In the eerie forest beneath a sky adorned with twinkling stars, deep within the mist-covered woods, amidst towering ancient trees, an unsettling altar stands. The entire area is surrounded by flickering fire torches, casting a dim, dancing glow that lights up the dark night and paints eerie shadows on the gnarled tree trunks. On the altar, a large porcelain basin-like bowl, filled with firewood. Surrounding this central cauldron at a distance are, four sizable bowls sit atop wooden stands made from interwoven sticks. Positioned at the cardinal points around these four bowls are eight children, their faces obscured by the shifting shadows, with a noticeable distance separating them from the central cauldron. The air is thick with an otherworldly stillness.
Encircling the children at a distance are twelve tall wooden poles connected by taut red threads, bearing leaves adorned with ancient symbols that flutter eerily in the haunting breeze. The participants, topless with tattoos etched onto their bodies, gather around these poles, their features half-concealed by the murky darkness illuminated by the fire torches. Ancient and demonic symbols carved into the towering trees seem to come alive, as if whispering secrets to those who dare listen. Among them is Ethan, also topless and adorned with tattoos, his gaze reflecting a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.
The group has orchestrated this unsettling arrangement to conduct a sacrificial ritual. Leading the ceremony is a burly man with strong muscles and long hair, similarly topless and adorned with demonic tattoos. The eerie glow of the fire casts a ghastly pallor on his features as he intones incantations that echo through the ominous silence. A group of individuals has brought four animals of different species: an ox, a goat, a sheep, and a dog. Their muted sounds and anxious movements add to the unsettling atmosphere, as the remaining participants continue their unsettling chants in the shadowy depths of the ancient forest, illuminated only by the haunting light of the fire torches.
"Brother, here is the essence of the sacrificial blood of the villagers of the Rolland’s baronet," Ethan declared, offering a vase brimming with blood to Malachi.
Meanwhile, the cult leader, Malachi, wielding a longsword, systematically beheaded each animal, carefully collecting their blood in four bowls. Methodically, he mixed each type of blood separately with the human blood essence gathered by Ethan while chanting incantations. Then he filled the four bowls positioned near the altar with it. The air grew heavy with the unsettling scent of the ritual.
Malachi then sprayed the remaining blood across the ground and onto the children. The crimson liquid painted a macabre scene, as if the very earth were absorbing the essence of the sacrifice. The children, previously unconscious, stirred at the touch of the blood, awakening to the unnerving reality.
Confronted by the horrifying tableau surrounding them, they began to cry and scream, their voices piercing the night.
Copyright © [2023] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
*****
Kevin, Benedict, village guards, and a large group of villagers briskly walked through the forest.
"Kevin, do you know where the children are taken?" Benedict inquired as if he is testing him.
"Yes, about a month ago, after discovering traces of black magic, we've been investigating the woods. We found signs of a ritual setup, but it seemed incomplete. I decoded the symbols and deduced they're attempting to summon a demon. By reverse engineering, I estimated their requirements and identified three potential spots in the forest. They should be aiming for a specific constellation lasting only an hour or two. Based on their preparations, the spot we're headed to seems likely," Kevin explained.
"Sounds reasonable enough," Benedict nodded.
"Everyone, pick up the pace. We don't have much time!" Benedict shouted.
"Yes!" responded the group as they quickened their pace through the mysterious forest.
Upon reaching the ritual spot, the group was met with the chilling sounds of children's screams and cries. Kevin, taking charge, signaled for everyone to stop and remain silent. They moved forward cautiously, observing the unfolding scene.
Amidst the haunting chants of the cult members, the leader conjured a blue flame in his hands. With a purposeful stride, he approached the center of the altar where the bowl with firewood was placed. With a swift motion, he dropped the flame onto the bowl, setting it ablaze in blue flames. The cult members' chants intensified, growing louder, more impassioned with each moment, creating an eerie symphony in the darkened forest.
Kevin's voice pierced the chaotic scene, "Everyone, attack! Destroy the altar!" His command snapped the cult members out of their ecstatic daze, causing them to cease their chanting. However, they remained composed and defiant. The cult leader ordered, "Defend! Don't let them near the altar!" The cult members swiftly assumed fighting stances, ready to confront the villagers.
"Brother, what should we do?" Ethan inquired.
"Let's activate the magic as per the plan," the cult leader replied.
As both groups clashed in a fierce battle, the cult leader and Ethan began chanting an incantation. Despite the cult's formidable fighting prowess, they found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of villagers and guards. The tide turned against them, and they were soon suppressed.
At this critical moment, a magical fluctuation emanated from Ethan and his brother. Suddenly, a wave of energy swept through the surroundings, causing all the villagers and guards to lose their energy and collapse as if being suppressed. Even Benedict found himself succumbing to the mysterious magic.
"What did you do?" one of the villagers exclaimed. "Why am I unable to move?"
"Blood primacy," Benedict identified the magic being used.
"Oh! You know this magic," the cult leader remarked with amusement.
"Blood primacy," Benedict explained, "is a magic that uses bloodline supremacy to suppress the battlefield. When activated, it grants authority based on the most ancient bloodline within its range. It's a potent but risky magic."
"Brother, what does he mean by risky?" Ethan inquired, as he only recently learned this and doesn’t have an in-depth knowledge.
"Blood primacy is powerful, but it has drawbacks. One is the magic needed to sustain it. I've linked it to the demon lord's magic to resolve this. The second is its limited area of effect. Lastly, it relies on the bloodline's historical authority. It's risky if someone with a higher-ranked ancestor is present," the cult leader explained.
"For example, if I have an ancestor in our bloodline who was a duke, then I can suppress everyone in the area whose ancestor's status is below mine. But if there is someone whose ancestor held the authority of a king, even if they are my enemy, they will suppress me. Thus, it is a very dangerous magic if our luck is bad. However, not every king or duke can be referenced in this. Only people who are recognized by the world to be of that status in ancient times, such as, Gods, angels, or demon nobles, heroes, will be used as a reference. Moreover, the person should have enough purity of bloodline for the magic to recognize the traces of their ancestor."
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"Haha, we're truly on a different level from birth," Ethan chuckled, feeling special.
Benedict retorted, "You knew and still used it?"
"Our ancestor was a demon lord; that should suffice to suppress you peasants," the cult leader replied.
"But the magic's drawback lies in the unexpected presence of higher bloodlines, especially in an age where lineage is often forgotten," Kevin mocked, drawing a glowing sword borrowed from the guards. He lunged at the cult leader, aiming to behead him. However, the cult leader deftly blocked Kevin's attack with the sword used to behead the animals.
"You can move freely?" the cult leader exclaimed in surprise, then calmed down. "Your ancestor must be of a good status."
“You could say so.” Kevin grinned.
Benedict also attacked Ethan with a sword. "That's not the only drawback of the magic. No matter how authoritative an ancestor is, a powerful person can still resist. Just like me," Benedict mocked.
The cult leader chuckled, "You're right, but it's too late. The summoning has started."
The blue flame at the center intensified, and magic circles began to form around the four-blood bowls, connecting to the large magic circle created by the central blue fire. Slowly, a projection of a demon with a bull's head in a blue silhouette started to materialize, attempting to manifest in the world.
"The one we have summoned is a demon knight. Even if your strength is greater than ours, it is definitely not a match for the demon knight. No matter whose ancestor held the highest authority around here, they won't be able to suppress the demon knight. Hahahaha," the cult leader laughed manically.
As the demon knight materialized, it opened its eyes and let out a mighty roar. The magical fluctuation it caused made the wind blow fiercely, and its roar resonated throughout the forest. The impact of its presence caused all the villagers, guards who were previously suppressed, and even some of the cult members to faint. The forest fell into an eerie stillness.
The demon knight's roar echoed through the village, creating panic among those still searching for the missing children. "What is that roar? Is it a monster?" they wondered in fear.
Ethan knelt in terror, while Benedict dropped to his knees due to the blood primacy magic effect caused by the demon knight. "Hahaha. Welcome, demon knight. Welcome to the world of dystopia. I offer you the souls, blood, flesh, and meat of all those who are present here. Devour them," Malachi continued to laugh like a maniac.
Kevin stood his ground, though oppressed by the demonic pressure. Observing Kevin's resilience, Benedict shouted, "Kevin, destroy the altar. As long as we can destroy the altar, we can stop its summoning."
Summoning all his strength, Kevin sprinted towards the altar, but Malachi swiftly blocked his path, engaging him in a sword fight. "Damn, you can still move even under the suppression of the demon knight. You must be from a prestigious lineage. Why is someone like you here in a backward baronet?"
Kevin managed to hold his ground against Malachi, but the demon knight intensified its pressure, causing Kevin to stand still, struggling to resist with the support of his sword.
"Yes, that’s it…Huh?" Malachi, initially joyful about the unfolding events, suddenly witnessed something that left him dumbstruck. Kevin, Benedict, and Ethan also turned their stunned gaze in the direction that had captured Malachi's attention.
Copyright © [2023] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
*****
(Tia’s POV)
“Tia, Tia..."
“Tia, wake up."
“Hmm, who is it?” Tia, who was unconscious, felt someone shaking him. He came to his senses to find a worried Vina trying to wake him up. Recalling the events, he remembered they were with some village kids when someone made them unconscious.
He jerked awake to a worried Vina and the unsettling scene of a black magic ritual. Malachi was spraying animal and human blood, drenching their gowns. Despite being aware of their wakefulness, Malachi and the cult members continued their ritual.
“Where are we?” Tia asked.
“I don’t know. I think we are in the forest,” Vina said.
“I think these should be the demonic cults that the teacher mentioned in class.”
“Let’s go; we should run silently if we have a chance.” Vina suggested.
“But our friends are still here.”
“Don’t worry about them. Leave them be. We should get out of here. They will only get in our way.”
‘But…’
Just then, the children began to regain consciousness and started to scream and cry. Vina held onto Tia’s hand tightly while waiting for a chance to escape.
“Attack, destroy the altar.” They heard the shouts of their teacher, Kevin, and villagers.
“Let’s go, Tia; we will leave.” Deciding that this was their chance to escape, Vina tried to pull Tia.
“No sister.”
“Tia…” Vina is frustrated.
“Sister, let's wait for some time. Teacher and villagers are here; we should be safe. Even if we try to escape, we will only get lost in the woods.”
“Please wait. We can’t just leave our friends here either.” Vina is frustrated but could not say anything. So, she sat beside Tia while holding his hand tightly.
Various thoughts went through Tia’s mind as both of them continued to watch the ongoing fight and listened to their conversation.
‘Wow! Magic really exists in this world. And Teacher Kevin can use magic.’
…
‘Blood primacy magic?’
Tia saw the villagers and the children around them being suppressed.
‘If it affects all the people in the area, why are we still unaffected?’
‘Oh, Teacher Kevin is also unaffected.’
‘So, he is not a normal priest. Then what about us? Why are we not affected? Is our ancestor also someone strong? The only one I could think of is the Aldric Ravencrest. Was he someone lofty?’
Soon, the demon knight is summoned. His roar caused the children, villagers, and some of the cult members to faint. It even suppressed Priest Benedict.
‘Wow, the teacher can still fight even now. But why are we not feeling anything when even Teacher Kevin could feel the pressure? Is it because it is not minding us?’
“Kevin, destroy the altar…” Tia heard Benedict scream. Listening to Benedict, a light bulb glowed in his head. He turned his head towards Vina, who is also turning to him with wide eyes. They realized they both had the same idea. Both their eyes sparkled. They nodded their heads as a sign that they should proceed. Both of them moved towards the burning bowl on the stand and tried to push the altar.
*****
(Kevin’s POV)
They witnessed Tia and Vina, mere children, attempting to push the bowl at the center of the demonic ritual site, where the demon knight was being summoned amidst all the pressure.
“No!!” Malachi shouted, realizing too late that they were going to disrupt the ritual.
But it was already too late. As they pushed the stand holding the bowl, it fell to the ground, scattering the fire on the floor. However, the fire did not extinguish. The kids then went to the stands holding the animal blood and pushed them to the floor, causing the blood to fall on the fire and extinguish the flames.
This caused the demon knight to roar in agony and frustration as it was stopped from being summoned into the world. In a fit of anger, it swung its claws towards the siblings who had foiled its plans. The kids, now facing the wrath and killing intent of a demon knight, stood still, unable to move or breathe.
Just when they were about to be hit by the fists, Kevin, freed from the demon knight’s pressure, sprang into action while chanting an incantation, causing light to envelop his sword. With a swing, Kevin destroyed the demon knight’s remnant projection, saving them in the nick of time.
The children, now freed from the pressure, fell to the ground, panting.
‘Fuck, I thought it was the end for us,’ Tia thought in his head.
“Are you alright?” Kevin asked.
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
Kevin looked at them with deep thought, trying to see through something. But he came to his senses when he heard the despair-filled cries of Malachi.
“No, no, no, no, no… how can this be? Why? Why? It's you. You guys.”
With eyes filled with rage, Malachi tried to attack the children, but Kevin blocked with a sword. Seeing that they didn’t have a way to win, Ethan ran into the woods, further enraging Malachi.
Benedict joined Kevin in fighting Malachi. Unable to win, Malachi unleashed all his magic into a single blow from his fist, causing Kevin and Benedict to fly into the trees. Due to the impact, they started to cough. Taking this opportunity, Malachi fled the scene.
Kevin and Benedict, after recovering, ordered the villagers, who were slowly waking up one by one, to capture the cult members alive and knock them out. Then they chased after Malachi to search for him but soon heard a scream.
“Is it Malachi?” Kevin asked, puzzled.
“It seems to be. Let’s go.”
Benedict and Kevin went in the direction of the scream but were unable to find anything. After some search, they returned to the ritual site. They saw the cult members tied up by the villagers, with their shirts behind their backs, and children who were crying after waking up being consoled by the adults.
Soon, they started to return to the village after rescuing the children.
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Copyright © [2023] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
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