The light came up out of the floor before Jin could move.
It rose from the stones around them in a perfect circle, pale gold and shimmering, like sunlight through water. It climbed up past their ankles, past their knees, past their shoulders, curving inward over their heads until it met in a smooth, glowing dome. It closed with a soft, deep hum, the sound of a struck bell fading out.
Jin, Yerin, and Yuna stood inside it, sealed off from the rest of the church.
Jin reached out and touched it. It was warm. Smooth as glass. And absolutely solid. He pressed his palm flat against it and pushed, and it didn't give at all.
On the other side of the glowing wall, the old man in white had lowered his hands. The Father. Baek Un-jae. His broad, lined face was calm, and his deep eyes were fixed on them through the shimmering gold, the way a man might look at insects under an upturned bowl.
Behind him, Hae-seong stood before the statue with his eyes still closed.
