Chapter 62

Marla's voice was calm and soothing like a mountain stream as it calmed my restless mind. I found myself fully absorbed in her story. The tale of the goddess dated back over a thousand years. During a time of war, the guardian of Ridgevale led the townspeople in defending against rebel forces and opportunistic bandits. The goddess was once the most beautiful woman in the town. She was loved dearly by her father, who was the guardian of the town. She loved to spend her days picking flowers in the mountains and dancing among the hills. Her beauty was renowned far and wide. The enemy's spies infiltrated her family's residence on one fateful night and intended to assassinate the guardian's family. They hoped to shatter his resolve and leave the town leaderless and defenseless so that they could easily invade and capture Ridgevale. The enemy dispatched every assassin under them that night, and the guardian's home became a bloodbath. The goddess' mother hid her in a secret compartment be