Chapter 21 The Silent Gods
Chapter 21
Jax's POV
I laid at the top flat stone in the inner most part of the cave. The holy cave of the seven holy ones.
No one among the elders had the courage to follow me. The chief priest, Alpha Vexhood, had instructed them to stay behind. This type of journey is a face-seeking journey. They had to leave with my ordeal. I had to face it all alone.
Firstly, I pray that I should come out alive , and most importantly the gods should speak. They should speak of mercy not vengeance.
I have been warned, by Alpha Vexhood, that I should not touch any woman or take strong drinks before embarking on this journey. Disobeying these simple rules may result in catastrophe one I didn't envisage.
Kings in the past had embarked on this soul and face seeking journey but never returned. Especially if the king had done grievous things in the eyes of the gods.
Some kings who knew themselves and the atrocities they committed preferred to stay back. But their ends were always terrible.
Since I know within me that I had done nothing wrong. My garment is unblemished in the eyes of the gods.
I had to summon the courage to embark on this journey to save the pack, my throne and rulership as the king of the stormfang pack.
It is a tumultuous journey which would take climbing several hills and mountains for 3 days and nights.
All I brought along with me on this journey were two servants, Moon flat bread, a sacred bread without yeast and sugar. My pendant to check the time. And enough water for the journey to hydrate me for the journey.
The rules are clear, if you didn't hear anything from the holy ones in three hours all you need to do is to crawl out of the cave and go home. This is the last resort to hear from the holy ones. And if you are lucky that they spoke to you, you would chastise and be shown mercy.
Up till now I didn't know I had done wrong?
Everyone around me labelled me as a sinner, that I had offended the gods and goddesses. That I have Involved myself in some terrible things which I have failed to confess.
But I searched myself thoroughly, both within and without, I know that I have done no evil.
The only she-wolf that I had left for the law of the pack to carry out justice on was Mila.
And the evidence was there, for the world to see, and I didn't evade justice. I should have, if I wanted to, afterall she was my fated mate, the one I truly loved. I should have made a decree to save her life but I never did that. I allowed justice to take its course.
The elders too pushed for it. Especially Alpha Vexhood, who warned me not to evade justice from the pack members on Mila, else I should expect the wrought of the gods.
The humming of the flies, singing unpleasant songs to my ears due to the burnt offerings made at every corner of the room made me irritated and made me want to vomit.
Everywhere in the cave was smelling and scary. I could see dead skeletons of past kings lying who had come into this strange cave and never returned to their pack, on the ground and on the flat stones around me.
I had to use my hand to clear one away to lie on top. I could hear the screeching of birds and reptiles.
I had held on to my flambeau. Like my life depends on it. No one brings anything modern or close to an electric torch here.
I had balanced it on the sconce. And laid flat on the stone. Closing my eyes if they would speak. if the gods would just say something.
One hour gone. Thanks to the tiny pendant attached to my neck which Mila presented to me on my last birthday. Just for me to roughly calculate the time I have to spend here.
An extra time spent here could lead to more disasters. It could infuriate the gods and goddesses to either strike me down or I lose someone close to me before getting home.
Please speak. Just speak.
I kept my hopes high. Maybe because I get here late enough in the evening, they might be having dinner or taking a rest.
Two hours gone.
Please I beg you to speak. Just speak. . My throne is about … inconvenience had watched over me. My back had started to ache, but who am I to complain, especially when fire is burning and my kingdom is about to be ruined.
I turned my face up, maybe it was because I was facing down, maybe that was the reason they went mute.
Then, the final hour came.
I almost hissed in frustration, thankfully I didn't. Maybe, they have not woken up or I came at the wrong time. I stood in frustration.
Maybe I didn't bring with me anything like burnt offering, like the rest that had been coming. I should have. But, I stuck to the alpha Vexhood instructions. Not to bring anything along with me.
And who am I to disobey him? Firstly, he is the mouth piece of the gods in our pack. In addition, this is his forte. Alpha Vexhood had been the chief diviner even during my father's reign. They have been childhood friends and to crown it all he is all powerful. Everything he says and does comes to pass.
I had left the caves of the holy ones in frustration to meander through the caves and rocky paths roughly half a mile from where I instructed my servants to wait for me.
Before I embarked on the journey I had been warned by him to leave the cave exactly after three hours had clocked and also bring at least two servants with me on this ill-fated journey.
At least they would act as a medium to pass across information to the elders that a new king should be installed.
I had worked back to the shiny rocks my servants were but was shocked to see their dead bodies. They laid their back to the rock like someone having a nap.
“Please wake up!”
I tapped the first on the cheek and every part of his body but he fell limped into my arm.
“Please wake up Varek , you can't die on me! Just wake up, it's time to go home.”
I could see blood gushing out from his back. My body went limp.
The other I didn't have to move closer to him to know that he is dead, part of his face had been torn off. I could see a stream of blood, thick, red, gushed out of him too.