The carriage rolled to a stop outside a massive, ornate mansion on Regent's Park Inner Circle. The gates were wrought iron, twisted into elaborate designs that seemed to move slightly when Virtue looked at them directly. Regent’s Park itself stretched beyond, a wild and untamed mass of greenery, filled with fantastical beasts. A phoenix burnt brightly in a tree nearby, casting a glow over a family of griffins that romped and roamed through its jungle-like interior—a strange and chaotic Garden of Earthly Delights.

Mr. Null stepped out of the carriage, his heavy overcoat billowing as he moved. He turned back and, with a slight, almost imperious gesture, beckoned for Virtue to step down from the driver’s seat.

Virtue hesitated, her hands tightening on the reins. She glanced at Saveloy, who gave her a knowing nod, the horse’s expression somewhere between a smirk and resignation.

“Guess you’re not going to say no to him,” Saveloy said, his tone teasing. “Go on, then. I’ll keep watch. Just don’t let him talk you into anything you can’t handle.”

Virtue took a deep breath, then climbed down, the cobblestones cool beneath her feet. Mr. Null stood waiting, his presence somehow both compelling and intimidating. She approached cautiously, her eyes trying to take in every detail.

Null was a strange sight, to say the least. His overcoat was enormous, the fabric dark and shimmering, like an oil slick reflecting colors from an unseen light. His face was half in shadow beneath his top hat, and as Virtue stepped closer, she noticed that his features seemed to shift. On one side, he looked almost angelic—handsome, with bright eyes that seemed to see straight through her. The other side was sharp, angular, with a subtle hint of something devilish—a dark glint in his eye, a curl at the corner of his lips. His skin seemed to change as he moved, half bathed in light, half cast in darkness, as though two beings shared the same body, each one fighting for dominance.

“Well, Miss Virtue,” Null began, his voice a smooth blend of charm and authority, “I believe it’s time we had a little chat.” He gestured towards the steps leading up to the mansion. Virtue followed reluctantly, her instincts screaming at her to be on guard. They stopped at the base of the stairs, and Null turned to her, folding his hands behind his back.

“You work for Paragon now,” he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “It’s not just an ordinary ridesharing service, you’ve probably guessed that by now.”

Virtue frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “No kidding. One minute I’m driving across Tower Bridge, and the next I’m in some twisted nightmare version of London. I just want to go home.”

Mr. Null nodded, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. “Ah, yes. Home. I’m afraid that’s not quite possible. Not yet, at least.” He paused, studying her, and Virtue felt as though he could see every thought running through her mind. “You see, Paragon is more than just a rideshare. It’s an intermediary of sorts, between the forces of good and evil that war above this city. London is a battleground, my dear, though most people will never know it. Angels and demons, law and chaos—they all have their hands in the pot, each vying for control.”

Virtue’s eyes widened, and she took a step back. “What does that have to do with me? I didn’t sign up for some celestial war. I just wanted to pay my rent.”

Null chuckled, the sound both warm and unsettling. “I understand. But now that you’re here, there is a way forward. A path, if you will.” He raised a hand, and a new overlay appeared in Virtue’s vision—an intricate chart, with tiers marked in ascending order. “The only way to return home, to leave this shadow London, is to ascend through the Paragon ranks. First, you must attain Vilon, then Rakixa, Shehalim, Zebul, Mazon, Machon, and finally Arixa status.”

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Virtue stared at the overlay, her head spinning. “Ascend? Ranks? How am I supposed to do that?”

“Simple,” Null replied, with a predatory smile. “You complete trips and tasks delivered through the app. Successfully completing these will earn you Kudos, and Kudos is what you need to level up.”

Virtue let out a breath, shaking her head. “Kudos? Like points?”

“Precisely,” Null said, nodding. “Kudos can also be spent in inns, taverns, shops. Both magical and mundane supplies will be available to you, should you need them. But to ascend, you must accumulate enough to progress to the next level.”

Virtue narrowed her eyes. “And what if I don’t want to play your game?”

Null’s eyes darkened, his expression turning serious. “Then you remain here, forever caught between worlds. And trust me, Miss Virtue, you wouldn’t last long in this place without growing stronger.” He let that hang in the air for a moment before reaching into his coat. He pulled out an old-fashioned blunderbuss, the metal glinting with strange symbols etched along the barrel. “This will help you. It will level as you do, becoming more powerful as you grow.”

He handed the blunderbuss to Virtue, who took it cautiously, her fingers curling around the grip. It was heavier than she expected, and she could feel a faint warmth pulsing from within the metal, as if it were alive.

“Great. A gun. Just what I need,” she muttered.

Saveloy, who had been listening with one ear flicked towards them, snorted. “And what about me? I’d quite like to go back to being a regular mustang--the car model that is--if you don’t mind.”

Null turned his gaze towards the horse, a smile tugging at his lips. “Ah, Saveloy. I’m afraid you’re part of this too. But don’t worry—you’ll level up as well. Faster, stronger, perhaps even more intelligent.”

Saveloy let out a derisive whinny. “More intelligent, eh? I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Virtue couldn’t help but smile, despite the tension in the air. She looked back at Null, her expression hardening. “So that’s it? I drive around, complete trips, earn points, and maybe, eventually, I get to go home?”

“That’s it,” Null said, tipping his hat. “It’s your choice, Miss Virtue. Play the game, or let the city swallow you whole.”

Virtue took a deep breath, her grip tightening on the blunderbuss. She glanced at Saveloy, who gave her an encouraging nod. “Alright,” she said finally, her voice steady. “I’ll play. But I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it to get home, ”

Null’s smile widened, a flash of something almost proud in his eyes. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” He turned, walking up the steps to the mansion, the heavy door swinging open as he approached.

“Until next time, Miss Virtue,” he called back, before disappearing into the shadows of the house.

Virtue stood there for a moment, the weight of everything settling on her shoulders. She looked at Saveloy and gave a small nod. “Let’s go, Saveloy. We’ve got a job to do.”

“Right you are,” Saveloy replied, his tone lighter than before. “Let’s hit the road. I’m ready to see what other trouble we can get into.”

Virtue climbed back into the driver’s seat, stifling a yawn. Saveloy seemed to pick up on it, letting out a loud yawn of his own.

"Looks like we could both use a rest," Virtue said, rubbing her eyes.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Saveloy replied. “All this talk of a war in heaven and suchlike takes it out of a horse.”

Virtue accessed her app, exploring its functionality for the first time. A notification blinked in her vision: You have been awarded 5 Kudos for successfully completing the trip with Mr. Null. She sighed, raising an eyebrow at the small amount. “Five Kudos? That’s it?”

She accessed the satnav function, searching for suitable lodgings nearby. Sorting by price, she frowned as a list of options appeared—all of them outrageously expensive.

“Figures,” she muttered, scrolling through the list. Eventually, she found one that seemed reasonable, albeit quite some distance away: The Cockatrice and Bullock—Coaching Inn, Bermondsey. It looked affordable, albeit a bit rough around the edges.

“Well, looks like we’re headed to Bermondsey,” she said, flicking the reins lightly. “The Cockatrice and Bullock. Sounds... interesting.”

Saveloy snorted. “As long as they’ve got somewhere for me to rest my hooves and some hay, I won’t complain.”

“Let’s hope they do,” Virtue said, a tired smile tugging at her lips.

They set off into the night, the glowing map guiding their way, as the riotous, fantastical fauna and flora of Regent's Park slowly faded behind them.