Asilis, a world where evil has thrived for the last hundred years. Corrupt rulers and false gods run rampant threatening the people, bandits raid, cults sacrifice and their load is heavy...

Everyday, they cry out for someone to help them, someone to save them. But the true gods have already abandoned them...all but one.

A vision, houses burning, people dying... is that..? Mom? Dad? No....NO... NOO!!!

In a sharp gasp, Ray awoke covered in cold sweat. Another nightmare. Not a good start...

"Ray! Get down here, the village chief has summoned us!"

Ah yes, today is the day... the day of sacrifice...

The day of sacrifice is something that occurs once a month, in the darkest night where no moon shines. A boy is chosen to be sacrificed to Malzeck, god of the feast, in the hopes that he would bless the village with wealth beyond imagine.

The village chief says that just existing is a blessing given to us but in such a hellish life, i could hardly call this a blessing. Today, I almost reach 18, the age where you become a man then I can avoid being chosen. But, today...I feel, that I'm the one.

It's not a hunch or a guess, it's just I know. In any case, my parents will not miss me. I've been a burden to feed and clothe in these times. More than once they've tried to rid of me, now..I cannot speak...my tongue sold for WhiskRoot. A special plant that rids you of bad memories.

...

I've been chosen, sentenced to walk down the path of bones and into the cave of nothingness where I will be sealed up with rocks until I starve or go insane, whichever comes first. None are pleasant...

I don't want to die, why does this world have to be this way, why do the gods abandon us like so. I don't want to die... I don't want to.. I don't wa-...

...

It's been six days since I've been trapped in here, the silence has overtaken me. I'm all alone, water trickles in the form of puddles due to the rain. That alone has sustained me for so long. But I feel my mind wasting away, with no one to interact with. I'm going mad.

...

I've started digging. In my desperate attempt to escape, my nails and skin are scraped and bloody but I keep going and going and going lest I lose myself to the madness within.

Worms and insects, the only food I may ever have are swallowed whole. I pray they give me the strength to last through this hell.

I feel the rocks loosen but not where I'm digging, I feel the rocks break beneath me and the dark swallows me whole. I can't feel my legs and arms, I feel that this is my end. The only bright side I see is that I die before I lose my sanity.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

May the gods take me to their peaceful heaven as I go to sleep....

"Hey."

I can hear the gods calling...

"Hey...boy."

I feel lighter already, it might be my soul exiting me..

"Oi! Wake up you stupid bastard!"

Huh? What? Upon opening my eyes, I witness a statue of a singular snake, coiled around a pole, staring at me.

"Yes you! Wake up and smell the flowers!"

I must be mad, what kind of statue talks.

"I'm not a statue! I'm a goddess!"

Great, it reads minds too.

"Grrrr!"

Ray was bombarded with blinding flashes of light and the rocks beneath him began rising, pulling him towards the statue.

Woah! What the?!

"Hah! Believe me now? Or perhaps I should show you my true form! Behold mort- Ow!"

Suddenly, a mysterious shadowy figure emerged from the depths, covered in a black cloak which seemed to burn with black fire. "Goddesses do not show their true forms so easily...calm yourself Lena."

"...Yes Atos..."

"Good..."

Now turning towards me, the shadowy figure glanced at my direction. Has death come for me in my hour of madness? I wonder if it'll hurt when he-...

Ouch!

The shadowy figure had lightly bonked the top of Ray's head with the tip of a staff. "Calm your imagination child, we're not here to hurt you. I am the god of mercy and Lena is the goddess of vengeance, I would like to thank you for digging her up by the way. She's been missing for quite a while."

"Hehe! I've already told Atos we should switch places, he just doesn't fit his rol- Ow!"

"Hey hey, at least I do my job properly. You've been sitting under a rock this whole time."

Um, can you maybe help me? I can't move.

"Ah yes, of course. Come here boy, take my hand."

Atos stretched out a very disturbing hand, covered in scales and elongated fingers outstretched. It was definitely not human. But Ray, with his hands numb and most likely broken from the fall, used all his strength to grab a hold of it.

"You're a strong one aren't you? Don't be afraid, let my energy flow through you."

Ray felt a strong warmth enter him, like a fire was lit in his very core and it began spreading throughout his body. In a few minutes, he could feel his arms and legs and had begun moving around.

"Well then little boy. What's your name?"

My name is Ray Etnar and on the most hopeless of nights, I've found my light.