Chapter 1: A New Journey

  “Merciful Father, creator of all,

  Open your arms and receive this soul,

  Forgive the sins he committed in life,

  And guide him back to paradise,

  On the endless Fields of Prydain,

  Where his ancestors wait for him,

  Where he shall live forever,”

  “Selah!”

  Nina watched Verkan finish the prayers. A vast crowd gathered around the funerary pyre, paying their respects to the deceased Clan Lord before it was lit. It was a cold, windy night, and dark clouds descended from the mountain range, threatening to unleash a storm upon them at any moment.

  But the storm never came as if the Gods themselves kept them at bay, allowing the funeral to carry on uneventfully. In Clan Irfis, it was customary that warriors and other high-status individuals be cremated, although being buried just began to gain acceptance. The Lords from the other five major Clans were in attendance, along with their entourage of warriors.

  But despite being elderly, Lord Burgan of Clan Irfis had enjoyed a long, healthy life, and his sudden passing shocked everyone. He had gained numerous enemies throughout his life, and all of them came to pay their respects one last time to the adversary they couldn’t defeat in battle. The Clan’s code of honor extended even to his enemies, the boundaries of battle, and beyond the grave.

  To say she was nervous would be an epic understatement. Nina could barely hold herself together, feeling the eyes of everyone on her gradually crush her. She watched her mentor Verkan perform the rites flawlessly, as expected of such a renowned priest while she took mental notes and aided him the best she could. She was a Field Priestess herself after all.

  This was her very first trip on duty, and her first actual service too, but Verkan had offered to take her place, being an old acquaintance of the late Lord, and he noticed just how nervous she’s been after overhearing her practicing the rites, and fumbling with the words. The funeral of a Clan Lord just wasn’t something that happened often, and not the best time for a first-timer to debut.

  Well, in my defense, being a priestess it’s hard! She thought. She had to pass difficult tests just to qualify as an apprentice. And life in the academy wasn’t any easier either, enduring hours after hours of rigorous lessons every single day, for five long years, just to be given the first rank: Field Priest.

  Nina had it easy since she could read and write already but many of her classmates had to learn it first. After that, they had to embark on years-long trips to distant lands, usually in the company of a more experienced priest. Becoming a priest and preaching about the Seven Gods was an honor and a privilege. Not many could get that far in life.

  But Nina couldn’t be more thankful. She was lucky to have such a caring, and understanding mentor as a close friend of her family. He had moved a few strings here and there to have her assigned to him. Verkan was a living legend, both to the church and to the people. He has completed fifty-two trips over the continent, more than twice that of any other priest. The clansmen revered him, and his services were very much appreciated, even by the proud and stubborn warrior caste, which were never known for their humility.

  She watched Verkan in awe. Who knows how many times he had done the rites before?! How he held himself together in front of such important people was beyond her. He knew these proud and stubborn people wouldn’t change their ways overnight, but the church steadily increased its influence on the highlands.

  Verkan was conducting an ancient ritual instead of those mandated by the Church of the Seven. He knew the late Lord well, knowing he would have wanted to be sent off to his ancestors in the old-fashioned way.

  Nina raised the urn with the incense just as Verkan recited the final prayers. The funeral lasted longer than she had expected since so many people wanted to pay their respects before the pyre was lit. She let out a sigh and walked to Verkan to talk a bit, but he found himself overwhelmed by the crowd. Everyone wanted to thank him for the service, especially the Lords and elders from the other clans.

  Some of them already knew about the newest priestess but this was the first time they met. Her father had fought beside them against the Empire during the war and needed no presentation. But Nina felt uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to social events any kind, and even less of this importance.

  -“Such a rare sight, gentlemen,” Verkan said, smiling. -“It’s been a while since I’ve been between such a distinguished company,”

  -“The last time we all gathered we were fighting a war,” said Lord Raglan of Clan Malcroft. -“Of course, Burgan was more alive then,”

  -“Insulting a man at his funeral is unlike you, Raglan,” said Lord Zeke of Clan Harmak. -“You are just annoyed you could not take his head,”

  -“The bastard died before I could,” Lord Raglan countered bitterly. -“We had agreed on a duel a while ago,”

  -“Better to fight imperials than waging war between us,” said Lord Galba of Clan Haldir. -“Those damned ‘imps’ still haunt me in my nightmares,”

  -“Says the one who did not even fight,” said Lord Urza of Clan Kano.

  -“Please, alert me, Lord Urza, who was guarding your rearguard from the pirates?” Lord Galba replied.

  -“I truly appreciate everything you have done for us, Lord Galba,” Verkan barged in changing the subject, bowing gracefully at him.

  -“You mean training outsiders,” said Lord Urza of Clan Kano.

  -“Just like you trained the Northmen, Urza,” Lord Euron of Clan Aureon barged in. -“But we’re not here to discuss past grievances, but the future. Are we not?”

  -“Indeed, my Lord,” Verkan said.

  -“Please, Verkan, we are between friends,” Lord Euron said, patting him on the back. -“By the way, who is your lovely aide?”

  -“Oh, where are my manners?” Verkan replied, turning to her. Nina gulped. -“This is Nina Valdir, Field Priestess of the Church. She’s accompanying me for now. Nina, this is Lord Euron of Clan Aureon,” Lord Euron nodded in return.

  -“N-n-ni-nicetomeetyousir!” she mumbled, bowing repeatedly.

  -“No need to be so tense, miss!” Lord Euron said, chuckling. -“I’m glad to have someone so enthusiastic around,”

  -“Thank you, sir,”

  -“No need to,” Lord Euron said. -“We shall watch your career with great interest!”

  -“You already know Lord Galba of Clan Haldir,” Verkan said. Lord Galba just smiled in return. -“Lord Urza of Clan Kano, Lord Zeke of Clan Harmak, and Lord Raglan of Clan Malcroft,”

  -“Nice to meet you all!”

  She just wanted to run away and read one of her books in peace. What was she supposed to talk about with a Clan Lord?! The weather?! She was about to excuse herself when Verkan beat her to it. -“We would love to talk a bit longer but we must light the pyre. If you excuse us,”

  -“Of course,”

  Saved by the bell! Nina let out a loud sigh. Verkan just patted her on the back. He walked to the altar, took a torch, and then lit the pyre which began to burn steadily. Verkan turned to her, and just a look at his eyes was enough to let her know that she would have to get used to this kind of attention.

  To put it bluntly, people expected a lot of her, and she feared they might make a habit of reminding her of that. Nina knew the responsibility of becoming the leading priestess in the highlands would befall her one day since Verkan had already reached the age of retirement.

  But Verkan still had a lot of life in him, and stubbornly refused to retire, preferring to wander the highlands as long as he could. Yet she had to give a good first impression to the Clan Lords who were still reluctant to take the Church seriously.

  They walked to the town center where a huge banquet was going to be prepared. Several wooden tables lined up, where hundreds of guests would soon gather, eager to taste the most delicious delicacies on the continent. Clan Irfis spared no expenses and contracted the services of the most famous cook in the highlands for the occasion.

  The banquet being prepared was worthy of a King, and Nina was delighted to try it soon. Meanwhile, Verkan walked away to the town’s outskirts to have some words with the cook’s chief, an old woman who he seemed to know.

  Curiosity got the better of her, and she sneaked closer to better hear. Nina sat a few yards behind them to listen to their conversation. Nina pulled a book from her bag, pretending to read it. At night, duh. The woman seemed to know Verkan well, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she was an old flame of his.

  Nina closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild. Verkan has always been extremely reserved about his personal life. Hearing him open up with anyone would be pure gold. She could only wonder but apparently, he was quite popular with the ladies.

  And how could he not? Even at his age, his heavenly blue eyes, short silver hair, and rugged looks were hardly unpleasant. That he was always smiling only made it better, time has been extremely kind to him. Verkan had aged really well.

  -“Well, well, well,” Verkan said, playfully. -“What a nice surprise!”

  -“Look who’s back from the dead!” Lady Nana replied but her tone made it difficult to tell if she was joking or not. -“I thought you kicked the bucket ages ago,”

  -“It's nice to see you, Nana. It’s been a while,”

  -“What do you want now?”

  -“To catch up with a friend... if you don’t mind of course,” Verkan replied, leaning closer to her.

  The woman next to him, however, has seen better days. Nina had thought she was at least a decade older than him. Lady Nana was a hard-working woman and had many children in her youth. She had founded a renowned cooking enterprise that grew into the most requested in the entire continent.

  -“I guess I can't decline this time,” she replied, now with a gentler tone. -“I've always had a soft spot for you,”

  Nina sat with her back facing them as to deceive them of her real goal, keeping an eye on them by looking at their reflexes in a nearby glass window.

  -“Don't take it personally, Verkan. I’m like this with everyone. You know how it is,” Lady Nana explained.

  -“I know,” he said, smiling. -“But it wouldn't kill you to be just a little bit nicer,”

  -“I’m too old for that, Verkan. Besides, those girls need someone to look up to,” she replied, pointing toward the tables getting ready for the upcoming feast.

  -“They’re all grown up now,” Verkan said.

  -“It's amazing how fast they've grown,”

  -“That’s Lily, isn’t it?” he pointed to someone he recognized. Nana just nodded in return.

  -“It wasn’t long ago that I helped her mother give birth,” he said, recalling his old times as a medic. -“You wouldn't believe it, Nana. She used to fit in this hand right here,” he pointed at his open palm with a finger. -“Look at her now, a beautiful young woman. By the way, how is her mother?”

  -“She is fine,” Nana said, smiling fondly. -“She had a baby boy not long ago,”

  -“Another boy?” he asked. -“The family’s growing,”

  -“He will follow in his father's footsteps and help in the trading company,” she said. -“Business is blooming since the Imperials cleared the waters of pirates,”

  -“That’s some good news,”

  -“I’m planning to leave her in charge of everything. She’s grown a lot,”

  -“Indeed,” Verkan said, looking at her with mischievous eyes. -“She looks almost exactly as you did sixty years ago,”

  -“If a bit taller, maybe,” Nana said, nonchalantly. He smiled. -“I was quite the looker back in the day. You weren’t too bad yourself either, even to this day! Just look at you! What’s your secret?! The souls of the damned?”

  -“Why, thank you, Nana. Always so considerate,” he chuckled. -“If there is a secret it would be to never have gotten married,”

  -“Say Verkan, we’re getting old for formalities,” Nana said, turning to him. -“All the girls in town had a thing for you. You never tried anything, didn’t you?”

  -“No, I fell for the only one who didn't,”

  -“Yeah, it was a shame, really,”

  -“It’s a shame indeed,”

  Who would have thought it?! Verkan grieving a lost love! He really must have loved her to mourn her loss for so long. She wouldn’t even dare to ask such a personal question, and he most certainly would never just tell her such a thing out of the blue.

  It was the kind of thing that people talk about only with their closest friends. Nina burned with guilt for eavesdropping. Was this why he became a priest? It must have hurt him a lot.

  It’s been decades since the last time they saw each other, and they still trusted each other. Even though it wasn’t good to dwell in the past, sometimes it’s ok to let out the things that hurt. Doesn’t it?

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  -“Well, I can understand why you are so hard to approach, Nana. Keeping all the vultures from your girls surely isn’t easy,” Verkan said.

  -“It would kill me if any of them go through the same I went,” she replied.

  -“Nobody wants that for their children,”

  -“I want them to be happy, and marry someone they fall in love with,” Nana said, her eyes locked on her girls. -“I know what is like to have a marriage arranged on you,”

  -“I understand,” Verkan nodded.

  -“I hated my husband, you know. The truth is that I don't miss him,” Nana confessed. Verkan just nodded, allowing her to continue. -“I never forgave him for killing Argon,”

  -“I know how you feel, Nana,” Verkan said. -“But you can't blame him for doing what was expected of him. Besides, Argon walked into that duel knowing the stakes. That's just the Clan’s way,”

  -“I know! But poor Argon lost that fight already! He didn't have to kill him!”

  -“A warrior's honor is difficult to understand, Nana,” Verkan said. -“He was my friend too, I’m sure he would rather die than live a life without you,”

  The clansmen would fight to solve any issues they couldn’t solve diplomatically. The Clans had several ‘Trials’ as they called them, and warriors would fight until one of the parties was left satisfied.

  Sometimes they would fight to the death, especially over matters of love, and honor, but they also fought over less egregious issues like promotion and assignments. Verkan knew Argon well. They were best friends, and he knew he would have preferred death than to watch the love of his life be taken by his rival.

  The clansmen would consider it an honorable death, and so did Verkan, but he also understood poor Nana who was forced to marry her suitor’s murderer. She never had a choice.

  Such was the way of the Clans.

  -“Don't get me wrong, I’ve never refused my duties as a wife. I’ve learned to tolerate him through the years but never really loved him,” Nana continued. Verkan just nodded.

  -“But I do love my children. I never blamed them for what that bastard did. He tried to be a good father, at least, and we never lacked anything. He gave me five beautiful children, and they gave me a dozen grandchildren,”

  -“Quite the numerous family,” Verkan said.

  -“Not to mention great-grandchildren. Dying young was the best thing Imran did for us. I took my children and moved to Dawnfall. I began cooking ever since,”

  -“There is always a bright side,” Verkan said. Nana smiled in return.

  -“Soon I got so many requests that I couldn't handle them alone anymore. My children helped me through the years, and then their children too,”

  -“Your food has always been incredible,”

  -“They went on different ways, and live their own lives now,”

  -“Some of them are coming back, though” Verkan replied.

  -“Their help is always welcome,” Nana said, turning to her girls. -“Ari and Mina are good, but Lily… Lily is clumsy but has a knack for cooking,” she motioned to Lily setting up the tables. Lily waved at them.

  -“She hasn’t realized it yet, but she surpassed me long ago,” Nana admitted, waving back at her. -“I'll make sure she inherits the business when my time comes,”

  -“Come on, Nana. There’s still plenty of time before you free us of your stubbornness,” Verkan teased her.

  -“If you say so,” she replied.

  -“Enough about me, Verkan. Tell me about you,” Nana said.

  -“There isn’t much to tell, really,” Verkan said, scratching the back of his head. -“Just traveling, doing the same things as always, helping people, you know how it is,”

  -“You have always been good with people, I've always admired that,” Nana said.

  -“What can I say? I'm just as stubborn as you are,”

  -“And what about that little aide of yours?” she asked, pointing to Nina.

  Nina’s heart skipped a beat. Are they going to talk about me?!

  -“Aide?” Verkan countered as a grin formed on his lips. -“You won't believe this, Nana, but she’s a Field Priestess already. Her name is Nina,”

  -“Nina?” Nana replied. -“I recall that name,”

  -“You should,”

  -“Don't tell me that's Elia's child!” Nana said, startled. Verkan just nodded in return.

  -“Speaking about growing fast,”

  -“She might not look like it, but she’s smart and incredibly talented. She will take my place one day; I'm getting too old for these travels,” Verkan said, glancing at Nina.

  -“Come on Verkan, there’s still plenty of time before you free us of your stubbornness,” she said, echoing his response.

  -“If you say so,”

  -“It’s a terrible habit for a Priestess to overhear people,”

  -“Don’t be so hard, Nana. You also love gossiping,”

  She froze. Maybe she should have been so overly obvious with her overhearing but was having a blast. They kept talking a bit longer but more and more people began gathering around the tables and the ever-growing noise just made it impossible to overhear anything.

  Nina put her books in her bag and walked away. She searched through the tables, looking for something to keep her distracted when Verkan showed up out of nowhere, tapping her shoulder. -“Next time, make sure not to sit in plain view,” he teased.

  She gulped, feeling her cheeks warming up. -“S-s-sure,”

  Finally, the banquet was ready just as the guests started to arrive. The tables had been arranged at the village’s square, adorned with candles, fine tablecloths, and luxurious silverware. A captivating smell emerged from the building used as a kitchen, and she let her nose feast upon the sweet scent. What kind of feast was waiting?

  Then Lily rushed to them and walked them to their table. Nina sat beside Verkan, her heart suddenly filling with an appreciation towards Nana and her girls, watching in awe as she bossed everyone around. Nana was brash, and tactless, to put it mildly, and the clansmen loved her for it. They respected authority, and if there was one single thing they respected more than a warrior and his sword, or a priest and his faith, it was a master and their craft.

  Speaking of said craft, Nina could only gape like a fish when the waitresses began serving the food. There was grilled steak dressed in red, green, or white sauces, fruits cut in different shapes, and forms, and salads of countless varieties, and colors. More than just a cook, Nana was truly an artist.

  -“The clansmen aren’t used to this kind of luxury,” Verkan said. -“As wealthier they may seem at first glance, they lead austere lives,”

  -“Why?” Nina asked.

  -“That’s their way of life. They have been like that for centuries,” Verkan said. -“Each Clan is different from the other, but they all are divided into castes,” he explained. -“The Elders form a small council that chooses a Lord through different tests. These tests are known as Trials,”

  -“Trials?” Nina asked, intrigued.

  -“Yes,” Verkan said. -“They are usually retired warriors, but they can also come from other castes, depending on each Clan. The Lord rules over the Clan and commands the warriors. They sit at the top, and form the ‘military branch’ so to speak,”

  -“Then underneath them comes the working caste. They form the main workforce. Farmers, blacksmiths, cattle runners, and many other professions manage the logistics. People themselves are considered ‘property’ of a Clan, and each Clan defends their property from attacks of other clans, clanless bandits from the lowlands, and raiders from Northland,”

  -“I see,” Nina said. -“And why are they like that?”

  -“You see,” Verkan continued. -“The Clans evolved through many generations, from small family cores to large organizations with hundreds of thousands of members. People pledge allegiance to a Clan by giving away something in exchange for membership and protection, usually their current or future children. Children are separated from their families at the age of seven, and they form small groups called ‘braithreans’ in the care of caretakers,”

  -“Braithrean?”

  -“It means ‘brethren’ in their ancient language,”

  -“Yeah, but don’t they become estranged from their families then?” Nina asked.

  -“That’s exactly the point,” Verkan explained. -“They’re supposed to pledge loyalty only to their Clan, and to each other. Even the Lord’s children are separated from him, in this way; they become equals to one another. They are indoctrinated into Clan culture, and a sense of competition is instilled in them. By the time they reach thirteen, they can bid for a place among the warriors,”

  -“Then they have to face a ‘Trial of Position’, one of the Clan’s sacred trials, which will determine their stance in society. If they pass the Trial they become part of the warrior caste as an ‘atkan’, the lowest rank. From there they can climb in the ranks through their combat prowess,”

  -“If they fail their Trial, however, they are relegated to the worker caste. They are assigned to the profession that better suits them. But even the ‘civilian’ jobs are military in nature, and they are focused on supporting the warriors in one way or another. Even the lowest laborer is expected to be proficient in combat if the need ever arises,”

  -“Has this happened before? I mean, workers fighting alongside the warriors,” she asked.

  -“Only once, during the war. Each clan has a different kind of relationship between castes,” Verkan continued. -“Some of them focus exclusively on martial prowess to the point of neglecting their workers; being relegated to mere bargaining chips in an endless struggle for power, while in others, it is the warrior’s duty to protect their workers who are considered the Clan’s most valuable assets,”

  -“And to which camp belongs Clan Irfis?” Nina asked.

  -“It sits firmly on the latter,” Verkan said. -“In fact, their obsession with honorable combat has cost them dearly,”

  -“Why?”

  -“Several factors,” Verkan responded. -“Their harsh Trials result in excellent but too few warriors, and their fanaticism, and blind obedience to the Clan’s code of honor cost them their lives far too often,”

  -“Haven’t they tried to fix that?”

  -“We have, in fact,” Verkan said. -“I have talked with Lord Burgan about it several times, and he implemented some reforms. That’s why I arranged to gather all Clan Lords for his funeral. Tomorrow a new Lord must be chosen, and Clan Irfis warriors are known for their bloody trials. Hopefully, the Lords’ presence will calm down the spirits during the Trial,”

  -“I see,”

  -“The clansmen are firm believers of the sanctity of life, and are against senseless carnage,” Verkan continued. -“They believe that these trials are more ‘honorable’ than all-out war,”

  -“They’re like knights in the Empire!” Nina said, enthusiastically.

  -“More or less, but never ever let a clansman hear that. They hate knights,” Verkan warned.

  -“Why?”

  -“Because they believe imperial knights only follow their code of honor under certain conditions,”

  -“What gave them that idea?”

  -“They faced them on the battlefield,” Verkan pointed out. -“They experienced it first hand,”

  -“I see,”

  -“They gave the Clans no quarter,” Verkan said. -“In contrast, the Clans practice a form of bondage known as ‘gleidhidn’, in which a defeated warrior is forced to serve the victor as a ‘bondsman’,”

  -“Bondsman?” Nina asked. -“Like a debt of honor?”

  -“Correct,” Verkan said. -“The ‘bondsman’ is usually adopted into the victor’s clan. It is not considered dishonorable, but Clan Irfis warriors often preferred death before leaving their clan,”

  -“Is that why there’s so few of them?”

  -“That, and that they are constantly threatened not only by other Clans but by others,” Verkan explained. -“The Northmen are just across the sea, and their raids are brutal. And imperial lands lay on the opposite side of the mountain range. They have to deal with outlaws and smugglers constantly,”

  -“Don’t the imperial soldiers also deal with them?” Nina asked.

  -“Well, the imperials turn a blind eye, ‘mysteriously’” Verkan said.

  -“That’s difficult to believe,”

  -“Anyway,” Verkan said, returning to the previous subject. -“Workers aren’t treated in the same way. Warriors lay claim to other Clan's ‘resources’ like cattle, crops, grain, and territories, including the people in those territories. The defenders are given the chance to choose a place for the fight and ‘bid’ their forces according to what’s at stake,”

  -“Bid?”

  -“Yes, bid. They bid their forces until both sides are satisfied. As I said before, instead of all-out war, they fight small skirmishes, sometimes even just duels. Is a form of ‘ritualized warfare’ so to speak, and it ensures that the battle is fair and no civilians stand in harm’s way. Surprise attacks, any form of deception, the use of human shields, senseless slaughter, and refusing to abide by the rules agreed upon are considered disgraceful,”

  -“Can’t someone just cheat? I mean, hypothetically,” Nina asked.

  -“Well, they could, but is considered dishonorable and frowned upon,” Verkan said. -“It goes against the rules of the ‘shabaid’ on which all clansmen are indoctrinated, even non-warriors,”

  -“But you said they used workers as soldiers during the war,”

  -“Yes, but by that time the imperials had broken the rules of the ‘shabaid’ so the Clans declared ‘Isgrioz’ which means no quarter will be given,”

  -“I see,” Nina replied. -“But I haven’t found anything written about it,”

  -“These are the things you won’t find in books,” Verkan said.

  -“Yeah, but everyone talks about the war like ‘oh, you know, ‘The War’, like you’re supposed just to know everything about it but I wasn’t even born yet,”

  -“You want me to tell you about the war?”

  -“That would be great!”

  -“Tomorrow, during our trip,” Verkan said. Nina smiled in return.

  One of the waitresses barged in with their food. At last! Her plate came with a large slice of steak she knew she couldn’t eat by herself, and covered with a delicious-looking white sauce, with an appealing mix of beans of different sizes and colors.

  Nina didn’t waste time. She cut her steak and tried a bite, tasting its exquisite flavor. She couldn’t resist a second bite. Mmm, delicious! She was about to have a third bite but had to stop herself after just a glance from Verkan. -“We haven’t said the prayers yet,”

  She panicked. Verkan had agreed to say the funerary prayers for her in exchange for her saying the prayers at the banquet. She looked around at the guests, counted the people at each table, and promptly did the math. At least two hundred. She gulped. Not a good time.

  But she had practiced for this countless times. It shouldn’t be that difficult, right?! She tried to stand but her legs suddenly decided not to respond. Damn it! This is bad! What if I screw up?!

  She could feel her heart pounding wildly inside her chest. Nina wasn’t normally this anxious around people but the size and relevance of the crowd were doing a number on her. She was outright panicking when she felt a gentle hand over her shoulders. She turned instantly, finding Verkan smiling at her. He then nodded at her. That was all she needed.

  You can do this, girl!

  Nina put her plate aside and took a deep breath. She clinked a glass with a spoon repeatedly but the sound drowned in the noise of the crowd murmuring. She stood over her seat, trying it again, but only a handful of heads turned. She then turned to Verkan who just shrugged. She tried it again to no avail.

  She took a deep breath then climbed over the table, immediately silencing the crowd, and turning every head towards her. What was I thinking?! Why in hell did I just do this?!

  She turned to Verkan again, who did everything in his power not to laugh at her. Verkan was delighted. He couldn’t recall the last time she showed such courage. He looked at her and nodded. She grinned then turned to face the crowd, clasping her hands.

  “Merciful Father, creator of all,

  Please bless the food that we receive from your generosity,

  Give us grace so we can also provide a roof for the poor, food for the hungry, and water for the thirsty,

  You who reign with wisdom and justice,

  Forever and ever”

  “Selah!”

  Nina almost fell from the table when the crowd replied in unison to the last part of the prayer. The crowd then promptly returned to their business, and the night was again filled with a murmuring sound. Nina leaped from the table and returned to her spot. Verkan just smiled. She couldn’t be happier for passing her first real test, the first of many that were to come. But she would worry about it later, now her dinner had her drooling all over.

  She lost any sign of shame if she ever had any when asking for a second plate. Verkan couldn’t help but make fun at her expense but she didn’t mind. She was having such a good time that she couldn't care less.

  But even now that everyone had finished their meals, and started to drink, Nina could feel uneasiness thick in the air. What could it be? Everyone enjoyed a good time, except for a single man. He sat across their same table, his expression one of absolute focus as if he waited for something bad to happen. Nina noticed him blocking his cup with a hand when one of the waitresses tried to fill it for him.

  There wouldn’t be any drinking for him tonight.

  He suddenly turned to her and their gazes met just briefly. Nina saw in his eyes something she had never seen, instantly turning away to avoid his piercing gaze. She turned to Verkan who witnessed the exchange. She looked like she just saw a freaking ghost. He leaned to her. -“That’s Nero, the Clan Irfis champion,”

  Her face remained dead white. It was the first time that someone had stared at her with such intensity. -“Why is he so worked up?”

  -“You would also be if tomorrow was your Trial of Position,”

  Her heart sank. Nina didn’t even know him but her heart promptly went to him. Is he going to fight?! Is he going to die?! She didn’t know.

  But she knew this: tomorrow is going to be a long, hard day.