Yikes… A mentally sick guy died and a soldier with a loose screw in his brain appeared… This moon goddess chose weird people as her servants. That shaman is the only reasonable guy… I think.

As I tried to stand up I felt a boot on my head that didn’t let me move any further. Then I felt a cold iron on my neck. This Connor guy was ready to kill me at any moment! Didn’t he stop baldy from doing that?! Or did he kill him so he could kill me himself!?

[ Connor ]

“Tie him up. He was blessed by god so we can’t underestimate him.”

One of the cultists approached me from the back and tied my hands with a rope. At the same time, he was doing that I felt three taps on the palm of my hand. I think it was Tae giving me some kind of sign.

[ Kyle ]

“This time close him in one of the rooms. The one without any equipment in it.”

I was taken to a small room with only a wooden bed. It had nothing… No pillow, no duvet. At least it won’t rain on my head this time and I can move around. It’s a dark room because there are no windows only a small hole in the door to check on me. There was nothing much to do so I stretched myself, walked around, and took a nap. Even though I slept for a whole day.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

[ Tae ]

“I have food for you.”

He entered the room with peace bread and a cup of water. Nothing great but the food is food. I won’t survive on an empty stomach. The bread was dry but I had water to drink so it wasn’t that bad. It didn’t fill me up but it’s better than nothing. Tae got closer to me and gave me a knife.

[ Tae ]

“Hid it. If they found out my cover will be exposed.” He whispered.

I hid it under my coat so it wouldn’t be that visible even when I move around. Even if they are going to push me around I don’t think they’ll touch me around the armpit. I hoped to talk a bit with Tae but it would be too suspicious.

I still don’t know why they took me alive. It looks like they need me alive since they killed that baldy… I guess we’ll never learn his name. Not like I care about it. Just my curiosity. And most importantly, where are we going? Tae said that we’re going toward Dalir Village. If that’s their destination then what do they want from them?

For the whole day, I just slept, thought, and even trained a bit since I didn’t have anything better to do. Tae’s cover still worked because he was the one to deliver me food at night. All he told me was that we are only half a day from Dalir Village and that ship stopped by two villages and took a few people that were Mani’s believers. Villages looked like there lived at least thirty people but when they arrived they were completely empty.

One night someone else than Tae visited me. It was the shaman from the earth, Kyle. He brought me bread, water, and even peace of meat this time.

[ Kyle ]

“Although we are enemies I don’t want to treat you that bad like Connor wants. Don’t tell him about the meat I gave you. He barely agreed on giving you any food.”

[ Eric ]

“Are you saying this so I won’t hold a grudge against you?”

[ Kyle ]

“I just don’t like when people get the wrong idea of me. I’m not as inhumane as Connor and Gregor.”

[ Eric ]

“Gregor? So that’s baldy’s name…”

[ Kyle ]

“Mind telling me how you ended up here?”

[ Eric ]

“You go first.”

[ Kyle ]

“Fine. I was sacrificed as part of the ritual of my old cult. Goddess of the moon, by taking me here, crumbled my whole view of the world. I was supposed to go to a peaceful place but it’s some kind of shit hole ruled by them. I’m responsible for making this place a heaven.”

[ Eric ]

“Wow… That’s fucked up.”

[ Kyle ]

“Yeah? Then how did you die?”

[ Eric ]

“I fell off the bridge.”

[ Kyle ]

“Did you… Attempted a su…”

[ Eric ]

“No! I… was pushed by someone…”

Of course, I lied! No one needs to know that I got drunk and probably drowned because I wasn’t able to swim while I was drunk! I made many mistakes but that one was the worst!

[ Kyle ]

“Shame… And you’re going to get killed again by someone’s hand.”

[ Eric ]

“What do you mean?!” I shouted but Kyle already left the room without even looking at me.

“I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about me.” Yeah? Like hell you do! No different than a freaking psychopath! The only difference is that he is a real cultist! He freaking died because he was the sacrifice! And he is the one who wants to create a peaceful place? I still don’t know what they are after. They are going to Dalir Village, they’re going to kill me and they are gathering other cultists. Are they going to attack the village? Is there even a point in doing that? Maybe they are after revenge. I’ll know it tomorrow.

[ Tae ]

“The time has come. We’re almost at Dalir Village. They ordered me to take you to the front.”