A random voice cut in, “High Priest Feygon, for as sensible of a theory as that may be, that is still quite a heavy accusation you are leveling.”

  Feygon turned his gaze straight at Edwin, “Is it really? In all the excitement of this man appearing, did anyone even take the time to look at his Sigil?”

  Everyone had stopped arguing completely and turned their collective attention to Edwin who was looking around wondering what was going on. Ilphas turned to him, “Mr. Thatch, if you would please show us your Sigil?”

  Turning his hands up in a shrugging motion, “Even if I knew what a Sigil was, I don’t know how I’d give it to you.”

  “Your Sigil is a marking given to you by your godly Patron. It manifests as that god’s respective symbol on the back of your right hand.”

  Edwin turned his hand back over and unsurprisingly, “There’s nothing there.”

  “It usually helps if you can channel a little passive magic through your body”, Ilphas patiently aided.

  Raising his eyebrows, “You people have magic? As in waving your hands, saying some nonsense words and stuff starts floating?”

  Ilphas was beginning to look concerned, “There’s more to it than that, but yes. Just concentrate, focus on your hand and try to feel for any of the latent energy within you.”

  Edwin was highly skeptical but he closed his eyes and tried doing as the elf said. After blocking everything out, to his surprise if he didn’t let his mind wander, he heard something. He tried to tell the priest what happened but when he opened his eyes, Edwin found himself staring into what appeared to be a dark void.

  Not yet.

  Edwin whipped around but he was completely alone. He tried calling out, but his voice seemed to be swallowed up by all the nothingness around him.

  In time, but not yet

  Edwin blinked and just as suddenly as he was in the void, suddenly he was back in the large meeting hall with all those priests looking at him. He shook his head to clear the confusion as he turned to Ilphas, “What the hell just-”

  He was cut off as the elven priest reached forward and grabbed his hand. Edwin tried jerking his hand away, but the elf had a firmer grasp than he would’ve expected. Ilphas looked intently at the man’s hand, his expression was highly studious before confusion and a small amount of anxiety clouded his face. He looked at the hand and back at Edwin a few times.

  “Ilphas what does his Sigil indicate”, someone asked.

  “I-I do not know”, the elf said in a shaky voice.

  The crowd of priests and their helpers began loudly rumbling, demanding an answer as to how there could be any misinterpretation. Having had enough, Edwin finally wrenched his hand free from the priest’s grasp and saw on his hand was a small, softly glowing, white circle, “OK, that definitely wasn’t there before.”

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  He turned his hand to the crowd, “Is this what you’re talking about? Does a circle mean something significant around here?”

  The crowd’s rumbling once more immediately quieted down as they carefully observed the young man’s hand. Indeed, there was something there, but simultaneously, it was something that they had all never seen. As he looked through the faces, someone that he guessed was just one of the more fainthearted among them collapsed onto the ground, completely unconscious. Ilphas’ mouth was opening but no sound was coming out. Edwin turned to the rest of the crowd but they all seemed to flinch when he looked at them.

  Then, the sound of clicking could be steadily heard. Edwin looked at the top of the stairs and saw there was another priest. He was carrying a staff with carved designs he couldn’t make out, wearing a multicolored robe and a necklace made up of small medallions. Edwin saw that as soon as he passed by, every other man immediately got out of his seat and knelt in front of him. In fact, as soon as he looked away, he saw Ilphas was almost prostrate on the floor.

  From his position on the floor, Edwin heard Ilphas say, “You wish to intercede yourself, Lord Pontifex?”

  Edwin wasn’t sure what a Pontifex was, but clearly he was the guy everyone answered to. He was another elf, but unlike some of the others, he was much older, his long hair was a regal silver and his crinkled violet eyes showed a mixture of authority, yet gentleness. He swept his gaze up and down the young man’s body, his face unreadable. The Pontifex let out a soft hum before turning towards the rest. He turned his free palm upward and raised his hands, prompting everyone to resume their previous state. Edwin quietly made a note of just how much passive control this man had before he even spoke.

  The Pontifex lightly tapped his staff, but the sound reverberated throughout the hall clearly, “Brothers, it is as you have all said, this is an unprecedented happening. But we should not be so quick to let division prey upon ourselves. Are we not meant to be the guides both of this world but also the ones called to her defense?”

  Three sentences and the previously angry and blustering priests looked like a classroom of scolded children, simultaneously impressing and off putting Edwin.

  “Everyone has spoken the truth that we are currently facing a completely new situation. And while certain things are yet unclear”, the Pontifex raised Edwin’s hand once more, “Such as whomever this man’s godly Patron may be, certain facts are unassailable. He appeared last night of his own accord, but never before has one who was summoned been abandoned. Perhaps, Edwin, one of the gods has twice now imbued a Traveler with a blessing. Perhaps, it is one of the less prominent domains of a god that may prove to be useful in the future. Regardless, he was brought here for a reason and we should not be so quick to accuse him of any crime after arriving in our world, completely innocent as to its events and workings.”

  Feygon once more stood but his tone was far more reserved and measured, “Lord Pontifex, what if this Traveler has no Patron? There has never been an instance where one’s Patron concealed themselves. Yes, there have been many who appeared unsuitable for whatever domain they were given control, but with time, they grew into their responsibilities.”

  “Brother Feygon, I do not deny your words”, the Pontifex placated, “But this young man’s fate isn’t for us to dictate”, he faced the crowd, “Hear me! As Pontifex, I make a proclamation. It is too soon for us to make any firm decision about this new addition’s fate just yet. For the time being, we will train and educate him as we would any of the other summoned heroes. But in order to do so, we’ll put him into a rotation. He will spend time being immersed in the teachings of all twelve gods. If it appears he flourishes under a particular domain, or if this unlocks his hidden power, we will then hone that power.”

  The Pontifex turned and looked at Edwin. Looking at his face, Edwin instinctively knew; that was the face of someone who always had a plan. Someone who always had an angle to play. But like any person with that face, he couldn’t tell just what it was. The Pontifex spoke once more, his voice quieter but no less authoritative, “And depending on what the end result of his training is, we may or may not have a hero that turns the tide of this world’s favor.”