The TRIBE Chronicles : Forgotten Memories (Completed)

08.2 - A Time of Battle (Part 2)

Sachi was running on the corridor. She had somehow lost her way. The Tower's corridors could be very confusing. It seemed to be endless as she tried to find her way out; it had almost broken her hope. But she had finally seen a bright light ahead. Feeling relief, she ran toward it.

When she arrived there, she found herself at the top area of the Tower. She looked around and realized that she had made a mistake. She then heard voices of men. She turned and saw several people standing around a circle-shaped pool; she quickly hid herself in fear of being caught. But feeling somewhat curious, she took a peek to see what they were doing there.

There were six or seven men standing there. From the fancy look of their clothes, they were all seemed to have important position. Perhaps they were rich merchants or even city rulers. However Sachi didn't feel pleasant image from them; she could see their corrupted soul within. And she quickly recognized one of them as Kumonagi, the city major. Furthermore, there was a girl chained down on the platform. The girl was crying and begging to spare her life. Yet the men around her didn't budge a move; they were only looked at her with cold gaze.

The pool itself had a circle platform in the middle of it with a small bridge connecting the platform to the floor outside. Water was filling the pool. Strangely, it gleamed in reddish color. There were four posts in the four points outside the pool that rose up forming half circle shape. On junction at the center of posts above, there was a giant crystal hanging in arrow shape with a sharp pointy edge that pointed straight to the girl's heart. Sachi thought that the girl might lose her life if that giant crystal arrow fell on her.

Then a pale look man stepped in. Sachi quickly recognized him as the terrifying man that had introduced himself as Setsu when she first came to the place. The man might look fragile with his pale skin. But every sense of her was afraid of him; he was somewhat a terrifying and dangerous for her.

Sachi could see Setsu stopping beside the Major and Kumonagi talked to him for a while. He then nodded and walked to the edge of the pool. He raised his right hand and started muttering a spell. Hearing it, the girl's cry started to become louder. But Setsu coldly ignored the cry and swung his hand downward.

Sachi gasped in fear when the sharp arrow mercilessly stabbed through the girl's chest, stopping her cry and her life as well. She quickly clamped her mouth with her hand, in fear if the men could hear her.

Fresh blood then flowed to the pool, mixed with the red liquid there. It brought nausea to Sachi's stomach, knowing that the red liquid was actually water mixed with human's blood.

But from inside the pool, she could see that there was a light shining from down under. She knew that something was beneath there. She could even feel a small beat of tremendous power at the moment. And somehow, it was spreading fears inside of her. She knew that the thing beneath the pool was somewhat dangerous and life-threatening.

However... just a few blinks, the light then dimmed and faded.

And the situation became silent.

"She's not the one."

Sachi could hear the cold voice of Setsu talking, sending shivers along her spine. The crystal arrow was being pulled back to the junction, along with the girl's body. But the body was quickly drawn back to the platform as the chains were holding it back. Then, from inside the canal, several living red vines popped up, stabbing the girl's body before dragging it down under.

Seeing the terrifying ritual, Sachi realized if she would need to escape as soon as possible; the same fate would be fallen on her if she stayed.