Father Martin enjoys red wine. He brews it himself, quite proud of it, if you could sit him down he'll tell you all about it. It's no secret he mixes in some holy water in his brew, it gives it that little forbidden spice, so he says. Though no one else can taste this "forbidden spice."

He poured 'MightyX' or Eugene a drink.

"What brings you?" He asked, pleasantly happy to have him. 'MightyX' or Eugene hadn't visited him since he quit 'Myth': the adventure group. And father Martin rarely gets any visitors these days. The church dislikes him, though they keep him around. Where else would he go? If the church can't take care of him, who will? With sighs and general displeasure they allow him to continue his priesthood. They had banned him from public speaking but now and then he goes to the theater to spread his word. Yes, the theater, the actors are his friends, and some nights he might even show up at a pub. In sermons he is kept as a symbol, quietly and dutifully in the corner.

"Not too sure. Not too sure..." Said Eugene having took a sip. The grandfather clock by the mantel was stuck on 3:40. "You should fix it. Clean it." He said pointing with the hand he holds his glass.

"That old thing, I wouldn't know anyone who can. Got it from one of your 'friends'. It's an antique. Should fetch a fine penny when I retire."

"From a friend..." Said Eugene giving breath to the word 'friend' with a sense of uneasiness. Leaning back he finished the glass and scratching his eyebrow; "Yes, that's why I'm here." He said slowly with an air of confusion in each word.

"I suppose I knew you'd come." Said father Martin, "you, or Krank, or Zero. Well, I haven't heard from Zero in ages, and Krank's... You're the only one who still visits." Father Martin poured another glass and opened up the cigar case. Twilight brought with it a cold wind, father Martin closed the window. The candle flickered in the corner, they puffed their cigar. Father Martin told him of a child's death, recent, a neighbor, only a block away. A bad cold, is how he described it, and God's judgment. A preliminary topic to introduce the main death. "So, you must be going over to Tengai?" Father Martin assumed.

"Yes, I'll have to go." There was weariness in his voice, 'all just part of the job', he almost seemed to say. He took it as it was his duty. "I'll need to get Krank first, and I'd get Zero too if I knew where he was. Then we'll have to go to Tengai."

"You don't 'have' to go."

"Yes, I do." He crushed the cigar, "I need a favor."

"Ask away."

"I need a ship. Krank's using Clocroc as his base."

"We have one heading to Corom next Wednesday, and then all the way to Basllin."

"Slaves?"

"Quite a few of them. It would be good if you could guard the ship."

"Yes, that'll do. Thank you."

"No trouble. No trouble.

He got up. Straightened his suit. He was a hulking figure, truly a 'MightyX'. It always took Father Martian by awe, the figure of gladiator deities, their strangeity, and their perfection of a kind which may escape the layman's eyes but not his. His old eyes had seen too many of these gladiator deities, or as they called themselves 'players', to mistake their unique perfection of a kind to imperfection and mediocrity. He had seen slim and shorter players, not so 'mighty' but their perfection laid in their battle form, in form and battle their body matched perfectly, designed - in a sense - with divinity.

"Leaving so soon."

"Yes, I should go."

Father Martin sighed, a bit disappointed. "Don't you want to know about how he died? Did you look into it at all?"

"We'll look into it when I return with Krank."

"Well, I already took the trouble of looking into it for you. Sit, sit, now don't be so eager to leave." Eugene was hesitant. Father Martian babbles sometimes, though no one holds it against him, but he has been the cause of lateness for many. He filled his glass up once more forcing him to take his seat again. "What are you in such a rush for anyway?" He took the glass in hand, and sat up straight so as to keep himself uncomfortable not to be led for too long. "There's quite a bit of rumor surrounding all of this as you might imagine, so some of it is doubtful."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Has anything like this happened before?"

"What? A deity killing another."

"A deity? Well a player killing, yes, something like that."

"Before my time, perhaps Zero knows of it. I was taken to a northern island when I was under the guidance of Father Samuel, which to this day bears the mark of their battle. I was but a boy then. He talked of a G- player's death." He extended the word 'player' to almost a question, "I don’t remember the details too well. It was before I met a player myself. I am afraid I was a bad student to Father Samuel, may he rest in peace." With a remorseful sigh he continued: "Zero might know of it, or maybe Morel..."

"Finding them would be near impossible."

"Ha, yes, they all took on adventuring with a kind of seriousness and devotion perhaps better attributed to priests." Father Martian laughed with a good old air. "Yes, yes." He repeated. "But you stopped, you gave that up."

"Yes."

"I've been wondering of that a bit. If you don't mind me asking... Can I ask why? 'Myth', the rest of them, though they don't call themselves that anymore are still running around. But I don’t hear much about you anymore. "

"I'm not too sure myself I'm afraid, so I wouldn't be able to tell you."

"Is that so? Will you go to them now, perhaps they could be of help."

"No. This isn't something I want too many involved in, plus I don't know how to get involved in it myself. Will I need to kill a player as well, I'm not so sure if I am even necessary here, it’s an unspoken rule to leave each other alone as Zero put it."

"I see." The room filled with silence of a sober nature, spreading slowly through the air with calm. "I'll go tell the maid to fetch you a carriage." Eugene was left alone to sip through his thoughts, not so thick or thin, a bit dry. Taken to the dark it remained there.

When father Martin returned the candle had flickered out, and Eugene sat still in the dark with an empty glass. He lit a candle, and seeing the mighty man sloughed over burdened by some invisible demon he said: "Now, now, I'm sure all of this will work out. You should come by tomorrow and I'll tell you all about the Sorcerer, and all about Tengai." He felt he had caused this that he had touched on a topic he shouldn't have. He wished to be courteous and erase his mistake but the heavied man sat there unspeaking.

And it remained so until the maid came to announce the arrival of the carriage. Eugene got up saying a few word of thanks to Father Martin and the maid, and went down to the streets where the coachman was waiting.

Eugene didn’t return the next day or the day after, and remained absent until Tuesday. He came carrying a large backpack, and two large sacks on each hand. The backpack stretched beyond him, and when laid on level ground it stood to the same height as 'MightyX'. Seeing this figure Father Martin could do nothing but invite him in. Saying his "Thanks." He dragged his belongings in and took to standing by the window facing the sea.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Father Martian said a bit annoyed.

"Yes, I was busy preparing for the trip. I plan to head to Tengai after I meet with Krank."

"Well, then I should tell you everything I know now." To dissuade would be useless, he realized. The tone he took was not of the same sluggish man he talked to some days ago. "You must have heard of the Core Sorcerer, but did you hear of the Golem?"

He told him of everything he heard from slaves and soldiers. The ascent of the sorcerer, the golem, the coup d'état, the fight, the death, the running slaves, the collector, the broken land, the aristocrats, the adventurers' militia... There seemed to be no beginning or end to his story. A collection of anecdotes all sewn together to form an archaic picture of Tengai.

"There is also rumor" he said, bringing his speech to an end, "of Hctiblive family's involvement."

Mulling over it all Eugene took a seat. He said thanks to the maid who brought them tea and snacks. "It wasn't the sorcerer who fought him." Eugene said aloud. Hearing it, Father Martin confirmed it, and cleared away any doubt with more antidotal evidence of the Golem. Painting a daemonic picture of a monster able to overpower any player. Burning blue and bright with twisted lava coiled around its soul. Eyes as thick as the devil's. A toothless savage that eats with its flames. A cavernous web of a giant spider to entangle the mightiest and noblest souls to the flames of hell. A touch of this fire and infants cry for the coldness of death.

It was the dawning of the night, with this news out of the way they enjoyed good wine and spread a few laughs. Talked on through the night till it was time.

"They'll leave soon." Father Martin said with sunrise a few hours away. "They'll be the only ones at the wharf at this hour, you should be able to tell with a glance. They know you but tell them I send you anyway, and they'll give you a ride."

"Thank you."

"Oh, stop being so polite. I can't put up with that anymore, I'm too old." That got a laugh out of Eugene. "You should come more often."

"When all this is done with we'll all get together, we'll have to find Zero as well."

"All? I see, it seems you've thought of it long and hard."

"You could say that. Well old man I'll be going now." He rose and gathered his bags. One might mistake him for a giant if they stood too close, thought Father Martin as he watched him take his leave. Like a giant boulder rolling down the middle of the street he took his strides down to the docks. A calamity of nature, a gladiator deity.