Challenger

Location: Alba / Courtyard

Time: Y1503 / 20th day of the Wither Moon / Late Morning

The sun was high in the sky, and it was nearly time for lunch. The small courtyard of Alba was bursting with activity as soldiers and guards were sparring with wooden sticks.

After the losses sustained by the church in the past year, many initiates had to be rushed into service, and the average level had fallen. The Church of Gloria was putting the green recruits through an harsh training regimen to make up for the current overall weakness of the ground troops.

On a corner a young recruit was sparring with a more seasoned guard. He feigned a blow from the side, then quickly changed stance and swinged from above. The recruit fell for it and got hit in the shoulder, falling down.

*hit* *fall* (Recruit Raaman)

"Raaman! You are being sloppy! Keep up your sword! Strighten your shoulders! Try again!" (Leader Joren)

*groan* "Yes, Leader." *rise up* (Raaman)

Overseeing the many individual sparring matches that were going on in the small courtyard was Joren, one of Steffen's most trusted lieutenents. He was a well built Dark Skin man in his late thirties. For the spar he wore a thin leather doublet. He had short black hair and brown eyes, his face was somewhat feminine, making one doubt of his strength at a first glance.

*clash* *push* *fall* (Prince Riccardo)

"That won't do, my Prince. Put your back into it when you try to overpower your opponent!" (Amerio Yastrade)

*stand* *rush forward* (Prince)

Since early in the morning, the Prince and his personal guard have been training near the centre of the courtyard. Despite his small figure and the difference in size, the Prince was putting up a good fight.

[Well, that's surprising. The prince has potential, and he really put effort in his training. He might become an excellent swordman in the future.] (Joren)

*whisper* "The brat is not half bad!" (Guard)

*whisper* "Mhe... His partner is clearly holding back. I could take care of him easily." (Soldier)

From the sidelines, many sisters and guards were watching the sparring matches, resting after their morning duties.

*door opens*

*stop* *stare* (Riccardo)

"What is it, my prince?" (Amerio)

Two young initiates just entered the small courtyard, catching the attention of the Prince.

"Let's mix this up a little, shall we? Anyone here would like to be my sparring partner?" *grin* (Riccardo)

The young prince asked for a challenger with strong and firm voice. The ongoing matches stopped as people stood in silence.

"... Prince Riccardo, if you get hurt during the practice~ (Joren)

"You won't have to worry about it, Leader. Here I declare that whatever happens there won't be any consequences. After all there this is just a sparring match. I merely wish to train against a different opponent for a while." (Riccardo)

Silence fell upon the courtyard, as the fighters awkwardly looked each others.

"Have my skills frightened you? Don't worry, I will hold back. I promise!" *grin* (Riccardo)

Feeling their pride hurt by the prince's words, several soldiers stepped forward, against what common sense would demand.

"I will gladly be your sparring partner, Prince. Try not to get hurt." (Guard Geron)

Geron was a muscular Dark Skin, almost twice as tall as the prince. Like the others, he wore a thin leather doublet for practice and wielded a one meter long wooden stick. One could clearly see from his face that he was pissed off by the earlier remarks.

"Geron! You~ (Joren)

"It is alright, Leader. We are just going to spar after all, and I won't hurt him too much, you have my word." (Riccardo)

Hearing those words, Geron became red in face, and charged forward, holding his practice sword with two hands and preparing to unleash a powerful sideway swing aimed at the prince's head.

Rage had made him predictable.

The prince stood still to the last moment, and as the wooden sword approached him from the left, he crouched down, letting the sword pass above. After this powerful swing, Geron needed a moment to recover his footings and follow up, but the prince was in a prime position to counter.

The prince leapt forward, passing under the strong arms above him, coming to a stop behind Geron.

Geron felt powerful blows hitting the back of his knees and tumbled down in paint. There is no way he could turn in time to face the boy that was now behind him.

*groan* (Geron)

Geron groaned in pain while laying on the paved stones of the curtyard. By the time he regained his wits, the prince was standing beside him holding a wooden stick his throat.

"The match is over! The victor is Prince Riccardo!" (Joren)

"What?!? This isn't fair! He tricked me! In a fair fight I would destroy him!" (Geron)

"The Prince won, soldier. And a war is never fair. You let him get to your head. You lost the moment you lost your cool. Its a good thing it happened during a practice match. Had this been a real fight you would be dead. Learn from this loss so that you might become a better servant of Gloria." (Joren)

Red in face, the angry Geron stood up and stormed away, forcing his way through the crowd that gathered to watch.

*murmur*

"That's not fair! I want my money back!" (Guard)

"You bet on Geron, and he was declader the loser. No refounds." (Soldier A)

"Well, I bet on the Prince, and I made three moons worth of coins!" (Soldier B)

"The prince is actually good?" (Sister)

"Nha. It's just Geron that let anger cloud his judegment." (Soldier B)

"Still, there aren't many ten years old recruit that could fight Geron and win." (Soldier A)

The onlookers were stunned at the win of the prince and the soldiers who bet against Geron found themselves losing their money. Needless to say they weren't happy and soon were directing their displeasement toward Riccardo.

"See? I didn't hurt him too badly! Is there anyone else who would like to spar?" *grin* (Ricardo)

This was a bold statement from the prince to say the least. The first victory was mostly due to the opponent own faults. It's unlikely that his second opponent would fall for the same trick.

With his new challenge, the prince was saying that he believed himself to just be that good.

"If no one else is aviable. I guess I can step in!" (Feldris)

"Idiot! That's the Royal Prince! Get back here!" (Stella)

"It's alright. We are just sparring after all, right prince Riccardo?" (Feldris)

"Of course, fair lady. It is important for warriors to hone their skills and fight diverse opponents. I would be honored to spar with a skilled scout serving under the wormth of Gloria." (Riccardo)

*blush* [Fair Lady?] (Stella)

Jeron looked in the eyes of the prince guard, but he didn't see the faintest hint of worries.

"I allow it. This will be a proper match. The rules are as follow: You lose if you step outside the circle, if you lose consciousness or if you yield. Everyone stay outside the circle or I'll stop the match. You may begin when ready." (Joren)

A circle was drawn on the stone pavement of the courtyard especially for such occasions.

"I shall dedicate this victory to the fairest lady of them all." *smile* *bow* (Riccardo)

Several sisters in the general direction the prince was looking at, blushed and started gossiping. A little girl near her young friend on the other hand displayed a dissatisfied expression.

"Shouldn't you say that after you win the match, prince?" (Feldris)

"Of course you are right, my apologies. My name is Riccardo. I'm glad to have such a promising sparring partner." *bow* (Riccardo)

"Likewise. I'm Feldris. I'm surprised you knew I was a scout. You know of our uniforms." (Feldris)

"Of course. The prowess of the soldiers of Gloria is well known. It's only natural I would learn from you." (Riccardo)

The two warriors started circling around the boundaries of the ring, studying each others. It's clear that the prince couldn't lure Feldris to attack in a predictable pattern, so another strategy would be needed.

*whisper* "A red aura is surrounding the Prince, can you see it?" (Mage Histina)

*whisper* "I can. He is collimating aether. Not much of it. Clearly he can't use the Gifted One's Technique." (Mage Reana)

Adept magi could see the prince preparing to weave a spell with their magic sight. First the most adept, then eventually Feldris could see it.

Feldris didn't have the aptitude to weave spells. Waiting was to his disadvantage. He leapt forward with his full speed aiming for the prince.

(Prince)

As Feldris crept forward inching closer to his opponent with his wooden sword ready to swing from above as the prince weaved his spell, greatly increasing his physical prowess.

The prince extended his right leg behind him and bent his left knees. He readied his blade in front of him with an hand at each end, ready to bear the full brunt of Feldris' attack.

Feldris hoped to hit the prince before his spell would activated, but that was not to be.

While as a scout Feldris was only of average height and skinny, albeit well built, his opponent was more than five years younger and still developing.

Without magic involved, the attack would surely have overpowered the prince, granting Feldris an easy win.

But magic was involved.

*jump* *clash* (Feldris)

With the last step, Feldris kicked the ground leaping up. He swung down his sword with his full strength and weight behind him.

*clash* (Wooden Sticks)

The prince, correctly predicting a powerful downswing intercepted the blow with his stick held sideways.

The prince feet dragged backward several tens of centimetres as the force of the impact discharged in the ground, coming to a full stop near the white line.

As Feldris touched down and the force behind his wooden stick weakened, the prince bashed forward, hitting Feldris' stern and throwing him away.

*oomph* *stop* (Feldris)

"Feldris!" (Stella)

Feldris managed to retain his footing, and took a second to straighten his ragged breath. He held his chest with his right hand. He was clearly in pain.

*pant* *pant* "Using magic in a sword duel? Crafty." *pant* (Feldris)

"Is it? I used only my body and my sword after all. I didn't hear any restriction on the use of support magic. Am I wrong, Leader?" (Prince)

"... There was no violation of rules. Are you willing to yield, Scout Feldris?" (Joren)

Feldris stood straight, circling his wooden sword with his right arm to loosen his wrist.

"Yielding? Of course not! Things just got interesting!" *grin* (Feldris)

"Your opponent can use magic! Don't be stupid! You might have some ribs broken, already! It's just a sparring match!" (Stella)

"Quiet, Mage Knight Stella. The sparring match is still ongoing." (Joren)

"..." (Stella)

The Prince was waiting quietly on the opposite side of the ring with his sword held behind his back. It seemed sustaining this spell wasn't taking a great toll. On the contrary, the prince was probably using this time to refine more aether and perfect his spell.

[I didn't expect him to reinforce his body. As long as he is under the effect of , he is probably two or three times as strong as I am despite the difference in age. The spell taxes the body, but it would take maybe half an hour for the side effects to kick in. I cannot wait this long.] (Feldris)

The two started circling each others just like the beginning of the match. Only now Feldris was in pain, and the prince was even stronger.

"Very well. If you don't come, I will." *walk* (Riccardo)

The prince started walking forward with leisure, loosely holding his wooden sword with his right hand. His plan was simple. To corner his opponent and push him out of the ring.

Feldris stepped forward as well. Once the two were within reach of their practice swords, they started swinging at each other.

First the prince swung from the right, Feldris jumped back avoiding the tip of the sword by a hairbreadth.

The prince swung again from the left, Feldris parried holding his sword on his right side, but there was a surprising amount of strength behind the attack, and Feldris took an hit.

*groan* (Feldris)

As Feldris' legs lost their strength, the prince rose his sword high up, preparing to swing down on the fallen opponent.

With all his strength, Feldris leant backward until he was laying on his back and kicked the prince in his tummy with all his strength, making him opponent take a few steps back.

*oomph* "You got me! Nice kick!" *grin* (Riccardo)

Feldris, who was in pain and holding his side with his hand was surprised by the prince's statement. For a few seconds he thought about his condition and possible strategies, reaching a difficult decision.

*heavy breath* "... I yield. You have bested me. It is your victory, Prince Riccardo." *look down* (Feldris)

"It's just Riccardo while I'm fighting. You are a skilled opponent, Scout Feldris. I am thankful for having had the honour of facing you." *extend hand* (Riccardo)

Feldris grabbed the prince's hand, and with his help, stood back on two feet.

"The winner of the match is Prince Riccardo." *exhale* (Joren)

Reaching the end of the match without any injuries on the Prince lifted a weight from Joren's shoulders. Even if the prince said so, it would have been a big problem had the prince been hurt. Of course it would have been a problem to ignore the prince's wishes too. It had been a difficult decision.

Joren had trusted the look of the face of the prince's guard, Amerio, who never once had a doubtful expression. On the contrary, he seemed certain the prince would prevail.

*cheer* (Crowd)

"You gotta be kidding! Feldris lost!!! The match was fixed!!!" (Soldier C)

"The boy won fair and square. Pay up, my friend! He he he." (Soldier B)

"You bet on the prince?!? On whom side are you on!" (Guard)

"I'm on the side of easy money, today. Thank you very much." (Soldier B)

Just like the previous match, the onlookers engaged in bets and needless to say, the underdog won again to the delight of some lucky ones and the disappointment of all the others.

Few there believed the prince would win against a seasoned fighter like Feldris. Magic does make a large difference.

"I dedicate this victory to the fairest lady of them all. I hope this battle entertained you." *bow* (Riccardo)

Like before, sisters in the line of sight of the prince couldn't help but blush, as they thought they were the subject of the prince declaration. Strangely, a little girl amongst them was not amused in the least.

*whisper* "You gotta be kidding me." (Liara)

Patient

Location: Alba / Weaving Chamber

Time: Y1503 / 20th day of the Wither Moon / Late Morning

*pant* "I think we should stop... for now... princess." (Head Healer Serina)

*groan* *heavy breath* (First Princess Aurora)

The princess had been subject to the Head Healer magic for many hours now.

She was drowning in sweat, and the pain had taken a great toll on her. A spell could have helped relieve the pain, but the princess forbid its use.

*pant* "How did it go?" *pant* (Aurora)

Serina kneeled near the princess to rest a little. Sustaining complex spells for long taxes both the mind and the body.

*pant* "You have been such a good patient, princess. The bone is alright now and I fixed most of the nerves as well. You should regain full sensitivity in a few days." *smile* (Serina)

The princess checked her right arm.

The area around the wound was irritated, but the scar had all but disappeared and the skin had taken a much healthier color already. The swelling was almost gone as well. And the princess could even feel pain from the tip of her fingers, which were insensitive just hours before.

"I see you are not Head Healer for nothing. My thanks, Sister Serina." (Aurora)

"I just performed my duties." *look away* (Serina)

The princess noticed a shift in the Head Healer behaviour.

"Are you hiding something from me? If it's about my health I have the right to know." (Aurora)

"!!! It's not~ it's about your insides, princess. It is beyond my skills to heal them. Because of the damage there, you are unable to take nourishment from many types of food and if you take a bad hit on the wrong place, you'll die from internal bleeding, and~ *look down* (Serina)

"And? Finish your report, please. I want to hear it." (Aurora)

"You are barren. You can never bear children." *sad look* (Serina)

It took a few seconds before the meaning of Serina's word could sink in.

"You are lying! The Royal Healer said I could bear children just fine!" (Aurora)

"... I'm sorry, princess." *hold hand* (Serina)

Even in her current emotional state, Aurora could tell that Serina was telling the truth. She really believed the words she was saying. And she clearly was a superior healer to her royal counterpart, Calmata.

One of the duties of the queen is to give birth to a male heir that carries the royal bloodline.

There were queens in the past who had been unable to do so, and it was male children bore by non selected princesses who took the throne.

But never since the kingdom founding had a queen been elected who was known to be barren.

*weak voice* "What do you want not to divulge this information?" (Aurora)

"W W Want? Princess! I would never divulge your personal matters without your consent! I swear upon my faith in Gloria!" (Serina)

Protecting the privacy of a patient was a dogma the Church imposed long ago.

It was not for ethics of course. Had such a rule not been there, many wealthy patients would not entrust their secrets and ill bodies to the Church resulting in the loss of significant donations. Some even tried to kidnap Gloria's healers in the past to enforce secrecy.

Still, to demand nothing was naive of the Head Healer.

"I'm sorry I had to bring you such a bad news, Princess. I'll keep researching new healing techniques in the hope one might help you. In the mean time, you should eat. Healing takes a great toll on the body. I'll accompany you to your chambers and I'll have something delivered to you. You will fill better after some rest." *smile* (Serina)

Lunch Time

Location: Alba / Courtyard

Time: Y1503 / 20th day of the Wither Moon

POV: Liara

What's the deal with the prince? I hate the way he looks at me!

[Really? The sisters around you had a different reaction.] (Explorer Me)

He is just a boy!

[So what? He is rich. He is powerful. He is a prince. And I think he will be a looker when he grows up. To get his attention would be the dreams of many, I'm sure.] (Explorer Me)

Figures. But wait. Sisters can't even marry!

[Really? Are you sure?] (Explorer Me)

Well. I never seen anyone kissing or doing anything in my time here.

[You are oblivious to this kind of things. I paid attention, and have noticed several hints.] (Explorer)

Hints? What hints? And why didn't you tell me?!?

[Like a guard and a sister disappearing for a while together, or the fact that people are constantly being moved from temple to temple. And the nursery. And the babies gifted to the church. Do they all come from donations? You shouldn't worry. It is not time to distract yourself with this kind of stuffs. You are still very young.] (Explorer Me)

[I second that. You were what? Five when you died? Six? At best this gives you a mental age of nine.] (Doctor Me)

But I can see your experiences! You all have done... that!

[It is something that worries me, Liara. You are mentally young but you already had to face life and death situations, which can't be healthy for you. Growing up takes time. Don't force yourself to grow up even faster. Especially when there is no need to.] (Doctor Me)

[We thought a great deal about our selves. The way integrated our consciousnesses is... exotic. We are one and many at the same time. You can see our shared memories. Our experiences can take over, for example during tough fights. But you are still you. Truly remarkable. must have a deep understanding of what consciousness really is. It is something we were unable to do even with all our technology in my times.] (Science Me)

Alright. Just know I don't like when you keep secrets from me.

[We can't keep secrets from you. But we can choose not to bring things to your attention.] (Science Me)

[We are all in this together. And we only want what's best for you, Liara. Please, put your trust in us.] (Doctor Me)

...

Alright.

I forgive you.

What should I do about this matter?

[It depends. Do you want Serina to give you The Talk? She is the perfect person to break it to you. She is your Mother and she must know all there is to know about how relationships work inside the Church of Gloria. ] (Explorer Me)

[Serina seems a bit naive. I think Meridia would be a more reliable source, but you get the idea.] (Doctor me)

... I think I'll remain ignorant about this a while longer.

[It's lunch time. But I saw the prince going inside the common hall, earlier. Why don't we bring a meal to Sistina and eat with her at the library?] (Bookworm Me)

I'll take her over price Casanova every day!

"Kara. Why don't we bring a meal to Sistina in the Archives?" (Liara)

"That's a great idea, Liara! I was heading for the kitchens anyway!" *smile* (Initiate Kara)

Location: Alba / Kitchens

"Hello there, Liara! Have you come here to help us? You have been off duties for quite some time. I missed you, you know?" (Head Cook Hera)

"I'm sorry, Sister Hera. I have been busy with studying, lately." (Liara)

"Not just studying! She is training as scribe, enchantress, mage and healer all at once!" *smile* (Kara)

"Oh my. Take some time to sleep, little Liara." *pat head* (Hera)

*blush* "... I wanted to bring a meal to Princess Sistina, in the library." (Liara)

"You made a new friend? That's good, Liara! I was about to send Kara to do it anyway. Here, take four bowls and that pot. Careful, it's still hot. And don't spill it on the scrolls! Otherwise I'll have to deal with Sister Geneva!" (Hera)

"We'll be careful!" (Kara)

"See you later, Sister Hera." (Liara)

Location: Alba / Archives

"There you are! Hello Liara, hello Kara. You came here to studying?" (Guard Goto)

"We are just having a meal with the princess. We brought some for you as well." *smile* (Initiate Kara)

"Thank you! You are such jewels! be careful with the scrolls. If you dirty them, I'll have to deal with Sister Geneva." (Goto)

We enter the archives and head toward the table where Sistina is studying.

"Hello! We brought you a meal, Sistina!" (Liara)

"Ah!" *pant* *pant* (Sistina)

It seems we startled her. Again. She seems like she is in another world while reading her scrolls.

[Come on. Don't make fun of her!] (Bookworm Me)

I'm not!

"I'm sorry we scared you, Sistina." (Kara)

*pant* "I... No, I'm sorry. I didn't expect anyone to come here." *pant* (Sistina)

"Weren't you going to eat?" (Liara)

"I... I usually eat only one meal a day. I don't move all that much, and only rarely people... bring food to me. Like you did now. Thank you!" *teary eyes* (Sistina)

"It's ok, it's just some stew. We can eat together, if you like." (Kara)

"Yes! I'd like that! I'll just pile up the books to make some room." *smile* (Sistina)

[What a nice girl. She is the opposite of the prince.] (Bookworm Me)

[We barely know them. Don't draw conclusion based on such limited data.] (Science Me)

My feelings as well. I'm here just because I don't want the prince to sit near me and try his cheesy pick up lines. Gross.

[Well, I like her!] (Bookworm Me)

*slurp* (Sistina)

"What do you eat in the Royal Palace? You must have fancy meals every day!" (Kara)

"I... My sisters do, but I eat what the servants do." *look down* (Sistina)

"Really? And why is that?" (Kara)

Dammit, Kara! Get the clue, already. This is a sensitive topic for her! Don't rub it in. There must be special circumstances!

[Kara is a ten years old girl. It's normal for her to be upfront and oblivious to subtle clues. It is you who are the anomaly, Liara. This is why I don't want you to grow any faster than you already are.] (Doctor me)

Touche'.

"... We... princesses are ranked. I'm the lowest princess. And as such... I don't have access to... but it's ok! I don't mind eating simpler meals! And I find this stew delicious!" *forced smile* (Sistina)

[A reward and punishment strategy.] (Science Me)

[Except it's used only for pets and test subjects in civilized places. It's bad for the mental health of the children to be under great stress for long times since an early age. Especially when the child is in a competitive environment.] (Doctor Me)

"What were you reading earlier, Sistina?" (Liara)

"Ah! High Priestess Tesora wrote another scroll about~ (Sistina)

[Nicely done. This should make the mood lighter.] (Explorer me)

The problem will now be to stop her from talking.

Wounded Ego

Location: Alba / Common Hall

Time: Y1503 / 20th day of the Wither Moon / Lunch Time

*chatter*

It was lunch time, and the common hall was filled with people, all busy eating their simple meal. The tables were cramped and it was noisy as people made jokes and told stories to each others.

A table near the centre of the room was especially cluttered.

The Royal Prince, a ten years old boy, had decided to sit there alongside his guard and tutor instead of eating from the comfort of his private room. Many sisters were sitting in the table and listening to the Prince's stories.

Stories about hunts, about duels and about gossip from the Royal palace. All popular topics that people there seemed to deeply enjoy.

On a table near the corner, a sulking scout was eating alongside his squad mate.

"How are your wounds?" (Stella)

"Sister Nova gave me first aid. But I'll need another treatment, later." (Feldris)

Feldris held his chest with his right hand, then stole a glance at the prince.

"Look at him. All high and dandy, telling stories just because he won." *glare* (Feldris)

"It reminds me of someone I know." *smirk* (Stella)

Feldris looked dumbfounded for a second at the remark.

"I don't look like that! ... do I?" (Feldris)

"It's okay. I enjoy your stories." *smile* (Stella)

"I still can't believe that brat defeated me." (Feldris)

"You are a scout. You are best at path finding and out manoeuvring our opponents. One on one fights never were your forte." (Stella)

"He is a ten years old brat!!!" (Feldris)

"Liara is three years old girl and she is already tens of times stronger than I could ever hope to be. The prince can weave reinforcement magic all on his own. You can't fight that on your own. You would my support. Or artifacts." (Stella)

What Stella said made sense, but it didn't make Feldris feels any better.

"I expected the prince to be a spoiled brat. But he has a good technique, a levelled head and good aptitude. He has a great charisma as well. One can expect great things of him." (Leader Steffen)

"Leader!" (Stella)

"At ease. Will you make room for me? I'd like to eat alongside you." (Steffen)

The two were sitting comfortably as their table was somewhat less cramped than the other, making room for Steffen and his large built instantly reversed that.

"You fought well, Feldris. That's all I can ask of my men. But now that you know your opponent, you might want to prepare yourself accordingly for the next sparring match against him." (Steffen)

Feldris eyes went wide for a second as a grin took form on his face.

The Resistance

Location: Secularia / Ruins of the Temple of Gloria

Time: Y1503 / 20th day of the Wither Moon / Night

The Temple of Gloria in Secularia was in ruins. It was raided and put to the torch after it was abandoned by the Church, many moons ago.

The outer wall were still standing, but were charred black by the flames that consumed the temple and broken in places. The main gate was destroyed. The buildings inside were empty shells without roof.

But the place was not devoid of life. It was night, and an hooded figure was hiding behind the ruins of a fallen watch tower near the rear walls of the temple.

*chirp* chirp*

The hooded figure answered the sound of a nocturne bird using a small wooden whistle.

*chiiirp* chiiirp*

Everything seemed still for a few long seconds, then the hooded figure felt an invisible hand covering his mouth from behind.

*mph* *oomph*

The hooded figure tried to weakly struggle and scream, but they were easily overpowered. They were sure death had come to them, only to hear a soothing whisper.

*whisper* "Calm down. I'm from the Church. I'm sorry about this, but you would have screamed. Secrecy is of paramount importance." (Inquisitor Novella)

Once the hooded figure settled down, the woman let go of them. The figure quietly and slowly turned, but the only thing they could see was a blur in the darkness in front of them.

*whisper* "Do you know where the sinners are?" (Inquisitor Novella)

*pant* *pant* *whisper* "The woods. *pant* They have live on top of the trees in the woods of Secularia." (Hooded Figure)

*whisper* "Will you fight for Gloria?" (Inquisitor Novella)

*whisper* "We are mostly old man, women and children." (Hooded Figure)

*whisper* "Will you fight for Gloria?" (Inquisitor Novella)

*whisper* "... Yes... but we need food. And weapons." (Hooded Figure)

*whisper* "Give this purse to the travelling merchant that is currently in town. Trade it for everything that you might need. You raided it from the ruins of an house." (Inquisitor Novella)

The hooded figure grabbed the purse and disappeared behind an opening in the walls of the ruined temple.