A gift from dead gods, 3.

The temple was a magnificent structure. It dwarfed and overwhelmed any other structure surrounding the large plaza. Luno looked around, noting the priests running all over the place, trying to control the masses of people swarming around. One of the priests bumped into him, “Oh dear, oh dear! Sorry sir!” The priest tried to move on, but he grabbed his arm.
“Hold on a moment. Why are there so many people here?” The priest gave him a dumbfounded look. “Ya mean, ya don’t know? This is the temple of the Lord of Blades, the only god who still anwsers!” Luno nodded, and the priest hurried on. The world had gone crazy when the gods stopped anwsering to their followers all those years ago. There was only one now, and Luno wondered if this was a good thing or not.
Making his way through the crowd, Luno joined the masses pouring into the temple. He decided he’d picked a bad time to go here. Nevertheless, the masses carried him on, and into the temple proper. After being jostled around for a while, the masses had finally all entered the temple. Luno looked around. Almost a thousand people filled the hall, the exits at the back guarded by guards in full suits of armour, and several guards around the elevation at the very end of the hall. On the elevation were two pulpits, and behind them a throne with a large, seemingly empty suit of armor. Luno recoiled slightly as he recognised it from the dream he’d had as a boy.
The guards at both entrances parted, and two women clad in black robes walked in. The crowd fell silent, and Luno stared from one woman to the other. Nothing besides their gender was visible beneath their hoods. They reached the pulpits, and one bowed her head. The other spread her arms wide. “People of Rasnach, you are gathered here today, as all days, in the precence of our Lord.” The masses responded, “We are.” “As all days, we chant to our Lord.” “Our Lord guides us.” A light sparked in the armour. The women turned, “Our Lord blesses us with his divine presence today!”
The Lord of Blades stood up from his throne, a harsh light glaring from within the armour. “Amongst you is a man, who has seen me in his dreams. After the service, this man shall stay here.” After the service ended, Luno found he had no choice but to stay. As much as he wanted, he couldn’t make himself leave. Soon, the grand hall was empty, and he swallowed as the god approached him, followed by the two women.

---

Nathaniel reached his destination shortly after sunset. It wasn’t too dark yet, and the villagers had already lit their fires. He greeted the people he passed along the way, heading for the centre of the village, the place he’d meet his employer. He’d have to travel a while before finding a place to sleep though, that kind of this was hard in this town. As soon as he came near the agreed place, he knew somethings was wrong.
Dryads never left the forests. So what was she doing here? And who was that man? The dryad was smiling, “Hello Nathaniel. There have been.. Complications.” The man raised his hand, and he felt the world fade away.