Book 6 Chapter 12.3 – Sacrifice
In response to the red-robed archbishop’s summon, a deep and resounding voice sounded in the endless darkness. “You’ve come to disturb our peace again. Even though brilliance and blood has quite the temptation, it isn’t enough to compensate for our dignity, only the fall of a celebrated life can. Now then, where is the so-called king clan’s blood?”
The garrison officer already knew that he was destined to become an object of offering, this making him feel even more fear and despair than pure death. He frantically struggled, doing everything he could to scream. The threat of death made his strength increase greatly, unexpectedly struggling free from the grasp of the two executioners!
However, the brief moment of freedom couldn’t change his fate. Under the red-robed archbishop’s signals, an executioner suddenly took action, a fist smashing fiercely into the garrison officer’s abdomen, making him curl up like a cooked shrimp. The other executioner struck his back, the powerful force almost changing the positions of all of his inner organs! Then, the two executioners grabbed the garrison officer who temporarily lost the ability to move, flinging him into the great darkness behind the metal door.
The garrison officer wasn’t like the red-robed archbishop, unable to stably stand in the nothingness. When he flew through the metal door, his body went against motion physics, going from an arc to moving directly horizontally, as if an invisible had had grabbed him, pulling him into the darkness’ depths.
The darkness was like a viscous liquid that devoured him bit by bit. Only blood-curdling screeches could be heard continuously from who knew how far away. Then, rustling sounds that made one’s scalp numb sounded again and again, as if countless small things were using incredibly sharp mouthparts to devour food. Meanwhile, the garrison officer’s cries suddenly became high pitched and resounding, continuing for ten whole minutes before finally gradually stopping.
During this entire process, even the expressions of the two executioners who had witnessed countless cruel scenes changed a bit. They could imagine the torment the garrison officer endured during those ten minutes. Normally, just a few seconds of this degree of suffering would break down one’s mind. They couldn’t begin to even imagine what happened in the darkness to make one suffer extreme pain for so long!
Meanwhile, the red-robed archbishop stood there quietly, the torch in his hands flickering about.
The voice in the darkness sounded again. “The taste isn’t bad! Even though the blood vessels are too thin, it is the blood of the king clan. This type of taste really makes one reminisce. Good, this type of offering has proved your sincerity.”
“Then, how many can I bring out this time?” The red-robed archbishop asked.
The darkness became momentarily silent, and then said, “Three, you can bring out three, including one high rank.”
The darkness separated like water, and then three coffins appeared in the nothingness. Two of them were black wooden long coffins without too many decorations. However, the one at the center was larger, a coffin cast from brass, on the coffin’s surface a complex, three-dimensional rose made from unknown black and red colored metals, full of a dark and decadent artistic feeling.
“High rank? Truly an unexpected gift.” The red-robed archbishop’s mouth cracked opened, cackling like a crow, revealing the few badly damaged black teeth that remained.
“You can leave, greedy human.” The voice in the depths of the darkness gradually grew dim, becoming dormant once more.
“I am extremely grateful for your distinguished self’s generosity.” The red-robed archbishop bowed towards the endless darkness, and then withdrew from the metal door. When he came out, everything inside the door was immersed in darkness once more, including the three coffins.
The archbishop closed the metal door again with great effort. The key turned a few times, locking up the door once more. Only then did he raise the torch and return to the surface through the corridor. The two executioners felt a slight strange feeling, because the archbishop didn’t bring anything out from behind that door. However, they knew that this definitely wasn’t a question they should be asking, and as such, they immediately caught up to the archbishop with nimble movements.
Three individuals, one in front, two behind, silently ascended. The corridor was extremely quiet, only the archbishop’s heavy breathing echoing between the corridor walls. Before they traveled that far, the scenery behind the two executioners suddenly warped slightly, two dark shadows appearing. Their faces immediately revealed absolute horror and pain, widening their mouths to frantically cry out, yet were unable to release any sound! The whites of the two executioners’ eyes were quickly covered in bloody wisps, the blood vessels immediately extending to the limit, and then rupturing. There was no liquid that sprayed out, only a terrifying black color spreading in their widened eyes. It covered their pupils, and eventually, their eyeballs became completely black!
The two executioners collapsed, the two shadows that were so faint they were almost invisible caught up to the archbishop. The archbishop looked as if he wasn’t aware of what happened behind him at all. His head was lowered, lifelessly trudging up the stairs, head hung as he took one step after another.
Behind them, the spacious, empty, and damp corridor became peaceful again, the metal door also forgotten in the darkness.
