John 8:21
Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”
…and there was Lena.
“Are you seriously about to leave like that?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, how did you know? How long have you been watching me?”
She ignored my last question, “My Advancement Quest completed, it woke me up.” She then held her hands up placatingly, “Thank you.”
I nodded, “Yeah, don’t thank me yet, I’m not sure how you’re going to explain 4 dead people in a basement closet. Well actually, one is alive but he was working with them. He called them Hags.”
I wasn’t sure if it was an actual thing or if he was just an unwitting participant and angry at them. Too bad either way, it’s a tough apocalypse for everyone, kid.
She shocked me by responding in a shrug.
“Come here,” I beckoned her closer then snapped my fingers and pulled out the stinging wounds from her hands.
I let go and almost took a step back but then I wrapped her up in a hug, “You’ll do great Lena.”
I heard her sniff and I held onto the hug until she returned it even harder than I was hugging her. After some time we separated.
“Will you come back?”
I nodded, “I promise.”
“When will you be back?”
“Soon? Later?” Maybe never. “I don’t know.”
“You know, you can stay here, right?”
I nodded, “Yeah,” I added a smile, “I know.”
“Promise you’ll be safe?”
“I promise.” Only Duck know how much those were worth.
She smiled, “Then swear me an Oath.”
I froze. Damn, was I really that obvious? I didn’t like how that word sounded either. It sounded… Official.
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“What… does that entail?”
“Oh…” She smiled mischievously, “not much, beyond eternal loyalty.”
I slowly backed up, “Ohhh-kaaay, that’s no problem.”
She laughed, “Can you stop freaking out? Here, I’ll do it.”
“Sir Doubting Thomas, as the Lord Mayor of Ontiveros, I commission you to find those of upstanding character, and send them on the path to find this community, to help strengthen it for the dark days to come. Do you accept this Charge and Give your Word as your Oath, Sir Knight?”
I could barely breathe, the air hung so heavy and still. But I could do that. Plus there would probably be some bonuses, but even if there wasn’t any listed benefit. At least I would learn about the raw deal here rather than in some other, potentially hostile situation.
“Lord Mayor, you have my Word, it is my Oath and my Bond.”
And the weight was gone, the slight wind picked back up.
She smiled and lifted her hand out, I grabbed it and kissed it, unsure if it was also part of the ritual. She giggled when I did.
“I didn’t have to do that, did I?”
“Nope! But I certainly am not a Lord Mayor to complain! Display Loyalty Oaths for user Lena Thomas.”
“Wait. Your last name is my first name? Lame-”
She rolled her eyes.
“Wait. Display Loyalty Oaths for user Doubting Thomas.”
Loyalty Oaths:
The Lord Mayor of Ontiveros has charged you with ‘finding people of good character to grow her town’. In order to pursue this Oath, she has shared her Quality: “Salt of the Earth” with you.