it could have taken all of Nature's force instead of just most. It'll be more than enough, especially with the ice elves coming in to help. Just need to worry about the dragons after this.

Yet another Goddess that won't get too involved. Spending too much time watching over Alzi's mate's kids. Like, I can't just do that naturally. Wasting all that control babysitting something I can do with hardly a thought.

"Elora," Space says. "How are you still ignoring Elora! The baby hasn't made any progress. She isn't going to give birth any time soon like this. Are we really going to risk a Goddess in this ritual? We didn't even consider having more women as the sacrifice. She isn't needed for this."

"It's stronger with her around," I say. Space just had to bring Sky over. I'll have to send Contract with them if I want to kick her out now. And here Contract comes. She's so cute. I wish Goddesses stayed toddlers for longer. Stayed that size at least; her attitude rivals Justice sometimes. But I just need to trick her into promising to be good or nice, and I can get her under control.

Kids are a lot easier when you don't have to raise them.

"Sis!" Contract says.

"Hello, little sister," Space says. "Sky is really young, so no tricks or your Mommy and Daddy will have something to say to you."

"I'll be good," Contract says. "I promise."

"Ok, be gentle," Space says. Sky floats out of her hands and before my baby. It seems even the air just a few feet over the ground counts as the sky to her, as I know Contract doesn't have that much control yet. But they go off running, one of my angels following along. I really do like my house more than my temple. Dryads are a lot prettier than angels.

Maybe I can get a few angels pregnant?

"Elora is doing fine," I say. "If she won't give birth in time, I'll fix it."

"We're already breaking the rules, keeping the women alive while spilling out a sea of blood. How much do you think you can do? This is a Goddess coming out of a normal mortal. Alzi is made to bring life into the world. Elora isn't made for that. We have to keep watch for Alzi's children. Things won't go well for us if Alzi kills her own kid."

"I said I'll watch it," I say. "If Elora can't do the ritual, she can get cut out and stay in my temple. My Priestesses will get the kid out, and if she dies, she dies. That happens in wars; nobody will be mad about it. A few will be sad for a bit, but they'll get over it. She is just a sacrifice."

"She's more, and you know that. She filled the role Alzi gave her. She was a sacrifice. Now she is meant to be Alzi's wife. Think Alzi won't be sad to find Elora died after giving Alzi a Goddess for a child. That was the mission Alzi gave. Alzi had a deal with Elora, and Elora's filled her half. Alzi will uphold her end of the deal, and that means she is going to lose someone she loves."

"Fine, we can work on keeping Elora alive if the labor doesn't end before the ritual is over," I say.

"I just want my wife to be happy," Space says.

Sigh. How did my champion get wrapped up in so many Goddesses? Contract says Alzi even has a deal with Kitsune, but won't tell me what it is. She's getting spread so thin, and then there is the Demoness that she visited. Alzi, don't get yourself wrapped up in too many promises.

*** Alzi ***

It sucks how fast the needle moves now. It doesn't bring the same pain, for it just takes a few minutes to push through a finger. The pain just isn't the same. They all still lost their voice screaming, finally, but it just isn't right. Only Elora should have it this easy.

"Elora," I say. "You ready?"

"Yes," Elora groans out. "Baby?"

"Crowned," I say. Hardly any progress. Is she even able to push with all this pain? I hope so. "Just take a deep breath and focus on the kid. I'll move fast."

I wet the blade in her blood first. That should speed it up more. I start with her right hand, pinky first, just like the rest. The blood did something after just a few turns, and I'm onto the ring finger. She hardly has time to scream when I start on the middle finger. But she's screaming now. Whatever calm she found before is gone as I drill through her fingers. But I got through them. For more chapters visit novel⸺fire.net

Eleven women on a string.

"My Princess," Kou says. "Time for you to get some sleep."

"Is there nothing else?" I ask.

"No," a priestess says. "No, tomorrow we'll string them up and start the ritual. We have a room set up for you, your Mother, and Kou. This way."

I follow behind the priestess, but Mommy stops me before we leave the room. Giving me a soft hug.

"Baby. Should we really be killing Elora? I don't think this is right."