The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 46: Gods’ Covenant

Despite their unwavering devotion, many believers spend their days and nights in prayer, yet remain unacquainted with the divine.

Alice, however, who chose to diverge from the mainstream doctrine and place her faith in the God of Doom from her very first step into the temple, has been fortunate enough to meet with the gods—one after another.

If those fervent followers were aware of her divine encounters, they might perceive the world as inherently unjust.

Her previous meeting with the Great Mother, facilitated by Cecilion, was perhaps a fortunate coincidence, but her recent communion with Panlos—the God of Agriculture and Herding—seems to have been by chance. Who would have thought that the village the duchess assigned to her, deemed difficult to manage, was in fact the birthplace of the God of Agriculture and Herding?

Alice was taken aback, yet she remained composed. Having met three gods thus far, such encounters no longer instilled fear within her.

Indeed, engaging with these divine beings is far less perilous than navigating interactions with humans.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should reveal her identity, since the God of Agriculture and Herding was part of the God of Light, and perhaps the God of Light would recognize her existence.

However, humans cannot hide from the gods.

“I am Alice Quint, a knight under Duchess Felix. The god I serve is the God of the Future, Cecilion,” she heard herself say.

“The God of Doom actually has believers, it’s incredible.” The god’s tone was subtle, and his sigh seemed to conceal something that could hardly be called benevolence, which made Alice feel a little unhappy.

“I prefer to call him the God of the Future.”

“The future or the doom are just two different descriptions of the same situation. But don’t get me wrong, I have no opinion about you or your god,” Panlos said wisely. “Although I am subservient to the God of Light, I am not really obsessed with the reappearance of gods. The gods worshiped by the masses will eventually disappear or be forgotten as society changes, but gods like me will always have a place in any era. As long as farmers need sun and rain, their worship of me will continue forever.” He spoke with a hint of self-satisfaction.

Alice looked at the surrounding fields and thought that perhaps he was right. This god, who did not attract much attention in the temple, had his place in the fields.

Panlos didn’t continue that conversation.

He stared at Alice from the void, “Shouldn’t the followers of the God of Doom appear in the royal capital or other centers of conflict? Why did they come to this remote village and set foot on this sacrificial ground that should have belonged to me?”

“I don’t mean to offend you,” She said. “But I’m the owner of this land, and the village chief asked me to pay for the repairs to your sacrificial ground so that the villagers can hold sacrificial ceremonies.”

“In that case, I should thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, I’m just fulfilling my obligations as a landlord. If you are truly satisfied with this, why not use your divine power to bring good weather and good harvests to this village, so as not to disappoint the original intentions of the followers.”

“The farmers here have always been my favorites,” Panlos said. “As a god, I must be impartial and not be partial to the believers in a particular place. But this place is truly memorable to me. It was here that I met my first believer. She tended her sheep here, and I blessed her flocks with fatness, milk, and wool… We once had a very deep connection, and its imprint has remained in my spirit, and it will never be erased.”

Synchronization was precisely the knowledge Alice sought. Although Cecilion had previously attempted to elucidate it for her, he was now encountering the experience firsthand, just as she was.

His grasp of synchronization was limited, making his explanations somewhat unclear. In contrast, Panlos background was evidently far richer. Having roamed the fields for millennia and shared the lives of farmers and shepherds, he must have accumulated a profound and nuanced understanding of attunement.

She sought to gain firsthand insight.

“I’ve previously attuned to Cecilion,” she remarked. “And it felt… peculiar, as if I were losing command over my own body.”

Her words were met with Panlos’ laughter, echoing softly through the air, “Synchronization is far more intricate than you might realize. Genuine synchronization transcends fleeting sensations of influence or manipulation. It leaves profound, indelible marks upon the depths of both souls, forging a lasting impact on gods and humans alike.” He paused before adding, “To attain a harmony like that shared between me and my Catherine, one must pursue deeper exploration and cultivate a more profound understanding.”

Yet, communicating with the divine presents an inherent challenge: they seldom wish to reveal their truths plainly. This is likely because their perception of the world is so vastly different from mortals that they struggle to articulate it within the limits of human language.

But Panlos’ words were so vague that it was probably not just a matter of the difference between man and god. There was an attitude in his words: “Even if I told you, you still wouldn’t understand.”

Alice vaguely felt that he was bragging.

“But most gods no longer strive for synchronization,” he said. “For these arrogant gods, synchronization is not worth the effort. It is not easy to closely connect your spirit with life in a lower dimension. Moreover, it inevitably leads to a complete change in thinking, and the imprint left by synchronization can be considered a scar. For some gods, this is too painful.”

“But you enjoy being in harmony with the believers.”

“Yes, I do.” Panlos’ voice was filled with strange pleasure, “Gods are completely independent individuals from the moment of their birth. Synchronization is the process of understanding others and integrating with them as completely independent individuals. When I synchronize, I can see the world from the point of view of humans, but not from the point of view of the gods. It’s a pity that people who can synchronize with the gods are not so easy to find. If you did not believe in Cecilion, I would gladly take you under my protection.”

“That’s a pity,” she said. “If I’d been born in the countryside, I might have become your follower. But as a knight, I no longer have any ties to this wilderness. I’ve already paid for the restoration of your sacrificial ground and offered you a sacrifice. I hope that you will find a follower who resonates with you through the sacrificial ritual.”

“Thank you,” Panlos said, his voice like a spring breeze. “This place has been in ruins for the past few years, and I thought my followers had disappeared. If I hadn’t met you today, I might have left and gone off in search of followers.”

“Your followers are still here,” she told him. “However, they have been so busy with their lives and ruled by wicked masters for so long that they haven’t had time to come here and offer you offerings. Now that you have resumed offerings, I ask that you continue to cherish the people here.”

“You are a very good human,” Panlos said sincerely. “Although your god, the God of the Future, is eternally asleep, He has always possessed wisdom that surpasses that of the gods. Frankly, I look forward to his coming.”

“Aren’t you a member of the God of Light? Why do you look forward to the coming of the God of the Future?”

“I have already said that I am not obsessed with the iteration of the gods,” Panlos answered her. “I belong to nature and am considered part of the light only because by nature I strive for the sun. But what does the God of Light himself have to do with me? Even if the God of Light is destroyed, the light itself will not disappear. The wheat will continue to grow, and the sheep that my shepherds tend will continue to graze on the grass as before. If your Cecilion can promise to save a place for my farmers and herds in the coming doom, I might even instruct my farmers to pray for him while they pray to me.”

Alice was amazed, “Is this really possible?”

“Nothing is impossible,” his voice was very calm. “In this world controlled by the God of Light, a wilderness on the edge of the abyss. Even if this world collapses from the center, it has nothing to do with me.”

As Panlos’ words tumbled, Cecilion’s voice suddenly came from the other direction, revealing unusual authority, “I promise you, Panlos, God of Agriculture and Herding. In the world to come when I awaken, I will always prepare a place for you, so that you may guard your fields and flocks.”

“The matter is settled then,” Panlos’ voice was full of joy. “I will weave through the peasants’ rituals, planting seeds of hope in the hearts of my followers, allowing them to grow your power. When the day of judgment comes, my peasants will stand by your side.”

Alice watched with reverent awe as the two gods entered into their silent covenant.

Though neither had appeared in person, rendering the agreement seemingly informal, the moment of sealing was anything but ordinary.

Instantly, a wondrous transformation unfurled at the altar of Panlos. Weeds, which had long taken root in the cracks of the stone, erupted as if nurtured by divine hands—blooming with delicate beauty before swiftly withering away, as if cleansed by unseen forces, leaving the surface immaculate.

The altar, marred by years of neglect and fissures, was restored to its pristine splendor, with the faded patterns reemerging, revealing an ancient, enduring grace. From an unseen source, water gracefully poured into the stone basin atop the altar, its gentle sound a soothing whisper. It flowed along its original course, passing over stones that responded with a crisp crackle, each sound a testament to renewal.

Under Cecilion’s divine power, or perhaps through the very essence of its restoring grace, the entire sacrificial site was transformed—resurrected to its former glory, a testament to divine restoration and timeless beauty.

Cecilion’s voice rang out again, “Let this restored sacrificial site serve as proof of our agreement. I will wait for you to fulfill your promise.”