Solen had just finished his daily rigorous training in the Sanctuary's gym, his body humming with the energy he'd spent pushing past his limits. After a quick bath, he dressed and made his way to the Sanctuary's main assembly point, summoned by a passage of an urgent message from Father Lucent.
"I believe you all have been properly shown what an Invocatio Lux Domini is all about," Father Lucent began, his voice echoing with the seriousness Caelius Infinitus had instilled. "But we need to start taking rigorous action for members of the Sanctuary to actually grasp this technique as their own."
He paced slowly. "It's an ability that essentially proceeds in a three-way adventure before it can be attained. The first is you being sent to a specialized Combat Cave by the Sanctuary. Next is defeating the high-class demon that resides around that region. And lastly, making an oath of devotion with your newly found angelic power after finding the Holy Relic required for the communication to take place. That is the pathway."
"That being said," Father Lucent added decisively, "you will be made to proceed on this journey in a group of two, after you've been assessed by the Sanctuary as being worthy to embark on such." He paused, his gaze hardening. "Demons that stay in caves tend to be quite dangerous, as it somewhat suits their nature. Be careful, young Saints."
Later that day, all Saints were subjected to a rapid spiritual scan designed to determine those fit to embark on the demanding journey.
"I—I can't believe these results," Father Lucent shrieked in private, reviewing the papers. "Out of over a hundred members in the Sanctuary, only twenty are qualified to embark on this journey? That's quite a low number."
"I'm just as shocked as you," the man in charge of the assessment replied. "But nonetheless, this should serve as a motivation of empowerment to the rest. Even Solen, who just newly joined the Sanctuary, passed the assessment."
"Nonetheless, it's not about strength or physical feats," Father Lucent replied, tapping the papers. "Caelius's demonstration wasn't just some performance. It was meant to ignite the flames for those that would qualify for this very assessment."
The Calculating Companion
Solen went back to his room to finalize preparations.
"They paired me and Phallanx Pollux together," Solen told Lucen and Orin, who were also packing their gear.
"I was paired with Senior Saint Maxi," Orin replied, grinning excitedly.
"I was paired with a junior saint named Zen," Lucen shrugged, already adjusting his sword straps.
"Yeah... the Sanctuary likes it when you're looking out for a Junior Saint, alright," Orin chuckled.
"Well... anyone but Lucian is fine by me," Lucen replied with a dramatic shrug.
Wearing their rugged adventurer clothes, fully geared with equipment, the twenty selected Saints gathered once more. Father Lucent offered a final blessing, and as they stood within teleportation sigils, they vanished in a flash of light, hurled toward their required destinations at light speed.
Solen and Pollux arrived at the city of Lucenford. Ancient, historic landscapes served as a truly breathtaking site, a testament to the old world before the Vice Wars.
Grumble... grumble...
"I'm starving," Solen groaned, gripping his stomach. "How much do you have on you?"
"150 Aurels, 150 Lumens, and 150 Cinders," Pollux replied, efficiently listing the currency. "It's what the Sanctuary gave us for our upkeep."
"I wonder why I wasn't given it to hold instead," Solen wondered aloud.
"Your appetite is too large for you to spend prudently, if you ask me," Pollux replied with a decisive tone.
Grumble... grumble... Pollux's own stomach betrayed him.
"Uh... well..." Pollux stammered. "I think we should find a nearby restaurant, too. After the light travel randomly dropped us in that forest, we've used quite some energy locating this city, hehe."
"Mhmmm..." Solen replied, narrowing his eyes at his partner.
"C-come on... don't give me that look now..." Pollux replied defensively.
Solen let out a deep sigh. "Glad we're finally on the same page. Let's find a nearby restaurant."
As they walked down the bustling streets of Lucenford, their conversation served to tighten their new partnership.
"It feels so sudden... the call to find angelic powers and all," Solen admitted to Pollux.
"I wouldn't really know what's going on, but one thing is for sure: any decision Father Lucent takes has been sent upon him by the Holy Elders and confirmed by the Knights of Wonder," Pollux explained. "Perhaps they can feel something coming and they feel the urge for Saints to step up their game. Honestly, in previous times, I think only Senior Saints at some certain levels could have access to such power."
"But with new generations came newer potentials," Pollux calmly calculated. "Thus, the Sanctuary might have felt the need to adjust to this system."
"I think you're right," Solen replied.
"Oh, look over there! There's a local restaurant nearby." Pollux pointed.
The restaurant was a cozy, decent place. They took their seats, and Pollux politely ordered: "We'd like to have Sanctuary roast fowl and King's breadloaf. Thank you." He paid 50 Lumens for the meal and 20 Cinders for water.
Their food—a roasted bird seasoned with monastery herbs and thick, warm bread served with garlic butter—was served quickly. The hungry Saints finished the meal in a couple of minutes.
"That was such an appetizer!" Solen complimented, satisfied.
"We should definitely make coming here once in a while a healthy habit," Pollux replied.
As they walked out, Solen's gaze met an extremely young, beautiful blue-haired lady with red lips and eyes that glowed a faint, mesmerizing blue. She wore an adventurer's attire, and as she entered the restaurant, Solen's gaze was utterly captivated by her presence.
"Solen! Don't get carried away! Let's go find an inn to crash in for tonight," Pollux firmly demanded.
"S-sure!" Pollux's loud voice snapped him back to reality.
Lilathra, The Keeper of Secrets
They found a comfortable inn and paid 75 Aurels for the estimated three nights they would stay in Lucenford.
"Well, tomorrow, we'll have to do an analysis of what sort of demons lie in that cave to the north," Pollux lectured. "It's already been marked as a forbidden area, but we should probably be let through. If we must pass this mission, we'd rather do so with caution and preparation. Handling a high-class demon isn't something you ignorantly do with a strong head, after all."
"You talk quite a lot for someone with such a calm-looking face, you know?" Solen replied, amused.
"Well... suit yourself. I'll be busy analyzing Lucenford's map in the meantime," Pollux replied, pulling out his parchment.
Solen went down to the inn's courtyard to grasp some fresh air from outside. His gaze met the girl who he had previously seen at the restaurant. She was staring up at the moonlight.
"H-hey, it's you," he called out.
"Eeeeek! Don't scare me like that," she said, startled. "Eh... do I know you?" she questioned with a calm voice.
"Well... not yet, hehe. But I'm Solen Pyrex! Nice to meet you," Solen introduced, extending his hand.
"I'm Lilathra," she replied, returning his handshake.
"So... what brings you around these parts, Lilathra?" Solen questioned.
"Well... adventure to find relics and stuff," she replied, sitting on the ground.
"Relics for what, if I may ask?" Solen curiously pressed.
"Aren't those too many questions?" she chuckled.
"O-oh, so, s-sorry about that!" Solen apologized.
"Well, it's okay," she said. "I'm embarking on a journey to find a relic that could help me regain my memories situated here. Not completely knowing my origins has left a vacuum in me for so long, and I hope to fill in this vacuum by uncovering my sealed memories."
"Hey! Just like me!!!" Solen thought, stunned by the parallel.
"I lost my memories, too, only being able to remember my name," Solen replied honestly. "Growing up in an orphanage, I've never truly felt a sense of belonging."
"Why does it feel like I can tell her so much..." Solen wondered.
"Well, well... seems like we do have a lot in common, hehe..." Lilathra chuckled. The wind caressed her silky blue hair, the moonlight giving a new, ethereal angle to her beauty.
Solen's heart beat faster. "What's this strange feeling..." Solen wondered, faintly gripping his chest.
Lilathra stood up, the wind caressing her white, flowing gown. "Nice to meet you, Solen." She bid him goodnight as she went into her room at the inn.
The Guardian's Detour
Solen went into his room as well, meeting Pollux already asleep over his map. Solen decided to give himself a good night's rest in preparation for the next day.
When they woke up, Solen was already dressed up, ready to leave.
"Huh? It's not time for our departure yet..." Pollux grumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Well, I have to quickly help a friend out! I'll be back on time," Solen said, dashing out of the room before Pollux could respond.
"Friend? We literally just got here..." Pollux wondered, already calculating the delay this would cause to their schedule.
Solen quickly found Lilathra, who was already prepared to carry her search to a nearby ruin in Lucenford.
"Hey, Lilathra!" Solen called.
"Huh?! Solen??" she questioned in shock.
"Mind if I carry out the search with you? We seek the same goals, after all," Solen requested, brushing his hair mildly.
"Well, sure," Lilathra smiled subtly. "You could tag along and be my Knight in shining armor, tehehe..."
As they approached the ruin, they saw abandoned temples and foreign landscapes that seemed like structures lost to time.
"Where do we begin our search?" Solen questioned with enthusiasm.
"We start by searching within that temple!" She gestured, pointing at the largest structure.
As they entered the temple, it clearly seemed to be a place where an ancient idol was once worshipped. The sacrifices, dried blood, and scattered skeletons on the ground made this truth ever so clear.
"So much sin resides within this place," Solen said aloud, his skin crawling with the Vice energy.
"I couldn't care less about that, hehe. I just want my memories back," Lilathra said bravely, charging deeper into the ancient temple.
"So the map says we turn left here... and right here... and we should be almost there," Lilathra puzzled, navigating the maze-like corridors with suspicious ease.
After a long, winding walk and puzzle-solving, they finally arrived at a huge door covered with ancient, indecipherable inscriptions.
"These inscriptions look like the key to open this door... I can't decipher them, though," Lilathra said. "Within this room is probably where the relic lies."
As they wondered how to open the door, a large, menacing presence approached them. Solen's senses screamed for immediate alert—a Vice-ridden demonic energy.
Approaching them was the huge, dead structure of a red-eyed Minotaur, holding a giant axe, with thick, toxic dark energy oozing from its massive body.
Lilathra instantly fell into a deep, mysterious slumber as the demon charged.
Solen materialized his holy gauntlets, readying himself for the impending battle.
"Let's do this, shall we?"