Venita
As the sun dipped below the horizon, I caught my first glimpse of Venita in the distance.
It was nothing like the stories I'd heard, the tales of a grand and glorious city that sparkled like a jewel in desert sands.
Instead, all I could see were towering buildings that seemed to scrape the very sky, their windows glowing with a kaleidoscope of colorful lights in an absolutely dizzying display.
The truck pulled up to a checkpoint just outside the city limits, a pair of imposing towers flanking either side of the road.
A couple of people with swords strapped to their backs walked up to the vehicle.
"Identification."
"Come on, do we need to do this for the 700th time? Really?" Liam asked as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, rectangular card, holding it up for the guards to see.
They studied it for a moment.
"Just making sure, sir."
As the truck began to wind its way through the city streets, I felt my jaw drop open in amazement at the sights that greeted me.
Everywhere I looked, there were people dressed in the most outlandish ways! Some wore clothes that seemed to be made entirely of shimmering, translucent fabric that left little to the imagination, while others were adorned in leather and metal, their bodies covered in spikes and chains.
I felt my cheeks flush just looking at some of them.
Kumiko must have noticed my reaction because I heard her chuckle softly from the seat beside me.
She leaned in. A little, a lot, I couldn't say. I swore I could feel her breath hit my ear, but maybe I was just imagining it.
"What's the matter, Grace?" she teased, her voice dripping with amusement. "Never seen a little skin before?"
"I-I don't..."
I felt my face grow even hotter, my ear tingling and my hands clenching into fists in my lap as I turned away from her, staring resolutely out the window.
Infuriating woman, I thought to myself.
As we continued to make our way through the city streets, the towering buildings and flashing lights becoming more and more overwhelming with each passing moment, a sudden thought occurred to me.
"Um," I said, "where... where will I stay if I'm not accepted as a paladin?"
Liam chuckled.
"Well, you could always just spend the night out on the streets. I'm sure the locals would be more than happy to keep you company."
Nora reached over and punched him in the shoulder.
"Ignore him. I highly doubt the paladins will reject you, given what you've shown you're capable of... Even if you somehow can't do that again."
I nodded, trying to take comfort in her words even as a flicker of doubt crept into my mind.
Would they really accept me? Even to my ears, my abilities didn't seem reliable.
Have faith, I told myself. That's all you can do.
Before I could dwell on it any further, Liam's voice cut through my thoughts.
"We're here," he announced. "The Paladin Sanctuary."
I looked up, my eyes widening as I took in the sight before me.
It was a massive structure, all gleaming metal and sharp angles that seemed to pierce the very sky itself. Steam periodically erupted from countless pipes and vents, covering the building in a haze of heat and vapor.
As we stepped out of the truck, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease wash over me.
This was nothing like the temples I was used to. This place just felt cold.
I followed behind the others as they made their way towards the entrance, my footsteps echoing hollowly on the metal walkway.
I flinched as the doors slid open automatically, revealing a cavernous interior that was all sleek surfaces and artificial light.
The scent of oil and leather hung heavy in the air, mingling with other scents I couldn't quite identify. Gears and cogs whirred and clicked in the walls, their movements precise and mechanical.
I felt like I had stepped into another world entirely, one where the cold efficiency of technology had replaced the comforts of nature I knew.
We made our way to the top floor through something called an "elevator."
When the doors finally opened, we found ourselves in a large, circular room, its walls lined with screens and control panels that blinked and flickered with little lights.
And there, standing at the center of it all, was a man.
He was tall and imposing, his features sharp and angular beneath a mane of brown hair. It felt like his blue eyes were looking through me rather than at me.
Kumiko stepped forward, her posture straight and her expression serious as she addressed the man.
"Grandmaster," she said, her voice ringing out clear and strong in the stillness of the room. "We have returned from our mission, and we bring with us a new recruit."
That looked like just about the last thing he expected to hear.
She gestured towards me, and I felt my heart leap into my throat as the Grandmaster's gaze settled on me, his expression unreadable.
"This is Grace," Kumiko continued, her voice never wavering. "She is a priestess from the village of Ravenhold."
The Grandmaster was silent for a long moment, his eyes never leaving mine.
"And, what exactly does a priestess from the village of Ravenhold have to offer to us?"
I could feel the weight of his gaze like a physical thing, pressing down on me with an almost unbearable intensity.
Kumiko replied:
"She's powerful. She..." I could almost see her choosing her words in real time. "Kira believed her to be the best healer she'd ever seen."
"Huh..." He nodded slowly. "That so?"
The man took a few steps closer. I straightened up a little.
"Welcome, Grace," he said, his voice deep and resonant, seeming to fill the entire room. "I am Grandmaster Elias, leader of the paladins. You truly wish to join our ranks?"
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry as I struggled to find my voice.
"Y-yes," I managed. "I want to help in the fight against the yargoth, in any way I can."
Elias nodded, his expression still unreadable.
"Unfortunately, though I've no reason to doubt my late paladin's confidence in you as a healer, you would need a lot more than that to be a paladin. Best I could do is give you a job at our private clinic. Would that satisfy you?"
Before I could answer, Kumiko stepped forward again.
"About that, sir, let me explain..."
And, at that moment, she began to tell him all about what happened.
As Kumiko finished recounting the events of our journey, including my miraculous display of power against the yargoth, Elias turned his piercing gaze back to me.
"Grace," he said, his voice measured and even. "Can you truly not replicate what you did out there?"
I took a deep breath, meeting his eyes with as much confidence as I could muster.
"According to Yalia, the Eternal Queen herself, I would need to earn that level of power," I replied, my voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach. "It's not something I can just call upon at will."
Elias sighed as he stared me down.
"Are you truly willing to die for this goal of becoming a paladin?" he asked, his words cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
To be honest? I wasn't sure. Mainly, because I still wasn't sure Yalia should have chosen me in particular. But, I replied:
"I hope it won't come to that, but yes, I am willing to give my life for this cause, if that's what it takes."
Nora stepped forward then, her eyes shining.
"Sir, if I may," she said, her voice ringing out clear and strong. "I can vouch for Grace's bravery. Out there on the road, when I was wounded and vulnerable, she walked straight into the fray to heal me, heedless of the danger to herself."
She paused, her gaze flickering to me for a moment before continuing.
"I can't speak to her claims about the goddess or the source of her power. But I can attest to her courage and her selflessness. She has the heart of a true paladin, even if she doesn't yet have the skills yet."
Elias was silent for a long moment, his eyes moving from Nora to me and back again.
Finally, he nodded.
"Very well. Grace will be taken in as an Initiate. But, Kumiko, I am taking her in mainly due to your recommendation. If the worst should come to pass..."
Kumiko and I exchanged a look.
It was clear what he was trying to say.
"Understood."
He turned to me then, his gaze boring into mine with an intensity that made me want to shrink back.
"To prove yourself worthy of the title of paladin, you will have to face a yargoth in combat. I'll try to think of something we could have you do. In the meantime, just try to... get acquainted with your new lifestyle."
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest at the thought of facing one of those monstrous creatures myself. I'd never even thrown a punch before.
But I knew that this was my chance, my opportunity to prove myself.
I didn't want to let Yalia down.
Elias turned to Kumiko, his expression softening slightly.
"Take her to her new quarters," he said, his tone brisk but not unkind. "She will be staying with us for the time being."
"Yes, sir," she said, her voice crisp and professional.
She turned to me, gesturing for me to follow her.
"Come on, Grace," she said, her tone neutral. "Let's get you settled in."
I followed her out of the room, my mind reeling with the weight of everything that had just happened.
I was a Paladin Initiate now, one step closer to my goal of becoming a true warrior of the light.
I just hoped I could live up to the expectations I carried.
And, well, I hoped I wouldn't die. That would also be nice.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
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