Sword of the Goddesses
"Let's go then, don't waste our time Cleric."
"That's my word, Daughter of Narsillia."
Everything began from that point, our whole stories.
My name is Vio Strygun, I'm a son from a well know clergy family and had just overcame my test to become a Paladin. Since my family has a high expectation for me, I need to live up to their expectation. Up to this point things gone smoothly and nothing went wrong, I went to train under a certain clergy group and then passed with a good result. They then recommended me to a Master Cleric and so I passed the test for become a Paladin in one try.
Since I'm a Paladin now, I need to serve the Royal Castle as pope or bishop subordinate if I wanted to complete my title. However I need to take a test at Saint Haven which is troublesome since I live very far from Saint Haven and I need to travel such a distance, even with a horse it would take at least 3 days. Yet, I still have to go there so I prepared horse, one week worth provision and my weapons. I bade farewell to my mother and my brothers then rode out from our residence area. Just 2 hours after I left the city, I met a group of rogue orcs but they weren't even knew that I was there. As I rode bit closer, I noticed that they were ambushing a single elf Archer.
"Why don't you just surrender and give us your items, pointed ear?" said one of the orc who looked tougher than the rest.
"Why should I?" as she replied, two arrows were released right away even before the orc replied again. A twin shot, I've seen that skill a lot but this is the first time I saw one as that fast and accurate. As two orc down by the twin shot, I jumped from the horse and grabbed my flail and shield.
"Hey baldie, come here and fight like a man!" I shouted toward the remaining orcs
It worked, they turned toward me and furiously tried to hit me with their mace. I blocked the mace attacks and countered by a tremendous magic and physical attack, electric smite. Another 3 orcs down, the fight turned into our favor but…
"You are in the way goddess servant." The elegant and graceful voice from the elf sounded. In that instant, a powerful and fast arrow released toward me and the remaining orcs.
I quickly blocked the arrow after it penetrated through 3 orcs but I couldn't block it completely and got knocked back as the result.
"Daughter of Nerwin, what are you doing?" I complained to her when I sat on my butt
"You are in the way cleric."
I can't believe it, I thought all elves are polite and friendly, but this one has the aura of dark elf. I just helped her and I nearly died by her arrow, then she blamed me that it was my fault? What kind of joke was that?
"You…"
"Oh yeah, I believe your horse has long gone with your belonging."
Surprised, I turned back to confirmed it. It was as she said, because I forgot to tie it, the horse was ran away from the battle. Without horse it might take more than a week to reach Saint Haven not to mention my provisions are placed at my horse.
"I-I'm doomed." I looked down as I really don't know what should I do.
As I planned to go back, the elf gave her hand to me.
"Your destination is Saint Haven right? I'll accompany you then, think that as my thanks and apology."
What's with this elf arrogance?
But I have no choice, if I go back it would need about a week for preparing myself again, not to mention I will really embarrassed if I go back because of supplies and horse. With that I reached her hand, a warm hand. Really it's not suited for a cold blooded arrogant like her.
"Let's go then, don't waste our time Cleric."
"That's my word, Daughter of Narsillia."
With that my most important journey in my life began and the sun sunk at the west.
Since I have no provision and she didn't seem to have any either I think the way to get it. Either go to the nearby town or village to buy them, collecting edible mushrooms and plants, or just go raid a monster camp and rob them. I prefer not to do the latter since what kind of cleric who robbed a monster just to satisfy his hunger?
But then when she came back after she let me prepared the campfire. She brought some meat and fishes. Before I asked her, she already told me.
"I took them from the nearby goblin camp, they are pretty prosperous."
She did the most brutal method to get foods.
After we cooked and ate them, we preserve the rest for our breakfast. I sat at the nearby tree while she sat on a rock. We only watched the fire in silence and only move to throw a branch to the fire, a very silent and awkward atmosphere indeed. Not for a long, I fell into deep sleep.
I heard a sob and then I opened my eyes to saw the elf was crying in her sleep. She muttered something in between her sob.
"Ezelea… I'm sorry sister… I'm so sorry…"
Her face when crying was really different compared to her usual face few hours ago, it was somewhat cute. I shook off the weird thought and walked toward her place. I woke her up from her nightmare and then she slowly opened her teary eyes. The moment she fully opened it, she started to cry again. Not knowing what to do to comfort her, I can only squat there dumbfounded. Then suddenly, she hugged me while crying.
"Ezelea… Ezelea…"
She kept calling a name of somebody while crying as I didn't know what to do, I only stroked her hair lightly over and over until she finally settled down and fell asleep again. I put her back to the rock's surface. I still felt her warm body touching mine. Speaking of which, her breast is not as that big.
"What in the name of goddesses am I thinking?"
As I back to my sense I shook off that thought and went to sleep again.
The next morning, I woke up quite early while she already wandered somewhere. When I finished the preparation for breakfast she back.
"Where are you from?"
"Washed myself at that stream over there." She answered coldly while pointed to the west with her thumb.
Did she know that saying such thing might lead her to some dangerous situation? Especially since she was alone with a guy here.
We have a breakfast in silence again since I don't have any courage to bring the last night incident as our topic. She didn't seem to be mind about that as well. Just like that her cold, arrogant, and oblivious attitude came back as if her yesterday cute teary face was a scam.
However it happened every night and I always comforted her by stroking her hair gently while she was crying at my chest. One night she mentioned about dragon follower, on another she muttered about revenge. It seemed this Ezelea was a precious girl for her and she got killed by a dragon follower which made her to do this journey. Yes, it's for avenging her fallen sister. Even so, after all these night her attitudes toward me at day still not change, I wondered if she didn't remember it or just didn't want to remember it. As if she has 2 personality but we still continued our journey as if nothing happened.
As the 8th days of our journey, we finally saw saint haven from far away. I hastened my step in joy, but she slowed hers. It's not for long before we got separated pretty far from each other. At that time, she asked me who was already 10 meters ahead.
"Hey Cleric, are you going to serve the goddesses as their shield or sword?"
I don't understand her question so I turned back and walked to her. Her face at that time was gentle and kind. I could sense the hint of sadness and loneliness in her eyes. Since I don't know how to answer I asked back.
"I don't know what about you? What do you think you served as, Daughter of the Tree of Life?"
"I… don't know either." She looked dejected while answering.
"Then be an eye, the one who watches, the one who memorizes, the one who has world inside themselves. Watch this world, feel it, and hold it dear in your heart, the memory, the people, and the precious things." I walked even closer toward her when she lifted her head, I hugged her and stroked her hair softly like what I usually did at night.
"That's why don't waste your beautiful eyes and memories on something like revenge." I continued while said these words gently while patted her head.
I heard a sob and she started to cry again but now in the daylight.
"B-but Ezelea… my sister… was killed by them… she was killed while protecting me…" her cry was even stronger.
"Your sister… don't regret it right? She willingly sacrificed herself so you can be live happily rather than seeking for revenge."
"UWAHHHHHH… I-I know, I know about that but I can't stand having her murderer still alive in this world!" she cried even harder when I told her that.
I understand everything now. This young elf is in her confused state when she was left behind in this world by her precious sister. She didn't know whether she should be angry, sad, or just accept the fact that she's now alone. Then she sought for revenge in order to soothe her broken heart. Yet, even in her revenge mission she still hesitates. I could see it from her fighting style and her attitude toward me.
It's not because she's arrogant and cold.
It's simply because she doesn't want anyone to be involved.
But she can't hold it any longer when she found someone who could calm her. Yes, that someone is me.
"Then, I'll make sure they'll pay for that." I said that in decisive tone to make it sounded convincing as much as possible.
"Eh?" She finally looked at my face with dumbfounded expression.
I released her and took my flail from my waist. I walked a bit farther and slammed the ground as hard as possible.
"I, Vio Strygun, the first son of Peridothe Strygun and the candidate of Pope Terramai's right hand, hereby vowed that I will be the sword of the Goddesses to hunt down all evil in this world. As the eyes of the Goddesses will you approve my vow, dear Daughter of Nerwin?"
She astonished, but then she quickly regained her composure and drawn her longbow with her right hand. She then put the tip of the longbow to my left shoulder.
"I, Veleshair Amest, as the Daughter, sister, niece, and cousin of Narsilia and Ezelea also as the Eyes of the Goddesses accepted your vow. May the blessing of the tree of life continued to ease your way during your vow."
A ritual of vow, it has no magical effect. But it calmed her down and I made decision because of that.
"Veleshair Amest…" I muttered her name in almost silent voice.
"Just call me Vel." She amazingly heard it and responded to it.
We both smiled a smile that will never be able to be forgotten for the rest of my life. The very beautiful smile which made me wanted to put this scene into a picture.
Yes, this smile concludes her short but meaningful journey. It also concludes my short and supposed to be meaningless journey.
I then grabbed her hand and walked toward Saint Haven.
"Then let's go, the sun would set soon." I pulled her gently but she won't budge. I turned back once more to see what's happened.
"No, I need to go back to Anu Arendel, we have to part here."
A prickling pain felt in my heart. But I should understand that she went out to look for her destiny. It's common after she finally found it, she need to go back and report to Anu Arendel. I already knew about this, but I still couldn't say anything in that situation.
Just like that, she slowly released my hand from hers. the calming warm palm was leaving my lonely hand. She then slowly walked away toward the opposite of Saint Haven, my direction.
"Vel!" I shouted as I didn't want her to leave, an egoistical feeling but I just can't think what the world would be without her who always filled the empty space in my heart in this journey. I who was pressured a lot by the people around me and already gave up opposing the flow, finally found a meaning of my life. My own meaning…
I ran to her and unexpectedly she turned back and ran toward me as well. She hugged me and kissed me. I felt a smooth and sweet sensation on my lips, I don't want to let her go, but I have to, I understand that.
"This is farewell I guess." I started the conversation first.
"No, this is not. Once I finished my business at Anu Arendel I will be back to you. It might take long time for you though."
"I don't mind, as long as we can meet again."
"Yes, See you Vio, by the time we meet again make sure you already become a real Goddesses sword." Her warmth left my body with those words. She left me and walked to her hometown.
I turned back as well and walked to Saint Haven decisively…
"Until we meet again, I will be the greatest sword that will captivate any eyes including yours."