The room on the other side was a long hallway, brightly lit with a beautiful chandelier hanging above.
On the walls were paintings depicting unknown but notable people or scenes of battles and a few of worshippers praying.
As the team got out, they noticed that there were doors on both ends of the hall. The muffled sound of a hundred or so voices could be heard from one of the doors.
"Guess that's where those praying guys are." Marcus spoke, staring at the door.
"Well there's only one way left, just make sure you guys are good at impersonating em. They have a rather….Unique way of talking." Myo explained. Colton felt worried but kept his calm.
The group made their way to the other door, heavily concentrated as none of them knew what would lie on the other side.
Oliver and Clarissa stood in front of the group with their staff in hand. Oliver grabbed the doorknob and slowly twisted it open.
What lay in front of them was a large stone stairway down, similar to the stairway Colton went to in the king's castle. But cleaner and more quiet.
With no other option, they descended down.
The stairs smelled oddly of burnt herbs, lanterns hung on the sides of the walls giving a good amount of light. The group was surprised by the look of the place. On the ceiling, Colton could see a faint cloud of smoke going across them.
"This place is even cleaner and brighter than our own cathedral. We should take notes of these maybe." Oliver commented, staring in wonder at the place. Compared to the damp but large cathedral he once lived in, he was now in a different cathedral that felt more lively and calming, warm rather than cold.
They soon arrived at the bottom. A stone hallway leading forward greeted them. A few doors were seen on both sides, unmarked.
"Wonder if this cathedral has money. I always knew that these places would have tons of em." Marcus asked. Curious while eyeing one of the doors, hoping one of them would have a pile of gold behind them.
The group walked forward, Calliope contemplated whether to check the doors for what was in there.
As they walked on, Myo finally spoke. "If I recall, these rooms are just food storage." Quill turned her head after hearing the word food, but quickly faced forward again. Either because she was full or because she now had a more strict attitude.
Seeing little interest in food at the moment, they continued walking on. Soon they reached another door that led to a stairway down, similar in look to the one earlier.
On the way down, they hear the distant voices of people from below. The group quickly started preparing themselves for what was ahead, fixing their posture and making sure their weapons were ready to be used.
Once they reached the ground, the voices became louder. The tone and noise reminded the twins of something. Praying.
"Huh, their praying sounds familiar as well." Oliver commented. He slowly opened the door, fearful for what was ahead, but swallowed his fears and pushed it open.
The room was tinted blue. In front of the team were short rows of hooded worshippers kneeling in front of a statue. A statue of Foren.
"I was right, they do worship him as well." Oliver spoke again, quickly silencing himself as the prayers stopped.
"Move forward, we should imitate them to not stand out." Calliope ordered.
The group quietly joined the rows, kneeling behind them all while staring at the light blue statue of Foren.
None of them could believe it. What was a known god from their world also here?
Even with the sudden surprise, they started imitating everything the worshippers did.
As the prayer began again, the twins and Calliope looked up with faces of shock. The prayers were even similar to what they hear in their kingdom's cathedral.
While they continued chanting, a single hooded figure walked in front of them all, carrying a book in his hand.
Once the prayers stopped, he began to talk. "Brothers and sisters, we have gathered once more in this humble room to worship our god. Foren. The one that offers us protection and security. And as his apostles, we shall continue carrying on the duty of being his hands here in the city." The man spoke in an older voice.
Colton noticed Myo's face changing to one of hatred while kneeling down. Either annoyed at the mention of Foren or at the worshippers.
The man continued to speak. "As servants of Foren. We shall stay ever loyal to him, and use the gifts he has given us, to enforce his word upon the city." The man finished speaking. A wave of chants began as he opened the book in his hand.
On the right side of the room, the group noticed a door, nearly obscured by the blue light.
After another minute, the man raised his hand, followed by the others. In an instant, transparent light blue shields hovered over their raised fists. The shields resembled the one Calliope had used in her fight before.
"May Foren guide us well, and may safety and security rule all." The man concluded the sermon. Worshippers began to stand up and leave through both doors. Finished with their prayers.
The group quickly got back together, about to talk about what just happened.
"Seems they also know some magic huh?" Marcus remarked.
"They seem to have similar magic to I. Interesting." Calliope spoke, still trying to understand what had unfolded in front of her.
"It'd be best if we kept moving. I don't know if a bunch of worshippers standing around gives off a good impression." Myo joined in on the conversation, after he spoke, Calliope turned to the door they haven't gone through yet.
"Let us keep moving." She quickly walked towards the door, followed by everyone, the twins just got in front of her as she held onto the door handle.
As she opened the door, the room ahead came into full view.
Another hall, filled with the hooded worshippers. Either entering through the doors found on both sides of the hall, or standing around.
"This one is more of a part of the sleeping quarters of the worshippers. More of em lie underneath." Myo explained.
With the twins in front of them, they made their way through the hallway.
Suddenly, one of the worshippers stopped them.
"Safe and humble day fellow servant." The follower sounded young. Even with a hood on, it was clear he was staring straight at Oliver.
"If I may question. Who do you believe is selected for later?" He asked.
It took a few seconds for Colton to realize, the cultists all had weapons barely concealed with their cloaks.
'No wonder they didn't care about our weapons.' Colton thought to himself.
"I- I am unsure of who may be selected." Oliver managed to reply.
"Hopefully it is Holiran. He seems to be the best candidate. Nevertheless, it is up to Foren to decide. If I may question further, are you also on your way to the shield training room?" The man asked.
The mention of shield caught Calliope's attention.
Leaving no time to think, Oliver quickly replied. "Yes, yes we were."
The group cringed at the response, unsure of what the shield training room even is or if it's safe or lethal. They were disguised afterall, not followers.
"Excellent, today is a great day to practice with the gifts our god Foren had provided us." The man continued.
After a brief moment of silence, he turned around and signaled for them to follow.
It was at this moment Calliope was just behind the twins.
"I am so sorry Miss Calliope!" Oliver quietly apologized, squeezing his eyes shut.
"Worry little Oliver. This provides an opportunity to move through the area with little issue. Along with this we may also gain information." Oliver nodded in relief at her response.
The group soon found themselves descending down another stairway. The man was just in front of them.
Through the door, they passed through another hall, with more doors on both sides tuan the one above.
"Another sleeping quarters hall." Myo muttered.
The hall was filled with worshippers as well, their weapons still visible, giving a feeling of unease to Colton.
The floors of resting quarters went on and on as the team continued descending further, feeling more bored with each hall they passed, only being a place for the worshippers to rest, with no value in them.
But their boredom went away quickly as the man opened the next door.
It was a large stone room adorned with bright lights from above.
Worshippers were dueling each other with their hoods down, using the same transparent shields as before. With one attacking using their weapon, while another tried blocking with their shield magic.
"They even have a training area for magic…" Calliope muttered to herself.