Cursed Hearts | ATEEZ

021

I awoke to the feeling of a light breeze caressing my face, bringing with it the smell of incense and ancient secrets as it whispered in my ear and sang songs of long-forgotten stories before fluttering past me. My eyes fluttered open, heart aching with curiosity only to skip a beat as my eyes then widened, a mix of surprise and awe washing over me as I took in my surroundings.

I had been right to suspect the look in the King of Winter's eyes last night, had been right to assume that the second trial would be soon, but this was definitely something, I thought to myself.

Sitting upright on the polished wooden bench, I stared, out at the rows of identical ones stretching all the way to the other end of the room, intricately carved wooden pillars holding up balconies on either side of the room, curving into arches as they met each other toward the ceiling high above, decorated with endless mosaics in warm colours, heavy chandeliers towering above.

My gaze drifted down slightly to the beautiful altar opposite me, looking more like a magnificent building, I thought to myself, shaking my head as realization dawned on me; It wasn't an altar. This was a synagogue, meaning that it was an ark, raised on a beautiful bimah, platform, where-

I flinched as the familiar sound of a melodious and deep voice suddenly rang out through the silence, several other people suddenly jerking up from their sleeping spots on the benches in the synagogue as Kim Namjoon's voice echoed through invisible speakers, "Welcome to the second of the Trials of the Eight Mountains, dear contestants, and champions! And welcome to Sector 2, Budapest."

"Seonghwa's kingdom," I whispered to myself, my voice drowned out by Namjoon's thunderous one as he cleared his throat, sitting up a little straighter as my eyes locked on a head of copper hair, realizing that Taeyong was here as well, counting the others as they looked around nervously, confused, realizing that, unlike the first trial, we were all here. All 15 of us. I swallowed thickly.

"This beautiful place is Dohány Street Synagogue. Today's trial will once again require you to find a special key, this time using the one you earned in Moscow. This challenge will require both agility, speed, and caution as you are required to keep one of these sacred flames alight as it guides you to where you need to be. The flame must stay ablaze," Namjoon announced.

His voice once again took on the same eerie tone I remembered from the first trial as he continued, "Because you need the light to conquer the darkness with which comes death, still remembering that the brightest flames cast the darkest shadows. Those who do not manage to keep their flame alive or to find the key before the light burns down will not be able to continue the trials. May The Oracle of Phiri be with you and may The Chosen One be ever victorious."

The voice of the blue-haired announcer had barely faded before the first contestants sprung to life, bolting from the wooden benches and toward the ark of the synagogue where a row of lit candles was lined up, their flames flickering brightly, dangerously, as weapons were suddenly raised and pointed at throats, chests, and faces.

The sounds of metal scraping against metal, bowstrings pulled taught, and spears soaring through the air rang in my ears, female and male contestants and champions alike getting ready to fight in order to keep the others away from the flames that suddenly danced nervously behind them.

I swallowed thickly, subconsciously shrinking a bit in my seat as I carefully reached for the dagger hanging from the belt of my white training suit, sinking onto the floor with my back against the wooden bench in front of me as the first growl echoed through the synagogue, followed by curses and yells as the fight broke out.

"What the hell?" I whispered, my voice edged with panic as I pulled out the dagger and clutched it to my chest, feeling my heartbeat hammering against my ribs, hurting, aching with fear as I tried to come up with a plan. I needed one of those lights, one of those candles, but I couldn't go through the others, couldn't fight as well as them.