Goblinsbane Ch. 01: Pilgrimage

"That's right. Hobgoblin."

"Are they a special kind of goblin?"

"They're related, the same way a mountain lion is related to a house cat. Not only are they larger and stronger than their goblin cousins, hobgoblins are also smarter, more ambitious and more organized. They're more dangerous, overall, especially in groups. A group of just five hobgoblins can be a surprisingly effective strike force, if they've worked and trained together enough. And hobgoblin troops are often hired to fill out the ranks of the more unscrupulous mercenary companies. " Sabine couldn't help but notice how Eredwal's tone took on a professorial quality when he spoke of gobins and their ilk.

"You're lucky that this one lead a band of goblins rather than more hobgoblins," he continued. "If it was hobgoblins that attacked you, they would've probably killed you before I arrived."

"Yes, we were quite fortunate, indeed." Sabine smiled, stiffly. This Eredwal was as blunt as he was dangerous, she observed. "But I would rather not count on good fortune to see us through this forest, safely. As I mentioned before, the temple of Mirea will pay you handsomely for saving Kassus and I. Since you will need to go there to collect your reward, may I ask you to travel with us to Vesper?"

"Fine." The warrior made up his mind, quickly. "It would be foolish of me to turn down pay, especially for such a simple job. I just need to finish up here, then I'll be ready to go.

"In the meantime, you should get Scowly Squarejaw over there to detach the horses from the carriage." Eredwal pointed at Kassus, who happened to be scowling while looking for something with which to cover the bodies of his dead comrades. "All three of us can't fit on my horse. Hopefully you know how to ride without a saddle."

Before too long, the horses were detached from the carriage and the fallen guards were tied to them. Eredwal didn't offer much help with that, because he was busy filling his pouch with over a dozen bloody ears. After Sister Sabine said a lengthy prayer to the dead for Bruhl and Torren's spirits, the priestess, her long-time protector, and her strange, new companion started to make their way towards the city.

"What will become of the carriage and the pine? Will someone clear them off the road?" Sabine asked as she rode around the tree blocking the road. She felt sad to see such an old living thing chopped down and used as part of a monsters' ambush.

"Maybe, if enough people complain. I don't know for sure." Eredwal shrugged. "All I know is it isn't my job."

*****

It was early in the evening when the trio arrived at the temple of Mirea. Out of all the Harvest Mother's temples in Sildare, the one in Vesper was one of the grandest. It was second in grandeur - but not in size - to the temple located in Veden, where the goddess first spoke to Inez the Greenweaver thousands of years ago, telling her to sow the seeds of the Mirean faith wherever she went.

Sister Sabine had never been to this temple before. She had read so much about it, and had seen drawings of it in several books. But to see its ivy-enwrapped walls, its giant, flower-covered pillars, and the massive mural on the front wall - which depicted Mirea and her divine husband, Radain Brih, nourishing all life in the world - with her own eyes filled her with nearly overwhelming wonder.

"Torren and Bruhl will be taken care of, Sister." Kassus' voice snapped Sabine out of her wonderment. She turned to see an expression of amazement on her friend's face that she assumed mirrored her own. Behind him, she spotted some acolytes leading their horses and the wrapped bodies they bore away.

"Thank you, Kassus." She smiled at him, gratefully, before turning to Eredwal. Unlike the two Mireans, he did not look at all impressed. To Sabine, he looked like he wanted to get his money and leave as quickly as possible. Resisting the urge to say something about his apparent lack of reverence, she lead them towards the temple's large double doors.

The doors opened seemingly on their own, revealing another priestess waiting to greet them. She practically glided towards them, her hands outstretched and a smile upon her face.

"You must be Sister Sabine." The woman took Sabine's hands in a warm gesture. "You are most welcome here. I am Sister Hestia."

Hestia, like Sabine and other priestesses of Mirea, had a timeless look about her. Even this close, Sabine had difficulty guessing how old she was. She appeared to be no more than 40 summers old, but it would not be surprising to find out she was considerably older.

Hestia turned towards Sabine's guard. "And you must be Kassus. We have heard so much about you two. The matron of your temple speaks quite highly of you both."

Sabine squeezed her sister's hands and returned her smile, brightly. "Thank you, Sister Hestia. It is through the Mother of All's providence that we arrived here safely." She reconsidered her words. "Her providence, as well as the timely intervention of a local."

"Oh?" Hestia released Sabine's hands before getting her first look at the man clad in black. Eredwal took off his helmet, held it under his arm, and nodded in polite greeting. Sabine was thankful that he at least had enough respect for her religion to behave himself here.

"Yes. This man is named Eredwal. He is the goblin exterminator of Vesper, and it was thanks to that expertise that Kassus and I survived a goblin - and hob goblin - ambush."

Sister Hestia's eyebrows rose. "An exterminator, you say?" Turning to Eredwal, she appraised him more carefully. "I've heard your name before, but the title with which you were associated was not 'exterminator'. I've heard the farmers refer to you as Eredwal the Goblinsbane."

Both Sabine and Kassus looked at Hestia blankly, then turned to Eredwal in unison. He shrugged. "I'm something of a legend to the folks around here," he stated, matter-of-factly. "Save enough farmers from greenskins who keep trying to steal their crops and rape their women, and you're bound to get a reputation.

"I didn't think my reputation would go all the way up to the clergy, though."

Hestia chuckled. "The priestesses of Mirea go out of our way to know what is in the hearts and minds of the farmers, who glorify Her name every day they care for the fields. The farmers here are quite fond of you. But something tells me you already knew that."

Eredwal didn't say anything in response. He just smiled, smugly.

Once her surprise wore off, Sister Sabine explained why the Goblinsbane was here. "Sister, I have told our savior that the temple would reward him for his efforts."

"Say no more. Paying him is the very least we can do in return for ensuring the safety of our most devout." Hestia smiled wider and gestured for them to follow her inside. "Please, come."

The interior of the temple was more splendid than Sabine had imagined. Because she was so caught up in her admiration for the vaulted ceiling, the stained glass windows that depicted important figures and events of her religion, and the many interior grow beds filled with plants that looked as healthy as any she had seen flourishing outdoors, she did not notice when Hestia disappeared behind closed doors for a moment to get a pouch of gold. However, Sabine did notice when the other priestess returned to hand the pouch to Eredwal, who whistled out of pleasant surprise once he felt how heavy it was.

"Ooo weee! I heard you harvest priestesses were loaded, but this is more than I expected. This is he kind of pay I'd expect for rescuing a noble or something like that." He opened the pouch to poke around inside. Much to his delight, all the coins turned out to be gold. That discovery elicited another appreciative whistle from him.

Sabine was embarrassed by Eredwal's reaction to the gold. To talk that irreverently in this place of worship was improper, to say the least. Thankfully, Hestia did not appear to be offended. She appeared to enjoy Eredwal's antics, in fact, as indicated by her graceful laughter.

"Thanks, Sister," Eredwal said, suddenly cheerful, before tucking all those heavy gold coins into an inside pocket of his armored coat.

"You are most welcome, Goblinsbane."

"Well, if that's everything, I'll be on my way." Apparently not one for long goodbyes, the warrior gave a quick bow of his head to Sister Hestia. He made the same informal bow to Sister Sabine, and also threw in some extra parting words. "If you you'll need saving again, feel free to look me up. I can usually be found in the Buxom Wench of the Gold District."

"What was that?!" Sabine asked, somewhat horrified by what she thought he meant.

Hestia laughed again and placed a hand on Sabine's forearm. "Oh, dear sister, you are so easily offended! The Buxom Wench he speaks of is an inn located in our market district." Sabine nodded, finally understanding, although she was still embarrassed by her savior's behavior.

"Heh, guess you really know your wenches," Eredwal gave Hestia a grin and a finger gun. Then, with one final, casual salute to Sabine and another to Kassus, who was scowling nearby, the black-clad warrior hurried out of the temple. The rushed departure gave Sabine the impression that he disliked temples more than he disliked those goblins he slaughtered earlier.

Before she could dwell on how odd that man was, Sabine's thoughts were interrupted by Hestia. "Come, I'll show you two to your rooms. You must be exhausted. The ceremony will, of course, take place at dawn's first light, which should give you enough time to recover from what must have been quite the ordeal."

"Thank you, sister." If Sabine could, she would have asked for the ceremony to be performed that night, for she was so eager to receive a vision from the Mother of All. Not every priestess received such a blessing. So when Sabine was summoned to the temple in Vesper to take part in a vision ceremony, she dropped everything she was doing and arranged to make the pilgrimage as soon as she possibly could.

As much as she wanted the ceremony to be performed tonight, she knew that it could not. It had to be performed at dawn, when the warming rays of Radain Brih, the Light from Above, began to illuminate the land. Mustering her resolve, Sister Sabine reminded herself that one more night of waiting wasn't too much to ask.

Besides, after what happened in Falo Forest, she knew that rest would do her a world of good.

*****

In the heart of the temple was a chamber that only the most devout of Mireans could enter. Known as the Fertile Chamber, it was vast, circular, and made of bright, white limestone. Along the curved wall were alcoves, within which stood statues that honored many of the great priestesses, matrons, and saints who served the faith over the course of two millennia. A statue of Inez the Greenweaver - the First Mirean - stood in the alcove immediately beside the room's main doorway.

An interior garden occupied much of the Fertile Chamber's floor space. To create the garden, an immense circle was carved into the floor and filled with supernaturally rich soil. A wide variety of field crop samples - like corn, potatoes, tomatoes, wheat, sorghum, lima beans, sugar cane, and rice - all flourished in the same garden, obviously due to divine assistance since many of these plants required wildly different conditions to thrive. The crops were planted in orderly rows so that priestesses could walk through the garden with ease.

In the middle of the garden was an apple tree whose many branches were filled with vibrant green leaves and plump, red apples. This tree looked much like the holy symbol that was displayed on the amulets, robes, or other adornments worn by Mirea's faithful.

High above the garden was a large, domed skylight. It wasn't quite dawn yet, so a blue-gray sky dimly lit by the sun's approach could be seen through the glass.

Dressed in a long, flowing robe of green and yellow, Sister Sabine was lead into the chamber by Sister Hestia and a handful of other priestesses. Kassus was there, too, following the procession. However, he did not go far past the entrance. He closed the large doors behind the priestesses, then stood near the statue of Inez, for he was there as a witness, not a participant.

The matron of the temple - Matron Loria - was already standing in the garden. "Approach, child," she said, her wrinkled hands outstretched. "You are welcome here in this sacred place." To Sabine, Loria appeared to be a healthy septuagenarian, which probably meant she was actually much older. Loria may have possibly been the oldest Mirean Sabine had ever met. At the very least, Sabine knew by reputation that the matron had received more visions from their goddess than nearly any other person alive.

Sabine took the matron's hands, immediately feeling the warmth of the high priestess's fingers. Loria asked her, "Are your heart and mind open so you may receive our Mother's message?"

Blinking back tears, Sabine could only nod and smile to convey her readiness. She did not trust herself to speak at that moment. Loria offered a small, knowing smile in return before leading her towards the apple tree at the center of the chamber.

Outside, the sun peeked over the horizon, casting its light upon the land for the first time today. A ray of Radain Brih's light touched the top of the temple's bell tower, and at that same instant the magic of the Fertile Chamber's skylight activated, bathing the entire garden with nourishing sunlight. No matter the sun's position, no matter the cloud coverage, that divine sunlight would continue throughout the entire day.

When Sabine saw the apple tree basking in holy light, she couldn't help but sob, just once. The fact that she was truly there, that the ceremony was truly going to happen and that she would receive a vision from Mirea felt more real, all of a sudden. It was overwhelming. She had to force herself to remain calm, to steady her breathing, as well as steady herself on her feet. Wiping her tears away with the tips of her fingers, she took her first steps onto the garden.

As Matron Loria lead Sister Sabine forward, Sister Hestia and the other priestesses approached the center of the garden from the sides. Now seven priestesses in total, they formed a semi-circle in front of the tree. They knelt as one, and Matron Loria lead them in a hymn that honored their goddess and her good works. The once quiet chamber was filled with a song of praise that sounded as though it were sung by angels.

The priestesses' singing continued for quite some time - enough time for the sun to rise completely above the horizon. When their song eventually ended, Sabine felt more calm than she had ever felt before. She felt serene. Knowing what she had to do next, she stood, approached the tree, then knelt down directly in front of it. If this were a normal tree, there would have been at least a few fallen apples on the ground. But there were no apples scattered on the grass upon which she now knelt.

Behind Sabine, Matron Loria spoke, her voice ringing throughout the chamber too clearly for magic not to be involved. "Mirea, Mother of All! Please, hear our prayer."

"Please, hear our prayer," the other priestesses repeated in unison.

Loria continued. "Divine Mother, Your humble servant, Sabine, is here in Your sacred garden, her heart open, her mind ready to receive the vision You have promised. Please grant her this vision so that she may know how best to carry out Your Will.

"Mother, hear our prayer."

"Mother, hear our prayer." Once again, the priestesses repeated the matron's words. This time, they began to hum as well. They hummed the melody of another hymn, softly, while Matron Loria - her arms outstretched and her brows furrowed in deep concentration - continued to pray to Mirea out loud.

Sister Sabine knelt there, eyes closed, silently awaiting any sign of the divine. That sign eventually arrived as the rustling of leaves, the caress of a breeze upon her cheek, and the heightened scent of a garden full of crops. Immediately she knew that Mirea's eyes were upon her, and she forgot to breathe for a few moments. Doing her best to empty her mind, she prepared herself for a holy vision.

What she got was far more than a vision, however.

The rustling of leaves she heard earlier grew louder, and the breeze that had gently touched her cheek grew into a gust that tousled her short, black hair and whipped at her robe. The gust affected the others as well. Their humming paused, for a few of the priestesses were caught off guard by what was happening. Anything that occurred during a vision ceremony should have only affected the vision's recipient.

Sabine heard the muffled thud of something hitting the ground beside her. She ignored it. But then more soft impacts followed, one after another, which caused her to open her eyes. She discovered that the apples on the tree were beginning to fall off. It was more than that, actually - it appeared as though the tree had developed a life of its own and was shaking its apples off its branches.

Not understanding what she was seeing, Sabine just knelt there watching the tree move of its own volition. It dropped the last of its fruit to the ground, then slowly pushed some of its branches together, not unlike a person folding their hands together in prayer. Through widened eyes, Sabine saw the tree's leaves gradually coalesce into a feminine face.

"This is no vision!" Matron Loria - the only one in the room who understood what was happening - whispered, awestruck. "This is Mirea Herself!"

None of the priestesses, including Loria, had ever witnessed the Mother reveal herself like this. Yet, instinctively, they all knew what to do. Almost as one, Mirea's followers bowed down until their foreheads touch the earth. Some whispered prayers to a goddess that now occupied the same chamber as them. Others were too stunned to speak. Sabine was one of those.

The mouth of the leaf face moved. An otherworldly voice not only filled everyone's ears, it touched their souls as well. "Rise, Sabine. Lift up your face so I may look upon you." The voice was the most beautiful sound Sister Sabine had ever heard.

Sabine did as she was commanded, lifting her face off the ground and returning to an upright, kneeling position. That was as far as she rose, for she did not dare to stand in her goddess's presence. She did, however, meet the avatar's gaze.

Sabine's first instinct was to speak the words from a prayer. "My heart is open to Your voice, Mirea, and my mind is open to Your words,"

The avatar of Mirea smiled. "Sabine, my precious child, you can relax. This is not an audition." The goddess's words were gentle, even playful. "You are not here for me; I am here for you."

Taken aback, Sabine could only nod.

Something akin to soft laughter tickled the priestess's ears. Suddenly, Sabine felt as though she were being embraced, although there were no arms around her. The sensation reminded her of when her mother hugged her and reassured her as a child. A sense of calm washed over her.

When Sabine relaxed, the spiritual embrace ended, and the goddess spoke once more. "You have always questioned your purpose. You have always wondered if there was more you could be doing in my name. Even when you healed the wounded and eased the passing of the fallen in the War of the Wilted Rose, you were not certain if you were doing enough, or if you were doing the right thing at all.

"I know this, for I have heard all of your prayers, including the ones you spoke in those moments of darkest despair. I have seen the doubt in your heart.

"My child, know that your good works have not gone unnoticed. I have seen all that you have done in my name. And you have made me proud."

Sabine couldn't help but sob. The face in the tree smiled, and the priestess felt a invisible hand cup her cheek. She leaned into that warmth, smiling in return.