“Well, how many people need to suffer? I think only one. But if that person suffers, his friends will suffer along with him, because that is what friends do naturally. Then, naturally, the friends of those friends will also carry the pain. In the end, there will be more than one person suffering from some actions or decisions of others – bad actions and decisions – but we cannot know for sure if our actions and decisions are bad or not. What seems good could be bad, what seems bad could be good – in the long run. Why do you ask, Ken?”

Ken just scratches his head. How could he explain? “There was this dispute about the Children of Thunder… I was just wondering…” He did not want to mention any names. Or anything.

But he sees the priest noticing that the conversation is not quite finished yet. The old man gave him a knowing look. Without the priest saying anything, Ken knew what the question was. “You know who that person is, right?” But no, Ken will not answer.

So he stood up, thanked the cleric and went back to his home. Or at least that is what he is thinking to do. First task is to exit the church anyway, the building is too silent for a rampaging mind. And he knows there are other people wanting to talk to the priest.

Why does he keep coming back to him anyway? There are other people he could have asked. There are also other kinds of priests. When the earthlings first got transported into Ivengard, many carried on their religions. Some stay as they were, maybe evolving slightly to adapt to the different conditions in this world – like the existence of magic. Some turned into completely distinct teachings and practices. But no, Ken had to go that particular group.

As he kicks a stone around while sweeping off the city streets, he contemplated on what happened a few nights ago in the bar and the last conversation with that old priest. Corlux defended himself again for using magic, Aneon got irritated again by the political discourse. Jeremy took his pen the next day and tried to refine the arguments for both sides. And Ken? He once again drank a little bit too much and went to an old man to ask about his opinion. Just to get confronted with something he is not ready to face yet.

“Ah!” He kicked off the stone, now focusing on his steps. “Only one!” And his friends. But what about the Children of Thunder? Does it make them the friends of that one person who is needed to suffer? No, that makes no sense. But if that one person befriends them, then… He suffers along with them. And then they also suffer with him. No…

“What about the Children of Thunder?” Before he knew it, Jeremy asked the question as he re-entered the church. Some five, eight people were now looking at him. The cleric was apparently in the middle of the sermon.

“Ah, a good example! He carries their crosses too, and while things might not become easier, they become much more bearable – because He came as a friend, to suffer with us – for us. To carry all suffering to hell and collect all that is left there, so that He can bring them along to Heaven. So that we may look at our wounds and say, they are the crowns and jewels of salvation.”

Ken sat down at the pew. This old man has a knack of using any distraction to strengthen the focus of the people around him. And Ken watched. A friend? That person came as a friend, and if he comes as a friend, he will suffer with them. But friendship has to be mutual. Is this now a weird loop, where he suffers for and with others, and they suffer for and with him? Do the Children of Thunder befriend him? Do they even know him?

“Only one, huh?” Ken pulled out his net-plate. “What about my brother?” He asked Jeremy.