Alpha's Secrets

The torrential rain hit the Ararat mountain with such force that it flooded much of the path and caused landslides in some places, making their journey difficult. Lyall, who was no fool and didn't want to be killed by the wrath of some god, hid in a cave.

The cave was a small crevice between the rocks that led to a wider, drier space. He had to take off his long, soaked monk's clothes, leaving only his shorts. The next step was to gather the sticks he had carried in his bag during the hike and use some of what was left of his magic to light a fire. The heat would warm him up and also help dry his clothes.

Outside, thunder shook the ground, and lightning cut through the sky. It was late afternoon, which meant that Lyall would be spending the night there.

"Thank the good Ozouf that there are no bears around here." Ozouf was the sovereign god of wolves, to whom he was devoted.

He was surprised not to see any animals on his route and not even to hear them before the rain started.

It's a good thing I was able to find somewhere to stay safely, he thought, smiling to himself, and his stomach grumbled with hunger.

"Dinner time." He took out of his bag some wrapped roast meat, water, and some vegetables that he had received in the last village he had visited. His work as a monk was not as simple as many people thought, he faced many difficulties along the way, but it always resulted in satisfaction. Ozouf was a wonderful and kind god who always listened to his prayers.

He looked around at the slightly curved rock ceiling, then again at the fire, where the flames glistened in his onyx-black irises. In their childhood, some had dared to say that they were the eyes of a demon, and mere lying claims had cost them their entire family.

Wherever they were, Ozouf was taking good care of them.

He ate slowly, savoring every grain of his food. After all, he didn't know when he would be able to get another meal, whether hot or cold, to get him through the next day.

Ozouf blessed him, but he couldn't expect him to give him everything without hard work.

Trapped in that place while the rain continued to fall, Lyall again ended up thinking about the words of the monk friend he met in the village of Atalaia, to the west. The old man called Kailash had told him when he was about to leave, in words slightly distorted by the power of a god:

"Go to Endymion. Your destination is there." It was simple and to the point, wasn't it?

Afterward, Kailash blinked several times and apologized for feeling a bit strange. It was clear that he hadn't even noticed the moment when Ozouf had possessed him so that he could give orders.

When Lyall announced to the Alpha of Atalaia that he would be visiting Endymion afterward, he was worried and advised him to change his mind. Everyone told him the same thing.

He wished he hadn't gone, his previous plan had been to head for Norvina's village, but... Something was calling him in that direction. East.

And as a monk, he had to follow his god's orders. From Ararat Mountain, he could already feel the sea breeze, but he still couldn't see the sea.

Even if Endymion was a hateful place or in ruins, at least he would be able to fulfill his desire to see the ocean.

Just the thought of seeing the waves for the first time lifted his spirits.

Eventually, Lyall fell asleep, and the fire died down. The bone-chilling cold was no concern of his when he woke up to a strange sensation in the middle of the night. He didn't know if only a few hours had passed or if it was already dawn, but the cave was pitch black. The rain hadn't stopped yet, it even seemed to be getting stronger outside.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, for this was no ordinary feeling. Lyall knew that feeling all too well. A demon is here.

A monstrous bolt of lightning struck somewhere outside and its sound was so loud that it made his eardrums hurt, almost making him deaf. The most worrying thing, however, was when the momentary clarity coming from the entrance outlined the figure of some humanoid being inside the cave.

Not a human being or an animal... But a demonic entity made of tree branches with huge horns and red eyes, dozens of arms and legs, and an immense mouth full of pointed teeth about to chew the flesh of its prey. In this case, him. Lyall quickly raised his chain of beads, the object he carried with him everywhere and his only source of power. The white stones carved into round spheres wrapped around his wrist glowed in the darkness and made the hideous creature scream the loudest sound his ears had ever heard.

As quickly as the monster moved away from the light, Lyall used his other arm to gather his bag and clothes. As soon as he ran out of the cave, he slipped on the first step outside and fell into the mud, being carried a long way by the torrent. The scream returned to the distance but did not pursue him. Thanks to Ozouf!

Lyall ran so hard that he lost his breath but then used reason when he realized that running could only result in an accident with all that mud surrounding him or getting sick from being half-naked in the cold rain.

He looked back. The lightning showed him only twisted trees and the place where a bolt of lightning had split one in half.

Breathing heavily, already soaked again, Lyall put on his wet clothes and continued his walk, not wanting to spend another minute in that forest. He breathed a sigh of relief when the rain finally stopped and made his way easier. Only then was he able to light the small lamp he was carrying. He only felt sorry because all his belongings, as well as his travel reports and sacred scrolls, were soggy.

Descending the mountain proved impossible when he reached a precipice. It was dawn by then, and Lyall smiled as he found his first glimpse of the sea.

The beautiful blue horizon stretched out and on either side were islands and mountains lined with rocks and green forests. A little further on, before reaching the beach, was a grandiose city surrounded by high stone walls. It looked like an impenetrable fortress, but Lyall's privileged view showed all the beauty of Endymion's interior.

A grand castle stood to the right, carved directly into the mountain with its dozens of tall, pointed towers. Vegetation spilled over all the walls and down to the ground. Lyall couldn't even guess how many floors it had, he had never seen anything so modern and grandiose in any town or village he had been to.

He sat down on a rock, resting his back against the trunk of a tree, and watched the sunrise. He needed to get to town soon, but at that moment he was too tired to care.