Loch shared surprised expressions with Randall and Lacey, but still managed to keep quiet. Several of the other children who were lined up couldn't help but break out into excited whispers, with their voices rising gradually until the mess hall was filled with the noise of chatter. Mother Leanne allowed the children a moment to get the excited jitters out of their system before she held up a hand. Most of the children who were talking quieted down after seeing the hand, but a couple of them were too engrossed in their conversations and continued to chatter. "Quiet." Mother Leanne snapped, shutting down all conversations in a heartbeat.
"I understand you're all excited, but we have limited time and there are a few things I must make clear to you all." With those words from Mother Leanne, the couple of children left, who looked to be still in a daydreaming daze, landed their full attention back on the tall woman. "I want everyone here to understand that regardless of what the people coming offer you. You've every right to reject them. I am your guardian and under the law of the council, no one can force you into any of their services. You should not worry though, the people coming are highly respected in their field and would not bear the shame of people knowing they forced orphaned children into their service." Although Mother Leanne reassured them at the end, her first couple of sentences managed to make many of the children more worried than excited.
"Most of the people coming represent a certain group, and accepting their endorsement or joining their ranks comes with certain obligations. If any one of you are confused by something they say or if you don't feel comfortable questioning the representatives, come to me and I'll help you. Once again, though, I can assure you I have personally vetted the people coming and the groups they represent, so there will be no such thing as being forced into indentured service or the like. You're not criminals; you are my children. Your future is for you to decide and you alone," Mother Leanne said, making eye contact with each child, spending a little longer on the children who looked more nervous than excited.
What Loch, who was listening with rapt attention along with his group, felt was odd, was when Mother Leanne made eye contact with him. He could have sworn she gave him a little smirk. He looked to his friend Randall to see if the boy also saw the weird gesture from the woman but saw his friend was currently staring at the ceiling with a serious, thinking expression on his face. 'My imagination?' Loch thought, before returning his focus back on Mother Leanne, who began speaking again, "Just try your best to treat today just like another adoption day. Now, I can still see that a few of you are skeptical about this sudden recruitment drive. Although, I wish I could give you all a lot more details, but just know that it was due to outside pressures that have caused this sudden development. Whether this turns out to be a hidden problem or not, I don't know. Today, however, is far too good of an opportunity for your children to pass up because of what-ifs. You all may think that being born in the Shambles is like a bird stuck in a cage, but it is also a shield as well. A lot of the troubles of the outside world don't touch this sanctuary of ignorance. But with the blessings of the Earth, I believe this is the preordained opportunity that many of you should grasp. Okay, that's about as much time as we have. It's time to smarten up. I can hear them coming. Put away your fears and just remember what I've taught you about addressing people of higher station." Mother Leanne said, then turned towards the entrance of the hall.
One of the cooks, who also worked as a part-time tutor to the children of the orphanage, entered into the mess hall followed by six unfamiliar adults. Each one appeared different in so many aspects; Loch even felt their very presence spoke of something different. As he looked over them, he found his mind subconsciously producing a sight or smell in conjunction with the physical presence. It was almost as if each one radiated a signature. This was something that Loch had never experienced before, and it distracted his senses for a moment. Once the adults arrived in front of Mother Leanne each greeted her before doing anything else. They all treated her with equal amounts of politeness and respect. The sight of which made many of the children, who were a bundle of nerves at the appearance of the adults, relax a little. It also caused them to raise their little chests in pride at seeing the way the way the other adults treated their guardian. Mother Leanne said a few words to each of the adults in turn and then gestured to the children lined up against the wall.
Each adult took a turn marching up and down the line of children, looking them over with a critical eye. A couple of the adults took a little longer on some children over others, but never more than a few seconds. Two of the adults showed friendly smiles when passing the children, like a blonde-haired woman dressed in a priest's robes and a jolly looking rotund middle-aged man. The others appeared serious, but not in a bad way. One of the adults, however, scared the children with just his piercing gaze. He literally marched up and down the line and looked to have a face that was set in a permanent scowl. The man looked as if he was a giant in front of the children, a true mountain of a man. He also stopped in front of many of the children and, with his large hands, he prodded and squeezed the children's arms and shoulders. When the muscle-clad man arrived in front of Loch, he paused and simply stared into Loch's eyes for several seconds. Loch didn't feel the same intimidation the other children showed at this man's presence and just stared back. The middle-aged man didn't say anything and after raising one bushy eyebrow in return to Loch's almost confrontational glance, he then began poking and prodding the rest of his group, except for Lacey and then returned to the other adults next to Mother Leanne.
"Alright, now that you've all had a chance to look over the kids, I think it's best we get started. Mother Jessene, as we previously discussed, you can go first. I do want to remind all of you though, if you are both interested in a certain child, we will address it after and the final decision will be left with the child. There will be no bullying or forced measures of any kind inside these walls." Mother Leanne said, with each adult silently nodding in agreement to her words. Only the rotund, jolly man spoke up as well, as he let loose a belly laugh and said, "Have no fear, Mother Leanne, we're not like those crazed men of Crescent city. The children have nothing to worry about. This is simply an opportunity to reach greater heights, nothing more." Mother Leanne gave the large man a critical look after he finished speaking, but it didn't deter the huge grin from his face. It was only when the frowning, straight-backed man standing behind the rotund man muttered quite loudly, "Typical Merchant." The rotund man's smile slipped but returned so fast that if one wasn't paying close attention, one wouldn't notice.
Before any more words could be spoken on the matter, Mother Leanne gestured to the children while looking at the blonde woman, who maintained her gentle smile. The woman nodded and walked to the middle of the line of children. She was dressed in somewhat familiar garments to the children. They were the classic full-body brown priest's robe, with a hood pulled down behind them. The difference between these robes and the one the priest wears when coming to the orphanage on Earth Day was the silver trim running along the stitching and the small insignia of a three-branched tree over the heart. She held her hands together inside her large sleeves and stood in front of the children with a motherly air around her. Loch received an image of a blurry-faced woman embracing several sick people and small children when he looked at her for several seconds. He didn't quite understand what the image meant exactly, but he felt as if the woman's aura carried a very gentle and compassionate feeling to it.
"Hello children. May your steps be blessed upon the Earth. My name is Mother Jessene. I'm in charge of all new acolytes joining our Cleric Hall here in Emyprium. Even though we are merely a branch of the Church of the Earth, our Arch-Bishop holds one of the seats on the Council and can also directly engage with his grace, Monarch Sepharim. I mention this just so you are aware that our standing in this city is not light. I've come here today to see if there are a few among you who hold the faith in your hearts strong enough to withstand our trials and are also willing to follow me back to the Cleric Hall. Due to a recent need in bolstering our sacred ranks, the Arch Bishop has decided to expand our yearly trainee intake, which has allowed me to be able to grant you this significant opportunity." Mother Jessene's voice was as smooth as velvet as she addressed the children. She never stopped smiling, but her eyes were always watching, searching, testing.
There appeared to be only two children among the other orphans who looked to be completely encapsulated with the idea of serving the church of the Earth. Most of the others looked uninterested. The majority of the children raised in the orphanage, due to their circumstances, they were reticent to the idea of training to be a cleric. From their own experiences, they knew the church's priests to be people who were poor and worked for basically nothing. Living slightly lesser than they were now. The gathered children were expecting this recruitment drive to be their chance at a step up in life. From all they have seen, joining the church of the Earth was a step down. Mother Jessene, apparently seeing the disinterested faces of most of the children, continued her spiel, going into more details about the church and a 'real' cleric's duties.
"I'm happy to see there are already two lovely children who hold the Earth in great esteem already." Mother Jessene said as she pointedly looked towards a boy and girl who were next to each other and staring at the robed priestess with shining eyes. "And I also see that many of you are believers but don't hold much want to enter our hallowed halls. I understand that many of you have only come in contact with the church doctrine from the local Father and will have many misconceptions about the duties of the church. I will first say that the Cleric Hall is much more than just a training center for simple priests. Our blessed Church can be found in all nine cities of humanity, with our largest center being in Bastion. Where his eminence the Pope reigns and shields all his flock from the perils of the Death Cap Mountains. Bastion, being the first city of Humanity to be completely purged of the Taint infested Fiends and where the Divine ascended, makes it a beacon to all the people of our world. And it is in our blessed work that we are given the opportunity to share that light with all the ones living in the shadows." Just as Mother Jessene looked to be about to exult all the children of the great power and wonder of her church, Mother Leanne coughed softly, bringing the smiling woman up short.
"Apologies. You're not gathered here for a history lesson. I let the topic get away from me when talking about our sacred duties." The only other woman of the group, who held a short, lithe form, interrupted Mother Jessene with a not so quiet mutter, "When don't you mudslingers get carried away?" A sharp look from Mother Leanne appeared to cow the woman, who Loch thought had quite an arrogant air to her. Loch, now focusing on her, began to gather an odd sense from her general form and bearing. After a few seconds, a picture of a beautiful rose covered in far too many thorns filled his mind, disappearing when he looked away from her.
Mother Jessene appeared not to take the woman's words to heart and just gave her a smile, which appeared to annoy the thorny woman even more. Mother Jessene turned back to the children and started to explain of the cleric hall in more detail. "Now, back to some of the duties of the Clerics Hall under the Church of the Earth. We have a need for many different types of people invested in faith, not just Earth Day sermoners. We have three main halls and a lot of sub halls as well. I won't go into all of them, though, as that will take all day, but I will tell you a little about the three main halls. Our largest and most popular hall is the Healer's Hall. I am sure all of you have heard about the wondrous things our trained healers are capable of. They don't just study general medical knowledge though, there are also a lot of Healers who dedicate themselves, not to direct patient care but to the study of alchemy." This got a few more of the gathered children wielding interested expressions than before. Mother Jessene nodded to herself seeing this and continued, "The second most popular of new trainees is the Hall of the Bulwark."
The children shared confused looks between each other after hearing the title of the second main hall. The only one who appeared to have heard of the name before was the boy from the two children who Mother Jessene had already pointed out as being one of the devoted. His already shining eyes and reverent expression morphed into what could only be called a look of fanaticism when she mentioned the Hall of the Bulwark. "The Hall of the Bulwark is where the devoted are trained to be the great protectors of the Church and Humanity. Although the Hall itself is not that well known to the general populace, I do believe that many of you would have heard stories about one of the most popular vocations trained in the Hall of the Bulwark. Paladin." Several of the children gasped in surprise at the famous name from many a fairytale book. The paladin, in the stories, was almost always described as a great battle-hardened hero who faced off against all manner of evil. Smiting them with their holy weapons, while clad in glorious armour of gold and silver and atop mighty steeds.
The blonde woman didn't continue to explain about the Hall of the Bulwark, just like any good salesman she left them hungry for more. Mother Jessene then continued her pitch, "The third main hall has the smallest amount of members, but that isn't for lack of willing trainees. It's because of the need for one to be truly blessed by the Earth to be able to enter the hall. This Hall is called the Hall of Growth and the trainees lucky enough to enter are called Sowers. They hold the most sacred duty of the Church upon their shoulders and are directly responsible for the reason we can live in a city with next to no Taint infestation. They also have another name to the layman that you may have heard of, Purifiers." If before, many of the children showed a child's excitement at the name of the weapon-wielding heroes, the Paladins, they almost bowed down in worship at the name Purifiers. The only children who didn't appear to be impressed at this sacred-sounding title were Loch and his roommates. With even Randall curling his lip at the name.
The ever observant Mother Jessene, noticed the children at the end of the line on her right and their nonplussed expressions. After a brief golden flash flickered in the center of her eyes, a clear look of pity came across her face. The sight made Randall scowl even harder towards the blonde woman, while Loch, who held a neutral expression up to that point, was left confused, and a subtle feeling of anger welled up inside of him. He wasn't angry at the piteous look the woman gave him and his friends. He had received them multiple times over the years and had become numb to them. No, what he felt anger towards was the hidden wave of disgust and revulsion the blonde woman's aura had been enveloped with for a split second when she gazed at the group. Nobody else had appeared to notice anything, as her face showed the same gentle smile she had been holding the whole time, but Loch, who was constantly paying attention to the auras of everyone in the room, felt her intense feeling of disgust in that moment. It was as if she had just stepped in a pile of rotten feces and needed to wipe them off quickly.
Loch felt anger at the sight, because he knew that wave of repulsion was in direct correlation at just the sight of him and his friends. He looked at the other adults and Mother Leanne, but saw no reactions from any of them. He didn't really expect one from Mother Leanne, even though the woman had shown more expressions that day than she had his entire time in the orphanage, he still thought that she may have also felt the slip in the blonde woman's aura, considering he hadn't met a person yet that could hide something from the tall woman's razorsharp eyes. Loch's gaze passed the straight back middle aged man with the etched in frown and for a second he could have sworn that the man's frown was slightly deeper, with it even directed to the back of Mother Jessene's head. The middle-aged man must have felt Loch's gaze on him because he snapped his gunmetal grey eyes at the boy and only turned back away when Loch swiftly diverged his attention elsewhere.
"Thank you, Mother Jessene. That is enough for now. The children still interested in your Cleric Hall, after hearing from the other representatives, will be sent to you to interview individually." Mother Leanne said, with Mother Jessene smiling back and bowing her head slightly in response. The blonde woman took up a spot behind Mother Leanne, who was gesturing towards the rotund man with the jovial air. Patting his sizeable belly, the man's cheeks wobbled as he took large but smooth steps towards the middle of the line of children. "Well, aren't you all fine specimens of the younger generation. A true testament to the fantastic care and attention given by her most esteemed self, Mother Leanne. My name is Luke Cromen, but I would prefer that you all call me Uncle Luke. I belong to the great and industrious Merchant Union. Also found in all nine cities of our blessed land." He said the last part with a cheeky wink towards Mother Jessene, getting a snort from a well-dressed gentleman standing between the two in return.
"Although I'm part of the Merchants Union. Only a select few in the Union, and not myself, technically work for them. I am merely one of the many cogs that make up the Union's large industrial machine. I am the owner of what is called a Chamber of Commerce in our fine city of Empyrium. We're called the Silviana Chambers, due to our predominant business in Silvian Mining. Now, have any of you heard of a Chamber of Commerce before or even what they do?" Luke Cromen finished his opening with a question, gazing up and down the line of children. Loch felt that the jovial man also had a sharp gaze much like Mother Jessene, but he seemed less evasive and more weighing. The man's aura didn't carry a picture like Mother Jessene had to Loch but instead conjured the sound of tinkling coins and the elation Loch had felt when he had suddenly received a handful of the precious iron bits from Tobias.
After waiting several moments and gazing at the line of silent children, Luke Cromen smiled and answered his own question, "A Chamber of Commerce is much like a noble family, but without the title of nobility. They come in all shapes and sizes, like a collection of business owners coming together to put it all under one banner, to strengthen their position before breaking into a new market. Or like mine, which is owned by one family, and passed down through that family. We've several distinguished individuals and Noble houses who invest in our Chamber, but we have the final say on what industries we invest and operate in." Luke Cromen paused for a moment to make sure the children were following. Some of the younger kids appeared a little lost, but even the ones who had questions appeared too nervous to voice them and stayed silent.
Luke, seeing this, decided to continue first before picking out the children he thought appeared receptive to his words. A few, he could tell, clearly had questions. "A Chamber of Commerce, one could say, has more freedom than several of the other institutions who have come here today. We don't follow a very strict doctrine, and depending on your individual duties, we prioritize profit and efficiency. Some may see this as immoral, but we of the Merchants Union know that without profit and the natural human want for more, we would not have had risen so far on just the whims of altruism. There is nothing wrong with serving one's city state as a sense of duty but also expecting to be reimbursed in some way for the sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears you had put in."
The more Luke Cromen talked, the more Loch felt as if the man had a brighter sense of piety than the previous holy Mother had. There were no hidden meanings in his words. Luke had stated clearly that he chased profit above all else and it appeared he wanted the people who he recruited to share that same want. One of the preteens, near the middle of the line of children, slowly raised his hand. The child had a wiry frame and a pair of old round spectacles. He had a pale complexion and carried the air of one who preferred to stay inside and read. Luke Cromen, seeing the raised hand, pointed to the boy with a friendly grin. "Yes, lad. You have a question?" The kid appeared surprised that he was addressed for a moment and gulped loudly when everyone in the room focused on him. "Umm. Sir, I was just curious... in what way would we be able to help... your commerce... chamber?"
The man didn't appear to mind the slow and mumbled way the boy talked and simply patted his belly with a laugh. "That's a good question, young man. The main reason I'm here, is that I'm looking for bright and especially hungry young people to join our trainee merchant ranks. My Chamber has recently established a new headquarters in the lake city of Briar and because of that we've found ourselves in great need of new talents here in Empyrium. We don't have strict requirements for our trainees, just a general knowledge of writing and arithmetic, but most of all, we require a person to have the drive to want more in their life. And, without trying to sound harsh, I believe that as children orphaned and alone, some of you would have the ambition to strive for a greater life. Also, I've been told by Mother Leanne that all the children under her care are taught writing and general arithmetic, which some of you may already know is quite rare for many of the children in the Shambles."
The spectacled boy's eyes, who previously had his hand up, took on a calculating glint after hearing Luke Cromen's answer. Several of the other older kids appeared to be deep in thought after the man's words. Another child, this one a younger girl of nine or ten, who had the look of one unafraid of strangers, put her hand up. After Luke Cromen gestured to her, she asked, "Mother Jessene has already mentioned there is the opportunity to learn warrior skills in the Hall of the Bulwark. Does your place have something like that?"
"Another good question. The answer is both a yes and a no. You see, being a merchant organization, who deals in all manner of trade but predominantly the making of arms and armaments, we do have close ties to the Knightly brotherhoods, The Cabin of Hunters and even the local guard forces and armed companies of the Noble peerage. Majority of the time, though, besides our own small contingent of guards for our high-end stores and warehouses, we enlist the help of the other organizations when we need a more... let's say physical approach. For example, when we send one of our many caravans out of the safety of the walls and to another city-state, we will hire an independent group to ensure the safety of our people and the goods. Although we are powerful in regard to our acquired wealth and connections, we are not in the business of training warriors. I'll be honest and say that if you are in pursuit of solely personal physical power, then a couple of the other representatives would be a better choice than my Chamber." Luke Cromen said, while pointing towards the other men and women behind him.
Silence followed the answer; some children slowly retracted their upraised hands. Mother Leanne, seeing it as a good time to move on, thanked Luke Cromen and asked for the man behind him to step forward. This man was dressed in a neat light blue uniform that Loch only just recognized when the man stood in front of the group. It was similar to the underclothes he had seen the local guard patrol wear under their breastplates, but this man's uniform appeared to be of a slightly higher cut and quality. It also looked freshly cleaned and pressed, with no wrinkle in sight. The man had ordinary features, neither too tall nor small, although he did appear fit. He had a clean-shaven face and short brown hair. He had a calm look about him and the image of a sturdy brick wall was conjured in Loch's mind when he focused on the man.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Officer Ichabold of the City Guard of Empyrium. We are under direct administration of the Nest and beholden to no one but the council and his majesty the King. We are looking for recruits to join our ranks, to one day be part of our honorable forces, to keep this city safe from all threats, within and without. I will not go into much detail, as I am sure that you have all heard and seen about the duty of the city Guard in one way or another. In-conjunction with what Mister Cromen has said, the city guard also realized the need in all our people for a brighter future. On my honor, I can say that all recruits, once finished with basic training, are directly bestowed a place of residence in the Stem district, and depending on rank, years of service, and meritorious deeds in the line of duty, you can also be bestowed a place in the Crown district. That is all I'll say for now." The man, like any good soldier, did an about-face after one nod at the gathered children and took position behind Mother Leanne. The woman, as if she expected the brief introduction from the Officer, indicated to the last woman left, who had laughed at Mother Jessene previously.
The kids were still excitedly chattering to each other over the idea of living in the rumored glamorous clean streets of the inner city when the lithe woman stepped forward. Her air appeared like a mirage to Loch's eyes, like she was there but not there. Her very being gave Loch the sensation of a mystery he couldn't grasp. Even though Loch thought the woman looked snobbish, he couldn't argue with the fact she clearly held a certain grace. With her pointed chin held in the air. She had long, straight, black hair draped on either shoulder. Her brown eyes looked to spark and swirl while she gazed over every child. Some of the children had focused on her when she stepped forward, but a lot of the children were trapped in their own conversations and unintentionally ignored her presence. She held up her manicured hand, and with a snap of her fingers, a bang issued out. Although the action appeared soft, the sound wave penetrated through all other sounds, causing the children to hone in on the woman with renewed vigor.
"My name is Sorceress Daniella of the Glint Tower. Unlike the others, most of the details related to the group I represent are secrets only for the initiated. Our requirements are also a lot stricter, and there are only three children that I can see here who have the possibility of joining our illustrious tower." When Daniella said that, her deep brown eyes locked in on two young boys, who looked like siblings, at the end of the line and then right at Loch's group. Specifically, she stared at Lacey's hunched figure, giving the girl a small fright as she leaned into Randall's side further. The bald boy grimaced at the woman and protectively stepped in front of Lacey. Even when her penetrating gaze caused a feeling of pressure to fall on his shoulders, he only winced slightly and returned the heated stare. Loch took a small step to the side and stood right in front of Lacey and Randall, blocking the woman's vision of the pair. She raised one of her carefully sculpted brows when she crossed gazes with Loch and gave him a small smile before turning back to Mother Leanne.
"I wish to speak to these three children alone. You can be present, of course, but what I have to offer and say to them is for their ears only." Daniella said, and after getting a nod in reply from Mother Leanne, after she gazed over Loch's group for a brief second again, she took up position behind Mother Leanne. This left only one person who hadn't addressed the children. It was the muscular man, with his frowning face covered in a bushy black beard. He wore simple brown clothes that almost looked similar to the clothes Loch had been wearing before Mother Leanne gave him his new set. The man strode forward, his momentum powerful. His thick, mountainous figure appeared to get larger with every step until, when he was standing in front of the gathered children, he looked as if he towered above them all.
"My Name is Knight Captain Maxwell of the Bullhorn Brotherhood. I'm currently looking for Squires to join our Brotherhood in the hope of raising them into qualified and upstanding Knights. I require nothing from you but the determination to always push forward. Physical readiness, weapon skills, and knowledge of knighthood are not required. All I'm looking for are the ones who have the grit to be knocked down and get up again. We call ourselves Knights, but at the end of the day, we are warriors. Anywhere there is a battle, that is where you will find us. Anywhere a city state needs to break ground into a new area of Fiend-filled territory, you will find a brotherhood of Knights. At the completion of training and the successful qualification to address oneself as a first grade Knight, you will be given the Noble title of Baron. Although it's not a hereditary title, it still allows one to purchase property in the second ring of any one of the nine city-states of Aegis. A further rise in Chivalry rank will also mean an increase in the rank of Noble peerage." The Knight Captain said plainly. His voice was not rising or falling, just sitting at an even cadence, deep and powerful.
The children's little heads almost exploded in excitement at the words. A Noble title came with so many special privileges, and to them, it appeared something so far out of reach that it wasn't even something they thought was possible. In their minds, only one born of the so-called 'richer blood' would be able to count themselves among the glorious ranks of the Nobles. Knight Captain cared not for the children's sudden chatter and barreled on. "In saying that, it does not mean becoming a Conclave-approved Knight is easy. I will tell you now that a lot of the longtime members of the Brotherhoods are Tier Two and Three Squires. Becoming a Knight requires not just luck and a small modicum of talent, but most of all hard, hard work. That is all. Thank you for your time."
The man turned and, like a moving mountain, entered the line behind Mother Leanne, the other adults subconsciously making way for the wall of muscle. Mother Leanne took a step forward and approached the children. "I also wanted to let you all know something each one of the people behind me had forgotten to mention, but I find necessary to say. Each of the adults had not only grown up right here in the Shambles, they were also once occupants of this very orphanage, just like you." The children appeared to take a collective breath at these words before staring at the gathered adults with an entirely different look in their eyes. There were many things happening that morning that sent their little worlds spinning, but Mother Leanne's words about the adults' past seemed to have finally broken their minds. Even Loch's group was looking at each other in surprise.
"Alright. Settle down and listen. I've arranged for places upstairs for each of the Adults to be able to talk to you independently and to answer any questions you have privately. I will give you all fifteen minutes to discuss before I take you one by one upstairs to discuss if any of the offers interest you." Mother Leanne said, indicating behind her for the adults to follow her towards the stairs. Once Mother Leanne and the adults had left, the room exploded in noise as the children gathered into multiple groups, discussing among each other about what was said and sharing their skepticism about some of the finer points. Loch and his group also began to discuss with each other.