After the lunch, during the break time I decided to head towards the temple.
I was walking down the path leading to the temple on campus when I spotted Reed coming toward me. He was grinning as if he did something wonderful.
"Lukas, my bro! Heading to the temple?" Reed asked, his voice dripping with that overly dramatic flair he liked to use.
"Let me accompany you my dear disciple."
I gave him a sideways glance. "Why are you going to the temple? I thought you claimed to be the ’Descendant of the Dragon God,’ the heir of the Ancient One. What’s with all this ’goddess’ stuff?"
Reed threw his head back dramatically, like he was some sort of anime character. "Ah, you see, my dear disciple," he said, lowering his voice like he was revealing some great secret, "I’m going precisely because of that! As the heir, I must meet with… powerful allies!"
I was taken aback and looked at the sky in fear of getting attacked by a lightning blast.
Thankfully there were none.
I stopped walking and looked at him, blinking. "Disciple?" I repeated, my tone flat. "You’ve been calling yourself that ever since I met you. It’s getting hard to argue with that ’heir’ label, but don’t call me your disciple."
Reed smiled like a kid who’d just won a candy store, clearly enjoying how much I was trying to avoid his antics. "But of course, disciple! A disciple should follow his master wherever his master goes. I’m about to meet friends, real important friends."
"Friends? You mean, like the goddess you’re always blabbering about?" I raised an eyebrow, already dreading what was coming.
"Exactly!" Reed said, his eyes shining. "The Goddess of Creation, Rebecca! She’s like, one of my best buds."
A chill ran down my spine at his words. "Friends with a goddess? Reed, you’ve got a death wish."
Reed didn’t seem bothered by that at all. If anything, he was just more excited. "Well, I wouldn’t say it’s a death wish, more like a destiny thing. You wouldn’t understand, disciple."
I sighed and shook my head. "I’m not your disciple, Reed. But fine, let’s get this over with. I’m already regretting this."
I started walking towards the temple, Reed skipping beside me, still grinning like a madman.
When we reached the temple entrance, a priest was standing outside. He greeted us with a formal nod. "Welcome, travelers. You are at the temple of the Goddess Rebecca."
I nodded back, acknowledging the priest. Reed, of course, was acting like this was his home turf, bowing with dramatic flair and saying, "Greetings, holy one! Your ally Reed has arrived, in the name of the Goddess!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you done?" I muttered.
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The priest smiled, clearly used to Reed’s theatrics. "I see you have come for guidance."
"Well, not exactly," I said, pulling out my daggers. "I need a favor. I want these blades blessed—imbued with the holy element, something that can cut through ghostly specters. Think you can help me with that?"
The priest opened his mouth to refuse, but before he could get a word out, I slid a few notes into his hand. "I’m sure you can help me now, right?"
The priest hesitated for a moment before giving in with a smile, his tone suddenly far too eager. "Of course! We can do that! Ha-ha-ha!" He laughed like a dog, bowing low.
I felt a small grin tug at my lips. It wasn’t often I had to resort to bribery, but sometimes it worked wonders.
I asked him for a few charms to use.
Reed, on the other hand, was practically bouncing up and down. "See, disciple? You should’ve just asked me for help. I could’ve made him do it with a snap of my fingers."
"Right," I said dryly. "Maybe next time, I’ll just let you do the talking."
With a final glance at Reed, I followed the priest inside, feeling a little lighter now that my blades would be properly blessed. The whole encounter had left me with a sense of strange amusement. Reed truly was a walking disaster, but at least he kept things interesting.
As Reed and I stepped into the temple, I couldn’t help but notice how comfortable Reed seemed. He walked in like he owned the place, his hands behind his back and a grin plastered on his face, as if he’d just walked into his personal lounge. I tried my best to act like I didn’t know him, mostly because I didn’t want to get dragged into whatever spectacle he was about to make of this.
A few people were scattered around the temple, mostly quiet worshippers. The place was peaceful enough, but Reed’s antics stood out like a sore thumb. He waved enthusiastically at a few people, giving them grand nods and exaggerated bows. Every time I turned my head, I caught him acting like a drama king, and it made me want to shrink into the nearest corner.
"Hey! People of the temple!" Reed called out to no one in particular. "I, Reed, am here to bless this sacred space with my divine presence!"
I sighed heavily and muttered to myself, "Not again."
"Reed..." I started, but he cut me off with a gleam in his eyes.
"What? Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy the attention, disciple!" he teased, clearly enjoying every bit of it.
I didn’t answer him. Instead, I kept my eyes forward, pretending I didn’t know the guy. If I acted cool enough, maybe they’d just ignore him.
After a few moments of Reed’s nonsense, we were asked to enter a side chamber. I followed Reed, who marched ahead like it was his own personal parade. Inside, my gaze immediately landed on Ashton.
I couldn’t help but blink. "Ashton?" I said, surprised to see him here.
"Ah, Lukas!" Ashton smiled faintly when he saw me, but then his eyes shifted to Reed, who was giving him the same careful look he gave everyone, sizing them up.
Reed finally broke the silence with his usual dramatic flair. "Oh! Aren’t you the bandit slayer?"
Ashton’s smile faltered, and for a moment, he seemed at a loss for words. But then Reed continued.
"Buddy, you should be proud of your work. Getting rid of those madmen who treated us like pests. Let me tell you a secret," Reed said, leaning in slightly, "I suffered from their hands too. So what you do was good. Real good."
Ashton blinked, stunned for a moment, then seemed to recover, a faint smile forming on his lips. He glanced at me, looking for some kind of validation, and I gave him a simple nod.
"Thanks," Ashton mumbled, feeling a little flattered but still unsure how to respond to Reed’s overly familiar praise.
I had been giving Ashton advice lately, and seeing his progress made me feel like maybe I hadn’t been wrong about him. He was starting to get it Nd starting to move on, leaving the past behind.
Before Reed could do something more ridiculous, I cut in. "So, Ashton, why are you here?"
"Oh," Ashton said, pulling himself together. "I came to get my weapon blessed."
Reed raised an eyebrow. "Weapon? Which one?"
Just then, the priest returned, holding a large black sword in his hands. It was cold and sleek, the metal black as night. It almost seemed to shimmer with a faint aura, making the air around it feel heavier. Both Reed and I gulped. The sword was practically radiating power.
The priest stepped forward, offering it to Ashton. "This is the weapon you’ve requested, young man. The Cleaver, blessed by the Goddess herself."
My heart skipped a beat when I saw it. The Cleaver. The first weapon I ever truly relied on. The one that had seen me through countless battles, countless near-death experiences.
I couldn’t look away from it. The blade still had the same aura it had all those months ago when I first wielded it in the game. I felt a slight ache in my chest, a strange mix of longing and nostalgia.
"This is..." I whispered, stepping closer. The weapon had been my companion in so many struggles. How could I forget it?
Reed noticed the change in my demeanor. "You recognize it?" he asked, his voice more serious now.
"Nah but it looks so good," I replied, still staring at the sword.
Reed whistled low. "It’s powerful, no doubt about that. A godly weapon."
Ashton, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air, stepped forward to accept the sword, his hands gripping the hilt.
After the priest handed Ashton the Cleaver, his attention shifted to me. He carefully collected my blades, inspecting them with reverence.
Then, almost as an afterthought, he handed me a Sun Charm, its golden surface glowing faintly in my palm. The charm felt warm, radiating holy light. Along with it, he discreetly passed me an Emergency Shield parchment. I’d slipped a note with some cryptic bills earlier, ensuring my request wouldn’t be questioned.
Reed and Ashton were watching closely. Ashton’s brows furrowed in curiosity, but Reed, true to form, broke the silence first.
"What are you gonna do with those?" Reed asked, leaning in with an exaggerated sense of intrigue.
"Emergency," I replied curtly, not bothering to elaborate.