Saintess and prophecy

As soon as the procession of the Temple of Life entered, the cheers of the people erupted like crashing waves in a single voice:

"Hail the Saintess!"

"Hail the Saintess!"

Children threw flower petals onto the path where the procession passed.

A solemn atmosphere spread as warriors surrounded the carriage carrying the Saintess, but the aura radiating from the knight riding a white horse beside the carriage demanded an even stronger presence.

His head was held high, his eyes glimmered with intensity and determination, and his very presence exuded strength and majesty.

The procession advanced steadily until it stopped before the Temple of Life.

The soldiers quickly dismounted and spread out, forming a security perimeter.

Two rows of soldiers lined up beside the carriage door, while the knight stepped forward and opened it for the Saintess to descend.

As the door opened, the Saintess stood at the entrance.

She was stunningly beautiful, with a childlike charm. Her long silver hair flowed down to her waist, and her emerald eyes shimmered with life. Her skin was as pure and flawless as a sheet of water.

She had a delicate nose, a small mouth, slightly plump cheeks from baby fat, and a naturally noticeable chest.

She wore a white-silver nun's robe embroidered with golden threads, and around her neck hung a pendant bearing the symbol of the Temple of Life — a bird cradling a green branch.

In front of the temple's gate stood an old man with snow-white hair and a deeply wrinkled face. He wore pristine white priestly garments and held a book adorned with the temple's symbol.

A warm smile that was hard to hide lit up his face, no matter what might happen next.

And the moment he saw the Saintess step down from her carriage, he rushed forward with quick steps.

And as he did, so did she. When they met, they exchanged a long embrace.

"Asya..."

"Grandfather..."

All the villagers watched this emotional reunion, their faces lit with smiles.

Even the soldiers softened their stern expressions, and even the knight showed a trace of a smile.

The embrace lasted a long time, but no one dared to interrupt it. After all, who would want to disturb a reunion between a grandfather and his granddaughter after such a long absence?

After several minutes, they pulled away from each other.

The old man looked at Asya and said with emotion-filled voice:

"You've grown so much, my dear Asya."

Asya beamed with a radiant smile.

"Hehehe, of course, I'm not a child anymore."

Her voice was soft and refreshing, like a cool breeze on a hot summer day.

The old man burst into laughter:

"Hahaha, yes... You've become a beautiful young woman. Come, let's go inside."

And so, the old priest and the Saintess entered the Temple of Life, followed silently and solemnly by the knight.

The soldiers moved quickly to surround the area and blocked anyone from approaching.

Inside, the old priest sat across from Asya, while the knight stood silently behind her.

The old man smiled, his eyes glimmering with affection:

"How are you? Did you face any hardships? Did you make friends?"

The questions poured out like a flood.

"Wait... wait, Grandpa, you're asking too much all at once!"

She giggled softly.

The old man, slightly embarrassed by his eagerness, ran his hand through his white beard:

"Sorry, I was just excited and worried about you."

Asya smiled gently and placed her hand over his:

"I know... I missed you too. Why don't you come with me to the main temple?"

The old man sighed deeply, his eyes revealing sadness:

"Asya, you know I can't leave this place, especially with... that thing in the depths of the forest."

A trace of sorrow appeared in her eyes, even though she had expected that answer.

The old man wished to go with her, but the orders from the Lady of Life were strict — especially concerning what lay deep in the forest.

In truth, he wasn't alone. Several temples surrounded the forest, all serving the same purpose for generations.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, the old man spoke kindly:

"Let's leave the sadness behind... Tell me, how have you been?"

"I'm fine. I've learned many things, and all my brothers and sisters take good care of me."

Asya began to speak enthusiastically about her experiences, while the old man listened with a warm smile and joy in his heart.

His happiness was genuine — she had finally made friends.

She had never tasted friendship since the moment of her birth, for she was chosen immediately by the Lady of Life to become the Saintess.

It was an unprecedented event in the history of the Temple of Life.

But it didn't stop there — the same thing had happened recently at the Temples of Dawn and War.

The world was shocked.

Choosing Saintesses from birth had never happened before — especially since the Temples of Dawn and War belonged to two of the five great empires that ruled the world.

To prevent panic or rumors, the three temples declared that the decision came from the High Ruler, without revealing the true reason.

But the truth was known only to a select few at the highest ranks:

> "The Age of Renaissance is nearing its end, and a new era will begin at the hands of the Chosen One."

This message from the High Ruler of the three temples was brief but earth-shattering.

First, because the Age of Renaissance hadn't lasted long — only seven thousand years since the end of the previous age.

That might seem like a long time, but ages typically span tens of thousands of years. Thus, seven thousand was considered short.

Second, because the start of a new era meant countless massacres, all-out wars, and devastation across the world — even rulers would not be safe.

In such chaos, faith in some gods would collapse, while others would rise, leading to wars of belief.

So, the three temples decided to choose Saintesses from birth and train them from the start to prepare for the coming storm.

The old man spoke, his eyes searching for an answer:

"I'm happy you're doing well... but why did you return to visit this old man?"

As soon as he asked, Asya's expression turned serious — as did the knight behind her.

She replied with a steady tone:

"Grandfather, the truth is... I returned because I received a prophecy from the Lady of Life."

The old man's eyes widened — this was the first prophecy he'd heard of in a very long time, though he had read of them in ancient records.

"What is the prophecy?"

Then he realized his mistake — asking about the prophecy of a deity was a breach.

"I'm sorry... I must be a nosy old man..."

Asya chuckled softly:

"It's okay, Grandpa. The Lady of Life didn't forbid it — she actually asked for it to be shared."

"Really?"

He looked at her in surprise.

"Yes."

Her emerald eyes sparkled with excitement.

"The prophecy says:

The hero has appeared, and he will begin from the starting point."

The old man's eyes widened, and he froze:

"Asya... do you mean the hero who will wield the Sword of the Lady of Life and fight in her name?"

She nodded confidently.

The old man grew emotional — the appearance of the hero would raise the status of the Temple of Life and increase its followers.

"And the starting point... you mean he will pass through here?"

"Yes. My mission is to find him, nurture him, guide him to faith in the Lady of Life, help him reach the peak... and be part of his team."

The old man swallowed hard, his eyes gleaming.

His granddaughter... would be a companion of the Hero.

---

In a dense forest, Kyle had found a cave to shelter in with the women.

He sat at the cave entrance, eating meat from a beast he'd hunted earlier, while the women sat quietly inside the cave, eating their share.

The scent of grilled meat mingled with the damp forest air, laced with a light smoke from the fires.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of fiery orange.

The wind blew strongly through the trees, carrying a chill that smelled of earth and fallen leaves.

From time to time, several pairs of glowing green eyes peeked from the bushes, watching Kyle with deadly silence.

Kyle sealed the cave entrance with a large boulder, leaving a small opening for ventilation.

He had gathered bundles of wood and arranged them in neat piles in various spots — as if preparing a battlefield.

When the last ray of sunlight vanished and darkness fell, an eerie silence cloaked the forest — even the wind stopped, and the air grew disturbingly still.

The silence was broken when Kyle ignited the wood piles he had prepared.

Suddenly, flames burst forth, illuminating the area with a bright orange glow, so vivid that it looked like dawn had broken in a small pocket of the dark forest.

Kyle, standing at the center of the flames, was surrounded by fire.

The light cast sharp shadows across his determined face, his eyes locked on the shadows deep among the trees.

From those shadows, blood-red eyes stared back at him, filled with a cold gleam and a murderous intent.

He heard the soft rustling of leaves and the crackling of dry branches.

Seconds later, the first wolf emerged... then the second, and the third — until there were twenty-five of them.

Their fur was black or dark brown, some unnaturally large — but all shared the same glowing green eyes, burning like embers.

Kyle spoke calmly as he scanned them:

"Looks like this won't be as easy as fighting goblins..."

Despite his words, he felt no real danger.

His danger sense hadn't triggered any real warning — only a slight chance of minor injury thanks to his preparations.

He slowly drew his sword, the metal hissing softly in the stillness of the night.

He pointed the blade at the pack and said mockingly:

"I'll make winter coats from your hides."

The wolves howled angrily, responding to his mockery with the clear intent to tear him apart.

Kyle gave a half-smile and said:

"Let's begin."

He charged into the pack, his steps firm, his eyes tracking every movement.

At the same moment, the wolves lunged toward him like a crashing wave.