In a world once radiant with divine glory, a single discovery unraveled everything. The Goddess who ruled the world was beloved by her followers and the adventurers who visited her shrine were granted blessings and protection. Until one day the Goddess dared to question the system that sustained her world's prosperity and the other worlds ruled by the other Gods and Goddesses. And in doing so, she unearthed a truth that condemned her.
The Goddess only felt this way due to her suspicions. The prosperity seemed too perfect, too seamless. She was driven by a growing unease, so she sought answers.
The other Gods and Goddesses in a fit of rage held a meeting to discuss the fate of that Goddess. The meeting room was in another dimension that could only be opened when all the deities combined their powers.
It was a large colosseum venue that was filled with many rows and seats. Many of the Gods and Goddesses couldn't understand why the Goddess would want to mess with the natural order of things. One thing was for certain, they wanted to punish her for sticking her nose into things that shouldn't be explored and for also hurting their image.
The Goddess trembled in fear as she awaited whatever verdict the others came up with. She didn't know what type of punishment would be given for what she did. It's not like this ever happened before.
Chains of divine light bound the Goddess as the council pronounced their verdict. Her cries for a reason fell on deaf ears as they tore away her celestial essence, leaving her broken and discarded. She was only able to barely escape before her powers were fully taken away.
It was the only correct choice according to them. Rumors started spreading around from the mortals about the truth of the system and if the Gods and Goddesses were righteous and good. They used the Goddess as a scapegoat, tainting her image as she took all the blame.
The world she once ruled now became lawless and the corruption of the system increased. Only leaving a guild base that was somewhat governed. Her followers gone, her adventurers gone, her authority gone.
The Goddess, in a fit of shock and denial, ran away before the procedure of removing her powers was fully complete. In her desperate escape, her unstable powers spiraled out of control, tearing a rift between realms and casting her into the human world.
The procedure was brutal, leaving bruises and tears on the Goddess. Her once-pristine robe was now tattered and stained. The bow that was once in perfect condition keeping her hair up only leaving her bangs across her forehead, was now dangling on one side. Her long silver hair clings to her damp, bruised skin.
She could barely keep her eyes open, the weariness taken into effect. She wandered the streets barefoot endlessly as people avoided her, not wanting to be seen near such a disgraceful goddess. The other deities made it be known that anyone seen helping the Goddess would face divine punishment.
The Goddess reached in front of a few steps before running out of strength and collapsing. As she laid on the cold hard steps defenseless, a young man was on the other side of the door. He hesitated at the door, his heart racing, fingers hovering over the doorknob. He knew helping her could invite shame or worse… death. The societal backlash would be immense, which wasn't good for a beginner adventurer trying to make a name for themselves. Yet as he looked at her battered figure, something deep inside stirred, an ache, he couldn't ignore.
It was still light outside, so the man came up with a plan. He decided to wait until nightfall, when the streets would be empty, to help the Goddess unnoticed. Word about the Goddess has already spread everywhere, anything that looked like helping her would have people shaming you.
Once it got dark, the Goddess was still passed out. The man checked his windows to see if the streets were empty. The silence of no footsteps walking was the man's cue. He quickly opened the door again and carefully picked up the Goddess into a bridal position. He walked inside, closing the door, and placing the Goddess on his couch.
The man muttered to himself I know this is stupid, but I can't help it, seeing her bruised made me want to help her even knowing the risks.
The man went to his kitchen and grabbed a towel. He folded the towel as he turned the sink on, dousing the towel in warm water. He walked back to the Goddess before gently placing the towel on her forehead.
As the night deepened, the man sat nearby, watching over her fragile form. Her breathing steadied, but her face remained etched with pain. What would she say when she woke? Would she thank him…. Or hide in fear, fearing what the man would do to her as she lost her status.
The man also had his worries. As he waited for the Goddess to awake, the man wondered if sheltering this fallen deity would be his salvation… or his doom.