"Knights of the cross?", Shyza tilted her head in confusion.
"A large group of modern crusaders who work under the Crux Coelestis organization", Sek answered. "Their activities are hidden and proof of their existence is little since the government prevents the promotion of any form of religion-based organization."
"Religion? As in, those old beliefs?", Shyza muttered to herself.
"Hm, old?", the man turned away.
"Uh, no... sorry", Shyza hurriedly spoke up.
"Ah, no matter. It's no fault of yours", he glanced back. "But from now on, it depends on if you join the organization or not."
Shyza looked down, "Where ever big brother goes" Her eyes gleamed with determination, "I'll willingly follow."
A kind smile appeared on the man's face, "Alright then, both of you'll have to come with me now."
"Nice, two recruits!", the energetic boy hopped towards the exit. "Yo Sek, find some clothes before you leave though."
"Hmm?", Sek looked down.
"I didn't even notice", I thought to myself.
"What does he mean-", Shyza paused.
...
"Waaaah! Sekky! Go wear something!!", she immediately covered her face.
"Ha", he chuckled weakly as clothes from his storage cube covered his body.
"You guys are wasting time!", the energetic boy waved at us from the entrance as we walked out.
"A-Amazing", the view of the sky left me in a trance as the deep blue colours and fluffy white clouds were something I rarely laid my eyes on.
"Woah! So blue!", Shyza plastered her face on the glass.
"The skies are surprisingly blue up here", Sek glanced at the view outside.
"Yeah", the boy stopped to look as well.
"Yellow boy, why don't we see this on the surface?", adorable candy red eyes stared at him.
"Pfft, 'Yellow boy'? Just call me Sed", he folded his arms. "Now, about your question. The Great mass planet is an extremely odd one but, why don't I explain on the way instead?", he turned back and followed the man down the hallway.
"Now then, one strange thing about this planet is that Oxygen reduces as you get closer to the surface", he lifted his right hand. "That's what confused the founders since the stats they collected showed that the planet had 80% more Oxygen than any of the other gases."
"Of course, it was way too pure for the average human to breathe in and could cause severe problems."
"Question! Question!", Shyza raised her hand.
"Go ahead", Sed looked back with a teacher-faced expression.
"Where did those glasses come from?", I muttered.
"Oxygen's good for humans, right?", she paused and waited for a nod before continuing. "Then, why was pure Oxygen harmful?"
"Heheheh, good question", Sed adjusted his mystery glasses. "Back on Earth, there was only 21% oxygen. That's lower than the percentage of oxygen on the Great mass. In addition to that, its concentration is extremely high."
"It'd become a radical if inhaled", Sek continued. "Harmfully affecting the cells in the body especially fats, protein and DNA. It could easily kill a human."
"Right!", Sed clapped. "And all that is present in the space we're currently flying in", he smirked.
"Oooo, there must be some kind of field protecting us", Shyza looked up. "Right?"
"Yeah there is, now for the reason why the skies look kinda golden-brown in colour", Sed placed his hand behind his back. "After understanding more about the Great mass' atmosphere, machines were created to pump out Nitrogen and other gases."
"They planned to make it similar to Earth's but, the planet keeps producing the oxygen in its purest form and also in high concentration", he continued. "Normally, the unknown force which we named the Severence kept pulling objects towards the core and repelling them at the same time. You should be able to have access to the database concerning this stuff once you're recognized as a member."
A yawn escaped Sed's mouth, "I've talked too much."
Shyza placed her hand on her chin, "Oh, so the gases that are being pumped ended up creating new thick clouds that formed some kind of sheet, blocking the view above it?"
"Kinda", came Sed's reply.
"Hm, are you finally done Sedem?", the man smiled as he stood at an old door, waiting for us.
"Oops", Sed rushed to him, gesturing for us to hurry.
The door seemed to have been made from wood and had strange carvings that ran through the sides, all the way to the top then meeting at the centre where a cross was placed.
"I wouldn't have brought you here", the man touched the door with his right palm. "But, I have my reasons."
A creaking sound slipped out from the door as it slowly opened, revealing a room that left me staring in wonder.
"This place, it seems so different from the other places I've seen and yet, it kind of rings a bell", my voice echoed unknowingly in the moon realm.
"What do you mean?", a voice responded through telekinesis.
"Sek? Oh, we're linked", I paused for a bit. "It's nothing, I might've confused myself with something else."
The walls of the small room were made with old bricks and there were empty armoured clothes lined up on the sides of the walls, all having swords poking the ground as a short pathway led straight towards the statue of a woman with her arms stretching out.
"That statue, it looks familiar", Sek stared intently at it.
"I'm sure it does", the man walked in as we followed.
"Haha, don't mind me. I'm just sniffing some tingly scent in here and I am NOT worried at all", a sarcastic smile crept up on Shyza's face.
"Pfft, must be the iron from the armours", Sed walked up to Shyza.
"Hmm, we don't use weak metals like iron so why do you have them here?"
Sed burst into laughter, "They're symbols of past humanity."
"Huh?", she didn't get it.
"Seksulfur, you joined us for your reasons but we cannot guarantee that you'll find what you're looking for", the man softly said.
"It doesn't matter, Taki-Sensei guided me to this place because he knew I'd find my answers here", Sek responded. "Though, I'm not going to engage myself with your beliefs."
A solemn smile swept across the man's face, "We're not the kind to force people into accepting the Lord." He brought his hand forward, "But, that doesn't belong to you and I somehow see this as His will if you have it in your possession."
Sek stood there confused for a moment until he looked down, "The beaded necklace?"
"A necklace, he says", he closed his eyes. "That rosary belonged to the Great Father's wife."
"Hm, How was I supposed to know?", Sek removed it. "I found it at an old building in the rocky plains and was compelled to take it with me."
"Oh, I see and did it anything seem strange after you took it with you?"
Sek's eyes glanced at the rosary in his palm, it was as if he had remembered a few events that might've occurred.
"That alone should answer the question of whether you should believe us or not, but as I said", the man moved out of the way, leaving Sek to face the statue. "We're not the kind to force you."
A realization hit him after he took a second look at the woman, "Heh, it'll take more than that."
Slowly, Sek walked up to the statue and placed the rosary in the statue's hands.
"Nice! Nice!", Sed surrounded Sek's neck with his arm. "We're just a few steps away from Crux Coelestis' goal."
"Hahaha, the iron smells nice", Shyza blandly patted the armour.
"You have absolutely nothing to say or do, right?", my voice transmitted itself into her mind.
"Mhm", she nodded.
"Now you both need rest", the man walked towards the entrance. "Make good use of it because you'll be assigned your final verification mission in three days."
"Seems like I'm not a full member yet", Sek muttered to himself.
"Once you've completed that mission, data on the Great mass' will be sent to your tech gear through the database", the man adjusted his glasses. "Right now, you only have a bit of info on the migration and mechs but the info on Crusaders will be a bonus to your mission."
A holographic panel appeared before Sek, "I understand."
"Sekky, since we'll be staying with them", she hesitated for a while. "Does it mean that this ship will be our home?"
Sek kept silent for a while as he patted her head, "If you don't feel comfortable here-"
"No", she interrupted. "I feel even more peace than before." She dug her head into Sek's arms, leaving him with no other expression but a smile.
The man turned around with a smirk, "You may address me as Sir. William." He gave a little wave before leaving.
"Alright then!!", the all too familiar voice of the energetic boy brutally slashed the silence. "Time to show you your rooms!!"
"Aaaaah, you're too noisy!", Shyza pouted.
"Kekekee, did you like my godly noise?"
"Hell no!!"
The feeling of tension was also slashed brutally as we all headed out.
...
I don't know if it was some kind of coincidence but, soft lights seeped through the tiny holes in the room and gently settled on everyone at the very moment when Sek placed the rosary in the woman's hands.
...
And then there it was, the feeling of being loved washed over every single person.
...
It was the kind of peace that brought happiness but fear at the same time.
...
Fear that the very peace might not live as long as we desire.