Arao: Season 2 prologue

Dear Abigail-senpai,

Greetings! I hope your convalescence is going as scheduled. Or at least I pray that you are currently in the same good spirits as I am right now. It has been only a short time since I left the nurturing confines of the Academy and got posted here in the village of Sandpoint, but already this place has grown on me.

You were indeed correct when you said that the outside world was a fascinating place. I believe you have read my earlier mails to you about the adventures I have experienced. I have somewhat developed my divine powers, and I thank the Father Sun everyday for the good fortune of having met comrades who share the same resolution as I do to defend the Light against the darkness of evil.

Indeed, it is very heartening to witness the resolve of the multitude of people who call Sandpoint their home. From the halfling baker across the street, to the dwarven smith down the road, to the half-elf minstrel at the village square, to the human farmer at the outskirts of town, and even to the neutral goblins in the next village -- their steadfast determination to protect those they hold dear, to preserve the peace, and to fight the fear of the encroaching darkness -- these beings truly deserve a rightful place under the Sun.

I also believe you have heard about my request to extend my stay here. What I have said above contributed to my decision to seek an extension. I fear the past encounters with the Cultists are still unresolved and they still pose a threat to the village. Even as we speak, strange occurences have been happening throughout the village. A freak hailstorm, a water spout so close to shore, cracks forming suddenly on the earthen ground, and many other extraordinary incidents. Albeit minor in nature, the frequency with which they occur has become alarming.

I feel as though there is an ill wind approaching the village. This sense of ominous foreboding I cannot shake from my thoughts. I wish that I will be wrong in my apprehension. I wish that these halycon days of peace would last longer. But I also know that it is far better to be prudent than to ignore these sinister signs. So I will stay here and help protect the village against any danger it might face.

Hopefully next time I write, it would be of happier news. Till then please rest well and may the light of Pelor shine on you always.

Your kouhai and friend,
Arao