[Complete] the Mana-Wilds #1: A Cataclysmic Conjunction

Chapter 6

"Tutoria..." Isaiah gently canvassed the Paladin. Having set himself a decent amount of space for a man of his stature on the group's brand-new traveling wagon.

The Aasimar maiden sat crossed-legged across the boxes of commandeered loots that now became David's riffraff of companions, or for lack of any better term, 'reformed' Team X-Ray. She had spent much of the day after they had defeated the Sandstorm and his Bandit Crew gently repairing the torn remnants of the holy book, the Birth of Light and Truth with a scavenged sewing kit. Or as gentle as a young neophyte lass like her could carefully repair the religious text with her calloused hands: Several pricks from clumsily held needles had allowed a few droplets of blood to fall upon the book. The skittish Tutoria frantically wiped off her blood from the text just as much of her vibrant emerald, gold, and coral colored hair was being pulled off.

"Y-Yes..." Tutoria sighed as she placed the half-repaired book aside atop of its bookstand whilst the still loose pages of the Sandstorm's doing lay about neatly by her side.

"Me... never gotch'e chance. But, whose dis 'Seren-Ray' you'n yer brothu'r talk 'bou?" Isaiah asked.

The Paladin gave out a gentle smile as she strafed carefully closer to him.

"Sarenrae the Dawnflower, the Healing Flame, the Everlight." She corrected the Hillbilly's lisps. "She's a Goddess worshipped by many people who share her compassionate light to all those who have been lost, the abandoned, and the sick. Us Disciples of her... w-w-e... we were tasked to defend the weak and the dying from those who seek to harm them or bring evils to the world." Tutoria's head grimaced with every word she spoke, her mind still echoing the destruction of her Monastery.

"Sister... it's okay..." Tomos who he and David were stationed at the Wagon's Jockey seat reached out to her whilst the Old Ranger handled the reins of the wagon.

"I know... but... I... we... must keep their memory alive. To keep the Faith... our light that shone in the darkness. Her word must be shared, otherwise, all is lost." Tutoria answered.

"Protect the Weak and the Dying. Sure does look like it... before the Sandstorm showed up." David added.

Tutoria reddened in disgust by the Ranger's casual disregard, but before she could lash out, Isaiah arose there aside, not reading the room in the wagon had begun to suddenly turn sour.

"Jus' like us Rangers too!" Isaiah glowed brightly. "We also help 'defend der weak' an'other such helpless folks too Dave." He turned to his superior.

"Yeah..." David gave a choking cough as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Rangers you say? Like from Nirmathas?" Tutoria asked. Her temper lowered for now, if only for her brother's sake.

"Sister, you do remember they are Otherworlders right?" Tomos corrected her.

"Oh..." Tutoria stood, corrected. "But where do you come from?" she breathed deeply.

A fight now is just going to cause more anguishes for her, her brother, and Sarenrae. So, she will indulge in those Heathen's inquiries.

"Me? I lived in a place called Arizona. Scorching and sandy land such as yours... but... with more monsters at least what I am seeing here in Qadira now." David replied.

"Colorado." Isaiah asked. "Steeltown born'an raised. Muh mama taught me howda' build shit, destroy shit, repair shit... all the works. Cold and Mountains everywhere... nothin' like Dave's place. Oh and a bunch ugly piece'o shits all over I sometimes need to shoot at."

"You are very far from home indeed then." Tomos pushed the conversation along. "Do you Rangers have trees where you come from?"

"Not much." David pouted. "But I have been to Colorado. Way much more trees there. Some staying ever-green. Others withered... but it's all fine there. Then there was Elysium, where Desna took me and Isaiah over, the trees there can tal... ACHOO!" David sneezed as the Butterfly the Song of Spheres had gifted to him hovered around him playfully.