"Let there be peace! May the dead finally rest, and by the light they follow you, oh Goddess Kalui!" I recited my usual morning prayer. Kneeling near the presbytery, I couldn't help but admire how the morning light breathed life into the pulpit. The statue of the Goddess was illuminated by the three atriums, casting hues of green, lilac, and blue upon her. The gigantic stained-glass windows performed their task to perfection. "A pity so few people are privileged with such a view."
The church was empty, but soon it would be filled with life; it was almost time for the summoning. Another generation of warriors who will fight for the Goddess and for life.
"Another generation delivered to the slaughter," I thought deep down.
The sound of slow footsteps echoed through the church arches, announcing the arrival of his dedicated deacon, Stephen.
"Bishop Lemont, everything is ready. The magic circles have been created, several protective formations are in position, and we have 1,000 soldiers on standby for the event, so we shouldn't have any complications this time," Deacon Stephen said in a confident tone.
"Oh, no? We shall see. We are about to kidnap millions of people from their homes to fight in a war they know nothing about. What would you think of that?"
"Their ignorance does not make them any less involved. The plague is an evil that haunts all universes; sooner or later, they would have to fight. We are only preparing them in advance."
"Sooner or later…" I pondered. "I suppose I am too old-fashioned. Perhaps I will never be able to accept the idea of sending children to fight the wars of old men. It doesn't feel natural; I don't think the Goddess is pleased by this."
"But sir, it was a direct order from the apostles. They are the voice of Kalui herself."
That had always been my belief as well, but ever since despair took hold of the apostles, the seed of doubt sprouted in my heart. What good would it do us to summon children from a world that doesn't even know magic, or hasn't even glimpsed the divine forces that govern the universe? They say these "Earthlings" have potential, but that is all it is—they still need a few millennia to develop naturally. We are about to break the natural order and place them on the front lines of war. These poor innocent souls have no idea of the terrible fate that awaits them.
"Yes, it was an order, and I intend to obey it. I will train these children to the best of my abilities, but it will be the last time. I shall surrender my mantle, and another Bishop will take my place."
"Bishop Lemont, you cannot do that! You took the vows…"
"Yes, I did. I swore to protect the weak and innocent, to combat the evil that plagues the world, and to spread the word of Kalui's love and compassion. And today, I will break several of those vows. I am a perjurer, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to redeem myself for my sins," I said at last, and the deacon seemed to be at a loss for words for several minutes.
"I should resign as well," Stephen finally said.
"No, you will serve the next Bishop. You will be loyal and competent as you have always been, and if the Goddess permits, you will become a presbyter and perhaps a Bishop when you reach the appropriate age. Then, you can do something to change this situation."
"I obey," he said, not daring to talk back again. He had always been like that—he might complain, but he was obedient.
"Give me your hand; I am tired of kneeling."
With help, I stood up, feeling the creaking of old bones, and walked toward the exit gate. In everyday life, I always use magic to improve the flexibility of my joints and reduce the load on my spine. However, it is considered a grave sin to use magic in the house of the Goddess.
"They say the Earthlings have potential. We shall see if they are truly that capable."
Twilight had arrived, and with it, the night chill. I had no fire to warm me, so I used the leather armor stolen from the goblin corpses for protection.
A few kilometers ahead, I could see a pale, flickering glow that could only indicate fire. I was heartened by the idea of finding a human village in the middle of that green hell; I dreamed of a warm bed, bread, and beef broth. Thinking about it consoled me somehow, and like a moth, I simply followed the light in the darkness.
Upon getting close enough, all my hopes crumbled, for all I found was a goblin camp—a population of over fifty of those creatures.
They were well-armed with armor, swords, shields, spears, and even horses. The camp had two watchtowers to the north and south, with a pair of archers in each.
"This is a nightmare."
Looking closely toward the back, I noticed wooden cells with several people trapped inside.
"I imagined there was a camp nearby, but not that it was so large and well-organized."
I was so euphoric from the victory over the five goblins earlier that I thought I could easily take on a camp full of these creatures. "I'll end up as fresh meat just like those prisoners if I'm not careful."
Furthermore, I had unexpected help to defeat that first band, so…
Wait.
A devilish smile began to form on my face unconsciously.
"The enemy of my enemy is also my friend."
At daybreak, seven groups of five goblins were dispatched across the plain in all directions. Only some of these groups had horses; I imagine they were heading further away, but it didn't matter.
Almost all the bands had the same composition as the ones I had killed. I chose to pursue one heading east, as it appeared to be the least equipped.
Once they had distanced themselves enough, I ambushed one of the archers, slitting his throat so quickly that the rest of the group barely had time to understand what had happened before I had already vanished into the vegetation.
They became alert, but it did little good, as I reappeared near the second archer and decapitated him. But unlike last time, I didn't attack the rest of the band; I simply went back into hiding.
The goblins tried to pursue me, but didn't get far before losing sight of me. They knew I could attack at any moment, so they preferred to stay together to protect each other's backs. I was counting on their tiny minds to think of that kind of strategy.
I watched them from afar, waiting, and after 40 minutes, I was not disappointed. A scream came from the heavens. The hungry eagle had come for its lunch. And since they were vulnerable without their archers, they were torn apart one after another amidst screams of terror.