I stepped inside the church , Luna beside me. The interior of the church was a spacious place, illuminated by colorful stained-glass windows. The light focused particularly on the pulpit, illuminating it completely. Directly behind the pulpit stood a statue of a beautiful woman with long hair, draped in a single piece of fabric carved from white marble. She extended one hand toward the pews of the church.
"Welcome to the presence of Goddess Tahara, you poor little lambs."
At the pulpit stood a well-built male figure with long blond hair, draped in white ceremonial robes.
"Please help my child, he has Mana Crack Disease, please help!"
I saw a mother, dressed in old, dirty clothes, threw herself near the pulpit, holding a child no older than five in her arms.
"Tahara never abandons her poor child, do not worry," he said, removing the rags the child was wrapped in.
The child was missing an arm, and shards like broken ceramic cups were falling from the stump. There were cracks like this all over his body. A faint blue light leaked from every fissure.
"Mom, it hurts so much, Mom, don't leave me," the child whimpered, clutching his mother with his good arm.
"You are under Tahara's wings, my child, do not worry. Sister, bring the Holy Water."
"Here you are, Father," another woman wearing a white tunic said, bringing a silver goblet on a silver tray.
"Drink this, my child, it will soothe all your pain."
After saying this, the priest gently helped the child drink the liquid from the goblet. Then I saw him holding unicorn-shaped symbol hanging around his neck and whispered a few words. The only words I could catch were "Tahara" and "Chesed". Then, he raised his hands and knelt, and a blinding white light filled the entire church.
When the light faded, I saw the child let go of his mother and try to walk on trembling legs. Faint lights no longer leaked from his cracks.
"Mom, it doesn't hurt anymore," the child said, hugging his mother. We could hear the mother sobbing as she embraced her child.
"Mom, why are you crying? Look, nothing hurts anymore. I can help you now."
"Thank you, Father Richard, thank you," the mother said, looking at the priest without letting go of her still-crying child.
"I am the one who should be thankful, for allowing me to help Tahara save another poor soul."
"Tahara, do not deprive us of your holy light," the mother's cracked but strong voice echoed throughout the church.
"Please, the little one who stays in the church today still needs to rest. Sisters, please escort them to the guest room."
Together with a few ladies in white tunics, they went deeper into the church and disappeared from sight.
The priest moved to the pulpit, and as the light filtering through the colorful glass fell right on him, it made his hair shine like gold.
"Please sit. Before we begin the daily teachings of the Goddess, I want to say a few words."
Everyone in the room quietly began to sit in the pews. For some reason, I had an uneasy feeling inside. Every church worker had a strange smile on their face. Their eyes looked into the void, or rather, they looked at nothing at all. The strangest part was the people's lack of reaction to the miraculous healing, acting as if it were an everyday occurrence.
"Today, we were able to save another poor soul by the skin of his teeth. The number of these illnesses is increasing every day. Her Holiness Tahara visited my dream yesterday and gave me a task. She told me the cause of this harsh disease. I learned that a heretical project by an arrogant infidel in Hexian is corrupting the purity of the soul and making us sick."
After he said this, the congregation, which had been unresponsive until now, suddenly started stomping their feet and shouting in unison.
"Infidels!"
"Infidel killers!"
"Traitor Academy!"
"Please, calm down. I know the situation is grave, but I assure you, I will do everything in my power to ruin the heretical plans of these infidels. Please enjoy the Holy Water and let us pray together."
The nuns passed silver goblets from hand to hand along the rows. When one of the goblets reached me, I was greeted by a pink, transparent liquid inside. It smelled a bit metallic but mostly sweet. Without thinking too much, I took a sip.
An indescribable pain in my head was followed by numbness in my hand. When I looked at my hand, I saw yellow sparks flying from it. My stomach began to churn, and the headache reached unbearable levels. I couldn't take it anymore.
I rushed out of the church and started vomiting. After throwing up for a while, I felt relieved.
How is this Holy Water? The metallic taste lingering in my mouth still bothered me. What I wouldn't give for one of Victor's drinks right now. My hand was still numb. With an anger I couldn't shake off, I punched the wall hard. The pain in my hand returned.
"Nox, are you okay? You suddenly ran out, what happened?" Luna came to my side not long after.
"Luna, did you drink the Holy Water? Is anything wrong with you?"
"I drank a little. It was too sweet for me, but other than that, I'm fine."
Did it only affect me? This makes no sense. Everyone was drinking it comfortably, and I'm sure it wasn't their first time. People started leaving the church and dispersing; everyone seemed to be in high spirits. They all wore a disturbing grin on their faces.
I went back into the church. The priest was sitting in one of the front rows, reading a book with a white cover. When he saw me coming, he stood up and looked at me for a moment. The look in his eyes was very different from the priest just a moment ago.
"How can I help you, poor child?" he asked, holding the book in one hand and raising the other.
"About your Holy Water, I was wondering what's in it?" It's best to get straight to the point; I don't want to stay here any longer.
"It is made with a special recipe and ceremony bestowed upon us by Her Holiness Tahara centuries ago, my child. I'm sorry, but I cannot share it with you."
Again with those eyes that didn't even look straight at me and that forced, fake smile.
I couldn't hold myself back anymore. I clenched my fist. I was about to punch him in the right jaw. I felt a weight pulling me back by my arm.
"Nox, stop, don't do it. Let it go," Luna said.
"My child, I don't know what your problem is, but you need to leave." The fake smile on his face had now been replaced by a completely emotionless expression.
With Luna forcing me, we left the church. Pain came and went in my hand as if it had been bitten. I managed to come to my senses a little by hitting the wall with my hand again.
"Lucy!!!"
Luna was running toward someone, shouting. The person she was running toward stood out with a flashy yellow dress, black hair, and jewel-like red eyes just like Luna's. Luna ran toward the girl, shouting, and hugged her tightly.
"Lucy, I missed you so much!"
Smack.
Luna was on the ground, holding her cheek. Lucy had taken off the glove she was wearing and thrown it in Luna's face. Luna's eyes were wide open.
"How dare you touch me, the Princess of Bloodmoon, with your dirty hands, you disgrace of vampires!"
She turned her back and walked away with quick steps.
Luna bowed her head to the ground. "Lucy... why, Lucy?" She had started to cry. I knelt beside her and wiped her tears. I hugged her.
"Everything is okay. She's just confused."
Luna couldn't help herself and continued to soak my entire shoulder. I just kept hugging her. We sat on the ground, hugging each other and crying.
When I picked up the glove from the ground, there was red dust on it.
"Nox, I..."
"Forget everything for now. You can cry until you feel better."