The Flame Inside Him

The Great Cathedral of Berinyon

Noah followed the two mysterious men, all the while carrying Garrett in his arms.

Garrett was silent and breathing lightly, and although it had been a short battle with the Mid-Speller, Noah had no doubt that it had been an exhausting one.

Noah had never before been in Azuronea, let alone the Great Cathedral, so he felt a bit out of place and all the while nervous.

It would've helped if Garrett was awake, then at least he could fight off the deep silence by talking to him, and maybe even learn a bit about the Cathedral.

It turned out that the Great Cathedral was even greater than Noah would've imagined, far bigger than all the other buildings and appeared by far more luxurious as well.

It had stained glass covering all of the openings in the thick marble walls and there were towers at the tops of all towers.

The gardens around the Cathedral were fresh and bountiful on types of plants and trees, and above all, colours.

It was a mixture of green and red and grey and yellow that made the gardens, and also a bit of blue and white.

On the wall of the main, central tower was a massive clock, as big as a house, were it to be set on earth.

It was made of metal, bronze and iron, and was marvelously detailed with engravings and with different symbols for every hour on it.

Noah couldn't imagine what it was that made Garrett feel uncomfortable about this place, safe from how small it made you feel.

When they were in front of the big, light-brown wooden doors leading to the inside of the Cathedral, the two men jumped from the rooftops and landed as lightly as autumn leaves on the cold hard floor, their landings and steps making almost no sound but only a light tap, lighter than needles and pins falling on snow.

They landed right in front of Noah, and they both knocked on the doors.

Now being able to see them clearly, Noah saw that the two men were clad in big cloaks with thick collars covering their necks, both the colour of fresh blood, and the cloaks hid most of their bodies, leaving only their heads out in the open.

One had pitch-black hair falling carelessly down his head and over his ears to his neck, and a pale face, with dark-green eyes and thin lips. His nose was sharp, and his cheeks flat and skinny. He was taller than the other one.

The other one had a fuller face, but none any more the kinder.

He had dark-brown messy hair and a headband the colour green holding his hair out of his face, but letting it fall at the sides of it. He had light-red eyes and sharp features on his face, almost like a bird's. His hair was shorter than the taller man.

The doors creaked slowly open, and the two men walked inside.

"Follow us." The taller man said, and Noah did.

The inside of the Cathedral was as spectacular as the outside, with sparkling glass floors and thick fluffy curtains covering most of the windows, leaving little space for light from the outside to enter. Where light couldn't enter, was compensated with the light being produced from the lamps hanging from the walls, and with the light coming from the hundreds of candles that sat in the chandeliers hanging from the ceilings of the first floor of the magnificent building. All lamps were filled with scented oils, so that the giant room was rich in perfumes and smells.

Noah saw three more men standing inside the building, all hiding under white cloaks, with blue cuffs and collars.

Garrett groaned when they entered, and Noah spoke.

"Help him." Noah said. "He's injured."

The man in the middle signaled to the one on his left to go to Noah.

He took Garrett from Noah, and layed him on the floor.

Then he took a small bottle out and uncorked it.

As he put it to Garrett's lips and Garrett drank, Noah saw Garrett's face healing.

The burns went away, and Garrett's face was back to normal.

"Now tell me, lad, who are you?" The man who had just healed Garrett asked Noah.

"Who cares who he is?" The one on the right said, and looked at the previously middle man. "Allpriest?"

The Allpriest, Garrett's father, nodded.

The man on the right smiled.

He snapped his fingers and the two men in red took hold of Noah's hand, and with a twist, put them behind his back.

In less than a second the other man was behind Noah, and from under his cloak, strings shot out and tied Noah's hands together.

When Noah couldn't move his arms, the man kicked Noah's legs from under him and Noah fell face-first on the glass floor.

"We present you the Belroar, Master." The two men in red cloaks said in unison, showing no emotions as they spoke.