The Guardian and The Last Goddess

A Journey Begins

The night air was crisp and cool as Xhiah stood on the outskirts of Eldra, looking back at the small village that had been her home for as long as she could remember. The rooftops of the houses glimmered faintly in the moonlight, and the familiar winding paths and fields now seemed distant and unrecognizable. She wondered if she’d ever see them again.

She shifted her pack on her shoulders and glanced at Glenn, who was standing a few steps ahead, scanning the dark forest ahead of them. He hadn’t said much since they left the temple; his face set in a serious expression that made her feel both reassured and uneasy.

“Do you think it’s already close?” Xhiah asked, breaking the silence. Her voice sounded small against the vast night sky.

Glenn’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he turned to her. “It’s always close. Demons like that don’t lose their prey once they’ve found it. But don’t worry. It won’t get to you.”

There was a confidence in his tone that Xhiah wasn’t sure she shared. She knew so little about the thing that was hunting her. Was it something that could attack them at any moment, or was it lurking, waiting for a more opportune time? The uncertainty gnawed at her.

As they began their trek into the dense forest that surrounded Eldra, Xhiah’s thoughts turned to the priest’s words. The blood of the goddesses runs through your veins, he had said. The revelation still felt surreal, like a dream she hadn’t fully woken up from. If it was true, that meant she was connected to something ancient, something far greater than the simple life she’d lived in Eldra.

But what did that mean for her future? And why hadn’t anyone told her?

“So...” Xhiah began, her voice hesitant. “About what the priest said earlier. Do you know... what he meant?”

Glenn glanced over his shoulder, then slowed his pace slightly so they were walking side by side. “He was talking about your lineage. You’re a descendant of the goddesses who once lived on this land.”

Xhiah frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. “But that doesn’t make any sense. My parents were just farmers. I’m not special.”

“That’s what you were led to believe,” Glenn replied. “But the truth is more complicated. You see, a long time ago, the Goddesses walked the earth. They were powerful beings, able to control the elements, heal the sick, and protect humanity from the forces of darkness. But as time passed, most of them retreated to the world beyond, leaving only a few descendants behind.”

“And I’m one of them?” Xhiah’s voice trembled slightly.

Glenn nodded. “Yes. The last, in fact.”

The weight of his words settled over her like a heavy cloak. The last descendant. It didn’t seem possible. How could she, a simple village girl, be connected to something so powerful, so ancient? The idea felt alien, as if she’d been thrust into a story that wasn’t hers.

“But why didn’t anyone tell me?” she asked, frustration edging into her voice. “Why didn’t my parents say anything? Why did the priest wait until now?”

Glenn was quiet for a moment before answering. “I don’t know all the details. But I imagine it was to protect you. If people knew who you were, it would have put you in danger long before now. And the demon... it probably would have found you much sooner.”

Xhiah swallowed hard; her throat suddenly dried. The more she learned, the more overwhelming everything became. She felt like she was losing her grip on reality, like the ground beneath her was shifting and cracking. But she couldn’t let fear take over. Not now.

“Who are you, Glenn?” she asked after a long pause. “Why were you chosen to protect me?”

Glenn’s expression didn’t change, but his steps faltered slightly, as if the question had caught him off guard. “I’m just a warrior,” he said simply. “I’ve been trained my whole life for this task. Protecting you is my duty.”

“But why you?” Xhiah pressed. “There must be a reason you were chosen.”

Glenn looked away, his jaw tightening slightly. “There’s always a reason. But some reasons are better left unsaid.”

Xhiah opened her mouth to argue, but something in his tone made her stop. His answer felt like the end of the conversation, and she could tell he wasn’t ready to share more. It was clear that Glenn carried his own burdens, ones he wasn’t willing to share just yet.

They walked in silence for a while, the soft crunch of leaves underfoot the only sound breaking the stillness. The deeper they ventured into the forest, the thicker the trees became, their branches intertwining like skeletal fingers reaching toward the sky. The moonlight barely penetrated the canopy above, casting the path ahead in a dim, eerie glow.

Xhiah tried to focus on the journey, but her thoughts kept drifting to the demon that was hunting her. What did it look like? How powerful was it? And why was it so determined to take her soul?

“Glenn?” she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Have you ever fought a demon before?”

He didn’t answer right away. For a moment, she thought he hadn’t heard her, but then he spoke, his voice low and measured. “Yes. But none like this one.”

“What do you mean?”

“This demon isn’t like the others I’ve faced. It’s older. Stronger. More cunning. Most demons are mindless creatures of destruction, but this one... it has a purpose. It’s been following you for a reason.”

Xhiah shivered. “What reason?”

Glenn looked at her, his eyes shadowed in the dim light. “It wants your blood.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “My blood?”

“The blood of the goddesses is powerful,” Glenn explained. “It carries a purity, an energy that demons crave. Drinking it would make them nearly unstoppable. And you... you’re the last of the goddesses’ bloodline. If it takes you, there will be nothing left to stop it.”

Xhiah’s stomach turned. The thought of the demon—this dark, malevolent force—hunting her down for her blood made her feel sick. She had always thought of herself as ordinary, someone who would live a quiet life in Eldra, far away from the dangers of the outside world. But now, that ordinary life seemed like a distant memory.

Glenn must have sensed her fear because he stepped closer, his presence solid and reassuring. “I won’t let that happen, Xhiah. You have my word.”

She looked at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt, but found none. There was something about him that made her believe him, despite the terror gnawing at her insides. His calm, steady demeanor gave her a sense of security she hadn’t expected to feel.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He nodded once, then turned his attention back to the path ahead. “We should keep moving. We need to reach the base of Mount Mierlitte by dawn.”

---

Hours passed, and the forest around them grew darker and more oppressive. Xhiah’s feet ached from the long trek, and fatigue weighed heavily on her, but she didn’t complain. She knew they couldn’t afford to stop, not while the demon was still out there.

The sound of rustling leaves suddenly broke the silence, and Glenn stopped in his tracks, his hand immediately going to his sword.

Xhiah frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. “What is it?”

Glenn held up a hand, signaling for her to stay quiet. His eyes scanned the trees around them, his body tense and ready for action.

For a moment, nothing happened. The forest was still, the air thick with tension. Then, from the shadows, a low growl echoed through the trees.

Xhiah’s blood ran cold.

A pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness, followed by another. And then another. Soon, the forest was filled with the menacing glow of dozens of eyes, all locked on them.

“Wolves,” Glenn muttered under his breath, drawing his sword.

Xhiah took a step back, her heart racing. She had heard stories about the wolves that roamed the forest at night, but she had never seen them up close. Their growls grew louder and more threatening as they began to emerge from the shadows.

There were at least ten of them, their sleek, black fur blending in with the darkness, their sharp teeth bared in a snarl. They moved slowly, circling Glenn and Xhiah, their eyes gleaming with hunger.

Glenn positioned himself in front of her, his sword raised. “Stay behind me.”

Xhiah’s pulse quickened. She could feel the danger closing in around them, the wolves inching closer with every passing second. She didn’t know how they were going to survive this. Even with Glenn’s skill, there were too many of them.

But Glenn showed no fear. He stood tall and focused, his eyes never leaving the wolves.

The lead wolf lunged first, its jaws snapping at Glenn’s throat. In a blur of movement, Glenn swung

his sword, the blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The wolf yelped as it fell to the ground, lifeless.

The others didn’t hesitate. They attacked in unison, their bodies a blur of teeth and claws. Glenn fought them off with swift, calculated strikes, his movements graceful and efficient. But there were too many of them.

Xhiah watched in horror as one of the wolves broke through Glenn’s defenses, lunging toward her with a snarl. She stumbled backward, her heart hammering in her chest.

Suddenly, a surge of energy pulsed through her body, and before she knew what was happening, her hand shot out, a burst of light exploding from her palm. The wolf was thrown back, crashing into a tree with a loud thud.

Xhiah stared at her hand in disbelief. What had just happened?

Glenn finished off the last of the wolves and turned to her, his eyes wide with shock. “Xhiah...”

She looked at him, her hand still glowing faintly. “I... I don’t know what I did.”

Glenn sheathed his sword and stepped closer, his gaze intense. “You’ve unlocked your power.”

Xhiah’s heart raced. “What do you mean?”

“The blood of the goddesses,” Glenn said, his voice soft but urgent. “It’s awakening inside you.”