Chapter 8 - The Blessing of Faerah

As you and Mimi walk home, you can't shake the sense that you're being followed. You hold Mimi's hand and keep her close as you both walk down the roads of the village. You feel eyes watching you, but you can't tell from where as you look around.

" Star Faller? "

Mimi speaks up nervously.

" I'm scared… "

You begin to hear branches snapping from within the treeline on the roadside and you can hear a hoarse whisper beckoning you from the shadows of the trees.

" 𝕸𝖊… 𝕲𝖎𝖛𝖊… "

You turn towards the trees and pull Mimi behind you as you back away from the treeline. You hear the voice again.

" 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊… 𝕲𝖎𝖛𝖊… "

Your heart starts racing as you evaluate the threat lurking within the woods. In your mind, you think of what you should do as every worst-case scenario plays out in your head at once.

You kneel down in front of Mimi and tell her in the calmest voice that you can muster.

" Hurry Mimi, let me carry you. Let's get out of here. "

" Okay.. "

Mimi says as she climbs on your back. You pick her up and begin to head back to her house as fast as you can. You eventually lose the voice as you navigate the roads that you remember from when Mimi showed you around the village.

Upon reaching Mimi's house, you see a white cat with deep amethyst eyes sitting up on a stone wall looking down at you as if it was waiting for you. As you look into the cat's pink eyes, you feel an unexplainable familiarity. Then the cat speaks.

" ꒒ꄲꋊꍌ ꓄꒐ꂵꏂ ꋊꄲ ꇙꏂꏂ, ꂵꄲꋪ꓄ꋬ꒒. "

The cat says to you in a friendy feminine voice.

" Faerah! "

You say, as the familiarity clicks in your head. She must have taken the form of a cat to come see you. You quickly speak up to tell her what happened on the way home.

" We were being followed! We heard a voice- "

Faerah cuts you off.

" ꒐'ꂵ ꁝꏂꋪꏂ ꃳꏂꉔꋬ꒤ꇙꏂ ꌦꄲ꒤'ꋪꏂ ꒐ꋊ ꒯ꋬꋊꍌꏂꋪ. "

Mimi looks at the cat with bewilderment and asks you a question.

" Uhmm.. Star Faller? How is the kitty talking to you and why are you calling the kitty Faerah? "

Then it clicks in her brain that a goddess is sitting right in front of her. Her eyes widen and she goes quiet.

" ꒐ ꋬꂵ ꁝꏂꋪꏂ ꓄ꄲ ꅐꋬꋪꋊ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꋬꃳꄲ꒤꓄ ꅐꁝꋬ꓄'ꇙ ꃳꏂꌦꄲꋊ꒯ ꓄ꁝꋬ꓄ ꒯ꄲꄲꋪ. "

Faerah says as she looks at the front door to Mimi's house.

" ꂵꌦ ꃳꋪꄲ꓄ꁝꏂꋪ ꁝꋬꇙ ꇙꏂꋊ꓄ ꋬ ꍌꋪꄲ꒤ꉣ ꄲꊰ ꁝ꒐ꇙ ꉔ꒤꒒꓄꒐ꇙ꓄ꇙ ꓄ꄲ ꓄ꋬꀘꏂ ꄲ꒤ꋪ ꊰꋬ꓄ꁝꏂꋪ'ꇙ ꃳꄲꄲꀘ ꊰꋪꄲꂵ ꌦꄲ꒤. ꒐ ꒐ꋊ꒐꓄꒐ꋬ꒒꒒ꌦ ꉔꋬꂵꏂ ꁝꏂꋪꏂ ꓄ꄲ ꍌ꒐꒦ꏂ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꂵꌦ ꃳ꒒ꏂꇙꇙ꒐ꋊꍌ ꓄ꄲ ꀘꏂꏂꉣ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꄲ꒤꓄ ꄲꊰ ꁝꋬꋪꂵ'ꇙ ꅐꋬꌦ, ꃳ꒤꓄ ꌦꄲ꒤ꋪ ꏂꂵꄲ꓄꒐ꄲꋊꇙ ꓄ꏂ꒒꒒ ꂵꏂ ꓄ꁝꋬ꓄ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꅐꋬꋊ꓄ ꇙꄲꂵꏂ꓄ꁝ꒐ꋊꍌ ꏂ꒒ꇙꏂ ꒐ꋊꇙ꓄ꏂꋬ꒯. "

You stand there looking into the cat's eyes and as you do so, Faerah is feeling your emotions just as you're feeling them right now. The cat then looks at Mimi and continues to speak to you.

" ꓄ꁝꏂꋪꏂ ꒐ꇙ ꋊꄲ ꋊꏂꏂ꒯ ꓄ꄲ ꇙꋬꌦ ꒐꓄, ꂵꄲꋪ꓄ꋬ꒒. ꋬꇙ ꓄ꁝꏂ ꍌꄲ꒯꒯ꏂꇙꇙ ꄲꊰ ꒒ꄲ꒦ꏂ ꋬꋊ꒯ ꓄ꁝꏂ ꏂꇙꇙꏂꋊꉔꏂ ꄲꊰ ꏂꂵꉣꋬ꓄ꁝꌦ, ꒐ ꀘꋊꄲꅐ ꓄ꁝꋬ꓄ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꉔꋬꋪꏂ ꋬꃳꄲ꒤꓄ ꓄ꁝꏂ ꇙꋬꊰꏂ꓄ꌦ ꄲꊰ ꓄ꁝ꒐ꇙ ꉔꁝ꒐꒒꒯ ꂵꄲꋪꏂ ꓄ꁝꋬꋊ ꌦꄲ꒤ꋪ ꄲꅐꋊ. ꌦꄲ꒤ ꋬꋪꏂ ꒐ꋊꊰ꒐ꋊ꒐꓄ꏂ꒒ꌦ ꂵꄲꋪꏂ ꒦ꋬ꒒꒤ꋬꃳ꒒ꏂ ꓄ꁝꋬꋊ ꇙꁝꏂ ꒐ꇙ ꄲꋊ ꋬꋊ ꄲꂵꋊ꒐꒦ꏂꋪꇙꋬ꒒ ꇙꉔꋬ꒒ꏂ, ꃳ꒤꓄ ꒐ꊰ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꅐ꒐ꇙꁝ ꊰꄲꋪ ꂵꏂ ꓄ꄲ ꍌ꒐꒦ꏂ ꓄ꁝ꒐ꇙ ꍌ꒐ꋪ꒒ ꂵꌦ ꃳ꒒ꏂꇙꇙ꒐ꋊꍌ ꒐ꋊ ꌦꄲ꒤ꋪ ꉣ꒒ꋬꉔꏂ, ꒐ ꅐ꒐꒒꒒ ꒯ꄲ ꇙꄲ. ꒻꒤ꇙ꓄ ꀘꋊꄲꅐ ꓄ꁝꋬ꓄ ꒐ ꉔꋬꋊ'꓄ ꃳ꒒ꏂꇙꇙ ꃳꄲ꓄ꁝ ꋬꋊ ꄲꂵꋊ꒐꒦ꏂꋪꇙꋬ꒒ ꋬꋊ꒯ ꋬ ꒤ꋊ꒐꒦ꏂꋪꇙꋬ꒒ ꃳꏂ꒐ꋊꍌ ꇙ꒐ꂵ꒤꒒꓄ꋬꋊꏂꄲ꒤ꇙ꒒ꌦ ꃳꏂꉔꋬ꒤ꇙꏂ ꓄ꁝꏂ ꄲꂵꋊ꒐꒦ꏂꋪꇙꏂ ꅐ꒐꒒꒒ ꋊꄲ꓄ ꋬ꒒꒒ꄲꅐ ꒐꓄. ꓄ꄲ ꋪꏂꉔꏂ꒐꒦ꏂ ꂵꌦ ꃳ꒒ꏂꇙꇙ꒐ꋊꍌ, ꋬ꒒꒒ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꋊꏂꏂ꒯ ꓄ꄲ ꒯ꄲ ꒐ꇙ ꉣ꒤꓄ ꌦꄲ꒤ꋪ ꁝꋬꋊ꒯ ꄲꋊ ꂵꌦ ꁝꏂꋬ꒯. "

Faerah stands up from where she was sitting on the wall and hops down to stand next to you and Mimi. You let Mimi down from your back and you hold her hands while kneeling down to her eye level.

" Mimi. I want you to pet her. Her blessing will protect you while you go and hide. I'm going to go inside to make sure your mother is okay. "

" But Star Faller… I don't want you to get hurt either… "

" Listen, Mimi. You gotta do this, okay? You saved me, now it's my turn to save you. Alright? "

" Okay… "

Mimi says before hesitantly putting her hand on the cat's head. You can see the area of contact between Mimi's hand and the cat's head glow a bright pink as Mimi receives Faerah's blessing.

" Now go and hide. Don't come out unless you hear me call for you, okay Mimi? "

You say to Mimi before she runs to a nearby shed that's tucked in an alleyway.

" Alright… "

Mimi says as she looks at you one last time before she ducks down and hides.

Faerah speaks to you.

" ꃳꏂꊰꄲꋪꏂ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꍌꄲ ꒐ꋊꇙ꒐꒯ꏂ, ꌦꄲ꒤ ꇙꁝꄲ꒤꒒꒯ ꉣꋪꏂꉣꋬꋪꏂ ꌦꄲ꒤ꋪꇙꏂ꒒ꊰ ꊰꄲꋪ ꅐꁝꋬ꓄ ꌦꄲ꒤'ꋪꏂ ꋬꃳꄲ꒤꓄ ꓄ꄲ ꇙꏂꏂ. ꒐ ꉔꋬꋊ'꓄ ꒻ꄲ꒐ꋊ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꃳꏂꉔꋬ꒤ꇙꏂ ꒤ꋊꊰꄲꋪ꓄꒤ꋊꋬ꓄ꏂ꒒ꌦ ꂵꌦ ꉣꁝꌦꇙ꒐ꉔꋬ꒒ ꊰꄲꋪꂵ ꅐꄲꋊ'꓄ ꒒ꋬꇙ꓄ ꂵ꒤ꉔꁝ ꒒ꄲꋊꍌꏂꋪ. ꂵꄲꋪ꓄ꋬ꒒ ꒦ꏂꇙꇙꏂ꒒ꇙ ꋬꋪꏂ ꋊꄲ꓄ ꂵꏂꋬꋊ꓄ ꓄ꄲ ꁝꋬꋊ꒯꒒ꏂ ꍌ꒐꒦꒐ꋊꍌ ꒯꒐꒦꒐ꋊꏂ ꃳ꒒ꏂꇙꇙ꒐ꋊꍌꇙ, ꃳ꒤꓄ ꇙ꓄꒐꒒꒒, ꌦꄲ꒤ ꅐꄲꋊ'꓄ ꃳꏂ ꋬ꒒ꄲꋊꏂ. ꋬ꒒꓄ꁝꄲ꒤ꍌꁝ ꌦꄲ꒤ ꂵꋬꌦ ꋊꄲ꓄ ꃳꏂ ꋬꃳ꒒ꏂ ꓄ꄲ ꇙꏂꏂ ꓄ꁝꏂꂵ, ꂵꌦ ꊰꋬꏂꋪ꒐ꏂꇙ ꅐ꒐꒒꒒ ꃳꏂ ꅐ꒐꓄ꁝ ꌦꄲ꒤. ꍌꄲꄲ꒯ ꒒꒤ꉔꀘ, ꂵꄲꋪ꓄ꋬ꒒. "

Her physical form then withers into dust and the street falls silent as you look at the front door of the house. You take a second to get your head in the right place, then you slowly open the door and quietly walk inside.

It's almost pitch dark, and as you creep through the house it's completely silent. As you turn down a hallway, you can see light coming from the kitchen. You quietly walk through the hallway towards the kitchen and as you pass the room that you woke up in, you hear a shuddering voice of a woman call out to you from inside.

" MiMi.. Is tHaT yOu?? "

You turn and look to your right through the open doorway to see the horrific sight of Veronica mutilated and tied up with a golden chain. Upon seeing it, you instantly recognize the golden chain from when you were with The One in space. You're looking at the chain of Nahzgor.

You're frozen in fear as you look at the state of this woman who once took care of you. You go to help her and you get a closer look at her while you try to figure out a way to undo the chain that's binding her. The smell of blood fills your nose as you inspect her beaten and defiled body. You see that she's completely stripped of any clothes and her skin is cracking and flaking off to reveal golden flesh underneath. You notice that the chain has a metal hook that's stabbed into the roof of her mouth and it's strung all the way to the ceiling holding her upright on her knees. The chain is also wrapped around her neck to where it tightens with any movement and it also has her hands and ankles tied together as it goes down around her body. She looks at you with eyes that are gone from any sanity and her tears mix with blood as they run down her face. She sobs with an open mouth as you try your best to take off the chains without hurting her.

" StAr… sTaR… "

She murmurs as you realize that there's no way to break or undo the chains that bind her. Utterly upset from what's happening, you punch the ground repeatedly with tears running down your face. You're powerless. There's nothing you can do to save her.

You can't believe what's happening and you close your eyes, but as soon as your eyes are shut, you begin to hear a sparkling sound. You look up and through your tears you can see 3 tiny faeries flying up to where the chain connects to the ceiling. The faeries break the top link of the chain and Veronica falls and is relieved from the pressure of her bindings. Her body thuds against the ground as she goes limp on the floor and the faeries give you a look of grief before disappearing again.

Suddenly, you hear the sound of glass breaking coming from the hallway. The sound is distant enough that you think it probably came from the kitchen.

You hold Veronica in your arms and gently move her hair out of her face as you look into her empty eyes.

" Veronica… "

You sob as her blood coats your arms.

" I'll come back for you, Veronica... "

You tell her as you're barely holding yourself together.

You take a moment to hold her before you lay her back down and quietly move to the door. You peek before entering back into the hallway, and as you approach the kitchen door, you can hear a hoarse voice.

" 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊… 𝕲𝖎𝖛𝖊… "

You turn the corner and peer into the kitchen to see a cloaked monstrosity wearing a golden chain standing before you. You look at this thing in horror as it raises its large solid gold arms into the air and lets out a half-human roar. Its skinless face looks directly at you and you're horrified by the sight of this blood-covered creature. With four legs made out of gold, the beast comes running straight towards you and swings its arm down onto you.

You barely evade the blow and the arm crushes the marble countertop of the kitchen like it's nothing but paper. The beast then turns towards you and swings a golden chain down to crush you but you roll out of the way at the last second as the chain absolutely destroys the ground upon impact. The impact has you dazed as if you've been given a concussion. The monster gurgles a growl at you as it slowly walks towards you backing you into a corner.

This is it. You're done. If you had Faerah's blessing, you would've been fine but you gave it to Mimi instead. You smile gently as you remember your time with Mimi in your final moments. With Faerah's blessing, she should be just fine.

The creature towers over you now. Its shadow looming over your feeble human body. The creature reaches its golden arm outwards to you and picks you up by your throat and begins to squeeze. Its golden tendrils slither up your face and into your mouth as your legs kick in the air. The creature rattles a whisper to you as your face turns blue.

" 𝕸𝖊… 𝕲𝖎𝖛𝖊… "

Then suddenly out of nowhere, a flash of light explodes like a big bang right behind the creature and illuminates the kitchen a bright white. Before you can lose consciousness, you see a magnificent blue angel come down on top of the creature and slash it with her sword while shouting.

" DIE, YOU VILE DEMON!! "

Her glimmering blade cuts through the flesh and gold like it's water and the creature explodes into an eruption of blood.

You fall onto the ground and you're too weak to move as you lay on your back in the rubble. You stare in awe at this angel as she breathes heavily standing before you. Her armor and sword are dripping with the creature's blood as she looks down at you and speaks to you in a righteous demeanor.

" Izael requires your audience, human. "