"I am Yona from Niantra," I replied, trying to compose myself. "I am not one of your followers, but I have come to seek your help."
Argoth raised an eyebrow, studying me carefully. "And what do you want from me, Yona? Why have you brought an offering to my temple?"
I took a deep breath and explained my situation. "I am on a quest to find the Book of Shadows. It is said to contain ancient knowledge that could help me on my journey. However, the text is written in a language I cannot decipher. I have brought an offering to your temple in hopes of gaining your assistance."
Argoth's eyes narrowed. "Why should I help you? What do you plan to do with this knowledge?"
"I assure you, Argoth, I have no intention of using the knowledge for evil."
Argoth remained silent for a moment, deep in thought. "I see. The Book of Shadows is a powerful tool. Even I do not know all the secrets it holds. But I can grant you the temporary gift of understanding all languages, so that you may read the book. However, be warned, Yona. The book is dangerous, and the knowledge it contains can have dire consequences."
"I understand, Argoth," I said, nodding my head. "I will use the knowledge wisely."
Argoth looked at me sternly. "You must promise me this, Yona. The book is not to be taken lightly."
"I promise," I said, bowing my head in respect.
Argoth studied me for a moment longer, as if trying to read my thoughts. Finally, he nodded. "Very well. I will grant you the gift. But know this, Yona. You may have gained my blessing, but you have also gained my scrutiny. I will be watching you closely, and should you falter, I will not hesitate to revoke my gift."
I nodded, feeling a sense of awe and gratitude wash over me. I had gained the protection of Argoth, the god of trade. I knew that with his help, I could face any challenge that lay ahead.
"But back to you! Which god do you serve? From whom did you receive your divine blessing Yona?"Argoth looked at me thoughtfully and eyed me from top to bottom.
"It seems that I serve a God whose existence I am not aware of," I replied to Argoth's question.
Argoth raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You mean to tell me that you worship a God that you don't even know the name of?"
I nodded my head. "Yes, I was blessed by a God whose identity is a mystery to me."
Argoth stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Interesting. And what happened when you attempted to receive a divine blessing from Eurybia, the goddess of Niantra?"
I chuckled at the memory. "Well, she told me that my soul belongs to another God and I should seek him out."
I took a deep breath and told him about my failed divine blessing with Eurybia. "I don't know who that god is, but I feel their presence within me. It's like a flicker of something just beyond my reach."
Argoth nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can sense that your soul belongs to someone else. But who that God is, I'm afraid I don't know."
I sighed in frustration. "That's what I thought. It seems like I'll have to continue my search. But at least now I know that I'm not alone in this."
Argoth grinned at me mischievously. "You're lucky you didn't become Eurybia's follower. She's not exactly the most pleasant deity to worship."
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Really? Why is that?"
Argoth leaned in closer to me and whispered conspiratorially, "Let's just say that she's not the most forgiving goddess out there. If you make a mistake in her eyes, she won't hesitate to punish you severely."
I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Sounds like I should have avoided them instead. Even better that I didn't make a mistake in her eyes. But anyway, I need to read the Book of Shadows in order to avoid a prophecy that makes no sense to me."
Argoth's expression turned serious. "The Book of Shadows is a dangerous tome, Yona. It contains divine secrets and mysteries that even I am not privy to."
"I know," I said solemnly. "But I have to read it if I want to survive."
Argoth looked at me intently for a moment before finally nodding his head. "Very well. I'll grant you the temporary blessing of understanding all languages so that you may read the book. But be warned, Yona, the knowledge contained within that book is not to be taken lightly."
"Thank you, Argoth," I said gratefully. "I understand the risks involved, but I have to do this."
Argoth smiled at me kindly. "I know you do, Yona."
I felt a sudden warmth spreading through my body as Argoth placed his hand on my forehead. I closed my eyes and felt the divine energy coursing through me. When I opened them again, I felt different. My mind felt clearer and sharper than ever before, as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes.
"Thank you, Argoth," I said. "I am really grateful."
Argoth smiled kindly. "Do not forget, Yona, knowledge is a double-edged sword. Use it wisely and with caution. And remember, sometimes the greatest knowledge is the knowledge of oneself."
I nodded thoughtfully, taking his words to heart. "I won't forget, Argoth. Thank you for your guidance."
"Well, if that's all, you may leave now," Argoth said, but I hesitated. I had a question on my mind that I really wanted to ask him.
I looked at Argoth and asked, "Can you help me find the Island of the Old Gods? You're a god too, right?"
Argoth looked at me with a frown and replied, "I'm afraid not, Yona. The Old Gods are much older than I am, and that's saying something because I'm not the youngest god around."
I was disappointed to hear this, "Do you know where the island of the old gods is?"
Argoth furrowed his brow. "The Island of the Old Gods? Why would you want to go there?"
"I need to find answers. I need to know how to stop this prophecy from coming true," I explained.
Argoth shook his head. "I'm sorry, Yona. I cannot help you with that. The Old Gods are older than even I am, and that's saying something. I have never seen them myself."
"Really?" I asked, surprised. "I thought all the gods knew each other."
Argoth chuckled. "We may know of each other, but that doesn't mean we have all met. The Old Gods are elusive and powerful beings. It's best to stay away from them, in my opinion."
I nodded, understanding his point. "Can you tell me anything about them?"
Argoth leaned back and crossed his arms. "The Old Gods are ancient beings that predate even the creation of this world. They are said to have immense power and knowledge, and some even believe they have the ability to control time itself."
"Wow," I breathed. "That's incredible."
"Indeed," Argoth agreed. "But with great power comes great danger. It's best not to meddle with the Old Gods, Yona. Trust me on this."
I nodded, taking his warning to heart. "Thank you for the advice, Argoth. I will be careful."
"You had better be," Argoth said, his tone serious. "The Old Gods are not to be trifled with."
I took a deep breath, "I need to find the Island to prevent a prophecy from coming true. It makes no sense to me, but I must find the Island and read the Book of Shadows to find the answers I need."
Argoth was about to say something when he stopped and stared into the distance.
All of a sudden Agoth put his finger on my lips. "Be quiet Yona."
I fell silent.
"Your time with me is over you must return at once."Perplexed, I looked at him. "Already?", I asked and he nodded. "Your time here is limited."
He pointed behind me and a portal gradually formed from the candle smoke.
Argoth sighed. "Yona. Be careful. The path you are on is a dangerous one."
"I will," I promised. "Thank you for your help, Argoth."
"Anytime," he said with a smile. "Just don't go getting yourself killed, alright?"
I laughed. "I'll try my best."
I stepped through the portal and felt the familiar pull of reality returning. As I emerged on the other side, I turned around to see Argoth's divine territory fading away in the distance. I knew that I had been given a great gift and a great responsibility.
It was up to me to use it wisely and to find the answers I was looking for.
***
I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. The priest and Dasha were hovering over me, their expressions filled with concern.
"Yona, are you okay?" Dasha asked, a worried look on her face.
"I'm fine, I just feel a bit tired," I replied, sitting up slowly. "I went to see Argoth."
The priest's eyes widened in surprise. "You went to see Argoth?"
"Yes, I did," I said, still feeling a bit groggy. "He gave me a short-term divine blessing."
Dasha's eyes widened in excitement. "That's amazing! What did he say?"
"He asked me why I was there, since I wasn't one of his followers," I explained. "But I told him that I had made an offering at the temple and that I needed his blessing. He gave it to me."
The priest nodded, understanding. "Argoth is known to be a bit reclusive, so it's quite an honor to receive his blessing."
Dasha nodded in agreement. "I've heard that too. Nevertheless..." she turned to the priest. "Thank you very much for your assistance."
The priest smiled. "That's no problem. It is not me who judges but Argoth and if he has deemed you worthy of his blessing, I will not interfere at this point. "
"Thank you very much," I said and Dasha smiled slightly. Dasha smiled! The impetuous, loud-mouthed Dasha smiled. What a premiere!
I couldn't help but grin back at her, feeling a sense of relief and gratitude wash over me. It was a rare moment of peace and happiness in the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty that had been plaguing our lives.
As we left the temple, Dasha couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was that I had received a blessing from Argoth.
I was one step closer to escaping all this and finally living a normal life again. I wasn't quite sure if that was still possible, considering that my home on Niantra had been in chaos when I left.
I wonder how Tlaca and Lito were doing?
But as we walked through the crowded streets, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. There was a sense of unease that lingered in the air, a tension that I couldn't quite put my finger on.
I looked around incessantly. This feeling. This cold. It reminded me of the cold of the dark mystical shapes that had haunted me on Niantra.
Dasha seemed to notice nothing of this. She walked calmly beside me through the streets, which were now lit up with torches.
"It all went much faster and smoother than I thought, landlubber!" she said, adjusting her coat. "Let's quickly stop by Adelaide's place. Then we'll have finished that for today and won't have so much to do tomorrow."
"That sounds like a plan!", I said and Dasha nodded. So we strolled back the way we came from the temple to what I thought was Adelaide's creepy and upstart shop. The shop reflected her owner one hundred percent.
As we entered the dark alley, I felt the cold air flowing towards me. Dasha seemed to feel it too and her expression darkened. "Do you feel the landlubber," she asked me and I nodded. "Why is it so cold here? Is that normal?"
"No, landlubber. Something is wrong here!"
I felt a chill run down my spine as we approached Adelaide's shop. The feeling of unease had grown stronger and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
Dasha seemed to sense it too as she pulled out her dagger, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.
As we reached the entrance to the shop, we noticed that the door was slightly ajar. I exchanged a worried glance with Dasha before pushing the door open cautiously.
The shop was dark and quiet, except for the sound of faint footsteps coming from the back room. Dasha gestured for me to follow her as she crept towards the source of the noise.
I followed Dasha cautiously, my heart pounding in my chest. As we approached the back room, the sound of footsteps grew louder and more frantic.
Dasha signaled for me to stay back as she slowly pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit, with only a single candle casting flickering shadows across the walls.
And there, in the center of the room, was Adelaide, lying on the ground with a look of terror etched on her face.
Dasha rushed to her side, checking for a pulse. "She's still alive," she said, relief evident in her voice.
I stepped closer, peering down at Adelaide's still form. That's when I noticed the strange symbol etched into the floor around her. It was a dark, twisted sigil that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.
"What is that?" I asked, pointing to the symbol.
Dasha's face grew grim. "This is an offering circle," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Someone wants to sacrifice Adelaide to a god."
I felt a shiver run down my spine at her words. This was bad. Very, very bad.
"How can we stop this?", I said, running my fingers through my hair. What the hell is happening?
Dasha stood up, her dagger still in hand. "I don't know, but we have to find out!"
I nodded, feeling a sense of urgency wash over me. We couldn't let Adelaide be sacrificed to some unknown god. But the question was, where do we start?
Suddenly, there was a rustling noise from outside the shop. Dasha and I exchanged a quick glance before making our way towards the door.
As we peered outside, we saw a hooded figure standing in the shadows. They seemed to be watching us, waiting for something.
Dasha stepped forward, her dagger glinting in the moonlight. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice strong and steady.
The figure stepped forward, revealing their face. It was someone I had never seen before, with dark hair and piercing eyes that seemed to bore into my soul.
"I am Lucian," the stranger said, his voice low and smooth. "You must help Adelaide!"