The city streets were less full now, as people returned home. I inwardly questioned that, but then realized they hadn't actually known how well we'd do against the second wave, and thus, hadn't known if it would be safe for them to be in their own towns and villages. We had proven ourselves, however, and now all those who had been forced to flock to the capital seeking safety, were returning to their homes.

That was a good feeling, as I smiled to myself, leading my seven person party through the throng of people, not quite having to force my way through, but nowhere near as easy as it was in the earlier morning when we'd made our way to the Adventurer's Hall. The sun was well into its noon height by the time we made our way to our destination, and stepped into the Cathedral, the vaulted ceiling leaving me feeling slightly small, as we entered.

The people here were busy with their own motions, as I saw plenty of members of the church praying on their knees before a statue to the Three Holy Weapons. More I could see others doing their best to work at tables, doing…something with some kind of crystals, slowly changing them into liquids, probably healing potions of some kind, and still more were simply sitting, reading the scriptures, a worthwhile use of their time I'm sure.

"Ah, Hero of the Bow, it is a pleasure to see you once again," said a familiar voice, and I wasn't that shocked to find the Pope was in attendance with his followers. I WAS however shocked to see him at work himself, inscribing something into a book, one that must have been magical, given the way the stuff was glowing. It was either something he could pause, or I was more important, because he soon closed the book to stand before me, bowing his head, a gesture I repeated, perhaps a bit deeper than himself, to show my respect for his position.

"I greet Your Holiness, and hope the day finds you well," I told him, and he smiles, chuckles, and then looks at my companions behind me. Glancing to the side, I notice that all of them, even Lucia, seemed to be giving him…not angry glares, but the same glare you'd give to the head of your local HOA. Just because they hadn't done anything to you yet, didn't mean you trusted them not to do so in the future.

"Indeed it does, Hero, and it is well you have come. Your brothers in arms have already made the visit to us, and I have many things to tell you, and some gifts to give," he said with a smile, directing us away from the public places in the Cathedral, towards the rear, where the Dragon Hourglass was kept. He, along with a woman wearing the robes of the church, soon were shut inside with us, the doors closing with a loud bang.

"Excellent, now then, allow me to apologize to you, Hero, first of all, for my behavior last evening," he began, without any prompting, as he led us around to the Dragon Hourglass itself, standing before it, with the nun retrieving something nearby, a long wooden box, that she held in her hands as he turned to us.

"I'm sure you understand, my position is not as…stable as it might be in these times, given the current crises facing the whole of this world, if not those in particular in this nation," he continued, as he bowed his head to me again.

"The King, and most especially that daughter of his are vindictive, as you might well guess, and while they can be guided, it is best not to fight them, when they've got a notion in their heads," he explained, and I nodded, glancing behind me at the others, who had expressions on their faces that said not only was this true, but they had far, far more pointed words they would use than the diplomatic ones the Pope was.

"I have to pick my battles, carefully, around them, but I did indeed see her cheating during the duel last night, and will do what I can to punish her, and her father, for such a dishonor to one of the Heroes, even if he is a criminal, allegedly," he said the last with a knowing sigh, one that said a lot without really needing the words.

"She's done to other men what she did to Naofumi," I said, wanting to confirm my suspicions, and the Pope seemed about to say something before lowering his head.

"I can only say that accusations have been made towards men she held in her disfavor. That is as far as my words can go," he said, sounding sad, but then he smiled, as he turned to the woman, and motioned for her to step forward. She did so, and then took to the knee, becoming a sort of living pedestal, as she held up the box, and he opened it, revealing three crystal orbs, all of which looked clear for a moment, until they suddenly lit with internal glows.

"These crystal balls contain three spells gifted to you by the King himself, in recognition of your feats within the last battle. He had fifteen such sphere gifted to us, but knowing how you fought last night, I believed you would not do with attack magic, so I had those given to the Spear and Sword when they came here," he explained, and for a moment I wondered if they had people able to class up…but then remembered I was also here to sync with the Hourglass to find out how much time before the next Wave.

"None were saved for the Shield Hero?" I asked, and for a moment the Pope's face got dark, his expression changing, but an instant later, he was smiling warmly again. I took that to mean he was still not a fan of Naofumi, regardless of his criminality.

"He did not visit us, and seems to hold the kingdom in some contempt, possibly rightly so, but regardless, he was seen leaving the city an hour hence, and as such, I determined he would not be coming here," he explained, a good enough reason, and perhaps the cause of his frustration. After all, Naofumi now had no idea when the next Wave would hit, and would be flying blind in terms of leveling time. It didn't seem to be all, but I allowed the old man his biases.

"Very well. Should we use these after my companions class up, or do they take only a moment?" I asked, and he chuckled, turning to my companions.

"I'm sure the spellcasters in your ranks can tell you, this sort of learning is a thing of moments, and perhaps what you gain may influence their choices in how they grow," he said, and Lucia nodded.

"Crystal balls have the magic inscribed in them. Hold them in your hand, and you'll know the spell, able to use it the same as moving your arm. That said, it's not as good as learning from a master or grimoire, but it is faster," she explained, and I nodded in turn, before looking at the orbs. One looked like it had constantly shifting stars inside it, one looked like a white glowing eyeball, and one looked like it was just pure darkness inside.

Throwing caution to the window, I picked up the eyeball one first, and then held it in my hand, looking it over. It was warm to the touch, and smoother than I had expected. I felt not a single flaw in the surface, as I turned it over and around in my hand. However, nothing else happened, and I turned to Lucia, who mimed taking it in both hands, and staring into it, which I did, placing it right before me.

Instantly I felt…tingly was the only word that came to mind, and yet it didn't do it justice. It was like I could feel cords of magic surging from within the orb and into my flesh, coiling and wrapping around me, making it hard to do anything else as it drove itself into me, writing its magic all over my form. It wasn't agony, but it didn't feel pleasant either. Luckily, it was over as abruptly as it started, with the crystal turning to dust in my hands, and I was left standing there, gasping for breath.

When I looked up, I could see…everything. All the people around me, outlined in yellow or green, their bodies glowing brightly, as every inch of their forms appeared before me. Like I could see 'through' them somehow. Their items were in my vision too, all golden in color, and it was like my (Sense) skill, but active, as it popped up with names and statuses of not just them, but everyone around me, as I spun and looked through the walls of the church.

I couldn't 'read' it all, but I could still see it all. Better, where my own skills had to wait for me to learn names, this one filled them in form me. The Pope's name, which I'd never heard before, was Biscas Theodore Balmus, and his aide's name was Emily…no last or first name given, oddly, but still, even knowing that was more than I had before, and that went on and on in the distance.

Glancing at the meters in my vision, I was shocked to see that, after the initial cost, the vision spell, identified as (Void Gaze), cost nothing to maintain, and so my MP was already regenerating. Better, I saw a…ghost of movement from Strong as I turned to him, and his real self moved just like that, and I noticed small things for everyone. I was seeing where they would be with this.

"A fantastic spell," I noted, as I closed my eyes and shut it down, not trusting to stay standing if I turned it off while looking. When I opened them again, the world was back to normal, and the Pope was chuckling in that mirthful tone of his.

"It has its uses, though not many can use it to its full potential in these dangerous days. That was one I specifically thought of you, when it was brought to me, given reports on how you like to direct fights, rather than taking to the field yourself," he said, and I nodded. No shame in admitting that I was a buffer, not a fighter, and with that I reached for the next orb, the one with stars in it, and held it the same way, using it to teach myself what was within.

The moment the tingly feeling passed, I looked around and 'felt' the world around me with a new sense. It was…odd, not the same as the vision power, it was more like I could feel the empty spaces, and my body wanted to fill them. With a thought, I looked behind my group, and then was suddenly standing there. No disorientation, no sick feeling of sudden movement, simply one moment before them, one moment behind.

That sudden change in positions did have Biscas chuckle, pointing, and they turned to face me, before I used (Blink) to again move past them, not really between the intervening space, but…through it somehow, like I was rendered into flowing mana, and then reassembled at the end, my sense of self moving with it, and leaving me able to move the moment it was done, without any kind of interruption.

"A formidable power in any hand, but for one who wants to see the whole of the battlefield, it can be quite useful," he explained, and I nodded, as I tried to feel through the walls, but found them blocking me. So I still had to have open space. I tested it with a small hop upwards, and then down again, going up about ten feet, and instantly back down, and found momentum was not preserved, which meant I now had a parachute too, if need be.

"Shadow does something like that, but he takes a longer build up," explained Fast, and I looked at him, and the hyena smirked, before vanishing himself, with a flourish of shadows. I then mimed him, the two of us moving around the chamber one hop at a time, though I noticed he was a bit more drained doing it in rapid succession than I was…though his version COULD go through walls, so that was an advantage there.

"The final crystal holds something I feel will be of maximum benefit to someone with your particular skills. The church makes heavy use of it during times when healing is at a premium, but it will work for you as well," he said with a knowing smile, and I picked up the last crystal ball, and then held it in the way to make it part of me, feeling the familiar tingle, but when it passed I looked around and found…something odd.

I could sense the members of my party now, but it was strange. It was like I could touch them with my mind, and they would unwind as I did so, strings coming loose from them, and trailing off behind them. On a whim, or rather, likely by instinct given by the spell, I tied two of the strings together, creating a line between Fast and Lucia, before I reached up, and hit Lucia with a sudden burst of speed.

The two, both of them, had the aura of it, and Fast, looking at himself, seemed surprised as he investigated, finding the effect lasted until it had faded from Lucia, giving him almost three perceptive minutes of the super speed, which was a fantastic gain, especially as the shot had still only cost me a single use, despite affecting both. I could…sense my ability would be strained with each one I linked together, but at my best, I could link everyone, and boost them all at once, even if it would empty my MP gauge.

"It is most useful to have the ability to multiply our healing supplies several fold, in darker times such as these," said the Pope, and I nodded, looking back to my party, and then turning to him.

"Your judgment was sound, and I thank you for these choices. I will have to thank the King as well, given he was the one to purchase them, but you have shown foresight and knowledge far beyond what was needed, Your Holiness," I said with a bow of the head, and he chuckled, waving his hand before him, as if brushing off the compliment.

"I merely saw how you fight, and the reports speak of a man who helps others to become their best selves. I fancy myself a brother in arms, to one such as you, and as such, I have two more gifts for you, both from the Church, rather than the crown," he said, and the nun, who had been standing there the whole time, rose to her feet, closing the long box that had held the three crystals, and seeing it aside, before pulling out a smaller one.

"The first I have shared equally with the Heroes who came here, and when he comes, I will do the same for the Shield should he request it," he said, and then opened the box, which had two vials of glittering sand inside it, and space for two more beside those.

"This sand comes directly from the Dragon Hourglass. It contains a fantastic ability for those who wield the Cardinal Weapons, allowing them to travel between some locations instantly," he said, and that got my attention. I had wondered what it would do earlier, and that was far and away better than I had expected, given how useful fast travel was. Taking the vial, very carefully to show I knew its import, I held it up, undid the stopper, and then poured it into the gem on my bow.

Instantly I was assaulted with a dozen pop ups of possible unlocks, as certain skills were now available to purchase. However, each one was level locked for the moment, but they seemed quite nice, given their descriptions, even if it would take me a long time to get them all. The Bow form itself, the (Portal Bow), was also level locked, to fifty so at least I was almost there, with it and the first fast travel skill tied to level fifty.

Oddly, it wasn't to certain cities or the like, but instead to three predetermined locations. I would actually have to GET to those places, before I could make use of it, but it did lend itself well to a certain utility, as I nodded at it, and then quickly set the Dragon Hourglass here in the Capital as the first of my points, giving me a 'homebase' of sorts to make use of the lovely ability, when it unlocked for use in general, rather than just marking fast travel points.

"A fine power, for a fine Hero. And now, a personal gift, from myself, to the Hero of the Bow, who gave protection to people many would find beneath them, and who has claimed he will give more," he said this as he pulled some bottles from his sleeve. If he had them in there the whole time or was using some kind of storage magic, I honestly couldn't tell you, but he smiled as he passed them to me.

The first was the same seal breaker holy water he had used on the three beastmen to take away their slave seals. It was even better, actually, being 'Purest' grade, worth more than twice as much as the 'Pure' grade, and able to be used on multiple people at once, according to the description. Ten gold went pretty far, as it turned out, and taking it, I looked to him, and then back to the bottle, before pouring it into the yellow gem.

The thing, the moment that last drop touched it, began to glow with a golden light, the same color as the silky liquid, and then I had almost a hundred pop ups telling me various things. Skills unlocked for purchase, including many that had had ? descriptions, meaning none of my predecessors had had them, as well as the (Chain Breaker) bow form itself, which I had to whistle at…try to whistle at.

The thing's description was one of a hero who worked to free the common man from his shackles, and included all sorts of bonuses for not only party members who were formerly marked with a slave seal, but those who were 'downtroden' who decided to 'follow' me even outside of my party. I had…absolutely no idea what it meant by that, but I quickly began to read over the other skills, and even bought the cheapest set of slave seal removers.

"Heh, I would say that the first one was a hit, wouldn't you?" he said, turning to the nun, who smiled as I stood there, and then picked up the second. It was (Curse Dispelling Holy Water(Purest)) and again, worth ten whole gold pieces. I held it up, and then opened the stopper, before pouring it into my weapon as well, watching as the scarlet liquid vanished into the yellow gem, before I got more pop ups.

This was less, as the majority of the unlocked skills were from the fact that this was apparently the first time a Bow Hero had decided to try using Holy Water period, but still, there were a fair few, including some that I snapped up due to their lower cost, figuring diversifying would be a good idea. When I was done, I looked over my character sheet, glancing at all my new powers and forms, and smiled.

"A fine gift, your Holiness, and you have my personal thanks," I said, inclining my head towards him. He did so in return, and then motioned for the nun to follow him.

"You have my gratitude for doing your part in defense of this nation, and our entire world. Should you have a need of assistance, do not fail to call upon the church. For now, continue with your own business here, and I shall attend to my duties within these halls," he said, and the pair walked away, soon exiting the chamber, and leaving my party and I alone with the Hourglass.

(Author's Note: For those unaware, the spells are a reference to Bard's weapon form and Adventurer name, the game series Dishonored.

Void Gaze is the same as Dark Vision, for the most part, and I just liked the name better, and allows the user to highlight people and collectibles, as well as see their footsteps a few seconds ahead(Bard's version lets him see ghostly visions of a fraction of a second instead of the footprints thing, as not everything would have footprints).

Blink is a short range teleport. In game, it can only go forward for the player character, for obvious reasons. For enemies and in the novel 'The Corroded Man', it can go in all directions, though Corvo notes using it to places he can't see sucks, as if there's something in the way, he gets a headache, and obviously he can't see behind him.

Domino was one I debated on, eventually getting it down to that, Mesmerize, and Shadow Walk, which are Emily exclusive powers in Dishonored 2, and all useful. Eventually, I realized I could make more narrative use of Domino, and thus picked it.)