Chapter 36: Heretic

Instead of acting like ordinary people, we chose to make our way back more interesting. If, by interesting, we understand beating Bob non-stop. Well, not beating maybe, testing and improving our skills? Whichever the case, the boss ogre was our guinea pig.

We are getting close to the city already, but instead of going directly to the northern gates, we opt for a brief detour, heading for the woods on the southwest. Chances are the rats will still attack from the west, so having my spirits stationed near is a good idea.

We've discussed it, and we believe no one will find them; everyone is either focusing on the city defenses or hiding somewhere within. Thus, it's quite improbable they will meet a pair of ogres deep in the forest. As for other people, they have already fled long ago.

Just in case, tho, I've ordered them to growl to their heart's content if they were to find humans. Any vermin, animal, or monster they are free to kill. But not humans. We don't want to cause a commotion before time. In that case, we have to trust the humans will get scared and run away, giving me enough time to relocate my minions.

Warning the governor and even the city might be an option, but as Isha said, we don't know yet who's friend or foe. We can't risk the information being leaked. It must be a surprise attack, or there's no way in hell it will work.

After explaining to them what they had to do for the third time, and to avoid raising suspicions, we go back to the gates we were supposed to enter from. Like yesterday, the full-lockout is still in place. We are privileged to be let out and in—surely a favor from the governor.

"Come in, Mark!" A soldier shouts from up the walls before we can even speak. Our names, not only mine actually, have been gaining some popularity lately.

Ah… now I'll take a bath and mentally prepare for tomo-

"See! I told you!!" The scream of someone makes me focus my attention on the crowd. Who is it? "I knew his class was not normal!" My eyes meet with a finger pointing right at me. Are those priest robes? "Soldiers! Detain him?"

What the fuck 'detain me'? I switch my view to the soldiers right next to me and raise an eyebrow while squinting the opposite eye. "Detain me?"

"He is a heretic! A non-believer!" Fuck. I'm screwed. How can he know? Is it him? Or the one next to him who knew? Ah! Who cares now!

One of the soldiers takes a few steps to the front while another one approaches me. Fuck me. This is serious. "Guys, don't do or say anything. Tell Isha what happened." I quickly say as I see the two figures getting closer; I don't want my friends to be tagged along with me.

"Hey…" the soldier, already to my side, whispers as covertly as he can possibly manage, "make a run for it!" What? They are helping me? "Consider this a favor for what you did at Draka"

"On what grounds are we to make him prisoner?" The other guard declares from a distance.

"Haven't you heard? He is a heretic!" By this time, my body is already floating and picking up velocity.

"We will not do such a thing without an order give-" the words of my savior fade away as I take more and more distance. My destination? Isha's house, without a hint of doubt.

Without much care or concern for the people walking the streets, I push, hit, and even knock down a few. Right now, I don't have the luxury to evade them. I can't even properly see them. I'm pushing my limits here!

With her house already in sight, I make a last effort. Opening the door and re-locking it from the inside, I take my first breath since the chase started. Is it a chase? I don't even know that.

"What is this ruckus!" Isha's voice, quite angry from what I hear, comes from the rooms above.

"The.." I breathe in and out heavily. "Church…" barely managing to let the last word go. "Heretic, prison!" I don't have the energy to articulate any better than this.

"Those motherfuckers." This is the first time I've heard Isha swear. I wish I had some remaining strength to mock her. "Don't worry, they don't have the guts to enter here." Is it her? For real?

"HAND HIM OVER!" Angry voices start shouting from the outside. From heretic to abomination, I'm called all names imaginable.

"Fuck off from my home if you don't want to face me!" Isha's voice, by the art of magic, gets amplified beyond what's humanly possible. Even acquiring the property to go through walls, like she's used before to talk with me from other rooms. Unlike those times, however, this voice is hardly neutral and soft. Guttural, angry, frightening, my whole body stands on guard even though I know she's defending me.

Wow… this woman is not the same one I've met before. She was always so polite. She never spoke one more word than necessary. Always kept that enigmatic facet. If this is what happens when she gets angry, I better try to comply and keep her happy.

"Don't worry, they are not coming inside." She says while her sight is lost beyond the walls.

"I'm sorry… they must have seen me battle the other day, and when I didn't get revived at the church… well, they added two and two, I guess." I was sorry, not much for exposing me as for getting Isha into the mess.

"It was a question of time, do not beat yourself over it." Her hand waves dismissively. "Either way, they would have found by tomorrow."

"I guess that's true…" I say as I think of tomorrow's incoming war. "What now? Do I have to leave the city?"

"Leave the city? What nonsense are you sprouting?" Her raised eyebrows give weight to her words.

"They've discovered I'm not a follower of Jonas. They wanted the soldiers to arrest me."

"My, my. Have you learned nothing? Do you take me for a believer?" Her voice acquires a sweet, motherly tone.

"I… no?" I mean, she called Jonas a fake God. Obviously not.

"Of course not! Yet here I am, in Irisgarth!"

"Right!"

"They do not have the authority to command the army. And Irisgarth is not a religious city, nor is it commanded by religious forces. Jonas' devotion might be the main faith, but that does not make their opposition criminals."

"Then I'm safe?" I say, breathing regularly at last.

"Not exactly. They might not rule here, but their influence is not little. They have people in most ranks. And while they do not dare to touch me, I cannot say the same of anyone else. Not even of my own pupil. They will make your existence hard."

"Fuck me… and there's nothing I can do?"

"There is. Get stronger. Amass people with your same ideology. Challenge their faith until they cannot deny the truth."

"That…" I pause, looking for the appropriate words, "will take long?"

"It certainly will. And you will be staying with me until it is over. Outside the city, you should be fine by yourself, but inside you will remain by my side."

"I don't even know how to thank you… why would you do all of this for me?"

"You are my student; I shall take care of you."

"Not, but I mean all of it. Why me? Why teach me?"

"There are truths that you have not yet unveiled. I shall tell you about them when you evolve. Until then, do not overthink it. Why you? Because you don't follow Jonas. If any other would come, I would also take them under my wing."

I'm not special, that's what you are telling me, right? That's actually a relief to hear. "Are there more like me?"

"Yes. Although it has been a while since someone awakened by himself." Seeing my confused look, she adds, "that's what we call the act of breaking bounds with Jonas. But others will in time. This is how it is."

"I'll wait until I can learn more about the truth, then."

The shouts outside have already faded to complete silence, and the situation has returned to normal. Realizing that my friends might be worried, I quickly send them a message.

Everything is fine. I made it to Isha's house before they got me.

I'll take a rest now, let's meet here tomorrow at 8.

"Isha, out of curiosity." She turns her head to look at me. Apparently, she was already going. "When we, adventurers, disappear to only reappear a few hours later at the very same place, where do you think we are?"

"Why do you ask this? Of course, you go to another dimension and plane. Adventurers' powers need to be refilled; you cannot withstand being in this world for a long time."

"Oh, thank you." So that's how they see it? We go to another world to recharge our energy? Well, after all, for them, this world is their reality. It is good to know I can come and go without having to look for weird reasons. "Then, I'll be off until tomorrow. Take care!"