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"Rude! So rude! Incredibly rude!"
The furious voice echoed through the temple, and the gentle breeze transformed into a violent gale.
Link darted around, clutching his head as he tried to evade the relentless pecking of Janna's bird form. No matter how he ducked or shielded his head, the bluebird would always find its mark, landing precise hits on his forehead.
"Stop pecking me! I'm sorry, okay? I apologize!"
Link's anguished cries filled the room as he frantically admitted defeat.
His attempt had succeeded, but the price was steep—waking a goddess from her slumber, especially one with a serious case of morning grumpiness, was no small feat.
Even though she was currently just a bird, with only her beak to attack him, her wrath was terrifying.
"You're the broom head! You rude little brat!"
"Hey, I only called you that to wake you up!"
"But calling me 'broom head' is way over the line!" the bluebird huffed indignantly. "My hair is silky and smooth, and you dare to compare it to a broom?!"
"I already apologized!"
"Apologies are meaningless to a goddess!"
"Please stop pecking me! I'm your only follower right now. If you exhaust your strength, without faith to replenish it, you'll fall back into slumber!"
"Lies!" The bluebird halted her assault, perching proudly on a collapsed pillar. "I'm the guardian deity of Zaun. My followers are everywhere—how could I lack believers?"
Link, relieved the attacks had stopped, quickly retrieved his helmet and secured it back on his head. Activating the shimmer-breath filter, he inhaled deeply, allowing the healing shimmer to soothe the swollen bumps on his forehead.
The pain subsided, and Link finally looked up at Janna's bird form.
The bluebird was petite and graceful, surrounded by a faint breeze. Her form seemed to hover between reality and illusion, like a delicate ink painting come to life.
Link steadied himself and asked, "Do you really think you still have followers everywhere?"
"Hmph, ignorant child! Don't—" The bluebird's words faltered as her gaze turned blank.
Her followers...
Her faith...
Her temples...
Where had they all gone?!
In her perception, Zaun, once clear as a map in her palm, had become dim and indistinct.
Her worshippers, once as numerous as stars, had vanished. Only a handful of flickering remnants remained, their faith like dying embers, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
No, they were already being extinguished!
As she observed, one of her remaining followers abandoned their faith entirely, sending a sharp pang through her being.
"What… what is happening?" Janna whispered, her voice filled with shock.
Link, seeing her despair, nodded knowingly.
In the 26 years Janna had been absent, those who once worshipped her were crushed by harsh realities, gradually forsaking their faith.
The rise of technology in Piltover and Zaun, along with increased economic disparity, the destructive impact of shimmer and chemtech, and the mounting tensions between the two cities, had left little room for belief in a deity.
Most people who remembered her now regarded her as a myth, a tale to scare children into obedience.
In fact, even the quirky mushroom captain with the mocking grin had more followers than this bona fide goddess.
"Why is it like this?" Janna muttered, her voice trembling. Looking around, she finally noticed her temple, now a desolate ruin of its former glory.
"You've been gone for 26 years," Link said with a sigh. "Did you really think your followers would stick around for that long?"
"But… but…" Janna stammered, but the stark reality couldn't be denied. Her eyes dimmed, her voice carrying a heartbreaking sadness. "It wasn't supposed to be this way!"
"I sacrificed myself for Zaun, and now all my believers have abandoned me? How could this happen?!"
Her anguished cries echoed through the temple, tinged with despair. Her bird form flickered like an unstable lightbulb, casting shadows that danced with her sorrow.
Seeing this, Link felt a pang of unease. After going through so much trouble to wake her, he couldn't let her sink back into despair.
Resolving to act, Link removed his helmet and clasped his hands in a gesture of prayer.
"Oh, Wind of Change, hear my plea—
Guide me forward, so I'll never lose my way.
Bless my craft, that my inspiration may never run dry.
Praise Janna, the Wind of Change!"
Before he could open his eyes, he felt a gust of wind envelop his face.
When he looked again, he saw Janna, in her bird form, cradling his cheeks with her wings. "My follower… my only follower…" she murmured softly.
"Ahem!" Link coughed awkwardly. Janna seemed to realize her over-familiarity and quickly flew back to perch on a pillar. "That was, um…"
"Janna, what exactly happened back then that caused you to fall into slumber for 26 years?" Link asked.
Janna's eyes grew distant as she recounted her tale. "Zaun's relentless mining triggered earthquakes, altering the course of underground rivers. A tsunami followed, causing seawater to flow backward into the underground channels.
"To prevent the flood, I used my divine power to calm the underground rivers and seal the mines, stopping the disaster. But doing so exhausted my strength, forcing me into slumber."
"Normally, I'd recover quickly through the faith of my followers. But for some reason, I slept for over two decades, only waking now because of you."
Link blinked, piecing her story together with what he knew. The underground river she mentioned likely referred to the one leading to Zaun's black-market port, infamous for smuggling and illegal trade.
In the original lore, Janna's actions had solidified her place in the hearts of Zaunites. Yet here, those same deeds had nearly erased her existence.
What a cruel twist of fate.
Janna studied Link intently. "My follower, I still don't know your name."
Link scratched the bump on his head thoughtfully. "Ugh, you pecked me so hard I forgot! What was it again?"
Janna shrank back slightly, grumbling internally about his pettiness. Yet, desperate to keep him close, she decided to act.
With a gust of wind, she flew to Link, encircling him in a warm breeze that seeped into his very being. His exhaustion faded, his wounds healed, and even the bump on his head vanished.
However, his mouth filled with a sour taste, like spoiled milk. Grimacing, Link fought the urge to gag.
"My follower, accept my blessing!" Janna proclaimed, landing on his shoulder.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Link replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Let's just call it even for waking you up. Now, if you'll excuse me—"
Before he could leave, the bluebird latched onto his head.
"No! You've accepted my blessing! You must be my follower!"
"Janna, you're a goddess! You can't just force people into this!"
"I can and I will! You woke me up, so you're responsible for me!"
"I didn't ask for your blessing!"
"Too late! You're my chosen one now. You're going to help me restore my faith!"
"Fine! But only if you help me deal with the chaos between Piltover and Zaun!"
"Deal!" Janna puffed up proudly.
And just like that, the goddess of winds became Link's... reluctant employee.
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