Rahul had already felt that something was not going to be right today when he woke up in the morning. It wasn't the feeling like when someone says "We need to talk!" and the mind immediately starts panicking about what we've messed up, but the feeling of "It Asels like I've forgotten something". Moreover, it only got stronger as time went by, when the Athamanas heard during breakfast that the whole school was bussy because students from some priest's school had come to visit.
To Rahul's immense luck, they didn't see anything from this visit until the afternoon, but then trouble struck. The Athamanas were walking in the yard, now Suk was with them exceptionally, as the boy said, Professor Biaskoncy had given him the day off because he had something urgent to do. So they were just heading towards their room when a group of brown-cloaked figures hurried towards them.
Leading the way was a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man who, without paying any attention to the others, hurried towards the Athamanas. The hegins all stopped, blinking, because even though almost two months had passed since the start of the school year, the students of the school still didn't come near the group often. So the stranger hurrying towards them was a very strange sight, especially when the blonde got down on one knee in front of Rahul and, catching the boy's left hand, kissed it.
"Greetings, blessed of the blessed." The blonde spoke in a melodious voice and looked up at Rahul with sparkling eyes, as if he had seen the Onegod himself. Rahul, on the other hand, just buried his face in his right hand and squeezed his eyes and mouth shut.
"Boss! You can't kill him!" Rahul heard Benkó's worried voice.
"We're in the school yard!" Suk countered.
"Don't make a scene, boss!" Citar also spoke.
"Don't worry, he always does this." Rahul lowered his hand and looked at the group, who were holding Razvan down as one. "And this is what you have to do." He announced as he pulled his left hand out of the priest's grip, went around the kneeler and kicked him in the ass with all his might. "Get a grip, I told you not to kneel in front of me Santi." The boy slammed his hands on his hips.
"You haven't changed a bit, Rahul." The blonde grinned, squeezing his bottom. "But what language did you speak here earlier?" He asked as he slowly stood up, then nodded to the other rascals, who, although blinking, left.
"The one that Insane Farmer and my father were talking about. Now I ask, what the hell are you doing in Floating Air Barracks?" Rahul tilted his head to the side.
"The big competition held every five years will be here this year. We came to negotiate with the other students." He explained, then looked around and smiled. "You and your friends could accompany me to the temple, I need to make an offering. We can talk while we get there." He folded his hands and started back towards the school, Rahul following immediately.
"Do you know him?" Razvan caught Rahul's arm and looked angrily at the priest student.
"He grew up in my village. Just a monotheistic idiot, nothing bad will happen. You don't have to be so cocky, Tapló boss." The one in question shrugged, managing to keep the Athamanas at his heels, even if they were a step away.
Rahul and Santi walked ahead of him, talking about Míngrizhimen, what had changed and what had remained the same since the priest student had left the village to study in the big city. Behind them walked an angrily puffing Razvan, with the worried Athamanas beside him, wondering how long it would take for their boss to completely lose his mind and do something very reckless.
The strange group finally reached a building that looked very run-down to the hegins. What they didn't know was that a group of clerical students were following them at a safe distance behind them, now peering through the temple gates at the events taking place inside.
"Who could that boy be, that His Eminence had fallen on his knees before him?" One of the boys asked.
"And why does he act as if it was the greatest blessing that that child tipped him over on his bottom?" Another asked, but they got no answer from anywhere.
"Do the chüvighs seriously worship their gods in such a run-down place?" Achilleus grimaced, and Rahul just rolled his eyes, while Santi and Citar looked at the boy in confusion.
"Wait, can't you see the temple?" The priest student pointed to the ceiling. "How have you survived here so far? You can't even see the well without a blessing." The student blinked, shocked.
"I led them and none of them need be feared for. Besides, they grew up in a different faith, they won't respect the Onegod.' Rahul shrugged.
"This won't be good!" The chüvigj boy pulled himself up and stood in front of the Easterners. "In the name of the brightness of the Onegod, I bless you, so that your souls may shine with light and you may see the world in all its glory." He said in an almost singing voice, as he drew strange patterns in the air in front of the group with his hands.
"That fucking wild maiden stuck in the Zovárd swamp!" Benkó shouted. "Did this look like this to you the whole time, Rahul?" The only response was a nod. "This is amazing." The boy turned around to admire the building decorated with paintings of people and animals and smaller and larger statues, in which the light was already shining.
"I'm not sure that your Onegod will be happy that you blessed a group of infidels." Razvan noted grimly, with his arms folded in front of him, whereupon the priest apprentice looked over the his shoulder at the hegin, folded his hands again and smiled.
"Don't worry, our god gave his consent to my action at this very moment." He nodded.
"As if you knew." Razvan rolled his eyes.
"Of course I know, I'm very close to our Onegod, I can hear his words." The priest apprentice put his hand on his heart, and Rahul rolled his eyes again, as if he had to listen to the same story for the umpteenth time.
"Hey, let's stop for a moment. Do you hear the Onegod's speech?" Suk stepped forward. "Would you be the next preacher?" The Zovárd boy asked.
"Personally." Santi nodded, a kind smile on his lips.
"In that case, I am Szotradoki Suk, at your service." He stepped directly in front of the boy and offered him his hand.
"I am Santi, a faithful servant of the Onegod." The priest apprentice returned the introduction.
"Suk, what the Fene are you doing anyway?" Teveli asked with a suspicious look.
"The preacher is the big boss among the chüvighs. I pay my respects. It's better to be on the good side of the leaders." The boy shrugged.
"How long have you been interested in that?" Benkó scratched his head, grimacing.
"Fine, I learned on Monday two weeks ago." The questioner grumbled.
"And how do you remember that so precisely?" Citar chirped.
"Proffesor Biaskoncy ate roast pheasant for lunch and didn't give me any, instead I had fucking boring lessons on Western etiquette in the afternoon, I also know something I never wanted to know." He shook out the cold Suk.
"What does it have to do with..." Rahul began.
"Suk loves roast pheasant." Teveli noted with a faint smile on his lips.
"I don't want to be impolite, but a simple bow is enough to show respect." Santi chuckled, which managed to make Suk's face frown.
"The teacher tricked me." He grimaced.
"I'm sure he meant no harm." The future preacher shook his head. "So, would you introduce yourself to me, Eastern guests?" He tilted his head to the side, which gave him such a radiance that it seemed as if he had begun to glow from within.