"The glory of God will forever shelter you. The monsters of the night are nothing but scum hiding in the shadow of the Lord."
Inside a makeshift building in Hell's Kitchen, Casillas faced the large crowd of gang members—now followers of Dagon—and nodded with satisfaction.
"High Priest, those are scum who betrayed the glory of the Lord. But how can we reach the pain-free kingdom of heaven?"
One of the followers asked. Gangs that had once been enemies now sat together in harmony, united by a common faith.
At this, a profound gleam flashed in Casillas's eyes. He slowly rose to his feet and lifted both hands, as if embracing an unseen force.
The dim yellow light cast mottled shadows across his resolute face, lending the moment a touch of holiness and solemnity.
"Dear brothers and sisters, your question is precisely the answer we seek together."
His voice was low and resonant, each word reaching every person present with perfect clarity.
"The apocalypse has arrived. The demons lurking in the wilderness are signs of its coming. Only the Great Dagon can shelter New York and grant us redemption before the Judgment comes."
He paused, sweeping his gaze over the crowd. Everyone waited for what came next with devout expressions, so he continued. "Only those who faithfully believe in Dagon can become God's people and enter God's kingdom at last, where they will enjoy eternal life!
"The follower from before was rejected by God because he lacked sufficient faith. He became a monster detested by God. God will never tolerate those who pretend to belong!
"But remember: faith is not an empty slogan. We must prove it through our actions, for God is with us!"
As Casillas finished speaking, enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted through the room. The followers' emotions reached a fever pitch.
They cheered and rejoiced. Casillas was delighted by the sight. Thanks to preaching in Hell's Kitchen, the Dagon Secret Cult had grown so quickly.
Now the Great Father would surely praise his achievements, cast His radiance upon him, and forgive his earlier blasphemy.
He gently raised a hand, signaling for the crowd to quiet down. A warm yet resolute smile spread across his face. "Dear brothers and sisters, we have gathered here today not only to hear God's teachings, but also to walk side by side, shining brightly on our own paths and lighting the way for one another."
"It is late now, so let us each return home and bring what we have learned and felt today into every corner of our lives. There is no need to rush. The gates of God's kingdom will always be open to those who are devout and work tirelessly."
The followers nodded in agreement and began filing out of the humble little house, which was nevertheless filled with a sacred atmosphere.
Casillas stood by the door, watching the last follower leave. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes. As he recalled his actions from a few days earlier, guilt welled up inside him.
He had once thought of Cthulhu as just another sucker, enjoying the "loans" at low interest. But as he gradually "borrowed" more, he came to understand the Great Father's love.
He was so kind, treating every follower as His own child. How magnificent!
Indeed, the Great Father had charged him very little interest on his loans. No, he should say there had been none at all.
Casillas had submitted to Him and wanted to spread the Great Father's love throughout the world.
But even though the Great Father was so merciful, He would not tolerate blasphemy. Only after undergoing a holy baptism would one be worthy of becoming His child and believing in His greatness.
Those followers who had not yet passed the test could only worship His emissary, Dagon, for now. Once their faith became strong enough, they would undergo the baptismal rite and become higher forms of life. It was a shame, though—
"Archbishop."
A low, respectful voice interrupted Casillas's thoughts. Evans, his loyal deputy and adviser, had appeared quietly at his side.
Casillas turned his gaze from the distance to Evans, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Have we dealt with that impious sinner? Has anyone found out?"
Evans bowed slightly, caution in his voice. "Archbishop, we have already inflicted God's punishment upon the sinner. He is now repenting before the Great Father. It's just..."
"Just what?"
A trace of displeasure appeared between Casillas's brows. Had something gone wrong with such a simple matter?
Evans lowered his voice, his tone grave. "When we caught him, he already had some injuries. Those wounds clearly weren't caused by the people he tore to pieces."
Casillas's pupils contracted slightly, unease rippling through him. "You mean someone else, or some other force, got involved? Did you question him before dealing with the sinner?"
Evans nodded, perplexity written across his face. "Sorry, Archbishop. We did try to question him, but he had gone completely mad, so there was no way to get anything out of him.
"But those wounds looked more like claw marks from some kind of beast, or the work of some inhuman force. We can't help but wonder whether another faction has been watching us in secret, or even interfering with our actions."
Casillas pondered for a moment, his mind rapidly running through the possibilities. Hell's Kitchen was a tangled web of factions and interests. The Dagon Secret Cult had grown quickly, but that made it conspicuous and bound to attract others' attention and hostility.
"We must proceed with caution and leave our enemies no opening. More importantly, we must find out who attacked him.
"Evans, organize a team of our best men at once and investigate this discreetly. Find out where the wounds came from, and keep an eye out for any other unusual activity or people appearing in our vicinity."
Casillas spoke in a grave voice.
"Yes, Archbishop. I'll personally choose the men and make sure nothing goes wrong. But what should we do about the Holy Son?"
"There's no need to worry about the Holy Son. The Lord's radiance has already fallen upon him. Just do what you're supposed to do."
"Yes."
After receiving his orders, Evans turned to leave and carry them out.
Casillas remained where he was, watching Evans's departing figure. He lowered his head and began to repent.
"Great Father, please forgive my transgressions. I achieved only a little and grew conceited, making one mistake after another."
Casillas prayed silently in his heart. His voice was quiet, but filled with sincerity and remorse.
Night had fallen deep, and the streets of Hell's Kitchen had once again grown quiet. Casillas stood alone outside the little house, gazing at the dark night sky in the distance.