Levi and Seth sat in fine armchairs across from Bishop Nicholas in his palatial office. It was on the top floor of the main temple, just above the sanctuary and about half the size. The large elaborate stained glass windows filled the room with warm golden light from the sunset that accentuated the rich tapestries of woven silk in shades of white and blue. Contrasting the comfortable opulence of his office was the Bishop himself, who looked decidedly surly.

“So.” Nicholas said flatly. “Having heard the facts and the opinions of everyone involved and anyone with relevant knowledge, I have come to a conclusion.”

He paused, looking briefly at Levi, and much longer at Seth.

“You are, indisputably, at fault,” he declared gravely.;“however, this is a technicality. You are not, ultimately, culpable. The Orb of Explication was destroyed due to unforeseen circumstances, not your own negligence or malicious intent.”

Seth wasn’t sure if this was going well or not. Probably not. He sensed an upcoming ‘but.’

“Either way, you are incapable of compensating for the loss,” the Bishop continued, still staring at Seth. “Your Value is a pittance compared to the cost of a Complex Orb of Explication, even one with no exposure. Moreover, the limited version of its ability you gained neither provides sufficient information succinctly nor can be used frequently.”

Seth nodded mutely, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Even so, he will still face some consequences,” Nicholas said, crossing his arms and shifting his gaze to Levi. “I am attempting to negotiate with the noble families in the city, and even a few on Ava, to secure funds to offset the loss and acquire a new Orb of Explication. Given his connection to events and…unique…status, your son has become something of an asset.”

“Meaning what?” Levi asked, eyes narrowing.

“Meaning I will be assigning him to a particular position for the foreseeable future,” Bishop Nicholas replied. “I spoke with the Church of Sin as well, and have their support. So, Healer Seth, Joint Journeyman Priest of the Temples of Sin and Virtue, you are hereby directed to join the Wanderer team of Chadwick Sinclair Junior. You will keep him alive and in good health until I or his father, Lord Chadwick Sinclair the Senior, tell you to do otherwise.”

The room was silent for several long seconds.

“Are you…serious?” Levi asked, trying to keep his tone passably respectful. “Even setting aside all of the danger that Wanderers encounter, Seth doesn’t have the training. He isn’t even fully trained to heal as a normal priest, much less as a field healer amid dangerous situations.”

“We have extensive literature on the subject, since the churches work so closely with Wanderer teams,” the Bishop said easily. “I’ll give him permission to access some more closely kept information as well—on essences and the like. Not to mention, he should have plenty of Value for any gear he might need in the city.”

“Fine,” Levi said, mouth a firm line, “but before he joins this team, I want to bring him back to Lith to get his things together and see his mother.”

“I was counting on it.” Nicholas said, actually smirking slightly. “Chadwick will join you tomorrow afternoon, and travel with you. The rest of the team will meet them in Lith. And on the way, you can use the time to teach him everything you feel he’s lacking.”

There was another pause.

“In that case, we should go,” Levi replied. “With your leave, of course. It’s already getting late, and we have a lot to do tomorrow.”

“By all means,” Bishop Nicholas said, waving a hand. “Have a good evening.”

Levi had to tug on Seth’s shoulder to get him to rise. He had been lost in thought, processing the conversation. They left the main temple and returned to the guest building where food had been left for them. They began to eat in silence.

“Seth,” Levi said eventually, prompting him to look up. “We don’t have enough time to get you ready. Before you go to bed, will you give me most of the Value you got from that reward? I need to see if I can arrange a few things.”

“Sure, Dad.”

After they finished, Seth began to get ready for bed. The Explication essence had been completely ground down by now, but after everything he still had a headache. It was hard to focus on any one of the many, many things that had happened in the last few hours. He transferred most of the Value in his body to his Dad, pulled almost all of his Virtue projection into his body to feel better, and finally fell asleep after staring at the ceiling of his room for ten minutes trying not to think or move.

____________________________________________

“There’s someone here to see you, sir,” an attendant whispered.

Herbert Adney paused just before taking a bite of the excellent roast pheasant provided by the garden party host’s personal chefs.

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“Oh, who?” He asked, wiping his mouth with his pocket handkerchief.

“A Virtue Priest, sir,” the attendant replied, gesturing to the edge of the garden square that took up a whole block.

“I suppose I’ll speak with him, then,” Herbert said, standing. “Thank you, young lady.”

He made his way across the garden in the indicated direction and found two priests. He recognized Priest Levi, who he had guided around the city recently, but the man looked more stressed than he’d ever seen a Virtue Priest. The priest was visibly sweating, tapping his foot, and clenching and unclenching his hands. Beside him was a female priest that Herbert had seen before, but he didn’t remember her name. She was much more relaxed, so he concluded that Priest Levi was the one who needed him for something.

“Good evening, your worship!” he said with a polite smile and slight bow. “What can I do for you at this hour?”

Herbert usually abhorred getting straight to the point, and would have preferred to make small talk, but sweaty anxious people, priests or not, were usually in a hurry.

“I know that it’s late, and I’m sorry for interrupting your social engagement,” Priest Levi began with a slightly forced smile. “But I don’t know many people in this city, nor do I know the city well, and I need to find many things in a short time. I can pay you for your trouble.”

“Thank you, but that’s not necessary, I’m happy to…” Herbert was cut off.

“I understand that you probably work with favors and political things, but I’m not well connected,” Levi said with a pinched expression. “I am part of a remote temple on a lifetime assignment. I need your help, and Value is the only thing I can offer in good faith. I have hopes that my son will go further, but I’m the one asking right now, and I won’t try to trade in someone else’s potential importance.”

“I see,” Herbert said, considering Levi’s words. “I have looked into your son’s position, and I believe he might have a chance to go further than you think, but I take your point. I’m hardly above an honest trade. What do you need to find?”

“Well, I don’t know exactly what I need,” Priest Levi said, swallowing nervously. “This is about Seth. The Bishop has…assigned…him to work not at a temple, but as part of a Wanderer team with some young noble, and I have less than a day to find anything he might need. He isn’t even fully trained as a regular priest, which I can help with, but I don’t know what a Wanderer Priest will need. I know you aren’t a Wanderer, but I didn’t have anyone else to ask.”

Herbert’s polite smile fell.

“Who is the noble your son was assigned to?” He asked. “That is the specific assignment, isn’t it?”

“It…is, yes,” Levi said, eyebrow scrunching up. “It was one Chadwick Sinclair Junior. Why?”

Some gossip and rumors that had been floating around fit together better now.

“You might as well lean on your son’s potential, Priest Levi,” Herbert said carefully. “That’s what, hmm. Certain, shall we say, esteemed members of your church are doing.”

He could see Levi processing, a frown forming on his face.

“You know something I don’t, apparently,” the Priest said after a moment. “What’s going on? I’m in a hurry, but I need to understand the situation. I can pay you for the information.”

“Priest Levi, please,” Herbert said, smiling again. “This is about your family. You owe me nothing, Value or otherwise. You are welcome to pay me for my time later, if you like. Now, what do you know about Seth’s position as a Joint Priest?”

“It means he has standing with the Church of Sin, as I understand it,” Levi replied. “I hadn’t heard of the position before Judge Caleb offered it to Seth. The commensurate ability will mostly be helpful to Seth as a specialized Healer, but I take it there’s more to it?”

“Well, his excellency the Bishop certainly believes so,” Herbert explained. “Everyone’s heard about the Orb breaking a few hours ago, and Bishop Nicholas immediately began speaking with some influential people. Why, I could guess, but what he claimed is more important. The whispers that have spread from people near those meetings claim that the priest who was being Explicated has a great ability that comes from being a Joint Priest, which broke the Orb, and that he is a candidate for a position high in the church.”

“For what it is worth, I may have heard something similar from more reliable sources,” the female Priest added, speaking for the first time.

“So, this assignment is to make a political connection,” Priest Levi said. “Annoying, but politics always are. But why, for all that is Sacred, did that take the form of putting him in a position that is not only dangerous, but also completely beyond Seth’s qualifications?!”

“If Nicholas made that point himself, then I am sure he could have clawed a few more benefits out of this Sinclair lordling’s family,” the female Priest said with an odd smile. “For what it is worth, he does genuinely believe that your son has the ability to survive. As a Bishop, his Virtue weighs even more heavily on him.”

That caught Herbert’s attention. He filed the comment away. It was a popular theory in some noble circles that going to Virtue services took your edge off in politics. Something about them making you kinder and more ‘Virtuous.’ Having a Priest obliquely confirm that Virtue essence could affect decision-making was valuable information. Then he noticed the female Priest give him a sidelong glance. She knew what she’d said, and that it was valuable to him. Damn.

Priest Levi, wrapped up in fatherly concern, didn’t notice anything. Perhaps he wouldn’t have anyway, Herbert reflected. He didn’t seem to have a political bent even if he was fairly intellectual.

“Ok, well, even if all that’s going on behind the scenes, I still need to get Seth ready quickly,” Priest Levi said, rubbing his neck. “Do you know anyone who could help me figure out what to get to give him the best chance?”

Herbert finally considered the problem at hand. If Wanderers had some sort of office or guild, it would be easy, but outside of Wanderer’s Home on Elefsa they usually used the Churches for coordination. The best option would be to speak with a Priest familiar with Wanderer teams and their needs, but presumably that had already been tried. He did know a few people who had worked with Wanderer teams in the past, and one person who had been expelled from a team. None that were retired of course; few lived that long.

“We could speak with some people who act as suppliers for Wanderer teams,” Herbert suggested finally. “They would know of common necessities, and merchants are less annoyed to be bothered at night if you’re buying things.”

“That’s a good idea,” Priest Levi said. “I was hoping you knew a former Wanderer or something, but suppliers will work since I’ll have to bother them either way.”

“Very well, I’ll take you to see them in a moment,” Herbert said over his shoulder as he walked back into the garden.

Sighing, he made polite excuses to the party’s host then led the Priests toward a shopping district. This would be a long night.