Chapter 22: Knight Of The Sun God
Though Caramel Town was a place that sometimes failed to appear on a couple of maps, its existence not very relevant, if one thought that the town was very backward in its practices and development, they would be wrong.
Whereas in most towns and even some small mismanaged cities, it was common to see some of its people living off bad water and to see their streets littered with filth and covered in mud, with the church of light which worshipped the sun god having a strong presence here, the town flourished.
Not only did the Caramel town have good water, paved roads and a good waste disposal system, but at night street lights that were made with luminescent stones filled the major roads.
At the moment, it was a little past 9 o'clock in the morning the warm rays of the sun just coming out.
On a normal day, one would find the streets of Caramel town busy and filled with people going about their daily tasks, but on this morning, the town seemed to almost be a ghost town.
Other than the few sounds you could hear coming from some houses, and a few figures you would see silent hurrying from one spot to the other, the streets were empty.
At the centre of the town, a huge church that possessed a tower that stretched quite high stood and it was to this church that a pair were hurriedly moving, one person's hand tightly gripping onto the hand of the other and forcing him to keep up with her pace.
Lagging behind so he could admire the way Lena's rump bounced as she pushed her legs to move as fast and elegantly as they possibly could, Blake thought of his promise to Ryu yesterday that they would come to church today and he couldn't help but regret it.
After ploughing the man's wife and leaving before he could get back, Blake had returned to his room thinking of getting a ton of sleep, but after just two hours of rest, a prepared Lena had woken him up and forced him to undertake the journey they were currently on.
"We can just go at the last hour Lena, blend in with the crowd and sing with them like we were there from the start, no one will know:" Blake had tried telling Lena but she wouldn't hear it.
When Blake asked Lena the reason for her sudden pious behaviour, she had replied that since for the time being they still hadn't made up their mind on where next to go, then it was best they did their best to associate with the townspeople and be on their good side.
Though Blake had raised an eyebrow back then at Lena calling it "their mind" he had said nothing about it and understanding the truth of her words had decided to let her drag him to church.
With her head covered with a white cloth, a long bead that carried the mark of the sun god on her neck, Lena looked like a truly devoted follower and as they pushed the doors of the church, Blake who had wanted to immediately move to the side and stay at the back of the church could only follow after Lena when she tightly held his hand and kept moving forward.
Straightening up his back and pulling Lena close to him, Blake made the pair look like a sweet couple as they walked forward aiming for the front benches of the church.
Thankfully, the beginning songs of this morning's event were still under way so everyone was on their feet and only the people at the side threw their passing figures curious glances.
The whole unexpected scenario did not please Blake in the least and he had already begun thinking of ways to punish Lena when the drawing on the windows of the church caught his attention, the towering statue of a huge heroic muscular man holing up the sun that stood at the end of the church just behind the altar being a particular sight
"Oh, these aren't bad," Blake thought and then seeing a particular depiction that had a man glowing like he was the sun, Blake remembered his sun cloak skill and casually thought it would be wise to wear it while he was here in the church so as to better blend in.
[Sun cloak]
Putting on the disguise to avoid the little possibility that the priest might have some strong sensory ability and figure out how stained he was with the sin of lust, Blake had just begun looking for space on the benches to his side when the playing instrument and the singing crowds suddenly went silent and all eyes fell on the statue at the front whose once lifeless eyes had now begun glowing a bright golden yellow.
Just like the crowd, Blake was also quick to catch the phenomenon and almost immediately his mind began ringing, telling him that he was the cause of this and that there were subsequent actions he was now supposed to do.
Seeing the glowing eyes, Blake brought his movement to a halt but then the tug from Lena who had chosen to keep walking had him moving and before he could turn to look at the woman questioningly, she spoke in a low tone only he could hear.
"Remember you are a knight" she said with an edge, her words triggering memories that Blake had pushed to the side deeming them as useless to come to the forefront of his mind.
With Lena having control of the wheels, both she and Blake moved until they were well past the benches and before the stairs which led to the altar, and it was here that Lena stopped and released her arm from around Blake's.
"Go"
Not needing to be told twice, Blake began ascending the stair to the altar, his back straight, his chest puffed out, and his gait calm and firm.
By this time, every eye in the church had already noticed Blake and Lena's presence, their eyes following their movements and then now that of Blake's with confusion.
Ignoring the priest and the disciples who stood around the altar watching his ascending figure with confusion, curiosity and some anger, Blake finished his climb and then moved till he was right in front of the altar.
Staring at the burning candles the few golden cups and the small statues depicting the closest followers of the Sun god, Blake silently had a sword appear in his hand and then began slowly falling to his right knee.
The second Blake's swords appeared, a gasp left the lips of all who were on the altar and with speeds like it were a competition they had all fallen to their knees, Lena included, but it was only after Blake fell to his knee and bowed his head, the handle of his blade which was now taller than him becoming visible to all the people at the back that the several murmurings which had risen quickly disappeared and everybody in the church without fail fell to their knees and total silence descended upon the church.
Seconds after Blake knelt, a golden glow was birthed from him, the glow blanketed the entire church in its radiance and then a minute later, it died down, the light in the eyes of the statue similarly disappearing with it.
Without a word, Blake stood up and descending the stairs, took Lena's hand and together they found a free bench and took their seat, the service continuing not too long after, the atmosphere more joyous and pious than before.
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