Abberthorn

The Road to Recovery

'Gretta they've gone, and they have left one of their horses for Daemon and me to use when it is time for us to leave. Is there anything that I can do to help with Daemon?' asked Filia.

'All we can do now is wait, he is healing at a far faster rate than I had anticipated, but I am not able to estimate just how long it will be before he is able to travel' said Gretta amazed by Daemon's progress.

'But it might be sooner than expected?'

'It could be' answered the old woman.

'So, is there anything that I could do in the meantime to help pass the time?' asked Filia.

'For now, I would just suggest going about your normal life, and if there is any change, I will find you and let you know' said Gretta.

'Okay well in that case I had intended to visit the temple today, so I think I am going to head over there now' said Filia turning to leave.

'Okay you be safe down there Filia. I've heard rumours that the temple may not be as safe as it used to be.'

'What do you mean? I go down to the temple almost every day and I haven't noticed anything' said Filia stopping dead in her tracks.

'I don't know exactly what is going on, but I've heard that some of the villagers are too afraid to go down there. It really is a shame when people, or events are allowed to prevent us from following our faith' said Gretta.

'Then how do you and Antamere follow the faith, without going down into the temple?'

'Oh, we have our own temple in the basement of the house. You are welcome to use it if you like?' said Gretta.

'No, I'm afraid I cannot do that Gretta. My family and I have been using that temple since we first arrived here and will continue to use it until we leave this place' answered Filia.

'I understand dear.'

Filia made her way across the small village to an unimportant looking, trivial structure that stood in the centre of the village square. The structure was a one storey, square building roughly two square meters in size. It had a small set of decorative bronze double doors, which faced Filia as she approached it. The only thing that gave this edifice any indication of importance was the large shining bronze statue that topped its flat roof. The statue was of a beautiful woman with long hair and a smile that could bring peace to even the most tormented of souls. The woman wore a magnificent long dress that covered her feet and arms and had gilded sleeves that left only her fingers protruding. The figure portrayed by the statue was Lady Masariah the Goddess of peace and compassion. The doors below her feet opened to reveal a staircase that was so well decorated it emulated the statue above.

The stair way was long but perfectly lit by wall mounted torches at regular intervals. As Filia reached the bottom, the narrow walkway opened into an enormous underground temple of profound beauty. It had statues and portraits in the Goddess's likeness all around. At the centre of the furthest wall stood a two-storey effigy of the deity that was only half as high as the ceiling. Filia knelt before the sculpture and began to ask for guidance, wisdom, and patients in the coming matters, when her prayers were interrupted by a woman's voice.

'Oh, child you know not who you ask for wisdom'

Infuriated Filia spun round to confront the person that would dare to interrupt another's prayers. Looking around she was awe struck by the sight of a woman that bore a striking resemblance to the figures that decorated the temple, simply strolling toward her, appearing to radiate with a golden light.

'Do not fear me child. I come before you to simply inform you that you are about to involve yourself in a battle, one that has been waging since creation itself. This is a battle that you will never be able to walk away from once you have entered into it. You will learn secrets that you will need to keep until the day you die, and you will learn of lies that you will need to expose. All of this will come at a series of choices, ones that will not be easy to make. The first of which, you will have to make upon leaving this temple. You will have a few days to make this choice, but once you have made it, there will be no turning back' said the Goddess in an effortlessly peaceful voice.