As I entered the temple, I noticed that Niryn and Nora had remained outside. I didn't question it. My focus was on absorbing every detail of that unholy place.
Inside, the temple seemed even older than the outside—as if it predated the sect itself, perhaps a legacy of some forgotten civilization, reconfigured by the Node's will. The walls, carved from polished dark stone with hand-carved symbols, exuded a sense of sickening reverence. Thick columns supported the high ceiling, covered in thick moss and roots that twined like hungry snakes.
Ceremonial vases sat in niches in the walls, overflowing with greenish flowers and pulsating fungi. A thick, almost too sweet scent filled the air—a mixture of incense and decaying organic matter.
This place… breathes mana and fanatical faith. Every corner exudes devotion and madness in equal doses.
I walked down that reverent corridor until my eyes settled on a stone door, adorned with spiral symbols and green lines that seemed to glow faintly. I pushed it with both hands, and it opened with a muffled creak, revealing the true heart of the sect.
The chamber was circular and wide, the ceiling lost in the darkness above. The only light came from small bioluminescent mushrooms that grew around the room, forming a natural circle around three thrones carved directly from the living stone.
The roots that covered the floor twisted silently, as if watching for my arrival. As I stepped inside, I immediately felt… three presences. They weren't just there—they were moving through me.
On the throne to the left sat a woman of almost supernatural beauty. She appeared to be between twenty-eight and thirty-two years old, with a body that exuded deliberate sensuality. Her skin was lush, almost luminous, like that of a creature from the hidden forests. Her hair fell in cascades of a deep, mossy green, adorned with tiny, lifelike leaves.
Her golden, piercing eyes sparkled with mischief and fascination. She wore a black ceremonial gown of ethereal fabric that hugged her body with unholy elegance. Green lace and tribal symbols ornamented the silk, and the generous slit revealed part of her bare, strong thighs. A subtle smile played across her lips, painted dark wine.
On the throne to the right, a middle-aged man exuded authority and austerity. His hair, black and well-groomed, fell to his shoulders.
He wore a blue blindfold of thick cloth over his eyes—something symbolic, to be sure—but even blindfolded, I could clearly feel him seeing me.
His clothes, pitch-black, were stiffer and more ceremonial, with green runes embroidered in symmetrical patterns on the chest and sleeves. His hands, bare, showed long fingers with greenish skin and sharp nails, like moss-covered claws. His physique was firm, military. His silence weighed heavily.
On the central throne, between the two, sat the strangest man of all. Young and slender, he had completely white hair, combed with precision, and green eyes that seemed to contain liquid reflections of mana.
His skin was extremely pale, almost translucent. He was barefoot, his feet on living roots that intertwined beneath his throne.
His clothes, although similar to those of the others—black with green details—were minimalist, almost monastic. Each fold of his robe seemed carefully placed, as if the fabric obeyed his presence. His fingers were long, with the tips completely blackened. And even when silent, he emanated an aura of absolute calm... and absolute control.
They are certainly not just simple leaders.
I stepped forward and took a deep breath. I felt the roots beneath my feet vibrate in response. I turned to face Niryn, who was still standing by the door, and gave her a subtle nod. She understood, bowed, and pushed the door open, sealing me inside the chamber with the three of them.
With the door closing behind me, I opened my mouth to speak—but a voice came first, right inside my head:
"Welcome, dear brother. It is a joy to welcome a new chosen one after so long."
I looked in the direction of the sound and realized it was coming from the man on the right—the middle-aged one with the blue blindfold. Telepathy...? Or was it the Node connection? And the strangest thing... He called me brother. It must be because of the mold.
Before I could respond, a soft, melodious voice cut through the air:
"Oh, what a lovely little thing..." The woman on the left smiled, her eyes shining with desire and curiosity. "Isn't he a charmer?" She licked her lips slowly, her voice dancing in the air like dripping honey. "Let's get to the introductions, my dear. I am the Matriarch... Vessha Cruz. A great pleasure, my dear."
She made a delicate gesture with her hand, then pointed gracefully:
"Beside me is Father Elarion Russo..."
And then to the man in the center:
"And this is our Surgeon. He doesn't like to tell strangers his name, but since you're our brother now, you can call him Magni."
A low, muffled sound— "Hum." —came from the pale man in the center. Vessha chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her fingertips as if she were a courtesan playing in a theater.
"But call him Surgeon in front of others, okay? He's shy... and cute like that."
The atmosphere was strange, charged with something that bordered on the theatrical and the predatory. Still, seeing those very different figures made me feel a little more... restrained. But not safe. I remained alert.
"My name is Arthur Morgan," I replied, firmly but politely.
Vessha sighed, delighted.
"Ah, what a delicious name... So strong... So alive..."
At that moment, Elarion's voice echoed again in my mind, firmer, but cordial:
"Arthur, now that we know each other, I can be direct."
"You have accomplished a feat not seen in over two hundred years: you have survived the union with the original Node."
"That makes you our brother, and that's why we welcome you with open arms."
Brother. They keep calling us that... As if we were actually related.
"And as a sign of our welcome, we wish to offer you rewards, gifts, power. But first... you must be tested."
I frowned. "Test...? What kind of test?"
Considering this place, it certainly wouldn't be easy.
His answer came as cold as ice, even though his voice was still gentle:
"You will go to a cave, along with a hundred other children. The challenge is simple: survive for six months."
"Inside, you will find dangers, horrors... but also growth. Strength."
"Those who resist will be rewarded. You will receive your gifts. Your blessings. And you will be... shaped."
My breath caught for a second. Six months...? A hundred children...?
"It's a privilege, Arthur. Not a punishment."
"True ascension is born in survival. Are you ready to walk that path?"
I stared at the floor for a moment, trying to organize the flood of thoughts. Six months... in a cave... with a hundred other kids? Shit.
I can't refuse. I don't know what they'd do to me if I tried. Not here. Not with them.
I took a deep breath, raised my head and, with a slight forced smile, replied:
"Oh... sure. Why not? It'll definitely be... fun."
I paused, trying to sound nonchalant but leaving room for suggestion.
"But before that, wouldn't it be fair to give me some time to prepare? You understand, right? I'm still small... fragile."
Vessha smiled widely, her eyes shining as if she had heard something cute.
"Oh, little brother... he's right!" She turned to the other two, gently swaying her body in an almost feline manner.
"How about we give him three months to prepare before the ordeal? He is still a blooming flower..."
Elarion and the Surgeon exchanged silent glances—or perhaps they simply understood each other through the bond they shared. They both nodded. I sighed in relief.
Elarion then spoke, his voice echoing in my mind like a calm bell:
"Very well. Three months, Arthur. Use it wisely."
"You are permitted to roam freely throughout our facilities. Explore. Observe. Learn."
He reached out and tossed something toward me. I caught it out of the air: a black wooden slab, carved with green symbols that pulsed faintly with mana. I recognized them—runes of passage.
"With this, you'll be able to walk wherever you want. You're one of us after all."
I gave a slight bow.
"Thank you... for allowing me this time."
I turned my back and left the camera. As soon as I walked through the door, I saw Niryn standing in the hallway, as if she had never moved. She was standing still, waiting for me.
"Let's go back to the room," I muttered.
She just nodded silently, and together we began to walk through the damp corridors of the temple, while my mind thought.