A world where the gods ruled human lives. But some gods were forgotten completely; they just vanished completely from the world. As if they didn't receive prayers or the thoughts of humans. They just weren't gods anymore then; they were nothing after it. So there were wars between the gods, to rule the world, and to get more believers.
Most nations, even if there was king or queen, were ruled by the church. As they had far more influence and power than the mere nations or kingdoms.
Of course, some rebels didn't believe any god or goddess, but they were called heretic nations or barbarian nations.
Then there were those who believed evil gods that were labeled as demons or something else and if the church found out that you were one of them. You were hunted down and killed immediately.
But then there were just peaceful and neutral gods that didn't affect much to the world.
But this story isn't about them; it is about a girl. A girl, a barbarian, some may say who received a holy sign of Rodona, the goddess of lost souls, bad omen, darkness, insight, wisdom, and death.
Many kept believing that she was an evil goddess or that she brought bad luck and that she was a copycat goddess. As there was a goddess of wisdom already, God of death.
So she didn't have any believers anymore, only one loyal priest was left.
But when she saw one human child that was surrounded by ravens, as her whole family was murdered by bandits, with her last strengths, she guided her priest to there and gave him a divine command.
"My child, the only one who is left. Please guide this child, taught her the ways, and raise her as your daughter. Then when she's old enough, I will let her have mine divine blessing and make her priests of mine. As I sense the power in her, the power to change our faith. So please, I used my last powers now and have to go in deep slumber now. To recover my strength to give her the blessing."
"Oh, my goddess, you know how I have longed a daughter after the church of war killed my wife and child, and I couldn't protect them at all. Maybe I can repair my past mistakes and raise this child and protect her as I was unable to protect my own family. But I don't blame you, my goddess, as they knew the risks when I said I'm your priest."
The priest said and kneeled and got up and started to walk towards the carriage where the child should be.
When he came to the carriage, he saw the cruel faith of the barbarian settlers. They were mercilessly slaughtered, and no one was left behind.
Before he continued the search, he started to do his ritual and guide the souls to the afterlife.
"Please, I know that they didn't have a god or goddess, no faith but Rodona accept these souls and guide them to the peaceful afterlife they deserve. Guide them to a peaceful life, as they didn't deserve a cruel ending like this." The priest continued the ceremony without caring that two eyes were looking at him curiously.
When the priest was done, he turned towards the child and said.
"Don't fear me. I'm the priest of Rodona, and with her divine command, I found out this place. With her divine command, I shall teach you the ways of our goddess that you can serve her well in the future and treat you like my own daughter."
The child that was only five or six didn't understand anything that the priest said, but she felt some warmth coming from the priest. Something so comforting and that she could trust him. So she walked towards him and grabbed his hand. She started to guide the priest to the carriage and presented him with the possession that the bandits left behind.
The priest was smiling, as the child was so cute and kind towards an old man like him. A stranger who just came to her life. He started to pat her head, and the child slowly fall asleep, as the situation probably has been very stressful for her, and suddenly there was new life awaiting her. The priest started to search the carriage and the area around it, and with the stuff that was left behind, he made a basket. Big enough to carry the girl at his back.
As he didn't want the child to wake up in here anymore, to see the situation and bodies. But first, while the child was sleeping in the destroyed carriage, he started to dig graves to the bodies and laid them to the eternal rest.
After he was done, he grabbed the basket and carefully put the child in there and grabbed every useful item that was left behind and started to continue his journey.
Who knows when he will stop his nomad life. And the girl also seemed to be used to it, as there were church people after them, so it was dangerous to stay in one place.
But all of this is in the future now as for now, he focused on walking to a secure place where they could spend the night.