Warning!
The following chapters will *torture, blood, and gore*.
(This one is just unsettling, so it's still safe to read)
However, since they also contain essential key points, all of you with weak stomachs can skip to 'The night of Horror - Part 6.' Where you will find a summary of the important bits.
End Warning!
Leaving the sounds of music, dancing, and the endless strings of congratulations, Yaru ventured into the dark, silent corridors of the temple. He stopped once he distanced himself far enough from the ongoing party to lean against the wall.
The young teen rested his eyes and let his mind drift away. His breathing evened out, and his heart calmed as he came to terms with the new reality – like sour milk, it left a bad taste in his mouth and made his stomach churn in discomfort.
Yaru was still hungry, though. It had been about a day since he ate, which made him push away from the wall and start walking again. There was a place he needed to visit if he wanted to rub a few pieces of bread, a slice of cheese and some fruits.
It won't be the first time he robbed the place, but that didn't make Yaru a thief – was it really a crime to get what everyone else got for free? (Yes, yes, it was. Not that it would have stopped him had he seen it that way, either.)
He had no choice, be it food or a blanket. It was all taken from him by the greedy scumbags. They were real thieves – smug mugs and high and mighty expressions. Yaru hated them.
What he managed to sneak past them was small, easy to hide in his clothes, and not filling. At all. Yaru would have died long ago had he not prioritized his survival. So, Yaru did what he had to do.
He made it unseen to his hidey hall, took out his only set of dark, skin-tight clothes and covered his lower face with a piece of dark red fabric to hide who he was.
By the time the party was mostly over, he felt confident enough to go back out. It was late, almost three in the morning, and completely dark.
Soon, it will be time for the morning training, and Yaru had to be there to keep appearances. Stealing is a severe crime in the temple. Getting caught is getting beat.
To help with concealing his presence, Yaru pulled his meagre Kii close.
The dark-haired youth left the room with a determined nod and started jogging lightly. He made sure to keep his steps light and avoid making any loud sounds.
Oftentimes, Yaru preferred the longer route. This time Yaru decided to brave the shorter one, the one going right by the temple's Master Hall - the whole corridor leading to it is usually crawling with patrolling staff. Not today, though.
(That's not true, he passed them by only a second ago, but since they're dead asleep and drunk to boot… they might as well not be there at all.)
Yaru froze as a chilly sensation caught him off-guard. His body tensed, and his hair stood on end. Slowly, he turned his head towards the source – a set of double doors – long, dark brown and looking heavy enough to weigh a ton.
'I-It's nothing,' Yaru had to remind himself to breathe again, 'there's no one here, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way forever,' the young teen pinched his hand hard. The pain brought clarity and-
It's just that fucking room playing games with passerby people – that was the other reason why Yaru steered clear from this route.
He always felt sick for hours whenever Yaru walked next to that room. Plus, the room always smelt odd, faintly like metal, but not quite. And it wasn't just Yaru that avoided the place. Almost everyone refused to go near there, so when he heard a faint sound coming from there...
Listening carefully, the young teen could make out voices. Several people were speaking.
He should be on his way.
Ignore the voices.
Why is he moving closer, eh?!
'Stupid. Stupid, idiot! That's how you get caught!'
But Yaru was curious - no one uses that room. Why would they? 'I'll go after a quick peek. Nothing more.'
He opened the door enough to see, and the lights momentarily blinded him. He blinked and leaned closer, willing his eyes to adjust to the sudden light. Inside the room, he saw the Temple Master on a highchair, seven boys and girls kneeling, heads bowed, and bodies stiff.
Yaru was surprised to see Koryn inside. As far as Yaru knew, the other should have already left for good. It was the custom.
Each year, those who graduated had a party thrown in their honour, where they said their goodbyes and promised to represent the temple proudly before leaving.
(No one saw them leave, but it was common knowledge.)
Today, Koryn and six other disciples had graduated. Yaru had been in the ceremony and bid the other boy goodbye and everything.
Looking closely, Yaru saw that the other seven were the same disciples that graduated earlier that day.
'Strange.'
"Please raise your heads," The Temple Master said, standing up. All seven did so happily, although surprised.
From this angle, Yaru could only see his back. He looked far more intimidating and domineering than the youth remembered. Ferocious.
"Congratulations are in order, I believe," unlike his frosty appearance, the Temple Master's voice was pleasant and easy to listen to. "You have earned your positions with your hard work and your dedication. However," he pushed, eyes falling on each disciple present, "it is now time to tell you of the secret that was kept from you."
They looked confused but said nothing, letting the Temple Master talk. He took a deep breath, "it saddens me to inform you, but you can't leave the temple. Not yet."
The room's respectful atmosphere changed in a heartbeat at the sound of those words. The same thought cycled through each of the graduates inside the hall.
"For years now, the temple stopped being a safe haven," he confessed, "fourteen years ago, a bloodthirsty demon invaded our grounds. This demon was strong enough to kill twenty-seven temple tenders. While in his ghost form, this vile creature killed so many of us. We were butchered like animals."
The man sat back down as if burdened with those memories, "I could not stop him. It almost killed me as well."
Yaru felt a chill settle in his blood.
"All I could think about was... if this is what the demon was like in his ghostly state, what would our fate be when he decided to grace us with his actual body," the tone grew faint as the Temple Master continued to talk.
"We kept fighting it, but our swords couldn't touch it. Our Qi burned as it unleashed its hellish black flames. It all seemed hopeless. I saw no other way – I had to [Seal] it. If the demon had won, all of us would have been killed." the Temple Master explained.
"In the end, I managed to [Seal] the abomination inside the temple, weakening it more with each year passing by. I had not intended to let it linger. My sole desire was – is – to kill it. However, it was crafty," the Temple Master spat, "and before I could vanquish the demon, it escaped."
"We found it hide inside the humans in this temple, biding its' time," the man took a step forward, "and whenever one of us tried to leave, it would try to... catch a ride."
"As such, it could be in any of you right now," the Temple Master's eyes moved as he gazed at each of the kneeling disciples, "hiding in the shadows of your glorious soul. I cannot permit you to leave if you'll end up breaking the [Seal]."
"Since the demon could possess each of you, I would like your cooperation and assistance."
Yaru frowned as thoughts raced through his mind. What the Temple Master had said made him think. While Yaru didn't know much about demons and their ilk, he heard about their terrifying power.
They say that one low-level demon can level a small city by itself.
If the Temple Master didn't [Seal] the demon, it would have killed everyone in the temple just for shits and giggles.
Koryn and the other six are nothing compared to such a force of nature.
With their current strength, they wouldn't last even one second in a battle against such a foe.
The Temple Master stopped a second and smiled at them.
(Sad. Why does he look sad?)
"I will now give you a choice," the Temple Master said, "will you stay here? You could train until you become strong enough to battle the demon or move to one of the residential zones and give up your lives as an immortal."
The Temple Master's offer wasn't fair in the teens' minds. He didn't need their help. He wouldn't need it, ever. No matter how hard they work or improve, they would only get in the man's way.
They wanted to leave, travel, and see the world! To go on adventures, learn the universe's secrets and woo beauties left and right!
"Respectfully, master. Can't you check if the demon is inside one of us? Maybe restrict it to one body, allowing everyone else to leave?" Yaru couldn't see who asked, but he couldn't help but agree with the sentiment.
It's not like every graduating disciple chooses to remain. Yaru could think of at least three he had never seen after their party.
"There is a way to check if the demon is inhabiting a body, but no sure way to trap it," the Temple Master informed, "there is an untested set of runes rumoured to do just that, however."
"But before that, is there any of you who would prefer to stay?"
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