Mirror Sky. Part 1 - Blissful Nemesis

17 - Audience

Dan grieved the loss of Anna, even though he had never met her. It was hard to tell what got to him. The bishop, her dad, who now froze on the ground behind them. Artur, who looked borderline mad, his forehead bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. Sonya, who stoically kept a neutral demeanor while wiping the blood off Arthur's face with a medical napkin. Tom's red eyes. Most likely, it was all of it at once.

The strength of Artur, Sonya, and Tom! Thus far, it did not occur to Dan that they had lost their entire unit. They held themselves well, had a clear head, and bravely cracked a couple of jokes. However, everyone had a breaking point. Theirs was confronting Anna's dad. Dan imagined that her death was ugly, definitive, and irreversible. They must have all seen it. Was she one of the last survivors along with them, but the war took her at the last minute?

Dan felt like Artus, Sonya, and Tom were a part of his unit, his friends. Any ideas about backing out seemed treasonous, akin to running from the battlefield.

"Let's find help," Sonya said to Artur, who, despite being physically healed, was mentally not there. "I'm sure Tom and Dan will manage."

The fog lifted off Arthur's eyes. He shook his head, then darted ahead of the group. Sonya tried to follow him, but he nodded for her to go back to her spot. The broken-up defensive formation around Dan and the kid was back in order.

Dan and the group went through the line-ups of Pax Guardians, who were ashamed to look them in the eyes. He was glad they did. In part because he thought Pax Guardians should be ashamed, in part because he did not want any attentive eyes on the kid.

In no time, they got to the Pearly Gates, the entrance to the Pyramid. The Gates stood before them, a hundred feet tall, carved out of perfect white stone. In contrast with the Pyramid's modest simplicity, the Gates were ornamented with sculptures, showing the main moments of the history of Libra City, from Goddess Libra creating the Universe to humanity becoming entombed under Mirror Sky. The Gates were closed shut, which Dan had never seen before today. It was the day of the impossible all around.

The gates suffered a direct hit from the Lepers' artillery. They were charred on top, and a sizable portion of the white relief was missing, laying in crumbs on the ground. Behind the missing piece was another relief made of the indestructible Ambiguous Metal. Dan squinted to see better.

Can't tell what it is... Wait, why would there be a relief on top of another relief? Is it the same? Doesn't seem like it. It looks like a different story. Huh. What does the Church hide there?

Their group slowed down. Sonya tried to find a way to enter or a preacher who was supposed to meet them. Dan kept staring at the exposed relief. He recognized Libra, their supreme goddess, and her companion, Gost. Next to them was a diamond-shaped structure.

Before Dan could make sense of it, the bishop, Anna's dad, suddenly appeared in his field of vision and made him jump. The bishop walked in front of the group. He looked like an inhuman thing, broken, then hastily put together. His white robe was messy and dirty, his icy eyes were bloodshot and appeared demonic, and his hair was ripped clean off in a few places, leaving bloody patches that painted the remaining hair red. His face was swollen, his hands were shaking, and his movements were sluggish, with the occasional sharp outbursts.

"I want to know how she died," the bishop said in a coarse yet surprisingly steady voice.

"Bishop, we—" Sonya tried to protest.

"You said you're going to the Patriarch?" he interrupted. "I'll take you to him. I want to be present when you talk to him. I want to hear everything. I just... I can't hear it alone."

"Sir, Your Holiness, I don't think it's a—" Sonya began again.

"I haven't asked your damn permission, cadet," hissed the bishop with a sudden flare of aggression. "I stated what we're going to do. And "Your Holiness" is how you address the Patriarch, not me. My name is Symon Berg. You can call me Bishop Berg."