Chương 2: Chapter 2
"You are not ready to become the temple to all of Gaia's gods. Return to the waking world Jake Barriss." I heard Hecate whisper to me as hands made out of mist seemingly pulled my consciousness back to awareness and I opened my eyes to the waking world.
Well actually I couldn't see all too much with Alpha all but leaning over to stare at me with her long blond hair obscuring my sight of the surroundings. "You were unconscious for twenty minutes." She said softly but I had no answer as though how communion bit was instinctual, and I needed to get a hang of those... Sure, the combat instincts of Herakles are more than welcome but letting the gods within me prod me in certain directions was something I wouldn't accept at all.
"What do we do now?" She asked and I sat up so I could look at her properly but unbeknownst to me as I moved my head off her so I could sit in front of her. She pouted heavily, but as I turned back around her face smoothed back into her face of nonchalance before I could see anything.
"Well... I think the best first step is to begin the building of a power structure and of course getting believers." I said as I stood up and offered her a hand that she gently took and stood up with the help of. But as I went to let go, I felt her hold my hand for a split extra second after I let go. "Either way, if we are to do anything we have to get the agreement of the local lord and thankfully... Thankfully the lord of this land is a lower rank Baron who has a wide swathe of land due to how inhospitable this stretch of forests are due to monsters and other things." I finished as I decided to go see if Cid was a thing at all in this world.
Sure, he could do his weird Mook/Lord in the shadows nonsense if he wanted, and I wouldn't interfere with it due to it suiting my own goals. But I wanted to make sure things were made clear as some people especially a murder hobo like him are unpredictable at the best of times.
"Let's go meet Baron Kageno, Alpha. He will have what we need to begin our church and get accepted in the area." I said confidently as I leaned back down and then began transfiguring my clothes to golden and white holy clothes with blood red gems with slitted pupils in the middle of the large gems adorned in central places of the outfit to make me have a similar outfit to the Primarch Sanguinis without it being some giant suit of armor that would be intimidating.
"My lord should you adorn me such an outfit as well?" Alpha asked with some actual excitement, so I nodded and turned her outfit into a more feminine nun outfit that that she covered with the weird misty robe she got from Hecate. "Do I look good?" She asked spinning around and honestly, she was too young other than to look pretty, so I just nodded with a soft smile.
"Yes, Alpha everyone's eyes will be drawn to you." I said bemusedly as Alpha blushed in embarrassment as she knew I was humoring her. "Now let's get going as the local map says the lord's manor is only a couple more hours walk from here." I said as I threw the backpack back onto my back so I could carry my looted gains.
Sure, I could make a block of gold if I wanted to, but I had no idea if there were laws about turning lead into gold through the ill explained magic of this world. Honestly magic in this world was more akin to lower tier cultivation worlds as literally everyone used it to only reinforce their body and their swords with the odd, compressed magic being used to make sword beams unless someone was using an artifact or something to channel their magic through.
Hence why I thought this was a shitty cultivation world especially with how everyone of note was a princess or arrogant official that thought themselves above the common folk in the series.
-
A while into the walk Alpha spoke up as we got closer to the small town that was supposed to surround the baron's manor. "Jake, why didn't you ask what blessing Lady Hecate gave me?"
At that I stilled before I grimaced and shook my head. "I trust you sort of, but..." I looked away from Alpha as I spoke softly. "It doesn't matter what kind of god they are. All gods are foreign and do not think anything akin to mortals. Their thoughts are not our own and their entertainment often is not unlike watching mortals dance upon their palms like ants. And of course, when they tire of our dancing, they throw us aside." I said dully and I felt Hecate within me recoil but if anything, Hercules's power within me grew as he approved of my thoughts which made sense.
"Lady Hecate cursed me. But not really, I honestly don't understand." She said softly and after asking what her curses were, I hummed in thought.
"The first curse is what I am worried about... Thankfully she didn't pull an Aphrodite and actually curse you to love me, or I would never speak her name in this world and let her fade if I could." I said and I heard Hecate giggle within me not offended at my threatening words but only sent the feeling of amusement at who I threw shade at.
"I don't mind the first curse." Alpha said strongly making my eye twitch as I threw a glance at the blond elf, and I saw her blue eyes locked onto my face as she slightly lagged behind my longer strides. "I already swore this life to you. So it makes no difference if I die with you for returning my senses and mind to myself." She said bluntly and I just threw my hands up accepting my fate.
I didn't even need to gaslight the orphan I saved; she already tied the knot as it were.
"Now Jake, do you have any plans for what you plan to say to Lord Kageno?" Alpha asked and I nodded as we walked through small town with the town's occupants gaping at our livery.
I just reached back and took Alpha's hand into my own as we approached the Lords Manor. "Don't worry." I said and then with a loud series of knocking I knocked on the front door of the manor.
Almost instantly the door opened with a maid opening the door and blinking at our dress up. "I was not aware the lord was expecting guests?" She spoke and in response I smiled lightly as I placed a hand over my chest.
"Yes, this is a meeting of fate, as no prior appointment has been made. But I am a humble man of god's grace who has come to pay my respects to the local lord as I come to make my flock out of his people to give them guidance." I spoke softly and the maid blushed as the bits of divinity leaking from me drew in her mind like a moth to fire.
"Ah yes! I see with your finery you two must be high ranking followers of the Lady Beatrix. Allow me to personally enlighten the lord to your visit, please follow me to a sitting room for you to wait and freshen up guests!" She said quickly as she again bowed to me in particular as she let the two of us into the manor.
But as I walked in, my nose tightened up as a foul scent... No, a foul aura reached me. "Ah... Excuse me but what is that aroma?" I asked and the maid looked at me in honest confusion saying she didn't know maybe it was the new cleaning fluids she was using.
But as I was sat down in the sitting room, I could feel Hecate's presence in my soul roiling as she tried to no avail to push out of whatever undeveloped section of my soul held her as I couldn't get actual words from her. But just the fact that Hecate saw fit to get met attention meant that something was off.
"Alpha, do you have any combat capabilities?" I asked quietly so if there were any ears in the walls, they hopefully wouldn't hear anything. Alpha just however shook her head, so I frowned before I reached into my backpack to make her a steel dagger for her to slip into the large sleeves of her robe.
We didn't have to wait long before the doors to the waiting room opened most violently as they were literally kicked in by a woman in her late twenties or something and as she came in she clearly wasn't happy even towards us in fact as the moment her eyes met us, she scowled at the sight of us.
"Lady Kageno I presume, its-" Before I could continue, I was cut off by her furious shouting.
"Shut the hell up! I asked you bastards to cure my daughter but instead bandits come into our home and if it wasn't for my husband hosting spellknight friends, my precious daughter even if she faces the demon possession would be dead or worse!" She shouted.
What the hell did she mean? I wondered as I was so damned confused. But as I blinked in surprise, I mentally latched onto the fact that her daughter Claire was actually still suffering from the demon possession that Alpha suffered from.
"Ah, Lady Kageno you misunderstand we are not apostles of the goddess Beatrix who has abandoned this world. I am a true Apostle for a Pantheon of very true gods, and I can easily prove in fact." I spoke trying to calm her down and at me mentioning I was from a different faith her face twisted into disgust.
"Are you from some cult or something?" She spat and I eyed her before I lifted a single finger and slowly laid it on her grand table that filled the middle of the meeting room.
"I will show you a true miracle... If you continue being rude afterwards, I will show that saying nothing of my capricious gods, but I will show you the definition of cruelty." I said softly as from my hand touching the large table, I turned it primarily into solid gold with several gems inlaid within the table.
The black-haired woman gaped and as she froze, I actually was able to take her in without her raving ruining my opinion of her and I saw she looked like a bustier version of Clair.
"Have I proved myself to be afforded common decency?" I asked with the same polite tone I had been using the whole time and the woman swallowed before she nodded softly.
"Now... Lady Kageno. My name is Jake Barriss, this is my disciple of the Goddess Hecate, Alpha Eve, and I offer you an accord." I said leaning towards her. "I will cure your daughter here and now of the demon possession plaguing her and in return your noble house will support the building of the Gaia Pantheon's church here on your holdings." I offered and the woman bit her lips.
"What will it cost Claire to be cured from the demon's possession?" She asked softly and I shook my head.
"What I ask for. Is the price I will take for my divine service as no one else can do it. Hmm if she desires to join my church later on, she will be allowed to once you see I am not some insane cult doing blood sacrifices or other insanity, is that fair?" I offered holding out my hand to her and she hesitated before nodding.
"Very well... With my husband out doing business in the capital I am all but the acting lord of the land, so I formally agree and welcome the Gaia Pantheon church within my lands." She finished formally as she took my hand sealing the deal.
With the deal sealed my smile became more legitimate as I clapped my hands. "Wonderful! Now let's not keep your daughter suffering and get her cured... Oh, and I hope this isn't rude or anything, but I was curious if you had any other children that may need looked at?" I asked subtly but her face turned from her small smile at the hope of her daughter being cured died as she shook her head.
"No.. after Claire I had a son... But he was stillborn and after Claire's curse coming to the fore..." She chewed on her words before she continued. "My husband and I didn't dare try for any more children as we were scared to only bring such life into a short life if one at all." She whispered as I stoically screamed inside my head.
'What the hell do you mean Cid was stillborn!' I yelled mentally while keeping a straight face before I realized something. Was this what Hecate meant about Fates and the worlds Crossroads had been irreversibly changed?
'Was Cid still on his Earth probably dealing with the mana incursion that was filling his world with mana and monsters?' I continued thinking before putting the thoughts aside as Lady Kageno led me to a large metal door in the middle of a hallway and then the Lady of the house unbuttoned the top of her dress revealing her large breasts while she retrieved a key that was on a necklace that hung between her breasts.
After unlocking the door, she looked at me with some fear as she spoke. "Will it hurt?' She asked softly.
I gently shook my head. "I swear that she will literally not feel a thing and the next thing she knows will be awakening in your arms." At that she sighed in relief as she opened the door and within the room that was more of a prison to keep the one within safe. Was a large four poster bed and atop it was another malformed creature, but this one looked moderately humanoid though mutated beyond all recognition.
"Oh, my baby Claire..." She whispered as I approached the creature that was Claire Kageno and I realized that foul aroma of corruption I had been suppressing my senses of, was coming from her.
So having a sense for these creatures would be good if I wanted to walk the same path as Cid in making a force of orphaned abandoned girls as almost all people that suffer from demon possession are girls with the bloodline of the three heroes.
Wordlessly I sat on the bed and reached over to lay my hand on the lump of flesh and just like Alpha when I fixed her, Claire's mutated form glowed with a silver light that similar to the light coming from the moon and I couldn't help but wonder if the color of the magic had anything to do with how Hecate had a domain of the Moon.
Then with a final flash of silver light, Claire Kageno remained lightly sleeping atop her bed only nude, so I moved aside as her mother literally almost dive bombed her daughter picking her up to smother her into her chest.
"Claire my darling! You are back to normal again!" She cried out before breaking down into honestly sobbing as she held her daughter that was no longer a mutated monster with all the love a mother could have.
Honestly it was like I was back on Earth, and I walked into a cancer section of a children's hospital and cured all their cancer and grew them all a full head of beautiful hair and got rid of any other sign of their previous suffering.
"Rejoice Lady Kageno. Your prayers to the goddess Beatrix who abandoned this world may have fallen upon deaf ears. But no longer is that the case is it." I whispered to her as I patted her on the shoulder and her eyes widened upon seeing me standing beside her. "Now. I and my friend Alpha would like to rest and honestly get a warm meal if your hospitality would allow for such while your daughter sleeps for the next couple hours." I requested and she hurried nodded clapping her hands in succession and from around the corner of the room's door a couple maid walked in and flinched seeing Claire's cured form.
"Maids see to all needs of my guests no matter what they ask of you... I apologize sir but I cannot bear to leave my daughter before she awakes, and I hope you can forgive me!" She said hurried with some desperation in her eyes, but I only smiled softly as my hand gently settled on her head to pet through her black hair.
"Do not worry... I take no offense to ranking below a mother's love and care for her child. Take your time while me and my friend eat and clean off the dust from our travel and tonight if you are willing, we can discuss our future cooperation on what is expected from your noble house and what I will do in turn for using your name and authority." I said confidently before I turned to the maids. "Leads us on then please." I said as Alpha my silent shadow followed me.
-
Unknown to Jake, Okan Kageno, the matriarch of the household just sagged as she laid her daughter down on her bed and just covered her face as she wondered if she sold her soul and even her daughters soul to a devil as she was not blind to how the weak willed little maids with no magical talent like she had being a noble all but gazed at Jake like he was the gods he supposedly served.
"But it's worth it for you Claire." She whispered wetly as she kissed the top of her daughter's head.
Once she pulled back, she took a deep breath as she ordered her thoughts and circumstances. First her useless coward of a husband was hiding in the capital after being ashamed of her and being unable to properly give an heir to the Kageno bloodline, so he won't be an issue to fulfilling the deal especially seeing as he married into the Kageno family to begin with and has no authority that she had given him due to the lout just living the life of a low class noble in the capital of Midgar. Second... What does this Apostle even want besides peasants worshiping his gods?
Okan pondered before she rolled her eyes at Jake's demand for the worship of the local peasants. He could have them all for all she cared as they had no magical potential and were doomed to live an ignoble life working to support their lords being her family. For Claire she had no doubts she would slit the throats of every single one of the local peasants in order to give her a good life free of the demon possession that plagued her.
"Because in the end peasants are born to enrich the life of their betters after all." Okan whispered as she held onto her daughter's hands with honestly love in her eyes as she held her daughters' hand to her cheek as she literally stared at her daughter for the next hour only shifting to get comfortable or just blinking.
The only time she moved was when Claire's eyes flickered and slowly opened as the mother sat there frozen. "Mama?" Claire whispered tiredly and then the room was filled the sounds of cries and tears as Okun Kageno cried with all her repressed emotions and held her daughter in another tight hug of love.
-
"Jake, is it worth letting the world know of your abilities so early?" Alpha whispered to me after we separated to get cleaned up much to Alpha's disagreements but now, we were just eating some honestly kind of bland soup and bread together.
I shook my head, but I grinned softly as I stared out the window of the large dining room we were within. "Oh, most certainly not... Recruiting slowly in the slums of the capital would have probably been both easier and safer... But here under the aegis of a low-ranking noblewoman? That opens a lot of doors and I have plans that needs her name to get me into the noble circles of the world while I build up power for the church." I said confidently as I dipped the bread into the soup and my mood brightened as that was a bit more palatable.
"Plus... In the next few years, many more of the demon possessed will approach this land whether by hook by wandering in, or by crook when bandits or people of the Cult of Diabolos take them through the land." I said coldly and Alpha's fingers tightened on her silver spoon making it shake for a second before she calmed down.
"I will stand beside you Jake... No, my lord." Alpha said but her next words were whispered so lightly I couldn't make them out, so I thought she was just annoyed with the bland soup as well.
Then the doors to the dining hall opened up and walked in Lady Kageno, with a surprisingly shy and demure Claire Kageno wearing a noblewoman's dress being led in as well while holding her mother's hand. "Lord Barriss, this is my daughter Claire Kageno as you well know. But please just call me Okun instead of Lady Kageno, as I insist that you remain in my household while the peasantry begin the building of your sect's chapel." She spoke demurely and as respectful as possible as she was well aware of my status as multiple god's emissaries.
"Ah I will accept your welcoming for tonight Okun." I said thankful making her smile softly but my next words made her freeze. "But my gods blessings are great, and I can create my church within a day so with your welcome here for tonight rest assured we will not be infringing upon your hospitality for long."
While Okun was frozen Claire escaped from her mother's grasp and approached me and looked up at wonder as she asked me quietly. "Are you really some kind of god? Are you super strong with a sword?"
I huffed with a wry smile as I shook my head and patted her on her head with her eyes widening in delight at the affectionate gesture. "I am strong, though I am honestly not that great of a swordsman. But no, I am not a true god... Yet at least." I said whispering to her like it was a secret and her eyes widened and she mimed zipping her mouth shut as she ran back to her mother.
"Well in that case I will endeavor to make you feel welcome within my home." Okun said respectfully and then she spoke again. "Is there anything you do need however?" She asked and I nodded.
"Yes, if you could put out feelers to find out if there are any other lost lambs suffering from Demon Possession, I would appreciate it if you could have them brought to me so I can cure them." I asked to which she hurriedly nodded.
"Of course, Apostle." She answered matter as factly. " I will do my best to follow that request so that other children dont face that fate like Claire did." She finished as she looked lovingly at her daughter.
"Anyway, I am ready to retire for a while with my companion. Thank you for the meal but in the morning may I ask that you have a servant, or someone lead me to the area you will set aside for me to build a church?" I asked and Okun hurriedly nodded.
"Yes of course that's no issue at all. Escort my guests to the high-ranking guests quarters." She ordered a maid that was standing beside the door, and I looked over and saw she seemed to be a normal human though I had seen some demi-humans while we went through the town to say nothing of Alpha being an elf.
Once we were in the quarters that were allotted to us being a opulent living room and a couple bedrooms Alpha turned to me. "Sir, I don't think I will be that useful as a deaconess or even making speeches for whoever you convert to your religion. Could I just... Stick in the background and assemble the militant arm of our forces while trying to master the power Hecate gave me?" Alpha respectfully asked me.
I tapped my fingers on the table as I considered her thoughts before nodding. "Fine. Your forces will be known as Sleeping Tartarus. The counterpart of the public organization, the Church of the Gaia Pantheon." I announced and Alpha just took my hand smiling as I trusted her with the project.
"Jake, do you think you could teach me some magic or something?" She asked before actually pouting. "I cannot see through your Transmutation as it's a divine miracle and doesn't actually use your magical energy so I don't know any spells."
At her question I could only wryly smile as I patted Alpha on her head making her tilt her head to the side in confusion as I spoke. "Uhm Alpha, I was kind of hoping you could teach me magic with your rip-off ghetto Sharingan."
"Whats a Sharigan?" Alpha asked and I further confused her as I replied.
"A gateway to suffering, edginess, and doing stupid things because the stupid eyeballs permanently etch the suffering you see into your memories. Still a potent weapon though." I said as Alpha's eyes kept blinking as she tried ineffectively to parse the nonsense I was speaking. "Anyway Alpha, I literally have zero idea how to use the magic within myself as that's info the nobility keeps to themselves. So, if you can find out for me, I would be ever so thankful as I want to keep an image of power, but you however can ask around by just saying I am allowing you to work it out on your own." I explained.
"Very well... Though its odd with how Lady Hecate being one of your goddesses that you follow, that you don't have knowledge of such magical matters." She spoke and I could feel Hecate within me raging as she thrashed against wherever she was within my soul.
But just as I wondered when she was going to calm down, I felt some of her intent escape its bindings and the power drifted through my body etching its will across it with what seemed to be veins of pure spiritual energy that were both within my body and my animus, or soul of my body.
Hecate then sent a smug feeling towards me, but I could barely feel her as her presence was far weaker than it was before.
"My lord are you alright!" Alpha asked as she lifted my shirt to inspect my chest. "You had these glowing red squarish straight lines cross your body from your heart that crisscrossed all over your body!" She explained obviously very worried about me but as I inspected myself, I felt something similar to like Herakles rage button that allowed my skin to darken and harden with his blessing enhancing my body. But instead, it was like a dozen switches inside my body and experimentally I flipped one of them one and with a crackle of lightning, red and blue circuit like things grew appeared on my mortal flesh and I realized what bullshit Hecate decided to troll me with.
Hecate knowing, I had fuck all knowledge of magic decided to be a cunt and give me fucking obviously Divine magic circuits from the Nasuverse... Why Hecate!" I screeched mentally I as I mentally screamed her for just to give me the damn spells or something.
But all I received was several flashes of 'SMUG' and what could only be described as. 'GET GUD'
'Truly the gods were cruel and had no compassion' I mentally whimpered as Alpha held my chin to see why I was almost crying.
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