“Ho? Who is this strange-er,” Adam said, realising he shouldn’t call her a strange face. 

Vonda beamed with joy towards the party, almost glowing with the warmth of the Mother’s embrace. She was slightly different from when they last saw her, Adam wasn’t sure if it was because her hair was completely tucked away behind her headdress. She wore all vestments which covered her from head to toe, only revealing her face, to the point her neck to chin was hidden. 

An amulet of Mother Soza dangled over a silver sun.

“The modesti suits you,” Dunes said, doing his best to hide his smile.

“Thank you.”

“…” Adam glanced around, raising his brows, ready for someone else to mention it. “This Ray of sunshine isn’t blinding anyone else?”

Vonda’s lips formed an even wider smile, so bright it caused Adam to glance away. “I have taken the vows.”

“Does that mean I can’t call you Mother Vonda anymore?”

“Ray Vonda is more appropriate.”

“It’s also less awkward,” Adam replied, chuckling. “Congratulations on your promotion.” Adam smiled, doing his best to remain genuine in his smile. ‘I thought she said Vonda was going to go with us?’

“Mother Priest would like to speak with you,” Vonda said. “She will arrive at the nearby temple soon.”

“Alright, well…” Adam noted her expectant gaze. “Shall we go now?”

“Yes.”

Adam followed Vonda towards a nearby temple, which was part temple, part park. The buildings were made of wood, and through the park there were plenty of priests and acolytes busying themselves, while the main building, the largest building within the park’s centre, loomed. It was hexagonal, and held a gentle relief across the top of various tiny figures, each repeating with different poses. Adam vaguely recognised them from other temples.

“Aren’t they afraid that a fire might spread accidentally?” Adam asked.

“The wood is treated so it resists fire,” Vonda assured. 

“Fair.”

Adam stepped into the temple, reaching into his pouch, ready to place down the gems. A priest stepped forward, before noting the Ray beside him, before quickly bowing her head, though there was a confusion on her face. She did not recognise this Ray.

“Good afternoon, Sister,” Vonda said, holding out her hand.

“Good afternoon, Ray,” the Sister replied, allowing Vonda to take her hands. “How may I assist.”

“Mother Priest will arrive soon to inform you of many matters,” Vonda replied. “She wished to speak with Adam.”

“Yes…” the Sister still appeared somewhat lost at the scene, slightly suspicious of the two. A Ray and a Brother of Death?

“Where can I donate?” Adam asked, pulling out a small gem worth ten gold. 

“Please follow me, Brother.” The young Sister turned, making her way through the wooden temple, which could easily hold a few hundred people within for prayers, with four statues in the centre, made of stone, each of Mother Soza in different positions, positions Adam had only ever seen her in.

Adam placed his gem within the box at one of the statue’s feet, which was full of copper, with the glint of silver coming through, open for all to see. Adam was already on his knees to place down the coin, but he decided to settle himself into a deeper kneel. 

‘Thank you for always watching over Ray Vonda, Mother Soza.’

Adam was becoming used to feeling nothing as he stood. He had already felt more than most people with true divinity from the Divine, both by meeting the Greater Divine and a member of the Lesser Divine. ‘I assume you can hear my thoughts?’

As Adam stood, he noted Vonda praying, having placed a gold coin within the box, before his eyes darted to the side, noting the appearance of another familiar face. Adam bowed his head, not sure if he should be speaking as Vonda prayed, before Mother Priest motioned a hand to one side, and Adam stepped away from the Ray, awkwardly shuffling with his side, not wanting his back to the statue. 

“I have heard there were no issues for the past few days,” Mother Priest said. “So you can behave.”

“No nobles to bother us.”

Mother Priest smiled as they walked out of the temple proper, four Rays escorting the Mother Priest, while a pair of Hopes patrolled on opposite sides with a pair of their own Rays.

“Ray Vonda has taken her vows, but we had not prepared her armour as it was too sudden. She will join your business, but we will provide her a set of full plate armour by the end of the year for her role.”

“The business can handle it,” Adam said, but before he could continue Mother Priest spoke up. 

“This is a matter of the order.”

Adam noted the sternness within her voice, as though his mother had caught him staying up in the night. “Of course…”

Mother Priest continued to lead Adam through the temple, just walking with him.

“Does the business have permission to enchant such an armour?”

Mother Priest remained silent for a long moment. “Yes.”

“Wonderful.”

“Your Enchanter can enchant armour too?” she asked, as though she didn’t know the answer.

“Yes. The shield I wore, the red one, which was used by Mad Dog Jarot, was enchanted by the Enchanter.”

“What manner of enchantment does it hold?”

“A Greater bonus.”

Mother Priest remained silent, as though she hadn’t known the Enchanter could invoke such an enchantment.

She hadn’t known that. 

If the Enchanter could enchant such great items, he must have held a great heritage. ‘The Enchanter is not the Prince…’ She was certain of that much, but was that true? 

“Our order does not prefer weapons. We are Mother Soza’s chosen, to extend her will across the land appropriately. Though we must use weapons to defend ourselves, our aim to become a shield for the people, not a blade. Is your Enchanter willing to create magical shields and armours for the order?”

“Magical shields, of course, though magical armours are more difficult.”

“We are thankful.”

“We will be able to provide the shields at a lower price…”

“Yes. You have to run a business. What is the price of a shield?”

“What is the typical price of a Basic shield?”

“Close to two thousand, I believe.”

“We can say for every two shields the order procures, that being said three shields of the same kind…” Adam began before realising he was going to have a hard time keeping track of the deal. “A Basic shield will be one thousand and two hundred gold and we will confirm the number to be procures.”

“We would like to procure five.”

“We require half of the gold upfront, and the last half before we sent our people out to deliver the items.”

“Three thousand gold to be paid immediately.” Mother Priest bowed her head gently.

“I hear someone donated four thousand gold recently,” Adam joked. 

The older woman smiled politely. “We are quite fortunate in that regard.”

“So… Ray Vonda’s going to be joining us then?” Adam glanced around. “Is she going to join Hope Willow’s cohort of Rays?”

“Ray Vonda works directly under my command,” Mother Priest said. “Her task is to assist with the business.”

“What happens if… a different Mother Priest decides to recall her?”

“If Ray Vonda has no other ties to the business, she shall return.”

“What if she doesn’t want to?”

“If she wishes to leave the order, it is her choice to make.”

“Fair enough.” Adam wasn’t stupid to think she should be able to travel freely considering what the order had done for her. “I appreciate what the order has…” Adam paused for a moment. “I appreciate the assistance the order has provided, and the United Kindom will not forget it.”

“I will pray it does not.”

“We’re still setting up the business, but once the business is settled, we will begin working on the requests we have had so far. I will try and push up the priority for the order.”

“I appreciate your assistance in this matter.”

“You always leave me with a smile on my face, Mother Priest.”

“You always leave me with a prayer on my lips.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“The Mother Priest of Life’s Rose prays for you. Is that not good?”

“Whose to say?”

“…”

Adam chuckled, before the pair finally said their goodbyes, and Mother Priest went on to inform the temples of the situation. Adam waited for Vonda, who returned a short while later.

“I’m sorry, Adam, I had to introduce myself as a Ray.”

“Oh dear, Ray Vonda. How could you leave me here waiting for a few minutes while you got to show off such a prestigious event. How can you not think about me in this time?” Adam cracked a smile. “I’m very happy for you, Ray Vonda. I hope that uh… this doesn’t really change much between us. I’d find it too awkward to speak so jilted with you.”

“If you treat me as you have so far, it is good enough.”

“I’ve probably got to take your words more seriously now, and I suppose I’ll have to disagree with you less once we’re in public.”

“Have you disagreed with me publicly before?”

“When I had to… when there was a misunderstanding between the Hopes and I.”

Vonda smiled. “I’m very grateful for your words.”

‘I suppose we’ll be heading out tomorrow then?’

---

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WHOA!

WHOA!

SHE'S A RAY!