As Annan's melodious, hymnlike chant echoed above the square, it seemed some ancient, sacred being had turned its gaze upon him.
There was surprise in that gaze, but even more delight.
The being seemed to answer Annan. A subtle, profound vibration gradually filled the air.
Across the square, the believers' Divine Emblems of the Lady began to glow softly, like distant stars—not bright, but unwavering.
Every Divine Emblem took on the same rhythm, answering Annan's chant. They became crystalline starlight and gathered where he stood.
The spinning Mana Vortex faltered, then spun faster than before.
The chant entered its second phase.
Grand Lord Raymond was not the sort to stand idle while an enemy finished a long, deadly incantation. He had been roaring for someone to kill Annan since the chanting began. At first, some had seemed ready to act, but as the miracle unfolded, no one listened to him.
Even Greyk, his friend since childhood, stared at it all in a daze.
"I order you to kill him! Kill him!"
The "Lady's Spokesperson" seemed forgotten. Every eye in the square was fixed on the phantom doorway appearing before Annan.
"Oh, as stars give way to dawn, you walk the quiet streets and bless every Lambs who believes in you. You are the patron of merchants, the..."
The congregation began reciting the Church's hymn of praise of their own accord.
As their voices rose and fell, the hazy doorway gradually emerged from illusion, taking on tangible color and detail.
Pure, radiant gold flowed across its surface, which was carved with intricate pictographs.
Annan could not make out what they depicted, but the believers recognized the golden door.
Their recitations and praises swelled abruptly. Annan's Mana Vortex drained faster, losing a third of its power in an instant.
His face paled,