Eons ago, a temple with ten divine statues sank into the sea and then were pulled into the mantle of the planet itself. Now they have come to life, trapped below the crust of the world. Only Nalani and Vykoria can plunge down a lava plume and guide these divines into the light, though a path no human has ever walked will be treacherous and full of dangers unknown to mankind.
Sequel to: @internutter/challenge-04849-m100-stolen-mercy -- Deathshead419
Vykoria was resigned to her new god-name. She couldn't keep insisting at people and remain sane at the same time. She had even become resigned to gaining her godly assignments in strange and unusual ways.
This one was a vision while she was in the middle of growing her worshipper's crops. In one moment, she was unfurling leaves to the sun, in the next, she was watching a temple sink into the ground and then into an immense pocket of lava. In that boiling sea of rock, the ten statues within the temple were crying out for a rescue. She got the impression that the temple had sunk a long time ago, and it was only now that the gods in question were able to reach her.
She came back to the same moment that the vision whisked her away from. Nice to know that these things didn't interrupt her work, but they could have warned her. Nevertheless, she had an urgent plea for help. Vykoria eased her powers away from the field, only explaining, "I am summoned elsewhere."
She found her husband Nalani already on his way to his father's cauldera.
"I don't know why my father swallowed them," said Nalani, "but he is willing to give them up to us and let us rescue them. All we have to do is touch them, and they will cling to us."
"That only makes it mildly easier, I suppose." She sighed, falling into step with Nalani and absently holding his hand. "All ten of them?"
"All ten," he agreed.
Hand still in hand, they dove into Maugamu's mouth and into the lava of his stomach. Their godly powers let them see through the molten stone as if it were a thick fog. And floating in the depths, miraculously unharmed, were the swallowed gods.
They had to save them all, or disaster may follow.
She reached out her hand and felt the strong, callused grip of Khasis, god of the forge. Khasis transferred their grip to her ankle that did nothing to impede her. Nalani had grabbed hold of Loki the trickster, who did the same out of enlightened self-interest. Next to her hand was Thor, the thunder god; followed by Saska, who had power over ruinous swarms of insects. Each of them clung to her, but their presence never interfered with her ability to swim through the lava.
Emesh, the god of hunger, vowed to stay hir hand from Blessed-By-Maugamu out of sheer gratitude. Eris, god of discord and strife, promised safety from their attention. Koray vowed to help with the rising of every dough.
Nergal swore they would protect the island's people from disease. Gibil promised no fire would go out of control. And Tuli swore that she would only rumble the ground at Maugamu's command.
With one on each arm, one on each leg, and one clinging to each of their waists, Vykoria and Nalani rose into the open air, freeing the gods.
Each thanked them in person, and took the pose most favoured by sculptors, before returning to the stone they had once been. Other villagers would carry them to their new house.
Ten kinds of gratitude were going to be paid to the people of Blessed-By-Maugamu. All in a day's work as the bride of a god.
[Photo by Marek Okon on Unsplash]
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