Interlude B

Martin

“You've been summoned Martin"

The speaker was one of the Hands. The Hands were guards and elite warriors that directly served the Oracle. If a Hand was delivering a summons there was only one person it could be coming from.

“Right away sir" Martin replied

It wouldn’t do to keep the Oracle waiting even if he had to drop all of his duties. Martin also served the Oracle. Really everyone alive served the Oracle and just didn't know it, but Martin had the honor of being a member of the ‘Voice on the Wind.' The Voice was tasked with delivering messages all across the world to nudge events in the direction the Oracle chooses. There were a few different organizations that worked directly for the oracle. The Hands were warriors, the Voice were messengers, and the Gatherers were treasure collectors. There were rumors of an order of assassins called the Knives, but that was not certain. Martin wouldn't even consider the other rumor about spies, the Oracle knew and saw everything she would have no use for spies. Controlling the world from this small temple was a tall order, but the Oracle was more than up to the task.

Martin walked alongside the Hand.

There was a strict protocol when serving the Oracle directly. When not under direct orders from the Oracle anyone within the temple would follow a hierarchy. As a Voice Martin outranked the Hand in matters of state, however the Hand would hold final say in matters of security. With the Hand working under orders to retrieve Martin for a task, the Hand actually held more power and authority than Martin and thus should be in the lead. By walking alongside the Hand Martin was slightly breaching protocol and could be beaten for the violation.

He wasn't being beaten for the misstep yet which could mean a number of things. It was likely the Oracle had chosen a Hand that was more lax in his adherence to discipline. Martin would have to report the man once he had finished whatever task the Oracle had for him. It was also possible that Martin's beating might still come, but would have to wait until Martin had met with the Oracle, nothing would be allowed to interfere.

Martin knew all of this of course, one did not become a Voice by being ignorant of the way of things. He just didn't care. Being sent on a task by the Oracle was the highest calling anyone could dream of and he was excited to serve.

The walk was brief and once they arrived the Hand took his position to the side of the door. There was no word to Martin about reporting for whipping later, It must have been the former case then. Martin would definitely have a word with the master of the Hands. The Oracle resided in a room deep under the temple itself. From what he understood the ‘bunker' was a Pre-Destruction construction built for the purpose of surviving catastrophes. The Oracle had been living inside for nearly a thousand years since weathering the end of the world so many years ago.

The thick metal door was opened by one of the nameless. The nameless were eunuchs that had their eyes seared closed and ears punctured, in order to serve so close to the Oracle. No one would be allowed to look at the Oracle and to hear her words without being given permission was an offense worthy of a hundred deaths. Martin entered without looking at the creature, it wouldn't do to ruin this wonderful day.

The inside of the ‘bunker' was probably the most incredible place in the world, but Martin would not dare to look. No one was allowed to raise their gaze from the floor when in the presence of the Oracle.

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“Martin of the Voice on the Wind, it is good you have come.” The breathy voice of the Oracle graced his ears

Martin fell to his knees and pressed his head to the floor. He desperately wanted to apologize for everything he had ever done and thank the Oracle for choosing him to honor with this task at the same time, but would never speak with his unworthy voice in such a place. Instead Martin prostrated himself and listened intently to any and every sound he would be gifted with.

“I have an important task for you Martin. There is an important person whom you must aid and deliver a message to. Your journey will be long and perilous. You must travel north through the territories of the foul lizards and across the icy sea. You will meet someone by the name of Larry in South Verga. You must join with him and aid him in his fight. You must throw the melon at the stars, you will understand when the time comes. Do not trouble Larry with demands of service, he serves me just as everyone does. When the fight is done tell Larry this, ‘Leave the other one’s memories buried, and take him with you when you go. They will be a reliable companion. Your next destination should be the Deadlands.’ Do you understand Martin?”

Martin Tried to nod, however with his forehead pressed to the ground he ended up scraping it against the rough floor, but that was fine so long as he didn't bleed on this holy ground.

“Then you have your task, take two Hands and a guide from the Traveler’s Hall”

He very much wanted to spend even one moment more in the presence of the Oracle but wouldn’t delay his mission for any reason. He had a task from the Oracle herself and there was no higher honor in the world.

Once he had left the ‘bunker' Martin ran. He needed to hurry and start the journey. It was of course impossible to fail a task given by the Oracle. She knew how it would play out before even summoning him, but there was a reason Martin was the Voice selected for this task. The Oracle knew who would be best for a mission and chose based on that. Martin was the best for this task because he was going to hurry and leave, the Oracle knew that before he did, and now that he did know, he would hurry. If he had the honor of being a reliable voice he might be allowed to serve more in the future once this task was fulfilled.

With the authority granted by his mission Martin demanded the best two Hands available. Two people separated from the dozens in the training field and quickly joined him with little discussion. The first was a large man by the name of Stephan wore heavy plate armor and carried an impressive kite shield and mace combo. The other was a thin wiry woman with no armor at all, instead she wore a dark green cloak and carried a long bow and wicked looking knife, she didn’t speak at all and Stephan introduced her as Natasha.

Martin told the Hands of his mission and they immediately went to work gathering supplies and rations for the trip while Martin himself went to fetch a guide from the Traveler’s Hall.

Martin hated the Travelers. Even though they were allowed to set up their guild hall so close to the temple they refused to acknowledge the Oracle as supreme. They claimed that the Oracle was a ‘Power' like any other in the world. Whenever they said that Martin had to bite his cheek to stop himself from biting their heads off.

Martin had to try very hard to ‘request' a guide rather than demand one as was proper when someone had a mission from the Oracle. The clerk who happened to be working the desk at the hall had a look of disdain in his eye that almost had Martin drawing his blade. The guild eventually got around to arranging a guide for the mission and tried charging a fee for the service. The Travelers often handled escorts and guides from one territory to another. Many journeys routed through hostile territories or carried precious cargo and people would hire the Travelers to guide them and protect them through the safest paths. The Oracle occasionally sent people on missions that required the services of the guild even though they weren't directly working for the Oracle themselves.

“This is in service of the Oracle herself, I am being kind in allowing one of you to join in the quest. I should be charging you!” Martin yelled at the clerk

Before the situation devolved into a scene, one of the supervisors overheard and rushed over.

“Sorry Voice sir, this is Gregg, a new employee and he doesn’t know about the deal with the temple. Your guide will arrive shortly with your mounts"

Martin wanted to continue and teach the whelp a lesson, but had more important things to be about. He checked his and the Hands gear and provisions while they waited.

Once the guide arrived they would be off to find Larry. Finally he could serve the Oracle again, and he would have the honor of bringing the Oracles words to another.