The Trials of Priesthood - Pt.4 Growth, Conflict, Sacrifice, Discipline

[Dude216]

The Gold Sanctuary is packed full of dreamers, one man standing over the water in the pool in the center of the room. The suspense in the air is very noticeable, as everyone waits for the Red Priest to begin speaking. The man in the middle of the room is well dressed, his sleeves rolled up and his slacks crisp. A glimmer of light glistens off of the chain around his neck as he spins around, looking at all of those gathered. "Welcome, everyone. Last week we discussed the origin of The Great One. This week we shall discuss the first step of His Path."

Sirus Nesto looks from dreamer to dreamer, smiling. "The Path of Power is treacherous, and four core principles guide the Faithful of Bashir as we journey towards Enlightenment. Straying from these ideals is straying from the Path, and lead to the Curse of Greed, ultimately. They are Growth, Conflict, Sacrifice, and Discipline. The Faithful must apply these ideals to every dream and move forward within the City with such standards in mind. Personal Growth is our ultimate goal. Conflict and Sacrifice empower The Great One, and in turn He empowers us. Discipline allows you the ability to resist the Curse of Bashir as you navigate the Path of Power. Faithful across many different variants follow these principles and it is through them that we find ourselves. To know Him is to know yourself."

Sirus settles on a portion of the room, still speaking. "The First Truths of Bashir are by far, the most important. The foundation of our faith and the Oath we all take, to serve Him. Sirus looks at another part of the room. He clears his throat and begins to recite the First Truths.

"In Discipline, there is freedom. In madness, there is Truth. In Sacrifice, there is Strength. In Darkness there is Light. No Life without Death. No Bond without Blood. By the Blood we are Bound."

Sirus continues to speak, shifting his gaze to another portion of the room. "I ask each of you to consider these words and the message you interpret from it this week. Should any of you find yourself wanting to come to know Him, you must only speak the First Truths and sacrifice the Blood to be Bound. This is the first step of coming to know Him."

Drawing a slender dagger from behind his back, Sirus holds out his empty left palm. A swift motion of his right hand opens the scar on his left palm with the dagger. Looking around the room, Sirus doesn't seem to react to the cut. Tucking the dagger away, he forms a fist with his left hand. "It is only through His teachings and principle can we achieve true enlightenment in this place." The muscles in Sirus' hand flex and blood begins to drip into the water.

Slowly a pink mist rises from the water, settling low in the room of the Sanctuary. A broad smile comes across Sirus' face as he breathes in the mist. Looking around the room, Sirus calls out to those gathered, "You all see? He hears us. He is here."

Three dreamers step forward, giving blood and repeating the First Truths as they join Sirus as Faithful of Bashir. The mist is the room becomes thicker, especially around Sirus Nesto, Stormy, Emberwyn, and Seraphina. Sirus looks around the room, at the other dreamers. After bending down and picking up a pebble, he tosses it into the center of the pool. When the ripples reach the outer edges of the pool, the water begins to boil, bubbling and popping. A guttural voice calls out, from below the pool.

"Faaaaaiiiithfuuuuullll....."

Sirus Nesto looks around the room and smiles before calling out, "Oh, Great One! How can we, your humble servants, assist you?"


The voice calls out again across the Gold Sanctuary. "Kneeeeeelll.... Wooorrrrrshiiiipp..."

Immediately, Sirus drops to his knees and motions for the other three to do so. As they join him, Sirus draws a blade. "Brother and Sisters, join me in reciting the Oath and Sacrifice, once more." With one fluid motion, Sirus opens the scar on his palm again, and holds out his bleeding hand over the water. The other three follow suit, the four dreamer's blood collecting in the boiling pool. Sirus speaks confidently, followed by the others.

"In Discipline, there is freedom. In madness, there is Truth. In Sacrifice, there is Strength. In Darkness there is Light. No Life without Death. No Bond without Blood. By the Blood we are Bound."

From his kneeling position, Sirus tucks away the knife and looks at the other kneeling dreamers. After a moment, Sirus begins to chant: "Growth, Conflict, Sacrifice, Discipline. Growth, Conflict, Sacrifice, Discipline. Growth, Conflict, Sacrifice, Discipline..." The others join him, quietly at first, but growing louder and louder with each repetition. The mist in the room grows even thicker as the cadence of the chant increases. The water churns even more violently, turning a red color as the blood mixes in. The voice calls back out, this time reverberating throughout the room.

"Theee Faaaithfulll willll be reeewaaardeeedd..."


As the voice booms throughout the room, the mist consumes the room in a thick pink fog. Visibility is limited to just in front of you. Panic starts to set in to the gathered dreamers. Slowly, though, the fog begins to clear, revealing the kneeling Faithful, still gathered around the pool. The voice calls out one last time as the mist fades and the pool of water returns to water.


"Connntinuuue to Groowwwwww!!!"