"Now boy... Tell me what you saw in the Ritual... I need to know." (Elder)

I try to remember everything but I can't...

"I saw... A bunch of people and a sculpture... The people were singing a weird song and in a language I couldn't understand... The sculpture... It was big... It looked human but with wings and before the guard brought me back I think it started to turn it's head towards me..." (Colin)

"Guard!? What guard... The only guards we had guarding the tents at the time were with me, defending them from wild beasts on the other side of where you supposedly went based on the footprints!" (Elder)

"But... There was a guard there... The guard didn't reveal their face but I felt some kind of... Danger..." (Colin)

The elder sits down and starts thinking and thinks for a while.

"Sofia... We might still have a problem... Rumors about a guard defending the Ritual have been going on but only one person has met the guard... And he is locked in the deepest asylum and the most guarded cell in that asylum in the entire world..." (Elder)

"What shall we do elder..." (Sofia)

"Come with me, Sofia... I'll tell you." (Elder)

They both leave and go to a side-room leaving me completely alone.

After they leave I see the guard once again... It is sitting on a weird throne-like chair at the end of the temple and is looking straight at me...

It gets up and before I notice it is charging at me with it's spear...

Just a moment before the spear hits my head the door opens and the guard disappears into thin air after one loud screech...

I fall to my knee and hold my ears and the Elder and Sofia rush to me the moment they see me.

"Is something wrong, Colin?!" (Sofia)

"I saw it... I saw the guard again... I don't think it is a mere guard... It was sitting on a throne and it had the intent to kill me..." (Colin)

"You saw it twice!? Indeed, Elder... We need to train him..." (Sofia)

"Indeed Sofia... Colin. Me and Sofia have decided that instead of you sleeping and eating here in Sanctuary for five or more years... You shall train. This might kill you if you aren't recovered from the stab wound... But we must train you. You shall train in the mountain near here with the Head Guard, Beneqith." (Elder)

"What about the other people who I met?" (Colin)

"The other two except Verrona know not to interrupt Beneqith's training sessions... But I'll handle Verrona for you. It'd be bad if one of her... Experiments... Would kill you." (Elder)

"Now Elder... My final question... What is the Ritual?" (Colin)

"The Ritual... Not much is known about it but I shall tell you the most I know. The ritual has been in this world for centuries... Maybe even since the birth of the Lords... The Ritual usually makes the person who sees it insane and they will then go on a quest to... 'Gather materials'... The materials they speak of are bodies. Many bodies... Based on the people who have seen the ritual... The sculpture changes based on how the person will support the Ritual... Sometimes the person who has seen the Ritual escapes it's reach so they won't become insane... We are part of the few.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

The only thing known about the ritual is... They are not good and they are planning on resurrecting or creating a new evil...

That is all I know." (Elder)

"Thank you, Elder... Now... What should I do?" (Colin)

"Go to Beneqith. He knows which mountain to train you on... Make sure NOT to mention the ritual around him. His wife became a ritualist and attacked him... He had to kill her in self-defense..." (Elder)

"Will do..." (Colin)

"Go boy! Go!" (Elder)

The elder pushes me out the door and I go down the stairs and see Kyo.

"Kyo!" (Colin)

I run up to Kyo and she turns around.

"Ah... Colin..." (Kyo)

"Hello, Kyo... Mind telling me where Beneqith is?" (Colin)

"Benyaqith? He should be nyar your tent." (Kyo)

"Thanks Kyo! Well... I gotta go now... Bye Kyo." (Colin)

"Bye bye Colin! I wonder why you nyeed to see Benyaqith..." (Kyo)

I run off towards the tent and see Beneqith.

"Beneqith!" (Colin)

Beneqith turns around and looks at me.

"Colin. What do you need of me?" (Beneqith)

"The elder told me to ask you to train me on a mountain..." (Colin)

"The elder did?! I'll need to thank the Elder later! I haven't had to train anybody in such a long time I've nearly forgotten... Now... I'll go ask the elder for permission to actually leave. Can't really actually leave with only your word, Colin. Stay here." (Beneqith)

"Shall do. They are at the temple." (Colin)

Beneqith walks towards the temple faster than I can run...

He returns after a few minutes.

"Permission Granted. We are free to go." (Beneqith)

"So... Shall we?" (Colin)

"Pack your things... I presume that weird sword that was near you is yours. It's broken though. Probably trampled over by the soldiers." (Beneqith)

"So... I'll need a new sword..." (Colin)

"Indeed. But i'll handle that." (Beneqith)

I go into the tent and pack all my things.

"Shall we?" (Beneqith)

"I asked that before! But let us go." (Colin)

We head off towards the mountain range...

I'm going to train with a giant. A nephilim... Yaay... This is going to be worse than the war... Is the war still going on though? Wait... Are my acquintances still alive...?

I'm going to presume they are... I'll train to be strong enough to go back to them and not 'die' in the war!

I promise to become stronger for the sake of well... Not dying!

And with that promise we leave Sanctuary and reach the mountains...

My training begins...