Theapan Temple (Part 4)

"How do you think the gods come to exist?" Johan Lovette asked Vorbuk while leaning against the window in his room.

They both had a glass in their hands. Johan was not certain he could explain things well to Vorbuk. He simply knew he could not get away without giving the wolf something. From the moment he met the wolf he understood that the beast was marked.

"What do you mean?" Vorbuk could not understand what Johan Lovette meant by asking such a question.

"A god is not simply born a god. There are some who were born a god because both of their parents happened to be a god. It is a rare occurrence that can happen. Gods have lower chance to produce an offspring then a dragon but it can happen. However! The original gods were not born that way." Johan began explaining his understanding of the gods. There was much he knew about the gods because he had constant communication with various gods. What he did not learn from personal encounters he also had within the temple library. Generations of popes kept records of their own knowledge for the future generations.

"They were mortals." Vorbuk understood what the pope was trying to say.

"Yes, the original gods were all mortal before they ascended to becoming gods." Johan sat his drink down and inhaled from his pipe calmly exhaling a puff of smoke into the air before the window.

"What does this have to do with the guardian's mark?" Vorbuk could not understand the connection.

"A new god has not ascended in a long time. A mortal can not break the barrier of 5th rank on their own. If they could do you think there would be so many dragons or other species that can reach that level and end up at a deadlock? The heavens would be over run with god level beasts alone." Johan explained.

"So to ascend.." Vorbuk thought deeply.

"A mark appears on the one being watched by the heavens. For they shall be protected by god." Johan finished the words for Vorbuk impatiently.

"You mean I am being watched by a god?" Vorbuk asked.

"You could consider it a form of bond. Nobody knows who the bond comes from but every god ascended because they once were marked. The one who guided them or you could consider it a form of testing them never once stepped forward even after the gods ascended each time." Johan's gaze was lost in his own thoughts as he exhaled a puff of smoke again. His mind was a mess.

"You said a god has not ascended in a long time. Did something happen?" Vorbuk could not imagine they stopped allowing others to ascend completely. Would that not disrupt the natural flow of things?

"Tsk," Johan clicked his tongue. "Yes."

"What happened?" Vorbuk bluntly asked.

"A bloody war happened," Johan thought carefully over his words. His recollection of the war was not a perfect one because he did not experience it himself. Going over everything he had learned over time he could only piece parts of the puzzle together for a basic understanding.

"The last guardian was killed during that war." He felt there was not much reason to explain too deeply on the war. There was a lot of information he could not personally give out over what he knew. Some of the details were only guesses and assumptions he had made himself over time.

Vorbuk did not need the pope to explain which war he meant. The only war he was familiar with was the rumors about the fable. A god who lost his wife and child. Many lives were surely lost during that god's rage. That meant the last guardian died because he had been caught up in a war against a god.

"The last guardian was killed by Chynir." Vorbuk was not asking but stating what he felt was obvious. There was too many things to connect Chynir to the war for it not to have been him.

The Pope flinched at his words without saying a word. It was obvious that he had the same conclusion about the situation. There was nothing Johan could do about it. When it came to the gods he could not pick sides on what choices they made. He could only refuse or accept to go along with them when they asked him for favors.

"Why did he kill the last guardian? Even if it was a time of war among the mortals I don't understand why he would have killed someone protected by another god." That was something that confused Vorbuk.

There is something else.. something missing still.. Vorbuk thought as he tried to understand it.

"That," Johan paused and shook his head. "is something I can not help you with."

Gazing at the man with his pipe in hand. Vorbuk felt like there was something the pope was not telling him. Having learned a lot more then before he felt he would let things go for the time being. He understood there were things that could not be shared among themselves.

"If you think of anything further, please, let me know." Vorbuk kept his words polite even if his gaze gave off more of a sarcastic smile because he knew the pope was withholding information.

That gaze did not faze Johan Lovette as the man stood there with his pipe. Smoke exhaling from his own politely bright smile. Without saying a word he was making his stance clear to Vorbuk. He would not be delving deeper into the matters of the war.

There were some things he could not say even if he felt guilt. His life and the life of his daughter came first and silence for the gods was the price he had to pay. His daughter was not bound to the same oath as he was but for safety Johan even kept certain details from her.

The thing that Johan knew well was that Vorbuk's life was marked. Not just by an unknown god watching him and aiding him to grow. No, the wolf was marked as prey by Chynir. By being chosen to ascend if he passes his trials given by the god; Chynir would not sit still. If anything Chynir would only be angered and lash out. Johan could only sigh.

Turning on his heels Vorbuk left the room behind.

The night air cold as the day had felt much too long. He could hear the wind brushing through the trees in the distance. From behind there was the sound of someone approaching him. A familiar scent wafted through the air and he subconsciously recognized the person instantly.

As his gaze shifted backwards he saw the person approaching casually. Prince Leo was heading in his direction. After taking a long time the prince had eventually gotten worried and went to look for Vorbuk. He was not as bad as when they first started traveling together. But was a habit that was heard to break.

"Your Highness?" Vorbuk called out to him as if on reflex. Even as time when by it seemed it was difficult for Prince Leo to completely let go of his fear of being abandoned. If Vorbuk took too long to return the prince would surely look for him out of worry every time. "I was heading back soon."