As vivid memories flash through my mind, I find myself captivated by the image of a girl draped in flowing white robes, a prominent cross adorning her torso. Her features, like a blur from a surrealistic painting, evoke a sense of mystery, while her continuous muttering of incomprehensible words fills the air with an unsettling chant, intensifying the fear within me.

"God has abandoned us! God has abandoned us! God has abandoned us!"

Abruptly, she utters a single haunting word.

"Traitor."

Panting loudly huge amounts of sweat gathered on my forehead, thinking to myself

"Where am I? What is this place?".

Returning to consciousness, I awakened to a disorienting sight—a dimly lit room, its concrete walls enclosing me alongside an array of machinery. Tubes connect me to the mysterious apparatus, casting eerie shadows across the space.

Taking a moment to observe my surroundings, I scanned the room to understand the purpose of the machinery and the tubes attached to my body. The walls were made of cold concrete, with a dim white light casting an eerie glow. Numerous pieces of complex machinery were connected by intricate tubes, their functions still unknown to me.

Dominating the room, a large cross hangs solemnly on one wall, a symbol of both solace and unease. Struggling against my restraints, a startling realization dawns upon me: my body is held captive by intricate, glowing runes. Seeking understanding, my gaze falls upon a door, adorned with ancient runic letters and a cross marked by a vertical line on its left side.

"Damn it, I need to find a way out of here,"

I muttered to myself, perplexed by the symbols and surroundings. My head throbbed , and I groaned in agony.

An agonizing surge of pain ripples through my head, prompting a guttural groan of anguish. In an attempt to regain composure and make sense of my surroundings, I draw upon my strength, calming myself to assess the situation. Gradually, the runes adorning the door dissipate, allowing it to creak open, revealing an ominous path beyond. Echoing footsteps grow louder, their ominous resonance amplifying my trepidation. With their arrival, a group of masked individuals donned in pristine white robes, emblazoned with crimson markings, enter the room, carrying black scepters adorned with intricate golden symbols. Their masks bear the unmistakable cross with a line etched on the left side.

"ᛋᛖᚲᚢᚱᛖ ᛏᚺᛖ ᛈᛖᚱᛁᛗᛖᛏᛖᚱ, ᚨᛏᛏᚨᚲᚴ ᛁᚠ ᚾᛖᚲᛖᛋᛋᚨᚱᚤ"

One of the Masked individuals spoken with concern and a tinge of fear.

Amidst the masked figures, my attention is captivated by a girl with an ethereal cascade of white hair, her eye adorned with striking cross-shaped markings. An angelic beauty emanates from her, interwoven with an unsettling aura as she fixates her intense gaze upon me. Speaking in an unfamiliar language, she utters a string of incomprehensible words.

"ᚤᛟᚢ ᚺᚨᚡᛖ ᚨᚹᛟᚴᛖᚾ ᚷᚱᚨᚾᛞ ᛈᛟᚾᛏᛁᚠᚠ ᛞᛟ ᚤᛟᚢ ᚠᛖᛖᛚ ᛈᚨᛁᚾ?"

I was in a daze, I can't comprehend what she is saying, I then asked

"Can you understand me? Can you remove my bindings?"

Adrift and yearning for answers, I implore her, seeking understanding and release from my bindings. In response, the girl signals one of her masked companions, delivering a banner into their hands. Raising her palms toward me, she recites an unknown incantation.

"ᚺᛖᚨᚡᛖᚾᛚᚤ ᚴᛁᚾᚷ, ᛁ ᛚᚨᚤ ᛞᛟᚹᚾ ᛗᚤ ᛚᛁᚠᛖ ᛒᛖᚠᛟᚱᛖ ᚤᛟᚢ, ᛁ ᛋᚢᚱᚱᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᛗᚤ ᚨᛚᛚ ᛏᛟ ᚤᛟᚢ. ᚺᛖᛚᛈ ᛗᛖ, ᛟᚺ ᛚᛟᚡᛁᚾᚷ ᚠᚨᛏᚺᛖᚱ, ᛏᛟ ᛒᚱᛖᚨᚴ ᛏᚺᛖᛋᛖ ᚲᚺᚨᛁᚾᛋ ᛟᚠ ᛏᛖᛗᛈᛏᚨᛏᛁᛟᚾ. ᛏᛖᚨᚱ ᛞᛟᚹᚾ ᛏᚺᛖᛋᛖ ᛋᛏᚱᛟᚾᚷᚺᛟᛚᛞᛋ ᛏᚺᚨᛏ ᚨᚱᛖ ᚹᛖᚨᚴᛖᚾᛁᚾᚷ ᛗᛖ. ᛒᛁᚾᛞ ᛖᚡᛖᚱᚤ ᛖᚡᛁᛚ ᛋᛈᛁᚱᛁᛏ ᛏᚺᚨᛏ ᚨᛏᛏᛖᛗᛈᛏᛋ ᛏᛟ ᛚᚢᚱᛖ ᛗᛖ ᛁᚾᛏᛟ ᛏᚺᛖ ᛞᚨᚱᚴ ᚨᛒᚤᛋᛋ".

My mind then went numb, I only felt pain in the runes, which then entered my mind.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, please stop it. God make the pain go away!"

The Priestess spoke in an elegant voice with a bit of concern.

"Are you alright Grand Pontiff?" the girl then asked

"Can you understand me?".

I nodded and stood wobbly, Thinking a bit "Grand Pontiff? What does she mean? I need to ask questions later; I just need to get out of here" I then spoke.

"Where are we?" I asked, still feeling weak and unsteady.

As I calmed myself and settled on the floor, I contemplated the meaning behind these mysterious runes. Their significance eluded me, and I resolved to inquire about them later. Right now, my priority was to escape this place.

The girl replied, "We are in the Black Citadel, Grand Pontiff. Our mission was to rescue you from here."

Confusion filled my mind. "Rescue? Are there any monsters out here?"

She nodded solemnly. "Yes, Grand Pontiff. Grotesques roam these halls, and we must hurry to ensure your survival."

Her words alarmed me. "Magi squad, prepare the barriers! The Grand Pontiff's safety is of utmost importance," she commanded.

The Magi squad responded in unison, their voices echoing through the citadel, "Yes, Priestess, only in death there is respite!"

Turning her attention back to me, the priestess spoke urgently. "We need to move quickly, Grand Pontiff. We have discovered a shortcut that leads to our escape from the Black Citadel. however, the path will be infested with grotesques. The Templars are fighting them, but we have a backup plan in case their efforts fail."

Understanding the gravity of the situation, I asked, "Do you have any weapons? I can assist you in battling these grotesques."

A Magi squad member stepped forward, presenting me with a distinctive sword adorned with intricate designs and pipes on its handle. The Magi explained, "This sword is blessed with purification powers, Grand Pontiff. With it, you can cleanse the grotesques. Many Templars wield weapons like this."

Expressing my gratitude, I nodded and replied,

"Thank you. We must make our way out now. These grotesques pose a great threat, and we must aid the Templars in their escape from the citadel."

The priestess affirmed my decision with a nod.

"Magi squad, assume defensive formations and reinforce the magical barriers. We cannot take any chances with the lurking grotesque outside."

The Magi squad fervently declared, "Yes, Priestess, only in death there is respite!"

With resolve in our hearts, we set forth towards the door, each lost in our own thoughts. How had I found myself in this perilous situation? Questions would have to wait, though, as survival became our paramount objective.