Unmotivated Deity

The most usual way for the unsealing rite to occur is that much like with Jien's’, a beam of light would descend from the heavens and with its might, melt the mana crystal provided. This would allow for the crystal to be consumed and easily drawn to the correct locations by the priest or Archon presiding over the ritual. After one’s mana pathways from the lungs to the soul core were unlocked and the soul core gives a spark of mana to start then the rite would end. In most cases after this, another beam of light or other phenomena would make contact with the one who had just performed their rite. Through that phenomenon, they would communicate, sometimes with images, other times in words hidden in many voices or sounds. Often this communication was just a welcome of sorts, and the opportunity to learn that gods’ most basic spell if you could comprehend how they shared this information. Yet, for Jien even as he stood silently in the temple for several minutes there was no phenomena, no second beam of light, no voices in the wind, no quaking of the ground, nothing.

After a few more moments of waiting Jien looked to the Archon for any explanation he may have for the lack of communication with the ‘God of Tomes’. Lord Losler was of course also curious to hear any explanation the lich may have for what was happening, or in this case not happening. The looks from the two visitors made the skeletal archon chuckle lightly and scratch the back of his skull with his boney fingers. “I have not heard even a whisper from the ‘God of Tomes’ in what has probably been centuries.” the rich spoke lightly. “In all honesty, the two of us are probably the only ones that hold his faith and in doing so keep his image and knowledge from passing out of the history books.” The Archon looked up at the cracked statue, glad that it at least was still standing unlike some of the others in this section.

Lord Losler was a bit taken aback by these words. If there was no communication with the deity in so long, then how was the faith of this god still standing? He began to worry that he had allowed his son to walk into a dead end. If his son had chosen to have the rite done without choosing to follow a god, it would have still been better than this. At the very least, in that case, they would have provided him with some basic spells to practice. Half the allure of actually choosing a god to follow were the secret spells the god would pass on to their followers as they rose in power. Sometimes the spells may even be customized for the caster. This was, of course, not an unclimbable wall for those who chose not to follow a God, but simply a way to speed the process towards glory. “If there has been no communication with the ‘God of Tomes’ for so long what is there to be done in regard to the spells and knowledge that would have been given?” Lord Losler asked in a vain hope that he would be able to help his son from meeting a blockade so early in life.

“Ah, that?” The lich responded casually. “It may not be from our god, but I can pass down the first two spells he would have given if he communicated.” The rich stepped forward and put his pointer finger to Jiens’ forehead. Before either father or son could react, a light blue light appeared at the point of contact. As soon as the light formed Jien's’ eyes glossed over as if he was daydreaming. Jien felt a flow of something, something he didn’t understand, something warm yet cold that seemed to be wrapping around his mind. After a few moments, the archon withdrew his hand and the light evaporated. Jien's’ eyes became clear once again.

“There, that should be two spells that would be the beginner course for the ‘God of Tomes’. The first is a simple spell that will illuminate the page of a book you are reading for easier nighttime reading and the second is called ‘Inner Library’, well it will probably be a while before you are able to really figure that one out but when you do it will come in handy, I am sure.” The lich turned to Lord Losler specifically at this time. “Is there anything further you need from our humble temple?” To this Lord Losler simply shook his head. “No, I believe that is all.” He spoke calmly. “Let’s go Jien, we still need to have an evening meal before we leave for home.”

Wordlessly Jien bowed slightly to the undead Archon before he and his father left. Once they were gone the Lich sighed, looking up at the statue once more before using several larger spells to help bring the temple at least slightly back to where it once was. The vines died off, the pillars recollecting themselves and cementing back into place, though cracks still ran through them. After this was done the lich sat down by the statue once more, the dark eyes fading from his skull as he began to once more hibernate in hopes of preserving his sanity as he had been since the ‘God of Tomes’ stopped communicating.

Jien and Lord Losler were long gone by the time this occurred. They had started the long trek back to the restaurant and then after a short meal, to their carriage. The meal had been eaten in silence. Lord Losler was not sure what to make of the events and Jien was spending his time thinking about the feeling that had intruded on his mind earlier. Apparently in that feeling were the instructions for the two spells but he did not have an understanding of how to begin grasping them, let alone how to cast them.

After the meal, the pair made their way back to the carriage and began their trek back home as the sunlight was beginning to fade over the horizon. As the carriage moved calmly in the fading evening light Jien found himself lulled into sleep by the gentle movement and the even gentler light. As his mind faded into darkness a flash of something entered his mind and vanished as quickly as it came. Soon after other flashes started showing like dreams. They were vivid as if he was living and breathing the experience, but they faded in and out of his view, at least, until the last one.

The fading light of a setting sun behind a large city full of gorgeous spires, the scent of long grass in a massive field, a dark figure whose shape now appeared more defined, more human, but was nothing more than a shadow. The feeling of the hilt of a blade in his hand, the twisting feeling of rage burning wildly in his gut, and then in a split second a feeling of white-hot pain tearing through his every fiber as he watched the large figure walk away casually.

Jien awoke from his dream, but he did not awake in a carriage. He awoke in a dark void. No light sources were visible, there was no visible features to the space until a figure appeared in front of him from seemingly nowhere at all. Its outline was fuzzy, almost ethereal in in nature but human in shape. "You have made it here at last" spoke a voice so low that it was nothing but a whisper, yet spread through the space as if it was a part of its very fabric. The voice was so discordant that one couldn't tell if it was human or some beast snarling. Jien simply observed the figure, trying his hardest to make out its features, but the more he looked, the fuzzier its features became. "It appears that we will have a long while before we can chat properly, you are yet too weak." The entity whispered these last words as its figure seemed to vanish like morning fog vanishing on a warm and sunny morning, vanishing into the darkness.

As soon as the figure vanished the darkness around Jien was cast away and his eyes fluttered open. The sky outside was dark, with the stars lighting its ethereal tapestry like tiny jewels and the silver light of the moon cast through the carriage window. As they were making their way up the roads of Afrem City towards the Losler Manor Jien knew a few things. The dreams must not be dreams at all, and the ghostly entity that spoke to him must know the truth. It had called him weak, but at this point he felt stronger than he ever had. He wondered how he could become strong enough to find the answers he was seeking, what kind of strength did he need?

Soon the carriage arrived at the Losler's manor. After Jien dismounted from the carriage he did not wait for his father, heading inside and to his room. He had much to think about and many new goals that he would need to reach for. For now, he had laid in his bed, reading more of Grafler's Theorem under the moonlight, soon to sleep once more.