Songbird: What it Means to be the Hero

{-Kaylin-}

When she’d left her own home, she’d been completely prepared. She could see the task in front of them and what they needed to do to accomplish it. In fact, she was almost looking forward to it—to see him again. But she looked at him now and wondered… if this really was possible.

“We just need to find a river,” she explained as they walked. “I know how to contact the goddesses from there.”

“We’re contacting goddesses?” Allyna, at least, proved to show more excitement towards the adventure than Rennyn ever had. She was almost overflowing with it.

It was kind of troubling, actually. That level of enthusiasm was what got people killed.

Rennyn only shrugged. He couldn’t have been impressed—those fourteen lives had him meet all kinds of people. Though Kaylin didn’t see a good reason to just group the goddesses with them.

“They’ll tell us what, exactly, we’re going to have to do,” she said with a nod. “They didn’t tell me a lot when they first contacted me. I assume they’d rather talk personally instead of having a messenger relay it to Rennyn.”

Allyna looked between both of them and remarked, “You’re talking pretty casually for the kinds of things you’re saying.”

“We’ve seen a lot of things together.” Kaylin glanced at Rennyn, though, and understood that this still wasn’t the kind of conversation he wanted to have. “Maybe he’ll be willing to tell you about it later. There’s a lot to tell—sure there’s some bad, but there was some good in those times, too…”

“If there’s anything good about having the weight of the world on your shoulders,” Rennyn grumbled.

“Now you’ve got to tell me something,” Allyna insisted. “I’m not going to let you get away with being so cryptic.”

“Later,” was the only thing he said.

“Where we need to be isn’t far anyway,” Kaylin mumbled. She wasn’t going to say anything else unless he wanted her to. They were all his stories to tell, anyway. “We’ll get there in a couple of minutes.”

“Is there something special we need to do? Like some kind of ritual?” Allyna asked. “I mean, we’ve got to do something to catch their attention, don’t we? Or are they just going to recognize Rennyn’s the gifted hero or whatever and come rushing?”

“We’ll need to perform a short rite to guide their spirits to us.”

“Is it the blood sacrifice or a boring chanting kind of rite? Or is it cultish chanting?”

“No blood. No chanting. Just water, fire, and a prayer.”

Allyna looked disappointed.

“We’re summoning goddesses,” Kaylin pointed out, trying not to sound too harsh, “not the undead. It’s not going to be that dramatic… hopefully it wouldn’t seem like anything special at all.”

From that point, no one said anything until they got there. It was a peaceful spot; a little clearing in the forest where a portion of a stream shimmered. A butterfly came to greet them and she would’ve found it rather calming if Allyna hadn’t clearly found it boring.

Kaylin figured there was no point in waiting. She pulled a small bowl and a match out from her bag. Carefully, she filled the bowl with water from the stream, then lit the match and hovered it over the water. She mumbled the prayer, words she didn’t expect Allyna or Rennyn to hear, “Your chosen have arrived. Please guide us.”

She watched as the match extinguished and the bowl’s contents halved between water and vapor. Both moved to stand on top of the stream, creating two wispy figures that slowly formed smiles when they saw their audience.

The one made from the water observed her hand and remarked, “You did a good job, child.”

“Didn’t seem like she did a whole lot to me…” Allyna mumbled.

The one made from the vapor shook her head. “There’s a lot more to it than actions. Intent matters—whether those hidden whispers of the heart are for good or evil.” She glanced at all of them. “It’s time we properly introduce ourselves. I am Elidia, and this is my sister, Dalleira. Together, we are the goddesses that used to watch over your world.”

Kaylin wasn’t going to question it and it didn’t look like Rennyn was, either. But Allyna did. “Then why have I never heard of you before now?” She glanced at Kaylin and Rennyn. “You two haven’t either, right? Why am I the only one questioning it?”

They both shrugged.

“The answer you’re looking for is… a rather long one,” Dalleira replied with a frown. “Suffice to say, our role has been altered—we do not have the power that we once possessed. It was taken from us by Dhymos, the reason that you’re all here now. Allow us to explain the mission we have for you.” As generally as she said it, she and Elidia were only looking at Rennyn. Kaylin didn’t mind—she knew she wasn’t their needed hero—but Allyna didn’t seem to like it.

Elidia began, “We have made the oversight of underestimating what Dhymos would be capable of doing. We don’t have the kind of power necessary to confront him on our own—he made sure that was one of the first things he did. But we weren’t completely unprepared for something like this. We designated our hero, and made what would become checkpoints in his journey.”

Dalleira nodded. “You’re familiar with your nation’s founding, and the foundings of the nations surrounding it. All had been guided by spirits—Elidia and I—into a safe haven. Before we left your ancestors to make the land their own, we gave gifts to those that would be overseeing them. These gifts are imbued with a piece of the might we possessed back then; the kind of strength you will need in order to defeat Dhymos as he is now. They are all entrusted to the reigning families of those nations. You’ll need to seek them all out—and avoid any interaction with Dhymos until you have them all.”

“Can you tell me what they look like, at least?” Rennyn asked. Kaylin hadn’t expected him to sound much more enthusiastic, but… she’d expected something, and was surprised when there wasn’t even a sign of it.

Dalleira willed some of the water from the stream to rise and take form. The objects were smaller than their real counterparts, of course, but it got the idea across and allowed for a better picture of their appearances. “We have five blessed items in this land, for there are five nations taming it. The Sword we entrusted to Ilatenes, for even peaceful fields require a fierce protector. The Ring was requested to be held in Kositeia, since the queen was curious about its abilities. The Shield was given to Astiri, because it would protect its people from many hardships. The Armor was brought to Askoria, where their might would triumph and ensure peace for all. And last, the Helmet was offered to Taururii, being the new head of the alliance made between the five.”

“I’m assuming all of these are with the leaders?”

“Yes, their presence has not moved elsewhere.”

“I don’t suppose you have anything special that I can use to walk up to them and get them to give it to me?”

“You’re our hero,” Elidia pointed out, confused. “Being a goddess’s chosen hero should be enough.” She turned to Dalleira and mumbled, “Isn’t it?”

Dalleira confidently replied to the other goddess, “Of course. The people may have forgotten our names, but our roles should still hold value within them. If it is not as their goddesses, then as two spirits who had led their ancestors to these lands in the first place. They remember that much of their true history.”

Kaylin tried, and possibly failed, to show no sign of emotion. But inside, she felt a sense of dread as she realized, The goddesses don’t even understand how our lives work. Were they… really capable of being good guardians, if they didn’t seem to know the way human society was built?

She couldn’t think about that. Rennyn could do all the cynical thinking for the both of them.

“Unfortunately,” Kaylin said in a surprisingly level tone, “I don’t think that’ll work. We’re all commoners—neither we nor our parents hold any significance here. Everyone you mentioned are members of the nobility. Not only do they have plenty of things to deal with, but the nobility tends not to interact with the common people…”

The goddesses looked between each other with confused expressions. Finally, Dalleira glanced back at all of them and declared, “You are our chosen hero. We are certain that you will find a way to get them to speak with you.”

“That sounds like a wonderful way to avoid actually telling me anything,” Rennyn grumbled.

They seemed to purposely ignore him. Elidia said, “Our time here is almost up. We have said what we needed to and have hopefully shown you the correct path. Our faith is in you, that you will be able to save the world from the evil Dhymos is preparing.”