The Epoch cultist always tried to hide themselves.

Yet at the same time, they always had a mark. Either their unique cross sewn somewhere in their clothes, or a brand burnt into their skin. Sometimes it was also a smell. Their priests had a certain… stink to them.

I've grown used to tracking such people. A little too good at it, in fact.

So good that I had noticed the tiny sewn crosses on the inside of a cloak from my peripheral as I ate with a friend.

Once I confirmed what I had seen, was indeed what I thought I had, I quickly wrote a letter to Vim. Once it was done, and the cloaked cultists stood from their own table, I handed it off to Oplar and nodded.

"Make sure he gets it," I said to Oplar as I stood from the table.

"Mhm… careful out there, Tosh…" the bear gently said as I stepped away, to follow the hooded figures I had my eyes set upon.

I knew it was a little rude to leave Oplar alone, especially with potential cultists nearby, but I didn't care. We weren't far from Lumen. And Vim was waiting there for her. And I had something far more important to do than watch over a young bear.

It was hard to find them anymore. These two were the first I'd found in five years.

I wasn't going to waste this opportunity.

Though I wanted to just… walk up to them and end their lives, I knew better. These cultist did not sprout from nothing. Most today were humans. And those humans didn't live long. These two looked early twenties at the oldest, though it was odd they were both women. Lately most of them had been men. Their debauch ways weren't really appealing to women anymore, not the kind that existed today at least in this era. Thank goodness.

Rounding a corner, I pulled my own hood up as the rain began to fall. We weren't at a port city, but we were near one. A large river was nearby, one that kind of stunk. That river led to the inland sea not far from here, up north.

Was that where they were headed? We seemed to be heading out of the city. They had just checked out of their inn after they had seemingly eaten their last meal, right in front of me and Oplar, and were now…

I slowed as they entered another inn. One that was not as nice as the one we'd just left. I bit the inside of my mouth as I realized they were either meeting up with their fellows, or simply moving inns. Maybe they didn't like to linger in one place too long, or realized it was too expensive or something…?

No matter. I knew where they were.

Now I just needed to wait. To be patient.

Clear my mind. Ease it. Don't focus too much, yet pay attention to everything.

These cultist had a source. Someone had taught them their faith. They hadn't been born to it. That meant there were others around. They always traveled alone, or in tiny groups, but never for long. They had sermons and went to their church as much as any other faith member did. They just did it in secret. Away from the eyes of the normal people.

So if I waited… if I followed them, and stayed patient, they would lead me to their church. Where they heard the words of their priests. Where they performed their terrible acts and rituals.

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I wanted, and would, kill them. I'd remove them from this world, as I would remove a tumor from a diseased man. But I knew I had to get them all at once. Else the tumors would just come back.

Stepping into an alley… I leaned against a wet wall and waited.

Hours passed. The world became dark. Then darker. The rain picked up, eased, and then came back with a vengeance… and then finally, right before dawn… the cultists emerged again. This time with another.

The three hooded figures turned and hurried down the street. I followed them, keeping back enough to not be seen, and was glad that I didn't smell any non-human scents in the air as I did. Although I'd not shy away anymore from a real threat, I still knew better than to outright target a strong predator.

But that was also why I had left Oplar with that letter. To ask for Vim's help.

If I failed here, and died, Vim would be able to track them down from here. He was that good. If I didn't fail, and ended up needing his help, he'd show up soon to offer it as well. And if nothing happened… if this went well, as the other times had, and I was able to handle these cultists on my own…? Well… he'd just pat me on the shoulder and nod and then leave, as he had before.

Such was my life these last few decades.

At first I had thought they were gathering more members, having stopped at another inn. But they had simply had breakfast. They left the inn, still only three, and then headed for the river. I ended up panicking when I watched them hire a boatman and board his small boat… but luckily the boat was a slow one. I was able to follow the boat on foot as it sailed south, not north towards the sea. I kept to the road near the river, keeping the boat in sight from distance.

I knew I was risking them catching me, but I relied on the distance and the angle to keep hidden. A few times the river had twisted and turned, so I had to sneak off the road and hide behind a hill or between trees as to ensure I stayed out of their sight but I made it work.

Eventually the boat stopped for the night, docking up on a random bank. They did so on the other side of the river than the one I was on, but luckily they didn't leave the area. They simply set up camp on the side of the river.

I was a little surprised to see them happily include the boatman in their camp. They sounded cheerful from a distance, though I dared not get too close. The river wasn't a small one, but it wasn't so big it was noisy. It'd be hard for me to swim across it without making any noise, unless I stripped naked. And I didn't want to do that. I wasn't strong like Lilly or Vim. I relied on… different tactics, to say the least…

The night passed slowly for me, but it passed. The group got up in the morning, returned to the boat and once again set sail.

This continued for several days, and even though we passed through a couple more towns… neither a fourth cultist joined them, nor did they seem to be doing anything too untoward the normal. They traveled. They ate. They slept. They laughed at whatever topics they spoke of, and seemed to be in general… just normal people.

Normal if but for the cloaks they wore, with the Epoch crosses sewn into them out of sight that is.

"Damned bastards," I whispered as I watched them dock the boat again. It was getting late once more, so I figured they were just going to camp again. This time, luckily, they had chosen to do so on the same side of the river I was. So I didn't need to worry about…

Then I realized they had other plans. As a tiny yelp of pain shot out into the air.

I went still as I watched one of the cultists stab the boatman. He stabbed again, and again, in quick succession… and the boatman fell backward off the bank and into the river. He landed with a loud splash, loud enough to block out the words the cultists all said to each other after the deed was done.

The sight of them killing the boatman only confirmed my decision to follow them all this time, and to kill them. They were definitely cultists, and not just some weird humans who didn't realize what they were wearing.

The three cultists spoke for a bit, and then pushed the boat out into the river. It floated away, and they gathered themselves and headed towards a nearby forest.

I gulped at the realization it was time. Their church must be nearby.

Good. Very good…

Staying back as far as possible… I followed the hooded figures into the forest, all the while thinking of Vexli's frown.

"I know," I whispered to her memory. I knew she'd not be happy with me. She'd not want me to do this.

But I didn't care.

Because it was all that made me feel purpose anymore.

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