The night air burned in his lungs, heavy with smoke and iron.
Dax stood on the temple's front steps, his shadow cutting across the marble like a scar. The building behind him looked untouched, its spires gleaming in the pale light, its bells still whispering through the dark. From a distance, it would seem that worship continued as always. Only those who stepped inside would see the truth that the gods had changed, and their voices now served the Sahan Kingdom.
The priests were gone. Their bodies had been removed, replaced by his own men in identical robes and calm, unflinching faces. The hymns still rose through the halls, the same eerie songs, as if nothing had ever happened. The order was restored without the civilians being affected by it and most importantly, now the clergy bowed to the King and not their interest.
Only three temples were left across the country, still clinging to their illusions of divinity. The rest were already his to command.
