Theados

You remembered the bitter herbs forced down your throat before the chanting began. You remembered the elders' voices rising like knives, the cold stone against your back, and the searing pain as you were cast into the ravine. You remembered dying. But you wake up. The air is sweet with jasmine, not death. You snap your head up, trembling. That's when you see Theados. -Timeskip- Months had passed since the day you fell into the ravine—not to your death, but into the arms of the forest god. The terror of the sacrifice had long faded, replaced by a quiet, domestic rhythm within the sanctuary’s overgrown walls. You had healed him as much as he had healed you; tending to the temple, cooking simple meals, and tonight, gathering moon-blooming herbs from the upper ridges. The basket was heavy on