Rosile

Part 5: Salvation (3)

Published on site: October 12, 2011

Author's note: The last action-packed part of the series! Everything after this is just drama.

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Chapter 43

Death and Rebirth of the Conscious Mind

     I feel like I’d seen the place Lily took me to somewhere before, which does make sense considering how it’s my mind and all. It was a cathedral, Gothic to be exact, and I think it was built by some Frenchies. It had the things with the funny name… flying buttresses! If I remember correctly, this building wasn’t supposed to have them around the choir and nave. They wound up supporting the thinner walls on the outside walls after they were made higher during construction.

     “Who woulda thought you had good tastes?” Lily remarked, observing the building with a low whistle. “I gotta know though. Why’s the church from that hunchback movie out in the middle of nowhere?”

     That was a good question. Right now we were standing on a stone bridge, but it was broken off behind us like someone dropped a bomb in the center. The cathedral was on its own little island, hundreds of feet above surrounding lake. The lake was as gray and cloudy as the sky above, and the only other thing around was the ravens perched on top of the building. There were six, just lazing around minding their own business, but half of them flew away after they spotted us down below. One of the remaining three peaked at its feathers before flying away too, and the last two birds didn’t look like they were in the mood to move.

     “It doesn’t matter,” I said, still looking at the birds. “And this isn’t based off the movie.”

     I didn’t need to look to know Lily shrugged. “Whatever. Now if you’re done sight seeing, we should head inside.”

     I nodded in agreement, but I don’t know. There was something off about this building, kinda like how Kyo seemed off because he was an imposter. It didn’t help either when the cathedral’s shadow draped over us as we got closer, and eventually engulfed all light as we stepped inside.

<INTERMISSION>

     I was expecting the interior of the building to be complex, like columns all nicely structured with even more intricate detailing, but it was nothing more than several rows of wooden benches facing the altar. The room was small too, possibly less than a quarter of what it seemed like on the outside, and it made me doubt we were even in the same building. Behind the altar was stained glass, one a giant circle and five shaped like pillars. Too bad I don’t know what they were originally supposed to show, because they were completely cracked, the damaged spots so large it’s shocking that there’s no trace of the mess behind.

     Of course Hebi was waiting for us right in front of the altar, leaning against the structure with that slimy grin of his. The bastard had the nerve to keep his black suit on from earlier, and I really wanted to punch that smug face the fuck out of my head. I had to wait on Lily though, since I didn’t want to fall for the same trick twice.

     Hebi straightened himself out and began to clap slowly as he said, “You’ve finally arrived. So tell me, are you here to crown yourself as a king, or to walk this lovely lady down in holy matrimony?”

     Lily scowled as she clenched her fists, getting ready to jump this asshole but at the same time holding herself back. “You just gave me three more reasons to kick your ass with that one question! I’ll make you pay for what you did to me ten fold!”

     Whether she really meant it or I just wanted her to say what I couldn’t wasn’t certain, but it definitely got me pumped up. “You heard the lovely lady,” I replied with a smirk, “We ain’t here to play games.”