"Perfectly clear, Father."
Raziel walked out of the office feeling cold sweat sticking his robe to his back.
He hadn't won anything, just a few miserable seconds on a clock that was already running late.
He needed info, and he needed it now. He went straight to the library, because the smell of old paper usually calmed him down.
Today, though, the invisible clock in his head was ticking way too loud.
He was looking for a book on "Mana Flow Anomalies" when a female voice interrupted him.
"You look terrible."
Lara was standing there, arms crossed and that look that seemed to see right through flesh.
"I'm fine, it's just exhaustion," Raziel lied, slamming the book shut.
Lara frowned and took a step toward him.
"No, you aren't. Since the Ascension ceremony something changed in you, it feels... weird," she said, her voice low.
"It's like there are two people inside you. One that is here, with me, and another that..."
'SHIT!'
Raziel tensed up and was about to deflect the conversation, but a long shadow fell over both of them from the end of the hallway.
"Novice Celeste."
The voice was grave, deep, a death sentence between the bookshelves.
Raziel turned his head. At the end of the hall was Father Marius.
But two Inquisitors with iron masks were standing behind him like living statues.
"Come with us, please," Marius said. The "please" sounded like an order. "Right now."
The door closed, leaving Raziel alone with Father Marius.
The air felt heavy, almost impossible to breathe.
"Raziel," Marius began, with a falsely calm voice, "I find myself in a... peculiar situation."
"Father, I..." he tried to say, but Marius raised a hand, silencing him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" The priest's tone was tinged with disappointment.
"Tell you what?"
Marius leaned forward. "A fire elementalist? You could be defending our kingdom right now, boy!"
His lie to the Inquisitors... someone had spilled the beans. 'Who? And how much do they know?'
Raziel put a hand on his chest to reinforce his acting.
"I am serving the kingdom... with Zhalyr's grace," he said with a soft but firm voice.
"If it is by the goddess's grace, you know she would prefer you use your gift for its true purpose."
The front lines. The desert. Dying. The mere thought churned his stomach.
"My gift is to help the innocent," Raziel said, letting a touch of sadness leak into his voice.
The priest nodded slowly. "Sure, you want to help the orphans. Very selfless of you, considering you could climb ranks easily and choose to stay here..."
"Here is where I must be, Father," he replied, forcing all the sincerity he could.
Marius studied him, frowning.
"But... isn't it typical that the bluebird elementalists from the north control wind or water?"
The question took him by surprise. Bluebird. The term for those who had his same eyes and hair.
"I've heard that too," Raziel admitted carefully. "But I can't say I'm a true bluebird. I don't know my origins."
Marius nodded, with an understanding expression that seemed completely fake to Raziel. "True, you could be of mixed blood."
"That is not important, Father," Raziel said, fighting to keep his voice steady.
But Marius continued, leaning back in his chair.
"Not important? Raziel, your gift is a blessing from Zhalyr. We must use it wisely, for the good of Phaedra."
"I understand, Father," he said, forcing a smile.
"And I assure you I am using my gift as Zhalyr intends. My path might be different, but I know this is my place."
Marius sighed, frustrated.
"Raziel, I've seen you grow up. Your dedication, your intelligence are notable, but sometimes I wonder if you truly understand the responsibilities that come with your talents."
"Father," Raziel said, "I understand the responsibility more than you imagine, I have seen..."
He stopped. "I have studied the stories so I know the price of power and the cost of using it wrong."
Marius raised an eyebrow. "And what do those stories tell us, Raziel? What lessons have you learned?"
Raziel took a deep breath. "They warn us about corruption, about how good intentions can be twisted by fear and the desire for easy solutions."
Marius leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "You speak as if you had lived those stories, Raziel."
Raziel forced a laugh. "Forgive me, Father. Sometimes I get carried away, it's just that these lessons feel so real."
Marius nodded. "Your passion is admirable, Raziel. But passion is not enough since the Church needs individuals willing to act, to fight against the darkness."
"And what happens if..." Raziel said in a low voice, "the darkness isn't always where we expect to find it? What if the greatest threats to our faith come from within?"
The director's expression hardened.
"That is dangerous thinking, Raziel," he said, his voice grave.
"The Church has been a guiding light for centuries and questioning its foundations..."
"I'm not questioning the foundations, Father," Raziel interrupted, surprised by his own audacity.
"I'm questioning our understanding of them. The world is changing and threats evolve. Shouldn't our approach evolve too?"
"You are treading on dangerous ground, boy," Marius's voice was hard.
"Your intellect is a gift, but also a risk if uncontrolled, I have tolerated your unique perspective because I see your potential, but there are limits."
"I understand, Father," he said, keeping his voice firm.
"I apologize if I overstepped, I just want to serve Zhalyr and our kingdom."
Marius nodded, relaxing a bit.
"Of course. But the path of true service isn't always the one we choose, sometimes, we must sacrifice our desires for the greater good."
He stood up and walked slowly toward the large unlit iron chandelier hanging in the center of the room. The air turned heavy, dense.
"There is no better time than the present to start serving, don't you think, Raziel?"
He turned around, and his eyes shone with intensity in the candlelight of the desk.
"Light a single candle on that chandelier, right now..."