Fred POV

(WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING:

- Violence

- Cursing)

3 days have passed since the group of criminals and the demon attacked our village. I’m still angry after what they did to the old man… What’s more furious is that he was right. He was in fact a friend of my sensei, and we went to his funeral yesterday. I always think that all of this is my fault, but my sensei is always besides me and says:

“I know it’s not your fault, they were there before you came to the village. You even helped them in fact, because if you weren’t there… I think that everyone in the village would have been killed.”

He was right, but at the same time, I always think that I could save my old friend… Anyways, today, my sensei wants to show me something. I started to think that he was acting really weird since he said that to me when I woke up this morning:

“Since you were close to defeating that demon, I think you are strong enough… After breakfast, we will go on a walk. I want to show you something.” He said. 

Since then, it’s been 30 minutes that we have been walking. I’m really starting to be tired… It’s taking forever! Finally, after 15 more minutes, I could finally see a gigantic temple near the sakura trees that helped me know exactly where I was. The village… So there was a temple near the village, but on the surface? And also… What does this temple mean to the villagers? They pray for a certain god? I didn’t have the time to try to resolve my question in my head that my sensei said to me:

“Don’t worry, if you are asking questions about what does this place do, just watch when we will be inside”

Is he reading my mind or what is going on!? How did he know that I was asking questions in my head about this temple??? Probably because he knows me well I guess… 

When we arrived at the temple, I was surprised to see villagers sitting in those long chairs, waiting for a certain man with a big white dress to speak. My sensei simply told me to sit on the closest one and to keep quiet during the ceremony. I didn’t understand why, but I didn’t have the choice, so I did like Samado ordered me. Exactly at the moment I sat down, the man from before started speaking. 

“Welcome, dear swordsmans!” He started. “Today is the ceremony for the memorial for the lost of our gods. I am going to ask everyone to stand up and pray for their death.”

Everyone in the room standed up and put their hands together to start to pray. Because I didn’t want the others to judge me, I did the same, without even knowing what we needed to say during the prayer. 

“You may start,” He said, addressing us. 

Everyone then started singing the prayer that I, of course, didn’t know like I said. I was simply lipsing the lyrics. 

Oh God of the Earth Melio, protect us from all the dangers of this world,

Oh God of the Wind Mio, protect us from all the thunders of this world,

Oh God of the Fire Goren, protect us from all the hatred of this world,

Oh God of the Water Zo, protect us from all the deaths of this world.

My sensei and everyone in the room said this part for like 4 times before stopping. It was already the end of the ceremony. Then, everyone in the room left, all going to celebrate together. My sensei and I were the only ones remaining when he decided that it was time for us to leave. When I thought we were going to join the others at the village, he instead went in a path that was starting behind the temple. I followed him, without knowing where we were going. At the end of this path, there was a gigantic staircase that was leading to the top of a mountain. What was he planning to show me exactly? I didn’t have the time to ask the question because he was already quickly climbing the stairs. 

“Sensei, wait!”

He didn’t even listen to what I said since he was just climbing faster. Oh god, what am I gonna do…