It Started with Slime - Part 1

Interlude XIV - Epilogue - Powers Shift

Dear old mam, shouldn't 'a betrayed Renfay should ya? Anyway that situation had already been dealt with and he had traded in his old family of one for a huge family of Renfay. His command had been his reward, leader of this small unit. Next would be moving up in the ranks, there were always vacancies and positions becoming available, people died, or fell out of favour and spaces would become available.

Another hand gesture and the scum of Pravwell burst out into the open; the women shied back knowing this would happen expecting to lose everything. There would not be any way out. Just as a hundred like her had lost more than just their jewellery in the night, it was a death sentence for anyone not of the gangs to be out in the night. Let alone with valuables on them. She closed her eyes and preyed to the Roc, her divine saviour and light at the end of her tunnel. She could see it now, reaching out to embrace her and take away all the fear and anxiety and pain and suffering. Why had she come to this gods forsaken place? Now she would not live to regret it.

"Ello, ello what 'ave we 'ere lads?! Fine nigh' to be out and about? You got some pretty things there, off to a party?" the sneer on his face contrasting sharply with the playful tone of his voice. Fear was like a hot knife sliding through her veins.

"N-no, n-no-ot at all. J-just on m-my w-way home." The woman forced false cheer into her voice, even as that knife dug deeper. "Thank y-you f-for your-r kind words. I'll b-be o-on m-my way."

Per's grin grew more vicious and sadistic. "Oh no, I don't fink so madam. We are just about to 'ave a good 'ol time. Wouldn't you like tha'?" Per's glance to the others showed that the rest were more than ready to make quick work on this idiot who was out in the night, basically begging to be assaulted...and maybe more...Per's mined whirled, thinking of all the wonderful things that he would do with the coins he earned form this, and the status, It was too easy, just landed in his lap like a curious Panther pup. He had had his fun with that one. The grin widened and the woman face went a few shades paler.

"I am a priestess of the Temple of Roc! Please, if it is money you want then you can come to the temple tomorrow, the coffers there are for the needy, you seem in need!" she realised that she had said the wrong thing as soon as the faces of those in front of her.

Per's features contorted into a snarl as he contemplated her words. Liar! "What do you think we are? Idiots? This is Pravwell, no temples here. You tryin' to mug us off!? We won't be lead astray so easily!"

I will not fail in this task; I will rise in the ranks and take my proper place!

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"No, I meant the one outside the border of the city! I promise, please I am just trying to get back there. I have nothing but what you see now. If you come to the temple tomorrow then I will be able to offer you so much more!" panic was slowly giving way to hysteria as the men continued to slowly close in on her." Please, mighty god of the air, Roc, help me please, save me! Deliver me from this criminal element!

Silence had fallen on the group, the pregnant quiet before the storm. Winds began to blow harder it seemed. Had that roof always had a tile missing from the middle? Winds howled and it seemed like a storm was coming. But this month was for Roc, not any other, no deluge, no heat and no earthquakes. Only howling winds and a little chill, if she was going to receive any help from her god, then this would be the time. In this season in this moment, she might have a chance to be delivered.

"I do not w-want to hurt you...!" she wet her suddenly very dry lips. Could she incapacitate this many thugs with her Air magic? Would she be able to do it without killing any of them? She couldn't stomach any killing. She had seen these people do it to each other but there was no way she could condone such violence. A tremble began in her limbs, arms and hands first, she couldn't stop it. Will I end up failing?

"You goin' ta wet yourself luv? You scared? Hah! You should be! Squirm for me! Didn't you precious priests and priestesses tell you that it wasn't safe to be out at night?" but they had told her and yet if she wanted the next step this had been a necessary move. To prove her devotion, it was to prove her faith in the Almighty, the Roc.

Whimpering and cowering she was not allowed to kill, not only did it go against all of her principles but all her sacrifice and this pilgrimage would have been wasted. No, I will not retaliate.

The sneers and taunts and jibes drew closer still. The men had no compunction to harming a weak and alone young woman. They had learned the hard way what compassion got you on the streets of Pravwell.

Three set of dirty grubby hands touch her skin and she shuddered from the repulsive touch. She cringed but getting away from them was impossible, they were coming from all directions. She felt violated and helpless. Perhaps a simple weak spell, just a wind to warn them off. That would be enough. I can do this.

Wind began blowing inward to her hand, like she held a vacuum. By dropping the air pressure where her hands came together crouched on the ground as she was no others could see what the source of the wind was and none truly considered the woman in front of them the source. It only took a second or two to gather...one of the hands that had grabbed her limb knocked her had almost inadvertently, she lost the spell. I took too long to decide! I have to keep trying! But it was no use, she would not be able to do anything. She could have wept with frustration, as this to be how she went? Would she be left on the street completely stripped bare of everything valuable? Left with nothing. Or something worse? A visceral fear crept through her bones, she had heard stories of course, from the other priests and priestesses, what had happened during their trials was forbidden to speak off but it was a necessary evil to ensure weak members were weeded out before they could advance. And yet, stories made their way to ears, the rumour mill continued to turn, the iterations, each more daring or more horrific than the last.

The three sets of hands became five and then ten, she was drowning in groping, filthy unclean hands, snatching away anything of worth that she still wore and held. The Ambula Sacrificii, the most terrifying walk that an Air clergy had to make, it had lead her to this. Her tomb stone would read, Safira Aeris, died undergoing Ambula Sacrificii. Even the meagre defence she had tried to conjure had failed her in the end. She had been too weak in a world where might made right. She was weak.

It was all too much, overwhelming her just as the hands scratching and pulling her overwhelmed. Her vision was fading; she couldn't hear what was happening. Everyone wanted a piece; they didn't need to grab at her. She collapsed to the mud and cobble stones of the road, hands still grabbing at her finery. She was resigned to her fate. Facing the sky she continued to pray, she would not leave this world without pealing to the Roc until her last breath.

Fading....

Fading....

Wha...? She fell unconscious to the sight of a black creature leaping from the rooftop towards her.

End of Book 1 of

It Started with Slime