Valkyrie's Shadow

Chapter 5

Familiar magic washed over the group as the Priestess replied with her invocation, and Marcus felt himself calm down tremendously upon receiving the Blessing. Perhaps some dark corner of his mind still harboured doubts over their circumstances, but the divine touch of The Six washed them away. As one, the Paladins rose and stood at attention.

“It lifts my heart to see that our brethren from the south have sent such outstanding representatives to our aid,” she said in welcoming tones. “Though it is so close to your own home, you must have many questions about this foreign land.”

“Thank you for your kind greeting, Priestess,” Lorenzo replied. “We indeed have many questions about this land, and about the reasons we have come.”

The Priestess folded her hands over her lap with a nod of her head. Marcus noted that it was lined in black: this Priestess was an adherent of Surshana.

“His Excellency, Bishop Austine of E-Rantel, has shared with me the knowledge and circumstances of this mission prior to your arrival,” she said. “I believe your superiors should have at least some sense of what is going on here and conveyed that to you as well…but if you have any further questions in this regard, I will be more than happy to answer. I will also be able to apprise you of the state of these lands – in general terms, at least.”

“Then to confirm,” Lorenzo wasted no time, “what purpose will we serve here, exactly?”

The Priestess’ gaze went to the rows in the aisles. The splendour of the interior had initially drawn his attention away from them, but Marcus now noticed that they had been used recently, probably by villagers attending an early morning service. Traces of dirt and dried moisture soiled the polished floor. It was something that should have been taken care of by Acolytes after every gathering, but the Priestess appeared to be the only member of the temple staff present.

“As you may know,” the Priestess replied, “the Sorcerous Kingdom has adopted the laws of Re-Estize, which are secular and not what you are used to following in the Theocracy. As such, your main purpose is to serve as members of the Temple Guard. I see that the vast majority of you are well seasoned and experienced; thus qualified to occupy these stations. Within the bounds of the law, it is essentially the same as if you had assumed this post in the Theocracy. On the temple grounds and its associated properties, maintaining order and security is your purview. Various external requests may also be made that fall under our jurisdiction, which you will also attend to.”

“Of a violent nature, no,” the Priestess answered. “However…this brings me to the other part of your duties here. The need for strength of arms is almost entirely nonexistent, but the need for those who can minister to the people is dire. Simply put, the Faith of The Six is burgeoning amongst the Human population of the Sorcerous Kingdom and we do not have enough hands to tend to even the basic needs of the population. Healing, building communities, spiritual consultation, emotional support – the majority of your work will revolve around assisting with the civilian ministry until more temple staff can be brought in or trained, alongside maintaining orderly proceedings as our congregations grow larger.”

“Some of us have heard about this…shift in growth,” Lorenzo said, “how has this been possible? It is a development beyond our own reckoning.”

“After living here and witnessing what is going on directly,” the Priestess said, “it will be intrinsically understood. The faith of The Four once held sway over these lands, but with the advent of the Sorcerer King, they are in a moral quandary. After forsaking Surshana and Alah Alaf, they made themselves to be the implacable adversaries of the Undead. For generations, this was held as an advantage – especially since we are so close to the Katze Plains – but the Sorcerer King is a being that they cannot hope to prevail against. The lies of their heresy now ring hollow for all to see, and our children long lost return to the true faith. Rather than a disaster beyond reckoning, our Undead sovereign has become a blessing in disguise.”

Marcus nodded to himself. Now that they had a real explanation, it seemed entirely a matter of course. A religion that could not uphold its tenets would lose agency, and thus its influence over the masses. That it was essentially a sect that was once a part of the true faith in the first place made the return of their congregations that much easier. The patient vigil of generations by the steadfast in this land had paved the way for previously unimaginable results.

One thing bothered him, though, and he raised his hand to call attention to himself.

“You have a question, Brother?”

“Yes, Priestess,” he cleared his throat. “What you describe seems like it would be a problem for us, as well. Though we have a different perspective on the Undead and who holds purview over them, I have heard that inhuman beings now make this nation their home. The monsters, the Demihumans, the heretics and heathens – according to our faith, we must protect humanity from these threats. How can we suffer such creatures to stand before us?”

The Priestess smiled lightly: she had probably expected this line of questioning at some point.

“I will be plain about it and say that the way we practice our faith would probably be considered a relic of your past. When the gods came to live among us – when the faith saw its founding – humanity shared some similarities to what we experience in this nation now. We do not enjoy a position of strength here, but the laws support our existence by ensuring that we never become a threat to those at the highest levels of authority. Legally, everyone else has no choice but to keep out of our matters as long as we do not run afoul of the law, and so we also keep out of theirs. As a faith for Humans, we servants of The Six see to the guidance of Humanity.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Marcus could see Alessia biting her lip in consternation. He himself had severe doubts about whether such an outlook was prudent.

The way the faithful here conducted themselves was indeed a throwback to the past: when humanity was on the verge of extinction and had to lay low to survive. The peoples of the Theocracy today were far more zealous when it came to their stance on the future of humanity and what was necessary to ensure it. As their Demihuman neighbours were uniformly belligerent with no provocation, simply conducting a reactive defence was not a luxury the Theocracy could afford in its bid to assert dominion over the region and secure humanity’s hold on it for the long term.

To be at the mercy of an inhuman power: how long would things last before the Faith of The Six would no longer be humoured? What whim or inconvenience would be the trigger for a purge of the powerless masses who viewed this land as a sanctuary? Those who were not Human could not be relied upon to promote Human interests. Even in societies where humanity reigned, strict discipline, order and rule of law were required to guide it along the right path, lest they fall to decadence and wickedness.

The Priestess’ smile remained pristine, even as her gaze crossed over many similar thoughts reflected on the faces of the assembled Paladins.

“It is clear that our policy does not sit well with most of you,” her voice showed no sign of distress or impatience. “It is understandable, considering the position of prominence that our faith holds within the Theocracy. But be warned: Bishop Austine has no tolerance for those who cannot rein in their zeal. There is too much at stake here to carry such short-sighted views.”

A razor-sharp edge entered the previously gentle voice of the Priestess, and her eyes burned with a conviction that gave even the veteran Paladins pause. Marcus exchanged unsure glances with those to either side of him.

“I hope you forgive us for our reaction, Priestess,” Lorenzo said, “but your meaning is lost on us. Would you share with us what you mean by this? What are the stakes? How could you consider views from the seat of the faith short-sighted?”

“Because this attitude is not in line with the well-being of humanity in the Sorcerous Kingdom,” her voice rang loud and clear, echoing off of the walls and tall archways of the temple. “Above all else, the Faith of The Six prioritizes the survival of our race. Hostile attitudes towards others will earn us no advantage or favour here.”

The Priestess swept her arm out, gesturing broadly to the northern wall of the temple.

“In the Sorcerous Kingdom,” she said, “the revival of our religion puts us in the perfect position to reclaim the north. Baharuth has become a client state; Re-Estize continues its slow decay. Beyond, Karnassus and Roble. At the crossroads of the Sorcerous Kingdom, we are in place to reach over twenty-five million lost souls and return them to the fold. If some overzealous fools destroy what has been set into motion here, the eternal hell Surshana will condemn them to for damning so many will be beyond imagining.”

She spoke with a fervour that was both oppressive and infectious at the same time. Even without the passion in her voice, Marcus found it difficult to refute her position. If this vision for the future could be achieved, the great seeding that followed in the wake of the Demon Gods would produce the bountiful harvest that was its original intent. It was a monumental undertaking that carried with it the grand ambition of generations past.

Lorenzo appeared to weigh her words before he finally spoke again.

“This is the true reason we are here, then,” he said. “But if what you say is the case, why did the High Council show such hesitance over what is a matter of utmost importance?”

“From what I know of their response,” the Priestess replied, “they are being cautious for reasons that they will not disclose to us. I was actually hoping that your arrival would shed some light as to what it was…but it appears to not be the case.”

A cold sliver of doubt entered Marcus’s thoughts at her response. The High Council’s repository of knowledge was vast – perhaps there was something that the highest echelon of leadership thought better kept to themselves. With nothing to draw from personally, however, he was at a loss as to how to view the situation at hand. The Priestess’ words were undeniably compelling, yet the reluctance of the High Council to participate in what was of clear benefit to the Faith of The Six cast shadows out of the flames of conviction.

“Perhaps it is just that – caution.” Lorenzo offered, “As to more immediate matters, is there anything we should know about the way to E-Rantel? It is commonly said that the Sorcerous Kingdom is ruled by the Undead and they may be found everywhere, performing heinous acts against the living. Since it does not appear to be the case here, I wonder what else we have heard has merely been fantastical rumour.”

“Undead are actually a common sight in the Sorcerous Kingdom,” the Priestess replied. “The decision to not openly deploy them here was made by the local lord.”

“I see…so there is still very much an aversion to the Undead in the Sorcerous Kingdom?”

“Implementation of Undead labour, administration and security has been adopted at varying rates in the duchy, but Countess Corelyn has had no such qualms in doing so. She is simply well aware of the attitudes of our neighbours to the south, and wise enough to not tempt fools into attacking over the border by dangling targets nearby. Undead labour is not suited to the majority of the industries in this county anyway, so you will not find as many of them working out in her lands as you will elsewhere.”

“You are saying that this noble did this for the benefit of the Slane Theocracy?” Lorenzo was incredulous.

“Do you believe her assessment of the situation is in error?” The Priestess arched an eyebrow.

The answer was clear enough without being spoken. If Undead had appeared on the north side of the river, it was nearly certain that the common soldiery would have let loose the siege weapons on their hastily built emplacements. It was not even something anyone would normally question: if Undead appeared in the Riverlands, it was perfectly normal to destroy them. Whether they could get away with the excuse that they thought they were defending themselves from invaders or Undead from Katze, however, was dubious at best.

“The Countess is an extraordinary leader,” she added, “and a shrewd politician. I would daresay that this region has never seen a more goodly and capable noble in all of its history. She is possessed of incredible acumen, flexibility and discipline. Under her expert management and inspired vision, the people in her care are being led into a brighter future.”

The gushing praise for a noble Marcus had never even heard of before took him aback somewhat. In the Theocracy, the Temples, Legislature and Military were different branches of the High Council. At a local level, they were often competitors for limited resources and general influence over the people. It was unheard of for any single temple to show this sort of deferential attitude to any administrator under the legislative branch. With the dominance of the faith in all matters, it was generally the other way around.

“I see,” Lorenzo, too, seemed a bit put off. “Then what about the next territory? Will we experience something similar to what is here?”

“After crossing Corelyn County, you will have arrived at E-Rantel.”

“What!” Lorenzo’s sharp outburst made the Priestess jump. “Apologies, Priestess. I am no expert in politics, but even I understand that no liege would allow such a vast swathe of the Riverlands to become the demesne of a single noble. The economic and military significance of the region would confer such wealth, influence and power to them that even a King would be envious and see this noble as a threat.”

“Yes,” the Priestess nodded, “you are of course correct in this. Before this county was formed under House Corelyn, there were over a dozen Barons in the Riverlands managing the King’s demesne, so this power could not have existed at that time. The Sorcerous Kingdom, however, is not Re-Estize – their might is such that they do not fear the strength that mortals can render. They have no qualms in placing such an important territory under the management of a single, exceptional administrator.”

“But what of House Corelyn?” The captain asked, “Nobles are nothing, if not ambitious.”

“Yes, that is true,” the Priestess agreed. “But Countess Corelyn’s ambitions are generally benevolent and progressive. She seeks to bring prosperity to her people and improve the conditions of the nation as a whole. She is also a staunch supporter of our faith: most of you will serve in her demesne. Your provision, transportation and entry into the Sorcerous Kingdom are also all due to her sponsorship. In the Sorcerous Kingdom, where strength of arms and magic cannot prevail, the champions of humanity appear in different forms than you are used to. They are the leaders that inspire and uplift the people, that guide them and work to ensure that our kind will always have a home in this place. Priests, Nobles, Guildmasters – even Adventurers. Countess Corelyn is one such champion, and we are very much blessed to have her.”

“This is all a bit too…”

“Perfect?”

“Unbelievable is more my thinking, Priestess.”

“Indeed – one might even call it a miracle,” the Priestess smiled mysteriously. “She is in exactly the right place, at the right time, in the right position with the right capabilities. It is as if the gods themselves have placed her here to carry out their designs. Well, I do not need to explain her existence: you will see for yourselves soon enough.”

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