A Potion for a Paladin (Closed)

[The Preacher]

Valino could not help but listen closely to the words of the shopkeeper as he went on his passionate, pain filled tirade against the church and The Sway. So closely did those words mirrors the thoughts and feelings that the young man had been grappling with for months but had been able to speak of for fear of punishment. There was just one key difference. Valino had only seen corruption the of the church. Every time he'd been able to watch safely from a distance in a pew or a court yard. This man had actually survived it.

“You really think I don't know of what you speak? That I haven't seen the corruption?” sighed Valino.

Back in Salvar, in the towns and cities where the church was the law, such words would have been considered heresy. Valino had spent all his life in such places. He had seen men, women and even children hang from a tree for far less. Stonevale was different. The shopkeeper had just shown him that. Here he could speak freely of the things that had been eating away at him for so long. The flood gates that had held back his own words had just been opened.

“Do not talk about The Sway and the church as if they are the same. The Sway are right and pure. The church is run by a bunch of fat hypocrites who don't even understand the meaning of the words written right in the FUCKING BOOK!”

Never before had Valino cursed like that nor had he meant to shout but he could not help himself. The anger, confusion, sadness and guilt that he had been trying so hard for so long to suppress and hide had come roaring to the surface. Intentionally or not, the shopkeeper had just helped him take the lid off the proverbial pot so that they could escape.

Valino walked over to the counter and grabbed the thick green bottle tightly by its neck. The former paladin took a deep breath so as to try and calm his rattled nerves. He then looked over at the shopkeeper with tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.

“I know it doesn't mean much but I'm sorry for what happened to you and your family. It was a senseless tragedy that should never have occurred. I know some magic of my own. I cannot undo the damage that has been done but I can help you find feel a bit of relief. I'll be on my way now. Thank you for the medicine.”

With that Valino turned to leave.