City God Temple, deep within the main hall.
The Child's question received no further answer. The City God's illusory form seemed submerged in some kind of ethereal current. The water-like ripples quivered, and the City God was silent for a long, long time.
The Child dared not disturb him further. He even slapped his own mouth in slight panic, muttering to himself, 'You dolt. His Lordship's actions are profound. Since when was it your place to question him? Get going, get going!'
Having struck himself, the Child bowed, and with his back to the door, he retreated from the deep and spacious hall.
The grand doors closed gently. What the Child couldn't see was that deep within the hall, that expanse of ripples was, in fact, a link to another, far-flung world.
It was as if infinite starlight was scattered across the void. Against the deep, ink-black celestial canopy, one nebula stood out as exceptionally different.
