Chereads / OAEMNII LUNA / Chapter 7 - the Luna triduum III

Chapter 7 - the Luna triduum III

All Akaya wanted to do the next day was pretend yesterday never happened. He avoided Fraus' at all cost and made sure to stay by his father's and the other men's side throughout.

"Akaya," his father called out to him, "it seems strange that you are with us today. Is anything the matter? Or are you in trouble?"

The question startled Akaya and he immediately refuted.

His father laughed and told him he was just kidding.

The second day was the day of the sacrifice. All the killings of yesterday was to be offered to the moon goddess and the remains will be shared among the clan.

Knowing this, Akaya could not help but be excited. He was going to see that acolyte again and Fraus, he thought to himself, was long gone from his mind.

Fraus, a goddess, expected to see Akaya around at least but somehow it seemed she was the only one pinning after him. And this infuriated the goddess. Who does he think he is? She screamed in her head

It just made the plans she had stronger than ever. She was going to ruin him, that maiden and the whole of human race.

She swore it under her breath.

It was time to finally ruin mankind.

The last day of the Luna triduum was only a few hours away, and so Fraus went into the woods hiding from the eyes of everyone and somehow evading the guards that had been watching and patrolling the grounds.

It was then she heard a crack behind her as she toed deep into the forest.

"It appears that Fraus, if you are left alone you will do nothing, absolutely nothing about the task that has been given to you." The voice said.

It sent a chill down her spine. It was one of the higher gods, the one who rules the day.

"What do you want from me?" Fraus asked, trying to sound strong.

The god didn't show his face, he just stayed in the shadows and moved with the wind. His voice echoed throughout the forest but it was only Fraus and the forest creatures who heard him.

"You were sent to carry out our judgement on these ungrateful bastards, but here you are, frolicking about with one of them. You really do not know your place, do you?" The god sneered at her.

It was because of gods like him that Fraus volunteered to be the one to bring down mankind. They all looked down on the lesser gods and think of them as their slaves. She thought at least she would be free to do as she liked amongst the humans, but here she was again, being the one they order around like their slaves.

"I am not your errand girl. I have the freedom to do as I please and no one, no god, not even you..." She was saying when suddenly her body was slammed into tree. She felt the force of the push and lost her breath.

The god still in the shadows moved closer to her and whispered into her ears with a voice so shrill that it would leave Fraus in fear for days.

"You, my dear Fraus, are nothing more than a whore I use to pass time. You are my slave and the sooner you get that into your thick skull, the better for you. Remember, tomorrow is the last day for you and if no good news comes out from all your shenanigans, you will cease to exist." He paused to look at her , his bloodshot eyes shone in the dark like a bat's before he continued, "Have i made myself clear?"

With a nod, Fraus replied and just as quickly as he came onto her, he vanished into thin air.

***

However , at the shrine, the chief priestess was starting to sense a doom coming their way. She wondered if it was dread for something unknown or if it was of the anticipation of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Either way, since she could not dwell on it, she began to make preparations for the day.

All the kills of the previous day were brought to the temple to be offered as a burnt sacrifice.

Akaya stood in front for he killed the largest one yet. The priestess and the acolytes all gathered round the altar and began to chant. The whole clan all knelt with their heads bowed to the ground.

All heads were still bowed on the ground when the priestess asked them all to lift their heads.

"We've gathered here on this auspicious day tonpay our due homage to goddess, our Luna. We ask her to bless us and bless our crops. We ask her to fight for us in the night when evil lurks and may she accept our burnt sacrifice," she should with a loud voice and everyone raised their hands to sky towards the moon in supplication.

This ritual continued for a little while until they began to share the kills amongst themselves.

Akaya stood up tonexvuse himself and then went out. It was then he saw the maiden acolyte sitter outside without her veil.

Even in the moonlight, she was as gorgeous as ever.

He moved closer to her and greeted, "Hi," but she didn't answer. She only looked at him and averted her gaze.

Akaya getting pissed, scoffed loudly and said, "come on, lady. I get that your body belongs to the moon goddess' but that doesn't mean you won't talk to me, does it?"

The maiden said nothing, instead she stood up and ran off into the direction of the forest.

Akaya thought she was playing hard to get and went after her, unless it wasn't her, it was Fraus disguised as her.

Fraus' plan was starting to yield fruits, but Akaya and the rest of the clan had no idea.

Akaya chased who he thought to be the maiden, except she wasn't and when he caught up with her, the maiden turned.

"Fraus?" He asked.

"Hello, Akaya. Miss me?"