[Center][@Teyao][/center]

[color=6ecff6]"Undaya, Iris, and Sillagy for now, but who knows? Maybe if I keep getting Blessings with the gift I will catch 'em all"[/color]

Areleth was stood next to the font, a look of surprise on his face.  "That is..." he faltered in his speech for a moment.  "...an interesting trio."

Undaya, the Sea God, was a child of Mother Iris, so it made some sense that a gifted Cleric could be chosen by by both dieties.  But Sillagy aswell?  That couldn't be right.  The young man must have been mistaken.  Areleth let it go, for all would shortly become clear with the ritual.

"This room is where we can test the strength of the bonds a Cleric holds with their deities," he explained as he looked pointedly around the chamber.  "For new Clerics such as yourself, it can often indicate your potential.  Not always, but often."

He walked over to fetch a silver jug, then filled it at the stone pool in the corner of the room.  Coming back to the center where the font stood, he poured the water into the basin.  Then he gestured to the bundles of branches on the other side of the room.  "Take a small branch, my son.  Bless it with the prayer closest to your heart, and place the blessed branch into this water here."

When James did as he was instructed, Areleth cast a spell of his own on the holy font - something of a special identification spell, strictly formulated for this process.  What happened next would determine not only the dieties tied to James, but would also determine how much power the Cleric wielded.  There were many reactions possible.  If James was indeed a patron of Iris, then the water would glow white and sparkle.  Undaya's Cleric would make the basin overflow and spill water onto the floor.  If Sillagy was his strongest bond, then the branch would turn into a golden spoon.

What happened next, Areleth had never seen before in all of his two centuries of service to the temple.  The water glowed not just white but blinding bright white, yet swirled with purple and orange, as it began to overflow from the basin.  The branch levitated as multiple illusions changed it's form from a golden spoon, to a sword and then a chess peice and more.  It grew in size and levitated higher and higher until it hit the ceiling and exploded into pieces.  The water poured from all sides of the basin - far more water than had been poured into it - and then also exploded, soaking the frightened Areleth and James too.


When the reaction was over, the air in the room was dotted with firefly illusions that hung around for a few moments before disappearing.  Areleth was aghast as he looked around, trying to figure out just how many results had happened during the ritual.  He was caught completely off guard, but he reckoned he might have seen every reaction possible.  And all in the strongest form possible.

"By the Quinity," he whispered, his brow furrowed.  He looked at James.  Who [i]was[/i] this man?  "A miracle."

Once the element of suprise had worn off, the High Septum explained to James that he was either tied to no diety at all, or maybe he was tied to every single one.  And that such a thing had never been recorded in history before, even in [i]The Mythic Age[/i] - when [i]The Wellsprings[/i] were abundant in Source.  In all his words, he couldn't possibly stress just how unprecedented this was.

While he was explaining that James was a miracle from The Source, he noticed a movement in the shadows of the corridor outside the room.  Through the archway entrance, his elven eyes could barely see the faintest trace of the man watching from the shadows.  And then an idea came to him, like it was put in his mind by Mother Iris herself.  This was a sign - and he as The High Septum was compelled to act.

"You are an adventurer," he said as he placed a hand on James' shoulder. "Tell me, have you formed a party yet?"  he asked.  "I would like to offer you the services of my good friend.  Barracker?"  He called the young man outside, into the room.  "Barracker is Paladin of the Church.  A skilled veteran warrior who specializes in frontline protection.  Newly formed parties are often at their most vulnerable in the beginning, while they learn the ropes of their profession.  You are special, James, and I would not like that your survival through these tricky times was left to chance.  Please, accept my offer - the offer of the Temple.  Take Barracker into your party.  At least until you've had time to grow in experience.  You will not be disappointed."  He turned to Barracker.  "Please take good care of them.  And yourself, my son."

If James had no other business with the Temple, then Areleth would see them to the main hall and let them be on their way.  The High Septum Areleth had some people to see and some messages to send.  Something grand and miraculous was happening to Mytheria.  Peices were being placed on the board.  Cogs set in motion.  Areleth in all his wisdom, could not ignore it.