Sariel: May 15th: Kargos Capital, High Temple
I find myself in a large room of intensifying beauty. Every detail manages to be better than the last. The beautifully defined white bricks that made up the walls, and the crystal-like glass windows. Even the very ground was made up of smooth wood with a glaze that made it reflect my features back to me.
I'm lying in a bed that feels as though I have been stitched into its embrace.
Dreaming through the events of the past weeks leaves me feeling cold and hollow.
What even is my purpose now?
Yet… the thing that bothers me the most was that this place gave off a feeling of dread, deep inside me. Incongruous dread. The likes that even the slum failed to draw up from me.
It was so beautiful, yet this was a place I should have never entered.
I'm clean, and I dont smell like a slum rat for once, I suppose I should be glad.
I looked up at the man in front of me.
He had long dark hair and green eyes, a distinct marker of elven purity. His face was rough, but he had soft features.
And he was draped in white robes that reached his feet.
A heavy black leather belt held them firmly in place on his waist.
He was looking at me with anticipation,
as though he was waiting… no, happy,
for me to have woken up.
It was rare for me to even see a pure elf, but this one seemed very intent upon being seen by me.
Then I saw a familiar face,
Lexita,
in similar robes, which fit her well, accentuating her slender waist.
She was wearing an odd-looking white headdress with… a golden star in the middle of it. She looked ethereal.
The room looked very well off, and the bed felt soft on my back, so much so that if I didn't know better, I would think I was welded to it.
My eyes had just finished landing on Lexita when the man took a step towards me.
-"It is a sacramental sign that you have recovered in good health, my child."
He took another step, reaching through the distance between us with his hand.
-" My name is Felton. I am very happy to be able to hold my daughter again, and my thanks are yours for taking… I think it was Sariel?"
I carefully shifted my own hand, taking care to keep the gesture brief.
This is lexitas father?
He looks so ceremonious.
I had deduced that they were probably connected to the church in some way from her mannerisms and what she was saying when we were imprisoned together.
But this was quite a leap.
It reminded me of our local priest, back in the village, though he opted for a simple badge of stars on his arm rather than the spectacle of a whole white garb like this.
-" yo…"
cough!
-"You are welcome, sir. I'm glad we survived, considering what Lexita told me. And yes, it is."
He looked at me with a raised brow.
I continued.
-" She said that Cook was after our blood."
He threw his daughter a fierce glance before turning back to me. He looked a bit more serious than before.
-" Yes, that is very true, although that is a Temple secret. And her father is a High Priest of the very same temple. I would ask you to keep that to yourself, please, for both of our sakes."
He lowered his head to me before carrying on again.
-" I have a… proposition for you, Sariel."
-" Lexita seems to have spilled quite a bit.
You are aware that elven blood holds power?"
I nodded back at him.
-" Its powers are still fully unknown to the Temple, and to me,
Although what we know now is valuable, when cut or pricked, one can channel their blood into magical power, effectively giving us control over fire, water, ice, earth, light, darkness, and flesh. Most of the people here tend to lean towards light or fire."
That got a small chuckle out of Lexita for some reason.
-" My own opinion on the matter is the same as what I have taught Lexita, blood is thicker than water."
He then reached into the lower part of his robe and presented a fine steel blade. It was designed quite thinly. It seemed as though it was made for piercing rather than hacking.
He moved it faster than I was able to register, and quite precisely drove it into his own hand. Looking at the hand, it too had a star tattooed onto it, and the blade landed in the middle.
The man was chanting something in a language foreign to my ears, Ancient Elven. I had read about this before.
Felton's arms were now covered as the markings from his hands pushed forward, dominating every spare space on the skin of his arms all the way up to his face.
He looked like an entirely different person. He bounded forward before planting both hands on the underside of the bed I was occupying.
Then In an effortless fashion, the High Priest Felton, Lexitas middle aged father, of whom I had just met.
Lifted My whole bed above his head, with me still occupying it as though I weighed less than a paperweight.
Lexita looked mortified.
-" Put her down, father. She's just been asleep for a week, and now you do something like this, you're giving her the wrong impression!"
She had now placed her hands firmly on her eyes, as if to shield her face from her father's actions. And turned around until he did as she said.
In truth, I hardly had the time to feel anything but impressed by the whole display.
I looked at him, and he gave me a satisfied glance.
He could probably read from my face that I wasn't upset at the display, but simply shocked by the magnitude a simple drop of blood could acheive.
-" I apologise if I came off a bit strong. Lexita has similar powers; the ability to control our own and others' flesh is stronger than you think if applied correctly. There are some limitations; although we can cast vast, varied, and effective magic, we cannot do it from a distance, as our specialization is the only one that cannot be used for range."
High Preist felton carried on speaking
-"My predicament is this one: I myself am running on a shortage of capable people. My daughter is very capable in healing, but I need people with elven blood who can fight to bring back the belief in the High Temple's capabilities."
He walked over to the desk at the back of the room and dragged a singular chair over until it was directly opposite me. Then he sat down and proposed something extremely unexpected.
-" Svala…sorry Pontiff Svaland, but a few days ago, he decided to bestow upon us in his unrelenting…. Wisdom, one of his better plans. Twenty-eight days from now, a tourney will be held within these very walls. And the people who manage to impress the High Clergy or the Pontiff will be made a holy knight. A Title of incredible importance, for our Elven blooded clergymen with magical aptitude and aptitude for physical combat."
-" They must have had an attestable bloodening from a clergyman holding the title priest or above to enter, but half elves are allowed in…
And this is where we get to my proposal, Sariel.
After saving my daughter, I have decided to give you the opportunity to live in these walls and become a part of our family, for we are all brothers and sisters under the Angel's ever-present and ever-loving eyes."
I pulled away from the man.
What the absolute fuck, I was impressed with his apparent magical talent, and I appreciated the knowledge, but to spring this upon me as though you're doing me a favour is unforgivable. Im not about to jump in bed with another Regnald… not after what happened.
I just stared at him. There was nothing flippant about my expression.
We stayed like that for a few seconds before Lexita spoke up.
-"Father, I think it might be better to give her some time to understand what it is that makes the church as amazing as it is."
She moved over to me and sat on the bed, looking at her father. I couldn't make out her expressions
Then she turned to me.
-"I very much enjoy the time we spent, Sariel, so I'd be happy to give you a tour if youd like."
I nodded at her slowly,
Im really not sure about this. My options may be limited, but how can I be sure this isn't just something that will be to his benefit more than my own?
I shoved away the blanket sarcophagus covering me and pulled myself up to a sitting position, resting against the smooth white wall behind me.
My legs felt numb, as did the rest of my body. But looking down, my surprise had yet to subside as the marks of Cook's slow roasting weren't present. With my arms support, I managed to reach my footing before taking Lexita's hand and being practically pulled out of the room with a skip. I do wish that girl would think a bit more.
Corvos: May 14th: Kargos Capital, Peasant Market
I gazed around this fiery inferno as my bloodied hands singed the life out of another of the vermin plaguing this city.
I had brought up the rat problem many times to the pontiff before to no avail. It is only right that after my repeated warnings fell on his deaf old ears, I should be the one to clean up the mess his holiness made when they inevitably moved to the peasant districts.
The sun was glaring down upon the array of buildings lining the cobbled street, and the smell of burned meat plagued my lungs as I finished up another of these hundred-strong rat hordes that were congregating around a barrel of fish.
-" Fucking disgusting"
I looked around at twenty of my most vicious and loyal holy knights. squashing the rat infestation threat in an orderly church-sanctioned slaughter of the foul, demonic vermin threatening our city's markets. I observed as Geldar, my best man, had made a thousand of them into a bloodied stain on the pavement with one hand, an impressive display after casting his weight of the angel spell. And then almost decapitating a squire with the other one, in order to wipe out twenty more.
Not really my issue, the squire was human anyway.
The real issue was the man becoming my biggest problem as of late. High Priest Felton, as he has made active strides towards the finish line of my patience today.
The man seemed to actively enjoy throwing dirt over my ambitions, as when I brought up the issue of the incompetence of these "human initiates," He derailed the entire discussion to the Pontiff, and directed it towards how we should be bolstering the Temple's strength.
Perfect, the man with only seventeen measly knights wants to talk about forces, I wonder why?
At least Zarwik knows his place is under the Pontiff's boot; he barely has ten men to his name.
I think I'll wrap this up quickly, although I do wish I could head to the obvious source of the problem, being the backdoor of the city, filled with deviants, half-breeds, and the pathetic wastes of energy who live there. Even a Temple exile has enough sense to go to a town over when it's not wanted, rather than clog up our city's space and wallow in their misery. Pathetic.
Alas, it won't be happening any time soon, so I think it's time to conserve my energy for the next high clergy meeting. Angel be praised.
Sariel: May 15th: Kargos Capital, High Temple
Going through the passages of the temple, I noticed a crowd of people worshipping a statue of a detached head with a particularly disturbing fervour.
Lexita commented
-" That's the fallen angel, many people like to pay respects by weeping in front of him so that he might give them strength if they're not having a good time. Im not a fan of it, I like to picture the angel as a beautiful flowered tree that floats above our heads and gives us fruit when were hungry."
She looked at me, smiling, her eyes full of wonder
-" Lexita, I can't imagine The falling angel being able to do anything like that without arms, it would be like a fruity abomonation"
I retorted.
She pouted, then said
-" You're so mean Sari, at least let me dream a bit.
By the way, I know father can come across strong, but ive grown up here, and this place isn't nearly as boring as he made it out to be. He's only being like that because I begged him to let you stay, I promiseeee."
I gave her a big smile before we came to the next place on Lexitas tour agenda.
-" This is the room where everyone who lives in the temple gets their food every day. A good thing is that it's all free if you live here, so it's better than outside, where everyone else lives."
The room had a centerpiece made from marble, which looked like it had taken years to carve out. It was shaped like a star and was by far the most interesting thing in here. All across the room, there were a few elves and many more humans in white robes stuffing themselves. Bar the silent young girls in the kitchen at the back, who were sweating and tripping over themselves, dishing out food.
I cant believe it, this place was filled with people stuffing their fat faces with pies, chicken, beef, fruit, fox, dog, ale, It was overwhelming.
My face soured up as an older elven man ceased his disgusting feasting,
Ripped the chicken bone out of his gob before staring at me as though I was doing something wrong by simply being here. This only ceased as his eyes were drawn to the priestess beside me, and he got back to his eating. He was the first of many as we began to leave, a white-endowed elven woman and man almost spat at me before Lexita ushered me past.
-"I can't stand those people, they think because the angel is forgiving, he will accept those who disvalue the blood of our ancestors. As though they are better suited just because you're a half-elf, im sorry about that, Sari."
She gave me a sad look before I hugged it out of her, and then we walked towards the heart of the temple.
I was actually quite warmed by Lexitas concern, this was the first time my wellbeing has been taken seriously by someone outside my station.
In truth, I wasn't very bothered by the exchange. I was still reflecting on my disdain at the fact of my struggling in the slums being but a blip in these people's minds, as they thought to themselves Im glad were better off than them and got back to gorging themselves. For a holy order, this was more sinful than anything ive seen in the slums, their apathy was our suffering, and they didn't even care. They weren't real.
We approached the front of the temple, and I took a moment to soak in the massive hall, stained glass windows, and high white stone built up to the top of this pointed white structure. There was a very expensive pulpit, elevated at least thirty meters up, encased in gold, with stars decorating it. And high elven was carved and set in black ink all across the bottom of the structure.
There were thousands of rows of seating so vast that it could house the capital.
And even the pillars looked as though if they fell, they would crush at least twenty people and take them down with it.
It was exhausting, the scope of this temple.
I took a breath, then that feeling returned, the dread I had felt before was renewed inside of me. I looked up just in time to see a pale old man, adorned in white robes of silk, wisp out of the pulpit.
I thought I saw him glance at me, as he disappeared back the way he came, I noticed the top of his pointed ears as he left.
It was such a quick occurrence that Lexita didn't even seem to notice.
As she was already ready to leave through the temple gates and head through to the commoners' district.
I caught up to her, and I took a moment to conserve my breath. Looking up a man who adorned the same robes as lexitas father was close to passing us with a grim look on his face and four white-armoured men wearing the Temple's sigil in tow. They were holding bags of rat carcasses. I know the smell by now.
-"Priestess Lexita, how exciting to see you back. I had thought you might have run away from the fallen angel's guidance in search of less desirable magic as your father had in his youth; In fact, I was sure the pontiff was going to have you excommunicated. Before Felton adamantly insisted you had been kidnapped by… 'demons'. I see I have been proven wrong."
-"Corvos" She replied, giving him a cold look that I had never seen her make before.
He let out a sly smile at Lexita before spotting my face, and all traces of warmth were gone.
-"I see you brought a pet with you. Im surprised they're allowing those now, although im less so that Felton was the first to bring one in."
What a disgusting man, he looked at me with emotionless eyes as though I wasn't even worth noticing.
I glared at him before saying.
-" Usually, people leave their dogs to clean up the vermin, sir…
I wonder where your collar is?"
His face went through five different stages of anger before landing on calm disgust.
Then one of the men accompanying him approached me quite quickly and brought a fist into my stomach.
I dodged the blow instinctively, pulling back, almost stumbling into the bush behind me, noticing his body couldn't quite match up to my skinny, slum hardened physique.
What I didn't expect was the violent peircing beam of light that appeared as soon as the man had failed to reach me.
It felt as though a cold fire was reaching into my eyes, and all I could see was a black splodge clouding my vision as I clung to Lexitas arm.
Realisation set in.
I understood how to deal with people in the slums.
But out here, the finish line was pre-owned by corvos, felton, and men like them.
I could hear Lexitas shouting before. The man Corvos hissed, "That's enough, Geldar." Boots pressed cobble, and they were gone.
I patiently waited for a few minutes, and my vision came back.
My eyes were sore, and Lexita used some of her own healing magic to make the pain leave.
-" Im so sorry, Sariel," she was practically sobbing now.
-" Its fine, it's fine, it's my fault anyway. I should've known he'd react like that, it wasn't worth it, im not even a part of the Temple yet."
We continued the tour around the peasant district.
The market almost drew me to it; it had actual shop buildings rather than torn-down stalls. There were quite a few of them populating the street. Armour and gear, Luxury meats and foods, bakery, Tools, Blacksmith.
A bank sign was on the top of an average-looking building.
The streets were walkable, I doubt you would even have to look down to ensure you dont get stuck in a glass-filled ditch or wet hole whilst walking.
The commoners' district was a breath of fresh air when coming from the torn-down slums. And the brutal truth is that the only reason Im allowed here is that Lexita is with me.
We passed some bungalows that were crafted from softwood and had sturdy roofing. Three human faces were noticeable from the window, a mother, father, and daughter i thought. It made me feel a bit melancholic. Before Lexita said something else.
-" earlier you said that you weren't part of the Temple yet."
She locked eyes with me.
-"Does that mean you might be part of it soon…"
I think I might have let my face give it away because instead of waiting for an answer, she smiled and turned forward. Skipping off and humming.
Where's that girl gone?
Crowds were passing me on the streets now, elven peasants gave me the usual treatment, but the human peasants seemed kinder; they would even look me in the eyes as we passed. Something else that became clear to me was the very large guard presence.
They had the king's crest on their shoulder guards and wore heavy chainmail, an iron-tipped spear, and a large shield in each hand.
The temple is going to be my home now, Ive made up my mind
Im going to keep Lexita, and despite the hatred of a certain few.
In this place, I can thrive.
They're all soft, I can tell.
Because if High Priest Corvos was as smart as he thought he was, he would've killed me earlier.
Lexita came back holding small pieces of pound cake in each hand.
They looked divine.
Oh, Lexita, how I'm glad that I met you.
Putting my teeth through the pound cake, the smell made me hunger even more. I ravaged in a few seconds, leaving Lexita shocked, and me very satisfied.
-" You know initiates get paid two silvers a week. If you wanted to, you could buy twenty of these after you're bloodied."
I nodded at her and laughed off the comment about being bloodied.
Im quite concerned, actually.
What does that even encompass?
I'm not sure if it's just a Temple thing to mention without explaining. But im kind of internally hoping im not going to have to do something sexual or eat another dead fox because being bloodied is not a very attractive turn of phrase.
Our destination was finally reached, and we have returned full circle.
We stepped back through the temple doors and made our way back to the Temple's surgery. I was worried something had happened as he wasn't there. When Lexita pulled my arm and guided me to where she said his quarters were.
I was greeted by the sight of an extremely spacious and far wealthier room than the one I woke up to. It had books lining the walls, and a spacious training area with practice weapons lined on the black fur rug.
There were large lit candles leading up to a small study with a velvet chair marked with a central golden thread star.
The room was extremely warm and smelled like melted wax.
-" You have your answer, I presume?"
-" I'll do it."