Birth of the Crusaders

Beneath the grand cathedral of the Inner Sanctum, where golden spires pierced the smoke-filled skies, lay a hidden chamber that few had ever seen. This secret place, known only to the highest ranks of the Church, was a stark contrast to the opulence above. The walls were hewn from rough stone, cold and unadorned, lit only by flickering torches that cast long shadows over the vaulted ceiling.

This was the Sanctum of Purity, a place where the Church conducted its most sacred—and most dangerous—rituals. It was here that the Crusaders were being born.

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### **The Sanctum of Purity**

The air in the chamber was heavy with the scent of incense and iron. A long altar stood at its center, draped in white cloth stained with the remnants of countless ceremonies. Around it, priests in golden robes chanted in low, rhythmic tones, their voices echoing off the stone walls.