For a pce named Firevale, the vilge looked exceptionally fmmable. Lots of wooden construction and thatch roofing. I made a mental note to be careful.

  Not that I even knew just yet how to summon fme.

  Am I walking into my own death?

  “Illy,” I said as we marched toward her hometown and potentially my early grave, “what do you know about summoning fire magic?”

  She looked up at me and blinked. “I was hoping you might share your insights.”

  I swallowed hard. “You mean nobody knows how?”

  Illy shook her head. “It’s been many centuries since your magic craft has been shared with your loyal followers, Xandos.”

  Which meant no wizards or sorcerers or whatever they called them to remind their deity how to use the powers he was known for. Shit. I had kind of hoped that by the time we reached the vilge, I would just sort of know, but as each step drew us closer, I was farther away from confidence.

  Alright, I thought. Fire. Perhaps it was as simple as visualizing fme. I recalled the way my elementary school basketball teacher used visualization techniques during practice. “Picture the ball going into the hoop,” he would say.

  Coach Harper was a bit of a hippy and all the boys rolled their eyes when he told us it would work, but damn if it didn’t improve our ratios.

  Okay, Coach Harper, let’s put your theory to the test.

  As soon as I visualized fme, I felt my fist began to burn. “Holy shit!”

  I opened my hand while raising it and a basketball-sized sphere of fire zinged from my palm. As I watched it carve a chaotic path through the air, more peculiar text appeared in my vision.

  Ability: Fireball

  Minus 5 FP

  Current FP: 0

  “What the hell is FP?” I wondered aloud, and no sooner had I than the answer wrote itself like a Star Wars scroll over my sight.

  “FP stands for Faith Points. As a god, you acquire Faith Points through the prayers of worshippers and the use of shrines, temples, and cathedrals.”

  “And who the hell are you?”

  More text appeared: “Your Holy Spirit. I am you, Xandos, but partitioned from your consciousness.”

  “Trippy.”

  “Who are you talking to?” Illy asked, a little unnerved by my seemingly mad mutterings.

  “Myself.”

  For some reason, that reply seemed to reassure her. “I do that sometimes, as well. Though I always imagine you listening in, too.”

  Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I said, “And I am, sweet Illy. Though I may not always remember it.”

  “Usually, I end in prayer.” She pressed her palms together for a demonstration. “Xandos, please hear my wishes and allot me what you find appropriate.”

  New text appeared, reading, “1 FP Restored.”

  Did Illy’s prayer just do that?

  “Yes,” read the text.

  “Illy, do that again.”

  “Do what?” she asked.

  “Pray.”

  She csped her hands together, shut her eyes, and muttered her prayer. I waited for another FP to restore, but nothing happened.

  When I grew tired of waiting, I mentally prodded my Holy Spirit for an expnation. “A source of FP cannot be tirelessly mined. You must wait to receive another Faith Point from Illy’s prayers.”

  How long? I wondered.

  “A day.”

  “Shit.”

  “What it is, Xandos?” Illy inquired.

  “Nothing, my dear.” But as the vilge of Firevale grew in our approach, so did its threat. If I cked the ability to fight off these bandits, my time in Miledria would come to an abrupt finish before it really even began.

  I turned my focus back to the Holy Spirit and requested information on abilities. I needed to know what I was capable of with just a single FP.

  “Current abilities costing only a single Faith Point are Fire Control and Spark. Fire Control allows you to bend preexisting fire to your will for a period of thirty seconds. Spark produces an explosive ember capable of setting fire to most materials.”

  Alright, I thought, that’s better than nothing.

  “Additionally,” wrote the Holy Spirit, “you’ve already experienced your ability Weak Levitation.” I recalled the moment I saved myself from the pond, magically hovering above the water. “Weak Levitation is a free ability, but can be upgraded to strengthen your levitation.”

  As I wondered how, the Holy Spirit revealed, “You’ll need to acquire a temple or cathedral to uncover the mechanism by which you expand your list of abilities.”

  Alright, keep your secrets.

  As we strolled past farm patches, I saw that much of the crop was rotten, the ground dry or full of weeds. It seemed as though many of Firevale’s farmers had abandoned their work. Of the few toiling in their fields, most were old and enfeebled.

  My guess was that those who could fled Firevale when the bandits took up residence.

  Which meant the bandits were scary enough to justify leaving their hometown rather than defend it.

  What is in store for me here?

  The town center seemed like a ghost town. Windows were shuttered. The streets were empty. Here and there, I spied a set of eyes peeking between blinds while Illy and I ambled past, probably wondering what the hell this fool in a woman’s cape was doing here.

  Predictably, the raiders congregated at the tavern. A host of rough looking men drank on the porch, leering at a terrified elven barmaid that delivered them full tankards of ale. These brutes and boors wore leather outfits with sheathed swords at their hips. They looked like the medieval equivalent of outw bikers.

  When they saw us approaching, one of them stood from his seat and called out, “Illy! Come to recim your job? We’ve filled it with another elf girl, but there’s always room for you.” He finished by eyeing her sciviously. “We’ll even hire on the eunuch as a dishwasher.”

  “Eunuch?” I repeated.

  “He is no eunuch!” Illy defended. “This is Xandos, God of Fire, and he’s going to chase you off with his fmes!”

  The men exchanged gnces before erupting into boisterous ughter. “You sweet, stupid little elves and your deities. All the gods of Milendria have either gone into hiding or have been sin by Rebard. Now you bring this pipsqueak here and expect us to quake?” He ughed again, jiggling his heft. He turned to the open door and shouted, “Astin, you’ve got to see this!” He looked back at us and waved us in. “Well? Come on in! Burn all us nonbelievers with your fire, Xandos!”

  Before I could back out, a pair of burly men appeared behind us, blocking our exit. They grinned and gave us each a shove.

  I guessed I was going to have to face down these men with nothing but a single Faith Point.

  What could go wrong?