Death Never Scared Me

Chapter 1- Faun

 I've always felt connected to Death. Ever since it obeyed me when I wished death upon my own father. Death never scared me. Even when its glowing yellow eyes, shimmering like a summer sunset, glared at me with frustration, I never feared it. Death's dark, icy voice sent shivers down my spine, yet something about it infatuated me. Death was beautiful. Death was flawless and not once, did it ever scare me.

The temple is damp and cold on this gloomy winter day. The wind howls outside, slamming against the front door with every gust. The tip of my nose was still freezing and runny even after resting by the fire for a few moments before I started to gather the materials for the ritual. I light some incense and take a deep breath. The smell of incense burning always reminds me of my mother. It puts a smile on my face and fills me with a warm and fuzzy feeling opposite of the day Gwyneira, the Goddess of Winter, gave us this morning.

I bet the caretakers of Gwyneira's temple are ecstatic today. It's the first frost of the year, I'm sure their temple will be bustling with offerings for the Goddess of Winter today. Many people go to Gwyneira during the first frost to beg her for a calm winter. Personally, I like winter. Everything seems quieter, it's very peaceful. Cassian, the head priest, can't stand winter. He despises the snow, the cold, and anything about this season. I think because of that Gwyneira piles more snow in front of his cottage every snowfall. It's so odd to me that someone who is so cold hearted could hate winter.

The temple might have a few visitors today. With winter arriving, many also come to bring offerings to the God of Death, Damien. So many come in every winter to pray that Damien spares them and their families during the season, especially if it looks like Gwyneira is giving us mortals a harsh winter.

Luckily, I got to the temple early this morning while Cassian was still asleep. He doesn't like it when I try to perform rituals. He says that women are not worthy enough to talk to gods, especially higher level gods like Damien. I usually plan my mornings out so that I get her early enough to get a ritual in without him noticing. I can only do the ones I've memorized, however. All of the rituals are located in the ritual book kept in Cassian's room. He claims only the high priests are allowed to touch the ritual book to perform rituals to the gods. From what I have seen at other temples, he is for the most part right. Although, I could have sworn I've seen the priestesses at Aurora's temple performing some higher-level rituals for the Goddess of Love.

The high priests shouldn't be the only ones able to perform rituals. I just don't think that's what the gods would have wanted. I don't think Gwyneira or Anastasia or Minerva, the almighty Goddess of Wisdom for that matter, would want us priestess to just stand by and aid the priests while they read from their stupid books and blabber on about only their needs to the gods. It's not right. So far, I believe a couple of priestesses from Anastasia's temple are on my side, but I think they're too afraid to do what I do. After all, the temple for the Goddess of Life is the biggest in Elder Village.

Quietly, I sneak into the altar room and begin lighting candles and setting out offerings. I had to do this fast, Cassian would be waking up soon. The book said Damien prefers red apples, withered flowers, garnet, and the heart of a dove. Something had told me to bring a vial of rainfall from the night of a full moon, this ingredient wasn't listed in the book, yet a voice inside begged me to bring it.

I set the offerings on the altar. I have to get this ritual done quickly, Cassian can't find out I'm attempting this ritual. He excused small offerings, but not a communication ritual. I truly believe this time I can break through to Damien, I can feel it in my heart.

The night my father died, I didn't know how to react. At first, I felt so guilty. My words killed him. I killed my own father by wishing death upon him. Then it hit me. I killed my own father. Good. He deserved it. His disloyalty destroyed my mother, it broke her heart. I'm glad my words killed him. Ever since that night, I felt this strong connection with Damien. When I took my mother's place as the priestess of the temple dedicated to Damien, I desperately tried to make contact with them. I had to see them. I had to thank them for answering my prayers.