Tempering The Weapon

A Crucible – Part 1

“He’s getting almost to good,” Nara thought to herself as she parried this rising star among those training to become one of the Church of Light and Dark’s Witch-Hunters.

Trying to unsettle the lad with making him think and talk while she struck back hard.

“Hey this is still practice!”

“We’re still friends, right?”

Luther was told by Bishop Tutu the night before that his one friend at the training camp since he had managed to piss off all of his class by coming in and excelling at every task was someone that had been turned to betray CrIsis. She is walking her own path of redemption. Luther couldn’t understand why she was allowed to stay. Back during the reign of the Demon controlled Duke of Llorn, Luther, had been an enforcer for gangs to smuggle people outside foremost. Also to find out information for a new gang he had joined – the Eye of Vengeance, and to put the hurt on rival gangs to funnel money to his family.

People that break faith or are broken that they would rather live as a traitor than die a patriot. People like that would’ve crippled the Eye of Vengeance’s Llornian Chapter during the secret war they raged against the Demon wife of the controlled Duke. How could she claim to be in the light? Did Nara do this act of betrayal of her own volition? Why didn’t she tell him? How can they be friends for truth if they don’t trust one another?

“Why didn’t you tell me you betrayed the Scions of the Light?”

“Luther, I…”

“Don’t lie to me! Or I swear by the one and true Keeper of Oaths & Vows I’ll cut you down!”

“Luther, I was ashamed, and to some degree I still am.”

As Luther jumps up and plants both feet into Nara midsection sending her sprawling to the ground.

“Go on!”

The two opponents circle each other in courtyard where Bishop Tutu and Cardinal Rothas were watching among other regional Priests of the Church of Light.

‘Magic was used to control me, and I was used at night in joint rituals to Charun, the demon lord and Bes. Ritualistic rape is still rape! Miracle Cream was just one of many ways they would cover up the marks or using a psychic to dominate my mind to forget when I was outside of his presence.’

By circling each other and allowing her time to explain gave Luther the opportunity to make it to where his bow was propped up with six arrows. Grabbing it and a single arrow he dove into a roll and fired.

“AAAAHHH!! You little short-eared prick! After I’ve been your only friend what was that for?”

Nara had managed to parry the arrow! Well, in a fashion, because it had nailed her hand to the spear shaft rather than going into her face. She charged him and dropping the bow to the side Luther steps to the left of her thrust and grabs the spear haft! Turning into a spin using Nara’s weight against her, Luther throws her to the ground again as he replies, “Because, I trusted you as my friend and no secret was to deep to share, but you didn’t trust me back. If you can’t be honest with me how can anyone expect you to be honest to your purposed husband?”

There it was.

Picking up his rather famous Dwarven Saber, Luther, walked over and held to her throat, “Only, when you begin to forgive yourself can you open your heart to heal.” With a thrust he buried the saber within an inch of her face into the ground. Reaching down he picked Nara up and gave her a big bear hug. The Bishop and the Cardinal nodded and Nara was given medical help for her hand. Luther left her in their care and came to kneel before the two ranking officials of the church.

‘Your temperament is to be commended, punishment with praise is not easy to do,’ said Bishop Tutu, ‘I have agreed to a field assignment purposed by Cardinal Rothas, just returned to us from the Baalgor Wastelands. Since your skills have allowed you to sail past the other recruits, Luther, this test was arranged to see if you are worthy of a final assessment.’

‘My will is yours, my body the church’s, my soul born vow the Oathkeeper’s. What is it I am to accomplish your eminence?”

Cardinal Rothas spoke up at this time, ‘You will be sent via magic to Haven to rendezvous with the original chapter of the Eye of Vengeance. There you will assist them in recovering a leader among the group captured by the Dark in New Haven. Secure his return to Haven and then quietly return here. When Bishop Tutu informs me of your return I will return and you will be inducted into the Witch Hunters. Then you may declare for whichever God of Light you wish or the whole pantheon if you so choose. Their is no wrong choice in that decision young Luther.’

‘As you wish so it will be. If it is within thy will to allow me to leave in the morning I wish to bid my father farewell and check on Nara. I do value her friendship and hope it is still intact.’

“It is within our will to grant,” both the Bishop and the Cardinal laid a hand on his two shoulders and then departed after blessing him.

That night Nara had dinner with Luther and his father and while he mentioned he was going on an assessment assignment he said the location had to be a secret. Nara nodded and apologized for not telling him about her transgressions. Conrad, Luther’s father, reminded her that she was a victim and it was okay to admit as a mortal – even a long lived one – that each of them are fallible. Nara thanked them both and wished that she could let her fiance know she was getting better each day. Her Horus Day gift would be seeing Indaris once more.

The following morning on the Luther was handed a scroll and told to read it when he was ready to go with his gear either on him or around his person inside a 10 foot radius. Once he did so a glowing circle of magic began to appear as he read the words of a Prayer of Travel which invoked the teleporation effect of the scroll! Blue light filled his vision and he when it cleared he was gone.

Record by a vision on the 18th of Majestic in the 4th Year of King Guy of Timiro.

In the continuing adventures of Luther and another joint log. I’m using Xerx’ses’ parchment, and my PC: Indaris’ font.

Art by our own AZ Rune.