Eldritch Guidance-Intermission XXIX

Steph knelt at the center of the defiled church, her bloodstained robes pooling around her like a macabre halo. The air hung thick with the metallic tang of fresh carnage and the wet sounds of tearing flesh as her Blood Ghouls feasted upon the remains of Yovis and his men. Limbs cracked between jagged teeth, armor crumpled like parchment under clawed hands, yet Steph remained motionless—her hands clasped in prayer, her lips moving in silent devotion to her god. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

These were abominations of her own making—creatures born from her spilled blood, given form by her god’s guidance. Steph called them Blood Ghouls, not just for their origin, but for their nature: like the corpse-eating ghouls of stories, they consumed everything. And, no necromancer could ever control them. They cannot be reanimated—they were manifestations, extensions of her god's will birthed through her blood.

They were pure hunger given flesh, ravenous and relentless, attacking anything but the faithful unless Steph willed them otherwise. And tonight, she had not restrained them.

A particularly large ghoul lifted its malformed head from its meal, strands of viscera dripping from its needle-like teeth. Its hollow eyes flickered toward Steph, as if awaiting command, but she gave none. The creature returned to its feast, its brethren joining in with guttural snarls.

Steph did not flinch at the sounds. She did not turn to witness the slaughter. Her focus remained fixed upon the small effigy of her god resting upon the altar—the robed figure with arms outstretched, welcoming all who sought refuge.

She had offered Yovis and his men that same refuge.

They had refused.

And so, the Blood Ghouls had been unleashed.

A lesser soul might have been sickened by the carnage. Might have hesitated at the brutality of her own power. But Steph had long since made peace with the necessity of her god’s will. The Light had abandoned these lands, leaving its followers to rot in despair. Her god did not abandon. Her god did not turn away.

And if his mercy required bloodshed to pave the way?

Then so be it.

The church doors burst inward with a thunderous crack, splintered wood flying across the blood-slicked stones. The violent entry sent dust swirling in the torchlight as Thalia and her Red Guard warriors stormed inside, weapons drawn and ready for battle—only to be met with a scene of grotesque serenity.

Neither Steph nor her Blood Ghouls so much as flinched at the intrusion.

Thalia's sharp gaze swept the desecrated chapel, taking in the carnage with the calm of a seasoned warrior. The Blood Ghouls—twisted, sinewy creatures of crimson muscle and jagged bone—continued their macabre feast undisturbed, their needle-like teeth tearing through flesh with wet, ripping sounds. A flicker of revulsion passed through Thalia, though she suppressed it quickly. Even after all this time, after witnessing Steph's power countless times, the sight of the Blood Ghouls still sent an instinctive chill down her spine.

Then she saw him.

Yovis—or what remained of him—lay sprawled near the altar, his tactical gear shredded, his lifeless body being methodically devoured by one of the largest ghouls. The creature's hollow eye sockets seemed to gleam with perverse satisfaction as it gnawed through his ribcage.

Thalia: "So," her voice flat and cold. "Yovis was a traitor."

Steph turned slowly, her bloodstained robes whispering against the stone floor. The soft smile on her lips belied the carnage surrounding her.

Steph: "As you say," she confirmed. "It was indeed a trap. But our god protects his faithful. As I knew he would."

Thalia nodded, though her grip on her dagger tightened as she watched the ghouls. Their heads had lifted slightly at the newcomers' arrival, their maws dripping with gore as they sniffed the air. While they wouldn't harm the faithful—their hollow eyes passed over the Red Guard without interest—the creatures radiated a primal, unsettling hunger.

Thalia: "I see," she murmured. "Do you require us to dispose of them?" She gestured to the ghouls with her blade.

The unspoken truth hung heavy between them. These creatures were weapons with little discretion—they would slaughter indiscriminately anyone who was not a faithful follower of the Red Church, unless Steph actively controlled them. Normally, the Red Guard would put them down after battle, reducing them back to the lifeless blood from which they came to protect those who have yet to fully believe.

But Steph's smile widened, her eyes glinting with something almost playful.

Steph: "That won't be necessary," she said, waving a dismissive hand. "I think I'll send them deep into the swamps instead. Let the cults of those so-called 'nameless gods' deal with them for a change."

Thalia couldn't help the smirk that tugged at her lips. The cults that hid within the swamp had been a thorn in their side since they arrived, preying on the desperate and poisoning minds against the Red Church. This was a fitting punishment—let them face the horrors they so readily dismissed.

Steph: "A mercy, really," she added, tilting her head as she watched the ghouls rise at her unspoken command. "Perhaps a brush with true divinity will... enlighten them."

The ghouls slunk toward the shattered windows and broken doors, their forms melting into the shadows beyond. Within moments, only the echoes of their guttural snarls remained, fading into the night as they loped toward the mist-shrouded swamps—and the unsuspecting heretics who dwelled there.

Thalia watched the last of the Blood Ghouls disappear into the swamp's thick mist before turning back to her Saint. The grim aftermath of the battle still clung to the ruined church, but Thalia's following words carried a different weight—one that immediately transformed the atmosphere around Steph.

Thalia: "Steph," her tone measured but carrying an undercurrent of significance, "while we were waiting for you, one of the associates from that group arrived with a message. They're requesting an urgent meeting—and they specifically asked for your presence."

Steph's entire demeanor shifted in an instant. Her serene smile blossomed into something radiant, her eyes alight with pure, unguarded joy. It was a startling transformation—from the composed Saintess who had just commanded horrors into the swamps, to a woman who looked as though she had just received the most wonderful news imaginable.

Steph: "Oh!" she clasped her hands together, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Is Scarlett finally introducing her new disciple to us? She mentioned it during our last conversation!"

Thalia couldn't help but soften slightly at Steph's enthusiasm, though she remained professionally reserved.

Thalia: "I'm not certain, my lady. The message didn't specify. But the meeting is set for a few weeks from now."

Steph: "It must be that!" she insisted, practically bouncing on her toes. "Tell them I'll be there, of course! I wouldn't miss it for anything!"

Her delight was infectious, though Thalia knew better than to underestimate the gravity of such gatherings. The group they were meeting with—an enigmatic collective known only to a select few—held a special place in Steph's heart. She regarded them not just as allies, but as kindred spirits, fellow chosen ones who had been touched by the same divine hand as her. To Steph, their shared bond was sacred, a confirmation that her god's will extended beyond just her own path.

But there was another reason for her excitement, one that made these meetings more than just strategic alliances or friendly exchanges.

They took place in Graheel.

And Graheel was where she could speak to him directly.

Her god.

John Li.