The Bishop

As I stared down at the small white plastic bottle sitting on an oak polished table, I felt insulted. Tiny capsules filled with so much winter aura they seemed like stars of winter filled the bottle. Men I'd traveled with happily tossed the pills back while I glared at the bottle. It was so simple and easy. Take two capsules a day for a month and I'd be rid of the infection. I was scheduled to go by the hospital and give blood. In exchange for the cure, I had to give four pints.

With my health pool and a healing spell I could get it done in a single visit. I still needed winter aura for myself. Winter was apart of this world and only by adding it to myself could I move freely.

"If it was poisoned the other would have already started dropping." Sid drank from a horn of pumpkin beer. "You should try to relax most of us made it and Lewis should make a full recovery." Sid said.

I pulled a horn of my own from a cast iron wired skirt. The skirting made it easier to drink from the horns without spilling. After a moment of hesitation, I popped open the lid and swallowed two pills and sipped from my horn.

The pumpkin beer was pungent and a little sweet. It hardly distracted me from the small bursts of winter aura exploding off in my guts. I exhaled a breath and felt winter aura enter my lungs. For the first time since my infection my red aura stopped its onslaught. My aura calmed itself and one problem settled down, for now.

With one problem out of the way I could focus on other issues. I drank the rest of my beer and slammed my hand on the table to call the bar maid. She quickly took my horn away.

I didn't like the idea of getting buzzed before my first diplomatic meeting. More than likely I was just going to be there for moral support. I wasn't an official member of the Inquisition or Inquisitor Lewis's retinue. That gave me little power to wield in any deals. My personal power was an unknown and I didn't know how I compared to the surface's heavy hitters. If the Dukes have jobs like Mariana, then stats or no I couldn't beat them.

Just because they were powerful and had powerful jobs didn't mean I couldn't get ahead. I needed to level up my skills and level multiple jobs. My hundred levels of mage would help. I could buy other job roles and level up my system.

I had training to do, a farm to start, and quests to complete. Soon enough I'd be busy. A farm at the edge of vampire territory with a rogue fungus monster roaming about sounded like trouble. There were things I needed. Mahina was back south nested in the body of a skinned Abominable Bear. She wouldn't be able to cross the distance for some time. This was the summer so winter would be even worse.

To get anywhere I needed high walls and lots of monsters to guard my farm. Spells would help. I needed to learn more about warding, enchanting, and the meta. As far as the meta was concerned, I didn't know how standard human spell casters fought in this world.

Once our pills were taken and our tab paid, we took a carriage to the church. All around us on the road children waited on the streets wrapped in old rotten cloths. Towers spired high in the air spewing black smoke. Small vents covered the ground blasting heat up while snow melted, flowed into drains, and was carried off the streets.

On a hill of white stone sat a palace that stretched up to the heavens. High upon the palace's tallest spire was a golden ring hovering above the tower itself. Through the golden light small symbols could be seen etched on the mighty halo. In the center of the ring hovering above the tower were three etched rocks spiraling around each other. Blue veins spread down the tower connecting with smaller golden halos etched into the sides of the towers. From there those blue lines spread all across the palace. Even the road where our carriage tread was covered in those blue lines.

"I know it's a little meek but what could you expect from a boarder town." Sid said. "White marble was cut from a riverbed far to the south and transported here to build the church a poor imitation of the blessed marble found in the south. The ward stones up above each contain only a single drop of a saint's blood. Do you see the spire in the center? It is the only one with a halo. Worst of all there are only eight men of faith living here. A church of this size should contain no less than a thousand deacons, a hundred priests, ten bishops, and a single archbishop. This place is disgraceful." Sid said.

Janus gave Sid a pensive look. "Father Sid, do you think the Bishop would allow me access to the church library. Now that I can use aura, I'd like to learn a sacred script." Janus said.

"To be young and eager for new challenges. Alexander is a believer in the Saint Verde Orthodoxy. Expect every gift to come at a cost. Don't expect the aide we're giving to count as any payment. There is a reason he was sent to a boarder town." Sid said.

I nodded slowly. From my storage ring I pulled out a textbook on white spells. I'd already digitized the information. The solid copy held no value to me.

I flashed the book in front of the boy. "Janus, I acquired this book from demons at a great cost. Within it are the basics of white aura spells. Anything you could want to learn is in here." I said.

Janus bowed his head. "Thank you, teacher, I'll work hard to master as many spells as possible." Janus said.

I snorted. "I'd rather you become proficient in a few spells rather than barely grasp a dozen." I said. He nodded to me slowly after opening the book. I let out a sigh. "Put it away for now you can read it when you have more time."

We entered the building and began climbing a set of circular stairs leading to the top. Small statues of winged men stood upon windowsills. The glass around us was stained showing pictures of battle between winged men and foul frost covered demons. Yellow rings of gold floated above the winged men's heads.

I pointed to one of the angels. His face was blurred. "Who are they?" Sid let out a pained sigh. "I should get you a copy of the Solum. They are the supermen. Those who live a life dedicated to Sol are given a new life after death. Wings allow them to fly with Sol himself and the halos are the anointment from Sol. The true anointment is far grander than even that but it's an understandable interpretation." Sid said.

We traveled up the stairs until we reached two blue doors with a single golden halo in the crease where the doors closed together. The doors opened to a slight shift in the aura beyond the doors. Light from the room beyond poured down the stairs.

In a red felt chair there was a man dressed in a dirty blue robe. Small golden halos covered the robe in various places. The man looked up and exposed saggy eyes and liver spots. There was an air about the man that screeched tired. A brown staff leaned against the desk. Looped at the head of the staff were three rings made of solid gold. I'd have to bite them to know they were gold for sure, but they looked to be gold.

"Priest Margos, I heard you had trouble on the road. Should I send for another inquisitor to head the investigation of dear Victor's kidnapping. I fear you've wasted the trip and my time. If I'd know you'd be corrupted before even stepping foot in my fair city, I'd have chosen another group. Where is that crack smoking Lewis? Dead?" The old man snorted. "Sol wouldn't bless me such good fortune."

I raised an eyebrow. "You are new, a fallen knight, no not with aura like yours. It's too much and too controlled. A mage is useless, the vampires here aren't frightened by mages. Why did you bring a mage with you Priest Margos?" The Bishop asked.

Then the old man's eyes fell on Janus who clutched tightly at his white book. "A young man with a pure white aura that is rare. Are you a virgin boy? I'm sure a pint of your blood could tempt even that skank Mariana, if she didn't favor girls. I'm afraid you are useless too." Alexander said.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not here to be of use to you. Priest Margos, I'm going to the hospital. Our meeting with the vampires isn't for a few hours I'll get a feel for them." I said.

"Wait, we need to hear the full story of the incident before you go. I haven't decided if the inquisition needs to be involved. The church is proving uncooperative perhaps they don't need us at all." Sid said.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you young man. I want a more experienced team." The old man smiled revealing yellowed teeth.

Priest Margos stared down his nose at the Bishop. "If we leave there will be no replacement inquisitorial party. We will give our report on the situation and that will be the end of it." Sid said.

The Bishop smashed his old fist against his desk. "No that is unacceptable. I have friends in the capitol, the inquisition and even in the blades. There are many who owe me favors. If I ask, they will send help." Alexander said.

"Perhaps, but it will be months before another team will be dispatched and then it will be more months before they can arrive. By that point the vampires won't care to hear of any accusations." Sid slammed his staff down. A glowing white aura surrounded him. "We are the best chance you have to gain anything from this situation." Priest Sid said.

Bishop Alexander seemed to chew on the information for a minute. "Fine, but if you shortchange me, you'll find yourself in an outpost much like mine one day. Maybe I'll put you in as my replacement. You'll be promoted and thrown out here with the wolves and bats." The old man said with a smile.

I snorted. "Get on with it there isn't much time left before the meeting." I said.

The old man frowned. "You should mind your elders boy. I've studied aura for many times your lifetime. Sol has blessed me with a much-extended lifespan." The old man said.

Sid piped up. "Victor Cross was by all accounts a pious priest. His aura was pure white and showed monk like dedication to cultivation and sacred spells. I've read a few of the papers he sent to the capitol." Sid said.

Alexander clicked his tongue. "The brighter the light the darker the shadow. Despite what you think he let himself be taken. He isn't a victim and must be destroyed." The Bishop said.

I rolled my eyes. "So, he really has been turned willingly. Well, what's the problem vampires live in this town and run the hospital. Or is it to preserve this church's secrets. I'm sure if he's been turned for months, they've already extracted his secrets." I said.

I could hear teeth grinding. "You can't remove him from the ward key. A vampire is roaming around our lands unaffected by wards." Sid said. The bishop slowly nodded his head.

That was troubling. A vampire that could invade homes and feed with impunity was a problem.