Port Carlin slum.

The temple of the god of suffering, Ilmat.

An old man, barefoot and covered only in a tattered linen robe, knelt in front of the shrine and silently prayed to the deity he served.

He looked solemn, not ashamed of the tattered clothes on his body and the shabby furnishings around him.

Unlike the other gods of Faeron, which were either ornate, or golden, or as strong as fortresses.

The temple of the god of misery was made entirely of discarded planks, cloth, and miscellaneous items, no different from the other shacks around the slums.

But it makes people feel inexplicably calm and warm, as if it is not a big deal to encounter difficult and desperate things in life.

Clearly, the church at Inmat was not so poor that it could not afford to build a decent temple or wear the rich silk robes.

Quite the opposite!

His priests, like the priests of other gods, possess powerful divine powers.

It's just that the priests of the God of Suffering didn't sell these magic to the rich at a clear price, and then used them to build and decorate the temple, or to satisfy their own desires for enjoyment.

Instead, it is offered free of charge to the poor, orphans who simply cannot afford the high cost of divine magic.

Keep them free from illness and pain.

And that's not all!

The pastor of Inrmat would also use what little he had to buy food and distribute it to the poor who could not afford to eat.

Raise orphans who have lost their parents and loved ones at all costs, and shelter the souls of children who have died for various reasons.

It can be said that if there is one god in the whole of Faeron who can truly represent "goodness", it must be the god of suffering, Yinermat.

Although some organizations and individuals will ridicule the part of his teachings that advocates for followers to bear pain and suffering for others, that kind of selflessness and reciprocation is undoubtedly respected by almost everyone in the good and neutral camp.

After a full half hour, the old man kneeling in front of the shrine finally slowly opened his eyes and stood up.

The young paladin Aroline, who was waiting on the side, immediately stepped forward and asked, "Lord Priest! How is it? Has God given us guidance? ”

"Yes! The great God of suffering has been guiding every believer. ”

The old man, known as the chief priest, slowly removed a wooden talisman from the shrine and felt the divine power bestowed on it before he spoke, "That young man named Soth has been targeted by a powerful evil force that has shrouded this land. Your next task is to take this amulet and help him resist the temptations of the darkness. Most importantly, make sure he doesn't get sick. ”

"What? Make sure he doesn't get sick? ”

Aroline blinked inexplicably, a little unable to understand the meaning of the sentence.

In God's vision of the future, Soth's illness would cause terrible plagues and calamities, and thousands of people would die as a result. In addition, try to influence him as much as possible, even if you can't follow the path of good, and try to make sure that he doesn't fall completely into evil. ”

With that, the old man handed the talisman in his hand to the young paladin, and his tone was unmistakably serious and serious.

"What do you mean...... Is this a long-term task? ”

Aroline carefully took the blessed amulet from the gods, her face full of excitement and anticipation.

After all, she is only in her early twenties, and she is full of dreams and fantasies about personal heroism and saving the world.

The old man nodded thoughtlessly: "Hmm! This is your own trial.

In the course of the mission, please be sure to stick to your beliefs and bottom line, keep in mind the teachings of the God of Suffering, but make certain compromises on other issues.

If you find a follower of Talona, you must be extra cautious and vigilant.

The goddess of poison and disease is also looking for and longing for him.

Also, you won't be reporting from the temple from tomorrow.

Stay at home and spend more time with your loved ones, and pack up by the way. ”

"Got it! Rest assured, I will do a great job in this mission. Aroline patted her chest and assured confidently.

Soon, she was excited to distribute food and clean drinking water to the orphans waiting outside.

This is something that Pastors of Yinermat do almost every day.

They will do everything in their power to ensure that every child in their line of sight does not go hungry and cold.

Seeing the young paladin laughing and playing with the children, Agore, who had been silent for a long time, finally couldn't help but ask, "Lord Priest, Aroline is just an apprentice who has just completed her basic training.

Are you sure it was wise to leave her alone on such a dangerous mission?

I admit it!

She did have enough courage and enthusiasm for a just cause.

But an impulsive personality can lead her to be easily seduced and end up going astray.

Especially the kid named Soth, who always gave me a kind of wisdom and maturity that didn't match my apparent age.

Who is he?

Why does illness lead to plagues and disasters?

If he is really so dangerous, why don't we take him to the temple for purification?

And during the investigation, I found that he has a very strong negative energy aura on his body, which is obviously due to the frequent use of necromantic magic.

Add to that the rejection of people from thousands of miles away, and I don't think he'll accept Aroline to stay with him. ”

After hearing these questions, the old man not only did not get angry, but showed a surging smile and replied meaningfully: "God already knows everything, and He has his own arrangements." ”

"Alas—I hope so.

I've seen too many young paladins degenerate in my life.

Or even witness your former friends become dark guards, protecting slave owners and tyrants.

In the Kalinshan, evil has penetrated deep into the ground beneath its feet.

No amount of effort we can reverse this hopeless situation. ”

Agor sighed deeply, venting his truest thoughts in his heart.

The pervasive surveillance and hostility in the city left the young paladin physically and mentally exhausted.

"It is precisely because of such a powerful and hidden evil that it is even more important to stand up and protect and save innocent and kind low-level civilians.

Don't be discouraged!

I promise that everything you do makes sense.

In addition, you have been too tired lately, so let go of your responsibilities and give yourself a little vacation to spend more time with your wife and children.

Thinkers

The warmth of home can relieve mental fatigue and give you new energy. ”

The old man raised his hand and gently patted the elder paladin on the shoulder, comfortingly.

"Thank you!"

The latter smiled wryly and nodded, turned around and slowly walked out of the extremely humble temple.

He didn't realize that his worry and despair were a sign of wavering faith.

In fact, many paladins have more than once found themselves in an embarrassing situation where "order" and "goodness" conflict and they don't know what to choose.

And the [Entanglement Talisman], which controls the entire Port of Carlin, will never miss any opportunity to make the Paladin down.

If someone perceives this and reports it to the "Master of Symbols", then an operation against Agor will begin to brew immediately.

In contrast, Arowline, who hadn't experienced much, was very happy.

After distributing the food, he even asked the priest for some tips on how to get along with other people.

Especially the part about necromancy.

But unfortunately, the priest did not give a positive answer, but only let her make her own judgment based on the situation at that time.

In this way, the young and energetic female paladin soon returned home to share the good news with her family.

Zuo Si, who was sleeping soundly on the hotel bed, didn't realize that a conspiracy, battle and game around him had quietly begun.

And he himself was at the very center of the storm whirlpool.

After all, in the Faren Continent, the confrontation between good and evil, order and chaos, is almost an eternal and unavoidable topic.

It's a pity that Zuo Si is not a native of Feron in the traditional sense, and he will not agree with those definitions of "good" and "evil".

Most of all, he resents others interfering and manipulating his destiny, whether it is a god or a Talisman.