Chapter 5: Champion’s Rebirth
"And when you're gone, who remembers your name? Who keeps your flame? Who tells your story?" - Hamilton Broadway Musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda
“The gods woke up.”
Avery stared at the old priest as he fell silent. His bright green eyes were distant before finally focusing on Avery. He said no more, but watched her, waiting.
Letting me process, Avery realized and she sat back, contemplating all that she had heard so far. She imagined how it must have been for the gods to wake up in a strange world that had moved beyond them. “They weren’t happy, I take it?”
High Priest Drusti nodded, smiling a little. “They were not. You can imagine the situation, I think. The people had arrived in a new world and lost all contact with their gods. Instead, they were guided, protected by powerful demigod heroes. They settled in a new world with no temples, no shrines, and they had no reason to build any, except to the champions who led them. And the champions…”
He trailed off and Avery nodded, starting to see the picture. “They had no reason to encourage continued faith in the gods. They liked being on top - who wouldn’t?”
“Indeed. When the gods awoke, it was a slow process, their awareness gradually returning as their powers did the same. Even so, neither the gods nor the champions were pleased. The gods were angry, understandably so, I think, that they had given everything to save their people, only to be forgotten and replaced. The champions, gifted with long lives - to the point of being immortal - in order to serve the purpose that the Everblossom had charged them with, looked back on the many generations they had spent protecting mortalkind while the gods slept and they were averse to having their own accomplishments trumped by the deities.”
“So, what happened? I assume the gods won the struggle, given that no one knows about the champions now?”
Again, Drusti nodded. “There were conflicts. Some Champions led expeditions to find and destroy some of the gods before they could awaken. It is believed that a couple of those attacks may have succeeded, the gods killed or at least stopped from every waking. Likewise, several champions were defeated by the gods during these confrontations. The battle lines were drawn, and storm clouds gathered on the horizon. Dark times were coming if something didn’t change. That is when the Everblossom stepped in once again. She took away much of the power that she had granted to the Champions, thanking them for their service, but bidding them pass on their mantles to the next generation of mortals.”
“And did they?”
“In truth, they didn’t have much of a choice, but no, most of them were not happy about being forced to give up all that they had earned. Some of the gods demanded that the Champions be killed, though a few insisted that it was not out of vengeance but through the natural cycle of life. These powerful heroes were still supposed to be mortal, and no mortal could avoid the hand of death forever. It is what makes us mortal.”
Avery leaned forward again, “I’m taking from your tone that the Everblossom didn’t do that?”
“No,” the priest shook his head. “She did not take their endless lifespans, but she did something else. The goddess put the champions into a deep sleep and hid them away where they could not be found by god or man. It is said that she predicted there would come a time when they would be needed again and, when that time came, they would be reborn.”
“Reborn?” Avery asked, her eyes narrowing. “Not reawakened?”
Drusti let out a rustic chuckle. “Caught that, did you? Yes, I remember asking about that when I was an acolyte. My teacher said that no one knew whether that was a word mistakenly changed in the generations of oral tradition or if it was an accurate quote.”
“Wait, oral tradition? So there are no written records of that time? Of the champions?”
The high priest let out a long sigh. “After the Champions were put to slumber, the gods wasted no time in reclaiming their authority. They clamored for new worshipers and they discouraged any telling of that time in history when they had been absent and impotent.” Drusti’s eyes twinkled and he added, “If you hadn’t noticed, the gods can be very prideful.” When Avery looked shocked at his words, he laughed, “It’s not blasphemy if I say it - I’m the high priest.” He sobered, then, and continued. “Over the eons that followed, Galanthial’s ancient history fell into myth, then shadows. The only church that carried on the story was the Church of the Everblossom, and even among us, the story became rarely told. We don’t like to… insult the other gods by the telling of it.”
Avery nodded. “That cold wind. That’s why we came out here.”
“Just so,” Drusti grinned. “Though I’m surprised the gods themselves even remember the tale these days. It seems at least one of them does. But tell me: where did you hear of the Champions of the Everblossom?”
Avery hesitated, thinking her answer through before deciding on a path. “I’m not from Galanthial,” she said slowly, measuring the priest’s reaction. When he arched an eyebrow, but didn’t interrupt, she continued. “My world has stories of your world, which is how I knew a little of your gods and this city. But until today, I thought it was just that - stories.” She wasn’t sure she believed it entirely yet, but she’d roll with it for now. “In my world, something strange has happened. We were attacked by monsters and then I got this quest. It said I needed to complete a trial to become one of the Everblossom’s Champions. When I accepted the quest, I was brought here.”
The priest leaned back, growing thoughtful as Avery finished her tale. “Interesting. If the Champions are being… reborn, shall we say? Then there must be great need for them, or the Everblossom believes there will be. I have seen no signs of darkness on the horizon, and I think that I would have. But it is possible that the trouble isn’t to Galanthial at all, but to your world. I don’t know why the Everblossom would have a connection to a world outside of Galanthial, but I’m not one to question my goddess.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Avery nodded and grew thoughtful herself, pulling up her quest to re-read it.
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Quest [In Progress]: A Champion’s Invitation
Description: Gaia’s awakening has caused beauty and chaos in equal measure across the planet. You have been invited to become one of the Everblossom’s champions, to help protect humanity from the dangers that will no doubt follow.
Object: Complete the Champion’s First Trial 0/1
Reward: Ability to Choose a class, Access to second trial
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The priest’s expression turned to a troubled frown as Avery read the quest description out loud. “That is indeed concerning. I know nothing of any ‘Gaia,’ but it does seem to imply that it is your world that is in desperate need of champions. You say you accepted the trial? Do you mind me asking what it entails?”
Avery explained about needing to find something to cure her sick sister and Drusti nodded in understanding. “So, you’ll be wanting the Stone of Destiny, then. You’ll need to negotiate with Cipher, in the underbelly.”
Avery was surprised at the priest’s calm response and she tilted her head. “Cipher’s the crime lord, right? Can he be reasoned with?”
“Anyone can be reasoned with, with the right incentive,” the high priest answered with a smirk, “It will be up to you to figure out what incentive to use, and when.”
Avery nodded and stood. She started to thank the old cleric, but stopped when she noticed that the spot at his feet was empty. “Where… where did he go?”
Drusti blinked and looked down. “Oh, old Camlen?” He laughed softly, “Who knows. He goes where he’s needed. I’m sure you will see him again, if he decides you are worth the effort.”
* * *
Avery sat down at one of the circular stone tables that were scattered around the inner courtyard around the temple of light. The temple was a spire that rose hundreds of feet into the air and was covered in thousands of panels of colored glass. The sun was just past its zenith and the light cascaded over the windows, sending rainbows of light beaming across the city. All around her, priests and commonfolk moved around the great park, some focused and with purpose, others contemplative and meandering. Avery even saw some sitting in the sunshine, like her, meditating alone or in groups. A pair of priests of Adalat, god of justice, sat at a nearby table eating an afternoon meal together. The whole place felt… alive, in a way that Avery had never felt when she had been here in her game. It left her feeling disoriented, as if this world was the real one, and her old world had been little more than a passing dream. She knew it wasn’t true, of course - at least the part about her world being a dream - but she couldn’t shake the feeling that this world was just… more.
Shaking out of her thoughts, Avery turned her attention back to her quests.
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Quest: The First Trial
Description: As a new adventurer, you have arrived in Isonar to seek a cure for your younger sister, who is deathly ill. You have heard that the local crime lord is in possession of an artifact called the Stone of Destiny that is said to cure any illness or injury short of death. It is up to you to gain the artifact, or find some other way to cure your sister.
Objective: Find a cure for your sister 0/1
Reward: 500xp, 50 copper coins, access to class selection
Note: Class options will vary depending on how the trial is completed.
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Quest: The Lost Cat
Description: The little boy, Andy, has lost his pet cat and needs your help to find her.
Objective: Find Bianca 0/1
Reward: Unknown
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Avery sighed as she re-read the descriptions. She had hoped that some additional clues might have come up after her visit to the Temple of Life, but she didn’t seem to have progressed at all. “And now I’m without any money, and may have to start considering evening accommodations - and food - if I don’t catch a break soon.” She had no idea whether this trial had a time limit, but since it hadn’t listed one, she wasn’t going to worry about it.
Sitting back, Avery considered her options. She may have been a regular player on Tales of the Everblossom, but she had played many other games as well, both video games and tabletop RPGs. She considered those now, and found herself thinking about her thief character in the tabletop that she played on Wednesdays. What would Twig do if she didn’t know what to do?
Avery let out a half-laugh and, remembering the name of one of Twig’s favorite abilities, muttered under her breath, “I most definitely have a bad feeling about this.” Avery smirked at the irony, but she certainly didn’t expect her words to have any effect until a window popped into her vision a moment later.
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Special Ability: I’ve Got a Bad Feeling About This
By spending a moment to survey an area, you may discover the answer to one question:
* Is there a trap or ambush here, and if so, where?
* What can I see that no one else can?
* What here is the biggest threat to me?
* Where’s my best way in, out, or through?
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This window looked different than the other panels that she had seen with her quests. The border looked like a stylized vine, and the text was a deep green on a soft yellow background. Avery also had the strange but distinct impression of amusement behind the pop-up, as if some otherworldly force was having fun humoring her.
“Who… are you?” Avery murmured, half to herself, though she jerked when she heard a voice whisper in her mind.
Is that your one question?
Oh, they were definitely amused; Avery could hear the laughter bubbling up in the faint whisper.
“No!” Avery blurted out loud. She knew better than to fall into that trap. When the voice didn’t speak again, she focused back on the window. Her first impulse was to ask the last question, and hopefully get a hint to passing the trial. But she wasn’t sure if that would be cheating, and she could clearly picture her own gamemaster giving some smart ass answer about how the best way through the trial was to get a hold of the Stone of Destiny, without actually giving her any useful clues. As for the others, there was really only one question that made sense to her to ask, but before she did…
“Only one question? The original ability gives two questions.”
Don’t get greedy…
Avery actually laughed at the soft rebuke of the voice. “Fair. Alright. What can I see that no one else can?”
Silence.
After a moment and no response, Avery mentally kicked herself. Of course the voice wasn’t going to tell her - she had to actually look in order to see. The window had vanished when she asked her question and now Avery stood, scanning the area around her, looking for anything that stood out as out of the ordinary. People walked, talked, and meditated. The sun shone down. There was nothing-
No. Not what you see. What you don’t see.
Avery frowned, brows furrowing. “What-”
Close your eyes. Listen.