The group made their way across the bridge of light, which felt as solid as stone.

‘I wonder how they cross when they’ve got no magic…’ Adam thought.

The wagon was pulled along with no trouble, as the magical steeds had no need to fear a bridge made of magic. The wolves seemed slightly suspicious, but didn’t dare to refuse the order of their masters, following along as though they weren’t bothered by a bridge made of light.

Adam glanced around, noting the large group of servants all around, most of whom were women. ‘I would have expected a temple of life to be mostly women, but not all among the lower roles.’

A few servants came to assist, taking the wagons, the magical steeds, the wolves, with the younger Iyrmen, away to one side. As they stepped into the large stone fortress, Adam realised it wasn’t just the farmers, or the acolytes, but the priests were also mostly women. As he glanced around, noting the guards, Adam realised that the group which had come to meet with him, who had been made up of almost all men, were a large portion of the men to be found within the temple.

“Is this the temple?” a child asked, shuffling with the other children, shepherded by the acolytes.

“It’s the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother,” Alex confirmed.

“Wow…”

“As this is the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother, I will request you remove your armour, and leave your weapons within our care.”

Vonda turned to Adam, almost ready to speak, when she paused, watching as he began to remove his gauntlets.

“It is awkward to request us to remove our swords,” Dunes said.

“We have no qualms with those who worship Lady Arya,” Hope Robert replied, allowing them to keep their weapons. His eyes then turned to the Iyrmen expectantly.

Jurot remained with his arms crossed, waiting for the Father to ask, the refusal already building within his throat.

“We’re here as Executives of the United Kindom,” Adam said to Jurot. “Let’s pay our respects, especially considering all the great people of the temple have done for us.”

“Okay,” Jurot replied, undoing his axebelt, and doing the same for his shield, as Adam had passed away his shield to a nearby acolytes, whose eyes were wide as they felt the magics flowing through the items.

Lucy glared at Mara, who had almost made a motion to refuse, asking her if she wanted to get them killed.

Hope Robert watched as the acolytes took the various items in a particular manner which revealed how many magical items the group possessed. ‘…’ However, that was not as surprising as the fact the Iyrmen had given up their weapons so easily. ‘Are they not Iyrmen?’

The temple was essentially just a large castle, one which held hundreds of priests and acolytes. The difference between the acolytes and the priests were few, but they were distinct enough. Priests wore more vibrant whites, while the acolytes wore cream. The amulets on the acolytes were made of wood, while those of the priests were made of metal. No acolyte wore any metallic armour, some wearing robes with scales sewn into them, while some priests wore chain beneath their clothing, while all carried at least clubs at their side.

‘Whoa,’ Adam thought. The castle courtyard was huge, large enough to easily hold a thousand people, but he was fairly certain there was some magic at play, since the inside was so much larger than it appeared on the outside. He could also see the sky quite easily, though he was certain the castle was five stories tall, but it was almost as though the stories above the first two floors were invisible, and while the fortress seemed imposing from the outside, the inside seemed so much like a typical temple. ‘Is it an illusion?’

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A group of heavily armoured priests remained to one side, eyeing up the group of newcomers as they approached, noting the large number of children, and then the large number of Iyrmen, that beings more than one, each who had given up their weapons. They had never seen an Iyrman having given up their weapons before, even when they stepped into the temple, no matter how many times they had been asked.

“Whoa! It’s the temple!” a child exclaimed, before Julia quickly placed a hand on their head.

“Ssshhh,” the young woman said, her eyes scanning across the acolytes and priests, noting those who were heavily armoured, and who wore amulets of Mother Soza over a necklace with a sun, just like the amulet which Hope Robert wore.

“Sister Vonda,” a priest called, an older woman who smiled towards the young priest, stepping up quickly to greet her.

“Mother Florence,” Vonda replied, allowing the woman to take her hands in her own, in the same way the Priests of Life usually did.

“It is good to see you so well.” Her eyes flickered for only a moment to Vonda’s lower face.

“It is only by Mother Soza’s grace that I return to you so well.”

Florence was an older woman, in her fifties or so, and she wore almost identical attire to the priests within Red Oak, that which covered all but her face. The adoration on her face could not be hidden, even if she wore a scarf over her face. Adam almost took a step back from how blinding it was.

‘Now that I think about it, I never really talked to Vonda about her life in the temple…’

“Have you finished your travels?”

“I may have,” Vonda replied, smiling awkwardly. “I wish to speak with Mother Priest.”

“Mother Priest is…” Florence replied, still smiling, though noting the look in Vonda’s eyes, and the way her brows were slightly raised. Then she recalled who had escorted her, and the group, back to the temple. “Let us go meet with the Mother Priest.”

Hope Robert’s eyes met the eyes of the other heavily armoured figures to one side, who were already approaching the group. “I will also inform Mother Priest.”

While Hope Robert left, the other heavily armoured priests approached, many of whom wore the holy symbol of Mother Soza over a sun, and while some wore a necklace which was silver, Adam spotted five who wore a sun of gold.

Adam vaguely recalled the sun symbol. ‘Oh, right. Hope Robert wore his over a golden sun.’

The children’s eyes were glued to the priests all around them, the shock and awe filling them to the brim. Rather than the typical excitement which had filled them throughout the last few days, it was now a quiet, shy excitement.

‘Look at those adorable kids,’ Adam thought, hiding his smile behind a fist. ‘You punks, what, you think you’re as cute as my kids? No way, but maybe you’re a close second. I’m going to forgive you, just this once.’

‘Our order is better defended,’ Dunes thought. ‘Though, the river proves a great barrier for any invaders.’

Lucy remained standing near the trio of Iyrmen, with Mara standing right beside her. Though some of the priests were guiding the children to a place to sit and relax, other priests were completely focused on her and her best friend. She could feel a cold chill run through her entire body, realising she was in perhaps the most danger she had ever been in, save against Shama and within the Iyr.

Jurot remained silent, standing with his arms crossed, barely giving any attention to the looks their way. Kitool and Jurot placed themselves with the pair of demons, while Jaygak sat nearby, ready to provide support. The teen Iyrmen would assist them upon their return dealing with the wagon and the wolves.

‘Vonda said she’ll deal with it…’ Lucy thought, though she began to sweat. Her heart began to pound wildly within her chest. ‘Adam won’t let them hurt us…’

“Hope Thomas,” one of the golden sun people said to Hope Thomas, who also wore a golden sun.

Thomas nodded his head, stepping to one side, keeping the demons within his sight, while a few of those with silver suns followed him, before spreading out, forming a circle around the demons, while saying on the outer edge of the courtyard.

“It must have been such a long travel,” one of the Guardians said, an older woman in her fifties or so. She wore a golden sun beneath her amulet.

“It was quite long,” Cobra confirmed. “Mother Soza watched over us, and we’re very grateful.”

“You seem rather tense, young miss. You are safe within the temple now. Whatever threats which had affected you upon the road are now at an end.” The old woman placed a hand on Cobra’s shoulder. “If you are in trouble, you merely need to speak the words and we will assist you.”

“We don’t seem to be in any trouble in the temple,” Cobra replied.

“What kind of trouble plagued you on the road?”

“Nobles.”

“…” The woman’s face was still warm, though there was certainly a hesitation on her face, one mixed with slight confusion. “Nobles?”

“The Marquise, she sent the Marshal of the East.”

“…” The woman remained confused as Cobra spoke of the Marquise and not of the Iyrmen or the demons. ‘What?’