”The duke Wesren of the Sad Rachier has something I want. A big ruby. You see, I’m a jeweller, and I have order to make, to king himself. Wesren of course doesn’t want to sell the ruby from under ten golden coins, which is outrageous sum of money!”

The night fell over the town of Sad Rachier. On the gates of the castle of Duke Wesren of Sad Rachier, was standing a guard, who was looking out to the darkness. He saw a dark figure getting closer.

“Good evening, guard,” an attractive female voice came from the protection of the dark hood of the cloak she was wearing.

“What business you have in the castle, stranger?” The guard asked strictly.

“The duke is waiting for me. Would you please escort me to the door of his bedroom?”

One whole silvery coin changed its owner.

“This way, milady,” the guard grinned and left his sentry.

After many narrow corridors they stopped in front of a wooden door.

The guard knocked.

“Why am I being disturbed in the middle of the night?” the dukes voice came through the door.

“Here’s a guest for you, Duke Wesren.”

The door was swiftly wrenched open. Wesren was about thirty years old and not so bad looking, nor so good looking either.

“I won’t be receiving anyone,” he snarled.

The guard watched at the stranger, one eyebrow raised. The stranger calmly let the cloak on her fall down. She was about twenty years old. Her long, wavy hair was rich reddish from its colour. Only pieces of clothes she wore were a tank top made of black leather and a very short leathery skirt.

“Milord,” The woman said and curtsied while bowing a bit forward at the same time, showing what the wide neckline of her tank top could do.

The duke swallowed and noticed he was staring.

“Come in.”

“Thank you milord,” she said and smiled. Then the mysterious woman walked in, moving in a way that appealed to the manly senses. The duke closed the door behind her. She had stopped in front of the sideboard.

“Wine, milord?” she said, offering him a goblet. The duke emptied it.

“If you please, milord, sit down.”

The duke sat down to the edge of his bed and the woman sat down behind him. Then she started to give him a back massage, with very experienced hands. She did not had to wait for long, soon the duke fell into her arms, passed out. The woman placed him on to his bed and smiled at herself. Then she started to search all his room through. She found what she was looking for from a wooden chest. The big ruby had a blood-red glow. She put her cloak back on and left the castle behind. On the gate she winked at the guard and then she walked to that inn where she had left her horse and in a short while she has already left the whole town.

Eyes of Shuy widened. He had never seen Nech dressed like that. Although he very well knew that Nech was a woman, it was very rare that he thought her as a woman. Now, it was obvious fact, in front of his eyes.

“What?” Nech asked, little teased of Shuys reaction.

“It truly seems that you’re a woman, in the name of the goddess!”

“Well, you sure are fast to notice,” she answered, sounding bored. “What the did you think I am?”

Shuy watched at the floor, embarrassed.

“Well... As far as I know, you re the only female thief. You curse like a man, you dress yourself like a man and you ride like a man, you drink like a man...”

“Shuy. This is the world of men. I’m only trying to survive in it. Think about that.”

On the afternoon, Nech was two gold coins richer than before. She was having a pint of beer in her hands, as a hooded, tall figure stepped in. The figure walked at the reception counter.

“I would like to speak with the thief, who is called Flame.”

Nech suddenly raised her gaze off from the surface of the table. Her eyes met Shuys.

“She’s sitting at that table over there,” Shuy said and pointed out Nechs table.

The thief tried to act cool, as she hadn’t heard the short conversation about her. She tried to ignore the doubts and questions screaming inside her head.

The stranger sat down on the opposite seat and Nech got a little surprised noticing she was a woman. She had beautiful golden hair and glowing green eyes.

“You wanted to talk to me. Bring it.”

“My sister has helped me with this decision... And I trust her word. I want you into my service – for a long time.”

Nech raised her eyebrow.

“That will cost you,” the thief warned.

The woman laughed at her.

“Money will be no problem! Be coming into my service you can very well end up to be the richest and the mightiest woman in the whole Chali’enda.”

“You’ve successfully got my full attention. What kind of things I would have to do?”

“Well... Because you will be long in my service, naturally your tasks will be variable. Some formal responsibilities, spying, little education, hiding from the enemies, finding stuff...”

“Sounds very interesting. But I guess I will have a main task?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Would you mind telling me what exactly IS that main task?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t.. uh, At least not in here.”

“Shall we go then, to a place where you can fully tell me what’s my task?”

Woman smiled suddenly, having such an expression in her eyes that it could not be read.

“Shall we, then?”

Nech followed the woman on the streets of the town. She seemed to head to the town gates. After they had got out of the town and walked a bit on the road leading to north, it suddenly felt as the world would have shaken under them. Nech fell to the ground on her knees. The dizzy feeling forced her to close her eyes and for a short wile she tasted vomit in her mouth. When the world felt all settled down again, Nech slowly opened her eyes. She wasn’t on her knees at the dusty road anymore. The floor under her was white marble. She stood up and looked around amazement showing in her eyes. The corridor had no walls, it was bordered with beautiful white pillars. The shine of the distant stars showed from the slots between the pillars.

“Where.. Where did you bring us?” Nech asked. Her voice was shaking very badly.

“To a place where we can discuss about all in private. Isn’t that what we were supposed to find? This could be called kind of my birthplace.” the woman smiled.

On that very same second Nech realised something. She fell suddenly all pale and her eyes grew wider.

‘Yes... you are right. It is me.’ the voice belonged to the woman but the words echoed inside Nechs mind.

The thief bowed down in front of the woman.

“Chein Achenar, Xalitha. Will you bless me, Lighter of the Life?”

“Kneel down, my child,” she answered, smiling gently. Then she placed her hands above Nechs head and said few words on a language the thief couldn’t understand.

“Now, when I know who you truly are, can you by any chance tell me, exactly where we are?”

“To a place where we can discuss about everything in private. Isn’t that what we were supposed to go? This place could be called kind of my birthplace.” the woman smiled.

On that very same second Nech realised something. She fell all pale and stared the mysterious woman eyes suddenly all wide.

‘Yes. It is me,’ the voice belonged to the woman, but the words echoed inside Nechs mind.

“Chein Achenar Xalitha. Would you bless me, Lighter of Life?”

“Kneel down, my child,” she said, smiling gently. Then she placed her hands above Nechs head and said some words on a language that the thief had never heard.

“Now when I know who you truly are, would you mind telling me, where exactly we are?”

“This is Welani. A building in the centre of our universe. And Welani is the place, where all the gods are living.”

Nech stopped like she would have hit the wall.

“A... All the gods, milady?”

“It is very flattering that everyone in Chali’enda believes that I would be the creator of the whole universe and the one and only god existing. But, that is not the truth.”

Nech felt very, very dizzy. At first she had realised that the person who was willing to hire the thief into her own service was actually the goddess Xalitha herself. Now she was in the home of the goddess, which just happened to be in the centre of the whole universe! And now, Xalitha was telling her, that there was actually other gods existing???

Foundation of her life was shaking. The things that had been taught to her when she was just a kid, all false...

Xalitha had a sad little smile on her face.

“I’m terribly sorry for you, having to face the whole truth at the same time. But I hope you will understand and forgive me, because you are the one, Who HAS to know the whole truth, Cheryza.”

The thief raised her gaze.

“Cheryza, milady? Why do you call me by that name?”

“Oh, right.. How would you know? Cheryza. That’s the name your mother gave you.”

“You... You know about my mother?”

“My sister Xolethane shall tell you more later. But now, follow me, my child.”

They walked the corridor until they arrived into a big hall, from where three staircases went on the to the next floor. Cheryza followed her goddess when she chose the staircase on the left side of the hall. On the stair head was five doors, all of dark shiny wood.

The door on the left opened when Xalitha gently touched its surface. Xalitha told Cheryza to step in.

The room was big and light. The ceiling was very high and there was little pearls set into it, and they gave pale light, like stars. The main colours there were white, very light yellow and silver. The room was comfortably warm, though there was many big window openings on the wall. The walls not giving out to the space had wide mirrors. Here and there were little comfortable sofas and there were pillows and blankets. Cheryza sat down on one of the sofas, from Xalithas command.

“Now, Cheryza... I’d like to hear story of yours.”

“Well... I don’t remember much about my childhood.. I was told that I had no parents... That I had been found abandoned from the forests. I guess I have to blame my eye-colour for that..” her glowy orange eyes flashed.

“Anyway. My earliest memories are from the time I was helping out in the kitchen of the mansion. I as nearly six years old or around that. I cleaned, served for the guests, did the tasks the cook told me to do. I had enough food, quite pretty though simple dress, warm place where to sleep and a gentle mistress. So, I guess I was happy there.. The lord of the house had a son, few years older than me, from his last marriage. You could say I... matured in an early stage. I had gained much length and I was just eleven years old. And, well, grew in different ways also. You can just believe what kind of flash was in the eyes of the lords son as he watched me. I didn’t like him. After I had had my 13^th birthday he became even more aggressive about me. Well, I got bored of him. A little... Accident happened. The knife I had stolen from the kitchen found his throat when he was sleeping... After that, I had no other option but the streets. I had cut my hair down, and had a loose shirt on me and I wore no skirt. That’s why one of the best thieves in northern Xafimez mistook me as a boy and started to teach me. When he found out the truth, I had become nearly as good as he was.”

A sad smile was on Xalithas beautiful face.

“You know nothing of your real parents?”

“Not even their names.”

“Well, soon you will know their names. Xolethane will tell you.”

“Xolethane... Who is she?”

“She is eldest of the gods. The true creator of the universe.”

Cheryza swallowed.

“But before that, let’s finish our talk about me hiring you. The main task I’ve thought to you, is to be my high priestess.”

Silence filled the room up.

Then Cheryza broke it down, by her laughter.

Xalitha raised her eyebrow.

“You don’t want to take the accept the job?”

“No no! I will accept the job, my goddess... Just that... You couldn’t find anyone more appropriate?”

“Oh, believe me, I thought exactly the same!” Xalitha said, still her eyebrow raised. “ But, Xolethane talked me over and assured me that you’d be the best choice.”

Cheryza swallowed all nervous. The eldest of gods thought she’s be the best choice to be the high priestess? A thief, who had killed for the first time in the age of thirteen? They expected her to be the high priestess, leader figure of the church of the entire Chali’enda?

The colour of her hair was so blonde that it was nearly white. Her eyes were the same deep green shade than Xalitha had. The feel of power was floating around her, like a sweet perfume noble women fancied.

“ Greetings, Cheryza Chaela’achenar.”

“I’m not yet the high priestess of your sister, the most sacred one. And I don’t feel being relative in other ways either,” Cheryza answered with a bow.

Chaela’achenar was the language of Chali’enda, meaning “the daughter of the goddess”. Xolethane had took it from the name they used to call the high priest, Nemachenar. There had never been female as a high priest before.

“Well, let’s get straight into it, shall we?” Xolethane said and smiled.

“Your mother was called Chenyen. She was from a mountain village from southern Xafimez near the border. Your father was Faregdaíl from Xiendal. They both are now dead.”

“Xiendal?” Cheryza slipped aloud.

“Half elf?” Xalitha shouted all surprised.

“Honestly Xalitha! I’m disappointed in you now. I thought you had noticed it in her ages ago... It explains many things... Like why she’s so good thief.. Good eyesight, even in darkness. Ability to move without making a sound. Quickness.”

“I was so surprised to see she had Gifts, hat I didn’t see those little details..” Xalitha defended herself.

Cheryza was very amazed. Half elf? She? How could that be? Deep hate had been between men and elves for centuries...

“The Gifts come from her father.. After all, he is Xiendal-elf... What kind of education are you going to give her?”

“I thought Cerondee-tribe would be excellent for her. She might need their usual education later... And the wise man they have is very good when it comes to Gifts.. “

Xolethane gave a accepting nod.

Cerondee. The word meant a warrior. Cheryza had never heard of that kind of tribe. She felt herself very small and powerless, as she followed the two goddess deciding calmly her whole future.

Though, Cheryza didn’t know that her future, part of it, has already been decided, by someone else, already centuries ago.