Chương 103: Chapter 100: Processed Food

It was late at night, her body ached, she was sweaty, and she stank. But, frankly, Brandy had never felt more alive. Before today, if anybody had handed her a survey asking her to rate how she felt about crawling through mud, sifting through monster guts, and nearly getting eaten alive… multiple times… her response would have been easy. 0 out of 10, do not recommend. After experiencing it twice? 9 out of 10, not enough chaotic gremlin-dragon-gnomes.

L'menia was an amazing stand-in, make no mistake, but she didn't have the depth of ability or the penchant for thinking outside the box that Melia had. Brandy spent half the dungeon run glancing to the side, expecting to see a flash of bubblegum-pink highlights, and then some zany, insane play, but it never came. On the other hand, the team was really starting to come together with a defined chemistry that had everyone acting as a unit. Perhaps that made L'menia's sudden inclusion all the more impressive.

As a result, Brandy stocked up on all the little moments that would make Melia smile that little smile of hers, filled with childlike wonder or giggle out with uncontrolled glee. But she wouldn't be able to deliver any tales tonight, as the group was simply a little too done. They made it out of [PoD] safe and sound, but it had been a close shave. Once again they'd tried for the boss of the 40th floor, but this time it went poorly.

The majority of the fight went about the same as it had the first time, which was easy enough until the boss hit the 20% mark. One of the girls had gotten out of position, by no real fault of their own, and Al had needed to tank a pretty powerful blow that would have otherwise ended a squishy. As such, he was already low on health when the arena flooded and he lost consciousness while his lungs filled with slime.

The group started to panic as his status in the party window changed, and it only got worse as his health bar began to plummet in real time. Brandy buckled down, focused hard, and called upon every trick she knew to keep him alive. His health would spike, dip, and spike again, each time refilling slightly less of his total bar. And that was with Brandy needing to keep tabs on everybody else, too. Fortunately, the girls remained focused, burned through the rest of the boss, and defeated the disgusting thing.

If they hadn't been out of time before the boss, they certainly would have been afterward. Brandy didn't know how long they simply lay on the floor, exhausted, spluttering up bits of goo, and frankly she didn't care. They deserved that rest, just like they deserved the win. [Sunrise] didn't even bother riding back to StoneCairne that night. Lethia produced an unreasonably comfortable campground with a deluxe tent, complete with furnishings, and personally took on the role of night watch.

While they had (and used) several trinkets and devices to ward off monsters, nothing would ever be as effective at keeping unwanted disturbances away as a rank 14 [Retainer]. The group claimed their reward for clearing [PoD] and everyone basked in the glow of leveling up… except for L'menia, who smiled wanly at her pitiful gains. She would need many more runs at deeper levels to make any meaningful progress.

While they couldn't exactly say that they woke up "bright" and early (as no one ever could in Whispershade), the morning found them energized, refreshed, and raring to go. Ellesea was particularly fired up, which Brandy found infinitely amusing. The small girl was usually quiet and reserved, and truthfully she wasn't acting too differently, but Brandy could see her fidgeting impatiently and muttering under her breath as she cast small cantrips at sporadic intervals.

"You okay there, Ellesea?" Brandy asked, slightly amused as a shower of purple sparks exploded in the [Mage]'s face. Her head jerked up, just as surprised that somebody saw her blunder as she was at the blunder itself.

"I'm fine! Really!" She muttered hurriedly. Brandy caught Jessica's eye and they snickered. Brandy might have been a little more concerned if she hadn't been pelted by one of those errant sparks earlier. It hadn't hurt (in fact, it wasn't even a physical sensation), but it had spooked her.

"Relax," Jessica smirked.

"I know you're excited, but don't blow yourself up before we get back home. At least let Melia congratulate you for hitting rank 4." Ellesea's goal of learning the secrets of ancient [Mages] was well known to the party. Brandy found it endearing, even if she did bust out laughing when she finally realized the differences between old and new spells were a matter of patch notes. Not that she could tell the party that, or if she really believed it herself, seeing as this was a living, breathing world.

Instead, she steadily encouraged the small [Mage] to try her best. If anybody could do it, Brandy was sure Ellesea could. And that wasn't Brandy being generous with platitudes, either. She'd seen plenty of gifted people content to skirt by while putting in the bare minimum of effort, while occasionally, rarely, someone with less skill but a better work ethic could produce results. Ellesea was nothing if not determined.

Hence the constant display of fireworks as they made their way back to StoneCairne so they could take the [Aetherlines] back to Abbyton.

"Do you think Melia will be able to help me sort out [Teleportation]?" Ellesea asked as they materialized in front of the abbey. Ellesea had exhausted all her thoughts (and most of her anxiety) regarding "haste technique" on the morning ride. Now, it was midday and she'd moved onto the real main topic of her class. Rank 4 was a defining milestone for most [Mages], one that generally saw them move from apprentice or journeyman status to full-fledged magehood.

It was also where the majority stopped fighting for levels. Yes, they sometimes gained one here or there, but not with the same zeal or determination as the lower ranks. Not only were levels harder to gain the higher a person climbed… but usually, the average [Mage] hit rank 4 in their early 40s. Ellesea had reached the gold standard and she practically had an entire lifetime ahead of her.

Brandy wasn't sure there were any analogs she could draw comparisons from to comfort the fidgeting [Mage], but there was one thing she was fairly confident of.

"I doubt it," Brandy chuckled. Ellesea's face fell before hardening with determination.

"Don't get me wrong," Brandy quickly amended.

"She'd love to try. She'll be so excited to help. But…well…."

"Nothing Melia does is normal, right?" Jessica added for her. Brandy nodded.

"Do you really want to learn weird, bizarre techniques that nobody can help you with if you're struggling?"

"Well, since you put it that way…," Ellesea muttered, "... yes. I'll take my chances." The group chuckled and patted her on the back. Now that their bodies had ample time to adjust to the discombobulation of teleportation, and their eyes had acclimated to the harsh light of the afternoon sun, the group looked around. As ever, the abbey was a quiet, tranquil place. Birds chirped while nestled in tree branches, and the occasional bleat of an animal drifted over the rolling plains.

The faint rustle of men working in the fields was a timeless symphony of honest labor… while accompanied by the subdued grating of stone-on-stone as the [Moai] heads occasionally turned to stare at something that came too close. Yes, Melia had left an indelible mark on this place. For the better, Brandy thought, though the sight of the giant heads still filled her with exasperation.

"Was that there the last time we were here?" Ellesea asked. She was pointing to the small building next to the fields, and while Brandy knew there had been a small shack before, she didn't think it had been this well built. Now it was closer to a small cottage.

"Something powerful is happening in there," Ellesea muttered.

"I can feel it from here…."

"Should we go check it out?" Al asked in a slightly worried tone. Such a [Paladin]. Always selfless, always trying to offer something, even if he didn't have anything to give.

"I don't think it's anything bad," Ellesea said.

"At least, it doesn't feel bad to me." The abbey wasn't burning down, and the group didn't have anything super pressing to take care of, aside from finding Melia. They could always use their chatgems to get ahold of her if they needed to, so long as they were in range, so they decided to take a look. When they got close, they found a lovely little building fit for any noble's garden, with an astounding number of enchantments and spell workings woven into the brickwork.

Brandy could see the magic for cooling and preservation. She would have guessed it was some sort of food cellar, except she could smell an abundance of paper, parchment, and books. She narrowed her eyes. Was this some sort of annexed library? Ellesea knocked on the door and it was answered swiftly. A middle-aged man with deep blue robes and thin glasses opened up.

As usual, he first looked up at Brandy, since she was the tallest and had a distinct coloration, but he quickly looked down to see who was actually calling. His eyes landed on Ellesea, and he must have noticed something, because his eyes lit up.

"Ah," he smiled pleasantly.

"A student? From the Academy? If you're here looking for a position, I'm afraid there are no openings. There's a list of people wanting a piece of what we're doing here, and most of us were fortunate to get in on the ground level."

"Professor?" Ellesea looked taken aback. If she currently had him or had been his student in the past, she didn't say. She shook her head and continued.

"Ah, no. I'm quite satisfied with my current arrangement. My party- we're adventurers-" Behind her, [Sunrise] waved, "We were originally based out of Abbyton. We're fond of the abbey and we return from time to time. We haven't seen this building before and were wondering what it was."

"Ah," the man said as recognition dawned on him.

"A shame. A talent like yours would be welcome here. I'm sure some strings could have been pulled."

"Me?" Ellesea asked, pointing to herself.

"You know of me?"

"You're the Barnes girl, yes?" The man asked.

"You're quite well known amongst the staff here. The Headmaster speaks quite highly of you."

"The Headmaster?" Ellesea asked, sounding slightly nervous.

"He's here?"

"Yes, he funded and manages this project, don't you know. Though he's at the North Station at the moment, not here in the Hub. A fantastic opportunity to study such rare and fascinating magic… would you like to come inside? I'm sure there's something that might catch your eye." Brandy chuckled to herself. What an about-face. Well, at least their fame was doing them some favors this time, unlike the last time in Horizon.

Ellesea was already taking an eager step toward the door when Brandy placed her hand gently on her shoulder.

"Perhaps another time," Brandy said in her soothing, melodic voice. The man seemed stunned that a high elf was addressing him and Brandy resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"You say the Headmaster is to the north?" Brandy couldn't help but think of the last time they'd had to come running back to Abbyton on account of the Headmaster's ominous letter. Thankfully, all they'd had to deal with was a plague of children and mischievous sandwiches. While the thought of food made her hungry, she figured the group had better check in on the man before another fake emergency broke out.

"Yes," the researcher said sadly, watching Ellesea get pulled back by Y'cennia.

"By God's Greenhouse." Brandy started to nod and froze.

"... what."

"Ah?" The man said quizzically. He noticed how Brandy's eyes narrowed and gulped with a nervous smile.

"Ah, that's just what we're calling it, you know! Just a name! Nothing more!" Brandy didn't know if his sudden backpedaling was because he knew she was a [Saint] or maybe he thought the name was a touch sacrilegious. Brandy didn't care either way, but she knew somehow she was going to get dragged into some weird shenanigans. After all, that stupid avocado tree was inside there. She shook her head and decided it was future-Brandy's problem.

"Thank you," she muttered tartly, stomping away. It took her team several moments to catch up with her, as she had very long legs compared to the rest of them, but when they did, they were all smiles. Especially Jessica.

"Sooo," she teased, "I couldn't help but notice you weren't too big on that name they gave the greenhouse?"

"Frankly, I don't give a damn what they call it," Brandy let out a frustrated sigh, "So long as they leave me out of it."

"But I'm guessing they aren't gonna?" Jessica prodded. Brandy paused her marching and put her hands on her hips.

"Have you been inside it yet?"

"When Melia first built it, yeah," Jessica nodded.

"But not since?"

"No, why?" Brandy debated whether she should really tell them. Especially with a [Paladin] of Light present.

"Because I planted a tree," she eventually admitted tiredly.

"A 'holy' tree. Celestara was craving avocados and she begged me for a tree. So I went in there, asked for a tree, and she…blessed it. Now there's [Celestara's Avocado Tree] inside the greenhouse."

"Celestara's Tree…," Al muttered, changing course to walk to the greenhouse. Brandy caught him on the shoulder much like she previously caught Ellesea." If we have time later," she begged.

"We'll go see it if we have time later."

"... fine," Al said, though it was clear he felt he was making a great sacrifice by not paying his respects right now. They continued moving, but they only got about a hundred feet before they were stopped abruptly again.

"What is that?" This time it was Y'cennia who stopped them. And while Brandy couldn't blame her, she most certainly was not going anywhere close to where the catgirl was pointing. In the distance, where the crappy old well used to be… was now… something. Brandy wanted to call it a resort, as she'd seen pictures of things similar to it in travel magazines, specifically to Japan or Iceland. Since this one had those funky red shrine gates, she was leaning more towards a Japanese onsen.

But there also appeared to be a set of brothers and a [Priest] conducting a religious ceremony, and Brandy was not getting involved. Ain't no way she was doing a fantasy baptism or whatever they had going on.

"Whatever it is, it's got Melia's fingerprints all over it," Brandy muttered darkly.

"What has that girl been up to while we were gone?"

"The Mistress does need minding," Lethia said in a motherly way, reminding the group that they were not alone…and they weren't the only ones familiar with Melia's hijinks.

"We should find her before something really weird happens," Brandy sighed.

"What's more weird than a large ceremonial pond appearing where the well was?" Jessica asked.

"What's a [Moonwell]... and are they normally Artifact rarity?"

"I don't think you can normally build them," Alastair said.

"They're holy relics of the elves."

"Even more reason not to go over there right now!" Brandy said, steering them away.

Eventually, they got far enough away from the cursed well that Brandy no longer feared holy retribution. Of the performative kind. Meaning, she was certain, to an alarming degree, that if Celestara found out they had a [Moonwell] on one of her locations, she'd nag Brandy into doing something with it. Brandy had no idea what, but it would be insane. Like trying to cook an onsen egg or somehow experiencing a moonlight dip while living vicariously through Brandy's necklace.

If [Sunrise] ever managed to free this pesky goddess, before Brandy headed back to Earth (but after she gave the goddess another piece of her mind)... maybe she'd find a way to take the poor girl out for a night on the town. But right now, it was more hassle than it was worth. And that was all Brandy's mind was occupied with as they walked, so much so that she bumped into her teammates as they seemed to freeze on the spot and created a mini traffic jam. But nobody asked"what's that" or anything similar.

Nobody had to. As Brandy looked up, she understood. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Melia had done something, something outrageous. Though Brandy had no idea what it was.

"Why is there a purple dome in the field?" She asked in a tired voice.

"Melia?" Jessica asked, for once sounding as tired as Brandy felt.

"Melia," Al agreed. The group carried on, and they came across what appeared to be a well-dressed bum standing at a table. Brandy's eyes stung a little at the…pungent aroma wafting from the man. He probably hadn't slept in days…and he certainly hadn't bathed in that time, either. As they got closer, Ellesea let out a gasp and Brandy groaned.

"Headmaster?!" The shaggy man turned around and [Sunrise] recoiled. His eyes were completely bloodshot and Brandy's magical sight could see several spells orbiting the man, buffing him. Alertness, Wakefulness, Dispel Sleep, Dispel Hunger, Energy X, Stamina X, Replenishment V. Brandy wanted to laugh. He'd done the magical equivalent of chugging a four-pack of energy drinks and taken a triple shot of espresso. She'd seen some of her co-workers try things like this, and it never ended well.

"Miss Barnes!" The Headmaster's voice was shaky, rapid, and slightly high-pitched.

"You've come. Good to see you! Yes. Marvelous! What a spectacular day to be a [Mage]!"

"Head…master?" Ellesea repeated. She seemed stunned.

"Perfect timing," he rambled on, oblivious to the presence of everyone else.

"I could use an assistant. All the other ones have wandered off. Something about sleep? Sleep! Hah! Sleep. Might be nice. But no! Not yet. Not now! Not while there's so much to discover, so much to be seen!" He waved behind him at the purple barrier and rambled on. [Sunrise] could do nothing except take part in this impromptu lecture, smiling patiently.

"An [Obliteration Veil]! Have you seen one? No? I should think not. They're rare. Complicated. Powerful! Ritual magic. Usually takes teams of [Mages] to stabilize. Teams, I say! And here we have one, stable. Powered by the leyline. Permanent. Miraculous!" The rest of the team were blown away by the torrent of words, but Ellesea seemed drawn in.

"But why?" She had the presence to ask. Brandy almost wished she hadn't.

"Ha!" The man barked.

"Seclusion! Hiding in plain sight! Keeping things secret! Safe! Observe!"

"Wait-" Brandy barely had a second to let her eyes grow wide as a powerful spell took hold of all of them. The Headmaster wrapped the entire group, the [Retainers] included, into a bubble of mana and…teleported them. About a hundred or so feet closer? It was hard to tell. But Brandy could see, after her head stopped spinning, that the table they'd been standing at was far behind them. While in front of them….

"Behold!" Headmaster Veloran cried mightily.

"The sleeping dragon!!" Brandy slapped her hand over her face as her whole group let out a series of groans. There, in the middle of the field, now that the bubble seemed to have vanished, was Melia. Sleeping on a mountain of gold.

"Dragon," Jessica instantly blurted out.

"That's gotta be the most dragon thing I've ever seen."

"Yup," Al nodded.

"Totally dragon."

"Do…dragons sleep on piles of gold?" Brandy asked.

"My girl," the Headmaster scoffed.

"Do they sleep on gold? What else would they sleep on? But as for you!" He pointed at Al and Jessica.

"Dragon, you say? I'm not so sure. I've been studying this…Lady Meliastraza Obsidianheart. She might disguise herself as a gnome and take on the form of a dragon, but I'm not so certain she's either. Can you not feel the intensity of the magic around you? The splendor of her power? She bestows such miracles of magic upon the people and resides in this holy field…are we simply too blind to see her divinity?"

"Headmaster," Ellesea said slowly.

"Perhaps…it's time to lie down?" The headmaster turned to her, about to scoff and start a brand new lecture on…something…when he seemed to notice something was different about Ellesea.

"My dear girl!" He cried with genuine delight.

"You've hit rank 4! My most sincere congratulations!" Ellesea quickly went through a whole host of emotions. Her cheeks instantly turned pink and she started to dip her head bashfully, but then her eyes narrowed. Her smile took on a predatory twinge as she was probably thinking of how best to take advantage of the Headmaster's…peculiar condition.

"Thank you!" She beamed.

"I made it! It's finally time! Now I can enroll in [Teleportation] classes!"

"Ah, [Teleportation]," the Headmaster agreed sagely.

"The rite of passage for many a [Mage]. I'm sure Professor Ordaz will be most glad to receive you."

"I'll make sure to sign up at my earliest convenience," Ellesea agreed quickly.

"But I hear it's quite difficult. Do you think you could give me some pointers…?"

"Oh ho, clever girl," the Headmaster chuckled.

"Thinking to get ahead of the pack, is it? Well, I'm in a jolly mood, so why not? All you have to do is-" And he winked out of existence. Brandy groaned while Ellesea ran her hand down her face. Of course, her plan backfired spectacularly. The man, caught up as he was, really did genuinely want to explain his reasoning to Ellesea. But he did so by showing, not telling, and so whisked himself away in a [Teleport] before any explanation was forthcoming.

Jessica cackled while Al patted Ellesea consolingly on the shoulder. Y'cennia alone looked worried.

"Should…we track him down? Make sure he didn't, I don't know, teleport into a wall?"

"That's not how [Teleport] works," Ellesea said, dejected.

"But I have no idea where he went."" Not too far," a deep, feminine voice said. Brandy looked up to see one of Melia's giant eyes open lazily. It stopped at a half-lidded, sleepy look, like she just woke up from a nap. Which was quite likely. The eye peered past them and through them, looking into the abbey." He's asleep in an armchair in a lounge."

"That's a relief," Y'cennia muttered, though Brandy thought Ellesea should have been the one who was concerned. Instead, she was staring at Melia with a calculating look, even as she turned back into a tiny gnome.

"I don't suppose you have any words of advice on learning [Teleport]?" Melia glanced up at Ellesea, smiled hugely…and then frowned.

"Hmmmmm," she said in a drawn-out hum.

"I think by now you know I'd love to teach you everything I can," Melia said earnestly.

"But I'm not a great teacher. I can take you on [Teleports], I can [Teleport] you or anyone else while you observe, but I don't know how much I can actually tell you about the spell." She shrugged sadly and Ellesea looked disappointed but resigned.

"Look," Melia encouraged.

"Whenever you want, we'll practice. [Teleports] and [Portals] are mainly tricky because you need to have a very strong familiarity with where you want to go. Unless," she added with a deprecating chuckle, "You just overwhelm reality with magic."

"You can do that?" Jessica's eyes bulged. Brandy found herself morbidly curious. Just how powerful was her friend?

"Sure," Melia shrugged.

"All you gotta do is think of something you have strong emotions for. Something you want, need, love, hate, or keep forgetting to do over and over and over until it's like the bane of your… OH!" Melia snapped her fingers like she was running out of the apartment and had gotten all the way to her car before realizing she forgot the shopping list upstairs. Then, her tiny gnome hand bulged and grew into a monstrous dragon's paw, twice the size of her head. She made a fist, stuck out a claw, and…

ripped a tear in reality. Brandy couldn't see inside, but she heard a loud squawk that sounded suspiciously like Moeldywn while Melia reached into her inventory, pulled out a gigantic teddy bear, and chucked it through. Melia closed the tear, reverted her claw to normal, and dusted off her hands. She smiled as if she'd just accomplished a nifty job, while the group stared down at her judgmentally.

"What?" She asked innocently while batting her eyes.

"Oh! Congratulations! You all leveled!"

"You can only deflect for so long, Mel," Brandy sighed.

"But thank you. Should you really have done that to poor Melody?"

"She could probably use the pick-me-up?" Melia smiled nervously.

"Anyway! You're back! In one piece! And Ellesea made it to rank 4!" The group had done well. It seemed that reaching floor 40 was more beneficial to those below rank 4, while those above earned less experience. Brandy, as the lowest level, had the highest increase. She'd gone all the way up to 202, while Alastiar had made it to 387 and Jessica was catching up at 380. Ellesea had just barely made it to 401, giving her 10 full levels, while Y'cennia had only earned 5, putting her up to 415.

"Thank you," Ellesea preened. Melia seemed to think about it for a second, and then did something slightly crazy. She pulled out her [Spellbook], that giant thing that recorded all of her class skills, spells, and abilities, and started flipping through it.

"You were interested in learning haste casting for [Arcane Blast], weren't you?" Melia asked.

"I know it's not much, but I'd like to give you this. Don't worry, I'll still take you [Teleporting]." Melia found the page she wanted, pulled a piece of paper from her inventory, and quickly copied it over. She handed it to Ellesea, whose eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

"You…you're giving this? To me?" She stammered. Melia nodded enthusiastically and Brandy seriously doubted it "wasn't much." The moment Ellesea touched the paper, she yanked her hand back, as if burned. She stared off into space, and the group started chattering wildly. Al and Jessica were both asking if "she got it," whatever that meant, while Y'cennia was practically beaming. Melia looked incredibly nervous, like she'd just done something terrible, and Brandy was just starting to piece things together.

"I…" Ellesea gasped, "... have a class evolution."

"Are you going to take it?" Jessica asked. Brandy wondered for a moment why somebody wouldn't, but then she thought about things like talent specializations in the game and quickly realized why somebody might not be keen to evolve their class if it wasn't their preferred tree.

"Yes!" Ellesea breathed. She closed her eyes and…did something. When she opened them up, she was supremely satisfied.

"I'm an [Arcanist]," she said proudly.

"An [Anarchist]?] Jessica scoffed, earning her a bop from the staff."

"[Arcanist]," Ellesea repeated, "Like 'arcane.' Master of a single element."

"Oh," Melia said, dropping her head. Ellesea chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm not locked out of others," she said, summoning a fireball.

"But my affinity for the arcane grows."

"Well, I hope that helps," Melia said, pointing to the paper. Ellesea clutched it tightly to her chest.

"So I take it the trip went well?" Melia asked like some grandma quizzing her grandchildren on how a preschool day outing went.

"Fantastic," Brandy said, cracking her neck.

"Though I think we need time off again. That last boss almost killed us." Melia tensed and Brandy cursed internally. She should have watched her words, eased her in on it. But after several seconds of heavy breathing, Melia calmed down.

"That's…good," she forced out, but her smile was genuine.

"That's great! Are you getting any closer to your goal for the gods?" The group froze and Al shot her a worried look. Melia laughed.

"No, she hasn't told me what it is yet. I'll get it out of you sooner or later! Just you wait!"

"Well, I suppose in a way, yes," Brandy admitted.

"We're all higher level. One step at a time," she sighed.

"One step at a time," Melia agreed.

"But," she glanced up at Brandy with a slight wince, "Now that you're back…there's something you gotta do that I'm thinking you might not like…." Melia peered past them and as Brandy followed her line of sight, she cursed internally. The [Greenhouse] was calling. It was time.

Bishop Francis Larkin, ordained [Cardinal] of the Bastion of Light and one of Celestara's chosen few, was ready. The [Saint] had returned to the abbey, all the moving pieces were settled into place, and now the ceremony could begin. Some might say today's processions were a bit… unorthodox. To an observer looking in from the outside, there were many irregularities. First and foremost, they might try to refute the validity of the [Saint].

Many people in these modern days would question the status of a high elf as Celestara's champion. After all, she was the goddess of the humans, not elves. But those were the same people who would tread lightly down the Walk of Remembrance and gaze upon the statues of the Heroes, and not see the faces for the stone. Their history, or their faith, was lacking. Other people might be outraged at the presence of a dragon. One that very well might be a demigod or avatar in her own right.

But she was, at the very least, on friendly terms with the lost Goddess of Light, or else Celestara would never have accepted the sapling that acted as a vessel for her holy artifact. And others still would balk at the arrival of four dozen halflings, just this very morning. Francis took it as a sign that the gods approved, and that his actions were just and meet. The race of Little People were not vagabonds or nomads. They dwelled where they were planted, much like the fields they tended.

The large crowd of child-sized adults had approached him, their leader adorned in the garb of a [Priest] of Moore, saying that they had received a command in the form of a dream to be here this very day, this very hour. They were to witness a divine harvest as Moore's anointed. Then, if Celestara was willing, they would move to Abbyton, create a dwelling among a low hill of spongy grass, and tend to the trees and the fields. Francis did not often need to don his [Vestments of Faith].

Oh, his ceremonial ones, all the time. Especially any time the king called upon the church to make him look flashy and important. But the actual rank 9 [Vestments], through which he could call down [Holy Fire] and [Pillars of Wrath], he seldom wore. Today was one such occasion when they were not just welcomed, but a necessity. He donned the crimson robes, the white mantle, and the steepled hat. He picked up his gnarled [Liferoot Staff].

He clutched a set of time-worn and weather-smoothed prayer beads tightly in his hands, brought them to his lips, kissed them, and said a silent prayer. It was his fondest, deepest wish that his Goddess be returned to her former glory. He sometimes dared to dream that it might be in his lifetime. Today… was one step closer to making that a reality. The halflings, for all that they were simple people, understood tradition better than most. They cleaned up well and wore their finest clothes…

though Francis disguised his mirth every time he glanced down at their shoeless feet. They lined the walk leading up to the [Greenhouse] on the left, while every member of the abbey lined the right. Between the adventurers, the [Saint], the halflings, the dragon's [Retainers], and, indeed, the dragon herself in her gnomish form, every race was present. Aside from the demons, who would not greatly appreciate the return of Celestara. Francis could not be more proud, nor humbled, that he was chosen to oversee this…

movement of the world. He checked his robes, adjusted his hat, and cleared his throat.

"Let the [Saint] come forth!" He swore he heard some dark muttering from the serene, beautiful elf, but it surely had to be a whisper in the wind. Her vibrant skin shone brightly in the midday sun and her eyes sparkled with magic and kindness. She was the perfect vision of Celestara's compassion. As she approached, her party members, the adventurers known as [Sunrise], fell in step behind her.

A few of the more staunch traditionalists of the church protested their appearance, saying they would make a farce of this holy moment. Francis threatened to disallow them from attending, and they quickly changed their tune. The [Saint] strode by in her stunning silver gown, like moonlight on the water's surface, or like sunshine after a rainy day. The perfect blending of two peoples, two sisters in the pantheon. She entered the [Greenhouse] and Francis directed the procession to follow.

[Celestara's Tree] had been roped off, but the lengths of rope had been switched out from their rough, plain lengths of twisted cords to a rich, velvety braid dyed crimson. A pulpit had been set up near the tree and Francis took his place behind it. He saw the [Saint]'s face darken as he pulled out a sheet of papers and he almost felt himself chuckle. Surely, just a shadow or a trick of the light.

"Brothers in the Light," he began, "I need not tell you of the dark days we live in. A dusk, shrouded in peace, creeping ever closer to the night. It has been over 100 years since Celestara last manifested to walk among us…." Out of the corner of his eye, Francis saw the [Saint]'s shoulders slump. Ah, even the most devout grow weary of long speeches. Fortunately, he'd had days to prepare this sermon, and though he had it written down before him, he had it memorized by heart.

So it was that he was able to catch the [Saint]'s necklace begin to glow. He was greatly intrigued, but he pressed on. He would not allow the curiosity of his flesh to hold him back from fulfilling his duty.

"... we are strong. We are faithful. And today…we are being rewarded. Celestara has blessed us with an artifact…most holy. This golden avocado. [Celestara's Avocado]. Rejoice! Her return is near!" The crowd roared its approval as the [Saint] approached the tree. The golden trunk stretched high into the air as the tree was allowed to grow freely, but fortunately the [Saint] was a tall woman. She approached the avocado, reached up her long, slender arms…and paused.

"I swear, I don't know what kind of toast Melia has in her inventory or what types she can make, but you're going to take what she gives and you're going to like it." The crystal dimmed ever so slightly before shining bright again. Francis' lips twitched, but he would not be dismayed. Certainly, he misheard. As soon as the [Saint] touched the [Avocado], a halo of light appeared above the tree. She sighed, gently pulled, and the heavy, golden fruit slid gently into her hands.

The halo shrank until it was but a donut of light above her hands. She held it out in front of her, tuned, and hoisted it into the air.

"Celestara!!" The [Acolytes] cheered.

"By the Light!!" The [Priests] cheered.

"For Her Radiance!!" The [Monks] cheered.

"For a really tasty dip…," a very bright and bubbly voice muttered somewhere near his ankles, but he dared not look down. The procession quickly headed back inside the abbey, where they gathered in the chapel, away from the harsh sun. Francis had some [Deacons] direct people to the pews while he oversaw the handling of the artifact. … Normally, artifacts were a little less… perishable. He watched, slightly amused and slightly concerned, as a table was brought out next to the altar.

The [Saint] decreed that [Celestara] desired [Avocado Toast]. Francis was not familiar with the recipe and worried that he'd need to send for a [Chef] from the capital. To his great relief, among the dragon's many skills and professions, [Cooking] was one. She put on the gear of a [Master Chef] and hopped onto the table. Though he knew not to underestimate production classes, Francis was always surprised whenever he saw their skills in action.

From start to finish, conception to consumption, he watched the gnome work. The most terrifying and surreal moment happened right at the beginning. She brought out a knife… and cut the avocado. Francis told himself this was natural. This is what [Chefs] do. They make food. Avocado is a food. And yet, he nearly cried out in panic as someone defaced Celestara's artifact! The giant, egg-like fruit was half the size of the gnome, yet she handled it with perfect precision. In a flash, it was sliced in half.

While the skin was golden, the flesh inside was perfectly yellow, the color of morning sunshine, the rays of the sun at dawn, the pit like the sun itself. With a flick of the knife, the seed was removed and set aside. Francis watched it carefully get wrapped in silk, placed in a preservation box, and carried away. Back to the avocado. … there seemed to be a debate going on between the dragon and the [Saint], which nearly caused Francis to faint.

[Cardinal] though he might be, he dared not get between a goddess' Champion and a demi-god. The gnome seemed to think that the avocado should be made into a dip, mixed with [Lime Juice], [Sea Salt], [Diced Onion], [Cilantro], [Jalapeno], [Garlic], and [Tomato]. And then eaten with… chips made of toasted or fried corn. The [Saint] was obstinate that Celestara wished for toast… and after a few tense moments, the crystal around the [Saint]'s neck glowed white. This time, the toast would win…

but Celestara would not be opposed to this… dip. Once disaster was averted, the gnome worked fast. Within just a scant few breaths, she had molded, kneaded, and baked the ingredients into delicious-smelling sourdough bread. She picked up a spoon, scooped up half of the avocado, and… mashed it into a bowl. She then spread it on the freshly baked bread, put it on a plate, and presented it to the [Saint].

[Celestara's Avocado Toast] Level: 1 Rarity: Divine This is a quest item. Somebody might be interested in this.

Avocado toast: when your breakfast has a stronger personal brand than you do.

Francis…didn't quite know what to do with that, so he pretended not to see. It didn't matter much for very long, because as soon as the [Saint] picked up the plate and set it on the altar…it vanished. Or more accurately, it was consumed by a pillar of golden light. The entire room erupted in gasps…which then fell into complete silence as a blessing fell upon everyone present.

[Celestara's Radiant Grace] Level: 1 Rarity: Divine All Primary Attributes: +50% All Experience Gain: +100% Luck Rating: +15 A buff. A godly buff. Francis bowed his head in reverence. And then…a thought occurred to him. What was going to happen to the other half of the avocado? As soon as the thought entered his brain and he looked over at the table…a smaller pillar of light shone and consumed the rest. No extra buff was given, but tears of pure joy poured down Francis' cheeks. His goddess heard him. She was near.