Extra's Perfect Ending

Chapter 125: In the cult

"Comes with the job," Reeva replied with a straight face. He looked around the room, now more relaxed than before. It seemed like a typical run-down place, the kind you’d expect from a middle-class family. Apparently, the group had found new tenants to rent the building.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Put this on," the hooded man instructed, handing him a blindfold.

Reeva took the black blindfold and slipped it over his eyes. He thought he might be able to see through the fabric, but as soon as he put it on, everything went pitch black.

The hooded man slung Reeva over his shoulder and started walking. As they traveled, Reeva caught the strong scent of fish.

After a while, they arrived somewhere. Reeva heard a door creak shut behind him, followed by the rustling sound of the blindfold being removed. His vision returned to a dimly lit room, illuminated only by the weak, flickering glow of an oil lamp.

The hooded man guided him to a table and gestured for him to sit. Reeva did so begrudgingly, not because he wanted to, but because the man kept fidgeting with a knife in his pocket.

"What’s next?" Reeva asked.

"...."

The hooded man didn’t reply. He simply stood by the door, waiting for something — or someone — to arrive. His presence also served as a deterrent in case Reeva had any ideas of trying to escape.

A short time later, the door swung open, and a man entered. He was middle-aged, with a bit of a mustache — the kind you’d expect from a noble or wealthy merchant. What set him apart was the grey robe he wore, reminiscent of Riche, the man who’d been caught by the church.

The man’s eyes scanned Reeva before he settled into the chair across from him.

"Hello there. Nice to meet you. I’m Dillan. You’re Penu, right?" The middle-aged man extended his hand, and Reeva responded with a handshake.

"Yep," Reeva answered. "Are you the representative of this special group?"

"I’m no representative, young man," Dillan replied. "I’m just here to welcome you into our circle. If you want to meet our ’representatives,’ you’d need to be a bit more… special."

"Then who is your representative?" Reeva pressed, wanting to learn more.

"You’ll find out in time," Dillan answered, still giving nothing away.

"Fine, so what is your group about, anyway? How could I benefit if I join?" Reeva asked again.

"You’re quite eager to learn more about us," Dillan said with a faint smile. "Very well, I’ll indulge you. We call ourselves the Special Group because, quite simply, we are special. There will be an uprising led by our lord, and we will serve as his angels."

"A cult?" Reeva squinted, scrutinizing the man.

"A cult implies something insignificant," Dillan replied, his voice filled with self-importance. "Our cause is far greater than a mere cult. It’s something much bigger than anyone could handle."

"So, what did you actually do?" Reeva asked.

"We can’t tell you that yet, not until you pass the test," Dilan replied mysteriously.

"Then let me take it," Reeva insisted.

"Are you sure?" Dilan asked, raising an eyebrow. "There’s no going back from this. We ask because we want you to prepare to meet our lord. If your heart is sealed, our lord will not enable you to reveal himself; he would have to force himself inside you."

Reeva couldn’t believe his ears. What kind of ritual is this? he thought. Does it change people’s minds? It sounded like mind control with extra steps. His hand secretly reached inside his pocket, pressing on the [Experimental] he had saved for exactly this moment.

"I’m sure," Reeva replied confidently. "As long as the test doesn’t kill me..."

"There will be no blood spilled," Dilan reassured him. "My lord doesn’t like that. He prefers to meet you face to face."

Reeva felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Demons and low-level mystics are hard enough to comprehend for ordinary humans, or even for low-level mystics themselves. Meeting a god could have a much worse effect, he thought. A god’s existence is so powerful that even a mere glimpse could drive a person mad.

"Am I really meeting a god?" Reeva asked nervously, his voice betraying his fear.

Dilan seemed to misinterpret his concern. "No worries. You don’t have to act any different than usual. The god will only peer into your soul."

That doesn’t help me at all… Reeva thought.

There was no turning back now. As soon as Reeva agreed to meet this "god," the hooded figure left the room. When he returned, he was carrying something large, roughly the size of Reeva, covered in a cloth.

The shape of the object looked angular, with one side longer than the other. The hooded man placed a stand beside Reeva and set the object upon it. Reeva could guess that it was some kind of picture.

Reeva eyed the cloth with a mix of curiosity and dread. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Dilan walked over, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, leaning in close to whisper in his ear.

"Relax. When this is over, you’ll become one of us — a believer of the true god."

"C-Can I back out?" Reeva stammered a mix of fear and anticipation in his voice.

"It’s too late for that," Dilan replied. "Remove the cover."

The hooded figure began to slowly pull the fabric away, revealing the object bit by bit. Reeva caught a glimpse of the picture beneath and immediately felt his mind start to stir. His head instinctively turned away, but Dilan’s hand forced his gaze back toward the object.

"Keep looking," Dilan commanded.

Finally, the picture was fully uncovered. Reeva stared at it, his heart racing, his anticipation peaking. His eyes were drawn to the image, mesmerized by what was now revealed.

But then a profound sense of confusion crept over him. Something wasn’t right. His mystic power began to stir slightly, reacting to the image, as his mind struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.

The picture... It was just black.

There was nothing else in it — no people, no visages, no background. Just a black canvas with a faint, mystic aura. Reeva knew that only something with mystic properties could make his mystic force react this way.