Chrysalis

[Ahem. I apologise for my outburst, I will control myself.]

[You'd better,] Enid snaps, rubbing at her temple. [We're all linked together with this bridge, Anthony isn't the only one getting a headache from your shouting.]

[I am ashamed.]

[Geez, just take it easy, alright?]

I'm massaging my own temples with my antennae. Dealing with this guy is always such a pain.

[You're the best person to provide information on something like this, so try to hold it together so we can ask some questions.]

The priest remains on the floor, his face pressed into the ground.

[So… are you getting up?]

[I believe it will be easier to control myself if I remain in this position, unable to lay eyes on your magnificence.]

Enid rolls her eyes and even Alis looks a little uncomfortable at his antics. I'm not wrong, right? This guy is way too weird, right?!

[Fine. Let's just get on with this. These two have a Templar Class, of some sort. Is there anything similar in your knowledge of the System?]

[There isn't,] Beyn replies, and I can feel the tension in his thoughts as he rigorously tries not to burst out with some nonsense. [In my opinion, for such a Class to come about, direct contact… with a… divine… entity… excuse me.]

Before my many-lensed eyes, he turns his head to one side, shoves his fist in his mouth, and screams at the top of his lungs, eyes bulging from his head. This goes on for far too long, before he shifts back to face-in-floor mode and resumes speaking.

[Direct contact with the divine, Great One. Although there have been Priests and the like all over Pangera ever since the System descent, Classes related to specific beliefs and individuals either don't exist, or are kept secret.]

Hmmm. My money is on the latter. I'm sure there's plenty of Classes that are tailored to specific individuals or circumstances. For example, why is the ruler of Atreum called the 'Child-Emperor'? Never the 'middle-aged' Emperor, or 'Sundowning Emperor'. Either they have an elixir of youth, or there is a more specific reason.

Perhaps that is the Class title?

[So what you're saying is that the emergence of the Colony and our mixing with people has brought about changes in the System? We knew that already.]

Ant Cavalry, ant priests, ant all sorts of stuff. Weird Classes have been popping up everywhere.

[Those changes are directly related to the Colony,] Beyn agrees. [However, other changes are more directly related… to… your…]

He takes a deep, steadying breath.

[Your nature,] he squeezes out, mind vibrating with suppressed energy.

[I'm just a monster. A very big, super awesome monster,] I tell him flatly. [Who has a cool, shiny carapace,] I add.

[Of course,] he agrees, way too quickly.

[You don't believe me, do you?] I ask him shrewdly.

[Of course not,] he replies.

Dammit!

[So, you don't actually know how this new Class works at all, do you?]

[I'm afraid I don't, Great One. If I have displeased you, allow me to cut off my arm in repentance.]

[You've only got one arm left, man! Treasure it a bit more!]

[I will!]

I'm exhausted. It's at this point Enid chips in.

[Beyn, isn't it the case that the Church of the Path maintains a large presence here in the Silver City?]

He nods into the floor.

[Yes. There is also a cathedral in the Golden City, but only the highest ranking members of the Church may go there.]

[Putting that cathedral aside for a moment, would it be possible for you to investigate their library? There may be something you can learn from the books squirrelled away in there.]

Good idea, Enid! Get this guy the heck away from me!

[In the meantime, we can turn our two young Templar over to Isaac for training. I'm sure he can help make something of them.]

Isaac pauses in his moustache twirling for a brief moment.

[Isn't one of them a mage? How would I help with that?]

[You know mages, Isaac,] Enid tells him patiently, [human mages who are used to fighting with the Colony. Don't you think that's what Alis needs?]

[Sounds like everyone has something they can be doing, then!] I announce happily.

[Not me,] Enid points out.

[Go nap. Now everyone has something they need to be doing! Everyone out! I'm going to take a snooze myself.]

[If I may, Great One,] Beyn speaks up. [Enid has brought up a good point, and I will gladly do this research. However, there is another thing that I wish to bring to your attention.]

He got through that whole speech without spasming in some weird way. In fact, I can feel his mind is unusually steady.

[Go ahead, Beyn. I'm listening.]

[SUCH JOY—]

[Stop! Breathe! Again! Now… continue.]

He masters himself with difficulty.

[The Church of the Path is strong here. Very strong. They preach, as I once foolishly did, that supremacy over this world can be achieved through the System, and the destruction of monsters. They are vociferously against cooperation with monsters, even to the point of advocating for the eradication of the Sophos for many years.]

[So… you're saying they aren't going to be fans of the Colony?]

[They will do everything in their power to destroy you,] he says with unusual seriousness. [To them, the Colony is a resource that must be exploited as a matter of faith. I want to encourage all members of your family to be on their guard while inside the Silver City.]

[You think they would attack us?]

[I fear they would do much worse.]

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