In a dark, damp basement there was a girl sitting inside of a magical circle made out of blood. Her eyes were blindfolded, her mouth was gagged, fear radiating all over her, she was chained. In front of her, a boy stood with a knife in his hand, dripping blood. He was wearing a tattered robe, his yellowish hairs escaping from the sides. Behind him were 6 boys around the age of the boy and the girl, no more than ten. They were silently chanting while preparing some kind of concoction. The boy with the knife started walking towards them. As he walked he joined them in chanting. Voice of the boys chanting started to grow stronger and stronger with every passing minute. Girl, on the other hand, couldn't voice a single sound as if her Larix was ripped out. Chains on her neck, wrist, and feet were as tight as it could get. Not allowing her to move even a bit.
Soon the chanting came to an end. The yellowish-haired boy dipped his dagger in the concoction, smearing a drop of blood or two to it. Following it he brought the dagger to his left wrist, slicing sideways, allowing his blood to drip into the bowl, the white colored liquid turned slightly pinkish. The youth next to him took the blade, doing the same thing, he too let the bowl feast on his blood. Bowl handed down, one by one, till everyone had their blood drop into it, turning what was inside the cup pitch black. When the bowl came back where it started to, the boy with the yellowish hair glanced back to the girl in the chains, a coldness, a decisive thought flashed in his eyes. He gulped down a portion of the black, viscous, and terrible smelling liquid. A little bit of it dripped from the side of his mouth. He wanted to vomit but hold himself back, forcing his throat to swallow it all. Passed it to the next person.
It was then when the last person drank the rest of the concoction, a sensation of something burning started began in their stomach. The sensation was getting stronger and stronger till it hit their brain. At that moment an incredible pain washed over their bodies. Some were cramping, some screaming like little girls. There was even a child or two vomiting some blood. Only three boys were different. They were gritting their teeth so hard that almost broke yet, none of them let even a single word out. After a few minute or so all of them was either passed out in sweat and blood or the verge of it.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
The yellow-haired boy looked at the girl who was laying in the middle of the circle, then turned to the boy with a face full of scars and a wicked smile, "She will be safe from onwards, right?" The boy with the wicked smile forced himself to got up and went to the side of the girl. “As long as seven of us stay alive or unless you… *Sigh*” he stopped for a brief second and continued “anyways yes she will be alright.” Right at that moment, the girl got up as is she was pulled out by someone. She started to laugh hysterically, an invisible force ripped her gag and blindfold apart. All those who hadn't passed out turn to the girl. They felt a fire in their arms, wanting to burn their whole body. However, when they looked they all revealed a sigh of relaxation. There was a tattoo of a serpent right where they had cut themselves and for a moment the serpent seemed like it was alive. Soon after the girl's laugh, all seven of their serpents began to glow faintly while the chains on the girl pulled her down to her knees.
As the glow of the serpents grew her laughter began to diminished, turning into a cry. As she cried, tears were flowing down hear one eye while the other one cried blood. The yellow-haired boy with the help of one of the boys got up and went to the girl's side and sat on his knees as he hugged the girl with all his might. His tears started to accompany hers.
He turned to the two beside him and said with a fire in his eyes, "Now we all share the same blood and we are all brothers. From this day on, this brotherhood will fight with anyone who dares to stand up against us. We will never rest until all those guilty answers us!"