Open Chronicles Blessings of Light

[The Construct]

The Construct's continued to put up the shelter, but noted the priest's smile, then his hesitation. He watched as Leon processed the danger of the journey. Then he offered to change his clothes, and responded that he needed to do this.

For some reason that comforted the Construct. It didn't understand why, but perhaps the priest was more useful when healed. Either way, the priest's presence would certainly change the dynamic of the trip.

"Tel-Madu is outside the Empire's reach. We could travel there, gather supplies, and then come back and toward the Forbidden City." The Construct suggested. "I am light of coin, but I have had success bartering with herbs and meats we may gather on the way."

There was also another option, which the Construct had discounted. Tel-Madu sat on the gulf of Annuakat. Traveling by sea could cut their travel time by weeks, perhaps even months. The Construct had discounted such possibilities due to the coin required for passage, but perhaps Leon Vargas knew something that he didn't.

 

[Leon Vargas]

He frowned for a brief moment, thinking of what he knew regarding Tel Madu. "There is a chance..."

A small one, but a chance nonetheless.

"That Tel Madu has a Chantry." Leon did not know all the workings of the Radiant Church, but missionaries to foreign lands were common. Many major cities had Chantries dedicated to the Bright Lord. There was a chance Tel Madu had one. "If there is, I will be able to get us some coin."

Though only what they needed. "If that is the case, we might be able to travel by sea to quicken our journey."

And if they were truly lucky, the Bright Lord might even supply them a Captain loyal to the Church itself.

 

[The Construct]

A Chantry? The Construct tried to recall, but couldn't remember if there was such a thing when it traveled through Tel Madu.

"That would be most generous of you." The Construct replied, not sure how to express his thanks. Sea travel would save valuable time. Being a priest certainly had it's advantages. The Construct was beginning to realize why the clergy were so particular of their titles.

"And the Radiant Church." The Construct added, careful to not forget Leon Vargas's benefactor. Truth be told the Construct had little understanding of churches and religious organizations. Unlike Elbion every member was not a student or teacher, and they didn't seem to rule the same way Vel Anir or the Empire did.

"Forgive me Leon, but . . . what is the Church?"

 

[Leon Vargas]

Leon seemed almost surprised by the question. "The Church is..."

How did one explain a church to something that had no concept of it? Lips thinned for a brief moment, and he thought to himself before answering.

"The Radiant Church is the mortal representation of God, or at least an arm of it." Was that not how it went? "We serve the Bright Lord's will in the luminous path he has set before us."

Leon had never been much for preaching, more believing. "We seek to spread his great word across Cortos, and eventually Arethil."

 

[The Construct]

The Construct pondered the priest's words. Mortal representation of God? The idea puzzled the Construct. If the Bright Lord was immortal, why would he want a mortal representation? What benefit did a deathless being have from the fleshlings?

"That answers questions, but unveils others." The Construct replied to Leon Vargas. "The Bright Lord sets a luminous path for you? Did the Bright Lord intend for you to be captured?" The Construct's question meant no offense, but spoke to his curiosity. It was, in effect, the age old question, Why do bad things happen to good people?

 

[Leon Vargas]

"Yes." The answer was so immediate that it was almost obvious Leon had been thinking about it before the question had even been asked.

There was absolutely no doubt in the Inquisitors mind that God had intended for him to be captured. If it were not so he would never have met the Construct, and if he never met the construct then he wouldn't have an opportunity to find his past.

God willed it, all of it.

"He intended for you and I to meet." Leon explained. "So that I might aid you in your journey and we could both find what we needed."

He continued. "If I was not captured, that would not have been possible."

 

[The Construct]

The priest's answer was immediate. The Construct wondered if this spoke to his forethought at the question, or as a measure of his devoutness. Still, his logic was understandable. If Leon valued the benefit of the Cartographer's Quill more than the suffering of capture, then his capture would serve a net benefit to the priest, and thus the Bright Lord.

More interesting was the alignment of the Construct in the Bright Lord's plan. Was the Bright Lord trying to advance it's interests, or was the Construct merely a part of the Bright Lord's game?

"I suppose it stands to reason that the Bright Lord believed I need your assistance in the journey, or you that need to find the Quill as well. Or both." The Construct followed the logic of Leon Vargas's statements.

"Leon, I know to thank a man one gives encouraging words, helpful coin, or their labor. But if this Bright Lord helps me in my journey, how am I to thank him?"

 

[Leon Vargas]

The question was an interesting one, mostly because Leon felt he'd never quite been able to answer it himself. Prayer was said to be the path, but Leon had never quite felt as though that were enough.

"Prayer, is what most say." He offered quietly. "But..."

An ounce of doubt crept into his voice. "I've always thought there had to be more, that one needed to take an extra step."

Such words would have been called heresy if they came from the lips of a peasant.

"I work in his name. I do as I must for him and in thanks of him." He continued quietly. "Spreading his name, his message, so that others might see his Light. I believe this is the best thanks."

 

[The Construct]

Prayer the Construct did not understand. It seemed to be an ornate way of giving thanks, without the other present. Perhaps there was something else it was missing. Works however, the Construct did understand. A creature's work had value, and the results of their craft could keep others fed, nurtured, and otherwise save them time in their crafts. He had learned the value of this by hunting the therak lizards and drying them into a jerky.

"I see." The Construct replied, as it put up the last corner of the shelter. "In a way, it seems you are a serf to this Bright Lord." It said, comparing Leon Vargas's observation to the nobility. "Perhaps I will be one day too." The Construct mused, pondering the likelihood of them getting travel by sail.

It had no idea what labor it could offer the Bright Lord, but that was a problem for another day.

 

[Leon Vargas]

For some reason that made Leon chuckle.

"Perhaps I am, Construct." He was a servant, that much anyone within the Radiant Church would acknowledge.

Yet he never considered himself a Serf, nor a slave. The decision to follow God had been his, that much he was sure of.

"I would like to think myself more his child." He offered. "I was an orphan, and the Radiant Church raised me. Through their kindness, the kindness of the Bright Lord I am here today."

 

[The Construct]

The priest gave the Construct's argument credit, but also painted a bit more romanticized picture. The Construct saw Leon Vargas's point and agreed, but also wondered. It would not be here today were it not for Elbion College. Did the Construct owe Elbion for it's life? It was an unpleasant thought the Construct soon dismissed.

"We are not so different Leon." The Construct commented, noting their lack of true parents. "Would you like to rest for the night? I have no need of sleep, and can keep watch over the camp."

 

[Leon Vargas]

"Yes." He answered with a nod.

Leon had always been steadfast, he'd always had a singular goal in his head. Serving the Bright Lord had been his lifes work.

Never before had he had time to question his own life, or rather, never had he had the time to go and find answers. Yet here lay more than opportunity. The Bright Lord himself had set him on this path himself. He had decided it was time for Leon to find his past.

Tonight would be the best rest of his life.

Without another word to the Construct, Leon quickly bedded down.

 

[The Construct]

Leon would awake to find the Construct thrusting it's knife into a cactus and siphoning it's water into a skin. It had been a profitable venture for the Construct thusfar, but now with a fleshling companion it would become much more necessary.

"You've awaken." The construct would note in a matter-of-factly statement. "How is your wound? Do we need to rest before travel?" The Construct would ask Leon Vargas. He knew little of how the fleshlings healed themselves. It was a process that the Construct envied. If he was damaged, he needed to find spare metal, a smith, and a forge to do any measure of repair.

 

[Leon Vargas]

Leon had always prided himself on being tougher and stronger than most, a trait he had learned during his upbringing.

The nuns had always been kind to him, but the priests? The priests had been vicious in their punishments. He remembered more than a few beatings from his childhood, though most of them tended to blend together into one. A frown touched his face for a brief moment, then he shook his head.

"No." A nights rest, the water and the good he'd been provided were enough.

Most of his injuries had not been fatal, it was the sun and the dehydration that had been the true threat to him.

"I'm ready to travel." Leon assured the Construct. "The wound will heal."

He glanced down and put a hand over it, sure that he could keep going.

 

[The Construct]

"Very well." The Construct replied, not pushing or questioning Leon's decision. Leon undoubtedly held more knowledge on fledgling healing, so the Construct deferred to his expertise.

The next five days would pass uneventfully, save for the occasional find of a cactus or therak lizard. The Construct would occasionally ask questions on the history of the church and the Brightlord, but would only pose a single question at a time. Perhaps it wished to take time to soak in Leon's answers, or simply didn't wish to be a bother. On the sixth day of travel however, things would become far more exciting.

"Your coin, food, and water." A half-dozen kaliti bandits would swarm from the other side of a nearby dune. The Man who spoke bore a longbow, aimed at the Construct. Perhaps Leon Vargas had seen or heard them before they arrived, but the Construct would not.

"Now now, let's avoid any unpleasantness." The Construct would reply. If it were alone it would consider challenging the men, but the Construct would not put the priest through a fight.

"I said your coin and your water. With quickness!" The bandit ordered, unwilling to negotiate. This was problematic. The Construct was unsure how they would manage enough food after starting all over.

 

[Leon Vargas]

Leon stood still, glancing only briefly towards the Construct to try and gauge it's reaction to any of this.

Reading the thing was difficult to say the least. There was no hint of expression, and it's body language was not always in tune with what a Humans would be. Leon had no idea if The Construct truly wanted to talk with these people or fight them.

A frown touched his lips for a brief moment, his red eyes trailing down to the wound in his side. Over the last five days it had healed well, and thanks to the Construct and the food it gathered he felt well rested.

As the bandit threatened them a second time, his fingers twitched, magic pulsing through his body as he took in a slight breath. "I stand as a Priest of the Radiant Church and member of the Solar Choir."

He watched for any reaction from the bandit.

"Leave this place, turn and change your ways." Leon offered. "If you do, I will let you live."

The threat was almost comical from a man dressed in rags.

 

[The Construct]

"Here that, he wants to sing for us." One of the bandits first chuckled at Leon's words, then drew a scimitar as the priest's words began to threaten him.

"I'll not take cross words from a man of the cloth!" Their bowman cried, and his hand went swiftly to his bow string. The Construct tried to be swift and reach out a hand to block the shoft, but was not swift enough to intercept it's course toward Leon Vargas. Two of the other bandits would charge their horses, taking swings at the Construct. The strikes tore through his clothes easily, but let out a distinctive ring as they hit his metal body. The Construct would attempt to swing a fist at the bandits as they came by, but was unable to land a blow.

If Leon was watching, it would become apparent that the Construct had never been trained to fight, and relied largely on the hardness of it's body. Switching tactics, the Construct decided to push over one of the horses. It toppled into the sand as the Construct made his way to it's rider, giving a tough punch to the gut of the downed brigand.

 

[Leon Vargas]

Leon quickly raised his hand, fingers flashing in a quick sign.

There was a pop in front of him, a small blast that would not have been seen by the naked eye. The shockwave erupted, and just before the arrow struck him it burst into a thousand pieces and fell into the sand in front of him.

A scowl pulled across his lips, red eyes catching on The Construct as it moved to unmount two of the bandits.

Leon cursed, and then glanced towards the bowmen still trying their best to kill him. His hand moved once again, and then the sand beneath the men exploded outwards.

Heat and fire scattered shards of newly formed glass, rending flesh and bone.

 

[The Construct]

The construct, brutishly pummeling one of the bandits, would not see or feel Leon's magic strengths. The sound that erupted however, garnered the Construct's attention. That was magic. Turning around the construct witnessed shards of glass form in the sand and thrust outwards, shredding through bandit and horse alike.

"Hey, let's get out of here." One of the bandits cried, and the three remaining bandits turned their horses and began to ran. It seems they had not bargained for combat with a battlemage.

"You seem . . . experienced." The construct mentioned to Leon Vargas. It would then begin helping up the horse it had toppled over. In the desert every resource was precious. The construct had avoided riding beasts, afraid of it's weight, but the creature could be useful for Leon, or at the very least for trade.

 

[Leon Vargas]

Leon's fingers twitched, temptation to not allow the heretics to escape nearly overtaking him. A few seconds passed as he watched, but he stayed his hand.

"The Bright Lord blessed me with gifts beyond those of many mortals." He offered by way of explanation, frowning after the bandits before slowly turning back towards the Construct and walking over towards the horse.

He made quiet soothing sounds, grasping the beasts face and gently stroking to calm it.

"The Church taught me to use my powers to defend the faithful." And burn those who would turn away from God.

 

[The Construct]

The horse did not like the Construct helping it up. Likely because it had toppled the beast over, but the Construct also figured it didn't prefer the heat of the Construct's metal. Leon seemed to be able to calm the beast much more effectively. The Construct let him deal with the horse, and went over to see if the bandits had any useful supplies.

"You are unlike any mage I've dealt with." The Construct mentioned to Leon Vargas. Scimitar, half-filled waterskin, a few rings, a nice headscarf. Decent haul on this one. "Less . . . pontificating." The Construct said, taking a moment to find the word it wanted.

Another body. This one was torn to bits by the glass. Hit waterskin had been torn, as were his clothes, but his scimitar seemed salvageable. The construct moved to the last one. He was likewise torn to shreds.

"Help me . . ." The bandit cried, his voice shallow and weak. He coughed, sputtering out blood onto his clothes. Somehow he was still alive.

 

[Leon Vargas]

"I am not a mage." He said in counter, though there was nothing to his tone to indicate that the words had insulted him.

As the Horse calmed down Leon patted it's face once more, taking a few steps away and leading the great beast towards where the Man of Metal had found the still dying man.

"I am a priest." Leon offered as he came to a stop and looked down at the dying man. A frown touching his face. "Mine is not to question, but simply to do."

Slowly the Inquisitor looked down at the Bandit. "Do you repent? Do you ask for mercy in the name of the Bright Lord and take what he has to offer?"

Red eyes stared down at the man.

 

[The Construct]

"Yeah, yeah. The Bright Lord and I are tight. I sing his praises. Now help me!" The bandit cried to Leon Vargas. His words were quick. Pained. The Construct doubted any conversion of the bandit's purpose, but perhaps the man had seen a change of purpose. He would leave judgement to Leon. He would have a much better understanding of the man's heart.

"I apologize for my imprecision." The construct would say to Leon after he was finished with the bandit. "I meant only that you had magical talents. My cultural understanding is . . . limited."

"You have obvious skill. I think you'd get more use out of this than I would." It handed Leon one of the scimitars the of the dead bandits. It was rough work by the Construct's eyes, but serviceable. Certainly better than plain fists.

 

[Leon Vargas]

Leon took the blade before speaking to the bandit, his lips thinning for a brief moment before he flipped the sword a few times.

It was a poorly crafted thing, likely grabbed off of some battlefield in the middle of Amol-Kalit when the heretic King of the new Empire had forged his country. Leon glanced back towards the bandit, his hand opening. "Then look into the light."

His palm began to glow, softly at first, and then brighter and brighter.

The bandit stared for half a second, and then tried to look away. His eyes however were held in place, and a scream of utter agony and pain enveloped him. It echoed out through the sands as the light became blinding, and then suddenly it ceased as the man fell over dead.

"It appears he was not genuine." Leon said as he hefted the scimitar and turned back towards the horse. "Cortos has been at war for centuries."

He explained to the Construct regarding his skill. "Vel Anir has tried to conquer us many times, and the Radiant Church has no illusions about our need to keep the people safe."

Leon seemed genuine in that conviction. He believed in the Church, he believed in what he had been taught to do, and why.

 

[The Construct]

Vel Anir. The Construct heard that name before. The Maesters at Elbion spoke of them. A nation filled with battlemages, and no respect for decorum, if it remembered correctly. Dangerous stuff, all told.

"There is a need for every talent." The Construct responded to Leon Vargas . It's voice, like usual, was monotone and lacking of any particular emotion. "Is it useful to you?" It referenced the sword. Mages at Elbion typically sneered at such tools, but the mages of Vel Anir were always trained. The Construct knew little about men and the cloth using swords, but knew little of men of the cloth in general.

"If it is not, we could pawn it off when we arrive at Tel Madu. You have a particular craft it seems, and I would prefer we get you any necessary tools if possible."