Kapitel 2: The Abyss, Dragon and Saint (01)
"Speak"
'Thought'
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"Madam Ecclesia, it is time to awaken." A feminine voice called out behind the door.
"Huh?" Ecclesia muttered before blinking twice and opening her grey eyes. "Yes, thank you." She replied, sitting up in her bed.
The outside light quickly illuminated the marble stonework, accentuating her room as she opened her curtains. The radiant city allowed the gentle sunrise to reflect off the white stone architecture, driving out darkness from even the most narrow of alleyways. It was always beautiful to her, even though she had never known anything else in her fifteen years.
Ecclesia looked down at her nightgown to verify it was in a good state. Golden hair locks flowed wildly around her, but her duty was not to tend to them. With a quick stretch and a final yawn of relief, she was ready to begin her day.
Opening the door, she travelled down the steps, the two visored handmaidens accompanying her. It was an outfit that removed their individuality and personality, but they politely refused when she asked if they would want to take off their visors. They were responsible for tending to her needs, so Ecclesia has not pressed them further since then.
Entering the dressing room, Ecclesia held out her arms as her nightgown was removed. The handmaidens quickly examined her body for any blemishes needing cleaning, wiping her down with an incensed cloth if they found one.
Once she was deemed perfectly clean, they placed a series of complex robes over her and cloaked her feet with soft leather shoes. One of the handmaidens held up a small mirror for her to see into. Aside from her endlessly flowing hair, she was perfectly presentable. Her stigmata, a golden 'x' with two vertical lines above and below, was displayed on her forehead. No one had ever manifested stigmata on their forehead, and she was deemed an extraordinary prodigy.
"Thank you, you've done it splendidly." Ecclesia complimented, and the two led her into another room where the dawning sun could gently fall upon her back.
It was then they began the long process of braiding her hair. It would take one of them alone several hours to complete it, but working together would only take thirty minutes at the least. Ecclesia appreciated their willingness to take on this practice, as she was used to styling her hair this way.
"Wow, they're starting to get pretty good." Another voice said as the door opened.
"Fleur!" Ecclesia greeted, keeping still for the handmaidens but smiling nonetheless.
"It seems my lessons paid off," Fleur commented, nodding in approval. "I won't be needed to make it on time for festival days anymore."
"But Fleur, you said you'd always finish it for me." Ecclesia pouted.
Fleurdelis was the greatest knight in Dogmatika, her stigmata having manifested on all four limbs. She was also Ecclesia's best friend, mentor, and sworn sister. Amethyst eyes stared warmly at her while silver hair draped below her shoulders. She, too, was in formal attire, a modest dress, although practical boots betrayed her true preferences. While catching Fleur in the corner of her eye, Ecclesia noticed a small detail.
"What's that in your hand?" She asked.
"Gifts from the people," Fleur stated, showing a bouquet. "They're starting to figure out that I visit you every morning, so they always come to me asking to give you these to show their gratitude."
"That's kind of them, but they are welcome to come here in person to deliver them," Ecclesia commented. "I haven't done much for them, and they shouldn't feel so nervous."
Fleur smiled. "It's the little things which the masses fall in love with. Even if I take down a thousand enemies, I'll never win over their hearts like what even a small amount of your kindness will do."
The compliment flattered Ecclesia immensely, and she smiled to herself before noting that the handmaidens were nearing completion.
"Fleur, could you put the final touches on it for me?" Ecclesia asked, looking over with puppy eyes.
The stoic knight, of course, was no match.
"Yes, my dear princess." Fleur joked, going to set down the flowers. However, as she did, her hand closed too harshly, and the flowers exploded in all directions. "Damn!"
"Language!" Ecclesia exclaimed, laughing to herself as flower petals drifted throughout the room. "They're beautiful even in this way, thank you."
Fleur shook her head as a soft blush sat on her face. "I was training a bit this morning, so I forgot my strength. Anyways, let's finish your hair."
And so, Fleur's fingers, which could shatter stone, deftly ran through Ecclesia's braids, arranging them such that her incredible volume of hair was neatly wrapped into a complex bun behind her head. Despite her overuse of strength earlier, Fleur's hands were gentle and precise, and eventually, the work was complete.
An indigo bow alongside a special flower-shaped, glasswork hair ornament and several triangular pins finished holding her hair into place. The ornament ended in two pieces above her ears on both sides. Ecclesia felt that they made her look like she had dragon horns and smiled at the shadow of her head cast against the stone.
"Thank you." Ecclesia smiled, looking gently at her sister as she ran her finger over a stray strand.
"Let's go now. We have our morning duties." Fleur stated, and the two were onto the streets.
Many people waved to them as they passed, and Ecclesia did her best to make eye contact with each person who did and wave back to them. However, as they got closer to the main cathedral, fewer and fewer people were willing to come out for them for fear of disrupting the rituals inside.
"They don't want to be rude." Fleur comforted, as Ecclesia always felt discouraged by their absence.
"Mm," Ecclesia replied, and the two entered the cathedral.
It was a large and complex structure, looking much like a theatre and capable of housing numerous people. Embroidered at the very front was the emblem of Dogmatika, two praying hands grasping a sword.
The number of seats was 666 for each of the Holy Saints, and so Fleur and Ecclesia, being saints 664 and 665, respectively, needed to climb to the higher segments of the cathedral for their place. The 666th seat, to Ecclesia's right, was still unfilled. Once someone was a saint, they would hold that position even after they died, their body entombed onto the seat they once filled.
The divine sculpture, the Nexus, was visible to all the knights in the centre—a grand statue detailing twin dragons gazing into the sky. Made of white marble and plated with gold, they were exactly what one would imagine a divine dragon to look like. The dragons were considered loyal guardians to a goddess represented by the gold idol on the altar at the centre. Energy pulsed from it, and Ecclesia's stigmata reacted to it as if it was drawing her in.
Simple music from harps scattered across all levels added to the ambience. Eventually, all the saints and numerous Knights of Holy Teachings arrived, who were instructed to stand such as not to be too close to the saints. After a few minutes, the music ceased, and a man strode onto the altar, holding his hands out to the statue.
He had ornate, flowing robes of white accented by black and silver tassels. A spiked helmet hid his face, and sharp, metal gauntlets covered his hands. After finishing the ritual he was doing before the Nexus, he turned and crossed his arms, holding both of his palms outward, revealing his stigmata on his exposed palms.
"Begin the daily recitation of the commandments." He instructed.
"Yes Lord Maximus." Everyone responded in unison, and the ceremony began.
"Thou shalt not turn thy back on the holy teachings of Maximus, for His Magnificence is the Agent of God."
Ecclesia dutifully recited her commandments while looking down at their immortal leader. From the time she was born until today, he has always appeared the same, a consistency they were told was not common to the people outside their nation. Anyone he took in would be saved, and anyone he condemned would be destroyed.
"Thou shalt not refuse a blessing by Maximus, for His Magnificence is the Agent of God."
When she was a child, he placed his hand on her and manifested her stigmata from the Nexus. At any other time, had she touched him or spoken to him or even looked at him, she would have been executed.
Similarly, it was only during this daily ceremony that they were even allowed to say his name. They all existed to exercise his will. Only Maximus could channel the Nexus; without him, they would have been destroyed countless times. As such, his words were absolute, his character incorruptible.
"Thou shalt have no mercy on the sinful heretics."
The people outside of Dogmatika were wild and unruly, believing the weak should perish and the strong would take whatever was available. They caused untold suffering to each other and the innocent people of Dogmatika, so Ecclesia recited the commandments unwaveringly.
"Thou shalt lend no ear to the words of the sinful heretics."
Fleur spoke it harsher than her as her voice faltered. Their way of life was irrefutable, the good things they've done evident to any onlookers. But that is exactly why Ecclesia, deep within her heart, wanted to convince the heretics to give up their evil ways.
But there was no redemption for sinners, and Fleur often told her she was too trusting. If not for Fleur's discretion, she might have already been brought to a tribunal to be punished for breaking this commandment. However, her resolve had never been broken, so she continued to struggle with pondering this absolute command.
The morning continued.
There were 666 commandments in total, and with the time and duration set in stone, Ecclesia knew precisely when it would be over. With her devotion, each commandment she spoke rang out clearly across the walls until they finally arrived at the final one.
"When the Day of Gospel arrives, thy Holy Stigmata shall illuminate, bringing all lost lambs back to Heaven, as children of God once more."
Maximus performed another ritual with the final commandment complete before facing the saints and knights again.
"You are dismissed; go out and serve our nation." He instructed and withdrew from the altar.
The knights also began to depart, with a few of the saints lingering longer. Ecclesia looked over at Fleur, whose eyes were closed.
"Fleur, are we training today?" Ecclesia asked.
"Huh," Fleur responded, opening her eyes. "Yes, let's have breakfast and meet with Theo after. He should be at the armoury by then."
So they start moving, heading toward the armoury to meet up with their friend.
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A/N
I hope this is a great introduction for our characters for the two will be playing a very important role in the story.
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
Wrtiter_or_reader
Wrtiter_or_reader Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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