The cathedral stood in the middle of Graveport like a rotting tooth.
Its walls were carved with symbols.
Its doors were made from melted street signs.
Candles burned with black flame.
Juvy felt sick just looking at it.
"This place eats people," she whispered.
Maxruell stepped forward.
"It's about to choke."
They pushed the doors open.
Inside Chains hung from the ceiling.
Altars made of bodies.
Children crying behind iron cages.
Cultists turned.
Then screamed.
Maxruell raised his hand.
Darkness flooded the hall.
Spines snapped.
Skulls crushed.
Blood painted the walls.
Juvy ran for the cages.
She shattered the locks with crystal light.
"Run!" she shouted.
A priest lunged at her with a bone knife.
She didn't hesitate.
A ruby spear went through his chest.
He slid down the wall, twitching.
Her hands shook.
"Sorry," she whispered.
Maxruell walked toward the altar.
Mother Cain wasn't there.
Only her throne.
Made of skulls.
A man stepped from behind it.
Tall.
Wrapped in bandages.
His face carved with Cain's symbol.
"The Red King arrives," he said.
Maxruell tilted his head.
"And you are?"
"High Saint Arkon," the man said.
"I die for her."
He opened his chest.
Inside, A glowing black heart.
Juvy shouted, "Don't touch him!"
Too late.
Arkon tore it out.
The cathedral screamed.
His body exploded into smoke and bones.
The smoke formed a monster.
Arms of ribs.
Face of teeth.
Wings of screaming souls.
Juvy unleashed everything.
Fire.
Lightning.
Crystal storms.
It tore through the thing but it kept moving.
Maxruell stepped forward.
Shadows wrapped around the beast.
It shrieked.
He closed his fist.
The monster folded inward like paper.
Imploded.
Black rain fell.
Silence.
Juvy collapsed against a wall.
Maxruell stood breathing hard.
On the altar, something pulsed.
A crystal shard.
Black and red.
He picked it up.
Juvy felt it.
"Don't," she said.
"It's hers."
"It's mine now."
When he touched it the voice became louder.
You are ready.
The cathedral began to burn.
They ran.
Outside, the rescued kids stared at them like gods.
Juvy knelt in front of them.
"You're safe."
One child whispered, "Is she dead?"
Juvy hesitated.
Maxruell answered.
"No."
That night, the city whispered a new name.
Not Red King.
Grave King.
And far away, Mother Cain opened her eyes.
"He touched the throne," she said softly.
"Good."