Chapter 11- The Perfect Distraction
Inside the temple, the prayers of many children varying from ages six to thirteen were heard echoing in the large hall, drowning out the horrors happening outside.
From a glance, there were close to a thousand children inside the hall. They were organized in rows and were required to kneel on mats with clasped hands, as they prayed facing a giant mural at the front of the temple.
On this mural, there was an indistinguishable figure with depictions of shining rays around them as they hovered over seven kneeling figures.
Those seven figures were the Seven Deities the Seven Great Churches worship.
As for who the indistinguishable figure these seven Deities were worshiping, in scriptures, it was said to be Keres, the Goddess of death and destruction. However, this detail was not known by the villagers.
"Why? Why can’t we leave, we’ve been here for hours!"
One of the younger children was heard whining in complaint. However, one of the prayer overseers who was walking around the temple hall came up to this young boy and shushed him.
This woman then urged the boy to continue praying in a harsh whisper. The boy having been scared by the woman’s reprimand, obediently did as he was told.
Amon, who wasn’t too far away from the row as this happened, had one of his eyes cracked open as he watched the scene unfold. A frown immediately appeared on his little face.
His gaze then shifted to the large double doors exit of the church where guards were blocking it. Amon’s frown deepened and doubt began to rise in his heart.
Midday prayer has never gone on this long. At this point, they were practically forced to recite scriptures until their tongues felt numb and their feet tired from kneeling.