Dungeons & Disappointment

Chapter 38: An Interesting Offer

I hauled more boxes and chests of silver aboard the ship, but as I set down the last one, Haneen came down the stairs.

"BahnBarr should be okay." She said. "She took some nasty shots to her head, but give her a day and she should be about right as rain."

I nodded. "How is Ormgaul?"

"He's okay. He's resting for now. Using the dragon breath is pretty exhausting. He needs a rest before he can do it again, I think."

I turned to the silver. "Do you think Tempus would like a burnt offering?"

"I can't imagine a single god that wouldn't want a burnt offering. Especially if he is your patron god."

"So, do I just light the silver on fire?"

"Well, yes and no. We need a brazier. There's one aboard, but you need a cleric to do the burnt offering. Plus, it'll look better with both of us there."

She reached over some barrel and pulled out a large, bronze dish, then placed a little bit of firewood and coal inside, and doused it with a pour of oil.

"Your Halberd?" She suggested.

I slung it right off my shoulders and held it up to the oil. "Frahreak!"

The flames burst to life, and they ignited the oil, which began consuming the fuel that it sat in. I grabbed a handful of silver as Haneen started muttering to herself, no, to the burnt offering, then, she turned her eyes to the ceiling, holding out her hands as if accepting the gods's spirits.

"Throw it in." She commanded. "And the goat horn, from the battle of Proskur."

I wasn't too certain how she knew about the goat horn, since I kept it for myself in my backpack, but nonetheless, I produced it from my bag and filled it to the brim with silver coins. I held it over the fire, then dropped it into the flames, and it disappeared altogether. Just poof, and it was gone. Thunder rumbled through the air, and right as I was figuring that Tempus really liked my gift, thunder crackled above the ship. Finana shouted in alarm, and both Haneen and I raced to the top deck of the ships, our weapons drawn as we frantically searched for the source of the noise. High above us, part of the winter storm was parting, letting the sun's rays through, and, as the clouds parted, a woman appeared from the clouds and descended towards us.

And by all of the great heavens above, she was beautiful. She had a large, one piece dress on, with a shin length skirt, and long sleeves that stopped at her wrists. She had a black corset around her stomach, a big dark red ribbon across her chest, with an emerald-encrusted golden cross on her ribbon. She had a black choker with the same cross, as well as a golden-rimmed set of glasses and a golden cross earring on her right ear. She had long, dirty gray hair that was wrapped neatly in a long braid, and the rest of her hair was either spilled over her shoulders, or wrapped neatly in a white and gray hat that covered part of her head. She descended onto the deck of the ship, landing gracefully, and she peered at us with emerald-green eyes.

Finana and Haneen immediately knelt on the deck, so I followed suit, slamming down onto the deck as the woman smiled at us.

"Arise, Defender of Proskur. Champion, of the Order of Tempus. Slayer of the Mahila the Wise. Bane of Thieves. You have offered a burnt offering that pleased Lord Tempus above, and he has sent me, as a messenger to you." She said, and as I rose, she smiled sweetly. "My name is Aia Amare, hand maiden of the Faerunian Greater Pantheon, Harbinger of Fate and Prophecy."

"So you're, like, the messenger of the gods?"

She furrowed her brow. "Yes, I suppose I am the messenger of the gods. Lord Tempus was quite pleased with the burnt offering you made in his honor, so he has sent me to deliver you a gift, and a message."