[center][h2]Caelum Harrington[/h2][/center]
They'd made it to the cathedral’s doorway. However, in the middle of ascending the staircase, Pondwater’s searchlight began moving once again, its function restored. Caelum froze on the spot, panicking, then rushed straight to the door. Though Barney was already pounding upon the heavy wood, Caelum joined, thudding his fists, and even aiming a kick or two at the doors in frustration.

Thankfully, someone heard, and was reasonable enough to open up and let them in. Caelum sighed, relieved, and wiped sweat off his brow. The insides were as opulent as the courthouse’s – a disquieting comparison. As exhausted, beaten up, and downright filthy as he was due to all the recent ordeals he’d faced, he didn’t feel as if he belonged in here. 

Uneasily, he recalled Pondwater’s critique, especially the part about pretending. He’d never thought he had, but to be as easily reduced to [i]this[/i]? An unbecoming state to be sure, and not just physically speaking. He was so [i]helpless[/i] here, having to rely on others, slinking in the shadows as they did the work for him…merely brushing by others' greatness, perhaps?

With a growl of denial, Caelum shook his head. He couldn’t let some monstrous dream-double get to him. His mood was surely just a case of frayed nerves, which was understandable. Even the sprouts of paranoia that they weren’t yet safe was sensible – how could they possibly be while stuck in whatever this place was?

The priest’s approach drew Caelum’s attention. He raised a brow at the church’s name – it was both vague and unusual. He listened warily to his speech. “All bondage?” he asked dubiously? Certainly, the man was clad in numerous chains, but of course, it couldn’t be all of it. If nothing else, the prisoners toiling outside attested to that.

“Saint,” he muttered under his breath in disbelief. To Barney – the actual one, rather than his double, he hissed, “He’s like Pondwater.”

The yellow eyes, the self-aggrandizing speech, even the place of his residence were too similar to be a coincidence. That did not bode well. Yet, there was no feasible route of escape that he knew of. Once again, they were trapped with another of these [i]not[/i]-people. Subtly, Caelum shifted a step or two back. He truly had no wish to be right where the priest could shift his – likely violent, given Pondwater’s actions – attention upon him.