CH56 Where the hero was summoned.
A slime girl, flamingo, and harpy landed under a snowy, rocky outcrop a mile from a white temple, where the summer warmth didn't reach. The chill seeped into Fufi and Alex despite their flight.
Seeking warmth, Alex deployed a card, creating a sheltered spot with a bunny-shaped carriage. Fatigued from the journey, the trio piled inside. A pre-prepared stove offered hope. Alex tried to light it by striking quartz and metal, but clumsy claws dropped the flaming wool. Merumeru quickly retrieved it, preventing a fire on the carpet, and successfully placed it in the stove.
“Phew, that was a close one.” Fufi praised the slime girl. “Merumeru saves the day.”
“Ruuu ru,” Merumeru cheerfully replied. She turned a valve next to the stove to pour some water in a kettle. She placed the water on top of the stove and pulled out some tea leaves from a cupboard.
The water in the stove finally boiled, and everyone enjoyed a cup of tea. They rested and sipped their hot drinks, finding warmth inside despite the subzero winds blowing outside.
“It got cold at night the first few days when I got to Terre. I can’t imagine what this place is like during the winter.” Alex sipped some tea.
“Meru!” Merumeru said.
“You only had a bathrobe and some sweat pants back then. Also, you didn’t have any feathers to keep you warm, or the fur robe you’ve been wearing. But yeah, we are really high up, are you feeling light headed?” Fufi asked.
“A little, where my cabin was before was at a fairly high elevation so it is not like I spent my whole life living at sea level. The Rockies don’t go through Saskatchewan so there are not any super high peaks.” Alex said.
“You have a nice cabin and horseless carriage. I’m glad that you don’t feel too bad. We made it all the way to the ‘X’ on your map without having to stop because someone was starting to black out. Good job!” Fufi cheered.
“Poor cabin, I wonder how it is doing? We’ve been here for two months and some change now? If I had reception on my phone it would probably be constantly ringing with slavering bill collectors right now.” Alex jokingly said, secret relief showing from not having to deal with those people.
“You don’t have to worry about that. Luna has a team that takes care of magical girls’ home responsibilities while they are away questing. I’ve never met them but I’m sure they are very professional. Sorry to bring up the worry about your cabin.” Fufi said.
“ Will someone pay my car payment and mortgage for me? Because that would be super helpful.” Alex chuckled. “You are right, can’t think about that now.”
“Have a little faith. Anyway, that temple? How do we want to do this? It doesn’t look abandoned.” Fufi poked Alex with a pink wing.
“The polite thing would be to knock first. I mean, it shouldn’t be full of demons right?” Alex hoped.
“No, demons tend to trash things. They also don’t do well with holy places. Hallowed ground tends to do bad things to them.” Fufi said.
“I didn’t know that. Does the grotto count as hallowed ground? What would happen if a demon went in there?” Alex asked.
“Depending on the type it could start smoldering, catch fire, or start melting.” Fufi tilted her beak. “Or something else, there are many types of demons and many types of temples.”
“Maybe that explains why that ice demon we saw is staying away.”Alex looked at the slime girl. “Merumeru do you want to come with?”
“Ru.” Merumeru shook her head, wanting to stay with the carriage for some reason.
“Okay, you can stay here and hold down the fort. We should be back before nightfall.” Alex said.
Fufi nodded. “That sounds like a plan.”
Alex gathered food and water, along with the feather duster, and then ingeniously attached the dolls. Using thread, two dolls were fastened to each of Alex's claws, hanging with their hands and feet linked. Lily, the doll with the longest range, was positioned between Fufi's shoulders, resembling an exotic rider on its flamingo perch. The resulting appearance of the archer doll was charming, as if it had stepped out of a children's story.
After eating and drinking tea, the winged duo flew towards the temple.
Alex grabbed an iron knocker on the large white gates with a claw and knocked. “Hello? Is anyone home?”
A pair of humans in priestly robes peeked down at them from the battlements, one male and one female. They had the same black hair and brown eyes. “Greeting travelers, welcome to the temple of Catalina. Our goddess of purity welcomes anyone seeking to purify themselves here.” The male priest said.
“Yes, it looks like you have been afflicted by bird flu. We pray for those that have had their purity violated by that vile affliction to come to us so that they may be purified. If you seek your lost humanity we can help you find it again.” The female priest said, not missing a beat, completing the man’s sentence.
“Can we come in? It is cold, windy and snowy out here.” Alex yelled, to be heard over the wind.
“You may, the plague has not consumed your mind so you will not need to be restrained.” The man said, his voice a bit mechanical.
Entering the courtyard through the massive, slowly opening door, the two were immediately struck by the change in temperature, a welcome warmth contrasting sharply with the outside chill. Inside, several men and women with black hair and brown eyes, all clad in matching priest's robes, moved about tending to small farm plots where chickens and sheep grazed within fenced enclosures. Dominating the center of the courtyard was a large, multi-storied temple constructed of what appeared to be white marble, the same temple they had observed from beyond the walls.
“What do you think of our little community?” The man walked down the stairs from the battlement.
“Wow, it is impressive that something so grand exists in such a harsh place.” Alex looked around in awe.
“Where are my manners? I am Ekta, priest of Catalina, goddess of purity” The man bowed.
Not missing a beat the woman continued. “And I am Yuti, priestess of Cataline, goddess of purity.”
“I’m Alex. This is Fufi.” Alex gestured to the flamingo. “And my three little friends are Edelweiss, Lily and Rosa.” Alex pointed a wing at each of the dolls.
“How may the goddesses’s servants be of service? Do you seek to undergo the ceremony of purification and return to being completely human? Almost all of the visitors we get are people who have been afflicted by bird flu and are looking to return to a pure form.” Yuti said.
“Yes, I think I understand the map and the dance shoes now. It wasn’t just the dungeon messing with me. Being able to fly was really nice but to be honest I never really chose to be a harpy. Also, I miss having hands.” Alex said, lifting a claw and a wing to show them.
They nodded in perfect unison. “Well then Alex, the next question we must ask is do you wish to undergo the ceremony of purification as a man or as a woman. There are two springs, one is in the convent and the other in the monastery.”
There it was… the big question. Up until this point, every transformation was forced upon Alex. Alex rejected everything out of stubbornness. The harpy furrowed her brow in intense concentration.
Fufi stared at Alex intently.
The two clergy people waited patiently.
Alex expected Fufi to answer that Alex was a magical girl so it should be obvious but she kept quiet.
“I’m… um… not sure.” Alex slumped, a big choice like this coming out of nowhere was overwhelming.
Possibly taking Alex’s answer as some of the mental effects that bird flu gave at the later staged Ekta gave a soft answer. “It seems like the curse has affected your memory. Perhaps some time to warm up and pray would help. Would you like to see the library? It contains records of the great works of Catalina.”
“Sure, I’d like that.” Alex felt relief not having to give an answer then and there.
Entering through a side door beneath a sign depicting an open book, they found themselves in a vast building filled with bookshelves. The interior featured numerous wooden tables and stools for readers, as well as about twelve slanted stands for reading while standing.
Another lady waved from behind a desk when they entered. “Hello, welcome to the library.”
“Is there anything that you would like to read about?” Yuti asked.
“Well, anything about the demon queen or the hero.” Alex said.
The receptionist smiled and retrieved a book. It was titled Bishop Ekta’s journal. “Here, this says some things about the hero’s first coming to this world.”
“Huh, how about that. He’s got the same name as my new friend.” Alex eyed the title.
The receptionist opened the book and set it on one of the pedestals.
“Come and get us after you’ve cleared your mind enough to answer our question.” Yuti said. Ekta and Yuti exited the library, closing the door behind them. The receptionist went back to the desk.
Alex noticed that she had the same black hair and brown eyes as Yuti. Perhaps they were sisters?
The journal began with a sonnet honoring Catalina, filled with religious devotion that Alex found tedious. Despite the heavy religiosity, Alex discerned some valuable information. Deep within this temple was a chamber for summoning. The demon queen initiated her invasion in a distant kingdom by enthralling the king. The king then decreed the closure of temples and established demon worship as the state religion. The queen's strategy involved a gradual increase of unrest and the exploitation of existing conflicts. Unnoticed cults and demonic control over the nobility eventually led to the swift elimination of all opposition. Many clergy members fled across the ocean to this land. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the leaders decided to summon a hero from Japan named Hiroshi, also known as 'Hero', to combat the demon queen.