How Libra had convinced them to all attend the church of Naga on this particular day was unknown. But all of the Shepards who were in the city for rebuilding were there, in decent clothes, quietly sitting as the father talk give his sermon. Most of the men and women in the pew of warriors were half asleep, but Mark was wide awake, entranced by the cathedral they were sitting in alone. The walls were polished marble, with scenes carved into the alabaster stone from what Mark assumed were epics from the Book of Naga. The priest went on through his teachings for the day, regaling the works of Naga in the countries of the west, and drawing a lesson of staying one's hand for cowed creatures. Once his lesson was done they all rose and either sang or hummed along with a closing hymnal before the crowds in the holy place were allowed to leave. As the Shepards began to leave, Mark saw one of his friends break off from the rest and go down a separate corridor.
Mark followed the crimson hair down the hall, and eventually the twists lead to a small alter with several candles on or surrounding, some lit but many not having a flame. There he found Cordelia, lighting some of the candles with a small flame on the end of a rod. After putting the fire out, she stood there for a while longer, before turning to see the tactician and getting startled. "M-Mark! What're you doing here?" He could see the watery look in her eyes.
"I just saw you leave and wondered where you went." He looked past her and studied the alter more. "Are those for your…?"
"It's for my sky sisters yes…and Phila and her lieutenants." She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked forward. "It's sort of a way we pray for the dead. The candles are like lights that let those in the afterlife know we miss them." The two walked out of the cathedral. It was a bright morning and the two walked down the steps that led to the street.
"What…what does Naga say about the afterlife, anyway?" Mark inquired as they walked back towards the castle. His companion sighed and looked towards the sky as they walked.
"It's…that's a complicated question. Because they teach that each person's time after death is different." She looked back down the street after another few moments and smiled to herself. "They say it all depends on what you did during your life. Your just and evil deeds are placed on a scae that lifts your spirit up. Wherever weight lifts you, they teach that a door awaits to take you to the land you'll spend the rest of your days. In the doors are other people that have gone through it, and the rewards or punishments earned during y our mortal time."
"Well, you seemed to be able to describe it well enough." Mark smiled, approaching the palace and walking through the gate. "I…I guess I never think about the afterlife too much. Goddess knows I send enough people there with my actions." At this Cordelia gave a weak smile and nodded.
"I guess at the end, we all get what we deserve. " She said as they enter the barracks doors, soldiers around them gearing up for training. "But that's not for me to think about. Not here or now." She walked over to her locker and started gearing up. Mark nodded at Cordelia's back and turned to his own gear cache. Death and after shouldn't be thought of now by him, either. He needed his thoughts focused on the here and now as he turned around to find an opponent, so he wouldn't be sitting on a scale before his real time.