Mark and Sam were flying at a casual pace as they neared the center of the city. There was another smaller wall around this area, cordoning it off from everyone who wasn’t part of the churches. Just before they passed into the district, Mark noticed what looked like a hospital. The reason it caught his eye was because of the sheer amount of hurt individuals collecting outside the small building. Right away Mark pinned it as the ‘Healer's house’, it was essentially a public area where anyone could go to get free healing. It was a combined effort by all three major factions to deal with the frankly massive amount of injuries that arose.
The problem was that the demand was just too great to meet everyone's needs. Too many were wounded, and not enough doctors and healers to see them, even if they worked around the clock, –which they did– it wasn’t enough. Mark made a note to check it out on their way back.
When they flew over the wall Mark could see they were being followed.
Turning, he spotted two people pull up on either side of them. One was riding a board made of granite and the other had wrapped stone around his arms and legs, and used that to propel himself.
Then a voice carried on the wind boomed next to his ear.
“You are in the air space of the Divine state, please drop to the ground, you will only be given one warning!”
Glancing at one another, Mark and Sam dropped their altitude and landed on an empty sidewalk. Looking up, they saw the two men land beside them.
The streets around here were almost empty of pedestrians.
The man with a covering of earth magic spoke to them in a formal tone.
“Blessed be Brother and Sister, I am a templar of the ‘Mountain that Watches’ and we are enforcers of the Divine state.
If you were flying then you are not with any of the churches around here, as they know not to do so. For now, I will forgive your misstep. However, I need to know what you are here for”
Mark glanced between them, they both wore matching armor and to make it more interesting, he could see they were both system items.
“We were just on our way to see Patrica Williams of the Church of Brilliance. She invited us, we meant no harm”
The man simply made a hand gesture by placing his fist on his chest.
“Of course. If that is the case then let us lead you to their church”
Mark got the feeling they wanted to act as more of an escort than a guide, but shrugging his shoulders, he indicated for them to lead the way.
They began walking in a particular direction, with a templar to the front and back of them.
Sam glanced at Mark with an amused look on her face, to which he just rolled his eyes at her.
As they walked through the district Mark felt like he had been gone back in time to a quiet little town. The nearby structures were of course modern, but it was the way people were acting that stood out to Mark.
On multiple occasions they saw people in the middle of the street, dropping into prayer where they knelt. Almost everyone wore various robes, some simple and defined, while others were adorned with glittering gems that oozed a pretentious air. Some went about simple tasks like reading scripture or completing basic chores, while others strutted around with full teams of Templars acting as guards as they preached their word.
The further in they got the more enforcers they found. The templars all wore some form of identifier to announce to the world what faith they were part of. The two men leading them had what looked like a small mountain engraved onto the back of their armor.
At one point they passed through a square where theological debate was currently taking place between two large groups. One held a flag of a black flame and the other seemed to be an eye staring down at the world.
It seemed peaceful but each seemed convinced their scriptures were a more accurate depiction of the world. Templars were all about in this area and Sam did not look at all happy to be here. Religious discourse had been a powder keg since before the Fall. Now people could invoke their ‘god’ as they pleased, and this just made for an even more volatile situation.
The templars leading them brought them out of the area and through several more spaces with religious discourse going on in them. At one point Mark saw a group of Templars removing a screaming man from an apartment block. He had been scrawling a mural on the outside of the building using anything he could get his hands on. Charcoal, spray paint, even his blood. He’d been at it for a while because the mural was huge, spanning almost two stories and frankly the image was disturbing.
Well drawn, but disturbing. Corpses were strewn about the city, and above it all was some gargantuan entity with bleeding horns coming from its eyes, embracing the city as if in its defense. Words scattered across the wall were no less unhinged, things like ‘It comes, death is our freedom, our right’
As they dragged him away, his screams were that of a man desperate and broken.
They kept moving past but it was clear, that he had either been overwhelmed by his Mana or something had broken him. Perhaps this was how the ‘Wrong’ gods were born. In Mark's mind that was exactly what had happened with the cultists he had encountered.
Finally, they stopped outside a fancy building that looked to have once been an old art gallery. The architecture certainly spoke for itself, with domed glass ceilings and precise stone masonry, the building was a piece of art unto itself. Something was glowing from inside and the many open windows. The glass released and reflected the gentle glow from within out into the world beyond.
Destroyed glass had been replaced with stained glass carrying the depictions of a bright sun shining over all of creation.
The two Templars did not approach, instead giving them the same salute and waiting for them to enter.
Mark made his way to the front doors and Sam followed.
As they got there, the doors opened on their own and a man stood there with a smile on his face.
Behind him were pews made of what looked like melted glass, as if an incredibly high heat had shaped them into being. At the very front was a podium made of the same material, but it seemed to glow from within, casting a rainbow of colors across the room.
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“How can I help you two today, have you come for worship? Our next dedication is in two hours”
Mark shook his head and told him why they were there.
The Man looked surprised but then nodded.
“Please come in and wait, I’ll go a tell her holiness you are here”
They didn’t have to wait long.
Patrica Williams walked out into the room at a brisk pace, followed by at least five other people in robes, all scattered around her with varying degrees of fanaticism in their eyes.
When she saw the two of them her eyes lit up with joy.
“Mark Young and Samantha Dureal it's wonderful to see you both again…”
As she got closer she slowed, staring at Mark in wonder.
“How? How… are the shadows that haunted you gone?”
Mark was confused, but then he realized she was referring to his Corruption. He’d burnt it all off just recently, and while it was at a manageable level for him, it must have looked pretty bad if she could see it as she said.
Mark grimaced and looked towards the other people in the room, Patrica might have an idea he was a powerful healer from their last exchange, but that didn’t mean he wanted to advertise this.
She seemed to interpret his look perfectly and had them follow her, taking them to a private room, she left the other followers outside the door. The room looked like a prayer room with a circle scorched into the floor and a stained glass window letting in light.
“A bit of privacy is always nice, but just know I trust everyone out there with my life.”
Mark could appreciate that but said nothing as she continued.
“Now would you be willing to tell me how you got you got rid of your shadows?”
Mark nodded and explained the [Corruption recovery] spell, he also asked how it was she thought she could help him if this was not the method she was using.
As they talked the picture became more and more clear. For one it looked like most faiths gave up on technology unless their ‘god’ was of that domain. Which meant that none of Mark’s findings had reached the devout. Which honestly was a kick in the teeth. They weren't sharing information, instead choosing to muddle around in the dark.
They had found their ways but things would have been much better had they just used his methods, how many lives had been lost because of their stubbornness.
Mark then realized that he’d had to look into finding ways to boost his post's visibility to get it more in the public light.
While he wrestled with the frustration, Patrica spoke.
“I realize it may sound archaic, but there is a reason for it, I’m not blind to the reality of the situation. I’ve looked into the basic skills of a person and compared them to that of the faithful. And have come to a conclusion”
She went over to a small desk in the room and opened a notebook, turning it towards them. She had written out word for word the description of two skills.
Skill: Meditation (Non-believers)
All paths require energy, all energy needs cores.
Through conscious manipulation excite your core. Causing an increase in energy creation and by extension core improvement.
100% resource regeneration while the skill is active.
Skill: Commune (Faithful)
All paths require energy, all energy needs cores.
The user offers up their power to that which has no energy or Core of its own.
Through conscious devotion excite your core. Causing an increase in energy creation and by extension core improvement.
80% resource regeneration while the skill is active.
Allows for interface with The Ideal of Divinity.
Current Ideal: Lord of Brilliance
Mark read through both descriptions twice looking at the differences. At a surface glance, it was very similar to [Meditation] but there were a few important differences. Instead of ‘manipulation’ theirs was through ‘devotion’. And even though it was only a single word difference, it changed the impact greatly. Instead of spending time in [Meditation] improving one’s self. Whenever they prayed staunchly or used [Commune], they offered up some of their power to some unknown entity, –the drop in resource regeneration showed this– strengthening themselves through this process. But then where did that power go? Was this ‘Ideal of Divinity’ their god or just Mana given purpose? Were they creating a ‘god’ by praying or was it already there?
Mark had more questions now than he started with.
Patrica continued after just dropping this on them.
“My conclusion is this. Where one path is self-empowerment, our path is one of true devotion to something greater than ourselves. Of course, this distinction is not bad, just different. But the teachings from our Lord are paramount, to use other methods is to stray from his light.”
Meaning she wouldn’t follow his method, even if people were dying around her.
Mark crossed his arms as he looked at her, of course, he’d been worried about something like this. He couldn't have known they would denounce technology to get closer to their gods, but what he had expected was their stubbornness. By definition, faith demanded that they remain steadfast. Mark would not be able to shake them nor would he try. He could respect their faith if people needed it, and it caused no harm. Obviously, he had his own opinions about their methods, but it would not be easy to change their minds.
As Mark thought this over Patrica continued speaking.
“As I said, I’m not deaf to how this sounds. Our beliefs do not stop us from helping people, in fact, we do what we can, wherever we can”
Mark frowned.
“I was under the impression that you only helped the faithful or those that joined your cause”
Patrica grimaced.
“A teaching we do not follow, but I’m ashamed to say that is not the same for every church. We are all different, some want power, others just want peace or an answer. Whenever a church with truly destructive teachings rises, we all band together to wipe them out. Whatever may come the Church of Brilliance will always help where it can.”
Mark's thoughts turned back to the man and his insane mural.
Patrica sighed happily and turned to Sam.
“Since you have no shadows, Mark, perhaps I can help you, Samantha. Unless there’s something else you need my help with?”
Mark thought about it, he had come here for an answer and he didn’t want this trip to be for nothing, turning to look at Sam he held out his hand and said.
“What’s your Cv looking like after the battle?”
Sam checked her system, taking hold of his hand.
“Mmm, the trip was a bad one, sitting at 7% right now”
Mark activated [Draw Corruption] pulling the writhing mass of Corruption into himself.
Patrica's eyes widened to saucers and she watched the corruption move through their connected arms.
“You took on her shadow… How?”
Mark grinned at her.
“If you are interested, I can teach you?”
Course he didn’t know how to teach this in particular, but he knew she wouldn’t take him up on the friendly jab.
Her look of shock turned to a casual smile.
“Nice try, I will commune with my Lord later and see how they would go about it safely. I’d warn you against using an ability like that, but I think you already know the dangers better than I do.”
Mark grinned at her workaround.
“Sure, let me know what they say”
As she said, she was devoted, not stupid. He’d take what he could get.
“Right. How about you show me these ‘methods’ you’ve come up with”