novelraw Chapter 90 : The Blessing of Valemont
Chapter 90 : The Blessing of Valemont
The sun had already slipped behind the horizon when the last wagon left Valemont’s fields.
The villagers, their laughter fading down the road, whispered behind their hands as they passed the freed slaves.
“So even the great Valemont keeps slaves now…”
“In the end, they’re no different from the others.”
The words stung more than Rooga expected.
He watched their silhouettes disappear into the twilight and turned to see the five slaves standing uncertainly by the gate—hesitant, lost.
He clenched his small fists. “Come with me.”
Selene, standing on the porch, smiled softly at first. She thought he meant to show them food or rest.
But when he kept walking—past the house, toward the back fields—her expression changed.
“Rooga, stop.”
Her voice held warning.
He didn’t. His small steps pressed into the dirt, steady and sure.
Selene moved as if to go after him, but Darius placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Let him be,” he said quietly. “He’s deciding what kind of man he’ll be.”
Selene hesitated, then nodded once.
They followed him in silence.
At the far end of the land, the great tree shimmered faintly under the dim sky, its leaves glowing green and blue. Maori sat on one of the roots, legs swinging like a child, humming to herself.
When the group arrived, the elf woman stopped mid-step. Her eyes widened—then filled with tears.
Her knees buckled, and she fell before the tree, trembling.
“This tree…” she whispered, voice breaking. “It was dead when I last saw it… When the goddess’s forest burned… I thought she was gone forever.”
Rooga blinked, startled. But before he could speak, Maori’s demeanor changed.
The playful sparkle in her eyes vanished, replaced by something ancient—graceful, commanding. The air itself grew still around her.
“If you wish to remain here,” she said, her voice echoing with quiet power, “then you will serve under my roots and under him.”
Her gaze shifted toward Rooga.
“As Goddess of the Tree—no, as Maori Valemont—I vow to protect you all.”
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Selene and Darius froze in place.
“Valemont…?” Selene whispered.
Maori turned to them, smiling now like the child they knew. “Of course! I live here, don’t I? That makes me family.”
Before anyone could respond, she clapped her small hands and turned to Rooga.
“Now, little one, five Aqua Blooms—one for each.”
Rooga nodded, summoning the glowing spheres with a sweep of his tiny hands. The soft blue-green light reflected in Maori’s eyes.
She raised her palm, sending a golden current through them. The air vibrated, mana threads dancing like fireflies.
A soft chime resonated as the system shimmered before Rooga’s eyes:
[ Goddess Magic – Blessing of Terra ]
[ Can only be cast with Goddess of Tree link established ]
The orbs floated toward each slave.
Light poured through them like dawn breaking after a long night.
The beastkin man’s gaunt frame filled with strength, his fur bright and healthy once more.
The beastkin woman gasped, touching her unscarred skin, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The lizardman’s dull scales gleamed with mirrored shine.
The harpy’s broken wings rustled, bursting into full white feathers.
And the elf—her hair grew long and silver once more, her ruined face mending until beauty beyond mortal compare shone through. The missing arm reformed in a swirl of light, perfect and whole.
When the glow faded, all five fell to their knees.
Their voices trembled in unison. “Blessed be the Valemont name… Blessed be the goddess and her child.”
Selene and Darius could only stare, struck speechless. Even they, who had seen countless forms of magic, had never witnessed something so pure—so absolute.
And behind them, in the shadows, Lyra held Riaz quietly in her arms. The baby blinked at the glowing light while Lyra sighed softly.
“To think,” she murmured to herself, unfazed, “this is still only the beginning.”
The house was quiet after the miracle. Moonlight spilled through the window, pale and steady, touching everything with silver.
Selene sat beside the window, staring at the faint glow still rising from the tree.
“Maori… calling herself Valemont,” she murmured. “Even a goddess wants a family, it seems.”
Darius smiled tiredly. “Can you blame her? We’ve all found something worth protecting here.”
“But taking our name,” Selene said, resting her head on his shoulder, “means she’s tied to our fate now. To Rooga’s fate.”
Darius brushed her hair gently. “Then we protect her, too. Whatever he’s building, we stand behind it.”
They sat in silence a while, listening to the soft rustle of leaves outside.
In Rooga’s room, the boy was fighting to stay awake. The day’s magic had drained him completely.
A shadow fell over his blanket. The newly restored harpy crouched there, eyes bright and full of childish gratitude.
“You made me whole again,” she whispered. “In my tribe, we guard those who save us.”
Before Rooga could protest, she folded her wings around him like a quilt. The feathers were impossibly soft and warm, smelling faintly of wind and rain.
“Wait—too close—can’t breathe—” he mumbled, pushing weakly at her arm.
She only chirped, a contented trill that sounded more like a dove than a warrior.
“Sleep,” she said. “Harpy keeps her saviour safe.”
The warmth and the rhythm of her breathing dragged him down.
Rooga’s eyes closed, and for the first time in weeks, he slept without dreams.
From the doorway, Lyra watched for a moment, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
“Looks like even gods and birds fall for that kid,” she whispered, closing the door softly behind her.