Dimension System - Chapter 106

[Angel]

———————-

After pushing ourselves through an extended march, we were finally able to reach the gates of Mane Ros. The gates at the feet of the large guardian statues were manned by Sun Templar guards, who immediately noticed our large party approaching. Fortunately, we had the bishop with us, so we were not met with resistance. However, the guards were slightly unnerved by the Dawnbreaker orcs.

They didn’t quite know what to think, when they saw them marching in an orderly fashion. It was also quite confusing to see them clad in armor that bore the church’s symbol. Normally, orcs were known to move in a somewhat chaotic and unorganized fashion. However, none of that was present with the orcs they saw before them. Some of the orcs were even flag-bearers, holding intricate flags that also bore familiar Helios symbology.

Due to the unusual composition of our group, a captain of the Sun Templar was called out to assess the situation. Striding out atop a Golden Sun Tiger, the captain called out to the gate guards with a commanding presence.

“What’s going on out here? Why is there so much commotion at this time of night?”

Turning to answer, the nearest guard gave his report.

“Captain, sir! Bishop Krenalis had just arrived and we’ve got his party at the gate. They’re currently asking to be escorted to the central temple. He stated that it was an urgent issue. Our reports indicate that he’s brought an initiate, who commands a small battalion of men and a tribe of orcs.”

Taking a deep breath, the captain calmed himself, before asking for additional details.

“I’m going to need more information than that.”

Pointing to the gate, he motioned the captain over to us.

“Right this way, sir. They’re waiting over here.”

Approaching the portcullis, the captain finally appeared before us, speaking to us through the other side of the closed gate.

“Good evening Bishop, may I ask why you have so many troops accompanying you? Also, can you explain the orcs?”

I was lucky that Bishop Krenalis was a smooth talker. His seemingly silver tongue worked in our favor this time, as he regaled the captain with the story of our harrowing journey. Narrating the events, he recounted our many battles and long hours of marching through the remote path. I noticed that he did embellish the details slightly, however, it wasn’t anything to egregious.

Eventually, I could see that the captain was growing bored of the story. After getting a thorough enough explanation, he motioned for the guards to open that gate and allow us into the city. Keeping a weary eye on us, he personally escorted our group through the austere streets. Unlike the opulence that most Helios buildings possessed, many of the houses and buildings were plain and simple, giving off a very ascetic vibe.

Clean, even cut stone had been used during construction, which was a stark contrast from their usual choice. While we traveled past, I was able to catch a glimpse of the interiors, which were sparsely decorated. Some of them had little more than a simple cot, a small desk, and a few candles. Perhaps, only the truly devoted and spiritual practitioners lived here? It made sense, if they strived to abstain from the various vices and pleasures of life, in order to achieve enlightenment.

I noticed several simple adobe ranches along the way, where brown robed servants tended to small plots of crops or animals. More space was needed for these buildings, so sun-dried bricks had been used from the nearby clay deposits in the mountains. Golden Buffalo was being raised in one of the pens, while a few Golden Sun Tigers sat lazily in another, and I even saw an occasional Pegasus mount being trained.

During our march through the clean and quiet streets, we attracted some attention from the residents. Many somber faced men and woman in robes peeked their heads out, to see what was happening. After confirming that the sound of multiple footsteps wasn’t an attack, they ducked back inside their simple dwellings. No gossiping or rumors? ‘How studious these people were’, I thought to myself.

In the middle of the city, sat the central temple, which appeared to be the largest building in Mane Ros. While it wasn’t decorated with extravagance, the temple was very well lit. Taking a closer look, I had to rephrase my earlier statement. Though there were a great amount of lights placed, the brick walls themselves were coated or plated with some kind of crystal that also emitted light. Combined with nearby minimalist architecture, it made the building give off a very pure and clean feeling.

The bulk of our troops waited outside the main temple, while we took the guard captains in with us. Since our arrival was quite late in the evening, there weren’t many people worshiping inside the temple. Instead, we were greeted with the scene of a few servants cleaning and preparing for dawn service. At the pulpit on stage, a white robed elderly man observed and oversaw the preparations. He noticed our presence right away and moved to greet us.

“Bishop Krenalis, I’m surprised and shocked to see you here. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

With equal parts excitement and exhaustion in his eyes, the bishop responded. While the two conversed, I noticed one of the older brown robed servants struggling to lift an unwieldy candelabra.

“This young initiate is a man of promise and talent. He’s displayed exceptional skill and wise judgement during our perilous journey here.”

I had stepped over to help the servant, while their conversation was going on. By this point, the bishop, white robed man, and the captain from the gate who’d escorted us, were going over the tale again. Terry, Varguk, and the captain of the Sun Templar who’d journeyed with us, took notice of my example. They each moved in to start helping the brown robed servants with preparations for dawn service.

“Thank you, young man. It’s not often that people to stop to help those in need.”

Accepting the praise of the servant, I asked why the others weren’t helping out more often, motioning to three senior officials engaged in discussion.

“Shouldn’t they be helping you get ready? Aren’t we all members of the same faith, after all?”

Laughing, the servant responded, before going back to assist others who were still working.

“They may have shed their material greed and avarice, however, arrogance is much harder to get rid of. Even more so when one has a taste of power.”

As we parted ways, I returned the bishop and others who were still discussing. The bishop was quick to layer on even more praise, having noticed my small deed of kindness.

“See, even without being told, his heart guides him to aid others. Cardinal Eckbert, we must inform Archbishop Solari and have Angel formally inducted. I firmly believe that his rank is beyond that of initiate.”

The white robed man, who I just learned was called Cardinal Eckbert, stroked his chin while contemplating. After a few minutes of thinking, he replied.

“To see you so adamant and excited about this, I trust your judgement bishop. I’ll inform the Archbishop at once and we’ll adjust the dawn service. It’s good to see you in such high spirits again, however, you should all get some rest. There’s a few hours left before dawn, head to the dormitories and let us take care of the preparations.”

Turning to address me, the cardinal gave a few parting words.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Angel. I’ll be expecting great things from you. Please follow the bishop and get as much rest as possible.”

Before leaving the temple, we knelt at the altar for a quick prayer and to give thanks for a safe journey. I decided to have a little fun with them, using some sunlight from the system to glow for a few brief seconds as we departed. The cardinal and nearby brown robed servants were all shocked by the incredible display. Apparently, I’d left a deep impression on them, which I’d find out about tomorrow.

Joining up with our troops outside the temple, we said goodbye to the gate guard captain who’d escorted us. He left to return back to the entrance gate, while we followed Bishop Krenalis to the dormitories, where many of the citizens rested and slept. Not quite as large as the central temple, it was similarly constructed from adobe clay bricks. We entered in and discovered that many people of all robe colors were relaxing by a large indoor fireplace.

Recognizing the bishop, a large group of people called us over to sit by the fireplace. Apparently, nights were spent relaxing and conversing to kindle fellowship between the citizens. Everyone was drinking a clear golden liquid from simple wooden cups, occasionally topping up from large carafes that sat at each table.

Swinging his hand in a sweeping motion, the bishop introduced me to everyone.

“This here is initiate Angel, he’ll be inducted tomorrow by Archbishop Solari. Let’s get him his first glass of Sun Juice!”

A wooden cup was filled and passed over to me, as the bishop clinked our cups together in celebration. The contents looked like white grape juice, yet it also had a faint smell of alcohol. ‘Is this wine?’

Taking a sip, I was met with the familiar taste of grape juice. A system prompt rang out, detailing what this ‘Sun Juice’ really was.

[Material analyzed:

Name: Sun Juice

Type: Alcohol (Wine)

Rating: Level 1

Description: Sun Juice is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of young green grapes. The wine is put through a Pasteurization-like process, which reduces most of the alcohol content. By the time that the product is finished, it’s alcohol by volume falls to a range of one to two percent. It’s often said that one would get full long before getting drunk.]

Savoring the taste, it was quite refreshing and brought a smile to my countenance. Though weak, the wine was still incredibly delicious. This also mean that the Church of Helios had grapes. Grapes! This would open up a whole new world of possibilities for the system.

[Devil]

———————-

We didn’t stick around the Rangers base for too long. Gathering up the Loot Sect crew and the accompanying villagers, we set sail as a fleet. At least, we’d almost set sail, before one of the men reminded me of my promise.

“Didn’t you promise us a week long party, if we caught the creature?”

Everyone went silent for a moment.

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“That’s right, Fred. I almost forgot about that. Thanks fer reminding me.”

Once, I’d confirmed the celebration, the crew immediately started cheering and conversing happily.

‘See Marc, I remembered! That’s a good thing, right?’

‘Yes Fred, you did good this time!’

‘Hooray Fred!’

Two galleons, a makeshift ocean liner, and several small sloop ships all turned around and headed back to the Ranger base. If I’d promised them a party, then they would get a party. When the base noticed our abrupt return, some of the rangers approached to confirm everything was alright.

Ensuring them that everything was fine, I let their staff know that we’d be staying for a few days. Naturally, the Rangers remembered my excellent cooking skills, and were delighted to have us stay at the base. We’d made some major gains by acquiring an actual Dragon, so there was no need to rush on ahead just yet.

A few days off here would allow me to bond with the young dragon, cementing our relationship, while also allowing me to ascertain exactly what it could do. After that, we could depart from the base and continue the celebration from our ship’s deck. It would also give me a few days to decide where to go, or which direction we would head off in.

Thanks to the efforts of the spatial world citizens, there were now several types of liquor, as well as new beers available. We also had all of the old types to choose from, which was a staggering collection when it was all put together. I was able to bring out several different casks, allowing everyone to sample a great variety of choices. While everyone was busy sampling, drinking, and discussing, I was able to put out a few dishes.

Pineapple glazed ham, Corn on the cob, Tortellini stuffed with squash, and many other dishes were all prepared for everyone to eat. The amount of ingredients that I had access to was slowly improving over time, though there were still many that I wanted to acquire. Oh, I’d almost forgotten to put out a few dishes with fish.

Cajun Crab Potato Skins offered a little heat from a pinch of Habanero pepper, grilled Tuna over rice and carrots allowed the fish to shine as the star of that dish, while baked Mahi-mahi and Marlin exhibited a delectable crunch. Soon, we’d be able to prepare Sushi as well, however, Zanir wanted to save that for the opening of our new city.

We still had plenty of varied and tasty things to eat, so I couldn’t really complain. In fact, most people on Norantal didn’t eat anywhere close to this good. My crew had been traveling with me for some time, so they’d become used to such a spectacle. The nearby Rangers, however, didn’t possess an immunity and were stunned by the amount and caliber of the food.

Eating and drinking, we passed away the time, as everyone complimented me on the food and beverages. The Rangers had verified that the tidal pool was now uninhibited, so they were authorized by their superiors to drink to their heart’s (and liver’s) content. During the feast, I snuck away from the rowdy crowd.

Away from prying eyes, I brought out some food for the hungry dragon, who had remained invisible on my shoulder the entire time. Quickly returning to the visible spectrum of light, the young dragon was happy to gulp down various grilled, fried, and baked fish. Taking the opportunity, I started asking it some questions.

“So is there anywhere that you want to go from here? Or perhaps anywhere you’d like to visit in particular?”

Pausing to answer between crunches, the dragon answered.

“I don’t sense anything too magical nearby. If I sense anything nearby, I’ll let you know.”

The dragon had revealed a very useful ability! It could sense magical energy in the nearby area. That would definitely come in handy and allow us to pick up some interesting things. Continuing our conversation, I asked another question.

“When you get bigger, do you happen to shed any scales off?”

Looking up at me with innocent eyes, the dragon answered.

“Yes, they get really itchy and some fall off. Then new ones come in! When they grow back, they’re even stronger and tougher. I usually just throw the old ones away.”

Shocked, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Dragon scales were renowned for their toughness and a top tier component for armor. Apparently, the dragon didn’t even realize how valuable they were. I shuddered to think how many scales had been tossed aside like rubbish.

“When that happens again, let me know and try to save some of the scales. They’re very valuable and hard to get.”

Surprised, the young dragon was momentarily sad.

“I threw a lot of them away before. Sorry, I didn’t know that they were valuable. I thought everyone had them.”

Petting the dragon’s head, I let it know not to worry about the past.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You had no idea they were precious. To you they’re just scales that grow on your body. For us, they can be made into lifesaving armor.”

Cocking it’s small head to one side, the dragon exclaimed disgust.

“Ewww! You mean people would be wearing my dead skin? Isn’t that really gross?”

I assured him that it was a perfectly normal practice.

“For humans, it’s a great honor to wear dragon scale armor. That kind of thing is usually only reserved for the greatest warriors and adventurers.”

Beaming with pride, the young dragon hopped around with the last remaining fish in it’s mouth. It never missed a chance to act important and mighty. I imagined that it must have been some kind of ingrained instinct in all Dragons. Hopefully, it wouldn’t become an issue as the little dragon grew older.

Chatting for a little while longer, I eventually motioned the dragon to return to me. It turned invisible when we headed back to the feast, which was still in progress. Everyone had become even drunker during my brief absence. Since there was time to kill, I decided to join them. Sipping on a delicious glass of bourbon, served neat, I was caught by an unexpected surprise. The glass was empty, much sooner than I anticipated.

‘Had I spilled some of it? No that couldn’t be it. Could it have been…’

While I wasn’t looking, the invisible young dragon had been stealing sips!

Momentarily concerned for it’s health, I quickly remembered that it had a strong constitution. However, it didn’t have any tolerance and soon started swaying back and forth on my shoulder. Too lazy to maintain it’s invisibility, the dragon eventually slumped down and settled itself. The shock and surprise of seeing a dragon suddenly appear, was enough to cause several of the Rangers to spit out their drinks.

My crew, on the other hand, had already gotten used to the small creature coming and going at random. Breaking out into an old sea shanty, they caught it’s attention. Before long, everyone was singing together, producing a cacophony of sound. None of them were trained singers and everyone had been drinking heavily, so one could imagine how awful it sounded.

We carried on like this long into the night. Even the usually reserved higher ups took the chance to cut loose for a bit, much to the shock and surprise of the rank and file Rangers. Eventually, I retired to the captain’s quarters on my docked galleon. Despite it’s formidable constitution, the young dragon was tired and yawning. It was still a child after all.

Producing some spatial water, I drank a few glasses to help stay hydrated and clear my mind. I made sure to have the little dragon drink plenty of spatial water as well. Thankfully, it was too tired to put up any kind of protest. I didn’t want it to have a bad hangover the next day.

Just as we settled down for the night, it let me know that it sensed something entering the area.

“I sense something.. but I can’t tell what it is.”

Half-murmuring, the young dragon quickly fell asleep after that. We’d have to investigate what it was tomorrow. Whatever it was, it had enough magical powerful to set off the dragon’s senses. Hopefully, it would be something that we could easily handle.

Letting my thoughts drift off, I slowly started to fall asleep. The sound of the dragon’s snoring filled the cabin, breaking up the otherwise quiet atmosphere. Like a lullaby, the subtle sounds of the ocean provided background noise. Gentle waves washed by and receded, until I lost count.