We Are Taking Down the Goddess

Ringborg Cay

A powerful water column surged around their skin, dropping from the top of their head down towards their feet. When the water splashed and covered the floor, it revealed Kana, Ren, Aiko, and Yakeru standing on solid ground.

-        “I told you to stop doing that.” – Kana retorted.

-        “Stop doing what?”

-        “Stop kissing me.”

-        “But, you like it.” - Yakeru smiled.

-        “I don’t.”

-        “You do.”

-        “Shut it.”

Aiko let her feet rest on unfamiliar territory. She stood on rough, desert-like soil in the middle of a wide path. There was nothing cozy about these surroundings. The sun was shining bright and the heat quickly warmed her unguarded cheeks. Although it wasn’t as boiling hot as in Wolfmore, the weather was warm enough to make her skin glisten with sweat. But, despite the sun being at full blast, there were no trees nearby that would serve as a comfortable canopy.

Ren smiled awkwardly at the two. Then he turned towards Aiko. Although her body healed on its own not long after the battle, she still went through a great deal of pain. The pup was worried.

After taking a deep breath, Yakeru started walking forward and Kana quickly followed. Yet, Aiko stood behind, obviously hesitant to take another step. A lone drop of sweat made its way down the young girl’s neck. The girl brushed it off, removing the tiny trail of momentary coolness.

For a moment there, Aiko was lost in thought. Her mind was flooded with the barbaric bloodshed. Intense flashbacks took their toll. All those bodies covered the prison floor. Their bones severed into pieces. Their limbs scattered across the place. His hands dripped in blood. His scythe feasted upon their souls. It was brutal.

-        “Aiko! Aiko!”

The girl could hear muffled voices calling her name. But, she didn’t react. She focused on the flashbacks, instead. Too many people died. Too many lost their lives.

-        “For what?!”

The girl mumbled. Yet, her quiet voice couldn’t reach the ears of the pup who stood next to her. Seeing that she had no intention of moving, Ren stretched his fluffy cheeks. He stuck his tongue out and bent his adorable ears. Those goofy faces were cute and ridiculous at the same time. If none of the killings ever happened, Aiko would have just laughed it off. But, there was nothing that would help her regain her innocent smile. Not anymore. At that moment, her pupils shrunk, as if they couldn’t take any more light.

Suddenly, the girl felt something cold and slimy pressing against her nose. Ren licked her face, sending a shiver down her spine. It immediately helped Aiko regain her senses.

-        “Are you all right?” – the pup asked with a worried look on his face.

-        “Uhm…Yes.” – the girl scratched her head and forced out a smile.

-        “Why are you spacing out, then?”

Her heart ached. But, Aiko immediately buried those awful feelings deep inside. Then answered with another smile.

-        “Sorry, about that. It’s nothing.”

-        “Then, come on! Follow me!” - Ren grabbed her by the hand and pulled her towards Kana and Yakeru.

-        “Where are we going?”

-         “You will find out soon enough.” – Kana added with a firm tone.

After walking some time under the heat, they approached an arid coast. They could finally see a small cluster of tropical land masses. Soon, the desert soil was covered with trees. The archipelago teemed with a flamboyant environment that was foreign to the young girl. All kinds of flowering canopies, with yellow and red flowers blooming across the land.

-        “You could have teleported us closer, you know.” – Yakeru complained.

-        “No need.” – Kana added.

But, Aiko was hooked on something else. She remembered that kiss in the prison. The moment their lips touched, a massive surge of magical energy enveloped Kana’s body. It replenished her strength, healed her wounds, and supplied her system with unfathomable power. Since Aiko learned how to use her newfound sight, she grasped every moment when mana merged with Kana’s soul. As if, the woman was reborn right before her eyes.

-        “Kana…” – Aiko’s voice wavered. “Can you tell me what happened back there?”

-        “You mean the prison?”

-        “Yes.”

-        “Oh…that’s right. You can see it now.” – Kana commented and kept walking. “He gave me an enhanced mana stone. It unsealed my power.”

-        “You see, kid…”- Yakeru barged in while messing with Aiko’s hair. “Kana, here, got herself in some deep shit. Good thing I came or you three would have died there.”

-        “I understand that. Thank you for helping us.” – Aiko bowed with respect, catching him off-guard. “But, that’s not what I asked.”

-        “Well, someone is getting ballsy.”

Yakeru stepped forward into Aiko’s personal space. He loomed over the young girl and looked straight into her eyes. Clearly with the intent to intimidate her. Aiko gulped. Her confidence immediately sank, and her eagerness to find the answer went down with it.

-        “It’s fine. She deserves to know.” – the sorceress pushed him away. “Five months ago, I fought Elidy. But, I lost and she sealed my power to punish me for it. Yakeru helped me get it back.”

-        “What?! You fought the goddess?” – Ren barked in shock.

-        “Yes.”

-        “Did you hear that, Aiko? She fought the goddess! By Elidy’s grace! What were you thinking?! No human can survive that!”

Aiko stood there knee-deep in silence. There was tension in her eyes. She quickly searched her brain for answers. The kind of answers she was looking for a while now. Then, came another memory. This time it was that place. The different world she went to when the shuriken almost took her life. She remembered the garden that looked like paradise. She also remembered the scorching land that looked like hell. 

-        “I see.” – the girl placed her left hand on the bottom of her chin. She was lost in thought again. “It all makes sense now.”

-        “Speak.” – Kana insisted.

-        “Remember when you fought the assassins at the Demon Apple?”

-        “Yes.”

-        “Their leader hit me with a poisoned weapon. I believe I died back then.”

-        “Impossible. You can’t resurrect yourself if you are dead.” – Yakeru added.

-        “I didn’t. Someone else did.”

-        “What?!” – Ren was by now in complete shock.

-        “I went to a strange place. There was another being there. Waiting for me. Something powerful. I…still can’t wrap my mind around it. But, her aura…it felt familiar.”

-        “What do you mean?” – Kana asked.

-        “That power that enveloped her body looked quite like yours. The second Yakeru gave you the mana stone, that similar aura wrapped around your body.”

That’s when Yakeru and Kana looked at each other. Their eyes unblinking. Although they never said a word, only nodded their heads, it seems they knew exactly what the other one was thinking. Instead of pushing the conversation further, Kana decided to end it there.

-        “Thank you for telling me that.”

-        “Aren’t you going to explain to me why?!” – Aiko was becoming agitated.

-        “We have more pressing matters to attend to.”

-        “What’s more important than that?”

-        “Look, over there.” – Kana pointed north.

Aiko had a lot more to say, but she knew she couldn’t stand up to the sorceress. Rather, she shut her lips and focused her gaze. There was a network of tall pointed huts and bridges nearby. The spiked wooden towers immediately took Aiko’s breath away. Each hut had pointy bones tied on the edge of the roof. Obviously, whoever lived here hunted massive creatures and used their sharp teeth for display. These trophies became a symbol of the tribe’s glory. 

-        “This is Ringborg Cay. Home to the cyclopes.”

Out of the blue, Aiko felt a tremor under her feet. Like small quakes that would come and go. But, the closer they got to the huts, the stronger the vibrations became. Soon, her entire body was shuddering. Not from fear, but because she couldn’t hold her ground anymore. Ren was unfazed. He was hovering above the floor. While Yakeru and Kana maintained a perfect balance, walking forward with ease. 

Shortly, the quakes subsided. That’s when a massive dark shadow loomed over the young girl. It covered the blazing sun. Something so big, it made even the clouds seem like tiny shades. Aiko raised her head. The first thing she saw was Ren frozen in fear. The moment she stretched her neck further, she was met with a colossal creature. It was a one-eyed giant, a massive brute with ripped muscles, a round belly, huge fangs, and a single horn sticking out of its head.

Aiko was mortified.

She heard many rumors about these monsters. Every slave in Wolfmore knew them all too well. They were pure terror incarnate. Ever since she was a young girl, the adults would warn her day and night. Everything they said was now ringing in her ears like a loud alarm bell.

-        “Don’t leave the village or the cyclopes will get you.”

-        “Never go beyond the mountains. There is no turning back.”

-        “Whatever you do, don’t let them catch you.”

-        “You are better off dead than getting stuck on that isle.”

Aiko was now trapped in a nightmare, made by her own brain. The tiny hairs on her arms and neck bristled. Her watery eyes enlarged. At that moment, Yakeru took a step forward. But, instead of a fight breaking out as the girl expected, Aiko and Ren witnessed a mind-blowing sight.

Having both hands, feet, knees, and forehead touching the ground, the creature bowed with respect. It looked like it worshiped the young man.

-        “Overlord Igarashi! Tu'gor! IIbor not expect you. Come. Enter.”

Yakeru nodded and made his way into what looked like a village. But, it extended well beyond a single isle. There were huts and bridges all across the coastline, even on the smaller islands not far from here. Aiko and Ren were still frozen in fear. To put their mind at ease, the sorceress placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder and whispered in her ear.

-        “Tu'gor means welcome. Follow me.”

Ren looked into Aiko’s eyes. They were both terrified. But, the pup decided to trust the sorceress and gave Aiko a reassuring smile. It helped her calm that inner fear for just a little bit.

Together, they passed the gates.

The place was swarming with giants. Some were carving massive clubs in front of their huts. They hammered sharp bones all over the tip of the weapon, giving it a menacing design. Others carried whole trees and beasts on their backs as if they were lighter than a feather. The rest were skinning huge animals alive only to hang their skin to dry. The area reeked of corpses. Fresh and old blood covered the floor.

-        “These are lesser cyclopes.” – added Kana. “They do manual labor. We are going to meet with a wiser and more powerful cyclops.”

-        “There is someone even more powerful than these things?!”

-        “Yes. Every village has an elder. You will meet him soon.”

Together they made their way to the tallest hut in the village. When they arrived, the giant who guided them there, raised the animal hide that covered the entrance and gestured for them to come inside.

-        “Elder waits. Go.”

The place was wide and spacious. Over a dozen animal rugs covered the floor. Each was unique in its own way. Despite being extremely dirty, the rugs were soft to the touch and warmer than anywhere else on the dirt floor. Aiko noticed small flames making their way upward towards the ceiling. There was a campfire burning in the middle of the room. The heat cooked some of the fishes placed nearby. Their skin already turned flaky.

-        “Tu'gor, overlord! What brings you here?”

-        “Tabarg, long time no see.”

-        “I must apologize for not having a feast ready to greet you. I do hope these snacks will be sufficient for the time being. In the meantime, I’m having them prepare a worthy meal.”

Another giant approached. Yet, this one sounded oddly melodic. The way he spoke was fluent and elegant. It felt like talking to an elf of higher stature. But, the moment the light from the fire revealed his face, Aiko was forced to accept the reality. He was two times taller than the rest of the cyclopes in the area. The creature even wore more sophisticated clothing. His obnoxious muscles were hidden under a thin layer of cloth. His garments consisted of two main parts. A champagne tunic and a cloak with a hint of blue and yellow hue. They were secured in place with a couple of ornamental pins and a girdle around his massive waist.

-         “Don’t worry about it. I'm here for this kid. I want you to help her ascend.” – Yakeru continued.

-        “In that case, come. Take a seat, my lord. We have much to discuss.”