RFC-Mini Arc: The Temple-Part 18 (Patreon)

I return the following Restday for my last day of punishment. Endo and Saul are waiting at the gate again. I immediately notice the normally laid-back acolytes seem tense. “Hey.”

“Oi, oi, there she is.” Despite his words, Endo’s voice doesn’t carry malice and his shoulders relax. “What do you think you’re doing, stirring the waters? You don’t even work here.”

“I see how well you treat your volunteers.” I snicker. “Something happen?”

“Something. The Breeders and the Temple are losing their minds. Apparently, last week, some idiot interrupted one of their sessions.”

“Only an idiot would jump into a ring with a monster and a breaker,” Saul says and the two laugh.

“Yeah, yeah. But instead of getting mauled by either of them, he gets the shit kicked out of him in an illegal duel.” Endo smiles. “At least, that’s what’s going around. Not that anyone can prove anything since there’s nothing but scraps left of the poor bastard. All the Breeder Faction’s got is the word of a traumatized ranch hand and a hole in the road.”

“Lucky for whoever dueled him,” I say nonchalantly and his smile widens.

“Ha, real lucky. The Sanctuary is known for handling its problems internally. Be a shame if a certain firebrand already being punished for fighting got in any more trouble.”

I match his grin. “You both alright? Affect you in any way?”

“Bah.” He waves off my concern. “The Breeders are just looking for a punching bag to vent their anger. They’ve got people checking up on us, ridiculous as it sounds. Want to show how good they are in front of the grand tamer while this mess gets sorted.”

“Stupid,” Saul adds with a scoff. “As if the Temple cares about their flaunting. Can’t believe the ranchers still think those psychos play by any rules.”

“They’ll be checking to make sure our belts our straight or something. Speaking of. No one’s looking for you but everybody knows who you are. The ranchers are pissed, yeah? Don’t bother checking in with the roadies, they’ll put you in a shit job just to be petty. You’ve thrown your lot in with the Temple, suggest you head straight back there. You’ve only got today.”

“Thanks for the advice. I owe you a drink.”

“Don’t think I’ll turn you down.”

I wave goodbye to them and enter the Sanctuary, sprinting down the road. I follow Endo’s advice and ignore the road stations, running straight for the Green Step and the camp.

It’s as busy as usual. Quiet as usual too, but I’m not as bothered. They may spend their lives skulking about but they’re friendly. I get several nods of acknowledgment as I move amongst the tents and a few smiles that I return. A woman roasting a creature that resembles a small deer whole waves me over, gesturing to the meat.

…why the hell not.

I’m in the middle of devouring a leg when someone taps my shoulder. I look up to find Cloud standing over me. I hold up the half-eaten leg. “Want some?”

To my utter surprise, she bends over to bite off a chunk. She chews thoroughly before swallowing. “Those who give me life art my brother and those I give life unto are my blood.”

“Um…”

She laughs. “Food is shared amongst family.”

“Ah…I’m the older sister.”

Cloud playfully squints at me as I get to my feet. “You don’t look a month over seventeen seasons.”

“You’re one to talk, babyface.” Don’t think you’re fooling anyone with those tattoos. I’m overshooting with the babyface comment, there’s not a trace of fat on her anywhere. Even the chest, unfortunately. “I’ll be twenty this coming winter.”

Her smile widens to show teeth. “Twenty-one the past summer.”

“…I’m still the older sister.” Shameless? May as well be my middle name.

“Honored Sister,” she says, ducking her head and peering up at me through long lashes.

I shiver. Oooh. That’s…good.

I go back to my deer leg, taking a large bite. “I heard you’re having problems,” I say while chewing. Atrocious manners, but I doubt the group I saw tear into a boy are going to judge me.

“Hardly. The soft-bellied hair brushers are barking. As if the Temple will be swayed by gold and blunt fangs.” She scoffs. “There is no problem, only a temporary annoyance. They will have what’s coming to them once the Temple takes the reins of the Sanctuary. No need to concern yourself. You have done plenty.”

“It was barely anything.”

“The blood of our enemies is the honor of the Temple.”

“Uh-huh. So, what am I doing today?”

She tilts her head to the sky, thinking. Then she nods. “Follow me.”

I quickly finish my meal and toss away the bone as I follow her to the road. After a few minutes, we turn right at an intersection, going up a large hill. At the top is a compound, the short gray wall standing out in a bad way. Amazingly, there’s no gate, a simple arch the only entrance. A breaker sits cross-legged to the side of it, back to the stone as he smokes a pipe.

His tightly shut eyes crack open as we approach, closing again a moment later.

“This is one of our nurseries.” Inside, there are a series of tents. Most are the usual personal tents but in the center are three enormous ones. Rather than the usual linen, they’re made of leather, several hides stitched together and draped from poles four times taller than me.

Cloud beckons me forward, leading me into the closest one. I stiffen after taking a step inside as a pair of yellow eyes land on me. The same type of monster Cloud was wrestling, but far larger, stares at me for a long moment before looking away, resting its head on its massive arms.

Her massive paws. When she looks away, I unfreeze and look around, quickly noticing the small shadows curled up against her. “Baby monsters?”

“Bleak blackpaws. They populate the forest at the base of the Bleak Peaks.” Cloud steps forward. The mother monster flicks her ear but does nothing as she scoops up one of the…pups? Feels wrong addressing a monster that way.

She brings the bundle over to me. With its little paws, sinfully fluffy fur, and narrowed eyes that are resisting waking up, I can’t help but think it’s cute. Something like this is going to grow up to destroy whole caravans and devour knights?

I make grabbing motions and she obediently puts it in my hands. “You’re almost cute enough to rival my Bell,” I coo at it, pressing on its paw pad. The creature squirms, letting out a soft whine.

“You can spend the day here.”

“Playing with the pups?” Two soft paws catch my finger, holding it in place to be nibbled on by small teeth.

“Important work.”

“Definitely.” I look at the mother. “Is she going to maul me if I grab another?”

“Lavern is the companion of a Temple tamer. She can well differentiate between soft-bellies and family, honored sister.”

You, quit it with that. “Mm.” Taking my life in my hands, I step forward and take a seat amongst the pups. The monster, er, Lavern opens an eye to look at me but closes it again, ears twitching as she resettles.

Cloud sits beside me, taking one of the cubs and placing it in her lap.

“Don’t you have something else to do?” I ask.

She frowns. “My father is concerned. After the last communion, he wants me…safe.” She doesn’t sound happy about that at all. “Honor thy father, thy mother, and thy blood. He is being ridiculous but I will do as he says so he can do what he must. Besides, this is not so bad.”

“Not so bad at all. Though a bar is more my idea of fun.”

“On the night of the Dawn Run, the Temple shares a drink of Moon Spirits. Many have praised its quality.”

“Oh, yeah? How strong is it?”

“Strong enough that those of weak constitution have expired after painful convulsions. Others succumb to the visions, falling into a state of hysteria even our menders cannot pull them out of.”

Hysteria? Convulsions? “Sounds like a party. Though, I was thinking something a little more tame for our first time.” I give her my best lecherous grin and she laughs.

Huh. I always feel like a child being humored when it comes to the women in the house and Alana sneers at my admittedly bawdy humor. Cloud’s the first one to genuinely laugh. “I’ve got a free Restday coming up. Want to come celebrate with me?”

“I will accompany you,” she says easily. “Perhaps you can introduce me to the one who has given you your blessing.”

“Haha, don’t regret that.”

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And so, that brings us to the conclusion of the first Miniarc!

We have our new friend, Cloudy Blood Moon, Cloud for short, and the Sanctuary. In case anyone was wondering, those from the temple are named after significant events in their life. It can take years before they earn a name. Cloud was born on the night of a blood moon, a very auspicious event, and received a name right then. Can't remember if I explained that before so I'm throwing it here.

This miniarc is important as Lou will have more dealings with the Sanctuary in the future. But that's a spoiler!

I have three more miniarcs planned. One should be about the same length, the other two a bit shorter (hopefully. I think I know what I'm writing and then the story starts making demands.) Then we get into the exciting Arc 5!

For the next miniarc, things are going to be a little different. There'll be a perspective change, to someone we don't know yet, as we get a look at what Kierra gets up to in her free time. Look forward to it!