Blood, dark and viscous, poured from the creature’s throat, pooling around the altar. The mermen’s chanting grew louder, more fervent, as the life drained from the monster. Derek watched in stunned silence, his chest tight with fear. Until now, death had been just an abstract concept—he knew he was in danger, but seeing someone slaughtered like an animal drove the point home with visceral intensity. His body trembled, the reality of the situation slamming into him like a punch to the gut.
A dark aura washed over him and the entire cave. Suddenly, symbols began to flicker into existence around the altar, pitch black in color. Derek wasn’t sure if they had been there all along or if the blood spilling from the creature had activated them. The patterns twisted and turned like living things, spreading across the ground in intricate spirals and lines. With each new symbol that lit up, the cave seemed to pulse, vibrating with a low hum that reverberated through his bones.
The mermen stared, entranced, their chanting reaching a fevered pitch. Even Derek couldn’t tear his eyes away from the spectacle. There was something mystical about them, something that sent a cold shiver down his spine. “Filthy naga,” one of the mermen spat, the contempt dripping from his voice as he wiped the blood from his blade. The creature lay lifeless now, his body twitching in his final moments.
Derek’s heart raced. That was a naga. If the naga’s death was just the beginning of this ritual, what came next? He couldn’t stay to find out. His body still trembled, but his mind sharpened with a singular focus: escape.
The symbols continued to light up, spreading farther across the ground, forming a ring around the altar. Two of the mermen slithered up to the altar and dragged the corpse away from the center, dumping it in a side like garbage. The two then proceeded to tidy up the rest of the cave bit by bit. Not even an hour passed by after the sacrifice when more of the mermen started coming into the cave.
Derek could feel his opportunity slipping away, the chance to escape shrinking with each passing second. More of them were entering, slithering and hissing as they took their places around the altar. Soon, the cave would be swarming with mermen, and any attempt to flee would be suicidal. He probably did not have the strength to face even a single one of them let alone all of them combined together.
In the blink of an eye, the cave had become suffocatingly packed, every inch of space filled with the slithering forms of mermen. Derek could feel the cold dread wrapping around his chest like a vice. The cave was alive with the sickening sound of hissing voices and mocking laughter as the mermen crowded closer, circling the captives like vultures. There was no escape now, nowhere to run. The energy in the room was suffocating, and a dark certainty settled in his gut: he wasn’t getting out of this alive. This was it. Three silver moons? He was supposed to have three silver moons? What happened to that? How had everything escalated so quickly? Was this it?
The mermen gathered around the altar, their eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. Their twisted, scaly faces contorted into grins. "Pathetic land-dwellers," one hissed, the others laughing in chorus. Derek’s skin crawled. He could hear their laughter, their words dripping with malice. His heart hammered in his chest.
Suddenly, the chief merman slithered forward. His appearance was striking, his regal presence amplified by the elaborate robes he wore, crafted from the depths of the ocean itself. His garments shimmered under the dim light of the cave, woven from strands of deep-sea kelp, their dark green and blue hues shifting like the tides. Draped across his shoulders was a mantle adorned with shimmering scales, each one carefully arranged like armor. Interwoven through the scales were strands of coral, bleached white and razor-sharp.
“It is time!” The chief declared, his voice sharp and commanding, silencing the others. The mermen fell quiet, their glowing eyes trained on the altar.
Then, the chanting began.
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It started low, a deep rumble in the throats of the mermen as they began to repeat strange words. Derek couldn’t quite catch the meaning of the words despite his new skill but he did make out a few phrases, something about an Abyss and a God. The cave trembled slightly as the chant grew louder, reverberating through the walls. The symbols on the ground flared brighter, casting the room in an eerie, unnatural glow. Dark energy gathered, swirling around the altar as if preparing for something unholy.
Derek felt a slight pull to the gathered energy just like the one he felt towards the water. His eyes flicked to the other captives, who were no longer struggling against their restraints but staring, wide-eyed and pale, clearly overwhelmed by the sinister force building in the cave.
Then, without warning, the chief merman raised his webbed hand, signaling the start of something dreadful. “Begin,” he commanded, his voice echoing with authority.
Two mermen immediately slithered toward Derek. His heart leaped into his throat as they grabbed him roughly by the arms, their scales cold and slimy against his skin. He struggled, but it was futile—he was no match for their strength. They pulled him forward, dragging him toward the altar where the naga’s blood still pooled dark and glistening.
The cave seemed to close in around him. This was it. He was the next sacrifice.
Derek’s knees felt weak. The air was thick with the smell of blood and saltwater, and the weight of impending doom pressed down on him. As they dragged him closer to the altar, panic flared in his chest. He had no plan, no power that could stop this. Every step brought him closer to the end, closer to that blood-soaked stone where his life would end, just like the naga before him.
Water fist! He waved his hands around in a mad frenzy using up all of the mana he had saved. The skill activated without failing him and he almost landed a good hit. Unexpectedly, the mermen dodged his attack at the last moment, letting out a mocking chuckle as if amused by his feeble attempt. The water fist, his one desperate move, had failed even to graze them. Derek trembled with frustration, fear clawing at his mind. The mermen tightened their grip, dragging him closer to the altar. The altar, slick with the naga’s blood. He frantically searched for any escape, any hope, any miracle but nothing happened. His breath came in short gasps, and the weight of impending doom pressed heavily on his chest.
Then it happened. Suddenly, a powerful tremor shook the cave, sending a cascade of rocks tumbling from the ceiling. The chanting stopped abruptly, replaced by murmurs of confusion and fear among the mermen. Out of nowhere, a deafening boom sounded, like thunder under the ocean. The entire cave quaked. The mermen recoiled in fear, their mocking smiles replaced by wide, panicked eyes. Darkness rushed into the cave. Everything went black.
Derek barely had time to process what was happening before the entire cave plunged into complete darkness. He lay still, his heart pounding in his chest, unsure whether he was dead or alive. He could feel the cold stone beneath his fingers. The thick stench of blood. What was happening… He did not care but this was his chance. He needed to do something now in the midst of this chaos. However, before he could do anything, he was yanked backward. It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed him and flung him backward. He was flying. No. He was hurtling through the air.
His senses went into overdrive as the darkness seemed to consume him. He couldn't see, couldn't comprehend where he was being taken, but the feeling of being propelled through the air was undeniable. Panic surged through him, as he felt his body undergo twists and turns as if he was going through some sort of maze. Drowning out of his thoughts, the screams of others filled the air. He was not being taken alone.
The sensation of flight didn’t last long. He felt his body hit the water—cold, unforgiving water. His limbs flailed as he tried to get his bearings, kicking and reaching upward. No. This was not good. He can’t breathe. He would be dead within seconds. And then it hit him, the bubble of water was still around his head. He let out a deep breath. He was safe for now. Safe? What was happening? What about the other mermen? A million questions cropped up in his brain. He was still in complete darkness, unable to see anything. He could only tell that he was currently in the deep waters. Probably somewhere in the bottom of the ocean?
He took in another deep breath, the eerie silence of the water broken only by the occasional distant rumble. What had just happened? One moment he was about to be sacrificed on a blood-soaked altar, and now he was in the middle of the ocean with no sign of the cave or the mermen. Had the entire ritual gone awry? Was this an attack from another force? Nothing made sense.
The water shifted slightly around him, and Derek stiffened, his pulse quickening again. He wasn’t alone. The other captives, no doubt, were also thrown into this watery nightmare. Wait. There was someone else? He could feel it even if he couldn't see anything.