"I will report this issue so don't worry about your home for now," the pope exclaimed. Elijah was about to get up when the pope stopped him. "I know this is kind of late, but my name is Bargi Garnier." Bargi smiled warmly.
Elijah opened his mouth to speak, but Bargi continued, "I already know your name, Elijah."
Elijah stood up from his seat and was about to walk out when Bargi stopped him once more. "What do you plan on doing here, Elijah?"
Elijah stood silently for a moment. (I honestly don't know what I want to do right now. Probably to get back my memories... maybe that could give me a clue about how I got here?) He finally answered, "I don't know what I want to do... probably get a job, I guess?"
The pope rose from his seat and removed his hat, revealing short, curly jet-black hair. "I could give you a job here... but that would require you to join this church. What about obtaining an oath?"
Elijah's face showed confusion. "What do you mean by oath?"
Bargi's expression suddenly transformed into a wide, ear-to-ear grin that startled Elijah, causing him to take a few steps back. "An oath is a promise you make with a higher being of existence," Bargi explained.
At first Elijah looked puzzled, but after a few seconds, understanding dawned on his face. "So to sum up what you just said, an oath is a promise you make with a being of higher existence, such as gods?" he asked.
Bargi looked surprised, then slowly nodded. "You're a great listener - that's an excellent quality to have." He continued, "An oath is created to promise a deity that you will not stray from their path. In exchange for that promise, we humans gain powers."
"Such as me," Bargi added, placing a hand on his chest. "I follow the God of Combat. I pledged to always fight with my soul and spirit. Now I'll explain the finer details of an oath. The promise we make with a higher being allows us to gain some of their abilities. Think of it like inheriting a unique trait."
"For example, the Guardian Oath grants strength that transcends normal human understanding and mastery of close quarter combat. But we have to learn these things - other fighting styles don't come easily." Bargi's face softened as if recalling a memory.
Elijah walked to a red sofa and sat down. "Even though your strength transcends normal human capabilities, how do you grow stronger from there?" His voice carried a tone of genuine interest, almost as if he were considering joining the Guardian Oath.
"We grow stronger through acts," Bargi explained. "Think of it as performing deeds. When those deeds are recognized by the higher powers, you gain access to higher levels. But with each level, you slowly lose yourself. These acts are separated into nine levels, numbered from nine down to one."
Bargi crossed his arms, his voice turning rough. "Don't think getting an oath means your life gets easier. Your life will only get worse from that point onward." His tone then softened. "That's just to warn you of what's to come if you choose this path."
"Stay in the church if you wish to follow this path. Leave the room and this church if you want to live as a normal human being."
Elijah looked toward the door. (I can live a normal life?... No, that's impossible with the people I've met. That dream is basically impossible.) He turned back to Bargi with a grim expression. "With everything that's happened in my life, I think it's rather impossible for me to live a simple life." Though his face remained serious, his expression softened slightly.
"For twenty years, I've questioned if my life had any purpose. The only purpose I ever found was art, but as I grew older, I realized art wasn't for me... I want to find a purpose," Elijah confessed.
Bargi looked at him with understanding. "I know how it feels to live without purpose. But choosing a path of no return won't make life's meaning suddenly appear at your doorstep. To find purpose, you first need to find your true self." He sighed heavily.
Elijah stood abruptly and slammed his hands on the desk. "My heart is telling me I should take this chance to find myself, even if it means running in circles for a lifetime!"
Bargi sighed and nodded slowly. He stood and shook Elijah's hand firmly. "Once you've gone down this path, there's no return... You can join the church."
As Bargi's expression relaxed into a dry chuckle, Elijah asked, "Since I've joined the church, does that mean I have to join the Guardian Oath?"
Bargi shook his head. "No, joining the church doesn't automatically give you an oath. You'll need to study your god's name, complete combat training, and undergo spiritual training - which I haven't explained yet. Miss Daley will explain that to you later. You'll also need to develop your mind."
His tone turned serious. "With each level you advance, your mind slowly deteriorates, which is why we must train all aspects of ourselves. You'll begin at the end of next week. For now, you just need to decide which path you want to take."
Elijah stood and waved goodbye to Bargi, but before leaving completely, he added, "I'm going to check on my old apartment." Bargi waved in return.
Elijah walked out of the church and down the streets he had passed the night before. As he neared his destination, he came across a bookstore. In the display window was a book with a leather cover adorned with blue and purple jewel-like decorations. Its title read: "The Outsiders."