How The Mighty Fall

Prologue

Midnight.

Darkness shrouded the streets of the city. Not even the street lights were lit.

But from a distance, an ember glow could be seen coming from the temple of Andarta, the goddess of war and victory.

Several hooded figures made their way into the temple, all of them carrying a purple pouch, containing unknown items. There were six in total.

All six of them formed in a circle below the altar of the temple.

They stood in silence, only the flicker of the flames on the wall could be heard, for a moment before one of them decided to speak up.

"Where is V? The instructions clearly stated to begin the ritual at midnight. It is now 5 minutes after." The only woman among the figures asked.

"Patience, N. The necessary items that where V's responsibility to collect are particularly problematic to come by. Especially in this city."

"The capital of debauchery and sin."

"Indeed, brother K." The others nodded in agreement.

Muffled yells from a young girl were heard from the temple entrance and all attention was turned.

There, walking in was yet another hooded man, dragging with him a young girl, no older than 13 or 14 up to the others. The girl was dressed in a short white dress and had her blonde hair in a long braid. Tears streaked her cheeks in fear and confusion.

"Please! Let me go." She pleaded as soon as the man removed his hand from her mouth.

"Shut up!" The man replied striking her on the side of her face in an attempt to silence her. Her cries became more quiet and turned into whimpers.

"You took your time getting here." N scolded the new comer with a scowl.

He grinned widely, his yellow teeth showing through his hood. "My apologies sister N. But I am now here and we can begin. If you please brother K."

"Of course" the man beside N nodded taking his item out of his pouch. It was a small knife with a curved blade and jewels adorning the handle. The girl noticed the knife and her cries increased in volume.

N revealed a brown ceramic bowl from her pouch and she and K made their way over to V and the girl.

"NO! Please! Don't kill me!" The girl tried to break free from her captor, her vision blurring from the tears.

"I am sorry my dear, but your sacrifice is needed." K said stroking her hair. "You shall be reworded for your deed in the afterlife." K quickly and neatly sliced the girl's throat as N placed the bowl to collect her blood.

The girl convulsed and made sickening gurgling noises, and not one of them even batted an eyelid.

After the life was finally drained form the girl and she slumped lifeless into V's arms, he carried her over to the altar and laid her down.

He then went back to his associates in the circle. N went around collecting the other items which ranged from cat bones to flower petals. She then placed the bowl in the middle of the circle.

Returning to her position, all hooded figures removed their hoods to reveal their faces. They were all bald and each had unique dark purple markings on their faces.

"Shall we begin?" N asked her brothers. They all murmured a 'yes' in reply. They all joined hands in the circle and began chanting in unison around the bowl.

The chant went on for a good while, when the torches began to flicker. A slow gust of wind entered the temple and a high pitch screech surrounded the group.