ch 3: The Mysterious Cathedral

Icarus pushes open the heavy wooden door, and the scent of ancient stones, wax candles, and incense fills his nostrils. "Damn, it smells ancient in here," he mutters under his breath. He steps inside, and the vastness of the cathedral takes his breath away. "Holy Poseidon's D*ck! what the f*** is this," he shouts unable to contain his surprise.

His eyes adjust to the dim light, and he sees intricate murals adorning the walls. Angels with wings outstretched, swords in hand, they seem to be engaged in a fierce battle. "Damn,i wish father was here to see this, he would've definitely not minded to share a couple of drinks with the creator of this, Alas." Icarus says, his voice filled with a tinge of sadness hidden behind that daredevil like way of saying things. Without focusing much on the past, He cheered himself up and decided to focus on the mural once again. Their faces are twisted in agony, their hair and clothes flowing in the wind of battle.

Icarus's gaze follows the movement of the murals, and he feels as though he is being drawn into the epic struggle. "Fuck, I feel like I'm in the middle of a goddamn war," he mutters to himself.

The colors of the murals are vibrant, the blues of the angels' robes and the fiery oranges and reds of their swords and wings seem to come alive before Icarus's eyes. He is transfixed, and for a moment, he forgets everything else. He can hear the sound of steel clashing against steel and the rustling of feathers. It's as if he has been transported to another world, a world where the forces of good and evil are in a constant battle.

As Icarus strides deeper into the cathedral, his footsteps echo off the smooth, polished stones beneath him. The sound reverberates through the vast space, mixing with the faint whispers of prayers and incantations that seem to hang in the air. The floor, despite its smoothness, is speckled with dust, and Icarus can see his footprints marked in it.

As he continues to walk, his gaze is drawn to the intricate designs etched onto the floor. The wings of angels are woven into the stones, as if they are leading Icarus on a path towards some unknown destination. The patterns are so detailed that Icarus feels as though he could reach out and touch the feathers.

"Yep, Father and this guy will definitely hit it off", As far as he knew, Only his old man could make something like this. Icarus thinks to himself, marveling at the beauty around him. He's never seen anything like it before, and he can't help but feel a sense of awe at the artistry and craftsmanship that went into creating such a masterpiece.

As he follows the wings, he comes across a surprise. In the middle of the cathedral, he sees an altar. It stands out from everything else, with its spotless surface and clean lines. Icarus can't help but feel a sense of awe as he approaches it. Despite the ancient and dusty surroundings, the altar looks as if it has just been polished.

Icarus walks up to the altar, taking in its beauty and intricate carvings. His eyes scan over the symbols etched into the surface, and he feels an inexplicable familiarity with them. Suddenly, he notices a large book lying open on a pedestal beside the altar. It's bigger than he thought, with all the pages but one blank. The single page is covered in strange symbols, unlike any language he has ever seen. Icarus gets intrigued and feels drawn to the book.

He picks up the book, feeling its weight in his hands. The cover is cold to the touch, with intricate carvings similar to the altar. The blank pages are like nothing he has ever seen before, pure white and without a single mark. The single page with the strange symbols has an otherworldly glow, and he can't help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder."Might as well read it" He thought to himself and starts, or atleast tries to read it ,"what the hell is this language?i mean is this even a language?, Sounds like something those minotaur bastards in Crete spoke, gibberish." Even though he said all that,he felt a weird sense of familiarity towards the language and he even managed to read it! , As he was about to say something He suddenly felt a warmth spreading through his body, and the page began to pulse with an eerie light.

Icarus can feel something stirring inside him, a familiar sensation that he can't quite place. Suddenly, he feels a force pushing outwards from his back, and he looks behind him to see a pair of wings spreading out from his shoulder blades. He's used to the feeling of wings growing from his back, but this time they are different. They glow with an otherworldly light, and he feels a surge of power coursing through his body.

"!!!?"

"I've never felt anything like this before," he says to himself in amazement, "Heh, i might stand a chance against Hercules if i have this."

As Icarus gazes at the pulsating light emanating from his wings, a wave of euphoria washes over him, and he marvels at the sensation. But, SUDDENLY, the ethereal energy that had entered Icarus's wings, starts flowing out. The energy drifted through the air like a sea-horse in the ocean,before finally settling and dispersing towards the floor. As he watches the energy from his wings gradually fade away, a sense of disappointment creeps in.

The euphoria he had felt just moments before is replaced with a feeling of emptiness. He can't believe that the power he had gained had been taken away from him so quickly. He thinks to himself, "What was the point of all this? What was the purpose of the Light if they were just going to disappear like this?, That's like giving a homeless man a million dollars and taking it away right away!".

Icarus with his personality, decided to do what any sane person would do at a situation like that, Yea he went to destroy the floor that took away all the energy from him.

As Icarus walks towards the floor with the intention to destroy it, he suddenly notices something strange happening. The dust from the floor begins to disappear right before his eyes, and he's left staring at a magnificent design of an angel.

The design is unlike anything he's ever seen before, with every detail crafted to perfection. The angel is adorned in a flowing white robe, and its six wings are spread wide,each individual feather so meticulously crafted that it looks as if it could be plucked from the stone. Its eyes are closed in serene contemplation, and its face is etched with a sense of calm and tranquility. The background is made of black marble, creating a stunning contrast that highlights the angel's beauty. Though Icarus doesn't know what kind of angel it is, the image of the being before him is so breathtakingly perfect that he can't help but feel in awe.

As he takes in the sight before him, Icarus can't help but wonder who or what this angel could be. It's like nothing he's ever seen before, yet there's something familiar about it that he can't quite put his finger on. Perhaps it's the sense of peace and tranquility emanating from the angel, or maybe it's the sheer level of detail and craftsmanship that went into its creation.It's as if he's witnessing something truly divine, something beyond the realm of mortal understanding.

As Icarus stands there, he can hardly believe his eyes. The intricate design of the angel is already stunning enough, but now he notices something else entirely. A low rumbling noise begins to fill the room, and he feels a sudden tremble in the floor beneath his feet. It's as if the very foundations of the temple are shaking."GIMME A F***ING BREAK,I JUST CAME BACK ALIVE, I AIN'T DYING SO SOON FROM THIS ANCIENT SANDCASTLE COLLAPSING!" He shouts annoyed and angry at the turn of events.

But As he looks down at the image of the angel, his eyes widen in amazement.

To his utter astonishment, the same ethereal glow that was on his wings is now emerging on the angel's wings in the design. The glow grows brighter and brighter with each passing second, and the angel seems to come alive before his very eyes. The white marble seems to take on a life of its own as the light radiates through it. The seraphim's six wings now seem to pulse with divine energy, and Icarus can hardly look away.

As Icarus stands there, transfixed by the angel's glowing wings, he can feel his heart pounding in his chest. The light seems to pulse and radiate, bathing the entire room in a warm and comforting glow. It's as if he's witnessing the birth of a new star, or the first rays of sunlight on a crisp autumn morning. He can't help but feel a sense of wonder and awe, his eyes fixated on the angel before him.

And then, just as suddenly as the light appeared, the angel's eyes snap open. Icarus can feel his breath catch in his throat as he takes in the sight before him. Her eyes are like pools of liquid gold, shimmering with an otherworldly radiance. They seem to look right through him, as if the angel can see deep into his soul. He can feel a chill run down his spine, a sense of unease creeping in despite the angel's calm and serene demeanor. It's as if he's standing before a being of immense power and wisdom, one that knows all of his deepest secrets and desires.

As the angel continues to glow, Icarus can't help but feel drawn to her. It's as if he's caught in a trance, unable to look away from the mesmerizing sight before him. He can feel the warmth of the light washing over him, enveloping him in a cocoon of safety and comfort.

Suddenly, with a loud crack, the black marble surrounding the angel begins to crumble and break apart, falling away piece by piece to reveal what's underneath, darkness. Icarus stands transfixed. And then, breaking him away from his thoughts, the feathers of the angel began to separate from each other, each feather becoming a slab used in a spiral staircase that stretches down into the abyss below.

As each feather transforms into a stair, Icarus watches in awe as the spiral staircase takes shape. The stairs are made of the same white marble as the angel's body, and each step is perfectly smooth and polished. The light from the angel's wings seems to infuse every inch of the staircase, giving it an ethereal glow that seems almost otherworldly. The process is slow but steady, and as the final feather transforms into the final stair, Icarus can't help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder.

After the staircase was finally formed of its entirety, stretching down into what he felt like was the pits of hell itself, Icarus could hardly believe what he's seeing. "What the f*** did I just witness?" he mutters to himself, still trying to wrap his head around the breathtaking sight before him. He knows that this is his chance to explore the depths of the unknown, to discover the secrets that lie hidden in the darkness. And with that thought in mind, he takes the first step down the staircase, ready to face whatever lies ahead.