The cultists scrambled, drawing weapons and preparing spells. The High Priest raised their staff, shouting, "Defend the sanctum! The shadows will not be extinguished!"
Fredrick immediately readied his broom, glancing at Kieran. "Master, what do we do?"
Kieran groaned. "Why does everything have to escalate so quickly?"
Meliora's expression darkened. "These knights... they're Paladins. Holy-class warriors. Their abilities are ranked at least at I, possibly higher."
Kieran blinked. "I'm sorry—did you say holy-class? As in, the exact opposite of shadow magic?"
"Exactly," Meliora said grimly. "Their powers will be devastating against the cult's magic."
The lead Paladin pointed his sword at Kieran, his eyes narrowing. "And you... the so-called Herald. Your false prophecy ends here."
Kieran held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, let's not jump to conclusions. I'm more of a neutral observer, really."
Fredrick stepped in front of him, his expression fierce. "You won't harm Master! Not while I'm here!"
The Paladin's eyes narrowed further. "A knight defending a false prophet? Pathetic."
Fredrick's grip on his broom tightened. "We'll see who's pathetic when you're flat on the ground."
Meliora stepped closer to Kieran, her voice low. "Master, we need a plan. Now."
Kieran took a deep breath, his mind spinning. Okay, system, if there's ever been a time to pull a miracle out of nowhere, it's now.
The system chimed.
[System Notice: Belief in "The Herald" remains high. Command opportunity unlocked: Shadow Convergence.]
Kieran straightened, pointing dramatically at the Paladins. "You've made a grave mistake coming here. Behold the wrath of the shadows!"
The ground trembled as dark tendrils erupted from the floor, coiling around the Paladins' legs. The cultists cheered, their belief surging.
The lead Paladin struggled against the tendrils, his sword glowing brighter as he slashed at them. "Your tricks won't save you, false prophet!"
Fredrick darted forward, his Flash Steps allowing him to appear behind one of the knights. With a well-placed strike, he disarmed the enemy, sending their sword clattering to the ground.
Meliora raised her hands, casting a barrier of light to shield Kieran from a barrage of incoming attacks.
Kieran, for his part, continued to act the part of an all-powerful Herald, gesturing as if controlling the shadowy tendrils. Please keep working, system. Please.
+
The battle raged on, the room a chaotic blur of light and shadow. Cultists and Paladins clashed with devastating force—magic exploded against shields, swords cut through the air, and the ground trembled beneath their feet. Kieran remained at the center of it all, trying desperately to project an air of control while his mind scrambled for a way out.
Meliora fought at his side, her magic creating barriers and blinding flashes that turned the tide of individual skirmishes. Fredrick darted through the melee with Flash Steps, using his broom to knock weapons from the hands of the Paladins. The cultists, emboldened by Kieran's earlier display of power, threw themselves into the fray with reckless abandon.
The lead Paladin, glowing with holy energy, cut through the cultists like a vengeful blade of light. His strikes were precise, each one felling an opponent with ease. His eyes locked on Kieran, his voice booming over the chaos. "False prophet! Your lies will not save you from the judgment of the light!"
Kieran flinched, his mind racing. This guy really doesn't hold back, huh?
"Master, what do we do?" Fredrick shouted, narrowly dodging a glowing sword swing.
Kieran raised his hand, pointing dramatically at the Paladin. "Enough! The shadows will not tolerate your blasphemy any longer!"
The system chimed in, feeding on the faith of the cultists.
[System Notice: Belief threshold reached. Command activated: Abyssal Chain.]
Dark tendrils erupted from the ground, coiling around the lead Paladin and immobilizing him. His glowing sword flickered as he struggled against the restraints, his movements growing more frantic.
Fredrick blinked in awe. "Master, that's incredible!"
"Yeah, sure," Kieran muttered. "Totally planned that."
The cultists rallied around the display, their fervor reaching a fever pitch. The remaining Paladins, seeing their leader bound and their forces outnumbered, began to falter. One by one, they retreated, their glowing swords dimming as they fled through the broken wall.
The High Priest stepped forward, their voice carrying over the din. "Herald, your power has turned the tide. The shadows have triumphed this day!"
Kieran opened his mouth to respond, but Meliora interrupted, her tone sharp. "We need to move quickly. The Paladins will regroup and return with reinforcements. If we linger, we'll be caught in a siege."
The High Priest hesitated, their gaze flickering between Meliora and Kieran. "But the sanctum must be defended. Without it, the Shadowed Order has no stronghold."
Meliora's eyes narrowed. "Your sanctum is a liability. If you truly serve the shadows, you'll follow the Herald and regroup elsewhere. Staying here is suicide."
Kieran nodded, latching onto Meliora's argument. "She's right. The shadows—uh, my shadows—don't want pointless sacrifices. Gather your people and your important relics. We leave now."
The High Priest bowed deeply. "As you command, Herald."
As the cultists scrambled to pack their belongings, Kieran pulled Meliora and Fredrick aside.
"Okay," he said, keeping his voice low. "What the hell just happened? Why are we helping a death cult?"
Meliora crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "We're not helping them. We're controlling them. The Shadowed Order is dangerous, but their resources could be invaluable against the Baron and whatever forces he's aligned with."
Fredrick frowned. "But aren't they bad guys? They were talking about sacrifices and stuff earlier."
"They are," Meliora admitted. "But they also fear the Paladins, which means they're not invincible. If Master can manipulate their belief, we can steer them toward dismantling their own organization—or at least redirecting their efforts against greater threats."
Kieran stared at her, his mind whirring. "You're saying we turn the cult into a weapon?"
"Exactly," Meliora said. "With the right pressure, their belief in you can be leveraged to achieve our goals. But it requires subtlety and caution."
Fredrick scratched his head. "So we're, like, undercover heroes?"
"Something like that," Kieran muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Great. Now I'm a con man leading a death cult against other bad guys. What could possibly go wrong?