The Sons of Gods

Just when Quin was about to counterattack and his shield began to buckle and crack, Sam simply stopped attacking and stepped back. Quin was shocked as the fight was about to reach a climax and Sam simply gave up. Sam sighed.

“Ran out of spirit. I would have lost. Better to end it here before I get hurt,” Sam explained while looking a bit downcast. Then he perked up. “You must have an incredibly large Divine Conduit to be able to take so many fights and still have spirit remaining.”

“Yes, but I am down to a fifth of my reserves after that last attack. I cannot comprehend how you were able to move that fast. You might have won the fight if you had more spirit,” Quin complimented.

“It's one of my powers, The Laws of Justicar. It's a bit complicated and takes a ton of my spirit. I can explain it later if you are curious,” Sam promised an explanation.

“Please do, it was incredible,” Quin agreed eagerly.

“Down to a fifth of your spirit huh? I suppose that is enough for one more spar. We wouldn’t want Westin to feel left out would we?” Thalion butted into the conversation.

Quin frowned briefly. He could not see how he could fight another bout with such low spirit reserves. He was about to say so when Westin bounded forward onto the field like an eager mountain dog finding a lost sheep. With a flourish, Westin withdrew a wand from his robe and began to twirl it between his fingers in intricate patterns. Westin ran his other hand through his hair and gave Quin an incredibly silly looking smolder.

“Prepare yourself! You are in the presence of your undoing follower of Solarius!” Westin said in his best villain voice, trying to sound dramatic and dark while only succeeding in making himself seem like a two bit street actor.

Quin stood there mildly speechless while the other boys’ face palmed. Thalion shook his head and muttered something about followers of Luxor always being crackpots.

“Ah ha! You are afraid! As you should be. I have studied the ancient art of finger painting that has led to the undoing of many fine women. You will be no different!” Westin continued with absolute confidence.

Lauren squeaked, Quin grew even more confused, Zach spit out the water he was drinking from a canteen, and the two other boys burst out laughing. Thalion let out a deep sigh and his eyes fluttered up into his head out of exasperation.

“Just start or whatever, you exhaust me Westin,” Thalion said while pinching the bridge of his nose.

“As you command Sir! En garde Quin!” Westin shouted.

In a massive burst of color, Westin began unleashing spell after spell that overwhelmed Quin’s senses. First, several crystal-like shields containing light refracting in rainbows sprung into existence. Then everything around Quin burst into strange colors, confusing him. Then wildfires of magic flames sprung up across the training field. The fires varied in colors and intensity and began to burn their way towards Quin from all directions. Then Westin began to rapidly shoot various colored beams of magical energy towards Quin.

Quin was barely able to dodge half of the projectiles after lighting, stone, jets of fire, and spouts of water flew towards him. The other half crashed against Quin’s Radiant Shield that had not been dispelled from the previous fight. The entire situation was chaos and Quin could not make heads or tails of what he was seeing. Quin knew he would not be able to slog through this fight in his current condition, his spirit reserves were far too low. Perhaps he could hold on and hope Westin ran out of spirit. Westin had to be burning through spirit like no tomorrow with how many spells he was casting. Quin threw out this idea, his spirit reserves would not survive the onslaught. He would have to go all out if he wanted to win.

Once Quin made the decision, he did not hesitate as he would not have long. Quin activated Solar Ascendance. Light poured in from the sky and crashed into Quin. Quin’s Radiant Shield solidified and grew far thicker. Quin felt boundless strength fill his limbs and his body shimmered as if made from diamond.

Quin took a single step forward and the force created a crater beneath his foot. Then he shot forward at a speed that was comparable to Samuel’s Laws of Justicar. In a split moment, he was before the crystal shields. Quin swung his sword and shattered every single defense in a single strike.

Westin’s eyes shot wide open in surprise and he looked like an exotic fish that could not comprehend it was caught. Before Westin could launch another spell, Quin moved again, sprinting through the various fires. The fires failed to break his Radiant Shield and Quin arrived in front of Westin. Quin reached out and grabbed Westin by the tunic and raised him off the ground in a show of superior strength.

“Stop!” Thalion shouted in a roar.

Quin immediately complied. He put down Westin and released all of his powers before slumping. He was completely drained of spirit. Westin canceled his spells as well and all the various fires disappeared.

“That was fucking incredible!” Zach shouted from the sidelines. “What even was that?”

Quin looked over at the onlookers and saw them completely shell shocked. He suddenly had the feeling that he may have exposed something that he shouldn’t have. Oh well, it's too late, Quin thought. If he was going to fight side by side with these people then they should know his capabilities.

“That was very impressive, Quin. I did not expect you to win every single duel, especially not the last one in such spectacular fashion. This was supposed to be a lesson in limits while gauging your abilities, but you have completely surpassed my expectations,” Thalion praised. He was clapping slowly and seemed genuinely impressed.

“Damn I thought I could win that easily if I went all out with how drained you were,” Westin said. “Now I look like a chump.”

“Nonsense, I only had to let out all of the stops because of how impressive you were. I have no spirit left. Any Acolyte in the city right now could best me,” Quin replied.

“What skill even was that?” Samuel asked.

“Uhh, it's a boosting skill of sorts,” Quin began to explain.

“All of you can explain your various powers and get acquainted elsewhere. Training is over the day and I need to bring in a repair team to fix the massive amount of damage all of you did to the training field,” Thalion said.

Quin looked around himself and took note of the destruction. The training ground was full of craters and ash from the last fight. He felt a bit bad about creating work for others by destroying the field. Granted, Westin had to share plenty of the blame as well. Some of his flames had damaged the surrounding walkways.

Quin looked toward the others a bit sheepishly upon realizing what he had done. The other boys were grinning at the destruction, clearing not caring that they had made a mess. Lauren however had a blank look on her face and was fixated on Quin. Her lips pursed and almost formed a frown before noticing his gaze, then she formed a smile.

“Why don’t we get a bite to eat in the city after freshening up? We can all explain our powers and become more acquainted as a group,” Lauren offered.

“That's a great idea!” Westin said with excitement. He wanted to know what had trounced him so thoroughly.

The others gave a chorus of agreement. With the plan decided, the boys headed to a bathing facility within the Temple of Valor while Lauren stated she would wait in front of the temple. The boys quickly washed the dirt and blood from themselves before redressing in fresh tunics that were located in the facility. Apparently, they stocked tunics from all temples in preparation for other temples coming for training like they had. The group bantered as they made their way out to Lauren.

“To think a Chosen One was so ruthless in manhandling me. I never stood a chance! So truly cruel. Are sure you aren’t some dark scion?” Westin moaned.

“Bullied, yeah right. I would have been burnt to a crisp had I not activated that skill. I may worship Solarius, but that does not mean I want to be sacrificed by burning up like a star,” Quin scoffed.

“Ladies, ladies, calm down, there is no need to fight. You are both equally hideous in my eyes,” Cal said amiably.

“Careful what you say, ladies hate being told to calm down,” Sam followed up.

“Speaking from experience Sam?” Zach asked.

They all burst into laughter. Quin felt a sense of camaraderie and friendship with the group already. He did not believe he would find such a thing when he left the Abil Mountains and left behind his only friend and brother, but it appears he had. It made him miss his brother, but also feel better. If only Sorin was born as a son of Solarius as well. He could have joined him and been a part of this experience. This group would have been unstoppable with his presence.

The group emerged to the sunshine. Quin looked across the crowd in the massive courtyard before the Temple of Valor. He saw a bit of movement from the base of the statue of Valor and saw Lauren waving at them. They descended the steps and joined her.

“I suppose since it's Quin’s first time with the group, dinner can be my treat,” Lauren said.

“Oh my, Lauren must have really fallen for you Quin. Already taking you out on a date,” Westin said while pretending to swoon.

“I never wish for an offensive power to attack someone except when I am in your presence Westin,” Lauren said with a cheery smile and tone that did not match her words.

“Don’t worry Lauren, I got you covered,” Zach said as he smacked Westin across the back of the head.

“Thank you Zach, always the true gentleman in the group,” Lauren complimented while Westin pretended to die in Sam’s arms.

Sam just looked down at Westin writhing in false agony with a mildly unamused face. Then he dropped him to the ground. Westin landed with a small thump.

“Oh the betrayal from not one of my friends, but two! What happened till death do us apart!?” Westin cried out from the ground.

“Sorry Westin, I just don’t find you attractive nor do I have a leg on that side of the fence,” Sam said.

“Fair enough,” Westin said in a normal voice then immediately snapped out of his goofballing and stood composed like none of the past few minutes had happened. He brushed the dirt off of his tunic. “So where are we eating?”

Quin stood there and witnessed the entire scene with mild awe at the strangeness of it all. It was like a comedic play. Quin supposed he might have to get used to this kind of tomfoolery if he was going to continue in Training Cohort Eighteen.

Lauren guided the group through the city and they eventually arrived at a restaurant named The Last Plate. The Last Plate sat nestled in the high-class district of town, its stone facade blended seamlessly with the surrounding manors. Tall arched windows lined the front, giving passersby a glimpse of the soft glow from within. Lauren pushed open the door and the group filed in behind her. As one stepped inside, the cool scent of polished wood and the faint crackle of hearth fires immediately greeted them.

The main dining hall was grand but not overly ornate. Stone walls were draped with deep burgundy tapestries trimmed in gold, depicting scenes of hunts and feasts. The floors were made of smooth, dark flagstone, partially covered by thick, woven rugs in muted tones. Wooden beams, high above, cross the ceiling, giving the space a sturdy yet graceful look. Tables were arranged in neat rows, their surfaces polished to a gleam, set with simple but elegant pewter plates and goblets. Each table was illuminated by wrought iron candelabras, their candles casting flickering light across the room. The chairs were high-backed and cushioned in velvet, their frames carved with subtle scrollwork, offering comfort without ostentation.

At one end of the hall, a large fireplace dominated the wall, its mantel adorned with silver candlesticks and a large, gilt-framed mirror above. The fire within burned steadily, providing warmth to the otherwise cool stone room. Alongside the fireplace, a spiral staircase led to a second-floor balcony, where private dining alcoves overlook the main hall below. Soft, ambient light spilled from lanterns hung along the walls, each encased in glass and metal, their warm glow adding to the understated refinement of the space. The overall atmosphere was one of quiet luxury—a place where wealth and class are displayed with restraint, not gaudiness.

“Ah Miss Hess, it has been far too long,” A waiter said in a soft voice.

The waiter’s steps were nearly silent on the stone floor as he approached. He was dressed in a finely tailored black doublet, subtly embroidered at the cuffs and collar with silver thread. His dark trousers were immaculately pressed, and polished leather shoes gleamed beneath. His demeanor was calm and composed, with a posture that spoke of formality and discretion.

“Gregory, a pleasure as always. My friends and I were looking for a meal and some quiet conversation,” Lauren replied with a noble demeanor.

“I know exactly what you mean Miss. Right this way,” Gregory stated before guiding us up to the second floor of the restaurant. There he seated us in a corner away from other patrons.

Quin noticed that most of the patrons appeared to be more wealthy individuals although he did spot the rare follower dressed in a tunic similar to their own. He took a seat at the table with his friends.

“This is a fancy place. They also knew you by name, Lauren. Are you a regular?” Quin asked out of curiosity to get to know Lauren better. However before Lauren could answer, Cal stepped in.

“Lauren is quite the rich little noble. With all due respect and no offense intended Lauren. I hope you understand,” Cal explained.

“None taken. I suppose that is the simplest way to put it,” Lauren responded with a sigh and a wave of her hand to continue.

“Lauren’s mother is the High Priestess of the Temple of Renewa in Cremoor. Most go to the Temple of Renewa for funerals and to pay tithes to ensure themselves and their loved ones are eventually reborn into a new and better life. Because of this, Lauren and her family are very respected and wealthy,” Cal continued his explanation.

Quin looked over at Lauren to confirm Cal’s explanation. She nodded although did not look incredibly pleased about it.

“If you held such a station in the Temple of Renewa, then why aren’t you a follower of Renewa?” Quin asked.

“Because I did not like the attention and all of the expectations. It was smothering to be thought of as the next High Priestess of Renewa in Cremoor. Everyday was different mortals groveling and trying to curry favor with me while I was forced to go through ritual after ritual over their dead loved ones. It was depressing,” Lauren said with a bit of sadness while staring at the table.

“I am sorry to hear that. So you eventually switched to worshiping Purity?” Quin inferred.

“Yes I did. I found solace in her teachings that I did not find while following Renewa. It ravished my Divine Conduit when I switched my beliefs to a new Goddess, but I am slowly rebuilding it with my devotion,” Lauren confirmed.

Lief had explained to Quin that some followers would switch what God or Goddess they followed later in life. The further into cultivating spirit, the worse the switch would be. When they switched the target of their worship, it would damage their Divine Conduit inside of themselves and they could lose a great deal of spirit and would most likely lose several Degrees if not a Rank or two. This was feasible early in life when a follower had not developed an incredibly close relationship with their God or Goddess, but if it was done by someone of a high Rank, it could kill them. Therefore, a follower changing the target of their worship was rare and a choice that had to be incredibly important to the follower. For Quin or Sorin who were Demigods and contained the blood of their God within them, it would be tantamount to suicide.

Switching to a new Goddess alone would have been an incredibly difficult decision for Lauren. Taking into account that Lauren gave up a position of power and a guaranteed future, she must have been incredibly driven to do so. Quin had to admire her for it.

“Don’t get me wrong, I do not regret my decision in the slightest. I feel far more free and at home in the Temple of Purity,” Lauren said while smiling brilliantly. “Besides, we have far more pressing matters to discuss. All of you need to explain your powers to each other in depth if you want to integrate Quin fully into your cohort.”

That is exactly what they did, as soon as they ordered food of course. The food was excellent, but the conversation was better. Quin learned so much about each of his new friend’s powers and the Gods they worshiped.

Although Quin already knew what God’s everyone worshiped, they still went over it again. Sam worshiped Justicar, the God of Justice. That was pretty evident from what he displayed in the spar earlier with all his shouting about Justicar and his Laws. Zach worshiped Valor, the God of Courage and Righteous Strength. Cal was a bit peculiar in that he followed Strategos, the God of Tactics. Although Strategos was a God centered around war, Quin expected his followers to take on more of a supporting role on the backlines than a fighting role. Quin learned that he was incredibly wrong with that judgment as evident by Cal learning to fight in their cohort. Westin followed Luxor, the God of Creativity and Imagination.

Starting with Samuel, his first power was called Judgment Strike which was an ability that lent strength into his weapon and attack. That strength depends on his devotion to Justicar, the strength of his ideals, and the amount of spirit he put into the ability. His second power was a spell that could be activated when Sam spoke aloud an ideal that he held. It was called Edict of Justice and was the spirit dome that slowed Quin down considerably. Apparently, Sam could control it so it would not target allies.

A power that Sam did not get to demonstrate was an ability called Righteous Fury. Whenever someone violated Sam’s ideals or the ideals of Justicar, Sam could tap into a well of strength and speed that was apparently very impressive according to him. However, the drawback was that Sam would become unreasonably angry and occasionally lose control of himself if his anger grew deep enough. The longer he remained in this state of fury and anger, the stronger he would become and his spells would begin to strengthen in potency.

The fourth power Sam possessed was the most impressive. It was called The Laws of Justicar. Sam could invoke one of the Ten Laws of Justicar and that would take shape into an ability with a specific outcome. For example, during their fight Sam had invoked The Law of Swift Action and that was what caused Sam to essentially teleport to Quin to launch an attack. Only a single law could be invoked at once and the spell currently had a cooldown phase of a full day in addition to a massive spirit cost. Therefore the ability had to be used sparingly.

When prompted by Quin about what the other nine Laws of Justicar did, he was only met with a smile and a ‘you will find out eventually’. This brought forth an eye roll from the table as apparently Sam had said the same thing multiple times to the others over their training sessions these past few months. Sam had apparently only demonstrated The Law of Swift Action while in sparring sessions.

Samuel’s last power was an ability called Justicar’s Gaze. Quin felt very familiar with that one as it had been what inflicted the small existential crisis on him mid fight. When Sam activated it and gazed upon someone they would be inflicted with dizziness or be paralyzed with guilt over their actions, usually it was a combination of both. Sam’s eyes had to stay on his target, but it was a strong ability all the same.

Zach volunteered his powers next. Zach was a bit disappointed in himself when he had lost to Quin so quickly without displaying many of his powers. Zach’s first power was a spell called Guardian’s Resolve. Using Guardian’s Resolve, Zacharia could bolster his defenses and create an armor from spirit that increased his resistance to physical and magical attacks. Additionally, while wearing this armor, any projectile attacks would be redirected from his allies to strike him. It was a powerful, but dangerous spell as it could put Zach in an incredibly bad predicament if used incorrectly.

Zach’s next two abilities were showcased within his fight with Quin. The first was Righteous Charge that allowed for Zach to accelerate himself in a single direction to close the distance between him and his foe. Additionally, this ability allowed Zach to temporarily shield his allies if he used it to reach an ally instead of a foe. What had followed Righteous Charge in the fight against Quin was Valor’s Smite that imbued spirit into Zach’s next attack. This attack would increase in effectiveness against dishonorable foes. The next ability Zach possessed was similar to Valor’s Smite, but it was defensive in nature. It was called Shield of the Virtuous. Zach would imbue spirit into his shield instead of his weapon and it would emit a light that would repel dark magic and purify all those around Zach while increasing their defenses.

Zach’s final ability and what he was scolded for not using by Thalion was Oath of Valor. It was a trump card for Zacharia. Zach could take an oath before or during a battle and invoke the name of Valor to pledge to serve Valor, protect his comrades, and achieve an objective. While this oath was active, Zach would gain enhanced speed, strength, and resilience. The drawback was not spirit related as it surprisingly did not cost spirit, but Zach would have to follow the oath to the letter. If Zach did not follow this oath and accomplish whatever goal he swore to within an hour, he would be left in a weakened state for at least a full day.

Quin was contemplating such a peculiar ability when Westin bulldozed his way into the conversation.

“All of these brutes with their abilities, Cal and I are far more refined with our spells. Aren’t we Cal dearest?” Westin asked jokingly.

“You lost the fastest out of all of us, Westin,” Cal pointed out. Westin frowned as if he had forgotten that fact.

“Doesn’t count, Quin cheated,” Westin replied coolly, unruffled at the comment.

“Just tell Quin about your spells you clown,” Sam insulted Westin good naturedly.

“Oh I suppose if you insist,” Westin said before launching into his explanation.

Westin’s primary mode of attack was a spell called Prismatic Burst. It was a spell that randomly threw forth a random element in an attack. The attack had many different colors and elements throughout the entire spectrum of light. For example, if the beam of Prismatic Burst was brown, then the element would be earth and could cause petrification while bludgeoning its target in a hail of stones. Other examples of possible outcomes were red producing fire, yellow producing lighting, blue producing water, and the list went on for many many colors. Some colors were more common while others were rare. Westin could not for the life of him make heads or tails on why that was the case.

Westin’s next spell was defensive in nature. The spell was called Kaleidoscope shield and it conjured shields that contained multiple swirling colors that disoriented those who gazed upon them while also deflecting incoming attacks. This confusion and disorientation was similar to Westin’s next spell called Colorful Chaos. Westin could flood the battlefield with vibrant, shifting colors that distorted reality with this spell. It made him incredibly difficult to pinpoint while also confusing the enemy and bombaring their senses.

This brought Westin to the spell he used to burn the entire arena. It was called Whimsical Wildfire. The spell would ignite a wildfire of magical flames that would change in color and intensity as they continued to spread. The fire was incredibly unpredictable as it would have random effects such as randomly exploding or inflicting effects that normally did not belong to fire such as an icy cold blue flame to freeze an opponent or a brown flame with a petrifying effect.

The spell that Westin did not have a chance to cast and display for everyone was called Imaginative Arsenal. Westin would summon a bizarre weapon or tool from his imagination. What emerged was not usually what Westin wanted as it was difficult to design a weapon within his mind during a fight. Usually the weapon or tool was close to what Westin desired, but occasionally came with some strange additions that were occasionally a pleasant surprise or a horrifying mistake.

“It's hilarious whenever Westin uses this ability. There was one time that he attempted to create a sword that could cut through anything and he ended up creating a sword that could pass through anything. There is a distinct difference! The sword he made literally would pass through anything including whoever he was attacking. The sword was basically a useless handle. When he swung it for the first time at a practice dummy, the lack of resistance caused him to fall over on his face. It was hilarious!” Zach recounted a time when Westin’s Imaginative Arsenal had not gone so well.

Everyone had a good laugh at Westin’s embarrassment before Cal began to explain his powers. Quin had been most eager to hear about Callivan’s powers as Cal had been the one to injure him the most.

Cal’s first power was an ability called Strategic Grid. It would create a mental grid over the entire battlefield allowing Cal to visualize the entire battlefield. This allowed him to coordinate his allies and also locate the positions of his enemies. The current area of the grid was not the largest, but that would improve as Cal increased in Degree and Rank. Quin asked if the green grid that was created at the start of their spare was the ability and Cal confirmed it was.

The next power Cal possessed was the barriers that impressed and caused Quin so much trouble. It was a spell called Preemptive barrier. Cal could place barriers wherever he wished as long as they were within a certain range and he had enough spirit. It combined excellently with his Strategic Grid ability as Cal could accurately place barriers in front of his enemies or allies without needing to see them with his actual eyesight.

Cal’s next ability was something that Quin had also experienced. It was an ability called Calculated Deflection. With a precise flick of his hand, Cal could redirect incoming projectiles or spells away from himself and back towards his enemies. Cal had used this ability to send Quin’s Solar Flare directly back at him.

The next ability, in Quin’s opinion, most matched Cal and the fact that he worshiped Strategos, the God of Tactics. It was an ability called Tactical Insight. Cal would tap into his connection with Strategos and be able to gain a brief glimpse into the future allowing him to predict his enemy’s next move. This ability varied in spirit cost based on how far Cal wanted to see into the future. Cal had used it in short bursts, only seeing a fraction of a second into the future, in order to counter some of Quin’s attacks. Although seeing that far into the future wasn’t much of a drain on Cal’s spirit, using the ability many times had been a large drain.

Cal’s last power was a spell called Strategic Strike and his only offensive power. It allowed for Callivan to strike forth anywhere on the battlefield that he could see or within his Strategic Grid with an energy beam. It was what had injured Quin during the end of their fight. The attack itself was not very strong, but the beam manifested very close to its target and would strike with great precision. The precision allowed for Cal to target weak points in his enemy’s guard or defenses.

With all of the boys having gone and introduced each and everyone of their powers, Quin turned to Lauren thinking she would share next.

“Oh no, you don’t need to know my powers. I won’t be joining you in battle. I am not suited for such things. Besides, all of my powers are focused on healing, purging impurities, and dark magic. Incredibly boring, useful but boring. Besides despite having already eaten, everyone is salivating to hear about your powers,” Lauren dodged the question.

“I suppose I can share mine finally,” Quin mused.

Quin began to share his abilities and spells. He went over the nuances of his spells of Radiant Shield and Solar Flare then shared how Luminary Empowerment worked. Finally he spoke about Celestial Resonance. That power only garnered any interest from Cal and Lauren who questioned him about it for a few minutes, wanting to know about how someone could gain knowledge through prayer and meditation. They were fascinated to know that Quin could, given enough time, learn anything like an ancient mystery or forgotten lore from Solarius. Although it might be an incredibly long time and many Ranks before such a thing happened.

Finally, Quin began to explain his trump card, Solar Ascendance. This explanation did not do the ability justice. The multiplier in strength and Quin’s ability to wield light was something that had to be witnessed to be believed.

Quin did not showcase the mastery of light that he gained when Solar Ascendance was activated during the battle. Everyone at the table wanted to see his mastery over light, but Quin explained the drawback on the ability being the short time he could maintain it. With the amount of time Quin had it activated today, it would be for the best that he did not activate it till at least a day had passed. Quin did promise that he would showcase the increased light mastery another time.

During their conversation, the sun had sunk low in the sky. Eventually, the group left the restaurant and made their way back to the temple district. There they said their goodbyes till their next training session that was scheduled for the afternoon the following day at the Temple of Solarius. Quin jokingly promised to be a good host before walking back to the Temple of Solarius. There he finally felt exhaustion from the day set it. It had been overwhelming and all he wanted to do was rest and that is exactly what he did when he made it back to his luxurious quarters.