“Ah, you would be our new mysterious visitor!” An overly jovial and unhinged woman—in her thirties, I would say—received me on top of the climb.

“Yes,” I hesitated for a brief moment, unsure if I should shake her hand, kiss it, ignore it, or hug her for all I know. I did none of them just to be sure. “My name is Darian.”

“Nice to meet you, Darian. I am Yasmin, the head Preacher of our Church. You can go back to your duties,” she said as she turned and signalled for me to follow her.

“Yes, Preacher,“ all three soldiers responded in almost complete unison.

“So, Darian. I hear you don't want to show us your class?” The innocent smile still was present on her face.

“I would, but I simply can't.” Why it was that I couldn't, I left unsaid.

She looked towards me, but not exactly to my eyes. It seemed as if she was looking into my soul.

“How about you tell me what it is?” She finally said after some time.

“I'm a [Light shaper].“ Recalling Charlotte's words, I said exactly what she suggested.

That touched a nerve. Her eyes twisted in ways human eyes shouldn't, and I almost could see smoke coming out from her head.

“Prove it.”

I didn't know how strong the woman in front of me was—enough to be alone with me, I supposed. But I also believed that showing my solid additional arms was not the best idea.

Instead, I braced for a long bout of laughter. I expanded my [passive] Area identify a bit more than usual, enough to actively consume one of energy every few seconds. Short from finishing, I also made sure it was bright.

Christmas tree bright.

I stood there, doing nothing, as I felt her eyes piercing me.

“Should I continue?” I finally asked after half a minute of prolonged and needless awkwardness.

“No, you can stop,” she waived her hand. “But now we have a problem. Follow me, this is not an adequate place to discuss.”

My heart was racing. Was a problem an euphemism for death? Was she guiding me to some cell? What had I done?

Dammit Charlotte!

I had just done as she told me! She knew I was coming to this city, so why the hell would she make it so hard for me?

I followed Yasmin around the apparently huge temple. Corridors connected to even more corridors, with the occasional hall and chambers attached to them.

It was plain white marble all over. No decoration whatsoever aside from the columns that held the place together. Far from being simple cilinders, they had been sculpted into the shape of women and men.

I suspected, but of course I had no means to tell, they were the same as the big statues on the entrance. Saints. Perhaps of less importance.

Eventually, after tuning yet another corner, Yasmin stopped in front of two unguarded red doors.

She opened them, and my heart froze. Tea party? There was a coffee table by the two red and yellow couches and sofa.

A steaming pot was neatly placed next to two porcelain cups that I believe wouldn't hold more than two gulps.

It was not a cell, definitely.

I didn't manage to relax, though. Not even after we sat and she began pouring the tea. I didn't utter a single word, and neither did she. Perhaps tea was part of a ritual, and I didn't want to interrupt it. Not when I still didn't know what the problem is.

“I hope you find this offer of tea acceptable.” She said wearing a perfect smile.

“Yes?” I replied back, unsure where her newfound kindness came from. “I mean, thank you.”

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She took a sip, and after making sure she was not experiencing any poisoning, so did I. Of course she could have some antidote or something, but I was willing to risk it that they didn't need such elaborate plans to kill me.

“[Light shaper] is not a class that you just learn.” She casually broke the ice and made my heart rate spike. “Only we teach it, and only to a select few individuals. Did you know that?”

“I did not.”

I don't know anything! I mentally complained and cursed at Charlotte.

“Who taught you?”

I'm going to pull the secret master plot, am I not? I found myself smirking at myself and my fortune.

“I had a master who initiated me in the ways of [Light shaper]. He saw potential on me, or maybe pity. Perhaps a bit of both.” I tried hard, really hard, not to laugh at myself.

“And you are here because…?” She let the phrase trail, but I knew what she meant. Why would I come to this city if I had a powerful master teaching me something apparently important.

“He left more than a year ago. I waited for his return, but after a while year passed I decided to go look for him.”

“Tsk,” her tongue clicked as her phase contorted. “What do you know about your master?”

“Nothing much. A serious man of not many words. And it's not like I ever saw him, I only mastered the skill to see after he was gone.”

She sighted, either because I was convincing enough, or because she saw right thought it.

There was a pause, followed by a long stare. I won the blinking game, obviously.

“Your master was a saint.” She finally said.

“Because he adopted me?”

“No, I'm saying that your master was a Saint. An actual Saint.”

I suppose she saw my tilted head and the obvious confusion. She probably was wrong about what I didn't understand.

My nonexistent master was a Saint. Charlotte, just what the hell have you gotten me into!?

“I suppose he didn't teach you much about Saints, or the system, for that matter. I'm sorry to break this news to you, but if after a whole year he is not back, chances are he will never be.”

Oh Saints! And now he is dead! Tears, sadness, darkness!

“I-”

“Don't worry, I know it's a lot to unpack. If it's any consolation, you had a good teacher. Locking your class information is the only reason you have it so far, there are po-”

She looked at me with evident pity.

“I'm sorry, I'm rambling. Do you need some time alone?” I nodded. “I'll come back later, and if you want, I'll answer any questions you might have.”

Did I really want to be alone? Maybe. If anything, I wanted to figure out what I was suppose to do and say next.

My fictional teacher, and Saint, had gone off somewhere and died in the process.

I might have been able to pull an act and seem heartbroken, but honestly I was not good at that. Instead, I decided I would ask questions. Lots of them.

I used the time I was alone, not much more than 10 minutes I'd say, to compile a list of things to ask.

She came back with more tea and some snacks. Cake, mostly. Which I felt obliged to it.

“Is there anything you would like to ask?”

The question caught me off guard. I expected some condolences. A touchy talk about feelings and the meaning of life. But sure, that worked too.

“Actually, yes. You seem sure he is a Saint, and you are sure he is dead. Why?”

“Saints are those who have dominion over light. And only those with such classes can teach other and pass the knowledge.“

So far so good, I had guessed as much.

“They are called Saints not only for their classes, but also because they are destined for greatness.”

“They are destined?” An ecky feeling tingled on my skin.

“Well, history has showed us that great deeds have been done by light manipulators. Call it superstition if you want, but they still hold power and meaning.”

“Okay…” I dragged the word, trying not to speak my mind. I would call it elitist in any case.

“You are a [Light shaper], and your system information is locked. Only a Saint can do that. Tha-”

“Wait,” I interrupted her, “a Saint can alter the system!?”

“What they can do is limited, but yes, locking class information is one of their privileges.”

Great things my ass! I was enraged; I really was fuming. Who else had access to the system? The Saints at the lab. The very same ones that broke me.

“So that leaves no margin of error. He was a Saint.”

“You are still confident he is dead,” I stated as a matter of fact.

“The only reason a Saint would disappear was due to a summons request. He was probably called to action in some other system, and died in the process.”

“Saints can al-” I caught myself just in time to prevent a disaster. I was coming to say can also be summoned.

I could imagine the conversation after that. What do you mean ‘also’? Oh, you were summoned. And your class is not really what you say? Die!

“-can be summoned to other planets?”

I got nothing in return, which worried me that she might have heard after all.

“Your master… he really taught you nothing other than the class itself?”

“That's right!”

If I could blame into a Saint, specially after discovering that, most likely, they did not preach what their name suggested, then I would.

“Also, can't you unlock my class information?” It was a slight change of topic, but it was bothering me that, at any moment, she might be tempted to take a peek.

“Me? No, no no, definitely no.” The amount of noes in that answer was off putting. “I'm just the elected governor of the city, far from a Saint, and my access to the system would never allow me to override their decisions. I can't even fathom it.”

“What can you tell me about the summons he got?”

“There is no way to tell who summoned him or even what for. I'm sorry…”

“What can yo-” something ugly clicked on my mind. “Am I a Saint!?”