Relief from the Light Part 4

-Shoggoth-

With the barren fields now bursting with green crops, food was no longer scarce, but people still kept coming to Ruddy’s afternoon meals. It was beginning to become a regular event for the city.

Now that food was plentiful and cheap, people were experimenting with recipes, and making more than they needed. Tables would be set up around Ruddy’s wagon, people sharing the food they made with others, either as main courses, or sides.

Still, the food that Shoggoth made was always the center piece every time. Always some new dish, smelling divine, and tasting even better. And somehow it only encouraged people to try and recreate the dishes, leading to a culinary revolution.

In response, Ruddy, under Shoggoth’s orders, and with assistance from Rose, began passing out more seeds of other types of foods than just beans. Peas, lentils, and other kinds of beans.

“It’s important to let the soil regain nutrients.” Shoggoth told Ruddy one day while they were setting up dinner. “You can’t just grow one type of crop all the time. Once the fields are healthier, we’ll introduce proper crop rotation, so they can grow more varied meals.”

“But why?” Ruddy asked, not understanding Shoggoth’s goal in all this. “You and that nature spirit can’t keep the fields this lush forever! What will happen when your plan is over, and you’ve gathered all the loyalists from this town while the fields begin to die out?”

Shoggoth would just smile in the shadows. “You have no idea what I’m planning. That just makes the end result all that sweeter. I hope you’ll be looking forward to it.”

Ruddy growled. He hated the idea of these people being taken advantage of. He despised tricking them just to gather people for their war. That is, if Shoggoth was even planning on building the numbers they promised the Trifecta. “Regardless of what you’re planning, you will be fulfilling your word to the Trifecta.” It was not a question. It was a statement. He didn’t know what Shoggoth was, but he was certain the Pariahs would punish it for sabotaging their efforts.

“Those three will receive their supporters. It’s their job to survive long enough to make use of them.” Shoggoth spoke, almost annoyed.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Ruddy stopped fixing up the tables to glare at the carriage, where Shoggoth was currently cooking. Despite the distance between them, they still somehow spoke without anyone hearing.

“It means, your ‘Champion of Shadows’, Ash, is moving rather overtly with his plans in the Kingdom of Earth. It’s already attracted the notice of Princess Aurelia and the Lady of Lightning. They’re moving towards where reports of armies of golems have been spotted, as we speak. Pretty soon they’ll even find that Cloudburst is supplying them with the water they need, at the behest of King Boranus.”

Ruddy stopped in place, eyes wide past his cloak as he recalled the plan that Ash was involved with. The methods Ruddy employed in the Land within the Mountains, alongside the shadowy demigod.

All to produce the golems they needed to round out their numbers.

It was one of the most important parts of the Trifecta’s plans. They didn’t have the numbers needed for the sustained attacks they had planned, and a lot of their living forces were likely wiped out if Aurelia traveled west to meet Fulgora. It was a slow and steady project, generating an ever growing army.

And if the two princesses were to ruin it? Or worse, somehow snap the Son of Stone back to his senses and unite with him? Their plans could be set back by decades! Possibly even centuries!

“How… how do you know this?” Ruddy seethed through clenched teeth, not at Shoggoth, but at Aurelia. Ruddy was near halfway across the world, so far from the realms of gods.

“You don’t call me Knowledge for nothing.” Shoggoth seemed to state as if it was puffing up its chest.

Ruddy just figured it used that instant transportation thing again. Still, a very scary ability for such an existence. Especially because Shoggoth would have to know where to look. Possibly. Ruddy didn’t understand how the spell worked, and had only seen Shoggoth use it once.

“Then you better not be stalling for any time, because we have no time to lose forming this ‘backbone’ you advertised.” Ruddy got back to work.

After another successful dinner, there were quite a few responses to his prayer, but it was still a quiet minority. Still, the amount of prayer was getting larger every day. And just having a community event like this was enough to spread smiles to once such forlorn and sunken faces.

“Sir Priest?” A gruff voice spoke up from behind Ruddy as he quickly finished his own bowl of what Shoggoth called ‘chili.’

Wiping his face, he turned to the two men standing before the wagon. Shoggoth was listening, despite his eye flittering around the shadows of the tables, grabbing bowls to bring back. “Is everything alright with the meal, my brothers?” Ruddy’s face was still hidden, but he felt like his chin was still stained red.

“Oh, everything’s fine.” The second man said. Both were bulky men, strong of arm. Brothers most likely, both with bright red hair and blue eyes. “The meal was tasty!” He handed his dirty bowl to Ruddy, who took it and put it with the other dirty dishes for Shoggoth to clean.

The first brother jabbed the second in the gut with a quick elbow. “We’re not here about the meal, idiot.” He said exasperated as he turned away from his brother to face Ruddy. “We’re here because… we’d like advice.”

Ruddy was taken back by that. Sure, he had been asked for advice many times by his fellows in the Trifecta, but this was the first time someone in Mesolefko approached him, unrelated to any schemes. At least any schemes Ruddy knew about. “With me? What do you need, my brothers?”

“Well, it’s about the forest-” The second brother spoke before the first silenced him again with a loud ‘shush!’

Ruddy tensed, worried about what they intended with the forest. Did this have something to do with Rose? “The forest?”

“Yessir, the forest. We’re lumberjacks, you see, sir. And we’ve been getting asked a lot lately to help with making some new buildings, with how full of energy everyone is lately.”

“Thanks to you!” The second brother chipped in. And this time, he didn’t get elbowed.

“Yes. Thanks to you.” The first brother nodded.

Ruddy nodded. “And what advice do you need from me regarding the forest?”

“Well, we saw you enter the forest a few times… and yet you’re still alive…” The first one sounded a little awkward, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ruddy froze. No one would have noticed him entering the forest! He would have known! He was trained in stealth by the Champion of Shadows, and blessed by the God of Shadows! If he didn’t want to be seen, he wouldn’t have been seen!

Was this Shoggoth’s doing? But how could it have done such a thing? Without Ruddy knowing?!

Not realizing what Ruddy was thinking, the two brothers continued. “No one ever comes out of the forest!” The second brother was almost elbowed, and flinched in response, but the first brother’s elbow stopped just before his gut.

“We were wondering… if you could tell us how you travel through the forest unharmed…” The first brother said as if he was trying to pass an outrageous question casually. “Or if you could just lead us to some of the good trees? We can pay you, of course! A cut of our profits!”

“Ah, I see the problem now, my brothers.” At Shoggoth’s urge, Ruddy began speaking. “The problem is a simple lack of understanding. All you need to do is to enter the forest and recite the simple prayer to Shoggoth. Remember, with Shoggoth, you will find even the most unknown darknesses opening up to you. May the light of Knowledge guide your step, and rend your fear of the unknown.”

The two brothers blinked, glanced at each other, and then had awkward smiles when they looked back at Ruddy. “Thanks a lot, Sir Priest! Hey, tell us if you ever need a church set up or whatever. We’ll get you the best church around.” With that, the first brother tossed his arm around the second brother, pulling him away.

“Why did you have to do that? They’re going to find out about Rose!” Even if Rose seemed loyal to Shoggoth, he’d rather her paradise in the forest be untainted by ignorant folks. And he’d rather she doesn’t lead to the death of the two brothers.

“Just trust me.” Shoggoth smiled from Ruddy’s side.