Pinocchio

Lower wind month, 7th day, 6.30

Antilene awaited with trepidation the beginning of the mission in the courtyard of the Cathedral of darkness. The night before, the goddess of water had blessed the lands of the theocracy with heavy rains that had persisted for the duration of all her sleep. The streets were still wet and a modest humidity enveloped the area.

[No one has arrived yet.]

The half-elf had turned up well in advance of the scheduled time for the appointment indicated by the Cardinals. The frenzy for her first official operation with Black Scriptures had caused her to get out of bed well earlier than usual to double-check that all the equipment she had prepared was still as she had left it, more than once. As if some piece could come to life and drift away while she wasn't paying attention to it.

She wanted everything to be perfect so as not to disfigure in front of her older companions: the possibility of making a bad impression in front of them had accompanied the girl ever since she learned of her new position; it would have been ridiculous if the so-called secret weapon of humanity had presented herself neglected and with a degree of preparation not close to perfection.

Now she waited in silence, while in her mind she went over all the indications that Rufus had given her in the previous days: their task was to go to a village called Forkel to investigate the strange events that had hit him in recent weeks, to identify any possible anomaly and, if possible, eliminate it.

[Everything has to be perfectly prepared. No error. No distractions.]

While reflecting on a possible plan of action, she continued to caress Charon's Guidance gently, almost as if it was a cute pet and not a lethal weapon. It was a habit she had taken from her teacher, who tended, at times, to take care of the legacies of the 6 Great Gods with more care than human beings. Ever since she had discovered his true nature that habit, which until recently seemed to her only a sign of his master eccentricity, now appeared to her the most natural thing in the world.

The black of the scythe created a pleasing contrast to the eye with the immaculate white decorated with gold plates of her armor. It was the sacred protection that belonged to Nekole, the god of the wind. Forged, like all the other most precious relics left to the Theocracy, of as yet unknown material it was the highest form of defense that belonged to the Scriptures. Making not one, but two of the nation's holiest objects part of her permanent equipment showed how faithfully the Cardinals had in her abilities; a privilege rarely granted even to the most capable Godkins: only her mother and a few other warriors had enjoyed the same confidence throughout Slane's long history.

In reality, that armor also provided her with an additional advantage thanks to her talent: the use of Einherjar, an exclusive skill of the Valkyrie class, and Nekole's secret weapon, which allowed its user to create a construct with slightly fewer fighting capabilities to the original to be exploited in battle.

But what only she and her teacher knew was that starting from the knowledge of one that belonged to one of the gods, she herself managed to acquire a simpler version of the same class, the Lesser Valkyrie. Although most likely, weaker than the one that belonged to the god of the wind, it still allowed her to have access to additional use of Einherjar, making the most difficult battles, in fact, a three-on-one fight. Only if her opponent had overwhelming superiority would he have a real chance against her. And even then, he could have used Surshana's secret weapon to end the fight.

In short, the chances that someone could beat her, even if not equal to zero, were still very low.

[While it wouldn't hurt, just once, to feel the blood boiling from battle.]

Deep in her heart, there was a little hope that someone would be able to let her know about defeat; it was a stupid and dangerous thought, which could have jeopardized the very safeguard of the Theocracy, she realized. However, she could not silence him.

Those who reached the top of the mountain could not help but look down to notice the others desperately trying to reach the same height; no matter how much she held out her hand to help them climb, in most cases, the distance was so large that it was completely useless. And therefore, Antilene was forced to contemplate the view alone from that altitude with the desire that one day she would find someone to share it with.

[Bah, that's just a bunch of nonsense!]

Meanwhile, she saw Cardinal Merel (she had finally managed to memorize his name) approach her, followed by four figures. Antilene knew who they were since she had spent the last two days interacting with them as much as possible to establish a mutual relationship of trust, essential in the most difficult missions. Even if the reduced timing had not led to great results. She had gathered some brief information about their abilities and their lives but nothing more.

A woman with long red hair, dressed in a black tunic was the first to speak to her.

"Lady Zesshi, I see you arrived before all of us! We should really learn from your diligence!"

Her small eyes, also black, were turned to the ground as a sign of respect as she spoke to her. Her name was Rosalie Tancredi and she was an arcane caster specializing in earth and ice magic. Unlike the other individuals present, she was not from the Theocracy, but from the Baharut Empire. There she had become an adventurer of the highest degree, adamantium, at the early age of 27. She had decided to join their ranks after her comrades had opted to retire from the profession, preferring the more comfortable life in the employ of a High Marshal of the Empire. At first, she had accepted a position as an assistant for some famous wizard of the empire but had later abandoned it because she was disgusted by his obsessions with some sort of Abyss. After long wandering, she found it more tempting to join Black Scripture to hone her magical abilities. The training fight with the half-elf had made her realize how much only a big toad was in a small pond and since then she had dedicated herself to the study of magic with as much dedication as possible.

"Nono, I just got here. There is no need to show all these references to me. I'm a member of the team like all of you!"

The respect others showed her more than pleasing made her uncomfortable. Counting the actual years, she was by far the oldest of them all, but her experience paled in comparison to that of her peers. But now the right opportunity to show others that she was an effective part of the group showed itself.

"Your modesty sets you apart from us mere mortals. With you, by our side, I am sure that this mission will end even before it starts!"

It was a man with short brown hair and deep blue eyes who spoke. He had the mark of a few wrinkles on his face, but the well-trained body and the vitality that oozed from his gestures showed that he was far from reaching the age of retirement. Buvesez Isteni was his name and he was one of the Black Scripture members with whom Antilene was less familiar, as he had not taken part in her special training. As far as she knew he was a Divine Caster who specialized in support spells and one of the key members of their small team, as he was able to use teleportation magic.

"I would say it's time to stop the formalities. Now if you would kindly give me your attention, I will summarize the details of the mission. "

Cardinal Merel called attention to himself; at the sound of his voice, all those present began to listen to him in a religious silence, a sign of the great authority held by the man.

"First let me give you the magic items to conceal your features."

The Black Scripture missions were carried out in the utmost secrecy, only a few within the Theocracy were certain of their existence, and as many measures as possible were taken to avoid any leaks. One of these was the use of small talismans enchanted with illusory magic that significantly altered the appearance of the wearer.

After giving one to each of them, the prelate resumed his speech.

"As you know, some villages on the border have been the scene of mysterious events, the content of which is still unknown. Your job is to investigate starting with Forkel, the closest to your current location. Kapitel, we entrust the command of the mission to you."

Kapitel Hazeia was a man with blond hair that formed a funny bob. Particularly capable and cunning ranger; he was also the head of one of the oldest Slane families whose family tree could even be traced back to the time of the 6 Great Gods.

In one of his history lessons, Rufus had explained to Antilene that from the foundation of the Theocracy no generation of that lineage had ever shied away from holding particularly important positions.

"Received. We will accomplish the mission without making the slightest mistake."

"We know our trust is well placed. The maps we have given you show the suggested stopping points for your trip, do not forget to use them."

Scriptural missions generally required long walks to be accomplished in the shortest feasible time, as far away from population centers as possible. To make travel less burdensome, special stations for rest were set up disguised as common inns. They were usually run by old retired members of the scriptures, who received generous tax relief from the state in exchange for the service rendered, to further maintain secrecy.

At the time the system had entered the territory of the Theocracy well and the Supreme Council had begun to implement it in some neighboring countries as well.

"Can I ask a question?"

A woman with long blond hair politely raised her hand to satisfy her curiosity.

She carried a long-pointed spear on his back just a little smaller than her, and the ornate armor she wore enhanced the toned and muscular figure of her body. Her name was Campeao Sollius and she was the best champion of the Theocracy. Bright green eyes, a color reminiscent of emeralds, and a motherly smile caused anyone who observed her nostalgia for simpler times. Antilene couldn't help but see her old nurse again when meeting her. Perhaps that was why it was instinctive for her to trust the older woman.

"Sure Campeao, don't pay compliments." The cardinal replied cordially as he smoothed his thick mustache with his fingers.

"If we run into an enemy who has taken hostages what will be our priority? Rescue the prisoners or take down the monster? Usually, the protocol tends towards the second option but in this case, citizens of the Theocracy themselves are involved."

Indeed, such an incident had not occurred in their internal territories for several decades, and many of the procedures had not been updated over time. The half-elf remembered a case when she was still a child in which a group of arachnoids had kidnapped some members of a commercial convoy traveling to the main trading cities. When the Black Scriptures spotted them, the monsters used the still-living bodies of the prey locked up in their cocoons as a shield. The captain of the time, her mother, did not hesitate in cutting cleanly both arachnids and merchants. In retrospect, that had been one of the few times Faine had shared one of her adventures with her daughter. Perhaps that was why it had remained so impressed on her.

"Um, obviously the preferable solution would be to either save the hostages or kill the enemy. But I realize this could be problematic; therefore, I am sorry to say, the elimination of the danger takes precedence over the salvation of any survivors. It should not be said that your safety has priority in the event that you encounter an enemy beyond your means. Even if I find it hard to believe that this is possible. "

It was evident that his latest statement was dictated by the immense confidence he had in the half-elf's abilities. Antilene felt slightly embarrassed when she noticed that the others had begun to sneak up on her, but she tried not to let any emotion show as if what the Cardinal said was the most natural thing in the world.

"If there are no other questions, I would say it is time to set out. The road ahead is long and we can't waste any more time. "

Kapitel focused the attention of his comrades on himself, he was the first to take the initiative to emphasize his position as leader to others. The assent he received from them was the tacit response that they accepted his position as team leader.

"May the gods absolve your actions." Cardinal Merel blessed them as he watched them leave the Cathedral.

The first day of the journey was quite monotonous and lacking in significant events.

Antilene tried to start some conversation with the other members of the group but the answers received were mostly monosyllabic; she wondered if it was normal for the Black Scriptures to stay focused all the time on the mission or if it was her presence that made them uncomfortable.

The second day, on the other hand, was more noteworthy.

The more deserted streets they took were devoid of large numbers of monsters; but, while crossing a particularly dense clearing, they encountered a scattered group of orcs who foolishly tried to ambush them.

Kapitel, however, had noticed their intentions from meters away and had warned the small team to prepare for combat.

Even before the attackers had time to make the slightest move, the half-elf made a long leap that took her behind the enemy lines, where she got rid of three of them at the same time in a few seconds; their blunt arrows were repelled smoothly from the armor as her scythe cut off their heads as easily as a troll crushes a helpless child.

[So simple. It's like cutting paper.]

Her companions were no less: Rosalie froze the arms and legs of part of their vanguard making them fall to the ground then, thanks to the magic of the fourth tier [Judgment of the earth], impaled the surviving orcs with spikes rock produced by the minerals contained in the soil; the survivors suffered the judgment of Buvesez and his magic.

The leader of the enemy group, an ogre with bigger features than normal, tried to hit Campeao with the big iron club he wielded as a weapon; but his arms were severed by the paladin's sword before even realizing what was happening.

Going mad with the pain he tried to escape to get to safety but Kapitel quickly cut his throat with the short sword he carried with him.

In all, the battle lasted only two minutes.

"They weren't really anything special. I thought they would entertain us at least a little. " Campeao exclaimed as she cleaned up some bloodstains that had landed on her face.

"A delusion. I'll have to wait for another opportunity to be able to show you the fantastic new magic of my invention." Rosalie looked particularly annoyed and irritated, different from the calm that usually distinguished her.

"Well, there is nothing surprising. In these areas, there are only a few leathery insects that still do not understand who these lands belong to. I only regret that Lady Zesshi had to get dirty with their disgusting insides. Seeing their filth stain the equipment of the gods is a sad sight!"

Buvesez's words pointed out to Antilene some bits of meat that had remained stuck to her right back. The older man handed her a small cloth, pulled out of a pocket of his long green dress, which she used to clean up.

"T-Thanks. Sorry for my carelessness!"

"Hahaha, there is no need to worry. It is completely natural to get dirty when you are on the battlefield "

"We have to apologize for letting you take the field. If we had been faster, you wouldn't have had to make the slightest move. I promise you that next time you won't have to bother with such insignificant matters!"

The words of the other two women made her slightly embarrassed. She thanked the gods that the helmet covered her cheeks, which were colored with a lively blush.

"Nono, I'm always happy to help. Don't hesitate to use me, please!"

She didn't want them to treat it as decorative tinsel to put in a glass dome to show off in front of guests. She was part of the team, why didn't they understand that?

"I would say it's time to stop these trifles and get back on the road. If we want to get to the Traveler's Refuge before night falls, we can't waste time. While we are moving, you will have all the time you want to chat!"

Kapitel warned them harshly as he began to return to the road. He didn't even wait for an answer from them before setting off again.

"Don't be too angry with him. He may seem stern, but that's only because he was used to doing everything perfectly from an early age. " Campeao whispered in her ear as they began to walk towards their destination.

"Have you known him for a long time?" The half-elf asked, always in a low tone of voice, so as not to be noticed by the leader.

"Actually no, only for a few years. But when you have so many adventures together it is almost natural to learn every detail of the life of your companions. But you will know better than me, even if you are short, you are the oldest in the middle here. Who knows how many fantastic stories you have to tell."

Antilene realized that she had very few interesting things to share, most of her days were spent either in the apartment or with Rufus in the treasure room. Lately, she had taken advantage of some special permission to be able to wander around the capital in the evening but was always accompanied by a special guard who did not leave her alone for a moment.

In fact, she found herself thinking that much of her life was rather monotonous.

"This is the first time I've come out of Silksuntecks. I don't have much to say."

The paladin's expression darkened; realizing her lack of tact, she tried to fix the situation.

"I didn't think the stories about you were true; please forgive my rudeness Lady Zesshi."

The half-elf saw that minimum of complicity that she thought had established slip away from her hands, the prospect of returning to that embarrassing silence of before troubled her more than she would ever admit.

"Please." This time her voice boomed with a vigorous force so that everyone could hear it. "Tell me some of your exploits! I'd love to hear one of them"

Campeao and Rosalie looked at each other for a moment, astonished, totally unable to articulate the slightest word; Buvesez tried to initiate a profound speech that could impress the girl but the only sounds that came out of her mouth were the stunted "Here ... Yes ... There was that time ..."; even Kapitel found himself baffled for a moment, unable to understand what to do.

In the end, it was Rosalie who initiated the speech. "So, let's see there was that time we had to eliminate that big sea snake that was said to live in a pond located in the territories of the lizard men. Do you remember?"

"Ugh, don't make me remember that bad place! Hours and hours waiting in a squalid swamp, with infernal humidity and legions of tiny bugs attracted to my skin like Cardinal Merel is attracted to mustache oil."

The cleric's expression took on a slight disgusted air as his mind remembered the unpleasant sensations his body had had to undergo in the past.

"And the sea serpent? Did you get rid of it in the end? Was it strong? " Antilene asked.

"No, there was no such thing. Probably some of those lizardmen had spread the word around to avoid unwanted visitors. A great waste of time! " The ranger answered her as he continued to guide them along the path they had taken.

"Yet Kapitel, I would not hesitate twice to relive that experience again. It's not every day you see a super-elite like you with uncombed hair!" Campeao teased him with an arrogant smile, while she ruffled her hair to try to imitate the look he had then.

"Very funny. Yet I seem to remember that the one who complained about the heat was not me. Rosalie, help me, was it the captain who did it? Or someone else?"

"Yes, there was someone who could not help disturbing that silence with his ravings. And, strangely, it wasn't Buvesez."

"This last comment was definitely too much! But yes, I also remember a vulgar woman intent on complaining like the great penitent before Alah Alaf!"

"All I was doing was externalizing the emotions that all of you were trying hard to keep at bay. You should thank me instead of criticizing!"

"So, Miss Campeao is the pain in the ass of the group?" The half-elf asked, tilting her head slightly to the right. The glittering tinsel of his helmet shone like the morning sun giving her small body an air of sacredness

Laughter began to spread among them, first timidly, then with more and more intense until it exploded into a whirlwind of sweet sounds.

Antilene felt great happiness caressing her chest as she saw her companions begin to relax and joke with her.

The rest of the journey was a continuous crescendo; the stories of the Black Scriptures were fascinating and varied: they ranged from encounters with mythological beasts to tales of espionage, visits to exotic lands with enchanted landscapes, or desolate places smelling of death.

They were so immersed in reminiscences that the five did not even realize they had arrived at the inn where they would spend the night.

Lower Wind Month, 8th day, 21.00

"What a silence!"

Rufus could not help but notice the calm that permeated his private room located inside the treasury of the gods.

"How long has it been without talking to someone? Antilene now comes here even on her days of rest. Speaking of her, I hope everything is going well."

Just a week ago, he would have found the possibility that he might miss the company of a human ridiculous; but now here he was, alone, hoping that at any moment a small white and black speck exuberantly opened the large door of the room and began to jump around every corner, bombarding him with questions of all kinds.

"Hey Rufus, what is this glittering tinsel?"

"Master, I cannot understand this passage. Help me?"

"I heard that in the main square they are putting on a show in honor of the goddess Ragusa. Why don't we go together?"

The first few times he had had to deal with that wide mouth he had been completely blown away: usually, his students alternated awe with a blatant fear of being the target of some curse.

But little Antilene was one of the biggest challenges he had to face not only because of her skills but also because of her personal history and the scars she carried.

So young, but already so much pain.

[Father, I wonder how you would judge my work. Helping to raise a child was a challenge that I have never faced before and I still believe that I am not the best person. Not to mention the Theocracy, with each passing day the dangers only increase and I can't stop thinking that will come the moment I'll let you down. I'm so lost! I only ask that you give me a sign, nothing else!]

As he expressed his emotions aloud, he carefully observed the surroundings. What would he give for a little hint that his creator was listening to him. No matter how stupid it might be, how insignificant, how trivial. He would have gladly sacrificed his arms and legs for just a little hope that his pleas would not get lost in the oppressive silence of the Cathedral.

[Is this your way to test me? How I would love to live up to your expectations!]

He knew that Surshana would return someday. Even among the Gods, he was special. The battle against the 8 Greed Kings had surely forced him to retire to regain his strength, when the time came, he would return triumphantly to lead them to a new golden age. If it wasn't like that; if it wasn't like that… No, he didn't even have to think about it! His faith was stronger than anyone else's!

Right?

[Live!]

The last order of his parent continued to be engraved in his mind as if a skilled sculptor had modeled it in his bones to preserve it forever.

[Live!]

Why had he been so cruel? Didn't he realize that life without him was a constant pain? He would have gladly embraced death if that could have made them meet again.

What a contradiction! For God-forged creatures like him, nothing was more painful than being away from their maker; at the same time, his nature required him to obey his orders, even if they involved torture for his soul.

And he had done it. For more than four hundred long years he had holed up in that mausoleum, avoiding contact with the outside world as much as possible. Even when he remained completely alone.

[Live!]

"Maybe I should just get distracted. Let's see, this week I still haven't flipped through the diary."

If all the most precious possessions of the 6 Great Gods had been in danger, the undead would not have hesitated to choose which one to save first. Not one of the equipment of the gods, nor the sacred "Downfall of Castle and Country" item; but a small, slightly crumpled diary with little more than a hundred pages that belonged to Surshana.

Leafing through it brought back happy memories; a sweet melancholy pervaded him as he observed the first notations dating back to when they arrived in that world, his father's most intimate thoughts on the doubts and fears that gripped him as the new ruler of humanity. Only a divinity could have shown so much sincerity in expressing their emotions; something that, he had learned with experience, mediocre men had a lot of difficulty doing.

His favorite part was a short fiction story written by his creator with his own hands.

Even though he had learned the words by heart, he couldn't stop himself from rereading them for the umpteenth time.

"Once upon a time, a long, long time ago there was a young man. He lived in a world nearing its end where the air was black, the seas polluted and the soil so impoverished that nothing grew on it anymore. People were sad because they were forced to work every day in brutal conditions just to be able to survive. But not our protagonist. Not him. Son of a wealthy family, he never had to lift a finger to live in wealth and opulence.

He spent his days playing a prized violin, a gift from his beloved grandfather, with the dream of becoming a musician. And he succeeded. He did not know if it was thanks to his parents' contacts or thanks to his skill, but in the end, he realized his dream of performing in shows for the elite of the world. He also composed some original songs! All was well until a wedding was arranged with a young woman, also with a prestigious pedigree, whom he found unbearable.

But his father had made up his mind, and his word was law! Reluctantly, the boy got married to what he saw only as a profiteering harpy. But his mind changed, when their union brought the greatest gift, he could ever imagine a chubby child as beautiful as nothing else he had ever seen. And for some time, all three were happy.

But happiness is not meant to last long. Although the lavish palaces they lived in may have made him forget the state of their planet, Mother Nature was not sympathetic to those who defaced her kingdom. At just five years old, the child became seriously ill. Even breathing was difficult for him, and the best doctors who visited him lost hope. He died two years after a life spent in hospital beds. In this time a laughable cartoon character was the little boy's only friend.

Our protagonist, maddened by the pain, closed himself in his room, determined not to see anyone anymore. Nothing interested him now; he stopped taking care of himself, talking to people, and even playing his instrument! To escape despair, he took refuge in a realm of fantasy as his body increasingly assumed a monstrous shape, similar to that of a rotten skeleton. Here, he used the power of imagination to build a doll similar to him that could take the place of his lost son, modeling it with all the characteristics he imagined he would have if he had reached adulthood. His obsession became the hope of seeing him again. Carefully, he created his masterpiece. Until one day…"

The story ended there. Many times, he had wondered about the possible ending it might have had. Would the father find peace with that puppet? Or would he be overwhelmed by his torment until he disappeared?

The answer intrigued him and sometimes, driven by boredom, he tried to write an ending himself, but without satisfactory results.

[Well, I don't lack time to draw up a conclusion, who knows maybe something will come to mind in the next few years]

He carefully closed the diary and placed it with the utmost care in the case where he kept it.

He walked away slowly, unable to avoid turning several times to check that he remained in his place. Night fell on the Theocracy's Cathedral.