Saint Hans Cathedral pierced into the sky like a brigade of soldiers raising their spears in defiance of their foe. It warred against the sky which still hadn’t been illuminated by the sun. Instead, it was an oppressive leering void that sought to engulf the world due to its outstanding gluttony.

A flutter of birds scattered from atop of the Cathedral’s spire, and they circled the sky above like predators awaiting their prey. Their grey fog dispersed and all that was left was a statue of a man that held the Caduceus’s staff. It signified that this building was a domain of piety and sanctity. Below him, gargoyle statues shrank back in fear of its holy might.

A grand procession was held at Saint Hans Cathedral on the day of the execution of Horyd Coeden. A boundless crowd had gathered to watch the induction of Afon Coeden into the College of Cardinals. The crowd rippled like tidal waves from the excitement of a new beginning, and the sorrow at the passing of Cardinal Peace.

The grand bronze double doors were open today, awaiting the carriages that contained most of Cymorth’s ecumenical leadership. Leading the procession in a magnificent white and gold carriage was the Pontiff.

Isten and the Blodyns were already inside the Cathedral waiting for the drawn-out procession to end, and for the ceremony to begin. However, Isten was alone as his parents and uncles had left to integrate themselves and politick with the various families.

Isten sat at his families’ designated pew alone, looking in awe at the Cathedral’s architecture. Various monolithic pillars held up the Cathedral’s atrium, which were made from engraved stone. Hanging from the scaffoldings above, wagon-wheeled chandeliers lit the Cathedral from the inside.

He got up from his pew and began taking a greater look at the interior design as it was a colossal building. Radiant stained-glassed windows with empyrean designs let light flicker through, ephemerally danced on the mosaic floor and Isten's palms. He outstretched his arms to it flow onto his body, enjoying its natural show.

There were statues of holy men and women, some in prayer or performing miracles. They were sculpted into the walls of the Cathedral, and the pillars of the pointed archways. Isten put his hand to feel the statues, they were incredibly smooth to touch. A grandmaster sculptor had evidently been commissioned to sculpt them, their signature and face carved into the wall below.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” A voice asked Isten from behind.

“They’re incredible…” Isten paused in awe. “The whole Cathedral is indescribably beautiful.”

“Indeed. It’s one of the joys of worshiping here, and for people like me, working here. To take this in everyday is something all should experience, not just the clergy.” The voice continued, almost chiding in tone. Isten turned around to see who he was speaking to.

The voice belonged to a young woman; a bit older than Isten. He guessed her age to be around nineteen, maybe slightly older. She had lily white skin which contrasted with her hair. It seemed to Isten to be an ink waterfall that gracefully fell down her back.

He noticed her almost celestial-like eyebrows which were the shape of two crescent moons that lined the starry skies of her eyes. She wore a black clerical cassock and gown, personally fitted with a belt that contained important items and the holy scripture, with black knee-high boots.

Isten was stunned by her beauty. But from her clothes, it was evident that she was a member of the clergy. Their decision to remain ascetic had to be respected by everyone, including aristocrats. So, Isten had to quickly withdraw his feelings of attraction unless he got in trouble with the Church.

“I’m jealous that you get to see this every day. I don’t think I would grow tired of it even if I tried,” Isten said. “I’ll have to come back soon to see all of its wonder, we’re a bit too short of time today, unfortunately.”

“Yes, that is unfortunate. If you want a tour around the Cathedral the next time you visit, come look for me and I will show you around.” She gave a smile.

“What’s your name? I will need to ask for you as I can’t be certain the next time I come. I will be pretty busy soon.” Isten responded.

“Ask for Heledd of the pious convent, you should be able to reach me there.” Heledd replied, then walked away after bowing towards Isten.

Isten continued to look at some of the architecture for a while longer but returned to House Blodyn’s seating. His parents had similarly returned after their socialising within the company of the very powerful.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Lucien wore a smirk while Morrigan’s eyes displayed pride. ‘They must have achieved something for them to be acting this way.’ Isten thought, shaking his head.

“How much longer will the procession last?” Isten asked his parents.

“It should be ending now, and the ceremony will begin shortly,” Lucien responded. “If you’re thinking the ceremony will be quicker, you’ll be in for a surprise.”

“I wasn’t thinking that… I was wondering how much time I had left to explore the Cathedral.” Isten blushed.

“Sit down, there isn’t enough time for you to flirt with that priest girl.” Lucien jested. Isten glared in response, his face flushed with embarrassment.

As soon as he sat down next to Morrigan, he heard a harmony of religious music being played by the choir. They led the procession through the bronze doors, causing the atmosphere of the Church to take a sudden shift from tranquility to a euphoric agitation.

Pontiff Innocent headed the ecumenical leadership, entering Saint Hans Cathedral after the choir. He was still dressed in his plain white robes and mitre which contrasted the Cardinals behind him who wore ornately embroidered red and gold robes.

At the centre of the group was Afon Coeden who was to be inducted into the College of Cardinals at the end of this ceremony. He wore a red and gold robe with two entwining dragons that symbolised heaven and earth. Perched on both shoulders were two illusory dragons that swam around in the air.

“Are those dragons on that Cardinal’s shoulders an illusion?” Isten asked Morrigan with a nudge.

“They are made from an accumulation of spirits that were merged together by the Pontiff. They are living beings and currently reside in our world.” Morrigan responded.

‘Cool! I wonder if I will ever get a spirit...’ Isten thought.

Above the parade, space rippled as countless spirit creatures floated above, watching the ceremony with interest. Some zipped through the air causing a burst of winter wind to blow through the Cathedral.

A wave of ecclesiastics pushed through the doors, finally ending the awesome spectacle that was the opening procession. All below the rank of Cardinal genuflected themselves in prayer on the floor, in between the two aisles of pews.

Mutterings of ancient prayers sounded around the Cathedral; it was a low hum of hallowed sound. The Pontiff took his position at the lectern while the Cardinals surrounded him on either side. Afon Coeden stood next to Pontiff innocent, between the lectern and the altar.

“We congregate today in celebration for an end, and a new beginning. It has been two days since the untimely end of a most reverend Cardinal, his Eminence, Peace. However, since his death we have sought and received justice and retribution for this profound sin. Cardinal Peace can rest serenely within the Creator’s embrace, taking pride with assisting God with his religious duties in the afterlife.” The ecclesiastic prayers increased in volume in response, blessing Cardinal Peace in death.

“The perpetrator, the iniquitous Horyd Coeden, has not received the same treatment. As explained within our Holy Scripture, all who sin without repent will not receive the loving kindness of God. They will spend eternity as punishment within nothingness, Chaos.” A silence descended onto the Church as the prayers were paused. Isten felt guilt rise within him, but it was quickly dispelled as the low hum of the prayers resumed.

“Today, God has given us a beautiful blessing.The opportunity to experience a new beginning. God has told our great King, King Brenin Helygen II, that Afon Coeden has the consecrated rights to become our next Cardinal. He has completed the rites and ceremonies to be inducted into the College of Cardinals. Finally, today he is to receive the very essence of God.” Pontiff Innocent preached fervently.

Pontiff Innocent stepped down from the lectern and stood before Afon Coeden, in front of the altar. The Pontiff took a tome off the top of the altar and flicked to a page within.

“Spirit of the ephemeral, you are summoned. They shall converge into a sanctuary, sacrosanctus.” The Pontiff now held a Caduceus’s staff in his right hand, and continued chanting.

“Born of double helix, separated into helices at youth, to be returned in death. The cycle created by God, continued in tradition.” Pontiff Innocent indicated at Afon to begin.

Afon took both spirit dragons within his hands, and carefully entwined them into the shape of a double helix. Pontiff Innocent cast a spell on the dragons, enchanting them with holy power. Afon raised the dragons to his mouth and swallowed them whole.

A golden light emitted from him, temporarily blinding Isten from the pews. He covered his eyes with his hands to protect himself, though the extreme light shortly dissipated. He lowered his hand and saw a figure still shrouded in light, but it wasn’t painful.

Afon Coeden had a tangible golden aura surrounding him after the Cardinal ceremony. He had become an embodiment God. A fragment of divinity. Something incredibly holy and much more distant than mortal life.

The priests and bishops chanting prayers grew louder, becoming melodious and harmonic almost to the point of it becoming a hymn. Isten felt reverence at the scene before him. He felt connected to God on a spiritual level that he had never perceived before.

“Sacrosanctus.” The whole Cathedral prayed in unison. They merged into a single voice that praised the advent of God. That small fragment of the Creator had returned and blessed its followers with its presence through its new apparition, Cardinal Afon Coeden.

With the hallowed sacred rite being completed, the ceremony slowly ended. Isten was enamoured with the spectacle, enjoying its warmth much more than the earlier barbarism of Horyd Coeden’s execution.

However, despite Isten’s positive feelings to the ceremony, a small seed of alienation had been planted within him. A certain strangeness that something about Pentref was not entirely morally right. He worried that overtime this would only become more apparent by events that would stress his beliefs.

Though, he rejected it. An overwhelming sense of disbelief and hope was hung on Pentref for he believed that this was his place of improvement. A sanctity of self-development as seen in the annuals of time, by those very great men. He needed to be moulded by Pentref to fulfil his ambitions and desires, to succeed his idols. To ascend to the heavens.