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</div></div><br/>Rhaya couldn't believe her newest task, despite the long journey she'd been on for weeks now. Not only was it her newest one, it was her<i>first </i>task as a Priestess of the Sanctuary. The island she had called home for over seven years was now far behind her. She couldn't even see it on the horizon any more, but it wasn't as though she had spent time looking back. No, the prospect of traveling somewhere new had her almost shivering with equal parts excitement and apprehension.<br/><br/>Rhaya had not been on her own before, having been sent off to the Sanctuary when she was seventeen. Her previous home, the small town of Skirgon, had made an agreement with the Priestesses: send all prospective, young girls to the island for at least a year and see if they were proper enough to handle the rigorous life of being a Priestess. In exchange, the Priestesses would ward and pray for protection from both natural and man-made disasters.<br/><br/>In the eighty years of that agreement, not a single thing had plagued the town. No bandits had attacked, and no major sickness had wiped out the population. There were still disagreements and scuffles, and young children still acquired mild illnesses, but everything was treated by the Priestesses. They cared for the people of Skirgon as if everyone was part of a single, large family.<br/><br/>Rhaya had grown up admiring the Priestesses from afar, knowing that one day, she might be like them. They had special powers, granted to them at the end of their teaching by Soulithya, the Goddess of the Sunrise. It was said that she roused the world with her beautiful light and gave hope to the people who feared the darkness. She had chased away the demons with the power of the sun, forcing them back into whatever hell they had crawled from. And then, she had faded into the sky, becoming one with the clouds, leaving only her power to a handful of priestesses who spread the word of their goddess to all corners of the world.<br/><br/>Rhaya never tired of hearing the story from the Priestesses as well as her own mother, who had become a seamstress for the Priestesses after her leg became crippled during her training on the island. The Priestesses were unable to heal the wound, and they offered her a position to assist them. Since then, Rhaya's mother had helped craft the robes that Rhaya wore even now. They were white, hooded robes with sleeves that ended in the middle of her forearm. A long tabard emblazoned with a golden sun hung over her chest, and the bottom of the robe was decorated with gold and maroon lining. It was a comfortable set of clothing, though Rhaya sometimes tripped on the edges because she was on the shorter side. The hood kept her reddish-brown hair from getting too tangled as well as protecting her face from burning in the sun. Still, the bridge of her nose and cheeks were dotted with pale freckles, as well as her arms. She had always enjoyed being outside, and the little nicks and scrapes on her hands and legs showed that much.<br/><br/>Rhaya fingered the pendant at her throat, a small diamond shaped piece of metal with a turquoise piece embedded in the center. Her mother had given it to her on the day she left, so she wouldn't forget her home. Skirgon was situated at the base of a mountain, allowing miners to gather all kinds of ore and gems to trade to the Priestesses as well as other towns. Rhaya would have gone home before her first quest, but the High Counselor Mazia had ordered her to go directly to Asetalos, the large city directly south of the island. Asetalos had been beset by many problems over the years, and Mazia believed it was because many of the citizens had lost faith in Soulithya. Priestesses had tried for years to convert the people to their teachings, but all had failed.<br/><br/>However, Mazia had personally told Rhaya's zeal and passion for helping others learn about the Sanctuary's religion would win over someone some day. Rhaya had taken that to heart, and it was that thought that kept her going, even as she saw Asetalos's tall buildings climb into the sky. She had only seen paintings of the place, but now, she could see that those pictures hadn't done the city justice.<br/><br/>She swallowed hard, nervousness overtaking her. She had to have faith in herself, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to help anyone see the light. She huffed and shook her head, her breath stolen by the salty sea breeze as the ship cruised along. They weren't far from the docks now, as the wind was favoring their voyage. They had made it to Asetalos in record time, and Rhaya made a note to send word to Mazia about her journey when she reached the city. Mazia had already shipped a letter to the Sanctuary's church about Rhaya's arrival, and she was to go directly there without stopping for anything.<br/><br/>But the need to explore and work out her anxiety was sure to win her over, and as the crew shouted to prepare for the shore, Rhaya stepped toward the bow of the ship, gripping her pack tight as she looked out over everything. There was no way she would be able to go to the church right away. Besides, she wasn't expected until later in the day, so she had time to learn about Asetalos.<br/><br/>"Ya be needin' any help t'day, Lady Pries'ess?" asked the first mate of the transport ship.  and his Captain Karver had been sailing the<i>Singer </i>for years now, and he was familiar with many of the women who came and went on their journeys. Rhaya hadn't gotten to know him too well, but he was a kind, older man who knew his way around ships.<br/><br/>"No, sir, but thank you," she said with a beaming smile, light brown eyes shining like the sunlight. On bright days like this, there were some moments where the gray specks in her irises could be seen, though Rhaya had naturally never seen that herself.<br/><br/>"Alrigh', lass, then ya be lettin' us know if there's anythin' we can do. We'll be settin' sail back to th islan' in five days, so if ya need t'be goin' back, ya come find us," he said, giving her a toothy grin back.<br/><br/>"Thank you for everything, sir!" Rhaya answered as she stepped off the ship, leg wobbling as she gained her bearings. Being at sea for almost a week had given her strong sea legs, but now that the ground beneath her wasn't dipping and bobbing, she found herself leaning hard on a wooden post to steady herself.<br/><br/>Once she could walk without fear of falling, Rhaya straightened up, holding her pack closer to herself. The dock was buzzing with all kinds of people, and she suddenly felt small in the crowds. She wove in between tall and short bodies, squeaking out pardons each time she brushed too closely to someone. No one seemed to care that she wore the robes of a Priestess, but it was to be expected. No one believed in her faith, so she was going to help them with that... right after she explored a little of Asetalos.