The city moved.

  Not physically—not with the shifting, warping weight of Lies like the Pawn Shops did.

  This was subtle.

  The kind of movement that didn’t announce itself.

  A corner that seemed slightly different than before. A street that felt a little longer than it should’ve been. An alley that hadn’t existed moments ago, now standing open, inviting.

  Elias felt it in his bones first—the creeping sensation that something was guiding them, gently nudging them off course.

  He stopped walking.

  Sera kept moving.

  Elias frowned. “Hey—hold on.”

  Sera sighed but stopped, turning with an unimpressed look. “What now?”

  Elias gestured around them. “This street—this wasn’t where we were a second ago, right?”

  Sera followed his gaze, eyes scanning the surroundings.

  Elias knew what she was doing—watching for patterns, searching for meaning in the way the city moved.

  Then, after a long pause—

  “Yes.”

  Elias narrowed his eyes. “Yes, what?”

  “Yes, we were moved.”

  Elias stared at her. “And you were just going to keep walking?”

  Sera shrugged. “I figured we’d get there eventually.”

  Elias ran a hand down his face. “You figured—? Sera, we’re being tricked.”

  Sera raised an eyebrow. “Of course we are. This is Dolos’ domain.”

  Elias groaned. “You could’ve said something.”

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “You could’ve noticed earlier.”

  Elias shot her a look. “I did notice earlier.”

  Sera smirked slightly. “Took you long enough.”

  Elias exhaled, exasperated. “Alright, great. So what do we do?”

  Sera scanned the city again, her expression unreadable.

  Then—

  “Stop trusting what you see.”

  —

  That was easier said than done.

  But Sera wasn’t fooled.

  She walked with purpose, her gaze cutting through the illusions like they weren’t even there.

  Elias wasn’t sure if it was because she was tied to the Pawn Shops or if it was simply because she had no real desires for this place to manipulate.

  Either way—

  It worked.

  The false paths faded from view.

  The wrong doors stopped shifting.

  And within moments, they were standing at the edge of an unchanging road.

  A single path leading forward.

  The way to Dolos’ temple.

  Elias exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “So that was meant to keep us lost, huh?”

  Sera hummed. “Or just delay us. It wasn’t aggressive—just… playful.”

  Elias scowled. “I don’t like being played with.”

  Sera smirked. “Then you’re going to hate what comes next.”

  —

  The Temple of Dolos. The temple wasn’t obvious.

  It wasn’t a massive structure towering above the city.

  It was woven into the very fabric of the place—disguised as part of the landscape, built so that it looked like it had always been there, unnoticed.

  A small shrine—modest, unassuming—tucked between two ordinary buildings. Iit looked exactly like what he moment before arriving here

  Except, the moment Elias stepped closer—

  He felt it.

  Not the crushing weight of lies like the Pawn Shops.

  Not the imposing dread of something inescapable.

  But the sensation of being watched with amusement.

  Like he had stepped into the presence of something entertained.

  Elias let out a slow breath. “Alright. Here we go.”

  They stepped inside.

  The doors vanished behind them.

  Of course.

  The moment they entered, Elias knew something was different.

  Not because of the mirrors lining the walls, reflecting versions of them that didn’t exist.

  Not because of the whispers that didn’t quite form words.

  But because of the figure waiting for them.

  A priest—cloaked in deep red, a black glass mask covering his face.

  The priest spread his arms.

  “Welcome, travelers. You have stepped into the domain of Dolos, and so your path must be given shape.”

  Sera was unbothered. “We were told to seek a prophecy.”

  The priest chuckled. “A prophecy? No. That would be too simple.”

  Elias sighed, starting to feel annoyed by all this. “Of course it would.”

  The priest stepped forward, slow and deliberate. “Dolos does not deal in certainty. He does not offer simple fates, nor does he lay the path before those who walk it.”

  He reached into his robes—

  And pulled out a coin.

  Gold on one side. Silver on the other.

  He held it between two fingers, letting it catch the flickering light.

  “Your journey begins with a test,” he said.

  He tossed the coin.

  It hung in the air—and did not fall.

  Instead, it split, unraveling into threads of light that twisted into the air, weaving together into words.

  A prophecy.

  Sera’s eyes followed the shapes as they formed. Her lips parted slightly as she whispered the words.

  > "The feather falls, the dice are cast,

  The trick is played, the die won’t last.

  The road divides, the hand deceives,

  Take what is given—if you believe.”

  Silence filled the temple.

  Then—

  Elias slowly turned to the priest. “Okay, but… what does it mean?”

  The priest let out a low chuckle.

  “Dolos is a god of trickery,” he said. “And what is trickery, if not a game?”

  Elias exhaled sharply. “You have got to be kidding me.”

  The priest extended a hand.

  “The first test awaits. You may refuse—but know that Dolos values amusement above all else.”

  Sera frowned slightly. “And if we play?”

  The priest’s glass mask tilted. “Then you will receive your answer.”

  Elias pinched the bridge of his nose. “Great. So, what’s the catch?”

  The priest chuckled. “Dolos enjoys games, but he does not enjoy shortcuts. Should you attempt to break the game—should you try to alter its rules unfairly—then you will find yourself on the losing end.”

  Sera’s eyes flickered.

  That was it.

  That was why Dolos wouldn’t want her using her power.

  Because what fun would a game be if it could simply be undone?

  She exhaled, nodding slightly. “Understood.”

  Elias frowned. “What do you mean understood? No, not ‘understood.' ”

  The priest ignoring Elias as before stepped aside, motioning toward the path ahead.

  “The game begins.”

  And with that—

  Elias and Sera stepped forward, ready or not.