First Light, page 9
“So, Rune, tell me,” Ven started with a sly smile, “what ‘cool’ name did you choose to put on your Ranking Card? Should I call you ‘Mortimer the Calamity’ or something?” Ven could not hold her laughter at her own awful joke, which prompted Rune to join in.
After a few minutes of joking back and forth about the awful names he could have put, Rune finally answered the question. “No, I didn’t put anything ridiculous. I just put my nickname on it.”
“Oh? What’s your nickname?”
“Oh! It’s Rune. The name my parents gave me was Arkrune, but I just go by Rune, so I figured I could just put that on my card.”
“Oh, that’s a unique name.”
“Says Venraya.” Rune laughed.
“Okay, you got me, fair point.” Ven laughed. “The name Arkrune, though, is a little unique. What does it mean?”
Rune sat for a moment, pondering something. A handsome smile spread across his lips, like he remembered something fondly. “Arkrune vys Volar. He was known as the hero king of the Island of Volar.”
“Who the fuck is that?” Ven questioned with a genuinely confused expression. She was born and raised between Hilden and Jelmoore, but most of her formative years had been spent in Hilden, so stories about Volari heroes were not as prevalent. Also, she had grown up among the Vanguard, so the heroic stories she had heard blended together. Keeping different stories separate was hard when she was surrounded by the very people who had the potential and desires to create their own legends.
“Well, centuries ago, maybe longer, Arkrune vys Volar led a group of heroes on a quest to save his people. It was said that they made landfall on an ‘island of death’ and cleared it of all monsters in a single night.”
Ven was unimpressed so far with the story. It had the standard makings of most legends, but she allowed the boy to continue.
“After defeating thousands of beasts on the land, in the sky, and in the sea, he and his party brought the remnants of his people to the island for it to serve as their haven from persecution. To honor him, his people took his name, created a kingdom, and placed his descendants on the throne.”
“So then, how did he know the island was the place to go if it was filled with so many deadly monsters?”
“Allegedly, he received a divine revelation saying that he was fated to become a hero to his people and that he would find his true goal on the ‘island of death’.”
“Is that where the whole ‘Path of Volar’ thing comes from?”
“I think? I don’t really know the religious side of it. My dad isn’t really one for the Path, or even the Cruicidian gods, for that matter. Hence why he’s a Wanderer now. He turned his back on their gods and their ways, though he still taught my sister and me the basics.”
They continued to talk for a few hours together and enjoyed a healthy meal of meat, bread, and wine. Ven explained to him how the Rank Cards worked. Rune was impressed that the cards themselves were functional objects and not simply an identification card like merchants often carried. The Volari had created the cards to store information about the holder. Each Vanguard Hall was granted a special machine that could read and write information to it. Though home halls would keep periodic paper copies of said information and send that to a central repository at Castle Nyer, it was also fair to say that losing one’s card could cause someone needing to start over from scratch. Thankfully, the periodic tracking meant just accessing those records, but that took weeks of time.
“So, you’re saying that every quest I take is tracked on those things?” Rune asked, bewildered, while staring at the palm-sized rectangle in her hand.
“You got that right! All thanks to the Volari. Though they gave the technology and process to our organization. Nowadays, the Vanguard simply makes all of them at our research tower, Tri-Spire.”
After turning Rune’s world upside down, they returned to the Hall a little less sober than when they left. West Gate’s food and drink were both cheap and tasty.
“Hey Rune, thanks for dealing with me,” Ven muttered shyly. “I don’t really do well with people. They aren’t my thing; but you might be alright.”
“Well thanks, Venraya.”
“Um.” She shifted uncomfortably for a moment. “Just ‘Ven’ for you.”
“Thanks, Ven,” Rune said with a smile.
“Hey, I leave in a while to go to the academy. Classes start on the 1st of Sumnistus. Do you want to group up for some missions in the meantime?”
Rune agreed happily before he bid Ven goodnight and returned to his room, leaving the girl to her thoughts. She was surprised at Rune’s performance on the job, and while he had a long way to go in proper communication and teamwork, he certainly seemed able to hold his own. There was also the fact he remained kind to her, or at least cordial, despite her bad attitude towards him. He’s certainly interesting, she thought. I have to wonder what that ‘friend’ he keeps mentioning is like, though…
Janice prepared several quest papers for the board, readying them for the next day. Now that she could take on E-Rank jobs, Ven felt excited for the first time in a while. So far, she had mostly stuck to training and operating solo. Now she was no longer stuck.
Lost in thought, Ven turned towards the bar and saw a familiar figure in a ratty, old cloak leaning against the wall. His eyes followed Rune’s steps up the stairs. The figure nodded at her while she returned his gesture. She had not seen him in the Hall for a while, so she also smiled slightly at her only other friend before she also went to her own room to turn in for the night.
Chapter Eight
The God of Change is neither malevolent nor benevolent; he simply is. Many question whether he cares at all for humanity or if he remains indifferent to their desires and plights. However, whether for good or ill, change occurs always and is inevitable for man, regardless of status, wealth, or fame. Those who defy change, defy the order of things, and by extension, defy the gods themselves. Without change, the world stagnates and in stagnation, it will rot.
Excerpt from Words of Divinity of the holy scripture of the Crucidian Church
Lestreus
Lestreus Faradin walked through the halls of the Faradin Knight Academy. Most people referred to it as the “Noble’s Academy” since only those born to nobility and knightly families were allowed entrance, with a few exceptions made for truly spectacular individuals. The institution had been formally named after Lestreus’ kingdom and family.
Lestreus was average in both build and height. He was not the most muscular or toned of his adult siblings or even his fellow students, but the mandatory training provided in his youth had kept him from being small. The young man was more of a scholar than a fighter, unlike his other siblings, choosing instead to learn of the history of his kingdom. As the fourteenth prince, he focused primarily on his studies in order to be of service as a minister to whichever of his siblings actively vying for the throne won the dispute. Should he choose to pursue it instead, a path to work for the Crucidian Church was also open to him given his specific circumstances.
Courtesy of his father, Lestreus was still very striking in his looks because of his scarlet hair. He received many suitors regularly, both for political and vanity purposes. His red hair and blue eyes were an uncommon trait in the kingdom, being a marker of the royal family. Today, like most days, he had a small entourage of students following behind him on his walk from class. Several of the young men and women would eye those who attempted to intrude on the prince’s personal space before they themselves could do so.
Such behavior amused Lestreus greatly, so he allowed it to continue instead of putting a stop to it. The excessive attention helped to soothe his ego as well. Being the fourteenth prince meant most people in the royal court completely ignored him. His father had other children to attend to. His mother was but a simple concubine with other brats to care for. Being a student in the Faradin Knight Academy gave him the notoriety and attention he desired—or rather, deserved.
Even though he had many followers among the students, there was no one he would call a friend. His admirers’ names vanished from his mind the moment they entered. Perhaps it was cruel for him to treat them the way he was treated, but what else did he know? As a prince, even one from an over-saturated line, he was within his rights.
The prince walked through the halls of the Knight’s Academy towards the Divine Temple, the headquarters of the Cruicidian Church. It was linked to the Knight’s Academy through a handful of designated hallways. These halls were used relatively frequently since many of the educators were also members of the church clergy. Only a small selection of students were permitted to traverse the halls connecting the school to the temple, with Lestreus being one of them. As he turned down one of these restricted passages, his gaggle of admirers quickly dispersed.
He continued down the long hallways, passing dozens of paintings of former and current priests on one side and excerpts of scripture from the Words of Divinity, the holy book of the church. Lestreus was receiving additional education from the upper echelons of the clergy at the benevolence of Archpriest Henner, the current head of the church. This was in addition to his studies at the Faradin Knight Academy.
Just as Lestreus was about to turn a corner into one of the many altar rooms, he bumped into a very tall man in gray robes. Lestreus contained himself from having an outburst, as he did not want to leave a bad impression on any member of the church.
“Ah, pardon me, young man. Prince Lestreus, if I remember correctly?” an almost disembodied voice stated. The prince could not see the person’s face since an oversized hood covered it in its entirety. Only the man’s mouth could be seen from the shadows. The gray robes appeared to flow well past the man’s feet, making Lestreus wonder how the man could walk without tripping. Despite how much of the robe dragged on the ground, there did not seem to be any dirt or debris gathered on it. They were pristine.
“Apologies, your lordship.” Lestreus bowed. “I was not paying attention to my surroundings before rounding the corner.”
The man chuckled. It was low in pitch, much lower than his voice, and very quiet. Yet somehow, the prince seemed to hear it echo through the hallway, coming from multiple different directions into his ears. It was unnerving and caused Lestreus to subconsciously shudder.
“Do not apologize, young prince. Much like man cannot predict the future before it happens, neither can a man see past a corner before they round it. I am unoffended by these events,” the man stated, a small smile appearing on his face. There was a moment of pause between the two before the man continued. “Pardon my impudence in questioning a member of the royal family, but please tell me, Prince Lestreus, as a learned youth, what do you think this kingdom needs? What future would you like to see for it? Many people wonder what the future holds. Surely, you do the same?”
The prince thought for a second. No one had asked him that before. There was no realistic claim to the throne, his only avenue for influence being a potential appointment by his siblings as a minister or advisor. His opinions on the laws and direction of the country were unimportant at best. All he knew was what he witnessed of his father and his family’s histories. “It is the royal family’s duty to shepherd the kingdom. Not to rule with an iron fist, but to guide it gently. Allow the people the freedom to govern their own and intervene only in times of strife and need.” He parroted his family’s ancient creed.
“Mmm,” the man said as his head nodded slowly. “A textbook answer to be sure and one shared without confidence. Is that truly what you believe, or do you simply quote the words of men long dead? I shall ask you this question once more in the future. Perhaps then you will have an answer of your own rather than words from a dusty tome. Think on it, young prince, until then.”
The priest walked past Lestreus with his robes simply dragging behind. Again, the prince wondered how the priest could move around without tripping over himself. After the man disappeared around the corner, Lestreus continued along his path towards the altar room. He opened the double doors to a large room filled with ornate wooden pews. Each had scenes from the Crucidian histories carved into their sides. A fine red velvet carpet lead from the door to a large, golden lectern. On the lectern sat a massive book, opened about three-quarters of the way through. In front of the lectern and turning the pages slowly while occasionally turning to a side table and writing something down was a short and chubby man who was bald on both his face and head.
Instead of the warm candlelight by which the halls and rest of the room were lit, the priest at the altar was washed with a sterile glow from a strange metallic implement. Veins of a copper-colored metal were inlaid into an iron cylinder with a white crystal at its head. It was from the crystal that the cold light emanated. Is that some sort of Volari invention?
“Lord Henner,” Lestreus said while giving a deep bow.
The chubby archpriest huffed, and without looking up from his work, said simply, “Prince Lestreus. To what do I owe the pleasure of the fourteenth prince’s visit?”
Lestreus winced at the additional weight that Lord Henner verbally placed on his place in succession. The prince had been granted permission by this very gentleman to enter the Divine Temple as he wished and agreed to provide additional education by other clergy members, but it was just politics. Henner simply wished to please the royal family by saying yes to a simple request. The trade-off was simple and worth it. He could let other priests handle an insignificant royal while he received respect for granting such a boon to the royal family by providing special care and attention to Lestreus’ education.
“I simply came to receive instruction today on the words of the gods, as I usually do this time of day.”
“Well, as you can see, your instructor is not here today, and I am rather busy making notations of my own from scripture. So, young prince, if you can find your way back to the Knight’s Academy, that would be for the best.”
Lestreus nodded. The archpriest clearly did not have a high opinion of him and his tone was far from warm. It was unnecessary for him to provide any form of pleasantries with the prince, aside from at least acknowledging him. As the Archpriest of the Crucidian Church, he was automatically part of the king’s cabinet of ministers and every church on the continent followed his commands as if they were from the very gods themselves. Due to his position, one could say that the amount of power that Archpriest Henner commanded in the Faradin Kingdom was second only to the king himself. His only limitation was the fact he was not of the nobility.
Lestreus turned to leave the altar room as commanded by the archpriest. Just as he was opening the doors, he paused. This caused Archpriest Henner to look up and raise an eyebrow. He had to ask about what it was the gray-robed priest had said.
“Lord Henner.”
“What is it?”
“Is there anything that the kingdom could do differently? Something we haven’t done before? I met a priest in gray robes who asked me for my opinion. He seemed displeased with my answer.”
“Is that so?” Archpriest Henner had fully abandoned his note taking and placed his quill to the side. The rotund man walked slowly towards the prince. Every step echoed off the high ceilings.
“And just what was your answer?”
“To follow in the footsteps of my father and his fathers. Passively guide the kingdom. Not rule it with an iron fist.”
“I see.” Henner responded. “A valid answer, I suppose. May I ask you a question in return?”
“Yes, your lordship. Of course,” Lestreus answered.
“Are you perhaps aware of the rising tensions in the kingdom? Between the factions of nobility. Are you also aware of our tenuous relationship with the followers of the so-called ‘Path’?”
“I am.”
“Many kings before your father have… guided… the kingdom along. Though some others might say they simply watched. Sure, it is a wonderful thought, to allow people to govern themselves as they see fit, but look where it has brought us.” Henner spread his arms wide. “Two sides of one kingdom at each other’s throats and heathens forsaking the words of the gods… Would you not say it is time for something new? Something different?”
“But Lord Henner! The Faradin Kingdom has been strong for centuries thanks to the efforts of my forefathers. Why would I do anything different from what they have?”
“So, you say, but is the kingdom really strong?”
Lestreus winced at the implication. “I don’t know. Not that I will ever become king. I suppose it was fruitless to even ask these questions. It is not as if I could do anything to change the direction of our nation.”
The priest stopped walking towards the prince and appraised him a little closer. Lestreus felt an odd pressure as he was scrutinized by the man. Archpriest Henner had never once looked at Lestreus as anything more than a stray cat he was forced to care for. That was, at least, until Lestreus had asked these questions.
“Why couldn’t you become king? Do you believe you lack influence? Knowledge? Power?”
“Your lordship?” he asked.
“Tell me, Prince Lestreus,” Henner commanded with a smile, teasing the corner of his lips. He leaned in towards Lestreus before continuing, “You said you were aware of our kingdom’s struggles. So, I must ask. What do you really know about the differences between this nation’s two halves? About Volar.”
Lestreus paused for a moment, surprised at the sudden turn of the conversation. He knew things had been tense lately, though he had avoided looking too deeply at the why and only focused on the fact it existed. Before now, he thought it beneath his notice since he would have no impact on such issues were he to involve himself.
“In truth, I know very little of the intricacies of such things beyond common rumor and discourse,” he finally admitted with a sigh.
Henner nodded, coming ever closer. “Truth be told, what is occurring now has been building for decades. If not for centuries. The southerners lacking the ability to care for themselves; something my church has graciously offered assistance with. Instead, they rely upon the Vanguard. Squandering money away on brutes and barbarians loyal to none but themselves and coin.
