"When you left that day, you gave this look that you would never return," the High Priest said. "For you to be back here, there must have been something that afflicted you greatly."
"I brought something you must see," Kael replied. He walked to the desk.
The High Priest sat behind it, watching Kael with kind yet observing eyes. The contents of the basket he carried were food, but he pulled out something different. He placed the thing wrapped in a cloth on the table and carefully unwrapped it.
The High Priest, upon seeing it, broke out of character for a moment. His composed appearance fazed. His eyes shrank after they found the markings. Slowly, his eyes traveled up until they found Kael's grim face.
Kael swallowed. "I found this arm in Devil's Mountain. Beneath the ground, there were corpses. But I don't need to check all of them to know they carry the same markings. How could an arm bear these ancient markings that belonged to the Kingdom of Vasterion? High Priest, I suggest that you send a team to investigate the mountain."
The High Priest examined the severed arm. After a while, he shook his head and said, "I know what you are implying, Priest Kael. However, the Kingdom of Vasterion had already vanished centuries ago. No one knew where or what happened to its citizens. Until they were forgotten in history."
"Then, perhaps…"
"This severed arm is still intact, which means the body hasn't been dead for a week, let alone centuries," the High Priest interrupted.
Kael traveled for days, from the village to Solvantar's temple. However, even if he hadn't put a preservation spell on the severed arm, he knew it hadn't been dead for more than a week. That was what he could not understand, no matter how much he thought about it.
"These days, people treat history and sacred markings with little regard. Centuries ago, bearing such symbols falsely would have spelled danger, but now, anyone can imitate them, wearing meaningless imprints for vanity or amusement." The High Priest covered the severed arm with the cloth again. "This case is an example."
Kael did not need to look at the High Priest's face to see how he looked. Just by his tone alone, Kael could tell what he meant: You should put this to rest, priest. Why, if anyone would ask, the High Priest would probably answer like this: Haven't you learned your lesson before? You were removed from your temple duties for this very reason!
Indeed. It was the reason why Kael had stepped out of Solvantar's temple. Serving continuously in the largest temple where the High Priest resides could put him on the list of curious cases ever recorded, titled "The Man Who Doesn't Age", but he could have easily served in another, one far away from here. After all, Solvantar has many temples.
Yet, he was removed. A fellow priest had complained about him to the council, claiming, "Priest Kael's actions have brought nothing but distress, doubt, and chaos in our order. His baseless accusations and obsessive pursuit of 'truth'—even going so far as to blame the temple for a kingdom's downfall—are outrageous! A man so consumed by pride and earthly ambition has no place serving Solvantar."
This priest had no idea of the curse in Kael's person, and his words were exaggerated. Obsessive pursuit of 'truth'? He was only trying to search how the Kingdom of Vasterion, which he believed prospered and was great, vanished! So, when another priest claimed it was cursed because of its ruler, in one of these priests' discourses, Kael argued it wasn't true.
That simple argument became an intense altercation. The few priests who deemed Kael as an opponent, a block of stone on their way to promotion, had put all the blame on him and weaved their words into a convincing narrative that painted him as disastrous. The High Priest intervened as much as he could to lessen his punishment, reducing it to removal from duty, rather than expulsion from the priesthood entirely.
Even after this, Kael saw everything positively. He took the removal as an opportunity to search further about the curse, in the guise of traveling.
Kael lowered his head. He replied, "I understand, High Priest. But I think sending someone to check the land is still necessary. A few village men were present at the time. They saw the pile of bodies within the earthen walls. They were horrified. They will only be at ease if Solvantar's servants come and check the area. Have them perform the Rite of Passage for the souls of the bodies as well."
"That goes without saying," the High Priest agreed.
Kael bowed. He didn't find anything about his purpose, so he could at least help the village before he left. If the priests were to visit, they would certainly notice the Triad Arc of Protection on the villagers. They would probably wonder who did it, and that might urge them to seek that person. So, Kael did not have to search for the monk himself. He was prepared to leave when the High Priest spoke again.
"On another note, your return may well have been willed by Solvantar. You are the perfect person to see it through," the High Priest said.
Kael paused. He gave the old priest a baffled look, for he was truly at a loss. 'See it through' implies completing a duty. But wasn't he forbidden to receive tasks from the temple again?
The High Priest nodded his head once, seemingly aware of Kael's inner thoughts. He pulled a drawer, and inside it, he took a scroll. Without opening the scroll, he handed it to Kael with great care.
Kael received it with both of his hands and a slightly bent body. He carefully unrolled the brownish scroll that shouted ancient to read what was inside. At the moment his golden eyes saw the content, his entire body froze.
"It is a simple task of retrieving what originally belonged to Solvantar's temple," the High Priest explained. However, Kael was still in a daze. "As you can see, it is an ancient relic that once belonged to a significant historical figure in all of the temple's history. The scroll you possess is proof that it must return to Solvantar's temple. The council has discovered its location. You'll find it in the dwarven kingdom. Go and deliver the scroll, and they shall give the relic back to you."
Hearing where it was, Kael wanted to cry. Helplessly, he thought, High Priest, that is no simple task! He rubbed his forehead and carefully asked, "High Priest, may I remind you that it was you who forbade me from taking temple duties for the time being…?"
The High Priest nodded. Leaning a bit on the back of his chair, he replied, "It's been a decade, Priest Kael. I had originally intended for you to return to duty after only a few years of reflection, given that you've been serving here for three decades, but you never came back. I'd say that if you hadn't come across this arm, returning here wouldn't have even crossed your mind. Am I wrong?"
Kael looked down. He pursed his lips together and heaved a low sigh. "...You're not wrong. But the High Priest should also know that I can't return here…not when I'm like this…" his voice lowered in the end.
"That is why I entrust this task to you. You were never meant to stay behind temple walls. Out there is where you've always belonged," the High Priest replied.
Kael smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "High Priest…you're only saying that because you're afraid I'll get into fights with the other priests again if I run into them, right?"
The High Priest cleared his throat and pretended like he was arranging something in his drawer. Kael chuckled softly. He accepted the task after much thought. The High Priest gave him a provision writ after that.
"May the great sun Solvantar light your way, Priest Kael." With that blessing, the High Priest concluded the conversation.
Kael sighed in spite of himself as he rolled the scroll again. He bowed quickly to the High Priest and hurriedly left, fearing the old priest would add another simple task. He presented the provision writ to the temple's treasury, and he was given a blue pouch of coins, a spare cloak, and temple robes. He stashed everything in his basket, except the money pouch he tied on his sash.
With that, he left the temple and began his journey to the dwarven kingdom.