Only Thing Keeping Them Alive

As the group entered the temple, they were greeted by a vast hall with towering stone columns carved with scenes from the mythology of Ur, the god of life and death. Statues of Ur stood throughout the temple, each depicting a figure with a long flowing beard and stern expression. These statues varied in size, some life-sized while others were colossal, dominating the space around them.

The hall was filled with the murmured prayers of worshippers who gathered in small groups to kneel and chant. They held candles and talismans, their soft voices creating a subtle background hum. Cats moved quietly among the worshippers, finding warmth and safety in the temple. They curled up beside the statues or sat on stone benches.

The group stuck close to the walls, keeping to the shadows and ducking behind the large columns to avoid the temple guards. These guards were dressed in armor bearing the symbol of Ur, and they carried spears while patrolling the temple.

"Ur, bless his name, what a temple," Ji-Hye said, her eyes wide with awe as she looked around.

Lilith spun around with anger. "Fuck your god and his worshippers," she said, her voice sharp and venomous. "I'll cut his beard and shove it up his ass."

"Oi, you can't –" Ji-Hye began, her tone rising in protest.

"Shut it," Soul interjected, breaking his silence. His words were cold and final. "Let's keep moving."

Lilith held Ji-Hye's gaze for a moment longer, then turned back toward the path ahead.

The group had chosen to enter through the back entrance for a reason. While the temple's main hall and front courtyard were heavily guarded, the rear area was quieter, with fewer eyes watching for intruders. This allowed them to move with more freedom, staying in the shadows and avoiding unwanted attention. The backdoor also provided access to a lesser-known section of the temple, where spiral stairs descended into the lower levels.

Lilith led them along a narrow corridor that branched off from the main hall, keeping close to the walls to stay out of sight. They could hear the murmur of prayers and the occasional clink of armor from the upper levels, but the corridor itself was mostly empty.

At the end of the corridor, they came upon a simple wooden door. It was unremarkable in appearance, but when Lilith opened it, it revealed the top of a spiral staircase that descended deep into the temple. The walls around the stairs were bare stone, and the only light came from a small torch mounted on the wall, casting a soft glow on the steps below.

"Whoa, what the…" Hyun-Ki asked, slowing his pace as they descended the spiral stairs. "Is this some sort of secret basement?"

"Why would they keep it hidden? A god's temple should be fully open publicly with no restrictions." Nia said.

"This is –" Ji-Hye started to say, then stopped herself, biting her lip in uncertainty. "Let's just see where this staircase leads."

"You won't like where it's leading, Ur-blessed," Lilith replied. "Just a warning."

"Yeah, yeah…"

The group descended the spiral stairs cautiously, the stone steps spiraling downward into the depths of the temple. The walls were cool to the touch, with moisture seeping through the ancient stone. As they reached the bottom, the sounds from above became distant, leaving them in silence.

Lilith took the lead as they walked down the corridor. The passage was narrow, with rough stone on either side and faint traces of old torches that had long burned out. The corridor was in full darkness.

The corridor led to a simple wooden door, its surface weathered and slightly warped from age. Lilith approached the door and signaled the others to be silent. She slowly turned the iron handle, the creaking sound barely audible as it moved through the corridor. With a careful push, the door swung open, revealing what lay beyond.

"The fuck?" Hyun-Ki's eyes widened. "What is this? Are those cells?"

The room they entered was shrouded in darkness, with only a single torch on the far wall providing any light. The dim flame was barely enough to illuminate the cold stone floor and the rows of tiny cells that lined the walls. Inside these cells were humans kept against their will, their bodies reduced to dangerously low weights from severe neglect.

The air was thick and foul, filled with the smell of unwashed bodies and decay. The prisoners were in terrible condition – many sat with their heads bowed, eyes closed, praying. Groans and muffled whimpers drifted through the room.

Many of the captives showed signs of torture – whip marks, bruises, and other injuries that had never healed properly. Bloodstains marred the iron bars and the stone floor.

"Our Father Ur, who watches over life and death,

We seek your mercy and protection.

Forgive us our doubts and guide our prayers.

We offer our words in your name,

For we know that without you, we are lost."

The prisoners kept repeating the prayer to Ur. They didn't stop; as soon as they finished, they began again, their words blending into a low murmur throughout the chamber. It was as if they had lost all sense of time, their only focus was on repeating the prayer, over and over, like it was the only thing keeping them alive.

There were at least fifty cells in the room, each one occupied by a prisoner. Though, four of the cells held corpses, prisoners who had died from neglect, malnourishment, or torture. Whoever was running this sickly operation hadn't bothered to clean up the dead.

"Oi, you," a guard said, stepping out of the shadows with anger. "Keep praying."

"I... can't," the man in the cell replied, his voice weak from hunger, struggling to keep his head up. "I'm... hungry..."

"Then pray to Ur! Pray that he gives you something to eat, fuckwit!"

"I'm..."

"Fucking start!" The guard reached for his whip and lashed it across the man's torso, leaving a bloody welt. "Fucking pray in his name! Pray! Unbeliever! Dirt! Shameless! Bastard!"

He kept hitting him, each strike leaving a new mark. The man tried to raise his voice in prayer, but his strength was fading. He was malnourished and already in poor shape, his body unable to endure the beating for long. The repeated blows took their toll, his words reduced to a weak, incoherent mumble.

After a few more lashes, the man's body went limp. The cell was so small that he couldn't fall all the way down; his legs remained awkwardly bent, pressed against the bars. He passed out from the pain and exhaustion, his body too frail to withstand the brutality.

The guard spat on him and shook his head with disgust. "Worthless," he muttered, turning back into the shadows. The other prisoners, witnessing this display of cruelty, huddled in their cells, their voices growing quieter as fear gripped them.

"Pray to Ur, Ji-Hye." Lilith said with a smile. "Or you're going to get the next whip."

"No, no, no, no, no." Nia took a step back. "What is this? This is not real."

Lilith's smile didn't waver. "It's as real as it gets," she replied.

"No – no, why…" Nia covered her face with her hand. "Why?"

"You're awfully quiet, Ji-Hye," Lilith said, turning back to face her. "Come on, say something."

"I won't say anything," Ji-Hye replied, her tone icy as she drew her sword. "Let's save those people."

"What?" Ōkora asked. "Why did we sneak here if we were going to cause a ruckus in the first place?"

"Hey, I told you we wouldn't do anything rash, Ji-Hye," said the Demon Queen. "Are you sure you want to save those people and disrespect your god? The god that blessed you, give you his power. Are you really?"

Ji-Hye gripped her sword tightly. "I am sure."