The Talk

Evelyn brought Damian to her quarters within the large inn, it was a well-decorated room with amenities to boot. The room is adorned with tapestries depicting pastoral scenes and colourful woven rugs that cover the well-worn wooden floor, giving a touch of warmth to the space. The walls, constructed of thick stone, ensure both security and insulation.

In the corner of the room stands a modest bed, with a simple wooden frame and a soft mattress stuffed with hay and feathers. A delicately embroidered canopy cascades from the ceiling, providing a sense of privacy and comfort to the resting place. Near the bed, a small nightstand is adorned with an ornate pewter goblet and a flask of water, ensuring the maiden's hydration through the night.

A sturdy wooden chest rests at the foot of the bed, offering ample storage for her belongings. Within the chest, she finds clean linen and spare garments, hand-sewn with care and precision. A silver hand mirror, a precious gift from her family, catches the flickering light of the nearby candle.

Speaking of the candle, a tall, slender holder sits upon the second nightstand on the opposite side of the bed. The flickering flame casts a warm glow throughout the room, illuminating the ancient stone walls and creating dancing shadows that bring a sense of enchantment to the space. The candle provides both light and comfort during the dark hours of the night.

Near the window, framed with simple linen curtains, there is a small writing desk, complete with a feather quill and inkwell. The desk invites the maiden to document her adventures or compose letters to loved ones, offering a quiet space for introspection. In the corner stands a tall nightstand placed between the desk and the bed with two large cushioned chairs.

Dan seated himself on one of them as soon as he entered the room. He knew that this was a conversation he could not avoid if he wanted to recruit Evelyn under him. Agni had already told them that finding the pieces of Damian's soul would be beneficial to their cause because it would allow them to form an elite unit around themselves far more loyal than anyone motivated by ideology or money.

As soon as Damian had sensed her, he had intimated to Dan of his desire to recruit her as soon as possible. It was this wish that motivated Dan to act the way he did downstairs during their previous talk. He had no idea what Evelyn saw in her vision for he had used soul arts to influence her but even his understanding of them was barely scratching the surface. The mere fact that it was successful without causing any damage to Evelyn was a relief to Dan. He was told by Agni that the soul was the most mysterious being in the omniverse, so much so that only the Trimurti truly understood its essence and even they would pale in their understanding when faced by the Supreme One.

Brushing his thoughts aside for then Dan looked at Evelyn, he had allowed her to gather herself and gain some respite from the relentless attacks he had made to her soul and now she seemed to be ready.

"Evelyn you have a piece of my soul within you, it is why you were attracted towards me in the first place and the only one who could track me when I was pickpocketing. It is the sole reason I entertained following behind you. I want you to come with me.", Dan told her.

"How is that even possible?"

"I do not know how it happened but I know it to be true, you can feel it the severe headaches, the feeling of being torn apart. It is because you have a piece of my soul and when we are close by my soul and the piece in you react involuntarily."

Evelyn knew that Dan spoke the truth so she chose to change her line of questioning, "Who are you and what was the vision I saw before?"

"I am what one might call an Avatar, Apostle or even incarnation of Agni the God of Fire. Not R'hllor the Red God."

"GODS ARE REAL!", she exclaimed.

"They most certainly are", even at the confirmation of such a notion Evelyn still had seeds of doubt within her.

"What's the difference?", at that question, Dan internally chuckled, he had laid his trap and now caught the target hook, line and sinker.

"R'hllor is also known by a different name, would you care to enlighten me?"

"Must you really do this Damian?"

"Humour me", Dan said with a snide smile.

"He is also known as the God of Flame and Shadow"

"Exactly, you see R'hllor is not the true God of Fire he simply poses as one, he is a god of shadows from a pantheon much much different than the one that I follow. The Gods from my pantheon were the true gods of the world but their position has been usurped by lesser Gods today and I have now been tasked with resetting the status quo."

"This is obviously some religious fanatic-level bullshit that you're feeding me, you certainly seem to have some powers but at max, you're a talented warg or seer. I suggest you stop playing with me and talk seriously.", Evelyn said rebuffed by Dan's claims.

"I am not a fanatic dear Evelyn why is it that all humans must be so so ignorant? Until and unless you see miracles you never understand that the divine exists. I am not a part of the divine because I perform miracles Evelyn it is because I am a part of HIM that I am able to perform miracles.", with that Damian stood up and walked towards the candlelight.

"Behold", he proclaimed, he then proceeded to take some charcoal stored in the small case next to the nightstand.

Within the cosy confines of his room at the inn, Damian took a moment to center himself. The flickering candle on the bedside table served as his only source of light, casting dancing shadows on the wooden walls. In the center of the room, Damian placed a small, unremarkable lump of charcoal. As he extended his hand toward the charcoal, the flames of the candle on the bedside table leapt higher, responding to Damian's divine connection. His eyes opened, and they glowed with a fiery intensity, mirroring the god he served.

With incredible finesse, Damian began to manipulate the flames, coaxing them into a swirling dance around the charcoal. He controlled and guided the fire with intricate gestures and focused intent. The flames intensified, but Damian's touch remained gentle and precise. He encouraged the fire to embrace the charcoal, infusing it with intense heat while protecting it from harm.

As moments passed, the atmosphere in the room grew warmer, and a soft, golden light emanated from the fire. The once-simple charcoal began to undergo a remarkable transformation. Its surface, once dull and dark, now shimmered with an inner brilliance. Finally, as the flames subsided, Damian revealed the astonishing result of his alchemical feat. The humble lump of charcoal had metamorphosed into a dazzling diamond, captivating all who beheld its radiance.

As Evelyn saw this unfold right before her eyes she could imagine how powerful those searing flames must be as she had never seen a fire so dazzlingly white in colour. She could feel the impact of its heat as it even began to instantly turn her clothes to ashes yet she could not bring herself to move from her position. She was amazed when she looked at Damian to see he was perfectly fine with not even a drop of sweat on him much less his clothes burning.

While she watched the process she was again reminded of the majestic scene of Damian sitting on a throne that arose after the world burned before her. While before she had lopped it off as her imagining or Damian playing tricks on her she could not deny what was unfolding right in front of her eyes now. She found herself more and more willing to believe what Damian had told her moments ago.

She was broken out of her reverie with Damian approached her with the large diamond the size of her fist, just this alone would ensure that she can live out the rest of her days as a minor lord would. Evelyn had always been keen on grabbing opportunities by the hair before she lost sight of them. When she saw Damian she knew that this was an opportunity that does not come in countless lifetimes.

Within the course of one day, she had been humbled then even that humility had been crushed by the act of the divine. Damian in her eyes was a God and those who followed a God in human skin never did go down as footnotes in the history of the world. She immediately knelt before Damian, "I give you my service and whatever else you shall ask of me Apostle, I implore you to forgive my foolishness in not recognising you and take me in as a follower."

"Hahaha", Evelyn heard laughter when she raised her head she saw Damian laughing as tears fell down his eyes. He then caught her by her shoulders as he lifted her back up, "You don't need to do all that, dear Evelyn, you and I were meant to be united in service the moment I sensed a piece of my soul on you. Let me tell you that from this day forth you will only be second to me and none other. We will do great things in the future Evelyn but for now, I believe that I must rest. The night has come and I believe that we can discuss the rest tomorrow.

Damian walked over to the door and left the room without letting Evelyn speak another word.