Chapter Twenty-Two: Mind those impure thoughts, especially about one of my daughters.

NEW QUEST:

RUBY MADNESS

Former Imperial Guard, Verrona Faedan, has stolen an extremely valuable ruby necklace from the Imperial Treasury. Find Faedan and the necklace and deliver both to the Magistrate’s office.

THIS QUEST CANNOT BE DECLINED.

To complete the quest, you must:

Capture Verrona Faedan.

Secure the Ruby Necklace

Deliver both to the office of Calvisia Eumenia

Rewards:

If you don’t think you need your head, then nothing.

The return of your Residence Token

XP, lots of XP

You will receive 27GP.

The quest hung in space, while the rest of the world was spinning. I tried to remember the details of my meeting with Magistrate Eumenia, but I’m pretty sure I had too many hits to the head to keep it all clear. The guards weren’t being gentle, and I already took a couple of falls as they pushed me down the stairs, which made my recollection of our meeting even harder.

I remember she was sexy as all hells, scary as fuck, and pretty much had the power to destroy me. I was also being blackmailed into this Quest, so I had to deliver, or Leoleth and I were both dead and or wishing we were. But man, oh man, the fantasies that were bouncing around my head that involved her were tasty, to say the least. I need to figure this shit out.

For what I hoped was the last time today, my body was dumped onto a hard something. This time the something was a loading dock behind the Imperial Magistrate office in the Capital District. They took the prison poncho away and dumped my naked ass right on the filthy stone.

A sack of my stuff was unceremoniously tossed on the ground by Guard McGruff. I scrambled into the bag and pulled on my decoy storage ring before equipping some clothes. Keeping personal storage a secret was important when people keep capturing you.

The Capital District housed the Magistrate office, a prison tower, it seems, and a royal palace. There were also a few dozen civil and administrative buildings around a circular government campus. The campus was surrounded by a circular parkway, named, you guessed it, Circle Parkway. Outside of that was a ring of expensive homes, occupied by well-to-dos and high-ranking government types. Outside of that was some green space and then all the local businesses that supported everyone in the community.

I dragged myself out of the alley in the general direction of home for the second time today. It was really just about noon, and I had taken a beating more than once. Time, it seemed, wanted just to crawl along, keeping me aware of all the shit on my body that hurt and the weirdness of my new power set.

“Stan’ richt there, miss. Dinnae be giein’ us ony trouble.” It was a dwarven city guard in their blue and red uniform. He and three others had moved from a rather ornate carriage onto the sidewalk to block my path. I had just left the campus building and was about to cross Circle Parkway.

“Can I just sit?” I blinked at him and his support buddies. “I swear, I’m all out of trouble for the day.”

“Come oan then,” he said, taking my arm. “Ye can sit inside. The Captain wid like a word.” He spoke flatly and didn’t even try to hold eye contact. He ushered me to the carriage. I didn’t resist. Not that I felt I had a choice, but that I was pretty sure if I did, they would just up and kill me, not exactly what I considered the worst-case scenario for the day. The door flung open, and he hoisted me up by the armpits and tossed me in.

Chainbeard was sitting in the rear-facing seat as I tumbled onto the floor. An elf sat beside him in the same uniform as the other guards but much cleaner, his bright green hair tied up in a cool little man bun.

“Dwongreck Chainbeard,” The Captain said. “I’m Captain o’ the City Guard.” He offered his hand.

“Regan Summer,” I said, taking his hand and pulling myself up into the seat across from him. “Public menace.”

He grunted at that, which was as close to laughing as the guy could get. The elf did not react at all. I settled back into the cushy seat and shrugged at him. He banged his fist against the wall behind him, and the carriage started rolling.

“Aye, I’m no’ sure whit I think aboot ye.” He said, giving me an appraising eye. “We cannae tolerate lawlessness in our streets, and ye’re aboot as wild as they come.”

“Well, they didn’t have to come and try to kidnap and or kill me.”

“Aye, but ye did draw first blood. I ken what happened last night in Butcher Block Row.” He leaned forward, looking me in the eye with all his dwarven intensity. “I dinnae think for them, it’s considered settled just yet.”

“Probably not.” I sighed. “I promise I’ll try to keep the mayhem off the streets.”

“See that you do.” He leaned back. “ Doteada Lightheart.”

“Who?”

“Doteada Lightheart, the lass ye saved last night. I doot our great Magistrate is even aware o’ the incident, or cares.” This prompted a snort from the elf next to him. “I thocht that maybe ye should ken her name, and that she and her family are grateful for whit ye did. Bein’ as how it will be a whole mess o’ trouble for ye for a while.”

“I’ll take the enemy I know any day,” I said, trying to sound tough. They both chuckled.

“The Magistrate sent ye efter the guard, didnae she?”

“Yeah, she did,” I said gloomily. “She can squash me like a bug, so…yeah.”

“And you, new to the city. New to the world, actually. She’s a righ’ piece o’ work.”

“It would seem.”

“The Guard will help ye.” He said. “Not much, but we’ll gie ye a free pass and look the ither way while ye’re chasin’ doon yer villain.”

“Thanks for the support.”

“But the fact that she’s bringin’ in outside help tae dae this is whit I’m concerned aboot. We hae our ain investigators and hunters that are mair than capable o’ sweepin’ the city, but she’s kept us oot o’ it.”

“I’m charged with bringing Faedan and the Necklace directly to her office by the last day of The Festival. The whole thing is a little jinky, I guess.”

“Jinky?”

“Sorry,” I said. “Weird. Suspicious.”

“’Tis, tha’s what we think also.” He leaned in with a conspiratorial look about him. “The problem is, they dinnae think of it as their city. They think of it as their property. Somethin’ that belongs tae the Empire that needs tae be administered. But this city is ours. Tis yours too.” He pointed his thick index finger at me. “It belongs to anyone that calls it home.”

“Well, home or not,” I said glumly. “If I don’t deliver by the deadline, she’ll send me packing with one less head to carry.”

“I’d say chin up,” he smiled. “But so would the axeman.”

That gave us all a little dark laugh. We came to a final stop. The elf next to him passed him a sizeable leather-bound folder.

“This’ll give ye a place to star’.” He handed it over to me. “Everythin’ we have on Faedan including pictures and home address.”

“I’m sure you’ve been all over it by now?”

“No’ really, I told ye she’s keepin’ us oot.” He grinned. “I’d suggest the windae at the alley after dark. So nae one sees ye comin’ an’ goin’.”

“You make it sound like I’m a thief.”

One of the guards outside opened the door of the carriage. Flooding the dark room with light. I groaned and shifted outside into the bright sunny fucking day.

I had to hand it to them; They delivered me right to the front of The Crying Jester. Officially, every asshole in the city knew where I was living.

I ignored the looks of the concerned and somewhat disgusted patrons as I marched through the tavern to the back. I could have gone around, but that would have delayed my bath by precious seconds.

“Regan!”

It was Nyvorlas, looking at me annoyingly at the bar. I diverted from my trek to hygiene and came over to him.

“This came for you.” He slapped a paper-wrapped package with the string still tied neatly around it. “Not a mail service.”

“But you are the best,” I said, sliding the package under my arm with a tired grin. I fished out a silver coin and placed it on the counter. “I’ll try to keep the deliveries to a minimum.”

Nyvorlas grunted, unimpressed, as I turned to leave.

The weight of exhaustion bore down on me with every step. I almost opened my notifications to check for active debuffs. It felt like I had one, but no, this was just plain, old-fashioned exhaustion. It was barely past lunchtime, and I was already ready to keel over.

Somehow, I dragged myself up the stairs, through my door, and into the sanctuary of the suite. Leoleth was there, of course, because why wouldn’t she be? I managed a faint smile, kissed her on the cheek, and said, “I’m fine,” before heading straight for the bathtub.

Water? Good. Soap? Even better. But even as I scrubbed the grime off my body, the sense of unease in my head lingered. It was like a thick fog clouding something important, something I should have been able to grasp but couldn’t quite pin down. Every time I tried to focus on it, the feeling shifted, slipping further away. Eventually, it was just gone.

After a few moments of trying to chase it down, it faded entirely, leaving me no closer to an answer. It was just me, the bathwater, and a growing frustration.

When I finally emerged, clean but still drained, Leoleth sat on her bed, her foot tapping a rapid rhythm against the floor. Her expression was sharp, her gaze demanding answers I wasn’t ready to give.

“I’m fine,” I repeated, brushing past her unspoken questions.

She didn’t look convinced, and honestly? Neither was I. But I wasn’t about to admit that. Not now. Probably not ever.

“Okay,” I said. “Not fine.”

“I knew it,” she hissed. “Besties don’t lie.”

“Sorry,” I said. “It’s been a day.”

“Where were you last night?”

“Would it help to tell you that at one point, I had sex?”

“I could smell your funk from down the hall. But yes, you were getting a little cranky, you needed an ‘O.’”

I recounted the events of last night and some of what went down this morning, making sure to give her a detailed account with all the emblsihments that I knew she would appriciate. I was espaccially explicit with the description of my tryst with the dwarf. She nodded approvingly at that part, her expression a mix of amusement and smug satisfaction.

The God kiss? Yeah, that stayed firmly off the table. There’s no way I was bringing that up. I was still trying to process that.

I did tell her about the fight in the street, though I strategically left out the magic and trimmed the number of bad guys to something more manageable for storytelling purposes. Then I moved on to the “meeting” with the Magistrate, laying out the mess we were now tangled in.

By the time I finished, Leoleth was sitting back, arms crossed, her head tilted slightly as if processing the weight of it all. Her nod this time wasn’t approval. It was the kind of nod that said, Oh, we’re in it now.

“Where’s your token?” I asked her. We never really talked about it before.

“I’m not from here. I came over a mountain pass with the rest of the sisters from the church.”

“One hundred percent illegal then?”

“I might have been okay if I stayed with the church.” She tilted her head. “Of course, the church was illegal. So, they would probably execute me anyway.”

“How would you have been okay?”

“A church can sponsor residency.”

“If you’re a member?”

“Only if.” She said. “The only church I can potentially join would be the Heather Church, that wouldn’t end well.”

We tried to come up with some ideas for her. Since neither of us had any idea what the law was, we concluded that we needed to bring in some expert help.

I suddenly remembered the package I’d brought up from the bar. It was still on my bed, unopened. Curiosity sparked, and Leoleth followed me in as I grabbed it. Summoning a dagger, I sliced through the string and unwrapped it.

“Hells yeah,” Leoleth said appreciatively as I pulled a tiny black silk dress out of the paper. It was sleek, elegant, and meant to make an impression. A card fluttered to the floor, and Leoleth scooped it up.

“‘Just in case…’” she read aloud. “‘T.’”

“Oh yeah,” I said, forgetting my meeting with Titus. “We’re going to a party tomorrow night.”

“Yay!” Leoleth squealed, spinning in a little circle and tossing the card. “Finally, some fun! We work too hard.”

“It’s like, two o’clock, and you barely got out of bed.”

“Work is exhausting.”

The whole church conversation had been rattling around in my brain, and it finally clicked. I needed guidance. Not the spiritual kind, however. There are no prayers, just practical solutions. I told Leoleth to go buy herself a dress, then decided to take a trip to the Temple District.

I dragged myself down the stairs and out onto the street. I headed toward Central Boulevard. The Temple District lay past the Capital District, which made sense since the administrative types liked to keep cozy with the government buildings. Churches were scattered all over town, but the nerve center? All in one place, and of course, it meant yet another trek across the city.

No way was I taking a carriage this time.

As I walked, I snagged a skewer of some meat and onion from a street vendor. Whatever it was, it was delicious. I habitually did not think about the source of my proteins in the city. Ignorance is bliss, and bliss is mighty tasty when pulled sizzling off a grill. The day turned out better than expected. It was warm, bright, and breezy. I stuck to the shady side of the street, keeping a decent pace while avoiding the early afternoon sun.

For the first time since landing in this chaotic city, I kept an eye out for tails. You know, survival instincts and all that. I mean, hells, people were really trying to kill me. It was probably time to start acting like it. Better paranoid than dead, right?

The Temple District covered about five square blocks, and honestly? It was like a theme park. Weird as all hells. Temples for every imaginable god lined the streets, making it look like Main Street Fever Dream, USA. There were temples made of stone, metal, wood— and there was even a massive five-story treehouse for Dryphine, the Goddess of Nature.

And the statues? Let’s just say anatomically correct was the design memo of the century. Every temple flaunted one, and the details ranged from impressive to godly.

The main street, a pedestrian-only zone, was a chaotic bazaar of food vendors, trinket sellers, books, art, little god icons, and every kind of paraphernalia imaginable. And if that wasn’t surreal enough, there were character meet-and-greets. Yeah, people dressed as the gods wandered around, handing out candy to kids and generally adding to the circus vibe. It was bizarre. I half-expected to find a “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride somewhere. But in Murder World, though, let’s be honest, the pirates here would probably just kill the passengers.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Eventually, I spotted the Temple of Amania. It was hard to miss: a round building with grand pillars out front and a massive statue of the tall, robed goddess. Her hands extended as if lifting the masses. Inspiring stuff. Uplifting, Noble, Truly Celestial.

Inside, however? It was a DMV.

Straight-up ropes and stanchions funneled visitors toward a central desk. Behind that, rows of miserable-looking wooden chairs stretched out, filled with people waiting for their turn. At the back, about half a dozen windows were manned by priests, consulting with visitors like overworked clerks processing license renewals.

Divine bureaucracy at its finest.

“How may I help you,” the priest behind the desk asked as my turn came up. He was a teenager with acne and greasy brown hair. He had the male version of the silver robe that Heather always wore, but the poor doofus could not make it rock. Not exactly the model of purity, but who was I to judge? His nametag read Tyler.

“I’m here to see Priestess Heather.”

“There’s, like, three Heathers.”

“Heather number one.” I handed him the token she gave me.

His eyes lit up at that. “Oh yeah,” he said brightly, getting to his feet. “I’ll go get her.” He abandoned his post and rushed back to a door on the side that was marked Private. His big bare feet moved just as fast as they could. I’m pretty sure he was committing a breach of office protocol, but I know I’d jump at a chance to ogle Heather all I could, so go get ‘er tiger.

“Regan!” He was gone for about five minutes before Heather burst through the private door and glided across the lobby. Tyler followed at a distance just far enough behind to admire her discreetly.

We hugged. It felt good. It was hard to shake the crush I had on her. Fucking straight girls. We released and kissed lightly. I loved the feel of her ample bosom against me, and her hair smelled amazeballs. She was the complete package that would have kept me squarely on the girl side of the fence if she promised to be mine forever.

“Thank you, Tyler,” I said, leaning around her and smiling at the teenage priest. He sat back at the desk but kept his roaming eyes on us.

He smiled with goofy angled teeth and beamed. “My pleasure.” His face was beat red.

She placed her hand around my waist and led me toward the private door. I let her guide me since this was her territory. Inside was a hallway with doors to the left and a spiral metal staircase to the right.

She took me by the hand and silently led me up the stairs to the second floor. We got off there, but the stairs kept going beyond that. We walked around the curved outer hallway lined with left and right doors and finally reached a door on the left-hand side. She opened it and led me in.

We were in a small, windowless sitting room lit by a couple of mage lights. It was painted white and was bright and cheery despite the lack of exterior light. The furnishings were just a couple of cushioned chairs and a small table between them with a pitcher and two glasses. A small statue of the goddess was in the corner. There was a pleasant lilac aroma, which was nice.

“Have a seat.” She said cheerily.

“This isn’t your office.”

“No. This is a counseling room. It’s a place we sit with congregants to listen and offer guidance.”

“I’m hoping that it has privacy protections.”

“Of course it does.” She said with a grin. “But…” She pointed to the statue.

“The Goddess sees and hears all,” I said with a grin and a sigh. “I’m sure nothing I have to say will be much of a surprise to her.” I sat in one of the chairs and poured a glass of water.

“You have me intrigued.”

“First, it’s been a few weeks. How are you doing?”

“A little hurt that you haven’t come to see me until now.” She grinned and settled in the chair across from me.

“I’ve been busy. How’s the Priestess business?”

“I spend my days doing this.” She said, gesturing around the room. “It’s nice. I’ll probably be sent out into the field in a few months. We tend to get hired out two to three times a year.”

“Sitting in a room helping people is more your thing then?”

“I like it. I get to meet people actively seeking help and offering the Goddess’ wisdom. But there were some opportunities when we were out together that I feel we connected, and I hope that I planted some seeds in you that will someday lead to you coming to us.”

“Ah, shit,” I said quietly. “We did connect. And I love you, and I have nothing but admiration for The Goddess.” I squirmed a little in my seat and took a sip of water. “Can you do an assessment?”

“Yes, of course.”

I looked down at the underside of my right wrist.

HIDE? YES/NO

No. I thought. I quickly turned my wrist over and placed it on my lap. Heather just tilted her head at me. She reached her hands out. I put mine in hers, and she closed her eyes.

Assessments are reasonably painless, just a little weird. There is a flood of information downloading through the hands and whatnot, and then it’s done. The words of my character sheet hung in the air in front of us. Heather blinked at it, her expression completely frozen in a look of concentration.

“By the Goddess,” she finally whispered. “That’s fucked up.”

“Yeah,” I said. “That’s only half of it.”

I showed her the quest. She opened her mouth to speak.

GONG!

A bell began to chime, its deep tones echoing through the room and, from its sound, the entire building. The noise was quickly followed by the frantic scuffle of footsteps in the hallway and the sharp sounds of doors opening and closing.

Heather went pale.

“What?” I asked, suddenly on edge.

“The Goddess,” she whispered, standing abruptly and moving toward the door.

I stayed seated, my mind racing but my body frozen. What was I supposed to do? Bow? Hide? Pretend this wasn’t happening?

Heather reached for the handle, but before her hand made contact, the door opened on its own.

Standing in the doorway was a figure straight out of legend. Seven feet tall, every inch of her exuding power and grace was the woman from the statues that adorned the temple. She wore a white gown that glowed like liquid moonlight. The long black hair framed her a face with a dark, smooth complexion and striking Asiatic features.

Her eyes, however. They were what truly held me. They reminded me of the Unnamed God’s, but the irises were silver ocean waves, impossibly deep and unyielding. She was stunning and yet, utterly terrifying.

Behind her, the hallway went quiet. The kind of silence that presses on your ears, making every tiny sound feel deafening by comparison.

She stepped into the room on bare feet, the door swinging shut behind her without a sound.

Heather was already on her hands and knees, head pressed to the floor in reverence.

And me? I just sat there, frozen. My instincts screamed at me to do something, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even blink. The truth? I was beyond shitless, looking for another metaphor to describe just how my little meeting with Heather turned into one of the most terrifying things I could think of.

“Rise my faithful.” The Goddess said in a quiet voice. It was kind, like a mother speaking to a child. I, for one, felt reassured. Heather rose to her feet, trembling. The Goddess placed her hands on her shoulders. “All is well.” The Goddess said.

“How…” Heather began, her voice trembling and breathless. She paused, taking a deep breath before trying again. “How may I serve you, My Goddess?”

“You already serve me very well,” Amania replied, her voice warm but commanding. “And I must say, you keep some interesting company.” Her gaze shifted to me, sharp and probing, with a hint of sternness.

I gave her a weak little smile. Please don’t smite me.

“I have learned to look for the grace in others, even if they don’t follow the path,” Heather said softly, her head still bowed.

“Yes,” Amania replied, her expression softening into a smile. “I’m glad that you have. Not everyone is suited to follow me, but those who do must seek the goodness in others and nurture it, encouraging them to grow. There are many gods and many paths, after all.” Her gaze returned to Heather, a flicker of pride in her eyes. “I know this understanding is new to you, and I am overjoyed at how much your heart has grown.”

“Thank you for your grace and wisdom,” Heather said, her head still bowed in reverence.

The Goddess sighed, a sound both serene and weighty, as her gaze shifted back to me.

Her eyes locked onto mine, and I froze under the intensity of her stare. It was more than just eye contact. It felt like she could see into me. Not just on the surface but all the way to my core. My soul, my thoughts, everything.

The silence stretched, her gaze holding mine far longer than I was comfortable with. I didn’t dare look away, but gods, I wanted to. It felt like being pinned under a mountain. It was not painful but immovable, inevitable.

Finally, she looked away, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“My being here is disrupting the business of the temple.” She said after a moment. Turning her gaze to Heather. “So, we need to make this quick. Look at me, child.”

Heather hesitated but slowly lifted her gaze to meet the Goddess’s face. Amania looked down at her with a mix of concern and authority. “I have a quest for you.”

“I will do whatever you wish, my Goddess.”

“You will assist the Champion of The Unnamed God on her quest to find the thief and the necklace,” Amania said, her tone leaving no room for question.

“Of course,” Heather bowed her head.

“Up here, please.” The Goddess’s voice softened, a gentle, bell-like giggle escaping her lips as she placed a hand under Heather’s chin, gently lifting it until their eyes met again. “Before she completes her quest, you will bring the necklace to the temple.”

“I will do all that you wish me to.”

Amania’s expression grew serious. “I cannot tell you why this must be done, but it is vital. I suspect it is important not only to me but to the Unnamed God as well. More than two gods are involved in this.” She threw a pointed glance my way. “You must not fail.”

“You owe me no explanations,” Heather said quietly. “I will do as you command.”

“Ensure your friend does the same,” Amania continued. “I know she has a good heart and will likely try to do the right thing, but she is not mine to command.”

“I will,” Heather replied with conviction.

“Um, Okay.” I instantly regretted the words as they left my mouth.

“Champion,” There was power behind her words as she spoke, the flattening mountains kind. “I tolerate you in my temple. But you belong to another god. And while The Unnamed God and I are aligned for the most part, I will not have you address me directly again.”

I just lowered my eyes and turned my head, focusing on the water pitcher.

“I do see your soul, Champion,” Amania said, her voice steady and unnervingly calm. “Bearing the Unnamed God’s Mark does not bring you joy. But there is something else. There is a taint hidden even from me.”

Her gaze bore into me, but I could only manage a shrug. I wasn’t gonna say a fucking word.

The air in the room shifted, static building like a storm about to break. A soft breeze swelled like someone flipping on a ceiling fan.

“Priestess Heather Elding,” Amania declared, her voice ringing with authority, “I bestow upon you the rank of Cleric. You will serve me afield and deliver justice to the world in my name.”

Heather’s last name? News to me. But, uh, congrats, I guess.

“Thank you, Goddess,” Heather said, her voice trembling with reverence.

“One last thing,” Amania said, stepping closer.

Before Heather could react, Amania leaned in and kissed her lightly on the forehead. The instant their skin made contact, a spark of electricity flashed between them. Heather started folding in half as she sank to the floor.

“Whoa!” I leaped out of the chair and dove to catch her, barely keeping her head from smacking against the floor.

Between the shocks, spells, and fainting, I was starting to develop a complex. At least this time, I’d been fast enough to intervene. Small victories.

“She’ll be fine,” the Goddess said, her tone reassuring but firm. “It’s just a little boon. Nothing like your encounter with the Unnamed God.” She straightened, gesturing to her chest with an almost casual grace. “This is just an avatar.”

I was sitting on the floor, cradling Heather’s head in my lap. She’s so fucking pretty. I thought, the words slipping through my mind unbidden.

“Mind those impure thoughts,” Amania said, her silver eyes locking onto mine with a knowing glint. “Especially about one of my daughters.”

Her sternness softened for the first time, and she smiled—like a mother lightly scolding a child. She tilted her head, chuckling quietly before continuing. “All right, you may speak.”

“What do you mean by a taint?” I asked, my voice uncertain but steady enough.

“Your soul is damaged,” she said, her tone taking on a measured seriousness. “A piece has been chipped away, and you carry a scar.”

“How does something like that even happen?” I asked, the knot of unease tightening in my chest. “What does it mean, exactly?”

“I wish I knew,” Amania said, her voice tinged with regret. “But it can be healed.”

“Can you help heal it?” I asked quickly, hoping for some divine intervention.

“No,” she replied, her expression darkening. “Not until I understand how it happened.”

“Should I be worried?” I asked, my breath catching.

“I’m worried,” Amania said, her gaze piercing. “What does that tell you?”

The weight of her words settled heavily in the room, and before I could respond, her form began to fade. Amania, the Goddess of Purity, disappeared, leaving behind the faint resonance of her presence.

And then, the temple’s bells rang out once more, their echoes carrying a chilling finality.

NEW QUEST:

RUBY MADNESS, SIDE QUEST

Amania, The Goddess of Purity, has ordered Heather Elding to assist you in your Ruby Madness Quest but has ordered the stolen necklace to be brought to the Temple of Purity before completing the quest. She indicates that there is a very good reason to do so but hasn’t said what it is.

THIS QUEST CANNOT BE DECLINED.

To complete the quest, you must:

Capture Verrona Faedan.

Secure the Ruby Necklace

Deliver the Ruby Necklace to the Temple of Purity.

Rewards:

Unknown, maybe nothing.

“Oh shit,” Heather said, opening her eyes. “That was amazing.” She looked at me, her eyes practically rolling out of her head. She breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath.

“You’re a cleric now. What does that mean?”

“Got some new spells.” She shook her head and sat up. I reluctantly let her go. Oh, she smelled good. “I only had Heal Other and Assessment before.”

“What did you pick up?”

“Divine Smite,” she said. “Just a smack on the head really. Divine Blessing, which adds speed and strength boosts, and…” she paused. “Sword of Justice.”

“Sword of Justice?”

She stood, and a massive broadsword of radiant light erupted from her hand. She looked at it awkwardly. “It’s a sword of divine light, kind of thing. It comes with level three energy sword skill.”

“I guess you’re part of the Church of Purity’s militant branch now?”

“There’s no militant branch. We’re literally all healers.” She dismissed the sword and looked confused. “I mean, we can’t even heal ourselves.”

“The goddess decided I needed some help to get through this quest, so here we go then.” I sent a party invitation to Heather. She accepted it instantly.

“You’re the Champion of The Unnamed God then?”

“Yep,” I said. “Didn’t ask for it, not sure I want it, but he seems pretty chill for a god.”

“Chill for a god?”

“I only met two today, so I don’t know. But he said he doesn’t ask anything of his followers, so I can keep doing what I’m doing.”

“Which is what?”

“Up ‘till now, mostly just stealing shit.”

“And killing people.”

I looked at her gloomily. “Not that many.”

We headed towards the door since it seemed like she was supposed to leave. The crowd around the temple was all in a fuss, and really, not much attention was paid to us. We stopped by the front desk, and Heather said something to Tyler. He smiled at us and gave me a little wave.

“I told him I was on a mission from our Goddess.”

“Well, that’s part of it,” I said. “There was something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

We left the temple’s chaos and entered the street’s chaos. Well, this neighborhood seemed crazy to me, so how would I know?

“I have a problem with Leoleth,” I said. We turned the corner and found a bench that wasn’t occupied with people pushing religious crap on us.

“What’s that?”

“She’s here illegally,” I said. “I was threatened with her being seized by the local Imperial Magistrate and sold into slavery.”

“Oh, yeah,” Heather said. “If she joins the church, then she can have immunity from that.”

“That’s what I thought, but she doesn’t think Purity is a great idea.”

“I mean, I could sponsor her.” Heather looked ahead in space like she was performing the calculations of such a move in her head. “But there’s a probationary period that she would have to go through, and she wouldn’t be protected fully until she took the oath.”

“Yeah, I figured it wasn’t gonna be a great idea.”

“It is a great idea,” Heather said. “Just not with The Church of Purity.”

“Honestly, I think we just need to squirrel her away someplace no one can find her.”

“Hang on,” Heather said. “What does your Mark of Death say?”

I looked back at my sheet, reading through the boon:

Mark of Death

The symbol of the Unnamed God adorns your body and soul. This divine magic shields your character sheet from those who seek your secrets. All gifts of the Unnamed God will be hidden unless you choose to share them. All adherents of the Church of the Unnamed God are required to help the holder of the Mark of Death.

“Ah,” I said. “All adherents must render me assistance.”

“I’m sure they can easily bring her on and sponsor her.”

“Sorry,” I said with a smile. “I guess you just lost her forever.”

“To be honest,” Heather said with a smile. “Her soul’s kind of crappy anyway.”

We walked out of the Temple District, and I rolled the dice on hiring a cab this time. We hopped in and rode it back to The Jester. I wasn’t sure what to do with Heather, but it was getting on, and I wanted to settle in and maybe take a nap before I did my night stuff.

She settled in and leaned against me on the ride back. I could tell she was tired, fucking exhausted from getting her boon from the goddess. I was still reeling from the day’s events and just wanted to hang myself. She dozed a little, her body against mine.

The Jester was packed for dinner. It was still a bit early, but I was starving. Heather had no energy, so she just sat there. I ended up paying the wench an extra copper to go upstairs to our room and have Leoleth join us.

She skipped over to the table, all bubbles and giggles, excited about tomorrow’s party.

“Besties!” She cried, sitting next to Heather and kissing her on the cheek. Heather smiled and gave her a weak hug. “Are we all going out to party tomorrow?”

“Party?” Heather asked.

“Um, yeah,” I said. “I have an invite from a guy over in the entertainment district. Fancy drinks, dresses, some maybe illegal sports? It should be fun.”

“Is this a good use of our time?”

“I think he maybe knows people? I hope I can get a lead or two from him.”

“You should see my dress,” Leoleth said. “It is almost as sexy as the one the guy gave to Regan.”

“He gave you a dress?”

“I think he wanted to make sure I was dressed appropriately for the party,” I said, holding up three fingers to the wench.

“It might be fun,” Heather said. “I haven’t gotten to do anything like that.”

“Welcome to the Rogue life,” I said.

“We have all kinds of fun,” Leoleth said. “Regan had sex last night.”

“LEOLETH!”

“Well, you did.” She shrugged as the wench dropped three mugs at our table.