Cindy and Sycamore stood by the heavy oak door of the cathedral, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of unexpected activity.
As they pushed open the creaking door, they were greeted by the grand interior of the cathedral.
The high vaulted ceilings seemed to stretch endlessly, adorned by stained glass windows that bathed the space in a kaleidoscope of colors. Sunlight streamed through them, casting colorful puddles on wooden pews.
Cindy and Sycamore moved cautiously, their eyes taking in the breathtaking details of the architecture.
Their footsteps echoed in the grand central carpeted aisle as a member of the clergy approached them from the entrance beside the pulpit.
When the priest reached them, he gave a bow. "What can I do for you on this blessed day?"
Cindy and Sycamore exchanged a brief glance before Sycamore stepped forward.
"Good day, Father," Sycamore began with a courteous nod, showing his badge to the clergy member.
"We're here on behalf of a citizen's report about a potential supernatural occurrence in the area. We were hoping to ask a few questions and perhaps get a sense of whether there have been any unusual incidents recently."
The priest's brow furrowed slightly, but he maintained his composed demeanor. "A supernatural occurrence, you say? That is rather unusual for this place."
"Yes, quite unusual," Cindy added, her tone friendly but professional. "We're just following up on the report to ensure everything is in order."
The priest considered their request for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I can take you on a brief tour of the church and introduce you to the providences present today. They may have observed or heard something unusual."
The old man had an unreadable expression, making Cindy feel a flicker of unease. He called for a teenage boy by the windows who was cleaning and told him to gather the providences for the 'visitors'.
He then led them down the hallway and to the office where they should gather for questioning.
"Is he insulted we're here because of something he can take care of?" Cindy whispered to Sycamore.
He nodded. "Normal reaction."
"So..." The priest started, walking in front of them, "What was the report about?"
Cindy cleared her throat, glancing at Sycamore. "It was a report by a female... in her... 30s." She nodded after finding the right words.
"She was concerned about the strange noises and flickering lights she saw by the cathedral at night." She looked over to Sycamore, trying to gain his approval of the report she made up.
The detective only looked around, leaving the lying all up to her.
"Strange noises and lights, you say?" the priest mused. "We haven't had any reports or complaints about such occurrences recently. However, I assure you that our providences are attentive to any irregularities."
As they reached the office, the priest pushed open the door to reveal a modest room furnished with simple wooden desks and chairs. The providences—16 men all in black clothing—gathered in the room, making Cindy feel intimidated. These men could see the black smoke, she thought.
Cindy and Sycamore took their seats around the table as the providences gathered attentively.
"So," Sycamore began, turning to them, "has anyone noticed anything out of the ordinary in recent days?"
The providences exchanged glances before one of them, a middle-aged bald man with a stern expression, spoke up. "We've been focused on our usual duties. There haven't been any strange... occurrences."
"We've been ensuring that everything is in order and that no disturbances are affecting our services," another one spoke up.
"But this is unusual," the bald man said, slowly standing up. "This isn't typically within your jurisdiction. We have our priests to handle matters involving potential supernatural occurrences."
Cindy glanced at Sycamore, who took the lead in responding. "We're from the Central PCU, which oversees several cities, including this one. The report was made within our jurisdiction, and as such, we're investigating to ensure there are no overlooked issues."
The providence's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then why are you not coordinating with the local priests?"
Sycamore kept his tone calm. "We're investigating independently at this stage to determine the validity of the report. Once we have a clearer picture, we'll coordinate with the local priests if needed."
The providence studied Sycamore for a moment, then nodded slowly, though his skepticism remained evident.
Cindy tried to keep her calm, despite her shaking fingers. She looked at them one by one, and the buff men seemed ready to attack them at any time. Her hand was in her holster shaking, eyes scanning for any strange movement.
"Calm down, Cindy. You're the culprits here," Kit said through her earpiece, and she released a deep breath, letting Sycamore keep the men in the room for a few more minutes while Pierrot and Quill traversed through the providence-free rooms.
────────
They crept along the hallway, their eyes darting at every sound. A group of clergy, deep in conversation, approached from the opposite direction. Pierrot and Quill ducked behind a large statue of a saint, their hearts pounding.
The clergy passed by, their robes rustling and their voices echoing softly. Pierrot and Quill held their breath, waiting until the sound of footsteps faded away.
"That was close," Quill whispered, wiping his brow. "Now, where do we go?"
Pierrot scanned the area. "We need to find the prayer room of the clergy office. The entrance to the secret tunnel is there."
Quill gave a nod, and they edged around the corner and approached a heavy wooden door with a small brass plaque reading "Office of the High Priest". Pierrot placed his ear against the door, listening for any signs of movement.
"All clear; the providences must have gathered now," he said. "Let's go."
Pierrot gently pushed the door open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with old wooden desks and shelves stacked with various documents. They slipped inside and closed the door behind them.
"This is clearly not your first time here," Quill whispered while he looked around.
"I might have been here before..."
"Might, huh..." Quill looked at some documents and books about demon knowledge, but none of which he hadn't read before.
"If we found it here, we wouldn't need to go to the archive," Pierrot said as he looked for a book on the shelf and pulled it.
A deep rumble caused Quill to panic, only to realize a secret door had been opened. "Tada~" Pierrot whispered. "It's a prayer room."
"Classic book pull," Quill sighed and followed Pierrot inside, the door immediately closing behind them.
"Alright, we're in," Pierrot spoke to his radio, and the rest of the team confirmed it, reporting it to Sycamore and Cindy, who could then stop keeping the eyes of the church in one place.
As they descended the spiral staircase, the air grew cooler, and the faint echo of their footsteps seemed to deepen. Quill's sense of unease grew with each step.
"Was this the same way you took last time?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"I think so? It was also a spiral staircase," Pierrot replied.
"I don't trust your memory," Quill muttered, glancing around the dimly lit stairwell.
Pierrot chuckled. "You don't have to. I think we're almost there."
The final turn of the staircase brought them to a heavy metal door. Pierrot pushed it open, and as they stepped through, the scene hit them like a wall.
Quill's breath caught in his throat. Smoke. Black smoke lingered in the air, thick, heavy, touching almost every surface, almost blocking their vision.
As their eyes adjusted, they saw what lay beyond the smoke, and it was even more horrifying. Rows of grimy cells stretched out before them, each with a small barred window from below.
Small, pale hands reached out from behind the bars, waving frantically. The faces of women, gaunt and hollow-eyed, pressed against the bars, their expressions desperate.
They took a hesitant step forward... and a loud crash set off, followed by a woman's scream.