Chapter Two - Surroundings

The cafeteria quickly thinned of trainee clerics as they excitedly made their way to the next class. Charles and Kerri were also in the group heading up the coils. Charles lost sight of Kerri a few times along the way due to her height, and he regretted once again that he could not muster up the courage to ask her to hold hands on the way up.

'It's not like you guys are dating, so that's weird!'

He berated himself mentally.

Soon, the two reached the fourth coil, and here he had a sudden urge to say something to Kerri. He turned to face her, and Kerri looked at him with curiosity. And yet, his mind went blank at not knowing what to say. He felt saddened because they were soon going to different classes, but they will meet up again during dinner time. He was conflicted, but eventually blurted out a sentence.

“Well, see you after DM.”

“Yeah, go kick some butts Charles.”

Kerri nodded with enthusiasm, lightly replying. She turned and went to her designated classroom without a pause. Charles sighed himself, then followed the trail of trainees who were heading into the same classroom as himself.

Unlike other classes where trainees were grouped up by their age, the Divine Magic class designated trainee clerics by their abilities. It was also one of the only classes where trainees could interact with those of the other age group while in class, which was an added plus in Kerri's opinion.

“Kerri, over here!”

Upon entering the room she was greeted by curious glances of her classmates. She also looked around, lightly waving her hand at seeing familiar faces. She then moved towards the corner where the girl who had called out to her was there, and the classmates went back to their own things.

“Hello you guys, been well?”

Kerri greeted the trio standing at there. The first was a blonde, pigtailed girl named Dana; the one who called out to her. Next to her was her twin brother Cass and their friend, Rowan. Despite the three-year age gap between the trio and Kerri, their height was the same.

“Yup yup! I wanted to join you for lunch but due to a certain somebody we had to stay behind and recite the hymns a bit more.”

Dana replied, her eyes narrowing to the girl to her right as she spoke.

“Hey no fair Dana, you know you're the one who made me laugh in the middle of our lesson. Right Cass?”

The girl who was glanced at retorted at her friend’s words. Cass shrugged, his golden curls bouncing as well.

“You know how sis is when it comes to things like this - nothing I say will help.”

At those words, Kerri couldn’t help but smile.

“I see you three are the same as ever. Dana, don’t tease Rowan too much or else she’ll cry.”

“Yes'm! C’mere Rowan, let this big sis comfort you~”

Dana’s mock-hostility was shed the moment Kerri spoke and turned to her friend with her arms out. Rowan gave a sour look, adjusting a strand of ashen hair out of her eye’s way.

“I’d rather have your twin brother comfort me, you bully,”

Came Rowan’s reply, arms crossed and facing away. Kerri caught Cass’ face turning red at that, but she didn’t say anything; despite being such close friends, Dana and Rowan were slow in realising Cass’ feelings toward Rowan. Having said that, Kerri had no intention of spoiling anything, especially since she enjoyed making fun of him from time to time. Charles usually wasn’t there to stop her mischief either much to Cass’ despair.

“Anyways~ I have a feeling that we’re going to go somewhere exciting for today's lesson.”

Dana diverted the conversation as she noticed the instructor coming in. Kerri turned to the entrance also, and noted that within the instructor’s grasp was a bundle of scrolls. The scrolls, dubbed the Escape Rope by the trainees, had Goddess Sola’s blessings which allowed the trainees to leave the Matyrium without inciting her anger. Kerri often wondered why it’s called a rope instead of a scroll, but no one knew who exactly coined that name any more.

“Finally, it’s time! I waited so long for this.”

Kerri blurted out happily, to which the trio nodded in understanding.

“It does get a bit disheartening when we can only practice protection or enhancement magic.”

Cass spoke, to which Dana butted in.

“Well too bad you’re not as good at it as I am, bro. I betcha that’s why you find it boring!”

“If healing magic could be practiced on any target like your barriers and not just the injured, I am certain I would excel in this class more than you.”

Cass gave a nonchalant reply.

“Oh yeah? how about you cut someone and heal them? Easy.”

“You do realise the last person who maimed another for that exact reason got held back by the instructor for five hours of extra lecture on the importance of life and why Goddess Sola would despise such actions, plus a week of extra cleaning duty? Next time, please give suggestions that are not downright absurd.”

“Ech. You two just pause for a bit, the instructor’s coming with the Rope.”

Rowan, who was keeping an eye on the class, broke in between the two before their verbal competition got any worse.

"Attention trainees,"

The instructor started. What little chatter that was going around the class dead away instantly.

"As some of you may be aware, there has been an increase in monster activity around this region. Brave souls have gathered to cull their numbers, but it seems there has been some casualties. We have been summoned to the town of Siochana to aid and support the injured there."

"Siochana?"

Kerri gasped to herself in pleasant surprise.

"That's the nearest town, right?"

Dana confirmed in a small voice. Cass nodded.

"Roughly twenty minutes of walking from here."

"Here are the scrolls allowing you to leave the holy Matyrium. Those who have received the scroll, head up to the highest coil. Instrutor Thomas will be at the entrance to guide you to the town."

The instructor continued, then proceeded to distribute the scrolls.

"C'mon, let's get ours!"

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Dana exclaimed, almost running up to the instructor.

"Siochana, huh? I wonder if Téa's still stationed there..."

Kerri murmured to herself while following the trio.

The Martyrium was located in a dense forest. Magically enchanted to grow thicker than normal, the forest served as a barricade to any unwanted hostility. Monsters were warded away by holy blessings, and the only feasible way to reach and leave the Martyrium was via the skies or the cobblestone pathway. At the entrance to the Martyrium stood four buildings: a church open for the public; a small store for wares and grocery; a bar which doubled as an inn as well as an adventurer’s guild branch; and a storage shed. They were for visitors of the Martyrium mainly, and were all run by members of the Martyrium.

Led by the instructors named Thomas and Claire, the trainees took to the pathway. Kerri did not recognise the instructors, so she assumed the two had only recently joined the Matyrium. Her suspiscion was further reinforced when they started travelling; the trainees weren't kept in two neat lines as they walked, something the other instructors made a point in keeping, and they didn't take notice of chatter. The only times they actually instructed the trainees was to move to the empty side of the pathway whenever a carriage went by. The pathway was wide enough to fit two horsedrawn carriages with room to spare, and there weren't all that many carriages in the first place so that meant the trainees were more or less free to walk as they please.

"Why are we walking there, though?!"

Dana's complaint shifted Kerri's attention from the instructors who were now making a conversation as they walked too, to the trio. Dana was walking with her cheeks puffed out in dissatisfaction, and Rowan was snickering at that.

"It can't be helped. The Matyrium's carriages are for emergencies, remember?"

Cass replied casually with his hands behind his head, staring up at the sky.

"Besides, there's twenty-two of us if we include the instructors. That would require at least three carriages."

"I know that, Cass. But I still wanted a carriage! What if we meet a monster along the way or something?"

"The pathway's enchanted to deter monsters, remember? And it also reduces exhaustion, so no use making up excuses like becoming tired. Besides, it's only twenty minutes of walking."

"That's still twenty minutes too long! Right, Rowan?"

"I don't mind, actually. I mean, it's been months since I've been allowed to leave the Matyrium. Feeling the wind on my skin and seeing the outside world is refreshing."

Rowan replied, glancing happily at the greenery surrounding them. Dana gave a disgruntled mumble with her arms crossed, but didn't say anything back.

"Um... Have you been to Siochana, Rowan?"

Cass spoke up cautiously.

"Years ago, I think. Honestly don't really remember the town much."

"It's a town governed by Ophress, one of the major Houses of the kingdom. There's lots of temples and churches of different gods and goddesses there, it's quite a sight."

Kerri explained, recalling the time she went there.

"Different gods and goddesses? Are we allowed to go there then?"

Rowan questioned.

"Goddess Sola doesn't judge us for something trivial like that, so it's okay. There's also no fights between believers because the Ophress House keeps everyone in check."

Kerri answered, recalling the lessons.

"Hmm... In that case, I wonder why they asked us to heal the injured. I mean, they have other trainees."

"That's obviously because Goddess Sola is the goddess of healing and divinity. No one is better at healing than Goddess Sola's clerics!"

It was Dana who answered Rowan's question this time. But then her look shifted to that of curiosity. Dana then questioned.

"But I wonder why monsters have suddenly become active. That's what the instructor said back at the Matyrium, right?"

"It's not that unusual around this time of the year,"

Kerri explained.

"Monsters increase in numbers around about now, so they'll try to find more space to live. If there were anyone injured from that, it's the clerics' job to treat them. I guess they don't have enough clerics this time."

"Ah, I see. Hm? Looks like the instructor's signalling us."

Kerri looked towards the instructor at Dana's words. Instructor Thomas was making the trainees get into two neat lines.

"We must be close to the town now."

Rowan spoke. Kerri nodded, but was unsure what to make of the new instructors. They seem unenthusiastic about their job, only doing the bare minimum.

The trainee clerics were led to the central area of the town and into one of the churches which had the symbol of Goddess Sola at the top; a golden circle floating above two cupped hands. It was one of the larger buildings situated there. Upon entering the church, some of the trainees gapes at the praying hall which had rows and rows of seats, easily fitting hundreds of people. Kerri was one of the few who had visited this church before, and she was slightly curious what the other trainee's reactions would be upon seeing the infirmary which could fit in just as many beds.

Her curiosity did not last long. The trainees were led to the infirmary, and all twenty trainees could not help but gasp at the sight before them. But unlike the time in the prayer hall, the trainees weren't reacting to the size; rather, they were reacting to the chaos.

Never had Kerri seen so many people injured and bedridden in one place. Some seemed to be in a more critical situation than others, their blankets and bandages red with blood. Some seemed to merely be asleep, but others were so pale she thought they could pass off as corpses. The sobs and cries of pain and despair was inaudible back in the prayer hall, but it was all too clear in here in the infirmary.

"This... What happened? It wasn't this bad last time..."

Kerri blurted out amongst the shocked gasps from other trainees. Her eyes darted around the room, her body unmoving from the shock. She saw a couple of clerics rushing between patients, casting soft glows of healing magic here and there. The two instructors also sprang into action, checking the patients nearest them, then moved to talk with the clerics who were already working to get a grasp of the situation.

Kerri blinked as she caught sight of a familiar face. One of the clerics who was frowning in concentration as she casted her healing magic on a heavily-breathing patient was Teannta, or Téa as she called her. A cleric residing in Siochana, she was in her early thirties. Her hair was waved and hung loose behind her. Her chestnut hair reminded her of Charles', though Charles said her olive eyes reminded him of Kerri in the past. Perhaps due to these similarities, along with her warm personality, Kerri was fond of Teannta. In fact, she was also Kerri's role model. A kind and hardworking cleric whose specialty was healing magic.

Finding Teannta in the midst of the clerics spurred Kerri's legs to move. Normally the instructors would give instructions as to which trainee should go where, but judging by the flustered instructors, Kerri found them to be unreliable. Besides, she knew there was no time to waste.

"Cass, Dana, Rowan. Let's go, we can't just wait while there are people needing help!"

Kerri called out as she approached the nearest patient, a man who seemed to be asleep. He was covered in a blanket with his right leg out that was wrapped in bandages. The bandages seemed clean, but the man was wincing and occasionally moaning in pain. She held her palms out and muttered a spell under her breath. Goddess Sola's Divine Magic did not need spells to be chanted, but it helped her concentrate enough especially in a noisy situation such as this. Soft light formed under her palms, melting into the man. The man's voice drowned down to a murmur, his breathing returning to a soft rhythm.

"R-right."

Cass was the only one to verbally reply, but the three also moved to treat the injured. They were nervous, the sound of painful moans and the overall atmosphere affecting them heavily. Dana and Rowan went to the nearest bed together and started up their healing magic, eyes closed in concentration. Cass looked at them for a moment, feeling uncertain and nervous. He, too, had stationed himself next to a bed, but he was unsure of what he should do. He knew he should use healing magic, no doubt, but there were more than one healing magic. Some were for minor wounds and some were to be casted for internal injuries. Casting the wrong magic had no particular side effects except for wasting his mana and made himself mentally stressed out, but the situation was making him blank out. A different trainee bumped into him, pushing him away from the patient. The trainee spread his palms out, starting to cast a healing magic on the patient Cass had been next to. Looking around, he saw that a little over half the trainees were now casting healing magic at a patient, some even helping the clerics change bandages or bringing water for the patients.

"Cass you moron, get a grip!"

Dana snapped at and elbowed him.

"Ow Dana!"

"And you lot also! Are you guys just gonna stare there dumbly?"

Dana barked at the remaining trainees who were still in shock. Most of the ones still unmoving were around Dana's age, and some had started forming tears at being shouted at. A couple were also turning pale in fright at the sight of so many wounded.

"Now now, we are not here to fight."

Teannta's soft voice addressed Dana and the immobile trainees as she approached them. Fatigue was clearly visible on her face from overusing Divine Magic, but she was smiling as she looked at the trainees.

"Thank you for coming to help us. Now, these people here needs help. Our help. And Goddess Sola has seen that we are the perfect people who can give that help. So please, lend us your hand, and don't worry about mistakes. Just do as you've done during your practices and everything will work out under the Goddess' guidance."

She spoke soothingly to them, placing a hand on some of the teary-eyed trainees to calm them down. Seeing the small nods, Teannta smiled once again.

"Okay, let's see... let's form you all into three groups; one to cast healing magic to ease the pain, one to cast enhancing magic to aid those who needs more strength to survive the pain, and one to help changing bandages and other materials we need. Please stand in three groups, in one you believe you can help the most. Healing here, enhancing here and bandages here."

The trainees got into groups. Cass and Dana looked at each other, then proceeded to join the healing and enhancing groups respectively. Teannta then directed them in what they needed to do.

By the time the moans of pain and suffering died down in the infirmary, it was well into the night.