Jeremy

  Jeremy looked forward to returning to Elaria. He wished he had fast travel like in most games, but the long way was the only way. Thankfully, the trip was relatively uneventful. The only problem they encountered was a small water dog, which was dispatched quickly with a lightning attack.

  Elionas almost ran through the barrier protecting Elaria. His brother, Elirian, saw the travelers approaching from a distance and ran to greet them. The brothers embraced, and Elionas told the story of their adventure on the way back to their home.

  Elirian felt blessed to be in the presence of a Moonwake Koi. He leaned over to Jeremy’s shoulder to get a good look. “How did you come across this sprite? It is splendid.”

  Jeremy told him about Melorien on the way to the brother’s cottage. When they got there, they found Elirian had prepared a fish stew with large chunks of white meat and vegetables. It was delicious and easy to eat, but Melorien snubbed his nose at it.

  “Is it because it’s fish, little guy? Do you not eat fish?”

  [No. I can eat fish, but I prefer my food to be alive.]

  “Oh…eww…okay…um…”

  [Can you take me to a water source where I can feed?] Melorien put his little axolotl hands together and almost looked like he was praying.

  Of course, Jeremy said to him, then aloud to the brothers he asked, “Is there a place Melorien can go to catch live fish?”

  Elirian replied, “Of course, how ignorant of me. Please follow me.”

  They walked to the edge of town, where there was a small lake still within the barrier of Nivalár. “There should be plenty of small bait fish for you to enjoy in here, oh miraculous gift of Nivalár.”

  “Just call him Melorien. Or Mel. Can we call you Mel?”

  [Sure!] Mel said, then he teleported from Jeremy’s shoulder to the bank and scurried after some food.

  “He said we can call him Mel if we want.”

  “For sure. Should we wait?” Elirian asked.

  “I have no clue,” Jeremy shrugged. “This is the first time we’ve been apart since we bonded. I will wait for him if you would like to go home. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  Elirian nodded and left.

  Elar’s star had almost completed its daily cycle and was slowly descending. The barrier of Nivalár was only slightly visible against the clear blue sky, so Jeremy got to relax and take in another Elar sunset while his buddy fed.

  Mel came out of the water looking happy, excited, and refreshed. [You did not have to wait for me, Jeremy. I can always find my way back to you. We are bonded. I will not leave you.]

  “Okay. I’ll remember that next time, but I didn’t mind waiting for you. You look like you've eaten your fill.”

  [Oh. Yes! This pool has the best varnelings I’ve ever tasted.]

  “Varnelings?”

  [Yes! You should try them!]

  “Okay. Next time you go, bring me one. I’ll try it. Lord knows my taste buds have changed….A LOT.”

  ?

  The next morning, Velarion was waiting for Jeremy at the temple of Nivalár. “Greetings! Peace and kindness flow through you!”

  “And may you be blessed with balance,” Elionas said. Elirian repeated what his brother said, so Jeremy followed suit.

  “You have found a Moonwake Koi?! This is an amazing blessing from Nivalár. You will be very pleased in the years to come with your choice to bond with this wonderful creature.”

  Mel just smiled from his post on Jeremy’s shoulder. Jeremy nodded. “So far, he’s been a pretty cool friend. I’m glad to have him with me.”

  “Good! Please stand near the circle and say our prayer with us. Nivalár would like to request your help again in a quest if you are willing.”

  “Sure! Why not?” Jeremy followed the priest to the circle. They chanted as they had before, and the light shone down, filling the priest with knowledge. Jeremy felt nothing this time, not even the warmth of the light. Jeremy was a little sad he didn’t get to feel Nivalár’s presence again, but he shook off his envy.

  “Ah,” Velarion sounded like he had just come out of a warm shower. “The Goddess has revealed more good tidings for you, Jeremy. Please join me for refreshments as we discuss your next quest.”

  They left the open chamber and returned to the dining area from the previous visit. Velarion served a warm beverage that tasted delicious to Jeremy. He never drank tea at home, but maybe times were changing for him.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Nivalár is more than pleased with the results of your last quest. It appears you have received a divinity spell. Is that correct?”

  “Yeah,” Jeremy said. “It costs a lot of mana, so I haven’t used it yet.”

  “I believe you will enjoy the results of this magical ability, especially when cast against servants of Vaerunel. Do you wish to view your next quest, or do you wish to be directed to another city to try receiving blessings from a different deity?”

  Jeremy was somewhat taken aback by how effortlessly he was given the option to walk away and adopt a different religion. “So far, I’m good with still working for Nivalár. I don’t want to work for Vaerunel or any god like him. I’ve got a few questions though.”

  “I will attempt to answer your questions. First, here is the quest Nivalár has provided you.”

  Jeremy studied the quest for a moment. It seemed mundane. He was having difficulty understanding what the Goddess wanted, and he felt he was being used by Her. Doubt and reservations filled his mind. Questions like: What was the end game? Is he helping himself by helping Nivalár? How does this help him get home? How many more quests would he have to do? How long would he be stuck in Elar? Would he be sent to see the Wizard of Oz next?

  Elar was a nice place, but he wanted to go home. Not wanting to come across as disrespectful, he decided to get some answers from the “Goddess of Knowledge.”

  “All due respect,” Jeremy started, “I appreciate Nivalár and Her willingness to help me achieve my goal of going home. I’m thankful for Her gifts too. I just don’t understand how this is helping me get home. How many more quests will I have to do? How much longer do I have to stay in this world?”

  “Nivalár was prepared for you to ask questions like these,” Velarion said. “The first quest was more of a test of your capabilities. Although the shrine needed repair, almost anyone could have done it. This quest also provided you with a great opportunity to advance and learn, both of which you needed. Future quests will not only help you advance, but they will require you to obtain relics and artifacts Nivalár will use to send you home.

  “The Tear is a crystal tear shed by Nivalár herself when the Moonwarden fell from grace after he lost his daughter. In his grief he blamed Nivalár for failing to protect them. He cursed her and swore vengeance. She banished him to guard the Tear.”

  “I’m confused,” Jeremy said. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but why can’t one of you defeat him and get the Tear? Why me? Why hasn’t this already been done?”

  “Your questions are acceptable and understandable,” Velarion said. “The best answer is balance. I am the most powerful servant of Nivalár in Elar. I could have easily rebuilt the shrine, I can recover the Tear, and I could complete any other quest Nivalár sends you or any of Her other servants. If I intervene, it will disrupt balance. Vaerunel would send his strongest slaves, and he may even decide to handle the matter personally. This could start a global war.

  “You or other lower-rank servants can complete quests and retrieve relics without disrupting balance. The quests you are being assigned remain unfinished because we haven’t had a low-ranked servant available for many years.”

  “I’m blessed because I suck…got it.” Jeremy laughed.

  “I do not understand, ‘suck’.”

  “Sorry. That was slang. ‘I suck’ means I’m low ranked and not very strong.”

  “Understood. Do you have any questions or reservations?”

  “Yes. How far is Serenveil?”

  “Very good. Serenveil is about a three-sun journey. The path is well-travelled, but there are still dangers to be prepared for. There are caves near the paths, but at your rank, I would avoid exploring those diversions. Serenveil is peaceful. Use your time there to rest and purchase supplies before attempting to traverse the Shrine of the Veil. In the shrine, you will find several adversaries. Hollowkins can leave trap runes, so be vigilant to avoid these magical traps.”

  “Can someone join me on my quest?” Jeremy asked.

  “Yes,” Velarion answered. “One of the brothers can accompany you. Nivalár has also graciously awarded you ten gold pieces to use at your discretion in the city of Serenveil. Safe journeys and good tidings.”

  “Thank you, Velarion.” Jeremy shook hands with the priest and waited for the brothers to do the same.

  Once outside the church, Elionas said farewell to his brother. He turned to Jeremy. “If you approve, I would very much like to continue traveling with you and Mel.”

  “Sounds good to me, but you have to use slang, though!” Jeremy jokingly protested. “I’m just joking. When do you wish to leave?”

  “It’s all good. We leave now.”