Chapter 22: Chapter 21

“We can bring her back to normal. A miracle is all we need, right?”

When one thought of miracles, it was usually in the form of the power to perform the impossible or conquer an obstacle that was out of the grasp of mere mortals. No matter the reason, one thing was obvious: miracles were all but impossible for the normal human.

However, what if an artefact, a device that could perform miracles, actually existed? This artefact was called the Star Ark, and its creator was an ancient man, now known as the Great Sage. The man was one of the greatest mages of all time, a being known for his intellect and knowledge.

The Star Ark was an incredibly advanced artefact, but this came at a cost, for should the Star Ark fall into the wrong hands, its power could be misused in a world that was already not without its dangers.

The Central Church sought to keep it hidden because they understood the sheer importance of its power. A single individual could control the entire world with the Star Ark. The Central Church never saw it as a weapon, but only to heal the sick or help those in need.

“A miracle is indeed all we need.” His mother's voice was sad. “You'll ask the Central Church for help, I presume?”

He nodded. “Yes, I will. I have a friend who is a part of the Choir.”

His mother smiled at him. “I think you're right, dear. In times like these, we can only count on the gods for help.”

Rinaldo returned the smile. It seemed like everything would be alright, after all. In the past few days, his life had become more interesting. Not that he was bored, but he had not felt a sense of purpose in anything he did. It had been something he hadn't noticed at first, but he now realised it.

“I'm not sure how long it will take for them to tell me what they can do to help, but I'll find out.”

Dorian wasn't a formal member of the Central Church, but the archbishop deemed him essential enough to consider him an honorary member of the Choir. They were the highest-ranking members of the organisation who handled the gods' orders and the execution of their will.

As part of the Choir, Dorian had a high influence over the organisation. His rank and influence with the organisation and the knowledge of the archbishop granted him authority over other members. He could ask for help from the Central Church for someone who had no connection with the Choir.

“I'm sure they'll find a way to help.” Rinaldo's mother tried to sound more optimistic than she felt.

“I better get going.” He got up and headed for the door. “The sooner I can contact my friend, the sooner we can cure her.”

Rinaldo closed the door behind him. He looked around the empty corridor until he got to the exit. According to Victor, most people who survived the cultists' attack took shelter in the church. Would Dorian be there?

He hurried to the front gate of the grounds, just in time to see the marshal training Olivia and two others in combat. In all his years, he hadn't seen such a sight before. Olivia's movements were as easy as if she were dancing. The others were a little slower but still were pretty good.

The marshal didn't give them any encouragement. He just showed them the proper way to attack. “This is how you fight. A skilled sword fighter uses their head, not just their sword.”

He continued. “The best technique is using your opponent's strength against them. Don't just keep swinging your sword. You could get hurt.”

The three muddled around until they got their techniques down. Olivia was very good at learning the moves quickly, though the other two were having more trouble. After a while, the marshal stepped away to make a quick break.

“You're doing great, Olivia. I can tell you're a talented fighter.”

Olivia looked at Rinaldo. Her eyes had this strange expression to them, like she wanted to hug him but not get close enough to touch him.

“Not as talented as you are. I'm not strong enough to fight the cultists on my own.”

“You're almost there.”

Rinaldo talked with her for a while, until the marshal returned to them. He made them go over the fights a second time. They were good, although Olivia was better. Olivia was now in good shape and could move around pretty fast.

“Do you want to help, Rinaldo? You can learn to fight like me. It's important to keep skills sharp. We need all the help we can get.”

“Sure, Esteemed Marshal.”

“I would appreciate it if you would call me Gilbert.”

Rinaldo nodded in agreement. He followed Gilbert to the makeshift training field, and Olivia was already there. Olivia had already mastered her techniques. She was ready to go, and Gilbert left her alone. He couldn't help but look at her for a moment before they entered the field.

The speed of Olivia's movements amazed Rinaldo. She swung her sword smoothly. Her technique was fast and precise. She looked great. He followed her with a mixture of emotions, admiring her sword skills, strength, and stamina. She was a fine fighter, and he was proud to have her with him.

Gilbert looked at Rinaldo. “What do you know about auras?”

“It's the essence of every living creature.”

“Correct. And do you know what's inside a person's aura?”

“Energy. Good and bad.”

“Right again. If you could see through someone's aura, what would you see? What do you see here?”

Rinaldo looked around the field, trying to get his bearings. He closed his eyes and concentrated. The answer became clearer to him. “I'd see the energy inside of them.”

“That's exactly right. They're all alive. What do you see? What is inside their energy?”

“A lot of different things. Their emotions. They're either too happy or too sad, usually both at the same time. I'd see a lot of anger, fear, and confusion.”

“Good.” Gilbert nodded. “But it's not just the emotions. It's the thoughts. It's the thoughts of a criminal who wants to commit a crime, an alcoholic who can't control his urges, and a child who wants to grow up to be an evil man.”

“And there are people in the world who are good. Not perfect, not innocent, but good. People who fight for what is right and noble.”

Gilbert smiled. “That's exactly right. What would happen if we could look at someone through their aura? Not just who or what they are, but what they are feeling inside their aura. What do you see?”

“I could see why they feel the way they do. I could see their deepest desires, hopes, and fears. I could see them, but I wouldn't. You're the one that has to decide what you do with the information you see.”

“Precisely. Every person is capable of doing great things. They just need a little help, a little understanding.”

Rinaldo was curious. “How do you know so much?”

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“I've learned a great deal over the years.”

He considered Gilbert's words. The marshal was a powerful man, physically and emotionally. He had lived a full life. He'd seen the worst of humanity, but he'd also seen some of the best and lived to tell about it. The only thing he was bad at was parenting.

“Where did you learn all this?”

“The world is a dangerous place, Rinaldo. There are so many people in the world. Some are very good. Others are terrible. It's the same in here as it is out there. I've learned how to help good people.”

Rinaldo felt like his head was spinning. “How?”

“What if I tell you it's possible to use the aura to save the world? How would you react?”

Rinaldo thought for a moment. There was a great deal to learn. Gilbert was right. The world was dangerous. He could help the marshal, but Rinaldo wasn't sure if he could do something drastic like saving the world. It sounded like too much. All he wanted was to live peacefully.

He turned to Gilbert. “I don't know.”

“I'll teach you the basics. Then we'll see what happens.”

Gilbert told him to take a deep breath and concentrate on his own aura. Rinaldo thought about his family and friends and the happiness they had brought him. He thought about fighting for what he believed in, fighting to make a difference in the world. He inhaled and exhaled deeply.

“I think I'm ready.”

“Good. We'll start with manifesting your aura. Take a deep breath and think about something you love. You should think about what you love most in the world. It should be something you will never forget.”

Rinaldo thought about Olivia. He could see her now. She was sitting in the garden, a book in her hands. She turned toward him and looked straight into his eyes.

“I love you, Rinaldo.”

Her face filled his vision. Her voice was so clear, so beautiful. Rinaldo smiled at the image of her smiling. His heart felt so warm. He could feel it glowing in his chest. He felt a warm sensation all over his body and his emotions welling up inside.

Rinaldo felt his emotions rising. He could see them swirling inside of him. Rinaldo felt a fantastic sense of freedom, of power. He closed his eyes, and he didn't want it to end. He didn't want to open his eyes, but the feeling was so strong.

The feeling flowed out of him. He could feel himself changing. His body felt lighter. He saw in his mind's eye his aura. It was a deep blue colour. His aura was glowing, and he could feel it flowing out of him, into the ground. He felt the power in it.

Rinaldo felt a deep connection with his surroundings. He felt every aspect of the world. Everything around him seemed so clear. It was almost as if he could reach out and touch anything. His aura flowed out of him like he had never seen before.

“You have a natural talent for this. Your aura is more powerful than you realise. This is just the beginning of what's possible. You've barely scratched the surface.”

Rinaldo felt excited about his newfound power, but also a little apprehensive. He still didn't understand what it was all about. Gilbert smiled at him.

“You don't need to understand everything, but you will see. It will all make sense to you as you go on. Let's try to manifest your aura in another way.”

Rinaldo looked at him, surprised. He felt an unrivalled sense of calm. The ability to manipulate auras felt right for him.

“How should we do it?”

“We have a lot of things going on around here. Take a deep breath. Imagine everything around you being covered in a protective shield.”

Rinaldo felt calm as he envisioned the scene in his mind. He could see it. “It's starting to manifest.”

“Good. Imagine the aura like a shield around you and everything around you. If anyone were to attack you, the aura would stop them.”

He followed Gilbert's instructions, and tried to imagine a bright white circle around him and everything around him. Rinaldo felt his body tingle with the surge of power that he was wielding. He could feel the energy flowing through him. He knew what he had to do.

“I think I can do this.”

“Now imagine the aura surrounding you is as strong as steel.”

Rinaldo imagined a great steel wall around him, protecting him from attack. He stood firm and felt ready. “I'm not sure how much more I can do.”

“I'm sure you can do more. Let's try it. See what happens.”

He felt himself expanding. His arms reached out in front of him, as if they were a part of his aura. The force of the aura felt like it was flowing down his arms, through his body.

“I have no idea how far this will go. I've never done anything like this before.”

“You have the power to do anything, Rinaldo. Believe in me who believes in you.”

Rinaldo felt a burst of energy flow through him. He looked down at his hands, surprised. The auras were swirling and spinning, making them look like fire. He tried to keep his balance as he stood on his toes.

“Take a deep breath. Let the aura pull the energy out of you and take it into your body.”

As he did this, the auras in his body grew larger and felt solid and weighty. It felt good to have this power, to have control. He concentrated on the surrounding glow. It swirled and danced all around him as though it were alive.

He felt the aura pushing against him, trying to push him aside, and the aura wrapped around him like a protective bubble. Gilbert grinned as he watched him try to control the aura. It looked like Rinaldo was almost in control of it, but then it seemed to move on its own.

“That's enough for today. Take a moment to rest and regain your strength. You're going to be too exhausted to move if you continue.”

They had to part. After thanking the marshal for the training, Rinaldo left the training grounds and went to the church. The building was still standing, and a candle was burning inside. The priest sat inside at the altar, looking down at the stained-glass window.

Rinaldo noticed Celeste sitting quietly in a corner. When he asked her if she knew where Dorian was, she only shrugged and kept staring into space. Rinaldo left her alone. He didn't have a complete picture of what was happening.

“Dorian isn't here. I wonder where he is.”