"What do you know about gods, son?" Channing asked and tapped on his shoulder.
He looked at Channing. Today they were having a lesson on the religions of Pemphredo and Channing wanted to gauge Osmond's knowledge on the subject.
Osmond remembered what his mother taught him. He remembered the nightmare and felt a shock running down his spine. He collected his thoughts and started speaking.
"I have learned about Zustrous, Azotl, Ias and the gods that came from them."
"And what are the other gods that you know of?" Channing asked looking into Osmond's eyes.
"I know about the gods that father and mother worshipped." Osmond's voice broke in place.
"It still hurts him—" he thought. "—who can blame him? After what he went through, any normal person would have broken down."
"Take your time son." Channing consoled him.
He took a deep breath and calmed himself. "I know about Detruass, the god of strength and Edith, the goddess of fertility. I know about Zoard, the god of wisdom and Vienna, the goddess of knowledge."
"Good, good. But there are more," Channing smiled.
Osmond's eyes widened. He had not learned about any other gods.
"There is Bran, the god of health and Boann, the goddess of nursing. There is also Ogma, the god of agriculture and Shannon, the goddess of seasons." Channing said. "Your mother might not have explained them fully because you were too young then."
"Each god, goddess and their followers make a particular religion which means there are four major religions in Pemphredo.
"There is Zoarism, which follows Zoard and Vienna. There is Flysecism, which follows Detruass and Edith. There is Saishism, which follows Bran and Boann. There is Osanism, which follows Ogma and Shannon."
So his mother followed Zoarism and his father followed Flysecism, Osmond thought. Osmond wondered where he fell in the religious system then.
"Which religion should I follow teacher?" Osmond asked wanting to clear his doubt.
"Osmond, as of now you are a void. Which means you have no religion." Channing said.
"When you are ten, you will need to undergo a rite of passage. By then you have to choose one belief to follow for your life." Channing said sharply. Osmond looked down.
"Does that mean I have to follow either mother's or father's path?" he asked.
"That is correct," Channing said.
Osmond hated that. Choosing one meant forgetting the other and he felt he will lose their memories with it. He wanted to choose both.
"Can't I choose both?" Osmond pleaded.
"You cannot," Channing's voice was grim.
"Why not?" Osmond felt a thorn in his chest.
"Because each belief has a specific role in society. Zoarism pursues knowledge, Flysecism pursues strength, Saishism teaches to heal and care and Osanism followers live to serve. Choosing both means you have to be a scholar and a warrior, and that is too much to learn in three years." Channing warned Osmond.
"Does that mean that it can be done?" Osmond was still a boy and felt he could do it.
"There have been rarely any occurrences of mixed religion marriage. Even rarer detailing the records of their children. I don't know if it is possible frankly." Channing said crossing his arms, closing his eyes and thinking.
"Then I will be the first one to do it," Osmond said puffing his chest.
Sunlight flowed through the open window reflecting on Osmond's golden hair. A cool wind came in disrupting the heat. In a room with only a few chairs and two tables, sat a teacher and his student. Channing looked at Osmond, head to toe.
"So young and naive. Yet full of possibilities." Channing thought.
"Son, if you are doing this you will need to do two rites of passage and with it two trials," Channing said and grabbed his hands.
"Trials?" Osmond was confused.
"A trial is a task given to a person by the gods and only by completing them you will be given a divine artifact," Channing explained.
"A divine artifact." Osmond cocked his head.
"A divine artifact is gifted to one who completes the rite of passage," Channing said.
"What happens if you can't complete one?." Osmond asked in concern.
"You will not be given a divine artifact and simply become a normal follower of the religion. In fact, this is the most common case. One can always believe in the god one wants in, but completing a rite and earning a divine artifact puts one in a different light. People will look up to him." Channing said looking above.
"Do you have a divine instrument?." Osmond wondered.
"The Eye of the sky," Channing said gently rubbing a ring on his finger and Osmond peered to see the ring.
"What does it do?." Osmond was curious.
"It helps me see glimpses of the past and present. It has helped me analyse the state of battles and hence create strategies. It had helped me be the chief army strategist." Channing said, remembering fondly of his past.
"What can you see now?." Osmond wanted to see it in action.
Channing leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. He placed his hands one above the other on his lap. He controlled his breath. A bead of sweat appeared on his forehead. The gem fitted over the ring glowed in blue. The world was silent and Osmond looked at Channing curiously.
Suddenly Channing opened his eyes. His breath was unsteady. He wiped his sweat using his sleeves.
"What happened?" Osmond was scared.
"I have gotten old. Using the ring uses the Zest and it is taxing for my old body." Channing said smiling to show that he was alright and Osmond felt guilty for making him do it.
"Your uncle is gathering troops in the Land of adventures as we speak," Channing said as he drank a gulp of water.
"He saw things that were that far away." Osmond wondered.
"Son, as you can see The divine artifacts are not all-powerful weapons. Using them requires training and it also carries certain risks with them," he warned him.
And yet Osmond wanted one. He now had a new motivation to work to strengthen himself.