Chains of Vengeance

Chapter 92: Theatrical Play

Once the stage was ready, the cultists gathered to build a special, carefully crafted and dedicated platform so that Shamura could walk more comfortably during the performance. Although it was a makeshift structure, the details and dedication of his followers made it solid and almost ceremonial, a display of their affection and loyalty.

Narinder looked at the stage with approval and, at the same time, a mix of nostalgia and responsibility. He knew that the scene they would be performing was short and tense, and although it did not require many words, he wanted to make sure that each line and gesture resonated strongly. To increase the impact, he decided to emphasize a more solemn and spiritual tone, giving it a ritualistic twist that would increase the faith of his followers and reinforce their aversion to the Old Faith. With the new lines, he hoped to sow in them a feeling of repulsion towards the bishops, a reminder of the betrayal he had suffered and the obstacles his cult had to overcome.

After distributing the scripts among the actors, Narinder silently prepared himself, adjusting his robes and reviewing the details of his performance. As he looked at his improvised reflection, a slight feeling of nervousness and anxiety ran through him. He knew that, despite his dedication, the possibility of failure was real; Shamura might not react as expected and might not provide any useful information about the relic. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a certain excitement. There was something about the idea of ​​acting, of recreating that dark past, that he found strangely pleasurable. Perhaps, at least for once, acting as his own character would not be a burden, but rather an opportunity to better understand that story that had marked him so much.

Thus, seeing his followers in their positions and Shamura watching curiously, Narinder breathed deeply. In the corner of his mind, he knew that they were about to relive one of his darkest memories, but he also knew that every word and every act would become a bond between him and his cult, strengthening them for what was to come.

Narinder took a deep breath, reminding himself that this was just a dramatization; he didn't exactly need to relive the past, and the changes in dialogue were just a device to provoke a reaction in Shamura. Although he was tense as he reenacted that betrayal, he knew that this time the scene was under his control.

In front of the stage, the rest of his cult waited anxiously, enjoying the bags of popcorn that the shrimp had carefully prepared. When the curtains opened, the worm appeared on the stage with a funny attitude, imitating Leshy. His outfit, with green papers imitating leaves and a rudimentary crown, seemed comically disproportionate. The worm stood up and proclaimed in a cartoonish voice:

"I am Leshy, the weakest of the bishops! My powers are so chaotic that my cultists are... well, just insects, just as tiny and bouncy as me!"

A light laugh escaped from the spectators as the worm swung its paper "crown" around, which fell slightly to one side.

Then the frog appeared in the role of Heket. He looked somewhere between annoyed and resigned, clearly embarrassed to play the bishop of hunger. In a sullen, short tone, he blurted out, "I am Heket, bishop of hunger... and I am evil. And that's it." His manner of acting, despite his lack of enthusiasm, perfectly captured the grumpiness and sternness of the real Heket, causing some of the cultists to exchange amused glances.

Finally, the octopus representing Kallamar made his dramatic entrance. Dressed in robes that barely covered his muscular body, he posed proudly and exclaimed in a solemn tone: "I am the brave... I mean... the cowardly Kallamar, bishop of the plague!" The octopus then struck an epic pose, as if he were expecting applause. The contradiction between his pose and the dialogue provoked laughter from the audience, and the shrimp behind him, with an amused smile, handed out extra popcorn to those who laughed the loudest.