All Chapters of Dark Goddess: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

EPILOGUE: eighteen years laterThe boy sat hunched up next to the small tide pool and peered steadily into it, observed life in all the diversity that exists even in the small. Near the surface, a few shrimp-like animals were playing the game of life and death, life and love, love and death - just as their ancestors had done twenty-eight years ago, when another young man looked into the sea and made a momentous decision . Ultimately, he owed his life to this decision. The pool was not far from a sanded rocky beach with dark, moss-like vegetation, on which the boy had been conceived about eighteen years ago - but he did not know that and even if he had suspected it he was not in the mood to think about it ponder. Because he quarreled with his fate, which banished him here to this small island, on which he had to endure the same everyday life, while the firmament and thus the whole universe waited above him. Countless worlds, known as well as unknown to mankind, which he and ma

Most slaves return to their primitive huts in the last hour of the day, when the sweltering heat slowly fades and - especially when a cool breeze blows over the city from the edge of the world - one can breathe freely again. Often you can hear them gossiping exuberantly on their way, you can even hear occasional laughter - even the hard and cruel life of an unfree person cannot completely suppress people's need for joy. But then they suddenly fall silent, look down, afraid, many furtively make the sign against calamity or mumble a short prayer to U'Xetes, the terrible god of their masters. They don't look up until they have passed the Healers' House, which is much larger than their barracks and even made of burnt brick. You have reason to fearfully avoid the healers; many of them, especially those deemed less useful by their masters, have mutilations, disfiguring scars on the face, and even missing limbs are not uncommon.The young healer often sits in front of the house at t

“When lightning strikes, it is always bright around the point of impact, that would also be the case on the edge of the world. But if it wasn't Issa, it wasn't. What if there was something beyond the edge of the world, I mean countries! "“And then who will support the Himmelsee?” She asked."How can you support a lake, that is complete nonsense anyway!""Hmmm. But if there were countries on the other side of the world, wouldn't people have to come from there occasionally? If there are people there, I mean. "“The edge of the world is a very high mountain range that nobody can conquer and it surrounds us like a circle. Or sometimes somebody succeeds, but then he might be slain by the priests of the six border fortresses, it could be. ""I don't think that the priests are that cruel, mother at least knows a few, but even if that's the case ... if that's not true with the sky lake, where do the gods live?"That made Anw

Anwin looked after him, puzzled, looked at Issa, her hair was disheveled and her face dusty, apart from that she seemed to be doing pretty well. She got up a little laboriously and approached him. She had seen his torn cheek earlier, but there was nothing left now, except a bit of dried blood. The skin was smooth and flawless. Amazed, she stepped closer and touched his cheek. "Anwin, what happened?" Anwin gently took her hand while he got up, then felt his cheek as well, both touches felt strange. Then he looked at his hands, which no longer looked battered, but as if he had never worked. The two looked at his fingers in amazement. He shook his head. “I don't know Issa, I really don't know.” Issa whispered softly: “The law of U'Xetes, the Righteous God: what is given to one must be taken from the other. Have you seen Egner's fingers and his cheek? He's bleeding where you are now healed! Did U'Xetes intervene himself to save you from harm? "“Hardly,&rd

The game The room reveled in splendor and abundance, noble wall paintings covered the high walls, the numerous windows adorned arches, the columns that separated them were emblazoned with ivory carvings and inlays made of lapis lazuli. From here you could see the life and goings-on in the city from a lofty height without having to notice its vapors. Whoever looked down from here could feel sublime, like a god and the lord of the tower had no doubt that little separated him from the gods.Beautiful slaves in short silk dresses knelt at the two entrances to read the nobles' every wish from the lips and behind them stood men of the guard in splendid, ornate armor, with swords with gold pommel and shields adorned with precious stones to ward off intruders and the two, who rested on comfortable loungers at the low, richly laid table, to protect them from assassinations, for none of the rulers was particularly popular.Zagran, the ruler of the First City

At last they had reached the east gate, the litter was set down and taken to the comfortable chair that Fertan did not intend to leave, since climbing the stairs to the observation tower would obviously be excruciating. He roared upstairs: "Hey, T'Ertos, come down and report to me!"“It is probably wiser, you see for yourself! Come up! ”Came the answer.Fertan didn't like the suggestion at all. “What a foolish idea! Don't waste our time, finally tell me why you disturbed me at my breakfast and put the whole city on alert! Except for the obvious reason that you then have the say! "T'Ertos sighed in resignation and, without leaving his post, described what he saw beyond the wall. The riders were now so close that you could hear the beating of their hooves even in town. Finally they stopped, with the front moving to one side and the three magnificent carriages, each drawn by four noble horses, which were roofed to protect their human cargo, came

Fertan, who had opened the curtains on his litter again, waved to the newcomers. "Get back into your carriages and follow me to my - pardon - to the palace of the noble governor of Ur'Tragon, if you like a little welcome drink!" It said, gave its servants the order to leave and waved its mother-of-pearl slipper in anger around without impressing the mosquitoes.With the exception of the bodyguard, who paused behind the slave dealer, they found themselves at the long table in the great hall of the palace after W'Heton had given his sergeant the necessary instructions for his warband; the guests were entertained with must and fermented Zohjamich, with fresh bread, fruit and cold meat, after Fertan had introduced them to his wife, his son and the two traveling monks. Fertan addressed the floor to his successor, who also replaced T'Ertos in personal union and sat across from him: “What I can't quite understand is the sheer number of your soldiers. For a small, fortified cit

Rassek, the healer, also had little love for mosquitoes and a dull climate and indicated by a nod that he agreed."I can do without five soldiers if that's enough for you," objected W'Heton.“Well, then, if that's all right with you, noble W'Heton, we'll take a carriage, that's enough for both of us, because my bodyguard may stay here. The protection from your soldiers is certainly sufficient. We put the other carriage at the disposal of the holy men. ”The two looked pleased, because adepts could seldom travel so comfortably, usually they were not spared a long walk.“Should my son accompany you?”, Fertan wanted to know, “You are sure you are ignorant of the way?” Egner grimaced - he hadn't expected that. There was only room for two in the carriage, which meant that he had to sit in front of the driver or ride, which he was extremely reluctant to do. Fortunately, SiVender waved it off. “I know my way around here quite we

 They had to leave their carriages at the junction because the road had become increasingly narrow and bumpy and they didn't want to risk a broken axle or wheel. The healer had taken the path to the edge fortress with the candidate priests and three soldiers, while SiVender hadn't felt like talking to boring monks and looking for a comfortable and mosquito-free place to sleep. With two armed escorts who could take turns keeping watch, he felt safe enough to spend the night outside.SiVender heard the low, lively chat and motioned his bodyguards to be quiet. Superfluous, because the two hadn't spoken a single word and, despite their light armor, moved as quietly as mountain cats.Carefully he peered around the bend and looked at his prey, a boy and a girl picking berries, his dinner, as he decided spontaneously. His professional look told him that the girl was going to fetch a high price at the slave market in Ur'Agron, for she had a very beautiful face and

The sun had already moved below the edge of the world, but still left a golden border along the sombre silhouette of the mountain peaks. In this twilight the healer appeared with his bodyguards, he was still able to interpret the scene without the help of a torch. A heavily breathing SiVender crouched on the side of the road with his bloody hands covering his face. A still woman with a dagger in her side and a girl who was hugging her. Next to one of the slave traders companions. A little further away, in the middle of the path, a lying, bleeding boy who also held his head and the second soldier, who looked at him suspiciously and never let his eyes off, his hand on the hilt of his sword. On the side of the road a forgotten, overturned basket, in and around it were Ennesberries.The healer approached quietly, like an oversized bat, wrapping himself in his red and black cloak. "What in U'Xete's name happened here?" Rassek's harsh, scornful voice startled the sunk in slavery an