Ross and Auria exited the shop. Auria took the staff she purchased and took a chisel to it. She began to chisel in a transmutation circle into the handle of it.
"What are you doing with that! That cost almost all of our money!" Ross exclaimed, "Don't damage it now!"
"Don't worry, Lieutenant, I'm just making sure it has a transmutation circle somewhere on it," Auria said, "Otherwise it's just a stick, people don't really understand that," As she finished the transmutation circle, tapped the butt of the staff on the ground twice, and then the two began to walk once more.
"What do you mean by that? I've never seen a witch or anyone else have a circle on anything they own,"
"That's 'cause they all hide it!" Auria replied, "Everyone, and I mean everyone has a transmutation circle somewhere, it's what allows them to perform alchemy, or in their case, magic,"
"I see, so that's how it works," Ross commented, "But then how do you even do alchemy? What's the process of making the transmutation circle do anything?"
Auria snickered, "Ah, you've gotta see It," She replied, "When you've seen It, then you'll know how to do it,"
"What is It? You're being pretty vague," Ross said, "What is this thing you speak of?"
"Oh, well it's- Oh hey, we're here! It's the church! Let's go in!" Auria exclaimed as she started trotting over to the church.
Ross and Auria entered the church, setting the large bag of food and other supplies they had gathered just at the entrance. Large marble pillars greeted them as they entered through the pristine and royal doors. It felt very… Church-like, as churches tend to be.
Despite the grandiose appearance, there was not a single soul praying in any of the rows of pews. The church looked completely abandoned, if it weren't for how well it was taken care of, Auria could've sworn that the place was vacant.
"Hey Lieutenant, doesn't seem like anyone's here, does it?" Auria commented, "Like, for a church it sure is empty,"
"Maybe the church just isn't in session yet, it's not like we know their schedule," Ross replied.
As if on cue, a church attendant rounded the corner and stopped in front of Auria and Ross. She wore a smile on her face, though it felt forced.
"Hello, My Children, how may I help you on this fine day?" The lady asked. She hardly opened her eyes at all, it was as though they were glued shut.
"Hello, Mother," Auria said, it was out of character for her, but she knew how to talk to others from Ardenia, "We were wondering where the Lady of the Sun was, if she could speak to us at all,"
"Oh, the Lady of the Sun is always happy to have visitors, I will go fetch her now, just for you two!" The woman exclaimed.
The two waited in an awkward silence for a while. It just felt wrong to speak here for some reason, though the woman soon came back around with a surprisingly young woman. As Auria eyed her up and down, however, she was extremely different from any Ardenian she had ever seen before. She had the same light brown skin color that all others had, but her hair was a bleach blonde and her eyes were a light green, like green apple candy.
"Hello, I am assuming you are the Lady of the Sun," Auria said, giving a small bow of the head, "It is a pleasure to meet you,"
Ross stood, took a hint from Auria, and bowed her head, "Thank you for seeing us, Lady of the Sun,"
The Lady of the Sun stared at Auria for a moment, then to Ross, then back to Auria. She whispered something into the church attendant's ear and they promptly left.
"Please, leave your accomplice here, Sister, come follow me," The Lady of the Sun said in her soft and motherly voice.
Auria looked to Ross. They both nodded to each other before Auria then looked back over to the Lady, "Very well, Sister, let's be off now,"
The two then began to walk off, entering into a door across the room. Auria looked back to Ross momentarily before continuing to follow the Lady.
The two walked for what felt like ages, the dark corridors had to have gone further than the church walls.
"Sister, where are we going?" Auria asked, "This doesn't look like a part of the church I'm really supposed to be at,"
"Oh, Little Sister, do not fret, you are perfectly safe here in the church walls," The Lady said, "Nothing can harm you here,"
Auria stopped and gripped her staff tightly. The Lady of the Sun looked back to see Auria and looked at her in a confused fashion.
"What is your 'touch'?" Auria asked, "What have you done to the people here? What are you?"
"Oho, you've heard of my touch, have you?" The Lady asked, losing any and all motherliness she had in her voice, "You want to know what it is, do you?"
Auria furrowed her brows and held her staff in an offensive stance, ready to attack if she was provoked.
"Yeah, I wanna know," Auria responded, the level of seriousness she was showing was quite strange for her, "What's going on with the people here? What've you done?"
The Lady began to cackle as her fingernails became razor-sharp and at least a foot longer. Her veins began to pop, looking as though they were about to burst and her hair hung in her face in a laissez-faire manner.
The Lady smiled menacingly at Auria. Auria tapped her staff on the floor and her staff let out a burst of light, forcing the walls to transmute and block the path between Auria and the Lady.
Auria ran as fast as her little legs would take her back towards the door, back towards the church, back towards the light, she wanted to get out of here! But just as she reached out to the door, a set of claws ripped through the ground in front of her! She retracted her hand and got ready for a fight.
"Don't leave yet!" The Lady exclaimed, "We've only just begun your healing process!"
Auria's legs trembled with fear. Her entire body felt weak and she wanted to puke. She had never been in a real fight before, let alone in a fight with something so freaky!
"D-don't come any… Closer!" Auria stuttered, "I'll- I'll be… Forced to...." She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, just waiting for the Lady.
As though she came down from Heaven, Ross burst through the door! Firing a pistol into the Lady! Once! Twice! Thrice! The sound of the gunshots rang through Auria's ears as the Lady crumpled onto the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Upon seeing this, Auria instantly rushed over to Ross and gave her the biggest hug of her life, "Ross, Ross, I'm sorry!"
"Auria, it's okay, but we really have to leave now," Ross said, "I'm getting a bad feeling staying here, I was attacked by the other Attendants around,"
Auria sniffled and nodded, following Ross out of the tunnel, though their reunion was cut short when the church attendant from before again rounded the corner. Auria wiped her tears and got into an offensive stance again. Surely something that looked normal wouldn't frighten her.
"Oh my, you've made quite a mess of things, killing the Lady and all," The Attendant said, "Though you go no further,"
The Attendant finally opened their eyes, revealing a transmutation circle in place of a proper left eye!
Auria sniffled and stared down the Attendant, but Ross put a hand in her way and stood between Auria and the Attendant, staring down the Attendant.
The Attendant wasted no time and, in a flash of light, transmuted the ground to jab Ross in the stomach, sending her flying backward, landing in a row of pews.
The Attendant transmuted a sword from the ground and pointed it towards Auria, "Come, Child, I shall show you how a proper fight is won,"
The Attendant swung her sword at Auria, to which she quickly parried with her staff before hopping backward. The Attendant quickly dashed towards her, striking at her face.
Auria lurched back, allowing the Attendant to graze her face. She stumbled back a few paces, though quickly recomposed herself.
The Attendant took no time at all to lunge at her again, though this time Auria blocked with her staff, finally clashing with the Attendant. Auria continued to block the Attendant's attacks, her staff wasn't meant for this much close-quarters combat, though she had no other real options.
Auria hopped backward, her breathing was becoming shallow and she could hear her heart beating in her ears. She wasn't going to be able to keep up too much longer. Even her staff was in poor condition, which was a real shame since she had just bought it.
Auria tapped her staff twice on the ground, transmuting the ground around her to lift her up, give her some breathing room.
She's gonna kill me, she's totally gonna kill me! Auria thought to herself, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead!
Auria didn't have much time to think about an exit strategy as the Attendant swiped her sword straight through Auria's pillar! She fell down to the ground, but caught herself and landed on her feet.
Auria inhaled sharply, her ankle twisted in a fashion that shouldn't have been possible and she stared up to the Attendant. Auria stood, leaning against her staff.
"My Child, have you no sense?" The Attendant began, "You've no chance in this, concede now, while you've got the chance,"
Auria wiped her brow, "Well, you know, I am very stubborn, so I think I might just pass on that,"
The Attendant sneered, "Yes, you'll pass,"
The Attendant struck at Auria once more, to which she blocked, though her staff split in two. She tossed the parts to her feet as she fell backward.
"Mm, how sad, it seems there will be no more Alchemy from you," The Attendant lamented, "That is slightly disappointing,"
Auria giggled, though that giggle soon turned into a burst of loud laughter. Needless to say, the Attendant was more than surprised.
"Sorry, that was just so funny to me," Auria said, still giggling. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes, "Ahh, check this out,"
Auria placed a palm on the ground, a flash of light was let out and a sword was transmuted from the ground!
"How… How are you doing that? Your transmutation circle was broken! You shouldn't be able to transmute anything!"
Auria shrugged, "I am the transmutation circle," She replied before she was overwhelmed with a burst of energy and lunged at the Attendant, the Attendant went to block but was too slow, Auria impaled her abdomen.
The Attendant took a few steps back, holding her wound, "This… This is not the end!" She proclaimed as a flash of light erupted and the roof began to cave in.
Auria awoke, covered in the ruins that were now the Church. She lifted up the rubble that was crushing her with some difficulty. Auria groaned as she limped around the area.
"Lieutenant…" Auria whispered softly, "Ross…"
Auria fell to her knees, scraping them on the debris. She winced in pain and clutched her left arm, "Definitely broken…" She groaned.
Auria coughed up blood onto the ground, letting out some more groans, "Someone help…" She gulped, "Dad..."