1 SIMON OSHIER

William's father was the highest order a priest could be in their little village, and William always knew he would inherit the position when his father passed. Up until his 10th birthday his father let him think so. it wasn't that william was wrong to assume he would inherit the position because by right he was entitled to that position, and truth be told as an only child if and when his father passed the villagers would look to him for guidance no matter his age that was the law and trying to go around it was treason of the highest order, punishment death to the whole family .

So one could imagine the surprise on on william's face when on his 10th birthday, the day he was supposed to start learning from his father to be a leader, the day he was supposed to be a priest in training, the day he would have to comand the respect of everyone in the village below his father, making him the 2nd most important person in the village. On this day his father took him to the stables, their arrival instantly had every stable masters and Shepards restless wondering what this 2 important figures were doing here..

The meeting bell suddenly rang and all the Shepards and stable masters knelt before William and his father, "We humbly greet the High priest", they could not address william as apprentice priest as he had not yet been named as such. In their eyes he was still a child yet to take up any position so until the day after his birthday when he would be given his position they would treat him as the child he was.

"Rise" william's father said with a simple smile. He was was a very gentle person and most villagers loved him, this was a man who comanded the respect of everyone in the village including the Village Chief yet he was still more aproacheble than most of the people below him.

"I'm looking for Lucky's Head Shepard, I would like to leave my boy under his guidance for the next 15 years". As he finished his words william felt his face burn with rage, he felt his stomach burn like there was fire being set in there, he felt like cursing his father but the fear of what might happen If he cursed his father in public held his tough.

As his thoughts came to a halt he looked at his father's face only to see him smiling like he hadn't done or said anything suprising. when he looked back to the group before them one of the Shepards stepped forward with a bright smile of his own, "surely you jest High priest Luca, isn't the boy taking the reigns from your old bones tomorrow?" Head Shepard Mike questioned.

"Don't you worry about that, I still have time on my old bones, atleast more than yours hehe, so will you do me this favor ol Mike?" Luca questioned with a playful smile.

"Anything for you high priest" Mike answered his tone getting serious, he couldn't remain playful in front of Luca when people where whatching, he could get away with it when Luca visited him in private since they were childhood friends, but here....?

It was then that William realised this really was happening, his breath became haggard, but his father continued as if his haggard breath was just normal

With that William realised there was no going back, he really was going to be a lowly Shepard and this 2 old man were toking about like it was the most natural thing for him to be one.With frustration burning in him he fell to his knees crying

" father why, why father" he couldn't understand what led his father to make such a decision, he felt like he was being punished but what was the crime. Having finished what what he came for he clasped his hands together as though you pray and turned around to leave. If one looked carefully at his face which no one dared to do, you would see the pain and the furry with in his eyes. How could he explain to his son that he had been chosen for a vacant position in Heaven. How could he tell his son that he was powerless and couldn't protect him. The heavens had chosen and there was nothing and nobody capable of changing the decision. how could he tell his son that a dream had told him to do this and he was too scared to ignore it, how could he tell his son that he was leaving him there to die...just like the villagers were afraid go against his authority, he too couldn't go against the heavens but unlike the common people his punishment was a bit steep, not only his family but even the villagers would die.

if that was all it would be better but that wasn't the end of it, all those killed would be barred from entering heaven, their souls would be cursed to forever torment the spirit the one who brought this curse upon them for a 1000 years in the place they died, only then would their souls be extinguished to never be reborn again, but as the leader you would be reborn with the full memories of your past life together with the 1000 years of torment, you would remember every minute of it.

considering all this who would willingly go against the heavens. Besides all this priests and high priests where chosen amongst people who were most sensitive to other people's sufferings. This was the heavens insurance that leaders would do their bidding without question. All Luca could do when he got home was kneel and scream at the heavens while asking why?, why the heavens couldn't wait a few more years to take his son, why he wasn't even allowed to say goodbye to his son, why he wasn't allowed to tell his son what was happening and most of all why it had to be his son that was chosen ...

Back at the stables in Mike's shack after what seemed like half an hour Mike finally Mike finally spoke to william.

"Boy I don't know what your ol man was thinking but for me to to start teaching you I have to Baptise you as a Shepard first , that way the heavens will recognize you as a Shepard, only then will we not be punished for teaching you our core teachings", Mike paused looking at the unresponsive kid with pitty.

"having said that we should start with choosing a suitable name for you, one the heavens will recognize you by, you can keep your family name if you want."

"I have no need for the for that name if I that man refuses to give me my birth right then I too will denounce his name, from today onwards William Juda is no more, I am Simon Oshier..."