The Price of Knowledge

A couple of days passed. Seth have finally forgiven Sirius for the icy outburst in the infirmary. As a snake, he wasn't so fond of cold temperatures. However, not everything changed. Nightmares became an integral part of Sirius' life. Past followed him out of the hospital bed and was haunting his mind in the Father Gregor's house. Gregor also told Sirius about the "bad people" that came after him - it was the Silver Order, they control the church and access to magic. Sirius concluded they didn't like that Sirius studied magic, but Gregor didn't comment on his thoughts, just asked not to talk about it in the village. He also promised to tell him about Verden, when Sirius will be ready to handle this story.

Today was the day when Sirius has regained some strength, so in the morning Father Gregor asked him to help in the church, in an attempt to distract boy from dark thoughts. So right after the breakfast they went there. As a Priest, Gregor lived just beside the church, so the path was not that long. Sirius have seen this Twin Gods church before, but didn't really took time to marvel at the architecture. The chapel was of a hexagonal foundation, staying distinctly from the usual housing in the Rivervale. Symmetric features adorned the walls, black and white emblems on sturdy walls drawing in the attention. Front wall had a twofold doors with one half painted black and another - white. Two towers raised above the roof, also made of black and white stone.

"Taking in the view?" Father Gregor said from behind Sirius.

"Something like that. Why not make the church more colourful?"

"The church is a place for people to look inside themselves. To see yourself you need to appear on a blank canvas. Only by looking at a painting without the background can you notice mistakes. Now, let us go inside. It is much more inviting there."

Sirius walked and thought about these words. What would remain of him if only he was left in the world. Without anyone to rely on, like in a void, what could he create by himself? Will his life even have meaning then?...

"You need to pass through the black half" Gentle voice pulled Sirius from contemplation.

"Why? Isn't there just one door?"

"True, but it is considered a 'male' half of the entrance. It is said that men and women are halves of a humanity as a whole, and so are both entrances a halves of the door. I find this tradition a bit tedious, but it was there long before us, so people abide, and so should you."

"Fine..."

Inside the church everything apart from the altar was rather ascetic, almost empty even. A couple rows of pews lit by candles were separated by a main pathway. Altar, standing in the depth of the church had black and white shapes separated by thin golden lines, a rare spot of colour in the whole place. Above it stood two statues made of white and black marble.

"Are these Twin Gods?"

"Correct. Did you study them?"

"Not really... Uncle... he..." He made a deep breath to calm down. "Uncle Verden... didn't tell me about the church. He taught me about the world and a bit of medicine."

"Understood. Then I shall tell you in his stead. Sit besides me." Said Gregor while taking a place in a front pew. "Look at these statues, what do you notice?"

"They are very similar."

"Yet they are the opposites. That is because the world is a place of duality. Where there is a disease, there is a cure. When war ends, peace begins. For order, we need to remove chaos, but there is no shadow without light, and no happiness without sadness. Today will be sermon and I would like you to listen carefully."

"But why? I don't believe that some powerful creature rules us."

"Curious and defiant, like your master. It is a religion of our Kingdom, to blend in you need to go to church. Not only that, it allows people to use magic."

"I don't want to."

"I thought you liked learning? What changed?"

"..."

"We are here alone, you can tell me. I promise to keep everything a secret."

"I need more time. That's all."

"Sure thing. Then while you are waiting I have a task for you to do. Maybe you will change your mind. Can I ask you to polish chandeliers?"

"Sure..." Sirius stood up.

"Let me fetch the tools and you can begin."