It was a bit more difficult to get out than expected. People found out that we were going on an expedition and were trying to stop us. It took Syn giving an hour long speech to convince everyone that I wasn't leaving to go scheme in some underground lab to kill them all off. The adventure started a bit late but we managed to be on our way before noon, telling the time with only the sun is kinda hard as it hurts to look at. We set out in a very specific direction known as East. with the sun high in the sky it was a bit of a brutal journey, we had no sunscreen and we were all clad in a few layers of clothing. The sky was bright blue, natural blue, but I don't know if it counts as natural on a magic filled planet. We were able to find a resting spot in the mouth of a cave, I say cave but it was roughly five metres into the side of a cliff. Syn stands watch and surveys the area while we rest in the cave.
"I think I got something!" he calls down to us.
We get up on top of the cave and look in the direction he points at. A small chapel like structure stands far off in the distance, no other buildings around it.
"Is this one of the landmarks you mentioned?" Syn asks me.
"No, but we might as well search it, who knows what we'll find." I said.
"Maybe we'll find cultists or maybe a holy weapon." Rex pipes up.
" You really think they'd store a holy weapon in a run down chapel and not someplace like the Vatican." Lily says."
"Just throwing the idea out there." he says sheepishly.
"They did once make Satan's son believe he was human and had him live in a run down chapel along with his seal below the same chapel," I say, "either way we should see what's in there."
We hop off the hill and make our way towards the chapel. Rex and Lily argue about the chance of there being a holy weapon in there while James and Syn talk strategy. Maya walks quietly beside me, not saying a word. The walk goes on for what seems like an hour but we make it eventually. Upon closer inspection, the building is old and it's paint is peeling off. The only door on the building is just two pieces of wood on a pair of rusty hinges that look like they're about to fall off, the rest of the door is nowhere to be seen. Inside is about what you'd expect. Rows of benches at the front half with a stage at the front. A piano sits at the opposite end of the building. Everyone is taking in the scenery while Rex and Lily run off to find a holy weapon. The piano has numbers etched into different keys, probably plays a certain tune when used in the given order. Despite it being a chapel, there's no way up to the bell and no bibles or books or even paper for that matter. The place seems weird, a bit too weird, as expected from a magical world. Rex and Lily appear out of the backroom holding a book.
"Where'd you guys find that?" James asks.
"It was in the backroom," Lily says, " it was on the floor and there was nothing else in there. All of the pages are blank except for one."
This peaked everyone's interest and we all gathered around. It read "due East is where Aria waits, but only the faithful will see her believers of false gods will perish".
"What does that mean?" Maya asked.
"We don't have an answer but you might, right? James says gesturing to me.
"I know an Aria but I don't know what it means by false gods." I say.
"What's that symbol down there," Rex asks, "it looks familiar."
I look at the symbol he points to and I'm overwhelmed with a sense of dread.
"Woah you good Lukas?!" Syn asks.
"Have you ever heard of the Former god 13?" I ask.
"He's the one that got removed from Anaria right." Lily says.
"Exactly," I say, "and he doesn't like the other gods, but all healers belong to the Failia religion as well as carry a necklace with her symbol."
We look at Maya and realise that coming here was a bad idea. But before we can leave, the door is gone, where the hole was is now replaced by a wall, the windows have also been replaced, we're trapped. The room begins to close around us and turn red. We draw our weapons and prepare to defend, the walls continue to move closer. But just as the walls start to pack us together, the floor disappears and we begin free fall. As we fall it begins to get boring. So far it's been ten straight minutes of falling and were running out of breath to scream with. The time stretches on and we end up just kind of waiting to hit the ground. Eventually we hit the ground and attempt to stand up despite the pain. A figure appears from the shadows and 'welcomes' us.
"Welcome to my realm," he says, "my name is Belgi, a Priest at the church of 13, since one of you believes in one of the false gods you can thank them for your untimely demise!"
"Now I'm fired up!" Syn says, getting into battle position.
Our first battle is beginning and I have a feeling we'll win. But there is a small nagging feeling, something telling me not to get ahead of myself. I brush it off and we prepare for the first conflict