Speaking to my father was underwhelming. I told him about the secret room and showed him the journal. He apparently knew about the room, but had never bothered to look into it. He did take a moment to peruse the journal and even chuckled a bit at what he read.
“He wasn’t poisoned. It was just a diet of too much wine and undercooked meat. He certainly hoarded his coins, but at the time the piracy along our coast was exceptionally bad and Ordheim suffered for it. You also had a war mongering Pope and a feckless Emperor who could never fill his grandfather’s, the Emperor Caradan’s, boots. He had a lot on his plate and it dropped him into an early grave.”
I nodded. I wasn’t up on family history, but it sounded like maybe my great-grandfather hadn’t been as bad as I thought.
“What about that bit about a prophecy?” I tentatively asked. My father sighed and leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking.
“If I had a silver coin for every prophecy that the Church debates! Kenric, I would pay it no mind. Who can say what ‘Twice-born son’ means? One could argue it refers to receiving a second class, for insistence.”
“Wait, you can have more than one class?” I asked. My father nodded.
“Oh yes, it doesn’t happen often as it takes twice as long to level two classes, but as most will advance or evolve their classes, others will decide to take a second class and level it with the hope that they will be able to combine their two classes into a single, ultra rare class.”
“That’s incredible!” I had never heard this before! None of the books on class skills had ever mentioned combining classes into a new one. This world just keeps on becoming more and more amazing. Yet, how would such a thing work for a Priest? Can a Priest actually serve two Gods? Ha! I’m trying to find a way to serve several of them, aren’t I?
“Now then,” my father’s brow furrowed as he looked at me from across his large desk. “I trust that you have made all the preparations you can. I would give you a bit of money, but everything will be provided for you by the Church when you get to Port Tyren. I will however tell you this and I trust you will keep this between us.”
“Yes, of course,” I answered solemnly. My father was using his ‘serious’ voice now and it was wise to pay attention when he used it.
“I have an old friend in Port Tyren. He runs an Inn called The Jolly Elf Maid. It’s a bit rough, but if anything happens and you need help, you can trust him. His name is Carver Dolan. Large man, bald and has a laugh that shakes the whole room.”
“Carver Dolan. I will remember.” For a moment it looked like my father wanted to say something else, but then he finally just nodded his head.
“Good.”
The last night before I was to return to Saint Caradan’s with the rest of the Novices, I laid in my bed for what was likely to be the last time for a long time. After my father’s easy dismissal of the prophecy I wasn’t sure what he would have thought about me proclaiming to have been reborn from another world and discovering I already had a Priest Class and I that had cleared a Dungeon almost on my own.
Perhaps he’s right. Maybe I’m seeing what I want to see after everything that’s happened. Besides, I think I’d like to have my own small Chapel somewhere I can manage or an out of the way Bishopric where I could be the local healer. I’m not interested in anything dangerous!
“Father Wolric would say I should pray on all this.” So that’s what he would do.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Slipping out of the bed, I knelt down and folded my hands.
“Mir, Goddess of Healing and Mercy, please send me a sign about what I should do?” I paused and thought moment. “I am not a hero. I don’t seek wealth, power or influence over others. I only want to heal the sick, comfort the weary and create a better world. I pray to you, lead me to the correct path. Sanctus.”
You gain +10 Faction with Mir.
“Oh! That’s good. I wonder why that prayer gained me faction and all the others I’ve done the past few months brought nothing?” Perhaps it had something to do with sincerity? I’m always sincere! What else could it be? What did I do differently this time? Then it occurred to me. Mir represents Healing and I admitted my sincere desire to heal the sick. What if I were to pray to, say, Hul that I intend to help the poor and the displaced as well? It wouldn’t be a lie. I decided to try it.
“Hul, He who Walks the Eternal Road, Seeker of Lost Paths, please send me a sign about what I should do? I too am about to set out on a journey and I will not ignore those who stretch forward their hands seeking succor from the troubles of this world. Please guide me on this path. Sanctus.”
You gain +10 Faction with Hul.
“I did it! That is to say, Gods of Aramyr I think I understand a little better now what you expect from me.” Each of the Gods govern their own domains and represent different aspects of life and death upon Aramyr. Gaining Faction with them meant furthering their influence upon Aramyr in ways large and small. Whether it was a sincere prayer honoring those influences and promising to do all he could to support their growth or fulfilling Quests in their names.
“I must also remember that I have been chosen to bear a Rare ranked class. This isn’t just about me. Yet, I can only assume the Gods will reward me for those tasks as well.” They certainly had so far. He may have only been Level 5, but he highly doubted other Class holders of a similar level could even come close to what he might achieve in Attribute scores and he knew it was highly unlikely there was another Priest upon Aramyr who carried the potential to use the Divine spells of all the Gods.
I climbed back into my bed and for the first time in weeks felt a sense of contentment that somehow things would work out. Sleep came shortly after and was filled with visions of glowing shards pulsing in the darkness. Five in all, they were scattered like stars across Aramyr and as I reached out in my dream towards them I felt at first a resistance, then a growing sense of hope as something stirred in response. Then, as if to counter these budding feelings, an equal power that inspired dread rose and it felt as if that power stood just behind me and was reaching out for me.
NO! THEY ARE MINE!
It wasn’t a voice, but a force inside my head creating words I could understand. It was anger, rage, frustration, but also fear? The pulsing shards pulled me closer. One was to the North of where I now was, and I could feel it responding to the shard I had already absorbed. I reached out to it with both hands. I could smell the sea the closer I drew to it, then saw that it was wrapped in chains of darkness. It pulsed weakly, calling out to me for aid. To save it from the one who currently held it.
NO! WHO ARE YOU? ONE OF THE FALSE? I WILL FIND AND DESTROY YOU!
I ignored the force and concentrated on the shard. I could sense it held the potential to unlock other rare Skills and vital spells I would need. However, if this strange force that had invaded my dreams gained it instead then a terrible fate awaited all of Aramyr.
I won’t let you have it. In my dream, I cupped my hands and slowly cradled the pulsing shard. Whatever force was keeping it locked away, it was separate from whatever dark power was trying to locate it as I was. To be held in the grasp of evil, but equally sought by another terrible power…how was I to prevail against such odds?
A MORTAL? YOU WILL SUFFER FOR THIS! I WILL FIND-
I awoke with a start and sat up in bed. I was covered in sweat and trembled as I threw the blankets from my body to cool myself down. Opening my eyes, I stared at a glowing soul window floating before me.
You have been offered a New Quest!
Quest (Mythic): Locate the Shards of Ara! (1 of 6)
Locate all Shards of Ara to unlock the lost Skills of Ara’s Priesthood!
Success: One ARA Skill unlock per Shard
Failure: Skill lost forever
Do you accept Yes/No?
My ears were still ringing from the terrible threats of whatever that presence had been. I took deep breaths and calmed myself by reciting Ord’s Litany of Meditation.
My mace for those who stand against me
My shield for those who stand with me
My words for those who would share my burdens
My memories for those who would spread my will
I felt calmer almost immediately and that allowed me to accept the new quest without further hesitation. I pulled my blankets back up to my chin and stared up at the painted ceiling of my room. My mother had each of her children’s rooms richly painted with soothing scenes of angels flying through white cloud skies shining with golden light. At the center was Ord depicted as the golden haired warrior, gazing down upon me with a stern, but loving gaze.
I only wish I could share my burdens with someone. I didn’t dare, of course. The time would come when my Class would become known, but I had to first find a way to carry out the will of the Gods and become stronger. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on more pleasant dreams, but intrusive thoughts and self doubt make for a poor sleep draught.
