After leaving the office, Sephiroth turned into "holy light" and vanished, teleporting into the sky above Birka Island.
Like Angel Island, Birka Island was a sky island made of pristine white island cloud. Blue Sea people's first impression of either island was "Heaven."
However, Angel Island's architecture had a fairy-tale style. Birka Island came closer to the stereotypical traditional image.
At the center of Birka Island stood a large castle resembling Christian architecture, surrounded by neatly arranged churches, mansions, apartments, monasteries, and other buildings.
Sephiroth appeared before a monastery near the island's center-as the white light faded, he was already standing on the walkway below its stone steps.
From the outside, this monastery looked little different from an ordinary Birka religious building.
White stone walls, dark wooden doors, and Birka's sacred emblem, the "Cycle Three Tomoe," carved into the lintel.
A squad of knights in white ceremonial light armor stood guard in formation at the entrance.
"Lord High God!"
The Birka Knights immediately struck their chests in a perfectly synchronized salute, as though offering up their hearts.
For historical and cultural reasons, they were far more fanatical than other Skypieans.
Still, it was much better than when Sephiroth had first "become a god." At least they no longer prostrated themselves or burned incense.
"Carry on with your duties."
Sephiroth walked to the entrance, and the doors opened automatically.
"As you command-our lord!"
The knights' voices rang out behind Sephiroth before they resumed their guard positions.
Once he entered the monastery's main hall, the interior was brightly lit as well. The enameled windows were essentially decorative; the light came primarily from large numbers of Lamp Dials.
The walls were white processed cloud, and the floor was marble. Gold and red Christian-style decorations dotted the hall.
The walls also featured religious murals