Atiche strolled his way past the gilded halls as he ascended from the deeper floors of the cathedral, the marble pillars fading into a stream as he leisurely moved forward. The sheer speed at which he was moving contrasted greatly with his relaxed demeanor, as the further below you were from his Realm, the less likely you were to even perceive him as he made his way past.
Not even the melodious ring of the chimes he left in his wake was enough to identify him himself, as the sound was more evocative of the Inquisitors as a whole. The Inquisitors carried with them the sounds of the holy bell, which left a deep psychological imprint of those unfortunate enough to hear of their various deeds, that was, if they weren't either a Guide or allied with them.
For the four Guides that formed the subset of Inquisitors in the Midnight Church were synonymous with bloodshed to a multitude of Seers and Messengers alike. They, along with their leader the Grand Inquisitor whose command was second only to the Cardinal herself were quite fearsome indeed as they committed several 'wellness checks', as Atiche referred to them, as they traversed Uthreth.
Wellness checks consisted of slaughtering any Seer they could once they caught wind of them being in their immediate area, monitoring Messengers with the intent of execution if their offenses become too grievous, and spreading the grace of their Mother to all Messengers that allied themselves with Guidekind as a whole.
This was their normal routine when they departed from Caderia, the name of the area associated with the cathedral and the spiraling city. Upon returning, Atiche always made sure to get several rounds of naps before heeding any orders he received. He did not pray as he did not find himself to be righteous enough to devoutly pray and thought it would be more of a mockery if he tried.
No, he carried the thought that he himself was more like a demon that walked around with a hankering to indulge in widescale slaughter. This perception was engraved into his psyche from the countless rounds of personal rounds he made the day he became the next Grand Inquisitor, where he would traverse Uthreth alone whilst ferreting out any information that Sil could not receive. Once he had enough information, he would don his white robes and issue an edict upon the wrongdoers, painting the clothing completely in their blood before returning home.
He shook away the thoughts that arose in his head as he maintained a serene expression, his footsteps carting him up and away from his den. The walls faded from a brilliant gold to a dull purple as he ascended, and then to a somber grey that was nearing black in its darkness. White moons and healing signs were engraved on the floor in this place, and a towering doorway made way for his footsteps as he headed for the square where the floors were brick tiles of a softer shade. The area was completely empty.
Except for it wasn't as a baby blue skinned Guide appeared out of nowhere, his arms still crossed. A hat appeared in midair, a pair of feet smashing out of the previously empty hole, followed by Lapil's slightly muscular body as the hat situated itself on his head.
Atiche brought his entwined fingers past his chest as his eyes widened, and he gave his best smile. Bie looked up at him with interest, while Lapil dived to the floor and kneeled hurriedly, trying to signal Bie to do the same.
"Ah, there's really no need for that...I'd much prefer it if you could give me a simpler greeting?" Atiche cocked his head to the side while briefly glancing at Lapil, his face starting to fret a bit. He then looked at Bie and offered his hand, and both he and Lapil spoke at exactly the same time.
"Like this, see? Hi there!"
"Most Honorable Grand Inquisitor! How could this humble child of the Night dare not to afford the respect your position, nay, YOU deserve!" Bie was unsure if Lapil had a tail, but he assumed it would be wagging right now if he did...he was further displeased by the man's behavior.
"Wimp. I've seen dogs more courageous than you!" Bie snorted derisively before taking Atiche's hand, more interested in the mixture of serenity and ferocity he gave off, and the accommodating look that seemed to be his natural expression. He was happy to see the young man nod as well, his wide blue eyes staring at Lapil with a polite disinterest as his hair bounced while he turned his gaze back to Bie.
"Yes, quite! The theatrics are appreciated, but you should really learn how to respect someone's wishes! Come now, let us speak, and the young man who I was referring to can wait for us to return."
Lapil's eyes were bugging out of his skull as his mouth hung agape, dumbfounded. He was completely incredulous as he watched the two walk away side by side, making their way into the confines of the ornately constructed twelve-meter-high doors. Their departing forms became mere specks as they gradually escaped his line of sight, and he stood up and wondered if maybe his face was just easily hateable or something.
--
The two chatted along the way, briefly introducing themselves to each other as they walked through the corridors that pulsed with light. There was a tapestry of carvings interlinked with each other along the walls, depicting various historical moments in Uthreth. Bie did not understand anything but the warfare, though he kept his attention away from the delicate yet skillful and firm shaping, giving it to Atiche instead.
"So, Bie, how much do you know about our Mother? I do not think I know much of your circumstances, forgive me for asking."
"It's really fine, you don't always have to apologize. Um...all I know is that she's both our mother and this world?" Atiche nodded in understanding, now knowledgeable of how much Bie really knew. He did not deign to judge his lack of information, for he remembered his own times of evading the study and looked favorably upon those like him.
Besides, he smelled the telltale stench of someone who had imbrued themselves in blood at least once before radiating from Bie. The kid had obviously allocated his time to training, and he respected the effort of his kindred.
"It is rather important that you receive this information, but it will come to you on its own so there really is no rush. I'm more interested in the fact that you seem to be ready to construct another Ladder? Have you completed the Slumbering tier?"
"All the Rungs have been established, but something seems to be missing, almost? The Ladder looks all short and stubby."
"Ah, then you have not fulfilled the requirements. If you do not mind showing your prowess, there just so happens to be a tournament you can join in today that will provide something that will aid in your foundation establishment. Do you wish to partake?"
Bie's eyes were aglow with excitement as he hurriedly nodded, some of the black and dijon yellow strands of his bob that hung past his laws and curled up towards his pointed chin waved along, wiggling about in his glee.