Chapter 15: Sacred Texts and Secrets

*Date: 33,480 First Quarter - Chalice Theocracy*

They were at the inn Lyra, Fox, and Aris. They had booked a room as mother and son, placing their belongings, which was almost nothing.

Lyra gave Aris the religious manifesto of the Academy and said, "Aris, memorize and more importantly internalize this, or you can't get in." And Lyra left him.

"I will find a way to scramble your potential so they don't notice you as a player."

Aris started to read and memorize the manifesto. The text was dense with religious doctrine:

"The Divine Light flows through all creation, blessing those who serve with pure hearts. The Chalice is the vessel of this sacred power, and through devotion to the Light, we cleanse the realm of darkness. Only through sacrifice and service can one truly manifest the divine will..."

He read and read again. "I can't understand the intent behind this," Aris thought. "This is so generic and bland."

Aris got up from the chair where he was studying the manifesto. "Come on, Fox, let's look for a library. I want to research this more." They both walked down to the inn, and Aris asked the innkeeper where a library was.

The innkeeper was human but obviously a local of Aethyros. "I need to get used to human locals, or it could be my end," Aris thought.

"You villagers so eager to step up, heh!" he commented and gave directions to the city library.

The Grand Library of Sanctum rose before them like a temple to knowledge itself. Massive columns carved with religious statues stretched toward the vaulted ceiling. Templars and priests stood frozen in marble, their stone eyes watching all who entered. At the center, dominating the main hall, stood a woman statue carved in perfect detail - High Priestess Aeloria the White, Leader of the Chalice Theocracy. Her marble robes seemed to flow, her hands raised in blessing, wings spread wide behind her.

"Is it a library or an art museum?" Fox commented.

Guards at the entrance of the library stopped him, asking for credentials.

"Don't you see the kid is here to study for the exams? Let us pass." But the guards wouldn't budge. Fox started to argue, but the guards said, "Keep your familiar in place, or we will."

"Okay, okay, we will leave," Aris said.

At that time, a convoy of priests was leaving the library and saw the commotion. The leader of the convoy a halfling old man with a beard in excellent priest dress of gold, red, and white approached.

"What is the matter here?" he asked in a cheerful old man way.

The guards immediately perked up, standing straighter and looking at the horizon. "This young villager wants to enter the library but has no permission." He waited a second. "Sir," he added.

"Young man, what is your name?"

"Aris, sir."

"I am Priest Kerapha Vale. We cannot let anyone enter our most important place to keep our history and information. Why do you want to enter?" he asked in a kind manner.

That's odd, Aris thought. On the contrary, you should want everyone to enter, read, contribute to shared information. But he didn't say it out loud. This was their world now, and their rules applied. When in Rome, he thought an ancient human saying.

"Sir, I am studying the manifesto to enter the Academy, but there are some parts I am not getting the intent. I wanted to get deeper into it, look at more materials. That's why I came here."

Kerapha smiled. "That's excellent work, young man. I am sure they won't miss a scholarly mind like yours." He gestured to a Fae in his convoy.

"Scholar Myrra Green, could you write this young man a pass until the exam date?" he asked.

The Fae woman immediately walked toward Aris with a hard face, seeming not pleased with the idea. "On it, sir. You go ahead with the convoy. I will catch up."

"Excellent, thank you, Scholar." He turned toward Aris. "I hope you get in. If you can manifest enough intent, the manifesto shouldn't be a problem for a curious mind like yours." He gestured for his convoy to walk on.

The Fae Scholar took them in. Fox bowed to the guards one guard feinted an attack, and Fox ran toward the counter.

She wrote him a pass for 12 days and wished him insincere good luck.

Aris asked the librarian where he could get books linked to the manifesto. After the librarian materialized 12 books and several scrolls to read, he took them to a table and started studying.

"What is intent, and how could I show enough intent?" Aris asked Fox.

"I think it's your magical power, mana, intelligence stupid things you invented," Fox replied.

"I have 12 Manifest, and I am sure it is one of the lowest. I guess we need that bribe after all."

He went back to studying, taking notes of important patterns linked to manifestation. By night, the librarian came and said, "We close in 30 minutes. Please prepare to leave."

Aris thought, "I am on the verge of figuring out this stupid religious manifest," then [Bzzzt!] interference passed through him. He immediately understood this time I gained another title. He perked up and looked around.

Fox stood up from his nap. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I just... I think I gained a title."

"Congrats, I think," Fox said in a jealous way.

Aris stacked the books and neatly rolled the scrolls, leaving them on the counter. He carefully folded his notes and went back to the inn. His stomach was growling he hadn't eaten anything all day. He asked the innkeeper for something to eat.

"You're late, young villager. All that's left from the stew is its stock." He looked back at his wife and said, "We have bread too."

"And your mother was looking for you everywhere." Aris took two bowls of stock and two pieces of bread, carefully giving one to Fox and keeping one for himself, and started to eat.

Lyra entered the inn frantically and asked the innkeeper, "Did that stupid kid come?" she asked in a craze. The innkeeper, somewhat scared, pointed to Aris and Fox eating soup and bread.

Lyra ran to their table and smacked Aris on the head. "Where were you, idiot? I thought you went back or..." She lowered her voice and said, "They took you after figuring out that you are, you know what." She sighed and sat beside them.

"Where were you?"

"I was studying, but the manifesto was too generic, so I looked for a library."

"How the heck did you enter their library? Only officials and students can enter."

"Unlike you, a kind priest took us in," Fox said.

"Who?"

"I think his name was Kerapha. Kerapha Vale."

Lyra made a "pfft" sound. "He is not some kind priest. He is the headmaster of the academy. You didn't do anything suspicious, did you?"

"No, I said I wanted to search more. He asked a library scholar to write me a pass until the academy exam."

Lyra sighed in relief. "Okay then. And I found a middleman. Arranged a meeting with who is responsible for measuring potential."

"That's good, I guess." Bribing still wouldn't sit well with Aris, but he couldn't say anything.

"I think I gained another title."

"We will look later, I am too tired"