Chapter 35

Nick stepped out, shivering as the warmth of home faded behind him. His boots crunched on the gravel path as he approached his father, who was inspecting a small stack of training gear by the shed. Eugene looked up with a smile.“Up early,” he said, hefting a shield onto the wall. “Didn’t expect to see you until I got back. You usually wait until the prayers are done.”

Nick ran a hand through his hair. “I wanted to ask if you’d have time tonight. I’d like your opinion on my progress with the Stalking Gait.” He had spent the previous afternoon trying to glean more information about the abilities taught to the local garrison beyond the basic training he had participated in without much success. All that had done was make his father laugh and frustrate him, so he’d give it up for the moment.

Eugene straightened, furrowing his brow briefly before he nodded. “As long as you are not asking after the force’s secrets, I’m happy to help. After supper work for you?”

Nick smiled. “Yeah, thanks.”

Eugene clapped him on the shoulder. “Good. Now, go on. Don’t let me keep you from your lessons.”

Nick rolled his eyes playfully before heading down the road. As had become common, Floria was very busy. Only a few days were left until the caravans came, and it seemed like everyone was ready to sell everything they had in stock to free up their inventories. Nick was personally very interested in seeing whether Alluria’s merchants would have any more magical tomes.

What he had was enough for the moment, but his curiosity couldn’t be easily satisfied. Having a whole world of magic to explore was spoiling him.

Old Nick would have sold a limb to get his hands on Ingrid’s journal. And here he was, waiting for even better arcane knowledge to be delivered to his front door. Sometimes, it struck him how different his two lives were.

When the temple’s spires came into view, he quickened his pace, spotting Elia waiting by the entrance.

“Nick!” she called, bounding toward him with her usual energy. Her hair caught the sunlight as she reached him, and her face lit up with a wide grin. “You’re almost late! Again.”

Nick huffed a laugh. “It’s not late if I’m here before the lesson starts. It’s not my fault the prayer is not mandatory.”

“I’m sure the Vicar will appreciate your excuse,” Elia replied with a dramatic eye roll. “Come on, everyone’s already in class.”

Incense smoke lingered faintly inside from the service, mingling with the sharper tang of cleaning supplies. Nick raised an eyebrow at the acolytes scurrying around with laundry and buckets of soapy water.

“Looks like they’re preparing for something,” he said as an acolyte nearly bumped into him with an armful of folded linens.

Elia hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe for the pre-planting rituals? Vicar Alexander is very meticulous about cleaning for those.”

“Maybe,” Nick replied, although something about the hurried movements of the acolytes felt different. Unfortunately, his curiosity had to be shelved as the familiar chime of the temple’s bell signaled the start of the lesson.

Vicar Alexander stood at the front of the lecture hall, as always immaculate despite the apparent chaos outside. His sharp gaze swept over the assembled students as they took their seats, silencing the low hum of conversation. He imperiously lifted an eyebrow at Nick’s entrance but said nothing as they settled into their usual spots near the back.

He began without preamble. “Some of you may have noticed increased activity within the temple grounds. This is because we are preparing to host a delegation from the central temple of Sashara in Alluria.”

The room erupted into murmurs of excitement and curiosity. Elia leaned closer. “That’s weird,” she whispered. “I don’t remember city priests coming this far. Dad said they are very stuck up.”

Alexander raised a hand, and the room quieted once more. “The delegation will arrive with the merchant caravan and is expected to stay with us for two weeks. During their visit, we will continue our duties as normal. However, I expect all of you to show the utmost respect and diligence. This is an opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced clergy in the region.”

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Nick shifted uncomfortably. While the others buzzed with anticipation, he felt only unease. Alluria’s temple was by far the most important in the region, and the idea of being scrutinized by its representatives filled him with dread, as he knew from his snooping that the bishop had expressed a specific interest in him. He doubted that the visiting clergy’s main goal was to spy on a kid, no matter how peculiar his magical abilities might be, but he wasn’t naive enough to think he wouldn’t be under scrutiny.

“Of course, they’d arrive with the caravan,” Nick muttered, mostly to himself.

“What’s that?” Elia asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Nick hesitated, glancing at her. Elia was one of the few kids he could tolerate. She wasn’t particularly mature, and indeed, she might enjoy playing around more than most of their other classmates, but she had wormed her way into his heart. “You know I don’t get along with the priests.”

It was even the truth, though certainly not the whole of it.

Elia didn’t reply immediately, her gaze distant. When she spoke again, her voice was quieter. “We’ll be fine. They can’t do anything here without reason.”

Nick nodded, thinking she might know something. It made sense that her family would warn her, considering how the bishop had spoken of beastmen.

He was quite certain they could come up with a reason to bother them if they felt it was warranted. Still, he forced himself to focus on the lesson, taking notes as Alexander detailed the expected protocols for interacting with the delegation. The vicar’s calm, precise manner made everything sound routine, but Nick knew there was more to the visit than they were being told.

“Now, please pay attention while I explain what that will mean for you and your lessons. There are a few surprises you might enjoy!”

Nick let go of his worries for the moment and leaned forward in his seat, pen poised over the parchment. Normally, a lecture on temple etiquette would be the perfect opportunity to let his mind wander, but today was different. He needed to know more, and this was his best chance to understand their intentions.

“The delegation is primarily composed of priests and acolytes. They will assist us in performing the proper rituals for the changing seasons. These include blessings for the crops, ceremonies of thanks, and purifications to prepare the ground for the upcoming planting. Sashara is the goddess of fire and rebirth; as such, she holds sway over agriculture and has used her divine might to provide for all of humanity,” Alexander continued.

Nick’s noted everything down. He wasn’t particularly religious, but understanding the mechanics of the Sashara’s rituals might offer some insight into the magic behind them—magic he was certain held more layers than the clergy let on.

So far, nothing was out of the ordinary. Even back on Earth, every culture had its own rituals meant to aid crops' growth and well-being. Some were more explicitly magical than others, but they all touched on the same concepts. It’d be fascinating to see how they were conducted here, as Nick hadn’t been interested in the matter before. He had wanted to become a Knight, after all.

“However, this does not mean any of you can act as usual. The delegation includes a Prelate, a high-ranking member of the clergy, second only to the bishop. Prelate Marthas is an experienced paladin as well as a spiritual leader. His presence here is a rare honor, and I expect everyone to be on their best behavior during his stay,” Alexander said, taking on a firmer edge.

The vicar’s gaze swept over the room, and when his eyes locked onto Nick, they lingered. The moment stretched uncomfortably, and Nick felt heat rise to his cheeks. He grimaced, giving a small nod of understanding. The silent warning was clear: no trouble.

Satisfied, the vicar continued. “One of the key rituals to be performed during their stay is the Ash Purification. This ceremony is vital to ensuring that the Green Ocean’s influence does not hinder the growth of our new fields. As you might know from your families’ gardens, when left unprotected, the land here tends to allow the growth of invasive species.”

A few students stifled yawns, clearly uninterested in the specifics. Nick, however, leaned in closer, his curiosity piqued. The vicar didn’t often discuss the Green Ocean in such explicit terms, only referring to it as a dangerous place that had to be approached with great care. The implication that its influence needed pushing back matched what he had heard in his conversation with Bishop Umlaut. Nick was surprised Alexander was being so explicit, but no one else seemed to care.

“The ritual involves using ashes from Sashara’s Heart.” Here, Alexander briefly touched his forehead with his left hand’s palm. “They are scattered across the fields while invoking the goddess’s blessings, purifying the soil, and protecting it from corruption.”

Nick scribbled furiously. While he wasn’t providing details, Alexander had given him a valuable hint. He knew Sashara’s domain only extended as far as the temple’s grounds, so how could her clergy keep the forest’s influence away from the fields with a simple ritual? There was no mention of sacrifice, and while he could hypothetically see the Prelate powering such a work of magic by himself—assuming he was as powerful as Nick expected—there had been no one of that level in previous years.

Nick’s suspicion explained his experience in the forest. Everything would make sense if the rituals were meant to extend a God’s domain and had little to do with the purification process.

Nick abruptly stopped. He was once again falling for the mistake of finding an explanation that fit the problem and deciding it was correct. While it was possible that a ritual had been conducted within the Green Ocean, even by the very dryad he had encountered on his first foray, to expand its god’s domain and thus make it an even more hostile environment—and perhaps to prepare for the dungeon’s emergence—he knew better than to drink his own Kool-Aid. While he’d been lucky that his experimental ritual had only led to beneficial side effects, it could have just as easily gone wrong.

Just as the lecture was winding down, a boy sitting near the back of the room raised his hand. Nick recognized him as one of the local adventurers’ sons, Jasper.

“Vicar Alexander, does this visit have anything to do with the Ocean getting more dangerous? I heard a treasure in the depths is causing the monsters to go crazy,” the boy loudly interrupted.

The room fell silent. Alexander hesitated, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually composed face. He cleared his throat, obviously weighing his response. “It is true that the forest has been more active of late. I also heard rumors of a treasure being discovered, but I don’t know of anything alarming about it.”

That evidently wasn’t enough to sate the class’ curiosity, but Alexander wasn’t finished. “The Prelate’s presence is, in part, to address any potential threats that may arise. Prelate Marthas is a powerful paladin, known for having slain a Hanzo Salamander by himself. Should there be any danger, he will be more than capable of handling it.”

Elia nudged him. “Did you know about the treasure? We should look for it too!”

Despite himself, Nick felt a smile grow at that. No matter the scare they got, Elia never seemed to stay down for long.

“Maybe,” he replied, keeping his voice low. “Or maybe the treasure is just a cover for something bigger.”

Before Elia could respond, Alexander clapped his hands, signaling the end of the lecture. Nick winked at the foxgirl and rushed ahead, disappearing in the throngs of students.