18 Days Ago.

We spent the following days across the forest, moving as fast as we could. Sometimes we would spot monsters and animals, but Poli would gesture to them, and they would join us. I’ve seen giant wolves and even those strange black monsters that were attacking Charlie on the first day here, and they just joined in.

It wasn’t long until we quite literally had a small army at our bac,k and I really did feel like a queen. I fantasized a bit of them all in armor, marching in unison, giggling to myself as I rode a horse. Ooo, I should get myself a dress and sword soon, that would be so cool.

Actually, on that train of thought, there was something else I wanted.

I turned to Polina. “Are there Destined Ones of Horses around here?”

She stared at me, completely confused as she tilted her head, much like a horse. “Destined One of… Horses?”

I then remembered that was like a Phorash term. “Oh, I meant like uh, horse people, like, uh… Us, but with horse features, and really fast, like faster than horses or people. Some are actually faster than cars from what I’ve seen.”

Suddenly, it was as if a light went off in her head. “Ah, those blessed by the gods. Most of them have disappeared, but there are some who still remain in seclusion. Where they are? I do not know. Perhaps hidden by Mokosh’s grasp.”

“Mokosh’s grasp?”

“The earth mother. She hides those that offer themselves up to her, keeping them underground.”

“Wait, wait… So…” The gears in my head began to turn. “There’s an earth goddess out here who is fully helping others make an underground city.”

She nodded along as I squealed with joy. “Ahhh, that’s so cool. I want to go there soon, I’m starting to miss the company of other mortals- Not to say your company is bad, it’s just that it’s hard talking to someone who is like a nature spirit and stuff. What are you anyway? Like some kind of minor forest deity?”

Poli shook her head. “No, I am merely a spirit of the forest. I do not possess the Ascended Magick that gods do. That would be Visiliy, the Leshy of Visiliy.”

“Which came first, his Name, or the Name of the place?”

“Nobody knows about that regarding the Leshy. They are the guardians and watchers over the regions of the Jawia.”

I nodded my head to that. It was kind of weird, like the dragon and the egg scenario, people always wondered which came first, even I still wouldn’t guess. People say they evolved at the same time nowadays, so many that it’s the same for these Leshy, that they just happened at the same time.

“Oh, okay, so you’re just like, a caretaker? And they’re like the big boss of it?”

“If by big boss, you refer to them having more authority than I do, yes. Usually, they are the major force of the region unless a god is summoned.”

My eyes widened, and I shimmied my way over to her. “You can summon a god? How? Cause like, maybe we can get some good gods to our sid,e and this can be so much easier.”

“You would need those who follow that god, and memorials and runes ascribed to them. To summon is to ask, to call upon those you kneel under. Can you do that?”

Uh….

“Alright… Guess we have to find this ancient civilization first, haha…” I sighed for a bit, rubbing my head.

“Do you not think that you are enough? You are allied with the Harbinger. The one who could burn away all things in their forge. Why do you seek even more power?”

“Because I’m trying to forge a new world, a better world. I tried to do it with words, all I got was a gag around my mouth and pepper spray in my eyes.” I sighed as I remembered my first few riots. Gods, that was so long ago, but the memory still brings tears to my eyes.

“So, I need power, much… Much more power. I have to account for everything, especially cause those that stand in my way… They’re a lot, they’re petty, and worst of all, they are powerful. They very well could be the ones pulling the strings across the world right now, and the only place that hasn’t been sullied by them is Sinal and…” I pointed down.

“Galfania. I want to hit them with a power I know they can’t be prepared for, that I know, they can’t handle.”

“These people… The ones that you speak of, what have they done to earn such ire? Why do you fight against them? What do they bring that has caused your world to befall a terrible fate that you brought upon yourself to cleanse them? Are they the gods of your land?”

I smiled, staring over at the sky as I took in a deep breath. “You can say they are our gods. They’re angry and petty people, never satisfied and always hungry for more power as they take out their frustrations on those they control… Huh, they really are kind of like gods. I guess you can say I want to overthrow them and start anew, wipe the slate clean. I probably sound crazy to you.”

To my surprise, she said:

“No. I understand such a desire. The gods here have been fickle, and so too have the many spirits. I was here when Balthalem came forth and offered their own blessings, their own offerings, and gifts. The people here accepted it of their own accord, allowing those from beyond to fester within their abodes. This did not sit well at all with the gods and even the other powers. And thus, Winter began.”

I blinked for a moment. I never really thought about why it happened, just that it did, and we had to deal with it, but I guess it would make sense if the reason they fought back against Balthalem was because of their jealousy.

“Were you jealous? That they were turning away from you?

“Perhaps I was. In these thousands of years, I have not felt the joy of offerings or the love of worship. While neither does anything for me… It would have filled the hole in me when those from Balthalem came.” Poli sighed and rubbed her hands; thorns grew from her wrist as she plucked them off.

“W-well uh, in my world, I can hope to give you lots of followers and uh, well I’m not really good at this, but I’m gonna make sure you’re not alone. It’s time for a revolution, I’m sure we could think of something.”

I just said the first few things that came out of my mouth, hoping they all made sense.

Poli gave out a small laugh. “It is not that necessary, I believe in due time, the souls that once worshiped me shall resurface upon the world and that we shall live in peace and harmony, much like how winter shall give way to spring, so too shall one day this pass…”

I patted her on the back. “Hah, that’s the uh spirit, I guess? Let’s go deal with this Skiper then so he doesn’t ruin it for all of us!”

Poli nodded along, and we continued on our way until we got to our next destination, that being what appeared to be several winding rivers upon a steep hill. However, instead of a calm and normal flow, they looked more like turbines were attached to their ends.

The waves were crushing, smashing against the shore with such force that I believed that if I tried to step into them, I would have been crushed into a little flesh blob immediately. I was surprised that the shore held up, but saw that the stones on its sides were as black as the night, probably heavily enchanted to withstand the crushing forces.

I turned to Poli as she already began to try and construct a ladder of vines; however, a wave came by, crashing into her ladder, completely eviscerating it upon impact.

“Huh, okay… Does anyone here know how to fly?”

There were a few birds amongst the crowd of monsters. They soared high above the air, trying to cross the river, only for strong jets of water to shoot up into the sky, also completely rendering the birds into less than bones and meat.

“Hmmm, well that’s one way to do chicken…” I muttered under my breath.

From the river came forth beautiful women dressed in white and blue, swimming by the shoreline, their bodies like ethereal ghosts as they stared up at me.

“You may not pass beyond this point, for the Skiper has decreed you all to be their enemies. Turn and prostrate towards the new serpent king.”

“Fuck that.” I said aloud, brandishing my flames before raising them to the strange ghost woman. “Out of the way. I’d rather not do more damage than I could, but I will if I have to. And why are you siding with them anyway? Isn’t he going around trying to destroy nature?”

Poli shook her head. “Rivers and lakes are not held by us. They are the transpiration of the dead, the currents that lead to the Nawia.”

And then I realized how it all connected. “And Skiper is the guy who’s saying he’s in control of it… Man, is he really the god of the dead? Kind of funny that he’s like kinda dead.”

“That would be Morana, the goddess of the dead and winter.” Koschei pointed out in the back.

“Oh, that’s cool. Why exactly are you guys not listening to her instead of the crazy serpent?”

“His presence is growing in the Jawia; soon, his avatar shall reach a point that not even the Watchers or Leshy would stop him. They only delay the inevitable. We have realized this and have chosen to ensure our place in the new world.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Well, the new world is here, and she’s asking you nicely to change. I am the Harbinger’s Chosen, and I’m guessing you know who that is? Your god wanted me to be on their side, but listen up, the only side worth being on right now is mine. I’m sure you know or even felt what happened in the Nawia, and if I’m pushed, that could happen yet again.”

“You are but a budding blossom in the wind, your powers do not come close to his, and you have no authority to speak of.”

Yeah, that was true. I wish I could torch this place down, but like, I’d probably just get done just like that bird. How do I even approach this?

I stared at the flames in the palm of my hand, the fire flickering ever so gently, as in their light I saw the souls and agony of those in the Smorodina, of those who have waded and flown into the river, never knowing peace for the last thousands of years.

I remembered that the serpent’s venom was much like my flames. They were able to harm the soul, but I burnt them away, causing them to join the Smorodina, to join that sludge and slurry of memories. So maybe I could connect to them, and I can show all others the sorrow I wish to stop.

With a wave of my hand, the jet of flames came forth, dousing itself into the rivers. All at once, the tides heightened, forming into a massive tsunami that blanketed the sky, fighting against the flames from my hands as everybody braced themselves.