Kai Kayaba
Back at the temple, every single student was still paralyzed with fear after what they had just witnessed.
It was a normal day for us. We went to school,where we were forced to hangout because of an activity demanded by the school. We went through the park, found a giant door, entered the door and ended up in a mysterious dungeon. And now, one of the girls is dead.
Truly a normal day.
"T-That thing moves!" Motoyasu yelled as his body started to shake in fear.
One of the girls of the group had attempted to leave the room. However, when she touched the door, one of the statues had struck her down, destroying her head.
This of course caused panic in everyone.
Akeno tried to find a solution, however not even she knew what was going on.
However, the hard reality soon fell upon her, when she realized a small, yet important fact.
"Oh dear,If that one can move, then what's stopping the others from doing it?" Akeno asked us seriously as she looked at the statues.
The rest of us following her example looked up at the statues, Itsuki looked behind him, before muttering something.
Does that mean even the big one can move? Itsuki would ask as he looked around like cornered animals that is surrounded by predators just waiting to pounce.
As he said that, I looked back at the giant. The giant was looking at us. However, his eyes suddenly started to release a powerful red light.
Feeling something, I instinctively grabbed the person closest to me, which was Akeno.
Before she could question me, I yelled out.
Everyone duck! I yelled as I pushed Akeno down with me attempting to dodge whatever was coming.
Before anyone could question it, they all turned around and saw what was happening.
The statue kept charging the attack before finally releasing the blast at them.
As the rest of the group got out of the way, I ended up being on top of Akeno, who was hiding her head in my chest.
As the attack finished, smoke came out of the statue's eyes. However, the effects already did their job on everyone.
As I looked to see if Akeno was, I heard her murmur something so I leaned in closer.
"Ara~ ara~, In a situation like this you do something this scandalous?" I heard her say but I smiled because I knew she was just trying to calm me down so I wouldn't worry about her. As I looked around to see if the others were ok.
Girl 2: *crying* What the hell... I want my mommy...
"S-stay calm. Everyone is gonna be alright." Itsuki tried to calm the girl down but even to him his voice didn't sound all too convincing.
They were lucky. That blast didn't hit anyone. However, it didn't need to.
Yuuichi looked at the girl as his eyes became darker, something only I noticed as he opened his mouth to speak.
"If Sumeragi hadn't yelled I would have been hit."
Girl 1: i-i-i want to go home, please!
As I stood up, I checked up on Akeno, however her body just shut down on her and it wouldn't let her move even if she commanded it to.
"Shimizu-san. Please." I ask her trying to get her body to wake up on its own wouldn't work in this situation with that statue in here it was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
Seeing this, Ren slightly stood and yelled.
"Nobody move! Just remain like this! If we stand, it will attack again!"
Girl 1: R-Ren?
" Tck. What a bunch of BS." Motoyasu would angrily say as he contemplated on listen but in the end he complied.
Ren had made his way back to me and Akeno to check on us. He saw Akeno was leaning into my chest, looking up at me as if she was apologizing to me for being an inconvenience which she wasn't. Ren grabbed my attention, by touching Kai's shoulder.
He turned back and looked at him
"Akaba-kun?" I would ask him in confusion as I adjusted Akeno so she would be comfortable.
Ren gained a mischievous glint in his eye as he decided to tease Kai.
"Worrying about Shimizu will do no good right now."
"B-But"
However, to both of our surprise, Akeno managed to pull herself together.
"Ren, how many died?"
Hearing that, he looks around before answering.
"Non. Everyone managed to avoid the blast because of Kayaba's shout."
"Is that true?" I would ask in surprise as I turned to look around and see that everyone had survived.
Ren raised an eyebrow at that "Wait. Didn't you yell because you knew what would happen?"
Akeno looked at Kai in genuine surprise. Ara~ ara~, Are you serious, Kayaba-kun?
" Y-yeah. The only reason I yelled out was because I felt danger." I said in embarrassment as my face flushed and I turned my head away from them hearing Akeno giggle.
But Ren and Akeno were... surprised to say the least. It was really unthinkable how someone would trust their instincts so much. However, they couldn't deny the fact that my instincts saved them.
As the three of us finally got our emotions in order, we analyzed the situation.
"Do you both think there's a way to escape?" I asked as I looked for a crack or a hole in the wall where we could escape from.
I don't know. I'm very doubtful that we could with those states guarding the Door to this place. Ren would say as he looked at the statues in the room.
"Ara~ ara~, Right now we're at that things mercy." Akeno reply as she looked at me for answers,
"Then let's review what we know. This place is apparently called the Carthenon Temple. It's a place that has its own set of commandments just like the Bible." I would explain my theory to them.
The three of us then thought back to The Commandments. The First, worship the lord, The Second, praise the lord and The Third,prove your faith.
How would these things be related?
Sitting there, I felt powerless, almost as if I was in front of a superior being.
I then looked at the statue.
"No way. Does that mean." I couldn't believe I didn't notice before it was a long shot but it would make sense.
"Akaba-san, Shimizu-san. The lord. I think it means that one, right?"
When I said that, both of them looked up at the statue, seeing the imposing figure of the creature in front of them.
"Whether he is the lord or not, we better stay still right now. There's nothing we can do against it." Ren would sigh out in exasperation.
"Ara~ ara~,The best case scenario would be to run when the opportunity arises." Akeno suggested it to us.
But hearing that, I clenched my fists.
"It's no good If we move, they'll attack us. Even if we bypass the lord, the guards at the gate will still attack us. He probably never intended for us to leave."
"This situation was totally against us. We are only humans with me being dubbed the weakest one."
"Damn it! These guys can kill us whenever they feel like it, why haven't they!?" I said as I punched the ground in anger.
"It would be easier than squashing a bug." Akeno said as she put one of her slender hands on my shoulder trying to reassure me that we will get out of this.
"Beings like this could wipe us out in an instant." Ren said.
"Then why haven't they?" I questioned as I looked at the wannabe god in anger.
"Dunno". Ren replied.
"Ara~ ara~, There's not enough information to go off of."
It was a very peculiar situation. It could kill us, yet it didn't. Its thought process is no different from that of a predator seeking its prey. The guard statues attack when you approach the door. The large one shoots beams when you move. A deadly, yet effective pattern attack.
Then it clicks.
" Wait."
"A pattern…"
When I thought about it, my eyes widened in realization.
"It can't be...there are rules in this room!"
"It makes sense. The only reason why we're alive is because they're in a stalemate. But what? What could be preventing them from attacking? What are the rules?"
In my mind, it finally clicked. I looked to the side and spotted it. The depictions of the Angel, holding the commandments The Rules.
"Akaba-san, Shimizu-san! What was the first commandment?"
Hearing his tone, both of them were surprised.
Ren looked at me in confusion.
"The first?"
"Ara~ ara~, I think it was to worship the Lord."
When Kai heard that, his eyes focused.
"I see...Yes, it makes sense."
"Ara~ ara~ Kayaba-kun?"
Kai got on his knees, while staying low.
"Akaba-san, Shimizu-san, there's a rule in this dungeon…"
When both of them heard that, they of course acted surprised.
"W-what?"
"Ara~ ara~, Kayaba-kun, what are you doing!? Are you crazy!"
However Kai didn't stop. He was in his own world.
Kai murmured to himself "If I'm correct."
Akeno and Ren want to stop him, however they saw it. His eyes.
That wasn't the gaze of someone afraid of death.
Ren's thoughts: Those eyes...so much strength behind them.
" Ara~ ara~, Those eyes. They're the same as when I met him."
As soon as he stood tall, the statue's gaze went towards me, as its eyes started to charge up an attack. However, right before it did he lowered himself . He raised his head a bit and noticed how the statue's attack had completely stopped.
"I was right. He starts to attack when you're at a certain height. I finally understand the reason for the first commandment."
I turned around and looked back at everyone else.
"Everyone! Bow down to the statue!"
Upon hearing him, everyone was bewildered.
Girl 2: H-Has he gone insane!
"Bow down!? What the fuck do you mean!"
However, Ren and Akeno looked at him with curiosity.
"You figured something out, right?" Ren asked me
I nodded as I replied
"Yeah. He attacks when you move past a certain height, and therefore he doesn't attack when you bow down low enough. Worship the Lord means to literally bow down to him. So when you do…"
"Ara~ara~, Us showing respect and devotion towards him. Puts you in a good light"
When Akeno finished, Ren looked at me a bit skeptical. It's not like he didn't trust me. Yet, he was still scared.
"This didn't come from a guy feeling, right?"
It did for now.
Ren sighs out in exasperation "Well, there's nothing else we can do for now."
Yuuichi looks at Ren as if he was crazy "R-Ren!?"
Ren would look towards the rest of the group "Everyone, do as Kayaba says!"
"Ara ara, He's right. Everyone, please trust Kayaba-kun!"
With no root argument, everyone does as I say. Everyone gets on their knees, putting their faces down to the ground.
It truly looked like followers bowing down to God. It was truly a sight to see. On the faces of the 9 remaining teens was pure despair and fear.
The question inside everyone's mind was the same: Are they gonna live? Can we finally get out of here? Is this how we're going to live, by bowing?
As everyone was ominously quiet. Truly, leaving our fates in the hands of this creature.
Feeling doubt, the majority of us looked up and saw....it
Ara Ara, whats with that face?
"Its expression...It changed!?" I said in confusion.
As the teens saw this, without them knowing, a gaze fell upon 4 of them. The gaze was looking almost as if choosing one. The gaze finally landed in the middle.
"𐌔𐌏𐌏𐌍 O𐌍𐌄 𐌏𐌅 𐌕𐌇𐌄𐌌 w𐌉𐌋𐌋 𐌁𐌄𐌂𐌏𐌌𐌄 𐌈𐌇𐌄 O𐌍𐌄." A mysterious voice would say.
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How many people had this thing fought. How many has he attacked before? How many are still alive?
The group had been staying in the same position for a long time now, just staying like that. During the whole time, it didn't move, nor did they try to move.
"How long? How long do we have to do this?" I thought to myself
We sat there, waiting for something to happen, but it never came. Alass, just like how the universe is infinite, so is human... stupidity.
"Looks like he stopped attacking." Motoyasu would say as he looked up at the statue to check if it was you to attack again.
"No way!" Itsuki would say not believing Motoyasu's word
Yuuichi asks Motoyasu "Don't you think he's gonna try something else now? Is everything actually going to be fine because we bowed to him?"
However, Motoyasu kept going, until he had finally stood on the same level, as when Kai tested out where the statue would attack.
Itsuki yells at Motoyasu in panic "H-Hey! Don't stand up!"
Motoyasu yells out in irritation "Look! The attacks stopped!"
Suddenly, more people stood up and noticed it was true. They all felt overjoyed. However, the feeling of death hadn't left yet. And I knew it.
"No, it's not over yet." I muttered out.
Suddenly, the whole room started to shake, making some of the teens lose their balance. Before they could even share their thoughts on what was happening, the statue, with the same look as before, grabbed onto the arm rests of his throne and started to stand. Once it did, it fully stood, showing his full height.
"I-It's not over yet!?" Itsuki says in pure despair.
Girl 3: *Scared* No...No...
"…" Yuuichi hair covers his eyes
Seeing this, Akane and Ren turn towards me.
"Sumeragi! Don't you have any other plans!?" Ren asked
"Ara ara,Did you figure something out?" Akeno added
"Even if you ask me I can't think of anything" I say as I go through every possibility in my head but in every one ends with are deaths.
The statue then turned towards the three of us before moving once more, as everyone looked around. However, my eyes widened in realization.
"Wait, that's it! The second rule! The first one was to worship the lord, the second was to praise the lord. That has to be it."
"Praise?" Yuuichi asked.
"Ara~ ara~, If that's it then…"
Girl 3: I'll give it a shot. I was a member of the church's choir. And if it's singing and praising then i got this.
The girl then stepped forward, reaching into her blouse and pulling out a golden cross. She then closed her eyes and started to "pray" for the Lord. As she did, the "lord" started to slow down, almost as if it was hearing her.
Itsuki says in excitement "It's working!"
Girl 1: Y-Yes!
However, I still felt something was wrong. The statue with its ever-present smile looked at the girl, as it raised its leg over her.
"That's not right. She's praising the wrong Lord!"
In a single motion, it stomps on the girl, making a pool of blood, with no remains to be buried. Seeing this everyone screamed and started to run away from it, they tried to desperately escape but as long as they got close to one of the statues they would die.
Kai grabbed Akeno and along with Ren, ran away from there.
"Shit! Stay together!" Ren would yell to me
"Right"
As I ran, every single possibility ran through his head.
"Praise the lord. Praise...the lord.
*Scared* How do we praise a god like him!? That's the devil! *Looking around* Behind us, is the big one. In the front are the guards. They attack when we get too close to them. Swords, axes,bows,hammers,spears,a lyre. We can't get closer and can't keep running.
However, what I said finally clicked.
"Wait."
I looked around and noticed the same thing as before. Among the Warriors, and the lord there were musicians. People that entertained and praised kings with their abilities. They shouldn't attack with music. That's it!
" Everyone! Run towards the statues with instruments!"
As they did, the first person to arrive at their statue was Ren. His statue started to play and got a blue outline, as Ren stood in awe. However, acting surprised wasn't a good idea right now.
"The Statues with the instruments don't attack you, run towards them!"
As Ren yelled that everyone else started to look for one. As they did, Motoyasu arrived at a violin player, as a sad melancholy song played.
As everyone ran for their lives,of the eight them were struggling. One of the girls wasn't able to teach one in time, as the statue beside it stuck her down. Itsuki finally arrived, at one with an old guitar. As Yuuichi and the other girl arrived at one, they looked confused as to why it wasn't responding.
With me and Akane, both of us arrived at one playing drums, however, it also did nothing.
"Hurry up and start playing damn it! Come on!"
As I saw this, I looked back, seeing the other 5 remaining people standing beside their statues, as they kept playing. The reason why it didn't work, finally clicked.
"Could it be...it doesn't play for two people!?"
"Kayaba…"
Seeing this, Kai left Akeno there, as he left, with the statue starting to play.
"Kai!" She yelled my name trying to stop me from leaving the statue.
"Stay there. I'll find another one!"
As I started to run the statue turned its attention towards him. I kept looking until finally, I spotted a statue.
"Just a little more...A little more!"
As I thought this, the statue collapsed the area right behind me, making the ground crack.
However, I jumped and used the rubble to slide down. As he felt he was about to go forward but Ren's scream distracted him.
"No ! Get away from there!" Ren yelled as he pointed behind me doing hand signals with his hands trying to convey a message.
I looked up and saw Ren's worries. The statue that he ended up in front of was that of a shielder. As I got close, the shield came crashing down at me and everyone's eyes widened.
"Kai-kun!!!" Akeno would yell out in terror that the boy she fell in love with in middle school was about to die.
As I looked up, with a bloody and hurt body, I started to crawl trying to reach the instruments.
"Instrument...Ins- Please God if you truly exist."
As I crawled, I then thought back to some, as I was reaching out.
"Life and Death... because of my attempts to become strong, I was always holding onto that single thread that kept me from dying."
My eyes started to become heavy.
"No matter what I did or how much I practiced, I couldn't get stronger, and I always ended up almost dying. Here, I thought it could be different. In order to become strong...I thought magic was my only way. But now I don't want magic, I want to live."
As I was losing my energy, I heard a divine cry from the heavens. The voice of an angel sounded in his ears. He looked up and saw an angel, holding a book while singing.
"Haha." I laughed as layed my head down trying to save the little energy I had left.
As the room became engulfed in music, the scenery was present, Pools of blood around them. Out of the original 10 that they came with, only 6 remained...
"Ara~ ara~,Kai-kun!" Akeno screamed my name as she came racing toward me from the statue"
"Kai! Are you ok!?"
"Yeah I'm so so right now" I said weakly I saw that she didn't believe a word that I was saying
"Ara~ ara~,Are you trying to-"
Before Akeno could finish, she stopped midway, as she looked toward him. Tears invaded her eyes, as Kai looked down towards the stream of blood coming from his leg.
"Sorry I lied" I said as we both looked at my leg.
What used to be my leg
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Currently, I was being treated by Akeno, as she was using a first aid kit provided by Ren who always had one in case of emergencies.
As that happened, Ren and Motoyasu stood beside
each other, seeing this.
"I'm surprised." Ren said.
"Yeah. At least Kayaba is still alive…" Motoyasu added.
They then looked around.
"We started with 10 and now we have 6." Itsuki would say as he counted the rest of the group out.
"And one greatly injured…"
"Wait 6? Wasn't there a girl with Yuuichi?" I look over at Yuuichi and mentally glare at him. "What did you do!"
As Itsuki and Motoyasu looked behind me, seeing Yuuichi standing there, with his eyes being covered by his hair.
Before he could say anything the ground shook once more as the statue moved again.
"What now?" Itsuki said in defeat as we braced for another attack.
But that's when the statue would open his hands wide, as a small earthquake hit us. Before we could question it from beside the statue, a small pillar rose.
The object was fully visible but completely different from anything they'd ever seen.
"What is that!?" Motoyasu questioned as he pointed at the circular stone pillar with runes on it.
Before they could discuss, I looked ahead weakly and answered.
"An Altar." I say barely as my breathing started to get heavier
" Altar?" Itsuki questioned.
"You know, like the ones from mythology. Where they sacrificed living beings for their lord/gods. Cows,pigs,sheep,humans. And the last commandment is…"
"Prove your faith." Akeno said as she finally realized what I meant.
As the rest realized what I meant, they all looked towards each other, with Motoyasu starting to move.
"No matter how dumb I might be, I think I can tell what's going on now." Motoyasu would say as he walked past Itsuki
"Motoyasu?" Itsuki would question Motoyasu.
"This means we need to sacrifice someone." Motoyasu kept walking until finally, he arrived in front of a person.
The person looked up in shock, as Motoyasu grabbed them by the collar, lifting them.
"Isn't that right Yuuichi." Motoyasu would say as he placed his hands around Yuuichi's throat trying to choke him out.
Seeing this, Itsuki stepped in trying to pry Motoyasu off him. However, Motoyasu was stronger.
"Who was the one that brought us here! Who was the one that opened the door!" Motoyasu would yell as his grip would tighten around Yuuichi's neck.
Seeing the situation, Akeno also stood up and went to help Itsuki as they try to pry Motoyasu off him.
Once they get him off Yuuchi falls to the ground gasping for air as he gets into a fetal position trembling, he had his hands on his head.
As everyone spoke with each other, I wasn't paying attention. I was looking towards Yuuichi, and his eyes were wide trembling but. He had a crazed smile.
"You…You bastard you did do something!" I glare at him with pure hatred.
I was about to say something when I felt a gaze. Yuuichi was looking at me with this insane smile, as he sticked his tongue out at me.
Winking at me before making his final act…