Paola sat at the edge of the bed, her fingers wrapped around the clay mug, the heat seeping into her palms as she sipped the creamy coffee, staring blankly out at the wide expanse of the ocean beyond the window. The sea stretched endlessly, its horizon kissed by the clear blue sky, the sun already high and bright. It was peaceful, almost idyllic.
And yet, Paola felt none of it.
The room was quiet, too quiet, save for the occasional creak of wood from the inn’s walls. Ayla and Poca had already left for the day—Ayla to the blacksmith to repair her armor, and Poca, to finally indulge in something more than her burlap dress. Paola had declined their invitation to join them. She needed this moment of stillness, a moment to breathe, to think... to just be.
But the quiet wasn’t soothing. It was suffocating.
Her cloak fluttered slightly as she shifted, her body tense with a knot of emotions she couldn’t quite name. Paola’s feline ears twitched at the sounds of life outside—carriages rolling by, the distant clatter of the market, laughter from passersby—but all of it felt far away, like she was on the outside looking in.
Her tail flicked absentmindedly, the movement an unconscious reaction to the storm that churned inside her. She tried to focus on the sea, to let the rhythmic sound of the waves calm her. It wasn’t working. Every time she took a breath, the tightness in her chest remained. She took another sip of her coffee, its sweet bitterness usually a comfort, but today it did little to ease the growing anxiety that twisted inside her like a vice.
Paola thought of Thrix, the kind merchant who had given her this cloak, a man who’d taken a chance on her when no one else would. The weight of his gesture hung heavily on her. He had helped her, trusted her, and because of that, Lady Marcelline had put a hit out on him. Her stomach churned at the thought. How could she go back to that? To her? She still didn’t understand the depth of Lady Marcelline’s influence, the reach of her power. The woman was a puzzle—dangerous, calculating, and unfathomably old. How long had she been pulling the strings of Udanara?
Paola shook her head, trying to push the thought away, but it clung to her like a shadow. This world, Udanara, was a maze of dangers she still didn’t fully understand. There were rules here, politics, and ancient powers she couldn’t begin to comprehend. And now, she was tangled up in it. All because she had fallen from one world into another. Her Earth life felt so far away now, and yet, some part of her still clung to it. Like a safety net that no longer existed.
Her hand trembled as she took another sip of her coffee, the warmth of the mug contrasting with the cold, hollow feeling growing inside her. Earth. She thought of it often, more often than she cared to admit. Her family, her friends, the life she had known... all of it seemed to exist in some distant, untouchable place. She had been so focused on survival since arriving here, on navigating the chaos of Udanara, that she hadn’t truly stopped to think about what she had lost.
But now... Now, it was catching up to her.
Paola stared out at the ocean, her mind drifting back to Earth, to the simpler times. She remembered her father playing guitar during family parties, the sound of laughter filling the air, the warmth of the people she loved. There had been no monsters to fight, no looming threats or dangerous contracts to navigate. Life had been clear, uncomplicated. God, she missed that.
Her heart ached with a sudden, sharp pang, and she set her mug down on the small table beside her, her hands trembling too much to hold it. Anxiety gnawed at her, a dark, relentless thing that seemed to come out of nowhere. It wrapped around her chest, squeezing tighter and tighter, until she could barely breathe. The peaceful scene outside—the calm ocean, the clear sky—was at odds with the storm raging inside her.
She had felt fear before. She had been angry, happy, even lustful at times. But this? This feeling was new. It was raw, unrelenting, and it made her want to crawl out of her own skin. It was as if the weight of everything—her past, her present, and the uncertain future—had finally caught up to her, and it was crushing her.
She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, but the anxiety wouldn’t let go. It writhed inside her like a nest of snakes, coiling tighter with each passing second. How am I going to handle this? Her thoughts spiraled, growing darker, more desperate.
She could feel her tail twitching behind her, an outward sign of the turmoil inside. Her feline ears flattened against her head as she curled in on herself slightly, trying to find some semblance of comfort in her own skin. But the feeling of being overwhelmed, of being out of control, was relentless.
She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at the ocean again. The waves continued their gentle rhythm, and for a moment, she tried to let herself be soothed by them. But all she could think about was the impossible distance between her and the life she had once known.
She let out a long, shaky breath, her hand running over the small bag at her waist. Inside was the tiny guitar—a ridiculous little trinket, an impossibility in this world—and yet, it was real. Just like her coffee, brewed exactly the way she liked it, sweet and bitter with vanilla creamer. Somehow, despite the madness of this place, there were moments of familiarity. Small comforts that made her feel a little less lost.
But even those comforts couldn’t drown out the uncertainty, the crushing fear of what was to come.
Lady Marcelline.
The dangers she barely understood, the people she cared about, the responsibilities that weighed on her shoulders... It was all too much.
She leaned back on the bed, her eyes drifting to the ceiling as her thoughts spun out of control. She had chosen to stay behind today, to have a moment of peace and quiet, but instead, her mind was betraying her. The silence only amplified her fears, her doubts. It made her question everything.
But this was her life now.
Earth was gone. Udanara was her reality.
And yet, as she lay there, staring at the ceiling, the weight of that truth pressed down on her with a suffocating force. She wasn’t ready to let go of the life she had known, the person she had been. But she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on either.
The anxiety twisted inside her again, and she squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to go away, to leave her alone. But it didn’t.
Instead, it clung to her, like a shadow she couldn’t shake.
Paola sat up on the bed, her thoughts still swirling with the anxiety that had been suffocating her moments before. She had known this kind of darkness would creep in eventually—being alone with her thoughts was never a good idea. She hadn’t been truly alone in Udanara since arriving, always surrounded by chaos, danger, or her companions. But now, left to her own devices, her mind was doing its best to spiral.
Shaking her head, she realized she needed a distraction. Something to ground her in the moment and get her out of the toxic loop her thoughts were spinning. She had forgotten how much of this world seemed to work differently, including the internal system that allowed her to check milestones and stats. She chastised herself for not keeping up with it, but honestly, there had been so many other distractions since arriving in Udanara. The world around her was intense enough, and focusing on herself felt... trivial. Yet, right now, it was exactly what she needed.
Paola closed her eyes and pulled up her milestones in her mind’s eye. The familiar interface flickered into view, and she scrolled through the list of achievements she had unlocked since her arrival in this world. Most of them made her chuckle—they were absurd, really. Some were upgrades of earlier milestones, which seemed to increase in intensity with every adventure she survived.
But the unique ones, those caught her attention. Especially the one about Master Draslyn. Was he really that important?
Her eyes scanned over the list:
Milestone Unlocked: Summoning Black Magic
You’ve dabbled in the dark arts and summoned elemental magic. Who knew you had a flair for the dramatic... while naked, of course.
Reward: 300 XP (Nudist Bonus: 450 XP)
Milestone Unlocked: Strengthened Bonds with Oso
You’ve deepened your connection with your loyal familiar, Oso. Together, you’re becoming an even more unstoppable team.
Reward: 200 XP
Milestone Unlocked: The Naked Newcomer
You entered a new city... naked. And didn’t get arrested! That’s worth celebrating, right?
Reward: 200 XP (Nudist Bonus: 300 XP)
Milestone Unlocked: Escort Extraordinaire
You completed an escort mission, and the person actually survived. Maybe you should wear clothes next time... or not.
Reward: 500 XP (Nudist Bonus: 750 XP)
Milestone Unlocked: Draslyn’s Delight
You somehow managed to meet with Master Draslyn at the Arcane Forge. What’s more impressive: the meeting, or the fact you were naked the whole time?
Reward: 750 XP (Nudist Bonus: 1125 XP)
Milestone Unlocked: Magist Mission Maven
You completed a Magist Mission under direct orders from Master Draslyn. Clearly, someone important has your back... even if nothing else does.
Reward: 1200 XP (Nudist Bonus: 1800 XP)
Milestone Unlocked: Mass Murderer in the Buff
You’ve killed over 50 people. Guess you’re racking up bodies faster than you are clothes.
Reward: 200 XP (Nudist Bonus: 300 XP)
Paola let out a soft laugh despite herself. Most of these milestones involved her being naked. She couldn’t help but marvel at the absurdity of it all. There was a running theme in her life here in Udanara—one that involved more nudity than she’d ever expected.
But the one that held her attention was Draslyn’s Delight and Magist Mission Maven. What was so important about Master Draslyn? It seemed every time his name came up, the stakes rose with it. And here she was, a girl from Earth, trying to navigate political intrigue and the favor of powerful magists while barely managing to keep herself alive—and clothed.
Her gaze lingered on the milestones for a moment longer. She knew she should probably be paying more attention to these rewards. The XP boosts would undoubtedly help her, but there was a part of her that found it difficult to treat any of this seriously. She had fallen into this world like Alice into Wonderland, and now here she was, checking off absurd accomplishments like Mass Murderer in the Buff. It was surreal, and yet it was her reality now.
Paola shook her head, setting aside the milestone list and pushing herself up off the bed. The weight of the anxiety hadn’t fully lifted, but the distraction had helped. She paced the room, her tail flicking behind her as she walked. Her ears twitched, catching the sound of voices and activity outside the inn. It grounded her somewhat, reminded her that she wasn’t truly alone.
Her mind drifted back to the last couple of days. The celebration at the tavern, the way her body had swayed to the music, the laughter, the heat between her and Yasmin, Ayla, and Poca. For a moment, everything had been light, free. She hadn’t felt the burden of Udanara weighing on her then. She had felt... alive.
But today, the gravity of it all had caught up to her again. Udanara was beautiful, yes, but it was also dangerous, filled with forces she barely understood, and people who could end her with a thought. And yet, she had friends now—Ayla, Poca, Yasmin, even Selene. They were with her, supporting her in ways she hadn’t expected.
Her heart swelled slightly at the thought of Ayla and Poca, and she smiled softly. Ayla’s strength, Poca’s unfiltered affection, the easy camaraderie they shared... It wasn’t the life she had imagined, but it was something she was starting to embrace.
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She glanced down at her cloak, which had become a sort of second skin to her. A gift from Thrix. Another reminder of the people who had helped her along the way. Paola felt a tug of guilt, knowing that he was in danger because of her. The thought of Lady Marcelline putting a hit out on him made her stomach turn. It was a reminder that Udanara’s threats weren’t always physical. The political undercurrents here were just as deadly, if not more so.
She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck as she tried to shake off the unease. There was so much she didn’t understand about this world, and every day seemed to reveal new complexities. But she was still here. She was still fighting, still surviving.
Paola was jolted from her spiraling thoughts by a sudden knock at the door. The sound pulled her from the depths of her mind, and for once, she was glad for the interruption. Anything to stop the internal monologue that threatened to consume her.
With a deep breath, she stood up from the edge of the bed and made her way to the door, her cloak brushing the floor as she moved. When she opened it, Paola was met with a familiar, cheery face—Yasmin, as bubbly and full of life as ever.
"Morning, sunshine!" Yasmin chirped, her amber eyes gleaming with their usual mischievous spark. "Hope you’re not too hungover from last night because we’ve got some news."
Paola blinked at her, taking a moment to process her friend's boundless energy before letting a small smile slip onto her face. "Yasmin, it’s not even noon," she replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Do you ever slow down?"
Yasmin waved a dismissive hand, floating into the room as if the door hadn’t been a barrier. "Nah, slowing down is for when I’m dead. Which, by the way, isn’t happening anytime soon." She gave a playful wink before flopping into the nearest chair. "So, guess who had a little chat with Master Draslyn this morning?"
Paola raised an eyebrow, closing the door behind her. "I’m guessing you?"
"Ding ding ding!" Yasmin grinned, leaning back with her wings fluttering lazily behind her. "And you’ll be happy to know that he has your reward ready for the whole team. We did save that caravan, after all."
Paola leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "Reward, huh? I was beginning to think we’d risked our lives just for the thrill of it."
"Oh please," Yasmin waved her hand again, this time more theatrically. "Saving lives, fighting off bandits, almost losing our clothes—okay, some of us losing more clothes than others—is just a day in the life of heroes like us." She winked again, clearly enjoying herself. "But yeah, Draslyn didn’t forget. He wants to meet you and the others at the Arcane Forge later today."
Paola let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "And what exactly does this reward entail? Gold? Magical artifacts? Or just another lecture about how lucky we are to be alive?"
"Who knows? With Draslyn, it could be anything," Yasmin said with a grin, her wings giving an excited little flutter. "But hey, I’m sure it’ll be worth it. He isn't exactly the type to give out cheap rewards."
Paola couldn’t help but laugh. "Yeah, I guess you’re right. And here I thought today was going to be quiet."
"Quiet days are overrated," Yasmin said, crossing one leg over the other. "We’ve got a lot of momentum going after last night’s... festivities. Might as well keep the excitement going, right?"
Paola sighed, but her smile lingered. "Right. I suppose sitting around and brooding isn’t going to do much good."
"Exactly!" Yasmin jumped up from the chair, her enthusiasm infectious. "So, what do you say? We meet the others and head to the Arcane Forge together? Or do you need some more alone time with your thoughts?" She teased, giving Paola a knowing look.
Paola shook her head, exhaling as she let some of the weight in her chest dissipate. "No, I think I’ve had enough of my own thoughts for one day. I’ll be ready soon. You head on ahead, and I’ll catch up with you all at the Forge."
"Perfect!" Yasmin said, clapping her hands together. "Just don’t take too long, or I’ll come back and drag you there myself."
Paola gave her a playful smirk. "I wouldn’t put it past you."
"You’re learning!" Yasmin shot her one last grin before turning toward the door. "See you at the Arcane Forge, Paola! Don’t be late!"
With that, Yasmin floated out of the room, leaving Paola standing in the quiet once more. But this time, the silence didn’t feel so heavy. Yasmin’s energy had a way of chasing away the clouds in Paola’s mind, if only for a little while.
Paola placed her mug down gently, the soft clink against the wooden table echoing faintly in the quiet room. She let out a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension that still clung to her. Sitting around with her thoughts was dangerous right now. She needed to do something, move, anything to keep herself from spiraling deeper into her anxieties. With Ayla and Poca busy, she figured it was the perfect time to check on Selene at the church.
If only she knew where the church was.
Windmere was a beautiful city, but its ever-winding streets were designed to confuse. She’d learned that much when she and Poca had gotten lost several times trying to find Abraham’s aunt's home. It seemed today would be no different. As Paola stepped out of the inn and into the bustling city, she quickly realized she had no idea which direction the church was in.
“Well, this is off to a great start,” she muttered to herself, pulling her cloak around her as she started walking. She figured she’d ask around—someone had to know where the church was, right?
The first person she approached was an elderly man sitting by a fruit stall, his weathered hands peeling an apple with a small knife. “Excuse me, do you know where the church is? The one for... healing?”
The man squinted at her, clearly confused. “Church? Healing?” He scratched his chin, glancing around as if searching for an answer. “Ah, yer talking about the cathedral, right? Big ol’ place, can’t miss it.”
Paola forced a smile, trying to keep the conversation light. “Yeah, the cathedral. Which way?”
The man pointed vaguely down the street. “Keep heading that way, take a right after the third fountain, then... hmm, no, wait... maybe it’s the second fountain.” He trailed off, scratching his head. “Well, you’ll figure it out.”
“Great,” Paola muttered under her breath, thanking the man as she continued down the street, already regretting her decision to ask him. Why is this so hard? she thought. She could almost hear Poca’s teasing voice, “Ah, Paola, zis is nothing! Just talk to zem!”
Paola grimaced. She was no Poca. Poca was outgoing, friendly—she could strike up a conversation with a rock if she had to. Paola, on the other hand, found herself awkward and stilted in these interactions. She tried again, this time asking a middle-aged woman who was selling fabric at a stall.
“Do you know where the church is?” she asked, her voice a little louder, trying to seem more confident than she felt.
The woman gave her a blank stare before shaking her head. “Which one? There’s a lot of temples in Windmere.”
“The one for healing,” Paola clarified. “With... uh, healing priests?”
The woman’s face brightened in recognition. “Oh, the Cathedral of the Leviathan! You should’ve just said so, dear! It’s not too far—keep walking straight down this road, then take a left at the end. You’ll see it; it’s hard to miss.”
Paola blinked. The Cathedral of the Leviathan? That didn’t sound particularly comforting, but she nodded and thanked the woman, heading in the direction she’d pointed.
As she walked through the winding streets, the city seemed to shift around her. Windmere’s architecture was beautiful, with its cobblestone streets, ivy-covered buildings, and spiraling towers, but it was also labyrinthine. She kept turning corners, only to find herself in places she didn’t recognize. She sighed in frustration, her feet silently padding over the cobblestones, her tail swishing behind her in irritation.
Eventually, after what felt like far too long, Paola found herself standing before a massive building, and she realized immediately that this was no simple “church.” This was a cathedral. The kind that dwarfed everything around it, rising high into the sky with towering spires that seemed to touch the clouds.
The structure was awe-inspiring and terrifying all at once. Massive, gothic arches soared overhead, their dark stone etched with intricate carvings. Huge stained-glass windows lined the sides, depicting scenes that Paola didn’t quite understand—figures of shadowy creatures and powerful beings submerged beneath crashing waves. The building was shaped like a cross, its long arms stretching out into the city, and at the center of it all, a massive circular window dominated the facade. The window was crafted in the likeness of a great eye, with swirling patterns of glass that seemed to shift and move when the light hit it.
As Paola drew closer, her heart thudded in her chest. The closer she got, the more she noticed the motifs of the Leviathan—carvings of great serpentine creatures, their bodies coiled and twisted, their massive jaws open as if ready to devour the very earth. The pillars that held up the cathedral’s entrance were adorned with intricate reliefs of tentacles, waves, and storm clouds, as though the building itself were a tribute to the untamed power of the sea.
Church? Paola thought, her steps slowing as she approached the grand staircase that led to the massive double doors. This is more like a fortress dedicated to a god... The realization made her stomach twist. Churches meant gods. Gods meant faith. And faith meant... she didn’t know. She wasn’t sure she was ready to think about that.
The air was thick with a sense of reverence and something darker, something ancient. She felt small standing before it, like a speck in the presence of something far greater than herself. The faint hum of energy seemed to radiate from the very stones of the cathedral, as if the Leviathan’s power still lingered, watching over all who entered.
Paola stood at the foot of the stairs for a moment, her tail flicking nervously behind her. The cathedral loomed above, silent and imposing, the heavy stone doors sealed shut but inviting in their own eerie way. The anxiety she had been trying to shake off earlier returned with full force. She was out of her depth—this was no ordinary place, and whatever she had expected, it wasn’t this.
But Selene was inside, healing. And despite the creeping unease that gnawed at her, Paola knew she had to go in.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and started up the steps, her footsteps barely making a sound on the ancient stone. The cathedral towered over her like a silent sentinel, watching her every move.
"Just keep walking," she muttered to herself, gripping the edges of her cloak tightly as she approached the entrance.
Paola stood at the grand entrance of the Cathedral of the Leviathan, staring up at the towering spires and intricate carvings that lined the stone facade. The Leviathan motifs were everywhere—massive tentacles, ocean waves, and serpentine creatures seemed to writhe in the very stone itself. The place was breathtaking in its magnitude, like something out of a dream—or a nightmare. She couldn’t help but feel small, insignificant, standing at the foot of such a structure.
But she wasn’t here to sightsee. She had to check on Selene.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed open one of the heavy doors, wincing as it creaked loudly. Inside, the cathedral was just as awe-inspiring, with high vaulted ceilings, bioluminescent crystals casting an eerie, aquatic glow across the space. It was like stepping into another world. Her footsteps echoed on the polished stone floor as she cautiously made her way further in, her tail flicking behind her as she scanned the massive hall for any sign of where Selene might be.
Before she could make much progress, a figure in a long, flowing robe emerged from one of the side chambers. The man, a priest by the looks of his attire, was tall and slender, his head shaved bald save for a single braid that trailed down his back. His pale blue robes shimmered faintly in the light of the crystals, and his eyes gleamed with an almost unsettling intensity.
“Ah, a visitor!” the priest said, his voice smooth and welcoming. “Welcome to the Cathedral of the Leviathan, child of the tides. I am Brother Merric, humble servant of the great Leviathan. Are you here to seek enlightenment, to bask in the teachings of the sea's endless depths?”
Paola blinked, caught off guard by the man’s immediate intensity. “Uh, actually, I’m just here to visit someone. My friend, Selene—she’s being healed here.”
Brother Merric’s smile widened, as though he hadn’t heard a word she said. “Of course, of course. But first, you must understand the depth of what this cathedral represents. It is not simply a place of healing, no, it is a sanctuary for those who seek to free themselves from the chains of the gods and embrace the untamed power of nature. The Leviathan’s teachings guide us to a life unburdened by divine control!”
Paola nodded slowly, trying to keep her voice polite. “Right, yeah, sounds... great. But I really need to see Selene.”
Brother Merric, however, seemed determined to launch into a full lecture. He gestured dramatically to the walls of the cathedral, his voice rising with fervor. “Look around you, young one! The Leviathan’s power is in every stone, in every wave that crashes against the shore. Do you not feel it? The freedom, the rebellion against the oppressive order of the gods?”
Paola’s eyes darted toward a side hallway, hoping she could slip past the priest and find her way to the healing chambers, but Brother Merric was already walking beside her, guiding her deeper into the cathedral. “Come, come, let me show you the true heart of our faith. You must learn before you can fully appreciate the power we wield here.”
Paola sighed internally but plastered on a smile. If entertaining this guy’s sermon was the only way to get to Selene, she’d just have to endure it. “Sure, let’s... do that.”
As they walked, Brother Merric began his long, winding explanation of the Leviathan’s history, his voice reverent and passionate. “The gods, you see, sought to bind the world in their rigid, tyrannical order. But the Leviathan... the Leviathan represents the chaos of nature, the endless cycle of life and death, the untamed seas that cannot be controlled. When the gods tried to subdue the titans, it was the Leviathan who fought back, who breathed its last upon the land, giving us the power to heal and resist divine oppression.”
Paola nodded along, only half-listening as they passed through a long hallway lined with stained-glass windows. Each pane depicted dramatic scenes of titanic sea creatures battling celestial figures, waves crashing violently, and storm clouds swirling above.
“So, you guys really aren’t fans of the gods, huh?” Paola asked, hoping to steer the conversation toward something that might be useful.
Brother Merric chuckled softly. “The gods, dear one, seek to control. They offer their blessings, but only to those who bow to their will. We, the followers of the Leviathan, believe that true strength comes from within, from the natural forces of the world that the gods seek to suppress. That is why our healing is so powerful—it is not tainted by divine influence, but born from the Leviathan’s pure, untamable energy.”
“Uh-huh,” Paola said, casting another glance around, trying to find a way to change the subject back to her original goal. “So, about my friend—Selene? She was brought here for healing. Can you take me to her?”
“Oh, of course, of course!” Brother Merric said, but instead of taking her directly to Selene, he led her down another winding corridor. “But first, you must see the healing chambers. They are truly magnificent, designed to channel the Leviathan’s essence and restore the body’s natural balance. We do not rely on the false miracles of the gods here. No, we harness the raw power of the earth and sea!”
Paola bit her lip to keep from groaning out loud. Focus, Paola. Just nod along. You’ll find Selene eventually.
Brother Merric pushed open a set of double doors, revealing a large, circular chamber with a pool of water in the center. The water glowed faintly, illuminated by the same bioluminescent crystals that lined the cathedral walls. The chamber was serene, the sound of flowing water echoing softly off the stone.
“This is where we perform our most sacred healing rites,” Brother Merric explained, his voice hushed with reverence. “The water you see here is blessed by the Leviathan’s last breath. It has the power to heal wounds, cure ailments, and even resist the influence of the gods’ magic.”
Paola forced a smile. “That’s... amazing. Really. But Selene—”
“Yes, yes, your friend,” Brother Merric interrupted, waving a hand dismissively as he led her away from the chamber. “She is in good hands. The healers of the Leviathan are unmatched in their craft. But you must understand that healing here is not just about mending the body. It is about freeing the soul from the shackles of divine influence.”
Paola’s patience was wearing thin, but she reminded herself that this guy meant well—probably. “Totally get that. So, where exactly is she?”
Brother Merric smiled warmly, as though he hadn’t just been dodging her question for the past ten minutes. “Ah, she will be in the Sanctuary of Tides, further down. But first, let me show you the murals that depict the Leviathan’s final battle with the gods. It is crucial to understand the significance of his sacrifice before—”
Paola held up her hands, finally cutting him off. “Brother Merric, I really appreciate the tour and the history lesson, but I just need to see Selene. Can we go to the Sanctuary of Tides now? Please?”
The priest paused, blinking at her as if he’d just realized she was still there. “Ah... yes, of course. This way.”
Finally. Paola followed him through another series of corridors, her feet silent on the stone floor as they walked. The cathedral was a maze, and she was beginning to feel like she might never find her way out again. But at last, they arrived at a smaller, quieter wing of the cathedral, where the air was cool and still.
Brother Merric gestured toward a set of doors. “The Sanctuary of Tides. Your friend should be resting inside.”
Paola let out a breath of relief. “Thank you. Really.”
As she pushed open the doors and stepped inside, she caught a glimpse of Selene lying on a soft bed, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The tension in Paola’s shoulders finally began to ease.
Behind her, Brother Merric smiled knowingly. “If you ever wish to learn more, child, the Leviathan’s teachings are always open to those who seek true freedom.”
Paola turned to him, managing a genuine smile this time. “I’ll... keep that in mind. Thanks.”
And with that, Brother Merric finally left her in peace, his robes swishing softly as he disappeared down the hallway.
“Finally,” Paola muttered, walking over to sit by Selene’s side. At least the tour was over.