A Goddess Recruitment

Jasime laughed as another foolish, dimwitted customer left her wagon. Three women asking if they would find love, six mercenaries seeking answers about honor, and a young blacksmith searching for loopholes in destiny.

         Jasime had welcomed each of them into her ominous wagon, sat them in the dark, and told the truth… or her version of it. A twisted guessing game of playing what they wanted to hear- in return for an offering, of course. Jewels or weapons or gloriously delicious-smelling dishes of fruits, bread, and meat.

         Village to village Jasime traveled, spreading word of a ‘mysterious stranger’ somehow able to tell word of the future. Tell them in exchange for treasure and money and wealth. A sick idea that had gained Jasime a new carriage, horse, and her assistant, Luca, who got a sum of the profits if he kept his mouth shut and steered the carriage.

         It wasn’t her idea… Jasime had stolen the concept from a dear friend of hers in her old monastery. Gretchen had never been liked or loved or befriended until, one day, she claimed to have been sent a vision. A hideous lie, but it had intrigued Jasime.

         “She has spoken to me!” Gretchen had fumed, shouting through the vast halls. “I have seen what is to come!”

         “Calm down, child! What is it?”

         It wasn’t until everyone had gathered around Gretchen that the tears had begun to shed, and she grabbed a hold of the priestess hysterically. A beautiful act.

“She has forsaken the Old Gods. The Mother Goddess has shown me! Kyla has broken her vows- she will defile us all!” Gretchen pointed her nasty finger. “Kyla will bear a child!”

         A gasp from the monastery as Gretchen accused the young woman… the young woman who had bullied Gretchen for over two years. Kyla had taunted and teased and even threatened Gretchen before, but popularity and the keen skill of her words had kept her from consequences.

         Yet, it had been those same, lovely words that had been spoken too loudly in the kitchen. As Gretchen had walked by, she heard the secret of a priestess who laid with a commoner, and who had not bled her past two cycles.

         A secret turned to lie turned to brilliance. Jasime had seen the punishment Kyla had received and had felt terrible for the girl, but Jasime also noted Gretchen’s change in life. If the runt of the litter could better herself with a few lies, why couldn’t Jasime?

         She had already planned to leave the monastery but hadn’t the coin until this little idea sprung about. Now, Jasime was halfway through the continent, rich and unbothered.

         There were rules to follow. She refused to visit the same town twice and refused to see individual customers twice. Jasime only left her wagon once she was deep in the forest with Luca, and Luca was the one to sell their treasure. Jasime couldn’t risk the recognition.

         She based her persona off an ancient goddess she had researched in the monastery, Kidallie. A ruthless goddess who had the unique ability of foresight. In ancient times, she had been known to advise the gods in their wars and other matters. Now, she was but a forgotten piece of history.

         “Wait! Ma’am, you must wait for permission to enter!” Jasime looked up as light peered in from the open carriage door. The space quickly darkened again as the door shut, and a stranger sat before her.

         “Hello.” The stranger smiled.

         Jasime looked the woman up and down. Tall and beautiful typically meant either ditsy or dangerous. She couldn’t tell which one this woman was.

         “Why have you entered my domain?” Jasime cleared her throat, shoving the offered gold necklace from her previous client behind her in the seat.

         “Oh, please.” The woman rolled her eyes, “Quit the accent. I’m not in the mood.”

         “I’m not-” Jasime gasped as a knife thudded between her legs.

         The woman grinned, “I hear you’re the mortal that’s been portraying Kidallie?”

         Jasime couldn’t take her eyes from the knife. “Listen, if I’ve prophesized your life wrong- I’m sorry. I can give you another free reading.”

         The knife moved slowly as the stranger pulled it from the chair and dragged it up, until it was resting upon Jasime’s neck.

         “You have no idea what you’ve done, do you?”

         “Whatever it is, I’m sure I didn’t mean to do it.”

         The stranger laughed, “My name is Petra, and I’m a disciple of Kidallie.”

         Silence.

         “Is that all?”

         Petra stared at Jasime, knife still to her throat. “What?”

         Jasime sagged, “I have better things to do with my day than to be threatened by an overdramatic, angry disciple worshiping an outdated god. How much do you want?”

         Petra furrowed, her eyes like daggers. “You really don’t understand what you’ve just brought upon yourself.” The woman leaned forward, edging the knife to the nape of Jasime’s throat. With her other hand, she shoved something forward.

         Jasime didn’t dare look down at it for fear of impaling herself.

         “When it becomes too much, come find me at the Crossroad Inn. Goodluck.”

         Burning. Something was burning.

         Jasime jumped in the carriage as she tried to move away from whatever it was. A coin- Petra had shoved a coin into her hand, and it suddenly felt as though she had been holding hellfire itself.

         Then, all at once, it stopped. Left in her hand was the branding of the coin- a two-faced women in a robe. It stuck out on Jasime’s skin like ink on paper.

         “What the hells was that all about?” Luca’s head popped in the carriage. “Are you alright in here? That woman seemed awfully frustrated.” He squinted. “Is your neck bleeding?”

         “We should get out of here- now.”

         “But we have more people out here waiting to see you.”

         “I said, now, Luca!”

  _

         Jasime remained distracted the remainder of the night. That coin’s edge remained on her hand and throbbed with heat. No doubt it would scar, but maybe Jasime could find a way to work it into her act.

         “You seem pale.”

         “Thanks, Luca.”

         The boy sighed as he handed Jasime a portion of the stew he had brewed for them. “You know I didn’t mean it like that, it’s just that woman from earlier seems to have really done you through. What did she say?”

         “Nothing important.” Jasime rubbed her temples, “I think I just want to go to bed tonight.” She handed the bowl back to Luca, smiling apologetically. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

         Jasime left for her carriage. She scarcely made it before collapsing into her seat. She didn’t bother pulling out her sleeping roll as her eyes forced themselves closed- her head pounding as though Petra was knocking on the other side of it.

_

    War and blood and death.

Lighting littered the skies.

Oceans thrashed.

The ground beneath them splitting open.

Battlefields of blood.

  _

         Jasime awoke herself with her own shrieking. A dream- a vision? Something more.

         Jasime could feel it in her bones. Something had changed with the world- within herself.

         A dream, but more. Jasime couldn’t shake the sights… the feeling.

         “Luca!” Jasime shouted, “Wake up! We’re going to the Crossroads Inn!”

         Luca grumbled something unintelligible, but a few minutes later the carriage began moving.

         It didn’t take them long to arrive. They had already been halfway out of town but had planned to skip the inn entirely. Jasime never risked going somewhere so close to her clients- for fear they would pursue her for giving false hopes.

         She wondered what her clients would say if she told them what she saw of their futures, now. Of the death and destruction that awaited them.

         “We’re here!” Luca called. Jasime didn’t wait for him to say more as she left the carriage, her cloak covering the entirety of her figure. “Wait for me! I still have to deal with the horse!”

         Jasime pushed her way into the crowded inn. It was just as hot, sweaty, and smelly as she presumed it would be. It made her cringe to even be in such a place- the monastery was always kept clean. A place of refuge- not of mercenaries, drunks, and commoners.

         Jasime searched as she slipped inside. She eyed every chair and table and corner until she saw her.

         Petra was leaning over a table, a cup of dice in hand. “A five, one, and three.”

         People surrounded the table as Petra shook the cup, then sent the dice flying. Gods willing, the three dice all read her numbers.

         Jasime didn’t care about a stupid game as she stormed over, grabbed Petra by her collar, and came inches from her face. “What did you do to me?”

         “That was quick.” Petra laughed, grabbing Jasime’s hand, easily tossing her aside. “Sorry, boys, but it looks like our game ends here.” Petra flicked a golden coin onto the table. “Next round is my treat. Come, follow me.”

         Jasime obeyed, trying to ignore the intrusive visions that struck her when she looked around the inn and saw the bloody death of whoever she glanced at.

         Petra led Jasime to a room further back from the inn. It was quieter here… peaceful.

         “What have you been seeing?” Petra asked.

         “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

         “Only curious. Can’t be any worse than what I’ve already seen.”

         Jasime stopped. “You see things too?”

         “All true disciples of Kidallie share her visions.” Petra snickered, “But why don’t you let her tell you about it herself.”

         Jasime never assumed she would meet a god in person. At the monastery, they had prayed each day for such a blessing. That one of the many gods they worshipped would come to them and grant them peace or tranquility or, in Jasime’s case, a new life. However, Jasime had never pictured meeting a forgotten goddess in a rundown room reeking of mouse piss and ale.

         Kidallie was human… almost. Jasime could feel it as soon as she had entered the inn’s door- the power radiating throughout the grounds. She just hadn’t thought it to be the goddess herself.

         “Jasime.” Kidallie smiled, “I’m so glad I finally get to meet the person who is so awful at pretending to be me.”

         Jasime watched as the lethal woman across the room crossed her legs, leaning lazily in her chair. Her hair was ashen and her eyes… Jasime could see the amber glow radiating in the glim darkness.

         “I didn’t think I was that awful.” Jasime said before she could stop herself. To her surprise, Kidallie laughed.

         “Join me.” The woman gestured, snapping her fingers. Instantly, scattered chairs from around the room swarmed to her. Jasime found herself following Petra into one of the seats, still stunned to her core. Oh, how the priestess would’ve envied her. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”

         Jasime’s mouth became suddenly dry as she tried to find the words. After a moment she spoke, “I woke up this morning to visions. What are they? What did you do to me?”

         “I gave you a gift.” Kidallie reached for her ale on the table beside her. “What Petra gave you in your little wagon was a piece of my power. Congratulations, you can see the future.” She raised her cup before taking a long sip.

         Jasime shook her head, still in disbelief. “Wait- wait. No, I can’t see the future. The things I’m seeing- they can’t be real.”

         “Oh, trust me. They are.” Petra affirmed. “It’s nasty, right? The aftermath of war?”

         “It’s more than that,” Jasime snapped. “I’m seeing death everywhere I go. Armies burned to crisps and villages lying in ruin. That’s impossible.”

         “Unfortunately, it’s not.”

         “Even the worst wars don’t leave that much destruction in their wake.”

         Kidallie sipped her drink again, “A war between gods does.”

         Jasime nearly fainted at the claim. “Excuse me?”

         “She didn’t stutter.”

         “Easy, Petra. You remember how shocking it was the first time you heard it. Give her a moment to process.”

         The gods… all of them? All of them were real? Jasime hadn’t been praying to nothing for all those years.

         “Why?” Jasime rubbed her eyes as though it would erase what she was seeing. “Why would the gods be at war?”

         Kidallie laughed. “Those old bastards fight about anything and everything. I’m surprised it’s taken them this long to go for one another’s throats.”

         Jasime paused again… “Why am I here? If this is true, do you not have better things worry about than a copycat?”

         “That’s exactly what I told her.” Petra grunted, crossing her arms as she slouched back.

         “Petra, enough.” Kidallie looked to Jasime. “I’m here because I’m going to try and do something I’ve never been able to do before.” Jasime raised her brows as Kidallie finished her drink, then said, “I’m going to stop this future, and I am going to change it. With the help of Petra and yourself, and many more.”

         “That’s not possible. Destiny can’t be changed.”

         “No?” Kidallie leaned forward, resting her elbows upon her knees. “Did you not change your own given fate by leaving the monastery? Was destiny not changed when you advised the baker’s boy to propose to the lord’s daughter? The future can change based on an individual’s actions. Now I’ve given said individuals the power to see what their decisions affect. With that power, we are going to end the war before it begins.”

         Jasime’s eyes were wide as she tried to understand what the goddess spoke to her. It sounded insane, but after everything Jasime had seen in her visions within just a few hours… it was difficult to distrust.

         “But, why me?” Jasime repeated. “You could’ve given the gift of sight to anyone- someone who remained faithful.”

         “Well, I am still a goddess. Your deceit couldn’t go entirely unpunished.”

         “So, this is a punishment?”

         “Maybe. Some of the others went a little insane after being granted the power,” Petra chimed in, then added, “Don’t worry. I’ll show you the ropes and hopefully you’ll get the hang of things.”

         “Jasime,” Kidallie said, “I need to know now, are you willing to help us save this continent?”

         Jasime gulped, looking back and forth between the two women. “There’s just one thing.”

         Kidallie furrowed. “What is it?”

         “Luca’s still outside.”

         “… Who the hells is Luca?”