Chapter 346: Chapter 311 – A Meeting by the Lakeside

“To quaff your ale while seeing your enemies crushed and driven before you, their lamentations as you claim their women and children as your own, the music to your ears, such is the best in life.” - Saying attributed to Xaliburnus the Conqueror, First Emperor of the Elmaiya Empire

Later that night, when everyone had their bellies full after the feast, and most of them had already turned in for the night - they set up tents by the small thatched house where the druid couple lived - Cal slipped out from her tent and walked towards the lakeside, where she spied a small campfire being stoked. Several figures sat in the darkness of the night by the campfire.

 

Kino and Kyara’s familiar figures raised their hands and waved at Cal as she approached, and she took a seat in the space between them, sitting cross-legged on the grassy soil like the others. Other than them, Thelos was also seated by the campfire, along with both Dalorian and Rosalind.

 

Naturally, Cal knew all too well the significance of the little gathering. Every single one of the other five were Champions of the Deities, while she herself had been chosen and offered a split amongst them, as the next Champion of Blood. It was why they had snuck out together after the others had fallen asleep after all.

 

“We welcome you to our hearth, Chosen Daughter of Blood,” said Dalorian shortly after Cal seated herself, as he tossed in some powder to the campfire, which caused the fire to momentarily burn a bright greenish-blue and emit a strange, fruity fragrance. Probably a local ritual of welcome, Cal thought, as she had recalled seeing some older shamans amongst the elven and orcish tribes she visited during this trip do similar things. “The Mistress of Void had informed us that your journey is near its end?”

 

“In many ways,” admitted Cal. When she had retired from the Empire’s service and embarked on her journey, to see the world at large, she had never even considered the encounters and opportunities that she found during her travels. Back then, it was a simple whim of a tired soul, that wished for a more simple existence, and searched for a new direction in life.

 

She found what she looked for, and more. Far more than she had ever expected, in fact. Immortality had been dangled before her for the past few years, with only her word of agreement required to claim it. What had started as another whim to help out her relatives, ended up being the new direction she had sought for, and had further pursued since.

 

“It is normal to view the offer of the Deities with doubt, or caution,” said Rosalind as she in turn tossed a handful of powder into the fire. The fire burned a pretty pinkish-purple shade for a moment, and the scent it gave off reminded Cal a lot of certain flowers. “By the nature of the offer itself, it is only given to those who would view it with doubt and caution. It is what the Deities expected, that every one who accepted the offer only did so after proper deliberation and consideration.”

 

“It is a lesson learned from the past,” said Dalorian as he continued his wife’s words, another handful of powder thrown into the fire. This time the flames burst out in a golden-brown hue, while it smelled of freshly cut grasses and leaves. “For not even the Deities are infallible, and mistakes had been made before. It is how the current offers came to be.”

 

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“Make not thy decision in haste, O chosen one,” intoned Thelos, the wizened champion of earth as he also hurled a small handful of powder into the fire. A burst of reddish-brown flame flared up as an earthy fragrance wafted out. “In the fires I see thou make thy decision where thy home used to be, where part of thy heart forever remained. When the time comes thy will understand better why the choice was made.”

 

“As the old saying goes, where hearth and home lies, the heart made its choice known,” said Kino as she repeated the ritual as well. The flame gave an odd inky-black hue as it burned, and this time rather than a fragrance there was a complete absence of any scent whatsoever. “Your heart will know when the time comes, without a doubt left to your mind.”

 

“So shall the choice be made, by a will free and unfettered,” said Kyara as she tossed in the powder when it was her turn. The flame burnt in the color of embers this time, dark with reddish spots, and smelled almost like incense sticks burning. “Thus did the Deities wish, for their chosen to make the call.”

 

“That’s some old ritual I assume?” Cal asked after everyone was done speaking. She noticed how the postures of the three older champions relaxed more after Kyara’s line was said, and assumed that the ritual - if that was what it was - was done.

 

“Yeah, sorta,” replied Kino cheerfully from beside her. The half-therian bard eyed Kyara with a mischievous glint in her eye as if she was reminiscing about something. “Helps really set the mood, you know, especially with younger ones like her. I guess you’re old enough to have seen a lot of things to not be as affected.”

 

“All is as it shall be,” said Thelos with a nod as he brought out a large flask that was made from an emptied out and dried gourd, at which point Dalorian brought out several small wooden cups as well. The old therian champion poured a measure of what smelled like strong liquor into the cups before he spoke again. “It also helps the young ones to make up their mind, one way or another. A toast?”

 

Cal accepted a cup as it was passed around, and raised it together with the others, before she drained its content in one gulp. There was not much liquor in the cup, but what was there proved to be extremely strong, the sort that made it feel like she just swallowed a ball of fire, which kept burning all the way to her stomach.

 

From that point on, the night devolved into more cheerful small talk, as each of them brought out some liquor and snacks they passed on to each other while they chatted.

 

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