The Second Coming
Chapter 2

Three men sat around a table in thecorner of a near deserted tavern. One ofthe group, a man in his late twenties with a beard, was talking in an animatedfashion, and he gestured wildly with one hand while the other held a tatteredlooking parchment. “This is it, I tellyou! This will open the door, and giveus access to the treasures within!”

One of the others, a younger man wearinga hooded cloak that covered his greasy black hair, snorted loudly. “That is only one half of the puzzle. Any idiot who has done his research knowsthat! And keep your voice down! We don’t want half the town to know aboutit!”

The bearded man scowled but lowered hishands, which forced the parchment from view. “So how do we complete the puzzle? Click our fingers and hope for the best?” The voice was laced withsarcasm.

The dark-haired man looked towards thethird man. “We should not have broughthim with us; he is dim-witted and rash.”

The third man, who was distinguishedlooking and wearing what appeared to be an expensive cloak, did not immediatelyrespond. The others waitedpatiently. “We three have skills thatcomplement each other.” He looked towards the bearded man and then the man withgreasy hair. “You two must learn toco-operate; we are not going to succeed if I have to keep you apart likechildren.” The voice was calm, level, and almost soothing. “Now, to the matter at hand. We are missing something; the parchment willget us so far, but we do not have the means to get inside.” The other twolooked at him expectantly. “That, mydear companions, is where I come in.”

*

The morning after the argument with herfather Lia woke feeling surprisingly refreshed; despite her frustration she hadslept deeply. She rose, washed anddressed, that time in orange trousers and a light-grey blouse. Later that day she was meeting Michael, withwhom she had had an on-off relationship with over the last two years. The reason it was on-off was purely Lia’schoosing; despite his masculine form and handsome face, Michael was still a boyin her eyes, and she needed much more to even consider settling down.

After applying her rouge, Lia pulledopen her sparsely populated jewellery box and critically reviewed itscontents. Michael had seen all of heraccessories except for one item, a piece she hadn’t worn for years. Lia took hold of her grandfather’s amulet,put it around her neck and looked at it closely in her mirror. The amulet was solid gold, in the shape of adragon, with two small rubies in place as eyes. There was something about it that made Lia cringe, although she had noidea why; the rubies were beautiful, and the dragon not unattractive. She sighed, took it off and placed it backinto the box; her father had insisted she never sell it, despite its worth andthe difference the coin could have made to their lives. Lia decided to opt for a plain gold chainwith a very small sapphire dangling from it; her mother always said it showedher eyes to their greatest effect.

On the way to Crossmoor’s busy marketdistrict, Lia passed a man with sandy hair and the conversation in The Piebald Lamb the day before came tomind. The man was probably five yearsolder and too short to be her target, but it renewed her appetite to acquirethe silver that had been promised to her should she replace Olbane Jonson.

Lia had agreed to meet Michael at theirusual place: a statue of two men bartering, which was close to his father’smerchants’ premises. For once, thescribe’s daughter arrived first, and she decided to sit next to a nearbyfountain and watch some birds having a bath.

Lia was humming a tune about the firstday of spring when she was surprised by a pair of hands around her waist.“What’s a gorgeous girl like you doing in a place like this?”

Lia turned and moved to kiss Michael,but pulled away at the last moment. Shegrinned at him.

Michael smiled back. “Not fair! I’ve been slaving away all morning, carrying sacks of grain in the heatwhile you laze in bed, and I don’t even get a kiss for my troubles!”

Lia pouted. “And don’t you wish you were in there withme! Well, I’m not the type of girl whokisses anyone before receiving a gift.”

Michael’s face took on an expression ofmock-hurt; he then reached into his tunic and pulled out a small package, whichwas wrapped in cloth.

Lia’s eyes grew wide withexcitement. “Is that what I think itis?”

“Kiss me and you’ll replace out.” He placed the package back into his tunic,and goaded her into making a move for it.

Lia pouted once more. “Actually, now that I think about it, I amnot sure that is what I want.” She satback down on the fountain and partially turned her back on him.

“Revan’s mercy,Lia!” Michael swore. “You are impossible!” At times Liaplayed by her own rules, which caused him nothing but frustration.

Lia decided to give a little; thechocolate was worth that, if being physically close to him might have complicatedmatters. She walked over to him, placedher arms on his chest, then kissed him. When the kiss was over, Lia sat back on the fountain and chewed on apiece of the chocolate.

“Francisca’s tribulation!” he sworeagain and felt inside his tunic for the now missing package. “I cannot win! Am I doomed for all eternity to come secondto a beautiful woman?”

At the last exclamation, Lia looked upat him in surprise. “That was veryprofound, for you at least! Where didyou hear that line?”

He looked slightly hurt at that. “I… I’ve been going to the open-airtheatre. The performance last night wassurprisingly interesting. I suppose itjust came out.”

Lia laughed. “You should go there more often, then. We might make something of you yet!” She puta second piece of chocolate in her mouth and threw the remainder of the packageback at him, which he clumsily dropped on the market floor. While he bent down to pick it up, Michaellooked up at her. “It is all for you,Lia.”

She frowned and wondered if he meant thechocolate or not. “Chocolate is not cheap, Michael; are you sure I am worthit?”

Michael frowned back and Lia suddenlyfelt sorry for him; he had turned down many other women in his relentlesspursuit of her. He was a worthy and goodman, but no man was worth sacrificing her life for. She offered a compromise. “Shall we pick up a bite to eat?”

Lia and Michael had some stew in thenearest inn, The Merchant’s Head,where the food was cheap but usually edible.

Michael started conversation in-betweenspoonfuls. “What are you doing this evening?”

Lia paused. “I am meeting Carly. It’s her only night off this month, and wewere going to go to the music festival on the west side of town.”

Michael’s eyebrow rose slightly. “I must admit I am surprised every time youmention Carly. You and she are likechalk and cheese.”

Lia chuckled. “I know, but beneath allthat piety she has a wonderful heart, and is my oldest friend.” Lia and Carlyhad been friends since early childhood, after their mothers had met at themarket when they were both pregnant. Carly was now an acolyte in the temple of Revan,having entered His service when she was fourteen. Despite the fact Carly was always busy withher duties and studies, they still found the time to meet. Bringing her attention back to the present,Lia looked across at Michael. Sooner orlater she was going to have to let him down; she was fond of him, so it wouldnot be easy, particularly as she knew his feelings ran deeper than acrush. “Michael…”

“Do you mind if I tag along? With my new interest in all things cultural,I might enjoy it!” The grin on his face was wide.

Lia sighed inwardly. Perhaps she could replace somewhere quiet thatevening to speak to him. “Of course; weare meeting just before sunset.” She finished her last spoonful of the broth,which wasn’t particularly good; it seemed TheMerchant’s Head was having a bad day in the kitchen.

*

Carly Waterford had her head in her hands and wastrying to force down feelings of panic. It was only three days before her Test, the trial rite before beingaccepted as a Priestess of Revan. Afterfour years of intense work and having no life to speak of outside of thetemple, the most important day of her life was rapidly approaching. If she failed, she would have to endure alife of cooking, cleaning and serving. While the life of a Priestess was also about complete sacrifice andgiving ones’ life to Revan’s service, at least she would have a degree ofautonomy and be released from menial duties.

Carly pushed aside her tattered copy of The Ethos of Revan and looked across theold and battered desk she was sitting behind. There were numerous other books there, all open at various pages, alongwith dozens of sheets of parchment containing her notes on subjects rangingfrom treating disease to negotiation. Despite feeling almost out of control, Carly did her best to meditateand drew on Revan’s goodness to calm herself. She then opened her eyes, placed the books into a neat pile and arrangedher notes by subject matter.

Carly sighed and decided she felt alittle more comfortable. The academicside of the Test was not her majorconcern: she had always worked hard. Itwas the practical element, where she would have to demonstrate her use ofRevan’s Grace, that Carly was terrified of. Priestesses of Revan often found themselves in hostile situations, asmediators or healers, and Revan’s grace allowed them to do things that ordinaryfolk could not.

Harnessing Revan’s Grace was notstraightforward. It came through a connection between a member of thechurch and her God and was almost instinctive. Not all acolytes could draw on and use this power and young people whocould not would never progress to the next level. Their role in the church was to serve Revanthrough manual labour until the day they met Him personally. It was because this connection was instinctive that caused Carly the most anxiety; shehad only ever felt it once,over a year ago, when she interrupted a man who had broken into the templelibrary. He attempted to hit her overthe head with a cudgel when she instinctively used Revan’s Grace to place aprotective barrier between them. Unfortunately for Carly, the shield was not completely formed, andalthough it undoubtedly saved her life, it did not prevent the blow fromrendering her unconscious.

While it had been a distressingexperience, at least Carly knew she could replace a connection, but in some ways that event only made her situationmore frustrating. What an acolyte had to face during the Test was a closely guarded secret; noPriestess or acolyte who had failed was permitted to discuss with an acolytewhat happened during a Test, butrumour had it that it involved something written and something moresinister. All Carly knew was that the Test was not the same for each person,and if she couldn’t replace a connection,she would fail.

Carly decided to take a short break andpicked up her personal ledger. Theacolyte thumbed through the pages and found the entry for that day, where shenoticed a circle with three letters within it. “Lia! I knew I’d forgotten something!”

Carly looked out of the window andstudied the sun: it was about the time of day she and Lia usually met. Carly knew she should spend the timestudying, but she did not take her friendships lightly. A short while later Carly left the temple tomeet Lia.

*

The music festival was an annual eventin Crossmoor and always attracted troupes of entertainers, both for notorietyand the coin that was on offer for the best performances. Because a lot of the best troupes were inCrossmoor the festival also drew lots of travellers who wished to impress them,as well as the occasional local who wished to escape their responsibilities andhave a life on the road.

The people of Crossmoor made asignificant effort to ensure the town put on a suitable welcome, particularlyas the large number of inns and merchants would turn over a tidy profit. Lia always enjoyed the festival and it was agood excuse to drink too much and do a spot of people watching. That year Lia was looking for one person inparticular: the young man from Susanon known as Olbane Jonson. She was already on her second cup of wine andwondering if Olbane Jonson evenexisted when Michael found her.

“Good evening! I see you have not waited for either Carly orme to get started.”

Lia shrugged and took another sip of herwine, which wasn’t bad considering the low cost. “Carly is always late and I am not about tostand around here like a statue waiting, am I?”

“Guess not.” Michael inclined his headtowards Lia’s wine cup. “Do you wantanother one of those?”

Lia nodded. “Sure. Although make the next one watered; you knowwhat Carly is like.”

While Michael got the wine Lia madeshort work of the remainder of her second cup. She needed a little more courage to let him down and as Carly was late,Lia had the perfect opportunity to do so. She spotted a recently vacated bench a few yards away, sat down andwaited for Michael to join her. A fewminutes later he returned with two cups.

Lia smiled at him briefly and took adrink. “Michael, there is something Ineed to talk to you about.”

Michael sat down. “Sure, Lia. What’s on your mind?”

Lia shifted around a little. “I’ve been thinking about our friendship.”

He grinned. “And what a fabulous friendship it is!”

Lia’s expression grew strained. “I am tryingto be serious.” The danger signals wereobvious, even to him. “I really like youMichael, but as a dear friend; I am not ready to settle down, and I cannot letyou wait for me any longer.”

Michael didn’t say anything, but by thelook on his face, she had been too direct.

“Lia!” a voice came from behind them andbroke the tension. It was Carly: thehigh-pitched, anxious tone couldn’t be anyone else’s.

Lia silently cursed Francisca. She then moved in closer to Michael andlowered her voice. “We can talklater. Please do not hate me.” Michael did not seem to be as shocked as hewas moments before, but he did look as if he had run to Susanon and back.

Doing her best to put on a smile, Liaturned and looked towards her friend; Carly struck a diminutive figure, withshoulder length brown hair practically tied back in a ponytail. She was dressed in an ordinary looking whiteshift, which was typical of an acolyte. Carly managed to move through the crowd, but was nearly knocked over bya large man, who apologised profusely when he recognised her shift. Carly gracefully accepted the man’s requestfor forgiveness and then caught Lia in an embrace, something which surprisedthe blonde girl; Carly usually avoided physical contact.

“It is so good to see you, Lia!” Hervoice was thick with emotion and for a moment Lia forgot about Michael.

Lia gently withdrew from the embrace andlooked at her friend. Carly’s largebrown eyes, which often took on a slightly alarmed expression, searchedLia’s. “Are you alright, Carly?”

Carly looked away. “I think so. I’ve just got a lot on my mind at themoment. I am sorry for my ratherexcessive greeting.”

Lia hugged her. “You never have to apologisefor anything, my friend.” The scribe’sdaughter looked across at Michael, who looked a little more composed. “I was just having a drink with Michael. Would you like something?”

Carly nodded. “Some watered wine, please.”

Lia resisted the urge to swear; shecouldn’t remember the last time Carly drank wine. Lia walked to the counter and paid thewine-seller for a cup of watered wine for the acolyte. While she was there, Carly and Michael weresharing some small talk. It appeared tobe rather strained and uninterested small talk, but at least they weren’tsitting there like gargoyles waiting for her. Before returning to them, Lia looked around the festival and forcedherself to take a short break from her friends. The evening was passing quickly, and the revelry was starting to getinto full swing: there were more people looking worse for wear due to thecopious amounts of wine and ale being consumed, and the quality of volunteersattempting to impress the travelling troupes was getting worse. Before re-joining her friends, Lia muttered acurse under her breath; where wasOlbane Jonson?

Lia handed the cup to Carly and wasintrigued to know what was on her friend’s mind. She cast her mind back to their last meeting,and something Carly had said suddenly clicked into place. “Carly, is this week what I think it is?”

Carly looked surprised for a moment;every now and then Lia would catch her off guard. “Yes, it is. My Test is in three days. I must admit it is worrying me.”

Lia knew what Carly meant. Even as a child, her friend had a tendency toworry at the smallest thing, and if she was really worried about something, shealmost made herself ill. Carly didn’tlook ill, but Lia wondered what was going on under what was a relatively calmfaçade. She didn’t know too much aboutthe Test, but Lia knew that acolyteswere left to themselves to prepare; after all, when they were accepted into thePriesthood, they would spend a lot of time alone, sometimes in dangeroussituations.

“So what are you doing here? I would have understood if you hadn’t shownup.”

Carly shook her head. “A Priestess of Revan always keeps her word,Lia, and I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I stood you up.”

It was Michael’s turn to ask aquestion. “So what is worrying you somuch? From what I understand, you havealways kept up with your studies.”

Carly smiled wryly. “It is not the theory I am concerned about,although of course I am not completely happy with my preparation.” Her smiledisappeared. “It’s the practical element I am terrified of.”

Myths about Revan’s church and itsindoctrination ceremonies were part of local folklore. Some stories included graphic descriptions ofwhat folk believed acolytes were exposed to. Lia’s calming voice interceded. “Carly, if anyone is destined to become a Priestess of Revan, it isyou. I am sure you will cope withwhatever they throw at you.”

Carly smiled weakly but didn’t lookconvinced. “I will be in His hands,Lia. I can ask for no more.” Her tone was not confident, but Lia let itgo.

The three finished their drinks andCarly volunteered to go and refill their cups. Moments later Lia wished she hadn’t.

“Lia, what have I done? Is there nothing I can do to convince you Iam the one for you?” Michael’s voice was emotional and Lia found her eyesfilling with tears.

“It is not your fault, Michael. You are a special person, but I am not readyto settle down.” She sounded like some womanising man in a tavern corner, whowas breaking off yet another short-term fling. “I want a life outside of Crossmoor…”

His voice raised a level. “Did you not think that I might too? You never asked!”

Lia managed to keep her voice calm. “Youlove working for your father, eventhough he is a task-master, and you will lovetaking over from him when the time comes. I cannot ask you to throw that away.”

Michael’s mouth opened, but no soundemerged. There was a long, uncomfortablepause. “Perhaps you are right.” He gotup to leave. “I have lost interest inthe festival, so I will bid you goodnight. Please pass on my best wishes to Carly.”

Despite wanting to call him back andmake things better, Lia decided to let Michael go; she hoped in a day or two hewould understand.

“Has Michael gone?” Carly had returnedand was struggling to carry three cups.

Lia nodded. “He has.”

“I suppose you finally told him then.”Carly sat down next to Lia and smiled softly.

“I did, but it came out too quickly andI’ve hurt him badly.” Lia attempted to hide her stricken face behind her cup ofwine and finished it in almost one gulp. She then took what was going to be Michael’s cup from Carly. The acolyte hid her disapproval well,although it was unlikely Lia would have noticed if she hadn’t.

Carly gently put an arm around herfriend’s shoulders. “You had to do it;he couldn’t go on thinking you were going to settle down and marry him.” Shepaused. “Michael is strong. He will recover, replace someone else and settledown, which is for the best.”

Lia took another drink. “You are probably right, as usual.” Thescribe’s daughter composed herself, rose from her seat, and changed thesubject. “Shall we wander around alittle? We could go and watch the stagewhere the no-hopers perform; that is usually fun.”

Carly smiled. “Alright, but no hecklingthis year! I had to pray for forgivenessafter the way you treated that man at the last festival.”

Lia laughed and the tension lefther. “Well, he was one of the worstsingers I have ever heard, and I often go to The Piebald Lamb, so I am something of an expert!”

The two young women moved closer to thestage where the travelling and local hopefuls were performing. In truth, there was never more than a handfuleach festival that came close to being approached by a troupe, but that didn’tstop people trying their hardest. Thecurrent performer, an overweight middle aged man, was drawing little interest;his choice to sing what was in fact a poem, and a rather downbeat one at that,had allowed most observers to take an opportunity to refill their cups oranswer a call of nature. Lia looked atCarly and screwed her face up. “This wasnot a good idea, Carly.” She then grinned slyly. “Why do I let you talk me into these things?”

Carly instinctively took the bait. “What? This was your idea!”

Lia laughed and turned around, ready toreplace something more interesting. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t looking where she was going. The last thing she saw before darknessovercame her was a rather shocked young man running in her direction.