The lady in charge of the uniforms, Madam Samone, finished taking Solis' measurements and handed him a stack of white clothing with a yellow tie resting on top, finally handing him some simple white dress shoes with wooden soles and his Inquisition badge.
Solis thanked the woman for her time and effort and exited the room, approaching the adjacent door. He knocked thrice and waited for a voice to allow him entry.
"Come in." And aged, croaky male voice called out.
Solis entered the room, addressed himself, and told the man his business. The man was in his early fifties, with the most prominent feature on his face not being his wrinkles, but his numerous scars - signs of experience that demanded respect. A thin cigarette hung from his lips, and grey smoke clouded the room with his every breath.
"Wait here. I'll go get you 'yur weapons. You're new, no? Just a service pistol will suffice." With one final puff of smoke, the former Inquisitor disappeared behind the many rows of shelves and lockers. After multiple grunts, bangs and even a gunshot, Jacaby returned to his desk and placed a stunning revolver, two boxes of ammunition, and a small straight sword on his desk.
"This is the generic 6-shooter service pistol - and no, it's not a relic - chambered in .457 Magnum rounds. You can collect extra ammunition for free from the armoury manager - that's me - or your Captain can place an order for a full team resupply. This sword is also standard issue, nothing special.
Weapons training is provided by the Church, but your Channel's natural weapon mastery should be all you need to wield them properly."
"Thank you, Mr. Jacaby."
"Just call me Jack. I'm no one special."
"Alright. Enjoy your day." Solis thanked the armoury manager and strapped his service revolver and straight sword to his white uniform, leaving the room and returning to his teammates.
"All done? Good. It's time for a routine check." The captain's voice instructed the group after Solis' return. "Apparently, there's been a new Relic added to the collection, so we need to check that it has been properly sealed, as well as check that all seals are fully functional."
"What do we do if we find one that isn't functioning?"
"Yell and scream, and hope one of the higher-ups hears," Valentino spoke. It was unclear whether or not he was joking.
"Our Channels don't have any sealing capabilities until Stage 5, meaning if any relics of Grade 3 or higher are unsealed, we need a high-ranking member of the Church to help us. God forbid a Grade 0 gets unsealed, we would be dead before we could beg for help!" Darla informed.
"Don't worry. The Relics are routinely checked by all different members of the Church, the chances of something going even slightly awry is next to none." Durk's mature and unbothered voice calmed down the anxious recruit, and he began to point everyone to their stations.
"Solis, Tagger, you two are in charge of the Grade 5 Relics. Get to it."
The two walked over to their corner of the vast hall and began to scan the aisles, carefully inspecting each info card and container.
"Hm? This must be the new one." Tagger's curious voice came from behind a large wooden shelf. Solis, driven by curiosity, walked around to Tagger's location and inspected the new Relic.
He picked up a small info card and read it aloud.
"Sealed Relic 5-129 - The Key of Many Ways.
Affects: Allows wielder to unlock any door that has been locked by regular means, and grants wielder far increased ability to steal small items from things like purses and pockets.
Negative Affects: After wielding for more than 1 hour, wielder with experience extreme kleptomania. When used for more than 1 hour each day, wielder will experience permanent increase in desire to steal.
Sealing Method: Surrounded by items of high value, such as in a container of gold coins.
Level of Intelligence: Very Low
Corresponds to Stage 10 of Trickery channel, Thief."
"Sounds cool. Didn't know there was such a pathway." Solis ruminated over the mundane silver key encased in gold coins.
"Tricksters are rare, especially in Artir. I hear they're more common overseas, though. Lots of Trickster pirates." The ever-flamboyant Tagger Scott explained, flicking his hair.
"If there's lots, how can they be rare?"
"Rare as in hard to find. They're damn good at hiding - experienced ones, at least. This guy must not have been too clever."
Solis continued his objective, catching sight of various swords, rings, necklaces and belt buckles. This was the sizable inventory of the Church's Grade 5 Sealed Relic.
As he walked around, he unknowingly glanced at the bright yellow door emitting a faint golden yue repeatedly. After a few minutes, he heard an undeniable calling coming from beyond the door. The unintelligible ravings and whispers made the hair on his arms stand tall and little bumps appeared all over his body.
"Come...Come in.... Dune of Light... Auriel...Come...Dune...Auriel...Come...Light....Gold"
The indescribable whispers shook his very core, generating a small heat within his chest. Through his white shirt and jacket, a small black infinity loop in the form of a snake swallowing its own tale shone. Solis felt his stomach churn and his left leg involuntarily took a step toward the direction of the yellow door. Something inside of him was being pulled toward the door.
"Come...Light....Auriel....Solis....Dune....Come...Gold...
DuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeCome
ComeToMe
ReleaseMe
ComeAurielReturnDuneSolisLightHolyFireGoldDuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeComeDuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeComeDuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeComeDuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeComeDuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeComeDuneLightGoldAurielComeInDuneGoldComeSolisLightAurielSunEmbodimentGoldComeComeReturnSolisComeToMeGoldAurielFireDuneOfLightUnsealMe
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Come, Solis.
Return.
"
Yellow magma threatened to drip from his flesh. Solis fell to his knees, a sound heard by none. In this lonely aisle of Sealed Relic, Solis felt as though they were laughing at his sorry state. He clawed at his face, nails digging deep into his flesh and threatening to bulge his eyeballs out of their sockets. He grasped in vain at the slowly flowing stalagmites of lava falling from his face and attempted to cry out for help. A sound that was once again heard by none.
No no no no no what's happening to me!? Stop it stop it stop it stop it
I'm dying! I'm losing control! I'm falling to pieces in the place I should be most protected!
StopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStopStop come back
It hurts
It hurts
Someone help me!
It hurts
It hurts
It hurts
It hurts
It hurts
It hurts
It hurts
you're my flesh you can't just leave me comebackcomebackcomebackcomebackcomebackcomebackcomebackcomeback nonononononononono I'm dying! Why is no one helping me!?!
A sudden force behind his head forced Solis out of his daze. His flesh reverted to its regular state, and now blood flowed from the cuts he had made with his nails.
"Dear, oh dear." A calm, mature and delicate voice came from behind the curled-up avatar of heat and magma, hitting him behind his ears and knocking him unconscious, eliminating the boy's state of mania. The man, dressed in white priest robes with yellow trimmings and a Sun on his back, held the boy in his arms and addressed those around him.
"He will be fine, just a side effect of recently advancing. Continue with your work."
"Yes, Bishop." The five Inquisitors stationed in the Hall of Light said in unison.
The Bishop threw the boy over his shoulder and began to exit the Hall.
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"Any idea what could have caused such a sudden reaction?" A young lady, roughly 30, dressed in simple nun attire which failed to hide her long blonde hair that spilt out of her robes and sprawled along the marble floor. Her large blue eyes gave her a look of childish innocence, despite being one of the most powerful members of the Church. This woman, who emanated a kind, motherly aura, was one of the Saints of the Church of the Sun, Archbishop Vivienne! She stood over a boy with yellow hair sleeping on a couch at the back of the room.
Two tall figures burst through the doorway to the large office. "I may have one. Forgive me, Crestet, but this doesn't concern you. I'll need to ask you to leave."
"I understand, Pope Aurum. Please excuse me." Bishop Crestet, who had rescued the boy in question from mutation, bowed to the guests and politely exited, stepping aside to allow entry to another figure. This figure, a male with short dark brown hair and golden eyes with a thin scar across his nose wearing a simple white suit and yellow tie entered the room, bowed slightly to the two tall men, and greeted Saintess Vivienne.
"Now that we're all here, everyone take a seat." The Pope instructed the three officials in his office to take a seat around his desk, and he took off his papal tiara.
"You said you might know what caused his episode, Your Eminence?" Inquired the newest arrival, Saint Apollo.
"Yes. It was without a doubt one of the Grade 0 Sealed Relics, and I believe it was 0-06."
"0-06..." Archbishop Vivienne ruminated, remembering the horrors of the Sealed Artifact. She had never used it herself, but even entering the vicinity beyond the yellow door made her bear witness to the unfathomable power of 0-06.
"I agree with Aurum. It's the most likely cause - being the most intelligent and hard-to-seal Relic in our Church. It has the greatest drive to be unsealed." This voice came from a man with hip-length white hair and silver eyes, wearing very white simple robes with no adorning features. This man was the Cardinal of the Church, Cardinal Ouroboros.
"Where did 0-06 come from? Why would it try to influence him of all people? Is it because of that? " Asked Archbishop Apollo.
"I cannot tell you its origins, but we can assume it is indeed because of the boy's uniqueness. That's mainly why I believe it was 0-06, and not another Grade 0." Responded the deep voice of the Pope.
A worried Archbishop Vivienne voiced, "Is it wise to allow the young master to go on dangerous missions? What if something awful happens?"
The Pope waited a few seconds before responding, closing his eyes and resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. "The Reconvergence will be much more successful if it is done willingly. We need to cultivate a sense of loyalty to the Church within him. It is better to send him on missions than to risk him exploring around like a mischievous child and running into something he shouldn't."
"We also cannot risk 'It' fully awakening. Once awakened, 'it' will be impossible to find should 'it' decide to flee. If 'it' does indeed awaken, we cannot risk 'it' falling into enemy hands." Ouroboros spoke clearly, leaving no room for argument from the two Archbishops. "I will take the boy back to his house. I have a feeling he will need lots of rest for tomorrow."
----------
In the middle of a scorching desert which expanded far beyond what the eye could see, treading a large sand dune, a young boy with yellow hair and golden eyes marched with a tattered cloak covering his head and a thin many-times folded bandana wrapped around the lower half of his face.
The boy walked for hours through the unbearable heat, before stopping in front of an opening in a hardened sand-coloured rock. The boy proceeded downward through the dark hole and arrived at on top of a tall hill of sand, overlooking a massive desert city with buildings made of sand and green trees and shrubbery scattered throughout. The city was encased by a parameter of colossal sand-coloured rocks acting as border walls. Roads of sand guided desert creatures of all shapes and sizes to the Mausoleum of golden sand in the middle of the city. The yellow-haired traveller stumbled forward slightly, almost sliding down the face of the dune, and his eyes rolled back into his head, revealing his bloodshot sclera. He began to float slightly, before levitating towards the city, driven by an irresistible attraction to the Mausoleum.
----------
Solis awoke with a gasp, trying to force air into his empty lungs. He had a pounding headache, increasing in intensity when he tried to remember what happened after he heard the whispers originating from behind the yellow door.
He turned his attention to a note on his bedside table.
'Hope you're alright. Take the rest of the day off. You're shift was almost over anyway. Don't worry too much about what happened, it was just a side-effect of recently ascending to Stage 8.
-Cardinal'
Solis rolled his eyes at the unbothered tone of his mentor's writing, upset that he didn't seem to care about the boy's near-death experience.
Tch. Shitty old coot.
Solis stumbled out of bed and unlaced his window, gazing at the Sun hanging low in the sky. It was roughly 6 or 7 pm.
"Ugh, God. My head is killing me." Solis clutched his head, trying to make sense of everything he had recently experienced.
"That dream... What was that? Where did that person go? I think they were in the desert behind Heliopolis, within the Church's jurisdiction, but where were all of the cities? It looked entirely abandoned." Solis attempted to assess the strange dream he had, but thinking about it only hurt his head further. He eventually decided to go to sleep early and hoped he would feel better tomorrow.
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