How's this for a warm welcome? ¦Miracle¦

[Sparda]

The city had looked peaceful enough on the outside, no doubt about that. But as Sparda had discovered time and time again, appearances were rather deceiving more often than not. He had barely taken ten steps past the elaborate main gates and into the city when a welcome had arrived in the form of a dozen or so armoured guards wielding polearms with almost excessively gleaming blades.

One such soldier, standing out as perhaps a higher rank by virtue of the adornments on his helm, held the intruder at axepoint. Sparda wasn't quite sure what was so threatening about him - Luce and Ombra were concealed beneath his jacket, after all - but deigned not to ask in case he angered the guards further...

[ Meh, crappy post is crappy, but it'll do. <_< ]

[Miracle]

It was the situation with Maricul all over again, the guards at the ready and their commanding officer leading the resistance all too willing to spill demon blood before it could enter into the holy grounds. The only difference this time around was that Miracle didn't know who this man was, what world he hailed from or what his intentions really were at first glance. For now the Head Priestess of Aircano sensed no hostility from him and she in turn would return the favor.

The guards surrounding parted allowing the child to step onto the scene, staff in hand as she looked up to the man clad in violet clothing. He certainly stuck out with such an attire. It seems with each person that arrived they raised the bar on unusual clothing. Miracle thought that her clothes probably looked strange too but nobody ever noticed that. The first thing they noticed was the fact a child was in front of them acting like an adult, and even giving out orders to grown men. That was the one thing that every new person coming in here found unusual, no matter how strange their own world sounded.

"State your business."

Her voice was soft and gentle. Nothing like the other men nearby. Unlike them Miracle would not show intent to force the man out unless the man in question has done something to warrant it.

[Sparda]

The demon didn't know quite which was stranger; the fact that this girl spoke as if she held authority over the guards, or the fact that they heeded her words and, albeit rather reluctantly, stood down.

"Well, that was the first item on my list," he chuckled, waving a hand to indicate the dozen polearms. "I've been threatened with enough sharp objects for two lifetimes." He took a bow, smiling at the child. "My name is Sparda, and I must thank you for your kindness. Might I ask precisely where I am?"

[Miracle]

Another lost soul. Miracle expected as much. Well then it was her job as a servant of Yahweh to guide that lost soul but the words of Maricul began to linger in the High Priestess' mind.

Be careful who you invite into your house with open arms, particularly now that various dimensions are coming together.

Miracle would set those thoughts aside for now. The last thing that she needed to do was begin to second guess herself because of what one person said.

"This is Aircano, the holy city of Our Lord. I am High Priestess Miracle."

She looked over to the guards and didn't have to say a single word as they caught the hint. They parted from the scene and returned to their posts leaving the situation to their leader.

"From where, may I ask, do you hail?"

[Sparda]

Holy city? Wonderful. He might've guessed from the presence of the enormous temple that overlooked the rest of the city, but this was still a rather unsuitable place for a demon to find lodgings.

Under the circumstances, though, it was the preferable option.

"I'll say this right now," Sparda began by way of reply to the young priestess' question. "I'm not of this world. I lived in a city named Domino; a focal point of supernatural forces in my world. I'm not at all sure how I ended up here, but it has something to do with this immense tower that suddenly appeared before me during my... exile in the demon world."

He stepped towards the child. "I doubt I make much sense, but that's the truth as I know it."

[Miracle]

It was as she expected. The same basic story only with a few minor details that made it different from the others.

"Your situation is a rather common one."

Miracle turned and motion with her right hand for the man to follow as she began to walk.

"A crisis is effecting the different worlds and transporting different sorts of people between them. Counting you there are over five hundred people from different worlds in the village."

Five hundred people, and to think it allowed her to perform yet another miracle not seen since the days of Jesus Christ. It made her wonder if this too was for his glory.

[Sparda]

Common? This remark caused the demon's brow to furrow as if of its own accord as he fell into stride behind Miracle. When she explained it, though, his look of confusion became a nod of vague understanding. The fusion of multiple parallel worlds... How cliché.

"Interesting," Sparda finally remarked, sounding almost at ease with the situation. He certainly didn't look too unsettled. "Can't say I've had stranger things happen to me, but my world is far from normal."

The swordsman looked around as he walked with the young priestess. The city looked peaceful enough, and its standing army were apparently well trained and well disciplined... "I must wonder, Miracle," he muttered. "Has the city ever come under attack from anything... how do I put this... supernatural? With all due respect, at first glance, your soldiers look ill-prepared to deal with some of the monsters that call my world home, much less anything else that might have been pulled here from its own realm."

[Miracle]

Miracle looked around the village as they walked, the various soldiers doing their jobs to the best of their natural ability while occasionally giving the cold stare to Sparda they bowed when Miracle walked past them. This place has seen so much war in the past couple of years from both natural and supernatural forces. Miracle wish she could make it all stop but that was beyond her power. Far beyond her power.

"I know we don't look like much but it's by the grace of Our Lord that we've managed to get this far."

They came up to an old looking house at the right corner of the village, not far from the holy temple. This house has sat here for over five hundred years, were burnt down to the ground and then rebuilt. It once served as the home of Ranko and Maricul but now it was her home and the very house she grew up in as a child. Miracle stopped at the front door and turned around to face Sparda.

"Our last huge battle was with a creature from the dark continent. He thought that his god could out power ours but he was wrong in his belief. As great as that battle was I feel it's only the tip of the iceberg."

[Sparda]

"The tip of the iceberg..."

Sparda pondered this statement. The soldiers looked capable enough, but they were mere humans; without prior preparation and training, they weren't likely to last long against even the lowest of demons from his world. Somehow, the Dark Knight was certain things were going to get considerably worse, rather quickly, and he highly doubted Miracle's men would be up to the task once the blood started spilling.

"Miracle," he began, turning to face the young priestess. "I get a feeling the situation in this world will get very bad very soon, and you will need to be ready when it does. I have a proposition; in exchange for a place to stay within your walls, I wish to offer my services as a bodyguard to yourself and a soldier among your standing army. I regret I cannot demonstrate it, but I assure you, I'm a perfectly capable warrior despite my appearance."

The Dark Knight gave a small, respectful bow. "What say you?"

[Miracle]

A demon for a bodyguard. The elders and other priests in the village would have a field day with such an idea. Still it was an interesting proposition and one she would have to think on, or in this case pray about. Miracle opened the door to the house showing the inside living room with the wooden brown floors, walls and ceiling. Straight to the right of the room was a staircase that led upstairs to a single hallway with two rooms. To the left was some old furniture near a fireplace and further on down from there was the kitchen.

"Won't you please come in? I'll need some time alone to think about your proposition."