Since avoiding a sightseeing tour of the Church meant having to go sightseeing somewhere else, Kraft went in with Captain William.
They passed through the silver-plated, embossed main doors and entered the central hall, the most iconic feature of a standard church layout. The Church in Solace Port was no exception.
No floors obstructed the vertical space above this area, and one could look straight up to the dome. Usually, celestial scenes took center stage there. The larger the church, the more it emphasized this feature. The awe-inspiring height symbolized the unfathomable distance between God and man.
The Solace Church went a step further, using an entirely glass-mosaic inlaid ceiling that reflected the candlelight of the great chandelier. It brought splendor and grandeur to their utmost extremes, making anyone who looked up forget where they were in a daze. It was as if they stood beneath the stars of heaven, far removed from worldly clamor.
Pillars on either side partially separated the hall from its side aisles, while barriers made from small red glass panes blocked the view. Candelabras were faintly visible behind them. The glass was much more transparent than the kind they'd seen in the Harbor District, and its color was more uniform.
The singing came from behind the translucent glass partition. It was clear and ethereal, its echoes lingering through the vast space. That was why it could be mistaken for a chorus.
The children's voices sang in perfect unison. Through the hazy red glow, it was hard to tell whether they belonged to castrati or little boys. Their voices made Kraft uncomfortable. The unnatural layering always reminded him of his experiences in the Deep Layer. Both involved human vocal cords producing sounds as far from normal as possible.
He turned away, trying to shake off the