The Clock Starts Clicking

It was said, all will be forgiven when they sang.

The children, little ones and the old folk all sang together. Their voices sweet as rain after the summer heat. Their sweet song bursting through the open gateways into the Hall. Reminding all the innocence of youth, soothing their spirit and souls.

Adam was walking in the cramped hallway made up of red clay bricks which led towards Father Price's room, a frown on his face and a paper which had a cross drawn on it in his hands. The hallway was divided in two, yet Adam took the right path. After walking for some time and greeting a lot of sisters and orphans he finally reached Price's room.

He gulped as he stopped just outside the door, looking upwards and closed his eyes. His frown relaxed, a deep breath coming out of his mouth, sweat could be seen evaporating from his face, his lips moved as he muttered something under his breath inaudible to others.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes which were now like fire in water and walked towards the door at a brisk speed, with determination and unassailable confidence in his eye.

He opened the door and walks in, only to be greeted by the occasional bookshelves, chandelier, the table and Price, who seemed to be reading something, wearing his usual long sleeved black dress with black buttons from neck right down to hemline.

"Father, look what I received." Adam cried out, raising the hand in which he was holding the piece of paper, excitement clearly written on his face, blood rushing up to his brain.

Price was reading the book "History of the Church of fliegen", fliegen, the city in which they were residing, it was situated in a thousand year old kingdom named Espurg.

He raised his head only to see a Adam taking quick breaths while holding his hand high, a folded piece of paper placed in between his fingers. He was intrigued, never did he see Adam so excited and so eager.

"What's that?" He asked, raising his right eyebrow and glanced at the piece of paper being held by Adam. It was just a random piece of paper with nothing magnificent about it which made him curious as to why Adam was so excited about this paper.

"The holy order!" He took a deep breath in before he peered into the eyes of Price with a never seen feverishness and said, "They are sending an Archbishop."

Price frowned, his expression indicating his doubt as he started to think while staring towards the piece of paper 'Why would they recommend an Archbishop, there are only two of them…" His eyes widened as he realized something '...unless, this case is more mysterious than what I thought-'

"There's one more thing." Adam interrupted Price's thoughts and brought him back to real life.

"What?" Price replied clearly a bit displeased as he had realized something. He anticipated that things could get ugly if its moving the way they are.

"Archbishop Clement" Adam quoted in a dull, tedious voice as he moved his eyes towards the widow, outside "he's here"

"What!?" Price clearly surprised, his frown noticeably deepening as he could guess for what reason Archbishop Clement might be here.

"And that's not it, he wants you to accompany him to the Nier's." Adam said leaning his head towards price as he peeked through the windows with something unexplainable hovering in his deep blue orbs.

Price was clearly very displeased, first this abnormal case, then the sending of a Archbishop and then the Archbishop coming to his city without any warning.

"Mhm~ Let's go then!" said Price, he stood up leaving everything on his desk unattended, he swiftly marched straight towards the door and left his room.

Adam was still standing inside, looking towards the chair Price was sitting on, a small curve forming on his lips. He went towards the fireplace beside the door and glanced for a last time towards the paper in his hands, a slow chuckle left his mouth as he threw the paper in the fireplace.

He turned around, locked the door and walked after Price as if whatever he did never happened.

*********

"What the…?" Greyhawk muttered at the scene which lay before him, his mouth agape and astonishment all over his face. At first glance he would have sworn this was not something most will likely guess.

There was nothing inside the dome except a circular ground of dirt at the end of which was a raised platform, a grey stoned floor where stood 3 chairs.

This place seemed so foreign now..

"What did you expect then? A big mansion with lots of servants and ladies?" Snake said catching up to Greyhawk, a slow sigh leaving his mouth while he swinged one of his hand back in air with a helpless expression, "These are the herders, smart ass. They neither have nor want luxury"

Greyhawk was still standing there shocked, it was as if his brain stuttered for a moment.  It was clearly like what Snake had said, he didn't expect The herders to be so.. so lame.

Snake overtook Greyhawk and walked towards the raised platform. On the three chairs on the platform were sitting three people, all very bulky, wearing leather and sheep clothing with a lot of jewellery that shone like mythical serpent eyes and bulls in the glare of light.

As soon as they saw the gate bursting open and Snake coming towards them , all of them stood up, shocked by the sudden intrusion. The man in the middle, who was clearly more bulky than the other two took a stick from the side of his chair and walked towards Snake.

His face was not visible because he was wearing a giant sheep skull, making him seem scary and terrifying.

"Guards!!!" He bellowed, there was a hint of fear in his voice, clearly due to the presence of Snake and Greyhawk, they were rather intimidating.

Snake turned around facing towards Greyhawk after hearing the man scream, "HEY!! Could you do that blurry thing again with this idiot?" He screamed out as he asked Greyhawk.

Greyhawk suddenly woke up from his stupor and looked towards Snake who was screaming, "Why? didn't you wanted to solve this the peaceful way?" he spoke out with a hint of smile as he teased Snake.

Snake rolled his eyes and pointed both his hands towards the big guy and made an exaggerated face, "Can you do it or not!!" he said

Greyhawk smiled a bit, and then blurred before disappearing.

*********

A sister was cleaning Father Price's room. She was sweeping the floors when she found a quarter burnt paper on the ground nearby. Bending her knees, she squatted near the fireplace.  Picking the crushed burnt paper up, she opened the paper and looked at it. The burnt paper was devoid of anything with only a cross on it and nothing else, no writing, no messages, nothing.

Shrugging her shoulders, she thought it was just a scrap and threw it in the fire. Pushing herself up,she dusted her hands and went off working again.