Congratulations! Due to crossing the required threshold of 100 followers, your God Bond has increased to Gypsum — I.
Callan stared at the message hovering in front of him. After so long, after so much struggle, he’d finally reached the second tier. Arguably, this would put him on the same level as Veritas. But...
He glanced at the lower half of the message.
Next God Bond threshold: 200 followers.
Two hundred followers to the next level. Two hundred. Double what he possessed right now. That was an incredible leap from talc’s ten followers each.
He needed to talk this over with Xeph, pronto. Preferably somewhere private.
Pushing back his chair, Callan stood. “Well, this has all been a fascinating series of revelations, but you were right about one thing, Mayor—it doesn’t really help with our current situation. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go do what I can to prepare for Veritas’s arrival.”
“Of course, Avatar.” The older yeth woman gave a nod. “I’m here whenever you want to discuss my past.”
“Yeah, that is definitely a conversation we’ll be having soon.” Callan turned to leave before a thought occurred to him. He looked back. “By the way, you probably want to send a message to your goddess as quick as you can.”
“Huh?” Belinda stared at him. “I thought I told you—”
“I know, but there are a few facts you’re unaware of that complicate matters. See, I scanned Veritas the last time they appeared, and by Xeph’s estimate they have over two hundred and fifty followers.”
The mayor paled. “How? Our village doesn’t have a quarter of that!”
“If I had to guess, your former goddess wasn’t as thorough at rooting out their enemy’s cult as she thought. Probably want to let her know to do a bit of housekeeping.”
“That’s... Of course. I’ll send someone immediately. It may take them a few weeks to get there, though. Won’t be much help to us in the coming conflict.”
“I’ll go,” Alyssa said quickly. Everyone looked at her. “I’ve studied your maps, mother. I know the way to the Southern Reach. I can find Athakolu and deliver the message.”
“What? Don’t be absurd, girl, you’d be eaten alive before you ever escaped the Badlands. I’ll send your uncle. Falchion might be old, but at least he should remember the way to Athakolu’s main temple well enough.”
“Then let me go with him.” There was a pleading note in Alyssa’s voice. Callan glanced at her. Whatever it was she wanted out of this conversation, it was apparently enough to let her mask slip. There was more fire in her voice than he’d ever heard her use around her mother.
Belinda clearly noticed as well. Her eyebrows rose as she studied her daughter. “You that worried about letting your lover out of your sight, daughter?”
Radavan, who’d been in the process of taking a drink of tea, spat it across the table. Callan barely managed to leap out of the way in time.
“What?” The yeth farmer looked at his sister in shock. “Alyssa, tell me you didn’t!”
“Oh, don’t you dare judge me, Rad. Not after you’ve been meeting with the enemy in secret for weeks without telling us!”
“You told her about that?” Radavan shot daggers at his mother.
A hand gently slipped into Callan’s own. Kivi looked up at him, then tugged him gently towards the door. “Come, Avatar. Let us leave the family to work out their issues.”
“High Priestess.” Callan glanced back at the table, where Alyssa and Radavan were now nose-to-nose, practically screaming in each other’s faces. “Yeah, let’s.”
----------------------------------------
Callan leaned back on his bed in the guest house and tried to get comfortable. Inside his head, Xeph shifted restlessly.
Shall we begin?
“Yeah, yeah. Just... just let me take a moment to savor this.” He drew in a deep breath, then pulled up his stat sheet.
Name: Xeph-Zul-Karatl (3rd Sphere)
Avatar: Callan Whitlocke (Trueborn Human)
-STATISTICS-
Brawn: 19
Momentum: 17
Fortitude: 41
Concentration: 17
Influence: 17
Piety: 18
-BOUNTIES-
God Bond: Gypsum – I
Manifestation: Mountainform
Orison slot 1: Shape Stone (Talc – X)
Orison Slot 2: Wurmchain (Talc - X)
Orison slot 3: *Locked*
-DISPENSATIONS-
Perk 1: Wane
-DOGMA-
Total Followers: 100
Available Faith: 12
Conviction: 5/10
Conviction Rate: 5.5/week
Temples: 1/2
Domain: 18 yd
APOTHEOSIS: 0/27.5%
“...Huh.”
Xeph let out a loud sigh. What is the matter, mortal? I thought you’d be more excited.
“Oh, I am, just... I guess not much has changed? Didn’t you tell me once that the next tier is usually associated with a big jump in power?” So far, it seemed like most of his improvements had been the same as normal. +1 to each of his stats, a slight improvement to his conviction rate. Though his entire conviction pool was double its previous size now, so that was kind of nice.
Also, his Apotheosis had gone from 25% to 27.5%. Not huge, but even just being able to use Shape Stone one more time before it ran out might make the difference one day.
I told you before that your orisons would increase in power once they were raised to the next tier. I said nothing about yourself. Though it is true, once one of your stats passes the first hundred threshold, there should be a noticeable difference.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Okay, I guess that makes sense.” His eyes drifted to his bounties. For some reason, all three were listed in an angry red color. “Hey, what’s up with the color change? I understand why the new slot would be red, but the other two are unlocked already, aren’t they?”
Ah, but they are not unlocked for the second tier, remember?
Callan did remember. He’d tried unlocking one of them weeks ago, only to encounter an error about needing more conviction—ten, specifically—to open it. “Should I do that now? I’ll need to get eating more memory shards then.”
Perhaps, once the mayor has her supply brought to us. For the moment though, you possess sufficient conviction to unlock your new slot. Let us focus our attention there, first.
Right, a new slot would also mean a new ability. Possibly something that could make the difference in fighting Veritas. Plus it would be one more ability for all of his priests to wield.
Would you like to open this slot? Cost = 5 Conviction
With a thought, he confirmed. The text for his new orison slot changed from *Locked* to *Awaiting Selection*, and a new window appeared in his vision.
Alert: You may choose one of the following Orisons:
1. Caltrops
2. Dveorgeye
3. Rock Sling
4. Heat Stone
“Wait, I still get to pick from my previous choices?” Callan was honestly surprised. He’d totally figured that when he’d passed on Caltrops and Dveorgeye before he’d never see the choices again.
Of course you can! What would be the point of only making them available once? You will always have a chance to learn an orison at a later time.
“I mean, I’m not complaining. Just surprised, that’s all.” Callan focused his attention on the two new options. Rock Sling and Heat Stone. Both intriguing names, but were they any better than the choices he’d had before?
Orison: Rock Sling
Creates a small stone next to the user and immediately launches it in the direction of their choosing. Travels a total of 10 feet.
Apotheosis cost = 20%
Orison: Heat Stone
Increases the temperature of a natural stone until it is hot to the touch. May affect any stone within 3 feet of the user.
Apotheosis cost = 15% per cubic foot of stone affected
“Don’t the apotheosis costs for those abilities seem high?”
They are in proportion to what an avatar of the second tier is expected to be able to handle. Besides, don’t forget that your actual apotheosis cost will only be half what is shown thanks to our bond.
Xeph made a good point, but still... even 10% just to fling a rock at someone seemed expensive. Especially since he could do that just as easily by just picking up a rock and hurling it himself. Heck, with his increased Brawn, he could easily get even a decent sized rock further than ten feet.
But he also had to remind himself that these abilities would get better as he invested points into them. It was just a matter of what he thought might be useful, both right now and in the future.
And honestly, after Xeph’s revelation about Dveorgeye’s additional uses, he was tempted to pick that. Being able to see in the dark had so many applications. Caltrops too. They could make barricades around town, keep Veritas and their priests from getting in except through narrow kill zones...
He was getting ahead of himself, though. Noticing something about the wording for Heat Stone, he asked Xeph, “What’s up with the ‘natural stone’ part? I saw that before on Shape Stone’s description.”
Ah, yes. That actually relates nicely to the other new orison you were offered. Notice how it mentions ‘creating’ a stone?
“Yeah?”
Such a stone would be considered ‘unnatural’ in terms of how it is affected by your orisons. So if you chose Rock Sling, you would be unable to use Shape Stone to reshape the rocks it created, nor would you be able to heat them if you chose the other orison later. That said, there are other abilities that can lessen or negate the limitations concerning natural stone, so do not let that be an impediment to choosing.
“Alright, I guess I can do that.” Callan studied the list some more and shook his head. “Honestly, I’m not sure either of these new orisons is doing it for me. How hot would this heated stone get, exactly? Hot enough to burn? Because I can’t really see it being much use. Maybe against these cultists, but against Zavastu? Not so much.”
Hmmph. Not every orison is centered around combat, human! In fact, in the past Heat Stone’s primary use was for the cooking and reheating of food. It is a valuable tool to have, especially when one spends long periods underground without proper ventilation for a traditional cookfire.
“Wait a minute, is this why there were no kitchens in your temple?” Callan slapped at his face. “Oh, it all makes sense now.”
So which ability are you leaning towards?
“I really have no idea.” Callan closed the various windows in front of him, returning to his main interface. “I should probably discuss it with Kivi before making a choice. After all, whatever I pick will affect her and the other priests as much as me.”
That is a very logical decision.
“Yeah, well I’m capable of those every once in a while.”
Yes, yes. On that note, I must say, mortal, I was pleasantly surprised at how you acted earlier with the mayor.
Callan blinked. “Oh? How so, Xeph?”
Just that you took the news of Belinda’s past rather calmly. No yelling or accusations, no smoldering anger. After that little display with the prisoner last night, I was expecting more theatrics. Instead, you comported yourself as one who is the avatar of stone and mountains should. Perhaps there is hope for you yet.
“Oh, don’t give me too much credit. I sure wanted to scream at Belinda for outright lying to us, not to mention withholding critical information that could make the difference between victory and defeat here.”
So why didn’t you?
A bemused smile crept up Callan’s face. “I mean, you and Kivi have been warning me time and time again about how duplicitous yeth are. Getting mad at Belinda for hiding secrets is like seeing a ‘beware of dog’ sign, then getting upset because you were bit trying to pet it.”
Are... signs like these common in your world? Why would the owners simply not train their dogs not to bite?
“That’s not the point, Xeph.” Callan sighed and slid his feet off the bed. “I should be expecting everyone in this village to be hiding something from me at this point, so why should the mayor be any different? Matching wits with someone when I only have half the facts just comes with the territory.”
Perhaps, Xeph said. He trailed off, and Callan thought he was done. Just as he stood up, the god added, I do worry that the high priestess and I may have given you a... unbalanced view of yeth culture. Most do not trade in such volume of secrets as this village does, nor of such severe consequences. I hope our experiences here will not color your future interactions with the yeth race.
“You can relax, Xeph. I’m not so petty as to judge an entire race just by the actions of a few people. Believe me, I saw firsthand the kind of trouble that sort of narrow-minded thinking caused back in my own world.”
As an afterthought, he added, “Besides, everyone is entitled to their secrets. A few little white lies are probably the only thing that keep a lot of friendships from imploding. Like when I tell you that your snoring doesn’t really keep me up at night.”
My—I do not snore, mortal! I do not even possess the proper organs to replicate such a noise!
A grin spread across Callan’s face. “But you’re going to wonder now every time you sleep, aren’t you? No real way to know for certain.”
Of all the... why do I put up with your nonsense?
“Because your options were between having me or a broachnid for a host.” Callan turned around, only to find himself almost face-to-face with Alyssa. The yeth woman gave him a mischievous smile as he jumped back.
“How long have you been standing there?” he asked, once he’d managed to get his heartrate under control.
“Hmm. Long enough.” Alyssa’s smile took on a softer edge. “So, everyone is entitled to their secrets? Even me?”
“Is there a reason you shouldn’t be?”
The woman shrugged noncommittally. “Just at the rate you’re going, there won’t be any stone in the village left unturned before the end of the harvest season. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I suppose. My affair with Falchion was bound to come out sooner or later. Good thing my mother is sending him away, because it sounds like Millica won’t even let him back into the house now.”
“You aren’t bothered by that?” Callan asked.
“Not particularly. Falchion knew what this was when it started.” Alyssa stretched and moved towards the door.
“So are there any other secrets I should know about?” Callan called after her. “I mean, anything that affects my work here opposing Veritas?”
Alyssa glanced over her shoulder at him, and though she was smiling, there was a sad note to it. She looked on the verge of saying something, only to change her mind at the last moment. “My mother wanted me to come collect you. Veritas has been sighted. They should be arriving in the town square at any moment.”
She slipped outside. From within his head, Xeph let out a chuckle. It appears consulting with the high priestess will have to wait.