Dear Diary, religion is confusing.

I wake up the next morning and quickly prepare breakfast for Dur, which is just some baked eggs and toast. Mother never let me cook after I burnt my arm that one time I tried to help her bake pancakes.

“I feel like we went over this. Apprentices might be a bit different from where you are from, but here, you don’t have to act like a servant. In dwarf culture, it is the teacher that takes care of their apprentice a bit like how a parent would from where you are from,” Dur says when he comes downstairs.

“I know, but you promised to take me to a priest who knows about this necklace. And I really want to know why it is so important to everybody.”

“Okay, fine, eat your food. We are going after breakfast.”

“Yeah, thank you so much.”

I shovel down the eggs, which taste a bit funky, but that is fine. Probably the lack of pepper in this place. We finish quickly, and Dur finally takes me to the church. And when I say church, I mean even more grandiose than the Vatican gems everywhere, decorations from wall to wall lined with gold.

“This place would rile up the protestants and then some,” I say.

“The what?” Dur asks, confused.

“So where I am from, there was a group that split themself from the church.”

“And why did they do that?”

“Because they thought the church had too much money, I think, or something about not being allowed to change wives. You know what, it is not important.”

“Okay, well, let's go see Priest Altukar, and please don’t talk about splitting off from the church with him,” Dur says.

“yeah, sure, I will be on my best behaviour. Or at least what I assume is my best.”

Dur looks a bit unconvinced but takes me further anyway. We head to what I assume is the main altar. It is this raised golden rectangle engraved with a lot of ichnographic next to it is a dwarf in what I would almost call a potato sack poring over some kind of tome.

“This is Altukar, high priest of the church of the stone lord.”, Dur says while indicating the man. “And this is Cestla.”

The priest perks up at that. “Really, a Cestla, well, it is an honour to what do I owe this pleasure,” Altukar asks.

I look at Dur, feeling a bit awkward. “Uhm, well, I would like to know what exactly this is,” I say as I take out the necklace from under my shirt and show it to him.

The priest gasps. “That is the god stone, so you are a real Cestla,” he says

“Okay, what does that mean exactly?” I ask, still confused.

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“They are people in dwarfen history that would show up during important events. The first one was someone with long black hair and pale skin using a snake of lightning to strike down the dragons, allowing the dwarf race to escape underground. The second one was a healer who helped the dwarfs against the plagues. The Third one was a red-skinned Cestla with horns that helped us vanquish the goblins.” The priest explains while going into a fervour.

“So there were more people with this, and they all helped you?” I ask, a bit concerned about the priest.

“Yes, but it has been a few hundred years since the last one showed up.” The priest says.

“And did any of them explain how the thing worked?” I ask.

“No, or at least there are not any records in the church that said they did. There is one thing that might help if you would follow me,” He says before walking further into the church.

We both follow him up a grand staircase and into a new room. In the room, a great mural is made out of gold and silver. All the way to the left, there is a beautiful woman striking down dragons while riding a snake. In the middle, there is a man with a halo around him, curing the sick. And lastly, there is a demon fighting a horde of tiny green men.

“So I guess these are the other Cestla’s” I ask.

“Yeah, you are correct by the great protectors the Stone Lord has sent us.” The priest says,

“Stone lord?” I ask.

“Our god,” Dur supplies.

“Right, sorry, so what did you want to show me?” I ask

“ The number of gems on their god stones is different from the amount you have,” the priest says, and he is right.

All the figures have the tablet around their necks, but Snake Lady has one more gem than me, Demon has two more, and the blond guy has an almost completely full one. I take out the plate to look at it, inspecting its surface. There were five circles on it without gems. Assuming those are the socs, the plate was missing five gems.

“Okay, so I understand that I have fewer gems than them, but what does that mean?” I ask

“Not sure,” the priest says “, but it's believed that the god stone gives the Cestla their power.”

“So less gems means less power?” I ask

“That is an assumption, but I can’t be sure what new powers you got when being granted the god stone.”

“Talk dwarfish, or is it dwarfen?” I say

“Really, that is interesting and useful, don’t get me wrong, but it does not sound so fantastical; anything else?” the priest asks, looking at me with interest.

“Uhm, let's see, my memory is a lot better, and I think I am stronger than before or at least get less tired. I spent all day forging yesterday, and I don’t think I would have been able to do that before.”

“Intellect and strength are good things to have, but nothing more special like lighting, healing powers, or mastery over the blade?”

“I don’t think so; I would honestly not know how to even go about testing it either,” I say

“That is a shame. Then again, it might be a good thing the less powerful you are, the less dangerous the disaster is going to be,” the priest says.

I turn to the priest in shock. “Wait, disaster, what kind of disaster?”

“Well, a Cestla always comes to protect the dwarfs from a disaster, so if you are here, a disaster is coming.” The priest explains

I look at Dur with concern. “Don’t worry, we will figure something out,” he says

“Well, let’s hope so, but just in case, I want to go home and forge that steel blade you had promised me.”

Dur just laughs, “I am sorry, Altukar, but I did promise to teach Cestla how to forge with steel.”

“Ooh, it is fine. I don’t want to hold up the great Cestla, but if you don’t mind, I would love to come along and observe in person. If that is not a problem.”

“It is fine with me,” I say and look at Dur.

“Altukar, you are more than welcome”, Dur says.