Chapter 1382 The Story Of Ava, The Goddess Of Healing

Chapter 1382 The Story Of Ava, The Goddess Of Healing

Meanwhile, at the edge of the forest, the remaining cultists were getting... restless.

"What's taking that mutt so long?" one of them grumbled, kicking at a loose rock. "He should have found them by now. Those Ava worshippers can't have gotten far."

"Maybe... he found something... more... interesting," another cultist chuckled, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "You know Baruk. Always had a nose for... the ladies."

"Yeah, that's probably it," the first cultist laughed. "He's probably... entertaining himself. While we're stuck out here, freezing our asses off."

"Let's go find him," a third cultist suggested, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. "If he isn't dead, he better have a damn good excuse for not signaling us."

They had no idea that their... friend... was no longer capable of... signaling... anything. Or that the God of Darkness was now stalking them, a predator moving silently through the shadows, his eyes gleaming with a cold, lethal intent.

Deep within the forest, nestled among the towering trees and shimmering hot springs, was a hidden sanctuary. A small, carefully tended garden, its air filled with the scent of wildflowers and the gentle murmur of a nearby waterfall. In the center of the garden, a pond, its waters crystal clear, teemed with colorful koi fish. Blue flowers, their petals shimmering with a faint, ethereal light, lined the banks of the pond, their fragrance mingling with the sweet scent of the golden maple trees that provided shade from the oppressive sky above.

Beneath those trees, a group of figures huddled together. Men, women, and children, their clothes tattered and muddy, their faces etched with exhaustion and fear.

"Mommy, when are we going home?" a small child whimpered, clinging to his mother's skirt. "I'm... scared."

"Who are those... scary men in black, Mommy?" another child asked, his eyes wide with fear.

The adults exchanged uneasy glances, struggling to find the right words to explain the... situation to their children. How do you tell a child that they're being hunted? That their homes have been destroyed? That their lives are in danger?

But before they could answer, a figure emerged from behind one of the maple trees. It was a young woman, her green hair pulled back into a braid, her eyes kind and reassuring, and a basket filled with fruits and bread clutched in her hands.

"Here you go, little ones," she said, her voice soft, gentle, as she distributed the food among the children. "Eat up. You need your strength."

"Thank you, Miss Fayeth," the children chorused, their faces brightening as they grabbed the food, their hunger momentarily eclipsing their fear.

This was Fayeth, the Angel of Ava and the last hope for those who'd escaped Agra's wrath.

"Now, off you go and play," she added, her smile widening. "We'll be going home soon. I promise."

The children, their faces lighting up, scurried off, their laughter echoing through the trees as they chased each other through the undergrowth, their small hands clutching the precious fruits and bread.

The adults, however, remained, their faces etched with worry.

Hearing them, Fayeth felt a pang of... something. Pity? Anger? Helplessness? It was a story she knew all too well. A tragedy that had played out centuries ago and was no secret in the realm of the Gods. The tale of Ava's betrayal, of her worshippers' shortsighted fury, had been whispered in every temple, every tavern, every back alley, how Ava, in her infinite compassion, had healed Morbus, the God of Plagues, only to have her kindness twisted, her mercy betrayed.

It all started when Morbus tried to spread his plagues on the worshippers of Rudra, the God of War. Back then, before the Dark Lord's rise, the death of a god was... unthinkable. They were immortal, invulnerable, the apex predators of the cosmic food chain. But even if a god couldn't be killed... at least not by other gods, which was proven false by Michael...they could still be... hurt. And Rudra, in his fury, had done a real number on Morbus. He had left the Plague God alive, but barely, his body wracked with pain, his power... diminished. Thus, Morbus, desperate for healing, had fled to the Verdant Sanctuary and sought Ava's aid.

Ava, being Ava, couldn't refuse his plea for help. She'd healed him, using her divine power and connection to the Verdant Sanctuary to mend his broken body and restore his strength. But in doing so, she'd inadvertently... unleashed a plague upon her own domain.

Morbus's power, his very essence, was tied to disease, decay, and suffering. And as he healed, as his strength returned, that power... seeped into the Verdant Sanctuary, corrupting its life-giving energy and twisting it into something... toxic.

The plague had swept through Ava's domain like wildfire, killing countless mortals, ravaging the land. And Morbus, that ungrateful bastard, instead of showing gratitude, had simply... left. Vanished, leaving Ava to deal with the aftermath of his... recovery.

Ava, despite her immense power, her connection to healing, had struggled becuase although she was the Goddess of Healing, she was fighting a plague spread by a fellow God. Still, she had managed to contain the plague, to heal her people, but the damage... the loss of life... it had been... devastating.

And her worshippers, blinded by grief, by the pain of their loss, had turned on her. They'd accused her of... conspiring with Morbus. Of bringing the plague upon them intentionally. They'd demanded she leave.

Ava, heartbroken and betrayed, both by Morbus and her own people, had simply... vanished, abandoning the Verdant Sanctuary. After Ava's disappearance, the Verdant Sanctuary had... survived. The land, though scarred by the plague, had slowly begun to heal. The people, though still haunted by their losses, had rebuilt their lives, their faith in Ava... wavering, but not entirely extinguished. They'd lived in relative peace and prosperity for centuries, their connection to the land, to the healing magic that still pulsed beneath the surface, sustaining them.

But that peace was shattered when the civil war erupted in the realm of the Gods. Andohr's rebellion, his bid for power, had thrown the Pantheon into chaos. And in that chaos, Agra, the self-proclaimed God of Chaos, had risen.

He'd seen an opportunity in Ava's absence, a chance to claim a domain, to amass power, to spread his own twisted brand of... order.

And the Verdant Sanctuary, weakened, vulnerable, ripe for the taking, had become his target.

But as Fayeth was lost in her memories, a sudden chill ran down her spine. It wasn't a feeling of fear, not exactly. It was... a premonition. A sense of... recognition.

She'd felt this aura before back in Nimbosia when the orc tried to humiliate her by tearing her clothes off. It was the God of Darkness. The one who'd saved her.

Soon, a slow smile spread across her lips, a glimmer of hope returning to her eyes.

"Ava... hasn't abandoned us," she said, her voice quiet but firm, her gaze sweeping across the faces of the refugees huddled beneath the trees. "She has... sent someone. In her stead. He's not known for his compassion. Or his mercy. But he is known for his retribution."

The refugees, their faces a mixture of confusion and hope, stared at her, their eyes wide.

"Who... who is coming, Fayeth?" one of the women asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Fayeth's smile widened.

"The God of Darkness."