Ahmed's nerves quickly returned in full force once they were on their way to the main temple. He couldn't help it, looking at his father. Everyone said he was like a miniature version of his father, which was accurate. They had the same skin tone, although Ahmed's was a touch lighter. They had the same face, same strong chin, and sharp cheeks. Or at least, Ahmed was starting to get there. He still had a bit of baby fat, even though he was losing that quickly with training. Most of all, though, they had the same brilliant, borderline luminous leaf green eyes. Ahmed could be proud of them, at least, since they were the only thing about him that could be related to a beast bloodline.

That was the only good part, though. Especially when Ahmed focused on the only major difference between them, his father had brilliant green hair, much the same as his eyes. While Ahmed… Ahmed had bland, plain brown hair. Like his mother. Like a normal child. It was the whole reason he kept his head completely shaved. He couldn't stand to look in the mirror if he let it grow. Plus, when he kept his head shaved like it was, his siblings tended to forget about it.

It made being around his father a lot harder than he would like to admit because he really, really looked up to him, but at the same time, it was a constant reminder that he was born wrong. It was like Halis, his oldest brother said. 'I swear, if you didn't look like Dad, you would think you were adopted.' He didn't fit in with his family at all.

These thoughts continued to swirl through his mind as the car cruised farther into the city. Ahmed stared out the window at the cars and buildings flying past without actually seeing any of them. Or anything at all, really. He tried to focus on his Calling, trying to think about what Balthazar might decide to give him, but his thoughts always circled back to all the 'what if's'. What if he was adopted? Maybe his parents just found a child that looked like them? Surely Balthazar would know. He was a God. Would he treat an adopted child like a member of the proper family? Probably not right? Or maybe there was something wrong with him from birth. That might explain why he looked so… normal.

But Ahmed had never learned anything about why he was so different from the rest of his family, and if they knew, they weren't telling. So he was left with all these questions bouncing around in his head. He just wanted answers. Honestly, he might actually be a bit relieved to find out he was adopted, because it would mean that there was nothing wrong with him. He just wasn't a part of Light's Aegis in the first place.

A bright light broke through Ahmed's continually darker thoughts. It radiated from around the corner of the road they had just turned onto. Ahmed knew that light, knew this turn. He had been on this road a hundred times, once a week from the day he was born. Once they turned that final corner, any thought at all left Ahmed's head. Even after a hundred times, the sight of Balthazar's main temple still stunned him.

It was a massive construction formed from rare metals and crystals. Withe skeletal remains of some ancient Transcendent Beast as the core of the structure. It was a monstrous creature with gigantic skeletal wings spread out over the structure itself, radiating light and divine power all around with an almost physical force. The actual building rested in the torso of the beast, with the gaps between its rib cage filled with glass of a thousand varieties of color, reflecting the light all around into a million different shades as the light beams criss crossed each other in a multitude of ways.

The Building was taller than any of the nearest buildings, putting it well over a hundred feet tall. The most dazzling part wasn't the beast corpse, or the beams of light that didn't disperse as they should. No, it was the tangible sense of raw might that overwhelmed anyone who looked at this scene. The sheer artistry on display that let such a mess of light and color somehow appear elegant. This in contrast with the stark brutality of the Beast at the core of it all. The skeleton somehow still managed to be intimidating even after hundreds of thousands of years in death.

Ahmed had heard so many stories about the construction of this temple. Apparently all the gods' temples were just as grand in their own way, but Ahmed doubted that. After all, none of those temples were built with the bones of a mythical tenth tier Beast. And none ever would. The gods had killed all the tenth tiers during the Arrival, in the latter days of the Lost Empire and the War of Loss. Even the species of this gigantic beast was extinct. So long gone that the name was known only to the gods. Supposedly, this particular Beast had claimed the entire sky above the western continent and the Barren Desert in the middle of the continent as its territory. Balthazar himself had incarnated into an avatar to kill it.

The actual head of the creature had been broken down into hundreds of incredibly powerful weapons, along with its tail, which legends said had been longer than an entire city block. Ahmed didn't doubt it, since its wingspan was nearly as wide. He had seen several of such weapons, since they were commonly given to paladins and priests of Balthazar, and several of his family had them. They were both terrifying and beautiful. Ahmed had always hoped to one day earn one of his own. That was before he knew he didn't have a beast bloodline. Now he was just hoping he wasn't told to leave Light's Aegis. To leave his family.

Breathing in deeply, he tried to focus on the positives. It was finally time. No matter what, today he would learn whether or not he belonged. And hopefully, why he was different.

The car rolled to a stop at the vehicle entrance, off to the far side of the temple. It wasn't used too often, cars were considered an object for official business and ceremony after all. The train station and transport point on the near side saw much more traffic. Ahmed was thankful that they didn't have to go by there. He was nervous enough, and would much rather not see the adoration people held for his family right now. It would only make it hurt more if he was rejected.

Mahun stepped out as the chauffeur opened his door, standing smoothly with confidence radiating from his stance. Ahmed hurried out after him, checking his worship robe to make sure it was as it should be. Apparently he was right to check. He had been unconsciously twisting a portion of the loose-fitting material in his hands as they rode to the temple, and the section was all bunched up. Ahmed swiftly smoothed it out. Luckily, the high quality material returned to its previous state with a simple quick brush of his hand. He had to walk quickly to catch up to his father, who had continued walking without pause.

From that point, after he had caught up to his father's side, everything was a blur of gilded halls and gleaming glasswork. Each step increased his anxiety and uncertainty by another level until he could barely think over the rapid pounding of his heart. He felt like he was losing his grip on reality. Then, they were there.

Ahmed had never been into the innermost sanctum of the temple. It was called the Golden Repose, and that had been the extent of his knowledge. Everything else about it was kept secret on pain of death and everlasting soul suffering. Upon entering, Ahmed understood why. Every single inch of the massive dome-like room was coated in gold. Not just normal gold of course, but gold of a million varieties. Earth Gold, Death Gold, Eternal Gold, Fire Gold, Blood Gold, Ahmed could barely understand it. Many of these mana types shouldn't even be able to exist in gold. The Fire Gold should melt, the Death Gold should disintegrate, and yet here they were. How was this possible?

He only had to look to the center of the chamber to find the answer. On a dais and massive throne of pure Human Gold, sat an enormous figure. He had to be well over twenty feet tall, covered in armor made from the same bone that made up the temple around them, with physical magic symbols carved in Human Gold covering every surface of the gleaming plate mail. Ahmed couldn't even describe his face, as it seemed to change moment to moment. One instant he was a middle-aged man with sharp features, blue eyes, and thick facial hair over pale skin. Then he was a thin-faced man with several scars and skin a shade of brown bordering on red. His appearance shifted in such a way that Ahmed could never point out exactly what was changing moment to moment, but suddenly he would be looking at a face different in every single aspect to what he had thought he had seen just seconds ago.

The only thing that remained consistent was the overwhelming aura of grandeur and power that enveloped the giant figure like a shroud, leaving only one word Ahmed could think of to describe him. Godly. Ahmed knew down to his bones, down to his soul. This was the physical avatar of Balthazar, god of Humanity. First among the six worldly deities that governed over the lands of Atay, guiding and judging the mortals in their care. Undoubtedly the most powerful entity on the planet. This was who Ahmed was here to see.

In an instant Ahmed realized he had been staring at a god for several long moments. He immediately threw himself to the floor, kneeling and pressing his head to the ground. "Your humble child greets the father of humanity. May I receive benediction in your glorious radiance." Ahmed spoke into the ground, the words coming out smoothly with much more confidence and calm than he had felt in his entire life. The words had been drilled into him since he began to learn to speak. The shock of seeing his god in the flesh having completely shut down all the fearful and disorderly thoughts that had overwhelmed him moments ago.

A low chuckle radiated through the room. Ahmed could feel the floor beneath his head vibrate with the noise. Then a voice that was somehow both hard and soft, kind and harsh spoke, and the room shook. "Mahun, my child, you honor me. To have taught your child so thoroughly. One would almost think he had rehearsed for this moment, to have spoken and acted so swiftly, and in accordance with my teachings." The gold plated god said, with a smile that Ahmed could not see.

Ahmed's father did not kneel as his son. He was head priest of the entire Balthazar Theocracy, and had spoken to his god often and at length in pursuit of those duties. Instead, he simply bowed as low as he could before speaking. "It is you who honor me, my god. What you commend me for is merely what I should do anyway. Though I will admit," He continued, with a note of pride in his voice, "He has taken to the teachings with much greater gusto than his siblings. His mother and I are very proud of him. We have high hopes for his future."

"Ah, but of course, that is why you are here. Light's Aegis deserves the utmost of my support for their service to the Theocracy, and I would not be a good god if I did not recognize the efforts of my believers. Now," His voice suddenly radiating an air of formality and even greater power, "Rise child, son of humanity. Rise so that I might bestow upon you a Calling, so that you might better serve me and the Theocracy, as have your forebears since the War of Loss. Rise, and recieve your benediction."

With those words said, Ahmed felt an almost physical force drag his body to his feet before he could even think. The same force compelled him to take several long strides forward, until he was standing on a design he only now noticed was engraved into the floor. In the same moment he had acknowledged the circle of physical magic, the symbols all lit up with a soft white-gold light, and Ahmed's gaze was forced directly onto the eyes of Balthazar, staring intently into his own. He could not move, not a single muscle, not even his eyes.

"Hmm…" There was a long moment as The god of humanity stared into Ahmed's eyes. And Ahmed swore he saw it. A moment of disappointment. He saw it in his mother's eyes every time they finished sword training. After another day of Ahmed having not advanced, just like the last day, for the last few years. That look was carved into Ahmed's soul. And now he saw that same look cross the face of his own god. Ahmed's whole world shattered for a long moment.

Then the living incarnation of humanity's eyes unfocused and a look of anger so intense Ahmed could barely comprehend it covered up the disappointment Ahmed had seen. Balthazar glanced to the side, a sneer covering his face before his gaze snapped back to Ahmed, who was now feeling rather confused and lost, still unable to move, and unsure what exactly was going on. The anger on the god's face disappeared as fast as it had come, and in its place was a look that Ahmed did not recognize, but it wasn't disappointment, so he didn't really care.

Suddenly, the immense pressure holding Ahmed still lessened. He had the sense that he could now speak, but not much else. The reason for this became clear in the next moment. "Tell me, son of my most pious priest and most valiant paladin. What is it you would choose for yourself?" The power of these words rolled through Ahmed, and he recognized it for the test it was. He knew from the scriptures that such tests were not uncommon with his god. More importantly, he remembered that the main advice given was to never lie. Not that he would have tried anyway, but it was good to focus on being as truthful as possible. Balthazar prized honesty and forthrightness.

With that in mind, Ahmed attempted to focus on the question itself, but his mind was a riot of conflicting thoughts and emotions. Too much had happened too quickly and he was still reeling. "Be calm, my child." Once again, that unfathomable power rolled over Ahmed, and he felt his mind clear instantly.

"I want to make my family proud, and I want to help people. I don't care how." He spoke immediately and smoothly, the calm his god had given him making the answer thankfully simple. "That's all. I'll do anything if it helps."

Then Ahmed realized he hadn't actually answered the question, and essentially told his god he didn't care about his Calling. Horrified, he attempted to correct himself, but found to his even greater horror, that he couldn't speak again, and Balthazar was staring down at him with an incredibly intense expression. All he could do was slowly go insane berating himself in his own mind, waiting for the golden god to smite him for his impertinence.

Then, Balthazar started to chuckle. Then he started laughing. And he didn't stop. A massive, booming laugh so filled with mirth and amusement, Ahmed thought he would have laughed along if he could have. Eventually the laughter petered out. Balthazar sighed, and smiled. "Mahun, truly you have raised an impressive child. Even under my will he exposes nothing but the most admirable traits of humanity. Impressive. Most impressive. Tell me, how goes his martial training?" Ahmed could almost hear his father wince.

"He… does not show much aptitude my god."

"Really, Mahun, it is unlike you to understate so heavily. Not even Neophyte two. Not much aptitude indeed. No matter, it is to be expected in his case." This sent Ahmed reeling again. In his case? Balthazar knew why his training went nowhere, even after so many years? Why?!

"Well then. I know exactly what class suits you, my child." Balthazar said, clapping his hands. Asds he did, the entire cavernous room went completely still, and the weight of his power increased a hundredfold, until Ahmed could actually see tangible treads of gold-white power flowing throught the air. He felt like his insides were liquefying and his bones breaking. The air throbbed and vibrated, and the golden walls of the room began to glow in a brilliant kaleidoscope of concepts as their energy bled into the air under the colossal might of a deity bringing their full might to bear.

Just as Ahmed felt like his eyes were about to pop out of his skull, and his brain collapsed in on itself, Balthazar spoke. "To you, the most blessed and pious of my beloved race. I will give the greatest gift and burden I have ever bestowed. I call you Ahmed, son of Mahun Rahip as a Hero.

Then the world went white, and Ahmed lost consciousness.