I fall over and get myself back up to see details of something forming with the light, and then see a feminine shape begin to form.
Within 10 seconds a naked female with a fair skin tone, white hair, and blue eyes. But she is naked?
She seems to be mostly hairless and her breasts appear to be a medium-like size. Height of 5'7.
"Huh?" I ask
The physical body finishes forming and the lights disappear entirely. Leaving only me and this calm quiet-like girl.
The girl's eyes open up, and she makes eye contact with me. I feel a bit flustered being naked in front of her and covering my private parts.
The clothes begin to form over her. An oversized white button-down shirt and some black shorts.
[*sighs* Why do you humans like having a physical form so much? Would be better to just not have one. Hunger, sleep, fatigue...Wouldn't be an issue for us AI...]
"Well we-" I get cut off by a single finger in the air by her and then she sighs.
[Seems it is time for you to wake up. By the way, be warned. The pain you'll be in might linger a bit because of an Adernal overdose. Cya]
She does a smug face and just her fingers wave goodbye. I blush a bit as I suddenly get consumed by white everywhere and then a flash.
*Gasp*
I wake up feeling sore and tired and feeling a stinging pain in my right lower torso. I am looking up and see trees going by and also feel like I am moving somehow. I look down a bit and see the kids who are not looking at me, and Seelah who is in the upright fetal position. The head is covered by both eyes.
"Ugh...Whats-whats going on?" I groan.
I suddenly see all the kid's faces and Seelahs jolts towards me in sync startling me and using my muscles to ache briefly.
"You're alright!" a kid screams
Causing the horse to jump up a bit and causing the whole cart to shake a bit. But Seelah gets unstable and falls forward into me. Her right hand caught herself by pressing right into my lower right torso where I got bit.
"AGH! MMMFFF" I grunt out.
"Oh, shit! I am sorry! I fell forward!"
"I-it's fine! Just take your hand off of it!" I say beginning to feel sick to my stomach
She finally takes her hand off and pulls the blanket off of me showing the bandage around my lower torso. I look at it and see it is stained with red, and it is beginning to spread out.
"Uh, am I supposed to be bleeding right now?"
"Huh?"
She looks at the wound and realizes her putting sudden pressure has caused damage to the stitching they had done to me.
*10 minutes later*
They stopped the cart and mended my wounds again with more stitching. I had Seila dull the pain receptors of my body for as long as she could so the stitching didn't hurt as much. They didn't have any medicine to thumb the pain so they stitched me when I went unconscious.
About 3 hours have passed since I fought the centipede. They believe we should arrive at the next city over by the end of the day. Hopefully. The last thing I want is for these people to be attacked while I am unable to assist.
"Thanks for the stitches ma'am," I say to the Elder.
"Oh it is fine dear, you've protected one of our own in a tight spot. Lost quite a bit of blood as well. The least I could do is make sure you don't die and haunt the remaining villagers hehe." she says giving a warm old smile
She then checks her surroundings and then leans in closer to me.
"Plus, I think a certain someone would be very devastated if you died protecting them if you know what I mean." she insinuates.
I get a bit flushed and red faces and turn my head trying not to show my smile with my left hand.
"I am a very old way-of-life kind of woman. Typically outsiders getting into relationships with other people so quickly isn't per se well received by most people in society. But, I think I can make an exception for you. You have my permission to have her bare your child!"
"E-eh?!"
[Homerun!]
Shut up!
"L-lets be reasonable. I-I am still foreign here in these lands. I don't even know the currency of this place. I couldn't possibly impose or...uhm...." I begin stuttering a bit unsure of how to respond
"My, my, so brave and daring, yet so shy and inexperienced. Surprising. What was it like in the East past the Great Jagged Mounts?" she says with curious intent.
"Uh, well, it was isolated for me. I just stayed in the rural mountains." trying to be vague with my response
"Hmm, shame. I would love to know the marriage customs there so I could accommodate a ceremony for both you and Seel-" she cuts herself off after hearing some footsteps.
"Are you okay?!" Seelah calls out from afar.
I look down towards my legs from the cart to see her carrying some wood and sticks with the kids. One of the kids jumps up a couple of times to see above the cart since they are not tall enough to see.
"I uhm...doing fine! Elder is just patching me up."
"Say, Seelah, you've got to chat with this young man for a bit," she says drawing the conversation where I dare not to be right now. "Do you have any...opinions of his character?" she says suggestively
Seelah begins to blush a bit but tries to compose her smile and red cheeks as much as possible.
"I uh, well. He is very nice. Somewhat perplexing and mysterious...Maybe a bit exotic...Brave, very strong, and-" she stops realizing she is dozing off making comments about me with openness in front of everyone again.
She then looks around her face getting more flushed and embarrassed. Then finally at me who is just looking at her. I give her a slight wink to make her lose her composure and it works.
"Ggeh! Stop teasing me everyone!" she begins running in a different direction with the kids following in pursuit as well.
"Ohohoho! Kids these days are so shy about expressing feelings. I remember back in my time I was asked by multiple men when I served in the Royal medical tents." she states cutting the stitch at the end.
"You were a soldier?" I asked
"Not really, I was a healer in the Royal Army of Cecilia. The Holy Maidens of Shia.
"Shia?" I ask
"Shia is the goddess of health, fertility, vigor, strength, and birth." She is the goddess associated with the healing arts, love at times, and sometimes compared to as the friendly goddess of lust and copulation."
"What is the 'unfriendly' goddess of lust?" I ask with curiousness.
"My, my someone seems to know what goddess they want to worship hehe."
I blush a bit, but I hold it back as much as I can since I am asking an honest question.
"Lelina, the Goddess of love, lust, fertility, copulation, and joy is what most consider to be the more indecent god to worship. But does not have any ill in the worship. So most during the marriage would have a priest of Shia giving the blessing of marriage between people. People who pray to Lelina are shall we say, very 'outgoing' people who love to enjoy life to the fullest over responsibility and status."
"Ah, I see. Say, do you know most of the gods and goddesses of the uhm, west? I am a traveler so I don't know the gods of this world."
"Hmm, I suppose I can tell you, dear."
*20 minutes later*
We got back on the road and the Elder on the cart began telling me about the Gods and Goddess of the West that are wildly known by most.
Iomea, the goddess of the sword, justice, Vigilence, and light, is associated with law, and order for policing the people, dealing with criminals, being chivalrous, and protecting the weak. Often worshipped by knights, guards, and those following the rule of law and order. Paladins and knights often worship her. Very common for those who seek to keep order and things in place the way it is "meant to be".
Shia is the goddess of the spear, health, fertility, vigor, strength, and birth. Associated with those with the intent of helping those in need, and people who are not ones of violence, but life instead. Worshipped by healers, doctors, and clerics often. It is very common for people who get married to have a priest of Shia give them blessings as in most of the vows, they mention health, birth, and fertility. Which is what most marriages have been associated with the commoners.
Lelina is the goddess of the dagger, love, lust, fertility, copulation, and joy. People who worship Lelina are often questioned about whether or not they have an understanding of "faith" because of the idea that Lelina represents not having any responsibility or loyalty to anyone. But instead of one's desires and selfishness at times. They are often worshiped by those in the business of entertainment, brothels, and personal ecstasy or joys for personal reasons. As a result, most don't publically worship her. But she is very much not a malevolent or benevolent goddess.
Karlata is the goddess of the axe, strength, power, courage, bravery, and destruction. Often is debated if a goddess or not. She is typically associated with destruction. But that is not what she represents. She represents the courage, and bravery that one needs to achieve one's goals. Often done by those who've lost much and desire to find another purpose. Such a peasant became a general of an army, worshiping Karlata in order to gain the strength needed to achieve that goal. But often people associate her with power-hungry people. Such as warlords, and criminals. However, that is not what she represents. Even simple ones like being able to go the distance and become a famous painter from a poor family can be worshipped by Karlata because they will put so much effort into the smallest detail to achieve perfection. Or a brilliant alchemist determined for finding the best cure to a disease, even when everyone else doubts his abilities and even hinders their ability to find a cure. They will keep going regardless of the opposition. She represents courage and determination more than anything else.
Desna is the goddess of the bow, elegance, truth, and faith, and is often worshipped by those who seek to be of good nature and truth of one's self without lies and deceit. Typically worshipped by those who seek peace and understanding. As a result, the god isn't worshipped often by general or military leaders as it is very opposite of their position. But many who worship Desna come to the aid of those in need by having violence be the last form needed. They seek peace. Often ridiculed by others for being peace-loving and letting certain actions be done and not retaliating or holding those accountable for their actions.
Bureula is the goddess of the shield, the goddess of honor, chivalry, honor, justice, righteousness, and hope. Often compared to Iomea due to the similar titles of what they represent. But often one is chosen more often for different reasons. Iomega is often worshiped by those who will strike in the name of justice but is often subdued by law, and order and makes it difficult to give justice such as diplomatic immunity meaning they are immune to the laws that can persecute them, meaning they can avoid justice due to the "law". But Bureula is different. In the fact that those who worship her often will do anything necessary to achieve justice regardless of whether or not it is legal in a region or not. The murder of someone, and the murderer escapes to a neighboring kingdom where the law of the former kingdom can't be given, those who worship Iomea would just stop then and there, and let the murderer go run free. But those under Bureula would keep going and go after them regardless of the law. Those who worship them are often called vigilantes or scum of justice by those who worship Iomea. Creating a rivalry of beliefs and methods.
But it seems there are other gods that represent other aspects of humanity who take up a male form.
Durn, is the god of anger, vengeance, and rebellion. Often called the most demon-like of all the gods, they are associated with chaos, destruction, murder, and even war itself. As Empires and kingdoms are considered to have fallen because of him. But they also represent in a way, hope in regards to the fact they encourage us to never be the footstool of oppression. They encourage justice in no other form than the common desire for revenge and avenging. Something very common with those who have been mistreated. Many people don't realize it, but apparently when those who've been traumatized by an event like a raid by bandits, and then later become a knight to take action against such people, actually have been blessed by Durn, because they sought to become a knight to hunt down bandits themselves. But often it is shrouded by a righteous ideal that some think they were blessed with Iomea. But instead, it was Durn.
Galviir, the god of treasure, glory, desire, and greed is often perceived as a deceptive and dishonest kind of god. Even compared to Karl the trickster, who is known for many lies. Primarily because the god represents greed, and greed leads people to commit actions for one's self-interest above anyone else. Including murder, bribery, kidnapping, extortion, and intimidation. But not all is bad. As some who are greedy do commit good actions, but not in the name of good, but in the name of glory and reputation. Such as scheming behind a warlord to take his place, and removing an evil man, for the sole purpose of being perceived as the hero who stopped a warlord. But it wasn't for righteous or honorable reasons.
Khazar, is the god of fear, paranoia, disease, death, and darkness. Considered to be the most demon-like of the gods, he is associated with many emotions that are considered part of the abyss. Where those who are in the deepest part of one's mind go. No trust of fellow comrades, the paranoia among nobles, the death caused by rampant disease and death caused by war and misery, and the darkness that man fears every night. Very few can find reasons why Khazar is considered a god, and not a demon. But the Holy Codex written by the gods themselves had Khazar as a god. But typically those who worship Khazar are of very questionable beliefs by most.
Karl is the god of tricks, deals, and riddles. He often is associated with those who love to use methods of trickery, shading dealings, and questionable people. Criminals, con men. But not all, as well as entertainers, and writers. Often loves to disrupt Dovoniir who he loves to test his riddles and see if he can outsmart the most knowledgeable god of all. Typically making himself or Dovoniir look like a fool.
Dovoniir, the god of knowledge, history, mystery, and development. Typically considered to be one of IF not the most neutral of all the gods is Dovoniir. He is worshipped wildly by scholars, scientists, and alchemists. Typically considered to be the "Eternal librarian" no matter what happens, Dovoniir will always know the truth, write it down, and adds it to his library of knowledge. Including lies, truths, secrets, and thoughts of one's mind without them even saying what is on their mind. Because of this, Dovoniir is the "smartest" of all the gods in terms of knowledge, but in terms of strategy