In the Shadows We Fight (for justice and ourselves)

What is the most powerful thing?

It was a tall building. It was made from smooth, white concrete that looked like it continued forever without stopping. The main building had a light purple stained glass window with darker shaded parts making the Prime symbol. The top of the building came together to form a tower opened on all four sides to show a golden bell glinting in the moonlight. There were two side rooms that were smaller than the center building attached to each side with their own purple tinted windows. A large set of wooden French doors with the Prime symbol burned into their surface made the one entrance into the building. All around the church were prospering trees bearing purple flowers with long, outstretching petals. The path was paved in goldish-brown dirt with preserved petals blowing in the wind and a few patches of overgrown grass. Behind the church, hidden from view, was a gotto made from Roman pillars and arches covered in golden leafed vines hanging off a cliff that overlooked the Abyssal Oceans. There was something about the church that radiated divine energy even though it was a mere building sitting in the midst of a garden that was frequently taken good care of. It was no surprise that this land was called the Holy Lands district with how blessed one felt from merely standing in the presence of the supposed birth land of the gods and civilization as a whole. Even if one didn't believe in Prime or the stories, they couldn't deny the miraculous aura of the area.

Reverie and Integrity didn't appreciate the beauty. Even though Honeybee and Deviate had stayed behind to marvel at the intricate architecture, the more practical of the sidekicks marched right to the doors. Reverie leaned down by the lock, pulling out something from his pocket. Reverie was on one knee as he inserted his lockpick into the golden metal embedded into the wood. The red-colored sidekick fiddled with the mechanism as Integrity tried to prompt the other two out of their stupor. Reverie finally got the lock, pushing the door open as quietly as he could. The hinges creaked softly as Reverie tried to make an opening for all of them. It wasn't anything Reverie couldn't handle, but it was unnerving how heavy the door was, of all things. He never imagined that something that was supposed to let people in and out of a cathedral was this hard to maneuver around. It seemed like impractical design in his eyes. Reverie didn't get a chance to comment as Honeybee was shoved between the open door and the still closed one. Integrity went through next, his hand wrapped around Deviate's collar to drag the half-Enderman after him. Reverie rolled his eyes as he took his one step inside, pushing the door shut behind him.

The interior matched the outside in terms of elegance. The first thing a person saw when they walked in was a foyer with a waterfall made from crystal clear water falling from the ceiling with a fountain that collected the water without letting a drop hit the glass-like marble floor. The moonlight was tinted purple as it streamed through, giving a strange ambiance around the room. Two smaller doors on the opposite wall led to the main worshipping room, and two archways went into the side rooms. Four tapestries were hung around the room on the walls, larger than life as they showed four different figures. The one above the main room doors was colored light purple with a pale blonde hair with white colored robes and the Prime symbol on his chest. On the side room to the left was a dark green tapestry with a man in lighter green clothing and glowing wings. Opposite to that tapestry was one that showed a sand toned totem deity with emeralds for eyes. Behind them was a dark purple tapestry with a woman in a kimono and a veil over her face.

"They say the world is controlled by four gods. While this church has the intent of worshipping Prime specifically, they pay homage to the other three in the hopes that they won't destroy the church," A voice spoke into the foyer. All four boys looked around for who was talking. They didn't need to search for long as the speaker revealed himself. He was standing on the other side of the waterfall, his image flickering as the water rushed down. He walked around the basin to reveal his appearance. His hair was the color of sandy copper, and his irises glimmered a dazzling green. He had a necklace made of beads that varied in shades of green. He had white linen wrapped around his waist with a leather belt and sandals around his feet. He had two bracers on his wrists with golden ankh gleaming beside his palms. His mask was a dulled gold hawk that's beak aligned with his nose and wings covered the area around his eyes. It wasn't difficult to tell that this was Ankh, the owner of the Temple of Undying estate. He wasn't a hero or villain, but he played a significant role on both sides as the main architect for many districts, no matter who ran them. Rumor had it that Ankh had settled down as the partner of Croupier in the Las Nevadas district. "If you boys are willing to lend an ear, I could tell you about how the world came to be... and perhaps after that, you will understand the truth of these Marionettes."