Chapter 711: Mercy Adores The Grateful
The Shepherds, a gathering of three that carried the flag of their goddess not on their shoulders but their heart itself. In their eyes, nothing was greater than their service. Almost blind to other ideas and the suffering of the enemy, there was nothing they wouldn’t do to spread her name further and further, until the whole world was marked with the same flag deep within their hearts.
As the ankh with Athenia’s likeness swung from their necks, the shepherds finally stopped with an uniform slam of their weapon against the throneroom’s tiles. Their eyes cast upwards, they stared at the giants seated above their thrones right next to each other. However, to the royals with the faces of the shepherds hidden behind helmet for one, a veil for the other, and at last white paint that covered every facial feature, they couldn’t quite read them or what to expect from the loyals of Athenia.
"The gate remains locked."
"The needle of fate ticks away."
"Mercy adores the grateful, do not turn it away with hubris."
The shepherds spoke in a chorus, their voices in perfect harmony. One a tall man with broad shoulders and a firm body clad in silver holy armor blessed by the goddess herself. The other a woman with a veil with burning eyes of twilight color, one an amber the other a deep orange the mix of which went perfectly with her snarky smile. The shield, the blade, and last came the jester. His body, covered in white paint with a monotone attire of dark and gray.
"We’ll accept the army, but allow us time to calm the public," said the king, but his excuse was just a lie to save face.
Seeing right through him, the shepherd of the sword stepped forward, her translucent, long amber sleeves flowing with each step. Closing her arms under her revealing bosom, she cast the giants a smile with a head resting on the back of her right hand.
"We’ve heard you were incompetent, but to wait until the army is at your footsteps to take such measures? Pahh!" Laughing out loud, she turned around with a smirk and looked at her companions. "Should we test them brothers? Test their conviction to the one true goddess?"
As her crimson dress with reflective red scales shone in the eyes of the giants, the shepherds talked to each other without saying a word, and already came up with a conclusion. Right as the scale-hugged curves of the sword shepherd came into view of the giants, she began walking back to the group and in her place the jester stepped forward.
"Asmareth’s temple shall fall before the army walks through the door or you’ve tempted fate far too much."
"What?!" Anger contorted the king’s expression, but with a gentle hand placed on his shoulder by the queen, he was reeled back to a more sane state. Turning his head to his wife, he stared at her, still visibly upset.