Sword and Staff

Prologue

It was the third sunny night in a row. Though the sun had set, it cast a reflection off of the moon so powerful it was like the sun was up in the sky, shining down on everything. The people in nearby towns had been questioning this since day one. Rumors and gossip had flown through the townspeople like water in a river. What was causing this? Why was it happening? Were their sacrifices and prayers to the gods not enough?

I heard that Veses, son of Wyner, is doing this as a way to show rebellion against his father!
Well I heard that Galris destroyed an evil spirit, and the night-sun is her victorious spirit gleaming across the lands!

Personally, I think Nela forgot to summon the stars and hide away the sun completely.

The rumors simply would not end. Thus, on the third day, when most of the townspeople were panicked and frightened, they called upon a priestess. A fair lady by the name of Evangeline. She took one look at the moon and sky and scoffed, "You fools. Have you truly lost your sight?"

Taking the townspeople up to a tall hill, she spoke, "The Temple. You have left it lonely. When was the last time an offering was placed inside?"

"Three days ago." Was the general conclusion between the people gathered.

"And for three days Vita has been left lonely and hungry. Go, feed her. Collect only your best livestock and ornaments, and the night will return."

But when the people came to the temple with their sacrifices, they did not find what they were expecting. They expected to find Vita, their demi-god, a protector of the village. They hadn't seen her in person before, but she had made herself known. Only when things were sacrificed would the crops be watered, fires be extinguished, famines removed and everything would be alright again.

They didn't find their precious god. What they found instead was the fresh corpse of an elder from one of the villages. His clothes torn away, chest cut open from his collarbone down to his hips. His ribs, organs and heart on full display. Sticky, drying blood covered the pumice table he was laid on. What was once a place of worship was now the gruesome scene of a sacrifice.

And from what it looked like, it had been a recent death.