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The Gift

Richard's (SF) Storyline, Chapter 3.3

copyright comidacomida 2018

Approaching the double doors, Jack gestured to it. "Please, Richard... humor me in this and all will become clear."

I stood on the threshold of a church and numerous thoughts came flooding into my mind. Glancing toward the Gryphon, I also looked around at the numerous people walking on the street. Eyes returning first to the doors and then to my companion, I nodded and entered. Although I didn't know him that well I could tell that he was desperate to be understood and that his ploy to speak without interruption was proof that he didn't know how to connect with me but he desperately wanted to.

It wasn't a prayer day, per se, but there were still a large number of people in the congregation. Glancing around I saw that the pews were surprisingly full. Jack walked in beside me and, as we approached the rearmost seats he gestured to the side and I silently complied, sitting down. It had been a long time since I'd been in church and the one I went to a few times back in Eastern Oregon was nowhere near as nice.

The first thing I noticed, out of all of it, was the fact that the prayer books were placed in a small cloth satchel attached to the back of the bench in front of me rather than on the seat itself. Continuing to glance about I noticed that a lot of the windows were frosted but a few had some very beautiful stained glass; the window behind the pulpit, for example, was an amazingly intricate piece of art-- a fragile mosaic of 'Christ the Savior', or whatever similar title the artisan was sure to have given it.

I'd seen plenty of religious iconography in my time but, to be honest, something about that stained glass really caught my attention. It was one of the generic poses for Jesus with his arms spread wide and his head slightly bowed with the holy halo radiance around his head. To this day I still can't quite explain what was so amazing about it, especially since I haven't been back to that church since. I think part of it was how distinctly the priest struck me when he came out from the back-- I say 'distinct' because he was wasn't just any generic priest; he was a Ram.

Dressed immaculately in a black clergy suit complete with the pure egg-shell colored collar, but it was almost lost amidst his curly white fleece. He was a thin man, enough so that all of his wool didn't really give him the impression of bulk so much as a normal build. He had small but noticeable horns which were just long enough to start to curl and a hint of a swirl of hair at the end of his muzzle reminiscent of a chin beard. What was most noticeable, however, were his vibrant, purple eyes.

He looked around at the gathering and, as I saw those gleaming Amethyst eyes settle on me I felt a moment of fear; Jack had always tried to keep me away from the notice of spirits and yet, there we were, attending a church which was apparently run by one? It made no sense, and left me as confused as I was unsettled. I didn't have a chance to process those emotions however as the Ram simply smiled, and continued looking around the room. A few moments later he opened what looked like a small sheet of paper in front of him and began providing his sermon.

It had been a long time since I'd heard one and I couldn't say if I'm a good judge of what is a good one or what isn't, but I remember that I wouldn't have called it 'bad'. It was actually a really pleasant message of acceptance and inclusion. The Ram preached about love and care for all children of god, even those who don't always follow His will and other similar messages. All-in-all, I remember thinking that the world would be a better place if more of the 'religious types' were spreading similar messages rather than intolerance and condemnation. Before I knew it Jack was standing and, even before the sermon came to an end, he leaned closer to me and spoke softly "Come, Richard... I have more to show thee."

Having already committed myself I stood and followed the Gryphon out quietly, doing my best not to disrupt the worship (no, I'm not all that religious myself, but I do respect people of faith). Once we were outside and heading down the steps I did need to have at least one question answered. "Jack... why were you whispering in there? It's not like anyone could hear you."

The Gryphon waited for me at the bottom of the steps and turned, heading to the right. "The Preacher would have, and I did not wish to be rude."

His simple explanation begged more questions and so I took the initiative. "So... he was a Spirit?"

Jack shook his head. "Not entirely, Richard, and such understanding is the purpose of this outing. The man leading the congregation was a man indeed, but he was housing a Glamour Spirit-- the Ram was Skin Riding him."

The term sounded a little dirty, but more imposing than anything else. I waited for a couple to pass us on the sidewalk before I inquired further. "Skin Riding? What's that?"

He readily answered. "Some spirits choose to guide Humans more closely by merging with them. In the case of Skin Riding, the spirit guides their actions, similar to a conscience, but with a little more direct control."

"You mean... like possessing them?"

The Gryphon's feathers around his face and neck puffed up; he shook his head. "No, Richard, but in some ways similar. A spirit who possesses a Human forces them while a spirit who Skin Rides 'encourages' them. The former is aggressive and invasive while the latter is a gradual, subtle, and much more gentle way of affecting change in a mortal."

That begged yet another question. "Have you ever Possessed or Skin Ridden someone?"

Jack clacked his beak a few times; it looked like he was scowling. "Possession is distasteful and beneath any self respecting Spirit, Richard-- tis best that thou assume that any goodly Spirit does not lest thou risk offending. Most spirits likewise do not Skin Ride without good reason but, to answer thy question, yes, I have, but it was many centuries ago."

It sounded like an interesting story. "Would you tell me about it?"

The Gryphon's feathers puffed again and I had a feeling I might have overstepped polite boundaries. Rather than reproach me, he simply motioned to the right. "We are at our next destination, Richard."

Glancing the direction he indicated I saw yet another church. "We're going inside?"

He nodded. "If thou shall continue to humor me, yes... please."

The last church was an interesting experience and so I felt no reason to decline him his request. I remember, as I walked inside, I'd see another Ram preacher. I didn't. A sermon was already in process, and the preacher was just as memorable as the last one, but for a similar-but-equally-different reason: he was a Lion... and he was more than willing to call me out. "I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruits of his deeds. That is Jeremiah 17:10, young man. If you show yourself to be heedless of time then you cannot expect the Lord to be timely with your salvation."

Almost as one, the congregation of the church about-faced and all but stared me down; numerous exclamations of "shame!" or "Slothfulness!" echoed around the room. The Lion simply looked on, his regal mane framing his head with the portion flowing down his chest almost resembling a beard as he adjusted his glasses and called the congegation to order. "We grant the devil power when we let him interrupt the word of God, my children. Return your focus to me now, that we may continue to speak of His glory and condemn those who choose not to walk in His light."

It was so much more obvious with the Lion than the Ram that he quite visibly glowed at the attention he was afforded by the congregation; his eyes were particularly luminescent, shining all the brighter whenever an "Amen" or similar exclamation was issued up from the crowd. I stayed far less time in the second church than the first and Jack followed me out, making no move to stop me; the preacher stopped his sermon once again to condemn me for leaving early but I ignored it in favor of a quick escape. Once we were outside and I was sure we were alone I turned to the Gryphon and asked "What was that?"

He cocked his head to the side, keeping pace with me as he responded with a question of his own. "To what are you referring, Richard?"

I didn't really know where to begin, so I--