Ending Paradise

Introduction - The Enterance Exam

It was a small temple placed within a shrine of death, tombstones and weather trees decorated the outside, bones marking a guide to follow up to it. Blossoms of solid scarlet and blood bloomed in the wake of the long-dead bodies.

My steps slowed on the zombie soil as I got closer and closer to the temple. It wasn't a temple in the style of the Goddess Iris or God Narcarrius. Goddess Iris is one of many gods people believe in. One of a high ranking and said to be the goddess of creation. She created the world, people, and even magic. Then there was narcarrius the God of Destruction, said to be a war god reborn for a more truthful purpose. 

In this part of the kingdom, it's one of the two temples that have been maintained over the years. I've seen plenty of Iris temples with Yuma, pretty and pristine of white and purple but very few Narcarrius temples, they're normally dark brown or black glided with gold and topaz. 

This was different from a neutral, slightly desaturated brown, very similar to the wood of a cedar tree. Along its engraved pillars were gemstones of teal seas and blood oranges.

As I got closer, the scent of rotting wood infiltrated my senses. It was sour and potent as if it's been there for years. I pulled out a face mask from my pockets to help mask a little more of the smell.

I gently caressed the front gate as a sense of nostalgia fills my mind. With a delicate push, the door opened and I stepped in without a second thought.

"NO THE DOOR!" A voice from inside cried.

The door slammed closed and made a mechanical snap. It didn't have a handle of any sort so it was impossible to open from the inside.

"THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN OUR LAST CHANCE!" The voice panicked before I glanced over at them.

It was Kae and standing right next to him was Sora who seemed a little too drained to be paying attention.

"You know, you become numb to it by the fourth dumbass that walks through," A more distant voice dismissed from the corner of the room.

"Sounds like you have plenty of experience with that," I mumbled unsure if anyone heard me.

They were hidden within the shadows of the temple's elaborate decorative pillars. But something about that carefree tone was also familiar to me.

"Ghost?" My head snapped to the sound of the other familiar voice.

"Oh, it's just you, Bright," I easily dismissed him to look around at who else was in the room.

"Um, hello? What are you doing here?" He asked an anger bubbling behind his tone.

I shrugged in response not bothering with any sort of explanation, "I'm honestly surprised you could tell it's me with my face mask,"

"It was a hunch. Mostly the staff and the goggles," He stated gesturing to own his mask.

I let out a faint laugh, "I'm sure,"

"Sir Bright Knight, do you know this person?" Mei asked approaching us very quickly leaving a rather serious Trevor by himself as he scribbled in his notebook.

Mei stopped just short of the two of us. I'm not sure if it was because of the Bright or because of me but she definitely wasn't close enough to recognize me.