Worthless, Olrich slammed the book shut throwing up a small cloud of dust. He idly waved the dust away from his face. Three hundred pages about the goddesses and not one mention of the Goddess of Will.

Three days ago, he had given up on the main library. Its books provided nothing he did not already know. He knew the knowledge he needed was somewhere else. His search eventually led him to the basement where ‘less popular’ books were found.

He quickly learned ‘less popular’ meant boring. It also meant that no one else ever came down to the basement, but at least it was quiet. Unlike in the library above, his reading was no longer disturbed by curious onlookers. He absentmindedly looked around the deserted hall of forgotten books.

He moved the book to the growing stack to his left. Grabbing another of the tomes to his right he started skimming the pages. He eyes rolled over the page looking for any mention of Orn’s Goddess of Will. The other priests now avoided him. A year ago, he would have thought them right, but those thoughts were far from his mind. Instead, he busied himself looking through the books.

Olrich shook his head. He knew many thought poorly of him. ‘A priest who cannot even read the paths.’ ‘If the path is too dim for you to read then become a scholar.’

Fools the lot of them, Olrich thought to himself, none of them understand. The paths are not dim floating scrolls to me. They are burning suns. I am blessed to see more of the divine more strongly.

Sometimes too much, Olrich shivered as he remembered the look in the Orn’s eyes. He had been so weak, but Olrich saw the power building in the boy. None of the others were blessed enough to see the divine or they would have shrunk as well. There was something in the boy’s eyes. Worse yet, he shivered at the memory, the power in them found me wanting.

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Olrich slowly took a deep breath, to calm himself. He had felt the power in the room as the boy condemned him for his ignorance.

But why?! Olrich asked himself again, was it not the intention of the goddess to be known? Why should I not lead Orn to his people? Was it not the will of the goddess that I, the priest of the ceremony presents the great paths to the world?

His mind ground to a halt. He looked back at the worn volume he had set aside. A servant need only obey. To question is to challenge the one who gave the order… The excerpt he had read in passing echoed in his head. …I have done it again…

He was questioning a goddess. He was given a chance for redemption, but he was only continuing to sin. I really do deserve this. To think I would spend a chance for redemption by questioning the will of a goddess. It is all so clear! Why did I not see it before?

He threw himself to his knees. The chair fell over and his knees screamed from the sudden contact with the stone floor, but he ignored them. He bowed his head and began to pray. Tears fell from his eyes as he recited prayers begging forgiveness, one after another.

In his fervor, he lost track of time. He was finally forced to stop when his voice failed him. Slowly coming back to himself, he wiped at his eyes. The light from the basement windows had disappeared, plunging the space into darkness.

What do I do now? Have I squandered the goddesses’ chance for grace? Unsure what else to do he grabbed the edge of the table he pulled himself to his feet. As he rose, he saw the a pool of light, from one of the small torches, surrounding the next book.

In the darkness of my failing, they give me light! The old hymn’s words came to his mind. It is a sign! The task is still awaiting me!

A way to redeem myself. With newfound passion Olrich began to go through the book. That is what this is! She did not condemn me; she gave me a way to become worthy of announcing her return. Joy of joys the goddesses are making me worthy. Worthy of being part of their great plan…

In the days that followed Olrich threw himself into his search. He did not notice that his fellow priests no longer cared to meet his gaze.