Ch. 3 ✠ Sacrifice

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She feels cold.

Even when big arms held her close to a warm body. Still, she shook. Her small hands clutched tightly at the dark robes.

She's afraid.

Of fate and its silly games. Of the growing dampness she feels on the shoulder she's crying on. Of the blooming pain and the sight of gold instead of red as it pours out of her chest.

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"An altar"

"Like the ones in myth? How people offer blood sacrifices?"

"The last rule. Prove your faith in the lord."

"What are you saying?!"

"That thing wants us to have to sacrifice one of us!?"

Jinwoo is tired. Tired of this one-sided game that this demon seems to be playing. The deliberate misdirect on that last one made him think there was more to this.

Uncertainty grew among them. Many are injured and are beginning to show signs of shock. Joohee and the other healer are trying their best to at least staunch bleeding wounds and most importantly, stabilize Mr. Gi. He was almost cut in half after getting near a statue. The early warning prevented that, but not the large gash hitting him in the spine rendered him unconscious and would probably need intensive care after this. There is also the matter of Jinwoo and Mr. Song's lost limbs.

The B-rank healer can't help but think she'll need therapy after this -all of them would- but there is no time to make a fool of herself and be useless right now. People are becoming paranoid, speaking of sacrifices and will be blaming each other soon. She worries that the first ones they'll turn to are the weak and injured if push comes to shove. Despite her need to flee and/or cry, she needs to stay and keep these people alive.

The statue moves once again losing its maniacal grin in favor of its earlier lifeless facade standing in front of the cage, its back facing the great throne. They watch each thundering step in agitation. While it was walking away from them, they were terrified that it might decide for them who among them it wanted in its sick ceremony.

Their worries were seemingly answered when suddenly, the hand opened and unceremoniously dropped its captive in the middle of the altar. Tight shackles and collar seem to materialized on the poor creature.

Its implication were not lost on them. Its offering it like a proverbial lamb. An obvious answer served to them on a silver platter by the god himself.

But, something about it all seems wrong.

"Is that?"

"Guess we've known from the start.."

Joohee blanched at the implication. No, this can't be right.. the only one who helped us.. this can't be how it ends for her!

"Even some old fool like me can take a hint." Sangchik started, "We have to sacrifice someone.." The hunter took out his sword and started walking to the altar.

"No wait!" Jinwoo can't help but shout. "I- I think we should think about this. We almost got blindsided on the last one. This might not be what it looks like."

"The kid is right, Sangchik" Chiyul said, stopping his fellow hunter from advancing. "That creature is the only thing here that hasn't tried to kill any of us. This might just be another test--"

"Then .. if you are wrong again.." the older hunter glared at their leader, "will you take responsibility and take its place?"

Chiyul was stunned...

"How cruel!!"

"It was a unanimous decision!"

"Mr Kim! Thats- ?!" Jinwoo and the others gasped, surely he was kidding! It's no use arguing, pointing fingers now and going so far as to mutiny their leader.

"Why not?! He proposed to be the leader and despite the vote, it was his final word that we're even in this mess!!" The older hunter snarled, raising his sword to their leader's throat. "It's all his fault. My friend who bragged about his family might not wake up if we don't get out of here and look around! So many of us now lie dead under his command!"

"Choose now, Song" Sangchik angrily pointed his blade to the altar. He doesn't want to be in this situation but Song has proven himself incapable. He'll take matters into his own hands if it means he and his friend could live another day... if it meant he could see his family again.

"You or that thing"

Song Chiyul stood still. The guilt he had been pushing back had resurfaced in full force. He looks back to the creature lying weakly on the altar. It looked at them with worry and confusion. This was an unexpected turn.

This decision is in their hands. It could be a trick by the stone god to get rid of the interfering heretic, or a mercy for the battered pawn out of this game. The creature -like them- is too pained and tired to care. Its eyes can only stare a silent surrender before it closes.

Mr. Kim has made up his mind Chiyul knows it. It doesn't mean he approves of this but he doesn't see any other way.

"Mr. Kim is right. It was under my direction that led us in this situation. That led to some of our deaths." Song stepped forward addressing the remaining members. "I'll bear all responsibilities"

"No. Im done with words, captain. We were made fools." He spoke low, looking at the burnt, torn, fallen bodies of their comrades. "All this was never about the statues. It was all about that thing! It is just like any boss in any dungeon, we need to kill it." Then to the dazed creature. He watched its unnatural eyes, sharp cut sapphires, filled with so much pity and resignation.. it grates on his nerves.

How dare.. we have been fighting hard for our lives and it already given up.

Something snaps in him when he saw small smile on its face as it lay on its altar.

"It's all its fault." He stormed his way to the altar, determined.

"Mr Kim! Listen - !"

"SHUT IT, SUNG!"

"No.. please there must be another way! We haven't even ask--" Joohee pleads standing in front of Mr. Kim.

Sangchik ignored the healer's protests. Having shoved her away, blinded by rage. They are young, too kind and got attached to this thing way too fast. Even though it isn't hostile, it is still a monster in a dungeon. Something that when the gate breaks, will wreak havoc upon their families. Don't they see! It was foolish to assume that it was any different from the things they had seen.

Even if they needed to 'ask'. No one dares to walk up to the chained guide and ask it. And there was no need.

The answer was already made obvious.

"I'll gladly bear this responsibility."

Protest erupted when he stormed fowards. Blinded by rage, he didnt see a red flame light up or the other's confusion. He only have one thing in mind.

The hunter stood beside it. Kim Sangchik held his sword above the chest of the creature. The sharp point pressed ever so slowly, digging a small nick.

Then he stopped for a split second. He faltered, not expecting the liquid that bloomed from the cloth and spilt out of the wound he created.

Metallic and warm. Its blood glinted in the low light.

Gold.

His anger subsides seeing the extent of its injuries up close. The tears. The labored breathing. White skin lost its youthful glow and was replaced with a waxen shade of those near-death. She looks like a ghost. What he thought to be embellishments in its clothes were where the hidden pains had seeped through.

Despite the ugly touch of death, its blood shone like melted gold. Mesmerizing.

An unknown feeling crept in him right then at the sight before him.

It made him remember that horrible time when his eldest was diagnosed with cancer. All those bad days when the meds would do more harm than good. The nights of no sleep on her bedside with no uncertainty if his little girl would wake to see the next.

The extent of its injuries up close. Its just  Tears spilled in his eyes. He needs to do this. Because he realized now, that they arent a heretic sent to truck them to their deaths. Nor a sacrificial pawn.

"정말 .. 미안해요.."

This is mercy for a kid who had suffered enough.

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She's afraid

"Oh, you dear thing. Fate has been cruel to you for far too many lives" A gentle voice spoke as giant hands cusped her cheek affectionately. I didn't bring any comfort. She can only see a blurry face sporting a maniacal grin and an air of self-righteousness and satisfaction bearing down on her.

"Don't worry. It'll soon end, little herald." They lay her down gently on a different altar. He wielded a gold-tipped dagger high over their head.

So very afraid of...

The sounds of battle. Struggle. Desperate cries. Shadow hands reaching out. Coldness of solid stone. The glint of a blade. Pain.

Of Dying. Dying for another's purpose. A sacrifice.

"Just not for you. Not in this life..."

She felt her hand reach out as the blade descended.

"I͉ͦ'̤mͣ s̝o̱rr̟͒y̞ͣ"̘̅

Hayss.. Nakakasawa na marinig yung mga salitang yun.

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A pale hand gripped the blade tightly till it bled. Summoning all their strength to stop it from impaling them further.

"What-- !?"

The fire lit up gold on the inner circle surrounding the altar.

"Please don't resist!" Too startled to notice the change, Sangchik tried to fight the creature's grip. Clouded by his own incomprehension to realize why it decided to struggle now. His eyes trained solely on the golden liquid spilling out of their hand dripping down the blade.

Its the answer. The end.

"Just let me end this-"

"Itͪ'̳l͑l̞̓ ̠̄e͑n̜d̳̃ ̥ṡo͚o͓n̤̑.̝͗".

At those words, it let out a terrified yell. A plea.

WAIT! Tangin- Teka lang, tanda! Time out!!

"Mr. Song!" Jinwoo cried out a call for action.

A third fire lit up, the leader had acted the moment he saw the golden eyes come back, blazing. Swiftly taking the sword from Sangchik in one practised move and unintentionally pushed away the man hard enough to stumble out of the circle. Causing one of the fires to go out.

Sangchik stood again, furious. "What do you think you are doing?! We need to end this! I NEED to end-" He yelled, hands gripping the other man's collar.

"Calm down Mr Kim and look around you!" Song yelled at the man pushing him out of his face.

That seemed to snap the man out of his despair. He looks at his surroundings seeing the two fires blazing not far from them. Those are new.

"Joohee wait-" He heard someone protest then the healer bumped into him in her haste to see to the injuries he inflicted on the creature. Another fire lit up next to the others as soon as Joohee entered the inner circle. He looked at the creature now sitting up weakly. Wide tear-stained golden eyes filled with fear and pain. The guilt ate at his heart, he didn't know why he became so emotional during that last bit.

The B-rank healer manages to heal the wound only enough to stop it from pouring out. That seemed to shake it out of what trance it was in as its eyes turned crystalline blue once again. It tilted its head in worry at her bleeding nose but accepted Joohee's hug weakly with childish delight. They smiled through Joohee's hysterics like they weren't almost sacrificed seconds ago, which would've irritated the healer a bit more.

If it weren't for the trembling of their hands and the haunted look she sent the gold-tipped sword discarded nearby holding. Diamond eyes flicked from blue to gold like strobe lights.

Several fires lit up when the others all followed them in the circle. After much debate on what to do. It was decided that everyone needed to stand in the circle. Doing so made another circle of blue flames simultaneously light up on the outer circle. At the same time, the great stone door opened once again.

Much to their horror, the statues bearing weapons started approaching.

"It's happening again!"

"Hey! What do we do now!?"

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Grabe talagaaaa.. alam ko sinabi ko na okay but goddamn does it still hurtt!!!! Eto ang mahirap pag naisekai ka somewhere with fantasy adventurers...

Everyone is too eager makipagsaksakan o mangsaksak. Hehe.. Mang Saksak

With a trembling hand, she traced the healed wound on her chest that still ached. Di niya maitaboy yung feeling of a mission failed succesfully? As funny as that sounds. A dodged bullet.

Pero may pahabol pa. Like lahat ng sagot parehas lang outcome sa huli. A fixed point not changed but altered. Unfinished business.

I died. I was dead.

Pain. Warm arms. Glint of a gold-tipped blade. Screams of horror.

But instead, the pain was healed by the owner of the arms. The blade discarded.

Reverse. She's in another world. Alternate timeline.

Then that means..

"세 번째 계명. 어떻게 우리의 믿음을 증명할 수 있습니까? [The third commandment. How can we prove our faith?]" Paiyak na sinabi ng lalaki.

What was that? She zoned out. He repeated it.

No. It is not translating. Hindi siya dapat nabuhay past this point. Di niya alam.

Out of the ten people nakita niya kanina. Only one stayed.

Ahh..

He trembles in sheer terror as multiple statues step forward. Closer and closer. He only has two eyes! And only one direction to face!!

He tried his best. Truly. A pathetic bloody sight.

She was Isaac and He is the Ram.

"여전히 여기 있어! 영웅이 되려고 하는 멍청한 약한 똥처럼!! 그럼 말해봐! 내가 맞아!?  [I'M STILL HERE! Like a stupid weak shit trying to be a hero!! SO TELL ME! Am I right!?]"

I should've died. I was supposed to die.

"괜찮다고 말해줘 내가. 잘했다고 말해줘 내가. 쓸모없는 사람이 아니라고 말해..   [Tell me it's okay. Tell me I've done good. Tell me I'm not useless..]"

Bloodshot obsidian glared at her with such intensity. Reflecting an amalgamation of Anger, Sadness, Desperation, and Fear. Before turning back to the statue just in time to let out a terrified shriek -a warning bago niya tinulak palayo si kuya from the stone sword that embeded itself kung saan siya nakatayo kaninang segundo lang.

"아니.. 항상 당신이었어요   [No.. It was you all along.]"

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He's afraid.

Of gates breaking. Monsters he can't fight. His family in danger if those things were unleashed into their world. Failing to keep them safe.

"THE DOORS ARE OPEN!!"

"Let's get out of here!"

"WAIT! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THEIR JUST GONNA LET YOU PASS?! They're fucking walking now!!"

"THE STATUES! They're approaching!!"

"No.. look they only move if you look away!"

"Don't even close your eyes!"

"Like the effing game?!"

"Yes! Like the fuckin game!"

"Fuck this! I'm out!!"

"Wait-"

"I'M NOT PLAYING ANYMORE!"

He is so very much afraid.

Of huge armoured stone statues. Blue flames burning off agonizingly slow.

"WAIT! Jang! Mr. Choi! If you want to go, help Gi and Ms. Baek get out! Both of you are the last able-bodied enough here"

"Alright!"

Of horrors and threats. Sweet temptation.

"NO ONE ELSE LEAVES! It'll create a blind spot and will kill us!"

Of smiling demons and their stone faces. Fragile minds of scared and weak-willed people.

"I've looked down on you and didn't expect much from you. I didn't even think that the weakest hunter would be the one to keep me alive this long. I'm grateful, Sung Jinwoo. Many people survived because of you and Joohee's kindness towards that thing."

"Mr. Kim Sangchik..."

"I.. I'm sorry! But my family. I can't take it anymore. I-I.. I'm so fucking sorry!"

"MR. KIM! PLEASE!"

And he hates..

The gratitude of the selfish. Deserters. Cowards! Time running out.

"Door's almost closed. I feel so stupid just now getting it but.. I think even if just one of us stays the door will stay open."

"MR. SONG-- !?"

"Joohee, You need to help Jinwoo"

"Y-Yea-- !!"

"My legs.. they .. I-I can't move 'em!"

Hates seeing girls cry. Making Joohee cry. Empty promises. Heroes' Death. Sacrifices.

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"It wasn't that giant lump of stone that's the lord of this godforsaken place... It was you!!"

I don't want to die either.

Enraged, his hand caught a feel of a hilt. It was Mr. Kim's sword. Its new gold tip looks out of place on its old and cheap metal. He felt a memory bloom in his mind's eye.

Of scared eyes. His hand was on the hilt as cold metal dug in warm flesh. Mesmerizing gold pours out anew.

The shivers crept violently down his spine he had to let it go.

"And by your rules when all the blue fire goes out.."

No. Yes. He just needs to survive. Last rule. Have faith.

"I can walk away. I can go home!! I just need to survive"

He rolled, hopped, and lunged away from hammers, swords and axes.

"I GET TO LIVE!!"

I'm sorry.

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He's angry and so terrified.

Of swinging stone swords. Desperate cries. Unending tears on rhinestone eyes. Blood splatter on cold stone. Pain.

"Why were they thanking me?"

"Family? I have family too!?"

"THEY LEFT ME! THEY FUCKIN LEFT ME"

"AHHHHHH!!!!"

Hates how the tough and cold, the stone sword is when it pierced into his flesh. Clothes heavy with blood. More pooling on his throat. Making it hard to breathe.

So much pain.

"Thank goodness."

I'm such an idiot... A hypocrite.

"Thank you.. I'm not gonna be alone."

Who fucking says that to someone!?

Especially someone you just met an hour ago. Possibly an alien. A monster that save your life just a moment ago.

"I'LL TAKE ONE OF YOU DOWN WITH ME!"

That's a fuckin pathetic flop now, was it?

He feels like he's flying. He can be so high. Is this his soul leaving his body?

Weee.. FUC--

Oh, wait. He got impaled and got stuck.

More pain then falling into warm arms.

Pale white skin stained with gold and dark red -their dried blood- wrapped tightly on his torso. He felt his head on her shoulder when feathery white hair that shone iridescent in the firelight, tickled his face.

"I don't want to die." He croaked out. Red sputtered out at every word.

What a horrific sight they must be. A picture of grief and death. Bathed in gold and red. Human and Monster. Pieta got nothing on this.

"Havent I ...proven enough?"

She nodded. And he feels that she doesn't want to either. Him and her. They watch as one with a huge saber ready for the last blow. He wanted to move away. Get away so she doesn't go down with him -he could save her- but the arms only tightened.

"Im.. fucking.. .sorry"

He is so very much afraid.

Of death and their sick games. Being useless. He can't even save himself or his guide.

Weakest Hunter of Humanity.

How fitting. He wanted to do so much more. So much more! He was dealt with the worst hand.

Yet he was too naive and stubborn to fold and now he is paying the price.

Lost in despair, he didnt feel a dainty hand slid a hilt of a dagger to his hand. Too traumatized by the sight of statues surrounding them now completely. Nowhere to go. Unconsciously, he grip it tight.

One chance. All I ask.. is one more. Chance.

Last of the blue flame fizzled and died. Time stood still. Stone blade paused above.

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ALERT

Secret Quest: Courage of the Weak

[You have satisfied all conditions necessary to become a Player ]

Do you accept?

[YES]     [NO]

Decline and your heart will stop in 0.02 seconds

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Courage... of the Weak. ..?

"You have proven yourself worthy but are you ready?" A voice whispers on his ear.

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ALERT

Secret Quest: Courage of the Weak

Do you accept?

[YES]

[✔️]

————————————————————

"Tapang talaga ah... As a reward, Your body will heal"

He didnt feel his hand with the blade pierced flesh. Only a new wave of wet warmth pouring onto his hand and shoulder. The sound of someone choking. Then a voice in his head speaking a foreign language he didnt know but can understand.

'Blood will color your path, starting with mine own. Ito lang ang kaya ko ibigay ngayon.'

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ALERT

[ Congratulations! You have become a Player ]

————————————————————

'..The path forward is one you had to do alone. A lonely path full of pain and death.'

Gold mixed with red. Seeping into himself.

He feels wounds healing. Limbs regrowing. Shackles breaking.

Everything stops. A bright blinding light. A ping and a screen now have a familiar voice interfacing.

—ͅ——̳ͦ—̖—ͪ—̮—̺̊——̅—͙——͔͆—̿—͙—

̂

ALERT

[You've acquired HOPE 's Blessing]

Rest̳͌ ̈n͎ow͕͌.̙ ̚Ḿ̮y ͖̋ẁ̝a̓rͭr͍i̻o̮r͆

—̿—̾—͓—ͮ—ͧ———̺—̣—̞—̘ͫ—͂——̖ͦ—̔

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