I looked at the gray scroll floating in front of my face. At the divine quest issued to me and the penalty for not succeeding in it and I had to wonder if accepting the curse and fleeing the city won't be a better course of action.

No, I have no idea what the threat is, and no guarantee I can run far enough away to be out of the splash zone. Besides, I know nothing about this world even if I wanted to flee, I don’t know where to.

I needed information and biased as it likely was a source for it was sitting right in front of me.

"Look, Tristen, I'm all for helping save the city" in the abstract at least, as long I'm not in danger "but I'm not sure what exactly you want me to do, I'm just a single man and a fairly average one at that" I was not deluding myself into thinking I was some sort of hero from lagend, I was average and I was fine with it.

At my words Tristen steely green eyes softened "a single man you might be" he began "but you are chosen, a paladin of Atia and that is enough".

"I'm still not seeing what I can actually do here" I said, chosen or not, paladin or not, I was still a single man who didn’t know what the fuck he was doing, for fuck sack I was level one, the cook was higher level then me, by over forty levels. Maybe she should be the on you turn for a savior.

"You lack contact for what you truly have, the chosen class is not a normal one, it is a fourth fold class, and while as a level one your contribution as a combatant would be nil, the paladin archetype possesses many powerful support skills, in fact you already have one".

I knew which one he talked about, Words of Courage the skill I subconsciously used to help the legion win but at hindsight it seemed more like chance then anything else that won that battle, the knights seemed brave enough, what use would there be to helping them be braver?

"I see you are not convinced; you lack understanding of the impact your skills have, let me enlighten you, trust in me oh brave warrior, trust that I will see you through" at the end there Tristen voice took on another quality, only noticeable because I heard it before, both form me and from him, something other worldly, that washed away my concerns and fears, that made me feel strong. Like I could fight the world and win.

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*crack*

The snapping of the tablespoon in my hand broke me away from the fantasy and let realty take hold once more.

What was that? what did he do? Why did I feel so strong?

Ignorant of my inner panic Tristen continued "that was the Word of Courage skill, as you can see, it improved your strength substantially as well as wiped fear from your heart".

That explains things at least, somewhat in any case, although there is one thing that bothers me "if you have that skill why do you need me?".

"Different form Words of Courage, which is the skill you possess, Word of Courage is as stronger but singular buff, good for helping champions and small parties, not for enhancing full armies" pausing a little as if in thought he continued "I also picked up the skill early on in my class progression, back when I was still in the first fold, as such it's been caped at level ten for decades by now. As a skill from a fourth fold class, yours would cap at one hundred".

"What about your other skills?" I ask "surely you have other more powerful enhancements".

"Unfortunately, I do not. Out of the ten skills I posses only three have any use in combat and two of those are healing skills" He raised a hand to stop me from interrupting "and before you ask, while there are other classes which can enhance armies and the legion dos possess several of them, most -if not all- would stack with holy skills, we need you Markus, if this city is to survive, we need you are you willing to lend us your help?" Tristen pleaded.

I didn’t know what to say, I felt for the city, truly I did, death was a horrible fate and I didn’t want the city to be destroyed -in the sense that most people don’t want cities destroyed even if they don’t live in them- but there is a big difference between not wanting something destroyed and risking my life to save it.

This city wasn’t my home, I might not see my home ever again and I didn’t practically care to risk life and limb to save them but if all that was required form me was to stand in the back and buff…

"I'll help" I say, I haven't fully decided yet if I would actually help but I lost nothing form remaining on the church good side and delaying the curse I would get if I decided to flee "but what is the actual threat?" I ask.

At my question Tristen fell into thought before seeming to come to a decision, "before I explain the threat rising over this city, I think I should provide some context".

"That would be appreciated" I wouldn’t turn away more knowledge, especially if its directly relevant to this threat.

"Understand that Astra is located far in the east, sandwiched between the large human empires to the west and the many, many tribes of orcs and goblins even further to the east" Tristen began "Astra is not the only city state in this position but it is probably the most affluent and powerful of the dozen or so that straddle the line as it"

"Or it was" his voice darkened "before the dread necromancer Nauxir rose".

"That was when everything started, when the death of Astra first began".