Pilgrimage

Althur looked at the boy as if he were dreaming. He returned to the subject Brahms had first wondered about.

"About the pilgrimage." Brahms heard Althur mention the keyword he was most interested in and finally came to the main topic he had been wondering about.

"For the average believer, pilgrimage is a journey - simply going to a sacred place to experience the divine there. There are many sacred places for Lut followers to go. Their most famous pilgrimage, however, was to the unquenchable fire in the Desert of Eos, where it is said to receive the first rays of light after the sun rises from the shore. Burning the land turned it into a desert, but the benevolent god left a flame to light civilization."

Althur began to explain the secular significance of the pilgrimage. It is a common belief, even enshrined in canon law. However, he could not explain the connection between this, and the mystical method called pilgrimage from which it came.

"Every believer is convinced that a pilgrimage is something you should do at least once in your life. It's a challenge, and overcoming it makes you better or closer to God."

"For us, on the other hand, pilgrimage is a mysterious method of achieving a qualitative change and thus gaining extraordinary powers."

"There are three important things to be prepared for during a pilgrimage. They are ritual, sacrifice and sacred space. These are the three basic requirements that must be met to organize the pilgrimage. There is also another factor, and that is guidance. But you don't need to know that right now."

"As for the ritual, this is something that has been handed down after thousands of trials and errors. The Sanctums and other powers will keep the details to themselves. However, at lower levels, the ritual is quite simple, and most are interchangeable."

"Sacrifice is a broad subject. The thing to keep in mind, however, is that things in the same realms have the same effect."

"Sacred space is similar. It could be an important place filled with divine power, or a place created by blessed items."

"Remember, this is an undisclosed secret." Althur turned and spoke in a low, warning voice. Brahms, the diminutive boy, nodded his head vigorously to show that he could be trusted.

"Do not worry. As you know, the Academy has an occult department that collects and trains supernatural people. He also awakened his power there. They have a dark room that can increase the chances of awakening the power, or as the people there put it, 'beginning the journey of the mind'."

"The Sanctums have the methods to organize a pilgrimage with a higher success rate than many other powers."

"Do you know why?" Althur asked.

"Because the gods told them to." Brahms thought he did not know such things. He is only a child.

"Almost. But the gods are not spared to take care of every single believer."

"Faith. It was something that was important to the believers of the gods. Practice faith, and the stronger the faith, the easier it is to succeed. This was also the reason why the Templars had limited power. They are different from the cardinals in the priestly church. People who are raised in faith are just blank sheets of paper."

"Because their faith is not false." He finally spoke to Brahms in a sudden, low voice.

Brahms listened intently. But he did not think this was a good thing. He didn't want to think about the gods all day. He wanted to be curious about many things. Apart from Althur, who helped him, he sees him as a mentor and a teacher. He wants to learn many things so that he can help Althur in the future. He didn't want to spend all day worrying about what a god said or doing what the gods told him to do.

If Althur knew what Brahms was thinking, he would probably laugh at the little boy's concern. He saved Brahms because of an accident, and because of what happened then, he considered Brahms his partner for the future. If asked, he would say that the boy was a little duck, not only in his playful appearance, but also in his behavior, like a duckling seeing its mother for the first time. Of course, he wasn't afraid to feel the boy's kindness.

"Everyone's personal experience is unique. If there is an outside influence, even if it makes things easier, it is not a good thing.

"Due to historical events, the Haya Church, the Lut Temple, and the current royal family have reached a temporary balance. However, there are also other forces, such as the Isandros Academy and its offshoot, O.S.P.I.S., which are all forces on the positive side of our kingdom. Through many polite ups and downs, the religious organizations have achieved their own successes and maintained the stability on the surface as it is now". He added a bit about the relationship between the remarkable forces.

"Always remember: A pilgrimage is a journey."

Brahms listened dreamily. He thought about the first ritual and how one receives change when one realizes the existence of forces. He thought about what would follow. How they will come out after the ritual. How their power changes. Their power can continue to grow. His mind was full of questions. But while he was listening to "The pilgrimage is a journey", Brahm's mind was also filled with other things. He didn't know what was going on with himself, as if he were the one receiving enlightenment.

"Okay, let's stop here today. Let's get ready to eat."

"But me, where did I come from?" Brahms asked, as if he didn't want to end the matter. For the problem he wondered about most was his own existence. Brahms wants to know about his power.

Althur looked at him slowly. "Do not worry. You're just special. Besides pilgrimage as the main method, there are many other things."

But really, he knew something, but he did not know how to tell the little boy. His appearance was an accident, just like his existence.

"You know, I heard that the palace has a library full of knowledge. I will look for a way to get in there."

"Do you believe me?" He leaned down and looked into Brahms' large, round eyes.

"I do." Brahms nodded and bowed his head.

"Let's go. Maybe there's nothing left to eat now."

"Althur, can I ask you another question?" The boy grimaced and narrowed his eyes, which was what Althur felt - just a slight movement on the boy's forehead.

"Alright. When I know, I'll answer."

"Um, um." The boy hesitated. "What were your symptoms then?"

Although he didn't mention the Mystic Syndrome explicitly, Althur also understood that the boy wanted to know about it. It's no secret. Since Brahms was the one who was attached to him, there was no need to hide many things.

He looked down at the street, where the wandering children were still hanging around the passers-by. His eyes seemed to grow deep. "I run very fast."