Ceremony

Brother Renard opened a door, beckoning him inside the room.

“Please, remove your clothes,” the monk said.

“Remove? Not change?”

“Do you usually bathe with your clothes on?”

“Bathe?”

“Yes, of course. You should step … somewhat presentable in front of the gods.” Renard looked at him with a hint of disgust. Maybe he wanted a typical virgin—a young, beautiful girl—and not a slightly overweight man. Granted, he should probably get rid of the stain from the moment he was surrounded by lightning.

“The bath is already prepared. I will fetch your robes while you try to make the best out of yourself.”

Way to go in telling me that you’re not content with the available virgin choices. Well, who said, that all virgins are female virgins?

He stepped through another door an into a room with a steaming bath. After closing the door, he stored his backpack in a corner and began to undress. With several Years of only taking quick showers, a bath was, admittedly, something he was looking forward to.

After putting the last clothes onto the pile in the corner, he descended into the large basin. If this were hot milk, he would feel like Cleopatra.

The water was very relaxing. He felt rich for the moment, and wondered whether this whole other world thing was maybe worth it.

Though, if this was really another world, with magic and gods that roamed the world … Did they have dragons as well? Hadn’t this Qiin guy spoken of a sword called Dragon Tooth? How large were these creatures, if you could make a sword out of their teeth? Well, there was always the possibility that it was only called Dragon Tooth, and it had nothing to do with dragons.

While he soaked in the warmth, his mind wondered about. Was this bath a sort-of hot spring? What would it be like, if this bath had a whirlpool function? How did magic work? Was magic an innate property of every living being, or maybe even of everything?

“If you are ready, please get out, dry yourself and put on the robes I have prepared for you.” Renard’s cold voice cut like a knife through the hot steam that surrounded him. The monk stood in the corner. A white robe was draped neatly over his arms.

Great. All the relaxation, gone in just a moment. If you wanted to make this a moot point, you succeeded.

“Could you leave the robe in the corner and wait outside?”

Renard didn’t answer. The silence stretched out and out. Neither of them moved.

“Very well,” the monk agreed after an eternity, turned around and rummaged in the corner. When he left, he was carrying his old clothes and the backpack.

“Hey, those are mine.”

“You won’t need them for the ceremony. Now, please change. Time is of the essence.”

“Leave the backpack, at least.”

“You will find everything in your room. Probably after being thoroughly washed. If that is still possible.”

With that, Renard was out of the room. Chasing him was impossible, especially since he was still naked.

With no other choice, he left the bath. There was rough linen cloth next to the robe. Probably their ideas of a towel. Not the soft variant he was used to. You probably shouldn’t complain after getting one luxury in another world. Heh. That could be a light novel title.

The other world aspect sank in only slowly. And in intervals. There wouldn’t be any electricity. He couldn’t charge his laptop. Once the battery was empty, that was it. One of his comfort things would be gone … And there would be no internet.

But they only had to defeat this dark lady, and they could get back. He’d have to use the laptop sparingly until then.

Then he lifted the robes. No shoes. No underwear. Just some white linen cloth in the form the monks wore. They barely fit. Very barely. They were just enough to be modest.

When he stepped outside of the room that held the large pool, Renard stood there, waiting for him.

“The robe is too small,” he complained.

“Ah, do not worry. That will be corrected soon. For now, you have to bear with it.” The monk looked him up and down, clucked his tongue and turned around. “I guess that’s the best you can do. Please follow me.”

“Maybe you should target your summonings better,” he murmured under his breath.

“The summoning ritual did it’s best under the constraints it had to work with,” Renard answered coldly.

“Can you give me some shoes at least? Your floor isn’t exactly warm.”

“I’ll look into it … After the ceremony. It isn’t exactly easy to procure something that fits your size on such a short notice.”

“Just give me my old shoes.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. You need to be as pure as possible, which can’t be guaranteed with any part of your old attire. Are you aware that your … shoes smell like a tinyan flying puma?”

Congratulations on graduating from Insults 101.

“Very well. Let’s get this over with. My feet are not getting any warmer.”

Just as they stepped into the long corridor, he wondered whether the purity argument was really valid. Unless they had sweeped the floor extensively, his feet would become very dirty soon enough.

After what felt at least like half an hour of walking down corridors and up several stairs, they stepped onto the roof of the temple and onto a circular area. Maybe they were above the place they had arrived in.

A circle had been drawn onto the floor. Not a typical magical circle with complex geometric figures and foreign symbols he had seen in several anime. No, it was just a circle.

The low production value might just come from the fact that a force of nature, which magic probably is, can’t read?

“Please, step into the center of the circle,” Qiin instructed.

So, a ceremony that involves only Qiin, Renard and me?

Even though he expected more people to be involved, he was glad that only a few got to see him in these tight fitting robes.

He sighed as he stepped forward and into the ring. What was the worst that could happen? That’s usually a bad thing to ask yourself.

“We have come here to raise a believer into priesthood.” Qiin did this strange sing-song, which was probably a show to underline the supposed sanctity of the ritual.

A believer. That’s a good one. I don’t even believe in myself most of the time!

“State the name of your god, so you may be bestowed with some of his power!”

The name of my god? I don’t have a god. Okay, I’ve been baptized as a Christian, but that doesn’t matter …

Wasn’t there something about not addressing god with a name? Or was that just about making idols?

“Please, state the name of your god,” Qiin repeated. It sounded as if his patience was slipping.

I don’t even know enough of the bible! The only things about god’s name that I remember is that it’s supposed to mean “I am”. I just can’t give a definitive answer … But Qiin wants one!

“State. The name. Of. Your. God.” The impatience in Qiins voice grew. Had the ritual begun already? Was he channeling magic?

“I am-” He didn’t get any further than these two words. Everything around him got weird all of a sudden. There was a pillar of light that engulfed his whole being. He felt as if he was burning. Qiins voice seemed distant and distorted, almost as if he was underwater.

Was he under water? He couldn’t breathe.

“Be blessed with the power of Luaria!” Qiins words cut through the tempest, and the power around him felt like it was finally abating. Or maybe bound by something else. Tempered. And locked away.

The light slowly faded. He could breathe again.

“A blessing once given, can’t be removed,” Qiin said formally. “In order to become a true dual priest, you have to obtain your own god’s blessing.”

Still gasping for air, he looked at Qiin, whose face was contorted while he concentrated. Maybe he hadn’t even heard the things he had said. He glanced over to Renard, who seemed to watch the ceremony with a stoic expression.

“Speak your own god’s blessing unto yourself,” Qiin instructed, sounding angry.

He didn’t want to be part of this ceremony anymore and reached out. His hands touched an invisible barrier. He couldn’t leave the circle. He was trapped.

“Speak. The. Blessing!” Qiin hissed.

The air crackled with electricity, the ring got slowly smaller and pressed against him. It started to hurt.

“Fine!” He was done with this bullcrap. Just keep with the theme. “I bless myself-” He was cut off again. Searing pain assaulted his whole body. It felt as if he was burning. There was so much heat. And light. Pale purplish glowing flames ate into him.

This was worse than anything he had ever felt. Worse than a fever. Worse than sore muscles. Worse than a dentist appointment without pain killers. Worse than all of these things combined.

When the sensations finally subsided, the sun had set, and two half moons shone in the sky. The intense pain was replaced by feeling completely numb. He couldn’t move, because he didn’t feel his body.

When the sensations finally returned, his mind was attacked by wave after wave of feeling dizzy, and he couldn’t tell up and down apart anymore. Or light and dark. Or arm and leg. Eye and Ear.

Anyone? Please, restart my brain!