Chapter 3

When I turned my head to the side, I wished to escape from the man in front of me. I longed to embody the goddess I aspired to be. However, I found myself on the verge of being captured once again.

Uncertain of the consequences of being caught, I gazed up at the sky, troubled by the idea of being unable to bring my sister back from the dead. In my mind, I beseeched the goddess for help, hoping she would come to my aid in my time of need. Despite my repeated prayers, I began to doubt her availability, imagining her engaged in battle against demons or malevolent deities.

The man seized me, lifting me from the ground as I struggled against his hold. "Let me go!" I challenged, but his hold was relentless.

With a chuckle, he warned me to brace myself for the repercussions of attempting to flee. Just as he was about to turn away, a brilliant white light enveloped us, accompanied by a woman's voice commanding him to release me.

Momentarily blinded by the light, we shielded our eyes until it faded, revealing a winged woman adorned in regal attire. Unsure if she was a witch, or a goddess, I couldn't deny her beauty and felt a sense of relief at her intervention. I'd never seen anything like that before in legends, and wondered if she was a recent creation. That was something that I'd be willing to find out once I was rescued.

The man, however, clung to me tighter, defiantly challenging the mysterious woman. "You won't take her from me. Don't even think about saving her," he growled through his clenched teeth.

Then, the woman's eyes started to emit a radiant white glow, and she extended her hand forward. Her hair floated in the air as a faint glow enveloped her. Suddenly, a white sphere materialized and spun around on her palm.

In sheer astonishment, I involuntarily parted my lips and gasped with excitement. It seemed that my plea for salvation had been answered. The deity had heard my prayers, and I gazed up at the sky, silently expressing my gratitude.

Just as I turned my attention back to the woman, I heard her utter, "I commanded you to release her!" With those words, she unleashed her spell upon the man, causing his eyes to widen in shock as they trembled uncontrollably. Fearfully, he opened his mouth, only to be struck by the magic with pinpoint accuracy.

The sound of his agonized screams and witnessing his collapse to the ground brought me immense satisfaction. I couldn't help but smile as he lay there defeated. However, my expression quickly faded when he slowly began to rise.

To ensure my safety during this confrontation, I cautiously stepped aside. Observing the battle unfolding before me, I watched as he struggled to catch his breath, his neck jerking from side to side before rotating it in a circle. His gaze intensified as he glared at the woman, retrieving a dagger from his belt and taking a few labored breaths.

"Okay, woman," he declared, his voice filled with determination, "It's time for you to meet your conclusion."

Unfazed by his threats, the woman calmly responded, "So you desire more? Very well then. Your wish shall be granted." As he yelled at her and lunged forward with his dagger, the woman's eyes transformed into a fiery orange glow. Flames suddenly materialized out of thin air, swirling around her and engulfing her wings. With a swift motion of her wings, the fiery waves crashed against the man, setting him ablaze and eliciting agonized screams of pain.

Amazed, I observed him twirling around, his arms flailing in an attempt to extinguish the flames. He desperately wanted the burning sensation to cease. However, it was too late. He crumpled to the ground, lying motionless while the fire continued to consume his lifeless body.

With his spirit departed, the putrid stench emanating from the corpse began to assault my nostrils. I frowned and instinctively covered my mouth, exhaling to rid myself of the foul odor. I contemplated taking a few steps back from the lifeless form, but hesitated, fearing that it might offend a potential deity.

I swiftly turned my attention to the woman, intending to speak to her. To my surprise, she stood a short distance away, causing my eyes to widen. I had assumed she would remain in her original position, but she had returned to her normal state. However, she gestured for me to approach her, waving her hand in my direction.

I complied, rushing towards her, hoping she wouldn't vanish from my sight. As I reached her, relief washed over me, grateful that she had not disappeared and eager to express my gratitude for saving my life and rescuing me from the unpleasant odor.

"Are you alright?" the woman inquired, a smile gracing her face.

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'm fine. Thank you for saving my life."

"You're most welcome, young lady. What is your name?"

"Delivia."

"Delivia, huh? That's a beautiful name."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You're welcome."

"So, are you a goddess?"

The woman nodded. "No, I'm afraid not."

I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "You're not?"

"No."

"Then who are you?"

"I was sent by the moon goddess to spare your life whereas she combat a fiendish goddess."

I gazed up at the moon, then back at the woman. "Oh, I understand now. I have never come across any tales or mentions of you before. Are you a recent creation by a divine being?"

"Yes, indeed. I am."

"Was it the moon goddess who brought you into existence?"

“Yes, it was.”

"How can I ever repay you?”

"Well..." The woman looked up at the sky, her finger resting on her chin as she considered. After a moment, she turned back to me with a smile. "There’s one thing you'll do to reimburse me."

"And what might that be?"

"I would like you to bring me a jar of honey."

"And how am I assumed to achieve that?"

"There is a jar located near the lake, a bit of a distance from here." The woman turned and pointed towards the end of the path that led through the forest. I shifted my gaze in that direction, trying to see what she was indicating.

I straightened up and met her gaze. "And what about the bees? They attack whenever I go near the beehive."

Once she turned back to face me, she continued, "There is a broken glass near the jar. Throw some sticks underneath the beehive and build a fire there from the broken glass to create smoke that would scare them away."

"Ah, I understand now. And will you do something for me once I complete this task?"

"Why, of course, my child. I will."

"Very well then. I look forward to it."

"For now, you need some rest. Allow me to set up a camp near the lake for you."

In an instant, the woman transported me near the lake and prepared a campfire. I gathered the items she had instructed me to take and settled down to rest. I couldn't wait to complete the task and bring my sister back to life…