Vince, still keeping his eyes half-shut, spread his hands wide.
"I'm just your local priest of Oeus! Normally I'd charge twenty silver for a spirit exorcism, but for you, my friend, I'll do it free of charge!"
You can't back down now.
The man studied Vince in silence for several seconds, his tone flat and tired when he finally spoke.
"Listen kid, I don't know what kind of scam you're pulling, but I follow the god of life. And locals? There's no Oeus church anywhere near here."
Vince's eyes almost went wide, but he forced himself to stay calm.
Since when was there no Oeus church in Koburn?
The man sighed, rubbing his face.
"I've got a buddy who follows Oeus. Lives down the block, black two-story house with a yellow door. You can't miss it."
Vince gritted his teeth but kept his cool smile.
"Well then, sorry for interrupting!"
He bowed, and as the door shut, he exhaled a long, disappointed sigh.
Should've never gone for the front door first. I could've sworn this part of Koburn had a church of Oeus.
The streets around him were dull and lifeless, the last light of day fading as night crept in. Not a single person passed by.
Once night falls, I'll follow the riddle and go in from the back.
He moved away from the doorstep, making sure to walk casually leftward, right in sight of the windows. Just in case the man looked out, he didn't want to raise suspicion.
Once far enough, Vince slipped between two brown houses. Their residents were either away or asleep, and the wide gap between the homes had a pile of dry leaves stacked against the wall. Vince leaned against it, arms crossed, and drifted off.
Two hours later he woke, blinking up at a sky where the moon sat high and crickets chirped in the distance.
He stretched, brushed the leaves off, and stood.
Better than my bed at home.
He started toward the red house, but stopped ten houses short. From there he broke into a sprint, dashing behind another home.
He weaved through backyards in quick succession, hopping over fences of all sizes with ease until he finally reached his destination.
Up close, the red house looked different from behind. Its grass was brittle and dead, its trees colorless and fading.
The back wall had three windows on the second floor and two on the first. All were covered with blinds, except the second window on the left, where he could see straight into the kitchen.
A back door stood at the center.
There's no way that's the way in.
Then he noticed the pile of leaves. Its shape was unnatural, a large lump pressed unevenly against the ground. Suspicious.
Vince brushed the leaves away and grinned at what he found. A pair of old oak double doors, dull but sturdy, led down into a basement.
He froze, his hand hovering just above the handle.
Am I really about to do this?
He bounced lightly on his toes, forcing his body to loosen up, his heart thudding in his ears.
I refuse to get caught.
Slowly, Vince set his hands on the basement door handle.
Creeeak.
The sound froze him in place. He held his breath, waiting, before forcing himself to relax. With a slow push, the doors opened to reveal nothing but pitch darkness, like an alley from a horror film.
A staircase led downward, its wooden steps looking surprisingly new, as though barely touched.
Vince eased onto the first step, then the second, then the third. Once inside, he pulled the doors shut behind him.
I really wish I could see.
His eyes were swallowed in black. Every step was guided by his palms and the faint scrape of his leather shoes.
The descent seemed endless, each creak of wood dragging time, until finally his foot struck concrete.
You'll find some light, chant your name.
The words of the riddle echoed in his mind.
From the corner of his vision, faint cracks of light spilled through a door along the left wall. Someone had left a lantern burning.
Still awake? Can't be. A guy like him's bound to be asleep by now.
Then another thought hit him.
Wait, did I ever consider he might have kids? …Eh, doesn't matter.
A short chuckle escaped him as he veered toward the shadows. He ran his hand along the nearest wall, searching for flaws.
The surface was smooth, cold, uninterrupted, until his fingers brushed against a jumble of objects stacked haphazardly.
He couldn't even tell what they were in the dark.
The basement felt larger than it should have been, stretching farther than expected. Vince circled toward another wall, this one hidden from the door's view. Crouching low, he pressed his palm flat against it.
Crumble.
The texture shifted from solid stone to something brittle, coarse, imperfect.
Vince's lips split into a wide grin.
Finally.
He straightened, clearing his throat to chant.
Wait. The riddle never explained how to say my name.
If it didn't, then it must accept any form.
He decided to give it everything. Loud, confident. His full name, full glory. Then grab what he came for and get the hell out.
"I give my full glory to Vin—"
Creeeak.
His eyes shot wide.
Light flared across the basement floor. From the corner of his vision he saw it, spilling from the door.
Someone had come inside.