A man walked silently, step after step on the red sand, his robes fluttering slightly in the wind. He was going towards his 'home' and the 'home' of 'god'... He looked up at the majestic sight of the Cathedral. The giant flame at its top eternally burning to illuminate the silent night. The copper red coating was shining brightly as it reflected the lights. It gave the illusion of it being in perpetual movement, as if the Cathedral itself was a flame.

This planet was where the Cathedral, the headquarters of the religion of this man, was. It was a desolate and small desertic planet with nothing but sand and not a single sun. The only light and heat coming from that eternal flame. This was where the Great Belief of the Flame began. It was so long ago...

It is now one of the greatest religions throughout this part of the multiverse with thousands of planets worshipping it. With the goal to purify invaders and spread the light of the flame onto the ever-dark worlds. The God worshipped isn't 'one' but 'all' as it is the Flame itself.

The man walked slowly and silently while looking at the Cathedral of the Eternal Flame.

'Archbishop Ash: We only wanted warmth...'

'Archbishop Ash: We started by bringing warmth to other planets...but now? We end up turning worlds to ashes...What an irony to my name...'

'Archbishop Ash: Why? Why, oh Great Flame, do you keep asking me to burn lives?'

'Archbishop Ash: Great Flame...Who are you really?'

As he walked, he opened his palm and tried to create fire. A small flickering flame appeared on top of his hand. However, it fluctuated and disappeared just like it appeared. The Magic was still there but it wasn't sustainable anymore... The Magic of the Archbishop was built upon his faith in the flames itself. And right now, his belief was shaken.

A single seed of doubt, the tiniest of tiny things.

Yet it was enough. To a man who kept on wielding his faith as his weapon, doubting his faith meant doubting his weapon. His Domain itself was a pure representation of his faith. How could something so powerful exist otherwise? His Domain and his Magic were not about making 'flames' but instead manifesting his faith.

It just so happened that he believed in the Flame.

And his Domain, and his Magic too, took on the properties of pure fire. But can a spell to manifest your faith work if you no longer have a firm faith?

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The Archbishop soon reached the entrance of the Capital. He pushed the doors and walked straight to his personnal quarters. He nodded to the many believers he met along the way.

'Archbishop Ash: Why do they believe in the Flame? What do they expect from it?...'

Then, the Archbishop entered a prayer room specifically made to explore oneself. He closed the door and flames began to light up the room from the ceiling. The walls were made of glass to create mirrors. As he looked to the front, he saw his reflection and a sad smile appeared on his exhausted face.

'Archbishop Ash: How unsightly...An Archbishop doubting his own religion...'

'Archbishop Ash: How did this man manage to shake my beliefs of thousand of years...'

Archbishop Ash: Oh Great Flame, I call upon you in my name, as your faithful servant of eons past. I have never asked anything before today but I must for once go against my own doctrine. Please, Oh Great Flame, answer my question. ... Who are you?

Only the silence answered him. He knelt down and looked up at the dancing flames on the ceiling.

Archbishop Ash: Oh Great Flame, do I not deserve a single answer from you? Even after serving you so faithfully for so long?

No answers were given.

The Archbishop sighed and got up. Then, he left the prayer room. Then, he left the Cathedral under the curious gazes of the faithfuls. Then, he went to the door.

Before opening the vortex of exit, he turned once more and looked at the brightly burning-like Cathedral. He recalled what happened on the planet where the Great Flame had him go.

There, he met an army of Karvu. He also met an impressive man who mastered the arts of exsorsims and occults. But more than anything, he met that man. Shen. The one he had been ordered to kill by the Great Flame.

An impressive being.

And a puppeteer too.

Which is why what he said managed to shake the belief he had in the Great Flame. As the man was lying there limbless, he told him:

Shen: ...Since I became conscious of it, he sent another to clean me up, uh.

Archbishop Ash: Amithaba, what might you mean, sinner?

Shen: *chuckle* Sinner? I don't recall that part, ahahah. Anyways, before I die, could you at least tell me what he's like?

Archbishop Ash: Whom might you be referring to, sinner?

Shen: The one who made us. The true puppeteer. What's he like?

Archbishop Ash: ...

Shen: Oh? Oh! So, in the end, you weren't even aware of it? Ahahahah. This is so fucking ironic. A puppet killed because he learnt of the existence of the puppeteer and by another puppet who doesn't even know!

Archbishop Ash: Sinner, I know not what blasmephy you speak. Repent in death.

And the Archbishop burnt the corpse of the man along with its soul. Yet, as he was dying, he was smiling as he said:

Shen: Have you never ever even asked yourself who was really the one to send you here? Whatever, My life was good. I wish you a good one too, oh my fellow naïve puppet!

'Archbishop Ash: What is the truth, oh Great Flame? Am I...a puppet? A fake? ...What about you, oh Great Flame?'

The Archbishop looked one last time at the Cathedral as he put in the coordinates and the vortex was created. His fists clenched as he murmured:

Archbishop Ash: I will be back, oh Great Flame.

And then, he turned around and entered the gate.