My New Life As A Kid Goddess: Book 3 - Kingdom Goddess Arc 2

Arc 2: Kingdom Goddess - Chapter 76

Skies of gray covered the landscape with the pale lighting of a world in repose. With the season of winter came the heavy and cold rains that washed the kingdom in their unforgiving dredges. Just being caught outside would result in being soaked, a state quite dangerous to anyone traveling the roads when the nights were so cold. This was in addition to the thick frost and possible sheets of ice that would form the previous day's moisture and make everything miserable in the out of doors. One would be seen as foolish to travel in these conditions unless it was absolutely required of them, or they were in possession of a thick fur coat.

Such was the environment two travelers were left to contend with as they journeyed through the western province of Rellabellum. There on the muddy road walked both Jagger Nalark and Markku Kepple, an unlikely pair brought together by their shared connection to the great goddess of the land. Neither of them fully trusted the other but they worked together in the name of Jenna. Jagger with his life as a former errant knight had been taught him to be careful who he let close. Markku on the other hand had lived a life of seclusion and fear of being found out for what he truly was and friends outside his village were once an impossibility.

Despite these storied pasts the two men were able to find common ground despite being almost ten years apart in age, with Jagger being the older. Together they had journeyed out into the wilderness in order to fulfill the mission laid out by their goddess herself: that was to investigate the undead around the Henjuk Mountains. Though originally the newly minted paladin's quest alone he was joined by the capable werewolf due to the latter's expertise in wilderness travel. This cooperation offered up by the warrior himself upon hearing about Jagger's mission.

It was only a day or two before that Jagger had completed his so called training at the temple with the high priest, the knight's grasp on magic now passable at least. Such marvelous spells were granted to him by the goddess herself. There were simple things like casting an orb of light or detecting invisible creatures should they exist. But also there were more complex and dangerous things such as imbuing his sword with magical power and even firing an arrow of light from his very hands. Such things just part of being a paladin according to the all knowing goddess.

As for how he had reached the far flung western province of the kingdom that was also thanks to Goddess Jenna. Upon his readiness she had simply teleported him over by way of portal to the village of New Bellumis. That is how he came to meet the capable Markku and ended up partnering with him to foray into the wild. The werewolf warrior had a bone to pick with the undead, in both a figurative and literal sense, and was so inclined to volunteer himself for duty without hesitation.

It was the original village of the werewolves that was their destination. Ever since their abandoning it from the attacks led by the vampiress Neske the place had been overrun by the shambling dead, some of which had been either forgotten or stationed there for unknown ends. The fields next to the former village were one of the first places the living had contacted the undead and thus were a stellar place to begin their search. Though the dead were not known to talk even when raised to false life there were still possible clues to uncover there.

The two men had just come upon the very edge of the now abandoned village, their feet carefully placed as they crept up to the edge of the treeline. It was a drab and dreary day with the rain having let up easier in the morning and thankfully not returning from the overcast sky. This made the ground mushy and tricky to maneuver on. Thus the element of stealth was important. Markku led the way and Jagger felt no need to attempt to assert himself.

Markku was crouched behind a large bush in human form and gestured to his companion, speaking with his voice low.

"Come friend." He whispered. "Look at this."