Blood, that is what surrounded the altar. Lots of it, and no signs of life. Bits of stone rubble, holes in the ceiling, collapsed pillars. Much of it was painted red. However many people were killed here, their bodies completely missing from the scene. The only things that remain are spirits that have become bound to this temple, and the stone remains of the building.
“What… caused all this?” Luci said, looking around astonished.”
Louis looked at her. “I said no splitting up, and that remains true here. We’re locked in here for now, we explore together. We need to find some way of getting out of here, with our lives.”
Luci nods to him, both of them visibly disturbed by just what they’ve witnessed so far. They notice that surrounding them are four more rooms accessible to them, two on the bottom floor, and two on the upper floor. The spirits seem never ending as they constantly assault the duo.
| Level Up! 2 Skill Points obtained. Parameters increased. |
They start with the bottom left, as they enter they’re met with rows of parchment. Most unreadable due to the age. However, a few remain partially legible.
“So many lives lost. So many sacrificed to bring our Goddess to the mortal realm. Our enemies are nearly here. If we cannot succeed, then our lives are forfeit. Goddess, I beg of you, I beseech your name. Please save us.”
Louis looks at the parchment with a puzzled expression. “Bringing the goddess to us? What are they talking about? I thought their entire goal was to create their ‘Perfect Being’.”
The next parchment reads; “The other sect… Those heretics. They dare attack us with their abomination of a ‘goddess’. They’ve invaded the sanctum, I fear our cause is done for. Goddess… I am sorry.”
“There’s two sects of this cult, and they’re in conflict with each other?” Luci looks at Louis, none of what’s been mentioned so far were in agreement with the explanation that he gave earlier.
“Not only that, but if the destruction of the cult was orchestrated by this second sect. Then could the cult itself still be alive?”
Louis stares at Luci in horror with the realization that the dangerous cult that orchestrated unimaginable horrors may still be active without anyone being the wiser. The two slowly walk back to the main altar room, they see something that wasn't there previously: a spirit leaning over the altar, their ghastly body hunched over in prayer.
“Please, my Goddess... Even in death, I pray. I pray to you so that we may find peace. Destroy that abomination that has destroyed our order. Our souls desire nothing more than to return to your embrace.” Their voice echoes through the ruined temple, Luci and Louis slowly walk over to them. As the two get closer, they see a spirit that has lost almost all recognizability as a human. They look almost like an apparition, nobody could tell who they were, though their voice was noticeably masculine. They sounded like an elderly man who was unimaginably tired from life's many struggles.
The two approach the spirit who turns around and sees the two standing in the pews in front of the altar. "You... Did the goddess finally answer my prayers? You two, pray tell me who sent you here?"
Luci looks at the spirit. "Nobody did. We were going to rest for the night in the forest, until we were woken up lying right outside the temple. After that... we felt forced to go inside, our bodies were acting out of our control. Then we got locked in here."
"Then!" The spirit sounds very excited as he hears this news. "There can be no mistake. You two had to be sent here by the Goddess to save us! Oh joyous day, we have been waiting for ages for our souls to be saved and now that time is finally upon us! Rejoice souls of the Eclipse! Rejoice!"
Louis speaks next. "What exactly are you asking for us to do. Keep in mind, you're still a member of that horrid Eclipse Cult. We have no reason to even entertain the thought of assisting you."
The spirit nods his ghastly head. "I understand. Much evil has been committed under our name, and our sect is no different. However, that should mean you understand why it's important that you destroy that abominable creature that remains captive in our sanctum. It is a product from those heretics from the Empire. Those blasted alchemists think they could just create the Perfect Being. Blasphemy."
Luci nods back and looks at Louis. "I see no reason not to, honestly."
Louis looks back at her. "Yeah, I get it." He turns back to the spirit. "Alright, we'll do it. Just lead us to this inner sanctum."
"Gladly!" The spirit responds joyfully. "Remove the bowl from the altar and the path will present itself." The spirit vanishes with these words, leaving the two alone. Louis then lifts up the bowl on the altar and sets it down on the floor. As he does so, they both hear the sound of stones shifting and moving above them. Some dust and dirt falling down onto the ground below. They both look up and find a hole in the wall that was not there before. They couldn't quite tell from below, but it seemed as if it was a pathway of sorts.
Luci looks at it and then at Louis. “Guess that's where the sanctum is."
“Guess so.” They begin to walk up the stairs to the second floor of the temple.
The two walk up onto the second floor, seeing a circular pathway connecting the two sides. The pathway to the inner sanctum in the center of the pathway. As they walk through the path, it opens into a large room with a ritual circle in the center. More rubble lining the room. In the center of the circle is a young girl. A girl that looks nearly identical to Luci, but with vacant red eyes lacking any sense of emotion. She just stands there, unmoving. Unthinking. At her side is a large black scythe with a blade dyed crimson. Pools of dried blood surround her. At first glance she seems non-hostile and almost completely mentally absent. However she is acutely aware of the two people that have walked into the room. Her eyes constantly watching their movements, her eyes especially focused on Luci.
Luci and Louis look at her, and then at each other.
“What the hell?!”
