A bittersweet wave washed over Vander as the quaint church he grew up in came into view. It was shortly after noon as the pair approached their destination. He was glad to be back, but he also knew that he could not stay…though he was sure that Hemly would try to convince him to stay for a few nights at the very least. Vander had entertained the idea of staying one night, but something ached inside him. He felt a distant pull beckoning him to begin his journey sooner rather than later.
"I don't reckon you'll be staying the night, will you," Hemly asked, pulling Vander from his thoughts. "I know I say that you children should leave as soon as you have partaken in the ceremony, but I don't mean it quite so literally. You'll always be welcomed here," he stated sheepishly, as if being able to perceive Vander's current internal conflict.
"No, I don't think I will," Vander stated. "I believe the Goddess is calling to me. Don't worry though, I don't think I'm actually being forced to leave by your doing," he said, lightly bumping into Hemly's shoulder with his own.
Hemly let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm not sure I could have carried a weight like that for long. So, what do you plan to do," he inquired.
Vander was quiet for a moment. "Well…I figured I could wish everyone a farewell, gather my things, and then head off," he said, finally.
"I see," Hemly said with a slight melancholy, "Well, before you head off, come see me in my quarters."
Finishing their conversation as they arrived at the church, the two split ways. Vander did as he described to Hemly, though not quite in the fashion that he imagined. Many of the children, and even some of the nuns, decided to have a fit of sorts upon hearing of his somewhat immediate departure. After making his way through the gauntlet of sad church members, and begrudgingly eating a full course meal forced upon him, Vander was able to collect the few possessions he had and put them into a leather knapsack. Luckily enough, they were simply his regular clothes, so it made for light travel. He decided to not change because he wanted to look a bit nicer when he went to the Adventurers'Guild. Finally, Vander entered Hemly's quarters as directed to find Hemly quietly in prayer at his desk. Vander respectfully stood in silence and soaked in his surroundings. Aside from an embroidered banner, the walls were bare, a red rug partly covered the stone floor between the desk and door, and the bed seemed slightly nicer than Vander's bed. The desk itself was noticeably nicer. Handcarved darkwood with flowing designs, and gold lined the outer edges of the desk with home smaller golden inlays depicting suns placed on the corners. Vander assumed the desk had been passed down among the head priests.
"You know, I wasn't always a priest," Hemly said, raising his head, bringing back Vander's focus. "A long time ago, I used to be a soldier. I did things for my country's sake that I do not think back on fondly, but I did not know of a better way," he carried on, standing from his desk and slowly wandering around his room. "I beg for forgiveness everyday for the souls I sent to the Goddess ahead of their time. Vander, I don't wish an ounce of my experience in the army onto you, however, I know that trouble will find its way to you. It's woven, intrinsically, into your destiny."
Vander stood where he was, somewhat stunned in the levity of the moment.
Hemly walked to his wardrobe and unlocked it. "With that in mind, I'd like to pass this on to you. As a young man, I had dreams of handing this down to a son. Now, as a man of the cloth, I can think of no one else to inherit this," he confessed.
Hemly then turned to Vander with a large object covered by a canvas sheet in hand. Vander walked over to Hemly, relieved him of the object, and removed the sheet. Vander's eyes grew wide. In his grasp was a silver looking tower shield with an ornate design around its edges. In its center, Vander noticed the crest of the Goddess. He was surprised by the shield's pristine condition. Though the shield was quite large, being roughly the same height as he was, it was surprisingly light.
"It's made of silmythril," Hemly said, noticing Vander's surprise. "Only a select few of us were granted these shields. Silmythril is naturally resistant to magic, you know, and quite durable despite its weight. I never had much use for it, once I was granted my leave from the military."
"How did you get the crest of the Goddess onto the shield? Don't they normally inlay the military crest," Vander asked.
"A wonderfully good question, my boy," Hemly chuckled softly. "These shields were custom made for us lucky enough, and believe it or not, I was somewhat devout then as well. I didn't come from a family of wealth, so I had chosen the next best thing."
Vander was at a loss for words, completely awestruck by the shield. Looking up, he saw Hemly give a small nod as if to tell Vander it was alright to try it on. Vander looked to the back of the shield and slid his left arm through the leather braces and gripped the handle.
"Looks like it fits you perfectly," Hemly said proudly. "I wish I could offer more, but I didn't keep many mementos from those years."
"You've given me more than enough," Vander replied. " I couldn't even imagine ever having something so precious. Are you sure you want to part with it?"
"Quite sure," Hemly stated confidently.
The two then sat down and talked for time about the past and the future, at times, laughing until tears filled their eyes. But as the sun began to set, both knew they should bring their conversation to a close. After sharing a final farewell with the church's populace, Vander headed back up the road to Oras-pietruit, where he would then make his way to the nearest guild city in Pentru-calatori, a hub for all sorts of travellers. Vander felt a surge of anxiety, not sure if he was ready. But just as his thoughts were starting to get the better of him, something sweet and warm was carried on the wind. He couldn't place what it was, but it made him feel at ease and invigorated.