[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights IV: Fated Holy War

Episode 13: Going to Church

"This is the place," Uncle said. His blue eyes were focused on a small church in the center of a slum on Kaguya's west side.

I descended the air and landed in front of a pair of wooden doors. They looked like they had barely been installed as the paint wasn't chipped like the rest of the building. I glanced to the left and saw a red-haired boy who reminded me of Nori painting a side of the church white.

"A kid?" I asked.

He turned to look at us. "You're princess Setsuko!" he said, putting down his brush. He jumped down and landed right next to my uncle and me. "Are you here to pray? Or are you lost? If so, I can help you out. I'll just have to tell Dad first."

"Is your dad Miki? If so, he's the one we're looking for," Uncle said.

"Yeah, he is. I'll go get him!" he said, running toward the run-down house on the left side of the church.

I'd been to this side of town before, but I'd never paid much attention to this church. Apparently, nor did the people around it as they had allowed it to deteriorate to this extent.

I jumped on the platform and started painting away.

"What are you doing?" Uncle asked.

"I'm painting," I said, keeping my eyes focused on my task.

"I can see that, but why?"

"That boy went to get his dad. Figured I would substitute for him."

"Do you even know how to paint buildings? It's not just back and forth strokes."

"I know. One has to make sure that there are no bubbles. This isn't my first time painting."

"It's not? I'm surprised that my brother let you."

I scoffed. "Who said he did?"

He laughed. "I figured as much. You were always a rebellious child, just like your uncle."

"Yeah, Dad told me how you gave up the crown to become a singer, much to grandpa's annoyance."

Uncle laughed weakly. "Sometimes, I wonder if I should've heeded his warning." He shook his head. "Forget it. There's no use thinking of what-ifs at this point."

I chuckled. "You remind me of Serra."

"I do?"

"Yes, both in appearance and in your pondering of the past. Serrano wishes to move from his past, but it keeps dragging him back."

Uncle rubbed his left shoulder. "I thought so. Our mistakes and his own hang over him like a specter, poking at him when he feels he's finally free from its grasp."

I stared at the white paint. "I think that he's managed to make some progress. The same goes for you."

"Me? How can you tell?"