GCLopes
patreon
Crime Lord Bard - Chapter 4: The Passage
🕑 Added 2025-01-11 21:46:11 +0000 UTC"Next!"
Jamie brushed off his clothes, removing some of the ice and snow that had stuck to his clothes as he climbed the temple steps, following one of the clerics.
He was a bit worried they might try to stop him since Jay had already gone through the process. However, there hasn't been any problem so far.
Upon crossing the imposing entrance, Jamie was enveloped by the majesty of the Great Temple of Aetheron, the sacred dwelling of the sun god.
‘Although, compared to some cathedrals on Earth, it might seem like an ordinary church. For an isolated city like Frostwatch, it may live up to the title of Great Temple,’ the boy thought.
At the top of the temple was a dome that opened to the skies, allowing golden rays to fill the hall. At the end of the hall was an immense stained glass made with colored crystals in the shape of a sun, projecting patterns and lights onto the stone floor.
The temple walls were adorned with intricate sculptures that narrated the myths of creation and the feats of Aetheron and his brother. A stone path indicated the way between the temple's entrance and center.
A few devotees were sitting in the shadows of the temple, watching the blessings given to the youths who would undergo the Passage.
Along the way, the phantasmagoric cat followed Jamie, taking the opportunity to observe more of the temple. ‘I was never very religious, and when I went through the Passage, I was so nervous that I overlooked the details. It's quite a large temple for Frostwatch,’ the cat spoke in Jamie's mind.
Jamie nodded in agreement with the cat but did not respond, avoiding making noise in the silent environment.
"The bishop is waiting for you in the Passage Hall," the cleric pointed to a smaller room separated from the main hall by a curtain.
Jamie nodded and passed through the curtain.
Like the rest of the temple, the room was made entirely of grayish stones. In the center of the room were two chairs and a small wooden table. On one side sat an old man with long white hair and a beard. However, his eyes were full of life.
Upon noticing Jamie's entrance, he raised one of his eyebrows and evaluated the boy.
"I've already finished your Passage. I warned you that you would regret it; there's no way to change your class," the bishop informed with his hoarse voice.
"It doesn't matter. Try again, and you'll see that it works," Jamie said, sitting in the empty chair.
"Stop being stubborn; there are still other people in line. Aetheron wouldn't like to see one of his clerics act like this," the bishop said while waving one arm covered by an enormous white robe with golden details.
"Even as a bishop, you have no idea what Aetheron wants or doesn't want," Jamie said confidently. "Let's do this: you try again. If I'm wrong, you can complain to the lord to increase my punishment."
"And if you're right?" the bishop asked, intrigued.
"Oh! Now you believe there's a possibility I'm right? If I'm right..." Jamie paused momentarily, thinking about what could help his journey. "You'll allow me to accompany you to the city I desire."
The bishop knew that the son of a lord traveling with his group would be a huge problem, both for the church and the nobility. However, although he had asked, in his mind, there was no doubt that James was just a desperate boy wanting a chance to change his class.
"Alright," the bishop replied, taking several cards from one of his robe pockets.
The bishop closed his eyes and began to chant words indecipherable to Jamie. Suddenly, he opened them again, but his pupils had disappeared; his eyes were completely white, without any trace of iris.
‘He initiated the Passage ritual,’ Jay explained in Jamie's mind.
Suddenly, all the light in the room disappeared. The room was in absolute darkness, except for the cards spread on the table; each of them began to glow in different tones and intensities.
The same cards began to move slightly, shifting from one side of the table to the other, until they finally started to levitate and float, dancing in the air. Similar to how Aetheron had done in the white room.
Golden letters, resplendent like rays of the sun, appeared before him:
| Your future lies among the cards.
| But they are not fixed.
| Choose the path you wish to travel.
As soon as the letters finished being written, some cards began to circle around Jamie, some closer and others more distant. Each of them had an image and a title written on them.
Jamie saw three cards close to him: Sorcerer, Rogue, and Ranger.
‘Interesting,’ Jay commented.
However, the initial phrases were quickly erased, and the floating cards fell heavily onto the table and the floor.
| Error!
| ERROR!
| ERROR!
Instead, warnings began appearing in front of him and throughout the room. Jamie could imagine the reason for the error; he wasn't supposed to be there. Unlike perhaps the other people who were called to the white room, he couldn't say he was a good person.
| Those with tainted hearts should not be among the selected
| Villains cannot be heroes
| Heroes cannot be villains
| Still, you will need to choose a path
The cards that had previously floated with a golden glow quickly burst into flames; in their place, there were new cards, each with a bluish light.
| These will be a better fit for the path you will tread.
Three new cards approached the boy, spinning close to his face. He could see their images and titles: Shadow Dancer, Assassin, Bard.
Jamie extended one of his hands, trying to see the cards better; as soon as his finger lightly touched the "Shadow Dancer," some words began to appear on the back of the card.
Humans have always feared the night, locking themselves behind bolted doors or comforting themselves with bonfires as the shadows grow, fearful of the creatures that roam the darkness. However, long ago, some learned that embracing an enemy is the best way to conquer it. They were the first shadow dancers.
"A class description?" the boy questioned himself. At least it would help him make the decision. He turned to the next card, touching the Assassin.
A mercenary who carries out his task with detachment and professional coldness, the assassin is equally skilled in espionage, bounty hunting, and terrorism. An assassin is an artisan, and his instrument is death. Trained in different techniques to kill, assassins are among the most feared classes.
Finally, the last card he picked up was the Bard.
Countless wonders and secrets are reserved for those skilled enough to discover them. Through their wit, talent, and magic, these cunning individuals unravel the world's mysteries, becoming masters in persuasion, manipulation, and inspiration.
‘Bad options. Bad options,’ Jay said in his mind.
"What do you mean?" Jamie asked.
‘Shadow Dancer is quite complex, besides being specialized in close combat. You’re using my body, and you can be sure it's not prepared for something like that. Assassin—well, you can understand its problems. Bard is a class to inspire others, but it's not strong in combat,’ Jay explained superficially, even because he himself didn't understand.
"They're not bad options. At least not for someone who knows how to make use of them," Jamie commented.
‘Learning something like this would be quite easy; Shadow Dancer could be an option.’ But Jamie didn't want to train this body until he could make the most of that class. Assassin he discarded due to his natural bad luck whenever he needed to kill someone. ‘Bard. It's not a bad option,’ he thought. ‘Persuasion, manipulation, and inspiration are always useful skills when I have my band.’
Jamie extended his hand, holding the Bard's card.
"What do I do now?" he asked.
‘Tear the card,’ Jay explained.
As soon as Jamie tore the Bard's card, the bishop returned to normal, gasping for air as if he had been suffocating.
"Di-did it work?" the bishop asked, shocked.
"It worked, and you owe me a trip with your group. I will collect on that," the boy said, already getting up from the table.
The bishop rested his head in his hands, questioning his experience within the church and everything he had ever seen in the world.
Both began to walk toward the temple's entrance, but before leaving the premises, the cat asked one more question.
"Aren't you going to look at your status?"
