Chapter 81: Rest and Resolve


    Inside the cathedral, the recruits gathered, bodies weary from their ordeal, grateful to be alive. The cathedral’s vast stone walls, dimly lit by flickering torches, echoed with an eerie silence that amplified their exhaustion. The heavy, cold air made each breath feel labored, a reminder of how far they had come. Outside, the wind howled faintly, carrying with it the unnatural quiet of the ruins beyond.


    The recruits were slumped in their seats, their faces pale and drawn, shadows of the vitality they once had. The arched windows of the cathedral let in slivers of moonlight, casting long, distorted shadows across the stone floor. Dust hovered in the air, illuminated by the thin beams of light, giving the room an otherworldly, almost haunted atmosphere. Despite the towering majesty of the cathedral, the room felt claustrophobic, the weight of their experiences pressing down on them.


    Gravedigger stood at the front, his massive form silhouetted against the faint glow of the altar behind him. He looked at the recruits, pride evident in his otherwise stoic gaze. His voice, low and steady, echoed through the hall. "You’ve all proven yourselves," he began, his words a balm to the tense silence. "Each of you has faced dangers that could have easily taken your lives. But you survived. And more than that, you grew."


    His eyes landed on Ronald, whose aura had changed dramatically. Ronald sat quietly, his glasses catching the light, but there was a new intensity about him. His water affinity, once gentle, now carried a ghastly, eerie undertone, like a silent lake hiding dark secrets beneath its surface.


    "Ronald," Gravedigger said, his voice reverberating through the room. "What you gained in that illusion... it’s clear that this path was meant for you. This water affinity is no longer simple. It carries an edge, something more. You’ve found your way, and it’s stronger for it."


    Ronald, calm yet inwardly changed, nodded in acknowledgment. "Although I had interest in this path before, it’s not the path I expected to take," he admitted, his voice soft but steady, "but it’s one I’m committed to now. My power, it’s different. And I’m ready to see where it takes me."


    The room was quiet again, the weight of Ronald’s transformation felt by all. Tina, sitting at the edge of the group, glanced at Abel and Ronald with a mix of guilt and respect. Her prejudices toward the non-gifted recruits had begun to crumble, piece by piece. She had witnessed their strength firsthand, and now, sitting in the eerie silence of the cathedral, she couldn''t deny their value. She also was beginning to understand why Ronald focused on such a nongifted path.


    Gravedigger continued, turning his gaze to the group as a whole. "All of you have shown potential to become apostles. What you’ve endured, what you’ve overcome, has placed you on that path." His tone was grave, yet hopeful. He pulled out a small rectangular badge, its surface the color of stone, resembling the Tower itself, with a dragon’s head carved into the center.


    "This," he said, holding it up so they could all see, "is the badge of an apostle. It marks you as a member of the Tower, but it is more than just a symbol. It allows us to communicate with the Tower itself. It has other uses as well, though you’ll learn those in time."


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    The recruits watched in silence, the significance of the badge not lost on them. The moonlight flickered across the stone surface of the badge as Gravedigger held it out, his expression serious.


    "I’ve just received confirmation from the Tower," he said, his voice breaking the tension. "We’ve completed our mission. We’ve uncovered the truth. The nomads abandoned their old ways, turning from the stars they once revered to follow a false god. This being used illusionary powers, trapping them in a twisted version of reality, much like what we experienced."


    Abel felt a chill crawl up his spine at the mention of the false god. His connection to the stars had been his only anchor during the illusions, and hearing that the nomads had once shared that same connection but had forsaken it sent a wave of unease through him.


    "But before we depart," Gravedigger added, "I want to ensure we leave nothing behind. A final sweep of the ruins is necessary—to gather anything of value and ensure no dangers remain."


    The recruits nodded in agreement, though the exhaustion in their eyes was clear. Gravedigger’s presence was a grounding force, but even he knew they needed rest.


    "We’ll rest for now," Gravedigger said, his voice softening slightly. "You’ve earned it."


    As the recruits began to settle in for the night, the cathedral’s heavy silence grew even more pronounced. The air was thick with the weight of their shared experiences, the tension between them slowly giving way to something resembling camaraderie. The flickering torchlight created deep shadows in the cathedral’s corners, making the room feel both vast and confined, as though the stone walls themselves were pressing in on them.


    Abel found a quiet spot near one of the windows, his body aching from the ordeal they had endured. The stars outside were barely visible through the high, arched windows, but he could feel their presence. The hunger that had gnawed at him was gone, but a new, deeper understanding had taken its place. He was connected to something far greater than he had ever imagined.


    As he lay back on the cold stone floor, his eyes grew heavy. Outside, the wind howled softly, a reminder of the eerie, desolate ruins that lay just beyond the cathedral’s walls. The silence was almost oppressive, but within it, there was a sense of peace—however fleeting it might be.


    Ronald, sitting by one of the darkened alcoves, stared into the distance. The lake spirit’s power pulsed faintly within him, like the steady beat of a drum. He would need time to understand it, to harness it fully, but he felt more grounded than ever. His path was clear.


    Tina, lying nearby, stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. The weight of her previous prejudices against the non-gifted recruits now felt like a burden she could no longer carry. She couldn’t deny the truth anymore—they had saved her life. And now, as the cathedral’s eerie silence wrapped around them all, she realized how wrong she had been.


    Gravedigger remained by the altar, his eyes scanning the room one last time. The recruits were tired—exhausted even—but they had proven themselves. He could see it in their faces, in the way they carried themselves. They were no longer just recruits. They were survivors, warriors in their own right, and perhaps, one day, apostles.


    As the night deepened, the cathedral’s silence grew heavy, but it was a restful silence, the kind that followed the end of a long battle. For the first time in months, the recruits allowed themselves to rest, knowing that while their journey was far from over, they had made it through the worst.


    For now, at least.