The Church of Rhun

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas!!

<3< p>

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Oh, the Great World of Gaia, a huge world, too many times bigger than Earth, and with so many differences and laws, because, unlike Earth, which was a Minor World, Gaia was a Great World, a world with greatness in various aspects.

One of them being Religion, because, unlike Earth where the Miracle Power of the Gods was too weak and disperse, in Gaia was huge.

The Blessing of the Gods was something common in the world, and Religion was one of the most important aspects, especially in the Continent of Skypea, where native believer, too many dozens of Faithful People obtain Immortality, and then went to Service their God.

Although, the last one to do it was almost five thousand years ago, it was still, one of the most amazing achievements make by a Native of Skypea.

Indeed, the Great World of Gaia have great influences by the Gods, who many times saved or destroyed people they follow, sometimes just for fun, sometimes, for Fate.

It was especially strong the Faith of the People of Skypea, that even before the current era, the believers of different religions created a nation.

One of the three greater powers of the current era.

One of the most powerful nations, the greatest Religious Center.

The Sacred Place of All Religions of Skypea, one of the three empires that named the current era, and that each decision could change hundreds of millions of lives, the Sacred Empire.

One of those hundreds of thousands of religions that existed in Skypea is the Church of Rhun.

Rhun, God of Fire.

It is a small religion whose largest population of followers are in the northwest of the Kingdom of Arcadia.

Being one of the most important religions in the Kingdom, whose Main Cathedral was in the City of Cenes, along with 419 other buildings in different territories of the western kingdom.

Walking through the halls of the small church of the Town of Hope, was Priest Phillip Cino, a man in his nineties, who had already lost his hair six decade ago, and whose yellow eyes shone with great intensity and liveness.

He was thinking thoroughly about something.

Something that change everything.

This start with a letter that contain a message giving directly from the Sacred Cathedral of the Church of Rhun, located in the City of Cenes.

A letter signed by Pontiff Antoine.

'Oh, my dear Antoine' – though Phillip as he remembers the message of the letter giving to him this morning.

The message was the following:

{God Rhun has spoken, start recruiting all Earthlings possibly immediately for the church.}

Contrary to the ignorance of most of the population, all the high command of the different religions knew that today, the 18th day of the Month of Flowers of the Year 9987, humans from another world will appear.

Earthlings, humans from the world known as Earth.

'Poor souls.' – Was the main thought of Phillip, who then laughed when he thought about the world's name.

'What a ridiculous name for a world.' – thought Phillip, who continued walking while thinking about the message he received.

Phillip arrived at his office, and the first thing he saw was the portrait, the painting of a young Antoine, when he was still just a disciple of his.

That is right, Phillip was once the priest who raised Antoine.

It was in a town like this Town of Hope.

A little place without no kind of power, being strategic, economic, or populated, a place worthless.

It was in a time when him was an unknown priest of the church by the upper members at Cenes City

But were the happiest times for the old priest.

…

"Father Phillip, look, I have found a Fire Butterfly." – Said a young Antoine, only eight years old, on his hand, a Fire Butterfly was calm.

'Impossible?' – thought Phillip when he saw the Fire Butterfly on the soft hand of Antoine.

It was common knowledge by everyone that Fire Butterflies were Magic Beasts that did not like any contact with humans, and when a human tries to touch them, they use their Intense Fire to burn them.

But now, on the hand of the young child, not only was one of them sitting so calm, but a warm, pure, and magical feeling around the place, making this a wonderful moment for the two.

'Is this the blessing of Rhun?' – start to think Phillip.

"Well done young Antoine, I am glad to see that you possess a pure spirit and a burning heart." – Phillip said as he caressed the young boy's head.

…

"Dear Antoine, I hope that Harvest Month will arrive soon, so I can go to Cenes to see your beautiful face and pure eyes once again."

In the Month of the Harvest or Harvest Month, all the Priests of the Church of Rhun went to Cenes, to be present on the Day of Fire, the most important holiday of the Church of Rhun, when they celebrated the Fire God Rhun.

Phillip sat down, and at his desk, he began writing letters to various acquaintances who could help him secure the mission given by the church.

-Knock- the door to the office of Phillip was knock, and the old Priest knew who it was.

"Come in."

A man 190 centimeters tall, with a bit of a paunch, but with visible muscles in his arms, bald, dark skin, and deep brown eyes, had appeared. He was ugly, especially when he smiled.

Still, that man was a faith and righteous man, servant of the Church of Rhun, and Phillip knew that he was incapable of evil, sadly he was truly ugly, especially when he smiles.

"Onok, what's wrong?"

This was Onok Hak, Sergeant of the Fire Guard, whose mission was to protect and follow Phillip's orders.

Normally, someone from the Fire Guard would not have to protect a priest in charge of a church in a small and distant town like Hope Town, but Phillip oversaw raising and teaching Pontiff Antoine, so his care and protection was important.

"Priest Phillip, my men are ready, when Earthlings arrive, we will know."

Phillip nodded.

"Everything is for the good of Rhun."

'And my dear Antoine.'

…

Days passed, and in the Town of Hope, ten earthlings had arrived. They appeared around the town, and there was a theory that more had appeared, considering the various corpses of people with curious clothes were found in recent days.

Monsters such as Wild Dogs, Carnage Vultures, and Horned Rabbits had a feast these days, wiping out the weak Earthlings unable to defend themselves or flee.

"How are our recruits doing?" – Phillip asked.

"All three have excellent quality, especially Calvin." – said Onok. – "Although it is a pity that the other two were recruited by the mayor."

Phillip nodded, thinking that those two talented earthlings fell into the hands of Mayor Rogers, Lord of the Town of Hope made him sad, he knew very well what kind of person Malvin Rogers was, but, even so, he did not have the power or the ability to do anything, considering who the father of that deranged pervert was.

Even Onok try to bring him to justice, but Phillip denied him, knowing that they did not possess the power to suffer the consequences of that actions would bring to them.

"And the others?" – Phillip asked curiously.

Onok approached Phillip's desk, pouring some Brandy into a glass, and then took a seat.

"Four of them joined the Adventurer's Guild creating a team, although apparently the Vice Manager has prohibited them from doing missions outside the town or of a battle nature, since they are still weaklings." – said Onok, and then remembered about the last of the ten earthlings. – "The youngest, the brat, so I now knew how to work at the Crimson Swordsman Restaurant."

"Oh, I see." – Said Phillip, happy to know that the boy was in the care of the Crimson Swordsman himself.

"Priest."

"Yes Onok?"

Onok looked at Phillip seriously, asking a question that caused him a discomfort this couple of days.

"Shouldn't we try to recruit those five Earthlings?"

"Why the question?"

"Well…" – Onok thought for a moment, and after a few minutes, answered. – "It was not the mission we two were given by the church to recruit as many Earthlings as we could, right? For the sake of the church."

Phillip nodded, and then served more Brandy to the Fire Guard Sergeant, and then turned to look at the portrait of young Antoine.

"Onok, we are faithful servants of the God Rhun, aren't we?"

"That's how it is." – the sergeant answered immediately and without any hesitation.

Phillip turned to look at Onok, and the Sergeant watched the Priest smile.

"Those five earthlings are a waste of time, they are weak and useless for the cause of the Church of Rhun, where we try to survive among the thousands and thousands of religions that exist on the continent, only the strongest will survive, and, those earthlings sadly to say, they are mediocre, not to mention the boy."

"The boy?"

Phillip nodded, remembering the young man with beautiful blue eyes, and a look innocent that hides a lot of pain.

'Pitifully Child…'

"That kid, he is incapable…"

"Incapable?"

"He won't survive long, and even if we recruit him, we'll only bring him a world of pain by trying to train him."

'This is after all, a mad and salvage world.' – thought the old priest.

Onok did not understand what Phillip meant, but he trusted in the old priest wise thoughts.

"Remember Onok, we must not only protect the faithful believers, but the image of our Lord, besides, Pontiff Antoine would be disappointed with us if we cause pain to innocents like the brat, so, let's better focus on recruiting exceptional earthlings and talented, capable of growing strong, and let us pray for those who end up under the leadership of people like Mayor Rogers."

Onok nodded, finished drinking the brandy and got up.

"Well, I will continue training our earthlings."

"And may Rhun bless you." – Said Phillip, who looked at Antoine's portrait again, while Onok left his office.

"My dear Antoine, soon our earthlings will reach the Rank of Village Novice, beginning the path of Cultivation towards Immortality. May your grace and the Blessing of our God guide them, so that a new golden era for our Church may begin."

And, saying those words, he thought again of the young blue-eyed boy.

'And may the young earthling have a life without suffering.' – thought Phillip, who remained silent, looking at Antoine's portrait.

Just silence.

Meanwhile, time passed, and destinies changed or perished into oblivion all around Skypea.

…

Not only the Church of Rhun, but other forces on the continent began to recruit the Earthlings, as many knew that the Earthlings and their arrival were a unique event, an event of unparalleled change, and nothing would be the same in Skypea.