Narrator: After the Great Metastasis, the Order of Priests moved its headquarters from Lemidia Basilica in Hendon Myre to Remidia Kathedra in Underfoot, as Underfoot, the city of the Dark Elves, pushed above the ground when the geological strata rose, became the heart of Arad, and opened its door to the outside world.
It was the queen of the Dark Elves who decided to open her kingdom after the Great Metastasis to other races and their cultures, and Remidia Kathedra became a symbol of that union. Remidia Kathedra settled down in the city, but there was a dark cloud hanging over a young Priestess named Grandis Gracia. She was worried about Nilvas Gracia, the only living member of her family.
Nilvas was an exemplary paladin and the hero of his much younger sister. He comforted her when she cried for her parents and helped with her studies. It was also Nilvas who taught her to lead the other Priests and how to identify the Imposters. Nilvas was a great teacher for her. That was a long time ago. Before the Great Metastasis broke out, Nilvas left Grandis with the Order and went on a mission to subjugate the Imposters. He had not returned.
People told Grandis her brother must be dead and she should give up on finding him, but she was convinced that her brother was alive. It wasn't a vague hope in a sister whose brother went missing. This was a priest's intuition, a feeling of connection to another priest through their god. She didn't receive His revelation, but every time she prayed, she felt as if He whispered that she must not give up, and she took heart from it. While other Priests transferred to quiet rural towns to focus on their training, Grandis remained in crowded Underfoot, so she could meet people from different places and gather information about her brother.
Grott: "Grandis, long time no see."
Narrator: One day, a hulking Priest walked up to Grandis. This man clad in heavy armor was Grott, a colleague of Nilvas. He went on a training journey separately from Nilvas and returned after the Great Metastasis. He sometimes dropped by the Order to lend a hand with things before he got back on the road.
Grandis: "Grott. It's been a while. When did you come back?"
Narrator: Grott and Grandis talked idly for a while. Other Priests told her about things that were taking place outside Underfoot, but most of their stories were sad and tragic. Grott was different. He told her lighthearted and hopeful stories about the beautiful Silver Crown, people who joined forces to overcome the devastation from the Great Metastasis, and the Blade Masters who were sealing monsters in the Iced Wall of Resignation. his stories made her think of sprouts growing from the debris of war.
Grott: "Enough about me. How have you been, Grandis? It must be tough to be alone in a strange place like this. I don't know where in the world Nilvas is, but he'd better get back quickly."
Grandis: "It's all right. I'm sure he's busy spreading His teachings and walking the path of the Priest. Comparing to what he does, I'm doing nothing."
Narrator: Grandis answered with a smile on her face, but the anxiety and tension underlying her smile wasn't lost on Grott.
Grott: "His teachings, huh? I'm not trying to be blasphemous, but nothing in the world is as difficult to understand as His teachings."
Grandis: "Excuse me?"
Grott: "Of course, He has such vast knowledge that we can never understand His intentions to the full extent. And He must be frustrated with our inability to comprehend things that are so obvious to Him. The Archbishop is the same way. He would send me on errands all day, and I would realize his intentions only at the end of the day, before I fell asleep in exhaustion. Sometimes I resented him for not telling me what he wanted. I guess he was a firm believer of seeing is believing. And learning things for yourself. The Archbishop could have been frustrated with me, too, for my inability to remember the things that he taught me the previous day. He probably thought God was using me to try him."
Narrator: Grott looked so serious that it made Grandis laugh, but that didn't faze him.
Grott: "Maybe that wasn't the right example, but my point is that we cannot know all the things God intends for us. And you should not regard everything as His will. Doing so is like eating candy before bed. Things can be tough. You can be happy. You can make mistakes. But only God knows if any of them was His will. We Priests are His servants, but we're only humans. we follow the path that He shows us. Some of us choose to walk the other way. None of us can become like Him.
Accept your loneliness and angst. If you're angry at Nilvas, you can say so. He's walking the way of the Priest, yes, but he could've returned if he wanted to. Resentment and sadness are also part of the way of the Priest. We cannot teach and lead those who are angry and sad without understanding what they're going through.
I'm not saying you should express every single emotion you feel. You just don't have to hide them. God gave us emotions, so we can feel. Don't forget that."
Narrator: At first, Grandis was confused, but soon she smiled, having understood his intention. This big tough Priest was trying to comfort his friend's sister in his gruff way. He was telling her not to bottle up her emotions, or she would explode. Come to think of it, she'd been tense since she came to Underfoot. It takes time for everyone to adapt to their new surroundings, and Priests are not exception. Things can actually be tougher for Priests because they have to set a good example for others.
Grandis: "Thank you. I'll take a break from work sometimes and think about the true way of the Priest. I want to find a different way from my brother to save others."
Grott: "That's great. And don't worry too much about Nilvas. If he doesn't show up soon, then I'll go drag him by his hair to you."
Grandis: "Then I'll punch him in the face once for making me worry so much. Or twice."
Narrator: Grandis smiled. Grott returned her smile, knowing this brave, patient girl understood him. But a part of him worried for his friend who might get punched in the face by a girl who can swing a cross as tall as her like a twig.
