The otion that Havengard caused with his rea to Peter’s tinued existence was, in a word, hirious.Just as Peter hoped, despite his dislike of being the ter of attention. He had, casually, noticed that people had caught him and by his recolle, seemed unsure if they were seeing things correctly — one or two even making some gesture he was certain was a blessing or warding to ones-self (not unlike how one would use the Sign of The Cross in his former world). It took quite a bit of foot to giggle like a maniac at the chaos he was causing — though he did give pause… he was not-at-all like this in his former life; shy and uain, careful and unassuming.Had dying, being brought to another world, and having the bag and personal e to a goddess (regardless of her sphere of influence) really ‘unlocked’ his current attitude? Was he perhaps finally allowing himself to stand up for himself against assholes like Havengard; something he was retit to have done in his former life because of his insecurity and want to not cause a se?He was pletely uain about it all but he made a mental o explore this at a ter date to see where his new circumstances were taking his personality.

  Havengard, once he had recimed his faculties, demahat Peter ‘stay right there’ while he went to fetch d’Zaier and as he left Peter was sure he saw the haughty guard make that warding sign himself.Curiously, wordlessly, after Havengard left he tried to replicate it himself. “No no, like this.” Heidynn said gently off to his side, Havengard also andio ‘stay put’ and ‘keep an eye ouatiardier and the visiting priest.She made the warding sign on herself, with Peter copying her by standing by her side and looking at her, so no w about ‘reversing’ anything. “Yes, like that.” She smiled, giving him a nod. “Ah, iing.” Peter nodded, “Is that… Goddess of Light-specifibsp; “It is, actually.” The priest of Teoh'ir'aen spoke up, “Each has their own, but there is ohat enpasses the whole of The Family, and is accepted in all temples as an appropriate substitute as it includes all, so…” “Ahh.” Peter, again, nodded in uanding. He did, however, give a side gowards the main temple. I have a feeling that even so, it’s frowned upon… maybe not in the whole of the Church Luminous but at this temple in par~tic~ur…

  “So… that’s the sword of Xtha…” The priest o the ft-topped bde that Peter carried. They had to talk about something while they waited and the quiet was starting to strain on all three of them. Peter looked around awkwardly, trying not to swing the sword around, and Heidynn rocked on her feet, heel-to-toe while holding her basket.He blinked, looking at the rge man, then to the sword in his hand, “Hm? Oh, yes. I…” He blushed, holding it, “I kind of wish they… she?… that Xtha gave me a sheath to go with it. I hate to sound ungrateful but even I know carrying a bare bde is asking for trouble.” “Getting one shouldn’t be too hard though.” The priest smiled, “And with a temple so close, you eve blessed if you’re worried a regur sheath is too ‘pin’ for such a tool.”Peter paused, cog his head, then nodded — The priest was right, it was a sword, sure, but it was no on… it was a tool, as Xtha themselves said the other day: ‘used when needed’. Another pause aer looked up to the rger priest, “How did… I mean… did what happen spread that quickly?”The taller man gave a booming, but warm ugh, “Yes, actually! You’ve got quite a reputation already… though I hear it’s not what you intended?” “I see it wasn’t just the mortals chatting…” Peter felt his face almost burning as he muttered. “You impressed the Goddess of Chaos!” He ughed again, “Not many say that, sidering the usual caliber of her followers.”

  Peter might have sworn to have heard Na’at make an annoyed shuddering groan under her breath.

  “Oh dear?”A stuffy, angered voice was heard as d’Zaier, with Havengard in tow, made their to the three, “Oh dear, indeed, otherworlder. Calling that one’s attention is not the greatest of ideas. And you should do well to remember this iure before you try any other… iing ideas… you may have.” The old priest did not stop until he was almost toe-to-toe with Peter, looking up at the slighter taller, and much younger, man, “How.” He demanded. “How?” Peter fought very, very hard to keep his faeutral, though his lip did twitch ever so slightly, “Whatever do you mean, Shepherd d’Zaier?” “Don’t be witless.” d’Zaier hissed, pausing, “You aren’t that talented.” Says you, raisier so himself, but nodded outwardly, “Well, five me then.” He said quietly, “I just never wish to assume. Especially since, as an otherworlder, I ’t truly uand your ways since I don’t belong here.” “…” d’Zaier inhaled sharply opening his mouth but exhaling before he spoke, “Then. To be clear — I am most curious as to how you survived your… activities… the other day.” He was uo keep from casting a gowards the executioner’s sword Peter carried, “Is that… a sheet?” “It is.” Peter said. “You d—” “With all due respect, Shepherd—” Peter held up a hand to gesture a pause on the older man’s part, adding quickly “— and apologies for interrupting you. But, if the words you were going to speak were in any way ‘You dare’, followed by some accusation of disrespey part towards the Goddess of Death… I will, politely, remind you that when I received this bde it was without a sheath.” He held up a finger, ting, “Sedly. It is m of the day. I have yet to procure a proper scabbard for the on. Thirdly, Even I know it is foolish to walk around brandishing a naked on, so I did the best I could do.” He paused, then grinned ever so slightly, “Should I, perhaps, then call an oath out to the Family that if I am lying and do intend disrespect… Xtha take me where I stand?” “You would not be so foolish to try such a thing so soon after… yesterday…” d’Zaier frowned, “You py games with our faith, ods, and you will pay the fee when you finally run afoul.” He warned. “I do not py games with faith or belief, Shepherd d’Zaier.” Peter said evenly, meeting the elder’s gaze, “I do not intend disrespe my words. But you must know that when pushed too far, and desperatios in, a person and will go to extreme lengths, no?”

  Shepherd Santis d’Zaier had a twisted face; eyes screwed up, and lips pursed. It gave Peter pause to wonder if there erhaps, a lemon equivalent oyros for that is what the holy man’s face looked like. “You… make a fair point.” He acquiesced, tilting his head and giving a half-nod, “In my… shock… to see you, well, alive, let alone moving… I jumped to clusions.” He frowned, “I am not sure if you’ve heard but otherworlders, in the past, have… made a mess of things uhe guise of ‘bettering’ us, and ‘helping’ us. It is too easy to jump to clusions of a and word because of that.” He pursed his lips, speaking in a halted, teeth-grit, tone, “For that… I… apologize.” Wow…That had to have hurt to say.Peter, smartly, did not speak his thought and only ined his head, bowing a little more in defereo the older man’s high holy stations, “I, too, have jumped to clusions and it has, likely, done me a disservice, making more trouble for me here than I ever meant to.” He frowned, speaking holy, “I certainly didn’t mean to cause trouble.” “I assume not.” d’Zaier frowned, iier.He had to wonder, Peter did, if d’Zaier was trying to find falsehood in his words. A mental shrug from the transported soul was his only thought oter — one ot find a lie if there is not one, after all.

  With an inhale he turo the priest of the Earth God, “I… also apologize to you.” He said, in that same teeth-grit tone, “Both for my subordinate’s as and words and my own… uncouth dispy.” “I uand it to be quite shog.” The priest grinned openly, “Seeing a man whomst you so casually write the death certificate of walking about must have been quite the shoo wonder you reacted suchly.” Oh, I like him already… Peter cleared his throat to hide a cough-ugh, rubbing at it when d’Zaier shot him a look, “Sorry. M ‘crud’.” “I see.”

  With a cough, the priest of Teoh'ir'aen spoke up, “As I told your subordinate, Havengard if I recall correctly…” Which, in truth, he did, if only because Havengard, being his usual self, repeatedly name-dropped himself to impress upon the priest how important he was, “I am here to extend an invitation from not just my lord and master, but his brothers—” he extended a hand, ft, to point at Peter, “— for both Sir Peytr Kharl, and the young dy named Ennalyssa.” “…” d’Zaier twitched at the mention of ‘sir’ in front of Peter’s name, and hearing Ennalyssa’s name. As the words finally sunk in, his eyes widened in disbelief, “Both?” “Both.”d’Zaier frowned, crossing his arms and slipping his hands inside of his robe’s sleeves, “Why do the Pilrs wish to ihe young girl?” “She needs proper ditioning and training as much as her mentor and bodyguard, does she not?” “Do your lords question the ability of my Lady’s capable soldiers?” d’Zaier asked.Peter rolled his eyes, was the older man trying to start a holy measuring test? “I only speak the words they bade me to.” The Priest of Teoh'ir'aen spoke, nodding his head, “No innuendo, intimation, or insult.” “I see what you did there…” Peter said the words before he could stop himself.d’Zaier gred at him but the Teoh'ir'aen priest grinned and Heidynn found herself hiding behier trying not to be seen. “… Be… Because they all started with ‘i’…” Peter expined, blushing, “A-At least to me they do.” He tapped his ear, “In… In the nguage I spoke bay old world.” “My Lord and his brethren wish to extend the invitation to both of them not an insult to you and yours, Shepherd d’Zaier, rather they merely wish to assist their sister in the cultivation of this Cycle’s chosen hero.” He fixed the older man with a peing look, “After all, If she is to face the DaiMaou with the i of saving as many people’s lives as possible while also sealing it… she will need all the help, and instru, she get. Wouldn’t you agree?” “…I… do.” He spoke in that teeth-grit tone again, “And, so, I thank you for assistance… however it is not the girl’s physical training that is wanting…” He fixed Peter with a gre again, “We retly lost her instructor…” “Ah, I see.” The priest nodded sadly, sagely, but cpped his hands and his mood shifted tht and happy instantly, “Well you are in luck!” “I am?” d’Zaier hissed in a worn-out surprise. “Why, yes!” The priest tinued, smiling wider, “It is not just my lord and his brods that wish to help!” “Ah?” d’Zaier bit his lip to keep from frowning. “Well. If the DaiMaou is such that it ot be killed and only sealed then the best of athyrik mastery is needed.” “Well, naturally.” d’Zaier nodded, “And we—” “So, Di’si’thy has graciously givewo an instructor.” He paused, “They would have been here with me but are currently gathering up supplies for lessons.” “Oh, Enna will love that.” Peter grinned widely, ign d’Zaier’s gre at him this time. “I see. Have… any of the other members of The Family…” “Well. My lord and his brothers. The Lady of Magic.” The priest spoke, then o Peter, or rather the sword in his grasp, “I dare say that Xtha has made her feelings known.” “Yes…” d’Zaier frowned, “It’s just… the girl…” “Ennalyssa.” Peter ‘coughed’.d’Zaier glowered, squinting, “… It’s just Ennalyssa… was chosen by The Lady of Light, her Church. She is…” “A hero of the people, yes, I know. All the Chosen Ones were iimes.” The Priest nodded in ‘agreement’ to what he ‘assumed’ the Shepherd was going to say. d’Zaier was certainly not going to say something like ‘She is ours’ after all, certainly not. “And if your lord, his brothers, and Lady Di’si’thy are going to take over her training… I will assume that you will also provide for her food and lodging?” d’Zaier asked, “She is a growing child after all.”This caught the priest off-guard, “I… well…” “It just seems to make seo me…” d’Zaier spoke, a cruel smile f, “What was it you said, Sir Peytr?” “What?” Peter asked in protesting surprise. “Ah, yes.” D’Zaier smirked, his words slid greasy “Something about how you couldn’t do your duty if you were not closer to Ennalyssa.” He shrugged, “It then stands to reason that if you and your lord wish to traihat she be close to your temple so she, and Sir Peytr, are not te. Correct?” “That is… true, yes.” The priest of Teoh'ir'aen nodded slowly, carefully. “That isn’t how I meant it.” Peter protested, “And you know it.”d’Zaier fixed Peter, eyes glinting in appropriated triumph, “But you ot refute my logic, you?” He asked, “It makes sense. And I am but a humble Shepherd. To turn away the invitation of an avatar of the gods—” He motioo the visiting priest, “— is beyond my level of power. It would take the word of the Illuminesce themselves. And even then…” He quietly cpped his hands together, “Though your time here was short… you will be remembered.” He bowed to the Priest before turning, “I shall inform Vaunn of this ge of pns… I am sure he will want to help you, as he has been, with moving out and into whatever new pce you are bequeathed as appropriate lodgings.” He waved at the trio over his shoulder, leaving Havengard behind, “Good day to you both. Goddess watch over you. Swordbearer… see them out would you, I am sure uest will wish to take his new panion to their raining ground.” “You heard the Shepherd.” Havengard smirked, “Let me help you to the gate.” He gave Heidynn a look, “And you are o for being out of uniform.” “It’s… my day off. I was going to the temple to…” She motioo Peter. “Well obviously, a man who is not dead need not be honored or remembered.” Havengard put his hand on the hilt of his sword, “Now. Help me show them to the gate, Swordbearer.” He spat, taking a step towards the priest aer.

  ====================