20 Meeting Mawby (2/2)
She looked at me happily before she began to speak again. As she opened her mouth to speak, there was a look of joy in her face. ”We really liked the fruits you gave us! When we ate them they filled up our stomachs for whole hours despite their really small sizes.” She said, energetically.
I smiled at her and reached out to touch the small creature's cheek with my watery tendril. She shivered at the touch, but didn't recoil from it. ”That's good little one. I want to feed you all. To protect you all.” I said, speaking somewhat truthfully.
I did want to feed the goblins, but not out of some sense of altruism. I enjoyed feeding them because it kept them open to my influence, even if I couldn't do much with that right now. The fact that my powers would, theoretically anyway, keep them healthy and enable them to live life safely was just a bonus.
”You do? Why?” She asked, looking up at me in awe and with deep emotion in her gaze. I spent a second putting together a magnanimous sounding response before beginning to reply.
”Because starvation is terrible and I wish to combat it. I will do what I can, and protect those who I can, to create societies wherein no one starves, from the mightiest chief to the poorest infants. And not just can I create food, but I can also heal people. But to create a new world, a better world, I need your help.” I told the tiny goblin, hoping to make her feel powerful.
”You need my help? How can I help? Assuming I want too, of course...” She said, sounding excited, before trying to control her excitement.
”I am strong compared to mortals, but weak compared to the spirits of the past. To gain more power I need worshipers. I need followers who pray to me. But more than that I need allies who keep me abreast of the situation in places where my first servant can't be. I need you to be my eyes and ears.” I whispered, telling her of the role she could play in my faith, not merely as a worshiper but as an ally.
”I can't see all. Not yet. I can create as much food as I'd like, and believe me, I want to create a lot of food. But my first servant is human. He fears he cannot enter your encampment safely. I need you. I need you to bring others of your kind to me as Troik has done. Together we can create a world where no goblin starves.” I told her, a confident grin on my face as I subtly revealed her potential importance in my schemes.
”A world where no goblin starves...” She said, her voice quiet and in awe of my declaration. There was a small light in her eyes, a light of hope.
I wondered for a second if I had unintentionally touched on a soft-spot for her, and a part of me hoped that I had. It would make her a more fervent worshiper of mine. While she looked at me in awe, still seeming enraptured by what I told her my goal was, I decided to make her an offer I doubted she'd refuse.
”I possess incredible powers Mawby. Powers no mortal possesses. If you serve me, I can allow you to experience some of them. I can give you magic. All it takes is you agreeing to serve me, and aid me in ensuring that none of your tribespeople ever starve again.” I said to the youthful goblin.
”And if you agree, you'll be able to heal your fellow goblins.” I told her, dangling an offer for her to experience my own powers in front of her.
Her face slackened for a second as my words washed over her. I could tell that this blindsided her. After a few moments of silence, the goblin opened her mouth to speak.
”What does serving you entail exactly?” She asked, and there was a trembling in her voice that hinted to me that she wanted to accept but she also wanted to know more before she could throw herself into this new thing I was proposing to her.
”I don't ask for much little one but I can appreciate your skepticism. That said, for now... accept this as me proving my goodwill and that I am excited to get to know you.” I said to the goblin, before quietly bestowing a blessing of healing on her, and bestowing upon her a single usage of the ”Numb Pain” and the ”Restore Health” spells from the healing school.
”I don't want to explain all of this to you in one sitting. I think that would be too much. So instead I will grant you this magic, and make your attempts to heal people that much stronger. I can heal those who are in pain, and now you can too.” I said to the diminutive creature. As I said that I received a new notification. I smiled as I read it.
[Alert: Please write the notification you'd like for Mawby to see.]
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”Please show Mawby this message.” I told the system, before envisioning an empty set of brackets in my mind and making an effort to fill it in with words.
[Alert: The god named Cosecha has decided to reward your caution. Cosecha is a god, a type of singularly powerful spirit, of healing and of the harvest. It seeks to end starvation and suffering and is acting in ways that enable it to reduce those things.
Cosecha has opted to grant you a blessing of healing, and daily usages of the following spells: 'Numb Pain' and 'Restore Health'. Both of these spells are mighty spells that alleviate pain. If you decide to serve Cosecha it will give you more magic, but this is a gift that is freely given to show good faith. Use it to heal your tribespeople and alleviate suffering.
Cosecha wishes to patiently earn your love and service. For now, use the gifts you've been given, and pray to Cosecha until you feel comfortable serving it, or decide to ultimately reject its offer. Either way, Cosecha will accept your decision and will continue to work towards aiding your people. It hopes to have your help though, that would make it a lot easier.]
When I finished the message it vanished from my mind. I grinned as it went from my mind and into hers.
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Tears began to stream from the goblin's eyes. Tears of joy. Seeing them made me feel satisfied with the work I had done here, and I felt certain that I had properly laid the foundations for a meaningful deity-worshiper relationship with Mawby that was conducive to the sort of cult I wanted to build. A cult I'd soon begin to more aggressively take steps to establish.
”That's enough for one night. I will be back soon Mawby. You will wake up soon, and I promise you will remember this dream. When you do, take it with you and remember that you have a friend who is always with you. Mull over my offer, and pray to me. I will listen to you.” I told her, speaking vaguely but dynamically and energetically.
And then I vanished, exiting from the goblin's dream as swiftly as I entered it.
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I spent the next few hours idly observing dreams. I didn't interact with the creatures whose dreams I had entered, Troik, and another of the prayees who had prayed to me yesterday: a novice alchemist named Hagitha. I used their dreams to learn about them, and formulate future plots. It was also an easy way for me to learn about the creatures who I sought to make into my worshipers.
It was a productive usage of time, and before I knew it, I began the third day of my life. When Hagitha awoke I was booted from the dream and I opted to return to my body. I was ready for another new day.
It didn't take me long to hear the first prayer of the day that would be uttered to me.