The people of the village treated Wander differently after she emerged from the cave. Her body still hummed with the Divine's power, the memory of such presence would take a long while to fade. Stepping into the afternoon sunlight, the village witch had greeted her with a heavy robe and quickly led her off, away from the curious eyes of the few villagers still waiting in the clearing. They had watched but made no attempt to follow or speak to her. Even the priest had kept his distance.

Once they neared the witch's shack, she spoke.

"A theophany appeared while you were in the cave. All in the clearing were able to behold a vision of the goddess." The witch explained, sounding as if still in shock. "Neither myself nor the men chosen in the past have seen her so clearly or heard her speak more than a few words."

"She told me she would have you prepare for me." Wander said simply, not surprised the villagers were shaken. The presence of the Divine was unlike anything she had experienced before, and she had been trying to prepare herself for days. The shock of those unprepared would have been immense.

"Thus it is. Everyone in the village offered supplies, much of which I had to turn away, as you can only carry so much." The witch led Wander into her shack, and gestured at the bundles of food, weapons, and clothing. "We will need to sort through and you will decide what to take when you leave tomorrow. The village weaver also insisted on making you clothes for travelling. She promised she and her daughters would be finished by the morning."

"Such generosity...I've never known the people to be like this." Wander said, catching the knowing look in the witch's eyes.

"No, you haven't. And neither have I. They have even treated me differently, as the goddess spoke to me directly before them." the witch let out a long breath. "How do you feel girl?"

"Scared...but excited. You know I've always dreamt of leaving the village."

"And now you are being willed to do so by the goddess. I know it is not your nature, but I must remind you not to treat this lightly. The goddess demanded us not ask about your task, but whatever it is, you must do as she bids."

"It is what I intend to do." Wander said slowly. The witch nodded and they set about their task of sorting through the goods.

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The priest arrived soon after with a bag of valuable goods Wander was to use to trade for things she would need. Among it was a certain dried flower which, when powdered, was valued as a dye to the south, near the coast. He also explained that some of the villagers had elected to throw a feast for this occasion, and that, even though it was short notice, the cooking was well underway. Wander and the witch exchanged glances at this, neither relishing social gatherings, having been often avoided until that afternoon.

After the priest left and the supplies were sorted, the witch sent Wander to her family's home to spend time with them before the feast. As soon as she entered, her mother held her close, not letting go for a long time.

"I've always felt you were special." She said, loosening her grip, but not letting Wander go. "The morning of the day you were born, one of the goddess's flowers bloomed. The women in our family have always had a connection to the goddess, so I knew you would be a girl."

Her aunt had said something similar once, giving the fact that few women in their family had died in childbirth as proof. Now Wander knew it was almost certainly was true. The Divine had said she had waited for her for generations before she was born. She assumed the goddess had been protecting their family for generations, ensuring the birth of Wander. The realization made her uncomfortable.

As her family struggled to think of things to talk about, the discomfort of the situation was a physical presence in the room. Wander realized she had lost the life she had, and the one she thought she would have, the moment the flowers heralded her as the goddess's chosen. The flowers which had followed her since, their faint blue appearing in her path as if her path itself was foreseen by the goddess. It seemed it was.

The feast was rather uneventful, the people of the village had had little time to prepare. The grandest part was the great fire that had been lit in the center of the village. It suffused the entire affair with a warmth that reminded Wander of the tiredness that filled her entire body. Many villagers approached her with empty well-wishes. A few of her friends from childhood, who only spoke to her a few times a year, seemed more meaningful in their farewells, as if they only just now realized they had been ignoring her for years and knew they may never get the chance to speak to her again.

Wander managed to sneak away early, enlisting the help of her oldest brother, who instigated an impromptu wrestling tournament among the village's young men. This immediately occupied the attention of all the guests, and most young men stepped forward to compete. Seeing as they were all passed over by the goddess this year, they seemed especially eager to prove themselves and their vigor. Wander chuckled as she stepped out of the ring of light from the fire. The chill of the darkness cleared her mind. Her body still ached with exhaustion, but this felt like the first time she could truly think since stepping out of the cave earlier that day.

She realized that she had gotten what she wanted. She had gotten to touch magic and the divine. She was about to leave the village and see what was beyond. She was given a great task by the Divine. There was a twinge of sadness in her heart, for the feast was really a funerary celebration for her old life, but more than anything, excitement thrummed in her chest.

The next morning, she would take her first step beyond everything she had ever known. And she would not look back until her task was done.