The elevator reached its destination, and Eraqus returned to the upper levels of the Cathedral.
For a moment, he wondered if it was wide to proceed, for he had now entered a massive chamber made to hold equally colossal beings within.
There was a giant there, countless times larger than the one who shot arrows in the settlement. However, this one was in worse condition, wounded, dirty, and with remnants of chains attached to his body.
The smell was the next thing to assault his senses, making him gag. He doubted there was anywhere for the giant to bathe or dispose of his waste.
In any case, he needed to move forward, using the walkways on the edges of the chamber to reach the other side.
Perhaps he had become accustomed to his bad luck, for there was no surprise when the giant rose from his kneeling position and faced him with his head hidden by an iron mask.
The giant hand came next, casting a shadow above his body as he rushed forward at full speed. However, just as it was about to strike him, Eraqus stopped, allowing the attack to create a hole in the path ahead.
A tremor shook the cathedral, marble and dust rained down, but he seized his chance, leaping through the hole and dodging the flaming darts hurled at him by crossbowmen hollows.
The giant's roar shook the walls and nearly burst his eardrums. The great shadow approached again, but leaping forward with all his might, he escaped the initial impact of the punch.
However, it wasn't time to end his escape, as the giant's fist continued to advance, destroying everything in its path.
The deafening noise grew ever closer, and in a last attempt to survive, Eraqus threw himself to the lower level of a room divided by a small bridge.
Grunting as he fell backward to the ground, he saw the giant's hand grasp the air before recoiling from where it came.
The Master couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh, a mixture of joy and disbelief, and rising with a weary grumble, uttering insults he was hardly proud of, he surveyed his surroundings, trying to decide his next destination.
The Cathedral was labyrinthine; his first destination was a path to the right, where he found a chest resting in front of the altar of a small chapel.
With a swift strike, the object revealed itself to be a mimic, which didn't survive long thanks to the rain of magic conjured in its direction. The creature left another tome in braille behind, something Eraqus kept, intending to give it to Irina; she would certainly love it.
Returning to where he came from and crossing the room, he chose the passage on the left this time, holding his breath as he found himself in the giant's chamber again.
Hiding behind a pillar, he saw the colossal being returning to its original position. However, to his horror, there was another on the opposite side of the chamber, just waiting for an intruder to arrive.
With few options, he hurried across the area, praying that the liquid splashing on his feet was water. Fortunately, none of the giants seemed to notice him, allowing him to enter a nearby corridor.
In this corridor, he descended a staircase, opening a barred gate and a pair of large double wooden doors, finding himself back in the initial chapel.
It was strange how convenient this was, two shortcuts to the same place, but he wasn't going to complain; the easier his journey, the better.
Returning to the giants' chamber and following the path to the right, he found a lever, which, when pulled, caused the sound of various mechanisms moving to echo off the walls.
A section near the floor rose up. Initially, a bridge connecting both sides of the chamber appeared, but it turned out to be a large iron gate that would hopefully trap the first giant in its corner.
This would be useful if he had to cross the area again, but it still didn't reveal where he should go.
With few options, he moved forward, seeing how the chamber opened to the left and right, with an empty area nearby and the giant resting on the opposite side.
There was another lever in the empty area, which caused another gate to rise, trapping the second giant.
However, it seemed he was guarding the only path to the large balcony overlooking the chamber, for behind him was a staircase leading to that exact spot.
The apprehension was intense; his dead heart threatened to leap from his chest with each step he took toward the massive being. The smell worsened; the water had been replaced by a dark mud that made walking difficult, and enormous worms rested amidst the decay.
He preferred to approach with his back pressed against the right wall, walking cautiously so as not to be heard. It seemed that everything would end well, but as soon as his feet touched the first step, the giant rose.
Sweat dripped down his face and his breathing quickened as he climbed the staircase, entering the large balcony covered in red carpet and benches with corpses dressed in clerical robes.
However, there weren't only corpses nearby; several Hollows dressed as the dead, with giant red eyes and candlestick, patrolled the area, while tall knights in black armor, wielding weapons larger than their bodies, prepared for combat upon seeing him, but Eraqus paid no heed, ignoring them and running towards the fallen altar on the other side of the area.
Perhaps there was some remnant of consciousness, as the Hollows and knights showed what appeared to be confusion upon seeing him leave.
This soon turned to fear when a large shadow covered their bodies, with an equally large hand coming from above. There was a rumble followed by a tremor, and Eraqus sighed in relief, absorbing the souls that came towards him.
Now he rested in front of a wall of fog at the bottom of the stairs beyond the altar, preparing to fight.
First, he drank from his flasks, restoring his health and magic, then he touched the two nearby summoning signs, calling for help. It shouldn't have been a surprise when Anri and Horace appeared; after all, they had made their objectives clear.
Although they couldn't speak, their joy at seeing each other again was shared through nods. Then, they crossed the wall of fog, heading towards the first Lord to be defeated. It was time to bring an end to the monster called Aldrich.
There was a certain pride burning in Eraqus's chest; after so much suffering, he had taken the first great step in his journey, a fight closer to rekindling the First Flame and banishing the darkness threatening to sink this world into the Abyss.
Perhaps after this he would finally find a way to return, see Terra, Aqua, and Ventus again, and beg his students for their forgiveness. However, those feelings died immediately upon encountering what awaited them on the other side.
This was not Aldrich.
There was a multitude of hollows dressed as deacons, some fat, others thin, some carrying candlesticks while others burned incense.
Yet, all were carrying a sick madness from worshipping something truly unholy.
Several red eyes turned in his direction, and the deacons stopped worshipping the massive coffin in the center of the circular chamber. One of them, probably the leader, judging by his Archdeacon's hat and golden staff, pointed in his direction, letting out a distorted cry.
The horde of hollows acted immediately, splitting into two halves, the first attacking while the second formed a protective barrier of bodies around their leader.
Immediately, Eraqus, Anri, and Horace advanced, cutting their way through the deadly horde.
They weren't strong, but their numbers made it difficult to dodge every attack. A fireball that struck a shoulder pad, or a candlestick that scratched a breastplate.
Sometimes they came dangerously close to hitting a vital point, but as the fight lasted, more bodies hit the ground.
Horace led the group, controlling the crowd with sweeping blows of his halberd, painting the ground red. Eraqus and Anri followed closely behind, turning their backs to the knight and keeping the hollows at bay with sword strikes and magic.
The Archdeacon shouted again, a feeling he thought he had forgotten returning to his heart: fear. With a command, hollows in the corners of the room swung their incense burners, and a dark mist spread through the room.
Suddenly, the fight turned into a countdown, as the three Undead felt something changing in their bodies as they breathed in this dark gas.
Clicking his tongue, Eraqus conjured his spells: repeat, fire, ice, and lightning, pyromancies, and his new magic. Swinging his staff, he created a magic blade at its tip, swinging it in an arc to clear the path of enemies.
Horace joined his efforts, and together, they finally cleared the way to the Archdeacon.
In a last attempt to preserve his life, the hollow slammed his golden staff into the ground, causing fragments of darkness to surge above him and shoot towards his attackers.
Anri took the lead this time, raising her shield and withstanding the power of the spell.
Each impact generated a dark explosion, and marks were left on the steel of her equipment, but even wounded, she stood firm, closing the distance to the Archdeacon.
In a pathetic attempt to defend itself, the hollow tried to strike the knight with its staff, a weak blow that she easily parried aside, and with that, its fate was sealed.
Summons couldn't speak, but clearly there was something more behind Anri's actions.
The violence of her blows, her delay in ending the Archdeacon's suffering—there was an untold story there, and when the hollow finally hit the ground and its legion of followers vanished, Anri and Horace exchanged a satisfied nod before bidding an also silent but respectful farewell to Eraqus.
The Master was left alone in the room, trying to understand what had happened. He had questions he wished answered if they met again, but until then, he would have to be content with what he had seen.
The souls came towards him, including the strongest one belonging to the deacons. However, there was no satisfaction in this victory; his enemies were pathetic, and the one he came to defeat was not present. There was only disappointment.
A bonfire erupted in the room, an easy way out of this place. However, before leaving, he found something resting near the large coffin in the center of the room: a small doll that emanated a faint magical aura.
He didn't know its use, but he kept it in his box, like everything else he had found so far. It might be useful in the future.
With that done, Eraqus used the bonfire to return to the shrine to rest and plan the next step of his journey even with the nagging feeling that something was wrong burning at the back of his mind.
-Irithyill-
"So the deacons fell."
The Pontiff rolled up the piece of parchment handed to him by one of his knights, pondering what he would do next. His gestures betrayed his silence, for the paper was crumpled in his grip before being turned to ashes by the flame in his hand.
The knight kneeling at his feet cowered, fearing the wrath of his master.
The wood that made up Sulyvahn's body creaked with each movement, mimicking the deep breathing of a human. Then, with a deep sigh, the flame subsided, and the Pontiff spoke in a serious and controlled tone.
"I intend to travel. Put the city on high alert. Increase patrols and prepare the defenses, for I do not know when I will return. If the lowly Unkindled appears before me, kill him until he becomes a true hollow."
"Yes, my Pontiff!"
Then the knight withdrew from the cathedral with a hurried step, Sulyvahn following suit.
The witches and knights outside knelt before him, but he paid no heed, contemplating the cold air and snow falling on his body as the aurora borealis reflected on his smooth, mirror-like face.
It has been centuries upon centuries since he abandoned that frigid, cursed painting and stepped into this decaying world, now an unworthy fool threatens to destroy everything he built.
A noise escaped Sulyvahn's nonexistent throat, a painful groan that turned into a scream as a pair of flaming wings sprouted from his back. With an initial flap, he took flight, circling his city before disappearing into the distance, heading towards the City of the Gods.
END OF CHAPTER