The towering figure stood before the Antithetical and muttered guttural and grumbling words without interruption. The force behind the words were just a whispered growl. The figure made room and said, “Antithetical Scum, repay your heresy and leave this cell.” The Antithetical realized it was wise not to cause any disturbance and do as the figure instructed. As the Antithetical stepped out of the cell, the Church Miner's blank black eyes seemed to penetrate into his mind, as if trying to read his thoughts. The Antithetical felt the weight of the miner's gaze on him as he gestured with the lantern, indicating for the Antithetical to follow.

The Antithetical was hit by the dank and musty air as he stepped out of the cell. The tunnels were dimly lit by torches on the walls, casting flickering shadows on the rough rock. The ground was uneven and the Antithetical had to be careful not to trip on the loose stones and debris. The Church Miner led him through winding tunnels, with their footsteps echoing in the silence. They passed by other slaves whose faces were gaunt and hollow, and their eyes were empty as they labored in the darkness. They were either chained to the walls or to heavy carts filled with black ore, with their bodies bent and broken from the endless labor. The Antithetical saw other Church Miners with their blank black eyes fixed on the prisoners, overseeing their work. They rang their bells continuously, filling the air with monotonous chanting.

As they moved deeper into the mine, the tunnels became more expansive and the air was thick with the smell of coal and the acrid smoke of torches. The walls were blackened with soot, and the Antithetical felt the heat radiating from the deeper parts of the mine. The sound of pickaxes and hammers grew louder, and the Antithetical saw the orange glow of fire in the distance. The Church Miner gestured for him to follow, and they went through a narrow tunnel, with the walls closing in around them. Suddenly, they emerged into a large cavern, the center of the mine.

The cavern was vast and stretched up into the darkness and the air was thick with the smell of burning coal. The ground was littered with debris and there were several large open pits where the slaves were working, bent and broken as they labored in the darkness. The Antithetical saw many Church Miners overseeing the work, with their blank black eyes fixed on the slaves as they rang their bells continuously. He also saw numerous large open carts filled with black ore, ready to be transported out of the mine. The main place in the mine was illuminated by the flickering light of torches and the orange glow of fire, casting eerie shadows on the rough rock.

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Then, out of the dark, a huge, broad, towering figure closed in. He was even taller than the other Miner who escorted him to this place, he was nearly three times the height of the Antithetical. He was wearing a tunic that reached his ankles and he wore a wide-brimmed hat, made of white cloth and adorned with a golden bell. His pale white skin was almost translucent, and his black eyes felt soulless. Even though the place was only illuminated by the orange glow of fire, it was clear, that their robes were made of a finer, smoother material. Very small, fine lines lit up when the light of the torches shone on them. It stood directly in front of him, and the towering figure straightened his back. It was like a huge dark shadow, ready to consume him. Enclosed in his hand there was a spear like weapon of which the tip was shaped like a Girandole with several smaller ornamental branched spikes.

He didn’t bow down or kneel down, he just lowered his gaze and looked directly at the Antithetical. He made a gesture towards the other Church Miner, and it became apparent that the figure in white was his superior. The Church Miners approached the Antithetical with the branding iron held firmly in their hand, slowly and methodically tracing the symbol of the church, the symbol of the inquisition and a symbol of the gods, on his forehead. He then pressed the branding iron against the Antithetical's skin. The Antithetical felt a searing pain as the iron burned into his skin, the smell of burning flesh filled the air. He felt as the iron seared into his flesh. The Church Miner held the iron against the Antithetical's skin for several long seconds before finally removing it. The higher-ranked Church Miner then turned to the other Church Miners and nodded, signifying that the branding was complete. The Antithetical knew that this was only the beginning of his punishment and that there would be more to come. He either needs to endure it for all eternity or to escape this hellish mine.