Chapter 83: Chapter 83

“If you want to, then just go ahead. Perhaps you could get a more favourable result if you talk to him, but don’t expect me to come with you when you see him...”

These were the last words that Galahad said before he disappeared again from their sight without any goodbyes or explanations.

“That punk, he must still be at feud with him.” Templar said, frowning.

“He’s in feud with the head god? Why?” Shia asked.

“Well, they had always been in feud, you know... Typical of fathers and sons...” Templar couldn’t bear to upset her sister further by telling her that it had intensified because of Galahad’s insistence to guide her mortal body throughout her thousand and one lifetimes.

He didn’t need to do this, however. Shia could read through his body language and nervous laugh.

“I see... So, when can we talk to the head god?”

“I’ll try to set a meeting by tomorrow. Let’s have this wedding as soon as possible so that brother-in-law could recover soon.”

Templar got up to leave, and Gavil also signalled to Khailis that they should go too.

“But, can’t we stay some more?” Khailis said, pouting.

“It’s almost noontime, my wife. You should catch some sleep before dinner so that we could properly energize our eggs.”

Gavil said it without so far as a change in his happy countenance. Khailis’ face grew as red as an apple, and it didn’t help that Langrion had clearly caught on their conversation, but thankfully, just its last part, though.

“Eggs? What are you two talking about?”

“Khailis and I are soon having our babies! She’s carrying my eggs!” Gavil said, smiling back while his face looked as innocent as a kid who was announcing that he had won some sweets at a contest.

“Oh my, Prince Rahul, so the rumors are true! Congratulations! You must come with us to the temple tomorrow to receive some blessings!” Templar exclaimed.

“Thank you, God Templar! I knew you would be one of the first to celebrate with me!” Gavil said, his smile stretching from ear to ear, ignoring the surprised faces of Langrion and Shia.

“So, Lady Khailis, you are pregnant? How long has it been? Don’t tell me it had happened during the debutant ball!” Langrion said, his face aghast. He also quickly shot a displeased look at Gavil.

“You are misunderstanding, Prince Langrion. It had happened after our marriage. She’s about one week pregnant.”

“But that’s too sudden! How sure are you that she’s pregnant?”

“It’s because of her glow!” he announced.

That left Langrion and Shia quite speechless.

Finally, Langrion shook his head in disbelief. “I think you ought to prepare. Count and Countess Humphrey would surely faint on the spot if they hear about this, Lady Khailis!”

******************

The next day, all five of them met again in the morning, and after confirming with Templar that the head god was expecting them, they went into the main temple to see him.

Shia had some difficulty sleeping the night before. She tossed in bed, waking Langrion up several times in the middle of the night.

“Nervous?” he asked, his hoarse voice almost sounding foreign to Shia’s ears.

“Very... Do you think the head god will see us?”

“It’s not impossible. He did predict that you would come back to see him...”

“But, what do you think Freya wanted to ask him?”

“Hmm... I’m not sure. You don’t remember anything yet?”

“I don’t... And I don’t think I will even remember, Langrey...”

“What do you mean?”

Shia was hesitant to tell him. Would he think she’s being silly?

“It’s just that I... I can’t feel her presence inside me...”

Even after Sirion first called her by the goddess’ name and even though she had access to her powers and been able to get a glimpse of her memory, Freya still felt like someone foreign to Shia. It’s as if she never really existed for her.

Langrion stroked the top of her head. He was still unused to the fact that her hair was now shorter, but it didn’t do anything to mar her beauty. He kissed her head.

“Don’t worry. Everything would be fine. I’m sure you’ll remember it in due time...”

They stayed in silence for a bit, wrapped in each other’s arms.

“Langrey, if I become a different person, will you still love me?”

“A different person? What do you mean?”

“If I become more like Freya... Will you still love me?”

“Hmm... That’s a really difficult question...”

Irritation seeped into Shia’s heart. “What’s so difficult about that?” If it was her, she would have answered ‘yes’ right away. That’s the romantic way of putting it, in her opinion.

“I had loved you for you, so if you’re going to change internally, I’m not sure it’ll be the same. On the other hand, if only your external features have changed, of course there’s no doubt that I’d still love you. I will always fall in love to the beautiful you, Shia...”

Shia smiled in silence. No other person could have said it as beautifully as her Langrey did. His answer made her calm enough to go back to sleep.

Now, as she walked at the main hall of the temple, she felt nervous again. Instinctively, she sought Langrion’s hand. His digits fitted perfectly around her fingers.

“Don’t be nervous. All will be well,” he said, smiling at her.

Why did the head god predicted that she’ll come to him this time? In the glimpse of Freya’s memory that Shia have seen, the head god also said that all the roads to her future were bleak... Would it mean that she will fail in killing Sirion and rescuing Langrey?

She didn’t really want to know the answers to these questions... It felt that if she knew and the answers weren’t favourable, she’d lose her spirit. However, there’s something that was compelling her so strongly to see him that she just had to take this chance.

She wanted to know why Galahad was preventing her to see the head god. Shia really needed to find out.

Meeting the head god wasn’t an easy task. Since they just came from the mortal world and brought in humans with them, they needed to undergo a purification process first before they could see him.

Everybody was greeted by the large, marble fountain at the very entrance of the temple. They learned from Templar that this was called the Infinity Fountain.

“The water from this fountain is blessed by the gods. You must cleanse your hands and feet with this water before attempting to enter the temple.”

They waited for a bit as there was a long line of people waiting for their turn for the cleansing. Shia noticed that some of the people looked excitedly at their hands. As they got closer, she saw that some of them were able to discover diamonds from the fountain after their cleansing. She asked Templar what it meant.

“The water from the fountain reacts to magic in its purest form. Once the water comes in contact with someone who has a magical potential, a diamond will appear in that person’s hands. The quality of the diamond will determine what kind of magic the person holds. This is one way on how the temple discovers future priests and priestesses.”

Finally reaching their turn, the four of them: Gavil, Khailis, Langrion, and Shia all poured water to their hands and feet.

It was expected that Gavil would find an unpolished diamond in his hand when he poured water into them, but Khailis didn’t expect that her hands and feet would turn golden after getting in contact with the water.

“Umm, is this even normal,” she muttered. She was able to hide the distress in her voice, but not in her face.

“That’s actually more than alright,” Templar exclaimed. “The glow is a sign of pregnancy and that the children you carry have strong magical abilities. The longer the golden color stays at your hands and feet, the stronger their magical affinities are!”

“Ah, that’s great then!” Khailis’ heart swelled with happiness. So she’s really carrying her beloved’s children, and it seemed like they have good magic inside them!

Langrion on the other hand found a black diamond with bits of white crystals incorporated into them.

“As expected, the Ancient Evil’ magic is rooted in darkness, hence the color...” Templar said.

Shia was the last to follow the ritual. She poured water into her hand, but lo and behold, the water turned into a giant, fiery bird – a phoenix, and it flew from her hand and finally perched itself at the highest part of the fountain, enabling the rest of the people who were waiting for their turn to take a cleansing at the Infinity Fountain to see it.

“The emblem of Goddess Freya!” someone from the crowd had shouted.

Alas, the people went wild. Everybody recognized the fact that the Goddess of Light has returned to Teotroly!

“Come on, let’s go inside! If we stay here further, they won’t let you go until you give them a blessing, and you won’t be able to see the head god at all!” Templar said, taking Shia by the hand and urging the rest of them to run inside the temple.

As soon as they reached the gates, Templar lowered his hood and instructed the guards to close the door behind them. “They had discovered that my sister is here. Let no one enter.”

“It’s my fault... I thought I should cleanse myself because I’m mortal too...” Shia said meekly, feeling sorrier as she looked at Templar’s frustrated face.

“No, I should have known better by stopping you. I had forgotten that your powers always create a ruckus when it comes out. The last time I’ve seen your phoenix though, it was still so small. How had it grown to this size? It was almost like a dragon!”

Shia didn’t speak, but she surmised that her training with Galahad during Langrion’s imprisonment had a lot to do with it.

The inner halls of the temple were long, winding, and extremely quiet. After several minutes of walking through its labyrinthine but deserted passages, Templar finally stopped at a gilded door.

“This is it – Head God Heedra’s room. You may now enter. We’ll get going to Sister Eily’s room for the baby’s blessing. Good luck!”