Chapter Two: There’s a Goddess? Where? 

The commoners called this heinous incident “The Touch of the Eclipse,” and its effects continue to traumatize many nations. It was evident that something went awry when the gods were engaged in combat in the heavens; however, due to the limited information at their disposal, they were unable to ascertain the precise nature of the error. Still, it was completely unfounded that they preferred to remain silent rather than acknowledge the mistakes they had made, given the severity of the situation at hand and the pandemonium that descended upon them.

One example of their disregard for their own was when the missionaries, who are only one step away from godliness and who delivered their message to every temple in the country, including the most desolate churches, gradually met their deaths at the hands of furious mothers, fathers, sons, and a host of other people who were angry with the Gods who had sent them this disaster.

Because they viewed themselves as merely intermediaries between divine beings and the people, rather than the source of the problem, a significant number of these missionaries chose to hide or seek refuge in churches following this development that promised safety. Nevertheless, the pursuit of holy missionaries, whose sole purpose was to deliver the message to the populace, continued. Those incidents took place some weeks ago, and the presence of the poison had detrimental effects on both the flora and the water reservoirs, leading to several fatalities caused by starvation and lack of access to water.

He had no time to think about that, however, as currently, his younger brother was bedridden, suffering from a compromised immune system from the poison’s adverse effects, which didn’t affect everyone equally. The toxin had already demonstrated its unpredictable nature by affecting individuals differently and in abstract ways far from anything he had seen before. It led to things as small as a small cough and headaches to vomiting blood and death—two ends of a horrifying spectrum.

“Smallpox, flu, hair loss, paralyzation, vision loss, and so on and so on! And then there’s death! What the absolute hell is going on?!” He tore up the papers that were strewn haphazardly about his desk.

“That is exactly what I need to know! Patients have been coming in day after day, with each individual case being stranger than the one before it. Recently, we saw a youngster who presented with symptoms that were quite similar to those of a king cobra poisonous bite. If this keeps happening, I’m not sure how much more I can take.” She muttered the last part underneath her breath, frustration etched on her face. Dr. Judith had been a devoted physician for many years, but in recent months, the perplexing cases that were entering her clinic were driving her to the brink of her capabilities.

“I understand that you are feeling anxious, Jude, but it is important for you to persevere. I will provide compensation for the dire circumstances we are facing, for aiding not just myself but also my sibling and other’s affected.”

“No, no.” She spoke softly but resolutely, “I chose this profession with the intention of avoiding the unnecessary loss of human life. My primary objective is to witness the well-being and continued existence of others.”

“Your noble intentions are admired, Jude. All resources necessary to resolve this matter will be at your disposal; I have faith in your ability to uncover its origins and find a cure.”

Silence passed between them before Elwood observed that her eyes had suddenly misted over. She was probably thinking about her two sons, the first ones she had been unable to save.

After a brief period, she smiled and said, “Thank you, my king. I’ll keep you informed as soon as I come across any new information.”

The poison’s spread was vast and, thankfully, didn’t affect his brother as much… But who knows this early on, in this state of perplexity, even with a small bit of poison? Conversely, Elwood didn’t take any chances and didn’t want to risk Emmett’s well-being even more by allowing him to exert himself too soon. Therefore, because he understood the need to have patience and allow the body to heal completely, and because he was determined to go to any lengths necessary to guarantee that his brother had a speedy recovery, he ordered that his brother strictly be subjected to bed rest. He hoped that Emmett’s immune system would be able to fend off any leftover remnants of the toxin during this period of rest.

He couldn’t help but think about the long-term consequences of the poison as he watched Emmett lie horrifically in bed. Would his brother ever fully recover? How long must he endure this illness? What if it takes years to cure him? Will he die without knowing how to stop such a poison? His head tormented him with such questions, which made him even more anxious about his brother’s poor constitution and how he would be able to pull him out of this predicament.

He already had a terrible constitution, but it worsened after that stupid strawberry incident, and Elwood could only be thankful that it wasn’t death like many other poor souls. He had searched frantically for a remedy in the midst of the chaos. But he couldn’t find anything that wasn’t tainted as he searched town to town, even making it to his borders.

“You fuckin shitty ass Gods!” He screamed and cursed the gods that day.

That morning, when he felt the sun on his skin, he knew it was going to be a stressful day. Still, for his younger brother to be poisoned and fall back into his old condition, it felt like his body was being torn from within him. Elwood absently noted the feeling of his own nails digging into the flesh of his palms, his hands having curled into fists of their own accord.

He wished to fight the gods for what they did to his brother.

He knew if he tried hard enough, he could.

“I won’t forget this.”

Before he could even recall his brother lying in the bed below him, who was sick and feeble, his heart began to hammer in his chest from a combination of wrath and despair, and black wisps rose from within him and curled around his brother. It hurt him to see his brother reduced to such a state; he couldn’t bear to see him suffering such ailments after everything they’d been through.

As he stared emptily at the dark tendrils that seemed to tighten their grip on his brother’s weakened body, Elwood’s mind raced with thoughts of vengeance. It was as if the gods were playing a cruel game with them, as if they were pieces on a board.

However, Elwood, being the king piece on the board, who wouldn’t move because he never had to, knew that it was time. that now it was time for him to challenge their celestial authority.

He was aware, deep down, that he had a force within him that was latent and just waiting to be released. Born of love and ferocious dedication to his family, it was a tenacious power that could subdue even the divine.

He then heard his brother whine as the cursed wisps grabbed onto him too firmly, and just like that, it was as if a torrent of reality had suddenly swept over him. While witnessing his sibling cough as a result of the unexpected squeeze of his dark tendrils, he panicked and dispersed the wisps back into his body. He kept repeating in his head, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ as he fled the room, unable to watch his brother continue in this state.

He looked around the town that evening for any remedy to treat this illness and even sought out foreign physicians as he traveled from nation to nation with his teleportation talismans. But when the day was through and his power drained, he had turned up nothing but useless information and a grieving heart.

His body was wearing thin from the strain of using his powers all day, and to such an extent that when he retired home that evening, he felt defeated and horrible for what he had done to his brother that even looking towards his brother’s bedroom made his heart clench.

After several days of waiting outside, his brother, sick of his brooding, walked up to him on shaky legs, leaning against the wall for balance, and ordered him to stop his sulking. “Come inside and talk to me; you know that I hate being alone.”

“I’ll go call for Arthur.” Elwood turned, but before he could take a single step, a large thunk sounded.

“Brother!” His younger brother was sprawled across the floor, his hand reaching out to him, “Don’t you dare leave me.”

Hurrying to his brother’s side, he scooped him up carefully, and when he asked Elwood to stay with him—despite the fact that Elwood was still carrying a grudge towards himself—he went into the room.

Then, a week later, when he was beside his brother’s bedside playing a game of cards, a letter from a missionary arrived. It was written to him, ‘Elwood Sinclair, King of the Belladonia Peaks.’

The letter carried one sentence: ‘Come to the Temple of Maple and find a cure to your problems.’ Signed Raya, the fertility goddess. He stood up from his seat as the hair on his neck rose. Emmett’s eyebrows scrunched up as he sensed his brother’s distress.

“How long will you be gone?” He asks.

As he sat back down, he held his brother’s hand in his own, feeling the bones protruding from behind the translucent, thin skin and noting how the veins shone vividly. He desperately wished he could stay home with him rather than attend a conference, which would undoubtedly only cause him additional stress. However, if it will provide answers and aid to his people, then he must go.

He couldn’t forget the countless nights he spent beside his brother, consoling him through endless pain and uncertainty. The idea of leaving him when he needed him the most heavily burdened him. But duty called, and he knew that his people also relied on him to find a solution.

“We can only hope that it won’t take too long, but given how much they enjoy praising themselves,” Elwood sighs and slumps onto Emmett’s bed. “Despite turning 60 this year, Rosario always takes ages to describe how youthful she still appears.” He allows the bedding to fully engulf his face, “and that old geezer always enjoys bringing up my uncle constantly, despite how much it irks me so.” He grumbles at the last part.

Meetings with the leaders of all the nations have never gone well.

Being the youngest leader among them, he had never earned a reputation for maintaining composure during such meetings, and most times he frequently ends up returning home bruised and beaten from a full-blown brawl. 

He could, however, say that he had never lost any of those bouts, which annoyed the other leaders greatly, and on occasion, he enjoys boasting about it to see them enraged.

“Do be safe, brother; because of how unsettled the times are, they may try and pull something.” Patting his head, Emmett gently whispers. "I wish I could go with you.” 

Elwood gently squeezed his brother’s hand and spoke soft words of reassurance, promising to return as soon as possible. His brother weakly smiled back at him, understanding the circumstances. It was at times like this that their unshakable connection became evident.

He was constantly thinking about modifications and ideas that would make his brother’s hardship lessen. If there was even a slight chance of finding a cure or easing his pain, then it was worth pursuing.

Deep down, he knew that attending the conference would be mentally and emotionally draining.

Elwood hums, still pressing his face against the sheets of the bed, before sighing loudly and forcing himself up. “I’ll be leaving in the morning, but Arthur will be here if you get bored,” he says, earning a blush from his brother. Oh, how Elwood loved to tease his brother, he chuckles.

He made arrangements for a carriage for the following morning and left his brother in the care of the doctor and Arthur, who had been Emmett’s study partner since they were young children and had developed into close friends, even though at times Elwood had also used him as a babysitter, creating a bit of a hazy line between their relationship and their desire to simply have fun together. They didn’t appear to mind, though.

Arthur had become a part of their small family and earned Elwood’s trust over the years; he was the only other person who cared as much for Emmett as he did, and for this reason, he was able to go to the Temple of Maple without much prodding.

“Arthur, look after him.” Before getting in the carriage, he spoke, and from the window of his bedroom, he saw his brother wave farewell.

“As always, my King.” His soft smile eased Elwood's heart a bit.

The journey to the Etalu nation, the birthplace of the Temple of Maple, would take approximately ten days. He was traveling alone despite his brother’s warning and insistence on bringing guards, but upon arguing further that bringing men would weaken the estate’s defenses and draw attention to him while he was traveling, Emmett left the matter alone with a pout on his face.

Additionally, he had always preferred traveling by himself without constant interruptions—

The small carriage window was then pulled open abruptly, and a familiar voice rang out.

“Elwood, would you be so cruel as to leave your number one knight back at your estate while you have fun all to yourself? Your brother was so kind to let me know you planned on leaving without anyone to protect you; I just had to come.” A voice echoed from where the driver was originally sitting.

Elwood threw his head back, hitting the soft cushion of the seat as he cursed his brother.

“Hazel, of course, he would send you.” Elwood groans.

“I’m offended, your majesty. Do you not seem a little pleased to see me? It took so much willpower not to reveal myself right away, and I was starting to get antsy up here in the cold as you relaxed in the warm, cozy carriage.”

“You only have yourself to blame for that.” Elwood snaps back, but relents a bit and pulls back his voice. “Pull into these trees for a bit.” He points at a small opening where the trees split, and Hazel has to duck from the low branches before stopping the horses.

Stepping out of the carriage, he beckons for the other to disembark too. “Come on, this is where we’ll leave the carriage.” He quickens his speed, and Hazel sprints to catch up.

“What do you mean to leave the carriage here? It’s the middle of nowhere; aren’t we going to the Temple of Maple?” He refutes.

“I never said we weren’t, but now that you are here, I can also check on other things while we are supposedly traveling. I know a few farmers who will take care of the horses while we are away, so don’t worry about the carriage either.” Elwood ducks into a cave and crawls before the entrance widens, allowing him to stand back up.

Hazel’s eyes enlarge as he notices the cave’s insides are coated in talismans and scattered with spell techniques. Elwood ignites a couple of candles, which cast light over the crimson-dark red teleportation circle. “We’re going to one of the nearby villages to see how they’re doing. Before I can make any bargains with the goddess, I need to see all the harm caused by this poison.”

Elwood, who has spent the majority of his life as a vessel of cursed energy, found it simple to set up the spell. Although it wasn’t effortless, Elwood, with his mastery over this particular energy, had become a force to be reckoned with. He’d learned to wield forbidden power at a young age, honed his skills, and had an exceptional command over it. Elwood regarded such dark arts as a means to an end—a weapon that might give him strength and dominance—and while others flinched away from them, he took hold of such forces.

Rumors of his tyranny and cruelty spread throughout nations as the word of his talents did.

The use of cursed energy was strictly prohibited in religious institutions, and Elwood’s disregard for these rules only fueled the disdain they had for him.

Churches condemned him as a heretic, as they saw in him the embodiment of evil. Elwood, however, had little regard for other people’s opinions, as his ambition and desire for power transcended all moral boundaries. To him, the negative effects that came with wielding cursed energy were merely obstacles to overcome. The physical toll it took on his body and the mental strain it placed on his mind were secondary concerns.

In this world, there are two energies that reside along with the heavenly authority: one of vitality, which comes from a force that comes from within; it’s a sort of flow of energy that all life has. Vitality energy enables both our profound connection to nature and our capacity to perceive within ourselves the intricate ways in which our souls are intertwined with it, akin to the way a branch on a tree is entwined with its roots. One may even argue that what causes this planet to turn is the essence of this energy: to grow, rebirth, and provide harmony. This energy flows in sync with nature’s rhythms into the core of the earth, rocking in a smooth and steady manner, nurturing life, and fostering balance.

The other type of energy, however, comes from an alternate force that does not obey the flow of nature and instead acts as a fire that burns within a forest, representing the energy’s ability to cause destruction and the chaos that arises from playing with it. It is an untamed power that can either allow a person to consume and ravage everything in its path or allow someone to be able to harness its immense strength. However, just as fire can bring warmth and light, it can also bring devastation and darkness. This energy is known by a number of names, including cursed or resentful energy, black magic, anti-vitality control, and the evil arts. 

But because the only thing that truly mattered to him was that it had to be the most powerful energy to be tamed, he did not place a great deal of importance on the naming of such power.

Elwood and Hazel traveled from town to town every day as they observed the anguish and horrible effects of the “Touch of the Eclipse.” Homes were pillaged, and there was unrest throughout the streets since nobody could be trusted. The forests had been destroyed, dried to a crisp, or reduced to ash. There were no crops growing, and no animals were visible over the farmers’ fields. 

It was a dystopia, a total erasure of his land; everything vanished out of the blue, and Elwood and Hazel, with heavy hearts, continued their journey through the sad towns, their souls burdened by the devastating aftermath of the “Touch of the Eclipse.” Each day brought them face-to-face with a new level of despair and hopelessness.

They were unable to avoid noticing the lack of life as they moved through the formerly bustling streets. The mass graves loomed as a somber reminder of the innumerable lives that had been lost, their last resting places bereft of any sense of calm or consolation. The absence of flowers beneath the gravestones symbolized not only the scarcity of resources but also the collective grief that had numbed everyone’s spirit.

The sight of children wandering aimlessly, their eyes vacant and bodies frail from malnourishment, tore at their hearts. These innocent souls were now mere shadows of their former selves, robbed of their childhoods by a merciless catastrophe. 

As they reached the last village, Elwood’s anger finally snapped and grew to unimaginable heights.

“How dare those gods cast this upon us and then disappear into seclusion?! That fertility goddess better fix this shit.”

He left the village with no more gold in his pockets, having given small amounts to each town he visited. He didn’t imagine that any quantity of wealth would matter under these strange circumstances, but it was all he had.

He should be able to act with greater authority when he gets back home, he told himself, knowing well enough that anything he tries would not fully fix this mess.

The last village was on the borderlands of the Belladonia nation, where it was possible to see the valleys below that led to the Etalu nation.

They had most likely chosen this meeting location because Estaban, the monarch of the Etalu nation, was a passive leader who never really committed to change but kept his people protected. And because the soil is so fertile and a variety of things may grow there, it was perfect for the goddess to reside, with a hotspot for hundreds of different kinds of plants. 

Let us pretend you have some free time to explore the nation. Should this be the case, you would find yourself in a grove enveloped by an assortment of landscapes, including expansive redwood forests, verdant meadows, or even fields of wildflowers that would truly steal your breath away. A riot of colors blankets the landscape, with each petal displaying its own unique hue. From delicate daisies to vibrant poppies and elegant lavender, these flowers create a tapestry that seems straight out of a dream. It seems natural that here is where the fertility deity resides.

He wonders what her thoughts are on how the natural world is being destroyed, where forests are being cut down, ecosystems are being devastated, and species are being driven to extinction every day. The eclipse's effects were upsetting the delicate balance of ecosystems.

He took one last talisman teleportation spell from his small waist bag and handed it to Hazel.

“I used up too much power. Can you do this one?”

“Of course.”

Hazel lit it up, and at once, they were in the village below the Temple of Maple. 

Without wasting any time, Elwood and Hazel made their way to the temple.

Thanks to the goddess, it was abundant with full, luscious trees and flower beds. The ground they walked on was filled with soft green grass, and flower petals wandered in the air as a breeze pulled them from the nearest trees. The temple monks and people sheltered within all had a look of bliss as they sat under trees and did their daily routine. 

It should have come as a relief to see this, but as Elwood stepped up the steps, his jaw clenched in bitterness as he drank in the brilliantly vivid foliage.

Elwood’s homeland was filled with hollow trees and leaves that no longer clung to the branches. The grass crumpled under his feet, and the flowers crusted up into a mound of brown ash.

Hazel, on the other hand, was also furiously clasping his hands, and he could feel his mood deteriorating as he pinched his own lips.

Hazel steps ahead of him, opening the door leading into the temple, and Elwood strides in. 

As he entered, he noticed a sizable wooden table in the center of a room with lush grass, with ten chairs surrounding it and each bearing the name of a different country. Six others had already arrived, and he could hear them chatting as he stood there before they felt his presence and looked towards him, stopping their conversations.

He sat down after receiving a nudge from his knight. “It’s nice seeing you all again.” He fakes a smile, then rolls his eyes as Rosario sneers.

“Don’t speak if you are not genuine.” She scoffs and spits out, “We all know you can’t stand us.”

“And you shouldn’t put words in my mouth; for example, I can’t stand you, but Estaban is my best buddy.” Elwood winks, and Estaban lets out a hearty chuckle. Before he could pick on the old geezer next, who was glaring at him, a strong voice rang out from inside one of the temple’s doors. 

and that is when he met the fertility goddess Raya’.

She wore a green dress with leaves embedded in its lace, rose-colored silk flowed from its ends in a lovely gradient, looking like a spring wildflower ready to be picked.

She held her head high as the other world leaders sat in their designated places. The room became hushed as the goddess took the stage, and as she began, she pushed her shoulders back and her chest out. “I have come today to help during these times of..."

Elwood was unsure of how to react as she continued to tell her tale; she had descended from the heavens after becoming aware of the poison that was afflicting the country and intervening to aid. He wasn’t sure why, but she seemed off; her aura was normal, but it felt artificial; the narrative felt incomplete; and as she continued to speak, his stomach began to turn.

Elwood was half asleep for the majority of her explanation after she began to boast about her achievements as a goddess. He had never followed any God, but he had definitely never heard of the fertility goddess; had he been more intrigued, he would have told her just that and seen what face she would make, but he decided to stay out of the limelight for the time being.

Elwood tried to keep his eyes open, wondering how someone could be so self-centered. The woman’s voice droned on, her words blending together into a monotonous hum. He had always been skeptical of those who claimed divine status, finding it hard to believe in beings that controlled the fate of mortals.

But this fertility goddess was something entirely new to him. He thought about it, trying to get his sleepy head around the idea of a god that was just concerned with procreation. It struck as both an intriguing and ludicrous idea. Elwood’s curiosity flickered momentarily, but he quickly dismissed it as exhaustion clouded over him.

“All I ask is that you remain faithful to us, Gods, despite our errors.” She spoke in a calm yet sophisticated tone that drew everyone’s attention. “Those who swear their faithfulness to me will gain rewards beyond their wildest dreams.”

She kneeled down to the ground and purified it with the touch of her fingertips; flowers grew, and they wrapped around her arm. “I promise I will be the one who will revive every one of the mortals in the land back to prosperity.”

Elwood was calm throughout her speech and could even say he was very mellow considering the circumstances; however, by this statement, his anger got the best of him, and he could only hear himself snapping back in his head, ‘Ha! Just for the low price of pledging their loyalty to her. Such nonsense!’

Elwood’s skepticism grew even more as he watched the woman perform her seemingly miraculous act. He couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about questioning her actual motives. The flowers that had sprouted from the ground and wrapped around her arm appeared enchanting, but Elwood couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more to this display than met the eye.

As she continued speaking passionately about reviving the mortals and bringing prosperity to the land, Elwood’s anger began to simmer beneath the surface. He detested anyone who claimed to know everything, especially when they wanted absolute commitment in exchange. It looked to be a con, a means for her to grab control of her environment and everyone around her. Despite the goddess towering over him, Elwood gave her a long look before rising tall.

“Why should we swear allegiance to those who have repeatedly and mercilessly hurt us mortals? It’s been weeks since the gods promised to fix what they did! Why should we bow our heads like dogs for the gods who put us in this mess?” They had other misfortunes inflicted upon them through the years by those ignorant gods, but the eclipse was by far the worst one.

Why must we continue to be stepped on like ants?

He observed that the bulk of the other leaders were snidely peering at him as he gazed around the table. Even if this is nothing new, he wasn’t going to let a goddess take advantage of all his stupid allies to create a monopoly on something they were all desperate for.

Elwood watched as they tried to silence him, but they all should have known better because he would never put up with this nonsense. “Bowing down to you would negate all the blunders you Gods have thrown our way, and I, for one, would never bow to anyone, especially someone who can’t accept responsibility for their mistakes,” he exclaimed.

She looked down at him, and Elwood noticed a spark in her eyes that only someone in his position could ever recognize. “What would you need me to do to demonstrate my regret for our mistakes as gods?” Her voice turned pitiful, and Elwood could smell the bullshit coming from her mouth a mile away, yet he stood his ground and said, “Respirations for each individual you Gods have impacted through this eclipse. If a family member died, they would require their weight in gold to provide a future for each child who has lost a parent or is living on the streets and for the land to be cleansed without conditions.”

The room fell still, and Elwood hoped none of the other rulers were stupid enough not to see the advantages of this until a roar of laughter erupted from a couple of the leaders, and the Goddess, too, had a gleam of delight in her eyes as her face contorted into a smile.

The King of the Etalu nation, ‘Estaban’, remained silent and didn’t support him as much as he had anticipated; nonetheless, it didn’t matter because he had always seen him as a coward.

“Fools,” Elwood murmured before advancing once more. “If you are the ones who hurt us, why do you ask for something in return? What do I get in exchange for joining you?”

“A cure... for your brother’s illness.”

Elwood’s eyes widened, and he felt a pull he couldn’t escape as she held her hand towards him before he blinked; the hair on his neck lifted, and he had a full body shudder.

A spell.

She casted a type of obedience enchantment spell on him!

As the incantation was cast, a surge of mystical energy enveloped him. But instead of succumbing to its supposed effects, his body instinctively rejected it. The pure energy clashed with the cursed darkness that resided within him, creating a powerful resistance. This internal battle between light and dark raged on silently, hidden from her prying eyes. She remained oblivious to the turmoil unfolding within him as he continued to resist the spell’s influence. His heart remained shielded by an impenetrable barrier, safeguarding his emotions from manipulation.

Unbeknownst to her, his cursed energy acted as a guardian, protecting him from external forces seeking control over his being. It recognized the purity of the obedience spell as a threat.

“You bitch!” He spat at her, which caught everyone off guard, including her, as her hooded eyes lifted. The General’ Chamberlain’ from the Eludore Kingdom, who has always been a righteous leader, rose from his seat, unsheathing his sword.

Elwood shattered the spell she had put on him, but the amount of energy required was enormous. 

It was no wonder they were all out of their heads.

“I will never bow down to you, or any God for that matter,” he said, taking a step back.

She wouldn’t know that the fake obedience spell would not affect him as long as the cursed energy within him resisted it.

“You will not receive anything from my kingdom as long as my soul is tethered to this world. Regardless of how much it hurts them, my people will survive without the benefits of Gods; in fact, this will only strengthen their bonds as humans.” He pulled Hazel from behind him and used another teleportation spell to bring him back home.

“Fuck that goddess.” Elwood was able to rasp out of his mouth before collapsing into a heap below Hazel. He had gotten them far enough to reach the carriage, so Hazel should know what to do from there.

He woke up later that night in the carriage, his mind still hazy and his power low, but he pushed his body up against the cushions. The carriage rocked slightly from his movement, and a door opened, revealing Hazel.

“You’re finally awake!” He smiled and then placed a hand on his forehead. “Your fever has gone down a bit, but you’re still warmer than I would like.”

“How long was I out?”

“Ah, well, maybe a few hours at most; we are almost to the castle, so we can have Doc c Jude check on you soon.”

That meeting with the Goddess took place a month ago, and despite the Goddess’s willingness to purify the soil, progress has been slow, and the poison has spread faster than she can purify it.