Page 92 of The Wild Moon
Vir nodded.
“And when the barrier went up, nobody understood what happened. But without gods, they eventually denied your existence and the city lost its importance.”
“I would assume that’s true,” Vir said. “I was rather busy, though.”
“But why the barrier?” I asked. “Why couldn’t you and the other shifter gods stop them?”
Vir’s eyes looked down. “We tried,” he said quietly.
“Where are they now?” I asked, fearing the answer.
The giant god turned and walked back to the tunnel entrance. He lifted an arm and pointed at the nearest hill, similar to the one I appeared on in my dreams.
“Lorana,” he said, naming the shifter god of the shift.
His arm swung to another hill. “Irr.”
“The god of death,” I whispered.
Another hill. “Mino.”
And another. “Terrano.”
I stared, aghast, as his arm swung across the horizon.
“Rase. Shax. Kline.”
“They’re dead,” I whispered. “All of them?”
Vir nodded.
There was one god he hadn’t mentioned, I realized at the end, swinging to face him.
“What about Amunlea? Your empress? She’s supposed to be the most powerful of all of you.”
Vir turned without speaking, stalking back down the tunnel. “Come, it is time you left. We don’t have long. We shouldn’t have wasted this time.”
I hurried after him, the fire-ringed barrier staring at me. Taunting me.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay if I go?” I asked. “It must be…lonely here.”
“It is for the best,” Vir said, tilting his head at the barrier. “Now, go through.”
“What about Johnathan and the others?” I asked quietly. “If I go through, they’ll kill me. They’re probably waiting.”
“They’re gone,” Vir said. “Besides, theymightkill you. The enemy will.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off.
“And eat you, I might add.”
“Ew. Gross.” I stormed up to the barrier, tracing its outline, feeling for a weakness, a point with give. Anything.
“Hurry,” Vir said.
I looked over my shoulder to see that Giant Sex God was gone. In his place stood Vir, Champion of Amunlea. The golden spear he gripped in his right hand was easily as tall as I was, probably closer to seven feet long. The wolf head sitting atop his broad shoulders glowed with blue fire, while foot-long horns sprouted from the top of his head.
Golden armor appeared from thin air, draping his shoulders, secured around his torso. Bracers of some unknown dark metal protected his arms. I noticed a dagger strapped to his side.
