“My name is Diofra.” The mage said and let my hand go.
“I'm Evus.” The guard said and I shook his hand, too.
“Nice to meet you.” I said and smiled. “Now finish eating and get the hell out.”
That made them laugh and they kept eating.
I handed the queen's note to Imiryl. “You want to read that, too.”
“What?” Imiryl took the note. “The queen said it was a message for you.”
“It is.” I said. “I want you to read the second sentence and tell me what you think.”
Imiryl looked at the note and read the sentence out loud. “I'm sending two very valuable adventurers with this message.” She looked at the mage and the guard, then at me.
“She meant the two of you.” I said and motioned to her and Allirynn. “I think it was her subtle way to tell me why those criminals targeted you.”
“Why?” Imiryl shook her head. “There's nothing valuable about us, except for the bit of gold Allirynn had left that they took.”
“Special weapons?” Allirynn asked.
“I don't think so.” I said. “The only things we could scavenge were the bow that elf had and the large hammer the orc had.”
“You have it?!?” Allirynn asked and shot to his feet, surprised.
“We stripped the bad guys, so yeah.” I said. “Why?”
“It was owned by...” Imiryl couldn't say the dwarf's name without crying. “...one of our friends.”
“I guess that explains why the orc had such a hard time using it.” I said and picked up my belt that was hung on the chair behind the mage. I dug into my bag of holding and pulled out the large war hammer. “Here you go.”
Both Allirynn and Imiryl stared with angry eyes at it and didn't try to take it from me.
“Hunter, don't tease them with it.” Maylia said.
“What do you mean, tease them?” I asked, confused. “I'm giving it back to them.”
“You are?!?” Imiryl gasped.
“It's not like I need it.” I said. “I only took everything from those guys so that someone wouldn't come along and have a bunch of free weapons and armor... if they were crazy enough to brave the woods and the creatures there to go and get it.”
Allirynn and Imiryl exchanged glances.
“I guess that would have been you two.” I said with a laugh.
“We can't take it.” Allirynn said.
“Please, I insist. If it was your friend's weapon, you should have it.” I said and held it out again.
“Hunter, they physically can't take it.” Maylia said and touched my shoulder.
“What? Why?” I looked at her with my eyebrows raised.
“Our classes forbid it.” Allirynn said, sadly.
“You're kidding.” I said and looked at everyone's faces and didn't see denial there. “Wow, really?”
The mage took out a focusing rod and put it on the table. “Pick that up.”
I put the war hammer down on the floor, since it was much too big to put on the table, and I tried to put my fingers around the rod. It wouldn't move. “Hey, it... what the...” I tried a few different things, like tapping it to get it to roll, which it didn't, then I tried to pry it up and it didn't move.
“Unless you are a magic user, you can't use them.” The mage said and picked the rod up with her fingertips. “I can't use weapons at all, even if they were enchanted and infused with mana.”
I reached out and put my hand around the end of the rod.
“You don't want to do that.” The mage said. “It will crush your hand against the table if I let it go.”
I couldn't take that chance, in case it was classed as magical damage, so I let it go. “Put it on the table again.”
The mage put it down and I made a Mana Presence Hand. Everyone reacted with shock at the green floating hand in front of me, except for Maylia and Afyne. I moved the hand down and gripped the focusing rod, then tried to lift it. Since I was expecting a very heavy object, I pulled on it as hard as I could. The hand shot up to the ceiling and smashed through the wood and into the attic.
“Oops.” I said and brought it back down to hover in front of me. “I thought it was going to be heavy.”
This time, everyone was shocked that it had happened and no one said a word as they stared at the focusing rod. I put it down and absorbed the Mana Presence Hand.
“That's not possible.” The mage said. “You can't lift weapons outside your class restrictions.”
“Well, I've been doing things I shouldn't have been able to do since I was a kid.” I said with a smile.
The mage shook her head. “No, you don't understand. The divine rules prevent people from doing it.”
“Well, I'm not from here.” I said and turned to Maylia. “Pick it up with your normal hand.”
Mayla stepped close to the table and tried to get her hand around it, and she couldn't even roll it from side to side. “It won't move.” She said, slightly angry. “Even though I know some spells.”
“They are probably class specific.” The mage said. “Some classes do have limited magic capability; but, they still wouldn't be able to use a magic user's class items.”
“Now try it with a Mana Hand.” I said.
Everyone gasped when a green floating hand appeared in front of Maylia. She moved it down and gently picked up the rod without resistance.
“Ha! I knew it.” I said “Even though we make and control the hands, they are separate from us and aren't affected by our class restrictions.”
Maylia put the rod down and dismissed the hand.
“I doubt we can actually use it for what it was intended for, though.” I said, then chuckled. “What is it used for?”
“It's a focusing rod that's used to empower and direct spells more accurately.” The mage said, her voice subdued.
“A focusing rod?” I asked, and she nodded. “I guess it doesn't come in smaller sizes, does it?”
“No, they are all the same size.”
“How are they made?” I asked, curious.
“I have no idea.” The mage said.
I looked at the other people and they shook their heads. Well, I can't use it for what I want anyway, since I can't lift the thing with my normal hand. I thought. I'll have to keep looking.
Everyone sat there in silence, the food forgotten.
I reached over the table and tapped the queen's note in Imiryl's hand, so she read the rest of it. When she got to the list at the bottom, she grabbed Allirynn's arm and put the note in front of him. He read it and when he read the list, he nodded.
“Queen Celestina's Personal Vassal.” Imiryl said and stood, as did Allirynn. “Please accept our pledge.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
I looked at their determined faces. “What brought that on?” I asked and took the note back. “What's on the list that you reacted to?”
“All of it.” Imiryl said. “The queen of the First Sothen Kingdom trusts you to handle such important things. The least we can do is try to help you.”
“That's not really a good reason to accept your...”
“We owe you.” Allirynn said and motioned to the war hammer. “You saved us.”
“I've saved a lot of people.” I said. “They aren't all scrambling around to try and help me.”
“If what you think is true, that we were why the carriage was attacked, then it's our fault that our friends are dead.” Imiryl said.
“Ha.” I barked a laugh. “That's like blaming me for not showing up in time to save them, too.”
Allirynn frowned and tried to hide it.
“You do blame me.” I said, and he shook his head slightly. “No? Then...” I stopped talking for a moment, then I understood. I stood up and walked around the table and put a hand on his shoulder. “I've been there.” I said and squeezed his shoulder slightly. “Don't worry, though. You'll never forgive yourself for not saving them.”
Allirynn looked angry for a second, then he barked a laugh. “You do understand.”
I nodded and let his shoulder go. “If you want to do this to atone for their deaths, that's not going to work.”
“No, I...” Allirynn took a breath and let it out. “I want to stop it from happening again.”
“And you?” I asked and looked at Imiryl.
“We started out with the intent to be the best adventurers in the world. We thought we were getting close, and then...” Imiryl said with a touch of sadness as a tear came to her eye and she wiped it away. “Now we know it was a foolish thing to strive for, because we paid too heavy of a price for being so arrogant.” She straightened her back and looked into my eyes. “If I can save even one more person from having to pay that kind of price, a price that no one should pay, then I will do everything I can to help.”
I didn't feel the Presence waver at all, so I smiled. “That is the kind of pledge I can accept.” I said and held a hand out for her to shake.
Imiryl had seen me do it with the mage and the guard, so she did the same thing and shook it. Allirynn shook my hand next, then I walked over to stand beside Maylia.
“Now all we need is a healer that can handle magical wounds.” I said.
“I'm not a healer; but, I do have healing spells.” The mage said. “At the very least, I can treat them and keep them stable until we find someone or return to the capital.”
“That's good enough for me.” I said. “Now, if you would all be so kind, get out so I can get my beauty sleep.”
Maylia laughed. “We'll meet again in the morning to discuss where to go from here.” She said and everyone stood. “You can take the food, too.”
They picked up the several dishes on the table and walked to the room's door.
“If you're not busy before you go to sleep, try to think about ways to capture a seventy foot long giant snake that moves as fast as a horse.” I said to them as they left the room. They all jerked at the absurd comment and I laughed and used a Presence Hand to shut the door on their surprised faces.
“Hunter!” Maylia exclaimed, and both Afyne and I laughed.
“Hey, they needed to know what's going on.” I said and picked Afyne up, then put her over my shoulder in a fireman's carry. “Time for bed!”
Maylia sighed as I twirled Afyne around a couple of times and plopped us both onto the bed into a pile.
“Ahahahahaha!” Afyne laughed joyously, then Maylia jumped onto the bed beside us and made us hop slightly, which made Afyne laugh even more. I quickly tucked us all under the blanket and we cuddled in together.
I kissed Afyne on the forehead and then kissed Maylia on the lips. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Maylia said.
“G-goodnight.” Afyne said, her face slightly red.
*
Evangeline didn't have to act surprised when she went back to her mother's house and saw the party that the other acolytes had thrown for her. She hadn't known that they were so creative with all the decorations and things, and then they piled presents on her. They were only modest and mainly things that she would need for her own house after she was married, except for a few nice outfits for her to wear on normal days. Those she could use right away.
The biggest surprise was when her mother, the head acolyte, brought out her old wedding dress. Evangeline couldn't hold the tears back as the magically cleaned fancy dress looked to be brand new, and she hugged her mother tightly as she accepted it. Of course, they were all emotional at this point and there wasn't a dry face in the house after a few minutes.
“Have you set a date yet?” Someone asked.
Evangeline shook her head. “He only just asked me, and with the Goddess' orders to stay and wait...”
“When the church is finished in a few days, perhaps her orders will change.” Someone else said.
“That's right!” Aimee said excitedly. “Maybe that's what she's making you waiting for!”
“I doubt she would stop her emissaries from going out to seal the cracks, just so one of her acolytes can get married.” Another one said.
“I don't see why not... but, if that's true, then... she's doing it because it's one of the emissaries!” Aimee said and smiled. “She wants him married in her church!”
“That has to be it.” One of the other acolytes said. “That would be perfect.”
“We can even do the preliminary arrangements until then.” One of them said. “Oh, this is wonderful!”
“The first official function will be a wedding of the Sorcerer Priest of Light!” Another said and they all became excited.
“We're all jumping a little ahead of ourselves.” The head acolyte said. “We can't do all of that on our own. Josh needs to decide when it will happen.”
“I'm sure that once he hears what we plan to do with the church, he'll be honored to be the first person to be married.” Aimee said. “He loves Evangeline so much!”
“What about the dowry?” Someone asked.
“There isn't one.” The head acolyte sighed. “You all know her father died before she was a teenager.”
“So, there's no money at all.”
“We didn't even have a chance to start putting money away.” The head acolyte said, sadly.
“It's all right.” Evangeline said and held her mother's hand. “You know Josh isn't going to care that I don't have one.”
“That's not the point, dear.” The head acolyte said. “What will the marriage be like if it doesn't start off in the traditional way?”
Everyone was quiet for several moments while they thought about that, then the silence was broken by a knock on the door. One of them stood up to go and get it, then she let out a startled gasp and ran back into the living room.
“Evangeline! Aimee!” She said. “It's for you!”
“I'm sorry for the intrusion.” A husky voice said and came into the room.
“Captain!” The head acolyte exclaimed and stood.
“Now, now. Stay seated, please.” The captain of the guard said. “I know it's a little late; but, I finally managed to get through all of the carcasses that the emissaries brought back.”
“Wh-what?” The head acolyte asked, surprised.
“The queen informed me of their travels this morning, so I went to the castle and asked the emissaries to hand over everything they had gathered.” The captain said. “It was a lot more than I thought and took all day to sort and count them.”
The head acolyte looked at him with a puzzled expression. “But... even so... why are you here?”
“I'm the only one that's authorized to handle and distribute large sums of money.” The captain said and took out two small coin sacks, about the size of his fists, and handed one to Aimee and the other to Evangeline. “Adventurer law states that you get a cut of the bounties on the creatures. When I was at the castle to give the payout to the emissaries, they said that without the two of you, the cracks you encountered couldn't have been sealed.”
Evangeline stared at the sack of coins in her hands and Aimee opened hers. She gasped at the gold and silver contents.
“They told me you were here when I told them I wasn't allowed to leave it with them.” The captain of the guard said. “If you will excuse me, I need to check the city patrols before I head home.”
“Of course, captain.” The head acolyte said. “Thank you for stopping by.”
“It was a pleasure.” The captain said and nodded, then left the living room and went out the front door.
“It has to be a sign from the Goddess.” One of the acolytes said. “You were worried about not having a dowry, and now you have more money than you've ever had before!”
“It must be!” Aimee said. “Look at this!” She said and held the small sack open and showed them the contents. “Blessed be the Goddess!”
“Blessed be the Goddess!” The other acolytes repeated.
Evangeline sat there and stared at the sack without opening it.
Her mother, the head acolyte, put an arm around her shoulders. “Yes, the Goddess wants you to be happy.”
“M-mother, what... what will I... no, what will we do with it all?”
The head acolyte smiled. “A portion should be put aside for the dowry, and if you want my suggestion, make the amount the same as what your father would have gathered if he had lived.”
Evangeline nodded several times and hugged the sack of gold and silver coins. A moment later, a hand from each of them reached out and rested on her crossed arms.
“This is a great party.” One of the acolytes said, and the others wholeheartedly agreed.
*
The captain of the guard went to check on the city patrols and then went home, just like he said he would. He greeted his wife with a hug and kiss, as was his usual ritual, then he chased the two small children around the house to tire them out. They and their mother laughed as he pretended to stumble and fall, and the children tacked him and swarmed over him to claim their victory.
“I surrender! I surrender!” The captain said and held his hands up and the children sat on his chest and preened proudly.
“All right, time for bed.” Their mother said, and the kids went without a fuss. She tucked them into bed and kissed them goodnight, then went out to talk to her husband. “Tell me what's been going on.”
“Ah, you know me well.” The captain said and sat down at the kitchen table, then pat his knee. She raised her eyebrows at him for a moment, then sat down. He put his arms around her waist and held her tightly. “These Emissaries of Light are perplexing both the queen and myself.” He said. “She can't tell if they are really here to do what needs to be done to help us, or if...” He stopped talking and sighed.
“...or if what?”
“It's like they are... humoring us.” The captain said. “They've done some great things so far, and yet both I and the queen believe that they are playing a role and aren't really who they claim to be.”
His wife thought about it for a few moments. “You mean they're pretending?”
“In a sense.” The captain said. He knew about the queen's ability to tell her what people were, their abilities, and where they should be. “They have the titles and abilities they are supposed to have; but...”
“From what you've described to me about their arrival and how they acted, it does sound like they are only just learning.” His wife said.
“That's it.” The captain said and kissed her cheek. “That's why it's bothering me!”
“What is it?”
“They haven't been what they are now for their whole lives like the others that have been brought here.” The captain said and smiled. “When they were summoned, I think they became what was needed.”
His wife stared at him with wide eyes, then she smiled back. “That does make sense.”
“It sure does.” The captain said. “I'll have to tell the queen in the morning.”
“Will the queen knowing that make much difference?” She asked, and he chuckled.
“It will definitely change how she deals with them.” The captain said, held onto his wife and stood up, then walked out of the kitchen and through the living room. “Right now, the people they've saved see them as having infallible judgment. The queen knows that's not true, and now she will know why.”
“You know I do have legs.” His wife said as they approached the bedroom. “I can walk perfectly fine.”
“That's going to change in a few minutes.” The captain chuckled as he stepped into the bedroom and shut the door with his foot.