Nico was tied to a chair. Clouds blacked the sun’s warmth, leaving his small body cold. The chair was rough and poorly made, shoving splinters into his body. There were about a hundred or so more in chairs.

“Hail Lord Eviphor!” The crowd’s cheers echoed around the island. The cave whispered back, each chant being sent back in a more chilling voice. Nico struggled in the chair, but the ropes were tight.

A man in gray filthy robes stepped forward and addressed the cave. “Lord Eviphor, we, your humble servants, celebrate the thousandth year of our people.” The man bowed to the cave, and all the gathered people followed.

“Bring them forth,” The priest ordered. Men hauled the chairs up and set them at the mouth of the cave. Nico had a sense of deja vu starting into the darkness.

Hours passed and the people slowly trickled away, leaving the kids stuck. Nico squirmed, but it was futile. After struggling for hours, he finally stopped, laying back exhausted.

This was the nightmare spell. Trials created by the Spell to test infected people. Those who survive attain power, and the rest die.

“He finally stopped moving, I won.” The boy next to Nico said to another.

“It’s not like I care, this is our last night.” The other boy replied. Nico ignored their conversation.

‘How did Rio describe this?’ Nico thought hard trying to remember everything Rio had told him about the Spell. The Spell presents tests to aspirants.

‘Status,’ Nico thought. Nothing. ‘Runes?’ words glimmered as they appeared in the air. He started reading and was confused.

Name: Nicollo

True Name: ---

Rank: Aspirant

Soul Core: dormant

Memories: [Redacted] [Redacted]....

Echos: [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]....

Attributes: [One Path]

Aspect: [Redacted]

‘Redacted?’ Rio hadn’t told him about anything like this happening. Nico tried to pull on the echos, but it was like pulling on air, visible yet untouchable.

‘What is wrong with the Spell?’ In every nightmare, people gained attributes, and aspects to help them on their trial. But not only was his aspect missing, but he only had one vague attribute.

‘Luck will be on your side? What kind of fortune cookie bull is that?’

“So why’d they tie you up?” Nico looked away from the runes. The boy who addressed him was sitting on the arm of his chair, squashing his own arm. Nico tried to think, but all he remembered was waking up in this chair.

“He is obviously a heretic, didn’t you pay attention Jude Aleer?” The third boy got up from his chair, confusing Nico even more.

‘Where are their ropes?’

“Sorry, I am not such a bookworm like you Mat chewer.”

“What do you mean heretic?”

“See, he doesn’t even know his people are wrong.” The boy sneered and leaned forward. “You savages don’t have an ounce of sense. Makes sense since your god abandoned you.”

“I’d say your parents don’t have an ounce of sense naming you. Mat Chaser? When are we chasing things on a boat?”

“I’m trying to be intimidating, stop ruining it.” Mat gave an irritated look at Jude.

“Try lounging around in miserable armor like the war god people, then you can intimidate. Those brooding men have mastered the art.”

“I’m telling you I’m rolling my eyes since you can’t see or understand the gesture.” Mat turned back to his chair and sat down.

“Ignore the brooding boy. I’m Jude.” Jude put a hand out, then took it back when he remembered that Nico was tied up.

“I’ll be your friend until this is all over.”

“What is this?”

“Salvation.” Jude shrugged and turned his chair to face Nico. “Every one hundred years the Voyagers come to the island and children offer themselves to the Storm God to ensure their prosperity.” Jude tilted his head. “That big spooky cave is Lord Eviphor’s house, who is a conduit to the god.”

“Why would you volunteer to be a sacrifice?”

“This isn’t death heretic, it’s rebirth.” Mat said. “Those who have lost their families at sea get a chance to be reborn.”

“Isn’t that more of the Beast god’s thing?” Nico asked. If there was one thing he remembered, it was facts from Naomi.

“Do you--”

“Actually, that's a good point.” Jude interrupted Mat. Nico guessed he was thinking, it was hard to tell in the dark.

“They should have tied you up as well.” Mat snorted. “The Storm god is a guide to the lost, so no it’s a wholly Storm god thing.”

Nico was getting an urge to smack this pompous Mat. Sadly his hands were tied. The stars flickered on, one by one, until the whole night sky was a field of bright flowers. Nico yawned, somehow feeling relaxed.

“How long does this take?”

‘Don’t know. We leave before the sacrifices are taken away.” Jude looked back at the ocean, which was reflecting the sky. “But it shouldn’t be long.” To react to his words, the cave let out a hot breath. Nico’s anxiety had returned and he struggled in the ropes. Mat and Jude simply looked forward. The other kids all sat quietly looking at the cave.

Torches ignited along the cave walls, and a figure walked up stone steps. The robe it wore was soggy, with moss growing on the black fabric. The figure took out a hand with long slender fingers and removed its hood.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

A young person with dirty blonde hair smiled at them. He stood there looking at the numerous number of kids with his stormy gray eyes. His features were sharp, and his smiling lips thin. Mat was the first to speak.

“Lord Eviphor?” The boy sounded excited and stood up. Although a cloudless sky can not rain, Nico felt it. Mat’s body fell to the ground and the man wiped the blood onto his robe.

“Do not get up. You will dirty your feet before the journey.” The man talked sweetly, like he hadn’t impaled a boy infront of them.

Nico forgot about the robes and tried to make himself as small as possible. The man’s eyes were now a symbol of death to him. There was a rush of fear and whispers, but no one moved, lest they incur the man’s wrath.

“Why did you kill him?” Jude asked slowly.

“I didn’t, I simply calmed him.” Eviphor picked up Mat, who was vacant, with a hole in his shoulder, just big enough for a finger.

“How is that calm?” Nico found the courage to ask.

“His mind is blank, I can think of no better form of calmness.” Eviphor snapped his fingers and the chairs lifted. Nico looked down to see crabs carrying the chairs.

Eviphor smiled and turned back to the cave.

Nico really did have a strong sense of deja vu.

Mat snapped back to his senses during the journey, and quietly whimpered to himself. Nico kind of pitied the boy, but he had his own problems.

The first nightmare required the aspirant to complete a trail. Slay a beast, or something. Right now all indications point to Eviphor.

‘How am I supposed to kill that?’

“The Storm god is honored to have you offer yourselves to him. I am glad. Perhaps a story of your pasts?” Eviphor turned his head to the kids. Being in front was not a good thing. Mat avoided the man’s unnerving eyes. Jude shrugged his shoulders, so Eviphor’s eyes landed on Nico.

“A follower of the beast god. Quite rare to see one here.” Eviphor commented. “You should have a story to tell.”

“What exactly is it that you do here?” The man laughed. For all intents and purposes, Eviphor was more of a child. A deadly and frightening one, but one.

“I am the priest of the Lone Shore Island, and a proxy for the god should I find any unfortunate souls. I help them find their way.” Nico shivered at the meaning in his words. “As for you all, it is my job to prepare you for your ascension.”

Eviphor stopped at a tall wall that was covered by flowing water. The man placed his finger in the water, sending a ripple. The water rumbled and parted, pulling the stones with it. Beyond the doors, was a black hallway.

“Your journey begins.” Eviphor cut the ropes holding Nico and gestured to the hall.

“Make it to the otherside to meet our god.” He declared to the rest of the kids.

“And if we don’t?” Jude asked.

“You will meet them either way.” Eviphor smiled.

“Disaster from darkest day. A guide for those left astray. Oh gods forgotten by hearts so rotten. The sea alone, weeps the throne.” The boy sang and brushed his hair. “I will meet you on the other side.” He stepped into the hall and with a rush of wind, he was gone. The only thing left of him were the ripples from where he stepped. Nico stood up in the slightly flooded corridor.

“What the hell is this?” Nico demanded. Mat and Jude didn’t answer and looked back to where they came from. The torches were still lit. The hundreds of kids crowded the area, confused and frightened. Some had the courage to march into the hall and vanished out of sight.

“We should go back.” Nico said. Jude shook his head.

“This is a chance for us.” He said. “To live again.” He turned and stepped into the hall and walked. His feet splashed in the water on the floor and he was gone. Mat looked between the two passages and stepped up with Nico.

“Forget this. That man is Bat dung crazy.” Nico pulled a torch from the holder and started walking back up the stairs. Several other kids followed, none so eager to meet Eviphor again.

“So does your god have some messed up ritual like this?” Mat asked. Nico ignored his question and focused on walking. The stairs were steep and numerous, and if he slipped, he’d be falling for a while.

“Hello? Earth to someone.” Nico noted that Mat had stopped calling him heretic, probably due to his falling out with his own religion.

“I have a name.” Nico said.

“He speaks. What is it?”

“Nico.”

“Alright Nico, what do your people believe in?”

“A convert? I thought you were devoted to the Storm God.”

“When a priest stabs you for standing up, I think it's reasonable for anyone to want to convert.”

“To be frank, I have no idea what we believe in. I kinda just went with the flow.” Nico hadn’t cared about religion. Something like that wasn’t in the mind of a rat.

Nico recalled the time that his mom would come home with stories from the dream realm. Stories of monsters, of gods, and divine forces. Then his ears perked. He stopped and listened. There was the sound of trickling water. Nico looked back down the stairs, and saw water flowing past the group’s feet. Then he realized it was coming from above. His feet were so cold he couldn’t feel the water.

‘Curses,’ Nico looked up and saw a giant wave of water rushing down the cave. Mat saw it too and started running down.

It was too late, and they were all bashed by the water. Nico spun and rolled, hitting against the walls of the cave several times.

‘Damn this Spell,’ Nico could only curse to himself as he was washed down the cave. Nico only knew a whirlpool of limps on his way down, hearing and feeling things break. His back landed hard onto stone and after a tortuous moment, he could breath.

‘I now know what it’s like to be flushed.” Nico grimaced and sat up. His body ached with every movement. Mat was nearby flopping around like a fish. The water had washed all of them back down and into the maze.

Nico shuddered when he saw the scene before him. Many of the kids were dead. Arms and legs folded to create abstract shapes. Blood outlined the twists in their bodies, and stained the water. Worst of all were the ones who survived such brutal damage. Their wails hurt Nico’s mind more than his ears and he took the cowards way out. He closed his eyes and huddled against the wall.

He held his hands over his ears, trying to take his mind somewhere else other than the voices crying out. Whatever semblance of confidence Nico had was shattered.

‘This is hell.’

Hours passed, until the last voice stopped. Nico held his head looking into the darkness. A river of red flowed as a reminder to the horror that happened. Finally, Nico was able to lower his hands. He looked into the water. A pale boy with a forlorn expression looked back.

Nico stayed there, looking at his reflection, letting the red mist cover his image. By the time he couldn’t make out his reflection, Nico finally stood up.

He vomited. He emptied everything. The number of survivors were small in comparison to the ones that died. Death was usually slow. Like someone running until they just can’t anymore, this was something worse.

Nico found something in him to push him to walk over the corpses of other kids. Until it was all behind him. Except one.

Mat was bleeding from a broken leg, heaving every breath like the world was lacking air.

‘He’s not going to make it,’ Nico told himself. He’d seen less kill someone in the slums.

“Your priority is you.” Rio said. “Everything and everyone is last.” That was the rule he abided by everyday.

He stepped forward, past Mat. He left the dark water, seeing his reflection again. Other kids had already left or were forming groups, splitting up through the maze. The slums were cruel. It was a fight for food. A fight for rest. A war for survival.

‘What am I thinking?’ Nico was carrying Mat along with him. He’d wrapped the boy’s leg with his shirt and dragged him along.

‘This is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid.’ Nico ran that thought through his head over and over. The kids wandered turn after turn of the same halls. Water and towering walls.

‘Trials. The spell presents a trial for the person. This maze was probably the trial. Leave the maze and win. That means…’ Nico wished he hadn’t thought about it, but he did. ‘There is something else here.’