disappointment and disappeared back down the stairs. All anger left her in that moment. She could handle his anger and even Roger’s victory, but the look of disappointment in Azerick’s eyes was too much. She slumped down with fresh tears washing twin clean streaks through the paint on her face and returned to painting the wall.
***
Brother Thomas released the last of his students for the day. He took a few minutes setting out a few things for services tomorrow before kneeling beneath the big stained glass window for evening prayers.
He thought about his novitiates, particularly his three Chosen. He still could not believe his luck having three Chosen in his church. Especially considering he was barely out of seminary himself. He should have sent at least the three Chosen to seminary in Brightridge long ago, but there had been so much going on with the attack and building the new church.
He sighed as he realized much of that was simply an excuse to keep them with him a while longer. He enjoyed teaching the children, and being amongst the Chosen made him feel a little closer to Solarian. As Thomas knelt and prayed for Solarian’s forgiveness for his selfishness, he felt the warm glow of the sun wash over his back as it streamed through the stylized window set in the lower portion of the steepled roof.
It took only a moment for him to realize this was wrong. Every church of Solarian was built with the golden window facing east to capture the first rays of the morning sun. It was nearly evening and the sun was just setting behind the solid stone wall of his church.
Thomas’s body quivered in fear, excitement, adoration, and a mix of almost every emotion a human being could experience. Unless the church had caught fire, there were only two possible explanations. Either someone was playing a terrible trick on him, or he was being graced with the presence of his god.
“You may look upon me, my faithful servant,” an impossibly powerful and kind voice said to him.
Thomas had to take several deep breaths before he mustered the strength to accept the invitation. When he finally marshaled the courage to look up, he nearly threw himself onto the floor in prostration. Standing before him was the sun itself if it had taken on the form of a man in resplendent plate armor. He could barely make out the form through its blazing glory.
“Be at ease, Thomas,” Solarian said kindly. “We have much to discuss.”
The amazed priest could only nod his understanding.
“You have done very well. You have fulfilled the task I set upon you and more. However, there is more I would have of you.”
“Command me, My Lord,” Thomas managed to gasp out.
“I sent you a dream to come to North Haven and to build a church and you did. I sent you three Chosen to care for and teach, and you did. Three children who knew almost nothing of me I set above nearly all other, yet never did you ask why. Never did you question why three homeless children were Chosen and not you.”
“Such things are not for me to question, Your Luminescence. I swore to follow and obey, not to question,” Brother Thomas answered dutifully.
Solarian gave a deep chuckle. “Yet so many have questioned. There is a great darkness spreading over the land. An evil beyond imagining is coming and those that follow the light must be prepared. Now is your time to rise to the occasion.”
“I have felt the foulness in the air and heard of the undead that are rising, My Lord. Command me and I shall do your bidding.”
“The abominations are but the twilight preceding the darkness, my son. A greater evil exists, an evil that has bided its time for over a millennia, and it approaches. It is an evil so great it threatens even the gods. However, now is not the time to discuss such things. For now, we must contend with what is at hand before we deal with what comes tomorrow.”
“I am yours to command, My Lord.”
“I shall lift you above all others for your
***
Brother Thomas released the last of his students for the day. He took a few minutes setting out a few things for services tomorrow before kneeling beneath the big stained glass window for evening prayers.
He thought about his novitiates, particularly his three Chosen. He still could not believe his luck having three Chosen in his church. Especially considering he was barely out of seminary himself. He should have sent at least the three Chosen to seminary in Brightridge long ago, but there had been so much going on with the attack and building the new church.
He sighed as he realized much of that was simply an excuse to keep them with him a while longer. He enjoyed teaching the children, and being amongst the Chosen made him feel a little closer to Solarian. As Thomas knelt and prayed for Solarian’s forgiveness for his selfishness, he felt the warm glow of the sun wash over his back as it streamed through the stylized window set in the lower portion of the steepled roof.
It took only a moment for him to realize this was wrong. Every church of Solarian was built with the golden window facing east to capture the first rays of the morning sun. It was nearly evening and the sun was just setting behind the solid stone wall of his church.
Thomas’s body quivered in fear, excitement, adoration, and a mix of almost every emotion a human being could experience. Unless the church had caught fire, there were only two possible explanations. Either someone was playing a terrible trick on him, or he was being graced with the presence of his god.
“You may look upon me, my faithful servant,” an impossibly powerful and kind voice said to him.
Thomas had to take several deep breaths before he mustered the strength to accept the invitation. When he finally marshaled the courage to look up, he nearly threw himself onto the floor in prostration. Standing before him was the sun itself if it had taken on the form of a man in resplendent plate armor. He could barely make out the form through its blazing glory.
“Be at ease, Thomas,” Solarian said kindly. “We have much to discuss.”
The amazed priest could only nod his understanding.
“You have done very well. You have fulfilled the task I set upon you and more. However, there is more I would have of you.”
“Command me, My Lord,” Thomas managed to gasp out.
“I sent you a dream to come to North Haven and to build a church and you did. I sent you three Chosen to care for and teach, and you did. Three children who knew almost nothing of me I set above nearly all other, yet never did you ask why. Never did you question why three homeless children were Chosen and not you.”
“Such things are not for me to question, Your Luminescence. I swore to follow and obey, not to question,” Brother Thomas answered dutifully.
Solarian gave a deep chuckle. “Yet so many have questioned. There is a great darkness spreading over the land. An evil beyond imagining is coming and those that follow the light must be prepared. Now is your time to rise to the occasion.”
“I have felt the foulness in the air and heard of the undead that are rising, My Lord. Command me and I shall do your bidding.”
“The abominations are but the twilight preceding the darkness, my son. A greater evil exists, an evil that has bided its time for over a millennia, and it approaches. It is an evil so great it threatens even the gods. However, now is not the time to discuss such things. For now, we must contend with what is at hand before we deal with what comes tomorrow.”
“I am yours to command, My Lord.”
“I shall lift you above all others for your
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