Veiled Godhood: Chapter 1 – Goddess, Priestess, Queen

Chapter 1 – Goddess, Priestess, Queen

A nearby royal guard protects the archbishop from an assassin’s blade that almost hits its target. The assassin kills the guard and the other two who go after her while the rest of the room is shocked.

“Traitorous witch! Get her!” the archbishop says as his guards take him to a safe room.

A squad of royal guards attacks the assassin, and despite their numbers, they are unable to lay a scratch on her thanks to her dark, golden flame. She uses the same dark, golden flame to break through the loyal guards and soldiers of the archbishop and break through the walls of his saferoom. The cowering archbishop tries to plea for his life while reaching for a hidden blade in his clothes, but the assassin knows his tricks and kills him before he can act.

“My queen…why?” the archbishop says as his final words.

She then cuts off his head, breaks his staff, and infuses it with her black flame to create an axe as black flames come out at the top of the staff where a cross-like object used to be. To match her look to her new sense of freedom, she cuts her armor and dress. It now looks like something similar to that of an amazon or exotic dancer because of how showy it is.

“That’s much better,” she says with a satisfied sigh.

More soldiers come into the room as they try to avenge their fallen leader, but her new axe and ability with it allows her to cast a veil over their minds as a form of mind control.

“Bow down to your queen,” she commands.

The soldiers do as she commands as her black flames touch them.

“Gather the people so I can bring to them the good news,” she says and the soldiers do as she commands.

When the people hear the news, they immediately gather in the square. Nearly everyone in the capital of Ecclesia, Petra, gather when they hear the news. The assassin now queen of Ecclesia stands before the crowd on the balcony of the castle church. She soaks in the praise and adoration of the people who thank her for what she's done as she holds the head of the archbishop before throwing it down to them.

“The tyrant of an archbishop is dead!” the queen proclaims to the thunderous applause of the crowd, “You have suffered under his rule. You have stayed faithful while he fell to evil and enriched himself and his allies. He even abused me, his wife, so I know more than anyone his faults and failures, but starting today, we take control of our kingdom. With me as your queen, I will lead us to Heaven. I will lead us to victory over our enemies! I will lead us to glory!”

The queen uses her staff to light up the sky so that the sun becomes black and golden. Black lightning flashes across the sky as flames of gold rain from the sky, and yet, burn nothing. Instead, it enlightens the minds of the people that it touches as their wills become veiled and submit themselves even more to their queen.

She then says, “Witness the power of the golden black flame. Though the black flame has been associated with evil and idolatry, I have made it bright and pure. This flame attests to the purity of my intentions and soul and shows that I am chosen by God to lead us to a bright future as the new head of the church militant on earth.”

As she says this, all the people who hear her voice bow down to her. After this spectacle, she gathers the leaders under her and gives them her instructions to gather certain people from different kingdoms that she can use to further her plans.

During the meeting, one of her allies says, “How are we going to get these highly valuable targets? Even with our resources, it’s going to be a challenge, and doing it covertly in a short amount of time will make it nearly impossible.”

“Here’s how,” the queen blesses her subordinates with the golden black flame, “The power contained within this flame was used by cult leaders to influence their sheep and conquerors like that legendary pirate queen from the past that created creatures of flame that she could control. It takes both mastery over one’s soul, one’s black flame, to properly use.”

“Does it contain the Divine Flame of Cognizance within it?”

“Of course it does. Do you not see its golden glow?”

“I see it, but it’s not a manifestation of it that I’m familiar with.”

“Trust me. It has given us the power to change the world for the better. To change it as we see fit to bring people to the path of righteousness. This seizure of power and the people bowing to me should be more than enough to prove my God-given strength and virtue.”

“Then we will follow your every command, Queen Freja.”

Freja’s spies, soldiers, and leaders go out into the world as she commands as her citizens spread the word of what she’s done. The other kingdoms that are allied to Ecclesia are shocked by the news as kings and queens try to make a personal visit to talk to her, however, they find that she’s adventuring alone to find an artifact to increase her golden black flame’s power. There’s a cult dedicated to drawing out the power of their black flame that’s been a threat to the people of Ecclesia. Soldiers come back from battle with reports of a black dragon that has been injured but never slain as it always retreats to heal itself before it can be killed. No one, not even those blessed by the Flame of Cognizance, has been able to defeat the dragon much less put a dent in the cult’s numbers.

This, in addition to a special crown that is said to increase one’s black flame, is why Freja has been searching for the dragon and this particular cult. She goes alone as she is confident in her abilities and the power of her golden flame. Eventually, she finds the cult conducting their usual ceremony of human sacrifice on a hill to increase the dragon’s power. The stealthy approach is the best option in her mind so she gets off her horse, sends it back home, and walks the rest of the way to the hill. On her way to the top, she uses the archbishop’s staff that’s she’s imbued with her golden black flame to strike the cultists from the shadows and take control of their minds.

The dragon at the top of the hill notices that the number of its servants is dwindling and says in a deep demonic voice, “I sense your sinful flame, queen. Reveal yourself.”

Freja unleashes a rain of golden black flames upon the rest of the dragon’s servants to control their minds and to completely outnumber the dragon.

“Afraid to face me yourself? You’re not a very brave queen.”

“I came by myself to take your power and the crown for myself.”

“How about we make a deal? Face me by yourself and if you best me, then I will serve you, but if I best you, then you will serve me.”

“Deal.”

Freja makes the dragon’s followers run away from the fight and hide in a safe place. The dragon flies in the air and breathes black flames around Freja. She runs to take cover while raining down her own flames from the sky to bring the dragon down to the ground where the dragon moves around like a snake with legs. It breathes a black fog from its mouth to obscure Freja’s vision as it slithers around and tries to chomp at her when it thinks she’s off guard. Freja dodges out of the way and can only scratch the dragon with her axe. Even raining down fire doesn’t seem to have an effect as the dragon keeps coming.

“Give up your soul to me. Your black flame is already tainted. It is only a matter of time before you fall,” the dragon says.

“I have not fallen yet, beast! It is you who will be mine. The fact that I can wield the archbishop’s staff with my black flames proves my purity!” Freja responds.

“The archbishop’s staff may be a product of the Divine Flame that prods the faithful sheep, but in your hands, it is a broken tool that has been perverted by your sin.”

This makes Freja mad and heightens her senses enough so that she’s able to react quickly to the dragon’s next attack as she hits it in the head then shoves it into its neck as it screams out in rebellion to her will.

“We had a deal! Suffer my will!”

“I submit!”

The dragon screams out as the dark fog clears from the dragon’s black flames that it shoots out into the sky. It then vomits out the crown she came for.

“Of all the places to keep it,” Freja says.

“It’s a safe place, is it not? Well, what are you waiting for? It’s your prize,” the dragon says with snark in his voice.

Freja takes the crown and puts it on her head with some disgust, however, this feeling is quickly washed away by a sense of power. A golden black flame burns from her head that’s like a crown as her flame is strengthened. The dragon, along with its followers, come out from their hiding places and bow down to her.

“Be careful with the power you have, my queen. Many will try to take it from you,” the dragon whose will has seemingly been completely submitted to Freja’s says.

“Let them come,” Freja says with a smile.

She then takes her dragon and new followers back to Petra. There, she finds that her hold over its civilians has weakened since many are worried that she might’ve died and the nature of her takeover of Ecclesia is critiqued, however, everyone is stunned when they see her come into the capital with her dragon and army of followers. Black lightning flashes across the sky while the sun turns black and golden like the first day that Freja took power. Her fire rains from the sky and makes her voice audible in the ears of everyone who is touched by her fire.

“Your queen has returned! I have come back with not only the dragon but its followers as well. If you had any doubts about my power being divine, then look and listen to the truth. In the days ahead, we will destroy evil and all who oppose us. We will put a divine fear in the hearts of the enemies of virtue. With my power and your support, we will be victorious!”

Freja’s citizens along with foreign kings and queens cheer her name and pledge their support to her as they are swept up by her display. She, in turn, savors it as she starts her conquest to bring peace to the world, put people on the righteous path, and make her dreams a reality.