Prologue

The Halls of Charity, a place ironic for its name. Here is where the Cult of Severenes rules the world. The seat of the giver is where the leader, the Eminence sat.

Despite vowing for a life of simplicity, Cult did not adhere. The halls of Charity were filled with treasures. Gemstones and precious metals decorate the doors and the walls. Showcasing its abundance over the outside world.

During evenings on the full moon, a special ritual was performed in the halls. Priests wore black robes and covered by red scarf on their necks. The acolytes only wore black robes carrying a pole of gold with special ornaments and engravings.

The head priest carried the incense and placed it on the altar before him. He bowed down to the the altar and the second time for the Eminence who sat on the seat twenty paces away.

The choir started to sing a religious song which was solemn. The beautiful voices of the singers give an uplifting mood. The voices which sang praises for the gods of the cult resonated in the hall.

After the song, the head priest chanted and looked at the acolyte at his back carrying the golden pole. 

"To the heavens, we pray, that the gods give us life!

The blood of the world may nourish us,

To quench our unending thirst!"

After chanting the head priest took the golden pole, handed over by the acolyte. Slowly and ceremoniously, he walked to the altar with the pole in both hands standing vertically. 

"O grant thee, the Eminence the shepherd of our people,

Grant him guidance and the wisdom to lead us,

May he be infallible under your watch!

Oh our great god CEREM!"

The head priest placed the pole on the hole in the ground. A loud clang resonates in the halls and everyone inside in unison chanted.

"Praised be CEREM! Make our lands fertile, forgive our sins, and reward us with a green paradise!"

As the scent of the incense filled the room the chanting ended. He took and unsheathed his dagger with his right hand from his belt. Looking back, a woman whose body was barely covered by ragged clothes was forcefully brought to the altar.

The Eminence stood up as he saw the woman. She was beautiful and her hair was jet-black. Her skin was fair and flawless.

She was struggling to get free from the binds of her hands and feet. Despite her figure, she was strong as the acolytes were struggling to place her on the altar. 

"Blood shall cleanse the world... and blood shall enrich it!"

The head priest again chanted.

"By CEREM's will!" Everyone in the Halls of Charity replied.

The head priest slowly approached the woman who was bound on the altar with his dagger. The woman could only hope to squirm, unable to talk or scream with her mouth muffled.

"May CEREM grant you deliverance from pain. Your pain in this world is over, be one with CEREM and his saints!" 

The head priest tried to grab the woman by her hair. The light of the moon suddenly turned red. The chanting stopped and the Eminence seeing the red light shining on the altar turned pale.

"This is not right, an omen!" The head priest in fear dropped his dagger and retreated from the woman. "She.. she is cursed!" 

The Eminence, however, shifted his sights on the head priest and ordered the guards to take him away.

"Wha... what have I done?" The head priest protested as the guards took him away, "I have been a faithful servant, I dedicated my life to CEREM! You can't do this to me!!!"

The Eminence stopped the ceremony as the blood moon represented a very dangerous omen. He ordered the halls to be emptied.

The woman to be sacrificed was taken back to her cell. She struggled and squirmed as she was dragged away.

"What in the god's name is this... vision meant? Is this a warning of the things to come?" The Eminence kneeled in front of the golden pole and prayed in silence.