Quin was no longer sitting on the grass next to the river while Lief sat several paces away. He stood in a golden throne room that was built out of clouds and golden light.

The floor was checkered; alternating between clouds and blocks of golden light. The room was open to an unbroken bright blue sky. The only thing obscuring the view of the endless sky was pillars of golden light that were almost solid that rose every few feet into the sky.

Located in the center of the platform of clouds was a throne. The golden throne stood on a dias that was only three steps tall. The steps were carved from a white and gray marble. The throne was made of the same stone and seemed to meld seamlessly into diaz as if it the steps and the throne were hewn from the same rock.

The man on the throne was infinitely more impressive than the room which he resided in. He was perfection incarnate. He was garbed in a pure white robe with golden stitching in the shape of a triangle. Each point of the triangle glowed, but with a different form and pattern of light. The top of the triangle pulsed in a memorizing pattern that varied in tempo and brightness. The left point blazed with a harsh white light that never faltered. The right point never faltered like the left, but it shifted through endless shades of white light. The right point changed from gold to yellow to orange in an endless cycle.

The man himself was tanned and muscular. The muscles perfectly matched his proportions and yet were chiseled with power. His feet were bare and calloused in the right places. His hands spoke of a life of battle. Finally, the man’s face was a work of art. With a strong jaw and high cheekbones, no other could compare. A light stubble graced his face around the jawline and below a sharp nose. The man’s bright blonde hair was trimmed short and his piercing electric blue eyes stared into Quin’s very soul.

However, while gazing upon this man, Quin was struggling. Simply standing in this place was putting a tremendous pressure on Quin, as if his body and soul weighed hundreds of times more than normal. Quin fought the pressure and raised his head and eyes to meet the man’s stunning eyes. Upon meeting his eyes, Quin knew the identity of the man before him. This was Solarius. Solarius the Mighty. Solarius the Wise. Solarius the Light of Man. And lastly, Solarius, the father of Quin.

“My son,” Solarius spoke in a deep tenor. The words shot right to Quin’s core soothing him and easing the pressure on him to a bearable level. “You have done well to advance so far in this early beginning of your journey.”

“Father, I cannot believe I have gotten to meet you so soon,” Quin’s face broke out into a smile. With the weight mostly gone, Quin was able to shamble forward towards his god and father. “Lief said it would be many years and several ascensions before I reached the Rank of Zealot and I could finally speak with you.”

“Ha ha, those are rules for those who do not carry divine blood,” Solarius laughed and rose to meet his son. He descended from the throne and down the dias and stood with open arms in a welcoming gesture to greet his flesh and blood. “With some of my power lying dormant inside of you, you can withstand the pressure of gods and those more powerful than you far easier. Therefore, I was able to summon you to my divine realm after your first ascension. I will only be able to summon you during your ascensions before you become a true Zealot, but we will make the most of it.”

“I am honored, Father,” Quin strode forward to meet his father. Quin had Sorin as the only family in his life and it did wonders for him to finally meet his father. “I have so much to ask. I do not know where to start.”

“I will answer what I can son, but our time is limited as you are not strong enough to remain in my divine realm for long,” Solarius said with a serious tone. With those words, Quin realized that indeed he felt the pressure that was lifted from him slowly returning.

“Then please tell me what you deem the most important Father,” Quin said. Solarius nodded in response, pleased that Quin would defer his father’s guidance. Lief was raising the boy well. Solarius had made the right choice with Quin’s mentor. Quin not wasting time with useless questions would allow Solarius to give him the most amount of guidance.

“When you awake you will find the powers that I have handpicked for you. Unlike others, as my son, you will be able to access powers from all three of my Orders. They may not seem connected now, but with your future growth you will find them being balanced out,” Solarius explained.

“Thank you, Father. I will train diligently,” Quin replied.

“Lief will be able to assist you in your training. Follow his plan to travel to Cremoor. There you can begin to study the various powers of the different Orders. You will be able to learn each and every one given time. You will not be limited to only the powers I have initially bestowed upon you. However, your body can only hold so many powers within you. Therefore you must advance in strength in order to learn more powers.” Solarius instructed Quin.

Quin was shocked to hear this. He would be able to learn the powers his father bestowed upon others? This would be unprecedented and given time would lead Quin to a strength that surpassed all others. Before Quin could dwell upon this more, Solarius continued speaking.

“Equally important is that in Cremoor, you must find out more about your mother. This is not simply to lay that curiosity to rest so you can focus on your cultivation. There is something at work surrounding her that made her an ideal candidate for my child. I cannot say much more as I am bound to not infringe on the domains of the other Gods. You must seek out the answer and determine a solution on your own,” Solarius commanded.

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Before Quin could ask more about this ominous command, Solarius continued.

“You can stay in Cremoor for a time, but not for long. Limiting yourself to a single location will stunt your growth. Take risks and seek out conflict as that will make you stronger. Do take note that once you return from my divine realm, some high placed followers of mine will know a son of mine has ascended in this land and will begin their search for you.” Solarius informed.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Quin asked, puzzled and distracted from the command of seeking out information about his mother.

“It may be, it may not be. It will draw attention to you. This attention will be good for your protection, but could have detrimental long term effects if they attempt to smother you for your own safety. It will draw the attention of many high ranked followers of mine to protect you and help nurture your strength, but only conflict can create true power. Additionally, the focus of my followers will draw the Dark Pantheon’s attention. They will stop at nothing to kill you. Additionally, the Dark Pantheon may not be your only enemy. Remember to not be overly trusting of everyone, even if they are a follower of the Light Pantheon gods. They may hold you in esteem, but some will see you as an opportunity to further themselves and will attempt to use you.”

“I will take your warnings to heart, Father,” Quin replied while bowing his head respectfully. Solarius smiled and ruffled Quin’s hair. The touch made Quin’s blonde hair turn a golden sheen that seemed to sparkle.

Solarius was a god and anything he touched would change in his image as a reflection of his power. Solarius knew touching Quin’s hair would change it and make it easier for those seeking out Quin to find him, but he could not restrain himself from showing at least a bit of affection for his son. The few sons he had over the eons had died so early in their lives. Solarius could not bear to potentially watch another one of his sons die without expressing a small amount of love.

“Gather your strength and train as you pass through the Frostwood forest. Upon reaching the city, find allies that are the same rank as you to become your comrades. Choose them wisely as they will be the ones to watch your back when no one else will. Hunt beasts and grow in power and spirit. War is only years away now that the Light Pantheon knows of your existence. You must reach the Disciple rank as soon as possible. Once you have, your potential for learning many different powers will be accelerated. During the Disciple rank, you must seek out Azrael Wisage. I doubt he will come to you so you must find him. He holds knowledge and abilities that will be crucial to your development.” Solarius said.

“I hear and obey, Father,” Quin replied.

“Now our time draws to a close my Son. Know that I am watching you at every moment. I may not be able to help you directly, but do your best and know that I am proud of you. We will speak again during your next ascension. Now remember, seek out the background of your mother with due haste,” Solarius spoke.

“Father, it may be impertinent, but may I ask a question?” Quin nervously asked.

“Quickly, my Son. Your ability to withstand the pressure of my presence wains.” Solarius commanded.

“How is Sorin? Is he still alive?” Quin asked with haste. Quin had worried for his brother ever since seeing him disappear with the escape talisman.

“I do not know how he is, but I do know that he is alive. He is shielded by Vesperos so I cannot see him and his activities directly. In fact, I cannot see much of the continent controlled by the Dark Pantheon due to having very few followers in such lands,” Solarius informed. “Now work hard my Son. Do anything to survive and you will grow into the man who will lead the Light Pantheon to new heights.”

Solarius smiled at his son and before Quin could say anything in return, the world faded from his view. Quin opened his eyes on the grass to see a golden light fading from around him. He left stronger than ever and brimming with power. Instinctually, he could feel the power his father granted him when he had ascended. Quin smiled at what he felt from that power.

As Solarius the God of Light, Wisdom, and Might had said, across the continent, Soulforge Ascendents that followed Solarius received a tremor in their very souls. Such a thing usually meant a soul attack meant to damage their spirits, but this tremor filled them with warmth and anticipation. None had ever had such an experience, but they all knew instinctively what it meant. A piece of Solarius had descended into the world. Their God had given the world a child blessed with his divine blood. That child had awoken their powers as a follower of Solarius and was walking the Earth.

In the high Gila mountains, an old gentleman cracked his eye while meditating next to a small pristine lake. Although he displayed no outward emotion, he felt excitement and anticipation in his stomach. At the feeling, he smiled, closed his eye, and took a deep breath before letting out a long sigh. Although he wished to immediately leave the mountain and begin the search for the blood of his God, he knew that he would draw too much attention and therefore should continue his meditation. He would await the day in the near future with anticipation that he would once again pick up his title of The Sword of Light yet again.

Lying on the coast of the Sea of Menia, in the fortress of Gaisaro the Pontifex, a priestess gasped at the feeling in her chest. She stood before a classroom of Disciples. She had been lecturing the moment before, but now she was flush in the cheeks and breathing heavily. The students had not seen their teacher in such a state before or such a drastic change in her soft spoken demeanor. One student stood and asked if the priestess was well, but she did not answer. She rushed to the window and pushed it open to let in a warm breeze filled with the salt from the sea. She looked up towards the sun and brought her hands to her bosom. After a few moments of watching the sun, she broke into a tinkling laugh that very few have heard since she had last ascended.

Far to the south in the holy city of Caer Mana, a man’s voice thundered through the castle. He shouted for his attendants with fervor. They rushed to his side as he ranted and shouted orders before they even arrived. His shouts were at a volume that shook the dust loose from the beams of the castle.

“The Son of God has descended in the world! Praise be to Solarius! Ready my horses! Call up the men at arms! Summon the War Council of the Fifty One!” The man bellowed. The man’s energy was astonishing as he shouted and pulled his armor from an armor stand to dress himself. His attendants tried to slow him down and gain a sense of what he was shouting, but the man could not be contained. His attendants attempted to stop him from donning his armor, but he shrugged them off with such power that it sent the knights flying. “The Might of Solarius will ride again to war! Oh how I have prayed for this day! Thank you God!”