Rishya looks incredulously at Seria for a moment, but then cocks her head and shrugs, apparently having come to a conclusion.

"So... Seria-sama, that sounds mad... but then, I know you realise that already. So... you wouldn't just say something like that as a jest. And this place IS old. And very magical. And very posh. Even by my standards." Rishya reasons, ticking off her fingers.

"And are there are any watersculptors still alive? I was taught they were all executed by the last emperor. Melody always thought it was such a loss; and wanted to be able to do what they did one day. If she was awake, I bet she'd love to see this thing! She'd study it for days!" Aria grins.

"Um... this place is pretty amazing! Who are these statues?" Kiku spins around the columns and statues excitedly.

"The gods, yes? Their human shapes... when they took them?" Kaede nods.

Right... Kaede always was good at identifying them for some reason.

"They are actually the first of each of the sages." Seria suddenly stands up and strolls urgently over to one of them.

"This is the first thunder sage. Kinah Arkemewer..."

"Wait... whaaaaaatttt?" Rishya squeals, dashing over.

"Uh... so wait. I'm dumb and I don't get it." Aria scrunches her brows.

Oh boy. I get it.

"Seria has just said that the gods were... are... the first sages." I say.

Aria suddenly gapes like a goldfish.

"Aniki... this religion things it is?" She snaps her fingers. "Right... silly kingdom people worshipped people. False gods, mother always did say. But then mother also say Meenaora false god too. Kali thinks not really any gods. Just people and spirits and demons. Yuuzu didn't like Kali talking about this, so never did much." Kali snickers, flexing a gauntlet.

"Naturally Yuuzu would have hated that! She was quite faithful to Sendervil. Uh... more than me for sure... I... I guess I always knew my power came from Michael. But... many light mages are pious to the Light God. Sage. Uh... hells... whatever..." Rishya grimaces and she sounds frustrated.

Seria grins. "Fufufu... whilst in essence, it is not wrong to feel all light magic came from Sendervil... it did... in a way... Kaliasta has the right of it. Mmmm... but it’s a funny thing. Whenever were all those temples set up? Whenever were the inquisitors active?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Um... during the empire?" Kiku suggests.

"Ding ding! Right on, Kiku. The empire invented the religion of worshipping the gods around six hundred years ago. It was a nice way to keep such a large population in line. Especially with the whole champions, and the arenas, and benevolent actions of the temples in their names."

"So... uh... it’s all a big lie?" Aria is rubbing her forehead.

"With truth in there, of course. Like all the best lies and legends." I say.

"Mmmm... strangely, though... it vexes me... but I have never made the connection until just now." Seria continues. She goes on tiptoes and puts a hand to the face of the handsome bronze man with curled hair carrying a stylised lightning bolt. For some reason it makes me feel jealous.

"Until seeing the face of an older self, cast here in bronze. It is... the memories of our older selves... in them... the older sages themselves... their looks... they are always indistinct. I always did wonder about it. I once came to the conclusion it was a safety measure of sorts. For the most current sage to not descend into madness viewing old memories not their own, their own personal appearance and personality becomes sacred. The old ones are pushed aside as a function of the Path Down. Who knows if that is really the truth now, though?"

"So... Seria-sama is the descendant of a god, yes?" Kaede asks, half in jest by her tone.

Seria snorts and bursts out in a sniggering, howling laugh.

"Hahhhaaa haaa... oh gods... my sides... ah no... I am definitely the daughter of a whore and a plantation slave." She laughs, casually dropping the bomb she delivered to me some time ago.

All the other girls look incredulous again, except Kaede.

Right... she was probably listening that one time when Seria expounded her history to me. I can't remember. I was kinda distracted at the time by those lovely eyes.

"Ha! I do like people’s reactions to that one when..."

Suddenly she catches my eye and blushes, stuttering all of a sudden. I laugh to myself.

"Ahem... most people’s reactions to that one is always comical. It’s true though, my friends. I'm an old bat that lived during the empire, remember? I escaped during the rebellion. Nearly croaked it. And through some insane moment of luck, who was the one to rescue a wretch like this if not the previous Sage of Thunder, Velour Lathandel? My Master. Who granted me the name Seria Sesshouin. 'The Shackles in Flight', I later learned it means in Ancient Tessalatorian. An ironic name for a thing that was previously just 'Eri', a slave, right?"

Kiku suddenly bursts out in tears and runs and hugs Seria.

Seria looks shocked but then smiles gently and rubs the red helm that has buried itself in her chest. I laugh and give her a thumbs-up.

"Fufufufu... another one that’s sad for me... you lot are all idiots. Especially the boy." She rolls her eyes. But I notice her expression is still gentle and she seems pleased.

"Hah... oh my... it really is a moment for Seria-sama giving us completely un-needed information isn't it?" Rishya grins, patting her chest with a wobble.

"Every story needs an occasional expositional plot dump." I snicker.

"I have no idea what that is, Elijah-sama, but could you please refrain from talking about excrement in the presence of ladies. Really... hmmph!" She huffs.

"The rest of this place is vying to be explored, yes?" Kaede notes.

True enough.