Chapter 136 – Connections – II
At the summit of the Grand Cathedral in the capital city of Sol’Varen, the most sacred structure of the Church of the Three Fates, the world seemed suspended between reality and the divine.
Built entirely from stellar black marble, the surface of the temple reflected the sky above as if it were made from crystallized eternal nights. Stars shimmered, trapped within the stone’s veins, like souls drifting in penitence, hope, or rebirth. Each column glowed with the light of silent constellations, and the vaulted arches, hundreds of meters overhead, echoed with uninterrupted spiritual chants that had never ceased since the foundation of the faith.
On the cathedral’s highest terrace, where only the blessed were allowed to train, two young warriors dueled in a display choreographed by divine force and grace.
Priscila Varen, light as wind and explosive as the earth’s core, moved with a fluidity that defied comprehension. Her small, elegant frame contrasted with the adamantium gauntlets she wore like a boxer—stretching from shoulder to fingertips. Her fists glowed with deep runes, and every punch left the air trembling, as if the sky itself contracted under her touch. With every spin, one of her braids traced golden arcs through the air, the gold pendants jingling like battle chimes.
Her opponent, Apolo Varen, was her complementary opposite robust build, refined movements, and priestly elegance sculpted into the body of a warrior. His black eyes gleamed like starless voids, and the sword he wielded conjured magic as it danced in his hands. Waves of sound and wind exploded around him, a silent thunder preceding every strike.
"You’re slow today, Priscila," he teased, dodging a punch with a swift spin that left behind a gust of wind, launching the girl several meters into the air.
"Shut up, Apolo!" she snapped back with a growl, and her gauntlets erupted in flames. Her fists became wreathed in a fusion of earth and fire, her arms now looking as if they had just emerged from an erupting volcano.
She launched into the air.
A spinning cross struck against a shield conjured by Apolo’s slash, shattering the sound barrier.
"BOOM!"
The explosion was contained midair by an enchanted barrier. The impact tore through clouds, shook columns, and rippled the marble surface like water. But the cathedral stood firm.