Annan saw it clearly: more than a dozen escaped Oddities hung in midair, swaying as though caught in an invisible spiderweb.
The first light of dawn touched the highest spire in the Royal City. At the same time, the outlines of the Warden and the Oddities faded away.
Annan returned to the Dungeon. Their true forms were still in their respective Cells.
They had vanished with the daylight.
Annan had spent the whole night arranging the escape before reporting it at the last moment, but he had gained no chance to speak with the Warden. All he had done was bring the Warden there.
They had not spoken, and Annan had not seen the Visitor Badge.
But tonight should bring a new development.
While the Oddities were inactive during the day, Annan explored the Order Church.
The Warden forbade Prisoner from entering the church. Annan entered the chapel during the day and found nothing inside, not even a speck of dust. Only the toppled, crooked pews spoke of the chaos that had taken place. The confessional in the corner was empty too.
Statues of the Codex and pale marble were everywhere in the church. They were probably symbols of the Order Church.
Annan continued on to the baptismal font, bell tower, and lounge. The font had run dry, the door to the top of the bell tower was locked, and the lounge contained only a few abandoned nun's habits.
Annan circled back to the church's main entrance. Only the second floor remained unexplored.
He climbed the stairs and followed a maze of corridors until he reached a carved birch door at the very end.
This was probably the Order Church Archbishop's room. Annan pushed on the door, but it did not budge.
It was locked.
Annan was about to find