16 Converting

A small hut secretly stood at the heart of the forest. Its roof was made of uneven thatch and rotting shingles and sagged slightly under the weight of accumulated leaves and dampness. The small house was perfectly hidden among trees and wild grasses.

Suddenly, a knock on its frail wooden door was heard. It was a three consecutive knock followed by two with long pauses.

"Another member? Leader, I thought you only invited 7 of us?"

Eight people in dark brown robes sat cross-legged on the floor of the small, cramped hut. An oil lamp in the center cast a faint glow, barely illuminating their faces, which were hidden in the shadows of their hoods.

The man wearing a large necklace of a phallic symbol made of metal stood up.

"No one says a word of what we have discussed. If you don't want the Lord to cut off your penises and hang them in his temple, you better keep your mouth shut."

After threatening the other, he strode towards the door and opened it a little. His eyes immediately scanned the sole figure in front.

Nolan, who was wearing a dark brown robe, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood. He couldn't help but stare in disgust and confusion at the large phallic symbol necklace the man was wearing but didn't comment anything.

"Leader, are you holding a meeting without informing the others?" Nolan asked, noticing the huddled members inside.

The leader cleared his throat and opened the door wide for him to enter inside, "You know that the Sanction have started their operation to seek out heretics, we can't possibly send a signal to them carelessly. Two of the members have been captured already." he explained.

As Nolan stepped inside, the leader looked around outside before he closed the door.

"The church has already dispatched a team of Sanction here in the village?" Nolan asked in surprise.

"That's right. We are discussing converting and leaving to another place. Would you be interested?" The leader asked as he walked to his spot and once again sat with crossed legs.

Nolan, whose face was not visible, furrowed his brow, "Converting?"

Nolan and Elwin had joined this group of occultists by attending a Black Market back in the City. They introduced themselves as a believer of an evil god named Atticus who was believed to be wandering in the human realm.

"Yes," the leader answered quickly, "I guess it is time to stop worshiping Atticus and move to a more powerful entity who can grant a prayer immediately. You are welcome to join."

Standing still, Nolan gazed at the people who sat crossed legs, circling an oil lamp. He couldn't help but notice how the others were also wearing a necklace with a phallic symbol as its pendants.

What type of evil God did they discover this time? Nolan couldn't help but ask inwardly.

There was no use to hold a discussion about the Sanction and their safety from the church. These people couldn't care less. They were already converting their faith into some random, crazy, evil God.

It was even funny to describe an evil God, as crazy.

"I'm not interested. I'll be on my way." He merely said and turned his back to them, reaching for the handle of the door, and quickly exited the small hut.

As he left, the people inside remained silent for a while.

"Phew…"

They sighed in relief.

"I was scared for a moment that he would actually join. Good thing he left right away."

"Right? Don't you think he'll continue to worship Atticus?"

"I don't care. That evil entity is weak anyway, barely able to respond to our prayer. Why did the Lord even assign us to spread his story? Even the chant for him doesn't work."

"Don't be silly. So he could be targeted by the church instead and not the Lord."

"That certainly makes sense! Do you think they could catch him?"

"What do you think? I'll cut my d*ck off if not. The reason he's wandering here in the human realm is perhaps he is too weak to cast magic to return to the underworld."

A derisive laughter echoed inside the small hut house. Suddenly, the fire on the oil lamp abruptly grew bigger and scattered on the wooden floor, and almost immediately, it caught on the wooden siding of the small house. Before everyone could even react, a fire broke out. 

Everyone panicked and struggled to put out the fire.

"GASP! FIRE PUT IT OUT! WATER!"

"QUICK! GET SOME WATER!"

"WHERE THE FUCK CAN WE GET WATER HERE?!"

"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!"

"FUCK! I THINK I STEPPED ONTO SOMETHING SQUISHY! WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"H-HELP! My…M-MY DICK FELL OFF! MY DICK IS GONE! AAAAAAAHH W-WHAT DO I DO?! IT'S…IT'S GONE!"

"IS…YOUR BALLS STILL IN THERE?!"

A commotion erupted at the small house as the people inside quickly ran outside. No one got hurt aside for one person whose penis fell off from his crotch.

Atticus and Nolan watched the small house engulfed in fire at a distance.

"Are they stupid? How can they start a fire?" Nolan asked in disbelief and shock.

Atticus intently watched, his gray eyes reflecting the fire that was gradually growing.

"Forget about them, Young Master. We need to hurry along now before we get discovered. That fire will surely catch the attention of the Sanction nearby."

Atticus immediately guided Nolan to a different path that they had threaded earlier, to which Nolan followed without much question.

"His penis suddenly fell off? Is that even possible?" Nolan asked in curiosity. 

Hearing his voice prompted his butler to chuckle.

"It is. He just yelled that it fell off."

Nolan then recalled the phallic symbol necklace they were wearing and couldn't help but felt a deep sympathy for the man who lost his penis.

But, what about his balls? Did it fall off, too?

"Young Master, is your mind wandering somewhere again?"