12 Temporary Goodbyes

After Elias had successfully put his 3 siblings to sleep, he stayed outside for a while, admiring the scenary and easing his heavy mood.

It was already past 1:30 in the morning when he got back into the church, tucking Lily, Sophia and Liam into bed, before deciding to catch up on some extra reading, since he was still too anxious to sleep.

He and Lars stayed awake throughout the night, alternating between reading and engaging in friendly banter. They felt relaxed and didn't feel tired at all. There was just something about the night sky and silver moon that seemed to resonate with them.

They continued like that for a couple hours, moving to the parish prayer hall for morning mass when it was 4:30 in the morning. The hall was usually locked and didn't open until 6 am, but he purposely asked Sister Marie to leave the key with him the previous night. He would be leaving for his trip by 6 am and wouldn't have the time to pray if it was opened up by the regular time.

Elias sat quietly in one of the front pews, bending his head and engaging in silent solemn prayer. The fading light of the moon streamed in through the floral glass windows, adding an extra layer of divine presence to the entire hall.

Elias was silently engrossed in his prayers, laying out his heartfelt worries before the beautiful statue of the Benevolent Mother. The statue placed a feeling of motherly love onto the entire prayer hall, which made people instinctually open and comfortable during prayers.

The statue comprised of the image of a woman, whose exact facial features couldn't be made out. The vibe she exuded radiated subtle feminine beauty, instantly capturing the attention of any observer.

The lady was adorned with a dress made entirely entirely of flowers, which flowed through her figure like a running waterfall. Her figure was further accentuated by jewellry crafted from tree barks, tender her hands cradling a basket of freshly plucked fruits.

While Elias was immersed in his prayers, Sister Marie quietly emerged from the back of the altar, her footsteps seamlessly blending into the morning silence. She gently took a seat beside Elias, being mindful not to disturb his devotions.

After a few more moments of prayer, Elias raised his head to gaze at the statue before him. He quietly uttered something under his breath, before shifting his gaze to the reverend sister, a gentle smile gracing his face.

"Good morning sister, from grass to grace, the Mother's love prevails"

Sister Marie had on her usual calm smile, nodding back to him with a look of solemnity.

"And her affection is showered equally to all... good morning to you too Eli. You are up quite early today."

Elias nodded his head with a smile, before shifting his eyes to the flute in his hands.

"Well... the triplets couldn't sleep, so I had to stay up with them for a while. It was so late after that, and since I have an early trip today, I decided to stay up and catch up on some reading.

"I'm here right now to pray so I don't eventually miss it while preparing later on."

Sister Marie nodded with a proud smile, before turning her head to the statue of the goddess. Elias couldn't put his finger on it, but he noticed some deep and conflicted emotions hidden beneath her eyes.

While he was thinking about this, Sister Marie suddenly looked at him, her face bearing a hint of seriousness. This drew Elias out of his thoughts, as he barely saw her look like that.

"Elias... This journey you are about to go on is going to open up an entirely different world than what you are used to. I've said this before in the past, but the responsibilities of Disciples and Apostles go way beyond regular religious work and evangelism.

"This world is dark Eli, way darker than what you expect it to be. I know you want to find out what happened to Father Bernard, and I do to. But are you sure you want to involve yourself in the murky side of the world?"

The seriousness in Sister Marie's voice caused Elias to fidget a little bit. He could tell that she was talking from a place of genuine worry and concern, and not trying to discourage him. She wanted to make sure he had the resolve to back up the decision he was making.

Elias took a deep breath, before slowly reaching for a cross safely tucked in his pocket.

The cross was made out of brass, dyed with a subtle shade of forest green and adorned with a majestic oak tree in it's center, while being surrounded by a small bouquet of flowers. One would be able to notice a lake under the base of the tree, acting as it's foundation.

This was the Harvest cross, the official rosery of the followers of the Benevolent Mother and the Grace Church.

With a touch of melancholy on his face, Elias gently ran his fingers over the cross for a moment.

"You know... while growing up, I was never really treated like a regular person. I grew up in privilege, receiving praises and admiration from everyone around me. With the church's clergy, it was either everyone saw me as a child favoured by nature, or as the reincarnation of a prophet.

"The children around me revered me and put me on a pedestal, often treating me like I was more than they were. Everyone saw me as this perfect and flawless saint, needing training, but not correction."

Elias took a small pause, attempting to settle his swirling emotions. Sister Marie maintained her silence, giving the young man the room to air his mind.

"I was stuck with labels and treatment above my age, all of which started to affect me mentally. I started to get more and more arrogant, believing myself to be better than most people. I also ended up making more mistakes over time, because with no one willing to correct me, I ended up doing things the way I could, not the way I should.

"Most people in the church just left me to self learn, and decided that since I was supposedly a 'genius', it would be best to let me learn on my own pace", Elias looked up and closed his eyes, a sad smile slowly appearing on his face. "Everyone except Father Bernard..."

"He made sure to correct me when I made a mistake, scold me when I did wrong and give me advise when I was conflicted. He taught me the importance of etiquette, the relevance of education and the beauty of faith. I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for him."

Elias then opened his eyes, returning his gaze full with resolution to Sister Marie. "So yes, I am ready to dive into the murky side of the world, go against the tide of intense danger and challenge the shadows hidden beneath the eye. Because to me, my family is my world. You, Father Bernard, Mia, Otto, Lily, Liam, Sophia and Damian.

"All of you make up my world, and a part of it was taken from me. I won't rest until I find out the reason why... one firm step at a time."

A palpable silence hung in the air as Sister Marie fixed her firm gaze on Elias, observing him for any slight hint of reluctance and hesitation. Elias returned her gaze, silently communicating his resolve and determination to her.

After some time, Sister Marie softened her gaze, breaking into a light chuckle which instantly lightened the mood. "I wish you talked about me the same way you talk about Bernard. Even after his death, I will always remain the number 2 with you kids."

Elias was caught off guard by her response, before trying to explain what he meant while feeling a bit awkward. "Ah... no, no that's not what I meant! It's just that he started teaching me first, it's not like I don't appreciate you too. I learnt a lot from you Sister, if it wasn't for you my cooking and laundry skills would be horrible right now."

Elias's awkward manner of explanation amused Sister Marie, as she put her hand to her mouth to conceal her laugh.

"It's fine Eli, I was just messing with you. I know exactly what you meant. It's quite obvious that you learnt how to cook from me, Bernard didn't know how to cook to save his life!"

Elias was once again taken aback by the sister's response, before breaking into a hearty laugh. She was right, Father Bernard really sucked at cooking.

Elias remembered the day he tried to make millet soup with roast duck on one of Sister Marie's day off. On that day, Elias felt like Father Bernard was more suited to be a wizard than an Apostle, as the soup looked like one of those scary abominations in a children's fantasy story book.

Sister Marie observed Elias's amused laughter for a while before her gentle expression turned somewhat hesitant. It appeared as though she had something on her mind, but was uncertain whether to voice it. In the end she sighed, dispelling the hesitation she was feeling.

"Eli... I'm still not totally okay with this. There are certain things I can't tell you until you become a Disciple or an Apostle of the church because I'm under oath, but there are lurking dangers everywhere, dangers beyond your wildest imaginations.

"But I understand that I can't shelter you forever, so go out there, pass that assessment, become a Disciple and come back home... where you belong."

Elias nodded solemnly, prompting Sister Marie to break into another gentle smile. Rising from her seat, she navigated her way through the pews, retracing her steps back to the alter. She then paused before the beautiful statue, before turning back to glance at Elias.

"Besides, I haven't been idle all this time as well. I'll be able to share my progress on Bernard's case with you after you come back home."

Elias looked at Sister Marie, chuckling while running his hands through his hair. "Why? Because of the oath again?"

Sister Marie squinted her eyes in amusement, "Well I can't deny that it is a small part, but no. The main reason is for you to have something to look forward to, a driving force if you will." Sister Marie resumed her walking, her soft voice resounding throughout the hall,

"That is a gift from me, to you."

Elias watched as Sister Marie disappeared behind the alter, a smile appearing on his face as her words lingered in the air. He felt motivated, as he had found yet another reason to make sure he passed the assessment and returned with positive results.

...

Rann Train Station, Lowe Branch.

Elias had just handed his ID to the ticket teller, waiting for her to verify his information and clear his ticket purchase. It was a few minutes past 6 in the morning, so the chirping of birds and the beautiful morning breeze were still quite present in the air.

The ticket officer, a young lady with dark colored hair, politely accepted Elias's information while stealing subtle glances at him. She thought this young man before her was quite attractive, even feeling like he would be an instant hit if he decided to model for popular fashion brands such as Silver Swan and Don Gauge.

Elias was oblivious to the inner musings of the young lady, maintaining a polite smile while waiting for his ticket. The young teller officer successfully verified his information, handing his ID and stamped ticket back to him.

"One train ticket for Elias Nor to the port city of Lytton for a price of 6 Nel, 500 Oirs for economic class, cleared. Here is your ticket and ID sir, please take your luggage and make your way to the lobby at your right. The train leaves in 15 minutes."

Elias accepted both items and gave the lady his thanks, before picking up his traveling box and making his way back to the entrance, where Sister Marie and the kids were waiting for him.

Elias gave his siblings numerous hugs and kisses, once again promising to write to them frequently once he arrived at the city. The children still had sad looks on their faces, but only cheered up once he promised to also send them souvenirs everytime he wrote them letters.

Looking at the now cheerful faces of his siblings, Elias felt way less hesitant about leaving. He then stood up and looked at Sister Marie, who returned his gaze and nooded slightly, making it obvious that she had already said everything she needed to say.

Elias nooded back to her, before picking up his box and making his way to the lobby, amidst his heavy heart.

Before Elias crossed into the lobby, Sister Marie's soft voice sounded out, causing him to stop and turn back. "Eli... I've said all I need to say and I trust you'll be safe. I just have one thing to remind you of. Never forget our motto."

Elias took in the image of the most important people in his life, their images blending seamlessly into the backdrop of the morning. The scene caused Elias to smile, before mouthing a sentence while walking briskly into the train stations lobby.

With an encouraging smile, Sister Marie guided the children away from the train station and back towards the church.

The rays from the morning sun slowly rose, painting the scene in a bright luminous glow, acting as a silent witness to the temporary farewell. A sentence slowly wafted through the air, a sentence from a young man embarking on a long journey from home ;

'Do not let yourself fade into gray…'