Tale Of A Berserk Healer

Ryth stood outside the church the next morning.

He waited as he saw the priest open the door with a slightly confused smile.

"I'm an awakened who would receive the blessing of Ketair."

The priest stopped, concentrating fully on the young man before him.

"I do not think you can afford it." He upturned his nose slightly, seeing how the clothes the awakened wore were actually ever-so-slightly too small.

Ryth simply stepped up to the door and passed by the priest without another word, leaving him shocked.

"Y-you!"

"I would think my faith in coming here despite the consequences would be enough. But if Ketair means to abandon me after I fled from them, I would understand."

The priest blinked. What? Uh...

His mind faced furiously. The church was theoretically obligated to give the blessing to any awakened unless they spurned the faith of the god who gave them their connection to the sources and ability to grow.

So it became easy to "ask for donations" as proof of this faith, and one unwilling to donate and help the church and the poor it supported was clearly unfaithful.

But the way he spoke...

(Shit! If this kid had some kind of trial or event to prove his faith in 'returning to Ketair's arms'...)

That was a whole different matter!

"W-why..." he licked his lips nervously. "What has prevented you coming before now?"

"Fear."

"Fear of what child?" The priest began to slip into his role, finding comfort in the easy act of the faithful.

"Of being known. Of being found. I ran away from someone long ago and have hid, and I know that by coming here, I will be found."

"So now that you've become strong enough you have returned?"

Shock colored the priest's voice and expression. Did someone really manage to level up and evolve a few stages to the point where they no longer feared one who could search church records at will? Without the blessing?! That would be... frustrating at best. Impossible at worst!

"Nope. I'm just a level 3."

The priest felt confused. "Then... what brings you here?"

"Faith. Choice. I have decided to overcome my fear and take a step forward, in faith of Ketair and what I believe in."

(...F.U.C.K.)

Yeah. If presented with that and the priest still turned him away for lack of donation, and the kid could prove it true...

The one criticized would definitely be the church for allowing a money-grubbing priest!

(Am I being out-maneuvered by a child?)

"Ahem... do you have any donations to contribute to the faith?"

"Yes."

(Why didn't you SAY SO?! By Ketair if you can pay then why go through all this-)

Ryth uphended his coin pouch, showing the few coppers and 1 silver he had.

(F.U.C.K.I.N.G-! KID! STOP PLAYING WITH MY HEART!)

The priest's eye twitched seeing the paltry amount.

"It is all the coin I own, and therefore I would think it is worth more in meaning to Ketair than a pound of gold from a noble."

(Maybe it's worth more to Ketair, but I'd rather the gold...) the priest cried inside.

"V-v-very well th-then."

The priest stuttered slightly, taking the paltry offering, and leading Ryth into the back, past the rows of benches and the stage on which the head priest preached the sacred texts.

Into a back room with a pedestal on which sat a bowl, of smooth wood that was lacquered with gold dust, creating something that seemed to call to simplicity in wealth, creating a strange beauty in the wooden beams of the ceiling and worn-smooth floors.

In the bowl was a white liquid, like milk but with a silver tint to it.

Ryth looked at it curiously as the priest set about grabbing some items from a cabinet.

Finally he set them on the pedestal.

"Oh our heavenly god, he who smited the metal devils and the dark ones, blesser of man and creator of the awakened. Ketair! One of your children has come today, in faith and valor, for they come in spite of their fear!"

"In the sources we are connected to you, oh god, and see the truth that you have given."

He pointed to a candle, and it lit itself, giving Ryth a shock as he felt no movement of mana.

It was as if it were as natural as the breeze!

"In the sun lies they energy of all life and creation, the throne on which you sit."

He gestured to the smoke coming off the candle, as somehow a great amount of black gas was rising off the small flame.

"In the darkness lies all you create, and the darkness is the house in which you built all."

Gesturing to a cup of water, the water rose, again with no sign of magic, and floated, a perfect bubble or globe.

"In the oceans is the beginnings of life, fed by the power of your throne, and the beginnings of your children."

Gesturing to a rock, the rock floated, but not off the desk. Rather it lifted till it impossibly balanced, as if to stand up.

"In earth, you built a home for your children, a place life would grow and change, in your glory!"

A whisper, a breeze, and the dirt and random dust swirled off the ground, collecting into a swirling globe of wind, with clouds forming and electricity crackling.

"In sky you have given wonder, and change, and the winds scour all and bring new hopes on the whispers of the gale."

Finally, he lofted the bowl of milky liquid.

"In soul you bless us to think, to feel and to worship!"

He held the bowl to Ryth, and a bit of... something... moved from the 5 ritual items.

Not anything visible, but Ryth felt it in his heart all the same.

"Drink, and undergo your confession. May you receive a blessing if found worthy."

Ryth drank a single mouthful of the liquid, and the priest put away the symbols of the sources, leading Ryth to a cushion and guiding him to kneel on it.

Ryth felt the world beginning to spin around him, colors beginning to blur as shapes not-quite real began to press out at him or away, leaving him swaying a bit.

He almost fell over trying to kneel down, and only the priest's experience stopped him from hitting the ground as the priest caught his arm.

On his knees, Ryth looked up and saw...

A stained glass mosaic.

It was Ketair surrounded by his divine beasts, the servants who communicated his will to the world. Each representing a virtue of the good and just.

The colors swirled together, the animals all starting to move it seemed, divine beasts looking at Ryth as Ketair stood, the human outline of white with no detail simply given its presence by the endless color surrounding it and the EVERYTHING it held.

The joyful whale, the wise raven, the cautious deer and the determined bull. The just lion, the intelligent snake, the insightful rabbit. The free horse, the calm lizard, and the passionate rooster. Finally, the independent spider, compassionate pig, and the loyal dog.

All flew and charged and swam, moving and flowing about in the kaleidoscope the world had become-

Then Ryth's eyes closed, as he looked as if he'd fallen asleep kneeling there.

The priest closed the door, leaving him in there to undergo whatever he would see alone.

Any who receive the blessing will be able to sense their own stats and skills, but if one could impress Ketair with their faith, a passive skill or such HAD been seen before.

The priest wondered briefly at which divine beast the boy would choose.

(Wait why do I care? Good luck my ass! The bishop will be annoyed to not get the full price! I'm gonna have to explain because of you! Little shit...)