Tale Of The Nemorvian Band Ch 13

Chapter Thirteen: The God of the Great Forest Arises

All hope was lost, Queen Faeven was finally certain of that inescapable truth. She used her connection with those loyal to her to send a message to the band of troops out in the forest, telling them the battle was over and advising them on where to flee. She hoped that together they'd have the strength to reach the forest's edge and escape to continue the fight against The Corruption. Hopefully its forces would care only about her fate, allowing them to slip away unnoticed.

She stood, looking as regal as she could, and prepared for her fate. With all her defenders subdued she knew the Minor Cock Elementals would hold back from attacking her. She was defeated, there was no need to take her powers quickly. Azel would want to do it himself. She could already see it in her mind, see the vile god's towering form coming towards her, see him making her kneel and submit to his indecently oversized manhood. Would he make her kiss it first? Force her to touch it and thus depower herself?

The myriad ways the god of cock could destroy her power flashed through Queen Faeven's head. She closed her eyes, trying to fight the flow of disturbing mental images while ignoring the world around her. She'd face her doom the way she'd faced every challenge: with calm stoicism. She let the world around her fade away, waiting for her fate.

A ripple of power exploded from the forest around them, causing her eyes to shoot open. All around her was billowing green energy, flowing from the forest and wrapping around the Minor Cock Elementals. The disgusting little demons were wrenched off the women they were attacking and flung away. As the demons were flung back the green energy began to take the form of spectral warriors. As they formed they swung long swords at the small demons, cutting them in half. The severed halves fell to the ground, convulsing then dissolving in a steam of sparking red energy.

The queen sat, looking around in confusion as she tried to understand what was happening.

Across the lake she saw Azel howling in anger, his arms out before him as he sent more of his power into his nasty little demons. But the green ghostly soldiers were cutting them all down, freeing her army one by one!

More of the green winds of power rushed from the forest, blowing over her camp. Every one of her soldiers that was touched by the wind was renewed, their clothing and armor returned which left them looking as though the Minor Cock Elementals had never as much as touched them! Her army was being saved. Their weapons, now infused with flowing green power, allowed them to finally fight back the cock demons!

But how? From whence did this green power come? What force had come to her aid?

Her army cheered as it rallied, charging alongside the green spirits and cutting down the last of the demons. They reached the water's edge, the army shouting abuse at the vile god who stood on the other side of the lake. Her brave Fey warriors knocked their bows and sent a volley of magically infused arrows flying at the angry god. She watched as his massive looming form snarled, throwing an arm up to create a red field above his head to absorb the magical arrows.

Faeven rose from her stone throne. The god's forces had been beaten back but her troops would be unable to harm him. She felt drained, although the strange green power had refreshed her slightly. Even so, it would take nearly all the power she had left to banish the god's physical form. But if doing so required her to drain all the power she had left that was what she'd do!

As she began to walk towards the water's edge she saw that her power would not be needed. The spectral green ghosts, which she now realized were spirits of the primal forest around them, began to turn into flowing green mists of magical power. It flowed together, gathering in a large swirling mass floating above the water before her army. She felt the power from it and knew what, knew

who

, had saved her!

Queen Faeven had come to this forest because of him. This forest was powerful because it had once housed the grand temple of a mighty forest deity that she thought had been long forgotten by the mortal world. There were none left that worshiped Imeyr, Great God of the Great Forest. She had thought she was one of the few beings in all of Alaria who even remembered the god's name. But even with the god forgotten she'd known some of his power would remain in the forest, making it a place where her power could be more easily channeled.

She had been wrong. Imeyr still lived!

The green energy swirled together over the water, power from the forest flowing out and gathering together. She saw The Blade of the Queen stand tall, mighty once more, and knew the forest god was calling her forward to serve as its chosen champion. Her army grew silent as The Blade stepped out onto the lake, the green power swirling around her allowing her to walk on the surface of the water. The Blade flexed, the energy flowing in and out of her massive hulking muscles. She howled a ferocious war cry and charged across the water towards Azel.

As she advanced the green energy flowing around her took the form of a gigantic man dressed in armor made of leather and bark. Huge antlers rose from the head of the green shadow-thing. It raised a spectral blade in each hand in the same manner that The Blade held her own weapons, making it look like it was a huge spectral shadow of the charging warrior woman.

Azel stumbled back as The Blade, shadowed by Imeyr the forest god, charged ever closer. The evil god sent a wave of power towards her but it broke on the green mist of power wrapped around The Blade. A few moments later she reached the shore, leaping and roaring as she brought her two blades together to cut the head of Azel's physical form off. The shadow of Imeyr seemed to move into her as she did this, lending the mighty woman his power so she could slay the vile, perverse god's physical manifestation.

Headless, Azel's body fell to the ground. It quickly began to sizzle and dissolve into the soil. Red sparking energy flowed out from it, dissipating and leaving a fresh bed of strange red mushrooms behind. As the body disappeared Queen Faeven could feel the perverse god's power melting away, feel his presence being forced from the physical realm of Alaria and banished back to the Ethereal Plane the gods normally inhabited.

The Blade of the Queen turned back, stepping away from the red mushrooms spreading on the ground and backed out into the lake. After turning she held the severed head of Azel up as Queen Faeven's army cheered. As she walked back across the small lake, the green power of Imeyr still flowing around her, the head she held in her hand began to fade. Its facial features were formless as if they had never truly taken proper shape. As she drew closer to the other side of the water the whole head became a blur, fading quickly from existence as if it had never been there.

When The Blade set foot on the shore she dropped to her knees, the green power flowing out of her. Swirling green energy pushed through the gathered army, the women parting to allow it to approach their queen. Before her the mass of green power took the shape of a man, large and looming tall with the power of a god.

Imeyr had taken physical form. He stood larger than life, dressed in a mix of leather and bark. A white hood, its fabric gilded with gold, covered his head. His face was shadowed from sight, only glowing green tattoos on his skin and brightly burning green eyes could be seen. The huge antlers still stood upon his head, looking as if they had grown through the hood.

Queen Faeven knelt before the looming god. As she dropped to her knees so did her army. "You have saved us," she said, awed by the god's presence.

"And you have saved me," his voice boomed, sounding as if it came from every tree of the forest around them. "I was but a sliver of divine power left sleeping in this place, nearly forgotten by the world. But your power and the faith of those loyal to you awakened me and have returned me to much of my former glory. Your need allowed me to grow strong so that I could use that strength to save you.

"I was one of the ancient gods that led the first battle against The Corruption," Imeyr continued. "I was one of the gods that helped seal away and imprison most of the other gods who had given themselves to that dark and perverse power. I gave nearly all my essence to banish The Corruption from Alaria. Only its return, and ones such as you fighting against its influence, was enough to bring me back. I thank you for fighting this perverse corrupting power."

The god reached a hand down towards Queen Faeven. "Stand as if you are my equal," he commanded, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. As Queen Faeven stood green energy wrapped around her arm, becoming a bracer of bark. "Wear my boon, let it make your power grow. And come, together we must cleanse the taint of The Corruption from this place."

Murmuring, the rest of the army rose to its feet and watched as Queen Faeven, hand in hand with a god, walked to the water's edge.

"Look across the water," Imeyr boomed, pointing to where Azel's physical body had been slain. "See the red mushrooms that bloom? They are things of The Corruption but most don't realize that, calling them 'Tookabrew mushrooms' and thinking they are natural.

"If allowed to remain they will slowly spread The Corruption's taint through my forest and weaken me, you, and your army. Even in defeat The Corruption taints the world and does what it can to win its war to infuse all of Alaria with its perverse essence. The accursed power can lose every battle yet in the end win the war. But together we can cleanse this place and rob it of even this victory."

He let go of Faeven's hand, turning his own hand palm up before raising it to the sky as green energy coalesced in his hand. It solidified, becoming a small wooden bowl full of glowing green fluid. "Take this," he said to Faeven, handing her the bowl. "Kneel at the water's edge and pray,

ALL

of you pray to me. As you do I shall take in your faith. Then, as you pour the contents of that bowl out, we shall all together cleanse this place."

Queen Faeven knelt at the water's edge, staring into the glowing liquid in the bowl. All around her the queen heard the women of her army begin to mutter prayers to Imeyr and his forest. The green fluid started to glow more brightly. She bent lower, tipping the bowl and letting the glowing green liquid poor slowly into the water.

The clear water of the lake started to glow green, the power she was pouring into it spreading out in every direction. Under the water's surface she saw a huge, evil face appear. Red glowing eyes glared at her then the face twisted up in pain, shaking and dissolving from sight as the cleansing power she was pouring into the water chased the evil away.

She looked up as she poured the last of the fluid into the lake, seeing the red mushrooms on the other side of the lake sizzling with sparking red energy. That energy slowly became green. Eventually the mushrooms melted, replaced by lush green grass, vibrant flowers, and beautiful fluttering butterflies.

"This place is cleansed," Imeyr declared as the wooden bowl in Queen Faeven's hand disappeared.

The Fey queen stood and turned to the god. "We shall forever be in your debt," she said with a small bow.

He nodded, waving for her to stand back up. "Your army will be safe here for a time. I've healed them, yet they will still need time to recover from the ordeal. As my power pulls back some might feel what happened to them once more. Luckily, the cleansing of this place will make it so the forces of The Corruption are unable to see you for some time. Even Azel, who stood right there, will not know where this place is. Take the time to rest and plan your next move. The forest shall protect you. But be mindful. You cannot hide here forever, for the true fight against The Corruption lays outside my forest's boundaries."

"The perverse Elven king," Queen Faeven muttered.

"Yes," Imeyr replied. "And the new Dwarven king to the north. The Corruption flows around them both. They each must be stopped. I will aid you and your forces as I can, and I say to you that although you have gathered an army open warfare is not the only or even best way to defeat these foes."

Faeven nodded. "How shall we ever repay you?"

"Worship me and worship my forest," Imeyr said, the trees all around them shaking as if hungry for that praise. "The faith of mortals is what sustains and powers me. I will never be one of the greater gods again, able to send my might anywhere in Alaria. I will almost certainly always be restrained to this forest, but with your people's faith I can grow ever more powerful within my domain. Even now I can feel some within its borders realizing I've returned and beginning to pray to me."

"We shall do as you ask," Queen Faeven said with another bow.

"I require one more thing," the god said, his glowing green eyes suddenly burning brighter.

"Anything," Faeven replied.

"

HER

," Imeyr declared, throwing an arm up and pointing into the crowd that surrounded them.

Queen Faeven looked to see that Imeyr was pointing at Novaoa, the Nemorvian warrior that had only so recently come to her. "But why?" the queen asked, confused by the request.

Imeyr began to stride towards Novaoa, the curvaceous warrior looking confused and a little frightened. "My reasons are my own, and a god need not explain his whims even to one as mighty as you, Queen Faeven. She will come with me away from your army. My essence will lead her deep into the forest where I will reveal what I require her for. She will come now or I shall cease protecting you and your army."

Queen Faeven bit her lip, hesitating to answer. The demand was strange and the manner in which Imeyr was making it stranger still. As he made the request his voice sounded different... Something in her was saying this was not the correct course of action, that something was wrong here.

"I will come with you and do whatever is required of me," Novaoa said suddenly, stepping towards the god and kneeling before him, still looking afraid but determined.

"I thank you," Queen Faeven said cautiously, still unsure. But the woman had made up her mind and she was free to do as she wished, she had no right to stop her.

"Then we shall leave at once," Imeyr declared, his physical form beginning to fade. "Make your plans," he said to Faeven, "fight The Corruption. And I will lead this one to where she is needed."

As he spoke his hooded face was looking down at Novaoa. None could see his face, not even Novaoa since she had her head bowed. But if she had been looking up she would have seen the god's face, seen the bright green glow of his eyes falter for just a moment as they turned red. But none saw and none knew that Imeyr's divine purification was perhaps not as thorough as they thought...