God Of Velmoryn [ LitRPG, Progression, High Fantasy ]

The tribe was in chaos. So much so that when Avenor, Aria, and, most importantly, Karla entered the settlement, not a single Velmoryn noticed. Every one of them was rushing toward the Crimson Guardian, their footsteps scattering scarlet oak leaves across the ground like wind would do to embers.

"What's happening?" Avenor muttered, though it didn't take long to see it for himself.

The Oak Tree, once barely taller than the forest canopy, had grown. Significantly.

Its roots stretched wider now, thicker and more deeply embedded in the earth. The trunk had expanded, both in height and in girth, and its upper branches now fanned out with a commanding presence. Faint, newly-formed runes shimmered along the lower bark, etched into the trunk like old scars just now surfacing.

And yet, what stood out most wasn't something visible. Avenor couldn't quite grasp it, but something fundamental had shifted. The air around the tree felt heavier. Denser. Almost alive.

"Such powerful mana," Karla whispered, her gaze locked on the tree. Her breath grew uneven, and a slight tremble moved through her body. "Its presence is so… overwhelming."

"Praise be to the Velmoryn God," Aria said softly, using her index and middle fingers to trace my symbol on her chest.

Avenor turned slightly toward Karla. He chose his next words carefully, speaking in a low voice. "Karla… as a devoted believer of one of the most powerful Gods, have you ever seen a being like the Divine Tree before?"

He made sure to phrase it respectfully. Aria was already beginning to suspect his faith, and he wasn't about to give her more reason to doubt.

"I have," Karla said, still watching the tree, though her breathing had begun to steady now that Orrvyn's aura had calmed. "But the Goddess never had one herself."

She paused, shivering faintly, then let out a chuckle. "The Tree's aura was unpleasant, but… strangely exhilarating."

She glanced sideways and raised an eyebrow at Aria, who, despite her usual composure, had been trembling even more than Karla.

"Aria," she said, "you have remarkable mana perception."

Aria, always calm and cold, allowed a small smile to slip through. She didn't say thank you, just responded in her own way: "Magic is fascinating. And mysterious."

Avenor, who clearly had no idea what either of them were feeling or talking about, decided to redirect the conversation to more interesting ground.

"Ladies," he said, clearing his throat, "let's visit the temple first. We should thank High Father for His grace… and meet the Priestess."

He stepped toward the temple, then glanced at Karla. "Could you tell me more about beings like the Divine Tree?"

Even if the subject wasn't as enthralling as magic, Aria still turned to listen. Anything tied to divinity caught her interest.

"My knowledge isn't as deep as my brethren's was," Karla admitted as she followed Avenor, her eyes sweeping the settlement. There was confusion in her expression. Likely because no one had greeted them. Not a single Velmoryn had even acknowledged their arrival. "I was still just a sapling when Mother fell. Most of what I know comes from old Elvish books and artifacts I managed to gather."

She walked slowly, taking in the environment and closely observing everything.

"Gods rarely create living beings. I don't know why. Even Mother only ever created one tree that I know of, and it had no mind of its own. It just produced food for us. Useful, but nothing like this one. I've only heard of one God who didn't mind creating beasts, but even then… they weren't on this level. At least, not when I last met their Apostle. It might…"

"What kind of God were they?" Avenor asked, cutting in before she could finish. The raw curiosity in his voice wasn't subtle.

Karla's eyes narrowed slightly at the interruption, but then she smiled, amused. She also didn't miss the subtle shake of disapproval from Aria beside her.

"I don't know what their domain was," she said. "But the Apostle I met… was a human. A male."

They soon reached the Crimson Guardian, which had returned to its tranquil state. The roots no longer shifted, the aura no longer pulsed, but even in stillness, its towering presence dominated the surrounding forest.

I need to create more kelvarin later and have them cover the entire forest. Just in case that god's Apostle tries to slip past Orrvyn's defenses.

Karla's earlier claim that Orrvyn could defeat her gave me far more confidence. If her assessment was accurate, and no being above Platinum Rank could enter the forest freely, then Orrvyn would be able to handle anything below that threshold. It had ascended alongside me, now standing at Platinum Rank as well. Unfortunately, it hadn't gained any new skills, but its attributes had significantly increased. That alone was enough to make it a formidable protector.

Avenor, noticing Tekla was still absent, decided to escort Karla to meet Gundir. He was probably just as curious as I was to see how the two would interact. On their way toward Gundir's forge, a few Velmoryns, previously kneeling in prayer before the Crimson Guardian, noticed the visitors. And when they realized one of them was an Elf, their expressions turned hostile. Eyes narrowed. Backs straightened as though they were trying to show their superiority.

"Aria, why did you bring an elf into our tribe?" Lily asked. More like complaining rather than asking.

But it wasn't Lily's reaction I was curious about.

It was Teryo's.

He was the only non-believer Velmoryn in the tribe. I could have erased him a long time ago. He still held a sliver of influence, and his continued resistance wasn't exactly doing me any favors. But by allowing him to remain, I showed mercy and patience. And if he ever chose to convert, his decision would strengthen the others' devotion. In a sense, Teryo was the final thread that tied the tribe to the Goddess and I wanted that thread to unravel naturally, not be torn apart with force.

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Aria opened her mouth to respond, clearly irritated. She hadn't invited Karla, she had accompanied Avenor at the priestess's request. But rather than argue, she chose to shift the responsibility.

"The Divine Tree let her in," she said, voice flat. "High Father wishes her to stay."

Without waiting for a reply, she walked away toward her home.

Karla smiled at Lily. Warmly. Genuinely. Trying to melt the hostility she was feeling from a dozen or so Velmoryns. But then her gaze shifted to the group returning from the Guardian. Among them was Teryo.

"Avenor," she said, nudging him a little too hard with her elbow, "that one bears different marks. Is he still a believer of the Goddess?"

In the last couple of days, Karla tried her best to get close to Avenor and Aria, the latter proving to be a far more difficult task. And despite somewhat succeeding with Avenor, thanks to her natural charm and bright personality, they were not exactly close.

"Yes," Avenor replied flatly. The animosity with Teryo hadn't faded, only settled into a cold truce. The old Velmoryn no longer challenged him openly, but the resentment between them remained.

"May I speak with him, or… oh," Karla's smile widened as she locked eyes with Teryo and saw that he almost ran toward her.

"Looks like I don't need to ask," she said with a light chuckle.

Teryo's face looked brighter than I'd ever seen it. I couldn't be certain what was running through his mind - perhaps he thought Karla was a missionary sent by the Goddess to reclaim the tribe, or maybe he believed she held the truth about her whereabouts. Whatever the reason, he looked genuinely happy.

"Praise be to the God of Velmoryn," Teryo said, placing a clenched fist against his chest.

Karla's expression faltered. The warmth on her face faded, replaced by hesitation. She didn't respond immediately.

"I shall not speak Mother's honorary name," she said quietly. "It would dishonor Her memory."

"Memory?" Teryo's smile vanished in an instant. His hope collapsed so quickly it confirmed what I had suspected - he truly believed she might be a divine emissary.

Karla's eyes widened slightly. Her gaze darted to Avenor as if asking without words.

"He chose not to believe," Avenor answered flatly, earning him Teryo's cold stare.

Karla gave a small nod, her smile laced with regret. When she looked back at Teryo, even through the Window, I could feel the warmth and Respect she was showing just with her gaze. It wasn't something that could be put into words; maybe it was Karla herself, or perhaps something in the Elvish presence, but her gaze pulled people in, making them want to trust her.

"May I ask," she said at last, "why have you stayed loyal to the Goddess? You live in a tribe protected by another God. One who, clearly, is not evil since He allowed you to remain. You could have made your life easier by choosing to serve Him."

Teryo hesitated, then met her gaze.

"Our ancestors stayed loyal to the Goddess even after we were banished; there must have been a reason," he said in a low voice, though there was no energy or conviction behind it. Not anymore.

Karla's expression shifted. The respect in her eyes wavered, as if she had expected a different answer.

But Teryo continued.

"The Goddess had no obligation to help us. We were created to destroy Her true children. She could've erased us without effort. But She didn't. She gave us a chance." He paused, his voice softening. "That kind of mercy must be repaid. I wanted to believe She was still alive. That those who turned to this new god were wrong."

He smiled at Karla one last time, gently, resigned. Then lowered his head, the smile vanishing from his face. "But it was I who was wrong…"

Then, without waiting any longer, he turned away before she could speak.

Karla watched him go; the back of the old Velmoryn was hunched, steps slow and heavy.

"Should I have lied?" Karla muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I shattered his faith."

Lily, who had been observing silently from the side, shook her head.

"Living in illusion isn't faith," she said. "It's a lie one tells themselves to avoid pain."

Her voice was cold and her words were harsh; however, in her own way, she mourned what Teryo had lost.

"Elf," Lily continued, blinking away the unpleasant thoughts as her gaze landed on the woman, "please follow the commandments the Lord has given us while you remain in the tribe. Stay until the Priestess returns. She is the only one who can speak directly with the High Father."

She gave a brief bow, turned, and left.

Karla said nothing at first. She stood still, quietly processing what I had realized some time ago.

My tribe's affinity for Dark Magic was higher than average, and with it came the dulling of emotion. Their reactions were muted. Their voices, far too steady. Even moments of sorrow or joy seemed to pass like a breath of wind through stone.

"Avenor," Karla began, then paused. A shadow passed behind her eyes, but she smiled again, bright as before. "Shall we meet the Drukyr?"

"With pleasure."

Gundir was busy at his forge, hunched over the anvil with a half-finished arrowtip in hand. He was working on a design sturdy and sharp enough to pierce through the hide of mammoth-like beasts, but nothing had worked so far.

"This metal is bloody shite!" he barked, hurling another warped tip toward a growing pile of rejects. "How am I to refine shite? Shite can't be refined!"

Avenor laughed from outside, then pushed open the door.

"Your temper hasn't changed," he said, stepping in with a grin. His mood had clearly lifted. He seemed almost eager to see what would happen next, how Karla and Gundir would react to one another.

"Why in hell would I change?" Gundir barked, shaking his head, looking at the dirty trail Avenor had left behind. "Clean yar fuckin' boots before comin' in, ya shite!"

The Elf stepped through the threshold amid Gundir's growl. Her boots had been carefully wiped clean before entering, a gesture of respect for the workspace. Normally, Gundir might've appreciated that. But when he looked up and saw the tall and radiant Elf, whose blond hair caught the forge light, he froze.

"An Elf?" he whispered, his voice cracked. "I thought all the Elves had perished…"

"I'm still standing, aren't I?" Karla replied gently, her smile turning bittersweet. "Avenor told me you were Freya's friend. She's the reason I'm still alive. I would've died without her sacrifice… Oh… you didn't know."

From Gundir's reaction, she quickly realized that he hadn't given up hope. Not until now.

Karla bowed her head deeply in acknowledgment, "I apologize."

She waited for the Drukyr to say something, but Gundir simply nodded. His face showing no emotion.

Karla sighed in response and continued, her tone more formal.

"Master Drukyr, there's a reason I asked to see you."

She raised her hand and reached into her Veilspace. Soon, she held a staff, the one still marked with the Goddess's divine power.

"Freya told me to give you this," Karla presented the staff with both hands. "She said… you would forge the blade. The one that can undo the seal she left behind. A sword for the chosen one."