The path followed by The Woman of the Jasper and The Man of Blue was an intricate and winding one. The architecture of the Basilica featured endless corridors and multiple wings that gave the illusion of infinitely expanding the area of the sacred precinct. The woman and the man chatted a bit with the person in charge of taking them to their destination and he gave them a little more information about the place where they were. The "mythical city of miracles" was currently the religious epicenter of the church, however in past centuries the city had been influenced by other cultures and religions. It was not until the arrival of the founder that the multifaceted land that was there was unified and that construction was finally built in honor of God. From that point on, the city grew following the guide of the Basilica and the streets and sidewalks were designed to converge on that building. The economic and unified development of the region had exploded in the last century thanks to the actions of the last pontiff, who had been entrusted with the joint work of helping the growth of the place together with the political branch of the site. However, the handling of powers was something that had remained unchanged over time; the Supreme Pontiff was only in charge of religious matters, this in order to take the word of God to new places in the world.
The manager's words were lost in echoes and warm-toned lights. The place presented a mysterious and fatuous halo, the level of complexity in the finishes was only surpassed by that of the sculptures and paintings that could be seen as far as the eye could see, giving the impression of being a kind of museum where where each of the phases that the church had presented since its birth was exalted. The person in charge spoke freely of the mission of the Pontiff and those close to him, and fervently explained the need for restraint and charity in a selfish and envious world such as the one they currently found themselves in.
While the woman was carried away by the outstanding detail that each corner of the Basilica maintained, her thoughts continued a string of reflections based on the guide's words. For a religion that professed charity and restraint, the site gave contradictory signals to its main intention, and the woman suspiciously maintained her doubts about the matter. However, out of prudence before her hosts, she decided to remain silent and continuously assert before the new spiritual sermons that the host's delegate professed from time to time. By the time they reached the Golden Room, the woman herself quickly thanked the delegate and she withdrew with The Man of Blue towards the seats they were to occupy.
-It has been a very educational journey, don't you think?
-The guide has talked so much that I think I can recite the history of the Basilica by myself.
-There is much to know about this church.
-Especially what they decide to omit for convenience's sake.
- Is it me or are you insinuating that they don't tell the truth when they speak?
-You don't have to be a genius to know that they only say what suits them. It is better to take what they say with some care.
-Wow, by that statement I would believe that you are not religious.
-I am, but I don't believe in flesh and blood saints.
-And who do you believe then?
-Who knows.
The Golden Room was made up of multiple rows of seats in the form of an agora that allowed everyone present to see a central point where a white marble lectern with a cross in its middle stood. The chamber seemed to have a considerable height and the distribution of the columns that supported the ceiling contributed to increase that sensation. The gold-colored walls were probably the reason why the place was conceived with that name, which in the midst of an agitated crowd gleamed like a vault covered in gold.
The Woman of the Jasper and The Man of Blue looked at the seats in the room and soon discovered that they had a predetermined distribution for the guests who were about to occupy the place. The man said goodbye to the woman somewhat disappointed by the situation and in a matter of seconds the woman located her seat and she decided to sit down and wait for the start of the meeting. Not more than five minutes would have passed when she felt a hand on her shoulder and heard a strangely familiar greeting: The Man of Blue was behind her, carrying a place card with his name and the flag of his homeland.
-What are you doing here?
-Aren't you glad to see me?
-It's not that, I mean you should be in your place.
-This is my place.
The man placed the table card on the nearby table and calmly sat on the chair while smiling mischievously at the woman. Clearly the man had done something and she needed to know before he caused a ruckus.
-Of course not, that is the place of another delegate. You're going to make a mess if you keep this up.
-Don't worry, everything is solved. The person who was going to sit here gladly agreed to change seats for a small compensation.
-You bribed a ruler?!
-What? No! I was just honest and asked for the chair in exchange for a small favor. Nothing compromising.
-A favor? What kind of favor?
-It's a secret, confidential information, I'm afraid.
The man laughed again and although at the beginning the woman was indisposed, it was only for a short time that she could maintain the same tone. This man had a natural ability to avoid conflict, and for that she could do nothing but sigh and appreciate the company. For her it was undeniable that having an ally in that place was essential to survive the day.
The minutes passed and the representatives were organizing themselves in their respective places until the Golden Room was at its maximum capacity except for two people: The Supreme Pontiff and The Prime Minister. The woman and the man did not manage to discuss the new delay when a silhouette appeared through the door behind the lectern and, shortly after, another. The first to enter the room was the Prime Minister, a serious-looking man with a penetrating gaze dressed in a brown suit. The subject sat down on a seat to the right of the lectern and with overwhelming tranquility he asked for silence in the room. Once the room was silent, a second figure emerged from the door, this time The Woman of the Jasper was able to identify him in a matter of seconds. The Supreme Pontiff promptly walked to the lectern and with a solemn sign greeted those present, immediately afterwards he dedicated himself to speaking.
-Welcome again, this time I will skip the formal acts and go immediately to the matter that corresponds to us to deal with today. I politely ask you to listen carefully to what I am about to present to you, because I assure you that what I am about to say will be of interest to everyone.
The place was kept in impeccable silence, on the faces of those present one could see the nervousness and anxiety produced by being about to receive the reason for which they had been called so urgently. Although not all of them were on good terms with the church, it was true that in order to carry out an event of such dimensions, what was about to be announced had to reach considerable proportions, and for this reason all of them had agreed to be present at said meeting or to send delegates in case they cannot be present. By the time the Holy Father began his speech, no one expected to witness the breakdown of the Status Quo, and with a single sentence the entire world collapsed.
-From this point the church declares its intention to gain control of all regions.
And the Golden Room erupted into chaos.