Odesday, 3rd of Aprillia, 470th year of the 5th Era

  Josias had awoken early the next day after the council at the Great Hall as he set out to gather four other companions to participate in the Gotilon Tournament that would start in roughly two weeks time. Josias had no problem filling the first slot as just after the meeting yesterday, he had immediately offered the position to his best friend Johannes who had attended the council with him. Johannes had immediately accepted Josias' proposal and with the assent of Johannes’ grandfather - Elder Marasi - Josias only needed to find three more companions.

  Among the young men and warriors of the village, if Josias were to be randomly asked who the strongest were, he could easily give out far more than a dozen names, but the problem for him lay in the fact that the tournament’s requirements placed a limit of at most Twenty years of age immediately cut down the list of potential candidates greatly. Johannes had just barely made the cut being nineteen years old, but Josias was greatly annoyed that the requirements precluded him from asking his brother Timotheus from joining as a participant though Timotheus merely laughed when he heard Josias express his thoughts and dismay at not being able to include his cousin. Josias was consoled by the young reverend as Timotheus told him that while he may be more useful in large battles or hunts that would require large devastating spells, he had little confidence in facing a committed opponent in the context of a one on one duel.

  But regardless of that, Josias was clear that the next name on the list would be one of Elder Rihar's many grandchildren, his best friend Hesekiel. After stopping by at the Sinatua clan’s great hall to pick up Johannes, Josias and Johannes were now currently on their way towards the Bolon House of the Rapmasari clan to look for Hesekiel. After a few minutes of walking, they had finally arrived at the Bolon house where in front of it on straw carpets, a woman was teaching a dozen children or so how to read and write in the Halak Script as well as the Western Terradomian alphabet. As Josias saw the woman, he politely knocked on a post before greeting her.

  “Horas, namboru (aunty)!” Josias smiled as he greeted his aunt Pauli which caught her a little by surprise as she hadn't noticed their arrival. She clutched her chest in exaggerated surprise before she smiled as she saw her nephews at the front of her house. “Oh! Sorry for interrupting your class here…”

  “Ahhhh!! Agooyabbag… (Oh dear!) Look at this, my handsome nephews are here!! ” the beautiful woman with light skin and slightly slanted eyes said as she got up in an exaggerated manner with her arms raised as she rushed towards the two young men and immediately glomped them as she brought their heads down close squished them to her ample bosom while the children who she was teaching laughed at the scene.

  “Nantulang! (Aunt) We literally saw each other three days ago at church!” The large Johannes said as he was bending his back being hugged by Pauli in a slightly annoyed tone while Josias merely laughed as he was enjoying the cushion.

  “And so what? That doesn't mean I can't miss my family!” Pauli said with a slight pout “Bang Jo, you've always been so apprehensive of my hugs! Look at Josi! He loves my hugs, right?”

  “I sure do, namboru. Hahahah!” Josias merely nodded like a fool while Johannes only stared at him with the slightest hint of disgust and annoyance.

  “Anyways, what brings the both of you here? Oh which reminds me, kids, give your elder brothers here a greeting! Don't act like the Rapmasari clan doesn’t teach you manners! Also, Lomo dear, please don't put that chalk in your mouth!”

  As she said that, the children immediately got up from the ground as they walked up to Josias and Johannes to give them the ‘salim’ greeting as they put their hands to their cheeks or forehead. Josias was quite amused by the adorable antics of the children who couldn't be older than his own younger sister Julia as he saw many of them were holding chalk in their hands as they were practicing their writing skills. He had always been impressed by his aunt's efforts to give young children a proper education both in the traditional Halak methods as well as in introducing the children to the Western script to grant them the tools for further learning. Josias himself was able to speak four languages somewhat fluently, them being Halak, Banuan, Feldonian, and German. Most of the children of the Elite could speak those three languages at least to an acceptable level. Halak was an obvious conclusion as it was the language of the Halaklands. Banuan was the main lingua franca of trade in Neacordis, being the official courtly and administrative language of many of the States in the Island. German came with the arrival of Ludwig and his missionaries though it wasn't as widely popular to speak as Feldonian. Josias himself was more fluent in speaking Feldonian than German due to being taught more by the Feldonian-born missionaries growing up as compared to the Germans but it was also due to influences from trade with the Newlander Republic at the Northwestern edge of Neacordis. Josias smiled as for a split second he was reminded of how Serena would get annoyed at him for butchering the pronunciation of some words in German.

  “Namboru, we actually came here to ask if Lae Hese was home?” Josias finally said to his aunt after all the children had greeted him.

  “Aissh, it's always like that with you two.” Pauli gave another pout “Always looking to play with Hese…You two don't ever miss me. Honestly, it breaks a woman's heart to not have her nephews care about her like that! Oh, and Hese! That cold-hearted son of mine who never wants to talk to his mother about anything only answering with short a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or even just straight up not bothering to say anything at all just nodding his head or shaking it. I honestly don't know where he gets it from. Was he always like that? But all his younger brothers and sisters are such energetic young children. Is it from his father maybe? Oh but his father still likes to talk to me-...!”

  “Nantulang! Ermm… so about Hese, where is he?” Johannes cut off his aunt as she was about to go on another one of her lengthy rants. Josias merely snickered to the side as he saw this. His father's younger sister had always been quite the chatterbox which is why it's so jarring to compare her to her firstborn son Hesekiel who was, well, Hesekiel. Johannes then added, “It’s regarding the matter of our Realm’s participation in the Gotilon festival’s tournament as I'm sure Tulang Hasudungan has told you. We need five warriors from the village to represent our realm and we're going to have Hese join us as a participant. We've already asked Ompung Rihar’s permission and he was very excited to have Hese be one of the representative warriors.”

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “My Lord help me! Here they go again…” Pauli put her hand to her head as she fanned herself dramatically “You two are always making me worry by getting my sweet boy into so much danger! First your Rhino hunt and now you want him to participate in that tournament against those scary men from the other heathen clans? Have mercy on your aunt, Oh Lord, the men of this nation are always looking for ways to shorten their lives and die an unnatural death! It makes me cry…!”

  As soon as Pauli was about to go on another rant, a man who looked like he was in his forties had walked out of the Bolon House and cut Pauli's words short, “You'll find my son in the Church. He said he was going out to practice for this Sunday's divine liturgy service.” The man said. Josias and Johannes immediately walked to the man before giving their Uncle Hasudungan the Salim gesture.

  “But dear-...!” As Pauli was about to protest her husband, he cut her off with a laugh as he immediately wrapped his arm around her.

  “Hush now, dear…” Hasudungan caressed his wife gently before continuing to comfort her “Our son is a very learned and intelligent man with many creative skills, but above that he is a warrior of Goria and it would be our family’s honor to have him as a representative of our village at the tournament! Besides, my dear, it's a festival! No real harm can honestly come about this unless they want to provoke conflict amongst the realms, but even if so, our warriors would still win against the heathens hahahah!”

  “You meanie! That doesn't make me feel better in the slightest!” Pauli gave a slight thump to her husband's chest

  “Sweetie, there also must be some sort of a reward to the tournament and if our son wins, he'll bring it home to shower his lovely mother with gifts if he knows what's good for him!”

  “Really…?”

  “You know our Hese is always like that. He acts so cold and distant but deep down he's a softie.”

  Josias and Johannes could only look at each other with a massive doubt plastered on their face as they heard Hese’s name and the word ‘soft’ being mentioned in the same sentence in relation to one another. It was an absurd suggestion but who were they to burst their aunt and uncle’s perception of their own son

  “But that's only if he wins though…” Pauli was still not fully convinced.

  “Are you suggesting that our son, who's inherited my strength and your fortitude, wouldn't be among the Victors of the tournament? Are you calling him a weakling??” Hasudungan replied with an exaggerated shock which elicited a smile to form on his wife's lips.

  “No, you dummy! Arghhh!! Fine! you've convinced me!” Pauli finally said with a small pout before she looked at her nephews “You boys better promise to keep my baby safe!”

  “It's the opposite, namboru…” Josias gave a slight reassuring laugh “It's Hese who's always looking out for the rest of us, without him we'd be like headless chickens running around disorganized without a proper strategy or a plan!”

  “Hehehe! He got that from his mom!” Pauli said proudly as she puffed up her massive chest at the compliment to her son.

  “Ohh, I just can't help myself when I see my adorable wife take credit like that! Come over here, you!” Hasudungan said as he immediately tackled his wife and gave her a passionate kiss while holding her firmly to him.

  “Kids cover your eyes!!” Johannes said in a panic to the children who were still there.

  “””EWWWWW!!””” It was too late as most of the kids were either laughing or closing their eyes while peeking to see the two adults there kiss.

  Josias only bellowed out in laughter at his aunt and uncle's antics. It was a few more moments before the two regained themselves and Pauli was blushing from the exchange while Hasudungan only stood there proudly, laughing along with Josias after giving him a wink. Josias honestly couldn't fathom how such a warm, loving, and passionate couple could produce the exact opposite characteristics in their firstborn son. Regardless, Johannes and Josias immediately exchanged their farewells with their aunt and uncle before excusing themselves to head for the church to look for their cousin Hesekiel.

  On their way to the Church, Johannes couldn't stop complaining at how open and unabashed their aunt and uncle were at showing affection to which Josias could only laugh and shake his head.

  “How could those two be like that, honestly! Out in the open in front of children!” Johannes complained as they were walking on the streets.

  “Oh please, Lae, you're talking like they were actually fucking each other out in the open!” Josias continued to laugh

  “Oy, language!”

  “But still! Despite my own reservations I can only pray that I'd still be that passionate with my wife once I'm married! Serena deserves at least that much from me! And besides, are you telling me you won't give at least that much passion to my sister Maria in your relation to her? Are you asking for a fight here, Lae?”

  “Your brother Timo would kill me if I even tried to do half as much to his sister…” Johannes said in a deadpan way.

  “Ah yeah, you do have a point there. But speaking of which, how are you on the progress of memorizing the Letter of Saint Jude? Remember that today's the deadline!” Josias teased as he laughed to which Johannes merely smirked before speaking.

  “Letter of Saint Jude, verses one to twenty five…” Johannes started immediately “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints…-”

  “Dear God, you actually seriously memorized that?” Josias said in disbelief as Johannes continued to recite the entire chapter as they were walking.

  “-That's how I show my sincerity…” Johannes said before he continued his recitation “ For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Tamra, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day…”

  Josias could only shake his head in amazement at Johannes' memorisation skills as he continued the recitation as they walked until they had eventually reached the church. As Johannes had finished his entire recitation, they had reached the church. When they walked to approach the door that was slightly open, they could hear the sound of the piano being so beautifully played with each key creating a harmonious sound. However, in addition to the sounds of the piano, they could also hear accompanying it, the sound of the violin. When they heard this, the two of them couldn't help but look at each other before they went inside the church.

  Just as they entered, the music piece had reached its end as the sounds quieted down but regardless of that they couldn't believe what they saw. On the chair in front of the piano, Hesekiel was still strumming on the piano while sitting next to him, a girl was laying her body on him while holding a violin with her head placed comfortably on his shoulder. Johannes and Josias could only have their jaws drop as they saw this. The two still hadn't noticed that they had entered the otherwise empty church building.

  Finally it was Josias who decided to announce his presence with a purposefully loud cough which startled the girl while Hesekiel only calmly looked at the door with his typical expressionless face though try as he might, he couldn't fully hide the blush on his face which Josias had caught.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn't my two favourite cousins…” Josias said with a smirk while he clapped his hands slowly “Hese, Safira… Nice practice, if I do say so myself.”