I don’t know how long I was kept there. In complete darkness, you lose any sense of time. It must have been quite a while though. They regularly brought me food and tea, but my body rebelled against the highly dosed poison in it. I think they were at a complete loss on why I wasn’t becoming as drowsy as my peers.

Sleep was another challenge in this confined space. Besides the smelly area where I regularly threw up my food and defecated, there wasn’t much floor to lie down. All I could do was sleep while sitting, back leaning against the wall. In one of the moments where my consciousness was fading, I suddenly felt a familiar presence reaching out to me.

“Yes”, I whispered in an exhausted voice, as I responded to her inquiry. “They have found mother’s medicine. Now I’m being imprisoned.”

Silence. I felt the connection was growing weak. Was it because her mind had to cross the stream? By now, little me had already figured out that the dark stream in the cave probably was a magical barrier that prevented Violet from leaving. And for some reason, I was able to easily cross it. Perhaps I had inadvertently punctured it when I first encountered her. Nevertheless, I tried to cling onto that fading feeling. She must have felt my fears, for in one final bout of emotion, she meant, Worry not. You are stronger than you think you are. Run to me once you are brought here. Being reassured, I regained some determination. I sure as fuck would not be sacrificed! My parents were waiting for me, after all!

Several sleep-and-eat cycles later, ‘Peach’ and ‘Owleen’ came to fetch me. To keep me subdued, they tied my arms behind my back. The rope was long enough so they could use it as a leash. ‘Owleen’ pulled me out into the night. Even though it was moonless, it was still brighter than the shabby storeroom I was trapped in. However, I finally breathed some fresh air. I inhaled deeply before I was dragged towards the temple. My peers walked in front of me in an eerie procession. They were all wearing the same white robes we wore when we first got here. In their right hands, they carried a small lantern that flickered in the wind. All the way to the temple they sang the same prayer over and over again: “We are but a small voice. But united we stand against the evils. Begone, demon of the past! Begone, demon of the past!”

The children were flanked by several black guards and practitioners. While the guards did not say anything, the practitioners hummed along in harmony to the children's’ tune. If you’ve ever seen Hightower’s yama yama yamaah chant in Police Academy 2, then you’re on the right track. Maybe throw in some exorcist prayers from the Bible. Yup. That kind of level of creepy. I looked around me and noticed that both ‘Owleen’ and ‘Peach’ had slightly vacant gazes. It wasn’t as strong as with my former friends, yet I guessed that they must have drugged themselves as well. By the love of Nu, these practitioners are way too crazy!

We finally reached the entrance of the cave and slowly walked through. The chanting of my peers blended in with the faint chants from within the cave. I saw how both the guards and the practitioners were looking nervous. So it seems they have never set foot here before! My childish heart beat fast with delight upon realizing that the mazes in here were going to work to my advantage. I also felt the bond between me and Violet grow stronger with every step. I felt her eagerly awaiting us, like a spider lurking and watching how an unsuspecting insect flew right into her web.

When we entered the large hall with the Sekhmet statue, the grandeur of this place was illuminated by the many lanterns that spread out along the stream. Only now did I see many more corridors and tunnels at different heights, leading away from this place. I was also able to catch a glimpse of Sekhmet’s lioness head features. She had an angry look on her face, as if she was ready to tear any intruder apart who dared enter her temple. Yet in those stone eyes, I sensed something else - those eyes resembled that of a wild beast that had been driven into a corner, wounded and scared.

One by one, the children sank to their knees, praying. ‘Dried Cedar’ nodded at one of the guards. The man stepped up and drew his blade, swiftly slicing the neck of the first child in the row - Valerian. I watched in horror as the blood gushed out and his lifeless body fell to the ground. His blood trickled down across the many indentations of the rocky floor and into the stream. The second child, Reed, shared the same fate. By this time I realized why the stream was dark and thick. It was not water, it was blood! I began to frantically wiggle my way out of the rope. Luckily, the other practitioners were all in a deep trance. Unluckily, one of the other black guards noticed me moving. He easily grabbed me by my collar just as I was able to free myself.

“What to do with the defiant boy?” He asked as he lifted me into the air.

You dare lay hand on my disciple? The anger sent out to all participants of the ceremony was as clear as the magical water pond. Shocked, the adults peered into the darkness behind the statue. There was a faint jangling sound that drew closer and closer. From the shadows emerged the silhouette of the stranger I had grown fond of. She was still wearing chains, however, they had miraculously grown long enough for her to walk all the way to the barrier. There she stood, clothed in rags, yet the aura around her was so powerful, everybody with a halfway clear mind trembled in fear. The black guards drew their blades, yet they remained hesitant. Who was this stranger? What was she doing there beyond the barrier? Why did she seem so powerful?