Kyren opened the system menu, scanning for anything new. He still had 25 unspent points. With nothing else pressing, he considered which stat would benefit most from the allocation. After some thought, he placed all 25 points into Physical Constitution.
As the upgrade settled in, he remembered something else in his inventory—the Enchanter Stone. It could add a similar enchantment to a piece of gear he already had. Before summoning it, he considered his equipment. His white armor only had one enchantment so far, but since the system had provided and upgraded it already, he suspected it would enhance it further in time. His headband, however, wouldn't.
Kyren pulled the black headband from his head and placed it in his lap. Then, he retrieved the Enchanter Stone from his inventory. A system prompt appeared.
Would you like to use an Enchanter Stone?
Yes / No
Kyren thought "yes," bringing the stone closer to the headband. A faint light pulsed from the stone, growing steadily brighter. Then, the stone dissolved into white mana, coating the headband in a shimmering glow. As the light faded, the headband's appearance changed—the black threading now laced with golden embroidery, and at its center, a golden lion with a black mane was now stitched into the fabric.
Headband upgraded.
New Name: Blacklion's Pride
New Ability Added: Mana Recover – Used mana replenishes 2× faster when wearing this headband.
Kyren tied the headband back around his forehead, immediately feeling the difference. His mana pool swirled faster, the sensation warm at first before settling into something familiar.
With nothing else to do, he took his post, watching the grass line and hoping nothing emerged from the tall grass. Hours passed. Fatigue crept up on him. He turned to wake up Lydel.
Lydel stirred, groggy but alert. He stretched before taking his post, and Kyren crawled into the tent. Liora, still curled up, chose to remain asleep. For something so small, she sure loves to sleep…
Kyren closed his eyes. Sleep came swiftly.
Kyren slipped into a vision of the past.
Leon stood before him, the ruins of a city smoldering behind him. In front of him loomed the All-Father, the vast, endless ocean at his back.
"I have destroyed your city and crippled your cult, yet you still refuse to surrender," Leon bellowed. "Why do you continue this senseless war?"
The All-Father didn't answer. He simply turned his back to Leon, stepping forward into the ocean. With each slow step, the waters swallowed him whole.
Kyren's vision shook. The scene crumbled.
In its place, a new dream unfolded.
Leon sat on a throne fit for a king, but he was not the man Kyren had seen before. Time had worn him down—his face lined with age, his once-black hair now streaked with gray.
A man stood before him, clad in a deep purple robe, a spiral woven over his mana pool.
"Leon, your time has come," the robed man declared. "You can stand and defend yourself, but know this—there will be no more kings in Epsilon. The Church of Conversion will rule from now on."
Leon sat unmoving. "Even if you kill me, your cult will never control this city. I have ensured that, even if it is not my family who rules it."
The man in purple took a step forward, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"We'll see about that."
Kyren jolted awake as Lydel shook him roughly.
"Hurry, man! I don't know what the hell is outside, but we gotta go!"
Kyren activated his armor, stepping out of the tent. Then he saw it.
A massive beast stood before them. It looked like a deer, but larger, sturdier, and far more powerful. Its sleek tan fur glistened in the moonlight, and its thick, muscular legs moved with a measured grace.
But what caught Kyren's eye were the spiraling horns—massive, ridged, and crackling with blue electricity.
The creature locked eyes with him.
Kyren took a single step forward.
The beast bounded away, vanishing into the tall grass of the plains, its frame barely visible as it disappeared into the night.
"What the hell was that?" Kyren muttered.
Lydel huffed. "I'll state the obvious—it kinda looked like a deer."
"Not any deer I've ever seen," Liora interjected in their minds.
"I'll never get used to that," Lydel muttered aloud.
Liora landed on Kyren's shoulder, frowning.
Lydel rummaged through his bag, arm buried to the shoulder before yanking something out. He lifted a pair of binoculars to his eyes.
"I knew that was a town," he said triumphantly, passing the binoculars to Kyren.
Kyren peered through them. In the distance, brick-lined streets stretched beneath the city lights.
"That has to be Longfoot."
A system prompt appeared.
3 miles to Longfoot.
"Let's hurry and get there," Kyren said. "But act natural when we do."
He turned to Liora. You're gonna have to hide.
Liora grunted before diving into Lydel's open backpack.
Arriving in Longfoot
The first thing they noticed was the streets—lined with brick, pristine, unlike the outskirts of Epsilon. The buildings all looked new, with no signs of decay or poverty.
The people were divided—some in spiral-threaded robes, others in fine, posh clothing. Yet the two groups did not intermingle. The air smelled of freshly baked bread.
The main street stretched on for three miles, lined with shops and restaurants.
At the end, a circular plaza branched off into five roads, each lined with dozens of houses. At the center stood a small church.
"They've got another church," Lydel muttered. "You think we'll have to burn this one too?"
Kyren's response was blunt. "If we have to, we will."
Gathering Information
They needed to know more. Lydel took the café. Kyren took the bar.
Kyren pushed the bar door open and sat at the counter.
The bartender turned to him. "What can I get ya?"
"I don't need a drink," Kyren said carefully. "Just had a question. When's the next sermon? I've heard a lot about the church but never attended."
"There's one tonight at sundown," the bartender said. "Everyone's welcome. But you just missed something big."
Kyren feigned curiosity. "Oh yeah? What did I miss?"
"The All-Father's last disciple, StarMaker, just left for the Zafeer outpost."
Kyren's expression didn't change, but his mind raced. "Does StarMaker… wear a purple robe?"
The bartender raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, he does. Why?"
Kyren stood up, offering only a shrug. "Just curious." He stepped outside.
Lydel was already there, holding something.
"What's that?" Kyren asked.
"Oh, just an invite to an inn across town. Some lady in the café gave it to me."
"So some old lady thought you were handsome and gave you a free room?"
Lydel shrugged. "Let's head there before I forget the directions."
Kyren followed, his mind still on StarMaker.