Nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone to be in it.

Just like the Cathedral was filled with heads after heads and yet, Zane found it empty.

Herring wasn’t there.

Zane had met Herring’s mother before coming to the Citadel and she had asked him to give the lunch box to her son.

Zane had promised her but ever since he came to the Citadel, not once did he see Herring.

He was always looking for him.

While talking with Xavier, while arguing with the Enforcers, while looking for the gates.

Yet, the face of that man was never seen by Zane’s eyes.

I should have asked Coin about him. I will ask after the prayer ends.

Zane made up his mind.

He didn’t search further as the doors of the Cathedral were closed. No one would enter anymore.

Just like the rest, Zane also focused on the stage in front of him and from the right side of the stage, came out a priest with white robes.

Silence ensued in the large hall as the Priest stood in the center of the wooden polished stage and faced everyone.

He took a deep breath and addressed the people.

"Who are you?"

His voice reached the end of the hall.

He went silent after that question.

As if waiting for something.

For an answer.

Zane looked around and the others were doing the same. Mostly the students.

If the priest wanted an answer then Zane was out of the question.

He would not act as a bright student and answer. Not that he knew the answer.

He stopped looking around as the Priest might act all mysterious and talkative, Zane knew he had to start the prayer soon anyway.

He could not keep asking questions forever.

The Priest waited for a few more seconds and seeing no one answering he raised his hand and pointed his finger.

"You." He said.

He chose a student among the Commoners.

Zane scoffed.

Not brave enough to point at a Halocrat. Some priest.

The student flinched and the Priest asked:

"Who are you?"

"I.. I.. I am a student."

The Priest shifted his gaze at the next student.

"And who are you?"

"... A student as well?"

The Priest’s eyes danced and he found another student.

"Who are you?"

The student looked left and right.

"I.. I.. I have loose motions."

The Priest’s lips twitched.

Some students laughed.

Zane didn’t even have to look who it could be.

Only one person suffered from something like that.

Xavier.

Ignoring Xavier, the Priest focused on the person next to him.

"What about you? Who are you?"

"... I. I am the one who will cure his loose motions."

The whole cathedral went on cracking laughter and Zane didn’t have to look again.

Out of all the people he could choose. He found Tesla.

Zane slightly laughed.

The Priest rubbed his temples and forced a smile before clicking his tongue.

He shook his head as if disappointed and then locked eyes with everyone present.

"As long as you are in the Citadel, you are students, cleaners, sweepers, janitors but the moment you step in the embrace of First Flame..."

The priest paused and spread his arms.

"You are nothing but his devotees."

I figured.

Zane knew where it was about to end.

"Yes!"

"Hail the flame!"

The devotees chanted the name of their god as the priest smiled.

"Good. Now you have arrived. Now you are ready to say the prayer."

The priest finally walked towards the podium on the left and stood beside it.

Only his shoulders and face were visible to the audience now.

"Join your hands." He said.

Everyone obliged.

Zane as well.

"Close your eyes."

They did.

"Now repeat after me."

Everyone perked their ears.

"O’ the yellow orb of mercy,"

"O’ the yellow orb of mercy,"

The Cathedral echoed.

"In danger you help me."

"In danger you help me."

The voices reverberated.

"In longing, you held me."

"In longing, you held me."

People cried.

"I am your slave and sword,"

"I am your slave and sword,"

They bowed further.

"Mend me or melt me."

"Mend me or melt me."

They smiled.

"For death is near all of us,"

"For death is near all of us,"

They shivered.

"Burn it before it can kill me."

"Burn it before it can kill me."

They ached.

"Keep the rifts at bay for us,"

"Keep the rifts at bay for us,"

Their smiles came back.

"For you always save the day for us."

"For you always save the day for us."

They felt grateful.

"For our sorrows’ death you are to blame,"

"For our sorrows’ death you are to blame,"

Tears came in their eyes.

"I, your humble servant, hail the flame!"

"I, your humble servant, hail the flame!"

The walls shook by the devotion of believers.

The gutterborn beside Zane bursted in tears.

He wasn’t alone.

Those who had hope for their lives to change for good couldn’t help but trust the First Flame for that.

There is no hope. Not from a God who favors monarchs.

Zane let them be.

He knew if he snatched their religion from them, they would make him their religion.

Humans would do anything to find or create entities whom they could blame for their life.

After the prayer ended, Zane was ready to leave. So were some other people as well.

But...

"Now," The Priest spoke. "Is there anyone who would like to confess something in front of God or to me in private?"

He roamed his eyes.

"Those who want to confess anything can come and stand in that confession box. Or they can wait for everyone to leave and confess to me only. Is there anyone?"

The priest waited and surely, some hands were raised.

Zane’s brows shot up as he wasn’t expecting someone to do that.

He counted the hands and they were three.

Two of them came from the commoners and one of them belonged to a Halocrat.

Naturally, the priest looked at the Halocrat first.

"How do you want to confess, child?"

"In private."

"Fair enough. And what about you two?"

"In private as well."

"Alright then. The prayer is already finished. We will meet again at twelve in the afternoon. You all can leave except the three students who want to confess."

Finally. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Zane stood up from his seat.

The others did the same as all of them turned towards the door.

But before anyone could take even a single step, something coiled their hearts.

The air turned heavy.

Sick.

Zane felt as if a dagger was placed on his throat.

One wrong breath and he would die.

... I don’t feel good.

Zane’s instinct screamed a bad premonition and the next second...

"Sit back down. All of you."

An authoritative voice echoed in the Citadel.

The voice had fangs.

No one dared to discard the order it gave as each and everyone present in the Citadel sat back on their seats.

Drenched in sweat, they focused on the stage as the priest himself found shivers.

No one knew why but they got to know it right away.

The door in the right of the stage opened and from it came out a tall, dominating man.

He didn’t have his usual kindness on his face and even the fact that he was here, meant something would befall on them today.

"Emberlord Coin. What’s the matter? Why did you bothere—"

"Only I will speak."

The Priest bowed and stood to the side.

The Emberlord stood in the center of the stage with his hands behind his back.

Zane gulped seeing the empty eyes of the Emberlord gazing at everyone.

The sound of beating hearts echoed in the Cathedral with the sounds of breaths.

No one spoke.

Someone held their coughing inside their throat.

All eyes focused on the Emberlord and the Emberlord’s eyes focused on a gutterborn.

Zane’s heart thumped against his chest, beating itself to death and as he locked eyes with Coin, the Emberlord’s voice stabbed again.

"With no questions. With no complaints. With no cries. And with absolutely no refusals..."

Peering at the shivering soul of the Gutterborn, the Emberlord slammed his order in front of everyone:

"Zane Atlas shall come in front of me right this very instant."