Muffled Mistrust

The antechamber of the abyss was the sequence of a long hallway and tens of lined-up pillars on every right and left as its ornament along the dark hallway but full of candles light. The clatter of armor, rattling and clanking, was being thrown back by the solid black stone covering the entire hallway in aimless yet all directions, creating a chain reaction of environmental noises with ranging impact on the activity of taking dragging steps inside such a building. Moreover, the one who took the dragging steps was bearing a large amount of mass on his feet—a mass of a whole set of silver armor, and added that number with a black greatsword resting on his back, resulting in a fierce echoing sound when every step counted.

As a form of kinetic energy, whose molecules vibrated through many mediums, one of which was gases… low temperatures, as a matter of fact, was supposedly muffled the fierce sound of the clanking silver armor, for a sound wave tended to travel slowly in such temperatures. And as the theory suggested, the practice in the field worked as intended,

Whereas high temperatures had more energy for the sound to vibrate through it, allowing sound waves to travel more quickly… the opposite temperature made an opposite effect,

Low temperatures and cold sensations that haunted this specific hallway, especially the inner section of the black tower standing above the crowded land of Ospheus City… all of them were coming back to its very nature… its magical ambience and color aspect which absorbed all visible light from the surrounding, and the energy too, caused the interior to lose quite an amount of color,

Unlike the underground dungeon or prison however, this chill sensation wasn't the kind that shivered one's spine, but rather, this sensation brought somewhat a comfortable lethargy to anyone existing within the black tower,

The effect most certainly took an effect upon a man in white silver armor… dragging his silver plated legs in steady rhythm, while each of dim candle light that was reflected onto his armor was guiding his muffled steps… passing every black pillar connected into the unseen ceiling, and bringing himself to the end of the dim hallway,

The dim hallway became wider in the end, as if entering a new room filled with nothing but a pair of stairs attaching to yet another black wall but appeared as a platform which led into the upper level through those two very identical stairs—the same color, same materials and same amount of staircases—were applied on his right and left before him. Choices weren't really a matter, for both of them would eventually show the man in silver armor the path toward the upper level… where Sventas Council who also known by another name as Seven White Robes, waiting patiently for him inside their chamber.

Seven White Robes… they were seldom accepting guests and hardly having any visitors whom they may welcome to enter their sacred chamber. Their sole purpose was to live in absolute solitude to better attune themselves to the frequency of the Stygian-Heaven Tower that was vibrating through its embedded root deep into the core of the world,

Such irony really, living in deep isolation, in the axiom of separation around the crowded land full of noises. Giving up their souls and everything alike for the sake of many under the Shadow of Morning Star had become a tradition since long – much longer than the history of Ospheus City itself. Hence in order to spread their influence—the term 'belief' was more preferable on their accounts—it was they who could act as their ears and eyes beyond the tower, even the city… groups full of faithful people were then formed across the continent,

Paladine,

Evil-Slayer Crusader,

Saint Wayfarer,

Each with its own vision and mission,

But the most notable one was a group calling themselves Ancient Heroes. Such a title that came out of nowhere when five individuals possessing enormous power to overcome the almighty power of Demon Lord himself over five hundred years ago in a historical event many regarded as the Great War where the humans united to best their single and only enemies,

Denizens of Hell,

Inhabitants of Pandemonium,

The Damned Souls,

Such many names that one enemy possessed,

The mortal nature was outwardly there still, remaining inside their flattered spirits regardless of the power they possessed. Death nevertheless was lurking around—one inevitable fate,

The Ancient Heroes had breathed their last centuries ago, leaving the world without their presence, for the world had blown the trumpet of triumph, the Demon Lord had been banished, and the devil's demise was designating the peace of the world. 

As many suggest however, time was the best amnestic—the most efficacious panacea that was capable of deleting even altering history inside one's mind,

Many generations were born, as well the evildoers emerged along with it. The world was in desperate once again, waiting for another hero, as well as its new residents too. Feeling being called, another obligation had been decided. An official action was then taken by the Sventas Council a decade ago, inaugurating the formation of one group consisting of five individuals based on that legend,

And the man in silver armor was one of the said individuals,

"Kharys Neveta. Requesting permission to enter Nave."

After climbing the exact five hundred staircases, the man in silver armor found himself already on the upper level. Only needed to walk in, passing the short hallway without any visible light sources, to reach another black-tinted stone that acted as a double door guarding the chamber behind it. A black gate on which the cold surface was filled by countless of carved cryptic runes and ancient syllabary. The purpose was unknown, even long before the history… only enigmatic falter that the whole purpose was a mere ornament,

Standing in silence within the feeble light before the black gates, waiting for the heed of his request to be fulfilled, Kharys Neveta eventually received a response in a form of a magic circle emitting green light—resembled a color that of an emerald—before him. Appearing on the surface of the black gates, the circle changed the stygian ambience into its own color shade as it became wider and brighter to some extent that the man in silver armor was able to walk through it by entering the green light,

Because the black gates, apparently, couldn't be opened by any means. Not a single force known was able to open the black object, for it simply wouldn't budge. Hence became the purpose of the emerald-hued magic circle… a mediator for this simple problem between two sides who were unsure whether or not the black gates role was really as a bridge between two very contrary worlds,

One was a caliginous palace with little to no shiny ray besides the dim golden ray from countless tiny candles, sticking out from the cold wall and pillars, giving unsettling pacification upon one's sentiment, whereas the other one was a whole antithetical palace… the two were conflicting one another over all possible aspects,

Being the opposite side of negative allegory, reigning the said world with full of grace: a world where the man in silver armor would soon set foot in,

Dashing lines showed the ribs of the vaulting stained glass above one's head, sheltering the chamber beneath while emitting artificial sunray beyond the dome of stained glass. A colorful bright light abruptly struck the man's face as a result, despite having this thick silver board boarding his whole skull, the ray simply found its way through any little gap to stimulate the photoreceptors hiding beneath the connective tissue of his eyes. Since he was already used to this sudden change in atmosphere… brighter, calmer, and warmer vibrations overwhelmed his whole body after being bathed in gloomy, unsettling cold he must go through to reach this chamber… he kept his rhythm, dragging his heavy steps over the same black floor nonetheless,

The name of the chamber was Nave. The largest space and as a central part of a church building as any other. The most noticeable difference however… it was rectangular in shape, separated from the chancel by a step or rail, and from adjacent aisles by pillars, promising such a huge space intended to accommodate most of the congregation… in spite of the resemblance this chamber shared with the regular Nave, the purpose was the opposite… nil the existence of pews, meaning this Nave did not welcome any congregation except few, and one of whom was the man in silver armor,

"Master Yssqar. I have returned."

Walking all the way to the end of the chamber where the twin altars were… so huge in size that the silver armored man needed to raise his head to look at the seven occupants resided on top of those two altars with divergent altitude, symbolizing the differences in status within the seven occupants wearing nothing but pure white robes.

Resided on the first altar were the four individuals. The altitude wasn't that high hence the silver armored man didn't need to raise his head that much even to look at them. Their presence was minor after all, judging from the same posture, the same height and probably the same weight they had too. Moreover each of their faces was covered by a piece of fabric and their skulls were completely hidden beneath a white veil… almost difficult even impossible for one to see the portrait of their facial expression,

And the altar above those four individuals where the main members were placed on. Three major individuals on a much higher altar hence free from any kind of restriction that covered their heads or faces, making one able to perceive each face of theirs.

The most prominent member of the council, furthermore… that would likely—without any single doubt—a red-haired woman covered in the same robes, same fabric and color as any others,

"Welcome back, Kharys Neveta."

The woman responded to the Holy Knight's call, signifying her name appeared to be Yssqar… the youngest-looking member of the council, standing in a group of three on top of the highest altar, marking her higher rank, surpassing even the two elders who were standing on her left and right.

"How is it? The divine artifact Milky Way we bestowed upon you?"

The red-haired woman asked, smiling and indirectly implying one other question… especially regarding the enemy, and the reason behind the purpose of the council bestowed a Divine Artifact upon him.

"It's all thanks to you, Master Yssqar. My humble presence was able to use the divine artifact to its fullest, in order to defeat all the enemies of yours."

Despite his answer which seemed full of positive remarks for a moment, behind the silver helmet glowing beneath the color of artificial sunray hid a change of micro-expression on his face that was unperceivable by anyone's mind and senses,

Except one…

"Is something wrong? You look like someone who has something stuck inside your mind."

The red-haired woman, Master Yssqar, somehow showed such an impressive perception by noticing the slightest pause and intonation between those muffled words coming out from behind the silver helmet of his.

"I beg your pardon, Master Yssqar. I imagined if you would have a strong answer for my doubts."

The Holy Knight abruptly remarked on his unfocused state, waking up from reverie after pleasantly lost in his own thoughts questioning him in every aspect of life… one question that he too would ask to the red-haired woman and before the council in general,

"Although its presence inherently symbolises that of pure evil, but… could the devil be… the victim of its own sin?"