Chapter 45: Chapter Forty-Two – Fate’s Thread

As Eurycelia dodged Eonaghan’s sword, Kyra inched closer to me. Placing herself between me and the battle unfolding.

“Kyra, help her please!” I cried. My brain fogged so heavily by alcohol I could hardly follow what was happening.

“I am helping,” Kyra replied. “Small-horns can’t fight if she’s worried about you.”

Tears began to blur my vision as I watched Eurycelia attempt spell after spell, each of them fizzling out harmlessly. Even her [Earth Magic] was canceled before it could make more than a bump on the ground. Whoever these men were, they were well trained in hunting mages. 

“[Blur],” Eurycelia shouted the last word of her chant before leaping backward. Her body shimmered for a moment, before re-solidifying. Whatever magic she’d attempted fizzling out like the rest of her spells.

There has to be some kind of trick to this. Some way they’re countering Euri’s magic right after her chants complete.

Finally, I realized something. The second man, the one Eonaghan had called Erakar. There has to be a reason he was just standing there. A reason he was simply watching as his comrade battled a powerful mage like Eurycelia. Sure enough, the moment I turned to gaze at him, he was chanting under his breath.

“Kyra,” I grabbed Kyra’s hand to draw her attention to me. “That man is the one canceling all of Euri’s magic. If we take him out, she’ll win.”

“I can’t leave your side Bernie,” Kyra gazed between me and Erakar, conflicted. “You wouldn’t survive if he targeted you.”

“His target is Euri, and we have to save her.”

“Small-horns has already made it abundantly obvious that she cares about you. You’re a target Bernie.”

“Please…”

Before Kyra could reply a gasp from Eurycelia drew our attention. Eonaghan had finally struck her with his sword. I watched Eurycelia twisting away from him, clutching her right side. Blood seeping through her fingertips.

No.

“Mommy!” I wailed.

Eonaghan stopped to gaze at me for a moment, a confused look upon his face. Even Erakar had turned to look at me. Right as a blinding bolt of lightning struck the space between us.

Paving stones were vaporized as chunks of dust and debris rained down upon us. As the light cleared enough for me to see, I was flabbergasted. Standing there was not the redheaded goddess I expected. Instead, a young woman with a pair of blond twin-tails fluttering in the wind stood there. Gazing angrily at the two Scaleborn men.

“Rysa,” I muttered her name in disbelief. Why had she come to my aid? We’d met only recently. She’d been kind to me, and even allowed me to negotiate Otrea’s punishment with her. But that didn’t feel like enough of a reason for her to come running when I called.

“Hello again Bernice,” Rysa smiled and waved at me. “We’ll talk in a moment, okay?”

“Okay.”

Snapping her fingers was all Rysa had to do to cause Erakar to collapse to the ground. Like a puppet with cut strings. Then she slowly made her way to where Eonaghan was. The Scaleborn warrior cowering on the ground as he gazed at the goddess approaching him with palpable bloodlust.

“Do you know who I am?” Rysa asked the cowering Scaleborn, receiving little more than a nod in response. “Then you will not doubt what I am about to say. For attacking the companion of my Oracle, I sentence you to a life of pacifism. The string of your fate shall weave itself around any weapon you grasp. Should you wield any weapon against another for any reason other than self-defense, your string will be severed. If that happens you, Eonaghan Galorett, will die.”

As if he’d only remained conscious to have that exchange Eonaghan passed out, the moment Rysa finished speaking. Shaking her head at the unconscious Scaleborn, Rysa turned her attention to Eurycelia. “You can remove your hand now. The wound has closed.”

Slowly Eurycelia removed her hand, exposing pristine flesh under cut fabric. The only proof she’d ever been injured was the drying blood on her left hand.

“Sorry your date was disturbed,” Rysa said as she made her way to stand before me. “I should have been watching more carefully.”

“That’s… thank you.”

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“It’s okay,” Rysa replied before pulling me into a tight hug. “I’ll always come when you call Bernice.”

I returned Rysa’s hug, slightly confused. I was happy we escaped the battle with Eurycelia alive and unharmed. But I still couldn’t fathom why Rysa was the one who’d come when I called.

“You look like you have questions,” Rysa giggled. “I’m not going to get mad Bernice, what’s on your mind?”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

I took a deep breath and tried my best to clear my alcohol-dulled thoughts. “Where is Mommy Laura?”

“Ah, that’s the question. Why me and not Laura.” Rysa hummed before motioning for me to take a seat. “It’s very difficult for a god to materialize in the mortal world. Which is why Laura asked you to come to the temple for your first meeting. Appearing on consecrated ground is easier for us. Once we’ve appeared we can travel your world at our leisure, but still… this street is far from consecrated land.

Laura would’ve injured herself appearing here. It would be a minor injury, one that she could recover from in time. But still an injury all the same. It would make her weaker, and now is not a good time for her to lose power. So I’m here.”

“Did you… hurt yourself, for me?”

Rysa tilted her head and tapped her chin with a finger as if she was thinking about my question. “I have no idea. I don’t look injured do I?”

“No, but—”

“No buts, I don’t look injured, so don’t think about it. Besides even if it weakened me to protect you, I would still do it. You’re my Oracle Bernice. And more importantly, you’re the daughter of the woman I love more than anyone else in all of existence. That practically makes you my daughter. You could even start calling me Mommy Rysa if you like.”

“Nobody… ever told me I was your oracle, Rysa.”

“Come on, at least try saying Mommy Rysa once for me, please.” Rysa fake pouted, resting her chin on the back of her hands.

“M-mommy Rysa.”

“Good girl!” Rysa cooed, pouncing forward to pull me into a tight hug. “You were so cold to me when you were little. I thought you’d never be nice to me.”

“You… met me when I was little?”

“Yup. Even read you a few bedtime stories. It was terrible, you’d always sob for Laura. You never liked the stories I’d tell. I couldn’t do all the funny voices Laura would make. But I tried so hard! It was so depressing to never tell a single story you liked. Then you know… god stuff happened and I couldn’t visit anymore. I was looking after both Laura’s domain and my own, after all.”

“Will you tell me a story now?” I slurred. I could hardly keep myself upright, let alone follow everything Rysa was saying. But she mentioned bedtime stories, which reminded me that I hadn’t had one in a long time.

Thinking about it made me feel really sad. I didn’t know why I stopped getting bedtime stories. Did I push Mommy Laura away because I got older and it embarrassed me? Or was it her, did she think I’d grown too old for it. None of it mattered now. I was drunk, for the first time, and I wanted to cuddle my girlfriends. And have a goddess tell me a story.

Rysa chuckled as I reached a hand out, silently begging for Eurycelia to come hold me.

“Alright, Bernice. I’ll tell you a story. But first, let’s get you somewhere more comfortable. This really isn’t the place for us to linger for long. Will you carry her Kyra?”

“Y-yes ma’am.”

“Come along now. It’s time for the three of you to return to your carriage.”