It was a normal day. In Terramyth, the most unusual days are when there is no chaos. However, far in the West, in the secluded Holy Trident Western District, complaints were brought up by every parent whose child went to the Academy. Two boys, Ari and Leonardo, got into a fight with a clergyman. However, it was generous to even call it a fight. After the boys were patched up and given many remedies, it was decided that a complete transfer to another district would be their fate. Oddly enough, these two boys didn't know each other until this encounter.
The two bandaged boys walk with their heads down out of the academy, having just learned their fate. The weight was almost as unbearable as the shackles that banded their wrists. It was a straight path toward the back of the District, where the scarce transportation methods were stored.
Ralo, in his Gold and Black uniform, waited outside to escort the boys. He was a good mutual friend of both. When he heard about the incident, he used his status as Bishop to request to attend the boys' departure. Ralo approached the two and takes the opportunity to whisper,
“Ari, did you really think you’d win against Garrison?” He said, grabbing Ari’s arm, causing him to wince. Ralo backed up after briefly forgetting that they're covered in bandages; he was preoccupied trying to fathom why they would do something like this.
"How'd you know it was me?" Ari asked, his face nearly engulfed by the bandages. However, Ari's short spiked hair was distinguishable as it was dyed red. It pierced through the bandages
“Who else has red-highlighted hair here? Anyway, I hope you guys get it easily from here. I'll watch over your sisters while you're gone.” Ralo said,
The moist air makes Ari’s wrists sweaty, nearly slipping out of his shackles. Even then, they were bonded tightly. Ari tried to bite the chain softly to ease the pain.
Leonardo also began sweating. Usually, he would have to push up his glasses, but the bandage covering the bridge of his nose suspended them. Noticing Ari’s discomfort in front of him, Leonardo leaned in toward Ari, “These shackles negate all Essence; it’s not worth it,” Leonardo said.
Ari turned his head around quickly, his highlighted red hair brushing Leonardo’s face. “Doesn’t matter...” Ari said, before addressing Ralo right next to him, “Okay, Ralo, I had this plan that I told Leo, basically when I break out righ--”
Both Leonardo's and Ralo’s mouths hung open.
“You guys good…?” Ari said, ignorantly failing to notice the Prime Clergy, Jonthru, was standing right behind him. His eyes widened as he turned and laughed awkwardly. He was met with an unamused grimace.
“Mr. Jonthru!” Ralo exclaimed out of pure reaction. He raised his first three fingers on his left hand, the Holy Trident hand signal.
Jonthru looked at Rolo briefly before glancing back at Ari.
“So you already plan to escape? I must say, your brutal honesty never stops surprising me..." Jonthru said, before looking at Ralo, who he signaled to lower his raised hand. "...Ralo, please don't be so formal. I just want to walk them to the shuttle myself." He added, "I won't mention how your mother handled the decision, Ari. But what I will mention is that Xing would be disappointed if he saw this. They both fought hard to make you feel loved. Now you spit on them both by disrupting the peace that we've established. Are you not ashamed of yourself? I don't understand you.” Jonthru said sincerely.
Ari looked down toward Jonthru's feet, then glanced behind him to Leonardo and Ralo, rolling his eyes.
Leonardo and Ralo remain rigid for the entire walk.
They strolled past the old fashioned Villas, which have three churches in the center of each cluster of homes. Ari took one last look at the livestock and other Borns that work to keep this community thriving and fed. He noded at the animals, and they acknowledged him, almost as if they could understand the gravity of the situation. As they reached the furthest wall of the District, Jonthru opened a hatch on the ground, revealing a very bright and vast room with a very tall ladder for the entrance. The room resembled an operating room that was ten times larger.
Successfully climbing down, regardless of injuries, the three boys looked around the room for the first time. The shuttles are kept in an enclosed place where their shipments and imports from their alliances reside. A shuttle, in the world of Terramyth, were giant Beetles who gained significant speed in an enclosed tube. The boys entered the small glass room on the beetles backs that seated up to 8 people. Two other bishops, slightly older than Ralo, were already dispatched to operate shuttles.
Ralo kept watch at the top of the ladder. It was easy for him to notice how warm it was inside the shuttle.
Sweat was beginning to condense over the four occupants. It was hard to tell if it was coming from the temperature or nerves. The 2 two Bishops sitting near the entrance looked at each other and adjust their wrists; one wiped the sweat off his forehead.
All Bishops were dressed in black robes, which are worn as a poncho, with a golden undershirt. This was unlike a regular poncho as it had a giant gold trident insignia hovering on the front of the robe.
Because Ari and Leonardo are not Bishops, their student uniform was a fully black jumpsuit, the same trident insignia is on their white armbands.
One of the bishops is eating yet decided to address orders,
“Ari, Leonardo, sit up straight. He should be here soon. Please make this easy for us guys.”
Ari and Leonardo nodded their head and follow accordingly; they are in no position to be complaining about the wait. The two boys woke up quite early this morning, only to have to wait 2 hours in the shuttle. The Prime Clergy, Jonthru was supposed to be here checking them off before they were sent to their new sector.
It is quite painful for them to adjust themselves, but they persevered. Ari twiddled his finger bandages consistently.
Leonardo pushes up his glasses and clears his throat, “Paegon be with us…Ari, thank you again… I don’t know what to say. I hope Prime Clergy Jonthru doesn’t blow up on you more.” Leonardo said. Leonardo never imagined himself in a situation that was blown so out of proportion that he would get punished. This wasn’t even his fault; the boy he just thanked was the sole reason this was happening.
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“Nah, Garrison loves picking on me, too. Always has. He had it coming, I just thought today would be the day I was stronger, I guess.” Ari said, smirking.
Leonardo’s glasses flared at him, confused at Ari’s lack of severity for the situation at hand, “He beat you, quite easily at that. So why did you even try to interfere?”
Ari backed up into his seat, “Well, I don’t like the way he was talking, alright? He's just mad he doesn't get to explore Terramyth fully...” Ari continues, “…but now, we might.”
Leonardo looked down for a moment before sitting back, unsure how to feel.
The bishops stood up with their arms raised with three fingers. One Bishop side-eyed the two boys, the other dusted the crumbs off of his uniform. “Welcome, Prime Clergy Jonthru. Congratulations on your recent promotion.”
Nothing else had to be said; they followed. When a Clergyman of any degree is in one’s presence, it is essential to show one's gratitude and respect for them. They do the same for their warriors when they go into the world for the future of the Holy Trident.
As generations of devotion and faith in one man enter the shuttle, Jonthru assessed everyone’s stance “At ease…”. The red poncho with the trident insignia, with a gold undershirt, was the uniform of a true Clergy. The Prime Clergy, however, wears White collars. As expected of his rank, he was well-groomed with his shorter brown hair parted in the middle. The warm air reached the side of his head which was in a faded buzz-cut.
“Can somebody turn the AC on? This is inhumane!” Jonthru asked the bishop, who started juggling his food before adjusting the temperature of the shuttle.
The Prime Clergy pointed to Ari, making him flinch and wince in pain, “You. The reason for my delay is that your mother hopes we can discuss your grievances over family dinner before you go. ”
One of the bishops blew air through his mouth, suppressing his laughter. This caused the other to break stance in laughter.
Ari’s cheeks turned red, “Are you kidding me? That is the last I want, Jon. You called me disrespectful and expect me t—”
Leonardo nudged him before he can get the next word out.
“Prime Clergy Jonthru, we are deeply sorry for starting a battle with Fellow Clergyman Garrison. That was deeply disrespectful and we will learn especially better after our time in the East District. By the Divinity of Paegon, my words are true!” Leonardo said, speaking with subservience.
Jonthru leered at Leonardo, then Ari, whose head is down. “Leonardo, I appreciate your apology. Clergyman Vauntess mentioned you had been doing exceptionally well before Ari became your recent friend. But. Don’t expect that to change my mind.”
Leonardo understood that his instructor, Vauntess, probably agreed to send him off, prompting him to slump his shoulders covered in bandages.
Jonthru looked back at Ari, “Look, I know this isn’t you. I'm sorry about what I said. You are actually a significant pillar of the Holy Trident and your family.” He said.
Ari glared at the floor in contemplation, seeing double vision.
Jonthru continued to search for a response from Ari. “Okay, Mixie is very excited to hear about your outburst…don’t shoot the messenger, but it’s true. Not so much Fiya, though. Both of your sisters must know that this isn’t a good example to set. You’re the eldest of the house, and you have been for quite some time now. Please… just act like it.” Jonthru said.
Ari’s eyebrows lowered. “Stop pretending to care. You only care about me because of Chi. And because my mom told you to talk to me, didn't she?” Ari said bluntly.
“That is not true at all, but what is, is that I love your mom and want to ensure you guys have a great upbringing. Besides, I wanted to speak with you myself.” Jonthru said, with no reply. He remained disappointed and stared into Ari in confusion.
This moment is cut short; a flash of golden light hovered past the shuttle entrance. This is followed by a loud impaling sound. They all get a closer look and see a unique looking Born pinned by a divine spear to the west wall surrounding the shuttles. Jonthru and the two bishops pointed their wrist to the floor immediately, snaking out their summoned divine weapons. Jonthru gripped his sledgehammer,
“What’s going on up there, Ralo!?” Jonthru asked with authority.
Ralo's adrenaline was pumping from up top as he looked above the latch, “I think we’re being attacked!” he screamed back at him from the top on the other side of the facility.
Those words were true, and Ralo was swiftly tackled by two more Borns who fell down the ladder and pinned him down. One of them was a humanoid with thick Dark-Fur. It gripped Ralo by the throat, its fingers and claws wrapping fully around it and snipping his ponytail off. Jonthru watched, deciding the best course of action.
The other Born was a humanoid arachnid that had similar genetic makeup to a centaur. He vaulted past the railing and stood in front of Jonthru.
As Jonthru was deciding between engaging the Born in front of him, or saving Ralo, the Dark-Fur Born is intercepted by another clergy who falls with them; his red outfit flashing toward the people observing from the shuttle.
“Jonthru, send them off!!” The Clergy throws both Divine spears from his wrist toward Ralo, who grabs onto them, stabbing the arm the born is grabbing his throat with, and used them to pin himself to the wall as he escaped. Ralo panted, “Clergyman Kieffith! Thank you!”
Kieffith's mouth was covered by a cloth, a common trait of the Stealth Sector.
"Get out of here!" Kieffith ordered as he vaulted past the railing and stood in front of the Arachnid Born.
“Hahahahaha! Couldn’t finish the job!?” The Dark-Fur taunted Ralo as he landed on the ground.
Both of the Borns were twice the size of a normal person; this aspect shocked Ari and Leonardo, but not as much as the words that the Dark-Fur uttered. They were taught that Borns were capable of some human speech patterns. But to this level, where it displayed such complex emotions, was unheard of.
Suddenly, both Clergies Kieffith and Jonthru became invisible.
The Borns looked frantically for them,
“That damn Concealment. Where’d they go!?” When the Dark-Fur spoke, it sounded like three voices intersecting with its speech.
Suddenly, to the left, the Born is hit in the jaw by Jonthrus' Divine Hammer, “Your opponent is me, invader.” Jonthru unveiled himself as he pressed his hammer deeper into the Dark-Fur's face. The born is sent flying and whimpers in pain while catching his stance after flying 15 feet.
The Dark-Fur went for a light dash, but Jonthru smashes the ground, stunning him. Jonthru then used both hands to wield the hammer for a ribcage hit. It connected, and he spins the pommel, picking up the Born with his hammer before pinning it into the cratered floor. Upon closer inspection, the Born looked like a normal person with abnormal height and fur growth. Large stitches were on its left cheek.
The Arachnid-Born, instead of helping his now pinned down comrade, looked at the latch, deducing that Kieffith escaped. He crawled his way out of the shuttle room.
The Dark-Fur squealed, unable to pick the hammer up from its chest.
Jonthru sunk his hammer deeper, “Why isn't the Divinity burning you? Why can’t you die? Why is your speech so complex? Explain everything.” Jonthru demanded.
The Dark-Fur looked calmer now, as if the pain was tolerable .“You'll have to ask master!! I don't know how I ended up this way! I don't care either!!” His saliva reached Jonthru’s face. He doesn’t wipe it off; instead, Jonthrus throat donned a golden color,
“Obey!!” Jonthru screamed, followed by intense shockwaves piercing the ground behind the Dark-Fur.
The audience in the back is fascinated by the pure Divinity being exercised before them.
In a dazed trance, the Dark-Fur moves one eyebrow down, crosses his arms, and frowns under the hammer.
Jonthru realized that his Voice Command had no effect.
“You haven’t heard!? Divinity doesn't work on us anymore.” It added, before moving one arm up.
Jonthru noticed the Born's forearms revealed hidden holes in his arm through its fur.
Before anyone could react, a jet stream of flames coats half the room. The Dark-Fur's attempt to blast Jonthru succeeded. It was just out of reach of everyone else near the shuttle, however. The jet stream was so swift that the sound of the impact didn't hit until three seconds later. To which everyone covered their ears. Three seconds after that, thick black smoke and dying flames covered the room.
Ari fell to his knees immediately, and tears swell up.
“Jonthru!! I--I’m sorry!!” Ari cried, his skin brightening from the lighting of the flames.
Then the smoke rose, and a silhouette walked out. Jonthru remained unscathed. Only the torso portion of his poncho was slightly burned.
“Ari, I know you are, and I am looking forward to meeting the man you'll become”, Jonthru said with a confident smile.
The Dark-Fur was shocked, gaining some distanced.
The audience remained in the same position.
“Ari and Leonardo go discover what kind of men you'll be for the future. As for you Bishops, get these kids off of the battleground!!” Jonthru finished.
Before anything is said, everyone immediately followed suit, and the shuttle immediately started. The unprecedented invasion pressed on behind them.

