The last days had been rough for Mahon. Training hard in Ratho with Zac, he practiced entering the Flow on every occasion besides the rings. He wanted to be able to Flow as easily as when he was in Nightmare, and fighting had just been the first step. When he was in Nightmare, Zac went along to teach him about the different noble families and their politics.

Mahon’s head was full of names, plots and crime history related to the families most prone to move against the Theodred. They had to make him up to date quickly, because they were not sure for how long the invitation from the cultists would hold. Obviously, they gave different tokens and different streets to walk for different groups of people, otherwise the Pine Hill Officer Institute students would have noticed their recruitment process sooner.

That also meant Mahon’s token and meeting point probably had an expiration date. Hence, the haste for Mahon to be ready to attend. The massive information dump had left him a bit hesitant at where exactly he was jumping into, and he wasn’t sure yet if the cult was really worse than the nobles who may have sponsored it.

Still, here he was, playing with his blue token while pacing along Massena street. He launched the coin high in the air for the hundredth time. The spinning token shone blue rays as he reached his zenith, the afternoon sun reflecting on his polished surface. As the coin started its fall, a hand grabbed it airborne in a swift move. But it was not Mahon’s hand.

He lowered his eyes and saw a woman passing by his side, his token in hand. Her features were mostly hidden behind a veil and her words were only audible to Mahon.

“Follow me. Twenty meters behind. Don’t lose me, as you will never get another chance to join.”

Without even looking at him, the woman continued her walk, graciously entering the flux of passersby walking on the street.

Interesting.

Hiding his smile, Mahon scanned the surrounding crowd to see if someone had seen the altercation. Alas, the people were all lost in their own considerations, and nobody seemed to look at him. The cultist woman was still moving away within the crowd, and Mahon started the chase.

While he kept his target on sight at every time, he also tried to be aware of his surroundings. If it was a test, there should be other people watching him, because the woman obviously couldn’t.

Yet, Mahon didn’t find anyone trailing behind him. The little game continued for long minutes, until the woman turned left, into small alleys, away from Massena street and safer areas. Without hesitation, Mahon followed behind. He had a short sword with him, just in case things turned sour.

With fewer and fewer people on the streets, it became increasingly easier to keep up with the veiled woman. In fact, Mahon had to slow down a few times not to enter within twenty meters of his target. A few narrow alleys later, and they were left alone. No bystander, no passerby, no eyes at the windows. Just Mahon and the woman.

At the next intersection, two city guards showed up. For a second, Mahon feared the girl would get arrested and his whole operation ruined, but the guards ignored her entirely. Aside from walking in shady alleys, she was nothing special, and they had no reason to stop her. Nor did they have a reason to stop him.

And yet the guards kept glancing nervously at him as if he was their target. As they got close to each other, Mahon finally understood what was happening.

They were not city guards. Their insignias were a bit off. Their uniform, not exactly the right color. The illusion was actually decent, but Mahon had spent too much time alongside real city guards to be duped.

It was just a setup. That was the real test. It was not about following the girl. It was about the guards. Mahon did not let any emotions appear on his face as he moved to the side, letting the guards pass by.

As planned, the guards came directly to him, and it was with his best surprised face that he spoke to them.

“Yes? What can I do for y…”

“What are you doing here?” The guard cut him in a harsh tone.

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t play dumb!” The second guard spoke in the same angry voice. “We asked you a question. Answer it!” The man pushed a finger into Mahon’s shoulder.

The two guards moved to circle Mahon. He had his back on a wall and no means of escape. It could have been actually threatening if only Mahon didn’t know what was really happening. But since he did, the whole situation almost turned comical.

Aren’t they pushing it a bit far?

“My cousin lives around here. I’m just paying him a visit.”

“What’s his name?”

“It’s Pido. He lives here with his wife, Stu, and their three childr…”

“Which street?”

“Bert street. It’s just close by.”

Thanks to endless boring patrols for knowing the city streets.

The guards seemed satisfied by his answers and while Mahon tried to hold his laughter at the grimacing faces of the men trying to scare him, one of them drew a third of his sword.

Uh, please. He mentally sighed.

“I patrol here every day, and I don’t know your face. You’re one of these Fada cultists we are tasked with arresting and torturing, aren’t you?!”

“Why are you laughing? You find it funny?” The guard drew another third of his sword, while showing his teeth menacingly.

“No, no! Cough, cough.” Mahon barely managed to fake a cough. “I have nothing to do with Fada cultists. I told you, I’m just here to see my cousin!”

“Hmpff…” The guard snorted. “You may go then. But don’t try anything funny. We’ve got our eyes on you.”

And just like that, the man drew back his sword and the two guards left Mahon alone. Shaking his head to find back his focus after the ridiculous scripted scene, Mahon walked towards where he had last seen the woman go.

If I got it correctly, and there is no way these guys were doing something else than trying to be fearsome, I passed the test. And I should find the lady easi…

Mahon turned left just in time to see his previous target just disappearing into a nearby house. As if she had waited for him. Mahon snickered at the scene.

“By the Fada, just in time, I’m so lucky!”

Does anyone really fall for such an obvious staging?

While walking towards the house, Mahon slapped his own face.

“And stop talking to yourself like an idiot. Zac has too much influence on me if I need to make jokes with myself when he isn’t around…”

Focus.

Mahon took a deep breath and knocked at the door he had seen the woman use. It opened a second later, and the veiled woman gestured for him to come inside.

“Wait here.” She pointed to a nearby chair.

Mahon went to sit at the indicated spot and realized that three other people were waiting in similar chairs. They were all much older than him, around five hundred or so, all males.

Probably other candidates.

Mahon looked back at the woman, but she was still at the door, waiting for something. A minute later, a knock could be heard, and she opened again. The two guards from before entered the room and, after a quick look, went to Mahon.

“Congrats, boy! You didn’t spill it!”

“Don’t worry, look, we’re just fake guards.” The second one said while removing his false insignia. “Got scared out of your mind? Eh?”

“But surprise! It was just a setup!”

“You did good, though, lying about your cousin and stuff.”

“Yes, you could’ve fooled real city guards, but you gotta improve your lying a bit if you want to fool us, boy.”

Mahon couldn’t do anything but stare dumbfounded at the two fools in front of him.

Do they really think…?

“Don’t push the boy too much, Li. Look at him. He’s still trying to process our setup.”

“Oh, right!” The man clapped on the shoulder of his comrade. “Let’s give him time, then. We’ve got another delivery, anyway. Gotta move soon.”

And just like that, the two men left. The girl followed behind them, with a last word to the four guys waiting inside the room.

“Stay here. We need another one, and then we’ll proceed with the explanations.”

She shut the door, leaving Mahon alone with the three other candidates. They were all two meters away from each other, and from the boring looks on their faces, they have been here for way longer than him.

Mahon tried to meet their gaze, if only to start a conversation, but none of them looked his way. Sighing, Mahon looked around him one last time. Alas, there was not much to see. The room was plain and apart from the door where he had come from, and another door going deeper inside, there was nothing to see. Finally, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, he mimicked the men beside him and looked at his feet, waiting for time to pass.

Half an hour later, the veiled woman entered the house, along with the two guards. They had disappointed looks.

“... soon as I drew my sword an inch, the boy spitted it all.”

“It’s just a coward, not worth it.” The guards spoke between themselves.

They moved to the center of the room, and the woman silenced the guards with a gesture.

“We can start now. Thanks for coming here and joining our rank. You passed our little test, which means we think you’re worthy enough to join our awakening. We are the Fada cult. You probably heard of us already. Some say we kill people. And that’s true. But not anyone. And not without reason. And that’s not everything we do. Let me tell you what we know, and you’ll be convinced as well.”

Her little speech had jolted awake the three other candidates, and they scrutinized her with attention. Mahon mimicked their posture while the woman continued, her face still hidden by her veil.

“The reason is simple. We’re at war, but the nobles are leading us in the wrong direction. They’re only trying to get richer without any consideration to their true mission. Ratho’s real purpose is to avenge the Fada. We’ve been driven into this enclave because of the Amentiae. We need to kill them all and bring back the Fada. Because you need to know something. Something really important. Something worth killing people for. The Fada are still here.”

Gasping sounds could be heard, and even Mahon didn’t need to feign surprise.

“Think about it! Who created Nightmare? The Amentiae? It’s nonsense! What is Nightmare exactly but an ideal battlefield where you can fight against Amentiae without really dying? Its magic protects you from the Amentiae. It’s part of the Fada’s plan! They help us train without fear of dying, so that we can finally win this endless war, and they could come back to bring us prosperity. The Fada are still here with us, fighting at our side. They need our help!”

The woman’s speech was quick, and she finished it almost out of breath from excitement.

Does she have any proof of all that or is it just empty rhetoric?

Mahon wanted to interrupt and ask about it, but the three other candidates were so ecstatic and noisy at the revelations that he couldn’t. And they should be. If the Fada were really back, it was indeed shocking news. But the woman had only spoken about it.

Aren’t they questioning any of it? They just accepted it like that?

“You’re right to be excited. It’s incredible. A miracle! But the Fada really need our help. They can’t come back on their own. They are weakened by the Amentiae, and while the nobles enjoy a slow war, we aren’t impacting the Amentiae significantly. And if we continue, the Fada will never come back. Are you really satisfied by the world as it is? The nobles have deviated from our original purpose. We have to do something about it. Put them back right on track. And if someone has to get his hands dirty for them to see the truth, we’ll do it!”

Again, the men swallowed it all without second thoughts, cheering loudly at the announcement.

“That’s why we need people like you. Our task is huge, but if we’re many, we can do it. I’m not asking you to kill, it should only be our last resort. But if someone pushes it too far, then we must act. To make things change there must be more of us, and we have to take care of the people who don’t want the Fada back. We need you for these two things. First, you’ll help to recruit more determined people like you. See these two men who helped us for the test?” She pointed to the two fake city guards behind her, puffing out their chests as soon as she spoke about them. “They were just like you a week before, and now they help us find worthy people and assess their real motives.”

The two dumb guards nodded along while the woman continued giving her instructions.

“Recruiting will be your main mission. Your second one is easier, but equally important. Open your eyes and your ears for anyone who profanes the Fada. Blasphemy will not be tolerated. If we want the Fada back, we need to welcome them with open arms. Report anyone who seems suspect, and we’ll react accordingly. We don’t ask you for much. But your work.” She pointed to one of the candidates. “Plus your work.” She pointed to another. “And your work.” A third one. “And also your work.” She pointed to Mahon. “Added together, they can make things change. You can make things change. And bring the Fada back.”

The candidates stood up and clapped with enthusiasm. Mahon tried his best to mimic their enthusiasm while his brain was on completely different thoughts.

Useless. We’re just providing information and helping the cult grow without knowing anything. It’s those guys we keep arresting day after day. They are just decoys for the real Fada cult. Only the lady really knows what’s going on in the shadows.

In the meantime, the lady was explaining how she would contact them for any job, or how they could give her info when they found a blasphemer. A few minutes later, the meeting concluded, and she ordered for the candidate to leave one by one, not to attract any unwanted attention.

Soon, Mahon was the only left of the candidates, and the woman gestured for him to go. He hesitated, and the woman didn’t miss it.

“You want to ask something?”

“Hmm… Yes. I spoke with an impressive Nightmare veteran. He was the one inviting me here. We talked a bit, and he hinted that we could do more. I thought I would have a real impact, and not just bring back gossip and play city guards.”

“Ah, yes. Belanor spoke about you. Blue and green eyes. Had used the Flow before. Determined.” The woman spoke, unfazed, as if she had waited for him to ask. “It may be a waste of your talents to start here. But that’s the way it is. We’ll keep an eye on you, and if you’re deemed worthy, we’ll contact you. Consider it a test.”

Mahon acquiesced and prepared to leave, but the woman wasn’t done.

“Also, recruitment is our most important mission. Don’t forget it. Now, go.”