'Right. Magic's real here; doesn't mean gods are though.' Jotou pulled the curtain. Neatly in the wooden box were cushions and carpeting.
It was so quiet; like there was no one to cloud her thoughts. She could hear herself think and the box looked so comfy. Like she could snuggle up and fall asleep.
Jotou sat down with a gulp, closing the curtain, "Uh, hello?"
"Hello," the man's voice replied, calming and low. After a brief few seconds of silence, "How long has it been since your last confession?"
"I, this is my first time ever doing anything like this. I'm Jotou Howllett."
The priest went silent for a moment, "Most people prefer to be anonymous child," a little chuckle on his part, "Good to meet you Jotou, I'm Pastor Keel. How are you feeling child?"
"Oh… Not the best, I guess… For a lot of reasons. I want to explain, but I don't exactly know how to without giving away more information."
"Well, to make it easier, I have heard of you Thundering Blade. I promise you everything said here will be kept private till my grave, but I will understand coming from your viewpoint."
Jotou groaned, her head falling into her palms, "Yeah, I guess I'm just that much more of an idiot for saying my name…
There's, too many things. I'm not even from this world and I'm in someone else's body that I now have to honour and I'm the sole person who all my friends are depending on to defeat all the velatos.
The fact that I'm wrapped up in all of this gives me enough headaches at night. I feel guilty for so many reasons I don't even fully understand.
I died, I'm fairly sure of that and almost died again from that day; the day you probably heard about me. I'm not afraid of death, but I can't lie that it's an overwhelming feeling being alive afterwards.
And the pressure keeps building up; there's some sort of mystery to solve and I can't put the pieces together because my brain's to occupied with everything else.
And my party, they're all so beautiful inside and out; and it's honestly coming from a shut-in guy's perspective because that's who I am.
And it just makes me feel worse as if I'm some sort of guy who can't compliment a girl without feeling like a pervert. Even when I look at myself in the mirror, I feel guilty.
Never mind any chance I have with them, but I don't know where or what happened to the friends I lost that day when I came here. I'm still worried and I need to learn magic and this and that and I keep failing-
And when I try to solve any one of these problems, another distraction comes along to add to it. It's all crashing down now though.
I can't even distract myself and have fun anymore because all these things keep haunting me! What's worse is that I know others probably have it way worse than me," Jotou finally took a breath.
The silence gave no comfort any longer; Jotou could not sit still or not bounce her leg. "Calm," the pastor said aloud.
Jotou felt a cooling, gentle water-like feeling in her mind. 'What the…' She breathed with more tranquillity. "Was that… was that a spell?"
"Yes," the priest replied, "It's alright child; everyone has their troubles. However, I can understand these are critical if not consequential.
Not only to yourself, but to everyone you care for. The first step is telling; you've done that. Now, it's my duty to help however I can. May I request that we talk face-to-face?"
Jotou pondered… "Well, I have no clue how you can help, but if you're offering. Sure."
The curtain on the other side slid, "Ms Valerie, I'm afraid I must ask you to depart for now. I'll let you know when you may return," Jotou heard through the booth.
"Of course, Father; take all the time you need," the woman's voice was followed by her footsteps out of the church.
Jotou's curtain opened. There stood a man, not too tall and bald at the top. His short black beard framed his dark-skinned face as black robes covered from his neck till his feet.
His eyes were old and wise but his body still seemed lithe. His hands were crossed over his torso, a few rings on his fingers. "Nice to meet you, Jotou Howllett," he smiled and nodded in respect.
_
Father Keel shut the church doors. Jotou stood behind him, rubbing her hands, "What is this church? I don't think I've seen much religion in this world."
The doors clanked, "This is true; not many subscribe to religions in, 'this world'. This is the church of the God of Sea-Breeze, Mare," he looked up to the sea dandelions decorating the archway of the doors.
"If there were or are gods in this world, where are they then?"
He hummed and then shrugged, "Some died, some hidden and some lost."
"Hmph, then why call them gods? Omnipotence and omniscience are paradoxes, they're clearly not omnipresent and omnibenevolent; well," Jotou furrowed her brows.
"Quite the sceptic, aren't you?" he turned around with a smile, hands behind his back.
"I try not to bother people who believe in stuff like this, but in my world at least, the amount of people that have died and the amount of people brainwashed by religion's crap annoys me.
If you can live with it in peace and be a better person with it, then I'm all for it. But don't shove it down my throat and impose on my views and I'll do the same.
And I'm not saying, me talking to you didn't help, but it came out all together in a jumbled-up mess. I'm sorry to waste your time, but I'll handle it myself; I don't know why I even said all of that…"
'Especially the pervert part… where did that even come from?' She kept reminiscing.
"That's simple; the booth is enchanted for you to tell anything that burdens your thoughts. In the same way, if I divulge your secrets to anybody else, I'm cursed by the booth to die before that."
"So… I was spelled to say all that!?" her eyes began to glare.
"More so to lower your guard to allow you to speak freely. There is a warning," he pointed to the side of the booth, where there was indeed a warning that said exactly that.
Jotou shook her head, "I can't believe this… Look, I don't want any part of this; of gaining people's secrets so that you can indoctrinate them into sea-breeze or something, so you can open the doors back up."
The priest gave a sighing smile, "Child, you're jumping to conclusions. I do not ask for a cult, nor am I scheming some sort of charity. I merely offer guidance and wisdom to those who seek it.
Because that's my duty as the cleric of the God of Sea-Breeze. I believe in her wisdom more so than worshiping her status. The breeze brings many scents across the sea.
The air brings the news, the hopes of the horizon. We all are a part of that wind. We all breathe the same air and so we help those that we can; may the breeze be your guide."
Jotou crossed her arms, "What, no pamphlet or book or something?"
He shook his head gently, "Those were words passed along over generations. One day when I'm gone, I can only hope that someone else can take my place and utter those words; only to help another."
Jotou let go of her anger, "So, can you tell me anything, like a prophecy? My old world, how I got here, why, anything like that?" her rude tone failed to fade, despite her elegant voice.
His eyes looked to the ceiling, "Maybe it's a different plane, a different world, or it's all a dream."
"These vague answers are what kept me away from religion."
He looked to her, "I am simply stating that I do not know; would you rather I lie and pass it of as truth?" Jotou's eyes darted away.
"As for the Gods, they left centuries upon centuries ago, mortals who ascended. They say when your affinity has reached such a high capacity, that those who believe in you can tap into your power."
"Who's they?"
Father Keel shrugged walking past her, "Exactly; I don't know who spreads these lies," he smirked and walked along.
'So funny.' Jotou rolled her eyes, "The gods were normal people?"
"Mhm. People who did feats so great they were worshipped as Gods. That's why there are too many to name for a lot has been forgotten.
At the end of the day, they were just people like you or me. I simply cherish the wisdom of one such being. This is what I believe. Do not mistake me for those swindlers and conmen you think to be clerics."
'Is this guy for real…? Well, how many people do I know who are religious and basically call their gods nothing more than us and says they don't worship them…? Sigh… Can't believe this is the option I'm choosing.'
Jotou followed the priest, "I'll… hear you out. I think I'll have to tell you more for you to understand completely, but if you have the time; sorry for thinking you were some cultist trying to recruit me."
He kept walking forward to the altar, "People come here to pray for their own sakes and from their own wills. I never once asked them to nor have I kneeled under this altar."
Jotou noticed the donation box sat at the front, a glass case to see all the copper to silver pieces contained within. "Really?" Jotou's eyes pointed the priest to look at the box.
He pouted, "Warning's right to the side."
"Warning, donations are used to support the various workers of the church, from cleaners to the priest; not used in any rituals or to be given to the God, Mare," Jotou read and then side-eyed Father Keel.
He grinned and shrugged one shoulder, "A man has to live."