RinoZ
patreon
BOD Chapter 33 - Rebuffed
🕑 Added 2022-02-02 10:44:50 +0000 UTCSo sorry this is late, I found this chapter very hard to write and honestly I'm still not completely happy with it, but I won't delay any longer!
(Since when did I have standards anyway?)
(For Chrysalis readers, I'll drop double chapters tomorrow to get us back on track.)
She awoke in a cold sweat, again.
With a faint shake in her hand, Elsbeth wiped her hair back from her forehead and sat up. The same dream, every night. She gripped her shoulders, arms crossing in front of her chest as she took deep breaths until her shivering ceased.
For a week, she had seen the same thing whenever she closed her eyes. The Dark Forest, so heavy with age that the very air groaned under the weight of forbidden secrets, the Messenger, a creature of shadow and guile, who guided her through those woods each night. No matter how she struggled, or tried to protest, or to flee, she couldn't. That same blanket lay across her mind that she experienced on her first visit and she had been powerless to resist it, wandering in a daze through the woods as the Messenger dripped honey in her ears with its sibilant voice.
What do they want with me?
She asked herself the same thing every morning, and always arrived at the same conclusion. It wasn't a secret after all, she had been told, over and over again, they wanted her devotion. They wanted a priestess.
But who were they? She had never heard of these entities who invaded her dreams uninvited. And why did that want her? How did they even know who she was? Troubled in her heart, she rose and prepare herself for the day. Perhaps if she could ignore it long enough, it all would go away, the dreams would cease and she could move on with her life.
Downstairs, she found Worthy and Megan busy in the common room, setting tables and lighting the fire.
"You're opening the inn?" she asked, surprised.
Megan looked up at her and smiled.
"Yes. We felt we'd been lazy long enough."
"Wouldn't want the regulars to abandon us," Worthy chuckled as he wiped down the tables.
"Let me help!" Elsbeth said as she jumped down the last few stairs, eager to be of assistance.
The three set to the task with good cheer, a positive air bloomed within the Steelarm Inn for the first time since he had been staying there. Soon enough, the room was ready, the food was bubbling in the pot and Worthy had polished the bar to a mirror shine. With a broad grin on his face, Worthy threw open the door and let the cool morning air into the common room.
No customers were waiting outside the door, hardly a surprise after they'd been closed for a week. In the lull, Elsbeth sat down to eat breakfast and talk.
"Did you manage to talk to my father yesterday, Worthy?" she asked hopefully as she tucked into a plate of Megan's porridge.
Worthy paused in his stride, before he sighed and nodded.
"Aye, lass, I did."
"And?" she asked nervously.
"He's a stubborn old bastard, your dad, no doubt about it. I tried to talk some sense into the man, but he refuses to see sense. I think this whole thing has been a shock to him and he's trying to get control back the only way he knows how."
"As if he's had it worse than I have," she said bitterly.
Worthy planted a huge, calloused hand on top of her golden head.
"Don't be too hard on him. His perfect daughter is suffering for the first time in his life and he doesn't know what to do to make it right. He wants what's best for you, believe that, if nothing else."
She teared up and looked down at her bowl before she nodded and resumed eating. Her father would come around, he had to. She couldn't imagine not being allowed back into her own family home. The thought of it terrified her. She wished she could go and talk to her mother, or her brothers, but she knew going home would only result in another fight.
"I think I'll go and visit the temple today," she forced herself to smile and said cheerfully. "It would be nice to visit the sisters and pray."
"Sure thing, lass. Take your time."
Despite his misgivings, he gave her one last pat on the head before he moved behind the bar, ready to greet any visitors who darkened his door. It didn't take long, Elsbeth still hadn't finished her meal before the first customer of the day poked his head cautiously through the entrance.
"Oi, Worthy! You open today?"
"Clyde, you old dog. Come in and let me get you a drink."
"Thank god. I've been dry all week."
In moments the two men were engaged in friendly banter and laughter rang out in the common room for the first time in seven days. Elsbeth smiled as she felt something in her heart lighten. Despite everything that had changed, it was wonderful for something as mundane as this to return as it had been before the Awakening.
She finished her breakfast in peace, thanked Meagan in the kitchen and eyed the stew she was already preparing for lunch, before she washed up and made her way out the door.
A subdued atmosphere still hung over Foxbridge, the shaken nerves of the townsfolk couldn't be restored in seven short days after what Magnin and Beory had done. It was difficult to resign the friendly and outgoing adventurers she had known all of her life with the two who had torn the Mayors farm asunder and cast such a pall of fear over everyone.
Nobody had ever crossed Tyron before. Maybe now I know why.
Her friend had made it easy to avoid stepping on his toes, being as quiet and studious as he'd been.
She shied her thoughts away from considering the Steelarms. She had no intention of dwelling on Tyron or her dreams today, she simply wished to enter the temple and pray. In the back of her mind she'd been thinking of her status all week and she intended to ask the divines for guidance. She hadn't performed the status ritual since the Awakening, as she knew she would be required to choose a Divine to serve when she did.
The streets were quiet as she made her way through the centre of town.
"Good morning, Elsbeth," she heard a voice call.
She turned to see Mr Patterson heave a board full of fresh loaves onto the outside display as he groaned with the effort.
"Good morning. When did you decide to open up again?"
The old man shrugged his shoulders as he brushed excess flour from his hands.
"Can't keep the place shut forever now can I? People need bread. At least, I hope they do!"
She smiled at him and he gave her a wink.
"Looks like the town isn't going to get knocked down any time soon, so we might as well get back to it. We're surprised to be frontier folk out here, aren't we? We shouldn't scare so easy."
"You've been shut for a week," she reminded him gently.
The baker waggled his eyebrows at her.
"I didn't exclude myself! I need to harden up too! Now if you'll excuse me, I've got more bread to put out."
She walked away with a little more light in her step until she rounded the corner and beheld the temple, when her feet froze.
Don't think about it.
"Don't think about it, Elsbeth," she said out loud.
She decisively pushed all memory of her previous visit and stepped forward, walking inside the low stone wall that surrounded the temple and through the open double doors. A sister stood at the entrance and Elsbeth did not glance at her as she walked past, instead she chose to keep her gaze focused forward. She was not here for the sisters who had rejected her.
She was here for the gods.
Inside the central chamber she felt immediately at peace. The cool stone floor, the columns that supported the vaulted roof high overhead, the five statues depicting the five divines, each with their own candlelit altar. She had spent so much time here, assisting in the day to day running of the temple, preparing for festivals, tending to those in need. She'd felt she could have lived her whole life here.
In the centre of the far wall, in pride of place and looking out over the chamber with imperious serenity stood Selene, her altar dominating the space as was only fitting since this temple was dedicated to her. Elsbeth steeled her nerves and looked up at the statue, meeting the goddess' gaze.
Depicted as a flawless beauty, the Goddess wore a long gown that flowed over her form, a flame cupped in her left hand, a wreath in the other.
In the past she had always felt a sense of wonder and warmth come over her as she prayed under the visage of Selene, had always felt that the divinity supported her with a strong hand on her shoulder. That feeling was gone now. She felt nothing but cold.
"She doesn't want you."
Elsbeth schooled herself and managed to not flinch away.
"I'm aware of that," she replied without turning.
"Then why are you here?" she didn't need to the face of sister Kiria to picture the sneer on her face. What hurt the most was the sheer venom the woman packed into that short sentence.
"Is the temple closed to those who seek the wisdom of the divines?"
"…no."
She almost rolled her eyes before she turned and faced the sister. Kiria drew back, as if surprised that Elsbeth would dare look her in the eye, her eyes widening, though the curl of her lip didn't diminish at all.
"Am I allowed to come and pray, or would you rather I leave?"
It was clear which of them she would prefer, but Kiria didn't rise to the bait.
"Things are different now you aren't the Mother's little pet, right? You can't go swanning around as if you're better than us now."
Elsbeth stared at her.
"Better than you? I wanted to be one of you," she said, flabbergasted. "All I ever wanted was to join this temple."
"One of us? Rule over us, more like. You'd fancied yourself the next Mother, don't even bother trying to deny it. Everyone knew."
To emphasise her point she stretched out a finger and poked Elsbeth on the chest.
"You must have been so pleased when you Awakened as a Priestess, not a humble Sister like us."
"I was."
"Would have worked out for you too, if only you'd have managed to keep your legs shut," the sister hissed.
She closed her eyes and tried to stop the tears from welling in her eyes. To think that ever this place had changed so much. Or perhaps it had always been like this, and she'd simply never seen it. The jealousy and ill-will hidden from view so an unawakened child wouldn't be exposed.
When she looked again she could see the glint of triumph in the older woman's eyes. She knew she'd hurt her, and was pleased.
"I remember when Dalroy, the farm boy, broke his leg during calving season. Do you? He was only nine, red faced and bawling. It wasn't even the pain that bothered him the most, but the fear, I think. Maybe it was the sight of the blood, or maybe it was the first time he'd ever experienced something like it, but he was so afraid."
Elsbeth looked Kiria in the eye as she continued to speak.
"You sat with him the entire time he was here. You soothed him, helped take away his pain and let him cry on your shoulder until he finally feel asleep, hours later. Do you remember that?"
The Sister frowned.
"I do."
"You were so sympathetic, you couldn't stand to see that little boy in pain and did everything you could to help it go away. So why…"
She stepped forward, glaring through glistening eyes at the other woman.
"… the fuck, are you getting so much joy out of my pain?"
Kiria recoiled and spluttered but Elsbeth didn't give her a chance to reply.
"And if you care to, you might remember who else sat with Dalroy that day, who was inspired by your devotion, and who hoped they might grow up to be just like you one day. If any speck of the Kiria I looked up to remains in you, then go away. Go away, and let me pray."
Despite her best efforts, her voice broke at the end, and the tears she had tried to hold onto finally spilled over and began to run down her cheeks but she refused to wipe them away, instead she glared at her once-friend until Kiria looked away, uncomfortable.
After a long pause, the Sister spoke again.
"Just say your prayers and go."
So saying, she turned and walked away, leaving Elsbeth to wipe her cheeks and collect herself before she walked to the nearest shrine and prepared to pray. She did her best to put the confrontation behind her, she had come for a purpose and nothing could be allowed to distract from that.
The shrine to Tel'anan was the closest and she knelt to pay her respects to the fallen god of magick. Like most places of worship dedicated to him, the statue atop the plinth showed him weeping, his eyes closed and void in his chest where his heart would be. She felt nothing as he clasped her hands and opened her mind to the presence of the god, Tel'anan was no longer there to comfort the faithful who came to him, but she still tried out of respect.
To the right of the dead god's shrine stood that of Orthriss, the steadfast defender and guardian of civilisation. His statue showed him as hearty and powerful warrior, an enormous tower shield held in front with his broadsword still held across his back.
Orthriss was considered a kind god, one who valued strength of mind just as much as strength of arm, though a fierce warrior when called on. He was the deity most followed by priests who fought and served among slayers, battling the rifts to protect the people. She wasn't confident she would ever be a warrir, but perhaps Orthriss would find use for her service?
Heart beating with anticipation, she approached the shrine and knelt, opening herself to the will of Orthriss.
But, she felt… nothing.
She frowned for a moment before she closed her eyes and concentrated, as she'd learned to as a youth, focusing on the will of the divine so that she might sense their presence. Except it wasn't there. She tried again. Then again. Nothing.
Perhaps she was too disturbed by Kiria to find the proper focus?
She tried to assure herself that was the likely reason, but inside a traitorous voice whispered that she had been abandoned by all of the divines, that none of them would deign to listen to her. She squashed that impulse and stood before she walked across the temple to the opposite wall.
The two remaining shrines in the temple represented Hamar and Lofis. Hamar the agile and clever, Lord of games, music, roads and invention. Lofis, the mistress of seasons, harvest, growth and death.
She had never felt close to either of the two divines, but now she knelt before the shrine to Lofis, desperate to feel the warm presence of the deity.
Perhaps she had expected it, but the lack of response she felt crushed her all the same. She knelt and prayed to Lofis for half an hour before she rose, defeated, struggling to contain herself. She felt certain that Hamar too would reject her, but she couldn't leave without at least trying to earn his favour. But he too was silent and unresponsive in the face of her pleas.
Defeated, Elsbeth choked back her emotions and strode from the temple with all the dignity she could muster. Her vision became blurry as she reached the street outside, but she fought against the tears all the way back to the Inn. When she stepped inside, she could contain herself no longer. She rushed through the common room, past a surprised looking Worthy and ran upstairs, into the room they had lent her, where she collapsed into the bed and wept herself to exhaustion.
When it felt as if there were no tears left in her, finally she fell asleep.
And dreamed.
Of the creaking woods, and ancient winds of the Dark Forest.
Comments
chris
same, or itll b the other way around, easy control at 1st but slowly becomes a spiral. or shes mostly in complete control discovering the truth and all the flaws of the world like the crazy nobles classes and the brands. where she starts to become disgusted with the world and views only the stealarms as the soapy death sponge in a pile of filth :) lol
chris
agreed, also too early for her to leave, i also think shell take care of things on the inner side of the province and do her own thing while discovering herself, they might or might not meet up till tyrons strong enough, tho i do hope they find a way to communicate long range somehow b4 they meet up, planned or unplanned is the bigger question for the future :D lol
chris
i think ur schedule is 4 days chrysallis 2 days BOD on a good week if im correct, i think u should take a day off every 5 days, just for that extra bit of frequency of breaks, mayb take some of that time figure out some story elements and future stuff. u do u. ur doing great as is, dont want u pushing urself or rushing any of ur stories, take a break to think and better plan and figure things out for ur stories and ur life sometimes. the most expensive thing we have that we can nvr get back is time. so spend it however u want. :) <3
chris
ya i think theyre blocking her connection, mightve already forced the anathema subclass on her since she hasnt checked. even if the connection wasnt being blocked the subclass alone would likely be enough to have the gods of light turn on her even tho its not her fault. since u r trying to walk that fine line as i was thinking u were, hopefully shell become some1 like tyron, in the way that hes doing his best to avoid any evil intentions or gaining bad rep. giving them her "devotion" and using their spells in secret and somehow helping tyron or at least the goal of bringing an end to the brand. she could become a powerful acolyte of the old gods which they sort of play phone tag with another follower that gets in touch with tyron. tho ofc her having any dealings with them would stress him out and get him worried, theyre ofc much worse, smarter, more devious and powerful than rufus and laurel combined.
chris
thats what manipulation, charm and most of all alcohol can do, laurel worked together with rufus and got her really drunk. laurel at least watched at most felt up an almost completely incoherent or even passed out elsbeth. which obviously means he R@PED her. sure she liked him but just cuz some1 doesnt say no, especially when drunk doesnt mean she wanted it and "decided" to throw the consequences to the wind. they took advantage of her when she couldnt actually think for herself. besides even if he had to get her passed out drunk to do it he was, he was going to make sure she had no where to go except staying with the steelarms for life or leaving with them. or as were finding out that shes got a 3rd option even tho its being forced on her and manipulated till she accepts.
BubblyGhost
warrir - warrior
stubs
Aside from her chastity, there's also her sympathies for Tyron whose sub class labelled him a "villain in the eyes of the gods" which could be the real reason she was suddenly rejected. I get the vibe that her circumstances will force her down a dark route she might not be able to control as well as Tyron. At first at least
Andrick
I kind of thought that Tyron would somehow convert her and get bonus points
crue
I find it interesting, and every good story has some different pov going on. Elsbeth could possibly have her own little spinoff in ways. Also, i am wondering where she ends up, and where her future will take her.
RinoZ
I'll elaborate on this in the next chapter.
Novice Reader
Same I don't really care about some of the other characters
Juho Mäkinen
I really think that it's better for the story as a whole to have different points of view, but I'm so blinded by my love for Tyron, that every chapter not focusing on him feels somehow wrong.
Khajar
She was on the verge of becoming a powerful priestess of her favorite god, but lost everything to fuck a boy, while knowing the consequences... I think is more likely the gods abandoned her, because she was dumb and weak willed.
RinoZ
My current aim is to aim for two chapters a week once I get settled back into my routine. Been a real struggle lately but I'm hoping things will chill and I can get rolling again.
RinoZ
I agree with you actually. I wanted to settle Tyron before jumping back but it took longer than I'd thought. Next chapter will also focus on Elsbeth and hopefully that'll help flesh it out.
RinoZ
This is why I struggle with the Elsbeth chapters, I'm trying to walk a fine line in regards to her independence and having her be a character that you want to cheer for, but at the same time be someone who is too trusting and is suffering for it. It's tricky, but I'm working on it.
RinoZ
She did indeed walk out of the house and Worthy mentioned that he would talk to her father. She never decided to leave the town and follow Tyron though, not sure where that's coming from.
nugitoBambino
Nah in chp. 22 she noted that she willingly slept with Rufus. I'm also pretty confused by it. Like I totally get with a teenager sleeping with her friend who turned out to be a right asshole and I find her situation interesting. However, I too, and very confused on why she thought the goddess of purity would be chill with her sleeping with a dude
Greyg
True it would be hard juggling two stories he can take all the time he needs would still like a skeleton tier so he has a metric of fanbases between the stories. I just prefer a story that focuses more on one character mainly especially the early leveling stage same with Anthony I preferred the beginning and all his struggles once it expands into an empire it loses that individual struggle that pulls me in
Axel Isaías itzcoatl García Ruiz
Disculpen alguien puede poner el link de Discord
Runaway_Cactuar
The issue with the Elsbeth arc is that her arc is slow-burning, but the chapters dedicated to it are few and far between. So by the time the next one rolled around, most of us forgot enough details to detract from the character development. So from a structure standpoint, I'd prefer if rinoZ go 2-3 chapters of Elsbeth at a time rather than to sprinkle them in sporadically.
jonathan Wieringa
RinoZ has been having trouble with the last few chapters though. Don't think we should pressure him, how much I would like more lore
jonathan Wieringa
That could be too obvious though. There's already the possibility that dove is gonna teach Tyron. Shipping them too early removes the tention that RinoZ could build up between them.
jonathan Wieringa
That could have been speculation in the comments that elsbeth would go after tyron. I remember it too, but she only left the house I believe and sheltered in the Inn
Greyg
I doubt she will be fighting any time soon i get more a corrupt the innocent vibe from her character though it likely depends on which of the forest gods she chooses if given options or how she levels up i just get the feeling she’s gonna corrupt or harm this town/temple eventually maybe even open rifts nearby Rinoz could go in a bunch of directions with her still though i doubt our necromancer even meets her in the next 50 chapters or so, as both are on a journey of self discovery with her character only getting a snippet of that time… most likely any chance of removing the slayer brand would be the eventual ability of a priestess
Nathan Quitugua
Dark priestess and a Necromancer...that just wanna fight rifts and do hood rat things with their hood rat minions. Or she could be the reason for his downfall...and it'll be an epic lovers to enemies to lovers story which I wouldn't necessarily mind. I mean for all we know, the forest gods know what Tyron could become and are trying to get a piece on the board to either control him or destroy him.
kalada William-jumbo
I would like this to be the first official ship …. If she becomes a dark priestess and joins up with tyron and they become the next power couple in training…. I would be pleased … he needs a partner that’s also learning and growing with him.
kalada William-jumbo
Honestly … skeleton tier for more chapters of this would be really good …. I’m kinda addicted to this and I understand there are only so many hours in the day but damn …. I’m willing to settle for 3 days a week
Greyg
Was hoping she would come to terms with her limited choices, but she’ll probably have another long conversation with the forest gods/messenger then we might get to see her status sheet and her choices of gods preferably she comes to grips with it and doesn’t cry or talk with her family in the next chapter. We don’t know much about the old gods or the normal choices people have with the divines so this was nice world building by giving us the pantheon and their details to compare against forest gods in the next chapters involving elsbeth. Still wish this was more than 1 a week…skeleton tier where are you
Nathan Quitugua
If I'm assuming the old gods are eldritch, she may not notice that subconsciously she wants this. She's been betrayed on all fronts essentially. Her personal life was ruined by her friends, not so much Tyron cause the nerd was stuck in his books all the time. Her connection to the gods is non-existent at this point (though this might be interference from the old gods that's stopping her from feeling the connection).
Ian Levy
The old gods, as explained are not really out for anything normal like we would expects. And in most cases even tyrons case they are looking for entertainment above all. They are not good people you could say.
crusaderstar
I liked the chapter, but am not loving what seems to be an abusive controlling angle from the forest gods. Last Elsbeth chapter the forest gods kept saying "we'll accept you" while she was screaming inside her head compelled to go where they wanted. It just seems, pretty inept in terms of winning someone's devotion? Especially when all they'd have to do is prove they're not hypocrites like the new gods, promise actual power, and let Elsbeth make a choice. If Elsbeth does succumb to the forest gods, I think she'll just be someone to pity since so far they're abusive controlling assholes, which I think would be a shame since she could be a badass to root for.
Definitely (Not) a Necromancer
I think she was pure of body but the chastity didn't extend to her mind and that was her fall from grace? (Just my speculation)
Sean Hibbitt
I remember she was thinking about Tyron, I can't remember if she was going to follow him or not but I think she atleast considered it. Personally I think it's slightly unusual that god's would abandon a faithful because she slept with someone and even know she shouldn't ... I might be wrong but I feel like there's more going on, that she or the situation is being manipulated by the old god's from the forest. Very well executed btw Rino, really pulling on the heart strings 😭
Amelgar
Not sure where you got the abandoning the gods and heading after Tyron from, don't believe that happened. But yeah, from memory she left the house. I think she was asking Worthy to act as a mediator in hopes that things could go back to 'normal'.
Kyle Pemberton
I might have to go back and read, but it feels like you retconned a tonne of things here. From my memory Elsbeth had already decided to abandon the gods and head after Tyron the last time we saw her. And I thought she left her father rather than be kicked out. Maybe I'm getting characters confused or I have remembered incorrectly, but that's what I thought happened.
Amelgar
I'm kinda confused. Did Elsbeth not know that chastity was a requirement for a Priestess of Selene? It seems others were aware of it, so it shouldn't have been to hard to find out.
