The Cathedral of Eternal Night

The newly-formed A-Rank party gathered at the guild's entrance. The air was thick with tension. Gluteus stood like a steel statue, Lyrielle fidgeted nervously, Kaito stretched his tail, and DragonSlayer69 was trying (and failing) to look cool and brooding. Kenjiro stood at their head, his arms crossed, trying to project an aura of leadership that was constantly being undermined by his purple skirt.

And then there was Seraphina. She stood apart from them, her presence a cold, judgmental weight. She hadn't changed out of her pristine white and gold vestments, which seemed to glow with their own light, making her look utterly out of place and yet completely in charge.

"The Guild's armored transport is prepared," she announced, her voice devoid of warmth. "Do try to keep up."

The journey was excruciating. Kenjiro found himself crammed in the back between Gluteus's unyielding armor and Kaito, who kept trying to "accidentally" brush his tail against him. DragonSlayer69, seeing his chance, decided to try and break the ice with the beautiful priestess.

"So, uh... Lady Seraphina," he began, puffing out his chest. "A powerful woman like you must get lonely on the road. If you ever need a strong warrior to... guard your chambers... I'm your man."

Seraphina didn't even turn her head. "If I ever require the services of a preening simpleton, you will be the first person I summon to be sacrificed," she replied, her voice as cold and sharp as a shard of ice.

DragonSlayer69 wilted, slumping back into his seat in stunned silence. Kaito snickered into his hand.

After what felt like an eternity, the vehicle rolled to a stop. The door opened to reveal a scene of perpetual twilight. Before them stood the Cathedral of Eternal Night. It was a monstrous gothic structure of black stone, with twisted spires that clawed at the bruised purple sky. The air was heavy with an unholy chill, and the silence was broken only by a faint, distant screaming that seemed to come from the very stones of the cathedral itself.

"Stay alert," Seraphina commanded, her hand resting on a golden symbol at her waist. "The demonic taint here is strong."

As they approached the massive, arched doorway, two grotesque statues of gargoyles flanking the entrance began to move. Stone ground against stone as their heads turned, their empty eye sockets glowing with a malevolent red light. With a guttural roar, they leaped from their pedestals, their claws ready to tear the intruders apart.

"Demonic constructs! Gluteus, hold them!" Kenjiro yelled, his battle instincts taking over.

"For the glory of my lady!" the knight roared, charging forward to meet the first gargoyle, his shield absorbing its powerful blow.

DragonSlayer, eager to redeem himself, charged the second one, his sword clashing against its stony hide. Lyrielle began chanting, her healing light washing over Gluteus.

Seraphina simply raised a hand. "Be cleansed," she said calmly. A pillar of pure, golden light erupted from the heavens, striking one of the gargoyles and instantly turning it to dust.

Kenjiro's jaw dropped. He couldn't let her show him up. Fueled by a desperate need to prove he wasn't just a "pouting boy in a skirt," he charged the remaining gargoyle that was locked in combat with DragonSlayer. He leaped into the air, his red eyes blazing, and delivered a powerful axe kick directly to the creature's head. The stone cracked, and the gargoyle stumbled back, stunned.

"It's not water with fiber!" he screamed, landing a flurry of punches against its chest. "the monster getting out of jail!"

With a final, mighty punch, the construct's stone chest shattered, and it crumbled into a pile of rubble.

The entrance was clear. Kenjiro stood there, panting, his fists clenched. He looked over at Seraphina, expecting another insult. Instead, she just gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod.

"You're slightly less useless than I anticipated," she said, her voice still cold, but lacking its earlier venom.

That was all it took. Kenjiro's face exploded in a blush. "I-I wasn't doing it for you, you stuck-up priestess!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "I just wanted to warm up!"

He spun around and stormed into the dark, ominous cathedral, leaving his party and a very unimpressed-looking Seraphina to follow.