What goes, goes

My first place to visit is "The gods footprint". It is a pool of water that is said to be formed by one of the gods. The water itself is magical and it is the best place to practice your water based magic. There is also an abundance of water spirits, even amateur like myself can see them.

As I got closer to the place, which took ten days, I decided to sleep in one of the villages nearby. There I present myself as John Carton and act like him. It has been tough but I managed to make them believe that I was him.

Then I visited the holy place itself. It was beautiful. The lake was shining like crystals in the sunshine. I saw an undine who was singing on the water surface. I couldn't understand her, but I listened peacefully on the edge of the lake. Then the undine noticed me and started talking.

- Mitä sinä, ihminen, teet täällä?

- What.

- I'm sorry, you probably don't speak our language. Let me repeat myself. What are you, a human, doing in here?

- Oh so that was some old language. I thought that the ring Lex gave me would translate all the languages.

- It is an old language. Now, you haven't answered my question.

- Oh, right. My name is... well... currently John Carton and I'm on a pilgrimage in the Isle of Aeternus.

- I see. So you can't tell me your true self. Then let me appraise you with my abilities.

The undine speaks some kind of spell.

- Kerro, kerro ystäväiseni. Salat suuret sisimpäsi. Tarkoitukseni on vain hyvää, mutta tietää haluan sinun syntisi syvät.

A spell was cast on me during the chanting. It didn't feel unpleasant but instead it felt warm and comfortable.

- I see. So this is your true name. And you currently go by that name.

- Wait, did you see my true name? What is it? Even though I remember most of my past, I can't recall my true name.

- Since there is no one here I tell you, Nor, you don't need to know your name.

- But I want to know. Pleace.

- I think it is better to not know your true name. As it won't change anything in the end. You are not what your name carries, you are what you want to be.

- I... I see. Then if you excuse me, I want to practice some spells.

- And I shall let you Suo.

- What did you say?

- Nothing. And let me tell you "itku pitkästä ilosta"

- What does that mean?

- It means that happiness will always end in tears. Bye then, and good luck with your travels.

- Wait!

Then she disappeared to the water. I guess she is finished talking to me. Now then, let's practice some water based magic.

I spent around two days training there, so I went back to the village to rest. There I told them that I saw an undine. They couldn't believe that I spoke to her, let alone seen her. They called me a very lucky man. And the rest of the night was spent telling our stories and drinking with a couple of more travelers and the villagers.

Next morning I wake up, I go ask for breakfast and eat it. Then I go to my Bell and call Lex.

- Anything happened yet?

- No, but the report has gone to the pope that John Carton has visited a The gods footprint and have met a undine.

- Has the news gone there that fast?

- The pope has many ears. He might know soon that we are up to something, since the reports don't say anything about the two people accompanying John Carton. I told Aktor to make a move soon so that our plan won't fail. And you go to the next holy place called "Eye of Aeon"

- Got it. Then I go there.

I start to go there until a villager comes to me in a hurry telling me someone is dying of demon fungus. I go there immediately to try my best.

When I got there, I saw a person who's face and body had some mushrooms grown on them. I try to calm people around so that I can focus. Unfortunately I don't know any cure disease spells, nor do I have a potion for it. My only means of stopping the growth was to make the soul leave the body for a moment, cut the fungi out of every place of the body then return the soul back to it and heal him. I don't know if it will work but it is the only way I can think of. I tell them what I'm about to do and my doubts, but they say that "he is going to die anyway, so just try it" so I do it.

It takes some time but I manage to make the soul leave the body but not die. Then I start cutting the fungi out of the body with a knife I got from one of the villagers. It took some searching but I finaly got all of them out so I return the soul to its body and heal. When I'm done we wait for an hour and then he wakes up. He seems fine considering the few scars on his body. I'm relieved.

Then I hear that three other people have contracted the demon fungus so I rush to help them. It took two hours to finish all of them. But my job was not done as I heard during operations on those three that five more villagers have contracted the demon fungus. As I'm rushing to go help them, I call Lex to inform him about this, what probably was now a possible outbreak. He teleported himself here as well to assist me and find out the source of the outbreak.

Me and Lex both got done with curing the now eleven villagers that have caught the demon fungus. It took three hours to finish with them and we both were exhausted. But even if he was exhausted, Lex decided to find out where the demon fungus originated from. He said.

- Demon fungus can't grow on the soil and creatures of the Aeternus, so the source must be from the outside.

He casted some spell that pointed him towards the storehouse. It led to a small wine box that was brought from the Atlas. Someone made this happen on purpose.

- I will cleanse this storehouse and the people. We are lucky that the fungi didn't start to spew out its spores. If it would have done so, we also would have caught it and we would not have been able to cure ourselves anymore. The reason being is that the demon fungus itself is not poisonous. It is effect of absorbing large amount of mana around it that makes it dangerous.

Lex finishes the cleansing and teleports back to his tower. We are left to wonder who would do something like this.

Then I finally got to leave with my Bell to the Eye of Aeon. It took sixteen days to get there. But when I got there, I saw a huge line ahead of me waiting to see the Eye of Aeon. It was a long way toward the temple where it was held.

I started talking to others in the line and I found out that the Eye can tell you someone's future or someone's past. It also could look at a faraway place just by thinking about it. I knew the moment I heard where to use it. I could use it to find out about my past, but it's better to know who was the one who ordered the wine to be sent to that village. Then I waited for a while.

And after a day, I finally got to the Eye of Aeon. I had to pay 200 lux to use it. It feels a bit cheap, as it is the treasure that can see the past, present and the future events.

Then I saw it. A blue crystal ball that was bolted to the ground with some metallic structures. It looked like that if you wanted to steal it, you would have to take the whole temple with it as the Eye's crystal structure was like it was grown attached to the golden metal.

Then I'm told to focus and think about what event I wish to see if I want to look at the past or the present. And if I want to look at the future, I have to think about the amount of time that will pass during the moment and now.

I think for a moment where the wine was sent to the village and I saw the pope passing some paper to one of the high priests I saw at the meeting.

- So it was him.

I leave the temple, as you have to wait at least two days before using it again, no matter how much lux you throw at them.

When I left I told Lex that I went to the Eye of Aeon and found something. He told me that Aktor and John were about to cut John's finger to make it look like he was dead. I only needed to leave the temple and start going to Atlas. I also inform Lex that the pope was the one behind the outbreak at the village and he was silent for a minute before saying.

- You shouldn't confront the pope about this. But if you do, then make sure you don't give any hostility towards him, as he is still the head of a country and a religion.

I start my travel to Atlas that will take four days to travel. During my travels at the Aeternus, I've seen many beautiful things as well as dangerous things. Here is where I saw my first dragon. It was a flightless earth dragon but still. I didn't try to fight it as I felt its complete superiority compared to me. I also saw my first griffin as well as a thunderbird flock. I got along with a griffin but I didn't get along with the thunderbirds. They seem to be highly territorial and I saw first hand why they are called thunderbirds. Their thunder's strength was amazing.

Then I saw a mine in the region that was occupied by the strange golems. I heard from a miner that was close to the area and they said that the army was coming this way to get rid of the golems. The amount of silver golems worried me so I decided to wait for the army to come so that I could assist them.

It took about a day for the army to arrive and there I saw a familiar face. It was the female high priest clad in armor except her head. I decided to head toward the high priest but I was suddenly stopped by the soldiers, as expected.

- It is fine. He may pass.

The soldiers let me go and I started talking.

- Heard that you are going to get rid of the golems at the mine. May I be of assistance to you?

- We have plenty of soldiers to deal with this. But if you insist, I can let you accompany us during the fight. It is better to have more so that we may lose less. You must be skilled to be picked by his holiness himself. I don't see high priest John with you. Where is he?

- Thanks. I would rather call it a coincidence that he let me go with him. As for John, he told us to return to Atlas to make sure the orphanage is alright.

- That sounds like something that he would say. Well then let's keep moving.

While I accompanied the army, I told the female high priest that I was worried about the amount of silver golems. She told me that she was thankful for the info and that she would take them to account.

When we were close to the mine, we held a meeting about the strategy. We are first to send people with strong shields on the front, and when the silver golems attack we will use our own archers and mages to get rid of them. Then we would send the cavalry to the ones that will start attacking the shield carriers. Then the rest of the army would go with a full swing. This is also where I would also come in, but I told them that I could charge at the archers to also gain their attention. I told them that I was confident at my speed, so they let me do what I wanted.

The attack begins. The shielders and I charged at the mine and we saw the silver golems drawing their bows. I noticed that the "arrows" looked like spears that heavy cavalry would use, then the arrows appeared to the bow like magic. Then the volley of arrows gets sent. I was already out of the range of the shielders who were preparing for the volley of arrows so I just had to dodge. I barely dodged three of them and a fourth one scraped me.

When they were about to charge their arrows again I managed to charge and destroy three of them. Then the spells came raining towards the golems and most of them were destroyed. I saw our cavalry charging towards the bronze and golden golems. During which, I take care of the remaining silver golems.

When I was done with the silver golems, I saw that the front of the army was about to collide with the golems with the high priest leading them. I jumped to the fray and started slashing the golems. They were tough so I had little problems with them, but I still managed to get out of the conflict with minor injuries.

After the conflict was over I went to congratulate the female high priest.

- That was brilliantly fought. You are something else.

- Thank you. You are quite strong yourself.

- In my line of work, you need to be.

- So I've heard. If you will, could you come to my tent when the night comes.

- Sure... Wait what?

She leaves with a smile on her face. Before the night comes many thoughts come across my mind. What does she want to talk about? Why me of all people, what if... No that can't be it. She is a high priest after all. Let's just wait and see.

The night comes and I go to the female high priest's tent.

- Hello... anybody in here.

- Wait a second. I'm out of my bath in a minute.

- S-sure.

I wait patiently.

- Thanks for the wait. Hope I didn't make you wait too long.

- N-no... Not at all.

- Why are you so nervous? Could it be you are not used to being called to meet someone high ranking as me. But wait, you were picked by the pope himself so that can't be it.

- W-what reason do you have for calling me?

- First get your attitude straight!

- R-right...Uhum... Right

- Now, as to why I called you here. What is your opinion of the pope?

- Thats...

What should I tell her? The truth or should I lie. I don't know which side she is on. But I can't make her wait.

- Your answer?

Right. There is no point in lying to her. If I lie, I have a feeling she would see right through me.

- I think that he has become corrupt in his later years.

- Is that what you think?

- It is.

There is a moment of silence as I feel her eyes watching me like daggers.

- Hhm... You don't seem to be lying. Now, what was the real reason the pope made you go along with high priest John?

- He hired Aktor to get rid of him. I'm just an extra.

- Is that so.

Another moment of silence.

- Then, is the reason why you are here without him because of your task?

- John is alive, if that's what you are after.

Another moment of silence.

- Right. I feel like I can trust you. You don't feel like you would kill a kind man without reason. Now let me tell you something. I'm part of a group that cleanses corruption in the world. I'm head of a sect that is in charge of the Isle of Aeternus. My main goal is to mitigate the damage that the pope is doing. But as it is, we cannot just get rid of him, as he is the pope.

- Then I have some information you might be interested in.

- I'm listening.

I told her what happened at the village near the god footprint and what I saw at the Eye of Aeon.

- I see. So something like that happened.

- Are we going to do something about the pope?

- This is something that we might use. We will gather the rest of the high priests at the Eye of Aeon and ask it the same question you asked. With luck, we might convince the ones that are still on the side of the pope to go against him. If all of the high priests vote for the pope's resignation, we can get rid of him legally without waiting for his death.

- I need to return to Atlas to make the pope believe that John is dead.

- You go do that. We inform the rest of the high priests to gather at the Eye of Aeon. We have our own way of communicating through long distances. We will see you again later. Hopefully it is when the pope will lose his position.

- Let's hope that is when we meet. Good luck.

- And good luck with you too. May the five be with us.

We leave our separate ways. It will take me a couple of days to get to the capital.