The day of the expedition to the West had arrived. Caela and Fae, along with several troops from Riverbend, set out as ordered. The wind howled as they stepped onto the desolate land beyond Riverbend. Dust swirled in the dry air, and thick gray clouds hung low in the sky. Jagged stones jutted from cracked earth, and the air thrummed faintly—like the breath of something ancient buried deep beneath the surface. They had reached the long-abandoned ruins, seemingly devoid of life.
Caela and Fae spotted a crumbling archway marking the entrance. Twisted stone pillars, blackened by time and unknown forces, loomed on either side. Caela commanded their soldiers to spread out and secure the area while she and Fae scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of the Temple of the Thunder God.
"The air here feels... strange," Caela remarked.
Fae nodded, narrowing his eyes. "This place has a cursed aura. Do you feel it too?"
Before Caela could answer, the ground began to tremble. Figures emerged from the shattered stone and cracked soil—twisted corpses clad in tattered robes, their eyes pale and lifeless. Their movements were jerky but swift. Caela and Fae widened their eyes in shock—they had never seen anything like this.
"Form up!" Caela barked, drawing her sword.
"Re...turn... our... Gods… " one of the figures screeched, seething with rage at their presence.
"An undead? What is this?" Caela tried to stay calm and communicate, though it seemed futile. Fae, on the other hand, frowned deeply and silently observed.
"To the universe!!!!" the creature roared again and lunged at Caela.
Eyes widening, Caela swiftly parried with her sword and summoned a wave of water magic. But there were too many. The soldiers fought valiantly, but wave after wave of the undead came at them. One by one, they were dragged into the swarm.
In the chaos, Caela glanced at Fae, who stood calmly in the corner, unmoving—just watching.
"Fae?" Caela shouted, bewildered. Why isn't he helping?
With her troops falling fast, Caela grew increasingly desperate. Everything would be easier if she transformed into the Water God, Varuna. But she couldn't—not in front of Fae. He would realize she was the true Host, something forbidden and believed only to exist in myth. So, Caela resolved to keep fighting on her own terms. She summoned smaller waves of water magic, slicing through the attackers. Her sword, formed of shimmering liquid glass, was precise and lethal. Yet the undead kept coming. Her soldiers were falling, one by one.
"Fae! Help me," she cried out, frustration mounting.
Fae raised an eyebrow, as if mildly startled. Then he smirked. "If you say so, Princess."
He pulled a crystal from the stone pendant around his neck and raised his right hand high.
"Come, Gaia," he whispered.
The earth responded.
The ground cracked open as a colossal figure rose—formed of green crystal and ancient stone. Its eyes glowed like molten gold. The titan slammed its fist into the earth. Pillars of stone erupted, impaling the undead. Vines and roots burst from the soil, snaring the heretics and tearing them apart.
Caela ordered the remaining troops to fall back, raising a magical barrier of water for protection. Her eyes widened as she beheld the Earth God. The awe she felt was the same as the first time she saw Varuna.
The twisted creatures shrieked as their bodies were torn apart, their souls vanquished. In moments, the battlefield fell silent. The last of the heretics crumbled to ash. Fae stood at the center, sweat on his brow, calling Gaia back into his crystal. The titan turned to Caela, gave a slight nod, then vanished in a burst of light.
Fae collapsed to his knees, gasping. Caela ran toward him.
"Fae, are you alright?" she asked, kneeling beside him.
"I'm fine…" Fae slowly rose. "Worried about me, Princess?" he teased.
Caela blushed, narrowed her eyes in irritation, and sighed. "You're insufferable… Don't call me that," she turned and walked away.
"But it suits you, Princess," Fae chuckled, following her through the ruin and devastation. The remaining soldiers resumed their search for the Temple of the Thunder God.
"Doesn't look like there's any temple here…" Fae muttered, still slightly breathless.
Caela said nothing as she moved deeper into the rubble, alert for any lingering threats. She carefully scanned her surroundings, thinking the same—there was no sign of a godly temple here. She stood atop a broken column and looked toward Fae.
"Those creatures… What were they really?" she asked, her face troubled.
Fae sat on the ruins and looked back. "Never seen them before. But they must've been heretics, humans cursed by the Gods."
Caela fell silent, remembering the creature they'd found near the forest on their journey to Central. But something else gnawed at her.
"Return our Gods to the universe..." they had said. Caela frowned, deep in thought.
Fae noticed her expression, then suddenly asked, "Why didn't you summon Varuna when they attacked?"
Caela flinched. Of course, because she couldn't reveal herself as the true Host, not when the ancient teachings had been outlawed as heresy.
"I didn't think it was necessary," she said softly.
Fae paused, "… Are you afraid?"
A bead of sweat slid down her temple. "No…" she replied, turning away and heading out of the ruins.
Fae gave a small smile, following her. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well, I'm glad I got to show off a little—"
Caela startled at his touch. A voice—divine and overwhelming—rushed through her mind. Fae staggered as well, suddenly weak and dropping to one knee.
"Are you okay?" Caela asked, her own breath now labored.
Still in shock, Fae realized he had just experienced a vision. A voice, familiar and resonant, echoed in his mind. He knew it was a God's voice… but it felt like something he had never truly seen before. Sweat dripped from his brow, his eyes wide. As Caela reached out to help him stand, Fae motioned for her to stop.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired," he said with a forced smile.
Caela raised an eyebrow. Did Fae feel the same thing she did? But she didn't dare ask.
***