The Fall (and eventual rise) Of The Goddess Cyra (Karma.//Vinaein)

[Karma.]

A story by Adhara and @Vinaein ​

The sky lit up in a burst of flames and shockwaves. The twinkle of Muscovite blanketed the Dark Forest grounds where ever the red flamed fingers touched. Across the sky, if one was looking upwards, one could see the Goddess Cyra shoot through the nighttime air like a meteor from the heavens. Truly a sight when a celestial being was released from its favored position. She fell with such speed that she could not slow her impact on the planet and where her body landed ground bent and distorted in extraordinary ways. Once the dust settled, and the trees made their final move to break, the center of the impact site lay a small woman shrouded in silken fabrics and fire-red hair.

Cyra1​ had fallen out of favor with her kind. Her worshipers had lost touch with her, the bonfires had become less, her fables had all but disappeared and with it the Goddess herself. To be cast down in such a way was one that hadn't been seen often. Very rarely did the God of Gods2​ send a celestial entity to earth as a human. But, Cyra needed to learn their ways, find the reason as to why she had been effectively forgotten3​.

Cyra had been dubbed the Goddess of Flame and Magic. To worship a woman such as she, one would need to light bonfires and elect a sacrifice. Cyra preferred grains and harvest as the sacrifice as when they appeared in the great halls for which she lived it created a plentiful bounty. Animals just did not manifest the way that others thought they would, goats did not break down like a bundle of grain, and often times she would have to chase them from her temple. Human sacrifices were worst, when a human was killed, or died, and their body was presented to a higher authority, their spirit lingered, boring her to death with stories of their lives and trials--Grains and Harvest were the best by far.

Cyra's beauty was unmatched, She had been born among the gods and seemed to be crafted of marble, Her eyes held the golden sunset within them, and her hair the flame of fire which faded into the deepest violet. Mischievous, her hair was twisted into fox-like ears5​
, and she decorated her lithe frame in strands of pearls-- a luxury for both human and Godkind. She adored fitted silk dresses that trailed behind her like fire, truly a fury of its own right. And her nails, as black as night, long and powerful, cages to those hearts she captured with a simple glance. She was powerful, and she knew it.

So, how did one so powerful fall from grace?

Despite the fact that patrons of Cyra had burned fewer fires and provided fewer offerings, Cyra had been absent from her duties. she cared not for those below the heavens and instead continued to lavish herself in the finest jewels earth4​had to offer. She wanted nothing more than to hide away and soak in and demand more for which she did not deserve. In fury, her father, the God of Gods cast her down from the clouds and into the world of the living, far from her alter and offerings, and gave her one simple rule: Find the heart of the people and there you will regain your place.

It seemed silly to think that she would have to mingle among the living.

As she stood from her place among the rubble of the forest, she could feel the cool spring breeze flitter across her ...skin. Cyra shivered and looked down, tiny freckles dotted her once marble skin and she let out a screech which rattled the life around her, birds flew from their branches and she stood quickly, patting herself down and holding her frame with her claw-like fingers. Her heart nearly beat from her chest, and she felt her mind become dizzy.

"No, no, NO!" She quickly rambled, turning around and twisting herself in her tattered dress, the once beautiful silk had been turned to muslin5​and the boning in her favored corset pressed tightly into her ribs. Her hair, while still beautiful and flame red, had become sightly dull and darker auburn. Falling to her knees she cried out, her hands shielding her face from the elements and creatures that peered out from behind chard trees. In a burst of light overhead, another "gift" fell--a sword and sheath. It struck the ground next to her and let off a searing glow and Cyra knew that this was her only means of protection now. In the old language the blade had been inscribed " Lose not your purpose, Find the hear of the people and there you will regain your place."

In anger, Cyra smacked the blade on the ground, let out a frustrated growl, and used the sword to help her scale the cavity she had treated from her impact. Her limbs ached and she struggled, the weight of the sword itself felt as if it was half of her own, and she huffed and grumbled towards the edge of the crater only to find the forested ground.

" You've cursed me to walk among the living!" The former Goddess cried out, " but have left me nothing more than a sword and no coin!" Cyra cried early to herself. She had seen the hearts of man, their desires for the coin, and the corruption it brought, she was unsure how she would live among them in such a poor state.

---

1​ The name Cyra means "Throne; Sun" Befitting for a Goddess of fire.
2​ The God of Gods is a term the humans in this story will use, to refer to the overall-encompassing father of the Gods and Goddesses. No name as of yet.
3​ I thought It would be cool if like in Peter Pan where Tinkerbell needs all this attention in order to stay living. Very fitting for a bratty Goddess like Cyra who needs to be lavished in the acknowledgment of her people. But also, Like a flame, it can only burn so long before it's snuffed out by its own cinders.
4​ the word "earth" is not capitalized here for a specific reason: earth was written in lowercase and, from early Middle English, its definite sense as “the globe” was expressed as the earth. By early Modern English, many nouns were capitalized and the earth became (and often remained) the Earth, particularly when referenced along with other heavenly bodies.--Online Etymology Dictionary
5​ Cyra's ability to walk among the living is to turn into a Fox. Once she returns to her own realm she returns to her normal celestial form, however now that she has been cast out of favor with the Gods and Goddesses, she will not have the ability to turn into her animal form until the order has been restored.

 

[Vinaein]

Jared kneeling by the still, cool waters, cleaning away the stains of black and red from his battered, dented armor. The knight had removed his helmet, his face impassive as he took a handful of spring water, lifting it to his face to soak it. The sweat was wiped away, hair moistened and unstuck from his head as he allowed a pleasant sigh to escape his lips. His sword, cleaned on the grass remained at his side while he gazed close at his own reflection.

"You know, for all you're aware of, there's a Lamia within those waters," Gareth said from behind him. Jared rolled his eyes slightly, finishing his brief wash, before he rose to his feet without even a single screeching creak of protest from his armor.

"I'll take my chances after that," the young knight returned. He held a hand against the hilt of his blade. "Did we get them all?" He asked after a moment. Jared Gallowsway was striking in appearance with jet black hair and eyes. His skin was fair, features handsome, if unemotional at most instances. His attentive gaze traveled about as he heard the noises of pickpockets and other buzzards darting about to loot the bodies at the nearby battlefield. "I thought we'd prohibited that..."

"Not much we can do to stop them," Said one of the older knights with graying hair, a veteran of innumerable campaigns. He wore a short beard shot through with white, his blue eyes heavy now. "Crispian is unlikely to live out the knight." It was not news that came as a shock to Jared now, though the younger knight expressed it by lowering his head. He was aware he should make the sign of the gods, but could not bring himself to at the moment. Something about it did not feel right at the moment...

It was almost like something in heaven above was no longer answering prayers. For all the gods they knew and prayed to, all the schisms in the various churches, his was of the Order of Flame, dedicated to lighting the way for others and protecting them as a shield of fire...

"We stopped a group of infernalists" Gareth said encouragingly. "They're dead now, the monsters. Hopefully they've taken the worship of Nergal to the grave with them. you saw the streak of flame across the sky, didn't you?"" Even invoking Nergal's name was fraught with peril, Jared thought. Even this far away, in these lands, the name of the God of Plagues was enough to bring a chill to the spine of any knight. In fact, their order all but existed to hold the lines for the people of their lands.

"If even one slipped through our lives, though...there's been more to worry about recently, Gareth. But...I saw the flame above. The goddess's own favor..."

"Is there? Or have we just been noticing more? Lad, don't take it too seriously. Even the end of the world...goddess only knows what a streak of flame overhead could signify." Garethgave a soft laugh and waved a hand. "Glad you were at the front. Damned things all but flocked to you."

"I'm glad you find it amusing," Jared muttered. "I could go for a damned drink."

"You ain't finding one of those. After a battle, any ale is blessed, as much as if the goddess herself sprinkled holy fire to roast it. Holy days or not, you could sneak back to take one."

"Aren't we bound by the priests' law?" Jared allowed a playful grin at that.

"What the Priests don't know won't hurt 'em!" Gareth grinned at the younger knight, Jared shaking his head at that, while they departed the field. "You head to the inns, we've already got it paid. Short ride through the woods!"

Jared always liked the woods, no matter what might be lurking there. It was where he had been found by the knights, after all....and riding off soon, all he wanted was a chance to rest now

It was not long before he saw someone there, his eyes widening "What...?" He whispered in shock...seeing a woman there in the woods...

A woman who looked hauntingly familiar...

 

[Karma.]

Cyra knew she couldn't cry to the Gods now, and even if she did, they would not pity her loss of position. This sword was all she had to defend herself from those who wished her harm, and it seemed like a sick joke to be left with no possible training at all. Oh, how her patrons would laugh if they knew their Goddess of magic and fire-- fury at its finest, was just an overly judgmental and dramatic entity. Maybe if her ability to transform I'm to her fox form would be better...

Excited, she threw the sword to the side to the best of her ability and excitedly raised her hands to the heavens as if a strip of light would grace her human form. Typically, Cyra wouldn't have to say anything to transform. Simply throw her hands up, and magic did the rest, but... nothing happened. She tried again with a grin on her face as she threw her head back to look to the sky above, blue and promising. Yet...Nothing.

"What?!" She screeched, her voice echoing into the dense forest, lost and dampened. " You've taken the only thing I can use to protect myself!" The anger grew inside the former Goddess petite frame, and her eyes grew bright orange with rage. She stomped the ground, kicking up a minor amount of dust. " What good am I to anyone! I'm not strong enough to carry this damned sword, and I can transform; what did you leave me with!" A bolt of lightning struck overhead in broad daylight and shot down a small leather coin purse in her anger. The clink of coins caused her head to snap to the side, and she dove for the tiny coin purse. Truthfully, Cyra didn't know how much this would get her, but she hoped it was enough to at least provide shelter while she journeyed to her alter.

"FINE!" She yelled, her hands tightening on the strings of the purse as she twisted slightly to tie it to her belt. " I'll show you! You dare mess with the Goddess of flame and magic?!"She knew that her words couldn't be heard, but she still spoke them in spite. Stomping over to the sword, she grabbed the handle and tested the weight again. It was cumbersome, but she still slid it in between her belt and skirt of the dress she wore. Anger still boiled under the surface, but she effectively climbed out of the crater she had made from her fall and stumbled into the meadow. In the distance, she could hear horses and quiet, hushed voices, then as she appeared from the bushes, the symbol of a flame on their armor. Patrons! Surely, they would help her!

Quickly, Cyra moved from behind the bush, yanking the velvet of her dress from one of its dead limbs and stumbling to the side. Her hair, in sheets of curls and waves, flurried around her in her struggle, and she regained herself before walking forward. Despite her heavy boots, she was as quiet as a fox. Cyra wanted to hear These soldiers' conversations to ensure they would mean her no harm.

"Aren't we bound by the priests' law?"
"What the Priests don't know won't hurt 'em!"

Slowly, she hid behind one of the massive horses that clearly trumped her and grabbed hold of the reigns to quiet it and stop its fidgeting, but in its anger, it stopped and moved away, revealing herself to Jared. She looked around quickly and back at him with wide golden eyes. she was quite a position. She could take the horse and ride to the nearest town and hide, or she could draw her sword-- which she had no experience in. In a quick movement, she slides to the side and grabbed hold of the reigns of one of the horses, and jammed her foot into the stirrup. Like a fox, which she resembled in its exotic beauty, she also held a skittish air about her as she scrambled onto the saddle. Gently but firmly, she pulled the reigns of the halter and snapped the leather to bolt from the scene.

It was by no means quiet as she left. The rattle of the coins and the sword, which not only hit her leg but the hide of the horse, made several awkward clanking sounds through the forest. To stop this, she rose from the seat and hunkered down as her horse gained momentum. All the while looking back and to ensure she wasn't followed.

 

[Vinaein]

Life was hard for a Knight and member of the Orders of the goddesses most days. Today was little exception.

Jared Gallowsway had finished with his rounds for the day, still relieved at the end of the current conflicts, his eyes darting to and fro as he surveyed his surroundings. Spurring his horse on, the knight could only sigh with relief as he rode through the dark woods.

He briefly contemplated to himself how long he'd walked the path of the Knighthood now. Years, perhaps a decade by now, since the men had found him in the woods near those ruins, amidst the bodies of the refugees, a cursed young boy until he had joined the order and worked his way up, gifted of the medallion he now wore, taking the sacred vows that kept him hunting beast after beast. His traveler's cloak was now laid upon his horse as he went on

An hour of travel to bring him from the woods, to the crush of soft green grass, with the shining city in the distance, hours away now....he sighed in ardent relief before-

....someone was there. His hand crept down, towards his sword with a grim frown upon his eyes. His eyes darkened to a distinct golden color as he summoned the power within him, the remnants of the intense training that had helped to make him what he was now.

But battle had been long and difficult. He was tired, thirsty...his trained horse gave a snort as he wheeled about, taking in the surroundings from without the woods...there was a sheer hill...a set of ruins....

And a woman. She was there, her eyes burning like twin suns, screaming something at...the sky? At nobody material, that something had been taken from her, that she could not protect herself? The crack of lightning made his horse rear and scream out, the woman emerging out to them...

And she had taken a horse.

"Hold"! Jared shouted in a firm but gentle voice. "Are you...are you alright?" She didn't seem to be responding any time soon. Instead, to the shouts of the men, Jared set off, after her, racing along, wondering just what the hell was going on. "I said hold!" The night shouted as he spurred his horse on, until he was close enough to reach out for her.

"Cease this and explain what's going on! NOW!"

 

[Karma.]

Cyra looked forward to ensuring she was headed in the direction of some sort of path once she shot out of the forest. Unfortunately, when she had an inkling to look back, she saw Jared charging after her with great speed on his own horse. Once again, her eyes widened, and she looked around frantically until she heard him call out to her. Obviously not wanting to get caught she pulled the reigns abruptly to fall back and instead move behind Jared and his steed and instead travel down a high grassy embankment. Impressed by the agility of the horse Cyra gently ran her hand over its thick mane before looking around for a town, anywhere he could stop and catch her breath a moment.

The Town of Ardith​

---

Cyra followed a gravel road all the way to Ardith; along the embankment held a small crystal clear river within it smaller fish and frogs. Cyra took in everything, the world was vivid and beautiful, and despite the blimp that the town of Ardith made in her sights, it was incredibly green and fresh. Further in the horizon stood a black line of trees. She wondered how many forests dotted this world as it appeared every location she inspected seemed to be dense in forest vegetation. At this point in her journey, she had come to a slow trot, allowing the horse a moment to recover while she plotted out her plan. There were a few more towns after Ardith before she entered the sacred grounds of her alter. But for now, she looked to the sword on her hip to ensure it was still safe, and then the coin purse, one of the seems, had come undone, and she noticed that this could cause an issue in the future. Because Cyra didn't know how to sew so, she did the next best thing and pulled the purse from her hip and tucked it away into the breast pocket of her velvet wrap dress. At least here, it would be safe as she walked through the town.

When Cyra finally came to the Towns entrance, she realized that she must have come to a celebration of Aysel1​ given the banners decorated in golden outlined waves and the azure-colored fabrics. Townspeople wandered around doing errands, selling goods, children running through the trees catching butterflies, and wearing intricate masks. It was still day, this much Cyra knew, and so to see the vibrancy of the town in the daylight was amazing. Slowly she removed herself from the saddle and let it to a stable she saw tucked away in the back of the town conveniently attached to the local Inn: The Wayword.

"Three gold." Said the hostler2​. Cyra stared at the man for a moment, trying to register the strange language they had created in honor of their God Aysel. She was rusty in their terms. Gold, Coins, Pieces... Cyra didn't understand, and in her confusion3​ pulled out the purse and held it up. " Yes, yes, three gold." He said, showing 3 fingers. Suddenly it clicked, and Cyra opened the cinched bag, pulled out 3 coins, and held it out to the man. He accepted it and took hold of the reigns while glancing back at the confused woman behind him. Ensuring the animal was safe4​she turned and headed to the side of the stable and into the inn where a beautiful hospitality worker would greet her. The woman had long chestnut-colored hair, curled slightly, possibly naturally. She also wore a navy dress and intricate golden waves embroidered into the fabric. It was cap-sleeved to show her elegant markings, which Cyra knew must have been completed in the old ways of simple poke and stick. Cyra had never been bestowed with Tattoos or markings, though she adored them tremendously, so to see a woman so decorated entranced her.

"Evening, how can I help?" She spoke gently, kindly, and Cyra knew this woman was to be trusted. Through, to speak to someone who did not follow her language would be a struggle. slowly Cyra pulled out the coin purse and opened it. " It is 3 gold to stay the night." The trustworthy woman said and took out three gold pieces from the coin purse. Cyra looked up at her with big eyes, realizing that the counter was almost as tall as she. Her fingertips rested on the end of the counter. Slowly the woman turned and pulled a key down from aboard and slid it over the rough service towards the former goddess. Cyra nodded her head and took hold of the key, and dropped down her heels once more.5​ She didn't know how to thank the woman for the kindness, but she did nod her head and looked out at the tables of Aysel patrons before finding a seat in the far back, farthest away from the wandering eyes of other travelers.

---

1. Aysel | Means "moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, from Turkic ay "moon" and sel "flood, stream".
2. Hostler | is a groom or stableman employed in a stable to take care of horses, usually at an inn.
3. I wanted to show that this world is diverse in cultures and that people worship and abide by different Gods/ Goddesses, so for a Goddess to realize that she may not be the only thing on the planet will be jarring and a reality check, one that the God of Gods wants to teach her.
4. Despite her dislike for most things and selfishness, Cyra does care deeply for animals/ wildlife. She would never want an animal to be in danger and therefore takes great strides to ensure that this horse, which is clearly stolen, is not in any danger.
5. Cyra is only 4'5," and most everything is very tall for her. However, on a horse, she may look taller given the height of the horse and the billowing of the dress.

 

[Vinaein]

The horse bellowed beneath Jared as his eyes narrowed on ahead. "Hey!" he shouted at her. The woman was not an accomplished equestrian- but she was good, that much was certain. He was all but grumbling to himself at the sheer inconvenience of this matter by now, trying to match pace with the flame-haired thief. As his own horse thundered on, he debated how to tell her he only wanted to talk. But instead, she showed a touch of strategy he had not quite expected; the horse slowed, letting him ride ahead. "Huh?! No no no- " he managed with a groan as she rushed off with her stolen horse.

Oh, he was glad the others were nowhere around to see this. He was hoping the horse wouldn't say anything... In the name of the goddess, what had he done to deserve this today? He managed to catch, the horse, calming it...and the woman was probably halfway to Galdamar by now! He tried to remember where she had gone, trying to discern the path..and spurred his horse forward, in the direction of Ardith.

The forest, at least, made for a scenic trip. The great trees formed a canopy so as to block the sun itself from view. The beautiful emerald of the leaves were adorned with a number of orange, blue and red flowers, with dancing songbirds that piped their tunes as if to herald him. Ardith was ahead, which seemed an odd location for a thief. Who would be desperate enough to steal from knights of the Queen of Flame? It made even less sense the more he thought about it now. Breath escaping his throat in a dark rasp, he let the horse slow to a trot as not to kill the poor beast with exertion. Instead, he just rode along at one pace, knowing this could not be too difficult.

After all, he knew the horse. He would be able to locate it in the town, then get answers that he now very, very badly wanted to hear. The town was exactly as he had expected; with the great banners, the townspeople all about in a festival. He could detect eyes upon him, giving an uneasy grin and several nods as he rode ahead. There was trepidation at the visit of a knight and he vehemently longed to inform them he currently meant no harm, nor had they offended the great church.

The town was a big place, though. He had no idea where to begin. He decided on the obvious, clasping the arm of a man who was passing by. The fellow stared at him while Jared managed to stammer out he was looking for a woman. The man took his arm back, looking mystified, eve grumbling...before recognizing the armor and apologizing.

"Never mind that. Woman. On horseback?" Jared pushed him, the man glancing about, clearly having little idea...but suggesting the nearest inn: The Wayward.

Jared marched there, leading his own tired horse as he scowled to himself. Well, didn't he stick out in a crowd? That was frustrating enough as it was....

He was walking into the inn after stabling his horse, glancing about to see patron after patron, studying them until he could see...

And he made sure she saw him as well, raising his hands. "I don't mean you any harm," he said as he drew closer. "But we absolutely need to talk."

 

[Karma.]

The young woman from the front had noticed the skittish nature of Cyra and ensured her comfortability by bringing her a cup of tea, a small blooming orb steeped in hot water was indeed a delicacy for this town. Cyra smile and watched the orb bloom before taking a sip of the provided comfort. Through the steam, she could see the Inn's main entrance door open, and then suddenly a figure shrouded in the day's light. She blinked a moment before she realized it was the knight from the forest. He completely bypassed the front counter, and this caused the Innkeeper to watch the event unfold. Cyra shrunk down in her chair, and as he spoke with each new step towards her, she sank to the floor and slid out from under the table, bumping her head hard against the underside and cursing to herself. What a fate she had befallen to be reduced to a weakened version of herself. Still, the fox-like tendencies stayed, and as she set her hand on her head, she darted from under the table. Unsure of the mannerisms of this new world, she drew her sword, clunky and clearly untrained.

"Back!" Cyra hissed, her golden eyes flicking to his before looking to his armor, where the light caught the crafted steel. "Why did you follow? What reason would you need to follow?"

As the innkeeper watched, she gasped and put her hands on her hips. "Ma'am! no weapons drawn inside the inn!"

Of course, Cyra could not understand her unusual language. But she could only gather by the sudden change in the beautiful woman's posture and facial expression that something was missing. So, despite her fear of the knight, she slid the sword back into its hilt and stood there, awkwardly shifting her eyes between the woman and Jared. Cyra wondered if Jared could understand her but had concluded that maybe he could as he followed the Flame.

"What could we possibly have to talk about? You are but... but a man." Her arm stretched out, and she flicked her hand up and down to clarify his form. " I've no use for conversation with a mortal being. In fact! One would need to order up a heavy sum just to have this very conversation!" She crossed her arms then and raised her brow. Though, she wondered how intimidating she looked in her current stance as she wasn't very tall, mystical, or even fearsome like her patrons claimed her to be. But here she stood, small and with tattered garb, no less! It was an outrage.

"Well, you've found me, brave knight. What is it that you want?" Cyra tried to make herself sound bored, tired from the communication, something... anything that could make up for her lack of protection at this very moment. She wanted to have the upper hand, although she clearly did not.

 

[Vinaein]

Grumbling to himself, the knight was marching into the tavern with a hush settling over the place. The woman who had stolen a horse and led him on a wild chase was now seeming to be comfortably enjoying a mug of tea-he wondered if his comrade in arms had left a purse with the horse that she had likewise absconded with. Okay, he was entitled to answers through this and by the name of the goddess he was going to get them. His grumbling did not go unheard, patrons glancing over in surprise as the man stalked in, taking deep breaths. The woman, almost vulpine in her movements and furtive attempts to hide was then...drawing a sword, holding it clumsily, which made him blink rapidly.

"No weapons!" The innkeeper called, Jared taking a very exasperated breath.

"I'm not using any! Nobody is getting hurt! By the ten flaming hells, why is this day going so badly?! I'm not here on a blasted inquisition, everyone can relax!" He looked at the woman, seeing flickering golden eyes upon him. "Why did I follow- " he began, his jaw dropping. "you stole a horse and wouldn't say why! Is that reason enough?! Are you from a land where saddled horses are free for the taking?!"

...to his relief, she slid the sword back into the hilt. "Okay, now we're- " wait, what had she just said to him? "No use for conversation with a what now?" He was too flabbergasted to even be angry over it. This small woman had a spirit that all but towered above him in fact, staring at him like she owned his very soul. "...Yes. I'm...a man," he said, too mystified to even be angry. "What do I want? Well, for starters, I'd like my comrade's horse back!" He said.

"And secondly...how about your name? And some answers? I can hardly just call you 'woman,' can I?"

 

[Karma.]

Jered's outburst towards the Innkeeper made Cyra blink; humans were so strange, they held anger like the Gods and Goddess but had little power over how to formulate that into some sort of plan. She wondered if she should approach this situation with care.

Cyra stared at Jared for a long moment, then blinked. " why can't you call me woman? is that not what I am?" she seemed confused as she looked down and at her small form and earthly body. Frustration consumed her, he had thrown so many questions at her, and she truly had to sort through them. He was out of breath and clearly just as irritated. In order to not make more of a scene, she moved back to the table she had sat at and pulled a chair to the side so that she was across from him. this seemed like a safe distance.

"to answer your first question, I do not come from some mystical land where the horses roam free for the taking, yet to rally them up like cattle... well, I'm sure I am not in the wrong here. I simply borrowed the horse. I'd return it once my mission is complete. had you just waited but a few days... or even a month, we would not be in this situation!" Cyra rubbed her temples then and closed her eyes. " secondly, my name is Cyra, Goddess of flame and magic. Well... I suppose the former is more accurate." a sigh fell from her lips. If she didn't find this alter soon, would someone take her place? Or would the Gods divvy up her abilities like piranha on a feeding frenzy? Everyone wanted a piece of her powers, they were beautiful and destructive, and she knew it.

"May I?" The Former Goddess asked as she pointed to her teacup and then reached across to pull it towards her with a happy smile. " Kind lady gave me this." She nodded towards the cup. " And you! you've brought me nothing but frustration! Surely, not every human is impatient." Taking a sip of the tea, she paused and savored the burst of flavor. " the horse, they have names, and this specific one tells me you and your comrades have fought in wars, recently I might add." Cyra set the cup down delicately and then clasped her fingers together, truthfully she didn't know this information prior, even though she was supposedly aiding them in their battle. But she justified it as she had so much to watch over that keeping track of every war and every request was simply too much for one entity. Her father had done this task with great ease, but Cyra could never find that balance. Besides, it was much more fun to bask in her abilities. What good was it to have these powers and then not be able to... test them out.

" I suppose even as I sit here and relay my information, you will still want the cursed horse back. I simply can not do that. I can, however, pay you for the beast." She pulled out the coin purse from her breast pocket and set it on the table and hoped he was as trustworthy as the innkeeper. " Truthfully, I do not know how much is in here, or even what this all means, but it appears humans rather enjoy these gold medallions. So, take what you feel is fair and begone. I have a long journey ahead of me."

It was at that moment she realized she hadn't asked for his name or who he was in all this. But she also wondered if this would matter, did it matter to make acquaintances with people she had just met? was this normal for humans and humankind? Cyra waited silently, chewing on her bottom lip in uncertainty.

 

[Vinaein]

Jared stalked over to the woman, seeing her blink in surprise, as if his irritation was somehow strange to her. He paused to give the lightest of scoffs, attempting to count to ten in his head to mollify himself. He truly and utterly could not believe this was currently happening, his teeth worrying at his lip. What could the explanation even be at this point? She was clearly not in danger, he thought. There was absolutely nothing attacking her to provoke this now...his arms folded as he gave a rather curious frown. "...You're not a woman? Do you identify as a man, or neither?" He asked, though pleased she seemed mollified enough to remain calm before him. "I am- " he stopped as she began to speak. "Borrowed...?"

Well, this was something. "I don't think that horse or its owner consented to you borrowing it," he said. "....And a month? What could possibly be so important- " he stopped and stared at her, lifting an eyebrow and almost laughing. "Did you just say...Cyra...are you...taking the name of the goddess in vain?" Wonderful. He was dealing with a con artist or a delusional madwoman now. "I wear the symbol of the goddess on my armor," said the night. "And you do not seem to be a representative of the divine, my 'lady.'" He folded his arms. "Don't let anyone hear that, they might think you guilty of blasphemy of worse here...And I beg your pardon?! Brought YOU nothing but frustration? I should be celebrating and resting now! Instead I'm chasing someone who claims she's- " he trailed off.

"....I assume you're grateful for the tea, your 'divine grace,'" he said with all evident sarcasm. "Yes I want the horse back..and we are knights of the goddess's holy order, we do not submit to bribery- how did you even get all that money?" He demanded as he looked at her. Okay, maybe another approach was needed. "My name is Jared Gallosway...maybe if you tell me what you mean to accomplish and what this journey is for we might actually make some progress...?"