Healing and Spiritual Traditions

When morning came we exited the marsh. Cedric and I spent most of the time that we traveled talking about the different ways that spiritual ripples could be manipulated. To be honest most of it didn't make sense, which he told me it wouldn't until I started to sense them. He also explained the five parts of a spirit that could be referred to as senses but he warned not to try to associate them with the five physical senses.

Four of the senses existed in what could be seen as opposites of each other. There was a sense that was projected outward and a sense that analyzed what was reflected inward. Then there was a sense that existed in terms of flourishing and one that excited in terms of decay, but he let me know that I shouldn't think of them in terms of good and evil like the Church and even some witches seemed to do.

The last sense was hard to explain and most people had trouble even using it, himself included. It was referred to as Vaettir and had to do with connectedness, though that was just what he was taught. Since he couldn't use any spells that involved it, or even connect to it, he let me know that I'd have to figure it out once I started to sense my own spirit.

When we arrived at the huts at the border of the marsh, the lone guide that stayed behind tried to run, but they had only stayed behind because of how infirm they were. It didn't take much to capture them and once they learned we had no plan to kill them, they calmed down.

After a night stay in the huts we left Siguror and Vragi and started to head back to Torinheim. There was a covered wagon there that had been brought to transport supplies. We put the two blindfolded alchemists in the back and kept them hidden when we stopped at a village for a night. I felt bad after all they went through but we didn't want them to see our faces.

Once we got to a major road we left them with the wagon, a bunch of gold, and told them to head in the opposite direction after we left. I think they thought we were going to kill them until we were firmly gone.

A day outside Torinheim we split back into the three groups we were when we got together. Thelora heavily implied that we'd all see each other again for the third task. The next evening we made it back to the city and Thelora split shortly after we returned the horses. I walked with Lariss back to Union for a late night meal and sent a messenger to the Jagged Tankard asking Floriana to see me if she had the chance tonight. The chill in my heart had only become worse and I wanted her to take a look at it.

Lariss went back to her apartment shortly after we finished our meal and I went to my room to practice trying to sense spiritual ripples. Shortly after two in the morning my door started to open up and I turned to see no one entering. When the door didn't shut I went to close it and after I did, hands wrapped around my waist and Floriana hugged me from behind.

"Mmmm, I'm glad you're back." She said.

"So am…" Before I could finish even that short sentence she spun me around and was inspecting my side with a concerned look.

"What in the sacred dawn have you been doing?" She asked.

"I may have run into someone with a Demon Mark." I said as her hand traveled up my chest and stopped over my heart. Her concern only grew.

"This… This wasn't from a demonic entity." Her hand was already starting to glow as she started to chant a prayer. My chest started to feel like it was submerged in a frozen river.

"Strip naked and lay on the bed." She demanded.

"Someone's a bit antsy." I said with a smirk. At first it looked like she was going to yell at me but that faded into a gentle smile.

"My darling, there is something very powerful growing inside your spirit and it is going to be incredibly painful when I remove it. Please try not to cry too loudly." She said.

As I removed my clothing, she pulled out a silver bowl and started to burn some herbs.

"I started to learn about spiritual powers. What does burning herbs do? I've seen some people use it almost every time they cast a spell and others barely use outside implements at all." I asked.

She took her time to answer as she pulled out a wooden mortar and pestle and began crushing different plants and adding water.

"If you understand the basics of spiritual fluctuations, or ripples as Followers of the Holy Light call them, then it shouldn't be too hard to understand. Those who follow traditions similar to mine are very knowledgeable about changing the area around our spells to be more conducive to them." She replied.

When I laid down I tried to focus and sense the changes she was making in the area around me. Once again I sensed nothing and tried not to feel disappointed.

"Stop. What you're doing is making this curse spread faster. Just relax and let me handle this." She said.

I did as she said and just watched as she went about her work. While she started a chant, she spread the mixture over my heart in a runic pattern, then did the same on my forehead and over my navel. With a wave of her hand the smoke from the burning herbs moved over my body and settled over the areas she marked. She then pulled out some oil and traced other patterns over the rest of my body. When she was done with that she leaned over and gave me a passionate kiss.

"That isn't a part of the ritual but there's little chance either of us are going to be in the mood once this is over." She waved her hand around the room once more to place a Sound Barrier before focusing back on me.

Once her attention was on me, the pain hit me like a ton of bricks. Her hands moved over my body and my skin burned where her fingers passed over. My jaw hurt from clenching due to the pain.

"Just embrace the pain and let it out. You'll feel better." She said.

After that I let myself scream when needed and while the pain didn't lessen it was easier to manage.

Sometime later the pain began to weaken and I was able to comprehend what was going on. All around me I saw the ripples of spiritual energy. It was too intense for me to understand anything about it. Colors blurred together and moved in different waves around me, clashing in ways that hurt my head.

"Shh, it's okay. Just focus on me and don't try to take it all in." She said.

With her words I realized I was starting to hyperventilate. I turned my attention to her and tried to ignore everything else that was going on around me. What I saw was beautiful. The chaos of various spiritual ripples around the room were being spun around her in a dazzling display that instantly captivated me. As I calmed down I saw that she was using the energy around her to pull a thin line of black energy from my heart. As it neared her hands it appeared to burn away.

As the black energy became thinner and thinner the ripples of spiritual energy became harder to see. When the last of it was burned away my vision was the same as before and the pain was a dull ache. Floriana wiped the sweat from her brow, disrobed, and joined me in bed.

I felt a warm energy enter my body from where our flesh connected and I drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke to the morning light I was surprised that Floriana was still there. Looking at her I couldn't help but see the image of her from last night surrounded by memorizing patterns of spiritual energy. I gently brushed her hair out of her face and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She smiled and opened her eyes to look at me.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Much better." The chill in my heart had completely vanished and the ache in my side was nearly gone.

"Wonderful. I just hope you aren't thinking any less of yourself. Men have a tendency to want to be able to handle everything by themselves. Just know that the spirit of any other man would have shattered if they went through what you just did. Whoever placed that curse on you was very powerful, so I hope you can avoid them in the future." She said. Of course I had already realized that someone that could place a curse directly on one of my blessings would have to have an insane amount of power.

"It's fine. I'm the one that asked for your help." But I began to feel that there was a different point to her words that I don't think she meant. I had been the one receiving everything from this relationship from spiritual aid to physical pleasure. She kept saying that she wanted me as a friend but it felt like I was building a debt to her.

"Floriana, what is it that you want from me? Why do all this for someone that you barely know?" I asked.

It looked like she was going to give her standard answer of wanting my friendship but stopped herself. "It's not the time for that darling. Just know that I won't ask anything from you that would go against your conscience. But when it does come time for a favor, don't feel you owe me anything you don't want to give. Okay?" She replied.

"Okay."

"I will ask just one thing right now." She said.

"What is it?" I said.

"Don't go to the Church of the Holy Light to learn about spiritual powers. For someone like you, if they can't control you, they'll destroy you." She said.

"Where else can I go then?" I didn't want to ask her for help since she was already giving me so much.

"Unfortunately there aren't too many options unless you want to leave the continent. Here there are three major spiritual traditions. The Church of the Holy Light has their traditions wrapped up in a dogma that benefits them while ignoring the finer details of how spiritual powers actually work. For witches using spiritual powers is akin to breathing, it is just a part of them. But there is still something you can learn from their ways." Her hand tightened on my chest when she spoke about witches.

"The last of the major traditions is the Court of Masks. Your spiritual energy is currently closest to theirs. The problem is they believe that only fate can decide who becomes a paladin and I don't know how they figure that all out." She said.

"Aren't there more independent sources to learn from?" I asked.

"Not really. There are a few self taught spiritualists but they are hard to come by. In the far east you could find dozens of different traditions, though they tend to be highly specialized. So unless you want to travel for a few years, you may end up having to be mostly self taught." She said.

"Hmm, I'm not in too big of a rush and I can't even independently sense spiritual ripples." I said.

"I have a few things that might be able to help with that." She pulled out a bag of herbs from her Storage Ring. "Slowly burn these and focus on trying to sense their fluctuations. They should last you a while and I can get you more if you need some."

I set the bag on the side table and went back to holding her in my arms. There were still a few questions I wanted to ask but currently I just wanted to enjoy her company for as long as I could.