“I can’t believe that actually worked!” Kedryn whispered, looking where the dwarf had disappeared in a flash of light moments before. “Do you think he will be ok?”
“I take it back,” Bragden grumbled hoarsely, slumping in his chair. “I don’t want to be yer Storm o’ bloody Magic anymore. Me heart can’t take the stress.”
“I’ll take your request into consideration,” Glade chuckled, pleasantly surprised that using Acumen’s name had indeed allowed him to call upon the Adjudicator of Intellect. “But before we explore that unlikely scenario, how long do these judgments normally take?”
Bragden heaved a sigh before responding.
“There be nothing carved in stone, if’n that’s what yer askin,” the bald dwarf replied, sitting up straighter in the chair as he adopted a scholarly tone. “It’s not like these kinds o’ requests to the Eight happen all that often. In the Crag, I’d say the Namer be used maybe once every five years or so. I heard a judgement can take as long as 5 days, depending on which skill…”
Another flash of light heralded the return of their volunteer, a dwarf named Hern. From the ear-splitting grin on his face Glade deduced the dwarf had come back triumphant.
“It worked!” Hern declared, his arms raised. “Not only did he raise me rank to apprentice in leatherwork, but the blessed Adjudicator o' Intellect himself raised me Tanner rank as well! He even granted me an additional 8 slagging levels in both skills!”
The entire hall reverberated with the group’s combined roar of excitement, most faces turning from hesitant worry to instant jubilation.
“I knew bringin ye into the clan was the right call!” Krazzik boomed after congratulating Hern. “Ye must have a great relationship with the Adjudicator o’ Intellect to warrant such a blessing!”
Kedryn had a hard time not smirking at the comment.
Glade hid his grimace. He was pretty sure Hern passed on his own merits. If anything, the relationship he had with Acumen would have hindered the process.
A ghost of concern creased Glade’s brow as he thought about what Krazzik had just said. Maybe it would be better to call on Credos from here on out. Just to be safe.
Ember had no idea what was going on, confused at Glade’s mixture of excitement and caution while others were rejoicing. Deciding that Glade was overthinking again, the egg nudged his friend to pay attention and enjoy the moment.
“Who’s next?” Kedryn called excitedly.
A rush of bodies pressed forward, everyone eager to attempt ranking up a skill.
“STOP!!” Bragden roared, leaping from his seat. The hall quieted in an instant. “Is this how the honorable Slaghammer clan acts?! Just look at yerselves! Actin like wee elf lasses, rushing to lay yer wreaths o’ flowers afore yer chosen before spring! Its shameful I tell ye!”
Bragden eyed the group until his gaze fell on Riya, who simply arched her brow at him.
“Ahh… no offense,” he grumbled at her, his bald head turning a curious shade of red.
Bragden quickly turned back to the crowd. “Form a line, ye sorry excuses for bearded gnomes! I’ll be the one to vet ye before ye try takin on an Adjudicator’s judgement!”
“I should have thought o’ that,” Krazzik whispered to himself, just loud enough for Glade to overhear.
Chuckling, Glade simply patted his friend on the shoulder as Ember pressed him to congratulate Hern. As he did, Glade couldn’t help but reflect.
Requesting Adjudicator judgment to increase one’s skill rank was a surprisingly straightforward process. There was no pomp or ceremony tied with the action, much to Bragden’s horror. After Hern had volunteered, Glade called on Acumen to render judgement for a skill rank increase, then the person had vanished. Easy.
Honestly, he didn’t understand what the big deal was.
No, that wasn’t quite right. Glade did understand. Advancing one’s skill rank was a significant accomplishment under any circumstance. Having it done by an Adjudicator? Glade was pretty sure not many could say they had done the same.
No, it wasn’t the event that he didn’t understand. Glade simply didn’t care that he might be bothering the arrogant beings. If their entire role was overseeing the advancement of sentient beings on Veil, then they should be more than willing to provide the service, even if they didn’t officially grant him their names.
There were congratulatory back slaps aplenty for Hern and an atmosphere of excitement was quickly taking over the hall as Glade continued to ponder. Three more dwarves were vetted by Bragden to attempt their judgement, all of which vanished after either he or Kedryn called upon an Adjudicator. One was a glassworker who was ranked up to an apprentice while another came back as a journeyman engineer who couldn’t stop weeping for joy.
Not a single person mocked the teary-eyed dwarf, simply sharing a heartfelt ‘huzzah’ or let out a cheer for Clan Slaghammer or Storms’ Rest.
But it was the last dwarf that received the loudest roar of excitement.
“Why is everyone cheering so loudly?” Kedryn yelled over the crowd.
“That be Kreger,” Bragden said, a smile finally forming on his perpetually scowling face. “He be the clan’s brewer!”
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“A journeyman brewer now!” Krazzik roared, elbowing the Kid.
Kedryn had one of those light bulb moments, his eyes widening with excitement. One didn’t need telepathy to read what was going on in the Corporal’s mind.
Glade looked forward to reminding the Kid that regardless of what world they were on, he was still underage.
“I get why they’re excited,” Kedryn said after the crowd died down to a dull roar, bringing Glade out of his internal musings. “But these reactions seem a bit… I don’t know, excessive?”
“Might be for someone o’ yer caliber,” Krazzik laughed. “But for the likes o’ us, it’s like the Mother herself has risen from the sacred depths to bless us!”
“Yes, but why? Is it really that hard to progress one’s skill rank?” Kedryn asked.
Glade leaned forward, interested in the response. He understood that it would have been near impossible to advance skill ranks in the middle of nowhere as they were. But that shouldn’t be the case in normal society.
“Let me see if’n I can explain,” Bragden said before climbing into his chair once more. “As ye know, our clan be rather new. Most o’ the boys here were clanless before we took ‘em in, scraping and clawing their way throughout the Crag anyway they could. Most never made it past trainee or apprentice in a skill for varying reasons. Either the cost to graduate them to the next rank was too high or the spots were given to those who had clan backing or political ties. It also allowed those in power to keep quality talent while paying ‘em scrap wages. What ye just done was give these poor buggers not only what they rightly deserve, but ye did it in a way that no one in all o’ the realms can question them. Their rank ups were granted by one o’ the Eight themselves!”
The last part Bragden said like he was dreaming, the shock at having all four dwarves pass their judgement in so little time evident on his face.
Afterwards, Glade worked his way through the crowd, congratulating those who had returned while Ember exulted in the joy of the moment. Shortly after, he joined Riya who was leaning against a wall, taking in the scene with her usual intensity.
“You know what I don’t understand about all of this?” he said, waving his hand to take in everyone. “Kedryn and I must have spoken the Adjudicator’s names out loud at least three, maybe four times before Bragden cued us into what we were doing. Wouldn’t the ones who overheard us know the names by now?”
“Such a thing isn’t possible,” Riya said, shaking her head. “When you spoke the name to invoke judgement, all I heard was a shushing sound, like the heavens themselves denied me from understanding what passed through your lips. It will likely never happen, but If I am found worthy, the Adjudicators will grant me a quest or a trial to test me. If I pass, they may grant me such a gift as their name.”
Glade grimaced. This was all a bit much if he were being honest. The whole system of advancement seemed… flawed. The fact that you had to be tested, and passed, by someone with the right level just to advance in rank opened the entire process to corruption, not to mention fraud and monopolization. He supposed the use of an Adjudicator to render judgement was meant to be a check to that power, but if only a few had the ability to invoke said judgement, and those people were controlled by governments, then how effective was the system really?
“I know you don’t understand how important this moment is for our friends,” Riya said with a sincerity that took Glade off guard. He turned to Riya, giving her his undivided attention. What he saw stopped his train of thought entirely.
Riya’s face was bright with what he could only describe as hope.
“I never dreamed that such an opportunity might be within my grasp,” Riya whispered, watching the dwarves who had returned with a deep-seated yearning. “Ever since my Fated Day, when I received my brand of meekness, I have been…instructed,” the last word coming out a mere whisper, but with a clear undertone of frustration. “Instructed by almost everyone that my place was to meekly accept whatever the fates decreed. Whether they are heaven sent punishments or trials laid upon me by my own people. All because of my brand.”
The confusion must have shown on his face because Riya turned to look up at him, her eyes once again filled with hope.
“My people believe that any with my brand are meant to bow their entire life, accepting whatever comes as the Overseer’s will. It is why those branded with meekness are often made servants, forbidden to receive any formal education. I was denied weapons training or apprenticeship in any craft the moment my brand appeared. I was even barred from providing input to the council, which is ironic” she barked a laugh. “Even though I am the heir to my people’s house, I can never rule. Not when I am meant to exemplify meekness.”
“But how did you get to be an apprentice in natural lore?” Glade couldn’t help but ask. “I mean, I remember you talking about being tested before.”
“Oh, I was tested all right, but in secret,” Riya said, sorrow flashing across her face. “One of the elders, Da’Gwynlin, didn’t care about my brand. For years she mentored me in private, revealing the secrets of the land, air, and sea one incredible moment at a time. I lived for those days! But if I have learned anything, it is that all good things come to an end,” she sighed. “An elder in my village learned what was happening and confronted my father, who in turn was forced to confront Da’Gwynlin with other members of the council. Our lessons stopped. Most everything else I have had to learn on my own.”
“That... doesn’t make sense,” Glade said, his brow furrowing. “When I was judged for my meekness brand, it was…” he wanted to say it was clear that the Adjudicator of Meekness had judged him on how he had learned. Whether or not he was open. Obviously, he had some work to do in that area. But as he tried to explain, some unseen hand stopped him.
Riya paused, looking at him with what could only be called genuine interest. It was frustrating, infuriating really, but try as he might, Glade couldn’t share what he had experienced when that word had resonated within his soul.
“Let’s just say I don’t think your people understand the real meaning behind the brand,” he finished lamely.
“Maybe, maybe not,” Riya said with a shake of her head. “But it is the way of my people. What my father directed. I couldn’t lead, but neither could I be a lowly servant seeing as I was the heir. I was an anomaly. Fated to do nothing, with the expectation that I would humbly accept my fate. I tried to be meek, but instead, all I wanted was to rebel. And so I did, by sneaking around and learning everything I could in spite of what the elders directed. But one thing I couldn’t achieve on my own is advance my ranks. No matter how hard I tried.”
She looked into Glade’s eyes with that spark of hope. “Since I met you and Kedryn, I have been tossed from one reality to another. I have been given gifts and trials in equal measure and am now standing before someone who can name an Adjudicator. I have been stuck at the apprentice rank in Natural Lore for years, learning every scrap of information I could get my hands on to be ready for a day like today. A day where I could step forward to be tested on my own terms.”
Eyes of liquid amber looked at him, two wells of quiet determination that yearned for that which most took for granted. A chance to prove to themselves.
“Captain Glade, will you grant me the opportunity be judged?”
As if he could say no.
“Da’Riya Ab’Loshere,” he said gently, Ember burning brightly within as he looked upon the girl placed under his protection by the very beings who had branded him. Branded her. “In the name of…” Glade paused, feeling that Acumen was not the right Adjudicator for this specific moment, “Credos, I offer you the chance to be judged.”
“I accept, gladly,” she said, closing her eyes in relief before disappearing in a flash of white.