Sacrifice
“By the way…this place is enormous.”
Concealed within the shadows, Rudell and Kurt navigated the Cult’s facility.
After exploring for a considerable time, they concluded that the facility was far larger than they had initially anticipated.
They had been wandering the underground passages for dozens of minutes, yet they couldn’t discern an end to the sprawling complex.
The only fortunate aspect was that the number of Cultists seemed relatively small compared to the facility's size.
Excluding the Cultists they encountered upon entering, Rudell had only come across fewer than five others.
“This is a disturbing place…”
“I agree.”
The old, moss-covered passage held a strangely unsettling atmosphere.
Was it simply because this place was associated with the Cult?
Or was it just their imagination?
“Ugh…the smell.”
Adding to the unpleasantness, an indescribable odor, as if emanating from a nearby sewer, permeated the air, making the experience truly awful.
“Indeed. This smell is hard to bear.”
Even so, Rudell was better off than Kurt.
With his already sensitive sense of smell, the pervasive odor was nothing short of torture for him.
Indeed, Kurt’s complexion had turned quite pale.
“Are you alright? Should we rest for a bit?”
“I’m fine… I can still endure this much.”
Despite Kurt’s attempt to appear unaffected, Rudell could see that he was struggling.
*It’s best to get what we need and leave quickly.*
With that thought, Rudell continued down the passage.
After walking for a while…
“Rudell.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
At Kurt’s call, Rudell turned around.
“I smell blood coming from that direction.”
“The smell of blood?”
Following Kurt’s gaze, Rudell saw a dilapidated, half-collapsed passage.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m certain. It’s the smell of blood. And it’s incredibly strong.”
“Is that so…”
At Kurt’s confident reply, Rudell let out a low groan and surveyed the surroundings.
Soon, he spotted a small gap, just large enough for a person to pass through.
“This should be enough to get through.”
Rudell carefully squeezed through the gap and emerged on the other side. Kurt followed, navigating the collapsed debris.
—Crash!!
As soon as Kurt passed through, the debris collapsed, sealing the passage behind them.
Both breathed a sigh of relief and continued down the dark corridor.
“How is it? Do you sense anything?”
“The smell of blood is much stronger. I think there's something nearby.”
“Is that so…”
If that was true, it meant there was something important deeper inside.
With a faint smile, Rudell proceeded down the passage.
A moment later…
“This is it. The strong smell of blood is coming from behind this.”
“I see.”
A thick, metal door stood before them, clearly indicating an important facility.
As Kurt spoke, Rudell lightly flicked his fingers.
Shadows rippled at his feet, extending and seeping into the seams of the door. A sharp metallic screech echoed.
Rudell slowly pushed the door, and it swung open effortlessly, its locking mechanism destroyed.
“Ugh…”
The instant the door opened, the overwhelming stench of blood assaulted their senses, causing Rudell to grimace.
Kurt, too, wrinkled his nose, seemingly overwhelmed by the smell.
What could possibly be happening inside?
“Light.”
With that thought, Rudell cast a spell.
Mana flowed from him, converging in the air to form a small light that began to illuminate the dark room.
And at that moment…
“…!!”
“What… what is this…?”
A trembling voice escaped Rudell’s lips at the sight before him.
Inside the room was a pillar, pulsating with an ominous, unknown light.
And impaled upon that pillar, hands and feet pierced by large nails, were numerous people.
Devoid of life, they looked as if they had been left there for a long time, some so desiccated they appeared to be already dead.
At a glance, he could count dozens.
The blood they had shed pooled on the floor, forming a massive, gruesome puddle.
“What…what is…”
“…”
Understandably, Rudell was speechless, and Kurt, too, seemed lost for words as they stared at the horrific scene.
Nausea welled up inside him, but Rudell managed to suppress it.
“Haa…”
After calming his churning stomach, Rudell let out a short sigh and looked at them.
Thinking rationally, there was nothing he could do for them.
He was a mage, not a priest.
Even if he took them down from the pillar, without the ability to heal their wounds, their weakened state would only lead to death.
“Rudell.”
“I’m alright.”
Responding to Kurt’s worried tone, he bent down and placed his hand on the ground.
—Crackle!!
Mana surged from his hand, spreading across the floor,
and cracks began to spiderweb across the surface with a deafening roar.
His mana, intensified by the surge of emotions, pulverized the ground. Shattered debris rose, forming a massive hemispherical structure.
—Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
As if finally alerted to the intruders’ presence, a loud alarm reverberated through the corridors.
“Intruders! We have intruders!!”
“Intruders in the sacrificial chamber! Move quickly!!”
Hurried footsteps echoed from beyond the corridor…
Soon, a group of figures emerged from the end of the hallway.
“…”
Kurt silently unslung the axe from his back.
As the double-headed axe, the size of a grown man, gleamed with a blue light, Rudell rose to his feet.
Before him stood a massive barrier constructed of rock.
This should hold for a while.
“I apologize.”
With those words, Rudell turned to face the Cultists rushing towards them.
He knew.
He knew that they were nothing more than devils in human form.
Despite this knowledge, an indescribable feeling welled up in his chest.
If he had to define it, it was close to rage.
A rage intertwined with a complex mix of emotions.
“Kurt. Could you step back for a moment?”
“Certainly.”
Kurt nodded, slung his axe back on his back, and retreated.
Then, Rudell took a step towards the approaching Cultists.
With each step, the shadows beneath his feet rippled.
They resembled a serpent, poised to strike its prey.
“Haa…”
With a short sigh, Rudell extended his hand towards the empty air.
And in the next moment, shadows erupted from beneath his feet, engulfing the passage.
* * *
Meanwhile.
“Where are you…!!”
Leje vaulted between buildings in the slums, her voice laced with frustration.
The moment she confirmed Rudell’s absence from their room, her mind became consumed with the single thought of finding him.
She had a premonition that something terrible would happen if she didn’t.
“…”
A dream she had once.
Despite the passage of time, she still remembered it vividly.
Rudell, lying dead amidst a sea of blood.
No matter how hard she tried, the image refused to fade from her memory.
In the end, all she could do was push the memory to the recesses of her mind.
However, at this moment, the resurfacing memory clung to her thoughts.
“You idiot…!!”
She gritted her teeth, a clicking sound escaping her lips.
How could he come here alone, knowing what might happen?
Their opponent was an unknown monster, whose nature remained a mystery.
Based on what she knew of his abilities, it was a monster he could never face alone.
“If I catch you, I won’t let you off easy…”
As she muttered those words, leaping across rooftops, a tremor suddenly shook the ground.
—Rumble!!
“Wh-what’s happening…!? An earthquake?!”
She cried out in surprise at the sudden vibration.
The unexpected earthquake was unwelcome news, especially with her focus entirely on finding Rudell.
The tremors beneath her feet intensified…
—Crash!!
A deafening roar echoed, followed by a cloud of dust rising from a nearby location, as if something had collapsed.
“Could it be…”
Leje held her breath as she watched the scene unfold.
In this situation, only one possibility came to mind.
“Please… please!!”
‘Please, let nothing have happened…’
She murmured desperately as she sprinted between the buildings.
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