I woke up with a sense of determination burning through me. Today, I would learn more about the cult—their teachings, their followers, and how deep their influence ran in this city.
I left my small room at the inn, stepping into the tavern's common area. A couple sat at a table, speaking in hushed tones over breakfast. Behind the counter, Samuel, the bartender, greeted me with a warm smile.
"Good morning, Miss Windy. Hungry?"
"Of course, Samuel, that sounds amazing." I slid onto a stool at the bar, waiting as the scent of eggs and toast filled the air.
Samuel returned a moment later, setting a plate of food and a glass of water in front of me. "Breakfast is covered with your stay, so don't worry about the coin."
"Thank you so much." I didn't waste any time digging in. Simple food—eggs, toast—but warm and filling.
As I finished, I leaned back slightly. "I'll be exploring the city today."
Samuel's expression flickered, just for a moment. Then he smiled again. "Please be careful, my friend."
Something about the way he said it made me pause.
The streets of Zybana were alive with the hum of morning activity. The scent of fresh bread drifted from a bakery, mixing with the sharp tang of burning coal from a nearby blacksmith's forge.
I adjusted the dagger at my waist, fingers brushing over its worn leather hilt. My father had passed it down to me—a weapon that stored my mana, letting me strike harder and faster when I needed to. I wasn't defenseless. That thought kept me steady.
After dropping off some travel-worn clothes at a seamstress's shop, I wandered toward the outskirts of the village. The further I walked, the quieter everything became.
I found a spot on a large rock and sat, gazing over the stretch of wildflowers and tall grass swaying in the wind. The breeze brushed against my skin, cool and steady. For the first time in days, I felt at peace.
Then I heard footsteps.
A deep, calm voice broke the silence. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoys the beauty of this spot."
I turned.
An older man stood before me, dressed in silver robes embroidered with a white spiral over his chest. His hood was lowered, revealing a head of curly white hair and bronze skin. White stubble lined his jaw, and though his voice was warm, something about him made the air feel colder.
"Yes," I said, watching him carefully. "This is the most peaceful place I've found yet in my travels."
He nodded. "I am Temet. I've been sent from the inner city to help with preparations for the Festival of Shadows."
I hesitated before responding. "I'm Windy. Just passing through, exploring the outer villages. But I'll be here for now."
Temet gave a slow nod, then turned to leave. "I hope to see you at the festival, Miss Windy."
A chill ran down my spine.
That evening, as the sun dipped below the rooftops, I sat at the bar, pushing my food around my plate.
"What's this festival about, Samuel?" I asked.
"The Festival of Shadows celebrates the upcoming eclipse," he explained. "When the light is blocked out, nature mana reaches its peak." He smiled, but something in his tone felt… off. "It happens in three days. I hope you'll be there to witness it."
I didn't answer. But I already knew I'd be going.
Three days passed, and the festival arrived.
I left the inn, joining the steady stream of robed figures heading toward the pavilion. I had never seen this many of them before. Their movements were eerily synchronized, their footsteps light against the stone.
I took a seat, blending into the crowd as two men stepped onto the stage—one in gold, the other in silver.
The man in gold pulled back his hood, revealing a face that looked barely older than twenty. But when he spoke, his words sent a chill through me.
"I am Rhetten," he announced. "Though I appear young, I converted fifty years ago. I have spent my life since then spreading the glorious word of the All-Father."
His voice echoed across the pavilion.
"Will my brothers chosen for conversion please step forward?"
Ten men rose from the crowd and walked onto the stage, standing in perfect formation behind Rhetten and Temet.
My fingers curled into my palms. Something was wrong.
"The All-Father looks down upon us on this sacred night," Rhetten continued. "When the light of the sun is blocked out, it is His will that the Spiral spreads."
Both Rhetten and Temet raised their hands, spirals of mana forming from their fingertips, curling down their arms like vines.
I held my breath as they pressed their glowing palms over the mana pools of the initiates.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then—
The men convulsed.
Their bodies jerked and spasmed, limbs twisting at unnatural angles as mana was absorbed into them at an overwhelming rate. Their screams filled the pavilion, raw and inhuman.
Muscles bulged. Skin stretched. Their nails sharpened into claws, their eyes darkening until no whites remained.
A heavy silence settled over the crowd.
Then—
One of them moved.
The man on the far right lunged forward with unnatural speed, his massive fist slamming into Rhetten's ribs and sending him flying into the crowd.
Chaos erupted.
The creatures leapt from the stage, tearing into the audience. A woman shrieked as a clawed hand wrapped around her throat, lifting her into the air before crushing her neck like a twig. Blood splattered across the stone.
People ran. Some tripped. Some were caught. The air filled with the sickening crunch of bones breaking, the wet sound of flesh being torn apart.
I couldn't move.
My legs felt like stone as I watched the massacre unfold. I had seen death before, but not like this. Not so sudden, so brutal.
Then I saw him.
Temet, still standing on the stage, watching.
Grinning.
This was planned.
A cold wave of fear crashed over me.
MOVE.
I turned and ran, shoving past people, weaving between buildings. Behind me, the creatures rampaged through the streets. The town wouldn't last an hour.
I sprinted back to the inn, heart hammering in my chest.
Samuel wasn't there.
I didn't know if he'd made it out.
Grabbing my belongings, I fled, slipping out of Zybana before the cult could realize I was still alive.
I didn't look back. I didn't stop walking.
So all I can say is this—
Don't go to Zybana for the lunar eclipse.