Setting Out (Toga)

Toga pushed open the doors to the Lylan church. There were two men dressed eerily similar in the pastor's garb. Only one of which he recognized as the man who performed his merging. The other one, had a bond guard with him. This one had to be an edict.

"Ahhh, young Toga. I wasn't expecting to see you so soon," The pastor said.

"I'd rather get my mission briefings early and done with," Toga said.

"Toga? So this is the child that's the next shining spirit," The other pastor said.

"Yes sir, that'll be me," Toga said.

The man scanned him up and down. "Well, it's nice to make your acquaintance young man. I'm sure you'll do remarkable things in the coming future. You'll be helping save a lot of people,"

"Thanks sir. I guess my friend's passion to save people must have rubbed off on me,"

"Really now? You'll have to tell me all about this friend later. For now, I want to discuss a matter pertaining to you being the next shining spirit for the Red Dogs," The pastor said.

"You mean me? Did I do something wrong already?" Toga asked. His father's words found its way into the back of his mind.

The edict held his hand up. "Oh no, nothing like that. The problem I'm talking about is a problem all shining spirits must go through,"

"It's that you're untested," The pastor said.

"People must know who you are before they can start to follow you. So I'm going to send you out into the field on a solo mission in Loil territory. This is so you can take all the credit,"

"I don't mind going by myself, but how many demons are we talking?" Toga asked.

The edict smiled. "Oh, you won't be fighting demons." His eyes suddenly narrowed. "You'll be fighting humans with demon hearts,"

"Humans, with demon hearts?" nothing in the academy has ever taught him about such a thing. Was that a more common occurrence in this territory?

"Heretics I tell you. The non-believers seek to spurn our salvation out of spite, and jealousy," The edict said.

"I didn't know there were people like that. Forgive me edict. I'd like to know your name,"

"Ahhh… where were my manners? I'm the edict know as Aiden Conwell," He placed his hand over his heart.

Toga's eyes widened. Why didn't he think of the only edict that's a pastor would be the very edict that burned that boy alive? The one Ryuma witnessed as a kid. He was here?

"My boy, you look like you've seen a ghost. Are you all right?" Aiden asked. The smile he gave sent a chill throughout his body.

"I'm fine… it's just I didn't expect to meet a High Edict so soon," Toga said.

"You need not humble yourself anymore. You've been chosen by the Red Dog, you're on equal footing with us now. However, as a pastor of the Red Dogs, and an edict, I hereby dub you with your first mission,"

Everything the man said went right into one ear and right out the other. Truth be told, he couldn't get past the fact that this was the man that burned an innocent child. The way he conducted himself now, it's as if he was never that guy.

But he just had to be. He was an edict, his name was unmistakable. Yet here he was talking like everything was normal. Toga didn't know what to make of it.

"Do you understand Toga?" Aiden asked.

Toga shook his head. "Excuse me, what?" He missed everything the man said.

"I said, there's a notorious bandit gang on the outskirts of the capital Fahragon. They've been active for a month. We want you to go and subjugate them,"

"Subjugate them?" Toga asked.

"It's the nice way of saying slaughter each and every one of them," Aiden said.

Toga didn't change his facial expression at all. "I'm sure some of them have their circumstances. I don't believe we should just kill them indiscriminately,"

That came out of his mouth involuntarily. At one point he forgot he was talking to an edict, let alone a high edict.

"That may be, but humans who harm other humans are even worse than the demons. They deserve, eradication… but if you wish to spare them, that is up to you. So long as they are delt with,"

Even now, it felt weird being able to disagree with the opinion of an edict.

"Ughh… well alright then. I guess I'll be heading to the lower world then,"

"One other thing. You'll be taking the runic transport down there since it's just you. You might want to swallow this before you do so," the pastor said. He gave him a round green pill.

"What is this?" Toga asked.

"You'll need to take this every time you go to the lower world. Unless you want an entire day of nausea and headaches, I suggest you take it before using the runic transport. I mean is it any wonder since you'll be in the same breathing air as the rabble?" Aiden said.

"Oh ok. Where's the transportation circle at?"

"We have it here in the back room. It should connect you to the church in Fahragon. You're free to use it whenever, but this is for shining spirit use only, unless in the case of emergencies. Follow me," The pastor said.

The three went towards the back room. There was an intricate rune design drawn on the ground. Toga walked on it and waited.

"Ok… what now?" Toga asked.

"You swallow that pill I gave you is what," Aiden said.

"Oh yeah," Toga took the pill out his pocket and popped it into his mouth. He swallowed it whole.

"Now you raise your spirit energy. The rune will do the rest," Pastor Hase said.

Toga closed his eyes and concentrated his energy. The rune started to fill out with red lighting glowing on the drawing. There was a flash.

Toga slowly opened his eyes. He looked back and forth, but nothing seemed to have changed. The room looked the same the only difference being that both pastors were now gone. If he didn't know any better, it looked like it was the pastors that teleported, not him.

"Hello… is anybody here?" Toga began walking out of the transportation room and into the foyer. Once out there, he saw an assortment of people going through a sermon.

Not wanting to bother them, he tried to go back behind the wall.

"Ahh… and here is our honored guest. The next guardian of Fahragon. Toga Dawnheart!" The preacher said.

He must've seen him already so he nervously moved out into the open. He smiled and waved his hands.

{Nobody said anything about a welcoming.}

Everyone sitting on the rows of benches stood up and began clapping.

"Come! Come! We've been waiting on you young Toga. For the past seventeen years we believed that the Red Dog would one day grace our halls with all the grace of its godly spirit," The preacher ushered.

{I mean… it's bound to happen. These things reincarnate constantly.}

Toga walked out onto the preacher's stage. "Hello guys. It's nice to meet you. I was informed that I had a mission to accomplish. You'll have to excuse me for not being prepared to greet you in this lovely church,"

Looking around, the church in Fahragon, was built in the exact same manner as the church in the Skylands in terms of structure, size, and even decoration. He had to wonder who did this? This had to be done on purpose. Was this like the same in the other three areas?

Other two areas…

"Oh, no need to rush. We're not in a hurry. Let the people of Fahragon enjoy your presence a little longer. It is a treat for Fahragon to know that they're guardian deity has returned.

{He was definitely not that.}

"That's ok. I insist. The faster I get the mission done with, the more lives I could potentially save," Toga said.

The preacher looked at him. "Oh, as expected of the owner our spirit chose. Quick to act. Man of the masses. With him our future should be bright,"

Toga gestured towards the exit. "Yeah, I'm just going to…"

Before he could even finish, he started getting dizzy. His breathing was becoming erratic, and he felt an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like he was on the verge of throwing up, with having nothing in his stomach to throw up with.

Was this what Aiden was talking about? He had a hard time staying upright and this feeling was unbearable.

If he were going through it this bad, what would it have been like if he hadn't had taken the pill. He would have passed out by now. Better yet, there was a good chance that he would've died there on the spot.

"My body… it's not…"

The preacher caught him before he could fall over. "Careful young man. Before you do anything, let us first get you a bed to lie on. "We of Fahragon dutifully care for our shining spirit. Rest assured, you're in good hands,"