Look upon this shimmering pearl.

This is home.

This is ALL our homes.

This is what reality is made of.

An iridescent sphere, constantly changing because of the magic it possesses.

Look inside.

This is life.

Look at all the beautiful and brave flickering lights, like a billion billion tiny fireflies.

The life that is… our universe.

You.

Me.

Them.

Your world.

All of it.

It is warmth.

It is happiness.

It is love.

It is our home.

It is truly beautiful.

It is truly wonderful.

It is envied.

It is lusted after.

Not as something to be cherished, but as something to RIP FROM, to cut, to pillage, to rape.

Armageddon is approaching.

Invaders, outsiders, are trying to enter our reality, and your world, to make it their own.

Should they succeed everything we own, everything we love, and everything we are, will be lost.

Seek.

Seek the invaders’ points of entrance.

Seek, and destroy them.

You will need the one who always knows where to look.

You will need the one who knows the forest.

You will need the one who knows the mountains.

You will need the one who knows the arcane.

You will need the one who speaks with words.

You will need the one who speaks with violence.

You will need the one who speaks for Truth.

You will need the one who speaks for Us.

For those who do Our bidding, know that your heart’s desire will be granted.

I am your Goddess Ilya.

I am Light, and I am Life.

HEAR MY WORDS,

AND KNOW THEM TO BE TRUE!

The holy symbol gently descended back onto the altar, the sunlight blasting from it dwindling to nothing.

Released from the incredible pressure, Lord Bowen and Sister Teresa Gedder collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.

Time passed…

“Wow.”

That was the extent of Lord Bowen’s ability to speak.

Sister Teresa said nothing at all, her eyes just staring.

More time passed…

Heavy footsteps, along with the creaking and clanking of armed people wearing heavy armor, tromped up the stairs outside, heading for the third floor.

Still more time passed…

He managed to stagger back to his feet. It took quite a bit of strength (Sister Teresa’s armor is NOT light) to get her up as well.

Heavy footsteps, a little slower, a little less sure this time, tromped back down the stairs. They paused at the church doors.

“Ah, there he is. Sir? We brought the wizard girl. She says she has… Sir?”

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Still lying in his cell, Healz Pleaze blinked several times.

…What the hell?

It took him a moment, but he finally noticed:

All of his menus were closed, even his minimap.

It had happened.

Was that… a cut scene?

He got off the cot.

He yawned.

He stretched.

He felt fully rested, just as he always did after a good…

Sleep?

Did I… actually… sleep(!)… during a cut scene?

His mind felt clearer than ever before.

“Map.”

The map appeared, showing the outline of the jail he was in. Several white triangles, signifying NPCs, clustered outside his jail door, corresponding to the group of ladies cooing at him. Heinrick’s triangle sat in the cell next to his, and lastly two triangles for the two heavily armed gentlemen guarding the main door out.

Unconsciously, he sighed in relief. Whatever else had happened, the booming “HEAR MY WORDS” lady hadn’t taken away his abilities...

Wait. That’s odd…

Something new had been added to his map: a yellow arrow pointing to somewhere outside the jail.

And then a blue triangle appeared, as Daniel Bowen entered the building.

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All the anger, all the frustration, all the impatience drained away from Sheila when she looked upon the face of Blake Bowen, lord of Bowen Village.

He had a “Revelation Face” on.

That face when up until now you had a jumbled mess, and then someone hands you a thing and suddenly everything came together and instead of a mess, you had a puzzle.

She saw it a lot at the mage tower. Students who finally understood how magic is cast, and researchers she had assisted who had finally found a clue, all had that face.

Always, it is best to stay back and wait.

NEVER interrupt a person with that face, ESPECIALLY if they have access to magic or were in a position of power.

So instead, she quietly took out the statue from her backpack and placed it by Lord Bowen’s side taking care not to make any loud noises.

Delivery complete.

QUEST:

Deliver The Sentinel

COMPLETE!

+1000 XP

LEVEL UP!

“Oh no, NOT AGAIN!” She shouted in shock and fear, as her eyes started to glitter again.

Just as they had back when she had first seen that sign.

So much for stealth.

Time once more for her own "Revelation Face".

Far away from the nipplefort, in the jail the exact same signs had popped up over the heads of a certain elf, and her older brother.

My own older brother is visiting. My better-than-me-in-every-way-and-the-hope-of-my-family brother. So please understand that while I love writing, right now I just want to KILL THINGS ON MY COMPUTER UNTIL HE GOES AWAY!!!!

Oh, and Merry Mickelmas. ;)