Four Split Personalities

Game Time PM 13:18

In the City of Light, within the Central District, beneath the Sun Worship Cathedral of the Sun Chasers

Within the spacious and well-lit prayer hall, the sacred statue of Sun God Tisu emitted a soft glow, towering before an immensely large Golden Holy Emblem. Across from the statue, surrounding a modest yet luxurious Phoenix Nesting Wood Table, a crowd had already assembled, all cloaked in dark gold, their hoods emblazoned with the Sun Holy Emblem, their visages indistinct beneath their attire.

This was the one hundred seventy-fourth ’meeting’ of a minority faction within the church; this extensive underground prayer hall served as their venue.

The ’Sun Chasers’ Cathedral, constructed forty years ago, was overseen by a highly respected Great Patriarch who changed craftsmen three times during its construction. The official reason stated was to grant more people the honor of serving the god, but the real motive for frequently changing workers was to create a large space for the minority faction’s secret assemblies—a place that existed only ’underneath the surface.’

This so-called ’minority faction’ was an open secret within the Sun Sect, yet only those who had attained a certain rank in the church hierarchy were privy to this knowledge. Thus, while other sects within the Holy Church Union have heard rumors, they lacked a comprehensive understanding.

The minority faction of the Sun God Church, as the name suggests, comprises people who, despite sharing faith in Sun God Tisu, harbor views that differ from the majority. The faction’s stance isn’t static, for once they succeed in becoming the majority, the previous majority would then become the new minority.

Compared to other churches, such a system might seem strange, but to those involved, it appeared entirely normal. Even the leader of every generation’s majority—none other than the Sun Pope—never considered abolishing this tradition. Regardless of the stark differences in positions or continuous threats to their status from the minority leaders, the idea to dissolve the minority faction never crossed their minds.

Of course, some changes did occur. For instance, six hundred years ago, there were nearly ten different factions within the Sun Sect, including the majority faction led by the Pope himself. However, after various compromises, fusions, and outright confrontations, today, the Sun Sect has dwindled to only two factions.

There is the majority led by the Pope and the obscure minority led by one of the top ten Patriarchs.

Now, within the Sun Sect... there are only two stances...

"Then, I declare the one hundred seventy-fourth meeting has now begun."

A distorted voice, indiscernible in gender, rose, and the minority leader seated at the head of the table gently tapped the table before turning to a frail shadow on their left, asking in a hushed tone, "Have they brought the person?"

The latter nodded slightly, responding in the same distorted voice, "They have, but her condition isn’t very good. We might not be able to conduct a lengthy interrogation."

"No matter, I’ll find a way to have her hold on in order to understand the upcoming ’threat’."

"But..."

"Bring the person up."

"Yes..."

The hunched, frail figure slowly stood, and under the watchful eyes of the others, walked out of the underground prayer hall.

Seconds later, a large figure, whose outline suggested neither an Ogre nor a Mammoth Half-beast, scoffed, "Our newcomer... seems not to have a clear grasp of their own position."

"You would do well to speak less."

A woman opposite, not concealing her sultry voice, giggled behind her hand, speaking solemnly, "Since she has passed the Great Patriarch’s examination, her faith is certainly strong enough."

The burly figure shook their head, spreading their hands, "We all know the problem lies with the position, not the faith. Even the Pope’s faith is steadfast, so..."

"Are you questioning my judgment?"

The leader at the head of the table turned to look at the figure, querying deliberately, "Do you think my eyes have grown dim?"

"Apologies, I meant no such thing."

Although it was unclear which of the Patriarchs was speaking, the large figure quickly bowed their head.

The rest observed in silence, offering no comment.

Two minutes later

The slender, stooped figure returned, trailing behind them a stretcher levitating mid-air, supported by Divine Arts.

Upon the stretcher lay a fair-faced blonde woman, a young human approximately twenty-four or twenty-five years old, her complexion extremely pallid, her thin lips nearly devoid of color. She was dressed in a loose nun’s robe featuring the Sun Holy Emblem, and almost all exposed skin—her cheeks, neck, wrists, ankles—was bandaged, blood seeping faintly from beneath.

She was alive, but barely so, with injuries of such severity that recovery to a point of self-sufficiency was nearly the limit. Even advanced-stage Divine Arts or Magic would struggle to completely heal her.

"Wake her."

The Patriarch at the head of the table tapped the surface lightly.

The stooped figure hesitated for half a second, then nodded slightly, gesturing above the woman’s forehead, and a warm, albeit not overly bright, golden light flickered. The latter quickly opened her eyes in a daze and murmured without thinking, "Where is this..."

"This is the underground prayer hall of the Sun Worship Cathedral of the Sun Chasers, and I am one of your Patriarchs."