Chapter 113

It felt like they were playing catch-up as they neared the Cathedral of Ashenvale, still moving under a veil.

"Is this still necessary? We have a lead, and Sabine told us to do this before Bremerton," Riley challenged, sighing.

"We have a lead, but more information isn't going to hurt us. You're just full from too much lunch," Tobias countered.

"Too much clover, but I'm happy, and I'm safe enough," Riley confirmed, "Still, a walk is probably for the best."

"Worried you're going to get plump?" Tobias grinned.

"Never comment about a girl's weight! I'm worried about getting ambushed," she parried imperiously.

In a world where everything had changed, perhaps nothing had changed more for Riley than her concept of safety.

At one time, it had been tied to a place. A place was safe or a time; there were hours where you simply did not venture out for fear of what could be lurking in the shadows.

Upon reflection, the fact she had died from a type of living shadow while the sun was still up set her to inner giggles.

Safety had been an illusion in the end. Life was until it wasn't. Just as you could slip on a bar of soap in the tub or fall down the stairs.

Life was what it was until it wasn't, and that was as true in Calaria as it has been on Earth.

Still, it was not as if her life was devoid of all security; rather, it had mutated, been changed, and reborn much as she had.

Places might not be safe, or times, but some people were, and so too were some actions.

Traveling under a veil was one of them. It did not matter that they had assurances from Sabine that a deal had been made; in fact, the very idea a deal could be made caused Sabine to feel marginally less safe in her mind.

But her veil was a type of security that she could guarantee by herself, which was the most concrete safety she could find.

"Are you all right? You feel strange," her trusted other asked.

"Yeah, happy to be out, and a day out of combat is nice. How are you?" She yawned in emphasis, regarding the small sense of mana drain with a kind of joy.

"I'm fine," Tobias replied, doing his best impression of a stone.

"Are you suuuurrrre?" Riley asked, dragging it out.

He chuckled. "Yes, goon. Would it be weird to say that I've been happier lately than I think I've ever been?"

"Like we're a picture of normal anything. I can see it. You liked learning but hated the Academy for obvious reasons. Training was only enjoyable if you're a masochist, but we're thick in clover, and you're enjoying playing detective. I say, be happy; life is short, trust me," she said in hard-earned wisdom.

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"Fair point," Tobias agreed as they crossed under a thick stone archway set into a high rock wall.

Far from the perfect symmetry Riley had seen at the Valenheim Academy or the castle, this wall was made of jointed stone bricks, finely cut and pressed together; tiny, perfectly symmetrical lines were present where they were joined.

The scents of seemingly a thousand flowers hit her sensitive nose as they entered a garden, exploding with the life of late autumn, as much at its zenith as it was at its end.

There were bursts of colors in every direction, flowers in dazzling arrays of every imaginable hue, vine work traced up over trellises, offering shade upon well-worn cobblestone paths, not one of which moved straight, but rather curved, passing fountains, each one dedicated to a different god, or small ponds with benches for reflection.

A straight path led to a staircase, wide and inviting, of which the garden paths branched off, ending at a row of six heavy metal doors, set in brass, with religious scenes embossed into them.

High above, rising to a pinnacle, was the steeple, poised over a massive belfry, rising over three feet high, set opposite to the entrance.

"My God, I knew it was big, but I didn't know it was that big," Riley exclaimed, sitting up on her hind paws, her nose pointed towards the sky, trying to take it all in.

"Wait till you see the inside," Tobias grinned.

Riley's tail went stiff in concert with her ears. "Come on!"

Racing up the stairs, she felt Tobias drop their veil as he trudged after her.

Arriving at the top, Riley fell into a tight spin. "I wanna see!"

"Let's hope you unlock a door-opening spell soon," Tobias grinned again, slowing his motion.

Riley stopped, flattened her ears, then drummed a hind paw. "If I do, what will I need you for, hireling?"

She sniffed at the air superiorly before falling to a groom.

Tobias clutched his chest. "Oh, I am wounded, for I have not heard that fifty-six times!"

Gripping the brass handle firmly, he pulled.

The door opened easily, in defiance of its massive weight and size, allowing a burst of incense-scented air.

Not waiting, Riley raced in; her quick "Thank you!" failed as a shout only because it was sent by mental projection.

Her race was short, though; entering the wide-open room, she slid to a stop as her mouth dropped in awe.

There was nothing like this that she could remember seeing. Two hundred-foot ceilings were covered in some type of abyssal black paint that allowed for gleaming gems set into the roof to sparkle and glow.

Some had to be blue crystal lamps, but, for the first time, those were not the only colors. Reds, greens, yellows, and even purples gleamed in a perfect imitation of the night sky.

Not to be outdone, towering, one hundred foot tall stained glass windows filled with depictions of the thirteen Gods chased down either side, ending in a massive rose window behind an equally enormous altar. Upon which was the ancient candelabra-style idol, holding each of the thirteen symbols, the last one being bathed in ethereal light, directed down from the steeple.

A diamond-like crystal torc, pointed tines up, bathed in the light as it glowed with magic.

Finally, behind the altar, embossed into the stone wall, was a carved relief of the Thirteen Gods, standing as if for a class photo, with the God of Magic in the center, holding a staff tipped by an identical torc in his left hand, with his right hand raised as if in greeting.

Long pews, hewn out of dark woods, greeted them on either side, with a purple carpet chasing up the aisle leading to the altar.

"This blows any church from Earth out of the water by a mile, and they've got some doozies," Riley's voice came as a hushed, reverent whisper.

Tobias himself could feel the electric tingle of awe and wonder mixing with his own sense of devotion, standing beside her.

Dipping his head, he touched his torc. "For the Ashenrealm"

"Do you need a minute?" He whispered, projecting.

"I think I need a year," Riley replied, all hints of humor chased from her tone.

"Take a minute; you'll only see it this way once. Make the best of it," Tobias replied.

Riley looked at him for a moment, then turned back to take it all in.

Darius was over to the left, about halfway up, with his arms crossed across his chest, praying quietly yet fervently with his eyes closed and head down. He was one of about two dozen pious souls, all come to make their daily pleas and prayers.

Tobias turned his head, drawn by Riley's own sense of recognition, and smiled softly. "Bless the old man; he does love me," he whispered to himself.

"Should we go over and say hello?" Riley asked.

Tobias shook his head, "Let's leave him to his prayers. We'll be home again soon enough. It wouldn't be proper."

She nodded, staring up at the imitation night sky with awe, as her fur stood on end.

"Ok, I think I'm ready," Riley announced after an eternity of five minutes passed.

"Then let's go find the Abbot," Tobias replied.