The day was finally over. Sizwe had won all his matches, but the second part of the fights was tomorrow, which would determine the overall winner. There was no way in hell he was going back to that ring. It wasn't impossible for him to win, but it would take a lot of effort that he didn't have the patience for. Sizwe was a strategic fighter, and in that ring, there were bigger and stronger enemies. For him to win, he would have to study them, learn how they fought, and find ways to defeat them. Although he had vast experience, most of it involved guns and weapons since he was a weaponsmith. He was not the best at close combat. Honestly, who would like close combat when you could kill an enemy from afar with a gun?
Sizwe learned from Cyprian that gun technology was limited since most tech was destroyed after the cataclysm by the masses who were afraid of it. For the most part, the world regressed to the Middle Ages but with a mix of modern tech. In Azania, whatever tech was left was monopolized by the Citadel. There were other territories outside Azania, but the situation was almost the same. Kings who ruled took technology for themselves and suppressed competition.
Sizwe had been working for a few months with Cyprian to make a gun. Maybe a revolver would have been easy to make, but it would be useless in this world from what he heard. Evolved creatures were a problem, and bolt rifles did little to deal with them since they had stronger bodies. So he needed something stronger. He needed a shotgun.
He and Cyprian experimented with a few versions of shotguns. They started with the single-shot shotgun. This one was the easiest to manufacture, but it did not have strong firepower and had the weakness of a slow loading time.
They made the double-barrel shotgun. The double-barrel was similar to the single-shot but at least had two shots and a little more firepower.
Sizwe thought about the lever-action shotgun but felt it was a hassle to make, so he opted for the pump-action shotgun. In this world, it was more practical, could load eight rounds, and was quick. It had more power than the others, and it felt good in his hands.
After the match, Sizwe found the completed version on his bed with a note. This made him a bit more confident in his survival. He could finally get away from the church and be a little independent. Playing Acolyte was good, but he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could get away with it for long. It was time to leave. He had also obtained all the ingredients he needed to make ice cream. His goal in this town was accomplished. It was time to wander around and build his strength.
Sizwe heard a knock on his door. He hid the gun and opened the door.
"You like your gift?"
"A lot. I'm ready to leave as we speak."
"Unfortunately, you can't leave just yet."
"Why not?"
"Because of your stupid display of fighting abilities, you caught the eyes of a few high-ranking people. They want to meet you."
"Yeah, tell them you can't find me."
Sizwe began to pack his stuff.
"That's not possible either. Nara is a little bit crazy when she wants something. It is much safer for you to attend the ball they are hosting and leave early after they have seen you and are satisfied."
"Fine, give me a few minutes to wash up and get dressed. By the way, where is Mandla?"
"He is also changing. I'll send someone to get you."
He left.
The ball was underway, and Mhlengi was having a blast. The church was loaded, and he was enjoying all the delicacies the ball had to offer. He heard that a High Guardian was hosting this event. He had never seen one before, so he was excited to see what a High Guardian looked like. But what he was really here for was the high-quality wine. Wine was one of his favorite things in this world, and here he could drink high-quality wine at no cost.
Mhlengi looked around the room as he ate and drank. There were many people here, from acolytes to priests. Most people were wearing their own clothes, except for high-ranking members or those who wanted to flaunt their rank like him. Mhlengi spent time trying to move up the ranks of the church. He would be damned if he would wear regular clothes again. People needed to put some respect on his name. Most middle ranks like him were humble and would not flaunt their rank, but he was not that kind. He liked the respect he got in the street or the fear on people's faces when they saw a Chaplain like him.
He mingled with the people at the party, paid his respects to his superiors, and worked the room like a pro, bootlicking where he needed to, and accepting some bootlicking from lower ranks. Mhlengi was a different kind of shameless. He had done his work, and now it was time to relax and drink his wine.
"Introducing Priest of Aegis, Valiant Priest Yara."
Mhlengi almost choked on his drink. He had forgotten about his superior while he was busy having fun. Mhlengi was grateful to Yara for giving him this promotion, but he loathed being around him. Yara was very clean and particular about small things like cleanliness, etiquette, and ways of speaking. Mhlengi was taking etiquette and speech lessons from him. It was a nightmare.
When they came here, Yara had given him freedom, and they hadn't seen each other since. Mhlengi walked to Yara, who was looking dashing. He was wearing a snow-white priest robe that had the Eye of Vigilance engraved on the chest. It was a single, open eye surrounded by intricate geometric patterns resembling both circuitry and sacred script. The iris was a luminous gold, while the pupil was dark, suggesting depth and watchfulness. Around the eye, there were stylized rays of light or lines of energy extending outward.
The Eye of Vigilance symbolized the Citadel's dedication to constant awareness, knowledge, and protection. It represented the Citadel's vigilance against both external threats and internal heresy, as well as its commitment to enlightenment and guidance through wisdom.
This suited Yara very well, and it was super clean. One could be blinded by the whiteness. This complemented Yara's pale skin, and his gentle features blended nicely with his attire.
"Long time no see, Mhlengi. I see you've been having fun," Yara said, glancing at the wine stain on his attire.
"I'll go change right away."
"I brought something for you in the carriage."
"Thank you, Valiant Priest."
Mhlengi made himself scarce.
"Introducing the arrival of Revered Technomancer Priest Cyprian."
Sizwe followed behind Cyprian along with Mandla. Honestly, he didn't care for this party. It was an in-and-out situation. But who was he to turn down free food?
He knew people didn't care about him and only cared about bootlicking Cyprian, so he decided to break away and go get some grub.
"Is this the genius you told us about?" Yara blocked his way as he was trying to get to the food.
"Who is this person? And why is he wearing such white clothes?" Sizwe thought to himself.
Mandla immediately went to his knees.
"I greet Valiant Priest Yara."
Yara smiled. "No need for formalities, young novice. We are at a gathering, please stand."
Mandla obeyed and stood.
"Is this person famous?" Sizwe wondered. He didn't really care, though. He was just trying to get some food, so he decided to sidestep Yara, but Cyprian grabbed his collar.
"This is him indeed."
"What? Did Cyprian hype me up or something?"
"Nice to meet you. They call me Yara." Yara stretched out his hand to Sizwe.
"Nice to meet you, Yara."
The room instantly went silent. Sizwe had called a superior by his name without honorifics. Mandla was dumbfounded. Did Sizwe have a death wish?
Mhlengi was wearing the clothes that Yara brought for him. They fit him well and didn't look so bad. They were light brown robes with beautiful gold details on the sleeves and collar. The patterns were the Codex, beautifully engraved. There was also the same design on the bottom edge of the clothing. Mhlengi looked good, and he didn't hate the look. The robe also had a humble symbol of the Flame of Remembrance on his left chest.
The Flame of Remembrance was a stylized flame burning brightly with multiple tongues of fire, often depicted in vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, but this one was gold. The base of the flame was depicted as holding fragments of ancient texts or relics, with embers rising and transforming into symbols or stars.
The Flame of Remembrance symbolized the Citadel's reverence for the knowledge and achievements of the past. It represented the eternal light of wisdom that guides the faithful and the burning passion for preserving and restoring ancient knowledge.
Mhlengi was no longer so mad at Yara. In fact, he felt quite lucky. Mhlengi had gotten too comfortable and ended up forgetting where he was from and how hard he struggled to get here. It was partly with the help of the brown-eyed demon. He appeared at the right time to get him promoted.
Mhlengi walked back into the party to find the room quiet. It was very weird. All eyes were facing Yara and another group. Mhlengi got closer.
"It's you, the brown-eyed demon."
His words echoed in the room as he faced Sizwe, who had a lazy expression.