“NOTICE. THOSE WHO SWEAR AN OATH OVER A HOLY RELIC RECEIVE THE SKILL [DUTY BOUND] WHICH RESTRICTS CERTAIN ACTIONS UNTIL THE CONDITIONS OF THE OATH ARE MET.”

“I changed my mind,” Xander said. He stepped back from the altar before him. Something so holy had never seemed so threatening before. He’d never met this world’s gods, nor could he vouch for their existence. Nevertheless, Xander felt odd about swearing an oath over sacred relics.

“Too late,” Rex immediately replied. He had already performed the ritual. It was his way of making amends for wrapping the team into this mess. He felt responsible for getting everyone arrested. Because of him and Robyn, an oath needed to be sworn. The team needed to promise their participation in the upcoming tournament.

“We already did it, so you have to too,” Nicholas reaffirmed his partner’s statement. It wouldn’t be fair for half of the team to swear an oath that the other half could opt-out of. Xander had no choice at this point. He and his unsworn partner had to do the same. Come to think of it…there was a slight discrepancy about who already performed the ritual. Fortunately, the holy relics canceled any effects that Nicholas’s lies had.

“Sir Nicholas, you have yet to complete the ritual yourself,” Countess Marisol Belicia Serena Del Monte said. As a countess, Marisol ruled over the local territory. A local baron managed the city, but she needed to step in once sins started to appear in rapid succession. If she did nothing, a duke or even the king might intervene. She quickly learned the truth about both sins’ deaths. Upon hearing the reports, Marisol demanded the heroic team be released. She garnered the support of Rose and Damian to enact her plan. In return, the team needed to swear to participate in the upcoming tournament.

“Lady Marisol Belicia-” Nicholas started to address the countess but was interrupted.

“Just Lady Marisol is fine, Sir Nicholas,” Marisol said. If every interaction required her full name, conversations would drag on much longer than necessary. Her first name was all that was needed. The other names were only there for formality, rank, and association. Using her full name was meant to be reserved for grand announcements or requests, which Nicholas had no intention of making.

“Just Nicholas is fine, Lady Marisol. Thank you for being understanding of my condition.” Nicholas said with a slight bow. His team made sure to immediately explain the constant lying to their new noble ally. They didn’t want to accidentally upset someone who could mobilize a private army. It was why everyone was on their best behavior. Unfortunately, they weren’t sure how to act around a noble. Nicholas went with an overbearing and thankful approach. Rex and Xander tried to remain as their casual selves. Robyn, however, had a more pressing issue on her mind than etiquette.

“I’m sorry, but can we hurry this up? If we’re being serious here, we need to train asap.” Robyn said. She had already sworn her oath and received the corresponding skill. Much like Rex, she wanted to go first as a way to apologize for everything that had happened so far. It didn’t take long for her to realize what needed to be done. A promise was made, so the team must start training immediately. The tournament was just around the corner.

“Why would you need to train? Have you not defeated both Envy and Pride?” Marisol said with a look of confusion. She wasn’t sure why these heroes were reluctant to fight. As a noble, Marisol had rarely seen combat beyond arenas and tactical maps. She wasn’t sure what a hero would look like, so it was hard to fault her for believing that these four were indeed powerful. Her innocent question struck through the hearts of those that heard it.

“Yes, but that’s different. We can’t rely on the same strategy against different opponents.” Rex said. This was his newest excuse. It was a common tactic to analyze one’s opponent before a match to gain an advantage. Rex’s team kept few secrets, especially because their skills often drew attention. To make matters worse, Damian’s report on Pride’s defeat went into great detail about how the team operated together, the skills used, and the equipment worn. Every facet of the team was being scrutinized, so they needed to make adjustments to avoid that glaring disadvantage.

“Then, I suppose we should commence the ritual. Sir Xander. Sir- I mean, Nicholas. If you would be so kind.” Marisol said. She twirled her finger in a polite gesture to make the men turn around. They obliged and faced the glamorous altar. The marble table was covered with a red cloth that draped over the edges. A golden trim lined the fabric and formed numerous symbols from a prehistoric language. Candles burned bright and were enchanted to never extinguish or melt. Atop the decorations was the holy relic that both men needed to swear over.

It was a scroll. One that documented the tale of a holy event that took place centuries ago. The paper was old and much darker due to age. Thankfully, it was preserved via magic, but no one knew the spell that was used nor its exact effects. To be safe, the scroll was encased in a glass chamber. Gold plates sealed the end caps, and immaculate designs were added alongside various runes and incantations.

Xander and Nicholas knelt before the altar. They said the exact phrase they were taught. Nothing happened, but they proceeded with the ritual. Both lifted their hands over the relic. All was silent. A new presence was felt, but no one had entered the chamber. The two men paused for a brief moment before swearing to participate in the tournament. The mysterious presence suddenly left once the oath was made, and Genesis stepped in to fill the void.

“NOTICE. SKILL [DUTY BOUND] ACQUIRED. SAID SKILL WILL BE REVOKED UPON PARTICIPATION IN THE AUTUMN FESTIVAL TOURNAMENT.”

“One two three, not it,” Xander immediately said. The words erupted too fast to be heard properly. Everyone looked at him like he was insane because they didn’t understand what had happened. It took a minute for some to realize what he was trying to do.

“Not it,” Nicholas and Robyn said with panicked expressions. They realized what Xander’s newest plan was and wanted nothing to do with it. The procedure was a bit immature, but it was the best way to randomly pick someone for the job.

“Not- Dang it…” Rex said. He was too slow. He quietly admitted defeat and turned to the countess. Someone had to be the guinea pig, and Rex happened to draw the short straw this time. No one had to say anything. The task was clear. Every skill needed to be tested at least once for the team to learn. Rex simply hoped Genesis was merciful.

“Is there something wrong, Sir Rex?” Marisol asked with a look of concern. She still wasn’t sure what was wrong with Xander, and now Rex was acting meek. If something happened, she clearly missed it.

“Actually, we refuse to-” Rex started to say. His sentence was interrupted by an intense pain in his head. It felt like something was drilling into his skull. The pain continued until the skill’s message finished.

“SKILL [DUTY BOUND] PROHIBITS THIS ACTION. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS WILL RESULT IN INCREASED PAIN.”