"Why are you doing this to us, we trusted you.
You summoned us here, didn't you?"
Samuel blurted.
His hands shaking relentlessly, his knees were like rubber, covered his mouth with his hands.
Biting his bottom lip. Stuttering.
Heart pounding, at the same time, Samuel saw his friend's lifeless body on the altar
Limbs torn apart, eyes filled with emptiness, skin pale and dry.
Several more bodies lay scattered around, boys and girls who had giggled in class the day before.
Now offerings sacrificed to their so-called gods
Monsters pretending to be divine.
The last thing they remembered was the betrayal.
Tears in his eyes, trembling lips, hanging his head low.
"...Even you too, Emma..."
His little sister, still in her school uniform, was now soaked in her blood.
She only came to give me my lunch. She wasn't even in my class
She got caught up in the light that brought us to this world.
But they took her anyway, just another soul to feed to those bastard gods.
Where did it all go wrong?
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
The moment we got swallowed by the light in our classroom and were mysteriously transported into their grand Palace.
It all felt like a dream, like something straight out of a storybook, manga or anime.
A "hero summoning," they said.
"Heroes from another world!"
"Saviors of our realm!"
We were welcomed by the king and queen like honored guests.
We were applauded by the nobles of this world and cheered on by the servants.
"We need you to save our world," they declared.
Offering us gifts. Food. Wine. Flattering titles.
Lie's.
It was all a setup.
We weren't heroes.
We were offerings.
Bait's.
Batteries for their gods.
The night before the summoning, we were invited to a "welcome feast." All of my classmates went there early.
ME? I had arrived last.
Glamorous.
I had gotten drunk with one of the captivating servant girls in the kitchen.
Before I could realize it, I was out cold, Passed out behind the barrels.
By the time I woke up.
Exhausted.
I had missed the grand procession.
Noticing the eerie silence, No cheering or music.
In a celebration that was supposed to be ongoing, for at least two or three days.
Then I paraded out of the kitchen and wandered for a couple of minutes.
Stumbled into the altar chamber the next morning, then I saw.
Most of them were already dead.
My Friends
My little sister.
Gone.
Torn apart, all for some sick ritual.
Their "Souls" offered up to their gods in exchange for blessings upon their land and power.
While Samuel was miserable, the nobles and priests circled back, noticing Samuel's presence.
One priest gazed at him with cold eyes and uttered. "One survived?"
Another Avows, "He was late… unblessed… unsuitable."
Their queen clicked her tongue, hands on her hips. "A shame. He'll have to be disposed of manually."
Whimpering.
Heart pounding at light speed.
Samuel ran swiftly.
He ran through the palace halls, barefoot and dizzy, chased by silver-clad guards
Fervent for a way out.
Droopy red eyes.
Gasping for air
He had nothing.
No weapon.
No plan.
Nor magic.
Just pain.
And rage.
Before he could react, he was drawn in by an unfamiliar figure.
A muscular-looking lady.
Tan in complexion.
"Let go," Samuel murmured, forcefully pulling himself away.
"Please let go", Samuel begged again, with desperation in his eyes.
"...Shhhh..."
Her voice was barely audible, but urgent, She leaned in closer.
You're going to blow my cover, she whispered.
While continuously glancing over her shoulders. Her grip tightened.
Samuel tensed. "Who are you?" he questioned. His voice trembling.
"I'm not going to harm you. Nor hurt you," she admitted calmly. "Rest assured I'm on your side."
Bottom lip jutting out, He responded, "Why should I believe any of you?"
"Because if it wasn't for me, you'd already be dead." She answered.
"What do you mean?" Samuel tensed.
"Remember the lady that you were drinking with last night?"
"She is my sister, I asked her to purposefully get you drunk, in order to make sure you did not attend last night's grand party."
Widened eyes.
"Why" Samuel shouted.
"I could have....."
Curl into a fetal position, Unable to move.
Holding his tears back.
She leaned forward.
"I'm sorry for your loss." She whispered.
Her eyes searched his, it was filled with fear and rage.
A long moment of silence passed between them.
Just then, clang, clang, clang the sound of armor and footsteps echoed from the palace hallway.
She glided forward.
"I'm going to open a gate," she declared hastily. "You need to go through it, now. It's the only chance you have."
"A gate to where?"
"The Celestial Graveyard."
Samuel narrows his eyes,
"Where exactly is that?" He questioned.
"It's the land of the fallen gods, gods who died in the great war of existence."
"And it's also the only place they can't follow you,
The gods can't track you down or their guards, none of them can enter.
It's Forbidden ground. To all but the dead and the ancient."
"Why am I going then, since it is unhabitable?" Samuel tensed.
"Don't worry you would be fine, just wait for me there." She answered
"How would you be able to locate me, I don't even know you nor your sister's names," Samuel uttered.
"Like I said we would find you, but your escaping is my first priority." She declared.
The space behind her began to ripple, the swirling gate cracked open, and pale blue light began spilling out.
"They're coming," she whispered, "No time!"
"But..."
She yanked him hard
"Survive," she declared.
Samuel fell through the portal as the world spins around him.
Then.
Silence.
Cold wind.
Dust.
The towering bones of Celestials jutted upward to the sky.
"The Celestial Graveyard." He murmurs.
Roar.....
A Tall, dark and slender figure came out of thin air with eight arms and razor-like teeth.
Roar.....
Heart pounding, trembling.
"God where did it all go wrong" He whispered.
ROAR.....