Chapter 538: Favored of the Moon (Patreon)

The Shaman Elect growled and bared her teeth. “What is this…?! You are the son of Blood Fang and Ebon! You are our War Master, you are to lead the Sylvan people in times of strife. Tell me you have not chosen to side with our enemies! Tell me you did not bring us to this city for the sake of these traitorous lords and their people!?” Lumi pointed an accusing finger at Gale.

Stryg swallowed hard, “I—”

“He did not bring anyone here. I did,” spoke a voice as cold as the winter night.

A sense of dread and relief filled Stryg’s chest as he slowly turned around and saw Lunae. The goddess of the moon appeared not as a massive wolf that would have ripped through the ceiling, nor did she appear as a towering titan. The one who stood in front of the tavern full of chieftains was a young teenager. Her cheeks were round with the baby fat of youth, but her skin held the same sheen and her long snow-white hair draped across her back and shimmied above her ankles.

She hardly seemed a threat but as her pale white-blue eyes glanced across the room, every chieftain shrunk back in fear and reverence. Lumi and Lykos fell to their knees and bowed and the rest of the goblins quickly followed. Melfyn, Gale, and her two fellow vampires glanced at Stryg questioningly, but his gaze was stuck on the silver stranger. Unsure what to do, the four stayed standing alongside him.  

“Lumi, my Eyes within the Tribunal, tell me—” the goddess called out in a voice that sent shivers down the goblin. “Whom do you serve?”

The Shaman Elect licked her lips nervously, but she did not dare to look up. “I have sworn my life to you, Mother Moon. I live to serve you.”

“And who was it that commanded you to leave Evenfall and march across the Realm to this place?”

“Y-You did, Divine Mother.”

“Then do tell why you stood there arrogantly accusing my Chosen of matters he had no part in? Or do you hope to question my decisions through my Chosen in front of the assembly of chieftains? Do you believe yourself wiser than I?” 

Lumi threw herself to the ground and prostrated her face on the floor. “I misspoke! Please forgive your foolish servant for her arrogance!”

The assembly of chieftains widened their eyes at the sight of their sacred Shaman Elect lying on the floor, but none dared speak in her favor. Gale and her cousins glanced at each other in confusion.

“As for the rest of you, to whom did you all swear your oaths? Where do your loyalties lie?” Lunae turned in a slow circle glancing at the goblins in the room. Her pale eyes landed on the vampires, “You three do not belong here. You hold no oaths to me.”

“Our oaths are not so freely given,” said Gale cautiously, her hand drifting to her sword’s hilt.

Elayne looked up at Gale, shocked. She yanked the vampire’s cloak. “What are you doing!? Get down!” she hissed in outrage.

Lunae cocked her head to the side. “You did not tell them, Stryg?”

Gale glanced at Stryg and saw the anxiety ridden in his expression. Something was terribly wrong. She stepped in front of him and drew her blade an inch out from its sheath. “I may not know who you are, but if you wish to take your anger out on someone then take it up with me.”

Elayne sucked in a deep breath of sheer horror. Stryg glanced at Gale in dismay but before he could speak Lunae parted her silver lips. “Anger? You do not know anger, vampire.” 

Lunae sauntered towards them.

“Not one step closer,” Gale drew her blade and the other vampires followed her lead.

“Are you going to stop me?” asked Lunae, amused.

“I will if I must.”

“Gale, stop! She’s Lunae!” Stryg shouted.

But his words fell on deaf ears. Gale’s focus was entirely on the threat in front of her. She took a defensive stance and raised her sword. “We are the Shield of Veres, be it Monster or Man, here we stand and we shall not falter.”

Lunae smiled coldly. “I am no Monster nor Man.”

The wood underneath the vampires creaked as the air around them suddenly grew frigid. Gale and her cousins bent over and coughed vehemently for breath as their lips turned a pale blue. Horfrost formed on their blades and the edge of their clothing. Their trembling limbs quickly grew stiff and they fell to their knees.

Lunae stood over them and looked down with mild interest. “It has been a long time since a mortal has drawn their blade against me.”

“Mother Moon, please stop!” Stryg pleaded.

Gale watched in panic as her companions fell to the ground, unconscious. Anger flared within her chest. She reached out and grabbed her sword with cold stiff fingers, and slowly aimed the blade at the goddess in defiance.

Lunae smiled. “Interesting.”

“Please, stop! Mother!”

Lunae glanced at Stryg, a glint of surprise passing through her eyes. The air returned to its normal temperature and the vampires gulped down breaths of fresh warm air.

Melfyn stared at the scene and hurriedly went down on one knee, head bowed.

“You’ve chosen brave companions, Little One,” said Lunae. “The three of them are willing to die for you. But this one, she would face Death sword in hand before letting you be the third. She is of noble heart, even if that heart is broken.”

Lunae turned to the chieftains kneeling stock-still, too afraid to speak. “Stryg of Blood Fang and Ebon was born a Sylvan, he has lived his entire life as a Sylvan, but these vampire nobles are willing to die for him. Why do you think that is?”

The chieftains glanced at each other, but none knew what to say.

“Um,” whispered Melfyn hesitantly.

Lunae looked down at him warmly, “Speak, child.”

Melfyn swallowed nervously. “It’s because Master Stryg is brave and protects his own. He inspires loyalty. People follow him because he doesn’t hesitate, no matter the situation he always knows what path to follow.”

Mel… If only that were true… thought Stryg bittersweetly.

Lunae nodded at Melfyn’s words. “You are wiser than your years, chieftain of Cinder Brood. The young man speaks truthfully. Stryg holds the heart of a true Sylvan. So before any of you question the War Master’s words, whether they are grounded in my orders or not, you’d do well to not question his loyalty. Do I make myself clear, Lumi, Lykos?”

“Yes, Mother Moon.” The Warrior and Shaman Elects said desperately, though Lumi did not dare to get up from the floor.

“My chieftains, you followed me into this valley without hesitation for the glory of Lunis. Trust me once more. Go to your tents and attend to your tribes. You will receive your orders soon enough.”

“Yes, Mother Moon!” shouted the chieftains in agreement.

“Leave us,” said Lunae.

The chieftains quickly got up, bowed deeply once more, then filed out of the room. Melfyn and Elyane glanced at Stryg worriedly, but left with the others, leaving Lunae with the Elects, vampires, Stryg, and Arden.

“Lykos, prepare an honor guard for you and Lumi. In a few days time, the two of you will meet with the council of Holo’s Shade as my Hands and Eyes. The War Master will act as a mediator between both parties.”

Lykos bowed, “As you wish, Mother Moon.”

“It is my honor to serve, your divinity,” mumbled Lumi, her face still planted on the wooden planks.

“Leave us,” said Lunae dismissively.

Lumi scrambled to her feet and followed Lykos out the door. Stryg watched her go with a slight pang of pity. He had never seen the prideful Shaman Elect so terrified. She genuinely seemed ashamed after Lunae’s chastisement. He hadn’t thought it possible.

“Are you really the goddess…?” whispered Gale cautiously.

Lunae’s gaze softened. “‘If any of the Four of you are really there, then you see the dangers that lie ahead for my lord. Please, if you truly care for us, then I humbly ask, please give me the strength to protect him. I do not care if it costs me my life, help me keep him safe.’ That was your prayer this morning, was it not?”

Tears formed at the edge of Gale’s wide eyes. “You were watching? You were listening? To me?”

“I cannot see all places or people at once, but I have kept a close watch on the ones close to Stryg.”

Gale glanced at Stryg uncertainly. Who was he that even a goddess seemed to care for him?

“This morning you asked me for the strength to protect Stryg. So now I ask, why do you wish to protect him? The other members of your family do it out of loyalty to House Veres and their own House. But there is more to you, a desperation that lies in your heart. A wound that does not heal. Tell me, why do you fight, daughter of Gale?”

Gale stared down at her hands, her blond hair obscuring her sharp features. “My brother, Clypeus… I couldn’t protect him. He died protecting those he cared for and I— I wasn’t there. Carmilla Veres, my ward… I was chosen to be her protector when I was born, we were only a few months apart. She was the sister I never had. The bond between a Gale protector and their Veres ward is sacred, it matters more than any friend or lover. We are meant to be together from birth to death. Two halves of one whole, entrusted with the leadership of our Houses and all the Houses sworn to us. When Carmilla was attacked in the valley I was supposed to have been there… but I wasn’t.”

“You were in Undergrowth… because of me,” Stryg mumbled.

Gale did not answer his words and instead looked up at Lunae, her eyes red with tears. “Clypeus was Stryg’s protector, he died to save him. Carmilla was my ward and she died because I was with Stryg. Their deaths couldn’t have been for nothing.”

“People die every day in every realm,” said Lunae calmly.

“But not Stryg. He isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met. He is different. I know he is! I see it even in the way that you look at him. I should have died with Carmilla on that battlefield, Stryg should have died on that cliff with Cly, but fate did not deem it to be. Their deaths— they couldn’t have been for nothing. So I will protect Stryg, no matter what it costs. It’s the only reason I’m still alive when they are not.”

“You truly believe that?” asked Lunae.

Gale smiled bitterly, “I do.”

Lunae nodded. “You will do, yes, you will do.” She reached out her hand and traced Gale’s cheek, and spoke, though no words escaped her lips. A voice only Gale could hear echoed in her mind. “I entrust you with the safety of my son, protect him well.”

Gale’s eyes rolled up and she collapsed, unconscious. A blonde lock of hair that ran across her face lost its golden color and turned a stark silver.

Stryg knelt next to her and listened for her heartbeat. It was erratic but it was still there. “What did you do to her?” he asked worriedly.

“I showed her my Favor,” said Lunae. “Arden, take the vampires back to their manor. The three of them will wake up before the night is over.”

“Mother Moon,” Arden bowed respectfully. Green mana flowed over his arms and vines sprouted from the green bracelets on his wrists. The vines gently wrapped around the vampires and lifted them a pace off the ground. With a single more bow, Arden left the room, vampires in tow.

Lunae turned to Stryg with a warm smile, “Finally, we’re alone. I was hoping to have spoken to you earlier, but I’ve been busy with—”

“Did you know?” Stryg asked curtly.

Lunae’s smile faltered. “Know what?”

“Did you know I was the son of Stjerne?”

“...I did.” Her gaze grew solemn. “You deserve to know the truth about the day you were born…”