The God's Deceit - The Web Begins

I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a bus. My arms hung heavy at my sides, the ache in my muscles a deep, relentless throb. My legs screamed as I tried to shift them even a little, and my back wasn't faring much better. Every part of me protested, begging me to stay where I was, to give in to the exhaustion that weighed me down. But the hard edge of the table I'd fallen asleep on pressed into my ribs, making it impossible to stay comfortable for long.

My eyes cracked open, crusted with sleep, and I blinked at the dim, flickering light from the single candle that had burned through most of the night. Its glow was faint now, struggling against the morning light beginning to seep through the cracks in the wooden walls. I motioned to put the flame out and I groaned. My body was in a worse state than I could imagine. I shifted to stretch out my arm.

Wayne was still asleep on the floor near the corner, his body curled up in a way that reminded me of an overgrown puppy. His chest rose and fell steadily, his face calm for the first time since I'd met him. I envied him in that moment. The peaceful expression on his face was a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me.

I rubbed my neck, trying to work out the stiffness that had set in from sleeping hunched over the table. My fingers brushed the edge of a wood knot in its surface, and the rough texture snapped me into a startling realization. This was the first time I'd slept since arriving in this cursed place.

The first time I'd stopped moving.

It hit me hard, like a slap to the face. Everything up until now had been a chaotic blur—The fight with the Giant Centipede, finding out levi was killed and the face off wirh Radamar. The villagers' hollow stares, the exhausting days of working under Lenny's sharp commands. I'd barely had time to think, let alone feel. And now, for the first time, I did.

My mind betrayed me, dragging me back to where I didn't want to go. Home. My mom's face filled my mind's eye, her gentle smile and warm eyes. But the image didn't bring me comfort—it tore me apart. I could picture her now, frantically calling my name, retracing every step she thought I might have taken. I could hear her voice cracking as she begged for someone, anyone, to help find her son.

A deep pit opened in my stomach, pulling me under. My mother was strong, I knew that. She wasn't the kind of person to sit back and wait for answers. But even her strength had limits. How many nights had she already spent crying, curled up on the couch or sitting on my bed, clutching my favorite hoodie? How many times had she screamed into the void, desperate for an answer that would never come?

I pressed my palms into the table, pushing myself up as the emotions hit harder. The memories came like a flood. Her smile when I showed her my latest school project. The way she'd fuss over me if I so much as sneezed. How she always called me "Jer-Bear" when she was trying to cheer me up. And now… now she'd think I was gone forever.

All because I didn't give Kofi this stupid ring. I twist and turned it, trying to work it off my finger but it would not budge.

I squeezed my eyes shut, swallowing the lump in my throat, but it was no use. The guilt wrapped itself around me, squeezing tight. I should've walked away. I should've let him have it. But no—I had to finish those trials, I had to prove something to everyone, to myself, and now… now I'd vanished, leaving my mother to search for answers she'd never find.

I fell back into the chair, my legs failing to support my body. A shaky breath escaped me as I leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling as if it held some kind of solution. It didn't, of course. Nothing would make this right. My hands trembled as I thought about the countless search parties, the posters with my face plastered across every lamppost in the neighborhood on the Blue Mountain. The follow-ups with police who'd look at her with pity but no hope. because I knew they would—my mom would still be out there. She'd be the one combing the forests, checking every lead no matter how impossible it sounded.

And for what? For me? The thought shattered something inside me. I didn't deserve that kind of devotion. I didn't deserve her tears. And yet, they would come. They probably already had.

I buried my face in my hands, trying to push it all away, but the ache in my chest refused to let me go. My heart felt like it was breaking into a million jagged pieces, each one cutting deeper than the last. For the first time, I truly regretted everything that had brought me to this place — putting that damn ring on my finger.

But regret wasn't going to change anything.

I sucked in a sharp breath, forcing my hands down to grip the edge of the table. My knuckles turned white as I focused on one simple truth: I couldn't go back. Not yet. As much as I wanted to run, to claw my way back to my world and throw myself into my mother's arms, I couldn't leave this place like this. These people—this village—they were suffering. They were trapped under Radamar's rule, just like I'd been trapped under Kofi's thumb. and if i was honest with myself i didnt know the way back home yet.. the only way is having the strength and skill to beat the guardians and making it to the Obeah Man. Lenny and Griz training is the only thing that is going to help with that. If helping the villagers reduces their hate and wary of me and also motivates Lenny and Grizz to continue training me. Thats two birds with one stone.

I say that, but still my mother had always taught me to stand up for myself. To fight back, I just couldn't before but I know I can't let these people continue like this. They deserved a chance. A chance no one had ever given me. "If I couldn't save my mom from worrying about me, the least I could do was save these people from Radamar."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the tightness in my chest ease just a little. "Alright," I muttered to myself. "Let's do this."

I stretched out my arms, groaning as the tension in my muscles screamed in protest. My legs felt like lead as I rubbed at them, trying to work out the stiffness that had settled in overnight. Each movement sent sharp reminders of yesterday's work, but I pushed through it, forcing myself to stand. My knees wobbled slightly, but I steadied myself against the table.

The faint light of dawn spilled through the cracks in the shack, warming my skin as I moved toward the door. Wayne was still curled up in the corner, his soft snores the only sound in the otherwise silent room. I hesitated for a moment, watching him. He looked so peaceful, in this moment, he looked so unburdened by the weight of this place, the death of levi. These moment for now, maybe the only time peace will come to him. I didn't want to wake him. He deserved a few more hours of rest.

I reached for the door, my fingers brushing against the rough wood. It creaked slightly as I opened it, the hinges protesting just enough to make me wince. I paused, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Wayne was still asleep. He didn't stir.

As the door swung open, the sunlight hit me full force, blinding me for a moment. The heat warmed my face and arms, chasing away the lingering chill from the night. I squinted, raising a hand to shield my eyes as the brightness flooded my senses.

And then, just as I adjusted to the light, a shadow moved in my path. My heart skipped a beat, and I blinked, focusing on the figure standing before me. It took a moment to register who it was, but when I did, my stomach sank.

"Lenny," I said, my voice hoarse from sleep.

The lion-faced man stood there, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his expression unreadable in the glow of the morning sun. The light framed him like some kind of avenging angel—or maybe a demon. I couldn't tell which.

I straightened, ignoring the twinge in my legs as I tried to meet his gaze without flinching. "What's up?" I asked, my tone as casual as I could muster. But even as the words left my mouth, I knew this wasn't going to be a simple conversation.

Lenny's towering form shifted slightly, his weight balanced on one leg as he scrutinized me. His golden eyes, sharp and piercing, seemed to cut through my grogginess.

"Early, huh? Thought you'd be down for the count after yesterday." Griz said you wanted work that could actually help the people here. You sure about that?"

I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck. The words were sluggish in my mouth, tangled with the lingering fog of sleep. "Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "I said it."

Lenny raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching like he was holding back a smirk. "Good. You're just in time for training, then."

My stomach dropped. Training. The word alone sent a fresh wave of soreness through my body, but I wasn't about to back down now. Not with Lenny standing there like a lion on the hunt, watching my every move.

I sighed, holding up a hand. "Look, can we… can we pause the pep talk? I need water. Let me wash my face first, at least."

Lenny's smirk widened into something bordering on a grin. "Water?" he repeated, mockingly. "Sure thing. But if you want water, you're pulling it from the well yourself."

Before I could protest, he turned on his heel and started walking. I hesitated for a moment, casting a glance back toward the shack where Wayne was still sleeping. Part of me wanted to crawl back inside and pretend I hadn't seen Lenny at all, but I forced my legs to follow him.

The sunlight streamed through the forest canopy, dappling the dirt path as we walked. My feet dragged against the earth, my exhaustion still clinging to me like a second skin. Lenny moved with purpose, his steps light despite his broad frame. His tail flicked behind him, a silent reminder of his animalistic nature.

"You serious about this?" he asked, breaking the silence. His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it, a challenge hidden beneath the words. "About doing manual work to help the villagers?"

I yawned, dragging a hand down my face. "Yeah," I said lazily, though my tone didn't match the determination I felt. "I mean it. I want to make things better here before I move on to the next region."

Lenny's ear twitched, and he let out a short, low laugh. "That's not something you can just fix overnight, human."

"I know that," I replied, rolling my shoulders as we rounded a bend in the path. "I'm not trying to fix everything. I just want to get them started, you know? Motivate them to make changes. Give them something to believe in."

He stopped abruptly, and I nearly bumped into his back. Turning slightly, he tilted his head toward me, his golden eyes narrowing. "That sounds a lot like you're trying to start a revolution."

His words hit me like a slap. I blinked, momentarily thrown. "What? No," I said, shaking my head. "That's not—"

Lenny cut me off, his tone sharper now. "Typical human. You see a problem, and your answer is to tear it all down, never thinking about the mess you leave behind."

I opened my mouth to argue, but the accusation hung heavy in the air, and my words faltered. Was that what I was doing? I hadn't thought about it like that. All I wanted was to help, but Lenny's words dug deep, forcing me to question whether my "help" might only make things worse.

Before I could reply, I noticed something. Lenny had stopped walking. His stance shifted, his body low to the ground, his legs spread wide and steady. His claws extended, glinting faintly in the dappled light, and his arms hung at his sides, tense and ready. His teeth were bared, sharp and menacing, and a guttural growl rumbled from his chest.

My breath caught. He wasn't just angry—he was preparing to attack.

Instinctively, I stumbled back a step, my hands rising defensively. My mind raced, scrambling for a reason, an excuse, anything to defuse the situation. And then it hit me—Griz's warning. His words came flooding back: Be careful what you say to Lenny. Anything that sounds like it may be a threat to Radamar, Hes obligated to make vanish. I cursed under my breath. How had I forgotten that so quickly? Maybe it was the exhaustion, or maybe I was just an idiot. Either way, I was in trouble now.

Lenny's growl deepened, his eyes locking onto mine like a predator zeroing in on its prey. "Answer me," he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. "Are you trying to start a revolution? Are you planning to overthrow Radamar?"

My breath hitched as fear gripped me, but my body betrayed me before my mind could even catch up. My legs trembled, the lingering soreness from the day's work surging to the forefront like a fresh wound. My muscles felt like lead, each one screaming in protest as I shifted my weight instinctively. A sharp pain shot up my side from the awkward way I had slept earlier, and I realized with a sinking pit in my stomach—I couldn't dodge.

My heart pounded against my ribs, my palms clammy as I struggled to think. If I said the wrong thing now, I'd be dead. I knew that much. Lenny was faster, stronger, and clearly willing to rip me apart if he thought I was a threat.

I took a slow, shaky breath, trying to calm the storm in my chest. "No," I said carefully, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. "I'm not trying to start a revolution. I swear."

Lenny didn't move. His claws remained extended, his teeth bared. The tension in the air was suffocating, every second dragging on like an eternity. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep talking.

"I just… I want to help the villagers stand on their own," I said, my words tumbling out in a desperate rush. "I'm not here to overthrow Radamar or challenge anyone. I just want to make things better before I leave. That's all."

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Lenny's growl faded into a low rumble, but his stance didn't change. His eyes bore into mine, searching for any hint of deception. I held my breath, willing myself to stay still, to appear calm even as fear clawed at my insides.

Finally, he straightened, his claws retracting with a soft click. His tail swished behind him as he exhaled sharply, his shoulders relaxing just slightly. "Better not be lying," he muttered, his tone still laced with suspicion. "You wouldn't like what happens if you are."

I nodded quickly, relief flooding through me as the tension in the air began to dissipate. My legs felt like jelly, but I forced myself to stand tall, meeting his gaze. "I'm not lying," I said firmly. "I meant what I said."

Lenny studied me for another moment before turning and continuing down the path. "Either way, before you do anything other than what I give you to do, you need his permission. "You know that right?".

I didnt know that, but I tried to play along as if I did. " I am aware, but how would I go about doing that".

" If you need to speak to him, best you come to me. Its both the fastest way and a way to ensure your safety".

"Becareful Lenny, I may start to think, you dont want to see me dead anymore" I chuckled, the sound laced with mockery but good-nature.

"Whatever", is all he said as he waved me off. He walked off deeper into the town and I hesitated, my heart still racing, before following him. My hands trembled slightly at my sides, but I shoved them into my pockets, trying to mask my unease.

The rest of the walk to the well was quiet, the weight of Lenny's words still hanging between us. As we approached, the sound of water sloshing faintly reached my ears, and the sight of the sturdy, weathered well brought a strange sense of normalcy back to the moment.

Lenny stopped beside the well, his arms crossing over his chest again as he turned to face me. "If you're serious about helping, you've got a lot of work ahead of you," he said, his tone less harsh now but still firm. "This isn't going to be easy."

I nodded, stepping up to the well and gripping the rope attached to the bucket. The rough fibers dug into my palms as I began to lower the bucket, the cool air from the water below brushing against my face.

"I know it won't be easy," I said, my voice steady despite the lingering tension. "But I'm not afraid of hard work. If it means helping these people, it's worth it."

Lenny watched me, his expression unreadable, as the bucket hit the water with a soft splash. ""Big words. Let's see if your actions can match."