Kyren and Lydel kept their excitement and unease bottled up, maintaining a slow, steady pace as they followed the carriage toward the city. They watched as it rolled closer to the gates, knowing that once it disappeared inside, tracking it would be nearly impossible. Kyren picked up speed, gradually pulling ahead of Lydel.
"Keep going! Watch where it goes—I'll stay near the entrance," Lydel called out.
"I'll find you once it stops," Kyren replied before flash-stepping forward, closing the distance in bursts. Mana surged through him, but he knew he'd used too much. There was no way he could afford a fight tonight. He had to stay hidden.
At 200 yards away, Kyren pressed on, narrowing the gap. By the time the carriage passed the first building of the city, he was only 20 yards behind. An idea struck him. He veered toward a house and pushed off the ground with all his strength, launching himself 20 feet into the air. His fingers caught the wooden roof, and he hauled himself up.
Kyren sprinted across the rooftop, leaping to the next house in the row. He needed to conserve what little mana he had left—no more flash steps. The buildings led toward a courtyard, at the center of which stood an imposing church. The structure had to be at least 300 years old, but despite its age, it was well-maintained. Fresh paint covered its exterior, yet the worn stone beneath spoke of centuries of use.
He kept his eyes locked on the carriage as it rolled toward the back of the church. Suddenly, a large white wooden panel on the side wall slid open, suspended by wires. Without hesitation, the horses pulled the carriage inside, moving as if they had done this many times before.
Kyren narrowed his eyes. Are the drug dealers using the church?
He crept along the rooftops, angling for a better view of the front. A group of figures stood outside, draped in robes of varying colors—some red, others black, and a few in grey. The only common feature was the white counterclockwise spiral emblazoned over their mana pools. More people emerged, all wearing the same robes.
He noted something peculiar. None of these figures had come from the red-light district. If they had, they must have changed into their robes in the housing district before approaching the church.
Then, the front doors swung open, and a man in a shimmering silver robe stepped out. His voice carried through the courtyard, loud enough for Kyren to hear even from the rooftop.
"The Phantom of Conversion has once again opened his doors to you! Tonight is special. Tonight, he will bestow not only truth upon you—but power."
A roar of approval erupted from the crowd. The man turned and walked back inside, leaving the doors open. The robed figures surged forward, scrambling to be the first through the entrance.
Kyren's mind raced. The Phantom of Conversion? There's no way this is the same guy running the stim trade… is there? Stranger things existed in this world.
Moving swiftly, he dropped down from the roof and crept toward the church doors. By now, everyone had already gone inside, leaving the entrance wide open, as if inviting newcomers. Kyren crouched just outside, listening.
Without warning, a voice echoed through unseen speakers, deeper and more commanding than the man outside.
"I am the Phantom of Conversion. I have come to show you the light—to prove that power is within your grasp. The blood spilled in the streets, the suffering endured by the weak… it ends here. I will save you. All I ask is for your devotion. Give me your minds, give me your souls, and I will forge you into something lethal—something this city will never push around again."
A deafening cheer erupted.
"One of my most loyal followers, a man who has completed every mission I have given him, will now receive his reward. Come forward, Thneed."
Kyren tensed. His curiosity got the better of him. He peeked around the door.
Inside, rows of hooded figures sat in pews, facing the stage. Off to the side, the silver-robed man from earlier sat in an elevated seat. But at the center of it all stood another man—one draped in gold, a silver spiral glistening over his mana pool. Mana pulsed faintly around him, not radiating outward but drawing in the natural energy of the room.
Thneed, a man from the crowd, stepped forward and bowed.
"Watch as I bestow the power discovered by the All-Father—the power to make any man strong," the Phantom declared.
Without hesitation, he shoved his hand into Thneed's stomach. His fingers tore through the fabric of the robe, nearly piercing the skin. The mana surrounding him spiraled down his arm, forming a focused point at the back of his hand. Then, with unnatural precision, the tip of the spiral extended forward, sinking into Thneed's body.
The reaction was immediate. Thneed convulsed, his body writhing on the floor as a guttural scream tore from his throat. The crowd did not recoil. They watched in eerie silence—then, after a beat, they erupted into cheers.
"Fight through it!" someone shouted.
Thneed's screams cut off. His breathing steadied. Slowly, he rose. His body had changed—his muscles swelled, his height increased by at least four inches, and his entire frame looked… beastly.
Kyren's stomach twisted. He had seen enough.
Slipping away from the door, he hurried back toward the city entrance. He had to find Lydel.
Grandma Windy was right. This wasn't just about stims.
This was something far worse.