Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

            She looked at the woman, well hidden within her hooded cloak. He noticed and nodded.

            “She is the only one I’ve found with any illness,” he said. “I am to take anyone who is ill before our Divine Master.”

            “I am not ill.”

            “I’ll decide that,” he said. When she refused to allow him to brush aside the spear, he said. “Don’t make me use my priestly powers, slave. I don’t have the time or patience for this.” When she still didn’t relent, “I’m not trying to get past you, slave. I only need to touch you briefly, to see if you are contaminated.”

            For the first time since being enslaved, Jessy knew confusion. Something told her this was all wrong, but she had to obey the orders of all priests. High Priest Mogens’ orders superseded all others, save Dakar Himself, but otherwise she had to be absolutely obedient. And the new priest didn’t seem intent on passing her.

            With no other option she could fathom, Jessy dropped her guard and allowed the priest to approach. She kept her eye on him, trying to keep the woman in sight as well. When he made no attempt to maneuver her around so that she couldn’t see both at once, she relaxed.

            “This won’t hurt a bit,” Nizar said, reaching out to touch her forehead.

            His fingers were icy cold and a bit damp, as if he’d just pulled them out of icy water. The woman didn’t move. Then a jolt shot through Jessy, staggering her.

            “Ashtar!” she gasped, steadying herself against the door. “What? I mean...where...?”

            Then it all came back in a rush. The zombies shuffling out of the dark forest. The fight on the walls, in the streets. Being dragged down and beaten senseless. That terrible priestess. The battle of Kestsax, and the following sack. The screaming and crying men, women, and children. Then the cold march to Calan, and that city’s fall. All the horrors of war. All the needless deaths of zombies and defenders alike.

            “Quickly, inside,” the priest snapped, opening the door and waving her in. The other woman rushed past her and disappeared inside the High Priest’s quarters. Jessy hesitated, fear gripping her heart with icy claws. “Hurry, girl! Before we are discovered.”

            Jessy darted inside, but kept a firm hold on her spear. Inside, she got a stout table between herself and the other two. Both looked like priests of Dakar. That thought brought back the memory of when the High Priest presented her to the God.

            Tane! What are they doing to you?

            “We need your help, Jessy Calvandaughter,” Nizar said.

            “Who are you? What do you want?” she said.

            The woman murmured something, and all her concealing robes vanished. Before Jessy stood the most stunning woman she had ever beheld. Tall and shapely, the woman had long black hair, emerald green eyes, and alabaster skin. She wore silvery plate armor and black leather.

            “I am Ashtar, Goddess of War and Adventure,” She said haughtily. “I assure you, that little pig-sticker will have no effect on Me.”

            A sudden, overwhelming aura of power rushed over Jessy. Ashtar seemed to glow, to shine like the sun in her eyes. She had no doubt that she beheld a Goddess, in all Her glory. Her mother’s Goddess. Her Goddess.

            Falling to her knees, Jessy cried, “My Goddess! You have saved me!”

            The Goddess smiled indulgently.

            “Of course. I have a deed for you to perform,” She said. “You must track down and stop Tane Kyleson.”

            “Tane? My cousin?” she said, confused. She recalled that Dakar had him, was forcing him to perform some terrible deed that would destroy the Arisen. She wasn’t real sure what it was, since at the time she heard the High Priest and Dakar discussing it she hadn’t cared due to her enchantment. “Dakar is holding him prisoner. He’s being forced to do it! He’s not evil!”

            “Of course not!” Nizar said. “Ashtar knows all, sees all. But She needs your help to save him, or at least his soul.”

            Fear clawed at her heart again. Tane’s immortal soul was threatened.

            “I don’t understand what I can do,” she said, suddenly feeling tired and miserable, small and weak. “I couldn’t even defend myself.”

            “Mortals shouldn’t be ashamed of falling to Gods,” Ashtar said. “You had no chance. Your actions since were not your own, but forced upon you by foul magicks of an evil God. The Gods understand that. But your cousin isn’t being controlled with magic. He has free will. You must stop him before he destroys your world and the Gods.”

            “I don’t understand,” Jessy said, trying to remember what Dakar and High Priest were discussing. The High Priest wanted to use her to make Tane help them. But now she was free. “Do you want me to rescue him?”

            “He has escaped,” Nizar said, sounding a bit angry. “If he hadn’t, it would’ve made it far easier. Now it is worse, for he is accompanied by servants of Dakar, who have convinced him to seal the only Gate into this Realm.”

            Jessy was confused. What was this ‘Gate’ he was talking about? How would that destroy Gods?

            “If the Gate is sealed,” Ashtar said, “then the Arisen will be cut off from the world, helpless to help you fight this great evil. You must keep him from sealing the Gate, Jessy. The Arisen Gods, the whole world, depend on you.”

            “Why don’t You do it?” she asked, and was immediately shocked by her own audacity.

            The priest was enraged by the question, but Ashtar just looked annoyed.

            “There are limits placed upon even the Gods, child,” Ashtar said. “As I stand before you now, I am a pale shadow of My true self. Within My personal Realm, I am supreme. Upon the Mortal Realm, I am barely more powerful than a High Priest or Arch Mage. And here, within Dakar’s domain, I am even weaker.”

            “And it is