Where Ashes and Oaths Collide

Chapter 53: The Dungeon

The inside of the Cathedral was breathtaking, immense in scale and rich with intricate detail. Towering stone columns rise on either side of a main aisle; their surfaces carved with delicate patterns and sculptural details. These columns branch upward into pointed arches that interlock high above, forming a ribbed vault ceiling. The ceiling itself is painted in deep blue tones and adorned with fine fold accents, giving it a celestial, almost nigh-sky-like appearance. Along the upper walls, tall stained-glass windows stretch vertically, each filled with vivid colours– reds, blues and golds– that depict intricate patterns. Sunlight streams through these windows in angled beams, illuminating floating dust particles in the air and casting multicoloured reflections across the stone surfaces.

Hanging between the columns are long blue banners decorated with gold emblems and these banners add a sense of identity and grandeur. Anna stares up in awe, mesmerizing by the beauty of the building. Someone below, dropped something onto the polished stone floor, drawing her attention to to the people below and the way the polished stone floors reflect both the sunlight shining through the windows and the warm flow of countless candles. Several people occupy the rows of dark wooden pews lining both sides of the aisle, their surface worn smooth. The aisle itself is decorated with subtle, elegant patterns that leads the eye toward the altar, which is elevated by a few steps and surrounded by ornate gold candelabras, each holding multiple lit candles.

The flickering candlelight adds warmth and intimacy to the otherwise vast space. Behind the altar, more elaborate carving and statues are visible, framed by additional stained glass and architectural detail. Amelia carefully makes her way to the staircases leading downstairs. She bows her head lightly as she walks down the steps and passes the pews on the right side of the room. As she passes, she notices that some of the people sitting by the pews are praying while others are reading some sort of book. Her eyes scanned the room, noting where they priests stood. A priest stood near the alter at the front, so Amelia sat down at the front row of the pews. She picked up on of the books and looked it over. The book is covered by brown leather and has written on it ‘Xeito de Lite’.

She opens the book and finds that the content is written in Galician, a language she never learned to read. The language has been used mostly by royals and the very wealthy. The priest standing by the alter, left, heading to the front of the cathedral. Amelia takes the opportunity to stand up and slip behind the alter. She kneels down and feels the stone floor until she feels the edges of a trapped door. She carefully opens it and slips inside. Stone steps lead down to a dark dank tunnel, surrounded completely by stone walls. Amelia carefully walks down the tunnel until she sees a wider dungeon corridor, stretching deep into shadow and lit only by flickering torchlight.

The atmosphere is heavy and damp, with a sense of neglect and suffering permeating every corner. The corridor is constructed from rough, aged stone blocks that appear slick with moisture. The floor is uneven and wet, reflecting the orange glow of the torches mounted along the walls. Puddles gather in the cracks between stones, suggesting poor drainage and a persistently damp environment. Amelia peers around the corner and sees the rows of iron-barred cells on both sides of the corridor. The bars are thick, rusted, and reinforced with heavy locks. Inside these cramped enclosures sit prisoners– some slumped against the walls, others crouched low or gripping the bars weakly. Their bodies appear thin and worn, their postures conveying exhaustion and despair. Their clothing is tattered, clinging to them in damp folds.

Torches line the walls at regular intervals, their flames dancing and casting long, shifting shadows that make the corridor feel alive in a sinister way. The light they provide is uneven, leaving large sections of the dungeon in darkness. Further down the corridor, a lone figure walked with his back to Amelia. He was carrying a torch, its light creating a halo around him, while leaving his features obscured. As the only one not in a cell, she realised that he was probably a guard. Amelia turns back around the corner and leaned against the cold stone walls, taking a deep breath. Lady Escuridade said there would not be any guards, but there he was. Amelia to a small dagger out from her side and peered around the corner again.

The guard was heading straight for her. She took shelter and listened as his heavy footsteps came closer. Then there was a silence, carefully she peered around the corner and saw the guard standing with his back to her, she took the opportunity to sneak in behind him. She covered his mouth with her hand and slid his throat. He gagged and shook for a moment then went limp. She slowly let him down and then dragged him to the corner, where there was limited light. She wipes the dagger off on his cape and felt around for a key. She found on hooked to his belt and with a struggle managed to free the keys. She went over to the first cell, where a prisoner was kneeled on the floor.

“I am looking for Supervivente,” she whispered. “Mestre Escuro sent me.” The man in the cell remained motionless staring into nothing. “Over here,” a man called out a few cells down. Carefully Amelia made her way to the cell, making sure to stay far away from the bars so one of the prisoners would not grab her. “Mestre Escuro,” the prisoner said with a hoars voice. the prisoner sat, huddled on the wet stone floor. He appeared severely starved and exhausted. His body looks painfully thin, with sharp ribs, protruding bones, and hollow limbs clearly visible beneath dirty, torn clothing. His ragged garments hand loosely from his skeletal frame in shredded strips of faded grey, brown fabric. The cloth is soaked, stained with mud and grime, and frayed at nearly every edge.