“You're joking, right?” Josh asked before I could start talking. “Do you expect us all to just stand here and listen to your life story?”

“I don't expect you to do anything.” I said. “I asked Jessica if she wanted to hear it and she said yes. Steven's getting close, so he's interested and might listen my version. Kara... well, she never really listens to anything that doesn't praise the goddess, since she grew up with it and it's pretty much ingrained into her psyche. I stopped trying to convince her about my unfair treatment years ago.”

“It wasn't unfair.” Kara said. “We treated you like you were one of us. Like family.”

“Uh huh. What about your actual family? How are they doing?” I asked, and she didn't respond. “Yeah, there you go. You gave up your real family to be in The Order and didn't think twice about it. I asked you for years to contact them, just because I wanted to see if they were still alive, and all you said was that they were happy for you and you didn't need to.” I said. “That's not right. They are your family.”

“They are devout followers of the Goddess Chaiya, just like I am, and they agreed to let me join The Order because it was the best option for both me and them.” Kara said. “I learned so much from them.”

“You mean The Order and not your parents, right?” I asked.

“Yes.” Kara nodded.

I motioned to her. “You see? She sees nothing wrong with taking young children from their homes.”

“There was no way for my family to teach me how to use my goddess given abilities.” Kara said. “I could have hurt them, or the other children in my city, if I didn't get the proper training. If you don't start young, the mind loses some of its pliability and can't adjust properly to the techniques.”

“So, you're saying that all families that follow the goddess and have gifted children, willingly hand them over for proper training?” I asked, and she nodded. “What about families that don't follow the goddess? Do they hand them over without a fight? How do you handle them?”

Kara opened her mouth to respond, then she shook her head. “This isn't about that.”

“This is exactly about that. People who don't follow The Order's tenents and rules are declared outlaws and rogues. It's even worse if they used to follow the Goddess and decide to leave.” I said. “My parents were in The Order and fell in love, against The Order's policy, and they were declared rogues and hunted for years.”

“You're wrong. The Order had no problems with them being in love, getting married, or having children.” Kara said, and the Presence didn't waver, so she wasn't lying. “They refused to submit you for training.”

“Wh-what?” I asked, surprised.

“The Order wants their members to be happy. You can do whatever you want, like having children. What The Order won't do is let children with powerful abilities be corrupted or twisted to use their powers for evil.”

“My parents were not training me to be evil.” I said through gritted teeth.

“They left you unprotected and you could have been taken by evil.” Kara said. “If we hadn't had someone on (Undecipherable)'s ship to keep watch on him and any children he found, he could have taken you for himself to train.”

“Yeah, found.” I said sarcastically. “He killed my parents and kidnapped me.”

“At the time, he actually saved you from being corrupted.” Kara said. “We didn't find out until later that he was a corrupting influence as well.”

“As well.” I scoffed. “You mean my parents.”

“They were dissidents and incited riots and rebellion against The Order. They were actual criminals.” Kara said. “They were dealt with overly harshly, though. I have always been against hunting rogues down to kill them.”

“You just wanted to convert them back.” I said.

“It would be better than death, wouldn't it?” Kara asked. “How long would a four year old boy have lived if he hadn't been taken back to The Order? What if a bounty hunter had found your parents instead? Would they have let you live when you attacked or would they have killed you, too?”

“This sounds like an old argument.” Maylia said and stepped between us. “It's getting us nowhere.”

I sighed. “You're right. I'm sorry.” I said and looked at Jessica. “Do you feel like taking a walk?”

“I don't know.” Jessica said and looked at the other three emissaries. “Can we all go?”

“I don't think you should go.” Josh said. “He could be trying to steal you from us.”

“Ha.” I barked. “She would lose a lot of her powers, if not all of them, if she broke her word to the goddess.”

The other three emissaries stared at me with wide eyes.

“What? You didn't know that, either?” I asked, and Josh and Steven shook their heads. “You really need to start asking more questions.” I said and looked at Jessica. “I'm not here to steal you away or to break up your group. Like I said before, I just want to talk.”

Jessica gave one more glance to the other three emissaries, then she nodded to me. I led her down the aisle and the others in my own group followed us.

“Are we really going to let him take her like this?” Josh whispered, concern in his voice.

“He just wants to talk.” The head acolyte said. “Evangeline, do you...”

“I'll stay here with my husband.” Evangeline said.

“I'll go.” Aimee said and walked quickly down the aisle to catch up to us.

When I stepped outside, the pressure I had felt lifted completely. I had been under it and it felt like it had lessened, when all that had happened was I was getting used to it. Jessica didn't quite gasp at the difference and only took in a sharp breath. I saw several people working on the street and surveyed the damage.

“Wow, you weren't kidding, Allirynn.” I said and saw piles of dirt, several craters, both big and small, and paving stones spread everywhere. “You didn't hold back at all.”

That made Allirynn laugh and Imiryl hugged the arm she held.

“Let's go that way.” I said and pointed down the road towards the center of the city. “We haven't had lunch, so now would be a good time to grab something to eat.”

“Sounds good.” Evus the guard said and rubbed his armor covered belly. “I don't want my armor getting loose.”

Diofra the mage chuckled. “Just tighten the straps, dummy.”

“Don't shatter my food dreams with logic.” Evus said haughtily and she laughed.

We walked down the street and then down another to find a nice little restaurant.

*

“Why isn't my synergy working?” The Goddess Chaiya asked after she watched Hunter's first entry into her church. “All of my acolytes are there, as are my emissaries.”

Chaiya rolled the time back to before he entered the church. She saw Hunter take the other people's hands and the slight glow that spread over them, and she frowned. She faded from her area and appeared beside Maleketh.

“What did he do?” Chaiya asked.

“Are you having a hard time charming your chosen hero?” Maleketh asked with a grin.

“I'll amend my question.” Chaiya said in a huff. “What did you do?”

“Hunter has a pitiful little enchantment to help him resist area effects and he thought it was going to help him against what you weaved between the emissaries.” Maleketh laughed. “That's so funny!”

“Yes, using a man-made enchantment to fight a divine power is laughable.” Chaiya said and sighed. “It shouldn't have worked... so, what did you do?”

“He said a little prayer to ask for the enchantment to be enough to stop the effect the emissaries have.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“...and of course, you granted it!” Chaiya exclaimed.

“He did pray, albeit silently.” Maleketh said and smiled. “I'm sure he didn't do it intentionally; but, he did ask sincerely to protect his friends.”

“Intentionally or not, both he and his group are unaffected by my followers.”

“Oh, he's still affected.” Maleketh said. “He wasn't greedy. He only wanted to stop the mind-numbing effect the emissaries have that makes them all agreeable with each other. He didn't say anything about the church or the acolytes.”

Chaiya sighed. “That's not enough to bring him over to my side or to keep him with the other emissaries.”

Maleketh shook his head. “Take baby steps, Chaiya.” He said and pat her hand. “You can't expect him to ignore everything that's happened as if it doesn't matter, then align himself with your emissaries. He needs time to think things through and to sort them out for himself.”

“He's my chosen hero. Why can't he just act like it?” Chaiya asked.

“Because you're trying to force him to.” Maleketh said. “Let him choose what he wants to do.”

“You know that doesn't work most of the time.”

“You only think that it doesn't.” Maleketh smiled. “Given a choice, even if it's a bad choice, making up their own minds gives them happiness. You can't fault them for not choosing what you want.”

“Yes, I can.” Chaiya said and huffed again.

“Any luck finding the source of the dark planets?” Maleketh asked.

“Don't change the subject.” Chaiya said. “Are you going to stop helping Hunter or not?”

“Chaiya, you know I can't abandon him. When he asks for my help, I will give it.”

Chaiya sighed. “Maleketh, please...”

“No.” Maleketh said. “You'll just have to work your plans around him.”

“I did. That's why I picked him.” Chaiya said. “He's not cooperating and my plans can't work like that.”

Maleketh sighed this time. “I can't force him to work with your people any more than you can.”

“He's supposed be my emissary and he's supposed to lead my group.” Chaiya said and started to fade away. “Perhaps he needs a reminder of that.”

“What are you going to...” Maleketh stopped when he couldn't feel her Presence. “Well, damn.”

*

The restaurant owner was happy to have so many customers come in at once and we were quickly seated at an appropriately sized table. Maylia sat on one side of me and Jessica sat on the other, while the others sat across from each other down the table, with Aimee at the other end. I saw her reach into her robes and put her hand on something, then her hand started to glow and I had to assume it was either a recording or transmission spell. Menus were handed out and we all ordered what we wanted. As soon as the man walked away, I turned to Jessica.

“I know this is going to be hard for you.” I said and took her hand. “Can you tell me what happened back on Earth after I died?”

Jessica took several deep breaths as tears sprang to her eyes and she gathered the tears and stored them. “Yes, I... I can tell you.” She said and told me all about the sensational media coverage, the movie deal, the money from it, and the interviews. When she was done with all of that, she told me about her daily routine. Even though there were other people at the table, she told everything directly to me. I sat in silence and listened to everything she had to say. The food had been brought to the table and sat uneaten on my plate, then she hit me with a bombshell.

“After I found out all about you from the orphanage, from your place of work, and from the few friends you had, I... I realized something.” Jessica took another deep breath and her eyes never left mine. “I had fallen in love with you.”

“Jessica...”

“No, I know.” Jessica said as her face flushed red. “It was just a stupid crush. How could I be in love with someone who was dead?” She asked and didn't notice that Imiryl's blush matched hers. “It's just... no one had ever given up their life to save mine. I mean, I've never even heard of something like that happening before, you know?”

I nodded and didn't say anything.

“When I found out what kind of man you were before we were kidnapped, I knew that if we had met before then, I would have fallen head over heels for you.” Jessica said and put a hand over her heart. “Even if you never gave your life for mine, I would have loved you.”

“I'm not that person anymore.” I said, and she laughed.

“Neither am I.” Jessica said, to my surprise. “I died, too.”

“Excuse me?”

“I was going home after visiting your plaque in the park and I stepped into the street without looking. I was hit by a car and... then the Goddess brought me to... well, some weird all-white place.” Jessica said and explained what had happened to her and about meeting the others.

“You don't know how long you were there, do you?” I asked when she finished talking, and she shook her head.

“It didn't seem like a long time, though.” Jessica said.

I held in my sigh, because she could have been there for weeks and not realize it, before she was sent here, and I was sent right after being changed. “We should eat.”

Jessica nodded and started to eat. “Can you tell me your story now?”

“We might as well stay here for supper.” Evus said and waved the owner over to get the menus again, because he and the others had finished eating a while ago. They ordered more food and I started to tell Jessica about what happened to me after I was reincarnated.

It took a while.

I didn't stop talking when I reached the point in the story where I was sent here, either. I kept going and told her about what happened with the elves, escaping them, and making my way across the country to get to the capital. Jessica had stopped eating at some point and just listened until I was done, then she started asking questions.

I answered most of them, even the odd ones about the level of technology that allowed space ships to be commonplace. Everyone at the table... in fact the entire restaurant... had no clue what we were taking about, except for Maylia, since I had already told her all about it. Everyone else had blank faces and looked like their minds couldn't wrap their heads around physical and mechanical things doing what magic did for them.

Jessica eventually ran out of things to ask. “Hunter, thank you for telling me all of that.” She said and sat up straight in her chair. “I... I'll need some time to...”

“Take all the time that you need.” I said and sat back myself. “It took me years to live through it all, so you're going to need more than a few hours to think about everything I've said.” I waved to the owner and he came over to us. “How much for all the food?”

“Seventeen copper.” The man said, and I could tell that he was uncomfortable being around us. I handed him a silver coin and he gave me back thirty-three copper coins, so I gave him the three extra and put the rest in my pockets.

“Let's go.” I said and stood, then everyone at the table followed me out of the restaurant. I saw Aimee let whatever that spell was go and her hand stopped glowing. I took Maylia's hand and we all walked back to the Church of Light. No one spoke.

*

“By the Goddess' blinding Light.” The head acolyte said at the head of the large table that the acolytes and emissaries sat around. The remote viewing spell had worked much better than she had thought it would, and they had watched and listened to everything that had been discussed between Hunter and Jessica.

“Jessica was pretty smart to ask all those questions at the end.” Steven said, admiration in his voice. “I was pretty much struck dumb at the story Hunter gave her.”

“He also didn't lie.” The head acolyte sighed. “Everything he said was true.”

“So was everything I said.” Kara responded. “He didn't deny killing those people, even when asked directly.” She said. “He admitted his guilt.”

“So, what do we do?” Josh asked. “He's coming back and will be here in a few minutes.”

“What do you think we should do?” Steven asked the head acolyte.

“Jessica's emotional bond with him is very strong.” The head acolyte said. “His words may sway her to leave.”

“No.” Kara said. “Hunter is right. She won't abandon the Goddess and risk losing everything she was given, especially the blessing.”

“If she did give up, she might even have to go back to...” Josh stopped talking when he realized what he was about to say. “She won't leave the Goddess' service. I know she won't.”

“We should go out to meet them.” The head acolyte said. “I doubt he will enter the church again.”

They all got up from the table and went up the stairs to the front door of the church to wait.

*

“Hunter, why wouldn't you let Josh heal you?” Jessica asked as they walked down the street towards the church. The doors opened and the acolytes and the emissaries came out.

“I didn't need it.” I said.

“But, you shouldn't be able to block it like you did.” Jessica said, slightly confused.

“I've been able to block energy since I was a kid.” I chuckled. “I could have blocked Steven from being healed, too.”

“Really?” Jessica asked, surprised.

“That's not what you should be thinking about, though.” I said and stopped walking in front of the church. The acolytes had pensive and contemplative looks on their faces, and I knew what Aimee had done. She had let them hear what was said at the restaurant.

“What should I be thinking about?” Jessica asked.

“Why Allirynn could be healed so quickly from all of his injuries, as if he was a part of your group, even though the last time Josh tried to do that, he barely kept him alive.” I said with a smile, and I saw the shock and surprise on everyone's faces, especially Josh's. I made a motion with my hand in a swirling motion, and my entire group turned as one and we started to walk away. “Some of you have been so concerned about needing me in your group that you're spying on me and using pressure to get me to do it.” I laughed. “All you're doing is ensuring that I won't.”

“Hunter!” Jessica almost yelled and I turned slightly to look at her and kept walking. “I didn't know that...”

“I know you didn't know.” I said. “It was nice talking to you, even if you did know.”

“Hunter, I... don't... can't you...” Jessica stammered.

“I'll see you again.” I waved to her. “By the way, you should ask Aimee what she has in her pocket.” I said and turned around to face forward and led my group down the street.

*

“He knew.” Aimee whispered in shock.

“Knew what?” Jessica asked as her face went from pleasant to angry. “Show me.”

Aimee took out an elaborately carved metal emblem of the Church of Light that was about the size of her palm. Jessica took it from her hand and flipped it over.

“You invoked a remote viewing spell?” Jessica asked, surprised. “When did you make this?”

“I made them yesterday.” Josh said. “We needed to know that you were okay.”

“Them?” Jessica looked at the other acolytes and they all held up an identical one. “How long have you been watching?”

“Since we sat down at the table.” Aimee said, her face red from embarrassment.

“No wonder Hunter can't trust us.” Jessica said to the others. “How could you do that to him?” She asked, then she looked at Aimee. “It could have undermined everything Hunter and I just went through. How could you do that to me and not tell me?”

“There... wasn't time.” Aimee said, sadly.

“Well, you'll have plenty of time from now on.” Jessica said. “I relieve you of your duties as my apprentice.”

“Wh-what?” Aimee looked at her in shock. “P-please, don't dismiss me! I really like being your apprentice! I promise not to do it again!”

“I wish I could believe that.” Jessica said.

“Jessica, don't be so hasty.” Josh said. “It wasn't what you think.”

“Really?” Jessica asked. “If Hunter hadn't mentioned it, would you... would any of you... tell me about it?”

“Of course we would.” The head acolyte said. “We had them made for the emissaries as well.”

“No, thank you.” Jessica said and walked by them. She felt the comforting embrace of the Goddess when she entered the church and she didn't readily accept it like she normally did. It still held her, and she liked that feeling; but, she also remembered what Hunter had said about being told to want it and wanting it for yourself. At the moment, she didn't really want it, and it lessened slightly.

Jessica went downstairs to the basement and changed for bed, then climbed in and did her best to remember the feeling of Hunter's hand in hers. He had held her hand for the entire time that they talked and she wanted to burn that feeling into her memory. She had even confessed her love to him and he didn't immediately reject her or told her that she was being silly about it.

This definitely went better than the first time we met. Jessica thought happily and drifted off to sleep.