CHAPTER 26: SCENARIO

As they walked deeper into the chapel, Wade noticed something he’d missed.

On every wall were tall, large mirrors, each one reflecting the image of the chapel. The only exception was the wall behind the pulpit. Only the stained glass window stood on that wall.

Sebastian led them to the very center of the hall, his eyes roving this way and that.

"This’ll be our staging ground," he said. "They’ll be attacking from all sides, but that would only make things go faster. The pews will act as a buffer, and they won’t rush at us all at once. With this set up, we should be able to take care of them before the third ring drops."

Rowan looked around, taking in the chapel. "No matter how many times I come here, I can’t shake how creepy it is."

Wade blinked, turning to the man. "Creepy? You find this creepy?"

"Don’t worry." Rowan grinned, clapping Wade on the shoulder. "You’ll see."

"This is not the time for jokes." Sebastian said, readying his axe. "The second ring will drop any moment now. That means we have a scenario coming."

Wade didn’t even have time to ask what a scenario was when the door to the chapel swung open.

Ding!

[Scenario Activated!]

[The Inversion]

Wade watched as people began streaming into the chapel.

"What the..."

The sound of countless footsteps filled the air, the people laughing and chatting happily among themselves as they made their way along the pews, everyone finding a seat.

"How...?" He muttered, unable to believe his eyes.

"They’re not real." Rowan said, just as the people passed where they were standing, walking straight through them, their body phasing through. They didn’t even act like they could see the party.

"This is one of the scenarios you’ll encounter in this particular dungeon, based on where you go and where you stay." Rowan said. "Don’t be fooled. The wraiths can attack any time and from anywhere."

They watched as the people took their seats, settling into an unnatural silence.

Then, a door opened at the side of the hall, and a man, dressed in the dark robes of a priest, walked out into the chapel, not stopping until he was standing before the altar.

He smiled at the people, placing his palms together, and bowing his head as if in prayer.

Then as one, the people sitting in the pews followed his lead, bowing their heads with their eyes closed, and putting their hands together.

In unison, they began reciting their prayer, the sound resounding throughout the room.

"Oh goddess of all that is good and pure."

"See into our hearts so true."

"Oh goddess of old and young."

"Our thanks we bring to you."

"Our blood we shed for your boundless mercy."

"And in you we seek rest."

"Spare us of your wrath and ruin."

"And to our enemies, his sons may you slay."

Their voices overlapped, echoing around the chapel.

With the prayer done, they all opened their eyes, raising their heads.

"Brethren." The man grinned, raising both hands. "The time of ruin and annihilation is at hand. Our goddess has spoken to me, and the sacrifice has been prepared."

"Hail Arytemis!"

"Hail the goddess!"

The congregation chorused as one.

"Creepy." Rowan muttered under his breath as a man stood from the front row, making his way to the priest and kneeling before him.

"Oh son of Arytemis!" The priest grinned, his eyes wide. Wade could see it now. The insanity in the man’s eyes. The way his grin was just too wide to be normal. His teeth a shade too white. And his eyes, too dark. "We thank you for your sacrifice."

"We thank you, O son of Arytemis!" The congregation chorused.

Without another word, the priest produced a knife from his sleeves, and sliced the kneeling man’s throat.

"Fuck." Wade cussed, his eyes widening in shock.

As blood gushed out of the throat of the man, the priest cupped his hand under it, the blood flowing into it.

The sounds of the man choking filled the air, before he slumped to the floor, dead. The congregation remained silent, all of them watching with crazed eyes.

That was when Wade noticed it. There was not a single child in the crowd. Not a single speck of innocence. All he could see were crazed adults, with this now looking more like the gathering of a cult.

The priest took the blood in his palm, and rubbed it on his face, his too white teeth wide for all to see.

The moment the blood touched his face, a wave of almost physical energy swept through the room, ruffling their hairs.

"That’s it." Sebastian rumbled, his axe held at the ready. "The second ring has dropped. The wraiths will be here soon."

"The time of annihilation has come!" the priest crowed. "And we have been chosen!"

As one, the crowd began to chant once more.

"Oh goddess of all that is good and pure."

"See into our hearts so true."

"Oh goddess of old and young."

"Our thanks we bring to you."

"Our blood we shed for your boundless mercy."

"And in you we seek rest."

"Spare us of your wrath and ruin."

"And to our enemies, his sons may you slay."

Their voices grew louder, becoming more crazed, until the individual words could no longer be made out anymore, only the hum of their voices.

Slowly, the illusion of the people began to fade away, but their voices remained, growing even louder, and becoming more inhuman.

"There." Rowan pointed.

Wade’s eyes narrowed as he noticed it. Even though the illusions of the people were gone, he could still see them in the mirror along the walls, chanting.

He watched as their bodies began to change, their mouths lengthening into snouts, and their skins turning glassy.

They began tearing off their clothes as they rapidly changed, becoming mirror wraiths.

As one, they turned to look at the party.

"Oh, shit." Wade found himself saying unconsciously. "I thought they were supposed to come in waves, not all at once!"

"Not this one." Rowan called out, his staff at the ready. "That’s why we need the pews to slow them down."

"Hold the formation!" Sebastian yelled as the wraiths began climbing out of the mirrors. "Get ready!"

The wraiths snarled, and began surging towards them.

Ingrid pulled back her bow, firing an arrow. It soared through the air, hitting a wraith on the forehead, before being deflected, sending sparks through the air.

The wraith didn’t even seem like it noticed the arrow, still racing towards them.

"What the..." Wade blinked, shocked.

Ingrid exhaled, pulling back her bow for another shot. This time, the arrowhead shone a dull red as she applied a skill on it.

When she finally loosened it, the arrow flew through the air, hitting the same spot on the wraith’s forehead, shattering it into pieces.

"Stay calm." She said, her voice casual. "It’s just the reflective wraiths."