Weaver

Dragomir retracted his hand.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

“Yeah, yeah.” The weaver stood up and reached for one of her creations. “Your shirt or whatever that is would look better with a vest. Here.” She tossed one to him. “Try it.”

Caught off guard by her sudden throw, Dragomir failed to catch it. The vest landed in the dirt.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Now you have to buy it.”

“But you threw it at me!”

The sky suddenly darkened.

Dragomir and the weaver looked in the same direction.

A solar eclipse.

Although it was still afternoon, stars appeared in the darkened sky.

The weaver’s lips curled into a smile.

Dragomir felt it in the air. Chills ran through his body. Frost spread across the windows of the surrounding buildings.

His breath suddenly became visible in front of him, something impossible in weather this warm.

“I knew you would come again,” the weaver whispered, as her cheeks flushed.

Dragomir turned toward her. Her dreamy gaze was fixed somewhere behind him, her face illuminated by an unnatural glow.

He spun around.

A young man stood there. The first thing Dragomir noticed was the golden headband around his forehead. Behind him hovered a fiery ring, radiating light as bright as the sun without its scorching heat.

Before Dragomir could react, the sun-like being punched him in the face, sending him flying into a stall full of vegetables.

“Look at him fly!” The man laughed. “Did you see how strong I am?!”

“Haha, yes, I did,” the weaver replied. “You’re the strongest of them all, Dazhbog.”

Dragomir slowly rolled out of the broken wood, blood running from his nose.

I knew it was him.

“Are you eating properly? If you want I can just fry that merchant with a cow and-“

“No, no, no!” The weaver waved her hands. “No murders necessary. You promised!”

“Yeah, yeah, I won’t lay a hand on anybody in this town.” Dazhbog sighed. “What kind of a role model would I be, right?”

“You’ll be the best role model there is.” The weaver placed her hand gently on her belly. “I can’t wait.”

“Oookay!” Dazhbog moved closer and kissed her.

The kiss lasted just a few seconds too long.

From the houses surrounding the festival, an army of Domovoy marched outside, their fur sticking out like spikes.

“See you later!” Dazhbog suddenly said upon seeing them.

And with that, he dissolved into rays of sunlight and disappeared.

The sun in the sky shone brightly yet again.

Only then did Dragomir notice a man lying beside him, frozen to death.

He held his bloody nose as the weaver came running toward him with a piece of cloth.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Am I alright?” Dragomir pushed her hand away after she tried to wipe the blood off of his nose. “What the hell was that? Are you willingly submitting to those bastards? Are you really fine with being a god’s wh-“

SLAP!

Before he could finish, a red imprint appeared on his face.

When he looked up, her eyes were already brimming with tears. “And what do you think we should do?! The spirits of Yav have been protecting us but what if the balance of power shifts? What if the gods are faster? Look at this poor man. There are always casualties!”

“And this is your answer?” Dragomir’s gaze fell on her belly.

“It’s better like this if it means I can protect my family and friends.”

“Yes. Dazhbog is not slaying anybody. That’s why he brought another god along to do the dirty work.” He pointed at the frozen man. “Or, a goddess, should I say.”

“But at least Dazhbog is not an issue. He’s not like the others. He gives love. And when he gives something, he receives something back.”

Dragomir furrowed his brows. “Sounds like you have issues.”

“You should leave.” The weaver straightened. “You don’t belong here.”

“Don’t forget to bury this guy properly, so he doesn’t come back.”

As Dragomir wiped away the blood from his nose, he made sure the Little Table was whole after the impact. And then he started walking away.

Around the streets, exhausted Domovoy panted and bumped fists with one another.

The townspeople were injured, but the casualties were kept to a minimum.

So this was the state of the world before my involvement…

As he wandered through the town, day and night switched rapidly. Millions of voices spoke at the same time around him.

“Your mother took care of a strong spirit that terrorized the people behind the town.”

“Her skill and knowledge as a weaver was enough to defeat that thing!”

“Yeah, nobody could last that long, but your mother was something else!”

Disconnected conversations floated around the town but this was the only one that Dragomir could hear almost properly.

Although he saw countless sunsets and sunrises, mere seconds passed.

The whole town was on fire. People’s dead bodies lay on the frozen ground.

“Mom, mom!” A familiar voice called out from outside a half-destroyed building.

Dragomir leaned against the wall nearby a cracked window. He knew that voice.

“Listen closely, Zduhach.” She coughed. Her voice trembled. Not out of nervousness. But out of sheer cold. “The balance of power has shifted,” she continued. “Nowhere in Yav is safe anymore. You can either die hiding, or die fighting. Survival is not an option, unfortunately.”

“Mom, no! If you’re cold, you can still weave something warm for yourself, right?!”

For a short moment, Dragomir peeked through the window. The weaver’s legs were fully frozen, cracks spread throughout her lower body.

“Oh, you silly boy. You’re strong and you’re kind. But you’re a little slow, hehe.” She coughed up blood again. “But even so, you’re the most intelligent baby in the world to me.”

“Mom, I don’t want you to die!” Zduhach held her hand and sobbed.

“Make sure you eat a lot. And sleep a lot. Though… I know that… you are not able to. But I’m sure you would get even stronger if you did.”

“Mom!”

“And one last thing… when you fight… make sure… to slay all the gods. Except one. I… I can’t let you become a man who spills his own blood...” Tears kept falling from her eyes. But they eventually turned to ice.

And then she drew her last breath.

Dragomir’s chin shook.

She practically told him. And he still never realized…

Zduhach wiped away his tears and inhaled. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” He grabbed his quiver, bow and arrows and ran outside his home.

Dragomir then recalled his own mother. The last time he spoke to her, she didn’t recognize him. But the memory of her voice was still enough to make him smile.

When he blinked, he was back in the forest.

“Welcome back,” a lynx talked to his ear.

Chapter 15: END