The Sinful Young Master

Jolthar was lying on a bed in a small room. His eyes fluttered open, his vision hazy as he adjusted to the dimly lit room. His body ached all over, a constant reminder of the ordeal he had just survived. As his vision cleared, the first thing he saw were Eran and Daus, standing near his bedside, their expressions a mix of relief and concern.

He blinked a few times, then smirked. "Well, this is awkward," he rasped, his voice laced with dry humour despite the pain. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were waiting for a romantic confession. Hate to break it to you, but I'm already married... to trouble."

Eran sighed, shaking his head, and let out a chuckle, recognizing Jolthar's unyielding wit even in the direst circumstances.

"You're impossible," Eran muttered, crossing his arms.

"Yeah," Jolthar shot back, attempting to sit up. A sharp pang from his side made him wince, and he noticed the white cotton bandages tightly wrapped around his torso. Another around his shoulder, from the top to his left side downwards.

"What's this? Am I auditioning for a mummy role now?"

"You're lucky to even be alive," Eran said firmly, stepping closer to help him sit up properly.

Jolthar leaned back against the headboard, noticing his sword, Knashii, resting against the wall beside his bed. Its dark glow was gone for now, but the sight of it comforted him. "Glad to see my trusty toothpick made it out too."

"You were out cold for hours," Daus said, his tone more serious. "We barely made it back to the valley. The matriarch of the Blue Rose… she saved us. If not for her, we wouldn't have gotten this far. The women are being treated now."

Jolthar nodded, his expression softening at the mention of the rescued women. "Good. At least we did something right." He paused, then looked between Eran and Daus. "But seriously, you two standing there like that—if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to figure out who gets the honour of feeding me soup."

Before either man could respond, the door to the room burst open, and a young woman entered in a flurry of motion. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with desperation. "Lord Jolthar, please help us!" she cried, her voice trembling.

Jolthar's smirk faded as he straightened, ignoring the protest from his sore muscles. "Well, looks like my nap's over. What's going on?"

Daus, visibly surprised by the woman's sudden arrival and urgent plea, stepped forward. "What happened?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

The woman bowed slightly before gesturing for them to follow. "Please, come with me. You need to see this."

Leading them through the valley, they soon arrived at the ancestral shrine of the tribe. The structure was humble yet sacred, adorned with carvings and symbols of their deity, an aura of reverence and mysticism surrounding it. The faint scent of burning incense lingered in the air.

As soon as Jolthar stepped inside, he was struck by the scene. Standing near the altar was Raayani, her imposing presence even more palpable in this sacred space.

Beside her were Belan and Lysandra, their faces sombre. But what drew his attention most was the frail figure of Eloda, lying on a simple bed, her once-radiant form now weakened and pale.

Around her were members of the tribe, their faces etched with worry.

Jolthar frowned as he took in the scene, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. He noticed the intensity of Raayani's gaze upon him, her eyes sharp with curiosity. He shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, muttering to himself, "What is it with these people staring like I'm some alien?"

When Eloda caught sight of Jolthar, a faint but determined smile appeared on her face. She weakly gestured for him to come closer. The people around her parted, allowing Jolthar to approach.

Raayani, still observing him closely, finally spoke, her voice low but firm. "We need to talk, but she comes first."

Jolthar blinked, glancing at her before replying with his usual dry humour, "I'm starting to feel like a character in a drama series. Who's next, the mysterious stranger with a secret past?" His reference to drama, they all looked confused, except for Raayani, as she didn't care what it was.

Despite his quip, her piercing gaze didn't waver, making him wince. "Alright, alright, I get it. I'm special. Can we move on now?"

Eloda's faint voice interrupted. "Please… everyone… leave us."

The tribe members hesitated, reluctant to leave their revered deity in such a state. But with a nod from Daus and a stern look from Raayani, they slowly filtered out of the shrine, murmuring prayers under their breath. Outside, the rest of the tribe had gathered, their anxious whispers filling the air as they awaited any news.

Inside, Jolthar approached Eloda's bedside. Up close, her fragile state was even more evident.

Despite her weakened condition, her eyes held an otherworldly clarity as she looked at him.

"You…" she said softly, her voice like a breeze. "I knew the moment I saw you in the caves. You carry the blessing of a goddess… not a mere deity."

Jolthar raised an eyebrow, his tone sceptical. "Goddess? Me? Lady, I'm just a guy who's really good at not dying. That's about as blessed as it gets."

Eloda's lips curved into a faint smile. "You can save me. If you're willing. You are the only one who can."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Jolthar sighed, running a hand through his hair. His body was still screaming at him from the overuse of his power, and the fresh wounds didn't help. "Look, I'm barely keeping myself together right now. Whatever you think I can do… I don't even know how to begin."

Raayani stepped closer, her voice calm but insistent. "She called for you because her survival depends on it. You may not understand your connection to the gods, but she does. If you refuse…"

Jolthar groaned, cutting her off. "Alright, alright! No need to guilt-trip me. Just… give me a minute to figure out what exactly I'm supposed to do here."

He knelt beside Eloda, studying her closely. Her aura was faint but undeniably divine, and despite his scepticism, he couldn't deny that something inside him resonated with her presence.

"Alright, Eloda," he said, his voice softening. "Tell me what I need to do."

As Raayani walked out, her eyes lingered on Jolthar for a moment, her expression unreadable.

He gave her a weak, sarcastic smile. "Yeah, yeah, I know. All eyes on the 'special' guy," he muttered under his breath. Without a word, Raayani turned and left.

Belan followed shortly after, sparing Jolthar a brief glance that was part curiosity, part confusion.

Daus stayed behind a moment longer, dropping to one knee beside Eloda. His voice cracked with desperation. "Please, Jolthar. If there's even a chance you can help her, I beg you. She's our deity and everything."

Before Jolthar could respond, the priestess of the shrine stepped forward, her tear-streaked face a picture of anguish. "Lord Jolthar," she said, her voice trembling. "You were sent to us for a reason. Please, save her. We have no one else to turn to."

Jolthar groaned inwardly. "Why does this feel like I just got dragged into a divine customer service line?" he muttered to himself.

Once everyone had left, leaving the shrine silent save for the crackle of the incense, Jolthar exhaled deeply and walked to Eloda. He crouched beside her, folding his arms across his knees.

"So," he began, his tone light but laced with exasperation, "what exactly do you want me to do? Because unless it involves a nap, I'm not sure I'm your guy."

Eloda's lips curved into the faintest of smiles, though her voice remained soft and weak. "I can sense it… the power of a goddess within you. Not a deity, but a superior being. You must be truly special, a child touched by the divine."

Jolthar snorted, shaking his head. "See, I don't care about all that. Titles, blessings, prophecies… it's all just noise to me. Just tell me what this is about."

Her eyes glimmered faintly with hope as she spoke. "I need you to call her. Your goddess. I cannot return to the deity realm without restoring my essence. My connection is severed, my power is drained… and without it, I cannot survive. You're my only chance."

Jolthar leaned back, rubbing his face. "Okay, first of all, I don't even know how to call her. She shows up whenever she feels like it, and trust me, she's not big on taking requests."

He paused, his tone growing more serious. "Look, I'm not going to lie to you. If she wanted to show up, she would've done it by now. I don't think I can just… dial her up like a celestial hotline."

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Eloda watched him closely, her gaze unwavering. "You are not ordinary, Jolthar. A goddess doesn't choose lightly. There is something within you that can reach her, even if you don't realise it."

He sighed, leaning his head back. "Great. Another riddle for the reincarnated modern guy in a fantasy world. Alright, I'll try something, but don't hold your breath."

Jolthar closed his eyes, a mixture of doubt and frustration etched on his face. Despite his bravado, he knew he couldn't ignore her plea. Whatever his so-called "blessing" was, it had to be worth something.

"Alright, goddess," he muttered under his breath. "If you're listening—and I know you like to keep tabs on me—this is your moment to shine. Do your thing. Please."