Deity Among Mortals

Chapter 6

"Briarwind plateau"

The priest stumbled forward, his robes billowing around him like tattered wings. "It is you. The light in the darkness. The savior foretold in the stars!" He dropped to his knees before Elias, bowing his head.

Damon let out a low whistle. "Well, someone's got fans."

"Not helping," Elias muttered, shifting uncomfortably.

The priest looked up, his expression fervent. "I have waited for this moment my entire life. You are the one who will deliver us from the evil that plagues this land."

Elias raised his hands defensively. "Whoa, hold on. I think you've got the wrong person."

The priest shook his head vehemently. "No, it is you. I can feel your light, even now, dimmed as it may be. The prophecy—"

Damon stepped forward, cutting him off. "Okay, time out. What prophecy? And who even are you?"

The priest's eyes flicked to Damon, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. "I... I am Brother Alaric, servant of the divine. I have dedicated my life to awaiting the arrival of the one chosen to save us all."

Damon crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Right. And you're sure that's this kid?" He gestured at Elias.

Elias sighed. "Great. Just what I needed."

"Forgive my doubt," Alaric said, his voice trembling. "But you truly are the chosen one. I have seen it in my visions. You will vanquish the darkness and bring balance to the world."

"Visions?" Damon asked, his tone skeptical.

Elias glanced at the glowing carvings again, the hum of energy still prickling at his senses. This was no ordinary priest, and that altar was no ordinary relic. But before he could respond, Alaric grabbed his hands, clutching them tightly.

"Please," Alaric begged. "You must help us. The village is in great danger. The monsters... they are growing stronger. We cannot fight them alone."

Elias exchanged a look with Damon, who sighed heavily.

"Looks like we're not getting to the magic overflow zones anytime soon," Damon muttered.

Elias hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. We'll hear you out. But no more of this 'chosen one' stuff, all right?"

Alaric smiled faintly, tears glistening in his eyes. "Thank you. You are truly a blessing."

Damon groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is gonna be a long day."

"Look, uh… Alaric, right?" Elias began, glancing at Damon for support, though his companion simply folded his arms and watched the interaction with amusement. "We're not exactly here to answer prayers. We're looking for a magic overflow zone nearby."

Alaric blinked, his reverence momentarily replaced by curiosity. "A magic overflow zone? The nearest one is at the Briarwind Plateau, not far from here."

"That's good," Damon said, stepping forward. "We're hunting magical beasts to make some coin, so if you're familiar with the area, we could use your guidance."

Alaric hesitated, glancing back at the ruined altar. "There are dangerous creatures near the overflow zones," he said, his voice laced with concern. "The villagers here barely survived the last surge. I've been praying for divine intervention to protect them."

Damon frowned. "Praying's good and all, but unless someone takes action, those beasts won't stop coming." He smirked. "Luckily for you, you've got us."

Alaric looked uncertain, his gaze flicking between Damon and Elias. Finally, he nodded. "If you are willing to help, I'll guide you there. But… be warned, the creatures you'll face are no ordinary monsters."

Elias gave a small nod. "We'll handle it. You just focus on getting us there safely."

The group left the ruins behind and set off toward Briarwind Plateau, the priest leading the way.

Damon glanced at Elias. "Sounds like a good haul. Magic crystals and beast parts sell high in the markets."

Elias sighed, already anticipating Damon's excitement about profit. "Let's just make sure we survive first."

The closer they got to the plateau, the heavier the air felt, charged with residual magic. The once peaceful landscape gave way to jagged rocks and darkened skies.

"We're close," Alaric whispered, his hand tightening around a staff he carried for support.

....

The Briarwind Plateau loomed before them, an endless expanse of rugged terrain marked by jagged rocks and strange fissures glowing faintly with unstable magical energy. Twisted trees, their bark blackened and gnarled, stood like silent sentinels in a land long forgotten by time. The air here was thick, charged with an unnatural hum that seemed to crawl under the skin and settle in the bones.

Alaric was the first to step forward, his staff tapping against the ground as he gestured for the others to follow. His face was a mask of concentration as he scanned the environment.

"This is no ordinary place," he said, his voice carrying an air of solemnity. "The overflow zones are scars left behind by the Great Collapse—a time when magic itself buckled under its own weight and shattered the balance of the world."

"Yeah, yeah, ancient catastrophe, magic broke, monsters everywhere. I think we've all heard that bedtime story," Damon replied dismissively.

Elias followed a few steps behind, his eyes darting to the glowing fissures. They seemed to pulse faintly, in rhythm with the distant howls of beasts hidden in the shadows. "Does it... feel heavier here to anyone else?" he muttered, adjusting the straps of the satchels he carried.

"Unstable magic," Alaric explained without looking back. "It seeps into everything—the ground, the air, even the creatures that dwell here. Stray too far from the path, and you risk being consumed by it."

Damon smirked. "Consumed by magic? Sounds fun."

Elias shot him a sharp look. "You'd think everything's fun as long as you're swinging that axe around."

"It is fun," Damon replied with a shrug. "Besides, someone's gotta handle the dangerous part. You're the pack mule, remember?"

Elias grumbled under his breath but said nothing more.

The group climbed a rocky incline to a vantage point overlooking the plateau. The corrupted landscape stretched as far as the eye could see. Blackened soil lay in uneven patches, and strange, shimmering distortions hung in the air like faint mirages.

Alaric pointed toward the horizon, where the glow of magical energy was brighter. "The heart of the overflow zone lies ahead. The corruption is strongest there, but it also attracts the most valuable resources—and the most dangerous creatures."

Damon's eyes gleamed. "Valuable, huh? Let's get moving then."

But as they began their descent, the first challenge arrived.

A deep, guttural growl echoed from the shadows ahead. The group froze as a pack of Razorback Wargs emerged, their glowing spines crackling with energy. The wolf-like creatures moved with eerie coordination, their yellow eyes fixed on the intruders.

"Finally," Damon said with a grin, stepping forward.

"Wait!" Alaric hissed. "These creatures are highly aggressive, and their spines—"

"Relax," Damon interrupted, twirling his axe. "I've got this."

The wargs charged, their claws digging into the earth as they closed the distance. Damon met them head-on, his movements a blur as he swung his axe in wide, sweeping arcs. The first warg was cleaved in two, its body collapsing in a heap.

Dark energy swirled around Damon as his Beast Takeover magic activated. The glowing spines of the defeated warg began to materialize along his arms and shoulders, a faint aura of energy enveloping him.

"That's one down," he said with a smirk.

The rest of the pack hesitated, growling and circling. Elias, keeping a safe distance, began collecting the crystals and materials left behind by the fallen creature.

One of the wargs feigned death, lying perfectly still before lunging at Elias. He yelped, tripping over a rock as the beast's jaws snapped inches from his face.

"Seriously, kid?" Damon sighed, bringing his axe down with a resounding crack that split the warg in two. He extended a hand to help Elias up.

"Try not to die before we get paid."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Elias muttered, brushing dirt from his clothes.

Alaric, meanwhile, was kneeling beside the fallen wargs, murmuring a soft prayer. "May your souls return to the Creator, freed from this corruption."

Elias rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure they didn't ask to be corrupted in the first place."