Inside the sanctuary, the priest and the group continued walking through a long corridor.They had been walking like this for quite some time. As they moved forward, the young girl couldn't help but look around, her gaze taking in every detail of the sanctuary.
As she did, she noticed that there seemed to be very few people within the sanctuary.
A sardonic smile appeared on her face as she began to speak. "When I was a little girl, I remember hearing my elders talk about the Sanctuary of the Seven Lords of Salvation."
They would speak of it with great reverence, mentioning its high rank and the massive number of believers it housed.
Growing up, the name 'Seven Lords of Salvation' held a special place in my heart, and I always hoped that one day I would get to visit it."
She paused for a moment, looking at the priest leading the way. Seeing no response from him, she continued, her voice tinged with sadness.
"But now, seeing it like this, so empty and lonely, it makes me feel rather melancholic." She acted as though she was saddened by the current state of the sanctuary.
"It is true that our sanctuary was once a place of great glory," the priest began as they continued to walk. "I recall people from all corners of the continent coming to our sanctuary to offer their prayers to our lord."
He continued to reminisce, "Back then, things were not like this. We held our heads high, and our sanctuary was far from the quiet place it is today.
The sounds of people from all around filled the sanctuary, resonating throughout the area."
With a quick sidelong glance at the young girl, he added, "In those days, no other sanctuary would dare to challenge us. Even the Ascend Sanctuary did not dare to meet our gaze." His words seemed to have an irksome effect on the girl's expression.
"It won't be long before we regain our glory," the priest muttered in a low voice, almost as if he didn't want others to hear.
The young girl heard his words but couldn't quite make out what he had said.
"Did you say something?" she inquired, trying to clarify. However, before she could receive a response, the priest announced, "We are here," as he came to a stop in front of a towering door.
The girl's gaze shifted to the imposing doors that seemed to mark the entrance to a grand hall or a similar location.
The massive double doors were a striking combination of black and blue, featuring intricate textures. Each door bore the markings of a multitude of people kneeling toward an empty throne, with the design split between the two doors.
As the young girl continued to study the doors, they slowly began to swing open.
As the doors swung open, the girl's eyes widened at the sight before her. She had indeed entered the grand hall of the sanctuary. Her gaze fell upon a massive crowd of people, all kneeling in a formation that resembled the markings on the imposing doors. It created a striking image.
Continuing her observation, she directed her gaze toward the direction where the people were kneeling, and there, she saw it.
Seated in a regal and imposing ring of thrones were seven figures. Each of them exuded an aura of authority and power that could be felt even from a distance. The figure in the center particularly drew her attention. This individual wore an alluring crown that appeared to be crafted from golden flames.
The girl found herself momentarily captivated by their presence, only to be brought back to reality by the priest's voice.
"Go ahead," he instructed the girl and the others, urging them forward.
With the priest's instructions in mind, the girl took a step forward into the grand hall, and as she did, all eyes in the hall seemed to be drawn toward her.
While no one looked directly at her, she could feel the collective attention on her, and it began to feel suffocating.
As she took each step toward the center of the hall, her anxiety grew, compounded by the awareness that everyone's eyes were on her. She hesitated, feeling overwhelmed by the situation.
But just at that moment, another set of footsteps echoed from behind her, jolting her back to her senses.
Thump!
Hearing the unexpected sound, the girl suddenly found renewed determination. She remembered that she was not alone; she had someone with her. With newfound energy, she continued to walk forward toward the center of the grand hall.
She walked through the kneeling crowd until she came in front of the seven towering figures.
After she arrived, she lifted her head and looked directly at them, which proved to be a foolish move.
The moment she gazed at them, she realized that the pressure she had felt from afar was nowhere near the level of pressure these giant figures were emitting up close. As soon as she glanced at them directly, she lost all of her regained courage and suddenly knelt down.
And in the moment before she knelt down, Elder Khanel, who became enraged by her disrespectful act of looking directly at the absolute beings, began to shout angrily at them.
"How dare you be so disrespectful toward our absolute beings! Kneel this instant!" he screamed, commanding them.
And that was the same time, the young girl felt the pressure intensify, and she began to kneel down in front of the colossal figures.