Yaroslav places the sword before him, pointed down, so it forms a cross and bends one knee.
- I fell for greed when I was 8. I denied the way that called me, and fell for the way that promised me riches. I fell for wrath at the age of 12, when I insulted my parents and ran away from home, listenining neither reason speaking through their mouths nor myself. I fell for pride when I was 14, making up schemes against innocent people to promote myself. I fell for envy when I was 16 and aspired to take place of a man who taught me. I fell for lust at the age of 18, rejecting the one that loved me for the one I only desired with my flesh but not mind. I fell for sloth when I was 23 and tried to make easy money by lending my physical body instead of honest work I could have got.
All that was a big burden I carried, but now there is no reason to drag it along. Either my story will end down there, or another one will begin.
Thank you for hearing me out, brother Lars.
- I also have a blade of your fallen comrade, Jim. I will now carry it down to resist Haebi. Maybe you could help its previous owner guide me through divine powers.
Brother Lars smiles and puts his hand on Yaroslav's metal shoulder. "I hear your words, Brother, and feel a burden lifted from your heart. Put your faith in Steve and do as he wishes, and you will find redemption in fufilling his divine mandate."
Upon hearing the name Jim, Lars looked surprised. He leaned in for a closer look, then beamed. "Brother! You have been blessed with a divine artifact, it is certain! General Jim was a powerful angel of Steve, who has been called back to serve at the right hand of Steve. You should treasure that greatly, as it has been in the hands of someone wonderful."
He raised his arms. "O General Jim, I call out to you beyond the veil! May your hands guide the arm of Brother Yaroslav as he carries the weapon you have once touched!"
"I.. Had a dream.. A very strange dream, of a sheep with.. Seven? Nine eyes? I don't remember but.. It spoke of my sins. It said the sins of the father are the sins of the son..?" He sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "I don't know what to do."
Brother Lars leaned back a bit, a quizzical look appearing on his face. "Dreams can be a way for the gods to speak to man, to provide them a message of some type. This message can be instructions, guidance, a warning; many things. A sheep... and sins... it sounds familiar. I will need to pray on this one. I will get back to you when I have more guidance."
Brother Lars made a note on this request.Go to Lars:
"Will you bless me, my armor and weapon, Chaplain Lars?"
Brother Lars smiled again. "Certainly, Brother."
He lifted his arms in prayer. "O, spirits of the divine, I humbly request that you protect and guide Brother Bartholomew as he seeks to fulfill the will of Steve!"
Following this, he inscribed the Circle of Algis on the chestplate of his suit and the Arrow of Ingram on his Spektr.It is their cooperation that I seek, not opposition. By placing them equally in position of power over mind, I trust both of their competences, I let each god's powers augment the other one's - giving protection to sanity where unrestricted flow of information was meant to be, giving cautious knowledge where white-hot ignorance shielded the mind. I seek the synergy of their blessings.
I agree that praying first might be beneficial, but, as it happens, neither of us would have time for that before we both depart. ...I suppose that another way could be to combine their sigils into one, but therein lies even greater danger, I feel. Specifically, given their shapes, they possibly could be combined into an endlessly repeating pattern - one mark inside another, ad infinitum, so that no one holds dominance over the other - but while theoretically many magnitudes more powerful, this combined sigil poses the danger equal to the power it could hold. And that is not a real danger one can brave - I would accept that without hesitation; that is the danger of interpreting it in a completely wrong way, with the mark having none of the divine essence, inert, mundane and useless.
Yet, upon your advice... that might be the right way to do it, Friend Lars.
"I feel... danger in combining the sigils in that way. It is known that one can use them outside their intended effects- placing the mark of Sulf'ada-zon on flaming weapons does make them more effective- but doing so risks angering the gods or getting reprisal back upon yourself. I would advise against combining them, but I see no risk in placing them both on you besides the risks inherent in marking yourself with the symbol of Cog-azaon."
Brother Lars closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. "I feel that if you are willing to accept the dangers in placing such a mark on you, then you would be safe having them both on your head. I will certainly pray for your wellbeing in either case, friend."