5 Lady Structania's Work Part 2

"Hello Vidian, hello dear, how are you two doing? Did you get the blessing?"

"No, we have to return tomorrow, it was getting late."

"Are you two hungry? There is some food left, I can make some more if you want," Heather said as she walked quickly into the kitchen and set the table for them, "How was it?" She said as they sat down, "What did you do?"

"Vidian completed 2 of 5 works, we were pushed back a little by Goli, but Vidian protected me, and then for Lord Fortfiiy's work he did it again."

"What?! What happened? What did Goli do again?"

"He attacked us on the way to the Altar, but Vidian dealt with him."

"Thank you so much for protecting my daughter."

"I have a question for you," He said as he finished the food that was in his mouth, "Where were you 6 or 7 years ago? Were you still travelling? Or had you settled down?"

"I was travelling, my mother kept Julia for that time, she was young and my parents were still around, and I needed space and time to myself, why?"

"Have you ever been to Kyyieshnomad?"

"It rings a bell, actually, before you try to connect the dots, it was me."

"Wait? What did you do, mother? How do you know each other?"

"The person who saved me, the circular scar, she saved my life, when I was 14 years old, after I killed my master, who had created the other scars."

"Yes, I did, I recognized your face once you had gone, but when I saw it, it reminded me of someone."

"Mother, why didn't you tell me about that when you came back? Did you tell father?" Julia asked, clearly lost in the story.

"I told no one."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, but it wouldn't change anything," She sighed and sat down, "What were the works? What did you have to do?"

"Lady Structania told Julia to go outside, out of the temple and then told me that the first work would be Lord Fortfiiy's work, then I heard Julia scream."

"Why?"

"Lady Structania told me that I would be part of the work that I had to get in a cage that a Dryitkany Deathlord would be a reason for Vidian to fight."

"So she told you to be used as bait, so that Vidian would have a reason to fight? Okay, well, protection I guess," Heather yawned, "I made a bed for you in Julia's room, I think I am going to go to bed now, David is already sleeping."

"Okay mother, I'll clean up here, and then head to bed as well."

"Heather."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Of course."

He woke early the next morning, he yawned and sat up. He blinked then rubbed his eyes. His body was sore and still tired. He grabbed his stuff and got dressed. Julia was still sleeping, he got up and walked down the stairs and into the living room, Heather was awake, but there was no sign of David. He was probably sleeping, or had already left for work. Heather turned her head slightly, hearing the stairs as he walked down them. He turned around completely as she noticed him, smiling with her kind, nearly forced smile. He yawned.

"'Morning."

"Good morning, Vidian, how are you? Is Julia awake?"

"Nope, sleeping like a baby."

"As she always does."

"Where is David?"

"At work, he left earlier today."

"I might leave tomorrow, if I finish the works, but I really thank you for what you have done for me, both now, and some time ago," He said as he took a drink of coffee, "Why did you help me?"

"I-I don't know, I just felt bad to see you, then just let you die, I would be guilty for the rest of my life, and then, and then you protected my girl three times already, I think you have repaid me greatly."

"I still might have to redo that, I have no idea what Lady Sanctuaria, Lord Reignus and Lord Doncian have planned for me."

"You still have a lot of work to do, I would assume."

"Yeah, I am guessing that, but then I still have 9 other gods to visit, it might get worse and worse, with Lord Krranus or Lord Boros."

"Yes, the cruel gods, but you might see a new side of yourself, maybe you'll find something that will keep you going you know, something that would give you such a force of will to persevere through any event, whatever your final point might be, you are probably going to need those skills, maybe even something to fight for."

"Good morning, mother," Julia said walking into the room, still half asleep. She walked to the table and sat down and yawned, covering her mouth with her hand, "Where is father?"

"He left for work early today, your hair's a mess, let me fix that for you, just get breakfast and sit down, I'll brush your hair," She said as she left them as Julia reluctantly got up and went to find some breakfast.

"Don't you have school?"

"No, we have some vacations, we have a month of break, it starts in a few days, I don't really want to but I think it is better if I do."

"I never went to school, you are lucky."

"But you are so, like, you speak well, you don't look like someone who hasn't," She said as she sat down with a bowl of food, "Why not?"

"I was a 'slave' when I was a child, I never had a family, so I was found and sold, something along those lines, some of the people working for my master were educated, they taught me things, for the several years I was there, everyday a little, then a little more, then, when I was 13 or 14, I got tired of the beatings and the constant open cuts on my back and the hard work I had to do."

"Then you killed your master, you told me that, but you really seem like someone who has been going to school."

"You think so?" Heather walked back in the room with a comb in her hand, "I think we should get going soon, it might be longer than yesterday, the works."

"I agree, once I am done with Julia's hair, you two can go to the Altar, hopefully Goli doesn't bother you two."

"He won't," Vidian laughed, "I made sure to send that message yesterday, beating them 1 against 5 and proving that I am the one they should respect."

"It was amazing, he even took a flame spell from Hinyd and barely reacted to it, I thought he was going to die."

"Okay, okay, that was Lord Orn's Blessing, I did nothing there, the Blessing of Stone came in and saved me there."

"You were lucky to have it then, come on, hurry Julia, you two need to go to the Altar," Heather said as she finished combing Julia's hair, "Do you want food for the when you are there?"

"If that doesn't bother you."

"I offered, you are too polite, Vidian."

"Thank you, mother."

"Reignus has your next work, join him in outside."

He nodded and walked outside, Julia was sitting outside on the steps, next to a standing Fortfiiy. Reignus was standing in the clearing with his weapon drawn. Vidian walked in front of him and Reignus planted his blade in the floor in front of him. His voice bellowed through the air, breaking the silence.

"Vidian, here is your task, survive my assault, until Zenith reaches his peak, I will not tire, and attack with the same pace, your goal is to protect yourself and your domain, holding me off," He lifted his hand and signaled to Julia, "She will be the person you need to defend, I won't kill her, but if I get to her or she is in the line of my blade, you fail and you need to restart, are you ready?" Vidian lifted his arms and nodded, "Be ready," His blade quickly moved high then slammed down towards him. Julia was standing a few dozen paces behind him. She had been told before what to do for his test. He dived and rolled to the side, dodging another strike. He knew he needed to keep Reignus away from Julia, making him attack Vidian and staying at his level, and not backing up, but instead dodge from side to side. Reignus' blade was taller than Vidian and slammed deep into the ground with each strike, cracking the ground and then Reignus pulled it out as if it was a hot knife in butter. He took a step forwards and swung the blade in a curve and then horizontally towards Vidian. He jumped backwards, twisting through the air, lifting his body above the massive blade, then realized that he had moved back, Reignus was forcing him back, slowly, with each blade strike, towards Julia. He checked the sky, he was nowhere near his objective. He dodged a punch that landed in the ground and used Reignus's arm to dodge the follow-up swing. He was thrown off of the arm and landed crashing to the ground as Reignus began walking towards Julia. He pushed himself off the floor and sprinted towards Julia, grabbing her and leaping, moving both of them out of the way of Reignus's strike. He had to attack Reignus, not just dodge around. He got up and placed Julia on her feet and then turned to Reignus. His arm began shaking and turned into a large, guarded arm. He leapt and brought the heavy arm into Reignus's chest plate, it didn't dent or break, but Reignus's body moved back a few centimeters. He landed with the massive arm resting on the floor. He jumped again and slammed it once more into Reignus, it collided with his shield and moved him back again. Reignus lifted his sword and slammed it down as Vidian recovered from his attack. The blade slammed into the ground as Vidian failed his landing from his attack. He rolled backwards and rose to his feet.

He breathed heavily as his body felt weak. He dodged out of the way of the blade throwing his arm to the side and using the weight to pull him and then jumped and slammed his fist in Reignus's helmet, sending him crashing to the floor. Reignus got up effortlessly and put his shield in front of him. He began walking towards Julia, the sun was nearly at its peak. His arm turned into a normal arm and he ran and stood in front of Julia. The blade rose and fell, charging towards him. He put his arms together and his arms changed to use the floor as a support as the blade hit them. The blade stopped as Vidian grimaced in pain. Fortfiiy lifted his arm and Reignus snorted and sheathed his blade. Vidian's arms returned to normal and he fell to his knees. He kept himself up with his arms weakly extended on the floor. He coughed and rose to one knee. Julia helped him up to his feet.

"I am impressed, Vidian, you stopped me from hitting Julia and stopped my blade with only human strength, you have completed my work, enter the temple, Lady Structania will give you your next task," He slowly dragged himself into the temple, he was weak, tired and beat down from that work, he had fended off a god for an hour, and now he had two more works. He had yet to fail a task and he hoped to never fail one. He held his arm that he had used to punch Reignus, it screamed in pain and every movement seemed to make it worse. Sanctuaria walked up to him.

"How are you feeling?"

"In pain, I need to see Structania, for my next task."

"I will give you your next task, follow me, I'll mend your arm as I test you."

"Thank you, but what is this test?"

"You will see, follow me," She walked down the same stairs that Jadia had lead him down the day before. It was the same room, he sat down on the same chair and she gestured for him to place his arm on the table. She placed bandages on the table and they wrapped around his arm, and a brace formed around his elbow, "There you go, now, for the test."

"Go ahead, thank you."

"I am the Goddess of the Home, Sanctuaria, I am one of the bases of civilization," She began as she sat down at the table, "I am going to give you your 4th test to gain the blessing of Lady Structania, first, I want to ask you where you live, currently, and what you do to maintain it."

"I live with Julia, for the moment, I am staying there for the moment as I need to be close to this Altar, I try to be polite and help with what her parents allow me to do," He explained, "Nothing much."

"Do you think that you will ever settle down anywhere and stay there?"

"I was settled down, but now I am completing Lord Eternum's quest, so I have no home, I left mine back in Kyyieshnomad."

"By the Great Desert?"

"Yeah, I used to live there, like a few days ago."

"Do you think you will ever return there?"

"Maybe, but I don't know, it depends on where my quest leads me, or if I don't decide to settle down somewhere else."

"Is there a place you call 'home'?"

"Nope."

"Do you believe that someone's home can then become another's home, whether they live together or not?"

"Yes, I think so, living together, for sure, and someone buying a home I guess would be the reasoning for the second situation."

"Why do you want the blessings of the gods?"

"Lord Eternum's quest."

"What is the endpoint of the quest?"

"I haven't told Julia, I don't know, but she has shown me a lot of 'attention' even if we met like two days ago."

"Spit it out already."

"To kill the Death of the World."

"What? The Death of the World?"

"Yes, yes, I know, I am just human."

"I wasn't going to say that, I was going to ask, why?"

"To save this world, there is no reason for me to do anything else, I have no family, no girl, no home to build, for the moment, but if I can use these powers to protect the world, I will and make this place a home, a safe home, for every living creature, whether small or large, whether kind or cruel, whether weak or strong, everything deserves a fair chance, and the death of this world won't come on my watch, I might only be 20 years old, but I think that I have lived long enough to see the good and the bad, I think the world deserves a chance, I'll make sure it gets one."

"Follow me," She said smiling as she got up, "Lady Structania will give you your next task."

"Huh? Wait, what?"

"You passed, now come along, you have one last quest."

"O-okay then," He said hurrying up the stairs. Structania was sitting by her Altar, with an orange skinned, plump figure with disgusting yellow hair and chubby cheeks.

"Lady Structania, this task is the greatest task, the best one, everyone will tell you it is," He began, he was Doncian, the God of Borders, a weird god, who stuck out from the other lesser gods of Structania, "Ah, Vidian, how are you doing? Ready to complete my task?"

"Excuse him for his way of speaking, he talks in a lower manner than the other gods," Structania sighed, "This is Doncian, the God of Borders, he'll bring you to your next task, the final task, even if this might be the hardest one."

"Do you know where Julia went, Lady Structania?"

"She was sitting outside, she is waiting for you, she has your things, once you are done with this task, rejoin her, you will then, have my blessing, the blessing of the-"

"May I add, the best blessing."

"Shut up, Doncian!" Structania snapped, "Stop interrupting me, now, bring him to your task before I get really mad."

"Vidian, follow me, and then you have to complete the task, that is all, and that isn't wrong."

They left through a side door, it had seemed weird to him that there was a side door to a temple, but whatever, all he wanted to do was get the task over and done with and then go back to the town, he didn't want to lumber around and slow down, he needed to get all the blessings. They arrived in a small clearing. There was a wall, a broken wall, just standing there, with no purpose.

"You see this, Vidian, this is my wall, not very complete, but I honestly couldn't bother, it is made with Tinamynte bricks, but it was broken by Lord Fortfiiy's Deathlord summoning, I need you to fix it."

"To fix this? Is that it?"

"The bricks," He tilted his head as he spoke, trying to get him to think of the bricks, "Heavy, not perfect, broken."

"Oh, ok, I'll get this going then, do I have any materials?"

"Nope, just place the bricks, I'll do the rest."

He walked towards the rubble of the wall. He looked at the pieces he had and then back at the wall, they were completely broken, none of them had a smooth surface. He looked at them then back at the wall. Doncian sat down on a tree stump and leaned against the tree behind it. Vidian went to reach for a piece that seemed to fit in the lower part of the wall. He tried to lift the piece but it was heavier than he thought. He sighed and squat down next to the piece and wrapped his arms around the piece and leaned back and slowly lifted the piece. He rose to his feet and walked towards the wall, with each step resembling the one of a heavy creature. He placed the piece on the wall and a green glow appeared and seal the block in place. He lifted his eyebrow and nudged the stone, it was sealed into place, and apparently it was the right one. He scanned the wall and looked for the next piece. He found a piece that could be the right one. He placed it on and the green glow reappeared, apparently it detected the pieces and accepted them as he put them on. He looked up and realized how tall the wall was, and then began to think how he could get the piece up onto the wall. He shook his head and decided to think in the present, and go with the problems and how to solve them as they came. Each piece seemed to get heavier and heavier.

He placed the last brick of the wall and the wall glowed green. He fell backwards and landed hard on the floor. His arms were weak, his hands were sore, his back screamed in pain, his legs seemed like they would break under him if he tried to get up, "I have never seen this wall, so complete, this is by far, by far, the greatest wall," Doncian spoke making hand gestures as he spoke, "I think you past the greatest task out of all the works to get the best, greatest blessing, Structania will give it to you, follow me, I think it is time for the greatest blessing to be given to you, hurry on," He laughed as they walked back to the temple.

All the gods were there, standing in the temple, Reignus and Fortfiiy stood on either side of Structania, like two bodyguards, Jadia and Sanctuaria stood next to each other and Doncian took his spot. Structania lifted her chin lightly and began talking, like she did when he met her, with no anger in her voice like for Doncian or playfulness when Julia screamed.

"I, Structania, the Goddess of Civilization, congratulate you on your amazing displays of power, determination and will, you have proven yourself worthy of my blessing, the Blessing of the Conqueror, Jadia," Jadia revealed a small cushion in her hand with a small triangle with a circle in the middle of it, "This blessing will allow you to focus all your life force into a single moment or in any part of your body, not enough to kill you, but still plenty to kill whatever is in front of you."

"Thank you, Lady Structania," He said as he placed the blessing stone in its place on his amulet, the amulet glowed and locked it in place, "I will use it for good, to protect the people of this world."

"Your next destination is the hidden city of Inventaariy, in the Natura city, Concealaria, you will find it south of Luminosada, within the Forest of the Lost, you will need to search for it, it is hidden, you have a higher chance of finding at night, Diana may help you by guiding you there."

"Thank you, Lady Structania, Lord Reignus, Lord Fortfiiy, Lord Doncian, Lady Jadia and Lady Sanctuaria, I am grateful for your tasks, they have showed me something I never thought I had, a will to save someone, I always acted like a lone wolf, maybe now I will see things more openly."

"I wish you luck in your future endeavors," Doncian added, "Here, take this," He handed him a map, "It'll get you to the forest, my own map, the greatest map I must say," Vidian bowed his head as he took it and placed it in his bag.

"Go now, Vidian of the Great Desert, your quest awaits you."

"Thank you."