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“Oh, uh, so, Father Titus…” I began, my words tumbling out before I could organize my thoughts. “Nice fellow. I met him at the confessional yesterday. You see, I was trying to… um… get some advice.”
Relias frowned. “From a stranger?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to divulge any secrets if that’s what you’re thinking! But it didn’t work out. Instead, he started telling me what was bothering him.”
“The fact that he had been shirking his duties here within the Temple, which led to him being removed from the General Assembly?”
“Ah, so you know him?” I asked carefully.
“I am the one who told him he need no longer report.”
I slammed my hands down on the table, the sound echoing louder than I intended. “Without even finding out why?”
His Holiness folded his arms crossly. “There is no excuse for abandoning one’s duties—”
“He was trying to help those out in the temporary encampment!” I interrupted, my voice rising and my breath coming faster.
Relias opened his mouth and drew in a breath as if to deliver a blistering ultimatum, but instead, he simply said, “Oh. I see.” He then busied himself by straightening a few stacks of papers in front of him.
Oh. I see.
That’s it?!
“Well?” I demanded bluntly.
“Well, what?” he replied, keeping his head down.
“Aren’t you going to reinstate him?” I pressed.
The lengthy silence that followed made everyone else at the table squirm. Eventually, Relias sighed. “Since he is your most favored priest, you may reassign his Purpose as you see fit.”
“I never said he was that! All I did was ask for his name so I could talk to you about him. I just didn’t get a chance because…” I trailed off, my voice shaking, never finishing the sentence.
Because I’m still mad at you.
When he finally looked up, his face was completely crimson. “Then… is nothing personal going on between the two of you?”
WTF?!
The tension in my temples increased to a throbbing eleven. “All I said was that if I needed his help, I would ask him for it. What, are you—”
“Oh, so that’s what happened!” he stood up quickly, moving toward the door. “Joyfully shall I embrace Brother Titus immediately so that he may provide us with insight regarding those awaiting at the gates!”
As soon as the door slammed shut behind him, all eyes fell on me.
“What just happened?”
Vernie glanced quizzically at Nora, but she shook her head, signaling her not to share her opinion. I tried to read Tetora and Aleph’s expressions, but they had clearly picked up on something more significant from the explosive exchange.
“Tetora and I should talk to Father Titus about the situation in the encampment,” Aleph rumbled. “We’d like to visit at some point, sooner rather than later. Once that research is released… all will become chaos for them.”
“That priestess following Rae around can probably fetch him,” Tetora agreed before glancing at me. “You should probably stay out of it, though.”
“Why? What did I do wrong now?”
Tetora’s ears flattened. “Nothing. You just don’t need any more rumors about you.”
I almost asked what other rumors were circulating, but I wasn’t sure I could handle them.
“You two shouldn’t go into that encampment alone,” I fretted aloud. “Do you think some of the temple guards would accompany you?”
Aleph shook his head with a small smile. “They wouldn’t leave the building if it caught fire right now. But Captain Corwin’s due to stop by later today; I’m sure he would be willing to survey the scene with us.”
I had completely forgotten about him. “What’s he been up to?”
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Tetora shrugged. “Searching the city for straggling soldiers. Some of the Reds have been hiding out, hoping they’d be overlooked.”
What else have I overlooked…?
“Did he find the advance party… You know… The one led by Sir….”
“Tristan,” Nora supplied.
“Right… Him. They all made it here earlier, right? Pravum had a copy of the accords; he didn’t accost the messengers, did he?”
Aleph smiled. “Rest assured, Captain. All were found safe.”
“That’s something, at least…” I muttered, trying to calm myself.
Vernie tilted her head. “Rae, are you feeling alright?”
“Oh… um, I’m just…” I looked down, realizing I had pulled away my sleeve and scratched my right forearm to the point of drawing blood. “I’m… just a little nervous. There’s so much to do, and I feel like I’m…”
Heroes don’t complain about the small stuff.
“Forget I said anything. I didn’t mean it. That was the lack of breakfast talking.”
Nora cleared her throat. “Why don’t you just tell us what’s on your list, and we’ll see how we can help.”
Why hadn’t I thought of that?
“Right… my list,” I said distractedly, reaching into my cloak pocket. “I made a list.”
As I opened my journal, however, I froze. There was a letter inside that I was sure hadn’t been there earlier. It was marked ‘Urgent' in a typed font.
“Um… uh…” I glanced at Nora, silently begging her to give me an excuse to flee.
She stood up. “Let’s get you some food first. It’s the most important meal of the day.”
“Actually, I heard once that one meal isn’t any more important than another and that you shouldn't skip any of them...”
She dragged me out by the arm. “Only you. Only you would argue this with me..!”
Once we reached my room, she quickly bolted the door from the inside and ushered me to take a seat.
“I think you need to take a break!”
“Who has time for that,” I replied vaguely as I pulled out the letter.
> To: Rachel Emily Smith
>
> From: Clare Mercure (Employee Support Specialist, Cooperative Universal Publishing)
>
> URGENT: Elevated Vital Animus (Confidential)
>
> This letter is to inform you that the Naught Emergency Management System (NEMS) has alerted us that your Vital Animus levels are elevated. Vital Animus is an intrinsic life force within all living beings that drives change, growth, and transformation. It embodies the dynamic and ever-evolving aspects of one’s essence of the ideal, constantly pushing the individual towards new experiences and heightened ambitions. However, elevated levels of Vital Animus cause an imbalance that can lead to several physical, mental, emotional, and magical consequences due to the excessive drive for change and transformation without the stabilizing influence of Vital Amity. Here are some potential effects of such an imbalance:
>
> Physical Effects:
>
> * Hyperactivity
>
> * Insomnia
>
> * Physical Strain
>
>
>
> Mental Effects:
>
> * Anxiety
>
> * Lack of Focus
>
> * Impulsiveness
>
>
>
> Emotional Effects:
>
> * Emotional Volatility
>
> * Burnout
>
> * Social Strain
>
>
>
> Magical Effects:
>
> * Unstable Magic*: If the individual practices magic, their skills might become unpredictable, leading to unintended consequences. For Amity users, unstable magic often results in less powerful outcomes. For Animus users, spells often become overpowered and uncontrolled.
>
> * Aura Disruption*: An excess of Vital Animus can disrupt the person's aura, causing imbalances that may attract negative energies and entities.
>
> In extreme cases, imbalances of Vital Animus can lead to Animus Overload, a potentially fatal condition. To reduce this imbalance and prevent Animus Overload, we strongly recommend the following balancing techniques:
>
> * Meditation and Mindfulness: Practices that promote relaxation and mental clarity can help calm Vital Animus’s excess energy.
>
> * Grounding Rituals: Engaging in rituals that connect the individual with stabilizing elements (like earth or water) can help balance their energies.
>
> * Energy Rebalancing: Healers might perform specific spells or use enchanted objects to draw out excess Vital Animus and restore equilibrium.
>
> * Physical Relaxation: Activities such as yoga, gentle exercise, or spending time in nature can help dissipate excess energy.
>
> * Supportive Relationships: Encouraging positive interactions and support from friends or loved ones can provide a stabilizing influence.
>
> A combination of the aforementioned techniques will be more successful than any single one alone. Consistency is also critical to rebalancing Vital Animus and Vital Amity successfully.
>
> Please remember to take care of yourself while knowing it is okay to ask for help from others. Your well-being should be your top priority, even as it is ours.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Clare Mercure
>
> Employee Support Specialist
>
> Cooperative Universal Publishing
>
>
If my well-being was CUP’s top priority, I would never have been sent back here!
“Rae?” Nora asked hesitantly. “What does the letter say?”
“Huh? You can’t read it?”
Nora shook her head. “It’s just a big smudge. It’s from Clare, right?”
“Yeah…”
Nora paused, looking down. “Um, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…”
I considered concealing its contents from her, thinking I could handle the problem myself. However, a glance at the fresh scratch marks along my arm reminded me of my propensity for self-delusion. I'd also be denying the idea of supportive relationships, something I was struggling to maintain. “Apparently, I have elevated levels of Vital Animus, and I need to engage in better self-care.”
“What is—”
“Why don’t I just read it to you verbatim?” I suggested. “That way, I don’t mess up any meanings or misconstrue its contents.”
“That would—wait. I can read it now.”
I blinked. “You can?”
I glanced back at the letter, and sure enough, Nora’s full name had been added to the header. A new introductory line also acknowledged that I had consented to share this confidential information with her. “How in the world…”
As I stared in awe at the paper, a single line of handwritten words scripted themselves into existence: 'With the last name of Mercure, rest assured that communication is my divine specialty.'
Clare herself… is a god?
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