NOVEL SIMPLE 53. Cultists and Priests
Bonny grabbed at the assassin’s hand and thought, “Wound Transfer!”.
There was a sense of pressure that built and solidified against a shield and she narrowed her focus to a needle point. Her vision faded into narrow, dark tunnels as she ignored the blood loss and focused on concentrating her will into a pin point.
A pop reverberated through her soul as she forced her way into another sapient being’s spirit. The demonic skill took hold and she felt the skin and muscles start to reknit across her neck. One spell wouldn't be enough.
“Wound Transfer! Divine Mending!” The holy spell would hopefully cover anything not already repaired. Her mana reserves were low from her service in the temple and stars swam in the corners of her eyes as it dropped even lower. Fortunately, the demonic spells didn’t use much of her own mana, depending primarily on her will and demonic patron. Even more fortunately, she had a solution to mana depletion. “Sacrificial Mana Restore!”
She heard a gurgling behind her and spun to see she was gripping the wrist of a skinny man dressed in rags, staring at her with hatred. He had dropped a bloody knife and was holding his throat, where blood sprayed from a gaping wound, coating them both in even more red gore.
“Bonny!” Freja whirled and grabbed Bonny, pulling her up, into the centaur’s arms. The centaur backed away, putting some distance between the assassin and target.
“I’m fine, Freja. Thank you.” Bonny’s voice was still hoarse, so she recast, “Divine Mending!”
Some of the crowd started screaming and running, leaving the three alone in a widening circle. The assassin collapsed, still staring at Bonny with anger.
Courage spoke up, “Check his left wrist.”
Bonny wiggled her way free and ran back over to the man. The blood had stopped running and he wasn’t breathing.
“Triage!” Her scan came back empty. He was already dead.
She pulled back the ragged sleeve on his left arm to find a red fist tattooed on his wrist. She turned to see Freja had followed her over.
“That’s a symbol of Wrath. I thought cultists were myths.”
Freja’s words confirmed Bonny’s fears. Wrath was already in the city. There was apparently a group working behind the scenes to accomplish his goals, even before Matt arrived.
“Demon!” A shout rang out across the plaza. “That bunny and centaur killed an innocent man with cursed magic!”
They turned to see a man in expensive clothes pointed at them and yelling. Other people around the square took up the chant. “Demon! Demon! Demon!”
When Bonny started walking toward the wealthy man, he paled and hid behind a bodyguard. “Don’t let her get me. She’s going to kill me too!”
She stopped and turned to Freja. “Any ideas?”
“Not really. Maybe go into the temple? I’m sure we can prove we’re not cultists. It’s not like they would use divine magic. Or call up gods like you do.”
Bonny nodded and they started jogging toward the main temple. It commotion was almost enough for her to flash her aura powers, both black and white, just to see the reactions, but she knew it would be a bad idea.
“They’re going to kill the priests! Stop them!”
Someone else yelled and Bonny looked up to see several men running at her with swords. She looked around, but found no help, no guards. Freja was with her, but had left her weapons at Colette’s warehouse.
“Freja, can you outrun them while carrying me?”
“Yes.” The centaur grabbed Bonny by an arm and slung her up, already starting to canter away from the armed men.
Bonny grabbed for a handhold as she slid into place, seizing the centaur’s mane in one hand and braid in the other. She still slipped, almost falling, until Freja hopped sideways, the momentum shifting Bonny back upright. She leaned in and clasped her arms around Freja’s torso as the centaur sped up to a gallop.
Just as they left the plaza, there was a flash of orange and a familiar yip. Bonny turned to see the mob start fighting among themselves.
“Wait! Freja. Stop.”
They turned to see Kanae stagger toward them drunkenly, a proud grin on the fox’s face.
Bonny slid off of Freja and ran over to pick up the fox. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be back at the warehouse?”
Kanae yipped again and pushed her head into Bonny’s armpit.
Bonny sighed and looked back at the mob. Two of the men were down and bleeding, while three others were ganging up on one. “Let’s go. Is there a back door to the main temple? Can we circle around to avoid them?”
Freja nodded and let the way at a trot, Bonny cradled Kanae as she ran behind the centaur.
They turned a corner and mixed in with the crowd as best as they could. Not that a centaur, bright orange fox, and bloody bunny girl could do that well. Still, distance and line of sight helped.
Freja led them around the temple and to a small door in the back. She had to duck and wiggle a bit to get through, since the rear entrance was clearly not designed for horse sized members of the clergy.
Bonny had no such problem, even carrying Kanae. When she entered the nave, she found Freja already explaining the situation outside.
“… cultists fighting outside. There were no guards. Send a runner for the Council and someone get the high priestess.”
When Bonny emerged from the short hall, several people looked at her, then backed away, holding their noses and giving her room. She looked around, confused, until she realized she was still dripping with coppery smelling blood, both the assassin’s and her own. Kanae and Freja were also coated from touching her, and when Bonny looked back, she could see a trail behind her. She realized the enclosed hall amplified the heavy metallic smell.
“Freja, we left a trail. They may follow.”
The centaur looked up and nodded at her, finished giving directions to some of the priests, then came over to shut and lean against the door, barring it. She motioned Bonny to stay near her. “I know the head priestess. Mila is pretty reasonable, but you should let me do the talking.
Bonny nodded and moved to the side, trying to limit the mess of blood she was leaving. She didn’t want to use her purification aura until after they were introduced and the situation explained.
A few minutes later, the head priest arrived with two attendants in tow. They glanced between Freja and Bonny, before focusing on the centaur.
The head priestess was a small, mousy woman in a golden robe. She would probably go unnoticed without the robe. It had several different symbols inscribed on it and Bonny assumed there was one for each of the seven primary gods.
“Freja, what is the meaning of this?” Her voice was high pitched, almost a squeak.
Bonny sat quietly and admired Mila’s round pink ears while Freja explained. She couldn’t see the mouse kin’s coat under the robe, but guessed at brown and white, based on the fur on her ears. Mila kept glancing over at her as well, but didn’t ask, seemingly content to wait for Freja to explain.
“… and this is Bonny. She’s recently come from the forest to warn of an attack by Wrath. We think the cultists are trying to stop her. It’s possible they may follow us here.” Freja pointed at the door she was leaning against.
Mila turned to face Bonny, looking over her red, blood soaked robe. “I see you are a Mender. Are you alright?”
Bonny nodded. “Most of the blood is from the assassin. I’ve healed my injuries. I have a cleansing aura, but didn’t want to alarm anyone more than …” Bonny motioned at the circle of space that was given to them.
“That’s fine. Go ahead and activate it. No one here should mind.” She turned to one of the assistants, a stern faced beaver kin wearing a brown robe with the same deific symbols. “Get someone to keep a lookout at the main entrance and barricade this door.”
Bonny activated her aura as the beaver priest ran off to get help, but kept it constrained to a small bubble around her and her companions. “As Freja said, I’m new here. Can you tell me how the temple and, uh, the gods work?”
Mila tilted her head curiously. “You want me to explain the gods?”
“I’m, uh, not from this world. I’ve met Recovery and Courage, but they haven’t really talked about the other gods.” Bonny pointed at the seven altars lined up along one wall.
“You’ve, met!? Recovery and Courage?” Mila turned to look at Freja for confirmation.
Freja confirmed it. “They’ve both manifested in front of me as well. Maybe we should moved to a private room to discuss matters further?”
Mila nodded. “Freja, please wait for Gallus to return, then join us in my office.” She started moving before she finished speaking, projecting confidence despite her timid appearance.
Most of the blood had dried and was starting to flake apart and crumble into nothingness, but the pool that had formed under Bonny was deep and still stained the marble floor.
At least she had stopped dripping as she followed the head priestess down another short hallway and into an office. Mila motioned for Bonny to stay near the door and moved around a large desk. The second attendant, a human woman with short dark hair, had entered with them and moved to one side, putting as much distance between her and Bonny as she could, without also moving behind the desk.
The walls of the office had paintings of the seven gods along with symbols for each. Bonny looked around until she spotted Courage. The painting depicted her as human, staring fearlessly out at the viewer, while her wild golden hair whipped in the wind. She held her helmet in one hand and her spear in the other. “Courage? Is this accurate?”
The goddess manifested beside her in lion kin form. “Is is close enough. The feeling and inspiration are more important than my appearance.” The rune beneath the painting glowed as Courage’s divine aura suffused the room.
Bonny turned to the head priest who leaned back with wide eyes. The same symbol for courage glowed on her robe as well. The attendant knelt and bowed.
“We didn’t run because we were afraid of the cultists.” Bonny turned to the goddess, suddenly wondering how their actions would be viewed. She wasn’t ‘afraid’ exactly, maybe concerned, a little, now. Mostly concerned with losing Courage’s favor.
“I know. It was wise to withdraw and not fall into their trap. But, this one,” Courage poked Kanae in the nose. “Was afraid for you.”
Kanae yipped.
Courage laughed, “Don’t argue, little fox. You have courage enough, most of the time, but you should have more faith in Bonny.”
“Can I bless them?” Bonny pointed at the two priests.
“No. Neither follow me or identify with my ideal. Perhaps if Compassion or Hope were here, they would.”
“Will I get a chance to meet the other gods?”
“Sooner than you think.” Courage smiled and leaned over to kiss Bonny on the forehead, then vanished.
Bonny turned back to the head priestess. “Hopefully you believe me. The guards and city council don’t seem to.”
