When I mentioned Nox's epithet, my companions reacted in different ways. Anna remained the same, since she already knew about the Wandering Witch. Leroy and Cally looked at me in confusion, suggesting they knew nothing. However, Priest Jaime and Priestess Natille's reactions interested me the most
Priest Jaime scoffed with a disdainful look in his eyes. It appeared he remained the same person, despite his newfound awe for me. I found this reassuring.
On the other hand, Priestess Natille's face paled.
"Don't be ridiculous," Priest Jaime said. "The Wandering Witch doesn't exist. She's a bedtime story that my mother told me about when I was a child. According to her, if I was a disobedient little boy, the Wandering Witch would come and take me away." He shook his head. "I can't believe you believe in such nonsense."
I stared at him in disbelief. A part of me wanted to point out that I learned about Aleah Jeffers from both Grand Priest Darius and Tempest. However, I kept that to myself for now.
"No, the Wandering Witch is real," Priestess Natille said, her voice shaking. "And she is terrifying."
I raised an eyebrow at her. From the way she spoke, I guessed she must've had dealings with the Wandering Witch.
Priest Jaime gave Priestess Natille a disdainful look.
"Stop trying to scare us," he said. "The Wandering Witch is nothing more than a myth. A legend. Perhaps there used to be a woman called that. However, if she ever existed, she is long dead by this point."
Priestess Natille threw him a sharp look.
"She is real," she said. "My teacher has had dealings with her before."
Priest Jaime opened his mouth to respond, but Cally spoke up first.
"Hold on," she said, rubbing her temples. "Who is this Wandering Witch?"
"A fiction," Priest Jaime said. "According to the stories my mother told me, the Wandering Witch is a powerful and dangerous figure. Her strength rivals that of the Sun Emperor and the Moon Queen." He snorted. "That alone should tell you how ridiculous this all is."
"The Wandering Witch is both an ally and an enemy of the gods," Priestess Natille said in a nervous tone. "She wanders the land, meddling in people's affairs. When she finds a favorite of hers, she subjects them to great trials and hardship. If they survive, they become mighty figures."
Leroy and Cally looked at her for a few moments, before turning towards me.
"It's all true," I said in a matter of fact tone. "Aleah Jeffers is the Wandering Witch, and I am one of her favorites."
Cally frowned.
"I want to believe you, Gabriel," she said in an uncertain tone. "However, I agree with Priest Jaime. It all sounds so far-fetched."
I gestured to Anna.
"If you don't believe me, ask her. The two of us fought her." I paused. "Well, I say fought, but it wasn't even close to an even match. She just humored us."
Leroy frowned.
"You attacked such a dangerous figure and she didn't retaliate, my lord?" he asked.
I gave him a flat look, before I remembered that I was still wearing the wooden mask.
"It's a perk of being one of her favorites," I said. "Apparently most, if not all, of her favorites have tried to kill her. The Wandering Witch doesn't seem to mind. In fact, I think she encourages it." I sighed. "However, if you still don't believe me, ask Kiki. She knows more than I do."
Priest Jaime frowned at me. He still looked skeptical, but I saw the doubt in his eyes.
"Wait a moment," Cally said. "If Aleah Jeffers is this Wandering Witch, then what does she want with you?"
I shrugged.
"I have no idea," I said in a helpless gesture. "Whatever her goals are, they involve me cultivating divinity."
Cally blinked at me.
"Wait, are you actually on the path to becoming a god?" she asked.
"Yes," I said. "Or at least I'm on an adjacent path."
According to Nox, divinity wasn't the only path to Ascension. This implied that there were other ways to become a god, or at least a being on the same level.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and found all of my companions staring at me.
"What?" I asked. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"You just told us that you're becoming a god!" Cally exclaimed. "How else are we supposed to react?"
Fair point.
"I mean, I'm still the same person," I said. "Besides, it's not like I'm a god just yet. According to the Wandering Witch, I'm a demigod at most."
Priest Jaime nodded.
"As I suspected," Priest Jaime said in a firm tone. "We need to bring you back to Mt. Sol as soon as possible."
Priestess Natille nodded, a serious expression on her face.
"What?" I asked. "Why?"
"If what you say is true, then we need to keep you safe and secure," Priest Jaime said. "We can't allow the demons to get their hands on you."
"A demigod as weak as you is nothing but prey for them," Priestess Natille said.
I narrowed my eyes at them.
"You two speak as if you're experts on the matter," I said.
Priest Jaime and Priestess Natille shared a look. Some kind of unspoken communication passed between them, before they looked back at me.
"What we are about to say is one of the Church of the Sun's greatest secrets," Priest Jaime said. "I ask that you keep it to yourselves." He looked right at me. "You aren't the first demigod to appear in Lumina. I'm sure all of you have heard the stories of mortals ascending to godhood."
I nodded. My ancestor, Tempest, was one such figure.
"They're true," Priestess Natille said. "However, the stories don't tell about the demigods who died before they could Ascend. Some simply failed and remained mortal for the rest of their lives. Others died at the hands of evil and unscrupulous beings who wanted to steal their nascent divinities, such as demons." She shook her head. "The Church of the Sun has done its best to protect any demigods that appear, but we aren't always successful."
This caught me off guard. However, after thinking about it for a moment, it wasn't entirely unexpected. I wasn't arrogant enough to believe that I was the only person to become a demigod.
Hell, I already knew that it was possible to reach godhood through cultivation. Of course, most Awakened started walking that path after reaching Seventh Rank and becoming immortal. I never thought it would ever apply to me, especially at my current level.
"For your own good," Priest Jaime said. "It's best if you return to Mt. Sol and cultivated your divinity in seclusion with the other demigods."
I snorted.
"Not happening," I said. "Cultivating in seclusion isn't my style. I'm better off fighting demons and protecting people."
"Don't be stubborn, Lord Gabriel," Priest Jaime said. "Your life is more important than petty pride!"
I walked up to him until we were less than a foot apart.
"Tell me," I said. "These demigods that the Church of the Sun is protecting, how many of them actually succeeded in Ascending?"
Priest Jaime's expression soured.
"I don't know," he admitted. "That knowledge is reserved for grand priests only."
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
I expected as much.
"So you can't guarantee for sure that cultivating divinity is the right choice," I said.
Priest Jaime's expression soured even further.
"But-"
"Enough," I said, cutting him off. "I'm not returning to Mt. Sol."
Priest Jaime opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when Priestess Natille put a hand on his arm.
"You can't hide your nascent divinity forever, Lord Gabriel," she said, turning towards me. "Right now, that wooden mask is enough to conceal you. It will become ineffective after a while. Even disguise rings won't be enough. If you were stronger, this wouldn't be such a problem. However, with your current strength, you're nothing more than a morsel ripe for the taking."
I snorted.
"Don't worry," I said, before gesturing to my face. "I know how to keep this hidden. That's why I met with the Wandering Witch earlier. She taught me a method to keep my nascent divinity hidden."
Priest Jaime's face twisted with frustration.
"Fine!" he spat. "If you're too stubborn to listen to reason, then you leave us with no other choice. I shall report this matter to my superiors."
"Are you threatening me?" I asked in a cold voice.
To his credit, Priest Jaime didn't back down.
"I will do what I must."
Something inside me snapped. I had never been a patient person to begin with, and the events of the past couple weeks had ground down what little patience I did have. Dealing with Nox, worrying about the fate of Lumina, my strange reaction to briar maidens, etc.
Priest Jaime's threat was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
The mysterious force from before, the one I felt when I wanted to leave Aurora's home within my soul, rose up within. Soul magic, divinity, etc. Whatever it was. It responded to my anger and frustration.
"No," I said, my voice taking on a strange quality. "You will not."
Priest Jaime's eyes widened and he took a step back. However, within the cramped confines of my cabin, there was no place for him to flee.
"I am not some cowardly wretch who will hide while the rest of the world burns. Do not keep pushing me on this, or I will make you regret it."
I wanted to say more, but then the mysterious force within me ran out and disappeared. A bone-deep exhaustion took its place and my vision darkened. I stumbled backwards, unable to remain standing.
"Gabriel!"
Anna rushed forward to catch me. I slumped in her hold, struggling to remain conscious.
What the hell just happened?
"I… I apologize for my insolence, Lord Gabriel," Priest Jaime said in a trembling voice.
I looked in his direction and found him kneeling on the floor alongside Priestess Natille, their heads bowed. My heart dropped at the sight.
What the hell just happened? Why did my voice sound like that? Did… Did I imbue words with soul magic/divinity?
"We shall do as you command, Lord Gabriel," Priestess Natille said. "Please, forgive us."
Stunned, I stared at them for several moments. I glanced over at Leroy and Cally. They stared at me with wide eyes.
In that moment, I felt a gulf form between me and my companions. When I first heard that I was a demigod, albeit a weak one, I feared for my life. While I didn't fully understand the implications of it, I knew that it would make me a target.
However, I failed to consider how it would affect my relationships. Would my companions stop seeing me as their comrade and comrade? Would they see me as a burgeoning god instead? And what of my family?
Anna poked my side, pulling me out of my daze.
"You're… You're forgiven," I said. "You may go now. I need to rest."
Priest Jaime and Priestess Natille nodded and stood up, before leaving my cabin. They kept their heads bowed the entire time.
Once they left, I looked over at Leroy and Cally. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Fear clogged my throat. Even if it hadn't, I didn't know what to say. What could I say?
"My lord, was that your divinity?" Leroy asked.
I nodded, still unable to speak.
"What?" Cally asked, giving me a disdainful snort. "Do you want me to get on my knees and worship you too? To hell with that. Just because you're a demigod now doesn't change a thing. As far as I'm concerned, you're still the idiot I've always known."
Her words broke down the fear within me and dissolved it, replacing it with relief. I found my voice again.
"Never change," I pleaded, my voice filled with desperation.
Cally nodded.
"Now then, Leroy and I shall leave you to your rest," she said.
Leroy gave me a questioning look. I waved for him to go.
With that, Leroy and Cally exited the cabin, leaving Anna and I alone. As soon as they were gone, I ripped off the wooden mask and threw it to the side. It crashed against the wall with a crack. Perhaps that broke it. At the moment, I didn't care.
I held my head in my hands.
Exhausted, hungry, and filled with a tangled web of emotions, I wasn't in the best frame of mind. Ever since I learned that Aleah Jeffers was Nox, the Wandering Witch, it felt as if my life had been spiraling out of control.
Dread gnawed at me from the corners of my mind. I ignored it most of the time, but after witnessing Priest Jaime and Priestess Natille kneel before me, I felt overwhelmed.
I felt a warm hand on my back and a vanilla scent waft over. That helped ground me. Little by little, the feelings of panic, dread, and alienation faded. They didn't disappear, but they retreated into the background for now.
"Thank you," I said after I managed to get control over myself.
I removed my head from my hands and faced Anna. She looked at me with concern in her eyes. I gave her a self-deprecating smile.
"I'm sorry you always have to see me like this," I said.
Anna shook her head.
"There's nothing to apologize for," she said. "When you're at your lowest, it's up to me to pick you back up, and vice versa."
I snorted.
"Yet, it feels like you're the one comforting me most of the time," I said. "The only time I ever comforted you was when we saw that illustration of the briar maiden."
Anna's expression faltered for a brief moment.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head.
I studied her. While the two of us had only been together since spring, I had gotten to know her quite well by this point. Anna was hiding something from me. That much was obvious.
A part of me wanted to press her for answers. However, I kept my curiosity in check. Anna would tell me in her own time, or not at all. I wouldn't try to force her.
Instead of demanding answers, I leaned to the side and rested my head on her shoulder. Despite the changes to my body, being with Anna still felt as natural as before.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," I said.
"You'd live on," Anna said in a strange voice. "You're not like me."
I stiffened at that.
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say that if you were to die, I'd follow you."
One moment I leaned against Anna, my head on her shoulder. The next, I found myself kneeling before her. My body moved before my conscious mind caught up.
"Never say that ever again," I said, staring up into her eyes. "The thought of you dying…" I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence. If Anna ever died, I'd go insane. "Just don't."
Anna gave me a warm smile.
"But it's true," she said. "If you died, I'd follow you." She reached down to caress my cheek. "I'd give up everything to chase after you. However, you're not the same. You have too many connections keeping you here. Friends. Family. Duty."
I stared up at her in disbelief.
"Is this some kind of test?" I asked. "Are you trying to see if my love for you is as deep as yours is for me? If so, then there's no need. The answer is yes."
Anna chuckled.
"No, I'm not trying to test you or anything like that," she said.
Despite Anna's light tone, I couldn't help but feel anxious. A terrible idea came to mind, one I feared to speak aloud.
"You're not dying are you?" I asked.
Anna snorted.
"Of course not," she said. "Don't be silly."
I looked at her in confusion.
"Then why would you say something like that?"
Anna shrugged.
"It's something about myself that I recently learned," she said. "Or remembered, to be more accurate. I simply felt like expressing it." She gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. That was careless of me."
I studied her for several moments. Anna looked back at me with clear eyes.
"Please don't say something like that ever again," I said. "You almost gave me a heart attack." I laid my head on her lap. "We already have enough to deal with. Hearing you say something so morbid doesn't help."
Anna chuckled, before she started stroking my hair.
"Sorry," she said. "It won't happen again."
"Good."
Neither of us said anything for the next several minutes. Despite that, my mind continued to pick at her words.
"What about your family?" I asked, unable to help myself.
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
I lifted my head and looked Anna in the eyes again.
"You said you'd follow me if I ever died. What about your family? Wouldn't you stay for them?"
Anna shook her head.
"I love them, of course," she said. "However…" She paused with a thoughtful expression on her face. "How do I phrase this? You're the reason I have this life."
I blinked at her in confusion.
"What does that mean?"
Anna flicked my forehead.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "You'll find out in due time."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
"You're keeping something from me," I said. "I suspected it earlier, but now I know for sure."
Anna grinned at me.
"Yes," she said. "And I'll continue to keep it from you until you figure it out for yourself."
"That's not fair! At least give me a hint or something."
Anna pursed her lips in thought, before a wicked smile spread across her face.
"You once built a tree house for us," she said.
Her words deepened my confusion.
"What does that mean? I never built a tree house in my entire life. Either of them."
And yet, I felt the truth of her words, as confusing as they were.
"Too bad," Anna said. "That's all I'll say for now."
I looked up at her, before I scoffed and shook my head.
"Sometimes, I don't know what's going on in your mind."
"As long as you know that I love you, that's all that matters." Anna grabbed my face and kissed my forehead. "My foolish human."
With that, I laid my head back down on her lap. The two of us stayed like that for a while.
Several days later, we arrived at Mirkvale Forest.