Faith United

[Breaker]

“What else did you learn?” Am’aleh asked, her silvery hair dancing against the breeze.

“Little of use,” I said, “and little of fact.” Waves broke around my ankles, filling my black metal boots.

“Then we must work with what information we have.” The goddess’ azure eyes became whorls of water that threatened to draw me in forever. “We must stop Khal’jaren from coming between us by striking where he is weakest… at his followers.”

My mouth opened in horror. “Surely you would not ask me to murder those who worship at the altar of the Sage.” The call of the ocean surrounded us and the breeze played between us, tugging at the wet tails of my shirt.

She laughed as musically as raindrops on wind chimes. “Of course not. Understand this; a great portion of a Thayne’s power comes from those who pay them tribute. Without worshipers, even the Sage’s might would wane.”

“So we infiltrate his temples,” I mused, catching on to her scheme, “and find ways to dissuade his followers?”

“In a sense, yes.” Am’aleh smiled and took my face in both hands. Bliss washed through my body. “But to stand a chance at toppling a Thayne as powerful as Khal’jaren, we must do more than just remove his followers. We must convert them to follow… another deity.”

Her form of still water and flowing ice shimmered, and for a moment became the well-known symbol of the sea goddess. She morphed into a creature with the scaled head and neck of a lizard, and the long sleek tail of a fish. For a moment she lingered in that shape, and then turned back to the Am’aleh I knew and loved.

“I will do this for you,” I smiled reaching out to touch the translucent skin of her arm, “I will seek out temples to Khal’jaren all across Corone and convince them of a far greater, far wiser Thayne’s might.”

“Seek out all of the temples to every Thayne,” the goddess advised, “for though Khal’jaren’s power is great, we may require the energy of every Thayne-worshiper on Corone to achieve our end.”

“And what is our end?” I asked, combing callused fingers through her silken hair.

She slid her hands down to my chest. Shivers danced across my skin in their wake. “To build a Corone where we can be together forever,” she whispered in my ear, “where we will rule. A god and a goddess, equal and everlasting.”

Hope swelled within me, but in the dark corners of my mind doubt lingered. I took a step backwards, breaking my electric connection with the deity. Salty waves whirled about my feet as I stood on the cusp between land and sea.

“Will you not return my connection to the Tap? Displaying the magic you lend me would make converting the masses much easier.”

“This task is not meant to be easy,” Am’aleh said, “it will be a test of your faith in me, and in yourself. You must sway them using only your own brand of might, and your cleverness. Only then will you taste the magic of the Tap once more.”

In a puff of steam she vanished, leaving me alone with the harsh cries of seabirds and the salt smell of the ocean.