Chapter 54: The First Prior

Aitkens had been placed in a very troubling position.

You see, he’d been presented with something which threatened the First Prior.

The First Prior, as said by the Saviour themself.

“All that is natural on this earth has been given structure by the father. All that is not, exists in ever changing chaos.” Gaia 2:28

The Cult of Logos had taken this to its natural conclusion.

Everything natural could be documented and understood.

The soul itself was an ordered list.

Monsters souls were collections that would constantly shift and change.

Natural souls were clearly defined paths presented by Logos.

They could not shift, they were like the earth itself.

But every dwarf knew that the earth could crumble if you dug too deep.

Pinklia had dug too deep.

And was going deeper.

He could only stare as a new Tier 1 skill appeared from nothing in the slimenoid skill tree.

“Enhanced Regeneration.”

Pinklia was actively panicking while the Dwarves looked to their leader.

They were all scrambling internally, every assumption about reality had been built off of the immutable nature of the soul, its structure being ordered by Logos directly.

Was this the creation of a new species before their very eyes?

Was this a demon deceiving them?

Was this something else entirely?

They didn’t know.

They didn’t know how to start knowing.

They didn’t know what this meant for every other prior.

The squad was equally confused, all but one person.

“So, you’re having a crisis of faith? How about we make a trade deal,” Utarou offered, an evil grin stretching across his face.

“W-what? By Logos, what priors could you POSSIBLY give us to understand this!” Aitkens shouted, still reeling from how much this could change everything.

“It’s simple, you borrow half of Julia here, treat her as you have treated us now, well fed, safe, secure, and we take some of your guns,” Utarou offered smugly.

“Absolutely not!” Pinklia immediately shouted, closing her skill tree and shuddering. She never wanted to split, especially if her halves would be separated by that much of a distance. The psychic static would be unbearable across more than a field, she didn’t want to test what happens even further out than that.

“Fine, the whole woman, plus we keep constant connection with some of your radios,” Utarou corrected.

“Utarou, you can’t just decide that.” Hope scowled.

“Look, we need weapons, we’ll be able to communicate with the radios, plus Pinklia needs fattening up with mana still right?” Utarou asked rhetorically.

“Yeah! Besides, just think about all of that dwarven knowledge… I wanna go with Pinklia!” Penelope volunteered quickly.

“What?! No! Julia what do you want?” Hope asked.

“I-I-I’m not sure…”

The squad descended into bickering about who could and would do what, while Aitkens could feel the gears slowly turn in his head.

This was the biggest prior to be updated not just throughout his clan, but every single dwarven clan.

It could change everything if they studied it.

But to ignore it would be a sin of which his soul could not bear.

“ARGH! Fine ye western softies. Ya win. Ye can have whatever you can carry, in exchange we’ll take the pink one. Blue haired girl, ye can come with us too. I swear on my honour you’ll be well fed and safe,” Aitkens vowed, looking towards his platoon.

They could only nod.

“H-hold on they haven’t agreed to anything yet!” Hope interjected.

“Oh trust me I’ve agreed. Come on Pinklia we gotta check out what the dwarves have going on!” Penelope begged, getting on her knees to be eye level with the still shrunken pink slime girl.

“Y-yeah, I think it’s the right idea Hope… You need the weapons and I need the mana and… well they clearly have a lot…” Pinklia explained awkwardly looking at everyone staring at her.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Hope asked seriously, grabbing Pinklia’s hands.

“I’m sure… I want to save everyone in Dryholm.” Pinklia asserted.

“YES THANK YOU! Add it to the deal that I want access to dwarven records!” Penelope asserted.

“Hmpth, you will get some.”

“I’ll take it!~” Penelope cooed.

It was a heavy price, the first crack in the impenetrable Dwarven culture in a millenia.

But it was one worth paying to ensure the first prior could be corrected.