"No, that can't be true...."
Standing before Asahi and Isa, at a distance, was a tall, slender young man with fierce, long, purple hair, intense gray eyes, and fair skin.
Shadows consumed his body, his formal suit shredded and torn, exposing his corrupted skin, and a large, abyssal blue dangling tie dangled over his waist.
He extended his arm, slick with goop, and spread his two dark wings toward the ceiling. Smiling directly at Asahi, he seemed deeply intrigued.
"Well, we meet again, lord Asahi."
Isa slowly backed away, unsheathing her two luminescent green daggers. She sneered at the mysterious man, suspicion tightening her features.
Turning to Asahi, she leaned in and whispered, while the man's loud footsteps echoed through the stone hallways.
"Do you know that man?"
Asahi shook his head fearfully and stepped back.
"N... N...No, not at all."
Isa clenched her fists.
"Then why does he know your name?"
As Isa and Asahi stepped away from the man, preparing to defend themselves, a deep, lingering voice bounced over the walls.
"Oh, come now, my lord. Remember our encounter back within that wretched village in Pladtioa? Surely you must remember that, right?"
Asahi gulped and stumbled back, his eyes shrinking in horror as a vision from his past flashed before him while he dodged the man.
. . .
Asahi remembered soaring in the air, being held by a flying man they met when the village was still in shambles, covered in thickening roots. A glorious, masculine face that matched the one presently.
("You will know my presence later. Both of you were in danger. I take my legacy upon a centralized, flourishing clan residing within the continent of Vehemat. I have sailed the vast oceans to find you two...")
A lavender crow lunged and flapped its wings, carrying Asahi and Aletha across the air.
("All you need to know is that I am the domineering tyrant of an ever-expanding clan that commends and worships both of you entirely...")
Asahi's mind returned to the present, where he saw the purple-haired man and five other individuals, all dressed in different attire. Asahi and Isa backed away together, trying to flee from the mysterious group. Asahi recalled past events while moving.
(This... can't be. Is this what that raven man was talking about? Is this that "ever-expanding clan" that worships my sister and me?)
A loud, frivolous voice shrieked from the distant hallways.
"Well, of course! Your flow of power THRIVES HERE! Your scent, your... taste! It's true! He has returned! Our long-awaited saviors...
(How can they hear my thoughts?! Is there more?!)
From beyond the darkness, two tall, slender, inhumane creatures emerged from the black mist. White star-like dots adorned their attire; strangely, their patterns matched the exact hue of Asahi's attire.
"Come forth, followers of The Adtraic, and revel in our lord's return!"
White glittering particles drowned the room. The ceiling was engulfed in blinding luminance.
Asahi turned over his shoulder, searching for Isa in the brightness. He squinted, eyes shrinking in disbelief as he struggled to spot her.
"Isa...? ISA?! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
A feminine voice sounded out.
"No need to cry, lord Asahi. Your followers are here, waiting for you for thousands and thousands of years. Please, come closer."
Asahi shook his head and replied.
"N... NO! I have no idea who any of you are! Get away from me!"
Asahi's eyes broadened in fear. He felt a massive sting burst inside him, forcing him to the floor.
(It... hurts...)
An intense pain struck and pierced through his soul. He toppled and rolled down to the ground, writhing and screaming in pure agony.
He forced his vision upward and saw a blurry white glow shine from the distant hallways.
A deep, crooked voice chanted with excitement as Asahi and Aletha made rapid, queasy movements on the floor.
The entire room trembled; water viciously streamed out from the cracks in the walls. The room's darkness gradually gave way to light, revealing five more strangers.
Most of which shared the same appearance, except for one.
Despite being forced to the ground by pain, Asahi could see the figures clearly.
It was a beautiful young girl with short, sparkly mocha hair, long hazel stockings, and a dark veil dangling around her head.
"Praise."
Four of them knelt to Asahi, humming and chanting a ritual.
The veiled girl slowly approached Asahi and examined him with a sinister grin.
She giggled lightly and slowly slid her frail fingers over his skin; each second spent staring at him made it impossible for her to resist her obsessive actions.
Her calm voice gradually became haunting as her breath touched the two.
"Skin tender like a feather, eyes clear as the starlit sky, and hair purer than grace. Power still resonates within him..."
She knelt and brushed her palms together, glaring at Asahi with a smile.
"We have worshipped you and your family for thousands of years… and at last, you finally made a long-awaited return. Our grace will be acknowledged. For this is our love for you."
One of the cloaked individuals couldn't stand her selfishness.
He hastily bounced up and shouted at the veiled girl while the others continued to stare at Asahi.
"Young Priest, don't relish and consume this moment for yourself! Let us all harmonize upon our achievement and bow to our almighty Ruler."
The veiled girl sneered at the individual with malicious intent and hissed as she dragged Asahi away from the power-starved group.
"Young disciple, you're insignificant and unworthy to go anywhere near our Rulers' presence. Leave now at once and--
The disciple gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and drove a punch toward the priestess' chest.
"You egocentric scoundrel! This was all of our doing. Let us revel in their presence, or we will all go against you."
"Hmm… it appears you're not above in the hierarchy. Thus, determined by your recent actions, you have been deemed a worthless, demeaning follower of the cult.
You have zero respect for your leaders; all you want is their power. Scum. The cult shall banish you."
Asahi's eyes widened.
Cult. The word that came from the priestess' mouth left Asahi and Aletha in disbelief.
"It all makes sense." Finally, Asahi knew why the strangers acted so strangely.
All five of these individuals belonged to a cult, an expansive syndicate devoted to and willing to do anything for those they worship. This case is Asahi.
(Why did Isa leave?! I... I don't want to be here. Is this what she meant by danger in this place?!)
"You're selfish. You will be scorched into flames if the leader discovers your behavior!"
The disciple forced a kick through the priestess' stomach. She flew into the air and got pushed into a wall. The other disciples hurriedly stood up and charged toward the hostile one, shouting angrily at them.
"You dare to intervene with the Priestess?!"
The disciple hastily pulled his cloak off his head, revealing a young boy with brown hair and pale skin. He looked reasonably regular, nothing that matched Asahi's expectations.
"If I can't witness and gaze at our gods' presence, we have all so longed for years, then there is no reason why I should maintain relations with this group. You selfish--
Just as the boy could force no more words, the Priestess gathered a bright, magical white ball and lunged it straight through the boy's chest.
Enraged by the disciple's actions, the priestess stepped forward, kicked his face, and he retaliated with a scream from the pain.
"Selfish, insignificant woman! You never cared for your disciples. All you did was take advantage of us and get your way."
The Priestess sneered at him with disgust, kicked and bruised him again, then began choking him while smiling at Asahi.
Her 'gentle' voice echoed through the walls as the other disciples and Asahi watched the horrifying sight.
"For five years, you have proved to me that you are worthy of joining the cult. You did every religious practice every day, and yet… Now you're willing to relinquish your hard-earned work? Pathetic. Our gods don't deserve to have such a dimwit."
She pressed her feet against the boy's face, crushing his bones and slowly draining his life, screaming in pain.
"Please, lord Asahi! Forgive me!"
The raven man looked back at Asahi and made a doubtful chuckle.
"Pfft, as if our Lord would forgive you for your sins. He deserves better than to look at your disgraceful self."
Asahi's eyes shrank in disbelief, unable to scream because he was paralyzed.
(I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT! What is this deceptive clan? Where in the world is Isa?! Is this her motive?! To trap me with these idiots?!)
Asahi lost hope. He was powerless, weak, and absolutely vulnerable to everything and everyone. If he knew that this was Isa's trap, he would have never chosen to come here. He only wondered if Aletha was still safe, too.
As the chants continued, and his life had been completely drained from the consuming powers of the cult, a deep, familiar, masculine voice emerged from the unknown.
"I can't believe even the Adtraic followers would all be so selfish in their lords."
Asahi slowly turned over, and just as his vision had faded... he noticed a few features from that familiar man.
Dark hair, aquamarine eyes, and pale skin.
Asahi's voice trembled.
"T... Telos?!"
. . .