Reinhardt almost jumped when he felt "Lumina" move inch by inch, closer to where he sat. The carriage rocked every now and then while traversing an uneven terrain. He could feel his face burning up, positive that he was blushing to the roots of his hair due of the proximity. This wasn’t the reunion Reinhardt expected. It had been four years since he last saw Lumina. And yet, this is what happens. The girl sat unperturbed, her gaze directed at him with a teasing smile plastered on her lips. Reinhardt couldn't even get himself to look her right in the eye. He took a gander then immediately look away. Like a shy little boy seeing his crush for the first time. It would've been different if the girl had been "Lumina" in the first place, but she wasn't. "Sorceress, would it be alright if you shifted back to your real form?" he said in a reserved tone. His eyes directed down, trying to avoid sneaking a glance at the ample bosom the woman had. The damned things were touching, and getting squeezed onto his left arm due to the cramped space. "Ehhh? But I thought Sir Reinhardt preferred me in this form? Don’t you like what you see?" The sorceress pouted and leaned in, pressing her chest closer to his whole upper arm. "Oy oy oy! Wait a minute, don't come any closer Sorceress! Please!" Reinhardt yelled in panic. Trying and failing to extricate himself from the minx that was torturing him. His reaction had the opposite intended effect. She laughed in glee and teased him more. The carriage shook a bunch of times. Sometimes it tilted dangerously to one side because of the ruckus. Kristov wasn't doing any better as he sat across them in the carriage. He and Miranda sat in silence. Like Reinhardt, he sported the same flushed face, unable to look at the girl beside him. Once he had time to think about it, he felt ashamed of his earlier actions. Contrary to how his friend was behaving, he kept his silence. Instead he adapted what he thought was a poker face to avoid getting dragged into the farce. Though of course, his tomato colored face betrayed his actions. "Stupid woman!" Captain Miranda muttered in a hushed tone, gritting her teeth. How dare this…this promiscuous woman to try and deface the Oracle. She’s been with the Oracle since day one. And she has been her most trusted Templar Knight, and closest friend when they’re alone. She knew that Lumina would never act as loose as what the sorceress was showing. Only her dignity as a knight stopped her from reaching over and chopping the woman on the head with her hand. Miranda crossed her arms and bowed her head as she looked at her own chest. Compared to the Oracle, she lacked in that department. One of the two things she was insecure of next to her height. Following the lead of the burly man who sat beside her, she pretended not to notice the people in front of them. While sitting in silence, her mind drifted off to their meeting earlier. ~*~ "A woman?!" Kristov said with a bewildered look. "I'm Miranda, Captain of the Knight Templars! I order you to answer my question!" the woman said, her blade still held at the ready. Understanding what she had said, Kristov relaxed and flashed a genuine smile. His eyes twinkled like stars, as he approached the woman with outstretched arms. "Captain Miranda! I didn't expect the captain of the Templars to be this young—" he never got to finish what he wanted to say. "Forgive my partner’s straightforwardness, Captain!" Reinhardt interjected after backhanding Kristov. Albeit, a bit too hard, which knocked the man unconscious. Lying on a heap on the ground, his friend’s head now sported a huge lump due to the impact of the blow. "We are the new knighted Templars. We have come to help escort the Oracle back to Phracea." Reinhardt looked down distractedly at his friend, who stirred and groaned, trying to stand up from the ground. "The church sent us to ensure her safe return." he said while Kristov gingerly touched his aching head. "I hope you can forgive our intru—" both men froze as they felt an ominous aura projected at them. "Egh?! So you came rushing down the first chance you get when a monster appeared!?" The words that left Miranda's mouth were full of sarcasm. Her menacing aura made her appear like a giant. With a face covered with shadows and red eyes expressing her murderous intent. Dwarfed by her presence, the two guys could only look on in silence. After her words sunk in, loud metallic conking sounds echoed in the canyon. Close to how pots would sound if they were to fall on the floor. In the end, both Reinhardt and Kristov lay sprawled and semiconscious on the ground. With matching new bumps on their heads. Miranda dusted her hands as if she had done an arduous task. "You are the Oracle's protectors but it doesn't mean you get to play heroes and save the day! That's how we lost the two before you! Stupid ignorant fools!" Her anger was evident, but Kristov detected a hint of sorrow and regret in her tone. In that split second, a look of sadness crossed her face. For some reason, Kristov had the urge to erase that sad expression. He was unable to get any word in because Miranda had already turned around to get back to the carriage. "We will be riding with the Oracle! Stay on your toes!" Miranda motioned for them to follow her. After appraising that the two men did not have any mode of transportation. ‘In the first place, how were they even able to find us without any means of transportation?’ Miranda chose to ride with them inside the carriage. She didn't completely trust them to be alone with “Lumina”. And so, she relegated her horse to one of the soldiers before finally walking towards the coach. Reinhardt lost his composure and rushed towards the carriage, overtaking Miranda. "Oy Rein! Don't get carried away now!" Kristov said, not bothering to hide the excitement in his voice as he sensed the upcoming reunion. With a smile, Reinhardt nodded and opened the carriage door to once again see Lumina. There she was, calmly sitting inside the coach. Her face covered by a long white veil coupled with an immaculate white gown which clung to her curves. Reinhardt could see how her body matured and ripened over the years. He was right that she was going to blossom into a beautiful maiden. And yet when Reinhardt made a move to get near her, he noticed her stiffen. "Lumina? It's me, I—" he trailed off, perplexed as he felt something wrong. He didn’t expect that Lumina would react that way when it was their long awaited reunion. And it wasn’t the way he envisioned it to be. It took a while, but it finally dawned on him, "Lumina…? Is that...really you?" he asked with a voice filled with uncertainty and insecurity. In response to his question, a loud popping sound filled the carriage. Purplish smoke covered "Lumina" as if she exploded right there and then. When the smoke died down, in place of Lumina was a woman with light purplish hair and violet colored robes, "Hmmm? How did you know I wasn’t the Oracle? My name is Violet! Nice to meet you!" the playful woman intoned in a sultry voice. ~*~ And that's what had happened. Inside the carriage, Miranda explained to them the reason why Lumina had a double. The Oracle had been sick for a while now and she hardly ever left her room. It wasn’t because her life was being threatened, which Reinhardt would’ve preferred. Don’t get him wrong, he neither liked any of the options. If Reinhardt had the final say, it would be so that Lumina was safe and healthy. But he was stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. He had to choose the lesser evil. Having assassins sent out for her life only meant one thing. He had to get rid of them. At least Lumina doesn’t have to suffer. To prevent rumors from spreading, Violet used her magic to become a "double" of the Oracle. She appeared in her stead, especially the ones that required a long journey. In doing so, no one would be suspicious of her absence. And the Oracle could still somehow “perform” her duties, even if they had to resort to subterfuge. No one among the citizens, apart from her servants, knew Lumina in person. Since she led a pretty secluded life with Reinhardt, nobody knew how she acted. The plan was pretty much foolproof with a sorceress who used Illusion Magic. What they didn’t expect was the appearance of people from Lumina’s past. Miranda learned from Reinhardt and Kristov about their history with the Oracle. How they were childhood friends. She was grateful that they weren’t enemies or spies. Another thing to be thankful for was the fact that the secret wasn’t revealed. It would’ve been disastrous if it happened while they were out and about in town where the villagers could witness it. It would’ve been hard to explain their deception to the residents. That was the down side of Illusion Magic. If anyone expressed their doubts about the illusion in the open, then it nullified the effects. Miranda felt indebted. At the very least, she could trust them since they were Templar Knights. It was a good practice to always be wary of new people you meet. But with their position as the Oracle’s new guards, it was better to be open with them. "Captain Miranda! We're nearing the teleportation gate. The portal will open and we will arrive in Phracea shortly." The chauffeur reported. A few moments after, they all felt a grainy sensation. It felt like millions of feathers were tickling their skin. People who experienced it before would say that it was like soft sand caressed their whole body. Some said it was like low voltage current passed over them as they felt the effects of the teleportation. ~*~ It didn’t take long for the group to arrive in the holy capital city of Phracea. But as always, they had to go through the formalities of Lumina’s return. The people waited and stood on the sides of the streets as they welcomed the Oracle. They waved, some even tossed flowers in the direction of the carriage. Reinhardt and Kristov witnessed how much the people adored Lumina. It’s already been four years since she was officially instated to her position. One would think that these ceremonious events would’ve mellowed down. But quite the contrary, the people held grander celebrations for her every time she performed her duties. This time had actually been a lot plainer. It was less extravagant than the treatment Lumina received before. It so happened that the harvest from the crops were becoming scarce lately. As the Oracle, she requested for the citizens to restrain themselves. Stop overspending on her account. It was already enough that they honored their patron God through festivals. The people felt touched, since their revered Oracle put their well-being first before herself. Her plight had the intended effect. To prepare for the coming winter and to avoid starvation, they acquiesced to her plea. In exchange, they expressed their fervent reverence through actions such as these. The carriage passed along the main street at a slow pace. True to her role as the double, Violet transformed back to Lumina’s guise. Opening the windows, she waved at the crowd with all the grace she could muster. Her actions earned cheers from the citizens. The Oracle became exalted as someone next to a God. That was because the people and the Oracle shared something in common. An irreplaceable and undeniable bond, they were mortals. As the moments ticked by, Reinhardt grew more and more impatient. Not expecting such a warm…and snail paced welcome, it took every ounce of control he had. Only decorum stopped him from jumping out of the carriage and heading to the church in advance. That would be a mistake. People would question a knight who left the “Oracle” to fend for herself. True, she wasn’t the genuine article, but no one else knew that. Lumina would have a harder time if someone found out. For now, he contented himself with the idea of their real reunion. ‘I’ve already waited four years, what's a few more minutes?’ he thought to himself. After what seemed like a million years, well at least for Reinhardt, they finally arrived at the church. They wasted no time and headed straight to where the Oracle was. Along the way, Violet transformed back to her original form and bid her farewell. Sensing the need for privacy, Miranda and Kristov elected to remain outside the room. Reinhardt could barely stop himself as he burst into Lumina's chambers. The Oracle’s room was huge to say the least, it was even bigger than the modest home Reinhardt had in the forest. There was a vanity dresser to the left side of the room, right next to it was the entrance to the walk-in closet. On one end were two upholstered couches, a sofa and a small table where people may relax. In the middle of the carpeted room lay a huge round bed. Pure white curtains hang on the wall and are connected to the frames of the bed. That was where a lady, with skin white as snow, hair black as the evening sky and lips the color of rubies slept. "Lumina…" the mere sight of her took his breath away. Reinhardt had mixed emotions. His heart broke at the sight of her forlorn appearance in bed that he wanted to weep. And yet, his heart leapt with joy for finally being at her side. He uttered the words he usually said whenever he returned from a long day of training. "I'm home..." he said with bated breath while he waited. He blinked a few times, trying to suppress the tears forming in his eyes. Her disheveled hair moved as she turned her head in his direction. A small welcoming smile formed on her lips as her mouth opened. "My Lord, welcome home…" she said in a weak voice as a drop of tear fell down her cheek. Reinhardt's hand went up to brush off the tears. Yes, he was definitely home. Her presence made it that way. ~*~ An incessant clicking echoed through the hallways of the church. The cold and empty passages and the marbled stone floors lent to the acoustics. It further accentuated the sound. The culprit behind this was a petite woman who hurriedly ran. The heels of her shoes hammered on the concrete floor. Click! click! click! click! Yet, these sounds went by unnoticed by the people inside their chambers. "I officially welcome you to the Holy Church of Osiris, Reinhardt and Kristov. I heard a lot about you from the General of the Holy Army. I have read your exploits from the recommendation letter he sent. He spoke of you with high regards and with fondness." Almost a week had passed since Reinhardt arrived in Phracea. But due to conflicting schedules, he only had the chance to meet the esteemed bishop now. Click! click! click! click! "It is an honor to hear that from you, Your Eminence. We will do our best to not fail our commander's expectations." Reinhardt bowed, fondly remembering his time in the army due to the old man's words. It took a while before he and Kristov were able to enlist in the army. And through the years, while they rose up in the ranks, they were under the tutelage of one person. The bishop that came for Lumina years ago was actually a well-known Paladin. He was a war veteran in the countless wars with the demons. People knew him in the battlefield as the Raging Sword of the Raging Tides. With the legendary Mirage, Tiamat at his side, he was unstoppable. The Paladin's expertise in his quick draw technique using the katana was also famous. Reinhardt could still remember one of the last things that their teacher taught them. It was the reason why they were able to become Templar Knights. ~*~ "Teacher, we have come..." Reinhardt had said as he saluted his mentor. "We've come old man!" Kristov's lively voice cut in as he did a less formal way of saluting. The old man's left eyebrow twitched, a second later, a loud bang resounded in the barracks. The soldiers within their encampment all looked alert for a minute. The tension died down when they saw the reason for the loud sound. It was Kristov face-planted on the ground, smoke rising from the lump that appeared on his head. "I told you to address me properly especially when we're in the barracks!" The veins in his forehead visible as it throbbed with anger. "Forgive us General! We're so used to calling you Teacher that we forgot propriety!" Reinhardt bowed his head in shame. For the past year that they've been in the military, the old man had taken quite a liking to both of them. This didn't earn any ire from their fellow knights because the two had shown promise at the beginning. There were rough edges here and there, but all conflict was resolved quite peacefully. And so they took the chance and requested for the old man to teach them. Reinhardt knew that if he had tried to fight him when he came for Lumina that time, he would've undoubtedly lost. Seeing that the two were eager and sincere in their quest to learn, the general accepted. "We came to ask if you could tell us how we can become Templar Knights." Kristov intoned, already standing beside Reinhardt. The question didn't even surprise the general. He had a hunch that the two joined the army and asked for his guidance because they aspired to join the Oracle's guards. "There are two sure fire ways to become Templar Knights." The old man sighed, as he started his explanation. "First is to become a war veteran, with experience and skill under your belt. Since we are at a period of peace, this will be hard to achieve. That brings us to the second one which is a faster choice, yet it is quite unpredictable. You’d have to profess your faith to Osiris as your patron God to fulfill the main requirement. There are merits and demerits to choosing Osiris as your God. You will gain access to an ability that only his devout followers are able to use, the power to summon your Mirage. A physical manifestation of your soul. But keep in mind, Osiris as a God is very… territorial.” Although being omniscient wasn’t in the scope of the Gods powers, he still had to pause and think of the right term. There wasn’t a risk to get smote but better safe than sorry. “Other Gods are lenient in letting their believers worship different Gods. Only Osiris frowns upon this practice.” The Infinitia populace had a polytheistic view in their religion. It’s attributed to the fact that Gods live with them, however this didn’t translate to the views of all the Gods. There are some who preferred subjects who served only them and Osiris was one of them. “As one of the demerits, once you go on Osiris’ path, your magic gets restricted. All your magical energy will be converted and added to your spiritual energy. You can’t cast magic directly, but not to worry because your Mirage will be able to. If, and only if, they follow your orders. The key to making your Mirage submit to your wishes is for you to master your spiritual energy.” The two tensed up, upon hearing that they won’t be able to access magic once they choose Osiris. It was a well-known fact that a lot of people relied on magic in almost everything. Having it inaccessible all of a sudden would cause people to have second thoughts. It would be tantamount to chaining one of their feet to the ground. “You will need a lot of spiritual training as this ability is very different from magic. Magical energy is inborn to all citizens of Infinitia. But Spiritual energy becomes controllable only once you proclaim your patron God. You would need to learn to harness and control this. Without it, your Mirage will go berserk and consume your soul!” the old man barked at them like a general preparing his men for war. It was quite interesting that the old veteran did not mention something important. That he had reached the pinnacle of the two ways he mentioned. His achievements earned him the title of Arch Paladin and made him an honorary Bishop of the church. "Another thing you have to consider is that no one can control the form of their spiritual manifestation. Their forms are decided even before you summon them. They're modeled after your personality and predetermined by the Gods themselves.” He paused, letting all the information sink in. The two seemed to be sweating now with the things he mentioned. “Don’t sweat the details, even normal citizens are able to access this power. Lucky for you two, I can sense that you carry the potential of being an Awakened. You’ll have to get your spiritual levels checked to confirm whether you’re suited for this. But as early as now, I say train while you still have time! Before we go into the details of your spiritual training..." the old man paused and made a move towards Kristov. The poor guy was hyperventilating with excitement. A loud bang resounded, while heaps of soil flew off in every direction. Reinhardt had a deadpan look as he glanced disinterestedly at his friend. By now he was already used to seeing him disciplined. Kristov still had a lot to learn, as self-control and reservation weren't his strong suite. He had a tendency to be overly excited. The old man cleared his throat before he continued. "By tapping into the powers of the God of Life and Creation you create a body for your Mirage. It requires great stamina, determination and spirit to create a tangible, physical manifestation. Some use dolls as catalysts or hosts but people who have mastered the art do not need them. For example…" to punctuate his words, the old man struck his orbed staff on the ground. He focused on the ornate tattoo on the inner part of his wrist. Nothing happened. A few seconds passed, and the skies darkened, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. A dragon's wail pierced through the skies. A huge serpent-like dragon the size of four to five carriages appeared. It weaved in and out of the clouds. Reinhardt, Kristov, and soon all the soldiers in the area stared transfixed at the heavens. Then the dragon vanished in thin air as if it never appeared in the first place, leaving nothing but clear skies. "It will take time for you to manifest your own and even more time for you to fight alongside with them. But if you persevere and strengthen your resolve, you will be able to do more than that. A word of caution! There had been instances that Mirages from Nifleheim have answered these calls. Those who hide darkness in their hearts are more susceptible. More often than not, it leads into something not to be desired." The general closed his eyes upon seeing that his students have absorbed every word he said. There was another thing that the general left out on purpose. The forbidden summoning ritual consumed the life force of the one who summoned it. Doing it will unleash the full power of their spiritual partner. But ultimately the price would be their lives. "Once you complete your training, you will have to go to Phracea. You will undergo a trial if the God Osiris acknowledges your potential. If you are worth it, you will pass and earn his blessing. As a reminder that you passed the test, you will receive a mark on your body. It is a symbol of your bond with your mirage. This is what you will focus on when calling upon your partner." This is when things will get hard for his students. The regimen for achieving a stable control on spiritual energy is rigorous. It starts with trying to master Spiritual Awareness. It’s a skill that allows one to sense the spiritual energies in the environment. The next step requires gaining some sort of control on your basic spiritual energy. Spiritual Stabilization allows you to refine your control. As a base for your training, it will help especially on the next phase which is Spiritual Formation. It’s the final task in mastering Spiritual Magic. Training your spiritual energy so that your reserves grow is important. This allows you to prolong the manifestation of your Mirage. The old man already had a letter prepared for the two once he deemed them ready to take on the challenge. It’s a recommendation letter for them to become Templar Knights should they pass the trials. "Can I ask you one thing general? How did your Mirage become that big?" asked Kristov. Reinhardt was curious and wanted to know too. The old man smiled at them, "What do you think?" and with a hearty laugh, he left the two who in turn shook and scratched their heads. ~*~ Click! click! click! click! BANG! The huge double doors created a loud sound which brought Reinhardt back to the present. It revealed Erina, her robes bellowing behind her. Her heels clicking as she entered the room without hesitation. "Bishop Maximus! I've discovered something! Something terrible! I've finally found the reason for the Oracle's unexplained illness! The Oracle's life is in danger!" The woman said hysterically, tears welling up in her eyes. "Control yourself Erina! This is no time to get hysterical! What do you mean her life is in danger?" The old man with bushy white brows looked at her with intensity. "Bishop Maximus! It’s…it’s written in the records. The Oracle's life force gets drained every time she uses her powers. If she doesn't stop…she might...she might!" You could see through her expression that she actually cared about the Oracle. She didn't have a direct connection with Lumina. And yet, they still became friends. It was almost like fate had brought the three together. Erina, Lumina, and Miranda became close the minute they met each other. It could've helped that they were in the same age bracket, so most of their interests were the same. The reason for Erina’s distress was her fear of losing a dear friend. Growing up, she had a hard time forming relationships with other people her age. It was the consequence of having a rare gift, the stigma of a genius. When you outshined the others and cast a big shadow, it became harder for people to see through the real you. That was why she clung on tight to this newfound friendship as if her life depended on it. The bishop who looked calm before now carried an exhausted appearance. He turned around and silence befell them while Erina sobbed on the sides. After what seemed like a long time, the old man spoke, "I already know of that fact. The higher echelon of bishops is not kept in the dark about this." The words he uttered turned the worry in Reinhardt and Erina's face into utter disbelief. "Your Eminence, you…already knew? And yet you let her continue using that power?!" Reinhardt's voice sliced like a knife, and if it were only a weapon, the old man would've dropped dead already. His eyes filled with accusation stared at the old man in front of him. The bishop had a stiff expression once he turned back to them. "And what do you expect us to do? Let thousands die and let the demons roam in Feria? To let them wreak havoc? Everyone cares about the Oracle but if it came down to it, the good of the many far outweighed the good of one. You should know that some form of sacrifice must be made to maintain peace! And the church has succeeded in doing this for hundreds of years!" Maximus' expression looked more and more menacing as he continued. “You!—“ Reinhardt muttered. Yet, his advance got halted by Erina's outstretched hand. "There…there has to be a way, your Eminence! Our God Osiris will never let something like this happen! I stake everything in my pride as the head researcher of the church! I will find a way to save Mistress Lumina!" And with that she left and ran outside of the audience chamber. Reinhardt stilled himself. Both his hands clenched until they turned white, not minding the bite of his fingernails as they dug deep into his palm. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to punch the old man in the face. Despite the horrifying truth that Erina revealed, the bishop's face remained passive. Everyone was fooled by his aura of kindness, his kind and warm demeanor that took you in. But every shred of respect that Reinhardt once had for the man was now gone. He knew that hiding behind that warmth was a cold and calculating person. That this bishop was a vile snake hiding in sheep skin. Reinhardt turned around and headed for the door without so much as a goodbye. He had to, otherwise he might have done something that would have cost him his post. ~*~ "Sir Reinhardt...you are him aren't you?" Erina's voice sliced through the silence, jolting Reinhardt back from his thoughts. What Erina asked wouldn’t have made sense if Rein hadn’t seen her distress over Lumina’s condition. The way she emphasized one word made him understand somehow. He nodded with hesitation at the girl. "Then please…please trust me! I will find a way...I will find a cure for Mistress Lumina! I swear with my life! Just please...please Sir Reinhardt! Trust me and wait. In the meantime, don’t leave Mistress Lumina’s side. I am sure she would like it if you were always there." Erina uttered the words with so much passion. It had so much conviction that it rendered Rein speechless. Against Reinhardt’s better judgment, he actually nodded. He completely ignored how his body, mind and soul wanted to object. "I'll agree to your request, one month...I will give you one month. And I will not sit idly by, I will help you with your research." Reinhardt was still a scholar by nature. He had read a lot of books during his education and it turned into a hobby throughout the years. He trained his body the whole day, while on evenings he enriched himself by reading books and scrolls. "Mhhm, be with Mistress Lumina, I will take care of everything." Erina's hair moved as she shook her head. "And don’t worry Rein! I will do my part! I will travel all over Feria and investigate. There’s bound to be a myth or two that can help us! So the only thing you have to do right now is to spend your time with Lumina!" came the forceful voice of Kristov who appeared behind Erina. Due to the ensuing commotion, Rein forgot that Kristov was waiting outside the room. Reinhardt sighed with exasperation. With a resigned smile he nodded at the two people who promised to help him solve their current dilemma. He couldn’t reject their generous offer, after all, he wanted to be with Lumina as well.