Skala nodded, "First, write a booklet answering these six questions:"
"What deity do we believe in? Why is He willing to answer our prayers? What are the consequences of conversion? What happens if one doesn't convert? Does He require sacrifices? How is He different from other loa?"
Siye quickly wrote down these questions.
Although Skala spoke these questions, a subtle, unexplainable sense of unease arose in his heart.
They were currently relying on his judgment.
But what would they rely on later?
They didn't believe in him; they believed in Obsidian.
And their Lord... had not yet given clear doctrines.
There were no holy days, no admonitions, no boundaries of sin and punishment, and no teachings on "what should be done and what should not be done."
In the past, this was an advantage; everything was flexible and unconventional.
But now, it had become an obstacle.
Skala looked at the shrine still under construction outside, and for the first time, a strong thought arose in his heart:
The God must respond.
He must tell us—what kind of life should those who believe in Him live?
—Dividing line—
Gundrak, the capital of the Frost Howl clan.
Under the night sky, a temple surrounded by stone beast sculptures stood silently, and seven divine figures emerged from the void onto the altar in the temple's center.
This was a gathering of the Drakkari Ice Troll loa.
Seven deities appeared one after another, each carrying the aura and oppressive presence of their respective domains.
The rhinoceros loa, Akali, spoke first, his voice as steady as a mountain: "This meeting concerns the 'Land of Lost Faith.' According to reliable information, the situation there has changed."
"What's happening?" Hakkah, the snow leopard, asked nonchalantly.
"Someone is spreading faith," Akali said in an emotionless tone, "and it's not one of us."
A silence fell within the temple.
Mammoth loa, Mamatos, reacted most strongly; that had been his territory before. "Those abandoned Ice Trolls, they actually found a new master?"
"We didn't abandon them," Rhunok, the bear loa, grumbled, "it was you who believed that contaminator's prophecy."
"Don't mention that liar!" Mamatos reacted violently, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "The problem now is that someone is stealing followers on our territory!"
"But we all believed it," the snake loa, Siletus's voice seemed to come from the horizon, devoid of any emotion. "The contaminator said that there would be mutual devouring among the faithless and the tragedy of divine fall there... so we retreated."
Hakkah scoffed, "Whether he was right or not, that wretched place has long been worthless; we can't even collect offerings."
"We brought back all the valuable followers," Saronyah, the wind serpent's voice interjected. "So giving up was not a problem."
"What do you know?" Mamatos was clearly anxious. "Even the most barren snowy plain should belong to us! Letting an outsider take root there, what will the other loa think of us?"
Akali opportunely asked in a deep voice, "Then what do you intend to do?"
"Join forces and drive out that charlatan," even the eye gem on Mamatos's statue seemed to flash with a greedy light. "At that time, the faith and offerings... we'll split them evenly."
Hakkah clearly found it even more amusing. "Sounds like you're afraid to go alone and want to drag us down with you."
"Nonsense!" Mamatos roared furiously. "I am considering everyone's dignity! Should we wait for that new god to spread followers to Gundrak?"
"What if... what if they willingly follow the new god?" Rhunok's deep voice sounded, carrying his own contemplation.
"Then we should act even more!" Mamatos growled, "Let those traitors know the consequences of betraying us!"
Hakkah seemed to have exhausted his last bit of patience. "If you want to go, go by yourself. I never fight a battle I'm not sure of."
Immediately, his will transformed into a wisp of cold wind and departed.
The other loa also left one after another.
Seeing that the situation was unmanageable, Mamatos let out a furious roar and then left dejectedly: "A bunch of cowards! When that new god comes knocking, don't come to me for help!"
Finally, only Akali and Rhunok remained.
"Now that it has come to this, what do you think?" Akali asked.
Rhunok's voice was hoarse, "I... am no longer qualified to interfere with their choices."
Akali shook his head, and his figure gradually faded away.
The temple returned to silence.
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