“Sorry, sorry. I got so happy seein’ yer face after all this time, I got a bit carried away.”
“Um, I only left the island like three months ago.”
“Is that so? Feels longer seeing how you’ve grown quite a bit. You’re not foolin’ around with the ladies, are ya? The big cities are chock-full of temptation. Trust me, as a god and a fellow man, I can see how it could be alluring, but if ya get involved with the wrong woman and—” The god prattled like a loving and doting parent.
“Lord Ukhazol, I’m sorry, but this isn’t the time.”
“Right, sorry. Force of habit.”
Shuna moved on to the topic at hand. “Bel’s been real weird lately. Something kinda similar happened once before, but this time, it’s different. Souya, you didn’t even recognize her, did you?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly right. Speaking of, is superfast-growing hair a thing here?”
“Don’t be stupid.” Thought so. “It’s not just that, though,” Shuna continued. “She’s been downing all these vegetables she hates, actin’ all cold, ignorin’ people, starin’ daggers all over the place. Don’t even get me started on the dinner she made last night. Bel’s not an amazing cook or anything, but she’s never served anything literally inedible. Last night’s meal, though, was just nasty. A few of our older Gladwein brothers had some by mistake, and they had to get carried off to the Jumichla Healing Temple. Something is definitely wrong.”
So her dinner sent them to the hospital, huh? At least her failed dish didn’t physically attack them like ours.
“Lord Ukhazol, do you have any idea what’s going on with Bel?”
“Shuna, my boy, I’m afraid yer worst fears are true; something or someone has possessed Beltriche. She’s got that darn Divine Medium trait, ya know, which is why we’ve seen something similar in the past. If we were dealin’ with a demonic phantom, sprite, animal spirit, or a deity who’d lost their believers, I could shoo them right outta her, but this time, I got nothin’ that might help.”
“Whaaa—?” Shuna gasped, aghast. I had the same reaction. Being possessed was no joke.
“Ya know, I was just a simple man who did his best to protect our island from salt erosion until the day I died— Er, actually, I guess I kept pluggin’ away plantin’ trees and all that after I kicked the bucket, too, but there ain’t nothin’ special ’bout me. Even as a god, I ain’t got any graces too fancy to spread round. What I can say, though, is that whatever’s got hold of Bel ain’t evil.”
I threw a question at the deity. “Would a benevolent spirit take over someone’s body without permission?”
“Gods these days are born of endless obsession and deeds bigger than anythin’ humans can wrap their minds round. Even those y’all claim to be virtuous or worship as saints still go an’ smush people like bugs. What gods deem as good or evil is worlds apart from human morality. I bet to an Otherworlder like yerself, this all sounds like crazy talk, don’t it? But that’s just the way of things.”
This was the same for humans, too. All you had to do was claim authority over others by placing a crown on your head, and your actions would thereafter be judged against a different set of rules, one far removed from the simple concept of good versus evil. As long as you could argue you acted to protect your country, you could easily deceive and kill any number of people. Compared with that, the scales of justice regulating the behavior of the gods must have been far beyond the scope of human understanding.
“But that’s…”
Seeing how overwhelmed Shuna had become, Lord Ukhazol gently assured him, “Shuna, my dear, dear boy. Let me tell ya something to calm yer troubled heart. While I may be one of the weakest among the Legion Gods, I am still a deity in my own right. If I catch wind that whatever’s taken control of Bel’s usin’ her for any nefarious means, I’ll stake my divinity to exorcise it. That is, if Bel wants me to, of course.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
Lord Ukhazol had on an inscrutable expression when he answered the boy’s question. “Bel was the one to invite the possession, on the condition that the spirit share its power with her. She chose this herself.”
““What?”” Shuna and I both sputtered.
“Must’a been round about ten days ago, Bel came to me for advice, askin’ if I knew how to get strong real quick. She told me she had to do somethin’ or she’d drag the party down. That ring a bell at all?”
Sure does.
Back when I still hadn’t figured out how to rearrange our formation to fill the gaps left by Arvin’s death, Bel came to see me at camp. We had a light meal and chatted, then I walked her back to the city. Come to think of it now, she’d started using and training with Arvin’s old equipment the very next day. According to Gladwein’s followers, Bel looked comfortable, and her movements were not of someone trying to wield heavy gear for the very first time, but I’d just chalked that up to previous experience.
“Sorry, Shuna. I think this one’s on me.” I didn’t have the wherewithal to really consider anything at the time.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Shuna glowered at me.
“Bel once asked me in a roundabout way how we’d set up our party formation without Arvin, but at that time, I still hadn’t figured it out yet and griped about the whole thing. If only I’d given her a clear answer, then maybe—”
“Wait, that’s it? I thought for sure you’d… No, forget it.”
You thought I’d what? Wait, wait, wait, I’d never lay a hand on Bel—I’m not that stupid. And it may be just for show, but I am technically married. Oh, but we did take elven vows, so I guess polygamy wouldn’t be an issue? Regardless, that’d just ruin our party’s morale.
Clearing his throat to grab our attention, Lord Ukhazol said, “I can’t tell y’all exactly what kind of deal Bel’s made with this being, but what I can say is this: If the worst should happen, and the girl asks me for help, I’ll go in an’ save her at all costs. Same goes for you, Shuna, my boy. For now, wait and see how she gets on. Girls her age can be fickle. For all we know, she might wake up tomorrow, decide she’s had enough, ’n’ give that thing in her the boot. Don’t y’all think too hard on this, especially you, Otherworlder. Exhaustion is written all over yer face. Seems my followers have given you a rough time.”
“Not really. If anything, I’m the one dragging them around.”
“That’s a yes, ain’t it?”
“N-no, really.”
“Isn’t it?”