Raising a Hero

Chapter 39

On the plus side, I learned about temple oaths. Learn something new about this world every day.

And I even got to see these various bits of metal when Priest Miurian met us at the temple door and walked us up the stairs to the second floor and through a golden door. It was a long hall, or just a really long rectangular room, with the walls lined with metal objects ranging from plates to swords to shields, with the boxy writing of this world over the top followed by a signature of whoever had made the oath. A lot of the ones made of iron or some iron alloy had rusted over time. Copper had grown green, brass and bronze had dimmed, and silver had grayed. But the ones made of gold hid their age, gleaming through time, along with the newly minted oaths.

"The oath will vanish from the plates if broken, and the one who made the oath shall have their names dashed from the book of heaven," explained Miurian.

His blond hair gleamed much like the gold on the walls. I wanted to know what shampoo he used. Or maybe just the genetics that made his hair look so perfectly composed and Hollywood ready. Thank heavens his face was normal or we'd have a heartbreaker on our hands.

Gus, who had accompanied me here as he always did, despite my protests since it wasn't our day off, looked as interested in the plates as I was.

"Look up there, Lilly. The king's name is on that sword."

Up above, right next to the curving ceiling, a beautiful rose gold blade with a jewel encrusted handle stood in line with many other expensive looking metal objects, like an overly-extravagant, 3-D wallpaper trim.

"All the kings and kings have their oaths of office up there," said Miurian as gestured to one of the cushioned seats along the wall, every two set up with a side table. This particular pair was one of the few with a coffee table and rug as well. "Though not the seat of the throne, Livitia is still the capital of Nehcor's Church. As the state religion, it is tradition that the ruler of the Lisuania make their oath here."

"What's the oldest one here?" asked Gus.

"Oh, they're in chronological order. The oldest should start on the east side, that bronze sickle far over there. You can go see if you want, young man."

Gus did so, showing the first sign of new fearlessness from his changed eye color by looking the priest straight in the eye as he spoke and then trotting away with a little skip to his step.

"You have a rare thing, there," said the priest with a friendly smile at Gus's back.

"Yeah, he's a good boy."

"I mean his hair."

I turned from Gus's hoping figure to Miurian. "Pardon? What about his hair?"

"You don't know?" But the priest didn't look too concerned. "I guess it's not surprising if it's not common knowledge among the common folk. Unusually bright colored hair is a trait of those with phenomenal magical capacities. I'm surprised yours isn't by how large of a capacity I sensed in you."

"Oh..."

"Yes. Um, if it isn't too rude of me to ask...was one of his parents perhaps a noble?"

"Not that I know of," I said.

"You don't sound surprised. Did you already know of his talent?"

"More or less."

"What's his affinity?"

I hesitated. Ugh, why did talking have to be so difficult.

"Um..." think fast, think fast, why'd I have to be such a bad liar.

Thankfully, Miurian sensed my discomfort and drew the best conclusion.

"I apologize, you don't have to tell me. Though, since I assume he's a relative of yours, I had hoped it would be divine magic like you, but now that I reflect on that it would be foolish of me to expect you to answer that positively. Healers are far too taken advantage of, and you've must have made tremendous efforts to keep yourself hidden for this long."