The Keys to Ascension

by Dilland Doe

  Finio stared at the man, then smirked. “Don’t think so.”

  Finio charged the vendor, who braced himself for impact, putting up his thick hands. Right before colliding against the stout man, Finio dodged around him, then stopped, grabbed the rim of the man’s pants, then yanked down, pulling his pants to his knees.

  “Heeeey!”

  Finio dashed away while the man pulled up his pants. After turning a few corners, Finio saw some sort of large, round, teal building. He scaled the sides and jumped into a little hidden spot on the roof. The weird spot jutted up on four sides, concealing him. There was enough room for his pot and to lay down. He lay flat for a few minutes, but didn’t hear his pursuer.

  A voice spoken high and smooth preached from within the building. Finio realized he really climbed up some sort of circular wall, because no roof extended over the center. The angular teal metal jutted from the wall and surrounded him on four sides, allowing Finio to stand and peak into the temple.

  A man in robes stood in front of about twenty people. “For as long as we give ourselves to him and worship him as our one true ruler, he will grant us our desires. Behold…Wshna’s power.”

  A wolf-shaped ruffy sat behind the priest at attention, its pointy ears were up like it awaited a treat for its patience. The man seemed to whisper toward the ruffy, then spread his palms out from him, palms up. Some of the audience startled.

  “By the power of duplication, you now are a little richer.”

  The people checked their coin purses, then cheered with huge smiles.

  “Blessed be Wshna!”

  “My life for Wshna!”

  “I will spread his name to the ends of the Earth!”

  Finio narrowed his eyes. Maleefa! That’s no priest, that’s a wizard.

  The false priest led his followers in song.

  Something stepped right beside Finio. He jumped against the angular wall next to him, putting his hands up ready to deflect and dodge incoming attacks. He saw no one. Then, below him, a small fluffy creature jumped from the ground and landed in the pot before curling up inbetween the three apples.

  Finio whispered, “Kwitty!”

  Replying softy, Kwitty said, “Hey, buddy! Looks like the little guy likes the mobile home you carry around.”

  Finio smiled. “Good thing, or else I’d be screwed.”

  “I have more good news. This little guy passed a temple to my essence-splitter.”

  Finio tilted his head, “Huh?”

  “My essence split off from her.”

  “Uhhhh, who?”

  “My essence splitter! They worship her there and the priests may be able to train you! We can achieve your mission!”

  Things had been going so horribly for Finio, and now everything had swung upward. He couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve got a chance now.” He reached into the pot and pulled out an apple, careful not to disturb the chinchilla. “And an apple.”

  Ch. 22

  At night, the bustling noises of people moving and chatting were mostly gone. Lamps lit the medium and larger streets quite beautifully, but the alleys were pure black. Finio waited till nightfall to walk to the temple of Kwitty’s essence splitter; he was afraid the apple vendor, or maybe even guards, were looking for him.

  Carrying his pot, he looked in at the sleeping chinchilla. He shook his head. Cute little fur ball. The water doesn’t seem to have damaged him.

  Kwitty said, “That’s it right there.”

  Finio approached a plain round building. The windowless walls of the two-story structure appeared to have originally been white, but from an apparent lack of washing were now a brownish-grey. A large wooden door was cracked open large enough so a single person could walk through. Finio did so.

  He stepped into a gaping room with a podium and some candles at one end, similar to the temple meeting he just watched. A young man in robes stood in front of the podium, smiling at him.

  “Hi there, welcome to the temple of Kitty.”

  Finio didn’t know what to do, so he bowed. “Hello, honored priest.”

  The man held out a hand. “I’m an apprentice.”

  “Oh. Hello honored apprentice.”

  The apprentice shook his head. “No need to honor me. I’m a humble servant of Kitty…on night duty.” A grimace flashed on his face before disappearing.

  “Sir, I have come to Petra from…” People had not been reacting too kindly to Hyzantria or Actus; maybe I shouldn’t say where I’m from.

  Finio noticed a laying meowy shifting on top of a table behind the apprentice. A voice came from it. “No need to hide things from us. We hold no prejudices. I sense your connection to my essence departer. Kwitty was once of me.”

  Finio looked at the meowy. “Cool! Can you teach me?”

  “That’s for the temple to decide,” Kitty said.

  “Ahem.” the apprentice lifted his eyebrows, “So you wish to join us?”

  Finio nodded. “I want to learn, but I must return to Actus in a year, so I don’t know if joining makes sense.”

  “Only members of the temple may be taught. You must become an apprentice to learn the ways of Kitty.”

  Sounds like he wants me. I may become a good wizard after all!

  “You look quite grimy. If you are accepted as an apprentice, you’ll sleep and eat with the other apprentices in the back rooms.”

  Finio’s eyes went big. Food and shelter! Everything is taking care of itself! Thank The Divinity!

  “The temple priest is gone for the night, come back in the morning. Don’t get too excited. I don’t care that you’re from Actus and Hyzantria, but the rest of the city will, and the priest may not want the trouble.”

  #

  Finio woke in his hiding spot atop the teal temple. Standing, he squinted as the morning sun hurt his eyes. He grabbed his pot, looking at the chinchilla, then stuck his hands part of the way in. “C’mon little guy, c’mon!” It sniffed toward his hand. He smiled at it, then climbed down. He got some water from the public fountain before heading off toward the Kitty temple.

  He stepped inside where a few different apprentices swept the floor. Finio approached one. “Hi, I’m looking for the priest. I’m hoping to become an apprentice.”

  The boy, maybe seventeen, smirked. “I hope you enjoy endless chores.” He made a strange high pitched noise that no human could make, then a second sound emanated from the air above him. The boy looked at Finio. “Priest Daquan should be here soon.”

  “Thanks,” Finio said.

  A short man with white hair wearing a plain white robe walked in from a backroom. A meowy balanced on his shoulder. He rubbed his hands together as he looked up at Finio. “Hello, you are the boy from last night?”

  “Yes, sir. I want to become a great support mage. I currently work with Kwitty, who is connected to your Kitty. Can I join your school?”

  Still rubbing his hands together, sweat moistened the man’s forehead. “Well. I don’t have a school. I have a priesthood. When one joins the order, they are not simply a mage, but a worshiper of Kitty.”

  Finio tried, but failed, to stop his eyes from going wide. Heretic! It’s bad enough that I practice magic, but I will not worship a high being as I do The Divinity.

  He tried to think of a particular story in the Scripture of Worship. A man dressed as a woman had deceived eastern raiders who burned his town. When a few of them tried to have their way with him, he sprung on them and killed them. It was a righteous and smart thing. Deception in order to fight for The Divinity is acceptable. I will speak as if I worship Kitty, not as blasphemy but as a righteous deception.”

  “What are you thinking about, son?”

  The world around him snapped back into Finio’s focus. “Oh, just how excited I am to learn and worship Kitty.” That wasn’t so bad.

  The man nodded his head rapidly. “Good, good. Well, joining won’t be so easy, especially for you.” He turned and took several steps away from Finio.

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  “Come, come. Let’s discuss in my chamber.”

  Finio followed him down a narrow curving hallway, then into a small room with a desk. As the priest sat, the meowy jumped off his shoulder and onto the desk. Finio stood in front of it.

  “Son, I know you’re Hyzantrian and an adopted son of King Sannacles.”

  The priest glanced at his hands that he still rubbed together before looking back at Finio. “Your king may find himself at war with the rest of the League soon because of his ties to Hyzantria.” He sighed. “My priesthood is struggling enough as it is. People won’t want to follow a priest who takes in the enemy. On top of this, you wish to return to Actus soon and will potentially use your new skills against the League. Why should I train you?”

  “My Uncle loves Citia. He doesn’t want war. There won’t be a war. War?” Are things really this tense over my aunt?

  The priest nodded. “I can’t take chances that there will be. These days, my followers equal in number my apprentices. And, I don’t have a lot of apprentices. There’s no leeway for risk here.”

  Silence hung in the room for a moment. The priest stroked the meowy from head to back a few times as the creature stretched in pleasure. “I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to go elsewhere.”

  There is no place else. I’ll starve if I don’t find support soon. This temple is the perfect match!

  “Wait. Sir, what if I find you new followers?”

  The priest shook his head and started to speak, but Finio interrupted him. “I’ll bring ten new people into the temple—people who have never came here before. If I get ten, can I join?”

  Stroking the meowy a few times, the priest said, “Mmmm. What do you think, Kitty?”

  From the meowy, Kitty said, “I don’t know. This is your business.”

  Not a very helpful divine… Does he even believe Kitty is something to be worshiped?

  The priest leaned forward. “If you bring ten new people, aaand those ten come back a second time on their own…then assuming you’re able to cover up your accent and don’t tell anyone where you came from…you can become an apprentice.”

  Finio jumped in the air. “Sure! Don’t worry about the accent! Just some weeks ago I could hardly speak Tonguelin. I’ve been improving fast! My accent isn’t even strong anymore…right?”

  The priest nodded rapidly. “It’s minor. Good luck getting new worshipers. There is a lot of competition from wealthier temples whose high beings have a lot more spectacular tricks than Kitty.”

  “Can I sleep and eat here in the meantime?”

  The priest’s eyes darted in different directions before he shook his head. “No.”

  Finio muttered, “The Divinity help me.”

  Flashing to his feet, the priest growled, “And none of this Divinity talk. You worship Kitty now.”

  Anger sparked in Finio’s mind. “Oh, come on. High beings aren’t to be worshiped. They are personalities with flaws and virtues just like people.”

  The priest shook his head, then jerked an arm out in front of him. “The Divinity is a lie!”

  Clenching his fists, Finio said, “Hey! The Divinity is the one true source of all good. All you Citian priests are just pretenders.”

  The priest stared at Finio for a moment, then his face relaxed and he blinked several times while sitting. “Look, our concept of worship is a little different than in Hyzantria. While we adore and give praise to high beings as superior creatures, we don’t see them as the ultimate truth and power in all the universe. People just want their approval and guidance. Frankly, priests don’t exactly explain to worshipers what the high beings are. It’s better to leave them kind of mysterious. Heck, they’re pretty mysterious to us too. You can believe what you want, but if you become a priest you must act like you worship Kitty and must never, ever, mention The Divinity. Citians will laugh you into the sea with talk like that. Despite your rudeness, I’ll still let you join, but the payment is now twenty new followers. May Kitty guide your path.” He smirked while his eyes darted around.

  Ch. 23

  After hydrating at the fountain, Finio left for his task immediately. With no showers, he looked like a street-rat. He still had a slight Hyzantrian accent. He didn’t fully understand the culture of the people he had to persuade to worship a different high being. And, he didn’t even believe the high being was worthy of worship.

  First, he tried just talking to people, but after being ignored and even threatened for a few hours, he gave up on that strategy. He returned to the fountain for a drink, sitting cross legged near the edge as he cupped water into his hands and sipped. His stomach growled like a starving bear, a bear that would eat anything. Maybe I should steal more apples…as long as I only steal from the same guy, not much of the city will be mad at me. He seems to have plenty of apples anyways. Maybe it’s apple season.

  The semi-cool water of the fountain refreshed his throat. It seemed like river water, except a little stonier. His mind wandered to his father; and his mother who he never knew. Son of wizards? Wow. I thought the only wizardry I’d ever do was on the sedeux field. The Arrassio boys danced around all the competition…we were good. He imagined the three of them literally dancing with their paddle-staffs and clubs while the audience and even the opposing players cheered. He chuckled quietly.

  Then his face snapped straight. Light expanded across his mind. He whispered, “I really can do some pretty cool tricks thanks to sedeux.” He jogged to a sprawling general market. He strode around looking for something he could use, then saw a broken-down tent with many long pieces of wood laying to the side.

  Approaching it, he said in his best unaccented voice, “Sir. Sir?”

  An owner popped out from another tent alongside the broken one, raising his eyebrows at Finio.

  “Sir, can I use two of these wood pieces?”

  He scrunched his face. “They’re no good to me anymore…but what do you wanna use them for?”

  Finio opened a hand toward the objects. “May I?”

  The man nodded.

  C’mon Finio, let imaginary music flow through you, and just show this guy some moves! He set the chinchilla pot down and grabbed two long pieces of jagged wood. He tested their weight and balance, then...danced. He moved his body and the sticks rhythmically together.

  The man smirked.

  Kinda funny now, but soon I’ll impress him. Finio got a little more into his pretend music, letting it flow through his limbs and into the sticks. Right when the man looked like he was getting a little tired of silly dancing, Finio flew into finesse.

  He tossed spinning sticks in the air, spun himself as he caught them, then kicked and slapped them back up. He moved quickly, but smoothly, aiming for an artistic look while also doing something his audience could not, for they did not have the skill of years of sedeux playing. Then, when the man got used to this, Finio powered himself with Kwitty. And with Kwitty, he boogied down like the wind.

  Here comes the finish! He amazingly threw the sticks back and forth between his hands and feet before kicking them way above him, then made a super cool looking pose and caught them both on his head, balancing them in a cross.

  The man, and a handful of others around him, clapped. One person even whistled. After it quieted down, Finio stared at the initial man. “Well, sir?”

  He smiled. “Take all the broken wood you want! You look hungry, my daughter just finished making some tacos, why don’t you have some?”

  Finio tilted his head. “What’s a taco?”

  The man laughed. “Oh, c’mon, they aren’t that new. A few years ago these things spread like a flood. It’s a food from the Southern Continent. They’re spicy and delicious. Try some!”

  Finio followed the man around to inside his unbroken tent. He showed Finio these yellow U-shaped shells next to small bowls of cut up lettuce, seasoned beef, and cheese. Finio picked up a shell, then smelled it. “Is this corn?”

  “Yup! Fried them myself!”

  Finio
made a ‘taco’ as they called it, then felt the crunch as he took his first bite. Maybe it was the fact that he hadn’t eaten much in the last few days, but he experienced love at first taste. The most amazing of pleasures flooded his mouth, then inundated his brain. The shell, meat, cheese, and pinch of lettuce tumbled through his mouth creating the perfect vortex of flavors, like two sedeux players who’ve trained together for years and play in perfect harmony. For a moment, he thought he had died and was in The Divinity’s eternal bliss. His head swam like an elegant swan on a crystal-clear pond before he finally finished munching down three tacos.

  The owner stared at Finio the whole time. Finio peered into that man’s eyes. “Thank you. Thank you forever.”

  #

  Adding a few rocks to his routine, Finio became a dancer, juggler, and all-around entertainer. He danced the entire day, but still was a horrible salesman. Not a single person even considered visiting the temple. Before he laid down to sleep in his little spot, the chinchilla almost let him pet it again. He hoped that their relationship was growing.

  The next morning, Finio danced, keeping three rocks in the air while he did tricks that amazed the crowd that circled around him. Heading toward his finale, he slapped the three rocks up super high, then throwing the two sticks twirling in the air, he jumped and spun himself. While Kwitty made him quicker, not stronger, the fast release on a jump still produced more force, making him jump higher and spin faster than any non-magically enhanced man. He landed on his feet, then flashed to his back just in time to catch the two sticks, balancing them on his knees before snatching the three rocks out of the air and placing them on his stomach, chest, and forehead. He smiled and the people clapped.

  After remaining in his final pose for a moment, he stood before bowing in different directions. “Thank you, thank you.”

  The clapping quieted. “I’ve worked hard to be this good, but hard work alone cannot grant someone such skills. Belief in Kitty and worshiping at the Kitty temple on Krok Street helps me focus and gives me that extra edge that I on my own could not.”