A month after Caela's conversation about becoming a Host, the villagers were actually reluctant to send her and Rieva across the sea to undergo the Host ritual. Aside from the fact that Tevira Village already had a representative as the Host of the Fire God, the villagers were also hesitant to raise more money to rent a ship. However, in the end, they were sent off to the city of Riverbend, where the Temple of the Water God was guarded.
Their departure was not nearly as festive as when Valia left for the city of Sunfall, where the Fire Temple was located—even though that temple didn't require sea travel and could be reached by land. But Caela didn't mind too much; she knew she was never truly a native of the village. Still, she was determined to become a Host and seek answers—to the voices of the Gods, the visions that constantly haunted her, and the stories Rieva told about the old teachings, which now seemed to be the truth.
The journey to Riverbend took eight hours by sea. They traveled aboard a cargo ship. During the trip, Caela observed many different kinds of people, with varying skin tones, hair colors, and hairstyles.
"Aunt Rieva, you said the true Hosts were killed by their own guardians, the Stargazers?"
"Yes,"
"So… Are the Stargazers still alive?"
"Perhaps," Rieva replied indifferently, as though she wanted to change the subject. Caela only nodded and turned her gaze back toward the sea. It was the first time she had ever seen the ocean up close. Once in a while, she was lucky enough to spot a fish leaping from the water. In her heart, she felt nervous about the upcoming ritual to become a Host. She didn't quite understand why she felt so deeply drawn to the Gods. But Caela believed that getting closer to the Gods would bring her closer to discovering who she truly was.
Her journey had only just begun.
***