“Aw hell yeah! Who’s on our hit list first, little Jojo?” Drogun’s voice boomed through the chamber like a boulder thrown into a pond. He sat up tall with a grin that stretched from ear to ear, rubbing his hands together with the gleeful energy of a child about to cause trouble.

Pope Johanna let out a short, sharp breath. She said nothing to acknowledge Drogun’s interruption and stepped forward instead, her white robes sweeping quietly across the polished floor. 

Raising her hands slowly toward the open arched ceiling of the sanctum, she closed her eyes.

A beam of golden light descended from above, striking the floor just before the three towering statues of the Progenitor Gods. The light pulsed and shifted—soft gold becoming cool blue, then green, violet, and all colors in between. It swirled and bent until it formed a vision:

A woman, seated within a vast hall of mirrors. She combed her long, silken white hair with a sapphire-encrusted comb, humming softly to herself. Her robes were flowing and pale with a blue sash, her presence serene. Her eyes, each a mixture of gold and blue, shimmered with unnatural beauty—mesmerizing galaxies glowing behind calm lids.

“This is the first god the Progenitor Gods have deemed to be your first challenge,” Johanna announced. “Goddess Elestria, Lady of the Guiding Light.”

At the mention of her name, the vision shifted. Elestria’s humming stopped.

She paused mid-brush and tilted her head as if she’d heard something far away. Then, without warning, she stood from her seat, and the reflection of her form launched into motion. She charged forward—fierce and wild like a cornered animal. Her mirrored surroundings fractured as her image raced toward the group.

It was nothing more than a glimpse into a far away place, no harm to be conceivably done—yet the force behind her movement made hearts race all the same.

Nixi squeaked in surprise and immediately ducked behind her bag, face burning red from terror.

Drogun burst out laughing, pounding a fist against his leg. “Oh-ho! She looks ready to bite someone’s head off! I like her!”

Mireya didn’t even flinch. Her face remained expressionless, arms folded, gray eyes unblinking.

Johanna’s fingers twitched. Her breath caught—just enough for Larz to notice. He stepped slightly closer, protective by instinct, but said nothing.

Just as Elestria’s mirrored form reached the edge of the light’s projection—seemingly just a hair's breadth from impact—the vision dissolved. The light faded gently, like mist rolling off a field at dawn, leaving only the quiet sanctum behind.

Johanna inhaled slowly and lowered her arms. Then, to ground the moment, she clapped her hands twice.

A young girl entered through the sanctum doors. She was no older than twelve, clad in white robes with short blue hair and faint gills at the base of her neck. Her green eyes sparkled with devotion as she carried a large, aged scroll reverently in both hands.

“I’ve brought the item you requested, Your Holiness!” the girl said brightly.

“Excellent work, Zera,” Johanna said gently, brushing the child’s hair with an almost motherly softness. “You may go now.”

Zera giggled and exited quietly.

Johanna turned and handed the scroll to Larz. Larz accepted it with care, his blue eyes widening slightly as he noticed the faint divine energy the item was emitting.

“This was prepared at the request of the Progenitors,” Johanna said. “They’ve also… instructed me to inform you that your daggers will point you to your next destination after Elestria is defeated. Though I must admit—I’m unsure what exactly that means.”

The last line came out in a whisper, her composure faltering just slightly.

Larz smiled and gave a light laugh. “That’s all right. I’m sure I’ll figure it out along the way.” He hesitated before speaking once more, his wolf ears drooping. “But… does that mean we won't be coming back here?”

Johanna blinked. Her eyes found his, and color touched her cheeks. She turned away a moment too late for it to go unnoticed.

“You may still visit the other temples of the Progenitor Gods,” she said, her voice back to formal control. “They have been instructed to provide you sanctuary, supplies, and even coin for the journey ahead.”

“That include free food and drink too, little Jojo?” Drogun chimed in, ever grinning.

Johanna gave no reply. Only a slow blink in Drogun’s direction, then a deliberate turn toward the others.

“You’ll find your weapons and travel packs in the main hall with the Holy Knights. Good luck on your journey, chosen ones.” She smiled—small, warm, and with a flicker of something sorrowful behind it.

The doors closed behind them with a soft boom, and cool air swept over their faces.

Larz stood at the edge of the platform outside the temple and looked out over the world.

The view stretched for miles. The temple sat at the peak of a mountain, and from this height, the sprawl of the city below looked like a dream. Farther beyond, the ocean glittered under a rising sun, and the rhythmic sound of dolphins splashing carried faintly on the wind.

Drogun slung his axe over his shoulder and let out a breath. “Whew. That was one wild start. Hope the rest of these gods are just as spicy.”

Nixi fiddled with her satchel straps, her fluffy tail getting caught in one again.

Mireya stretched her wings, catching Larz’s glance and glared at him. “What? Never seen someone stretch their wings before?”

Larz looked away awkwardly, his ears burning a little at being caught staring.

Drogun grinned and passed a pouch to him. “Check this out. One of the knights gave it to me. This thing’s heavier than my sense of humor…well, almost heavier!”

Larz grabbed the pouch from him and almost dropped it from the sheer weight of it. “Woah. That’s… incredibly generous.”

“You won’t see me complain about it either,” Drogun said with raucous laughter.

“Can we go already?” Mireya snapped, turning her back to them. “The sooner we leave, the sooner I can get away from—” Her voice stopped. She stared out at the sea, her posture faltering.

Larz cleared his throat and turned his attention to the scroll, unfurling it to reveal a map. The map was marked with ink that shimmered faintly with the divine essence he had sensed previously. Larz also noticed that it detailed the known temples across the land, each bearing the name of the god or goddess that claimed it.

“Okay. So we’re…here…and Elestria’s temple is… here! In a town called… Lunengarde?”

Drogun snorted. Even Mireya let out the faintest snort of laughter.

“Um… I think it’s pronounced Lumengarde,” Nixi mumbled, ears twitching.

Larz flushed. “Ahahah…right! That’s what I meant. Lumengarde. Of course…” He rolled the map and tucked it under his arm.

“Shall we begin our journey?”

With the temple behind them and the path ahead uncertain, the four warriors descended the mountain—toward their first god, and soon enough, into legend.

To be continued...