Coronation- Chapter Three
(I don't own any copyrights to Xenogears, I am just an avid player and fan!)
Margie stepped into the cathedral, and at once she felt the overwhelming emotions upon her return that she always felt when she had been away for a while. The beautiful cathedral and rich wood of the cathedral was dim and ancient, statues towered above her, two angels, two parts of a whole. Dust filtered overhead in the thin strip of light that shone through the single stained glass window above the statues, and she marveled at it's depicted battle scenes, rendered in reds, greens, and blues. She knelt on the dais and whispered a prayer, clutching a golden crucifix to her breast. At times recently, she had felt that the only thing she had to hold onto was her faith. She clung to it desperately, an iron clad belief that she never let waver. Only now...she found herself terrified...she found herself wondering if she had been blind...
"Margie!" Agatha cried out, rushing to embrace the girl. Margie returned the hug just as fiercely, tucking her subconscious worries away for the time being, until she could learn more.
"I am sorry for having been away so long," Margie apologized. Agatha eyed her wisely.
"The Holy Mother of Nisan must attend to many different matters," she replied sagely, and than with a wink, she added, "but Margurite herself must also attend to her needs to her oen needs, the needs of a young woman!" Margie blushed, and Agatha changed the subject.
"I gather you were informed than?"
"Yes mother, I was...but I would like an opportunity to examine the artifact myself."
"Very well than, I will arrange the details. Will you be staying with us for a while?"
"I don't know," Margie admitted, "so many things are happening at once. If I'm needed in Bledavik again..."
"A wise man once said, 'we will cross the road when we get there'. Do not worry Margurite, the Young Master is quite capable of handling matters on his own right now. I promise we will 'return' you to him as soon as possible."
"Please don't think I'm unhappy to be here!" Margie exclaimed, taken aback at Agatha's directness, "you know I love it here!"
"I am aware of that Margurite, but many things are changing..." They both turned and silently studied the statues and the stained glass window. Somewhere in the background, a soft chorus of voices began to sing...
Clouds passed over the moon, and for a moment, the entire hall was pitch black. Waiting with bated breath, Margie ducked behind a pillar. Soon, the clouds passed, and moonlight was allowed to illuminate the floor in front of her in a narrow strip again. She hurried on, feeling her way along a smooth stone wall; her fingertips brushed against the hidden switch, and she nervously glanced over her shoulder, no one was there. The hall was eerily quiet, everything good and right in the world was snuggled under it's blankets, dreaming of tomorrow. Margie wished she could be doing the same, but the arrangements had been made for tonight... She slipped through the secret door and descended the hidden stairs before her, and in the darkness, she never knew that she was being watched by a pair of haunting yellow eyes...
At the bottom of the stair, she went through another door, and found herself standing on a metal catwalk suspended over a deep pool of water. Something glimmered just beneath the surface of the water, but she would need more light to see what it was.
"Margurite!" Margie jumped as Agatha's voice sounded right in her ear. "Forgive me child, I did not mean to startle you!"
"I'm just glad it was you," Margie admitted.
"Well, shall we have a look?"
"Please," Margie replied nervously.
"The lights please!" Agatha called out, and Margie was temporarily blinded by intense white light.
"The light is necessary to maintain it's peaceful state above water," Agatha explained, noticing Margie's discomfort. "Please raise the lift!"
Metal pulleys screeched, water fell away, and something massive was reeled up from beneath the water. Margie's breath caught in her throat, she clasped both hands to her mouth!
"Dear Mother of God!" She whispered, "Is it-?"
"Yes," Agatha replied, "I'm afraid so. It is- a piece of Deus, and it appears to be regenerating itself. You can see the half formed fetus beneath it's jelly-like exterior."
Margie fell to her knees in astonishment.