'Accept?!'
'What the hell does all this mean!? More progress would be great. Siphon it all!'
A chittering noise was slowly being spread throughout the church, though it seemed to originate from Mother Moira. Her form started to spindle as black shadow covered her body.
"You shall be one of mine and learn as one of mine. Of the thief king you shall be. I, Mother Moira, Tier 4 Night Mother, Accept you as one of my Brood. Live long and prosper."
"Live long and prosper" Lucas and the children outside of the church echoed in response.
A searing brand seemed to be placed on Rick's collar bone as the last word echoed throughout the air.
"Welcome to the Brood young one. Now your bloodline shall not touch you sense you are one of us."
A sense of family overwhelmed Rick, almost as if instinctual. It was a feeling that wasn't his but.... theirs. It was multiple peoples feelings all jumbled about in many pieces. Some dim others bright it was like a translucent web of shining ever connecting stars with the largest and brightest being Mother.
'Is she really my mother now? I.... can't be sure anymore. These thoughts are not mine.'
Rick was confused. What should he do? The web was a complicated thing and he was now apart of it. He was the smallest most unsuspecting rock in the long spread out field of stars. What did all of this mean? He was apart of her brood? Was he even human now? And what was that about being a monster because of his grandfather? So many questions and not enough answers!
"Be still my child. I can feel your troubled thoughts and all shall be answered through time. First prove to me that you are worthy of being my child. Steal from the man known as 'Grant', Owner of the potion stall on Hilda Lane. "
"Now go my child" She said in a heavy tone before disappearing into a swarm of shadows.
'That could have been what I had.... 'Shadow Shroud'.... why am I so magically inept?'
"It is time.... little brother." Lucas said in a sad tone. "I shall tell you more when you rank up to a second rank class. Please get there quickly brother."
'Brother.... so quickly I've been brought into a family I barely know about.'
'I didn't even have a choice'
Lucas took him deeper into the church only to find rot and darkness. It seemed that the farther you went in the more decrepit it began to feel.
It hadn't taken that many twist or turns before they had made it to a room filled to the brim with papers. They seemed to be stacked from the ground to the inky blackness of the never ending ceiling.
"The map of the surrounding area should be somewhere in here as well as a debriefing of Grants powers and abilities."
He paused, looking through the books before finding a heavy tome that read 'New and Upcoming mage shopkeepers Year 1250'
"This should be what we need. At least for Grants power and class. The map will take a second."
He gently placed the book down on a nearby table before getting into a prayer position and began to recite a strange phrase over and over again. As he did so the lights began to flicker in and out of existence as darkness flooded through the room.
As if finishing the chant Lucas shouted "Stealing Hands"
A small paper from a nearby table immediately flew across the room and into his hands within seconds.
Rick felt amazed at the sight of such a strange trick.
"It's a neat ability, something you pick up after reaching tier 2, or at least should...."
"What do you mean should?" Rick said in confusion.
"It does require magical power which is something you don't have. "
"I will try my hardest to develop it as soon as possible."
The paper that had appeared within Lucas's hands showed a simple diagram of the layout of the small trading center in which Grant housed his supply shop as well as the building directly behind it that was the actual store.
"Anytime you need information just come here. It will tell you the in and outs of a building as well as any known hidden ways to get in. It's a reliable source of information and useful for those like you and me." Lucas said.
"Now let's go get em."