The Divine Summoner: Godson of Altima

by Antony W. F. Chow

  Next, the heir teleported to his private farm and examined the condition of his crops. He secretly observed his farmers and confirmed they worked diligently. The owner decided to give his employees a bonus at year-end in appreciation for their dedication.

  Luka took five barrels of soybeans from the storehouse and left a signed note informing the supervisor. Luka wanted to bring the crops as trade bait during his voyage across Izan.

  The noble then teleported to Tirli City to do last minute shopping because Luka was most familiar with its stores. He purchased several hundred arrows and a longbow because Luka wished to avoid using his elven bow and create a commotion.

  Luka also bought a longsword, two daggers, and two knives as backup weapons for the trip. Although Luka could use Spatial Blade, he preferred not to disclose his spatial magic to unfamiliar bodyguards, which the pope would assign and accompany Luka. Frankly, he hoped that Matty would come along, but the young man might be preoccupied with other church duties.

  Luka went to the Merchant Association and exchanged most of his unprocessed gold ore into currency -- 250,000 gold coins, to be exact. While he incurred a hefty 20% processing fee for this transaction, Luka needed to bring enough money to carry out noblesse oblige for his trip.

  As the heir of a duke's house, Luka must spend money freely in various villages. He would embarrass his family name if he suddenly ran out of cash. While Luka could go home and ask the steward for money, the heir preferred not to since Luka grabbed a pile of soybeans already. He didn't want the steward to view Luka as a greedy person.

  Moreover, Luka couldn't neglect his noble duty because the escorts would report his expenditures. He assumed that the church would assign guards to accompany him, and his mother might add some knights to his group as well. Either way, Luka must act appropriately during the trip since he represented both the Divine Church of Light and the Heavensfell duke house. The only saving grace was that his dual roles were unlikely to conflict with each other.

  The final destination for Luka's shopping trip was Fidget's Alchemist Shop. He purchased a dozen healing and magic recovery potions each plus another half-dozen cure poison bottles. Urquina was supposed to buy some on his behalf, but Luka felt he needed to carry extra for unforeseeable situations.

  While in Tirli City, the mage disgusted his physical appearance with magic to make himself look older. Luka did this to avoid surveillance on his activities. After all, the kingdom would place many agents and spies in a town catering to this school. The church would do likewise to counter the kingdom's influence here.

  Once Luka finalized his purchases, he grabbed some meat skewers at the food stand for his pets and quietly teleported back to Lumina City. The mage was pleasantly surprised he could magically enter and leave the city. But it made sense because few spatial mages existed in Zaleron. Therefore, the church leadership didn't recognize the danger of enemy casters infiltrating the fortress.

  Moreover, the organization relied on teleportation to transport personnel between the churches in the kingdom and Lumina. As long as the church placed sufficient guards to protect the magical portals, the organization's enemies couldn't threaten Lumina.

  When Luka returned to the guesthouse, he saw Urquina standing outside his bedroom.

  "Welcome home, young master. I obtained the items you requested; they are on your desk," she said as the servant executed a proper curtsy.

  "Thank you, Urquina. I will check your procurement immediately," he replied and entered the room. Luka quickly examined the items on his desk and nodded. "Yes, you got everything I needed. Excellent work," he praised.

  "You're very welcome, young master. Please allow me to draw your bath," she requested politely.

  "Yes, go ahead." Luka freshened up with her assistance and changed into his aristocratic garments. Then he went to the dining hall to join his mother for the evening meal. When he entered, Luka saw a man and a woman sitting to her right.

  "You're here, Luka. I hired this couple to accompany your journey. Izan is their hometown, and they will guide you," Juliette said.

  The couple stood up and introduced themselves. "Hello, I'm Dagobert, and this is my wife, Hildru. We are honored to serve as your guides, young master."

  "I'm Luka Heavensfell, heir of the Heavensfell duke house and a church apprentice. The pope assigned me to serve as a visiting healer in Izan," Luka replied. He saw that the guides were in their mid-twenties. Dagobert had dark tanned skin and broad shoulders. He wore hard leather armor and seemed to be a warrior-type. Hildru, on the other hand, possessed a scholarly aura as her skin was pale, and she wore thick glasses. Also, Luka sensed the essence of fire and ice emanating from her small body.

  As they ate, the guests discussed the travel itinerary, which the duchess had already settled. Luka listened politely until the speakers finished their dialogue. "Mother, did you confirm these plans with the pope?" he asked pointedly. Luka assumed that his godfather also had specific expectations for this journey.

  Juliette took a big sip of wine before she answered. "I don't think the pope himself should make arrangements for a mere church apprentice. As long as you execute your church duties and perform miracles in public, he should be satisfied," she retorted.

  The guides were caught off-guard by her frank answer because they just realized the duchess was using them as tools in a power struggle with the church over her son. However, the couple couldn't back out now without incurring her wrath. Thus, Dagobert and Hildru remained silent.

  Luka noticed their discomfort and smiled politely. "Pope Demetrius is also my godfather; he might have some preferred destinations in mind. Anyway, we can discuss this tomorrow morning."

  Chapter 93

  Izan (Part 1)

  Pope Demetrius arrived early the next morning with extra guards. When the duchess introduced Dagobert and Hildru as guides for the trip, the pope politely requested a private meeting inside Juliette's office.

  The two hunched over a map and intensely negotiated on Luka's travel itinerary before agreeing to a dozen destinations over the next two weeks.

  Luka released his pets to wander around the driveway while the templars watched. He was surprised and disappointed to learn that Matty wouldn't come along this time.

  The guards all possessed stern miens and declined to talk to Luka. Instead, the men spent the free time polishing their armor pieces or sharpening their weapons.

  Luka took a cue from them and used the time to practice his magic. His routine of stabbing his finger and casting Advance Cure on himself drew surprised stares.

  The pope had made the guards aware of Luka's identity as Altima's Godson and urged the escorts to treat him properly. But they never expected this young lad to possess the magic proficiency of an archbishop! The watchers secretly counted how many healing spells Luka cast. When the number reached double digits with no sign of him stopping, the templars soon realized that Luka's magical power was more than their group combined!

  [These pigs are staring at you.] Bel shared his observation.

  "Be nice," Luka chided while continuing his practice.

  After a while, Juliette and Demetrius finally came out of the house. The duchess quietly handed a slip of paper to Dagobert and said, "This is the revised travel plans."

  The guide examined the list and nodded. Dagobert was familiar with these sites, and his mind quickly worked to determine the best route to hit these spots. He turned toward the pope with a request. "Your Holiness, can we begin the journey by visiting Sorrel's church?" he asked.

  Demetrius nodded his approval. "You may." The pope turned to his guards and selected some to accompany Luka. "The following templars will escort Luka for the duration of his journey: Janyn, Yve, Fulke, and Serle. The senior knight among you will serve as captain. Luka Heavensfell will have the final word over which sites to visit, but you may act independently to ensure his safety."

  Demetrius considered sending more escorts but ultimately decided against it because the
villagers would become leery if too many knights accompanied Luka. And if the commoners were scared off, no one would approach the apprentice to seek treatment from Luka, thereby defeating the whole purpose of Luka's assignment.

  "Yes, Your Holiness!" The templars bent a knee to him.

  The pope entered his carriage and asked Luka to join him. Once the door closed, Luka looked out the window and waved goodbye to his mother.

  Demetrius noticed the teenager's sadness and tried to cheer him up. "This journey is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn about your family heritage."

  "How so?" Luka asked with curiosity.

  "Izan was the primary battlefield for the war against the Netherese invaders. It was also where your late father sacrificed his life to expel our enemies from Zaleron," the pope revealed.

  Luka was shocked because he knew nothing about Izan except that it was part of his dukedom.

  "Fifteen years ago, Izan was a prosperous province with fertile farmland and a rich forest full of game. Somehow, a portal appeared connecting to the Netherverse, and invaders poured out like ants from an anthill. They quickly overwhelmed your duchy's defenders. The kingdom mobilized troops to contain the invasion, but the remoteness of Izan made it difficult to amass our soldiers. For every knight we brought in, two invaders came out of the tunnel. Even worse, some of our fallen turned into undead and attacked the living."

  "As a temporary measure, we retreated and then used Lumina to attack the enemy position in hopes of destroying the portal. The results were mixed. While we managed to cut through a wide swath of the opposing army, we failed to eliminate the portal."

  "A research group quickly entered the field to examine the gateway and learned it possessed both magic and physical resistances. Additionally, the gate's creator applied a dark coating to reduce light damage. That's why Lumina's energy attack, which channeled and amplified sunlight toward a target area, didn't work. Hacking at it with swords wouldn't destroy it either. The only method left to us was Altima's divine power. But that required sacrificing Tsunka's life to activate."

  "The Divine Church began to argue over the merits of this plan. One faction believed that we must destroy the portal no matter the cost. But the problem was that while your mother was pregnant, there was no assurance that you would be born into the world safely. If the Heavensfell line ended with Tsunka, then Zaleron would not survive the next invasion. That's why many people opposed sacrificing your father."

  "Unfortunately, the Netherese forces began to pour out of the gateway again. Including our dead people turning into undead, they amassed 10,000,000 troops fighting against 1,000,000 living defenders, including conscripted soldiers. Finally, your father decided to take action to reduce further casualties on our side. I stood nearby when Tsunka summoned Altima and offered his life to fuel her divine magic. In response, she promised him that the Heavensfell line would continue, and his wife would survive childbirth. Your dad died with a happy smile on his face."

  "After the war ended, the church endeavored to recover the remains of our brave soldiers. We tried our best to identify the bodies and give each person a proper burial. Our organization also expended enormous resources to purify the land and prevent the dark energy from polluting the province and its inhabitants."

  "The third phase involved reclamation and making the land productive again. The church collaborated with your mother, who ascended to a duchess's rank by royal decree, to import rich soil from other parts of the kingdom. We planted trees and repopulated the wildlife. Due to our efforts, roughly a third of the Izan forest recovered."

  "Despite these moderate successes in our reclamation projects, few subjects were willing to migrate to Izan because they feared the land was cursed and crops wouldn't grow. The citizens also worried that the Netherese would return to Izan using undiscovered portals."

  "Your mother encouraged migration from other parts of the duchy by exempting taxes in Izan for twenty years. She also offered a ten gold per person bonus for each immigrant. Many commoners accepted her deal, and they created small villages near the forest. From the way that male guide of yours dresses and talks, I assume he grew up in Izan."

  The speaker took out a flask and drank water to quench his thirst. Pope Demetrius was glad to spend this time alone with Luka to explain the historical and personal relevance of Izan to his godson. "Do you have any questions?"

  Luka shook his head. Although the history books discussed the Netherese War, his mother never talked about it. Luka realized that she harbored some resentment towards the church for pressuring his dad to sacrifice his life to end the war. Frankly, her feelings were rational and reasonable. How many wives would willingly become widows?

  The carriage abruptly stopped before Luka could continue the conversation. Once the cabin door opened, he immediately climbed out and then assisted his godfather to exit. To Luka's surprise, the vehicle had stopped in front of a guard station!

  The pope noticed his expression and smiled. "Where did you expect us to go? You will go through a small portal and arrive directly at the primary church in Izan. From there, you will obtain transport to visit several locations within the province. Since this is an official church visit, it would be disgraceful for you to travel on foot. Now, let's go inside!" Demetrius ordered.

  Serle walked in front of the VIPs and entered the guard station. The knights saluted the templar captain, who reciprocated. They knelt before the pope as he passed through. Serle led the group to a small room with a portal at its center.

  A priest knelt and kissed the pope's hand. "Your Holiness!" he greeted and stood up.

  "Are the preparations ready, Deacon Freede?" the church leader inquired.

  "Yes, Your Holiness!" Freede replied. "We already contacted the Izan main branch in Sorrel, and they are ready for the mission's arrival. We set that church as the gateway's destination," he confirmed.

  "Good work!" Demetrius praised. He turned around to address Luka. "I hope you enjoy this trip to Izan. If something happens and your life is in danger, you must abandon everyone and return here immediately," he urged.

  Luka's brows rose. "Are you expecting this journey to be dangerous?" he asked cautiously.

  "No, but I've learned over the years to expect the unexpected. The guides and the guards are all responsible for your safety. They will readily offer their lives to execute this duty. But if you encounter a situation where the escorts can't protect you, you must run away. Your life is most precious to Zaleron, and you must learn to prioritize yourself above other considerations. That's what I want you to remember from this journey," the pope explained.

  "Okay," Luka nodded. He thought his godfather was a worrywart but declined to argue. The apprentice walked over to the gate and turned around to wave goodbye. Then Luka entered the portal and teleported to the Sorrel church. The visitor experienced brief disorientation before his vision recovered. Luka found himself inside a small, underground chamber.

  "We have been expecting you. My name is Sister Chenda, and I am the supervisor in charge of this church," the nun introduced herself.

  "I'm Luka, an apprentice assigned by the pope to serve as a visiting healer. Please take care of me," Luka replied politely and saluted. He saw an older, frail woman with shriveled skin and a small frame. But her light brown eyes shone with great intelligence and kindness.

  The nun suddenly extended her shaky hand and raised his chin. Chenda studied Luka's face for several heartbeats before she released him. "You have Tsunka's eyes and chin," the sister remarked and smiled.

  Luka quickly defended himself. "I wasn't trying to hide my identity as his son," he said. "I wish to focus on my duties as a visiting healer making his rounds within the province," Luka explained.

  Chenda raised her hand to stroke his head. "Did you know that I was the midwife presiding over your birth? This building was previously a military base for the Netherese War, and your mother insisted on being here to be close to her husband. After your dad's passing, she ga
ve birth to you at this site. I've longed to see you, and now my wish has been granted. Thank Altima!" The nun gave him a warm hug and kissed his cheek.

  Luka was startled by this revelation but carefully wrapped his arms around her small frame. He realized that his mother chose Izan specifically for him to meet Sister Chenda.

  In the background, Hildru wrapped her arm around her husband's waist while wiping her eyes. Neither guide was aware of the nun's unique connection to the Heavensfell family. This revelation made the Izan natives wonder what secrets the older residents here were hiding.

  When the nun finally released Luka, Chenda took his hand and led Luka on a quick tour of the church facilities. The main attraction was the rectangular-shaped, large chapel adorned with numerous stained windows along the walls depicting triumphs over the Netherese invasion.

  The ceiling was an atrium through which the sun brightened the chapel. The front held a life-sized marble sculpture of Altima. The statue depicted the goddess with her left hand raised to the sky while holding a book against her bosom. Altima's angel wings folded neatly behind her back.

  The sister knelt before the statue and began to pray.

  Luka did the same, and an invisible force sucked his soul into the divine realm!

  "Welcome back, Luka," Altima greeted with a friendly smile.

  "Hello, godmother," he replied. When Luka saw the replica at the chapel, he realized that he would see Altima again. Thus, Luka wasn't surprised when the goddess pulled his soul into her home.

  "I'm glad that you are visiting Izan. This location was the battlefield that decided Zaleron's fate fifteen years ago. As a member of the Heavensfell family and the son of Tsunka, you need to understand your heritage. So open your eyes and heart to remember those cherished sights and feelings you discover during this journey," Altima urged.

  Luka nodded. "I will."

  "Also, since you reached skill level 9 already in light magic, I must disclose something important. Once you max out your proficiency, you may use Divine Summoning to call me and borrow my power with one big exception: Holy Judgement. It is global-scale magic that requires your life to support its activation."