Chapter 483: The Flow of Mana
…3 days before the new moon… 3 days before the siege of Hollow Shade…
The pale moon was only a silver in the night sky, its fading light illuminating little of Vulture Woods. The scarlet canopy ate up most of the moonlight, leaving the forest floor dark. Yet Stryg’s lilac eyes had no difficulty following Lunae in the dark. The goddess had shapeshifted into a young woman. Her long hair trailed behind her, somehow catching the moonlight, giving it a silver glow.
The goddess led him away from the small clearing he had been meditating in and to a nearby stream. Even in the dark, the water was clear and Stryg could make out the pale rocks at the bottom. The river bank was covered in tall grass that brushed past his legs. The sound of the running stream echoed in his ears.
Lunae glanced around and nodded to herself. “This will do.” She patted Stryg’s shoulder, “Strip down to your undergarments.”
His head shot up in surprise. “Pardon?” he squeaked.
“Come on now, no need to be shy, hurry up.”
“Oh, uh, o-okay,” he blushed and nodded weakly.
His people were comfortable with showing their bodies to one another, communal river showers were common. And yet, standing half-naked in front of a bonafide goddess made him feel exposed.
Lunae stood next to him as he took off his jacket and shirt. There was no interest in her silver eyes, only a hint of impatience to get this over with. “Child, I’ve known you since you were a babe, there is nothing I haven’t seen before.”