Chapter 49: 3-12 S1: A Studious Student

Sana, Eleven Years Old, Late Eleventh Month of 947

I finished my prayers and stood up. I had been praying for the safety of my friend, Stahlia. Ever since I had heard that a goblin horde was threatening our village, I had been uneasy. The cardinal rejected my request to accompany the knights back to the village, citing that my previous outing had already cost me far too much time from my studies.

So all I could do was pray, pray to the gods that they would protect my friend and my home. Unfortunately, I received no response, but that was to be expected. I was a Faith Caster, not an Oracle. I could speak to the gods, but not hear their voices. Still, I could take solace in the fact that, unlike the prayers of a normal person, I could be assured that my prayers were at least being heard.

I stood and went to attend the cardinal’s private lessons. This was a special course for up-and-coming apprentice priestesses. I had at first been apprehensive about attending; Stahlia had warned me about how high-ranking members of the church may attempt to do untoward things, and she was often right, such that I considered her words to be worth listening to. However I had been taking these classes for several months now, and nothing had happened.

There were only three other students when I arrived. These were my fellow apprentice priestesses, though I couldn’t say that they were friends of mine. We were… coworkers at best. Sable and Misha were fellow faith casters, and as such I tended to get along with them, but Eudico was an Oracle. Since she could actually hear the words of the gods, she often received special treatment. It’s not that I don’t like her, that would be blasphemous… I just wish she wasn’t so stuck up about everything…

Indeed, as I entered the room, Eudico turned up her nose at me; I was a bit late due to my prayers. I bowed my head, “My apologies for making everyone wait on me.”

Eudico rolled her eyes, while Sable and Misha merely nodded their acknowledgment. The cardinal didn’t say anything particular, and simply indicated I should take my seat. I did so, and the cardinal began the lesson.

“The four of you, are the best four apprentice priestesses in your year. I, after much discussion with my fellow cardinals, have decided to induct you into the Bishop Program.” He spoke calmly and steadily, his voice filling the room and reverberating pleasantly off of the walls.

His words gave me a start, causing me to draw a sharp breath. The Bishop Program was the church’s version of the Special Student program that Stahlia was enrolled in. Its graduates would, if they were men, be granted their own church or temple without having to first complete a pilgrimage. For us women, we would be all but guaranteed a post at the central temple. There were limited postings in the central temple, and as such there were limited slots for women in the bishop program; to be invited was the greatest honor for an orphan like me.

Eudico was incensed though, “The Bishop Program? I mean, it makes sense for me, and I guess for Sable and Misha. But Sana? She’s an orphan! Not to mention that for the past month she has been late to your classes, honorable cardinal.”

I could only hang my head in shame; Eudico was right, the Bishop Program was a great honor for someone like myself. Perhaps it was too great, but if the gods had led me to this opportunity, I would be remiss to not leap at it. However, all I could do now was hang my head and accept her words.

The cardinal placed his hand on her head, a gesture that caused her to stop speaking.

“Enough, Eudico. Sana is as deserving of the position as anyone else; simply look at how far she has come from her misfortunate beginnings.” As always, his voice had a calming effect, and Eudico stopped her aggressive tirade against me.

“Now, if the four of you will take the position of prayer, I will lead you in your oath with the gods as our witness.”

We four turned and faced a painting of the twelve gods, with one space near the end left open, serving to represent the thirteenth god. In the sky above the twelve sat the sun and moon, while below them lay nine demonic figures. This painting or a variation of it could be found all over the central temple, and it was customary to say a brief prayer as one passed by it. Though I do not understand why the nine hell kings are represented… I feel like I’m praying to them as well as the twelve.

Together, the four of us knelt facing the painting, and the cardinal began to speak, leading us in the prayer of induction. It was one we had all memorized, as it was used when one was to rise to a higher station. But it was always to be led by a higher-ranked member of the church, whose purpose it was to oversee the induction of the new members.

“We humble servants present ourselves to the twelve gods and goddesses.” The cardinal’s voice had taken on a peculiar cadence as he recited the opening lines.

“““We humble servants present ourselves to the twelve gods and goddess.”””

“To the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness.”

“““To the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness.”””

“Hear our prayers, and accept our unwavering loyalty to your teachings.”

“““Hear our prayers, and accept our unwavering loyalty to your teachings.”””

“As we advance in your teachings and walk in your footsteps, guide us to our higher purpose.”

“““As we advance in your teachings and walk in your footsteps, guide us to our higher purpose.”””

“Grant us the strength to stand against those who would betray their purpose. Praise be the gods!.”

“““Grant us the strength to stand against those who would betray their purpose. Praise be the gods!”””

Following the conclusion of our prayer, an attendant priest appeared bearing a bowl of water. This was water that had received a blessing from the pope and was anointed on the heads of those who had just completed the rite of induction. Dipping his hand into the blessed water, the cardinal sprinkled a few drops on each of our heads, starting with Eudico and moving down the line until he finally anointed me.

I felt a strong feeling of satisfaction welling up, which I promptly squashed, reminding myself that I should take no pride in what had happened here; it was not through my own actions, but rather through the grace of the gods in granting me this purpose. After anointment, the ritual was concluded. The attendant priest presented each of us with a holy sigil, the mark of our new station as members of the Bishop Program.

Eudico received a talisman of the sun, indicating that she spoke on behalf of the gods and in the name of the goddess of light. Sable, Misha, and I each received a carving of the moon, indicating that we were chosen to wield the power of the gods and to hold their ear. Attached to each sigil was a small loop of Mythril thread, using this, the Cardinal fastened the sigils onto our priestess’ robes. Again, starting with Eudico, and working his way down the line to me.

I accepted mine dutifully, crossing my arms in front of my chest and bowing my head in what was the church’s equivalent of a salute. The cardinal bade the four of us to retake our seats, and I took mine. Going up to the podium, the cardinal began to speak, “Now that the four of you have been inducted into the Bishop Program, I would share with you the secrets known only to those who walk hand in hand with the church and its purpose. Before doing so, however, I would bid you swear an oath of secrecy before the gods. Teachings such as these cannot be known except by those chosen by the gods to fulfill a higher purpose.”

I swallowed, Stahlia had proven herself once again in my eyes; she had insinuated on numerous occasions that the church held secrets to itself. Now, I was about to learn some of them. It was a shame I couldn’t share them with my friend, but to do so would betray my purpose. I waited my turn and then recited the oath in the presence of the gods.

“I Sana, am but a humble servant of the gods, and the church. With the twelve gods and goddesses, and the Goddess of Light and God of Darkness to bear witness, I solemnly swear.” It was a generic oath, but as it was sworn in the presence of the gods it was magically binding. Doubly so for a faith caster such as I. I felt some of my strength leave me as a minor miracle was cast; I would now be compelled to keep the secrets I was about to learn.

Once I had finished, the cardinal began to tell us the truth.

“At your dedications, you were told the story of how our world was formed. How the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness were born and found their purpose.” He surveyed the four of us, and being satisfied with our expressions of remembrance, he continued.

“That was but one truth. What was not told to you, was the existence of the third sibling. There are many accounts of this third sibling throughout history. Periodically, individuals will appear claiming to have seen them. In some accounts, the third is male. In others, female. Only one thing is consistent across history; those who are visited by this sibling always sow the seeds of chaos.”

I was listening with rapt attention; as a fervent follower of the church, I was always keen to learn even a tiny bit more about the gods. Learning that the Goddess of Light and God of Darkness had a sibling was probably the biggest thing I had ever learned. Sable and Misha were likewise listening intently. Like me, the two of them were probably wondering what the domain of this god was; to call forth a miracle, one first had to know which god to pray to.

Praying to the wrong god would, at best, accomplish nothing. At worst, the god may be angered by your lack of tact and actively work to harm you. Eudico looked curious, but not to the same extent; since she was an Oracle, she would only interact with this god if they designed to reach out to her first. The cardinal took in all of our reactions and then continued.

“Make no mistake, this is an Evil God. You should not call out to them, lest you bring misfortune upon yourselves and this kingdom. They are capricious and act as a child would, seeking only their own amusement. It was they who led the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness to bestow fragments of their Divine Wisdom and Divine Might onto the Nine who would eventually rebel against their purpose.”

“The Goddess of Light embodies wisdom and order. The God of Darkness embodies strength and the drive to improve. Their sibling the God of Chaos embodies the same; they would gladly plunge this world into war for their own amusement if not for their siblings holding them at bay.”

A shiver ran down my spine, and I vowed to never pray to this god, even if I should ever learn their name. From their reactions, I could see that Sable and Misha seemed to share my feelings. Eudico was, of course, nonplussed. The cardinal nodded solemnly, seeing that we had understood the gravity of his words. He continued the story.

“Now, the God of Chaos is not completely evil, while they certainly are an Evil God, their selfish actions have resulted in some good; in their quest for entertainment, they introduced the idea of bestowing certain individuals with a purpose to their siblings. It is thanks to this that now have the purposes bestowed on children through divine power. Are you all following along?”

I nodded, along with Misha and Eudico. Sable, on the other hand, appeared to have something she wanted to say. The cardinal acknowledged her, and Sable asked a question, “Honorable Cardinal, you said that the Goddess of light held Divine Wisdom and that the God of Darkness held Divine Might. Does the God of Chaos hold a Divine Power of their own?”

The cardinal frowned, giving Sable a hard look, “Sable, why do you ask such a question?”

Before his harsh stare, Sable shrank back in her seat, “I-I simply wanted to k-know… to know m-more about the gods…” Her voice trailed off meekly.

After a long moment, the cardinal nodded, “An admirable desire. Forgive me for my harsh reaction; undo curiosity is oft a sign of weak character. Those who ask after hidden knowledge are wont to betray their purpose. Rare is the individual whose desire for knowledge is truly their purpose.”

He cleared his throat, “However, your question is an apt one, and I shall answer it. Each of the three siblings holds a fragment of the Creator God within themselves, for they were born of their flesh. The Goddess of Light inherited the wisdom of the Creator God; her power is the Divine Wisdom. The God of Darkness inherited the strength of the Creator God; his power is the Divine Strength. The God of Chaos… The God of Chaos inherited the voice of their father; their power is the Divine Authority.”

The Cardinal continued talking for some time after that. He told us many things, terrible things about demons, and things about the gods that gave us hope. By the end of his lesson, I felt that I had truly grown as a servant of the gods. I went with my three sisters from the church to the dining hall. Meals in the temple for apprentices such as ourselves were typically plain.

Typically plain; following a great achievement, we would be given much nicer food in celebration. As we had just completed the induction ritual, into the Bishop Program no less, we could look forward to today’s meal. My mouth was already watering at the thought of how delicious it would be. I frowned. That was dangerous. I was beginning to lust after the meal tonight… perhaps I should refrain from eating so as to pay penance…

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I was internally torn over what I should do, but I continued to move mechanically through the food line. Before I knew it, the decision was made for me, and I found myself with a plate of celebratory food. Ah… my slothfulness led me astray… I grimaced and took my seat, internally chiding myself for my sins. However, it was also a sin to not eat food when it was given; doing so would be to deny the cook of their purpose. So, I resolved myself to eat, and pray fervently to the twelve for forgiveness later.

I sat down at the table alongside Sable and Misha. Eudico, despite being in our year and now being in the Bishop Program with us, rarely ate at our table; she would often eat with the cardinal or another higher-ranking member of the church. Occasionally, I would struggle with feelings of envy for her position; there were many things I wanted to ask the ranking members of the church, but I rarely had the opportunity to do so. If I could sup with them as Eudico did, then perhaps I would be able to learn even more.

Normally as we ate, the three of us would discuss the lessons we had that day. But today, we ate in silence. What we had learned was not something we could discuss so idly in a common space. A few of the priests and bishops that passed us by noted our silence uncomfortable, and upon seeing our new talismans they would nod knowingly. I was correct though, the food was delicious. I pushed away from the thought of wanting more; to glut after food was a sin.

Following dinner, we retired to our rooms for the night; Sable and Misha shared a room with each other, while I shared a room with another apprentice priestess. Gabi’s purpose was that of a scribe; she could have enrolled in the Royal Academy if her grades were good enough, and attempted to learn magic. But her village was small, somewhere between Ang and Ris. Like Ris, they had only a single church. It was Gabi’s belief that her purpose was to eventually help the priest there.

Before being inducted to the Bishop Program, I had been of a similar mind, thinking that I would return to Ris one day, but that door had closed as I recited the prayer of induction. Gabi immediately noticed my talisman and offered her congratulations. Dutifully, I bid her thank the gods on my behalf. Smiling, she bowed her head and crossed her arms; I was now above her in the hierarchy of the church so she took my statement as the words of a superior and responded as we had been taught.

Together we said our nightly prayers, Gabi offering additional thanks to the gods on my behalf. I said my own prayers, thanking the gods and begging their forgiveness for the various transgressions I had committed over the day. Once I had finished my repentance, the two of us retired to bed. I awoke in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to face the new day.

I rose, dressed, and offered my morning prayers. I noted that Gabi had overslept again, and gently woke her; this was an ongoing problem of hers. As usual, I softly chided her and told her she should pray for protection and forgiveness regarding her slothfulness. I was a bit surprised when she apologized and crossed her arms over her chest; it took me a few moments to remember that I had been promoted the day before.

“The gods are merciful, if we work to better ourselves and overcome our faults they will forgive.” I hurriedly quoted a small piece of scripture to reassure Gabi and to cover for my lapse of memory. I’ll have to remember to pray for forgiveness for failing to properly guide those who look up to me so soon after attaining a new station…

After washing my face and purifying myself, I made my way to the cardinal’s office as per his instructions the previous day; following the conclusion of yesterday’s lessons, he had bid the four of us head to his office space for our next lessons. I met Sable and Misha on the way, and we continued towards the office. Strangely, we did not meet Eudico. I worried that she may be sick, however, my fears proved unfounded, as she was waiting for us already in the cardinal’s office.

The three of us apologized for being late, and Eudico turned her nose up as she usually did. One should think that rising in station as we all have, she would strive to address her pride… No, I shouldn’t be judgmental. It is not my purpose to pass judgment; that is for the cardinals, the pope, and the gods above them. I went and took my seat after Eudico, Sable, and Misha had taken theirs; for whatever reason, the cardinal insisted that the four of us always follow this order when in his presence.

Of course, always being first does wonders for Eudico’s personality… No, stop it, Sana. That isn’t your purpose. The cardinal surveyed the four of us seated around the room. His office was smaller than the classroom we had been using up until now and lacked desks. In place of those, we had taken seats on the sofas that surrounded a tea table. It was far more opulent than we were used to, and I shifted about uncomfortably as I sank into the plush cushioning.

Sable and Misha seemed to be having similar problems as I, fidgeting about and trying to find a position they could be comfortable in. Finally, they settled down, hunched forward with their legs bent back to hold themselves forward on the seat. Eudico didn’t have any trouble, as always… I wish I had her acumen… No. Envy is a sin. I sighed to myself and resolved to pray another prayer of repentance.

The cardinal began speaking to us once we had all situated ourselves, “Today, we will be addressing the legends surrounding the founding of the kingdom, and the role the church plays in the thousand years wars.” I sat up straight; an unfortunate action, as my shifted weight caused me to sink even deeper into the opulent cushion. I couldn’t help it though, given what had happened to Stahlia in Ang, the thousand years wars were a subject I was greatly interested in.

The cardinal chuckled at my reaction; since he had been the one to approve my accompaniment of Stahlia, he was aware of why I would be so interested in the thousand years wars, or as they were more commonly referred to, the Demon Wars. I bashfully straightened myself out, adjusting my position to one more appropriate for listening to a lecture.

The cardinal began, “The Thousand Years Wars occur, as the names imply, every thousand years ago. A number of the Hell Kings will advent to this realm from their prison in the Nine Circles of Hell, and proceed to attempt to overthrow the chosen races. This much is common knowledge. As you four may have guessed, there is more to this story that the church keeps from the people in order to fulfill our second most important calling; the preservation of order.”

The cardinal bade us swear another oath before the gods, and we did so. Following our oath of secrecy, the cardinal resumed his speech, “What is not commonly known, is how hopeless this war is for the chosen races. Sana, you have experienced it firsthand. The strength of demons.”

The three girls, Eudico included all turned to stare at me. I glanced around nervously, anxious at being the center of attention, “N-no… not firsthand… It was Lady Stahlia that fought the demon, n-not me.”

Unfortunately, it would seem that my confirmation that I had indeed been near a demon, was enough to draw the interest of the three even further. I grimaced, I disliked being the focus of people’s attention, that spot should be the rightful place of the gods.

The cardinal, thankfully, waved off the three girls and continued his speech, “Well, the fact is, that demons gain strength the longer they live. The oldest demons may as well be gods as far as we are concerned. Few members of the chosen races could hope to stand against them.”

At this statement, particularly the part about the strongest demons being “like gods”, Sable gave a start and looked at the cardinal incredulously, “Honorable cardinal, forgive me my rudeness, but is that not heretical to say?”

The cardinal nodded at Sable, “You are correct, comparing a demon to one of the twelve is blasphemy, it is through that blasphemous statement that I hope to drive home the gravity of the threat. Although, such demons are a rarity; demon culture is a violent affair, and the strongest ones oft have little interest in the affairs of the mortal world, preferring instead to fight amongst themselves for more power. It is only following the order of a hell king that they would move against us. No, the true despair comes from those self-same kings. They were the first to inherit the power of the God and Goddess. It would not be inaccurate to think of them as the first gods of this world.”

I swallowed. What he is saying makes sense when you consider the Goddess of Light and God of Darkness descending to grant the betrayers the strength to fight off the beasts and the monsters… cut off my thoughts, as the cardinal was beginning to speak again, “Indeed, the power of the Nine can be said to match that of the twelve. It is fortunate then, that only a small number of them ever attack at once. If all nine were to move, it would be a great calamity for the chosen.”

A thought occurred to me, about something I had heard Stahlia saying, about how the demon she had fought was trying to bring forth one of the Nine. And she failed to stop it, not that I can fault her for that… but that would mean that the next Thousand Years War is going to start soon… I had been under the impression that it would occur in the year 1000, as most people were. But by putting things together, I could no longer be so sure. I resolved myself to ask the cardinal once our lessons had finished, and refocused myself on him as he continued.

“…It is fortunate, therefore, that the gods have seen fit to select four champions and gift them with a fragment of power, as well as their divine protection. The Champion of Spring, who can accelerate the growth of purpose for their allies. The Champion of Summer, who burns brightly and exceeds the limits of mortals. The Champion of Autumn, who can recover from any injury with rest, even death. As Mortis resides within the Autumn Faction, he would prevent the passing of their champion and hold safe their soul as the power granted heals their body.”

“And the Champion of Winter. Often thought of as the cursed child, the unlucky one. They are given the gift of a stone heart, the ability to do what must be done, to forgo their humanity in pursuit of victory. Together these four stand against the Nine, using their gifts in tandem to overcome the kings of hell.” The cardinal stopped speaking in order to wet his throat.

It looks like I missed part of the explanation while I was lost in my thoughts… I’ll have to apologize later, and say another prayer of repentance. As the cardinal set down the jug of water, I turned my attention back to him so as not to miss another word. He opened his mouth to speak, then left it hanging open. His eyes seemed to be bugging out of his head. I turned my gaze to follow his and saw Eudico.

Eudico had stood up, and her eyes had rolled back into her head. As we watched, they began to emit an azure-silver light. The color of winter… Oh, twelve gods! Is Eudico receiving an oracle!? Behind me, I heard the cardinal mutter a word that made my spine tingle, “…a descent…?”

I fell to my knees on reflex once I realized what he had said. Besides me, Sable and Misha did the same. I could hear the cardinal also kneel behind us. A descent… My spine tingled at the thought of what I was bearing witness to; a descent was one level below an advent. One of the gods of the winter pantheon presumably, had descended into Eudico and was using her as a vessel. Rather than speaking to her, and having Eudico relay the words, the god had opted to speak through her. It was the greatest honor an Oracle could hope for, to bear the presence of a god.

{I am Antenora.} Her voice trembled the air as it radiated out.

The cardinal gulped as the goddess identified herself. From the power contained in that voice, there was no question; this truly was one of the twelve who had come to relay a message. The cardinal attempted to ask the question that was on everyone’s minds. He failed twice, but on the third try managed it.

“Oh, most holy goddess, what have you come to tell…” He trailed off, as Eudico shot him an icy glare.

{You, know your place. My words are not for you to hear. Leave us.} The cardinal flapped his mouth several times, but eventually turned and left the room with a quick, polite, religious salute. Sable and Misha remained with me, though none of us were willing to look at Eudico; the aura of cold radiating from her seemed to cause the air to tremble. So this is what the gods are like… I felt myself quiver with excitement.

Eudico then turned her gaze to me. Realizing her eyes were fixed on me, I was assailed by intense pressure. Once again her voice entered my ears, {You, the friend of my champion. Hear my words and spread them. A thirteenth god was born briefly last night, it falls on me to inform the church. Additionally, The Second Seat, Queen of Lust Asmodea has Advented. They now walk the mortal world once more.}

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Eudico fell to the ground. Her eyes were burned out, and there was some smoke coming off of her body, but she was breathing. She had fulfilled the ultimate duty of an Oracle, and she would never see nor hear the gods again. The church would care for her of course, but I found the sight of her body crumpled strangely saddening. I should be happy for her though…

I said a prayer over her, managing to call down a miracle to ease her pain; no matter how skilled I was, I wouldn’t be able to restore her eyes. Not even a cardinal or the pope could do that, the gods simply would not heal that which one of them had destroyed. My prayer finished, I instructed Sable and Misha to look after Eudico. Dashing from the room, I went straight to the cardinal who was pacing about anxiously. I had been given a mission by the goddess Antenora herself, and what a mission it was!

Sliding to a halt, the cardinal had to arrest me before I crashed into him. Breathlessly, I told him about the prophecy, “A new god, and one of the Nine has returned? You are certain that was the oracle?” He was bound would express doubt, such an oracle was practically unprecedented, and they always ushered in times of great change for the church as we slowly worked out the new god’s personality and aspects. But it’s irksome that he would imply I had failed to remember something so important… Something important?

“Friend of my champion” she said, as a way of addressing me… I could only think of one person she could have meant. I remembered when the light of winter had descended on Stahlia at our dedication. My other memories from my third year had faded, but that one remained strong in my mind. Stahlia, she’s the cursed child? The unlucky one? I remembered what had happened in Ang, how she had acted after returning from the battle. How she had been different.

What was it the cardinal said? The ability to forget their humanity… That’s all well and good, I’m sure knowing who the Champion of Winter is so early will be helpful. But that isn’t even the biggest news! A thirteenth god! This will change the church’s doctrine! I wonder what they reign over?

Sable and Misha came out of the room supporting Eudico between them, Sable was looking at me incredulously. She’s smart, she probably noticed what Antenora said as well, I have to tell the cardinal, even if it’s just a guess. The cardinal turned to leave, saying he had to call for a conclave of the church’s leadership. As he was turning to go, I called out to him, “Honorable cardinal, wait!”

He turned, “Yes, is there something else Sana? I must attend to matters on this most auspicious day.”

I opened my mouth to tell him about Stahlia being Champion of Winter, but the words caught in my throat. It was as if some force was holding me back, preventing me from speaking. I mean, it would be more interesting if I didn’t tell him…

I shook my head, “No, I apologize honorable cardinal; it’s nothing.” He nodded.

“I see, then, do excuse me. The three of you should take Lady Eudico to the resplendence hall, the caretakers will look after her from now on.”

Sable, Misha, bowed their heads and I crossed my arms to bow, “““Of course, honorable cardinal.”””

What was I thinking about a moment ago? Right, Stahlia should be coming back in a few weeks. I can’t wait to hear how the village is doing! I turned to Sable and Misha, both of whom looked a bit confused, “Well, you heard the honorable cardinal! Let’s get Eudico to the resplendence hall!”

 

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