He kept working until she was secure
"Its ok, I got ya, nor am I ever leaving ya again." he said once he was done making her look like a mummy
He then carefully scooped her up, carefully moving her to the horse. which snorted at the smell before putting her gently on the horse, then mounting the horse, then going to hold her so she's more or less resting on him compared to the horse, less bumpy from what he heard.
He then directed the horse to ride, and fast they did.
Through tree's, plains and hills they went at the gallop barely stopping as they passed the village save for Godfrey to get some salve, or to give her sips of water. Soon the tree's grew thicker as they went, older, the leaves turning from bright green to golden yellow and thick. The path more dirt like yet still well treaded, country roads.
Eventually, they reached a clearing with a wood wall, the tips sharpened, the sun high in the sky over a large open field full of farms wheat and houses, a small fort on the hill over looking it all. The area hilly forest besides the clearing.
The guards large and burly folk, raising a hand to stop, both six foot in height, in chain and kettle hats, bearing large spears of iron
"Halt, nay passing till we get a go-by Yalthnea." the guard said spotting the girl then Godfrey as he opened the gate with his buddy
"Get! Get!" he said quickly as Godfrey rode in, the guards yelling to clear the streets.
The people were large here. The men burly, used to hard work or combat, bearded as they toiled in fields, worked by the fire, or stood at duty. Those at rest drinking ale on large barrels outside large open sprawling taverns.
The woman round. Those that were poorer were less round, the richer the fatter. Working on moving cattle, milking cows, cooking, or eating. Food seemed to be all around in great quantities.
The people lively and full of cheer, so such a sight shocked them and all cleared, concern on their faces as the guards cleared the streets as Godfrey ran through them. People watching in interest. Children on parents shoulders or stopping to watch from their antics. Others from their meals.
He road through the small town, the buildings large but spread out, approaching a hill with a large opening, stopping as he got off slowly and carefully with Missendria before walking into the opening, not a word yet spoken on the trip, letting her rest, not daring to worry when he had a condition to fix.
Inside was dark, lit by candles, being held up by a giant statue of Yalthnea, just as large as the mini statue Godfrey showed her, just taller and wider and made of stone.
In front of the alter was a large woman with long brown hair in a green cloth robe that may be a little small for her. Curvy in build with a large bulging stomach that she held in both hands, like she was pregnant, but she was sitting in front of an empty table that showed scraps of a feast. She was relaxing and recovering from her large meal. It seems the town's fortune was improving if the priestess was putting on weight, was a good sign.
That didn't matter right now as he yelled
"Priestess! I need help! She is dying!" he said as he walked in. The priestess turning, her eyes widening as she stood up with a grunt, one hand on her stomach as she waved him over with urgency
"Good heavens lad! Don't bring me half dead people during second lunch!" she scolded, but also in panic as he directed him to put her down on a stone table in front of the alter. The cave room seemed large, but no chairs besides cushions to sit on, candles lit the entire area.
Godfrey would put his friend down carefully on the stone table as the priestess went to look her over, a frown on her rounded face.
"I nay know if she'll make it, looks starved, and half eaten...best I can do is pa-"
Godfrey interrupted her as he held a hand up
"Blessed of Yalthnea, I'm sorry but is there not a ritual that ya can do? Ya talked about it once that could restore the body? She likely to die without it oh blessed one." he says respectfully bowing his head in reverance.
The priestesses frowned looking down "Aye...thar is one, requires one brave of soul...are ya sure yar willing to risk yar life and soul to help her Godfrey? Son of this blessed land, she is not one of us, is she worth risking yar eternal soul?" she asked carefully, one hand still gently rubbing her stomach as she frowned down at Missendria with brown eyes.
Godfrey nodded, bowing "Aye, she nay one of us, but she is me only friend outside of these walls, I would do anything for me friend, what must I do?" he said before looking up.
The priestess frowned again before her lips tightened before going towards the alter, huffing slightly as she struggles to bend over, hard to bend over when one's gut is stuffed with food and hard a rock from it too. She rose with some powder and paints
"Ya will take the test of the champion, ya will dive into the grove of Yalthnea, you and her. Thar ya will fight her wounds. The more ya succeed against the monster, the more she will recover...however, what happens to ya thar, happens to ya here, nor do I know how the goddess will take her presence in her realm...nor that this ritual is used to help her children...ya may fully pay the price for this Godfrey, another I ask if ya are willing?" she says as she begans to paint symbols in a thick moss colored paint over Missendria, like a salve before motioning for Godfrey to sit down, motioning for him to take off his shirt as he nods in silence, watching Missendria with worry.
Godfrey is painted also in symbols as the priestess walks back to sit in front of the alter with a heavy oof as she gets down lighting some incense before looking back "Thrice I ask, are ya ready Godfrey? Ya risk yar self and her."
Godfrey nods again "Send me O blessed sister, this is right, may Yalthnea forgive this sin, and may she look kindly on these deeds." he says lowering his head as he goes to his knees.
The priestess nods, closing her eyes as she begins to hum before bursting into song, two others, junior priestesses in training also walk out, not as large as their teacher, but still chubby join in going to either side of her, one in white, the other in red, armed with drums they began to pound in tandem with the song.
The symbols slowly began to glow a blue color as a sweet smelling incense filled the room. Godfrey's and Missendria's vision blurring until they were some where else entirely the priestesses voices disappearing to the sounds of birds and jungle.
They arrived in an underground forest lit by bright crystals, the forest lush and over grown. Godfrey was in a clearing, a circle filled with bones, shirtless save for a stone axe, across from him was an 8 foot tall bird demon. It looked like a vulture, flies buzzed about it, it was thin with open wounds, much like Missendria's its face sunken, almost skeletal as it screeched at Godfrey.
Mean while, not too far away, on a balcony of sorts, Missendria would awaken, with all her wounds, yet no pain and awake. Beside her would be a very large figure in a long flowing robe the color of wheat...it could very well be wheat. The hair the same color of the robe that curled on to the floor such was the length, in chairs they both were. Said large figure had the same proportions of none other then Yalthnea, rubbing her stomach with a great smile as she looked over the edge, where they both had a clear view of what was happening.
She grinned before speaking softly, sounding like someone's mother, maybe even Missendria's "How long it's been since I've had guests, equally as long as I've had a champion and one just as thin arrive, welcome to my realm ya poor starved thing...count ya lucky that someone would do this for ya...it can't remember the last time some one decided to do this ritual, so long since one walked such a path." The goddess said softly, looking at Missendria with pity before looking down below eagerly, like she was excited to watch the bout to the death between the two.
