Silence surrounds Raiden and Raia save for the twigs and leaves crunching beneath their feet as they come rustling through the woods. The smell of damp earth, wet tree trunks, and flowers grow stronger as they trudge deeper — yet every breath they take is like freshwater, cleansing their insides.
"Don't worry, we are close," Raiden reassures Raia even though she hasn't said anything.
She's quiet. I guess she's already tired, Raiden thinks, sneaking a glance at her.
After the incident in the town, the two ended up walking the remaining distance to reach the outskirts of Armaros, the capital of Panacea. But until now, Raiden can't still get the guilt off his chest for what happened at the coachman.
It's my fault, those words keep ringing around his mind, making his heart sinks deeper in guilt.
A cold wind blows, follows by the sound of rustling leaves and trees, their coat and cape ruffling out. Raiden sneaks another glance at Raia with an apologetic look as the girl clutches the cloak around her tightly.
"We're here," he exclaims, eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Finally, we have arrived at the headquarters of Nirvana Order." He releases a sigh and looks up.
Raia regards him with a frown, then follows his gaze.
Looming before them is a cathedral made from rough-hewn grey stone. It appears to had gushed out from the earth, stretching high above. Its spires pointing sharply up the velvety dark sky like spikes.
"A cathedral?" Raia asks.
Raiden shifts his gaze to her and beams. "It's more than just a cathedral inside."
As they saunter closer to the enormous building, their eyes rake over the gothic architecture. The angel sculptures decorated on the tympanum are barely perceptible through the dim light from above. There are also sculptures of men and women around the portal, holding weapons of different kinds. Aragons.
Raiden looks at Raia as she studies the center part which has fewer sculptures. Only twelve men are carved there; six men facing the other six men.
"They're the twelve Prophets who fought the first war against the servants of darkness. The Holy War, " Raiden explains with a smile etched on his face.
Understanding dawns on Raia's features, eyes still fixated on the beautiful sculptures. "The first humans who became Holy Warriors of Azarios."
A gust of wind sweeps over them, ruffling their hair, the cloak, and the coat. They fall into silence as they gaze heavenward at the great rose window gleaming with multitudinous hues, matching the emotions swirling inside their chests.
"Let's go," Raiden utters after a long silence, taking a step towards the entrance of the cathedral.
There's a silver wings sculpture plastered on the metal double doors, which brightens before they creak open. In the process, the wings sculpture parts into two.
Raiden steps through the entrance with Raia trailing behind him. But before the hooded girl can walk through the doorway, the doors close in an instant, preventing her attempt. Raiden does a facepalm.
"Damn, I forgot to warn her," Raiden mutters to himself as the silver wings sculpture outside radiates a beam of light before the doors open once again.
Raiden smiles sheepishly with an apologetic nod as the scowling Raia emerges in front of him, hood framing her features.
"Sorry about that," he says, scratching the back of his neck. "I forgot to tell you. Since this place is the sanctuary of the servants of Light, we're making sure no beings from darkness can enter, so anyone who enters has to be examined."
"I see. Some kind of scanner," Raia mumbles, and a loud booming sound echoes as the doors behind them slam shut.
Raiden nods. "Yeah. It's actually designed by the first founders of the Order, Mikael — for the founder of the Mikaelean Branch." His voice bounces off the hard surface surrounding them.
"This. . . " Raia's voice falters as she takes in their surroundings.
When Raiden follows her line of sight, his expression turns apologetic, and he scratches his head. "Ah, I'm sorry, but we're duty-bound to another long walk."
Ahead of them is a long tunnel that stretches endlessly. Torches run in rows along the stone wall, illuminating the dark hallway. Every trace of coldness disappears as the warmth coming from the flames embrace them like a blanket.
"Well, let's go," Raiden says after a moment of silence. "Let's start walking again."
Their footsteps resound throughout the place as they march forward, sounding loud in the unbearable stillness. None of them have taken the risk of breaking the silence until a large metal door becomes visible ahead of them.
"We're here," Raiden states once they reached the end of the hallway. And as though hearing his statement, the double metal doors slide open on their own with a rumbling noise.
"That's a twenty minutes walk," Raia mutters in a hushed voice, and Raiden chuckles weakly.
They stare as a grand hall comes into view with a large wooden round table standing at the center. Some of the seats are occupied by people wearing long crimson coats, and there's a single black one. At the end of the hall opposite to where they stand is a stone staircase that leads to the upper floors. The stained-glass dome ceiling is too high to make out, and it gives the place a holy atmosphere.
Each corner stands people in purple hooded cloaks laced with gold, and their eyes, which are hidden in their hoods, are fixated on the newcomer, trying to see the face hidden underneath her black hood. As if sensing their gazes, Raia hides her face deeper under her hood and scans the place instead.
"Welcome to the Mikaelean Branch," Raiden speaks in a low voice without glancing at her, a soft smile plastered on his face.
"So this is Nirvana Order," Raia utters quietly, stepping on the bronze polished concrete floor.
Raiden beams at her, pride filling his chest as he watches Raia scan the place. Then he turns and faces the people sitting at the round table. "I've brought someone who will join us in stopping the Great Wizard."
Upon declaring that, Raia takes off the hood from her head, revealing a grim face framed with dark purple hair. Raiden watches them as they stare at the girl standing before them.
At the round table, a bespectacled young man with short caramel hair and amber eyes rises from his seat. He's dressed in a black cassock with a crimson capelet draped over his shoulders. He seems to be around the mid-twenties.
Raiden and Raia's eyes flicker to him when he clears his throat.
"Before anything else, can you tell me the motto of Nirvana Order?" the bespectacled man states, looking at Raia.
Raia stares at him for a couple of seconds before speaking up. "We exist to destroy the darkness that corrupts human souls." Her deep voice resounding around the place.
The glasses man's mouth stretches to a wide smile, looking satisfied. He pushes up his glasses and spreads his arms.
"You, who is chosen by the angels, we are honored to welcome you to the holy organization with people united by the Light," the man bellows, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "Welcome to the main branch of the Nirvana Order. I am the head of the Mikaelean Branch, Cyrus Galbraith."
Raia lowers herself to a quick bow. That movement makes her hair falls from behind her cape, extending down to her waist. Then she trudges forward the round table, her hair undulating like ocean waves every step she takes.
The guy with a long black coat at the table stands and approaches Raiden. He's a tall, well-built guy with fiery hair, and the five necklaces around his neck are jingling like a cat bell as he walks.
"Who is she? And where did you find her? She kinds of gives me the creeps, " queries the guy with a frown, putting an arm around Raiden's shoulders.
Raiden shoots him a funny look, removing his arms from around his shoulders. "The hell you talking about, Nathan?" But deep inside, he can't blame the guy. Raia's presence does give off an ominous vibe due to her standoffish behavior.
Nathan narrows his eyes. "She seems so stiff and cold, just like an Outcast. Maybe she is?"
When Raiden throws him a look, his mouth gives a lopsided grin, revealing one sharp fang. "Just kidding." He scratches his head.
Raiden sighs. "But guess who is her master." His mouth forms a smile, staring at the dark purple hair.
Raiden and Nathan saunter over to the round table and settle into a seat. There are other nine people aside from them and Cyrus — seven men and two women — all wearing crimson coats, and they seem to be in their mid-thirties and mid-forties. Their attentions are all focused on Raia, who is standing before them.
"I'm Raia Allen, from Uriel," Raia declares, her voice a mirror of her grim expression. "I came here to be branded as an Aragon and be part of this holy organization."
Gasps escape from their mouth. Nathan is looking at her with wide eyes. Cyrus, though, is able to regain his composure right away. He turns his surprised expression into a pleasant smile.
"I see. So you're the apprentice of Apostle Simon. The one who can heal," Cyrus says, and another gasp escape from the people's mouth.
Raiden is the only one who doesn't share the same reaction since he already knows about Raia. He has also expected them to end up being astonished, of course. Her nationality, her mysterious healing power, and her master. Raia's presence itself is enough for the organization to start a fuss.
Nathan, however, stares dumbfounded at the girl. "Apostle Simon is your master?"
Raia's eyes flicker to him, but she doesn't respond. Nathan comically shrinks in fear upon meeting her pale, lifeless eyes, so he shifts his look at Raiden instead.
"Wow, that's cool! I can't believe she's an apprentice of Apostle Simon," Nathan says to Raiden. "That man is the best warrior I've ever known. I wished he was my master, though."
"Apostle Yi Ze will kill you if she heard that," Raiden comments, then a warm smile creeps across his face. "Well, let's see what this girl apprentice of him can do. How far will she go as an official disciple of Azarios."
The place is filled with murmurs and sounds of awe, but fortunately, Cyrus claps to silence them.
"Please mind your behaviors and don't frighten the new disciple," Cyrus states. "Let me get things clear here. But before anything else, would you like to have a sit first, dear Raia?" He addresses Raia with a kind smile.
Raia remains silent as she settles herself into a seat, all eyes are fixated on her. Ignoring the stares people are giving her, she looks at Cyrus instead.
Cyrus clears his throat and takes a seat also. "So first, this place is called The Gathering, where meetings are being held. There are a lot of different sections here. As you can see, this place is huge and it needs people to oversee things. And these people at the table with us are the heads of different departments. Well, I'll ask someone tomorrow to take you on a tour so you can get yourself familiar with the place. Maybe after your Branding."
He gestures his hand to the people wearing purple hooded robes. "And those people are called the Laity, the lower rank for a disciple. They aren't Elysians, but they chose to devote themselves to the Light. They are also armed with basic defense and offense against Outcasts made by the science team."
Cyrus clears his throat again and intertwines his hands on the table, looking at the people around him. "So you've heard right, she is an apprentice of Apostle Simon who came from the South Land, Uriel. She was sent here for some reason. Maybe it's the will of Azarios, the path he gave her. To be part of Mikaelean Branch."
His eyes land on Raia. "Your master, he's the best among all warriors the Order has. Members of different branches have acknowledged his skills. He is an Apostle who has successfully made a contract with an angel, and received the most powerful divine weapon, the First Trumpet. He was only twenty when he achieved that."
Apostle is the superior rank for a disciple. They are those who successfully made contracts with angels and will be granted powerful divine weapons called the Trumpets. Apostle Simon is the one who obtained the First Trumpet, thus receiving the respects and admirations from members of the Order.
"And there's also one thing your master is known for," Cyrus says, a smirk tugging on his lips.
"A drunkard?" Raia suggests in a flat tone, earning ridiculous looks from the people around her.
"Is she nuts?" Nathan murmurs to Raiden only to receive a shrug.
Raiden's forehead creases, starting to wonder what kind of relationship does Raia has with Simon. Do they even have a good bond as master and apprentice? Raiden has noticed from Raia that she'll turn surly every time her master is mentioned.
"Silly, no. Well, apart from that," Cyrus is saying, masking his laughter with a fake cough. "Apostle Simon is also known for his unusual way of training his apprentices. If I may ask, how long has he trained you before he declared the completion of your apprenticeship?"
Raia frowns. "Two years."
This time, Raiden lets out a gasp, having the same reaction as everyone else. Even Cyrus himself, he's regarding Raia with a look of disbelief on his face.
Two years? That's insanely long! Raiden wonders, eyes widening.
"Two years, you say? How old are you when you became an Elysian?" Cyrus asks, leaning on the wooden table and narrowing his eyes at her.
"I was fifteen years old when I received the calling of the Light. But before I became an Elysian, I was already in my master's custody," Raia answers, clutching her cloak.
"I see. To tell you, an Elysian is required to be Branded after a year of training under an Apostle. More than that isn't allowed. Because Elysians are rare and they are needed to stop the Great Wizard and his army of demons from destroying the world. They must step in a war prepared." Cyrus pauses, an indecipherable expression shadowing his face. "An Unbranded disciple is unfit for a war."
Raia scrunches up her eyebrows, bemused, yet she remains quiet.
"But Apostle Simon," Cyrus continues, his eyes narrowing as though he's in deep thought. "He followed his own rule and trained his first apprentice for more than a year — one year and a half to be precise. He believes that a disciple of Azarios must be ready enough to be one. Unexpectedly, that apprentice of him successfully made a contract with an angel and became an Apostle after two years of being an Aragon."
A smile forms on his lips. "And now, he has chosen his second apprentice. Surprisingly, he has trained you for a longer time. But since this is him we're talking about, we can only guess why."
Cyrus's amber eyes bore into Raia's grey ones. "Well, we're happy to welcome another apprentice of such a great man, Raia Allen from Uriel."
Raia holds his gaze, then darts her eyes around the table, returning the gazes of the people as they fall in silence. When her eyes land on Raiden, the guy shoots her a smile.
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor breaks the lingering silence when Nathan springs to his feet. He extends a hand toward Raia with a wide grin splitting his face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Raia. My name is Nathan, the best warrior after Apostle Simon," he says, earning ridiculous looks from the people.
Raia frowns at him without saying anything, so Nathan retrieves his ignored hand and fakes a cough. Suddenly, he grabs Raiden's arm and pulls him up, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
"And this one is Kara," he says, pointing at Raiden.
"Idiot, we already know each other. I'm the one who brought her here," Raiden hisses, glaring at Nathan as he removes his hand.
Nathan lets out a laugh. "I know, man. But you prefer that name, right?" Nathan asks, raising an eyebrow at him.
Raiden's face flushes in embarrassment. When he opens his mouth to say something, Raia speaks first.
"So you're Kara," she utters, her voice is little more than a whisper.
Raiden smiles at her and shrugs while giving Nathan a look.
As though losing interest, Raia puts her head down on the wooden table and releases a sigh.
Come to think of it, her expression is the same even when she's fighting. Does she even smile at all? Raiden thinks, a frown on his face.
Cyrus rises from his seat and clears his throat. "Alright, that's enough for today. I believe our new member is already tired. Traveling from another land costs much vitality, so she needs to regain her strength for tomorrow's Branding."
Raiden nods, agreeing with Cyrus. Of course, that travel must have been exhausting for Raia. Bearing in mind that she came from another Land — not to mention the Outcasts that she had encountered on her way here. She had dealt with three Outcasts in just one night, how many has she fought before that? Raiden wonders as he looks at Raia, then he remembers that she's even unaware of their immunity.
That must be a really unpleasant journey.
The sound of scraping chairs fill the place as the people in crimson coats rise from their seats, including Raia. Nathan is already gone from the sight, and Raiden is sure that the guy must have gone to the cafeteria already.
When Raia turns on her heels and brushes past Raiden, Cyrus calls her.
"Raia, I know it's already late," Cyrus says, dusting his coat. "But would you like to eat something first before you go to bed? You must be hungry."
Upon hearing that, something growls inside Raiden's stomach, reminding him of his own hunger. He sighs.
"I'm hungry too. Let's grab something to eat first," Raiden says to Raia.
The grim-faced girl glances at him, then at Cyrus, and nods her head slightly, unable to deny her hunger. Her body is aching to lie in a soft bed already, yet she still wants to put something in her stomach first.
Cyrus beams. "Alright. Sonnet, do accompany them to the cafeteria and assign a room for the new disciple," he addresses the woman in a crimson coat with blonde bun hair.
"Sure," Sonnet responds as she approaches them. She looks at Raia with a warm smile etched on her face. "Hello, I'm Sonnet Wilson, the assistant chief here. Let's go, Raia. I'll keep you company for the moment, okay?" She winks at her, and Raia only nods to her without responding.
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"To the cafeteria, then," Raiden declares, stifling a yawn.
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