The very day that Sophia awakened her Spirit Realm, a trusted messenger departed from Bright Cove on horseback. He traveled northwest, following the main road, refusing to stop for food, shelter, or rest. He rode through rain and muck, and when his horse collapsed from exhaustion he simply abandoned it and bought another.

After a week of traveling in this manner, he finally arrived, haggard and dirty, at the capitol of the East Dragon kingdom, East Dragon city. With a population of four million people, it was considered average amongst larger cities, nevertheless, it was still the capitol of a nation. Its roads were wide and well maintained, and, in the very center, the royal palace stood tall and proud.

“Scram! East Dragon city has no use for filthy beggars!” When the messenger approached the city gates, the guards tried to stop him, mistaking the man for a vagabond. However, when he displayed the insignia of the Church of Light they suddenly began treating him with the utmost respect. After all, the Church of Light was an organization that spanned the entire continent of Albion. Even its lowest members weren’t people that simple city guards could afford to offend. An hour later the messenger was well fed, clean shaven, and on his way. His destination, the center of the church’s power in the East Dragon kingdom, East Dragon cathedral!

Even Sophia would have been forced to admit that East Dragon cathedral was an impressive building. With tall spires and great arches, it dwarfed the surrounding structures. Its sheer size and grandeur was such that it could only be rivaled by the royal palace itself.

At the entrance to the cathedral, the messenger displayed his insignia once more, and the knights on guard immediately led him inside. A priest then guided him through the halls, eventually leading him to a large set of double doors. “Your Grace, there is a messenger here to see you,” the priest announced.

It was only now that the messenger’s nerves started to get the better of him. After all, the person on the other side of these doors was none other than Alexander Gilliam, the bishop responsible for overseeing the entire East Dragon kingdom.

“Damn it all!” The messenger was snapped back to reality by the unexpected shout from the other side of the door. “If I have to deal with one more sycophant noble-”

“Your Grace, the message comes from Brother Lloyd.” Far from surprised, the accompanying priest treated the outburst like an everyday occurrence. He even went so far as to interrupt the bishop midsentence.

“Ahem, well then, in that case, you may enter.” While the messenger was busy gaping at the absurdity of the situation, the bishop’s voice sounded again, inviting him inside.

The priest opened the door and gestured for the messenger to enter. Inside, he found the bishop’s office quite plain, almost like the office of a government official rather than a clergyman. Clearly Alexander Gilliam was a man who placed a great deal of importance on simplicity and practicality.

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The bishop himself was much younger than the messenger would have expected, only appearing to be a few years older than Lloyd. Of course, appearance wasn’t always a reliable way of determining age since powerful experts tended to have life spans vastly greater than that of a regular person. And there was no mistaking the fact that the bishop was very powerful. Although he wasn’t particularly large and gave off a friendly demeanor, the messenger could sense an unfathomably deep Spiritual Power emanating from him in waves. “So, Lloyd finally decided to remember his old mentor eh,” Gilliam joked with an easy smile.

“Good day to you, Your Grace,” the messenger said formally. “Brother Lloyd has spoken very highly of you. He regrets that he couldn’t make the journey personally, but there were urgent matters requiring his attention.”

“Ha, what kind of urgent business could possibly pop up in a backwater like Bright Cove?” Gilliam asked.

The messenger could only shake his head. “I was not made privy to that information,” he said. “Brother Lloyd only asked me to bring this letter to you as fast as I possibly could.” The messenger held out an envelope to the bishop. It was perfectly dry and undamaged, despite his week of hellish travel.

Frowning, Gilliam opened the letter. As he read, his face shifted from confusion to curiosity to astonishment, and finally, to elation. By the time he finished reading, Gilliam’s eyes seemed feverish. He immediately reduced the letter to ash with a burst of flame and turned to the messenger. “You’ve done well Child,” he said. “Remain here at the cathedral for the next few days. When you’re rested, return to Bright Cove with my response to Brother Lloyd.” Suddenly, the bishop placed his hand on the messenger’s shoulder. “Make no mistake, you’ve performed a meritorious service, one that deserves rewarding.”

The messenger left the room confused but satisfied. The moment the door closed behind him, Gilliam pulled out a pen and paper and began franticly drafting letters. Lloyd’s message had clearly driven him into a frenzy. Unbelievable, he thought to himself, an eight year old child with the Vast Ocean Spirit Realm! This could change everything!

A child with such tremendous potential would undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with, if properly nurtured. If I can form a good relationship with this child now, she might become a valuable asset when it comes time to strike a blow at the disease festering in the heart of the church!

There were so many things that needed to be done. Plans to be laid, bribes to be payed, favors to be called in. The bishop knew that he wouldn’t be getting a good night’s sleep for a long while.