Geoff looked around the marble building that he had been brought to, eyes full of wonder. The ceiling was painted black, enchanted with an illusory spell that caused it to look like distant stars could be seen depending on the angle one looked from. This was his first time entering the Starry Night’s church, but he was already enjoying himself.

“What can I do for you, young man?” A female voice called out to him, and he turned to see an elven woman watching him. His back straightened, causing her to giggle playfully. “It’s fine. We’re not all that busy right now, so is there something I can help you with?”

Looking around, Geoff could tell that they truly weren’t all that busy for the moment, though that was also likely because the town they were in was rather small. At this time of the morning, there simply weren’t that many people who came to church to offer their prayers. “I-I would like to join the Starry Night!” Geoff said with as much determination as he could muster.

There was an almost sparkle in the elf’s eyes as she heard that, her smile widening. “Is that so? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. Are you a follower of the Goddess?”

“N-Not exactly.” He shook his head, nervousness clouding his mind. “My parents don’t believe in favoring any of the Greater Pantheon over any other, so we’ve only ever gone to churches that feature them all. I’ve never really had the chance to choose just one.”

The elf nodded her head in understanding. “I see. And now that you’re old enough, you have chosen Leowynn? If I may ask, what drew you to her as opposed to the others? Naturally, I have my own biases, but I always like to hear the answers of others, to help them make informed decisions. This is a big moment, after all.”

“It’s… everything, I guess?” Geoff responded with uncertainty. “I studied her legends, and her current teachings. As the daughter of the Keeper, she fought to protect everyone she could, putting her life on the line without any hesitation. Even in death, she was saving people.”

“For so long afterwards, she stayed with the Keeper, and even died again for the world. Most of the gods or goddesses teach about a certain craft to try to make people’s lives better, but I can’t think of anyone else that has practiced her own teachings to such an extent. The Starry Night isn’t based on the domains of the Goddess, but her heart. That’s why I want to join, because I want to be someone that can protect people like her.”

The elf’s smile widened more and more as Geoff talked. “I see. In that case, can I get your name? I’ll need to recommend you to the local bishop.”

Geoff happily answered. “My name is Geoff Strolam.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Geoff.” The girl answered, beckoning for him to follow. “First, let me ask you some simple questions. Do you plan to live in the church, or do you want to commute? We’re fine with commuters, but we do offer lodging for those who need it.”

“I’ll… probably take that offer, thanks.” Geoff replied weakly, causing the girl to look over at him.

“I’m guessing your parents didn’t respond well to your decision… it’s not a problem. Everyone has their own circumstances.” She shook her head to let him know that there was nothing wrong with his choice. “Since I’m recommending you, I’ll probably be placed in charge of your training, so let me know if you need anything. I assume that you have a terminal?”

“That’s right.” Geoff retrieved a spherical device from his storage item. “Never leave home without it. Out of curiosity, am I going to be put through any sort of trials or anything? My father always said that those who choose one deity over all others will need to face harrowing trials to prove themselves.”

“And you still came here?” The girl asked with a light laugh. “I doubt you’ll have anything of the sort. In all my time here, the Goddess has never given me any special trial. While some do receive those, they are few and far between, chosen by the Goddess herself. We cannot ask for her to grant each of us such a boon.”

“A boon? Isn’t it just something that makes life harder for you?” When the girl heard that question, she looked as confused as the boy did.

“Your parents really didn’t want you to choose one, did they? No, a trial may be difficult, but it comes with an equally special reward to match. The bishop you’re about to meet received a rather simple trial, which was to always sleep under the night sky. On the surface, that means that he is unable to sleep indoors. However, every day that he sleeps outside, the next day he enjoys the benefit of improved energy recovery.”

“I… see.” Geoff nodded his head, feeling embarrassed as the pair came to a rather large door at the end of the hall. The girl lifted her head, knocking heavily on it a couple times.

“Bishop Fry, I have someone that wishes to join the clergy.” She called in, and there was a slight pulse of energy. The door opened by itself, the girl walking in as if it were completely normal.

“Thank you, Miss Lara.” Spoke a man from behind the desk. It was hard to tell whether he was human or elf. His ears, while somewhat pointed, were not as long or sharp as an elf. Likewise, his hair was almost blazing red, but not the exotic brightness one might see from a redheaded elf. It was possible that he was of mixed ancestry, though such people were rather rare to see even in the present day.

“Of course, sir.” The elf responded. “This is Geoff Strolam. He wishes to join the church as a full member, and has asked for lodging.”

Bishop Fry gave a small nod, glancing towards Geoff. “Since you brought him here, I assume you’ve already checked his character. Geoff, is it? I have just one small examination, and then you’ll be good to join the church.”

After saying that, the bishop retrieved a blue sphere from one of the drawers of his desk, placing it atop the surface. To Geoff, it looked like a simple level reader, like guards used to check for people’s identities. “Are you wanting to make sure that I don’t have Assassin levels or something?” He asked curiously, walking over and placing his hand on the orb.

However, the device did not display his status panel as he expected. Instead, it simply turned from blue to green, the bishop smiling in response. “Not at all. This merely checks to see if you have a title with the keywords like ‘Criminal’. Every year, there are those that try to sign up with the church as a way to hide from the law. They typically get found sooner or later, but it is a stain upon the ones who let them in. Since you don’t have any titles like that, I can assume that you’re not some madman hiding your identity to avoid the law.”

Geoff wanted to counter that he was too young to be mistaken for that. He had only just hit sixteen years old, after all. However, such an argument wouldn’t go anywhere. There were dozens of ways that someone could easily disguise themselves as a child. “I understand, sir. In that case, is there anything else that I need to know?”

The bishop thought the question over for a long moment. “Since you’ll be staying here, there are a few things. There is a weekly rent of two tokens of Leowynn. These tokens go to supporting the church and the local economy, and are quite easy to obtain. As long as you pray to the Goddess with a genuine faith in your heart, you will easily be able to pay this and more.”

“Meals are at eight in the morning, one in the afternoon, and six in the evening. If you have special circumstances, you can have your meals delivered to your room. Otherwise, we all eat together in the cafeteria.”

“Miss Lara will be handling your basic training as a Priest, and will be monitoring your level in the class. Once you have reached level fifty, you will qualify to take an official position within the church, such as Miss Lara. Starting at level twenty-five, you can apply for missions to go outside of the church in order to help others in surrounding areas, though your overall combat level must meet the requirement of the mission in question. Do you have any questions so far?”

Geoff shook his head, quickly processing everything that he was being told. Level fifty for a class was not a hard goal. For most classes, and with the proper learning material, this could be achieved in a matter of weeks with diligent study. It was progressing past this threshold where things began slowing down considerably.

“In that case… Miss Lara, please take Geoff to the altar and receive the blessing of the Goddess.” The bishop smiled warmly to the elven girl, who nodded her head in excitement.

“Come on, Geoff!” She said, practically pulling his arm to get her to follow him. Geoff was surprised by her sudden energy, but still did his best to turn and follow her pace.

“H-Hold on, let me walk on my own.” He complained, but didn’t try to shake her off. He wasn’t opposed to her energy, just the fact that she was higher level than him, and he was having trouble keeping his feet under him.

“Oh, sorry!” She grinned back at Geoff, slowing down to make it easier for him to catch up. “Like the Bishop said, once you offer your prayer to the statue of the Goddess, and ask for her blessing, you will be able to start your path as a priest! This is always my favorite part.”

“Your favorite part?” Geoff questioned with a raise of his brow.

“Yeah! The moment when someone devotes themselves to the Goddess, choosing to dedicate their lives to helping others in her name… you can tell so much by that one moment!”

“Right…” Geoff wasn’t entirely sure what hse meant, but he didn’t want to question it. “Speaking of… if I need to be level fifty to get a position in the church, then why can I take missions starting from twenty-five?”

“Oh, that? It’s because some people have a hard time leveling without practical experience, so that rule is there to help them.” The girl shrugged the question off. “If you have enough faith and devote yourself to your training, level fifty is easy!”

As she said that, the pair arrived back in the main temple room, which seemed even less crowded than it was before. Geoff could only make out one familiar face, and winced at the sight of his father staring at him from near the doorway. As his guide had said, this would be his moment of truth. He had come this far with the resolution to see it through to the end, so seeing his father’s disappointed gaze wouldn’t make him stop now.

Almost as if to prove himself, he pulled free of the girl’s grip, walking up to kneel before the statue of Leowynn. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, one hand over his heart. “Goddess Leowynn, protector of all that exists under and within the heavens. I am Geoff Strolam, and I seek your blessing so that I may enter your service.”

The room seemed to dim at his words, the illusory stars in the sky turning the interior of the room as black as night. Afterwards, these stars formed spotlights, illuminating Geoff’s body in starlight. Geoff maintained his posture, his closed eyes preventing him from seeing the attention being given to him.

I look forward to your service, Geoff Strolam. May starlight guide your way. A soft, serene voice entered Geoff’s mind, causing him to briefly stiffen in shock. Was that the voice of the Goddess? He had never heard the voice himself, but it seemed to resonate within him, and carried with it a gentle stream of energy that filled his body.

Geoff’s thoughts were confirmed when the message appeared in front of him, informing him that he had successfully become a priest. From this point on, he would be shaping his own destiny, breaking away from the control of his parents.