Hiding In Plain Sight

Chapter Twenty-Five

I'm back! Sorry again for the late chapter. School started (ugh) so I haven't had much time to update. Then my mom randomly decided she wanted to go to Europe so we went on an abrupt vacation for a while. Basically, it's been a hectic month. On a slightly more positive note, my birthday was a few weeks ago !! I celebrated with chocolate cake (that is still leftover) and binge-watching K-Dramas because really, what more does a girl need?

Enjoy the chapter!

The two men were silent as they walked through the large church, their footsteps echoing off of the marble corridors.

Reve examined the walls, fascinated by the history that the paintings on the walls displayed. Commoners were only allowed to enter the praying hall. Most could not even dream of exploring what lay beyond there, let alone walking beside Priest Mensoler himself. Reve may have hesitated in accepting his fate and admittedly was a bit nervous, but he couldn't deny his excitement.

"Curious one, aren't you?" Priest Mensoler laughed. "Are you a fan of the arts?"

Reve jumped slightly when he suddenly spoke, not expecting the break in silence. "Just a little, Your Holiness. But I don't have much time to partake in it, since, well..."

"I am well aware of your circumstances, young boy," Mensoler said, referring to his late parents. "That is what makes you an exceptional being, the only possible candidate to continue on the legacy of our forefathers. The fact that you are able to carry such love and devotion to your people even after everything that has happened is proof of that."

Reve was stunned at the compliment, yet smiled nonetheless. He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut short when they stopped at a pair of large doors.

"Ah, here we are." Mensoler reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a ring of many keys. He shifted through them slowly until he found the one he was looking for. He stuck it into the keyhole, turned, and unlocked the door.

Reve followed him inside. As Mensoler locked the door behind them, Reve took the time to look around the strange room. The walls were devoid of any art or color, unlike the walls he had seen before. The room itself was almost completely barren, except for the marble pedestal at the center of the room and the intricately decorated box on top, the only source of color in the room.

"What is this place?" Reve asked incredulously.

"This, my boy, is the object we were gifted with. The object which we were destined to protect with all our lives."

"I thought that was the Necklace of Sommeil?" Reve asked, confused.

"Yes, you're right," Mensoler said, pulling the said necklace out from under his robes. The yellow gem sparkled in the glow of the candles surrounding them. "But there's one other, said to be kept secret from the public eye. Only I, and now you, have access to it."

"What is it?"

"It is said to hold an unimaginable amount of power. Go on, open it."

Reve frowned, glancing between the box and the priest. "Are you sure? If it's as valuable as you claim, then perhaps it's best if-"

"It's fine," Mensoler said curtly, making Reve's confused frown grow deeper at the sudden change in tone. Mensoler realized this too and cleared his throat. "Open it, and see for yourself what's inside."

Reve decided he could trust his words and carefully tiptoed over to the box.

It was beautiful, he noted, almost ethereal. It looked as if it had been made from the stars themselves.