Trapped! I feel trapped here.
For the past week, I was locked up in a room, food was sent to me whenever I said I was hungry. The room had a window, but you could only see the clouds outside. There is no aura-tech on this island; it's just me and the holy scriptures.
I am sure Nyx got a VIP suite!
I spent days reading the scriptures; the more I read them, the more I understood how manipulative the guy who wrote this was. Questioning is a sin, curiosity is dangerous, 'just be dumb and do what I say' is the bottom line.
I mean, you enter and give up everything, what else can you do?
These were translated and transcribed to Meridonic only a decade ago. Someone claimed to know the godly language of Elthric, and this is the result. Maybe I am too skeptical.
KNOCK
The door opened, revealing Cyrun. He bowed and said,
"Lord Viktor, it is time for the trial," he said, excited.
Is he happy that I am gonna get burned for all the stress I put him through?
I adjusted my headpiece and followed Cyrun through the corridors. It was late in the evening, the gardens were lit up with candles, and the tael plant sparkled like stars blooming on it. I am weirdly attracted to its aura.
We reached the backyard. The high priests and the other priests were on the balcony, and Nyx was perched on a branch, looking at me worriedly.
The ground was filled with a sea of flames, raging waves twice my size, the wind fanning them bigger every passing second.
The closer I got, the heat increased, and I could feel my aura spike, indicating danger.
"Shall we begin, Lord Viktor?" Franc said, clasping his hands with a smile.
The priests on the balcony began humming low chants, as if trying to summon a god.
Yeah, I said I no longer feared death, taking it back now. I'm freaking out
Should I just give up everything instead? I don't think Dumont made me the heir out of love!
NO! I don't care who I am, what face I wear, I am still me.
I'd rather die than accept things as they are!
I took a deep breath, I started to walk toward the fire, the chanting stopped, Cyrun turned pale as paper, I could feel all the eyes on me.
The purpose of the trial: Feel close to death to accept divinity.
No one has been closer to death like I have. I closed my eyes, walked into the fire, expecting the burn, the pain, and, low-key, to wake up in prison again.
I spread my arms and continued walking blindly.
I waited...but nothing!
I opened my eyes, and I was on the rooftop again. I instinctively looked around for that strange woman to appear and say cryptic crap.
I took a peek and saw the car pulling up and the reporters clamoring around it. I moved closer to the edge to get the complete picture.
It was ME! I mean, Lucas walking out.
I ran down to get a better view. It was the day of initiation, and the other Lucas looked frustrated, and Ralph, being Ralph, was being supportive.
I miss Ralph.
I have to figure out something I don't know already, I looked around. Should I stay and learn what happened to Viktor, or should I go to the roof to see who killed me?
BZZZTTT
I heard a strong aura pulse near me, I walked closer and reached the fire exit.
The door was opened slightly, I edged closer to get a better look. I saw a hooded figure holding Viktor by his collar.
"I have no other choice!" Viktor choked out his eyes oozing with determination.
"We still have time, Viktor, don't you dare!" the hooded man warned, his voice distorted through his mask.
"I'd rather die than see everything burn," Viktor replied, pushing the hooded man away.
"What do you think will happen differently this time around! To throw away everything we have worked for till now! Are you giving up?!" the hooded guy yelled.
"Let me see how you pull this off. Remember who you are going against," the hooded guy warned, giving me the chills.
He pushed Viktor, walked towards the door, I instinctively moved away, hid myself in the storage closet under the stairs.
I need answers! What is going to happen? What did Viktor actually plan? Who is this masked man? How much of this chaos was orchestrated?
I tailed the hooded guy, and he went to the rooftop and hid himself on top of the water storage. He took his communicator, changed the aura-cell in it, and continued to tap away some messages.
Can I get close? Can he detect me?
BANG!
I stayed put, a bunch of masked men bombed the terrace, and the chaos that day was replicated in a matter of minutes.
I heard sirens, chaos, but I stayed fixed, hands shaking like I had too much coffee.
My forehead started burning. It felt like my head was on fire.
PAIN, the feeling of raw pain coursed through my veins. I fell to my knees, kept my eyes open desperately, wanting to find a new puzzle piece, while pain ate me away.
I heard footsteps, and a masked guy opened the door to the rooftop, leading a flustered Lucas to the rooftop.
Lucas looked like he won when he trapped the masked guy with his vines; it looked painful, seeing how he was the one who got trapped.
Lucas walked further into the rooftop near the edge, I wanted to shout, Wake that idiot up. I don't want to see this!
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I could feel my eyes water with pain.
I stood there, planted to the ground as I saw the hooded guy throw a dagger.
BZZZTTTT
The metallic dagger zoomed past, tearing through the air. Lucas turned, still wearing that satisfied smile, just before it broke.
I saw Lucas's smirk vanish, his eyes fill with pain, as he fell from the roof.
I couldn't scream. I couldn't breathe. I could only watch… as I died.
Everything turned dark.