Sharp

“We believe you have the skills to pass the adventure society tests, Theo,” Professor Perfiti said. “Would you like to take the test?”

I nodded, “I would.” I was a bit surprised, as I was not at the top of any of the leadership boards. In fact, I was not at the top of anything at all. “If I may ask, what skills were you looking for?”

“We are looking for the same things the Adventure Society is. You need a good level of competence in your skills and a good level of judgement about when to use those skills. It is the last part that is the most difficult for students.”

I nodded, “What is involved in the tests?”

“The first is an interview where your essences are recorded and confirmed not to be on the restricted list. There will be an Adventure Society official, a Magic Society Official, as they keep the records, and a priest of the Goddess of Knowledge, so nothing slips through by mistake. They are only recording essences, not individual skills. If you choose to share those, then that is up to you. Once that is done, there is a week-long exercise where a group of candidates will go with an Adventure Society official to clear Contracts, and you will demonstrate your competence and judgment. For this, you are normally portalled to an outlying region, and the next exercise is at the start of the semester break in two weeks.”

“I would like to become a member.”

“Very well. Report to the Adventure Society at 4 pm tomorrow for your interview.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

I entered the Adventure Society building early and was directed to a waiting room with other candidates. There were five waiting, and I went over to sit next to Val.

“You too, huh?” she said.

I nodded. I looked around, but there was only one other student from the Academy, a second-year student whom I had not met.

“Not many other students are here,” I observed.

“Most go back to their hometowns and families to register, and this is encouraged.”

I nodded again. The place where you become a member of the society keeps a duplicate of your badge, which notifies them if you are killed. I can see families wanting them to register close by so they can check on them.

The door opened, and an administrator came out escorting the previous candidate. Josh Caliburn nodded to Val, and then his eyes narrowed when he saw me. He didn’t stop but continued on out the exit.

“Is he going to be a problem?” I asked Val.

“Shouldn’t be,” she said.

I guess we will see.

“Valery Kristos,” and Val went with the administrator.

The various people before him cycled through. It looked like he was the last interview scheduled for the day.

“Theodore Narelli.”

He was led into a meeting room, where three people sat behind a table. There was no seat on his side.

“Theodore Narelli?” the human in the centre asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“I am Orderic Drogon, Assistant Director of the Adventure Society. To my right is Simon Buch, Senior Administrator of the Magic Society and to my left is Priestess Tsarra Zumnala from the Church of Knowledge.”

Both Orderic and Simon were human, but Tsarra was an elf. I couldn’t detect any of their auras.

“We are here to ask you a few questions and record your essences. Do you understand that lying is a sin against the Goddess of Knowledge?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And yet it still surprises me how many people try it,” Orderic said, and the priestess gave a small sad smile.

“The first and most important question is, Why do you want to join the Adventure Society?”

“To protect those who cannot protect themselves,” I replied.

“That is good enough for me. Let's do the essences, and other questions can come afterwards.” He nodded to the priestess.

She picked up a small object and looked at it. Her eyes widened slightly, which was not lost on the other two, who sat up.

“His essences are Sharpen, Hunt, Plant, and Reaper.”

“Reaper?” The Magic Society official looked excited. “I have never heard of the essence of the Reaper. As in the great astral being The Reaper?”

The question was directed at me. I shrugged, “No idea. I don’t know anything about that.”

“You must come with me to the magic society, and we will get to the bottom of this,” The magic society official was getting more excited.

“Simon!” the Priestess said sharply. “Theo is to be left alone.”

“Your goddess says this?” he asked.

“You cannot already detect the touch of the divine in his aura?” She responded.

Simon looked at me and asked, “Which God has blessed you?”

“The Goddess of Death.”

“Yes, yes, that makes sense. Would you come to the Magic Society, Theo? This opens a whole new area in the knowledge of the Great Astral Beings.”

“I am studying at the Remore Academy,” I said hesitantly.

“Simon!” The priestess said very firmly, and then she annunciated every word forcefully. “Theo is to be left alone. If you do not do that, you will have two Goddesses angry at you.”

“Your goddess is backing him as well?” Simon asked.

“No,” she paused, “Actually, yes. That would make three goddesses in Theo’s corner.” She looked directly at him, “Do you really want to continue down that path?”

He looked like he really did, but he backed off.

“Do you have anything to say, Theo?” The Adventure Society guy asked.

“No, sir.”

“Then we are done here. Report here for the field assessment on the first day of the week in two weeks, and we look forward to your growth.”

“Thank you, sir,” and I was shown out.

I was not sure what to think about all that. I know the Goddess of Death was supporting me, so I assume I have found favour with the Goddess of the Lost and Outcast. I had never interacted with the Goddess of Knowledge. Mum used to attend the church when we went to Ironwood, but it didn’t seem to have any effect.

Why did I need the backing of three goddesses? Especially against the Magic Society? I don’t understand. Everyone is interested in the essence of the Reaper. I pulled out my list of skills and looked at the Reaper Skills.

Reaper [Power] Level 3

Reapers Aura Level 6

Iron Rank: Increases allies' Spirit attribute in aura range, Increasing perception and judgment. Helps keep a calm mind.

Devourer Rat Summons (Kai) {feast stone} Level 6

Iron Rank: Summon four devourer rats. Chew and claw through any material of the same rank or less given time. Absorbed in summoners' claws and teeth, strengthening them. And enabling them to boost them up a level. Can breed to replenish numbers over a week.

Rend {Claw Stone} Special Attack Level 3

Iron Rank: Use claws to rip open things. Claws reach beyond the physical to rend the incorporeal.

Reaping Magic {Reaping Stone} Level 5

Iron Rank: Collect the magic from recently killed monsters to form relevant natural objects. Magic will dissipate quickly. The amount collected depends on the Level and Spirit Attribute.

Reaping Power {Preparation Stone} Level 4

Iron Rank: Damage caused by using weapons created or enhanced by a Skill creates the Blessing of the Reaper - Boon, Stacking up to a limit defined by Spirit attribute.

Blessing of the Reaper -

Iron Rank: Syphons a small amount of health from the one damaged to create instances of the blessing. Bestow the blessings on a skill to increase its power, proportional to the instances used.

I did not understand at all. It had better not have anything to do with a stupid prophecy. I put everything aside for now. I had to pass an Intro to Magic Exam, which would be hard enough. Then, I had a lot of prep to do for the field test. Braiding Cutting Web into netting was a laborious and never-ending task. Fortunately, repairing the netting was easier.

I stopped by the Temple of Death on the way back. I found a vacant, hedged-off private area and spent some time meditating. The Goddess helped me before I had the essence of the Reaper. Her divine stone created a skill in my Plant Essence, not my Reaper Essence. She could have given it to me if she wanted me to have a particular essence. She is a Goddess.

I went through the Traquil Axe Meditation.

I could ask her. I haven’t tried talking to her before. I think it is called prayer. The priests hear from their god. The Priestess of Knowledge heard from her goddess during the meeting I was just at. The gods appear in public occasionally, and they talk to people who are not their priests, but very rarely.

“Why did I get the Reaper Essence?” I whispered to the goddess.

“I don’t know, child. It was a surprise to me as well, and not much surprises me.” The voice was quiet and gentle. I turned, and a tall, thin elf with pale skin stood there in a black full-length sleeveless dress.

I went down to one knee, as I knew this was the goddess.

“Come, rise, child. Let's sit and talk.” The goddess helped me to my feet, and we sat on bench seats that I was sure were not there previously.

“Why did you give me the awakening stone?”

“Because you needed to find peace. I must say I am very pleased with the uses you are putting the skill to. You are being generous, where many would be selfish.”

I remembered the reaction I got to the awakening stone at my enrollment. “Why did Professor Haoran and Healer Remore react when I told them the name of the stone you gave me?”

“I could have given you anything, even ordinary awakening stones and essences, but when you told them it was a Divine stone, it told them you were special to me.”

“I was told only priests and priestesses are given Divine stones and essences.”

“That is mostly true, although there is nothing to stop a goddess from giving a gift because they want to,” the goddess responded.

“Should I become your priest?”

“Child, you are my priest. You became my priest through your actions in logging village #3. You acted on my behalf and in my name. That is the work of a priest.”

“The token says I am your guest.”

“That can be changed at any time. You were not ready for more. You needed time to find your own peace.”

“Should I give up the academy and work in the temple?”

“No, child. You should carry on as you are. You are not the only roving priest I have. You carry on as you desire. Many need peace and never make it to a temple. You have brought peace to many this year and helped many who needed it. I couldn’t ask for a better priest.”

I was puzzled, “Who…”

“There are many examples of who. You gathered up the two who had no team, took them through the astral space, and raised them to great heights. You sent me the souls of two who oppressed many. They found the ultimate peace and others a lesser measure. You bring peace to those around you, and you ask for nothing in return. I could not ask for a better priest.”

I was silent. I didn’t know what to say. Eventually, I said, “It feels like I should do more if I am your priest.”

“I do not want more. I do not want you to change. Theo, you will never be the type of priest who serves in a temple. You will be the type of priest who goes where the need is the greatest. To do that, you need to be stronger.”

“Is this related to that prophecy?”

The goddess laughed. “You are quick. I like that about you. The answer is both yes and no. Their prophecy relates to the disaster that is coming to their kingdom, but the same disaster is coming to the whole world. You could choose to go and help them or choose not to. Their people worship the Moon Goddess, and she has passed a warning to them as she is able. Many gods are preparing their people, though details are few, and it is years away. I am preparing my people,” she said, looking at me.

“So I need to get stronger,” I said.

“I could not ask for a better priest,” she said, and suddenly, I was alone again.

I sat for quite a while thinking. This was quite the event. The more I thought, the more things settled in my mind. This is the right path for me.

I suddenly realised I never asked why it took the threat of three goddesses to make the Magic Society guy back off. Nevermind. They backed off, and they can stay away. I have the path I want to walk.

It was twilight when I came out of the small hedge alcove and came face to face with every priest and worker in the temple.

The gold-ranked High Priest stepped forward. “The goddess spoke to you?”

I nodded, and many made the sign of the blessing.

“What she said,” he continued, “was for you; you don’t need to share it. I still remember the first time she spoke to me. It was life-changing. You seem to be taking it better than I did, and I was Silver rank at the time. Blessings to you, Theo.” He made the sign of the blessing, touched my shoulder, and then left.

The others in the crowd also made the sign and gave me their blessing as they dispersed. Those who knew me came up and said a few words to me. It was like I had joined a large family. A new large family. They were bringing me peace.

Then, there were only two left. Denice and Omari, the gardener. These were the two I spent the most time with.

“Come with us, lad,” Omari said, “After that, you will need a stiff drink or three.”

I nodded, and we headed for the gate. As we went, I got out the token that was given to me. As I watched, it changed. It used to say The Goddess of Death: Guest.

Now it said The Goddess of Death: Roaming Cleric. The back used to be empty, but now it had a likeness of my face etched in and my name, Theodore Narelli.