First follower

Ren left the red light district, feeling relaxed after some downtime. The increasing activity of orcs in the area had forced him to put his mission to discover the source of chaos energy in the south on hold. As he made his way through the busy streets, he heard a commotion and decided to investigate.

Ren noticed a commotion as he walked through the streets of the city, and he went to investigate. He saw a woman being caught for stealing, and as he approached, he noticed that she had some black hues that only he could see. He knew that this was a sign of Erebo, but he also noticed that the woman was very thin and haggard, likely a victim of the war in another place, and now a refugee. Ren decided to save her and investigate her possible connection to Erebo.

As Ren stepped forward to intervene, the situation resolved quickly. His reputation as a skilled fighter in the forest preceded him. Ren paid for the stolen goods and then took the thin and haggard woman to a nearby restaurant to get something to eat. Despite her gratitude and hopeful expression, the woman didn't say much and followed Ren like a timid puppy. Ren couldn't help but notice the desperation and fear in her eyes, likely a result of the war she had been affected by. As they walked, Ren couldn't help but notice the increase in the number of people living in shantytowns, a clear sign of the impact of the war on the region.

After ordering the food for the two, Ren asked Rita a few questions. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Rita Brown," she replied.

Ren's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "Where do you come from?"

Rita seemed uncomfortable for a few seconds, but then steeled herself and said, "I was born on a different planet - Earth."

Ren was surprised. "I'm from Earth too," he said.

Rita's expectations rose, and she continued, "I came here with my husband and my teenage son. Unfortunately, both of them died in wars. When this happened, the people who brought us here cast me away without even giving me the opportunity to realize what was happening. I was informed of their deaths later."

"That's terrible," Ren said sympathetically. "Can you explain why you're in such a haggard situation? If it's not too intrusive, could you tell me how you ended up here and why?"

Rita took a deep breath before replying, "When they cast me away, they took me from the city where I was living and transported me to another town before I even knew about my family's deaths. They allowed me to take some money and goods, but unfortunately, this made me a target for robbers. They stole everything from me and beat me. When some of them started to talk about raping me, they began to destroy my clothes. At this point, a soldier patrol led by a woman scared them off, or so some witnesses say. I don't know because I fell unconscious. In my unconsciousness, I dreamt of a shadow woman who said that my salvation lay in this city. That's why I left the Republic of Brunswick and joined a caravan to come here. But a few days ago, I reached my limits and had to start stealing things."

After they finished their meal, Ren asked Rita if she was a religious woman. She replied that she was never particularly religious, but ever since she was a child and something terrible happened, she had always dreamed of a shadowy figure. Ren asked her to elaborate, and Rita explained that in her dreams, the shadow woman appeared to be a savior figure who would rescue her from difficult situations.

Ren listened intently, and then suggested that the shadow woman could be Erebo, the goddess of darkness and death from his own religion. Rita seemed surprised and intrigued by the idea, and Ren went on to explain more about Erebo's role in his faith.

"However," Ren continued, "Erebo is not just a goddess of darkness and death. She is also a goddess of transformation and rebirth. She represents the cycle of life and death, the eternal cycle of time. Erebo and Elysium, the goddess of light and life, together form the balance of the universe."

Rita listened with rapt attention as Ren explained the significance of Erebo in his religion. As they talked, Ren felt a growing sense of connection with Rita, and he wondered if perhaps their shared experiences on this new world could bring them closer together.

Rita was very interested and asked, "Ren, do you know a priest of this religion?"

Ren replied, "No, I don't know any. I have received some visitations from Erebo, but I do know of a ruined temple of the goddess."

"That is perfect," said Rita. "By my understanding, you need a priest of the gods to bless you. Since you have received some blessings from Erebo, I guess you count as one. Can you take me there and allow me to take the vows of Erebo?"

Ren nodded and replied, "Sure thing, but now the orc activity is too high. It's better to wait a few days and focus on eating and recovering your body first."

Ren paid for the meals and then brought Rita to the inn where he usually stays. As they walked, Ren couldn't help but feel a sense of connection with Rita, knowing what it was like to experience misfortune and loss. He began sharing some of his own past experiences, including the time he spent as a slave and how he managed to break free.

Ren realized that he wanted to do something to help Rita, who had clearly been through a lot. He explained his desire to spread the old religion of Erebo and Elysium, and his belief that Rita's experience with the shadow woman could be an important asset in this endeavor.

"Rita," he said, "I think we could work together to spread the word of Erebo and Elysium. I believe your experience with the shadow woman could be a great help in our efforts. Would you be interested in working with me on this?"

Rita was surprised by the offer, but also intrigued. She had never thought of herself as someone who could spread a religious message, but the idea of working with Ren and helping others like herself was appealing.

"I would be honored to work with you, Ren," she said. "And I appreciate your offer to patron me in this endeavor."

Ren smiled, feeling relieved that Rita had accepted his offer. He knew that it wouldn't be easy, but he was excited about the possibilities that lay ahead. Together, they could bring hope and comfort to those who had suffered like they had, and spread the message of Erebo and Elysium to those who needed it most.

In the inn were Ren's pets, he presented them to Rita and surprisingly Psyche, the hawk, didn't behave well with her, but Thanatos, the horse, was very enthusiastic. This made Ren somewhat upset because to this day Thanatos kept molesting him and being distant whenever possible. Ren informed Rita that he needed to talk with the city management and left Thanatos with her.

Ren left to go to the city hall, Psyche perched on his shoulder. His objective this time was to meet Hans and talk about acquiring a place where he could reside, one that could accommodate his pets and some of his followers. Ren knew that his current mission could not be completed alone, and even exploring the forest would be easier with some support.

When Ren reached the city hall, he saw Elsa and greeted her before asking for a meeting with Hans. To his surprise, Hans was accompanied by a younger man who resembled him - it was his familiar.

The two men were in a room in front of a map with wooden figures placed upon it. Ren supposed that it was the preparation for a military campaign.

"Ren, good to see you," Hans greeted him. "This is my familiar, Isaac. He's been helping me with the campaign preparations."

Ren nodded in greeting to Isaac. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

Hans shook his head. "No, not at all. What can I help you with?"

Ren explained his situation and asked if there were any available properties that could meet his requirements. Hans consulted with Isaac and they both conferred quietly before turning back to Ren.

"I think we have something that could suit your needs," Hans said, indicating to the map. "There's an abandoned property on the outskirts of town that we've been meaning to repurpose. It's quite large and has a lot of land surrounding it. It should be able to accommodate your pets and followers."

Ren was relieved to hear this. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

Hans smiled. "No problem. We're happy to help. And who knows, maybe we could even use your skills in the campaign."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "What campaign?"

Ren looked at the map and the wooden figures, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. As Hans and Isaac explained their plans for a military campaign against the orcs, Ren felt a sense of unease.

The situation was grim. The orcs were attacking more frequently, and the humans were struggling to defend their territory. The kobolds and goblins had started to attack the orcs, which had weakened them, but the humans were still short on gold-ranked fighters.

Isaac raised an eyebrow when Ren offered to help. "You're clearly a silver rank," he said skeptically. "Do you really think you can scam us?"

Ren looked to Hans, after a few moments of reflection, Hans spoke up. "I trust Ren," he said firmly. "He has proven himself to be a powerful ally in the past. If he says he can help, I believe him.", then Hans keep talking about theirs forces.

Ren listened intently to Hans' explanation and was impressed by the level of support they were receiving from his family. "Platinum and Orichalcum ranked fighters? That's quite impressive," Ren remarked.

Hans nodded in agreement. "Yes, my family is quite influential in these parts. We have some of the best fighters in the land," he said proudly.

Ren couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy. He had no family to speak of, no one to support him in his own endeavors. But he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the matter at hand.

"So what is your plan for the campaign?" Ren asked.

Hans gestured to the map in front of them. "We will be launching an attack on the orc camp in three days' time. Our forces will consist of our own soldiers, as well as reinforcements from the neighboring cities. With the additional fighters from my family, we should be able to overwhelm the orcs and drive them out of our lands."

Ren nodded, impressed by the scale of the operation. "And what about the kobolds and goblins? Won't they pose a threat as well?"

Hans shook his head. "Not at the moment. We've received reports that they've turned their attention to the orcs and have been launching attacks on their own. It seems they see this as an opportunity to expand their territories."

Ren nodded, understanding the situation. "And you said you were short on gold ranked fighters. How many do you need?"

Isaac spoke up this time. "We need at least three more gold ranked fighters to ensure our victory", he look to Ren and said with some doubts, "the biggest problem right now is that we have information on an orc chieftain that is in the final stage of the gold rank, that one would be very difficult without three more gold rank, or a gold rank of equivalent level"

"Well if worst come to worst we can stall for time", Hans said

"I hope we can recruit another gold rank at least, if Ren is as strong as you said then with one more everything will be alright", Isaac said

"Very well," Ren replied with a nod. "I'll make sure to come fully prepared for the battle ahead."

Hans nodded in agreement. "Make sure to take care of yourself and your pets, Ren. We'll need every skilled fighter we can get."

Ren smiled. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of them. And after this battle, I hope everything with the big house and the land of the ruined temple will be settled."

"Agreed," Hans said. "Good luck, Ren."

"Thank you, Hans. See you in three days," Ren said, before turning to leave the room.