“Friend.” The word rolled on her tongue. She took a moment, trying to get used to it.

“See, I knew we would be friends again.” Levian laughed in glee, clapping his hand together. There was a child-like demeanor around Levian that Snow rarely saw.

But the statement that Levian had said made her wonder if they really were friends in the past. The nagging headache whenever she tried to remember, wouldn’t allow her. Her hand reached up to rub her forehead a few times. She then dropped it to her side and took a good look at the small ring.

It wasn’t like the usual ring that she had herself, which was ancient and quite beautiful. The ring in her hand was very simple gold with two small rubies next to each other. She flipped it a few times, trying to get a good feel. There was definitely a strong magical energy surrounding the ring itself.

Snow couldn’t quite tell what he did, but from her guess. It was a mixture of dark energy and some kind of mental blockage. Flipping it over one last time, she placed it on her pinky. It snuggly fit with the other rings that she kept as well. Each one, having their own unique features that she couldn’t quite remember who gave it to her. The only thing she could tell was that they were very special to her.

“You have a lot of rings.” Levian was looking at her hands. “I feel like mine is quite worthless compared to those.”

Snow shook her head. “The gift that you have given me is good enough to stave off the raging voices. Until I am free, this is good enough.”

Leivan was pleased with her words. “Why don’t you get some much-needed rest for tomorrow. I got all the things that you would need.”

Snow nodded; she closed her eyes to let the night take over her mind. But instead, the crunching of Levian’s chewing rung in her mind as he walked out the room. Twisting and turning in her bed, Snow took a while to get comfortable.

Was this the right choice?

No. Snow had a bad feeling about this, and she didn’t know why.

Even still, she took a deep breath, allowing the world around her to lull her to sleep.

*****

The High Pope had arrived late in mid-afternoon. Guards, employees, nuns, and even visitors were streaming in to get in on the day’s worship. Snow was not as busy as she thought she would. All she had been doing was guarding one part of the entrance into the very room where the holy item that she needed to guard with the other guards that the Pope had brought over.

The guards were a lot more well dressed with beautiful golden decoration for ceremonial uses. Even the sword looked flimsy and thin, and Snow wondered if they could even use it.

She didn’t get too comfortable with the new security as they were silent and arrogant. Every time they walked by, they would look down at her with a crude eye. Everyone knew that the main branch and the side branch wasn’t in good standings with one another. If it wasn’t the yearly inspection by the Pope, they would not be here at all.

“I swear a few of those idiots have a stick up their ass.” James snorted. He was glaring at the passing by the Pope’s guards. He was standing next to Snow, rolling his eyes.

Snow smirked. She had the same thought.

“I hate it when they come.”

“It isn’t that bad.” Snow unconsciously tried to lessen the mood.

“You don’t know half of it.”

The Pope’s guard went by, completely ignoring them. Snow thought she heard a few unremarkable words from them, which left a bad taste in her mouth.

She had waited for this day, waking up early to be ready for the signal that Levian was going to give. So far, she hadn’t seen Levian anywhere.

Time slowly crawled by, Snow shifted uncomfortably in her feet. Standing for three hours was starting to bother her. Even when she tried to occupy her mind with different scenarios of what to do today, it wasn’t enough to take her mind completely off.

Levian had passed by a couple of times, following the Pope around. They made eye contact, but he didn’t initiate the start of the plan.

Eventually, it was just Snow and James, standing in front of the door. Her shift was coming close to an end.

James yawned. He fiddled in his pocket to pull out a phone. Looking around, making sure that nobody was around except Snow, he surfed through the internet.

“Are you seriously watching something right now on the job?” Snow asked in a fake gasp that sounded a bit too exaggerated for her taste. “I thought Mr. James was a strict type of person.” She goaded him.

“I am.” James looked up. He then quickly said, “but it gets so boring sometimes, standing here doing nothing. You understand what I am talking about.”

“Yea, but that means you aren’t paying attention,” which Snow didn’t mind.

“I am. Which is why you are here.” He smugly grinned at his reasoning. Snow shook her head.

Snow didn’t push it any further as she wanted him to not be completely paying attention. Instead, she listened in on the video that he was playing.

At first, they were cute animal videos and a few funny ones, but he changed it to the news channel, where the Pope had his sermons.

The sermons were held on the seventh floor, where it was called the Holy floor. Snow doesn't understand why they choose that room specifically, but the number seven was a holy number to the God of Light from her understanding. Everything was done seven times. Their rituals were spot on, barely missing a beat.

A group choir started up their song. It was a bit haunting to Snow. A shiver ran up and down her back.

When the music stopped, Snow couldn’t help but listen in a bit more closely to the Pope's voices.

“We are here today to honor our prayers to the God of Light.” The Pope spoke out loud with reverence and a sway of confidence. “Without the Lord of Light, we wouldn’t be here, alive with bountiful harvest. Some say that the God of Light is one of the many gods, but this is not true. The God of Light is the one God, nothing more.”

Snow didn’t believe this was the truth. She frowned.

“The God of Darkness is our enemy. To even consider it as part of the God of Light is blasphemous. As a faithful follower, we must adhere to the code of the God of Light. Bring about God's holy message and rid ourselves of false teachings.”

The crowd went oooh and ahhed.

Snow wasn’t too thrilled with the message. To her, it sounded like unnecessary brain washing, and it irked her. She stepped towards James, who was diligently watching, and peeked over to see what was going on.

Upon looking, she was surprised to see a profound change in the area. She remembered seeing the whole place littered neatly with chairs, beautiful golden drapes hung, and even a few other lavish things. Compared to now, she could see even through the phones the powerful light magic lingering in the air, gently dousing it over the crowd. It amplified the effects, even more, giving it a holy feel straight out of a movie.

The Pope was wearing his white ceremonial dress with gold and purple hints of embroidery that came down to the floor. With his large white hat that covered his bald head. He wasn’t old but was quite stunning for a man his age. He looked to be around in his mid-thirties. There was no beard, but the smooth skin of a young man, but there was wisdom in his eyes.

“We offer up our prayers, mind, and body to the Lord. For we have all sinned greatly. We will not commence the baptism.” The Pope raised his staff in his right hand upwards.

A bright golden light shimmered out from the staff, blinding many who looked directly in it. Some people fell onto their knees, praying viciously as if they were enlightened. A few bawled out crying, and many stood silent in vigil. Eventually, the light dimmed.

The chorus of hymns started again. This time it wasn’t as overpowering as before. People quickly got into long lines as they headed straight for the Pope.

A large bowl of water on stands were brought out to the front of the Pope.

One by one, the people were getting blessed on the spot with holy water.

“Every time he comes here, it gets pretty crazy,” James mumbled underneath his breath. “I wish he just didn't come at all.”

“Why? Is that bad?”

“Yes, that Pope has two faces. All images on the outside and a rotten personality on the inside.”

Snow gaped, hearing such dark words from James. “Then why are you working here as a guard anyways?”

“Because I believe in the God of Light. Plus, I’m good at what I do, and I actually like this church. I would never go to the main church. That’s all.”

“Oh.” Snow was thinking over what he had said. She could finally give up this fake persona that she had created for herself. She wasn’t a big fan of playing such a role.

“Just be careful around the Pope,” said James sternly. “He’s a snake, and you don’t want to be caught up on the wrong side.”

“I will.” Snow gratefully took his words.

James slunk back into watching his phone, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eyes. She saw Levian moving through the shadows. She knew that the mission had started.

Levian made eye contact with her, nodding once. He then disappeared into the shadows.

The hunt has begun. She needed to move now.