Ituka crossed a stone bridge.
The Dwarves had built the bridge with tools, and the few mages among their people had helped with its construction, linking the passages together.
He arrived at a magnificent temple. His bloodline allowed him to see the spiritual radiance above the altar.
He did not know, however, that this was not a god's radiance, but the glow of faith accumulated over countless years.
Each altar used a sacred relic to store this power.
"Ituka, you're here!" A young dwarf in priestly robes turned at the sound and greeted him.
Ituka bowed to the dwarf who had spoken. "Priest Rus!"
Although Rus was a priest, he was actually an herbalist. Still, he could draw a limited amount of holy power from the altar to perform a few low-level spell-like divine effects.
Priest Rus smiled. "Ituka, tell me what happened to you today. I can feel your emotions fluctuating... you're not usually someone who gets worked up easily. You're a little different today."
"You wouldn't be like this unless something had happened. Tell me!"
"Is that so?" Ituka had not expected such an assessment from Priest Rus. Still, he had no intention of hiding anything. He nodded and said, "Something did happen to me today..."
He then told Priest Rus what had happened in the mining district.
Like Ituka, Priest Rus held a hereditary position among the Dwarves and possessed their purest, noblest blood. He, too, was filled with hope and reverence for the god of his people.
"A god..."
After uttering that sacred word, Priest Rus sighed softly and said dejectedly, "...in a sense, he was right..."
"Priest Rus, how can you say that too?" Ituka's expression immediately darkened. He looked at his friend with displeasure, his voice carrying a note of accusation.
"Ituka, come with