It was finally the day of the church’s ritual. Even in Berian, where the influence of the church and empire was barely felt, people could still sense that something significant was unfolding.

Newspapers, rumors, and heated arguments swept through the inner district, all centered on a sudden pilgrimage festival being held at the Holy Pantheon Church. Apparently, only followers of Elion were permitted to attend.

That alone was enough for Marcellus and the rest of us to finally set our plans in motion and teleport to the Holy City.

***

"Please stay in line, everyone!"

An inquisitor shouted from the massive gates at the foot of the long stairway leading up the hill where the Church stood. Stripped of context, the place looked more like an imperial palace than a house of worship.

Evelina and I were positioned in a nearby penthouse apartment overlooking the Church, with Jayden beside us, fully armed with equipment bought using Marcellus’s own money, pure magical runic steel.

"I’ve gotten some information. It turns out the priests of the other gods have gone missing. Nobody has seen them in weeks, and every cathedral other than Elion’s has been closed off for two days now."

Kevin teleported into the apartment, dressed in a distinct set of robes that covered his entire body. They were courtesy of Evelina, who had apparently given them to him for a job well done in the past.

"So that’s why they’re able to operate so openly like this," I said.

"Bold... to think they even went after the priests of the other gods," Evelina replied.

Click!

The apartment door opened, and in stepped Vivianne, wearing what could only be described as the most inconspicuous piece of clothing possible, or, in her own words, Crestwood’s signature cloak for their spymaster.

One she had apparently just borrowed.

"It’s quite festive down there. If I hadn’t known about all this church business, I might even think it was a good place to have fun."

"I feel the same way. It’s a surprisingly good spot for a date."

Evelina said. Considering how much she disliked usual date spots because of how boring they were, that was a huge compliment.

"Really?"

"Yeah, surprised?"

"Yeah..." I turned to look at Kevin. "Did Marcellus say anything?"

"Not really. Just that we should stay on guard for now. He said he wanted all the pilgrims to arrive before we finally act."

"He really plans to wipe them all out, huh?"

Jayden finally spoke from the king-sized bed, his hand twitching near the hilt of his sword. It turned out that even one chosen by Elion himself wasn’t immune to the desire for revenge.

"Are you against it?"

"Nah."

The penthouse fell silent after Jayden’s blunt answer. Even Kevin, who had been fidgeting with his robe’s sleeve, stopped moving.

Vivianne crossed to the window, her borrowed spymaster’s cloak pooling around her shoulders like liquid shadow. She peered through the gap in the curtains, watching the pilgrims stream up the stairway toward the church gates.

"There’s more of them than we estimated," she said. "At least twice as many."

"The church spread word of a miracle," Jayden said, his voice flat. "Healing. Resurrection. Whatever it took to pack the pews."

"A miracle they’re planning to fuel with your blood," Evelina added.

Jayden’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t look away from the window. "Yeah."

I moved to stand beside Vivianne, studying the crowd below. Families. Elderly couples. Young lovers holding hands. Children clutching their parents’ robes.

None of them knew what was waiting for them inside.

"The church sees them as fuel," I said quietly. "Bodies to channel power. Faith to burn like coal."

"Marcellus knows," Kevin said. "He’s known that forever, most likely."

"And he still plans to—"

"To do what needs to be done." Evelina’s voice cut through Vivianne’s hesitation like a blade. "If we warn them, the church scatters. The ritual moves somewhere else. We lose our chance to end this."

"Those are innocent people—"

"There are no innocent people in that crowd." Jayden stood, crossing to the window. His hand rested on his sword hilt, knuckles white. "Every single person walking up those stairs chose to be there. Chose to follow a church that’s been hunting people like me for decades. They’re not victims. They’re accomplices."

Vivianne opened her mouth, then closed it.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "We don’t have to like it. We just have to do it."

She looked at me for a long moment, her green eyes searching for something. Comfort, maybe. Or absolution.

"We’re not the bad guys," I said.

"Could’ve fooled me."

She turned back to the window, her posture rigid, but she didn’t argue further.

Kevin cleared his throat. "The prince’s signal. He’ll send up a flare when the ritual begins. Until then, we wait."

"Wait where?"

Kevin hesitated, then inclined his head toward the bed.

"Does anyone want to play a game?"

Jayden raised an eyebrow, his hand still resting on the hilt of his runic steel sword, tension radiating off him in waves. It was the kind of stillness that could only mean one thing. He was ready to kill someone.

Probably multiple someones.

I understood the feeling. But killing the wrong people at the wrong time could ruin the entire operation.

"What kind of game?"

"Cards," Kevin said, producing a worn deck from somewhere within his voluminous robes. "Marcellus suggested it. Said it would help with the nerves."

"Marcellus suggested cards," Vivianne repeated flatly. "The crown prince of the empire, in the middle of planning what might be the largest massacre in a century, suggested we play cards."

"He’s surprisingly down-to-earth when he wants to be."

*** Ariandel Holy City - Plaza

"Come on, Marcellus, you can do this."

Marcellus muttered to himself as he sat on the edge of the fountain, one foot tapping restlessly against the stone. His eyes darted from place to place, unable to settle, his mind a tangled, nervous mess after seeing just how many people were heading toward the Church.

"Are you okay, brother?"

"Oh, fuck off, Julius... you already know the answer to that."

"Were you expecting fewer people...?"

"Y-Yeah..."