The northwestern gate of the city of Valhiem is the entrance which falls in the jurisdiction of the paladin's protection. The building nestled into the space next to the big grated, iron spiked gate. This building is called ‘Paladin’s Respite’. In the service of the ‘Church of the Source’ they uphold duties to chosen deities, whether they were partying adventurers or not. Gifted with the Source crystal or not.
Barracker entered the town of Valhiem through the northwestern gate. Two paladins grunted under their breath as a sign of a not so warm greeting to the young man. He walked through and passed them without a tilt of the head or any acknowledgement. Barracker strode past the fencing area of where lay the training grounds. There were a couple of paladins practising the art of fighting on combat dummies.
Inside, Barracker walked down the long hallway lined with candle sconces towards a concrete table at the end, where he turned left into the main chamber. He was met with an Inquisitor where he could hand in the trophy of the dead witches. Barracker narrowed his eyes with disgust for the man sitting across from him. You wouldn’t be able to tell as he was still wearing his face mask.
“So,” the Inquisitor grinded his teeth, “what can i do for the devils spawn?”
Barracker held out his fist and sprinkled a dozen and half nails onto the table. “Three witches.” Witches use three fingers to cast magic. Their fingernails have special markings of the dark domain and also Hell, the oblivion plane. “Hades will look down on you if you count them wrong again.”
Barracker had been accidentally underpaid for his last two jobs hunting creatures who walked in the shadow of the oblivion plane. “ Aah yes it will be done,” the Inquisitor replied apologetically and waved him off.
Barracker wasn’t convinced these were accidents. It wasn’t exactly a secret most paladins weren’t happy that a man with vampirism could serve the church. These were the kinds of afflictions that the paladins were trying to purge from the world. So everytime Barracker completed a job and was rewarded with Piety, increasing his reputation and standing with the church. It was regarded as an insult to everything they stood for. Barracker remained unphased and did not care, as long the high septum Areleth had faith in him.
Barracker left ‘Paladins Respite’ and went to take a rest at his dorm in the Temple of the Quinity. It was late afternoon, and he was tired as he’d been in the sun all day.
Lord have mercy, read the room, girl! MacKensie screeched, fortunately in her head.
Lillianna's outline of her theory was new. The Ranger hadn't heard anything about this dream before either. With a shocked look, she turned her blue gaze onto Clarissa, waiting with bated breath to see what her response would be, and the important woman would further add to the anticipation by leaving a short silence on the room for a moment. And then she gave nothing away, basically kicking them out with a quick thanks.
Well, it would be presumptuous to think that they would be kept in the loop. Second Chance's part in all this was done now. "Good luck to you, Clarissa."
MacKensie let her friends go first through the office door before shutting it behind them. The frenchwoman ought to be glad to be rid of that cube, but the lack of answers to it's mystery still bothered her. Not lack of answers about the cube itself, per say (while two of her group had died for that thing, MacKensie knew that she'd just get in the way, trying to hang around and be involved with whatever was required to investigate it.) But her nagging desire to understand the political situation of the continent in more detail, was back. It had been one of her own reasons for coming to the Academy in the first place.
"I forgot to ask..." she stopped a dozen steps outside the office, then half-turned back, before hesitating. Then she simply said to her friends, "There is no need to wait for me. I will find you at the hotel."
And with that, she went back on herself and knocked on the office door before letting herself back in. "Clarissa, I..." she walked halfway across the room, thinking about how best to word this. She had said nought but hello and goodbye since arriving on campus, leaving the others to do all the talking. Now it was just her, there was something of a weight on her shoulders in the presence of this powerful woman. "I know you are busy - you have been very gracious with your time already - but I must know: of the political situation in Mytheria." She endeavoured to explain. "My friends and I; we are completely blind to the details of this war. Where on the continent are the front lines? Why is the Empire unable to win a battle? Why is The Witch Queen doing all of this?" She stopped herself. "I'm sorry, I have so many questions. We are so very new to this world."
Clarissa was crouched down, at eye level with the mysterious cube that sat on the desk. A few inches away, mean-mugging the inanimate object. She was startled into standing up when the knock on the door came so soon after she'd been left in lonely silence. Turning around and seeing the blonde woman approach with tentative questions, she paused and gave her a look up and down.
After the third rapid-fire question, the Director raised a hand to signal stop. Then came the apology and the explanation that... what? New to the world? What the heck did that mean?
"The front lines draw ever closer to Valhiem," Clarissa started, her mind still on the 'new to the world' statement. And the cube. Always the cube. She narrowed her eyes as she organized her thoughts, then sat back down on the desk. "The entirety of the northeast has fallen into Her hands. She aims to take the fortress of Tarost in The Dragonspine - the mountain range to the north of here. If she gets that then she can move easily from east to west through the mountains. It gives Her access to the Northwest. And Capitol City." Clarissa picked up the cube and turned it about in one hand as she looked at it. "She has threatened to push to Valhiem, but She prefers that we come to her for any battles south of Dragonsridge. I think she might be preparing to attack us though."
Clarissa continued to trace the cube's patterns with her eyes. "We've won a battle or two. A small one on the sands of Jespa. A valuable defense at Tarost. Her victories have been more impactful, but it is still important to note our own. She's not won yet." Putting the cube down again, she turned her full attention to MacKensie. "As for why she's gotten into bed with the Voidling Princes of the Oblivion Plane, you'd have to ask her yourself. Frankly, I'm not interested. She chose evil and that's that. What do you mean; you're 'new to this world?' Where are you from?"
It is, my son. How may I help you?... An adventurer, I see. Newly appointed? Tell me, how does it feel to be blessed by The Source with The Gift? A swell of pride and power perhaps? The power to care and protect, to enlighten? The weight of responsibility? Speak freely, my son. There will be no judgement here, for we are brothers in The Light, Shadow and Glory of The Source.
He remained silent for a moment, just appreciating the building while rolling the question on his head, the many questions. Truth be told he hadn't quite processed the idea that the powers had come with their respective responsibilities, he had felt them more like an apology for being dragged away from his world, from his life to this place.
But now that he forced himself to think the answer was clear
"Like a heavy duty I can't fail"
The words from the commander came to the forefront of his mind as did the information about the Witch Queen, the threat to this world. Despite what the others had been saying lately he didn't consider himself particularly smart nor did he think that what he did was anything extraordinary, but what he DID consider himself was perceptive, enough to make the connection that people appearing from the sky after being killed in another world might have something to do with saving a world in which actual Gods interfered.
He could see the signs, the fact that they seemed to be stronger than they should be, that they all appeared to be 'good' people, that they had a message they needed to get stronger to even hear, their tendency for self-sacrifice, all of them traits that he would be looking for if he had to select someone to save the world. Just looking around made it clear the devotion that the people had towards their Gods, so maybe their Gods loved them back.
Of course, he could be wrong -he would prefer it so even- but if his theory was right then that meant they would be here for a long haul and that they couldn't lose if they wanted to return to their lives.
Looking at the Priest's motions he started following him.
Which of the dieties speaks to your heart, my son?
This answer didn't have any ground-shattering revelation with it thankfully, just focusing for a moment he could perceive the chant that each blessing would take to be invoked, which all had the respective deity name attached to them.
"Undaya, Iris, and Sillagy for now, but who knows? Maybe if I keep getting Blessings with the gift I will catch 'em all"
Lillianna wouldn't admit it openly, but as small weight felt as if it had come off of her back simply to be taken seriously in this exchange of information. Not that she'd had the chance to tell the others about all of those particular details either, though, as they hadn't had the time. There had been far more pressing matters at the time, with her mostly having an opening to give a warning as theyy were hurriedly trying to delvier the cube to Valheim and all of that. Then came the Mazy Hillocks. Seeing the dead. Getting jumped by angry wolves. Impalement by a cyborg water ninja. Self-electrocution. Nearly dying. Sitting in limbo, for all she knew, as she apparently slept-talk and got carried into Valheim for care. Setting a room on fire and nearly electrocuting two poor staff as she panicked while waking up.
All of those events and occurences before she'd met back again with the remainder of the party, really, had taken precedence over talking about two little things regarding the cube and her experiences with it. Well, at least that was her perspective on it all. She had no idea what the other group members around her would be thinking in this case.
"Second Chance. You've kept your word in delivering this to us. I'll be sure to keep everything you've told me, firmly in mind while we investigate this cube. I'm sure you've got better places to be.
And I'll be quite busy tonight, myself, now. The Academy is open to you during daylight hours, but I'm afraid those hours have passed today, so if you don't mind taking your leave, that would be lovely."
"Oh, and thank you. I don't want to jinx anything, but this might be big for The Free Peoples of The Empire.
And if nothing else, it will be a bit of fun for me."
Alright! Cube delivered, explanation given, it was time to get out of there and away from the drama of the past day or so. Relax, take some time to think, anything to get away from that. The mage personally felt as if a fancy meal or soaking spa visit could do her wonders, though she had no idea how much money she had. Wait. The group had been given money, yes? But they had to pay for-...ah. Her medical care. Well, if her portion had been used for that she wouldn't blame them. Was only fitting she pay for her own medical care after the stunt she had pulled back there...unless they were going by American prices here, in which case she would likely need to thnk about selling a kidney and doing odd-jobs foor the next decade plus to pay it off beyond that. Ugh...
"I forgot to ask..." she stopped a dozen steps outside the office, then half-turned back, before hesitating. Then she simply said to her friends, "There is no need to wait for me. I will find you at the hotel."
Eh? Wait, she was just going to be doing something else and letting them 'go on ahead'? Really? And there was a hotel around here?! She was seriously behind on the 'understanding the local area' bit compared to the others, even if reasonably so, but she wouldn't lie if she didn't say she wasn't both curious about what MacKensie wanted to ask and likewise a little reluctant to split off more members of the group to just 'go on ahead' in this instance. Not after all of that nonsense and near-death and heaven-knows what the others had witnessed back there, and what remained of the group had waited on her back at the hospital she'd nearly set on fire. It would just make her...well...worry, especially while she was still trying to come down from what little remained that admitteddly draining emotional high she'd been on when hug-crying into the Frenchwoman and such.
In that vein, the mage paused again and quickly held up a hand in a quiet 'please wait just a second' gesture to Fenna before jotting off after MacKensie toward Clarissa's office. She had no idea if the other woman would wait, but if Fenna left then the mage wouldn't judge her really. All of this stuff through now had been exhausting enough.
"MacKensie! Certainly we will not just leave you here, not after-"
She would, however, not seemd to catch her teammate's attention. Nor would she get there in time to hear everything MacKensie had asked, seeing the other woman having opened and slipped into the office once more. Yet as she came up to the door and nearly moved to open it, the mage would suddenly freeze in place and go silent as she heard the last few words MacKensie spoke to the other woman through the door crack. Not that it was very loud.
"I'm sorry, I have so many questions. We are so very new to this world."
She would pause once more...and then after some seconds of visible thought put her ear gently to the door as she tried to listen further. The mage was certainly a bit curious, really, what the other woman had asked. Not that she was trying to be too, er, 'invasive' really. If it seemed personal she'd pull back and silently walk off to Fenna again, didn't want to get that intrusive into someone else's life like this, but if it was some good general information then perhaps it warranted a listen in her mind.
Certainly as Clarissa spoke again she heard the information, and tactical information as well as mention of something called the 'Voidling Princes of the Oblivion Plane' certainly caught her attention. Extraplanar beings, perhaps? Most likely. Though the situation of the nation they had been tossed into was certianly not a good thing either. To her mind, MacKensie had asked some reasonably informative questions most likely! Not that she couldn't do so, but such a thing hadn't been on her own mind after everything either. Or pehaps on anyone else's minds, for all she knew. So it was a good 'save' for them in that sense, really, addressing the general situation as soon as they could learn about it.
And yet the last bit of the other mage's response would stop the mage's train of thought in place once more.
"What do you mean; you're 'new to this world?' Where are you from?"
...Oh.
Yes, people being pulled in from another world was not something she assumed happened normally at all. As for whom they should tell about it, however, that was certianly another matter altogether. If they told the wrong people, even in this nation, perhaps they might be detained or locked up for information or whatever else the worst case could be. Or simply look like lunatics, perhaps, as another alternative. On the other hand, being truthful was one good way to open up genuine channels about the matter with others given their lack of local knowledge....or it could play into the hands of other internal politics or something potentially.
Yes she could be being a tad too negative about things, pessimistic actually being a better term she supposed, but even if the party had won her over enough the rest of the world hadn't. Not everyone was the same, or the most trustworthy, even if Lillianna herself gave some admitted credit to Clarissa for actually listening to her and the others. Hmm.
Opening the door, and pretending and acting as if she'd just opened it and hadn't heard a thing, Lillianna would pop her head into the door and give a small 'grunt' to let the two know she was present there. She would then try to play out her act proper as she looked at the two women, trying to seem lightly surprised before giving an apologetic look to Clarissa before looking at MacKensie in particular.
"Ah...ahem. Apologies, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be waiting for you just outside the front entrance. I still need to check with Fenna, however, about if she wishes to take up your offer to go ahead in the meantime."
Smooth. Believeable? She had no idea. Awkward? Well, it certianly felt like such on her part in the genuine sense and would hopefully help her little act there in being convincing.
Adam listened to Lillianna as she explained her theory about the cube. Some of it was stuff he already knew, but he was impressed with how articulate she was compared to when she first arrived in Mytheria. Less impressive to him was the fact that Clarissa seemed to enjoy asking irrelevant questions. Yeah, she was fiddling with the cube, but eye color had nothing to do with that. Therefore, he just shook his head. The less he talked, the less likely it would create a new thing for her to ask about.
At least she was grateful enough to thank them and spend time looking over the cube once they left. Adam felt she deserved a nod of thanks, even adding a small smile to it as he left the room. The man was willing to go to the hotel at this point, but his ranger friend (who knew for how long though) seemed inclined to stay behind.
"I forgot to ask..." she stopped a dozen steps outside the office, then half-turned back, before hesitating. Then she simply said to her friends, "There is no need to wait for me. I will find you at the hotel."
Adam wanted to tell her to be safe, but Lillianna seemed to want to stay behind with her instead. He looked at her with some confusion, as she seemed to want to listen in or something. He wasn't sure what he should do, so the Druid thought it best to head back to the hotel so he wouldn't be in everyone's way. If the library wasn't closed, that would have been his preferred destination. However, it wasn't like he could change their hours magically, so instead the man walked to The Mended Drum in silence with Fenna if she chose to join him.
Surprised to see a room already booked for him, Adam decided the best course of action was to go there and fall asleep. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. Or maybe it would be the day he was kicked off the team. Whichever it was, there was no use in facing it while tired.
"A round of drinks for the room!" - Zell's first act after getting back to The Mended Drum.
He was met with the expected cheer and flashed his trademark grin as he spread his arms and took in the adulation with his usual performative air. Counting the heads in the room, he reckoned a gold piece would be more than enough. "That ought'a cover it?" he asked to the barman, Frederick (they'd already been introduced when Zell booked the rooms) as he passed him the money.
"And two drinks each for the band!" was an added declaration. "Let's hear it for our lovely musicians, ladies and gents." Another cheer. "Can we get your liveliest song, if you please, my mates. Let's get this party started!"
With the room adequately buzzing, Zell ordered a beer for himself and then leaned on the bar, side-on so he could observe the room while he drank. A man approached the bar and thanked Zell who winked back. When the tankard of ale slid his way, he nodded a thanks at Frederick. "You certainly know how to liven things up," the barman said as he served others.
"Naturally. Works every time," Zell replied. "Besides, I could use a little boost. Been a rough fucking day, I'll tell you what."
"Oh yeah?" Frederick said with that classic, detached bartender interested.
"Yeah." Zell let an audible breath out. He couldn't be bothered going through it again, so he left it at that. The cheery music and hum of conversation was nice enough to enjoy in silence, so he did just that. Some time passed. He traded a nice word or two with strangers, but mostly enjoyed his drink. After getting into it with one patron about what sports Mytherians liked to enjoy, he quickly interrupted whatever the man was explaining each time one of his friends were sighted.
"Bartender, a drink for my comrade!" he would announce every time.
Adam floated through in a hurry to his room, declining a drink. He had a mopey look on his face that suggested he was not bouncing back very well from the battle today. And who could rightly blame the young man. While none of them knew eachother very well, they'd still fought together - aimed to reach Valhiem together - and Adam had been forced to witness two of them murdered. His brain suggested going after the Druid to cheer him up, but the better part of him knew that would be a bad idea. He'd already tried at the hospital. James had tried after the battle. Maybe he just needed time. It was normal. The rest of them would need to stay strong. To keep their eye on the prize. Adam had already done so much to get them to Valhiem. Zell would look out for the man's best interests until his head was back in the game. It was the least he could do.
MacKensie arrived at the inn, deep in thought. The dampened rumble of a boisterious atmosphere changed, as she pushed open the front door, to a volume that shook her from her thoughts. A half-hearted smile came automatically as she was infected by the good vibes, and when Zell loudly called for her to have a drink, she made her way to him.
"Nothing alcoholic for me, tonight, please," she said to the barman, then took a seat on a stool next to where the party swordsman was stood. "Just umm... some fruit juice perhaps?"
She had no idea what was available in this world. But right now, she didn't care, so long as it didn't inhibit her ability to think things through. So much had happened today, it was difficult to process it all. The battle was still so fresh in her mind, begging to be relived over and over again - the pain, the fear, Clive, Arthur... meanwhile, she had a mountain of information to sort through, regarding Source and guilds and wars and just about every ridiculous thing one could think of. She offered a quiet thank you to the barman when he brought her a glass of what she found out was grape juice once she tasted it. Then she stared for a while into the glass of purple liquid.
"The war is coming here, Zell," she finally said. "To Valhiem. That is what the Academy thinks. I'm not so sure how long we have left before we are dragged into it further."
'Further' being the operative word. They'd already been dragged into it. By the cube. By the assassin who was still out there - who MacKensie had a gut feeling they would still have to settle with. And now this city, this seeming haven of safety was soon to be engulfed in the chaos of battle they'd known for the last two days. "I feel that whatever our path to success is, to get Fenna and the others home - to maybe go home ourselves - that path might go through the Witch Queen." It was a worst-case scenario, but it felt like Second Chance had been on a collision course with the Witch Queen from the moment they landed in Hommas - the cube had merely marked the beginning of it. Every turn, every decision felt like She was involved, every door felt like She was hiding behind. "I hope I am wrong."
After MacKensie left, Lilliana gestured to Fenna to wait a second. She didn't mind, so she went to the nearest bench to sit and wait for Lilliana or both Lilliana and Mackensie to return. It would have given her a moment to think, but at this moment she just felt tired. Exhausted. And hungry. She nibbled on some rations as she waited for companions to return, taking away the worst of the hunger. Today had been a long day and she was feeling it; she wanted a meal, a drink and a soft and warm bed.
Fenna would wait for the mage before going to the inn the others had gone to, listening to anything she wanted to share with her.
Now that the cube was no longer in their care, she felt a bit better about their situation. The need to constantly look over her shoulder and scan the crowds was gone - the water ninja didn't have a reason to go after them anymore. If he wanted the cube, he had to take on the academy now. Still, being as tired as she was she didn't spend a lot of time sightseeing, she went in a straight line to the inn.
"Still no Heineken?" she asked Zell, before turning to the bar and requesting some ale to take to her room. A drink before going to bed, but she didn't feel like staying in the busy tavern room.
"Undaya, Iris, and Sillagy for now, but who knows? Maybe if I keep getting Blessings with the gift I will catch 'em all"
Areleth was stood next to the font, a look of surprise on his face. "That is..." he faltered in his speech for a moment. "...an interesting trio."
Undaya, the Sea God, was a child of Mother Iris, so it made some sense that a gifted Cleric could be chosen by by both dieties. But Sillagy aswell? That couldn't be right. The young man must have been mistaken. Areleth let it go, for all would shortly become clear with the ritual.
"This room is where we can test the strength of the bonds a Cleric holds with their deities," he explained as he looked pointedly around the chamber. "For new Clerics such as yourself, it can often indicate your potential. Not always, but often."
He walked over to fetch a silver jug, then filled it at the stone pool in the corner of the room. Coming back to the center where the font stood, he poured the water into the basin. Then he gestured to the bundles of branches on the other side of the room. "Take a small branch, my son. Bless it with the prayer closest to your heart, and place the blessed branch into this water here."
When James did as he was instructed, Areleth cast a spell of his own on the holy font - something of a special identification spell, strictly formulated for this process. What happened next would determine not only the dieties tied to James, but would also determine how much power the Cleric wielded. There were many reactions possible. If James was indeed a patron of Iris, then the water would glow white and sparkle. Undaya's Cleric would make the basin overflow and spill water onto the floor. If Sillagy was his strongest bond, then the branch would turn into a golden spoon.
What happened next, Areleth had never seen before in all of his two centuries of service to the temple. The water glowed not just white but blinding bright white, yet swirled with purple and orange, as it began to overflow from the basin. The branch levitated as multiple illusions changed it's form from a golden spoon, to a sword and then a chess peice and more. It grew in size and levitated higher and higher until it hit the ceiling and exploded into pieces. The water poured from all sides of the basin - far more water than had been poured into it - and then also exploded, soaking the frightened Areleth and James too.
When the reaction was over, the air in the room was dotted with firefly illusions that hung around for a few moments before disappearing. Areleth was aghast as he looked around, trying to figure out just how many results had happened during the ritual. He was caught completely off guard, but he reckoned he might have seen every reaction possible. And all in the strongest form possible.
"By the Quinity," he whispered, his brow furrowed. He looked at James. Who was this man? "A miracle."
Once the element of suprise had worn off, the High Septum explained to James that he was either tied to no diety at all, or maybe he was tied to every single one. And that such a thing had never been recorded in history before, even in The Mythic Age - when The Wellsprings were abundant in Source. In all his words, he couldn't possibly stress just how unprecedented this was.
While he was explaining that James was a miracle from The Source, he noticed a movement in the shadows of the corridor outside the room. Through the archway entrance, his elven eyes could barely see the faintest trace of the man watching from the shadows. And then an idea came to him, like it was put in his mind by Mother Iris herself. This was a sign - and he as The High Septum was compelled to act.
"You are an adventurer," he said as he placed a hand on James' shoulder. "Tell me, have you formed a party yet?" he asked. "I would like to offer you the services of my good friend. Barracker?" He called the young man outside, into the room. "Barracker is Paladin of the Church. A skilled veteran warrior who specializes in frontline protection. Newly formed parties are often at their most vulnerable in the beginning, while they learn the ropes of their profession. You are special, James, and I would not like that your survival through these tricky times was left to chance. Please, accept my offer - the offer of the Temple. Take Barracker into your party. At least until you've had time to grow in experience. You will not be disappointed." He turned to Barracker. "Please take good care of them. And yourself, my son."
If James had no other business with the Temple, then Areleth would see them to the main hall and let them be on their way. The High Septum Areleth had some people to see and some messages to send. Something grand and miraculous was happening to Mytheria. Peices were being placed on the board. Cogs set in motion. Areleth in all his wisdom, could not ignore it.
"Still no Heineken," Zell echoed Fenna with feigned indignation. He shook his head. "The ale's not bad though." When she took her drink her bed, he bid her goodnight, then turned his attention back to MacKensie next to him. She looked super far inside her own head, so he let her stew for a moment before giving her arm a nudge with his fist. "You alright, doll?"
"The war is coming here, Zell," she finally said. "To Valhiem. That is what the Academy thinks. I'm not so sure how long we have left before we are dragged into it further."
He pulled a stool up to sit down next to her. "Welp. Good job we didn't hang about with the silver contracts, eh. Hopefully we've got enough time to get this Source Comm message before all hell breaks loose." He swigged his beer, then mirrored her as he stared into the mug. "Whoever left that message knew we'd go to the guild. That person is our one lead in this mad mystery."
"I feel that whatever our path to success is, to get Fenna and the others home - to maybe go home ourselves - that path might go through the Witch Queen." He looked at the Frenchwoman's troubled face. "I hope I am wrong."
"Ay," he said, nudging her again. "If our path goes through the Witch Queen... then we go through the Witch Queen. Head first." He shrugged and smiled. "No sense in worrying about what we have no control over." Clive and Arthur's faces appeared in his mind as he went on. "Look, we got caught flat-footed today. We didn't know anything about the world, didn't know how our powers worked properly, or the crystals. But we're clued in now - heads screwed on tight. We're going to be alright. Okay?"
He gave her another (hopefully) reassuring smile before turning back to look behind the bar, hoping his unearned confidence would overshadow the reality of the situation. In the past, it usually worked, but never had he been in such a grim position with such high stakes. This was completely new, but no sense in changing now.
"Not sure that gold piece is going to cover this tab you've ran up," Frederick warned. After pretending to not be listening, he found a space to chime in.
"Not to worry, mate," Zell bounced back, fishing out another gold from his satchel. "There you go."
That visibly satisfied the barman who went back to other duties. Zell changed the subject. "You know, that fruit juice was probably a little on the cheap side. Not sure I'd feel right counting that as one of the drinks I owe you. How about we settle that debt another night?" He let her answer before adding on, "You also owe me one too, now that I think about it. I seem to remember teleporting halfway across the battlefield to be your knight in shining armour. Yep. Seem to remember it quite well."
"So, it's a date then." Perhaps casually slipping in the word 'date' might've gone unnoticed if he didn't raise an eyebrow and give her a sly smirk.
"That is..." he faltered in his speech for a moment. "...an interesting trio."
"This room is where we can test the strength of the bonds a Cleric holds with their deities," he explained as he looked pointedly around the chamber. "For new Clerics such as yourself, it can often indicate your potential. Not always, but often."
...What?
Okay, he could understand what he was saying but it felt like it came out of nowhere, shit was he getting inducted into something again? It was like that time he opened his door to those crazy missionaries who talked to him for hours about their weird ass religion based around some made-up monster in the shape of spaghetti. Ah fuck that was it, wasn't it? Just his shitty luck that the place he thought he could get some answers from turned out to be a house for nutjobs. Meh, worst case scenario he tactical retreats from here like his ass was on fi- very fast.
He walked over to fetch a silver jug, then filled it at the stone pool in the corner of the room. Coming back to the center where the font stood, he poured the water into the basin. Then he gestured to the bundles of branches on the other side of the room. "Take a small branch, my son. Bless it with the prayer closest to your heart, and place the blessed branch into this water here."
... How the fuck was he supposed to do that!?
Was there some hidden Cleric training someone forgot to inform him to attend or something? The only prayers he knew were the blessings ones (He doubted an Ave Maria would work) and he just got Undaya's back dangit! "Ahhhh" Fine he was going to pray and hope that the goddamn branch became blessed, what other choice was there really? Grabbing the branch with one hand and hovering his symbol above it with the other he started chanting "I call to you Lord Undaya, Ruler of the seas and King of the ocean, bestow upon this branch your blessing, to be as cold and unwavering as you are in the deep below"
As soon as he finished his chant he could feel the same energy as always (Which he was becoming more and more convinced was either divinity or faith) settling onto and inside the branch but it was somehow lesser than what he would normally feet, he could tell that the charge for Undaya's blessing was still there, just not available for the moment.
Well at least it appeared to have worked, following the elf's instructions he deposited the branch on the basin and waited as he recited some spell, what was he trying to accom-
What happened next, Areleth had never seen before in all of his two centuries of service to the temple. The water glowed not just white but blinding bright white, yet swirled with purple and orange, as it began to overflow from the basin. The branch levitated as multiple illusions changed its form from a golden spoon, to a sword and then a chess peice and more. It grew in size and levitated higher and higher until it hit the ceiling and exploded into pieces. The water poured from all sides of the basin - far more water than had been poured into it - and then also exploded, soaking the frightened Areleth and James too. When the reaction was over, the air in the room was dotted with firefly illusions that hung around for a few moments before disappearing.
Shit, shit, shit, shit!
Did he mess up somehow? That didn't appear like it was supposed to happen and the priest had a strange expression on his face, oh fuck was he going to be forced to pay for this or something, shit he should have followed his gut and skedaddled out of there the moment the guy started talking about mysterious rituals, now he was going to be part of this scam.
He could feel one of his newest blessings reacting almost eagerly as if in response to his desire to escape the situation and without realizing it he started chanting again.
"Lady Sillagy, mistress of deceit and persuasion, hear my plea for your blessing, let-"
"By the Quinity," he whispered, his brow furrowed. He looked at James. Who was this man? "A miracle."
His words died in his throat as he directed a bemused expression toward the father, at his words there was only one expression he could use to respond.
"Huh?"
Very eloquent.
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After the father finished explaining what the hell happened with the ritual (And assured him he was not being charged for anything) James could feel himself relax even if the information was baffling, so he was either every god's hooker or none of them. Frankly, he was leaning more towards the multitude seeing how he had already three at his disposition but really, who knew?
It was then that a ridiculous thought flashed through his head, according to the priest this had never happened before, so, didn't that mean that he -the person who seemingly had access to all the gods- was the holiest around? Oh, shit was he technically Jesus!?
No, no, Jesus was an avatar of God and last he checked he was just himself, that took a weight off his back, thank whatever gods were there he was likely at most the closest qualified person for the role of Pope...
"Oh shit I qualify for the role of Pope!"
It was amidst such existential ponderings that the Father decided to take heed of the signs only he could see.
"You are an adventurer," he said as he placed a hand on James' shoulder. "Tell me, have you formed a party yet?" he asked. "I would like to offer you the services of my good friend. Barracker?" He called the young man outside, into the room. "Barracker is Paladin of the Church. A skilled veteran warrior who specializes in frontline protection. Newly formed parties are often at their most vulnerable in the beginning, while they learn the ropes of their profession. You are special, James, and I would not like that your survival through these tricky times was left to chance. Please, accept my offer - the offer of the Temple. Take Barracker into your party. At least until you've had time to grow in experience. You will not be disappointed." He turned to Barracker. "Please take good care of them. And yourself, my son."
The last thing he managed to ask the priest before he retired was a book containing information about the Quinity and their surrounding deities, then as he watched the Priest retire to take care of his tasks he decided it was finally time to take a look so he turned to see the prospective(?) new member of Second Chance.
That... that was some very intimidating armor.
The words from the priest resonated with him again as he took on the other man's appearance, he had seen firsthand what happened to their last two frontline fighters, and feeling the weight of the anchor in his back decided that maybe, just maybe, getting some extra help wasn't that bad an idea.
"Sooo Barracker was it? Do you, ah, mind if I talk with my party before we agree to anything? We are staying at the Mended Drum if you want to look for us tomorrow"
He had to talk to his party ASAP
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As soon as he entered the tavern he could see what he was starting to recognize as Zell's handiwork in the form of drunk cheering and singing, thankfully it didn't take too long to find Zell and Mackenzie sitting at the bar.
"So, it's a date then."
Well, now he felt like a dick.
"Hey guys do you have a second, I got a thing that requires the whole party's attention"
Saying so he started collecting the other party members until all he could find were gathered in one of the rooms then he proceeded to explain the situation of the prospective new member.
"So what do you guys think? I believe we could use another frontline fighter, but I would understand if some of you weren't happy involving more people"
Barracker’s eyes flickered open. He wiped the sleep from his eyes. He placed his hand on his head, his heart raced and his mind drowned in the thoughts of that night. The menacing event which changed his life. His recurring dream usually prevented him from having a peaceful nap, But he was back to full energy and that was the point. Ever since Barracker was inflicted with vampirism, he did not require full episodes of sleep. Just a few hours here and there to restore his energy, especially if he went roaming about under the blazing sun.
Barracker rose off the bed and checked his pouch, just to see how many vials he had. He unclipped the mask from his belt and put it on. Even though people couldn’t see his face through the mask, he could see through it. It was enchanted. It also offered some protection from the scorching heat of the sun. He left his weapon in his room knowing it wasn’t too far away.
“I should pay my respects to Hades, then I will see how the old man is doing.”
As he was walking down the corridor towards the shrine room he saw Areleth with someone he thought was a priest but realised it was a cleric when they turned into the ritual chamber.
“A new cleric. This should be interesting,” Barracker muttered to himself as he approached.
He posted up outside the room, in the cover of shadows. Barracker watched the ceremony take place as the results were more than fascinating. A bit of water managed to hit his boots in the explosive reaction. “A cleric with all eighteen gods. That's unheard of.”
He was even more surprised as Areleth called his name and offered his sword to the man's adventurers party. He went along with it of course. This was the high septum talking. Barracker had learned to take orders without questioning them, after serving in the army as a teenager, and joining the order of paladins when he woke up one day with the gift of the source crystal. Barracker looked into the clerics eyes and seen a fierce spirit, it was a first impression that the paladin respected. Barracker took his mask off and tilted his head as a greeting to the man Areleth had called James.
"Sooo Barracker was it?
“Barracker Kassel, at your service.” Barracker said in a formal manner.
Do you, ah, mind if I talk with my party before we agree to anything? We are staying at the Mended Drum if you want to look for us tomorrow"
“Understandable.” Barracker nodded. “I’ll be outside the mended drum in the morning.”
After James and Areleth left his sight, he went to pay his respect to Hades. After that he would need to speak to Areleth and ask him what all this was about.
Her imagination guessed on what the Wtich Queen looked like, with each new mental image becoming progressively more horrifying. Thankfully Zell nudged her out of it, drawing her gaze onto his. His words were exactly what she needed to hear. She wanted to sit and think things through, but her mind was drawn to self-defeating thoughts of what was to come. There was wisdom in his advice, and his confidence was infectious. A smile fought through her worried expression.
"...We're going to be alright. Okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
Thank God for macho dummies. Often annoying, always impossible, yet sometimes they were exactly the comfort a girl needed. As Frederick drew Zell's attention, MacKensie smiled to herself as she looked down at her drink, grateful for the group of friends she had around her - a vibrant mix of personalities that she found herself quickly growing attached to. Second Chance would prevail.
"You know, that fruit juice was probably a little on the cheap side. Not sure I'd feel right counting that as one of the drinks I owe you. How about we settle that debt another night?"
"Yes, I would like that," she replied. Then added cheekily, "And you cannot count that drink anyway, seeing as you paid for everybody's. I want two drinks specially for me only."
"You also owe me one too, now that I think about it. I seem to remember teleporting halfway across the battlefield to be your knight in shining armour. Yep. Seem to remember it quite well."
"Ah yes." How could she forget; One second the sword was coming down on her, the next, he was there. What a rush. It would be much easier to simply minus one of the drinks owed off of his own debt. But that would also be less fun. "Then I will buy you one only after I have recieved the two you owe me."
"So, it's a date then."
"It is a date," she agreed, returning his smirk, before suddenly realising what she'd said. The realisation wiped the smirk off her face and she felt herself turning as red as a wide-eyed tomato. "I mean..." she turned her nose up at him. "...you can pay for the drinks and then leave the vicinity so that I might enjoy them without your annoying bravado."
The visual of such a scenario made her giggle and broke the tension stiffening her body. Just then, James interrupted to let them know he was gathering everyone for an important discussion. "Of course," she answered him. Then she looked back at the swordsman and couldn't help but chuckle again. "You are incorrigible, Zell Brooks."
Once the party were together again and James told them about the High Septum's offer, MacKensie thought about it a little before nodding. "I think it would be wise to accept the help. An experienced warrior of the Church would be useful, especially for our next task. And, as an aside, we might risk unnecessarily offending the Church if we refuse."
Fenna was about to retire for the night in her room when James found her and asked her to come for a moment. She took a sip from the ale but left it in her room before going to where James wanted everyone to meet. Maybe she'd have a moment to herself after this meeting. Hopefully it wouldn't take long, she needed some rest after the long day of walking and fighting and more walking.
Once everyone was together and James explained the situation, Fenna pondered his words. MacKensie was the first to share her thoughts and she found herself nodding to what she said.
"If he understands the risks and wants to join us, I have no objections," she said. "We have a gold contract waiting for us and we can probably use the help, especially if he is from here. We know too little about this world, I'd feel better having a native with us." She paused for a moment. "And I'm not in the contracts for the fame and glory, I'd be happy to share that with anyone who can help us, I just want to know what the message is that is waiting for us."
She sat back after that, she had given her thoughts and now she'd wait and see how the others felt about it. In the end, the decision wasn't hers to make, but she appreciated James had brought it up for discussion first. A sign of good leadership.
While everyone else was discussing the newest member of Second Chance, Adam had went to sleep. It was easy to obtain for him, but it was not a restful night. The man's dreams were brutal, the deaths of Arthur and Clive repeating themselves in his head. Sometimes the events in the Hillocks would play out like they actually did, while other times it would be worse. There were sequences where the Druid would literally have blood on hands from killing the two himself. Other instances had the red-eyed individual restrained by the water ninja while he was forced to watch Aurok annihilate his team.
What finally woke Adam up was an instance where MacKensie was slowly being tortured to death by their cube-seeking opponent. The man couldn't cast, move, or do anything else to help. He could only watch as she suffered before the deed was finished; at that moment, the Druid was asleep no more. Looking out the window, he saw the sun rising to indicate that morning was there. With no reason to go back to sleep, the man got up and began getting ready for the day ahead of him.
"I mean..." A flustered MacKensie Trydant was the funniest thing this side of the dimensional rift. Zell threw his head back with a teethy grin after seeing her react to calling it a date, "...you can pay for the drinks and then leave the vicinity so that I might enjoy them without your annoying bravado." but she instantly brought him crashing back to reality with her comeback.
"Come on!" he protested with fake outrage, before breaking into a chuckle with her. With all the struggle and strife that was going on, light-hearted banter was keeping his morale afloat. The prim and proper Frenchwoman was a blessing for the frat boy.
When James turned up and called them all for a meeting, "No problem, bossman," Zell gave his friend a salute, his mirth lingering through the interaction until the Cleric left to gather the others. He turned back to MacKensie, smile still on his face.
"You are incorrigible, Zell Brooks."
He winked. "Naturally."
In James' room, the party leader explained that the Temple had offered Second Chance the services of an experienced Paladin. Zell wouldn't admit it, but he was over the moon to find out they were getting help on the front line. Just him and Joji to cover everyone would've been a tough task, and Zell was determined not to lose any more of his friends. This Barracker guy was more than welcome. Sign him up! was Zell's internal celebration. He was grateful that Fenna and MacKensie were also on board. After the two Ranger's said their piece, Zell shrugged.
"I mean, sure, why not?" he said. His arms were folded as he coolly leaned against the wall. "Not that me and Joji aren't more than enough to handle the job up front. We'll be fine now that we're stronger. But no sense in refusing an extra hand if it's offered. Bring the man aboard."
Once the discussion was settled, Zell went downstairs with the intention of just one last drink before bed. He ended up making friends a random local who taught him a few tavern songs. They were singing and drinking until midnight, with a few other Mended Drum regulars. They all told their best stories of other wild nights of drinking antics, tales of lost loves, shitty employers and more. Before the end, they drunkenly professed brotherhood to one another, arms around eachother's shoulder, Zell giving the man random kisses on the top of his head.
When Frederick was kicking people out to close up the inn for the night, he found Zell asleep at a table in the corner of the room. Because the swordsman had already paid for a room, he tried once to get the Englishman to go up stairs to bed, failed, then promptly ignored the unconcious man. All the lights shut off once the barman finished cleaning up. Zell was left in the silent, empty taproom, snoring until morning.
"Well, at least that blasted cube is out of our hands now. Including my own among those."
Lillianna would make a comment as she came back to reunite with Fenna, though it would admittedly be delivered with a sense of mild frustration in the mage's voice. It certainly on her end didn't encapsulate her feelings in total about everything that had happened regarding that thing, nor told fully how it had shaken her in ways yet to settle down fully within her, but at the same time she didn't quite mind that for the time being. Tiredness and a good cry and such had been enough to at least get her head back on her shoulders in general, and maybe if she could get some sleep in a proper bed it'd be something helpful. Not as soreness-inducing as her homemade shelter back there, though, if nothing else.
But with how close she'd come to death it had been certainly an experience of sorts, one that based on 'adventurers' existing perhaps was not as rare as she wished it was. How did people around this world deal with such traumas and near-death experiences being so close to them all of the time? She had no clue, or perhaps there were a lot of retired adventurers or something, but she'd have to inquire later.
Though speaking of that, she would have to inquire at the Church of Iris, just as Lucy had told her to do. Not that she would be able to today, as time was rapidly moving along enough as it was, but tomorrow would be better. Or at least before they left on whatever mission they had taken on, just in case anything could be worked out along the way. She was curious, if nothing else, and perhaps even a bit...hmmm...she couldn't imagine what the man back in the Mazy Hillocks had been through, but still wanted to help others regardless of his own spiritually-stuck situation. Perhaps both literally and metaphorically, for all she knew.
The mage felt thankful that Fenna had waited on her, at least, though did somewhat feel bad about the matter of making the other woman wait a bit longer. At the same time, she would follow along quietly the rest of the way with her to the Mended Drum where the others had seemed to gravitate to as well. Yet aside from Joji's disappearance, which was of some concern, she was at least glad everyone else seemed to have gravitated back to a common location. Perhaps they could even find a room here? She had seen some people staying around in some rooms on the way up to talk to Lucy initially back at the Guild, if nothing else, but ultimately that wasn't her call to make alone. It in the end depended on how everyone else wanted to go about it really. MacKensie had seemingly gone off on her own still, but at this pooint the mage didn't mind it. She wasn't the Frenchwoman's boss or such, and her own wish of traveling together back to where the others were certianly wasn't the be all end all of things either.
"Bartender, a drink for my comrade!"
"Bartender, a drink for my comrade!"
As her and Fenna came into the Mended Drum, and came up to where the bar was proper, the telltale voice of the group's fighter. Drink? Certinaly not something she wanted to indulge in a bunch of, but certainly one or two mild enough ones wouldn't be the worst either. Keep it mild and simple, see how the spirits here were different or similar enough to those of their former home. Not that this last little factt wouldn't also take its time to sink in, really, but they had to keep moving or risk getting swept up in whatever mess they'd become entangled with due to the cube and Witch Queen and so forth. Also that stupid water ninja...ugh.
Her next comment would be directed at the bartender as she sat down.
"One small glass of something much lighter, if you have any, and a cup of fruit juice along with that as well if you've any."
Well, she was at least consistently sounding a bit more tired now after all of that. But she figured a small taste of something and then some fruit juice to wash things down would at least be better than the alternative. Certinaly it was within what she felt was appropriate for herself at least. Sure she wasn't with her uncle, but she felt that his habits and ideas for drinking were at least good ones. Safe ones. Healthier ones. But that was simply her perspective on the matter, as it were.
The bartender looked into her eyes for a moment, before giving a silent nod and grabbing her something as she plopped herself on a stool at the bar. Not too long after, a cup of dark blue-colored juice with hints of green appeared in front of her alongside a small shot-type glass of something that smelled like spirits. The former she certainly had a large cup of, and its smell was...curious. Like blueberries and mint had a baby, and as she took a first tiny sip of it she raised an eyebrow. The flavor was peuculiar, but nice. Like blueberries and blackberries had a baby, spiked it with a little mint, and then blurred the lines of what it was made from until it seemed a tiny bit citrus-y as well somehow. Somehow. Then came her attempt to shotgun the spirit she'd ordered, which true to form burned her mouth and on the way down. On the other hand, it seemed to have a pleasant deep and caramelized roasted nuttiness to them...and somewhat of a grape-like wine quality to them as well. It was reminiscent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, actually, but distantly so and with its own identity.
Meanwhile, as the mage returned to her purely fruit juice drink, she could see MacKensie and Zell talking farther down sitting next to each other. It was certinaly something, but feeling somewhat bad about her prior sneakiness she opted to not listen in or try to get too close. Fenna likewise seemed to order some ale to carry back to her room, and Adam was nowhere to be seen either at the same time. Hmm. It made her feel a bit lonely, to be truthful, but the silence she found as her thoughts turned inward and she had put some though and reflection on the things she was drinking was also a bit welcome perhaps. A little bit nice, taking her mind off of some of the things she'd seen and been through.
Even though the wound was gone in full, not a trace left, she felt an intrusive but phantom-like sensation in the area when she thought back on the incident of being stabbed and self-electrocuted. Ah. One of the downsides to having a memory that couldn't really forget things....sometimes even the sensations stuck with her. Yet it had been a rather fresh event in her life, and so she hoped in the coming days and beyond (depending on how things went for them all) that the memory could be helped along to fade even just a bit. Any less precision of that burning electrocution, and the swiftness and warmth and sting of her impalement, would be welcome perhaps. At the same time, she....she had....she had felt worse, right? At least not physically. An imploding family had been enough of a mess to live through as it was before this as it was. Yeah...that...that certianly was right, even if it only made her feel worse.
"Hey guys do you have a second, I got a thing that requires the whole party's attention"
Though just before she could raise her head to ask the bartender about what he'd given her in more detail, having lied her head down on the counter to rest it a bit after finishing her drinks, James seemed to pop in and beckon her over. In fact, it seemed he had gone about gathering them all up where he could to talk to them in one of the open rooms. It was enough to get the mage to curiously come along, though given he was the group leader it also made sense something like that might happen as well.
But what could he need to tell them?
...
...
...
...Ah. Well that certainly was a relevant issue they had now. Not unless Zell wished to try what many teenaged or evne adult 'tanks' on MMO's couldn't seem to feasibly do in her experience. Not that she'd wish that on him or anyone else, frankly, but it was the first parallel she made in her mind after James finished filling them all in on things. Well, unless Joji came back.
"So what do you guys think? I believe we could use another frontline fighter, but I would understand if some of you weren't happy involving more people"
"I think it would be wise to accept the help. An experienced warrior of the Church would be useful, especially for our next task. And, as an aside, we might risk unnecessarily offending the Church if we refuse."
"If he understands the risks and wants to join us, I have no objections," she said. "We have a gold contract waiting for us and we can probably use the help, especially if he is from here. We know too little about this world, I'd feel better having a native with us." She paused for a moment. "And I'm not in the contracts for the fame and glory, I'd be happy to share that with anyone who can help us, I just want to know what the message is that is waiting for us."
"I mean, sure, why not?" he said. His arms were folded as he coolly leaned against the wall. "Not that me and Joji aren't more than enough to handle the job up front. We'll be fine now that we're stronger. But no sense in refusing an extra hand if it's offered. Bring the man aboard."
"I agree we need what help we can get as non-natives to this world, including in battle now so more than ever, and not offending the local clergy would be wise if we were to need help from them later. All in all, I also believe we should take on this new party member."
Everyone made their own points she agreed with, or not in certain areas, but overall Lillianna felt that bringing on a new member was agreeable. Was it a risk if it was anyone who might react bad to them being from another world? Sure, but in such a case they had survived worse as long as this new person wasn't a water ninja secretly in disguise....he wasn't, was he? Eh, likely not unless he was 'that' good for some obtuse reason. What had even happened to him in the first place after all of the electrocution and such anyway?
Whatever the case, the mage would find herself returning to her own room to rest after James had finished talking with them and getting a group opinion on the matter. In that vein, it seemed they would indeed be getting that new member for their party. It was nessecary, she felt, after they had lost two back in the Mazy Hillocks. Not that she...well....she wasn't trying to simplify deaths, but if they wanted to keep living they needed to be practical to a certain extent with accepting help and keeping an eye on things. Right? So in that sense she-...wait! She still needed to ask someone about what had happened back there after she'd starting electrocuting herself and the water ninja! Curses! She remembered, but other matters had been on her mind. Ugh.
I am writing to inform you on my promotion. I have been sent to Capitol City, to continue my work under an Archbishop. I am really excited. I have work so hard for this, my only regret is that I will be further away from home. And you. My feelings still remain the same. I do not care what you have become. You’re still the barracker i know and the Barracker I love. If your work ever leads you to Capitol City. I shall be at the Basilica Magna Decoris.
I will always be yours.
Evelyne
Barracker could smell her scent still, that strong smell of jasmine with amber notes. He held the parchment to his nose. A sad smile crept on his face. He read the letter for the twentieth time, maybe more. As the sun began to rise he put it away. Areleth had been busy so he did not get a chance to ask him why he was put forward so hastily for this mission. He knew to meet James at the ‘The Mended Drum’, in the morning.
Barracker donned his armour, hooked his claymore and enormous tower shield in a cross shape onto his back.
He was outside ‘The Mended Drum’, in good time. He leaned his weapons against the wall and took a seat on the bench at the side of the building opposite the inn, making sure to be in the shadow with a view of the door. He did not know the other members of Second Chances, so he would wait to see James.
MacKensie wandered down the corridor and ran into an old woman who introduced herself as the maid. After finding out that was a shower and clothes washing services, she gratefully accepted and took a towel on offer, then hopped in the shower while her clothes were washed and dried. Suprisingly, it took no more than a couple of hours sitting on her bed for the maid to come back with all of her clothes, clean and folded.
"Thank you so much," she said shutting the door.
After combing her hair roughly with her fingers, she decided that her first order of business was to buy a change of clothes and some quality of life accessories.
Washed, dressed and ready for the day, she went downstairs where came out of the backroom and took her order for breakfast. Luckily, Mytherians had similar options to her own world, so she requested ham, cheese and eggs on toast. A little fatty for her regular tastes but it had been a rough couple of days so she decided she deserved it. She sat down at a random table and sighed, not yet noticing any of her friends.
