Chapter 12

“You bastard Roan!” Doron growled. Even the other elders looked uncomfortable when put so plainly. It was clear that they wanted Tirr to take the blame and suffer the consequences for the village.

“Are the rest of you really okay with this?” Nora asked, staring around at the rest of the table. “Letting the god that this village was built for take everything on himself after saving all of our lives?”

Roan held up his hands, trying to calm them both. “The fact is that the knights came here for him. Even if they did have bad intentions they would never have come if it weren’t for Tirr. Now the whole village could be razed to the ground because he didn’t just go with them. Why should the villagers pay with their lives just because of his existence! If he is such a great god he can handle himself without the village getting dragged down with him.”

“Did you even think of what would happen if he actually left?” Nora retorted. “The village wouldn’t last a week without the protection of the Guardian. We’d be overrun with Beasts before he even got to the capital. This village exists because of his protection and it owes him its loyalty.”

“The kingdom probably doesn’t even know the knights are missing yet.” Doron said seriously. “It will take a few more days before word gets back to them and then at least a week before anyone they send to investigate arrives.

“And when they get to the nearest town it won’t take them long to learn that the knights came here.” Roan sighed, “I don’t want to bet the village on whether they believe the knights were the ones that started the fight. We need something to tell them when they get here and giving up Tirr is our safest choice.”

Maria looked at Tirr, he had been quiet for some time, staring down into what must have been his fourth cup of wine. She felt it was strange that he hadn’t spoken up by now, and his silence worried her.

“You act like you care about the village but all you're worried about is yourself! Just like when you sold out Maria and I.” Nora said icily.

“I admit I’m concerned about my family, but it stands for the whole village as well. I can’t bet the safety of the village on some child who claims to be a god. If he was some almighty being why would he be here with only an old lady and her granddaughter to serve him.” Roan yelled back at Nora, standing up himself. “For all we know he’s just some child that happened to come across this Shard they were talking about. He might not even be the Go…”

“Enough…” Tirr spoke quietly, his word’s slurred a little as he downed the rest of his glass in one gulp.

“I’m sorry if that offends you but I have to…” Roan started, having almost forgotten that Tirr was there.

Tirr slammed down his glass shattering it as he looked at Roan angrily, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol. He stood, grabbing the table with his hands and lifting it over his head. Everyone was forced to stand and back away. Roan flinched n horror as Tirr began to throw it. Launching the whole table into a nearby wall. The table crashed and broke apart from the force, leaving the wall damaged as well. The plates and glasses that were on the table came down, breaking and scattering around the room. Everyone stared in shock at the sudden violence.

“I told you enough!” Tirr yelled, stumbling somewhat as he went towards the frightened Roan. Garm followed along, letting his size grow to that of a normal wolf, and stood beside his master, a deep growl rising from his throat.

Roan stood frozen, and the rest watched as Tirr arrived in front of him. He grabbed Roan by the collar, pulling him down and forcing Roan to a knee.

“I am a god! You can tell the people from the Kingdom I did it because it’s true. I killed the knights because they annoyed me, not because I wanted to help your village.” Tirr said slowly, throwing Roan away from him.

“If the Kingdom gets mad about me killing scum like that then I’ll go there and just speak with whoever rules it. Your village has nothing to do with the fighting anyway, so I’ll just go. Just tell them I conquered you or something.” Tirr said drunkenly in his usual proud pose. “Do you understand?” he said looking down at Roan.

Roan nodded fearfully and Tirr started to leave with Garm following him.

“Tirr!” Maria called out as she held out a hand to stop him, but he dodged her, saying he felt weird and was going to go find somewhere rest before stumbling outside.

The room stayed still in silence for a moment as Maria watched him leave worried. Nora simply patted her back and told her to go after him

Maria left the house just in time to see Tirr climb onto a large Garm before heading into the forest towards the grove. She followed afterwards wondering at how a few days ago she wouldn’t have dared to try and walk along the path in the middle of the night.

After walking for a while, she arrived at the grove and saw Tirr laying upon his altar holding the cub version of Garm on his chest.

“I want to be a good god” Tirr said as she entered.

“I think you are. You saved Granny and me.” Maria replied as she came and sat beside him.

“That man was right though, I can’t protect everyone, and it’s wrong to let them get hurt because of me.” Tirr said morosely.

“There’s still time before the Kingdom finds out the knights are missing, and they might understand if we tell them what happened. Even if they don’t, we can still think of something, you won’t have to go with them.”

“I shouldn’t need to think of something, I should be strong enough to just handle it. But somehow, I lost everything, and I can’t even remember how. There are people I feel like I should remember, and I just can’t…”

“Maybe we should go to the Kingdom then? If the Shard thing that man was using is related to the Blessings, maybe we can find clues there about what happened.”

“I don’t know if its worth it, maybe I’m just not meant to be a god. Maybe my followers hated me and just left.” Tirr sighed, before suddenly sitting up and vomiting over the side, luckily away from where Maria sat. “I don’t feel good.”

“I think you shouldn’t drink anymore…” Maria said seriously as she patted his back. “I don’t know what you were like before. But I know what you’re like now, you came and helped us when we needed you. You may act a little arrogant, but I saw how happy you were when we were healing the villagers. I believe you will do even more good things in the future, and I want to help you.

Tirr nodded, “You really think I can be a good god?”

“Yes.” She said seriously as she helped him up “Now let’s get back to the temple to rest.” Tirr did his best to stand up, and they both got on Garm and started to head back.

Back at Roan’s house Nora and Doron were finally leaving after trying to argue further with Roan

“That stubborn old coward, disgracing God like that” Nora grumbled.

“He’s scared…” Doron said, “But it’s the wrong move, even if Tirr goes with them they won’t leave us alone. I’m going to talk with some of the other men in the village see if I can convince them. Those knights had an agenda and us living wasn’t part of it. If the Kingdom can’t see that then it means it was their plan to start with.”

Nora nodded, “Not all of the elders were there. I’ll talk to those I can, some may still follow the older ways. I just hope the group that comes to investigate is more honest than those knights” They said goodbye, each heading towards their own homes…